Music criticism at its worst

Oh my goodness, what a weird trip.

Just got through listening to an audiobook version of “Dusty Springfield’s Dusty in Memphis,” Warren Zanes’ installment in the “Thirty Three and a Third” series of books in which people of note examine classic albums.

Zanes, best known as a member of the early 80s country-punkers Del Fuegos and currently a suit at the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, idolizes this famous Southern soul album, in which the diva Springfield collides with the rough power of 1968 Memphis.

So far, so good.

Unfortunately, his examination of the album ends almost as soon as it starts. 

Zanes offers up some great background on the factors fueling an amazing album (including Jerry Wexler and Chip Moman’s production mastery) but for the most part, he’s is off on a variety of head-scratching tangents. Zanes fancies himself as a seasoned interpretative historian but I felt as if someone had slipped me some bad Hunter S. Thompson outtakes.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame seems to welcome self-indulgent tripe.