Music

‘Meeting The Beatles in India’ Highlights the Fab Four’s Encounters With the Maharishi

Ben Friedman

The film tells the story of the band’s travels through the eyes of Saltzman, who, after a breakup, finds himself searching for spiritual enlightenment in India, only to run into and form a friendship with Paul, John, George, and Ringo. Luckily for musical historians, Saltzman, a future filmmaker, had his camera with him.

A Salute to Jazz and Its Devotees in ‘Music for Black Pigeons’

Forrest Hartman

Many documentaries focus on facts, figures, and dates, intent on giving audiences a short history lesson. Black Pigeons is more concerned with esoteric questions like what musicians hope to accomplish in their work and what that work means to their broader lives.

The Beatles, the Stones, and Remembering Yesterday

Eric Green

Despite their humble origins growing up in working-class Liverpool, nothing could hold them back, even as sophisticated Londoners looked down their noses at these lads from the supposedly uncouth British north country. Their fantastic commercial success was something as a teenager I could dream about for myself either in music or some other still-to-be-determined pursuit.

Dost Thou Protest Too Much? Depoliticizing Political Music

Garrett Hartman

If relatively simple songs are being underanalyzed, we also lose the power in more complicated expressions of protest in songs like Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” The song’s triumphant chorus, which chants “Born in the U.S.A.,” often overshadows its darker verse.

An Homage to Classical Music and Its Influence on Film

Ariana Powell

Richard Strauss’s piece is a perfect example for two reasons. One, this composition has been shrouded by the media it's used in, and has lost its original identity -- those who listen to it have no idea its origin is actually a great classical score. Two, it serves as an example as to the breadth classical music can have when identifying emotions and feelings.

‘Roots of Fire’ Offers an Expansive Look at Why Cajun Music Matters

Forrest Hartman

America, thanks in large part to its economic strength, has an outsize voice in worldwide pop culture, making it easy for subcultures and aging traditions to get swept into its melting pot. Thibodeaux and others make a compelling case for preserving our individual cultures, and filmmakers Abby Berendt Lavoi (director/producer), husband Jeremy Lavoi (director/producer) and Stephen Thorpe (sound producer) foster the conversation with gorgeous cinematography and a soundtrack that is always sharp and compelling.

Joan Baez: 60 Years of Sound and Still Counting

Sandra Bertrand

A film about such a folk legend must include highlights of performances to satisfy the fans, especially those whose own lives have witnessed the messy, yet often glorious days that Baez’s own life reflects. These clips are golden moments, surely, with memorable songs performed by Joan and Mimi; one of Dylan’s hits sung by the pair at the height of their performing together; and on the Farewell Tour, “There But For Fortune” by Phil Ochs.

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Is a Reminder That the Internet Is Not Real Life

Aarushi Bhandari

In the weeks when Swift was dating Healy, a vocal minority of Swifties came head-to-head with a vocal minority of Healy’s defenders. Then the celebrity pair ended their relationship, and collective attention moved on from that topic almost immediately. Several weeks of nonstop debate, attacks, and hand-wringing ended up being utterly meaningless – except to social media companies that converted this brief obsession into clicks, engagement, and ad revenue.

Satchmo's Final Playlist: The Reel-to-Reel Tapes of Louis Armstrong

Joab Jackson

In his earlier sets of home recordings, Armstrong would line the front of the tape box with photos from his life, often of obscure origins. They were photos of him on the road, with other famous musicians, of his wife Lucille and family, and some of fans who had visited "pops" at home. When he started this set, he didn't decorate the boxes, presumably because he was still too weak.

The Resurgence of Emo Music and Subculture

Ariana Powell

It has even paved the path for other forms of rock, such as rapcore, metal, and emo. The latter is a shortened version of the subgenre’s true nature: emotional. It originated in the 1980s with the band Rites of Spring and has since caused a cultural phenomenon -- one that influenced an obsession with long bangs and red highlights, caused a run on black hair dye, and sparked the style of black skinny jeans and oversized T-shirts.

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