Seth Colter Walls: Maura! You have an excellent essay in the Voice this week, which accompanied this year's Pazz + Jop music critic's poll. Since you and I both submitted ballots for that-and since music critics like nothing more than to talk about what they've done and said-I naturally thought we should talk about what we've done and said! Let's start out by telling the people about your essay?

Maura Johnston: Well, ha. I don't like to start off with self-promotion, but let's give it a go…

Seth: It's called "Down With Music Racism," your piece. That's very provocative.