- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Me First proves to be a remarkably consistent and memorable listen.
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He may not be the first to mix the bucolic with the mechanic, and God knows he wont be the last, but here all the symptoms of overexposure sink under the unassuming grace of his gifts.
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A discernibly West Coast-influenced affair, it's an album of anecdotal moments set to a glorious country-rock backdrop: graciously sun-kissed melodies, vocal harmonies, neat arrangements and refreshing, varied instrumentation.
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Sennett twists and turns his songwriting more when he's alone than he does with Rilo Kiley, and while playing spot-the-influences isn't hard... it's also pointless in light of the album's genuine warmth.
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Alternative PressIt's a thing of subversive beauty, a striking debut that's self-assured and captivating. [Mar 2004, p.104]
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Its ridiculously eclectic, yet uniformly affecting; a winter warmer that moves with a mysterious grace.
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UncutAddresses the stained beauty of all things LA via psychedelic washes of keys, honking sax and country stomp. [May 2004, p.100]
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BlenderA casual, mostly charming sketchbook of diffident alt-country laments. [Mar 2004, p.116]
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SpinLike a Postal Service for hippies living off the grid. [May 2004, p.108]
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Entertainment WeeklyThe mournful harmonies and orchestral sweetening on some tracks... spread a seductively decadent sheen over the oddly uplifting proceedings. [27 Feb 2004, p.98]
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Me First is a Sunday record, a rainy-day record, a home-alone record, a lying-on-the-floor, staring-at-the-ceiling record.
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The poetry of pain is so strong, and mixed with superbly produced music that doesnt take a nanosecond for granted.
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The overall sonic experiment succeeds, but the songs never quite attain the level of some of the band's influences.
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"Me First" may not be greater than the sum of its parts, but it certainly is equal to them, which is a lot. [1 Mar 2004]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 6 out of 7
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Mixed: 0 out of 7
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Negative: 1 out of 7
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merriamwebsterAug 25, 2004one word awesome
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johnMJun 9, 2004A great album.
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bearcrashJun 7, 2004the entire album is amazing. every single track is beautiful. im in love.