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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Pixel Revolt
by John Vanderslice
Vanderslice continues his album-a-year pace (despite also serving as a producer on numerous indie-rock albums) with this typically literate and well-produced fifth disc, which was recorded with the help of The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle.
| LABEL: |
Barsuk |
| RELEASE DATE: |
23 August 2005 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Indie, Rock |
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...
100
Slant Magazine
It fully merits high praise as both the best work of Vanderslice's career and easily one of the best albums of what has been a refreshingly strong year for music.
90
Lost At Sea
It’s apparent that this album was made with particular care, as most of John Vanderslice’s works are, but there are many cases where a more mature display of music appreciation is taken; previously, when met with such dogged emotional complexity, Vandersilce would rely on experimentation. Here, he stares straight on.
83
Stylus Magazine
Pixel Revolt is the sound of a man trying to come to grips with the larger questions--the "why?" questions--and, if nothing else, the sheer attempt makes this an essential album for our troubled times.
83
Pitchfork
Some might wish this gift for fastidious arrangements would carry over to the lyrics, which feature a bevy of look-it-up references and descriptions that might stymie attempts at easy listening. It doesn't hurt to do a little research or, like, pay attention to lyrics worth a damn.
80
cokemachineglow
There’s just something about it --- I like Pixel Revolt, and I like it a lot.
80
PopMatters
John Vanderslice has not created a compelling first listen. Perhaps, and only time will tell, he has created a compelling lifelong listen.
80
Splendid
Vanderslice's stories differ from those on earlier albums largely in setting, but Pixel Revolt's musical elements have taken an astonishing leap from their predecessors.
80
Magnet
In some ways, shedding the epic storytelling has given Vanderslice a more universal appeal. [#69, p.111]
80
Prefix Magazine
Pixel Revolt simply and beautifully reminds us that no matter how great a rock producer is, songwriting talent is as essential as it’s always been.
75
Entertainment Weekly
A relatively warm, easy-to-embrace effort. [2 Sep 2005, p.79]
74
ShakingThrough.net
Pixel Revolt doesn’t reconcile the political and personal, and that may be the point. But it nonetheless makes for a frustratingly uneven listening experience.
70
Mojo
Like a series of melancholy one act plays. [Jan 2006, p.131]
70
Urb
Much like Sufjan Stevens (but without the history professor schtick) Vanderslice is a one-man orchestra of plucked and bowed strings, living-breathing organs and lullaby vocals that narrate his musical characters with explicit detail. [Sep 2005, p.114]
70
Blender
What keeps the songs interesting isn't his understated singing but his delectable arrangements. [Sep 2005, p.138]
70
Neumu.net
Pixel Revolt feels, at the end, like two EPs packaged together and passed off as a full-length. The justification could be made that the fierce, angry and frustrated responses to international armed conflict and girlfriends leaving are very much the same, though that would seem to be kind of a stretch.
70
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Lacks both a unifying theme and any broad cohesiveness, houses a number of terrific, tough-to-forget songs, and stumbles hard when Vanderslice wets his toes in murky lyrical waters.
70
Delusions of Adequacy
In the end, I am hesitant to say that this is Vanderslice's best album; however, it is undoubtedly his most rewarding. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time with it.
60
Under The Radar
An immaculately produced album, sonically and lyrically complex, but not necessarily engaging. [#10, p.107]
60
Alternative Press
Vanderslice's detached delivery of this riveting material, combined with the somnolent string arrangements, makes Pixel Revolt feel like a chilled-out remix of a book-on-tape recording. [Sep 2005, p.158]
60
Paste Magazine
An uneven album that encapsulates much of what's gone flat in the scene he helped ferment, along with the few flourishes that make him a vital creative force.
60
Junkmedia
The production is crisp and idiosyncratic as usual, but many of the songs fade into the background.
50
Spin
Vanderslice is tortured and diffuse even by Death Cab standards. [Sep 2005, p.109]
50
Tiny Mix Tapes
Maybe it's the squeaky-cleanness of the sound and singing both that keeps me at a distance; a band like Okkervil River, both sonically and thematically similar to Vanderslice, succeed partially because they don't mind screaming and getting clumsy.
40
Q Magazine
More often than not his approach feels too clinical to really engage. [Apr 2006, p.120]
The average user rating for this album is 6.5 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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