Walking On A Dream
by Empire of the Sun
  • Record Label: Virgin
  • Release Date: Apr 21, 2009
User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 50 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 50
  3. Negative: 6 out of 50

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  1. ArthurMorgan
    Nov 16, 2019
    9
    A few duds don't stop this album from being one of the most fun and refreshing albums of the 21st century, and "We Are The People" is one of my favorite songs of all time. This album has at least four classic tracks:

    Standing On The Shore
    Walking On A Dream
    We Are The People
    Country
  2. XavierBlaq
    Dec 30, 2013
    3
    Walking On a Dream is the perfect example of why arrangement of songs matters on an album. Overall, this has to be the worst arrangement of tracks I have ever seen, which completely destroys any chance the album had of being listenable. Nonetheless, the arrangement could not have even helped Walking On a Dream enough to be great. In truth, the only good tracks on the whole album are theWalking On a Dream is the perfect example of why arrangement of songs matters on an album. Overall, this has to be the worst arrangement of tracks I have ever seen, which completely destroys any chance the album had of being listenable. Nonetheless, the arrangement could not have even helped Walking On a Dream enough to be great. In truth, the only good tracks on the whole album are the first four, which, after the roughest transition between tracks ever, is followed by nothing better than mediocrity. The only except to this mediocrity is "Swordfish Hotkiss Night" (I would have rather had another mediocre track), which I hope this band is ashamed of. After all, I am ashamed to say I have listened to it.… Expand
  3. yrcrazy
    Jun 15, 2013
    10
    amazing album one of my favourite of thew 21st century Every song is decent and there are about 6 songs that could be singles Been listening to this album for years
  4. MistaDwarfjokes
    Jul 15, 2011
    10
    Absolutely top album, full of banging tunes and rabid experimentalism aplenty. Recommended for all. And that includes the second half of the album - Country and Tiger By My Side being two of thier best tracks. Maybe give Without You and Tiger By My Side a miss, but everything else is simply sublime.
  5. iamanicon
    May 26, 2011
    7
    Could have been brilliant, Instead its just really good.
  6. Vampire25
    Mar 15, 2011
    7
    Walking On A Dream isn't a bad album. It took me a long time to get into it but I actually enjoyed it for the most part. The tracks are catchy and you can get into it. Falls flat towards the final few songs but the Opener "Standing On The Shore" really opens up the album and the second track "Walking On A Dream" keeps the flow going. All In All, Empire Of The Sun may come off as MGMTWalking On A Dream isn't a bad album. It took me a long time to get into it but I actually enjoyed it for the most part. The tracks are catchy and you can get into it. Falls flat towards the final few songs but the Opener "Standing On The Shore" really opens up the album and the second track "Walking On A Dream" keeps the flow going. All In All, Empire Of The Sun may come off as MGMT knockoffs but they really aren't. This is definitely a band I would be really interested in seeing more of. B… Expand
  7. brownallaround
    Nov 7, 2010
    10
    If you can get past the singer's sinus-infected style of vocals, you'll find a quartet of songs on this album that are really outstanding pop gems: Standing On The Shore, Walking On A Dream, Half Mast, and We Are The People. Half Mast, in particular, just grabs you with its maudlin verses and driving beat, then pulls you in like a magnet with the head-swaying falsetto chorus. Had theyIf you can get past the singer's sinus-infected style of vocals, you'll find a quartet of songs on this album that are really outstanding pop gems: Standing On The Shore, Walking On A Dream, Half Mast, and We Are The People. Half Mast, in particular, just grabs you with its maudlin verses and driving beat, then pulls you in like a magnet with the head-swaying falsetto chorus. Had they stuck with that motif from start to finish, one would have been able to overlook the absolute goofiness of their Adam Ant meets Empire Strikes Back wardrobe and image. I don't know what the hell happened after the first third of the album, but whatever it was, it will require a serious intervention to break it. The most recent reviewer nailed it on the head: stick with the first four tracks and you'll have yourself a nice little EP of well-crafted synth-pop to enjoy at your leisure. The rest belongs in a bottom-fed pond of slimy scum where the ears of all known species should never get within earshot.… Expand
  8. PD1769
    Nov 7, 2010
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Walking On A Dream starts off with a great formula: warm and dreamy Human League-style synths, some acoustic guitar strumming, mellow dance grooves and falsetto-laden choruses. Of the front-loaded tracks, "Half Mast" and "We Are The People" are like lost pop classics circa 1983, the former would be a great fit in a John Hughes flick. But after the first four tracks, it veers into the most god-awful melange of stiff, uninspired dreck that loses touch with the appeal of the synth-pop structure at the top of the track list. Most of it is nightmarish, overproduced, pretentious and outright silly, like a collection of MGMT b-sides recorded in a giant helium tank. Your best bet is to score tracks 1-4 on iTunes or Rhapsody and skip the rest.… Expand
  9. ConnorG
    Jul 23, 2009
    7
