Category Archives: guest post

Arachnophonia: The Lumineers

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Claire (class of 2020) and features the 2012 self-titled debut album by American folk rock band The Lumineers. Thanks, Claire!

The Lumineers

The Lumineers

The Lumineers

This original studio album, released by the Lumineers back in 2012, remains one of my favorite albums of all times. While “Ho Hey” might have been the most popular song to reach national radio stations and launch the Lumineers’ career, some of the more subtle songs on this track are ones that I listen to on repeat while taking a walk, studying for a test, or falling asleep. In particular, “Dead Sea” and “Slow it Down” are two songs that I have fond memories of singing to in the car as I drove around my suburban town with my mom back in high school. The songs off this album provide unique narratives, yet are open enough to allow for personal application and interpretation of lyrics and melodies.

David Lee [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]

The Lumineers have an extremely unique sound in my opinion. Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites, the two songwriters of the group, craft beautiful lyrics that are both relatable and mysterious, harkening back to a bye-gone era of simpler times. Violinist Lauren Jacobson, pianist Stelth Ulvang, bassist/backing vocalist Byron Isaacs, multi-instrumentalist Brandon Miller and cellist/vocalist Neyla Pekarek all add to the complex layering and strong beats backing each song.

Since the initial release of The Lumineers album in 2012, the Lumineers have released two studio albums. In 2016, they released Cleopatra which went platinum. Then, on September 13th, the Lumineers released their third full-length album titled III. The band began their international tour on November 6th in Munich, and will begin the North American portion of their tour in Chicago on December 7th. If you are interested in catching one of their concerts near Richmond, you can see them perform in Charlottesville on February 16, 2020 or in Washington DC on February 28, 2020.

The Lumineers

Arachnophonia: “Lou Reed, Metal Machine Trio: The Creation of the Universe”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker William (class of 2021) and features an exhibition catalog documenting a 2015/2016 3-D sound installation featuring Lou Reed’s controversial 1975 album Metal Machine Music. Thanks, William!

Lou Reed, Metal Machine Trio: The Creation Of The Universe

Lou Reed, Metal Machine Trio: The Creation of the Universe

This is Lou Reed, Metal Machine Trio: The Creation of the Universe. Originally published in 2015 by the Cranbrook Art Museum, the collection contains essays on Lou Reed’s double album, Metal Machine Music as well as photos and reproductions of archival material. When Metal Machine Music was released in 1975, the overwhelming response to the album was that it was one of the worst albums ever made. In fact, many fans returned their copies of the album under the assumption that they had purchased a faulty copy, according to Christopher Scoates. Lou Reed said it had the “highest level of returns of any record ever released.”

Lou Reed - Metal Machine Music

Before Metal Music Machine, Reed’s reputation as a solo artist wasn’t great. His best work was with the Velvet Underground under the management of Andy Warhol. The group disbanded in the early seventies because of conflicts within, mostly caused by Reed, it seems. Though Reed could be dear, the subject matter of his work was always provocative, dealing heavily with drug abuse, sex and sexuality and violence. There is a certain nihilism about Reed’s work and persona that help make sense out of Metal Music Machine, but it was unlike anything else he produced and the state of mind it operated under wasn’t clear at the time. Rolling Stone journalist Anthony Decurtis said in his 2017 biography of Reed that Metal Music Machine is a “hymn to speed”, so it’s widely assumed Reed recorded the album during a methamphetamine binge, but certainly more went into it than that. In Socates essay it’s clear that Reed was obsessed with avant-garde and experimental composers, so it wasn’t as unexpected as it seemed.

In an interview, Reed said that he partly intended for the album to repel “all those f—king a—holes” who only wanted to hear his biggest hits like “Walk on the Wild Side” and hits he wrote with the Velvet Underground. It’s a giant “F—k you,'” wrote music critic Lester Bangs, and endures more as a statement than a good album — a statement to everyone and everything conventional, that is. Critics questioned if even Reed’s most devoted fans would follow him through the more than an hour long album of experimental guitar feedback and distortion, loops of high-pitched screeches and squeals and the occasional, distant melody behind the wall of noise. He recorded it alone in his Manhattan loft with a couple guitars and amps.

