Praise for Dust

 “If you’re looking for a book that’s got a little bit of everything—all types of music for all types of music lovers—have a look for Dust.”

—Shelf Life

“Robertson evaluates a dozen twentieth-century blues, rock, and pop acts that have shaped his tastes and revved his imagination’s engine. Yet he strives toward something deeper than just reliving memories [. . .]. His central conceit is that in understanding these musicians’ catalogues and their mostly turbulent lives, one can discover the snatches of “occasional transcendence that make human existence more than the sum of its oftentimes puzzling parts.” This elusive quality, more than lyrical complexity or technical virtuosity, is what imbues music with poetry. In our era of hyper-marketed, algorithmically defined culture, it’s refreshing to hear an impassioned voice wax on about what truly moves them.”

—Literary Review of Canada

“Ray Robertson’s new book, Dust: More Lives of the Poets (with Guitars), retells the lives of twelve musicians who have shaped genres as various as rock ‘n’ roll, blues, folk, and alt-country [. . .].  Twelve musicians, some lost to time, are given new life by one of Canada’s most eminent music chroniclers.”

 —Windsor Star

“Dust is a compelling blend of music criticism and biographical and historical storytelling, a thematic followup to 2016’s Lives of the Poets (With Guitars) [. . .]. Traversing much of the 20th century and with little concern for conformity to musical genre, Robertson shares his love of music and the often-iconoclastic performers who pushed their art into new territory. His goal along the way is not to simply share interesting anecdotes, but instead to develop a shared experience of music with readers [. . . ].  Unsurprisingly for an authority with a substantial catalogue, Robertson is in command of a distinct, approachable voice. He welcomes readers into a set of compelling narratives, sharing his perspectives while leaving space for the readers’ own reflections. Opinion never comes at the expense of dogmaticism; critique may be occasionally sharp, but is never mean and often leavened by a well-timed sense of humour.  It opens familiar music in surprising and enriching ways while encouraging further exploration [. . . ].  Dust contains enough diversity of time, place and subject to provide something of interest to nearly any reader. Stylistically, it’s a work that can be read in fits and starts, though the temptation to read just one more chapter is difficult to resist.” 

—Winnipeg Free Press 

“One of the best Canadian books about music released in 2025.”

 –Roots Music Canada