DA’s Letter to Reviewer Melissa Maerz at Blender
Posted by chesterfrench on Sunday, April 19th, 2009
Hey guys…
I was really dissapointed to see that one of our favorite publications, Blender Magazine, gave “Love The Future” a one star review.
But I was even more upset that they accused us of being sexist pigs! Check out their review, by Melissa Maerz:
For a couple of geniuses, these Harvard grads sure need a smack in the head. Yes, they’re overachievers: Their demo sparked a bidding war between Pharrell Williams’ and Kanye West’s labels, and their full-length debut—anchored by sunny ’60s-style pop festooned with strings and heavy-handed synths—also includes a Portugese track, a classical-music interlude and (enough already!) a tap-dance routine. But singer D.A. Wallach wants you to know that, despite his precociousness, he still gets laid as much as the next lunkhead. “I’ve been waiting so long that it hurts,” he admits, and Love the Future is loaded with that special misogyny reserved for late-blooming geeks. These guys love hearing a good “porn-star tale,” scoring with “drunk and high girls” and hiring “a first-rate whore,” but they’re “not tryin’ to mess with no sluts.” Lucky sluts—at least they get off the hook.
So I sent her a note, that I’m going to share with you guys, that we hope reaches her on Facebook. Check it out:
Hey Melissa-
I just read your 1-star review of our record on Blender’s site and felt awful – not just because you clearly didn’t enjoy our record – but because I worry that my lyrics came across the wrong way in several instances. “I’ve been waiting so long that it hurts” is an admission of geekiness prefaced by my saying that I’ve been “locked up in school,” basically failing with girls. The “pornstar tail” lyric (which you cite as “porn star tale”) is making fun of hollywood agent-types who brag about their flirtations with those types of girls. “Drunk and hot (not high, as you cite it)” girls is a reference to Kanye’s song “Drunk and hot girls,” to which I reply that I’m looking for a girl who “doesn’t need to shop at Dior.” “The Jimmy Choo’s, the final song you mention, is an indictment of overly materialistic girls, not a celebration of “first rate whores.” In the other, free album that we just released, you’ll find this same spirit expressed in a song we did with our friend Janelle Monae called “Nerd Girl:” http://hypem.com/track/796421/Chester+French+f+Janelle+Monae+-+Nerd+Girl . If anything, the message I want to convey is that it’s hip to be square, and that girls shouldn’t be so caught-up in the games of status and style. As someone raised by his mom who even chose to do a tutorial in college on feminist theory, I really fear after reading your review that people will get the wrong idea about our motives. Our goals have never been anything but to make thoughtful music and entertain. I’m sorry that we failed on both counts in your listening, but shall hope that we can win your support with our future efforts. I hope that this note find you well, and that you’ll take another listen and find that we’re not the misogynist pigs you heard on the first spin!
xoxo,
D.A.
Phew. Had to get that off my chest. Okay everyone… TWO DAYS till “Love The Future” hits stores!
40 Responses to “DA’s Letter to Reviewer Melissa Maerz at Blender”
That was quite well written and I think you should know that most of us GET it! I am looking forward to “Love The Future” and “The Jimmy Choos” and “She Loves Everybody” are absolutely delightful!
Here’s looking to great first week sales!
someone always has to try to bring you down, don’t stress though
So much people are buzzing about you guys, about your talent and to-becomeness, that maybe she wants to try another path not liking you, like everybody else DOES. Tastes differs with people OK, but really, after reading a lot of bad reviews of GREAT ALBUMS like “In Search Of” by N*E*R*D, and e.g. “Batman” by Prince, I really don’t pay much attention about reviews, especially bad ones. As they can tell, they are bad reviews, I mean BAD. Can’t wait for my GOLD package to come, and as a french Talib Kweli would have said, “pardon my chester english”, cause I’m french.
Nice from you to share this with us though…
-
Thanks, Nicolas! Just needed to clear the air! Thank you very very much for your support and for picking up the gold package. I hope you’ll LOVE it!!!
