Merry Christmas: “Fairytale of New York,” by the Pogues (with Kirsty MacColl) (1988)

(Originally published December 23, 2008) I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I call “Fairytale of New York” the greatest secular Christmas song of all time and one of the greatest songs ever. The Pogues were at a creative peak when If I Should Fall From Grace With God was released in 1988, and while the … Continue reading Merry Christmas: “Fairytale of New York,” by the Pogues (with Kirsty MacColl) (1988)

A psychology of my music listening; or, why I’m going to write a bunch of album reviews

In 1988, when I first started buying CDs, a new release at Musicland (almost my only option)  cost $17, or $37 in 2020 dollars*. Today, a new release on CD from Amazon costs about $12, or $5.50 in 1988 money**. In 1988, a CD single (the song you wanted plus a usually useless "b-side" and/or … Continue reading A psychology of my music listening; or, why I’m going to write a bunch of album reviews