The Third Hand
by RJD2
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 28
  3. Negative: 4 out of 28
  1. AllMusic
    70
    Two skills he has mastered in the past, mood and texture, make this record especially good.
  2. Alternative Press
    90
    That's why artists like RJD2 are important: They're brave, they're risk takers, and modern music needs more of them. [Apr 2007, p.192]
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  3. Filter
    90
    The one-man result: breezy soul tracks with pop structures, chill vocals and a grab bag of flourishes recalling everything from McCartney to Prince.
  5. No Ripcord
    80
    While the record isn’t perhaps as instantly impressive as Scale or Multiply, there’s much to enjoy on The Third Hand for an appreciator of the finer points of this thing we call pop music.
  6. Paste Magazine
    70
    The record loses momentum when its latter half settles into decompressed electronica, but RJD2's daring innovation and unconventional melodies are enough to cement his reputation as hip-hop's most adventurous musical astronaut. [Mar 2007, p.63]
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  7. Prefix Magazine
    65
    With experimentation comes error.
  8. Q Magazine
    70
    An unexpected treat. [Apr 2007, p.122]
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  9. Sputnikmusic
    70
    His conception of melody and harmony is well above the average hip-hop artist, but the album as a whole is very flat and boring.
  10. The A.V. Club
    67
    Too much of The Third Hand is bland and undistinguished.
  11. Uncut
    70
    It's essentially a pop record--albeit a complex and cleverly arranged one. [Apr 2007, p.115]
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  12. Urb
    70
    Sometimes the '70s feel gets feeling hella silly. [Mar 2007, p.96]
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User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 22 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 22
  3. Negative: 7 out of 22
  1. GradyL
    Apr 23, 2007
    9
    Finally someone with enough balls to come out of the closet and finally produce a new sound. The beats are still RJD2's unequaled sounds Finally someone with enough balls to come out of the closet and finally produce a new sound. The beats are still RJD2's unequaled sounds but he does add pop to it. Yea he's new to this so the songwriting is lacking a lot. But if you like listening to each album for what it is, this is an album worth checking out. If you're looking for someone who sounds exactly the same each time go listen to something else.… Full Review »
  2. EricC
    Apr 9, 2007
    3
    pretty bad.
  3. YJ
    Mar 25, 2007
    4
    And yet another Brilliant underground Hip-hop star producer who decides that he has enough talent to become a pop songster, turning his back And yet another Brilliant underground Hip-hop star producer who decides that he has enough talent to become a pop songster, turning his back to his previous work: Results: Uninspired songwriting, bad singing, and terribly boring pop songs. It is amazing how sych a brilliant producer can be so deaf to his own shortcomings. Luckily, other brilliant artists like Amon Tobin and Aphex Twin haven't decided to go pop and still stick to what they do best.. let's keep our fingers crossed.… Full Review »
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