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
70
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
74
Lightspeed Champion
36
Lil Wayne
82
Lindstrom & Christabelle
77
Lissie
78
Los Campesinos!
70
Lostprophets
73
Magnetic Fields
72
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
80
Pantha du Prince
90
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
80
Phantogram
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
77
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
65
The Watson Twins
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.
White Bread Black Beer
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 16 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 11 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Nonesuch / Rough Trade
Release Date: 25 July 2006
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock
Summary
Not-so-prolific Welsh singer-songwriter Green Gartside returns with his first Scritti Politti album in seven years.
Also On The Web: Scritti Politti Fan 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...
Uncut
Could very well be the best record of this restlessly self-critical career. [Jul 2006, p.90]
The New York Times
[His] best work in 20 years. [25 Jul 2006]
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Rarely have Pro Tools and a melancholy disposition fallen into such capable hands.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
With its laptop beats and closely mic’d intimacy, White Bread, Black Beer conforms to the dictates of a creator with endless time to play all the instruments and no one to please but himself, regrettably.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
I’m beginning to think it’s one of the smartest records-- musically and lyrically-- we’ll hear all year.
Read Full Review >Mojo
Lyrically he's as pleasingly obtuse as ever. [Jul 2006, p.101]
All Music Guide
The songs, as far as the writing goes, are routinely terrific; however, the ones that rely most on convenient synthesized elements are a bit dainty and rudimentary and deserve to be made without the limitations of a home studio.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
The pristine, synth-heavy result certainly sounds worried over, sometimes to its detriment. [28 Jul 2006, p.67]
Rolling Stone
Features some of his most beautiful, introverted and delicate tunes yet. [24 Aug 2006, p.94]
New Musical Express
Even the ticking percussion and trilling synths can't hide the sheer melodic oddness of Gartside's songs. [3 Jun 2006, p.35]
Blender
Over girl-group incantations, reggae lilt and courageously dinky old-school hip-hop allusions, Gartside searches for his emotional car keys, each comely coo abstracting him further from the truth he seeks. [Aug 2006, p.117]
Q Magazine
Occasionally there's a little too much going on... Overall, though, Gartside remains intriguing. [Jul 2006, p.116]
Prefix Magazine
Despite White Bread Black Beer's undeniable beauty, it feels largely out of place as a product of the contemporary spectrum of music.
Read Full Review >Spin
Wordy but somnambulant. [Sep 2006, p.112]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Max M gave it a9:
Am a huge Scritti fan and although this didn't grab me on first listen, it has worked its way into my brain and heavy rotation in my ipod. As always, Green surprises and satisfies. Still think Anomie was sorely underrated.
Lawrence P gave it an8:
10 out of the 14 tracks work really well. One of the best and smartest pop long players of the year for sure.
Enda G gave it a9:
This is a superbly intelligent, melodic and rich album that improves with time. Stunning work.
Joel B gave it a3:
It's wonderful that Green is still alive. But musically, really, go back and listen to Scritti's old stuff. He's lost it.
nemorino gave it a10:
Alludes to wasted years, unhealthy addictions with poise, elegance and not inconsiderable regret. Takes a while - but stay with it!
Indro V gave it a9:
A great record !
