another bad review link

[TheWhite~Rose]

My friends from my old school HATE celtic woman. Their reasons: it's not "normal" and they don't know how they are.

That's kind of interesting actually, because what is considered "normal?"  Forgive me, I can understand if it's not their taste, but to lable it as "not normal" shows ignorance on their part...at least in my opinion.

Back on topic, however, I do agree with MaryN. and Western_Rose on this.  It is all based on preference and we shouldnt let it bother us too much.  Celtic Woman has a huge number of fans supporting them.  If you yourself enjoy the music, then that's all that really matters.  So don't let it dampen your spirits--there's a new tour starting next week!

[aislin]

In this case normal would be what's popular and best selling. So basically whatever you hear on your local top 40 station. And you can totally measure normal. As a sociologist, you can't know what to study if you can't identify what deviates from the norm. Aren't you glad you asked?

aislin

[TheWhite~Rose]

In this case normal would be what's popular and best selling. So basically whatever you hear on your local top 40 station. And you can totally measure normal. As a sociologist, you can't know what to study if you can't identify what deviates from the norm. Aren't you glad you asked?

aislin

So does that make us fans "not normal?"

[Scott]

Did any of you see what I just saw?  If so perhaps you will be as mad about it as I am.   

First, I want to agree with everyone above me; the journalist basically posted his opinion.  He is entitled to that opinion, and I will not disparage his right, even if I think he's dead wrong.  He is after all being paid to have an opinion.

What I take total offense to is what I found at the bottom of his article.  I took the time to read his notes about the other music that he gave more favorable reviews to.  Below that he placed a poll, it said this:


Who is the Best Musical Act to Ever Come out of Ireland?

- Van Morrison
- The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem
- U2
- The Chieftains
- The Saw Doctors
- Other (Please add your answer in the "comments" section at the end of the article.


I will not say he should or should not have placed any of those groups in the poll; what I take complete and total offense to is that he neglected to offer Celtic Woman as a choice!  I am not speaking as a Celtic Woman fan now; I am speaking as a critic of journalism.  This journalist writes a review, then compiles a poll that reflects directly upon one of the acts in his review, but does not directly name them as a choice in his poll.  The poll was obviously included because the review was about Celtic Woman, who are of course Irish; but then he chose not to include them as an option because he obviously believes that all his readers already agree with him about Celtic Woman... but even if they don't, he obviously doesn't want to know that they don't.

It would be the same if he had reviewed a new U2 album, and included that same poll but put "Celtic Woman" in place of "U2."  It would have been a total disrespect to the band U2 and to any fan of theirs who read his review.

Not only have I never seen Celtic Woman been so disrespected by a journalist, I don't recall ever seeing any musical act so disrespected by a journalist. 

[Jason]

I don't know. I can kind of see it.

All of the groups in that poll are pretty famous time-tested Irish groups. I think the "youngest" is the Saw Doctors at 24ish years. They're kind of categorically different from CW at this point, IMO. As when you're polling for the best ever in such a category with these longtime legendary groups, I think it's hard to include those that are still comparably very young.

I agree though; it was a bad choice. But I have a hard time believing it was really an act of ill will and rather was just an unintentionally dense move.

Admittedly, I may think too highly of people.

[CWsenior]

as Lisa said in a resent article interview "For every one person who spoofs them, twenty thank them."<<<<<<IS THIS NOT TRUE or am I just crazy???

[shankdee]

  I have to agree with Scott, it was very disrespectful NOT to include them in the poll. They are one of the leading acts to come from Ireland Today, and are already winning polls and awards galore. He not only is ignorant about the beauty of  their flawless volcals, but their bands and musicians that accompany them as well.  We are very good about voting
in polls for any of C W, one or more of them will always get votes from us. I didn't read far enough to see the poll. I was
so disgusted with his sophomoric review , unenlightened, uninspired. I wouldn't pay any attention to any of what he has to say about other groups based on his blindness to C W, he probably does others the same...calls himself a critic or what not, and gets paid to be so.

shankdee

[MaryNorth93]

First, afcourse I disagree with the person who wrote this critic.

