Homesongs
by Adem
  • Record Label: Domino
  • Release Date: Jul 27, 2004
Metascore
83

Universal acclaim - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. AllMusic
    80
    [A] mesmerizing debut.
  2. Pitchfork
    83
    But Homesongs is not simply a procession of trembling troubadour tunes. For each turn of boxwood fragility, there's also one of bold and confident songwriting.
  3. PopMatters
    80
    Whilst his voice is nothing spectacular, its cracked but caring harmonics match the song material to a T, and when he strains for some of the notes, you feel the intensity of his need to convey the emotion in his lyrics rather than any irritation at his limitations.
  5. Mojo
    80
    An open, emotionally congruent record that never tries to be clever and yet rarely seems dull. [Apr 2004, p.99]
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  6. Q Magazine
    80
    With its soft lilts and cracked delivery, his rusty voice presses the same emotional buttons as Shane MacGowan and Arab Strap's Aidan Moffat. [May 2004, p.98]
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  7. Rolling Stone
    70
    [A] lovely album of folk-tronic lullabies.
  8. The Guardian
    80
    Rather than tinkering with tradition, he expands upon it with computer-generated hums and bleeps, tambourines and glockenspiel, warming the stark acoustic sound.
  9. Dusted Magazine
    90
    It may be an unexpectedly traditional and conservative album, but it’s also an unexpectedly beautiful one.
  10. Alternative Press
    70
    Stripped-down and understated. [Sep 2004, p.136]
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  11. Tiny Mix Tapes
    80
    A stunning solo debut.
  12. The New York Times
    80
    He uses a roomful of instruments and toys to turn the album into a homemade pop symphony.
  13. cokemachineglow
    71
    Pulling every sound to its limit, Adem’s debut is glorious in its scope, maintaining a contemplative stride through bare instrumentation.
  14. Dot Music
    90
    The results breathe that same rarefied air as Nick Drake or Vashti Bunyan.
  15. Stylus Magazine
    70
    A good and often great debut.
  16. Playlouder
    70
    It’s an atmospheric and tender record, and although you have to wait for each line you never lose patience.
  17. Splendid
    80
    Homesongs is his minor key playground, filled with masterpieces in the making. All you have to do to enjoy them is slow... down...
  18. Neumu.net
    90
    A collection of slow, sad, stately songs whose obvious studio smarts are dwarfed by a big bleeding folkie's heart.
  19. Almost Cool
    78
    [A] lovely debut album of hushed folk that may be one of the best things in this sort of genre that I've heard in some time.
  20. Junkmedia
    90
    A record of remarkable beauty.
  21. Logo
    80
    Nothing less than a whole new world will do, and Adem has created just that.

Awards & Rankings

45
#45 Best Album of 2004

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. LeeR
    Apr 21, 2006
    10
    Superb debut album, can't wait to hear more.
  2. petep
    Aug 3, 2004
    10
    When friends come over, I put this on towards the end of the evening, and invariably end up writing the artist and title on a scrap of paper, When friends come over, I put this on towards the end of the evening, and invariably end up writing the artist and title on a scrap of paper, so that they can go off to buy it the following day. An emotonally generous set of songs and, by any criteria, a sensational debut.… Full Review »
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