It’s really no wonder the music library doesn’t have a copy of Metal Machine Music. Most people don’t listen to the entire thing, they just fast forward to see if it becomes bearable, which it doesn’t, really. But what’s fascinating to me about the album is the acclaim is has received in the decades since its release and the influence attributed to it. The Creation of the Universe exhibit catalog recognizes this influence and helps the listener make meaning where there seemingly is none. Accompanying the essays are photographs and explanations of Reed’s notes from the album’s production, as well as photographs from concerts of Lou Reed and the Metal Machine Trio performing Metal Machine Music.

Arachnophonia: Frank Ocean “Channel Orange”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Gabi (class of 2020) and features Frank Ocean’s 2012 debut album Channel Orange. Thanks, Gabi!

Frank Ocean

Channel Orange

Frank Ocean - Channel Orange

Pitchfork recently released one of their most famous lists, “The 200 Best Albums of the 2010’s.” Although these kinds of lists and rankings are subjective, and can even be controversial at times, they open up conversations about the cultural relevance of albums, and how they may shape and define a generation. While several artists appear multiple times throughout the list, the only artist with two albums to appear in the top 10 of Pitchfork’s list is Frank Ocean. Ocean scored the number one spot with his most recent full-length album, Blond (2016), and the number 10 spot with Channel Orange (2012). As Ocean has seen additional media coverage lately for hinting at new music releases coming soon, and opening an ongoing queer nightclub event in New York City, I wanted to revisit his first release, Channel Orange, available in the Parsons Music Library.

Frank Ocean

Channel Orange was Ocean’s debut album, and his firm establishment as one of the most prominent figures in the R&B genre. Days prior to its release, Ocean posted a note on tumblr revealing that stories told through the songs on his album were about a boy, and took public ownership of his sexuality in a manner that also established him as a queer icon in the music world. The rawness and personal tone of the tumblr note is reflected in the tone of the album itself. After the album’s intro, “Start”, its first full-length song is “Thinkin ‘Bout You,” Ocean’s most famous single to date. This song evokes the emotions of longing for someone, and a lingering, unrequited love, in a simple way. Ocean sings that he’s “lyin down” thinking about this person, and creates a relatable image for the listener, who’s probably been there before. My best friend says that this song reminds her of Christmas-time, and sounds how winter weather feels.

Frank Ocean

My two other favorite songs on this album are “Super Rich Kids” and “Pyramids“. “Super Rich Kids” evokes a sense of nostalgia for me, as it reminds me the type of culture that surrounded me at a private high school in a big city growing up, and that continues to surround me at a private university. Ocean talks of materialism, and how it can cloud real emotion and “real love,” and lack of parental supervision for coming of age children that leads them to live dangerous lifestyles. As I came of age, I watched certain people around me live this kind of life, and in a strange way, this song reminds me of home. “Pyramids” is an epic standout as it is the longest song on the album, coming in at 9 minutes and 52 seconds. In this song, that can work well as a casual listen or a dance-floor hit with its electronic breakdown, Ocean uses ancient Egyptian imagery and figures like Cleopatra to depict the view of black women throughout history. As they were once appreciated as African queens, they are now objectified by pimps, which is the point of view Ocean takes on the second half of the song. The second half of the song drastically juxtaposes the first, being more rhythmic and hip-hop-esque, which reflects the pimp character’s attitude that Ocean is portraying. To me, this song is to Channel Orange as “Nights” is to Blond; a personal favorite with dynamic mid-point switches that take the listener by surprise and keep them interested the entire way through. Channel Orange remains a modern classic even 8 years after its release.

