The Writer's Block Pt II

[morrissey]

Resurrecting an old idea of JohnXDoe's, a link to the old thread for reference.

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=507629

This is a thread for the reviewers, writers, and lowly scribes of SputnikMusic.com. It's intent is to offer support, guidance, and communication between all the contributors on site and offers a place where you can come and discuss your craft/hobby in a constructive manner and share ideas and information with others.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to take part and hopefully we can get a round table discussion going about music, reviewing, our views on reviewing, our skills or lack thereof, and so on and so forth. This is not meant to be run by one or a few, or Staff Writers. Nor is it meant to be too formal. Its simply a thread to post about whatever you want as it pertains to reviewing, the music you review, and any concerns you may have about your writing.

If you want to improve, come here and ask for tips. If you are new come and ask for guidance and an overview of what we do as a community on a whole, and perhaps get some help getting started. If you are having a hard time reviewing or have lost interest and are struggling, come talk about it and see if you can't get back on track. And of course if you are having fun and want to encourage others by sharing your experience we are most interested in hearing all about it. Reviewing should be exciting and stimulate our desire for the music we love (and hate) and it's often motivational to share our interest and positive words with others. So if you are excited by something you are reviewing or something you are considering reviewing post up about it. We'd be happy to hear all about it

The focus of this thread is writing, reviewing, music, and the ups and downs and highs and lows that reviewing for sputnikmusic often brings. Bashing of fellow reviewers will not be tolerated in this thread. Nor will off topic spam. Try to be constructive and helpful. You can say a little or say a lot, but say it well and be earnest. Want to rant about the frustrations that often come with reviewing? Go ahead and rant. Need some help or suggestions as to how to finish up that difficult review or what direction you should take with it? Come here and ask. Need encouragement or want to expand upon your usual reviewing fare? Come here for suggetions. We are listening.

[IAmInsect]

well i really suck so far; i keep writing the same overly concise bullshit!

[morrissey]

I'll give you guys a kind of idea of the posts we're looking for.

I've been unable to write about music for a significant period of time, but it's more a combination of laziness and not listening to much new music rather than any legitimate form of writer's block. Still, I'd like to slowly ease myself back into the routine of one review every six months. Right now I'm writing reviews of both Mariah Carey and the Divine Comedy, but unlike my usual routine of banging out a review in a couple hours, I can't help but construct these a sentence at a time. It's just not coming naturally at all. I assume this is just rust but it's completely abnormal for me.

The last two reviews I did, about a year and a half ago, were both fluff pop pieces that I wasn't particularly happy with, but yet I enjoyed writing them a lot more than some of the more elaborate ones. So, what's worse - fun writing at the expense of content, or elaborate but stale?

[Oddsen]

its cool that your starting this back up. I wish john was still around

for this site i'd say fun at the expense of content is the better way to go since more members (being for the most part stupid teenagers) will be drawn to a review that looks like fun to read.

[badtaste]

I've been unable to write about music for a significant period of time, but it's more a combination of laziness and not listening to much new music rather than any legitimate form of writer's block. Still, I'd like to slowly ease myself back into the routine of one review every six months. Right now I'm writing reviews of both Mariah Carey and the Divine Comedy, but unlike my usual routine of banging out a review in a couple hours, I can't help but construct these a sentence at a time. It's just not coming naturally at all. I assume this is just rust but it's completely abnormal for me.


Do you write your reviews on the computer or away from it? I've recently taken to jotting down whatever notes, ideas, and plans that come into my head into a notepad. For some reason, writing is a much more fluid medium for me to record my thoughts (compared to when I'm typing). Production has increased slightly as well.

[Channing]

So, what's worse - fun writing at the expense of content, or elaborate but stale?
stale is the sputnik standard right now. write something you enjoy writing.

i dont think i need to actually tell you that, you're a smart woman

[planewreck]

Elaborate but stale is worse.

[Correction]

stale and concise

thats my style

[morrisseysucks]

don't leave the bred out!!!

[IsItLuck?]

I'm just going to chime in with my two cents and while this isn't exactly 'writer's block' tips, it's general reviewing tips:

Listening/beginning stages of a review
Sometimes it is hard to come up with the perfect idea to get a review going. Sometimes it may be best to work with the details of the album (body paragraphs) first and then eventually find a 'theme.' It may help to read about the band's history, read into the lyrics/how the album was made or any neat bits of information about the record and it could really help you formalize thoughts of something to start the review.


Hooks
The introduction/summary may be the most important piece of your review. This is the key to grab readers to care about what you are writing. I'm not saying focus on your introduction, but make sure it strays away from too many facts and opinions that would make it seem plain/biased. Sure a band history is nice, but make sure to be brief.

Body of a review
Track-by-tracks can become tedious. Most albums have multiple songs that can be related to each other in some way. Talk about two songs and how the vocals blow your mind away, etc. Make sure readers will know what the album sounds like, either through band, genre, or sound (in general) comparisons.

Conclusions
This is essentially a selling point. You want to write what you think are the most important factors that bear with your opinion. That or something that connects your entire review together from introduction to conclusion. If you start off with a 'theme' try to find a fitting, but not cheesy, way to end it that 'theme.'

Length - This should be the least of everyones problems when reviewing, yet everyone feels they need to write a novel about an album and find this to be the most important factor. At one time, I too felt the need to write long reviews, particularly to defend my opinion for a bad album but I've found out that's not the best route to take. Reviews need to be whatever length necessary that you can successfully get the overall point across and know that the review is not redundant/repetitive.

Vocabulary/Grammar
Have someone check over your reviews. Make a friend, ask a family member, or read it over multiple times. It is extremely hard to pick up your own mistakes when you have been writing for an hour or more (maybe finish the review, read it three times the following day). In addition, try to use upper high school/college vocabulary, but stray away from elitist vocabulary. You want people to understand what you write. It shouldn't sound childish and readers shouldn't need a thesaurus to decode your review.

