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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
The Outsider
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 31 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 41 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Universal
Release Date: 19 September 2006
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rap
Summary
Following acclaimed, sample-driven efforts 'Endtroducing' and 'The Private Press,' 'The Outsider' detours DJ Shadow into more conventional hip-hop, with rappers such as David Banner and Q-Tip guesting.
Also By This Artist: The Private Press
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...
Tiny Mix Tapes
The Outsider screams to be downloaded in sections by fans of specific genres.
Read Full Review >musicOMH.com
This is a fascinating record that will initially bewilder, but rewards repeated listens.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
Contrary to the way he's been perceived, Shadow has never been anything other than passionate about hip hop, and "The Outsider" is his love letter to the genre, revelling in all its myriad excesses.
Read Full Review >Uncut
As brave as it is diverse. [Oct 2006, p.104]
RapReviews.com
Despite the presence of some must-hear rap tracks, it's hard to justify the purchase if you are paying for only about half an album.
Read Full Review >Dusted Magazine
The cadre of eclectic guest appearances... make it seem like this record would play more like a mix tape, but Shadow pulls it off, and for the most part, each of the guest artists deliver the goods.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
I suspect that it will be one of those albums that people might dismiss today but will go back to in six months or six years, in the process rediscovering a treasure trove of interesting music.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
The Outsider is a carefully crafted, artistically elusive mess -- far more scattershot than even his first UNKLE record (Psyence Fiction), but much more interesting for its excellent productions.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
As a full-length Shadow album, The Outsider buckles from its forced diversity. [24 Aug 2006, p.94]
Q Magazine
As ever, The Outsider's production is immaculate. But by frontloading the album with forbidding hip hop, [Shadow] knows he's driving away the floating voter. [Sep 2006, p.106]
Playlouder
Aside from track sequencing issues... and dodgy indie geezers, 'The Outsider' is a great album and well worth the wait.
Read Full Review >Prefix Magazine
The Outsider shouldn't be framed as the second coming of a masterpiece but as a stepping-stone.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
A jarring journey. [22 Sep 2006, p.94]
Billboard
More often than not, even Shadow's most extreme sonic detours hit home.
Read Full Review >ShakingThrough.net
The Outsider is a mix tape. The artful flow that defined Endtroducing and The Private Press has been eschewed in favor of individual tracks, and the album succeeds or fails along these lines.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
While the hyphy tracks might scare some people off, they are the record's undoubted highlights.
Read Full Review >BBC collective
While it’s a bit hit and miss, the sheer bullishness of this album is impressive.
Read Full Review >Mojo
Tough to take in one sitting, The Outsider nevertheless boasts enough fine 'deep cuts' to be a keeper. [Sep 2006, p.98]
Urb
Where Shadow ultimately sutmbles is on the britpop tip. [Oct 2006, p.116]
Spin
Slinging new styles and innovating them are separate matters. [Oct 2006, p.100]
Under The Radar
Despite its lapses and awkward moments, The Outsider feels like the turntablist’s attempt to loosen up and venture away from a recognizable aural framework. [#15]
Pitchfork
This album should alienate virtually everyone who's ever been a Shadow fan.
Read Full Review >The New York Times
It’s hard to imagine anyone going for the whole album, because it doesn’t hold together. [18 Sep 2006]
Read Full Review >Vibe
Occasionally, the chemistry is thrilling... Mostly, though, Shadow picks collaborators allergic to subtlety. [Oct 2006, p.143]
Magnet
A draining listen due to its scatterbrained ideas and patchy sequencing. [#73, p.106]
New Musical Express
Here, ultimately, the DJ remains resolutely in the background. ANd that was never the point. [16 Sep 2006, p.35]
Paste Magazine
His work here seems scattered and gimmicky. [Oct 2006, p.75]
Observer Music Monthly
Shadow's head scratching choice of singers detract from the potency of his fluid beats.
Read Full Review >NOW Magazine
Problem is, the odd hodge-podge of tracks have no apparent connection to each other and certainly don't make for a coherent statement or even a decent mixtape.
Read Full Review >Blender
Distraught longtime fans can take comfort in the gothic ire of the Banner-fronted, Hurricane Katrina–lamenting “Seein’ Thangs” and the ambling blues-hop storytelling of Phonte Coleman on “Backstage Girl,” but little else can be salvaged from the wreckage of Shadow’s abruptly imploding talent.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 4.3 (out of 10) based on 41 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Habib W gave it a6:
Hate/love is my reaction...by far the best intro of any album to date...followed by a great but ill placed song 'try it my way'...should have been the conclusion of the disk...followed by better than your average hyphy coupled with awful rappers(E-40, Keek Da Sneak, Turf Talk) and then a better than usual David Banner and then some uninteresting instrumentals...but then the highlight of the album 'Backstage Girl' ...this track w/ the intro make your money's worth...'Tiger' is masterful but awful singing as well with most of the rest of the album...as a producer I was influenced a lot by Shadow so I can understand where he is going...perhaps he should re-release this album without vocals then he would be praised...
Pfillip gave it a2:
Damn, man, why? I love DJ Shadow. That's the only reason I haven't burned this garbage in the microwave. I can't give him a 1 or 0 either, so here's my 2.
Choreo F gave it a3:
the 3 is for effort and i could never give my numba 1 DJ a 0 but damn...this time it was hard. the album is easily comparable to Jay-Z's kingdom Come...high expectations, High let downs. And ditto to Andrew B, In full agreement! Josh, please leave the hyphy movement to the idiots tryin to market it to the east coast surburban kids and come back to the da bassment with da true hip hop heads.
Kid A gave it a3:
definitely not worth the wait he better come out with something much better next time
Jim Moose gave it an8:
Unlike shadow but the more i listen the more i like.
Stefan gave it a0:
A terrible, terrible album. So many awful songs, but the ultimate worst is "Enuff" (#18). This has to be a joke. I want my money back Josh.
J B gave it an8:
At first I hated this shit. I am from the Bay and listen to most all kinds of music but I hate the hyphy sound. The other songs wre ok, a little too much vocals some times. But the more I listened I realized that Shadow was apparantly irritated that such simplistic beats were getting so much play. So he decided to out-hyphy hyphy. On all the "hyphy" songs, he changes the beat up like 5 times, its not the same bars over and over again. Make no mistake, the rhymes are horrible, but the beats are innovative across the board. I seem to like it the more I listen to it
