Born In The U.K.
by Badly Drawn Boy
Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 30
  3. Negative: 5 out of 30
  1. Urb
    60
    An odd album... this might well have been called Badly Drawn Boy: The Musical. [Oct 2006, p.117]
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  2. The Guardian
    60
    Gough has tried several new directions here. The results are mixed.
  3. musicOMH.com
    60
    While this makes for pleasant enough listening, we know that Damon Gough can do a lot better than pleasant.
  5. Observer Music Monthly
    60
    Closer to the big production of Have You Fed the Fish? than 2004's more acoustic-led One Plus One is One, it's also the most obvious manifestation of his longstanding Springsteen obsession.
  6. Dot Music
    60
    He's spitting distance from a brilliant concept album about love and suburbia, but he keeps pulling back.
  7. AllMusic
    60
    Too often, his words and melodies end up drowning in their busy surroundings.
  8. Blender
    60
    Midway through, this becomes the record it should have been all along: a gentle, autumnal meditation on the problems of becoming a badly drawn grown-up. [Nov 2006, p.136]
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  9. Uncut
    60
    Oddly life-affirming. [Nov 2006, p.99]
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  10. Rolling Stone
    60
    Born in the U.K. has some lovely idiosyncratic moments... but not much in the way of new ideas.
  11. Alternative Press
    60
    The songs tend to meander along without a sense of overall purpose. [Dec 2006, p.188]
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  12. Entertainment Weekly
    58
    For every catchy valentine, there are three groan-inducing Big Statements. [20 Oct 2006, p.83]
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  13. Billboard
    50
    "Born" loses its focus amid unabashed nods to Burt Bacharach and songs that are just not done yet, despite smart tempo changes and pretty melodies.
  14. PopMatters
    50
    There’s still a kernel of originality and true insight in Badly Drawn Boy, but Damon Gough’s going to have to work hard to get back to the spontaneity and true feeling of his past work.
  15. Austin Chronicle
    50
    A cursory listen is stultifyingly dull and alarmingly same-y, a pale follow-up to 2004's One Plus One Is One. A more careful ear reveals the sort of complexity we've come to expect from our Boy over the years.
  16. Spin
    40
    Gough pens poignant pop-rock tunes... but he overdresses them, adding bells and whistles where they're not needed. [Nov 2006, p.96]
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User Reviews

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User Score
6.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 23
  3. Negative: 5 out of 23
  1. sleepchant
    May 29, 2020
    8
    This album's due for another look. It features some of his most idiosyncratic singing, and there's a sad wonder to songs like "Degrees ofThis album's due for another look. It features some of his most idiosyncratic singing, and there's a sad wonder to songs like "Degrees of Separation," "The Long Way Round," and "Walk You Home" that kinda sums up your 30s. Is it groundbreaking stuff? No, but it's relatable and just complex enough to reveal layers. I even like bombastic experiments like "Welcome to the Overground" and "Swimming Pool Part 1." Would've been a worthy successor to About a Boy as his own personal "soundtrack."… Full Review »
  2. Mccusky
    May 5, 2020
    4
    Quite a dull album, one of the most disappointing albums after the such high quality of his predecessors
  3. PaulW.
    Dec 5, 2009
    10
    WHATT?!! How could everyone rip this album some much? There are so many damn good songs on it!! I think there is some conspiracy to take down Gough.
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