I kind of miss his cryptic one sentence reviews of albums that came out three years ago.
When you diss Xgau, you diss yourself.
For real. While his taste in hip hop has been iffy for about the past 15 years, he's a really perceptive critic and great stylist.
I stumbled on his writing at the age of 12 when I bought a remainder copy of his Consumer Guide to 70s rock. It led me to check out a ton of great music and really shaped how I think and talk about what good albums are. I can't think of anything or anyone that's been a bigger influence on my development as a listener.
I kind of miss his cryptic one sentence reviews of albums that came out three years ago.
When you diss Xgau, you diss yourself.
For real. While his taste in hip hop has been iffy for about the past 15 years, he's a really perceptive critic and great stylist.
I stumbled on his writing at the age of 12 when I bought a remainder copy of his Consumer Guide to 70s rock. It led me to check out a ton of great music and really shaped how I think and talk about what good albums are. I can't think of anything or anyone that's been a bigger influence on my development as a listener.
Grown Man Talk, none of that Lil Dude Squack.
I certainly don't cosign on every opinion he's ever had but did you actually listen to him explain his love for crunk?
I kind of miss his cryptic one sentence reviews of albums that came out three years ago.
When you diss Xgau, you diss yourself.
For real. While his taste in hip hop has been iffy for about the past 15 years, he's a really perceptive critic and great stylist.
I stumbled on his writing at the age of 12 when I bought a remainder copy of his Consumer Guide to 70s rock. It led me to check out a ton of great music and really shaped how I think and talk about what good albums are. I can't think of anything or anyone that's been a bigger influence on my development as a listener.
Grown Man Talk, none of that Lil Dude Squack.
I certainly don't cosign on every opinion he's ever had but did you actually listen to him explain his love for crunk?
Lil Jon Approved???!
I think that great writers and artists who have fallen off are as open to criticism as anyone else. See: your numerous Jay-Z posts.
I'm not suggesting that Xgau (or anyone else) is above criticism.
However, I don't think he's really "fallen off" even though I also don't think he's as good as he's been in the past. I suspect he'd agree with that assessment. I mean, shit, he's SIXTY FOUR. He's been writing about music longer than I've been alive (and I'm not that young. I need face lotion and moisturizer apparently). I love writing but I don't know if I'll still be doing this in 30 years and doing it at a level that is still a lot better than most of the new kids on the block (see Pitchfork).
I don't think Jay-Z "fell off," by the way. Though he did make a half-assed album and that's not a good look.
I'm not suggesting that Xgau (or anyone else) is above criticism.
However, I don't think he's really "fallen off" even though I also don't think he's as good as he's been in the past. I suspect he'd agree with that assessment. I mean, shit, he's SIXTY FOUR. He's been writing about music longer than I've been alive (and I'm not that young. I need face lotion and moisturizer apparently). I love writing but I don't know if I'll still be doing this in 30 years and doing it at a level that is still a lot better than most of the new kids on the block (see Pitchfork).
I don't think Jay-Z "fell off," by the way. Though he did make a half-assed album and that's not a good look.
I didn't really even mean to dis Christgau with my first post--I was actually being honest, I miss his reviews in the Village Voice. The statement itself was supposed to be a knockoff of a pithy Christgau capsule review. That being said, his column was veering toward the absurd over the past few years. Still, the idea of Christgau finding catharsis in a Lil Jon record is endearing.
Still, the idea of Christgau finding catharsis in a Lil Jon record is endearing.
Saying.
He gave this really amazing talk at the Experience Music Project conference last spring about how listening to Lil Wayne's "The Carter 2" helped him deal with the death of his father. It was completely, 100% sincere - not some hipster, ironic bullshit.
No doubt Xgau is smart and his writing is utterly skilled and clever.
But I think its weird that the DEAN OF ROCK CRIT's main claim to fame was these pithy slams, esp since its so imitated, everyone trying to out-clever each other (Tara Henley bite). And his taste is suspect to me, and has been since I started listening to music.
I don't dislike him or most of his writing, though. Its just funny to hear a 64 year old talk about crunk on NPR though, insightful as it may be.
Having already established that I'm disconnected, can someone tell me what's wrong with this review? It seemed reasonable enough to me.
You don't find the idea of a famous 64 year old music critic getting over losing a job he held for over 30 years by listening to Crunk Hits Volume 2 at all unusual?
