I Take to the Streets, David Gray; But Not Wilted Wallflowers

The Oct. 30 murder of Run-D.M.C.’s Jam Master Jay has predictably inspired a plethora of wheezy editorials on the cultural significance of hip-hop’s violent streak. But for me, the news, sad as it was, triggered some fond memories. Seeing Run-D.M.C. in the headlines brought me back to my high-school days, when Jay and his two Read More

Les Discs 2000

For a year thick with reissues and cover albums, 2000 yielded some damn good music. There wasn’t always the time or space to review it all, but we here at Manhattan Music tried to keep tabs even as our significant others became enraged at the amount of precious apartment space our CD collections were occupying. Read More

Say Hello to David Gray

David Gray’s debut U.S. release, White Ladder , could have been a great movie soundtrack. It’s a collection of evocative, sometimes thrilling songs, that, were it played over a film, would enhance the drama on the screen. My choice would be Steven Soderbergh’s The Limey , because there’s something about Mr. Gray’s voice and his Read More