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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Nixon
by Lambchop
The 13-piece outfit from Nashville (that isn't a country band) returns with a concept album about the former president (that really isn't about the former president). It's one of those things that you have to hear to understand.
| LABEL: |
Merge |
| RELEASE DATE: |
08 February 2000 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Rock, Country, Indie, Alternative |

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
Trouser Press
The album navigates effortlessly from peak to peak.

90
Spin
A near-masterpiece of magical sounds that are both familiar and wildly new, a stunning blend of classic Americana and classical orchestration.

90
Mojo
The most fully realised Lambchop record, the most perfect blend yet of their alt country roots and their obsession with soul.

90
New Musical Express
By any criteria an astonishing work.

90
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Nixon sounds like the Superfly soundtrack recorded in a different dimension, one in which Mayfield and Marvin Gaye met up with Lawrence Welk for an impromptu jam session.... a drowsy near-masterpiece.

80
Q Magazine
Heartbreaking, gorgeous and totally individual, these big-production numbers meld the different but complementary beauties of Nashville country and sweet soul while adding a dash of wine-dark weirdness.

80
CDNow
Piled high with elegant strings, horns, and vibraphone, these 10 tracks mark a new sophistication for this talented group.

80
Nude As The News
Music this laid-back but this deep, so full-bodied and yet so restrained, could only have been made by Lambchop.

80
Splendid
Expansively orchestrated, Nixon ultimately comes off as beautiful but slightly disturbing...

70
Rolling Stone
[Lambchop vocalist Kurt] Wagner shares a sense of offbeat phrasing and doleful humor with his singer-songwriter friend Vic Chesnutt that is both profoundly Southern and affectingly universal.

65
Pitchfork
Nixon serves as a reminder that expertly executed stylistic hybrids and ironic juxtapositions-- great though they may be-- don't replace memorable songwriting. Sure, it's a novel concept, but while some of us may still be patient enough to "get it" five albums into the band's career, Wagner's talent and unique vision should demand a more challenging album.

60
All Music Guide
This will still strike most as a mighty odd record, though. Ostensibly much of this record was inspired by former president Richard Nixon (there is even a suggested reading list of Nixon-related books on the sleeve). But there are no direct references to him, and even any indirect ones are so oblique that you'd never make the connection if the record had a different title...

40
Salon.com
"Nixon," Lambchop's fifth solo LP, does have its moments, some of them truly glowing. But much of the rest of the album turns toward precious self-indulgence.


The average user rating for this album is 9.4 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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