EagleMoon Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 I'm looking at them but to be honest it seems like a goofy way to rate something. Instead of assigning numbers, which is kind of pointless, it would make more sense to just write out a paragraph about each song. But then it's all personal opinion anyway. :)There are some albums where the album is easier to write about than the songs themselves without going into too much detail, and there will also inevitably be some songs where it's too tricky to expand or compress your thoughts about them into a paragraph. Also, ratings are quite effective at setting the "mood" for a review, as well as giving a quick outlook on songs that the reviewer may not have gone into too much detail on. Assigning numbers is a bit simplistic and arbitrary because it's just the opinion of the reviewer themselves which is based on no particular fixed scale. If someone writes out their thoughts about a particular track at least the reader has a bit more of an idea of "why" the reviewer likes or dislikes a piece of music. Then they can decide for themselves whether they agree/disagree Lord even want to check out that piece of music. But then that takes more thought and time to do it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 The whole point of reviewing is sharing opinions. We want to hear peoples thoughts on the music they love! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
len(songs) Posted December 29, 2014 Author Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) I'm looking at them but to be honest it seems like a goofy way to rate something. Instead of assigning numbers, which is kind of pointless, it would make more sense to just write out a paragraph about each song. But then it's all personal opinion anyway. :)There are some albums where the album is easier to write about than the songs themselves without going into too much detail, and there will also inevitably be some songs where it's too tricky to expand or compress your thoughts about them into a paragraph. Also, ratings are quite effective at setting the "mood" for a review, as well as giving a quick outlook on songs that the reviewer may not have gone into too much detail on. Assigning numbers is a bit simplistic and arbitrary because it's just the opinion of the reviewer themselves which is based on no particular fixed scale. If someone writes out their thoughts about a particular track at least the reader has a bit more of an idea of "why" the reviewer likes or dislikes a piece of music. Then they can decide for themselves whether they agree/disagree Lord even want to check out that piece of music. But then that takes more thought and time to do it that way.I did post my song scale (which each of us has adopted) at the beginning of the thread, so if someone sees, say, my review of SEBTP, they'll see that I consider Dancing With The Moonlit Knight "flawless", while I rated The Cinema Show as "great" and More Fool Me as "good". It's not really that ambiguous, and most of us are writing reviews anyway, so even if there's an album that we didn't write a review for there will probably be a point of reference in a previous review anyway. Edited December 29, 2014 by len(songs) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 I'm looking at them but to be honest it seems like a goofy way to rate something. Instead of assigning numbers, which is kind of pointless, it would make more sense to just write out a paragraph about each song. But then it's all personal opinion anyway. :)There are some albums where the album is easier to write about than the songs themselves without going into too much detail, and there will also inevitably be some songs where it's too tricky to expand or compress your thoughts about them into a paragraph. Also, ratings are quite effective at setting the "mood" for a review, as well as giving a quick outlook on songs that the reviewer may not have gone into too much detail on. Assigning numbers is a bit simplistic and arbitrary because it's just the opinion of the reviewer themselves which is based on no particular fixed scale. If someone writes out their thoughts about a particular track at least the reader has a bit more of an idea of "why" the reviewer likes or dislikes a piece of music. Then they can decide for themselves whether they agree/disagree Lord even want to check out that piece of music. But then that takes more thought and time to do it that way.I did post my song scale (which each of us has adopted) at the beginning of the thread, so if someone sees, say, my review of SEBTP, they'll see that I consider Dancing With The Moonlit Knight "flawless", while I rated The Cinema Show as "great" and More Fool Me as "good". It's not really that ambiguous, and most of us are writing reviews anyway, so even if there's an album that we didn't write a review for there will probably be a point of reference in a previous review anyway.Saying something is great or good doesn't explain why it is or why "you" think it is