Reviews
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
Forum Description: Discuss specific prog bands and their members or a specific sub-genre
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24280
Printed Date: March 13 2025 at 01:34
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Reviews
Posted By: Sacred 22
Subject: Reviews
Date Posted: June 05 2006 at 02:58
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I was scanning the reviews here and I have come to the conclusion that paying attention to how albums stack up at this web site is a bit misleading. For example, one reviewer rated Yes's Time and Word at five stars while rating TFTO at one star. I'm sorry, but this reviewer is letting his or her personal taste dictate in a very extreme way and as a result misguiding people who read the reviews. This is but one example of many. I know we all have our own tastes etc, but come on, good work must be recognized for what it is. Personally, if you don't have anything good to say about something or the opposite extreme of over praise, then chances are you are being too subjective and thus misleading people who might otherwise be interested in that work.
Your comments are most welcome.
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Replies:
Posted By: Man Made God
Date Posted: June 05 2006 at 03:50
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I think you might have a point here, allthough it will always be about personal taste, which is a hard thing to discuss. And I also think it's something which will occur at a site like PA, with everybody giving their personal opinion about an album, even if their review/writing-skills speak for themselves, and they actually shouldn't write reviews. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/manmadegod/?chartstyle=ScarlettJohansson1"> 
Focus on the music... Focus! |
Posted By: Sacred 22
Date Posted: June 05 2006 at 06:09
Exactly
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Man Made God wrote:Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: June 05 2006 at 07:40
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I see absolutely no reason why someone shouldn't give TAAW 5 stars and TFTO 1 star, providing it's done honestly and the person explains their reasons behing the ratings. Perhaps the person concerned just doesn't like 20 minute epics.
If the ratings are genuine, then they prove the point I was trying to make in my ill-fated "Steve Howe ruined Yes" thread - that there are people who prefer the Peter Banks Yes to the Steve Howe Yes.
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Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: June 05 2006 at 08:49
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Everyone has a right to express their opinion. However if you scan through the reviews and see who rightes them, you will find a) who's tastes matches your own, therefore makeing them a decent source of information on albums to you and b) that some people here write reviews beter than others (and I'm not talking about just Prog Reviewers here). Its all about finding who's opinions you agree with and who's writing style's you like.
------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: Sacred 22
Date Posted: June 05 2006 at 12:08
I remember the Steve Howe thread and it did loose focus and get carried away and as for the difference in scores here between the case in point (TAAW vs TFTO). I agree that preferences should be pointed out and expanded on, for example if you don't like twenty minute epics, then you can say that. To score a work so low because of your own tastes as opposed to actual talent is just plain wrong. I don't care who's work it is. Many people have trouble getting thier head around Gentle Giant for example, but this by no means, means that the work is inferior. All I ask is that people remain as objective as possible when reviewing any work.
Here is a pretty good analogy. You may like a particular car and you may not like trucks. Does that mean that all trucks are to be rated low and the car you like rated high? No, it just means you don't like trucks and you can say that, but in no way should that be indicative of the trucks actual qualities in your review.
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Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: June 05 2006 at 12:11
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All reviews are subjective. What can you do but state your opinion of
an album? If you don't like something, you should give it a bad review
regardless of how other people rate it.
------------- 
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Posted By: Chicapah
Date Posted: June 05 2006 at 12:25
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As long as the reviewer can justify their opinions in a consise and intelligent manner I don't have a problem with someone not liking one of my favorite albums. At that point it's just a matter of personal preference. What I can't stand is someone bashing an album for no other literate reason other than "Whoa, dude, like they suck!!..." ------------- "Literature is well enough, as a time-passer, and for the improvement and general elevation and purification of mankind, but it has no practical value" - Mark Twain |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: June 05 2006 at 14:04
I'm not sure. You seem to be saying that everyone should rate CTTE (for example) 5 stars because it's a generally recognised classic, regardless of whether you like it or not. To take your truck analogy, a truck's qualities are more objective than an album's (speed, mpg etc etc). |
Posted By: Ghandi 2
Date Posted: June 05 2006 at 15:04
Which I disagree with entirely; others' opinions have nothing to do with it. If somebody thinks it's a bad album then they should, nay, they must give it a bad review, and explain their reasons why. I can't understand it when people say "Yeah, I don't like ITCOTCK, but I have it 5 stars anyway because it's important and influential." Who cares? It's YOUR review, and what YOU think of it and YOUR rating should not be influenced by what other people think.
Now there are some cases where one can recognize that the music is good, even if one does not particularly care for it, such as many people with Gentle Giant. In that case, then a higher rating is in order. Really though, the rating is not important; what the person actually says about the album is far more important.
I think that person genuinely thinks that TFTO is a bad album, and just because many other people think it's a masterpiece doesn't mean that he should give it a good review. Although one star for Tales is perhaps a bit too harsh, even though I don't care for it. ------------- "Never forget that the human race with technology is like an alcoholic with a barrel of wine." Sleepytime Gorilla Museum: Because in their hearts, everyone secretly loves the Unabomber. |
Posted By: Joolz
Date Posted: June 06 2006 at 09:00
I don't care for it either, but there is no way I would give it only 1 star. Staying subjective is the problem for many people. I suspect also there is an age issue too - older people tend to be less 'extreme' while younger persons see the world much more in black and white - you know "I don't like it much but ..." becomes "I hate it". Big generalisation of course .... |
Posted By: crimson thing
Date Posted: June 06 2006 at 09:58
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Surely subjectivity is what our reviews are all about?
If we were in search of objectivity, we'd get the opinion of Professor Drizabone from the University of Removing All Emotional Reaction From Music?
He (surely a "he") would be able to tell us which of our favourites were technically excellent, and which incompetent.
Although I already know that I can buy technically near-perfect music in the form of Bach or Mozart - but I don't; I still prefer some screechy old rocker. ------------- "Every man over forty is a scoundrel." GBS 
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Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: June 06 2006 at 11:31
| There are once again too many 5 star ratings being given. Several reviews recently have mentioned significant flaws in albums (A review of "Fragile" comes to mind as one), but given 5 stars anyway. |
Posted By: Sacred 22
Date Posted: June 06 2006 at 12:02
Yes, and too many one star ratings for the opposite extreme. Favoritism is subjective and really should not enter into a review. However, things being what they are, this tends to happen all too often.
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Posted By: billbuckner
Date Posted: June 06 2006 at 16:51
| What annoys me is the one-star reviews with the explination being along the lines of "It's good, but it's not prog". Okay, it's not prog, then don't review it, and don't bring down it's average. |