"Revisiting Photography's Earliest Technologies" (Wall Street Journal, Oct 2016) [PDF]
A story about 19th-century photographic techniques on show in old and new forms, from Egypt to Paris to a conference in New York.
"Guggenheim Museum Readies Agnes Martin Exhibition" (Wall Street Journal, Oct 2016) [PDF]
The story of a survey of Agnes Martin, painter of grids and subtle colors that seem to evanesce.
"Practice Makes Perfect at the Drawing Center" (Wall Street Journal, Oct 2016) [PDF]
A story about painter Cecily Brown's trackings and tracings on paper, with nods to pornography, Hieronymus Bosch, and models from old animal books.
"'Maintenance Art' Puts Art in Full View" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2016) [PDF]
The story of a field trip to Fresh Kills Landfill with Mierle Laderman Ukeles, resident artist of the NYC Dept. of Sanitation.
"Light Fantastic: Minimalism Thrives in New York's Hamptons" (The Guardian, Sep 2016)
An essay on minimalist art out in the wilds of the world, with special attention to Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Agnes Martin and more.
"Sounds of Brazil" (The National, Sep 2016) [PDF]
An essay on new music from South America, with a focus on Elza Soares, Graveola, Gilberto Gil/Caetano Veloso, and more.
"New Art Exhibit Channels 'Melrose Place'" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2016) [PDF]
News of a covert art project that infected the sets of the TV show "Melrose Place" in the 1990s.
"Joan Semmel" (V Magazine, Sep 2016) [PRINT-ONLY]
A feature on painter Joan Semmel and the erotics of an unstinting eye, on the occasion of a new gallery show and work at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
"Quirky Tools of Past Presidential Campaigns Find a New Audience" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2016) [PDF]
The story of an exhbition of political memorabilia from presidential campaigns from 1968 to 1972.
"How Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar Reflected Black Lives Matter" (New York/Vulture, Aug 2016)
An interview with writer and cultural critic Greg Tate, on black music's penchant for progress and pointed evolution over time.
"Cracking the Codes of New York City" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2016) [PDF]
An expedition in the field with an artful expert on urban infrastructure and technological finds hiding in plain sight.
"Back to Basics With Sound Artist Tristan Perich" (The National, Aug 2016)
An essay on an album that takes the form of a circuit board and ways that music and media have mingled through the ages.
"Robert Wilson Keeps It Weird at the Watermill Center" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2016) [PDF]
The story of a beguiling artist haven and creative laboratory on Long Island, led by a theatrical mastermind of the avant-garde.
"The Four Seasons, Home of the Power Lunch, Has a Garage Sale" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2016) [PDF]
A story on the closing of an iconic restaurant and an auction of timeless modernist wares from its midcentury heyday, by Philip Johnson, Mies van der Rohe, and more.
"New Museum Showcases the Bear Necessities" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2016) [PDF]
An article on "The Keeper," an exhibition at the enterprising New Museum on the quirks and compulsions of collecting.
"The Pipes of Brexit?" (The National, Jul 2016) [PDF]
An essay on music made on a 140-year-old organ in the UK and ways that sound travels through time, featuring the electro-acoustic musician Claire M Singer.
"Could It Be Magick? The Occult Returns to the Art World" (The Guardian, Jul 2016)
A story about Genesis Breyer P-Orridge's otherworldly orbit and art of the occult by others including Tony Oursler.
"Alternative Art Pioneer Is Back With 'Forty'" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2016) [PDF]
On P.S. 1 founder Alanna Heiss and an art exhibition that revisits the spirit of the '70s "alternative space" movement.
"Experiential Art Puts a Song in People's Path" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2016) [PDF]
The story of a public art show in City Hall Park with Tino Sehgal, Carol Bove, Chris Watson and more.
"Absence and Couscous" (The National, Jun 2016) [PDF]
A review of a show of contemporary art from the Middle East and North Africa at the Guggenheim Musueum in New York.
"The Doctor Is In, at the New Museum" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2016) [PDF]
The story of an exhibition by artist Simon Leigh devoted to wellness and collective-care practices from around the world.
"Dark Matter at Pace Gallery" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2016) [PDF]
The story of a probing group show devoted to blackness in art and realms beyond, with appearances by Ad Reinhardt, Carrie Mae Weems, and more.
"Artist Goes John Deere Green" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2016) [PDF]
The story of sculptor David Brooks and a vintage John Deere combine harvester dissected and displayed in thousands of component parts.
"In a Queens Park, Art Rises from the Mist" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2016) [PDF]
On a public art project by Mika Tajima with mist changing color in accordance with the price of gold.
"The Rough Guide" (The National, Jun 2016) [PDF]
An essay on electrifying dance music from Africa, from vintage Cape Verde synth history to Ghanaian techno.
"The Madcap Art of Martin Creed" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2016) [PDF]
An impish artist from the UK takes over the stately Park Avenue Armory with a show mindful of Monty Python and heady minimalist art.
"At the Guggenheim, a Multimedia Pioneer's Vision of the Future" (Wall Street Journal, May 2016) [PDF]
On an expansive exhibtion of work by the Bauhaus teacher and prescient multimedia visionary Laszlo Moholy-Nagy.
"Different Strokes: Something for Everyone at Folk Art Exhibit" (Wall Street Journal, May 2016) [PDF]
The story of Elie & Viola Nadelman's fantastic folk art collection going on view at the New-York Historical Society.
"Soundtracks of Design" (The National, May 2016) [PDF]
An essay about midcentury artist/designer Harry Bertoia and sound sculptures that commune with the cosmos.
"James Turrell Revisits His Early Experiments With Light" (Wall Street Journal, May 2016) [PDF]
A story on the earliest examinations of light and space by one of the masters of the practice.
"Walter De Maria's 'I Ching' Sculpture Comes to Upstate New York" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2016) [PDF]
The story of an ancient text and a little-seen sculpture measuring nearly 10,000 square feet going on view via the Dia Art Foundation.
"Brooklyn Museum Goes Behind the Mask" (Wall Street Journal, May 2016) [PDF]
A report on an exhibition of African masks old and new, with contemporary artists taking up a lineage with deep roots.
"At Frieze Art Fair, A Pickpocket Covertly Gives Instead of Takes" (Wall Street Journal, May 2016) [PDF]
News of a conceptual art project involving secret sculptures and unsual means of distribution.
"Moroccan Beats" (The National, Apr 2016) [PDF]
An essay about Paul Bowles travels around Morocco in 1959 with a curious musical ear and a tape-recorder in tow.
"Sculpture Finds a Parking Spot on the High Line" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2016) [PDF]
The story of Nari Ward's artistic incursion on the High Line: a car with a tree growing out of its top.
"Space Art: A Photographer Trains for the Final Frontier" (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2016)
The story of Michael Najjar's rigorous, globe-trotting training to be the first artist in space.
"Art That Puts You in a Man-Made Crater" (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2016) [PDF]
The story of an enormous earthwork by Michael Heizer and its resurrection at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
"Thinking Inside the Box" (The National, Mar 2016) [PDF]
A report on the new Met Breuer and designs for a more international notion of modern and contemporary art.
"Of Horses and Men" (The Reykjavik Grapevine, Mar 2016)
An adventure tale of a mindful afternoon ride on an Icelandic horse, with wonder about the breed's fabled intellect and musings on a watery demise.
"Art's Mad Inventor Is All Over New York" (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2016) [PDF]
The story of Tom Sachs and a sculptural re-imagining of the refined ritual art of Japanese tea ceremony.
