Bill Cooper
@hopebillhelps.bsky.social
Arts & Culture Journalist/Writer/Editor
Words: Spectrum Culture, The Tonearm, Third Eye Psych, IHTOV, Substack
hopebillhelps@gmail.com
https://billstakes.substack.com/
Words: Spectrum Culture, The Tonearm, Third Eye Psych, IHTOV, Substack
hopebillhelps@gmail.com
https://billstakes.substack.com/
If you see this, post an album cover with a motor vehicle on it. Here's a personal fav.
November 8, 2025 at 12:01 PM
If you see this, post an album cover with a motor vehicle on it. Here's a personal fav.
Wrote on Substack about Pitchfork's upcoming controversial decision to allow audience ratings and comments, my thoughts, and how I think it might impact music criticism.
Link here: open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
Link here: open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
October 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Wrote on Substack about Pitchfork's upcoming controversial decision to allow audience ratings and comments, my thoughts, and how I think it might impact music criticism.
Link here: open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
Link here: open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
Thank god I was worried it was fake
October 10, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Thank god I was worried it was fake
Mobley in the mornin'
October 8, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Mobley in the mornin'
Gee, they ain't lyin', huh?
October 2, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Gee, they ain't lyin', huh?
Doctor I trust more than RFK Jr
September 23, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Doctor I trust more than RFK Jr
Tonight's watch: Kurosawa's Scandal
September 22, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Tonight's watch: Kurosawa's Scandal
This album slaps so hard. Electronic, pulsating grooves, head-nod inducing beats, great vox. Hard not to want to dance. So glad I picked this one up.
September 16, 2025 at 5:09 PM
This album slaps so hard. Electronic, pulsating grooves, head-nod inducing beats, great vox. Hard not to want to dance. So glad I picked this one up.
It's not October yet, but this LP feels right this morning.
September 6, 2025 at 12:45 PM
It's not October yet, but this LP feels right this morning.
Pic related: At work, writing a very long, in-depth feature that dozens of people may read.
September 5, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Pic related: At work, writing a very long, in-depth feature that dozens of people may read.
Damn, Metheny is throwing some serious shade on Kenny G in this here graf.
August 31, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Damn, Metheny is throwing some serious shade on Kenny G in this here graf.
Getting funky with one of the Temptations' best albums.
Notice how I said "one," as there are several bangers in their psychedelic soul section of their discography...
Notice how I said "one," as there are several bangers in their psychedelic soul section of their discography...
August 12, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Getting funky with one of the Temptations' best albums.
Notice how I said "one," as there are several bangers in their psychedelic soul section of their discography...
Notice how I said "one," as there are several bangers in their psychedelic soul section of their discography...
Jon Borack's Shake Some Action. It came out in 2007.
It's very cool, but incredibly rare because it had such a small print. I got it for a steep but reasonable price, but it's typically outrageous (75-100$), but if you keep an eye out you might find it for a decent price like me.
It's very cool, but incredibly rare because it had such a small print. I got it for a steep but reasonable price, but it's typically outrageous (75-100$), but if you keep an eye out you might find it for a decent price like me.
August 10, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Jon Borack's Shake Some Action. It came out in 2007.
It's very cool, but incredibly rare because it had such a small print. I got it for a steep but reasonable price, but it's typically outrageous (75-100$), but if you keep an eye out you might find it for a decent price like me.
It's very cool, but incredibly rare because it had such a small print. I got it for a steep but reasonable price, but it's typically outrageous (75-100$), but if you keep an eye out you might find it for a decent price like me.
Saturdays are for...digging through Nick Heyward's discography, I guess?
August 9, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Saturdays are for...digging through Nick Heyward's discography, I guess?
I read about reviewer requirements on a major music publication, and some didn't sit well with me.
Read more on my Substack.
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
Read more on my Substack.
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
July 10, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I read about reviewer requirements on a major music publication, and some didn't sit well with me.
Read more on my Substack.
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
Read more on my Substack.
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
Feeling Lewis Fury's chaotic energy today
June 14, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Feeling Lewis Fury's chaotic energy today
Wrote about the "Pokémon Theme" and how the lyrics are effective marketing for kids on my Substack below.
Glad I could put my English degree to good use:
billstakes.substack.com/publish/home...
Glad I could put my English degree to good use:
billstakes.substack.com/publish/home...
June 3, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Wrote about the "Pokémon Theme" and how the lyrics are effective marketing for kids on my Substack below.
Glad I could put my English degree to good use:
billstakes.substack.com/publish/home...
Glad I could put my English degree to good use:
billstakes.substack.com/publish/home...
Despite physical media's ability to preserve history, there are limitations and hidden costs.
A recent personal experience watching the 1994 show The Critic made me think in depth about them.
Check out my Substack post here:
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
A recent personal experience watching the 1994 show The Critic made me think in depth about them.
Check out my Substack post here:
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
May 29, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Despite physical media's ability to preserve history, there are limitations and hidden costs.
A recent personal experience watching the 1994 show The Critic made me think in depth about them.
Check out my Substack post here:
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
A recent personal experience watching the 1994 show The Critic made me think in depth about them.
Check out my Substack post here:
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
When I went to see Arm's Length last week, one of the openers (Bike Routes) surprised me. Enough that I bought their latest EP and wrote about their songs on my Substack:
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
May 26, 2025 at 1:30 PM
When I went to see Arm's Length last week, one of the openers (Bike Routes) surprised me. Enough that I bought their latest EP and wrote about their songs on my Substack:
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
open.substack.com/pub/billstak...
Wrote about Erin Durant's new LP Firetrail on my Substack. It's beautifully sung medieval psych folk that is cinematic and filled with lush instrumentation. If reading that perked you up more than your morning coffee, you need to check this release out:
billstakes.substack.com/p/the-cinema...
billstakes.substack.com/p/the-cinema...
May 16, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Wrote about Erin Durant's new LP Firetrail on my Substack. It's beautifully sung medieval psych folk that is cinematic and filled with lush instrumentation. If reading that perked you up more than your morning coffee, you need to check this release out:
billstakes.substack.com/p/the-cinema...
billstakes.substack.com/p/the-cinema...
First listen while I dive into the music blogs.
January 30, 2025 at 11:02 AM
First listen while I dive into the music blogs.
Secret Communication has me digging into the rest of Soshi Takeda's discography...
Loving this LP's smooth electronic sounds and getting lost in the waves...
Loving this LP's smooth electronic sounds and getting lost in the waves...
December 13, 2024 at 5:20 PM
Secret Communication has me digging into the rest of Soshi Takeda's discography...
Loving this LP's smooth electronic sounds and getting lost in the waves...
Loving this LP's smooth electronic sounds and getting lost in the waves...
I don't care if the movie is as cheesy as they come.
The soundtrack is bangin'.
The soundtrack is bangin'.
December 13, 2024 at 2:36 PM
I don't care if the movie is as cheesy as they come.
The soundtrack is bangin'.
The soundtrack is bangin'.
Thrift store "What the Hell is This?" Movie Night
November 22, 2024 at 12:44 AM
Thrift store "What the Hell is This?" Movie Night