Best review of an "average" album

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Writing with wit and flair while still conceding that an album is just okay is very hard. Which reviews have done it best?

― David Allen (David Allen), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 00:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I like Brent D.'s Elephant review for PFM *ducks*

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 00:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I think there's another necessary detail there...writing with wit and flair about an album that is just okay BY A BAND THAT HAS YET TO RELEASE ANYTHING BETTER THAN JUST OKAY is very hard. It adds much more to the discussion if the album is *disappointing* in its mediocrity, so, generally, okay albums by good bands are quite easy to write about, while okay albums by okay bands/new bands are very difficult to write about.

― Kareem Estefan (Kareem Estefan), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 01:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't see what one has to do with the other. A strong writer, if consistent, will remain articulate no matter what the quality of whatever she or he's reviewing. You just might not bother to read it if it's not a band you think is awesome or right rank.

― Huckleberry Hound, Wednesday, 4 February 2004 01:49 (twenty-two years ago)

okay albums by good bands are quite easy to write about, while okay albums by okay bands/new bands are very difficult to write about.

in general I agree with this. Usually I just try to focus on the songs that are exceptional (whether bad or good), and if there aren't any, I'll rip on the thing, cuz any album that is pure okayness is pure mediocrity.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 01:53 (twenty-two years ago)

not sure whether this is "best" but it's really good and I'm always happy to rep my ILM peeps: http://citypages.com/databank/24/1201/article11745.asp

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 01:54 (twenty-two years ago)

i suspect this belongs to kogan but nothing comes to mind immediately

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 01:55 (twenty-two years ago)

woah, that is easily the best thing I've ever read of Nate's. I'm impressed!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 01:57 (twenty-two years ago)

it's up there, yeah. I can't think of better offhand but I do think there are one or two things of his that are.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:03 (twenty-two years ago)

haha - nate'll kill me for this but i still think the best thing he's done was that art of the mix autobio he did way back in the day

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:08 (twenty-two years ago)

you mean those year-by-year mixes he made?

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:12 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:12 (twenty-two years ago)

haha - i still think the best thing you've done is those mixtape things you did for psf waaaay back in the day too!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:13 (twenty-two years ago)

haha - the above is subject to change

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:13 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm a sucker for some formalism!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:14 (twenty-two years ago)

It is a great review, but I'm not sure if the album comes as merely okay - but then as Miccio says anything that is "pure okayness is pure mediocrity" which in my book equals crap.

― Jedmond, Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:15 (twenty-two years ago)

haha my singles column debuts tomorrow

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:17 (twenty-two years ago)

the folk demand more wolk!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I love Jason for running those columns but I can't read them now, too often they were written in a hurry and the writing suffers as a result. (plus I didn't really learn to write till later anyway) (haha I think) (I mean hope)

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Anyway, the funniest reviews are usually the bad ones.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:19 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, i think what i like about you and the np's mixthings is that they bore some resemblance to how i listen to music (and i think alot of other people too)(i mean everybody isn't a hongro and going 'let's sit on our beanbags and listen to some fucking album', right?). also: 100 words about a song > 300 words about some album.

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 02:26 (twenty-two years ago)

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