purpose of reviews

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

This topic is split up from review topic. Used for discussion about whole purpose of reviews. - Moderator comment

GRUNT ‎- SOMEONE IS WATCHING (CD by Force Measure)
MIND & FLESH - MARTYR GENERATION (CD by Force Measure)
In the previous century before the last, banks often had Greek facades with Doric, Ionic or Corinthian columns whilst churches tended to have gothic arches and spires. Newspapers which were broadsheet and considered of more intellectual standing than their red top counterparts use Roman lettering, western civilization with all its laws and regulations, its authority and standing originated in the Greco-Roman civilization so the new technologies of the industrial revolution used these images to both form a link to this past and engender therefore the idea of a continuity that could be trusted despite the revolution of the industrial revolution. Obviously this is no longer the case, Modernity with its truth is beauty / beauty is truth critiqued this, banks became like offices, like hospitals, like schools, glass, steel and concrete slabs. Later this itself was critiqued in post-modernity and famously in architecture the idea of "Learning from Las Vegas". Now any and every façade was employed in a joke mash up of historical styles of high and low art, kitsch and conservatism. The "industrial" of the revolution of post-modernity gave us call-centres and offices for financial dealers which looked like Egyptian tombs or a Casino, crashed UFOs.. etc. No longer were factories oil, dirt and steel constructions hiding behind terracotta facades of acanthus decorated neo-gothic but clean pre-fabricated blocks containing gleaming production lines "manned" by robots with a few "key workers" in clean work gear monitoring the production process. In all of this one might think that a critique would or should avoid the use of cliché- as cliché is the modern-high modern and even post modern feature of industrialization. Cliché taken to the extent of being hypercritical, no one wants to live in a machine, they prefer "homes"... cliché'
s that might be just bearable as irony. But not it seems in Power Electronics or Industrial music. It's vision is nothing like any of these realities but a romantic vista of Piranesi. Of even Dante. Is this OK. Well only if non of the depth of sound is taken in the slightest bit seriously, more like the "demo" button on some new offering from Yamaha or Roland. Pure pretense and nothing to do with anything 'real' a façade ... (jliat)[/i]

Could anybody explain me what this author meant here?

[acsenger]

Could anybody explain me what this author meant here?

I find Jliat's "reviews" snobby and irritating -- or at least I did when I read some of them a few years back. Since then I don't even bother reading them. This one has some interesting parts though, although it has nothing to do with the music it's supposed to review (another reason I don't read his reviews). I guess here he's trying to say the musical worlds on these 2 CDs have nothing to do with modern reality, instead they are of a "romantic" nature which the listener should keep in mind in order to enjoy them. I don't understand why it's a bad thing that they don't reflect the reality surrounding us. Jliat doesn't elaborate on this which is another flaw in his review in my view.

[Andrew McIntosh]

Could anybody explain me what this author meant here?

Simply that he is one of those pompous, self-serving twats who thinks making references to anything else, from architecture to post-modern "ideas", gives the impression of intelligence; for lack of any actual achievement, small or large. It usually only works on the easily-impressed and giggling smart-arses who think riding on his ragged coat-tails makes them look good. Your best bet is to ignore him totally from now on.

[Half Aborted]

Yeah I've never got anything from his reviews bar the occasional unintentional(?) laugh. Doubt it's a case of lost in translation.

[tisbor]

I was quite shocked when i found out that jliat wasn't an american eighteen years old troll kid, but a grown up man.

[Jordan]

There's a collection of all of his reviews here: http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2012/06/jliat-ad-absurdum.html. It's kind of funny to read, but I got bored and gave up after 10 or so. They never, ever have anything to do with album he's reviewing, which I imagine would be maddening for someone who is naive as to jliat's m.o. and is actually trying to look into whatever album he's reviewing.

I think his cd of different kinds of silence, some of which can blow up speakers, is kind of neat as a concept, but yeah, mostly just a bunch of sub-po-mo nonsense.

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

Simply that he is one of those pompous,

Question is, why Frans de WAARD still is interested in collaboration with him? In my opinion this funny man is caricature of reviewer. I like his music but he should do only music, not reviews.

