my bringing up that quotation wasn't a 'why bother' type comment.. it was
meant to be more of a challenge i guess. however i do resent the comment
that it was 'absurd' for me to bring this up in coversation on the 'IDM' list.
for approximately 3 years i did freelance music journalism for various
magazines, starting on a local scale and then working my way into respected
national publications in the UK. i gave up writing reviews of records
because i realised i just couldn't do it. ok, i could try and describe the
technical aspects and elements of the tracks was writing about... but to
describe every detail (any of which were missed would be a
misrepresentation of the music) is impossible, not just due to lack of
column inches but also the fact that you are hardly gonna write out musical
score are you?
i also think that people who enjoy reading reviews entirely consisting of
technical detail are in a severe minority. biographical detail is
interesting in my opinion and before you ask, yes for me it does enhance
the experience of listening to music. to place this particular piece of art
in it's location is important to me, but that doesn't describe the music.
for instance, with the forthcoming EU minialbum on PAUSE_2, every
publication which has written about it has naturally mentioned the fact
that they are russian. this doesn't help me imagine the record, but having
heard the record it might help me feel more in tune with it.
before you ask, yes. i read a lot of magazines and i enjoy reading music
reviews. i don't base purchasing decisions on them though, most often i
read what is said simply for biographical detail. with this list, i read
peoples posts with interest and then go to a record shop and listen to the
records. i personally cannot hope to imagine what a record can sound like
from reading a review.. of, you say it sounds like a 'chain reaction'
record.. but that means nothing. it is just a vague, roundabout type way of
describing it. and it seems false...
anyway.. mr music journalist. explain idm to a deaf person.
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