Critical Wade Theory

Emma Goldman once said: “Thinking men and women the world over are beginning to realize that patriotism is too narrow and limited a conception to meet the necessities of our time.” That was over a century ago. And she was right — maybe even more right today than she could have imagined.

Today, we’re talking about I Came By — a tense British crime thriller from 2022 that mixes political edge, creeping dread, and the most unsettling Hugh Bonneville performance you’ll probably ever see.

Today, we’re traveling (figuratively) to the heart of Avalon, Mississippi — home to one of the most beloved and quietly revolutionary figures in American music: Mississippi John Hurt.

When we canonize certain books — when we elevate some stories above all others — we risk building a wall. Not just between “high” and “low” art, but between cultures, languages, perspectives. Between who gets to tell stories and who we’re willing to listen to.

Today we’re diving into Deerhunter — a band that calls Atlanta, Georgia home, but whose music belongs to no single place or time. Formed in 2001, they’ve carved out a space all their own in the indie rock universe, stitching together elements of punk, ambient, garage, shoegaze, and noise to create, as they once described it, “ambient punk.”

I have thoughts on this...

War stuff

Abbott’s threats are likely symbolic. The state constitution allows members to deprive a chamber of quorum. A 2021 Texas Supreme Court ruling affirmed legislative walkouts are not illegal—they may even be compelled back in-state, but removal from office or censorship has no clear precedent ...

Today, I'm taking a deep dive — not into a band, not into a genre— but into you. Specifically, your voice as a potential music journalist, or music reviewer.

How, in an age overflowing with scientific progress, are we still so vulnerable to misinformation? Plus, I give a list of organizations promoting science.

Today we’re rewinding all the way back to 1969 for a look at The Upsetter, the groundbreaking album by one of reggae’s wildest visionaries — Lee “Scratch” Perry.

After is a 2019 romantic drama directed by Jenny Gage and adapted from Anna Todd’s viral Wattpad story — which, fun fact, originally started as One Direction fan fiction.

Tariffs / Trump's Creepy Aliases / Ivana's Iffy Death

Rudolf Rocker. His 1938 work, Anarcho-Syndicalism, opens with a clear-eyed critique of modern power — economic and political — and a call for something radically different.

If they want us to stop calling them fascists, they should stop doing fascist crap.

Bob Wills — "The King of Western Swing" blended country and jazz...and also influenced rock and roll. Here's how...

Today — we're heading straight into the swampy unknown with Jonny Quest. The episode: “The Mystery of the Lizard Men.”

Talking about one of the sharpest teen comedies of the last two decades — Easy A.

Today we’re diving into the sleek, suspenseful, and downright iconic world of John Barry — the man who gave James Bond his swagger and helped redefine film music along the way.

I discuss Trump's war on Harvard (and education generally), how Kid Rock sucks, and the twisted world of Vince and Linda McMahon. Somehow, I forgot to mention I actually once attended a WCW wrestling event (accompanying my girlfriend at the time and her brother). But these episodes aren't all about me anyway, right?

Mississippi Fred McDowell — a slide guitar master, a folk-blues icon, and one of the rawest voices ever captured on tape.

Ever wondered how scholars make sense of thousands of fairy tales from all over the world? How do you compare a story about a clever fox in Finland to one about a tricky jackal in India—or a talking cat in Germany? It turns out, there’s a system for that.

A growing rebellion is stirring within Trump’s MAGA faction, this time triggered by how his team handled documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal investigation. The furor, rooted in long-held suspicions about elite complicity and justice system deceit, has split Trump’s closest allies and heightens distrust in centralized authority.

When we think of violence, we often picture a man. Fist clenched. Voice raised. History has taught us to associate aggression with masculinity — as if rage were hardwired into being a man. But what if that’s not always true?

"Thirteen" hit theaters in 2003 like a punch in the gut. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke in her feature debut and co-written with then-13-year-old Nikki Reed, this isn’t your average coming-of-age story. It's a raw, relentless descent into adolescence at its most chaotic and unfiltered.