Benjamin Kassel
"California Dreamin'," as heard from a Californian's perspective
What can I say? It's a winter's day.
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Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 31, 2022
- 4 min
"Spinning Wheel" is a most unusual jazz fusion track... and I love it
This song is out there, but it's a good kind of out there because of how Blood, Sweat & Tears mediate all its intricacies and oddities.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 26, 2022
- 3 min
With "Love on the Brain," Rihanna made doo-wop modern
Few pop songs have genuinely surprised me in a positive way on first listen more than today's selection did.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 25, 2022
- 3 min
"Iko Iko," a thoroughly New Orleans record from a 60s girl group
The Dixie Cups' cover of a traditional song from their hometown stands out from the time's typical pop fare in nearly every way.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 14, 2022
- 3 min
"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is Baroque pop with plenty of additional intrigue
A J.S. Bach-inspired structure yields a unique and iconic recording.
Benjamin Kassel
- Nov 30, 2021
- 4 min
Shocking Blue's rocking "Venus" has a surprising country backstory
...and I only learned about it today.
Benjamin Kassel
- Nov 10, 2021
- 4 min
In its various forms, "Beggin'" has been a standout song for over a half-century...
...and I had to figure out which one version I liked / wanted to write about the most.
Benjamin Kassel
- Nov 8, 2021
- 3 min
"96 Tears": Grounded in its time, or anticipatory of rock's future?
Its sound as as mid-60s as you can get, but its perspective might lend itself to being a forerunner of more contemporary movements.
Benjamin Kassel
- Oct 8, 2021
- 5 min
"Grazing in the Grass" has a heck of an origin story and a decade-defining sound
It doesn't get more 60s than how the Friends of Distinction spun an instrumental classic. And how do Zambia and Jim Brown each play a part?
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