Why does everyone do the track-by-track review?

[Eihtball]

I notice that pretty much everyone who writes reviews does a track-by-track description of the album.  Don't y'all find it boring to read reviews where the only thing the reviewer says is stuff like, "Track X, '        ': Really dope, MC X comes really hard on this joint" or "Track Y, '        ': Yo, this beat is bananas!"  The problem is that all the reviews sound alike (unintelligent), and they don't say shit about the album.  I realize not everyone here is into writing music reviews and shit, but can't people learn to summarize the quality of the music and lyrics in a few short paragraphs?

Take some lessons from All Music Guide; THIS is how you write a succinct, quality review:

Eazy-E, "Eazy-Duz-It":
"Released shortly after Straight Outta Compton, Eazy-Duz-It was the first N.W.A spinoff album. Years before Ice Cube went solo with Amerikkka's Most Wanted in 1990, before Dr. Dre changed the rap game with The Chronic in 1992, before MC Ren struggled to establish himself with Shock of the Hour in 1993, and before Yella simply fell into obscurity, Eazy-E rose to immediate superstar status with his solo debut. And for good reason, because Eazy-Duz-It has a lot going for it, above all yet more cutting-edge production work from Dr. Dre, who really steals the show here. He melds together samples of P-Funk and Def Jam, along with the leftover electro sounds of mid-'80s Los Angeles and the concurrent hip-hop motifs of New York City, in the end creating a dense, unique, and funky style that sounded absolutely revolutionary in 1988 when Eazy-E rode this album to much success. It helps too that Eazy has an exceptional batch of songs to work with here, including a remix of "Boyz-n-the Hood," which had originally appeared on N.W.A and the Posse. Granted, Eazy isn't an especially gifted MC, to put it mildly, but his perverse sense of humor compensates, as does the support he gets from his N.W.A associates. Again, Dr. Dre simply steals the show here. Don't be surprised if you find yourself enjoying Eazy-Duz-It more for the production than for the rapping, all the more so if you don't share Eazy's sense of humor, which is generally sexist, violent, and unconstructive to society in general (making him the prototypical "gangsta"). In the end, Eazy enjoyed only a brief recording career, with this album standing head and shoulders above anything else he'd ever record apart from N.W.A. When he'd return for his next go-round, 5150 Home 4 tha Sick, he wouldn't have Dr. Dre on his side, let alone Ice Cube, and the difference couldn't be starker. Very good if not great, Eazy-Duz-It was as good as it ever got for Eazy, sadly."
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Mack-10, "The Recipe":
"It became commonplace during the mid- to late '90s for rappers to litter their albums with a small nation's worth of guest stars, both for commercial purposes and for all-important sonic variety. At its worst, this tactic can lead to albums where the ostensible star ends up sounding like a guest at their own party. But at its best, the more-the-merrier formula can result in stellar albums like Mack 10's The Recipe, an unambitious but enormously satisfying slice of pop-savvy late-'90s gangsta rap that features a slew of the hottest names in hip-hop, from Eazy E to Master P to ODB and many, many more. Mack 10 got his big break from mentor/gangsta rap pioneer Ice Cube, who not surprisingly lends his gruff presence to two of the album's standout tracks: "Should I Stay or Should I Go," a borderline sacrilegious but effective reworking of the Clash classic, and "Ghetto Horror Show," a similarly cheesy but enjoyable slice of gangsta rap gothic featuring a scene-stealing turn by the underrated Jayo Felony. Snoop Dogg trades verses with the laconic but authoritative Mack 10 on another of the album's highlights, "LBC and the ING," driven by a familiar but undeniably infectious sample of "Heartbeat," one of the greatest and most-used loops in the history of hip-hop. "Money's Just a Touch Away," the album's Gerald Levert-assisted first single, is a too-slick attempt at radio-friendly crossover success, but Mack 10's sole solo showcase, "The Letter," is a surprisingly eloquent and well-reasoned defense of gangsta rap. The Recipe probably won't convert many non-believers, but for fans of straightforward, late-'90s gangsta rap, it's about as good as it gets."
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Snoop Dogg, "Tha Doggfather":
"A lot happened to Snoop Doggy Dogg between his debut, Doggystyle, and his second album, Tha Doggfather. During those three years, he became the most notorious figure in hip-hop through a much-publicized murder trial, where he was found not guilty, and he also became a father. Musically, the most important thing to happen to Snoop was the parting of ways between his mentor Dr. Dre and his record label, Death Row. Dre's departure from Death Row meant that Snoop had to handle the production duties on Tha Doggfather himself, and the differences between the two records are immediately apparent. Though it works the same G-funk territory, the bass is less elastic and there is considerably less sonic detail. In essence, all of the music on Tha Doggfather reworks the funk and soul of the late '70s and early '80s, without updating it too much -- there's not that much difference between "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" and "Oops Up Side Your Head," for instance. Though the music isn't original, and the lyrics break no new territory, the execution is strong -- Snoop's rapping and rhyming continue to improve, while the bass-heavy funk is often intoxicating. At over 70 minutes, Tha Doggfather runs too long to not have several filler tracks, but if you ignore those cuts, the album is a fine follow-up to one of the most successful hip-hop albums in history."
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