Having already established that I'm disconnected, can someone tell me what's wrong with this review? It seemed reasonable enough to me.
You don't find the idea of a famous 64 year old music critic getting over losing a job he held for over 30 years by listening to Crunk Hits Volume 2 at all unusual?
Is that much more arbitrary than listening to Al Green to get over a break-up?
No doubt Xgau is smart and his writing is utterly skilled and clever.
But I think its weird that the DEAN OF ROCK CRIT's main claim to fame was these pithy slams, esp since its so imitated, everyone trying to out-clever each other (Tara Henley bite). And his taste is suspect to me, and has been since I started listening to music.
I don't dislike him or most of his writing, though. Its just funny to hear a 64 year old talk about crunk on NPR though, insightful as it may be.
No doubt Xgau is smart and his writing is utterly skilled and clever.
But I think its weird that the DEAN OF ROCK CRIT's main claim to fame was these pithy slams, esp since its so imitated, everyone trying to out-clever each other (Tara Henley bite). And his taste is suspect to me, and has been since I started listening to music.
I don't dislike him or most of his writing, though. Its just funny to hear a 64 year old talk about crunk on NPR though, insightful as it may be.
No doubt Xgau is smart and his writing is utterly skilled and clever.
But I think its weird that the DEAN OF ROCK CRIT's main claim to fame was these pithy slams, esp since its so imitated, everyone trying to out-clever each other (Tara Henley bite). And his taste is suspect to me, and has been since I started listening to music.
I don't dislike him or most of his writing, though. Its just funny to hear a 64 year old talk about crunk on NPR though, insightful as it may be.
So would I. Poor Dan Aquilante at #9. But he truly does have the worst taste of any music critic I've ever read. He is the originator of giving an 8.5 to everything no matter how bad. Wow, critiquing the critics is so
christgau, along with most of the editors and staff writers worth reading, got phased out once new times (a corp that does an incredible job running alt weeklies for profit) purchased 'village voice media' (vv, la weekly, seattle weekly and a few others). most critics find new times suspect, as their criticism is syndicated, they abhor "thinky" (their internal word, not mine) work and they avoid things which are overtly political (or play an extreme devil's advocate position).
regardless of whether one believes (1) christgau is a good critic or (2) the voice is/was/ever was a readable/accessible/important weekly, new times' purchase and the resultant controversies--of which blacklisting former VV writers; failing to find anyone who wanted to take the VV editor's job, since 'firing the staff, slowly and discretely' was part of the job requirements; and announcing hirings/firings via cocktail napkin are but a few--seem to run counter to the spirit of why the voice was founded in the first place. at the very least, new times wasn't exactly diplomatic in asserting themselves.
the paper still has some great writers, from what I hear.
he dis your favorite crack rapper's favorite crack rapper?
No, but he has dismissed non-crack rappers for being crack rappers.
In a year when the fashion in hip-hop realness was a grotesque crack nostalgia--powered, in the case of Young Jeezy (No. 39 album) and Three 6 Mafia (No. 10 single),
I mean, did I miss the part of "Stay Fly" that is about CRACK NOSTALGIA?
never mind the whole ny-centric nonsense about crack being 'over.' Yeah, maybe if the world = NYC then this is the case
While I think there's a place for card-pulling when people make inaccurate statements - such as confusing "stay fly" for a crack song - it's another thing to use that as a way to dismiss someone's abilities and contributions. I think Xgau gets things wrong on occasion but that doesn't lead me to think, "dude's wack."
In any case, it's high comedy to watch some lil dude poptart try to take a swipe. Bob's got byline stacks bigger than you and a history supporting hip hop that goes beyond any other rock critic I know. His mistakes > your truths.
Eh I like I said i dont dislike him but when he says dumb shit i don't think i should just let it pass by because, like, RESPECT DUE TO THE MASTERS man.
I mean O-Dub I argue w/ you from time to time and i respect you, you've done more for rap or whatever etc. etc. But if you say something I think is goofy I'm still gonna say something. I don't know that I think its good to cultivate such an atmosphere of reverence, esp. since gunning for old folks is what little dudes do. I'm not doing it to make a name for myself or some shit.
Edite: I guess I read Odubs post as directed at me more than it was, since i'm not advocating dismissing the dude's contributions by any means. Not that I'm about to check dude's rap recommendations. Someone find his Northern State review...
mannybolone
Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
Comments
When you diss Xgau, you diss yourself.
