Wide Awake!
by Parquet Courts
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 92 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 83 out of 92
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 92
  3. Negative: 6 out of 92
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  1. Joyasanactofres
    Sep 5, 2022
    10
    The songs on here are catchy and politically intelligent. Parquet courts' performances on this album are exciting and thrilling. I also saw them live and they sounded great.
  2. zgodula
    Mar 24, 2021
    9
    Violence 100
    Total Football 100
    Tenderness 100
    Freebird II 100
    Almost Had to Start a Fight / In and Out of Patience 95
    Before the Water Gets Too High 91
    Mardi Gras Beads 90
    Normalization 89
    Wide Awake 87
    NYC Observation 87
    Extinction 87
    Death Will Bring Change 84
    Back to Earth 79
  3. kermie_the_frog
    Dec 28, 2019
    9
    This is ridiculously good. The bassy, dirty production paired with their iconic post-punk instrumentation and vocals makes for a brilliant record.
  4. JaneMetascore
    Dec 18, 2019
    3
    This band has a very poor emotional range. None of the songs were good. Many of the songs were bad. This album is 40 minutes of bad music. This bands emotions restrict listener interest in its music.
  5. Jubb
    Aug 7, 2019
    9
    Really really really really really really really love this album. The obvious punk inspired vocals and rocky riffs make every song, track after track, utterly enjoyable.
  6. buzzlight
    Nov 7, 2018
    10
    This album makes me want to take of my shirt and beat my chest. Favorite of the year. It is a punk jam classic. Anyone that writes a song called Freebird II has my attention.
  7. Ricko
    Nov 6, 2018
    8
    Opener "Total Football" is a raucous, brazen and fun filled song that massively heightens expectations of what is to come on the rest of the record. To be fair, while nothing quite matches this blistering opener, for the most part Parquet Courts meet these expectations. "Violence" is another frantic track played like the band's lives depend on it. "Before the Water Gets Too High" slows theOpener "Total Football" is a raucous, brazen and fun filled song that massively heightens expectations of what is to come on the rest of the record. To be fair, while nothing quite matches this blistering opener, for the most part Parquet Courts meet these expectations. "Violence" is another frantic track played like the band's lives depend on it. "Before the Water Gets Too High" slows the pace down nicely with a understated bass line working nicely with some effect laden keyboards to drive the track. "Mardi Gras Beads" has a nice twangy intro but is a standard enough tune but fits in nicely as an album track. Again, the band are extremely tight. This is followed by the wonderful "Almost Had to Start A Fight" which sounds like you'd expect a track with this title to. "Freebird II" is classic rock brought screaming into 2018. The second half of the album plays out much in the same vein as the first half, generally excellent. The great things about "Wide Awake" is that not only is it one of the best rock records of the year, paying tribute to all thats gone before it, it isn't just straight out rock either. There's weirdness aplenty to be found and loads of risks taken. It's unlikely you'll hear anything else like it. This is a band that sound like they're having a lot of fun doing what they are. Enough to almost make you jealous.… Expand
  8. joshdkaye
    Sep 6, 2018
    10
    I love everything about this album. The singing, the arragements, the flow of the tracks etc. The best album from PC and my personal favourite of 2018.
  9. DavidWasHere
    Jun 23, 2018
    8
    This album is definitely a grower rather than a shower. It's not a very flashy or aggressive rock record, but one that requires more listens to fully digest what is being said. Which is not a bad thing because there is a lot to unpack with the philosophical lyrics that are actually smart and not sloganers nor shallow and the bare minimum like a lot of records that "claim" to be heavilyThis album is definitely a grower rather than a shower. It's not a very flashy or aggressive rock record, but one that requires more listens to fully digest what is being said. Which is not a bad thing because there is a lot to unpack with the philosophical lyrics that are actually smart and not sloganers nor shallow and the bare minimum like a lot of records that "claim" to be heavily political after the 2016 election. It's basically like a modern day version of classic post-punk records like Wire's Pink Flag, Gang of Four's Entertainment!, or even the Minutemen's Double Nickels on the Dime, which are not bad things since Parquet Courts create something entirely different than their influences but still recognizable. From the sick bass riff and dance-punk vibe of Normalization, to the chill and rather sing-along anthem to Freebird II, to the psychedelic hypnotism of Back to Earth, to the LCD Soundsystem-like title cut with hints of Spanish rhythms and crunchy funk-rock, it's consistent with making one damn good tune after another. Also props to Danger Mouse for producing one of his best records in years! I was worried going in that he'll probably botch it up like he consistently did with the Black Keys's Turn Blue, RHCP's the Getaway, and A$AP Rocky's At.Long.Last.A$AP, I was worried things might go south for the band after delivering their excellent 2016 album Human Performance, but fortunately this is the right balance of being clean and crisp while also getting experimental and unique. The album does have a slow start at first, but once you get into the groove it's consistently excellent.… Expand
  10. nikoziko
    Jun 16, 2018
    10
    amazing album , one of the best albums of the year with great production and everything
  11. AkumaJack
    Jun 4, 2018
    8
    A solid album by Parquet Courts. Lots of different influences in every track starting from punk rock and ending with dub and dance-ish music. Lyrics are quite clichey though with a lot of politics throwed around, but i guess is the punk part of this CD.
  12. Brendonh93
    May 31, 2018
    8
    First time listening to them as i got recommended them, first track in I felt like I got smacked in the face. A few of the songs caught me of guard as it was going from one extreme to another from super riffs and bass playing to the slower jams which mellowed me out after the previous tracks blowing my head off.

