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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Giraffe
by Echoboy
Richard Warren's third LP, produced by Flood, finds the multi-instrumentalist moving more toward mainstream electro/synth pop, closer to bands such as New Order and Primal Scream than his more experimental albums 'Volume 1' and 'Volume 2.'
| LABEL: |
Mute |
| RELEASE DATE: |
25 February 2003 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Electronic, Rock |
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...
100
Alternative Press
Giraffe hums with the kind of lush, emotive pop New Order were making circa Power, Corruption and Lies. [Mar 2003, p.94]
90
Playlouder
A collection of skewed pop classics that draw as much on the contemporary R&B of Timbaland as they echo the darker side of New Order.
80
Dusted Magazine
This album will doubtlessly appeal to a broader audience than previous outings, but that's not to say it lacks the inventive, leftfield sensibility that has permeated Warren's other records.
80
Uncut
The results are as charming as they are accessible. [Feb 2003, p.86]
75
Launch.com
Impossible to pin down to a single genre or slavish style, Echoboy references everyone from David Bowie to Thomas Dolby to Roxy Music to nu electro, yet its sound, at times basking in cathedral drones, other times rent with oddball choirboy humming, is its own.
70
Urb
His fiercest, finest record. [Feb 2003, p.94]
70
Ink 19
The lyrics are Echoboy's Achilles' heel.
70
Mojo
More accessible than of old. [Mar 2003, p.108]
68
Stylus Magazine
His last two efforts weren’t as focused, but this time he’s got about half an album’s worth of quality work.
60
Splendid
Warren too often undercuts his successes by trying to impress us with his strangeness.
60
Q Magazine
His diluted indie-whine does become obnoxious over the long haul. [Mar 2003, p.104]
60
Junkmedia
Greater accessibility does not necessarily mean higher quality.
60
All Music Guide
Though Giraffe is definitely Echoboy's most immediate and cohesive work, it's not perfect: the album takes a misguided turn toward the dark and overwrought on songs like "Lately Lonely" and "Wasted Spaces," both of which recall the harsher moments of Primal Scream's Evil Heat.
47
Pitchfork
Hiding below layers of dated synth noise, dinky drum machines and expensive effects is, surprise surprise, a solo bedroom recording. 50 minutes of structured wankery, as performed by a lone Brit with the questionable talent to put a chorus to a verse, employing a thin, laddish vocal and rudimentary guitar skills.
40
PopMatters
The new album gets off to a spectacular start, but nearly 20 minutes later, for some unfathomable reason, the entire album goes all to hell, and while you really want to pull for Echoboy, you can't get the feeling of disappointment and wasted potential out of your head.
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.
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