Pitchfork

swag · 07-19-2011, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matious

Seemingly the most influential alt music news outlet currently. Has always had much uproar and criticism over their reviews, many finding them pretentious and giving out radical scores just for the sake of being different.

The go-to site for hipsters and elitest d-bags, however, i feel like as of late they have hired sold writers and done really cool video interviews, performances etc.

How do others feel about the site?

Only reviewer i take seriously is Piero Scaruffi. He might be a pretentious dick, but i usually agree with him.

Mykonos · 07-19-2011, 12:39 PM

I'm not a fan of them. They're the kind of site that slaps an extra couple of points on an album's score if the band's from Montreal or if their bassist wears ironic sunglasses.

Alfred · 07-19-2011, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by storymilo

The fact that it's practically impossible for a new band/artist to get serious recognition without getting a 'Best new music' from pitchfork is pretty irksome.

Haha, there seems to be a looooot of politics surrounding what qualifies for "Best New Music" on that website.

For example, here are 4 hardcore and metal albums that scored well within the "Best New Music"-qualifying range.

Pitchfork: Album Reviews: Baroness: Blue Record
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/...spiral-shadow/
Pitchfork: Album Reviews: Pig Destroyer: Phantom Limb
Pitchfork: Album Reviews: Converge: Axe to Fall

And here are 4 standard indie (whether it be synthpop, indie rock, whatever) albums that scored below all of these albums, yet still managed to snag the "Best New Music" tag. It's pretty obvious that Pitchfork will only give a BNM to albums that they know hipsters (their target audience) will eat up, at least up to the 8.5 or 8.6 range.

Pitchfork: Album Reviews: Liars: Sisterworld
Pitchfork: Album Reviews: Wild Nothing: Gemini
Pitchfork: Album Reviews: Broken Social Scene: Forgiveness Rock Record
Pitchfork: Album Reviews: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: Belong

Sparky · 07-19-2011, 08:49 PM

Has anyone here been to the pitchfork music fest?

As painful as it would be to be squeezed in with teenie boppers in vans it's honestly the only music festival that interests me right now.

captaincaptain · 07-19-2011, 10:29 PM

Tour announcements. That is it.

zachsd · 07-19-2011, 11:44 PM

Quote:

As painful as it would be to be squeezed in with teenie boppers in vans it's honestly the only music festival that interests me right now.

Yeah, Pitchfork usually seems to have a pretty good lineup. All Tomorrow's Parties is usually far better, however.

And I pretty much never use Pitchfork, just Rate Your Music. Sometimes I'll look up a specific album on Pitchfork just to see how they view it, and to see if my expectation of their viewpoint fits the bill.

Mykonos · 07-20-2011, 04:47 AM

For reviews I use Uncut. They actually seem to listen to the album properly and base their opinion on absolutely nothing else, while Pitchfork will judge things like the band's image, Rolling Stones can be a bit... liberal with reviews, NME will give 5 stars to anything that sounds like Oasis and 1 to everything else and PopMatters have absolutely no music taste whatsoever.

~~James~~ · 07-20-2011, 04:50 AM

I prefer Tiny Mix Tapes for that kind of website but Pitchfork isn't as awful as people make out.

The Final Track · 07-20-2011, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mykonos

For reviews I use Uncut. They actually seem to listen to the album properly and base their opinion on absolutely nothing else, while Pitchfork will judge things like the band's image, Rolling Stones can be a bit... liberal with reviews, NME will give 5 stars to anything that sounds like Oasis and 1 to everything else and PopMatters have absolutely no music taste whatsoever.

I agree

Landon · 07-20-2011, 07:25 AM

I rarely agree with their album scores but I like the features, interviews and other stuff they have. I've noticed they seem to be reviewing a lot more hip-hop over the last year.

07-19-2011, 12:39 PM	#12 (permalink)
Mykonos AWhatup Ganache? Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 381	I'm not a fan of them. They're the kind of site that slaps an extra couple of points on an album's score if the band's from Montreal or if their bassist wears ironic sunglasses. __________________ 'Not that Becktionary, the Rhyming Becktionary!'- Bender Bending Rodriguez

07-19-2011, 10:29 PM	#15 (permalink)
captaincaptain I Am Become Death Metal Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Stankonia Posts: 695	Tour announcements. That is it. __________________ LAST.FM RYM

07-20-2011, 04:47 AM	#17 (permalink)
Mykonos AWhatup Ganache? Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 381	For reviews I use Uncut. They actually seem to listen to the album properly and base their opinion on absolutely nothing else, while Pitchfork will judge things like the band's image, Rolling Stones can be a bit... liberal with reviews, NME will give 5 stars to anything that sounds like Oasis and 1 to everything else and PopMatters have absolutely no music taste whatsoever. __________________ 'Not that Becktionary, the Rhyming Becktionary!'- Bender Bending Rodriguez

07-19-2011, 08:49 PM	#14 (permalink)
Sparky not really Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 5,223	Has anyone here been to the pitchfork music fest? As painful as it would be to be squeezed in with teenie boppers in vans it's honestly the only music festival that interests me right now.

07-20-2011, 04:50 AM	#18 (permalink)
~~James~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,483	I prefer Tiny Mix Tapes for that kind of website but Pitchfork isn't as awful as people make out.

07-20-2011, 07:25 AM	#20 (permalink)
Landon Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: The Emerald Isle Posts: 145	I rarely agree with their album scores but I like the features, interviews and other stuff they have. I've noticed they seem to be reviewing a lot more hip-hop over the last year.