song-by-song descriptions as album reviews - helpfully classic or lazily dud?

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"'Against the Grain,' an effective, organ-driven roots-rocker, segues into the gentle acoustic ballad 'Downriver.' The disc sags, however, with the plodding, metal-tinged 'Back to the Beginning,' and fails to regain momentum through the throwaway numbers 'Down' and 'Caught in the Rain.' The title track is build upon a sturdy riff that ultimately fails to develop into a compelling song. The six-and-a-half minute, album-closing 'All of You' ends with an energetic, drawn-out jam, its swirls of bass and cascading guitar lines closing out the proceedings on an up note."

You can just see the reviewer writing with one hand on the keyboard and one finger on the 'skip' button. It's a common style in student writing and on websites where space is unlimited, and the urge to give lots of information wins out over trying to give a more concise, overall impression of the album. Maybe an understandable fallback when there's little to say about an underwhelming disc - but to me it's like reviewing a movie by describing what happens in each scene.

― Sam J. (samjeff), Friday, 30 May 2003 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't really enjoy reading this kind of review myself.

― slutsky (slutsky), Friday, 30 May 2003 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)

it's interesting when someone is scooping a new album you haven't heard yet (i.e. Alex's thread for the new Firewater), but as an actual review to publish, definitely lazy and usually unreadable when squeezed into paragraph form.

― Al (sitcom), Friday, 30 May 2003 18:32 (twenty-two years ago)

There are ways of making it work, but it requires a certain amount of imagination and a more impressionistic approach. It helps if the writer in question has actually given some thought on how to structure the piece and the exhaustiveness illustrates pertinent points about the album as a whole.

It's more honest, in some ways, than the generalisations made in really short reviews.

― Jamie Conway (Jamie Conway), Friday, 30 May 2003 18:33 (twenty-two years ago)

These types of reviews are useless. They're a lazy way to get the word count up without actually, you know, saying anything.

So of course, they're everywhere.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Friday, 30 May 2003 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Very interesting if you already own the album. Nearly useless if you don't.

― Siegbran (eofor), Friday, 30 May 2003 19:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Useful if you own the album or are intensely interested in
it - say, a new release by a favorite band.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Friday, 30 May 2003 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Awful. The only review like this that I can honestly say I enjoyed reading was Lenny Kaye's Exile on Main Street piece for Rolling Stone back in the day.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 30 May 2003 19:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Although I actually quite like when a reviewer references specific elements in songs within the album, as a sortuv fall-back template reviewing style, to just kinda give a run down of each song, it's incredibly dull and dudderiffic. But hey I'm not a rekkid reviewer, so pshaw to me.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 30 May 2003 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

totally depends on how it's done. it can be done well, it can be done poorly. get over it.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 30 May 2003 19:47 (twenty-two years ago)

ILMers Frank Kogan (Oxxxes review in Voice) and Scott Seward (Interpol review in Voice) have done it just fine lately, actually.

― chuck, Friday, 30 May 2003 22:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I wrote a song-by-song review for my brother's album that I think makes the format work:

I put the headphones on and lean back. Jagged guitar assaults my ears and fear grips me as I hear the harrowing opening litany. THEY ARE OUT TO GET ME.

The beat kicks in. We're in party mode, but things are still unsettled. I can't find the bling, only corrupt cops and incompetent middle management. They tell me I can't see, but I'm trying.

Children playing forms the background for child abuse while the world's most shimmery keyboard patch puts a glossy, confectionery coating on getting to close to the seedy streets. I'm remided of all the things I need to fear again, but I nod my head to the rugged drums and shout along: "WE AIN'T SCARED OF YOU!"

A tender case of commitement jitters turns into all-out mad-dog frothing over blatant infidelities. This in turn takes us to a mythical land where every lady is a little bit mocha, a little bit latte and a whole lot of DAMN! (Of course, we have to look over our shoulders to make sure the female friends can't see us rubber-necking.)

The storm clouds brew again as the POWERS THAT BE breathe down our necks and pull our strings; Joe Theisman to the rescue! At the end all I can say is "blah blah blah"; I'm completely spent.

Hands shaking, I take the headphones off, wipe the sweat from my brow, and press play again. It's just that good.

Don't let this album pass you by; you can't afford not to hear it.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 30 May 2003 22:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Also don't forget: "This song is safe." CLASSIC.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 30 May 2003 22:47 (twenty-two years ago)

or are intensely interested in it - say, a new release by a favorite band.

this is the only time where i think it works.

― Mil, Saturday, 31 May 2003 00:04 (twenty-two years ago)

or when you want to download stuff

― minna (minna), Saturday, 31 May 2003 00:22 (twenty-two years ago)

(I like how everyone is ignoring my shameless pandering for compliments on my writing style; it's probably for the best when all is said and done.)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Saturday, 31 May 2003 15:45 (twenty-two years ago)

dud bcz it's like you have to listen to the whole record and FUCK THAT!!

― mark s (mark s), Saturday, 31 May 2003 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)

It all depends on the writer and the comments themselves, don't it?

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 31 May 2003 16:44 (twenty-two years ago)

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