Exclaim's Scores

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For 5,096 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 57% higher than the average critic
  • 5% same as the average critic
  • 38% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 2 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Music review score: 75
Highest review score: 100 Vol.II
Lowest review score: 10 California Son
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4,315 out of 5096
  2. Mixed: 753 out of 5096
  3. Negative: 28 out of 5096
5096 music reviews
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    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    WE
    Nothing here quite scratches the itch of both emotional catharsis and rapturous splendour the way Arcade Fire's best songs do, but after a few initial attempts at capturing our collective panic and frustration, they have finally managed to pull it off by seeing themselves as part of the problem, by putting themselves in the line of fire, and by sharing the coping strategies and counterarguments that get them through and putting them into song.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Vapor City
    On Vapor City, Machinedrum steers clear of dramatic style makeovers, opting to focus on sharpening his craft while leaving the listener with a collection of songs that operates on pure magnetism and unbridled confidence.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    KOD
    Though it's no surprise that Cole's consciousness leads the album, his unabashed statements regarding the direction of rap music and its current megastars are gutsy.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Albert Einstein
    Technically flawless, but focused to a fault, Albert Einstein is further proof that Alchemist could benefit from a mistake.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Gravitas
    If you don't love Kweli, Gravitas won't change your mind, but lifelong fans will definitely find a lot to appreciate on this slight but enjoyable album.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Total 15
    While it doesn't offer up any game changers, it does provide a snapshot of Kompakt's eclectic and, ultimately, satisfying vision of electronic music in 2015.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Superorganism
    Superorganism easily meets and exceeds the hype surrounding this talented group.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Filthy [EP]
    While Filthy might not be soundtracking any pool parties this year, it is one of the most vital releases of the summer.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    To Live Alone in That Long Summer
    To Live Alone in that Long Summer is an elegant, contemplative album that thankfully bears little trace of its long gestation.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Club Nites
    This year's Club Nites is more approachable than last year's Seeing Green, but that doesn't make it any less loose and unfettered.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Sad Hunk
    Sad Hunk captures the band's lively chemistry, proving that five albums in, Jurvanen and company are still finding ways to make "something new for all of you with some old refrain."
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Fishing for Fishies
    Fishing for Fishies is the freest the band have sounded in a while, and the record is all the better for it.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Coma Ecliptic
    While the noticeable shift away from death metal may discourage some, Coma Ecliptic succeeds in pushing Between the Buried and Me's creativity in a new direction, avoiding a simple rehash of their winning formula.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    St. Catherine
    Ducktails have an expert ability to create a dreamlike sound; hopefully, the next record will be bolstered by a few more memorable songs to make it a dream worth remembering.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Dead Start Program
    Dead Start Program as another dependable collection of quality techno that will satisfy his fan base, even if it fails to bring in new ears.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Everything's Beautiful
    Everything's Beautiful, indeed.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Weather Diaries
    If any shoegazers are primed and ready to make the most of this second chance, it's Ride.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Piano Works
    Yes, Pianoworks does have its beautiful moments of levity; Cooper is great at that. But the experience of listening to it feels very passive. It's happening, but you, the listener, are not so much involved as you are just in the vicinity. It doesn't wrap you up and envelop you the way Eluvium works often do.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    A Wave That Will Never Break
    Much of what set WU LYF apart from other UK pop-rockers has been dulled to match their ambitions and ages. It's maximalist minimalism (or is that minimalist maximalism?) at its most heartfelt and bland, similar to other heartsick stadium "rockers" like Coldplay and Imagine Dragons.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    LP5
    Although Apparat has expanded his sound with help from his friends, LP5 stands as a singular achievement.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Weather Systems
    There's so much going on throughout each of these nine songs that it's hard to take it in all at once, yet whether it's because of time shared or friendship and family connections, the performances are in perfect sync.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Angel's Pulse [Mixtape]
    No mere addendum, it lives up to the high bar set by Hynes, while giving us a small, but significant, glimpse into his process.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Honey
    Snaith's work is meaningful, and it pushes music forward in a way that's genuinely exciting.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    This Generation
    An easy 12-track listen with smart, if not epic, storytelling and a variety of sounds.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Love Is Free [EP]
    Between her typically deft hooks, the thematic cohesion and the efficiency of it all (five songs, 20 minutes), Love is Free marks another gem in Robyn's recent, diamond-studded catalogue.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Where Does This Door Go
    With Where Does This Door Go, Hawthorne's falsetto-inflected voice has become more commanding, his production more intriguing and his indie-soul aspirations have morphed into mainstream ambitions.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    For Now I Am Winter
    For Now I Am Winter is a record of intimate beauty and Arnór Dan's R&B-inspired vocals, which bear at least a passing resemblance to Ango or How To Dress Well, work surprisingly well in these sparse yet complex and layered compositions.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The Wink
    This final track ["Aura Aura"] manages to rein in all the restless energy found throughout The Wink and transform it into a beautiful, warm sound that sends you on your way, all the better for experiencing it.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Lo Moon
    The atmosphere of Lo Moon, which melds gloom with instrumental experimentation and a welcome pop sensibility, has gifted listeners with a record that stands apart. It's got a glow all its own.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    - Ugh, those feels again
    Like the best of old-school R&B, - Ugh, those feels again has a heavy hip-hop influence and an aura of feel-good innocence throughout, even on darker songs like "Love Like That" and the infectious, call-and-response number "Nothing to Me."
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