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"Papercut": when I realized there was more to electronic music

Benjamin Kassel

Mar 25, 20223 min read

"Papercut": when I realized there was more to electronic music

Zedd's serene house-pop production featuring Troye Sivan was the first track of its kind that impressed me with the greater story it told.

"Learn to Fly" takes on extra weight in the wake of Taylor Hawkins' death

Benjamin Kassel

Mar 24, 20224 min read

"Learn to Fly" takes on extra weight in the wake of Taylor Hawkins' death

I'd been sitting on this song for a while, never imagining I'd write about it for this reason... but it painfully fits the moment.

"Enjoy the Silence": fitting music for an ironic title

Benjamin Kassel

Mar 20, 20224 min read

"Enjoy the Silence": fitting music for an ironic title

Depeche Mode's most successful song is an inner monologue, formed in a moment when the outside world is quiet.

Tracking my changing relationship with "Hearts Burst Into Fire"

Benjamin Kassel

Mar 17, 20223 min read

Tracking my changing relationship with "Hearts Burst Into Fire"

It's a fitting song to soundtrack my return home... but that's a pretty new way for me to approach it.

"It Gets Dark" is a welcome new release in multiple ways

Benjamin Kassel

Mar 12, 20224 min read

"It Gets Dark" is a welcome new release in multiple ways

It's an excellent pop track on its own, it came with an album announcement, and its message is welcome as I work through internal matters.

Benjamin Kassel

Mar 11, 20223 min read

"Stars": searching for an answer

I reflect on a song I had trouble finding which itself asks a question of its lyrical subject in light of infatuation.

"Could It Be Magic": From Chopin to Manilow — with a slight detour

Benjamin Kassel

Mar 1, 20223 min read

"Could It Be Magic": From Chopin to Manilow — with a slight detour

This site is dedicated to discussion of popular music, but explaining today's choice necessitates a flashback to the Romantic era.

"Inner Light" speaks to my anxious self in a re-emerging social climate

Benjamin Kassel

Feb 25, 20225 min read

"Inner Light" speaks to my anxious self in a re-emerging social climate

Elderbrook and Bob Moses' lyrically driven house production has been a personal anthem since I first heard it about half a year ago.

"Message in a Bottle": togetherness... in loneliness?

Benjamin Kassel

Feb 24, 20223 min read

"Message in a Bottle": togetherness... in loneliness?

As weird as that sounds, that's exactly how Sting positions his lyrics in one of the Police's many timeless hits.

"Digital Love" is my favorite electronic track of all time

Benjamin Kassel

Feb 22, 20225 min read

"Digital Love" is my favorite electronic track of all time

...and I break it down today to pay tribute to the two robots with human souls who made it.

"Undun," the Guess Who's jazzy warning against acid

Benjamin Kassel

Feb 20, 20223 min read

"Undun," the Guess Who's jazzy warning against acid

One of the finest pop compositions of the 60s is very much embedded in its time.

On "Dirt," Keane are true to themselves as they decry an all-too-familiar conflict

Benjamin Kassel

Feb 15, 20224 min read

On "Dirt," Keane are true to themselves as they decry an all-too-familiar conflict

Their title track from last summer's EP has an unavoidable gravitas as it speaks to the fallout the innocent suffer from war.

"Strawberry Letter 23" fits today's date

Benjamin Kassel

Feb 14, 20223 min read

"Strawberry Letter 23" fits today's date

Is it cool? (Is it cool?) I don't know, but it's February 14, and it feels right.

Benjamin Kassel

Feb 7, 20224 min read

Dissecting why I love "King Kunta"

Kendrick Lamar's funky 2015 single remains a personal favorite for a slew of reasons, many of which come back to what I like in older music.

I felt down, but "KEEP IT UP" helped me be a bit more positive

Benjamin Kassel

Feb 1, 20223 min read

I felt down, but "KEEP IT UP" helped me be a bit more positive

Rex Orange County's new release is a simple indie pop slice that speaks to the drive one gets from valuing themself and their endeavors.

"How Deep Is Your Love": a mature sound and discussion for the disco era

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 19, 20223 min read

"How Deep Is Your Love": a mature sound and discussion for the disco era

The Bee Gees delved into what happens after an initial romantic attraction in their most widely acclaimed number.

"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" is uniquely structured in its depressive dealings

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 16, 20224 min read

"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" is uniquely structured in its depressive dealings

I was first drawn to this Smiths track by its odd form, but with every listen, I feel a deeper connection to the lyrics and their setting.

"Maybe Tomorrow" is 00s alt with a 70s soul

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 15, 20223 min read

"Maybe Tomorrow" is 00s alt with a 70s soul

Kelly Jones and Stereophonics call back to the generation before them with their R&B influenced post-Britpop.

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is Baroque pop with plenty of additional intrigue

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 13, 20223 min read

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is Baroque pop with plenty of additional intrigue

A J.S. Bach-inspired structure yields a unique and iconic recording.

Small decisions make "Go All the Way" stand out from the pop rock pack

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 5, 20224 min read

Small decisions make "Go All the Way" stand out from the pop rock pack

Little changes go a long way for Eric Carmen and the Raspberries.