Destroyer's Rubies
by Destroyer
  • Record Label: Merge
  • Release Date: Feb 21, 2006
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 124 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 97 out of 124
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 124
  3. Negative: 15 out of 124

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  1. Dan(nirv)
    Jul 21, 2006
    6
    It tops New Pornographers' Twin Cinema, Chase HQ? 0h n0 s0n. This is a decent album, but it's no Twin Cinema because he sings a little too much about priests and it's just not catchy like New Pornographers.
  2. rt
    Jan 9, 2008
    6
    Despite strong musicality, this is generally a below average effort. Almost every song features the same wordless vocal interlude of 'ya la la la la la.' Another stylistic bit to be featured over and over (and over and over) is his tendency to deliver long, unrhymed lines, until finally speed-reading a paragraph over instruments swelling to a fever pitch in the background. Despite strong musicality, this is generally a below average effort. Almost every song features the same wordless vocal interlude of 'ya la la la la la.' Another stylistic bit to be featured over and over (and over and over) is his tendency to deliver long, unrhymed lines, until finally speed-reading a paragraph over instruments swelling to a fever pitch in the background. Usually this is immediately followed by one of the 'ya da la la' sequences. Both these techniques are effective when used occasionally. Unfortunately, they both occur way too often to be anything other than embarrassing.… Expand
  3. CWP
    Mar 21, 2006
    6
    A shell of the previous Destroyer album, Your Blues.
  4. stevec
    May 15, 2006
    6
    initially this album was nails on a blackboard to me, but i'd give it another chance, i mean, its a 87, right ? lyrically strong, musically adequate, mr Destroyer's voice are the nails and this album is the blackboard . after the 2nd song the La-De-Da-ing becomes immensely irritating - he sounds like a drunk hippy - and its on most tracks . but there is talent in there and so ...
  5. BoojieBoy
    Apr 11, 2006
    5
    Not very listenable. I find it objectionable in the same ways of New Pornographers . I love Neko and AC, but for some reason, Bejar's vox just does not do it for me. I'm sure he's nice enough, but it's not for me.
  6. C.C.
    May 13, 2006
    5
    A solid 5. That
  7. JMan
    Apr 4, 2006
    4
    Although this has grown on me after multiple listens, I still can not full engage in it...'contrived is' the right word.
  8. staubin
    Apr 12, 2006
    4
    for some reason, whenever i hear bejar's voice, i am reminded of an evil scheming wizard. which is a shame, since the songs are so well constructed.
  9. SpiralJacobs
    Jun 16, 2006
    4
    Cheesy, pretentious, and contrived lyrics about nothing, sung in an annoying nasal voice that demands you believe what is being sung to be profound and not some jumbled, faux-literary garbage. Every single darn song has those ridiculous, cheesy, "Lalala la la la la la" chantings. Bejar is a fake and and a fool.

Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best Album of 2006
37
#37 Most Discussed Album of 2006
24
#24 Most Shared Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
88

Universal acclaim - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    His insider snipes at indie-rock pretense show Wildean wit. [24 Feb 2006, p.64]
  2. Pitchfork
    85
    Encapsulating and elevating the best of Destroyer's back catalog, Destroyer's Rubies serves as a potent reminder that the intelligence of Bejar's songs has never obfuscated their emotional weight.
    Read full review
  3. PopMatters
    80
    Bejars songs have, in the past, sometimes seemed like vehicles for his lyrics, yet with Destroyer’s Rubies he seems to have made peace with the musical element of his work as well.
    Read full review
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