Rise of the Anachronauts

On Dan Hicks, Leonard Cohen, Etta James, and other fearless time travelers

I call them anachronauts: performers whose core appeal stems from their ability to transport listeners to another time and place. Whereas ordinary pop stars strive to intensify awareness of the present moment so that nothing else matters, anachronauts use archaic language, modes, and instrumentation to expand our egocentric understanding of the present with illuminating reminders of forgotten history. Continue reading “Rise of the Anachronauts”