When reading a review, I'm not too concerned about the factual density or level of language used, provided it's not overly ostentatious. What matters to me is that the writer has presented their opinion and judgement on various aspects of the album; it's better still if they can draw comparisons across the board and relate it to the bigger picture. That's not to say I wouldn't be impressed to see a review in sonnet form.
And yes, short reviews tend to garner more attention (and allow you to be more prolific!). I've learned this the hard way as I feel some of my sprawling King Crimson track-by-tracks suffer from overprolixity, but the first non-track-by-track I wrote was the
Bowie - Low review which was published in the campus magazine and very well-received.
I wish I had more time to spend writing reviews (ok that's mostly because I'm lazy). Anyway I look forward to reading some more of your reviews Brennan.