In researching my Yo La Tengo’s Guitar Sculptures piece for Aquarium Drunkard, I came across a previously unknown project to me while reading Big Day Coming: Yo La Tengo and the Rise of Indie Rock by Jesse Jarnow. Between 1999 and 2003, there was a series of collaborations between Yo La Tengo and the freeContinue reading “Some Other Dimensions In Yo La Tengo”
Author Archives: Recliner Notes
“Bluebirds in a Fight” & the Songwriting of Ryan Davis
Listening to a song written by Ryan Davis for the first time can be an exhilarating, yet overwhelming experience. His songwriting features a cavalcade of images, wordplay, metaphors, and jokes that come in a rush. It’s similar to flipping too quickly through a book of photographs by William Eggleston. The abundance of color and outlandishContinue reading ““Bluebirds in a Fight” & the Songwriting of Ryan Davis”
A Good Year for Stephen Malkmus
Stephen Malkmus had a good year. It was also a busy one for the singer, songwriter, and guitar deity as it included the launch of a new band, more reunion tour dates with foundational 90s indie band Pavement, high-profile interviews, and the premier of a movie which featured his younger self. What follows are 10Continue reading “A Good Year for Stephen Malkmus”
Some Thoughts on A Complete Unknown
A Complete Unknown — the 2024 film about the life and music of Bob Dylan between the years 1961 and 1965 starring Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, and Monica Barbaro — was not made for me, at least not for people like me. Biographical films about musicians, also known as music biopics, are notContinue reading “Some Thoughts on A Complete Unknown”
Period Piece Music: Cindy Lee’s Diamond Jubilee and Jack Name’s Fabulous Soundtracks
In 2023, the director Kelly Reichardt appeared on WTF with Marc Maron and she and Maron raved about their mutual love of Robert Altman’s 1971 film McCabe and Mrs. Miller. Reichardt spoke about how her own movie First Cow explored similar territory as the Altman classic. She went on to say how so many filmContinue reading “Period Piece Music: Cindy Lee’s Diamond Jubilee and Jack Name’s Fabulous Soundtracks”
The Last 20 Seconds of “Cinnamon Girl”
The lore surrounding the song “Cinnamon Girl” by Neil Young and Crazy Horse is extensive. Recorded and released in 1969 on Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, it is one of Young’s most beloved songs and an unassailable classic. Stories about the song abound, such as how it was one of three songs written in aContinue reading “The Last 20 Seconds of “Cinnamon Girl””
Papa M’s “I Am Not Lonely with Cricket”
In the latter half of the 1990s, I lived in the greater Los Angeles area, specifically in Venice Beach near the Pacific Ocean. My work was in Santa Monica, so my daily commute was relatively short compared to other Southern Californians. It was also strikingly and stereotypically beautiful. To avoid the traffic of other peopleContinue reading “Papa M’s “I Am Not Lonely with Cricket””
Allen Ginsberg & Bob Dylan Ride the “Vomit Express”
In November 1971, Allen Ginsberg and Bob Dylan entered the Record Plant recording studio in New York City to record adaptations of Ginsberg’s own poetry, arrangements of poems by William Blake, and a few Ginsberg-Dylan original songs. The resulting recordings are rough and ragged. However, the most successful work is “Vomit Express,” which constitutes aContinue reading “Allen Ginsberg & Bob Dylan Ride the “Vomit Express””
Terry Allen at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville – July 20, 2024
As far as anyone remembers, Saturday July 20, 2024 was only the third time that singer, songwriter, piano player, recording artist, and visual artist Terry Allen had performed in Nashville. The other two appearances were a joint performance with musical running buddy Guy Clark at Nashville’s renowned Bluebird Cafe and Clark’s memorial service performance atContinue reading “Terry Allen at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville – July 20, 2024”
Roadhouse
A few months ago, I took to social media to officially pronounce my separation from the word “choogle.” For those unfamiliar with the term, it’s a musical description — some even may refer to it as a genre — that originated with Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 1969 song “Keep on Chooglin’.” During the song, John FogertyContinue reading “Roadhouse”
Recliner Notes 