Reviewing Philosopy

About My Reviewing and Rating Philosophy

 In reviewing audiophile reissues, I primarily ask this question: Does this particular reissue sound better than the original release from the country of origin? For example, with Elvis Costello--does the reissue sound better than the UK original? If the reissue sounds better than than the original, it will get at least a "Recommended" following the review. Where a record is particularly rare, possesses particularly stunning sound, and/or has significantly better than average packaging, the ratings of "Highly Recommended" and "Very Highly Recommended" may be used.


Only in limited situations, such as with some rare Blue Notes, will I review a reissue without comparing to an original. Also, if a reissue does not receive the "Recommended" designation, it doesn't necessarily mean that I don't find it to be a good-sounding quality release. With some records that originally sold millions of copies, the $30 reissue may simply not significantly better the still-available $5 original, such that I'd recommend the purchase.


New music reviews are a slighly different animal. If I like the offering, I'll recommend the vinyl release as long as the pressing is of at least standard quality and the sound is average to above average. If the sound is subpar, you can expect me to advise saving money and buying the cd.