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1985 in Music
[This post is part of a large project in which I am going through the popular music released in each year. Please see the note at the bottom of the post re: omissions and limitations.] Introduction 1984 was unquestionably one of the most momentous and important years in popular music since the Second World War.…
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1984 in Music
[This post is part of a large project in which I am going through the popular music released in each year. Please see the note at the bottom of the post re: omissions and limitations.] Introduction There are certain years whose musical output simply becomes legendary. 1984 is one of those years and is often…
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Monthly Reading Roundup: July 2026
Here are some of the highlights, and one notable low-light, from the past month of my reading life. Nine Raves Whistler, by Ann Patchett (2026) Premise: After over forty years, a woman is reunited with an ex-stepfather with whom she shared both a natural affinity and a life-changing trauma-bond. Review: Ann Patchett has this way…
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1983 in Music
[This post is part of a large project in which I am going through the popular music released in each year. Please see the note at the bottom of the post re: omissions and limitations.] Introduction The ’80s have so far been building, not just in their essential ’80sness’ but towards something big. 1984 is…
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1982 in Music
[This post is part of a large project in which I am going through the popular music released in each year. Please see the note at the bottom of the post re: omissions and limitations.] Introduction If 1980 still mostly felt like the ‘70s, ‘81 was more of a trans [This post is part of…
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Monthly Reading Roundup: June 2026
Here are some of the highlights, and one notable low-light, from the past month of my reading life. Nine Raves Father Material (London Calling 3), by Alexis Hall (2026) Premise: Happily tucked into their committed unmarried life, Luc and Oliver consider big next steps Review: I was uncertain whether we needed another book in this…
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1981 in Music
[This post is part of a large project in which I am going through the popular music released in each year. Please see the note at the bottom of the post re: omissions and limitations.] Introduction If 1980 still mostly felt like the ‘70s, ‘81 was more of a transitional year. There was still ABBA…
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1980 in Music
[This post is part of a large project in which I am going through the popular music released in each year. Please see the note at the bottom of the post re: omissions and limitations.] Introduction As much as we love our round numbers, cultural transitions between decades are rarely as clean as we’d like…
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Monthly Reading Roundup: May 2026
Between some unexpected duds and a vacation on which I didn’t get a lot of reading done, May was probably my weakest reading month in the past few years. But there were still some notable reads along the way. Here are some of the highlights, and one notable low-light. Nine Eight Raves Son of Nobody,…
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Bookish Hall of Fame 2026: A Shakeup on Olympus
When I designed my Hall of Fame, I wanted to reserve a special place for the best of the best. And so I took the idea of a bookish Olympus, a dwelling place of my twelve literary gods. While there has been a bit of tweaking here and there over the years, for the most…
Matt's Books and Music
So many books, so many songs