[fin de siècle]

Overall I have the feeling, the only aim of the founder FdW and Jliat is to drag other people in the mud! In my opinion the only honest and competent reviewer at VW is Niels Mark.

Not only Jliat`s reviews are hilarious, also FdW`s writings are beyond good and evil, when reviewing anything outside of his narrow-minded field of interest. I don`t want to doubt FdW`s expertise in sound art related music, but when it comes to styles he cannot handle, he starts to babble nonsense, like "oh, i dont understand it, so i am writing like an idiot now ...".

Also the obvious fact that he tolerates a person like Jliat writing reviews for his magazines confirmes my criticism of direspect not only towards the readers, but also the people sending their valuable records to them for free. Amen.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

By definition, "A review is an evaluation of a publication". Criticism in which release is analyzed based on content, style, merit, etc..
I don't think Jliat does so much of that. He often inserts band name and title of release as headline of text, but the text could be randomly picked from diary of his thoughts. I personally think it is good to cover ideas presented in album - write about feelings what album is able to awake. But it can't be all that. If it is, then it simply does not constitute "a review".

I recall someone mentioned Vital Weekly should have long ago changed name to be Jaded Weekly, hah. And I guess that's about right. But can you blame guys who review all sorts of crap sent to them what they rather wouldn't listen to? I don't think I have sent anything... ever?

I personally don't think using things that are considered "cliche" has any negative in it. Question would be do you value honesty or attempts to offer "new" things? I believe true emotion or true ideal will give whatever topic or approach enough energy. Artists just seeking to stand out with artificial and heartless "new things" that aren't yet expected "cliches" most likely will spend too much in consideration of audiences satisfaction and their artistic credibility than sheer honesty, intensity and personal impact.

[Andrew McIntosh]

You don't get it. Jiliat keeps it 'real'.

Pure pretense and nothing to do with anything 'real' ... (jliat)

[GEWALTMONOPOL]

I stopped bothering with review copies quite some time ago. Most of the time it's not worth the effort. Jliat, FdW and Vital Weekly ESPECIALLY are a waste of time. Old codgers who can't get turned on by music anymore. If I cared more I'd pity them but the main thing is I don't send them anything.

It's possible to run a label without sending review copies to people. Most of them are arseholes anyway. If everyone stopped pandering to them (by not sending precious releases their way) they'd be starved to death within a couple of months.

[Goat93]

I never understood this Review/Promo Copy System. If someone use is own Money for it, the Review will surely be Correcter about the Release than getting a Bunch of Freebies. I did all my Reviews with bought Copies, think its fairer since i take more Time to Listen to it, since i had to work to buy it. Makes also more Sense/Fun to write about something i like than something i would never buy myself cause i think its crap.

[GEWALTMONOPOL]

My thoughts exactly. The willingness to buy a release proves a comittment and I will gladly send a free copy to someone like that. I welcome any review borne out of genuine interest. Serious people get taken seriously.

Then there are those who use their position to scrounge. Scroungers get nothing.

The lowest are the careerists. Wire types in the making. Always full of shit. Ignorant. Never loyal twice. Easy to detect. While they could use a bucket of piss tipped over them, in the absence such justice they too get nothing.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Things has changed a lot for why reviews could be relevant and what for they are.
I don't think reviews nowadays function for "boosting sales". While in old days, the means you had was to play shows, get press attentions... and... ? Well, now you simply don't. You can post link to mp3 sample directly to customers.

What review now is worth, especially in format of magazine, could be written statement what remains as document of passing time. When next generation tries to find out what happened or you look back on history, you won't remember the endless stream of myspace sites and bandcamps, but you might remember the recordings you bought and recordings what you read (hopefully) well written piece. From 100 releases of 50 copies CDR's and tapes, the ones that will stay in collective memory, will be most likely those that were documented. Disappearing blogs, old forums disappearing etc.

At least I know plenty of people who return year after year to their old magazines or books. But how many will read review of webzine or mailinglists that came out 10 years ago? If that even exists anywhere anymore?

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

If everyone stopped pandering to them (by not sending precious releases their way) they'd be starved to death within a couple of months.

Exactly! In my opinion reviewing only received promo items is bad principle, even in an independent magazines.