User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info
The Optimist LP Image
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 11 Ratings

  • Summary: The debut LP from Britain's Turin Brakes (whom the press have heralded as 2001's Coldplay) collects five tracks from previous EPs as well as seven new songs.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 9
  2. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. The Optimist LP is a treasure chest of sparkly baubles and rare gems, and from top to bottom it is precious and priceless.
  2. Here's music for the twilight hours - feverish, contemplative, nostalgic. It resonates with the force of a thousand passionate post-club conversations in darkened, smoke-filled rooms, of intense, doomed liaisons, of youthful arrogance undercut by fear and failure.
  3. After a first listen 'The Optimist LP' simply drifts over your head like yet another take on a well worn formula, but given a second chance reveals a glorious, often ornate sensibility that simply can't be ignored.
  4. Entertainment Weekly
    67
    Given the right melody... Turin Brakes make fragile, delicately understated music... But just as often, they're weighed down by draggy tunes and unintentionally amusing lyrics. [4 May 2001, p.69]
  5. Underlying The Optimist's base -- two complementary voices highlighted by beautifully executed acoustic guitar -- is Turin Brakes' bent existentialism, an expansive vision that adds a feeling of fatalism to many of these songs.
  6. Fans of new British bands like Gomez or Minibar should find plenty to like.
  7. 60
    Turin Brakes' music consists largely of the same kind of contemplative minor key laments that one might hope to hear from Elliott Smith...

See all 9 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. GavR
    Jun 23, 2005
    10
    This is a great acoustic album, which is only surpassed by it's follow up, ether song.
  2. Anon
    Apr 8, 2004
    10
    The CD is as close to perfection as is possible, Turin Brakes have managed to combine quality acoustic tunes and fantastic lyrics. And future The CD is as close to perfection as is possible, Turin Brakes have managed to combine quality acoustic tunes and fantastic lyrics. And future boy is a quality track. Collapse
  3. ColmP.
    Oct 23, 2001
    9
    I absolutely adore Turin Brakes. I basically couldn't listen to acoustic stuff @ home before this the only thing is I can't stand I absolutely adore Turin Brakes. I basically couldn't listen to acoustic stuff @ home before this the only thing is I can't stand future boy just yet hence the 9 and the fact nothing is perfect Expand