Don Satz wrote:

>I don't have that degree of confidence in any review source, including the
>Penguin Guide which has its own biases.  I have hundreds of cds which were
>slammed somewhere, even from sources which are relatively aligned with my
>tastes.

Another contributing factor ot my classical-recording-nerdiness is the fact
that the stronger the slam of a recording the more inclined I am to buy
it---many times the idiosyncracies that are pointed out in a bad review may
reveal things in the music that I *need* to hear.  I like the risk-takers
and sure there are going to be many failures, but every once in a while
something sticks out that has been slammed and then the investment becomes
worth it....it's just money after all (as I mail my tear-stained credit
card bills off....)

Marcus