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Post by Tweet on Feb 12, 2019 11:28:30 GMT -6
In the old days, I would have read reviews before buying most albums. But given that we get them instantly on spotify or whatever now and really don't pay for them, I just go and listen. What was it like reading newspapers? |
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Post by thebosma on Feb 12, 2019 11:28:54 GMT -6
In the old days, I would have read reviews before buying most albums. But given that we get them instantly on spotify or whatever now and really don't pay for them, I just go and listen. What was it like reading newspapers? A what? |
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Post by rango420 on Feb 12, 2019 11:37:06 GMT -6
Someone who would answer no to this i assume just never listens to new music which would make sense for a fair amount of this board! I feel like this is only true if your definition of "critics' reviews" is extremely broad. What is the definition of critic here? I would say a post on a message board would be a critical assessment of an album. I can't even come up with another way to find out about new music. I guess like just randomly clicking on every album art that looks interesting on the spotify new release (which means you are only listened to one of the 10 most popular releases of the week) The other way would be seeing an opening act for a band you already know. |
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Post by chvrchbarrel on Feb 12, 2019 11:41:54 GMT -6
I feel like this is only true if your definition of "critics' reviews" is extremely broad. What is the definition of critic here? I would say a post on a message board would be a critical assessment of an album. I can't even come up with another way to find out about new music. I guess like just randomly clicking on every album art that looks interesting on the spotify new release (which means you are only listened to one of the 10 most popular releases of the week) The other way would be seeing an opening act for a band you already know. There are several labels whose releases I have tracked over the course of a year or so, in phases where I really loved what they were putting out. |
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Post by rango420 on Feb 12, 2019 11:44:40 GMT -6
What is the definition of critic here? I would say a post on a message board would be a critical assessment of an album. I can't even come up with another way to find out about new music. I guess like just randomly clicking on every album art that looks interesting on the spotify new release (which means you are only listened to one of the 10 most popular releases of the week) The other way would be seeing an opening act for a band you already know. There are several labels whose releases I have tracked over the course of a year or so, in phases where I really loved what they were putting out. Good point. I do this with Bloodshot, Drag City, Paradise of Bachelors |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2019 11:44:44 GMT -6
definitely depends on the publication (i cant remember the last time i used a p4k review as a serious recommendation/condemnation of an album) it's mostly just visibility for me. i like using decibel, invisible oranges, revolver, etc. to basically just be aware of albums coming out. sometimes knowing the genre or associated acts helps but not necessarily. i dont think i ever read their reviews mostly though i just prefer mass-wishlisting stuff on bandcamp and then reserving a few weekends to binge listen to them  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2019 11:46:33 GMT -6
Someone who would answer no to this i assume just never listens to new music which would make sense for a fair amount of this board! I mean, do you call Timbo's list of releases a critical review, because that's essentially my first jumping off point. I listen to new music because it's new, not because someone is telling me to. is his point that you have to read a review in order to decide what new music to consume? because jesus |
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Post by rango420 on Feb 12, 2019 11:47:59 GMT -6
Someone who would answer no to this i assume just never listens to new music which would make sense for a fair amount of this board! I mean, do you call Timbo's list of releases a critical review, because that's essentially my first jumping off point. I listen to new music because it's new, not because someone is telling me to. Are we just calling this not a critical review because they are nomally bad? |
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Post by venom on Feb 12, 2019 11:51:14 GMT -6
i rarely read formal album reviews anymore. between a couple boards, a few friends, some blogs, show listings, labels, etc. it's so easy to dive in and give a shot to more music than ever and decide whether i like it or not.
plus, i can't recall the last music reviewer whose taste regularly agreed with mine.
