RSSXgau Sez
These are questions submitted by readers, and answered by Robert Christgau. New ones will appear in batches every third Tuesday.
To ask your own question, please use this form.
October 04, 2026
Free literature, the sound of New Orleans, the history of 'The Village Voice,' eyes on the prizes, the soft power of Lewis Capaldi, Fran Lebowitz, and R&B Jesus.
[Q] Hey Bob! Does Carola have any plans for another science fiction novel? -- Pierre Fleutot, Brussels, Belgium
[A]
Carola's been working on a memoir, though if you'd like to read more
of her fiction, you can find several short stories and the novella
[Real Piece of Work]
on her website. For free. So
what are you waiting for?
[Q] I love the three-volume LP set of History of New Orleans Rhythm and Blues that Rhino released in 1987 that you named the top reissue of that year. Are you aware that Rhino released a 2-volume CD version of it a few years later? It's called The Best of New Orleans Rhythm and Blues Volumes 1 and 2 and it contains a good portion (but not all) of the songs from the LPs plus some other stuff. Ever hear those CDs? The track listing is available on discogs. I'm curious if you think those CDs are worth seeking out. -- Tom Brooks, Portland, Oregon
[A]
I've long since come to prefer CDs, not just because they're more
physically compact but because they're relatively easy to program. But
I don't keep track of CD/LP overlaps—though for what it's worth,
in 2003 I called this
two-CD New Orleans set compiled
by Charlie Gillett "easily
the finest available overview of the lost city's rock and roll
heritage."
[Q] Currently reading Going into the City, you say at the beginning of Bon Bon Vie "There presumably will be a Voice book sometime—by an academic, perhaps. I bet I don't like it." Since you've written that, The Freaks Came Out to Write: The Definitive History of the Village Voice, the Radical Paper That Changed American Culture has come out. Have you read it? Did you not like it? Also, Uncropped the documentary about Village Voice photographer James Hamilton came out, looking forward to watching it (as well as The Last Critic, whenever it becomes available). I searched but you don't mention James Hamilton in your book. Did you have any memorable interactions with him at all? Did you find photographs added much to your columns, articles, and essays, or just took up word space? Thanks for writing the book, currently the only thing keeping my interest through convalescence. It's nice on e-book because I can tap on and get definitions for the many, many words I don't know. -- Brandon, Canada
[A]
Tricia Romano's The Freaks
Came Out to Write is an anything-but-academic treatment of the
anything-but-academic Village Voice, and the oral history
format was a fitting approach for a paper that was built around the
voices of its writers. I like Tricia's book a lot and recommend it.
[Q] In the latter half of 2016, before Trump's disastrous election, the Swedish Academy announced Bob Dylan as the Nobel Prize in Literature, proving that singer-songwriters, once looked down upon by serious and orthodox European literary critics, could indeed be recorded in literary history. So, Bob, in your opinion, which other musicians with outstanding works can be compared to the most respected writers in literary history? -- Kari Koivula, Helsinki, Finland
[A]
Off the top of my head, I'd say my runner-up is
Chuck Berry, who did get a PEN
Award in 2012. And was I happy to see Kendrick Lamar get a Pulitzer
Prize?
Damn right I was. But Dylan's
Nobel and Lamar's Pulitzer seem like one-offs unlikely to be repeated,
and the greatness of these artists was already well established before
the respective high-culture doyens involved decided to make a point of
it.
[Q] What exactly is it about Lewis Capaldi that appeals to you? Thirty years ago, if you were to critique "power ballads" in the vein of Céline Dion or Michael Bolton, you would almost certainly have panned them—so why are you now so open to embracing Lewis Capaldi? -- Berker Ahiska, Frankfurt, Germany
[A]
I certainly think Capaldi is far better than Dion or Bolton—so
much humbler and subtler.
His vulnerability and humor make a difference.
[Q] I recently finished reading Fran Lebowitz's The Fran Lebowitz Reader and it occurred to me, having avidly consumed your writings for some years now, that you're both cultural commentators who were involved in that zeitgeist of NYC culture during the '70s and '80s while writing for renowned urban prints (and yet still living there as Manhattanites, if I'm not mistaken), more so authors who write in similarly witty, urbane, and liberal manners—there's undeniably an overlap between you both regarding social circles and personal values. Have you ever run into Lebowitz? Is there any friendship there? What do you think of her and of her works? -- Niccolo L
[A]
I like Lebowitz. We are casual acquaintances with quite a few mutual
friends. But she's more interested in celebrities and the wealthy than
I am.
[Q] Has D'Angelo's Voodoo become an A for you now? -- Renato Porelli, Rome, Italy
[A]
In a
review of a 2000 live show I
called D'Angelo "R&B Jesus," a sobriquet
quoted
a couple of places after his untimely death last year. I also said
that the concert made me a believer. After getting religion at that
show I went back to his
first album and found it longer
on sonics than songs, same as Voodoo. His sound was a world
unto itself, and he limned that world spiritually and socially, not
just sonically. But I don't have the inclination to reinvestigate the
grades I gave his albums, sorry as I am there won't be more of them.
