Girl Talk
by Kate Nash
Metascore
63

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
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  1. AllMusic
    Mar 5, 2013
    70
    Thankfully, while Nash has moved to a more extroverted, aggressive sound, she hasn't sacrificed any of the personal, intimate lyrics that marked the best of her early songs.
  2. Pitchfork
    Mar 7, 2013
    64
    It’s a little preachy and confessional, but there’s truth in most of what Nash sings about on Girl Talk, at least for the ladies in the room who are still figuring out how to be capital-A adults.
  3. Uncut
    Mar 5, 2013
    80
    Unvarnished and unpredictable, then, but in the grand Slits/Raincoats tradition, Nash is no-one's little girl. [Apr 2013, p.74]
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  5. Mojo
    Mar 7, 2013
    60
    An audibly irked record.... Girl Talk has balls and tunes. [Apr 2013, p.88]
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  6. Q Magazine
    Mar 12, 2013
    40
    Much of this third album comes on like a bubblegum Breeders, sparsely arranged around Nash's spinal basslines. [Apr 2013, p.107]
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  7. New Musical Express (NME)
    Mar 5, 2013
    70
    An album that veers between the lush pop melodies of her last two LPs and a full-frontal riot grrrl assault.
  8. Rolling Stone
    Mar 27, 2013
    40
    Nash can't sing or rap--she tries to do both--and her tunes are anemic; her punk postures are borrowed from musicians smarter and more talented than she.
  9. musicOMH.com
    Mar 5, 2013
    40
    there are occasions on Girl Talk when we get glimpses of what another, better Kate Nash indie rock album would have sounded like.... Unfortunately, moments such as these are the exception, not the rule, on Girl Talk.
  10. Drowned In Sound
    Mar 8, 2013
    70
    Musically, she leaves things deliberately underwritten, rooted in bass or scratchy guitar as opposed to the shiny-shiny production of her earlier work. It lets the songs speak for themselves, though it does occasionally expose their flaws as well.
  11. The A.V. Club
    Mar 5, 2013
    58
    Girl Talk may be the album she’s always wanted to make, but fans of her older material may be left wanting.
  12. DIY Magazine
    Mar 5, 2013
    80
    Without doubt, this is Kate's heartbreak album; candid in its inspiration, both musically and emotionally
  13. Expert Witness (MSN Music)
    Mar 26, 2013
    91
    [I'm] prouder, frankly, when this likable size 12 lets her voice crack all over the big fat scarewords "feminist" and "sexism" on an album that gets dissed for its simplistic songwriting as if that wasn't the point.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 13
  3. Negative: 1 out of 13
  1. WadeVS
    Sep 1, 2013
    6
    Were it not for some toe curlingly awful London girl rap on 'Rap For Rejection', this album might have scored her higher for me. Kate hasWere it not for some toe curlingly awful London girl rap on 'Rap For Rejection', this album might have scored her higher for me. Kate has grown up in a lot of ways. Her strongest suit has always been her ability to produce the triple threat catchy, light-hearted, snotty pop songs which you can't help but love, her ability to be incredibly honest on tracks without you feeling embarrassed for her, and her ability to pull something truly beautiful and sweet out of the hat. Previous records have perfectly showcased this. On 'Girl Talk', all focus seems lost. She sings about friends, about herself and about what it's like to be a woman. She doesn't really go deeper than that. 'Fri-end' is great. 'OMYGOD' is brilliant. Her pop hooks are here. But that's all. There doesn't seem to be enough here to make a decent album. Not her strongest work.… Full Review »
  2. RTAir
    Sep 24, 2013
    6
    'Girl Talk' shows a rougher and more aggressive side of Kate Nash than what we've seen from her before, and while it may sound like an abrupt'Girl Talk' shows a rougher and more aggressive side of Kate Nash than what we've seen from her before, and while it may sound like an abrupt change on first listen, the album is actually a strong and solid effort that fits in the singer's discography. The catchy hooks ('Fri-End?') and Kate's signature childlike lyrical themes ('OMYGOD!') that defined her 'Made of Bricks' era are still here, but similarly to her sophomore album which featured topics like homophobia, 'Girl Talk' deals with some important issues, too; as the title also suggests, this time feminism is in the centre. Apart from the two songs mentioned, 'Death Proof', 'Sister', 'Oh', 'Conventional Girl' and 'You're So Cool, I'm So Freaky' are standouts. On the negative side, the album includes some missteps as well: the dud that is 'Part Heart' may put off some listeners right at the beginning, '3AM' feels bland, and 'Cherry Pickin' is definitely on the verge of being unlistenable. Overall, the record is actually a nice effort, and even though it doesn't live up to its predecessors, it's still worth giving a few spins.… Full Review »
  3. zackerywilson
    Mar 8, 2013
    10
    The album is really not all that different from her previous two. Yes, Nash incorporate a lot more punk elements and a heavy focus on guitarThe album is really not all that different from her previous two. Yes, Nash incorporate a lot more punk elements and a heavy focus on guitar but really, the lyrics and the catchy pop hooks haven't changed a bit. The album is solid mostly all the way through with a couple mistakes along the way (Rap for Rejection and Lullaby). Overall, she did a phenomenal job this being her third album and I know that the "fans" that she loses, she'll gain in other faithful rockers.… Full Review »
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