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Book SynopsisRyan Pinkard is a writer, editor, and record collector from Colorado. He is the author of the 33 1/3 book about The National's Boxer (2022) and an editor on numerous other 33 1/3 titles.

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Book SynopsisFollowing the success of their instantly iconic double LP, London Calling, The Clash set out to do something triply outrageous. Named after the Nicaraguan rebels who successfully overthrew an authoritarian dictator, Sandinista! consists of 36 songs across six sides of vinyl. Produced by the band, it showcases their politics as well as their ability to adopt a multitude of genres ranging from punk, reggae, jazz, gospel, calypso, and hip hop. Free from the influence of their Machiavellian manager, Bernie Rhodes, The Clash still battled their record label to release the triple LP on their terms: three for the price of one.Despite its polarizing reception from critics at the time of its release, Sandinista! is often considered one of the greatest albums of all time. Nevertheless, critics and fans have spent over 40 years debating whether the album would be better as a 12-track LP. This book entertains that idea and considers what is lost or gained in

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Book SynopsisThough "Nevermind" was Nirvana's most commercially successful album, and the record that broke them - and the grunge phenomenon - internationally, "In Utero" has increasingly become regarded as the band's best album, both by the critics and the band members themselves. This work tells the story behind the creation of "In Utero".

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Book Synopsis"A largely untold, much more controversial story… anything but a hagiography. A fresh, incisive take on the band." - MOJO **** "Fink's ability to overcome the Youngs’ code of Scottish-Australian omert? is impressive… a cut above other AC/DC tomes, and Fink knows it." - Classic Rock **** 1Z2 With sales of over 200 million albums, AC/DC is not just the biggest rock band in the world, it's a family business built by three brothers: George, Malcolm and Angus Young. As with any business, some people prospered, while others got hurt along the way. The Youngs: The Brothers Who Build AC/DC is unlike any AC/DC book you've read before. Less a biography, more a critical appreciation, it tells the story of the trio through 11 classic songs and reveals some of the personal and creative secrets that went into their making. Important figures from AC/DC's long journey to the top open up for the very first time, while unsung heroes behind the band's success are given the credit they are due. Accepted accounts of events are challenged while sensational new details emerge to cast a whole new light on the band's history - especially their early years with Atlantic Records in the United States. Former AC/DC members and musicians from bands such as Guns N' Roses, Dropkick Murphys, Airbourne and Rose Tattoo also give their perspectives on the Youngs' brand of magic.Trade Review"'An excellent writer and storyteller.' (The Daily Telegraph) 'Fink can take a moment and turn it into a vivid experience.' (The Australian) 'Fink makes enemies like Bill Gates makes money, but his in-your-face style is exactly what makes his blogs so good.' (Alpha) 'One of Asia's best football writers.' (The National (Abu Dhabi)) 'The best book I've ever read about AC/DC.' (Mark Evans (AC/DC bass player, 1975-77)) 'I loved it.' (Jerry Greenberg (president of Atlantic Records, 1974-80)) 'Using 11 classic tracks as his starting point, Jesse Fink delivers a fresh biographical take on AC/DC. The accomplished journalist balances a serious appreciation for the music with a driving desire to cut through the mystery and misinformation shrouding this seminal rock and roll band. Fink's book should satisfy both diehard fans and those who love reading good biographies.' (iTunes 'Editors' Notes') 'Being an all-round nice guy is no prerequisite to getting rich. Jaw-dropping reinforcement of this point is about to hit your local bookstore in the form of The Youngs by Jesse Fink... this version of the George, Malcolm and Angus saga includes testimony to the power of the music - Fink is a huge AC/DC fan and credits their songs with getting him through a divorce - but of most interest is the sheer business bloody-mindedness of the trio. Fink tracks down former bandmates, managers and associates who feel they were cut adrift by the Youngs once their financial usefulness had past. He also details a web of tax shelters and savvy merchandising deals that belie the brothers' yob-rock image. One casualty along the Youngs' road to the top was the guy who designed their iconic logo in 1977, Gerard Huerta. A Rosetta Stone of rock, the logo has undoubtedly made many of the Youngs' millions by itself, but Huerta has never received royalties.' Michael Bailey, BRW (Sydney) 'Compelling.' (Mornings with Steve Austin, 612 ABC Brisbane) 'A great read.' (Leila McKinnon, Weekend Today, Channel Nine) 'The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC promises to be... essential AC/DC history.' (Loudwire (New York)) 'Three brothers, 40 years and some 200 million albums - this is the story of George, Malcolm and Angus Young, the boys behind AC/DC. While a lot's been written about them over the years, this provides a definitive history of the trio, with accounts from rockers Guns N' Roses, among others.' (GQ Australia's "Essential Summer Reading") 'Sometimes it seems as if all the shocking rock and roll stories have been told, but [in The Youngs] there was a revelation that has genuinely raised eyebrows and opened mouths... Mark Evans, bassist in AC/DC until 1977, confirmed that Bon Scott overdosed on heroin in 1975 and was almost sacked from the band, a moment which would have changed the course of rock history. With this taster, Jesse Fink's book sounds like essential reading.' (MetalTalk.net (London)) 'Jesse Fink has taken a fresh approach in his latest book, The Youngs, looking at the Young dynasty through a clutch of their best songs, complete with brutally honest critical analysis along the way... the deeper Fink goes down the rabbit hole to unearth the truth behind the Young Brothers... the more it becomes clear that many "truths" exist and since the principals aren't saying a word to anyone, what develops is a Rashomon-like tale... it's an approach that pays dividends.' (Shane Pinnegar, 100PerCentRock.com (Australia))"

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Book SynopsisTakes a look at what many consider to be U2's most fully formed album through the prisms of politics, spirituality, and culture. This work features interviews with Daniel Lanois, Steve Lillywhite, Flood, and more.Trade Review[Catanzarite has written] a surprisingly profound meditation on ‘Achtung Baby' as a metaphor for the Fall of Man. I told Bono, rather sceptically, that I had met a man who theorised that Achtung Baby was a metaphor for the fall of man ... and had just given a lecture on ‘the conservative voice in U2'. I thought Bono might get a kick out it, but I was surprised by his response. "Both theories sound bang on," he said. -- Neil McCormick * The Daily Telegraph *Stephen Catanzarite takes his readers on a metaphysical trip with Achtung Baby...The book reads like a well-written thesis, and Catanzarite is knowledgeable both musically and theologically. The songs are the bones on which the author fleshes out his theories, with the help of quotes by philosophers, poets, musicians (Axl Rose, of all people), and whole passages taken from books by religious scholars of different faiths. There are references to Neil Young, Led Zeppelin (the Tower of Babel is the original stairway to heaven), Bob Dylan and Morrissey for the rock cognoscenti, as well as a few Chinese proverbs thrown in for good measure. * @U2 *Stephen Catanzarite has reflected on a beloved Rock album and turned his reflections into a book. Not only that, but his book is theological, Christian, Catholic and concerned with humanity's place in the world. Ambitious, no? A lesser album would collapse under such ponderings, but U2's Achtung Baby is a "heavy mother," to quote the band's ever-quotable lead vocalist. And The Edge lists "betrayal" among the album's chief preoccupations, so bringing it all back home to Adam and Eve's betrayal of God does work. The book is a good primer on moral theology -- an oddity in the 33 1/3 book series. Our guide cites Augustine, Newman and more luminaries without any quote seeming irrelevant. And still the book stays connected to the music, delving into both words and instrumental landscape. Two quarrels: First, three taboos fascinate U2: sex, God and politics. Catanzarite describes an Adam and Eve losing and finding each other and their Maker in a neon city. That covers sex and God. But politics? In an epilogue Catanzarite mentions upheavals occurring in Achtung Baby's era but not a whisper elsewhere. He quotes the exquisite apocalypse of Yeats' poem "The Second Coming," but relates it not to chaos in wartime but to breakdowns in personal relationships. Second, Catanzarite praises "Mysterious Ways" as an ode to feminine inspiration. He challenges disrespect of women and yet never quotes a single woman author. It's a glaring omission in a Catholic-worldview book -- U2 themselves have spoken often of their indebtedness to, for instance, Flannery O'Connor. It would take 10 more books to maybe start to describe Achtung Baby. Catanzarite is brave to try. * CityBeat *If you don't already know about the Christianity present in U2, or have never heard Achtung Baby, find a copy and listen to it. And if you are interested in a thoughtful engagement by a Catholic with the best of modern rock, you might like Achtung Baby: Meditations on Love in the Shadow of the Fall. -- Nathaniel Peters * First Things *...a surprisingly profound meditation on ‘Achtung Baby' as a metaphor for the Fall of Man (part of the excellent 33? series of books about albums)... * Neil McCormick *

