Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics

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Consumer Guide Album

David and David: Boomtown [A&M, 1986]
The upscale mixes and faux-soul exaggerations of generic AOR are such a turnoff that I wouldn't have played this twice if it hadn't been produced by Davitt Sigerson, who's made a career of justifying such mannerisms as critic and artist. Turns out it's got the goods technically--songs, hooks, subtle little touches. And not only do these two studio rats know the follies of their chosen profession, they don't romanticize them much--or else they romanticize them effectively, which is even rarer. Put it all together and maybe you end up with another piece of beautiful-loser mythology. But somehow this fallacy is acceptable in two guys you've actually never heard of, especially two guys with the guts (and interest) to apply their craft to at least one revolutionary fantasy. Sometimes winners are beautiful, too. A-