Benjamin Kassel
"Interstate Love Song": a familiar riff leads to introspection
It's the end of my last break, and a song about being on the road soundtracks the way I feel underneath a calm exterior.
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Benjamin Kassel
Mar 7, 20224 min read
Revolutionary commentary from the early 70s (1/2)
As I ponder various current events and prospects for "revolution," I turn to the Last Poets' Harlem-based perspective toward social change.
Benjamin Kassel
Mar 5, 20224 min read
"Mrs. Robinson": not (just) a film song
Simon & Garfunkel's hit from The Graduate is a reflection of their thoughts on mid-60s America.
Benjamin Kassel
Feb 26, 20223 min read
"I'm So Excited" has a lot going on under its surface
The Pointer Sisters' eternally catchy hit is more than meets the ear.
Benjamin Kassel
Feb 25, 20225 min read
"Inner Light" speaks to my anxious self in a re-emerging social climate
Elderbrook and Bob Moses' lyrically driven house production has been a personal anthem since I first heard it about half a year ago.
Benjamin Kassel
Feb 19, 20223 min read
"The A Team"'s singular narrative makes me think deeply about the homelessness I see around Berkeley
Ed Sheeran's tale of one Angel grapples with connection, addiction, and its subject's all-too-likely fate.
Benjamin Kassel
Jan 30, 20223 min read
"Little Boxes": a warning against blind conformity
Malvina Reynolds' Daly City-inspired song seems to have been taken to heart soon after by students of her alma mater.
Benjamin Kassel
Dec 10, 20213 min read
"Give a Little Bit" really hits home here in Berkeley during finals prep
Amidst the stress of finals prep, small gestures and acts of kindness can go a long way. Today I managed to grind out my English final...
Benjamin Kassel
Dec 7, 20213 min read
"Waterloo Sunset" examines a complex case of escapism
The Kinks' beautiful psychedelic pop rock track has a narrator who just can't let himself enjoy life to the fullest.
Benjamin Kassel
Dec 4, 20213 min read
On the calm disco-like indie pop of "Sit Next to Me"
...and the marching band rendition of the track I heard tonight.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 21, 20213 min read
"Celebration" and the comfort in revelry
Even with its title and sporting usage, Kool & the Gang's signature song embodies a more laidback form of celebrating.
Benjamin Kassel
Oct 25, 20214 min read
"Kiss from a Rose" yields a momentary, yet troubling warmth
Much more than a movie ballad, Seal's signature song deals with a duality between love and addiction for its entire duration.
Benjamin Kassel
Oct 24, 20214 min read
The song's called "Rainy Night in Georgia," but tonight it fits the mood in Berkeley just as well
Just as much as music has the ability to transport oneself to another place and time, it can also further ground you in your present surroun
Benjamin Kassel
Sep 13, 20214 min read
"Unknown Song" captures my present anxieties and questions, then tries to answer them
As the track oscillates between major and minor sections, I try to allay my fears. Do I succeed?
Benjamin Kassel
Sep 8, 20214 min read
"Semi-Charmed Life," another not-really-happy song, and how I experience it
I can't help but smile when I hear this song, but man, it's messed up. (And holy cow, a 90s track! About time.)
Benjamin Kassel
Sep 1, 20214 min read
"Here," the anti-party party song
Thank you, Alessia Cara, for providing a perspective to which I can so easily relate.
Benjamin Kassel
Aug 30, 20213 min read
"Spill the Wine," an early 70s gem that comes from just about everywhere
Eric Burdon and War prove to be the perfect soundtrack for a lazy weekend day near the start of the school year.
Benjamin Kassel
Aug 27, 20213 min read
"Everyday People": diff'rent strokes for Berkeley's folks
The sights and sounds of Bancroft and Sproul inspire today's entry.
Benjamin Kassel
Aug 26, 20216 min read
"Gimme Shelter" from... a lot of things
A selection made in the wake of on-campus protests, as well as in tribute to a masterful drummer.
Benjamin Kassel
Aug 25, 20214 min read
And so it begins, with "Feeling Good"
Where else to start but the beginning?
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