Socrates

This question haunts me... I might have to change my nickname. ;-) Anyway, much more modestly, the atypical footballer, even though philosophy plays an important role in my life, not just, as for everyone, in an existential sense.

So, some scattered thoughts arising from the reading of the excellent review. An album that has sold millions of copies does not necessarily have to be considered negligible, as many here tend to believe due to a sort of "superiority complex." While keeping in mind the inflated "de gustibus," pop music is not the last rung of the musical ladder: there are great and terrible works in all genres, including avant-garde or classical music, which around here receives many (too many?) accolades, often the result of what sometimes seems a kind of reverential fear.
There are no absolute five stars. They must always be calibrated to the genre of belonging, the goals set by the artist, the efforts put in, the specific codes... This does not mean that each of us cannot (or should not) have our own "scale" that reflects our culture, sensitivity, desires, etc., a five-star rating that each of us considers essential.
If it were true that what ends up being a prejudicial aversion to "easy" music, or more generally to popular culture, within the realm of the novel, those who enjoy Joyce's "Ulysses" or Beckett should regard the novels of the French naturalists or Italian verismo as material for the simple-minded. This opinion can only be accepted by revisiting the aforementioned "de gustibus," but never in an absolute sense. I am among those who, in music, as in novels, need everything to respond to the demands of this "collective," this "crowd" that I find myself being a part of, like many of you. I hope that all the slurs that an important pop album like this has received are not merely the offspring of a distorted vision.

A cult album that I own on vinyl and a movie that I recorded on VHS (you absolutely need to see it; at the time, it sparked a lot of controversy because it was accused of being pro-criminal). For those who love Black, it’s a must. Engaging, as usual, is the writing. P.S. Zion's little reprimand about the somewhat rough translation is completely valid: it’s a mistake I’ve made in the past as well. ;-)

I take the dedication because I belong to that group you mentioned in the introduction. I stopped at "New Gold Dream," never looking back. An album, at this point, to discover.

You are no longer the Grass of "noiartri"; you have become a bit too sophisticated, but I still follow you with great attention. ;-)

As they say, three clues make a proof. It’s the third flattering review I’ve heard about the album in question. We’ll need to investigate...

Well, one cannot say that Black lacks courage. It was easily imaginable to expect such a reception. Around here, even the worst nonsense is typically tolerated, but it’s hard for pop music to get away unscathed; and if the artist is also gay, heaven help us! All the low-grade vaudeville nonsense is unleashed. The review is well-written, as usual, although the ending sounds a tad rhetorical. I find the album overall successful, but rather uneven. My rating is a bit lower, but I’ll give it a 4 to balance out the cruel 1s. P.S. I’m still waiting for an encore of alcol2...don’t neglect me. :-)

the half vote that is missing for the odra... ;-)

Good review, to which I confess I’ve thought about a few times as well. I've been taking it in small doses for a while now, and the effect is always devastating. "All Tomorrow's Parties" seems to be written by him. These are also the '80s...

I’m waiting for it from eBay after reading intriguing reviews about it... I’m glad that fans of The Church are coming out.