The World Only Ends When You Die
by Skyway Man
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 22 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22
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  1. Dizzyd2323
    Jan 14, 2021
    9
    I didnt know what to expect before my first listen, but was instantly captured by Muddy Waters, and with each continuous listen this one gets better and better. It tells a story that eerily relates to my current stage in life.
  2. lonesomevee
    Jan 20, 2021
    10
    Obsessed with this record. What a singular, rewarding journey. 2020's saving grace.
  3. acjoven
    Jan 20, 2021
    9
    Strap in and take a ride through the Cosmos of our psyches. The sonic landscapes can sound alien at times, yet gel into a feeling that yes, this strange landscape could be home. The music sounds as if it’s always existed and even though it’s new, you’ve always been here with it.
  4. Tyztv2
    Jan 20, 2021
    10
    breath of fresh air and exactly the type of album I needed in my life right now! Don't sleep on this!
  5. Mccusky
    Jan 21, 2021
    9
    One of the best albums I've heard in a long time, a breath of fresh air, great full sound
  6. halofan27
    Jan 22, 2021
    9
    Fantastic songwriting, pleasing melodies and above all a ton of fun. This deserves to be better known! Fans of John Lennon, Flaming Lips, and/or Father John Misty are going to find a ton to love here
  7. GuitarPen
    Feb 6, 2021
    9
    James Wallace, singer, songwriter, and producer behind Skyway Man describes his third studio album, The World Only Ends When You Die, as "a spinning disc flashing the finest examples of cosmological country and sci-fi gospel blues." If that's not enough to give it a listen, I don't know what is. After I did, I found his description quite apt. There's a lot of soul here, a lot of good oleJames Wallace, singer, songwriter, and producer behind Skyway Man describes his third studio album, The World Only Ends When You Die, as "a spinning disc flashing the finest examples of cosmological country and sci-fi gospel blues." If that's not enough to give it a listen, I don't know what is. After I did, I found his description quite apt. There's a lot of soul here, a lot of good ole fireside foot-stomping, and enough howls at the moon to make the wolves think you're one of their own.

    Songs such as "Night Walking, Alone," "Sometimes Darkness…," and "Common Void" reveal the sonic easiness of early My Morning Jacket while "Muddy Water" is so early Dylan-esque it feels as if it belongs on one of the New Basement Tapes Dylan cover albums alongside Marcus Mumford's "Going Back to Kansas City."

    The World Only Ends When You Die is construed by the artist as a cinematic psych-folk opera about a person rendered incapable of coping with an uncertain reality following a near-death experience. Under a spell of mixed wisdom by several "trickster guides" hailing from the future, they leap back into the world of the dead only to spend a hero's journey climbing out, finally returning to the strange American existence of 2020.

    After Wallace's lyrics seep into the listener's consciousness, a realization sets in that while the struggles we've all faced within the uncertainty of 2020 have hardened us, that hardening has also left us stronger and better prepared to take on whatever the future brings.

    "Muddy water like a piece of ancient church glass flowing. We're on the darkest stretch, but the bend ahead is glowing."

    "Sometimes darkness in the mind, sometimes it leaves us."

    "Don't feel bad about being alive. Sometimes the ship rocks you side-to-side. Some hold tightly, some watch the moonrise bobbing up and down in the water."

    I've given this album a good ten listens, and the beauty of it doesn't fade after two or three. In fact, the more I listen, it seems the more I discover. A welcome start to the 2021 year in music.    … Expand
  8. Cloudocows
    Jan 20, 2021
    8
    This music just makes you FEEL GOOD. Some songs have you singing along in the first few listens. And others grow over time, revealing gorgeous compositions with surprising instruments and definitive movements. The blend of influences is all over the place. Some are straight up gospel with a twang of folk/Americana. Some almost reggae. And it all feels like a very well composed andThis music just makes you FEEL GOOD. Some songs have you singing along in the first few listens. And others grow over time, revealing gorgeous compositions with surprising instruments and definitive movements. The blend of influences is all over the place. Some are straight up gospel with a twang of folk/Americana. Some almost reggae. And it all feels like a very well composed and deliberate collection. You would think it was written as a rock opera or short film. I can’t stop listening.… Expand
  9. Amanderine
    Jan 21, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. James Wallace is an incredibly talented musician who makes music that is somehow comfortingly familiar all the while being truly innovative. I love this album and that it makes me feel like I’m in an ethereal Americana dream. It has moments that touch on nostalgia and sadness but is ultimately completely joyful. The world is always a slightly brighter place when the album is over… Expand
  10. the_music_ma
    Jan 21, 2021
    10
    This whole album is what I imagine it would be like if I had a most fantastical dream about songs I grew up on. I keep asking myself, is this an old standard gospel tune? Or straight-up classic rock and roll? Or is it the music of an entirely different dimension in a another universe? I don't know what it is, but I do know I like it.
  11. Aerodye
    Jan 25, 2021
    9
    Phenomenal composition and mesmerizing lyrical genius. The way this music feels nostalgic and futuristic at the same time is fascinating. Erie just how relatable this album is to our times.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88

Universal acclaim - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Mojo
    Jan 12, 2021
    80
    A suite of songs involving a character returning from a near-death experience, it works just as well without the plot. Still, there are twists and turns aplenty. [Jan 2021, p.91]
  2. AllMusic
    Jan 12, 2021
    90
    It's heady stuff, but Wallace and company imbue the proceedings with so much heart and soul -- and considerable pop acumen -- that the compulsion to hear and see where this sci-fi Canterbury Tales will go next never abates.
    Read full review
  3. musicOMH.com
    Jan 12, 2021
    90
    With The World Only Ends When You Die, Skyway Man has come up with a boldly visionary record that is bursting with ideas and provides unexpected twists and turns at every corner.
    Read full review
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