User Score
Universal acclaim- based on 77 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 71 out of 77
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Mixed: 4 out of 77
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Negative: 2 out of 77
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Mar 6, 2012For the most part this is pretty inoffensive indie music. It's got some nice tracks but nothing that will completely blow you away. Things that go to make heaven and earth and my rights versus yours are pretty good songs but there's not much that really takes off for me here.
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WarrenW.Oct 25, 2007
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RLBOct 17, 2007The best Pornographers yet. Neko adds immeasurably, as always. Great, great songwriting. Very original, edgy, and flat out rocking!
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ChrisEOct 12, 2007
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EricSOct 11, 2007My favorite album of the past few years. As mentioned before, it takes a few listens, but the rewards are substantial. This is a great group and this is my favorite effort of theirs.
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JustinOct 5, 2007
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JMaxOct 4, 2007
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JasonL.Oct 3, 2007Note to critics: it helps to listen to an album properly before reviewing it. Not that we care, we know this is a great album.
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chrisffOct 3, 2007F*&K Rolling Stone. I've only come upon this band within the last few months and I'm not familiar with their back catalogue--a friend played it and I knew after one listen I had to get a copy. Instantly catchy, melodic and edgy enough to be interesting.
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JoeSep 26, 2007
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AshbyJ.Sep 9, 2007
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KellyD.Sep 9, 2007I cannot stop playing this album. It gets better with every listen.
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ColinFSep 9, 2007
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ChrisP.Sep 6, 2007. So I've bought all the Porno albums and have listened the shit out of all of them including this one. they're pretty awesome to try to change their format and still have consistently good songs.
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ChrisCSep 4, 2007
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EricC.rSep 2, 2007
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DC.Sep 1, 2007
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JKAug 31, 2007
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E.B.Aug 26, 2007Listen to this album at least 3 times and then tell me it isn't the album of the year! It is literally in my CD player every day all month long! I can't take it out! Musical bliss!
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ChrisAug 26, 2007I'm starting to believe that this group can't make a bad album.
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GinaPAug 25, 2007Fucking amazing album. At first listen you might think different. But after the fifth time, you're completely in love.
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VitoCAug 23, 2007This album will grow on you.
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GabeHAug 22, 2007
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UncleN.Aug 22, 2007
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andyhAug 21, 2007the songs challengers and fail-safe are simply amazing!
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NickAug 20, 2007It's their boldest album yet- maybe not as good as "Electric Version" but better than "Twin Cinema." Tracks 5 and 10 have the same power-pop they are known for, where the other tracks work spledidly as album cuts- more of a disc for hard-core fans, but for us, indie pop music simply does not get better.
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BillyS.Aug 20, 2007
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ScottSAug 20, 2007May be their best album. Probably none of the individual songs make the NP's Top Five, but it's the best (smoothest?) front-to-back listen of any of their discs yet. I've had it playing on infinite repeat for a month now, not skipping any songs...
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JonathonWAug 20, 2007Pleasant enough, if a bit boring in spots. This is a lot more mellow than their previous releases, so take that into consideration. Also, someone screwed up above--the Pitchfork rating should be a 60.
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PeterK.Aug 20, 2007Their best album yet. Very nice integration of strings.
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EvanB.Aug 19, 2007Metacritic editors: Filter gave this an 82, not a 74. This album deserves all the great reviews it can get!
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RobbyL.Aug 19, 2007good album
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musicblitzAug 18, 2007The Filter review itself gives a grade of 82%. Why in the world is that downgraded to a 74 here? Furthermore, the NME review sounds like it is clearly aiming higher than an 80. Since when is "a staggering masterclass in indie-pop songwriting" an 80? What gives, Metacritic? 71? That makes absolutely no sense of what's being written so far.
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Awards & Rankings
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More cinematic than "Twin Cinema," more cohesive than any other record released this year, Challengers is so very good it almost compels you to think in the cliches of music criticism.
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It is perfectly pleasant, mildly intelligent pop, perhaps a cut above the vast majority of songs with "la la la" choruses. Yet it has none of the elegant non sequitur of Bejar's best work, nor the barbed hookiness of Newman's, nor even the sheer musical sensuality of Case on her own
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Q MagazineChallengers, their fourth album, sees the band and its three main songwriters at the top of their game. [Sep 2007, p.99]