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Topic ClosedWhat are you looking for in an album review?
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Tom Ozric View Drop Down
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Points: 15926 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 01 2014 at 18:20
Having reviewed (badly) a few albums myself, I generally look for comparisons with other bands, what instruments are used, the quality of the musicianship, and mood of the songs.
Eloquent descriptions and imaginative details such as 'the tension mounts as if one were walking through a hoard of poppies in the early hours of the morning only to be jumped by 3 rabid aliens with giant mosquitoes as weapons....' (well, this effort is probably lame) - are also very powerful in interpreting the music without hearing it.
I enjoy most reviews I read, and get ample info from them so I've seldomly bombed out with any of my purchases.
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Points: 4812 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2014 at 08:55
I also don't want to see the word "pretentious."
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Points: 1281 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2014 at 11:15
A good description of the music and, if the writer is capable, some good jokes.
He looks at this world and wants it all... so he strikes, like Thunderball!
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Points: 230 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2014 at 12:07
Originally posted by KingCrInuYasha KingCrInuYasha wrote:

A good description of the music and, if the writer is capable, some good jokes.


This
"I like to think oysters transcend national barriers." - Roger Waters
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SteveG View Drop Down
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Points: 20616 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2014 at 12:36
Not another review of Fragile, DSOTM, Hero And Herione and other albums with 30+ reviews. Tell me something I don't know.

Edited by SteveG - November 03 2014 at 12:43
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moshkito View Drop Down
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Points: 17856 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2014 at 12:50

A couple of years ago, I was asked to review a couple of things. The CD's were mailed to me and all that and I listened to them.

I only had one little reaction to the whole of 2 CD's ... none! Where is my reaction. The music was a carbon copy of the New York wanna be Frank Zappa club, and the material was so talent-less ... it was also boring, as to not merit even a 2nd listen. I kinda call it ... just change the placement of the notes because it is all these folks know how to play!

Essentially, I only review the things that shake me good. And I do not want to get to the point where I have to have some format on my reviews, which I know are the first sign that you are bored ... because otherwise, your feelings flow, and they flow loud and large!
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Points: 16952 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2014 at 14:18
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

Not another review of Fragile, DSOTM, Hero And Herione and other albums with 30+ reviews. Tell me something I don't know.

Exactly.
Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.
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Points: 13759 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2014 at 15:11
Originally posted by Horizons Horizons wrote:

Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

Not another review of Fragile, DSOTM, Hero And Herione and other albums with 30+ reviews. Tell me something I don't know.



Exactly.


I think, to be fair, virtually every new reviewer on the site wants to review his/her favourite albums or albums by their favourite band, and, inevitably, that is going to be, mostly, your Fragile, Dark Side, et al.

The trick is to look at those reviewers, and see how they develop into writers who can be trusted to contribute to the site and our enjoyment of music.

In this, I think admins past and present have done a very good job in who they give four or five stars to.
Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org

Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time!
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Kati View Drop Down
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Points: 6253 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 04 2014 at 19:50
 I have discussed this once before and Tszirmay comes to mind always :) hugs to you all xxxx   TID=91322&PN=1 http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=91322&PN=1
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Points: 284 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 05 2014 at 00:08
my expectation from a review:
 
to get an idea of what the album is, in 1-2 paragraphs.
 
to get the reviewer opinion on some parameters such as: compositions, musicianship, vocals (if there is), sound and production. a bit information about instrumentation, if there are other than the casual ones.
 
the review should be as clear as possible. seperated into paragraphs, each paragraph should be discussed on one aspect only. (In case of more assosiative writing, it is OK, but still, some clearity is required)
 
the reviewer opinions should be given, innocently. That means, the reviwer does not "go down" on a record without listening carfully, in propriate conditions, to the materials, at least the times required for realisation that he/she does not like that album. On the other hand, an exessive praises without any reasoning, could be understood as a little bit of a lack of credibility. (what if the reviewer is a friend of the band, etc...)
 
innocently opinions should be based on BUYING the record, at a reliable format. and listening to it in a propriate conditions. a CD/Vynil is welcomed. A high quality file that is listened  in a good equipment is also exeptable. But review, suspected as based on illegal download, or listening via Youtube,  is not a good review, IMO.
 
for integrity, at least one brief 'analyisis' of one track should be apear. so the reader get the feeling that the
reviewer knows what he/she talking about. Thats good for the integrity of the review.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Points: 5898 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 05 2014 at 03:33
I'm kind of an odd man out because I don't find "buying guide" reviews useful unless it's for records that are extremely obscure and hard to acquire. As a matter of fact, I actually mostly prefer reading reviews of records I've already listened to for a while in order to find new things to appreciate. This means things like some degree of theoretical analysis of the songwriting's "nuts and bolts" like the instrumental composition and the lyrical content, perhaps how it relates to the record or band's underlying concept of sorts.

Analysis of cultural historical context I can give or take, it's something I appreciate when pulled off well and might even be necessary in the case of music with a political or religious message. It's just that in the hands of lesser reviewers it might end up taking up more space than the music itself in a way that's not always apparent as relevant.

