RaveLibrary JournalClague writes a historical and cultural account of the United States national anthem, which through wars and peace, civil and cultural unrest, and on battlefields and ballfields, has played an (ahem) key role in the national consciousness since Francis Scott Key penned his four (yes, four) verses after experiencing the Siege of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812...Clague does an excellent job tracing the tune back to its origin while detailing the way it entered the nation’s consciousness and has been used as a societal bellwether ever since, having both united people and created divisions...It’s a fascinating and enlightening story, well told here...An excellent and comprehensive history of the music and lyrics of the United States’ national anthem, Clague’s book should be in every library.
Mark Rozzo
PositiveLibrary JournalReaders of Rozzo’s book will come away deeply impressed by the couple’s efforts ... Drawing on diligent research and an excellent array of interviews, Rozzo brings 1960s LA to life in all its joy, creativity, and chaos ... Rozzo documents a roller-coaster ride of big ideas, big failures, lasting successes, and lost projects. Recommended for anyone interested in the culture of the 1960s.
Isaac Butler
RaveLibrary JournalAn excellent, thorough history ... This work is all the more welcome given that consolidating the multiple—and often contradictory—definitions as to what exactly constitutes \'the Method\' is itself a Herculean achievement ... Butler has produced an essential study of this hugely influential theory and practice of American acting. This work should be in every collection of books on theater and film.
Joel Selvin
PositiveLibrary JournalThe book is full of fascinating, larger-than-life character ... Behind the scenes it wasn\'t always fun, fun, fun, but fans of late \'50s and \'60s pop will feel like they\'ve caught the perfect wave.
Richard Thompson
RaveLibrary JournalLike his songs, his memoir is character-focused, emotionally resonant, introspective, and written with a master’s sympathy, depth, and touch ... As a storyteller, Thompson describes moments of emotional withdrawal and occasional self-criticism—understandably, given that he’s had his share of hardship and tragedy. He is never less than razor-sharp, and credit is due for including both the highs and lows ... Thompson’s spell is never broken, and, as on disc, his is a welcome voice to meet on the page. Readers will be eager for the next volume of the story. Like a great Richard Thompson solo, this title contains surprise, beauty, delight, and a voice like no other. His autobiography is as welcome as it is long overdue.
Doug Brod
RaveLibrary JournalBrod parlays his experience as a onetime editor-in-chief of Spin magazine into a rollicking biography of three of the most successful bands of the late 1970s ... Beyond the basic band origin stories, Brod highlights the influences, coincidences, connections, and directions of these proto-metal rock pioneers and those around them. He knows whom to ask and what to tell. He is an enthusiastic guide, and fans—and anyone interested in true tales of rock and rock excess—will love this.
Peter Guralnick
RaveLibrary JournalThrough the very best criticism, the writer instills into readers and would-be listeners the magic, creativity, and the vibrating synapses of excitement that result from the first taste of life-changing sounds. It’s not an easy task, but Guralnick is among the greatest at this. Holding forth on everyone from Robert Johnson to Leiber & Stroller, from Ray Charles to Tammy Wynette, Guralnick takes readers through a wide swath of the essential figures in American music, including those we know and those we should know, in a way that demonstrates both the unique qualities of these amazingly artistic individuals and the author’s own extraordinary ability to get to the heart of the matter ... A wide-ranging vision and appreciation of American musical creativity from a writer who is himself an essential voice.
Craig Brown
RaveLibrary Journal[It\'s] easy to wonder if there is a place for another book about the Beatles. In this case the answer is an emphatic yeah, yeah, yeah ... Brown offers a series of vignettes rather than a straightforward biography ... Brown presents a fresh take on a seemingly inexhaustible subject.
Philip Norman
PositiveLibrary JournalNorman weaves artistic achievement, personal struggles, and management difficulties together, making the tragic outcome seem if not acceptable then at least understandable. Occasional suggestions of what Hendrix might have been thinking notwithstanding, Norman avoids sounding overly sensationalist and draws heavily on his revered biographies of other key figures of the time for context and color. Readers searching for complete details of Hendrix’s recorded work will need to look elsewhere, as this is by no means a definitive catalog of his output. But as a biography of the legendary ax man, this is the one.
Alex Ross
RaveLibrary JournalIt’s always cause for rejoicing when New Yorker music critic Ross publishes a book, and this latest is on a scale worthy of the composer of the Ring of the Nibelung. Ross makes the case that the work and influence of German composer Richard Wagner (1813–83) is key to understanding the art and politics of the last 150 years, and he does so with the sweep and scope of a Wagner overture ... It’s a tribute to the thoughtful and accessible Ross that his conclusions seem both valid and inevitable ... With this multifaceted jewel of a book, Ross has produced a monumental study of Wagner’s legacy. Eighteen out of 18 anvils.
Amanda Sewell
PositiveLibrary JournalEven with limited secondary sources to rely on, Sewell has written a long-overdue scholarly work that sheds light on Carlos’s creative process while never sensationalizing her private life ... Sewell’s nuanced biography of an overlooked composer is our best look yet at this groundbreaking artist, and a reminder that art can and should speak for itself.
Mark Katz
PositiveLibrary JournalKatz provides a cursory history of previous cultural exchanges and an in-depth analysis of the challenges and rewards of expanding that work today ... An inspiring study of U.S. efforts to bridge cultures and collaborate around the globe, and a reminder of the power of art to unite us.
Michael Eric Dyson
RaveLibrary JournalDyson’s...laudatory biography places Jay-Z at the center of our cultural, social, and political times. The author’s effusiveness comes through on every page, which—in lesser hands—would make this title one long fan letter, but it’s a tribute to Dyson’s prowess that he so effectively gives dimension and relevant context to each thoughtful interpretation of the artist’s work, while his always fascinating tangents add depth. Under Dyson’s guidance, to read about Jay-Z is to learn not just about the journey and works but also about ourselves, our history, our world, and our way forward ... This is more than a hip-hop bio; Dyson is giving us something larger, and we are sitting in a classroom under the spell of a captivating teacher.
Alan Paul and Andy Aledort
RaveLibrary Journal... riveting ... The anecdotes are nonstop, and the conversational narrative has the feel of one long Vaughan solo. Dig out those recordings. You’ll want to hear them all again as you read the stories behind the songs and performances ... Vaughan deserved this book, and, as it should, the content will stay with readers long after the last note has sounded ... It’s been 29 years since Vaughan’s passing; this is the book fans have been waiting for.
