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kenethlevine View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

Prog-Folk Team

Joined: December 06 2006
Location: New England
Status: Offline
Points: 9070

Topic: More and more reviews...
Posted: February 02 2009 at 12:29

yawn, like today somebody said if you don't own and know SEBTP, then you cannot call yourself a prog fan. It's not that I am opposed to reviews of the "classics", but that how many of them are written by people who sign up and then think they can tell me whether I am a fan or not (I do have and own SEBTP, and like it alot, but rarely want to hear it, just so you know). And so many of those reviews start off with a statement that makes me want to read no further, like "I love this album". "This is XX's best album", "This is a masterpiece". We like to make fun of critics as frustrated musicians who can't do so they criticize, but reviews like that prove that there is an art to good reviewing, and a well written review, that draws me in subtly and engagingly, whether agreeing with or disputing my own view, is a joy to read. I know I'm OT at this point

debrewguy

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Honorary Collaborator

Joined: April 30 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 3596

Posted: February 02 2009 at 11:34

I still come across reviews that cause me to go back to those overexposed albums. Not always, but often enough. As for a partial solution hHw about the rest of us try to review more of the lesser known albums ?
I used to hesitate because I figured unless it was perfect, why offer up my opinion. But then with a few disappointing acquisitions, I felt "hey, if I feel this way, let it out". I'm also setting myself up for a few rave Morse Code reviews after dinging their 1995 effort.

"Here I am talking to some of the smartest people in the world and I didn't even notice,” Lieutenant Columbo, episode The Bye-Bye Sky-High I.Q. Murder Case.

johnobvious View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: May 11 2006
Location: Nebraska
Status: Offline
Points: 1367

Posted: February 02 2009 at 08:57

Even if the 510th review is spectacular, are you supposed to read the first 509 to get to it? These things have been reviewed to death and if anyone wants to check them out, there is more than enough said already. How many times have you wanted to look into an obscure album and found one or two half-baked reviews that don't help you? That is what is frustrating. And you can't really take solace in the 900th CTTE review.

Biggles was in rehab last Saturday

someone_else View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

VIP Member

Joined: May 02 2008
Location: Going Bananas
Status: Offline
Points: 24621

Posted: February 02 2009 at 08:18

DJPuffyLemon wrote:

Stop having people review these albums?

This may be an interesting option when the number of reviews exceeds the number of PA forum members.

But if I find the time and the inspiration to write reviews, I'll focus on albums with a small number of ratings (let's say less than 25).

Edited by someone_else - February 02 2009 at 08:18

b_olariu

Prog Reviewer

Joined: March 02 2007
Location: Romania
Status: Offline
Points: 5535

Posted: February 02 2009 at 08:04

UMUR wrote:

And people might have another angle than mine on the music that I can learn from too. Multible reviews = Multible angles.

Again totaly agree with you

b_olariu

Prog Reviewer

Joined: March 02 2007
Location: Romania
Status: Offline
Points: 5535

Posted: February 02 2009 at 08:03

UMUR wrote:

I have favorite reviewers and I like to know what they think of those famous albums too. Not only what they think of unknown albums. Inspiring reviews always makes me seek out the music described in them wether or not the album is famous or not and I think that´s one of the main goals for visiting PA for me. Inspiration.

Great said UMUR

I'm agree

crimson87

Prog Reviewer

Joined: January 03 2008
Location: Argentina
Status: Offline
Points: 1818

Posted: February 02 2009 at 07:49

I recently worte some reviews from some well known album as LLDOB , CTTE , TFTO but also wrote a couple of ones of Invisible , a band from my country whose marvellous albums have less than 20 ratings.

Alberto Muñoz View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: July 26 2006
Location: Mexico
Status: Offline
Points: 3577

Posted: January 20 2009 at 10:35

I welcome always see new reviews of well know albums, no problem for me in that aspect.

UMUR

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Honorary Collaborator

Joined: October 19 2007
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 3073

Posted: January 20 2009 at 10:02

exactly my point. It´s your choice if you want to read yet another review of Close to the Edge but it´s great that the oppertunity is there if someone wants to.

npjnpj

Forum Senior Member

Joined: December 05 2007
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 2720

Posted: January 20 2009 at 04:43

I don't mind reading those reviews. In fact my day probably wouldn't be complete if not for the daily new review of 'Close to the Edge'.

But honestly, why not? It doesn't take away space from anything else, and I don't have to read it if I don't want to.

UMUR

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Joined: October 19 2007
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Posted: January 19 2009 at 14:52

And people might have another angle than mine on the music that I can learn from too. Multible reviews = Multible angles.

