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Now Or Heaven
by The Broken West
The sophomore album for the indie rock band based in Los Angeles.
| LABEL: |
Merge |
| RELEASE DATE: |
09 September 2008 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Rock, Indie |
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...
91
The Onion (A.V. Club)
More importantly, the songwriting is better this time around, with sharp hooks that draw blood once they grab on.
66
Filter
It's no sophomore slump, but it's a little disappointing to see a band embracing city life, backing chugging electric guitars with metered, occasionally mechanical rhythms. [Fall 2008, p.105]
65
Prefix Magazine
It’s a step forward chronologically but a step backward in overall album success.
60
Spin
They're never slavish imitators, and when they goose the velocity--those comparisons gradually fade into classic, shimmery guitar pop. [Nov 2008, p.88]
60
Under The Radar
There are some strong moments, especially 'Gwen, Now And then,' 'Auctioneer,' and 'Perfect Game,' but those high points are surrounded largely by filler. [Fall 2008, p.79]
60
All Music Guide
As it is, Now or Heaven is good enough but too derivative and uneven to be seen as anything other than a mild disappointment.
56
Pitchfork
Given the far sunnier cast of the group's debut, it's fair to say Now or Heaven is a document of growing pains.
50
PopMatters
The biggest problem for the Broken West may be that in polishing up their sound they’ve emerged sounding like a wannabe Coldplay.
40
Tiny Mix Tapes
Maybe Now or Heaven isn’t an awful record, but it’s certainly one that strips away everything I felt was compelling about the band to begin with.
The average user rating for this album is 8.0 (out of 10) based on 1 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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