Xgau Sez: July, 2026

Once more into the Swamp Dogg doc, Mungo Jerry and Richie Valens preferences explained, AI aversion ditto, Portishead still sour times, criticism vs. whoever, Willie vs. Waylon.

Have you seen the movie Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted (on Amazon Prime)?. Says the NY Times writer, “I had never heard of the songwriter, producer and performer Swamp Dogg (née Jerry Williams Jr.) before pressing play on this affectionate bio-documentary.” As an avid Consumer Guide reader, I, of course, have. After watching it, I searched out a couple of his B+ albums. As an avid Consumer Guide reader, I, of course, already own all the A’s and Total Destruction. What’s next in the series? Peter Stampfel Goes to the Post Office? Last, was that Ira and Georgia at Swamp Dogg’s 80th birthday party? — Rick Henry, Frederick, Maryland

Carola and I saw the Swamp Dogg movie two years ago at a Brooklyn film festival at the invitation of Paul Lovelace, an editor and producer on that documentary as well as on The Last Critic who we’ve known for many years. (Footage from his 1999 NYU student film Rock n’ Roll Animal, the subject of which is yours truly, is used in The Last Critic.) I thought the Swamp Dogg doc was both funny and informative, especially in re the r&b business.

Hello! Enjoyed reading your response to the following: “This has been going around on Bluesky and I figured you’d have interesting answers: Ten musicians you wish you’d gotten to see but didn’t, the more top of head the better.” [Xgau Sez, June, 2026: “Charlie Parker, Robert Johnson, Gilberto Gil, Hank Williams, Billie Holiday, Marvelettes, Platters, Mungo Jerry, Ritchie Valens, Nat King Cole, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra.”] Noted the majority of the artists you mentioned had all received positive reviews from yourself for albums or compilations. However, why Mungo Jerry and Ritchie Valens? I don’t recall you writing about them before, though there are two B graded albums for Mungo Jerry. Why would you have liked to have seen these two perform live? — James, Liverpool.

Mungo Jerry because they were funny. Valens because he was one of the first “rock and rollers” to assume an aggressive persona.

Would you read a novel written by AI? — Tom Jones

I remain a stubborn fan of humanity, so I doubt it. But were some dubious claim to start circulating I’d think about it.

You seem to really love the Bristol-born Trip-hop genre—you gave A+ ratings to both Endtroducing . . . and Maxinquaye—yet you didn’t rate Portishead highly. Given that their music even served as a major inspiration for Kanye’s Late Registration album, would you consider re-evaluating Portishead? — Aseem Arora, London

Being knocked out by two exemplars of a genre, sub-genre, or whatever isn’t the same as being knocked out by the genre, sub-genre, or whatever itself. Portishead was a long time ago by me, with a fanbase who were clearly attracted to what I wasn’t and what I called at the time “shows of misery” and “solipsistic melodrama.” Part of the job is articulating why you like what you like and why you don’t. Having done so, I see no need to revisit. But if they come up in some unforeseen context I’ll probably recall your query.

Has rock criticism ever gotten you into trouble with powerful people, like movie criticism did for Pauline Kael? Altercations, fights, death threats, etc.? Or are music folks more relaxed than movie folks? You can skip Lou Reed and Sonic Youth if you want to. — Muhammad Ahmad Abdul Jabbar

For the record, I’d be pleased if Lou and SY had paid me more respect than they did, but am happy with my modest SY connections and regard Lou as pretty much an asshole where criticism is concerned. As for Pauline Kael, if she had an enemies list I missed it, but as a matter of principle am on her side. Kael was a great critic. Did some movie people put her down? Possibly I suppose for specific offenses Hollywood resented. Fuck them.

You reviewed dozens of Willie Nelson albums over the years but only two (2!) by the other great outlaw of country music Waylon Jennings. Have you never found a top-shelf grade-A collection of his best work? Surely he must have at least a few A- records in his catalogue — Ben Riffen, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Five, actually, if you count three Waylon and Willie records, including the unfortunately yclept WWII, a B- of which I said “the idea is to acknowledge that all this outlaw myth is shuck-and-jive and then make the shuck-and-jive itself seem mythic.” Outlaw mythos aside, Willie Nelson is one of the greatest pop singers of all time. Jennings is not. Period.