love | Unfortified Castle

"Where is the Love": seventies soul done right

Benjamin Kassel

Mar 26, 20223 min read

"Where is the Love": seventies soul done right

Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway's duo is my favorite of the multiple songs with this title.

"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.

"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" is more than a meme

Benjamin Kassel

Mar 18, 20224 min read

"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" is more than a meme

...but the meme's wide reach means that's how most think of the Blue Öyster Cult's classic tune.

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.

"I'm So Excited" has a lot going on under its surface

Benjamin Kassel

Feb 26, 20223 min read

"I'm So Excited" has a lot going on under its surface

The Pointer Sisters' eternally catchy hit is more than meets the ear.

"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.

"I Want to Know What Love Is," a power ballad that's more than a cut above

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 28, 20223 min read

"I Want to Know What Love Is," a power ballad that's more than a cut above

Foreigner put lyrics first en route to creating one of the greatest love anthems in all of popular music.

With "Love on the Brain," Rihanna made doo-wop modern

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 25, 20223 min read

With "Love on the Brain," Rihanna made doo-wop modern

Few pop songs have genuinely surprised me in a positive way on first listen more than today's selection did.

I'd been hoping for a Years & Years collaboration like "Sweet Talker," and it delivered

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 23, 20223 min read

I'd been hoping for a Years & Years collaboration like "Sweet Talker," and it delivered

Olly Alexander finally making a true house track — alongside Galantis — was an excellent decision in the production of his first solo album.

"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.

"Sweet Disposition" and the innocence of young love

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 18, 20223 min read

"Sweet Disposition" and the innocence of young love

The Temper Trap's indie anthem soundtracks a nostalgia-driven afternoon walk in the aftermath of classes restarting.

"Sacrifice" is both a dance floor-ready pop anthem and a narrative turning point

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 12, 20225 min read

"Sacrifice" is both a dance floor-ready pop anthem and a narrative turning point

In The Weeknd's newest single, he revels in his old lifestyle one last time before his outlook on love shifts across the rest of the album.

"3005" is an inner monologue on "real" friendship and love

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 9, 20223 min read

"3005" is an inner monologue on "real" friendship and love

Through his celebrity lens, Childish Gambino questions the trustworthiness of, frankly, anyone who seems to be a friend in the digital age.

"Crystalised" presents the inner monologues that persist in relationships

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 8, 20224 min read

"Crystalised" presents the inner monologues that persist in relationships

The xx's debut single explores the fragility of love through two partners' ever-present individual thoughts.

"Dreams" displays its title being (somewhat) realized

Benjamin Kassel

Jan 7, 20223 min read

"Dreams" displays its title being (somewhat) realized

A lighter entry early in the Cranberries' discography kept me in the right mood when I heard it for the first time today. Thank you,...

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.

DubVision's remix of "Ocean" sonically captures an emotional reunion

Benjamin Kassel

Dec 27, 20214 min read

DubVision's remix of "Ocean" sonically captures an emotional reunion

In examining a complete revamping of a pop production, I think of how stylistic choices can change our perception of a melody and lyrics.

Joni Mitchell's re-recording of "Both Sides, Now" fully captures its lyrical essence

Benjamin Kassel

Dec 22, 20213 min read

Joni Mitchell's re-recording of "Both Sides, Now" fully captures its lyrical essence

I'm far too young to truly appreciate the meaning this song carries, but I'll take a stab at discussing it anyway.

Heart elevate "Alone" with their cover by understanding its message

Benjamin Kassel

Dec 18, 20214 min read

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.

"Never Forget You" captures the emotions of remembering past friends

Benjamin Kassel

Dec 16, 20215 min read

"Never Forget You" captures the emotions of remembering past friends

The memories will always be there, and Zara Larsson and MNEK's presentation of working through them really resonates with me.