By Michael Simmons, CounterPunch. December 28, 2009. Media:One of the quiet gems of 2009 was an album originally produced by Bob Dylan in 1973 -- the only album Dylan ever produced under his own name.
By Refugio, Project Economic Refugee. December 18, 2009. Immigration:Did you hear about how the Salvation Army is denying toys to children if their parents are not “legal�
By John Miller, Dollars and Sense. August 27, 2008. Environment:For the Wall Street Journal's editors, fear of a bigger government outweighs the fear of a warmer planet.
By Jamilah King, WireTap. July 13, 2006. WireTap:Music Review: One of the country's most talented young poets takes his message from the stage to the studio with the release of two new albums.
By Richard Goldstein, The Nation. May 13, 2006. Media:Bob Dylan is reaching a new generation of fans as a satellite radio DJ, but unlike his admirers from the '60s, they don't see him as a prophet.
By Zoneil Maharaj, Pop and Politics. March 22, 2006. WireTap:Interview: Politically-minded emcee, Boots Riley, from the Coup talks about why he became an activist, BET today, and his new album.
By Dino-Ray Ramos, WireTap. March 17, 2006. WireTap:Review: Despite their success, Little Brother goes against the ‘bling-bling’ grain of rap and stays in the waters of tongue-in-cheek wordplay and social commentary.
By ibrahim abdul-matin, WireTap. March 2, 2006. WireTap:Friends and family are saying goodbye to one of the most prolific hip-hop and soul beat makers of our generation.
By Ryan Gillespie, PopMatters. January 31, 2006. Media:In a world where the mainstream sounds like the underground, and the underground acts like the mainstream, what happens to truly indie music?
By Jesse Jarnow, PopMatters. December 19, 2005. Critically acclaimed, publicly adored musician Beck is out of the closet as a longtime Scientologist. Could this be what's made him so interesting all along?
By Zinnia Faruque, BlackElectorate.com. December 16, 2005. WireTap:Polish hip hop talks about familiar themes -- unemployment, poor schools and an unsympathetic, underpaid police.
By Robert Jensen, The Progressive. October 1, 2005. Acclaimed Texas folk singer Eliza Gilkyson is a unique combination of heart, soul and progressive political vision.
By Josh Berquist, PopMatters. September 23, 2005. WireTap:In his new album, singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart refuses to give up hope. In these dire times, he makes his criticisms within the larger context of affirming life and its endless potential.
By Rebecca Ruiz, AlterNet. September 19, 2005. WireTap:Singer-songwriter Tori Amos managed to develop a business strategy that allows her the independence she needs while presenting challenging ideas to her listeners.
By Jeff Sharlet, Oxford American. August 22, 2005. Media:Al Green's revelatory turn from makeout icon to reverend may have saved him from the fate that befell a number of his contemporaries.
By Zoneil Maharaj, Pop and Politics. August 22, 2005. WireTap:Independent hip-hop success story Lyrics Born talks about getting to the top without the help of major labels.
By Mark Anthony Neal, PopMatters. July 8, 2005. Media:Has R&B lost its soul? Or have Clear Channel, Radio One, AOL Time Warner and Viacom ripped its heart out?
By Zoneil Maharaj, WireTap. June 17, 2005. WireTap:Common is one of the few conscious rap artists that successfully manages to keep one foot in underground hip hop, and the other on the banks of the mainstream.
By Robert Wheaton, PopMatters. May 9, 2005. Media:M.I.A. uses the aesthetic template of hip hop to pull together her range of influences and interests, combining strident political stances alongside made-for-ringtone hooks.
By Joseph Pompeo, PopMatters. May 3, 2005. Media:Behind the nearly quarter century success of seminal indie label 'K Records' is a commitment to community and, well, independence.
By Scott Thill, AlterNet. February 1, 2005. Media:Art-punk poetess Lydia Lunch tells you things you don't want to hear. She lays it on the line with her new album.
By Mac Barreto, WireTap. January 10, 2005. WireTap:The post-rock band From Monument to Masses wants to do more than just make great music; they also hope to remind their audience to care and, better yet, to act.
By Devin McKinney, The American Prospect. December 22, 2004. Media:A variety of recent releases in which pop travels the globe and comes back as ... something it wasn't before.
By Stephen M. Deusner, AlterNet. December 21, 2004. During the decade of Reagan and Thatcher, musicians found a way to rise above by going underground. A new box set gathers them together.
By Brendan Bernhard, LA Weekly. December 7, 2004. Civil Liberties:He was a blond, blue-eyed Californian obsessed with a female rocker and going nowhere fast. Then he moved to New York, watched the horror of 9/11 – and became a Muslim.
By Elisabeth Donelly, PopMatters. November 12, 2004. Media:Instead of being in love with love, now every song with misery, angst, and pain becomes a secret code into my inner life.
By Stephen Haag, PopMatters. November 10, 2004. Every pre-conceived notion you've ever had about Ozzfest is true: Skulls, black leather, tattoos, nudity, sweat, the wall of death. And some music.
By Scott Thill, AlterNet. November 9, 2004. With their new album, the indie-rock impresarios of Pinback have crafted their most exquisite offering, a release equally packed with dark, foreboding lyrics and meticulous sonic structures.
By Sam Graham-Felsen, The Nation. October 28, 2004. Election 2004:Eminem's 'Mosh' could be one of the most overtly political pop music videos ever produced – and though the album's full release isn't until after the election, the early-release video is sure to get a lot of attention.
By Ted Drozdowski, Boston Phoenix. October 27, 2004. Media:Tom Waits, in various roles as nighthawk, bluesman, sentimental balladeer, and protest-song writer all emerge in full flower on his new album.
By Scott Thill, AlterNet. October 27, 2004. When anti-war sentiment garnered blues-rock trio The Soledad Brothers no love from the American music industry, they found support abroad.
By John Gartner, AlterNet. October 4, 2004. Media:Bruce Springsteen, Michael Stipe and friends take to the road to show swing-state voters a good time on the Vote for Change tour.
A Secret Masterpiece: The Only Album "Bob Dylan" Ever Produced
Immigration and the Salvation Army's War on Christmas
Climate Reality Eludes the Business Press
Ise Lyfe Style
System v. The System
A Different Take on Hip-hop
Mainstream and Conscious
From Monument to Masses