No Ripcord's Scores
- Music
For 2,725 reviews, this publication has graded:
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43% higher than the average critic
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3% same as the average critic
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54% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 2.8 points lower than other critics.
(0-100 point scale)
Average Music review score: 70
Score distribution:
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Positive: 1,898 out of 2725
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Mixed: 751 out of 2725
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Negative: 76 out of 2725
2725
music
reviews
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- Critic Score
Valtari, their long-awaited joint band effort, revolves to realign their focus instead of undergoing any drastic transformation.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jun 4, 2012
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PRODUCT is truly what you make of it - both highly addictive and somewhat unfinished, it leaves a good amount of open space for the listener to construct a set of vivid, imaginary images into something personal, even meaningful.- No Ripcord
- Posted Dec 3, 2015
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Ooh La La sharpens that edge with a straight-up shot of soul rock revivalism followed by a chaser of electro-groove. Ditto is at her peak at these moments, where she finds a balance between creativity and sneering attitude, and it would have been great to see more of that, and less of the studio-slick professionalism of the album’s sound.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jul 19, 2017
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There’s no denying that the elements that make up Nobody knows. are profoundly captivating, from the album's rich sonic detail to Beal’s reliably powerhouse vocals and personality. But as refined as these elements are, they still don’t quite add up to make the excellent record that many of us are still waiting for Beal to finally make.- No Ripcord
- Posted Sep 12, 2013
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The “that's life” solemnity that throbs in Vestiges quickly fizzles into a series of narrative incoherent niceties, and becomes a far more rewarding listen when lyrical fragments are taken out of context.- No Ripcord
- Posted Feb 27, 2015
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- Posted Apr 15, 2014
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It's not quite at the level of Without a Sound, Mascis' definitive pop moment, but What Do We Do Now is the closest he's been to showing his more tender side in years.- No Ripcord
- Posted Feb 26, 2024
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Throughout these 11 songs, there’s a conflict between whether the characters are ready to move on or are fighting to go back to how it was.- No Ripcord
- Posted Nov 16, 2020
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While one could say the majority of Hippo Lite’s material is experimental, Presley and Le Bon placed their most avant and uptempo vocal tracks toward the album’s latter half, a block of songs that sort of run together before its closer, the violin-driven You Could Be Better. Consequently, the sequencing feels rushed and impatient. By Contrast, Presley and Le Bon initially want to show you around, the light and airy Blue from the Dark opening the door, slowly introducing you to their muse. By the end, it’s difficult not to feel as though you’ve overstayed your welcome.- No Ripcord
- Posted Apr 27, 2018
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Anyone with any vague taste in good music needs to own this album, right now.- No Ripcord
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Consider Grace/Wastelands more of a step in the right direction, a sign that maybe all is not lost and he can turn things around yet.- No Ripcord
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Loney, Noir is a beautiful serving of melancholia, and one of the most interesting and fully realised home recordings I’ve heard in a long time.- No Ripcord
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Let's Wrestle has developed a studied, wide-ranging brute that embraces their oddball wit to a greater degree.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jun 2, 2011
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It does have some darker moments, but this is a record that is fun, invigorating and ultimately very catchy.- No Ripcord
- Posted Sep 13, 2016
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European Heartbreak is charming, clever and quietly confident. If the world really is about to fall apart, then Amber Arcades has produced something that is more than a worthwhile distraction.- No Ripcord
- Posted Oct 8, 2018
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Why Bonnie doesn't break its established mold, but it does sustain an element of surprise throughout that bodes well for whatever comes next.- No Ripcord
- Posted Aug 23, 2022
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- Posted Feb 11, 2016
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What is clear is that the Arctic Monkeys of 2011 have produced, probably by a significant margin, the best British Rock 'n' Roll album you will hear this year, and on top of that there's the comforting sense that Suck It And See will only age well.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jun 6, 2011
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It's in how she alters her ghostly, choral-like voice that she's able to elevate her entire environment.- No Ripcord
- Posted Feb 24, 2020
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Fortunately, his two other pieces on the record, Mallet Quartet, and Dance Patterns are nothing short of the flowery style that make Reich's music so rich. WTC 9/11, on the other hand, just sounds muddy.- No Ripcord
- Posted Nov 15, 2011
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What's most important is that the album marks her out as a talent to watch, more than able of holding her own against such forebears and, in turning in work as simple yet creepily perfect as Homeopathic or Twin Song, proves that she's more than worthy of our love in her own right.- No Ripcord
- Posted May 31, 2012
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The songs are consistently decent, even if they don’t have the edge and the energy of their Comfort sisters, but the vast majority are ultimately forgettable.- No Ripcord