Cheers

[Channing]

stray away from elitist vocabulary.
i don't understand this please explain

[morrissey]

Do you write your reviews on the computer or away from it? I've recently taken to jotting down whatever notes, ideas, and plans that come into my head into a notepad. For some reason, writing is a much more fluid medium for me to record my thoughts (compared to when I'm typing). Production has increased slightly as well.
I write most everything on the computer, but I always keep notepad open to write down little things that pop into mind when I'm thinking about reviewing an album. With Mariah Carey I was thinking about how her followers have become so commonplace that it's easy to forget how remarkable the original was, and I jotted something down in reference to it. But I'm trying to move away from comparative reviewing because it focuses too much on outside influences/followers and not enough on the actual artist and their output. A bad habit of mine.

re: "elitist vocabulary" - I like writers would use an expansive vocabulary and by proxy elaborate my own. As long as you're using a word because it best describes something, and not just because it's the biggest word you could find, I prefer that method to sole adjectives being "awesome", "cool", and "great". That said, simple text can more broadly convey an argument, so it's certainly no weakness to use it. It depends on what your writing level is, but also on the goal of your review (for personal reasons? to persuade/dissuade purchase?) and the intended audience.

edit: I just posted my first review in 18 months. Time flies when you're not writing reviews.

[Iluvatar]

Considering journalistic standard (depending on who you talk to) is to write on a 5th/9th grade level...

[badtaste]

Make a friend

oh dang :upset:

[Jim]

i remember this thread. i think i was quite active in it :/

yeah that was when i reviewed :( i tried to start one last night but just kept getting stuck.

[JohnXDoe]

hello :wave:

i really needed this....bump

i have been "retired' from staff like an old heap apparently, but my will to review remains.....weak :(

i wish i could say strong

i was never the best reviewer on staff (obviously) but i enjoyed it until i stopped enjoying it. i think i just got tired of doing only new releases and having to be so precious about the writing, making it good enough to be picked up at metacritic, etc.

and i kind of just lost interest in saying anything about music. i'm not sure if thats a "block" but i would sit at the keys and nothing interesting would come to mind. even if i liked an album. it got to the point where i would review some albums the same as the last or the next. i basically just started writing the same review over and over. whetther positive or negative

i guess that works for the reader but it got boring for me

anyway i still want to contribute. i just have to keep posting about it until i finally turn something in. i'm no longer on Staff, so now i can just rant any way i want. i have two reviews halfway done and refuse to be a slacker anymore!

so...i need to turn one in. just do it, John!

thats me :)

anyway maybe today? good as time as any and i'll be up all night so....one may be coming sooner then later

[Jim]

it got to the point where i would review some albums the same as the last or the next. i basically just started writing the same review over and over. whetther positive or negative
oh em gee yes

i always try to make each review unique, but they just end up practically the same.

i have found i always use the word "sentiment" for example :(

[Minus The Flair]

I don't write enough, but I'm hoping to change that. I think a combination of little free time, little belief in writing ability, and a little laziness was what always stopped me. That's changed now. My main issue with deciding to write a review though is if I think I know enough about the genre or about the band's previous work. I'm always really hesitant to write a review if I haven't heard any of their other albums and they're a well established band because I'm not well educated enough to write about it. I have no idea how they've evolved and such, but I have strong opinions on how they sound right now.

My other problem is finishing reviews. How long does it take you all to write a review, and do you write them in one go? I have so many half finished/draft reviews, usually due to losing momentum, sometimes due to wanting to write about something else. The majority of the reviews I do write are written there and then. I'll take notes down on paper then transfer them into coherent sentences on Word, just letting it come together. Altogether takes me about 2/3 hours. I do enjoy writing though because I'll often realize something about the album while writing which I wouldn't have noticed otherwise. I don't feel I have the issue yet of writing the same review over and over though, but I'm still under 20.

[Channing]

takes me like five mins

yo morrisseysucks, punch a freshman for me today pls

[badtaste]

i was never the best reviewer on staff (obviously) but i enjoyed it until i stopped enjoying it. i think i just got tired of doing only new releases and having to be so precious about the writing, making it good enough to be picked up at metacritic, etc.

and i kind of just lost interest in saying anything about music. i'm not sure if thats a "block" but i would sit at the keys and nothing interesting would come to mind. even if i liked an album. it got to the point where i would review some albums the same as the last or the next. i basically just started writing the same review over and over. whetther positive or negative

i guess that works for the reader but it got boring for me

Poor man, I feel for you.

My main issue with deciding to write a review though is if I think I know enough about the genre or about the band's previous work. I'm always really hesitant to write a review if I haven't heard any of their other albums and they're a well established band because I'm not well educated enough to write about it. I have no idea how they've evolved and such, but I have strong opinions on how they sound right now.

I find that as long as you have one comparison point (be it with another of the band's album, or a comparable band), then it should be alright.

[Abaddon2005]

I think it's important to enjoy writing the review. If I feel like I really want to express my opinion and it comes naturally, I'll write some general thoughts down, and base my review off of that. I don't think I could review something because I have to. I think some of the best reviews here seem to be written by people that had fun while writing them. It shouldn't be too much of a chore.

[taylormemer]

Hmm, personally never considered writing a review similar to a choir, but hey there you go.

[IsItLuck?]

Yeah it really shouldn't be a group of singers

[Iluvatar]

yeah that wouldnt work without a lot of audio clips.

edit: btw guys if you really want to kick start your reviews, start off writing a horrible concept review (any kind will do), and as soon as you are done with paragraph two, you will realize how much it sucks but be in the writing mode so you will be able to write your regular (but probably still bad) review!

[Abaddon2005]

fixed. thank you resident sputnik smartasses :)

[taylormemer]

btw guys if you really want to kick start your reviews, start off writing a horrible concept review (any kind will do), and as soon as you are done with paragraph two, you will realize how much it sucks but be in the writing mode so you will be able to write your regular (but probably still bad) review!

Funnily enough, we share similar instincts here. :wave:

[Cocaine]

It takes me usually no more than 10 minutes to write a review. But I'm always "writing" them in my head, and I've got a tendency to just write down a couple little jot notes as I listen to an album if they become pertinent enough to retain. Basically I like to go into a review knowing exactly what I'm going to say, sometimes with certain phrases and sentences planned to the word, and then I just puke it all out onto a page.

[morrissey]

10 minute seems crazily short though. How much time do you spend thinking it out beforehand?

I'm mostly the opposite though, I'll have a couple thoughts or words that come to mind, but everything else is completely fleshed out as I write it. It takes a lot of immediate rewriting to get the right idea across, but I've never been the type (nor will I ever be) to take days or even weeks to perfect a document. You seem like a version of me on speed.

[Cocaine]

Okay, well maybe not ten minutes but 15 is accurate I'd say. I really do plan it out in my head ahead of time and I find that the more I deliberate while writing, the more I get stuck, and the more I get stuck, the more likely it is that I'll scrap the review entirely. I basically don't write anything but little notes until I know what I'm going to write in the review, then I write it, sit on it for a bit, read it aloud and fix it up. I tend to tweak and re-write parts before I post it but I pretty much write the bulk of my reviews in one pretty brief sitting. I tend to rely on momentum.

