RSSXgau Sez
New batch of questions and answers.
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-05-03]
And It Don't Stop on Substack
Robert Christgau's newsletter And It Don't Stop appears three (or four) times a month on Substack. Subscribe here.
Robert Christgau's Big-Hearted Theory of Pop
Book Reports features reviews of not only the pop-music tomes you'd predict but also literary fiction, Marxist-adjacent cultural commentary, feminist debates over pornography, and even books about the past decade's financial crisis. It follows a collection that Christgau published last year, Is It Still Good to Ya? Fifty Years of Rock Criticism, 1967-2017, which includes Christgau's takes on, among many other things, classic rock, Kanye West, the music of Desert Storm, Lollapalooza, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and so-called guilty pleasures--a category that Christgau rejects, since, for rock critics, as he puts it, "pleasure is where meaning begins." Together, these collections make the sneaky case that Christgau is not just the Dean of American Rock Critics, his self-awarded and perhaps slightly off-putting nickname, but one of America's sharper public intellectuals of the past half century, and certainly one of its most influential--not to mention one of the better stylists in that cohort. Fun is a big part of why.
--David Cantwell, The New Yorker
News
Expert Witness: Robert Christgau Reviews 'Springsteen on Broadway'
New in Expert Witness:
- Bruce Springsteen: Springsteen on Broadway (Columbia) A
- Robert Forster: Inferno (Tapete) B+
- Chris Butler: Got It Together! (Future Fossil) **
- Peter Stampfel and the Atomic Meta Pagans: The Ordovician Era! (Don Giovanni) **
Rolling Stone has published an excerpt from Robert Christgau's new collection, Book Reports: A Music Critic on His First Love, Which Was Reading:
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-05-03]
Expert Witness: Billie Eilish's Teen Goth Angst
New in Expert Witness:
- Billie Eilish: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (Darkroom/Interscope) A
- Little Simz: Grey Area (Age 101) A-
- Billie Eilish: Dont Smile at Me (Darkroom/Interscope) B+
- Little Simz: Stillness in Wonderland (Age 101) *
- Little Simz: A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons (Age 101) *
Robert Christgau's second Duke University Press collection, Book Reports: A Music Critic on His First Love, Which Was Reading, is now ready to ship. 30% off from here with promo code E19CRGAU. Read an excerpt, including the introduction.
Christgau will appear and read from his book at McNally Jackson Independent Booksellers, 52 Prince Street, New York, NY, on Monday, April 29, at 7:00 pm.
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-04-26]
Expert Witness: Khalid's Textured Anxiety
New in Expert Witness:
- 6lack: East Atlanta Love Letter (LVRN/Interscope) A-
- Khalid: Free Spirit (RCA) A-
- Kyle: Light of Mine (Independently Popular/Atlantic) ***
- Khalid: Suncity (RCA) ***
- Brockhampton: Iridescence (Everything/RCA) **
- Fat Tony: 10,000 Hours (Don Giovanni) *
A new batch of Xgau Sez questions and answers appeared last Tuesday.
Official publication date is May 3, but Robert Christgau's second Duke University Press collection in six months, Book Reports: A Music Critic on His First Love, Which Was Reading, is now ready to ship. 30% off from here with promo code E19CRGAU. Read an excerpt, including the introduction.
Christgau will appear and read from his book at McNally Jackson Independent Booksellers, 52 Prince Street, New York, NY, on Monday, April 29, at 7:00 pm.
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-04-19]
Expert Witness: Salif Keita's 'Un Autre Blanc'
New in Expert Witness:
- Salif Keita: Un Autre Blanc (Believe/Naive) A-
- Hama Sankare: Ballébé (Clermont Music) A-
- Hama Sankare: Niafunké (Clermont Music) B+
- Gato Preto: Tempo (Unique) ***
- Bombino: Deran (Partisan) ***
Gabriella Paiella interviews Robert Christgau and Carola Dibbell for New York magazine's "Marriage: An Investigation": When Infidelity, Infertility, and Cancer Only Make Your Marriage Stronger.
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-04-12]
Expert Witness: Stella Donnelly's Musical Encyclopedia of Assholes
New in Expert Witness:
- Stella Donnelly: Beware of the Dogs (Secretly Canadian) A-
- Sharon Van Etten: Remind Me Tomorrow (Jagjaguwar) A-
- Jenny Lewis: On the Line (Warner Bros.) ***
- Sir Babygirl: Crush on You (Father/Daughter) **
- Girls on Grass: Dirty Power (self-released) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-04-05]
Expert Witness: Pedro the Lion's Return
New in Expert Witness:
- Pedro the Lion: Phoenix (Polyvinyl) A-
- Jason Ringenberg: Stand Tall (Courageous Chicken) B+
- Eric Church: Desperate Man (EMI Nashville) **
- Gurf Morlix: Impossible Blue (Rootball) *
- Bottle Rockets: Bit Logic (Bloodshot) *
A new batch of Xgau Sez questions and answers appeared last Tuesday.
We've added a book page for Robert Christgau's new book, Book Reports: A Music Critic on His First Love, Which Was Reading (Duke University Press), to be published April 12.
