Robert Christgau: Home (original) (raw)
RSSAnd It Don't Stop on Substack
Robert Christgau's newsletter _And It Don't Stop_appears three (or four) times a month on Substack. Subscribehere.
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
Consumer Guide: November, 2024
Robert Christgau published hisConsumer Guide: November, 2024: Hip-hop from 52-year-old grandpa-to-be, demure grooves from a 31-year-old producer-frontman, dreamlike and bone-simple songs from a Belgium-based 83-year-old, and radical politics from the beyond. Reviews of:Blue Muse,The Devil & God Meet in Church, Eminem, Fred Again.., Hinds, M.J. Lenderman, The Linda Lindas, LL Cool J, MC5, Thurston Moore, Trout Fishing in America, Tyler the Creator, Neil Young & Promise of the Real, Tucker Zimmerman & Friends. This is part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-11-13]
Louis Jordan: The Grandfather of Rock and Roll
Robert Christgau published a piece,Louis Jordan: The Grandfather of Rock and Roll: Formally, this jump-blues pioneer presaged rock and roll, though he was decades older than Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, or Little Richard -- as part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-10-25]
Xgau Sez
Robert Christgau published his monthlyXgau Sez q&a section -- At the Apollo, in the library, ABBA reconsidered (briefly), the end considered (also briefly, and not the one involving the Doors), thoughts on music writing, and a reading list. -- in his Substack newsletter And It Don't Stop. Like all of Xgau Sez, this isarchived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-10-16]
Consumer Guide: October, 2024
Robert Christgau published hisConsumer Guide: October, 2024: Guitar rock verging on the philosophical, boom-bap from an alt-rapper here to stay like that shit in your panties, a titanic work of art from 1956, & East African dance records from a DJ on a mission. Reviews of: Bad Moves, The Dare, Guy Davis, Doechii, Ekko Astral, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Adekunle Gold,Kampire Presents: A Dancefloor in Ndola, Miranda Lambert, Jenny Lewis, Mannequin Pussy, El Michels Affair & Black Thought, Gurf Morlix, Serengeti. This is part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-10-09]
Behind Closed Doors
Robert Christgau published a piece,Behind Closed Doors: Roddy Doyle, The Women Behind the Door (2024, 262 pp.) -- as part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-09-30]
Xgau Sez
Robert Christgau published his monthlyXgau Sez q&a section -- Consumer Guide music discovery, some subjects for further research, dancing to "Africa Dances," John and Faith Hubley, the hottest young male newcomer in the biz, and Geoffrey Stokes remembered. -- in his Substack newsletter And It Don't Stop. Like all of Xgau Sez, this isarchived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-09-18]
Consumer Guide: September, 2024
Robert Christgau published hisConsumer Guide: September, 2024: Louis Armstrong lively ups London in '68, the Unholy Modal Rounders do the same to NYC in '77, Chris Smither sings into the void, and Morgan Wade sings with sweetness about the ones that got away. Reviews of: Laurie Anderson, Louis Armstrong (2),Bluesin' by the Bayou, Zach Bryan, Joe Fahey, Georgia Sea Island Singers, Illuminati Hotties, Khaligraph Jones, Kate Nash, Romy, Chris Smither, Unholy Modal Rounders, Morgan Wade. This is part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-09-12]
The Big Lookback: The Old 97's
Robert Christgau published a piece with Carola Dibbell,The Big Lookback: The Old 97's -- "You May Think It's Stupid, Rhett Miller Thinks It's Art," The Village Voice, Mar. 27, 2001 -- as part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-09-03]
Xgau Sez
Robert Christgau published his monthlyXgau Sez q&a section -- Howard Keel-Tommy James-Springsteen connection explained, the Jazz King of Corona (and everywhere else), Louis Jordan, Dylan gone electric-acoustic-whatever, Wes Goodwin remembered, Honky Tonkin'. -- in his Substack newsletter And It Don't Stop. Like all of Xgau Sez, this isarchived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-08-21]
Consumer Guide: August, 2024
