Ultra Mono
by Idles
  • Record Label: Partisan
  • Release Date: Sep 25, 2020
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 56 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 44 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 56
  3. Negative: 4 out of 56
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  1. LilFeekyB
    Nov 27, 2021
    0
    Never thought I'd give an IDLES release a 5 but it really does bore the f*ck out of you at times. Incredibly one dimensional and by far their worst. The lyrics are subpar, the music all sounds the same, and the production kind of sucks.
  2. EvilCameron
    Apr 30, 2021
    10
    I have all three of their albums and this one is my favorite, it absolutely rips. Brutalism is a close second and honestly Joy was a huge disappointment to me personally, it just lacked the energy. I will never understand critics, they absolutely gushed over “Joy” but outside of the opener that album felt lifeless, the instrumentals on this album actually match Joe and to me this is theI have all three of their albums and this one is my favorite, it absolutely rips. Brutalism is a close second and honestly Joy was a huge disappointment to me personally, it just lacked the energy. I will never understand critics, they absolutely gushed over “Joy” but outside of the opener that album felt lifeless, the instrumentals on this album actually match Joe and to me this is the perfect IDLES album. I go by which one makes me bob my **** head the most and move the most, this is the one. Please keep the production guy you brought in for this album don’t listen to these critics who probably give deafhaven albums a 10. Future classic mark my words!… Expand
  3. IndianaParkWars
    Dec 21, 2020
    9
    10.5/12
    Idles are the epitome of aggressive alternative rock and punk rock. Post-punk is probably the most accurate genre, with a splash of hardcore. What I appreciate about them most is their lyrical content against toxic masculinity and addressing political and social problems. "War" is an anti-war protest song that mocks the onomatopoeic sounds of guns in a children's song fashion    10.5/12
    Idles are the epitome of aggressive alternative rock and punk rock. Post-punk is probably the most accurate genre, with a splash of hardcore. What I appreciate about them most is their lyrical content against toxic masculinity and addressing political and social problems. "War" is an anti-war protest song that mocks the onomatopoeic sounds of guns in a children's song fashion along with the concept of Sally playing in the sandbox and Johnny in the open fire. With this, it covers the toxic masculinity and gender roles of treating young boys as soldiers or firefighters and expecting them to be tough and belligerent. "Grounds" covers race and individualistic thinking. It encourages people to get together and unite as one and has lines like "black is beautiful".
    "War", "Grounds", and "Mr. Motivator" are all bangers. I enjoyed every track but I'll have to listen to the others as much as I have the first three. Really, the whole album was a banger. It's aggressive, in your face, and anxiety-flaring. I'd love to dig deeper into the lyrics of each song and re-listen to each track. But, I get deranged and high-octane surf rock vibes like surfing through a lava river on the way to hell.
    All in all, I very much enjoyed this album and it makes me want to listen more.

