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Every few years, Continuum Publishing issues a bevy of new titles in its 33 and a Third book series. Each title is dedicated to a single (and singular) album that strikes a deep, resonant chord in popular culture, with an emphasis on America and the UK. From dissections of Neil Young's Harvest to Pink Floyd's Piper at the Gates of Dawn, each book provides insight to albums people are seriously passionate about. To have written one and have it published is like having a championship belt in music criticism -- it doesn't mean you're "the best" at what you do, but it's definitely a trophy.

Earlier this week they issued their next batch of books to be published. The list includes Funkadelic: Maggot Brain, Slayer: Reign in Blood, and Fleetwood Mac: Tusk, and others. Also, John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats will be writing the book on Black Sabbath's Master of Reality.

There is some concern, however, that among the 21 titles in this round, the selections skew male. For instance, Tori Amos is the only female performer (if you don't include Fleetwood Mac which had two female members). And there are only a handful of other female musicians considered in the series as a whole.

I don't want to hypothesize about the cause for this gender bias. But I thought that it was worth pointing out because it is so pervasive in the culture and marketing of popular and indie music. I also don't want to blame the publishers. While they may take most of the flak for this bias, their choices were limited by a public RFP issued weeks earlier, and perhaps those submissions skewed male.

In either case, I'm excited for the next round to come out in 2008 and 2009.