Benjamin Kassel
"Learn to Fly" takes on extra weight in the wake of Taylor Hawkins' death
I'd been sitting on this song for a while, never imagining I'd write about it for this reason... but it painfully fits the moment.
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Benjamin Kassel
- Mar 15, 2022
- 3 min
"Bulls on Parade" is timeless for the unsavory truths it tells
...as is pretty much every Rage Against The Machine song.
Benjamin Kassel
- Mar 6, 2022
- 3 min
"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" is my top pick from the 2000s garage revival
The White Stripes' 2001 single showcases their unmistakable sound in my favorite ways.
Benjamin Kassel
- Mar 4, 2022
- 3 min
"Wild" is yet another success from Spoon
The ever-excellent band combine classic rock influences with their modern indie sound on a recent single.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 19, 2022
- 5 min
"Toxicity" exhibits masterful mediation of contrast
My old System of a Down favorite is extreme in its timbral changes, but musically consistent — a recipe for an intense, engaging listen.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 16, 2022
- 4 min
On "Dirt," Keane are true to themselves as they decry an all-too-familiar conflict
Their title track from last summer's EP has an unavoidable gravitas as it speaks to the fallout the innocent suffer from war.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 15, 2022
- 3 min
"Strawberry Letter 23" fits today's date
Is it cool? (Is it cool?) I don't know, but it's February 14, and it feels right.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 13, 2022
- 4 min
Diving into "21st Century Schizoid Man" in memory of Ian McDonald
As I've done twice before, I pay tribute to a recently deceased musician by looking back at one of their works.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 7, 2022
- 4 min
"Take Me Out" and the art of the slowdown
It's hard to pull off an energetic downward tempo shift, but that's exactly what Franz Ferdinand did, and I love it.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 6, 2022
- 3 min
"Say Nothing" does all the talking itself
Flume's new release is chock-full of fascinating details as he plays with time and musical space.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 1, 2022
- 3 min
I felt down, but "KEEP IT UP" helped me be a bit more positive
Rex Orange County's new release is a simple indie pop slice that speaks to the drive one gets from valuing themself and their endeavors.
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 23, 2022
- 4 min
An examination of 'art pop' through "Running Up That Hill"
I examine why Kate Bush's work stands out from that of her contemporaries through one of her most successful songs in the mainstream.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 22, 2022
- 4 min
"Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a Britpop hit unlike any other
Between its sampling dispute, its distinctive vocal elements, and its point of view, the Verve's enduring anthem leaves a unique impression.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 21, 2022
- 4 min
Early 2000s pop punk meets late 2010s future bass in "Good Things Fall Apart"
In hindsight, these styles are perfect for each other — unlike the former relationship the song describes. Bravo, ILLENIUM and Jon Bellion.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 17, 2022
- 4 min
"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" is uniquely structured in its depressive dealings
I was first drawn to this Smiths track by its odd form, but with every listen, I feel a deeper connection to the lyrics and their setting.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 16, 2022
- 3 min
"Maybe Tomorrow" is 00s alt with a 70s soul
Kelly Jones and Stereophonics call back to the generation before them with their R&B influenced post-Britpop.
Benjamin Kassel
- Dec 31, 2021
- 4 min
"Don't Look Back In Anger" is my New Year's Eve anthem
Move over, "Imagine" — Oasis provide the perfect soundtrack to changing calendars.
Benjamin Kassel
- Dec 22, 2021
- 4 min
Looking back on my adolescence through "1979"
The nostalgia the Smashing Pumpkins evoke isn't rose-colored, but that's fine, if not good; it means their song helps me honestly reflect.
Benjamin Kassel
- Dec 9, 2021
- 3 min
"Maps," fragile yet simultaneously rocking
Through lead singer Karen O, Yeah Yeah Yeahs find a balance between soft, heartfelt vocals and a powerful alt rock instrumental.
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