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As good as the atmospheric heartache of the first half of 5:55 is, it's on the second half, when Gainsbourg and her crew stretch out a bit, that the album really gets interesting.
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She sounds forever Gainsbourg – not a bad thing in this case.
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BlenderThis odd cast creates strangely beautiful moods. [May 2007, p.104]
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These gauzy songs are an ideal fit for Gainsbourg's dreamy, impossibly light voice.
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Make no mistake, this is a slight record, but nonetheless one with more than a few enjoyable moments.
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How does such a rich soup of chromosomes and hired help come together? In a tinkly, whispery trinket that deserves a place on the stereo of every right-thinking beatnik.
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A collection of sleepy, emotionally blunt songs that feel whispered from the wee hours.
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MagnetThe results are everything you'd expect from the guys responsible for Pulp's This Is Hardcore, Air's Moon Safari and Beck's Sea Change. [#75, p.98]
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MojoIt's definitely in the family tradition. [Oct 2006, p.112]
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Everyone involved seems to work well together.
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New Musical Express (NME)Breathy, sophisticated and existentially troubled. [2 Sep 2006, p.19]
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A stylish but stilted pastiche, 5:55 follows a decade's worth of mostly superior homages, often involving the same artists.
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'5:55' is a welcome addition to the Gainsbourg family's musical legacy, and we can't give any higher compliment than that.
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Chan Marshall or Feist she isn’t, but her beguiling charisma makes up for any lack of vocal chops.
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A stunning, grandiose pop record.
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Q MagazineIt feels awkward. [Oct 2006, p.119]
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The results are predictably dramatic, but the album succeeds because nothing is blown out of proportion; Gainsbourg doesn't have the best voice on the planet, but her seductive breathiness helps boost all the subtleties.
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What stops 5:55 being a well-meaning pastiche, what makes the album touching rather ghoulish, is the sheer quality of the songwriting.
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UncutAll the elements are there, but somehow 5:55 doesn't gel as it should. [Oct 2006, p.124]
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Under The RadarThe results are what you would expect given its pedigree. In fact, it’s hard to imagine Gainsbourg and company pulling this off any better. [#17, p.85]
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UrbIt's a delicate album that's simultaneously sophisticated and warm. [Apr 2007, p.106]
User score distribution:
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Positive: 16 out of 21
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Mixed: 2 out of 21
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Negative: 3 out of 21
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May 20, 2012
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MattD.May 9, 2007
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AlanMApr 24, 2007Mom and Dad would be proud.