Thr!!!er
by !!! [Chik Chik Chik]
  • Record Label: Warp
  • Release Date: Apr 30, 2013
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
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  1. AllMusic
    Apr 29, 2013
    90
    The new looseness that runs through the grooves, the variety the additional voices bring, the very strong songs, and Eno' perfect production all add up as the album plays, and as a result, Thr!!!ler ranks as the band's best work to date. That also makes it one of the best modern dance punk records to date, right up there with LCD Soundsystem's best.
  2. PopMatters
    Apr 29, 2013
    80
    Goofy and smart in all the right ways, !!! has crafted a record that just puts a big, gaping smile on one’s face and feet a’ shufflin’.
  3. Uncut
    Apr 25, 2013
    70
    Recording session helmed by Spoon drummer Jim Eno drew the band out of their comfort zone, with generally positive results. [May 2013, p.65]
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  5. Under The Radar
    Apr 25, 2013
    65
    While the results are at times scintillating, it often feels like a thriller without quite enough killer. [Apr-May 2013, p.90]
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  6. Exclaim
    Apr 26, 2013
    80
    On THR!!!ER, !!! have finally found a happy medium between playful and goofy, epic and bloated, tongue-in-cheek and just plain chic.
  7. The A.V. Club
    Apr 30, 2013
    75
    A groove-heavy cool-club record that never takes on more than it can handle.
  8. The Line of Best Fit
    Apr 26, 2013
    85
    THR!!!LER is a significantly more organic record, one where picturing the band having the time of their lives bashing it out in a practice space requires no effort at all.
  9. Paste Magazine
    Apr 30, 2013
    72
    Whether the solidity the band endeavored to create is evident amongst the aural planes of Thr!!!er is debatable. Either way, it’s a monster of a dance-punk record, and a fine addition to the !!! canon.
  10. Clash Music
    Apr 26, 2013
    70
    Thr!!!er hits with a fresh, single-minded purpose.
  11. DIY Magazine
    Apr 25, 2013
    70
    It’s an album which sees the band taking new sounds and crafting songs in new ways. But this tightness and restraint is sometimes to the detriment of the songs.
  12. Alternative Press
    Apr 25, 2013
    70
    Thr!!!er is a party for sure, but you';; never really feel it unless you and 200 of your best friends are listening to it in an airplane hanger at 110 db. [May 2013, p.84]
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  13. No Ripcord
    May 9, 2013
    80
    Bottom line, this is a fun, solid output from !!!; a highly enjoyable trip with full cohesion, no true blunders, and at least three standouts on an album with only nine tracks.
  14. Boston Globe
    Apr 30, 2013
    80
    There are a couple of strutting blues-rock winners, a couple affected synth-rock stinkers, but most of the rest, like the infections “One Girl/One Boy,” flash new-wavy funk moves reminiscent of late Chic, early Prince, and prime Rick James.
  15. Filter
    May 22, 2013
    76
    Jim Eno wound them up and let them go to conjure the showy (“One Girl/One Boy”), the chatty (“Fine Fine Fine”), the high hippie-ish (“Californiyeah”) and mostly the buoyantly oddball without losing track of the band’s tense rhythms, nervous songcraft and all around raw silken soul.
  16. Pretty Much Amazing
    Apr 30, 2013
    67
    THR!!!ER is a remarkably fluid album, transitioning seamlessly between songs and only rarely getting mired in moments of subpar music.

Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Most Shared Album of 2013

User Reviews

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User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 14 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 1 out of 14
  1. QuarterClash
    May 1, 2013
    8
    have always been hit-and-miss, but when they're in fine form, they're one of the most danceable rock bands out there today. Much of Thr!!!er have always been hit-and-miss, but when they're in fine form, they're one of the most danceable rock bands out there today. Much of Thr!!!er shows the best side of while adding a more focused approach to their work that really pays off. The album flows really well from one track to the next while constantly mixing it up enough to keep things sounding fresh. The rhythm section is constantly on point as usual, which brings us some supremely danceable rock. In the past, this solid foundation has led to some droning and overindulgent jams, and while there are several points where they jam out, they are able to keep the jams meaningful and quit while they are ahead, so to speak. One of the big strengths of the album is that no one element is allowed to dominate the music or to repeat too often. In the past, has shown a poor ability to edit down their excesses, but they do a fantastic job throughout this album. I also appreciated the funkier tone that they lean heavier on with this album. They've always lightly flirted with funk elements, but here they adopt them to great effect that makes the album their most visceral and impactful yet.

    There is still some inconsistency that prevents the album from being an unqualified dance punk classic. In most songs, there is a synth piece, a poorly delivered vocal bit, or some embarassing lyrics that I didn't quite like, but luckily they don't stick around for too long and just serve as minor blemishes on some otherwise fantastic work. Also, I found "Get That Rhythm Right" to be a pretty mediocre song that wouldn't have stood out in !!!'s back catalog, but on their best album to date, it sticks out pretty sorely.

    On the whole, this just beats out Myth Takes as their best album to date. While it isn't a true dance punk classic, it gave me a lot of hope that they still have that future classic in them.    … Full Review »
  2. Geologist
    Apr 30, 2013
    9
    The album art of the dance-punk act's LP Thr!!!er portays the album perfectly, a record that belongs in some chilled out, nonchalant basementThe album art of the dance-punk act's LP Thr!!!er portays the album perfectly, a record that belongs in some chilled out, nonchalant basement party. It sounds more fresh, more crisp, and more danceable than the band's previous works. Influences from Depeche Mode, LCD Soundsystem and Foals are portrayed in this record. The tracks are undeniably catchy, and is enjoyable front to back. The guys really sound like they've done something new.… Full Review »
  3. MooziikMaster
    Apr 30, 2013
    9
    This was a very enjoyable album. It is the result of the creative capabilities of a dance punk group (very similar to LCD Soundsystem) and hasThis was a very enjoyable album. It is the result of the creative capabilities of a dance punk group (very similar to LCD Soundsystem) and has catchy tracks from start to finish. The highlights are: "Even When The Water's Cold", "One Boy/One Girl", "Slyd", and "Station (Meet Me At The)".… Full Review »
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