Robert Christgau's Music Criticism Blog - Expert Witness - MSN Music

Scott Miller/Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks

Cheese Logs‑-Yummy

By Xgau Dec 16, 2011 2:22AM

Scott Miller: Christmas Gift (F.A.Y.)

Easy once he thought of it, right? Appalachia-oriented American and Russian history degree holder Miller picks 'em (guitar-banjo "Ode to Joy," harmonica-piano "Holy, Holy, Holy") and picks 'em (John Prine's beloved "Christmas in Prison," Roger Miller's forgotten "Old Toy Trains"). Writes one, too‑-his very own "Yes, Virginia," about how there is a Santa Claus, and there are also lots of relatives. These are both good things as far as he's concerned. And for the duration of an EP, they are. A MINUS

 



Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks: Crazy for Christmas (Surfdog)

Crazy because he's always been pleasantly nuts, but also because he's crazy not just as a result of but about Christmas, which as all Christmas fans know is a combination with a shot at making the holiday as full of good cheer as it's supposed to be. Scatting "Here Comes Santa Claus" as one retro strategy among many, Hicks lays out an "Old Fashioned Christmas" complete with "Bethlehem scene on the lawn/And a picture of Rudolph in the john" as the elves in "Santa's Workshop" paint millions of wooden boats and planes. Remember wood? This is a good-humored sixtysomething who wants to teach his grandkids the old-timey verities. Then he'll take a nap. B PLUS

 

< Back to Expert Witness
User Picture
Write a comment...
170Comments
Joey Daniewicz
Dec 17, 2011 6:37PM
avatar
We shall be doing songs (don't feel the need to keep to singles) for **** and giggles, too.  It'll be more scattershot, but whatever, right?  If there's enough demand for other categories, I will honor that.
Jon LaFollette
Dec 17, 2011 1:04PM
avatar
Sorry if I'm a little late to the Adele conversation. But the previous discussion intrigued me and forced me to put my two cents in. 

I personally find much of her music to be monotonous and dull. O.K., I get it Adele, you're sassy / sappy and coming to terms with the ending of a relationship. Fair enough. But just because she sings about emotions and feelings doesn't mean she really understands them. I find her lyrics to be nothing more than musical paste for women who want Oprah back on TV, or homosexuals too smart to be taken by Lady GaGa's "Born This Way" gimmickry. So what if she has a voice? (one that she's already misused to the point of surgery) She doesn't really have that interesting of a story, or that smart of a perspective. But, I suppose Xgau was right when he reviewed her first album "19", at least she's better than Norah Jones. 
Joey Daniewicz
Dec 16, 2011 8:58PM
avatar
Yikes!  And someone's gone and mentioned that I have a blog.

If Xgau would be so kind as to add it, I'd be thrilled, honored, etc. etc BUT! not until 2012.  I don't meant till the world ends (although I'll keep on dancing up to 'round then), I mean January the first, 2012.  He's asking for frequently updated blogs, and right now it's no such thing, but people like Cam and Michael tell me to practice discipline, so I'm going to keep some rough scheduling going and attempt to include everything that makes print in my newspaper (I withhold lots I'm not 100% satisfied with, truth told).  One of my current plans is that you'll see an update every day for the first week of the new year (including the top fifty songs of 2011, the top twenty-five albums of 2011, and a few other 2011 features including my own sort of turkey shoot on some turkeys we've seen shot or pardoned over and over already), and before then I'll have my Funeral writings edited and posted.

So yeah, noisecritic dot wordpress dot com, but not 'til then, if you're willing to at all.
jreamteam
Dec 16, 2011 12:34PM
avatar
greg, you can also just listen to the whole Adele album on myspace for free.  maybe check it out before you buy that piece of crap.

er, i mean......... piece...............​.... of..................​....................​..............  drap?   shitlist! oh well.
jreamteam
Dec 16, 2011 9:34AM
avatar
Scott Weiland's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

ha!
Jason Gubbels
Dec 19, 2011 9:06PM
avatar
Thanks, Cam. I read Quirk's piece in 2010s Da Capo Best Music Writing collection - a good reminder that it's a project worth putting some money towards.
jeff melnick (jmel64)
Dec 16, 2011 10:53AM
avatar
Adam:  The LeeVees (guy from Guster and guy from Zambonis--remember them--they had that great song "Hockey Monkey"?)
Fabien Boss
Dec 16, 2011 9:26AM
avatar
Read the very start of the second sentence of the review !
JeffC77
Dec 16, 2011 11:07AM
avatar
Adele, 21: B-. (Download-worthy only, IMO.)
Joey Daniewicz
Dec 16, 2011 11:15AM
avatar
Greg: I'll go back and quote my post from yesterday.  21 is an A in my book, and it's looking like it's going to be one of my five favorites of the year.

