AllMusic's Scores

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For 18,295 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 63% higher than the average critic
  • 5% same as the average critic
  • 32% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 1.5 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Music review score: 74
Highest review score: 100 The Marshall Mathers LP
Lowest review score: 20 Graffiti
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15,344 out of 18295
  2. Mixed: 2,925 out of 18295
  3. Negative: 26 out of 18295
18295 music reviews
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    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Skins
    Skins is the product of an older and wiser trio than Buffalo Tom were in their salad days, but it's unmistakably the same band, and if their attack and their concerns have changed a bit with the passage of time, that's a reflection of their innate honesty as much as anything else; they simply are who they are, and on Skins that means they're a gifted and grown-up rock & roll band.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Michel Poiccard
    In a way, the album seems like a bit of a farewell to an old friend, with lots of wistful moments to be found under the layers of synths and fuzz all throughout the album, really nailing home the Death Set's method of mixing the old with the new to create something that strides boldly forward as it fondly remembers where it came from.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Give the Drummer Some
    As a showcase for Barker's production and drumming skills, Give the Drummer Some definitely gets the point across, proving that there's room for more than just Phil Collins and Dave Grohl in the world of drummers successfully going solo.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Different Gear, Still Speeding
    This untrammeled rock & roll gusto makes the bulk of Different Gear pure fun in a way the carefully considered post-Morning Glory records never were, and it also means that Beady Eye aren't quite as sure-footed on their ballads: they are a band of instinct, not introspection, and listening to them follow Liam's id throughout Different Gear, Still Speeding is infectious.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Several Shades of Why
    If it isn't quite a masterpiece, along with Dinosaur Jr.'s surprisingly strong reunion albums, this suggests Mascis has been quietly enjoying an impressive career renaissance, as if the venerable slacker has discovered something welcome in the onset of maturity.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Endgame
    Rise Against are still a band with plenty to say. All the d-beats and raw vocals in the world don't mean a thing if you don't have a message you believe in.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Cornershop & the Double-O Groove Of
    The vocals and flourishes are strongly Punjabi -- songs are often sung in the language, not English as they usually are on a Cornershop LP -- but these are essentially trappings for a collection of multicultural dance-pop not too dissimilar from the group's albums since 1997.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Immersion
    While it provides a fair amount of material for those who prefer either release, Immersion also stretch out here, leaning heavily toward industrial-style rock on a handful of tracks while veering toward metal on "Self vs. Self."
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Gate
    The Gate presents Elling at the top of his game; it is a song cycle that is mesmerizing and mysterious as it is provocative and compelling.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Land and Fixed
    Blank Dogs is the work of an artist who has found his voice in the sound of another era, and it speaks quite eloquently on Land and Fixed; anyone who enjoys the chilly rush of classic era synth pop will be jazzed by this music, and even those who prefer "real" pop music may find they're not immune to its charms.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Daydreams & Nightmares
    The simple fact is that Daydreams & Nightmares isn't just a joyous reinvention, or coming of age for Those Dancing Days, or even one the best albums of the year--which it certainly is--but, like any good dream, it comes when you least expect it, born out of your purest desires, and haunts you for those dancing days to come.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Bootleg, Vol. 2: From Memphis to Hollywood
    Like its predecessor, Bootleg, Vol. 2: From Memphis to Hollywood is essential for Cash collectors and hardcore fans, adding even more depth and weight to his enormous stature in American popular music.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Live in Marciac
    For Mehldau's fans, this is another opportunity to hear just how creative and versatile he is, even with familiar material. For the uninitiated, this is a grand opportunity to acquaint yourself with one of the most gifted jazz pianists on the scene.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Um, Uh Oh
    When Elbogen adds some additional keyboards to the mix, Um, Uh Oh feels downright colorful. And the songs themselves boast a level of craftsmanship and quality that's striking for somebody whose last batch of tunes was released less than two years earlier.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Light Science
    Tignor's musical apprenticeship in the avant-garde world shows through as well, and between the minimalist motifs, flowing violin lines, and brass interjections, Light Science sometimes suggests the likes of Steve Reich, LaMonte Young, and Pauline Oliveros letting their hair down for a garage-band jam.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Woody Nightshade
    Kraus and her various collaborators throughout--notably Christophe Albertijn, who both performed and recorded the overall effort--are a bit more plugged in overall, but if the feeling of the the album is misty folk-rock at many points, it's the folk that still predominates throughout.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Greatest Story Never Told
    It's the kind of thing that requires a commitment from the listener, but Saigon and the people around him are talented enough to pull it off, even to make it enjoyable, which makes The Greatest Story Never Told one definitely worth hearing.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Boys and Diamonds
    Sometimes befuddling but never boring, Rainbow Arabia is making music that ultimately sounds like no one else's.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Colour Trip
    Their debut album, Colour Trip, is more of a nostalgia trip as they delve deeply into shoegaze, dream pop, noise pop, and generally seem to be auditioning for a spot on the Creation roster between My Bloody Valentine and Ride.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Lasers
    Lasers offers more substance when the reins are loosened.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Palermo Snow
    This is the work of a master guitarist who has taken his time to come up with a quality record.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Majestic Silver Strings
    The Majestic Silver Strings is one of those rare "supergroup" projects that works--as much by its understatement as its savvy choice of material and excellent performances.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Beast
    There are moments when a few different "shades" of heavy are detected, including the beginning of the aforementioned "Shitlist" and the album-closer, "Lend Myself to the Night." However, for those who like excuse-free metal cranked to ten from beginning to end, DevilDriver have assembled one gnarly Beast for you.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Stronger
    Evans' fans will eat this up as welcome return to form. However, a more critical listen will reveal this set as a concession to Nashville's ever more restrictive, formulaic studio system.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Gramahawk
    If it won't change worlds, it's engaging enough for what it aims to be, and when "Bumper Car" hits a lower-voiced break over a clattering beat with an easygoing grace, the whole thing feels like even more of a treat that could turn even better with time.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Pedals
    If Rival Schools had returned and tried to sound like the same band they were in 2001, there would have been the very real danger of it feeling disingenuous and forced, as if they were trying to recapture their glory days. Instead, the band is more relaxed and confident, and not afraid to experiment a little.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    A Winter Tale
    If Long has captured the style necessary to make him the next New Dylan, he hasn't quite figured out the issue of lyrical content.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002-2010
    It wasn't necessarily all that great of a stylistic distance to traverse, but it's certainly been a pleasurable journey. And while there are quite a few extant non-album cuts that might have found space on a more slavishly inclusive comp, what is included here is pretty close to perfect.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Human Romance
    Longtime Darkest Hour fans should be very pleased by this record; they continue to write good songs and perform them with commitment and power. Because of their consistency, though, this album would also make a great introduction to the band's catalog.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Laru Beya
    Listen to this album three or four times in quick succession and you'll hear something different each time; it's difficult to imagine growing tired of it.
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