Music
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best Of 2009
Best Of 2008
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
Best Of 2004
Best Of 2003
Best Of 2002
Best Of 2001
Best Of 2000
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
70
AFI
65
Air
71
Alice In Chains
77
Amerie
85
The Antlers
75
Arctic Monkeys
68
As Tall As Lions
82
Atlas Sound
75
The Avett Brothers
67
Backstreet Boys
56
Bad Lieutenant
68
Devendra Banhart
72
Lou Barlow
88
Baroness
69
Basement Jaxx
81
David Bazan
72
Brendan Benson
72
The Big Pink
96
Big Star
46
Billy Talent
75
The Black Crowes
51
Black Mold
68
Blitzen Trapper
75
BLK JKS
77
A.A. Bondy
73
The Bottle Rockets
63
Box Elders
65
Boys Like Girls
76
Brand New
73
Tyondai Braxton
87
Brother Ali
70
Ian Brown
75
Michael Buble
78
Built To Spill
61
Colbie Caillat
79
Califone
68
Mariah Carey
84
Brandi Carlile
73
Julian Casablancas
83
Rosanne Cash
69
Castanets
65
The Cave Singers
84
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
79
Vic Chesnutt
75
Choir Of Young Believers
81
Circulatory System
68
The Clean
84
The Clientele
71
Cobra Starship
85
Converge
71
Eric Copeland
80
Cymbals Eat Guitars
71
Datarock
59
Dead By Sunrise
76
Dead Man's Bones
88
Destroyer
63
The Dodos
77
Drive-By Truckers
66
Bob Dylan
44
The Entrance Band
67
Esser
69
Fanfarlo
63
Felix Da Housecat
68
Fink
78
The Flaming Lips
66
Flight Of The Conchords
79
Florence And The Machine
67
John Fogerty
83
Fuck Buttons
71
Nelly Furtado
47
Gary Go
68
Ghostface Killah
79
Girls
69
Gossip
62
David Gray
66
David Guetta
79
Richard Hawley
74
Mayer Hawthorne
66
Headlights
79
HEALTH
77
Joe Henry
66
Hockey
69
Whitney Houston
68
Imogen Heap
59
Jack Ingram
79
Islands
73
Jessie James
74
Jamie T
65
Jay-Z
51
Jet
69
Daniel Johnston
76
Karen O And The Kids
72
Toby Keith
69
Kid Cudi
65
Kings Of Convenience
62
Sean Kingston
64
KISS
76
Kris Kristofferson
68
KRS-One & Buckshot
76
La Roux
84
Miranda Lambert
72
Ledisi
75
Sondre Lerche
56
Juliette Lewis
82
Lightning Bolt
73
Little Dragon
44
Pixie Lott
73
Lyle Lovett
66
Lovvers
75
Baaba Maal
77
Madness
84
Madonna
85
Manic Street Preachers
62
Maps
55
Massive Attack
57
Matisyahu
67
Reba McEntire
66
Tim McGraw
65
Brian McKnight
79
Mew
77
Malcolm Middleton
77
Mika
68
Amy Millan
76
Mission Of Burma
76
Molina And Johnson
80
Monsters Of Folk
62
Morrissey
85
Mount Eerie
78
The Mountain Goats
62
Múm
72
Muse
66
Willie Nelson
78
Nirvana
97
Nirvana
72
Nisennenmondai
80
No Age
71
Noah And The Whale
75
Noisettes
79
Nudge
47
Dolores O'Riordan
74
Os Mutantes
73
Osso
81
Owen
76
Paramore
76
Pastels And Tenniscoats
51
Sean Paul
80
Pearl Jam
66
Jemina Pearl
72
Jack Penate
65
Phish
82
Pissed Jeans
61
Pitbull
79
A Place To Bury Strangers
66
Robert Pollard
79
Polvo
72
Porcupine Tree
80
Q-Tip
80
R.E.M.
89
Raekwon
69
Rain Machine
70
Ramona Falls
75
Dizzee Rascal
75
The Raveonettes
76
Jay Reatard
82
Reigning Sound
81
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
79
Russian Circles
69
Buffy Sainte-Marie
73
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions
61
Sally Shapiro
78
Shudder To Think
70
Simian Mobile Disco
58
Simple Minds
72
Six Organs Of Admittance
69
Slaughterhouse
80
Slayer
61
The Slits
62
Mindy Smith
78
Soulsavers
77
Speech Debelle
58
Spiral Stairs
58
Squarepusher
55
Steel Panther
73
Sufjan Stevens
52
Rod Stewart
65
Joss Stone
75
George Strait
83
Barbra Streisand
76
A Sunny Day In Glasgow
74
Susanna And The Magical Orchestra
78
The Swell Season
76
David Sylvian
83
Taken By Trees
78
Tegan And Sara
68
The Temper Trap
72
Themselves
82
They Might Be Giants
67
Third Eye Blind
66
J Tillman
69
Times New Viking
57
Tokio Hotel
67
Trey Songz
71
The Twilight Sad
58
Carrie Underwood
56
The Used
68
Various Artists
70
Various Artists
74
Various Artists
77
The Very Best
71
Kurt Vile
67
Vivian Girls
71
Volcano Choir
76
Rufus Wainwright
59
Weezer
80
White Denim
76
Why?
