From jeff salamon Sent Wed, Jul 1st 1998, 20:32
From jeff salamon Sent Wed, Jul 1st 1998, 20:32
> the artist formerly known as salvador dali wrote: > > > > > i picked up (but didn't purchase) rolling stone the > > other day just to browse through it. the review of the ninja tune comp (funkungfusion) made me laugh out loud...the few times they've reviewed ninja tune releases, they spend half of the 100 words talking about coldcut and how they go way back to the 'paid in full' remix. > > yes, it's a groundbreaking remix. > > yup, coldcut's influential. and great. > > they only have one track on funkungfusion. > > and most people who are going to pick it up already know all that. > > so the guy spends the rest of the review (rightfully) praising the comp, but then bitches right at the end about how it's not continually mixed. and then gives it three stars. sheesh. no mention of the funki porcini, vibert, or mr scruff tracks, no attempt to give an overall 'feel' of the discs. > > ah, american press. blah. > > rob well, as the author of said laughable review (and an idm subscriber), allow me to say a few words in my own defense. first off, tho i realize dali is speaking hyperbolically, i didn't spend half of 100 words talking about coldcut's history -- i spent 37 words (one long sentence) out of a 165 word review (one long paragraph); about 1/4, not 1/2 of the review. and yes, coldcut have only one track on the record, but they're the heads and head tastemakers at the label which put the compilation together, so who they are has a bit more relevance than dali lets on. as for the fact that most people who will pick up the album already know who coldcut are -- well, yeah, but this review was aimed at rolling stone readers, which is to say, an audience that probably won't pick up the record -- unless, perhaps, a review gives them some context they understand (e.g., a famous hiphop dance track they probably remember from frat parties in the late-80s). obviously, i would write a different type of piece if i was writing for _urb_ or _mixmag_ or _the wire_. but me and a few other people are doing the work of trying to expose a rock audience to music they don't know anything about. this results in compromises that aren't always satisfying for me as a writer, but the necessity of which i recognize. as for not mentioning vibert, mr scuff, and funki porcini, well, i _did_ mention chocolate weasel and kid koala & money mark and amon tobin, and suffice to say it's tough to mention _every_ (or even _most_) worthwhile tracks in a 2-cd comp in 165 words and still say something or display any writerly flair. likewise, it's tough to get across much info and 'give an overall 'feel' of the discs' in such a small amount of space, but i thought describing the label as being the home of "electro revivialists, hiphop renegades, world-beat tricksters, and lounge-culture backsliders" didi a fair job of telegraphing what funkingfusion is about. as for 3 stars, well, i gave it 3 and a half, but they downgraded it without telling me (this is common practice at music magazines). and i don't think my comment about the lack of continuous mixing qualifies as "bitching" -- it was said more in rue than in anger, and in fact was couched in a compliment. to wit: "The only drag is the producers' decision not to mix tracks together, leaving the traditional gap of silence between each cut. When the party's this good, you don't want it to stop, even for a few seconds." please feel free to reply -- i enjoy feedback, jeff