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Da Capo Press recently released the fifth edition of their yearly collection of music literature. Da Capo Best Music Writing 2004 is enhanced by the talent of guest editor Mickey Hart and features a number of enthralling essays from a wide range of publications. As an acclaimed musician (best known for the three decades he spent drumming with the Grateful Dead), best-selling author, and groundbreaking world music scholar, Hart brings careful consideration and passionate intensity to this collection.
Hart celebrates the year in music writing by discussing just how difficult the process was, and says this of his final selections: "They speak of the struggles, the hardships, the ups and downs, the love, and the magic music evokes. Describing invisible feelings is hard enough, but doing so in a way that grabs readers by the throat and shakes them is another thing entirely. That is what the writers whose tales you'll read in this book have in common."
As in past years, the 2004 edition of Da Capo's Best Music Writing reflects the taste of the guest editor and the latest happenings in music. Distinctive in its range, the book incorporates the best writing not just from major national consumer magazines like the New Yorker and Rolling Stone, but also from specialized publications like No Depression which highlights the best in alternative country, and new online outlets like PopMatters.com, as well as publications like Punk Planet, dedicated to "living outside the mainstream."
Music fans of every stripe will find something in this collection, from the hilarious "Five Nights, Five Karaoke Bars" to the touching Nina Simone tribute "Wild is the Wind;" from Chuck Klosterman to Alex Ross. Whether a follower of Jay-Z or a fan of Johnny Cash, someone fascinated with how 50 Cent became god of the streets or interested in reading a conversation with Harry Belafonte, Stevie Wonder, Eminem, or Willie Nelson, there's an essay in this book for every fan of music.
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