Ever Avoid a CD After Reading About It Here?

[jazz2896]

I usually avoid music if it warrants an indifferent response on here. If no one has really strong opinions on the music, then I feel like it isn't really worth checking out. But, if an album has an overwhelmingly negative response on here, I like to check it out, for there is definitely entertainment value in poorly done records, it's rather fun haha. Not enough entertainment value to buy it, but I'll give it a youtube listen or so.

[polmico]

I had the UK box set queued up on Amazon. I wound up cancelling the order based on some of the comments in the thread here.

I know it hasn't been released yet, so no one knows what it's going to sound like, but Jobson does not have a particularly good track record for remastered or live albums. That point was raised by several members and not just the usual audiophile guys.

If positive reviews come in, I might change my mind. Of course it'll probably be too late by then, but I think I'm ok living without this one.

[Trane]

Yes, if it's people you have come to trust, a thumbs up or thumbs down can have a major effect.

That's basically it... if you, Ian or a bunch of others here told me XYZ was fantastic or awful, I'd take it almost for granted and I would check it out in the first case and not bother in the second case.

It's a bit like Gnosis, though there I'll take the advice sometimes without even checking out the stuff , because the mass of "trustworthy" comrades simply can't be wrong...

I may not love the music with systematically high gnosis ratings, but I know it will be good.

BUT (yes, there is one), TBH, I sometimes do get some disillusions with the poppier stuff... Though I really appreciated discovering Bent Knee and Moulettes through samples presented here or in PA and rave reviews from people whose opinions matters to me, in terms of studio albums (I've got two from each band), I must say that I'm relatively disappointed.

[Progmatic]

Sure. When PeterG is bragging about some albums I know they are not for me

[notallwhowander]

I have a pretty good sense of what I like and what I don't, and a general idea of who shares my tastes and who doesn't. Still, if there is a lot of buzz I'll check out camples. Most of the time though, the predictive power of who wins out.

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

Sure. When PeterG is bragging about some albums I know they are not for me

[gpeccary]

Thinking about this question I think I tend to read the posts and don't really pay attention to who wrote them that closely I guess. So I don't follow negative reviews so much. But that's not limited to here. I've come across music that at first I avoided after listening to critics and missed out on what I thought was some great work, so I try to follow my own opinion and taste as best I can. If I do get turned off to something I'm probably on the avoid side of the fence already anyway. I would say I've been turned on to far more music here than turned off.
As mentioned above, there are plenty of sources to investigate and check something out yourself before hand.

[Jubal]

Yes- Heaven And Earth. The reviews were too consistently poor.

I would have bought it without hearing it (very rare for me) except for the reviews here. I ended up buying a used copy for 4.00 at CD Warehouse. I listened to it once, and have no desire to ever listen to it again.

[happytheman]

Why not just listen on youtube to check it out?

Exactly.. did the same thing..

[Vic2012]

I've avoided buying albums for years because of the general, negative sentiments expressed on PE about certain albums. Then one day I'll somehow end up with the album and I'm surprised at how good it is. Then there's the opposite as well. Album is highly praised, I buy it, and at best it's okay, or nothing special at all, just meh.

[Jerjo]

If members I trust are giving something a thumbs down I definitely approach that CD with caution. And there are some whose praise likely means I'm going to hate it.

[lak611]

I've avoided certain bands based upon what I've read here, even if they got good reviews, just because I don't care for the genre; by that I mean that I might like the music but I'm not fond of anything overtly religious in nature. I prefer music for entertainment purposes to be free of proselytizing.

I've also recently purchased a couple of CDs that are new to me based upon mention by members. I've been happy with the CDs I got.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

[Dave (in MA)]

I hate it when I enjoy a CD and then I read a post that tells me I'm wrong.

[gpeccary]

I hate it when I enjoy a CD and then I read a post that tells me I'm wrong.

[Serious Dreamer]

Not on this forum, because I only found it recently.

But quite often on other music forums I find out that a CD that I really enjoy isn't very popular with others.

I guess I'm the only normal person in my world.

[the ferret]

First one that came to mind. The reviews were ruthless so I've never heard a word.