July 17, 2026
Once more into the Swamp Dogg doc, Mungo Jerry and Richie Valens preferences explained, AI aversion ditto, Portishead still sour times, criticism vs. whoever, Willie vs. Waylon.
[Q] Have you seen the movie Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted (on Amazon Prime)?. Says the NY Times writer, "I had never heard of the songwriter, producer and performer Swamp Dogg (née Jerry Williams Jr.) before pressing play on this affectionate bio-documentary." As an avid Consumer Guide reader, I, of course, have. After watching it, I searched out a couple of his B+ albums. As an avid Consumer Guide reader, I, of course, already own all the A's and Total Destruction. What's next in the series? Peter Stampfel Goes to the Post Office? Last, was that Ira and Georgia at Swamp Dogg's 80th birthday party? -- Rick Henry, Frederick, Maryland
[A]
Carola and I saw the Swamp Dogg movie two years ago at a Brooklyn film
festival at the invitation of Paul Lovelace, an editor and producer on
that documentary as well as on
The Last Critic
who we've known for many years. (Footage from his
1999 NYU student film Rock n' Roll Animal, the subject of which is
yours truly, is used in
The Last
Critic.) I thought the Swamp Dogg doc was both funny and
informative, especially in re the r&b business.
[Q] Hello! Enjoyed reading your response to the following: "This has been going around on Bluesky and I figured you'd have interesting answers: Ten musicians you wish you'd gotten to see but didn't, the more top of head the better." [Xgau Sez, June, 2026: "Charlie Parker, Robert Johnson, Gilberto Gil, Hank Williams, Billie Holiday, Marvelettes, Platters, Mungo Jerry, Ritchie Valens, Nat King Cole, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra."] Noted the majority of the artists you mentioned had all received positive reviews from yourself for albums or compilations. However, why Mungo Jerry and Ritchie Valens? I don't recall you writing about them before, though there are two B graded albums for Mungo Jerry. Why would you have liked to have seen these two perform live? -- James, Liverpool
[A]
Mungo Jerry because they were funny. Valens because he was one of the
first "rock and rollers" to assume an aggressive persona.
[Q] Would you read a novel written by AI? -- Tom Jones
[A]
I remain a stubborn fan of humanity, so I doubt it. But were some
dubious claim to start circulating I'd think about it.
[Q] You seem to really love the Bristol-born Trip-hop genre—you gave A+ ratings to both Endtroducing . . . and Maxinquaye—yet you didn't rate Portishead highly. Given that their music even served as a major inspiration for Kanye's Late Registration album, would you consider re-evaluating Portishead? -- Aseem Arora, London
[A]
Being knocked out by two exemplars of a genre, sub-genre, or whatever
isn't the same as being knocked out by the genre, sub-genre, or
whatever itself. Portishead was a long time ago by me, with a fanbase
who were clearly attracted to what I wasn't and what I called at the
time "shows of misery" and
"solipsistic melodrama." Part of
the job is articulating why you like what you like and why you
don't. Having done so, I see no need to revisit. But if they come up
in some unforeseen context I'll probably recall your query.
[Q] Has rock criticism ever gotten you into trouble with powerful people, like movie criticism did for Pauline Kael? Altercations, fights, death threats, etc.? Or are music folks more relaxed than movie folks? You can skip Lou Reed and Sonic Youth if you want to. -- Muhammad Ahmad Abdul Jabbar
[A]
For the record, I'd be pleased if Lou and SY had paid me more respect
than they did, but am happy with my modest SY connections and regard
Lou as pretty much an asshole where criticism is concerned. As for
Pauline Kael, if she had an enemies list I missed it, but as a matter
of principle am on her side. Kael was a great critic. Did some movie
people put her down? Possibly I suppose for specific offenses
Hollywood resented. Fuck them.
[Q] You reviewed dozens of Willie Nelson albums over the years but only two (2!) by the other great outlaw of country music Waylon Jennings. Have you never found a top-shelf grade-A collection of his best work? Surely he must have at least a few A- records in his catalogue -- Ben Riffen, Grand Rapids, Michigan
[A]
Five, actually, if you count three
Waylon and Willie
records, including the
unfortunately yclept WWII, a B− of which I said "the idea is to
acknowledge that all this outlaw myth is shuck-and-jive and then make
the shuck-and-jive itself seem mythic." Outlaw mythos aside, Willie
Nelson is one of the greatest pop singers of all time. Jennings is
not. Period.
June 17, 2026
Dream concerts, the Smiths not reevaluated, 'Last Critic' still on the festival circuit, Shakira's hips still not lying, once more to Monterey, whither the vinyl, and the sameyest great artist ever.
