Music Corner

Occasional album reviews, band spotlights, genres, LPs and cassettes, and why the late ’70s and early ’80s ruled for music.

March 3, 2024

Black Flag’s 6 full-length albums, ranked

Black Flag’s restless musicality, tireless work ethic and willingness to go against the grain made them legends and influencers of countless bands and musical genres.

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March 6, 2022

Mark Lanegan and Screaming Trees are a complicated legacy to sort out

In the wake of Mark Lanegan’s death last month at age 57, being a fan of both the singer-songwriter and...

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May 8, 2021

‘There’s somebody satisfied with winning’: Neil Young fires up ‘Re-ac-tor’ with Crazy Horse

It’s 1981 and Neil Young, confronting the shifting sounds and culture of a new era and wrenching family issues at...

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April 3, 2021

Neil Young ushers in the ‘80s with fractured ‘Reagan Democrat’ album ‘Hawks & Doves’

In 1980, Neil Young was at the peak of his powers. He was coming off a decade that he practically...

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April 2, 2021

Re-examining Neil Young’s 1980s canon: Was it really that bad?

We all need a pandemic project, and this is mine: an in-depth evaluation of the recording legacy of Neil Young...

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December 24, 2019

8-Wood’s favorite albums of 2019

What a weird era we’re living in, friends. I’m not yet sure how we’ll look back upon the music being...

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December 28, 2018

8-Wood’s favorite albums of 2018

The dark politics of our era were imprinted all over music in 2018. And how could they not be? My...

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September 18, 2018

Current earworm song: Tropical Fuck Storm’s ‘You Let My Tyres Down’

There’s a ton of killer music coming from Down Under right now, with much of it revolving around Melbourne’s Milk!...

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August 24, 2018

LISTEN: A special podcast episode remembering Queen of Soul — and Detroiter — Aretha Franklin

Upon hearing the news last week that Aretha Franklin had died at age 76, following a battle with pancreatic cancer,...

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February 13, 2018

LISTEN: Melody Baetens discusses Paczki Bombs, Detroit restaurants and roll-and-roll

Melody Baetens is a woman of many hats. By day, she covers entertainment and restaurants for The Detroit News. By...

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