Wounded Rhymes - Lykke Li
Wounded Rhymes Image
  • Summary: Sweden's Lykke Li continues to disarm listeners with her distinctive voice on her second album, keeping in tune with her tough sensuality and pop whimsy.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 34
  2. Negative: 0 out of 34
  1. 100
    While her 2008 breakout, Youth Novels, was quirky and coy, Wounded Rhymes is hungry, dark, dirty.
  2. The meaning's in the music, which to her considerable benefit shares the widespread Stockholm suspicion that the distinction between pop and dance music isn't worth troubling yourself over, but is nonetheless pinned for appearance's sake to the shades of yearning that mark it verbally.
  3. Mar 14, 2011
    60
    The result is never maudlin, but big, bouncy and entertaining.

See all 34 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 1 out of 11
  1. 10
    It's a cohesive album, emotional within, but the real point is Lykke's unique voice. It has nasal forms, vibratos, powerfull spelling, we can feel what she is saying, what she lived and it is the key to this CD. Her efforts to make something about herself were accomplished, and her voice is just comparable to Bjork's. Extraordinary. Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  2. Lykke Li is big and bold, soft and subdued, dancy and sleepy, all within one record. It’s nothing less than exactly what I was hoping for from her sophomore effort. While she may have abandoned Youth Novels, I’ve kept it around, and Wounded Rhymes is a perfect companion piece. Lykke Li is the alt-pop anti-princess, gobbling mushrooms and talking **** about you and your pedestrian affinity for her earlier work. While there’s elements of Youth Novels all over this album, they’re second cousins at best, and this is a huge leap forward. I can’t think of why anyone wouldn’t like this, and I’m having an incredibly hard time thinking of something bad to say about it. I guess it isn’t free, is only 48 minutes long, and you can’t eat it. Expand
    • 8 of 12 users said yes
  3. Since "Markovian" already wrote everything there is to be written I'll just make this short. It's a great album, filled with stunning drumbeats, rhythms and so much more. When I first heard this album I thought: "Could this be true, is it so fu***** awesome?" If You think that there's no reason in spending money on this album, well think again. I say bull*** to all those who think that this album sucks. Listen it again and explore the harmonies surrounding this Masterpiece. Expand
    • 2 of 2 users said yes

See all 11 User Reviews

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  1. March's Best New Music

    March's Best New Music Image
    Published: March 31, 2011
    Find out which albums impressed critics the most over the past month (hint: think Lykke Li and Elbow, among others), and listen to full tracks from each of the best-reviewed albums.
  1. Loveless [Reissue] - My Bloody Valentine
    Metascore: 96
  2. Ram [Deluxe Edition] - Paul & Linda McCartney
    Metascore: 93
  3. L.A. Woman - The Doors
    Metascore: 93
  4. On the Impossible Past - The Menzingers
    Metascore: 93
  5. Biokinetics [Reissue] - Porter Ricks
    Metascore: 93
  6. Bitch Magnet - Bitch Magnet
    Metascore: 91
  7. Reform Club - Claro Intelecto
    Metascore: 89
  8. Be Good - Gregory Porter
    Metascore: 89
  9. Crown and Treaty - Sweet Billy Pilgrim
    Metascore: 88
  10. 1992-2012 - Underworld
    Metascore: 88
  11. Undun - The Roots
    Metascore: 88
  12. Accelerando - Vijay Iyer Trio
    Metascore: 87
  13. R.A.P. Music - Killer Mike
    Metascore: 87
  14. Voices from the Lake - Voices from the Lake
    Metascore: 87
  15. The Earn - Yu
    Metascore: 86
  16. Europe - Allo Darlin'
    Metascore: 86
  17. Young Man In America - Anais Mitchell
    Metascore: 86
  18. Vee Vee [Remastered] - Archers of Loaf
    Metascore: 86
  19. Metascore: 86
  20. Locked Down - Dr. John
    Metascore: 86