My Old, Familiar Friend
by Brendan Benson
  • Record Label: ATO
  • Release Date: Aug 18, 2009
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6

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  1. CodyT
    Feb 2, 2010
    7
    Vastly underrated CD. Maybe Benson SHOULD have a put a sticker on the album explaining his involvement with the Raconteurs....might of got a few more people to discover his solo music. Aside from a few disposable bubblegum pop tracks this record is his best solo outing yet.
  2. RyanS.
    Aug 21, 2009
    8
    Not as quite as good as 'Lapalco' or 'Alternative to Love' but still better than 95% of everything else out there - including both Raconteurs albums.
  3. TonyM
    Aug 24, 2009
    8
    Stands up well against lapalco and alternative to love, any justice this album will make Benson better known for his solo work.
  4. CarlO.
    Sep 25, 2009
    9
    I find myself surprisingly in love with this album. Other than appreciating a couple of his singles, I've never dug into his stuff before and only checked it out on a whim when it was streamed on Spinner. Well, I've since found it to be a slice of power pop heaven - along the lines of endearing, hooky icons like Jason Falkner and Matthew Sweet. It's actually in the running I find myself surprisingly in love with this album. Other than appreciating a couple of his singles, I've never dug into his stuff before and only checked it out on a whim when it was streamed on Spinner. Well, I've since found it to be a slice of power pop heaven - along the lines of endearing, hooky icons like Jason Falkner and Matthew Sweet. It's actually in the running for my favorite album of the year.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. AllMusic
    70
    Even if he doesn't quite have the vocal presence to fully inhabit this stage, his taste and melodic skills are suited for this bigger scale so My Old, Familiar Friend winds up as an effective showcase for his craftsmanship even if it never quite grabs ahold the way "Lapalco" did.
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  2. Entertainment Weekly
    91
    My Old, Familiar Friend is one warm power-pop bath ?after another, a cornucopia of oceanfront harmonies, plunky keys, and psychedelic marginalia.
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  3. musicOMH.com
    60
    My Old Familiar Friend seems to be an album with modest aspirations which, for the most part, it achieves.
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