    ALBUM ARTWORK: This is some great artwork. It's a boy being hit with a large pink ball, but it's an ultrarealistic painting, where the discoloration of the skin, veins, and deep clarity can be seen. I absolutely love the texture and grotesqueness of it. It's literally in your face and aggressive, just like the album. The shadows are very deep and engulf the picture, making the setting unclear. To see a boy hit with a bouncy ball feels like something on a trampoline or in a backyard in the sunlight. Being in a completely black room feels uncomfortable. Where is he? Why is it so dark? Why is he being pelted in the face? The interesting thing about his reaction is that it doesn't give context to the situation. He looks in pain and worn out, but even if you were having fun with friends, this exact moment would probably have a similar facial expression. So, it makes me wonder if he's playing around or something more sinister is happening here. Based on the industrial feel to the album, this could be a darker situation. But, the album can also be read as high energy, but more exhilarating than agitated. Well, the photo makes me think and it looks awesome.
    Artwork review: 12/12    … Expand
  4. Ricko
    Dec 13, 2020
    7
    After their electric debut "Brutality" and its stunning follow up "Joy As An Act of Resistance" IDLES had the world at its feet. Well, maybe not quite but their music certainly felt incredibly important. I saw them play in Dublin during the summer of 2019 and they were incredible. One of the best gigs I've witnessed in terms of energy, emotion and passion. IDLES are not a rock band thatAfter their electric debut "Brutality" and its stunning follow up "Joy As An Act of Resistance" IDLES had the world at its feet. Well, maybe not quite but their music certainly felt incredibly important. I saw them play in Dublin during the summer of 2019 and they were incredible. One of the best gigs I've witnessed in terms of energy, emotion and passion. IDLES are not a rock band that band out pop melodies with potential radio play. Their fanbase thrives off of them delivering every line and note as if everyones lives depend on it. This brings a weight of expectation and pressure. The chances were high that they would struggle to keep going upward on the same curve for album number 3. And so it proved. "Ultramono" is a solid album and had it been how they announced themselves and was their debut then it would be more impressive. Coming off the back of 2 of the most vital releases of the latter 2010's it doesn't quite come up to the exceptional standars they have set. Musically, while staying completely loyal to their punk roots, the band have made an effort to push themselves out of the comfort zone. For good or for bad, the music does sound somewhat different to what went before. Lyrically, while Talbot is acknowledging their sloganeering, its hard to get past the feeling that is sounds a bit forced this time around. I also felt that there was no room to breathe on this album. Previously IDLES always had a section or a track that slowed the pace at exactly the right time. It gave the listener a chance to process what was going on and to come back down from being pumped up. "Ultramono" is relentless and never lets up until it is too late with the penultimate track of the album "A Hymn" giving us our first chance to hear ourselves think. Placing this earlier in the tracklisting would have worked better for me, perhaps as a way of splitting the sides of the album. "Ultramono" is a good listen and most bands would be lucky to be able to make such a record but for IDLES it is a relative let down. "How do you like them cliches?" you ask. Not as much as I liked the old ones. The next step is now crucial for them in terms of their legacy.… Expand
  5. HG_Kitara
    Nov 20, 2020
    7
    Ultra Mono is powerful, angry, and full of love and care, the pure definition of Idles. However, certain tracks disappoint, which I find myself skipping over. That being said, the album has its strengths as well which I often repeat (such as the intimate "A Hymn" or the blistering "Reigns"). While the messages stem from the bands thoughts and feelings following the release of Joy, on itsUltra Mono is powerful, angry, and full of love and care, the pure definition of Idles. However, certain tracks disappoint, which I find myself skipping over. That being said, the album has its strengths as well which I often repeat (such as the intimate "A Hymn" or the blistering "Reigns"). While the messages stem from the bands thoughts and feelings following the release of Joy, on its own, these messages and the writing are nothing compared to Idles previous releases. Structurally, this album is perfect, especially how the album was opened and how it was closed, its throws you in and spits you out. Overall, its enjoyable, but could be much better.… Expand
  6. ChuckAmok
    Oct 19, 2020
    9
    the heavy-handed politics are the only thing to complain about here, and even that is done cleverly.

    everything else is total volume and crunch with a great hooks. riiyf Rocket From the Crypt
  7. yoshiyahu97
    Oct 2, 2020
    10
    Ultra Mono has disappointed some folks, and I get why. This album is IDLES distilling themselves into their most concentrated form to date. They've jettisoned everything they could, the dross has been skimmed off. And there are many fans and reviewers who have discovered that things they liked most about IDLES have ended up on the slagheap. That has to hurt.

    It's a visceral, ineffable    Ultra Mono has disappointed some folks, and I get why. This album is IDLES distilling themselves into their most concentrated form to date. They've jettisoned everything they could, the dross has been skimmed off. And there are many fans and reviewers who have discovered that things they liked most about IDLES have ended up on the slagheap. That has to hurt.

    It's a visceral, ineffable thing for the most part, and folks are thus unable to put it into words, and that's why we see feeble pokes at lyrics and songwriting. It's why we see bizarre pokes at the album's immediacy.

    From the beginning of War, where we hear a guitar being plugged into an amp, to the first word, "WHACHING!" we are shown that this is going to be album that's intended to be like a comic book--immediate, visual, unambiguous. Not a work of literary fiction, not even a graphic novel. There is nothing ambiguous, nothing nuanced. Primary colors. Now, there's elements of pop surrealism, as with the insanely inventive and evocative images of Mr Motivator, but nothing subtle. This is intentional.

    Most criticism of Ultra Mono should remind every casual IDLES listener with Stendhal Syndrome, "did you see that painting what Rothko did? Looks like it was painted by a two year old kid." This is because most criticism fails to accept that the work is as the band wants it to be. Most critics are basically taking a Rothko work and evaluating it as they would a work by Caravaggio. It makes these reviewers look out-of-touch and pathetic.

    COVID has messed with this album as well--if this was a regular year, people would have been seeing IDLES perform many of these songs live already, and to pretend that IDLES albums stand on their own, and don't gain a lot of their power from live performances and the strength of community in the audience, misses essential parts of what makes IDLES IDLES.    … Expand
  8. a_sebastian
    Sep 30, 2020
    6
    I've been waiting for this one. i thought hymn is an amazing proof that idles might be rem of the 20's.
    well, actually they're not. yet, maybe.
    i still can't understand what poundland's porcelain shattered on the floor brings in to the chasm, and as long as they'll represent that shallow stance, that'll only be a lot of good sound wasted.
  9. JMD1971
    Sep 29, 2020
    4
    I give it 4 - I for Reigns, 1 for A Hymn, 1 for Warren Ellis, 1 for Jamie Callum. Hugely disappointing album.
  10. anitquity
    Sep 29, 2020
    5
    I never thought the IDLES could be described as boring and by-the-numbers, but here we are. The clever lyrics are replaced with eye-rolling cliches, the authentic grit and of-the-moment urgency is replaced by lackluster music supporting important themes that deserve more potency. Very disappointing, especially considering their other work.
  11. Age_Atomic
    Sep 28, 2020
    6
    Overall, I do enjoy Ultra Mono but I feel it lacks the cleverness and gritty edge of their previous work.

