My Impression Now

My Impression Now

Home
Notes
Archive
About
Take Five: Music was in his soul
With Brian Wilson's passing this week, it seemed fitting to share five songs that go beyond the hits and show why he was considered a genius (and…
 • 
John Kenyon
Glenn Mercer on his 'Feelie-ish' solo debut
As we celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Feelies' debut, Crazy Rhythms, we revisit an interview with the band's Glenn Mercer on the occasion of the…
 • 
John Kenyon
Take Five: Comforted and afflicted
Music and books were soothing and sorrowful this week, with Bono and the Edge, Agustina Bazterrica, Eli Winter, Kim Weston, and a chat between Marc…
 • 
John Kenyon
2

May 2025

Take Five: Trying to get to you
The King ushers in a week of surprises with a Bill Fox interview, a Sylvia Plath-Joe Pernice connection, an '80s slow dance with Jimmy Barnes and Neil…
 • 
John Kenyon
Take Five: Aboard a tidal wave
Culture swells this week and the hits keep coming. Thanks to Aimee Mann, Reginald Dwayne Betts, Pere Ubu (RIP David Thomas), Brian Wilson, Kieren…
 • 
John Kenyon
Take Five: The past is never dead
Take it from good old Bill Faulkner: Thanks to YouTube, the past isn't even past. You can relive my past with Robyn Hitchcock, INXS, Passengers, Peach …
 • 
John Kenyon
2
Take Five: At the threshold of wonder
Nick Cave prays, Shara Nova provokes, Jean-Michel Basquiat bebops, Natural Information Society drones, and Davy Graham strums in an eclectic week even…
 • 
John Kenyon
Nick Cave believes in love
It's difficult to keep from evangelizing about Cave's live performance, which is as much worship service as concert, as the one-time dark prince of…
 • 
John Kenyon
1
Take Five: I remember holding on to you
A playlist to keep you on your toes, with R.E.M., the Alarm, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, and Third Coast Percussion, or as R.E.M. says, 'A little bit…
 • 
John Kenyon

April 2025

Take Five: Not for the weak of heart
A week of powerful, uplifting music, with Shara Nova (and My Brightest Diamond), Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith, David Bowie, and Steve Wynn
 • 
John Kenyon
Take Five: Can it be that simple
From serious to silly and everything (if by that I mean hard bop jazz and '80s indie folk rock) in between, with Fady Joudah, Kenny Burrell, the Silos…
 • 
John Kenyon
I go back so far I'm in front of me
Looking at a handful of books of collected lyrics and musing on their value to a listener
 • 
John Kenyon
© 2025 John Kenyon
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture