Christgau's Record Guide

The "glib and oily art'' (as Shakespeare might say) of rock music criticism is on full parade in Christgau's compilation of 2800 1980s rock album reviews, most of which are lifted as is from Christgau's "Consumer Guide'' column in The Village Voice . Arrangement is alphabetical by recording artist, and each entry, generally 50 to 150 words in length, includes album name, label, release date, and a letter grade. Introductory essays on 1980s trends and developments and appendixes of artists neglected in the reviews are included. Christgau's catholic tastes provide a wonderful cornucopia, but the cumulative effect of his terminally hip prose and gymnastic verbal constructions ("boho Americanism,'' "antipunk discowave,'' "postprog art-rock,'' "mucho pusho,'' etc.) is vacuous. Ira Robbins's The New Trouser Press Record Guide ( LJ 3/1/89; 3d ed.) is a superior choice for its depth and information.-- Barry Miller, Austin P.L., Tex.