Kill yr idols.
For real. While his taste in hip hop has been iffy for about the past 15 years, he's a really perceptive critic and great stylist.
I stumbled on his writing at the age of 12 when I bought a remainder copy of his Consumer Guide to 70s rock. It led me to check out a ton of great music and really shaped how I think and talk about what good albums are. I can't think of anything or anyone that's been a bigger influence on my development as a listener.
Grown Man Talk, none of that Lil Dude Squack.
I certainly don't cosign on every opinion he's ever had but did you actually listen to him explain his love for crunk?
Lil Jon Approved???!
I think that great writers and artists who have fallen off are as open to criticism as anyone else. See: your numerous Jay-Z posts.
However, I don't think he's really "fallen off" even though I also don't think he's as good as he's been in the past. I suspect he'd agree with that assessment. I mean, shit, he's SIXTY FOUR. He's been writing about music longer than I've been alive (and I'm not that young. I need face lotion and moisturizer apparently). I love writing but I don't know if I'll still be doing this in 30 years and doing it at a level that is still a lot better than most of the new kids on the block (see Pitchfork).
I don't think Jay-Z "fell off," by the way. Though he did make a half-assed album and that's not a good look.
I didn't really even mean to dis Christgau with my first post--I was actually being honest, I miss his reviews in the Village Voice. The statement itself was supposed to be a knockoff of a pithy Christgau capsule review. That being said, his column was veering toward the absurd over the past few years. Still, the idea of Christgau finding catharsis in a Lil Jon record is endearing.
Saying.
He gave this really amazing talk at the Experience Music Project conference last spring about how listening to Lil Wayne's "The Carter 2" helped him deal with the death of his father. It was completely, 100% sincere - not some hipster, ironic bullshit.
But I think its weird that the DEAN OF ROCK CRIT's main claim to fame was these pithy slams, esp since its so imitated, everyone trying to out-clever each other (Tara Henley bite). And his taste is suspect to me, and has been since I started listening to music.
I don't dislike him or most of his writing, though. Its just funny to hear a 64 year old talk about crunk on NPR though, insightful as it may be.
THAT'S AGEIST!
You don't find the idea of a famous 64 year old music critic getting over losing a job he held for over 30 years by listening to Crunk Hits Volume 2 at all unusual?
Is that much more arbitrary than listening to Al Green to get over a break-up?
Well, actually, now that you put it that way...
I loathe him.
Hatteur.
But hey, he's #1 on the Time-Out list!
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/Details.do?page=1&xyurl=xyl://TONYWebArticles1/584/features/music.xml
(note: ranking music critics like this is beyond silly)
According to your link he's #5.
In any case, I would have put him in the 3 spot.
I wasn't aware he had been.
One of my favorite song titles ever was
Sonic Youth's "I Killed Christgau With My Big Fucking Dick"
regardless of whether one believes (1) christgau is a good critic or (2) the voice is/was/ever was a readable/accessible/important weekly, new times' purchase and the resultant controversies--of which blacklisting former VV writers; failing to find anyone who wanted to take the VV editor's job, since 'firing the staff, slowly and discretely' was part of the job requirements; and announcing hirings/firings via cocktail napkin are but a few--seem to run counter to the spirit of why the voice was founded in the first place. at the very least, new times wasn't exactly diplomatic in asserting themselves.
the paper still has some great writers, from what I hear.
why?
he dis your favorite crack rapper's favorite crack rapper?
I mean, did I miss the part of "Stay Fly" that is about CRACK NOSTALGIA?
never mind the whole ny-centric nonsense about crack being 'over.' Yeah, maybe if the world = NYC then this is the case
In any case, it's high comedy to watch some lil dude poptart try to take a swipe. Bob's got byline stacks bigger than you and a history supporting hip hop that goes beyond any other rock critic I know. His mistakes > your truths.
I mean O-Dub I argue w/ you from time to time and i respect you, you've done more for rap or whatever etc. etc. But if you say something I think is goofy I'm still gonna say something. I don't know that I think its good to cultivate such an atmosphere of reverence, esp. since gunning for old folks is what little dudes do. I'm not doing it to make a name for myself or some shit.
Edite: I guess I read Odubs post as directed at me more than it was, since i'm not advocating dismissing the dude's contributions by any means. Not that I'm about to check dude's rap recommendations. Someone find his Northern State review...
YOU SOUND ASS HURT!
also re: sennah