Places Like This
by Architecture in Helsinki
Metascore
66

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 29
  3. Negative: 1 out of 29
  1. BBC collective
    60
    All whoops and yelps, their third album jumps skittishly from primary-coloured electro to punk to poolside cabaret, with an impressive sense of its own silliness.
  2. Drowned In Sound
    60
    With such a sprawling array of instruments on offer, Places Like This is surprisingly one dimensional.
  3. Rolling Stone
    60
    With its sexed-up beats, cowbell, nonsense chants and wigged-out Casio-keyboard psychedelia, Places Like This turns its sound-effect juxtapositions into sheepishly functional tunes.
  5. PopMatters
    60
    Most of Places Like This doesn’t live up to its potential. Breathless, innovative changes and endless instrumentation are what the band do best, and for the most part, it’s not here.
  6. Q Magazine
    60
    There's a new post-punk, white-funk edge to their sound on the glorious 'Debbie' that surely comes from Bird's new locale, While 'Lazy (Lazy)' slinks along with Talking Heads-esque subtlety. [Sep 2007, p.88]
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  7. Dot Music
    60
    Architecture In Helsinki are hyper self-aware and they seem unable to write or perform any kind of song without imbuing it with some sense of irony or post modernism.
  8. Spin
    60
    The band offers their richest, most eclectic accompaniment yet. [Sep 2007, p.122]
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  9. Sputnikmusic
    50
    To their credit, the album is fun in small doses. Still, the musicianship is never great, sometimes dreadful. The "fun" of the album sometimes feels forced, trying to capitalize on the success of "In Case We Die."
  10. AllMusic
    50
    There are a couple of standouts here--'Like It or Not' could be a cross between 'It'5!' and the Cure's bizarrely cheerful moments, while 'Nothing's Wrong' shows what the rest of the album should've sounded like--but most of Places Like This is a mystifying misfire.
  11. Blender
    50
    The gimmick runs out of novelty long before this third album is done. Even 31 minutes of show-off kiddie theater is too much.
  12. The A.V. Club
    50
    In spite of Architecture In Helsinki's trademark bounce and imagination, Places feels far more like work than play.
  13. NOW Magazine
    40
    Aussie collective Architecture in Helsinki return with an awkward mess of shrieking faux island riddims and embarrassing rump-shaking elasto-funk.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 23
  3. Negative: 6 out of 23
  1. BizN.
    Sep 7, 2007
    8
    Not quite as solid as their last two full lengths, but still solid in its originality and zaniness.
  2. SebastianZ.
    Sep 7, 2007
    10
    they dont sound like anyone else, quirky as hell and extreamly entertaining to listen to
  3. FreshCharlie
    Aug 31, 2007
    4
    There are moments, but this is easily the bands most disposable. Too bad, I was really hoping for more...
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