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Brutalism
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Brutalism Image
Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 19 Ratings

  • Summary: The fifth full-length release for the New York indie pop project of Jonny Pierce was mixed by Chris Coady.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Exclaim
    Apr 3, 2019
    80
    Brutalism finds Pierce at his most confident, musically, but his most vulnerable, personally. He's able to explore new sounds without worrying about expectations, and open up about emotions that he's never touched on in his music before.
  2. Q Magazine
    Apr 10, 2019
    80
    The threadbare production which previously stretched ideas to breaking point has been bolstered, adding a warmth to the jangly 626 Bedford Avenue and cocooning the break-up ballad My Japs in plucked acoustics and distant percussion. [Jun 2019, p.111]
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  3. NOW Magazine
    Apr 24, 2019
    80
    Pierce has called Brutalism his most honest work yet, but personal detail aside, it’s an incisive album about the prevailing mood of the moment: anxiety. The lyrics might be grim, but the music encourages us to stick it out.
  4. Uncut
    Apr 3, 2019
    70
    The Drums are more stupidly contagious than ever. [May 2019, p.27]
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  5. Under The Radar
    May 13, 2019
    60
    It's an album that certainly stands apart as something different to what's come before, though interestingly, as the record progresses it sounds more and more like Pierce is settling into himself as a musician. The two exceptions are opening track "Pretty Cloud" and "Kiss It Away," both of which feel just somewhat out of place on what is an otherwise cohesive, calming, and beautifully forlorn record.
  6. DIY Magazine
    Apr 8, 2019
    60
    On the one hand, Brutalism feels less bloated than any of its predecessors, and a number of sharp production touches ensure that some of its tracks are excellent. ... On the other hand, the album is missing some of The Drums’ lo-fi charm.
  7. Paste Magazine
    Apr 3, 2019
    57
    Not everything has to be pure pop, but nothing else on Brutalism even comes close to sounding like a complete song the way [“Body Chemistry”] does.

See all 11 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. im-iamg
    Jun 11, 2019
    10
    O álbum, primeiro do The Drums com o Jonny Pierce sozinho, continua com a linearidade dos outros álbums (principalmente Portamento e AbysmalO álbum, primeiro do The Drums com o Jonny Pierce sozinho, continua com a linearidade dos outros álbums (principalmente Portamento e Abysmal Thoughts) porém mais intimista. Desde as letras até a arte de capa, que traz referência a um trecho de Brutalism, a musica que dá nome ao álbum, Jonny traz uma visão para essa fase do The Drums sem esquecer da essência da banda.… Expand
  2. Matheusjose
    May 29, 2019
    10
    Um álbum que segue a temática dos anteriores e se mantém no nível. Um ótimo espaço. Muito bom
  4. Tricko2103
    Apr 5, 2019
    8
    I’ve been fan of The Drums since the beginning and this could be their best record. The sound is more sophisticated which suits the songsI’ve been fan of The Drums since the beginning and this could be their best record. The sound is more sophisticated which suits the songs without compromising Jonny’s particular aesthetic.… Expand
  5. Hyanovisk
    Apr 7, 2019
    4
    All the hype created by Jonny himself only served me to create more expectations about this album. Unfortunately, Brutalism is the low pointAll the hype created by Jonny himself only served me to create more expectations about this album. Unfortunately, Brutalism is the low point of The Drums' career.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

50
#50 Most Shared Album of 2019

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