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Onelinedrawing, in general, may be a bit too saccharine for some listeners, and it lacks the classic power pop levity of a Brendan Benson or Weakerthans, but The Volunteers is a wildly inventive record that can stand tall beside earnest peers like Saves the Day's In Reverie.
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Even while it's unfortunately anticlimatic, The Volunteers is a fine record, and a welcome addition to the modern singer/songwriter canon.
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It's got tunes and inspiration to spare, and its genuine modesty chips away at your resistance.
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Rolling StoneMatranga has a warm, whispery voice and an eagerness to please, giving him some of the huggable-rock-star appeal of an Eddie Vedder or Chris Carrabba. [10 Jun 2004, p.91]
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Its one of those growers. The lyrics are clever. The running-order is immaculately conceived - it's practically a concept album.
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Entertainment WeeklyOne of the most expansive "punk" records in recent memory: hushed vocals, toy pianos, and weird drum-machine beats, alongside soaring (and often howling) rock. [Listen 2 This supplement, Mar 2004, p.12]
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Alternative PressAn organic burst of music and melody that is Matranga's best work yet. [Apr 2004, p.84]
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Where The Volunteers falls down, surprisingly, is in the excessively slick production. Despite the ethos and lyrics, musically this is not the handmade, indie effort you might expect.
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BlenderThe best songs here brace his vulnerability with expansive flourishes. [Apr 2004, p.134]
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Hes able to craft songs that are touching without becoming seriously over-sensitive.
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Striped of its proto-emo veneer this is sterling stuff, which - although fraught with angst - is run through with a mellow, humbling tone that is as infectious and accessible as it is true to hardcores staunch code of ethical values.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 4 out of 5
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Mixed: 1 out of 5
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Negative: 0 out of 5
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NicolasKApr 18, 2004un son relaxant avec une voix superbe
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ryannMar 30, 2004extremely overwhelming in its honesty. this represents what music should be about : love.