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The Outsider is a carefully crafted, artistically elusive mess -- far more scattershot than even his first UNKLE record (Psyence Fiction), but much more interesting for its excellent productions.
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While it’s a bit hit and miss, the sheer bullishness of this album is impressive.
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More often than not, even Shadow's most extreme sonic detours hit home.
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Distraught longtime fans can take comfort in the gothic ire of the Banner-fronted, Hurricane Katrina–lamenting “Seein’ Thangs” and the ambling blues-hop storytelling of Phonte Coleman on “Backstage Girl,” but little else can be salvaged from the wreckage of Shadow’s abruptly imploding talent.
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Contrary to the way he's been perceived, Shadow has never been anything other than passionate about hip hop, and "The Outsider" is his love letter to the genre, revelling in all its myriad excesses.
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The cadre of eclectic guest appearances... make it seem like this record would play more like a mix tape, but Shadow pulls it off, and for the most part, each of the guest artists deliver the goods.
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Entertainment WeeklyA jarring journey. [22 Sep 2006, p.94]
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MagnetA draining listen due to its scatterbrained ideas and patchy sequencing. [#73, p.106]
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MojoTough to take in one sitting, The Outsider nevertheless boasts enough fine 'deep cuts' to be a keeper. [Sep 2006, p.98]
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This is a fascinating record that will initially bewilder, but rewards repeated listens.
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New Musical Express (NME)Here, ultimately, the DJ remains resolutely in the background. ANd that was never the point. [16 Sep 2006, p.35]
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Problem is, the odd hodge-podge of tracks have no apparent connection to each other and certainly don't make for a coherent statement or even a decent mixtape.
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Shadow's head scratching choice of singers detract from the potency of his fluid beats.
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Paste MagazineHis work here seems scattered and gimmicky. [Oct 2006, p.75]
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This album should alienate virtually everyone who's ever been a Shadow fan.
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Aside from track sequencing issues... and dodgy indie geezers, 'The Outsider' is a great album and well worth the wait.
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I suspect that it will be one of those albums that people might dismiss today but will go back to in six months or six years, in the process rediscovering a treasure trove of interesting music.
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The Outsider shouldn't be framed as the second coming of a masterpiece but as a stepping-stone.
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Q MagazineAs ever, The Outsider's production is immaculate. But by frontloading the album with forbidding hip hop, [Shadow] knows he's driving away the floating voter. [Sep 2006, p.106]
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Despite the presence of some must-hear rap tracks, it's hard to justify the purchase if you are paying for only about half an album.
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Rolling StoneAs a full-length Shadow album, The Outsider buckles from its forced diversity. [24 Aug 2006, p.94]
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The Outsider is a mix tape. The artful flow that defined Endtroducing and The Private Press has been eschewed in favor of individual tracks, and the album succeeds or fails along these lines.
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SpinSlinging new styles and innovating them are separate matters. [Oct 2006, p.100]
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Great ideas abound--it’s just that they stumble on their face.
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While the hyphy tracks might scare some people off, they are the record's undoubted highlights.
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It’s hard to imagine anyone going for the whole album, because it doesn’t hold together. [18 Sep 2006]
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The Outsider screams to be downloaded in sections by fans of specific genres.
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UncutAs brave as it is diverse. [Oct 2006, p.104]
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Under The RadarDespite its lapses and awkward moments, The Outsider feels like the turntablist’s attempt to loosen up and venture away from a recognizable aural framework. [#15]
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UrbWhere Shadow ultimately sutmbles is on the britpop tip. [Oct 2006, p.116]
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VibeOccasionally, the chemistry is thrilling... Mostly, though, Shadow picks collaborators allergic to subtlety. [Oct 2006, p.143]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 17 out of 46
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Mixed: 6 out of 46
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Negative: 23 out of 46
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ChoreoFDec 20, 2006
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Jan 3, 2021
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Aug 8, 2014