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Book SynopsisMarshall Gu is a music writer and has written for Pitchfork, Tone Glow, Bandcamp, and Resident Advisor. He lives in Toronto.

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Book SynopsisThis new illustrated edition of the definitive unauthorised biography of Bob Dylan includes key images of Dylan throughout his incredible, enduring career, making it a must for all Dylan fans.

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Book SynopsisDJ Huw Stephens analyses the highlights of the careers of the most important recording artists that Wales has ever produced, singing in English or Welsh - favourites such as Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Dafydd Iwan, Max Boyce, Manic Street Preachers, Super Furry Animals, Adwaith and Kelly Lee Owens. -- Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru

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Book SynopsisSteve Tupai Francis has over 25 years' experience in writing in a range of contexts including music, academia and civil society. Steve is obsessed with music, with David Bowie, Kate Bush, Prince, Japan and Kraftwerk taking pride of place in his collection of over 3,000 records.Trade ReviewSteve Tupai Francis pops the hood on Kraftwerk’s Computer World and delivers a lovingly exhaustive examination of the road to realizing their perfect sonic vision, the reverberations of which are still felt today … Artfully balancing key elements from the band’s previous work while shedding light on the various tools that helped create Computer World, (shoutout Speak and Spell!), Francis does an exceptional job of managing an avalanche of information, and keeping it moving and relevant. -- Wayne Jessup * The Owl Mag *Francis brings clarity to subjects like Bauhaus-influenced design, the Düsseldorf division of IBM, Hazeltine 1500 computers (the monitor that graces the album’s cover) and the intricate details of how Kraftwerk's Kling Klang studios came to be. * Spectrum Culture *Table of Contents1. Ohm Sweet Ohm 2. We Are the Robots 3. Planet Rock 4. Speak & Spell 5. From Station to Station 6. “We had no fathers”. 7. Interpol and Deutsche Bank, FBI and Scotland Yard… 8. Hiroshima Mon Amour 9. Tomorrow’s World 10. “Here’s to the Crazy Ones” 11. The Pleasure Principle 12. Neon Lights

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Book SynopsisMusic writer Womack delivers a fascinating, in-depth look at the creation of Abbey Road, the Beatles'' penultimate album released 50 years ago.... Womack displays a detailed and insightful analysis that fans will hope he applies to the band''s other albums.? Publishers Weekly Acclaimed Beatles historian Kenneth Womack offers the most definitive account yet of the writing, recording, mixing, and reception of Abbey Road.In February 1969, the Beatles began working on what became their final album together. Abbey Road introduced a number of new techniques and technologies to the Beatles'' sound, and included Come Together, Something, and Here Comes the Sun, which all emerged as classics. Womack''s colorful retelling of how this landmark album was written and recorded is a treat for fans of the Beatles.Solid State takes readers back to 1969 and into EMI''s Abbey Road Studio, which boasted an advanced solid stTrade ReviewMusic writer Womack delivers a fascinating, in-depth look at the creation of Abbey Road, the Beatles' penultimate album released 50 years ago.... Womack displays a detailed and insightful analysis that fans will hope he applies to the band's other albums. * Publishers Weekly *In the enjoyable deep dive Solid State, Kenneth Womack tells a detailed story of how the album came to be. * FORWARD *Womack has created an account of the Abbey Road sessions that is extremely well-researched and well-written. The timing of the publication is perfect, given the recent success of the 50th Anniversary Reissue of the album. It is well worth a read for die-hard fans, and even casual fans, who are interested in how this work of art was created. * Spill Magazine *Womack humanizes and demystifies the mythic status of the album and of the four Beatles, but not by diminishing their achievements... Solid State is as fine a tribute to the Fabs as one could hope for in 2019. * Spectrum Culture *If you are a studio nerd or a Beatles aficionado you will love this book. * Aquarian Weekly *Solidly entertaining. * On the Seawall *Kenneth Womack is an acknowledged Beatles archaeologist and archivist, and in this effort he undertakes a fine biography of this fine recording, taking it apart and reassembling it for us along the way...It is definitive indeed regarding the writing, recording, mixing and reception of Abbey Road. * Criticsatlarge.ca *Table of ContentsForeword by Alan Parsons, by Alan Parsons Introduction: "Unmitigated Disaster" 1. EMI TG12345 Mk1 2. Stereophonic Sound 3. Tales of Men and Moog 4. "The Long One" 5. The Wind-Up Piano and Mrs. Mills 6. Virtuosi 7. Tittenhurst Park 8. Letting It Be 9. Solid State Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAn entertaining and deeply nostalgic dive into how female pop stars broke through the music industry in the 2000s and altered the cultural landscape forever, from the Ringer writer and co-host of the podcast Every Single AlbumLow-rise jeans, butterfly clips, The Lizzie McGuireMovie, and Paris Hilton?s nights out. The early 2000s were a time of major moments in fashion, media, celebrity culture, and especially music. The aughts were a particularly fruitful time for female artists?still the only decade in the history of recorded music where women made up more than half the list of highest-grossing performers?and especially pop stars. Artists such as Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne,Taylor Swift,Rihanna, and Beyoncé were leading the charge?their success not only producing a new respect for female artists, but for pop stardom itself.In Hit Girls, Nora Princiotti examines how these artists redefined the role of the pop star within the music industry and culture more broadly, and ultimately set the stage for the women who top the charts today. She unpacks the shifts in genre, technology, and celebrity culture that made this happen through the stories of the biggest names in aughties pop. Like how Britney opened the bubblegum floodgates at the start of the decade, inspiring both copycats like Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson and mall punk antagonists like Avril and Ashlee Simpson, all of whom contributed to a pop resurgence and a rethinking of what, musically, it meant to be a pop star. Or how innovations in technology led to the rise of EDM as Rihanna experimented with sound while Ke$ha and Katy Perry embraced the ?party anthem.? Along the way, Princiotti explores how celebrity evolved alongside the shift in media from the tabloid days à la Lindsay Lohan to MySpace to Instagram and how Taylor ultimately created one of the largest, most dedicated fandoms the world has ever seen.The ultimate love letter to pop music, Hit Girls celebrates the women who revolutionized the genre, inspired the next generation, and?in some cases?are burning brighter than ever.

