Uncanney Valley
by The Dismemberment Plan
  • Record Label: Partisan
  • Release Date: Oct 15, 2013
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 23
  3. Negative: 2 out of 23
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  1. Absolute Punk (Staff reviews)
    Oct 10, 2013
    70
    Morrison’s occasional lyrical forays into cheeseball territory can detract from the record, but taken as a whole there’s more to like here than there is to hate.
  2. AllMusic
    Oct 14, 2013
    60
    Rather than nervy and isolated, this re-formed version of the band feels like they've got things more sorted out, replacing the uncertainty that marked albums like Emergency & I with a more carefree vibe. The change is one that makes sense, though.
  3. Alternative Press
    Oct 10, 2013
    50
    [Travis Morrison's] earworm melodies and piquant lyrical outlook are Uncanney's only source of nutrients. The rest are empty calories. [Nov 2013, p.94]
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  5. cokemachineglow
    Oct 28, 2013
    70
    The saving grace of Uncanney Valley is its resolute tenderness, an emotion the band never coaxed out of their twenty-something gloom.
  6. Consequence
    Oct 15, 2013
    70
    The band is so good together, though, and sound so at peace and at ease knocking these songs out, that it makes it hard to even dislike the record, problems though it may have.
  7. Drowned In Sound
    Oct 11, 2013
    60
    While not a failure, Uncanney Valley isn’t the glorious comeback many were expecting.
  8. Dusted Magazine
    Dec 17, 2013
    40
    Uncanney Valley looks like a Dismemberment Plan record and largely sounds like a Dismemberment Plan record. But yet, it’s not a Dismemberment Plan record. Not a very good one, anyway.
  9. Filter
    Oct 17, 2013
    80
    Morrison turns his ever-honest eyes towards fatherhood and commitment, while the band balance his emotional vulnerability on thin lines of guitar, dangling the whole thing over a churning ocean of rhythm.
  10. Los Angeles Times
    Oct 22, 2013
    25
    Full of dull riffs and saggy rhythms, Uncanney Valley makes you wonder why exactly frontman Travis Morrison reunited the group in 2011.
  11. Magnet
    Oct 18, 2013
    70
    "Invisible" offers spacy prog; "Waiting" could be a sitcom theme song, and "Living in Song" and "Mexico City Christmas" are slinky, murky and devo-ish. There are also rapid-fire, traditional indie rockers and happy summer jams. [No. 103, p.55]
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  12. New Musical Express (NME)
    Oct 14, 2013
    60
    It’s fun, but not the comeback it could have been.
  13. No Ripcord
    Oct 25, 2013
    20
    Synths take a higher precedence this time round: it’s an indie-pop record, far from their post-hardcore roots; indeed Living in Song sounds like an Architecture in Helsinki knockoff. But even when you can hear the band trying out new things, it simply sounds turgid.
  14. Paste Magazine
    Oct 15, 2013
    68
    The artistic liberty of neglecting to ease anyone in to a new incarnation of the same band is wholly admirable. The result, however, is pretty uneven.
  15. Pitchfork
    Oct 16, 2013
    45
    Uncanney Valley seems too bent on interrupting serious moments with corny jokes and bewildering asides to say much of anything about anyone else.
  16. PopMatters
    Oct 16, 2013
    50
    Truthfully, it’s not that bad of a record by usual standards, I suppose. It’s just that this is the D-Plan, after all, and you’re expecting something better.
  17. Rolling Stone
    Oct 15, 2013
    70
    The endlessly hooky Valley veers from funk-furnished, thrashing tragicomedies ("Waiting") to springy eulogies for the past.
  18. Slant Magazine
    Oct 14, 2013
    70
    It's an album that, smartly, neither embraces the past as empty nostalgia nor ignores the events of the past 12 years.
  19. Spin
    Oct 17, 2013
    70
    Despite the full dismissal of punk roots here--the blended-in drumming, the lack of rollercoaster twists and turns in the tempos and time signatures--Uncanney Valley's only real stumbles are lyrical.
  20. Sputnikmusic
    Oct 10, 2013
    64
    This is verse-chorus-verse as pleasantly intuitive as it comes, thematically light yet with enough room for the musicians to show their considerable skill.
  21. The A.V. Club
    Oct 15, 2013
    58
    Uncanney Valley is curiously conflict-free--and for a band that always thrived on friction, that can make for a frustrating listen.
  22. The Line of Best Fit
    Oct 10, 2013
    75
    Pay no attention to the lyrics (pretend you’re foreign or something), concentrate on the music, and you might just enjoy yourself after all.
  23. The Quietus
    Oct 30, 2013
    70
    Uncanney Valley is an enjoyable and accomplished record.
  24. Under The Radar
    Oct 29, 2013
    65
    An agitated yet hook-heavy affair, these 10 cuts feel like an act reacquainting itself, slipping into a creative comfort zone that still requires a little polish.

