When I was young I could reel off a list of working rock critics whose opinions I couldn’t wait to read. Most of the names wouldn’t shock you. Back then, if they weren’t publishing in a nationally distributed rock magazine or fanzine, be it Rolling Stone, Trouser Press, The Big Takeover, or Option, chances are I wouldn’t have been able to read them. By the early ’90s perhaps their work was collected in a book and I’d have a chance to catch up. There were no URLs to take me to any newspaper or blog imaginable.
Today, with a billion outlets to read rock reviews, I have difficulty naming a favorite working rock critic. In part this is because I’m old and petrifying. How could I judge a rock critic by his or her opinions on a new artist whose work I can’t imagine liking that much? In part it may be because I have too many options, and I can read reviews willy-nilly without ever having to pay attention to the byline. It’s a bit like my difficulty learning song titles in the age of digital downloads. It takes work to squint and comprehend the 3-pt type scrolling across my iPod.
I’m not asking this question to blow smoke up anyone’s ass. I’m curious to know who your favorite working rock critics are – and what makes them so appealing to you. If you can post a link to a favorite piece, that would be much appreciated.
For me, there’s a critic based in Philadelphia named Sam Adams. He’s mostly a movie critic, but I like his occasional music reviews too, even when I don’t care for the music he’s reviewing. He doesn’t get bogged down in the citations game. He doesn’t get bogged down in backstory. He’s a solid writer. He usually provides insights about how the music is constructed and what effect it has on him. He’s analytical without nailing his subject to a textbook. He lets his reviews be personal without being overbearingly so. It’s a tough line to toe. His interviews and features pieces of artists are especially good. Here’s a recent example.
Here’s a piece that Adams contributed to on The Onion’s A.V. Club that’s right up our alley. I’ve got to ask him why Taking Liberties isn’t on the list.
I don’t feel like I’m a good critic of rock critics I like, but I’m doing my best here and I ask you to do the same.
Wow, it must be tough times to get love as a rock critic.
I like Michael Gallucci. He has stuff in Goldmine and he’s in the local free rag around here all the time. Here’s a blurb he did that will give you an idea why I like him:
http://www.clevescene.com/c-notes/archives/2009/12/19/what-to-do-this-weekend-thirty-seconds-to-mars
He doesn’t like a lot of music I like, and he likes a lot of what I consider to be crappy, but we both seem to agree on the true, pure shit that’s out there!
I also like Paul at 75 or Less album reviews. I bought The Izzys based on his review, and they’re one of my fave bands these days.
A lot of reviewers just piss me off, though. Too many of them get free music out the ass, and throw in more and more obscure references to things when they could just as easily tell me what the music actually sounds like!
Hey, Sam Adams seems to like Jawbreaker!
He’s okay in my book, then.
Ray Manzarek
Gotta be frank: I’m past caring. I was never a fan of rock criticism in general, especially when I was younger and dabbled in it myself. Now, I am simply not paying attention and am secure in the feeling that I’m not missing anything.
E. Pluribus Gergley — seriously!
While I would probably need the assistance of a good psychiatrist to properly respond to this thread, for now I am going to say my favorite is Matthew Perpetua, who mainly writes for his blog fluxblog, as well as Pitchfork and a few other places. He’s primarily driven by passion, not snark. He’s got interesting tastes, which sometimes coincide with mine. He’s not a contrarian, but often has interesting takes on things and does a great job of making a strong positive case for maligned albums like R.E.M.’s Monster, Liz Phair’s Whip-Smart and Beck’s Midnight Vultures. Also, it helps that he hates the Hold Steady.
I’m going to provide an example of this writing, but it’s an idiosyncratic one, a piece of satire he wrote late last year. Some of the cultural references may pass some Townsmen by, but if you’ve ever heard Tom Scharpling and Paul F. Tomkins’ great bit on WFMU mocking the Gathering of the Juggaloos (an event for fans of The Insane Clown Posse), I think you’ll get the gist of it.
http://bit.ly/5TTtW5
It’s still Christgau for me. I know some people find him pretentious, but I’m not a pretentophobe, and I think he writes good sentences. It helps that we have similar tastes, but I’ve been reading him long enough that I’m familiar with his prejudices and blind spots. I definitely have him to thank for pointing towards my recent African music obsession.
Since he got fired from the Voice, you have to use robertchristgau.com to find his stuff. He still does the monthly Consumer Guide (on MSN), and his long form work is usually on the Barnes & Noble Review. Here’s his year-end review column:
http://bnreview.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Rock-Roll/Resuscitations-and-Business-Plans-The-Best-Albums-of-2009/ba-p/2032
David Fricke- is he a critic?
i like hin.
Oh, and “working rock critic”=an oxymoron?
Kanye.