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Book SynopsisThe question of control for Black women is a costly one. From 1986 onwards, the trajectory of Janet Jackson's career can be summed up in her desire for control. Control for Janet was never simply just about her desire for economic and creative control over her career but was, rather, an existential question about the desire to control and be in control over her bodily integrity as a Black woman. This book examines Janet's continuation of her quest for control as heard in her sixth album, The Velvet Rope. Engaging with the album, the promotion, the tour, and its accompanying music videos, this study unpacks how Janet uses Black cultural production as an emancipatory act of self-creation that allows her to reconcile with and, potentially, heal from trauma, pain, and feelings of alienation. The Velvet Rope's arc moves audiences to imagine the possibility of what emancipation from oppression--from sexual, to internal, to societal--could look like for the singer and for othersTable of ContentsTrack Listing Acknowledgments Preface 1. A Special Need 2. Like the Blues Need the Pain 3. Damn, Disconnected 4. Mmm … My Lips Hurt 5. Work in Progress 6. Let Me Just Fuck With it For a Minute 7. Welcome to My World Notes

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewGeorge Stauffer takes us on a compelling journey through Bach's life and the organs he played, providing a rich and fascinating context for his organ music. The author discusses each work, incorporating information from recent discoveries that broaden our understanding of how the iconic compositions were disseminated and performed. Stauffer's study is a must-read for anyone interested in Bach's music for the organ! * Kimberly Marshall, Goldman Endowed Professor of Organ, Arizona State University *Stauffer's fascinating introduction to Bach's Organ Works combines decades of familiarity with Bach's organ music as a practicing organist with the deep erudition of a music historian. The book sheds new light on the musical and social contexts of Bach's organ music and provides a unique perspective of the place of the organ works in Bach's own artistic development. The book will be indispensable for performers, listeners, and music historians." -=-Markus Rathey, Yale UniversityGeorge Stauffer has been at the forefront of researching Bach's organ music for about fifty years. His new book on all the composer's organ works not only provides an up-to-date and useful chronological overview but also many new details and insightful observations. * Christoph Wolff, Adams University Professor Emeritus, Harvard University *

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Book SynopsisFrom the earliest days of rock and roll, white artists regularly achieved fame, wealth, and success that eluded the Black artists whose work had preceded and inspired them. This dynamic continued into the 1960s, even as the music and its fans grew to be more engaged with political issues regarding race. In Tear Down the Walls, Patrick Burke tells the story of white American and British rock musicians' engagement with Black Power politics and African American music during the volatile years of 1968 and 1969. The book sheds new light on a significant but overlooked facet of 1960s rockwhite musicians and audiences casting themselves as political revolutionaries by enacting a romanticized vision of African American identity. These artists' attempts to cast themselves as revolutionary were often naïve, misguided, or arrogant, but they could also reflect genuine interest in African American music and culture and sincere investment in anti-racist politics. White musicians such as those in popTrade Review"Thoughtful, well-researched. . . .There is nothing soothing about the sometimes-overwhelming white noise of late 1960s rock, but Burke will not let the music’s radical roar fade to silence below its problematically persistent hum of racial retrenchment. The dissonances that emerge from his carefully wrought ambivalences are a good thing." * The Sixties *"Burke takes an even-keeled approach to Black-influenced revolutionary music in the 1960s created by white musicians within a white-centric industry, shedding light on an under-researched aspect of the music of the period." * Choice *"As a whole, the book reveals that the walls of race have not been torn down. This is hardly the fault of music and musicians, however. In fact, those making claims to 'race music' include a diversity of interested parties." * Ethnic and Racial Studies *"Incisive and even-handed, Tear Down the Walls is bound to enrich ongoing discussions of the enigmatic relationship between rock and race. Its findings pave the way for future studies to understand these categories more holistically and further analyze the discrepancies between artistic intent and cultural consequence." * Rock Music Studies *"Tear Down the Walls successfully problematizes ideas of musical and political appropriation and authenticity, as well as white radical politics and its organization, messaging, and relationship to white rock groups of the late 1960s. Burke’s text is clearly rooted in extensive research and built on established theoretical ideas, but he avoids overly technical musical analysis and writes engagingly, widening the prospective audience. Tear Down the Walls is recommended for public and academic libraries, and should be accessible and of interest to readers in the humanities as well as in music." -- Alyssa Nance * Music Reference Services Quarterly *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Honkie Soul: The MC5 at the Democratic National Convention—Lincoln Park, Chicago, August 25, 1968 2 Blue Eyes and a Black Face: Jefferson Airplane and the Rock Revolution—The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (CBS-TV), November 10, 1968 3 One Plus One: Jean-Luc Godard Meets the Rolling Stones—London Film Festival, November 29, 1968 4 The Seats Belong to the People: The Battle of the Fillmore East—Lower East Side, Manhattan, December 26, 1968 5 Declare the Nation into Being: Woodstock and the Movement—Woodstock Music & Art Fair, White Lake, NY, August 15–18, 1969 Epilogue Acknowledgments Notes Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Beethoven, A Life continues the journey towards a more complex and nuanced picture of the great composer. . . . Caeyers seeks to unravel the networks that influenced Beethoven’s career, to paint portraits of those who supported him, and to outline the many interests that were at play in forming Beethoven both as a man and an artist. . . . The result is a very readable book that, as a byproduct, offers a generous supply of scene-setting detail. This ranges from life in Vienna in the early 19th century to the grinding economic impact of the French revolution and its aftermath, and even the bathing customs in Bohemian spa towns." FT Books of the Year 2020 * Financial Times *"Among the books about the legend . . . in this anniversary year, the most substantial is Jan Caeyers’s Beethoven: A Life, a magisterial account, rich in archival findings, translated with revisions from the German edition of 2009." Books of the Year 2020 * Times Literary Supplement *Notable Music Books of 2020 -- Alex Ross, * The Rest is Noise *"Detailed and engaging, this fitting tribute to the iconic composer will enrich anyone’s enjoyment and appreciation of his great music." * Library Journal *Table of ContentsForeword by Daniel Hope Prologue Part One: The Artist as a Young Man (1770–1792) 1 • Louis van Beethoven: A Grandfather Figure 2 • Jean van Beethoven: The Absent Father? 3 • The Early Years 4 • Christian Gottlob Neefe: The Mentor 5 • The Young Professional 6 • Bonn Turns to Vienna 7 • Beethoven’s First Crisis 8 • A Second Home, and New Horizons 9 • Renewed Vigor and the First Major Works 10 • Farewell to Bonn Part Two: A Time of Proving (1792–1802) 11 • Vienna in 1792 12 • Beethoven’s First Patron: Karl von Lichnowsky 13 • Haydn and Albrechtsberger 14 • Career Plans 15 • Family, Friends, and Loves in Vienna 16 • In Anticipation of Greater Things 17 • Lobkowitz’s “Center of Excellence” 18 • The Immortal Beloved: Episode One 19 • The Road to a Broader Public 20 • A Word from the Critics 21 • The Disciples: Carl Czerny and Ferdinand Ries 22 • The Heiligenstadt Testament Part Three: The Master (1802–1809) 23 • A “New Way” Forward 24 • The Laboratorium Artificiosum 25 • Publishing Pains and the “Warehouse of the Arts” 26 • Composer in Residence 27 • Salieri’s Opera Lessons 28 • The Mystery of the Eroica 29 • The Immortal Beloved: Episode Two 30 • In Search of the Perfect Piano 31 • Leonore: A Work in Progress 32 • The Golden Years Part Four: Crowds and Power (1809–1816) 33 • A New Social Status 34 • New Prospects 35 • An Imperial Pupil 36 • Beethoven and Goethe 37 • The Immortal Beloved: Episode Three 38 • Se non è vero . . . 39 • The End of the Classical Symphony 40 • Music for the Masses 41 • A Lucrative Sideline 42 • From Leonore to Fidelio 43 • From Coffee and Cake to Congress and Kitsch 44 • The Fight for a Child 45 • From the “Immortal Beloved” to a “Distant Beloved” Part Five: The Lonely Way (1816–1827) 46 • Longing for Greater Things 47 • Post-Congress Vienna 48 • London Plans 49 • A Faustian Sonata and a Diabolical Contraption 50 • The Missa solemnis: A Mass for Peace 51 • The Circle Is Complete: The Late Piano Works 52 • Estrangement 53 • Encounters with the Younger Generation 54 • An Ode to Joy 55 • Decline 56 • Karl’s Emancipation 57 • Money Matters 58 • The Discovery of Heaven: The Late String Quartets 59 • Comoedia finita est Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Illustration Credits Index of Works Index of People

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Book SynopsisIan Bostridge is one of the outstanding singers of our time. Yet his early career was that of a professional historian, and A Singer''s Notebook takes a look at the multifaceted world of classical music through the eyes of someone whose career as a singer has followed a unique trajectory.

