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Smiling With No Teeth
by
Smiling With No Teeth Image
Metascore
86

Universal acclaim - based on 8 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 28 Ratings

  • Summary: The debut full-length release for the Ghanaian-born, Australia-based artist features folk, funk, pop, R&B and rap influences.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. musicOMH.com
    Mar 19, 2021
    90
    It’s an album that’s easy to feel intimidated by at first listen, due to its sheer scale and ambition. However, after a few listens you’ll be in no doubt that Genesis Owusu is one of the most exciting names of the year.
  2. The Line of Best Fit
    Mar 19, 2021
    90
    Owusu’s debut offering not only manages to deftly balance style with substance, but does so with a jubilance that gives as much reason to curl up your own most toothy grin. More importantly, it also offers moments of reflection.
  3. Sputnikmusic
    Apr 8, 2021
    86
    Although this is just his first album, I’m starting to think that in a few years nobody will need to drop a bevy of famous names in order to incite fervour for his music.
  4. DIY Magazine
    Mar 19, 2021
    80
    At 15 tracks long, he occasionally falters under the weight of his own abundance, but there are so many great sweets in the pick’n’mix bag that you don’t really mind the odd underwhelming chew.
  5. New Musical Express (NME)
    Mar 19, 2021
    80
    With ‘Smiling With No Teeth’, Genesis Owusu has delivered a riveting album that underscores the power of self-knowledge, perspective and art – one that should be cranked loud.
  6. Mojo
    Mar 19, 2021
    80
    Owusu is a charismatic anchor throughout this boundary-pushing debut. [Apr 2021, p.85]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. The Independent (UK)
    Mar 19, 2021
    80
    With strong, clear-eyed subtext, overlaid by compositions that touch on every influence from TV on the Radio to Prince, Childish Gambino and Radiohead, Smiling With No Teeth is not so much an album as it is a memoir – a story both unique to Owusu and universal to anyone who has ever felt “othered”.

See all 8 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. rogueseymor
    Jun 19, 2021
    10
    An unbelievably great and diverse album brimming with bravado. Hip hop with strands of '80s British pop, post-punk, jazz, funk, soul, and evenAn unbelievably great and diverse album brimming with bravado. Hip hop with strands of '80s British pop, post-punk, jazz, funk, soul, and even easy-listening mellowness. There seems to be nothing Genesis Owusu can't do. I am stunned this album has been out for three months already and yet received such a relative dearth of press. This is easily the best, most inventive, most pleasurable record of 2021. It's both gloriously celebratory and socially hard hitting. Reminds of great genre-expanding innovators like Outkast, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Tricky, Prince, Beastie Boys.… Expand
  2. lovezero
    Apr 24, 2021
    10
    One of the best albums of 2021 so far. He has got the talent, definetely next big thing.
  4. shad0w0711
    Aug 15, 2022
    9
    Si uno se encontrase la portada de este “Smiling With No Teeth” sin haber escuchado lo que hay dentro, asumiría que estamos ante un raperoSi uno se encontrase la portada de este “Smiling With No Teeth” sin haber escuchado lo que hay dentro, asumiría que estamos ante un rapero hardcore, una sonrisa exaltada de dientes de oro nos mira desafiantes, pero Genesis Owusu quiere romper esquemas y dejar en evidencia a los que ven una cara como esa y ya deciden etiquetarla ("'Cuz somehow my actions represent a whole race, it's hard to move different when your face is our face"). Owusu y “Smiling With No Teeth” desafían cualquier estereotipo en una obra que bebe de todo (soul, funk, R&B, rap, pero también post punk, rock alternativo e incluso folk) y de todos (Prince, Outkast, Childish Gambino pero también Talking Heads, Gang Of Four o Gorillaz).… Expand
  5. IcePlosion
    Jan 7, 2022
    9
    One of the best albums of 2021 by far. Absolute hidden gem. Sure, there are some swingy songs in the middle, but it starts off strong and endsOne of the best albums of 2021 by far. Absolute hidden gem. Sure, there are some swingy songs in the middle, but it starts off strong and ends off very strong. Fantastic album which should not be missed.… Expand
  6. whyidont
    Mar 25, 2021
    9
    The fairly unknown Genesis Owusu has released his debut album. And there is PROMISE. A lot of it.

    I've never heard of this guy before, and    The fairly unknown Genesis Owusu has released his debut album. And there is PROMISE. A lot of it.

    I've never heard of this guy before, and when I saw the neo-soul tag, I knew I had to listen to this. And I have no regrets. This has a sound I've never heard before, and I honestly think this might be taking AOTY for me. I'm very grateful that I can find new talent on this place, because this album is... well, great. It has a very sinister sound that I enjoy a lot, and there's def something here for everyone. If you like a more gritty sound, "On The Move!" is for you. If you like a more neo-soul sound, "Drown" is for you. This album does not fail to impress, for such a new talent in the R&B/Hip-Hop scene, I am very surprised. The instrumentals are some of the most creative I've seen on a debut, and although this album is all over the place in how it flows, it doesn't matter much, because this has some of the best polish I've seen on a debut, or on any record for that matter. It's obvious that this guy will be going big sooner or later, and this record is great. It's like Frank Ocean, Death Grips, and Steve Lacy had this amazing collaboration, and the way this record works and flows is mind boggling. Do I recommend this record? Yes. This guy is amazing, and it's a must hear for any hip-hop/R&B fan.

    REPLAY VALUE: HIGH

    FAVORITE TRACKS: GOLD CHAINS, ON THE MOVE!, THE OTHER BLACK DOG, WAITIN' ON YA, SMILING WITH NO TEETH, I DON'T SEE COLOUR, DON'T NEED YOU

    LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: DROWN    … Expand
  7. ChiIIaoi
    Jul 19, 2023
    8
    Review só pra lembrar a nota que eu dei pro album:
    album mt bom, agora só escrever pra passar dos 75 caracteres.
  8. plw_
    Sep 24, 2021
    8
    Great production and versatility from an underrated artist. Excited to see what he does next. One of the best if not the best hip hop album this year.

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39
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