I know opinions differ but for me Heaven & Earth is really quite a decent album. It might not have a classic Yes sound but all (and I mean all) the songs strike me as being well structured & excellently performed. Truly, it might not be for you but it does deserve a listen, (Just to help you know where I'm coming from Yes-wise, my three fav Yes albums are Time and Word, Drama & The Ladder. I also dearly love Talk & ABWH).

Not sure I avoid stuff from opinions here but I've become aware that Steve Sly has a very similar taste in music to me so I'll always take on board his recommendations & Trane loves some weird shit that will take me out of my comfort zone but will be well worth a listen.

[happytheman]

I hate it when I enjoy a CD and then I read a post that tells me I'm wrong.

I'm guilty of weighing in on an album years ago when someone asked what folks thought of it before they bought it.. I praised it and they came back and said they were sorry they listened to peoples opinions they found the album disappointing.... Oh well.. I still think it's a brilliant album.. Which is why I say nowadays you can't go wrong pulling it up on Youtube first..

[Sputnik]

I don't think I've ever avoided an album solely based on what I read here. The only exceptions would be albums that I basically wouldn't bother sampling anyway, usually the "poppy Prog" stuff that I really dislike. In such a case even good reviews rarely make me sample a record - it would have to be an endorsement from someone I really trusted. Heaven and Earth got the mixed reviews I expected it would. I sampled it briefly and quickly determined it was not for me, similar to the Yes album before that. Had it not had "Yes" stamped on it, I surely wouldn't have bothered.

Overwhelmingly, though, I sample groups mentioned here that I have no knowledge of and I try them with an open mind. I buy a small fraction of what I hear, but this place keeps me pretty up to date on what's going on.

Bill

[mozo-pg]

I know opinions differ but for me Heaven & Earth is really quite a decent album. It might not have a classic Yes sound but all (and I mean all) the songs strike me as being well structured & excellently performed. Truly, it might not be for you but it does deserve a listen, (Just to help you know where I'm coming from Yes-wise, my three fav Yes albums are Time and Word, Drama & The Ladder. I also dearly love Talk & ABWH).

Not sure I avoid stuff from opinions here but I've become aware that Steve Sly has a very similar taste in music to me so I'll always take on board his recommendations & Trane loves some weird shit that will take me out of my comfort zone but will be well worth a listen.

Yeah, I should at least sample it.

[Nijinsky Hind]

Not sure I avoid stuff from opinions here but I've become aware that Steve Sly has a very similar taste in music to me so I'll always take on board his recommendations & Trane loves some weird shit that will take me out of my comfort zone but will be well worth a listen.

Yeah Trane likes some interesting and different stuff and so does polmico. Honestly I have never been led away from anything as a result of PE reviews or opinions... Just found Wolf people here. Scrotum finds good shit but you have to dig because he seems to be like a virtual database of the obscure and unheard worldwide stuff. I cant take in too much, and Im not here very often.

[Oreb]

Often - if the description tells me something is not in a style I'm interested in I'll avoid it.

That's as helpful as positive recommendations IMO.

[AncientChord]

I like others here have said "I know what I like, and I like what I know." So I'll read reviews, and comments from others to get a feel if I might enjoy it, in my somewhat narrow and limited field of likable prog. Then I"ll seek out any audio or video samples. Everyone is so different in their musical tastes, that this to me helps single out what stirs this old heart, Thanks to websites like this, and the modern age of audio and video, it's so much easier to pick out a hit, instead of wasting time and money on a miss.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

Thanks to websites like this, and the modern age of audio and video, it's so much easier to pick out a hit, instead of wasting time and money on a miss.

yep... from 1975 (when I started buying records instead of just borrowing them) to 2005 I musta bought dozens and dozens of clunker albums by just 'taking a chance' from the look of the cover or going by reading the instrumentation used to create the album (Synths; check! ... no Sax; check! ... electric Bass; check!) and that was the only way to find relatively unknown gems

[ske]

Sometimes yes. But mainly it's the other way around, i will check albums that are welcomed by the board, and if i like what i listen, will buy them.

[Gizmotron]

No.

I come to PE for facts. I find it is helpful for alerting me to new releases, personnel changes, tour plans, etc.

But I almost never trust a bad review here. Too many people have agendas and huge biases. I am slightly less mistrustful about positive reviews but I prefer to make up my own mind.