Excellent Italian Greyhound
by
Excellent Italian Greyhound Image
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8 Ratings

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  • Summary: This is the first release in seven years for the trio of super-producer Steve Albini (guitar), Todd Trainer (drums), and Bob Weston (bass).

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. AllMusic
    90
    A stellar accomplishment from a truly singular band.
  2. BBC collective
    90
    Excellent Italian Greyhound is vintage Shellac: stark, razorous and blackly comic, lurching into whatever time signature happens to possess drummer Tod Trainer.
  3. No Ripcord
    80
    The sound remains unmistakably Shellac: guttural, sarcastic, and chock-full of anger.
  4. Playlouder
    70
    Well as befits such a completely uncompromising visionary/awkward pain in the arse (delete one if you can be bothered) it veers between the preposterously awful 'Genuine Lullabelle' with its bewildering spoken word passages and the awesome wire taut assault of 'Be Prepared'.
  5. Pitchfork
    70
    Even at their silliest, even when they're treading water, no one else sounds quite like Shellac, and anyone who professes to be a serious music fan without having spent quality time with the band's albums should be forced to familiarize themselves. This just wouldn't be the first record I'd force on them.
  6. Dusted Magazine
    70
    It's a given that Excellent Italian Greyhound is a masterful offering of jagged minimalist rock from a seasoned and almost ridiculously venerable band, but its mastery is expressed in exclusively expected ways.
  7. Tiny Mix Tapes
    60
    Greyhound lacks the raw immediacy of their first three albums.

See all 10 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. UsualChannels
    Jun 29, 2007
    10
    It's great. It certainly does not tread water. It is willfully brutish and loose. If you like them, give it 5 or 6 listens and It's great. It certainly does not tread water. It is willfully brutish and loose. If you like them, give it 5 or 6 listens and you'll love it. If you're not too familiar, start with At Action Park.… Expand
  2. if
    Jul 18, 2007
    9
    a very lean and mean sounding record. It drags a bit in the middle but is still a solid effort.
  4. seand
    Jul 29, 2007
    8
    as a comedy record(given that the lyrics are ridiculous, it has strongbad on it and the movie announcer guy, and not to mention the artwork) as a comedy record(given that the lyrics are ridiculous, it has strongbad on it and the movie announcer guy, and not to mention the artwork) it is a 10 as a rock record it is a bit boring and over indulgent and it gets a 6. so between the two it's an 8… Expand
  5. monkeysloveme
    Nov 13, 2020
    8
    A very very good shellac record if not quite the perfection they achieved on At Action Park and 1000 Hurts, still much better than 99% ofA very very good shellac record if not quite the perfection they achieved on At Action Park and 1000 Hurts, still much better than 99% of other musical forms out there… Expand
  6. alecvl08
    Nov 25, 2014
    4
    The album is way to skeletal and doesn't present any memorable moments besides the first track, The End of Radio, which is great; it's theThe album is way to skeletal and doesn't present any memorable moments besides the first track, The End of Radio, which is great; it's the best song on the album, and the awkward two-minute vocal monologue in Genuine Lulabelle. I expected some better grooves and riffs, considering the long instrumental sections that fill this album. The lyrics don't really have a connection with anything going on, and the album ends up as average. I do really like the band's use of mixed meters; it keeps the listener on their musical toes.… Expand

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