"The Art of Crime: Murder and Mug Shots at the Met" (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2016) [PDF]
On an exhibtion of grisly, ghastly and wonderfully macabre photographs related to the life of crime.
"Finding Flower Power, On a World Stage" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2016) [PDF]
The story of artist Taryn Simon's dive into the underworld of flowers sitting silent witness to geopolitic events.
"A Hypnotic Swirling Kaleidoscope of Sound" (The National, Feb 2016) [PDF]
An essay on a pleasing pop play by the beguiling soundsmiths in Animal Collective.
"Finding Beauty at the Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2016) [PDF]
A report from the front lines of a design exhibition with a worldly view.
"Where Inspiration Struck" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2016) [PDF]
An appreciation of "The Lightning Field," an enigmatic and enduring work of Land Art in remote New Mexico by the great Walter De Maria.
"Creating a Desert Essence With Light and Space" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2016) [PDF]
The story of luminous voids and abysses created in the 1960s by the secreted West Coast artist Doug Wheeler.
"Digging Deep Into Denim's History" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2016) [PDF]
A visit to an exhibition that delves deep into jeans at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Alanna Heiss, Art Maven (V Magazine, Jan 2016)
A feature profile of a pioneer of the alternative-space movement in art starting in the 1970s, from underground parties to the welcoming walls of P.S. 1.
Emanuel Vigeland Museum (The Fabulist, Jan 2016)
On a surreal mausoleum in a suburb of Oslo, Norway, where an artist built a dark and artful home for the ages.
"Giant Dinosaur, 'Titanosaur,' Going on Display" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2016) [PDF]
News about the largest dinosaur ever found and its move into the American Museum of Natural History.
"Big Sound Bumps Up Disco Dance Party" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2015) [PDF]
A tale about a Coney Island bumper car ride's illustrious disco history and its resurrection at the hands of DJ Nicky Siano.
"Heavenly Bodies: How Electronic Music Transgressed Gender and Genre in 2015" (NPR, Dec 2015)
An essay on a year of artists expanding conventions of gender and bodily form, among them Arca, Juliana Huxtable, Elysia Crampton and more.
"Joseph Kosuth's Art of Bright Ideas" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2015) [PDF]
On the language of neon and decades of conceptual art by a mindful master of the form.
"Electronic Avant-Garde" (The National, Dec 2015) [PDF]
Thoughts on the mind-bending music and increasing narrative ambitions of Oneohtrix Point Never.
"Many Odes to NYC, in One Giant Book" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2015) [PDF]
Conceptual poet Kenneth Goldsmith holds forth on a 900-page paean to New York and the many pleasures of pastrami on rye.
"Layering Fantastic Truths" (The National, Nov 2015) [PDF]
A story about artist Walid Raad and a surreal MoMA show set in the Middle East and an odd realm of fantasy.
"Dream House" (Frieze, Nov-Dec 2015)
On a transformative art installation for sound and light by La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, and Jung Hee Choi. [SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED]
"At Performa, A Festival of the Unexpected" (Wall Street Journal, Oct 2015) [PDF]
The story of an ambitious, animated performance art festival that takes over the streets (and other sundry corners) of New York.
"Laugh to the Beat" (The National, Oct 2015) [PDF]
An essay on !!!, an antic dance-rock band with a humor streak, plus the return of New Order.
"'Helen Lawrence' at BAM: Where Hard-Boiled Meets High Tech" (Wall Street Journal, Oct 2015) [PDF]
The story of artist Stan Douglas's noir-minded fusion of theater and the silver screen.
"Book Store Gets to Heart of the Matter With Expansion" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2015) [PDF]
The story of Printed Matter, a beloved home for artists' books since the '70s, on the occasion of a big move.
"Land Art Gets Its Close-Up in New Film" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2015) [PDF]
On Troublemakers, a documentary about Land Art in the '60s and '70s by Michael Heizer, Walter De Maria, Robert Smithson, and more.
"An Exhibition Where Rocks Get Respect" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2015) [PDF]
The story of an exhbition of artists working with stone at the serene Noguchi Museum in Queens.
"The Coltrane Home in Dix Hills" (The Paris Review, Sep 2015) [PDF]
The story of the abandoned, resurrecting suburban house where John Coltrane wrote A Love Supreme.
"Laurie Anderson on Her Ambitious Guantanamo Meditation 'Habeas Corpus'" (Rolling Stone, Sep 2015)
A talk with Laurie Anderson about a heady political art installation at the Park Avenue Armory.
"Notes of a New Era" (The National, Sep 2015) [PDF]
The story of the adventurous Kronos Quartet making its way east to Abu Dhabi to inaugurate a new arts space.
"The Resurrection--and Destruction--of a Roy Lichtenstein Mural" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2015) [PDF]
The story of a monumental mural painting, with depictions of office supplies and Swiss cheese, by the late pop art great.
"Earth's Mixtape" (The National, Sep 2015) [PDF]
The story of NASA's Golden Record and many sonic wonders shot up into space in the '70s for aliens to hear.
"In Classic Pop, Destroyer's Dan Bejar Finds a New Voice" (NPR, Aug 2015)
An essay on the trajectory of an idiosyncratic indie-rock singer finding his way to Frank Sinatra.
"A Downtown Dance-Party Deja Vu at the Guggenheim" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2015) [PDF]
The story of artist Agathe Snow and a throwback to '90s hedonism finding a home in a museum.
"Electronic Age" (The National, Aug 2015) [PDF]
An essay on musical veterans the Chemical Brothers and others growing old and wise in an electronic era.
"Footwork in 2015: Dizzy Dance Music Evolves Past Its Chicago Roots" (Rolling Stone, Aug 2015) [PDF]
A report on the changing state of a wild electronic sound wandering across the globe.
"A Random Invitation To Share Truth" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2015) [PDF]
The story of a public art project by Hank Willis Thomas and visitors to the Truth Booth.
"Dead Good?" (The National, Jul 2015) [PDF]
Considertion of the Grateful Dead as the band and its evangelical fans take a final bow.
"At the Whitney, Back to the Gutsy '80s" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2015) [PDF]
A story about the dynamic duo Dancenoise and ambitious new performance-art initiatives at the Whitney.
"Holed Up on the Hudson River" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2015) [PDF]
The story of giant bagels put on show in a park for "Everything," a public-art project by Hanna Liden.
"The Art Behind Vera Neumann's Products" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2015) [PDF]
A story about a midcentury designer whose scarves and textiles derived from paintings of abundant color.
"Photos Reflect on New York City Neighborhoods in Flux" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2015) [PDF]
The story of Zoe Leonard's Analogue, an art installation on show in the heart of MoMA.
"In Focus: Kevin Beasley" (Frieze, Jun 2015)
A feature on emerging artist Kevin Beasley, a sculptor of sound and materials that evoke ghostly pasts. [PDF]
"Small Venue, Big Noise" (The National, Jun 2015) [PDF]
A visit to the Village Vanguard, a New York institution still in swing after 80 years of epochal, ever-present jazz.
"Will Emma Sulkowicz's Performance Mattress Wind Up in a Museum?" (New York/Vulture, Jun 2015)
A query enlisting museum sources and the artist herself on future prospects for a momentous performance-art piece.
"Jana Winderen: Recording the World" (Red Bull Music Academy, Jun 2015)
A story about a Norwegian field-recordist who taps the sounds of nature around the globe.
