Young Machetes
by The Blood Brothers
  • Record Label: V2
  • Release Date: Oct 10, 2006
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. AllMusic
    80
    Young Machetes is occasionally exhausting, but it definitely won't disappoint fans of either the band's earlier or more recent sounds.
  2. Almost Cool
    65
    There's still not really anyone out there creating music quite like this, but unfortunately The Blood Brothers have made better albums than this.
  3. Alternative Press
    100
    Only time will accord the Bloods with the same kind of reverence given to such old-school avatars as Gang Of Four, Wire and Public Image Ltd. Wait and see. [Nov 2006, p.194]
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  5. Amazon.com
    70
    Imagine the Mars Volta undergoing electroshock treatment or Blonde Redhead at war with an army of feral cats.
  6. Blender
    70
    Scabrous, overdriven spallter-punk. [Nov 2006, p.136]
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  7. Drowned In Sound
    90
    This is Crimes refined, sculpted so that its edges aren’t as jagged as many sound-clashes past have proved to be; it exhibits managed eccentricity enough to stoke the furnaces of intelligent, demand-more punks worldwide.
  8. Filter
    91
    Stop bitching about never hearing anything new or different and pick this up. [#22, p.94]
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  9. Lost At Sea
    80
    While Young Machetes is a slight slip in quality, it is the first the band has made so far.
  10. musicOMH.com
    70
    They've come a million miles from their earlier recordings.
  11. Neumu.net
    90
    A monumental rock-'n'-roll album.
  12. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    We say: just give in, it'll be the best vomit of your life. [20 Jan 2007, p.29]
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  13. Pitchfork
    62
    The heavier quick-change songs push several different buttons at unexpected moments, but the more straightforward songs, the ones that should glue the record together, flounder.
  14. Playlouder
    80
    'Young Machetes' is both a magnificent and important album.
  15. PopMatters
    90
    You can call it selling out. You can call it mainstream. Just don’t call it bad. Call it the best album of their career. Scratch that: call it one of the best of 2006.
  16. Prefix Magazine
    80
    The musicians' new sense of restraint gives us what may very well be the Blood Brothers' smartest album yet.
  17. Spin
    80
    A real corker. [Nov 2006, p.96]
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  18. Stylus Magazine
    75
    Its unbearable tendencies are avoidable because they're overshadowed by bursts of creativity.
  19. Urb
    80
    The Brothers reach unmistakable heights of blood pressure... but also deliver slow, melodic goodies. [Oct 2006, p.118]
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User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 35 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 35
  3. Negative: 3 out of 35
  1. AdrianA
    Mar 21, 2007
    9
    This CD was underrated or misunderstood by some critics. I think that the Neumu.net review and the Itunes Store review are the best ones out This CD was underrated or misunderstood by some critics. I think that the Neumu.net review and the Itunes Store review are the best ones out there to get a real feeling of what you can expect from this release. Personally after the first listen I wasn't too impressed. I would have given it a 7.5 or an 8. The more I listened and the more I got into the Neon Blonde-esque tracks (camouflage, camouflage; Laser life, spit shine your black cloud), and the more I started to open up to some of the songs with unconventionally literal the more I appreciated it. Probably their most diverse CD: every song is totally different from the one before, and, except for 1,2,3,4 Guitars (which even though is a weak song overall, still has its moments), all of the songs work great. Extremely recommended for Blood Brothers fans, and the most accessible of all BB releases for curious music fans that are interested in the band.… Full Review »
  2. MonicaD
    Jan 11, 2007
    10
    Basically this cd makes me cum.
  3. DrewD
    Jan 2, 2007
    8
    If you are not familiar with the Blood Brothers, the first thing you need to know is that they are loud. Not loud in the same way that every If you are not familiar with the Blood Brothers, the first thing you need to know is that they are loud. Not loud in the same way that every other loud band is loud; this Seattle quintet has a signature brand of loud, and it… Full Review »
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