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Rules
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Rules Image
Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 15 Ratings

  • Summary: The second album for the German-based band led by Kings of Convenience's Erlend Oye.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Dusted Magazine
    70
    The weird and promising thing is that it works without ever feeling natural. The actual coexistence of the earnest and the smoove stops being so striking after a while, but the best songs on Rules don’t let you forget there is one.
  2. Prefix Magazine
    70
    It's more like easy listening with a funk flare, and, like all easy-listening, there are times when it falls decidedly flat.
  3. PopMatters
    70
    Rules moves smoothly from one track to the next. Sometimes it does all feel a little too formulaic, a little too rational.
  4. New Musical Express (NME)
    50
    So, his odd decision to make Jamiroquai-like pillow-pop adds yet another string to Oye’s heavily-laden bow, but this is one we’d happily take the wire-cutters to.
  5. musicOMH.com
    50
    Listening to Rules is a surprisingly boring experience. At several instances throughout this album you wish someone would let rip with a guitar solo, fire off a rave horn or just do something to liven up proceedings.
  6. Dot Music
    50
    Hooks hit their fleshy mark here and there--'Dead End' is a compulsive, '80s-flavoured high and 'High On The Heels'' clipped acid house proves endearingly gauche--but it's cold comfort on a record that fleshes out a promising template to only diminishing returns.
  7. The Guardian
    40
    Sadly, the effect is often not strikingly minimalist but blandly beige, at times recalling Jamiroquai's most soulless moments.

See all 14 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Terg
    Sep 22, 2012
    10
    The simplistic style is irresistible! These guys do a great job making great music without any complication. Great drumming, great bass lines,The simplistic style is irresistible! These guys do a great job making great music without any complication. Great drumming, great bass lines, great guitar work, and really great keyboard work on this one!… Expand
  2. Watermelon789
    May 1, 2012
    9
    The Whitest Boy Alive is the band that I wish that everybody could appreciate and know , with those two factors , TWBA will have problems inThe Whitest Boy Alive is the band that I wish that everybody could appreciate and know , with those two factors , TWBA will have problems in future productions .But ignoring the problem, TWBA's Rules is as compelling as it is a masterpiece .… Expand
  4. Mesmerize
    Aug 9, 2016
    6
    6.06.0 z… Expand

Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Most Shared Album of 2009