Caustic Love
by Paolo Nutini
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: Sep 16, 2014
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 48 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 48
  3. Negative: 5 out of 48
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  1. WadeVS
    Apr 17, 2014
    10
    Hands down his best album, the best album of the year so far and possibly one of the best soul / blues / R & B albums ever. Nutini has really found his groove and is holding nothing back anymore. He keeps it fresh with a guest vocal rap on 'Fashion' that slots in effortlessly (is that Janelle Monae?), kicks it way back on 'Better Man' and gets heavy and philosophical on 'Iron Sky' withoutHands down his best album, the best album of the year so far and possibly one of the best soul / blues / R & B albums ever. Nutini has really found his groove and is holding nothing back anymore. He keeps it fresh with a guest vocal rap on 'Fashion' that slots in effortlessly (is that Janelle Monae?), kicks it way back on 'Better Man' and gets heavy and philosophical on 'Iron Sky' without it ever seeming contrived. SUCH a great album!… Expand
  2. mrpringeek
    Apr 14, 2014
    9
    Nutini's shift into a more soul and funk heavy style has further proven that he truly is a stellar musician and composer. Whilst his two previous albums I enjoyed immensely, These Streets and Sunny Side Up did not have as much heart than this new release. That does not mean to say that there was no heart at all but rather Nutini has clearly created a piece of work that he knows isNutini's shift into a more soul and funk heavy style has further proven that he truly is a stellar musician and composer. Whilst his two previous albums I enjoyed immensely, These Streets and Sunny Side Up did not have as much heart than this new release. That does not mean to say that there was no heart at all but rather Nutini has clearly created a piece of work that he knows is brilliant. He talks about being a perfectionist and we can clearly see this in his tightly controlled composition of the music in this album and maybe this is what makes Caustic Love a gem, the devotion to creating a truly perfect work of art.… Expand
  3. El_Mastero
    Apr 17, 2014
    10
    Best album ever. Cannot get enough of it. Had it on repeat for the past two days. This is going to go down as one of the greats. Nutini you legend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  4. davidglass
    Apr 18, 2014
    8
    Although different genres, this is up there with "Real Estate - Atlas" as one of the best albums of 2014. So many albums get 8,9,10 stars but don't seem to measure up, maybe it's just my aging (y)ears. Very much in a similar bag of chips to Terence Trent D'Arby's first album, it's got a lot of soul history going on inside the tin. It's cohesive, without being samey, probably more likely toAlthough different genres, this is up there with "Real Estate - Atlas" as one of the best albums of 2014. So many albums get 8,9,10 stars but don't seem to measure up, maybe it's just my aging (y)ears. Very much in a similar bag of chips to Terence Trent D'Arby's first album, it's got a lot of soul history going on inside the tin. It's cohesive, without being samey, probably more likely to be for your mum or dad, if your under 25, but I couldn't be sure :)… Expand
  5. JotaBrasil
    Jul 11, 2014
    9
    Caustic Love, terceiro álbum do inglês Paolo Nutini, não é um álbum perdido no tempo. É a noção de música boa hoje em dia que está perdida no mar de mediocridade que assola a música. Caustic Love é o álbum perfeito para o momento perfeito.

    Para quem não conhece Paolo deve ser impactante ouvi-lo pela primeira vez: um jovem britânico de apenas 27 anos que tem a voz como se fosse um cantor    Caustic Love, terceiro álbum do inglês Paolo Nutini, não é um álbum perdido no tempo. É a noção de música boa hoje em dia que está perdida no mar de mediocridade que assola a música. Caustic Love é o álbum perfeito para o momento perfeito.

    Para quem não conhece Paolo deve ser impactante ouvi-lo pela primeira vez: um jovem britânico de apenas 27 anos que tem a voz como se fosse um cantor negro vindo direto dos anos sessenta. Pode até parecer estranho falar assim, mas ouvir Paolo é como reviver momentos em que os "originadores" como Ray Charles ou Marvin Gaye ainda andavam sobre a terra. Só que a voz do cantor vai mais longe e não apenas emoldura a vibe vocal, mas de alguma forma ele consegue ter a mesma carga emocional. Se você acredita em reencarnação, então Paolo Nutini pode ser um caso a ser estudado. Suas performances em todo álbum são momentos impactantes de pura nostalgia com uma atmosfera reconfortante de saber que está ouvindo uma voz tão magistral sendo administrada por uma alma talentosa que consegue transmitir emoções viscerais e puras em suas essências. Paolo é versátil: vai do seu lado mais "pesado" em que usa o sua ronquidão de maneira acachapante que deixa quem ouve querendo mais e mais até mesmo o mais delicado usando seu falsete perfeitamente. Essa montanha-russa é uma viagem quase cósmica em que nenhum momento será perdido ou usado em vão. Cada nota saída da boca de Paolo é um prazer carnal, um remédio para almas carentes e um unguento para corpos cansados.

