It’s easy to dismiss the impact of background music on a meal, but think of it this way: If you had just settled in for a romantic dinner and death metal started playing, you might consider taking ...

The music darts into the ear, does its subtle job in the subcortex of the brain, then slips out the other ear without saying goodbye. The listener is all but unaware that he has heard anything, but ...

Joanna Newsom's music tends to flummox the casual listener. It's not good background music (too dynamic), not good work music (too wordy), not good exercise music (where's that four-on-the-floor beat?