I have to agree with Scott, it was very disrespectful NOT to include them in the poll. They are one of the leading acts to come from Ireland Today, and are already winning polls and awards galore. He not only is ignorant about the beauty of  their flawless volcals, but their bands and musicians that accompany them as well.  

shankdee

It was indeed quite unfriendly to include CW not in the poll. But.. will CW's feature be defined by one poll?

And what's so disrespectfull about this critique? If he would have said, 'these ladies have fake smiles, are bad musicians' or whatever, that would have been disrespectfull. What he says is that the show is too cheesy for him and that he finds the music 'overly-dramatic'. That's what he sees in it, what he feels with the music. And that has all to do with personal preference and taste

What person 1 finds heartbreaking and romantic music, is for person number 2 boring and un-inspiring. I mentioned in my last comment that a class-mate found Send Me A Song a very boring song... Well, hard to imagen, but is there something wrong with that?

Celtic Woman is quality music... But there does exist more quality music. Take for example groups as Coldplay. Coldplay is international well-known and extremely popular here in Holland, especially by people of my age. They are good musicians, but I'm one of the few who don't like their music... They're very good musicians. Af course they aren't bad, it's just not my taste  

Celtic Woman is a fantastic ensemble... They're artists. But if you move yourself in the music-world, people have the right to critize you. I've never seen singer(s)/ensembles/bands/actors/movies which aren't critized. Perfect people don't exist, do they?    

[OldFatGuy]

Anyone notice - the occasional bad CW review linked here always gets many more replies than the hundreds of good ones? Why is that?

[aislin]

They are one of the leading acts to come from Ireland Today, and are already winning polls and awards galore.

I think what's important to recognize from the list of choices in that poll is that those are all REALLY big bands within Ireland. Going by his list, I'd write in The High Kings as they're doing REALLY well over there while CW is all but unknown. And as much as I love CW, all the polls and awards that they're winning aren't mainstream and therefore don't really factor into the public eye.

And I can totally see the reviewers point, if he dislikes CW why should he put it in a poll about people's idea of best musical acts? That's kinda contradictory and makes the reviewer look like a bit of an idiot when CW's fanbase tuns out and gives them 5,000 votes more then anyone else.

aislin

[L.A. Girl]

Was he talking about the same "Songs From The Heart" CD that we all just purchased?  I think it is their second best one to date, even though I miss Orla and Meav. Both Alex and Lynn are terrific!  I absolutely love the song choices.

Dianne

[lifeismusic2009]

I think we should focus on the positive. Check out this great article in the Irish Examiner that Rich posted. It will make your day

http://www.celticwomanforum.com/index.php?topic=11757.0

[Old Guy]

Or, if you want to read reviews of people who are willing to vote with their pocketbooks, go read the reviews on amazon.com. The only complaint I see there (except for one reviewer who just didn't like it at all) were about the video quality. Honestly, I noticed that as well. The wide shots just are not crisp and clear. But the reviews are overwhelmingly very positive about the show.

Okay, I have the DVD playing now and Lynn is starting My Lagan Love. I gotta go watch it!

Gary

[Maggie]

Anyone notice - the occasional bad CW review linked here always gets many more replies than the hundreds of good ones? Why is that?

Why is that? You know the answer, Rich.....it's because that reviewer did his job, of course!
 
He is described as "a nationally-syndicated music reviewer" and he would not survive in that cut-throat profession
if he were sweet and nice.
You have all played right into his hands by discussing how bad his review is.
You are paying him attention. His review was read and got a reaction.
You are even bashing him for not including CW in his list....he must be tickled pink!
It's his list.....not a scientific study.....and by the way, my answer and that of most Irish people
is without a doubt The Chieftains, who have given 48 years of fantastic Irish music to the World,
and an untold number of free sessions in Pubs on both sides of the Atlantic.
They have shared their music selflessly with young musicians and inspired thousands.
I mean if he's asking people from Ireland, not a bunch of other self-important music reviewers from Massachusetts.....

[shankdee]

Perfect people don't exist, do they?    Well, is there a law against it?  They do for me...and they are called Celtic Woman.!

C S