Negative criticism that inspires you to seek out music

I'm talking about bad reviews where every qualm the critic has with the piece is something you typically enjoy in music. For example, this Allmusic review of Pere Ubu's album "The Art of Walking" (which I still haven't heard):

The Art of Walking was the first Pere Ubu recording that wasn't completely sensational. Red Krayola guitarist/mastermind Mayo Thompson replaced Tom Herman, and while he freely indulges in pushing the envelope when it comes to soloing, he doesn't have Herman's rock sensibility, so there's less pulsating, Chuck Berry-style riffing emerging from the mix. Also, the songs are a tad more obtuse -- not that previous Ubu songs weren't, but this collection, with its focus on the pastoral, falls apart when it becomes overly precious. Such is the fate of utopian concept records. Still, this transitional (if you want to call it that) record offers many rewards, even if as a listener you have to work a little harder to find them.

Mayto Thompson instead of original guitarist I find to be a big plus, and less "rock sensibility" and no "Chuck Berry-style riffing" I find to be two huge pluses. And the songs being a tad more "obtuse" is a big bonus too. Even saying that the songs "fall apart" gets me excited.

Any other example of reviews where all the strikes against it, would seem to be hidden strengths by your definition?

Any other example of reviews where all the strikes against it, would seem to be hidden strengths by your definition?

S: all negative reviews of Beach Boys albums

like if something's described as being recorded in a drugged out haze involving Brian Wilson in his bathroom and lots of weird synthesizer noises and inscrutable lyrics, I will seek it out

bathroom bathrobe

So many of my favorite records from 4AD, Mute etc. received anomalously low scores from the Christgau consumer guides (Throwing Muses C, Blue Bell Knoll C+, Into the Labyrinth D, Violator C-, The Ideal Copy B-) that I came to regard the dean of critics a contrarian indicator in anything but Afropop. I think I still do.

whenever the bass player in my band dislikes a band i am sure to love them

bad or negative reviews that sold you on an album

Rolling 2004 Negative Reviews That Make The Subject Sound Awesome Thread

Entire Red and Blue editions of The Rolling Stone Record Guide to thread.

you mean the 1992 edition? or that AND the earlier, dave marsh-edited edition?

i remember a raincoats review from one of the older editions that was extremely harsh but made me think i would like them, which turned out to be true.

marsh didn't really "get" postpunk i suppose.

Robert Christgau's Seventies Record Guide. Dave Marsh on Grand Funk. Rolling Stone on Black Sabbath.

the 1992 edition was kind of misfire wasn't it?

Red Edition = 1979; Blue Edition = 1983; later editions = possibly less clueless sometimes but also way less fun.

the 1992 edition was kind of misfire wasn't it?

Eh, it's not bad. Our own m coleman wrote quite a few blurbs; he's one of the few who Gets It.

it's sort of touching that in 1992, on the cusp of the internet revolution, some folks thought you could actually compile reviews of all the important pop and rock albums in a little book.

boy is that OTM. actually 1992 was the middle of the cd-reissue boom w/so much coming back into print every month so the RS guide was out-of-date as soon as it was published. the subsequent RS guide from a few years ago (which includes lots of the 92 book) is the one that seems redundant in light of the internet etc.

some of my own negative crit has spurred me to seek out and re-examine in recent years, now that everything's available online. shamefully I sort of shrugged off Kraftwerk in 1992 but today I rate them as The Beatles of 80s

(thanks thanks thanks alfred)

If something is being described as pretentious, overtly clever and way too smooth, then chances are I'll love that.

From an interview I did with Peter Rehberg in 2000:

"She (MM reviewer of Get Out) said this sounds like someone trying to download a ZX Spectrum game. Fine! That sounds very good!"

FAO sexyDancer

http://drownedinsound.com/releases/15151/reviews/4139388

A more unpleasant 31 minutes and 24 seconds you will not experience. Otherworldly and chaotic, the six songs are merged into one, filled with a constant beat surrounded by wailing and grunting nightmarish voices. ‘LIL’ provides a brief respite and shows a glimpse of a song, starting out daintily euphoric and losing the nitrous oxide vocals of the preceding two tracks before descending once more into a distinctly Arabian chaotic mess. The strange voices return and the music is left behind...What has been so enjoyable about other artists on Paw Tracks, in particular Animal Collective themselves, is that they challenge our perceptions of conceptual and typical song structure without completely abusing them, pushing boundaries instead of banishing them altogether.

Presidence is way awesome

yeah that's kinda what I've realised, after reading that review

lol @ "distinctly Arabian"

Only got one Excepter album (Debt Dept) but the opening synth bit from 'Greenhouse/Stretch' keeps popping into my head

oh Curt1s, if only you read DiS more often, you'd learn so much ¬_¬

the best part about Presidence is the title track, to which they do give semi-props in that review

except for the "unnecessary longevity" jab - the longevity of that track is essential to its nature

well I'm eager to get hold of it! sounds a bit Thighpaulsandraesque and y'all know how I stan for that dude

on a similar note, here's another recent DiS review of a record I love, full of baseless claims, inaccuracies, poor grammar, and rubbish musical analysis, that immediately alert you to the fact that the album is a LOT better than is claimed. yeah there are a few comments from me beneath. sorry, can't help it. http://drownedinsound.com/releases/15188/reviews/4139378

also longevity is never fucking unnecessary if it's what the artist wishes to express