..and it's great work to get if you. Can.
Since the beginning of time the heavens open to give mankind a priceless and unique gift to help him through his struggle; the latest gift came to us on December 8th, 2009. I am talking about the Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ latest studio album; Pin Points and Gin Joints. Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones have been thrashing their way through tour after tour since the 80’s! Having released their first major studio album in 1989, The Bosstones are one of the longest surviving bands in the ska genre; playing music that can be described only as third-wave-ska-punk-rock. Pin Points and Gin Joints is the product of the Bosstones’ long hiatus (we will call these ‘the dark years’) after releasing Jackknife to a Swan in 2002; with a new producer (Tedd Hutt)and almost a year of meticulous writing and recording, Pin Points and Gin Joints is likely to please a very starved Bosstones’ fan base.
At first listen, the album is reminiscent of their album Pay Attention which was a break in the trend of darker Bosstones music. Bosstones’ bassist, Joe Gittleman, was aiming for “a fun, upbeat record with a lot of cool ska stuff;” songs that would be fun for the band to perform on their new pre-release and post-release shows. The first song “Graffiti Worth Reading” hits your ears hard with a heinous shout from Bosstones’ trombonist, Chris Rhodes; the track features bright vocals and bouncing horn-lines over a very poppy upbeat ska background. The track, along with: “Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah,” “Not To Me On That Night,” and “Pretty Sad Excuse,” give the listener a trip back to the hot summer days of the 90’s when the radio would play “The Impression That I Get,” off of Let’s Face It , every other song…what glorious days. Although the Bosstones’ flourish in the party-ska environment, the album lacks slightly in the versatility the Bosstones are known for; this lack of diversity may be an essential component to one of the main themes of the album: saying goodbye.
If you are looking for the darker side of Dicky Barrett and the Bosstones’, you won’t be finding much. Their newest album only features a few tracks that take the listener through the dark Boston alleys, or through some of the beer-soaked college tales of their youth. These darker tracks include "The Bricklayer’s Story” and “The Death Valley Vipers,” a song telling the tale of a biker gang. “The Bricklayer’s Story” is a fierce track that details the life of a Scottish American bricklayer in Boston; although it would be better placed on 1994 album, Question the Answers; it’s placement on Pin Points and Gin Joints help diversify the album and say to the Bosstones’ harder fans “we’ve still got it.” When listening to the album in it’s entirety this song will sneak up on the listener, placed perfectly toward the end of the album it gives the album the “story effect” that the Bosstones are known for.
The Bosstones do an incredible job with one thing that will make a lasting effect on the most devout fan, as well as even the newest listeners; Pin Points and Gin Joints is a very obvious “goodbye” from the Bosstones. The history of the Bosstones is one of the more astounding features of the band; playing music since their early teens, the Bosstones have survived to this day as an eight person band full of guitars, ‘bones, tones and saxophones. From first album to last, the listener can be taken from their garage band days, to their last hurrah as they exit their youth with tracks off of Pin Points and Gin Joints such as “The Route That I Took;” a song detailing the paths chosen by singer, Dicky Barrett, as well as the motives and outcomes of those paths. In summary, if you are looking for an uplifting, upbeat ska album you will not be disappointed; the Bosstones have aged nicely! Pin Points and Gin Joints has a dual nature to it; it leaves the listener on a happy note, while the lyrics guide one to see the “skewed and slightly distorted look at our (the Bosstones) world and life in general.” As a long-term Bosstones fan, when listening to a long anticipated (and unexpected) Pin Points and Gin joints, I thought of the Bosstones' entire career and said to myself “this is it…well done.” From start to finish, this album moves the reader from a happy, cynical smirk, to a reflective but content goodbye with “Pretty Sad Excuse.” The Mighty Mighty Bosstones may have gotten off at “all the wrong stops, back onto all the wrong trains” but they have certainly left behind a discography telling one hell of a story.
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Glenn,
ReplyDeleteI thought you ambitiously tackled this review with gusto. The quotations helped strengthen and liven your work, while your own expertise on the band provided an excellent sense of ethos.
