Mark Richardson examines how two remarkable songs-- Cat Power's "Nothin But Time" and Sinéad O'Connor's "The Wolf Is Getting Married"-- expand and contract the idea of what it means to be free.

There's more music writing available now than ever, but are we using this context to increase our personal connection with the sounds we hear? Mark Richardson investigates, spotlighting Nicki Minaj and the trappings of "sharing" culture. 

In his latest column, Mark Richardson observes how gender can affect how we identify with music as he examines his own experiences with the music of Grimes and Bill Callahan.

Mark Richardson uses fragments about Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, Skrillex's favorite Aphex Twin song, sonic "accuracy," and jungle music to explore the different ways bass can affect our minds and bodies.

Creating a musical universe is now as easy as re-blogging a Tumblr post. Mark Richardson contextualizes the overlapping worlds of David Lynch, Dirty Beaches, and Lana Del Rey through this lens.

Mark Richardson discusses the music that has shaded his memories of 9/11, and why putting an aesthetic layer on top of suffering can feel wrong.

Sound, memory, and the emotional devastation of EMA's Past Life Martyred Saints.

On rap music, fear, aggression, Swans, and what happens when we feel music but don't necessarily identify with it.

David Mancuso, disco, Destroyer, Bill Callahan, and the search for quality sound.

After the Unreleased Demos & Instrumentals bootleg and 25 years on from The Queen Is Dead, nine short pieces on the Smiths.

Linda Perhacs, Death, Bobb Trimble, Robert Lester Folsom, and the enduring allure of the seldom-heard cult record.

On year-end list-making and the strange power of sharing your favorite music. [Mark Richardson]

Music From Saharan Cellphones, DJ Shadow, and the enduring appeal of scarcity in the information age.