Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 7
  2. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. On their stunning debut, the Richmond, VA, foursome can sound as crisp and ethereal as Portishead, as otherworldly as Tom Waits, and as atmospheric as Radiohead.
  2. While Denali have a definite comfort zone -- there are few surprises on the ten-song collection -- the beauty of the album is how easily songs melt into one another, rising and falling where they should, each one ending with a gentle dismount.
  3. While Davis's performance draws from a broad and intriguing range of influences, she has the makings of a singer in a class of her own. And rather than allowing Davis's uniqueness to carry them, the other members of Denali clearly favor a similarly eclectic aesthetic, riddling their music with pleasant musical surprises.
  4. Amidst an arresting collision of angular melodies, fractured rhythms and Davis' overpowering voice, Denali's self-titled debut is awash in the tortured melancholy of a woman whose relationship demons have driven her to the edge.
  5. It's a diverse album in terms of textures, and those extra layers help give the band a developed sound beyond most debut releases.
User Score
tbd

No user score yet- Awaiting 3 more ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. MarkS.
    Jul 15, 2002
    9
    I would give it a ten, given it's sheer beauty, but there are some more classic albums that ought to reserve that distinction. It really I would give it a ten, given it's sheer beauty, but there are some more classic albums that ought to reserve that distinction. It really is a beautiful album; buy it, burn it, steal it. Full Review »