CHRISTGAU CONSUMER GUIDE
BLUE OYSTER CULT: “Spectres” (Columbia):: Now that they’ve become a standard brand I can admit it to myself—their expertise and versatility leaves me slightly awed and completely unmoved. B DEBBY BOONE: “You Light Up My Life” (Warner/Curb):: Who cares if the single sells six million? It’s only singles, y’know? Trendsetters don’t buy singles.
CHRISTGAU CONSUMER GUIDE
by Robert Christgau
BLUE OYSTER CULT: “Spectres” (Columbia):: Now that they’ve become a standard brand I can admit it to myself—their expertise and versatility leaves me slightly awed and completely unmoved. B
DEBBY BOONE: “You Light Up My Life” (Warner/Curb):: Who cares if the single sells six million? It’s only singles, y’know? Trendsetters don’t buy singles. Smart people like you and me don’t buy singles. But now I read that the album has gone platinum, too, and that means it’s time to stop fucking around. Maybe if all of us return our copies, they’ll decertify it. Well, it’s worth a try .don’t you think? D-
JACKSON BROWNE: “Running On Empty” (Asylum):: Jackson sounds relaxed—verbally, vocally, even instrumentally. He cuts his own meager melodies with nice ones by Danny O’Keefe and Danny Kortchmar. He does a funny and far from uncritical version of “Cocaine” and a loving and far from unfunny version of “Stay.” I consider this his most attractive album. But then, I’ve never liked him much. Some of his devotees may consider the self-effacement a deprivation. B +