I find it hard to belive that anyone has never disagreed with a review of a movie, album, or art exhibit. I've written a number of letters to the Justice over the last few years complaining about reviews I did not like, but Heather Waters' letter to the editor (Arts reviewer needs to brush up on her skills, musical knowledge) was almost as despicable as it was hypocritical. Waters claims to be a seasoned "music critic" and insults the journalistic skills of a music review in the Justice, yet she lacks basic journalistic integrity. A good journalist should never make ad hominem attacks. Critique the message, not the author. Waters seems to think it's more journalistically culpable to use "vague generalities to describe lyrical content, playing ability and complex arrangements" than it is to fail to make a cogent argument. One can almost hear her sneer as she pedantically reminds the readers that bands like the Beatles steal from themselves on a regular basis. I would remind her that in fact, what made bands like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin so groundbreaking was that they were constantly changing their sound and growing musically. And, "if those acts are beyond her scope," maybe she should try to comprehend why the Strokes failed to achieve greatness a second time.

I'm sick and tired of art reviewers trying to make erudite references while they sneer at the common man readers who could never comprehend art on the level that the reviewer does. It's nonsense. I have a bigger record collection than just about anyone I know, but rather than compare bands to the Norwegian folk harmonies Kings of Convenience or the complex jazz-scratching of Hot Sauce Johnson, I instead attempt to educate people by sharing my music with them. Some people listen to music for love of the art, and some people, like Waters, listen so that they can feel smart. And finally, I'd like to point out that before Waters goes knocking Tenacious D albums and other music of the hoi polloi, she should try to understand its significance to pop-deconstructionism. I'm sure that "as a musician and a former music critic," she'll understand it really quickly.