Pimplomat

I find that it's a waste of time to explain away a band to someone else. No matter how articulate you may or may not be, it's so subjective that you're really better off handing someone a cd. They can then listen and decide without having to translate your opinions.

 

What? You're not hearing the subliminal messages?

:-)

 

"I'll take your silence, though, as vote that they're nothing but hype and nothing else."

Man, you've gone into new territory with the comment manipulation. Smart. I think that "dancing about architecture" quotation comes in handy once again. No one is going to convince you that a band (or an experimental writer ;-) ) is cool through a description.

Remember when we saw the Secret Machines and their drummer was so amazing? Was that you? Maybe I was with Rhett?

 

Problem here, Pimpmat, is the belief that criticism supports and even generates hype. Hype's a marketing strategy. Masses buy hype and its current product because redundant, cold people sell it.

 

Dude, you need to stop depending on pitchfork for your music reviews. And mr. Sufjan(sp?) incorporates a choir as back up on a lot of songs which is totally COOL! But nah, I ain't too much in to any of those bands either. You're so awesome, Jason. Thanks for being my friend.

 

"The writer took the time to explain why this band deserves listening to..."

This is the problematic part for me. I've approximated "convince" here from Pimplomat's post.

Of course criticism is an integral part of art, but there is a profound difference between Larkin and Jenny Eliscu. Maybe the bigger issue is that discrepancy and what it means about the state of music criticism in general.

 

late to this but here are my thoughts:

the hype machine is primarily driven by the bands' labels shelling out cash for a top promotions firm to drum up hype. Rarely, more and more, is this not the case. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah last year were driven by fans amongst the bloggers and touring relentlessly.

I do believe that well written reviews do exist and can be very helpful, but some are just awful. We Shot J.R.'s newest review was a good example of how they should be written...

Now Sufjan I think deserves the hype... great songwriting with beautiful lyrics, amazing voice, plays all the instruments on the record and is actually doing something interesting in the folk area.

Black Angels are nothing new, but I do really find their dark, droning, repetitive take on psychedelia very appealing and I love that new record. Good singer too.

Sound Team is thoroughly overrated. Great live though... very energetic. I'll pick up the new record when it comes out, but I don't get the excitement.

Secret Machines just can't make a good record and the only reason you ever hear anything about them is their label pays for it. Really good live, but they have never translated well to record.

Band of Horses is an enjoyable record but nothing brilliant or new but I like it.

I'd say the one band that has gotten a lot of hype that you did not mention that I think is deserving of all the stellar reviews is Liars with their new record. No one sounds like that right now and while they reference krautrock and other music it is refreshing to hear it.