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Tricky reengages with his pain that gave him his original power. [Sep 2008, p.128]
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This is pure Tricky; sometimes at his near-best, sometimes coasting, but always unique.
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It makes for some pleasingly approachable music but that's not what he'll be remembered for.
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It’s as accessible as his debut, that much is true – Tricky’s welcomed the pop infection that’s spread through his system since the bleak Angels With Dirty Faces – but it lacks a standout single voice.
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His proxies fare a bit better, though there's another problem: There's way too many of them, and none of them stick around long enough to establish themselves.
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Tricky is back with his best album in at least a decade.
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It not only re-establishes him as a pioneer, but as an engaging personae who isn't hiding behind his sonic palette anymore; his music is all the better for it.
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However, this album feels like it marks the beginning of a return of form, and it's great to hear his voice again on tunes that don't make you work to the point of sufferance to get any enjoyment out of.
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Butler might consider himself lucky he got out when he did, as Tricky’s ideas are scattered all over the place and Knowle West Boy is mostly a mess.
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Knowle West Boy shows that regardless of era, Tricky does his thing and does it well.
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Knowle West Boy marks a long-overdue return to form from one of the founding fathers of trip-hop.
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Knowle West Boy is a survey of Tricky’s sonic versatility--straightforward rock and oppressive, moody atmospherics all have a home here--and it is frequently gorgeous.
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Under The RadarThere is a static-y scratchy cackle running through Knowles West Boy that gives ut the energy of a classic reggae record and a post modern work at the same time. But then at the same time, there is a just-recently-became-dated tone to Knowles West Boy that feels like Tricky is trying to scramble onto trendy bandwagons. [Fall 2008, p.84]
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The music, coproduced by M.I.A. confederate Switch, warps and wanders too, from rock-rap to dancehall to new wave to folk.
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It's variety that makes this Tricky's best since his 1995 debut, Maxinquaye.
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MojoIt's not a groundbreaking record, largely because Tricky himself broke most of the ground here 13 years ago. [Aug 2008, p.103]
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UrbWorth the wait, Knowles West Boy provides a uniquely varied soundscape from an equally enigmatic musicmaker. [Jul/Aug 2008, p.87]
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Q MagazineThis is no dour social critique. In fact, his seventh album finds him energised following a period as a soundtrack hack in Los Angeles. [Aug 2008, p.145]
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Entertainment WeeklyKnowle still offers a diverse evocation of his childhood in the proverty-riddled district of the title. [12 Sep 2008]
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The WireThere are many memorable tracks here, but you still can't help missing the scratchy textures and humid atmosphereics of "Maxinquaye" and "Pre-millennium Tension." [July 2008, p.60]
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Perhaps it’s not a full home run--it’s good, but more a retrenchment than a bold step forward. That’s OK, however.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 6 out of 7
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Mixed: 1 out of 7
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Negative: 0 out of 7
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CianH.Sep 10, 2008
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Feb 20, 2012