[Spicemuthafuc*in1]

I see what your saying and you got a good point, however for some reason I prefer the track by track reviews

[Machiavelli]

I see what your saying and you got a good point, however for some reason I prefer the track by track reviews

yeah cuz i listen to the album for the songs not for a summary of the album

[Eihtball]

I see what your saying and you got a good point, however for some reason I prefer the track by track reviews

yeah cuz i listen to the album for the songs not for a summary of the album

Yeah, but anyone can just say shit like, "This beat is fire, yo!"  Doesn't tell you anything unique about the album at all.  When I hear albums, I like to hear a description of the overall sound, not just a bunch of lame, unintelligent comments that all sound alike.

[Machiavelli]

I see what your saying and you got a good point, however for some reason I prefer the track by track reviews

yeah cuz i listen to the album for the songs not for a summary of the album

Yeah, but anyone can just say shit like, "This beat is fire, yo!"  Doesn't tell you anything unique about the album at all.  When I hear albums, I like to hear a description of the overall sound, not just a bunch of lame, unintelligent comments that all sound alike.

the best reviews are when they have a overall summary and track-by-track review

[Eihtball]

[the best reviews are when they have a overall summary and track-by-track review

Nah, because reviewing every track is boring.  I don't mind if the reviewer picks out a few tracks that they think are especially dope and explain why (or a few wack songs and explain why those suck), but looking at every track is boring.

[Teddy Roosevelt]

They both have their advantages and disadvantages. A track by track review is more detailed. You can get an understanding for each song. An overall review is a little vage, but it will tell you the tone of the album. It gives you an overall scope and atitude which probably is more usful. The problem is you can finish those types of reviews having no good idea how the songs are themselves. Like Machiavelli said the best reviews have both.

[Eihtball]

They both have their advantages and disadvantages. A track by track review is more detailed. You can get an understanding for each song. An overall review is a little vage, but it will tell you the tone of the album. It gives you an overall scope and atitude which probably is more usful. The problem is you can finish those types of reviews having no good idea how the songs are themselves. Like Machiavelli said the best reviews have both.

Yeah, track-by-track reviews only work if the reviewer is competent and knows how to come up with an accurate, detailed description.  Unfortunately, most of DubCC isn't like that - they say the same unintelligent shit over and over.

I still don't think the best review needs a description of EVERY track...just tracks of importance that really stand out for whatever reason.  Like, if I were reviewing "The Infamous" by Mobb Deep, there's no way I could write the review without mentioning "Shook Ones, Part II" and "Survival of the Fittest", because those are classics that most def warrant a little more depth.

[On The Edge of Insanity]

While I do agree with you to a point, in that it can be difficult to describe each track on the album without re-using the same vocab, that was the format that was agreed some time ago as the best way to review albums.

I think its helpful for someone who is thinking of purchasing the album, because they can get an idea of how each track sounds, so can maybe then download the best track from the review and the worst one, allowing them to see both ends of the scale when it comes to the quality of tracks on the album. Also, this method means that every track gets a mention, so someone who has heard the album can come in and see if the reviewer agrees with their opinion on a certain track.

Having said that, I do agree that whenever someone is doing a track by track review I would expect them to write an introduction and a summary of the album as part of the review, so that it is easier for someone to come in and get a good overall picture of the quality of the album without having to read the whole track by track review.

I'm open to suggestions if people think there is a better way the reviews could be structured, maybe having an overall review, and then just listing scores for each of tracks could be a possibility, or any other ideas anyone has?

[Meho]

I see what your saying and you got a good point, however for some reason I prefer the track by track reviews

[_That_Cracka_J]

I prefer writing and reading track by track reviews.  A review of the entire album in a paragraph or two is too vague.  And most reviews tell you things you already know, for instance the Doggfather example above....we know that shit already!

Track by track reviews give me a better idea of how many tracks are worth listening to on the album...maybe not so much for the description of the song, but by the rating the reviewer has given it.

LONG LIVE TRACK BY TRACK REVIEWS!!

[PLANT]

When you read a track by track review it gives you a better feel for the album.....The reviews that are done in paragrpah style only usually tell you about a few of the tracks.

[Native_Joe99]

I notice that pretty much everyone who writes reviews does a track-by-track description of the album.  Don't y'all find it boring to read reviews where the only thing the reviewer says is stuff like, "Track X, '        ': Really dope, MC X comes really hard on this joint" or "Track Y, '        ': Yo, this beat is bananas!"  The problem is that all the reviews sound alike (unintelligent), and they don't say shit about the album.  I realize not everyone here is into writing music reviews and shit, but can't people learn to summarize the quality of the music and lyrics in a few short paragraphs?

