Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Ellen From Endwell knows her pop music history, and writes with a light, passionate touch. She has excellent taste and sound judgment.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Gloria is the poet laureate of what used to be called "the love that dare not speak its name," which is now the love that can be shouted from mountain to desert to ocean.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Francophile, political commentator, author of excellent spy novels, one-time Hollywood insider, Lorraine is fearless in her brilliance and full of provocative ideas.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Lifetime commitment to rock & roll fuels her stories about being a working barista, a working musician, and travels with partner Wreckless Eric. Bonus points: she wrote and sang "Dancing With Joey Ramone."

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Margaret Sullivan is the most trustworthy media critic in journalism. She writes with piercing yet gentle intelligence, and is my personal go-to person for questions of ethics, appropriate behavior, and journalism education. She's also (off-camera) an astute observer of the Buffalo Bills, and has good judgement in rock music as well.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

News from the Hudson Valley and Berkshires, a one-man culture section for an entire growing region. He's a Dylanist, and author of a new book on George Harrison.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Miter, the author, musician and composer on this site, presents his songs and thoughts about music. And I don't even listen to his podcast (because I don't have time for podcasts), but you might want to.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Penny is a veteran music journalist from LIverpool. Got that? You've got to know your stuff in Liverpool, and Penny has good taste, and writes gracefully.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

A great singer-songwriter, visual artist, and spiritual thinker, Peter shares his deep thoughts for those of us who need to remember to keep our minds open.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Laurie Stone tells stories partly truth, partly fiction, with no contradiction, and once you zoom in, you'll find that it never matters.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Wee hours storytelling from a fertile young mind.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Outstanding writing from New Zealand about a world citizen with distinctive life experiences.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

The unpredictable preoccupations of an interesting person!

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

The core curriculum for American pop culture writing.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Brad Kyle's TuneTag is one of Substack's essential music games. Some might call it trivia, but it's not trivial: It's fun.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Jeff Tweedy tries out new songs, talks about his life, with the restless curiosity of his music and prose.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Smart, versatile insights from Robert Gilbert.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Seth has two Substacks, he is a one-man newsroom covering the Hudson Valley in NY and the Berkshires, Mass. This isn't that Substack. He is one of our shrewdest Dylan observers, lives with his feet on the ground and his spirit always lively.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Poetry, essays, and wisdom from one of the special creators in American literature.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Glenn is a great photographer, writer, thinker, humanist, and human.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

I've been recommending E. Jean Carroll since she wrote hilarious advice columns for magazines back in the print era. The funniest, most fabulous place to hang out with her "conflab" on Substack.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Ted Gioia's Substack in which he makes a case as one of America's most intriguing public intellectuals, and all that jazz.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Lucian and I fought the culture wars at the Village Voice back in the day (meaning, the meaty mid-1970s). But this peaceful, hyper-articulate West Point man has a real war to write about, and his newsletter is the best place for strategic thinking about Russia's war against Ukraine, not to mention political developments wherever they occur. I'm a fan, and paying subscriber to his newsletter.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

The hardest working man in Substack business who also is your best source for music I haven't really heard.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Fortification against jargon and corporate-speak

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Tom Moon had been a colleague on the national rock music newspaper beat; now he uses his vast curiosity and access to music to turn us on to stuff most of us never get to hear.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Brilliant analyses of what’s happening underneath the hood of your internet vehicle: gas/electric/interstitial/philosophical/Substackian or Substackish, as well as meta-Meta-meta and of course, musketry.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Where to go off the usual tourist grid in the UK

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Ray Padgett digs deep into Dylanology without leaving less obsessed readers behind.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins

Marshall Bowden's astute musical observations, beyond genre.

- Critical Conditions by Wayne Robins