- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Alternative PressThink Doug Martsch fronting the Shins and playing the sweetest Carl Newman jams ever. [Sep 2004, p.124]
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Some of his melodies are so easily memorable they make The Thrills sound like Rammstein.
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Out of the Shadow's blissful indie-pop tunes are as affecting as they are catchy.
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"Out of the Shadows" is an indie dream come true. A dream like another great Elliott Smith record, or a Sebadoh record that isn't an embarrassment, or a Neutral Milk Hotel record that makes sense.
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Out of the Shadow remains one of the most promisingly straight-forward indie-rock/pop debuts since Oh, Inverted World.
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Beneath the occasionally shambling arrangements and fuzzy overdubs, though, lie some great songs.
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The bicoastal milieu of Out of the Shadow is apparent: It reflects both a lush, sunny "California Dreamin'" temperament, and Gotham's grimy, melancholic disposition.
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Highly recommended for fans of The Shins [and] New Pornographers.
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Despite the band's penchant for uneven electronic dirges, Out Of The Shadow is a very accessible work -- perhaps too accessible for indie enthusiasts who thrive on innovation and sonic exploration.
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Out of the Shadow is a meandering musical path, but one well worth taking.
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MojoTightly packed with Eight Days A Week-style harmonies and immaculate, 12-string strumming. [Oct 2004, p.100]
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New Musical Express (NME)Deceptively inventive, darkly melodic Simon & Garfunkel and (Elliott) Smithisms. [4 Sep 2004, p.72]
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Q MagazineA textbook case of college rock, performed very well. [Oct 2004, p.129]
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There's definite promise here, if not the stunning masterpiece of popcraft that a sudden deluge of impressive notices might indicate.
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On many of the songs here, the accompaniment sounds like an afterthought, adding to the bedroom-recording atmosphere.
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This is not perfect music: the observations seem to easily gained; the faster songs mere replicas of previous monuments; and no matter how graceful the notes' elisions, an unskillful denouement on many of the songs' endings.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 10 out of 13
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Mixed: 0 out of 13
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Negative: 3 out of 13
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mattaJul 13, 2005
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JohnCFeb 5, 2005
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GregHJan 15, 2005Comparison to the Shins is appropriate, and I think I might like Rogue Wave better than the Shins - which coming from me, means alot.....