PopMatters: Top 10 Performances of American Standards from Miles Davis Records

New on PopMatters, I consider the top 10 performances of American Standards from Miles Davis Records:

Jazz musicians have long been taking the popular tunes of their day and revamping them for their own purposes. The tradition of covering “standards” began near the dawn of jazz and continues to this day. Groups like the Bad Plus and the Vijay Iyer Trio shape the pop songs of the last couple generations (i.e. Nirvana, Michael Jackson, the Pixies, etc.) into their own improvisational mini-masterpieces.

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PopMatters: The Top 10 Hold Steady Songs

My new PopMatters article, the top ten Hold Steady songs of all time:
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/150415-the-top-10-hold-steady-songs/

PopMatters: The 10 Best Wilco Songs

My new PopMatters article, the Ten Best Wilco Songs of All Time: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/148218-the-10-best-wilco-songs/

PopMatters: The 15 Best Red Hot Chili Peppers Songs

My new PopMatters article in which I try to find 15 Red Hot Chili Peppers songs worth listening to:
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/146158-the-15-best-red-hot-chili-peppers-songs#disqus_thread

PopMatters: tUnE-yArDs Performs with the Roots on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'

If you haven't heard of tUnE-yArDs, they're worth checking out--this clip from Fallon is a good intro ... definitely my favorite band of the moment
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/145715-tune-yards-performs-with-the-roots-on-late-night-with-jimmy-fallon/

PopMatters: Ghost World Revisited

In my latest PopMatters article, I revisit Terry Zwigoff's 2001 film Ghost World, one of my favorite movies of all time: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/145647-ghost-world-revisited/

Enjoy :)

PopMatters: The Hold Steady + Company of Thieves in Dekalb, IL

New on PopMatters: My review of a Hold Steady/Company of Thieves show in Dekalb, IL:

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/134011-hold-steady/

PopMatters: LCD Soundystem + Hot Chip: 22 October 2010--Milwaukee, WI

Now on PopMatters: My review of LCD Soundystem in Milwaukee:
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/132745-lcd-soundsystem-hot-chip-22-october-2010-milwaukee-wi/

PopMatters: "I Don't Believe in Beatles": Lennon's Minimalist Journey Towards Independence

My feature contribution to the series "We All Shine On: Remembering John Lennon," new at PopMatters:

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/133563-i-dont-believe-in-beatles-lennons-minimalist-journey-to-independence/

PopMatters: The Top Ten Pop Culture Podcasts

New on PopMatters:
My top 10 podcasts about popular culture that are actually worth listening to: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/133274-ten-pop-culture-podcasts-worth-the-time/

PopMatters: The Mad Man and the Comedy Writer

My latest article on PopMatters: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/131880-the-mad-man-and-the-comedy-writer-two-sides-of-the-american-dream/. I explore the connections between the modern-day hit Mad Men and the pop sitcom from the past The Dick Van Dyke Show.

PopMatters: Jack Black in "Gulliver's Travels"

My thoughts on a new Jack Black trailer at PopMatters:

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/130707-mixed-emotions-on-the-gullivers-travels-trailer/

PopMatters: Mike Reed's People, Places, & Things

My review of Chicago jazz group Mike Reed's People, Places & Things' live record Stories and Negotiations appears today at PopMatters, international zine of all things pop culture:
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/130330-mike-reeds-people-places-things-stories-and-negotiations/

PopMatters: Why Godard Leaves Me Breathless (In a Good Way)

I'll be blogging regularly about music, film, books, and more for PopMatters, international pop culture zine. You can find my first article, about Jean-Luc Gordad's Breathless, here: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/130328-why-godard-leaves-me-breathless-in-a-good-way/. Make sure you check out all the excellent articles on PopMatters, by the way :)