[Iluvatar]

I usually just sit down and write a review in 45 minutes and make sure I have plenty of typos and submit it immediately.

I believe this is a good way of going about things.

[Channing]

123

[IAmInsect]

a big part of my problem is that since i came across sputnik, 90% of the music i check out comes from this site which means the albums already have adequate reviews. for example, i'd love to write a 5-star review for origin of symmetry but it'd be totally unmerited. but it's an album i know well enough to write comfortably about. most album i'd be comfortable writing about already have 2347234085 reviews. and 90% of the albums that don't have reviews that i'd be comfortable writing about are lame christian ones that'd all get 2 and lower. and almost every new release gets covered by staff quickly so i don't have the chance to do those either.

[IsItLuck?]

we cover them quickly? who knew

[badtaste]

If you work fast, you may still get an early review of "All Hope is Gone" in!

Hit 10 reviews, awethome.

[IAmInsect]

we cover them quickly? who knew

i mean you guys usually review the new releases before anyone else gets a chance to.

[taylormemer]

Yeah, ain't much you gonna do 'bout that.

[JohnXDoe3]

i did it!

my first review in over a year and i think i enjoyed writing it :)

i think

its very much a fan review of a band i love but hey...thats why i started writing reviews. i'm reminded of my very first review for X's Wild Gift. i really wasn't concerned with it being good or w/e...i just wanted to share my opinion and love of a great band. so hopefully i'll be able to carry on in that spirit and have some fun

feels pretty good :)

[badtaste]

So... writer's block. What can I do about it, and how much will it cost me?

[Jim]

not much. maybe start writing some soundoff's to get yourself into it like i've been doing recently

although i still haven't written a review for like a year :/

[badtaste]

Hmm, good idea. Sound offs are kinda heathen though, I don't like how they're part of the review count on the front page. My main problem is that the material that I'd like to review are somewhat foreign to me, being country rock, blues rock, etc... Don't have much a grounding in those genres to be confident enough to approach it.

Haven't written in a year, wow. Why the break?

[Jim]

don't know, just busier. and i feel a little guilty when i spend time on a review and not stuff i should be doing

i just wrote another soundoff. still no urge to continue to write a full review :(

[DFelon204409]

I was thinking the other day about what an English prof had told me about thesis statements. There should be some mystery to what you're saying. Nobody wants to read an essay that lays out the thesis bluntly and then backs it up in the body paragraphs. Some of the best theses don't explain everything and can't fully be explained and the paper should be an exploration of one's view about the work in question. The difficulties of a piece shouldn't be answered. It's more that the difficulties and complexities of the piece is what makes it great to read (and stretching the analogy, listen to). I feel like reviews should be the same.

[Cocaine]

If you're going into stuff you're not hugely comfy reviewing, I say soundoffs are the way to go. Or just dive in, really.

[kingsoby1]

best solution to writer's block is speed. just do grips of it and stay up all night writing.

[Transient]

Hey guys, I'm writing 2 reviews for my University's Student Guild magazine (I got free copies of Lost In The Sound of Separation and Appeal To Reason :D) and would appreciate it if anyone could give me some feedback on whether my first one is any good. I pretty much have to summarize the albums in 250-ish words.

Underoath - Lost In the Sound of Separation

Christian metalcore 6-piece Underoath are one of the biggest bands in the current metalcore scene, and Lost In The Sound of Separation (their much anticipated follow-up to 2006’s Define The Great Line) proves just exactly why this is. Album opener ‘Breathing in a New Mentality’ sets the pace, opening up with some drum fills and Spencer’s brand of throaty screaming, until a flurry of riffs and licks kick up the intensity – an intensity which never lets up throughout the album’s 42 minute runtime.

The band has generally tightened up their sound a lot and the instrumentation is as good as ever, with the lead and rhythm guitarists laying down some seriously heavy riffs, whilst calling the rhythm section competent would be a huge undersell. Spencer’s vocals have also improved exponentially, and his trade-off of screams for clean vocals pays off, as the album is catchier and more accessible than their past efforts.

With this shift in vocal work also comes a shift in the heavy/ambient aesthetic that Underoath write into their songs so well, and on Lost in the Sound of Separation, there is a greater focus on the ambience and less on the heavy. While this does detract somewhat from the intensity and pure emotion of their past records, it does increase the focus of this record and is a logical progression of the band’s sound. The band’s use of interplay between heavy and clean sections prevent the album from getting boring, and the technicality of the instrumentation, the intensity of the tracks and the earnestness of the lyrics are what really sets this above their scene peers. Recommended.

A

Any advice?

[Cocaine]

Christian metalcore 6-piece Underoath are one of the biggest bands in the current metalcore scene, and Lost In The Sound of Separation (their much anticipated follow-up to 2006’s Define The Great Line) proves just exactly why this is.
awkward
The band has generally tightened up their sound a lot and the instrumentation is as good as ever, with the lead and rhythm guitarists laying down some seriously heavy riffs, whilst calling the rhythm section competent would be a huge undersell.

generally tightened? idk if generally is necessary. and it seems almost like a contradictory to say they've tightened but are as good as ever. and the "whilst calling the rhythm section competent..." part seems kind of tacked on.

the technicality of the instrumentation
also kinda awk.

[Transient]

tyvm

[Bron-Yr-Aur]

writing now but failing at making at tying together my observations into a cohesive piece

[beans]

seems like i have a bunch of ideas in my head about how i want to describe an album or a sound/approach but i cant put it into words lately. Idk if its because my vocabulary isnt the best (im no tyler), but i cant seem to make the things i hear in my head out on paper.
idk

[Cocaine]

Easiest thing to do is just write your ideas out. Like, write a review, just puke one out. Doesn't matter if it's good or not. Write one, get your **** on paper, then just tweak it. In the end, you might end up 100% re-writing it but I find that it's best to get your ideas written out semi-fully before you forget them.

[beans]

thats something i've never tried. i mean i've tweaked with things here and there after i got done writing it but never just gotten everything out and then re-worked it from there, i will have to try that.

[rasputin]

yeah, I find that alwyas helps me out when I feel stuck, I just write whatever comes into my head, as disjointed it may be, then I try and put the various parts together and tweak it until it flows and there's a point to it

[beans]

rasputin (or anyone else, take a look at my latest review for Neaera's Let The Tempest Come and let me know whats up. I know there are a lot of things i can work around with on that one, i just need to know what they are, i keep staring at what i have written and nothing is coming to me, i need someone objective

edit: Im working on that style of writing with the album Souls to Deny

[rasputin]

I had a read, check the review.

