The Altar
by Banks
  • Record Label: Harvest
  • Release Date: Sep 30, 2016
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 199 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 178 out of 199
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 199
  3. Negative: 11 out of 199
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  1. markosaric
    Nov 2, 2019
    6
    BANKS does what she does best with a new album of haunting ballads, but most of the songs on the last leg sound like things we've already heard before.

Awards & Rankings

47
#47 Most Discussed Album of 2016
99
#99 Most Shared Album of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Clash Music
    Oct 12, 2016
    70
    The Altar is more textured and artful than ‘Goddess’, BANKS growing into her role as a writer, upholding the sensual melancholia that characterised her debut. Yet, it still feels as if BANKS is fine-tuning her sound.
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  2. Pitchfork
    Oct 12, 2016
    51
    The Altar has a lot in common with Goddess, including its fatal flaw: its attempts to position Banks as edgy or dangerous, despite all musical evidence to the contrary.
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  3. PopMatters
    Oct 5, 2016
    60
    The high points of The Altar are nearly perfect, but these are outnumbered by a massive middle section comprised of unremarkable, uninspired filler.
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