Arachnophonia: George Ezra “Wanted On Voyage”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Colin (class of 2021) and features Wanted On Voyage, the 2014 debut studio album by British singer-songwriter George Ezra. Thanks, Colin!

George Ezra

Wanted On Voyage

George Ezra - Wanted On Voyage

I’m fascinated by the vocal talent of musicians and for some reason, I discover a lot of artists that I enjoy through listening to covers of their songs by a cappella groups on YouTube. I had no idea who George Ezra was until I listened to the Trinitones perform a mash-up of “Barcelona,” “Budapest” and “Paradise” over a year ago. The all-male group surprised me with their impressive talent, but also with the arrangement of the songs. I was familiar with the song “Budapest” because it had been playing on radio stations at the time, but the artist behind the song had escaped my familiarity. After listening to Wanted on Voyage however, George Ezra has become a frequent artist on my Spotify playlists.

Wanted on Voyage is Ezra’s debut album released in the UK in 2014. He had first been discovered by Columbia Records in 2012 from his videos on YouTube performing his own original songs. After being contracted to work for Columbia Records, Ezra found inspiration for his album in 2013 when he traveled by train across Europe, writing about the places he visited and the people he met. From this collection of memories, Ezra sat down and penned the songs for the album, immortalizing his journey.

George Ezra - Budapest

The album gained many positive reviews on release, attributing the success to the relatively simple composition of the songs that are dramatically enhanced by Ezra’s ability to sing. A vital characteristic to Ezra’s music is his voice, which is naturally lower than many popular artists. The pitch of his voice adds flavor to his songs that make it appear as if these songs only fit the register that Ezra is able to perform in. Some highlights of the album for me are “Budapest” and “Barcelona,” which is not a surprise considering these are the songs that led me to George Ezra’s music. The mix between Ezra’s incredible voice and the instrumentation and production on both tracks really drives home the idea of why I enjoy his music so much. Another track I enjoy is “Did You Hear The Rain?” which was released as the first single from the album.

Wanted on Voyage is a fantastic album that does not try to create complicated music. The purity of the instrumentation and vocals shine through on every track. George Ezra actually filmed a Mahogany Session video for “Budapest,” which is a video series that allows artists to acoustically perform some of their most famous songs for the world to gain a more intimate view of the artist. This particular video is great, because I honestly cannot tell the difference in the quality of Ezra’s singing between the video and the recorded song from the album. Wanted on Voyage truly shines as Ezra’s first step into the musical world and it manifested a popularity around him that still holds true to this day.

George Ezra

Arachnophonia: Les Miserables

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Danny (class of 2023) and features the popular musical Les Miserables. Thanks, Danny!

Les Miserables

Les Miserables

At the end of the day, as I leave my shift and head off back to my dorm, I’m on my own. By myself, I have time to decompress and utilize that time to think about everything that is happening in my life. Most days, my thoughts are filled with happiness and satisfaction with the day’s events. Other days, my thoughts are foggy, due to the fatigue caused by the emotionally and mentally draining events of the day. Turning right outside of the Modlin Center for the Arts, I traverse back to my castle on the cloud, Lora Robins court. Once I arrive, I slump into my bed as I dream a dream.

As if it was not evident enough, certain phrases such as “on my own,” “in my life,” “turning,” “castle on the cloud,” and “I dream (ed) a dream” all contain one commonality; they are all wonderful masterpieces in the Broadway musical, Les Miserables. So, it is no question to assume that I was absolutely awestruck when I saw the Les Miserables piano/vocal score on the shelf. After years of looking, I had finally found the book that I had searched for all this time.

What makes this specific piece of music so compelling and important to me?