and why. That doesn't really tell me anything if I'm reading a review. I'm just saying I think the ratings should be more detailed and go into an explanation why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) I'm looking at them but to be honest it seems like a goofy way to rate something. Instead of assigning numbers, which is kind of pointless, it would make more sense to just write out a paragraph about each song. But then it's all personal opinion anyway. :)There are some albums where the album is easier to write about than the songs themselves without going into too much detail, and there will also inevitably be some songs where it's too tricky to expand or compress your thoughts about them into a paragraph. Also, ratings are quite effective at setting the "mood" for a review, as well as giving a quick outlook on songs that the reviewer may not have gone into too much detail on. Assigning numbers is a bit simplistic and arbitrary because it's just the opinion of the reviewer themselves which is based on no particular fixed scale. If someone writes out their thoughts about a particular track at least the reader has a bit more of an idea of "why" the reviewer likes or dislikes a piece of music. Then they can decide for themselves whether they agree/disagree Lord even want to check out that piece of music. But then that takes more thought and time to do it that way.I did post my song scale (which each of us has adopted) at the beginning of the thread, so if someone sees, say, my review of SEBTP, they'll see that I consider Dancing With The Moonlit Knight "flawless", while I rated The Cinema Show as "great" and More Fool Me as "good". It's not really that ambiguous, and most of us are writing reviews anyway, so even if there's an album that we didn't write a review for there will probably be a point of reference in a previous review anyway.Saying something is great or good doesn't explain why it is or why "you" think it is and why. That doesn't really tell me anything if I'm reading a review. I'm just saying I think the ratings should be more detailed and go into an explanation why. Post an example then! But reviews on this forum are not by "expert journalists", but music fans. We don't all have the ability to write our thoughts so eloquently, but the reviews here more than justify why we love, like or dislike something. Edited December 29, 2014 by Segue Myles 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Porcupine Tree - Up The Downstair (1993) What You're Listening To: [ ]/15Synesthesia: 12/15Monuments Burn Into Monuments: [ ]/15Always Never: 13/15Up The Downstair: 14/15<Not Beautiful Anymore>: 12/15Siren: [ ]/15Small Fish: 13/15Burning Sky: 14/15*Fadeaway*: 15/15 Overall Rating: C (Very good) If you were to listen to these songs individually it can be a hit or miss for me personally. I don't have an inclination to want to listen to Synesthesia or Not Beautiful Anymore individually. However, as an album I think it's pretty strong considering this is from PT's jurassic period (1987-1993). The word salad almost psychedelic drug influenced lyrics are still present especially in Always Never and Small Fish as they were written by Alan Duffy (who had fallen out with Wilson prior to the release of On The Sunday Of Life). Fadeaway however, is an early classic PT song (like Radioactive Toy) IMO. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Not Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) I comment on the album in general, a few songs from it, or even do a track by track review in one case.. I don't rate any albums if I lack the confidence too which is why I started with TMV's simple Octahedron and then moved through the rest of their discography (except for Noctourniquet ) some days later. Or - I don't comment on the album at all, because I feel nothing I have to say is interesting enough! I'm most interested in the numbers personally. Edited December 29, 2014 by Mr. Not 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
len(songs) Posted December 29, 2014 Author Share Posted December 29, 2014 I comment on the album in general, a few songs from it, or even do a track by track review in one case.. I don't rate any albums if I lack the confidence too which is why I started with TMV's simple Octahedron and then moved through the rest of their discography (except for Noctourniquet ) some days later. Or - I don't comment on the album at all, because I feel nothing I have to say is interesting enough! I'm most interested in the numbers personally.Same here... occasionally I find that how I think I think about an album is very different from how I actually think about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 I'm looking at them but to be honest it seems like a goofy way to rate something. Instead of assigning numbers, which is kind of pointless, it would make more sense to just write out a paragraph about each song. But then it's all personal opinion anyway. :)There are some albums where the album is easier to write about than