Take some lessons from All Music Guide; THIS is how you write a succinct, quality review:

Eazy-E, "Eazy-Duz-It":
"Released shortly after Straight Outta Compton, Eazy-Duz-It was the first N.W.A spinoff album. Years before Ice Cube went solo with Amerikkka's Most Wanted in 1990, before Dr. Dre changed the rap game with The Chronic in 1992, before MC Ren struggled to establish himself with Shock of the Hour in 1993, and before Yella simply fell into obscurity, Eazy-E rose to immediate superstar status with his solo debut. And for good reason, because Eazy-Duz-It has a lot going for it, above all yet more cutting-edge production work from Dr. Dre, who really steals the show here. He melds together samples of P-Funk and Def Jam, along with the leftover electro sounds of mid-'80s Los Angeles and the concurrent hip-hop motifs of New York City, in the end creating a dense, unique, and funky style that sounded absolutely revolutionary in 1988 when Eazy-E rode this album to much success. It helps too that Eazy has an exceptional batch of songs to work with here, including a remix of "Boyz-n-the Hood," which had originally appeared on N.W.A and the Posse. Granted, Eazy isn't an especially gifted MC, to put it mildly, but his perverse sense of humor compensates, as does the support he gets from his N.W.A associates. Again, Dr. Dre simply steals the show here. Don't be surprised if you find yourself enjoying Eazy-Duz-It more for the production than for the rapping, all the more so if you don't share Eazy's sense of humor, which is generally sexist, violent, and unconstructive to society in general (making him the prototypical "gangsta"). In the end, Eazy enjoyed only a brief recording career, with this album standing head and shoulders above anything else he'd ever record apart from N.W.A. When he'd return for his next go-round, 5150 Home 4 tha Sick, he wouldn't have Dr. Dre on his side, let alone Ice Cube, and the difference couldn't be starker. Very good if not great, Eazy-Duz-It was as good as it ever got for Eazy, sadly."
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Mack-10, "The Recipe":
"It became commonplace during the mid- to late '90s for rappers to litter their albums with a small nation's worth of guest stars, both for commercial purposes and for all-important sonic variety. At its worst, this tactic can lead to albums where the ostensible star ends up sounding like a guest at their own party. But at its best, the more-the-merrier formula can result in stellar albums like Mack 10's The Recipe, an unambitious but enormously satisfying slice of pop-savvy late-'90s gangsta rap that features a slew of the hottest names in hip-hop, from Eazy E to Master P to ODB and many, many more. Mack 10 got his big break from mentor/gangsta rap pioneer Ice Cube, who not surprisingly lends his gruff presence to two of the album's standout tracks: "Should I Stay or Should I Go," a borderline sacrilegious but effective reworking of the Clash classic, and "Ghetto Horror Show," a similarly cheesy but enjoyable slice of gangsta rap gothic featuring a scene-stealing turn by the underrated Jayo Felony. Snoop Dogg trades verses with the laconic but authoritative Mack 10 on another of the album's highlights, "LBC and the ING," driven by a familiar but undeniably infectious sample of "Heartbeat," one of the greatest and most-used loops in the history of hip-hop. "Money's Just a Touch Away," the album's Gerald Levert-assisted first single, is a too-slick attempt at radio-friendly crossover success, but Mack 10's sole solo showcase, "The Letter," is a surprisingly eloquent and well-reasoned defense of gangsta rap. The Recipe probably won't convert many non-believers, but for fans of straightforward, late-'90s gangsta rap, it's about as good as it gets."
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Snoop Dogg, "Tha Doggfather":
"A lot happened to Snoop Doggy Dogg between his debut, Doggystyle, and his second album, Tha Doggfather. During those three years, he became the most notorious figure in hip-hop through a much-publicized murder trial, where he was found not guilty, and he also became a father. Musically, the most important thing to happen to Snoop was the parting of ways between his mentor Dr. Dre and his record label, Death Row. Dre's departure from Death Row meant that Snoop had to handle the production duties on Tha Doggfather himself, and the differences between the two records are immediately apparent. Though it works the same G-funk territory, the bass is less elastic and there is considerably less sonic detail. In essence, all of the music on Tha Doggfather reworks the funk and soul of the late '70s and early '80s, without updating it too much -- there's not that much difference between "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" and "Oops Up Side Your Head," for instance. Though the music isn't original, and the lyrics break no new territory, the execution is strong -- Snoop's rapping and rhyming continue to improve, while the bass-heavy funk is often intoxicating. At over 70 minutes, Tha Doggfather runs too long to not have several filler tracks, but if you ignore those cuts, the album is a fine follow-up to one of the most successful hip-hop albums in history."
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

^^ that looks more like a background check than an album review... and is quite boring, i would like to hear about each song, not jus the album, because you can go anywhere to see an overall album review, but if people want to take their time and write out opinions for each track then thats their choice, if it sooo boring to you then don't read it!!

[LyRiCaL_G]

track by track reviews are better if they have a summary at the end, i see what u saying about not really saying much about the joint though still during the review, i do that shit all the time, but i couldnt give a fuck,lol

peace