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Music Tapes for Clouds & Tornadoes
Universal acclaim
Based on 9 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 16 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Merge
Release Date: 19 August 2008
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rock, Indie
Summary
Julian Koster used a variety of antique and unusual recorders to achieve his unique sounds.
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...
Tiny Mix Tapes
Unless you’re already a Music Tapes fan, chances are you haven’t experienced anything quite as exquisitely raw, effortlessly transportive, and charmingly distinct in a long time.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
At the core of them all is Koster's invested, angelic voice and his singing saw.
Read Full Review >cokemachineglow
The best songs on Music Tapes For Clouds And Tornados feature just Julian and banjo.
Read Full Review >Dusted Magazine
Clouds and Tornadoes ricochets back and forth between these three levels: the familiar, the unfamiliar but recognizable, and the unfamiliar and unrecognizable, and like Maddin and Katchor, it’s this tripartite feeling that gives the music its uniqueness while still feeling like an unearthed artifact.
Read Full Review >No Ripcord
All told, For Clouds and Tornadoes is a quality release from a musician that's not afraid to explore outside the usual methods to create extraordinary music.
Read Full Review >Prefix Magazine
Koster's ability to create charmingly imaginative song cycles out of instruments you might find in your grandparent's attic has granted him a fan base that has waited nearly a decade for his sophomore release. It was worth the wait.
Read Full Review >Spin
His first Music Tapes album in nine years suggests an unhealthy obsession with Brian Wilson's "SMiLE," the wobbly-voiced outsider makes his own quaint magic.
Read Full Review >NOW Magazine
The record has a strong holiday flavour, so if you’re the type who gets nauseated by reindeer talk in March, maybe wait till December to play this.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 6.3 (out of 10) based on 16 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Devin W. gave it a3:
Trading in cutesy gimmicks - Unconventional instruments! Strange recording practices! - rather than song craft or any real ability, For Clouds and Tornadoes loses itself in its elaborate conception. Strip away that gimmickry, and you get a weak voice singing songs that are often extremely grating. Gigantic metronomes and old wax cylinders do not a good album - or even a half-way competent album - make.
Danny N. gave it a9:
This is a great album.
Kevin gave it a5:
While "Music Tapes for Clouds & Tornadoes" is a charming, unique musical romp, I can't see what the critics found so appealing. Some of the songs are brilliant, but the album lacks variety and thus falls short.
