Former Lives - Benjamin Gibbard
Former Lives Image
Metascore
70 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critics What's this?

User Score
6.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • Summary: The debut solo release for the Death Cab For Cutie singer under his name (he released a solo album under the name All-Time Quarterback! in 1999) features a duet with Aimee Mann.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Absolute Punk (Staff reviews)
    Oct 18, 2012
    89
    Comprised of many songs he has tucked away for years, the album is everything one might expect from a Gibbard solo album: daring, delicate, verbose and indelible.
  2. Q Magazine
    Nov 21, 2012
    80
    The Death Cab For Cutie man turned his vision to a series of alternate realities. [Dec 2012, p.105]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Blurt Magazine
    Dec 17, 2012
    80
    For those who have been along for the ride since the beginning this anthology is like unlocking a shiny, new bonus track for each of Gibbard's efforts since Something About Airplanes.
  4. The Independent (UK)
    Nov 9, 2012
    60
    Former Lives shares similarities with Gibbard's Postal Service work; elsewhere his scattershot stylistic approach weakens songs.

See all 23 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 1 out of 1
  1. Duke_Challenger
    3
    Pretty much every single song is mediocre on this album. They just are copies of other Death Cab For Cutie songs. Though, "Duncan, Where Have You Gone?" copies of John Lennon.

    Good tracks:

    4. Bigger Than Love *****/*****
    8. Oh Woe ***/*****
    9. A Hard One to Know ****/*****
    10. Lady Adelaide ***/*****    … Collapse

Current Music Releases

Full List »
  1. The Complete Columbia Album Collection - Johnny Cash
    Metascore: 99
  2. Rumours [35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] - Fleetwood Mac
    Metascore: 99
  3. Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 2 - Miles Davis Quintet
    Metascore: 92
  4. Jama Ko - Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
    Metascore: 91
  5. Like a Rose - Ashley Monroe
    Metascore: 89
  6. Same Trailer Different Park - Kacey Musgraves
    Metascore: 89
  7. Your Turn - Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog
    Metascore: 88
  8. Minute by Minute - The James Hunter Six
    Metascore: 88
  9. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness [Deluxe Edition] - Smashing Pumpkins
    Metascore: 88
  10. Music For the Quiet Hour/The Drawbar Organ EPs - Shackleton
    Metascore: 87
  11. M B V - My Bloody Valentine
    Metascore: 87
  12. Beautiful Africa - Rokia Traoré
    Metascore: 87
  13. LSXX [Last Splash: 20th Anniversary Edition] - The Breeders
    Metascore: 87
  14. Annie Up - Pistol Annies
    Metascore: 87
  15. Rage Against the Machine XX [20th Anniversary Edition] - Rage Against the Machine
    Metascore: 87
  16. Without a Net - Wayne Shorter
    Metascore: 86
  17. MCII - Mikal Cronin
    Metascore: 86
  18. In Time - The Mavericks
    Metascore: 86
  19. Haw - Hiss Golden Messenger
    Metascore: 86
All Current Music »