All Music Guide to Rock

Fun-to-read and easy-to-use, this reference, compiled by dozens of noted music critics, lists more than 15,000 recordings by 2,500 rock, pop and soul artists. Performers are profiled, with their top albums listed and rated. Reviews of key recordings discuss the artist's evolutions and significance in the world of rock. Major figures are highlighted with expanded biographies and complete album discographies. 40 charts.

Grade 9 UpAThis title might appeal to casual music fans and trivia buffs, but is not an essential purchase for libraries. It consists mainly of an alphabetical listing of performers and bands. The entries include date of birth (date formed for bands), death (date disbanded for bands), and a sketchy biography (or group history). A detailed discography includes the relative merit of various albums and points out essential purchases for each artist. Unfortunately, the criticism is dismissive, offering descriptions such as "brief and angular punk rock" and "ponderous and overblown" with no real clue as to what qualities these phrases refer to. This is not an exhaustive resource. Groups such as Shakespeares Sister or The Crash Test Dummies are left out, while the one-hit wonder Blues Magoos is included. An ad in the front claims that the All Music Guide Web page is more comprehensive. The most interesting part of the book is a look at the history of rock genres, from rockabilly to girl groups to grunge. These essays are dry and dense, but informative. At best, this can be used as a supplement for libraries with large music collections.ALawrence Kapture, New York Public Library
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