Comments on: Robert Hilburn’s Real Sin

By: Mallorca Property

Mallorca Property — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:40:21 +0000

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By: Argonheart_Po

Argonheart_Po — Fri, 25 May 2007 22:56:52 +0000

My God! Robert Hilburn is still around?

In the 1970s, I used to read his reviews of Golden Earring and Rick Daringer. Back then, all the bands were “socio-political.”

By: James in Cala Dor Palma de Mallorca

James in Cala Dor Palma de Mallorca — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:00:56 +0000

Critics should never be taken too seriously. A Passion Play is a magnificient work of art which has stood the test of time despite the critical mauling of Hilburn, Chris Welch et al. I’ve always found the power of critics to impose their opinions on the populace to be offensive. Make your own minds up.

By: From the Desert to the Sea… by John Stodder » Robert Hilburn, in quintessence

Sat, 31 Dec 2005 23:30:13 +0000

[...] A few months ago, Patterico vented his rage against Hilburn for a 1973 Jethro Tull review that allegedly steered the band’s career in an unrewarding direction. Helpfully, he links to the review, which Hilburn could’ve written yesterday: If there was ever any question about the rambling, disjointed nature of (Ian) Anderson’s longer works, the placement of these punchier, crisper, more concise pieces from Aqualung on the same show answered it. Anderson remains a talented, serious, imaginative artist, but his extended works need more easily identifiable, engaging themes and varied musical elements if they are to be worthy of the attention he wants for them. [...]

By: Thomas Burk

Thomas Burk — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 23:57:06 +0000

Why doesn’t he just retire? Or better yet, the Times could fire him (like it did Robert Scheer) like they should have done years ago. His reviews were always predictable (anything the Boss ever did was awesome — ditto Dylan — anything Billy Joel did was crap — etc, etc, ad naseum) and devoid of popular and melodic sensibility.

But for Jethro Tull to ever waste their time paying any attention to what this goon ever wrote is absurd. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, write reviews.

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 22:26:55 +0000

I thought I was the only one who liked “Passion Play”. I’m 44, and still listen to it on occasion. Now I HAVE to read that critique of Hilburn’s. Hard to believe that guy’s still pounding out reviews of rock music in the 21st Century. I hate ageism, but isn’t he a little old for this work?

By: Dafydd

Dafydd — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 21:29:22 +0000

Richard Cook:

In response to 4. Oh My GOD!! (looking around) Now where is the damn pin for that ejection seat.

The pin? I would hope that you would have already removed that before you took off! It’s a little late when you’re already in the air and have double fire lights….

Dafydd

By: Kevin Murphy

Kevin Murphy — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 17:08:26 +0000

Now that gives me an idea. How about a narcisstic talking-head blowhard contest? I’d add at least Lou Dobbs to the list.

By: Richard Cook

Richard Cook — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 15:58:29 +0000

Dafydd-

In response to 4. Oh My GOD!! (looking around) Now where is the damn pin for that ejection seat.

By: Dafydd

Dafydd — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 10:01:34 +0000

Cutting adroitly through the muck of critics — they’re like eunuchs in a harem, aware that something wonderful is going on all around them but unequipped by nature to participate — I would note that the most beautiful passage of Thick As a Brick is surely “Do You Believe?” It is perfection incarnate.

I wonder whether these critics, yapping about “repetition” and length, ever listen to classical music.

(One rock critic, lost at an LA Philharmonic concert, conceded that “Bach wrote well for the keyboard.”)

Dafydd