I was about to make a post about Okkervil River again, after reading another rave review at lost at sea today. I believe there was also a NY Times review of it when it first came out that was very positive, in addition to what Bob posted.
I'm just speculating wildly, but my guess is that the new Sufjan Stevens will be pretty close in Metascore to Okkervil River. The handful of reviews I've seen have been raves, and everyone on these Forums whose heard or bought it (except me) is ga-ga over it.
I predict the first wave of Sufjan Stevens reviews comes in rave and the metascore starts around 90, then some backlash reviews come in and some critics grade it down a bit for not strictly having song structure, and it comes down to the mid 80s.
Originally posted by philosopherEric: The handful of reviews I've seen have been raves, and everyone on these Forums whose heard or bought it (except me) is ga-ga over it.
You're not alone. The last six tracks are so painfully mediocre and unnecessary I find myself listening to the album less and less. It feels cheap to just stop it after 16; I'm weird that way. I won't even listen to the first half of Blinking Lights and Other Revelations if I don't think I'll have time to make it through disc two.
Question: Where is Feist?? She seems like a glaring omission considering the success of "Let it Die" (Juno Awards in Canada, acclaim from most critics I've come across) and her links with Broken Social Scene. She also sang on the last Kings of Convenience record, if I'm not mistaken. Actually, now that I'm looking, several BSS affiliates are missing: Apostle of Hustle (great album - Folkloric Feel), Jason Collett (may not have been released Stateside yet), Raising the Fawn ...
A lot of stuff that does well in Canada doesn't make metacritic. A bunch of bands I know are mainstream in Canada, like Matthew Good Band, I've never seen on metacritic.
Well if you have noticed.Metacritic usually waits for things to get released in the US. Usually...this is not always the case.Why would they put reviews of little known, little reviewed artists on the site?Especially if it is only released in Canada or wherever else.
They are based in the states and their "core" readers i am sure are americans.So why would they review an album that you can only buy on import?Or noo get at all if you are in the booneys somewhere??
Well, they might do it because it's a good album, and people ought to know about it.
Heck, I'd like to see albums that aren't known in the US, UK, or Canada reviewed. People from Australia all seem to swear there are 10 or 20 bands everyone else is just missing out on, and then there's the music that's not even in english we never hear about.
I'd like to hear about those albums...if not in metacritic, then in some other site. And there isn't one, to my knowledge.
Not all albums metacritic reviews are US releases. Some are only out in the UK.
Originally posted by Imprezu21: Why would they put reviews of little known, little reviewed artists on the site?
So why would they review an album that you can only buy on import?Or noo get at all if you are in the booneys somewhere??
Well, maybe - as Bobthespirit pointed out - because it's a really really ass-kicking good album regardless of its origin. Personally, if I hear an album is amazing, I'll go to a small record store and buy it even if it's an import, because who knows - it might be my next favourite band.
And just to clarify: I did put that parenthesized comment in my last post after I mentioned Jason Collett specifically to acknowledge the fact that many non-U.S. released albums are not put on metacritic.
I'm still surprised about Feist, though. She isn't just big in Canada - she's also popular in France and Europe, as well as gaining momentum in the States. "Let it Die" was released Stateside earlier in the year, to critical acclaim from Pitchfork and other publications. I'd hardly call her "obscure" or "little-known." Besides - everyone should hear that voice of hers!
Feist would actually be a good candidate to get added to the site. She's probably been reviewed by upwards of 10 metacritic publications, and probably with very positive reviews. Apostle of Hustle is a little to obscure to get added, I think.
Originally posted by Karma Police: Question: Where is Feist??...everyone should hear that voice of hers!
Agreed, KP. I didn't get a copy of Let it Die until it was released in the U.S. this year, but it's one of a very short list of favorite things I've heard this year.
I first heard Monarch last year when Let it Die was making the rounds up north and overseas and just loved it.
I'd like to see her get a bit more attention myself.
Now Playing: The Cubs leading the Pirates 5-1 in the 7th.
I'm hoping that Metacritic is collecting reviews for 'Thee More Shallows - More Deep Cuts'.
Otherwise it's probably going to turn out to be the next Okkervil River which would have a super-high rating if only it was included. I haven't seen a single non-gushing review for it.
Originally posted by Peewee: I wanted to know what the new Damien Jurado album is like and was surprised not to find it on Metacritic.
I'm a pretty big Jurado fan, but I saw several lukewarm reviews (the only good one I've seen is Stylus, and they seem to be all over the place), and I didn't like either of the two songs I had heard from it at all, so I didn't bother.
quote:
I'm hoping that Metacritic is collecting reviews for 'Thee More Shallows - More Deep Cuts'.
I hope that one is on Metacritic at some point too. It's my top album of the year at this point. I haven't seen many reviews though. Hopefully, some more sites get around to reviewing it. I bet it would bring in a 85+ Metascore.
Oh, god! Definitely Feist. I've been waiting and waiting, and nothing... Let It Die has been out in the U.S. for a few months now and her album has received reviews (most of them pretty good) by almost everyone who's reviewed it.
Metacritic Forums 
