The Nature of 'Promo Reviews'

[Miggy D]

Hey Interferencers,

I, like you, have been reading the sneak previews from all of the respective magazines. I, like you, am incredibly excited by them. From reading, I got the idea that this might be the best U2 album ever made. But then someone posted a sneak preview of ATYCLB that was posted Sept. 30, 2000. I just read it. Now you should:

http://www.u2station.com/documents/atyclb/albumreviews/billboard_review.txt

ATYCLB is not my favorite U2 album, and I don't like all the songs. But from reading this review, you are led to believe that all of these songs are equal in greatness, and the opinions of this reviewer do not really gel with mine at ALL. Walk On as a love song? Peace On Earth as "epic"? 'Walk On' is an inspirational song, and when I think 'epic' I think WTSHNN, or 'Bad.' And the description of Grace...well, I don't know about that.

All of these reviews for HTDAAB are overwhelmingly positive, and indeed they could all be completely accurate. But it seems that the nature of early 'promo' reviews is to be overwhelmingly positive. Does anyone remember the few promo reviews for 'The Matrix: Reloaded'? They in no way agreed with the bulk of actual reviews that came later on, and did not accurately reflect the crap-fest that was that horrible movie. Promo reviews simply aren't like actual ones. They're made to 'promote' something that is upcoming, and the nature of promotion is positivity.

Again - this isn't to say that this album will be bad in any way shape or form. I'm sure I'll love some of the songs like my non-existant children. I'm now simply trying to have realistic expectations, and read any further 'promo reviews' with a grain of salt.

Take care,

-Miggy

 

[Catman]

You know, I've been a bit wary of this, too. I've tried to find The Sun's review of ATYCLB, but came up empty handed. Bono said this album is up there with Achtung Baby as one of the best records U2 has ever made. Didn't, at one point, he say that ATYCLB was his favorite :huzzah:

Anyway, I'm going to reserve my judgements on this album until I hear it for myself...don't want my expectations tainted by overtly positive 'promo reviews.'

 

[Hoodlem]

I agree 100%
I am trying not to get too excited...(like I was for ATYCLB...big let down)

These early reviews are from people who obviously do not know what they are talking about. This latest one stated that "Two Hearts" is on "October". Come on, at least check your facts before writing something like that.

Another thing to consider is that it takes months or years (for me at least) to know if music is truly great. I loved ATYCLB at first and for a few months but after that it started to wear a bit thin. On the other hand, I am still blown away by the majesty that is Achtung Baby.

That being said, of what we have heard so far (of the actual music), I really like what I hear and have great hope for what they are capable of.

 

[VertiGone]

It's an Edge album. That's really all i needed to know before getting ridiculously excited. I'm sure Bono will step up his lyrical game to try and compete with what the edge is doing. I would imagine it's hard to write powerful lyrics when your backdrop is the wuss music backing Grace or Peace on Earth. Don't worry people, these previews are awesome because the album will be awesome.

 

[riteshbhatt1]

I think most of the article is "accurate." I would describe most of those songs in the same way as well if I just heard it once or twice. Walk On can relate to people in different ways.

 

[oceane]

Very good post, Miggy D. I completely agree. I'm also super-excited about the album, but I also remember as much hype before the release of ATYCLB. Because of it, I had very high expectations, and was a bit dissapointed at my fist listen. I later learned to appreciate the album a lot, but I'm trying to be careful this time around not to get my expectations too high.

And the time thing is also totally true. I don't think I could have understood how important albums like JT or AB would become in my life when I first listened to them ( or any U2 album for that matter).

That being said, I'm very confident about this album, partly because of what I've read, but mostly because the little bit from it that I've heard. (I still think Vertigo is the best thing they have released since AB)

 

[Phalanx]

Yea, I posted this in another thread. It's fun to be excited, but it's important to remain realistic about this as well.

 

[Lancemc]

Well, while you may not love the album or some of the songs on it, i have to admit that that review was acctually quite accurate. They may make out some songs like Peace On Earth or Grace to be a little better than they are, but the descriptions of them as well as evey other song there are spot on.

 

[U2 addict]

well we all heard Vertigo haven't we, & thats much better than anything on ATYCLB(which says a lot ), so I think things can only get better

 

[RademR]

well we all heard Vertigo haven't we, & thats much better than anything on ATYCLB(which says a lot ), so I think things can only get better

good point, although I definetly agree somewhat with miggs and am aware of the "pro-u2 reviews". But some of these reviews, especially this last one, looks really refreshing. On the other hand, I have heard VERTIGO (I think its great), and clips of three other songs and their all just as good to me. So thats 4 great songs, so at worst we'll get 7 crap songs, and what are the odds of that? This is feedback we're talking about.

 

[tkramer]

well we all heard Vertigo haven't we, & thats much better than anything on ATYCLB(which says a lot ), so I think things can only get better

I tend to agree with the addict. I love vertigo, and not one of these articles have mentioned it as being among the top 3 of the new tunes. They just say it rocks and is a nice kickoff...

 

[MrBrau1]

well we all heard Vertigo haven't we, & thats much better than anything on ATYCLB(which says a lot ), so I think things can only get better

I don't agree that Vertigo is better than anything on ATYCLB. BD, Stuck, Walk On, Kite?

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

I think the last album could have done with a couple of Vertigos, good as it is.. but you are right Miggy we do need to exercise caution and not expect the world of this album. Having said that these previews give the impression of a more ambitious, epic album full of great songs..I didn't get that impression from the ATYCLB previews, more a very solid album sort of thing.

 

[shart1780]

Well... unless they pull another October or Rattle and Hum I'll be perfectly happy.

