Cynic's New Year
by Horse Feathers
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
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  1. Prefix Magazine
    May 9, 2012
    70
    For all its questing, though, the album's--and the band's--heart and soul are the simple arrangements which, layered upon one another like a stack of firewood, often signify something greater than their sum.
  2. Pitchfork
    Apr 26, 2012
    63
    Horse Feathers are quick to set a mood and diligent in sustaining it, but it's pretty much the same mood they've struck on all their albums.
  3. Paste Magazine
    Apr 25, 2012
    85
    It's not to say it's on the level of Fleet Foxes' Helplessness Blues, but it's pretty damn close.
  5. AllMusic
    Apr 19, 2012
    70
    Even if you don't delve deeply enough into these tracks to unearth all the layers of psychological discomfiture lurking beneath the softly inviting surface, there's more than enough to be gained simply by absorbing the artful unfolding of the tunes at face value.
  6. Boston Globe
    Apr 19, 2012
    60
    While there's a charm to their baroque simplicity, the preponderance of shared elements speaks to the lack of movement in getting from the one to the other.
  7. Filter
    Apr 18, 2012
    74
    Lighthearted melodies and delicate instrumentations mask Cynic's New Year's darker lyrics, adding a layer of complexity that requires multiple listens.
  8. The Boston Phoenix
    Apr 18, 2012
    50
    On "Cynic's New Year," Portland, Ore., indie-folk duo Horse Feathers stick so firmly to their sonic guns that it becomes tightly constricting.
  9. Sputnikmusic
    Apr 18, 2012
    70
    The primary drawback here is that even though the album does occasionally ascend to great heights, it spends at least the same amount of time strolling through monotonous buildups that never really reach their destinations.
  10. Consequence
    Apr 18, 2012
    60
    This fourth LP once again comes close to making that leap [from second-tier to A-list], but ultimately it falls just short of the mark.
  11. PopMatters
    Apr 18, 2012
    80
    Cynic's New Year is a starkly gorgeous album dripping with stringed instrumentation-whether that be the plucking of banjos and acoustic guitars or swooping cellos and violins-augmented by the odd plinky piano part, one that will leave the listen feeling utterly winded for all of its ragged glory.HO
  12. Exclaim
    Apr 18, 2012
    70
    Above all, Cynic's New Year sounds incredible; its production quality alone is worth several listens.

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