How to get cd reviewed

Subject: How to get your cd reviewed
From: GUEST,Claire
Date: 13 May 03 - 03:23 PM

My band (Round the House based in Tucson AZ) is in the final stages of recording our 2nd cd, which is due to be mixed at the end of the month and then sent to be pressed. I was not very successful at finding places to review our first cd and I was wondering if anyone could offer suggestions. As you probably know, you have to send them off to be reviewed shortly after they are released so that it is timely - who wants to review last year's release.

Of course, we would love for the cd to be reviewed by people who are familiar and appreciative of our genre... Irish traditional music and song. Ideally, they would recognize the finer details of the music or even the effort put into creating interesting informative liner notes. However, we are a regional band and I do not want to send the cd off to people who would normally only review straight-from-Ireland cds (Danu, Altan, etc). There must be a middle ground, but how do I find out about it? Does anyone know of reviewers that we could contact?

Thanks in advance for any help you could offer.

Claire

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 13 May 03 - 03:48 PM

Dear Claire,

    We've always sent our recordings to Dirty Linen and Sing Out to get reviewed. We've done fairly well by Dirty Linen. Both Magazines get lots more CD's than they can review. Send a short biographical thing with the CD (nothing too lengthy, but enough to let them know who you are). If you can set up a local concert for a release bash, you might get the local newspapers to cover the CD as well, a review, with an interview from a local paper can look good with your promotional material. If there's a folklore society newsletter, they may also be good for a review of your CD. Good luck.

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: Ed.
Date: 13 May 03 - 03:52 PM

Ideally, they would recognize the finer details of the music or even the effort put into creating interesting informative liner notes.

I don't think many people recognise the finer details until you get really famous...

The liner notes might take longer...

Are you looking to stay regional, or be world famous?

Are you any good?

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: PoppaGator
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:08 PM

What about getting copies of your CD out to radio stations/shows? You might try to contact Fiona Ritchie's nationwide Celtic music program on National Public Radio, "The Thistle and the Shamrock," via email, at:

[e-mail]

Our local community station in New Orleans, which broadcasts mainly jazz and R&B, devotes an hour and a half a week to Irish/Celtic music, "Music in the Glen," from 10 to 11:30 am Central every Saturday morning. The station is on the Internet as well as on the FM radio band, so the signal goes out worldwide. I would recommend that you contact the Celtic-show DJ, Sean O'Meara, except that I know for a fact that (in his own words) he *never* checks his email. Your best bet to reach him would be to phone in while he's on the air, at [phone]. If you're interested in giving a listen, and/or trying to contact Sean, surf to:

www.wwoz.org

There are *many* other stations around the country and the world invovled in netcasting, and some of them undoubtedly pay close attention to your particular style/subculture. Perhaps someone can recommend their favorite(s) [hint].

Thanks to the Internet, it is now possible to be *widely* famous without being papparazzi-famous; that is, it is possible to reach a highly specialized group with members scattered all over the world, a few here and a few there, all adding up to a significant number of listeners/fans/whatever.

While magazines and other print media are one well-established bridge to such a "cult" public, audio webcasting is another promising medium. It's newer, for sure, but potentially even more potent than the printed page, because it's cheaper (no printing nor mailing costs).

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: yrlancslad
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:40 PM

I will be happy to play and review your CD on my radio show which covers the California central coast around Santa Cruz and streams on -line at KZSC.org. If your interested, e-mail me at yrlancslad@ hotmail.com and I'll tell you where to send it.
Program airs 3-6pm on Mondays playing folk music and song from the British Isles and Ireland and "celtic" music from other areas ( canada, USA, Australia etc)

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:41 PM

It would also do no harm to put a few sample tracks on your website (which, for other readers of this thread, is at  http://www.geocities.com/rthfiddler/RTHpage.html). That way, people who see the reviews you do manage to get will be able to find out more and make up their own minds.

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: Aidan Crossey
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:43 PM

Claire ...

Pay The Reckoning (my own website) specialises in reviewing Irish Traditional Music and in recent months has featured quite a few "not-from-Ireland" releases.

Visit Pay The Reckoning Reviews Page and if you like what you see, email me at [e-mail] for a snail-mail address for review material.

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: GUEST,Claire
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:53 PM

Jeez guys, Thank you so much for the input. I have to leave work now, but will read the rest from home and reply again. I will also start compiling my lists and writing my cover letters.

Yes, it would be good to have samples on our web site, but at this point we can't get them on without changing the type of site we have,which would cost money. While we have all agreed to do this, it has slid down the priority list while we got the cd out.

Thanks again, I'll keep checking in. And in answer to Ed - Yes, I think we are good - buy our new cd and find out!

Claire

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: dwditty
Date: 13 May 03 - 07:14 PM

Claire, I am in the same boat...or at least a similar one...in that I have just released a cd. There is tons of information around. While much of it is geared to the future Dave Matthews Bands, the principals are pretty sound. It really comes down to one thing...marketing your music in a way that people will stop and take the time to listen. Right or wrong, this has little bearing on the talent of the band or performer.

One place for a list of hints (maybe 50-60 topics) is www.cdbaby.com. They are geared toward independent musicians. In the Sell Your CD section, there is lots of useful info. There are some excellent suggestion on how to put your fans to work for you in a very postive way... both you and the fans benefit.

