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The Satanic Satanist
by
The Satanic Satanist Image
Metascore
79

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

User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 37 Ratings

  • Summary: The rock quartet from Alaska, now based in Portland, Oregon, releases its fourth album.

Top Track

The Sun
If you look real high you just might find Sitting in the stars, glistening, glistening Waiting for the band to come Just waiting for that man to... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    91
    Combining Motown falsettos and the best of late-'60s groove rock with spacey loops and hipster-art-collective ?sing-alongs, they deliver a sound that's friendly and familiar without being derivative; it's a sort of retrofitted make-out van on a club crawl.
  2. Boston Globe
    80
    Rather than indulging the impulse to ride grooves this mellow off into the sunset, the band keeps one eye trained on the meter (most songs clock in under three minutes), while the other drifts off into the clouds, like on the ’60s-era antiwar singalong 'People Say.'
  3. Billboard
    80
    The Satanic Satanist constructs an exquisite medium between indie music and hard rock.
  4. Alternative Press
    80
    The band are able to overcome the production errors through Gourley's elastic vocal counterpoint, bassist Zachary Scott Carothers' pocket-groping lines and licks so gooey they recall a time when Keith Richards could speak in complete sentences. [Aug 2009, p.110]
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  5. Filter
    74
    Where do these ever-evolving Portlanders go from here? It's anyone's guess, but their latest effort sends them off in the right direction. [Summer 2009, p.106]
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  6. Under The Radar
    70
    The result is a (surprisingly) coherent and effective soul-and-funk-inspired album that doesn't try to overstep itself. [Summer 2009, p.62]
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  7. Pitchfork
    65
    While it's certainly enjoyable, it's also a bit more generic than anything they've done before.

See all 9 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. mfslgoop
    Aug 27, 2013
    10
    Don't let the name of this album scare you away. This album is pure gold. This album is the sun to your earth. This album is the air to yourDon't let the name of this album scare you away. This album is pure gold. This album is the sun to your earth. This album is the air to your lungs. This album is the laughter to your child. Seriously. Every single track on this album is beautiful.… Expand
  2. TomasC.
    Aug 29, 2009
    10
    This album makes my day so happy and so powerfull. Please do yourself a favor and listen to this album, is Mindblowing.
  4. JasonM
    Aug 14, 2009
    10
    A very well don't album by one of the best upcoming bands.
  5. Bwippel
    Jan 6, 2011
    10
    "People Say" is a great song to start the album on. From there the transitions from song to song flow immaculately. makes it really easy to"People Say" is a great song to start the album on. From there the transitions from song to song flow immaculately. makes it really easy to hit hit play and listen to the whole album in one shot. can't say much for "Work All Day". the message is pretty simple; don't get stuck in a rut where you work all day and all night and have no time for a life, and eventually you die sad and lonely. "Lovers in Love" is, in my opinion, the best song on the album by far. Percussions and violin add to the fast paced nature of the song. has a great story, I feel like I could break the law to this song and get away with it (but I won't). After that, is popular Portugal. the man song, "The Sun". I was impressed with this song for a few reasons, the harmonious singing was very well done, especially at 1:45 into the song where the guitar adds a generous boost of good feelings for the song and the singers.The Synth adds nicely to the structured chaos towards the end of the song. I recommend this song as a first listen for Portugal. The Man. It makes you feel great. "The Home" is my least favorite song on the album. It's relatively slow, unlike the rest of the album and the guitar solo kills it for me, it sounds flat and uninteresting (no offence to anyone who likes happens to like the song). "The Woods" is a bad-ass song to make love to. the triangle stroke at the end of the drum line always caught my attention and I begun to enjoy it. Vocals and bass work very nicely together, vocals are the best in this song on the album. I wish "Guns & Dogs" was longer cause its a great example of the style of the album. It's mellow and retro and holds an "in your face" attitude. "Do You" has a great story to it, I find it to be a little religious but I don't think the intention is to promote Christianity, rather the nature of the song. The third verse in the song provides a key-changing resolution for the rest of the song. Great part. "Everyone is Golden" starts nicely, but then by the chorus it gets a little dry for me with its stop and go melody which follows to the end. Not one of the better songs on the album. The next song, "Let You Down", was a nice piece, it doesn't follow the rest of the album however. I feel like it should have been better truly acoustic rather than using small time, cheap effects. That's just me though. "Mornings" is a very subtle song. Again, the use of small time add in and cheap effects in some parts. However, a very interesting guitar part presents itself around 1:30 and then another solo at 2:50 comes graciously in sweeps you away. This album never got the recognition it deserves and neither does Portugal. The Man. One of my favorite albums of all time! worth the time to listen to it like I have done countless times.… Expand
  6. DavidD
    Aug 11, 2009
    9
    Awesome album. Probably my favorite of the year so far!
  7. Towern
    Jun 22, 2013
    9
    This is the perfect balance between the TRUE Portugal. The Man and more commercial music! Well done!
    Still nothing beats Censored Colors!    This is the perfect balance between the TRUE Portugal. The Man and more commercial music! Well done!
    Still nothing beats Censored Colors! That album is SICK!    … Expand
  8. SergioV
    May 13, 2016
    7
    75/100. Starts off really strong, and kind of trails off at the end. However, a very enjoyable album from start to finish regardless. Best75/100. Starts off really strong, and kind of trails off at the end. However, a very enjoyable album from start to finish regardless. Best tracks are "People Say", "The Sun", and "Everyone is Golden".… Expand

Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Most Shared Album of 2009

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