The Music Library has more resources available than physical items. We’re highlighting some of our digital resources, and including information about them as told by our student employees.
Archive of rock and pop music journalism from mainstream publications and niche magazines.
Here is what student manager Cole (class of 2021) had to say about Rock’s Backpages:
“Rock’s Backpages is an online archive of popular music journalism, from industry standards like Pitchfork and Rolling Stone, to more obscure and international publications, such as Stereo Review and Melbourne Weekly. Although the site catalogues a wide array of content (including reviews, letters, obituaries, book excerpts, press releases, columns, and more), the advanced search function makes it easy to filter by subject, author, original publication, and format.
My favorite use of the site is to read old reviews of albums and artists that I like, to get a sense of contemporary critical reception. In a 1980 review of U2’s debut album Boy, Paul Mory calls the group’s music “not radical, in many ways… traditionalist.” Seven years later, in a review of the band’s seminal album The Joshua Tree, Simon Reynolds writes that the band’s very existence is “at once radical and reactionary.” I find this not-conversation of radicality especially amusing considering the band’s current reputation among my generation as that dad-rock group whose 2014 album was forced upon anyone with an iPhone— an idea that would be humorously unfathomable for those critics writing in the 80s.
The Rock’s Backpages archive is the perfect tool to read music journalism from years past, uncolored by retrospection.”
And here is student assistant Alex’s (class of 2021) take on this resource:
“Rock’s Backpages is a fascinating resource and a deep dive into the views on musicians in their prime. If you have ever wondered what mainstream journalists thought of The Beatles in 1963 or AC/DC in 1975, this resource is right for you. You can use the “Free Articles” section on the left side of the screen under the resource’s Library to find an assortment of 1000s of articles on pop and rock stars through the ages. You can also easily search for any article you want to read and filter by artist, genre, publication, or writer. Rock and Pop music took the world by storm in the 20th century and you can read all about it as it happened with this amazing resource.”
Lata Mangeshkar is the best-known and respected female singer in the history of Indian film music. She is probably best known as a playback singer for Bollywood films. Playback singers often record songs for use in films.
The Indian Hindi-language film industry is referred to as Bollywood and is based in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and is one of the largest centers of film production in the world. The word is a portmanteau of “Bombay” and “Hollywood”. The most popular commercial genre of Bollywood is the masala film, which freely mixes action, comedy, drama, romance, and melodrama along with musical numbers. Masala films can generally be considered musicals. Indian cinema has been the largest producer of musicals in the world since the 1960s, when it exceeded America’s musical film output. Playback singers record songs for the film soundtracks, and the actors lip-sync said songs for the cameras.
Poster for the 1947 Hindi film Aap ki sewa mein which features an early example of Mangeshkar’s work
Lata Mangeshkar is said to have recorded more film songs than any other singer. She has recorded songs in over a thousand (!!) Hindi films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages, though primarily in Marathi, Hindi and Bengali.
Music really has been the driving force in Mangeshkar’s life. Her father Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar was a classical singer and theatre actor. She received her first lessons in music from her father and was performing as an actress in her father’s plays by the age of five. She is the elder sister of singers Asha Bhosle, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Usha Mangeshkar and Meena Mangeshkar, all accomplished musicians and singers in their own right.
In 1942 when Mangeshkar was 13, her father died of heart disease and Lata immediately joined the Bollywood film industry as an actress-singer to help support her family.
Here is a Youtube clip from Azaad a 1955 film which features Mangeshkar’s voice:
Lata Mangeshkar has received many awards and honors during the course of her career. India’s highest award in cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, was bestowed on her in 1989 by the Government of India. She also has been awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor.
In 1974, The Guinness Book of Records listed Mangeshkar as the most recorded artist in the history, stating that she had reportedly recorded “not less than 25,000 solo, duet and chorus backed songs in 20 Indian languages” between 1948 and 1974. (The actual number of songs she has recorded is a matter of some dispute. Regardless, she is certainly ONE of the most recorded artists in the world.)
