Pick Up the Pieces from John Corbett is one of those books that sounded a lot better than it was. I remember the 70s very well, okay, maybe a little smoky, but hey, it was the 70s. My musical tastes are/were also as varied as Corbett's, though it sounds like our preferences don't line up perfectly.

One of the problems I had with the book was his writing style, I simply don't care for his tone and I don't need quite so many weak attempts at being creative with analogies and metaphors. Just admit you're not actually creative yourself and talk about the people who are. I do hope his arms are okay after so much patting himself on the back.

Another issue for me was the implication (perhaps it was my misunderstanding) that this was to parallel his trip through the 70s. First, at 7, I don't know that I would really care what your thoughts were, so maybe it is just as well there wasn't as much as I anticipated. I was born in 1958 and the first album I bought with allowance money was Revolver, so I understand that it isn't unusual for 7/8 year olds to appreciate good music. But my thoughts at the time would not have made interesting reading even though the seeds of future understanding was certainly there. Likewise for Corbett's 7 year old self. But some of the albums he didn't discover during the 70s, some he only even heard about much later. So this is less a personal trip than simply a critic writing about important albums and songs, from his adult perspective, with some juvenile and adolescent memories thrown in. But even most of his personal stories were well after the 70s, so the personal aspect was not part of the trip through the 70s but about how important he (thinks) he is after the fact.

Having said all that, when he sticks to talking about the music and the musicians the book is much better. His goofy attempts at some sort of literary device, whether analogy, simile, or metaphor (he fails equally at each) just distract from what flow the book has. There were a couple of works I don't recall ever hearing and one I don't even recall hearing about, so there is plenty here that is of value.

I do recommend this book to people who like to read about music, and especially anyone who has their own memories of the 70s. It might appeal more to someone who remembers the 70s as Corbett does, as a juvenile and adolescent. I grew up thinking I was going to Vietnam and by the end of the 70s I was well out of high school, while he was just graduating and beginning adulthood. Not a big difference in years but when a period is delimited then the difference, over that period, becomes significant. I remember the early 70s music as someone in junior high and high school, not someone in elementary school. But putting aside the "personal journey" he claims to take us on these essays on the songs and albums of the decade are still a fun nostalgic trip and the occasional insight he offers on the music and/or musicians makes the music that much richer.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. ( )