The story begins on the neighborhood corner. A fire is crackling, and it’s night time, midsummer. The whole scene has the feel of an apocalyptic summer camp for young adults. After a strange welcome, female voices sing, “Everybody throw your hands up high, if you don’t give a f***, throw your hands up high.” Then, …
TeenNick’s new late-night 2-hour block of shows, The ‘90s Are All That seemed compelling enough to me that I upgraded my cable package at a time when “going cable-less” is an increasingly attractive proposition. The upgrade includes the addition of some other channels I’ve already enjoyed, like MLB Network and IFC, but it was TeenNick …
Even though “It’s Real” was only released a few days ago, it’s already worked its way into the deeper layers of my consciousness. Its bright guitar riff and road-trip rhythm provide soundtrack to all parts of my day, perfectly suited as they are to my morning rush, my mid-day momentum, my afternoon lull, and my …
I had no chance at resisting a book titled In Defense of Civility: How Religion Can Unite America on Seven Moral Issues That Divide Us. My own desire for civility in society (especially in, but not limited to, political and religious discourse) has been growing and taking shape over the last five years, informing my …
Reflecting upon the current trends of nostalgia in music, which I tried to highlight with a playlist in a previous post, my thoughts turned to sample-based hip-hop. The obvious difference is a natural one. Sample-based music makes use of actual artifacts from past eras, while the current nostalgic trends use original material to reminisce, or …
Forty-two years ago today, a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a mafia-run gay bar in Greenwich Village, turned into a riot and a pivotal moment in the LGBT rights movement. I knew nothing about this event, or the systemic harassment and oppression that led up to it, prior to the American Experience feature, Stonewall …
My friend, Steve, upon viewing Midnight in Paris, got reflective about living in the moment. It’s a good reminder, of course, as it always is. When I think about it on a broader, scale, though, I wonder if temporal escapism has transcended personal struggles and has become a societal disposition. Nathan Jurgenson, in an excellent …