Monday, March 19, 2007
My Very First Hate Mail. Yay!
a very special blog by andy scates
So recently, I was asked to review an album for the March issue of CCM magazine - Anberlin's new album, 'Cities'. Sure, why not? (after all, hey, I get a free copy of the album). So I listened to it, did my evaluation, and wrote the review. It had a few good songs, and a couple of really good songs, but overall, the album was a "B" - not great, but good. Today, we got a reader response (I omit their name for privacy concerns), most of which is aimed at me and my poor taste of music:
"Okay. Listen. I realize that you guys don't really like the more hardcore music I do. But that doesn't mean that everyone feels the same way you do. I completely, utterly disagree with what you said about Relient K's and Anberlin's new CDs. In the Relient K article, you insinuated that their newest album is their best, because it's mellower. Just because you like it more doesn't make it better than their older stuff. Don't assume the world is of the same mind as you. Now to the Anberlin review. I believe it was one Andrew Scates who wrote the review, saying, and I quote, "If the grandeur of 'Fin' could be captured earlier throughout the album, it might be what 'Cities' needs to not just be a good album, but to be a great album." That, my friends, is EXTREMELY wrong. It already is a great album, and this man needs to be told what a great album sounds like. dcTalk. Skillet. AudioAdrenaline. Great albums have always been ridiculed at first by the likes of this critic. I have to say that this is the worst review of an album I have EVER read, and not just in your magazine. I respect the fact that this so-called "critic" is entitled to his opinion, but libeling this AMAZING work of art in the form of music like that is completely inappropriate for a Christian magazine. I hope that this man will be, at the very least, allowed to read my comment. I say again: just because a piece of music is slower and softer, and that you like it for that fact, doesn't mean you go and libel it in this fashion. Every person I have talked to that has read this issue of CCM has had the same reaction as I have. I've gotten things back like "That was completely rude and disrespectful!" and some things that I won't write here. I don't want to be rude like this writer was. My gratitude goes out to you for reading my comments, and please do not let them go unheeded."
Awesome! I'm controversial! I tried to give some legitimate concern to what they wrote until they named some "great" albums - incidentally, I'm a bit unsure of how those qualify as examples of the "more hardcore music" that they listen to (apparently they've never heard Refused's 'The Shape of Punk to Come'). But mostly - I said it was good, and that's rude and libeling? Ha.
Labels: music
Comments:
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"libel" is a very strong word, and i think it warrants a posting of your review so we can experience the controversy first hand.
From the March issue of CCM:
Anberlin – Cities
File Under: Rock
Grade: B
Following a lengthy tour in support of their breakthrough second album Never Take Friendship Personal, Anberlin returned to the studio to emerge with Cities — an album that for lack of a better term, just sounds big. With tighter playing and stronger writing, Cities displays Anberlin's growth as a band, as the songwriting team of singer Stephen Christian and guitarist Joseph Milligan lead the Florida quintet to focus on not just creating a collection of rocking songs (which they do), but creating a solid album. It quickly kicks into gear with the frantic anthem "Godspeed," followed by the upbeat and radio-ready "Adelaide." As one would expect from Anberlin, Cities is packed with plenty of numbers that bring the rock, such as "A Whisper and a Clamor" and "Alexithymia." This doesn't mean that they have to hide behind amps at full gain, though — the ballad "The Unwinding Cable Car" displays their skill in stripping their material down to a couple of acoustic guitars with minimal drum and bass, to produce one of the strongest songs on the record.
There is a fine art to creating closing tracks, and Anberlin manages to pull this off pretty well by saving some of their best songs for last. The heavy, yet slightly downbeat "Dismantle Repair" fades nicely into the appropriately-titled "Fin," which begins with mostly acoustics, then transitions into the entire band playing at full volume, before finally adding in a full children's choir, the result of which is near-epic. If the grandeur of "Fin" could be captured earlier throughout the album, it might be what Cities needs to not just be a good album, but to be a great album.
Lyrically, Cities seems to move from enthusiasm in taking on the world ("they lied when they said the good die young"), to disappointment and loneliness ("is anybody out there?"), followed by a bittersweet nostalgia that leads to hopeful possibility ("things are going to change now for the better"), suggesting the sense of struggle that comes with growing older and going forward in life. Cities, if anything, evokes a hope for the future.
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So, as you can see, apparently descriptives such as "solid" and "good" are now considered libelous. I guess I'm not down with all the new slang, yo.
Anberlin – Cities
File Under: Rock
Grade: B
Following a lengthy tour in support of their breakthrough second album Never Take Friendship Personal, Anberlin returned to the studio to emerge with Cities — an album that for lack of a better term, just sounds big. With tighter playing and stronger writing, Cities displays Anberlin's growth as a band, as the songwriting team of singer Stephen Christian and guitarist Joseph Milligan lead the Florida quintet to focus on not just creating a collection of rocking songs (which they do), but creating a solid album. It quickly kicks into gear with the frantic anthem "Godspeed," followed by the upbeat and radio-ready "Adelaide." As one would expect from Anberlin, Cities is packed with plenty of numbers that bring the rock, such as "A Whisper and a Clamor" and "Alexithymia." This doesn't mean that they have to hide behind amps at full gain, though — the ballad "The Unwinding Cable Car" displays their skill in stripping their material down to a couple of acoustic guitars with minimal drum and bass, to produce one of the strongest songs on the record.
There is a fine art to creating closing tracks, and Anberlin manages to pull this off pretty well by saving some of their best songs for last. The heavy, yet slightly downbeat "Dismantle Repair" fades nicely into the appropriately-titled "Fin," which begins with mostly acoustics, then transitions into the entire band playing at full volume, before finally adding in a full children's choir, the result of which is near-epic. If the grandeur of "Fin" could be captured earlier throughout the album, it might be what Cities needs to not just be a good album, but to be a great album.
Lyrically, Cities seems to move from enthusiasm in taking on the world ("they lied when they said the good die young"), to disappointment and loneliness ("is anybody out there?"), followed by a bittersweet nostalgia that leads to hopeful possibility ("things are going to change now for the better"), suggesting the sense of struggle that comes with growing older and going forward in life. Cities, if anything, evokes a hope for the future.
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So, as you can see, apparently descriptives such as "solid" and "good" are now considered libelous. I guess I'm not down with all the new slang, yo.
Hehe, I would've been elated, too! :)
I find it funny that s/he claims the "libeling" is "completely inappropriate for a Christian magazine."
"Constructive criticism has no place at a 'Christian' magazine! Judge not an album, lest ye be judged!"
I'd suspect a teen fan, but it's so grammatical (unless you copyedited?). I thought most hate mail came w/slang like "effing" and lots of unnecessarily capitalized words. Maybe it's from Anberlin's publicist? ;)
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I find it funny that s/he claims the "libeling" is "completely inappropriate for a Christian magazine."
"Constructive criticism has no place at a 'Christian' magazine! Judge not an album, lest ye be judged!"
I'd suspect a teen fan, but it's so grammatical (unless you copyedited?). I thought most hate mail came w/slang like "effing" and lots of unnecessarily capitalized words. Maybe it's from Anberlin's publicist? ;)
