'Coz no stars is advising proggers that it's a bad album and not worth buying. This was decided a while ago - unless that decision has been changed, I don't think it's a bug - it's a feature

Personally, I have more of a problem with the reviews themselves - hardly objective or explaining why the albums are bad - just junky opinion pieces typical of those you might find on Amaz... I mean, other sites with reviews on

Here's one I did - still pretty much an opinion piece, but at least I attempted to rationalise why I had formed that opinion, and left room for people to check out the free mp3 and decide for themselves;

GALAHAD (EN) Following Ghosts
Review by http://www.progarchives.com/Collaborators.asp?id=41 - Certif1ed @ 6:55:53 AM EST, 5/4/2004
PROG REVIEWER

 —  With the exception of "bug eye", truly horrible. The best moments in other tracks are those stolen from Camel and/or Twelfth Night.

The lyrics are, perhaps, the most consistently painful, being riddled with badly used cliches and awful rhymes.

The opening track, "Myopia" features a half-stolen, half-mangled Diamond Head riff. which has been interspersed with an atrocious attempt at a 5/4. "Imago" is the most horrible Camel/TN cross - really someone should tell them that a bad riff does not get better if you repeat it several times!

I really don't want to go through the remaining tracks individually, as there is not much evidence of musicianship or craftsmanship in the music, just a never-ending series of short riffs repeated and layered in an "Oh, this will go with that" type of methodology. However, the track "Bug Eye" is the very best on this album - do not buy it on the strength of this track alone, though!

That said, they do try to layer up a multitude of different sounds and styles, which occasionally work fairly well - but those vocals and dreadful lyrics spoil anything nice that comes out of the mix. It is obvious that they have put a lot of work into this album, so credit where it is due - but sadly, credit does not improve the music.

Any and all comments welcome. Maybe we should review the reviews to try to make ProgArchives THE definitive place to come for an album review? Just a suggestion!

Exactly so, danbo - obviously, to go through them all one by one would be a nightmare. Instead, maybe it would be an idea if members flagged inappropriate reviews - just like flagging inappropriate posts - and the Admin reviewed the flagged reviews (when he had a moment...).

The reviews help people make up their minds about music - while a certain amount of reviewer bias is bound to creep in, the place for argument or discussion is the forums. Maybe a thread or sub-forum on the reviews is needed?

Joren wrote: Maybe someone could make a tool that people can vote whether a review was helpful or not?

Just like Amaz... other sites that have reivews, you mean?

I like that idea!

Yes, that's what I mean!