Life
by Dan Friel
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
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  1. AllMusic
    Oct 14, 2015
    90
    These are candy-coated rhythmic noise pop songs, and they're astounding.
  2. Drowned In Sound
    Dec 2, 2015
    80
    On Life, Friel doesn’t venture too far from his own post, but does prove himself yet again as more than a mere dial-twiddler, a virtual dungeon master that plots campaigns with sound instead of words.
  3. The 405
    Oct 26, 2015
    80
    Life isn't exactly a concept album about becoming a parent, but it's clear just how much the experience has changed Friel, as it captures all of the excitement of first time discoveries and all of the possibilities that lie ahead, which in turn makes the music feel like his most innovative and playful yet.
  5. Dusted Magazine
    Oct 14, 2015
    80
    This third full-length, written around the birth of his first son, takes that bouncy castle exuberance to even greater lengths, channeling the euphoria of sleep-short early parenthood into woozy, optimistic grooves.
  6. Spin
    Oct 14, 2015
    80
    His astounding new Life is even more songful, all the more impressive considering his claustrophobic medium that he gleans so many colorful variations from, à la Fetty Wap.
  7. Pitchfork
    Oct 21, 2015
    78
    Give Life some time and you might find it infecting your synapses, too.
  8. PopMatters
    Oct 20, 2015
    70
    Life fits nicely in succession with its predecessor, as both do with Friel’s decade of solo output before them.
  9. Exclaim
    Oct 14, 2015
    70
    On Life, Dan Friel's beats and rhythms come off less stingy and cloaked, allowing the noise to finally meet the listener (almost) halfway.

Awards & Rankings

78
#78 Best Album of 2015
4
#4 Most Shared Album of 2015

User Reviews

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User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 9 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 3 out of 9
  1. Detective
    Oct 20, 2015
    9
    Noise pop at it's finest. No cheesy choruses or hooks, it's fanciful and unleashed electronic music spiraling into unfettered spikes of volumeNoise pop at it's finest. No cheesy choruses or hooks, it's fanciful and unleashed electronic music spiraling into unfettered spikes of volume and loops. A smashing follow-up to 2013's Total Folklore.… Full Review »
  2. BrushedRed
    Oct 16, 2015
    1
    The musical equivalent to being run over by a plow... while a 5 year old runs wild with one of those old kids' v-tech laptops from the lateThe musical equivalent to being run over by a plow... while a 5 year old runs wild with one of those old kids' v-tech laptops from the late 90s. I was curious to check this out as I somewhat liked Total Folklore, but this is not even similar. It's very noisy. Noise Rock and Shoegaze are more of my scene and even though I'm not a huge dance music fanatic, I enjoy just about all of it. I also appreciate a lot of experimental electronic/IDM like Aphex Twin.. But this.. THIS?! I can't say it's not experimental, but there is no rhythm; there is no complexity. It's just a mishmash of horrible, headache inducing, sounds. Spare yourself. I don't know where these glowing reviews are coming from… Full Review »
  3. michaeln
    Oct 22, 2015
    10
    I'm not the biggest noise rock/pop fan. I mostly listen to classical music after growing tired of rock music. But I'm really glad I tried thisI'm not the biggest noise rock/pop fan. I mostly listen to classical music after growing tired of rock music. But I'm really glad I tried this album out. I like the melodies.… Full Review »
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