"Artist Urges Urban Planning, With Legos" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2015) [PDF]
An article about a public-art project by Olafur Eliasson and would-be architects at play on the High Line.
"Pop's Brave New World" (The National, Jun 2015) [PDF]
An essay on PC Music, a musical enterprise that spins out futuristic sounds and engimatic ideas.
"Is the Octobass the World's Rarest Instrument?" (Red Bull Music Academy, Jun 2015)
The story of a 12-foot upright bass that plays notes below the threshold for human hearing.
"James Hoff: The Art of Infection" (Ableton, Jun 2015) [PDF]
An interview with an artist who uses computer code to infect sound, images, and architectural space.
"New Museum Cultivates the Art of the Start-Up" (Wall Street Journal, May 2015) [PDF]
The story of NEW INC, an incubator space for art, technology, and design conceived by the New Museum in New York.
"The Frieze Art Fair, Frame By Frame" (Wall Street Journal, May 2015) [PDF]
A diary of a day wandering a lively, beguiling contemporary art fair.
"The Challenge of Reframing the Whitney's Masterworks" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2015) [PDF]
A visit to a storied fine-art frameshop that worked with the new Whitney Museum on paintings for the ages.
"Artist Robert Irwin: At 86, Still Playing with Light and Space" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2015) [PDF]
A story about sense and perception as courted by an artist with a mind for both.
"Thrills and Skills" (The National, Apr 2015) [PDF]
An essay about a fantastic album by Jlin and the erratic, ecstatic Chicago footwork sound.
"Visions of Brooklyn, Captured By a Man of Two Cities" (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2015) [PDF]
A story about famed photographer William Klein, chronicler of teeming city life since the '50s and a new fan of Brooklyn too.
"MoMA Takes a Fresh Look at New Art" (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2015) [PDF]
An overview of a new display of contemporary art with a global spin, at an institution positioning itself for the future.
"Is New York City's Best Club Soundsystem in a Bumper Car Arena?" (Red Bull Music Academy, Mar 2015)
The history of a legendary disco sound-system in Coney Island, with props to pioneering DJ Nicky Siano and sound whiz Richard Long.
"Weapons Grade: The Armory Show Looks to the Middle East" (The National, Mar 2015) [PDF]
An essay about the Armory Show in New York, where the increasingly worldly art world went on strategic display.
"Up in the Clouds" (The National, Mar 2015) [PDF]
A consideration of Father John Misty, a would-be mystical folkie with traits of the late, great Harry Nilsson.
"Objects Are What We Aren't" (The Paris Review, Feb 2015) [PDF]
An essay about a retrospective of Carl Andre at Dia:Beacon, where materiality reigns.
"New Museum Triennial: Art for a Digitized World" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2015) [PDF]
A story about a bizarro exhibition with more than 50 young artists from 25 countries.
"Healing Process" (The National, Feb 2015) [PDF]
An essay about Bjork, her new album, and the blessing and curse of specificity.
"The Flower District: The Next Chelsea?" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2015) [PDF]
A story about art gallery fleeing Chelsea and other action elsewhere.
"A Grittier East Village Comes Back Into Focus" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2015) [PDF]
A story about photographer Ken Schles and his iconic images of downtown '80s New York.
"Blown Away" (The National, Jan 2015) [PDF]
An essay on the last tour of Miles Davis and John Coltrane together, in 1960, and the many directions of jazz after.
"Matisse Cut-Outs, Now Screening at a Theater Near You" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2015) [PDF]
The story of a documentary series devised to bring art exhibitions from the museum to the silver screen.
"Cherry on Top With New Album, Highline Show" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2015) [PDF]
A story on Neneh Cherry, playing her first concert ever in New York, more than 25 years after breaking big with "Buffalo Stance."
"Beats Working" (The National, Dec 2014) [PDF]
An essay on the incomparable dance-music maestro Theo Parrish, don of the past and future of Detroit.
"A New Painting Exhibition, 'The Forever Now.' Opens at MoMA" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2014) [PDF]
The story of a striving show of contempoary painters working with timelessness on their side.
"In NYC, a Downtown Spin on Christmas" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2014) [PDF]
A story on unconventional holiday shows, with outrageousness courtesy of John Waters, Justin Vivian Bond, Murray Hill, and Rufus and Martha Wainwright.
"The Virtues of Vice: a Celebration of 20 Years" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2014) [PDF]
A report from Vice's 20th anniversary fete, with star turns by a warthog, cannibalism, and Celine Dion.
"James Hoff's Music Goes Viral" (Frieze, Dec 2014) [PDF]
A story about intriguing music and art made by way of infection.
"A Case of You" (The National, Dec 2014) [PDF]
An essay on Joni Mitchell and her own self-selection of songs of love and loss.
River of Fundament, in Book Form (V Magazine, Dec 2014)
A review of a book from Rizzoli to accompany an epic six-hour film and art project by Matthew Barney. [PRINT ONLY]
"Sean Landers Show, Plaid Whale and All, Opens at Petzel Gallery in Chelsea" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2014) [PDF]
A story about an art show surrounding a painting of a nearly 30-foot plaid whale.
"Experimental Rocker Captain Beefheart Lives On" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2014)
The story of a late, great dada rock star who turned to painting, with praise from Julian Schnabel.
"Dia Looks to Future While Honoring Past" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2014) [PDF]
A report from the Dia Art Foundation's annual Fall Night benefit gala, with news of neon light to be placed in a cave.
"Countdown from Zero" (Wall Street Journal, Oct 2014) [PDF]
The story of a Guggenheim Museum exhibition of Zero, a midcentury avant-garde art movement that played with light, space, and more.
"Kara Walker's Sugar Sculpture to Make Partial Return" (Wall Street Journal, Oct 2014) [PDF]
News of a gallery show to reprise a big public-art project involving 30 tons of sugar at a factory in Brooklyn.
"Does Not Compute" (The National, Oct 2014) [PDF]
An essay about abstract pop music by Arca, upstart producer for Kanye West and FKA twigs, as well as Felicita, Sophie and more.
"Sergei Tcherepnin at MIT" (Flash Art, Oct 2014) [PDF]
A review of a startling sound-art show by an admirable artist who plays tricks on the eye and the ear.
"Artist's Metamorphosis Takes Flight in Chelsea" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2014) [PDF]
An article about an artist who breeds butterflies and puts them on show in a gallery.
"Guitar Hero" (The National, Sep 2014) [PDF]
An essay about Jimi Hendrix on the occasion of a new movie starring Andre 3000 and other, much better, fare.
"High Line Opens Last Section with Adrian Villar Rojas Sculptures" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2014) [PDF]
The story of a long-gestating public art project involving lots of cement and mud.
"Big Rock, Long Journey" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2014) [PDF]
The story of a new film about a 340-ton granite rock that moved 100 miles across California for the sake of art.
"Nam June Paik Exhbition Opens in New York" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2014) [PDF]
An article about robots and otherworldly TVs as imagined by the prophetic multimedia artist Nam June Paik.
"Hop Aboard for Souvenirs--and a Cheeky Chelsea Tour" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2014) [PDF]
A story about an outlandish bus selling schlocky souvenirs outside of gleaming art galleries in Chelsea.
"Rhythmic Connectivity" (The National, Aug 2014) [PDF]
An essay on 10 years of Hyperdub, an electronic music label and collective idea for the ages.
"Summer Streets Installation 'Dive,' By Jana Winderen, Takes Park Avenue Tunnel Undersea" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2014) [PDF]
An article about a sound installation featuring fish, boats, and assorted sounds of the sea in the middle of Manhattan.