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Post by sthubbins on Feb 12, 2019 12:22:57 GMT -6
I feel like this is only true if your definition of "critics' reviews" is extremely broad. What is the definition of critic here? I would say a post on a message board would be a critical assessment of an album. I can't even come up with another way to find out about new music. I guess like just randomly clicking on every album art that looks interesting on the spotify new release (which means you are only listened to one of the 10 most popular releases of the week) The other way would be seeing an opening act for a band you already know. if someone asked me the question "do you read critics' reviews before listening to albums" and I said "yes, I love to talk to my friends about music" it would be a weird response. |
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Post by wanny on Feb 12, 2019 12:31:57 GMT -6
I mostly just look at metacritic scores
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Post by andrewvb on Feb 12, 2019 12:32:12 GMT -6
i get where rango is coming from.
the question in the subject heading of "do you read critic reviews before listening to albums" would mostly be no, assuming this means a full, multi-paragraph review. like, why would i read a full review before ive even listened to it? i wouldn't have any relation to what it's talking about, and it's so easy to put on any music item and hear it first for yourself anyway.
in terms of, do i use critics to take suggestions? yes. if gorilla vs. bear posts a song there's a pretty good chance i'll at least hit play because i find a lot of interesting things on that site. the guy only writes a sentence or two about whatever he's posting anyway.
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Post by sthubbins on Feb 12, 2019 12:45:35 GMT -6
rango also forgot about "the radio"
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Post by sthubbins on Feb 12, 2019 12:46:58 GMT -6
I mostly just look at metacritic scores haven't spent time on metacritic in years but from what I remember in the music section everything is bunched into the 65-85 range which makes it basically useless |
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Post by wanny on Feb 12, 2019 12:56:52 GMT -6
I mostly just look at metacritic scores haven't spent time on metacritic in years but from what I remember in the music section everything is bunched into the 65-85 range which makes it basically useless Anything below 65 I avoid and don't care about, artists I've never heard of in the 80s, I check out. It's very useful for me! |
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Post by teekoh on Feb 12, 2019 13:01:56 GMT -6
I don’t read reviews of albums I’m already interested in before I listen to them.
I generally only read reviews to figure out what an album might be like stylistically, so I can decide if I want to check it out.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2019 15:44:39 GMT -6
I mean, do you call Timbo's list of releases a critical review, because that's essentially my first jumping off point. I listen to new music because it's new, not because someone is telling me to. Are we just calling this not a critical review because they are nomally bad? Glad you enjoy them! Glad to know I have fans. |
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Post by nanatod on Feb 12, 2019 17:35:14 GMT -6
when I was 14, I read an article by the now late music critic Lynn Van Matre, about the 50 albums you should own. I never owned all 50, but I listened to enough of her recommendations over time (and also a couple of other popular critics of that time, like Dave Marsh) to become more knowledgeable about what to buy and to listen to. Unfortunately, I can not find a link of any kind on the net to that Van Matre article, which started with things like Chuck Berry's Golden Decade, and advanced chronologically forward to whenever she wrote that article for the Tribune.
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Post by venom on Feb 12, 2019 18:23:18 GMT -6
when I was 14, I read an article by the now late music critic Lynn Van Matre, about the 50 albums you should own. I never owned all 50, but I listened to enough of her recommendations over time (and also a couple of other popular critics of that time, like Dave Marsh) to become more knowledgeable about what to buy and to listen to. Unfortunately, I can not find a link of any kind on the net to that Van Matre article, which started with things like Chuck Berry's Golden Decade, and advanced chronologically forward to whenever she wrote that article for the Tribune. i worked with lynn for a short time and it was only after she'd left (the job, not life) that i found out she'd written a ton of music reviews. |
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Post by ten15 on Feb 13, 2019 9:31:00 GMT -6
I wrote music reviews for the Daily Illini for two years when I was in college.
Now, I do not usually read music reviews before I listen to an album. I do browse the Pitchfork reviews page to see what has come out recently to see what I may be interested in, and I also look at Spotify's new releases and the new release radar to see if there is anything I may be unaware of.
I do, however, occasionally read reviews after I listen to see what the reviewer thought.
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Post by sleeping on Feb 15, 2019 14:01:29 GMT -6
If it's a band I already know I like, I don't care about reviews. I read reviews of bands I've never listened to, and check out anything that sounds like I might like it.
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