American Songwriter's Scores

  • Music
For 1,814 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 50% higher than the average critic
  • 5% same as the average critic
  • 45% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 0.8 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Music review score: 74
Highest review score: 100 Rockstar
Lowest review score: 20 Dancing Backward in High Heels
Score distribution:
  1. Negative: 4 out of 1814
1814 music reviews
    • 52 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Some 42 albums on, Morrison remains as emphatic as ever. This Latest might not be his greatest, but in many ways it clearly comes close.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    In Another World displays the Tricksters cranking out another 45 minutes of crackling rock and roll that belies the members’ age, extensive backstory along with a work ethic doesn’t show any signs of slowing down now. Cheap Trick is a group too smart to quit.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    This commercial shift seems a deliberate way to attract a larger audience, sell more albums and raise her star profile. In doing so, it often, but not always, dissipates much of what made her talents so distinctive to begin with.
    • 96 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Taken in total, The Who Sell Out Super Deluxe Edition is in fact the ultimate box set bonanza. It’s one that any diehard devotee will not want to do without.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Headphones make the experience even more visceral since listeners can concentrate on the intricacy of the tracks. But in any environment, Flat White Moon is an inventive, original and impressive project from a band who hasn’t yet found a boundary they can’t expand.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Not everything on Final Farewell hits the mark – notably the partly spoken word We Are Here, a commentary on the impact of social media, which feels both glib and uncharacteristically unsubtle – and at just 31 minutes, it certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome. Overall though, this is a rich, warm, sometimes quite moving record which proves Peggy Seeger’s (and Dylan Thomas’s) point that old age does not have to mean going gently into that good night.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Any of these gems would sound natural emerging out of a tinny ‘60s transistor radio. That’s clearly what Waterhouse and Butler were aiming for on an organic album that feels fresh and alive while respecting and recalling the past.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Rarities alone aren’t the reason for acquisition, and in truth, the 16 tracks assembled for Assembly offer only a small taste of Strummer’s true genius. Yet, the music that is included still manages to provide an expansive overview of a career that was in full flourish at the time of his passing.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It’s difficult to see where Dry Cleaning goes after the defiant line in the sand drawn here. But for those willing to follow them, and especially frontwoman Shaw, it’s likely they will blaze an idiosyncratic path in the music sphere, similar to what they have accomplished on this rather remarkable, often powerful, and always challenging, debut.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Think Steely Dan minus Becker and Fagen’s wry, occasionally sneering lyrics, and you’re getting warm to Lake Street Dive’s approach.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Tigers Jaw bites down hard and also gives devotees plenty to chew on.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    With her new release, Under the Pepper Tree, Watkins excels once again, courtesy of a tender and touching musical tapestry drawn from nostalgic cover songs that bring to mind childhood memories and shared stories etched in comfort and caress.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    These versions show a seldom seen side of Chris Cornell’s talents. They deserve to be heard by both existing fans and especially those unfamiliar with his stunning vocal talents.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Okay, Ringo hasn’t made his masterpiece, but then again, a guilty pleasure can be worth savoring in itself. As most of his Starr-struck admirers generally conclude, it can be rewarding to zoom in albeit momentarily, rather than opting to completely tune out.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Needless to say, Still Woman Enough is all one might expect of a concept collection like this, and it should be obvious at the outset that there’s a remarkable wealth of material to be had here. Fans will, of course, be throughly delighted, as well they should be. And newcomers, if there are any at this point, will marvel at this able expression of country craft and creativity. Suffice it to say, the title says it all.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    While there is an aural sameness that occasionally feels repetitious, the material is so exquisitely composed, effortlessly recorded and emotionally sung, this isn’t a major shortcoming for an album that gets more impressive each time you hear it.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    With These 13, Mathus and Bird effectively put their own imprint on music of a vintage variety, reimagining an old-time sound from their own personal perspective. Consider it an elegiac effort, one that reflects both shared sentiment and deep devotion.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Living in a Burning House‘s 13 songs pay tribute to his influences without sounding like any of them.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Ultimately, it’s the cheery calypso flavor and uplifting sentiments of “Better Days” that offer a hint of hope. With that in mind, this particular Settlement ought to be one that long-time fans find easy to accept.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Given the informal setting, those expecting some sort of regal revelation would best focus on the Traveling Wilburys recordings that arrived nearly two decades later. On the other hand, given the near mythical stature that these legendary Dylan-Harrison sessions have attained over the past five decades, compulsive collectors will find any inclusion welcome regardless.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Willie provides each with a rendition that stays true to the iconic originals, and while there’s a certain sense of deja vu underlining it all, he remains undeterred by any hint that he’s merely mimicking the master. With sweeping orchestral accompaniment intact, he captures the feel and finesse of the original renditions and succeeds in making them his own.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    With Way Down in the Rust Bucket, Young affirms a vision and vitality that showcases him at his best, the lesser contenders be damned.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Not everything clicks, though. The spoken word verses and clichéd lyrics of “Don’t Give Up” and the simplistic “Shut Up and Rock” could have been chopped from an album that’s already pretty long. But there is enough of Cooper’s trademarked sleaze and rowdy clenched-fist riffing in “Hail Mary,” a cover of the MC5’s propulsive “Sister Ann,” and the swampy “Wonderful World” to satisfy fans of Cooper’s early work.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Expressed from a first person point of view, the music comes across with a sense of unease, urgency and uncertainty, which, in turn, boosts both interest and intrigue. Clearly, The Hold Steady are intent on burrowing below the surface in their pursuit of principle and propriety.
    • 96 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The thrilling Black Sabbath Vol 4 is essential listening for Brit rock enthusiasts since it captures the band gently prodding its established metal genre. Whether anyone but the most fervent fan needs to spring for this pricey and skimpy reissue though is debatable. [Music: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars/ Reissue package: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars]
    • 93 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Start Walkin’ excavates the finest moments of some inconsistent albums to prove her iconic status is well earned.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It’s an interstellar pop journey well worth taking.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Sun June defines its enigmatic, shadowy sonic borders but never pushes beyond them, which causes the disc to occasionally lapse into tedious uniformity as it progresses.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Like her chosen alias, The Weather Station’s music is fluid and variable. This latest twist is an unexpected, yet welcome change of climate in her ongoing career.