Opinions, graded like everything else.

Reviews

R&B is the passion; hip-hop gets a fair hearing. Reviews from a Chicago nerd who grew up on the music, collects the autographs, and isn’t afraid to say when the emperor’s new album has no clothes.

Where to start

The CTL 100: Black Music Essentials — the canon, on Listal. 100 entries, argued over constantly.
Chess Records dossier — where the Chicago sound was industrialized.
The 2008 Universal fire dossier — what the vault took with it.

Full written reviews are coming — the R&B reappraisal series starts with the albums everyone got wrong. Support the work and you’ll hear them first.

CultureTechLens — Reviews. “Culture, Clearly Seen.”