• Record Label: Domino
  • Release Date: Jun 9, 2009
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 120 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 8 out of 120

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  1. Apr 23, 2012
    8
    Definitely a strange album at first. A little hard to get into at first also but once you're engrossed in this album, the more you really love it. I loved it. Thought every track sounded great. All In All, Dirty Projectors craft an accessible, quirky album that really works. B+
  2. Jun 15, 2012
    9
    One of the better albums of the last few years. Each song is wonderfully constructed, with changes in tempo in most of the songs that keep the songs fresh and rewarding while listening. I don't ever expect this album to become stale and I fully expect to return to this album when I want to hear something different. Experimental Rock at it's finest.
  3. Apr 24, 2018
    9
    Art rock masterpiece, Stillness is the Move, Temecula Sunrise, and No Intention are my personal favorites
  4. Mar 4, 2021
    10
    A stunning album by the most creative band of the century so far. Dirty projectors are always surprising creative interesting if a little challenging but always rewarding.
    So much rubbish written in the world today but this is is fresh and wonderful.
  5. Dec 1, 2011
    10
    For the past two years, I still come back to this album. Why? Because it is completely brilliant. Everyone song is incredible, atmospheric, dense, accessible, and beautiful. For those who criticize lines like "Quench me like Gatorade" would usually be an adjudicating decision, but it somehow works and sounds fresh coming from David Longstrenth. The guitar parts on "Temecula Sunrise"For the past two years, I still come back to this album. Why? Because it is completely brilliant. Everyone song is incredible, atmospheric, dense, accessible, and beautiful. For those who criticize lines like "Quench me like Gatorade" would usually be an adjudicating decision, but it somehow works and sounds fresh coming from David Longstrenth. The guitar parts on "Temecula Sunrise" and "Two Doves" really sends it over the edge plus the fantastically organized yet slanted obscurities that are the vocal harmonies. What a talented group of musicians. can't wait for the next installment!! Expand
  6. BenP
    Jun 10, 2009
    10
    Immediately accessible yet quirky in the extreme. Delightful from start to finish.
  7. JackM.
    Jun 10, 2009
    4
    Mixing Eclectic pop elements can often lead to something amazing, but not here. It
  8. DavidR
    Jun 29, 2009
    9
    I think the first couple of tracks are influenced by Zeppelin... pretty awesome music overall. Could benefit from a little more focus and less experimentation. They jam so many styles and ideas into each song. The guy has incredible talent, everyone should at least check this out.
  9. MatthewS.
    Jul 12, 2009
    4
    Probably the worst lead singer in any band going in indie-land. His throat needs to be smacked into its old shape and put through a car wash. Do we really need pretentious white-boy hipster yodeling at this point in Pop History? I don't understand the hype by the critics. Although, I do have respect for the even-handedness and selective nature of Pitchfork, I just don't see why Probably the worst lead singer in any band going in indie-land. His throat needs to be smacked into its old shape and put through a car wash. Do we really need pretentious white-boy hipster yodeling at this point in Pop History? I don't understand the hype by the critics. Although, I do have respect for the even-handedness and selective nature of Pitchfork, I just don't see why it deserves a 9.2 by any regard. The musical arrangements, as well as track 4 and 5, actually are quite good. But the singer has to go. Expand
  10. MarkusvanS.
    Jul 12, 2009
    10
    With only nine songs, the Dirty Projectors have created one of the best albums of the year! Genre-bending, experimental indie rock music that is still accessible and highly addictive!
  11. EvinA
    Jun 10, 2009
    10
    Best album of the year and I'm confident it is gonna stay that way.
  12. lanceo
    Jun 13, 2009
    10
    Album of the year!!!
  13. FredR
    Jun 15, 2009
    1
    It might as well have made my ears bleed. Worst music I've heard this other other than Wavves. I'm starting to think that Metacritic 's weighting leans heavily on Pitchfork. That is too bad because Pitchfork just tries to be edgy and provocative and doesn't consider what people want to listen to.
  14. ArieB
    Jun 25, 2009
    2
    "your cologne is sweetly fragrant" or "you quenched me like gatorade".......Yuck!
  15. ChristianP
    Jun 9, 2009
    10
    Truly something special. The negative reviews are childish and lazy. Don't give them any credence. Just listen and enjoy. I can't think of another record as catchy and listenable, while being as challenging and technically impressive.
  16. Ben
    Jun 9, 2009
    10
    Totally brilliant all the way through.
