Reviews discussion

Popping in here briefly with some info that may or may not be of interest.
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Muzikreviews.com labels itself as providing “artist services” and charge $25 for a guaranteed review which they then post on their site and also to a number of syndicated sites including Progarchives and Sea of Tranquillity. They make a point (as all the sites charging for reviews do) of saying that the review will be honest and accurate. I looked at the last twenty reviews on their site and all scored 4/5 or 5/5 except one which got 3.5/5."
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Source: http://echoesanddust.com/2013/10/echo-chamber-14-should-bands-pay-for-record-reviews/

Not against policy to my knowledge no, hence why I posted this one in reviews discussions. But as it appears that services of this kind is on the rise, it's something worth monitoring.

And then there's the ticklish issue of syndication of course.

Leaving this one for discussion or silence to those with an interest. But with this I've highlighted the main points of possible interest I think.

I'm not a fan of any review that appears on multiple sites, even those that are shared between us and MMA or JMA. People who are interested in a particular album or artist can search the internet as well as anyone can, if they see the same review more than once I feel they are liable to disregard it entirely. Spreading the review around the internet does not spread the word to more people, it merely dilutes the review itself.

Dayvenkirq wrote: Dean wrote: People who are interested in a particular album or artist can search the internet as well as anyone can, if they see the same review more than once I feel they are liable to disregard it entirely. Spreading the review around the internet does not spread the word to more people, ...  If they do. I think it's more a matter of awareness of several websites. So, what if a review is posted on only one website, one that you don't know about, and therefore may not have a chance to learn something from that review?

I write for powerofmetal.dk, but I use my reviews for PA as well.  Why?  A few reasons: 1. I put heart into my reviews, and so I want to get the most use of them.  2. PA and PoM are two different crowds.  One is prog, and one is metal.  Most of those readers don't come here, and PA members don't browse there, as they are often met with "Aborted Fetus" or "Carcass" or other nasty metal bands.  Right beside them, though, is my review for Riversea, Haken, The Twenty Committee (my editor gives me free rein), etc.,  so I consider it a victory to get prog in front of these guys.  You know what?  They are really enjoying it!  3.  Lastly, I do it because I'm not paid for either site.  This is MY writing.  I can do what I like with it.  If I were paid by PoM, they would stay there.  As it were, I simply write my thoughts, and then post them two different places where I have contact with different sets of people.  So, yes, Dean, it does reach more people and, no, it doesn't dilute the review.  My Haken review was one of the first available on the internet, and it was the only one on PA for around a month.  I saw my review from both sites being passed around the internet, and no one ever questioned (or probably even knew) that it was on both sites.  However, the few people that have noticed about other reviews think it's great, and now they know me by name.  It's about community.

I have done it once. I have written a review on JMA for an artist who has been included later on PA and I have reused the same review adding just a line saying that it was originallly written for that site. (or it was wriiten for PA and reused on JMA, I don't remember).

Dean wrote: Doesn't change my opinion. I still dislike the practice no matter how you justify it to yourselves.

Because he's a f**king idiot

Dean wrote: Because he's a f**king idiot

Personally I enjoy Jason's reviews and his input relating to PA. I sign into PA every day at least in order to connect with the music I love and with people that are like minded - I don't bother with other sites as PA is more than good enough to satisfy my musical bent. I will say that relating to the recent posts here in this thread I'm not anti anyone using his reviews here elsewhere as I ask myself what harm it could possibly do and my answer to that is none that I can immediately discern. On the up side if I was on another site and I read a review that I enjoyed from a writer that I ascertained to come from the PA mainstream then I would follow that writer onto PA and another member here would be the result.