I spent an hour flipping through Robert Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the 90s. I sporadically scan his column but in aggregate, I was struck by how many African pop albums he reviewed and how little jazz. His grading has also become confusing. Back in the seventies (hah), he used a clear A+ to E- grading scale. Now, it's A+ to B-, honorable mentions */**/***, neither, choice cut, bomb and/or turkey. Grades are supposed to be a short-hand, aren't they? Still, I found some interesting reviews:
- A+
- ESPN Presents Slam Jams Vol. 1. A+? Really?
- Elmore James: The Sky Is Crying: The History of Elmore James. Christgau comments ...this man belongs on Mount Bluesmore...
- Sonic Youth. A Thousand Leaves. Used to be a favorite of mine.
- A
- African Ambience. emusic
- Miles Davis: Panthalassa. J had blown off this Laswell remix.
- Ocean of Sound. Ambient from Eno, Riley, Budd, Oliveros, Zorn (!), My Bloody Valentine et al. Out of print CD accompanying David Toop's book.
- Sleater-Kinney. The Hot Rock. Other S-K grades -- A-, A, A. emusic
- A-
- The Civil War (Elektra Nonesuch). Soundtrack of the Ken Burns film. amazon
- Miles Davis: Black Beauty. Jack DeJohnette keeps the troops in order.
- Bob Dylan: Time Out of Mind. Right now, it's A+ for me.
- Bill Frisell: This Land. Not for the "groove-minded." Hmm, that may be why I have a love/hate relationship with Frisell.
- George Gershwin: Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls.
- Grateful Dead: Two from the Vault. ...a huge, insular cult accustomed to rendering its very real aesthetic discriminations within a context so uncritical no outsider need pay them the slightest mind. This is one of the most astute criticisms I've ever read.
- Hoosier Hotshots: Rural Rhythm 1935-1942. This is the silliest music I've ever heard.
- Kings of African Music. "essentialism"
- Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Matapedia. emusic
- Soundgarden: Superunknown. Best "zep rip in history." Used to be a favorite of mine.
- B+
- Aphex Twin: Selected Ambient Works Volume II. When Kyle Gann or (please God) Tom Johnson pumps a minimalist, I wonder whether I'm missing something...and pull out David Behrman's On the Other Ocean/Music from a Clearing...
- Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians. He gave the original ECM recording an A-. Maybe Beethoven can be rehashed forever (and maybe not). With Reich, one is all any nonprofessional needs.
- B-/turkey
- Radiohead: OK Computer. Ok, I was expecting he would do that. Christgau likes the "skilled guitar noises" but says that at least Pink Floyd has soul. It occurred to me earlier this week that boomer Pink Floyd begat Gen Xer Radiohead who (fortunately) dropped the pomposity but kept the essential alienation.
- **
- Lukas Ligeti & Beta Foly. I used to hate this album.
- *
- New Kingdom: Paradise Don't Come Easy. I still love this album even if Christgau says it's "like taking a bath in Gowanus Canal."
- choice cut
- Philip Glass/Allen Ginsberg: Song #6 from Wichita Vortex Sutra (Hydrogen Jukebox).
- neither
- Kronos Quartet: Pieces of Africa. I used to love this album. Alex Ross: "pale echoes of the real thing." amazon
- D/turkey
- Howie B. Music for Babies. This was the first obvious error on Christgau's part I found...
In an appendix, Christgau suggests his favorite album is Monk's Misterioso (emusic) followed by The Clash and New York Dolls.
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