The Bride
by Bat for Lashes
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 50 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 50
  3. Negative: 4 out of 50
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  1. longjetty7
    Jul 4, 2016
    6
    I think in some ways this album is a step forward for Bat for Lashes, while in other ways it's a step backward.

    I'll start with the good: Her voice sounds as beautiful as always. It's always a treat to hear her sing with so much emotion, and she really delivers on each and every song. The production is subtle, yet surprisingly intricate. Songs like Widow's Peak demand you listen with    I think in some ways this album is a step forward for Bat for Lashes, while in other ways it's a step backward.

    I'll start with the good: Her voice sounds as beautiful as always. It's always a treat to hear her sing with so much emotion, and she really delivers on each and every song. The production is subtle, yet surprisingly intricate. Songs like Widow's Peak demand you listen with headphones, or you'll miss so much of what's going on. The music is very atmospheric and sort of ambient, but it's crafted with care and much attention to detail, which I certainly appreciate.

    And now the not so good: As with many other concept albums, The Bride starts off with interesting material, but eventually stretches its concept too thin. After a while it seems like some of the songs were written out of necessity, just to stick with the whole wedding concept. There are lots of slow, ethereal songs, which make sense in context of the story, but in terms of enjoyability for the listener, they really make the album drag on, especially in the back half. It's a bit disappointing because I know Bat for Lashes can write amazing songs when she wants to. Joe's Dream is stunningly beautiful, and Sunday Love is catchy as hell, but these standout tracks sort of feel misplaced amongst the others. I really wish she had kept the energy going throughout the entire album, and had focused more attention on making the music interesting (such as In God's House), rather than just repeating the same simple motifs over and over again, as she does on many of the slower songs.

    Overall, The Bride is kind of a mixed bag. There are some beautiful moments and a lot of artistry which I can respect, but I do feel like there was potential for this album to be so much better.    … Expand
  2. Tom_Bombadil
    Sep 29, 2016
    6
    Often when artists focus on the concept more than on the music things don't go well. You can argue this albums problems derive from that reason: it's oddly structured in a way that it sounds more forced than anything else, there are entire strings of songs devoid of ideas to begin with, and most of the album is written in a monotonous stream of consciousness-style that makes for a boringOften when artists focus on the concept more than on the music things don't go well. You can argue this albums problems derive from that reason: it's oddly structured in a way that it sounds more forced than anything else, there are entire strings of songs devoid of ideas to begin with, and most of the album is written in a monotonous stream of consciousness-style that makes for a boring and/or not very rewarding listen.

    Still, I can see plenty of moments of sheer prettiness hidden here and there: the harp arrangement in the intro track and the way Natasha Khan sings with very honest emotion -and impressive technique- over it, the chorus melody of "Joe's Dream" (which is easily the album's most obvious pick for a single), and the evocative Björk impersonation on "Close Encounters" with the strings going from chaos to order in surreal ways. It's very obvious to me that Natasha has the talent required to pull this off, but more effort was wasted on telling the story than in finding cool ways to deliver said story.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 31
  3. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. PopMatters
    Jul 22, 2016
    70
    It’s not a quick fix to the pain in her heart, but it is part of the essential journey, one that may be fabricated but feels all too real nonetheless thanks to Khan’s riveting and insightful storytelling.
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  2. Clash Music
    Jul 13, 2016
    80
    The Bride is a stellar soundtrack to the complexities of womanhood within the institution of marriage, a triumph of raw intensity.
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  3. No Ripcord
    Jul 7, 2016
    90
    With The Bride, Khan has created a sublime tale of sorrow and recovery, of accepting loss and working through pain to become a stronger person. Likewise, Khan has taken her interest in similar journeys from earlier albums and used them to make her most consistently captivating work thus far.
    Read full review
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