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Emeritus
Reviews 123
Approval 98%
Soundoffs 64
News Articles 34
Band Edits + Tags 24
Album Edits 186
Album Ratings 1515
Objectivity 82%
Last Active 02-24-17 4:45 pm
Joined 09-11-10
Review Comments 7,496
| Reviews That Have Inspired Me
The title is pretty self-explanatory. I thought I'd do this just for kicks; I haven't been on Sputnik for very long (four months this January 11th) but in that time I've seen some truly sterling pieces - the kind that make you want to start writing yourself. In the case of these reviews that I am about to list, they were so well-written that I personally desired to emulate them. When I first read the, they made me go, "Damn, I wish I could write like that". In fact, these are reviews that I still go back to whenever I feel a need to visit some quality critical writing. List excludes staff pieces and a few other epic reviews which I simply couldn't find or have forgotten. | | 1 |  | Susan Boyle
The Gift
Consider Phlebas' piece sparks of venom; it is so infuriated and frustrated at Boyle's album that simply reading it gives you blisters. The humour is effective, the juxtaposition hilarious and the continuity superb. Yet, the best thing about it all is how the review manages to stay critical, just, and objective. | | 2 |  | Yellowcard
Ocean Avenue
SowingSeason might disagree with me when I say that this work is one of his best. Although this probably wouldn't make it onto a list of classic reviews, I found the personality bleeding through the piece to be relentlessly captivating when I first read it - you can't help but want to know how the whole thing ends. It blurs the distinction between a review that's conversational and one that's just trying to be objective, creating a piece that's as effective as it is poignant. | | 3 |  | Bruce Springsteen
Born To Run
BigHans is Sputnik's version of The Boss. When I first read this review, my comment in the thread came across as so fanboyish I cringe each time I revisit it. That being said, Hans' review of Born To Run deserves each and every accolade it has received. Loud, rambunctious, and suitably noisy, this review's true strength lies in its ability to paint images concretely - something which we all should probably learn to do more of. | | 4 |  | Soundtrack
Top Gun (Special Edition)
Hans is the only user to get two mentions in this list - and why not, bloke's severely underrated as is. His review for the Top Gun Special Edition soundtrack has a lackadaisical and utterly non-committal style that makes its delivery all the more effective. It ties in together elements from the album and the movie into form one seamless whole, and wraps up the whole affair by inspiring about fifty million torrents of the movie from nostalgic Sputnikers. | | 5 |  | Sufjan Stevens
The Age of Adz
thebhoy's take on Sufjan Stevens is probably the most complex piece on here, but that's more to its credit than anything else. It is irresistibly enthralling, taking on the tone of an English/History essay as it dissects The Age of Adz from head to toe; thebhoy ties in a good dose of his uncertainty with some critical judgment before packaging the whole thing up in an ohwhatthefuck poise. Reading this review requires some sifting, but perseverance pays off. I'd kill to know how the man's mind functions. | | 6 |  | Snow Patrol
Up To Now
Atavanhalen's review of Snow Patrol's first greatest hits release is as admirable as it is simple. In reviewing, half the battle is about delivery; here, Atavan is simply cruising through his paces, casually listing down point after point in a manner so languid it seems effortless. This should be an official template for "Greatest Hits" releases. | |
Irving
12.26.10 | Yer balls have been thoroughly washed, I suppose. But hell I really learned heaps from these six pieces. | pizzamachine
12.26.10 | How 'bout that. | Irving
12.26.10 | Pizz, I'm going to put it out there and say that there was one of yours which had the same effect on me. I just couldn't find it in the deluge of reviews that you have done. | pizzamachine
12.26.10 | Haha thanks bro. | Acanthus
12.26.10 | I hadn't read any of these reviews before, after visiting a few I can definitely see where you are coming from. Really enjoyable list. | fr33convict
12.26.10 | i inspire people with my reviews to be underachievers. | cvlts
12.26.10 | cool idea. list needs moar Robert Crumb | Gyromania
12.26.10 | Cool list | Jash
12.26.10 | None of my reviews =[ jk man, cool list idea though, I might have to borrow your idea at somepoint | Irving
12.26.10 | I think fr33 won the whole thread. | AtavanHalen
12.27.10 | N'awww, thank you so much man | Irving
12.27.10 | Cheers Atavan. Hope to read more pieces from you soon. | AtavanHalen
12.27.10 | Writing at the moment, actually... | Sowing
12.27.10 | These are all good reviews, I remember really enjoying 1 when I read it. And yes, I would disagree that Ocean Avenue is one of my best reviews, but it ain't bad I suppose. And if it inspired you, then that definitely bumps it up a notch. | Irving
12.27.10 | Looking forward to it. Oh, and for what it's worth, a belated Merry Christmas and an advance Happy New Year to you! | Irving
12.27.10 | Hahahaha that's fair Sowing. I guess as a Sputnik newbie I was more impressionable back then. I think it was my first introduction to your writings, so that probably makes it stick out a bit. That being said, the personality that it displayed is rather hard to find on reviews, which makes it a bit of a rare breed. | AtavanHalen
12.27.10 | Thanks a lot, buddy. Same to you. | Sowing
12.27.10 | yeah i just re-read it, and I like it a lot too. I still wouldn't say that it cracks my top 10 reviews though | thebhoy
12.27.10 | why thank you, sir. | Sowing
12.27.10 | oh yeah, and thank you for the prestigous honor sir :) | ConsiderPhlebas
12.27.10 | Thanks a lot, dude. Good to see Hans get a double mention - love his reviews. | ConsiderPhlebas
12.27.10 | Cheers, Xeno. I do enjoy letting loose on the negative reviews. | Irving
12.27.10 | No thanks needed folks! Just gifts! ;) | 0vrot
12.27.10 | Where are my Torsofuck review? | North0House
12.27.10 | I don't get inspired by anything lol. | Irving
12.27.10 | ^ Hahahahhahahaha | Irving
12.27.10 | Also, Sowing, what you consider your best review? | Sowing
12.27.10 | i dunno you tell me.
if i had to guess, either Opeth's "Damnation", Rihanna's "Loud", Anberlin's "Dark is the Way, light is a Place", Alter Bridge's "Blackbird", Muse's "The Resistance", or Brand New's TDAG. Sorry that's a long list I must seem to full of myself haha | AtavanHalen
12.27.10 | @SowingSeason - you are 100% full of yourself, dude. Embrace it. You're the Kanye of Sputnik. | North0House
12.27.10 | @ Andcas: Well, that doesn't count lol. | Irving
12.27.10 | I think it might be Rihanna's Loud. Also, I find Atavan calling Sowing the Kanye of Sputnik hilarious - particularly as Sowing's a huge Taylor Swift fan. | Sowing
12.27.10 | Taylor - imma let you finish | AtavanHalen
12.27.10 | OF ALL TIME | Irving
12.27.10 | Hey Atavan, any chance you gonna get on that Justin Bieber Acoustic album? | Irving
12.27.10 | Ahahahahah | AtavanHalen
12.27.10 | OMG is that the kid who did that Paparazzi cover on YouTube? | kris.
12.27.10 | oh come the fuck on 12 year olds with somewhat decent voices aren't good musicians | AtavanHalen
12.27.10 | "fuck on 12 year olds"
I'm in | Irving
12.27.10 | So are you doing tha Biebz? |
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