Black Acetate
by John Cale
Metascore
63

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. musicOMH.com
    80
    Black Acetate is in equal measures, serious and mocking, threatening and comforting, ambient and rowdy.
  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    The sound of a pioneer who refuses to stop innovating. [8 Oct 2005, p.45]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Mojo
    80
    Not every moment is transcendent.... But otherwise, this is that rare thing, an album that shares new pleasures each time you hear it, made by someone who's still excited by music. [Nov 2005, p.102]
    All this publication's reviews

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 4 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Bobd
    Dec 23, 2005
    8
    An intriguing, and irritating creation from the Welsh Madman, rife with heavy guitar noise, recalling his misspent "Comes Alive" period, and An intriguing, and irritating creation from the Welsh Madman, rife with heavy guitar noise, recalling his misspent "Comes Alive" period, and that train wreck of an album, "Carribean Sunset" (c.1984) Some tunes, such as "In a Flood" "Turn the Light On"and "Hush", perhaps "Wasteland" and "Gravel Drive" can be considered vintage Cale, but the avant-dance bit "BrotherMan" is annoying, witness these lyrics: "I write reams if this shit everyday... In the courtyard with Uncle Sam"...it progresses with a disjointed and irritating sound much like a muffled dental drill. Where Hobo Sapiens was a near- masterpiece of avant -garde stylist pop, and a return to form, Black Acetate is Cale and the band ready for playing the bar/rave circuit..not as great an accomplishment as his earlier Hobo Sapiens, or the Island years, but a reasonable effort and very in-your-face.… Full Review »
  2. waltb
    Dec 18, 2005
    7
    it's not his best, but it's better than HoboSapiens or Walking on Locusts.
  3. kissj
    Nov 16, 2005
    10
    some velvet sound
See all user reviews »