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Book SynopsisThe official story of 25 years of the legendary Rough Trade Records. 'Long overdue...The type of reader that buys rock biographies will crave the detailed information that spans the late 1970s to 1991 - and they will not be disappointed' RECORD COLLECTORTrade ReviewAn essential purchase for anyone who was involved in or influenced by the punk maelstrom of 1976, a riveting evocation of a period in musical history that becomes more important the further we get away from it ... Taylor's book is a joy * INDEPENDENT *Long overdue...The type of reader that buys rock biographies will crave the detailed information that spans the late 1970s to 1991 - and they will not be disappointed * RECORD COLLECTOR *DOCUMENT AND EYEWITNESS' treatment of its main players is affectionate-going-hagiographical, but the implication of that end-point is inescapable. The journey from the mid-1970s to now denotes the arrival of an altogether duller world: music that tends to be reverential rather than iconoclastic * GUARDIAN *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERAND WINNER OF THE 2019 WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEARDuncan Hamilton is already a multiple award-winning sports writer, but it is hard to imagine he will write a better book than this superb, elegiac portrait of the sociable, feted, but ultimately unknowable, man who virtually invented modern sports writing...This is writing every bit the equal of Cardus himself. - Daily Mail''Hamilton is a worthy biographer... as much sublime writing comes from his keyboard as from Cardus''s pen.'' The Times''With its verve, insight and generosity of sympathy, this is by some way the best full-length life of a cricket writer, perhaps even of any sports writer.'' Guardian Neville Cardus described how one majestic stroke-maker ''made music'' and ''spread beauty'' with his bat. Between two world wars, he became the laureate of cricket by doing the same with words.In Trade ReviewDuncan Hamilton is already a multiple award-winning sports writer, but it is hard to imagine he will write a better book than this superb, elegiac portrait of the sociable, feted, but ultimately unknowable, man who virtually invented modern sports writing...This is writing every bit the equal of Cardus himself. * Daily Mail *Duncan Hamilton has written some of the best books about sport in recent years. Twice he has won the William Hill for the sports book of the year... He [Cardus] interpreted cricket through a filter of his own, an imagination of uncommon sensitivity, and all who came after are in his debt. All lovers of cricket will enjoy this book. You could say that Hamilton has done it again. -- Michael Henderson * The Cricketer *Hamilton is a worthy biographer. Ten years after his fine biography of Harold Larwood, the maligned England fast bowler, this is just as good, and as much sublime writing comes from his keyboard as from Cardus's pen. -- Patrick Kidd * The Times *The Great Romantic has a strong personal flavour, especially in its tour de force of a prologue...the interest seldom falters. With its verve, insight and generosity of sympathy, this is by some way the best full-length life of a cricket writer, perhaps even of any sports writer. -- David Kynaston * The Guardian *This is not just stand-out sports writing but a stand-out study: one writer acknowledging another. * Sydney Morning Herald *Praise for Going to the Match * : *Hamilton is steeped in the history and traditions of football and communicates his knowledge lightly and with wit and intelligence. Above all, though, this is a fan's-eye view that brilliantly expresses the passion that millions like him, in pursuit of happiness and belonging, feel for the beautiful game. Simply magnificent. * Mail on Sunday *In Duncan Hamilton, one of the most accomplished of current sports writers, Cardus has found a worthy biographer who has ferreted out hidden details of his life, including those that Cardus himself skated over in his two volumes of autobiography. The Great Romantic is beautifully written, and Cardus would surely have approved of it. -- Stephen Bates * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisThis Woman''s Work: Essays on Music is edited by Kim Gordon and Sinéad Gleeson and features contributors Anne Enright, Fatima Bhutto, Jenn Pelly, Rachel Kushner, Juliana Huxtable, Leslie Jamison, Liz Pelly, Maggie Nelson, Margo Jefferson, Megan Jasper, Ottessa Moshfegh, Simone White, Yiyun Li and Zakia Sewell.Published to challenge the historic narrative of music and music writing being written by men, for men, This Woman''s Work seeks to confront the male dominance and sexism that have been hard-coded in the canons of music, literature, and film and has forced women to fight pigeon-holing or being side-lined by carving out their own space. Women have to speak up, to shout louder to tell their story - like the auteurs and ground-breakers featured in this collection, including: Anne Enright on Laurie Anderson; Megan Jasper on her ground-breaking work with Sub Pop; Margo Jefferson on Bud Powell and Ella Fitzgerald; and Fatima Bhutto on music and dicTrade ReviewThis Woman's Work is a captivating read that brings memories and music into the same space to show how closely they are connected. It will make you want to dig out the songs your mother played to help you fall asleep as a child or the CD that never left your stereo in your teens * The Wire *[This Woman's Work] strikes a chord: "We can't help but surrender to what moves us in the sound even if it seems contradictory or irrational; in fact, our experience of music is full of contradictions," Heather Leigh writes in the introduction. The result is a collection worth tuning in to * Publishers Weekly *By inhabiting the sound worlds these women create, we get to engage with a vast range of ideas, to consider profound concepts of liberty and oppression, of joy and terror. Always there are the notes between, of the unexpected, the nuanced, the bold. . . This Woman's Work is an important collage of tenses, disciplines, perspectives, borders and experiences. * The Quietus *This Woman's Work is a collection of music writing, but in the loosest possible sense. Here, music is the soil in which all manner of stories take seed and bloom * Guardian *Sixteen bright, insightful essays that present an array of trailblazers, geniuses, obsessives * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisSince she stepped onstage unannounced at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival, Joan Baez has occupied a singular place in popular music. Within three years, she had recorded three best-selling albums and had embarked on a tour of southern US campuses, playing to integrated audiences in an era of segregation. When Time magazine chronicled the folk revival in November 1962, her portrait was on the cover. Her voice was “as lustrous and rich as old gold.” She has mentored generations of singer-songwriters, most famously Bob Dylan. But Joan Baez has always been much more than simply a singer. Even before she stood on the podium beside Dr Martin Luther King at the March on Washington, her voice was raised in sorrow and anger as well as in song. The causes for which she has campaigned are legion and it’s no surprise that she was chosen to open Live Aid in Philadelphia in 1985. In 1993, amid the siege of Bosnia, she donned a flak jacket to sing for the citizens of Sarajevo offering, as so many times before and since, “an act of love, sharing, witness and music”. Now approaching 80, Baez has stepped down from the stage following a worldwide farewell tour and a final Grammy-nominated album. The Last Leaf is a celebration of a timeless figure whose music and influence will endure long after her voice is silenced. The Discography is by Grammy-nominated music historian Arthur Levy. Joan Baez is the recipient of the 2020 Woody Guthrie Prize.Trade Review"I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that this is a book destined to become the definitive word on the life and times of Joan Baez; put it on your list of this year's essential reads. What we get with this book is something more than a standard biographical approach to documenting an artist's career. All the career information you might want is there, along with a comprehensive discography, filmography and bibliography, but Thomson's book is more insightful than just providing simple biographical data. This book offers us an opportunity to discover the person behind the legend...[Thomson] has interviewed Joan Baez herself a number of times over a forty-year period and also draws on a variety of other interviews with long-time associates and friends, both from the world of music and from wider afield...The illustrations and photos embellish the book beautifully and it is a triumph." -- Americana UKJoan Baez: The Last Leaf presents us with a lot of detail, with a fair number of questions and with a picture of a woman who has given so much to the world, to music and to activism that it is surprising how little has been written about her... Thomson's book is an excellent starting point. -- Folk RadioShe writes beautifully and covers a cram-filled, spectacular life in a very knowledgeable way... a very well sourced and a very thoughtful book. -- Will SwiftThomson is a sharp listener, her evocative musical descriptions sing along with her subject’s songs... she has delivered the definitive biography. Five Stars. -- MOJOExhaustively researched...pack[s] a hell of a lot into its 224 pages, miraculously managing to include a comprehensive discography, filmography and bibliography and a plethora of photographs that really do enhance the text. * Living Tradition magazine *

