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: 'Prima Donna' and Young Thug's Name Is Actually Jeffery 
New in Expert Witness:
- Vince Staples: Prima Donna (Def Jam) A-
- Young Thug: Jeffery (300/Atlantic) A-
- Young Thug: Slime Season 3 (300/Atlantic) **
- Young Thug: I'm Up (300/Atlantic) **
- Rae Sremmurd: SremmLife 2 (Eardrum/Interscope) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-09-09] Expert Witness: It's Britney, Bitch 
New in Expert Witness:
- Britney Spears: Glory (Deluxe Edition) (RCA) A-
- Tegan and Sara: Love You to Death (Warner Bros.) A-
- Bibi Bourelly: Free the Real (Pt. #1) (Circa 13/Def Jam) **
- Ravyn Lenae: Moon Shoes (Atlantic) **
- Empress Of: Me (Terrible) *
- Tegan and Sara: Heartthrob (Warner Bros.) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-09-02] Expert Witness: Ethiopian Jazz and Other Stuff You've Never Heard Of 
New in Expert Witness:
- The Rough Guide to Ethiopian Jazz (World Music Network) A-
- Joi Sound System: Joi Sound System (RealWorld) B+
- Khun Narin Electric Phin Band: II (Innovative Leisure) **
- Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood, and the Rajasthan Express: Junun (Nonesuch) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-08-19] Expert Witness: Exchange Rates and Record Crates 
New in Expert Witness:
- Mestre Cupijó e Seu Ritmo: Siriá (Analog Africa) A-
- Senegambia Rebel (Voodoo Rebel) A-
- Sonido Gallo Negro: Sendero Mistico (Glitterbeat) **
- Son Palenque: Afro-Colombian Sound Modernizers (Vampi Soul) **
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-08-12] Expert Witness: The World Is a Setup 
New in Expert Witness:
- The Paranoid Style: Rolling Disclosure (Bar/None) A-
- Pylon: Live (Chunklet) B+
- Pet Shop Boys: Super (Kobalt) **
- The Dandy Warhols: This Machine (The End) **
- Garbage: Strange Little Birds (Vagrant) *
- The Dandy Warhols: Distortland (Dine Alone) *
Robert Christgau and Carola Dibbell will be at the
Queens Book Festival on Sunday, August 7, at Kaufman Studios, Astoria
(R train to Astoria):
Carola will be on a panel at 12 PM called "Expanding the Landscape
of Fantasy and YA Imagination" with Daniel Jose Older and Andrew J Peters,
moderated by Dominique Taylor -- Panel 2 on the YA stage Bob will be on a panel at 1 PM called "Memoirs and the New York
Scene" with graffiti artist Louie "KR.ONE" Gasparro -- Panel 3 at Queens
Literary Salon.
By the way, the website has been updated, with all EW reviews up through
July 2016 added to the CG database, other recent articles (subject to
negotiated timelock delays), and some old stuff that Scott Manzler
transcribed and sent in (see
What's New. Archival material largely depends
on fans doing the digging, so thanks again.
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-08-05] Expert Witness: A Lori McKenna Special 
New in Expert Witness:
- Lori McKenna: The Bird & the Rifle (CN/Thirty Tigers '16) A-
- Lori McKenna: Lorraine (lorimckenna.com '11) A-
- Lori McKenna: Massachusetts (Liz Rose Music '13) B+
- Lori McKenna: Bittertown (Signature Sounds '04) ***
- Lori McKenna: Numbered Doors (Liz Rose Music '14) **
- Lori McKenna: Heart Shaped Bullet Hole (self-released '12) *
Also new at BN Review:
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-07-29] Expert Witness: Alt-Country for Punks 
New in Expert Witness:
- Leland Sundries: Music for Outcasts (L'Echiquier) A-
- Walter Salas-Humara: Explodes and Disappears (Sonic Pyramid) B+
- Blake Mills: Heigh Ho (Verve) ***
- The Kropotkins: Portents of Love (Mulatta) ***
- Corb Lund: Things That Can't Be Undone (New West) **
- The Two-Gentleman Band: Two at a Time (Bean-Town) **
- The Rough Guide to Americana (World Music Network) **
- Blake Mills: Break Mirrors (I) *
- The Yawpers: American Man (Bloodshot) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-07-22] Expert Witness: Vic Mensa, Joey Purp, Clams Casino, and Growing Up 
New in Expert Witness:
- Vic Mensa: There's Alot Going On (self-released) A-
- Joey Purp: iiiDrops (self-released) A-
- Vic Mensa: Innanetape (self-released) ***
- DJ Shadow: The Mountain Will Fall (Mass Appeal) ***
- Clams Casino: 32 Levels (Columbia) **
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-07-15] Expert Witness: Car Seat Headrest, the Julie Ruin, and Drugs 
New in Expert Witness:
- Car Seat Headrest: Teens of Denial (Matador) A
- The Julie Ruin: Hit Reset (Hardly Art) A-
- Tame Impala: Currents (Interscope) **
- Car Seat Headrest: Teens of Style (Matador) **
- Big Thief: Masterpiece (Saddle Creek) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-07-08] Expert Witness: Tall Tales and Big Country 
New in Expert Witness:
- Brandy Clark: Big Day in a Small Town (Warner Bros) A-
- Carrie Underwood: Storyteller (Arista) A-