    It seems, to me, like a push to broaden their reach and in the process of doing so they have lost some of the depth of their past music. Again, Ultra Mono is by no means a bad record. I'm still more than happy to listen to it. I mainly wish the lyrics were a little less on the    Overall, I do enjoy Ultra Mono but I feel it lacks the cleverness and gritty edge of their previous work.

    It seems, to me, like a push to broaden their reach and in the process of doing so they have lost some of the depth of their past music.

    Again, Ultra Mono is by no means a bad record. I'm still more than happy to listen to it. I mainly wish the lyrics were a little less on the nose and left some room to read between the lines. You don't need to scream 'consent' or 'anxiety' at me over and over for me to understand. Give your fans a little more credit.    … Expand
  12. AJKolevsohn
    Sep 26, 2020
    9
    IDLES have dropped the most incredible, socially-aware, culturally-appropriate and -significant album of the last I don't know how many years. I can't wrap my head around how unbelievable it is
  13. jslews4
    Sep 25, 2020
    9
    "Those corny bastards".
    Loud and crushing in sound, stripped-back and direct in lyrics; IDLES new record "Ultra Mono" retains the frankness and urgency that makes the band's music touching.
    Many will think that the third album of the band is overly simplistic or indulgent. For me, songs like "A Hymn" really represent what the band wants to show: true emotions in difficult times, and how    "Those corny bastards".
    Loud and crushing in sound, stripped-back and direct in lyrics; IDLES new record "Ultra Mono" retains the frankness and urgency that makes the band's music touching.
    Many will think that the third album of the band is overly simplistic or indulgent. For me, songs like "A Hymn" really represent what the band wants to show: true emotions in difficult times, and how the path to self-acceptance needs compassion and demands change. The reactions may vary, but there is no other way to happiness.
    Best tracks: War, Grounds, Mr. Motivator, Anxiety, Model Village, Reigns, A Hymn, Danke.
    Worst tracks: Ne Touche Pas Moi.    … Expand
  14. HumanPate86
    Sep 25, 2020
    6
    Although it is by far their worst record to date, some interesting ideas, good hooks and inspired performances are to be found. what's truly disappointing is that in less than 2 years, idles have become what their critics always (wrongfully) panned them to be - slogan thumping few-trick ponies with no real songwriting skills nor lyrical nuance.
  15. KB-
    Sep 25, 2020
    10
    The album is bold, joe performance is extraordinary, and the guitar work plays more than wonderful, the album is consistent and is about one weight, and the production is very good , the melodies are complex, and this is what I liked about it very much
  16. Tygheezy
    Sep 25, 2020
    7
    KLANG KLANG The new IDLES record is here! A harsh, compressed, high octane sound pallet that feels akin to sitting in the back of a car with blaring subwoofers. The sheer amount of power this record put out you’d think you need to plug it into an outlet before listening. Tracks like WAR, Kill Them with Kindness, Grounds and A Hymn are the records shining moments. When this a high point, itKLANG KLANG The new IDLES record is here! A harsh, compressed, high octane sound pallet that feels akin to sitting in the back of a car with blaring subwoofers. The sheer amount of power this record put out you’d think you need to plug it into an outlet before listening. Tracks like WAR, Kill Them with Kindness, Grounds and A Hymn are the records shining moments. When this a high point, it feels like a loving choke slam of sound that brings you back for a second beating.

    Conversely, parts of the record fall short for me due to poor vocal mixing and delivery. Tracks like The Lover and reig    … Expand
  17. LoveWins
    Sep 25, 2020
    10
    This is Idles’ best album so far. It’s just what 2020 needs. Thank you Idles.

Awards & Rankings

84
#84 Most Discussed Album of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22
  1. Pitchfork
    Sep 28, 2020
    55
    Ultra Mono charges into the discourse like a hobbyist at a rally. It’s not listening, just shouting. Not radical but restless. Not bad, just unnecessary.
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  2. The Observer (UK)
    Sep 28, 2020
    80
    Idles’ third studio album has all of the elements that made Joy As an Act of Resistance such a breakout success.
    Read full review
  3. The Line of Best Fit
    Sep 25, 2020
    65
    Ultra Mono is an enjoyable but ideologically confused record and one in which some of IDLES best material must compensate for some of their worst.
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