"Grateful Dead's 'Dark Star' Gets New Life" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2014) [PDF]
The story of "Grayfolded," a two-hour plunderphonic mix of a jam band's anthem by the eccentric composer John Oswald.
"An Uncommon Language" (The National, Jul 2014) [PDF]
An essay and report from a startling show of Arab art in New York, from the New Museum to a readership in Abu Dhabi.
"Sherman Zwicker Serves Up History--and Oysters" (Wall Street Journal, Ju1 2014) [PDF]
The story of a historic sailboat docked for the sake of an art installation and a restaurant/bar for the ages.
"Rivka Galchen, Author of 'American Innovations,' on Writing and Uncertainty" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2014) [PDF]
An article about the writer of strange and lasting short stories, on the occasion of a book tour around town.
"Today is an Example" (Frieze, Jun-Jul-Aug 2014) [PDF]
A feature story on the mystical archive of Lionel Ziprin, with special work by the artist Harry Smith and friendly accomodation from the sculptor Carol Bove.
"'We Have All Gone a Little Bit Insane'" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2014) [PDF]
An article about a group of trouadours singing the same song, over and over for two months, for an artwork by Ragnar Kjartansson.
"The Body, Electrifying" (The National, Jun 2014) [PDF]
An essay on the murky heavy-metal band The Body and makers of other kinds of scary, suggestive noise.
"Blinded By the Light" (The Paris Review, Jun 2014)
A consideration of seeing a Bruce Springsteen concert, among other things, at a casino.
"High-Wattage Improvisation" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2014) [PDF]
An article on the signal-scrambling comedian and musician Reggie Watts, who likes looking at the sounds of coconuts.
"Salt-N-Pepa Back Together, Still Pushin' It" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2014) [PDF]
A story on the pioneering hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa on the occasion of a concert in their hometown.
"The Soft Pink Truth Goes into the Black" (Wondering Sound, Jun 2014)
A conversation with Drew Daniel, a member of electronic-music duo Matmos and maker of one of the most interesting and curious albums of the year.
"Artist's 'Ruins' Rise on the High Line" (Wall Street Journal, May 2014) [PDF]
An article announcing news of a big public sculpture project by Adrian Villar Rojas for the High Line park.
"Artist Giving Rides at Frieze" (Wall Street Journal, May 2014) [PDF]
A story about a rowboat ride with intrepid pilot Marie Lorenz in the ubran waterways of New York.
"The Father of Reinvention" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2014) [PDF]
A report on the artist Sigmar Polke and a remarkable retrospective of his work at MoMA.
"Blank Generation" (The National, Mar 2014) [PDF]
An essay on an evocative new album by Neneh Cherry and electronic-music producer Four Tet, with a guest spot by the great Brigitte Fontaine.
"Stairmaster: Ephemeral Art at the Biennial" (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2014) [PDF]
A story on the triumphant return of Charlemagne Palestine, an artist, musician, and mischief-maker involved in the Whitney Biennial.
"For the Theremin, Music Lessons Are Hands-Off" (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2014) [PDF]
A report from a meeting of the NY Theremin Society, with strange sounds made by 1920s-era ether machines.
"River of Fundament" (The Paris Review, Feb 2014) [PDF]
A long feature on a six-hour film and performance work by the artist Matthew Barney. With reporting from the set and notes on prior commotion.
"Where Everybody Looks Forward to the Hot Seat" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2014) [PDF]
A story on Paul Holdengraber, the host and ambassador for the discussion series "Live from the New York Public Library."
"Activist-Singer Nellie McKay Performs at Cafe Carlyle" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2014) [PDF]
The story of a night out with cabaret upstart star Nellie McKay, with appearances at a PETA protest and a vegan restaurant in Williamsburg.
"Indie Rocker Hits NYC Pavement" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2014) [PDF]
An article on former Pavement mastermind Stephen Malkmus as he reacquaints with a city he once called home.
"Portrait of an Artist Framed By Time" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2014) [PDF]
The story of Jared Bark, a pioneering downtown performance artist in the 1970s who became the premier framer of fine art in New York.
"The Heart of Country" (The National, Feb 2014) [PDF]
An essay on classic country music by Buck Owens and the wild ride of Robert Altman's movie Nashville.
"The Monumental Frequencies of Eleh" (Frieze, Jan/Feb 2014) [PDF]
An essay on the elusive synthesizer musician Eleh and Earth Sound Earth Signal, a book about electricity in the ether.
"Miles in Mono" (The National, Jan 2014) [PDF]
An essay on jazz great Miles Davis and mono sound, an old mode of listening that proffers present-day charms.
"The Man Who Draws Dinosaurs" (The New Yorker, Dec 2013)
The story of Mick Ellison, illustrator of weird beasts and wondrous creatures -- including a walking whale -- for the American Museum of Natural History.
"The Sonic Barber's Pole" (The Organist, Dec 2013)
A radio segment on aural illusions and psychoacoustics, for a show prodcued by The Believer magazine for KCRW.
"Six-Hour Stein Song" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2013) [PDF]
A report on a long, luxuriously word-drunk musical work featuring text by Gertrude Stein.
"Celebrating the Minimalist's Music" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2013) [PDF]
The story of artist Sol LeWitt's cassette collection and tribute paid to it by the composer Steve Reich.
"Bringing Books Back for a Digital Generation" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2013) [PDF]
A story on Primary Information, the resourceful publisher of historically minded artist books in New York.
Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter (Bookforum, Nov 2013)
A review of a biography on one of the strangest, greatest rock stars of all time: the inimitable Harry Nilsson.
"Patronage in the Pot Pie" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2013) [PDF]
A report from the Dia Art Foundation's "Fall Night" benefit, with an earthy dinner and the musical duo Matmos plumbing the depths of New York -- literally.
" Afrofuturism' on Display in Harlem" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2013) [PDF]
A museum survey on Afrofuturism ranges from the intergalactic pioneer Sun Ra to contemporary artists working in different media to tap the future and the past.
"Sound Affects" (The National, Nov 2013) [PDF]
A cover essay on an enlightened current age for ambient music, with a focus on an all-night "Sleep Concert," a book about Brian Eno, music by Tim Hecker, and more.
"A Proust Marathon Kicks Off" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2013) [PDF]
A preview of a seven-night marathon reading of Proust's Swann's Way, to finish on the 100th anniversary of its first publication.
"Dinner in the Clouds" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2013) [PDF]
A report from a surrealist dinner party at MoMA in tribute to Rene Magritte.
"A Different Kind of Vocal Virtuoso" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2013) [PDF]
The story of vocal legend Joan La Barbara, touching on John Cage, Sesame Street, and singing for minutes at a time without breaking for breath.
"Art Not Moved By the Color of Money" (Wall Street Journal, Oct 2013) [PDF]
A story about painter Dale Henry, who fled the New York art scene of the '70s only to return, after death, on his own terms.
"Lincoln Center Installation 'Like Magnets'" (Wall Street Journal, Oct 2013) [PDF]
The story of sculptor Aaron Curry and a public art project to make the plaza of Lincoln Center a strange stage.
"Vinyl Heritage" (The National, Sep 2013) [PDF]
An essay on a superb set of vintage music from Southeast Asia, with recordings from 1906 to 1966 and lots of evocative stories to tell.
"Comedy Kingpin" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2013) [PDF]
News on the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, with input from Kristen Schaal, Ira Glass, Wyatt Cenac, Jim Gaffigan, and Mr. Mirman himself.
