The Hair, The TV, The Baby & The Band Image
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Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critics What's this?

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  • Summary: After a five-year hiatus, the San Francisco band returns with their fourth album.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 16
  2. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Imperial Teen have again made one of the best records of the year.
  2. 80
    When the Teens youthfully chime in behind sheepish disclosures, it's like they’re arguing that a baby seat in the tour van doesn’t have to slow down the ride. And quite often, they prove it too.
  3. The record is something of a rehash of "On" and a small step down from that album's focused energy and brilliant pop mechanics. [Summer 2007, p.74]
  4. 60
    It's quite fun picking off the trio's various folk-pop influences, with traces of The Mamas & The Papas, Astrud Gilberto and Natalie Merchant filtering through the mix. [Jan 2008, p.90]

See all 16 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. ChampiodiP.
    9
    Imperial Teen were never a band of big sounds. This album though sees them stripped down even further with an almost lo-fi quality and I say quality as this album could be their Masterpiece. Stuttering tempos and beautiful short snappy melodies, wonderfully free flowing anthems indie-rock anthems (opf the highest order), low budget glorious indiepop this is throughout, tinged with typical Bottum humour exceptional pop music. Expand
  2. JC
    8
    Classic Imperial Teen. Moves mostly between the sounds of "On" ('Do It Better' is a close kin to 'Sugar') and "What Is Not To Love". "What You Do" is probably their best bittersweet closer yet. Good to have them back. Expand