I've got an interview scheduled for tonight with Austin from Hinder. I like Hinder a lot - they fulfil the needs that I have for what the lazy people call 'stadium rock' (amongst other things). Alongside of Nickelback, these two bands more than cover the bases required by my soul. What's odd about the situation is that both of these bands are easy to knock by critics and regularly are, but I like what I like and that's pretty much the end of the story. Or is it?
Let me see, it's Wednesday. This week I've listened to this new Hinder album (called Welcome to the Freakshow if you hadn't made the connection) but I've also listened to the first three albums from Kate Bush, spent a few hours on some jazz station trying to understand the damn thing, reverted to type with Soundgarden's King Animal, revelled in the nostalgia of Japan's Adolescent Sex, tried on the revamp of War of the Worlds (which is pretty hot) and nodded my head at James Arthur's victory on X-Factor this year - because despite what you may think of the show, that guy is gonna make something of the shot he's got. That's an off the cuff list too - I use rdio as my main fix these days, so for good or bad, this shit gets data-logged. Realising this means that I need full disclosure that out of curiosity, I tried to listen to the Little Mix album but only got about three tracks in before it had to go - you can't win 'em all.
There's a big difference between being a critic and just some dude who loves music and happens to write. There seems to be a 'point' to being a critic, like you're trying to build yourself up into something - and while that might have been valid back in the seventies and eighties when there were only a fistful of magazines worth a damn, as we approach 2013, it's not and that's because I can find you over 100 review sites at the flick of a wrist. Each has an opinion, some are better written than others but my point is that if you disagree with a review - be that music, movies or even a watch you bought yourself - you're just going to head off to find a review site that you do have something in common with to prove your point. Worst still, there is no differentiation between the two. People will take what they need and ignore the rest.
These days, being a critic means very little - so much so that I have backed out of doing them anymore. It's a pointless exercise, I think I would rather say my piece here where it's a part of something else. Part of a bigger story to be had because to do the other thing, is to not love music. It's to love yourself and think your opinion matters.
Anyway, over on rdio, there was a 'critic's review' of Freakshow that seemed to serve nobody but the writer himself. I hope he felt good about himself afterwards. I can picture the scenario because I've been there. Lots of things to do, give the album a listen on radio because it's free and requires no effort. Dip your hand into the pit of dirty adjectives that are in your head and presto! A review that makes you feel as though you pointed out something valuable. I know, I know - everybody is entitled to their opinion.
But I just couldn't keep my mouth shut (click it to make it bigger if you need to):
The original is not even that objective. It reads as though it was on the hate pile before the first track had even finished. Sometimes, I suspect I take this stuff too personally for my own good. It's only rock n roll.
Just keep telling yourself, it's only rock n roll...
INTERLUDE:
Being as that's what we're talking about (no video releases yet from the new album):
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I bought a new book yesterday - Everyone Loves You When You're Dead by Neil Strauss. I finished it yesterday too. I lost a lot of the evening, all of the night and closed the book when the temperature hit -3 and it was very, very dark. Sometimes, you need to read a book like this. Sleep can be had any day of the week but when you're into the drag of a good read, it shouldn't be pushed off the road by something that will come around again tomorrow. If you're in the market for a neat Christmas present for the music lover in your life, it's really good and a no-brainer. It's also part of the two for a tenner deal in HMV at the moment, so you could double it up with a copy of Mick Wall's Lep Zep book maybe, which is what I did.
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More later. Promise. Things to do right now...