JAKE CLELAND

Something I see a lot as a critic is the accusation that we analyze music instead of feeling it, but I don’t imagine any writer thinks that’s fair: The analysis gets spun out of the feelings if needed.

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Tom Ewing’s latest Poptimist column is as delightful as usual.

That is such an absurd criticism to make. To indulge in a little Music Critic Apologism, if anything what critics do is articulate the feeling. This is why almost zero music reviews confront the specific instruments used, or the individual chords played; Most reviews are more concerned with the sum rather than the parts, and generally approach it from the perspective of a listener (which is every critic not out for blood) rather than attempting to reverse-engineer. I don’t think we’re trying to pick apart the seams as often as we try to describe what we appreciate about how it’s sewn together.