Savage Hills Ballroom
by Youth Lagoon
Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
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  1. AllMusic
    Sep 25, 2015
    80
    With Savage Hills Ballroom Powers has expanded the Youth Lagoon sound without losing any of the intimacy of his bedroom pop beginnings.
  2. DIY Magazine
    Sep 25, 2015
    80
    Powers throws just enough of his own inquisitive character to find his finest moment. He does it time and time again on this record.
  3. Uncut
    Sep 16, 2015
    80
    Lush, lightly electronic chamber-pop arrangements dominate. [Oct 2015, p.84]
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  5. The Line of Best Fit
    Oct 8, 2015
    75
    Savage Hills Ballroom is confounding: an album about new life and new directions loaded with references to death and dead ends; an album about disillusionment in the glossiest package Powers has ever produced.
  6. Under The Radar
    Sep 16, 2015
    75
    Savage Hills Ballroom is another strong, stirring release from Powers. [Aug-Sep 2015, p.68]
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  7. Pitchfork
    Sep 17, 2015
    72
    While Savage Hills Ballroom awkwardly stretches to make universal points from Powers' personal distaste, his personal heartache results in the most truly resonant moments.
  8. Consequence
    Sep 21, 2015
    67
    On his third full-length, Savage Hills Ballroom, Powers eases into the middle between the hush and the boom, foregrounding his voice and his lyrics for his starkest, most focused effort yet.
  9. NOW Magazine
    Sep 16, 2015
    60
    Powers's vocals, which still possess his signature nasal tone, are more upfront and unflinching this time. Yet for all this newfound confidence and prowess, that special emotional punch of a Youth Lagoon song is missing.
  10. Q Magazine
    Sep 16, 2015
    60
    The vocals make Savage Hills Ballroom an acquired taste, but those who enjoy a bitter pill will swallow it whole. [Oct 2015, p.117]
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  11. Slant Magazine
    Sep 24, 2015
    50
    On Savage Hills Ballroom, Powers seems much too concerned with slick sophistication that doesn't quite suit him.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 19 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 19
  3. Negative: 2 out of 19
  1. revillo
    Oct 3, 2015
    7
    Other than some unconvincing moments which dip decidedly into that well-tread anxious-emo-insecure-sanctimonious-queerboy territory (TheOther than some unconvincing moments which dip decidedly into that well-tread anxious-emo-insecure-sanctimonious-queerboy territory (The Knower / Rotten Human), and the enjoyable but out-of-place instrumental interlude Doll's Estate, this album is brimming with good ideas and showcases an obvious musical talent who is finally stepping out in front of his sound for the first time. It's all quite a bit more listenable than the last two albums, with abundant, crisp melodic lines and all the fat trimmed out. The second half is especially good.… Full Review »
  2. reydelvinillo
    Oct 3, 2015
    8
    Trevor Powers, aquél jovencísimo compositor con pinta de geniecillo loco que deslumbró a nuestra comunidad en 2013 con su 'Wondrous Bughouse'Trevor Powers, aquél jovencísimo compositor con pinta de geniecillo loco que deslumbró a nuestra comunidad en 2013 con su 'Wondrous Bughouse' , un álbum inmenso que se coló por derecho propio en el Top 10 anual de aquel año, vuelve dejando las mismas sensaciones con las que se despidió.
    Su tercer álbum de estudio, 'Savage Hills Ballroom' (2015), editado por el mismo sello independiente que le vio nacer (Fat Possum Records), es una prueba más que determina la dimensión de un artista diferente.
    Retraido, reservado, de infancia acomplejada, todas y cada una de sus furias infantiles son perfectamente reflajadas en su prosa, letras rebeldes que reaccionan con lo establecido por defecto inaceptado.
    ''The clones, they've always said to stay in line
    But I'd rather die than piss away my time
    Our food's diseased by altered seeds and dies
    So we take a pill and trust the doctor's lie'' --
    ''Los clones (el ser humano) tienen la orden de estar alineados,
    Pero yo prefiero morir que malgastar mi tiempo.
    Se envenena nuestra comida por semillas alteradas y muere,
    Luego tomamos la pastilla y confiamos en el doctor y su mentira'.- Reza en 'Rotten Human' (Humano podrido), en uno de los grandes momentos del álbum.
    Fascinado con la psique humana, especialmente aquello donde se reúne lo espiritual con el mundo físico, y sin renegar del lado más experimental, semiambiental y post-rock de sus trabajos iniciales, Trevor Powers se abre en este 3er trabajo hacia formas más convencionales, lo que a buen seguro le abrirá las puertas de un público que aún no le conoce.    … Full Review »
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