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Monsters Of Folk
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 23 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 28 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Shangri-La
Release Date: 22 September 2009
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rock, Indie, Singer-Songwriter
Summary
This is the debut album for the band formed by Conor Oberst, Jim James, Mike Mogis, and M. Ward.
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...
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Monsters Of Folk is a real pleasure, full of songs that are loose, catchy and likeable.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle
Traveling Wilburys-vibe results in an impressive coherence, and though they inhabit one another's songs expertly, these Monsters' genre-expanding combinations prove equally inspired.
Read Full Review >musicOMH.com
It is because of this collaborative rejuvenation that Monsters Of Folk is a worthwhile endeavour, a stirring album and an outfit that is as nourishing for its constituent members as they are for it.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
Everyone shines--although James, whose lead vocals open and close the set, beams brightest, the eclecticism of My Morning Jacket's 2008 opus, Evil Urges, brought into sharper focus by the company. Sometimes too many cooks are precisely enough.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
When the music these guys create individually is already so great, why would anyone mind having it mixed together? [Oct 2009, p.106]
Q Magazine
Monsters Of Folk haven't quite produced the great American record the title promises, but they're a pretty super group all the same. [Oct 2009, p.109]
Uncut
Monsters Of Folk ends as captiatingly as it starts. [Oct 2009, p.99]
PopMatters
It would be hard to listen to Monsters of Folk and not hear a gorgeous album.
Read Full Review >Observer Music Monthly
It's more jaunty nouveau Traveling Wilburys than folk rock summit as Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, My Morning Jacket's Jim James and M Ward join forces.
Read Full Review >Slant Magazine
With all four players clearly bringing out the best in each other, one hopes that Monsters of Folk makes for more than just a one-off side project.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
A mammoth 15-song package, MoF--despite occasional moments of country chugging--showcases the best of the four men's talents and influences.
Read Full Review >Mojo
This record is way better than we had any right to expect. [Oct 2009, p.99]
Billboard.com
At times, it's difficult to differentiate who is singing, thanks to masterful producing by Bright Eyes' Mogis. When viewed less as a hipster supergroup and more as an old-fashioned song swap, Monsters of Folk live up to their hype and then some.
Prefix Magazine
The players on Monsters of Folk complement each other extremely well. There is definitely something to be said for group chemistry. These songs don’t always shine the way they could, but the album is a great effort.
Read Full Review >Under The Radar
While each has expanded his sonic palette, they have all matured as songwriters and lyricists, and working togther showcase that maturity. [Fall 2009, p.59]
Delusions of Adequacy
With only a couple of real missteps--that could have been eliminated by a less democratic division of songwriting labour to cut the tracklisting to a tighter 12 or 13 cuts--this first (and hopefully not last) Monsters Of Folk release happily proves that super-groups can be greater than the sum of individual parts, when kinship overrules narcissism.
Read Full Review >Drowned In Sound
Overall, there's a natural interplay between the players, and it lends the album a relaxed, easy-going vibe.
Read Full Review >Spin
This is not the story of lost faith that these thematic bookends seem to augur, but rather just a bunch of really good songs that have relatively little to do with each other.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
Spread over 15 tracks, the combination wears thin at several points, and several songs feel more like their creator's solo work than a composite product. Monsters of Folk has moments on undeniable beauty, though, and when the musicians pitch their voices atop one another--as they do to notable effect on the gorgeous "Slow Down Jo"-the benefits of teamwork are more than clear.
Read Full Review >Paste Magazine
Rather than make a staid, serious statement album, the foursome keeps things loose and low-key, content to sound like postmillennial Traveling Wilburys but generally just being themselves.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
The opener is as intriguing as it is unexpected. It's just too bad, then, that the rest of the album continues to ask similar questions, but never again with the same vigor or innovation.
Read Full Review >cokemachineglow
It’s a counterfactual, of course, but I’ve got to think that Monsters of Folk circa 2005 would have come up with something a bit more substantive than this.
Read Full Review >Tiny Mix Tapes
There’s no sense of cohesion or flow between any of these songs, partially due to a clear lack of thought devoted to these conceits, but mostly because every M. Ward- and Conor Oberst-penned song sounds the same lately.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.9 (out of 10) based on 28 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Kathy F. gave it a9:
Listen to it a lot! Gets deeper with each listen! Cranky critics...boo!
Zach M. gave it a9:
Almost every song sounds like a piece of pure beautiful music. The message of the album is also genius, the only problem is there is a couple of songs that are not that great but it's definitely an album to own.
mark s gave it a9:
Even though it could use a little more monster at times - maybe volume two will be Rock Monster - this one will stand the test of time.
Des B. gave it a10:
I love this album. It's the first that has truly captivated my heart and mind in quite some time. I am grateful for that.
Ash B gave it an8:
There really are some stand out tracks on this record. Tezmecal and Dear God are the best two tracks. The only thing letting this album down is that it is possibly too long. I mean, 15 tracks?
Kayleigh B gave it a9:
You know those songs you like to listen to twice in a row? Well thats how this whole album is whole way through. The four of them together wrote some sick ass songs, and they are songs that will lift your spirits, and have you smiling by yourself. Not in a weird creepy way....or mayby =/....anyways the lyrics are sweet, and those men got some nice vocals, even though everyone is use to Conor Oberst have the shaky,nervous, voice, that made every girl fall in love with him, his voice is a little happier, like bowls of oranges and shit!! Buy it, enjoy it, i have been!
john h gave it an8:
Too many songs, and some of them belong on solo albums but when you throw out the chaff you have a beautiful and inspiring body of work. When they harmonize (not just in singing but in writing for the group) they just soar...Listen to 'Say Please'...just beautiful.
