Comments on: Ways and Means: Criticizing The Critics

By: countercritic

countercritic — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:56:53 +0000

Hey Tim. To take the hard road, being direct as a critic, or calling people out, will serve new music better than letting bad music pass for good. It feels contradictory, especially in an age when the arts are already so marginal; it just makes it feel kind of like kicking someone when they’re already down. (It’s funny. I’ve felt the same way with my criticisms of Joanna Newsom. She’s already a pretty marginal outfit, so why should I tear into her?)

Everyone will really find this balance on their own. Sometimes I listen to people around me to see how they react to the work. If anything, that can give you backup and let you know that there is something that really needs to be brought to light. Other times, you just have to go out on your own, go with your gut, and hope it resonates with people.

Even with my Trisha Brown review, it was difficult to really stay harsh, even though that’s all I wanted to do. I was sorely disappointed by the performance the other night.

I also try to balance harshing by recognizing the positive aspects of a work, which, even in the worst cases there is usually something positive. That shows that your best interest is in the betterment of the arts, which is where all critics should be focused.

By: Tim Rutherford-Johnson

Tim Rutherford-Johnson — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:49:55 +0000

I only came across CC recently, and I’m enjoying this Ways and Means series. I have the opposite problem in the criticism that I write – I find it hard to be harsh when the occasion demands it. I might take down some brutal notes on the way home from a concert, but they all get toned down for the review itself. It’s part of the conflict of interest thing: I basically write in order to support new music; but I have a critical responsibility to call people out when they make bad music.

By: Blogging Rights, Baby « Dancing Perfectly Free

Blogging Rights, Baby « Dancing Perfectly Free — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 02:29:48 +0000

[...] a mainstream critic. I’d like to change that. In the most recent part of the series, called “Criticizing the Critics”, Counter Critic talks about the importance of “freeing up tone” of arts criticism, with [...]

By: Evan

Evan — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:59:46 +0000

I’ve really enjoyed this “Ways and Means” series. Although I’ve never written posts on my blog that criticize the critics, lately I worry that my reviews of dance performances are too formal and too tactful. I re-read some of them and think, “Wow, how boring and mainstream. I need to add some attitude to this thing.” Honestly, CC is a role model to me because you’re brave enough to post honest and often harsh criticism of the so-called “real” critics. I’d llike to “free up the tone” of my reviews and write less like the mainstream critics that can, at times, write like douche bags. So I certainly hope you don’t clean up CC too much or change the way you write. The attitude and irreverence is refreshing and admirable. Keep it up.