User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info
Three Chords Good Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
tbd

No user score yet- Awaiting 1 more rating

  • Summary: Graham Parker reunites with his British rock band, The Rumour, after more than 30 years for this 12-track album produced with Dave Cook.
Buy Now
Buy on
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Nov 20, 2012
    80
    The expert elastic roots rock of the Rumour gives his songs depth, making Three Chords Good the rare reunion that simultaneously looks back while living in the present
  2. Oct 30, 2013
    80
    Parker’s rarely been in better voice, buoyed by the presence of old friends intuitive to his innermost thoughts and intentions.
  3. Nov 26, 2012
    80
    It's the sound of songwriter matched to band that makes this record so deliriously good.
  4. Q Magazine
    Oct 16, 2013
    80
    Not so much a comeback, more a welcome back. [Nov 2013, p.114]
  5. Classic Rock Magazine
    Oct 25, 2013
    80
    Coathangers drives home the prevailing sense of compositional attitude meeting musical affirmation. Bravo! [Nov 2013, p.88]
  6. Nov 20, 2012
    70
    The words may be jagged, yet the music is rarely less than supple.
  7. Nov 20, 2012
    70
    The result? Another record--and a good one--very much like the records Parker has been making for the past decade.

See all 9 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. Nov 21, 2012
    10
    Graham Parker is both one of the most under-appreciated artists of the past 35 + years as well as one of the most consistently great over thatGraham Parker is both one of the most under-appreciated artists of the past 35 + years as well as one of the most consistently great over that span of time. His new album "Three Chords Good" is backed by the Rumour for the first time in over 30 years. Up until they parted ways after 1980, the Rumour backing Graham Parker was the one backing band that could have given Springsteen's E Street Band a run for its money. Graham Parker went on to make one very good - fantastic album after another in the 30 years since he parted ways with the Rumour. That said, as great as many of those non Rumour Graham Parker albums were, they probably all would have been even better had the Rumour still been backing him. Which brings us to the new album "Three Chords Good". This is a typically great Graham Parker album that's made even greater due to the Rumour being back on board. Hopefully Graham Parker's being featured in the upcoming movie "This is 40" will give this new album the much needed exposure to actually sell a non-trivial amount of copies. "Three Chords Good" is among the best albums that's been released this year. Each of its 12 songs is fantastic. The album features great singing, great lyrics, a great backing band and great melodic tunes with infectious hooks that you can't get out of your head. It's a near perfect album. Collapse