That said, I had two quibbles with your piece. The first is perhaps the product of my being a hypersensitive grammarian, but I noticed that you seemed to use the semi-colon with incredible frequency, at least once or twice every paragraph. This in itself isn't a bad thing--I love long sentences--but perhaps in review format the reader is more likely to stick with you if you keep the sentences simple. Also, remember that the semi-colon needs to separate two independant clauses, unless you're using it for a list.
My second quibble was somewhat more substantial, and probably more noteworthy. I found many of your phrases and descriptions to be somewhat confusing. Perhaps some clarification would be wise on those...for example, you mention that the album lack their usual "versatility" but neglect to tell us what versatility means in this sense. How are they versatile? It's certainly something to look over.
All in all, though, I found this to be a solid piece. The whole thing reeks of a knowledgable author, and that in itself gives credence to your words. Well done.
Glen,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with a lot of what the previous post hit on. Your greatest strength here is your apparently genuine knowledge and appreciation of the subject matter. You provide a great deal of insight about the band and offer some helpful opinions. However, it's a shame nearly half of your review is difficult to decipher due to confusing sentence structure and grammatical errors.
Your liberal, and often times incorrect, use of the semi-colon is a major distraction. In my opinion, you should eliminate all of your semi-colons and replace them with periods. This will help you find the places in your piece where you have used a semi-colon incorrectly because it will produce fragments instead of independent clauses, or simple sentences. I'm not against using semi-colons--they can help to diversify a piece--,but, as with anything else, too much can be a distraction. Additionally, if you replace your semi-colons with periods, this may help you to structure your sentences in a fashion more manageable for the reader. As we said in class, people who are reading reviews are looking to gather information quickly; thus, simple sentences may be the best choice.
This review has a lot of potential. Grammatical errors are an easy fix. Sentence structure can be a more difficult problem to remedy, but it's not impossible. Your knowledge and enthusiasm for the material should help you in getting across what it is you wish to say.
Glenn,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this review. I felt your passion for your subject matter and felt its professionalism, other than a few grammatical mishaps. You really have thought about this a lot despite having immense knowledge of the 'Bosstones before this assignment was issued.
I enjoy the use of semi-colons as well, but its good advice these guys are giving you to reduce its usage. I won't beat a dead horse.
I noticed something that might confuse a reader unknowledgeable of the 'Bosstones but you should italicize album names (if you used them).
Glenn,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, before I forget, I’d like to say that I really enjoyed the last line and how you incorporated the lyrics. What I liked the most about this review, though, was that you seemed really informed on the topic, and as a reader I trusted your opinion a lot more, seeing as you had plenty of background experience. I also liked that although it was clear that you favored the band and the CD that you still mentioned some of its drawbacks, which kept the review honest.
My only real concern with the review was that it seemed you used too many semi-colons in it, and a lot of them were unnecessary. At times it sort of distracted from the writing. This is nitpicky of me to mention, because I thought it was good work, but maybe that’s something you could watch for in the future.
All in all, it was a great review. It was clear you were appealing to a certain audience through your jargon and writing style, and it was a compelling read, even though I’ve never heard of the Mighty Might Bosstones.
Glenn,
ReplyDeleteOverall I really enjoyed your review and I really appreciated how enthusiastic you were about your subject. Your knowledge of the background of the band and the content of their past works really lent a great deal of credibility to your review. And as others have said I really liked that while your review was a positive one, you still gave time to look at some of the negatives.
Again, and I know you are sick of hearing it, but some of the grammatical errors were distracting and I did find your sentence structure to be a bit confusing at times. There were a few places where I had to read the sentence a few times before I understood exactly what you were trying to say. So maybe you could go back and try to make some of the longer more involved sentences a little bit clearer just so that the reader doesnt get lost.
Overall I thought it was a really strong review. You touched on the positives, the negatives and just enough history to put the new album into context. It was definitely a fun read.
I think the best thing about your review is that you show a lot of enthusiasm for the band. They've clearly influenced you, and that carries a lot of positive weight for them. Starting with this strong position gives you a lot of good to move forward with.
