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Emoh
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 23 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 17 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Merge
Release Date: 25 January 2005
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Indie, Rock
Summary
Although the former Folk Implosion and Sebadoh member has recorded solo discs before under the name Sentridoh, 'Emoh' marks his first release under his own name. It includes six home-recorded tracks as well as eight new studio cuts recorded with producers Mark Nevers, Josh Schwartz and Wally Gagel.
Also By This Artist: Goodnight Unknown
Also On Metacritic
MUSIC: Dinosaur Jr.: Beyond Folk Implosion: One Part Lullaby Folk Implosion: The New Folk Implosion
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Spin
On these subtly lovelorn songs, his voice quavers with a grounded, lived-in authority. [Feb 2005, p.92]
Drowned In Sound
‘Emoh’ is revealing at all times, but utterly dignified throughout, and it’s a wonderful solo record.
Read Full Review >Delusions of Adequacy
Emoh is one of the first surprisingly great albums of 2005.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
It's a mature, accomplished statement for one of indie rock's most reliably miserable men.
Read Full Review >Uncut
He delivers 14 sweetly sombre neo-folk tunes that reveal just how subtly pervasive the man's influence really is. [Mar 2005, p.108]
Pitchfork
While this new batch of songs is pleasant and often charming, they're not as memorable or passionate as Barlow's best.
Read Full Review >Lost At Sea
14 songs focused intently on melody and chord progressions, not licks or repetitive riffs or tricky drumbeats.
Read Full Review >Junkmedia
The album has a sonic cohesiveness that makes for a consistently pleasant listening experience.
Read Full Review >Paste Magazine
Barlow fails to write an indie rock standard, something he usually manages once per album, but EMOH still exceeds expectations.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
Where once lo-fi underachievement stifled Barlow's outsider pop genius, 'Emoh' abandons dictaphones to the dustbin and sees Lou documenting his wonderful, incisively literate pop songs with something resembling sheen. [5 Feb 2005, p.51]
Splendid
EMOH is a bit rambling, and could stand to lose a song or two so as to not detract from the its power, but considering Barlow's sometimes egregious prolificacy, these 14 songs are about as polished as he gets.
Read Full Review >ShakingThrough.net
But while it's appealing to hear Barlow sound so contented as he approaches middle age, Emoh can't help but lack in the emotional immediacy so typical of Barlow's earlier, non-eponymous work.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
This set of songs disappoints with its unwillingness to take real chances. Seemingly afraid to sound foolish, Barlow now sounds just okay.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
It lacks both the lurching DIY energy and emotional intimacy of his more rough and ready recordings.
Read Full Review >No Ripcord
Those in search of classic Barlow would do far better to dig out their battered old copies of Bakesale.
Read Full Review >Under The Radar
The lack of distinctive arrangements eventually diminishes the songs' individual merits. [#9]
Q Magazine
Lack[s] both the energy of Sebadoh and the quirkiness of his Folk Implosion project. [Mar 2005, p.98]
Austin Chronicle
Barlow's precious melodies and don't-wake-the-baby vocals never reach fertile ground, making Emoh more Dashboard Confessional (or maybe Dadbored Confessional?) than anyone may be comfortable with.
Read Full Review >Drawer B
Nowhere near as affecting as even latter day Sebadoh records like Harmacy, Emoh shows Barlow in a typically maudlin frame of mind, but the starkness of his voice is smoothed over with pointless overdubs
Read Full Review >PopMatters
Beyond its opening hat trick, Emoh dissolves into a retread of the same psychic wound, recycling the same themes with less inspired, more pedestrian results.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
As singer-songwriters go, Barlow's not worthy to make a Starbucks run for Conor Oberst, Jim White, Joseph Arthur or Chris Carrabba. [Mar 2005, p.122]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 17 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
jason c gave it a9:
easy to dismiss at first listen i've grown to love this set of songs.
[Anonymous] gave it a7:
Lou's still a solid songwriter, though this is a bit too smooth and mellow for my tastes... I mean, my parents would probably enjoy this. That said, it's consistent (if overlong) and easy on the ears; a nice little album.
allen m gave it a9:
Not as instant as some Folk Implosion stuff, but after a while it really grows. A couple of Lou's best songs on here, and his voice just gets better. Some of the songs are better live, but he has tried to add a bit of variation to the album, which will hopefully give it wider appeal. Keep Rockin' Lou. Now go buy it, before everyone jumps on the Dinosaur Jnr bandwagon.
Erich S gave it a9:
The last couple of Sebadoh albums left me cold with their unwillingness to depart from formula. "Emoh" doesn't really go out on any musical limbs but it's refreshing to hear Barlow's mellow voice supported by some really catchy songs. This is definitely a throwback and that's a good thing.
brian m gave it a9:
Lou's most consistant solo work to date. Emoh bears more relation to his Folk Implosion and Sentridoh work than to his work with Sebadoh. The production is mid-to-hi fi but musically is grounded in his best acoustic strumming. This is a great starting place for people who missed Sebadoh or the Folk Implosion and a good reminder of just how good Lou is at music for those who have forgotten.
Jason F gave it a10:
This one really grew on me. I was going back and forth listeing to "Emoh" and the new Bright Eyes CD, but found I always went back to Emoh to figure out what chorus it was that I woke up to in my head while drinking my morning coffee. The songs seem to haunt me at all hours of day and night -- and I am immediately lured back into listening to it. Sebadoh, it's not -- but c'mon people, let's admit it. We've all grown up.
