Andrew Martone

Andrew Martone

Is Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way” An Undercover LGBT Anthem?

by
January 22, 2018
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Introduction Before I get started on “Ain’t No Way”, I want to address a few things (in case this crosses Miss Franklin’s eyes). The intention of this piece is not gossip. No malice is intended in these words. I’m simply working off information I’ve learned, and a theory I came up with as a music fan, listener, and interpreter of lyrics. If anything,

Review: Celine Dion shows her ‘Courage’

November 15, 2019
Celine Dion’s new album Courage embodies its title before even giving it a listen. With a deluxe edition clocking in at 20 tracks (and a standard at 16), it’s courageous and ambitious for any mainstream artist, especially of Celine’s tenure, to release that much music at once in 2019. But
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aretha franklin so damn happy

So Damn Happy: Aretha Franklin Brightens Up

September 23, 2018
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In the final decades of her career, Aretha Franklin released a modest amount of music compared to her early years. Gone were the days of releasing an album or two every year. So Damn Happy is one of Aretha’s final bodies of work, despite being released 15 years before her passing
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aretha franklin radio city 2014

The 6 Aretha Franklin Albums You Can’t Stream

August 30, 2018
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Over the course of Aretha Franklin’s career she recorded more than 40 studio albums. Most of these albums are readily available to stream across Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal. However, 6 of Aretha’s albums are absent from all platforms. While none of them rank among her best work, each album
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Queen Nicki Minaj Review

Album Review: On Queen, Nicki Minaj Dethrones Herself

August 18, 2018
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Nicki Minaj might be the Donald Trump of rap. She’s overly concerned with her position, her numbers, asserting her superiority, erasing those she dislikes from the past, and attempting to do the same for followers. It’s gotten to the point where she’s so insecure that detractors can expect physical threats
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Aretha Franklin Made Me.

August 16, 2018
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It is as simple as that. Aretha made me. After the 5th (or so) show was cancelled (and not rescheduled) earlier this year, I could feel it and painfully realized I might soon need to write this. I’d been on and off concerned since last year. At Aretha Franklin’s final
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shania twain barclays center

Concert Review: Shania Twain Impresses Much At Barclays Center

July 17, 2018
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The Return of Shania Twain Things have changed significantly in Shania Twain’s life between 2002’s Up! and 2017’s Now. The abridged version: motherhood, infidelity, divorce, remarriage, and paralyzing vocal issues. Despite the odds, Shania Twain remains resilient. 2017’s Now failed to ignite the same spark as previous albums, but that’s not
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THE 97 is a music and culture magazine that curates deeply researched retrospectives, reviews, and original commentary on iconic artists, albums, and moments in music. Blending reflective nostalgia with a fresh perspective, we offer readers a way to “relive the splendor” of music’s most memorable moments and enduring legacies.

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