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Back To Land Image
Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 6 Ratings

  • Summary: The sixth full-length release for the San Francisco psychedelic rock band was written in Oregon by Ripley Johnson and Omar Ahsanuddin.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 23
  2. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Dec 11, 2013
    80
    Back To Land won’t immediately blow you away, but that warm, overdriven sound makes the latest LP from this San Francisco quartet another compelling one.
  2. Alternative Press
    Nov 4, 2013
    80
    Back To Land whispers intimately and hauntingly of both paranoia and peace. [Dec 2013, p.102]
  3. Nov 11, 2013
    80
    Wooden Shjips succeed in making their material as easy listening and cool as possible, and tread on the trails of acclaimed artists such as Tom Petty.
  4. 70
    Back to Land, then: business as usual, but the business remains good.
  5. Nov 14, 2013
    70
    It's the trickling-down of dusty record bins everywhere, reduced to simple essence and repeated till it hurts.
  6. Nov 14, 2013
    70
    Back To Land is the most forgiving, clear album in the Wooden Shjips catalog, an interesting step for a band once lauded for their obscurity.
  7. Nov 11, 2013
    40
    Undoubtedly there’s riches to be found here but the treasure map is harder to follow than ever.

See all 23 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. Oct 26, 2021
    7
    This is easy to listen to but is extremely repetitive. I appreciate this is what they are going for but when its mainly instrumental tracks asThis is easy to listen to but is extremely repetitive. I appreciate this is what they are going for but when its mainly instrumental tracks as long these need a bit more complexity within them to keep my attention. There is nothing wrong with this album per se but I like my stoney instrumental rock in a different style (a la "Yawning Man" for example). At times "Back to Land" can be as basic as listening to instrumental versions of Oasis songs. I do like Oasis but not sure I could dig them if they were strictly instrumental. Expand