Why we go to concerts but don’t buy CDs

I came across a post with that title on the Portfolio magazine website. What was interesting was the comments, which reflected a cross-section of attitudes to the question. Some comments challenged the statement by saying the high cost of tickets and the behavior of crowds discourage concert attendance. Others appreciate the dynamic quality of live music compared with the “perfect” sound captured on CD. Continue reading →

Shades of love – the 10 best love songs

There are plenty of good love songs out there, but what makes a love song truly great?

First of all, the song must not only avoid the Scylla and Charybdis of sentimentality and cliché – not an easy task – but must go beneath the surface (the surface being where most popular music resides). Next, there must be conviction in the singer’s performance, an expressive potency that moves us, maybe even sends chills down your spine. Finally, the arrangement must reinforce the spirit of the song. Continue reading →

Ten unlikely hit songs that broke the rules

Few songs that break the rules of pop songwriting ever achieve mainstream success. Deviate from the predictable verse/chorus structure in 4/4 time arranged for a basic grouping of guitar/keyboards, bass and drums, and you can pretty much guarantee being marginalized. During a 20-year period from roughly 1965-1985, however – a period that witnessed a flowering of musical creativity and widespread openness to experimentation – it was possible to break the rules and have a hit record. Here are ten unlikely hits from that period. Continue reading →