1989

"[A] dense, provocative, wonderfully written little book... Masterful." The Progressive "[It] is an academic book, but also one that fans of politics and pop culture would savor." -- Carlo Wolff Boston Globe "[An] extraordinary work of political aesthetics... Clover is a gifted music writer, and his descriptions are vivid, surprising and politically sharp without ever being moralistic." -- Owen Hatherley New Statesman "Astute ... [A] vivid snapshot of a tumultuous moment in pop and history." Foreword Magazine "Up close, Clover's analysis is interesting an occasionally brilliant... Rich with historical and musical insight... It's the smaller discoveries along the way that make 1989 worth your time." Bookforum "The book ... makes a valuable contribution to the efforts of all those who believe in music's importance to our lives." Journal Of Popular Music "Music and politics, drugs and society prove to be eerily congruent, and Clover's tough analysis dismantles prevailing myths while revealing even stranger truths." -- Luc Sante, author of Low Life Mother Jones "Clover is a deeply learned and hugely enthusiastic student of popular music; his readings of songs are astute, witty, and unflappable, and each works in a larger argument." Bookslut "Offers a powerful framework through which pop history can be explored." Times Higher Ed Supp (Thes) "Rewardingly ambitious. [Clover] writes with precision and loads of personality, weaving between global politics and musical genres (rave, hip-hop, grunge) with a fan's intensity." Time Out New York