ReplyDeleteThe incorporation of lyrics is a nice touch, and gives the reader a taste of what the songs might be like. It's a little bit overwhelming at times. You don't have to try and force them in there if it doesn't perfectly fit.
If I really wanted to nitpick there are some grammar things other people have commented on. I didn't think it was too distracting though
Glenn -
ReplyDeleteI like how I can feel your enthusiasm and expertise on the Bosstones. It makes the article fun to read. Your description of the songs was well done, it touched on the characteristics of the songs which gives the reader a good idea of what to expect. Even though I can tell you love the band, your review is still pretty balanced because you bring up the bad points of the album along with the good.
As others said, sometimes the sentences were way too long but that can be fixed with a little editing. Also, I think italicizing the titles of the different albums you mention would make it a lot easier to follow. I was also a little confused by the first sentence, maybe that was just a structure issue too.
Setting aside structural errors, your piece was very well written. It flowed nicely, displayed a lot of knowledge on the subject and was a great review of their career along with this album. You made the article accessible to someone with little knowledge of the bosstones while still making it clear that you knew a lot about them. Your last paragraph was definitely the strongest and you did a great job of expressing your opinion.
Glenn,
ReplyDeleteIt is very clear that your audience is well-versed in rock music culture--particularly that of the 80s and 90s. You lay out the structure of the paper with just enough background information that the laymen can follow along, but this piece is written for the true fans of this music genre.
I love that you compare this album to the group's former albums, followed by a survey of a few of the best songs/most noteworthy songs on the album.
However, it would be great to see a "download this" excerpt added to the piece. That way, we can get a sense for what song you like best, and a song that best encompasses the overall feel, tone and style of this album and group.
Glenn,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this review and I am interested to hear some of their music now. Your passion for the band as well as this genre of music certainly comes through in your writing. Although I realize that you genuinely enjoy this subject matter, I thought your review to be confusing. There is just so much information that, for a reader not familiar with the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, overwhelms the article and distracts the reader from your point of view.
While suffering from some grammatical mistakes and minor overuse of semicolons, you nicely display your knowledge of the band through specific content that you include about the band’s players, songs, and history. Although having never listened to ska music, your review could be stronger if you emphasize some detailed elements about the band’s music that you think of as influences to the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
Through some revision of grammar and content, you will have a solid piece.
Glenn,
ReplyDeleteI had to put on my ska playlist after reading your review. Right off the bat though, I have to agree that you have a some sentence structure that makes the read a little less smooth--see the hard copy.
You should definitely add a section on how their music really slides into the genre. What songs really exemplify punk-ska, speed reggae, jam band, etc. It helps to compare songs and old albums, but if people are unfamiliar with the genre, this could work as a supplement for capturing more readers.
I liked the review a lot, disregarding any grammar error and confusing sentences, since I got a chance to "re-up" my iTunes. Good work.
Glenn,
ReplyDeleteIf you take the time to rewrite some of your sentences, to make the piece flow better, as Phil mentioned above, I could definitely see this article in a magazine or paper. For instance, in the first sentence, you mention a gift being given to mankind "since the beginning of time." I assume you either meant music, or great albums, but in that case, it would be "gifts".
Otherwise, the article is well structured, telling the story of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, while remaining a critical review of their latest and final(?) album. You have a good vocabulary, and you describe the feelings of each of the songs well, but I would like to hear more description of the music so I can hear it as I'm reading your review.
I felt your excitement for this album and I've felt that same excitement, so I connected with your "attitude" despite having never heard a MMBS song (to my recollection). Keep it up, and just make sure the article's legibility flows as well as its message.
Kevin Gillingham
Glenn,
ReplyDeleteYour review is comprehensive and full of your own voice, good work; however I think you can do without the first sentence of introduction. The wording is a bit precarious and does not really add to the piece. I think the sentences that follow—actually about the band—would make for a much better introduction to the review. Moving on you do a good job at explaining the album, making references to older albums and the glory days of the roaring 90’s. Such context driven observations give credence and authority to your review and help establish the common expectations of the viewer. I am left believing that this is a lighter album than their older ones though I am not an avid listener of the Bosstones, well done.
