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Oct 12, 2011Despite the clear motives with the themes in the album, the instrumentation fluctuates in a chaotic manner that makes it very confusing to listen to at times.
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Oct 19, 2011On the Water is too uncompromising, too disinterested in being for anyone outside of its circle of two.
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Oct 14, 2011Their dreamy, romantic and melancholy music is the perfect accompaniment to hope, the kind that can pull you through, and in a time of timidity, they are true believers.
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Oct 10, 2011In the end, there's solace in enjoying the refreshed music Future Islands continue to provide.
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Oct 11, 2011On the Water is surely one of the most unconventionally beautiful records of the year.
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Oct 11, 2011Future Islands clearly wanted to tug some heartstrings this time around, and in the respect, On the Water is an unqualified success.
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Oct 19, 2011While On the Water may be a slow burn, the album grows only richer upon second and third listens.
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MagnetNov 15, 2011Though it reveals apparent influences ranging from Eyeless in Gaza to Simple Minds, the Baltimore trio's third album finds the band updating rather than simply recreating. [#82, p. 55]
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MojoJan 11, 2012The band's primary strength is their ability to harness cold electronica and synth sounds to deftly create earthy-sounding atmospherics... Stirring. [Dec. 2011 p.97]
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Oct 10, 2011The concept is realised for the most part, and while some more variety in the 'musical memories' might have been nice (along with a little more length), there's not much to knock in a cracking example of that rare phenomenon--listenable concept art.
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Nov 17, 2011On The Water relies less on the vocals than its predecessor. The music is more robust, adding more layers than the minimalism of before.
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Oct 10, 2011Gorgeous and personal, the band has delivered a record that is not only the product of years of trial and error, but also the rarity of a truly talented storyteller.
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Oct 10, 2011Though treading familiar sonic and thematic waters at the start, On the Water really comes alive midway through.
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Oct 19, 2011On the Water sounds as fresh and exciting as anything you're likely to hear all year.
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Oct 10, 2011Water is leagues more mature than last year's In Evening Air--the production more robust, the lyrics more evocative of people who've been around long enough to know what's worth lamenting.
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Q MagazineNov 8, 2011It's heavy stuff, and there is a real rawness at the heart of standouts Where I Found You, Before The Bridge, Give Us The Wind and The Great Fire - all a little hard to swallow at first, but ultimately quite remarkable. [Nov. 2011, p. 128]
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Oct 11, 2011The record is sweetly evocative, swathed in meditative rhythms and lighthearted melodies.
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Oct 26, 2011On the Water is a 'love album', but much more than that--seldom has a long player narrated so fluidly, consummately and lucidly, a journey of self-realization.
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Oct 10, 2011Now, on On the Water, they've paced themselves, slowed down the tempos, and left room for ambience, such that the album's fevered points hit much more poignantly.
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UncutOct 18, 2011The Trio's third album is similarly, unconventionally earnest, often doing for the New Romantics when Gayngs did for 10cc. [Nov 2011, p.84]
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Oct 11, 2011[Closing number "Grease" is] equal parts sepulchral and redemptive, spiritually recalling David Bowie's Heroes, and providing a triumphantly exhilarating close to this superb Baltimore act's best album to date.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 17 out of 18
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Mixed: 0 out of 18
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Negative: 1 out of 18
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May 30, 2013
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Nov 7, 2011
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Oct 14, 2011