Joan Rivers Should've Always Punched Up
The bigoted, easy "jokes" she sometimes fell back on weren't worthy of her. But when she went after bigger targets, she always nailed it.
Where Would Music Be Without Tori Amos?
Amos pushed the envelope for musical innovation and confessional lyrics. Why didn't we notice?
Fiona Apple, Artist Of The Year
The Idler Wheel... is startlingly honest, artistically bold, and undeniably the best album of 2012. It's also one of the most gratifying success stories in music.
Taylor Swift's Tragic War Against Hipsters
No matter how much of the spotlight she gets, Taylor always portrays herself as a girl on the edge of the crowd.
What PJ Harvey Taught Me About Sex
Her first three albums, which I first heard as a teen, are an exhaustive chart of what it can mean to be both sexual and a girl.
On Bruce Springsteen And Disappointing Fathers
Darkness on the Edge of Town taught me to understand my dad long after we stopped speaking.