In a Perfect World - Kodaline
In a Perfect World Image
Metascore
47

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critics What's this?

User Score
5.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 11 Ratings

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  • Summary: This is the debut full-length release for the Irish rock quartet.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 9
  3. Negative: 3 out of 9
  1. Clash Music
    Jun 12, 2013
    80
    Kodaline illustrate all the ingredients for greatness, with many a swooning chorus to invoke a thousand festival lighters held aloft.
  2. musicOMH.com
    Jun 12, 2013
    70
    As real big-bucks contenders, Kodaline aren’t quite there yet. But as a debut, In A Perfect World manages to find its feet with ease.
  3. Consequence of Sound
    Jun 20, 2013
    70
    With time, greater individuality will come. Right now, this is an accomplished and emotive statement of intent, cinematic in scope and able to raise goose bumps at will.
  4. The Independent (UK)
    Jun 14, 2013
    60
    Kodaline offer a musical barometer of bankable current rock trends, but display scant originality on this debut album.
  5. The Observer (UK)
    Jun 17, 2013
    40
    For all their stadium uplift and notionally anthemic choruses, they never deliver a hook or melodic sucker punch that really floors you.
  6. This Is Fake DIY
    Jun 12, 2013
    30
    This is boy band material dressed up in an indie band’s clothes.
  7. Q Magazine
    Jun 12, 2013
    20
    Entirely meritless. [Apr 2013, p.104]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 9 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 2 out of 3
  1. indierokker
    Jul 16, 2013
    9
    Kodaline's heartwrenching debut album is absolutely fantastic, and is my favorite of 2013 (so far, that is. Arcade Fire's new album is still yet to come out). The Irish four-piece initially grabbed my attention last year with "All I Want," and their first album did not disappoint. Every song on the record is amazing in its own right, none more so than "High Hopes" which I have been unable to stop listening to for the past few days. This album is a bit like if Keane, early Coldplay, Bon Iver, and early Radiohead came together and had a musical baby, with sorrowful, heartfelt lyrics, layered and non-synthetic music, and anthemic choruses (in spite of what some deaf critics claim). Honestly, the only thing I don't like about the record is that it remains unavailable stateside until october. Fortunately, Grooveshark contains the album, and International orders are a thing. I highly recommend the album, and it still boggles my mind that the critics can hate it so much. WARNING: tissues may be required when listening to this after a rough day. It's that good.… Expand
  2. WadeVS
    Oct 13, 2013
    3
    Whilst nearly every track is listenable and inoffensive, maybe that is the problem. All is mellow, bland and radio friendly here. Hardly fresh or unique. Blah.… Expand
  3. jp_fal
    Oct 15, 2013
    2
    Utterly bland middle of the road music suitable only for background music in cafes, elevators, shopping malls, etc. No real creativity found here, only the results of studying extra hard on 'how to write insipid indie music 101' lessons.
    Every song feels painstakingly crafted; not to convey any real feeling but to manipulate and coerce the listener into feeling something heart-wrenching. But it is so painfully obvious that you are being duped because Kodaline are unable to collectively gather a shred of real emotion with which to back up their songs. They must have High Hopes indeed if they think anyone will remember them by the time album two arrives and the music world has gotten over this infection of emo-indie whingers; see Passenger, 1975, etc.    … Expand

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