- Posted May 17, 2017
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Boarding House Reach isn’t the easiest of listens, and at times sounds like an over-excited White has just pressed 'record' and let his absurdity run amok. However, its strong moments just about outnumber the less appealing ones, and White’s own creative juices are still being harvested in abundance.- No Ripcord
- Posted Apr 18, 2018
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Rather than going for broke, Depeche Mode eked out a half-decent release that doesn't do either the theme or their abilities any justice. It may be called Spirit, but this album is sorely lacking in soul.- No Ripcord
- Posted Apr 5, 2017
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It's hard to underestimate how big and strange some of this massive album is.- No Ripcord
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For their first official release on Secretly Canadian, Bodies of Water sound concise, powerful and eclectic.- No Ripcord
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Continually tedious and far too long for its own good, 25 25 is a almost hour-long endurance test that refuses to let itself out of the duo’s own heads.- No Ripcord
- Posted Sep 13, 2016
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It’s certainly one of the edgier twee recordings in recent years, almost an oxymoron in itself, one that falls short on its promise to channel its internal chaos with sprightly reminiscence.- No Ripcord
- Posted May 14, 2015
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If he'd played up his vocals over his vitriol, Brutalist Bricks could have been a much better album. Loud and messy may be the hallmarks of hardcore, but showcasing his talents would have made a bigger impact, both musically and politically.- No Ripcord
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Despite how structurally disciplined it sounds as a whole, their chamber-turned new wave hybrid should suffice for those who couldn’t fathom it from front to back.- No Ripcord
- Posted Feb 13, 2013
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Me Moan is a challenging effort that rewards as much as it confounds, and really doesn’t bring us anywhere closer to understanding Gibson’s true guise.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jul 10, 2013
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There are at least five tracks here which are a class apart from anything else they’ve written, and hint at a dexterity and professionalism that hadn’t really been previously evident. On the other hand, it’s probably the least consistent of Slow Club’s three albums so far.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jul 28, 2014
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While Waysides is unmatched in quality and execution, it sometimes feels a little too neat compared to the lush orchestrations of her breakthrough 2019 LP Bird Songs of a Killjoy. But there are some surprises to behold, coming in late into the album.- No Ripcord
- Posted Nov 17, 2021
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Cream is a victim of the times, no more than a mere face in a pop culture marketplace crowded with sexual aggrandizing and salacious controversy. The kind of antics Peaches has built her career on--pushing and pulling at the accepted boundaries, tongue-in-cheek shock value--are now a common rite of passage for artists pushing their edgy shtick.- No Ripcord
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It is clever and witty like the band is want to be, but when listening to Rant I stopped caring about the lack of instruments and simply enjoyed myself.- No Ripcord
- Posted Apr 19, 2012
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Trust ends with Chapman pleading his object of affection to have some faith in him, though it could also be a message to his listeners: setting aside his lackadaisical manner, Chapman really does want you to care about what he thinks.- No Ripcord
- Posted Mar 9, 2016
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The 70s soft rock inspirations hit the hardest on two of the most interesting cuts here, Far From Born Again and Bad for the Boys. The two tracks combine a jaunty, easy-listening sheen, with lyrics in the former that discuss sex work positively, and in the latter, that talk about the reckoning of abusive men.- No Ripcord
- Posted Sep 16, 2019
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Good as a heartbreak-balm, an above-average way to spend a night in bed or just something to dance with your special lady / man / whatever to, Love is All's latest proves that they can be counted on to bring quality pop, no matter what.- No Ripcord
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Grace and Lies is at its best when opposing ideas collide into each other.- No Ripcord
- Posted Aug 22, 2012
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Loom becomes tiresome as it reaches its second half, and the lack of lyrical clarity, though sincere in execution, balances poorly against the powerful instrumentation.- No Ripcord
- Posted May 12, 2014
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It’s difficult to avoid making repeated comparisons to Antipodes, but despite the differences in the sounds between the two LPs, the quality and strength of them is the same.- No Ripcord
- Posted May 29, 2014
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This is by and large a record that moves at its own pace, and a calm one at that.- No Ripcord
- Posted Feb 21, 2012
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The album isn’t without its faults--its probably too long, and though the production may differ from other albums, it blurs together somewhat over the course of the album. However, there’s one song on this album that renders all such complaints irrelevant--the title track. None Shall Pass is undoubtedly one of the best things Aesop has ever done- No Ripcord
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The result is a tighter and more collaborative sounding effort, and it shows throughout the album from the taught disco-funk of Telephone to the sunny and joyous brass-driven lead single U'huh.- No Ripcord
- Posted Feb 10, 2017
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While it undoubtedly holds some of the strongest songs of his career, it doesn’t entirely fulfill the promise of a conceptual framework.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jun 18, 2013
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After The End is a self-proclaimed pop record with lofty ambitions, after all, and their commitment to a broader aesthetic feels earned and vital.- No Ripcord
- Posted Aug 25, 2014
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Taken as a whole, The Soft Pack isn’t exceptionally challenging or memorable, though it does leave space to appreciate a few of its singles.- No Ripcord
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Operator is a very good debut, impressively original without becoming too inaccessible, and the debut single that dropped three years ago sounds as fresh and as authentic as it ever did.- No Ripcord
- Posted Mar 9, 2016
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The good news, at least, is that Phantogram have made a solid album. The bad news is that it spans across their two LPs with plenty of forgettable filler in between.- No Ripcord
- Posted Feb 20, 2014
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Whirr crafts their own mold out of their influences, and, with an effort that feels grand and mesmerizing as it does dreary and bleak, Around hits the nail on the head and all those long lost sentiments of not having a shoegaze band to get behind seem to dissipate.- No Ripcord
- Posted Aug 16, 2013
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- Posted Jan 19, 2022
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Dum Dum Girls have graduated from a class of reverb junkies to becoming potentially one of the most potent and distinct pop bands of our time. End of Daze is on a separate level of artistic creativity and economy.- No Ripcord
- Posted Oct 4, 2012
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This album displays the band at an absolute low-point in their career.- No Ripcord
- Posted Oct 12, 2012
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When it's done well, with diverse influences blended together, it's so easy to like if not love, and as such Get Back instantly feels like a long lost friend.- No Ripcord
- Posted Apr 28, 2014
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Her ability on both sides of the mixing deck is on full display throughout Losing, and her latest work strengthens her case as a supremely talented songwriter and producer.- No Ripcord
- Posted Nov 27, 2017
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Established fans may have a problem with the ADHD style of Junior, and the album does raise some questions: is it better to be great at one thing or good several things? If you are a well-versed fan of electronica and you know what you like, then this album might not be for you.- No Ripcord
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They sure had the knack to look through the lens of their younger selves, which makes one think whether keeping it sweet and snappy would’ve suited them better. Regardless of their intent to reach out of their limit, there are bursts of inventiveness in Trouble that make the risk taking worthwhile.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jan 27, 2014
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Although it may not sound as groundbreaking as its predecessor, Little Red’s introspection-on-the-dancefloor theme is fascinating enough to sustain multiple records.- No Ripcord
- Posted Feb 13, 2014
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What the lyrics lack (and they certainly aren’t bad by any stretch--simply not particularly strong), the vocals mask.- No Ripcord
- Posted Feb 10, 2017
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He's given us a lot to unpick, even if the record isn't as cohesive as it ought to be.- No Ripcord
- Posted Aug 29, 2012
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They're good but not excellent; they have brilliant songwriting over mediocre melodies and the old-newness becomes old again quickly. Five. Right smack dab in the middle of nothing and everything.- No Ripcord
- Posted Aug 24, 2011
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It's a testament to their ingenious crafting of familiar sounds that we hear the musical reference points in each of these songs without feeling cheated by the fact that we can pinpoint precisely who they sound like at any given moment.- No Ripcord
- Posted Aug 29, 2012
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'One More Time With Feeling's' dynamics shift and her lyrics are vague, but carry a heartfelt sentiment. Far has too little of this and winds up being a mixed bag.- No Ripcord
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Carter’s default psyche is an afflicted one, and his lyrics commenting on the migrant crisis typically don't pull any punches. On the other hand, his first steps into a more ornate sound on Neon Rust is a welcome change.- No Ripcord
- Posted Feb 13, 2017
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Underwhelming ending aside, it’s fair to say that Del Rey (and her collaborators) have more than risen to the challenge of keeping her a part of the pop culture conversation, for all the right reasons.- No Ripcord
- Posted Aug 4, 2014
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Some come-backs are fraught with danger, both commercial and artistic. This one is entirely justified.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jan 5, 2012
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It achieves a good and meticulously contrived balance that will continue to satisfy the Brooklyn insomniacs, but rarely does it risk doing more.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jun 5, 2014
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With a perfect combination of loose noise and tight melody, Eagulls’ self-titled debut puts the group on the fast track to be taken seriously, even compared to peers on their third or fourth try.- No Ripcord
- Posted Mar 10, 2014
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They show the beginnings of great ideas in almost every song, and a few get the full treatment and stay great all the way through. The good songs are very enjoyable, the rest of the album is, unfortunately, pretty forgettable.- No Ripcord
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Tall Ships are still navigating in search of their ideal destination, and their second voyage may prove to be an even more enriching one.- No Ripcord
- Posted Oct 22, 2012
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The tempos vary, sort of, but there’s a mood on this record that’s hard to qualify and never wavers.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jan 13, 2014
