MUSC155: Album Review – Assignment 2 Solution

Assignment 2: Album Review

Worth: 20% / Due: June 8^th, by midnight (submit via eClass Assignment Submission link)

 

Length: 1,000 – 1,250 words (4 – 5 pages, double-spaced, 12pt font, Times New Roman or equivalent). Please include a bibliography (not included in the page count) of all the sources that you use.

The purpose of this written assignment is to write an album review essay of an album from the 20^th century (1900s) that has had a significant influence on popular music history and its related culture.

Your review must establish a clear focus for which to discuss your chosen album. You might think of this focus along the lines of thesis statement: what argument are you making about this album and its relationship to popular music history (broadly interpreted). This focus/thesis should structure and shape the evidence, examples, and sources that you use and integrate throughout the body of the review.

A key goal of this assignment will be to simultaneously speak about the album’s sound and musical contribution as well as its historical relevance. By historical relevance, I mean its place in relationship to something significant in society and culture (not unlike the “context” section of our shorter Song Analysis assignment). Be sure to connect the album to the topic you decide to write about and demonstrate how and why your chosen album is of wider significance.

Although you do not need to follow a typical essay format for this assignment, it should be well structured and your review should move through distinct sections that advance the focus of the review. You might use the following structure for organizing your review (feel free to organize as you like, but still keep these sections in mind):

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• A compelling opening paragraph or two that introduces the album and establishes the focus of your review (approx. 200 words).
• A section that describes the album. This is where you will highlight things such as background information (brief), key songs or sounds, lyrical importance, the sonic aesthetic of the album, and so Be sure to listen to the full album and make sure that you are also giving the reader a sense of the album’s overall sound and style. This does not mean that you have to discuss or mention each song on the album. You might also highlight some strengths or weaknesses of the album, you might emphasize certain tracks or sounds or lyrics. You might place it within a certain sound or movement. Make your choices as to what to include in the review based on the focus/thesis that you’ve chosen (approx.. 350 words). This does not need to be one long paragraph: organize them according to the elements you are focusing on. You may bring in some outside source material in this section but use it sparingly.
• A section that connects your focus to the album and the elements you have described above (approx.. 350 words). This is where you can bring in outside evidence and use your sources accordingly. Make precise connections between the album and its historical significance. Again, this section does not need to be one long
• A brief concluding section that strongly emphasizes the focus of your review (approx.. 100 words).

You are encouraged to do some research and find an album to write on. However, if you are not familiar with popular music history and wish to discuss some possible albums with me, I am happy to make suggestions. You might try some searches for influential albums from the 20^th century (or, a more specific search like: top albums of the 1980s; most influential metal albums). I’ll include some links to lists of influential albums below.

For this assignment, you are required to use at least three outside sources, one of which must be an academic source (given that we are online, this will likely be from an academic journal available through the library; please see the music library resource guide provided on eClass). Our textbooks are academic sources and can be used but you should consult some additional academic sources too. In addition, you may wish to also use news sources, historical documents, online photos or videos, and any other source to combine with the academic sources you have located (again, please consult additional library resources on eClass).

Lastly, you may choose to write as though you are writing at the time of the album’s release or you may choose to write it from the present day and frame it as a “re-evaluation” of the album.

Establishing your focus:

 

You might think of your review’s focus in this way: What is your central argument in relation to your chosen album? The thesis will also set up the overall direction of the review and it will establish why your album is of significance.

Example:

On Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak we hear the increasing importance of auto-tune technology in Hip Hop. This demonstrates the changing conventions of Hip Hop towards a Pop sensibility and the increasing commercial success of the genre. Listeners will hear this influence not only throughout the album but on some notable albums that followed this release.

(I’ve kept this example simple and direct; you are encouraged to find your own voice for writing about the album and maintain consistency throughout your review!)

Notes on Using Citations and Compiling a List of References (Bibliography/Works Cited):

 

For this assignment, you are able to use whatever citation style guide you prefer (MLA, APA, or Chicago). For simplicity, MLA style is recommended (with in-text citations). The following links will help you with your citations and bibliography.

University of Alberta Citation Guides: http://guides.library.ualberta.ca/citing

Purdue Online Writing Lab, MLA Formatting and Style Guide (see the links along the left side of the page): https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Possible places to search for an album:

 

Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Rolling Stone’s “100 Best Albums of the ‘90s.” Pitchfork’s “The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s.” Pitchfork’s “The 100 Best Albums of the 1970s.” Pitchfork’s “The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s.” Pitchfork’s “The 100 Albums of the 1990s.”

Further resources on writing about music:

 

“Notes on How to Write an Album Review.”

Rubric and Notes on Grading:

 

 

A review in the “Excellent” range will effectively and efficiently communicate the focus of the review and its key subthemes/topics. In other words, you will have done an excellent job of specifying your review by formulating a clear and concise focus. It will also use clear and compelling evidence throughout. In other words, you want to pair your own thoughts on the album’s sound with outside evidence. The review will demonstrate original thinking on the topic. The text will also be exceptionally clear and coherent and will be written in an active and engaging voice. Research will be properly cited in the text.

A review in the “Good” range will deliver strong responses to the requirements of the assignment but may have a few notable issues in style and clarity. The focus will be strong but may lack clarity or may not be specific enough. The paper will do a good job of justifying the thesis/focus, but it may be lacking in critical and original thinking about the album. You might have not talked enough about the album or about its context. Any extra research will be properly cited in the text.

A review in the “Satisfactory” range will almost hit all the required parts of the assignment. It will do a decent job of creating an argumentative focus. The evidence and research will be good but might not be as effectively connected to the analysis as it could be. It may also rely too heavily on opinion, or will only offer a simple summary of the album and its related issues. There will be significant issues in clarity and coherence. Any extra research will be cited in the text, but there may be a few issues in this area.

A review in the “Poor” range will barely meet the basic requirements of the assignment and will have major issues in clarity and coherence. There may be some major issues in citing extra research

Assignment 2 Grading Rubric: