Origin Vol. 1 - The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Origin Vol. 1 Image
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 9 Ratings

  • Summary: The fourth album (and second released domestically) for the classic rock-influenced Swedish sextet is the first in a planned series.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 20
  2. Negative: 1 out of 20
  1. 90
    Breathtaking moments, brilliant tunes, and Breakdown, a genuinely Beatles-league pop hit. [Nov 2004, p.114]
  2. Ultimately, Origin, Vol. 1 is a look back through the past -- musically, personally, poetically, and culturally -- as a way of moving toward the future, celebrating its influence and shaking free of its baggage.
  3. Origin Vol. 1 lives up to its title in the sense that it shows TSOOL fully immersing its music in its classic rock influences. On the other hand, the disc doesn't have the same epic scope of Behind the Music, and as a result it's still something of a letdown.
  4. Origin is a saccharin mouthful of bloated riffs, burdensome lyrical clichés, and second-rate studio trickery -- songs that lurch rather than rock. In other words, it’s Oasis at their best or the Doves at their absolute worst.

See all 20 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. MikeK
    10
    A tour de force. Spellbinding, relentless, with moments of rock perfection. Soundtrack of our Lives channel the rock gods of the 60s and early 70s and somehow make it all seem fresh, vivid. Expand
  2. toml
    9
    Not as strong as Behind The Music, but the group tends to make thick, fat albums of dense rock'n'roll with lyrics that reference many other great songs, films, et al. This is the most "ecomonical" album to date [lead singer Ebbot Lundberg told me himself that he's not fond of the album, that Origins Vol. 2 will be more like previous outtings]. Far from a "snorefest" [how old are you Katie H.? Only children write like that...] there are some fine moments leading off with "Believe I Found" and ending with "Age Of No Reply". Unlike so many "retro" rock acts, these guys no how to play, and where the good hooks come from. And that's the exciting part, they know the history of rock'n'roll, they wear it on their sleeves, and got the chops to back it all up with. Beatles,Beefheart, Stones, Stooges, the Who, Damned, Pink Floyd, MC5, music fans in love with music. And They know how to play it. Seen the Dears or the Bravery yet? Well, theres your snorefest. Expand
  3. PauloD
    8
    It's not classic but is one of the best albums released this year. This album is a mix of f***in rock n' roll and psychodelic ideas that makes you remember the essence of rock music. Expand
  4. MattM
    7
    While I don't find this album to be either great or original, I do believe that it possesses a quality that reviewers such as Pitchfork neglect to mention, and that is that it is very catchy. While I certainly wouldn't argue that the lead singer is destined for the Opera, I don't think his voice is nearly as bad as critics make it out to be. And one on one, I think each song offers something that is interesting, though I would agree with those who claim it can tend to become tedious over time. While I've never been a huge fan of trying to mimic the idols of your past in one record, TSOOL do it very well here, and thus earn an at least respectable mark from me. Particularly stand-outish to me is how much "Midnight Children" sound like the Velvet Underground. Whether that's a good thing or not to you is really up to what you're looking for. Expand

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