The Year in Criticism
It’s been about three years since I began turning some of the characteristics that people ascribe to me (arrogant, sarcastic, judgmental) into indy-publishing gold by becoming a critic and editor for Clamor. So, in response to Mr. Kucsma’s insistent editorial-group e-mails about posting ‘top tens,’ I decided to take some time out of my holiday schedule and share with you my favorite critiques of 2005. And while I realize critiques of critiques run the risk of climbing up an intertextual ass, I humbly (not a characteristic often ascribed to me) submit to you my faves, in no order.
Some Kind of Monster – Indeed. In this film, Metallica raises the curtain on how they make a record, in this case the essentially unnecessary St. Anger. What this peek reveals is monstrous if not in the way these cultural icons might have wished. We are treated to a toxic mixture of adolescent angst weaponized with middle-aged ennui and the “creative process” so exposed is one built on self-importance, intellectual insecurity, and a nagging sense that Metallica, just maybe, isn’t relevant anymore. Watching the hamily self-aware attempts at honesty (mediated by their $40,000 a month shrink) is embarrassing enough to make a whole theatre blush. Fortunately, I was alone when I watched it. Check out instead, the $5.98 ep , where Metallica circa ’88 plays faves from their influences with affection not affectation. Vivid reminders of Steve Albini’s assertion that too few bands break up, Metallica were once relevant, and decent cultural critics to boot.
H.P. Lovecraft: Tales – I reviewed this at length already, but let me simply say that the decision of the Library of America to put out this high-quality edition of Lovecraft’s work is a tribute to their taste and insight. Peter Straub’s notes and annotations are a wonderful addition to the work.
Anheuser World Lager – A tacit critique of their soapy-tasting mainstay Bud, Bud World is what the rubes at Anheuser Busch think Heineken tastes like. Protesters should hand out paper cups of this at G7 meetings - If this is how globalization tastes, we’ve got nothing to worry about. Even Bud drinkers will realize it sucks.
Kanye West 9/2/05 Some fine-ass cultural criticism here: “George Bush doesn’t care about black people!” No comment is necessary, but check out here for his full remarks, which merit reading. I ain’t calling Bush a golddigger, but he don’t seem to care about no broke…you get the idea.
Maximum Rock N Roll – This year saw the departure of my fellow Perrysburg High grad Mike Thorn from the helm of this mag, a long-time institution in punk fucking rock and indy media. Thorn found the thing is disarray, cut out (most of) the graduate school columnizing and refocused MRR on the state of Hardcore. In so doing, he completed the task begun by our own Jen Angel of moving the baby boomers out to pasture and empowering a new generation of punks in the process. The magazine was the best it had been in 15 years. Let the scenesters gossip - Thorn’s work was primo shit.
The Almanac of American Politics, 2006 – Biographies of every governor, senator, and member of congress with often-insightful analyses of their districts. Essential for students of American electoralism and fascinating reading. These cats have been at it for 25+ years and each new edition kicks my ass all-anew.
Collector’s Guide to Heavy Metal, Volume One: the 70’s by Martin Popoff – Everyone likes music, some of us like records. I, who fall firmly in the second category, bought this to read on a flight to New England in early November and have been arguing with it since. And arguing with them is why books like this exist. Popoff does several laudable (and too rare) things; he tells you what the records sound like, tells you why he likes (or dislikes) them, and rates them on how heavy they are. Anyone who has bought a rare record unheard knows how valuable these insights are and I applaud his work, even if he underrates Budgie and overrates BOC, to mention only my problems with the Bs. A companion CD comes with to expose you of the pitfalls of buying obscure records…
Hunter Thompson’s Death - Every death is a tragedy, but I for one am willing to give Hunter Thompson the benefit of the doubt. Rational people can disagree whether or not suicide can be a rational decision, but Thompson saw what getting older was like - and gave it a serious ‘thumbs down.’
The American Conservative – Begun as a house organ for Pat Buchanan’s cranky brand of conservatism, 2005 saw the American Conservative continuing along its anti-war, anti-global, anti-neocon way with an ease that brings to mind the baseball admonition that one should make the hard stuff look easy and the easy stuff look hard. The people at the American Conservative are creating a conservative critical theory that outsmarts many of Clamor’s enemies with a frustrating clarity and conducting the most interesting ideological experiment in years, and doing it 24 times a year. And if you think you hate the neocons, grab a copy of this and gaze in awe.
Keith McCrea
Reviews Editor