Welcome back,
This week, I was going to bring you a story about a Portland band, Twenty Shades of Red, but due to conflicts of schedule and deadlines… It didn’t work out. I had prepped everything by listening to their latest album a good 17 times, and written a few paragraphs, using the best adjectives I know to describe their work.
Now, while writing this, I began to think about the art of reviewing albums. Everyone has formed an opinion about something based off somebody else’s review.
“What the hell is the point of all this?”
I think about how many times I didn’t do something because of someone else’s views and opinions. Maybe I waited until the DVD came out to see a movie, only to then say “ Fuck! Step up 3D would have been sick in theatres!” While this might not have meant much to the company who made that movie, to a band it could very well change their whole life. If some guy who writes for Rolling Stone is having a bad day because his youngest son wants to wear skinny jeans, he got mustard on his favorite tie and he’s unhappily married… and he goes to work and has to review some records. He will pop in the demo that some band poured their soul and probably a good portion of money they couldn’t afford into. Now, he is distracted, probably has other things on his mind… and doesn’t pay nearly as much attention as he rightfully should, and writes a half assed review saying it “wasn’t inspiring and didn’t really move him.”
How many people just instantly wrote that band off? How many people will skip buying the record and go pirate it instead? After all, who is going to waste money on an uninspiring album?
Major label acts all the way down to the guys playing at your local coffee shop… From a local blog all the way down to Rolling Stone… a review can make or break people. Yes, people.
Opinions are what make this country great… we get to say whatever we want and rarely do we have to pay too much for it. Although, my review of the band’s album was positive and totally think that some people will really dig it. I would rather inspire you to go and just check things out for yourself. Stop living vicariously through other people. In fact, stop asking. Want to know if that Thai place down the road is good? Go find out. Want to know if the newest Cameron Diaz flick is worth seeing? Probably wait til DVD on that one, but nonetheless go see it for yourself. Should Weouthere.net be set to your home page and not Google? Well, that is an obvious yes.
All I am saying is, you have to get out there and experience new things for yourself and stop letting other people’s opinions sway your decision. Think of how many things you have already missed out on…
Til next time,
Seechless
P.S. Despite what I just said… Go recommend this article to all of your friends!