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Big Black Coat
by
Big Black Coat Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 22 Ratings

  • Summary: The Canadian electronic pop duo of Jeremy Greenspan and Matt Didemus return from a five-year break (they each worked on other solo projects) to release their fifth full-length release.
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  • Record Label: City Slang
  • Genre(s): Electronic, Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Club/Dance, Indie Electronic
  • More Details and Credits »

Top Track

Over It
Ah, yeah Baby, baby Hope is for the middle of the night Hope is fading with the first of the morning sunday light And I'm staying with her, baby Keep... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. AllMusic
    Feb 4, 2016
    90
    Compulsive in more than one sense, Big Black Coat contends with Last Exit as Junior Boys' deepest, most vibrant work.
  2. Resident Advisor
    Feb 8, 2016
    84
    Casual and understated as ever, Greenspan and Didemus seemed to be making a point: Big Black Coat isn't the triumphant return of Junior Boys, it's just the next chapter in an ongoing story.
  3. Exclaim
    Feb 3, 2016
    80
    Over 11 tracks and 50 minutes, the Hamilton duo create compact and unhurried works that reflect the musical simplicity and approachable feel found on their 2004 debut, Last Exit.
  4. The Guardian
    Feb 4, 2016
    80
    It’s that ability to mix elements smoothly that makes Big Black Coat so easy to love.
  5. Consequence
    Feb 3, 2016
    75
    While it still falls short in holding attention from start to finish, Big Black Coat signals a welcome return. Junior Boys created their most uncomplicated album yet, which still holds their signature style, and with it comes a jagged body of music made soft to the touch thanks to Greenspan’s buttery vocals.
  6. Spin
    Feb 9, 2016
    70
    Big Black Coat works best when the music is as committed to frenzied, all-consuming libidinousness as the lyrics, and on those grounds, it’s a surprisingly successful reinvention for the duo: one that feels more in line than recent efforts with the strengths (if not the tones) of their earliest material.
  7. musicOMH.com
    Feb 5, 2016
    60
    It’s a slightly uneven collection with some weaker tracks, but nevertheless its creators remain artists whose ability to construct slinky, agile grooves with a dark underbelly is still well worth seeking out.

See all 16 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. CiphirSol
    Feb 9, 2016
    9
    Well-crafted, well-produced piece of electropop. It's the kind of stuff that should be on the radio but will probably get swept under the rugWell-crafted, well-produced piece of electropop. It's the kind of stuff that should be on the radio but will probably get swept under the rug by custom people who snub it with their concerns that are overly critical.… Expand
  2. longjetty7
    Aug 30, 2016
    8
    This album is definitely a grower. The songs are a bit more experimental than some of Junior Boys' previous stuff, and they don't immediatelyThis album is definitely a grower. The songs are a bit more experimental than some of Junior Boys' previous stuff, and they don't immediately pull you in, but after listening to this several times, I definitely think it's a strong album. The production is cohesive yet varied and fantastic overall, and the songs have a nice flow to them. The style is sort of a cross between jazz, techno, dance, and R&B, which is a really interesting combination. At first it doesn't seem like a standout album but I find myself coming back and listening to it pretty frequently. It's got a great vibe to it and is really enjoyable. Definitely one of their strongest albums.

    Standout tracks: Big Black Coat, You Say That, Over It    … Expand
  4. Custom_Concerns
    Feb 6, 2016
    4
    Big Black Coat is a well-crafted, well-produced bore. These dance-pop tracks go in one ear and out the other with boring, predictable, andBig Black Coat is a well-crafted, well-produced bore. These dance-pop tracks go in one ear and out the other with boring, predictable, and unbearably repetitive vocal melodies. The vocals are merely okay; they are devoid of any and all emotion, but they do fit reasonably smoothly atop the synthetic beats. There are some entertaining moments here, but not enough to make this album worth your time. This would make semi-decent background music.

    45/100    … Expand

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