the songs themselves without going into too much detail, and there will also inevitably be some songs where it's too tricky to expand or compress your thoughts about them into a paragraph. Also, ratings are quite effective at setting the "mood" for a review, as well as giving a quick outlook on songs that the reviewer may not have gone into too much detail on. Assigning numbers is a bit simplistic and arbitrary because it's just the opinion of the reviewer themselves which is based on no particular fixed scale. If someone writes out their thoughts about a particular track at least the reader has a bit more of an idea of "why" the reviewer likes or dislikes a piece of music. Then they can decide for themselves whether they agree/disagree Lord even want to check out that piece of music. But then that takes more thought and time to do it that way.I did post my song scale (which each of us has adopted) at the beginning of the thread, so if someone sees, say, my review of SEBTP, they'll see that I consider Dancing With The Moonlit Knight "flawless", while I rated The Cinema Show as "great" and More Fool Me as "good". It's not really that ambiguous, and most of us are writing reviews anyway, so even if there's an album that we didn't write a review for there will probably be a point of reference in a previous review anyway.Saying something is great or good doesn't explain why it is or why "you" think it is and why. That doesn't really tell me anything if I'm reading a review. I'm just saying I think the ratings should be more detailed and go into an explanation why. Post an example then! But reviews on this forum are not by "expert journalists", but music fans. We don't all have the ability to write our thoughts so eloquently, but the reviews here more than justify why we love, like or dislike something. I think you're cutting yourself short. With only a few rare exceptions I think most of the people here are pretty good at expressing themselves. But like I said it takes a little more mind power to actually think why you like or dislike something. I'm not really interested in doing it myself, but I just think it would be a lot more helpful to other people who are reading the reviews if there were more detailed explanations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) Dir En Grey - Uroboros (2008) Sa Bir: 13/15*Vinushka*: 15/15Red Soil: 13/15<Doukoku To Sarinu>: 12/15Toguro: 14/15Glass Skin: 14/15Stuck Man: 13/15Reiketsu Nariseba: 15/15Ware, Yami Tote...: 14/15Bugaboo: 13/15Gaika, Chinmoku Ga Nemuru Koro: 14/15Dozing Green: 15/15Inconvenient Ideal: 14/15 Overall score: F/Borderline 10 Edited December 29, 2014 by PolarizeMe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 A re-rating of an older album I rated earlier. Isis - Oceanic (2002) *The Beginning And The End*: 15/15The Other: 13/15False Light: 13/15Carry: 14/15-: [ ]/15Maritime: [ ]/15Weight: 15/15From Sinking: 15/15Hym: 13/15 Overall Rating: F (All time great) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) I think I gave this album enough listens to warrant a rating... Yes - Close To The Edge (1972) *Close To The Edge*: 15/15And You And I: 14/15Siberian Khatru: 14/15 Overall rating: 10 (Olympian) Edited December 29, 2014 by PolarizeMe 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 And another re-rating to an album which I though deserved it as I didn't use the hexadecimal rating for this one originally. Isis - Panopticon (2004) So Did We: 15/15Backlit: 15/15*In Fiction*: 15/15Wills Dissolve: 14/15Syndic Cells: 14/15Altered Course: 14/15Grinning Mouths: 14/15 Overall rating: 10 (Olympian) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 PolarizeMe, I am so glad you love Dir en Grey. I knew you would adore them! I just did...love your reviews. I don't like them as much as I did at one time, but I love your passion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Not Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) Porcupine Tree - Deadwing (2005)10/15 Deadwing12/15 Shallow11/15 Lazarus08/15 <Halo>13/15 Arriving Somewhere But Not Here15/15 *Mellotron Scratch*12/15 Open Car11/15 Start of Something Beautiful13/15 Glass Arm Shattering Rating: A track by track:Deadwing (the title track) suffers from a longer-than-should-be-length, and an interesting mellow bridge which is soon ruined by generic metal riffing and then a guitar solo by Adrian f*cking Belew with his impossible pedal. The intro for this song is great though, and you'd be crazy if you didn't think it hadn't any potential based on the first four minutes... I hate to admit I skip songs or just listen to songs for certain parts, but I do end up skipping this song nearly 6 minutes in.Shallow is great rock song with relateable lyrics but I don't think Wilson intended for the listener to be proud of relating if they did. This song is in a couple of ways a great precursor for Fear of a Blank PlanetLazarus was a good choice for a single.I really liked this song and found it very catchy for the first few times I listened