top of page
Benjamin Kassel
Feb 27, 20225 min read
Confronting my past through "This Is Gospel"
*deep breath* This is a pretty personal piece, but that's because of what this song means and has meant to me.
Benjamin Kassel
Feb 19, 20223 min read
"The A Team"'s singular narrative makes me think deeply about the homelessness I see around Berkeley
Ed Sheeran's tale of one Angel grapples with connection, addiction, and its subject's all-too-likely fate.
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.
Benjamin Kassel
Oct 25, 20214 min read
"Kiss from a Rose" yields a momentary, yet troubling warmth
Much more than a movie ballad, Seal's signature song deals with a duality between love and addiction for its entire duration.
Benjamin Kassel
Oct 9, 20215 min read
"DEAD RIGHT NOW," a reflection on fake friendship and love in the wake of stardom
One of the many highlights on Lil Nas X's debut album, its personal narrative stands out to me.
Benjamin Kassel
Sep 15, 20215 min read
Atonement involves recognizing my “Dark Necessities”
Yom Kippur offers me the opportunity to reflect as I bare my soul in the hope of bettering myself.
Benjamin Kassel
Sep 8, 20214 min read
"Semi-Charmed Life," another not-really-happy song, and how I experience it
I can't help but smile when I hear this song, but man, it's messed up. (And holy cow, a 90s track! About time.)
bottom of page