Love & Distortion
by The Stratford 4
  • Record Label: Jet Set
  • Release Date: Apr 8, 2003
Metascore
65

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Rolling Stone
    80
    No matter how good your new favorite band is, the Stratford 4 are better.
  2. Neumu.net
    60
    Throughout Love and Distortion, the Stratford 4 convey through their music that sounding like other good bands that came before them isn't a bad thing.
  3. Filter
    84
    There's a chunk of empathy lodged between the many splurges of drool-dripping, volume-blasting guitar wankery. [#5, p.88]
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  5. Uncut
    60
    Draws heavily on such masters of six-string cinematics as The Church, The Jesus & Mary Chain and Spacemen 3. [Apr 2003, p.121]
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  6. Blender
    60
    Wailing, distorted guitars and jumpy backbeats deliver messages of escape, refuge and, ultimately, sweet hope. [May 2003, p.124]
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  7. AllMusic
    60
    Love & Distortion still finds the Stratford 4 operating as a band with more taste in music than original ideas.
  8. Q Magazine
    60
    At their worst The Stratford 4... are as far out as a Chapterhouse B-side. When they hit their freaked-out stride, however... they shake off the enervation and kick up some genuine rock'n'rool aggro. [Oct 2003, p.114]
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  9. Austin Chronicle
    50
    By the time Love & Distortion arrives at "The Simple Things Are Taking Over" and "Kleptophilia," the band finally has an identity of its own: smart without being pedantic, coy, but not pretentious, the British affectation in the vocals sounding more natural, the melodies spelled out with greater precision.
  10. Splendid
    80
    The hour-long Love & Distortion never loses steam; it delivers on its title, and is unique enough to avoid lyrical banality.
  11. Magnet
    70
    The S4 seems very confident in getting away from itself and making music not burdened by influence, but propelled by it. [#58, p.106]
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  12. The A.V. Club
    70
    Summons enough winning moments to make comparisons a secondary concern.
  13. Ink 19
    70
    It is the kind of album that becomes more endearing with each listen, with each song evincing a gorgeousness missed the first time around.
  14. Junkmedia
    50
    That's not to say that Love & Distortion is a bad album, just that it's thoroughly average.
  15. PopMatters
    40
    It seems sloppy, it has some disappointingly one-dimensional album production, and even worse, it lacks the pop sense that The Revolt Against Tired Noises had in spades.

User Reviews

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User Score
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No user score yet- Awaiting 2 more ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. RobbinL
    Mar 21, 2005
    8
    Some truly beautiful moments. Some truly overwraught stretches. No question they wear their influences on their sleeve, but when your Some truly beautiful moments. Some truly overwraught stretches. No question they wear their influences on their sleeve, but when your influences are this cool it's hard not to like. Seeing them live really enhanced the effect of the album on me, check them out if you can. Fav lyric-"I've told you once, oh yeah I've told you before there's more to this life than the Stratford 4" Sweeet.… Full Review »
  2. CelesteT
    Apr 15, 2003
    10
    My favorite thing about San Francisco is the Stratford 4. This relatively diverse selection of songs (noisy, sweet, poppy, sound tracky) My favorite thing about San Francisco is the Stratford 4. This relatively diverse selection of songs (noisy, sweet, poppy, sound tracky) keeps me falling in love.… Full Review »