Da Capo Best Music Writing 2001: The Year's Finest Writing on Rock, Pop, Jazz, Country, and More

Rating:
Summary: music writing assembled by music fans' author of choice
Review: A first-rate collection of music writing assembled by Nick Hornby. As excellent as I would expect from Mr. Hornby, author of the music obsessive's novel, "High Fidelity".

Rating:
Summary: music writing assembled by music fans' author of choice
Review: A first-rate collection of music writing assembled by Nick Hornby. As excellent as I would expect from Mr. Hornby, author of the music obsessive's novel, "High Fidelity".

Rating:
Summary: Something Here For Everyone
Review: Another collection on music writing.from Da Capo, this edition does not dissapoint admirers of the previous year's entry. Hornsby has chosen well, representing a broad spectrum of styles and artists (though it must be said that women and black artists are given relatively short shrift). The most interesting pieces seem to be, once again, those on the least mainstream artists, probably because so much has been said about the hitmakers before. Still, all the pieces are at least interesting (however, I don't understand why NPR editor Sarah Vowell's short essay on Al Gore is included). Standouts include terrific novelist Steve Erickson's attempt to capture the mercurial Neil Young on paper; a sad tribute of sorts to the forgotten South African Zulu, Solomon Linda, who improvised the melody to the song we know as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight;" a lengthy New York Times piece on the impact of hip-hop culture on whites and blacks, and how they in turn shape the culture; and Metal Mike Sauders making a surprisingly good case for Disney Radio being the ultimate independent station. More disappointing are a nostalgic homage to the gangsters that ran the early rock business by the usually powerful Nick Tosches, a prosaic account of a Barbra Streisand concert by a non-fan, and an uninformative tribute to Jeff Buckley by his neighbor. But, as I said, all of the material here is at least interesting, and there's much here that will inspire readers to listen as well.

Rating:
Summary: Something Here For Everyone
Review: Another collection on music writing.from Da Capo, this edition does not dissapoint admirers of the previous year's entry. Hornsby has chosen well, representing a broad spectrum of styles and artists (though it must be said that women and black artists are given relatively short shrift). The most interesting pieces seem to be, once again, those on the least mainstream artists, probably because so much has been said about the hitmakers before. Still, all the pieces are at least interesting (however, I don't understand why NPR editor Sarah Vowell's short essay on Al Gore is included). Standouts include terrific novelist Steve Erickson's attempt to capture the mercurial Neil Young on paper; a sad tribute of sorts to the forgotten South African Zulu, Solomon Linda, who improvised the melody to the song we know as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight;" a lengthy New York Times piece on the impact of hip-hop culture on whites and blacks, and how they in turn shape the culture; and Metal Mike Sauders making a surprisingly good case for Disney Radio being the ultimate independent station. More disappointing are a nostalgic homage to the gangsters that ran the early rock business by the usually powerful Nick Tosches, a prosaic account of a Barbra Streisand concert by a non-fan, and an uninformative tribute to Jeff Buckley by his neighbor. But, as I said, all of the material here is at least interesting, and there's much here that will inspire readers to listen as well.

Rating:
Summary: another enjoyable compilation from Da Capo
Review: In this edition of Da Capo's "Best Music Writing" guest editor Nick Hornby has put the emphasis on relatively established writers tackling music-related themes though not necessarily the music per se. Two of the standout pieces from this mold are South African journalist Rian Malan (author of the incredible memoir "My Traitor's Heart") on the vicissitudes of the continuing legal wrangling over "Wimoweh" in which New York business sharks in essence defrauded its illiterate South African writer Solomon Lindo who died in poverty; and Nick Tosches funny piece on a group of now elderly wiseguys reminiscing on the underworld connections that made 1950s-1960s rock and roll. Granta editor Bill Buford contributes a very revealing portrait of alt-country singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. Three unusual and enjoyable pieces are alt.country singer-songwriter Robbie Fulks' encounter with the IRS (think low-rent Willie Nelson), the fan letter of Jonathan Lethem (editor of the subsequent 2002 collection) to the Go-Betweens, and Jim DeRogatis' acrimonious interview with Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins in which he invites Jenkins to give as good as he gets. A good compilation, would make a good gift for anyone interested in popular music.

Rating:
Summary: another enjoyable compilation from Da Capo
Review: In this edition of Da Capo's "Best Music Writing" guest editor Nick Hornby has put the emphasis on relatively established writers tackling music-related themes though not necessarily the music per se. Two of the standout pieces from this mold are South African journalist Rian Malan (author of the incredible memoir "My Traitor's Heart") on the vicissitudes of the continuing legal wrangling over "Wimoweh" in which New York business sharks in essence defrauded its illiterate South African writer Solomon Lindo who died in poverty; and Nick Tosches funny piece on a group of now elderly wiseguys reminiscing on the underworld connections that made 1950s-1960s rock and roll. Granta editor Bill Buford contributes a very revealing portrait of alt-country singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. Three unusual and enjoyable pieces are alt.country singer-songwriter Robbie Fulks' encounter with the IRS (think low-rent Willie Nelson), the fan letter of Jonathan Lethem (editor of the subsequent 2002 collection) to the Go-Betweens, and Jim DeRogatis' acrimonious interview with Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins in which he invites Jenkins to give as good as he gets. A good compilation, would make a good gift for anyone interested in popular music.