It’s probably possible, for example, for a group of reasonable, knowledgeable people to agree that The Joshua Tree is a work of high artistic merit. It’s a technically proficient implementation of a distinctive and influential aesthetic with a complex and intriguing heritage. But so what? It still may be too slow for you, or too pretentious, or not sexy enough, or any of a hundred other things that mean when you listen to it, your skin crawls, or your attention wanders. An interview with ‘rock critic’ Glenn McDonald who actually buys all the CDs he reviews. Applause. He’s got a pretty crass taste in music, but mentions U2 a lot. [ link via Joe Clark.]