- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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At the purest of all levels, this is a presentation of sound in detail, which, to listen to carefully reveals surprise after surprise.
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Matmos have created something dense, complex, puzzling and potentially meaningless to anyone but themselves and those who listen to music with their head instead of their gut, their hips or their feet.
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There are a few moments when the concept's cooler than the result, but in general The Rose Has Teeth's experiments result in frenetic dance tracks doubling as reading lists.
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Even if it's not as cohesive as their two previous albums, it's some of their best (and certainly most ambitious) work.
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Challenging, ingenious, electronic surrealism for the brain and ears.
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As with the conceptual aspect, knowing the peculiar provenance of the noises on The Rose Has Teeth is actually supplemental to one's enjoyment of this suite... which stands alone as an enthralling aural experience.
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It’s both business as usual and their most complex set of ideas to date.
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Matmos have created a digital manifestation of their own personality, one that would be done more justice through psychoanalysis than musical description.
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It’s rare that a band broadens their musical scope while offering a more intimate glimpse into their influences in one fell swoop, but Matmos do that here.
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Graced by a new lightness of touch and simply better as programmers, the two friends behind Matmos sound loose and lively where they once sounded stiff.
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Alternative PressFascinating as it is, Matmos' complex creative process would be for naught if it didn't generate music you want to hear more than once. [Jul 2006, p.208]
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MojoA record sensational only in the best ways. [Jun 2006, p.103]
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UncutBy turns poppy, cerebral and conceptually cute. [Jun 2006, p.106]
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Somewhat self-indulgent, it's remarkably listenable considering some of the "instruments" used.
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With The Rose... Matmos have created a work that fuses music and concept art, and doesn't sound like a terrible pretentious mess. It's an achievement that deserves your attention.
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The WireThis is a remarkably rich and complex achievement. [#267, p.52]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 7 out of 9
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Mixed: 1 out of 9
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Negative: 1 out of 9
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MaryHJul 4, 2006Extraordinary concept album-- well beyond my already-high expectations. Plus, the album art is to die for.
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marcosJun 8, 2006Weak and boring.
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DaveAMay 27, 2006Time for these guys to put their foot in their mouth.