- Record Label: Nonesuch / Rough Trade
- Release Date: Jul 25, 2006
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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The songs, as far as the writing goes, are routinely terrific; however, the ones that rely most on convenient synthesized elements are a bit dainty and rudimentary and deserve to be made without the limitations of a home studio.
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The chameleon has come home and still sounds like no one else.
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BlenderOver girl-group incantations, reggae lilt and courageously dinky old-school hip-hop allusions, Gartside searches for his emotional car keys, each comely coo abstracting him further from the truth he seeks. [Aug 2006, p.117]
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Most of White Bread Black Beer is almost unbearably lovely.
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Entertainment WeeklyThe pristine, synth-heavy result certainly sounds worried over, sometimes to its detriment. [28 Jul 2006, p.67]
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MojoLyrically he's as pleasingly obtuse as ever. [Jul 2006, p.101]
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New Musical Express (NME)Even the ticking percussion and trilling synths can't hide the sheer melodic oddness of Gartside's songs. [3 Jun 2006, p.35]
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I’m beginning to think it’s one of the smartest records-- musically and lyrically-- we’ll hear all year.
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Despite White Bread Black Beer's undeniable beauty, it feels largely out of place as a product of the contemporary spectrum of music.
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Q MagazineOccasionally there's a little too much going on... Overall, though, Gartside remains intriguing. [Jul 2006, p.116]
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Rolling StoneFeatures some of his most beautiful, introverted and delicate tunes yet. [24 Aug 2006, p.94]
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SpinWordy but somnambulant. [Sep 2006, p.112]
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With its laptop beats and closely mic’d intimacy, White Bread, Black Beer conforms to the dictates of a creator with endless time to play all the instruments and no one to please but himself, regrettably.
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Rarely have Pro Tools and a melancholy disposition fallen into such capable hands.
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The New York Times[His] best work in 20 years. [25 Jul 2006]
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UncutCould very well be the best record of this restlessly self-critical career. [Jul 2006, p.90]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 12 out of 14
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Mixed: 0 out of 14
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Negative: 2 out of 14
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Oct 30, 2011
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Apr 24, 2011
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MaxMMar 11, 2007