Matthew Restall, author of Elton John’s Blue Moves, on the many contradictions of Elton John. Contradictions are at the heart of rock and pop music. Its genres and its culture are laced with paradoxes. The personality, career, and music of Elton John are no exception. Here are a trio of such contradictions that particularly fascinate […]
Reg vs Elton and Other Contradictions Read More »
Matthew Restall, author of Elton John’s Blue Moves, on why he didn’t write a 33 1/3 on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Early in my Blue Moves book I ask the question that Elton fans almost always ask me when they discover that there is a 33 1/3 book on a John album: why did I
It Isn’t Yellow (and That’s Ok) Read More »
Matthew Restall, author of Elton John’s Blue Moves, on the nuances of a beloved pop icon. “I’ve probably had the greatest year of my career, at 72 years of age. I’m thrilled!” So declared Sir Elton John as 2019 drew to a close. He may have been right. At that moment, his 3-year, 330-gig sold-out
Four Corners of an Elton John Square Read More »
Check out the latest episode on the 33 1/3 podcast: Michael Washburn (@WhaleLines), author of Tom Petty’s Southern Accents, discusses Tom Petty’s attempt at a single-concept album on the American South. The 1985 album led to a fall from grace and a subsequent reinvention. Washburn’s book, and the case of Tom Petty, is an appealing study in celebrity, identity, and
A Discussion on Tom Petty’s Southern Accents Read More »
During this time of quarantine and isolation, we’re all trying to figure out how to stay connected and engaged with the world around us. Of course, one of the biggest ways we are doing that is by constantly consuming and sharing content. Where would we be if we didn’t have music, books, and television to
New 33 1/3 books out today! An Elton and Judy double feature? Read More »
The moment you’ve all been waiting for is finally here: the open call for 33 1/3 proposals has officially started, so start writing! Updated proposal guidelines can be found here. We can’t wait to read what everyone comes up with!
Open Call for Proposals 2020 Read More »
Our first podcast episode on one of our 33 1/3 titles is now available! Are you a Beatles fan? Do you know what this week is? No? May 8th, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ Let It Be album—the recording sessions for which might be the most creative and chaotic of their career. And we’re having the ultimate celebration with author and
How we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of Let It Be Read More »
ANOTHER POST FOR OUR “THROWBACK THURSDAY” SEGMENT, VIDEO VAULT! ON SELECT THURSDAYS, WE DISCUSS OUR FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEOS THROUGH THE AGES. For this Throwback Thursday, I thought we’d celebrate the 35th anniversary of Prince’s Around the World in a Day by revisiting the album’s hit single “Raspberry Beret.” A strangely innocent song for the otherwise scandalous
Video Vault: Prince, “Raspberry Beret” Read More »
Who better to celebrate on #womancrushwednesday than Joni Mitchell? An emblem of female empowerment, Mitchell has always retained publishing rights to her music and has produced, often solely, her own albums. Though primarily considered a pop artist, the songs she wrote carried a signature folk rock sound with a jazz influence. Mitchell’s success as a
Women Crush Wednesday: Joni Mitchell’s Court and Spark Read More »
It’s been seven years, but they’re finally back in business. Pearl Jam officially released Gigaton last Friday, and we couldn’t be more excited. This self-recorded and self-produced album features twelve new songs, including “Dance of the Clairvoyants,” “Superblood Wolfmoon,” and “Quick Escape” which were all released as singles earlier this year. It’s experimental and creative, providing critical
For your at-home Pearl Jam session – stream Gigaton now! Read More »