- Eric Church: Mr. Misunderstood (EMI Nashville) ***
- Carrie Underwood: Greatest Hits: Decade #1 (Arista Nashville) **
- Sam Hunt: Montevallo (MCA Nashville) *
- Tim McGraw: Sundown Heaven Town (Big Machine) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-07-01] Expert Witness: Believe It or Not, Paul Simon Is Still Making Music 
New in Expert Witness:
- Paul Simon: Stranger to Stranger (Concord) A-
- Plus Sized Dan: Plus Sized Dan With Marshall Ruffin (Plus Sized Dan) A-
- Benjamin Dean Wilson: Small Talk (Tapete) **
- Veda Hille: Love Waves (Canadian Council of the Arts/Conseil des arts du Canada) **
- Benji Hughes: Songs in the Key of Animals (Merge) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-06-24] Expert Witness: Praise to the Most Blessed 
New in Expert Witness:
- Chance the Rapper: Coloring Book (self-released) A
- Aesop Rock: The Impossible Kid (Rhymesayers) A-
- Mr. Lif: Don't Look Down (Mello Music) **
- Lecrae: Church Clothes 3 (self-released) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-06-17] Expert Witness: Women Rule the World 
New in Expert Witness:
- Thao & the Get Down Stay Down: A Man Alive (Ribbon) A-
- Heartsrevolution: Ride or Die (Owsla) A-
- White Lung: Paradise (Domino) A-
- Heron Oblivion: Heron Oblivion (Sub Pop) ***
- The Kills: Ash & Ice (Domino) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-06-10] Expert Witness: Listen to More (Swing) Jazz 
New in Expert Witness:
- The Rough Guide to South African Jazz (World Music Network '16) A-
- Township Swing Jazz Vol. 1 (Harlequin) B+
- Debo Band: Ere Gobez (FPE) B+
- Debo Band: Debo Band (Next Ambiance '12) ***
- The Rough Guide to South African Jazz (World Music Network '00) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-06-03] Expert Witness: Roots Rock Radicals 
New in Expert Witness:
- Buddy Miller: Cayamo Sessions at Sea (New West) A-
- Margo Price: Midwest Farmer's Daughter (Third Man) A-
- Brandi Carlile: The Firewatcher's Daughter (ATO) A-
- Cam: Untamed (Arista) **
- Lisa Said: First Time, Long Time (lisasaid.com) **
- Kelsea Ballerini: The First Time (Black River Entertainment) *
- Lucinda Williams: The Ghosts of Highway 20 (Highway 20) *
A minor update of the website includes Christgau's
2015 Dean's List. This dates from early
April, so doesn't include later 2015 picks from Kyle, Dawn Oberg, and The
Internet.
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-05-27] Expert Witness: Baton Rouge, Big Beats, and Beyoncé 
New in Expert Witness:
- Beyoncé: Lemonade (Columbia) A-
- Kevin Gates: Islah (Atlantic) A-
- A$AP Ferg: Always Strive and Prosper (Polo Grounds/RCA) ***
- Azealia Banks: Slay-Z (self-released) **
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-05-20] Expert Witness: The Poet and the Hustler 
New in Expert Witness:
- Dawn Oberg: Rye (Blossom Theory '12) A
- Dej Loaf: Sell Sole (self-released '14) A-
- Dawn Oberg: Bring (Blossom Theory '15) A-
- Dej Loaf: Just Do It (self-released '12) B+
- Dej Loaf: #AndSeeThatsTheThing (BMG/Columbia '15) B+
- Dawn Oberg: Horticulture Wars (Blossom Theory '08) **
- Dej Loaf: All Jokes Aside (self-released '16) **
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-05-13] Expert Witness: Alt-Rap Exemplars 
New in Expert Witness:
- Lyrics Born: Now Look What You've Done, Lyrics Born!: Greatest Hits! (Mobile Home) A
- Homeboy Sandman: Kindness for Weakness (Stones Throw) A-
- Open Mike Eagle + Paul White: Hella Personal Film Festival (Mello Music) B+
- Cavanaugh: Time and Materials (Mello Music) ***
- Blackalicious: Imani Vol. 1 (Black Mines) **
- D.R.A.M.: #1EpicSummer (self-released) **
- Lyrics Born: Real People (Mobile Home) *
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-05-06] Expert Witness: Africa Ignites 
New in Expert Witness:
- Konono No. 1: Konono No. 1 Meets Batida (Crammed Discs) A-
- Noura Mint Seymali: Tzenni (Glitterbeat) B+
- Senegal 70 (Analog Africa) B+
- Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès: Aw Sa Yone Vol. 2 (Teranga Beat) **
- Youssou N'Dour et le Super Etoile de Dakar: Fatteliku (RealWorld) *
- Rokia Traoré: Né So (Nonesuch) *
Also see:
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-04-29] Expert Witness: Covers, Classics, and Tributes 
New in Expert Witness:
- Gary Lucas' Fleischerei Featuring Sarah Stiles: Music From Max Fleischer Cartoons (Cuneiform) A-
- The Del McCoury Band: Del and Woody (McCoury Music) A-
- Jimi Hendrix: Rainbow Bridge (Experience Hendrix/Legacy) A-
- Loretta Lynn: Full Circle (Legacy) ***
- Willie Nelson: Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin (Legacy) **
[posted by Webmaster on 2016-04-22] Most Recent -- More Recent -- More Ancient
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