Benjamin Kassel
"Tainted Love": a cover that defined the 80s sound
Soft Cell weren't the originators of this song, new wave, or synth-pop, but their take on Gloria Jones set the stage for a decade of music.
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Benjamin Kassel
- Mar 10, 2022
- 4 min
As a production, "Otis" has blown me away for more than a decade
You don't sample and rap over Otis Redding and get away with it... right?
Unless you're Ye and Jay.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 22, 2022
- 5 min
"Digital Love" is my favorite electronic track of all time
...and I break it down today to pay tribute to the two robots with human souls who made it.
Benjamin Kassel
- Feb 14, 2022
- 3 min
"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.
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
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 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 18, 2022
- 4 min
"Gospel for a New Century": organized anxious chaos
I got hooked on Yves Tumor's sound from this track alone and the complex internal war it captures.
Benjamin Kassel
- Jan 12, 2022
- 3 min
"aNYway" is house formed straight from its disco roots
Duck Sauce create "disco's revenge" by sampling the genre that preceded it, paying tribute to New York in the process.
Benjamin Kassel
- Nov 25, 2021
- 4 min
"Toxic," the most unique pop song of this century
Baby, can't you hear? It's nothing like what you expect from an idol like Britney Spears, but it's arguably her biggest hit.
Benjamin Kassel
- Nov 17, 2021
- 4 min
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 3, 2021
- 4 min
A funky tribute to the "Outstanding" Ronnie Wilson
His accomplishments are visible throughout one of the Gap Band's signature and most evergreen songs.
Benjamin Kassel
- Oct 19, 2021
- 4 min
India.Arie's "Video" is as honest as it gets in this gilded world of ours
Rising above the weight of unrealistic physical expectations, she delivers a soulful, guitar-driven affirmation of her self-worth.
Benjamin Kassel
- Oct 12, 2021
- 4 min
Fugees' cover of "Killing Me Softly With His Song" holds its own and then some
In reinterpreting Roberta Flack's soul classic, Lauryn Hill does the heavy lifting, but she's also never alone.
Benjamin Kassel
- Sep 22, 2021
- 4 min
Happy on a Wednesday? At the very least, I'm "Way Less Sad"
AJR present a quite positive, but easily embraceable lens on present-day living in one of the year's best pop tracks.
Benjamin Kassel
- Sep 17, 2021
- 5 min
On "Love Rears Its Ugly Head," its opening sample, and the reading they provide together
A standout track of the early 90s is even more intriguing when one applies the context of its introduction to the rest of the track.
Benjamin Kassel
- Sep 3, 2021
- 4 min
On house music and perspective through the lens of "Rain On Me"
A 2020 chart-topper is: 1) the kin of 90s French house; 2) a good starting point for a discussion on interpreting and connecting to music.
Benjamin Kassel
- Aug 31, 2021
- 4 min
Simply put, we're all at least a little "Crazy"
I finally talk about a track from my lifetime, and it gives me a chance to appreciate sampling as well as its lyrical perspective.
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