UMUR

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Joined: October 19 2007
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 3073

Posted: January 19 2009 at 14:50

I have favorite reviewers and I like to know what they think of those famous albums too. Not only what they think of unknown albums. Inspiring reviews always makes me seek out the music described in them wether or not the album is famous or not and I think that´s one of the main goals for visiting PA for me. Inspiration.

AlexUC

Forum Senior Member

Joined: June 06 2007
Location: Noveria
Status: Offline
Points: 392

Posted: January 19 2009 at 14:43

rushfan4 wrote:

King By-Tor wrote:

Some people such as myself just want to review everything in their collection.

Personally I think a review of something that's already got a lot of reviews is better than no review at all, although I do try to review stuff that's a little lesser known whenever I can.

Classics are classics for a reason, they inspire people.

QFT.

The classics make for a "music in common" reference point for users of other reviews and since this site somewhat frowns upon just rating albums without reviews, some sort of review must be written.

Another use of these "pointless reviews" is if I am reading someone's review about "The Album That Noone Has Ever Heard" from The Unknowns, I might be tempted to see what that reviewer's ratings/reviews were on other albums. The classics have the best chance of being the "music in common" to try and decide whether the reviewer and I have similar tastes.

In any case, every user on here has the right to rate and write their review about any album included on PA, and make it be known their position on those albums. It would be nice to see a more inspired review than "everything that can be said about this album has already been said" but I guess with some of these classics that is already the case.

Actually, I wish I could find the thread but I couldn't. There was a thread started about a year ago which somewhat answered your question. A guy wrote the 510th review of the Dark Side of the Moon and it was an absolutely spectacular review. It is those type of reviews that are still out there that haven't been written about the classics that still need to be written.

This is a very solid point. Thanks Thumbs Up

This is not my beautiful house...

Epignosis

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Joined: December 30 2007
Location: Raeford, NC
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Posted: January 19 2009 at 14:29

I am no respecter of albums, meaning I give the same attention (and a track by track assessment) of every album I review, whether it has 900 reviews or 9.

https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays

rushfan4

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Joined: May 22 2007
Location: Michigan, U.S.
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Points: 66582

Posted: January 19 2009 at 14:23

QFT.

The classics make for a "music in common" reference point for users of other reviews and since this site somewhat frowns upon just rating albums without reviews, some sort of review must be written.

Queen By-Tor View Drop Down

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Joined: September 13 2006
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Posted: January 19 2009 at 14:12

AlexUC wrote:

I see a contradiction. Most of the lasts reviews of these albums starts like "Nothing else can be said about this album". I can't understand, then what's the use?

True, those are kind of annoying, but some people just like to say something about the album - even if it is simply that they appreciate it.

AlexUC

Forum Senior Member

Joined: June 06 2007
Location: Noveria
Status: Offline
Points: 392

Posted: January 19 2009 at 14:09

DJPuffyLemon wrote:

Stop having people review these albums?

This is not the point

This is not my beautiful house...

AlexUC

Forum Senior Member

Joined: June 06 2007
Location: Noveria
Status: Offline
Points: 392

Posted: January 19 2009 at 14:07

I see a contradiction. Most of the lasts reviews of these albums starts like "Nothing else can be said about this album". I can't understand, then what's the use?

This is not my beautiful house...

Queen By-Tor View Drop Down

Special Collaborator

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Joined: September 13 2006
Location: Xanadu
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Points: 16111

Posted: January 19 2009 at 14:00

DJPuffyLemon wrote:

Stop having people review these albums?

Why?

Slartibartfast View Drop Down

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Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam

Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
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Points: 29630

Posted: January 19 2009 at 13:52

AlexUC wrote:

Just received the weekly PA feed, and I was curious about the most popular albums:

3 Most Popular Albums or DVD/Videos of the week

YES - CLOSE TO THE EDGE Symphonic Prog, Studio Album (1972) | 11 ratings/reviews
PINK FLOYD - WISH YOU WERE HERE Psychedelic/Space Rock, Studio Album (1975) | 9 ratings/reviews
KING CRIMSON - IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING Eclectic Prog, Studio Album (1969) | 9 ratings/reviews

Seems we're stuck on the same albums... And I'm sure Selling England, Foxtrot, Dark side, Animals... etc.. are not too far. I've noticed lately more and more reviews of 100+ reviews albums (well, just like always) even from prog reviewers. I'm not sure if this is very useful (please don't got me wrong, I know this is a public site and everybody can post any reviews as they want and I'm OK with it), do you guys and girls read all those reviews of OVER-known albums? Are these reviews useful for you? What do you think?

No offense or accusation intended, please let's take it as positive feedback Thumbs Up

I want to know who hasn't ever heard those and then we should track them down and force them to.

Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...