Amateur Music Journalism

DarkDrgon · 10-09-2010, 01:25 AM

Alternate thread title: CHECK OUT DRGONS SITE GAIZ!

Yeah, basically topic. Me and a buddy have been doing some minor music stuff for a while, and we finally finished something I would call an "issue" of our online mag. Right now we mostly just interview some bands, mostly C listers, but the occasional B or A list (we managed to get 3OH3!, which while not my style is pretty cool), and cover shows nearby.

I'm proud of it, but could use some opinions. Come check us out

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Magus · 10-09-2010, 11:53 PM

Can you avoid the sort of hilarious language used in current music reviews? I'm not sure how you can review music without resorting to this, but here's an example of a review of a King Crimson album:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allmusic

The haunting Mellotron wails, and Fripp's acoustic � as well as electric � guitar counterpoints give the introduction an almost sacred feel, adding measurably to the overall sinister mood. Giles' percussion work provides a pungent kick during the kettle drum intro and to the aggressive palpitation-inducing rhythm in the chorus. "Moonchild" is an eerie love song that is creepy, bordering on uncomfortable. The melody is agile and ageless, while the instrumentation wafts like the wind through bare trees...Here again, the foreboding featured in Sinfield's lyrics is instrumentally matched by the contrasting verbosity in the chorus and the delicate nature of the verses and concluding solos."

I find the adjectives and symbolism used in this completely hilarious. I'm not sure how it is possible to review music any other way but if you could invent it, you would have achieved something...

DarkDrgon · 10-10-2010, 12:16 AM

well, I think the only time we went into the ridiculous language thing was when we blasted the demo of an awful local band.

heres the first half of our most recent review, The Gay Blades album, Savages:

Quote:

Every few years a band emerges that just makes you happy to listen to music. They might not be the most innovative, hell, they usually aren't, but they catch you're ears and you're trapped; engulfed in a whirwind of sound and are caught like a pre teen girl at a Hannah Montana concert. The Gay Blades that band in my eyes. The "Trash Pop" duo have just released there newest effort, Savages, and it is definitely something worth listening to.
The band catches you with there all to familiar cocky swagger right from the get go with "Try To Understand". This song was released earier this year as a free download for a tweet or facebook status. Well worth it if you ask me. I didn't do it, but I regret not. The bands Trash Pop sound, laced with dancing horns is sure to capture you on impact.

Drownball-Champ · 10-10-2010, 01:03 PM

You may want to be on the look out for typos. I count 3 in the All Time Low article. There are a few "as" that should be "was" and a "new" that should be "knew".

And thank you for introducing me to Alexisonfire. Any band that sings about a city lacking toast is alright in my book. Growly vocals aren't normally my cup o' tea, but I've made an exception.

Hedley as well. Loving them so far.

Geminex · 10-10-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magus

I find the adjectives and symbolism used in this completely hilarious. I'm not sure how it is possible to review music any other way but if you could invent it, you would have achieved something...

Are you saying that palpation-inducing is, in fact, not part of your common vocabulary?

In regards to the website, I like the articles, and it's well-organized. Nice work?

**McTahr** · 10-10-2010, 05:21 PM

Constructive criticism:
You want a more professional and elegant design, especially when dealing with the viewing of concert photos and videos and the like. More shinies garner more interest and sponsors, in the long term. This does not necessarily trump the importance of content, but it's fairly high up there in terms of ever being anything more than a hobbyist project.
Also, seconding the mention of editing, you'll want someone keeping an eye on spelling and grammar errors, as well as any layout flaws or the like. A polished effort is simply more enjoyable to read and browse.
When skimming the reviews, I noticed you included a stock photo relevant to the album in question, yet the interviews are simple text blocks (however broken up). See if you can't convince them before/after the interview to take a quick photo? It'll spice up the interview pages and break up the text.

DarkDrgon · 10-10-2010, 07:36 PM

Unfortunately our older interviews were mostly over the phone. We have recently made the switch to doing everything on video, and our first one will be going live on wednesday, with an article on Seether.

My job is mainly to keep the site up and running. I'm not the best webmaster, most of the site is me doing anything I can to make it work. I'm still learning, but you should have seen it before I got involved.....

Thanks for checking it out

10-09-2010, 01:25 AM	#1
DarkDrgon Always Trick Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 978	Amateur Music Journalism Alternate thread title: CHECK OUT DRGONS SITE GAIZ! Yeah, basically topic. Me and a buddy have been doing some minor music stuff for a while, and we finally finished something I would call an "issue" of our online mag. Right now we mostly just interview some bands, mostly C listers, but the occasional B or A list (we managed to get 3OH3!, which while not my style is pretty cool), and cover shows nearby. I'm proud of it, but could use some opinions. Come check us out Home Page content Page __________________ [color=red] Kneel before the Lord Drgon, or you will be knelt.

10-10-2010, 05:21 PM	#6
McTahr For the right price... Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,268	Constructive criticism: You want a more professional and elegant design, especially when dealing with the viewing of concert photos and videos and the like. More shinies garner more interest and sponsors, in the long term. This does not necessarily trump the importance of content, but it's fairly high up there in terms of ever being anything more than a hobbyist project. Also, seconding the mention of editing, you'll want someone keeping an eye on spelling and grammar errors, as well as any layout flaws or the like. A polished effort is simply more enjoyable to read and browse. When skimming the reviews, I noticed you included a stock photo relevant to the album in question, yet the interviews are simple text blocks (however broken up). See if you can't convince them before/after the interview to take a quick photo? It'll spice up the interview pages and break up the text. __________________ Gone.

10-10-2010, 07:36 PM	#7
DarkDrgon Always Trick Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 978	Unfortunately our older interviews were mostly over the phone. We have recently made the switch to doing everything on video, and our first one will be going live on wednesday, with an article on Seether. My job is mainly to keep the site up and running. I'm not the best webmaster, most of the site is me doing anything I can to make it work. I'm still learning, but you should have seen it before I got involved..... Thanks for checking it out __________________ [color=red] Kneel before the Lord Drgon, or you will be knelt.

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10-10-2010, 01:03 PM	#4
Drownball-Champ Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 220	You may want to be on the look out for typos. I count 3 in the All Time Low article. There are a few "as" that should be "was" and a "new" that should be "knew". And thank you for introducing me to Alexisonfire. Any band that sings about a city lacking toast is alright in my book. Growly vocals aren't normally my cup o' tea, but I've made an exception. Hedley as well. Loving them so far.