Music

modest needs, lavishly met

a house concert leads to the germ of a manifesto

Jul 8 •

the perfect playlist

On Liz Pelly's 'Mood Machine' and the ethics of streaming

May 30 •

461 words about the new deerhoof album

jotted in my notes app while walking around my neighborhood at dusk

May 20 •

yes, more beauty!

bathing in musical delights against a backdrop of misery

Feb 12 •

More or less beauty

What is the role of the artist in times of crisis?

Jan 17 •

The Library of Babel

On infinite libraries, totalitarian propaganda, and a new song cycle

Nov 19, 2024 •

an empathetic leap

on the occasion of the new york premiere of 'emergency shelter intake form,' some thoughts on inequality, class, polarization, and imagination

Oct 21, 2024 •

On finding grace in a cruel world

An essay about the impetus behind my solo shows; NYC premiere of 'emergency shelter intake form,' Playwrights Horizons engagement extends, and more...

Sep 17, 2024 •

On Songwriting: Part II

Impressionistic lyrics, latticework, and the pleasure of cataloguing

Jul 25, 2024 •

On Songwriting: Part I

Stories, characters, the unconscious mind, and the perils of rhyme

Jul 15, 2024 •

council: bright forms

a new song from my new band with pekka kuusisto

Mar 29, 2024 •

Soul of the Machine

AI knows too much—and too little—to be a great songwriter.

Mar 19, 2024 •

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