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Title: Funny curmudgeon prose marred by questionable judgment.
Review: Let's give the devil his due - Christgau's acerbic style of writing makes for some fun reading and his heart is in the right place - soul, rock and punk over adult easy listening? I'm with him.Sadly, the witticism loses its potency when Moby's "Play" gets the nod over Tom Waits' "Bone Machine" and R.E.M's "Automatic For The People" gets exactly the same grade as Kelly Osbourne's debut album.Maddening also is his inability to divorce certain artists from their efforts (I don't see why Bono doesn't get a pass despite his "massive ego" while Trent Reznor's pretentious posturing does). When all will be said and done, U2 will have "With Or Without You", "Where The Streets Have No Name", "Angel of Harlem" and "One" to their name while Trent Reznor will have...never mind.And in whose book is "Let It Be" only as good as Rancid's "Indestructible"? Christgau's.Too bad. It's a fun read but questionable judgment mars the effort.
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