Album Rating: 5.0

I mean... I still think the song rules, lol

Album Rating: 5.0

ik

Album Rating: 5.0

At least my take is not as bad as this soundoff:



"Honestly, I don't know how to respond to this. By all accounts and all objective standards, it outright sucks. The songs are about nothing tangible, the lyrics have no sense of flow or meter (some say they're 'poetry' - they need to be exposed to better poetry), and frankly, they often scan like something a class of amateur songwriters would come up with if asked to write a psychedelia album in 30 minutes. The songs go on for ages, with any sort of development and dynamic contrast avoided at all costs. For an album recorded by Steve Albini and Jim O'Rourke, it sounds as weedy as hell. And the arrangments (from Van Dyke Parks) are often all too stereotypical and quite boring. But somehow, it hangs together well enough to work more often than it falls apart into dreary, pretentious slush. Newsom's voice, though slightly annoying, does at least display the fact that she's sensitive to the needs of the words and the music - her nuance and sensitivity does much to help the album flow. And, in a bizarre way, the fact that the entire project seems geared towards being as fey as possible actually makes it believable - although I still find it hard to imagine that anyone will enjoy this album as much more than a novelty, the charm of it is undeniable. Just good enough for a generous 2.5."



(ily Iai)

thats a very low bar to clear

Album Rating: 5.0

I meant my take and not the song itself, but yeah

Album Rating: 4.0

"For an album recorded by Steve Albini and Jim O'Rourke, it sounds as weedy as hell"



I get that a lot of people don't like her voice or inflections but this is something else lol

Album Rating: 5.0

"weedy"

Album Rating: 4.0

No weeds in the fantastical menagerie this was recorded in

Album Rating: 5.0

I saw that sound off, it's a very weird take. His review for Have one on me is also really bad.

>I meant my take and not the song itself, but yeah


as did i [:

Album Rating: 5.0

"I saw that sound off, it's a very weird take. His review for Have one on me is also really bad."



Keep in mind that his work was from the time in which the "standard" hadn't really been set for staff/contribs yet. Not saying that to be an ass, but a lot of the older staff reviews are emblematic of the site's infancy back then and the fact that the writing standard hadn't been established yet, even for the more literary and well-spoken members of the site. Other emeritus reviewers like Med57 are further proof of that

Album Rating: 5.0

Hmmm, yeah I don't want to sound like an ass either, and I don't think it sounds like he can't write, just his conclusions sound like Joanna Newsom went to school with him and stole his lunch money. The Celine Dion thing at the end of the review is just baffling, as well as his assertion that the songs display a lack of sense of meter in the sound off. Like I just can't even.

Album Rating: 5.0

"As an aside related to both of those points, it also needs to be said that Newsom isn't anywhere near as good a singer as she thinks she is; far too often she closes her eyes and pretends she's Celine Dion going for the Hollywood vocal, when she'd do better to open them and realise that her fans spend their free time in student unions, not casinos"



Yeah, and this part is just a huge oof

Album Rating: 5.0

Shit, I just realized this is what you were probably referencing lol

Album Rating: 5.0

GREAT MINDS

>Keep in mind that his work was from the time in which the "standard" hadn't really been set for staff/contribs yet. Not saying that to be an ass, but a lot of the older staff reviews are emblematic of the site's infancy back then and the fact that the writing standard hadn't been established yet, even for the more literary and well-spoken members of the site. Other emeritus reviewers like Med57 are further proof of that


sure, the fact that they were staff at any point is indicative of the site (and internet) being young and the standards low, but its not like music critique was invented in 2005 ;p just saying

Album Rating: 5.0

I mean, I guess there have been bad reviews throughout all periods of music history. Just look at most of Robert Christgau's reviews in the 70s ;]

Album Rating: 5.0

Robert C is hi-larious, I love reading his stuff even when he's putting down stuff near and dear to my heart.

Album Rating: 5.0

I killed Christgau with my big fucking dick.

Album Rating: 5.0

^ classic Sonic Youth