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Tournament Of Hearts
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Tournament Of Hearts Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 12 Ratings

  • Summary: The Canadian rockers follow 'Shine A Light' with this 10-track set.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Stylus Magazine
    91
    A slow burn may not be quite as exciting as a scorch, but this is a hotter flame than most anything else you'll hear this year.
  2. AllMusic
    90
    Classic without being too traditional or contrived, Tournament of Hearts is the sound of the Constantines operating at the peak of their powers.
  3. Dusted Magazine
    80
    What makes the Constantines appealing, then, is not that they do something totally new but rather that they do something familiar very well.
  4. Drowned In Sound
    80
    This is a great rock and roll record.
  5. Pitchfork
    76
    It's gentler than its predecessors, relying on sweat and unresolved tension rather than a glorious gutter-poet deluge, though the change is more of subtleties than of substance.
  6. Rolling Stone
    70
    On Tournament Of Hearts, [Constantines] ratchets up its brand of apocalyptic post-grunge. [3 Nov 2005, p.92]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. PopMatters
    50
    Lyrically, Webb and Lambke are as masterful as always, but unfortunately, somebody should have told them to focus more on the actual music, as the actual songwriting is inconsistent at best; for every one track that renews our faith in the band, there's another that shatters our expectations, disappointingly hookless, lifeless songs that just go through the motions.

See all 24 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. TomasS
    Dec 31, 2005
    10
    Working class rock'n'roll. Stoical and poignant at the same time. One of the best albums in 2005.
  2. AButler
    Oct 14, 2005
    10
    A natural growth and progression. Even the redundant stuff is good.
  4. jmay
    Oct 11, 2005
    9
    i've found this much more of a grower than their last one, except a couple of the more immediate tracks (like draw us lines). it's i've found this much more of a grower than their last one, except a couple of the more immediate tracks (like draw us lines). it's tense and down-to-earth. i like how the guitars are often used economically, making the songs seem really tight.… Expand
  5. doctorcrunkenstein
    Oct 20, 2005
    9
    Not their best, but at the risk of sounding cliche, the Constantines at their worst are still a hell of a lot better than most bands at their Not their best, but at the risk of sounding cliche, the Constantines at their worst are still a hell of a lot better than most bands at their best. "Windy Road" is the closest they've ever come to a bad song, and almost singlehandedly drags the album down a point. It's hard to recommend this over "Shine A Light" and their self-titled album, both of which are modern classics... but at the same time, I can't imagine anyone who picks this up will be disappointed with it.… Expand
  6. d
    Oct 17, 2005
    9
    These boys rock, pure and simple. And they deserve to be HUGE. On second thought, no - I'd rather have them stay under the radar and These boys rock, pure and simple. And they deserve to be HUGE. On second thought, no - I'd rather have them stay under the radar and keep making brilliant records. If they can pull off using a single chord for the duration of one entire song, and have said song ROCK like mad, they deserve all the best things in the world, and then some. Very, very good stuff.… Expand
  7. Jables
    Oct 11, 2005
    8
    Not as poppy as Shine The Light, but equally as good. There is more intensity and poinding of the fist but not in a Judas Priest kinda way. Not as poppy as Shine The Light, but equally as good. There is more intensity and poinding of the fist but not in a Judas Priest kinda way. Lizaveta needs to be on radio immidiately and Good Enough is a song that can get all the panties on the emo poser chicks.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

87
#87 Best Album of 2005