Recently I was reading an old review of Broken Social Scene's fantastic You Forgot It In People on Pitchfork's site. Aside from deservedly fawning all over this album, reviewer Ryan Schreiber also gives one of the best explanations I've ever read on the true appeal on indie music. The italics are mine. Without further ado...
"So, how can there be room for both challenging, forward-thinking music and straight-up accessibility? Well, we're not total fucking assholes, right? We can kick back with Ekkehard Ehlers or Electric Light Orchestra-there's inherent greatness in both. But the holy grail for people like us is the record that combines outright experimentation and strong hooks, something that engages us mentally while appealing to the instincts that draw us toward pop immediacy. Some of the best records ever have been ones that put these two seemingly disparate elements together-- and you can go as recent as The Notwist's Neon Golden or as far back as Sgt. Pepper's (and probably farther, if you want). This kind of music shouldn't be hard to come by; it's just that not many artists are able to perfect that balance."
If you want a better explanation than that on why it's ultimately more rewarding to listen to The Shins than the Black Eyed Peas...I really haven't got one.
And Schreiber's definition doesn't apply only to one musical genre like indie, as much as to art as a whole. Sculpt it, write it, paint it, build it, record it any way you like.
Mental engagement + accessibility will always = rewarding art.
My Trusted MOGs
It's hard to explain why a certain style or blend is ultimately more appealing than another, mainly due to the fact that music is art and art is subjective. You could write a 10,000 word thesis on the reasons why you like a certain band, but at the end of it... I could just as easy claim to still dislike them.
I feel that it's a very personal thing and sometimes words just aren't enough. I can tell you that Matisyahu's Live At Stubbs was better than Youth because of the raw energy of the live recordings, but that doesn't mean you'll ultimately agree.
I think it is good when a reviewer goes into some depth to explain why they like (or dislike) something, perhaps a reader will see the reviewers perspective or just be on the same wavelength, but for every person that loves one thing for a set of reasons, there'll always be someone else that hates it for another set of reasons. The way of the world, I guess.
Still, always better to hear an indepth and rational opinion, rather than someone just saying "I hate it cos it's crap".