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Knives Don't Have Your Back - Emily Haines
Knives Don't Have Your Back Image
Metascore
73 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 22 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Summary: The first solo album for the Metric singer finds her backed by members of Stars, Metric and Broken Social Scene (together billed as The Soft Skeleton).

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Lost At Sea
    85
    The songs are emotive, and yet have catchy hooks; they are at times unrestrained and at others, calculated.
  2. Stylus Magazine
    83
    Knives is a quietly simmering LP.
  3. Playlouder
    60
    A lap or two behind many of the albums it seemingly aspires to be (Cat Power, Radiohead, Fiona Apple and Elliott Smith comparisons have been made before and seem almost invited) 'Knives...' still has enough personality and original thought to shield it from accusations of simple derivation.

See all 18 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 17
  3. Negative: 1 out of 17
  1. Dusty1/2
    10
    Excellent, to hear in the night with a pain jaajaja.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. MarkK
    4
    I'm a fan of Metric, so naturally, I'm a fan of Emily Haines' voice and lyrics. However, I'm not a huge fan of pedestrian, same-soundy albums. Besides a few shimmer moments ("Out Hell", "Reading In Bed" & "Doctor Blind") the album never really gets moving. After a few tracks the songs blur together due to their staggering sameness. The entirely basic piano arrangements, the vocals, strings are so indifferent on each track that "Knives Don't Have You Back" could be considered a single, albeit, long song. Disappointing debut.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. OnceBitten
    3
    Knives Don't Have Your Back is a perfect title. Emily Haines would never stab anyone in the back, all her old acquantences back in Toronto can attest that she's truly progressive, truly cares about the masses, isn't in it for money, fame and power, would never use her gender as a weapon, would never take money from say someone like Michelan Tires, she's incapable of lying, she'd never cheat or screw over other musicians, she always keeps her promises, her word is her bond, you can certainly trust her, she's got your back, she's selfless and she has nice clothes too, wow, she's so perfect. Believe the hype! It's all true!!… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes

See all 17 User Reviews

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