Hope in Dirt City
by Cadence Weapon
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
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  1. PopMatters
    Jun 20, 2012
    80
    It's a running dialogue with stylistic annotations, and it combines with Pemberton's fantastic wordplay to make for a compelling musical product.
  2. CMJ
    Jun 1, 2012
    80
    The result is a smoother, more mature sound that varies with each song evoking hints of soul, funk, old-school hip-hop and some dance music for fun.
  3. Prefix Magazine
    May 29, 2012
    80
    As a genre that's saturated with trends, micro-trends, and anti-trends, it's rare to find someone doing something that makes a legitimate claim at being totally unique.
  5. AllMusic
    May 29, 2012
    80
    Another solid and easy to recommend effort in a discography that already has a couple.
  6. New Musical Express (NME)
    May 29, 2012
    80
    Hope In Dirt City is the most soulful and hazy he's ever sounded.
  7. NOW Magazine
    May 29, 2012
    80
    Hope is brought together by Pemberton's distinct vocal style and lyrics, which perfectly capture the disaffected, post-millennial, iPod-DJ, over-tweeted, quarter-life-crisis condition.
  8. Tiny Mix Tapes
    Jul 2, 2012
    60
    Hope in Dirt City presents some of Pemberton's most complex material to date. Most of the songs still bear the characteristically breakneck rhythms that garnered a nod from the Polaris Music Prize committee back in 2006, but unlike Breaking Kayfabe and Afterparty Babies, this album is swathed with layers of full-bodied instrumentation.
  9. BBC Music
    Jun 7, 2012
    60
    Dirt City stands little hope of entertaining the masses (again). But its maker has outdone himself, presenting variety with commendable cohesion and experimenting where others might've chased trends for overdue commercial returns.
  10. Pitchfork
    Jun 7, 2012
    60
    As impressive and encouraging as the production is, Pemberton's rapping isn't up to snuff. He's still overly dry and often noticeably amateurish, and he sometimes pushes himself to do things he can't.
  11. Consequence
    May 29, 2012
    60
    On Hope in Dirt City, he has worked out a record full of uniquely blended beats and bleakly grinning intelligence.

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User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. cryptosicko
    Sep 24, 2012
    4
    Excellent production--hip hop needs more mournful jazz horns and spry disco-punk anthems ("Crash Course For The Ravers"). As a rapper andExcellent production--hip hop needs more mournful jazz horns and spry disco-punk anthems ("Crash Course For The Ravers"). As a rapper and lyricist, though, he's merely serviceable here, which is more than can be said for his singing.… Full Review »