Two recent biographies take very different approaches as they revel in the wild lives and examine the distinctive songs of two of rock music's most enigmatic figures: Lou Reed and Warren Zev…
Simon Rattle's Bruckner is, on the whole, lean and lively; if you're looking for a new Mahler Four, Vladimir Jurowski's is the one to check out; Thierry Fischer leads performances of each sy…
When someone recommended to Steven Hassan he write a volume called The Cult of Trump, "it just seemed like the most important book I could write, frankly." The post Book Review: "The Cult of…
The sound on these discs couldn't be more clear or precise; the music is low-key, thoughtful, and resolutely melodious. The post Jazz Albums Review: The 'Season' of Newvelle Muri " Adventuro…
In the right hands, Shostakovich's Twelfth can come off as nothing less than an intriguing, lively symphonic essay. The post Concert Review: Boston Symphony Orchestra plays Jolas, Ravel, and…
"You can read Frederick Douglass forever and still just encounter new things, new ideas, new passages, new phrases. He's that kind of writer. It's like reading Emerson or even Shakespeare." …
When have the Robinsons ever done what was expected on them? And when have they ever really cared? The post Music Commentary: The Black Crowes " Redux? appeared first on The Arts Fuse.
Gounod was no mere purveyor of gentle sentiments. This 1881 opera, superbly performed, shows plenty of drama and grit. The post Opera Album Review: A Grand Opera from Late in Gounod's Career…
An exhilarating and entertaining evening with Puddles, a most personable and unique clown. The post Concert Review: Puddles Pity Party " It's His Party, and He Will Cry If He Wants To appear…
Part cautionary tale about the fate of the earth, part homage to Samuel Beckett, part theatrical metaphor for dementia, X is a harrowing exploration of the human psyche. The post Theater Re…
To hear a 13-piece ensemble of this caliber, doing justice to these great songs, was simply hard to beat. The post Concert Review: "The Last Waltz 40 Tour" " The Best Approximation Possible …
Come From Away is more than just a rousing and heart-warming 100 minutes of theatrical entertainment. It's a poignant reminder, and celebration, of what we're all capable of as people. The p…
Believe it or not, Buddy Holly is on tour with another deceased rock 'n' roll pioneer -- Roy Orbison. The post Music Preview: "Roy Orbison & Buddy Holly: The Rock 'n' Roll Dream Tour" "…
All three groups in this Blue Note anniversary concert were distinctly different. One was shaded with a hip hop influence, one proffered organ trio jazz-funk and one, all female, had singing…
At a time when a number of established music venues in the Boston area have closed, Club Passim continues to thrive thanks to the same grass-roots support it has enjoyed over six decades. Th…
There have been times in the MFA's past when it hasn't lived up to its educational mission, when it has pandered to the whims of the wealthy -- particularly its fat cat benefactors. The post…
Robert Forster was apparently spot-on when he proclaimed that The Go-Betweens "were too good for the bloody charts." The post Music Interview:Musician and Writer Robert Forster " Life Before…
What if you took canonical Western works and reimagined them from an African perspective? The post Opera Review: A Decolonized "Magic Flute" by the Isango Ensemble appeared first on The Art…
Those who value serious journalism (as well as the rights of journalists) should be quite worried about just how lethally Boston Globe management is attempting to undercut the newspaper's un…
Virginie Despentes novel reads like Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia mashed with Don Quixote and set in contemporary Paris. The post Book Review: "Vernon Subutex 1" " Rock and Roll, Drugs, a…
Admissions is a successful comedy, but not quite the hot, scathing satire of 'privileged whiteness' one might gather from the ads. (Or from some of the local reviews.) The post Theater Revie…
About the post-Reagan era, Boston Phoenix and Boston After Dark editor, Arnie Reisman, observes: "Everything went to sleep, and while we were sleeping, the Republican Party grew six more hea…
The spanking new Arts Fuse podcast has arrived! Welcome the audio feature's new master, Deanna Costa. The post Arts Fuse Podcast #19: A New Era Begins! appeared first on The Arts Fuse.
Childsplay, the celebrated flash-band of fiddlers who have come together around the holidays for more than 30 years, is calling it quits. The post Music Feature: Childsplay " The Last Waltz …
This is a gem of a recording, a wonderful introduction to this often overlooked Hungarian composer. The post Classical CD Review: Hungarian Composer ErnÅ‘ Dohnányi " Love at First Lis…