We the Common
by Thao & the Get Down Stay Down
Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
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  1. Exclaim
    Feb 5, 2013
    90
    This is Nguyen's strongest work yet, with the aforementioned songwriting taking a leap forward, while gradually perfecting her melting pot sound of country, folk and pop.
  2. Paste Magazine
    Feb 5, 2013
    89
    It’s a rollicking, exciting and inspiring tussle in a corner of Thao’s cheerful quilt of a discography.
  3. NOW Magazine
    Feb 21, 2013
    80
    Even when duetting with harp sprite Joanna Newson, she avoids the trappings of twee.
  5. PopMatters
    Feb 4, 2013
    80
    By seeking out a shared experience that everybody they’re reaching out to can hold on to, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down have created an album with We the Common that’s anything but common.
  6. AllMusic
    Feb 4, 2013
    80
    She's turned in her most mature work and coincidentally some of her most enjoyable.
  7. The Line of Best Fit
    Feb 11, 2013
    75
    It’s the witty and indirect way Thao and her band approaches the subjects in these songs that makes We The Common a minor delight.
  8. Pitchfork
    Feb 4, 2013
    75
    We the Common's best songs are its most dynamic.
  9. Consequence
    Feb 8, 2013
    70
    It’s certainly a more political-leaning album for the outfit, but one that sweats with fresh optimism.
  10. Under The Radar
    Feb 5, 2013
    70
    Nguyen's rich, harmonic voice is up to the task, carrying with it the weight of more years than she's lived, and effortlessly mumbling and swinging around these compositions. [Jan-Feb 2013, p.89]
  11. Clash Music
    Feb 4, 2013
    70
    Catchy melodies abound in an eclectic, engaging effort.
  12. Filter
    Apr 12, 2013
    68
    We The Common, the fifth LP offering from San Francisco’s Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, offers us a killer collection of infectious beats, bouncy melodies and smart lyrics that you can’t help but move to.
  13. Austin Chronicle
    Oct 4, 2013
    67
    We The Common finally reflects that sense of place, stretching nuance and bringing the only brand of folk that metropolitan California allows: one laden with pop hooks.
  14. New Musical Express (NME)
    Feb 11, 2013
    60
    It’s all lovely stuff, but the darkness within my soul says it’s maybe too lovely.
  15. DIY Magazine
    Feb 7, 2013
    60
    Save for a few tweaks, she doesn’t go to great lengths to expand upon the musical formula that’s served her to date.
  16. Mojo
    Feb 6, 2013
    60
    A bit shambolic, then, but Thao has enough charisma to sustain hearing it all in one sitting. [Mar 2013, p.98]
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  17. Q Magazine
    Mar 11, 2013
    40
    It's the sort of manic outsider funk that succeeds or fails on the basis of how charming you find Nguyen's delivery. [Apr 2013, p.95]
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10
  1. jenkinzz
    Nov 19, 2013
    9
    Thao Nguyen's blend of musical influences is one-of-a-kind. Her mixture of Oriental 12-tones and 4-chord folk-pop progressions is impressive.Thao Nguyen's blend of musical influences is one-of-a-kind. Her mixture of Oriental 12-tones and 4-chord folk-pop progressions is impressive. Her varied use of instruments, tones, and timbres is intriguing. And her stage presence is something that has to be seen to fully understand the eclectic tunes she puts together. The culmination of these factors--a banjo being distorted to sound like a Chinese zither before breaking out into a half-time electric guitar chorus of 'Holy Roller'--ultimately leaves one's mouth agape, wondering what exactly this is, and why it is so good. While reviewers like DIY might think that Nguyen's album is a mediocre continuation of her sound, to newcomers it is a welcome expansion of their musical mind, and one that prompts a further investigation of Thao Nguyen's extensive repertoire.… Full Review »
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