In another attempt to improve the usefulness of such subjective reviews, I will break down the rating into parts:
1) The "Doink" Factor - This is paying hommage to Peter Gluck who used the term "doink" to refer to some immediate and shocking revelation; that moment in time when you realize something and finally "get it". As an example, one time my brother Dave and I heard "He Knows You Know" while having a beer at Sugarbush midstation one April spring-skiing day. That was the first time we ever heard Fish and Marillion. Now THAT was a doink! Tom and I also shared a monstrous doink while listening to Fish singing "Misplaced Childhood" while sitting in his old Toyota wagon. In this rating system, it will rank the overall "Wow" factor. I have had major Doinks more recently listening to Sylvan and Riverside. (4 Possible Points)
2) Sound Quality/Production - This one may be obvious but I feel it is worth singling out because there are phenomenal albums that have mediocre sound quality and there are albums with superb sound quality that leave you wanting. (3 Possible Points)
3) Song-Writing - This one is a little tricky to define but is some way of rating the arrangement; the actual structure of the songs. Sometimes songs seem to be too long or the ending doesn't work (e.g., a fade-out when there should have been a quick, big Dave Dery ending). Sometimes songs meander without a clear path. (3 Possible Points)
4) Overall Score - Add up the points from each category. There are a total of 10 points possible. I made the Doink Factor worth more since I think it's the most important factor. Of course, this can be altered or tweaked but I will list these factors and the overall score at the end of my subjective review.
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Hey:
It's Dave D. amd it is cool to see that I have been identified with endings as a criteria for "Boink" points. I would like to point out that for an ending to be great it doesn't necessarily have to be quick. As a matter of fact they can be quite long. Good example: Kansas' "Death of Mother Nature Suite" which lasts for about 1 minute and 20 seconds. Perhaps a better example is the ending of "Into The Sun" on Grand Funk Live". Now if that doesn't bring you out of your seat nothing will. Rush is even nice enough to name the last movement of 2112 "Grand Finale" and a grand one it is! To stretch to Classical music, Tchaikovsky's "Marche Slave" is a big one and most of Suppe's Overtures for example "Poet and Peasant" end with huge well..BOINKS! Does anyone else have any examples?
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