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Book SynopsisHave you ever listened to an incredible piece of music and wondered exactly why it makes you want to dance or cry? Are you mystified by how musicians just 'know' what notes to play next when they're improvising? Or why certain notes sound great together and others clash? Discover the answers in this ear-opening tour of how music works. John Powell, a classically-trained composer and a physics professor, decided to write this entertaining, pain-free guide to the ingredients of music when he discovered that all the other books on the subject gave him a headache. Here he reveals the often little-known facts and fascinating science behind what we listen to, explaining the basics of harmony, scales, chords, keys and rhythm in a way that's easy for everyone to understand. He also shows us why a note has a different sound to a normal noise, why Chinese people are more likely to have perfect pitch, and even why Beethoven and Led Zeppelin are musically similar. This book reveals things that people who play music should know but often don't, and will help all of us - even if we can't read a note - increase our listening pleasure.Trade ReviewThoroughly accessible, and occasionally revelatory ... It's hard to imagine how Powell could have done a better job * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisJay Daniel Thompson is Lecturer of Professional Communication in the School of Media and Communication at RMIT University, Australia. His research explores what ethical online communication might look like and how this might mitigate digital hostility and networked disinformation. He is a 1990s pop culture tragic.

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Book SynopsisFrom the storied ache of mbube harmonies of the 40s to the electronic boom of kwaito and the amapiano and house explosion of the 00s, this book explores vignettes taken from across South Africa's popular music history. There are moments in time where music can be a mighty weapon in the fight for freedom. Disguised in a danceable hook or shouted for the world to hear, artists have used songs to deliver important truths and bring listeners together in the face of a segregated reality. In the grip of the brutal apartheid era, South Africa crafted its own idiosyncratic popular musical vernacular that operated both as sociopolitical tool and realm of escape. In a country with 11 official languages, music had the power to unite South Africans in protest. Artists bloomed a new idyll from the branches of countless storied musical traditions, and in turn found themselves banned or exiledthe profound epiphany that music can exist both within the pleasure of itself and for serving a far greater pTrade ReviewYour next great music read. . . . Phillips explores how music had the power to unite a country of 11 official languages in times of sociopolitical unrest and the brutal apartheid era. * Consequence of Sound *A beautiful book in the 33 1/3 Genre series. -- Jesse Mulligan * Radio New Zealand *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Simunye: We Are One1. The Lion Sleeps, The Evening Bird Sings 2. Bantu Radio and Shebeen Jazz 3. The Rebel Flute 4. They Cannot Say Qongothwane 5. Separate Development and Exile 6. Grace, the Land, and Graceland 7. The White Zulu 8. Sun City, Bubblegum, and Shifting Afrikaans 9. Free Nelson Mandela 10. Creating the New: Mzansi Fo Sho 11. Our House Ten Essential Tracks Notes

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Book SynopsisTeen pop is a sub-genre of popular music marketed to tweens and teens. Its melodic yearning and veneer of sincerity appeal to an emerging romantic eroticism and autonomy. But tweens and teens buy music that isn't primarily marketed to them, too. Teen pop encompasses several kinds of musical styles, not limiting itself to just oneteen pop wants to play. During the 1970s, teen pop sometimes worked subversively, challenging the status quo it seemed to represent. Male pop stars such as David Cassidy were shown suggestively in popular magazines and female pop stars such as Cher had their own TV shows. Teen magazines, pin-ups, comics, films, and TV programs provided luscious visual stereo, promoting fashion styles, lingo, and dance moves, signaling individual identity but also community. The music provided a way for young people to believe they had something all their own, an authenticity experimenting with sexuality and social conduct, all dressed up in glitter and satin, bluTable of ContentsLiner Notes Rewind Play Fast Forward Ten Essential Tracks Pause Record Stop/Eject

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Book SynopsisMatthew Blackwell is a freelance music and culture writer. His writing has appeared in Pitchfork, Bandcamp Daily, Tone Glow, Tiny Mix Tapes, The Wire Magazine, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. Since 2023 he has helmed Bandcamp Daily's Best Field Recordings column. He is currently based in Tenerife, Spain.

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Book SynopsisPink Floyd: Behind the Wall is a comprehensive history of the legendary band featuring photos, album covers, and posters as well as insight into their iconic songs and albums.

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Book SynopsisBy June 1993, when Washington, D.C.'s Fugazi released their third full-length album In on the Kill Taker, the quartet was reaching a thunderous peak in popularity and influence. With two EPs (combined into the classic CD 13 songs) and two albums (1990's genre-defining Repeater and 1991's impressionistic follow-up Steady Diet of Nothing) inside of five years, Fugazi was on creative roll, astounding increasingly large audiences as they toured, blasting fist-pumping anthems and jammy noise-workouts that roared into every open underground heart. When the album debuted on the now-SoundScan-driven charts, Fugazi had never been more in the public eye. Few knew how difficult it had been to make this popular breakthrough. Disappointed with the sound of the self-produced Steady Diet, the band recorded with legendary engineer Steve Albini, only to scrap the sessions and record at home in D.C. with Ted Niceley, their brilliant, under-known producer. InadvertentlTrade ReviewWritten with a fan’s loving attitude and a journalist’s eye for puncturing false narratives, this entry in the 33 ? series is a great primer for those new to Fugazi as well as an illuminating read for those who wore out their Kill Taker cassettes long ago. * Pitchfork *Table of ContentsForeword Rob Sheffield Introduction A Brief History of Four Musicians Interlude: A Comment on Ritual, or How Fugazi Wrote Songs "Steady Diet of No Reverb" The Albino Demo "Facet Squared" “Public Witness Program" "Returning the Screw" Interlude: The Sleeve "Smallpox Champion" "Rend It" "23 Beats Off" "Sweet and Low" "Cassavetes" Interlude: Punk vs. the Pop Charts "Great Cop" "Walken's Syndrome" Two Finales Interlude: Live Afterword Acknowledgements Bibliography

