Difference between revisions of "Talk:Writing a Good Review"

Revision as of 18:08, 21 February 2016

Overview

Writing a good review requires imagination, wit, analysis and honesty. The goal is not to hype or promote the artist, nor to harass or destroy them. The goal is to write well about music.

This Wiki focuses on the basic principles involved in writing about music, whether for a Live at KDHX article, a concert review, an interview or any other type of article.

Guidelines

Headlines

Some of the headlines used at KDHX are strictly formatted, while others are typical "hook" style newspaper style. Specific information and examples by article category are provided below.

Very Important!

• Each headline contained in our database must be unique, otherwise there will be issues getting your article to display correctly on the website.
• Before you save any article for the first time, check, check and re-check your title for accuracy. This is the one field that cannot be changed easily after it is initially saved.
• If either of the above instances occur, please contact the Web Administrator or kelly at kdhx.org, advising the name of the incorrect headline. You can then begin a new article using the correct headline. The article with the incorrect headline will be deleted from the system.
• Changing case of characters is the exception. If you saved as "jason isbell," you can easily change to "Jason Isbell" without repercussion.

Live Performances

Live Performances are strictly formatted as [Band Name] MM/DD/YY

- ex. Matt Stansberry & The Romance 1/9/16

- ex. Dave Stone Trio 4/12/14

Music News - Album Reviews

The headline for an album review should contain the name of the Artist/Band, with the Album title surrounded by single quotes.

- ex. St. Vincent continues to grow on her latest, self-titled album

- ex. Elephant crafts an ethereal debut on 'Sky Swimming'

- ex. Darol Anger invites and inspires old-time music fans on 'E-and'a'

Music News - All Aboard for Fun Times

All of these articles have the same title, with the date being the only unique item.

All About for Fun Times: St. Louis show highlights for [Month] [Day(s)], [Year]

- ex. All About for Fun Times: St. Louis show highlights for February 10-11, 2016

Music News - Charting the Music

Charting the Music article headlines are strictly formatted as Charting the Music: [Artist/Band name], '[Album title]'

Use single quotations around the Album title.

- ex. Charting the Music: Beth Bombara, 'Beth Bombara'

- ex. Charting the Music: Chris Stapleton, 'Traveller'

Music News - Concert Photos

Titles are strictly formatted and include the prefix "Concert photos:"

Concert photos: [Headliner] with [Supporting acts] at [Venue], [Day of Week], [Month and Date]

- ex. Concert photos: The Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers at The Stage at KDHX, Friday, February 12

- ex. Concert photos: Brothers Lazaroff (with The Fog Lights and Whoa Thunder) at Off Broadway, Friday, February 5

Music News - Interviews

If using a quote from the interview in your headline, surround it with single quotes.

- ex. Pü Fest returns to St. Louis as Tü Fest: An interview with Mike Herr and Patrick Boland

- ex. 'If you have hope, you're gonna dream' An interview with Thelonius Kryptonite

- ex. 'I try to make music that's always at least five or six years from now' An interview with Lamar Harris

Music News - Song of the Day

Song of the Day article headlines are strictly formatted as Song of the Day: '[Album title]' by [Artist/Band name]

Use single quotations around the Album title.

- ex. Song of the Day: 'Queen Mary' by Francine Thirteen

- ex. Song of the Day: 'Crooked River' by Dana Falconberry

Music Reviews - Concert Reviews

A good headline will mention the artist you’re writing about and will draw in the reader.

It should be clever and informative.

Try to keep it to 15 words or less.

Concert Review Examples:

Concert review: My Morning Jacket (with Hippo Campus) flies high at Peabody Opera House, Wednesday, August 12

Concert review: The Tallest Man on Earth (with Basia Bulat) makes big strides at the Pageant, Wednesday, July 29

Concert review: St. Vincent moves hearts and minds at the Pageant, Wednesday, May 27

Performing Arts

Your headline should be approximately 6-12 words.

Use single quote marks instead of double quote marks in the headline.

It must include the venue and date.

Headlines must be written in the present tense. (Even though the review will be written in past tense).

It must be fact-checked for accuracy, especially in spelling of names and the date.

Film Review

FILM REVIEW: Good titles/headlines will have the name of the film and a strong verb phrase:

‘The Zero Theorem’ probes existential questions

Playing games trumps ‘Video Games: The Movie’

It’s worth finding ‘A Most Wanted Man’

‘Land Ho!’ meanders, adrift without a plot

Theater, Performing Arts and Film Examples:

- See it at the Rep, but 'You Can't Take It With You'

- Dozens of plays, freshly drawn and quartered

- Surprising testimony from Theatre Guild's 'Witness for the Prosecution'

- Contrived script sinks Flood Stage's 'Coupla White Chicks'

- 'Young Frankenstein' stalks and stumbles at the Fox

- Masters of puppets: Avenue Q entertains at the Fox Theatre

- St. Louis Shakespeare sails through 'The Tempest'

A good headline will be unique to the review itself. It should be snappy and clever, witty and intriguing. Ideally it should hint at a positive or negative review and it should also identify the play/musical or theater group in some fashion. Puns are good, so long as they aren't groan inducing.

- Strong verbs make for excellent headlines.

- Compose your headline before you begin the submission process. That way you can just copy and paste it in to the Title field.

Note: In headlines, composition titles, like play titles, go in single quotation marks ('). However, in text, composition titles go in double quotation marks (").

The Lede

• The lede (the first paragraph) should draw the reader in with a clever line, a powerful image, a controversial (but defensible) assertion, an original observation, or just a great sentence. It should also be concise with no more than 30 words.

The Body Text

• Include brief and accurate biographical information that is relevant to the review. If an artist is less known, more biography may be necessary, but should never exceed 4-5 sentences.

• Double-check all facts and spelling of song titles and names used in the article.

• Discuss both the sound of the songs and any existing lyrics. Solely focusing on one or the other will not provide a complete picture for the reader.

• Evaluate strengths and weaknesses, and support those points where relevant.

• A good review will avoid obvious cliches like pounding drums, scorching guitar, killer solo, unique voice, interesting lyrics, catchy hooks, pop goodness, etc.

• Try to convey the emotion and musical content of the performance. The review should make the reader see, feel and all hear the performance through the written word.

• Be descriptive and analytical, rather than just throw out a recommendation. Never use phrases like “This performance didn't disappointed," or "this band is sure to please," or anything similar.

• A standard piece should be approximately 300-500 words, but a longer length is fine.

Notes on style

• Focus on describing the band’s sound and style, rather than hyping or promoting them.

• Use metaphors and images to convey the sound. A creative comparison can be both evocative and entertaining for your readers.

• Keep exclamation points and cliches to a minimum.

• Generally speaking, avoid the first person (I, we).

• Be attentive to your adjectives. Keep them fresh and relevant. Avoid overused modifiers like interesting, unique, perfect, emotional, soulful etc. The word very can almost always be cut.

• Use active verbs. Do not rely on passive voice or "to be" verbs (is, are, was, were, etc.).

• When you have completed a satisfying draft, read the piece out loud, listening to the language. Revise to improve any awkward or unclear phrases.

• Avoid unnecessary repetition.

• Please review the Wiki article on KDHX online writing style.

• DO NOT plagiarize! If you rely on outside sources like an online biography, press releases or Wiki pages, you must never merely rephrase or rehash -- let alone copy verbatim -- that material. Please review our Plagiarism and syndication information for policy clarification.

Sites that regularly feature reviews

• KDHX Album Reviews

• Pitchfork

• PopMatters

• Paste Magazine