Ken Tucker

Ken Tucker is, as usual, disappointed by the winners of this year's Grammy Awards. But he's also dismayed by reader and critic polls which, according to him, celebrate dolorous and purposeless artists. New Order's recent album, Technique, could be described the same way, but Tucker appreciates its charm and accessibility.

The 1967 film Point Blank, directed by John Moorman, never found a wide audience in the U.S. Critic Ken Tucker says the crime thriller was a success nonetheless, with a brutal, fast-moving style and a directorial vision never recaptured in Moorman's later work.

Rock critic Ken Tucker says there has been a long-running tradition of artists performing the hits of past performers, some of whom radically reinterpret the original song. But the success of these efforts is mixed. Tucker considers some recent examples by performers like Kylie Minogue, Cowboy Junkies, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

Rock critic Ken Tucker says that most singer-songwritiers who find success early on never recapture the spark of their best work later in their career. But Elvis Costello bucks the trend on his 13th album, Spike.

Critic Ken Tucker reviews the home video release The Sweet Smell of Success, which he says features gorgeous shots of 1950s New York City, and an unrelenting narrative intensity.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new country star's latest album, which flirts with jazzy blues with surprising success.

Rock critic Ken Tucker once more looks at the best and worst songs currently hitting the airwaves. Represented artists include Matthew Sweet, Bunny Wailer, Violent Femmes, Tone Loc, and Emmylou Harris.

The pop star has a new direct-to-video collection of short films featuring songs from throughout his career. Rock critic Ken Tucker says its artistic value is almost nil, but it's worth watching at least once to marvel at the spectacle of it all.

Rock critic Ken Tucker says that few comeback albums from aging rock stars in the 1980s have been good. The late Roy Orbison's Mystery Girl is an exception.

Rock critic Ken Tucker says Reed's new record, New York, doesn't live up to the artist's claim. But it may be his most sincere in its examination of contemporary, social issues.