Kicking The National Habit - Grand National
Metascore
76 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
view
per page
  1. All Music Guide
    70
    Although the uniformly sweet pop songs on Kicking the National Habit sound influenced by the likes of the Police, Men at Work, Duran Duran, and the rest of the more commercial side of the early MTV era, the arrangements are more electronic in nature.
  2. Amazon.com
    80
    Grand National's main skill lies in their ability to twin their fine songs to tight electronic productions, striking the perfect midpoint between live organics and cool digital sequencing.
  3. Billboard
    80
    Believe the hype: The 10-track set is a real treat, rewarding repeated listens with fun, groove-driven tunes.
  4. Blender
    70
    There's a lot of passion and red corpuscles surging just outside the music's clean, primary-colored lines. [Apr 2006, p.112]
    All this publication's reviews
  5. Dot Music
    60
    It makes for a cool sound that might be too inoffensive at times but which grabs all the right places most of the time.
  6. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    This is reggae-inflected rock filtered through Gorillaz-style genre restlessness. [31 Mar 2006, p.65]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Mojo
    80
    A stripped-back stroll through the summer of the '80s. [Jun 2004, p.106]
    All this publication's reviews
  8. Playlouder
    60
    Almost everything about 'Kicking The National Habit' is righteously unfashionable.
  9. PopMatters
    60
    There’s one problem, and it’s not insignificant: with the best three songs at positions 1-2-3, there’s only one place to go.
  10. Prefix Magazine
    50
    Tracks such as "Boner" and "Peanut Dreams," stripped of any excitement, are nothing more than highly polished and easily forgettable songs to ignore at a swanky upstairs club.
  11. Q Magazine
    80
    One of the year's most inventive debuts. [Jul 2004, p.114]
    All this publication's reviews
  12. The Guardian
    80
    The first seven tracks are nearly flawless, and the occasional wobble thereafter doesn't mar one of the year's most scintillating debuts.
  13. Uncut
    80
    Touches of ska... and ethereal dream-rock... betray a penchant for late-'70s guitar experimentation, alchemised here by a brilliant pop sheen. [Jul 2004, p.101]
    All this publication's reviews
  14. Urb
    80
    This is AM pop perfection that doesn't need a stamp of retro-cool to be timeless. [Mar 2005, p.111]
    All this publication's reviews

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.6 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 12 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. TomD
    9
    One of those albums you can just keep on listening too.
  2. DCC
    10
    Very solid. Pop without the pop guilt. Recommended.
  3. LaLa
    10
    Simply Astouding. If you like samrt pop, look no further.
See all user reviews »