[Q] It seems like Anthony Fantano's by far the most discussed music reviewer on the internet these days. Have you watched any of his reviews. Do you think he's a good critic? -- David Springer, Fairfax, Virginia
[A] I don't "watch" reviews. I read writing. When I'm at the computer I almost never click on links to podcasts or televised news much less criticism, for two reasons--first, reading is faster than listening, and second, I'm continually using my ears to listen to music. Moreover, no one I know "discusses" Anthony Fantano, a name I barely recognized. Glancing over his Wikipedia entry he seems to have arrived at a plausible brand of 21st-century rockcrit taste that runs toward what I'll call dark prog--the godfathering Swans, this year's number one Daughters, on the rap end his beloved Death Grips. But clearly he's broader than that. Little apparent interest in the pop end or indeed tune or indeed fun, however--always a tragic and psychologically revealing lacuna. Nowhere near as insensible to hip-hop/r&b as dark proggers tend to be, but note that very few female artists crack his top 10s, which in 2018 was really missing the action. Fantano seems to have figured out a way to make some kind of living by disseminating his own criticism in the online age. That's an achievement. But until he starts putting it in written language, I'll live without.
>the godfathering Swans, this year's number one Daughters, on the rap end his beloved Death Grips. But clearly he's broader than that. Little apparent interest in the pop end or indeed tune or indeed fun, however--always a tragic and psychologically revealing lacuna As opposed to you, Bob, and how metalfags remind you of your old high school bullies.
Hudson Roberts
I thought Fagtano never met a hip-hop album he doesn't like.
Carter Myers
>dark prog Wew.
Isaac Reyes
LOL ONE TURKEY FAGGOT DOESNT FOLLOW ANOTHER TURKEY FAGGOT OB LA DI OB LA DA LETS PRETEND ANYBODY HERE ACTUALLY RESPECTS THE OPINIONS OF EITHER OF THEM
Carter Rivera
A hack starting an argument with another hack. That's all there is to it.
Liam Long
>t. Fantano is bad because he doesn't share my exact music taste
David Gray
You say this, but metal is great and Christgau never understood the appeal being a city slicker and all. Also do you remember when Christgau said he was terrified of James Hetfield's hair and gave Master of Puppets 0/10 even though he thought the music was great? And don't get me started on how he thinks folk sucks because he had a bad time at a Peter Paul and Mary concert once Also this
Aiden Harris
MOP got a B minus which amounts to weak praise. As for folk, I recall something like he said Joan Baez really put him off of it.
Juan Collins
>but metal is great and Christgau never understood the appeal being a city slicker and all. Actually he doesn't "get" much of anything from LA either.
Dylan Brown
*Anything outside of New York
Eli Ross
>dark prog
Isaiah Morales
>Moreover, no one I know "discusses" Anthony Fantano, a name I barely recognized. He's used this language many times before and it annoys the hell out of me. He practically made a career off of calling everything pretentious but also hangs out in cliques of pseudo-intellectual Greenwich Village hipsters who treat everything from music to politics as a fashion.
Jackson Bailey
is this dude really reviewing another reviewer
Jason Reed
people will be quoting christgau in 20 years. no one will be quoting fantano.
Caleb Rivera
that's a pretty based answer. he dissects him without even watching a review, and I don't even like Christgau.
Christian Lewis
I remember when a bunch of people on this board rallied to get him featured on the front page of ytube for some type of creator event.
Carter Howard
>Nowhere near as insensible to hip-hop/r&b as dark proggers tend to be Reading comprehension
Alexander Powell
I remember when some people lobbied to remove his album grades from Wikipedia.
Colton Green
>a self-declared 'male feminist' who became irrelevant 30 years ago vs the most popular music critic of the Information era the absolute state of music criticism
Nicholas Carter
Why not? He's written about a number of his peers such as Bangs and Meltzer (these were in Is It Still Good To Ya?)
Lucas Moore
>thinking Fantano is relevant and not just a Yea Forums meme
Landon Thompson
I generally prefer writing myself though video reviews make it easier to tell the reviewer's emotions/thoughts from the music.
William Murphy
I am so glad James Chance punched his teeth out.
John Richardson
^This.
Aiden Young
He once even wrote a review of his and his wife's sex life, I kid you not.
Angel Richardson
Asia [Geffen, 1982] The art-rock Foreigner is a rare find--it's not often anymore that a big new group is bad enough that you can sink your teeth in. John Wetton and Steve Howe added excitement to contexts as pretentious as King Crimson and Yes, but this is just pompous schlock in the grand manner, with synthesizers that would make John Williams proud. And after hearing two lyrics about why they like their girlfriends, followed by a lyric about "surviving" and three lyrics about why they don't like their girlfriends, I'm ready for some brain salad surgery. C-
Landon Thomas
God what a faggot.
