Tuning Fork, the blog devoted to critiquing the album reviews at Pitchfork.com, harped on writer Brian Howe last week for allegedly borrowing ideas for the review of the self-titled album by Chicago band Sybris. Tuning Fork compared bands referenced in the band's bio to the bands mentioned in Howe's review. There was, it seems, some correlation. One name in particular ruffled the T'Fork's feathers.

"I could go on but I think the above is a very nice example that YES bands do sound like other bands but does a writer have to use the same exact point of reference? Edie Brickell? Listening to Sybris a million other one of a kind voices come to mind but I have to be honest, E.B. was not on the top of my list. In fact it would have never even crossed my mind had it not been placed in my head via the label site."

What's the big deal? Well, just like most people assume the music they hear on the radio is not bankrolled by a label, some of us like to know that writers aren't getting lazy or are knowledgeable enough about music to write a review without an assist from a publicist. Time after time Coolfer has seen ideas and names in reviews that obviously came straight from the desk of a publicist. It's an easy trick. If you're a publicist and you want to get a certain band name-dropped in an album review, just mention that band in the one-sheet or band bio. There's no doubt somebody will use it even if that band bears no resemblence to the one being reviewed. Angry Somoans meets Enya? Sounds crazy, but if it's in a bio it'll make it to print somewhere.