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The Midnight Organ Fight

EMAILPRINTby Frightened Rabbit

Frightened Rabbit reviews
80
9.2 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 16 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 37 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >

Album Info

Label: Fat Cat

Release Date: 29 April 2008

Discs: 1 disc

Genre(s): Rock, Indie

Summary

The British band's sophomore album was produced by Peter Katis.

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...

95

Lost At Sea

Whether or not you choose to accept it, the FACT is that Scotland's own Hutchinson brothers have created a sweet and powerful collection of tunes with The Midnight Organ Fight.

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91

The Onion (A.V. Club)

It's Hutchison's utterly believable desperation and frank lyrics that push the whole thing from good to great.

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90

Drowned In Sound

Here there can be no snobbish derision and calls of 'selling out' or playing to the average man; in creating an album showcasing the very best of the band’s talents they have created one so perfectly fit for, as Scott so vividly puts, “the soft, soft static” of popular radio.

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81

Pitchfork

Their jangly melodies claw their way inside your brain just the same, making them latest in a long line of Glasgow bands to effortlessly combine celebratory sonics and miserablist lyrics into something singular.

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80

Tiny Mix Tapes

This is the least fashionable album I have heard in ages, and all the better for it.

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80

Mojo

What might sound like a depressing work of angsty indulgence is in fact an uplifting record of angular alt-folk. [June 2008, p.108]

80

Q Magazine

Midnight Organ Fight more than delivers on its promise: tons of spiky energy, proper tunes and a real lyrical bite to the likes of The Modern Leper. [June 2008, p.149]

80

Paste Magazine

The album is singularly focused yet emotionally visceral, refining and sharpening the band’s rousing sprawl.

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80

Magnet

The Midnight Organ Fight's bloodied-but-unbowed lyrics stand up to repeated listening even on the fastest cutes. [Summer 2008, p.106]

70

Under The Radar

There's a lot of beauty in The Midnight Organ Fight, but there’s a bit of bloat as well. [Summer 2008]

70

PopMatters

The Midnight Organ Fight is cleaner, more polished, and establishes that the group is indeed maturing, but thankfully not losing themselves.

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70

Slant Magazine

Hutchison and his bandmates reward patience as well as repeated listens, and they deserve credit for unearthing a unique chunk of the Scottish heart, raised on equal parts American punk and traditional folk and bleeding beautifully.

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70

Dusted Magazine

The Midnight Organ Fight is sharper, more polished, and better in parts than "Sing the Greys." There’s only one unfortunate downside. This sharper, more polished effort displays fewer of the things that made the first album so enjoyable.

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70

Spin

Amid such scene-upending sentiments, the band's all-too-Glaswegian moniker represents a clever case of bait and switch. [May 2008, p.98]

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60

Hot Press

Overwrought second album from Glaswegian indie quartet.

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60

Uncut

The world-view is challenging and heart-felt, the playing deft, the conviction clear. [June 2008, p.88]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 37 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Paul B gave it a10:
Top Bombers. Ready your ears.

ken r gave it an8:
Stupendous 2nd album. The about to be released Live rendition of this album, titled "Quietly Now", is even so much better. Stripped down and bare; Modern Leper is astounding.Where some of the songs on Midnight Organ Fight didn't quite shine or show their true colours, on Quiet Now they sparkle with soul, heartfelt passion and radiant warmth!.

GCB gave it a9:
Was seen in abouth ninth place when I did my best of year list in July. Its now December and its worked its way to Number One. No filler and one of the best albums of the past 10 years for my money.

Alessanseo P gave it a10:
Best album of the year. Passionate scottish indie rock. Incredibly grows at every listening, even after tens of hearings.

Will S gave it a10:
Such a complete album from back to front, has neigh a boring track or moment... one of my favorites from 2008 and has staying power.

Guy G gave it a10:
Best Album of the year, by far! Very poetic.

Marcus O gave it a10:
Very, very good album. The Twist is an amazing song!

Read more user comments >

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