Benjamin Kassel
"Hail to the King" has always wowed me... and now it also makes me think
The tap-filled anthem is one of my 21st-century rock favorites, but its lyrical theming didn't register with me until very recently.
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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 9, 2022
- 4 min
Revolutionary commentary from the early 70s (2/2)
Gil Scott-Heron took on a decidedly different perspective from the Last Poets in his response to "When the Revolution Comes."
Benjamin Kassel
- Mar 7, 2022
- 4 min
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, 2022
- 4 min
"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 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 7, 2022
- 4 min
Dissecting why I love "King Kunta"
Kendrick Lamar's funky 2015 single remains a personal favorite for a slew of reasons, many of which come back to what I like in older music.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 11, 2022
- 3 min
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.
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