[Q] This has been going around on Bluesky and I figured you'd have interesting answers: Ten musicians you wish you'd gotten to see but didn't, the more top of head the better. -- Michaelangerlo Matos, St. Paul
[A]
Top of head, fine, but why stop at ten?
Charlie Parker,
Robert Johnson,
Gilberto Gil,
Hank Williams,
Billie Holiday,
Marvelettes,
Platters,
Mungo Jerry,
Ritchie Valens,
Nat King Cole,
Michael Jackson,
Frank Sinatra.
[Q] Has your opinion of The Smiths changed after all these years? Looking back, wouldn't you agree they were an ace pop band? Admittedly, more of a singles band than an album band, but still . . . I mean, only B+ for Louder Than Bombs? And their 1995 comp called Singles has to be an A, no? -- Ray Tavares, Brooklyn
[A]
The Smiths never did much for me, and I gave them their chance more
than once—very much a UK band I always thought. This bit from my
Louder than Bombs review
still seems fair at a distance: "Morrissey's nattering volubility can
get annoying, but the cadence itself always has its charms, and just
when you think you've had it he gets off a good line." But since
albums are my professional specialty, never felt obliged to put in big
time on their "hits." Could have been wrong, which doesn't mean I feel
compelled to check back. You have every right to your own call, on
this as on anything else. I've made my living and my rep trusting my
own.
[Q] Will The Last Critic be streaming anywhere? -- Hal, Florida
[A]
That's the expectation, but no details yet. For now, check
here for updates on
future festival screenings—I hear tell it'll be part of a
Manhattan-based festival come fall.
[Q] Why can Shakira impress you but Rosalía can't? -- Luciano Rasenberg, Buenos Aires
[A]
She has a more fetching sense of rhythm. Also less attached to the
European classical tradition. Which in some ways is the same thing.
[Q] Re Xgau Sez May 2026: So you salvaged a piece of Jimi Hendrix's guitar at Monterey and then went on to completely excoriate his performance in your Esquire article? ("He was terrible . . . a psychedelic Uncle Tom . . . vulgar parody of rock theatrics . . . he can't sing"). Along with a pretty snooty mention of audience members scrambling for chunks of Jimi's guitar that left out the fact you were in that scrum, wrenching scraps of fretboard from the hands of crying hippie girls (at least that's how I imagine it). Wouldn't it have been kinder to leave the remnants for the people who actually enjoyed the show? Maybe the subletter tossing it out was karmic justice. -- Steve O'Neill, South Korea
[A]
You imagine it inaccurately; the chunk I grabbed landed pretty much at
my feet. Given my arguably misguided misgivings about the brouhaha
Hendrix was obviously aiming for, I just couldn't resist grabbing a
piece.
[Q] What will become of your record collection upon your death? Any chance it will go to a university or museum for public viewing? Or perhaps someone could start "Christgau's Record Bar," one of those trendy Japanese-style listening bars? -- Keith Shelton, San Diego
[A]
Answering that thorny question, which has been on my mind for years as
how could it not be, makes me wish I was younger than 84, but I'm
not. Just have to see what happens when. I may have the chance to
finalize some rapprochement and I may not. But I do have a long
relationship with as well as geographical proximity to NYU, where I
taught for a fairly long spell. Note, however, that what the hell a
"Japanese-style listening bar" might be I have no idea, although I'm
assured it's more or less what you'd think.
[Q] Gregory Isaacs. Just as George Jones possessed the "greatest" voice in country music, to my ears Isaacs is the most exquisite vocalist to ever sing Jamaican music, but both are unknown beyond fans of the genre. It's unfortunate—listening to Isaacs from '73-'82 is to hear him evolve from rocksteady crooner into a complex tension of rastafarian determination, rural suffering, and black eroticism. And he did this while being a premiere hitmaker in Jamaica for the better part of two decades. Eat your heart out, Marley. In the early '90s you reviewed his '77-'78 material, calling him "a master" and "the sameyest great artist in pop history"—which still contains the phrase "great artist," so I'll take it. But after that he never resurfaced for you. Probably because like Jones, he suffers from being over-recorded, re-recorded, and endlessly compiled (plus, drugs). Do you think he's due a critical and commercial re-evaluation like his great white country counterpart received so long ago? -- Nick, Milwaukee
[A]
You have every right to prefer something else, but not the authority
or detail to make me fear I've missed something major. I mean,
historically and aesthetically, Marley is one of a kind.
"The aural image of an unconquerable,
ganja-guzzling serenity," is another nugget from the review you
cite (an A−). That serenity may be why I barely remember Isaacs
anymore, but whatever congruences of recording history or substance
consumption there may be I see no reason to equate him with George
Jones, a vocally blessed genius I never forget. This note may well
noodge me into playing Isaacs a little. But I would not so humbly
suggest you spend more time with Jones and also that you give a look
at
the obit I wrote about him.