Generally speaking, the more complex the music is, the easier it is to sidestep actual analysis by simply performing lengthy descriptions. This is more journalism than critique, and its pointlessness is well expressed by the quote at the top of this post. This is why I tend towards discussing the music in relation to other pieces; I’m attempting to avoid the flowery pitfall that Pitchfork so often enjoys wallowing in.
Simple music, in contrast, is often virtually impossible to approach in any significant, intriguing way. Most reviews of such albums tend towards reference overdosing; they drop names like a Hollywood starlet looking for a job, building a net of bands, albums, and songs that, in theory, refer to, quote, and take inspiration from each other. Such networks form neat little timelines and genres, but, again, can be stymied by music that deliberately acts as a regression to a prior generation of music.