[beans]

go and check out the changes i made and let me know if those flow better.

[AtavanHalen]

What part of writing reviews do you guys find the hardest?
Lately I've found just starting off in a way that will make people want to keep reading has been a bit difficult. Working on a review of the new Sleep Station record at the moment, that should be up over the weekend.

[beans]

consistency for me is really hard, i dont have any problem with starting it or finishing it, but the quality of them really varies.
something im trying to work on.

[AtavanHalen]

Hmm, I don't think I've read anything by you dude. Have you got anything that you've done recently I can see?

[Cocaine]

I just have a hard time finding the time to write. Also, I tend to get really cool ideas and if I don't get them down in some fashion I basically never get the review done. So my biggest problem is actually sitting down and doing it.

[beans]

Damn coke, im trying to do like you said with this Suffocation review and I get on a roll with my thoughts and whatnot then i stop and go blank for some reason. It doesn't feel like i have enough details in it but i dont want to beat a dead horse and basically write the same thing over and over again in different sentence formations and whatnot.

[rasputin]

read Cocaine's suffocation review, I thought that was a fantastic review.

[mynameischan]

i can bang out a review in 20-30 minutes that i'm really happy with so i am in a good place

[beans]

read Cocaine's suffocation review, I thought that was a fantastic review.

i have been glancing at it here and there, but trying not to read to much so i dont crib any lines or anything from it. I have my first draft done, now i just need to read through it and see what i can see.

edit: rasputin, think you can get on aim for a sec and drop me your email address? i'd love to hear what you think of my first draft and any suggestions would be great.

[radtaste]

Damn coke, im trying to do like you said with this Suffocation review and I get on a roll with my thoughts and whatnot then i stop and go blank for some reason. It doesn't feel like i have enough details in it but i dont want to beat a dead horse and basically write the same thing over and over again in different sentence formations and whatnot.

generic advice, but just walk away from it (after saving it, of course). Start another review, free your mind from the previous review. Hopefully, when you come back to it, you'll be all fresh to start it up again. Worked for me on some reviews I did a while back.

[rasputin]

rasputin, think you can get on aim for a sec and drop me your email address? i'd love to hear what you think of my first draft and any suggestions would be great.
I have an AIM but I haven't gotten it working on this computer yet. here's my email anyway

berkay_is@hotmail.com

[beans]

thanks mang, i sent you the version i have in front of me, just let me know

[kingsoby1]

I just have a hard time finding the time to write. Also, I tend to get really cool ideas and if I don't get them down in some fashion I basically never get the review done. So my biggest problem is actually sitting down and doing it.

I carry around a notepad with me and jot down stuff every now and then. I also travel a decent amount, so it's a good thing to do on planes.

One thing that really helps me is to jot down a TBT real quick, then write up a review structure/ outline. Then I just get some coffee and get it done. The writing part takes about an hour or two... but yeah, I agree, the getting around to it part is the killer.

[Cocaine]

I wouldn't really look at my Suffocation review because, honestly, it was written in about 5 minutes and not everyone can write that fast or in that really informal IM SPEAKIN MY MIND kind of way.

[beans]

I wouldn't really look at my Suffocation review because, honestly, it was written in about 5 minutes and not everyone can write that fast or in that really informal IM SPEAKIN MY MIND kind of way.


i didnt look at it but maybe twice jsut for reference to Chris Richards. I really like the way mine came out tbh. A little short though, but still effective nonetheless

[Electric City]

i can bang out a review in 20-30 minutes that i'm really happy with so i am in a good place

I h8 you. it takes me hours to write a review I'm truly happy with, hence my production isn't like 6 reviews in two days

[beans]

same here

[Cocaine]

Who cares about length anyways? Just write what you write. Some albums lend themselves to 500 words and a general description of the music. Some albums warrant specific song mentions and some even warrant track by tracks.

[Electric City]

I generally don't worry too much about length. In recent cases everything I want to say about an album takes about 700-800 words lengthened or shortened accordingly. I used to be heavily into massive reviews, but I found concision to generally be much more effective, especially on albums that I don't have a real emotional attachment to.

[masada]

long reviews are stupid and are necessary 0% of the time

[kingsoby1]

thanks.

i don't write long reviews, but i think they can be warranted.

[masada]

no they can't

purple metal-heads' lust for them justifies all hate for long reviews

[kingsoby1]

i lose interest in anything over 500 words... plus minus like 100.

this even applies to my own writing.

[radtaste]

I'm thinking this next Danzig review necessitates a thesis.

[beans]

working on the new haunted album Versus right now.
This is even harder now with an album that isnt good at all.
still just trying to get all my ideas out in one sitting, then go through and make sense of it all.

[beans]

ok so im working on a new revised version of the new haunted album Versus the first draft sucked and i dont even know why i posted it, but i did, and now it's deleted (thank god).
So far this one has come out a lot smoother than the other one and it seems to be flowing a bit better, but im still having difficulties with getting all my ideas out on one take. It seems like i cant put a lot of what im thinking about into words and when i try to force it, (just to maybe come back later and work on it again) it still doesnt work.
any suggestions?

[Cocaine]

Make sure you read it aloud. Always do this, read it taking punctuation and tone into account. If it doesn't read well aloud it probably wont read well at all.

[beans]

Doing that right now, i've read through it a few seperate times. Its wierd though cause i know how i want each sentence to come across and be read, but i cant tell if someone else is going to read it the same way i have it mapped out. Guess i'll just have to see.

[JohnXDoe]

try to be a little more descriptive and more matter of fact, perhaps? try to stay out of your own way, so to speak, when writing / reviewing

sometimes going for a generic or formulaic style of writing / reviewing can help open up the gates of more personal opinion and thought, i find. at least for me. don't take it at all too seriously, and remember in the end you are simply reviewing something, not creating a thesis or w/e

i have been guilty myself of doing the latter. not staying out of my own way...but have usually been satisfied with the results. although often times those reviews come out too long

you will find your "voice". however pretentious that may sound for reviewing. but while you search for it its ok to keep it simple and use generic terms, descriptions, and style. throw in a bit of color and flair of your own, and before you know it you'll have a formula you can call your own. take it from there

just my 2 cents, etc

[beans]

well go look at my new(er) review of the haunted's new album and tell me what you think.