"Suggestive States of Disarray" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2013) [PDF]
A feature on a gallery show in progress by Raymond Pettibon, a storied illustrator, collagist, and underground raconteur.
"Kinetic Sculpture Comes Full Circle" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2013) [PDF]
The story of "Ventilator," a beguiling industrial fan installed in the grand atrium at MoMA by the artist Olafur Eliasson.
"The Message in the Medium" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2013) [PDF]
A report on a MoMA show devoted to experimental movies and works of "structuralist film."
"A Death Staged Over and Over" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2013) [PDF]
The story of a playful, macabre, ritualistic series by artist Matthew Day Jackson, on the occasion of a big gallery show in Chelsea.
"Singer Shoots for the Moon" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2013) [PDF]
An article on emerging R&B star Laura Mvula, musing on her dalliances between England and New York.
"The Ghost Army" (Red Bull Music Academy, Aug 2013)
An essay on a covert division of the U.S. Army that during WWII waged war with weird sounds and illusions of numerous kinds.
"The Sound of History" (The National, Aug 2013) [PDF]
An essay on sound-artist Chris Watson, whose latest field-recording project summons sounds sourced from the seventh century.
"Aural Tradition" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2013) [PDF]
A sidebar of five sound-artists to know, on the occasion of a momentous sound show opening at MoMA.
"In 'Joke in the Hole,' Eric Copeland Explores Basic Complex Ideas" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2013) [PDF]
A story about a musician, solo and in his guise with Black Dice, who makes electronic music by rudimentary means.
"Carol Bove Brings Her Balancing Act to MoMA" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2013) [PDF]
A conversation with sculptor Carol Bove about her work on the High Line and in exhibition at MoMA.
"Teutonic Training" (The National, Jul 2013) [PDF]
The sporting story, seemingly too good to be true, of a secret soundtrack made for East German Olympians in the 1970s.
"Yasunao Tone Makes Beautiful Noise in Brooklyn" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2013) [PDF]
The tale of artist, musician, and intermedia maven Yasunao Tone, a 78-year-old with roots in postwar Tokyo art, Fluxus, and the nuances of noise.
"Comedians Unite in Brooklyn to Help Young Superheroes" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2013) [PDF]
A story about the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. and 826NYC, a tutoring center for kids with boundless imagination and ideas.
"Dia Renews Its Beacon for the Future" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2013) [PDF]
An article on the inimitable Dia Art Foundation on the occasion of an anniversary, an acquisition, and continued plans for accession.
"Yeezus Live: 30 Albums to Try If You Like the New Kanye West" (Vulture, Jun 2013)
An survey of sounds tied to techno, rap, rave, dancehall, and Hungarian prog-rock, among other things.
"Iconic Museum Seen in a New Light" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2013) [PDF]
An article on a project to cast the Guggenheim Museum in majestic light by the artist James Turrell.
"In Fort Greene, A New Erykah" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2013) [PDF]
An interview with R&B star Erykah Badu, on the occasion of a special show with orchestral accompaniment.
"Music Made on the Cutting Edge" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2013) [PDF]
A report from a musical saw festival in Queens, with cutting puns abundant.
"Random Access Accessories" (Vulture, May 2013)
A gathering of 30 albums to listen to if you love the new Daft Punk.
"Slow Fuse" (The National, May 2013) [PDF]
An essay on a lost-and-rescued classic of musical minimalism, the five-hour piano piece November.
"Always Making Noise, From DFA to the MTA" (Wall Street Journal, May 2013) [PDF]
A talk with the magnanimous DJ, producer, and former LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy.
"At Play in the Theater Lab" (Wall Street Journal, May 2013) [PDF]
An interview with theater legend Richard Foreman, founder of the Ontological-Hysteric Theater in 1968 and an absurdist-theorist without peer.
"600 Candles Aglow" (Wall Street Journal, May 2013) [PDF]
A talk with the arresting cabaret singer and transgender star Justin Vivian Bond, on the occasion of a 600th birthday blowout.
"The Original Artisanal Food" (Wall Street Journal, May 2013) [PDF]
The story of FOOD, an enterprising restaurant and conceptual art project (see: a proposal for meals served by crane) that thrived in SoHo in the 1970s.
"A Return Written in the Stars" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2013) [PDF]
The story of Don Bikoff, a Long Island everyman who made one wowing folk-guitar album in 1968 and then tuned out—until a comeback came back around.
"Return to Form" (The National, Apr 2013) [PDF]
An essay on Elvis Presley prompted by two releases showing the King in especially regal form in the early '70s.
"Bugging Out on Insect Music" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2013) [PDF]
A story about David Rothenberg, the author of a book called "Bug Music," with talk of cicadas and an idyllic setting in Cold Spring, N.Y.
"Reflecting on Surfaces with a Man of Steel" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2013) [PDF]
An interview with sculptor Richard Serra, on the occasion of a superb gallery show devoted to "Early Work" from the beginning of his storied career.
"In Brooklyn, Painting a Fuller Picture of 'the Dome Guy'" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2013) [PDF]
The story of a "live documentary" about visionary futurist Buckminster Fuller, with direction by filmmaker Sam Green and soundtrack by Yo La Tengo.
Interview: Karl Bartos (eMusic, Apr 2013)
A talk with a formative member of Kraftwerk about robotic reminiscences and the future standing of sound .
"Making an Artist's Absence Fonder" (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2013) [PDF]
The story of a gallery show on the late artist Gordon-Matta Clark, by way of a curator with a special familial bond.
"Transforming the Discourse" (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2013) [PDF]
A conversation with MoMA Poet Laureate, noted "conceptual writer," and UbuWeb art-archive kingpin Kenneth Goldsmith.
"This Ring Cycle Comes with Gloves" (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2013) [PDF]
An article about an unusual union of boxing, classical music, and dance at the legendary New York institution Gleason's Gym.
"Hearing (Sexy) Voices" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2013) [PDF]
The story of arty R&B writher Autre Ne Veut, a character with a newly minted master's degree from Columbia and a voice without peer.
"Freaky & Fried-Out" (The National, Feb 2013) [PDF]
An essay on wildly creative jazz-fusion from the 1970s by forgotten footnotes The Stark Reality and Miles Davis.
Kavinsky Q&A (Spin, Feb 2013)
An interview with French electronic-music artist Kavinsky, compatriot of Daft Punk and maker of music for the movie Drive.
"A Gallery Where Prada Gets the Picasso Treatment" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2013) [PDF]
A talk about fashion with Valerie Steele, director of the Museum at FIT and author of the Taschen book Fashion Designers A-Z.
"40 Movie Soundtracks That Changed Alternative Music" (Spin, Feb 2013)
I contributed to this smart list of influential movie music. (Mine: Blade Runner, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Koyaanisqatsi, Escape from New York, Rushmore.)
"Committing Abstract Thoughts to Canvas" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2013) [PDF]
A conversation with painter Jack Whitten, maker of aspirational abstract art in New York since the 1960s.
"Pasting a Page Into the Songbook" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2013) [PDF]
A Q&A with Will Oldham, the musician/mastermind behind the inimitable folk-country character Bonnie "Prince" Billy.
"A Small Magazine Puts Itself on Trial" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2013) [PDF]
The story of the eccentric art magazine Cabinet, publishers of fine material and tenders of a cocktail bar in a stairwell.
"Sweet Hudson Valley Reverb" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2013) [PDF]
A visit to upstate Hudson, N.Y., to hang out with the singular, instrument-making band Buke and Gase.
