Five Year Flashback: Top Ten Songs I Was Listening To – May 2007 Edition

May 2007 was the first time since I started making mixes in January 2004 that the core set of songs did not fit on a single CD. It was also the first time I started adding in comments before the

Five Year Flashback: Top Ten Songs I Was Listening To – April 2007 Edition

Somewhere around this time, my music tastes definitely shifted. It definitely coincided with the fact that I had begun to actively seek out live music on a regular basis. Some thoughts on tracks that made the cut: -I saw Clinic

Five Year Flashback: Top Ten Songs I Was Listening To – March 2007 Edition

If you think this playlist is random, you should’ve seen it five years ago when it was 21 songs long. The only one I’d really point out to look into that didn’t make the final cut is a song called

Five Year Flashback: Top Ten Songs I Was Listening To – February 2007 Edition

My February 2007 mix originally clocked in at 21 songs in total, and you are getting the top ten. Some items of note: 1. This mix was the first time many mainstay artists appeared on the list, including Amy Winehouse

Fourteen Lonely Songs For the Fourteenth of February

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone. Here are my top 10 (okay 14, it is Valentine-themed after all) songs for being all by yourself on this February 14th. Enjoy. (Stream it at the bottom) 1. Akon – Lonely Samples Bobby Vinton’s Mr.

Five Year Flashback: Top Ten Songs I Was Listening To – January 2007 Edition

So I am introducing a new (intended to be) monthly column here. Up until very recently, I’ve been religiously making mixes. Every month, I put together a mix for my friends. It was what I was listening to at that

Top Ten Samples in Rap Music

Sampling is essential to rap music.  I’ve always liked the idea of DJs and producers pouring over crates of records. I imagine that our current generation of rappers are as informed by YouTube searches as they are by what’s available

Top Ten Songs For Being Home Away From Home

My brother Jesse and me, with a spray-painted snowman in front of our childhood home, circa 1987. Excuse me while I get a little personal. Back in September I went to visit my parents for a full 12 days. For the

Top Ten Inspirational 80s Songs

If you know me in real life, there is a good chance you know that in real life I work in the Digital Media Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There is also a pretty good chance you know

What Newport Folk Listen To

At Newport Folk Festival this past weekend, I had the opportunity to interview many of the musicians playing over the two days. While I could have asked pretty much anything, I find the most interesting question to be one that