Inside Bo Burnham
Bo Burnham's "comedy special" Inside is a fascinating and masterful production, not merely for its film technique and music, but for its insight into the psyche of its creator and…
Beauty in the Light of the Sun
I have a new essay up over at Jack Donovan's new project PH2T3R: To be beautiful is to be perceived.Beauty is to experience the emotions of reverence, wonder, and love…
Helvegen: An Analysis
Kalandra recently covered Wardruna's song "Helvegen," and damn near surpassed the original in quality. I had been planning on writing about this song for a while, but the discovery of…
Spare Thoughts on “Joker:” Identity, Sanity, and Evil
[Spoilers] My first reaction to Joker was to its qualities as a story -- specifically as a Greek tragedy. This, I think, is the primary and best face of the…
Contrasting Outcomes
Everyone remembers Kathy Griffin's infamous decapitation shots, and the career-disaster they turned out to be. But what most seem unaware of -- indeed, what I was unaware of until just a few…
Notre Dame: Raging at the Dying of the Panda
I have a lot of mixed feelings about the Fire of Notre Dame. On the one hand, it is an indescribable tragedy. One of the most majestic and awe-inspiring feats…
The Pot: An Analysis
The time has come to go over perhaps my favorite lyrical masterpiece: The Pot by Tool. An almost Shakespearean mixture of vulgarity and high vocabulary, peppered with double-entendres and all wrapped…
If You Don’t Like Men…
After a number of positive music reviews, I think it's time to do a negative one. The song in question, which has serenaded me over the radio a few times…
An Answer For the Bear
Owen Benjamin asks about whether it is okay to listen to songs written by evil people: I want to know -- and feel free to tell me your exact opinion,…