Absolute Punk (Staff reviews)'s Scores

  • Music
For 811 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 86% higher than the average critic
  • 1% same as the average critic
  • 13% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 8.4 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Music review score: 81
Highest review score: 100 Harmlessness
Lowest review score: 5 Fashionably Late
Score distribution:
  1. Negative: 6 out of 811
811 music reviews
    • 72 Metascore
    • 82 Critic Score
    While Goblin is a slow, 75-minute mental breakdown of Tyler, Blackenedwhite is a brisk, crisp, and energetic hip-hop record, clocking in at barely 30 minutes.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    Put simply, Mount Moriah is a compelling debut full of candidness, thoughtfully well crafted and relatable lyrics, beautiful vocals with the ability to mesmerizing, and dare I say it, already an aura and element of timelessness destined to surround it.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 76 Critic Score
    It's a decent addition to the artist's already impressive resume, but fails to arrest the same attention his earlier releases are famous for.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    Shed is the right album for those who don't want their pop-punk bands opting for breakdowns.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    Exmilitary is an abrasive and traumatic ordeal, rife with production that's on-point but completely jarring at the same time.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    It's doing more with less, on a level that simply demands attention. That, ladies and gentlemen, just might make Dawes something you'll pass on to your children.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    With Leveler, August Burns Red stays true to their sound while remaining fresh. The 12 tracks contain new dynamics and elements that are sure to please old and new fans alike, while Jake Luhrs' performance places him to the very top of best vocalists within the genre.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 74 Critic Score
    With brilliant production from the likes of No I.D., Kanye West, and The Neptunes as well as an amazing supporting cast of lyricists, Sean has crafted an exceptional debut album without losing the charm of his comparably solid mixtapes.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 93 Critic Score
    From heartache and vulnerability through to acceptance and salvaging a friendship when all could have potentially been lost, who needs a plane to fly low when the detail and scenery on offer here in these forty minutes is already far more beautiful, dazzling, and effortlessly uplifting?
    • 73 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    4
    Don't worry about your legacy Beyonce;4 has solidified your already stable position as pop's queen, and I don't think anyone will forget your name for quite some time.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 86 Critic Score
    After we leave the forebodingly beautiful place of Little Hell one thing is certain--this is City and Colour's finest, most creative work to date.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    Once you let it sink in that this isn't the same band from the early aughts, then you can start to appreciate Taking Back Sunday as a solid rock record – their best in 7 years.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Bon Iver, Bon Iver is Vernon's triumphant re-emergence from those lonely woods back into the world.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 78 Critic Score
    Much like Bad Religion, these veterans of the genre have aged well and with Laugh Now, Laugh Later, have proved they can still be relevant well past their more celebrated years.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 85 Critic Score
    It's evident from the musicianship, from the instrumentation, from the lyrics, and from the vocal delivery that Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me is a record of progression and refinement; released halfway through 2011, it will go down among the best of the heavy hitters this year.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 68 Critic Score
    The record as a substantial body of work comes complete with up-tempo numbers that are danceable but without an enticing hook, a few straightforward pop/rock tunes with tremendous choruses, and an album ending ballad that renders the album slightly indifferent, inconsistent and lacking an underlying direction and purpose.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 81 Critic Score
    Lyrically, Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic have never been stronger, and they play off each other with a unique composure that's rare nowadays. The production from track to track varies enough to keep things interesting, but it unfortunately begins to bleed together after multiple listens. Still, Are You Gonna Eat That? is an amazing return to the scene for both artists.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 74 Critic Score
    With a few more tracks, Hell: The Sequel would have been a fantastic record. But as an EP, a few of its faults are hard to hide.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 65 Critic Score
    Aside from a thin outer veil, This Modern Glitch is a disappointment from a band who most listeners were probably only hoping to get a few catchy singles from.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 83 Critic Score
    They create sophisticated and charming indie/pop songs that occasionally have moments of calamity and moodiness. Their hooks are compelling, their lyrics often thoughtful, and because they explore the topic of love and heartache, they're bound to resonate with many who give the intimate, Love Notes / Letter Bombs thirty minutes of their time.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    What sets Fucked Up's new album aside from their previous records though is the accessibility and bright tone throughout.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 89 Critic Score
    What's fascinating about The Color Spectrum (and easily comparable to a contemporary like The Alchemy Index) is how expansive the quality of the records are in their execution.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 95 Critic Score
    With their third full-length, The Wonder Years have made a record that's as timeless as they come.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 87 Critic Score
    For near-perfectly executed indie-pop, we the lucky listeners don't have to wait for a "next time." Cults have struck gold the first time out.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 74 Critic Score
    They are still a force to be reckoned with and they still write some of the best and most beautiful instrumental music but without a small revolution in sound; their catalogue will (albeit, beautifully) end up blending together like one long song.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 89 Critic Score
    England, Keep My Bones is Turner's most emphatic success and the best singer/songwriter album that will be released in 2011.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Go With Me certainly isn't a bad record by any means, but it just doesn't have the originality and lasting value that will keep people coming back for repeat listens.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 74 Critic Score
    All Time Low made the catchiest record possible and have their fingers crossed for airplay in the upcoming months. For those who accept it, Dirty Work will be a staple in their summer playlist.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 95 Critic Score
    As the record comes to a close, it's impossible not to note the true creativity exerted throughout the entirety of Codes and Keys.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 86 Critic Score
    The way I see Torches, it's not so much music as a vehicle to convey their message, but more so just fun music for the sake of fun music, and well, you have to have lyrics, don't you?