Wed 21
by Juana Molina
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
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  1. The Quietus
    Nov 15, 2013
    100
    Wed 21 continues the intrigue, amplifies the obsession, and is 2013's most addictive and compelling album made by anyone anywhere. I have no end-of-year list. Just Wed 21.
  2. The Independent (UK)
    Oct 25, 2013
    100
    Fascinating, enjoyable and original.
  3. Filter
    Nov 8, 2013
    84
    The Argentinian electro-folkie has kept her sense of play and lusty experimentation intact while mulling over time (“Eras”) and tides (the title track), in both English and Spanish, with a rusty (not as in unpracticed, but of the oxidation process), organic vibe brushing against its wheezy, clean sequencers.
  5. musicOMH.com
    Nov 25, 2013
    80
    Overall, from the Hail To The Thief-like guitar line and giddy chorus of Ferocisimo to the undeniable Eras, Wed 21 is an album that might not change any lives but is full of surprises nonetheless.
  6. The New York Times
    Nov 4, 2013
    80
    For all its clarity and premeditation, her music still perches on the edge of delirium.
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  7. PopMatters
    Oct 29, 2013
    80
    For those familiar with Molina, Wed 21 represents a thoughtful continuation of 2008’s Un día, which traveled similar soundscapes, equally littered with looping fragments and weirdly juxtaposed rhythms.
  8. AllMusic
    Oct 28, 2013
    80
    Wed 21 progresses from her previous recordings, but it's an extension of them, not a departure.
  9. Mixmag
    Oct 25, 2013
    80
    All the off-kilter rhythms and layers of organic sound loops are there, but it’s all a little bit bigger, the drama a little bit more heightened, and whatever oddness she might be singing about in Spanish it feels like a powerful personal statement.
  10. No Ripcord
    Oct 24, 2013
    80
    There’s a lot to take in throughout Wed 21’s richly layered and complex matrices, but in no way do they hinder Molina’s streak of keeping things minimal.
  11. Magnet
    Oct 23, 2013
    80
    She's inverting the musicians' aging curve, each album more challenging and less easily digestible than the last. [No. 103, p.58]
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  12. Uncut
    Oct 23, 2013
    80
    At times it recalls the hyper-vivid, motorik jazz of Stereolab circa Cobra And Phases; elsewhere, it's closer to Tropicalia given a 21st-Century re-boot. But the very best songs here incorporate everything, unexpectedly changing shade. [Nov 2013, p.75]
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  13. The Independent on Sunday (UK)
    Oct 23, 2013
    80
    The warm human purr of her ethereal vocals is juxtaposed towith fluid electronic elements and the occasional welcome interjection of bluesy guitar and jagged off-beat percussion.
  14. Pitchfork
    Oct 23, 2013
    73
    Much of this album, like most of her recorded work, resembles a well-organized room decked out in tasteful furniture, with every part slotted neatly in place.
  15. Drowned In Sound
    Nov 20, 2013
    70
    This persistent juxtaposition of dynamics makes for a particularly striking, if challenging, listen.
  16. Under The Radar
    Nov 7, 2013
    65
    The language barrier never detracts from the impact of her songs; the blend of acoustics and electronics on Wed 21 is as expressive as Molina's tranquil delivery, providing the alluring environment required to charm the object of your affection.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 19 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 19
  3. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. mtofer
    Jun 3, 2014
    9
    First, she is probably the only latin artist that is daring to make something different and unique. The rocky influence is clear but thisFirst, she is probably the only latin artist that is daring to make something different and unique. The rocky influence is clear but this album is twisted, wild, exotic, and in some parts revolutionary and full of life. Not to mention she is the first latin woman who is playing at the Glastonbury.… Full Review »
  2. jotaeseche
    Oct 12, 2014
    10
    Exquisiteness, originality, bravery, craziness: just some adjectives that may describe this incredible artist that never fears to show whatExquisiteness, originality, bravery, craziness: just some adjectives that may describe this incredible artist that never fears to show what she really wants to show, in the way she really wants to. This music is really unique, really expressive, really twisted... and literally, magnificent. I'm so proud of her achievements, and I'm glad that she's representing our country (Argentina) in such a fantastic way.
    If all her previous works were just steps she constructed to create her own thrown, Wed 21 serves just as her own crown. She is a queen.    … Full Review »
  3. DemonBalooni
    Nov 4, 2013
    9
    Juana Molina has been for a couple of years now my source of introspection in a very wide soundscape. Wed 21 just reaffirms my thoughts on herJuana Molina has been for a couple of years now my source of introspection in a very wide soundscape. Wed 21 just reaffirms my thoughts on her music: She returns after a five-year self exile, blending her unique palette of sounds with explicit lyrics and a very persuasive approach to rhythm that turns out to be a high mark in songs like "Wed 21" and the closing "Final Feliz". Nothing far from that awesome mixture of sound and confession in "Sin Guía, No", where she expresses a profound desire for freedom, escaping from the concrete jungle to a very humble and green landscape. Hopefully, this one will be a work that I will consume for years while Juana takes another break and goes back in her homeland to sew a few socks and construct some awesome tunes for a new record.… Full Review »
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