Scaled and Icy
by Twenty One Pilots
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: May 21, 2021
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 314 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 263 out of 314
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 314
  3. Negative: 22 out of 314
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  1. nekyo
    May 23, 2021
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A solid 5. I mean, I'm a huge top fan, but this record is undoubtedly (for me) their worst performance. I understand they're trying exploring new genres, but this didn't come out as expected. It sometimes feels like it's not them, like when I first listened to Shy Away, I thought I was listening to The Drums or some indie band. Then songs like Saturday, I thought it was a brighter version of Avicii or David Guetta, or Mulberry Street and Bounce Man which are commercial pop anthems. From Vessel/RAB, which was a huge start point for what their career was leading to, to Blurryface, an album that established their road, finally to Trench, their best record. After developing 3 great works in a row the fence is set higher, but I don't think Scaled and Icy made it. The way they almost debugged the rap verses and hip hop vibes was really strange for me because their previous album was almost full of these. Nevertheless, the production was still amazing, and I'd save songs like Choker, The Outside and Redecorate (although I don't know if that's an unpopular opinion) just because they were the most similar to what I was expecting. This is just a review for the music, I believe their concept story will go further with this album.… Expand
  2. normanfgabriel
    May 21, 2021
    6
    cute. nothing more. very pop rock, nice lyrics, good to play at ambient whitout paying so much atention.
  3. Camero246
    May 21, 2021
    6
    A fine album that doesn't push any boundaries and continues twenty one pilots transition to the pop genre
  4. petrichor1975
    May 21, 2021
    6
    Going into this newest release from Ohio alternative duo Twenty One Pilots, I was skeptical. The singles, "Shy Away" and "Choker" did not really give me any excitement or hype into the upcoming release. Surprisingly, "Saturday" gave me a bit more hope, but not much. It did read like a Target commercial song.

    The first song, "Good Day", supported this theory that the group was not up to    Going into this newest release from Ohio alternative duo Twenty One Pilots, I was skeptical. The singles, "Shy Away" and "Choker" did not really give me any excitement or hype into the upcoming release. Surprisingly, "Saturday" gave me a bit more hope, but not much. It did read like a Target commercial song.

    The first song, "Good Day", supported this theory that the group was not up to par like they were on 2015's "Blurryface" and 2018's "Trench", which are my favorite albums by them. However, the fourth track, "The Outside" got me back in. The chorus section is pretty catchy and it was fun and bouncy.

    However, that to me, is the only true highlight. The swinging "Mulberry Street" is great fun, but I'm not sure that I'll be going back to it anytime soon. The following tracks, "Formidable" and "Bounce Man" really didn't help me gain any more positive comments for the album. The latter in particular sounds like something modern Weezer would try to pull off.

    The final two cuts, "No Chances" and "Redecorate" are much different than the rest of the record. "No Chances" takes me back to the "Blurryface" days. Tyler Joseph is rapping again and not just singing by-the-numbers melodies. "Redecorate" ends the album on a faint and minimalist beat and it fades into the abyss.

    "Scaled and Icy" is a decent record with a few brief shining moments, but it makes me want to listen to the group's older material more than anything.    … Expand
  5. ILikeToBreathe
    Sep 11, 2021
    6
    Ass.

    The album is ass. The album is ass. The album is ass. The album is ass.
  6. Ori14
    Jul 23, 2021
    6
    the weakest release by TOP so far. a little bit disappointed but still cute. favorite tracks: good day, the outside .
  7. PrizzBeam1
    Nov 17, 2021
    5
    I finally wrote this after six months because I had to come to terms. Scaled And Icy is not a good album. It's arguable that this is a complete sellout by a band that saved and changed my life at age 14, and the best live concert I've ever been to. I admit my bias here. I loved Trench- its their best album and its immaculate, full of feeling and emotion. Even though I may not love theirI finally wrote this after six months because I had to come to terms. Scaled And Icy is not a good album. It's arguable that this is a complete sellout by a band that saved and changed my life at age 14, and the best live concert I've ever been to. I admit my bias here. I loved Trench- its their best album and its immaculate, full of feeling and emotion. Even though I may not love their earlier albums as much as I used to, Trench is still a 10/10 for me. Scaled And Icy, outside of a few tracks, sounds uninspired, poorly produced, and for the first time for Twenty One Pilots, lacking direction. Where do I begin? The Elton John ripoff Mulberry Street? The try hard gangster No Chances? The horrific camp singalong Bounce Man? The cheap and chintzy sounding The Outside? The vapid lyrics of Saturday? Sigh...

