Paste Magazine

Despite the gluey name, Paste Magazine is a satisfactory music mag that focuses on the chords, not the bods. They have a pleasantly even, serene outlook,...See more » Despite the gluey name, Paste Magazine is a satisfactory music mag that focuses on the chords, not the bods. They have a pleasantly even, serene outlook, covering good band/singers from Loretta Lynn to Guided by Voices to Grandaddy, although it's somewhat hampered by bland writing. Paste covers a wide range of music, including jazz, country, folk, rock, and a few dashes of alternate pop (like Eisley and the Polyphonic Spree). A lot of their smaller articles are rather bland and shallow. But the longer interviews are more in-depth, asking intelligent questions to people like Damien Rice and Jack White. Paste also includes concert reviews, cinema studies and movie reviews; these also tend to be deeper than the small music articles. DVDs and books are reviewed as well as music, even including a translation of Dante's "Inferno" in one issue. Perhaps the most impressive is a CD tucked into every copy of Paste, with an array of selected songs by various bonds they've reported on. Don't expect MTV-ized coverage and nalf-nude pop stars -- the best word to describe Paste is "wholesome." It's best appreciated when sitting at a coffee shop, studying the assorted artists that you've probably never heard of. It doesn't have much edge, although it verges on it at times with its reviews (such as Chun Sue's too-hot-for-China-to-handle "Beijing Doll"). The writing doesn't tend to be too great. It's not bad, but it doesn't make you sit up and take notice. The articlettes feel a little too strained; the reviews, by comparison, are quite relaxed. While they have articles on well-known artists like Norah Jones, Dave Matthews and Wilco, they also have bands which are not so well known like Earlimart. And though it has a rather American-music slant, it keeps tabs on bands like Starsailor and Elbow. Paste has some writing wrinkles to be ironed out before it can be a really, really good magazine. But this earnest music mag has quite a bit to offer to a serious music fan. Comment | Was this review helpful to you?See less »