The Top Ten Albums of May 2026
1. Alexander Hawkins- No Nation but Imagination
The pianist with Nicole Mitchell, Rhodri Davies, Matthew Wright and Hamid Drake.

2. Jeff Parker and ETAIVtet- Happy Today
My review.

3. Aja Monet- The Color of Rain
Jazz poetry for the 21st century.

4. Gabrielle Cavassa- Diavola
My review.

5. JPEGMAFIA- Experimental Rap
All of the lights.

6. Drake- Habibti, Iceman and Maid of Honour
My review.

7. Yvonne Rogers- The Button Jar
Somewhere between Erik Satie and Bill Evans.

8. Latto- Big Mama
Fruitful.

9. Isaiah Rashad- It’s Been Awful
Same.

10. Chris Potter- Alive With Ghosts Today
Homage to John Brown.

The Top Three Reimaginings and Live Sets of May 2026
1. Ahmed- Play Monk
Evidence.

2. Laurie Anderson and Sex Mob- Let X=X
Big science.

3. Salem- Red Dragon
Grimy hexes.

The Top Ten Songs of April 2026
1. Seu Jorge and Maria Rita- “Vento De Maio”
The winds of May.

2. Jay Wheeler- "Rubio"
Bad Bunny has reason to be concerned.

3. Joey Quiñones- “Soul Steady Situation”
My new theme song.

4. Silvana Estrada and pablopablo- “Antes De Ti”
Before you.

5. Genesis Owusu featuring Duckworth- "Hellstar"
Mothership connection.

6. Charli xcx- “Rock Music”
Punchline pop.

7. Vince Staples- “Blackberry Marmalade"
All fall down.

8. Stik Figa- “Blac Top Griot”
Ode to Rich Tha Factor.

9. Yazz Ahmed- "Dawn Patrol"
Early light.

10. Duval Timothy, Carlos Niño and Nate Mercereau- “ideations on rain”
Cleansing.

The Top Ten Performances of May 2026
1. Isata Kanneh-Mason at the 1900 Building
My review.

2. Joshua Bell, Steven Isserlis and Evgeny Kissin at the Folly Theater
My review.

3. Brian Haas, Zak Pischnotte, Shanté Clair, Seth Andrew Davis, Aaron Osborne and Evan Verploegh at Charlotte Street Foundation
My Instagram snapshots here, here, here and here.

4. Rod Fleeman, Gerald Spaits and Ray DeMarchi at Black Dolphin
My Instagram snapshot.

5. Matt Otto, Adam Schlozman and Joey Panella at the Market at Meadowbrook
My Instagram snapshots here, here and here.

6. Keith Benjamin and Eliza Bickers at Village Presbyterian Church
My Instagram clip.

7. Stan Kessler, Aaron Sizemore, Forest Stewart and Mike Warren at the Music House
My Instagram clip.

8. Sierra Richardson at Asbury United Methodist Church
My Instagram clip.

9. Joe Cartwright, Steve Rigazzi and Brian Steever at Ted’s Taproom
My Instagram snapshot.

10. Sundog at the Orion Room
My Instagram clip.

The previous monthly recap is here.

William Brownlee

May 18, 2026

Albums Review: Drake- Habibti, Iceman and Maid of Honour

William Brownlee

May 18, 2026

Spotify’s twentieth anniversary initiative recently informed me that Kanye West is my “all-time most-streamed artist” at the service. Earl Sweatshirt’s “Burgundy” is my most-streamed song. Rap and hip-hop tracks make up almost half of the “Your All-Time Most Streamed Songs” playlist Spotify generated for me.

Drake and Kendrick Lamar are on the playlist. Because I don’t have the timorous mindset of a fifteen-year-old, I tried to ignore the intrigues of the stars’ notorious rap beef. To reiterate the obvious: the dissolute Canadian pop-rapper Drake is obviously “not like us.”