  17. RobertP
    Jun 9, 2009
    10
    So weirdly gorgeous.
  18. MikeW.
    Jul 1, 2009
    10
    Consistently imaginative, delightfully weird and wildly catchy. Best album I have heard in 2009.
  19. EricL
    Aug 8, 2009
    8
    I've got to agree with Matthew S. that it's tough to get past this current wave of intelligent-rich-Brooklyn-ivy-league-core smugness... so it took a few listens for me to get this. But the fucked-up-ness of it all really has won me over, like an Animal Collective in that respect. If you separate the artist from the art (like I had to do for Vampire Weekend and their "African I've got to agree with Matthew S. that it's tough to get past this current wave of intelligent-rich-Brooklyn-ivy-league-core smugness... so it took a few listens for me to get this. But the fucked-up-ness of it all really has won me over, like an Animal Collective in that respect. If you separate the artist from the art (like I had to do for Vampire Weekend and their "African Prep" rock) you've really got something here. Expand
  20. normf
    Sep 4, 2009
    10
    People who have criticized this album as unfocused or wandering have completely missed the boat (not to mention revealed their own listening limits; I'm certain that Sgt Peppers would be "unfocused" by this standard). This album is simply brilliant in its unwillingness to compromise complexity for pop sensibility.
  21. CharlesH
    Jun 10, 2009
    10
    Bitte Orca contains a little bit of everything. Longstreth doesn't wear his influences on his sleeve. He uses them to playoff one another and create something unique. Bitte Orca is a refreshing change for Summer and many years to come. I can't stop listening to this album.
  22. ScottF
    Jun 10, 2009
    10
    Absolutely stunning. jaw dropping, and despite what drowned in sound says: huge emotional impact. beautiful record.
  23. Tom
    Jun 22, 2009
    9
    Album of the day!
  24. ShawnR
    Jun 23, 2009
    10
    Refreshing music for sure! Also, Fred R's comment is sorely misguided. But hey, we can't all understand what good music is.
  25. DomoR
    Jun 9, 2009
    2
    Mediocrity deconstructed. Big whoop.
  26. MSimpson
    Aug 13, 2009
    6
    I recognise that this is a really good album with some strong tracks. I can't help feeling that its a little too 'arty' however. The album sometimes reminds me of a bunch of undergraduate art students being earnest around a laptop in crumby digs whilst experimenting with dope to escape from their middle-class anxieties.
  27. GriffT
    Aug 19, 2009
    6
    I don't really understand why people are calling it a masterpiece. David Longstreth wants it to be avant garde, but it just comes off as aimless.
  28. Stu
    Aug 28, 2009
    8
    They've finally found a balance between the experimental and accessible, and this is such an ambitious record, that accomplishes all it sets out to. that said, I just can't get into longstreth's voice.. it makes me cringe.. and he really is a pretentious SOB, but if you separate the artists from the art it's an undeniably excellent album.
  29. RyanM
    Jul 11, 2009
    8
    I basically hated most of this band's early records, but Longstreth's really on to something special these days and I'm glad to see he's still erring towards his pop side on this one. That said, I liked "Rise Above" more on the whole. That album was brilliant the whole damn way through, and though I definitely dig the first half of "Bitte Orca", I usually can't I basically hated most of this band's early records, but Longstreth's really on to something special these days and I'm glad to see he's still erring towards his pop side on this one. That said, I liked "Rise Above" more on the whole. That album was brilliant the whole damn way through, and though I definitely dig the first half of "Bitte Orca", I usually can't make it through the second half for some reason. Expand
  30. ee
    Jul 15, 2009
    10
    Album of the year. Absolutely gorgeous. It's like being transported to a strange and wonderful planet. I haven't heard anything so splendid in years. If you're not into music that's a little "out there", you're excused. Otherwise, dive right in and enjoy!
  31. CoreyP
    Jul 19, 2009
    10
    Simply Incredible and accessible. This is the most refreshing album of the summer by far. Way to go David Longstreth, keep it up because you are now a household name in my book!
Metascore
85

Universal acclaim - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 29
  2. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Not only will you hum snatches, you'll parse lyrical bits, too: a basement-dwelling twentysomething high on Gatorade in an underpopulated housing development, a waitressing job for Solange Knowles.
  2. Clever, original, complicated, sometimes frustrating but more often revelatory, it will, given time, uncover its manifold delights.
  3. Their seventh album remembers to add tunes, and is thus less baffling than before.