5 Star Christianity Today review already?

[ajyouthguy]

just wondered if anyone has heard the band NewWorldSon...Christianity Today gave them a 5 star review, which very much surprised me.  i haven't heard them, but have read about them some and was surprised to see CT get that excited about it.  i would love to be proven wrong.  just wondered if anyone had listened to them yet and if you agreed with CT's review.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2008/salvationstation.html

[Aaron]

As bdg said cynically, "It's different so it gets 5-star reviews.  That's how it goes over at CT nowadays"

It's a good album but not 5 star worthy. 


Did you notice that Christa the overhyper/overrater gave Sanctus Real 4 1/2 stars?  That's a disgrace to musical journalism

[dgp11776]

Did you notice that Christa the overhyper/overrater gave Sanctus Real 4 1/2 stars?  That's a disgrace to musical journalism.

Dramatic much?  I, for one, don't think her review is that far off.

[Aaron]

Dramatic much?  I, for one, don't think her review is that far off.

No because she constantly overrates cds.  If it's an indie cd, it automatically gets no less than 4 or 4 1/2 stars.  Her reviews are as ridiculous as Jesus Freak Hideout reviews which is something no writer should strive to achieve.  A 4 1/2 star album has to be nearly flawless, something this new Sanctus Real album is far from being. 

[dgp11776]

A 4 1/2 star album has to be nearly flawless, something this new Sanctus Real album is far from being. 

So, Matthew West (probably a B in my book) and Matt Costa (58 score at Metacritic) are also nearly flawless, according to you? 

[Aaron]

So, Matthew West (probably a B in my book) and Matt Costa (58 score at Metacritic) are also nearly flawless, according to you? 

My letter grades range even in the same letter.  One album that is an A might not be an A for the same reasons that another album received the same grade.  Personally, I grade albums against other albums in the same genre.  I can't grade a Matthew West album with the same criteria I grade a Deepspace5 album.  That's just how my mental process works.

I'm sorry but there is no way in sam hell that this Sanctus real cd deserves THAT high of a grade.  4 stars MAYBE but realistically 3 1/2 stars.  You mean to tell me that at the end of the year, this will be one of the best things Christian rock has to offer? If so, that depresses me.

[murlough23]

I think CT might be having issues regarding a lack of genre knowledge. They hear something in a genre that they're not familiar with, but respect the artist for doing something different and/or more classy, so they feel that this warrants a very high rating. If written by a reviewer with more knowledge for the genre, they'd have a tougher (and probably more realistic) set of criteria on which to grade.

My letter grades range even in the same letter.  One album that is an A might not be an A for the same reasons that another album received the same grade.

Same here - there's a big difference between a B+ and a straight B in my book. One or two songs that just plain don't do it for me can sometimes knock and album down from an A or A- to a B-level. (Though sometimes I regret being that hard on a band - see Anathallo.)

[worldofcm]

I thought the record was pretty fantastic - but not 5 star worthy.  I believe I gave it 4 1/2 - lyrics are a bit too simplistic - though for that style of music is forgivable.