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31Knots Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Evil Urges
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The fifth studio album for the rock band from Kentucky was produced by Joe Chiccarelli and Jim James.
| LABEL: | Ato Records/Red |
| RELEASE DATE: | 10 June 2008 |
| DISCS: | 1 disc |
| GENRE(S): | Rock, Alternative |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The average user rating for this album is 7.3 (out of 10) based on 47 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Robbie C gave it a6:
Ehhh, I don't know what happened. It's not BAD. It's just not as good as it should be. The past few albums were so solid. This is spotty.
Roman M. gave it a3:
This band hit on a really cool sound with "It Still Moves" and has abandoned it. There is nothing wrong with trying to test your artistic boundaries. However, the latest efforts (including "Z" which was better but still a step downward) are self-indulgent. The lyrics are brutal, the music seems empty, i.e. songs sound like they are missing beats and notes and James has effectively neutered all the soul that was in his voice for some showmanship. Sorry, but this band can do better. The lyrics are really upsetting. Hackneyed attempts at political relevance.
Carla gave it a9:
If you had any interest in the band before now, hopefully you can appreciate how they are trying to expand their sound. It's not as consistent as their other records but if you give it a third, fourth, fifth listen; you'll find more than enough to keep your ears occupied for a long time. I admit that it took the Bonnaroo 08 show for me to finally like "Highly Suspicious." Now, it's one of my favorites!!
Frank G gave it a10:
Takes the sound the band reached for on Z and turns that sound into some beautiful pop songs.
Nick D gave it a9:
After the first couple listens, I probably would've given it a 5 or 6. After a few more listens I would've bumped it up to a 7. Now, after listening to it probably 7-8 times it has finally settled into a solid 9. Each song is highly memorable with a variety of styles covered throughout the album. There's nothing as good as "Mahgeetah" or "One Big Holiday", but the trio of "Touch Me...Pt. 2", "Librarian", and "Sec Walkin" are all top-notch with "Highly Suspicious" being the only clunker (even if it's kinda fun in a dorky way).
Jack C. gave it a6:
As a big MMJ fan, I think this is a decent album. Still, I think it's a really frustrating one. It's a bit of head-scratcher, but not necessarily in the way the band intended. Yes, the first three songs are different and kind of weird, but after that, it's pretty much the most straightforward stuff they've ever done- it's not some big risky album like people keep saying. It's all totally listenable, but surprisingly boring. "Two Halves" sounds like the work of a band that has been washed up for years now. "Thank You, Too," is really a pretty good song, but talk about some cheese. "Look At You" is just boring, don't know how or why it made the cut. The two main rockers- "Aluminum Park" and "Remnants" are all right I guess, but don't even come close to their previous great rockers like "One Big Holiday," "Lay Low," and several others. They're a great live band, but it's hard to imagine them truly feeling this stuff measures up to their previous material when they play a show- go from a timeless tune like "The Way That He Sings" to a forgettable, pretty lameone like "Two Halves"? But, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say this is awful. It's not. The title track is good, as is "I'm Amazed," the last two tracks are also pretty great. "Highly Suspicious" is a horrible song, but it doesn't bother me, because they've always had a bizarre sense of humor that lurks underneath their music. The rest of the album is okay, but frustrating, not because it's so "challenging" or "brave," but because it's pretty boring and faceless.
Matt B gave it a10:
This album will not immediately grab you the way "Z" or "It Still Moves" managed to. However, with repeated listens (and by seeing them play the new material live at Bonnaroo & Radio City) I am convinced that Evil Urges is their best outing yet. They've chucked much of the soloing for tighter lyrics, and better arrangements (Exhibit A: Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt. 2). I welcome the new R&B; side of Jim James and look forward to where this sound takes the band next.
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