    Was a very pleasing listen and I am looking forward to hearing some of the    First time listening to them as i got recommended them, first track in I felt like I got smacked in the face. A few of the songs caught me of guard as it was going from one extreme to another from super riffs and bass playing to the slower jams which mellowed me out after the previous tracks blowing my head off.

    Was a very pleasing listen and I am looking forward to hearing some of the older stuff as well as passing on this album as a recommendation.    … Expand
  13. fwtll636
    May 30, 2018
    7
    This new project from Parquet Courts is an experimental, genre-bending bonanza that misses the mark more than makes it, but the sounds they test on are outgoing and flooded with potential.
  14. huri
    May 27, 2018
    7
    Danger Mouse and the Parquet Courts make for a great collaboration. Their sound is evolving well. Looking forward to how their sound will be refined even more on a future album.
  15. CiphirSol
    May 26, 2018
    9
    Very pleasant, I feel like Danger Mouse's production brings out some of the best in Savage's performances. They should continue their partnership and continue to expand and flesh out the boundaries of their sound.
  16. FeedMyEarholes
    May 22, 2018
    10
    Welcome to Parquet Courts at their very best. Keeping their teeth in their mouths and their brains in their skulls with fine attention to the listener's ears, Wide Awake is my favorite record of 2018 so far. Its wordy two-faced punk-funk mentality bounces back and forth between the throes of Austin Brown and Andrew Savage. Brown delivering sweet, to-the-point and immensely catchy tunes andWelcome to Parquet Courts at their very best. Keeping their teeth in their mouths and their brains in their skulls with fine attention to the listener's ears, Wide Awake is my favorite record of 2018 so far. Its wordy two-faced punk-funk mentality bounces back and forth between the throes of Austin Brown and Andrew Savage. Brown delivering sweet, to-the-point and immensely catchy tunes and introspective lyrics while Savage rebuttals with anger, attitude and more political lyricism. Both carry an off-beat cadence that often runs in opposition to the instrumentals. I found this a slight obstacle at first, focusing on either the amazing instrumentals or eccentric vocal deliveries. Upon multiple listens, however, I could fully appreciate every track. Some even more in the context of others. For example, Total Football and Violence. Separate they're strong, with Total Footballs push/pull opinion of collectivism, cooperation, social dissonance and autonomy followed by Violence's aggressive preaching to the imaginary masses against our broken will. Together I feel they enhance one another, fleshing out the concept of fighting together to gain individual peace of mind. An overall fantastic 13-track roller-coaster of undeniably-influenced yet entirely unique Art-Post punk 'n funk that I wish were longer.

    IGN 10/10 would listen again (F*ck Tom Brady).    … Expand
  17. simonberberich
    May 22, 2018
    9
    This album is far more accessible than their previous few, which is disappointing to me. I almost never like danger mouse's production. However, the songs are still ridiculously good, in a way that surprises me every time I listen to it. There's some serious rippers, and the slower songs are very sweet. It's very engaging and very easy to like.
  18. alexix7
    May 19, 2018
    10
    Great album. First 3 songs are extremely strong and spectacular. Bass player is killing it almost in each song. Savage voice is pure rawness. And i almost forgot, ,,F*CK Tom Brady" !!!
  19. budokai
    May 18, 2018
    2
    Quirky, garage-bandy, lo-fi, heard-it-before, indie pop garbage with a healthy dose of political sanctimony because, why the hell not? Everyone else is doing it! In other words, there's absolutely nothing original here. Well produced tho, so there's that.
  20. Paulo_Jorge
    May 18, 2018
    9
    ..........................................very nice..................................................

Awards & Rankings

68
#68 Most Discussed Album of 2018
25
#25 Most Shared Album of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Oct 5, 2018
    67
    On Wide Awake!, Parquet Courts uses punk mood swings and Gang of Four-style vocal barking to camouflage some of the prettiest songwriting of their career.
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  2. No Ripcord
    May 30, 2018
    90
    There’s a disagreement about whether this should be classed as their fourth, fifth or sixth album, but there’s little doubt that Wide Awake! is up there with their very best.
    Read full review
  3. The Quietus
    May 30, 2018
    80
    Wide Awake still sounds like Parquet Courts, but it’s a far more colourful, warmer and bolder version of the band.
    Read full review
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