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Desperate Ground Image
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

  • Summary: The sixth full-length release for the Portland indie rock trio was produced by John Agnello.
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Top Track

I Go Alone
Each night I dream of the war Each one worse stand than one before A cord cop force he thinks above You have to leave till you'll be my lover I've... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 21
  2. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Alternative Press
    Apr 12, 2013
    90
    Thermals don't aim to shock. They don't aim to please, either, and their dynamic punk spirit is as smart and infectious as when they began in 2002. [May 2013, p.92]
  2. Apr 16, 2013
    81
    Desperate Ground is easily the best Thermals record since The Body, The Blood, The Machine.
  3. Apr 16, 2013
    80
    Suffice to say that this 26-minute concept album is confirmation of the power and enduring brilliance of the Thermals as they show no signs of slowing up--no signs of any erosion in their quality--and for that, we should be thankful.
  4. Apr 12, 2013
    70
    The Thermals are still a band in awkward transition resulting in a record that is reliably good by their own decent standards, but which fails to fulfil its very apparent potential to be great.
  5. Apr 15, 2013
    70
    Newer fans might not be totally impressed here but existing ones yearning for Harris’ observations should be satisfied otherwise.
  6. Apr 17, 2013
    66
    It’s a loud and brash album, but too often, that’s all it is.
  7. Apr 16, 2013
    50
    Desperate Ground is a record that really wants to convey having something to say and Harris has run out of ways to say that something.

See all 21 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of
  2. Mixed: 0 out of
  3. Negative: 0 out of