Deep Beatles Columns
I'm a freelance writer specializing in music, books, and technology. I am the author of two books: Michael Jackson FAQ (Backbeat Books) and Songs We Were Singing: Analyses of Beatles Tracks. Previously a music editor for Blogcritics.org, I'm currently a contributing editor for Beatlefan magazine, reviewer/columnist for Blinded by Sound and Something Else Reviews, and contributor to Cinema Sentries.
Deep Beatles Columns
A cacophony of guitars, brass, furious drums, John Lennon's lead vocal, and even animal noises, "Good Morning Good Morning" may stand as one of Lennon's most eccentric compositions. Yet its tale of suburban banality, contrasted with some blistering lead guitar, ranks as one of the standout Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band tracks.
A classic example of John Lennon's love of wordplay, the Let It Be track "Dig a Pony" features some mysterious lyrics, raw Paul McCartney-Lennon harmonies, and crunching guitars. Interestingly, the song divides fans. A sampling of comments on music blogs and YouTube reveals how fans either love or hate this track.
As "Sun King" quietly fades, a drum kickstarts this darkly humorous track: "Mean Mr. Mustard," a John Lennon composition dating to 1968. His own harshest critic, Lennon later labeled it a "piece of garbage." However, it contains a classic Lennon technique: creating eccentric characters who display outrageous - even offensive - traits.
Next in the Abbey Road medley is one of the Beatles' most beautiful yet mysterious tracks, "Sun King." In later years, John Lennon dismissed "Sun King" as "a piece of garbage I had around," but its lovely harmonies and mystical lyrics transform it into an entrancing listening experience.
For the next several columns, I will closely examine the legendary Abbey Road medley, their 16-minute magnum opus comprised of numerous song fragments. Where did these short works come from? How did they fit together so flawlessly? Deep Beatles digs deeper to take apart their famous and (technically) final work.
Editorials
Parody artist "Weird Al" Yankovic recently found himself at a crossroads: He had a new album, Mandatory Fun, to promote, but how? Just over 30 years ago, the answer was simple: have your music video aired in heavy rotation on MTV.
I was finishing my senior year in college, and remember watching MTV's announcement of Kurt Cobain's suicide, 20 years ago today. I admit I wasn't surprised, as he always seemed like a tortured soul. Two decades later, I must admit, I still feel ambivalent toward Nirvana.
After hearing about it, I finally watched the video to Miley Cyrus' new single "We Can't Stop." Here's my beef: I get the whole breaking away from Hannah Montana thing. I understand that she wants to establish herself as an adult and enter a new phase of her career.
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Concert Reviews
United Center, Chicago: "I am singing of love from my heart," Stevie Wonder proclaims in as part of "Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing." That phrase set the tone for the November 14, 2014 Chicago stop of his Songs in the Key of Life Performance tour, a celebration of Wonder's sprawling 1976 masterpiece.
At the United Center, Chicago: When attending a Paul McCartney concert, there are several guarantees: He will play an abundance of Beatles and Wings material, will toss in some recent tracks, and will astound with his seemingly boundless energy. Coming off a recent illness, McCartney appeared trim, fit, and ready to rock as he took the stage on July 9.
At the Chicago Theatre: The phrase "Beatles tribute band" usually conjures images of costumes, bad wigs, and even worse pseudo-Liverpudlian accents. The Fab Faux shatters that stereotype with their serious approach to celebrating the Beatles' music, eschewing costumes and light shows for pure musicianship.
At the Chicago Theatre, Chicago, Illinois: As the entire crowd bounced up and down, hands in the air, one thing was clear: only Earth Wind and Fire could turn the Chicago Theatre into one huge dance floor. While the legendary band is currently touring behind their new album Now Then, and Forever , they also wanted to pay tribute to their longtime fans.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: After all these years, you'd think that Paul McCartney would find it difficult to surprise audiences anymore. Yet with each tour, he dusts off more Beatles and solo material and breathes new life into them. His July 16, 2013 show at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was no exception.
At the Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago: Michael Nesmith's appearance was not just a concert - it was an evening with a raconteur, an artist weaving stories with words and music. For almost two hours, Nesmith led the enthusiastic audience on a tour through his long career, from his Monkees days to his years with the First National Band and beyond.
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Technology
Book Reviews
While Beatles books continue to flood the market, few focus on specific musical details. Who played what instrument? How did producer George Martin contribute to the group's sound? Finally, and perhaps most importantly, why do the Beatles' recordings stand the test of time and still sound distinctive?
Some of the best Beatles performances were, for many years, not officially available anywhere. From 1962-1965, the group played live on 53 BBC radio programs, treating audiences to their current hit singles as well as cover versions of their favorite American artists. Sadly, some of these appearances were not archived and thought lost.
By Kit O'Toole | Sunday, February 10, 2013 Filed under:Book Reviews, Books Tags: ,Apple, eds-pick, iPod, Missing Manual The iPod has become so ubiquitous that it's hard to believe that it has existed a for a relatively brief 12 years. The omnipresent white earbuds and minuscule hard drive have become a symbol of our technology-driven lives.
By Kit O'Toole | Friday, November 9, 2012 Filed under:Books Tags: ,Computers, eds-pick, Matthew MacDonald, Missing Manual, wordpress WordPress, the leading blogging platform, claims to be incredibly easy to use. "You can start a blog in seconds without any technical knowledge," WordPress.com proudly proclaims. But when you actually visit WordPress's hosted site or self-hosted service, the process can be daunting.
February 11, 1963 stands as an important date in rock history. On this day, the Beatles entered Abbey Road Studios to begin recording songs for their debut album Please Please Me. Due to their tight touring schedule (as well as EMI's desire to capitalize on The Beatles' growing popularity), the group recorded an astonishing ten songs in one day.
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Beatles Remastered 2009 Feature (Blogcritics)
Cutout Bin columns (Blogcritics)
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Music Reviews
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer, mentioned on NPR's A Blog Supreme
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer, cited in Wikipedia
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer
DeepSoul Columns (Blinded by Sound)
DVD/TV Reviews
Syndicated through Seattle Post-Intelligencer