liz pelly

liz pelly

@lizpelly.bsky.social

writer in nyc, author of Mood Machine co-host of @criticallistening.bsky.social lizpelly.info

10,206 Followers 375 Following 421 Posts Joined Jun 2023
5 hours ago
passage from Ben Ratliff's Run the Song "Music is difficult to write about, for the simple reason that it must always be caught up with. Music moves from here to there; it is always running away from us. The fact that it runs away from us is a source of joy but also of displeasure: a song can drive you crazy, or beguile you, or perplex you, or threaten you. For this reason, many ignore its motion, or are asked to, and write about music (or are asked to) as if it were a finite historical event, which has to mean something; it's better if that something can be sharpened to a weapon-like point. Much that has been written for a general readership around music--especially lately, and especially about pop, but not exhaustively so--could have been written with the writer's having had access only to a lyrics sheet, a press release, and a transcript of an interview with the musician talking about the meaning and intent of their work, but not the actual music itself. I think there might be a double bind here. As I see it--by which I mean, as I hear it--the truth of music it in its motion. But as soon as a writer starts describing the motion of music, their editors and readers, even some who would prefer the truth, start to turn away."

I liked how Ben Ratliff wrote about this in Run the Song. a book I highly rec, whether you are into running or not

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5 hours ago

I know it's bc album reviews don't pay well but also, why does anyone want to review a record that they're not actually listening to

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5 hours ago

why are we still dealing w this style of record review that reads like the critic just read the lyric sheet and album bio, and didn't even listen to the album

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3 days ago
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A Conversation with State Assembly Candidates Eon Huntley & Christian Celeste Tate by Liz Pelly catch the fundraiser party this wednesday featuring Purelink, Chelsea Manning, and more!

thanks to GUNK for running my full interview with
@eonforassembly.bsky.social and @cct4nyc.bsky.social in their newsletter! topics discussed include the need for commercial rent stabilization, universal healthcare as arts policy, why we need to tax the rich and fund NYC libraries & more

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3 days ago

for those not in nyc gunk is a monthly show listings zine that has been distributed around the city for 2+ years. it is printed at secret Riso club, a risograph studio/venue in Brooklyn. it is very exciting to me that these things exist & to get to contribute. support your local diy print pubs etc.

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3 days ago
Preview
A Conversation with State Assembly Candidates Eon Huntley & Christian Celeste Tate by Liz Pelly catch the fundraiser party this wednesday featuring Purelink, Chelsea Manning, and more!

thanks to GUNK for running my full interview with
@eonforassembly.bsky.social and @cct4nyc.bsky.social in their newsletter! topics discussed include the need for commercial rent stabilization, universal healthcare as arts policy, why we need to tax the rich and fund NYC libraries & more

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3 days ago
YouTube
Kim Gordon - “PLAY ME” (Official Video) YouTube video by Kim Gordon

rich popular girl villain mode jazz in the background chillin after work
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVgb...

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4 days ago
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Chip in! Show your support with a contribution.

grab a ticket here! v good gig for a v good cause this Wednesday at the broadway
secure.actblue.com/donate/eonan...
also related note this Nara's room album from 2024 rips narasroom.bandcamp.com/album/glassy...

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6 days ago
Preview
Episode 12: February 2026 Headlines Podcast Episode · Critical Listening · March 6 · 54m

Feb. headlines episode out now! We read the transcript of Spotify's 2025 q4 earnings call so you don't have to, and dove into what it revealed about the company's current AI aspirations. And we spoke w/ @jillmapes.bsky.social about her essay on the Wasserman exodus
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

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6 days ago
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Episode 12: February 2026 Headlines Podcast Episode · Critical Listening · March 6 · 54m

out now across various podcast listening platforms !
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

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1 week ago

NYC bluesky scrollers: please save the date MARCH 11 & consider coming out to a show I helped book at The Broadway! it's a fundraiser for state assembly candidates @eonforassembly.bsky.social & @cct4nyc.bsky.social who are running to tax the rich, defend & expand rent control & get ICE out of NYC.

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6 days ago
Preview
What's Past is Prologue (live at Café Oto), by Damon & Naomi 8 track album

so many incredible moments on this but the singer of still house plants doing Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste w/ damon and Naomi is 😭 gina birch singing Listen The Snow is Falling also backed by stereolab and alabaster deplume😭

damonandnaomi.bandcamp.com/album/whats-...

