Last week was all about quantity, with a slew of new books hitting the shelves. This week it’s quality: There are only a couple of new music-related books on the way — but they both look like good reads. See for yourself:
Wilcopedia: A Comprehensive Guide To The Music Of America’s Best Band
By Daniel Cook Johnson
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Since their formation in 1994, Wilco have become one of the most acclaimed and influential bands of modern times. While previous books have told their story in a biographical sense, Wilcopedia zeroes in on the music, tracing the evolution of the band’s material from the studio to the concert stage, from the formative Uncle Tupelo recordings through the mold-breaking Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to latter-day gems Star Wars and Schmilco and beyond. Throughout their twenty-five year career, Wilco’s founder and primary songwriter, Jeff Tweedy, has led his band through various shifts in lineup and genre that have kept fans on their toes and made their music difficult to categorize. While they are largely considered an Americana act, their music has touched on hard rock, electronica, pop, soul, punk, folk, and more. If you’re looking for a thorough appraisal of Tweedy & co.’s first quarter-century, one thing’s for sure: Wilcopedia will love you, baby.”
Long Walk Home: Reflections on Bruce Springsteen
By Jonathan D. Cohen, June Skinner Sawyers
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Bruce Springsteen might be the quintessential American rock musician but his songs have resonated with fans from all walks of life and from all over the world. This unique collection features reflections from a diverse array of writers who explain what Springsteen means to them and describe how they have been moved, shaped, and challenged by his music. Contributors to Long Walk Home include novelists like Richard Russo, rock critics like Greil Marcus and Gillian Gaar, and other noted Springsteen scholars and fans such as A.O. Scott, Peter Ames Carlin, and Paul Muldoon. They reveal how Springsteen’s albums served as the soundtrack to their lives while also exploring the meaning of his music and the lessons it offers its listeners. The stories in this collection range from the tale of how Growin’ Up helped a lonely Indian girl adjust to life in the American South to the saga of a group of young Australians who turned to Born to Run to cope with their country’s 1975 constitutional crisis. These essays examine the big questions at the heart of Springsteen’s music, demonstrating the ways his songs have resonated for millions of listeners for nearly five decades. Commemorating the Boss’s 70th birthday, Long Walk Home explores Springsteen’s legacy and provides a stirring set of testimonials that illustrate why his music matters.”
