Broken Memories 11.21.07: It's Only An Opinion
Posted by Brandon Ratliff on 11.21.2007
Yeah, it's been a while. So we're going to talk about why you shouldn't always listen to us. Ready?
Man oh man, how long has it been since I've done a new one of these? As I sit in my hotel room in Chicago on November 15, 2007, sans internet access, I've had this thought in my mind for a while now, and I really needed to get it out into text. This article will be covering some things you'd probably never expect to hear from a music journalist such as myself, but it needs to be said: what we say here at 411Mania, and what you may ever read that could be called a review of anything, be it music, movies, television, wrestling, MMA, food, theatre, video games, or anything else where the writer forms an opinion and then shares it with any who will listen is just that - an opinion.
This is never going to always be the case, but it usually takes four things to be a good critic of anything. First, you need a decent grasp of English or whatever language you are writing in (Czy mowisz po Polsku?). Second, you need the general ability to write in a way that is not only informative but interesting. This one is especially important simply because anyone can come along and write out what they think, but you need to be able to get the job done by telling the reader what you think of the product being reviewed, and you also need to make it captivating so that they'll not only want to finish reading it, but they will also want to come back and read your material again in the future. This also means that you should have a pretty good vocabulary since you'll find yourself repeating essentially the same things multiple times in a review. So if you know more words to use, you'll be able to do just that without literally saying the same things over and over, which I'm sure you can figure is rather boring to read, much less write. But enough of that. Third, you need a passion for writing. Trust me, if you don't want to write, it makes it hard to find the desire to do something like this. I've been here at 411Mania Music for over three years now, and I can tell you every single time that I had stuff going on in my personal life that kept me from writing, it killed me. Last year in August, shortly after I turned twenty-one years old, there was something especially bad, and I think some of my work from that time reflects that. I would provide a link if I could, but go look up my review of the newest Crossfade album that I did last August and you'll see what I mean. I still stand by my assessment of the album wholly, but I did that review in a very unprofessional manner, which I feel was way below the standards I try to uphold for myself. I do have to admit however, "Never Coming Home," the ballad that closes the album, grew on me considerably since the review posted.
Ironically enough, about a month later I got an email from Ed Sloan, vocalist and guitarist for Crossfade. When I saw who it was from, I foresaw the worst. Obviously I expected Sloan to bash me to bits, much like the several fans that wrote me to give their thoughts did. I expected to be told I was dumb, I didn't understand the album. Honestly, after that review I feel I deserved his criticism. But what did he say to me? No, it wasn't criticism at all. I can't remember the exact words, but it was something along the lines of "Sorry the album didn't sit well with you. But you were up front and honest and that's cool with me. I can respect that. Hope you like the next one better."
Indulge me for a second in my use of internet type to explain my reaction to this:
0_0 ... WTF???
Wow.
Anyhow, to get back on topic, there is the last of the four things you need to be a decent critic who enjoys the job...a fairly in-depth knowledge of that which you plan to critique. Sure, I could go to a restaurant and say if I thought it was good or bad. I could watch a movie and say if I enjoyed it or not. I could...well, you get the idea. The point is that I work with music because I know music fairly well. In high school, any time I had an assignment, usually in English, where the student had the choice of what to write about, it was almost always something music related. I remember doing a report on the history of rock music junior year back in the 2001-2002 school year. I think it was sophomore year that I did an extensive report on Rage Against The Machine. The funny thing was that I didn't even get much into music until I was fourteen when I moved in with my older sister, and I started listening to what she did, mostly what you'd call nu-metal at that time. So in order to try and fairly judge something, you need to know what you're dealing with on a grander scale than that of the album you are covering at any given time. You need to know how good it is compared to the band's earlier works, and to music in that genre in general. A lot of critics will tell you to not work that way, but be realistic, how do you judge something if you have nothing to compare it to? You honestly can not say how good or bad something is without basis of comparison. I'm sure there are those that would not agree with me on this, especially fellow critics. But that is my opinion. And that, folks, is where we get into the grand scheme of things.
It doesn't matter who wrote a review. I don't care if it was Roger Ebert or some guy that does shorts in your high school newspaper named Jon Gorny or Mike Merritt. Yes, these guys actually wrote music and movie reviews for my high school newspaper; I didn't make the names up. And while I didn't always agree with them, I still respected their opinions. Because that is all a review is - the opinion of the writer. And no one person's (whether it is Ebert or Merritt and Gorny) opinion is more valid than any other. The only argument you may really lobby against that is the level of knowledge of the subject matter, but overlook that for a minute here. Just how I've given out many good and bad scores on albums, and even though I do my best to state why I gave a particular score, I can guarantee that there are tons of people who simply do not agree. Or, even more likely, there are the people that understand where I'm coming from, but happen to enjoy that which I did not, or vice versa. And you know what? That's perfectly okay. When I post a review, I want every single person reading it to understand that this is my opinion, and even if I say to avoid something completely, there might be a chance that they'll dig it. It may not be very likely as I try to avoid using such strong verbage unless I find an album to be truly horrid (which doesn't happen very often), but it is still possible. Anyhow, I want you to do that for me. And I want you to do that for every review you'll ever read for the rest of your life. The reason why we, as critics, are supposed to state why we did or did not enjoy something is exactly for that reason. You, as the reader, need to be able to understand why we got the impression that we did out of something, so as to better help you determine before going in whether or not you'll get the same thoughts. We are here to help you, not to dictate what you should and shouldn't listen to, watch, eat, and what have you. What I say, what any single writer on this entire website says (and yes, that includes you Evocator), what anyone who may ever put thoughts to paper (proverbially speaking in most cases of course) will ever say, is their opinion, and should only be taken as such. We're people just like you, trying to help you out.
Just like any other time where a person's words may be held in higher regard than someone else's, many critics will get to the point where they feel superior to others; that what they say is the word of god (or whichever deity you may choose to follow) and should be taken as cold and indisputable fact. When arguing for or against any particular bands or artists in the past, I know I have done it myself. I'm willing to bet nearly every person that has at some point written for 411Mania has at least thought it. I'll admit, it's hard not to sometimes when you know of a lot of people see you that way. For the nearly two years I worked at Wal-Mart in Leavenworth, Kansas, I told maybe three people that I wrote for and was editor for a long while here at 411Mania Music (something I regret giving up to be honest, but I needed to at the time), and word spread like wildfire. I had people that I didn't know coming up to me talking to me about music. Don't get me wrong, I love discussing music with people. I even enjoy a good debate, as long as it is conducted in an adult manner and devoid of insults and needless remarks. But I really like to share music I've heard of with someone, only to find out that they come to love the band or artist I introduced them to. It has happened more times than I can count, and it never gets old. But even so, I do not ever want anyone to think my opinion matters more than anyone else's. It doesn't. As for those of you that are reading this and ever have or ever will read a review I post to this site, I want to remind you to not think of us as better or smarter. We are all just music lovers that are here to help you decide whether you should pick up that hot new album that just came out. And while I unfortunately can't speak for everyone here, I want you to read my contributions because you enjoy my writing and/or we have a similar taste in music, but for no other reason. I'm a guy who got his start posting reviews on message boards where ever anyone would read them. That's it. So, let me help you, and I hope you enjoy what I write. Otherwise I, nor any other critic you will ever encounter, is better than you in any way, shape, or form, and that's the real truth of the matter.
