User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 350 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 25 out of 350

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  1. lozd
    Jul 1, 2005
    6
    it's the classic story of rock and roll : what sounds like a violent femmes covers band make deeply average record and are rocketed to fame by deeply pretentious online music mag. brill.
  2. DocZee
    Jul 4, 2005
    6
    An NYC band has/will really benefit from a good pitchfork review (Its amazing how much clout the site carries these days). Light-hearted, energetic bliss. Lead singer sounds like a Byne/Yorke fusion. Incredibly consistent for a debut. There are few moments of greatness here (particularly in "In this Home..") but there aren't enough to warrant a higher score. Check out: "Upon this An NYC band has/will really benefit from a good pitchfork review (Its amazing how much clout the site carries these days). Light-hearted, energetic bliss. Lead singer sounds like a Byne/Yorke fusion. Incredibly consistent for a debut. There are few moments of greatness here (particularly in "In this Home..") but there aren't enough to warrant a higher score. Check out: "Upon this Tidal Wave of Young Blood", "In this Home on Ice", "Details of War" Expand
  3. MarkC
    Jul 4, 2005
    6
    Not too shabby, but certainly not worthy of the praise from the Pitchfork hype machine. Upbeat and catchy? Sure. Annoying and repetitive? Indeed.
  4. WilliamL
    Aug 5, 2005
    6
    Fundamentally, what we have here is Talking Heads meets Pavement meets Joy Division. A basically decent album with a few very good songs (particularly the last two), but after a few listenings, I still can't figure out why this record is getting so much attention. Still, if this band were to build further on the strengths of its best songs, it could eventually live up to the hype.
  5. DannyO
    Jul 13, 2005
    6
    The music is good but old boy sounds like a cross between Bono and a cat in heat. More pitchfork hyperbole and snobification; these guys probably deserve a record deal but not a parade.
  6. JoeB.
    Jul 18, 2005
    6
    I think all the "cool" reviewers get a newsletter or something telling them when to write over the top poetic appreciations of nonspectactular music. There seem to be these moments when the entire industry just seems to have decided in advance a record is going to be proclaimed. And a lot of times it is bands from New York. And we as serious readers of Pitchfork, Metacritic, etc soak it I think all the "cool" reviewers get a newsletter or something telling them when to write over the top poetic appreciations of nonspectactular music. There seem to be these moments when the entire industry just seems to have decided in advance a record is going to be proclaimed. And a lot of times it is bands from New York. And we as serious readers of Pitchfork, Metacritic, etc soak it up and spit it back out. We actually running around talking about how great something is when we don't really know why ourselves. There's nothing really wrong with this record. It's fun, sort of compelling, but nothing extraordinary. A couple of tracks are quite catchy and even innovative. And the fun Talking Head vibe is enjoyable. I personally love that sound coming up in today's bands. But it sounds like what it is, a self recorded record by a band that hasn't yet distinguished themsselves and is still mixing up genres and ideas (which can be a great thing, don't get me wrong). I don't think they have found their own voice yet (altho the theme of every review you read is that these guys emerged fully hatched on their first album). I do agree that much of the best music these days is not actually enjoyable, and there's a rush you get when listening to a band that actually is fun. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are that, and we do need more just fun from the body high spirited music. But this is not the best album of the year. All the songs seem to be recorded at different volumes, the vocals are mixed badly at places and I really don't think it's such a magical blend of influences as the press would suggest. It's just another indie band influenced by 80's new wave that shows several sparks of promise along several levels of still figuring it out . Fine. I hope they have a fine career. There's promise here, but it's still unrealized. And the band shouldn't celebrate their good fortune too soon. There's usual a critical backlash when the cool kids stick their necks out too far and later regret it when nobody can figure out a year later why everyone thought it was so good. This record is basically a demo, although you wouldn't know it from the uniformly hysterical praise that everybody seems to agree is appropriate. I guess I didn't get the newsletter. And probably never will now. There's nothing really wrong with this record. It's OK. A couple of tracks are quite compelling and even innovative. And the fun Talking Head vibe is enjoyable. But it sounds like what it is, a self recorded record by a band that hasn't yet distinguished themsselves and is still mixing up genres and ideas (which can be a great thing, don't get me wrong). I agree that much of the best music these days is not actually enjoyable, and there's a rush you get when listening to a band that actually is fun. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are that. But this is not the best album of the year. All the songs seem to be recorded at different volumes, the vocals are mixed badly at places and I really don't think it's such a magical blend of influences as the press would suggest. It's just another indie band influenced by 80's new wave that shows several sparks of promise along several levels of still figuring it out . Fine. I hope they have a fine career. There's promise here, but it's still unrealized. This record is basically a demo, although you wouldn't know it from the uniformly hysterical praise that everybody seems to agree is appropriate. I guess I didn't get the newsletter or the payoff. Expand
  7. [Anonymous]
    Jul 28, 2005
    6
    I agree with Wazsie M about his voice, it does get very annoying. Everything else about their songs is brilliant, but I can't stand listening to his voice. And to those people who are insulting the people who give it low scores, remember that not everyone can like the same people, and some people won't like this album. And some will. You can listen to 3 songs off this album on I agree with Wazsie M about his voice, it does get very annoying. Everything else about their songs is brilliant, but I can't stand listening to his voice. And to those people who are insulting the people who give it low scores, remember that not everyone can like the same people, and some people won't like this album. And some will. You can listen to 3 songs off this album on their website. Try it out. Expand
  8. scuttlebuggoodluck
    Aug 12, 2005
    6
    ... aside from the bass player ripping off New Order riffs and the vocalist whining worse than a banshee in heat, it's not a bad album. Why some call this "the hottest thing on the entire internet" I will never comprehend. Overhyped, definitely... ...somebody please come up with something new, I'm getting bored here!
