Critics. A dying race? Do you ever listen to critcs or reviewers opinions?

Critics of all sorts must necessarily be a dying breed and thanks be for that. Most were utter charlatans.

The opinion of the individual must be more valued than trotting out the second hand view!

But the opinion of the individual would be well guided by a study of style, and that is flaw in in the arguement that critics have absolutely nothing to offer. Some critics actually really were [though rarely these days actually are] really knowledgeable on the subject.

In the old days only twenty five years ago the Daily Telegraph had a music staff that was unparalleled in its carefull, studious critical judgements of musical production, but the whole lot were retired when the dreadful Conrad Black took over the paper. That was the last gasp of serious music criticism in the late twentieth century, and nothing has replaced it, so we might as well get on and make our own choices without the guidance of the current crop of critics.

A classic precis, pre-amble, thesis, anti-thesis, synthesis and conclusion. Sorry for a classically formed post.

ATB from George

Since 1989, I've bought around 200 CDs based only on the review in "Stereoplay". No regret, no remorse. Many new wonderful artists discovered. like Terje Rypdal, Keziah Jones, or record companies like RR, ECM, Chesky, DMP...

I buy nearly all of my music from magazine reviews - plenty of good stuff and just the occassional duffer!

I do read reviews quite a bit from my 'usual' sources; Pitchfork, NPR, BBC Music, Guardian. In the end they tend to help me find new music and I'll then listen to some clips etc. I have bought on the strength of reviews alone, often from end-of-year lists when one or two seem to be appearing on everybody's favourites.

I wish people would put just a brief review when posting about new purchases in the Forum, just a line describing it and some view about the quality. The most useful is of course 'try this if you like this'.

I try to do it, it is not hard!

Bruce

Oh George really, it's time to leave your Balliol days behind you! Or are you FR Leavis in disguise?!

Tony,

The world is overflowing with (supposedly democratising) opinion but critics aren't a dying breed for me because they offer an editorialised view from media outlets that I trust. I've found the trick is to find critics I broadly like, whether in cars, wine, music or hi-fi.

Best, Chris

This forum is my main source for music criticism, recommendation and discovery, for which I do owe thanks, especially to certain members who have guided me towards some great music and concerts.

I also read the reviews on the Amazon website, although with a pinch of salt.

BBC Later/Jools Holland used to be another source of new musical discoveries, but it now seems to be in a rut.

Since school I have detested almost all music journalism, as it seems to be far more about the reviewer than the music. I do not care for music fashions, and do not think punk was the greatest thing to ever happen to music, like most journalists still seem to think.

I occasionally read links to The Guardian's reviews (from links here mostly), and sometimes the BBC website and Pitchfork.

I hold the NME in utter contempt, and the last time I bought one of the music magazines, I posted here to warn people against bothering with it. It had an article on Led Zeppelin's 'Physical Graffiti', which went on about The Clash for the first page, a waste of ink. The Wikipedia page on the album covered far more and was better written.

Q seems to be in the opposite camp, pretending punk never happened, and everything is safe in the middle of the road, no chance of finding out anything there that a few minutes of Radio2 would not cover.

Being a fan of Hunter S Thompson, I was recommended to try Lester Bangs. I tried reading a collection of his journalism. Yes he got stoned a lot, but there the similarities ended. He described Kraftwerk as having 'fashisistic rhythms' and people drunk at a Tangerine Dream gig, it was some of the worst writing I have ever read. If he is what music reviewers aspire to, then it is a very low bar to reach.

There is one utter low spot of amateur music reviews on the web for me, and that is the Prog Archives website, one the the reviewers rates albums by how much they sound like Camel. Worth a laugh at for a few minutes, pointless if you like prog with a bit of imagination, or energy.

I am sure Classical and Jazz reviews are vastly superior to those for Rock and other contemporary musics.

Mostly I will stick with those here who I trust, and who will engage in sensible discussion of both the most and least fashionable, oldest and newest, original and remastered releases.

> Critics of all sorts must necessarily be a dying breed and thanks be for that. 

+ 1

I use Record Collector as it tells me about re-releases and is mainly written by enthusiasts for the artists. I'm not really interested in what Jeff Dreadnought thinks about a record (he just better stay away from Stroud), I can usually sample it myself and make up my own mind. 

It should matter to nobody that I don't like Sinatra, P Collins or Knopfler very much, if you like 'em then that is great. Similarly I don't care if some folk don't like Fascinating Aida, Chas & Dave or the Beatles 'cos I do. 

I can't understand why NME should talk about The Clash in a review about Physical Graffiti as it is not one of their albums; I have all the Clash albums and love 'em (great band). I also have Physical Graffiti, but mine is by Led Zeppelin and I have all their studio stuff too (great band). 

So if somebody even a critic says a record is great then I'll try to give it a listen, if they say it is rubbish then I just ignore the critic and if it is music by somebody I generally like then I still listen and make my own mind up.

I think the same about hi-fi critics - just measure the thing and be done with it: OK if the case fell apart then that's interesting or it distorted like a Shanling CD player then that's useful, but who on earth is interested in what they think about how it sounds. I want kit that I like, not a load of stuff some bloke who writes copy for the sake of it likes.  I'll give this 78% and that vastly superior interconnect 78.5% (really). They are worse than me. 

Where music critics could be useful is in telling us the quality of the pressing or transfer to CD. 

> There is one utter low spot of amateur music reviews on the web for me, and that is the Prog Archives website, one the the reviewers rates albums by how much they sound like Camel. Worth a laugh at for a few minutes,

Oi that's me - I love Camel (great band) 

Critics are absolutely necessary - can't understand why they should be  a dying breed. I don't have the time or money to buy a product which may end of being rubbish. 

But if you follow the critics you may well end up with rubbish - unless you know of a critic whose taste mirrors your own - when John Peel and Alan Freeman were around I could just turn on the wireless to find out about new music, but those days are long gone 

Don't read reviews by critics for music or theatre, but do occasionally for films.

Generally buy music by certain bands without hearing the new tunes.

New music I make a judgement on. 

Generally 1 song from a band/artist, may buy as a download, if I hear two I like then I consider down load album or CD.

Also when on, I watch Jools and am often intrigued by a guest and so take the plunge.

It is all very scientific!!!! Not really....

"Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others"

Thank you all for taking  time to reply.  I have had several "reference" sources  as a guide to purchasing music. From the previously  mentioned JP, always missed, to a plethora of music available online, via friends recommendations, magazine and, since joining this forum, I have met some very interesting people and characters, won't mention names-you known who you are-  with a wide variety of musical tastes and opinions. From eclectic to pure bizarre and I respect you all.

Many thanks,

Tony

For me music reviews are as useful as equipment reviews, which is to say not useful. It's too subjective. Down the years I've never had much trouble accessing music and discovering new bands to like. The mouse click has made it an order of magnitude easier. I don't need someone else to tell me what to like.