User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info
  • Record Label:
  • Release Date:
Ole! Tarantula Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 8 Ratings

  • Summary: The veteran musician is backed by REM and/or Minus 5 members Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey, and Bill Rieflin (together, the Venus 3) on his first release since 2004's 'Spooked.'
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 19
  2. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. It’s as warm and melodic as the Soft Boys’ Nextdoorland was brittle and jagged.
  2. Magnet
    80
    Terrifically jangling. [#73, p.99]
  3. Olé! Tarantula delivers the goods: jangly, addictive psychedelic pop of the type Hitchcock mastered with the Soft Boys and the Egyptians.
  4. Olé! Tarantula isn't his best solo record, but it's in the top tier, and after all these years that's certainly something.
  5. It’s a fine record -- one of his better in some time.
  6. Unfortunately, the magic of [the] first three songs is never captured again.
  7. Paste Magazine
    60
    Hitchcock returns to his trademark: arpeggiated guitars swirling around hyperactive basslines with whimsical lyrics cloaked in harmony that turn dark without warning. [Oct 2006, p.76]

See all 19 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of
  2. Mixed: 0 out of
  3. Negative: 0 out of