It's hardly worth beating this point over the head any longer but I'll give it one last cudgel.
You do not have to choose between YouTube and reviews. You can have both. Anyone can put a track up on YouTube - anyone can send an album to a reviews editor. The difference? Not all albums sent to a reviews editor will get a review, and most of the time those that do will get a review by someone who has a knowledge and love of the music genre we work within. Sometimes the reviewer won't like what you have produced and that's the risk you take. If you don't want to take that risk, don't send a review copy.
I seriously doubt whether any of my music on YouTube would get to the ears of the fifteen year olds I've been working with but one of these days I'll probably give it a go to find out. I still think that as there's so much stuff out there on YouTube, Last.fm, iTunes and so on it's not easy to attract the attention of casual browsers but I'm willing to be surprised.
I will stick to my guns about the need for the music produced by folkies to be reviewed and looked at critically. I don't read comments on YouTube because for the most part when I've attempted to I've been appalled by the silliness and triviality of the comments. I am more than happy to have my work scrutinised by reviewers on Dirty Linen, Sing Out! and even, yes, on fRoots. As someone (Matt?) said above, it's good to get feedback on what you've spent time, effort, talent and money on producing and it's useful as well to have a few quotes from reviews to add to promo material. I consider I'm working in an art form equally as valid as other music genres, literature, drama, art and even food, and want the same recognition paid to folk.

But Dick, if you don't want to be reviewed it's a very simple choice. Don't sent off review copies. Then you can be sure it won't happen.

I did once put my head above the parapet when, years back, a performance by Anonyma at Sidmouth had a standing ovation (second act into the show) and we had a snarky review in Folk Roots (as it was then). I wrote in and complained, and received double the snarkiness back. Yes, I think the reviewer was biassed and unpleasant and just plain wrong. I also once took quite a bit of half-playful joshing when I reviewed an album by a band and then found myself sharing a session with them at a festival. I've been on both sides of the divide but I still think reviews are useful and important for the credibility of the music.

Potential buyers will make their choices, always, and performers will make theirs.

And thanks, Dave and Bruce, for your kind words - I value comments from folk performers and others with lots of experience on the folk circuit far more highly than comments from "just" reviewers, as it happens.

Anne