  9. JonE
    Aug 3, 2005
    6
    Wow, this is tremendously overhyped. Some good tunes, but shouldn't we remember that what made David Byrne so amazing was how he could shape his flawed voice into a uniquely beautiful musical tool. CYHSY is equivalent to a high school actor impersonating Byrne, and while the backing music is often catchy, this band is an example of a band doing everything to sound hip and nothing to Wow, this is tremendously overhyped. Some good tunes, but shouldn't we remember that what made David Byrne so amazing was how he could shape his flawed voice into a uniquely beautiful musical tool. CYHSY is equivalent to a high school actor impersonating Byrne, and while the backing music is often catchy, this band is an example of a band doing everything to sound hip and nothing to sound real. Expand
  10. MichaelJ
    Jul 21, 2005
    6
    i'd like to throw my hat in the ring with joe b. from a previous comment. mildly interesting, somewhat clever, watered down talking heads and suddenly people are having fits about the second coming. come on people, we can do better. perhaps if pro. reviewers would actually listen to the promos rather than cutting and pasting each other's reviews then we could get some original i'd like to throw my hat in the ring with joe b. from a previous comment. mildly interesting, somewhat clever, watered down talking heads and suddenly people are having fits about the second coming. come on people, we can do better. perhaps if pro. reviewers would actually listen to the promos rather than cutting and pasting each other's reviews then we could get some original takes on original music. Expand
  11. PlatypusQuest
    Nov 26, 2005
    6
    The music is wonderful, but the vocals are undeniably terrible - and this is coming from someone who can get past the Grandmother's voice on the new Fiery Furnaces album. With a different vocalist, this album would be extraordinary - as is, it just leaves me thinking about what could have been. 6/10.
  12. JamieS
    Sep 7, 2005
    5
    very very average. too similar to the arcade fire for comfort. very very very stupid name. boring.
  13. gta
    Jul 10, 2005
    5
    its OK but that song "home on ice" is just great
  14. SteveW
    Jul 10, 2005
    5
    Clap your hands, say "Yeah this is overrated!"
  15. jimh
    Dec 20, 2005
    5
    They suck live. I also think this album is mediocre at best. The vocals are extremely weak and annoying. The music is good but you can't polish a turd now can you?
  16. TaTa
    Jul 7, 2005
    5
    Yeah it's alright but I agree with loz d. You get a couple of pretentious hit or miss self proclaimed "journalist" like pitchfork wanking about it and all of the sudden nothing has existed prior to this sound which is total rubbish. It's good but by no means original.
  17. LucM.
    Jun 14, 2008
    5
    2 giant tunes, but the rest is really boring.
  18. Christ
    Sep 25, 2005
    5
    A thoroughly predictable and musically generic album, i don't get the (underserved) hype, these guys are an average indie rock band with a singer who has listened to too much Talking Heads but pretends like he's never heard them.
  19. wazsiem
    Jul 24, 2005
    4
    WHAT IS HIS VOICE? IT HURTS MY SOUL! He sounds atrocious. the hype is unjustified. the only thing that saves this album is the music that is there, under his wailing terrible voice.
  20. JimM
    Oct 28, 2005
    4
    Can you say "over hyped"?! If you're over-hyped and you know, clap your hands! Love the music, can't stand the nasal singing. Maybe I can process it and remove the vocals. Underwhelming! But promising!
  21. WillyP
    Nov 18, 2005
    4
    Love the music, but the singer, yeeek! It's like being trapped in a room with an aggressive mentally handicapped person. And live, it sounds even worse.
  22. atomg
    Jul 10, 2005
    4
    upbeat and catchy at times, but this album is vastly overrated.
  23. RicardoST
    Jul 13, 2005
    4
    Feito para os "intelectualóides" de plantão.
  24. TomasS
    Nov 17, 2005
    4
    One of the few things I appreciate about this band is that they put out their album themselves and got heard - and even acclaimed. It's just that this is not the right band. Idle lyrics, grating vocals, promising but never really rewarding moments. I tried to like this album, but I couldn't. If you want to hear the real discovery of 2005, try Wolf Parade. They, unlike CYHSY, One of the few things I appreciate about this band is that they put out their album themselves and got heard - and even acclaimed. It's just that this is not the right band. Idle lyrics, grating vocals, promising but never really rewarding moments. I tried to like this album, but I couldn't. If you want to hear the real discovery of 2005, try Wolf Parade. They, unlike CYHSY, deserve the hype. Expand
  25. TheRapture
    Sep 27, 2005
    4
    Quite simple really: overrated.
  26. BethanneO
    Jan 14, 2006
    4
    Quirkiness has too often been confused with brilliance. Very often the two go hand in hand but not in this case. How this mediocre-at-best album has been so widely acclaimed i can not understand. The songs are consistently weak. The vocal tone is interesting but it means nothing when the melodies are so miserable. i do believe that the band, if presented with a decent song to flesh out, Quirkiness has too often been confused with brilliance. Very often the two go hand in hand but not in this case. How this mediocre-at-best album has been so widely acclaimed i can not understand. The songs are consistently weak. The vocal tone is interesting but it means nothing when the melodies are so miserable. i do believe that the band, if presented with a decent song to flesh out, would do a creative and interesting job at doing so. Unfortunately, they haven't given themselves a chance to attempt that feat yet. save your money. Expand
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 28
  2. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. CYHSY’s songs ring of The Bends-era songwriting, but loungier, more playful, more comfortable in their own skin.
  2. The record is consistently, remarkably strong.
  3. If there are complaints to lobby against this remarkable debut, they lie mostly in its sound-quality. Namely, it sounds like what it was: self-recorded and self-released.