Emo's
Review Disheartening and Ridiculous
RECEIVED Thu., Aug. 23, 2007
Dear Chronicle editors,
I'm writing about Austin Powell's review of my [Car Stereo (Wars)] CD-release party on Aug. 18 at the Beauty Bar [“Live Shots,” Music, Aug. 24]. I completely respect Powell's disinterest in the event, and most likely the album, and his vocal opposition to it. However, I feel like the Chronicle has certain standards it should live up to as an actual legitimate publication. Powell's review reads more like a ranting teenage commenter on a message board signed up as "anonymous" rather than an actual piece of journalism. There are broad miscalculations and direct lies in his piece, and it chooses to be malicious and offensive rather than factual and thought-out. I wish that Powell had found time to mention the fantastic, packed, and well-received performances of White Denim and Single Frame during the show, the creative and spectacular sets by DJs Terry Diabolik, Josh Mills, and Team Fabrication, or the apparent great response from the crowd rather than spending his entire review attacking me. I feel like this isn't anything new for Powell, though. His distasteful and wholly unprofessional review of the Laughing's Tiger Cry EP [“Texas Platters,” Music, April 6] earlier this year almost caused me to write a letter in to the Chronicle as well. I wish that I had. Again, I respect Powell's opinion but wish he had some form of an editor to encourage him toward legitimate journalism rather than vicious insults. I found his review disheartening, ridiculous, and – to use his unparalleled wit and gift of rhetoric – "bullshit."
I'm writing about Austin Powell's review of my [Car Stereo (Wars)] CD-release party on Aug. 18 at the Beauty Bar [“Live Shots,” Music, Aug. 24]. I completely respect Powell's disinterest in the event, and most likely the album, and his vocal opposition to it. However, I feel like the Chronicle has certain standards it should live up to as an actual legitimate publication. Powell's review reads more like a ranting teenage commenter on a message board signed up as "anonymous" rather than an actual piece of journalism. There are broad miscalculations and direct lies in his piece, and it chooses to be malicious and offensive rather than factual and thought-out. I wish that Powell had found time to mention the fantastic, packed, and well-received performances of White Denim and Single Frame during the show, the creative and spectacular sets by DJs Terry Diabolik, Josh Mills, and Team Fabrication, or the apparent great response from the crowd rather than spending his entire review attacking me. I feel like this isn't anything new for Powell, though. His distasteful and wholly unprofessional review of the Laughing's Tiger Cry EP [“Texas Platters,” Music, April 6] earlier this year almost caused me to write a letter in to the Chronicle as well. I wish that I had. Again, I respect Powell's opinion but wish he had some form of an editor to encourage him toward legitimate journalism rather than vicious insults. I found his review disheartening, ridiculous, and – to use his unparalleled wit and gift of rhetoric – "bullshit."
Christopher Rose