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Foundling
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Foundling Image
Metascore
62

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 6 Ratings

  • Summary: The British singer-songwriter--who has the best-selling album ever in Ireland--returns with a double album of hits, his ninth studio effort featuring previously unreleased material.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    Carried by his gruff voice, Foundling's all warm arrangements and real emotion.
  2. Billboard.com
    76
    The sense of abandonment hinted in the title of David Gray's second album in less than a year, Foundling, could be a reference to the work's minimalist nature.
  3. Rolling Stone
    60
    It's a promising start from a guy whose tastefulness too often trumps the spirit of experimentation that distinguishes him from his soft-rock peers.
  4. Q Magazine
    60
    He's getting more interesting with each release. [Sept. 2010, p. 116]
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  5. AllMusic
    60
    David Gray doesn't really purport to be anything other than a contemporary folk-pop singer, and Foundling finds him doing what he does best.
  6. PopMatters
    60
    If this release is David Gray's self-loathing moment of pure, unabashed misery, that's OK. Besides, where would all of that appeal go if he ever decided to get happy?
  7. Slant Magazine
    40
    Gray tries to bring some color to the album with his terrific, weathered tenor, but there's only so much he can do in performing material this staid.

See all 12 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. Ricko
    Oct 24, 2013
    7
    Firstly, I'm going to look at the one disc version of "Foundling" as that is the version I have. The record opens with the pleasant "Only TheFirstly, I'm going to look at the one disc version of "Foundling" as that is the version I have. The record opens with the pleasant "Only The Wine", a folky, upbeat track that harks back to his earlier work. This is followed by two disappointing tracks, "Foundling" and "Forgetting". These tracks just go on and on without going anywhere in partciular. "Gossamer Thread" "In God's Name" and album closer "Davey Jone's Locker" are the other tracks that lift above the album's aimless feel. The four standout tracks for me mentioned above all sound like Gray from his "Lost Songs" era which I liked alot. The rest of the album just doesn't justify itself enough for me to go back to.

    Again, this is me looking at disc one only, I'm not sure people should be including bonus material when giving an overall opinion of an album but this is really down to the artist. Maybe it comes with the death of the physical single and as a knockon the death of the B-side. Still, if an artist is going to release this stuff with the album then they need to stand by it rather than using the copout "bonus material" label.    … Collapse

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