[JohnXDoe]

will do. i'll leave a comment here rather then in the reviews section. may be tomorrow, however. sleep / laziness is calling

but yeah for sure

[beans]

sounds cool man, sleep is also callin my *** so thats where ill probably be here in a bit

[Meatplow]

i've never had to knock on wood

[beans]

sucked on it instead?

[JohnXDoe]

review

i liked the review. 16 in and thats pretty good. i liked the set up, and the punctuation is good, sentences flow, writing is fairly clean. i notice these things because i've had problems with them in the past myself. still do, sometimes. sentences that run too long, commas misplaced, etc. seems a small thing but for you its not a problem. so far as the grammar, that is something i like to give some room on. yours is fine for the most part, maybe some extra words here and there. but those things are sometimes difficult to see for yourself. thats why writers have proof readers and authors have editors. so long as their are no tragic "mistakes" its fine. and it improves over time as you become more aware. my writing did, although still far from perfect. however i can catch things now that used to slip by

like i said i liked your opening. it had me interested, the record store scenario. this is a matter of personal style, and finding one. some don't like it and feel you should just concentrate on the music. i disagree to some extent. its just a matter of preference. and it opens up the review to inject your own thoughts and opinions in a subjective way

the review had a good arc and tone to it, wasn't too long. i got a sense of the band (metal, obviously) but not really a sense of what they actually sound like. or even some of the songs. beyond "thrashy" or "too melodic" and a few other things. if you are familiar with the band and genre this is fine. its a good critical review. but i think you might remember a little that not everyone who reads the review (like me) will be familiar with the band and might want a little more feeling and description of what these songs sound like and why they aren't up to par. you do compare it with their last album and some other things, and state some positives and negatives, but i was still left wondering a bit about just who these guys are and where they are coming from creatively and musically

again, no glaring flaws, generally well written, a little voice of its own, i like the review. just keep on doing what you're doing, try some new things here and there, and remember to try to familiarize the reader with the foundation of the review a little. which is the actual contents of the album

good job, though. i know these can be a struggle to write sometimes. but with each one it gets easier....

...if not necessarily better....

and if your comfort zone is metal and things you are familiar with, just for fun step outside of that a little. could be ANYTHING. Christmas is coming. maybe a holiday album? just so you can be completely objective about some material. even if your opinion is still subjective, of course, reviewing a rap album or country or pop or big band or w/e can really open things up and reveal things about your reviewing to....you

so if that interests you sometime, feel free. its a good idea imo. and you don't have to go nuts. just throw yourself a curve ball once in awhile

[beans]

thanks much man im glad you enjoyed it, im still working on a few of the sentence structures and the punctuation. Those are really the main things I have to really think about when writing a review.

And as far as writing a review for a different style of album, i've been wanting to do that for some time now so i think i will definitely be doing that in the near future sometime. Thanks a lot for the explanation on everything, its nly going to make me better, which is what i want to happen.
Probably gonna try and crank out another quality one tonight but we'll see how it goes. :)

[beans]

ok so i took your advice JohnXDoe, wrote a review on a trip-hop album, and i know almost nothing about the genre itself, but i tried to describe the album best as i could. You can check it out if you would like.

Tricky - Nearly God

[StreetlightRock]

Buint, you're a solid writer. But you really need to start writing with some personality and flair which you're missing right now. There's nothing wrong with your reviews per se, but theres not much to distinguish your reviews from others. Put some of yourself into the review, hint at the fact that these reviews are YOUR reviews and aren't written just anyone with a keyboard and a good grasp of english. Simple example:

From the start of the album you can tell you're in for a ride. Tattoo starts the album off with a very creepy and brooding atmosphere. Setting a very bleak and almost despairing landscape to listen to. It can almost be a little eerie to listen to in a very quiet setting or in a pair of headphones since the sounds are so ethereal.

For one, don't use the word 'start' twice over.

try maybe:

As the album opener, Tatoo is immediately immersive with its creepy, brooding atmosphere, paving the way for the record's bleak and depressing soundscape. Alone in a room with headphones on, Nearly God is as ethereal as it is eerie.

There's alot more force in this, you're not simply describing the sound, you're stating it. It flows better too, rather than the start/stop of your phrasing. Both sentences also work with each other, the first being complex, the second, simple. I'm playing with some alliteration as well, and I'm still using your words.

It's easy to analyze these things, but the truth is the only way you're going to get better is to read and write more - And not just reviews either. Also, Maxinquaye s'hits all over Nearly God =)

[JohnXDoe]

ok so i took your advice JohnXDoe, wrote a review on a trip-hop album, and i know almost nothing about the genre itself, but i tried to describe the album best as i could. You can check it out if you would like.

Tricky - Nearly God
i'll check that out soon. soon as i have time. looking forward to it. and remember outside the comfort zone is the exception. you don't need to do it all the time. but its a good exercise that will help you when you return to more familiar stuff. and remember, not every review needs to be your "best" or even particularly good

its like streetlight said, some flair is good, but that will come. i don't see a way your writing will go from the first paragraph he posted as an example, to the second example. because its not you. that kind of thing can't be forced. they're all kinds of ways to approach a review and to write one. after all its a CD review, not War & Peace. i've read reviews by good reviewers that are bone dry and lack distinction but are still well written and informative. and i've read reviews from good writers that are completely useless.

writing outside your comfort zone can be especially challenging. so sometimes the point is just to make it to the end. the other stuff will come as you write more. some of my reviews are a bit embarrassing to me, as they ramble a bit or my grammar sinks under the weight of...being unfamiliar with the artist or genre. BUT, a good effort was put forth and a review was put up. a contribution made. and thats 90% of the battle right there

imo

[beans]

alright, i know what you guys are talking about, and i will try to let more of my personality flow out on paper. I wont be forcing it out so no worries there.
And alex,
i hope you dont mind i put that sentence in my review, just cause its better than the one i had. lol
but thanks both of you for all your help, its really helping a lot. I dont feel so intimidated about writing a new album review as much as i did before. I will try to crank another one out tonight, but we'll see i might take a little break for a few days and really think about what i want to do next.

[AtavanHalen]

Keen for some feedback on my latest if that's cool

[Serpento]

Keen for some feedback on my latest if that's cool Same. First "concept" review and it was infinitely easier to write than my other reviews, so i must be doing something wrong when it comes to conventional ones.

[Electric City]

I think you're naturally a creative writer, but that's just because I've read some of your other stuff.

[AtavanHalen]

Was that directed at myself or Serpento?

