...And Star Power
by Foxygen
User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 41 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 41
  3. Negative: 12 out of 41
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  1. bji
    Oct 16, 2014
    10
    Definitely one of the more interesting albums I've listened to in the past few years and worth checking out. There is lots to like.

    Much of the criticism seems to be centered on the side 3 tracks - its certainly not as bad as people are saying and this section does give the album a sense of flow right through to the final two tracks. Also interested that no one has picked up on how    Definitely one of the more interesting albums I've listened to in the past few years and worth checking out. There is lots to like.

    Much of the criticism seems to be centered on the side 3 tracks - its certainly not as bad as people are saying and this section does give the album a sense of flow right through to the final two tracks. Also interested that no one has picked up on how the later half of "Brooklyn Police Station" (also on side 3) essentially rips off Brian Jonestown Massacre's "Here it comes"...

    All aside, the album's imperfections - and let's be honest we are talking about a double album here (Revolution No. 9 isn't exactly a fan favorite on the White Album) - actually help make it great.    … Expand
  2. Nedloh94
    Oct 15, 2014
    10
    This is a grower. At first, it won't make complete sense, as it's a monster to digest. Yet, there's a logic here, and once it makes itself apparent, the album is amazing. It only gets better and better.
  3. JBBu
    Feb 6, 2015
    10
    This is one of the more original and exciting albums of 2014… with an experimental enthusiasm that works. It may not appeal to the pure pop sensibilities of fans of their last two since it has broken away from the safe sensibilities of these unexceptional albums. Although it mines 60’s and 70’s psyche, pop and punk shamelessly (particularly Todd Rundgren, the psychedelic era Beatles andThis is one of the more original and exciting albums of 2014… with an experimental enthusiasm that works. It may not appeal to the pure pop sensibilities of fans of their last two since it has broken away from the safe sensibilities of these unexceptional albums. Although it mines 60’s and 70’s psyche, pop and punk shamelessly (particularly Todd Rundgren, the psychedelic era Beatles and the Stones), it is clearly a sound for the 21st century. Its tongue in cheek parodies remind me of the best of the magnificent Bongwater or Mothers of Invention.… Expand
  4. dullurd
    May 8, 2015
    0
    WATTCAOPAM was literally my favorite album of 2013. But unfortunately I have to join the minority here and declare that this was an enormous step backwards... and perilously close to complete suckitude. Yes, the genre influences here are different and less to my liking, but it's totally expected that a band like Foxygen would experiment that way. I don't hold that against them at all.WATTCAOPAM was literally my favorite album of 2013. But unfortunately I have to join the minority here and declare that this was an enormous step backwards... and perilously close to complete suckitude. Yes, the genre influences here are different and less to my liking, but it's totally expected that a band like Foxygen would experiment that way. I don't hold that against them at all.

    What really surprises and disappoints me is that I feel like most of their energy and crazy songwriting style was chucked out the window. Gone are the awesome wacky mid-song tempo and mood shifts that were their modus operandi their first two efforts. Instead we're left with needlessly messy, often sleepy, unexciting glammy lounge music.