Les Miserables opened me to the world of theatre, Broadway, piano, and French history. To begin, the movie for the beloved musical reached theaters on Christmas day in 2012. Never taking any attention to the 10th or 25th anniversary performances, I never thought of myself to have any interest in theatre or music itself. It seemed to almost take away from the plot and add nonsense that could stated simply through plain dialogue. It was not until 2017 where I finally gave it a chance. On a rainy day one summer afternoon, I sifted through DVDs in my parents’ movie collection, seeing the one movie I vowed I wouldn’t watch. After all these years, I could have been missing out on an absolute gem. With this in mind, I inserted the disc into my computer and watched the 2012 movie. The movie blew me away. Yes, some of the most popular actors at the time were featured in the movie, but that was not the one thing that captivated me. What made me so in love with the movie was the music. The combination of fast and slow songs, heartfelt and fierce songs, and the melodies were breathtaking. Additionally, the strings and the complexity of the orchestral score made the songs stand out even more.

Les Miserables 2012 movie poster

It was simply beautiful. Every song had been sung with heart and every instrument combined with the rest to create a full orchestra unlike any other. With this in my mind, I went straight to youtube to find the 25th anniversary concert. Seeing the full choir in the back of the stage and the giant pit in front of the actors shocked me. I never really thought of musicals and concerts to have such grand setups and stages. So, completely awestruck of what was in front of me, I took to find other Broadway musicals that had music just like Les Miserables. Although there are none that compare exactly to it, I fell in love with everything Broadway. It even prompted me to join my school musical and do something that years prior I thought was not interesting.

Les Miz 25th Anniversary Concert

Now Les Miserables still touches me. On top of everything mentioned, it is what made me want to learn piano. The music was so beautiful that I knew that I wanted more of an experience with the pieces. I did not just want to sing the songs or listen to them through my headphones; I wanted to play them. So, after finding the sheet music at the library here at the University of Richmond, I took to the practice rooms and began to teach myself the piano. The very first song I learned was “Stars.” A simpler yet more heartfelt song, this song was one of the ones that made me so obsessed with the musical. Because of the impact Les Mis had on my life, it was a no-brainer to choose it, filled with drama surrounding love and revolution, with characters experiencing danger and confrontation at every corner.

Arachnophonia: A Chorus Line

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Jane (class of 2022) and features the classic Broadway cast recording of A Chorus Line. Thanks, Jane!

A Chorus Line

A Chorus Line

If you’re a fan of musical theatre, you probably know about A Chorus Line. It’s a classic musical from the 1970s that’s pretty much the mother of meta – the whole story is a dance-based musical about dancers trying to get cast in a musical. It couldn’t be more self-reflective. The music, composed by Marvin Hamlisch, is lively and bouncy and inspires people even as uncoordinated as I am to get up and dance. A lot of the singing is conversational, with the songs dominated by jazz piano and interesting syncopated drumbeats.

Listening to this musical will give you confidence about your biggest creative insecurities. “Nothing” is about a girl whose acting teacher hates her because she doesn’t understand the value of pretending to be a table or an ice cream cone during class. “Sing!” is sung by a girl who can’t carry a tune to save her life.

“At the Ballet” is my favorite musical theatre song of all time. Three women sing about their different experiences getting into ballet while simultaneously talking about their families’ issues. It’s powerful without being sentimental, and the dark lyrics are contrasted with such lively music which creates the same kind of contrast between love and longing that I’m sure existed in their lives.

Overall, A Chorus Line is already so famous but if you haven’t heard it and you’re in the mood for a raw, real musical about a musical, give the soundtrack a listen.

Arachnophonia: Rush “Gold”

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Ryan (class of 2022) and features a 2006 compilation of hits by the Canadian prog rock band Rush. Thanks, Ryan!

