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Incorporating harp, horn, clicks, clacks, reeds, bells and strings in other more "typical" Múm songs like 'Dancing Behind My Eyeballs,' they breathe a bit more breath and color into their swaying, hypnotic pop music.
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The album's vibrancy and idiosyncratic traits certainly warrant another listen, especially for those willing to let a fanciful mind wander.
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Some fans will miss Múm's wispier, bygone days, but those willing to give the band a chance to change and grow will welcome the chance to get to know them all over again.
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Both foreground and background listening are equally rewarded.
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Go Go... is a delight, and much less agitated once it's settled down.
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UrbWere the House of Gryffindor to stage a theatrical adapation of "Castlevania III," co-scored by Danny Elfman circa "Edward Scissorhands," it might sound like this fourth bobbing full-length by Iceland's glitchy naifs mum. [Sep/Oct 2007, p.129]
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Under The RadarWisely, they make no attempt to replicate the wide-eyed wonder of their earlier work, returning to experimentation to reach a happy compromise with maturity. [Fall 2007, p.80]
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MagnetWhile Poison Ivy's impressive design become shtick after a while, it's nevertheless adorable. [Fall 2007, p.105]
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Although Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy has the dizzy invigoration and winning enthusiasm of an excellent first album, it also suffers from a kind of first-disc immaturity, an urge to pack everything in at once and as early as possible, rendering it top-heavy and inconsistent.
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The album is rather hit or miss. There are a handful of standout tracks, another handful of ones that are simply decent, and yet a couple more that don't really raise the pulse level at all.
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With everything from the classic symphonic sounds of brass and strings to the creative dimensions of electronic sampling, synths and the violinophone, Mum certainly are experimental. The ambitious nature of which could be too much for some people though.
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Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy--though a significant step up from their last album--doesn't break much new ground.
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UncutGo Go... is never less than delightful--at its best like Belle & Sebastian having a stab at Portishead. [Oct 2007, p.99]
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There’s nothing terribly ground-breaking here, but it doesn’t ever sound like they’re just repeating themselves either.
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MojoFor every glimpse of a hook or a memorable melody, there's a stretch of unfocused, sample-strewn electronica, all skittering art-techno beats and wilfully obtuse instrumentation. [Nov 2007, p.95]
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Through it all they maintain a charmingly chiming and cheery vibe that's probably the closest humans can get to making elf music.
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While this is certainly not a great record, it probably has broader appeal.
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Despite occasional flourishes, Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy is an average set by a band who should be far beyond releasing anything less than stellar.
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We can only parse this album as that of a brilliant group still trying desperately to reconcile its awkward youth into an identity, but only managing to hide behind a few ten-year old audio masks.
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The consequences are not always dull, and Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy is as enjoyable at points as the music it’s clearly drawing from.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 9 out of 10
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Mixed: 0 out of 10
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Negative: 1 out of 10
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SimonOct 6, 2007