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Drill A Hole In That Substrate And Tell Me What You See
by
Drill A Hole In That Substrate And Tell Me What You See Image
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 5 Ratings

  • Summary: The always interesting Florida-based singer-songwriter's third album was co-produced by Joe Henry, with appearances from Aimee Mann, Chocolate Genius, M. Ward, Bil Frisell and The Sadies.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. The Guardian
    100
    Terms like "alt.country" are far too prosaic to contain music which might equally be called post-bebop, spook-folk or ghoulish horror soundtrack.
  2. Pitchfork
    81
    There's also the fact that you won't hear another record like it this year, possibly ever-- all the comparisons that can be made to Tom Waits, Lambchop, Grandaddy and Vic Chesnutt will only tell a small part of the story.
  3. PopMatters
    80
    White seems to have turned a corner, taking his songs to places they haven't gone before.
  4. cokemachineglow
    79
    With the handicap of not having entered a studio until his forties, White still creates work that maintains a deft wisdom even in its worst choices.
  5. Stylus Magazine
    75
    A retreat from overt tale-telling makes these songs less immediate and localized but potentially more personal, both for Jim and his listeners, as he strips away the surreality and specificity and renders his murky ruminations more universally resonant.
  6. Tiny Mix Tapes
    70
    A diverse and creative offering.
  7. Q Magazine
    40
    He's never that far from plunging towards obviousness. [Jun 2004, p.108]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 17 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. NickD
    Aug 23, 2004
    10
    I bought this on the back of hearing track two "Bluebird", thinking it was going to be this lush but ominous occasionally experimental folk I bought this on the back of hearing track two "Bluebird", thinking it was going to be this lush but ominous occasionally experimental folk album. Oh, how pleasantly wrong :D The Guardian's comments sum it um, White's got a penchant for the sounds of cool jazz through a modern spectrum of sounds. White's husky voice reads some fantastically raw and visceral lyrics, and all the guest spots are fine. Great tracks abound, like Static On The Radio, The Girl From Brownsville Texas and Phone Booth in Heaven, but the stark reality of hope/failure in the gorgeous Bluebird clinches it for me.… Expand
  2. ChrisE
    Jun 4, 2004
    9
    If you liked "O" by Damien Rice (and who in the world didn't?)... you'll dig this cd a lot!
  4. NeilG
    Jun 30, 2004
    9
    This record defies the diminishing law of returns and reveals more inventiveness with each extra listen. Jim White shows signs of influences This record defies the diminishing law of returns and reveals more inventiveness with each extra listen. Jim White shows signs of influences throughout the course of this record but never at the expense of his own maverick imagination.… Expand
  5. PaulF
    Aug 18, 2004
    7
    I bought this album in the deliema of buying an album that I was less informed about. In the long run I was dissapointed, expecting it to be I bought this album in the deliema of buying an album that I was less informed about. In the long run I was dissapointed, expecting it to be great after hearing the first track "Static On the Radio". The album is ominous at times and playful, in a novelty sort of way, at others. Overall it is not a bad album but I think it could of been better, with less effort.… Collapse

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