Adele's sadness isn't what gets me.  It's her thorough presentation of her folly.  This is 2011's Dog Returning to its vomit, and Christopher Owens never had a chance at that title.  Over and over again she speaks of moving on, but only so that her old flame can watch her do it.  Then there's that triumphant centerpiece, "I'll Be Waiting," that speaks of limitless devotion, but it becomes pathetic and delusional coming two songs after "He Won't Go" establishes a relationship that needed killing.
Ioannis Sotirchos
Dec 17, 2011 10:41AM
avatar
but what would daft punk think?
Brad Morosan
Dec 19, 2011 9:20PM
avatar
Jeff: I like your list, but I would nominate Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend" over "Otis" for Music Video of the Year.
Cam Patterson
Dec 19, 2011 8:17PM
avatar
The real question, imo, would be how on God's green earth they could have spent seven figures on Luna?
I mentioned Tim Quirk about this issue because of this wonderful article that dives into this question in some detail. There's also Albini's similar piece, which I think is linked internally: http://goo.gl/gvhZq
Mitch F - deaconmf
Dec 19, 2011 10:34AM
avatar
Joe: Sorry to hear about your father. Strangely, a number of my friends and acquaintances have lost their fathers in the past couple of months. One of them is Warren Hellman. Glad to see the family intends to keep Hardly Strictly Bluegrass going.
Cam Patterson
Dec 17, 2011 6:13PM
avatar
Joey-- Are we doing albums only? What about singles? Reissues?
Joe Lunday
Dec 16, 2011 7:06PM
avatar
As far as nominees for the blog list, what Chris said - Hull, Monsen, Gubbels. Destination Out as Bradley mentioned.  Joey's blog is at noisecritic dot wordpress dot com. 

Some others: Simon Reynolds' main blog is blissout at blogspot.  Tom Breihan's tumblr is tombreihan dot tumblr dot com.  (Greg, he named Adele's "Someone Like You" as the single of the 1st quarter of 2011, FWIW.)  But I'll point out that he's down to a couple posts a year, while his rock crit is really up at his paid gigs.  The same is true of Douglas Wolk's lacunae dot com, which does helpfully point to some of his work when he updated it, which is infrequently now.  

I lost track of Ryan's blogs because there were a couple, but I think therealjackiemayhem at blogspot, which is the one I bookmarked, was never intended as anything more than a one-off, so we need some clarification on that, if he cares to be considered.  
Tom Walker
Dec 16, 2011 10:05AM
avatar
After one Rhapsodic pass though each record: what treats, what nice additions to the seasonal rotation.  
Tom Walker
Dec 16, 2011 9:39AM
avatar
Fabien:  The very start of the second sentence is wrong.  That's what we're saying.
jreamteam
Dec 16, 2011 9:05AM
avatar
which made this record... or who made this record?  or whom made this record?  i never know... i'm not good with words.
Report
Please help us to maintain a healthy and vibrant community by reporting any illegal or inappropriate behavior. If you believe a message violates theCode of Conductplease use this form to notify the moderators. They will investigate your report and take appropriate action. If necessary, they report all illegal activity to the proper authorities.
Categories
100 character limit
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?

about the blogger

Robert Christgau

Starting in 1967, Robert Christgau has covered popular music for The Village Voice, Esquire, Blender, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and many other publications. He teaches in New York University's Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music, maintains a comprehensive website at robertchristgau.com, and has published five books based on his journalism. He has written for MSN Music since 2006.

find concert tickets

 
Find more tickets. Powered by FanSnap

follow msn music

music news

More news

blog roll