Inside Music: Consumer Guide
Consumer Guide by Robert Christgau (Image: Mary J. Blige / Manu Chao/EricBenetti/Retna / Jill Scott/Steven Lam)
advertisement

More: Reviews | Honorable Mention/Choice Cuts

DUD OF THE MONTH

Stars of the Lid: 'And Their Refinement of the Decline' (Kranky)

Stars of the Lid
"And Their Refinement of the Decline"
(Kranky)

One of those records -- they abound in "post-rock" -- that get nothing but raves because only believers bother to listen. This drone duo met at the University of Texas in 1990; one is now a muso expatriated to Belgium, the other a debate coach expatriated to the University of Southern California. This two-hour double-CD/triple-LP, their first product since 2001, is grand, somber, amelodic, arhythmic and slow, leaving plenty of time to admire the notes' altered states. Nothing is dreamy, misty or languorous -- minimalists though they are, they're committed to accruing aural mass. An early advocate observed that their music made "consciousness seem like an annoying state." He considered that a compliment.

Grade: C MINUS



MORE DUDS

Various Artists
"After Dark" (Italians Do It Better)

Beastie Boys
"The Mix-Up" (Virgin)

James Blackshaw
"The Cloud of Unknowing" (Tompkins Square)

The Field
"From Here We Go Sublime" (Kompakt)

Good Charlotte
"Good Morning Revival" (Epic/Daylight)

Jonas Brothers
"Jonas Brothers" (Hollywood)

Kenna
"Make Sure They See My Face" (Star Trak)

Marissa Nadler
"Songs III: Bird on the Wire" (Kemado)

Sally Shapiro
"Disco Romance" (Paper Bag)

Angie Stone
"The Art of Love and War" (Stax)


More: Reviews | Honorable Mention/Choice Cuts

Subscribe to this feed Subscribe to this feed | Join the discussion | Send us an e-mail

advertisement
Search the Consumer Guide
Consumer Guide Archive
Read all of Robert Christgau's reviews on MSN Music
  • Sept. 2009: Black Eyed Peas, Jay-Z, MIranda Lambert and More Get Nods; Major Lazer, Chrisette Michele, Maxwell and More Receive Honorable Mentions; Ginuwine's "A Man's Thoughts" Is Dud of the Month
  • Aug. 2009: J Dilla's "Jay Stay Paid," Patterson Hood's "Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs)," Regina Spektor's "Far" and More Get Nods; J Dilla, Ida Maria and More Receive Honorable Mentions; Grizzly Bear's "Veckatimest" Is Dud of the Month
  • July 2009: Moby's "Wait for Me," Mos Def's "The Ecstatic," Sonic Youth's "The Eternal," Allen Toussaint's "The Bright Mississippi" and More Get Nods; Pet Shop Boys, Cut Copy and More Receive Honorable Mentions; "21st Century Breakdown" by Green Day Is Dud of the Month
  • June 2009: Leonard Cohen's "Live in London," Doom's "Born Like This," Bob Dylan's "Together Through Life," the Hold Steady's "A Positive Rage," New York Dolls's "'Cause I Sez So" and More Get Nods; PJ Harvey, Conor Oberst, Marnie Stern, Cursive and More Receive Honorable Mentions; "Relapse" by Eminem Is Dud of the Month
  • May 2009: Art Brut's "Art Brut vs. Satan, Lady Sovereign's "Jigsaw," the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' It's Blitz!," Neil Young's "Fork in the Road" and More Get Nods; Mr. Lif, Neko Case, Flight of the Conchords, Lady GaGa and more receive honorable mentions; Bat for Lashes' "Two Suns" is Dud of the Month
  • April 2009: Lily Allen, Amadou & Mariam, Marianne Faithfull and More Get Nods; M. Ward, the Prodigy, Leela James and more receive honorable mentions; Shearwater's "Rook" is Dud of the Month
  • March 2009: Clipse, K'Naan and the Living Things Get Nods; Ludacris, Soulja Boy Tell 'Em and More Receive Honorable Mentions; the Knux Are Dud of the Month
  • February 2009: Calle 13, Glasvegas, Guns N' Roses and Nine Inch Nails Get Nods; Fall Out Boy's "Folie à Deux" is Dud of the Month
  • January 2009: Taylor Swift, T-Pain and Kanye West Get Nods; Darius Rucker, Akon and More Receive an Honorable Mentions; Beyoncé's "I Am ... Sasha Fierce" is Dud of the Month
  • December 2008: Buena Vista Social Club, GZA/Genius, T.I. Get Nods; Lucinda Williams, Ice Cube, Young Jeezy and More Receive an Honorable Mentions; Plies Is Dud of the Month
  • November 2008: TV on the Radio and Poet Robert Creeley Get Nods; Iron & Wine, Todd Snider and Blitzen Trapper Get Honorable Mentions; Bon Iver Is Dud of the Month
  • October 2008: Jenny Lewis Gets a Nod; Jeffrey Lewis Is Dud of the Month
  • September 2008: The Hold Steady, Conor Oberst and Randy Newman Get Nods; Natasha Bedingfield Is Dud of the Month
  • August 2008: Nas Names Names (But Not His Album), Death Cab For Cutie Get Complimented and the Dean Deep Sixes the Three 6 Mafia
  • July 2008: Lil Wayne Gets a Good Review from the Dean (He's Also "Dud of the Month"
  • June 2008: Magnetic Fields, Santogold and More Get Compliments; Leona Lewis Is Dud of the Month
  • May 2008: The B-52's, Drive-by Truckers and the Roots All Receive High Marks
  • April 2008: Kate Nash, Los Campesinos!, Erykah Badu, Mika, Kathleen Edwards, Snoop Dogg and More
  • March 2008: Daft Punk, Lupe Fiasco, Willie Nelson, Herbie Hancock and More
  • Feb. 2008: Mary J. Blige, Manu Chao, Jill Scott and More
  • Jan. 2008: Hail Hip-Hop! Ghostface Killah and Wu-Tang Clan, Soulja Boy and More
  • Dec. 2007: M.I.A., Gogol Bordello Rate Perfect
  • Nov. 2007: White Stripes Not Icky But Nick Rates Low
  • Oct. 2007: Kanye Graduates With an A-Minus but 50 Cent's a Dud
  • Sept. 2007: Common, Fountains of Wayne, Bright Eyes Make the Dean's List
  • Aug. 2007: Lucinda Is Laudable but Pretty Ricky Is a Dud
  • July 2007: Miranda Lambert, Arctic Monkeys and More
  • June 2007: Wilco, Apples in Stereo, Hot Chip and More
  • April - May 2007: Beck, Nas, the Arcade Fire and More
  • Feb. - March 2007: Beyoncé, Lily Allen and More
  • Dec. 2006 - Jan. 2007: Bob Dylan, the Hold Steady and More
Robert Christgau's Recommended Links