    The first half of this album is great, the second half is pretty much garbage. The two most popular tracks on the album "Walking on a Dream" and "We are the People" are also the two best tracks on the album. "Half Mast" is a very well done 80's-esque track on the album. But the power remains in the two tracks mentioned before. After the "Delta Bay", the album begins to just free The first half of this album is great, the second half is pretty much garbage. The two most popular tracks on the album "Walking on a Dream" and "We are the People" are also the two best tracks on the album. "Half Mast" is a very well done 80's-esque track on the album. But the power remains in the two tracks mentioned before. After the "Delta Bay", the album begins to just free fall. The track "Swordfish Hot Kiss Night" is just a train wreck, sounds like it would be on Flight on the Conchords. The only exception on the 2nd half of the album which is good is the track "Country" which is actually quite beautiful. But this is an album full of hit and misses. But when this album hits, in blows the freaking target up.… Expand
  10. StevenM
    Jul 21, 2009
    8
    It is so refreshing to finally hear something different from the usual bull hip-hop that we are forced to listen to on every radio station in the U.S.I am so tired of boring songs with no decent beat or music in them,and I want to puke the more I hear about some thug throwing his "Benjamins" at a stripper in a club.Given the sorry state of U.S. radio and "music"(if you want to call it It is so refreshing to finally hear something different from the usual bull hip-hop that we are forced to listen to on every radio station in the U.S.I am so tired of boring songs with no decent beat or music in them,and I want to puke the more I hear about some thug throwing his "Benjamins" at a stripper in a club.Given the sorry state of U.S. radio and "music"(if you want to call it that)preferences in this country,I doubt the single "Walking on a Dream "will get any airplay when and if it gets released over here.This CD is great overall.… Expand
  11. LMBT
    May 30, 2009
    7
    I don't understand why a lot of negatism in this album? Sure, the album cover is a cheesy knockoff of the Empire Strikes Back. Sure, you can call them an MGMT ripoff if you may, call them a rip off of Bee Gees if you want to, but they don't really come across near resemblance to them. I find their music the perfect soundtrack for a dream, dead serious, and it even shows in a I don't understand why a lot of negatism in this album? Sure, the album cover is a cheesy knockoff of the Empire Strikes Back. Sure, you can call them an MGMT ripoff if you may, call them a rip off of Bee Gees if you want to, but they don't really come across near resemblance to them. I find their music the perfect soundtrack for a dream, dead serious, and it even shows in a song called "Walking On A Dream" with the lyrics. The overall dance production of this album is just deep, and sends you a journey to your thoughts. I think PNAU pounded it good, and for the Sleepy Jackson vocalist (aka the MGMT "sound-a-like"), the vocals just blend well with the production and it just sends you to a transcending journey. You can't help it that the singer sounds like the main singer from MGMG, he's not trying to sound like him. He sounds like this in general, you will just have to accept this. But other than that, this album has a big influence on music like Prince, Daft Punk and The Bee Gees.… Expand
  12. BranchR
    Apr 24, 2009
    5
    Their voices are horrible, and the intro to their single is piss poor. 'walking on a dream / how can i explain?' The singer spits it into the microphone. The visuals both on the cover and the music video are melodramatic. Although the costumes are GREAT, they do not justify the lack of talent shown here. After the intro, the song does get better, but why should some one have to Their voices are horrible, and the intro to their single is piss poor. 'walking on a dream / how can i explain?' The singer spits it into the microphone. The visuals both on the cover and the music video are melodramatic. Although the costumes are GREAT, they do not justify the lack of talent shown here. After the intro, the song does get better, but why should some one have to ignore one part of the song? The whole piece is their vision, and the vision of empire of the sun...is not that great.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Most Shared Album of 2009

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
61

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. BBC Music
    Dec 13, 2011
    80
    This is the sound of the Noughties – electro enough without being harsh, interesting without being over-cool, quirky without being weird. Empire Of The Sun have cracked the perfect blend of fond reflection and sexy new frontier frisson. If this is what the future sounds like, then it's going to be beautiful.
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  2. Sputnikmusic
    Dec 13, 2011
    60
    When they are on, they are very good, as their relaxing – yet strangely dance-worthy – grooves seem almost effortless. Yet, way too often, the duo simply bite off more than they can chew, meaning that when they are off, a 2nd listen almost seems like a chore.
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  3. The Quietus
    Dec 13, 2011
    60
    Is Walking On A Dream the sound of things to come then? Clearly not. Empire Of The Sun's grand ambitions are certainly worth applauding, but unfortunately they amount to nothing more than a cold and pale facsimile of the superior conquests of others who have trod these lands before.
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