Even when looking for reviews of artists and records I haven't heard before, though, I prefer the kind of reviews described above because I like records to have some kind of lasting appeal with more depth than is readily apparent.
"The past is not some static being, it is not a previous present, nor a present that has passed away; the past has its own dynamic being which is constantly renewed and renewing." - Claire Colebrook
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Points: 35 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 05 2014 at 04:55
Honesty. Something you will never get from any mainstream source, because they all are paid to write that the incoming album of another pushed musician is the next revelation and absolutely unique. Even if it clones one of the holy cows from 70ies literally note per note.
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Points: 20645 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 06 2014 at 08:48
Originally posted by KingCrInuYasha KingCrInuYasha wrote:

A good description of the music and, if the writer is capable, some good jokes.
^this....
It's always nice to read a witty review but if in the end it doesn't talk about what the music sounds like then it's not done it's job imho.
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
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progaholic View Drop Down
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Points: 13 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2014 at 06:41
Honesty! Whether or not you are related to the performer,  are his best mate etc. If the album's sh*te, say it's sh*te!
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moshkito View Drop Down
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Points: 17856 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2014 at 11:34

Hi,

Originally posted by Lazland Lazland wrote:

I think, to be fair, virtually every new reviewer on the site wants to review his/her favourite albums or albums by their favourite band, and, inevitably, that is going to be, mostly, your Fragile, Dark Side, et al.

According to the Film Critics Review Board, then, this person is NOT a reviewer, because it is expected that you have a fair and subjective view of the film, which will help your review be read and appreciated elsewhere.

It was based on my honest feeling and opinion, that several of my reviews have shown up in a couple of film festivals ... It had nothing to do with it being a good or bad review or any sort of concept. As it turns out, I was also one of the few people that noticed a small film, which most reviewers ignored.

I always told folks in Portland, to go see the small stuff and off kilter stuff, because the English and American films will be on DVD ... the others are GONE!

It's the same with music. I love the big 5 in PA, but the problem is that the fans at PA have not given the other bands in the Top 100 a good enough listen to define an appreciation. A GOOD review, is not about you and me ... it's about how you felt when you saw it, and it helped bring people to it. I'm proud of the one that was in Singapore, and how they reacted to it. It was one of the times in my life I felt good about what I was doing ... that sticking to the things that you love is important. And that film was lovely, though no adults were human enough to go see it!

It's the same thing here, Laz! Too many of us are into this and that, and do not know the rest, specially the history, well enough to make a good call ... heck, even Dean and Guy correct me now and then! I don't mind ... it's only helping get it better and right!



Edited by moshkito - December 09 2014 at 11:35
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Points: 29630 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2014 at 19:27
Heavy sarcasm Wink
Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Kati View Drop Down
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Points: 6253 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2014 at 19:53
Originally posted by progaholic progaholic wrote:

Honesty! Whether or not you are related to the performer,  are his best mate etc. If the album's sh*te, say it's sh*te!
Aww Progaholic, I am sure you too agree that there are many other creative ways to express the true dislike of a track and someone's work, without saying it's sh*te, being a foe or friend, especially those whom you consider yourself to be a friend. A hug to you Hug
Smile Sonia

 
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Davesax1965 View Drop Down
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Points: 2839 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 12 2014 at 07:40
Four stars or higher. 
The rest is purely speculative. ;-)

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Points: 2839 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 12 2014 at 07:44
More seriously, I stopped taking any notice of reviews years ago. I'm not interested in other peoples' opinions of my music. (Although I've had some very good ones here and thank you to the kind people who did them. Glad you liked them ! ;-) )

The good, intelligently written reviews are great. The bad ones are usually laughable - to a point. "Everyone's a critic". The rise of the internet means that everyone, should the urge take them, either write music or write a review of music. And the fact of the matter is that 90% of the wannabe musicians and wannabe reviewers should have found something else to do with their time. 

I generally trust reviews on this site given that there's an educated listening public here. But. I posted a link to a UK hippy site. Some stoned idiot and came back, complaining about his free download as "the Trek theme's been done to death, man"

It was the original Doctor Who theme, actually. Variations thereon. 

But whadda I know, eh ? :-)

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moshkito View Drop Down
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Points: 17856 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 12 2014 at 11:29

Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

Not another review of Fragile, DSOTM, Hero And Herione and other albums with 30+ reviews. Tell me something I don't know.

I thought about this when I wrote my review for King Crimson's first album, which still is the only one of theirs I have ever done ... it was the only album where my words made sense!!!

However, it is lost in the bunch of "reviews", and I doubt that anyone else has read it to see the difference and have an appreciation for something else, other than some kinda of something that is basically meaningless, and not all musicians are scatterbrained, or create music strictly by the notes or the riff! They are people, too, and think differently, and Robert Fripp uses a lot of exercises in almost a complete Gurdgieff context ... which is something that most run of the mill rock musicians would have no idea it means, let alone ever try them!

There is a side of this stuff that is not "top ten". Some of it may still sound familiar so we can index them the way we can "recognize" so we do not have to think that we're not listening to the folks in Mars, Venus or in Grok-land! We would also try to break those down to our terms ... and lose the appreciation for their own music!

This is the hard part of the reviews! There are not many of them, that are so different, in their words and appreciation, that many folks can appreciate the work they do ... and a board like this works on burying them even more! That's what happens when all of it is just a database!

Good for the ego, but bad for the art!
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com
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