A new list to rip to shreds: Maxim's 30 Worst Albums of all Time.

big mothafucking ditto!

If I may read between the lines a little: I think Amateurist completely believes Chuck likes these albums, and just thinks Chuck acts precious special about that fact, to the point of either getting irritating or ceasing to offer worthwhile content.

If I may read between the lines further: I speculate that any such element of Chuck comes out more strongly on ILM, being that he's a successful music critic and most of us are not and thus he's in a position where one might naturally be expected to be a little puckish and insouciant.

I would also agree with the contention that being puckish and insouciant about such things can be entertaining, if it seems deserved and applied in moderation. I find it a little irritating when Chuck Klosterman does it. In my scant reading of Eddy I have never seen him cross the line enough to bug me with this, but I haven't read enough of his stuff to have much of an informed opinion. I am not, however, mystified by the idea that someone might detect and resent such a tendency.

Does that make more sense, James?

1. Maxim takes on tougher targets than does Alex in NYC or amst (shock! outrage! they named bad bands and didn't go after the backstreet boys -- coz nobodys ever gone against THEM before!! its like everyone's afraid of making fun of current teenpop! they're practically on pedestals with the lips of every rockcrit ever puckered against their ass!) or derogatis.

2. Amst complains when ppl. (me) mention things they like with some reasons (tiffany's we're both thinking of her tonight coz its a great heartbreak song) and don't include dissertations. This is a rockist dbl. standard coz sure i'd love to write a dissertation on Tiffany sometime (i actually wrote one -- or at least an article) but if amst. sez "I love the rolling stones" who's gonna go "dude you have some fucking nerve saying you like them without proving it. its like yr. just trying to upset my critical applecart for no reason you annoyingly puckish scamp." More to the point I've never ONCE seen amst. give any in-depth explanation for his like or dislike of ANY MUSIC EVER.

Sterling -- what if you hate (or love) both?

i'd say more tiffany was APPRECIATED for dance numbers and deborah for ballads. but deborah hand so little range, a comparatively weak voice, and even her dance-numbers were pretty damn go nowhere. (out of the blue was the first tape i ever bought tho and it has a special place in my heart even if for no other reason.)

(isn't shake your love just the chorus over and over and over or am i missing something? i mean granted i love the double-entendre but it only takes you so far. foolish beat was a bit better i recall)