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Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows
by
Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 20 Ratings

  • Summary: The second full-length solo release for Blur/Gorillaz's Damon Albarn was inspired by Icelandic and was originally planned as an orchestral project for Lyon's Fête des Lumieres.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. The Line of Best Fit
    Nov 9, 2021
    90
    While lockdown may have forced Albarn and many others through a dark period, it’s produced some of his most awe-inspiring work.
  2. musicOMH.com
    Nov 9, 2021
    80
    The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows is a lovely album, and a big step forward from Albarn’s previous solo effort, Everyday Robots.
  3. Mojo
    Nov 9, 2021
    80
    May prove to be one of the most beautiful, tangentially produced artefacts of our strange and uncertain times. [Dec 2021, p.82]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. PopMatters
    Nov 11, 2021
    80
    After just a few plays, even the tiniest details begin to take shape for the listener. The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows is a beautiful album, one worthy of the songwriter’s long and oddly-shaped legacy.
  5. Under The Radar
    Nov 12, 2021
    80
    With each rotation of the record, Albarn’s artistry allows for discovering new puzzle pieces in a masterfully crafted way.
  6. Beats Per Minute
    Nov 11, 2021
    74
    The Nearer the Fountain, The More Pure the Stream Flows is perhaps the deepest inquiry into the artist – but again, we don’t really know if what we are seeing in the mirror is real.
  7. Clash Music
    Nov 9, 2021
    60
    It won't appeal to those who prefer his party anthems and vibrant disco, but for those who want to see yet another side to this most prolific of musical minds, it's a voyage worth taking.

See all 17 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 3 out of 7
  1. kurono84
    Nov 24, 2021
    10
    One of the most beautiful albums of the year. Damon albarn does not stop and has returned to release a round album. 10/10
  2. AlexNorman2000
    Nov 14, 2021
    10
    I'm not a big fan of Damon but it's so beautiful and inspiring an album that I was waiting for a long time to hear.
  4. NousGpdess
    Nov 20, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If this is what a pandemic produces then everyone should go into lockdown. This is one of the most beautiful albums I've heard in a while. Well done Damon. Well done.… Expand
  5. Ricko
    Jan 27, 2022
    7
    The majority of albums I have listened to involving Damon Albarn, there is a mix of songwriting genius and self indulgent nothingness. HeThe majority of albums I have listened to involving Damon Albarn, there is a mix of songwriting genius and self indulgent nothingness. He rarely makes a bad record but equally there always seems to be a few plodding tracks that end up going nowhere to be found. This is once again the case on "The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows". There are some spectacular songs, some only really shine through after many listens. Then there are a few others songs that lack anything memorable but are made interesting with some ambient background instrumentation. Ironically, after his recent Taylor Swift comments, it seems when viewed next to his work with other projects, Damon Albarn's solo albums suffer from a lack of a collaborator or foil on which to work with.… Expand
  6. daichislvt
    Jan 24, 2022
    0
    incredibly disappointing record, i was shocked to learn that only TWO of the songs on this album were self-written when he goes around givingincredibly disappointing record, i was shocked to learn that only TWO of the songs on this album were self-written when he goes around giving unwanted criticism towards artists who are best known for their songwriting.

    moreover, the 2 or more songwriters on each but two songs could manage to produce something so fundamentally disappointing that at certain points it seemed like the record was challenging justin bieber's ringtones album "changes" for the biggest ear cancer hazard i have ever experienced.

    in other words, it's a skip and a half.    … Expand

See all 7 User Reviews

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