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When The Going Gets Dark Image
Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings

  • Summary: Dave Fridmann produced album number seven for the duo of Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 21
  2. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Alternative Press
    100
    Infectiously noisy. [May 2006, p.166]
  2. When the Going Gets Dark taps into a new kind of power for Quasi, giving them the opportunity and ambition to skronk and smash.
  3. A soaring power surge of an album... moody and loud, but focused and inspirational.
  4. Mojo
    70
    A worthy, determined salvo. [Jul 2006, p.102]
  5. Skipping from dizzying keyboards to bluesy guitar, this is one of Coomes's finest musical hours, capturing his muddled musings into tight and coherent disarray and focusing in on the dynamic between these two exceptionally talented divorcees.
  6. Paste Magazine
    70
    [Their] strangest album. [Apr/May 2006, p.119]
  7. Uncut
    40
    [The] results [are] worryingly like a jam session between Ben Folds and John Bonham. [Apr 2006, p.110]

See all 21 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. MisterPleasant
    Mar 22, 2006
    9
    Pounding piano riffs and psychedelic guitar flourishes abound, along with Janet's always dead-on drumming. And the closer, Invisble Star Pounding piano riffs and psychedelic guitar flourishes abound, along with Janet's always dead-on drumming. And the closer, Invisble Star is a classic song! Expand
  2. BenT
    May 5, 2006
    7
    i liked this record slightly better than the sword of god & hot shit, group seems to be getting more focused.
  3. BiffD
    Jun 12, 2006
    6
    Above Sword of God and below Hot Shit. As a longtime fan of this duo, I get a little frustrated with the uneven song quality on their discs. Above Sword of God and below Hot Shit. As a longtime fan of this duo, I get a little frustrated with the uneven song quality on their discs. "...Birds" is still their best and I'd seek out The Donner Party CD before this. Collapse