Like Real People Do I JUST got into Hozier. I couldn’t stand the song, Take Me to Church, so I wrote off his music years ago. However, a guitar student of mine requested to learn some of his stuff — and I was blow away […]

Isolated System I love this instrumental piece by Muse. It worked perfectly as the theme song for Brad Pitt’s World War Z in 2013. Using Isolated System was a brilliant stroke. Another great example of an outsourced song becoming a theme is Tubular Bells from […]

A Lannister Always pays His Debts I’ve always loved this piece from Games of Thrones Season 3. It’s really a classic motif from the series called, The Rains of Castamere. The Lannister variant is an extended more melodic version. I paired down the piece to something […]

Lily’s Theme Lily’s Theme, by composer Alexandre Desplat, is one of the most poignant pieces of music from the Harry Potter films. This was was one of the first songs I ever posted — way back in 2011. It was time for a redo as […]

Summer Storm The Glass Castle (the book and movie) recount the unconventional, poverty-stricken upbringing of Jeannette Walls and her siblings had at the hands of their deeply dysfunctional parents. The title refers to her father’s long held intention of building his dream house, ‘a glass […]

If Beale Street Could Talk If Beale Street Could Talk is a 2018 romantic drama film written and directed by Barry Jenkins. The film follows a young woman in early 1970s Harlem — who seeks to clear the name of her lover, charged with a […]

Between the Shadow and Soul “I don’t love you as if you were a rose of salt, topaz, or arrow of carnations that propagate fire: I love you as one loves certain obscure things, secretly, between the shadow and the soul.” – Pablo Neruda, Love […]

Death Letter “We’re starting and ending the season with deep, deep classic American vernacular,” T Bone Burnett – music producer and soundtrack curator of HBO’s True Detective. ‘Death Letter Blues’ was originally recorded by Delta Blues artist, Son House, in 1965. Cassandra Wilson’s 1995 version […]

Jason Isbell To say the least, Jason Isbell is the preeminent singer/songwriter of our time. Almost lost in the superb songwriting and flawless singing — is Jason Isbell’s world class guitar playing. If you get the opportunity to watch a Jason Isbell play live — you’ll […]

Bird Box I just watched Bird Box (Netflix) and I loved it. Obviously the film draws comparisons to The Happening and A Quiet Place but it still feels highly original. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross bring the melancholy and creeping dread with their typical sound. […]

Hedwig’s Theme I love the Harry Potter music by John Williams, and I know the music has a lot of special meaning to the fans. I created this arrangement of Hedwig’s theme (specifically) from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I’ve lowered the key […]

Life in 12 Bars Life in 12 Bars is a behind the scenes documentary of Eric Clapton’s musical restlessness and personal tragedy. Clapton’s quest to grow his artistic voice saw him routinely abandon successful relationships with bands and women. His solitary pursuit of his craft, […]