archive

The mystery of music

Why does music make us feel? A new study demonstrates the power of music to alter our emotional perceptions of other people. Terry Teachout on the mystery of music: What about it has such power over human beings? Here are some of the songs used by military and law enforcement entities to get their suspects to sing. From Standpoint, an essay on Music and Modernity. Alaska’s Seismic Symphony: A groundbreaking composer turns the Alaskan landscape into an orchestra. Who’s afraid of the avant-garde? Philip Ball reviews Fear of Music: Why People Get Rothko But Don’t Get Stockhausen by David Stubbs. Roll Playing: Jeff Dolven on feeling the machine music of Conlon Nancarrow. John Rockwell reviews Hold on to Your Dreams: Arthur Russell and the Downtown Music Scene, 1973–1992 by Tim Lawrence. Ten years ago, an anonymous screed sparked a firestorm amongst music critics and rock nerds; Daniel Lester follows up with the targets of the Rock Critical List and reassesses the finger pointing. Let's talk about nothing: Would music criticism be more productive if critics acknowledged the religious aspect of their interest? A review of Radiohead and Philosophy. A review of Why AC/DC Matters by Anthony Bozza. From New York, a cover story on Brooklyn’s Sonic Boom: How New York became America's music capital again. Bored New World: How the Zach Braff prototype is slowly killing American music. A review of Canuck Rock: A History of Canadian Popular Music by Ryan Edwardson. Is the Ukranian metal band Drudkh a fascist mouthpiece? From Utne, can Americans learn to love non-English lyrics?