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Book SynopsisIn the first decade of the twenty-first century, Kanye West created the most compelling body of pop music by an American artist during the period. Having risen from obscurity as a precocious producer through the ranks of Jay Z's Roc-A-Fella records, by the time he released My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (MBDTF) in late 2010, West had evolved into a master collagist, an alchemist capable of transfiguring semi-obscure soul samples and indelible beats into a brash and vulnerable new art form. A look at the arc of his career, from the heady chipmunk soul exuberance of The College Dropout (2004) to the operatic narcissism of MBDTF, tells us about the march of pop music into the digital age and, by extension, the contradictions that define our cultural epoch. In a cloud-based and on-demand culture – a place of increasing virtualization, loneliness, and hyper-connectivity – West straddles this critical moment as what David Samuels of The Atlantic calls "the first true genius of the iPhone era, the Mozart of contemporary American music." In the land of taking a selfie, honing a personal brand, and publicly melting down online, Kanye West is the undisputed king. Swallowing the chaos wrought by his public persona and digesting it as a grandiose allegory of self-redemption, Kanye sublimates his narcissism to paint masterstroke after masterstroke on MBDTF, a 69-minute hymn to egotistical excess. Sampling and ventriloquizing the pop music past to tell the story of its future – very much a tale of our culture's wish for unfettered digital ubiquity – MBDTF is the album of its era, an aesthetic self-acquittal and spiritual autobiography of our era’s most dynamic artist.Trade ReviewIn Graves' book, he not only breaks down each track on the record, but he also effectively lays out the context of the album's release, explaining why Kanye is deserving of an investigative book like this one (and hopefully soon, others), and what about Mr. West makes him the biggest and most off-putting rock star on the planet. -- Dan Buyanovsky * Revolt TV *Kanye West is the millennial generation incarnate, or at least that's what Kirk Walker Graves would have us all think. Throughout the 150 or so pages of this book, Graves unpacks the enigma that is Kanye West's personality and art. This book isn't so much about the musical qualities of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as it is about how Kanye's ego and public persona can be used to explain modern 20-somethings. Graves finds meaning in West's music that I never would have picked out on my own. His fandom is clear, but he never steps into hyperbole in his praise of the music. Though, at times, it feels like his discussion of this album can get a bit too academic, I appreciate the thought that he has put into his analysis of Kanye's work. This book is some serious next-level music criticism-I never realized how much Kanye's Gucci line meant to my life before this guy told me about it. -- Alex Gilvarry * SLUG Magazine *West may be divisive enough to not win over his detractors, but Graves’ mix of fanboy marvel and critical detachment is persuasive enough to convince even detractors to give My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy a close listen. At the end of its 132 pages, Graves makes a convincing argument that this four-year-old deserves a spot in the 33 1/3 series. But perhaps more important, he does something that great criticism should do: he makes you want to listen to the album. -- Sean McCarthy * PopMatters *Kanye West’s fifth album is only a few years old, but that didn’t stop Kirk Walker Graves from writing a book proclaiming it an instant classic that perfectly captures the spirit of its era. Graves unpacks the cultural meaning and significance of West’s famous ego and chaotic public persona, and examines the music both in the context of the rapper’s brilliant body of work, and how it fits into the social media era. * Buzzfeed *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Seven Virtues of Yeezus, Pop Christ Portrait of the Monster as a Young Masterpiece The Narcissistic Personality of Our Time Five Uneasy Pieces Art as Atonement University as Universe: The College Dropout A (Very) Brief Aside Re: 808s & Heartbreaks MBDTF Dark Fantasy Gorgeous POWER (sic transit gloria Kanye) All of the Lights Monster So Appalled Devil in a New Dress Runaway Hell of a Life Blame Game Lost in the World The Yeezus Singularity: A Religion of the Self

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Book Synopsis"Aja" was the album that made Steely Dan a commercial force on the order of contemporaries like Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles and Chicago. A double-platinum, Grammy-winning bestseller, it lingered on the Billboard charts for more than a year and spawned three hit singles. This book paints a detailed picture of the making of a masterpiece.Trade ReviewMusician and songwriter Breithaupt's book pores over every last note of Josie, Deacon Blues, Peg and the like with the enthusiasm of a teenybopper and the insight of an academic. -- Terry Staunton * Record Collector *Aja was the album that made Steely Dan a commercial force on the order of contemporaries like Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, and Chicago. A double-platinum, Grammy-winning bestseller, it lingered on the Billboard charts for more than a year after its 1977 release and spawned three hit singles. Odd, then, that its creators saw it as an `ambitious, extended` work, the apotheosis of their anti-rock, anti-band, anti-glamour aesthetic. Including an in-depth interview with Dan co-founder Donald Fagen, this book - part of Continuum`s ongoing 33 1/3 series - by Canadian musician and music journalist Don Breithaupt paints a detailed picture of the making of a masterpiece. * Upper North Side *Don Breithaupt has crafted an informative book about Steely Dan's platinum sixth album, Aja—part of Continuum Press' 33 1/3 series on acclaimed albums in rock history. The author analyzes Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's cryptic word play and arty rock and West Coast studio contributions to the 1977 release and tried to build a case in support of his fervid-fan claim that Aja is ‘the best record in the solar system. * Downbeat Magazine *Aja is the first one [in the series] I've read, but I'll be checking out the others. Highly recommended. * Stereophile *

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Book SynopsisCarole King's Tapestry is both an anthemic embodiment of second-wave feminism and an apotheosis of the Laurel Canyon singer-songwriter sound and scene. And these two elements of the album's historic significance are closely related insofar as the professional autonomy of the singer-songwriter is an expression of the freedom and independence women of King's generation sought as the turbulent sixties came to a close.Aligning King's own development from girl to woman with the larger shift in the music industry from teen-oriented singles by girl groups to albums by adult-oriented singer-songwriters, this volume situates Tapestry both within King's original vision as the third in a trilogy (preceded by Now That Everything's Been Said and Writer) and as a watershed in musical and cultural history, challenging the male dominance of the music and entertainment industries and laying the groundwork for female dominated genres such as women's music and Riot Grrrl punk.Trade ReviewIn providing an effective history of King’s career and influence, Glass helps to make clear why the anniversary of Tapestry is worthy of celebration. * Spectrum Culture *As with much of the series, the personal is interwoven with the prevailing moods of the era. Still, Glass succeeds in telling us much more about Tapestry itself. * The Irish Times *An easy and enjoyable read… A must-have for fans but also for the interested reader as the book examines the times and the context of a seminal album. * Americana UK *Published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Carole King’s album Tapestry, Loren Glass makes the case for the record heralding a wave of female singer-songwriters that challenged not just a male-dominated music industry but also outdated notions of how ‘the chicks’ should and could express themselves. * Choice Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction – The Mother of Us All 1. Maturity 2. Trilogy 3. Celebrity 4. Legacy Acknowledgments Bibliography

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Book SynopsisA discussion of White Limozeen, from Dolly's self-fashioning to a rigorous critique of her genre.White Limozeen (1989) was a commercial recovery after Dolly Parton''s first major failure two years previously with the release of Rainbow. This book is a case study in how an album is sold and a persona constructed. The album had a complex relationship to the country music genre at a time when the genre was in the middle of major sonic and cultural shifts, and it represents how country music saw itself. This question of identity was especially relevant since White Limozeen was produced by Ricky Skaggs, the bluegrass prodigy who was in the middle of his own genre-widening experiments. The album reflects dense and complex production, shredding ideas of purity, studio craft, slickness, and authenticity. In it, Dolly seems to be imagining the limits of her own personae - the country girl, the blonde burlesque, the pop legend, the gospel singer.

