POP MATTER

After reading the Calendar pop music section for more than five years, I still can’t believe that Pop Meter is still featured.

Calendar should be above the idea of simply slapping a number on an artist’s latest piece of work. Everything else that the Calendar reviews--videos, compact discs, etc.--all contain at least some sort of explanation of the featured work to go along with the number or check mark.

But Pop Meter is the exception here: The number remains, but the critique is conveniently left out. This method of music reviewing is at the level of “Rate a Record” on “American Bandstand” (“A nice beat--I’ll give it a 75”).

Worst of all, the entire feature is useful to no one--it is a waste of time for critics, a slap in the face for the music industry, and an insult to all Calendar readers.

STEVE ALTENBERG

La Canada