Here is a Youtube clip of the song “Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jaana Sanam” (“My love, when I saw you then I realized” per Google translate) sung by Mangeshkar and Kumar Sanu from the 1995 Bollywood film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (transl. The Big-Hearted Will Take the Bride, per Wikipedia):
In addition to singing, Mangeshkar has composed music for five films and also produced four films. Her career spans over seven decades now and she has only recently begun to show signs of slowing down (a bit) at the age of 91. Her influence on Indian film and popular music is profound.
Here is a small sampling of library resources concerning Lata Mangeshkar, Bollywood, and Indian popular music:
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
If you know me, you know I listen almost exclusively to music from the 70’s and 80’s (see my posts about Steely Dan and A Chorus Line, the musical). That’s not to say that I don’t love music being produced today—I do–but my heart lies in my parents’ music. And a band my parents absolutely loved is America.
America has been making music for decades — really. They have 16 albums, not including special anniversary editions, re-releases, or any other specialty disc. They published their first album, America, in 1971, and their most recent album, Back Pages, is from 2011. That might sound like a lot of music, and it is, but we luckily have a Greatest Hits CD, which encompasses almost all of my favorite songs. “Daisy Jane” is one of the sweetest love songs I know (and it’s not just because 7 year-old me liked that my name was in the title).
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19104741
If you’re a beginner at guitar, start with their arguably most famous song — “A Horse With No Name”. It’s literally two chords going back and forth throughout the entire song. When recently asked, I said that “Ventura Highway” is the song that best represents me. “Tin Man” (based on The Wizard of Oz), “Sister Golden Hair”, “You Can Do Magic”, and “I Need You” are some of my other favorites.
America’s music feels home-y. You can tell they’re really playing their instruments, and it’s so clear through their music that they simply love what they do. Their songs fall under the genre of folk rock, and a lot of them are about the experiences they’ve had in California, which I love listening to if I’m ever feeling homesick about being away from LA.
I actually watched America in concert a few years ago. My mom, my sister and I went together, and we couldn’t believe that after 40 years, they still sounded like their records from the 70s. If you’re looking for good, laid-back, driving with the windows down kind of music, I’d check them out.
(And just a hint: if you like this kind of music, go to the library search website, click on the “Subjects” tab, and type in “Rock music—1971-1980.” You can thank me later)
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (MBDTF) is my favorite Kanye album. Many fans, reviewers and artists in the industry also agree with me that the albumis both technically amazing and culturally significant, with many music publications reporting back in December that MBDTF is their top album of the entire 2010s, such as Rolling Stone and Billboard. Why I believe this album is worthy of this praise is two-fold: first, the album continues the musical genius and masterful production that were present in The College Dropout, Late Registration and Graduation; and second, this album marked Kanye’s public apology for his previous wrong-doings and public controversy, while apologizing in the most ‘Kanye’ way possible; self-reflection upon fame and ego.
I would be remiss in writing about MBDTF if I did not first acknowledge the character and artist behind the production of the album. Kanye has had his fair share of headlines throughout the past ten years or so, between his support of Donald Trump and the idea that Democrats have “brainwashed” black Americans, to his laptop being “stolen” by his cousin who leaked private videos of him, to his famous Twitter tirades in which he has attacked figures such as Wiz Khalifa and the company Nike, to his ongoing bouts with Taylor Swift. The list is long and could have been expanded upon further. Kanye is rarely in the news for positivity, but I argue that his albums should be judged separately from the creator. It is actually the last headline, his history with Taylor Swift, which started the production of MBDTF. In 2009 at MTV’s Video Music Awards, Kanye infamously took to the stage to interrupt Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Video, proclaiming that Beyoncé should have won the honor. This prompted nationwide outrage against Kanye, which prompted an apology tour soon afterwards. He then took off to Hawaii that same year in the form of a retreat, in which he began working on MBDTF in Honolulu’s Avex Recording Studio.
