There is nothing neutral about talking about music. I know the talking heads at the major labels and the PR industry and Billboard magazine or whatever want you, the writer, to adopt a goes-nowhere, does-nothing, middle-of-the-road, casual-observer, innocent bystander type of stance.
F**k that.
It’s always personal. Remember this: you were somewhere when the music hit you. It could have been the sh*ttiest week of your life. It could have been a borrowed (stolen) CD from your older brother’s room and someone else’s set of speakers. You could’ve been reeling from a breakup or laid up in a hospital bed. That’s not ‘background’ information. That’s very much the review. What you’ve been trained to do is stand outside and document it, even as the music rattles your insides, changing you irreparably.
I want us to find a way back into the heart of it. It’s possible. I, and many others, did it for years and got paid. So in two and something hours, we’ll get into the WHY, WHO, WHAT and WHERE of music writing and music criticism. We’ll study the greats, listen and we’ll write.
There’s a caveat. Say vibes, journey, eclectic, soundscape, underrated, hidden gem, infectious, genre-bending or seminal and you’ll pay for it. None of that impersonal sh*t will pass.
We have a record store to pick records from. Bring nothing other than an open mind and a willingness to listen.
Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection.