D.A.
MB says: Fuck a Blender Mag.
Justin Northam says: Let the haters hate. Cannot wait until tuesday.
Honestly u can’t sweat a negative review. I commend you for expressing your stance and clarifying for the reviewer, but at the end of the day everyone has an opinon. There will be more people to misinterpret your lyrics and music and you’ll have to answer the same question 1000 times in interviews, but that’s the consequences when your work is subject to public ridicule I guess.
The mixtape with Clinton Sparks is dope fam. I’m going to check for your LP too.
Stay up
Rachael says: DA,
Your response to a bad review was very gracious and, therefore, admirable. It’s not often that an artist respectfully responds to a bad review, so, kudos. I, personally, can’t wait to hear Love the Future. I’m sure it’s going to be awesome. Thank you guys for your hard work and dedication to your fans. See you guys at UT on Friday!
Yesss TWO MORE DAYS! And Yesssss sometimes you have to get if off your chest-ter french lol! and the masses will eloquently express how much they appreciate it and the nay sayers will love it. They dont understand the future and expressions of the past and future intertwined together. Good press bad press……Sometimes the goodness falls on death ears! Your reply is GOLDEN!
Funny thing is despite this rating, Blender is still shutting down so she will be jobless after this comes out. Perhaps she’s a little steamed about that?
Hmm- http://thecelebritycafe.com/features/26044.html No wonder =) People only exist in their own reality, have to focus on not taking anything personal. You guys did an incredible album and your grind will hopefully inspire many more generations of artists. You’ve inspired me, certainly.
courtney says: I love the way you handled your response to her! I hate that she didn’t understand your music and I definitely don’t understand why she didn’t check her lyrics or research a bit before she went on about things that she misunderstood. Anyway I’m ready for the album this week and once I get it I’ll review it haha. One question though…a tap-dance routine?
Peace!
Courtney
amy says: screw her! you guys are wonderful and amazingly talented! I love how you still ended it with “xoxo”, lol.
misterjulio says: What she wrote can’t even be considered a review. She said nothing informative about the production; it sound like she’s been called the things that she is saying you condone. She probably is the first rate whore, but no ones called her out on it. Hearing it in music, makes it real. On second thought, shes probably just really, really DUMB.
Krystle says: i think i love you.
f dizzle says: check out the movie “The Heckler” its on showtime on demand right now. Great docu on critics and their suckery.
critics are assholes and bitches
Well written D.A. You guys are killing it, your lyrics are ill. I heard Kanye say this in an interview once and I think it pertains pretty much to this, “If everybody thinks it’s right…..You’re doing something wrong.” So let the haters hate, take her words and learn from them, plus you can always learn more from a critique then from a compliment.
jstone says: i love blender but this chick is obviously clueless. oh well, i’m looking fwd to the album and the show in nyc in may 
btw isn’t blender donezo?
Chris says: That’s a very cerebral vindication of your lyrics, hopefully she’ll reconsider her unfair rating cos you guys deserve all the good press that you aren’t getting enough of, and none of the bad press that you are!
The fact that, as you pointed out, she misquoted half the songs shows that she has poor hearing anyway. Maybe she was “Drunk and High” whilst listening to the record?
m says: d.a. i loved your letter. keep your head up cuz people will always hate.
Love how you all handle criticism…with class and style. I’m not surprised at all that she responded well to you. And seriously? You had a hard time with girls?!!! If I weren’t married, I would go all cougarish on you without hesitation lol! Keep up the great work….you all rock!
Emily Litvack says: I think most people understand and appreciate your message. I heard D.A. once say in an interview that Chester French tries to write lyrics that are simple and easily understood. He then said something to the effect of “And if someone is too stupid to understand what we have to say, than they don’t deserve the music.” While he said it jokingly, if it wasn’t worded as harshly, I think that’s a pretty fair evaluation. Thanks for the great music, guys. And I admire that you responded to her respectfully and put the conversation out there to clear the air.
