Ken Tucker

Critic Ken Tucker says the new video Bugs & Daffy: The Wartime Cartoons is a delightful reminder of the wry ways Americans dealt with their emotions during World War II.

Ken Tucker says Petty's first album without his backing band, Full Moon Fever, makes him proud to be an American -- it's a fine, mainstream rock album.

Ken Tucker returns with his latest countdown of noteworthy songs. His list features Roachford, Peter Case, Tim Finn, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Elvis Costello.

Rock critic Ken Tucker says that, with the rise of bad boys and neo-traditionalists in country music, fans and critics have overlooked several accomplished women artists. He reviews new albums by four singers worth checking out.

Ken Tucker reviews the home video release of I Wanna Hold Your Hand, about a group of teenage Beatles fans in New Jersey. The film, directed by Robert Zemeckis, was a commercial fop, but Tucker, who says it's insightful without indulging in cliches, hopes it will find a new audience on tape.

Critic Ken Tucker reviews the home video release of The Great Ziegfeld, a biopic about the famed impresario. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, an honor Tucker says was undeserved. Yet the film is fun, despite some slow moments, and paints a clear picture of a bygone era of of Hollywood.

Rock critic Ken Tucker appreciates Madonna's provocative public persona; she's used her irresistible music to create videos and commercials that make controversial use of religious iconography. But her new album can't fully match her image; Tucker says there are too many ballads and not enough pop hooks.

Critic Ken Tucker reviews the Oscar-winning 1943 film, which was credited with galvanizing support for the Allies during World War II. Contrary to some contemporary attitudes toward the movie, critic Ken Tucker says Mrs. Miniver critiques, rather than celebrates, bourgeois life.

Raitt's first album in three years, called Nick of Time, was produced by Don Was of the band Was (Not Was). Rock critic Ken Tucker says its diverse songs showcase the singer and guitar player's rich voice and increasing accessibility.

XTC's Andy Partridge describes his band's music as "weird pop." His frustration with the imperfections of live performances and his intense stage fright have kept the band from touring. Yet Partridge opens up on XTC's latest album with what rock critic Ken Tucker calls "an aggressive humanism."