As for review writing, in the short time I’ve been at it, I’ve learned there is an extreme to both sides. Case in point is the new Reba album. Anybody who knows anything about me knows I am a big, big Reba fan. But her new album just didn’t merit a glowing review, so it didn’t get one from me. To that end, I have the hard-core Reba fans (yes there are some worse than me) attacking my review because I didn’t love each and every song – and they can get nasty at times. On the other end, I have the casual Reba fan and people who were more disappointed with the release than I was who think I was too easy on it with my criticism. So it’s impossible to try and please all your readers – and if you’ve pleased them all, you’ve obviously done something wrong.

I’ve found the best way (and believe me, I am still learning as I go, with a long way to go still yet) to review a new album is to relate how the music affected me personally, rather than what I think other peoples’ reactions will be. I’ve never been great at guessing what the mainstream will latch onto anyway, so a ‘this is how I feel about it’ review is the only way I can honestly review an album.

I think when some reviewers become too passionate about their own particular favorite genre or genre niche, they lose the ability to accurately or honestly assess other branches of that genre and their reviews then not only do the subject they are commenting on a disservice, they also can reflect badly on their own favorite artists and musical style. When said reviewer’s distaste has matured to the point where they cannot look objectively at their subject and do it justice, this is when I feel they should pass it on to someone who may not be a disinterested party, either negative or positive, but their interest has not progressed to the point they cannot do their job with integrity and create a review that is not only informative but also reflects their own taste without coming off as “insulting rhetoric”

Sorry, for being hypocritical and jumping off topic myself.

Back to Matt Bjork’s column…:)

Actually, Paul, I agree with you. If something reads like a press release or high school kid praise session, I’m out. I want to read opinion on a review, but an informed one, whether it’s long or short doesn’t really matter to me, as long as it comes from an honest place.

Anyway, the topic here is music criticism. I think we would all agree that it has no value unless the reviewer gives the truth – as he/she hears it.. There is nothing I hate more than to read a review that goes something like this:

“This is ****’s 14th album, and like each of the prior albums it is amazing album. I don’t know how **** does it, but each album is better than the one before it. Every song on this album is terrific and blah, blah, blah …”

In fact, if I see the word ‘amazing’ in a review or comment , I usually just stop reading. There are very few things in life that truly amazing. Books(stores/articles) and albums(songs) aren’t among them

I can guarantee two things: I never judge a CD by it’s cover (I may comment on how badly it’s designed or put together) and I always try to give honest opinions on stuff. I just so happen to genuinely appreciate something about almost everything, even if it’s not adhering to the country that most of us fell in love with. Then again, I was very much a pop kid growing up.