The Grey Album
by Danger Mouse
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Delusions of Adequacy
    80
    The diversity of the mixes on The Grey Album also is a testament to how carefully Danger Mouse has cut and pasted together his unauthorized sonic pastiche.
  2. Dot Music
    50
    He can't seem to decide whether he wants to make a straightforward hip-hop remix of Jay-Z's tunes, quirky sampladelia like DJ Steinski or Coldcut, or an avant-garde project in the vein of plunderphonic composers John Oswald and Negativland. A lot of the time, he falls awkwardly between the three camps.
  3. Dusted Magazine
    60
    There are certainly more fun moments than not, at the very least rendering The Grey Album enjoyable, but it’s hard to argue for any reason other than its novelty.
  5. Entertainment Weekly
    100
    A startlingly, shockingly wonderful piece of pop art. [19 Mar 2004, p.64]
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  6. Junkmedia
    75
    The concept does start to wear thin towards the end of the CD, and the recontextualized product is inherently one sided: it's the Beatles' soundtrack that is made to dance around Jay-Z's unedited verses.
  7. Neumu.net
    80
    Each of the 12 tracks on the Grey Album is finely tuned -- the precision cut-and-paste sampling DM exhibits is often mind-blowing.
  8. New Musical Express (NME)
    100
    For what it is, for what it does, for what it represents and for exposing the idiocy of people who only care about 'what it earns us', then, a truly, TRULY great pop record.
  9. Pitchfork
    77
    While The Grey Album is truly one of the more interesting pirate mashups ever done, it ultimately fails at the hands of perfectionism with several pieces sounding rushed to beat some other knucklehead to his clever idea.
  10. Q Magazine
    80
    [Makes] two known quantities thrillingly new. [May 2004, p.101]
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  11. ShakingThrough.net
    56
    The Beatles don't meet Jay-Z as equals; they're sliced and diced, the innate musicality of their work all but compromised into nothingness, into vaguely familiar square pegs crammed into the comparatively round holes of Jay-Z's original vocals.
  12. Spin
    100
    While the novelty factor alone makes it worth the download time, it works as a cohesive album long after the initial shock wears off. [Apr 2004, p.91]
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  13. Stylus Magazine
    60
    The Grey Album isn’t much more than a well-executed novelty, nor does it illuminate some genius hidden deep within The Black Album.
  14. The Wire
    90
    One of the year's best releases, remix or not. [#241, p.71]
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  15. Tiny Mix Tapes
    80
    Dangermouse's actions have breathed creative life back into a 35-year-old record while inventing a completely new work of hip-hop art.
  16. Urb
    70
    This'll retain its heat only until everyone's heard it. [Apr 2004, p.88]
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  17. Village Voice
    50
    Of course it's a gimmick, but about half of it works anyway.

Awards & Rankings

83
#83 Best Album of 2004
58
#58 Most Discussed Album of 2004

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 47 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 47
  3. Negative: 6 out of 47
  1. clem666
    Apr 28, 2021
    8
    Danger Mouse's first solo major piece of work. If the approach of fusing two great but distant albums is definitely questionnable we have toDanger Mouse's first solo major piece of work. If the approach of fusing two great but distant albums is definitely questionnable we have to admit that the Mouse made an interesting work here. If the title and the visuals let us think that 'The Grey Album' is a simple mixup between Jay-Z and the Beatles, beware.

    Where Jay-Z's vocals are purely copied and pasted, the Beatles' work is only sampled, sometimes subtly, sometimes reworked, sometimes obviously used. The hardest part of reviewing 'The Grey Album' is to identify where are the boundaries of Danger Mouse's complement. The mixing and production can be as rewarding and clever (as on 'Dirt Off Your Shoulder' and 'Public Service Announcement') as messy and drafty (as on '99 Problems'). If I already highlighted Jay-Z's lyrics and flow (as I reviewed his 'Black Album') we have here to exceed his performances in order to enjoy Mouse's abilities. In overall it's a terrific, varied and electric piece of art.    … Full Review »
  2. GMoney
    Jul 20, 2009
    10
    This album is an almost surreal fusion of great music. The Beatles samples don't overpower Jay-Z, they instead give him a rousing echo This album is an almost surreal fusion of great music. The Beatles samples don't overpower Jay-Z, they instead give him a rousing echo that can't be found anywhere else, but the halls of Danger Mouse's studio.… Full Review »
  3. AnonY.
    Apr 30, 2009
    0
    I had the misfortune of hearing this album the other day. Abysmally mixed, far too bass heavy and with scant attention paid to tuning or I had the misfortune of hearing this album the other day. Abysmally mixed, far too bass heavy and with scant attention paid to tuning or tonality, this has to be one of the least pleasant things I've heard.… Full Review »
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