Hercules And Love Affair
by Hercules & Love Affair
  • Record Label: Mute
  • Release Date: Jun 24, 2008
User Score
7.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 106 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 75 out of 106
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 106
  3. Negative: 20 out of 106

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. andisart
    May 28, 2011
    9
    I dont understand the mixed user reviews here. There is more depth and creativity in this album than most chart artist struggle to put out in a whole career.
  2. mrpoopy
    Oct 22, 2008
    9
    Just try to be still and listen to this. And lyrics? You can't rate this low just because you don't like the genre. Punk Disco Awesome.
  3. StevenH.
    Mar 24, 2008
    9
    This is a fantastic surprise and an early candidate for album of the year.
  4. MaryL.
    May 25, 2008
    9
    It´s an amazingly fun album to listen. Fun, deep at times, and well-done.
  5. MattA.
    Apr 1, 2008
    7
    Decent but clearly overrated. I actually liked Antony's vocals here more than on his solo debut, but a lot of these songs start to run together, especially toward the end. Still, some great stuff, especially "Blind."
  6. DiegoL.
    Apr 1, 2008
    8
    Great album... "Blind" is amazing!
  7. StephenL.
    Jun 25, 2008
    8
    I am not the biggest fan of electronic dance music but I still find this album to be hard not to stop listening to with tracks like "hercules theme" and "iris".
  8. JyotirmayaD.
    Jul 5, 2008
    9
    The fact that the tunes are worth listening to as well as dancing to make all the difference to me.. I used to hate house music or whatever they played at the disco's because they did nothing for my mind to make my body want to move. The songs which are co-produced with Antony of Antony and the Johnsons are my favorites.
  9. Jeremy2
    Mar 28, 2008
    7
    It took me a few listens to get used to it. Now I like it. It's weird: I really cannot stand Antony's voice, and I utterly despise the music from Antony and the Johnsons, but whenever he's a gues vocalist, I usually like him. On DULL FLAME OF DESIRE, on the Bjork record, his voice meshes so well. And I loved it. Now here, with the unlikely electronica/disco background, it It took me a few listens to get used to it. Now I like it. It's weird: I really cannot stand Antony's voice, and I utterly despise the music from Antony and the Johnsons, but whenever he's a gues vocalist, I usually like him. On DULL FLAME OF DESIRE, on the Bjork record, his voice meshes so well. And I loved it. Now here, with the unlikely electronica/disco background, it meshes well yet again. This is disco. "Hercules' Themese" is a brilliant instrumental with some backing vocalizations that sound like a woman's chorus. "Athene" is pure, cool, neon-hued fun. "Blind" is an extremely cool song, the vocal overdubs are so astounding, the music is really great too. The only misstep for me is "Iris" which fails to grab my attention. The main problem with these songs, that lurks on all but two ("Athene" and "Blind"), is that they go on for too long. Theres multiple points in the song where I caught myself saying "that would have been a good ending," but it went on. Sometimes repeating the same thing for a minute. It just gets monotonous after a while. As does the whole album. I can't listen to it in whole very often, I usually stop in the middle of "Easy." The songs don't differ enough from each other for me to sit and venture through all of its 45 minutes. Yet still, as it is, this is a very good album. I got used to it and I'm glad I did.… Expand
  10. VincentH.
    Mar 28, 2008
    8
    First of all, I am not one of those people who just read a few good reviews and on a whim bought this album. I am a fan of about roughly 60% of the artists on the DFA label, and I also really love electronic music (as I'm sure most of you do) , but I hadn't really read a bunch of the hype until I had already listened to the album. Is the hype worth the results? Hehhh..."Time First of all, I am not one of those people who just read a few good reviews and on a whim bought this album. I am a fan of about roughly 60% of the artists on the DFA label, and I also really love electronic music (as I'm sure most of you do) , but I hadn't really read a bunch of the hype until I had already listened to the album. Is the hype worth the results? Hehhh..."Time Will" is just aiight, "Hercules Theme" through "Blind" is fucking awesome. "Iris and "Easy" are easily the 2 worst tracks on the album and really prevent this album from being a front-to-back classic that so many people are saying it is. Actually my favorite songs may be the last 3. "This is My Love" is my personal favorite song on the album and the only other track that competes with "Blind" just on a pure ear-candy experience. "Raise Me Up" has just wonderful vocals by Antony and "True False/Fake Real" is probably tied as my 2nd favorite song on the album, although at the beginning it sounds a lot like LCD Soundsystem, it really develops in a way I wasn't expecting. I wouldn't say this album is gonna change the face of dance music or anything like that (like Pitchfork essentially did), but besides 2 tracks, every song on here is really strong, addictive dance music with really unique and beautiful vocals. If you are already a fan of what DFA is about, you will most likely really enjoy this album.… Expand
  11. MaxwellB.
    Apr 1, 2008
    8
    If you thought Antony had strength on I am a Bird Now, Hercules and Love Affair will blow you away. It's all quality, but his tracks are the cream. A brilliant album that works on multiple levels.
