From: John L. Micek, jlmicek@mindspring.com
Subject: Re: Must. Crush. All. Dissent.
Date: 2/25/2002 12:59:20 PM
To: Mike Fulmer, fulmer.4@osu.edu


  Sure, the reviewer can share his own impressions. But when he 
> writes that Radiance "creates a keen portrait of an incestuous 
> community" I'm confused. He doesn't expand on that thought. I don't 
> see it myself. Maybe he was using some meaning of incest of which I 
> am not aware. He even starts his review proclaiming that "...The 
> Church want to be U2...." Never explains this supposition, but he 
> sure bases the rest of the review around this idea. Find me any 
> interview in which any of the members of The Church claim U2 
> aspirations. I actually see them as near musical antipodes (in 
> lyricism, popularity, politics, etc.). I find this kind of reviewing 
> "ill-informed," and worthy of rebuttal.
> 
Mike, we can probably agree about that conclusion being overly glib, but
again, I'd direct you to my earlier point about space constraints.
Sometimes, there's
just not always room to fully develop an idea. You can draw your own
conclusions about
whether or not such a supposition belongs in the review. Then again, space
constraints do not
excuse sloppy thinking either.

Again, "I actually see them as near musical antipodes," does not factually
disprove
the reviewer's conclusion. It's just you're differing with his opinion.
Texturally, I've always
heard similarities to U2 in some songs -- particularly the guitar figure on
"Kings" (A reviewer for The
Hartford Courant also drew the same conclusion at the time, so it's not
without precedent). And I don't know that
that's such a bad thing.

> C. Bottomley uses words like "grim," "exhausted," and "gloom" to 
> describe the songs. Fine, that's his opinion. But he describes Steve 
> as having "adopted the guise of a tortured poet," and his vocals as 
> "never rising above a jaded mutter." 

Again, that may be just the way he hears him. Vocals affect people in
different ways.
Certainly, you can make a credible argument that SK strains toward
poeticism in his lyrics.
The guy is a published poet, for goodness sake. And, to the untutored ear,
Kilbey's vocals can
sound a touch on the dour side.


> Steve rises far beyond a mutter on Reprieve and Seen It Coming, for 
> example. And by the time Invisible ends I feel absolved and charged, 
> not exhausted.

Again, note the subjectiveness here, "I feel." Doesn't factually disprove
the reviewer's
conclusions. It's just how you feel. Tain't nothing wrong with that.

john
(who, again, must stress that he adores this record, but must be a voice
for reason)

 

_____________________________________________________
John L. Micek
Harrisburg Correspondent
The Morning Call
Allentown, Pa.