Unfortified Castle

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

*deep breath* This is a pretty personal piece, but that's because of what this song means and has meant to me.

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

No song is more appropriate for a musical discussion on February 2 (or 3).

In Olivia Rodrigo's smash summer hit, I hear what may be an inflection point for pop music in terms of sound and the business of crediting.

Elliot Lurie and Looking Glass relay just enough to the listener to make their story both succinct and rich.

Bear with me, because this is actually pretty cool in the context of this song.

...but the song has more than just that to offer. It ends up lending itself to a discussion on risk taking in pop writing and production.

Labelle's smash hit is so catchy because nearly every individual element is infectiously memorable on its own.

Sia presents a tale of self-reckoning, but also acceptance and ultimately confidence that she can at least healthfully keep her pain inside.

It may not be their signature tune (if you can even narrow that down to one), but it's an indicative slice of their formative sound.

Why does it feel like so few songs even remotely touch on the theme of working through relationships?

While a departure from their known sound, this highlight from their new album — over a decade in the works — fits the band's character.

Disclosure's masterpiece with Lorde has a downright outrageous beat and great lyric / instrumental coordination to drive home its narrative.

The simplest tracks sometimes hit you the hardest.

"Trying to make sense of it all" (read: this tune) led me down some pretty interesting paths.

John Newman's hit starts slowly, but he soon unleashes its northern soul flavor.

It sounds like a lot of tracks from its era, but its creators' attention to detail and its dramatic but relatable lyrics make it stand out.

Nick Drake presents the difficulty of looking past the negativity that lies on the world's surface.

Some pop songs could be cut short and still feel somewhat satisfying. "Tiny Dancer," simply put, is not one of those songs.