Life of Pause
by Wild Nothing
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 31 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 31
  3. Negative: 1 out of 31
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  1. xdv
    Feb 21, 2016
    10
    Giving this a 10 was a hard decision to make. When I originally heard the lead single from this album, I didnt know what to think. I even put off listening to this record for a few days before I finally gave in and sat down to listen. At first I was pretty impressed, but by the end of the day I had listened to the record at least four times all the way through. It was just what I wasGiving this a 10 was a hard decision to make. When I originally heard the lead single from this album, I didnt know what to think. I even put off listening to this record for a few days before I finally gave in and sat down to listen. At first I was pretty impressed, but by the end of the day I had listened to the record at least four times all the way through. It was just what I was personally looking for. It reminded me a bit of the new Tame Impala record 'Currents', but Wild Nothing does a beautiful job of branding a unique sound that I have not seen anywhere else. Absolutely love this album and it was just what I was looking for.… Expand
  2. Gasphunter
    Feb 19, 2016
    9
    Beautiful and hunting, Pause might not be remembered as much as Pi but his adventure is so gripping it will tear you apart. Brought me back to the days I was listening the The Shins although this time around Cut Copy has joined the march.
  3. auteur55
    Feb 27, 2016
    9
    Love this. It's a definite grower which is not reflected in some of these reviews (who appear to have given it a cursory listen). Rich and expansive is right. Many melodies bouncing in my head between listens. His best album.
  4. jollasapph
    Mar 3, 2016
    7
    I discovered Wild Nothing through the singles leading up to the release. I am a big dream pop fan. After listening to a bit of Gemini and Nocturne, I really got into Wild Nothing's stuff. But one thing is for certain, Jack Tatum takes in a very different sound in this album. Life of Pause is easily Jack's most romantic, lovesick album yet, featuring lush and atmospheric sounds that, whileI discovered Wild Nothing through the singles leading up to the release. I am a big dream pop fan. After listening to a bit of Gemini and Nocturne, I really got into Wild Nothing's stuff. But one thing is for certain, Jack Tatum takes in a very different sound in this album. Life of Pause is easily Jack's most romantic, lovesick album yet, featuring lush and atmospheric sounds that, while dreamy in delivery, are deeply passionate in distant love. While these luscious instrumentals materialize beautifully on almost every track, Tatum's Vocals are much more upfront and apparent in this release. With these vocals, some rather bland lyrics come to light. Alien, while having one of my favorite instrumentals on the entire album, repeats a single stanza throughout the song - a song that I wish would have more lyrical depth through it. I guess the louder and more upfront tracks like "Reichpop" and "TV Queen" contain better lyrics, but the slower, dreamier tracks are held back on both the vocals and the lyrics. While I really liked many tracks on here, I found too often that the slower tracks were more underwhelming to me on this album, as opposed to sweeter sounds on Wild Nothing's previous albums that I preferred more. The album really matches the aesthetic of its cover too.

    Best tracks - Reichpop, TV Queen, Alien, To Know You    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Most Shared Album of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Nov 3, 2016
    67
    Jack Tatum's 2010 debut Gemini and sophomore Nocturne two years later remain solitary swashes of moody guitars and sulky introspection. Life of Pause loses these moments in favor of lush waves of warm electronics and buoyant soul that coalesce into Neon Glo flourishes.
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  2. Magnet
    Mar 30, 2016
    70
    It proves quickly to be a break for the better, though, forging its unique identity on account of Tatum’s ability to turn a tune in many more ways than one. [No. 129, p.61]
  3. No Ripcord
    Mar 3, 2016
    70
    It’s not quite inspiration, or an emotional center. You leave this record thinking about how complex and refined it is, or maybe about how much Jack Tatum has grown as a songwriter. But at the end of the day, the album doesn’t embed itself into your daily life in the way Nocturne or Gemini did.
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