Version
by Mark Ronson
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Jun 12, 2007
Metascore
63

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 15
  3. Negative: 2 out of 15
  1. Dot Music
    50
    Why the hell is Ronson being applauded as a wunderkind for basically recycling big beat and hiring some horns?
  2. Hot Press
    50
    Ultimately, the greatest achievement of Mark Ronson’s genetically modified Version is to demonstrate the superiority of the organic source material.
  3. Mojo
    60
    A coffee table record. [Jun 2007, p.114]
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  5. musicOMH.com
    80
    Version is destined to become one of the great party albums of the summer - just playing it once is guaranteed to cheer you up.
  6. New Musical Express (NME)
    60
    His choices are faultless and his sense of fun is very apparent.
  7. Pitchfork
    33
    Slapping a brand new bag on these pasty-white-dude tunes more often bombs than not.
  8. PopMatters
    30
    Version is proof that you can’t just slap a bunch of horns and old-time R&B beats on rock songs and turn them into soul songs.
  9. Q Magazine
    70
    At 14 tracks Versions is too long... At its best, though, it's a blast. [May 2007, p.124]
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  10. Rolling Stone
    60
    An audacious set of... left-field covers (Radiohead's "Just," the Jam's "Pretty Green") turned into dance-soul tracks.
  11. Spin
    80
    A stylishly sweaty summer party. [Jul 2007, p.102]
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  12. Sputnikmusic
    80
    All of these tracks are listenable and easy to digest- some are just notably better than others.
  13. Stylus Magazine
    75
    Version has its share of undeniable clunkers, but its successes are so immediate and so animated that no reasonable listener could possibly begrudge Ronson for forcing them to rely on their track-skip button.
  14. The A.V. Club
    83
    Most of the time... Ronson's big-band arrangements play like smart glosses on the albums he made with Winehouse and Allen, with waggish horn lines and supple guitar-bass-drums interplay throughout.
  15. The Guardian
    80
    Occasionally, the combination of parping horns with perky indie melodies means the sound slips its moorings and drifts into another genre entirely: the kind of jolly, vaguely saucy-sounding easy listening found on the soundtracks of 70s sex comedies.... More often, however, the formula works perfectly.
  16. Under The Radar
    80
    Ronson just went off and created one of the most enjoyable records of the year. [Summer 2007, p.84]
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User Reviews

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User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 21
  3. Negative: 3 out of 21
  1. Ricko
    Jul 30, 2013
    7
    Version has a handful of very clever interpretations with Amy Winehouse's appearance being the standout highlight of the record. Valerie notVersion has a handful of very clever interpretations with Amy Winehouse's appearance being the standout highlight of the record. Valerie not only launched this record but strangely enough, its probably the song Winehouse is most famous for as well. On the plus side the record is bursting with variety and style and its obvious that the artist is a produced by trade. On the other side, while there are no real bad moments on the record, there are just too many tracks that are simply inoffensive and unmoving. The first few listens are the best after which you will just want to listen to the originals of all of these tracks.… Full Review »
  2. DanB.
    Oct 21, 2007
    6
    Pleasant. Unnecessary. The version of The Only One I Know is... not as good as the original, no matter how you slice it.
  3. elmo.
    Aug 12, 2007
    3
    Version starts off feeling fresh with the horn reworking of coldplays "god put a smile upon your face" but from there the album slowly tails Version starts off feeling fresh with the horn reworking of coldplays "god put a smile upon your face" but from there the album slowly tails off in quality and you become increasingly aware that the songs he has chosen were best left alone.the high point is the bombastic version of valiere sung by amy winehouse. The low point of the album is the offensive version of radioheads "just".… Full Review »
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