Monday Musings: What’s So Good About Music?

I’ve been thinking back recently to my abortive attempt to train as a secondary school music teacher, and the furious bout of self-examination it induced. The process, which was not a positive one, but from which I learned a great deal, forced me to question, and explicitly articulate the value that I place on music. This is a very interesting question: most people will not be able to provide you with a coherent response, and there is clearly no single answer, any more than there is one single music.

Monday Musings: Advice For Bands – How To Annoy Me And Lose My Interest

I write this blog; I also write reviews for two excellent websites, the music magazine eBurban and very wonderful independent bands’ … More

Monday Musings: What’s The Use Of Critical Theory?

I pay a certain amount of attention to critical theory, which is to say, I think about the ins and … More

Monday Musings: Is The Meaning In The Lyrics Or The Music? and my weekly news roundup

A few of the recordings I’ve reviewed lately have challenged me to think about the relationship between words and music, and the location of meanings in vocal songs. I’ve never shied away from discussing music with a lyric in a language I don’t understand, but I’m always aware that I’m missing out on a whole heap of possible interpretations.

Monday Musings: Exciting Times In Music & The Week’s News Roundup

It’s definitely an exciting time to be active in music, for a host of reasons. The industry is in flux, and it’s fascinating to watch its convulsions as the market works out what sort of distribution mechanisms it’s going to support. There are new technologies for musicians springing up on a daily basis that are useful, accessible and easy, in both production and marketing/ distribution. The channels of communication are open: artists are now at liberty to make their pitch on their own terms, and millions of people are listening.