Month of January, 2008
Pazz and Jop 2007 out
As in Idolator's poll, LCD Soundsystem topped the Village Voice's 35th annual Pazz + Jop Critics Poll.
Plurality is not narrative: "New literate British bands"
Today the Guardian printed a trend piece that featured the latest installment of misapplied response to SFJ's disasterous Arcade Fire piece, called "New literate British bands" in which the writer tried to pin the current trend for indie in afro-pop as intelligent multicultural/fusion and not, sadly, the next phase in the no wave, post punk, new wave, world music late 1970s to mid1980s rehash
Spilling Ink Over Music: Lethem, Abebe, and Christgau on BMW07 for WNYC
Check out this encore performance of 2007 Best Music Writing contributors Jonathan Lethem (Being James Brown) and Nitsuh Abebe (Making Plans for Daniel) and guest editor Robert Christgau talking on NPR's Soundcheck radio show. Stream the whole thing ___here____.
Tom Petty's LA
I'd like to share my FIRST EVER COVER STORY for an alt weekly, a map of Tom Petty's Los Angeles. This is the third art/writing collaboration I've done with the amazing Scott Gursky and, in many ways, and ideal realization of everything I'd hoped for the project.
Call for submissions: Best Music Writing 2008
Hello blogreaders,
Consider this an open call for submissions for the Best Music Writing 2008 edition. I am pleased to report to you that for the 2008 edition of the book I will be working with esteemed writer Nelson George. I look forward to a fruitful spring of reading and consulting with him on this project.
Jason Gross's Best Scribing Awards 2007
As is the case each year, my friend and collegue Jason Gross has published his Best Music Scribing Awards list, this time at the BMW-endorsed Pop Matters site.
Tom Turrell Memorial Service
There's a memorial in NYC for Tom Terrell at the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Saturday January 19th at 2pm.
Michael Gonzales: Why Greg Tate Matters
Just read Michael A. Gonzales's writing about Greg Tate, which is really more an assessment of the climate for black writers in the post-Tate generation, since Tate was "the man that 'set it off' for a generation of “'reaky-deke cult-nat' journalists, essayists, painters, screenwriters, directors, et al."
Biff Rose, "Son In Moon"
I admit it, today is the first day I've ever heard Biff Rose. I've finally (sigh) gotten to listen to all the records I bought in New Zealand and have had Rose's Children of Light on repeat for several hours.