Trouble In Dreams
by Destroyer
  • Record Label: Merge
  • Release Date: Mar 18, 2008
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 25 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25

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  1. Ashoholic
    Mar 18, 2008
    7
    Contrary to the heading, Bejar is not an ex-member of the New Pornographers, and was responsible for their more enjoyable tunes from their last LP. Here, Bejar is using pretty much the same gang from the more distinctive (and better sounding) Rubies disc. Easily better than the noise what was/is Swan Lake and not as polished and happy as the NPs. Stand outs include Foam Hands and Leopard of Honor
  2. MattA.
    Mar 20, 2008
    6
    Have to agree with the cokemachineglow counterpoint (although not quite to that extent). Rubies was Bejar's best album just because of the instrumentation. This album reverts back to, like the aforementioned review said, what he has always done, and it is just isn't that interesting or listenable. And yes, his "la la la la" choruses make me want to cut my ears off.
  3. HK
    Mar 18, 2008
    10
    One of the best releases of the year. The Blender review is complete crap - obviously they don't know what they're talking about. This album is not like Destroyer's Rubies in the least bit. The tracks are a little more accessible this time around, and a notable complexity is developing in Bejar's tunes and lyrics.
  4. CraigM.
    Mar 19, 2008
    9
    Maybe the best album by Destroyer, and an early contender for album of the year. The melodies flow better than in the past and the instrumentation is fantastic. Highlights include, My Favourite Year, Foam Hands, Shooting Rockets and Libby's First Sunrise, although the entire album is filled with melodic alt-rock.
  5. FuscoL.
    Mar 20, 2008
    9
    Now that their eighth record came out, Fusco finally crosses the path of Dan Bejar and his Destroyer, that recently released «Trouble In Dreams». If there are records that grab us from the first chord, leading us through a dream from which we don`t want to wake up, this would not be one of them. It prefers to act like a small cold, a restless and invisible parasite, a viral Now that their eighth record came out, Fusco finally crosses the path of Dan Bejar and his Destroyer, that recently released «Trouble In Dreams». If there are records that grab us from the first chord, leading us through a dream from which we don`t want to wake up, this would not be one of them. It prefers to act like a small cold, a restless and invisible parasite, a viral syndrome that, from the first opportunity to show some action, it runs at high speed through the blood freeway, affecting all and any brain activity. I would say that «Trouble in Dreams» is 2000`s «Ziggy Stardust», a mixture of Bowie`s lust, Bauhaus saturnian delirium and Current 93`s weird way of telling stories. A record that touches the epic, to which I offer four and a half shooting rockets. A big thank you to my friend Uóli for showing me this little pearl.… Expand
  6. Jeremy
    Apr 19, 2008
    7
    It's okay. Almost completely hit and miss the whole way through. "Foam Hands" is easily the best track. And you're high if you think this is better than "Destroyer's Rubies" (I'm looking at you, Hartford Courant).
  7. jyotirmayaD.
    Apr 29, 2008
    7
    I like this album a little better than "Rubies" because it doesn't use the same chord refrains throughout the whole of the album as "rubies" did. It was almost like all of the songs had the same music. Now with "Trouble..." we get a more pin-pointed variegated sound, but we don't get any of the lush arrangements which made "Rubies" so damn good to listen to. I am going to have I like this album a little better than "Rubies" because it doesn't use the same chord refrains throughout the whole of the album as "rubies" did. It was almost like all of the songs had the same music. Now with "Trouble..." we get a more pin-pointed variegated sound, but we don't get any of the lush arrangements which made "Rubies" so damn good to listen to. I am going to have to go to my itunes and create a mix of the two albums and compile one excellent album to my liking. And I am happy that I can do that !!!… Expand
  8. ComoxDave
    Mar 18, 2008
    9
    1st listen weird, 2nd listen hmm, 3rd listen wow!
  9. GeneB.
    Mar 22, 2008
    9
    H K said it best - some of these critics seem to take Bejar's lyrical playfulness as a personal insult to their intelligence. The music is beautiful and complex.
  10. Sean
    Apr 23, 2008
    9
    The overall metacritic score has it right. Not as great as the previous Destroyer record, but better than most of the music out there now.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 31
  3. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. Alternative Press
    80
    He's free to let his freak flag fly with Destroyer, and Trouble in Dreams doesn't disappoint. [Apr 2008, p.152]
  2. Amazon.com
    80
    Many, many gosh-darn dudes go in for the "vaguely weird indie-rock music with oblique lyrics" schtick, and yet it's still an utter joy to hear Dan Bejar do it.
    Read full review
  3. Blender
    60
    Dan Bejar is in "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mode: He's made an album that sounds nearly identical to the one before it. [Apr 2008, p.78]
    Read full review
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