When You Walk a Long Distance You Are Tired
by Mothers
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
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  1. musicOMH.com
    Feb 25, 2016
    90
    At the centre of all of this, always, are Leschper’s remarkable vocals: brittle and quivering at one moment, bold and unfaltering the next, with an occasional folkish twang of Joanna Newsom or Jessica Pratt, her manner of occasionally over-reaching or stopping short of notes well within her range, her voice cracking at the edges, emphasises the fragility at the emotional core of her songs.... A beautiful album.
  2. Consequence
    Feb 23, 2016
    83
    When You Walk a Long Distance You Are Tired elevates its words with sharp, aware, and plush instrumentation.
  3. The Line of Best Fit
    Mar 8, 2016
    80
    It’s a record as much about falling apart as it is putting yourself back together and undoubtedly one of the debuts of the year so far.
  5. The New York Times
    Mar 2, 2016
    80
    Throughout the album, the lyrics don’t find comfort or resolution. That’s left to the music: in the way the guitars tangle and persevere, in the grace of the melodies, and in the simple fact that Ms. Leschper dared to write these songs.
  6. The Guardian
    Feb 25, 2016
    80
    The album’s unconventional non-linear structure recalls Joanna Newsom, with whose voice Leschper’s bears comparison. But Mothers are no tribute act.
  7. AllMusic
    Feb 24, 2016
    80
    Consistent in character and quality, WYWALDYAT is a rare debut, one that impacts second to second rather than by hook or groove.
  8. DIY Magazine
    Feb 23, 2016
    80
    From the shifting tempos of ‘Copper Mines’ to the serene beginning and raucous math-y crescendo of closer ‘Hold Your Own Hand’ When You Walk A Long Distance And You Are Tired is never settled, and never should be.
  9. Q Magazine
    Feb 23, 2016
    80
    Existential fatigue and self-interrogation--these themes and more are all, somehow, transmitted by her lullaby-soft delivery without ever having their intensity muted. It's a neat trick, and one that Mothers do better than most. [Apr 2016, p.111]
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  10. Pitchfork
    Mar 8, 2016
    71
    Despite the agitation and raw nerves, the album feels like a therapeutic offering.
  11. Uncut
    Feb 23, 2016
    70
    Leschper meditates on creativity, identity and self-doubt in a voice that's equal parts Angel Olsen and Waxahatchee, while the music--played by a full band--runs the expressive gamut. [Apr 2016, p.76]
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  12. Mojo
    Mar 24, 2016
    60
    Songs with fuller backing reveal much melodic moxie. [May 2016, p.96]
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 14 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 14
  3. Negative: 1 out of 14
  1. Custom_Concerns
    Mar 6, 2016
    5
    The first time I listened to this album I enjoyed it immensely, but on subsequent listens the vocals, however authentic, began to becomeThe first time I listened to this album I enjoyed it immensely, but on subsequent listens the vocals, however authentic, began to become grating. This style of vocal presentation just feels so "bandcamp-core" for the lack of a better term that it takes away from the listening experience. The songwriting is decent, but most of the songs here go on for a few minutes too long, making a 42 minute album seem an hour long. It's a shame, because I really enjoy the instrumentals here and the atmosphere they evoke, especially the strings.

    58/100    … Full Review »
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