Let's Talk About Music and Music Critiquing

BOOK REVIEW 

Wilson considers both the worldwide popularity of Celine Dion, while on the flip-side, he reveals his personal dislike of Dion's artistry and questions why she has acquired her mega-star status. What Wilson is really doing however, is presenting a case study of what we deem to be cool or uncool in music, and what is deemed as someone having good music taste and vice-versa. Even more, it is a blueprint about reviewing music and music culture with a professional eye. Recommended.

Review by Debra Hall 2014

**Ends**

Music Critiquing

I ask what is it that makes a reputed reviewer. I'm sure Wilson would agree with me that the answer, in short, is that it is down to being as objective as you can and not being swayed by populist opinion, and then being a stickler for those principles over time.

You should have some knowledge of your subject; not just prior knowledge, but academic knowledge (on a level). Being insightful is useful, and, in a peculiar sense, be non judgmental - it helps.

I have been a theatre critic for seven years now. Reviewing stage, as with reviewing anything professionally, means you have to be discerning, but when it comes to reviewing music, well you still have to be discerning, but it is a little more complicated than that.

There is a pull, in youth music culture, to be part of the ‘in crowd’, and, then, as time passes, snobbery sets in because music that is more lasting, eventually achieves critical acclaim as a matter of course, largely because of the ‘in crowd’ loyalty surrounding it.

Growing up with two Metal loving brothers meant my love of Glam Rock and Disco was often ridiculed, whereas my aversion was to Country music. I’m still not a fan but I have learned to appreciate it (I’m expressing my sensibility with this comment), but, yes, it is funny how tastes shift.

Take the music of Burt Bacharach for example, if his songs were ever riding o’er the airways or performed on TV it would be enough to send teenage me in to a state of sustained boredom while it played. Yet, I hear only this week, on the radio, that Burt is touring the UK this summer. They play a couple of sound bites…“Walk on By” and “The Look of Love” and I’m suddenly two feet deep in awe. I look up the main man's back catalogue and can do nothing but admire the genius.

Photograph of Burt Bacharach Source: The Dusty Springfield Network

Yet, I’ve never learned to love Opera, nor Deacon Blue or the Manics as it happens, and I’m not, on any account, being anti elitist, anti-Scottish or anti-Welsh when I say that. 

“Hell is other people’s music” is the first line of the book I mention above by Carl Wilson entitled ‘LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE Why Other People have such bad taste’ arguably, no truer words have ever been spoken!