Omnibus - Tarkio
Omnibus Image
Metascore
67 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critics What's this?

User Score
tbd

No user score yet- Awaiting 1 more rating

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • Summary: Before he was in The Decemberists, singer-songwriter Colin Meloy fronted a Montana alt-country/alt-rock outfit known as Tarkio. This set collects that band's entire output of 27 tracks.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Lost At Sea
    75
    Omnibus offers a lot of quality songs from a quality songwriter.
  2. Spin
    75
    Nix the emo sea-chantey stuff and these two CDs... would be pretty excellent. [Mar 2006, p.95]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Paste Magazine
    70
    A fine collection from a distinct band. [Feb/Mar 2006, p.105]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. All Music Guide
    60
    At 27 tracks, the whole affair could do with a sizable trimming, as much of the material tends to sound the same, but as far as collections go, Omnibus is the real deal, and a Decemberists' archivist's wet dream.

See all 9 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. tgfisher
    10
    I've been looking for 'Slow Down' forever. They used to play it all the time on KBGA, but it wasn't on Tarkio's old discs. Of course my rating is based on old memories in Missoula as well as the new disc and is a bit biased.… Expand
  2. GarrettC
    10
    Love it.
  3. VincentH
    5
    A smattering of good songs, a handful of okay songs, and even more forgettable ones. I got this CD because I do consider myself a Colin Meloy-completist, so I like to have everything the man has ever done...and for good reason. Even back in the day, Meloy was a brilliantly melodic and sophisticated songwriter, even within the constraints of the "college rock" and "jangle pop" sound that Tarkio explored. The melodies are a bit more meandering here and less catchy than The Decemberists and the lyrics are a lot more standard-issue mid-90's, college guy-type stuff instead of the more narrative tales of his later stuff. There are literally like only 2 or 3 songs that get stuck in your head (not good considering how immediately catchy and essential Decemberists songs are), then you totally forget about it and never really have the desire to listen to it again. I recommend listening to it all the way through at least once if you are already a fan (you won't be dissapointed) just don't expect to hear anything that's really gonna grab you by the throat. Plus, the songs are WAAY too long.… Expand

Current Music Releases

Full List »
  1. The Complete Columbia Album Collection - Johnny Cash
    Metascore: 99
  2. Rumours [35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] - Fleetwood Mac
    Metascore: 99
  3. Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 2 - Miles Davis Quintet
    Metascore: 92
  4. Jama Ko - Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
    Metascore: 91
  5. Like a Rose - Ashley Monroe
    Metascore: 89
  6. Same Trailer Different Park - Kacey Musgraves
    Metascore: 89
  7. Random Access Memories - Daft Punk
    Metascore: 88
  8. Your Turn - Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog
    Metascore: 88
  9. Minute by Minute - The James Hunter Six
    Metascore: 88
  10. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness [Deluxe Edition] - Smashing Pumpkins
    Metascore: 88
  11. Music For the Quiet Hour/The Drawbar Organ EPs - Shackleton
    Metascore: 87
  12. M B V - My Bloody Valentine
    Metascore: 87
  13. Beautiful Africa - Rokia Traoré
    Metascore: 87
  14. LSXX [Last Splash: 20th Anniversary Edition] - The Breeders
    Metascore: 87
  15. Annie Up - Pistol Annies
    Metascore: 87
  16. Rage Against the Machine XX [20th Anniversary Edition] - Rage Against the Machine
    Metascore: 87
  17. Without a Net - Wayne Shorter
    Metascore: 86
  18. In Time - The Mavericks
    Metascore: 86
  19. MCII - Mikal Cronin
    Metascore: 86
All Current Music »