Arrow - Heartless Bastards
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Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 8 Ratings

  • Summary: Produced by Jim Eno of Spoon, Arrow is the fourth album for the Austin-based band from Ohio and its first on Partisan Records with new guitarist, Mark Nathan.
  • Record Label: Partisan
  • Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Garage Punk, Indie Rock
  • More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 20
  2. Negative: 1 out of 20
  1. Feb 14, 2012
    91
    Arrow is the Bastards' best album to date.
  2. Mar 12, 2012
    80
    Overall, Arrow is the quintessential Heartless Bastards album to date.
  3. Mar 22, 2012
    60
    "Got to Have Rock and Roll" is as fierce a rock statement as they've recorded. [Mar 2012, p.89]
  4. 20
    This is a grating, difficult, unsatisfying album.

See all 20 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. 10
    How to succeed in the music business is increasing difficult for indie groups like the Heartless Bastards. How about following up their breakout album with something even better & then tour the hell out to spread the word. That is exactly what they are doing, old school.

    Where "The Mountain", trekked the path of folk rock, "The Arrow" takes the gritter road of in your face rock and roll. What is most impressive about this album is that the music is not overshadowed by Erika's vocals but equally compliments. And they are not afraid to show off, with six of the ten tracks pushing five minutes plus. Add to mix the increasingly strong song writing and you have something very very special. Think about what Janis Joplin would sound like if she grew up listening to Neil Young and Led Zeppelin and you have this album. Check out the tour dates for this band & see them perform what I consider their best album to date.
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  2. Gritty, soulful, thoughtful songs well-executed throughout; the band feels tightest it's ever been, like they've grown together. Erika Wennerstrom is a highly competent, underrated songwriter. "Got To Have Rock And Roll", "Low Low Low", "Marathon" all remind us that folk-type music can still rock hard. (For my money in 2012, this LP beat AB Shakes' "Boys & Girls" by a mile...and it wasn't even that close.) Expand
  3. 8
    Brilliant album, very solid effort with only one or two tracks I'd consider as ordinary. There's a few great rock tunes but It's the slower tracks I really warmed too from this one. "Low Low Low" is a sweet little folk tune, some great banjo-Americana awesomeness matched with Erika Wennerstrom's roughish vocals makes me day dream of open roads and endless grassy fields. "Only for You" makes be stop and swoon. I'm new to the band and look forward to back tracking to their previous efforts. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Expand
  4. Although on the Heartless Bastards' album - "Arrow" there're only 10 tracks, it's interesting - sometimes minimalist and subdued songs such as "Marathon" and "The Arrow Killed The Beast" in conjunction with climatic timbre of singer's voice gives total quite strong position . Erika Wennerstrom and the band ain't limited to one genre and serve us for ex. based on country motifs "Low Low Low", catchy "Simple Feeling" or indie rock "Parted Ways" and reminiscent of The Black Keys "Only for You". Expand

See all 5 User Reviews