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Love & Distortion Image
Metascore
65

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: This is the sophomore release for San Francisco's atmospheric noise-pop band led by vocalist Chris Streng, whose previous band shared members with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 14
  2. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Filter
    84
    There's a chunk of empathy lodged between the many splurges of drool-dripping, volume-blasting guitar wankery. [#5, p.88]
  2. No matter how good your new favorite band is, the Stratford 4 are better.
  3. The hour-long Love & Distortion never loses steam; it delivers on its title, and is unique enough to avoid lyrical banality.
  4. Throughout Love and Distortion, the Stratford 4 convey through their music that sounding like other good bands that came before them isn't a bad thing.
  5. Q Magazine
    60
    At their worst The Stratford 4... are as far out as a Chapterhouse B-side. When they hit their freaked-out stride, however... they shake off the enervation and kick up some genuine rock'n'rool aggro. [Oct 2003, p.114]
  6. Blender
    60
    Wailing, distorted guitars and jumpy backbeats deliver messages of escape, refuge and, ultimately, sweet hope. [May 2003, p.124]
  7. It seems sloppy, it has some disappointingly one-dimensional album production, and even worse, it lacks the pop sense that The Revolt Against Tired Noises had in spades.

See all 14 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. CelesteT
    Apr 15, 2003
    10
    My favorite thing about San Francisco is the Stratford 4. This relatively diverse selection of songs (noisy, sweet, poppy, sound tracky) My favorite thing about San Francisco is the Stratford 4. This relatively diverse selection of songs (noisy, sweet, poppy, sound tracky) keeps me falling in love. Expand
  2. RobbinL
    Mar 21, 2005
    8
    Some truly beautiful moments. Some truly overwraught stretches. No question they wear their influences on their sleeve, but when your Some truly beautiful moments. Some truly overwraught stretches. No question they wear their influences on their sleeve, but when your influences are this cool it's hard not to like. Seeing them live really enhanced the effect of the album on me, check them out if you can. Fav lyric-"I've told you once, oh yeah I've told you before there's more to this life than the Stratford 4" Sweeet. Expand