[Electric City]

serp

[AtavanHalen]

Cool beans

[JohnXDoe]

ok so i took your advice JohnXDoe, wrote a review on a trip-hop album, and i know almost nothing about the genre itself, but i tried to describe the album best as i could. You can check it out if you would like.

Tricky - Nearly God
just read it. i liked it quite a lot. good opening, and it kept me reading. most importantly it made me want to check out the album. you make it sound interesting and diverse and creative. i'm actually kind of excited to hear it

you lost me a little with the big / long second paragraph. the rest was fairly succinct. i just think that paragraph could have been broken in two. also watch that punctuation. i know it can be hard to proof read and correct your own stuff, even when going over it with a fine tooth comb, as they say. but remain aware

a solid review, good job. and just so you and anyone else knows if i point out some mistakes or share some criticisms of a review its always coming from someone who knows how to make these mistakes first hand, and still does when reviewing. so its not really judging your work / writing. just recognizing some of my own flaws as a reviewer in it
Keen for some feedback on my latest if that's cool
links would be helpful
Same. First "concept" review and it was infinitely easier to write than my other reviews, so i must be doing something wrong when it comes to conventional ones.
links. but i will hunt them down through your profiles, i suppose. if i can. been awhile so idk if its still possible through the profiles. i'll check it out. but providing a link is still most helpful

[beans]

just read it. i liked it quite a lot. good opening, and it kept me reading. most importantly it made me want to check out the album. you make it sound interesting and diverse and creative. i'm actually kind of excited to hear it

you lost me a little with the big / long second paragraph. the rest was fairly succinct. i just think that paragraph could have been broken in two. also watch that punctuation. i know it can be hard to proof read and correct your own stuff, even when going over it with a fine tooth comb, as they say. but remain aware

a solid review, good job. and just so you and anyone else knows if i point out some mistakes or share some criticisms of a review its always coming from someone who knows how to make these mistakes first hand, and still does when reviewing. so its not really judging your work / writing. just recognizing some of my own flaws as a reviewer in it

cool cool. criticism taken. i will take another look at it and see if i can break that paragraph up a little bit or something.

should really check the album out, its not as good as Maxinquaye but it's still quite amazing.

[Serpento]

links. but i will hunt them down through your profiles, i suppose. if i can. been awhile so idk if its still possible through the profiles. i'll check it out. but providing a link is still most helpful

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=27731

skramz, thanks jxd

[SnackaryBinx]

how should I start out a hip-hop review guys.
so far chan said don't do hip hop albums
and john said "Who doesn't like Rakim really?"

[radtaste]

how should I start out a hip-hop review guys.
so far chan said don't do hip hop albums
and john said "Who doesn't like Rakim really?"

I'd use a blaxploitation movie sample to open your review.

[SnackaryBinx]

too bad, I used John's option, but editing could always occur.
time to open up with a scene from don't be a menace.

[bastard]

talk about how generic the mainstream hip hop scene is!

That's always good :thumb:

[Lelle]

would be really nice if somebody could take a quick look at my first :) I am trying to learn how to write reviews and I decided to do my first attempt on Brokencyde http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=28909

[JohnXDoe3]

i like it fine for a first. you can fix the paragraph spacing by editing it (profile > edit my reviews). having the paragraphs in your opening badly spaced like that really throws off the flow for the reader and makes it hard to follow. also, try to avoid using profanity in your reviews except when necessary for song / lyric descriptions . i mean i've used it, but only on alt accounts where i'm not trying to write something....better. as you said you are trying to "learn." so i figure this is something you would try to avoid

i laced a review for a hip hop album with profanity once because i thought it was appropriate and got ripped a new one for it :(

anyway, its a fine review for a first. i'm not going to go about critiquing it line by line because i think its a good start and its important to develop your own sense of style / reviewing / writing when just starting. its a good start, watch for grammar and punctuation (something i have a hard time doing at times), and do fix those paragraphs! makes a big difference.

[Lelle]

yeah, once you pointed it out I noticed that paragraph looked kinda awkward :P I have edited it now. Thanks for the tip about profanity, I was not entirely sure if I should use it when I wrote the review. I guess you are referring to the F-word rather than the references to "p12's" begging for cam-sex?

One thing I also would like to know if I should just continue writing in the same way that I wrote this review, like if I supplied enough/too much information about the music?

Would it be a good idea to try another kind of review next time? Like doing a track-by-track of a short album, for example?

[JohnXDoe3]

fix the bolded by separating it into a different paragraph or making it part of the same paragraph. this is important and should not be overlooked:



Brokencyde are a crunk band who mixes in elements of screamo and electronica into their music. Different keyboard loops and simple electronic beats carry the clean vocals provided by Mikl and high pitched screamz courtesy of Se7en. Phat J provides vocals here and there, but he is mostly back-up. These keyboard loops are really the simplest of the simple, often not using more than five different notes to create a melody that is repeated throughout the song without much variation. At best, these loops are pretty catchy but extremely forgettable, at worst they are DAMN ***ING ANNOYING. Examples of this are 2Drunk 2Drive that has a fairly catchy staccato organ chord melody and BAND TEE! that plays an incredibly irritating whistling loop throughout that just drills it way into your skull, threatening to make you die from internal bleedings in your brain.
It is clear that this is intended to be party/club music, but I can imagine those horrible whistles being played at loud volume at a party… uggggh.


We get our first taste of Se7en’s screaming abilities in the intro track, GCOD Intro. After a brief introduction of the three note keyboard loop that is going to be played throughout this song, Se7en enters. For some reason he sounds very angsty, whenever he draws breath he sounds like a sobbing teenage girl, and his screams mostly sounds like high-pitched “eeurgh, heeurgh”:s. GCOD Intro is suddenly cut off for no apparent reason, and the album moves on to BREE! BREE! . When I listened to BREE! BREE! I thought Se7en sounded like a panicking piglet, and actually the screamed chorus lyrics are: “Don’t cut, don’t cut, don’t cut this pig!!! BREE BREE! BREE BREE!”. It can’t be good for your voice, screaming the way he does, and that is probably the reason for him sounding so angsty, he is probably worrying about preventing his internal organs from coming out of his mouth. Unless his vocal cords take collective suicide first, of course.
While Mikl at least can sing somewhat, he uses a very annoying tone, he really does sound like a p12 begging a girl for cam-sex, and the atrocious lyrics reinforces this image. Imagine the lines “And who you playing//You aint gonna pull her//You think you're like me//But I am so much cooler//I got that face these girls will go insane for//You think you're like me//But you aint got no game, boy” said in a whiny manner over synth loops with another guy screaming incomprehensible stuff here and there, and you got a pretty clear picture of Brokencyde’s sound.

