Swoon
by Silversun Pickups
Metascore
64

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21
  1. New Musical Express (NME)
    90
    Swoon is a bit of a dying whale of a record. In a good way; vast, dark, a little mysterious, sad, dignified and palpably in pain.
  2. Los Angeles Times
    88
    If Swoon isn't quite this year's "Tusk," the Silversun Pickups are exploring fresh territory of their own and keeping it easy to follow.
  3. Sputnikmusic
    80
    It's intimate, accessible, and--Pumpkins comparisons aside--fairly unique in today's scene. What more could one ask for?
  5. Dot Music
    80
    It would be thrilling to hear a Silversun Pickups record which finally shakes off all their influences and creates something entirely their own. Swoon isn't quite that record, but it takes them closer to that goal, and is a seductive, intricate thing of beauty in itself.
  6. Filter
    80
    Heavier, headier, and roaring with a kind of rock assault unimaginable from its first, the band lays it all on the table from the get-go. [Spring 2009, p. 91]
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  7. The A.V. Club
    75
    It lacks some of Carnavas’ instant pleasures, but Swoon finds Silversun Pickups on the right path.
  8. musicOMH.com
    70
    Swoon, then, is a mixed listening experience, with the solemnity and over-seriousness of the general tone and the occasionally grating nature of that voice being more or less mitigated by some lovely melodies and first-rate guitar riffs.
  9. Rolling Stone
    70
    Swoon improves on the Pickups' 2006 debut, Carnavas, with less slavish writing and more articulated dynamics.
  10. Spin
    70
    The Pickups also pile on the sophomore-album enhancements here, deepening a sound that scarcely wanted for depth beforehand.
  11. Blender
    70
    Aubert’s dude-sings-like-a-lady tenor conjures false hope for a relationship he knows is doomed. SSPU salute misery as a kind of ideal, the opposite of love but just as beautiful.
  12. Delusions of Adequacy
    70
    The fuzzed out riffage and ethereal interludes are in place, but Swoon lacks the diverse textures, clever lyrics, and emotional depth that the Pumpkins honed over a 10 year span. And this is as it should be.
  13. Entertainment Weekly
    67
    We are left with not so much a Pickup as a throwback: agreeable, but never truly unmissable.

Awards & Rankings

40
#40 Most Shared Album of 2009

User Reviews

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User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 55 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 55
  3. Negative: 3 out of 55
  1. michaelkmadsen
    Feb 13, 2014
    10
    The Puckups, well, pick up a lot of flack for sounding like Gish-y Pumpkins, but this album has an atmosphere- a density- that calls to mind aThe Puckups, well, pick up a lot of flack for sounding like Gish-y Pumpkins, but this album has an atmosphere- a density- that calls to mind a Kevin Shields production. Still, solid songwriting and the ability to manipulate mood really shine through the dense sonic fog. "The Royal We" is our favorite track, but "Panic Switch" gets the most attention, perhaps for its urgent delivery. Overall, Swoon tastefully serves up a well-balanced tracklist, leaving the listener full after 51 minutes of flavor. Producer Dave Cooley seems to be the secret ingredient as evidenced by the lack of flavor in SSP's Cooley-free third album. So, don't write reviews when you're hungry, but do pickup this album and listen all the way through.… Full Review »
  2. Palp
    May 25, 2012
    9
    Swoon is the album that made me love SSPU. From the emotional "Growing Old Is Getting Old" to the upbeat, distortion and effects-heavy "PanicSwoon is the album that made me love SSPU. From the emotional "Growing Old Is Getting Old" to the upbeat, distortion and effects-heavy "Panic Switch", this album is fantastic. My only gripe is that I felt "Surrounded" was a somewhat average song in an almost perfect record, which brought down the score a bit for me. This is still one of my favorite albums and I would recommend this record to anyone and everyone.… Full Review »
  3. blisss
    Jun 11, 2011
    10
    This is the best album ever! The vocals are great! The songs are amazing and well written! The cd is pure gold and the only cd (not countingThis is the best album ever! The vocals are great! The songs are amazing and well written! The cd is pure gold and the only cd (not counting metacritic cause i rate it different on here) that ive given a 10… Full Review »
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