User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info

Tales From Turnpike House
by
Tales From Turnpike House Image
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 29 Ratings

  • Summary: Sarah Cracknell & co.'s latest is a concept album about the residents of a London high rise.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22
  1. The Guardian
    100
    Such sentiments are couched in consistently wonderful songwriting, surf's-up vocal harmonies... and lavish electro-pop.
  2. The A.V. Club
    91
    Turnpike is Saint Etienne's strongest record in years.
  3. Billboard
    90
    The trio has fine-tuned its sound, making it more complex and compelling. [14 Jan 2006]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. Pitchfork
    78
    The most fully-realized thing-- if not the most exciting one-- the band has released since 1994's Tiger Bay.
  5. Mojo
    70
    Well before David Essex provides a gruff guest turn on Relocate, you are entirely won over by this record, brimming with music from a postcode synonymous with class. [Jul 2005, p.106]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Slant Magazine
    70
    A modest triumph.
  7. Q Magazine
    30
    Three tracks in you realise with horror that [it] is a concept album. Worse, it's a concept album of kitchen-sink dramas about Tony The Milkman and Doris The Housewife set to Saint Etienne's dated indie disco. [Jul 2005, p.120]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 22 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. JaimeZ
    May 23, 2006
    10
    With any dubt about it, this is the first conceptual album from Saint Etienne and the best. Ethereal, danceable, nocturnal.
  2. DuncanM
    Jun 23, 2005
    10
    This is the sound of London on a sunny holiday weekend. This is such a happy, cool, charming record. It makes me smile every time I listen to it.
  4. BenS
    Oct 23, 2005
    10
    I bought Foxbase Alpha as a 15 year old in 1991, and now with this album they come up with a track like Teenage Winter that leaves me I bought Foxbase Alpha as a 15 year old in 1991, and now with this album they come up with a track like Teenage Winter that leaves me yearning to be back in that moment. This album is stunning and, I think, their best. Hope it's not the last.… Expand
  5. CalvinHobbes
    Jun 30, 2005
    9
    This is the album for my next lazy days on a beach in the southest italian island... (I also bought Cooder's Chavez Ravine: wonderful).
  6. JeffT
    Apr 10, 2006
    9
    I admit, TFTH is not an easy listen. But oh, did it ever grow on me (Ok, well not the bizaare "Relocate" -- thank GOD it was removed from US I admit, TFTH is not an easy listen. But oh, did it ever grow on me (Ok, well not the bizaare "Relocate" -- thank GOD it was removed from US version)!! Now it's one of my favorite albums of the year!… Expand
  7. JasonL
    Jan 31, 2006
    9
    Very good, very smooth with a couple of standouts. Q Magazine should be dumped from Metacritic. Who writes this drivel?
  8. ToddR
    Feb 7, 2006
    4
    Stiff, stodgy, and heavily dated, this album is perfect proof that they should've retired years ago.

See all 20 User Reviews

Current Music Releases

Full List »
99 Band on the Run [50th Anniversary Edition] - Paul McCartney & Wings
95 If I don't make it, I love u - Still House Plants
95 The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow - Charles Lloyd
91 COWBOY CARTER - Beyoncé
91 The Carnegie Hall Concert - Alice Coltrane
91 Funeral for Justice - Mdou Moctar
91 Here in the Pitch - Jessica Pratt
90 Iechyd Da - Bill Ryder-Jones
90 This Could Be Texas - English Teacher
89 I Got Heaven - Mannequin Pussy
89 Tigers Blood - Waxahatchee
89 All Born Screaming - St. Vincent
88 What Now - Brittany Howard
88 Only God Was Above Us - Vampire Weekend
88 Hey Panda - The High Llamas
88 Orquídeas - Kali Uchis
88 The Past Is Still Alive - Hurray for the Riff Raff
87 Filthy Underneath - Nadine Shah
87 i/o - Peter Gabriel
87 Blue Lips - ScHoolboy Q
All Current Music »