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Nov 2, 2015Return to the Moon is far from disappointing. More accurately, it is a scattershot collection of unique sonic experiments and National-esque B-sides that are unlikely to sway opinions of Berninger's primary outlet either way.
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Nov 2, 2015Peppered with swears and PG-13 imagery, not all of Return to the Moon is radio-friendly, but it is ear-friendly, even at its most earnest or wry.
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Oct 30, 2015On Return to the Moon, their debut for 4AD, the duo play off each other’s strengths--Knopf’s kaleidoscopic art rock and Berninger’s impressionistic storytelling--to skim the best of both worlds.
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Oct 23, 2015It’s undoubtedly healthy for musicians to step outside of their main project to spread their wings and create something new. But in the end, the project reads as only a slight tweak on Berninger and Knopf’s established voices.
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Oct 16, 2015EL VY could have been many things for Matt Berninger--in the end his first non-National album serves to take him away from firm rooting in gloom to a certain extent, but largely just exhibits him doing everything he does so well, just with a few tweaks and exceptions.
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Oct 29, 2015The great strength of El Vy, by contrast, is that it brings forth both members’ strengths to create something that sounds like a proper polished debut from a 'real' band.
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Oct 29, 2015EL VY succeed in telling the stories of true characters on Return To The Moon, using inventive beats and fresh indie rock structures to make their tales connect.
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MojoOct 27, 2015Return To The Noon can seem too dense a construct to penetrate. [Dec 2015, p.88]
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Nov 3, 2015Not giving a little more is a problem that hangs over the end of the album, and for some of the more rabid fans of The National it’s something that they’ll consider a problem for the entirety of Return To The Moon. There are some bright and poignant moments here though, but, like the majority of The National’s work, the depths of the album may take a while to become apparent.
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Oct 27, 2015Together, EL VY create an enthralling musical space where Matt Berninger can explore the idea of being Matt Berninger.
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Nov 11, 2015The result is a collection of upbeat indie rock songs that brings out the very best in both players.
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Nov 2, 2015While there's nothing here that suggests Berninger and Knopf are truly incompatible, there's equally little evidence that Knopf's spirited arrangements are suited to Berninger's spotlight-gargling word soup.
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Nov 17, 2015Too often, though, Return to the Moon seems stuck in place. It’s as if Berninger and Knopf are too relaxed for their own good; the album feels more tossed off than anything else.
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Oct 30, 2015While Return to the Moon is good, it’s not the momentous occasion the next National album is sure to be. It is, however, a refreshing change of pace for its well-defined members.
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Q MagazineOct 16, 2015The voice and their lyrics sit differently, somehow, against Knopf's arrangements, which can be by turns delicate, mischievous and furious. [Nov 2015, p.105]
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Oct 16, 2015EL VY provide a more synthetic, but strangely more earworm-riddled, sound that’s great for casual fans, but less emotionally demanding for hardcore Nationalists.
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Oct 29, 2015Devoid of the crescendoing dramatics of the last few National records, the songs here simply simmer and sparkle, recalling the early pre-Boxer era before the band became meticulous studio virtuosos.
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Oct 26, 2015Ultimately, the lows are too low, and the highs not high enough to justify either musician returning to the collaboration anytime soon.
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Oct 27, 2015This isn't a fully realised collaboration just yet, as there are a few filler tracks, but there is more than enough potential to suggest that if they get time and space to create more music together, EL VY could become more of a permanent project.
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Oct 30, 2015It’s the flip side of the same gorgeous, engaging coin, and it’s more than just a placeholder while the next National album marinates--it stands shoulder to miserable, brilliant shoulder.
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Oct 29, 2015An off-duty experiment, a pressure-free hobby, more Broken Bells than McCartney and MJ. Berninger in particular sounds liberated from the weight of his day job.
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Oct 26, 2015It’s complex, witty, and--crucially--taps into a side of each man’s creativity in a manner hitherto unseen.
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Nov 2, 2015The appeal of this low-key grower lies in Berninger’s woebegone baritone, rubbing up against non-National music that is neither taxing nor obvious. There are feather-light shuffles here like Sleepin’ Light, or pretty, piano-led outings like No Time to Crank the Sun.
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Oct 16, 2015Return To The Moon is fully realised and offers plenty of intrigue, but .... rarely do they sound like a unit, and, surprisingly, Berninger is the one that ends up sounding a little lost. [Nov 2015, p.74]
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Oct 26, 2015Return to the Moon is a winning project, one that enlivens the careers of both artists involved.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 28 out of 34
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Mixed: 5 out of 34
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Negative: 1 out of 34
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Oct 31, 2015
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Aug 22, 2016
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Dec 5, 2015