My band got quite a few blog reviews this summer for our latest record. Most were pretty good (great even), but a few of them were REALLY bitchy and awful. They followed that Pitchfork sarcasm routine, but weren't really clever at all. They weren't constructive. They weren't informed. The writers didn't even have a frame of reference about rock and roll. A few writers even based their review based on what they expected from the cover art! I just learned about Gary Littleton recently, by the way. I feel terrible! Rob http://www.myspace.com/baskervillesnyc In a message dated 9/2/08 1:01:20 AM, audities-owner@smoe.org writes: > > Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008 23:11:08 -0400 > From: "Stewart Mason" > To: > Subject: Re: Are professional music critics losing their clout? > Message-ID: <68FD6B742B624FA1B592FA5367C0B454@Sparky> > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jason Dunn" > > > Gabriel is right on. In addition, I've found that "music critics", > > especially in Boston, have taken on what I call the "Pitchfork > > mentality", > > where your review becomes more about your own sense of sarcasm and > > wit than > > it ever was about the music your readers are ostensibly relying on > > you to > > explain and share with them. It's sad. I've read countless reviews > > where I > > learned nothing about the music, but learned plenty about the > > critic's own > > lifestyle or opinions in general. > > Are you speaking of that douchebag Thorpe, late of the Dig and now > bespoiling the once-proud pages of the Phoenix?  He's by some distance > one of the worst I've ever read.  His whole schtick is that he's this > maverick taking potshots at sacred cows, but he chooses the most limp, > toothless targets imaginable.  Wow, you think Coldplay is kind of > boring?  Holy crap, what a startlingly unique viewpoint!  Cuz no one > has EVER said that before!  Plus he's one of those people who just > feels it's uncool to actually like anything, which is pretty much the > antithesis of my own viewpoint. > > The Dig was better when Luke O'Neil was music editor: at least he > knows something about something.  (Full disclosure: I used to write > for the Dig occasionally, back when they could pay their freelancers > on time.)  I can't take seriously anyone who's been in charge there > since because they keep making the most basic factual errors.  No, > Michael Brodeur, Bebel Gilberto is NOT Astrud Gilberto's daughter, and > no, she doesn't sound anything like her "mom," which you'd know if > you'd ever heard a note of Astrud Gilberto's music. > > S > > > ------------- > ************** It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047)