    Se tudo isso não fosse o suficiente, Caustic Love é uma aula de como produzir um álbum. Paolo dispensa produtores badalados e produz o álbum ele mesmo ao lado de Dani Castelar. Então, não é surpresa de que o CD tenha a personalidade dele do começo ao fim, mas o que impressiona aqui é a extrema qualidade em que todos os aspectos estão estruturados. Como dito anteriormente, a sonoridade de Caustic Love é construída exatamente em cima do soul, funk e soul rock feito durante a década de sessenta e começo dos anos setenta. Repito: construída, não plagiada ou com cheiro de mofo. Muito pelo contrario: o som que Paolo faz é atemporal devido ao seu brilhantismo. Arrisco dizer que, se Caustic Love fosse lançado cerca de 40 anos atrás seria uma sucesso que hoje seria considerado um clássico. Há uma sensação de urgência nas canções, uma necessidade que parece ser transportada para fora das barreiras da música, algo tão pungente que faz qualquer pessoa ser arrebatada. Em trabalhos de instrumentalizações que não deixam em nada devendo para trabalhos clássicos da soul music, Paolo Nutini emoldura suas crônicas sobre amor e a vida que fecham o pacote de maneira magistral em momentos que vão levar suas emoções ao um estágio quase espiritual. Não há como falar mais especificamente de várias músicas do álbum, mas sou obrigado a destacar um dos momentos mais poderosos na música que eu já ouvi: Iron Sky, um hino à esperança na raça humana usando parte de um discurso de Charles Chaplin em O Grande Ditador. Genial apenas. Caustic Love mostra que música é imortal, não necessita de inovações tecnológicas ou ideias revolucionárias. Música precisa de talento. Talento como o de Paolo Nutini.    … Expand
  6. Jackoasta
    Oct 16, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is truly an excellent record and it's one that should be remembered for a very long time.

    Let's go through the songs shall we?

    1.) Scream (Funk My Life Up) - The first single of the album and our first song of this album, A great way to start the album, lively, textured and layered and just a really sexy song- 8/10
    2.) Let Me Down Easy - A truly great cover of a great song, adding Paolo's own style and just a way to make a great song truly excellent - 9/10
    3.) Bus Talk - A nice break from the first couple of songs towards the next song, One Day, speaking of which...
    4.) One Day - WOW... What a beautiful song, beautiful orchestrated and excellent and smart lyrics for a song where a couple break apart for a while, one of my favourite songs of the album - 10/10
    5.) Numpty - This is a relaxed and smart song and it's really enjoyable to listen to, it's nothing special though... - 7/10
    6.) Superfly- Once again, another break for the 2nd half of the album before the next song, Better Man...
    7.) Better Man - Now this is a really smart love song that knows what it is doing and the way it wants you to feel. Excellent writing and beautiful acoustics to go with the overall feeling of the album, a soothing and smart look at society. I really dig the lyrics as well, just a classic! - 10/10
    8.) Iron Sky - This is a giant of a song, excellent writing with smart and powerful delivery and great sampling of the speech from Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator". A excellent philosophical look at the world today, imagine how inspired many people will get when they listen to this song and combine it with the world's issues and what you get is one of the most important songs in the 21st century -10/10
    9.) Diana- Again, nothing too special, it's simple and it's classy.- 8/10
    10.) Fashion - This is the only song that I disliked, yes it's very well written music wise, but lyrics wise (specifically Janelle Monae), I am so confused about this song, Paolo says 'There's more to life than sex appeal', but then he says 'She's in fashion, she's chique'. I really don't like this song that much... - 5/10
    11.) Looking for Something- Much better than Fashion, beautifully orchestrated and wonderfully written, it's another classic. 9/10
    12.) Cherry Blossom- Lively and exciting, this is a way to claim your girl in a dancefloor, but be careful though, it can get tiring after a while... 7/10
    13.)Someone Like You- The conclusion to what is otherwise an excellent album, short, but sweet. Lovely lyrics and a great way to reflect on the 51 minutes you had with this album.- 8/10

    Best Songs: One Day, Let Me Down Easy, Better Man and Iron Sky
    Worst Song: Fashion    … Expand
  7. OsianLewisBlog
    Aug 23, 2014
    9
    http://osianlewis.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/paolo-nutini-caustic-love-album-review.html

    Read my review of 'Caustic Love'

    'Paolo Christens Himself the New Godson of Soul.'
  8. seventhseal
    Sep 23, 2014
    9
    Firstly I would lie to say I did not think it possible to improve upon the amazing 2009 album Sunny Side Up but I believe Scotlands' own Paolo has all but achieved this. With the exception of track 9 Diana every track is excellent in its own right and also build to create another marvelous piece of music.

    Overall I would put this into the Must Have section of anyones music collection.

Awards & Rankings

96
#96 Most Shared Album of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Q Magazine
    Apr 23, 2014
    80
    Caustic Love is a truly excellent modern soul record. [May 2014, p.114]
  2. Mojo
    Apr 23, 2014
    60
    Nutini has grown up, and his music has grown with him: in a world littered with handsome young singer-songwriters who become obsolete some time between their first hit and first album, it's an admirable achievement. [May 2014, p.88]
  3. The Telegraph (UK)
    Apr 18, 2014
    80
    While Caustic Love is clearly the work of a maturing singer-songwriter (shedding jaunty charm for depth and ambition), it finds the 27-year-old still skittering around in search of an artistic identity.
    Read full review
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