Kanye West Performing at SWU Music Arts Festival 2011 by Renan Facciolo – Kanye West – SWU Music & Arts, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18137550
MBDTF is a journey. First, many elements of his previous albums can be identified on tracks throughout this album, indicating a feeling that the work in its entirety could be considered Kanye’s magnum opus. It borrows on the soul and experimental hip-hop aspects found in The College Dropout and Late Registration, mixed with the unrestricted emotional and innovative gleam evident in Graduation and 808s & Heartbreak. Second, the album explores themes such as wealth, prominence, decadence, excess, escapism, self-aggrandizement and self-doubt. An interesting understanding I found in my research is from Andrew Martin of Prefix Magazine, in which he notes in his review that this work “derives its intrigue from the shortcomings of its creator” and “it’s a meditation on fame.” Topics from previous, and even future Kanye albums, explore social issues that plague the world, such as abuse of drugs or the ongoing mistreatment of people of color. However, the “apology album” that MBDTF was expected to be allowed Kanye to reflect on the personal characteristics of his life, and to recognize that he is not perfect.
Focusing on specific tracks, the album opens with the aptly titled “Dark Fantasy.” Nicki Minaj introduces the first track through spoken-word, which then transitions into Kanye rapping about his images of grandeur as a child, and how the population perceives the fame, he has experienced incorrectly. Continuing through the album, “All of the Lights” is my personal favorite track. Between the masterful uses of synthesized sound bites to the lyrical story of a convicted man due to physical assault charges, the song is amazing in my eyes and by the public, receiving many accolades such as Best Rap Song at the 54th Grammy Awards. Another noteworthy track is “Runaway,” which appropriately premiered as a live performance at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, a year after Kanye’s public condemnation for his action against Swift, which prompted the creation of this album. Many reviewers laud “Runaway” as Kanye’s best song, placing emphasis on the ego of himself in a statement of lyrical apology for his public figure, but referring to the flaw of human nature of self-absorption that caused his problems. Some other album highlights include “Monster,” “Devil in a New Dress,” and “Lost in the World.”
Music is a strange dichotomy in which it is explicitly linked with the creators of itself and its performers, while also taking on its own personality completely separate from association with a person. I believe that My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy should be viewed through a similar lens. Personally, I have friends who refuse to listen to Kanye West’s music simply because of the nature of himself as a person and the way he has publicized himself throughout the world. However, I believe it to be a great tragedy to close oneself off to the music that he creates as a separate entity of himself, only to experience the idea of the music and what it is trying to portray to us as an audience. No recommendation could ring more true than his album, which should be experienced and loved by all listeners.
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
One of my favorite albums (and singers) is Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me.This might sound odd, but it’s what I most frequently listen to when cooking or baking — it’s the perfect rainy day music.
Her tone is so soft and sweet and her songs are very melodic. I love that intertwines jazz and blues because it’s hard to find that type of music now. Jones was a lot more popular in the early 2000s — I was first introduced to the album when my mom and dad would play it in our house when I was in elementary school.
She has lots of awards and has sold more than 50 million records worldwide. In the beginning of the 2000s Billboard deemed her the top jazz artist of the decade. She has won nine Grammys and writes her own songs as well as plays the piano.
Norah Jones at Bright Eyes at Town Hall 29 May 2007 (credit: Yaffa)
Come Away With Me is the album that kick started her career and launched many of her songs into popularity. The album is a fusion of jazz with country, blues, folk and pop. It was certified diamond, meaning that it sold over 27 million copies. This album alone was enough to win Jones five Grammys, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist. My personal favorite songs from the album are “Don’t Know Why” and “Shoot the Moon,” but all of the songs are so unique and enjoyable in their own way. I tend to listen to a lot of mainstream pop because it’s always on everywhere and I want to stay up-to-date on all the trending music, however, this is a nice change of pace from that. I think it’s important to listen to a wide range of artists and music, and Norah Jones is the kind of singer that I believe almost everyone would like.
Some other singers that mirror her musical vibe are Diana Krall, Corinne Bailey Rey, Alicia Keys, Adele, and Duffy. I’d say her style is a bit more laid back and the songs aren’t as fit for blasting on the radio, but her songs are written about similar themes and use little auto-tuning or electronics.
