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
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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: The Strangest Songs of Neil Young's Career, and More 
New in Expert Witness:
- The Highwaymen: The Very Best of the Highwaymen (Columbia/Legacy) A-
- Dave Van Ronk: Down in Washington Square (Smithsonian Folkways) A-
- The Rough Guide to Hillbilly Blues (World Music Network) B+
- Neil Young: Peace Trail (Reprise) ***
- Chartbusters USA: Special Country Edition (Ace) ***
- Roll Columbia: Woody Guthrie's 26 Northwest Songs (Smithsonian Folkways) *
Also, a minor site update:
[posted by Webmaster on 2017-01-27] Expert Witness: Afropop with Noura Mint Seymali, Awa Poulu, and More 
New in Expert Witness:
- African Rumba (Putumayo) A
- Noura Mint Seymali: Arbina (Glitterbeat) A-
- Awa Poulu: Poulo Warali (Awesome Tapes From Africa) B+
- Aly Keita/Jan Gallega Bronnimann/Lucas Niggli: Kalo-Yele (Intakt) ***
- Brian Chilala & Ngoma Zasu: Vangaza! (SWM) ***
- Youssou Ndour: Africa Rekk (Sony Music) **
- Fofoulah: Fofoulah (Glitterbeat) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2017-01-20] Expert Witness: 
New in Expert Witness:
- Run the Jewels: RTJ3 (self-released) A-
- T.I.: Us or Else: Letter to the System (Grand Hustle/Roc Nation) A-
- Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman: Lice Two: Still Buggin' (Rhymesayers/Stones Throw download) ***
- Fantastic Negrito: The Last Days of Oakland (Blackball Universe) ***
- Death Grips: Bottomless Pit (Harvest/Third Worlds) **
- YG: Still Brazy (Def Jam) *
Also new:
[posted by Webmaster on 2017-01-13] Expert Witness: Sheer Mag and Sleigh Bells 
New in Expert Witness:
- Sheer Mag: III 7" (Wilsuns RC/Katorga Works) A-
- Sleigh Bells: Bitter Rivals (Mom + Pop) A-
- Sleigh Bells: Jessica Rabbit (Torn Clean) B+
[posted by Webmaster on 2017-01-06] Expert Witness: End of 2016 Blues 
New in Expert Witness:
- David Bromberg: The Blues, the Whole Blues, and Nothing but the Blues (Red House) A-
- Dues Paid: The Blues Time Story (Ace) B+
- The Rough Guide to Blues Women (World Music Network) ***
- Buddy Guy: Born to Play Guitar (Silvertone) **
- The Rough Guide to Delta Blues (World Music Network) **
A couple of other pieces by Robert Christgau appeared recently in
The Village Voice:
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-12-30] Expert Witness: Choral Clatter and Savannah Sounds 
New in Expert Witness:
- Populous: Night Safari (Band Panda/Folk Wisdom) A-
- Arca: Entranas (self-released) A-
- Charlie Haden Music Liberation Orchestra: Time/Life (Impulse!) ***
- The Avalanches: Wildflower (Astralwerks) **
- Burial: "Young Death"/"Nightmarket" (Hypoerdub) **
- Horse Lords: Interventions (Northern Spy) *
- Bon Iver: 22, a Million (Jagjaguwar) *
- Earth, Wind & Fire: The Classic Christmas Album (Legacy) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-12-23] Expert Witness: Deap Vally, Nots, and "Punk" 
New in Expert Witness:
- Deap Vally: Femejism (Nevado) A-
- The Nots: Cosmetic (Goner) A-
- Warehouse: Super Low (Bayonet) ***
- Sneaks: Gymnastics (Merge) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-12-16] Expert Witness: Country Livin' 
New in Expert Witness:
- Margaret Glaspy: Emotions and Math (ATO) A-
- Miranda Lambert: The Weight of These Wings (Epic) B+
- Kacey Musgraves: A Very Kacey Christmas (Mercury Nashville) **
- Amanda Shires: My Piece of Land (Silver Knife) **
- John Prine: For Better, or Worse (Oh Boy) **
- Margaret Glaspy: If & When (Storysound) *
- Southern Family (Low Country Sound) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-12-09] Expert Witness: Ominous If You Know the Ending 
New in Expert Witness:
- Mose Allison: I'm Not Talkin': The Song Stylings of Mose Allison 1957-1971 (BGP) A-
- Hoagy Carmichael: Mr. Music Master (Coral) A-
- Johnny Mercer: The Capitol Collectors Series (Capitol) ***
- Professor Longhair: Live in Chicago (Orleans) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-12-02] Expert Witness: We the People 
New in Expert Witness:
- A Tribe Called Quest: We Got It From Here . . . Thank You 4 Your Service (Epic) A+
- Alicia Keys: Here (RCA) A-
- Common: Black America Again (Def Jam) **
