More Shit That No One Has Read

I've been writing album reviews for Bust ever since the Aug/Sept '07 issue, and as I haven't heard from the editorial brain trust in some time, I'm assuming that I used to write for them. Here's my sum total of half-assed slipshod writing:

Aug/Sept '07 -- The Mix Up (Beastie Boys), You Follow Me (Nina Nastasia and Jim White)

Oct/Nov '07 -- In Our Bedroom After The War (Stars), Colossal Youth (Young Marble Giants)

Dec/Jan '08 -- Cold & Kind (The 1900s), Oblivion With Bells (Underworld), La Cucaracha (Ween)

Feb/Mar '08 -- Crystal Castles (Crystal Castles), The First EP (Kerowack)

Apr/May '08 -- Funplex (The B-52s)

June/July '08 -- Pop-Up (Yelle)

Oct/Nov '08 -- The Singles (Free Blood)

Dec/Jan '09 -- Fucked Up Friends (Tobacco)

Feb/Mar '09 -- Rombo EP (The Bloody Beetroots)

June/July '09 -- Further Complications (Jarvis Cocker)

Oct/Nov '09 -- Love 2 (Air)

Dec/Jan '10 -- Don't Stop (Annie)

Writing for Bust was somewhat frustrating in that (a) I wasn't paid [which I understood, given that they are a niche magazine with an important ideological thrust that struggles to stay financially afloat] & (b) the stuff I wrote was often edited into something that "Bust readers could understand" [which meant dumbed down and blanded out, assuming the readers had a limited base of semantic knowledge]. But it was always fun to see my name in print, even though I'm sure that no one ran out and bought a record based on my sterling prose. (Or even downloaded it, given that no one buys records anymore.) I'd say my best work was in the Dec/Jan '08 issue, with the three disparate reviews. After that, as one editor gave way to another, my enthusiasm was in direct proportion to the reviews I was allowed to do. But I'll always subscribe to the magazine even if my name isn't there, because I believe in their feminist message. You should, too.

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NBC -- Never Believe Contracts

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