Tom Moon
Tom Moon has been writing about pop, rock, jazz, blues, hip-hop and the music of the world since 1983.
He is the author of the New York Times bestseller 1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die (Workman Publishing), and a contributor to other books including The Final Four of Everything.
A saxophonist whose professional credits include stints on cruise ships and several tours with the Maynard Ferguson orchestra, Moon served as music critic at the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1988 until 2004. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GQ, Blender, Spin, Vibe, Harp and other publications, and has won several awards, including two ASCAP-Deems Taylor Music Journalism awards. He has contributed to NPR's All Things Considered since 1996.
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Bob Dylan's new album casts the folk icon in an unusual role: Shadows in the Night features 10 songs previously recorded by Frank Sinatra. -
Two new albums, a solo effort and a collaboration with the band 3RDEYEGIRL, mark Prince's return to the studio. Tom Moon says that only one fully captures what an explosive performer he can still be. -
Guitarist Joe Beck said he thought of the guitar as a six-piece band. Music reviewer Tom Moon says that's exactly how Beck's music sounds: layers of overlapping ideas. He reviews Beck's posthumous release, "Get Me Joe Beck."
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On an assured debut, Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio pivots from jazz's bygone eras into the hyperlinked modern age and back again. -
Singer-songwriter Jose James' music lives at the intersection of jazz harmony, pop songcraft and hip-hop rhythm.
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Tom Moon reviews the solo album by Blur and Gorillaz frontman, Damon Albarn. The new album, called Everyday Robots, examines the human toll of our ever-present technology.
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It's been six years since singer-songwriter Beck released his last album. Music critic Tom Moon says that Beck's new record, Morning Phase, is purposely out of step with the pop trends of the moment.
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Listening to Temples, a four-piece band from England, one might be reminded of another British iconic band — The Beatles. But on their debut album, Sun Structures, the group does not create copycat music. Critic Tom Moon says the Fab Four's inspiration lives on in surprisingly creative ways in the music of Temples.
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Lady Gaga has been building anticipation for her third studio album in ways that only she can manage. But perhaps the forte of ARTPOP lies in its marketing — not the actual music. -
The British musician is a fast-rising newcomer who's drawn both high praise and vicious pans in his home country. His debut album, Long Way Down, will likely draw similar reactions in the U.S., but the 22-year-old has considerable potential. -
The two artists are known opposites in the world of instrumental music. On Metheny's latest, the jazz guitarist wrings an unexpectedly visual listening experience from Zorn's knotty compositions. -
The L.A. roots-rock quartet is often described as a band on the verge of greatness. Its new album, Stories Don't End, features disarmingly beautiful, refreshingly unflashy songwriting. It may not make the musicians superstars, but that's just fine.
