Ormion Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 We all know that we don't have enough reviews in the review area and IMO the main reason is the way the review-forums work. The only way to write a comment about a release is to someone had already opened a topic about this release. But the only way to open a new topic is to write a full review about the release. Having written some reviews myself I can say that it's not the easiest or fastest thing. So, I was wondering what would you think about a system similar to Discogs? Someone opens a new topic. He writes the tracklist, post the cover photo etc. but instead of making a full review he just writes a small review like a large comment. I'm not talking about ''Cool album, Best track 1,5,7. Recommended'' etc. I'm talking about a 4-5 lines comment like a the ones we used to write back in the old review database era. I buy 5 to 6 cds per month and I don't mind posting the tracklist and write a big comment like a mini review for each of them, but it's impossible to write full reviews for all of them, especially for the ones I didn't enjoy that much. Of course if someone wants to write a full review is free to do it (it's much better actually). I already know the answer of many members. ''Most of the stuff that get released are crap, why post them?'' Well nobody says that you can't review a crappy release and with a mini review is easier to do it. Your opinion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yohankiwi Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Sounds good to me. Writing full reviews can be veeeery time consuming... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go-Goa Trancer Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Hum... I think this is precisely what the... (how do I call them?) "deciding"? team wanted: that the first post will be "perfect", with photo and tracklist and track by track description. But I see what you mean, if nobody reviews a CD and it doesn't get reviewed only because it's too hard/annoying to make a track by track description then it's a bit a pity. A solution would be that someone posts a first post with only release details, and post his review in another post. Then, if someone wants to make a track by track description, he writes it and paste it on the release details post. Problem: you have release details post under someone nicks and the review (the "good" one) is under someone else. So perhaps the release detail post will be under noone's name? And also, who will be the one to have his review on the first post? The first one to submit? Someone who is doing this for a long time? My suggestion isn't perfect but I don't really have another idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 With a little effort someone could write a script that interfaces with the Discogs API to pull release data out as needed... in fact, it wouldn't be too much work to replicate relevant parts of the Discogs database and then build something new from it (i.e. a more casual reviews area). Still, there are faster ways to inject some life into the reviews area... but I think one of the main problems is simply that a lot of Psynews members are focused on the music of the past--not whatever might be cutting edge. Incidentally, does Psynews have a chat room anywhere that I don't know about? Trading off-hand impressions of new releases in a casual context is much better in an unlogged chat area. I know one of the reasons I don't come out and write a line or two on every release I listen to is simply that everything here ends up indexed by Google for all eternity. The permanency of words is sometimes counterproductive to their formation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAH Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Sounds good to me. Writing full reviews can be veeeery time consuming...to write and to read. But i've said that before. I like the idea of shorter stuff. Every now and again i run into something really, really good, but i don't even think twice about sitting down and writing a two page review. I don't have the time for it. I know one of the reasons I don't come out and write a line or two on every release I listen to is simply that everything here ends up indexed by Google for all eternity. The permanency of words is sometimes counterproductive to their formation.I don't really understand what is the problem with permanency and changing impressions. There's an edit button and we're all allowed to change our minds every now and again. Is this permanency problem rooted in musical obsolescence? The idea that something which sounds really good right now, might not in a couple of years? Judgments and tastes change like the technology under which it was created. Just like our machines grow old and inadequate, the music follows course since it is only a reflection of the binary microcosm under which it was conceived. In saying so, I do realize a huge number of people here still think 'old is gold' when it comes to their personal preferences and especially with Goa, but it does not reflect what the market out there is consuming. Is timelessness nothing but fiction in our cyberdelic empire of musical clusters and flouro-stained tribes? Has planned obsolesce sneaked into the fabric of tastes? What happened with talent, the memories it evoked and creativity? I know that is not the case for the majority of people in this forum. i'm just rambling here sorry, I had a beer and got philosophical all of a sudden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzman Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 You don't have to write a two page review do you? I don't think anyone will get angry if you just wrote 4 or 5 lines or so, just as long as it is a review, do you? Tell something about what kind of music it is, how the ideas and quality is, maybe reffer to some similar music, so you get the idea of what the album sounds like... Then write your favorites if you feel like it.. That would be great IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abasio Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 I don't see why the first post should have to be a long in depth review as long as it's an actual review. A couple of paragraphs would be nice along with the cover and a tracklist. Although I prefer writing long reviews (it helps me understand the music on a different level I've found) I prefer reading shorter ones I've been putting my reviews on my own site for easy reference but it's an open place and anyone would be able to review if they wanted. These are the rules I thought of for it The rules are simple. 1. Review albums, compilations, EPs & music DVDs. 2. Try & use you noggin' & stick to reviewing albums related to the psy scene or at least the EDM scene. At the end of the day I reserve the right to delete anything I deem inappropriate for this site. So no Britney Spears or Fiddy Cent please. 3. Short reviews are okay, discussions about the albums, the artists, the previous work is okay. Discussions about other people's opinions are okay as long as you don't get into a big fight. Play nice. 4. Feel free to comment on any aspect of the release, ie music, artwork, timing selling out etc. 5. If you open a new thread it would be nice to start with the picture of the cover, album stats & a tracklist but don't worry too much if you don't I will edit them in later. 