Robert Christgau published hisConsumer Guide: August, 2024: The greatest artist of the 20th century as pop interpreter, an r&b pro gone bluegrass, 13 songs about romantic bliss gone bad, and a thrill seeking soprano with captivating tunes and runaway grooves. Reviews of: Africa Negra, Okaidja Afroso, Louis Armstrong, Swamp Dogg, Jeff Evans Porkestra, Lupe Fiasco, Claudia Gibson, Megan Moroney, David Murray, The Old 97's, Amy Rigby, Chappell Roan, Linda Thompson, Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand. This is part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-08-14]
The Big Lookback: Carola Dibbell on Pere Ubu
Robert Christgau published a piece with Carola Dibbell,The Big Lookback: Carola Dibbell on Pere Ubu -- "Pere Ubu Lives in This Shit!" The Village Voice, May 7, 1979 -- as part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-07-31]
Grim, Funny Memories of a Vanished Manhattan
Robert Christgau published a piece,Grim, Funny Memories of a Vanished Manhattan -- C.O. Moed, "It Was Her New York: True Stories & Snapshots" (2024, 184 pp.) -- as part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-07-24]
Xgau Sez
Robert Christgau published his monthlyXgau Sez q&a section -- Getting Kinks-y, The Insect Trust, Alejo Carpentier, unexplored quiddities, underrateds & one-offs, and jazz for dinner. -- in his Substack newsletter And It Don't Stop. Like all of Xgau Sez, this isarchived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-07-17]
Consumer Guide: July, 2024
Robert Christgau published hisConsumer Guide: July, 2024: Jazz that swings from tunefulness to abstraction, a Nashville songbird with a can of gas and a match, Seattle self-described bit players with 13 songs in 27 minutes, & blues in search of lasting love. Reviews of: Bounaly, Mike Cooley/Patterson Hood/Jason Isbell, Robert Finley, Fox Green, Ciara Grace, The Gringo Pistoleros, The Libertines, Jason Moran, Willie Nelson, Carly Pearce, Madeleine Peyroux, Slow Pulp, Wimps, Jamila Woods, Charli XCS. This is part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-07-10]
The Big Lookback: Toronto Rock & Roll Revival 1969
Robert Christgau published a piece,The Big Lookback: Toronto Rock & Roll Revival 1969 -- From "Show," 1970 -- as part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-07-03]
Xgau Sez
Robert Christgau published his monthlyXgau Sez q&a section -- Keeping (or losing) a taste for the new stuff, the (non) Battle at Artists Space, the album artistry of Otis Redding, forerunners vs. forefathers, existential anxiety, and the appalling Gaza war. -- in his Substack newsletter And It Don't Stop. Like all of Xgau Sez, this isarchived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-06-26]
A Lifelong Southern Rock Opera
Robert Christgau published a piece,A Lifelong Southern Rock Opera -- Stephen Deusner, "Where the Devil Don't Stay: Traveling the South with the Drive-By Truckers" (2021, 320 pp.) -- as part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-06-19]
Consumer Guide: June, 2024
Robert Christgau published hisConsumer Guide: June, 2024: An exploration of erotic and existential turmoil, five albums (across nine years) from Jon Langford, and two more from an East African supergroup. Plus: Afropop, amapiano, blues, Isbell, and Taylor. Reviews of: Asake, Billie Eilish, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Jason Isbell, Jon Langford (5), Shikamoo Jazz (2), Taylor Swift, Uncle Waffles (2). This is part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-06-12]
The Big Lookback: Drive-By Truckers
Robert Christgau published a piece,The Big Lookback: Drive-By Truckers -- "The Righteous Path," Barnes & Noble Review, March 24, 2011 -- as part of his subscription newsletter,And It Don't Stop. Also archived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-05-30]
Xgau Sez
Robert Christgau published his monthlyXgau Sez q&a section -- 'Honey' with some schlock, the b-word, namesake kaffe, dear old Dartmouth, Vampire vibes, and 1968 albums (slight return). -- in his Substack newsletter And It Don't Stop. Like all of Xgau Sez, this isarchived here.
[posted by Webmaster on 2024-05-22]