charlesubaghs

…that On Fire is actually their best album. Plus, it has that amazing cover of Ceremony (though apparently that was only available on the CD version at the time)

I hate you for writing such a lovely review.

Funny enough that was supposed to be my chalet. He never played it in the end. R.I.P. Mr. Retard

that musical cast could even hold a candle to Jack Lemon and Alan Arkin.

Upper East Side raised, Harvard/Yale attending lads would certainly be the closest thing to Eton Posh (though poshness in the US is more contingent on spending power than vowel pronunciation and where you like to lunch)

Ace review. Shall check this out.

bloody comment box.
What I meant to say was...

Mike Diver, that's a big 10-4 on the Raincoats.

are ace.

an excellent record. Best thing they've done since the soft bulletin.

review

Screw those guys.

was an excellent review.

best band name ever.

So what do you call 'amateurs' who contribute pieces to 'professional' mags? Amassionals? Bit clunky.

Now while I've enjoyed these day in the life pieces (and am rather jealous of the amount of free time Jon and Ben appear to have), there are also plenty of writer types flitting around the edges of the professional or semi-professional music writing sphere working full-time, non-muso crit jobs, just to make ends meat. Only to then spend their evenings and weekends pitching, rushing off to interviews, writing reviews etc. for little to no pay, and that appears to increasingly be the norm, at least from my own experience.

Those were a handful of men among a sea of hacks. They were exceptions to the norm (the norm being that most people do a terrible job of writing about music). New bright young things with an insatiable appetite for culture and a desire to spew forth their own informed brand of vitriol upon it continue to be born. Nothing has really changed in that sense.

isn't the point of criticism, music or otherwise, to champion the good, destroy the bad, pop the hyperbole bubble, pull back the curtain and challenge listener and artists perceptions when necessary? I'm not sure if there are really enough bloggers stepping into this role.

the same way that one uses blonde instead of yellow when it comes to hair, roux in french applies to redheads. (and yes, it does also double as a culinary term)

why are you drawing a geographic line in the sand regarding the 'neo-capitalist' viewpoint?

...you know those 'influential Bloggers' are merely adopting an approach perfected by the British print media many years ago.

This record loses points simply because it's at best an average record.

precursor? No, you're right, it's not. But Quiet is the New Loud was a surprisingly high-profile record upon its initial release, at a time when folk was still a four-letter word for many, many people. It's not ground zero for the resurgence of folk but considering that folk was ignored by most indie loving youth, and generally viewed as the domain of aging hippies and old beardos, during the 90s, Quiet is the New Loud was certainly an early indication (one of a few) that things were starting to shift.

You should do more of these.

Is hands down their best album.

second that for real.

Excellent.

an excellent read Rebecca. Well done.

Two things:

A) Excellent review

B) Where are my shoes?

Sean, are you trying to coin a new demographic buzz word?

love them.

this supporting a rather myopic approach to music and clubbing?

But I personally believe that proper criticism, be it music, film, books etc. demands that a writer occasionally crafts a negative review if they feel it be the correct thing to do. At the end of the day, the role of a critic is to take to task the artist/product in question if needed. They should be challenged. I generally see it as part of a process – and not the final say - in a chain of discourse that runs between the people who create ‘artistic’ content and the people who consume it; even if, at the end of the day, it’s still up to the consumer to make up their own mind.

Admittedly, a writer shouldn’t pick a band to review just so they can tear into them in order to reinforce and validate their own preconceptions. But, when a negative review is done in a well-rounded informed manner, then it’s as important as a positive one.

It would be a shame to lose touch with that just because we can look up an average score on meta-critic.

Of course, I just might be an old man stuck in the past. It's a brave new world after all.

but you also had the likes of Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, the Byrds and other adult orientated soft rockers like the Eagles and even Fleetwood Mac either living in the area or peddling a style of easy listening pop, country and folk that’s commonly associated with the area. The comparison is apt in this instance.

review dan.

you can't really beat the current queen of tween, can you?

I think you win.

...Mike and I are very sore.

so just be prepared.

Piece Sean. You should speak to Vicent Moon next. That fella has serious talent.

he was.

Stuff

Honestly, I do think this is a decent record. I don't think it's a great record but it has a few things going for it. I was a bit torn over whether this was a 6 or 7 but in the end I had to make a critical judgement. Scoring records can be a bit tricky when it comes to something like this.

Al your money. Ask him for it.

a gelato vendor?

out the lattes.

Today was the best day yet.

Is a fantastic review sam.

And I agree, it's a rather special record.