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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Soft Spot
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 15 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 2 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: SpinArt
Release Date: 17 June 2003
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Indie, Alt-Country, Rock
Summary
The fourth album for the alt-country trio (whose song "Moment in the Sun" is the theme for NBC's "Ed") was produced by Joe Chiccarelli (American Music Club).
Also By This Artist: End Of Love Hungry Bird
Also On Metacritic
MUSIC: Eef Barzelay: Bitter Honey
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
Sound wimpy? Well, if you could write a song half as good as "Close The Door," we guarantee that your girlfriend would like you twice as much. [Sep 2003, p.115]
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Though it lacks the thematic and tonal diversity of The Ghost Of Fashion, Soft Spot finds Clem Snide at its most instrumentally expansive, lavishing the album's 11 songs in a soothing coat of strings, horns, "orchestral scenery," and other whistles and bells.
Read Full Review >Junkmedia
Soft Spot is a winningly cohesive album -- both thematically and musically -- and shows Barzelay's songwriting talent growing exponentially.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
The mood is calibrated to quietly devastate. [20 Jun 2003, p.72]
Magnet
These are just tender pop songs, timeless enough to defy categorization. [#60, p.95]
Q Magazine
It makes for a wonderfully warm way of celebrating life. [Aug 2003, p.102]
Alternative Press
While not as captivating as 2001's brilliant The Ghost Of Fashion, Soft Spot is yet another winning effort from this vastly underappreciated quartet. [Jul 2003, p.120]
PopMatters
The simple truth with Soft Spot is that it gets better, more revealing, with each listen.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
There's a melancholy at this music's core that Barzelay successfully resists by generally attempting to understand someone else's feelings rather than expressing his own.
Read Full Review >Splendid
It's nowhere near as interesting as Ghost of Fashion or Your Favorite Music, but it has its own tranquil, slow-burning charm.
Read Full Review >Blender
Only a few of Barzelay's tunes... are the equal of their sonic textures. [Aug 2003, p.121]
Mojo
Unfortunately, on Soft Spot [Eef Barzelay] strays too often into the pleasantly nondescript. [Jul 2003, p.112]
Uncut
Deeply disappointing. [Jul 2003, p.114]
Pitchfork
At best begs to be a fan-club download, since it offers so little to anyone not Eef's bride or offspring.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 2 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
E degram gave it a 10:
delicate, beautiful... simple in the best possible way