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1 week ago

I co-organized this show with the editors of GUNK, our local diy showpaper, and the lineup includes DJs sets by Purelink, Chelsea Manning, Monday Blue and Simisea plus sets by Sweet Baby Jesus, My Wonderful Boyfriend & Nara's Room

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1 week ago

NYC bluesky scrollers: please save the date MARCH 11 & consider coming out to a show I helped book at The Broadway! it's a fundraiser for state assembly candidates @eonforassembly.bsky.social & @cct4nyc.bsky.social who are running to tax the rich, defend & expand rent control & get ICE out of NYC.

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1 week ago
Preview
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have been alerted that Mood Machine will be on the front page of en.wikipedia.org under "did you know" until 7pm est... excitement

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1 week ago

Great info in this episode of @criticallistening.bsky.social about Spotify’s plans for use of generative AI

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1 week ago

real question.. how am I supposed to choose what to see at big ears when everything happening at the same time all looks equally incredible

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1 week ago

out now on patreon, for subscribers, and everywhere except spotify next week, for the public. thank you for listening & thank you to Jill for joining us!

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1 week ago
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Episode 12: February 2026 Headlines | Critical Listening Get more from Critical Listening on Patreon

feb headlines ep of @criticallistening.bsky.social is live! we discuss spotify's recent update to shareholders (aka I read the spotify q4 earnings call transcript so you don't have to) & also chat with @jillmapes.bsky.social about her essay on the wasserman exodus--
www.patreon.com/posts/episod...

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1 week ago

loved the new episode of @techwontsave.us about luddite clubs & learning that there's a documentary about them on the way! (and also to hear mention of members ditching streaming to rebuild their music libraries)

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3 weeks ago
Linkedin post by Downtown Music that says "It's official. Virgin Music Group and Downtown Music have joined forces, united in our commitment to the global independent community."

Love when two entities owned by Universal Music Group join forces to support the global independent music community.

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3 weeks ago
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Day 45ish of having a flip phone I got lost driving from Sunset Park to Ridgewood today.

"I hope to do pointless things every day for the rest of my life" beautiful gunkyard.substack.com/p/day-45ish-...

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3 weeks ago

ya I try to only acquire things on vinyl I know I already love. occasionally will preorder a new release on vinyl. sometimes will listen to something on the listening station at a used record shop & know its a keeper but generally LP collection is smaller & more considered & tapes I'll buy on a whim

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3 weeks ago

as many have pointed out CDs would be a better choice if you're trying to also build a digital library since you can get a USB cd burner for pretty cheap. I usually just get mp3s from bandcamp tho

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3 weeks ago

my thought is that it's nice to have a big collection of tapes or CDs (smaller, cheaper) and a smaller collection of vinyl records. I have a huge sprawling collection of tapes (will buy lots used & to support people at the merch table) & mostly just favs/all-timer records on vinyl

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1 month ago
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Bullshit Bots | Sohini Desai Is AI really coming for entry-level jobs first, and the rest of the workforce next? Tech CEOs certainly want you to think so.

As the tech industry struggles to justify its investments in AI, firms are now pitching “agentic AI” as one route to profit. As Sohini Desai explains, these bots are meant to juice consumer spending—and help bosses put the squeeze on their workers.

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1 month ago
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liz_pelly - listening in 2026 new music

my 6th year using buymusicclub for collecting new music I'm listening to & albums I'm looking fwd to etc. shout out to simple websites that serve a single purpose
www.buymusic.club/list/liz_pel...

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1 month ago
YouTube
Kim Gordon - "DIRTY TECH" (Official Video) YouTube video by Kim Gordon

new Kim dream record
www.youtube.com/watch?v=941P...

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1 month ago
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Episode 11: Live from Groningen is now available wherever you get your podcasts besides you know where. Did we automate or die trying? Tune in to find out! Remember to support the show for bonus episodes and access to our discord by subscribing at patreon.com/criticallistening

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1 month ago
Preview
Take My Books, Please Reflections on the Settlement of Bartz v Anthropic

more in "they're doing to books what they already did to music" @dadadrummer.bsky.social dadadrummer.substack.com/p/take-my-bo...

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