Glen,
ReplyDeleteVery interesing topic choice! Your tone and style certainily have a lot of elements one would expect in a review. You clearly have followed this band for a while, and established yourself as a Mighty Mighty Bosstones critic.
Having said that, however, I might suggest giving a bit more detail on the band's history. In the third paragraph of your piece, you mention some of the band's history. I would like to see this paragraph moved more towards the beginning of the paper for readers who aren't as familiar with the band.
I would also elaborate a bit more on the story of the album that you repetedly discuss. More precise writing could make this story become apparent. I would have to agree with previous commentators that your use of semi-colons and exclamation points is a bit excessive. Really pay attention to sentence structure.
Overall, I think this is a great beginning to a review. There is a clear audience this is intended for who would enjoy reading your insight. Keep working!
Glenn-
ReplyDeleteI really liked this review. You gave a good description of the band's history. I thoroughly enjoyed the way you compared their older songs to the more recent pieces on the album in review. Like many people are saying above me, the way you used song lyrics in your sentences, especially to describe the band itself, kept me engaged and very eager to keep reading the review.
It is definitely clear who your audience is and you seem to be quite knowledgeable on this band. I'm very impressed by your review and think you did an awesome job! The only suggestion I have are the minor grammatical things mentioned above in other critiques. Good first review!
Glenn,
ReplyDeleteIt is very apparent that you know a lot about what you are talking about. However, as a reader who has very little knowledge about 80's ska bands, I found your review confusing. I think your sentence structure and punctuation had a lot to do with it.
I did however, appreciate the credibility you established with the audience. I understand that I am probably not a part of your target audience. However, I think your review could be a little more relatable, especially if you want to spark interest.
Glenn,
ReplyDeleteI totally liked the opening because it was like a twist to the piece-- I thought you were going to do a review on something entirely different. It grabbed my interest.
The background info you added at the beginning of the review is great because I feel like people who have no idea about the band (like myself) can at least read/understand the piece. The only thing I would add here is a very short description of ska. Your expertise on the band was conveyed well in the review.
Lots of people have already commented on the semi-colon usage so I'm sure you are aware of that. Overall, I think your review is well suited for your audience.
Glenn,
ReplyDeleteIt's obvious you know a lot about the band in question. This provides great perspective from which to review their new work in light of the old. (Just make sure that the review is also accessible to newcomers to the band.) You also do a great job of description, which is extremely helpful in translating the Bosstones' sound into print.
I'd suggest shaving this down a bit. At the very least, try to break up the paragraphs more. Most publications have generally shorter paragraph lengths than other media, and this can help clarify what you want to say. Large blocks of copy can be intimidating or make the writer seem long-winded - which is not how I'd describe your piece, even though you deftly fold in a lot of detail.
I'd also cut out the exclamation marks because they can sometimes come off as amateurish; this would stand in contrast to your more sophisticated use of the semicolon.
GLENN-
ReplyDeleteThis is a sweet piece on a sweet band. It is obvious you either know a lot about the Bosstones or you’ve done your research and I think that helps your voice greatly. I like the title, but it might need a reference to the Bosstones to signal the main topic to your reader (who may not be a big Mighty, Mighty Bosstones fan). Here are a few more suggestions that will hopefully clean up your piece:
1. You should consider varying your sentence length. At times, your sentences can seem long, and this change will give them a faster pace.
2. Limit the use of a semi-colon, and only use a semi-colon where you would put a period. Semicolons are a bold grammatical choice and often draw attention to themselves, and frequent use of them can hinder the readers ability to focus on the content.
3. Your first sentence is kind of cheesy. I think a lot of times we use “since the dawn of time” or “since the beginning of time” to make what we are about to introduce seem more epic, but there are other ways to do this that are a little less old-hat.
Glenn:
ReplyDeleteGood review, you can definitely tell you're passionate about the band. I thought the title, especially, was creative and well done. There isn't much criticism in the review, but perhaps that's for a reason. My biggest recommendation would be to be use more concise sentences. At times sentences seem to ramble a bit, but you also demonstrate a solid vocabulary.