Daughter of Irksome

Long time readers are aware that back in the day I had a lot of fun dissing New York Times writers Jon Caramanica and Kalefah Senneh, on separate occasions, as The World's Most Irksome Rock Critic.

Both of those worthies have long since moved on to other non-rock gigs, so I had more or less retired the title. But, alas, I now have to revive it.

Ladies and germs, I give you the New Yorker's quite preposterously irksome Amanda Petrusich.

I first became aware of Ms. Petrusich last October, when she penned a rapturous and cloyingly written ode to world's most useless Gen Z singer/songwriter Adrianne Lenker; at the time, I described Petrusich as the kind of deeply sensitive soul who underlines passages in slim volumes of poetry and then writes "How true!" in the margins, and I stand by that characterization.

However, her most recent think (heh) piece on the great Dusty Springfield is even more ludicrous, if such a thing is possible.

If only for this line/pearl of wisdom --

"Virtuosity and ease are frequently thought of as antithetical"

-- which could only be typed by somebody who a) knows nothing about music and b) has never actually listened to any.

And that's hardly the dumbest thing in the, ahem, essay, by the way.

That said, I would be remiss if I didn't thank Petrusich for reminding me of a mostly forgotten album -- It Begins Again -- that Springfield made in 1978 with (of all people) Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker. And specificially this track.

A Motown cover that Springfield was, obviously, born to sing.

In any event, kudos to Ms. Petrusich, the new title holder!!!

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!