Cleopatra
by The Lumineers
Metascore
67

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
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  1. Blurt Magazine
    May 31, 2016
    60
    Quieter and striking a more somber tone than their Grammy-nominated first record, it sounds as if the band went out of its way to tone down the catchiness of their initial offering. But the softer focus put the lyrics front and center and that’s, in part, what separates The Lumineers from the slew of bands that came after trying to replicate the success of “Ho Hey”.
  2. PopMatters
    Apr 15, 2016
    60
    If the Lumineers debut record was a representation of their metaphorical college years, Cleopatra is definitely their more mature, but confused, post-grad understanding of fame.
  3. AllMusic
    Apr 14, 2016
    60
    There's something admirable about the album's solemnity: the Lumineers are on a quest to be taken seriously, and even if they overplay their hand, the earnestness is ingratiating.
  5. Uncut
    Apr 5, 2016
    60
    The likes of the title track and "Sleep On The Floor" are pleasingly Ryan Adams/Gaslight Anthem-ish; elsewhere, as on "Gun Song" and "Angela" it all gets a bit Mumford & Sons. [May 2016, p.76]
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  6. Consequence
    Apr 5, 2016
    58
    Mostly, it feels like The Lumineers are talented songwriters, wary of repeating themselves, who know what they want to say, and are still figuring out how to say it.
  7. Slant Magazine
    Apr 5, 2016
    40
    Ultimately, though, Cleopatra is simply Americana pastiche we've heard a hundred times before.

Awards & Rankings

100
#100 Most Discussed Album of 2016
87
#87 Most Shared Album of 2016

User Reviews

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User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 67 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 50 out of 67
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 67
  3. Negative: 10 out of 67
  1. proterospongia
    Apr 9, 2016
    7
    4 years after their bold debut, The Lumineers comeback with an album that defines what the folk-pop movement they were a part was back then:4 years after their bold debut, The Lumineers comeback with an album that defines what the folk-pop movement they were a part was back then: appealing, satisfying, but too monochromatic e monotonous at times. Cleopatra is a solid record, beautifully executed and composed, but breaks no new ground, neither sounds fresh. If you weren't into The Lumineers back in 2012, you won't be now.

    Best Track: Ophelia, Cleopatra, Angela.    … Full Review »
  2. wrognibene
    Apr 19, 2016
    6
    In their sophomore album, the Lumineers produced a record filled with the stories of people. There's Ophelia, a woman you know you shouldn'tIn their sophomore album, the Lumineers produced a record filled with the stories of people. There's Ophelia, a woman you know you shouldn't fall for but it's hard not to (and also a metaphor for fame). There's Cleopatra, who's seen a lot and lived a full life, but missed out on the love of her life - she also conveniently parallels the Cleopatra of the ancients. And of course, Angela, running from something to find her way home...even if home isn't a place so much as a person.

    Cleopatra, the album, has a few more good characters but unfortunately these three are really the only truly memorable ones. The Lumineers still embrace their folksy, Americana sound in the best way, but between the magic of their breakthrough album, and the forgettable middle songs, some of this record falls through the cracks. That's not to say the other songs are not good; White Lie is powerfully somber and Gun Song, despite it's name, clearly has deeper meaning. I'd be lying if I said I could even remember the titles of many other songs, however. Perhaps they'll grow on me, but for now I'll have to give Cleopatra a 6/10.    … Full Review »
  3. asdsadsadasd
    May 16, 2020
    10
    Eu achava esse album bem mais ou menos até compreender ele.
    Nesse álbum, The Lumineers foram ousados e decidiram profundizar nas relações    Eu achava esse album bem mais ou menos até compreender ele.
    Nesse álbum, The Lumineers foram ousados e decidiram profundizar nas relações modernas: nos medos, dúvidas e esperanças e colocaram tudo isso em composições mais maduras e ritmos mais romanticos, sonoricamente com algumas músicas especificas como "Ophelia" voce pode ter o desejo de se levantar e balançar conforme o ritmo, sao músicas muito confortáveis e prazerosas de se ouvir, que parecem distribuir aleatoriamente uma sensação de alegria mas também de melancolia, é um trabalho incrível que pode ser considerado apenas como "aceitável" quando nao se entende tudo o que eles querem dizer.    … Full Review »
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