Benjamin Kassel
"California Love" was a perfect soundtrack to this year's Super Bowl Sunday
...especially considering the halftime's West Coast hip hop theme perfectly matched the game's outcome.
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Benjamin Kassel
Jan 10, 20223 min read
The broad political frustration of "Talkin' Out the Side of Your Neck"
Cameo unload a widespread critique of those in power over the lies they tell with their signature, hard-hitting funk.
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
Nov 20, 20213 min read
"Someone To You" and the effects of the simple desire to be loved
BANNERS displays the longing for a feeling he may not really know... but the way he does it is compelling.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 19, 20213 min read
"Fire" reflects its title through the raw energy of the Jimi Hendrix Experience
Is it pyromania? No, but it's a frantic and psychedelic trip that makes you feel like something's burning inside you.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 18, 20213 min read
Nothing gets me fired up quite like "Seek & Destroy"
It's a song I consider a sports anthem, and just a track that gets you in the mood for a thrashing.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 17, 20214 min read
"Tear It Down" and the art of crafting a true sonic narrative in dance music
The Aston Shuffle expertly execute a slow, but sure build, capping it off with the most satisfying release in the final break.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 16, 20214 min read
The whole of "Shook Ones, Pt. II" is far greater than the sum of its parts
From insane samples to hard-hitting rhymes and a splash of motivation, Mobb Deep's signature track is an all-time great rap cut.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 15, 20215 min read
This is a "Land of Confusion," but we have the power to change that
Genesis capture the strife which penetrates our world on all levels, while also leaving the door open for humanity to still work things out.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 14, 20213 min read
As the Temptations say, "Get Ready" for what lies ahead in the near future
In my excitement for this coming week, I hear this tune capturing my eagerness to go full speed ahead into these next few days.
Benjamin Kassel
Oct 30, 20214 min read
"Kill This Love": what a sound, and what a title
Furthermore, the title echoes a message not as frequently heard in the breakup song canon: kill it off now to save yourself the pain later.
Benjamin Kassel
Sep 18, 20214 min read
"Tiny Dancer" ever so slowly builds to something magical
Some pop songs could be cut short and still feel somewhat satisfying. "Tiny Dancer," simply put, is not one of those songs.
Benjamin Kassel
Aug 29, 20214 min read
Pray that "The Saints Are Coming" for real this time
As Hurricane Ida causes destruction in Louisiana, this entry pays tribute to a people and a city who have risen from the ashes before.
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