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Saturdays=Youth
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Saturdays=Youth Image
Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 67 Ratings

  • Summary: The fifth album for the French electronic group led by Anthony Gonzalez was produced with Ken Thomas and Ewan Pearson.

Top Track

We Own The Sky
Each shade of blue Is kept in our eyes Keep blowing and lightning Because we own the sky Secrets from the winds Burnt stars crying Soft soft or... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. The A.V. Club
    100
    For all the awe kindled by the effectively perfect sound in a transcendent highlight like 'Kim & Jessie,' the real triumph is that M83 uses such a setting for more simple melody and emotion than ever before.
  2. cokemachineglow
    84
    Of course it’s cheeseball, as we all were at that age. But that’s ultimately what makes this accessible, highly-listenable album a reinvigoration of both catalogue and genre.
  3. No Ripcord
    80
    Nonetheless, Saturdays = Youth finds itself in the higher echelons of '08 so far for radically different reasons, and, unpredictedly, it wouldn't be too surprising if M83's decision to avoid making a by-the-numbers album saw those overdue dividends finally reaching them.
  4. Drowned In Sound
    70
    Predictably there’s a slide towards more abstracted material toward the latter half, and parts of Saturdays=Youth are all hairspray and no body, but the whole thing sweeps along with such an irrepressible mix of youthful invincibility (‘We Own The Sky’) and flouncing fatalism (‘Too Late’, ‘Graveyard Girl’) it sucks the wind right out of your cheeks before you’ve had chance to huff.
  5. Almost Cool
    68
    If you go back to the touchpoints of the era in terms of music, there's certainly plenty of awful lyrics, and while I can often overlook lyrics if the music itself is strong, Saturdays = Youth sometimes lapses into a sort of emo shoegazer feel that's simply a bit too sickly-sweet for me.
  6. Under The Radar
    60
    [A] disappointment. [Spring 2008, p.77]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Q Magazine
    40
    Halfway through, though, Gonzalez's self-indulgence gets the better of him and you're left with half-baked ideas and little else. [June 2008, p.145]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 29 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 22
  3. Negative: 3 out of 22
  1. mkk255
    Oct 16, 2013
    10
    best album everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
  2. HugoT
    Apr 16, 2008
    10
    Oh my gosh....smells like 80ts, tell me who doesn't like it this way?Only senseless maniacs, they don't understand what is it to Oh my gosh....smells like 80ts, tell me who doesn't like it this way?Only senseless maniacs, they don't understand what is it to feel happy about music!Very easy listening, which I was beginning for! Comfortable music, totally repeatable.....Gonzaless new face warms my heart!… Expand
  4. Joenh.
    May 10, 2008
    10
    Outstanding album. Takes a few listens to properly sink in.
  5. AlanS.
    Apr 15, 2008
    9
    It seems as though a lot of the low scores are generated almost entirely by the fact that this record contains strong elements of 80s It seems as though a lot of the low scores are generated almost entirely by the fact that this record contains strong elements of 80s synthpop, which the reviewers never liked to begin with. If that's not your cup of tea then you really shouldn't bother with this. Musically, the album has lush arrangements, absolutely beautiful production and some of the catchiest tracks M83 has offered up since...well...ever. One of the strongest albums released so far this year, without a doubt, and not at all deserving of the low metascore it has.… Expand
  6. JoeT.
    Apr 19, 2008
    9
    Wow. After the increasingly epic quality through the last two proper albums, he/they moves M83 forward and in another direction. I'm Wow. After the increasingly epic quality through the last two proper albums, he/they moves M83 forward and in another direction. I'm surprised by the music press' cumulative score. Their criticism (that it's derivative, 'embarrassingly earnest, etc.) could be said of the previous albums too. I guess M83's not their flavor-of-the-month anymore, and the backlash is underway. Figures. If you like the previous stuff or just curious, have a listen.… Expand
  7. AlexL
    Apr 17, 2008
    9
    M83 simply puts all the good back into the 80z sound and I am grateful.
  8. Hector
    Sep 27, 2008
    0
    This album sucks. There are maybe one to three good songs in it but it fully supports why I'm all about Limewire and downloading before This album sucks. There are maybe one to three good songs in it but it fully supports why I'm all about Limewire and downloading before buying an album. This is the most useless thing I've ever bought. This band supposedly had so much promise when I read some of the reviews. There is no nostalgia here, there is no artistry here, just a bunch of cliché, over sentimental lyrics that attempt at emotional blackmail so that one may warm up and not be so harsh towards this. There are musicians that have not been sign to the same scale as this band has that deserve far more attention. This albums as though Stacy Q, or Kylie Minogue or Madonna attempted to make a Shoegaze record in 1985. I want my money back. Or at least go into the record store and exchange it for something better. However, I… Expand

See all 22 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Most Discussed Album of 2008
62
#62 Most Shared Album of 2008

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