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In Reply to: RE: "How to buy a record review" posted by Poles Apart on October 27, 2011 at 18:05:23
My understanding is that this applies to the featured reviews at the front of the magazine. Therefore I always take those with a (larger) grain of salt. The bulk of the reviews in Fanfare are not paid for and some are pungent indeed.
My favorite source of reviews in Fanfare continues to be the wish lists at the end of the year, as well as the reviews hat reviewers note may be on their wish lists.
I complained about the practice by Fanfare some years ago on this site; but upon thinking about it, concluded that Caveat emptor was appropriate. I wonder on sites such as Amazon how many of the positive reviews are shills.
I might also note that the positive reviews on this site have led me to a lot of interesting and fun music. Keep them coming.
Finally, I don't really mind the fact that some very positive reviews end up with disappointing purchases. I am delighted that I sometimes find gems that would have never come my way otherwise.
Follow Ups:
My understanding, which may be imperfect, is that they will not review a recording that has not been in some kind of ad, even a group ad from an importer or a distributor. The special interview/feature treatment is for the big ads.
JM
"My understanding is that this applies to the featured reviews at the front of the magazine. Therefore I always take those with a (larger) grain of salt." Yes, I see some timidity in criticism in those reviews in a way not typical of the rest.
At first, I had objected to the separation of such reviews from the rest which are nicely organized by composer and type. However, considering the underlying reasons for those reviews, the segregation is warranted.
Kal
A reviewer is asked to write a feature article in Fanfare (interview or otherwise) only when said reviewer has had a chance to audition the CD(s) in question, and only if he or she is favorably disposed towards them. Often, reviewers will suggest an artist as a subject for a future interview, in some cases making the contacts and laying the groundwork.
In my two years of writing for Fanfare, I have NEVER been asked to write a "puff piece". In fact, I've written many "dissenting opinions", and every one has been published.
You may not like the fact that feature articles are linked to advertising, but it's the way that Joel Flegler has managed to stay afloat for so long. I think Fanfare's fairly unbiased coverage of small labels, contemporary music and artists, even early music, is worthy of praise and encouragement.
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"You weren't afraid of being born--why would you be afraid of dying?" Alan Watts
If you read the reviews, you'll effectively get a education in classical music over time.
And, if you want real, glad-handing puff pieces, just contrast FF's reviews to Stereophiles reviews of audio equipment. Most every item reviewed in the latter provokes the exact same bonobo-sex-ape response from most of their reviewers, regardless of price or quality.
I understand. As a long-term subscriber, I am a supporter of Fanfare but I find the lengthy interviews and associated reviews much less interesting than the main course. If these are necessary in order to keep the whole thing afloat, I can accept that but it is not what I read Fanfare for.
Kal
Ditto. I read the ads and ignore the front-section articles and reviews.
Vade Forrester
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