If someone on your last-minute / Secret Santa list is a fan of Michael Jackson, Sparks, Rush, Kate Bush or Kylie Minogue, I have good news. If not, well, you’re on your own. But at least you’ll have something good to read:
The City of Hip-Hop: New York City, The Bronx, And A Peace Meeting
By Rob Swift & Rasul A. Mowatt
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The City of Hip-Hop positions a unique conceptualization of the history of hip-hop, that it was a combination of forces that produced the environment for Hip-Hop to specifically grow in the geographies of New York City and its boroughs. This book argues it was the political forces of the 1970s combined with the economic forces of free market capitalism and privatization of public services, neoliberalism, and the social forces of the deindustrialization of major cities and displacement of populations that led the cultural creation of the “Boogie Down” Bronx. The City of Hip-Hop shows how hip-hop is a socio-political reaction that created an alternate reality with a geographic specificity, and it is the interplay with those forces that nurtured it to become the culture force that we know it today in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Manchester, Liverpool, Berlin, São Paulo, Tokyo, Washington D.C., Seattle, Paris, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Detroit, Toronto, Cleveland, Johannesburg, Barcelona, Belfast, Gaza City, and elsewhere. Once those of us as fans of the culture zoom out to see such a bigger picture, a much-needed criticism and retelling of the culture and art of Hip-Hop emerges as our understanding.”
Michael Jackson & The Blackface Mask Expanded
By Harriet J. Manning
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Michael Jackson challenged the power structure of the American music industry and struck at the heart of blackface minstrelsy, America’s first form of mass entertainment. The response was a derisive caricature that over time Jackson subverted through his art. In this expanded, all-new edition, Michael Jackson and the Blackface Mask argues for the tangible relationship between Jackson and blackface minstrelsy. It reveals the dialogue at minstrelsy’s core and, in its broader sense, tracks a centuries-long pattern of racial oppression and its resistance and how that has been played out in popular theatre. Michael Jackson and the Blackface Mask explores Jackson’s early talent and fame and the birth and escalation of ‘Wacko Jacko.’ In relation to all this, the book examines Jackson’s dynamic art as it evolved, from his live performances and short films to the very surface of his own body.”
Kate Bush | The Dreaming: Rock Classics
By Peter Kearns
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “You could consider Kate Bush’s The Dreaming to be her finest moment, depending on whether you value the rejection of compromise and see that as a sign of authenticity. Or, you may see her Hounds Of Love — equal-parts artful and accessible — as the benchmark for artistic integrity meeting commercial success: A slippery and completely unpredictable schizoid beast at the best of times. As much as The Dreaming seems to be viewed as Bush’s most difficult record to consume, it’s easy to forget that it was a top 20 album in multiple countries. In reality, it has a beautiful simplicity, if only for its intention to exist for its own sake — as they say, ‘It is what it is’, and the rest is up to the listener. And what it is, is perhaps one of rock’s most pure examples of a musician doing their thing, simultaneously (and conveniently) operating at the top of their game, and not sweating the resulting views of others. That recipe transcends genre, and even field itself. Ultimately, The Dreaming is just art — music, yes, but I suggest it crosses the line into sculpture. You can walk around it, try to decipher it, and still be stumped. Isn’t that how art is supposed to be?”
Sparks 1969 to 1979: Every Album, Every Song
By Chris Sutton
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This long-overdue book charts the career of Sparks from 1969-’79. Every album and every song is examined, including some which are still officially unreleased. Beginning with their early recordings as Halfnelson/ Sparks and when they were a band of five. After that band split, Ron and Russell Mael retained the name and spent much of the ’70s working with a succession of sidemen and collaborators, although this was not always evident to some! They ended the ’70s on a high note with the collaboration with Georgio Moroder for No. 1 In Heaven. Many who worked on their records have shared their thoughts in the book. The list includes: Dean Detrick, Simon Draper, Harley Feinstein, Martin Gordon, Ian Hampton, Rupert Holmes, James Lowe, Sal Maida, James Mankey, John Mendelsohn, Adrian Munsey, Ralph Oswald, Peter Oxendale, Mike Piggott, Terry Rae, Thom Rotella, Suzi Ronson, Paul Rudolph, Richard Digby Smith, Karl Stoecker, David Swanson, Trevor White, Muff Winwood and Luke Zamperini. This book adds new information for fans and lively opinions on the records. It’s a must-have for anyone who wants to know more about how Sparks developed in the decade which saw them create a lot of their best work.”
Rush 1973 to 1982: Every Album, Every Song
By Richard James
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Rush, aka ‘the world’s biggest cult band’ — in their own words — started from humble beginnings: three suburban teenagers. Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and John Rutsey formed a Led Zeppelin-influenced trio, eventually scratching a living playing the bars and clubs of their native Toronto. A hard work ethic, no small amount of talent, and a slice of good fortune enabled their first, self-financed and distributed album to gain a foothold in the American market. And then, on the eve of their first American tour, drummer Rutsey quit. Fortune smiled on them again when auditions for a replacement produced Neil Peart, who could not only drum like a demon but was adept at lyric writing. Sharing a love of the then emerging progressive rock scene, the trio embarked on crafting a series of albums from the ‘second’ debut, Fly By Night, to the career-defining and best-selling masterpiece Moving Pictures; records which would secure them a permanent place in the rock hierarchy. This book reviews all these albums up to Signals, their 1982 release, which saw the band embrace keyboard technology and sever their connections with long-time producer Terry Brown, their unofficial fourth member.”
Kylie Minogue | Album by Album: Stick or Twist
By Clary Saddler
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Kylie Minogue is an Australian pop icon who has sold over 80 million records worldwide. The pint-sized pop princess showed us she had the ‘wow’ factor when she first graced our screens as Charlene Mitchell in neighbors in 1986. She did it again (and again and again) through her numerous incarnations, from her early days a pop puppet to the ultimate puppet master that she has transformed into today. Kylie achieved a massive musical milestone in 2020 — being the first woman to top the album charts in five consecutive decades. She is one of our nation’s most beloved pop princesses, or arguably — if you ask her legion of fans — the most beloved pop queen. Kylie Minogue: Album by Album explores in detail Minogue’s extensive repertoire, spanning more than three decades. It commemorates this unique artist’s genuinely exceptional, unmatched, and often under-appreciated career. The author is both a fan and a music critic, who examines Kylie’s life and career from both perspectives. You will discover how Kylie became a pop icon, how she reinvented herself over the years, and how she influenced the music industry with her style and sound. This book is not just another biography, or discography critique; it is a unique analysis of Kylie’s musical legacy and cultural impact. Whether you are a die-hard fan or curious listener, this book will give you a deeper appreciation of Minogue and her music.”
