Unfair Hype?

[Gresh]

I guess in general "hype" is a good thing - but can too much hype and unfair comparisons be detimental to an emerging band?
Looking through this week's Time Out New York, there is a review on a band from Brooklyn called Ambulance LTD. I'm paraphrasing but the gist is the reviewer for their first full length disc says they "capture the essence of bygone eras, the intimate, orchestral pop bouyancy of The Beatles and the jangly, swirling loveliness of My Bloody Valentine"It goes on to say "the band has mastered a sprawling, breezy, magical mystery tour through the musical highlights of Anglophilia"
Usually to get that many big words and adjectives you have to get the NY Times music reviews.
I'm in NY area and never heard of these guys - which probably means nada - I'm intrigued by the comparisons but ultimately - are they fair - can any ban live up to and deliver on this kind of hype - seems unfair - what do you think?

Also nice review of the new Von Bondies disk "Pawn Shoppe Heart" - I've heard a few cuts and it sounds strong - nice to see them get news that doesn't involve the Jack White/JasonStollsteimer hissy fit.

[newtrix1]

I agree with you somewhat, I don't think reviews should throw names out that easily (especially names like Beatles), otoh, describing music (as we all know) is difficult without comparing to something pre-existing. That's the challenge of critiquing music I guess.
Buying an album based on reading a review is always a crapshoot.

[MindGoneHaywire]

Well, Beatles/MBV hybrids are a dime a dozen, ya know. Hey, sometimes picking artists a band reminds you of is tough, sometimes it's fun, like a sport. But I've always thought it's a cheap & easy way to convey as much musical info as possible to the reader. Writing about music, especially bands people have probably never heard, is fun & engaging on a board like this, a lot less so for reviewers. Our hobby is their job. So it's not all that surprising you're going to get a writer at a pub like TONY that's going to lean towards Times-ish writing. I've always stuck to the Voice & the NY Press, where there's a lot less of that, at least with the Press--and if the coverage in those papers sometimes seems unsatisfying, at least you know what you're getting, even if it's little beyond attitude (esp. the Press).

Sounds like perhaps that writer's been reading too much Greil Marcus, or someone he influenced. It is somewhat Christgau-esque, wouldn't you say?

[Gresh]

Well, Beatles/MBV hybrids are a dime a dozen, ya know. Hey, sometimes picking artists a band reminds you of is tough, sometimes it's fun, like a sport. But I've always thought it's a cheap & easy way to convey as much musical info as possible to the reader. Writing about music, especially bands people have probably never heard, is fun & engaging on a board like this, a lot less so for reviewers. Our hobby is their job. So it's not all that surprising you're going to get a writer at a pub like TONY that's going to lean towards Times-ish writing. I've always stuck to the Voice & the NY Press, where there's a lot less of that, at least with the Press--and if the coverage in those papers sometimes seems unsatisfying, at least you know what you're getting, even if it's little beyond attitude (esp. the Press).

Sounds like perhaps that writer's been reading too much Greil Marcus, or someone he influenced. It is somewhat Christgau-esque, wouldn't you say?

I dunno - I like Greil Marcus' writing style - don't always agree with his views but I like the clarity of his writing style. For me the hardest part of writing reviews or summations (or whatever) is making your point briefly and easily understandable. Marcus does that. I once read somewhere that Marcus' reviews are better than what he's reviewing.
As for Christgau - he puts me to sleep. I find myself losing focus halfway through his reviews - and that could just be me and my attention span of a gnat. A writer friend of mine always reminds me to never use a fifty cent word when a nickle word will do.
Last - I haven't really read the NY Press in several years - occasionally - but not often - the only real reason I used to read it religiously - Julius Knipl - Real Estate Photographer.