Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 14
  2. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    91
    White shares similarly enthralling tales of troubled characters but infuses them with a newfound levity. [14 Mar 2008, p.75]
  2. Filter
    86
    Despite the array of experiences and genres at White's disposal, the album retains cohesion due mostly to the consistency of White's voice, which is strictly country. [Winter 2008, p.98]
  3. White is a pro at stretching his craft through arrangements while respecting the long-buried source.
  4. While it may not be as striking an artistic statement as its predecessors, the general tone of easygoing bonhomie makes Transnormal Skiperoo a decidedly satisfying release, and the simple fact that it's an album's worth of fine new White material is in itself cause for plenty of contentment.
  5. With accompaniment as varied as vocals from Ollabelle and Brazilian percussion from Mauro Refosco, White still keeps us off balance with rich, unpredictable textures ("Diamonds to Coal") that convey lost-in-the-backwoods disorientation ("Counting Numbers in the Air").
  6. Earthy rhythms provide both a welcome backbeat and a sense of history.
  7. Mojo
    80
    Lovely. [Nov 2007, p.102]
  8. Though White's thin, flexible voice is sometimes too wispy to hold the center, his directness keeps you with him as he makes his way toward something safe and solid.
  9. Finishing one of his records always leaves you feeling as if an enigmatic wanderer’s just left town. Transnormal Skiperoo, another quality addition to a too-short list of White releases, is no different.
  10. 70
    Jim White's Joe Pernice–produced fourth record deftly melds Southern-flavored soul with California twang.
  11. Under The Radar
    70
    Ambitious stuff, definately, though occassionally White's limitations sine through. [Winter 2008, p.89]
  12. Jim White’s latest collection of songs has a humanity about it that is too multifaceted to categorize in broad terminology or flowery descriptors and is quite possibly beyond adequate summation; overthink or undersell as much as you please.
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 5 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. KevinC.
    Mar 19, 2008
    9
    Anybody listening to Jim White for the first time will appreciate the crisp presentation and brilliant songwriting of this album. The only Anybody listening to Jim White for the first time will appreciate the crisp presentation and brilliant songwriting of this album. The only trouble is you'll end up having to go out and buy all his previous work. Along with Sufjan Stevens, he's the best thing to come out of America in the last five years. Make sure you go and see him live too, what a voice! Full Review »