"Improving with Age" (The National, Jan 2013) [PDF]
An essay on best-ever singer Bessie Smith and a choice collection of songs from the 1920s and '30s.
"Issue Project Room Withstands Its Growing Pains" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2013) [PDF]
The story of change at a beloved performing-arts enterprise in Brooklyn.
"At WFMU, Loyal Fans Step in to Save the Day" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2013) [PDF]
A story about the wondrously weird radio station WFMU and its recovery after Hurricane Sandy.
"A Sound from Underground" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2012) [PDF]
The story of a secret sound-installation by the artist Max Neuhaus active in Times Square for 25 years.
"House Rules" (The National, Dec 2012) [PDF]
An essay on Chicago house music and variants on its perfected form.
"Pulling No Punches at the Bell House" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2012) [PDF]
A Q&A with comedian Todd Barry about his 25 years in the biz.
"Queen of Vaudeville" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2012)
A review of a book about erstwhile vaudeville star and forthright feminist icon Eva Tanguay.
"Circuits in the Grid: The Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center in Harlem in the '50s, '60s & '70s" (Journal for Popular Music Studies, Dec 2012)
A history of a wondrously weird enterprise in upper Manhattan, presented as a paper at the EMP Pop Conference at NYU.
"Under the Toque: Justin Warner" (Nation's Restaurant News, Dec 2012) [PDF]
A chat with the chef of Brooklyn's Do or Dine about cool food and mindful time as a Food Network star.
"A Merry, Musical Hanukkah" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2012) [PDF]
The story of holiday music as siphoned through the mind of the Idelsohn Society for Musical Preservation.
"Shining a New Light on City's Neon" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2012) [PDF]
A talk with the author of a book about old, buzzing neon signs in New York.
"A New Angle on the Walls" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2012) [PDF]
An interview with Scott Rothkopf, an agile curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
"An Artist's River Journey into a Writer's World" (Wall Street Journal, Oct 2012) [PDF]
The story of a wild boat ride with Matthew Barney and a barge floating with a monumental model of Norman Mailer's home.
"A Comedic Room of Their Own" (Wall Street Journal, Oct 2012) [PDF]
A Q&A with Yael Kohen, author of the oral-history book We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy.
"The Great Digital Swindle" (The National, Sep 2012) [PDF]
An essay on transporting music by historical characters of mysterious provenance: Jurgen Muller and Ursula Bogner.
"Who Is...Maria Minerva?" (eMusic, Sep 2012)
An interview with an Estonian pop star with subtextual allegiances.
"Mechanizing the Musical World" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2012) [PDF]
A story about computer-music mastermind and '70s-era Bell Labs operative Laurie Spiegel, on the occasion of a reissue of The Expanding Universe.
"Music for Solaris" (Resident Advisor, Sep 2012)
A feature about an orchestral musical project made in mind of the Tarkovsky film Solaris and its initiating novel by Stanislaw Lem, with notes from Poland and Iceland appended.
Aldo Tambellini (The Wire, Sep [Oct. issue] 2012)
A feature on a restless, radical intermedia artist from the downtown NYC arts scene of the '60s and '70s. [ARTICLE NOT ONLINE; LINK TO ISSUE ORDER FORM]
"From Destruction, a Sound of New Life" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2012) [PDF]
The story of The Disintegration Loops, a magesterial musical work by the artist William Basinski that took on special resonance after 9/11.
"Long Island: A Modern Architecture Lab" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2012) [PDF]
A talk with Caroline Rob Zaleski, architectural preservationist and author of Long Island Modern, about mid-century design just outside New York City.
"Matthew Dear Q&A" (eMusic, Aug 2012)
An interview with shape-shifting electronic pop star Matthew Dear about Detroit, self-confidence, and fishing.
"When the Future was Fuzzy" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2012)
A review of "Music, Sound, and Technology in America," an anthology of primary-source documents from the early years of the phonograph, sound-assisted cinema, and radio.
"Stepping Up for Performance Art at Whitney Museum" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2012) [PDF]
A Q&A with Jay Sanders, newly installed curator at the Whitney Museum with a special charge to focus on performing arts.
"A Radical Adjustment" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2012) [PDF]
A Q&A with the director of a documentary film about the revered, revolutionary Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
"A Day in the Life Of a Day on Film" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2012) [PDF]
An article to greet a new presentation of Christian Marclay's overwhelmingly moving 24-hour film/collage-art piece "The Clock."
"A New Chapter for the City's Punk Playhouse" (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2012) [PDF]
An interview with the three main organizers of the first CBGB Festival, with bits of history safety-pinned in.
"N.Y. Philharmonic Sees Triple" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2012) [PDF]
A story on an ambitious setting of "spatial music" in the Park Avenue Armory, including Karlheinz Stockhausen's "Gruppen" for three orchestras.
"A Special Kind of Brew" (The National, Jun 2012) [PDF]
An essay on the stirring music and documentary film that arose from a special collaboration between Sun Araw and The Congos in Jamaica.
"For City's Maestro, Life is a Beach" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2012) [PDF]
A Q&A with composer Philip Glass in the midst of a prolific 75th anniversary year.
"Abramovic Recalls Her Recent Past, Looks to a Future Upstate" (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2012) [PDF]
A Q&A with performance-artist Marina Abramovic on the occasion of a new documentary and new museum plans.
"Metal Beast: An Unorthodox Victor Sjostrom Remix" (Film Comment, May/Jun 2012)
An essay on the 1921 film The Phantom Carriage and a new musical score by the electronic/metal duo KTL.
"Brewing Exhibit Taps into History" (Wall Street Journal, May 2012) [PDF]
An article about a museum show surveying the past and present of beer in New York at the New-York Historical Society.
"Nurturing the New Mariachitos" (Wall Street Journal, May 2012) [PDF]
A story about a mariachi academy for kids in East Harlem, where a tradition gets tended with care.
"Invasion of the German Pop Robots" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2012) [PDF]
A report on the upcoming Kraftwerk music & art retrospective at MoMA in New York, with insights added by Afrika Bambaataa and Marina Abramovic.
"Where No Koala Has Gone Before..." (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2012) [PDF]
A story about an art & music project called Kid Koala's Space Cadet Headphone Experience, with note of a heartrending robot.
"A Gadabout's Homecoming" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2012) [PDF]
The story of Dickie Landry, an artist who tends pecan trees, makes prescient video art, and plays sax in a manner sufficient to suffuse the Guggenheim.
"SPIN's 25 Albums That You Gotta Hear" (Spin, Apr 2012)
I wrote previews for SPIN's list of musical picks for the season, including Jack White, Death Grips, Regina Spektor, and more.
"Subway Salsa: Fantastic Compilation Bubbles Up from Under New York" (The National, Mar 2012)
An essay on spirited sounds sourced from a record store hidden within the subway station in Times Square.
"Solo on the Piano" (The National, Mar 2012) [PDF]
A consideration of a profoundly contemplative, contained, and intrepid means for self-expression: music for solo piano.
"A Restless Artist Saves His Sonic Mnemonic" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2012) [PDF]
The story of Stuart Argabright and Black Rain, makers of sci-fi soundscapes for the ill-fated '90s movie Johnny Mnemonic and more.
"Throbbing Gristle's Reputation as Wreckers of Civilization Still Intact" (The National, Feb 2012) [PDF]
A revisitation of a notorious band on the occasion of a reissue campaign liable to jilt still.
