- Record Label: Constellation
- Release Date: Oct 7, 2003
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Easily the best work that the group has done.
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Heard once, the record is breathtaking for its emotional qualities. Heard twice, it begins to sound more and more like a brilliantly crafted classical chamber piece, with themes holding each of the hymns up to the same illuminating light.
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The whole affair is deeply involving, full of odd punctuations and wonderful non-linear compositional structures.
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While not exactly self-evident or easy to spot, the song structures are more prevalent than before.
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This is a brilliant and varied album, risky and excessive at times, yet compelling and open throughout.
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Do Make Say Think have presented us with their best work yet, a varied and unpredictable album capable of imparting the chill of the winter and the warmth of celebratory joy to you without ever presenting you with a human voice.
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Brilliant, shimmering and wonderfully composed, Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn is one of the best albums of year, and the best album GY!BE have never released.
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Q MagazineDiminished by their willingness to splash about in the post-Tortoise shallows. [Dec 2003, p.124]
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Winter Hymn is one of the year's memorable, noteworthy listens, and DMST's finest effort overall.
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It seamlessly combines the choicest bits and bobbles of other acts into an overwhelming patchwork of sound and fury, but in the process, the band occasionally loses sight of their own identity.
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Its a strong and dynamic step forward for the group and deserves to bring them a level of recognition commonly accorded their more famous Montréal label-mates.
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The WireThe album becomes more experimental and confident as it progresses. [#236, p.59]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 7 out of 8
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Mixed: 0 out of 8
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Negative: 1 out of 8
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brianjMar 8, 2007Best album I've heard in a while. Will take you through most every emotion.
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HunterJan 27, 2006
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MCahillDec 26, 2003Albums just don't come with this much willingness to exist. Urgent, positive, textured, astonishing.