What's the consensus on this?? Have you made more discoveries or purchases based on the forums or do you find the reviews more helpful??

Myself, I find the forums better as it's open to debate - there are so many albums that are surprisingly under reviewed on here, if at all!

I agree and vote for forums - have led to a number of enjoyable discoveries - debate stimulates curiousity more than one persons opinion - some reviews however are dense with detailed descriptions which can be very helpful too. Maybe the forums trigger interest and the reviews, along with listening to samples and chats with mates etc complete the process. Then you go and buy the thing and find out you disagree with and can't understand how others reached the opinions they did.

I have never purchased anything simply on reviews, a review may take my interest but I normally back it up with somehow hearing a snippet or two. I have however bought something after reading/taking part in a debate on the forum (not disappointed either). I would go along with K.O.'73W.U. a mixture of both, but leaning to the forums.
best bones.
B.O.F.

Reviews - I think they are more considered whereas you tend to get a bit more flippancy (not me though!) and emotional retorts on the old forum. Forums are deffo more fun though.

Reviews are mostly either written by fans, erring towards 5 stars, or naysayers with 1 star. The more considered 2 to 4 star ratings (with reasons and examples, as they used to say at School) are far more useful.

Comments on the fora sometimes work, and if someone asks which of an artists work is best/worth buying, I'll wade in with an opinion if I can - hopefully not saying it's all brilliant/a waste of time.

I must admit that I have never bought anything solely based on a written review, either by a professional writer/critic or an Zon reviewer. However, where I have already been interested in an artist/album, a review has tipped the balance so to say.

As far as the forum is concerned, I have made several purchases on specific recommendations, (last ordered in such a way 3 days ago), and so far I have not regretted such purchases, so thanks guys is all I can say.

"I can't recall the words or the tune so clearly
but I know when I hear it and love it dearly"

Ozrics, Porcupine Tree, Lau, Phish, Back Door Slams, Bert Jansch to name but a few.

All discovered (or re-discovered in the case of Bert Jansch) as a result of the various threads and B.O.F. is absolutely spot on - follow up the discovery with a visit to Spotify (or similar) and give the respective artist a listen (even the snippets offered here are adequate sometimes) before deciding to add them to my collection.

The reviews need some work. Best album since 'x.........' isn't really helpful if you don't know 'x'. Various superlatives don't help either and (to follow up Tikka's point) if you don't know / have previous experience of the reviewer then it can become seriously subjective and - again - without the safety net of previewing (should that read prelistening ?) the music - I would vote for the threads every time.

Got to be the threads every time. You guys introduced me to Zappa's " Joe's Garage" and you were bang on the money.

I asked for information about the Grateful Dead on these threads, got it and am following through. So far so good, good advice and good music! The good thing about threads is that it is an ongoing dialogue, reviews are fixed and as good as the writer. So for some albums by artists that I am familiar with a review would do, for others the threads.

B.O.F. it's REVIEWS, not REVUES - a subtle but important difference! Don't let Mrs B.O.F. catch you extolling the virtues (or should that be virtews) of the latter!!

Thank you Martin, you know I read the item over at least twice before I posted it, I knew there was something wrong but couldn't put my finger on it but then again I failed english at school, so no surprise eh.
best bones
B.O.F.

forums for me
have bought stuff based on review and forum recommendations
but discussions throw up other ideas - eg "if u like this you'll also like that" suggestions
and answer specific questions in more detail
knowing the tastes (and distastes) of certain posters over time increases my confidence in following their recommendations

as i've said before, you guys are costing me a frigging fortune

Mine.

Partly because I have an inkling of the tastes and comments made previously by fellow postees, I am more likely to go on 'threads', but above threads and reviews a friend of mine has almost unfailingly good taste so if he 'rates' something and it is well reviewed that is as about as high a recommendation gets.
S.R.J

I have a friend like that SRJ but in the opposite way, if he likes something I avoid it like the plague!

best bones
B.O.F.