"A Frame-by-Frame Show-and-Tell" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2012) [PDF]
A report from a strange and stirring night of slideshows at Anthology Film Archives.
"Experiments with the Solstice in a SoHo Loft" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2011) [PDF]
The story of Phill Niblock, an artist who has lived in the same storied downtown loft since the '60s.
"Meat Is Music" (Slate, Dec 2011)
A story about a project involving the sounds of a particular pig, from birth to death and beyond.
James Ferraro & Ryan Trecartin: 21st-Century Creatures (The National, Dec 2011) [PDF]
An essay on a musician and an artist making the most of the simultaneously glorious and grotesque now.
"Singing Saw's Christmastime Tour" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2011) [PDF]
A nightlong travelogue from the Music Tapes' Holiday Caroling Tour, with appearances by mechanical mice and floating oatmeal.
Morton Subotnick "Electronic Works 3" (Mode Records, Dec 2011) [PDF]
I wrote a liner-notes essay on the history and evolution of electronic music for a CD/DVD by one of the medium's pioneering greats.
"Stepping Into A New Sound" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2011) [PDF]
The story of Sepalcure, a dubstep and "bass music" duo from New York but making headway into the heady electronic-music scene of the U.K.
"Ben Frost, In Bloom" (Village Voice, Nov 2011)
An article about an unlikely event at the New York Public Library, pitting musician Ben Frost against the stately, stentorian Rose Reading Room.
Q&A: Ben Frost on a Year with Brian Eno (Village Voice, Nov 2011)
An addendum to the article above, in which Ben Frost speaks at length about working with Brian Eno as part of a Rolex mentor/protege program.
"Sound Wisdom" (The National, Oct 2011) [PDF]
An essay on a repurposing project by Ricardo Villalobos and Max Loderbauer, with additional musings on the sound-world of ECM.
"The Rapture's Second Coming" (Spin, Oct 2011)
A magazine feature about a beloved New York band that re-found its faith and reified its sense of purpose.
Six Degrees of The Rapture's In The Grace of Your Love (eMusic, Sep 2011)
A survey of influences and allies for a new album full of both, with appearances by Larry Levan, Scorpions, LCD Soundsystem, !!!, and Trax Records.
"Inflating Some Peace and Quiet" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2011) [PDF]
A story about an ambitious installation project involving the architecture firm Snøhetta and music by composer Arvo Pärt.
"Who Is...HTRK?" (eMusic, Sep 2011)
An interview with a smart and searching band, with talk of David Lynch, Robert Bresson, minimalism, and more.
"26 Fall Albums That Matter Most" (Spin, Sep 2011)
Previews of the season's most scintillating releases as selected by Spin, including St. Vincet, Neon Indian, Mastodon, Drake, Mary J. Blige, and more.
"Wandering in the 'Desert'" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2011) [PDF]
A short take, with a numeric metric focus, on Michelangelo Antonioni's film Red Desert.
"I Listen to the Wind That Obliterates My Traces" (The National, Sep 2011) [PDF]
An essay on old music and photographs from the 1920s/'30s and beyond.
"Raising the Roof on a New Sound" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2011) [PDF]
A trip out to New Jersey includes time with Clams Casino, maker of mystifying hip-hop and more.
"Sagging Toward the Harbor" (Wall Street Journal, Aug 2011) [PDF]
A story about Escape to New York, a new music and arts festival suited for Southampton.
First Take: Nicolas Jaar (MTV Hive, Aug 2011)
I asked some questions (off-camera) for this video featuring talk and a live performance worth seeing.
Biosphere: "Nuclear Emissions" (The National, Jul 2011) [PDF]
A consideration of ambient music and an album made in mind of Japanese nuclear plants.
Ford & Lopatin, harbingers of history (The National, Jun 2011) [PDF]
An essay on two sneaky, snaky music-makers who revisit the '80s as a time mined from the past.
Fatboy Slim Q&A (Wall Street Journal, Jun 2011)
I had a nice phone chat with Fatboy Slim about the American revolution, Detroit, and being in the biz for a long time.
"24 Summer Albums That Matter Most" (Spin, Jun 2011)
Previews of Spin's picks for the season's most notable musical fare, including Cults, Tech N9ne, Stephen Malkmus, and more.
"Techno DJ Robag Wruhme Spins a Good Yarn" (The National, May 2011)
An essay about a German musical auteur and the power of narrative in techno.
"Nicolas Jaar Writes His Own Syllabus" (Wall Street Journal, May 2011)
An article about the enormously talented Nicolas Jaar, a 21-year-old making some of the most distinctive and intriguing electronic music around.
Hammock House liner notes (Fania Records, May 2011) [PDF]
I wrote the liner notes for a Fania Records restoration project pairing Joe Claussell with a bunch of old salsa-music classics.
"Local Cellist Launches New Music Festival" (Wall Street Journal, May 2011)
An article about cellist Mike Block, a young compatriot of Yo-Yo Ma and the eclectic mind behind GALA NYC.
"Raising the Sounds of (Near) Silence" (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2011)
An interview with Norwegian sound-artist Jana Winderen about the sounds of shrimp, hearing herring, and harboring hydrophones.
"The Absurdist Genius of Ernie Kovacs" (Daily Beast, Apr 2011)
An essay, with video, on a brilliant '50s/'60s comic who helped define television as a medium in the early years.
Morton Subotnick, synthesizer wizard (Wall Street Journal, Apr 2011)
Time at home with one of the developers of the first voltage-controlled modular synthesizer in the 1960s.
Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center (The Wire, Apr 2011)
An 8-page story about one of the world's premier electronic-music research centers, started in 1959. [ARTICLE NOT ONLINE; LINK TO BACK-ISSUE ORDER FORM]
"23 Spring Albums That Matter Most" (Spin, Mar 2011)
I wrote teaser previews for SPIN's list of forthcoming seasonal faves, from Britney Spears to TV on the Radio (and lots in between).
Breakfast with Ferran Adria (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2011)
I took the world's most revered and progressive chef, Ferran Adria from elBulli in Spain, to an old workaday diner on the Upper West Side.
G: An Avant-Garde Journal of Art, Architecture, Design, and Film 1923-1926 (The National, Feb 2011) [PDF]
An essay on a fascinating old publication from Berlin concocted by Hans Richter, Mies van der Rohe, Hans Arp, Walter Benjamin, Tristan Tzara, and more.
"Boldly Going Where No Artist Has Gone Before" (Wall Street Journal, Feb 2011)
A profile of artist Michael Benson, who makes beautiful photographs of planets and such from data sent back from space.
Destroyer's Dan Bejar, songwriter nonpareil (The National, Jan 2011) [PDF]
An essay on the best lyricist currently at work, in response to Destroyer's superb album Kaputt.
"Aglow With the Fallout Blues" (Wall Street Journal, Jan 2011)
A profile of Lauren Redniss, artist/author of a visually captivating art book about Marie Curie called Radioactive.
"Celebrating the Season in Stereo" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2010)
The story behind the majestic moving-sculpture/impromptu-parade event in New York known as "Unsilent Night."
Prince in New Jersey (Spin, Dec 2010)
A review of Prince in concert, at the start of a tour dubbed "Welcome 2 America."
"Visiting the Animal Afterlife" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2010)
A report from the front lines of a strange and surprisingly moving taxidermy contest in Brooklyn.
