The Golden Mean of ELO’s “Eldorado”: Prog Review #43
Upon hearing the distorted and looping vocals that give way to a grand orchestral sweep in the “Eldorado Overture,” I knew I was in good hands with Eldorado.
Choosing None of the Above with Meshuggah’s “Destroy Erase Improve”: Prog Review #42
A whole lot of yelling, thrashing, pounding.
Warming Up to Amon Düül II’s “Yeti”: Prog Review #41
It was a wonderful surprise that I was into Amon Düül II’s Yeti (1970) from moment one.
Halfway to Soft Machine’s “Third”: Prog Review #40
There’s something unfair about this entire project of listening to an album with the purpose of generating content, a review that both forms a judgment of the artist and some pithy observations about music, culture in general, or myself.
“Over/Under”: Pixar Edition
Setting the record straight on the best and worst Pixar movies.
War is for Children: Star Trek TOS, S1Ep18, "The Squire of Gothos"
An entertaining meditation on the childish nature of war with more subtlety than is characteristic of the show.
The Limits of AI for Writing
All these problems speak to the immense gulf between AI writing and the stuff put out by actual people. Many of us are focused on the I part of AI—intelligence. But it’s the artificial we need to understand better.
“Si on Avait Besoin d'une Cinquième Saison,” on L’Appelle Harmonium: Prog Review #36
I did not expect to see a French Canadian band on the Rolling Stone list, but I did expect to love it
Banco del Mutuo Succorso's "Io Sono Nato Libero" is a Sound Investment: Prog Review #35
Banco del Mutuo Succorso translates as Bank of Mutual Relief; not as whimsical as Premiata Forneria Marconi, (Award-winning Marconi Bakery) and the same can be said for the music. PFM's bakery is full of sundry delights, while Banco's staid offerings are all money.
Counting on TOOL's "Lateralus": Prog Review #33
Out of the filth emerges an immaculate human spirit.
The Case for More Analysis than Action: Star Trek, S1E16, "The Galileo Seven"
Deforest Kelley plays McCoy with such revulsion of Spock that we can believe an otherwise competent officer and Dr. could so lose his mind to racist thinking that he would turn against his leader rather than swallow his pride to serve the interests of the team.
Ruminating on Kansas's "Leftoverture": Prog Review #32
Familiar, satisfying, and brilliant: the lead track from Kansas's Leftoverture sets up high expectations for the rest of the album. Does the rest of the album deliver?
Al In A Day's Work: Weird Al Albums Ranked
Enjoy my ramblings on one of the greatest musical artists of our lifetime.
The Past is an Alien Shore: Star Trek S1E15, "Shore Leave"
Not a good start: Kirk has a kink in his back, so the female yeoman, Barrows, immediately starts massaging it. Barrows's job is first to nag Kirk about getting some shore leave, and then to be an object of Bones's desire. Along the way, she gets assaulted by Don Juan—twice.
"Ashes Are Burning" is a Renaissance Affair to Remember: Prog Review #31
The opening two-and-a-half-minutes of Ashes Are Burning (1973) are glorious.
Casual Friday: "Peter Pan" and the Riddle of Childhood
It’s only in the 19th century, really, that childhood gets established as a period in life meant for fun, play, curiosity, fantasy and all the other things we associate with childhood.
OK with U.K.'s "U.K.": Prog Review #30
With this incredible pedigree of musicians, U.K. should be something special…
Raising the Curtain on Dream Theater's "Metropolis, Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory": Prog Review #29
Histrionic, emotional, deeply serious, optimistically spiritual, Metropolis Pt. 2 is so much of what I'm not, and therefore so much of what I love in the music I listen to.
An Exhausting Stroll Through Opeth's "Blackwater Park": Prog Review #28
After a few days with Blackwater Park, I turned off the album while driving, and Metric's "Now or Never Now" was just starting. I immediately wanted to move and sing, and I felt joy from the music I was listening to. That feeling cemented my thinking that I should just give up on Opeth.
In a Different Reality, I Might Have Called This Great: Star Trek S1E14, “Balance of Terror”
Just in case you thought the episode was running out of poignancy, there's more!