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A River Ain't Too Much To Love - Smog
A River Ain't Too Much To Love Image
Metascore
76 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.9 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 15 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Summary: Bill Callahan's 12th Smog album finds him joined in the studio by such musicians as Jim White (Dirty Three) and Joanna Newsom.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Stylus Magazine
    100
    The subtle backing musicians never overshadow Callahan's reedy baritone and direct lyrics; they merely add subtle shading and light in the appropriate spots--a restraint reminiscent of Bob Dylan's use of studio musicians on laid-back classics like John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    91
    An exquisite mix that conjures train tracks and piney woods. [3 Jun 2005, p.86]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Blender
    60
    This time, he's playing with a minimalist, barely electric trio that wouldn't dare overshadow his sleepy-voiced utterances, painstakingly plucking one note at a time, and writing songs mostly about horses or mortality or both. [Jun 2005, p.115]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 29 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. LeonardoF
    10
    an album that gets better and better with each listen. the subtle (andmar marvelous) instrumentation helps us focus on his wonderful voice and lyrics.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. plexus
    10
    Classic, you gotta hear this record.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. stephenm
    10
    A must have album, second only to the mighty "Illinoise" by Sufjan Stevens in my best of 2005
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 9 User Reviews

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