"I'm sure he wouldn't mind a cogent analysis of his style - he might indeed welcome it if it enabled him to make beneficial changes."

Should music criticism in the context of an internet music discussion board such as this, ever be intentionally directed at and intended for the benefit of artists? No I don't think so. There are the professionals that they work with in the recording industry / festival circuit and so-on, who can do that.

Indeed should ANY musical criticism be deemed for the *benefit* of an artist, other than that which they might receive from tutors, collaborators and those who patronise their work professionally, or otherwise have a particular interest in promoting or supporting their career?

I don't always agree with the stuff SO'P comes out with, but he's surely entitled to express a personal opinion of a peers work on a public music forum, however it may be expressed? After all I rather think that whateter SO'P or I or indeed any average punter might personally feel about Jim Causley's work, however expressed in the context of an online music discussion board such as this, isn't going to alter his fortunes in the big bright world 'out there' one teensy weensy jot.

In the context of other music discussions on this board, I'll confess to have made quite a few unflattering things about popular folk musicians work myself, including some of Jim's stuff. I hope that this forum doesn't start to promote restrictions on what people feel they can say about the very music we're actually here to discuss? Because I wouldn't feel comfortable with that kind of repression of free speech at all.