• Record Label: Sub Pop
  • Release Date: Sep 24, 2002
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 37 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 37
  2. Negative: 2 out of 37

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  1. BenjaminE
    Aug 27, 2004
    9
    Subdued, composed, and solid... All around a wonderful album.
  2. lelllell
    Nov 19, 2005
    10
    i love it!
  3. Wes
    Jan 9, 2005
    10
    Amazing. Deep as a river, and true. Heartfelt poetry about mothers, love, regret, and southern living. (The reality, not the myth.) The guitar is gentle, but the lyrics can cut like a rusty knife.
  4. coy
    May 7, 2005
    9
    I must admit it's an adquired taste, at first you may not like it, but...just give it a couple of listenings, let it sink in and slowly it will grow in you.
  5. YngwieM
    Oct 31, 2003
    9
    Beautiful, if I met a girl that didn't like this I wouldn't want her. 10 for me has godlike powers..don't know if I ever heard a 10, but this as close as I need in this life.
  6. chadc
    Mar 31, 2003
    9
    This is a fantastic album which does not even do credit to Samuel Beam's talent. His voice is a little bit scratchy on the recording but live he is absolutely amazing. Anyone who likes fingerpicking and folk music should check this album out. Upwards Over the Mountain is one of the better songs I have heard in a long while.
  7. jasont
    Nov 22, 2004
    9
    This is not your typical folk music. I would categorize it more in the singer/ songwriter category. Another category it falls into is one of the best albums of the last few years. I guarantee this will be hard to put down once you give it a listen.
  8. KurtF
    Jul 30, 2004
    2
    I didn't get it. Maybe it's just me. Everyone else seems to like it.
  9. SethC
    Nov 18, 2005
    10
    Sam Beam's finest hour. The hushed home production compliments his songs much better than his later, duller albums.
  10. drewi
    Nov 26, 2005
    10
    good stuff
  11. Jack
    Feb 9, 2005
    9
    Very good album. The lyrics of many of the songs are great. Beam's vocals are soothing and simply amazing.
  12. LM
    Jan 20, 2008
    6
    Pretty dull, uninspired lyrics, do your self a favour and get a couple of andrew bird albums instead.
  13. BrianF.
    Jan 27, 2009
    10
    Simply the best album I have ever owned. Musically gorgeous, lyrically brilliant, and grippingly sincere. Buy this now.
  14. kylen
    Nov 26, 2005
    10
    great music
  15. brandonfromSC
    Feb 24, 2005
    10
    must have. only if u like amazing music.
  16. melodyf
    Aug 25, 2006
    10
    my favorite album
  17. Sep 14, 2017
    9
    Besides being a nice work, it is also full of meaning with a beautiful poetry. An excellent album to listen to both on a sunny spring day and on a rainy winter day.
Metascore
87

Universal acclaim - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 14
  2. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. 90
    Spartan and unadorned, the naked sincerity of the record is heartbreaking.
  2. The ambiguity in the songs adds to their haunting quality.
  3. An album of quiet, introspective folk music.