CD reviews, it's time again

Subject: CD reviews, it's time again
From: musicmick
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 06:52 PM

Happy end of summer, mudcatters. The Philly Festival is over and that means that TUNE UP first issue of the new season is being written as we speak. I have enough unreviewed CDs on hand to cover the first month but this is a great time to submit work for the late fall and winter issues. Remember to include information about where and how to purchase your product and dont forget to include the price. If your CD is available at Tower or through Amazon or the like, I will so inform my readers. If you have a website, I will pass it on. You can send CDs to me at the office.

Mike Miller

Philadelphia Folksong Society

7113 Emlen St. Phila PA 19119

If you have questions, you can contact me directly. I look forward to hearing your recordings.

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 10:28 PM

I traced this thread when it was posted last August. I was going through my personal page and realized that it still had just the one post -- all alone. Have any of you sent this gentleman anything? You should. There's a lot of good music floating around in here.

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: Willie-O
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 10:40 PM

Stephen, thanks for bringing it out, but I think it's an orphan thread. There was one or two follow-up threads and several CD's were submitted including mine. Check with Wysiwyg, she's tasked with getting the reviews from Mike and posting them here after their publication in PFS.

W-O

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 12:31 PM

Cool!! I'd hate to see any of us pass this up. you know how musicians are, though -- never put off until tomorrow something that you can put off until the day after tomorrow *G*.

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: michaelr
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 08:51 PM

Well, I sent mine ages ago, and have yet to hear anything. I even started this thread to find out, and I still don't know. (Mike said "I think I reviewed your CD but I have to ask Susan to be sure"... and that was the end of that.)

Pretty weird...

Michael

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 09:48 PM

Michael, I answered you about that in the thread you postid i about it, and as far as I know, YOU never answered THAT. Look it up and let's start from there, OK?

~Susan

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: musicmick
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 10:14 PM

Hi, gang

I have received and reviewed some two dozen Mudcat submissions to date, most of which were posted on this site. I can not review every CD I receive because I have only so many column inches each month, and because I never print a review unless I like the CD enough to reccomend it. I never pan a recording. The last thing an independent production needs is a lukewarm review. Fortunately, I have heard so many fine products that I have had a hell of a time choosing which ones to write about. If I have not reported on your submission, I am sorry but I can only cover three or four per month. I truly thank those of you who have sent me your CDs and I trust that my column has been some help in publicising and merchandising for those artists on whose work I have reported. I cant say enough about the help I have gotten from Susan Hinton. She reads 'em, cleans 'em up and posts 'em.

         Mike

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 10:29 PM

Mike -- I didn't revive this thread to cause you any problems. i apologize if that has been the case. Thankyou for providing the opportunity for some of us to get into print.

Stephen L. Rich

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: reggie miles
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 10:31 PM

So, Mike, given your lack of column space, is it actually your wish to receive even more cds as you stated in your original post on Aug 26th or have you changed your mind?

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: musicmick
Date: 24 Oct 02 - 07:11 PM

Cher Reggie, I am always receptive to new CDs. I write about the best or most interesting products that I hear. In theory, I report on recordings in the order I receive them but order is always subject to alteration when I hear an exciting sound or concept. A review is, by its very nature, a subjective reaction. No intelligent reader sees a review as the final word but, in the case of independant productions that tend to be ignored by the media, a review in a folksong publication can have a telling effect on the success of a project. That's why I dont write negative reviews.

TUNE UP is a publication for the members of the Philadelphia Folksong Society. It has a readeship of 4,500 to 5,000, all of whom are potential customers. The PFS is the greatest single source of folk bookings in the northeast US. We produce monthly concerts, house concerts, workshops, school and library programs, community service programs and what is, almost certainly, the major folk festival in America. My column is a service offered to independent producers so that otherwise unheralded quality work might be announced and encouraged. I hope that you Mudcatters will continue to send me your CDs. This is a great site and I an pleased to include you in my column.

          Mike Miller

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: michaelr
Date: 24 Oct 02 - 09:08 PM

Susan -- I went back to that thread, as well as your reviews thread, and I don't see where you answered my question. What am I missing?

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Oct 02 - 12:50 AM

Mostly what Mike said above-- that if you were not reviewed, that's his call. I also think it's kinda odd to get a hue and cry that this or that individual CD was not reviewed, while at the same time artists reviewed thus far don't seem to be falling all over themselves realizing their review has even been posted. I guess thgat's because they're so busy gigging that they miss their review and never think to look.... But also, there's the lack of interest apparently displayed by other Mudcatters-- I post the reviews but the thread promptly dies till I go find it again to add more. I've yet to hear that any of the reviews have gone any further once they are posted... it would be helpful to know if having them here serves any purpose other than momentary gratification of being included. It's not that I am looking for a bushel of thank you notes-- but if it's wasted effort, I HATE wasted effort, especially mine, and I am pretty busy these days with my own music and promotion.

