Alright, autumn is right around the corner, so I am preparing to fire back up and start writing reviews again. I am going to be changing up how I do things a bit. Nothing, major but I will but I am hoping that this will help curb my brain fry, maybe, here it goes.
1. I will still review anything, yes anything. Video taped performances to the usual studio recordings, and if I happen to be in your area and I can fit it into my schedule to come out I have no problem reviewing live performances, but keep in mind I live in the boonies. The odds that I would live close to a venue you might be playing would be the same odds as winning the lottery, probably worse.
That said, if you send me something and I cannot hear all the elements well, I will be upfront and polite. I think that this has happened only like once though. I understand that not everyone has access to top recording equipment. I won’t rip you to shreds if that guitar tone ain’t “just right”.
2. I want all submissions emailed to me. I used to take submissions via links, emails and mail in’s but it gets too confusing on who came in first. Please note I still will essentially work first come first serve. In addition I have extremely limited time in my office where I write. I have a job and a family that begs for my attention all the time. If I have your work emailed to me I can take it on the go and listen to it anywhere.
As an artist myself I understand that you put a lot of time into your work, and so I often will want to listen multiple times to a piece before writing. If I lived in an area where was great coverage for cell service it wouldn’t be so bad. I live in the sticks, so do me a favor and if you have something you want a review for then email it to me. If you have an album of material you can use free services like Dropbox or We Transfer to get it to me.
Email your info and material to:
3. I used to work exclusively first come first serve. It was great and fair but it got really hard on me. See in the beginning I got mostly singles. It was great it allowed me to work fast and the mix was awesome, but over time I got more and more albums. I would go into my office to write, and I would almost hear and smell my brain frying. I try to work as fast as possible. I don’t feel its fair for you to wait months to get a response. Plus, I don’t really like listening to something just once or scanning tracks to review an album. You live making them so I want to dig deep and swim around in your world before I decide what I think and then write.
Personally no one buys albums anymore, or its rather rare. The days when a person would save the cash, run to the record store on Friday to buy a release and spend the next few weeks absorbing it is gone. I, an amateur writer myself though get it. You can’t always say what you want to say in one song. Sometimes it takes a whole album to get that out. I respect that, so I still review albums.
The strategy I have devised is that I am going to have two categories, singles and albums. Basically I am going to bounce back and forth. I will still review first come first serve but I am going to be bouncing back and forth, an album and then probably a 2 or 3 singles then another album. Now if say I don’t have any singles come in, which is freakishly rare, I will just take breaks and keep going. I realize that maybe you don’t care or don’t understand but I have had some get rather pushy on when their release will be covered. Trust me, I will get to you as fast as I can. I work very transparent and very honest. If you have a question then ask.
3. I will still charge no money. I will accept no money. Don’t try and offer me money thinking it will get you a better review. I know there are many out there that charge for reviews, I don’t. The only thing I will accept is hard copies or merchandise if you want to send them. I don’t resell or anything I collect because I love music and artists that take the time to put art into this tangled world of ours. Actually the biggest thing you can do for me is share the blog link to the article I write for you as much as possible. There are some tiny ads on my blog and that is they ONLY way I make revenue, so in theory the more views my blog get the more money I am supposed to make.
4. I brag, if you send me something that blows my socks off, or happens to hit me in the right place at the right time then I will share with my friends. All articles will be posted on my blog, Facebook page and your profile if provided. However I have a friends that I love to share music with. I am not majorly connected. I am no guru or info hub, but if something hits me and rings my bell I have been known to reach out to my friends say, “Hey check this out you might want to play this or share it as well.”
5. Thank you. Thanks for taking the time to put art out into this world. I feel humbled that so many have wanted me to write a review for them. I am no one special, I am just a guy in a room that loves music and likes to share it with the world. So grab that instrument, mic and recorder and do what you do. Play, write and record as long as you possibly can. Research, learn and push yourself and your art to absolute limit. Don’t listen to the naysayers. Don’t listen to the critics that just rip art to shreds. Don’t stop, don’t ever look back but do take care of yourself. Your voice and your art is important and does have a place in this world.
Michael
Music Reivews
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