Just love reviews like this one, of Bang on a Can’s annual People’s Commis­sion­ing Fund concert. Its bland­ness surpasses that of even pure reportage; it is like the least offen­sive press release ever written. Makes me long for the days of Bernard Holland, who at least expressed opinions, no matter how they caused us to cough and sputter in indignation. 

I have a sneaking suspi­cion, however, that there is more than laziness at work here; I’m worried that it’s an official New York Times style guide­line, a misguided attempt at advocacy. Better not to scare anyone off, the thinking goes, or wantonly damage some poor musi­cian’s already delicate career. This type of “crit­i­cism” has the opposite effect, actually, which is to make every event sound utterly inter­change­able. These days, I can barely slog through a review of some­thing I’d actually be inter­ested in, because the quality of the writing is so madden­ingly noncommittal. 

I would rather be panned than be subjected to this non-treatment.