Never mind the tea and the yoga: ‘Father of the Bride’ remains comfortably conservative

Forget the sops to liberal audiences: every version of Father of the Bride gleams with a confident conservatism. Vincente Minnelli’s beloved 1950 original, saved by Spencer Tracy’s wryness and the luminosity of Elizabeth Taylor, unfolds like a ponderous dinner party with sherry to start, lamb course with mint jelly and potatoes, brandy afterwards. The yuks-a-minute

Ranking #50 singles, U.S. edition: 1980-1987

Many obscurities (to me) on this list: I had not heard The Fools’ version of Roy Orbison’s “Running Scared,” never knew Jermaine Jackson followed up “Let’s Get Serious” with an album of self-written nullities, was not acquainted with Herb Alpert’s “Beyond,” which sounds like a bizzer hearing Giorgio Moroder’s soundtrack to Midnight Express and digging

Ranking #42 singles, US edition: 1976-1979

Obstinate about Springsteen as garrulous post-Dylan babbler and vinyl fetishist, I didn’t come around to the dude until 1984 and, blessedly, his 1987 follow-up; but I can’t deny the tug and roar of his guitar solo in “Badlands,” a necessary discordance during the peak of disco. Not superior to disco, mind, but, as Wallace Stevens

Florida’s vax woes continue

A couple weeks ago Florida (the state with the prettiest name!) decided that it would blow a CDC deadline for ordering COVID vaccines. In a rare retreat, Tallahassee said we would get’em after all but would not use state resources to administer the doses.

Ranking #48 singles, U.S. edition: 1988-1993

To earn a pair of Hague candidates when your third solo album becomes your best-seller and your spite, rage, lack of compassion, and vanity remain undimmed deserves a special prize; but nothing on earth exists that I can award Don Henley for writing the longest, dullest song ever to hit #1 on Y-100’s airplay requests;

Ranking #46 singles, U.S. edition: 1983-1989

To live in South Florida in 1984-1986, even as young as Lord Soto was, meant delighting in scores of freestyle hits. From Debbie Deb’s “Lookout Weekend” and Trinere’s “I’ll Be All You’ll Ever Need” (both written by Tony Butler) to Nayobe’s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y1YQX_2ZFY, these cheap little singles reshaped anonymity: how can amateurs project lust and despair

Figuring shit out: Sharon Van Etten, Ella Mai, S.G. Goodman

I’m playing up with three of my favorite albums, each representing a genre. Their rhythmic smarts binds them.

‘Official Competition’ a decent sendup of star vanity

Moviemakers love movies about movies because it reassures the public that they don’t mind taking the piss out of themselves. Sherlock Jr., Sunset Boulevard, Day For Night, Living in Oblivion — these films revel in the veniality of stars and the arrogance of directors. Official Competition would like to join their company. It doesn’t. Starring

Songs about surrender and giving up

Admonished for supporting often dangerous strategies for self-denial without a chance of smut, Catholicism has a pretty good tradition, which I will not describe in full here, about what surrender means. The nonbeliever tying these words hears wisdom in “Into your hands, o Lord, I commend my spirit.” The songs below, whether calling for a

I can’t wait to make our memories rhyme: The best albums of 2022, first edition

From the chewy, cerebral dance tracks by Charlotte Adigéry and collaborator Bolis Pupul to aspiring nonagenarian Willie Nelson co-writing ten of the sharpest songs about keeping your wits while your neighbors lose theirs, 2022 offered pleasures which have restored a shimmer to what I thought would be a restorative year.

Ranking #46 singles, U.S. edition: 1979-1983

Let me break tradition with a quote:

Ranking #49 singles, U.S. edition: 1979-1985

What treasure on this list! Anyone with ears in 1983 could’ve told you that Sparks + Jane Wiedlin booking studio time would’ve gone to cool places; their song, the Mael bros’ only hit in America, synthesizes what was worthwhile about new wave and marries to a lyric notable for its terseness. Glenn Tilbrook and Chris