I am fully aware of that I might sound very biased, but, this band really is as bad as I am saying. I downloaded this with an open mind, I really couldn’t believe that this was as bad as people had said to me that it was. While it can be very funny while listening to it for the first time (you get that “they must be JOKING” sensation) it quickly wears off. Do Not Download This. If you still feel that you really need to hear this, go to their MySpace or something (http://www.myspace.com/brokencyde).
So, combining mediocre synth loops and electronic beats with the vocals of a whiny p12 and a horrible screamer and atrocious lyrics about drinking and sex, this band really gives an immature impression. Your fourteen year old daughter might like it, but anyone else? Probably not.


i like this style, although a bit more info about the music and the actual sound of the album would be helpful for people not familiar with the band

since you are first starting out i would say a track by track is fine. you'll get criticized by some for it, and they are not encouraged, but it can help you in developing your skill in describing the music / songs which you can then incorporate into your regular reviews. so i say sure, go for it

main thing is to have fun and enjoy yourself and your hobby. so w/e you want to do is great :)

[lisfty]

Stargate Atlantis (often abbreviated as SGA) is an American-Canadian science fiction television program, part of the Stargate franchise owned by MGM. Developed by producers Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, it is a spin-off from the television series Stargate SG-1. It was filmed and produced in Canada.Stargate Atlantis followed the adventures of a human expedition to the lost city of Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy. The Stargate has brought humanity into contact with other cultures, including new and powerful enemies: the Wraith, the Genii, and later the Asurans and a lost tribe of Asgard, all while trying to uncover the secrets the Ancients left behind.Stargate Atlantis dvd 1-4 (http://www.dvdmsn.com/US$50.00-Stargate-Atlantis-Seasons-1-4-Boxset-New-DVD-p-237.html) premiered on the US Sci Fi Channel on July 16, 2004 with "Rising", a movie-style two-part episode, that guest starred Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks from Stargate SG-1. The series is broadcast in HD in selected countries including the US, which is shown sometimes on Universal HD and as of 2007 is now simulcast in HD on Sci Fi. It is broadcast in HD on The Movie Network in Canada. In the United Kingdom Stargate Atlantis is shown on Sky1 HD.On January 9, 2009, after 100 episodes and five seasons, the series ended. At least one two-hour movie will follow.

[Phantom]

Sup guys.

I've got like 3 odd reviews that are half done and I really wanna finish because my last review was before christmas and I'm getting lazy. The problem is I don't know where to go with them. It's annoying.

[Lelle]

@ JohnXDoe3

Fixed the paragraphs!

i like this style, although a bit more info about the music and the actual sound of the album would be helpful for people not familiar with the band


Do you have any suggestions/examples of how to write this info? :P I remember having some troubles coming up with descriptions since poopty keyboard loops, high pitched screams, annoying immature-sounding singing and terrible lyrics is what the band really is

[Phantom]

This is my first hip-hop review. It's still a work in progress, so if someone can read it over and give me some suggestions/constructive criticism it'd be greatly appreciated. Bear in mind I haven't written for a while as well.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Cypress Hill are a group whose style has always been slightly influenced by rock. This fascination was started with the band playing on festivals with rock and punk bands, and since then the group has experimented with adding guitar riffs into beats and merging rock and hip hop together.
The band first fully explored this on 2000’s double album Skull and Bones, which featured both hip-hop orientated (Skull) and rock orientated CDs (Bones). The Album was met with mixed reception which was mainly positive, but many felt that the rock CD seemed slightly tacked on and disjointed compared to the first disc.Stoned Raiders is the follow up to Skull and Bones, and still sees the trio experimenting with rock influences, but this time integrating it with the more traditional hip-hop tracks.
The album is predominantly focused on the hip-hop side, but tracks such as “Trouble”, “Amplified” and “Catastrophe” are backed with guitars rather than a sample or bass heavy beat. This works well with the chosen tracks, as it helps to capture the mood of the lyrics. Whether the beats are rock related or standard, they are still all solidly created by DJ Muggs, who also did a great job on the production of the album; the low end is heavy and the guitars are handled well, sound crisp and clear. In terms of lyrical content; B-Real and Sen Dog are on top of their game on most of the tracks, covering a wide range of topics including the band’s history and troubles (“Kronologik”), coping with fame (“It Ain’t Easy”), and of course, Weed (“L.I.F.E”), it wouldn’t be a Cypress Hill album otherwise! Although, the band has clearly matured over the years and expanded their subject range, which helps to add diversity to the tracks and give the album more flow. Vocally, B-Real’s delivery is the more complex of the two rappers, with more rhymes and witty couplets, whereas Sen Dog’s style is more of a straight attack on the mic and usually more violent. This is another aspect which helps to bring diversity to the album.
A number of tracks are also bolstered by guest appearances. The most noticeable of these is “Red, Meth and B” which as the titles suggests features appearances by Redman and Method Man. This is one of the standout tracks on the album. A fantastic bouncing beat backs incredibly solid verses by all three performers, however the hook of “We don’t give a ****, we live it up ‘til the day we die. You try to deal with us, but you got no blunts to get high” is a little cheesy and beings the track down slightly.

Despite this, Stoned Raiders is a solid effort by Cypress Hill ,and does not overstay it’s welcome with unnecessary skits or filler. All of the tracks are well executed and enjoyable. The experimentation with rock has been refined since Skull And Bones and works well, but is not a crutch which the goup relies on, as they can perform traditional hip/hop just as competently.

[JohnXDoe3]

^^^ i like it. nothing wrong wit hit...good stuff there. i know its hard to proof read your own stuff, but it is possible if you get some distance from it before you post it. let it sit a few days and return to it when its not fresh in your mind anymore. to clean up things like this. which i have been guilty of many times myself:

This fascination was started with the band playing on festivals with rock and punk bands

should read like this

This fascination started with the band playing festivals with rock and punk bands

seems a small thing, but you do it time and again. such as:

Whether the beats are rock related or standard, they are still all solidly created by DJ Muggs

but could be

Whether the beats are rock related or standard, they are solidly created by DJ Muggs

and

The band first fully explored this on 2000’s double album Skull and Bones, which featured both hip-hop orientated (Skull) and rock orientated CDs (Bones)

could be

The band initially explored this on 2000’s double album Skull and Bones, which featured hip-hop orientated (Skull) and rock orientated CDs (Bones)

again, may seem a small thing. but over the course of an entire review if done often it makes for a less succinct read. it starts to seem wordy and busy. so watch that stuff

other then that i'd say its solid and well done :)







Fixed the paragraphs!