6. Have fun. 7. If you want to request a review please ask in the request thread. here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vancbc Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 It's my personal opinion that the whole review system kind of got out of hand here with the requirements to produce a lengthy, nearly perfect track by track review. It's not nearly as helpful anymore and sadly enough I don't look at reviews much anymore. That's kind of put a damper on me buying any new psytrance because I'm not really in a psy community, but ah well.......life goes on, eh? :-) It's kind of disappointing because when I was new to psytrance and this site, I discovered all the great old classics actually by the short two and three line reviews. Part of my decision was based on the volume of reviews an album received as well. A large number of comments either usually indicated a really good or a really bad album. What I want to see is something like, "This is some of the most clever neo-Goa produced in 2007! The melodies in tracks 2, 5 and 10 are incredibly twisted and if you like Hallucinogen's Lone Deranger, this one will drive you insane! 9/10 for me! Then maybe this is followed by a short paragraph describing why the person thinks it's one of the best albums of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abasio Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 I think a mix is what we need. I try to write the short review in my first + last paragraphs thinking that's what most people will actually read :drama: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vancbc Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 I think a mix is what we need. I try to write the short review in my first + last paragraphs thinking that's what most people will actually read :drama: That's actually a great way to do it; then you satisfy both people like me who want the stripped down bare bones idea of what the music is about, but you also give in-depth for people who enjoy that style of review. Thanks for writing reviews; I envy all of you who have the talent to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abasio Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 That's actually a great way to do it; then you satisfy both people like me who want the stripped down bare bones idea of what the music is about, but you also give in-depth for people who enjoy that style of review. Thanks for writing reviews; I envy all of you who have the talent to do that. Even if you think you suck, try writing what you feel about an album as you listen to it. Listen to it closely & try to describe what you hear. Even if you don't want to post them it can help you dive into the music in a different direction. I used to think that only drugs could get me that deep into the music but really all I needed was focus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideffect... Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 sounds good to me, but are you in fact combining topics that open with an actual review and topics that start with the album itself and further posts in the same categoric ... otherwise I should suggest of a time period before someone writes a review... why ? I believe the fact that someone took the effort to review a release tells a lot about the release itself, good psychedelic trance can get some good full reviews and that is also a lead for people if it's good or not, the fact that I got all this attention, well that's not 100% the best way but it's one of the mean reasons why review sections exist... what I'm trying to tell is that when each release someone can open a thread with just tracklist the review database will be that huge that for people who like psychedelic trance but do not follow each release in the matter of speech lose their oversight between a lot of posts... that will increase off course.... just a thought but like the idea... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ormion Posted July 10, 2008 Author Share Posted July 10, 2008 I decided to start some mini-reviews in the reviews forums. My first one is Psyfactor-Aries Madness in 2008 subforum. Like I said instead of a full review I will post a mini-review about the album in general. It's easy to write and to read, so I hope others will follow too. (I still like the big reviews though). If any of the mods or Mars himself doesn't like my idea then he can delete it anytime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trance2MoveU Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 So I can still write long reviews if the mood strikes me? It does take a long time to do, but sometimes (as you have seen recently) I get started and cannot stop. Mdk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ormion Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 So I can still write long reviews if the mood strikes me? It does take a long time to do, but sometimes (as you have seen recently) I get started and cannot stop. Mdk Your reviews rock man! Keep them coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abasio Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I decided to start some mini-reviews in the reviews forums. My first one is Psyfactor-Aries Madness in 2008 subforum. Like I said instead of a full review I will post a mini-review about the album in general. It's easy to write and to read, so I hope others will follow too. (I still like the big reviews though). If any of the mods or Mars himself doesn't like my idea then he can delete it anytime! I can't see anyone having a problem with that review. Hardly mini, just not epic track by track. Informative & easy to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideffect... Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 btw mars, you had all those scans from covers in your previous older review section, did you back up those ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frozen dream Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 yea sure, ease up guy cohen's job coolalbumbestbuynorly, fav tracks 1, 1 & 1 +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ormion Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 yea sure, ease up guy cohen's job coolalbumbestbuynorly, fav tracks 1, 1 & 1 +1 Are you talking about me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frozen dream Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 no guy cohen dummy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qa2pir Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Full review is often not necessary. Just a lot of showcase of writing talent usually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travbrad1001 Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 The big reviews are great, but they do take a lot of effort and good writing ability Better to have a smaller review and some good comments than no review at all. I don't agree with every review anyway, so it's nice to get a variety of viewpoints/opinions. Of course a big review and comments is even better, but smaller reviews are fine (as long as it's not just "THIS ALBUM RULEZ!!!" or "THIS SUCKS"). Just my 2 cents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandemonium Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Im surprised that this topic isnt pinned yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redington Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Agreed. I think it's nice to half both. A big review does require competent writings skills because I know for sure that for someone with average writing skils will run out of ways to describe the songs when he does a track by track review. It does take some time to do them as we all know, but they can be worth it if the reviewer is a good one. Trav is right: It's better to have a small review than no review at all. Provided it's a review that contains more than one sentence (or sentence fragment) in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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