to it... Now I never want to listen to it again, really. It's an earworm and serves temporary listening satisfaction. The solo section here is quite good though... Yes, I'm throwing Belew a bone here :PA great extended piece by PT, although it doesn't feel like one like Russia on Ice or Anesthetize do... In any case, it's a great song and proves a repetitious riff during the verses can really pay off when done correctly. The lyrics are fine too... Really nice.Mellotron Scratch is one of favorite Porcupine Tree songs, if not then it's my absolute favorite... The outro is outstanding and completes it.Open Car features: Wilson singing along with the guitar! Wow, how incredibly boring! This song is saved however by the pre-chorus, which is absolutely beautiful. The chorus itself is give or take. The acoustic guitar for the end is a nice touch.Start of Something Beautiful & Glass Arm Shattering are perfect songs if you're in the mood for them... The addition of them together at the end of the album seal the deal and guarantee Deadwing as a better album than In Absentia ;)My last review Edited December 29, 2014 by Mr. Not 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 PolarizeMe, I am so glad you love Dir en Grey. I knew you would adore them! I just did...love your reviews. I don't like them as much as I did at one time, but I love your passion! They're the one band that defies my taste in metal music in a good way. I dunno, it's been like 10 months since I started listening to them and I still can't figure out why I like them as much as I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Not Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Fear of a Blank Planet (2007)12/15 Fear of a Blank Planet11/15 My Ashes13/15 *Anesthetize*12/15 Sentimental12/15 Way Out of Here10/15 <Sleep Together> Rating: B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Dir En Grey - Arche (2014) Un Deux: 14/15Soshaku: 14/15Uroko: 13/15Phenomenon: 14/15Cause Of Fickleness: 13/15Tōsei: 15/15Rinkaku: 15/15Chain Repulsion: 13/15Midwife: 14/15Magayasō: 13/15Kaishun: 14/15Beyond A Vacant Image: 13/15Sustain The Untruth: 13/15*Kūkoku no Kyōon*: 15/15<The Inferno>: 11/15Revelation of Mankind: 12/15 Bonus songs:And Zero: 14/15Tefu Tefu: 13/15 Overall rating: D (Great) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet (2007) Fear Of A Blank Planet: 13/15My Ashes: 14/15 *Anesthetize*: 15/15Sentimental: 14/15Way Out Of Here: 13/15Sleep Together: 13/15 Overal rating: 10 (Olympian) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) The Devin Townsend Project - Addicted (2009) Addicted!: 13/15Universe In A Ball!: 12/15Bend It Like Bender!: 13/15*Supercrush!*: 15/15Hyperdrive!: 15/15Resolve: 12/15Ih-Ah!: 14/15<The Way Home!>: 11/15Numbered!: 14/15Awake!!: 13/15 Overall rating: E (Great) Edited December 29, 2014 by PolarizeMe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Not Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Porcupine Tree - The Incident (2009)07/15 Occam's Razor12/15 The Blind House10/15 Great Expectations13/15 Kneel and Disconnect09/15 Drawing the Line14/15 *The Incident*11/15 Your Unpleasant Family13/15 The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train06/15 <Time Flies>08/15 Degree Zero of Liberty13/15 Octane Twisted'--'/15 The Seance Rating: 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) I've rated albums I like so far...I think it's time for me to rate an album which I don't like (or at least I don't like considerably more so than every other album I rated so far) Rush - Roll The Bones (1991) Dreamline: 12/15Bravado: 13/15Roll The Bones: 11/15<Face Up>: 5/15Where's My Thing?: 13/15The Big Wheel: 11/15Heresy: 9/15*Ghost Of A Chance*: 14/15Neurotica: 5/15You Bet Your Life: 8/15 Overall rating: 6 (Mediocre) Edited December 29, 2014 by PolarizeMe 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Not Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) Rush - Rush (1974)10/15 Finding My Way08/15 Need Some Love04/15 Take a Friend09/15 Here Again05/15 What You're Doing03/15 <In the Mood>11/15 *Before and After*09/15 Working Man Rating: 5 (not terrible, but doesn't necessarily deserve to exist, either) ...I really just shouldn't have touched this one at all, though. Edited December 29, 2014 by Mr. Not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) Rush - Test For Echo (1996) Test For Echo: 13/15Driven: 13/15Half The World: 9/15The Color Of Right: 11/15Time And Motion: 10/15Totem: 13/15<Dog Years>: 3/15Virtuality: 6/15*Resist*: 14/15Limbo: 12/15The Color Of Right: 10/15 Overall rating: 8 (Good, bordering on mediocre) Edited December 29, 2014 by PolarizeMe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Rush - Fly By Night (1975) Anthem: 13/15Best I Can: 10/15Beneath, Between and Behind: 12/15*By-Tor And The Snow Dog*: 14/15Fly By Night: 14/15Making Memories: 9/15<Rivendell>: 8/15In The End: 14/15 Overall rating: B (Good) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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