So with possibly the biggest release week in music in years, everyone seems to be publishing reviews of some combination of Guns N Roses, Kanye, Ludacris, the Killers and Coldplay. Yet Pitchfork, who publishes some of the most widely-read album reviews online, decided to open their shortened week's review section with...the reissue of R.E.M.'s Murmur.

 

Now don't get me wrong, the R.E.M. reissue is a pretty substantial release as well, but one that pails in comparison to what else is coming out this week. What concerns me is this: did Pitchfork intentionally avoid publishing reviews of the all-star albums because they wanted to be smart-ass? Did they publish the Murmur review first to point out that Murmur is a better album than anything being released this week? (It is, but that's besides the point). If this was an intentional, almost prankish move, it would be a stupid one, because they're not going to get the traffic they would get with GNR or Kayne posted first thing on Monday.

 

But from an editorial standpoint, it may be even more troubling: if readers come to the site with expectations that the proper albums will be covered—and the belief that Pitchfork may be something of an authority on music—isn't Pitchfork doing its readers a disservice by avoiding publishing what its readers demand? It would be a really dickish move this had snarky motivations. Of course, there could be a completely logical explanation that has nothing to do with fooling its readers. Thoughts?

Interesting. Even though Murmur is a better album, there is no justification for ignoring new material. Just because Godfather might be the greatest movie of all time doesn't mean its reissue trumps original films being released in the same week. People know what they're getting with Murmur. They want tor ead reviews of the new stuff.

BTW Ethan, are you taking about passion, which would be spinning your passion 180 degrees, or talking about passion?

Doubt it. They probably wanted to give their reviewers enough time to properly review the albums. It's also only Monday. The albums come out tomorrow. If my situation was different none of the albums we published today would've gone up today and instead would've like been put up days possibly even a week or two later.

Ethan, I think you're just looking for another thing to get worked up about in regards to Pitchfork. It's more than likely that they got review copies late, and don't want to rush.

 

There may be some pause to see the overall critical impression before laying out their judgement (like they did with Cold War Kids) but I don't think they thought about how people would perceive them not putting up those reviews. They could have reviews of everything up tomorrow. 

Yah, I'm not rushing to conclusions yet, but we'll see.

See, conversely I always got pissed when Pitchfork would review albums that have no business being on pitchfork. I always thought they were pulling the ironic hipster card whenever they threw their praise at the Lil Wayne's of the music world. They often give kudos to the mainstream because hating mainstream music is soooooo 2002.

Pitchfork will review them. Eventually. I applaud any delay concerning GNR anyway.

I admit it's an odd move, but I wouldn't read too much into it. Endlessly debating P-fork's motivations for every little editorial decision just plays into their infallibility complex. 

I agree. I think they are overanalyzed. They do a great job but people nitpick them to death.

I'm with Daba. They definitely are giving their reviewers time to analyze properly. These are all albums that were released without promotional copies. The Killers had a very limited listening session at the label and Kanye had his skewed-by-naked-models listening party. Sure they all leaked. But most reputable outlets won't let their writers review off of a leaked version, which means you pretty much have to wait until Tuesday or whatever to get the album. BTW, the GNR album fucking slays. Not saying it's great. But I can't stop listening.

I think the new GNR is atrocious. And I swear on my fathers grave I gave Chinese Democracy a sporting chance. I cleansed my pallet (I haven't heard an old GNR song in months) and gave it a full run through on 2 separate occaisions.

 

It's not that it's over produced, I expected that. It's not that Axl is a crybaby lyricist, I knew that. It's the simple fact that Slash made GNR with his iconoclastic guitar hooks. Bumblefoot is a worthy guitarist but so much so almost every song plays like a Dream Theater throwaway track without the Berkley/Juliard talent. Too many psuedo hardcore guitar sweeps and no rhythm section to back it up. Outside the first 2 tracks the rest of the album is entirely too predictable. Not to mention "This I Love" is a ballad that even Rod Stewart would cringe at. This album is not a tour de force comeback, or even a regular run of the mill comeback. This was Axl's overwrought, self-righteous sound tsunami whos purpose was to sweep away those still waiting for Buckcherry to play their local Jersey dive bar.

 

...In my humble opinion.

"Dream Theater throwaway"

 

Amen.