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
With the 92nd Academy Awards freshly behind us, I’ve been thinking about my favorite film soundtracks. For me, a driving factor of what makes a movie memorable or great is its music –either score, soundtrack, or both. I love when I hear a song that I recognize during a scene, which I can dance or sing along to in my seat. On the other hand, I also love when movies introduce me to music. The only reason I loved the songs “Hungry Eyes” and “Be My Baby” so much as a kid was because of the movie Dirty Dancing.
My parents showed me Dirty Dancing at a young age, probably because I was a dancer whose first childhood dream was to be a Broadway star, and it instantly became one of my favorite movies. The soundtrack, which features songs spanning multiple decades, made an already wholesome and fun movie even more enjoyable. Even as a child, I could feel the nostalgia that it portrayed, as it features 50’s and 60’s pop hits like “Love is Strange” and “Stay” that instantly transport the viewer to a summer in 1963. Naturally, a distinctly 80s sound is also incorporated in songs like “She’s Like the Wind” sung by lead actor Patrick Swayze himself, a man of apparently many talents. And of course, many of these songs are used in dance scenes, following Baby and Johnny’s journey from frustrating rehearsals to final performance.
There are many iconic movie scenes that will be forever associated with their respective songs, or vice versa. Think: “(Don’t You) Forget About Me” with Judd Nelson’s fist in the air at the end of The Breakfast Club, or “Girl You’ll Be a Woman Soon” in Uma Thurman’s apartment in Pulp Fiction. But undoubtedly one of the most commonly known and referenced music/movie scene pairings is “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” from the final dance scene in Dirty Dancing –with extra emphasis on the achievement of Baby’s lift that happens right as the song climaxes. This is the kind of flawless, emotional moment that makes the right fusion of a scene and a song selection one of my favorite aspects of film. It’s also one of the many moments that made the Dirty Dancing soundtrack go multi-platinum.
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Lauren (class of 2023) and features Back To Black, the second and final studio album by English singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse. Thanks, Lauren!
Back to Black by Amy Winehouse is one of the most influential albums of all time that served to inspire the next wave of female artists such as Adele and Florence and the Machine. Amy Winehouse was an English singer with a uniquely soulful and expressive vocal repertoire. Her music is reminiscent of blues, jazz, and soul by conveying a deep and emotional mood. Not only was her music so revolutionary for its new sound, but it was also reflective of her life and personal struggles. The song “Rehab” featured on the album reflects on the protagonist’s desire to avoid going to rehab for alcohol abuse, unfortunately foreshadowing the singer’s demise. This album may be used for research in order to understand more about Winehouse’s personal emotions, or to learn how she influenced later female artists.
Personally, Amy Winehouse has been someone I’ve admired for her empowering songs and unique character. Even though she has since passed, she remains an iconic musical artist, whose music will be remembered forever. When I listen to Back to Black, I am immediately transported into another time-period and empowered by my femininity.
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the most successful alternative rock group of all time. Typically, you’d expect a band to reduce themselves to the lowest common denominator to find success en masse, but the Peppers managed to climb to the top while staying as perfectly weird and beautifully musical as ever. The key behind their success, of course, lies with the band members — and though their lineup has changed a handful of times over the years, there’s no doubt about the definitive Chili Peppers crew. Anthony Kiedis and Flea have been there since the beginning as the lifeblood of the group. Kiedis acts as both the face and voice of the group, and though neither his singing nor his lyricism has ever left me in awe, he remains consistent and passionate in every performance he gives. Flea, of course, is one of the best bassists of all time, and is allowed by the band to shine more so than in almost any other group. Chad Smith, as the definitive drummer, acts as the backbone of the group—and famously resembles Will Ferrell.
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 04: (L-R) Recording artists Flea, Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers attend a signing for their book “The Red Hot Chili Peppers” at Barnes & Noble at The Grove on November 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
And then, as the final member of the definitive loadout, there’s John Frusciante. Over the years, Frusciante came and left the group due to bouts with drug addiction and mental illness, eventually parting with the band for good in 2009. To an onlooker, he looks just like any other skilled guitarist, but to the Chili Peppers, he was the brains. His talents as a songwriter were unparalleled in the group, and he excelled at writing songs that succeeded in three parts: they allowed everyone in the group to shine, they appealed to a massive audience, and they sounded uniquely phenomenal. While he wrote many incredible songs during his tenure with the band, there is no better example than his final album with the Peppers: Stadium Arcadium.