In fact, lawyers representing the villainous Drake threatened to sue me in 2007. Yet unlike the hordes of malleable fans and critics currently dunking on Drake, I gauge art strictly on quality rather than fleeting fashionability.

The three albums Drake released on May 15- Habibti, Iceman and Maid of Honour- light up the pleasure centers in my brain. While each features the elite production and smooth flow that made him one of the ten most popular artists of the past twenty years, a retro electro-funk orientation makes Maid of Honour my favorite.

Dreadful lines like “why do you save all these shots of your screen? Are you a goalie?” just add to the fun. The vulnerability that invites listeners to laugh at Drake’s faults and weaknesses has always been an integral part of his appeal. Schadenfreude has rarely been more rewarding than on Habibti, Iceman and Maid of Honour.

William Brownlee

July 4, 2025

Trying to Find a Balance

William Brownlee

July 4, 2025

Original image by There Stands the Glass.

The least expensive ticket to Elvis Costello’s concert at the Uptown Theater on July 1 was $75 before fees. I hadn’t planned to attend for that reason. Fortunately, I won a pair of tickets from radio station 90.9 The Bridge. I adored the show and I’m extremely grateful not to be out more than $150.

The non-com AAA station is currently airing what it terms the “Top 909 Songs of the Century” during the Fourth of July weekend. The last ten songs played as I type these words were by Broken Bells, the Dandy Warhols, Green Day, Kurt Vile, Sturgill Simpson, Modest Mouse, Muse, the Fratellis, Vance Joy and Alvvays.

That’s cool, but I’m compelled to offer an alternative to the alternative. Hip-hop and rap have been the most culturally significant and commercially popular forms of music this century. Without checking any notes or conducting a single search, I created a playlist of 25 favorite songs of the past 25 years.

The omissions are staggering. Partly because of my Midwestern and Southern predilections, many prominent names didn’t make the cut. But how I love what’s here! I have personal connections and vivid memories associated with each of these tracks. Here’s the Spotify playlist.

The Top 25 Songs of the Century
1. Pusha T and Kendrick Lamar- “Nosetalgia”
2. Mystikal- “Bouncin’ Back (Bumpin’ Me Against the Wall)”
3. Tyler, The Creator- “Yonkers”
4. Nicki Minaj and 2 Chainz- “Beez in the Trap”
5. Earl Sweatshirt- “Chum”
6. Doomtree- “Game Over”
7. Kanye West- “Jesus Walks”
8. Dizzee Rascal- “Sirens”
9. Jeezy- “Go Crazy”
10. Drake- “Nice for What”

11. Atmosphere- “Trying to Find a Balance”
12. Danny Brown- “Fields”
13. Fat Tone- “Imma Get’cha”
14. UGK- “Gravy”
15. Gucci Mane- “Lemonade”
16. Z-Ro- “Can’t Leave Drank Alone”
17. Vince Staples- “Norf Norf”
18. Lil Wayne- “A Milli”
19. Boosie Badazz- “Set It Off”
20. David Banner and Lil’ Flip- “Like a Pimp”

21. Tech N9ne- “Welcome to the Midwest”
22. Mike Jones, Slim Thug and Paul Wall- “Still Tippin’”
23. T.I.- “No Matter What”
24. Brother Ali- “Forest Whitiker”
25. Future- “Mask Off”

William Brownlee

October 31, 2023

October 2023 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

William Brownlee

October 31, 2023

Screenshot of the trailer for Garsington Opera’s production of Gioachino Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums of October

1. Bad Bunny- Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana

Carpe diem.

2. Sylvie Courvoisier- Chimaera

Spectral.

3. Gucci Mane- Breath of Fresh Air

Rap redemption.

4. John Scofield- Uncle John’s Band

How does the song go?

5. Fuerza Regida- Pa las Baby’s y Belikeada

Party central.

6. Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra-

Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 2, 3, 12 & 13

The ponderous soul of Russia.

7. Ava Mendoza- Echolocation