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Entertainment Weekly

The upstate New York quintet's assured performances act as a suitable memorial [to Pike]. [22/29 Aug 2008, p.122]

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Filter

With lyrics appropriated from an e.e. cummings poem of the same name ["Dying is Fine"] contrasting with bouncy guitar riffs, the creation feels fresh; the past, unforgetable. [Summer 2008, p.91]

Prefix Magazine

You won’t hear anything on The Rhumb Line you haven’t heard before, but that doesn’t prevent it from being one of the year’s best debuts.

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Hartford Courant

Ra Ra Riot persevered (and recently added West Hartford drummer Gabriel Duquette to the lineup), recording a full-length debut by turns soulful and super-catchy.

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Drowned In Sound

Loss flows through The Rhumb Line's veins, ineffable but vital. Someday I'm sure I'll turn to this record for consolation, and for that I'm both sad and grateful.

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Rolling Stone

Part of what makes The Rhumb Line so engaging is that it's ultimately life-affirming: It's not only a requiem for a lost friend, it's a tribute to the ones who stuck around through the worst times.

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Alternative Press

There's something simple and true about The Rhumb Line--and Ra Ra Riot--that draws you back to both again and again. [Sep 2008, p.150]

The New York Times

The album holds together, not only as a memorial to past tragedy but also as a testament to whatever emotional terrain lies ahead.

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Boston Globe

The Rhumb Line--defined as a straight-shot line across all meridians, for the geospatially uninitiated--mostly just thrums with an uncommon sort of pop radiance.

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All Music Guide

Ra Ra Riot sound elated to have finally arrived at this point: the release of their debut, the payoff after a very tough year, and the proof that they're one of 2008's most promising newcomers.

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Paste Magazine

The ship does not capsize; The Rhumb Line instead drops anchor as a solid debut that beckons refinement and experimentation further down its course.

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Pitchfork

It's rare for a band to survive the death of a key member, but Ra Ra Riot are actually thriving, turning The Rhumb Line from a potential "what could've been" record into a rousing, poignant testament to Pike's life and his former bandmates' resilience.

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Spin

Anchored by four tracks from a previous EP that were re-recorded with the hooks highlighted, this nimble full-length wrings catharsis from pop with no lapses into pretension.

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Slant Magazine

Counting a violinist and cellist among their ranks, Ra Ra Riot has fashioned a gritty yet polished post-punk sound fit for a Sofia Coppola film.

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No Ripcord

The Rhumb Line is at times moody and downtrodden, but it's Ra Ra Riot's ability to pull out of those situations that saves the album.

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PopMatters

While the first five songs on The Rhumb Line are uniformly strong, the album starts to lose its momentum just after cresting the halfway point.

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Q Magazine

This effervescent debut seems determined to shake off the tragedy. [Oct 2008, p.150]

Uncut

Their combination of new wave rhythms, with such conspicuous use if strings is impressive, but it falls a little short of grandeur. [Oct 2008, p.105]

Under The Radar

The Rhumb Line is a step in the right direction but still a few feet away from the type of anthemic songs I believe they have in them. [Fall 2008, p.84]

NOW Magazine

Rhumb Line gives the impression that mostly good things are ahead.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Mildness and friendliness help things flow along so nicely, in fact, that The Rhumb Line softens the impact of generally nuanced and energetic songwriting.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 9.3 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes

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

Andrew N. gave it a9:
Easily one of the year's best, though i think the music critics don't know quite what to do with it. production is excellent.

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The Rhumb Line

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