So You Want To Be Reviewed? Please Read This...

One thing I don't have to worry about is having something to listen to. We here at Fufkin.com receive a high volume of CDs on a regular basis. Every month, I try to get through about 30 CDs, in addition to the ones that I ultimately review. Now I don't mean that I listen full through to all 30, as often it becomes readily apparent that something just doesn't grab me. But I do at least track through a few songs.

Having done so for the past few years, I definitely have some advice to give. First and foremost, be patient. If you're soliciting a CD blindly, realize that there is a ton of competition out there. If at all possible, try to find a creative way to make your disc stick out. It might be a particularly striking cover, or a good press kit (however, don't go overboard – I don't need three 8 X 10 glossies – come to think of it, I don't need any unless your lead singer looks like a young Julie Newmar and dresses the part – or a current Jessica Alba, for that matter). One recent example that comes to mind is power pop artist Arthur Yoria. He put his promo disc in a DVD case. Unwieldy? Yes. But I got to it right away and it turned out to be pretty good.

Somewhat in contradiction to my example, though not totally, please try to send the disc in a form as close to how you are going to sell it. Not because I want to sell it – personally, I have only twice ever sold records and/or CDs, as it's not how I like to pick up some extra scratch. My point is, if you send a CD-R with a lousy xerox package, it's not too enticing. That being said, a lot of artists have taken advantage of CD-R's to cheaply get good music in my hand and make it look relatively attractive.

So my first two points relate to packaging, not the music inside. I'll get to that in a bit. But presentation is important, just like at a job interview, because it's the first impression. Once I start playing the disc, there are some other things that I think are helpful. First, put the song titles somewhere in the CD booklet and/or card. If they are just on the face of the disc, it's annoying. The point is, make it easier on the listener. Second, put contact information somewhere on the CD booklet or the CD itself. You'd be amazed how often I look at the CD and the press release and there's no website, no e-mail address, not even snail mail. If I like a disc enough, I'll go to the web and come up with the contact info, but it's a pain.

Speaking of press releases, if you can, get one from Parasol Records. The promo folks there know how to do a good one-sheet. Informative and descriptive with a smattering of quotes. And quotes from a few well known sources. Some press releases I get are littered with quotes, yet they fall into a vacuum, since I have no idea who any of these folks are, and no idea who it is they work for. Moreover, the quotes are often generic. If you don't have better known sources, at least try to get meaty quotes that allow the potential reviewer to quickly get a handle on what's on the disc. Indeed, that's what your press release should accomplish – the person who receives the CD should have some idea what it sounds like. Accuracy counts!

As for the music inside, well, as I said before, it's competitive – a Ted Nugent, Dog Eat Dog world. The more obscure you are, the more you need to make sure that you put your best foot (song) forward. Yet time after time, artists think it's best to lead with a slow building mid-tempo track that takes two to three minutes to get to the hook (if there is one). Obviously, if you're music is artier, this advice isn't for you, but for any other type of rock artist, make your most immediate song the first one. If you're starting out and haven't built much of a representation, your disc is a quasi demo. So don't dick around.

Moreover, pay more attention to production. I sometimes wonder if a lot of the discs I receive are comprised solely of first take vocals. Even if a song is solid, if the vocal is sub-standard, it is highly unlikely that I want to spend more time with the disc. This holds true for any performance, but vocals take an extra precedence.

Another suggestion – raise the bar. A lot of the discs that I listen to that I decline to review come from folks with talent. However, it is talent that has not been fully developed. Moreover, I think it comes from talent that settles for less when recording. If you are sending a CD to a magazine or a website, look at what else they review. In particular, see if the particular ‘zine or site is covering a fair amount of well known artists. Before you send your disc, ask yourself – is my disc that good? Be realistic. If you think it's that good, then go for it.

These are some general observations that come to mind as I plow through CDs. One other thing I need to note. As Jim DeRogatis wrote, and he was spot on with this observation, no reviewer throws on a CD wanting to hate it (with rare exceptions, like CDs by any woman who dumped me, for example). Every time I drop a disc in the player, I'm hoping it will be great. It's what makes writing about music so worthwhile.

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