• Record Label: Terrible
  • Release Date: Jan 8, 2013
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 16
  2. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Jan 8, 2013
    80
    This is a fully realised tribute to early 80s pop-RnB music, filled with candy-sweet keyboard sounds and beats that could be the work of a battered old Casio drum machine.
  2. 88
    What's best, despite its New York-centric vibe, those locals looking for a beat-heavy record to crank at full volume while stuck in Los Angeles traffic need look no further.
  3. Jan 7, 2013
    80
    This isn't pop music in her sister's obvious, melismatic, and melodramatic mold; rather it's pop music for people who didn't know they were looking for pop music.
  4. Jan 7, 2013
    70
    This is a promising prelude to Solange's third proper album.
  5. Jan 7, 2013
    90
    It's good time music written to the sound of heartbreak and everyday affairs, which makes it even more relatable, accessible even.
  6. Dec 18, 2012
    91
    It's the self-possession of lyrics like these, and Solange's newfound love for sincere, catchy hooks, that make True the best work of her young career and one of most irresistible pop records of 2012.
  7. Dec 14, 2012
    80
    There's a simultaneously appealing and slightly off-putting looseness to all this, conjuring the sort of drowsiness where you'd rather sleep for a week straight than let in more heartbreak.
  8. Dec 13, 2012
    80
    It is a strikingly unique take on soul music in a year when there's a lot of competition from other R&B artists pushing the genre's boundaries.
  9. Dec 7, 2012
    60
    Even under a half hour, it still manages to wear itself out.
  10. Dec 3, 2012
    50
    The 26-year-old goes all-in with the hipsters, swathing herself in melancholy synths. It's an awkward pivot.
  11. Entertainment Weekly
    Nov 30, 2012
    83
    The strong '80s nostalgia here could wear thin for some, but Solange's singular charms stretch far. [7 Dec 2012, p.75]
  12. Nov 29, 2012
    80
    With seven tracks, it's more assertive than an EP but without the fully developed personality of an album. It's just enough that we know where Knowles stands: on her own.
  13. Nov 27, 2012
    78
    True, a thematically consistent whole, sounds like the product of a lovingly forged artistic bond.
  14. 80
    It showcases Solange's experimentation at its best, but is only a prelude to a full album in 2013.
  15. Nov 27, 2012
    79
    In the past, Solange dabbled with genres and moods like finger-paints; with True, she's made some bold, inventive brushstrokes.
  16. Nov 27, 2012
    60
    Solange delivers an EP stocked with promising parts slightly dashed by a burgeoning identity crisis.
User Score
8.8

Universal acclaim- based on 103 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 92 out of 103
  2. Negative: 5 out of 103
  1. Nov 29, 2012
    10
    After spoon-feeding "Losing You" to the musicverse this October, Solange not only delivers the main entrée with True, but also treatsAfter spoon-feeding "Losing You" to the musicverse this October, Solange not only delivers the main entrée with True, but also treats us to dessert, and leftovers to last us well into the next release. An ode to '80s throwback - complete with cameos from the infamous sounds of vintage Casio drums, Oberheim synths, and Earth, Wind & Fire bassist Verdine White. Boasting a non-traditional structure in regards to songwriting and production efforts, Hynes and Knowles opt for slow grooves to tell a story of unrequited love, "Losing You" and "Locked In Closets" being the only exceptions. Paced to a tranquil close with the standout track "Bad Girls (Verdine Version)," True is, at its core, a redux of the '80s greatest moments, glazed with the Knowles clan's Midas touch. Standout tracks - "Losing You", "Locked In Closets", "Bad Girls (Verdine version)" Full Review »
  2. Jan 4, 2013
    8
    Let's not get it twisted; this album is uneven and Solange has room to grow. But she has surpassed her famous sister with this nostalgic EPLet's not get it twisted; this album is uneven and Solange has room to grow. But she has surpassed her famous sister with this nostalgic EP and has delivered some of the best R&B to come out of 2012. "Losing You" is by far the best track on the album, dripping with 80's throwback synths and neo-funk. I commend her for her efforts and look forward to her future. Full Review »
  3. Dec 5, 2012
    10
    True is really great, and Solange is truly talented. Her voice match too perfect with the melodies. Dev Hynes made a perfect work, he's one ofTrue is really great, and Solange is truly talented. Her voice match too perfect with the melodies. Dev Hynes made a perfect work, he's one of the best producer this year. True is touching, classic, timeless and addictive. Her lyrics are beautiful and impressive. I'm happy to see that she's finding her own style. Best EP of the year, so far! Full Review »