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-03-29]
Expert Witness: Ariana Grande's Garden of Sonic Delights
New in Expert Witness:
- Ariana Grande: Sweetener (Republic) A-
- Amber Mark: Conexao EP (Virgin EMI) A-
- Diana Gordon: Pure (self-released) ***
- Ariana Grande: Thank U, Next (Republic) ***
- Robyn: Honey (Konichiwa/Interscope) ***
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-03-22]
Expert Witness: Todd Snider's Replayable 'Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3'
New in Expert Witness:
- Todd Snider: Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3 (Aimless) A
- Leyla McCalla: Capitalist Blues (PIAS America) A-
- Our Native Daughters: Songs of Our Native Daughters (Smithsonian Folkways) **
- Leyla McCalla: A Day for the Hunter, a Day for the Prey (Jazz Village) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-03-15]
Expert Witness: Aesop Rock and Tobacco's Funny Collab, 'Malibu Ken'
New in Expert Witness:
- Malibu Ken: Malibu Ken (Rymesayers) A-
- Serengeti: Dennis 6e (People) A-
- MC Frontalot: Net Split (Level Up) **
- Serengeti: Jueles - Butterflies (Audio Recon/Deacon) *
- Serengeti: Music From the Graphic Novel Kenny Vs the Dark Web (Burnco) *
New questions and answers were posted Tuesday, March 5: Xgau Sez. New batches will appear every third Tuesday.
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-03-08]
Expert Witness: Dreezy's Step Up and Nūr's Spooky, Abstract Rap
New in Expert Witness:
- Dua Saleh: Nūr (EP) (Against Giants) A-
- Dreezy: Big Dreez (Interscope) B+
- Bali Baby: Resurrection (Twin) B+
Two new pieces in Publishers Weekly, related to Robert Christgau's forthcoming (April 12) essay collection Book Reports: A Music Critic on His First Love, Which Was Reading (Duke University Press):
- Book Reports: A Music Critic on His First Love, Which Was Reading: unsigned book review.
- David Varno: Making the Grade: PW Talks with Robert Christgau: an interview with Christgau.
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-03-01]
Expert Witness: Carsie Blanton's Unabashed Politics
New in Expert Witness:
- Carsie Blanton: Buck Up (Carsie Blanton) A
- The Paranoid Style: Rock & Roll Just Can't Recall + 3 (Bar/None) A
- The Rails: There Are Other People in This World Not Just You (Thirty Tigers) ***
- Kate Vargas: For the Wolfish and Wandering (Kate Vargas) ***
- Caroline Rose: Loner (New West) **
- The Regrettes: Feel Your Feelings Fool! (Warner Bros.) **
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-02-22]
Expert Witness: Jazz-Rock Staple Harriet Tubman
New in Expert Witness:
- Harriet Tubman: The Terror End of Beauty (Sunnyside) A-
- Thiago Nassif: Três (Foom) A-
- Qais Essar: The Ghost You Love Most (self-released) ***
- The Hot 8 Brass Band: On the Spot (Tru Thoughts) ***
- RAM: August 1791 (Willibelle) **
- Nordub: Sly & Robbie Meet Nils Petter Molvaer Feat Eivind Aarset and Vladislav Delay (OKeh) **
New questions and answers were posted Tuesday, February 12: Xgau Sez. From this point, new batches will appear every third Tuesday.
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-02-15]
Expert Witness: Alex Chilton's Fragile Love Songs
New in Expert Witness:
- Alex Chilton: From Memphis to New Orleans (Bar/None) A-
- Alex Chilton: Ocean Club '77 (Norton) A-
- Big Star: Live on WLIR (Omnivore) B+
- Alex Chilton: Songs From Robin Hood Lane (Bar/None) *
The Village Voice released their 2018 Pazz & Jop package, including:
- Pazz & Jop: The Top 100 Albums of 2018
- Pazz & Jop: The Top 50 Singles of 2018
- Pazz & Jop Voters Ballots: 2018 Albums
- Pazz & Jop Voters Ballots: 2018 Singles
- Pazz & Jop Comments: Let Us Now Praise Kacey Musgraves
- Robert Christgau: The Dean's List: "Reports of the album's death has been greatly exaggerated"
- Carol Cooper: Welcome to the Cardi Party: "The 'secret' of her success is that she is able to simultaneously be and represent different things to different people"
- Sasha Geffen: Fighting a Sense of Stuckness: "Janelle Monáe, Car Seat Headrest, Boygenius, and the year in queer music"
- Jessica Hopper: So, Are Women Here Yet?: "Kacey Musgraves, Janelle Monáe, and the Year of the Woman . . . again"
- Joe Levy: Critical Democracy: Robert Christgau, Ann Powers, and Rob Harvilla on Pazz & Jop's Past and Present.
- Tirhakah Love: This Is Black Genius? "Donald Glover, Janelle Monáe and Kendrick Lamar make some kind of statement."
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-02-08]
Expert Witness: Saba's Humanist Hip-Hop
New in Expert Witness:
- Saba: Care for Me (Saba Pivot) A-
- The Coup: Sorry to Bother You: The Soundtrack (Interscope) A-
- Czarface: Czarface Meets Metal Face (Silver Age) ***
- G Herbo: Humble Beast (Machine) ***
- Saba: The Bucket List Project (Saba Pivot) **
- 1800 Seconds: Curated by Pusha T (Mass Appeal) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-02-01]
Expert Witness: The Ex's Protest Music and Idles' Rage
New in Expert Witness:
- The Ex: 27 Passports (Ex) A-
- Idles: Joy as an Act of Resistance (Partisan) A-
- Marie Davidson: Working Class Woman (Ninja Tune) *
- Public Service Broadcasting: Every Valley (PIAS America) *
New questions and answers will be posted Tuesday, January 29: Xgau Sez.
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-01-25]
Robert Christgau's Is It Still Good to Ya? is a finalist for NBCC Criticism Award
The National Book Critics Circle Board of Directors has announced its finalists for 2018 awards. There are six categories, and Robert Christgau's Is It Still Good to Ya? Fifty Years of Rock Criticism, 1967-2017 has been selected as one of the five finalists in Criticism. The NBCC Awards have been awarded annually since 1975.
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-01-22]
New Xgau Sez
New questions and answers were posted Tuesday, January 15: Xgau Sez.
[posted by Webmaster on 2019-01-15]
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