    I really hope this is just a failed experiment and not a sign of things to come.    … Collapse
  5. AcidCasualty
    Oct 19, 2014
    7
    Shades of early Ween. You'll have to give this one a few listens before you judge it, as it takes some breaking in. Oddly, it's actually a less musically-mature album than the group's breakout album We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic, but that's not a bad thing on its own. Experimental and really interesting, ...And Star Power is a show of occasional brilliance in a seaShades of early Ween. You'll have to give this one a few listens before you judge it, as it takes some breaking in. Oddly, it's actually a less musically-mature album than the group's breakout album We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic, but that's not a bad thing on its own. Experimental and really interesting, ...And Star Power is a show of occasional brilliance in a sea of wonder.… Expand
  6. molecular
    Nov 8, 2014
    8
    If your favourite albums are The Beatles "White Album" and The Mothers "Freak Out" you will love this. On the other hand, if your favourite album is Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and you think Taylor Swift is a musical genius, then steer clear of this inspired mess.
  7. On-earMusic
    Oct 15, 2014
    6
    While I can't say this is a bad album, it's incredibly unorganized and has no real sense of direction. There are a few stand-out songs however; like How Can You Really, Coulda Been My Love, Cosmic Vibrations, and Cannibal Holocaust. These songs most sitting on the first half of the double album leaving the second half feeling uneventful and long-winded. Plus the "Star Power" portion ofWhile I can't say this is a bad album, it's incredibly unorganized and has no real sense of direction. There are a few stand-out songs however; like How Can You Really, Coulda Been My Love, Cosmic Vibrations, and Cannibal Holocaust. These songs most sitting on the first half of the double album leaving the second half feeling uneventful and long-winded. Plus the "Star Power" portion of this album is really nothing to talk about though it isn't bad by any means. In fact the only BAD tunes are "Mattress Warehouse" and Wally's Farm, the former being criminally bland and a test of patience while the other is just unbearable. While the whole hour and twenty minutes it takes to listen to this album isn't overall terrible, it leaves me wanting a more concise and focused album like last years "We Are the Twenty-First Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic".… Expand
  8. atmosphericrex
    May 28, 2015
    5
    There are a couple of really cool, listenable tracks on this record. Foxygen just decided to put a bunch of pointless noise in between them. The listenable tracks are a testament to Foxygen's ability to make good music, the rest is just sort of pretentious. It sort of sounds like they were allowed to just record whatever they wanted to as filler. I propose that this album should be turnedThere are a couple of really cool, listenable tracks on this record. Foxygen just decided to put a bunch of pointless noise in between them. The listenable tracks are a testament to Foxygen's ability to make good music, the rest is just sort of pretentious. It sort of sounds like they were allowed to just record whatever they wanted to as filler. I propose that this album should be turned into an EP called Actual Music On And Star Power... 1. How Can You Really 2. Coulda Been My Love 3. Cosmic Vibrations 4. You & I 5. I Don't Have Anything/The Gate 6. Flowers. But even those songs sort of feel like b-sides, this album really lacks the energy of We Are the 21st... I don't know it just doesn't really feel right.… Expand
  9. gabrielfobia
    Sep 9, 2016
    3
    It's not awful, but it's also not good. The album lacks of sense and meaning. Perhaps some songs like How Can You Really save the album, but in a full analysis, it is just not consistent and enjoyable at all.
  10. pouls
    Dec 25, 2016
    0
    This is one of the worst albums I've heard this decade. I've never been a huge Foxygen fan (or just a Foxygen fan), but I've got to enjoy some of their creations in the past. Their 2012 EP was interesting, and kept me interested to see what they would do in the future. Their 2013 album (that has a long title that I cannot bother to write here) was decent. I liked it, but not as much asThis is one of the worst albums I've heard this decade. I've never been a huge Foxygen fan (or just a Foxygen fan), but I've got to enjoy some of their creations in the past. Their 2012 EP was interesting, and kept me interested to see what they would do in the future. Their 2013 album (that has a long title that I cannot bother to write here) was decent. I liked it, but not as much as their 2012 EP. The album still showed some hope in Foxygen, and still kept me excited for the future.
    Now this album almost drains every hope that I had in this band away. From overstretched ideas, huge chunks of filler, forgettable songs and horrendous songwriting, this album is truly dreadful. The best track in this album is the seventeeth track here, which kicks off with a lo-fi vocal sample and then proceeds to a noisy drone piece. And that drone piece is actually the best moment in the entire album. The entire track isn't great, since its start is rocky and its ending is not the greatest as well. But it is certainly the best track here.
    The rest of the album is absolutely horrendous. It is one of those albums that is so bad that it's intriguing. You should not listen to it. I don't recommend you to listen to it.    … Expand
  11. alejoac
    Apr 23, 2018
    10
    lo fi masterpiece. songs like Brooklyn Police Station, Cosmic Vibrations, and You & I are among their best.

Awards & Rankings

85
#85 Most Discussed Album of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
62

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. Mojo
    Nov 6, 2014
    80
    Their star power indeed might be largely borrowed, but they wear it well. [Nov 2014, p.98]
  2. Rolling Stone
    Oct 21, 2014
    50
    An 82-minute combo plate of half-finished songs, choruses unmoored from verses, bursts of skyscraping beauty and long passages of sonic murk, all vaguely redolent of the Rolling Stones and Jesus Christ Superstar.
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  3. Consequence
    Oct 16, 2014
    67
    Star Power overwhelms with its personality, one that takes on a wildly different but equally zealous form every three minutes, one that’s exciting for a long while before suddenly making you want to shelve it for a longer while.
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