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Greil Marcus's 'Mystery Train'

In 1975, music critic Greil Marcus published Mystery Train, which for the first time placed rock 'n' roll within the context of American cultural archetypes, from "Moby-Dick" to Jay Gatsby. Thirty-three years later, the book remains a benchmark of criticism and has inspired countless music scribes. He joins us on the occasion of the book's fifth printing to discuss how artists like Elvis Presley and Sly Stone are continuing to impact American culture.

Weigh in: Does rock 'n' roll music still matter today?

Our blog: John Schaefer on pop music and the cultural landscape.

Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock 'n' Roll: Fifth Edition on Amazon

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Soundcheck CD Picks of the Week

Ralph Van Raat, pianist; Frederic Rzewski – "The People United Will Never Be Defeated!" and "Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues" (Naxos)

Composer and keyboard firebrand Frederic Rzewski has written numerous works steeped in left-wing politics but one stands out as a modern classic: "The People United Will never Be Defeated!," his 1975 homage to Latin American liberation struggles. The piece is an hour-long set of variations on the protest song of the same name by Chilean composer Sergio Ortega, himself a leftist figure in South America. In a new recording, Dutch pianist Ralph Van Raat steers through the many different aspects of struggle, from angry modernism to nostalgic folk music and dense polyphony. - Picked by Brian Wise

French Kicks, "Swimming" [Vagrant]

Our next pick is the CD "Swimming" by the Brooklyn-based band French Kicks. Sometimes, new work in the post-punk genre can leave you with that cold “retro” feeling. But in the hands of French Kicks, the legacy of the Cure and early U2 sounds pretty fresh. The fourth album by this is filled with jangly guitars, galloping drumbeats, and enough “echo” for all the Bunnymen. Here’s “New Man” from “Swimming” by the French Kicks. - Picked by Joel Meyer

Cryptogramophone Assemblage 1998-2008 (Cryptogramophone)

In an era of declining album sales, some tiny labels find a way to survive in music niches. Cryptogramophone Records is a boutique label based in L.A. which specializes in cutting edge improvisation. They just celebrated their 10th anniversary with a week of shows in town last week, but if you missed it, you should check out Cryptogramophone Assemblage 1998-2008. It’s a compilation of the label’s history in two 2 CDs and one DVD. You might recognize many names there from the rock or jazz worlds, but chances are they will sound very different here. – Picked by Gisele Regatao

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Lizz Wright

When working on her new album, singer Lizz Wright went home, in rural Georgia, and took pictures of roads, cotton fields and the local church where she learned to sing gospel. Then she started to write a new set of original songs, getting some help from songwriter Toshi Reagon. Lizz joins us to talk about the result on her new record “The Orchard.”

Lizz Wright's Web site

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