83
Wild Beasts
80
Wildbirds & Peacedrums
59
Andrew W.K.
71
Patrick Wolf
67
Wolfmother
84
The xx
79
Yo La Tengo
83
Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band
51
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
59
Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Ships
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 23 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 19 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Secretly Canadian
Release Date: 09 May 2006
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Indie, Rock
Summary
The latest disc from the Danielson Famile's Daniel Smith boasts--in addition to a shorter band name--a whopping 34 contributors, including Sufjan Stevens, Steve Albini, and the members of Why?.
Also By This Artist: Trying Hartz
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Danielson: A Family Movie
MUSIC: Br. Danielson: Brother Is To Son
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...
Pitchfork
None of Smith's previous records-- and in fact, very few indie releases this year-- have flat-out rocked like this one, with blaring trumpets signaling snares to exact their force beneath sweeping multitracked vocal choruses that simply won't stop crescendoing.
Read Full Review >Filter
Ships is the best explosion of greatness yet from one of our most unique voices. [#20, p.100]
Under The Radar
Ships reinforces the fact that he's a songwriter of considerable depth and pop craftsmanship, and this album is his most ambitious and accessible yet. [#13, p.84]
All Music Guide
The resulting eleven tracks do not disappoint, striking the perfect balance between dissonance and melody with a backbeat that shakes the foundations of everything he's tried before.
Read Full Review >cokemachineglow
The eleven tracks here are the most concise, effortless, and melodically conspicuous songs to come out of the band’s camp.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
It isn't fair to Smith to imply that Ships is Danielson's play for a Stevens-level breakout, but the record is definitely an assured, ambitious follow-up to 2004's ramshackle Brother Is To Son.
Read Full Review >Prefix Magazine
Earlier efforts may suffer from a bit of kindergarten syndrome, in both the styles of singing and instrumentation, but Ships seems to see Danielson maturing at a faster rate.
Read Full Review >Lost At Sea
If you are a long time fan of the Danielson Famile... Ships will not disappoint.
Read Full Review >Tiny Mix Tapes
Ships is a brilliant collaboration of the finest indie minds backed by only the best intentions.
Read Full Review >Dusted Magazine
The hooks are nearly endless, each catchier than the last, and each song features a Technicolor array of instruments that create a perfect sonic version of the mildly psychedelic album art that comes with every Danielson release.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
Smith’s abrupt changes in tempo, volume, and instrumentation are alternately inspiring and disorienting.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
Though considered an acquired taste... Smith still finds something oddly charming in his sprawling chiaroscuro of sound, and a sort of childlike joy in its execution. [12 May 2006, p.80]
Almost Cool
Something like the Polyphonic Spree might sound if they decided to freak out a bit more, Danielson is a whole load of friends getting together under the banner of having a good time and creating some enjoyable music.
Read Full Review >Urb
An album as colorful as his stage show. [Apr 2006, p.96]
Rolling Stone
Ships turns the usual joyous cacophony up a notch. [4 May 2006, p.57]
Drawer B
It all unfurls more like a musical than an indie rock record, but don’t let the dissonance scare you away.
Read Full Review >Spin
Smith sounds less joyful than usual, unable to reconcile religious faith with everyday hope. [Jun 2006, p.79]
Mojo
Its music holds a refreshingly naive (if ridiculous) charm. [Jun 2006, p.110]
PopMatters
It’s awfully tough to categorize Smith’s songs, which make for adventurous sailing over rough seas.
Read Full Review >Uncut
These rattling songs... feel like disturbing European fairy tales. [Jun 2006, p.97]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 19 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Katie H gave it a10:
Incredible album.
Alex P gave it a6:
I know it's an acquired taste. I just haven't acquired it yet. Worth at least one listen.
David F gave it an8:
Pleasant.
bill gave it a9:
magnificent
Bryan B gave it a10:
Extraoradinay. Made me get the audiophile bug and up grade all of my stereo equipment.
Andy P gave it a10:
Probably the best new album I've heard yet this year. Just the first four tracks are mindblowingly great, and then it just keeps going.
Alan R gave it a10:
Word. And I ain't even religious.