"Resonant Frequencies" (The National, Dec 2010) [PDF]
An essay on the early days of electronic music in the 1950s/'60s and how they affect how we think about sound, occasioned by a book on the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
"Across Cultures, Image Is Everything" (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2010)
A visit to the mysterious Archive of Research in Archetypal Symbolism and a survey of its beautiful, beguiling Book of Symbols, published by Taschen.
"27 Winter Albums That Matter Most" (Spin, Dec 2010)
Short teaser previews of forthcoming albums by everyone from Duffy and Daft Punk to Rye Rye and T.I.
"In Brooklyn, a Chili in the Air" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2010)
A dispatch from the Brooklyn Chili Takedown, a cook-off featuring 28 different chilis and a rich cast of characters.
"Bringing the Sounds of Eritrea to the World" (The National, Oct 2010)
For a newspaper in Abu Dhabi, I crane a curious ear to music from East Africa.
"A Room Where the Earth Stands Still" (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2010)
A visit with the caretaker of "The Earth Room," a curious space full of dirt in SoHo.
Dirt Candy on Iron Chef (Wall Street Journal, Sep 2010)
A story about vegetarian chef Amanda Cohen and her spirited stint on TV.
"25 Fall Albums That Matter Most" (Spin, Aug 2010)
A selection of teasers for the season's musical finest, including everyone from Antony to No Age to Gucci Mane.
"The Passion of Krzysztof Penderecki" (Resident Advisor, Aug 2010)
A talk with the 77-year-old composer about hopes for the avant-garde, using his music in The Shining, and growing trees at home.
"Welcome to the Jungle" - Edgard Varese at Lincoln Center (Artforum, Jul 2010)
A survey of two days spent wondering around Lincoln Center, listening to sirens, and eating olive-oil ice cream.
"Rescuing a Disco Demigod from Oblivion" - Walter Gibbons (Wall Street Journal, Jul 2010)
A piece on the life of a disco legend who pioneered the art of the DJ and the remix.
"In the Mix" - Mutek (Artforum, Jun 2010)
A review of Montreal's Mutek festival of "digital creativity and electronic music."
Kentucky Grilled Chicken (Nation's Restaurant News, May 2010)
A news story, for a special issue about "menu innovation," on KFC's latest non-fried option.
"25 Summer Albums that Matter Most (Spin, May 2010)
I wrote short previews of upcoming albums selected by Spin, including Big Boi, Christina Aguilera, M.I.A., and Arcade Fire.
Kode9, "Memories of the Present Passed..."(Resident Advisor, Apr 2010)
A feature given to thoughts and discussion with Steve Goodman, dubstep DJ and author of the book Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear.
"125 Best Albums of the Past 25 Years"(Spin, Apr 2010)
For its 25th anniversary, Spin picked 125 records and I wrote entries for half, with bits of wisdom and quips from the archives. Mine: from 1985-1994 (though not all from that period).
Until the Light Takes Us interview (A.V. Club, Dec 2009)
An interview with the directors of a documentary film about Norwegian black-metal music, in which talk turns to corpse paint and postmodern history.
Unsound Festival, Poland (A.V. Club, Nov 2009)
Report from an electronic/experimental music festival in Krakow. Acts covered include Sunn O))), Kode9, Grouper, Omar-S, and some cool keytar-playing Jews from France.
Jim O'Rourke interview (A.V. Club, Nov 2009)
A talk with a true musical polymath about Alfred Hitchock’s Stage Fright and gaming himself with solvable problems.
Yoko Ono interview (A.V. Club, Oct 2009)
A resilient artist talks about John playing piano at home and renewing herself at 76.
Future-shock music syllabus (Bookforum, Aug 2009)
I pick eight essential books about future-shock music, with titles by Simon Reynolds, David Toop, Kodwo Eshun, Paul Morley, and more.
Mutek in Montreal (A.V. Club, Jun 2009)
A trip up to Canada for a premiere electronic music & arts festival, with notable balloons and birds.
David Foster Wallace, "Gateway to Geekery" (A.V. Club, May 2009)
I take up the task of coaxing the prospective newbie into the world of DFW, with special attention to A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again and Infinite Jest.
Animal Collective, "The Scientists" (Spin, Jan 2009)
A profile of the band with some thinking over their history, on the occasion of Merriweather Post Pavilion. Highlights include a trip to the Dream House and talk about scuba diving.
Of Montreal, "Welcome to Normal Town" (Spin, Oct 2008)
A profile of the merry pranksters that includes a trip to Athens, Georgia, where we play bad volleyball and move a giant trampoline.
Remembering David Foster Wallace (A.V. Club, Sep 2008)
A tribute obit to a writer who changed the way I read, just a few days after his death.
Melchior Productions, "Let's Go Deep" (Resident Advisor, Aug 2008)
Talk with a magical and meticulous house producer turns toward drum sounds and spirituality in music.
Back to Iceland: the Nattura Environmental Concert (A.V. Club, Jul 2008)
In Iceland, I spy clouds that look like whales and watch Bjork and Sigur Ros play outside -- plus meet the author of Dreamland.
Fine Dining Hall of Fame: Tribeca Grill (Nation's Restaurant News, May 2008)
A history of an iconic downtown New York restaurant, with a guest appearance by Bill Murray.
Food for It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (A.V. Club, Oct 2007)
Tips for what to set out for snacks during the greatest Halloween special ever. Red Baron pizza! Rocks! And so on.
Panda Bear, "Random Rules" (A.V. Club, Oct 2007)
A member of Animal Collective hits shuffle on his iPod and we talk about Basement Jaxx, Phil Collins, and the shifty art of drumming.
Animal Collective, "Revenge of the Weirdos?" (New York, Aug 2007)
A short profile of the band, after a triumph at South Street Seaport and near the release of Strawberry Jam.
Justice (Spin, Jun 2007)
A short profile of the French house-music duo on their way up.
James Murphy, "Shut Up and Dance" (New York, Mar 2007)
A personal profile of the LCD Soundsystem star, who opens up about cocaine birthday cakes and training to learn Brazilian jujitsu.
David Lynch interview (A.V. Club, Jan 2007)
I have a cup of coffee with David Lynch, talk about movies and transcendental meditation, and leave a little bit wiser.
"Weird Rock: New York's New Avant-Garde" (Slate, Nov 2005)
I write about five strange new bands, and invoke an experimental dancer who "writhes like an arthritic snake."
Brian Wilson interview (A.V. Club, Aug 2005)
The Beach Boys legend talks about doing too many drugs in the '60s and thinking he's not as good as Phil Spector.
Lil Jon, "Hip-Hop's Dirty Martini" (Washington Post, Nov 2004)
I consider the King of Crunk in a paper delivered widely within the Pentagon.
Arthur Russell, "Disco Fever" (Slate, Mar 2004)
A survey of the avant-garde disco genius who made dance beats speak and sang songs to the whitecaps.
The sound of UK garage, "The Biggest Beat of All" (Salon, Jun 2001)
I run through the wondrous, whizzing sound of 2-step garage and scream about how it just might reconcile all that's wrong in the musical world.
Harry Smith, "Uncertain, Unfair and Bloodthirsty" (Salon, Jun 2000)
A back-and-forth dialogue between me and Rennie Sparks about the recently exhumed volume 4 of Harry Smith's fabled Anthology of American Folk Music.
Scanner, "The Sounds of Science" (Salon, Aug 1999)
A profile of an electronic musician who makes music with found radio sounds and ghostly voices mined from the air.
"Godzilla in Delaware: Era of the Revolution" (McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Jul 1999)
A riff on alchemy and history and interrelated—or perhaps not—observations between the two.