Down With Wilco - The Minus 5
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Metascore
72 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings

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  • Summary: On this long-delayed release, the Minus 5's Scott McCaughey, Ken Stringfellow (the Posies) and Peter Buck (R.E.M.) team up with all four members of Wilco for 13 original tracks.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. All Music Guide
    90
    This collective has always represented the darker elements of McCaughey's personality, but the depression is kept in check here by Wilco's solid and often upbeat backing, thus playing a major role in the most enjoyable Minus 5 release yet.
  2. Billboard
    80
    While the album isn't nearly as compelling as Wilco's latest, it proves a thoroughly enjoyable listen nonetheless.
  3. Entertainment Weekly
    75
    Hardly essential, but very cute--and more fun than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. [28 Feb 2003, p.80]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. Uncut
    60
    The closest Wilco parallel to this sunshine pop is probably the Summerteeth album. [Apr 2003, p.108]
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See all 15 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 1 out of 4
  1. RonD
    8
    Can't get it out of my head
  2. JeffD
    3
    If you look at it on paper, I should really like this album. I like Wilco. I like REM. I like some Minus 5 songs. For the life of me, though, I keep looking for the Next button until whoops, ran out of songs. Since I don't worship at the altar of Brian Wilson I suppose I'm not the exact target audience. Technically this is a great album. It sounds good. The pieces are all there, but there's just something that leaves a taste like flat Coca-Cola in my mouth: it's not bad, but it could be better. It is a very produced album; you can tell they spent a lot of time in the studio on this one. Perhaps that's the problem, it's all very sterile to my ears. The Minus 5 sound great on a wonderful power-pop single like "You Don't Mean It" but on this...too much Beach Boys worship for my tastes. If you like the thought of all the production of the Beach Boys with a little bit of Jeff Tweedy, buy this album. Just don't expect a new Summerteeth. As for me, if I want to listen to the Beach Boys I'll actually listen to the Beach Boys.… Expand

See all 4 User Reviews

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