King Night - Salem
King Night Image
Metascore
72 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.1 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Summary: This is the debut full-length album for the Michigan trio led by John Holland.
  • Record Label: Iamsound
  • Genre(s): Electronic, Electronica, Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
  • More Details and Credits »

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. New Musical Express (NME)
    90
    King Night is sick. Not just in the sense that it's outstandingly good but in the fact that it seems extremely unwell.
  2. CMJ
    Jan 11, 2011
    80
    In the end, the album proves that it is the night that is the king of the dark.
  3. NOW Magazine
    Mar 17, 2011
    80
    They might be unreliable performers, but their studio work is forward-thinking and beautiful in an oddly satisfying, downtrodden way.
  4. Clash Music
    60
    Rave horns echo like WW2 sirens being played on a fucked-up ghetto blaster while the cast of House Of 1000 Corpses do their best Gucci Mane impressions--an interesting, if perhaps slightly contrived, oddity.

See all 22 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 1 out of 4
  1. hydrawithears
    10
    Prepare yourself for one of the gloomiest albums youâ
  2. julian
    9
    For me the album of the year in an exceptional year, because of a whole raft of reasons. It sounds obvious but the range of influences is so contemporary and original. Seems a blur of Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Crystal Castles, wigged out dubstep, hiphop, JJ, electro, Gary Newman and even the Cocteau Twins. Like MIA's Kala it seems to the years most "now" release. Ive been flogging this album and How to Dress Well's debut to death and am surprised by Pitchforks low score for this - it will always be divisive - theyre both great albums but Salem shade How to Dress Well, it must be one of the most glaring omissions from Pitchforks 'best new music' tag this year. Really interesting outfit, even the ugly stupid rap parts seem to add to the idiosyncrasy. I don't think this is getting the kudos for the consistency of the tracks, all are worthwhile and most very good to excellent, def one of the top ten releases of a stellar year.… Expand
  3. dlistblogger
    7
    Overall its good. There are a few songs that sound too similar to each other and a few that sound cheesy. Hound and Redlights are the only songs that really stand out.… Expand
  4. smallwaves
    0
    This might be the worst album I have ever heard in my life. It's a collection of annoying sounds, annoying synths, babby's first drum machine (on default settings of course), and nothing comes together. I can't even listen to this to mock it since braving through it is an exercise of humiliation on the receiving end. You'd have to be brain damaged to find anything salvageable about this pitiful piece of ****… Expand

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