W.L. Swarts
Reviews The Music Universe

A Hub For All Of The Reviews Of Music Albums/Artists
By W.L. Swarts!
As I said, I LOVE music!  I also like getting music to review that I haven't heard before.  If you have an artist you think I should give a listen to, drop me an e-mail by clicking HERE and then deleting the word "not" from the e-mail address that comes up!  Convince me your musical artist is worth my time and attention!  Or, better yet, send me a c.d. or two and I'll review it!

Thanks!

-W.L. Swarts
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        I love music.  Who doesn't?!

        Well, there is a lot of music I have come to loathe!  As one who listens to a ton of music, over and over and over again, I have happily become a music reviewer with a very discriminating ear and a high set of standards for what I recommend.  The truth is, there's a lot of bad music that is terribly overproduced that I loathe.  So, I listen to it so you don't have to!  After the big transfer, I will probably return to picking a musical artist of the month to delve into because that was an exercise I enjoyed greatly.  Immersing oneself in the entire catalog of an artist gives you a very intense and well-rounded view of that artist, as well as how they fit into the overall musical pantheon!

        Before you check out the reviews, I heartily recommend understanding how I review compact discs.  While all of these reviews are in my blog, W.L. Swarts Reviews The Universe, as is my overall standard  - My Reviewing Philosophy - I figured I'd take a moment to run through my criteria for how I review musical works.

        All compact discs and songs I listen to are evaluated on a ten point scale where 0 (zero) is absolutely abominable through 10 (perfection, everyone should listen to and buy it!).  I start at zero and albums work their way up to ten.  What are the criteria I grade on?  Here are the standards:

3 points - Vocals - Can the artist sing?  Do they use their voice well?  Do they sound unique?

3 points - Lyrics - Does the artist have something to say?  Do they have lyrics that are original?  Are the rhymes obvious?  Do the lines provoke an emotional response?

3 points - Instrumental Accompaniment - Is the music that accompanies the lines actually musical?  Is it original?  Does it use instrumentation that is intriguing to the ear?

1 point - Production - Just like special effects in a movie, I'm not terribly impressed by bells-and-whistles.  If the album is dreadfully short, if it is just hooks and noises, if it tries to be all flash with little substance, it doesn't hold up for me.

        With those high standards, go forth and check out some works I've listened to!  Enjoy!
FEATURED MUSIC REVIEW:
Departure & Farewell - Hem
SPECIAL PROJECTS:
Concert Review: Heather Nova - April 11, 2016 - Ann Arbor, MI
Concert Review: Janis Ian - March 8, 2013 - East Lansing, MI
Essay on the negative effects of Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl"
Why Fun. Is The Most Dangerous Band On The Radio Now
Justin Bieber Responds To His Anne Frank House Gaffe (Humor)

        To find my music reviews easily, check out either of the pages below:
Music By Artist

Albums Best To Worst