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Sung Tongs
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Sung Tongs Image
Metascore
83

Universal acclaim - based on 23 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 106 Ratings

  • Summary: The Brooklyn-based collective (on this release, reduced to the duo of Avey Tare and Panda Bear) combine vocal harmonies, a pair of acoustic guitars, and diverse influences into a unique sound on this latest release.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Drowned In Sound
    100
    Stunning and dizzying, Sung Tongs’ strangeness will spin around your head for months to come.
  2. Logo
    90
    This is what you get when you give an overactive imagination the space to expand; it’s indescribably perfect.
  3. Stylus Magazine
    90
    On Sung Tongs, the group has deftly combined all the traces that ran through their earlier work into a vibrant and beautiful collage that flows as smoothly as Here Comes the Indian, with all the mood of Campfire Songs, and even more pop hooks than Spirit.
  4. Junkmedia
    80
    But despite its flaws, or perhaps because of them, this remains organic folk-pop at its bewildering best.
  5. Magnet
    80
    Consistently fantastic. [#64, p.80]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Tiny Mix Tapes
    80
    Holistically, there's nothing remarkably new here that hasn't been pursued before by this collective. The execution is nice and easily situates this album in the top two of their performances, and the sound quality far surpasses their previous efforts.
  7. Austin Chronicle
    50
    You can imagine a modern-day Syd Barrett coming up with similar ideas after being locked in a closet with a laptop.

See all 23 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 34
  3. Negative: 3 out of 34
  1. TonyF
    Jul 13, 2006
    10
    my favorite collective album, blew me away when i first heard it and still gets me going whenever I put it on. It's truly unique and a my favorite collective album, blew me away when i first heard it and still gets me going whenever I put it on. It's truly unique and a step forward for music experimentation.… Expand
  2. Jojo
    Dec 1, 2004
    10
    I give it a 10 based solely in relation to other 2004 releases. This is the album of the year, for sure.
  4. Nick
    Aug 30, 2005
    10
    Leaf House may be the best song ever written. Beside that this album evokes all that I love from music. Wholly unique and completely infactuating.
  5. DonW
    Jun 22, 2004
    9
    This is still my favorite new album from this year. It's more accessible than any past Animal Collective release (other than Spirit This is still my favorite new album from this year. It's more accessible than any past Animal Collective release (other than Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished) because it has actual, discernible lyrics and melodies that can be uncovered without too much effort. This is partly due to fact that it only features 2 members of the Collective, Avey Tare and Panda Bear, who also seem to be its chief songwriters. The other two members, Geologist and Deaken, seem mainly responsible for piling on layers of noise that twist and distort the vocals into something almost unrecognizable, as they did on Here Comes the Indian. On this album, however, there are some actual songs, and they're generally pretty great. It's a warm, inviting record that will reward anyone looking for slightly warped, richly textured pop that's unlike anything else out there.… Expand
  6. Paul
    Jan 13, 2005
    9
    At first, the weirdness of this album made me not like it, but something about this album makes me want to listen to it over and over. I At first, the weirdness of this album made me not like it, but something about this album makes me want to listen to it over and over. I can't have it out of my CD player for more than a day before the urge to listen to it comes again. Very innovative music. It's a cross between folk, indie, electronic with a definite flare for the unusual...… Expand
  7. [Anonymous]
    Mar 4, 2007
    8
    Starts out great, but the second half kind of loses it, with the exception of "We Tigers". Still a great album, but get Feels. It's much better.
  8. kylea
    May 9, 2005
    0
    I absolutely despise these two and everything they stand for. Pretentious art creeps. Go do your heroin away from my eardrums.

See all 34 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

42
#42 Best Album of 2004
54
#54 Most Discussed Album of 2004
35
#35 Most Shared Album of 2004

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