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Book SynopsisOn Ice-T's 1991 classic O.G. Original Gangster, he introduced his all-Black hardcore band Body Count with lead guitarist Ernie C, bringing them on the first-ever Lollapalooza tour that summer. The next year, Body Count's self-titled debut album, rounded out by rhythm guitarist D-Roc the Executioner, bassist Mooseman, and drummer Beatmaster V, made them the most incendiary band in the world, confronting white supremacy and police brutality with pulverizing songs that shattered musical boundaries. Body Count's rage and shock humor sparked nationwide protests and boycotts, including death threats, censure from the federal government, a spot on the FBI National Threat list, and a denunciation by the President of the United States. The album was removed from stores and remains banned to this day, but decades later Body Count are performing to theirbiggest audiences and greatest acclaim, pulling off one of the most remarkable comebacks in punk or metal history.Drawn from years Trade ReviewThe greatest story ever told. * Gerard Cosloy *One of the most thought provoking and thoroughly researched entries in the Bloomsbury 33 1/3 series. * Jesse Rifkin, author of This Must be the Place *A thoroughly researched and engaging exploration of both the origin and social relevance of Ice-T's hardcore band Body Count and their self-titled album. * David Gutowski, Largehearted Boy *A read appealing both to longtime metalheads and those who only know the barest of details. * The Pitch *A concise and informative read. * Under the Radar *Table of Contents1. “Did you make ‘em pay?” 2. “You don’t wanna die there.” 3. “Who let ‘em in the club?” 4. “On with the Body Count.” 5. “There goes the neighborhood.” 6. “We’re here.” 7. “Body Count’s in the house.” 8. “Stop the car right here.” 9. “The tension mounts.” 10. “Just watch what you say.” 11. “You’ll be six feet underground.” 12. “But tonight we get even.” 13. “Body Count, motherfucker.” Body Count Selected Bibliography

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Book SynopsisEssential reading, plain and simple. - Cult FollowingSavidge knows the album backwards. UNCUTThis Is Hardcore is Pulp's cry for help. A giant, sprawling, flawed masterpiece of a record, the 1998 album manages to tackle some of the most inappropriate grown-up issues of the day fame, ageing, mortality, drugs, and pornography and still come out crying and laughing on the other side. The subject of pornography dominates the record from its controversial artwork to the images conjured up by songs like Seductive Barry and the title track after Pulp's main man, Jarvis Cocker who''d spent most of his teenage and adult life chasing celebrity, only to be cruelly disappointed when it finally arrived in spades hit upon the grand notion of using pornography as a metaphor for fame. The album''s commercial failure as a follow-up to the band''s Britpop-defining, Different Class, also symbolizes a death knell for Britpop itself. Da

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Book SynopsisSmile is not merely a great unfinished album, but a living work of art that is all at once expansive, indeterminate, and resolutely pop. In the early 1960s, The Beach Boys rose from the suburbs of Hawthorne, California to become emissaries of a post-war American dream that fused middle-class aspiration and mobility with images of youth. Led by dream master Brian Wilson, their music gave voice to a Southern California mythos and compelled an audience across the nation and beyond to live out their own versions of the fantasy. By 1966, the encroaching counterculture added new dimensions of creative possibility to popular music. Looking to revise and expand, Brian Wilson sought collaboration with a brilliant musician named Van Dyke Parks. Together they began work on Smile, an ambitious album of music that refracted The Beach Boys’ naïveté into a visionary exploration of American consciousness. Smile edged so close to greatness it seemed destined to become one of the most significant musical advances of its time. But the story didn't end quite like this. In this book of evocative essays, Sanchez traces the musical journey that transformed The Beach Boys from West Coast surf heroes into America’s pop luminaries, and ultimately why Smile represents a tumultuous turning point in the history of popular music.Trade ReviewReviewed -- Bob Baker Fish * CyclicDefrost.com *As the latest edition to the (unfortunately) obscure 33 1/3 series, Smile provides the cultural and historical background to one of rock's most mythical records that almost never happened. Author Luis Sanchez begins with the unique nature of The Beach Boys: a teenage vocal group that streamlined their version of Southern California teen living directly into America's consciousness. Sanchez details the popularity of surfing and surf rock as counterculture, how the Beach Boys were anything but counterculture and how they were able to convey such sincerity through their pop music in a way that anyone who listened could capture the carefree, suburban teen's American dream. As their fame grew to an even level with counterculture rock stars like The Beatles and Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys risked exploring new territory in the realm of pop music, which eventually led to the creation of Smile. The main character behind all of this is the unassuming musical savant Brian Wilson. Sanchez explores the inspirations behind Wilson's genius- from maniacally studying the work of Phil Spector to embracing, rather than rebelling against, the suburban lifestyle. Smile is a deep glance into the formation of pop music and one of its greatest minds. -- Justin Gallegos * SLUG Magazine *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Part One: California Dreams Part Two: The Pop Miseducation of Brian Wilson Part Three: To Catch a Wave Part Four: Smile, Brian Loves You

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Book SynopsisPink Floyd and The Dark Side of the Moon offers a generously illustrated deep dive into all aspects of one of the most popular rock albums of all time.Trade Review"...a stunning slipcased edition that leaves no stone unturned in dissecting Pink Floyd‘s generation-defining classic, The Dark Side of the Moon...Popoff’s authoritative analysis takes you on a journey through every aspect of this iconic album. Get ready to experience the album in a whole new way." * HappyMag.TV *"Pink Floyd And The Dark Side Of The Moon is a stunning book, something that is only furthered when flipping through its pages. Popoff has delivered a true coffee table book experience full of photos of the band, artwork, and vintage posters, merch, and gear to recreate the post ‘60s era within the pages. By limiting his focus to a single album, Popoff is able to thoroughly explore the many things that made Pink Floyd and The Dark Side Of The Moon so special in the first place rather than skimming over elements to make room for the next record." * Spill Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 The Context: Pink Floyd Before 1973 2 The Sessions 3 The Art and Packaging 4 Side One 5 Side Two 6 The Tour 7 Sales and Awards 8 Pink Floyd Post-Dark Side Tour Date Archive Image Credits About the Author Index

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Book SynopsisAt the height of Tim Maia's soaring fame, he joined a radical, extraterrestrial-obsessed cult and created two plus albums of some of Brazil'sand the globe'sbest funk and soul music. This book explores the career of the man often hailed as the James Brown or Barry White of Brazil, and the time of his radical transformation from a musician notorious for hedonistic living to a devoted follower of Manoel Jacinto Coelho's Rational Culture.After suddenly joining Coelho's cult in 1974 (which started first as an offshoot of the mystical Afro-Brazilian religion Umbanda), Maia gave up drugs and alcohol, threw away his material possessions, and released Racional Vols. 1 & 2 in the attempt to convert the entirety of Brazil and the world to the revelation of Rational Culture. Thayer explores this strange, brief, yet incredibly prolific period of Maia's life wherein the reigning soul and funk artist of Brazil produced two albums, an EP, and a recently unearthed tape containing almost another Trade ReviewLeave it to [33 1/3 Brazil], just launched last year, to weave what may be one of the most page-turning titles in their roster. Pull up a chair; with Tim Maia’s Tim Maia Racional Vols. 1 & 2 , Allen Thayer has a helluva story to tell. * Spectrum Culture *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Tim Maia Irrational, 1942-1973 2. The Band, the Shed and Fatherhood, 1974 Interlude: Seu Manoel & Rational Culture 3. 50 Mescaline, Aliens and Seu Manoel, 1974 4. Tim Maia Racional Vol. 1 (Late 1974) 5. Rational Friends & Family (Early 1975) 6. Tim Maia Racional Vol. 2 (Early-Mid 1975) 7. Tim Maia Racional Vol. 3 and The End of Rationality 8. The Disenchantment 9. Irrational and Loving It 10. Rational Legacy 11. The Rescue and Reconstruction of Tim Maia Racional Vol. 3 Interlude: Carmelo, Tell Me What to Do Conclusion: Tim Maia, a Man in Search of Answers List of Interviews Works Cited Notes Index

