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Book Review: This Is Your Brain on Music
By Stock Forrest | August 14, 2008
When I wrote my first book review in 1989, critic Bill Marx of the Boston Phoenix said that I should stick to reviewing rock music. A critic must be able to receive criticism as well as he gives it, and I naturally have a very thick skin. I was undeterred by Marx’s feedback, and I persevered. Nineteen years later, I give you my second book review:
This Is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin describes the science of what goes on in the brain when we play or listen to music. Levitin is a former record producer. He once worked with Blue Öyster Cult and Steely Dan, so it should come as no surprise that he grew up to be a science nerd. He keeps the laboratory mumbo jumbo to a minimum, making this book surprisingly readable.
My biggest disappointment, however, is that except for the PSA allusion in the title, he does not cover the affect of drugs on making or enjoying music. He worked with the Grateful Dead for Jerry’s sake! My own experiments have proven that listening to Kansas when high improves the perceived music quality immensely. It would have been nice to have my findings peer-reviewed.
Topics: Books |
August 14th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Stock,
I don’t remember being so dismissive of your efforts at reviewing books. I didn’t mean to traumatize you. This second attempt is not bad, but it is pretty undernourished — you need to talk about the ideas presented in the book and why you agree or disagree with them. Opinions do not a book review make.
Best,
Bill Marx
August 14th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Mea culpa. I just couldn’t find any proper research on the effects of drugs while listening to music. And reporting personal opinions about a scientific question just didn’t seem right. Someone needs to do this research. I’ll volunteer if I can get the grant money.
My new book has more information about the internal drug states of the brain and how music affects neurochemistry. How’s that for a start? “The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nautre.” In the meantime, I’ll fire up the bong and see if I can verify your Kansas observation.
August 18th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Mr. Marx…when I first skimmed your comment, I thought you said that *I* was undernourished. My ex-wife said the opposite when she had to drag my drunk ass in from the porch after I had passed out trying to put my car key into the front door.
After a more careful reading, I realized you were referring to my prose. Theater critics…you have to read all their words to know what they’re saying…