CNET Networks Entertainment GameSpot | GameFAQs | SportsGamer | Metacritic | MP3.com | TV.com
Home | About Metacritic | About Metascores | What's New | Wireless Versions | Discussion Forums | Advertising Inquiries | Contact Us | RSS
Metacritic.com: We Deal With Criticism
     Help
> Switch to Advanced Search  
Film Video/DVD Music Games Books TV
Printer-Friendly Version Email This Page Discuss In Our Forums

Music

Upcoming Release Calendar
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
Best Of 2004
Best Of 2003
Best Of 2002
Best Of 2001
Best Of 2000
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Music In Our Forums

 

Upcoming & Recent Releases

sort by name sort by score

80 American Music Club
61 Anti-Flag
71 Apes
69 The Apples In Stereo
81 Atlas Sound
68 Atmosphere
71 Autechre
79 Kevin Ayers
62 B-52s
82 Erykah Badu
68 Bauhaus
70 Be Your Own Pet
73 Beach House
72 Bell X1
65 The Big Sleep
74 The Black Crowes
77 The Black Keys
88 Bon Iver
75 Boris
71 Born Ruffians
72 Billy Bragg
74 The Breeders
50 The Brian Jonestown Massacre
80 British Sea Power
73 Cadence Weapon
67 Mariah Carey
87 Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
68 Clinic
78 The Constantines
74 Elvis Costello & The Impostors
63 Counting Crows
74 Crystal Castles
59 Danity Kane
53 Craig David
75 Ray Davies
80 Death Cab For Cutie
61 Gavin DeGraw
69 Del The Funky Homosapien
78 Destroyer
79 DeVotchKa
77 diskJokke
81 The Dodos
59 Does It Offend You, Yeah?
57 Mike Doughty
67 Justin Townes Earle
74 Kathleen Edwards
82 Elbow
66 Elf Power
72 Estelle
70 Evangelista
66 The Feeling
77 Tim Fite
79 Flight Of The Conchords
54 Flo Rida
77 Flogging Molly
75 Foals
82 Frightened Rabbit
80 Fuck Buttons
61 Ghostland Observatory
76 Gnarls Barkley
78 Goldfrapp
66 The Gossip
70 Grand Archives
60 Adam Green
61 Guillemots
80 The Gutter Twins
77 Headlights
86 Hercules And Love Affair
78 Howlin Rain
68 Alan Jackson
61 Janet Jackson
58 Junkie XL
74 The Kills
79 Kaki King
65 The Kooks
54 Kula Shaker
69 Lady Antebellum
66 Ladyhawk
71 Daniel Lanois
77 The Last Shadow Puppets
63 Leona Lewis
71 Jamie Lidell
73 The Long Blondes
79 Los Campesinos!
64 Lyrics Born
71 M83
66 Madonna
76 Stephen Malkmus
75 Man Man
80 Matmos
83 James McMurtry
70 Colin Meloy
72 Tift Merritt
83 Meshuggah
65 Kylie Minogue
63 Moby
67 Allison Moorer
63 Morcheeba
69 Van Morrison
74 The Mountain Goats
75 Murder By Death
75 Mystery Jets
79 Neon Neon
79 The Night Marchers
64 Nine Inch Nails
76 Nine Inch Nails
78 No Age
68 No Kids
80 Jim Noir
70 Panic At The Disco
73 Dolly Parton
74 Pete & The Pirates
75 Phantom Planet
74 Plants and Animals
85 Portishead
56 The Presidents Of The United States Of America
76 Pride Tiger
65 The Proclaimers
78 Prodigy [of Mobb Deep]
79 R.E.M.
76 The Raconteurs
72 The Raveonettes
87 Robyn
69 Pete Rock
74 The Rolling Stones
80 The Roots
59 Rick Ross
77 The Ruby Suns
81 Santogold
76 She & Him
51 Simple Plan
65 Ashlee Simpson
71 Snoop Dogg
81 Sun Kil Moon
67 Supergrass
79 Switches
72 The Sword
70 Tall Firs
61 Tapes 'n Tapes
64 The Teenagers
76 These New Puritans
71 These United States
78 Thrice
69 Tokyo Police Club
78 Jim White
76 Why?
62 Widespread Panic
76 Young Knives

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

 



Open
by Cowboy Junkies

Cowboy Junkies reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 66 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
8.3 out of 10
based on 8 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 8 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

The first album of new material in three years for the ever-consistent Cowboy Junkies.

