The Outsider
by DJ Shadow
User Score
4.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 46 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 46
  3. Negative: 23 out of 46

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  1. Pfillip
    Dec 21, 2006
    2
    Damn, man, why? I love DJ Shadow. That's the only reason I haven't burned this garbage in the microwave. I can't give him a 1 or 0 either, so here's my 2.
  2. ChoreoF
    Dec 20, 2006
    3
    the 3 is for effort and i could never give my numba 1 DJ a 0 but damn...this time it was hard. the album is easily comparable to Jay-Z's kingdom Come...high expectations, High let downs. And ditto to Andrew B, In full agreement! Josh, please leave the hyphy movement to the idiots tryin to market it to the east coast surburban kids and come back to the da bassment with da true hip hop heads.
  3. KidA
    Nov 23, 2006
    3
    definitely not worth the wait he better come out with something much better next time
  4. Stefan
    Nov 15, 2006
    0
    A terrible, terrible album. So many awful songs, but the ultimate worst is "Enuff" (#18). This has to be a joke. I want my money back Josh.
  5. DecepticonPom
    Oct 9, 2006
    2
    Heartbreakingly disappointing.
  6. AndrewB
    Oct 4, 2006
    0
    To get the record straight with the people praising this album : No, not all DJ Shadow lovers wanted Endtroducing 3. No, not all DJ Shadow lovers are narrow minded. What's important in a record? Creativity and emotion, and The Outsider is a big let down in both departments. Following trends isn't what you'd expect from a visionary like Josh Davis, just like hearing a song To get the record straight with the people praising this album : No, not all DJ Shadow lovers wanted Endtroducing 3. No, not all DJ Shadow lovers are narrow minded. What's important in a record? Creativity and emotion, and The Outsider is a big let down in both departments. Following trends isn't what you'd expect from a visionary like Josh Davis, just like hearing a song that sounds like bad Coldplay isn't what you like to hear when you are looking for independent and creative music. Most people with deep knowledge of hip hop culture will tell you that hyphy isn't the brightest marker in the box, and that the MC's flows on The Outsider are far from good. In the end, to each their own, but please don't tell us that this album is creative and original, because it isn't.… Expand
  7. JMo
    Sep 30, 2006
    1
    Shadow is following trends rather than setting them...nuff said.
  8. TylerD
    Sep 27, 2006
    2
    What happened to you Josh? Man. Endtroducing is in my top 5 of all times. Private press was cool too. What a let down!
  9. NIklasT
    Sep 26, 2006
    1
    i loved endtroducing, the product placement mix tapes, the private press, in tune and on time.. endtroducing is one of my favourite albums all time..and i really listen to a damn lot of music and artists. this album is such a disappointment...if the beats on the rap tracks were at least any good..
  10. BlackStatic
    Sep 24, 2006
    0
    This album is just awful. This is like a really bad hip-hop album, with a song from a completely different genre thrown in to destroy what tiny bit of cohesion that album almost had. I listen to everything from Cole Porter to Gorgoroth. There is no room for this in my collection. Very, very bad.
  11. weltact
    Sep 23, 2006
    0
    the biggest disappointment of 2006 r.i.p. shadow its enough
  12. TylerT
    Sep 19, 2006
    2
    I live for shadow, and this hurts my ears. Trash!
  13. John
    Sep 19, 2006
    0
    disappointment of the year for all DJ Shadow fans. Coldplay & Hyphy fans will adore it. Run for your life.
  14. matt
    Sep 16, 2006
    0
    this album is shit. either make a subpar rap album or dont. dont stick b.s tracks like broken levee blues and slow ambient tunes un with hyphy and one semi punk song. huge identity crisis here. i realize because of copyright laws he cant make another entroducing or pre emptive strike, but cmon. this album is horrible beyond belief
  15. PaulB
    Sep 14, 2006
    2
    Awful.
  16. [Anonymous]
    Sep 14, 2006
    1
    What happened?
  17. AlexA
    Sep 14, 2006
    2
    This is awful, I didn't expect such crap from Josh Davis.
  18. JoshJ
    Sep 14, 2006
    0
    I don't get any of the hyphy stuff on this record, I hope Josh doesn't make another record. Stick to spinning records at clubs, Josh.

Awards & Rankings

90
#90 Most Discussed Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
62

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 31
  3. Negative: 1 out of 31
  1. Rolling Stone
    70
    As a full-length Shadow album, The Outsider buckles from its forced diversity. [24 Aug 2006, p.94]
  2. Q Magazine
    70
    As 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]
  3. Tiny Mix Tapes
    80
    The Outsider screams to be downloaded in sections by fans of specific genres.
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