Born In The U.K.
by Badly Drawn Boy
User Score
6.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 23
  3. Negative: 5 out of 23

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. JTKirk
    Dec 3, 2006
    3
    BORING! How far can Gough fall? this is nothing like the BDB I love. Gone is the eclecticism, the andy votel bed-sit techno glitches, the big horns and strings, and the soul. What's left isn't pretty; Gough masterbating all over his piano, smirking at his own cleverness. Avoid this record at all costs if you'd like to remember BDB for THOB and AAB (and, for me, HYFTF BORING! How far can Gough fall? this is nothing like the BDB I love. Gone is the eclecticism, the andy votel bed-sit techno glitches, the big horns and strings, and the soul. What's left isn't pretty; Gough masterbating all over his piano, smirking at his own cleverness. Avoid this record at all costs if you'd like to remember BDB for THOB and AAB (and, for me, HYFTF wasn't that bad, either...he started to slip with OPOIO...the 'comeback' record). This is 13 versions of the same half-baked tuneless drivel, made all the more embarassing when you consider how many ideas Gough used to cram into ONE SONG back in the day. In my mind, there is no greater fall from grace post-2000 than this sad man-child from Manchester. Too bad. He was fantastic once. Think I'll listen to "Once Around The Block" to cheer myself up. wow. this record sucks.… Expand
  2. Brandon
    Oct 30, 2006
    1
    Absolutey dreadful. Hard to believe that a guy as visionary as Gough, the man who gave us "The Hour of Bewilderbeast," could be responsible for such nonsense.
  3. HomerSimpson
    Apr 10, 2007
    1
    Very disappointed here! I agree with JT Kirk.. it's nothing like BDB's "The Hour of Bewilderbeast"!! Gone are the lo-fi reverberated vocals: they're replaced with clean vocals and cheesy lyrics. I don't like his voice that way! The songs seem forced.. not to mention the cheesy arrangements (and horrible production!). Sometimes it feels like you're listening to a Very disappointed here! I agree with JT Kirk.. it's nothing like BDB's "The Hour of Bewilderbeast"!! Gone are the lo-fi reverberated vocals: they're replaced with clean vocals and cheesy lyrics. I don't like his voice that way! The songs seem forced.. not to mention the cheesy arrangements (and horrible production!). Sometimes it feels like you're listening to a musical! when I got to "Welcome to the Overground, I was like wtf? what happened?!… Expand
  4. RichardM
    Mar 11, 2008
    2
    Terrible, two stars for the melody on the second to last song, but nothing to do with the egotistical self centred lyrical gash that filled the rest of it.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 30
  3. Negative: 5 out of 30
  1. Urb
    60
    An odd album... this might well have been called Badly Drawn Boy: The Musical. [Oct 2006, p.117]
  2. BBC collective
    70
    This may not measure up to The Hour Of Bewilderbeast, but it does boast a batch of sweet and deceptively unfussy, scruffily heartfelt tunes dealing with love, loss and the messiness of life that help redeem his unarguable songwriting talent.
    Read full review
  3. The Guardian
    60
    Gough has tried several new directions here. The results are mixed.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »