wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] Dr.wllbrg from WLLMSBRG December 16, 2008 - 02:06PM

  Web based SNARKETARY is not criticism -

  and in any case most of the blogs are creations of marketing dept's and band's [often hired help] making endless postings- case in point is the idiot band Vampire Weekend.

  
  
• [2] JT from Long Island December 16, 2008 - 02:13PM

  I like what I like no matter what critics say so I think they are irrelevant.

  The problem I have with all "critics" is that it always seem to come down to their opinion. They'll bash one artist and in a later column admit to having all of Celine Dion's albums and see her in concert every chance they get. The worst is when they review a genre that they don't like.

  
  
• [3] andrea from Portland, OR December 16, 2008 - 02:13PM

  I can't believe Douglas Wolk thinks that the only purpose of a music critic is for people who want to know what they should buy or listen to. Seriously, does he not consider music to be a form of art worth writing about? Music writing and criticism isn't just a "buyer's guide," it's also a form of cultural documentation and reporting of history.

  
  
• [4] Steve from Stamford, CT December 16, 2008 - 02:22PM

  Music critics serve as a useful filter. I'm in my mid 50s, still listening to lots of new stuff, and my M.O. is to rely primarily on Bob Christgau at msn.com and blender, this is top shelf criticsm for my taste, but I also go to study critic reviews at metacritic.com. Pitchfork has got a somewhat predictable view of things, which grizzled old Christgau loves to lambast.

  
  
• [5] Steve from Stamford, CT December 16, 2008 - 02:22PM

  Music critics serve as a useful filter. I'm in my mid 50s, still listening to lots of new stuff, and my M.O. is to rely primarily on Bob Christgau at msn.com and blender, this is top shelf criticsm for my taste, but I also go to study critic reviews at metacritic.com. Pitchfork has got a somewhat predictable view of things, which grizzled old Christgau loves to lambast.

  
  
• [6] jon from West Village December 16, 2008 - 02:25PM

  Across many genre the finest critics have often produced the greatest art. In film, literature, poetry, and visual arts serious critics became icons of their art forms. There are so many names to list, it would be silly.

  And yet all of those art forms are equally accessible to criticism as music is now and we're not having a conversation about the irrelevance of criticism in those areas.

  I think this conversation is so narrow-minded. Your male guest seems to epitomize a dot-com view of the world. To paraphrase Camus (famous for HIS criticism and essays), 'you have to have the intelligence to interpret the work'.

  
  
• [7] Kelly from Astoria December 16, 2008 - 02:26PM

  My issue with music criticism these days is that no critics seem to be covering or writing about the music I like! For example, Bad Religion is my favorite band, and I could count on one hand the number of reviews I found for their latest album. Meanwhile, every music site and every publication has something about the latest Amy Winehouse incident.

  
  
• [8] Truax from Brooklyn December 16, 2008 - 02:26PM

  The guy there makes the better argument to me. It's entirely odd to me because with rare exception, my music choices get panned like you read about. In fact, I'd nearly consider critics as perfect reverse barometers.

  I appreciate the idea that a filter for all the stuff that's out there is good. But what qualifies a critic in the first place?

  
  
• [9] ahaon from UWS Manhattan December 16, 2008 - 02:29PM

  Elvis Costello said "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture". Well Philip Petite did a good job on the latter and music criticism is a valid interpretive art as well.

  
  
• [10] Kelly from Astoria December 16, 2008 - 02:29PM

  My problem with music criticism today is that no one seems to be covering the music I like! For example, I could count on one hand the number of reviews I found for Bad Religion's latest album. Meanwhile, I couldn't help but hear everything about every Amy Winehouse incident, whether I wanted to or not. Is anyone paying attention to punk anymore, or is it just me?

  
  
• [11] Tonky from Brooklyn December 16, 2008 - 02:30PM

  I'd like to say critics are irrelevant. Most are.

  But it is an age old profession, Plato to Socrates - Kerouac to Bird - Greenberg to Jackson Pollack...

  Perhaps the critic role is over-codified now? and we all need to just give up some control and focus on practice as the ends rather than celebrity.

  -Tonky

  
  
• [12] daniel from park slope south December 16, 2008 - 02:31PM

  i always thought it was interesting that morrissey, who has had a challenging time with his own critics esp. in britain over the course of a long, successful career, was seriously interested in music criticism when he was a teen and wrote some articles himself.

  
  
• [13] Jerry Schaefer from Queens December 16, 2008 - 02:39PM

  Rock critics ??? Music is very subjective and what if the critic doesnt align himself with the same music genre as i like ?? How can we give creedence to his opinion ??? I say we dont need them, or want them.

  
  
• [14] Jack from Brooklyn December 16, 2008 - 02:52PM

  Pop music criticism has always been a buyer's guide to me. And frankly that's what it is for many others. So yes, there is great criticism like Robert Christgau's work, but the vast majority of it is utilitarian and disposable.

  So anyone lamenting the lost of rock criticism: Don't worry. In many ways the writing might become better because it won't be utilitarian and instead be driven by pure love or hate of a piece.

  
  
• [15] vera from brooklyn December 16, 2008 - 02:56PM

  I agree with #3. Music criticism should move beyond, I like/ dislike this, 5 points etc. Some music critics point out historical connections and cultural influences between musicians & genres that would otherwise be missed by the casual listener. It is another example of sharing knowledge and bridging information to learn more about an art form and appreciate it.

  
  
• [16] Adam from New Jersey December 16, 2008 - 05:06PM

  I find music critics necessary because there is so much content out there and they provide pointers to good stuff. Don't want to waste my time on bad stuff.

  
  
• [17] Richard Mitnick from Highland Park, NJ December 18, 2008 - 02:07PM

  As usual, I am late. I saw this in the RSS feed.

  I have used Kyle Gann's work at American Mavericks as a guide to buying Partch, Nancarrow, Varese, an Antheil. I am now using Alex Ross' "The Rest Is Noise" and from that critic's work, I bought some Charles Ives and Duke Ellington. Ahead of me is the critical work of Greg Sandow. The work of these people and others is incredibly useful.