The language of arts reviews

What is a review?

An arts review is the discussion of the work of an artist in the field of music, cinema, literature, art or the theatre. Although the vocabulary used in reviews depends very much on the type of art being discussed, you will find that there is a very clear way of organising information in the introduction to a review. If you can identify the way in which the information is organised in the introduction, this will help you understand the information in the main part of the review more easily.

Read the introductions to three reviews below.

• Lennon – The Legacy
  Twenty years since John Lennon’s death and the influence of the working class hero can still be felt. Not only is this a significant anniversary of his death, but also Lennon would have celebrated his 60th birthday in October 2000. Consequently, tributes to one of Britain’s greatest songwriters fill the British newspapers, radio programmes and television schedules. But what was so revolutionary about John Lennon? Lennon – The Legacy examines the impact he has had on the music industry and looks back at the legend that is John Lennon.
• Alice Walker:A Battle of Words
  Alice Walker is a woman of many talents. Not only is she a poet, an essayist, short-story writer and award winning novelist, but she is also a social activist and in her own words ‘a womanist’ – a phrase adopted to describe a black feminist.As Off The Shelf concludes its reading of Walker’s novel, By The Light Of My Father’s Smile, tribute is paid to one of America’s most celebrated female writers.
• Emmy Winning Country
  Emmylou Harris has been a by-word for American country music for three decades. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, she has worked with many top performers. However, her career was nearly brought to an end earlier this year when she was involved in a car accident. She now plans to lead a quieter life, but that hasn’t stopped her bringing out a new album, Red Dirt Girl. One of the world’s greatest country rock singers, talks to Outlook about her extraordinary life and career.

1. Find three pieces of information about each person.
2. Look at the second sentence in extracts a) and b). Find the phrases used to link together the two pieces of information in each sentence.
   
3. Look at sentences two and three in extract c). How does the presenter link together two pieces of contrasting information?
   

Answers

1. 
   John Lennon: 20th anniversary of his death / 60th birthday in October 2000 / one of the greatest British songwriters / a ‘working-class hero’
   
   Alice Walker: a famous American writer of poems, essays, novels and short stories / a social activist / a black feminist / author of ‘By The Light Of My Father’s Smile’
   
   Emmylou Harris: country singer from the USA / singer for more than 30 years / had a serious car accident this year / has released a new record called ‘Red Dirt Girl’
2. Not only is this a significant anniversary of his death, but also Lennon would have celebrated his 60th birthday in October 2000.
   
   Not only is she a poet, an essayist, short-story writer and award winning novelist, but she is also a social activist and in her own words ‘a womanist’.
3.  …she has worked with many top performers. However, her career was nearly brought to an end….

The language of arts reviews
The introduction to a review about an artist and their work usually begins with an interesting fact about the artist. The presenter then usually goes on to give us two contrasting or different pieces of information about the artist or their work. This makes the listener think that there is an element of conflict or surprise in the artist or the work. It also gives a short summary of what the review will talk about in more detail. Finally, the introduction finishes with a comment about the artist. So, John Lennon is referred to as a ‘legend’, Alice Walker is ‘one of America’s most celebrated female writers’ and Emmylou Harris is ‘one of the world’s greatest country rock singers’. By describing the artists as very important people, the reviewer is telling us that we should listen to the programme because it will be very interesting.

Listening task
When you are listening to a review, use the introduction to create your own listening exercise. Listen for three pieces of information about the subject, then decide which one you find most interesting. Then listen to the rest of the programme to find as much as you can about the piece of information you chose. By selecting what you listen for, you can make it easier to understand what you hear.