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Metallica: Righteous or Irrelevant?
Fans of the band Metallica are divided over the veteran heavy metal group's new album. Some call the thrash-fest a return to form. Others say it's just a trip down memory lane. In another Soundcheck Smackdown, we debate "Death Magnetic." Also: the British singer-songwriter Johnny Flynn performs live in our studio.
Enter Soundcheck’s songwriting contest! Your lyrics could be selected by our Grammy Award-winning judge and set to music by New York-area musicians. Click here for rules and more details.
Wall Street Woes Jeopardize Arts Funding
Kate Taylor, a reporter at the New York Sun, explains how the turmoil on Wall Street will affect a wide swath of New York City's cultural institutions, including Lincoln Center and MOMA.
Soundcheck Smackdown: Metallica
For more than a decade, Metallica has thrived on controversy. Each new album is greeted with intense scrutiny and analysis. On their latest release, "Death Magnetic," the godfathers of thrash hark back to their 1980s glory. In a Soundcheck Smackdown that threatens to tear the metal universe in half, we dare to debate "Death Magnetic." We're joined by Phil Freeman, editor in chief of Metal Edge magazine, and Ryan Schreiber, founding editor of music-news site Pitchfork Media. And, we take your calls.
Soundcheck blog: John Schaefer on "Death Magnetic"
Tell us: Are Metallica roaring back to form, or sinking deeper into irrelevance?
More magnetic than "Death Magnetic"? Ryan Schreiber's list of five bands that rock harder than the new Metallica album
The debate continues on the Soundcheck blog: one Metallica fan reacts to our Smackdown
Metallica site
Phil Freeman's review of "Death Magnetic"
Pitchfork's review of "Death Magnetic" (by Cosmo Lee)
Johnny Flynn
Johnny Flynn, a London-based singer-songwriter, has an accomplished resume that includes working as a Shakespearean stage actor. His lyrics have a strong literary bent while his sound draws heavily on the traditional English folk foundation. Today, the former busker performs songs from his new album, "A Larum."
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