What's Next To The Moon
by Mark Kozelek
  • Record Label: Badman
  • Release Date: Feb 20, 2001
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. AllMusic
    80
    A spellbinding tribute, with a commanding presence and sustained intensity that most songwriters can't manage even with their own material. Like a reverse version of Bob Dylan and the Band's The Basement Tapes, 'What's Next to the Moon' turns songs that were loose, irreverent, and even silly or one-note in their original readings into songs of timeless beauty and depth, their passions, pains, and torments made agonizingly palpable.
  2. Alternative Press
    80
    With just his voice and an acoustic guitar, he's made these songs his own, and in the process created a most remarkable LP. [#154, p.93]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Magnet
    90
    A flawless display. By turning former earache classics like "If You Want Blood" and "Love At First Feel" into beautiful acoustic ballads, much of The Moon sounds like his previous hits... [#49, p.86]
    All this publication's reviews
  5. Neumu.net
    70
    Kozelek has delivered a wondrous collection.
  6. Pitchfork
    60
    If there's one positive remark to be made about What's Next to the Moon, it's that it sheds revelatory light on the subjective nature of lyrics. Yet, that might be the only truly positive remark this album deserves. Sure, Kozelek's voice is still smooth and sad, and his guitarwork is still deft, yet modest. But these are standard factory settings.
  7. Q Magazine
    60
    Kozelek's sparse, haunting delivery can render even the basest material achingly affecting...
  8. Rolling Stone
    70
    Stripping away the nails-on-chalkboard caterwauls, ear ravaging guitars and caveman histrionics, Kozelek gets down to the very essence of the words and melody, rendering most of the songs unfamiliar but wholly captivating.
  9. Splendid
    80
    What’s Next to the Moon is Kozelek achieving the impossible; he has actually managed to make AC/DC sound romantic.
  10. The A.V. Club
    80
    The fact that its 10 songs are all Bon Scott-era AC/DC covers seems oddly secondary.... There's nothing earth-shatteringly special about reinventing old songs this way, but it's striking how well the lyrics match Kozelek's weary delivery.
  11. Wall of Sound
    80
    Without the thundering drums and over-amped testosterone of the originals, the songs are revealed as the beautiful blues-based writings they in fact are.

Awards & Rankings

57
#57 Best Album of 2001

User Reviews

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User Score
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No user score yet- Awaiting 1 more rating

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. JossS.
    Dec 25, 2001
    7
    fun ditty. kozelek gives the songs new meaning and they are nearly unrecognizable in such tasteful arrangements.
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