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The Whistler 
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 30 2006
Location: LA, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 7113
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 Topic: Reviews as understood by The Whistler
Posted: January 31 2007 at 01:28 |
This is just some stuff that I need to understand...and need to know if this is the right section...and if it's radically moved without me being here, can someone please tell me? Yes, maybe, good good, don't strain yourselves, thank you.
Anyway, first off, how should five star reviews be handled, hmm? I see that some people toss out five star reviews. I was trained that five stars really means good. I mean, like, flawless, or so close you don't realize it's not. As it stands, I would only give a five star review without any difficulty to three progressive albums (four if you count one that's not on the site (figure THAT one out)).
So I'm saying, doesn't a five star have to be perfect? Perfect mood? Perfect balance? Perfect flow? Or is it simply a collection of songs that happen to not piss me off?
Then, lest you think this is a wholly tutorial topic, might I lodge a complaint. No, not that people post reviews without words (although I liked the fella who reviewed about 20 Beatles albums worldlessly and gave 'em all one star). No, I'd just like to complain about people who review exclusively by bands that I've never heard of.
I mean, I'm glad that you have the time and resources to look up rare groups (or maybe not so rare, maybe just beyond my knowledge), and say "Hey! No one's heard of this band! I think I'll track down some of their albums and review them!"
And YES, I realize that that's sort of the point of the site, but would it kill you to review three or four albums that EVERYONE'S heard of? I don't even mean Close to the Edge and Selling England by the Pound; but enough so that I can get a feel for how you think. That's all I'm asking.
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"There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson
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The Whistler
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 30 2006
Location: LA, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 7113
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Posted: January 31 2007 at 01:34 |
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Oh, and, another thing... How important is it (do you suppose, this is more under the "former" category) to listen to music right before and created around (with a similar style) your album of choice? Hmm? How much music by a band do you think is nessecary to hear before you can start reviewing? Any opines?
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"There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson
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Atavachron
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: September 30 2006
Location: Pearland
Status: Offline
Points: 65684
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Posted: January 31 2007 at 01:36 |
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I agree, five stars would suggest a certain perfection. It's just that one person's 'perfect' is another's '..erm?'
As for albums everyone knows, when I see how many reviews are given for a popular prog record, I sorta go 'Oh, great, sixty-three reviews for Thick as a Brick-- hmm, think I'll pass and try to give some love to some poor (but great) CD with only one or two write-ups.
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The Whistler
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 30 2006
Location: LA, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 7113
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Posted: January 31 2007 at 01:42 |
Well, the argument could always hold "We review albums that everyone's heard, it's just that you only own Tull records!" Ahem. But surely you see my angle; I can't follow a reviewer with whom I have no common ground.
(And is that the "perfect" that writes its reviews "THIS IS TEH BEST ALBUM EVAH 10 HNDREDSTARS?")
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"There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson
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Atavachron
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: September 30 2006
Location: Pearland
Status: Offline
Points: 65684
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Posted: January 31 2007 at 02:05 |
 The Whistler wrote:
Well, the argument could always hold "We review albums that everyone's heard, it's just that you only own Tull records!" Ahem. But surely you see my angle; I can't follow a reviewer with whom I have no common ground. |
Sure, but that's not the reviewer's fault-- they may only have like thirty records, or own mostly Scandanavian avant garde or Italian Symphonic rock. They write about what they know, which is good because at least it gives me something to go on if I decide to start buying Italian Symph.
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The Whistler
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 30 2006
Location: LA, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 7113
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Posted: January 31 2007 at 02:16 |
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Okay, that's fair, to use reviewers as a springboard later in life than as an introduction. I suppose different folks fill different slots.
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"There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson
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laplace
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 06 2005
Location: popupControl();
Status: Offline
Points: 7606
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Posted: January 31 2007 at 02:21 |
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heard of Gentle Giant's The Power and the Glory? it's the only popular five star album I can think of, perhaps I'll review it for you ;P
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The Whistler
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 30 2006
Location: LA, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 7113
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Posted: January 31 2007 at 02:26 |
..Oddly enough, my dial-up is trying desperately to deal with a YouTube video of the Proclamation as we speak.
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"There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson
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Reviews as understood by The Whistler