User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info

Vehicles & Animals
by
Vehicles & Animals Image
Metascore
63

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

User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8 Ratings

  • Summary: This debut disc for the South London, England quartet (originally released in the UK in 2003) was produced by Victor Van Vugt (Beth Orton) and gained a Mercury Music Prize nomination.

Top Track

El Salvador
It's time to tear this place down I've got the last game on my mind Not seen my friends in ages Have I been left behind? It's time to figure out... See the rest of the song lyrics
See Full Track List ยป
Powered by

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Q Magazine
    80
    It's the laziest of comparisons, but their harmonies--and they do it expertly live, so fear not--do have the ring of The Beach Boys. [May 2003, p.99]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. Playlouder
    80
    Lethally simple pop tunes which sound like they were written during a particularly good seaside holiday in 1974.
  3. Entertainment Weekly
    75
    Catchy, almost childish verses suggest the playfulness of U.S. acts like the Flaming Lips. [28 May 2004, p.127]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. No Ripcord
    60
    In their insistence on trying to mix quirky, quiet electronica with beer-swilling pop, without the two informing each other, Athlete too often fall into a formulaic and predictable model.
  5. PopMatters
    60
    Manages both annoyance and perfection.
  6. Stylus Magazine
    51
    Athlete’s sound is a wondrous discovery for young teens just getting into “chart indie” or jocks who feel open minded for listening to something a little more complicated than Oasis. For anyone else really, Vehicles & Animals only offers up a smorgasboard of odd, inventive pop music that’s only odd and inventive enough to try and sound less like everything else.
  7. Uncut
    40
    A wearyingly one-dimensional 45 minutes. [May 2003, p.89]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 17 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 5
  3. Negative: 1 out of 5
  1. RosieG
    Jan 26, 2005
    10
    This band is absolutly amazing, how anyone call call it 'utter toss' is beyond me. Its hard to describe the music, my advice, just This band is absolutly amazing, how anyone call call it 'utter toss' is beyond me. Its hard to describe the music, my advice, just listen to it and you'll understand how good it is. Watch out for 'Tourist', they're new album, out soon :)… Expand
  2. Seamuss
    Aug 21, 2005
    10
    A Complete difference from their stunning sophmore effort. This is one of the most accesable and original pop albums I've heard in A Complete difference from their stunning sophmore effort. This is one of the most accesable and original pop albums I've heard in years. Theres nothing forced about this album. It flows with the ease of a seasoned band and is one of the best Debuts i've ever heard. Brilliant.… Expand
  4. zeifgeist
    Jun 13, 2005
    8
    An amazingly listenable and easy-going cd. I found myself singing along from the first listen. Songs flow one into the next, almost An amazingly listenable and easy-going cd. I found myself singing along from the first listen. Songs flow one into the next, almost repetitve, but then break of into wholely original entities. This album occupies some strange place between indie and mainsteam pop; slacker-like vocal and musical styles meld beautifully with anthemic waves, but neither ever completely takes over the other. Great stuff!… Expand
  5. OliverP
    Jun 20, 2005
    4
    This album flatters to decieve for me. They are sometimes mildly witty, but the songs are on the whole very dull and bland, almost This album flatters to decieve for me. They are sometimes mildly witty, but the songs are on the whole very dull and bland, almost sleep-inducing at times.… Expand
  6. CheiftanM
    Jan 20, 2005
    1
    complete and utter toss. more boring than keane, and thats the biggest single achievement of this record.