Ryder Green
can threads about music "critics" be banned already?
Blake Allen
Anytime...Anywhere [A&M, 1977] This was gonna turn into her annual sultry cornpone when A&R man Jerry Wexler opined "You would do better with material people Recognize. Why not do Smokey Robinson, a Bee Gees number, maybe that wonderful Sam Cooke tune the Stones covered once. And who could go wrong with 'Higher and Higher?'" It almost works too, except that those of us with a long enough memory can still hear the originals. It takes a special kind of stupidity to turn "Higher and Higher" into a downtempo. C
James Jones
Hahahhaha I bet you he namedropped John Williams because he’s one of the only composers Christgau knows.
Isaiah Price
Come on, Rita's version of HAH wasn't that bad. I kind of like it even.
Caleb Martinez
Bee Gees Greatest [RSO, 1979] Not that I don't think "Jive Talkin'" and "Stayin' Alive" aren't "great." But I would never trust any group that leaves out of their own canon such masterpieces of monumental schlock as "How Can You Mend This Broken Heart" and "Lonely Days." This collection features twenty late '70s hits and oddities. But I remember. B
Anthony Scott
>set was clearly supposed to cover the 1975-79 period
cancel (You) for saving that picture and uploading it with your stupid post
William Morales
Coup D'Etat [Capitol, 1982] Now that they've copped to heavy metal tempos, they could last as long as Judas Priest, although since the HM hordes do demand chops, Wendy O might well be advised to start singing with her nether lips. Not only can't she sing (ha!), she can't even yell. Inspirational verse scratched on the outgroove--"You were not made for this." D-
That along with his discussing his wife's affair in graphic detail in his memoir. How she hasn't shot him yet I can't understand.
Samuel Mitchell
Double Vision [Atlantic, 1978] I love rock and roll so much that I find myself getting off on "Hot Blooded", a typical piece of nookie-hating cock-rock based around a riff-verse-chord change that's (gah) second-generation Bad Company. Other than that there's nothing here to threaten their status as world's dullest band. Inspirational verse--"She backhanded me 'cross my face." C-
Jaxon Long
Core [Atlantic, 1993] Once you've learned to distinguish them from the Stoned Tempo Pirates, the Stolen Pesto Pinenuts, the Gray-Templed Prelates, Pearl Jam, Wishbone Ash, and Temple of the Dog, you may decide they're a halfway decent hard rock act. Unfortunately, after they're done setting you up with their best power chords, you realize the type song is "Sex Type Thing" and it's attached to a rape threat. The band claims this is intended ironically, sort of like "Naked Sunday"'s sarcastic handshake with authority. But ironic critique loses its teeth when the will to sexual power still powers your power chords. And if that's the excuse their fans, as well as MTV viewers, have reason to suspect, then the whole band should catch AIDS and die. C
Easton Wood
I mean, I agree these guys were cockrock masquerading as alternative.
Aiden Jackson
Best of Bee Gees Vol. 2 [RSO, 1973] What a pathetic comedown--the harmonies strained, the melodies soggy, the lyrics deadly dull. Fifteen songs plus lyric sheet means they're really selling it too. Exactly four of these cuts made the top 20, which coincidentally is how many good songs I count here and I'm being generous. C-
Mason Lee
Everybody's Rockin' [Geffen, 1983] If Ronnie and Nancy are the only ones rocking on the less-than-rousing title finale, then maybe what Neil really means to say is that basic rockabilly isn't worth too much all by its lonely. I agree, but would find the argument more convincing if Neil plus Ben Keith could match Brian Setzer chop for chop. And I hope Neil realizes that for all the horrible truth of "Payola Blues," ain't nobody's three's thou's gonna this one on top 40. Running time: 24:55 List price: $8.95 C+
Justin Scott
Their first 4 albums, of which Core was the first, are great and very different from one another. Just one more example of STP being the most criminally underrated bands of the 90s.
Spy [Elektra, 1979] This advocate of the fuck-around-and-fib-about-it school of post-monogamy ("Morality is what I can do and still live with myself," she revealed to her publicist recently) dedicates her latest to Anaïs Nin, and for once I think she's selling herself short--at her best she's sharper than Anaïs Nin. If she'd been able to maintain the shrewd, ironic, vengeful-to-loving-to-bemused pace of the first three songs, she might actually have made a case for her ethical theories. But after that she mostly seems confused. Anaïs would be proud. B-
Brandon Ward
Sonic Youth [Neutral EP, 1982] You may not think Glenn Branca's proteges are a rock and roll band, but after all, why else would they essay a lyric like "Fucking youth/Working youth"? At their worst they sound like Polyrock mainlining metronome, at their best like one of Branca's early drafts. The best never last long enough. Not for nothing is the sonic grown-up so attached to phony grandeur. C
