The Sunset Tree - The Mountain Goats
The Sunset Tree Image
Metascore
83 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 28 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.3 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 27 Ratings

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0 out of 10
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  • Summary: John Darnielle recorded this 13-track Mountain Goats disc with the help of musicians John Vanderslice, Peter Hughes, Franklin Bruno and Scott Solter.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. Stylus Magazine
    100
    The Sunset Tree is one of the most volatile, affecting and coherent records he’s made yet.
  2. No Ripcord
    80
    There’s so much here to enjoy, we can tolerate the occasional lyrical overreach.
  3. PopMatters
    80
    The emotions on The Sunset Tree are raw. It's a testament to Darnielle's abilities that he reins in those emotions enough to create such a powerful and coherent exhibit of his internal life.
  4. New Musical Express (NME)
    60
    If you've ever wondered what growing up in middle-class 1970s America would have been like, these deeply personal revelations are for you. [30 Apr 2005, p.64]
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See all 28 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. ScottH
    10
    A record written to extricate Darnielles pain over his abusive stepfather. Remorse for his silenced mother, and how not even death can free you from everything.… Expand
  2. TonyR
    10
    Simply goodness all around from start to finish, to talk about just one song and leave others out would be bad on my part its one of my all time favorite albums and I can only wish more people would listen to it.… Expand
  3. FelixA
    10
    Brilliant. Simply Brilliant. One of the most touching albums I have ever listened to.
  4. db0928
    8
    I am a huge, huge mountain goats fan; with that being said, this is actually one of my least favorite Mountain Goats albums. But, that doesn't change the fact that it's a mountain goats album, which means that even if its lackluster in comparison to, say, All Hail West Texas or We Shall All be Healed, it's still phenomenal; "Dance Music", "Broom People", "This Year", and "Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod" are all standout tracks. This is a heart-wrenchingly intimate album, which is both its greatest strength, and one of its few minor pitfalls at times. All in all, though, a solid album in a career defined by masterpieces.… Expand

See all 14 User Reviews

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