Heard It in a Past Life
by Maggie Rogers
  • Record Label: Capitol
  • Release Date: Jan 18, 2019
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 122 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 103 out of 122
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 122
  3. Negative: 9 out of 122
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  1. sammyanthony
    Feb 13, 2019
    4
    Heard It in a Past Life is overall a crude, abruptly executed left-field pop project. Those production elements were all so selfish, wanted to take dominance, resulted in nothing but extreme dissonance. There's also no stopping in Maggie Rogers' mundane response, not even letting the mess to shut up. It's overproduced.

    Yet things can get better; the moments when the modest Alaska, On +    Heard It in a Past Life is overall a crude, abruptly executed left-field pop project. Those production elements were all so selfish, wanted to take dominance, resulted in nothing but extreme dissonance. There's also no stopping in Maggie Rogers' mundane response, not even letting the mess to shut up. It's overproduced.

    Yet things can get better; the moments when the modest Alaska, On + Off, and Fallingwater start to kick in. For the best, please kick Greg Kurstin out of your next project, Maggie.    … Expand
  2. Cittadel
    Jan 21, 2019
    6
    The album starts off strong with Give A Little, which sounds a lot like a HAIM outtake. This upbeat pop song is then followed by Overnight and The Knife, two songs I almost immediately forgot about as soon as they ended and Alaska started. This song that went viral a few years ago, still is one of Maggie's stand-out tracks and I can't help but feel like it completely overshadows almostThe album starts off strong with Give A Little, which sounds a lot like a HAIM outtake. This upbeat pop song is then followed by Overnight and The Knife, two songs I almost immediately forgot about as soon as they ended and Alaska started. This song that went viral a few years ago, still is one of Maggie's stand-out tracks and I can't help but feel like it completely overshadows almost every other song on the album.

    Light On and Past Life are easily forgettable too. They're both quite decent, but not distinctive enough to distinguish them from some of the other new tracks. Things get better when Say It, On + Off (which was already featured on Maggie's 2017 EP Now That The Light Is Fading) and Fallingwater start, all of which are outstanding tracks and offer their own respective, more experimental contributions to the album's sound.

    Unfortunately, the monotonous sound the album kind of suffers from pops up again when Retrogade and Burning kick in. Back In My Body is the album's last track and is, however, a great closer, making sure Heard It In A Past Life doesn't leave too much of a nagging aftertaste.    … Expand
  3. MrAustinFine
    Jun 13, 2019
    5
    While "Overnight" is an absolute bop, the rest of this album is just full of sugary, watered-down indie pop music. Rogers does show some signs of potential on some other tracks, but I can't get into this one. 5 out of 10 for me.

Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Most Discussed Album of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. PopMatters
    Feb 12, 2019
    80
    Her singing provides the album's highlights. The instrumentation and production only serve to accent her voice and sadly often detract from the experience.
    Read full review
  2. The 405
    Feb 1, 2019
    60
    Individuality has been smoothed out by production and a lack of lyrical diversity. Undeniably a star, Maggie’s light has been dimmed here.
    Read full review
  3. Uncut
    Jan 30, 2019
    50
    Production touches aren't enough to elevate a set of songs that when stripped to their skeleton are sufficient if unspectacular. [Mar 2019, p.32]
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