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Most Shared Album of 2013

User Reviews

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User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10
  1. Ghostmissile
    Oct 16, 2013
    8
    I've been a fan of Dismemberment Plan since their first two albums. 12 years have passed since the release of "Change" and I lost my hope aI've been a fan of Dismemberment Plan since their first two albums. 12 years have passed since the release of "Change" and I lost my hope a long time ago to hear a new LP from these guys. But it's just a gift to hear new material from them. "Uncanney Valley" is an album that follows the natural progression from "Change" and the solo albums from Travis Morrison. But you won't find here the eclectic D Plan from their first albums. So if you like the old D Plan, and if you were not happy with their last album "Change", you will see it's not worth listening. It's not an "Emergency & I" or "Is Terrified".

    But if you loved "Change", maybe after a few listens you will get a happy nostalgic feeling. It's not a perfect album, not what I would have expected from them in their full potential years ago, but it's so good to hear these new songs. They came back 12 years older, but I'm 12 years older too. Then I still feel in "Uncanney Valley" the things that made me love this band. It's been a very good surprise.    … Full Review »
  2. MooziikMaster
    Oct 15, 2013
    8
    From all the releases this year, none are quite as nostalgic as this. Two years ago, I discovered The Dismemberment Plan in the best possibleFrom all the releases this year, none are quite as nostalgic as this. Two years ago, I discovered The Dismemberment Plan in the best possible time. 2011 was the year that I made huge musical advances in my taste. One album in particular that struck me was The Dismemberment Plan's Emergency & I. It was different. It was fresh. I loved it and played it over and over again. Once I was graced with the chance to see The Dismemberment Plan in Chicago that summer, I thought my life was complete. One last chance to see the band during what seemed like a reunion tour was very humbling. Boy, I never expected them to actually stay together, let alone record a new album. Considering their last album was 2001's Change, there was a bit of a time gap to fill. And oh man, those 12 years have had their toll on the band. A more matured D-Plan has emerged from their forsaken hiatus, with dad-rock rhythms and thoughtful lyrics.

    From the somewhat seasonal sounding opener "No One Is Saying Nothing", The D-Plan try to jump right back in where they left off. Although the track really would have been an awkward addition on previous albums, it seems to fit as the opening track for a new breed of D-Plan songs. "Waiting", the first track released from the band's newly announced return, really needs at least 3 or 4 listens to soak in. At first, its off-beat electronic beeps and sporadic bass line are difficult to handle. Once you adjust to this new effort, it really does sound spectacular. The same goes for "Invisible", the next track on the album. With its beautiful violin intro, Travis Morrison's singing/talking invades and illustrates a sad story. This track is the closest The D-Plan will get to previous album hits such as "Spiders In The Snow" and "Following Through". "White Collar White Trash", the upbeat, eclectic track that features strange lyrics and unique instrumentation brings a new sound to the band's discography. It still imitates previous chaotic sounds, but this time, it sounds a lot more controlled. "Living In Song" and "Lookin'" seem more like transition tracks, simplistic and easily forgettable. Sure, they sound great, but there is nothing outstanding about either of them. "Daddy Was A Real Good Dancer", a danceable ballad picks up speed and reminds the listeners that The D-Plan can make brilliant songs about pretty much anything. "Mexico City Christmas", another highlight of the album, sheds light on who The D-Plan really is. Their origins trace back to chaotic, college sounding tracks filled with youthful lyrics and catchy beats. This track is one final throwback to the old days. "Go And Get It" is a strange affair. With an intro reminiscent of "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons and any number of Coldplay songs, this track is an attempt to make stadium rock. Although the band does not present itself as this type of mainstream group, I could definitely picture this song blaring over the speakers at a hockey game. Often the final D-Plan song on an album is a good farewell song. This is still true with "Let's Just Go To The Dogs Tonight". This song only feels at home at the ending of the album. With lyrics about saying goodbye and clichéd "repeat after me" verses, we can all wave goodbye to the band that has done a fine effort in their return to the alternative crowd.

    Even though I miss the chaos of the old D-Plan, I am happy that the band has not strayed too far from their original sound and kept their signature innovative instrumentation and exceptional vocals. They grow up so fast.    … Full Review »
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