- Record Label: Artist Direct / XL Recordings
- Release Date: Apr 23, 2002
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Q MagazineA vibe of maverick playfulness married to fabulous tunes. [Apr 2002, p.106]
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MojoThe seemingly effortless confidence displayed throughout is startling. [Apr 2002, p.108]
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Alternative PressA collection of stylistically diverse tunes that is cohesive and refreshing. [Jul 2002, p.76]
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The songs on About a Boy are all exactly what we've come to expect from Gough, and the disc's lack of cohesion is its only real failing.
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About a Boy is that rarest of bewildering beasties, the soundtrack that stands by itself.
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It's not all pleasant.... However, there are some total gems, as you'd expect.
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It's an album that feels like a watershed somehow, a significant step onwards.
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Somewhere within the radio-friendly, xylophone-banging tracks, Badly Drawn Boy finds space for artistic experimentation and growth.
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It's difficult to imagine how Badly Drawn Boy could've improved on The Hour of Bewilderbeast any better than this astonishing work.
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The songs lack the emotional depth of Bewilderbeast, but the jaunty folk-pop is just so much fun.
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With About a Boy, Badly Drawn boy has grown up.
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Ambition, imagination, charm and grace - by any measure, 'About A Boy' hits the heights.
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If About A Boy doesn't quite have the anything-can-happen vibe of Bewilderbeast, it still reveals a remarkably gifted artist.
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BlenderBadly Drawn Boy pulls off the job with panache, tipping his hat to Nick Drake, Burt Bacharach and acoustic-era Bob Dylan. [Jun/Jul 2002, p.103]
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Entertainment WeeklyA mix of songs and themes balancing obsessive craft with flippant style. [3 May 2002, p.89]
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A gorgeous, (let me say it again) gorgeous album that totally stands on its own.... About a Boy is one of the best albums of the year.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 11 out of 12
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Mixed: 0 out of 12
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Negative: 1 out of 12
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Jul 20, 2023
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Oct 23, 2016
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mattaJul 19, 2005