• Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: May 18, 2010
User Score
7.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 64 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 64
  2. Negative: 6 out of 64

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
  1. Nov 19, 2020
    10
    Fantastically soothing and enjoyable in every conceivable way. Worth an entire play-through.
  2. Apr 21, 2011
    9
    The sounds of this album are beautiful; from the beautiful and contemplative ("Blue Beard" and "Evening Kitchen") to somewhat unexpected catchy rock numbers ("NW Apt." and "Laredo"). The album feels cohesive, touching on all of the separate components of this band's style to create a satisfying work. Worth a listen.
  3. Dec 3, 2010
    4
    really bad compared to the first two. this is overproduced and the tracks are shallow and the lyricshas no depth. Also the band has changed. Back to basics please.
  4. Nov 22, 2010
    6
    Bring mainstream rock, pyschedelic pop, and folk together, "Infinite Arms" would be the end result with no sparkle or anything else that would keep the album alive. It's kind of like, "I've heard this way too many times before".
  5. Oct 2, 2010
    9
    I am a sucker for sweet melodies and pitch-perfect harmonies. With hints of Beach Boys, Firefall and Alan Parsons coupled with beautiful acoustic finger picking, Infinite Arms is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise dead industry.
  6. Sep 30, 2010
    7
    Actually found it more entertaining than the last album.
  7. Aug 20, 2010
    5
    Definitely disappointing. We might have hoped this was their epic but instead it's just bland. Not one slow building masterpiece like we've come to expect from BoH. Put it this way - the single, Laredo, really is the standout song.
  8. BH
    Jun 17, 2010
    3
    This album really has a markedly different feel than the previous two. Band of Horses seems to be trying to innovate their sound towards something new, and on some tracks they pull it off. But on other tracks, it just sounds like they've been sitting around smoking pot with the Fleet Foxes, Iron & Wine, and the Decemberists for the past year. We're left with a more generic, This album really has a markedly different feel than the previous two. Band of Horses seems to be trying to innovate their sound towards something new, and on some tracks they pull it off. But on other tracks, it just sounds like they've been sitting around smoking pot with the Fleet Foxes, Iron & Wine, and the Decemberists for the past year. We're left with a more generic, forgettable album. Instead of the wonderfully mix of dreaminess (i.e. The First Song) and punchy-ness (i.e. Ode to LRC) of earlier albums, this just sounds lazy and flat. Not only are the songs themselves lackluster, but the mixing on this album sounds like it was recorded with the entire band wrapped in foam mattresses - it's much less atmospheric than previous work, and sounds nothing like a live show and everything like a recording studio. It will be interesting to see what they do on their next release; if they can take some of the changes introduced on this album and craft it into something more unique, it could be great. But as for this album: it's just another soggy rice krispy floating in the musical milk; no snap, crackle, or pop. Expand
  9. JoeH
    Jun 2, 2010
    7
    It's a pretty good album - not a ground breaking as the first or as big as the second. If you like some warm-hearted songs that you can sing along with, if you like a band not trying to be too cute, too avant garde, too smart, but comfortable in who and where they are, then give this a try. I like "older", sure it's twangy - that's not something they are trying to hide.
  10. NavyBeanBean
    May 31, 2010
    6
    A few good songs. But lyrically bizarre and feels like he wrote it in a rush. Too many instances where it feels like they just said, "we'll do a little arrangement, just sing what comes to you." The Bartles and James song is ridiculous.
  11. KyleC
    May 31, 2010
    10
    Infinite Arms surprised me after their sophomore album was something of a disappointment. Some great hooks and good lyrics... I don't know how you can't love "Dilly"!
  12. MaggieH.
    May 31, 2010
    6
    With much anticipation for the 3rd album, I find myself a bit dissappointed. Lacks the emotion and fervor that songs off the first and even second album had. I'm hoping it's one of those albums if u listen to long enough ull love, but so far it's not looking that way....shame really.
  13. DanL
    May 30, 2010
    8
    Definitely a slow down but still a solid album that deserves numerous listens. Yes, their first two albums were better but this is still better than most albums out there.
  14. marcob
    May 28, 2010
    5
    No heart, no ideas, the biggest delusion of the year.
  15. percyt
    May 27, 2010
    5
    Very underwhelming. the best thing this band could do is cancel the tour, get back in the studio and start again. so disappointing, i had waited ages for this.
  16. JeffK.
    May 27, 2010
    3
    This is a major disappointing effort. Totally uninspired in a similar way to the last Wilco and Kings of Leon albums were. The transition to a major label must have influenced the sound and tempo of this album. Can't find one song that ranks even near the worst songs of their first two albums, of which their was no bad songs on those records. Hopefully this is just a bump in the road This is a major disappointing effort. Totally uninspired in a similar way to the last Wilco and Kings of Leon albums were. The transition to a major label must have influenced the sound and tempo of this album. Can't find one song that ranks even near the worst songs of their first two albums, of which their was no bad songs on those records. Hopefully this is just a bump in the road for them and the next album will be more true to their original sound. Expand
  17. ALL242
    May 26, 2010
    5
    This would be a great album, if I hadn't already heard the potential they should have reached that was on the other albums. I have no idea what they were trying to achieve by writing songs that have such mundane lyrics. In "Factory" we get to hear about someone eating Now and Laters out of a Hotel vending machine. Listen to the album enough and you'll realize that is not the This would be a great album, if I hadn't already heard the potential they should have reached that was on the other albums. I have no idea what they were trying to achieve by writing songs that have such mundane lyrics. In "Factory" we get to hear about someone eating Now and Laters out of a Hotel vending machine. Listen to the album enough and you'll realize that is not the only instance of bad writing. The only good songs are "Long Way Home", "Laredo", and "Compliments". It's too bad this album wasn't better. However, the previous 2 albums were a really hard act to follow. Expand
  18. TomB
    May 25, 2010
    3
    3 pts for Factory. The rest is uninspired bilge. Man have these guys fallen quickly.
  19. NateT
    May 24, 2010
    6
    Not too impressed...digressed from first 2 albums.
  20. LanceZ.
    May 23, 2010
    6
    Very underwhelming. Change in overall tempo from the previous two albums could doom Band of Horses.
  21. Nick
    May 22, 2010
    7
    Well maybe they
  22. streetFreddly
    May 20, 2010
    9
    Love this album! As good as the previous two, if not better
  23. jackc
    May 19, 2010
    8
    Slow, dreamy, and beautiful.
  24. DavidD
    May 18, 2010
    6
    Definitely not anything close to there best. Actually a little disappointing--had been waiting for this album for quite some time.
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 31
  2. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. At its best, Arms is a pleasant album, one that sounds good on the surface or as background music. For most bands, that's perfectly acceptable. But for a group like Band Of Horses--whose ambitions have always intersected with being meaningful and transcendent, too--somehow just being acceptable makes Arms fall short.
  2. Fans of the band, and those with a rustling liking for a certain kind of beard-here-now Americana, will devour this like a bottle of the Bartles & Jaymes wine cooler referenced on the last track.
  3. Their third album Infinite Arms glows with that familiar sound, a sound born with an American heart.