- De La Soul: And the Anonymous Nobody (A.O.I.) **
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-11-25] Expert Witness: Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win 
New in Expert Witness:
- Tanya Tagaq: Retribution (Six Shooter) A-
- Pussy Riot: xxx (Nice Life) A-
- Mekons: Existentialism (Bloodshot) ***
- Raury: All We Need (Love Renaissance/Columbia) **
- PJ Harvey: The Hope Six Demolition Project (Island) *
Also new:
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-11-18] Expert Witness: Songs of Experience 
New in Expert Witness:
- Elza Soares: The Woman at the End of the World (A Mulher Do Fim Do Mundo) (Mais Um Discos) A
- Peter Stampfel and the Brooklyn & Lower Manhattan Fiddle/Mandolin Swarm: Holiday for Strings (Don Giovanni) A-
- Barbara Dane With Tammy Hall: Throw It Away . . . (Dreadnaught) ***
- Lonnie Holley: Keeping a Record of It (Dust-to-Digital) ***
- Willie Nelson: For the Good Times: A Tribute to Ray Price (Legacy) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-11-11] Expert Witness: Reinvention, Response, and "Redemption Song" 
New in Expert Witness:
- Regina Spektor: Remember Us to Life (Deluxe Edition) (Sire) A-
- Macy Gray: Stripped (Chesky) A-
- The Wainwright Sisters: Songs in the Dark (PIAS America) ***
- Tanya Tagaq: Animism (Six Shooter) ***
- Jamila Woods: HEAVN (Closed Sessions) **
- Neneh Cherry: Blank Project (Smalltown Supersound) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-11-04] Expert Witness: A Taste of the Highlife 
New in Expert Witness:
- Pat Thomas: Coming Home (Strut) A-
- Urgent Jumping!: East African Musiki Wa Dansi Classics (Sterns) B+
- Pat Thomas and Kwabishu Area Band: Pat Thomas and Kwabishu Area Band (Strut) B+
- Zomba Prison Project: "I Will Not Stop Singing" (Six Degrees) ***
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-10-28] Expert Witness: Self-Esteem as Bollix 
New in Expert Witness:
- Jinx Lennon: Past Pupil Stay Sane (Septic Tiger) A-
- Jinx Lennon: Magic Bullets of Madness to Uplift the Grief Magnets (Septic Tiger) A-
- Sleaford Mods: T.C.R. (Rough Trade) ***
- Kate Tempest: Let Them Eat Chaos (Lex) **
- L.A. Salami: Dancing With Bad Grammar: The Director's Cut (Pias America) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-10-21] Expert Witness: Flyover Drawl 
New in Expert Witness:
- American Honey (UME download) A
- Travis Scott: Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (Epic) B+
- Dreezy: No Hard Feelings (Interscope) ***
- T.I.: Us or Else (T.I./Roc Nation) ***
Also new:
Also, here's a recent interview with Christgau:
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-10-14] Expert Witness: Teasured Transcendence 
New in Expert Witness:
- Youssou N'Dour: Senegaal Rekk (unknown) A
- 75 Dollar Bill: Wood/Metal/Plastic/Pattern/Rhythm/Rock (Thin Wrist) A-
- Vieux Kanté: The Young Man's Harp (Sterns) A-
- 75 Dollar Bill: Wooden Bag (Other Music) ***
- Bombino: Azel (Nonesuch) **
Also new:
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-10-07] Expert Witness: America on the Tip of the Tongue 
New in Expert Witness:
- Drive-By Truckers: American Band (ATO) A
- Dogbrain: Blue Dog (dogbrain) B+
- Watkins Family Hour: Watkins Family Hour (Thirty Tigers) ***
- The Handsome Family: Unseen (Carrot Top) ***
- The Haymarket Squares: Light It Up (The Haymarket Squares) **
- Rhiannon Giddens: Tomorrow Is My Turn (Nonesuch) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-09-30] Expert Witness: Enjoy, However Bad This Shit Gets 
New in Expert Witness:
- M.I.A.: AIM (Interscope) A
- Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: This Unruly Mess I've Made (self-released) A-
- Yoni & Geti: Testarossa (Joyful Noise) B+
Also added to the website:
Sandra Newman's novel, The Country of Ice Cream Star
(July 2015).
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-09-23] Expert Witness: Frank Ocean's Candidness and the Ambitious Blood Orange 
New in Expert Witness:
- Blood Orange: Freetown (Domino) A-
- Blood Orange: Cupid Deluxe (Domino) B+
- Frank Ocean: Blond/Blonde (self-released) B+
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-09-16] Most Recent -- More Recent -- More Ancient
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