Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics

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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

Steely Dan's Long Strange Trip

Robert Christgau published a piece, Steely Dan's Long Strange Trip -- Alex Pappademas and Joan LeMay, Quantum Criminals: Ramblers, Wild Gamblers, and Other Sole Survivors From the Songs of Steely Dan (2023, 268 pp.) -- as part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Xgau Sez

Robert Christgau published his monthly Xgau Sez q&a section -- Therapy, the Vandellas vs. the Supremes vs. the Marvelettes, Wilco (The Reviews), the listening method, the Kennedys then and now, and Pazz & Jop motivations. -- in his Substack newsletter And It Don't Stop. Like all of Xgau Sez, this is archived here.

Consumer Guide: November, 2023

Robert Christgau published his Consumer Guide: November, 2023: Sixteen unfaltering songs from a Navy vet; painful honesty from Indonesia; electronic textures and beats with occasional choruses; and songs of global warming and the rich getting richer. Reviews of: Bombino, Zach Bryan (3), DJ Shadow, The Front Bottoms, Grrrl Gang, Horse Lords, Lil Wayne, R. Ring, A. Savage, Hemlocke Springs, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers. This is part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

The Big Lookback: The Class Origins of '50s Rock and Roll

Robert Christgau published a piece, The Big Lookback: The Class Origins of '50s Rock and Roll -- A presentation from the 2011 EMP Pop Conference -- as part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

A Farewell Playlist

Robert Christgau published a piece, A Farewell Playlist -- Music to accompany two days of mourning and celebration -- as part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Xgau Sez

Robert Christgau published his monthly Xgau Sez q&a section -- Sinead's voice, Chinese novels, Placebo and the ecstasy of influence, the squall of Johnny Thunders, radio days, Spofity's Roganomics. -- in his Substack newsletter And It Don't Stop. Like all of Xgau Sez, this is archived here.

Consumer Guide: October, 2023

Robert Christgau published his Consumer Guide: October, 2023: Two country singers searching for connection in different ways, democratic-socialist folk-rock agitprop grab bag, and a singer/songwriter/bandleader relearning and reclaiming her undeniable gifts. Reviews of: Armand Hammer, Chai, Tyler Childers (2), The Fugs, The Hives, Malcolm Holcombe, Low Cut Connie, The Moldy Peaches, Willie Nelson, Parchman Prison Prayer, Ed Sanders, Lucinda Williams, Bailey Zimmerman. This is part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Xgau Sez

Robert Christgau published his monthly Xgau Sez q&a section -- Unhappy news, the one-man campaign to render "Mr. Lee" a recognized classic, working with the State Department, McCartney (not Paulie), genius and generations, whining from down under. -- in his Substack newsletter And It Don't Stop. Like all of Xgau Sez, this is archived here.

Hanging in There Till the Living End

Robert Christgau published a piece, Hanging in There Till the Living End -- Joy Harvey, 1943-2023 -- as part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Consumer Guide: September, 2023

Robert Christgau published his Consumer Guide: September, 2023: Lovequests, sobriety songs, combustible guitar effects, and the last will and testament of 91-year-old believer, mother, artist, over, sister, and grandmother. Reviews of: Atmosphere, Rodney Crowell, Dave and Central Cee, Gloss Up, Killer Mike, Ashley McBryde, Janelle Monae, Thelonious Monk, Bobbie Nelson and Amanda Shires, Noname, Olivia Rodrigo, Speedy Ortiz, Chris Stamey, Morgan Wade. This is part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Xgau Sez

Robert Christgau published his monthly Xgau Sez q&a section -- Episode 1 million of "Why Haven't You Reviewed . . .," Prince x Dickens, the depressive A list, digging the Band (or not), Sun Ra and a 1969 dispatch from Slug's, and music for rethinking eternity. -- in his Substack newsletter And It Don't Stop. Like all of Xgau Sez, this is archived here.

Peter Stampfel's Latest Miracle

Robert Christgau published a piece, Peter Stampfel's Latest Miracle -- A story of a voice lost and found -- as part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Consumer Guide: August, 2023

Robert Christgau published his Consumer Guide: August, 2023: Unabashed eroticism, commonplace maturity, baseballese guitar rock, and three songs from four decades ago that will kick your ass. Reviews of: Dzambo Agusevi Orchestra, Amaarae (2), The Baseball Project, Miles Davis, Jad Fair and Samuel Locke Ward, Fokn Bois, Lori McKenna, Nakhane, Nastyfacts, Nia Archives, Palehound, SZA, Wreckless Eric. This is part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Auriculum (Ep. 7)

Robert Christgau posted a podcast, Auriculum (Ep. 7): RJ Smith on Chuck Berry, as part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Fixing a Hole (Or Wikipedia)

Robert Christgau published a piece, Fixing a Hole (Or Wikipedia) -- On the vagaries of the Wikipedia entry for "Cheetah" magazine, and an excerpt of a piece from the February, 1968 issue. -- as part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Xgau Sez

Robert Christgau published his monthly Xgau Sez q&a section -- -- in his Substack newsletter And It Don't Stop. Like all of Xgau Sez, this is archived here.

Consumer Guide: July, 2023

Robert Christgau published his Consumer Guide: July, 2023: Sweet melodies buoying up existential weight, trying Jesus when other men let you down, sad and brilliant tales of failed relationships, and jazz with a pop-friendly sense of identity and purpose. Reviews of: African Head Charge, Buck 65, Carook (2), Elle King, L'Orchestre National Mauritanien, Allen Lowe, Baaba Maal, Parodner, Bill Scorzari, Straw Man Army, Tinariwen, Billy Woods, Young Fathers. This is part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Three by Steve Anderson

Robert Christgau published a piece, Three by Steve Anderson -- From the "Village Voice" music section, reviews of Joan Jett, Slowdive, and the Ramones -- as part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Auriculum (Ep. 6)

Robert Christgau posted a podcast, Auriculum (Ep. 6): Rob Sheffield and the first Quarterly Pazz & Jop Report, as part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

Paging Steve Anderson

Robert Christgau published a piece, Paging Steve Anderson -- a review of his novel, As the Day May Determine (2021, 280 pp.) -- as part of his subscription newsletter, And It Don't Stop.

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