It's good to be hated.

Now, don't take pity or get upset, I actually find most of this highly amusing - but here are a few highlights of the glowing "feedback" I've gotten from my review.

I just read through this thread and the thing that strikes me as ridiculous is that at every comment the author is logging on and defending himself or his review. Let it go, man! You had 1000 words to state your opinion. Write the article and throw it out to the wolves. You should know what you are getting into by posting an article on Relevant. You are going to get good comments and bad comments. If you can't deal with that without sitting at your computer pushing the refresh button to see the next comment you shouldn't write any more articles. Just my opinion. Oh and the album kicks ace.

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Four things that Paul, the author of this article, needs to do: a) Stop sitting in a dark room listening to music while smoking weed and get a job (contrary to most in his generation) b) Take all those extra words he seems to have in his head and put them in a personal journal - not in a magazine. c) Get a girlfriend so he can fill the obviously massive hole in his heart that Death Cab no longer fills d) Come to the realization that Death Cab probably never intended to have a relationship with him on that level. J.J. Smith

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Wow, that was the most agnonizing critique of an album that I have ever read. Paul get a life,... and a girlfriend...

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I am trying to pick my jaw up from the floor after reading this review. I cannot take this album out of my cd player. It is unbelievable. The one thing that I really disagree with is the treatment of the song "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" which is one of the best love songs I have heard in years. Gibbard is a genius and this album reinforces that. I have listened over and over to this disc and am having a difficult time finding any merit in the flaws that you try to point out. BUY THIS ALBUM. It is amazing.

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the more i listen to this album, the more i love it. it was the same with transatlanticism. favorite tracks so far are "summer skin," "what sara said," and "someday you will be loved." paul, i respect your opinion, but the whole letter thing is annoying and pretentious. please write a real review next time.

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as someone whose husband devotes his life to his band, i can honestly say, it doesn't really matter what one guy on relevant says about an album....can one guy's opinion really say everything about a piece of music? and you really think you can read the minds of the band, don't you? oh..if only you were that smart, and the boys in the band were that simple...don't flatter yourself....

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Ah, the kindness of strangers. I have a soft spot for JJ. He was nearly creative in his response. And the list; just as good as my lame letter approach ;-) Now truly the best part — or what one would hope is the best part — of comments "linked" with articles is the ability for readers and writer to interact; to disagree, discuss and have discussions to gain perspective, insight and (*gasp*) learn. But that assumes an awful lot on the part of the reader.

It assumes they have knowledge of what is being written and read. It assumes the ability to dissect oppposing or differing ideas. It assumes the ability communicate. In large part the reaction fits the demographic. If you view comments within a poetry journal, I daresay the comments would voice disagreement in far more intelligent exchange. So, what have I culled from any of this? One, it simply was not my best piece (I'll get over that). Two, what happened to education that these are the best remarks to someone with whom you disagree? Three, I have an incessant need to make my point heard, even to thick headed bed wetters (ok, maybe out of bounds, but you never know...). Four, for a writer, I'm a decent designer (what? That didn't make much sense).