Album Rating: 2.5

I'll hold you to it Zettel ;)

Album Rating: 2.5

=( Sorry John =( =(

I will try to express my grips with the review in the most constructive was possible, something I find very hard to do for you are an undeniably talented writer and your faults are of different kind than the average's writer.

I will start off by saying that out of all the new Sputnik's rising talent you are the one I enjoy reading the less. When I see a new Irving review I know three things for sure:

a) I will need a dictionary, which I will have to check no less than five times

b) It will be full of awkward, sometimes even forced sentences/expressions

c) It will be a massive one, most of which is you rambling about -relatively- I do not know...trivial/tangential things? It just feel you want to talk about so many things that the ideas get somewhat cluttered. The fact that you apparently trimmed the review, makes me think that you are somewhat aware of that.

All of the above togheter make an oppresive reading. I am not implying that you should shorten or dumb down your reviews to cater to lazy readers like me, but your reviews lack lightness and clarity. To put it another way: when you comment or chat with other users you ideas are always clear and to the point; even when you criticize you get your point across easily. It is as if you forgot about those qualities as soon as you start reviewing: "Now, it's time to get serious. I have to write about every thing I can get a hold of, find adjectives and new words, construct heavy sentences, and make this thing huge"

I cannot speak for other people, maybe it is just me, but I have the impression that outside your regulars, not a lot of people will get into your writing so easily. And that is on you, because a balance between superb writing and accessibility is possible, and you certainly can. I hope I made some sense here.

Still, you deserve my pos (and everyone else's) just because the effort you put into your writing, and your constant desire of improving. This is well-written, and I would rather see you doing a misstep for trying hard than for being careless.

Album Rating: 2.5

Zettel,



Thanks so much for your sincere and honest criticism. It goes without saying that I am always grateful to hear from you, especially when you come bearing such good intentions like this. I trust you know how invaluable your comments will be to me in the long run.



I will be the first to admit that I may have some problems with constructing sentences that are linear, non-forced, and easy to understand. Part of me feels that such a problem occurs because English is my second language, and somewhere in the translation from Malay to English I get my tongue wrapped around my words a little too tightly. But you are right in that many of my reviews also suffer from a certain degree of "clutter" - which is really something that I should be trying to fix.



I am now working on my 47th review, and am trying to keep it as simple and straightforward as possible - all while (hopefully) maintaining some high-level eloquence. If you were to catch it (the review) when it finally comes out, I would be very much obliged if you could share your thoughts on the quality/weaknesses of my new writing style.



Take care buddy. And thanks again.

Change and improvement are gradual, so you will get there sooner than later. Despite my *complaints* on your writing, I keep an eye on you, since like I already said, you are a very good writer and I am always interested in seeing what you can do. I have confidence you will be a Contributor in no time, anyways.

I read you latest review, but I have nothing to add other than what I wrote in here. It is too soon to talk about a change, but it is not like there were something really wrong to start with. Take care you too!

Album Rating: 2.0

Freak Like Me could easily pass off as outright satire.

Returning to this after seeing Reece Carney and Patrick Page find success in Hadestown.
My lord is it as horrible as I remember. Although Freak Like Me will always be a bop