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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

The Optimist LP
by Turin Brakes


9.2

based on 9 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 11 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

The debut LP from Britain's Turin Brakes (whom the press have heralded as 2001's Coldplay) collects five tracks from previous EPs as well as seven new songs.

LABEL:	Source/Astralwerks
RELEASE DATE:	01 May 2001
DISCS:	1 disc
GENRE(S):	Rock, Alternative

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...

PopMatters

The Optimist LP is a treasure chest of sparkly baubles and rare gems, and from top to bottom it is precious and priceless.

New Musical Express

Here's music for the twilight hours - feverish, contemplative, nostalgic. It resonates with the force of a thousand passionate post-club conversations in darkened, smoke-filled rooms, of intense, doomed liaisons, of youthful arrogance undercut by fear and failure.

Q Magazine

Trendy, sure, but occasionally terrific.

Dot Music

After a first listen 'The Optimist LP' simply drifts over your head like yet another take on a well worn formula, but given a second chance reveals a glorious, often ornate sensibility that simply can't be ignored.

Entertainment Weekly

Given the right melody... Turin Brakes make fragile, delicately understated music... But just as often, they're weighed down by draggy tunes and unintentionally amusing lyrics. [4 May 2001, p.69]

Wall of Sound

Underlying The Optimist's base -- two complementary voices highlighted by beautifully executed acoustic guitar -- is Turin Brakes' bent existentialism, an expansive vision that adds a feeling of fatalism to many of these songs.

HOB.com

Turin Brakes' music consists largely of the same kind of contemplative minor key laments that one might hope to hear from Elliott Smith...

Mojo

A slightly awkward but ambitious beginning.

Sonicnet

Fans of new British bands like Gomez or Minibar should find plenty to like.

The average user rating for this album is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Gav R gave it a10:
This is a great acoustic album, which is only surpassed by it's follow up, ether song.

Ano n gave it a 10:
The CD is as close to perfection as is possible, Turin Brakes have managed to combine quality acoustic tunes and fantastic lyrics. And future boy is a quality track.

Jim S gave it an 8:
some dodgy lyrics, but it brings acoustic guitar back into fashion

Colm P. gave it a 9:
I absolutely adore Turin Brakes. I basically couldn't listen to acoustic stuff @ home before this the only thing is I can't stand future boy just yet hence the 9 and the fact nothing is perfect

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The Optimist LP by Turin Brakes

The Optimist LP
by Turin Brakes