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Goodnight Unknown is another understated treasure from the prince of the perpetually bruised heart.
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Emotional ambiguity never sounded so good. Business as usual then.
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Alternative PressAs it stands, Barlow has only evolved in his mastery of subtle acoustic guitar interplay and flirtations with pop. [Nov 2009, p.109]
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Goodnight Unknown is layered with subtle distortion and commanding percussion, combined with Barlow's confident, sometimes contemplative vocals.
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Goodnight Unknown feels comfortable and, to a point, casual, too, but it bears the kind of exploratory vigor that "Emoh" lacked.
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Lou Barlow is still the poet laureate of hiss and heartbreak, and although the hiss is missing on Goodnight Unknown, that's the only defining quality he's lost with the passage of time.
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This is simply a collection of well-crafted songs, honestly and simply arranged and delivered, and as such very much worth a listen.
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Longtime fans will be enchanted by such quips and the naked introspection offered by Goodnight Unknown, and while not at all challenging, casual listeners will enjoy it simply for its strong collection of pop songs.
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Barlow fans should be happy with the way Goodnight Unknown sounds, but they should also recognize that its songs aren’t as memorable as Barlow’s best.
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The songs on Goodnight Unknown are well crafted and it’s clear that Barlow still has quite a bit of passion for making music, but the spark of genuine creativity is not there.
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All 14 tracks come together to make the most consistent collection from Barlow in a long time, or even ever. It might lack the schizophrenic whims of the best Sebadoh records, and he may go for consistency here over any clear-cut standouts, but there’s something to be said for a record that glides along this well.
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Under The RadarBarlow's content in his own skin now, and he captures this stability with grace and poignancy throughout Goodnight Unknown. [Fall 2009, p.56]
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Q MagazineThis eclectic follow-up finds him embracing the diversity that made Sebadoh so exciting in the '90s.[ Nov 2009, p.101]
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MojoThere's a kernal of quality to Goodnight Unknown that renders Barlow's obsessive self-absorption palatable. [Nov 2009, p.102]
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UncutBut though folky numbers like "I'm Thinking" are obviously heartfelt, there's sadly little on Goodnight Unknown that matches the glory of Barlow's best work. [Nov 2009, p.81]