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Departing
by
Departing Image
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

  • Artist(s): Amy Cole, Nils Edenloff, Paul Banwatt
  • Summary: The Canadian indie rock trio return with their second release of lovelorn, nostalgic, anthem-heavy pop songs.
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  • Record Label: Paper Bag Records
  • Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock, Indie Pop
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. No Ripcord
    Feb 25, 2011
    90
    It's exciting in its pacing, invigorated in its writing, and illustrious in its instrumentation. It's not mad - nor, indeed, prairie-mad - to think that this is an early contender for album of the year lists.
  2. PopMatters
    Mar 3, 2011
    80
    Departing is a forlorn record, one that practically oozes ache and pain, and is all the more compulsive for sounding so deserted in places.
  3. Alternative Press
    Mar 11, 2011
    80
    Blistering brittle and beautiful, this is a cold, winter wind of a record, perfect for shutting yourself away from the outside world as you mourn the passing of friends, loved ones and better days. [Apr 2011, p.118]
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  4. The A.V. Club
    Mar 1, 2011
    75
    On Departing, its second long-player, The Rural Alberta Advantage stays true to the bare-bones, Neutral Milk-spiked folk-pop formula with which it began.
  5. Tiny Mix Tapes
    Mar 2, 2011
    70
    The Rural Alberta Advantage's capital-E Emotions are rarely comforting, but they serve as a reminder that life, stark - and wintry - as it is, is worth feeling hurt over, that our petty, mortal passions are justified.
  6. Paste Magazine
    Mar 1, 2011
    68
    The songwriting is another matter. Where debut album Hometowns was saturated with specific references to Alberta, with little cinematic details that helped to flesh out the songs, Departing relies too frequently on stock winter imagery and generic love laments.
  7. The Boston Phoenix
    Mar 23, 2011
    50
    Of all the possible directions the band could have taken, they decided on generic coffeehouse folk pop, with predictably pleasant-yet-dull results.

See all 18 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. ZacharyMatson
    Jul 10, 2011
    10
    One of the best albums I've heard in a very long time. It's nice to hear an album in which every song far exceeds your standards. I wouldOne of the best albums I've heard in a very long time. It's nice to hear an album in which every song far exceeds your standards. I would recommend this album to anybody who has a fancy for good old school feeling indie rock.… Expand
  2. timtimtim
    Sep 30, 2011
    8
    This album is intended to follow in the same path as Hometowns, it does, but its just not quite as good. North Star, Stamp, and a few otherThis album is intended to follow in the same path as Hometowns, it does, but its just not quite as good. North Star, Stamp, and a few other tunes are just as great as anything they've done before, the album as a whole just sort of feels like a slightly more mellow and cold version of this band. Definitely worth checking out though.… Expand