Re: [microsound] new reviews...two cents

[The pHarmanaut <pharmanaut@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I confess that I don't get your point of conflict with the reviews at the
electronic music reviews site. The best reviews not only address a work on
"its own terms" (if that's actually possible, but at least to the degree
that the artist attempts to contextualize a work via liner notes, packaging,
press release, and such), but also situate individual works within larger
contexts. These contexts might include larger cultural and historical
moments; developments within a genre or subgenre; an artist's own
discography; a particular label; points of interface between the work and
developments in the arts, philosophy, and so forth. I thought that the Mutek
review did a very good job of situating the collection in several larger
contexts.

I absolutely disagree that the point of reviews is to "help sell discs".
That should be the task of marketing and advertising, of press releases and
such, but not critical reviews. Yes, a review should give some sense of the
flavor and content of a particular work. But it shouldn't stop there. I
think of this issue in light of the supposedly review articles in gear/warez
magazines that the abominable REMIX magazine, to name the most obvious
example; the reviews have no critical objective at all. They simply describe
the ware, and usually in a language quite obviously cribbed from the press
release. These "reviews" are pointless.

At the same time, though, I don't think that the whole objective of a review
is to provide the big thumbs up or down. That's PART of the point, sure. But
again, I think the best reviews are those that critically contextualize a
work in a larger meaningful scope. I would further suggest that the primary
task of the review is to help provide a context in which the reader can then
perceive the work and pass his/her own judgement.

Trace

----- Original Message -----
From: Deadbeat <recursive_syntax@xxxxxxxxx>
To: microsound <microsound@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2001 8:59 AM
Subject: Re: [microsound] new reviews...two cents


> After reading your review of the Mutek compilation, as well as that of the
> Senking disc on Raster Noton, and the component compilation, I notice that
> several of your reviewers complain regularly about repetitiveness and
> "cilcks and cuts".
>
> As far as I can tell, the purpose of a music review is to provide a
critical
> analysis of the work that will effectively describe the contents to both
> those persons well aware of a genres reoccuring themes, and also those who
> have know idea what to expect . To put it bluntly, you are helping to sell
> discs.
>