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The Main Thing
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The Main Thing Image
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

  • Summary: The fifth full-length release for the New Jersey indie rock band features a guest appearance from Sylvan Esso.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Q Magazine
    Mar 10, 2020
    80
    It's business as usual, but when business produces songs as lovely as November's sumptuous indie-pop it's hard to resist. [May 2020, p.110]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. AllMusic
    Feb 28, 2020
    80
    Real Estate grow up gracefully on The Main Thing while keeping a tight hold on the low-key charm and talent that made them stand out.
  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    Feb 26, 2020
    80
    ‘The Main Thing’ experiments well without alienating die hard fans expecting more of the same. It’s a more mature and ambitious record; the sound of a band finally out of a rut.
  4. Paste Magazine
    Mar 4, 2020
    80
    Real Estate are never going to be the band to surprise with a major musical left turn, but subtle changes on The Main Thing lead to breathtaking results.
  5. Pitchfork
    Mar 4, 2020
    73
    Real Estate doesn’t upend their own foundation; they instead find beauty in filling in its empty spaces.
  6. The Line of Best Fit
    Mar 3, 2020
    70
    Although The Main Thing isn’t perfect, it serves as their version of it as we see Real Estate continuing to be both consistent and reliable as ever.
  7. The Observer (UK)
    Mar 2, 2020
    40
    An album overloaded with artfully polished tedium.

See all 13 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. Lajaleaa
    Apr 21, 2020
    8
    ( 86/100 )

    Desde el comienzo la producción, a cargo de Kevin McMahon, es inteligente y sin miedo a la distancia. Muy rápidamente se puede    ( 86/100 )

    Desde el comienzo la producción, a cargo de Kevin McMahon, es inteligente y sin miedo a la distancia. Muy rápidamente se puede escuchar la sutileza que aporta a la transición de instrumentos y ritmos en el álbum. La forma en la que pasa de un ambiente y una esencia a otra es tan ingeniosa y cautelosa que simplemente se disfruta como una sola oleada que a veces es muy tranquila y a veces es muy alta. La banda se ha ganado mi corazón gracias a su conciencia musical y su dinamismo para crear musica que probablemente trascenderá en el tiempo y el espacio. Es espacial y es terrenal. Un hermoso perfume.
    -
    Since the beginning, the production, in hands of Kevin McMahon, is intelligent and fearless to distance. Very quickly can be noticed the subtlety that he adds to the transition between instruments and rhythms in the album. The form in which the band goes from one ambient and essence to another is so clever and careful that it simply can be enjoyed as a single wave that sometimes is very calm and sometimes is very high. The band has won a place in my heart thanks to their musical awareness and their dynamism to create music that probably will transcend in time and space. It is spatial and earthly. A beautiful perfume.    … Expand

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