I don't understand people who don't want descriptive writing. One of the hallmarks of artistic speculative fiction is lavish world-building, with intricate sentence work. (Not just New Weird writers, but all sorts of authors)
I think saying there's too much attention to description is actually a symptom of something else entirely, and it has to do with you as a reader. How are you reading these stories? Are you looking for your own preconceived notion of what the fiction should be, or are you reading it and experiencing what the work is, itself. When there's nothing technically wrong with a story, like THE CITY & THE CITY, critiquing it in such a way says more about you than about the work itself. In fact, my experience with that Mieville piece was the exact opposite. I thought so much was left to the imagination that it created a marvelous "Other" space in my head.
I think what you're saying when you're talking about descriptions as problematic is that you were in the mood for something with a really quick pace, and instead picked up something slow and moody, which did not suit your mood. To call Mieville slow troubles me. I've found - to me - his pacing moves too quickly more often than not, and I wish he would slow down and chew some scenery.
Different strokes for different folks I guess. Some people like James Patterson, after all.
Check out Tachyon Publications' anthology "NEW WEIRD" edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer for a fantastic introduction to the form.
