Listen, Despite the Reviews...

I admit it, I often check out album reviews to see what the "experts" think about a release before I make a purchase. But, I've learned that no matter what the expert says, a listen is the only way to know for sure whether or not I personally like an album.

For example, Pitchfork.com regularly reviews the kinds of albums I'm most likely to add to my collection. Their reviews are always well-written and worth reading, in my humble opinion. That being said, I don't always agree with their analysis.

For example, they recently gave rather poor review marks to Kele's (the lead singer of Bloc Party) solo effort. While I agree that it doesn't stand up to his work with Bloc Party, it's got a few gems, like the following single:



So, what's my point? You've often "heard me say" that if we all liked the same things the world would be a pretty boring place. That definitely applies to music. To know what you like, what sounds good, you have to listen. You can't really know the sound of a song or album without listening, no matter how descriptive the text describing it.

Most record labels offer up at least a couple singles for early listens, so you can visit their web sites to see what you think. You can also go to iTunes and listen to excerpts of most albums. Finally, sites like last.fm and grooveshark.com provide plenty of listening opportunities before you buy.