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Closer
by
Closer Image
Metascore
64

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 22 Ratings

  • Summary: This is the fourth album for the New Orleans-based trio. It is their first release on indie Beyond Music, after being dropped by Elektra for disappointing sales.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. HOB.com
    90
    Closer is classic BTE: hopeful melodies, lead singer Kevin Griffin's uniquely sweet voice, enough pop to make you sing along and smile but thoroughly substantial and rewarding.
  2. Launch.com
    80
    These days they sound like Hootie & the Blowfish shot through with Viagra.
  3. AllMusic
    80
    The most natural and best record they've ever made.
  4. Entertainment Weekly
    67
    The hip-hop of "Recognize" and "Extra Ordinary" won't age well, but there are better moments... [24/31 Aug 2001, p.136]
    All this publication's reviews
  5. CDNow
    60
    There are a few winners here among the brick-and-mortar alt-flak -- which the band is wholeheartedly capable of as well...
  6. Sonicnet
    50
    Unfortunately, this newest attempt at expanding the group's musical horizons is more a lateral move than a vertical one, and the same problems that have plagued Better Than Ezra since Deluxe -- mawkish, derivative material -- undermine this effort as well.
  7. PopMatters
    40
    If the CD player is programmed to just skip a couple of songs, then one can believe that Better Than Ezra really did hop off of a major label and create the assured album they've always wanted to make.

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. JonathanP.
    Aug 29, 2002
    10
    BTE continues to put out excellent music, even after almost 15 years. I think everyone should buy this cd- it will not disappoint!
  2. VictoriaK.
    Aug 15, 2002
    10
    The guys from BTE are AMAZING. Kevin Griffin is a lyrical genius whos songs can relate to almost everyone at some pt. in their lives. I think The guys from BTE are AMAZING. Kevin Griffin is a lyrical genius whos songs can relate to almost everyone at some pt. in their lives. I think they've done a Stellar job with the new album, evolving and expanding their talents. … Expand
  4. TeresaF
    Apr 27, 2005
    10
    Awesome album
  5. KristiM
    Nov 25, 2002
    10
    Closer is the epitome of excellent, Kevin's words are incredible and the music is sensational. there are some fun summertime type of Closer is the epitome of excellent, Kevin's words are incredible and the music is sensational. there are some fun summertime type of songs and some beautiful ones dealing with life anew and death and dying. This is so highly recommended!!!!! … Expand
  6. em
    Mar 13, 2005
    10
    awesome! just awesome!
  7. Michael
    Apr 14, 2005
    10
    Great Album
  8. borderlinefilms
    Feb 4, 2015
    8
    Menage a Quatre

    You may like Closer because of its flawed characters and their doomed relationships. I like it because it's square. The    Menage a Quatre

    You may like Closer because of its flawed characters and their doomed relationships. I like it because it's square. The assorted combinations of love and friendship, scorn and resentment, among two males and two females are literally geometrical. Typically, the dependable love triangle pits three characters together, often a heterosexual convention establishing a male lead zig-zagging between two females, or a female lead choosing between two male suitors. What if we include an extra character? How many triangles can be made with four individuals? Four! And Closer expertly covers them all. Next time you see it, draw out a square with each character occupying a corner. Then connect each of the couplings and triangles as they occur, beginning with Julia-Jude-Natalie. Jude falls for Natalie, introduces her to Julia who gets intimate with her camera. The Jude-Clive-Julia triangle is a clever one. Clive is introduced when Jude seduces him online pretending to be Julia who he meets at the aquarium. Often when a movie script or stage play adheres to a strict formula, it turns out flat and predictable. Not Closer. Applying a quadrangular network forces each character to cover all the bases, tagging up every way possible, pushing each juncture to the limit.    … Expand

See all 14 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

50
#50 Most Discussed Album of 2001

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