Friends That Break Your Heart
by James Blake
  • Record Label: Republic
  • Release Date: Oct 8, 2021
User Score
8.8

Universal acclaim- based on 36 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
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  1. 214ofwgkta
    Nov 8, 2021
    10
    Wow! Just wow! I'm a pretty tough critic but everything from the production, to the lyricism, to the melodies is pure bliss. This album is my favorite James Blake project. It's on the level of Frank Ocean's two incredible albums. Think heavenly R&B almost. I have played this album on repeat for weeks and the replay value is definitely there. Highly recommend!
  2. SoSawry
    Oct 9, 2021
    10
    Everything about this album is incredible. The production, the melodies, his vocal performances, the concept, everything.
  3. SergioAllIndie
    Oct 8, 2021
    9
    Too early to say whether if it's his best work yet, but many will be certain it's his most solid one since Overgrown, including myself. Thanks to the lyrical content and the color palette of its production, the album feels mature yet playful, digressive yet sincere, escapist yet somehow straightforward. Does it actually matter having impostor's syndrome when you're still this talented andToo early to say whether if it's his best work yet, but many will be certain it's his most solid one since Overgrown, including myself. Thanks to the lyrical content and the color palette of its production, the album feels mature yet playful, digressive yet sincere, escapist yet somehow straightforward. Does it actually matter having impostor's syndrome when you're still this talented and relevant? Friends that Break Your Heart is Blake saying (indirectly?) IT DOES NOT. Plus, I consider Say What You Will is even more of a poignant statement and more of a beautiful and unique song in context of the whole tracklist. Footnote: If I'd give an award to best album cover of the year, this one would have strong chances of winning; the metaphor within the image and its aesthetic communicate the album's world perfectly.… Expand
  4. Matheus0liveira
    Oct 8, 2021
    9
    Best of his carreer since the debut in 2011, the sound is refined, the atmosphere is the perfect defenition of pandemic era in eletronic ballads, with a beautiful voice and awesome piano w/ synths
  5. yisus_lovesya
    Oct 8, 2021
    9
    I'm mesmerized by James falsetto and brilliant production. Throughout the album, he is dwelling about nostalgia, sadness, anguish and a tiny little bit of optimism into beautiful messages around the main idea "In the end, it was friends that break your heart". The sound is gloomy and slow as typical James but we can see some experimentation on hip hop beats, well orchestrated pop and veryI'm mesmerized by James falsetto and brilliant production. Throughout the album, he is dwelling about nostalgia, sadness, anguish and a tiny little bit of optimism into beautiful messages around the main idea "In the end, it was friends that break your heart". The sound is gloomy and slow as typical James but we can see some experimentation on hip hop beats, well orchestrated pop and very interesting collaborations to change things up a little. I would not say this is his best work yet (maybe behind Overgrown) but this sounds very mature and honest.… Expand
  6. danielhigh05
    Oct 24, 2021
    9
    extremely good project, unique and impressive production with diverse creative sound and vulnerable lyrics. deserves nominations at something
  7. javierp
    Jun 5, 2022
    9
    James Blake never disappoints. It's brave and heartmelting how he opens up in this project and sings about topics that are not very frequent nowadays. Beautiful voice.
  8. hausoflilluis
    Oct 14, 2021
    7
    I'm intrigued by the genre of this album, or how many voices I can hear on each song. The only certainty is that James Blake is unique; I don't have doubts. The invitations were accurate. The production, confusing. The passion, penetrating as exquisite.

    fav tracks: "Coming Back", "Life Is Not The Same", "Friends That Break Your Heart", "Foot Forward" & "Funeral"
    KEY-TRACK: "If I'm Insecure"
  9. Lobo2
    Oct 13, 2021
    7
    It was a solid body of work but as a listener u keep craving more from the melodramatic synth strings 2 the soothness in mr blakes voice he has driven himself 2 the top and back 2 his roots but then again what more does he have 2 say that hasent been said since his earliest works looking forward 2 more but in the meantike he has 2 expand on a new wide range of idea's h
    Even when he reminds    It was a solid body of work but as a listener u keep craving more from the melodramatic synth strings 2 the soothness in mr blakes voice he has driven himself 2 the top and back 2 his roots but then again what more does he have 2 say that hasent been said since his earliest works looking forward 2 more but in the meantike he has 2 expand on a new wide range of idea's h
    Even when he reminds me of john legend and fka twigs he's. Hes himself in every way as a artist and a artist that defines electronic music who knows were else loves will take him one can only hope it's greater and expansive than. This    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Under The Radar
    Nov 2, 2021
    70
    In its best moments, all of which come, ironically enough, on the solo tracks of the record rather than the collaborations, this questioning and double guessing of himself really comes through.
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  2. Beats Per Minute
    Oct 11, 2021
    75
    Friends That Break Your Heart is Blake at his most pared-back and unflinching lyrically and could also be considered his most accessible album yet. For some, this dismal balladry might feel a bit too far removed from the experimentally-textured electronics of his first two albums, yet Blake has found a brilliant way to still be unconventional and accessible at the same time.
    Read full review
  3. The Observer (UK)
    Oct 11, 2021
    80
    Many affecting tracks detail the sharknado of outrage and bewilderment in Blake’s trademark delicate soprano, offset occasionally by well-chosen collaborators (SZA, or rappers JID and SwaVay) or startlingly pitch-shifted vocals.
    Read full review
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