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Book SynopsisHow does a work of music stir the senses, creating feelings of joy, sadness, elation, or nostalgia? This title details the array of stylistic devices and techniques used to represent or convey sentiment. It traces the use of radically changing intensities in the Romantic works of the nineteenth century.Trade Review"'What is astonishing, given the rigour of the analysis and the apparent technicality of the approach, is how moving the book is.' (Simon Callow, The Guardian) 'These lectures, bristling with musical examples and detailed analysis, tackle the tricky question of how music expresses emotion.' (Adam Lively, The Sunday Times) 'the number of composers about whom he has illuminating things to say, even if only in passing, is remarkable.' (Michael Tanner, Literary Review) 'Rosen continuously reveals and explains the fantastic, largely unglimpsed, subtlety of music's expressive vocabulary... This book could be a revelation even to the musically illiterate.' (Jeremy Siepmann, BBC Music Magazine) 'This book is definitely worth reading, and taking to heart.' (Brian Morton, The Tablet) 'Rosen offers a compelling examination of the 'power' that the great composers have exerted on our sensibilities.' (New Statesman)"

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Book SynopsisRay Padgett is the founder of Cover Me, the largest blog devoted to cover songs on the web, and author of Cover Me: The Stories Behind the Greatest Cover Songs of All Time (2017). His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, SPIN, The AV Club, Vice, and MOJO, and he's been interviewed as an expert on cover songs by NPR, The Wall Street Journal, SiriusXM, and dozens more. He lives in Burlington, Vermont and also works as a publicist for Shore Fire Media.Trade ReviewRay Padgett’s deeply-researched, passionately written book did what the very best tribute albums do: Recontextualized and deepened the source material. In the same way that John Cale made listeners hear “Hallelujah” anew, this book made me hear tribute albums like I’d never heard them before. * David Marchese, Columnist, New York Times Magazine *If you read Ray Padgett’s book, and you really should, I guarantee that, if you have the album he’s writing about, you’ll be digging it out to listen with fresh ears. If you don’t have it, you’ll be hitting the internet to check out the album and the covers therein. * Americana UK *Using the famed Leonard Cohen covers collection as its jumping-off point, Ray Padgett’s I’m Your Fan digs into the weird, ever-expanding world of the tribute album. We get a detailed account of how I’m Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen came together via revealing interviews with its curators and performers. We learn how the album kickstarted Cohen’s then somewhat-flailing career and—for better or worse—helped turn the then obscure 'Hallelujah' into the ubiquitous standard it is today. We discover that Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ version of 'Tower of Song' originally clocked in at over a half-hour. It’s all great stuff. But even more interesting are the various side-trips Padgett takes the reader on: like a chat with the late/great tribute album pioneer Hal Willner ('It’s all my fault isn’t it?' he asks wearily); or a lengthy digression with Juliana Hatfield, a tribute album mainstay who doesn’t really like tribute albums. Like most of the 33 1/3 books, I’m Your Fan is a quick read, but you’ll want to savor this one. * Aquarium Drunkard *I’m Your Fan changed Cohen’s career from a mid-tier, well-regarded songwriter to someone rightfully considered among our finest musical poets. Not many, if any, tribute discs can make a similar claim on their impact. Padgett’s deep dive into the how’s and why’s of that claim make for a quick yet engrossing read. * Rock & Roll Globe *A smart and lively look at a project that was oddly significant in Leonard Cohen’s career – but, beyond that, a long-overdue examination that (partly) redeems the much reviled format of the tribute album. * Alan Light, author of The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of “Hallelujah” *I’m Your Fan uses a specific tribute album to explore multiple aspects of music fandom and record culture—how artists channel their influences, how a song’s meaning can change over time, the way formats shape our understanding of music history. A marvelous entry in the 33 1/3 series, even for those who’ve never heard the album in question. * Mark Richardson, former Editor-in-Chief, Pitchfork *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. The Origins of the Tribute Album Interlude: Hal Willner 2. The Idea Behind I'm Your Fan Interlude: Ralph Sall 3. Recording I'm Your Fan 4. Cave and Cale Interlude: Juliana Hatfield 5. The Release of I'm Your Fan Interlude: Jarkko Arjatsolo 6. The 1990s Tribute Album Explosion Interlude: Jim Sampas & Joe Spadaro 7. The Tribute Album Today Notes

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Book Synopsis''It is the most singular of sounds, yet among the most ubiquitous. It is the sound of isolation that has sold itself to millions.''Miles Davis''s Kind of Blue is the best selling piece of music in the history of jazz, and for many listeners among the most haunting in all of twentieth-century music. It is also, notoriously, the only jazz album many people own. Recorded in 1959 (in nine miraculous hours), there has been nothing like it since. Its atmosphere - slow, dark, meditative, luminous - became all-pervasive for a generation, and has remained the epitome of melancholy coolness ever since.Richard Williams has written a history of the album which for once does not rip it out of its wider cultural context. He evokes the essence of the music - identifying the qualities that make it so uniquely appealing - while making effortless connections to painting, literature, philosophy and poetry. This makes for an elegant, graceful and beautifully-written narrative.

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Book SynopsisTo millions of fans AC/DC will always be the greatest hard rock band of them all. From their formation in Sydney, Australia in 1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, AC/DC have made the most visceral and single-minded rock, and inspired generations of rock icons from Def Leppard to Guns N’ Roses and Metallica. The basic blueprint laid down in their early albums with Bon Scott – hard, no-nonsense, riff-driven rock’n’roll – has served them well with more than 200 million records sold, including the best-selling rock album of all time – Back in Black. Paul Elliott documents AC/DC’s career from backstory to their latest album, 2014’s Rock Or Bust, offering real insight into the band’s enduring success and rise to rock royalty.Trade ReviewThis lavishly illustrated book - which features a treasure trove of rare shots throughout - [is] a weighty, worthy addition to the AC/DC canon. -- Simon Young * Planet Rock *

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Book SynopsisTransformer, Lou Reed''s most enduringly popular album, is described with varying labels: it''s often called a glam rock album, a proto-punk album, a commercial breakthrough for Lou Reed, and an album about being gay. And yet, it doesn''t neatly fit into any of these descriptors. Buried underneath the radio-friendly exterior lie coded confessions of the subversive, wounded intelligence that gives this album its staying power as a work of art. Here Lou Reed managed to make a fun, accessible rock''n''roll record that is also a troubled meditation on the ambiguitiessexual, musical and otherwisethat defined his public persona and helped make him one of the most fascinating and influential figures in rock history. Through close listening and personal reflections, songwriter Ezra Furman explores Reed''s and Transformer''s unstable identities, and the secrets the songs challenge us to uncover.Trade ReviewWhat Furman has written serves as more than a mere essay on Lou Reed; it’s also a consideration of how the notion of queerness has evolved over time and what Reed meant both to queer culture and to Furman as a person. In its exploration of the nature of art and the artist in its portrayal of marginalized communities, Transformer is a welcome addition to the ever-growing 33 1/3 library. * Spectrum Culture *Rarely does longform music criticism get this personal, but Furman’s willingness to be vulnerable as he excavates Transformer makes his debut book an incisive and necessary read. * Pitchfork *…an intimate analysis… Arriving as it did, around the time of Grant Hart’s death only serves to give the book deeper impact. * Palette *Table of ContentsIntroduction Lou the Queer Lou the Failure Lou and Bowie Side One "Vicious" - Lou & Hate "Andy's Chest" - Lou & Warhol "Perfect Day" - Lou & Bettye "Hangin' Round" - Lou & Coolness "Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou & the Underworld Side Break: Lou in the Closet / Transformer in Code Side Two "Make Up" - Lou & Gender "Satellite of Love" - Lou & Pop "Wagon Wheel" - Lou & Laziness "New York Telephone Conversation" - Lou & New York "I'm So Free" - Lou & Freedom "Goodnight Ladies" - Lou & Lonliness Outro: The Man Himself Enormous Thanks

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