A review by blewellyntaylor
The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic by Jessica Hopper

5.0

Whether revealing why a festival’s outsized appeal will never beat a basement show or casually comparing Cat Power to Rick Ross, Hopper either assumes the reader cares as much about music as she does, or knows she will convince us to. And she’s right on all counts. Prophetic in its assessment of sexism within the punk scene, and refreshing in its ability to really critique bodies of work in an age where album reviews often equate to artist PR, Hopper’s collection is refreshing and insightful throughout. I was surprised at how much I loved pieces on artists I didn’t know as much as those I did—a testament to Hopper’s passion for music. I only wish it were a hundred pages longer.