Achtung Baby and ATYCLB are my two favorite albums, and Zooropa and Pop are amazing as well. I don't think I have anything to worry about!!!

 

[Roland of Gilead]

With every U2 release that I have ever purchased (first day releases of JT to current), I am always hit with the same thought on first listens.

. o O (Is that all?)

There are usually 2 songs that stick after first listens and the rest I have to date more before bedding them.

These reviews do one thing for me. They determine the SPEED at which I will travel to the store to pick it up. If they were all bad reviews, I'd still purchase this as soon as I could. I just wouldn't run.

 

[Inner El Guapo]

Go to metacritic.com, look in the music section, search for U2.
The only entry they have for U2 is ATYCLB and it has about 10 reviews (if not more) and you can judge for yourself

Personally, I read 2 or 3 ATYCLB reviews that were dead on and the rest either were hit and miss or completely fluff pieces.

 

[RademR]

With every U2 release that I have ever purchased (first day releases of JT to current), I am always hit with the same thought on first listens.

. o O (Is that all?)

I'm the exact same way. The only CD I've ever heard where I liked it from the start was AB. When I first heard B-Day, I was like, uhhh??? Then I fell in love with it, funny thing is, when I first heard VERTIGO I loved it. could be a good sign, for me at least...

 

[Miggy D]

The point is though, those reviews you read on metacritic are much different from 'promo reviews'. ACTUAL reviews are when a reviewer gets a cd maybe 2 weeks before its release, and is able to listen to it a dozen or more times before sitting and down and writing about it. He/she has the time to analyze each song musically and lyrically. These 'reviews' that are coming out right now are in a controlled environment, with members of PM or U2 present, and the 'reviewer' gets to listen to it once through, and maybe, maybe twice. There's no time to digest, and no time to analyze, and if U2 gave you the chance to review the music early, they're assuming you'll write something positive. Early reviews are intended to be hype - this is where some of U2's purported 17 million pounds is going.

 

[Phalanx]

That isn't to say we're going to be disappointed with the album - I think that's being far from the truth, but basically we should remain grounded and not delude ourselves into thinking each song will blow our pants off.

 

[Inner El Guapo]

The point is though, those reviews you read on metacritic are much different from 'promo reviews'. ACTUAL reviews are when a reviewer gets a cd maybe 2 weeks before its release, and is able to listen to it a dozen or more times before sitting and down and writing about it. He/she has the time to analyze each song musically and lyrically. These 'reviews' that are coming out right now are in a controlled environment, with members of PM or U2 present, and the 'reviewer' gets to listen to it once through, and maybe, maybe twice. There's no time to digest, and no time to analyze, and if U2 gave you the chance to review the music early, they're assuming you'll write something positive. Early reviews are intended to be hype - this is where some of U2's purported 17 million pounds is going.

Point well taken.

For further reviews, BEFORE the album ATYCLB was released check atu2.com, news section, then look for reviews that were before the release of the album. There are a few, some of them are even on that metacritic link, but I get the point miggy was making.

 

[Teta040]

As some one who lives in a town with a lot of good bookstores, I have been able to get access to Billboard easily. I've read Billboard cover to cover, every week, since the mid-80's. (No lie ).

And I have to say that the folks at Billborad are the most polite people in the biz. This type of review is typical of their editorial style. They look for the good in everything. They very RARELY openly dis anybody, and even when you're reading a bad review, it comes across as more of a "politely questioning" one. (A rare atist who consistently gotten scathing, uncharacterisitc "exception" reviews is Micheal Jackson, starting in the 90s. Intruiging.)

I have learned to spot the "U2 people" in most major US publications as well. Like Edna Gurdenson in USA Today, (her debut peice was the JT review--I still have it in a scrapbook), Naill stokes in the NY Times, and the biggest of all, Robert Hilburn in the LA Times. Bono has called him "our American conscience" along with Bruce Springsteen.) Not to mention Rolling Stone.

LIke I said somewhere lese yesterday, we'll know it's a classic if Entertainment Weekly gives it at least a B+. and the Wash Post priases it to the skies.

At this stage in their career...Bene Gesserit style "planting" is all good...IF you have something good to promote!

 

[Lo-Fi]

The music week preview was the only one that got me excited about the new record. Neil McCormack stated that this record is a mash of all their style's of workings, the music week preview read like that. All the other previews just read like The Joshua Tree part II and I wasn't really that intrested in listening to that.

Yep, all the previews have been very positive, maybe it's because it is an excellent record. I mean, I don't see NME giving a good preview if they didn't like the record. They in the past have always been fairly anti-U2. Would we be happier if all the previews said that the record was average or poor? I don't think so, it's just because we're hearing so many good things that we are chosing to doubt the previews.

Fair enough ATYCLB wasn't the record for me and I was sorely disappointed with it, but that one record hasn't put me off the new one, this is a band that has produced quality music for the past 25 years with very few average never mind poor records. Have more faith. We'll know ourselves in a few short weeks.

 

[elevation]

Great post, Miggy! I read the ATYCLB -preview and I was like: What? Is that really ATYCLB? I couldn't recognise any of it. That said, I think Vertigo is THE most rocking thing since HMTMKMKM (And is FAR better than 90 % of the material on ATYCLB) so I don't think I'll be disappointed. In fact, right now I'm really looking forward to the album

 

[Numb1075]

I sound like a broken record sometimes, but even U2s "worst" albums have some of my favorite tracks of all time and is infinitely better than most other musicians of the past 25 years....just my humble opinion.

So,even if HTDAAB is their worst seller ever, it'll still be excellent to me.