To Be Still - Alela Diane
To Be Still Image
Metascore
75 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.9 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 11 Ratings

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  • Summary: The California-born, Portland, Oregon-based singer-songwriter releases her follow-up to her debut album, "The Pirate’s Gospel."

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. NOW Magazine
    100
    With this single self-produced masterstroke, Alela Diane has effectively shaken off all the ill-fitting labels of “new weird America” and “freak folk” and given notice that a warmly expressive and unique voice has arrived with stories to tell.
  2. Mojo
    80
    A spectacular step forward. [Mar 2009, p.111]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Pitchfork
    80
    Working with material hog-tied to the past and performed with traditional trappings puts Diane at some risk for creative stagnation and worse--the kind of anonymity and irrelevance enjoyed by vast swathes of the contemporary folk universe. To Be Still avoids these traps thanks to Diane's spectacular voice and, well, the little, mostly indescribable things.
  4. New Musical Express (NME)
    60
    Her pipes can still be transportational, but mostly they deliver nice, docile music to stroke cats to.

See all 15 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. MaxE.
    10
    Sublime.
  2. Evannotimportant
    10
    beautiful album! a real natural progression from "Pirates Gospel." It has a much more folksy/bluegrass feel... GENIOUS.. btw she's a way cool to, met her!… Expand
  3. KurtC.
    9
    An exceptional follow up to her self-released debut from a few years ago. This new one is noticeably higher in recording quality with the addition of a backing-band, all of which help to make Diane's songs more solid, grooving, and overall more accessible (not that her early songs weren't, but who doesn't like a steady beat and bass in the background?). So far, the stand-out album of 2009.… Expand

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