Reviews discussion

m2thek wrote: I just skimmed his review after reading it earlier today, and I don't see anything wrong with it. It's not a style I would have written in but his review backs up his score and I think he totally articulated why he didn't like it. That's basically what a review is supposed to do: inform the reader if they should purchase some product. I think if anyone reads that and shares similar feelings to the reviewer they will be well informed.

Gallifrey wrote: m2thek wrote: I just skimmed his review after reading it earlier today, and I don't see anything wrong with it. It's not a style I would have written in but his review backs up his score and I think he totally articulated why he didn't like it. That's basically what a review is supposed to do: inform the reader if they should purchase some product. I think if anyone reads that and shares similar feelings to the reviewer they will be well informed. Yeah, I admit I was a bit hostile, but I also did describe that the album was more or less the same as the last, so if someone enjoyed the last, they could take that to mean that they would like it. Negative reviews can be beneficial as well. I know for a fact I have a few reviewers who I follow, to listen to stuff they give bad reviews to.

Of course negative reviews can be useful, and fun to read.   But that misses the point.   A negative review that is not convincing or alluring or written with some discipline fails in its purpose and bores the reader with aimless diatribe.  You must simmer in your hate of an album for awhile, digest your contempt, and then use words to hunt down and eviscerate your prey.   Honesty isn't enough.   It has to be true as well, and it's your job to prove your case.

^    ..... (dunno why I can't get the emoticon of the dude rolling on the floor laughing.....always comes up with the regular lol dude......)

Gallifrey wrote: Am I allowed to censor the review by putting [censored] over the parts you want me to change? Or is that too tongue-in-cheek.

Let's hold each other's hand and sing Oh Carol.

Mmmmmmm...tight arses. That's why I stick around.

Edited by The Bearded Bard - January 24 2014 at 17:40

Just looks like another crummy review to me; he does seem to have the specific goal of lowering the rating but it seems like he really sincerely hated it so it doesn't look like manipulation to me.  He is a terrible writer though.

I don't review very much at all (partly because of time and priorities, partly because I'm usually better at writing about other topics) but I can't think of a single album on this site that would deserve only one star from me.  I know other people use the rating system a bit differently, but to me a one-star album is horrendously bad while a two-star is mediocre.  To be honest, I really don't think there's as much bad music out there as is often claimed; there's plenty of mediocre music, from contemporary pop/rock to amateurish bandcamp efforts, but in most of it I can find something good or affirmable and can identify in some way with the artist's perspective.  I still tend to be very critical about music but I can find beauty in practically anything despite my criticisms.

I don't have a problem with people who have a more negative take on music, though, so I won't judge anyone for having a lot of negative reviews.

Yeah, Mark wasn't pleased with that review.   He just laughed it off.  The guy definitely didn't "get" the album.