Next, buy a copy of the Indie Bible...this tome lists by genre radio stations/shows, magazines that accept submissions for reviews, web sites, etc. It is all over the internet...Amazon etc.   Get the info into a database (I am using ACT) and generate emails, letters, etc. And be clever to get them to take the time to listen.

Check out www.sonicbids.com. For a $50/year subscription you can easily create an electronic press kit with bios, photos, sound clips, reviews, calendars, etc. which can be emailed to people - even while you have them on the phone. If you have everything, it takes about 20 minutes. I used Musicmatch to make the sound clips.

BTW, do you have a website? If so, you neglected to mention it in your post above. (mine is www.dwditty.com ) Direct people to your website. Take pictures of your fans from the stage and post them there, telling them they can go see themselves...they will tell everyone the know and give them your url. (BTW, my site is hosted by a musicians cooperative in Albuquerque...pm me for details if you are interested)

In other words, create a buzz. If you find this goes against your artistic grain, hire someone to do it. The odds are too stacked against people making it on talent alone anymore...sad, but true.

All that being said....I could sure use some suggestions too.

dw

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: dwditty
Date: 13 May 03 - 07:17 PM

Darn, I am going back to making my own clickies in stead of using the clicky maker. Had the same problem in the auction.

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: Cornflake
Date: 13 May 03 - 08:43 PM

Claire, I have no answers, but I'm similarly situated up in Phoenix. Third CD to be done soon. I hope that your group comes up and plays at Fiddler's Dream sometime so that I can hear you.

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: musicmick
Date: 14 May 03 - 01:38 AM

Claire, I write the CD reviews for TUNE UP, a publication of the Phila. Folksong Society. Our readership is close to 10,000, most of whom buy CDs. I am partial to traditional material but I have reviewed some singer/songwriters who write within the tradition or who knock my socks off (it doesn't happen very often). I never pan an independent production. I either like and recommend it or I dont write about it at all. A number of my reviews are posted on Mudcat after they appear in the magazine. You can contact me if you have questions or you can send your CD to

Mike Miller
TUNE UP
Philadelphia Folksong Society
7113 Emlen St.
Phila, PA   19119

I look forward to hearing your work.

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: GUEST,Claire
Date: 14 May 03 - 03:31 PM

I finally had time to read all these replies - so thanks again. I have tried to respond to some of your messages below.

Last time we sent our cd to Dirty Linen, but did not get reviewed. we have filled out the paperwork for cdbaby.com, but haven't finished submitting and paying for that one. Our last cd is also on contracopia. Right now our cd is at Borders (locally), Bookman's Book store (local), Hear's Music (local record store), a couple of web sites, and then we sell them at gigs.

Are there any more suggestions for distributing it on a national level? Has anyone had luck distributing their "regional" cd on a wider level, or is this really an unreasonable expectation.

The release party.....We did a big concert after the first cd was released, and we used that for our cd release party, but this time we are going to plan one. For one thing, we need to recoop some of our costs - this is getting expensive.

Our web site is geocities.com/rthfiddler. (OK, we know it is a pretty obscure url, but it gets the job done most of the time)

dw, I couldn't get into your web site is that the correct address?

Cornflake in Phoenix. What is your band's name (ie who are you). We have thought of playing at Fiddler's Dream - but I don't think it pays very much and we have to drive up from Tucson, so we are hoping to coordinate it with another gig, sometime.

To anyone who would like to write me off list about a reviewer or an opportunity, my e-mail is [e-mail]. I check it in the evenings.

Thanks again.

Claire

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: dwditty
Date: 14 May 03 - 04:22 PM

The blue clicky maker strikes again. Try this: www.dwditty.com

If that doesn't work...try www.dwditty.com    just type it in.

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: Cornflake
Date: 14 May 03 - 07:50 PM

Claire, Fiddler's Dream doesn't pay at all except in tips and CD sales. It's still my favorite place to play. My name's Don Peters and our group's name is Peters & Ayers. Email me at [e-mail] if you want. I can tell you what little there is to know about acoustic venues up this way. By the way, there was a local acoustic publication where we got our last CD reviewed but it's now essentially defunct.

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: outfidel
Date: 14 May 03 - 09:02 PM

Claire - In addition to the above resources, you should send it in to Tom Knapp of Rambles magazine. I don't know its readership #'s, but it's a good on-line journal that focuses on "folk traditions of Ireland, Scotland, France and Spain to the nations of Africa, North America and Scandinavia..." Good luck! Michael

Subject: RE: How to get cd reviewed
From: Willie-O
Date: 14 May 03 - 10:01 PM

Well, being a regional band, you must have regional arts papers, or at least entertainment weeklies, right?

I just got my first actual CD review & interview in such a paper. I've been reviewing other folks' Cd's there for a couple of years. Another musician reviewed mine. We all scratch each others' backs.
I have found it very worthwhile to take an interest, publically, in other peoples' music (In fact, the most interesting thing is seeing how we deal with each others' deficiencies--the typical review is positive but not bubbly).   

Since a common format is the "entertainment weekly", its a good time to get a review in if you give them an event to cover as well. But you know that.

To get national distribution (why stop there? there's a country just north of yours that is very sympathetic to Irish music), I think you need...a national distributor. Nothing unrealistic about it if you can impress Rounder, Green Linnet or one of that ilk.

Good luck
W-O