  12. BrandonS.
    Apr 12, 2008
    8
    Very good first listen. Iris, and Athene are the only ones I replay though.
  13. BobbyK.
    Apr 3, 2008
    9
    Spot on interpretation of dance music over the past 25 years, with a modern feel, and lots of genuine emotion. Sad irony is that Moby's new album made a similar attempt but is not nearly as slick.
  14. MartinA.
    Jul 23, 2008
    10
    The music isn't about the sexuality, so don't give it a lower rating because it was too "ghey". I think it's a gorgeous, organic album that the music industry needed. It was like a really classy Scissor Sisters album.
  15. AntonyP
    Jul 26, 2008
    9
    Not really following why the average user score for this is only a 6. Too many white guys who have still not got over the whole 'disco sucks' thing from 30 years ago?
  16. CH
    Feb 15, 2009
    10
    What a great album. I love the transition about half-way through from technical disco ("You Belong", "Time Will") to something that's hard to describe...a slow, electrosynth version ("Iris" and "Easy") The layers of Hegarty's voice is amazing in this, and Cruz stands up fairly strong as well when being juxtaposed with a voice as unique as Hegarty's. Butler deserves all the What a great album. I love the transition about half-way through from technical disco ("You Belong", "Time Will") to something that's hard to describe...a slow, electrosynth version ("Iris" and "Easy") The layers of Hegarty's voice is amazing in this, and Cruz stands up fairly strong as well when being juxtaposed with a voice as unique as Hegarty's. Butler deserves all the credit in the world with the production on this, especially in "You Belong" and "Easy", which are highlights imo. Great album. My only complaint is that it gets progressively weaker after "Easy" imo.… Expand
  17. MaxM
    Jul 4, 2009
    9
    Aweshum. The people who rated this 3 or 4 because it sounded like disco, you people are crazy. It's not really disco, it's somewhere between that and the late 80s Talking Heads. Original and fresh from start to finish. Antony's voice is fantastic. The best track, of course, is "Blind" -- give it a listen! Best album of 2008.
  18. FrankW.
    Mar 19, 2008
    8
    Great Album, very well made easy listening electronical music. But to me the only really ingenious song seems to be "You Belong" with the funkiest electronic baseline since daft punk's "Around The World" (in the chorus)
  19. PaulC
    Apr 16, 2008
    7
    The more I listen to this album the more it grows on me. It's definitely overrated right now, electronic music always seems to get overly praised. That said, this album is definitely worth getting if you enjoy electronic music, or just want something different in the mix.
  20. EinarJ.
    Apr 27, 2008
    7
    The album is great. However, Anthony's lyrics drench some of the songs, destroying the vitality of the beats.
  21. MurphyN
    Jun 22, 2009
    10
    I am upset that people rated this album a 4 just because it sounds a little like disco. Voting this album low won't change the music! Hercules and Love Affair do something new with their tunes, and i think most will enjoy the fun times in this album!
  22. BibianeN.
    Mar 15, 2008
    10
    The most excting album since the beginning 2008! As someone said, this ain't a love affair, it's true love!
  23. DejanSt.
    Apr 8, 2008
    9
    Amazing neo disco! It will blow you away!
  24. FelipeP.
    Mar 17, 2008
    10
    Best Album of 2008! Fantastic!
  25. FabioM.
    Mar 21, 2008
    10
    Best album of the year, fantastic!
  26. MycroftW.
    Mar 25, 2008
    9
    One of the first must have records of 2008, very very hard to fault
  27. WesM.
    Jun 9, 2008
    10
    I have to disagree with the user who described Antony's voice as "...not going well with dance music." What better voice to put over new disco beats than a diverse, deep but androgynous one? He seems more at home here than with the Johnsons.
  28. agourne
    Jul 25, 2008
    9
    Dance revolting, enthousiastic, so 80s, 90s and yet so much fresh...music of today, the big surprise from US, sounds european project.
  29. RufusH.
    Mar 14, 2008
    10
    Wow! Great album!
  30. ArmenS.
    Mar 18, 2008
    10
    An amazing album from start to finish. Such talent!
  31. MarkJ.
    Mar 23, 2008
    10
    Flawless album
  32. SergeyA.
    May 24, 2008
    9
    I don't like disco before this disc.

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best Album of 2008
40
#40 Most Discussed Album of 2008
24
#24 Most Shared Album of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Universal acclaim - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 31
  3. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. Drowned In Sound
    90
    This record is as on disco and early house's dick as much as Britpop was on The Beatles' and The Kinks'.
    Read full review
  2. Dusted Magazine
    80
    Hercules and Love Affair is a sincere and sumptuous stab at the mirrorball splendor of the 1970s.
    Read full review
  3. musicOMH.com
    100
    It's the big numbers, when Hegarty steps up to the microphone, that reveal Hercules And Love Affair as a project that captures not only the full range of moods on a night out on the tiles, but also the full range of human emotions from the start of a night to its end.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »