Selected Journalism

(also see Essays & Other Publications)

“This Anthem Was Made For You and Me?,” Clio and the Contemporary, 2 July 2021

“Let’s Abolish Academic Prizes,” Inside Higher Education, 2 January 2020

“Fifty years ago a music festival redefined what was possible. No it wasn’t Woodstock,” Washington Post, 22 August 2019

“When Hippies Went On Strike,” Made By History Blog, Washington Post, 8 May 2018

“Summer of Love, Summer of War,” New York Times, 15 August 2017

“War! What Is It Good For? As A Metaphor, A Lot—Andrew Hartman, A War For the Soul of America: A History of the Culture Wars,” The National Memo, 28 June 2015

“Responding To Violence: Salcedo and Cytter,” MCA DNA Blog, 21 May 2015

“Looking Back: Christopher Lasch and the Role of the Social Critic,” The Point 7, Fall 2013

“The Sounds of American Counterculture and Citizenship,” Oxford University Press Blog, 8 October 2013

“Wild Fire in the ‘Burbs: Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs” First of the Month, July 2011

“Various Artists, Rogue’s Gallery,” Pop Matters, 20 October 2006

“Luna, The Best Of Luna and Lunafied,” Pop Matters, 19 October 2006

“Norfolk and Western, A Gilded Age,” Pop Matters, 22 June 2006

“Tengir-Too, Music of Central Asia, Volume 1: Mountain Music of Kyrgyzstan,” Pop Matters, 7 June 2006

“Quasi, When The Going Gets Dark,” Pop Matters, 26 May 2006

“Tortoise and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, The Brave and the Bold,” Pop Matters, 29 March 2006

“Hall Ranaldo Hooker, Oasis of Whispers,” Pop Matters, 21 March 2006.

“Konono No. 1, Congotronics,” Pop Matters, 26 January 2006

“Deconstructing the ‘Indestructible’ Beat: A Duke Ethnomusicology Professor Explores How Sound and Society Interact in a South African Recording Studio,” IndyWeek, 25 February 2004

“Preview Mode: Surveying National Releases,” IndyWeek, 17 December 2003

“In Melodious Euets: Gillian Welch and David Rawlings,” IndyWeek, 15 October 2003

“‘As You Stare Into the Vacuum of His Eyes’: In the Urban Canyons of New York City, the Hollers of Kentucky, the Mountains of Peru, New Lost City Rambler John Cohen Photographs ‘Folk’ music’s Impenetrable Mysteries,” IndyWeek, 16 July 2003

“Whereto, Indie Rock: Our critic examines Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, Quasi and Unwound to answer the question: Is Something Invisible Gone?” IndyWeek, 12 September 2001

“Rebecca Gates, Ruby Series,” IndyWeek, 29 August 2001

“Greg Osby’s Jazz Solution: The Renowned Alto Sax Interpreter Brings the Jazz Past and Future Together Via His Adventurous, Hard-grooving Quartet,” IndyWeek, 13 June 2001

“Ladybug Transistor, Argyle Heir,” IndyWeek, 30 May 2001

“Hitting the Pavement Running: Stephen Malkmus Goes Solo, But It’s Still Indie Rock To Me,” IndyWeek, 21 March 2001

“‘Have You Ever Written A Folk Song? I Have, I Have’: ‘Sis’ Cunningham, Gordon Friesen and Broadside Magazine,” IndyWeek, 14 February 2001

“Five Degrees Below Zero: A Unique Spin on Five Pop Culture Phenomena,” Indyweek, 25 July 2001

“Five Degrees Below Zero: A Unique Spin on Five Pop Culture Phenomena,” Indyweek, 2 May 2001

“King Sunny Ade, Seven Degrees North,” Salon, 5 June 2000

“Various Artists, At Home With the Groove Box,” VH1.com, 16 February 2000

“William Parker, Mayor of Punkville and Painter’s Spring,” VH1.com, 23 August 2000

“Fela Kuti, Coffin for Head of State/Unknown Soldier,” VH1.com, 22 June 2000

“Corresponding With the Past: Letters of the Century: America 1900-1999 edited by Lisa Grunwald and Stephen J. Adler,” Newsday, 19 December 1999

“The Other Hoboken Singer With Mob Ties: Making the Wiseguys Weep: The Jimmy Roselli Story by David Evanier,” Newsday, 3 December 1999

“That Devil Music: Flowers In the Dustbin: The Rise of Rock and Roll, 1947-1977 by James Miller,” Newsday, 1 August 1999

“Trying On New Names to Plumb the Mystery of ‘I’,” New York Times, 25 April 1999 (or PDF)

“Homemade Psychedelia For Modern Times: Talking Music with Olivia Tremor Control,” NYTimes.com, July 1999

“The Voices of Popular Music: Visions of Jazz: The First Century by Gary Giddens and Grown Up All Wrong: 75 Great Rock and Pop Artists From Vaudeville to Techno by Robert Christgau,” Newsday, 17 January 1999

“Hawaii’s History, By Chapter and Verse—The Folding Cliffs: A Narrative by W. S. Merwin,” Newsday, 8 October 1998

“Luna, The Days of Our Nights,” Spectator, Fall 1998

“Of Jazz and Self: Living With Music: Ralph Ellison’s Jazz Writings edited by Robert G. O’Meally and If You Can’t Be Free, Be a Mystery: In Search of Billie Holiday by Farah Jasmine Griffin,” Jazziz, December 1998

“Intersections Ahead: Future Jazz by Howard Mandel,” Jazziz, November 1998

“They All Laughed When I Sat Down At the Piano…: Cooper-Moore,” Jazziz, September 1998

“Michael Brecker, Nearness of You: The Ballad Book,” Jazziz, August 1998

“Rock and Roll Radio Is For Kids: Hot Chocolate With ‘Greasy Kid Stuff’,” Citysearch New York, Summer 1998

“Patti Smith’s Punk Improvisations at Music Critic’s Memorial,” Sonicnet, 25 November 1997

“Lucinda Williams, Pete Seeger Sing Praises of Folkways Records,” Sonicnet, 6 May 1997