    But then how is this a 5/10 rather than something even lower? Well, there are some great songs on here. Shy Away is great, sounds like what The Killers tried to pull off on their album Wonderful Wonderful but it's even more fleshed out here. Choker has a hell of a chorus, and Paul Meany, part of what made Trench so amazing, comes back on Redecorate and pulls off one of Twenty One Pilots' darkest and most brooding songs to date. Never Take It may come off as generic radio rock, but I enjoy it. Formidable is sweet, even if the lyrics leave some stuff to be desired.
    Favorite track- Shy Away
    Worst track- Bounce Man    … Expand
  8. GamePlayer77
    Jul 4, 2021
    6
    Twenty One Pilots attempts a happier, more colorful tone on Scaled and Icy. It doesn't go too well. A handful of the tracks are either ruined by production or vocals.

    FAV TRACK: Shy Away
    LEAST FAV TRACK: Formidable
  9. RaynerCS
    Jun 16, 2021
    6
    Eu já não esperava muito mesmo
    Melhores faixas
    -Shy Away
    -Saturday
    -Mulberry Streets
  10. sctattum
    May 24, 2021
    6
    After the beast of an album that was Trench, no one can fault Twenty One Pilots for having a tough time formulating as cohesive of an album that delivers the same quality, power, and emotional depth. While all the tracks are technically 'good' songs (there's nothing 'wrong' with them, per se), Scaled and Icy is just... bland. The songs are so safe, generic, and poppy. While soundingAfter the beast of an album that was Trench, no one can fault Twenty One Pilots for having a tough time formulating as cohesive of an album that delivers the same quality, power, and emotional depth. While all the tracks are technically 'good' songs (there's nothing 'wrong' with them, per se), Scaled and Icy is just... bland. The songs are so safe, generic, and poppy. While sounding polished and pristine in production value, the lyrics lack Joseph's usual reflective depth, they lack the raw grit of previous songs like My Blood, Lane Boy, etc. Worse yet, most of the melodies are forgettable. After my FIRST listen-throughs of both Blurryface and Trench, I remembered a good chunk of the tunes, and found myself singing them that same day. I hardly remember anything from Scaled and Icy without listening back to it. No doubt, the clique is going to love any song this band drops, that's just how the fanbase is. And hey, as a fan of Joseph, I'm happy he's arrived at a happier place and that the change came out in his music. But in time I think people will see this album as a safe plateau the band came to rest on instead of continuing to pioneer the mountain of alternative rock they'd conquered with Trench.… Expand
  11. Kemg703
    Jun 2, 2021
    5
    A different direction for top for sure, definitely going to be mixed reactions to it. As a long time fan after a few listens, some songs grew on me but overall its a bit disappointing when compared to previous albums. I probably wouldn't have given it so many listens had it not been the band it was.

    Best song is good day or mulberry St for me. Worst song by a mile is Saturday I'm actually    A different direction for top for sure, definitely going to be mixed reactions to it. As a long time fan after a few listens, some songs grew on me but overall its a bit disappointing when compared to previous albums. I probably wouldn't have given it so many listens had it not been the band it was.

    Best song is good day or mulberry St for me. Worst song by a mile is Saturday I'm actually even shocked they put that out.    … Expand
  12. thegamingfoo
    Jul 10, 2022
    6
    The album is good but compared to the others it is bad. it just feels more like a first album compared to their real first album.

Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Most Discussed Album of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Rolling Stone
    Jun 2, 2021
    50
    Like a Maroon 5 with some vulnerability beneath the pop sheen. [Jun 2021, p.77]
  2. No Ripcord
    May 24, 2021
    40
    Given how much effort twenty one pilots give into their presentation, it's genuinely surprising how uninteresting Scaled and Icy sounds on the surface. ... The music itself sounds so limiting and faceless.
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  3. Glide Magazine
    May 24, 2021
    80
    It is hard to predict how faithful Twenty-one pilots fans will react. Regardless, given the time spent by Joseph and Dun on this record, this record is a triumph that marks a maturity that now eclipses their previous albums.
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