Here are links to some of the stories I've written over the years. Thank you to the editors who helped shepherd them.
In Western Mass., a vibrant music scene gets a makeover
Before the pandemic, the Northampton area had a thriving concert scene. These days, well, same — but with a very different look.
Boston Globe, Nov. 6, 2022
The Bocadillo de Calamares Should Take Over the World
The beauty is in its simplicity: rings of fried squid on a demi-baguette. Maybe a squeeze of lemon juice. Fin.
Inside Hook, Oct. 21, 2020
The Hold Steady Sets the Scene
The band’s songs have plots full of conflict and drama (and, frequently, mordant wit) that regularly unfold in settings that are an inextricable part of the narrative.
The Common, Jan. 16, 2020
Another true story from Hallelujah the Hills frontman Ryan Walsh
On new album I’m You, Walsh
wrote his way through a rough patch in life, resulting in an LP unlike any of the band's previous efforts.
Boston Globe, Dec. 13, 2019
Farrar began writing songs for the pioneering band’s latest album, Union, after the 2016 presidential election. The result is a highly topical album, but one that has not forsaken hope.
Paste, March 27, 2019
A Son of Country Music Is Exposing Its Hidden History One Amazing Story at a Time
Tyler Mahan Coe, creator of the wildly entertaining podcast “Cocaine & Rhinestones,” tells me why he started the podcast, and how much work he puts into each episode. Hint: it's a lot.
Paste, April 5, 2018
There are too many music festivals, and they are past the point of diminishing returns as mammoth multi-day destination festivals reach their saturation point.
Paste, March 31, 2016
How Surveillance Anxiety Is Shaping Pop Culture
Popular culture from Parks & Recreation to music to literature, is exploring themes of privacy and surveillance. Show-runners, musicians and writers help me see the big picture.
Flavorwire, Feb. 23, 2015
Rock Stars Enter the Production Booth
When they’re not making their own music, rockers including Dan Auerbach, Jeff Tweedy and Aaron Dessner of the National are producing albums by other artists.
The Wall Street Journal, Sept. 18, 2014
On the Emotional Realism of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’
Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+ injects a sense of gritty realism into the latest serial depicting life in a galaxy far, far away.
Inside Hook, June 22, 2022
The Small-Town Touring Boom Is Coming
Everybody’s hungry for live music, and smaller concert scenes stand to benefit from the stiff competition for tour dates.
Pitchfork, July 7, 2021 (Graphic by Simon Abranowicz)
The Hottest New Act in the Music Industry? Curated ‘Experiences’
Boutique music festivals offer fans a more intimate way to see their favorite bands than heading down to the local venue or braving the crowds at the big-name mega-festivals.
Fortune, June 16, 2019
The groundbreaking 1970s group has reunited, after a fashion, to record the new album "Fanny Walked the Earth."
Rolling Stone, March 16, 2018
Emmylou Harris’ Overlooked Country Opera ‘The Ballad of Sally Rose’
After years of interpreting other people’s songs, Emmylou Harris wrote a potent batch of her own for her underrated 1985 concept album.
Paste, June 28, 2018
The cult ’90s Nickelodeon show spawned Polaris, and led eventually to the reunion of Miracle Legion.
Pitchfork, July 8, 2016
The Next Generation of Western Massachusetts Indie Rock
The place that launched Dinosaur Jr., where Black Francis met Joey Santiago before starting the Pixies, and served as the post-New York, pre-divorce home of Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, is having another moment.
Pitchfork, Jan. 28, 2015
Ugly Xmas Sweaters Meet Rock ’n’ Roll
Finally, music fans don't have to choose between supporting their favorite acts and wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, thanks to an oddball fashion trend that lets them do both at once.
The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 13, 2013