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Love Is the King
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Love Is the King Image
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 9 Ratings

  • Summary: The fourth full-length solo release for the Wilco singer was produced with Tom Schick and features his sons Spencer and Sammy.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Paste Magazine
    Oct 22, 2020
    81
    Like Warm and Warmer, Tweedy’s requires a bit of patience to crack open. The songs tend to seep in slowly, but it’s worth the effort to burrow into them: Beneath that low-key exterior, Love Is the King displays luminous depth from a veteran songwriter who continues to grow into his craft.
  2. Exclaim
    Oct 22, 2020
    80
    The vibe is folk, rock, country and kind of homespun and laidback but, like early John Lennon records, there is sharpness to the starkness.
  3. Uncut
    Oct 22, 2020
    80
    This albums marries Tweedy's mature emotional outlook to the workaday manners of Uncle Tupelo or the Woody Guthrue project, Mermaid Avenue. [Dec 2020, p.34]
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  4. Sputnikmusic
    Oct 29, 2020
    80
    Love Is The King is weathered and patient, rarely effusive, and entirely demonstrative of its namesake. It’s a warm embrace.
  5. Rolling Stone
    Dec 17, 2020
    80
    Full of delicate folk mopers, lighthearted country romps, and genuinely sweet love songs, as well as his best guitar playing in years. [Dec 2020, p.70]
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  6. Under The Radar
    Oct 23, 2020
    75
    Though recorded under lockdown, the songs may be maudlin in spots but don’t directly address the situation at hand. Primarily Love Is the King has the air of what it in fact is: a man comfortable in his own skin recording a set of songs with his talented kids.
  7. Beats Per Minute
    Oct 28, 2020
    71
    For 11 songs and 39 minutes, Tweedy creates a landscape of autumnal beauty and warm layers of guitars, which oscillate between experimental, almost distorted ambience and clear, saccharine folk melodies. There’s a few straight country tracks here, but for the most part, it’s minimalist genre-revisionism.

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User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. jayman69
    Oct 23, 2020
    9
    The songs here are mostly low key, but kept interesting by the guitar sounds and little jolts of lightning he keeps quiet in the background.The songs here are mostly low key, but kept interesting by the guitar sounds and little jolts of lightning he keeps quiet in the background. Beautiful opening title track and ending with even better beauty with Half Asleep. The guitar work may be unnoticeable on first listen, but on second listen and turned down a notch instead of up, is where the guitar sounds clearer in its noodling wonder.… Expand
  2. Happyhippy
    Jan 18, 2021
    8
    Yet another great album from Jeff tweedy! This one builds up kind of slow but hooks you win by the third song on the first side. It justYet another great album from Jeff tweedy! This one builds up kind of slow but hooks you win by the third song on the first side. It just seems to pick up momentum, this could almost be an uncle tupelo album. yeah don't shoot me saying that..… Expand
  4. Ricko
    Feb 9, 2021
    7
    A nice if not particularly inspiring collection of ultra mellow, country tinged lockdown tunes. I believe this was released with a songwritingA nice if not particularly inspiring collection of ultra mellow, country tinged lockdown tunes. I believe this was released with a songwriting manual based on Tweedy's theory that songwriting is a craft to be worked at rather than moments of inspiration. "Love is the King" has all the signs of this. The songs are solid and any rough edges have been sanded down but in going through this process any flashes of brilliance have also been sanded off. A pleasant listen written by a comfortable 50 something country rock star. "Guess Again" is a highlight.… Expand

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