LABEL: Zoe
RELEASE DATE: 15 May 2001
DISCS: 1 disc
GENRE(S): Alternative, Rock

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...

80
Sonicnet
A work that retains their signature sound while embracing a more mature and cautiously positive outlook on matters of the heart.
Read Full Review
80
Dot Music
Cowboy Junkies have made a 'growing older' record - there's a greater preoccupation with loss and death, reflected in a heavier, darker musical cast.
Read Full Review
74
Pitchfork
Long time fans will undoubtedly be delighted, but it's tough to predict if this record will inspire converts.
Read Full Review
70
Wall of Sound
The songs, however, are principally concerned with creating atmosphere, as has always been the band's strength. Only this time the atmosphere is centered on Michae [Timmins's] contemplations of his own mortality, and it seeks musical complexity, not simplicity.
Read Full Review
70
Alternative Press
A surprisingly substantial collection of lyric-heavy, humbly grandiose barroom-rock storytelling... [Jul 2001, p.63]
60
Q Magazine
Dark and knotty, Open takes a while to win you over but when it does, it hangs around in your head like an unpaid debt.
Read Full Review
60
All Music Guide
The whole gang sounds as good as ever.
Read Full Review
30
The Onion (A.V. Club)
While the continued drive to mix up its sound remains admirable, the weak spots are downright deadly, making Open feel sort of like a between-albums goof, an experiment strictly for the fan club.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this album is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

brent gave it an8:
You wouldn't even be reading this if you weren't a fan, and I wouldn't be writing this if this wasn't secret.The days of "Sweet Jane" and "Anniversary Song" and the other upbeat, attention-getting pop they used to intersperse their albums with is LONG gone... much more accesible than One Soul Now, the Open album recitates a lot of debates. Like, do you personally grow with the artists over time or do you wait fruitlessly for the next thing that satisfies a bunch of people? (Google "dylan fan" or "lou reed fan" ) The Junkies, bless 'em, had their accidental modest successes but always went their own way. They write awesome originals and do great covers. They also do lousy covers. And lousy originals. Open is neither of these. It's just a patient, dark, collection of originals with a theme. (Remember theme records?) In this case its death, rebirth, joy, heartbreak complete with into, outro and periodic Michael Timmins black spooky feedback guitar. Not to take away from Michael Timmins, a really great poet. Long story short: When you hear Margo (finally?) turn her soul inside out from her cool exterior and shred up "I'm So Open," to a heartshredding piece of time, you will have a Junkie Ephiphany. The rest of this recording is that way. It's the Junkies at peak: moving writing, the band creating psychodramas as if one, Michael the Poet and Margo the interpreter. You won't play this with friends or at a party, you'll play something like this alone.

Jim F gave it a 10:
The junkies really take a leap here, mixing jazz harmonies with grinding guitar, lyrical bass lines, and angelic (sometimes darlkly) vocals. If you haven't heard this band before, this isn't the best introduction, but to those of us who appeciate their very instinctive sound, it is a masterpiece. If you haven't heard the albums "Rarities, B Sides and Slow, Sad Waltzes" and "Lay it Down" listen in. They unlock the keys to this album. A masterpiece among my +1000 record collection.

Tim C gave it a 10:
give this one a few listens - it's worth it. especially, "i'm so open," one of the best singles ever from this band

Grant B. gave it a 8:
A great relaxing album, with messages about hope, dreams and inspirations to achieve one goal.

Aram C. gave it a 9:
DAMN GOOD, I have over 50,000 records and cd's and this cd is one of the best!

Discuss this album in our forums

Return to top of page
Home | FILM | DVD/VIDEO | MUSIC | GAMES | BOOKS | TV | Forums | About Metacritic metacritic.com

About CNET Networks | Jobs | Advertise | Partnerships                                Visit other CNET Networks sites:

Copyright ©2007 CNET Networks, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use