The ideal husband

Father John Misty as love’s unreliable narrator

That old, weird Beck

In defense of unpredictable, unpolished art

A dad’s thoughts on ‘Boyhood’

There’s a scene in the movie “Boyhood” in which one of the adult characters says something meant to help…

A great chasm: Jesus, Mary Poppins and Kendrik Lamar on the rich and the poor

Read the New Testament closely enough, particularly the Gospel of Luke, and you can’t help but think, this Jesus guy sure is hard on the rich.

First thoughts on Paul Simon’s ‘Stranger to Stranger’

So much to take in from this new album. Easily one of his best. As great as Paul Simon has been, has he ever operated on this level? Familiar sound, brand new territory. It grabs the heart and mind like a complex novella.

In praise of Notorious B.I.G. and Lyle Lovett, and for the same reason

Pop music exists for new Kidz Bop songs

If you’re a parent raising a kid in this modern age, there’s a good chance you’ve…

4 songs about Los Angeles

A highly selective musical snapshot of the city

Burning up and growing old

Kerouac, DeLillo and the fire of life

It comes toward the beginning of “On the Road,” as close to the summary of the dissertation that you can hope to piece out of this literary grad student’s rambling opus.

A house in Preston: Courtney Barnett and the ghost of Raymond Carver