Do you have any suggestions/examples of how to write this info? :P I remember having some troubles coming up with descriptions since poopty keyboard loops, high pitched screams, annoying immature-sounding singing and terrible lyrics is what the band really is
yes, i see those paragraphs are fixed. nice looking review now, and much easier to read and stay with

so far as describing what something sounds like, or giving an idea of of what it does, its style, or w/e...i would say just practice descriptive writing, so to speak. for instance at one point in the review you say "Se7en" sounded like a panicking piglet." i actually like that because i can imagine what that sounds like. now, thats not to say you should describe things like this all the time, and you were reviewing something with a lot of negatives. so it can be a chaellnge to help others understand the style and sound of something you think is complete crap

i would suggest to reviewing something you actually like. show some passion about it, find in it what you love about it, and describe what it is about the style and sound of the album you like. take a look at the review of Bruce Springsteen's "Working On A Dream" by Cam Wilson (contributor) and see how he described the instrumenst, sounds, style, and used references to other recordings to get the vibe across

in fact i would suggest not just reading, but studying the reviews of others. and take and borrow what you wish from them. not plagiarize lol, but see their is a certain formula to them. and you can incorporate that formula into your own voice as time goes along. their is a certain sort of structure to most reivews. find some that work for you and just keep writing

actually doing the work, just "putting pen to paper" as they used to say, is 90% of the battle :)

[Phantom]

^^^ i like it. nothing wrong wit hit...good stuff there. i know its hard to proof read your own stuff, but it is possible if you get some distance from it before you post it. let it sit a few days and return to it when its not fresh in your mind anymore. to clean up things like this. which i have been guilty of many times myself:

This fascination was started with the band playing on festivals with rock and punk bands

should read like this

This fascination started with the band playing festivals with rock and punk bands

seems a small thing, but you do it time and again. such as:

Whether the beats are rock related or standard, they are still all solidly created by DJ Muggs

but could be

Whether the beats are rock related or standard, they are solidly created by DJ Muggs

and

The band first fully explored this on 2000’s double album Skull and Bones, which featured both hip-hop orientated (Skull) and rock orientated CDs (Bones)

could be

The band initially explored this on 2000’s double album Skull and Bones, which featured hip-hop orientated (Skull) and rock orientated CDs (Bones)

again, may seem a small thing. but over the course of an entire review if done often it makes for a less succinct read. it starts to seem wordy and busy. so watch that stuff

other then that i'd say its solid and well done

Thanks for reading over it and for pointing out those grammar errors. My proof reading obviously failed :P

I was just worried about the content of it as its my first hip hop review and all my other reviews have been rock/metal, so it's a bit of a change and I wasn't sure what to write about. I'm thinking of going back and adding some more detail to some sections.

Thanks for the help/pointers though.

[kingsoby1]

the main components of a hip-hop album are:

- Production (beats, melody, etc)
- Vocals (lyrics, flow/ skill)

typically, i dedicate one paragraph to background and thesis/ comparison to previous works, one paragraph each to production/ vocals, and one concluding paragraph.

[Phantom]

That's mainly what I focused on. You're like the hip-hop go to guy, so do you have any advice for/opinions of my review?

[kingsoby1]

i think your review is alright, you just need to proof your phrasing and grammar. like johnxdoe pointed out, you have a few sentences that use the passive voice, making them a bit awkward. saying stuff like "the sentence was started" is what im talking about, for example. check your semicolon usage too.

besides that, the writing is fine, albeit slightly encyclopedic.

[JohnXDoe3]

Thanks for reading over it and for pointing out those grammar errors. My proof reading obviously failed :P

I was just worried about the content of it as its my first hip hop review and all my other reviews have been rock/metal, so it's a bit of a change and I wasn't sure what to write about. I'm thinking of going back and adding some more detail to some sections.

Thanks for the help/pointers though.
yeah, sure. i think the guy who broke it down for you on the last page gave some good advice and a good formula. i have reviewed a total of three hip hop / rap albums in over 100 reviews for the site and always focused more on the...shall we say over all vibe then the specifics. because specifics about beats and stuff, production values and what not, bore the crap out of me

so, my hip hop reviews suffered as a result. my Snoop Dogg one was littered with profanity and was very casual. this was an embarrassment for me. my 2Pac one was decent, i suppose. but i found it more "musical" and R&B then "hip hop" per se, as it was one of the "after death" releases. and my Outkast one, while not bad imo, was able to focus on the funk, blues, R&B, and even bluegrass and shi... they pull from. if i tried to focus on dope beats and production values and stuff i'd be lost. and one here by Robert Crumb put it to shame :(

i grew up listening to Funkadelic, Parliament, Prince, The Average White Band, James Brown, shi...like that. R&B. old school stuff. The Commodores, Ohio Players, WAR. so when i hear hip hop / rap, thats still what i hear going into my ears. not always the best perspective to review from if i'm doing a modern hip hop review, etc

oh, and don't mind me pointing out the grammar. its only because mine has been so piss poor sometimes that i notice it in others. believe me when i say i am far from a grammar nazi. i can't afford to be one. "people who live in glass houses" as they say....:(

oh, the humanity :/

its good you are challenging yourself outside of a genre you are comfortable with. it can improve your reviewing greatly

[Phantom]

Point taken about the grammar, phrasing and tenses I'll fix them before submitting it. The review posted here is a first draft, so I expected there to be some errors I missed, which was another reason for posting it in here.

Oh and...encyclopedic? Is that a bad thing?


its good you are challenging yourself outside of a genre you are comfortable with. it can improve your reviewing greatly

That was defnitely my main reason for doing the review. I mean, I listen to quite a bit of hip-hop, but when it comes to reviewing it, it's a whole different story.

[kingsoby1]

by encyclopedic, i mean it reads like an encyclopedia entry; there's none of your own personal reviewing flavor to it. i know it's hard to develop when writing about a genre you're not comfortable with writing about, so you might want to read other hiphop reviews you enjoy and define this pizazz factor for yourself.

what i'm doing for this napalm death review is reading some cocaine and rasputin reviews to see what i like about them.

[Phantom]

Ah, yeah I see what you mean. I definitely focused more on reviewing it properly as it's my first Hiphop review, but it would benefite from some personal touches. I'll go check some other reviews and see if I can go and add some stuff in.

Thanks for the help.