David Royko

Spreading joy: Andrew Patner’s CSO coverage collected in new book

June 18, 2019 at 6:08 p.m.

Andrew Patner, you were no Lester Bangs. Bangs, the famed rock critic, thrust his acerbic, infuriating personality so vividly into his reviews that you might walk away knowing more about...

An introduction: ‘The Best of Royko’

July 16, 2019 at 4:42 p.m.

'How I wish your dad was around to write about this." People often say this to me, and I always agree.?"Oh boy, he would've had a field day." Yep. "I...

Chris Thile (L) and Noam Pikelny perform at the 2012 Americana Awards.

Punch Brothers as unplugged superheroes

April 6, 2019 at 3:10 a.m.

The band Punch Brothers was half-jokingly called The Legion of Acoustic Superheroes by newgrass legend John Cowan soon after they formed in 2006. It made sense at the time —...

‘Genius’ pairing: 2 great musical minds think alike

December 18, 2018 at 2:42 a.m.

Mandolinist and composer Chris Thile's Bach CD ("Sonatas and Partitas," Vol. 1, Nonesuch, 2013) is a genius trifecta. Thile received a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" in 2012. His producer, bassist...

Review: ‘Life, Animated’ by Ron Suskind

May 9, 2019 at 9:29 p.m.

Ron Suskind's "Life, Animated" is an extraordinary saga of an exceptional boy from a remarkable family and their compelling journey through autism. How much more it is will likely depend...

Review: ‘Life, Animated’ by Ron Suskind

December 23, 2018 at 11:29 p.m.

Ron Suskind's "Life, Animated" is an extraordinary saga of an exceptional boy from a remarkable family and their compelling journey through autism. How much more it is will likely depend...

Reinvention adds punch to some classics

November 4, 2021 at 12:25 a.m.

Mandolinist Chris Thile has won Grammy Awards and a MacArthur "genius" grant, while Grammy nominee Noam Pikelny was the first recipient of Steve Martin's Prize for Excellence in Banjo and...

Reinvention adds punch to some classics

December 24, 2018 at 11:02 a.m.

Mandolinist Chris Thile has won Grammy Awards and a MacArthur "genius" grant, while Grammy nominee Noam Pikelny was the first recipient of Steve Martin's Prize for Excellence in Banjo and...

Other critics’ top music picks

August 22, 2021 at 2:07 a.m.

Our contributing music writers name their five favorite albums of the year. POP 1. Taylor Swift: "Fearless" (Big Machine) It isn't "In Rainbows" or anything, but Swift's big girl coming...

David Grisman Quintet

August 21, 2021 at 8:01 p.m.

The current David Grisman Quintet bears only a passing resemblance to its all-strings original line-up, with flute and drums in place of fiddle and second mandolin.Grisman has also focused his...

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