A review by writesdave
Always Magic in the Air: The Bomp and Brilliance of the Brill Building Era by Ken Emerson

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Fun chronicle of the rise and fall of the Brill Building, the factory that churned out hundreds of hits. You find yourself saying "Wow, they wrote *that* song?" a lot. Like you don't know who they are, but you've heard their music. Or if you do know the songwriters, you didn't know they got started earlier than when they became stars (looking at King and Sedaka, certainly). Anyway, Emerson's reporting is top-notch and the storytelling is rich. Not only do you learn who-what-where-when-and-why, but you get great insights into the songwriting and production processes, as well as the business side of things. To the latter point, you might need a shower. To the former point, you'll need to take notes.