Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as the 70's and 80's - but still essential
Review: This is the third album book by Mr Christgau that I have bought. I give this 4 out of 5 stars and find it interesting reading - just like the last two. What I find continually amazing in some of the reviews I have read on this site that whine on and on because they don't agree with Mr Christgau's opinions. First of all, he has reviewed since 1970 about 10,000 albums (and counting) between the three books. Think about THAT for a moment. How many of us have listened to half or a third of that total. Second, the books are by Robert Christgau - not Joe or Linda or Harry from name that town - they are his books, his opinions. I don't agree with everything he says but he always has interesting things to say and doesn't waste words saying them. Third - to pick out a certain artist and complain that they are not worth of your own A rating is ridiculous and sometimes YOU are in the minority - Take Lucinda Williams for instance with the album "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road" Robert Christgau gave it an A plus rating. Rolling Stone awarded it an "Essential Album ofthe 90's. I like it too. I have introduced it to people with varied interests from classical to hip-hop and they have enjoyed it. On the other hand I like most of U2's offerings and the highest rating Christgau gives to any of their albums is a B or B plus. Do I disagree with it? Yes. Am I going to complain and try to present my favorite albums as the best collection around that everyone should listen to in spite of Christgau's opinions -No. Many times he presents albums that received little or no publicity - he makes you think. So if you think Oasis is better than Lucinda Williams fine - but don't try and present yourself as more knowledgable than Christgau - you're not even in the top 50. Finally he gives you the ultimate out - if you don't agree with some of the A rated albums for ANY year of the 90's don't buy the book. For the serious audiophile this book is recommmended - and look up the previous two editions - worth owning also.
Rating: 
Summary: Bomb
Review: Uh-oh. Hide the children and pets. The "dean" of American rock critics strikes again.Now it's one thing for a writer, even a critic, to have a few quirks or pet peeves, which can be charming up to a point. Unfortunately, Robert Christgau seems to think that quirks and pet peeves are substitutes for lucid and cogent writing, which they most certainly are not. Too many of his reviews fall into one of two extremes. Either they're meandering pieces written in barely decipherable patois or else they're scurrilous screeds as thought provoking, but not nearly as funny, as Beavis & Butthead's music video critiques. Sorry, but a critic defeats his own purpose and does not change too many minds this way. Christgau has published two prior volumes of criticisms -- one covering the 1970s, the other the 80s. But this nineties edition sinks to the bottom of the barrel. Along with the requisite irregularities, it has an absurdly cumbersome rating system that Rube Goldberg would admire. The one piece of good news is that this edition seems to contain fewer personal insults and ad hominem attacks than those earlier volumes. That's not necessarily an improvement, however, because now he just sticks bomb icons next to the titles he hates and leaves it at that. Thanks a lot; real informative. The sad truth is this book would be unpublishable if anyone but Christgau submitted it. He needs a strong editor who can lay down the law, because he's been coasting on his reputation for far too long.
Rating: 
Summary: why would anyone want to read someone else's opinions?
Review: well, for starts, maybe to learn about something you didn't already know about. maybe to gather some insight that you didn't already have. then there's entertainment value - maybe that someone has an interesting and creative writing style. but reading reviews should have some effect on you. if a critic is passionate about his opinions, he should be able to convey a sense of excitement (or its opposite) about a work he is reviewing. but christgau leaves me cold. he is opinionated, but he is also predictable and boring. there seldom seems to be any enthusiasm in his reviews, nothing to make one think that - hey - this sounds like a great album - i need to check this out! at this point, it's really hard to tell if christgau is actually a warm-blooded music fan who lives for his next musical find or a cold academic performing his job. my money is on the latter.
Rating:
Summary: Windbag extraordinaire
Review: Why does ANYONE read Christgau's reviews?? In the face of great contemporary criticism by folks like Greil Marcus or anyone at the New York Press, his mediocre insights just leave me cold. The Bangs legacy never made it to this one!
Rating: 
Summary: Muddled, But Still Worthwhile
Review: Yes, this version of Christgau's Record Guide is a bit more chaotic, but at least the author admits so in his introduction. The new grading system, although different, doesn't take long to get used to. I found myself whizzing right along after reading Christgau's introduction. Yes, this book is shorter and less comprehensive than his two previous guides. Is this a fault? Yes and no. If you're already familiar with Christgau's work (I check the Village Voice online once a month to read his Consumer Guide) you'll probably thank him since he's cut away most of the fat and left only lean meat (i.e. the artists truly worth checking out). If, however, you're distraught that some of the bigger artists have been left out, you might want to check out a safer, broader (and, thus, more tepid) record guide such as the one published by Rolling Stone. Christgau is opinionated (he IS a critic, after all), but I strongly suggest thumbing through this guide at your local bookstore. Look up some of your favorite artists, and if the reviews of those artists are unfavorable or, worse, if you can't even FIND reviews, well, then this book probably isn't for you. However, if your tastes already lean towards Sonic Youth, Lucinda Williams, Sleater-Kinney, and Randy Newman (my fave!) you'll more than likely turn to the Christgau Record Guide as you would your Bible.
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