Category: Music
Red Peters: Music for imMature Audiences
Red Peters has been immature for decades. It was true back in the 70s when he was opening for Frank Zappa and the...... Read More
Department of Tangents Podcast Ep7 – Comedian Steven Wright and Music from Robbie Fulks
I’ve interviewed Steven Wright for a couple of different publications over the years and always enjoyed the strange and wonderful twists in the...... Read More
New Release Roundup 5 27 16 – Ruby Rose Fox and Melle Mel and Scorpio
MUSIC 1. Ruby Rose Fox – Domestic There are a lot of angles from which to appreciate Ruby Rose Fox’s debut full-length album....... Read More
New Release Roundup May 20, 2016 – Mudcrutch, Bob Dylan, Ken Reid, Dan Soder
MUSIC 1. Mudcrutch – Mudcrutch 2 If you’re a Tom Petty fan, you’ve already previewed the first release form this album, “Trailer,” either...... Read More
Horror and Comedy: How Time Bandits Shaped My World View
No single film helped shape my world view more than Time Bandits. It showed my visions of good and evil, and blurred the...... Read More
Department of Tangents Minicast Ep5: Interview Flashback with Carl Reiner
This was one of my favorite interviews for the Globe, not only because Carl Reiner had so much to say, but because he...... Read More
Department of Tangents Podcast Ep6 – Musician and Filmmaker Brendan Boogie
My guest for Episode 6 of the Department of Tangents Podcast is musician and filmmaker Brendan Boogie. When I sat down with Brendan...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Hard Working Americans, Al Scorch, Adia Victoria, Blind Boys of Alabama
MUSIC 1. Hard Working Americans – Rest In Chaos In his liner notes for the new album from Todd Snider’s Hard Working Americans,...... Read More
Perfect Poor Decision: “Reviewing the Situation” from Oliver!
It was somewhere around third grade when I fell in love with Oliver!, the musical made from the Dickens classic Oliver Twist. I’m...... Read More
Interview: Musician and Publicist Perry Serpa of The Sharp Things
I first came to know Perry Serpa as a publicist with Good Cop PR. He regularly sends me music to listen to and...... Read More
Department of Tangents Minicast Ep4: Interview Flashback with Margaret Cho
I interviewed Margaret Cho back in October when she was stopping through Boston on tour. At that point, she was still months away...... Read More
New Release Roundup May 6 2016 – Cyndi Lauper, Ryan Adams, and Dan Boulger
MUSIC 1. Cyndi Lauper Detour Lauper has always had one of the best voices in pop music, and here she changes up her...... Read More
Department of Tangents Podcast Ep5 – Filmmakers and Musicians Michael J Epstein and Sophia Cacciola
My guests for Episode 5 are filmmakers and musicians Michael J Epstein and Sophia Cacciola, who have been working at the hellish pace...... Read More
Perfect Musical Nonsense: Pink Floyd’s “Several Species of Small Furry Animals…”
One of the first Pink Floyd albums I ever owned was the Works compilation. It was a good primer for the early history...... Read More
Department of Tangents Minicast Ep3: Interview Flashback with Richard Lloyd
Some of my most enjoyable interviews have happened when I don’t ask too many questions. The subject has so much to say, it...... Read More
New Release Roundup: The Jayhawks and Rob Zombie
MUSIC 1. The Jayhawks Paging Mr. Proust This album makes 2011’s Mockingbird Time, which saw the band reunite with Mark Olson, seem like...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Nate Leavitt & the Elevation, Guided By Voices, The Loom, Texas chainsaw Massacre 2
MUSIC 1. Nate Leavitt & the Elevation Someone Send A Signal I was privileged to hear Nate play a couple songs from this...... Read More
Perfect Inspiration: Levon Helm
By the time Levon Helm’s music really struck me, he had already lived several lifetimes. He’d had his wild days on the road...... Read More
The Best of Record Store Day 2016
Every year, there are dozens of new releases for Record Store Day, some nuggets for people who are particularly nuts about music. Nuts...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Sturgill Simpson, Touched By Ghoul
MUSIC 1. Sturgill Simpson A Sailor’s Guide to Earth This is the big one for me today. Simpson’s last two albums were full...... Read More
Nora Guthrie Talks Del and Woody
One of today’s more exciting new releases is Del McCoury’s Del and Woody, for which the bluegrass legend interpreted a new batch of...... Read More
Department of Tangents Podcast Ep4 – Nate Leavitt Interview, Andrew Mayer Comedy
Nate Leavitt spent a couple of decades playing guitar in bands like Delta Clutch, Oldjack, and Parlour Bells before he stepped out on...... Read More
Perfect Pop: Guided By Voices “Glad Girls”
Most music fans I know have in their collection albums they love, albums they should get rid of but can’t, and then this...... Read More
Interview Flashback: Skyping With Puddles
On New Year’s Eve 2015, I “interviewed” Puddles of Puddles Pity Party for the Boston Globe. I put interview in quotes because Puddles...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Peter Wolf and Mark Erelli
MUSIC 1. Peter Wolf A Cure For Loneliness It has been six years since Peter Wolf released Midnight Souvenirs. Far too long, but...... Read More
Live Review: Steve Martin and Martin Short – An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life
Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For the Rest of Your Life April 6, 8 PM Wang Theatre, Boston,...... Read More
Department of Tangents Podcast Ep3 – Producer Dave Cobb, music from Morgane Stapleton with Chris Stapleton
The April 1 edition of the Department of Tangents Podcast is a conversation with Dave Cobb, who won Grammys in 2015 for his...... Read More
New Release Roundup: Robbie Fulks, Shonen Knife, Cheap Trick
MUSIC 1. Robbie Fulks Upland Stories There are few musicians as complete as Robbie Fulks – as a writer, a singer, a flat-picking...... Read More
Kickstarters: Rock Opera Heterotopia
I have covered Lainey Schooltree in her endeavors in musical comedy (The Steamy Bohemians) and prog rock (Schooltree) and there is no indie...... Read More