So Pitchfork gives the new Springsteen album a 6.8. Perhaps they are not aware of the hilarious Pitchfork spoof that appeared in the Onion last month, in which Pitchfork allegedly gives "music" a 6.8? At any rate, since when did Bruce Springsteen become "the indie ideal"? Is that why so much indie rock is generic and overwrought these days? Honestly, Springsteen's place in the rock canon is just a tad bit inflated, don't you think? Besides, has he really done anything interesting since Tunnel of Love? Granted, I have not heard this album. But given the kind of slick production he's employed for the last 20 years, my guess is that it's probably not on par with "Badlands." Pitchfork laments the poor production choices ("Springsteen should sound more like Tom Waits, less like 3 Doors Down") and yet still reviews the album quite favorably. But honestly, the lame production and bland title (Magic? What is this, an Olivia Newton-John album?) pretty much kill it for me.
Meanwhile, a new Bob Dylan boxed set gets a 1.3. Pitchfork doesn't seem to be able to grasp the concept of the "target audience." Just because they are not the target audience of a compilation doesn't mean that said compilation is terrible.
Finally, Rolling Stone gives the new Springsteen album - surprise, surprise - 5 stars.
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more amusement: supposedly the first single from this album sounds exactly like the Magnetic Fields. So much so that you could actually fool people. I haven't heard it though.
Rolling Stone gives EVERYONE high scores. It's like the gaming magazines nowadays.
A 6.8 rating from Pitchfork is actually quite bad. A 1.3 is better because that means your release warrants some attention.
Basically 3.0-7.0 = not even worth thinking about.
Rolling Stone actually tends to give everyone 3-and-a-half star reviews. When they give an album four stars, then whoa, you know it's good. Likewise, if an album gets two-and-a-half, then ouch, that's scathing. Five stars are only reserved for bland new albums by uncontestedly great veteran artists like Dylan, Springsteen, or Mick Jagger's solo album (!).
Mick Jagger's Wandering Spirit rocked!
In the beginning, you were so brutal / You turned the heat on in the afternoon / Get so excited, get so addicted / You had me eating from your golden spoon
How to review what you have not heard. You really just review the reputation. [3 Yawns]
3 yawns is actually pretty good. Most things are worth 1 at the most.
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