A review of The Birth (and Death) of the Cool by Ted Gioia (and more). A trip to South Florida reveals that hip-hop, once the subject of legal and moral reprimands, has become a major fixture in the region. A review of The Gilded Stage: A Social History of Opera by Daniel Snowman. The blood and the Stones: Four months after the love-in of Woodstock, the Stones played a fateful, fatal concert on Dec. 6, 1969 — and its stain on rock 'n' roll has lingered ever since. Czech band helped change course of history: Avant-garde rockers Plastic People of the Universe were a thorn in the side of totalitarian regime. From The Village Voice, the decade in music genre hype: A solemn tribute to once-hot-shit trends that (mostly) won't be joining us in the '10s. One surprisingly successful technique for converting hip-hop haters and deepening the existing fan's love for the culture is to expose them to "old school hip-hop". Messiah Man: The music of George Frideric Handel "makes you want to live". From Slate's Music Club, here's a defense of Lady Gaga. Simon Reynolds's Notes on the noughties: The musically fragmented decade. What were they singing about?: A look at how barrelhouse words defines the Blues. A review of Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong by Terry Teachout (and more and more and more and more and more). Born and raised in internet chatrooms and DIY studios, world music 2.0 has colonised international playlists. A review of Sibelius: A Composer’s Life and the Awakening of Finland by Glenda Dawn Goss. A review of Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin D.G. Kelley (and more).