Rush

Gold

Rush - Gold cover

In the epoch of rock and roll, there are few artists that have achieved the stardom, veneration, and global recognition attributed to Rush. The band is well known among the rock and roll community for their enduring impact on the genre, as Rush’s decades-spanning career encapsulates a variety of musical styles, each a product of inspiration from greats like Led Zeppelin, Yes, Genesis, and Jethro Tull as well as the trio’s own innovations. From their blues and hard rock inspired early albums, like Fly by Night and the eponymous Rush, to the experimental and progressive albums like 2112, Moving Pictures, and Grace Under Pressure produced in their middle years, Rush continuously reinvented the genre. The band’s three members, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neal Peart received their most honorable recognition in 2013, when Rush was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Rush

If you’re new to Rush and looking for a diverse sampling of their music, the two-disc album Rush | gold contains the best of Rush from their first album in 1974 to Hold Your Fire, released in 1987. What the album lacks, however, are any selections from Rush’s later music, which is more stylistically traditional with more hard rock and metal influences. Nonetheless, Rush|gold offers a fantastic selection of what Rush has to offer, from the pulse-pounding energy of “Anthem” and the nostalgic adventure of “Red Barchetta” (my personal favorite) to the synth-heavy, dystopian sci-fi epic “2112 Overture”.

Whether you are new to Rush, or a lifelong fan, this album provides a curated assortment of their best work that is sure to be enjoyed. If you enjoy Rush | gold, I encourage you to listen to some of their music in chronological order and experience the evolution of the band’s sound over the last four decades.

Arachnophonia: Why Karen Carpenter Matters

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Cole (class of 2021) and features a hybrid biography/memoir about the life and legacy of 1970s pop star Karen Carpenter. Thanks, Cole!

Why Karen Carpenter Matters by Karen Tongson

Why Karen Carpenter Matters

“Why Karen Carpenter Matters” book cover
(image: University of Texas Press)

2019 marks fifty years since the release of the Carpenters’ debut album Ticket to Ride (1969; originally released as Offering). Over a fourteen-year career, the Downey, California based brother-sister duo of Karen and Richard released ten albums and were best known for their runaway hits “(They Long to Be) Close to You” (1970), “We’ve Only Just Begun” (1970), and “Top of The World” (1973). Richard handled much of the writing and all of the arranging of their songs, blending easy listening, adult contemporary, and classical stylings together, despite the popularity of hard rock at the time. Richard crafted their songs to bolster the uniquely low and rich voice of his sister. The Carpenters’ signature sound was characterized by the use of multi-tracking to back Karen’s voice with itself to provide harmonies, a technique known as overdubbing. Indeed, it was Karen who was eventually forced out from behind her drum set to become the reluctant star of the group.

The story of the Carpenters is ultimately one of tragedy. As their fame grew, so did the demands of a near-constant touring schedule. This, coupled with increased scrutiny from the media, is speculated to be the cause of Karen’s development of anorexia nervosa. Around the same time, Richard developed an addiction to Quaaludes, a sleeping pill. Although Richard cured his addiction through rehab, little was known about eating disorders at the time that any treatment Karen underwent was dubious at best. She died from complications from anorexia in 1983 at the age of thirty-two.

Carpenters_1974

The Carpenters, 1974
By A&M Records – Billboard Magazine, page 2, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75866990

In the decades since Karen’s death, the Carpenters’ catalog has been critically re-evaluated several times over, amassing further acclaim alongside greater examination into the Carpenters’ personal lives and a paradigmatic shift in understanding of anorexia nervosa. One such re-evaluation comes in the form of Karen Tongson’s Why Karen Carpenter Matters, released earlier this year. Part-biography, part-autobiography, and part-musicography, it charts not only the life of Karen Carpenter, but Karen Tongson (the author — named for Carpenter) and her lifelong relationship to the music of the Carpenters. A Filipino-American immigrant, Tongson draws inspiration from her own life to examine why the music of the Carpenters endures for people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and anyone else who has craved the “white normalcy” that middle class suburbanites Richard and Karen seemed to embody. Tongson emphasizes Karen’s well-documented tomboyishness as a form of queer identity, and highlights how Karen, like so many minorities, obsessed over achieving a “white picket fence lifestyle” as a form of validation. Tongson’s writing put to words an understanding I first suspected while watching Fresh Off The Boat with my Japanese-American mother: though their children may only want to escape it, for many immigrants, white suburbia is the dream.

