RECORDS reviewed by Alan Armstrong Readers may recall that in a recent issue of Te Ao Hou a correspondent attacked one of my record reviews, mainly, it appeared to me, on the grounds that my view differed from his and because, in the writer's opinion, I showed a lack of musical background. The letter raised some interesting points regarding critical writing in general and Te Ao Hou's record criticisms in particular, and I felt it would be of interest to readers to begin this review with a few thoughts on such matters. No. 1 golden rule for every critic is probably the need for ‘objectivity’. Let me confess here and now that desirable though ‘objectivity’ is in theory it is not always in practice the easiest thing to obtain. One listens to a record (or reads a book or sees a film) and usually either likes or dislikes it, and this feeling must always tend to colour one's subsequent comments about it. I must say that when I thoroughly dislike a record (such as the one in the review complained of) I never write a review on it without asking a crosssection of my friends to listen to it also. I can therefore gauge by their reactions whether or not my own views are reasonable or just the result of personal prejudice. Any verdict at which a critic arrives must be supported by reasons. To do otherwise is merely to foist opinion on readers without any yardstick against which they can gauge its fairness and validity. After objectivity comes the need for criticism to be constructive and not destructive. If the record is poor, then one must say how it can be improved. I strongly suspect that if many of the Maori cultural groups took the trouble before making a record to read what had been written about the forays of others into the recording field, there would be fewer mediocre Maori records on the market. Finally I think that a critic must write bearing in mind the people who read the critique. The readers of Te Ao Hou range from experts in the Maori cultural field to those who merely have a general interest in Maori matters and who will only be interested in buying an occasional disc purely for its entertainment value. I believe that this latter type of reader probably predominates and therefore I write principally for him. Such a reader does not want erudite commentary on the musical or other technicalities of the items on record. He wants a simply written and reasonably readable critique which leaves no doubt as to the critic's opinion (wishy-washy verdicts satisfy no one) plus a certain amount of factual information, such as who the group is and what items they are performing.

SING MAORI SING Viking VP 232 12in 33⅓ L.P. This features for the first time on record a Maori Concert Party from Bridge Pa Hastings. Side 1 is recorded in a studio and Side 2 is obviously taken from an actual concert. As several items are featured on both sides there is an opportunity for an interesting comparison. I have often hit out in these columns at the unsatisfactory nature of much material recorded ‘live’ by Maori cultural groups. Constant interjections of coughs, snuffles and other audience noises can be very distracting to one's appreciation of a record. On the other hand, live performances often have a verve and spontaneity lacking in studio presentations. On Side 1 of ‘Sing Maori Sing’ the singing is very smooth and controlled—almost too controlled—and it is only in successive tracks that the group seems to warm to its job. Nevertheless there is some very good singing and some fine bass voices. Apart from some slight slurring in the words of the first item the enunciation is good. A medley item consisting of ‘Rere atu Rere Mai’, ‘Kotiro Maori’. ‘E Rua Nei’, ‘Hoki Hoki’ and ‘Haere Ra e Hine’ is the best on Side 1. Side 2, recorded live, has much more vitality but the applause, a considerable amount of which comes during the items, is a not inconsiderable distraction and mars the overall effect. In contrast to Side 1, however, the men's voices hardly come through at all for most of the items on Side 2. A measured but spirited performance of the great East Coast women's haka powhiri ‘Ka Panapana’ is the pick of the items from this group but I also enjoyed two rousing items from the Cook Islands—‘Rarotonga e’ and ‘Drums of Rarotonga’. It is good to see Maori Concert Groups sparing a niche in their repertoire for the culture of their first cousins in the Cooks. The record cover is disappointing in that