Benjamin Kassel
Heart elevate "Alone" with their cover by understanding its message
Yes, it's a cover, and yes, they made a couple small changes that really make their version superior to its predecessors.
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Benjamin Kassel
Dec 17, 20215 min read
"Life on Mars?": or, when Bowie outdid Frankie
I celebrate and tell the story of my very favorite track from the Starman on the golden anniversary of its initial release.
Benjamin Kassel
Dec 15, 20214 min read
"Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" has the perfect amount of narration
Elliot Lurie and Looking Glass relay just enough to the listener to make their story both succinct and rich.
Benjamin Kassel
Dec 10, 20213 min read
"Give a Little Bit" really hits home here in Berkeley during finals prep
Amidst the stress of finals prep, small gestures and acts of kindness can go a long way. Today I managed to grind out my English final...
Benjamin Kassel
Dec 8, 20213 min read
"Maps," fragile yet simultaneously rocking
Through lead singer Karen O, Yeah Yeah Yeahs find a balance between soft, heartfelt vocals and a powerful alt rock instrumental.
Benjamin Kassel
Dec 7, 20213 min read
"Waterloo Sunset" examines a complex case of escapism
The Kinks' beautiful psychedelic pop rock track has a narrator who just can't let himself enjoy life to the fullest.
Benjamin Kassel
Dec 2, 20213 min read
"Hold On" gives me the motivation I need this time of year
Alabama Shakes strike a beautiful balance between the deeply personal and the globally applicable in the narrative of their debut single.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 29, 20214 min read
Shocking Blue's rocking "Venus" has a surprising country backstory
...and I only learned about it today.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 19, 20213 min read
"Fire" reflects its title through the raw energy of the Jimi Hendrix Experience
Is it pyromania? No, but it's a frantic and psychedelic trip that makes you feel like something's burning inside you.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 18, 20213 min read
Nothing gets me fired up quite like "Seek & Destroy"
It's a song I consider a sports anthem, and just a track that gets you in the mood for a thrashing.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 15, 20215 min read
This is a "Land of Confusion," but we have the power to change that
Genesis capture the strife which penetrates our world on all levels, while also leaving the door open for humanity to still work things out.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 13, 20214 min read
The three-part artistic origin of "50 Ways to Say Goodbye"
I discuss a trio influences that lie behind one of my favorite songs from nearly a decade ago.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 12, 20215 min read
The 10-minute version of "All Too Well" is a pop magnum opus
10 minutes, 13 seconds. 111 lines of lyrics. It's a daunting feat to attempt, but Taylor Swift passed her own test with flying colors.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 11, 20214 min read
"Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" Our veterans certainly have
In a thousand-yard stare of a song, CCR — contrary to many other artists — reflect on how darkness can always penetrate the light.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 10, 20213 min read
Remembering the tragedy of the Edmund Fitzgerald through Gordon Lightfoot's haunting "Wreck"
Twenty-nine men and the ship with which they went down are memorialized each November 10, with this song serving as a backdrop.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 7, 20213 min read
"96 Tears": Grounded in its time, or anticipatory of rock's future?
Its sound as as mid-60s as you can get, but its perspective might lend itself to being a forerunner of more contemporary movements.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 6, 20215 min read
With "One Headlight," the Wallflowers resolutely navigate toward better days
Jakob Dylan and company paint the end of youthful innocence as a time for reaffirming oneself and continuing to move forward.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 4, 20214 min read
"Come and Get Your Love," a premier Native American success story in the music world
Redbone's indigenous background is also reflected through their simple, but profound lyrical message.
Benjamin Kassel
Nov 2, 20214 min read
"The Weight": sonically genre-melding and restrained, but thematically heavy indeed
Upon a close listen, the load-bearing in the chorus leads to a reconfiguring of the entire narrative and outlook of the tune.
Benjamin Kassel
Oct 27, 20214 min read
"Love is the Drug," and I'm writing about it again...
...well, I'm writing about this song and band for the first time, but the theme of love and desire is nothing new for me or music at large.
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