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The Visitor
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The Visitor Image
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

  • Summary: The Canadian singer-songwriter and Promise Of The Real return for a third full-length collaboration following 2015's The Monsanto Years and the 2016 live album, Earth.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Drowned In Sound
    Nov 29, 2017
    80
    It is curiously and enjoyably irregular.
  2. Mojo
    Dec 8, 2017
    80
    Promise Of The Real--ie, Willie Nelson’s son Lukas et al--prove superb foils for this sludge guitar god/master melody maker, hence the harmony-rich chorus of Already Great sounds exactly that immediately, and the horn-bolstered power-chords of resistance anthem Children Of Destiny are just breathtaking.
  3. Classic Rock Magazine
    Dec 21, 2017
    80
    Diggin’ A Hole is scratchy blues; Almost Always could have graced Harvest Moon; Stand Tall and Children Of Destiny are earworms; but if you want beauty, you’ve got it on Carnival, once the cackling stops. Neil Young is reborn, yet again.
  4. Rolling Stone
    Dec 4, 2017
    70
    [The] sense of cranky rage and ageless idealism are all over The Visitor.
  5. Pitchfork
    Dec 5, 2017
    67
    If Young’s recent work has felt like a series of hard-headed dives into his pet obsessions--more interesting for simply existing than for actually listening to--then The Visitor is more all-encompassing, and as a result, more centered.
  6. The Observer (UK)
    Dec 4, 2017
    60
    It shouldn’t work, but pleasingly, most of it does, thanks to the conviction of Young’s delivery.
  7. The Independent (UK)
    Nov 29, 2017
    40
    As the album proceeds, it frays apart as Neil’s gaze shifts to bombs and babies in the plodding anthem “Children Of Destiny”, and to Mexican fairground fantasy in the ludicrous cod-Santana-style “Carnival”. Despite similarly sluggish, slouchy manner, young backing band Promise Of The Real fall some way short of the full Crazy Horse, trudging rather than imposing a sense of implacable destiny.

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 2
  3. Negative: 1 out of 2
  1. Music_Observer
    Dec 21, 2017
    6
    These musical foundations, techniques, and deliveries here have been engrained in the ears of rock music listeners for at least 40 years, andThese musical foundations, techniques, and deliveries here have been engrained in the ears of rock music listeners for at least 40 years, and Neil Young does nothing to change that which bodes well for those who just want sincerity and nothing to sound odd, but leaves lots of potential emotional attachment and bravery on the table. My Score: 113/180 (Okay) = 6.3/10… Expand
  2. Suttree
    Dec 2, 2017
    3
    What a shame. Yet another release marked by sloppy, shoddy goods. While Young has the talent to make mediocre songs listenable, he once setWhat a shame. Yet another release marked by sloppy, shoddy goods. While Young has the talent to make mediocre songs listenable, he once set the bar so much higher. Weak work is again rushed to the marketplace. As expectations are repeatedly lowered it becomes increasingly difficult to recall the glory days of ’67-’79.… Expand