Matt BaileyShea is associate professor of music theory at the University of Rochester and the Eastman School of Music. He has published research on topics such as gesture, agency, chromatic harmony, and musical form.
Winner of the Wallace Berry Award, sponsored by the Society for Music Theory BaileyShea has written a rare kind of book: inviting enough for non-experts, but rigorous enough for scholars. Please read-and listen-with attention! -Adam Bradley, author of The Poetry of Pop Fusing an approach that engages both lyrics and musical content of English-language songs in a wide swath of genres, Lines and Lyrics gives readers the tools and concepts to help them better interpret songs, in an accessible and enjoyable format. -Victoria Malawey, author of A Blaze of Light In Every Word: Analyzing the Popular Singing Voice I can think of no other book that juxtaposes art song and pop song so effectively, in a way that doesn't privilege one over the other. This is a real achievement, and a must-have for anyone who loves words and songs. -Stephen Rodgers, University of Oregon