~Susan

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Oct 02 - 02:13 AM

I've just added the ones next due to go up-- HERE-- the ones Mike did just as summer arrived. I have seen the next batch due for imminent PFS publication, to include at Mudcat NEXT month, so I do think I have everything Mike has reviewed for PFS so far.

~Susan

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: michaelr
Date: 25 Oct 02 - 10:01 PM

Susan, you can be sure that I would check, and notice!

As far as "hue and cry", you may not realize that there is more than vanity involved here. For those of us making small-label or self-produced CDs, reviews by folks such as musicmic mean A LOT. They are used to quote from in our PR packages, and are of great value in lending legitimacy to our efforts, which generally don't get reviewed by major publications.

So please be assured I'm not trying to hassle anyone; but since I made the effort of sending out my work for review, I did hope to end up with an actual review.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Oct 02 - 10:08 PM

I just post what I work on with Mike. I don't manage his output, I don't have anything to do with his choices-- I'm not "tasked" with anything; I do someone a favor who has trouble copying and pasting. It's a favor because I support indie music.

I'm current with what was to have been posted as far as I know. Beyond that, people need to work within the guidelines he's laid out. Sending me the info I have requested helps too. (So far only two Catters have done that.) I wonder sometimes if Mike and I care more about promoting the CDs than the artists do.

~Susan

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: musicmick
Date: 25 Oct 02 - 11:53 PM

I am well aware how much energy, money, time and pride an artist invests in a recording project. I have spent more hours in the studio than I care to recall. I have functioned as producer, as arranger and as sideman on sessions in New York, Philly, Ireland and Israel. My sympathies are always with the artists. I would love to be able to publicize every CD I receive. They are equal in dedication and intent.
But, space limitation being what it is, choices have to be made. My selections are based on an array of standards and personal preference.
I am a traditionalist. I love those songs that represent a culture and the rituals that serve that culture. The publication, for which I write, is an organ of a folksong society and I feel that we should be charged with promotion of traditional music. There are those who disagree with my position. This is not to say that I never review singer/songwriters but, when I do they are usually writing very much within a traditional form and they are very, very, very good.
I am also more likely to chat up a local product. This is, after all, a Philadelphia based readership. Still I have reviewed CDs from as far away as Wales, from Canada, from jolly old England and from all over the USA. I hope you will keep submitting your CDs and I promise to review as many as my mean old editor will let me.

    Mike

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Oct 02 - 01:11 PM

As far as "hue and cry", you may not realize that there is more than vanity involved here. For those of us making small-label or self-produced CDs, reviews by folks such as musicmic mean A LOT. They are used to quote from in our PR packages, and are of great value in lending legitimacy to our efforts, which generally don't get reviewed by major publications.

Of course I realize that-- it's the only reson I volunteered to do this at all. BTW, I think of Tune-Up as a "major publication," given its circulation.



I think I can help resolve the "What happened with my review?" question once and for all, and anyone may quote me when it comes up again in future:

1. Join the PFS, so that you will receive Tune-Up when it comes out. That's the fastest way to get your copy if you have been reviewed.

And/or:

2. Trace the review thread onto your personal page so that whenever you come check in at Mudcat, you can easily check to see if Mike has reviewed you. And you get the copy without having to retype it, too, plus you can link to it from your website.

Finally:

3. PM Mike, not me, with any questions. I have nothing to do with the process except the favor I do him to format and post these for him while he continues to learn about computer processes (like copying and pasting and making things boldface in posts). I can understand that people don't want to "bug" him with questions. But I am not the middleman here-- I don't have the information to answer your questions, and in most cases I don't even know that you have sent him anything because people are not sending me the information I've requested.

I strongly recommend that people not post in a thread, asking, "Have I been reviewed?". The likely result is an embarrassing public reminder of Mike's policy from the outset-- that he only reviews what he likes among... the best of what he receives. And the review may not always appear near the time when it was received-- if the column (or his time to listen) is full for the month following his receiving your CD, it may be reviewed in a later, lighter month... or it may not.

Best of luck,

~Susan

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: musicmick
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 12:25 AM

Susan, as usual, has said it better and terser. Those who have questions can contact me directly by mail or by e-mail. I answer every question, sometimes intelligently. [e-mail]

             Mike

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: Oaklet
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 08:39 AM

Mike, if you receive in the next few days an unsolicited copy of Cara's "Asleep Behind the Settee", it wasn't me, roight?

Subject: RE: CD reviews, it's time again
From: John P
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 09:21 PM

"So please be assured I'm not trying to hassle anyone; but since I made the effort of sending out my work for review, I did hope to end up with an actual review."

Michael, get a clue. How long have you been sending out CDs for review? Every reviewer I've ever talked to gets about 50 times more CDs than they can review. I think I've gotten, at best, one review for every five CDs I've sent out. What makes you think you are owed a review simply because you went to all the effort to try to promote yourself? Do you also hassle venues that don't give you gigs?

John Peekstok