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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

II
by Espers


8.1

based on 22 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 12 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

Official Artist Site

This is the appropriately-titled second release for the Philadelphia acid-folk group.

LABEL:	Drag City
RELEASE DATE:	16 May 2006
DISCS:	1 disc
GENRE(S):	Indie, Rock, Folk

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

NOW Magazine

The main attraction is still Baird's and Weeks's haunting voices, which turn a risky experiment into a genre-defining classic.

Stylus Magazine

It’s an album that leaves you both soothed and disturbed, lulled and shaken by the group’s masterful blend of the comforting and the uncanny, slightly dazed as if returning from time travel or a knock on the head.

All Music Guide

Espers II is both wondrous and troubling.

Blender

Artfully arranged songs about planets and beasts and bittersweet harmonies recall British folk-rock combos like Fairport Convention and Pentangle without coming off as retro or twee. [Jun 2006, p.137]

Alternative Press

Though parts of the album veer a bit too close to the synthetic hippie pabulum you hear upon entering the Nature Store, there's enough dark charm on Espers II to make it essential listeing for those of us who prefer our CDs caked with actual resin. [Jul 2006, p.208]

Paste Magazine

It's part Fairport Convention and part Led Zeppelin at the band's most druidic. [Jun/Jul 2006, p.121]

Uncut

This is a terrific, sustained album. [Aug 2006, p.93]

Mojo

A bewitching record. [Aug 2006, p.96]

The Guardian

It all meanders a little, but getting lost in these songs proves to be an unexpected adventure.

Playlouder

This is woeful, otherworldly - and wonderful.

New Musical Express

A series of back-to-the-futurescapes that are both lush and subtly unnerving. [29 Jul 2006, p.29]

Q Magazine

Music that sounds completely out of time, made by an often incredible string band. [Sep 2006, p.108]

Pitchfork

II is a perfectly balanced record, and its arrangements are so exact and delicate that it almost feels like one buzz of a doorbell or ring of a telephone could send the whole thing toppling over, splattering into useless bits.

Billboard

"II" conjures a creepy but very real neo-psychedelia that is alternately paranoid, somber and reflective.

The New York Times

It's a handsome downer of a record. [15 May 2006]

Under The Radar

A dense and intense descent into moodiness with absolutely stunning engineering and clarity. [Summer 2006, p.100]

Delusions of Adequacy

It’s the core songwriting beneath the band’s rich sonic layering that needs the greatest sharpening.

cokemachineglow

II is a lovely little record, but many of its charms are scripted; even charming people get old when you are forced to spend too much time with them.

Dot Music

Strip away the fug of patchouli oil and incense and you're left with little more than a shoegazing album played by Kula Shaker.

Dusted Magazine

Ultimately, the album is explicitly notable for its musicality, rather than its content.

Village Voice

This is a definite step up from the all-pall-and-no-pulse feel that made Espers' 2004 self-titled album too stuffy.

musicOMH.com

The band seem to be far too familiar with the sonic designs of The Incredible String Band and Comus. Espers II sounds more like a lovelorn impersonation of the music than a radical exploration of its possibilities.

The average user rating for this album is 8.1 (out of 10) based on 12 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Tony F gave it a10:
epic record in my opinion. huge step forward from their self titled debut, probably because they doubled the members from 3 to 6 and gave it themselves a much fuller sound with stronger tracks. standouts are tracks 1,2,5 and 7. get this if you like folk or psychedelic.

Steve L. gave it a10:
Definitely my favorite of 2006 so for. Absolutely, mind-numbingly, stunning. I love this album and cannot speak too highly of it. This is perfect, in every sense of the word. You can't tell the songs apart? Seriously? You aren't listening. This isn't "background" music, this is "stop everything you're doing and absorb the beautiful folk" music. This album is gorgeous; psychadelic folk done right.

Ben H gave it a5:
Starts off with a great sound, singer has a nice voice, musicians definitely have the chops, but it just never seems to go anywhere. This is the kind of CD you can put on an endless loop and never know one end from the other. I seriously doubt most people will find themselves trying to find some quiet time to give this one another listen - its background music. Yes Dave A. - it is boring.

Mickey R gave it a9:
beautiful, chilling, and hauting.

dan f gave it a10:
amazing and mesmerizing. espers have really grown as a group and put together a fantastic and haunting album. one of the best of the year.

Dave A gave it a0:
Boring.

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II by Espers

II
by Espers