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Aloha have created an album with a strange feel, Home Acres is dark but it’s not cold. It’s a humid album that aptly demonstrates Aloha’s greatest strengths, but also highlights their weaknesses.- No Ripcord
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The Runaway Found is to be filed alongside Coldplay, Starsailor and Snow Patrol.- No Ripcord
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Pop. 1280 are still concerned with the dark underbelly of the human experience, though the sneakily measured Paradise proves that even the most degenerate souls deserve some sanguine aggression, too.- No Ripcord
- Posted Feb 16, 2016
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Leave Me Alone is giddy with joy, cackling with sun-drenched vibes and that captivating youthful energy, and it’s impossible to listen to tracks like Easy, Chili Town and San Diego without leeching off it.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jan 12, 2016
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Some tweaks are almost imperceptible, but when administered at the right place and the right time, Dusk shows an incidental dynamism that Ultimate Painting haven’t shown before.- No Ripcord
- Posted Oct 17, 2016
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It’s Frightening isn’t a bad album in its own right. There are certainly worse things than making a record that’s frequently catchy but not terribly exciting.- No Ripcord
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Summer 08 is good work from Mount, and an album with its fair share of corking tracks.- No Ripcord
- Posted Aug 10, 2016
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The Bird and the Bee end up sounding like the soundtrack to some glossy drama about a bunch of over privileged kids living in Notting Hill.- No Ripcord
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Fuckbook is a fantastic, energy-fuelled riot of an album and--if you wish to view it as such--yet another brilliant addition to the embarrassment of riches that is the collected works of Yo La Tengo.- No Ripcord
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It's cohesive, it's tight and it illustrates the band's continuous depth and attention to subtlety.- No Ripcord
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Even if this is a by-the-numbers creation, it certainly adopts the same fiery posture that every Burma album encompasses. It just has to be looked upon with a different mindset. So here’s a toast to conviction.- No Ripcord
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Deeper plunges headlong into its nightmarish source material with feverish petulance, insisting on the authenticity of its own sorrow.- No Ripcord
- Posted Apr 13, 2015
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Wondrous Bughouse, with its epic sprawl and quaint curiosity, successfully captures through its music the idea that the smaller you are, the easier you’re dazzled and overwhelmed by the world around you.- No Ripcord
- Posted Mar 7, 2013
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Mellow Waves doesn’t immediately grab your attention like some of Oyemada’s past work, but his careful attention to craft remains intact.- No Ripcord
- Posted Aug 24, 2017
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You could call it inconsistency, but you can tell they never signed up for the mission of steering the chasm of modern rock music. Instead, they're four guys doing what they want, culling their influences and breathing life into whatever construct emerges. But regardless of where it falls on the spectrum, it's always fun.- No Ripcord
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Buckner’s songwriting, both in the arrangements and vocals, is laser-focused on the development and exploration of his scorched-earth aesthetic. Together, they project it with grace, refinement, and skill.- No Ripcord
- Posted Sep 12, 2013
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Songs like All Blacked Out and Chemical Freeze are suffused with melancholic ambiance, where descending minor chords provide a fullness to their otherwise spare arrangements.- No Ripcord
- Posted Mar 19, 2019
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With some of their catchiest songs yet and Gareth's muse in top form, this album stands among their strongest work.- No Ripcord
- Posted Mar 3, 2017
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Most of the artists have slipped into their most generic, polite, Obama-supporting personas. However this is not to say the album isn’t enjoyable and featuring so many high caliber artists, almost all the songs are good and some really hit the mark.- No Ripcord
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Fever Dream may not be the most revolutionary electronic album of the year but as a whole, it's strong, and will prove an enjoyable journey for fans of instrumental hip-hop, triphop and chillwave, as well as anyone who is partial to the occasional moment of dreamy, psychedelic dance.- No Ripcord
- Posted Aug 30, 2011
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Sun Airway conducts Soft Fall with a unique command, never straying from its drifting atmosphere even as it continually delivers a batch of catchy, highly replayable songs.- No Ripcord
- Posted Oct 3, 2012
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Good but not as good as you might think it is on a song-to-song basis, enjoyable but somewhat less memorable.- No Ripcord
- Posted Apr 30, 2013
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Weaves have written a good debut record that is unafraid to take chances, and to an extent, it signifies a band that will only get hungrier with time. There’s still in search mode, though, exceedingly pushing themselves to write clever pop songs that sometimes expose their calculated overconfidence.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jun 20, 2016
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Goons Be Gone won’t go down as No Age’s best, but it benefits from its directness.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jun 5, 2020
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Moments like Living Up to Let You Down are unforgettable; it’s just a disappointment the rest of the album isn’t even close.- No Ripcord
- Posted Sep 18, 2020
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Archive Material is a strong release for fans of Fad or newcomers to Silverbacks, the type of album that feels like it’ll only get better with time.- No Ripcord
- Posted Jan 24, 2022
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