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tszirmay 
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 Topic: How many album listens before a review?
Posted: May 26 2016 at 21:03 |
 BrufordFreak wrote:
Depends on the album. Sometimes the immediate impact is such that I "put pen to paper" immediately (though publishing later). First impressions are very important to me. Some albums take me 20 listens through before I can find the words and motivation to write a review. Some albums I've listened to nearly 100 times and still have yet to pen a review. Can't really explain why--it's all dependent on how my Spirit is moved. |
Absolutely correct analysis, BrufordFreak ! To counter that problem, I now start writing a basic intro upon first listen, covering some history (whether a new act or a familiar one) and studying the overall style and trying to get what the artist is thinking. A second run through starts filling the gaps and the third generally results in finishing the actual review with track by track focus. There are some discs that simply defy my ability to write any kind of review , so I just drop it, for a while or forever. I hate writing negative reviews , as I feel reluctant to bash any musician doing his damnest in a non profit market.
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I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth.
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BrufordFreak
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 19:08 |
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Depends on the album. Sometimes the immediate impact is such that I "put pen to paper" immediately (though publishing later). First impressions are very important to me. Some albums take me 20 listens through before I can find the words and motivation to write a review. Some albums I've listened to nearly 100 times and still have yet to pen a review. Can't really explain why--it's all dependent on how my Spirit is moved.
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Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/
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Man With Hat
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 13:55 |
More than 5 seems good, but honestly not many more (generally...at least in terms for reviewing...there are plenty of albums that I've reviewed that I've listened to many times, but jujst for personal enjoyment).
The main exception would be some albums that I listen to twice and know all I want to say about it/know that I'll probably either never listen to it again or rarely listen to it again so to get a review out of the way quickly. Obviously, these albums are generally at the bottom of the scale...
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Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive
Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
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Quinino
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 12:41 |
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ALotOfBottle
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 11:26 |
zravkapt wrote:
Wasn't there a member who did reviews after only one listen? |
I recall a member, who wrote his reviews without listening, purely by song titles. 
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zravkapt
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 11:21 |
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Wasn't there a member who did reviews after only one listen?
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Magma America Great Make Again
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Quinino
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 10:23 |
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Now seriously - it's impossible for me to vote, it depends so much, the only sure thing is "more than 1" but there's no such an option
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Manuel
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 09:49 |
zravkapt wrote:
At least five, especially when I'm not familiar with the artist. |
Me too.
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Finnforest
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 09:34 |
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Quinino
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 09:06 |
Atavachron wrote:
I have my postman listen to an album, describe it to me the next day, and write down his thoughts.
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Now, isn't this a HUGE coincidence - it's also my approach, and it hasn't failed me up to this day
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JD
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 07:49 |
b_olariu wrote:
Finnforest wrote:
There are exceptions, but as a general rule more than 5 times. Over a fair length of time. One's opinion of an album on the first play versus play #20 three months later could be profoundly different. Some albums are growers....and don't give their full impact and hidden little touches until later.
How can I be fair to a band and a work they spent a year creating by judging it after 2 plays? Ludicrous, and I wouldn't take any buying advice from a review of someone who admits to such quick judgement, although I might still read the opinion for entertainment.
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One's opinion of an album on the first play versus play #20 three months
later could be profoundly different. Some albums are growers....and
don't give their full impact and hidden little touches until later.
That is true, not always, but it happen to me few times
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Admittedly, this has only really happened with Yes' - Fly From Here for me. On first listen I was greatly disappointed. After about 5 or so listens I started to warm to it, but it didn't all of a sudden become a masterpiece or classic album, just a better one than I originally felt.
Edited by JD - May 26 2016 at 07:49
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Thank you for supporting independently produced music
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JD
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 07:45 |
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Of the few reviews I've done it's usually two. Once just to get a feel for it and the second time I go song by song, make notes, and then form my review. That being said, I'm far from a prolific reviewer but I am a strong believer in first impressions. Now, do my opinions change after many more listens, not particularly. I heard soooo much music in my life that my tastes are my taste and they're not likely to change as a result of repeated listening. I know things have changed greatly in the music industry over the years, but back in the day (70's 80's at least) record company guys would give each song on a submission tape about 15 second to wow them. No wow, no contract. It's like the 7 second rule when viewing works of art.
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Thank you for supporting independently produced music
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progaardvark
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 07:39 |
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On average, 2-3. I think I may have edited some after additional listens when my thoughts changed (usually for the better).
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i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag
that's a happy bag of lettuce
this car smells like cartilage
nothing beats a good video about fractions
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b_olariu
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 06:36 |
Finnforest wrote:
There are exceptions, but as a general rule more than 5 times. Over a fair length of time. One's opinion of an album on the first play versus play #20 three months later could be profoundly different. Some albums are growers....and don't give their full impact and hidden little touches until later.
How can I be fair to a band and a work they spent a year creating by judging it after 2 plays? Ludicrous, and I wouldn't take any buying advice from a review of someone who admits to such quick judgement, although I might still read the opinion for entertainment.
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One's opinion of an album on the first play versus play #20 three months
later could be profoundly different. Some albums are growers....and
don't give their full impact and hidden little touches until later.
That is true, not always, but it happen to me few times
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LakeGlade12
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 06:32 |
Most of the time >5 times, but there are clear exceptions. Sometimes I come across a album where after 2-3 listens everything falls into place and its pretty clear to me that its a masterpiece. I wrote the iamthemorning Lighthouse review after just hearing it for the 3rd time and now nearly 2 months later I stand by everything I said.
Likewise I sometimes come across albums that have the "Love Beach" effect on me where every song on the album is so unbearable that I review it after 1-2 listens for my own mental sanity. The Mars Volta's debut springs to mind where I heard it once at 14/15, hated every second of it (and almost put me off modern Prog permanently) and then 10 years later I listened to it again for the sake of reviewing it. I found it much worse than I remembered it to be so I have no shame giving it 1 star after 1 recent listen.
But yeah these are rare exceptions. Generally I will give any album way over 5 listens before I review it. Its good practice as albums can grow on you (e.g every King Crimson album) and likewise lose their luster after repeated plays (e.g almost every Dream Theater album lol).
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O666
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 03:32 |
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More than 5
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Guldbamsen
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 02:59 |
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Around 10 listens. Reviewing an album after less than 5 listens is more like posting your initial thoughts....which occasionally can be very interesting.
Edited by Guldbamsen - May 26 2016 at 03:02
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
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Atavachron
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 02:46 |
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I have my postman listen to an album, describe it to me the next day, and write down his thoughts.
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"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy
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b_olariu
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Posted: May 26 2016 at 02:08 |
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Usually 2-3 times, but depending of the album, complexity, mood, etc
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DDPascalDD
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Posted: May 25 2016 at 14:29 |
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Much more than 5 most of the time. Depends on the album quite a lot. Albums with short straightforward songs can be reviewed after 4 listens maybe but I think Tales (that one sometimes seems to keep growing still) and Animals took me almost half a year so more than 50 listens (and probably more).
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How many album listens before a review?
