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VI
by
VI Image
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8 Ratings

  • Summary: Neil Hamburger guests on the San Francisco math-rock trio's unsurprisingly titled sixth release, which sees Phil Manley (Oneida, Trans Am) replacing former guitarist Josh Smith.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Playlouder
    80
    The Champs' music is so exhilaratingly, grin-inducingly, fist-shakingly wonderful you cannot help but want more. VI delivers in spades.
  2. Dusted Magazine
    80
    It's music like this, intelligently composed and played, delivered with clarity and purposefully varied, that, finally, makes sense of the Fucking Champs.
  3. Stylus Magazine
    75
    This record is the first time the Fucking Champs have actually managed to capture the actual emotional colors of their own banality, rather than trying to piss a whole two-minute solo all over the place.
  4. Pitchfork
    70
    VI strips down the prog to an ingestible 2-guitar/drums setup, forgoing many of the spacey, Yes-influenced synths and flare of previous releases and instead narrowing its focus on more immediate hooks and transitions.
  5. Under The Radar
    70
    It's much better than V, but ultimately more of the same. [#17, p.98]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Almost Cool
    68
    Essentially, if you've heard the group before, you know what you're getting into here, and if you enjoy them you won't be let down.
  7. Uncut
    40
    Why, when Dragonforce are doing this for real? [May 2007, p.96]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 10 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 1 out of 5
  1. jhn
    May 3, 2007
    10
    Good, as usual. Not their sixth album, though.
  2. StevenS.
    Jul 8, 2007
    8
    Todd, stop being a dick. Believe it or not the world has been subjected to progression. Words like "stupid" used to be thought of as Todd, stop being a dick. Believe it or not the world has been subjected to progression. Words like "stupid" used to be thought of as extremely offensive and now it's basically turned into child's play. Things evolve. Get over it. That being said, did you actually listen to the album or are you judging it solely based upon their moniker? I'm doubting that you actually did give this album a spin, which is shameful on your part. I don't like pretentious people. Well, I did listen and was delightfully surprised. I had my doubts at first because I'd heard some of their previous work but I really enjoyed most of this album. Did you Todd?… Expand
  4. chrisb
    Jul 13, 2007
    8
    did you even listen to the album dumbass?
  5. RobH
    Jul 30, 2007
    8
    An ultra-indulgant tour de force of mega guitar riffage. These guys do "metal" better then any I've ever heard in a decade and they do An ultra-indulgant tour de force of mega guitar riffage. These guys do "metal" better then any I've ever heard in a decade and they do it without any of the pretension or self-seriousness. An 8 only because it's not better then III (but better then IV and V).… Expand
  6. ToddW
    May 3, 2007
    0
    This is a principle review. File these guys in the career nihilist category. Any band that has to stoop to using a moniker as loathsome as This is a principle review. File these guys in the career nihilist category. Any band that has to stoop to using a moniker as loathsome as these guys did should not be allowed near a recording studio. But I'm sure they don't care based on their band name. Either that or they wrongheadedly think they're being rebellious. Please. If that's the case they're dumber than they're appearing. Sure, it's a free country, and it's just a word. Blah, blah, blah. Try telling that to a woman in reference to another four-letter word that begins with a "C." What's worse is the newsprint wasted on misguided reviews by educated people who should know better than to toss this word out into our culture like so many discarded pennies. They ought to be fired and their mouthpieces boycotted. There's enough garbage out there to satisfy their advertising without shamelessly playing to type.… Expand

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