Countless Branches
by Bill Fay
User Score
7.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 12 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 12
  3. Negative: 2 out of 12
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  1. Menios
    Jan 18, 2020
    8
    I can't believe that he released only two albums during the 1970s before his return this past decade of the 2010s. He is seriously underrated. "Countless Branches" truly proves that, being one of the best folk albums I've heard in the last two years. It is a magnificently made albums, with very good and to-the-point production, given the folk genre's distinction, which is that it does notI can't believe that he released only two albums during the 1970s before his return this past decade of the 2010s. He is seriously underrated. "Countless Branches" truly proves that, being one of the best folk albums I've heard in the last two years. It is a magnificently made albums, with very good and to-the-point production, given the folk genre's distinction, which is that it does not really depend on the production. In this album, Fay is frugal and his album is adorned with Doric simplicity. Hope he lives for many more years, to bless us with so fine folk music as this album.… Expand
  2. Chewilewi
    Jan 25, 2020
    9
    Bill Fay's music is something truly special. The lyrics and compositions on this album are stripped down to the bones and it lets the power of his words take center stage, where they belong.
  3. Jamesone
    Feb 3, 2020
    10
    Another superb album both in the music and production. I have the vinyl De-lux version and it is a joy to listen to the high audio quality of this record. The ten songs on the album are very good with a lot of space evident with minimal musicians used. The additional 7 songs on the De-lux version are bigger band versions of 4 songs from the album,two other 2 songs and a live studio versionAnother superb album both in the music and production. I have the vinyl De-lux version and it is a joy to listen to the high audio quality of this record. The ten songs on the album are very good with a lot of space evident with minimal musicians used. The additional 7 songs on the De-lux version are bigger band versions of 4 songs from the album,two other 2 songs and a live studio version of At the Time of the Last Persecution.
    A classic.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

62
#62 Best Album of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. The Wire
    Mar 3, 2020
    90
    Countless Branches does nothing different, but seems to knock them all dead by virtue of its naked simplicity alone. Some of these tracks are scarcely crafted songs at all but simple musings, addressed to no one in particular, not even an inward self, just uttered over soft, slow piano chords. [Mar 2020, p.48]
  2. Pitchfork
    Feb 11, 2020
    78
    The album is beautifully and judiciously arranged, but a collection of bonus tracks on the expanded edition show how Countless Branches might have sounded with more instruments and more people.
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  3. PopMatters
    Jan 22, 2020
    80
    Despite its shifts in style, Countless Branches is cohesive in terms of both sound and subject matter.
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