P.S. Can’t wait for the new album!
Maggie says: That’s really sad. Did she really listen to YOUR record? “(which you cite as “porn star tale”)”.“Drunk and hot (not high, as you cite it)”
she got two songs wrong. what’s up with that?
LovetheFuture21 says: Wow…that woman really needs to find a new job. How do you make that many mistakes when reviewing something? Anyway, you tell em DA!!
Can’t wait for the album!
kyle says: That’s terrible. Clearly there’s more background here. Tell that whore to get off her high jackass.
Anna says: As soon as I heard it was Blender who gave you guys a bad review, I wasn’t at all surprised. Blender seems to often review more favorable albums (in my opinion) poorly and incorrectly.
It took some balls to write back such a dignified and non-persnickety letter, and I applaud D.A. for handling himself in such a gentleman-ly manner. This just goes to show how awesome Chester French is.
I hope they publish his letter in the next Blender issue.
Also, as an aspiring music journalist, it’s quite ridiculous/hilarious that the woman reviewer failed to properly cite 90% of the lyrics she critisized. Do I foresee I firing of this woman? I question why Blender would dare let her keep representing the magazine after making an ass of herself.
Well, I’m a girl whose views usually lean towards feminism, but I LOVED Jacque’s Jams (I renamed it Jacque’s Jams because I love it so much!)
You guys aren’t chauvinistic, your funny and talented. The lady must have been having a bad day…
Ashloso says: What a lame review. She obviously only heard the album, she wasn’t listening. (*channeling inner-Janelle Monae* “Y’all betta shut up!”) Awesome response tho. Love the xoxo close. Two days left! I’m soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo phreakin ready!
*LoSo*
I’m so glad that the letter you wrote back was so mature and that you didn’t just lash back and call her names or anything like that. That was really noble of you – and skillful for you to select words that conveyed your point and didn’t insult! Kudos!
Ahhhhhh, in a little more than 24 hours, you’ll be sending out the downloads for Love the Future!!!! I’m so excited! It’s going to be EPIC!!!!!
You will find people that may be lost, not understand the message, or just hate. Dont sweat it.. The music speaks for itself, the mixtape is dope, a breath of fresh air. The live show is krazy,and your personality is amazing. I will soon know how the LP is.
Who ever this chick is, is shallow and apparently doesnt have humor! O well, Another one bites the Dust!
Great reply to her,
-BDC, L.G
http://www.myspace.com/chesterfrench_streetteam
ashley says: Ur badass.
Me says: I think that it’s really amazing that you took the time to 1st of all, read the review! and 2nd, that you actually listened to what she had to say and then responded. Great call on your part! Just remember that criticism like that can only give you something to learn from- you can’t better yourself only hearing great things (although I honestly can’t find a single thing I don’t like about your music!). I can’t wait to get my Gold package either! I’m so excited! Another thing, I really like that you’re pointing out that girls/ladies/women shouldn’t resort to being so cliche to get a guys attention- females in general can be so self conscious and feel like they need to do “whatever it takes” to be with someone like yourself, so proclaiming that you “ain’t tryin’ to mess with no sluts” is a stand-up thing to do. It’s good that, although your lyrics might SEEM to project a different message, you do seem to treat women with respect. And your intelligence is very appealing, no need to NOT let the world see it! The truth is, we need more people like you in the world. So, basically, I’m glad that you care what people have to say about you even if it isn’t positive. It’s a great quality.
xoxo
[...] DA – grow some balls and just call her a cunt. She’d respect you more. [...]
Franke says: It’s a pity that a critic would fail to do proper research regarding the topic for which she critiques. Regardless, your response was rather civil and quite diplomatic even though I’m sure you might have perhaps liked to have used a few expletives in the response. No matter though, life’s an adventure and a learning experience of sorts. It’s good though that everything finally came to an understanding. You guys rock, and I’m glad that I was able to pre-order your album.
Cheers…
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people still read blender? lol
chester french 4/21!