It's a Corporate World
by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
Metascore
66

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
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  1. Paste Magazine
    Jun 8, 2011
    85
    Overall, it's an album full of songs Lloyd Dobler could have played during his window-call, boom-box confession of love.
  2. Filter
    Jun 6, 2011
    84
    Delivering a disarmingly beautiful mix of vocal harmony pop alongside blippy electronic beats, Epstein and Zott honor the melodic tradition of The Beach Boys (the two included an amazing cover of "God Only Knows" on their EP) to create one of the best debuts of the year.
  3. AllMusic
    Jun 7, 2011
    80
    With such a terrific combination of depth, melody, and out-and-out charm, It's a Corporate World is the perfect summer jam for anyone who spends more time wearing headphones than swim trunks.
  5. Austin Chronicle
    Sep 13, 2011
    78
    It's a Corporate World is not without its playfulness, but what emerges most is restraint and nuance from the Detroit duo, as well as the general pop earnestness that drives the tunes.
  6. BBC Music
    May 30, 2012
    70
    The results occasionally jar, when Epstein's consistently elaborate productions overshadow the more pedestrian of Zott's compositions, but generally the sum of their parts is an equation to be savoured, and frequently produces magic.
  7. No Ripcord
    Jun 20, 2011
    70
    I believe It's A Corporate World will please its devote followers. I suppose it's not terrible to hear an album soaked in happiness with all the sorrow and melancholy that already exists.
  8. American Songwriter
    Jun 7, 2011
    70
    It's a Corporate World is a refreshing full-length debut that would serve well on any summer playlist.
  9. Under The Radar
    Jun 6, 2011
    70
    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. has harnessed a cherry, minimalist quirkiness no corporate world could squash. [May 2011, p.77]
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  10. CMJ
    Jun 6, 2011
    70
    On It's A Corporate World, the band's debut LP, Zott and Epstein are ready to let you step a little further into their joyous sonic world.
  11. Tiny Mix Tapes
    Jun 3, 2011
    70
    Strip away voices, acoustic guitars, and the lullaby-ish balladry, and you have substantial grooves, declarative beats, and mesmerizing blends of fuzzed, meandering synthesizers clanging and cooing.
  12. Beats Per Minute
    Jun 16, 2011
    69
    It's fun, accessible, at times completely unique, but ultimately it would have nice to hear Jr. Jr. challenge their own sound a little more on their debut album.
  13. Los Angeles Times
    Jun 7, 2011
    63
    Putting aside the coy playfulness of the act's name, Josh Epstein and Daniel Zott actually specialize in tenderness, crafting a collection that places a premium on harmonies and a studious reliance on electronics.
  14. musicOMH.com
    May 22, 2012
    60
    The major problem with It's A Corporate World is that it's all a bit too nice.
  15. PopMatters
    Aug 25, 2011
    60
    It's a Corporate World is a solid first full-length album that gets stronger the more you listen to it.
  16. Slant Magazine
    Jun 6, 2011
    60
    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.'s dedication to branding has earned them plenty of attention, but on It's a Corporate World, their music too often feels like an afterthought.
  17. Consequence
    Jun 3, 2011
    60
    A fair amount of the content on the debut can be summarized as dull or even expected. That said, this is a solid pop record, and one that should find an audience, namely the same audience that found the band's biggest influences.
  18. Pitchfork
    Jun 3, 2011
    60
    Sonically rich but melodically staid, Corporate World ultimately brings to mind Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.'s extramusical affairs: alluring at first, but a bit wanting under the surface.
  19. Spin
    Jun 3, 2011
    60
    When the hooks of their surprisingly humble songcraft dull, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. are mostly a spanglier version of the Spoon-fed types that flooded the Internet with serviceable but risk-free indie rock in the mid-2000s.
  20. The A.V. Club
    Jun 8, 2011
    50
    The Detroit-based outfit has pieced together a streamlined collection of pleasant but forgettable pop tunes that come and go without much punch.
  21. Alternative Press
    Jun 3, 2011
    40
    The majority of the tracks are watered down reminders of their indie big brothers. [Jul 2011, p.107]
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