The Chili Peppers circa 2006 – L-R John Frusciante, Chad Smith, Anthony Kiedis, and Flea
In many ways, Stadium Arcadium is the group’s magnum opus. It’s their longest record, with an astonishing 28 tracks and over 2 hours of run time — but has enough raw content to keep you hooked throughout. It was their first album to debut at number one, marking the group officially as the behemoth they had become. And finally, it brought the band back in touch with their funk roots, combining with their newfound mastery of rock to create, in my opinion, their best work. Across the record, the band stays strong but varied. We ease into things with a song that would top the rock charts for weeks and pick up 2 Grammys along the way: “Dani California.” It’s a very on-brand song for the group—a nice, groovy start with Flea and Frusciante battling for the melody, Smith keeping things moving with a punchy beat, and Kiedis practically rapping over the other members. Finally, Kiedis breaks into song, moving into a grungy, distorted chorus. The appeal of RHCP can be seen perfectly here. You only need to hear the chorus once, and you’ll happily be singing along—the words are simple, yet carry a certain amount of emotion and edginess. For teen America, it was a perfect recipe for success. Finally, late in the song, you hear the first of many Frusciante solos — an aspect unique to Stadium Arcadium. Of course, he performed solos in other songs, but the solos on Stadium Arcadium were completely improvised. He doesn’t sacrifice an ounce of quality, but this fact brings another raw layer of authenticity to the album.
They don’t pull any punches with the second track, either. “Snow (Hey Oh)” was the first RHCP song I heard, and is likely the most iconic in my mind to this day. It’s light, intricate, sonically beautiful, and an absolute pain to play on guitar. The rest of the 1st disk (named Jupiter —something Spotify won’t tell you) flows back and forth from funk to finesse, before finally landing on “Wet Sand” and “Hey,” two songs that pull back from the fun, upbeat pace and end things on a somber note. “Wet Sand” dives into the difficulty of loving the dark side of a person jointly with the good, ending finally with a repetitive bridge that provides an analogy to being unable to rely on your loved ones during times of struggle, having to, instead, find strength within. “Hey” is almost the continuation of “Wet Sand,” as it talks of the difficulty—but necessity—of breakups. This eloquent end to an otherwise happy disk serves as a cliffhanger, leaving you ready to jump into the second side — Mars.
The album immediately continues in a somber fashion, with the classic Frusciante anthem “Desecration Smile.” One of my favorite techniques that Frusciante employs (as a guitarist myself) is at the forefront in this song, just as with my favorite Chili Peppers song: “I Could Have Lied” (sadly, not on this album). He combines the acoustic verse with an electric chorus, bringing the song to a crescendo when it most needs it, then calmly returning to a low key verse that juxtaposes the chorus without skipping a beat. The rest of the “Mars” side continues in a similar fashion as “Jupiter,” crescendoing into a funky midsection, but with a much more laid back and melodic aesthetic. It’s almost as if the band wants you to sing and dance your heart out on Jupiter, then collapse and just enjoy the more articulate words and melodies of Mars.
Mars ends beautifully with their first homage to the space theme (though not represented lyrically), “Death of a Martian.” Martian was Flea’s dog, one that the group became infatuated with during practices at Flea’s house. The meaning of the song was a happy surprise to Flea, who remarks on it during the CD commentary. Finally, Kiedis ends with a chanting spoken word—apparently a poem he took a particular liking to. As a message, the final track delivers little, but it’s a perfectly “RHCP” song: one that celebrates both their goofiness and empathy. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a goofy rock band. But, as perfectly demonstrated on Stadium Arcadium, they are extremely competent at both music and songwriting. They can break out into a distorted, rocky fanfare, and they can wallow in funky baselines, but they have a complex past, but individually and united. On Stadium Arcadium, they pay tribute to both sides. For a farewell album, Frusciante couldn’t have picked better—and the heart he put into the record is at a perfect forefront. It marks the end of an era, but it does so with finesse.
