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Dirty Work Image
Metascore
67

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 34 Ratings

  • Summary: This is the emo-pop band's major-label debut.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 8
  2. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. 83
    Dirty Work proves you can grow up and still act like a kid--just as long as your songs are this head-rushingly catchy.
  2. All Time Low made the catchiest record possible and have their fingers crossed for airplay in the upcoming months. For those who accept it, Dirty Work will be a staple in their summer playlist.
  3. Jun 7, 2011
    70
    Consider Dirty Work the band's ultimate bid for mainstream acceptance, and one of their strongest pop albums to date.
  4. Alternative Press
    Jun 2, 2011
    60
    There are way too many cooks in this kitchen. [May 2011, p.91]
  5. Kerrang!
    Jun 24, 2011
    60
    It's just that Dirty work is merely a good album, when it should be a great one. [4 Jun 2011, p.51]
  6. Jun 21, 2011
    60
    On their fourth album, All Time Low get stranded between bratty snot-rock and witty power pop.
  7. Jun 3, 2011
    40
    Much like the average modern-day Playmate, Dirty Work is essentially a manufacturer's dummy: air-brushed; soulless; custom-built to exacting specifications; aesthetically-pleasing but ultimately empty and devoid of any real distinctive character. At the risk of butchering a metaphor, All Time Low are New Found Glory with grotesque, misaligned implants.

See all 8 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 10
  2. Negative: 2 out of 10
  1. Feb 23, 2021
    10
    I really liked the album. I only started seriously listening to All Time Low in the start of the pandemic, and this album quickly rose in theI really liked the album. I only started seriously listening to All Time Low in the start of the pandemic, and this album quickly rose in the ranks of my emotional support albums. It's just so calming to listen to most of the songs here, and overall, I'd say most of the songs on the album are pretty good. Expand
  2. Jul 26, 2011
    7
    They need a chance; obviously, this is nothing like Put Up Or Shut Up, but in a special way it's decent. What I mean by decent still dosen'tThey need a chance; obviously, this is nothing like Put Up Or Shut Up, but in a special way it's decent. What I mean by decent still dosen't mean it's great, due to only 3 songs on the album being worth while- A Daydream Away, No Idea, and very slimly Do You Want Me (Dead?), mostly every other song is a poppy party moving, feet tapping, simple pop-rock album, for the most part- the fans want their old roots back, and I agree. Expand
  3. Aug 27, 2013
    7
    While no Don't Panic, Dirty Work was the pinnacle of the bands career up until this point. It's a big progression from the endearing but vapidWhile no Don't Panic, Dirty Work was the pinnacle of the bands career up until this point. It's a big progression from the endearing but vapid collection that was Nothing Personal. The pop songs here are shamelessly committed, the highlights of which are the first three tracks, Do You Want Me, the tongue in cheek party stomper that is I Feel Like Dancin' and Forget About It. Much of the rest of the album is a huge step up. The love songs are particularly poignant, with A Daydream Away, No Idea and Under A Paper Moon, while the possible pinnacle of the album is the charged Guts. Gaskarth's vocals are increasingly mature, a competent if uninspiring singer who gets to the heart of the songs in his delivery. Unfortunate is the musical repetition, with tame drumming from a talented craftsman and wall of sound delivery from the guitarist. Jack Barakat isn't the best guitarist in the business, as evidenced by his solo in Guts, but more augmentations during vocal parts would have considerably spiced up the songs. A good album from a band that is still yet to fulfil it large potential. Expand
  4. Mar 23, 2014
    6
    Pretty much an average album. First half is catchy, then it's just generic.
    The first half is full of energy, and then the second half is
    Pretty much an average album. First half is catchy, then it's just generic.
    The first half is full of energy, and then the second half is full of "Ohmygodlifesuckssomuch" songs. I was just there like "PLZ STAHP".
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  5. Jul 5, 2011
    5
    I've been a fan of ATL since So Wrong It's Right, so I was greatly anticipating the release of this album - especially since they kept usI've been a fan of ATL since So Wrong It's Right, so I was greatly anticipating the release of this album - especially since they kept us waiting so long. I was more impressed with Nothing Personal. Alex Gaskarth [lead] kept talking about how he felt this was a more "grown up" record, and it showed their growth as a band, but I have to disagree. Most of the songs seemed a little amateur to me. There are a few songs off this album I really enjoy, but most of them are just decent. I think the writing really took a turn for the worst. Their previous records were so much more raw, and honest feeling. On this album they were far too focused on rhyming words, that they seemed to have forgotten to let the songs flow on their own. "You're not a hero, you're a liar, you're not a savior, you're a vampire" really left me feeling like the victim of a bad pop band- the only thing missing was an over usage of auto-tune, even though they don't fail to saturate themselves in that with a few different songs. Most of the reason I was so disappointed with this record is because I know they could have done better. Expand
  6. Nov 14, 2011
    4
    Dirty Work manages to throw away almost all the remaining promise they held from the Party Scene. It starts off not to bad with Do You WantDirty Work manages to throw away almost all the remaining promise they held from the Party Scene. It starts off not to bad with Do You Want Me (Dead)? But the song, like most of the album, is a half-assed pop song that isn't even memorable. The album immediately goes downhill with I Feel Like Dancin'. It is easily the most catchy song in the album, but shows very poor lyricism and is the final nail in the coffin that cements All Time Low as a 'Pop/Boy Band'. Amid the relative trainwreck, however, are a few gems - particularly in Guts, Return the Favor, and Heroes. Guts displays a level of poignancy that the rest of the album is completely devoid of. While Return the Favor lacks an emotional and lyrical punch, it is musically a standout track. And Guts is a bit of a return to form for All Time Low, it is faster, heavier, and is a lot more 'fun' than the rest of the album - which is what any All Time Low album should be about. Heroes and Guts specifically are better than a lot of songs from their previous works - something that can't be said for much of anything else in the album.

    With that being said, however, the rest of the album (barring a few middle tracks like Time Bomb and Under a Paper Moon) displays a lack of creativity, but most of all, effort. The production is squeaky clean, as expected, but sucks away all of the remaining emotion. Hopefully this is a wake-up call for All Time Low that tells them this (Dirty Work) is not the direction their critics AND fans don't want them to be in.

    This is a major disappointment by the likes of All Time Low.
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  7. Jun 29, 2011
    0
    All Time Low is a generic pop punk band. There is nothing that sets them apart from other pop punk bands like Blink 182, Good Charlotte, orAll Time Low is a generic pop punk band. There is nothing that sets them apart from other pop punk bands like Blink 182, Good Charlotte, or New Found Glory. Dirty Work is filled with mainstream commercial pop songs. Lyrically and Musically these guys display no talent. With bands like All Time Low dominating the rock charts, it's no wonder the music industry is falling apart. Expand

See all 10 User Reviews