plaidzebra

5/5 nearly consistently excellent with only minor weaknesses

4/5 excellent but less consistent and some weak tracks

3/5 good but not great

2/5 more weaknesses than strengths but worth keeping around

1/5 yo! bum rush tha show...

most ratings are +/- 1 point. i'm not a music critic, and my ratings reflect my own personal tastes (and my mood)...i try to rate only items that i own (or have owned) and heard at least a few times. i try to avoid rating releases in genres that i specifically do not like (even if i own some releases); what's the point in giving every trance or death metal release a "1" rating (assuming you're like me and do not care for trance or death metal)?

My current work plan involves adding "This release doesn't have any comments!?!? Absolutely mind boggling! This brilliant release deserves comments!" to every listing on Discogs for which there is currently no comment. I just can't stand the thought of those listings hanging out there all naked. They deserve better!

I'll follow up by pointing out that more people claim to own a particular release than were actually manufactured. "22 people claim to own this, but only 20 were pressed?!?! What the hell is going on here?!?!"

Can anyone explain to me why people think Discogs is a direct line to every artist and label? Why else would people constantly post reviews that only say "please please please repress!"? It's about as useful as going to a physical record store and putting a "please repress" note in the records for sale. It might not be "5G spreads viral diseases" stupid, but it's still very, very stupid.

Robert Christgau endures because while he has no idea what he's talking about his sleight of hand brevity has just enough wit in it to fool you into thinking he might just be right no matter how hard he fudges the details or slouches a solid five feet from the well marked x on the stage.

Growing up doesn't mean you stop doing disgusting things, it just means you start cleaning up after yourself.

God damn if that Mentos commercial jingle isn't catchy as hell.

When the candy jar contains naught but wayward Starburst it's time to question your priorities and get to the sugar shack, stat.

Here's a list of bands/artists that I have never appreciated, to my chagrin and delight:

Tool (except for that one song transposed into a major key...that was ace)
Blink-182 (How do people who like this live with themselves? Trick question, they live with their parents.)
Green Day (I'm sure they'll get better once Billie goes through puberty.)
The Moody Blues
Dream Theater
The Prodigy
Robyn
Lady Gaga
The Dead Milkmen (I guess "Big Lizard in my Back Yard" wasn't the worst thing I've ever heard...)
Bloodhound Gang (Makes me want to plug my ears with shards of shattered Dead Milkmen records...)
Alice in Chains
Soundgarden
Pearl Jam
Babes in Toyland
L7
Spearhead
Bad Religion
The Bangles
Squeeze

Artists I Used to Love and May Love Again Someday:

Animal Collective
Björk

my collection isn't for sale.

if you're offering an exorbitant sum, it never hurts to ask...

The greatest myth in music criticism is that one's reaction to a piece of music represents features that exist within the music itself. We might share tastes, we might share opinions, but every recording is, for every individual, a unique experience. A reaction to a piece of music can be uninformed but it cannot be right or wrong. We can agree that we both hear a major seventh chord while we disagree about whether or not we like it. We all bring our own expectations and past experiences to each piece of music we choose to hear. I try to remind myself of these facts every time I read/write a review on Discogs.

Are you a terrible reviewer? Is that record really pretentious? What do you mean when you say a record is pretentious? Or will appeal only to pretentious people? Are you pretentious? What does it mean to call a record self-indulgent? Did the artist make the record they wanted to make? Did they make the record you wanted them to make? When you call something or someone a "hipster," what you really mean is "that person or the person who listens to that music thinks they are better than me." If you were secure in your opinions and preferences, you would never think to call anyone or any music "hipster." No doubt there are some people who prop up their egos with art. You might be one of them.

I like what I like because it appeals to me. I say, better not listen to me. But I greatly appreciate a well considered review that might make me aware of something good that I've never heard. So I hope that any review I write might also fulfill this priceless function. I've found a lot of great music just by reading what strangers think about music on Discogs. Stranger, let me shake your hand.

Most overused term on Discogs: "underrated." I would argue that anything and everything that has been rated is rated just as it should be. Calling something "underrated" seems like at attempt to 1) simply offer praise, however obliquely and 2) pat oneself on the back for having such uncommonly good taste.

Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Hornpipe, Music for Royal Fireworks
Popcorn
Tubular Bells
Pictures at an Exhibition (Tomita)
Carry on my wayward son
Elvis
Elton John
Close Encounters
Theme from SWAT/We Are the Champions
KISS Alive II
Simon & Garfunkel
Beatles

Simon & Garfunkel - Wednesday Morning 3AM
Elvis - Gold
Elton John - Greatest Hits
Queen - News of the World
KISS - Alive II
The Cars - Candy O
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Led Zeppelin - In Through the Out Door
Ozzy - Blizzard of Ozz
UFO - Mechanix
Rush - Moving Pictures
Def Leppard - High N Dry
Vacation Soundtrack
Ramones - End of the Century
Smiths - Hatful of Hollow
Cure - Head on the Door