If it wasn’t already obvious, I’m a fan of the Carpenters. Their arrangements were superb and Karen was a generational talent. But even for those who find their music ‘too soft and too white,’ I recommend this book. At 138 pages, Why Karen Carpenter Matters is a brief and pleasant read that challenges some of the predominant assumptions we hold about why we love the music we love.

The Carpenters’ fifth studio album, Now & Then (1973) is also available for check out from the Parsons Music Library.

The Carpenters - Then And Now

Arachnophonia : Rent – Filmed Live on Broadway (2008)

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Meghan (class of 2020) and features a filmed performance of the musical Rent. Thanks, Meghan!

Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway

Rent Live on Broadway DVD cover

Rent is a Tony award-winning musical production that originated on Broadway in 1994, and has since been remade into a movie and has been touring since its 20th anniversary in 2014. The story follows a group of New York City bohemians who are struggling to make their rent payments, while juggling the challenges of the AIDS epidemic that directly affects a few main characters. We see the ups and downs of their lives, all set to catchy rock music.

This musical is a personal favorite of mine. I remember stumbling across it about 8 years ago, when I was entirely too young to really understand what was going on. I can remember my attraction to the upbeat rock music, which I had never experienced in a musical theater setting before. However, as I got older and began to grasp the story line that the talented actors were portraying, it suddenly clicked: it is such a powerful work targeting tough social justice issues.

Rent Live cast photo

From homelessness and poverty, to the AIDS epidemic, drug abuse, and homosexuality, this musical puts faces, names, and stories behind people who grapple with the challenges associated with these and the experiences they have. Especially for those who were born in the 1990s and after, they don’t really have an idea of what the AIDS epidemic was like in the United States. This musical is a way for us to get a glimpse into what the lives of affected individuals were like. We see a heartbroken romantic partner and devastated friends lose a loved one, we see others struggle with past losses, and we see others just wondering when it will be their turn. At times, it can be hard to watch these characters go through this, especially because the writing and acting is so realistic and authentic. However, I think it is important to watch, as it gives us a chance to reflect on our own privilege, and how lucky we are today. We never know when our time is up in this world. We must treat every day like there is “no day but today”, and we must hold onto what is important. There’s only 525,600 minutes a year: how will you measure your year?

Rent Live Cast 2008

Arachnophonia: Folk Music and the New Left in the Sixties

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Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Eve (class of 2020) and features a book entitled Folk Music and the New Left in the Sixties. Thanks, Eve!

Folk Music and the New Left in the Sixties by Michael Scott Cain

Folk Music and the New Left in the Sixties

I am super excited about Michael Scott Cain’s Folk Music and the New Left in the Sixties book available through the Music Library Collection! As an environmental activist, I am intrigued by the connection between music and activism and have drawn strength from songs like “The Times They Are A – Changin’” (Bob Dylan), “Resilient” (Rising Appalachia) and “Pa’lante” (Hurray for The Riff Raff). Most recently, at the Climate Strike in D.C., performers like Caroline Rose sang “Money”, and my Environmental Law professor’s daughter performed an original song about climate change!

https://globalclimatestrike.net/

As a result, I am excited to explore this book and Cain’s insight about the revival of folk music in the 1960’s that addressed a political shift and new cultural ideologies in America. The book focuses on musicians like Joan Baez, Peter Paul & Mary, and Bob Dylan and is divided into three parts; first, The Background, focused on the emergence of the New Left, second, The Politics, examining the politics of the New Left, and third, The Music, or the soundtrack of the New Left movement. When paging through the book, I was interested in the connection between suburbanization and the emergence of the New Left, and was drawn to the idea of a “prefigurative model” that turns the status quo upside down, where the “last shall be first”. Michael Scott Cain integrates an analysis of American history, culture, icons, music and experiences in an accessible and interesting read. Check it out!

Bob Dylan & Joan Baez during the 1960s