Music
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best of 2009
Best of 2008
Best of 2007
Best of 2006
Best of 2005
Best of 2004
Best of 2003
Best of 2002
Best of 2001
Best of 2000
Best of the Decade
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
75
2562
54
30 Seconds to Mars
62
50 Cent
71
AC/DC
67
The Album Leaf
52
Kris Allen
68
Tori Amos
66
Animal Collective
84
Animal Collective![]()
77
Annie
57
Apse
63
Asobi Seksu
59
Bad Lieutenant
83
Julianna Barwick![]()
82
Beach House![]()
72
Beak>
72
Bibio
65
Justin Bieber
76
Biffy Clyro
74
Blakroc
75
Mary J. Blige
78
Blockhead
52
Bon Jovi
54
Susan Boyle
57
The Bravery
39
Chris Brown
64
V.V. Brown
70
Basia Bulat
79
Chew Lips
74
Citay
65
Clipse
66
Cold War Kids
75
The Cribs
58
Dashboard Confessional
81
Dave Rawlings Machine![]()
70
Delphic
78
The Doors
58
Echo & The Bunnymen
73
Edan
59
Editors
69
Eels
80
Felt
74
First Aid Kit
69
Flyleaf
83
Four Tet![]()
82
Ben Frost![]()
82
Fucked Up![]()
83
Charlotte Gainsbourg![]()
63
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
68
Githead
65
Joe Goddard
58
Good Shoes
72
Gucci Mane
75
Holopaw
82
Jesca Hoop![]()
79
Hot Chip
72
The Hot Rats
88
Ray Wylie Hubbard![]()
54
Hurricane Chris
66
Allison Iraheta
59
Jay Sean
82
Freedy Johnston![]()
57
Nick Jonas And The Administration
73
Norah Jones
49
Juvenile
58
Ke$ha
62
R. Kelly
66
Alicia Keys
68
Kid Sister
81
King Midas Sound![]()
63
Lady Antebellum
76
Lady GaGa
71
Adam Lambert
78
Lawrence Arabia
61
Leona Lewis
70
Lightspeed Champion
36
Lil Wayne
82
Lindstrom & Christabelle![]()
77
Lissie
78
Los Campesinos!
70
Lostprophets
73
Magnetic Fields
71
Massive Attack
64
John Mayer
71
Paul McCartney
58
Katherine McPhee
86
Memory Tapes![]()
72
Midlake
88
Motion City Soundtrack![]()
63
Mr. Hudson
53
Mudvayne
75
Oh No Ono
70
OK Go
72
Ola Podrida
61
OneRepublic
80
Owen Pallett
90
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers![]()
60
Pit Er Pat
63
Priestess
70
Radian
79
Corinne Bailey Rae
54
Rakim
79
Real Estate
77
Retribution Gospel Choir
76
Rihanna
64
Rjd2
65
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
76
Sade
77
Gil Scott-Heron
72
Shakira
82
Shining![]()
61
Snoop Dogg
62
Snow Patrol
71
The Soft Pack
80
Spoon
64
Ringo Starr
59
Stereophonics
76
Angie Stone
79
Surfer Blood
74
Switchfoot
75
Them Crooked Vultures
74
Robin Thicke
50
Timbaland
79
tUnE-YaRDs
80
Vampire Weekend
79
Laura Veirs
79
Tom Waits
78
Wale
66
Kanye West
76
The Whitefield Brothers
64
Robbie Williams
80
Yeasayer
62
Young Money
75
Neil Young
61
Rob Zombie
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Group Sounds
EMAILPRINTby Rocket From The Crypt

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 12 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 5 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Vagrant
Release Date: 06 March 2001
Discs: 1 cd
Genre(s): Rock, Indie, Alternative
Summary
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...
Magnet
Let's face it: Group Sounds is shit. But it's pure shit, which makes all the difference.... Everything is overdiven and mixed to within a decibel of ear-shattering heaviosity. It isn't just monstrous, it's gleefully, unapologetically monstrous. [#49, p.88]
Wall of Sound
Yet for all its adrenaline-rush thrills, the RFTC sound is also surprisingly complex. Like Phil Spector's '60s pop masterpieces for The Ronettes and Righteous Brothers, the sonic density of Group Sounds is actually composed of virtuoso performances and subtle nuances...
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
Group Sounds is nonstop, straight-ahead rock for the most part, more reminiscent of Scream, Dracula, Scream!, but with enough flourishes to keep things from sounding too monochromatic.... Right through to the end, every song on Group Sounds is solid, pure, high-octane Rocket fuel.
Read Full Review >Mojo
If rock'n'roll is supposed to be dying, then these are exactly the guys we want manning the emergency room. [Aug 2001, p.98]
All Music Guide
Ten years since Rocket's first full-length, the sextet still sounds like they're on a live wire with an endless power source, as inspiring here as ever before.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
The variety of classic Rocket elements are evident, even more finely honed: bits of soul revue energy (Spector-esque backing vocals, tambourines and tight horn arrangements), songwriterly anthemic release, nods to classic punk auteurs, sexy South-of-the-Border flirtations with danger wrapped in a dynamic, snaky musical package and other frenetic new gems.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
An admixture of Stax soul, raw-boned punk rock, and California beach-pop that sounds more focused than their previous outing, 1998's R.F.T.C. [#154, p.84]
Neumu.net
Group Sounds may not be astonishingly great, but it mostly rocks with the raw, excellent sound RFTC has come to own.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
Group Sounds is as good as anything they've put their name to previously. [#180, p.110]
Entertainment Weekly
After 10 years, RFTC have perfected their mix of muscular guitar riffs and bristling horns; it's the songwriting that's hit a dead end. [3/9/2001, p.82]
Splendid
Yes, it has a certain something that makes you bob your head and/or shake your ass to songs that you'd probably be ticked off by if someone drove past your pad blasting them out his windows. But no, it's not the stuff that great CDs are made of.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 9.4 (out of 10) based on 5 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Ben J gave it a 10:
I fail to find a RFTC album which isnt amazing, this one is no exception. Its quality stuff, with 3/4 of the album pure rftc style punk and 2 songs "SOS" and "Ghost shark" which are peaceful, sad and really shows the other side of RFTC.
Dave O. gave it a 9:
straight from the heart rock and roll. great!!!
The Holy Sinner gave it a 8:
I, upon first listen, thought less of the new Rocket From the Crypt album, "Group Sounds", but REPEATED listens to RFTC albums is ALWAYS what separates them from any other mere mortal band. The Crypt isn't just flying high on "Group Sounds", man, they're fucking flying solo. Noone sounds like the Crypt. Period. Their inimitable blend of punk, r&b, soul, and git'cher ass moving anthems like "Return of the Liar", are as strong and prominent as ever. The production reminds me of their 1992 classic, "Circa, Now!",which is appropriate, considering that engineer Donnell Cameron worked on both albums. Speedo sings as passionately as ever, and for those that think that the band's musicianship has evolved at the expense of the songwriting, look no further than the instantly memorable melodies in "Heart of a Rat", "Dead Seeds", and the beautiful chorus of "This Bad Check is Going to Stick". Why The 'Crypt isn't massively more successful than they are, is beyond me.
Jack G gave it a 10:
One of the best Punk/R&R albums of all time!
