Then, rock criticism was a new field, and those practicing it held literary aspirations. Nostalgia for the early days was everywhere this year. There's a new orthodoxy about popular music that says everything 30 years old that can now be called 'folk culture' is all good. I like Spooner Oldham, but he's not a major figure. He shouldn't be canonized.
Life is more fun that way.
He's still in the Voice every few weeks, dropping astringent commentary on musical developments others miss, using his acidic wit and sharp descriptions to champion underdogs and defend artists such as Eminem from finger-wagging moralists. The critic's job is to engage the moment. And he suggests that some of his colleagues fall short of their obligation to chronicle the times. They're self-absorbed, or preoccupied with stars, or following the herd, too lazy to discover something on their own.