Songs in the Dark
by The Wainwright Sisters
  • Record Label: PIAS
  • Release Date: Nov 13, 2015
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
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  1. The Line of Best Fit
    Nov 20, 2015
    80
    As an indicator of the kind of music the Wainwrights indulged in at home while they and their many and various offspring went on to charm and dazzle the musical world, this is an invaluable document. For those who simply want a dazzling, slow sunset of a folk record with the occasional lyrical bite--the same applies.
  2. AllMusic
    Nov 16, 2015
    80
    Most recordings of lullabies are long on charm and short on substance, but the Wainwright Sisters have made an album that will suit a thoughtful mom or dad as much as a restless youngster, and Songs in the Dark is something special from two remarkable talents.
  3. Exclaim
    Nov 13, 2015
    80
    he Wainwright Sisters' voices blend together perfectly, and the melodies here are calming--almost too much so. A close listen to the lyrics, though, reveals the darker side of bedtime stories.
  5. musicOMH.com
    Nov 13, 2015
    80
    Some people may see Songs In The Dark as a curio, simply recorded for in order to keep the legacy of the McGarrigle canon alive and well. Yet it’s the black humour and obvious love for the material that lifts this into another sphere.
  6. The Independent (UK)
    Nov 13, 2015
    80
    It’s a wonderful collection, with even Richard Thompson’s cold-comfort message in “End Of The Rainbow” imbued with a warm glow.
  7. PopMatters
    Dec 4, 2015
    70
    This is not the Music for Little People style of cute professionalism. Songs in the Dark reach back to the roots of traditional music for kids when it was sung as much to provide solace for the parents as well as to entertain the kids.
  8. Uncut
    Nov 13, 2015
    70
    Disappointingly, there's a lack of biting vocal interaction between the half-sisters, nothing ti match the delectable harmonies that graced the McGarrigles or less feted Roches. [Dec 2015, p.81]
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  9. Q Magazine
    Dec 14, 2015
    60
    Some of it is beautiful, but perhaps they should've enlisted the help of their offbeat brother Rufus to add a bit more colour to the canvas. [Jan 2016, p.115]
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  10. NOW Magazine
    Dec 2, 2015
    60
    A few tunes are forgettable (Baby Rocking Medley, Hobo's Lullaby), but for the most part the album is full of gorgeous harmonies and refreshingly sparse instrumentation.
  11. Mojo
    Nov 13, 2015
    60
    An album drenched in familiar swathes of charm, pathos, elegance and black humour. [Dec 2015, p.90]
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User Score
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User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. vicyamusicgreat
    Dec 6, 2015
    10
    The Wainwright Sisters and friends have conjured up a glorious album of tunes both of the so-called "modern" variety, and traditionals. TheyThe Wainwright Sisters and friends have conjured up a glorious album of tunes both of the so-called "modern" variety, and traditionals. They turn Paul Simon's El Condor Pasa into something ethereal and so very beautiful,; their rendition clearly stands on its own. Their several lullabies are both literate and amusing, artful and artless. Sometime soon I'll realize why father Loudon named the beautiful song Screaming Issue, but I'm still sorting out some of the lyrics. Irving Berlin's Russian Lullaby is luscious; the topping of this cake of sorts is the winsome though haunting Long Lankin, a traditional tune most beautifully rendered for the ears of the likes of mine, who's not used to such rustic beauty. Much appreciated.… Full Review »
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