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
    Devour You
    There's nothing necessarily at fault about borrowing so heavily from the past — these sounds are, after all, classic for a reason and it's true that Starcrawler conjure them expertly and deftly. The most memorable moments of the record, though, are those when Starcrawler distinguish their work from the giants before them, sketching out instead their own growing sense of self.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Blossoms
    Blossom shows much promise for AI-augmented composition in the realm of electronic sound. It's unlikely that a software version of the Beatles will exist in our lifetime, but Purgas and Ginzburg have proven that the boundaries of technological possibility are completely mutable.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Closer to Grey
    The charm of Chromatics has always been their ability to create musical pastiche that winks at parody, but is so thoroughly and consistently within a world of their own redecoration that authenticity is never an issue. With Closer to Grey they've managed to harness the full energy from their chill fusion into their most ornately framed creation yet.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    For You and I
    The album is dripping with gritty, assertive synth work so gravelly and heady it plants itself deep inside you.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A Pill for Loneliness
    A Pill for Loneliness is another strong effort from City and Colour. It finds Green continuing to play to his strengths and continuing to move City and Colour's sound into new territory at an assured, steady pace.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Lahs
    Having few tonal shifts and being practically devoid of contrast, LAHS is the perfect atmospheric soundtrack for a backyard party with boozy beverages and adult tokeables.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Two Hands
    Paired with the dream-like, celestial quality of U.F.O.F., Two Hands shows Big Thief's loving view of the world can be immeasurably intimate and intangible, but also be bare-boned and brutally honest.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Hello Exile
    With each album they add more to their story, and the underlying emotional connection to the band and their songs is what grows in intensity.
    • 96 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Ghosteen
    In the face of enormous loss, Ghosteen finds comfort in what worldly wonders remain. It surely ranks among Cave and company's most ambitious efforts, and maybe among their most affecting, too.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    White Noise/White Lines
    Personal touches (a snippet of her father's voicemail, an unrehearsed picking party, field recordings of Chickasaw chants) amplify the authenticity with which Waldon approaches all aspects of her artistic development.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Handfuls of Night
    There's nothing especially innovative or unique about Handfuls of Night, but what it does, it does very well and should find great resonance with fans and filmmakers seeking some palpable sonic gravitas to help sell an emotional scene.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Love & Evol
    Without being overwhelmingly expressive or boringly subtle, Boris create layered atmospheres that are equal parts beautiful and menacing.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Welcome Home
    Nobody can seriously claim that Welcome Home tops any of Pantera. But it's a step up from Hellyeah's past material, showcasing all of the members' unending passion for heavy metal and all that comes with it.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Spectre
    The Vancouver duo's captivating moments easily outnumber the few duller ones. On Lightning Dust's fourth studio album, Amber Webber's beautifully haunting voice brings hope to dark places, and following it feels like being guided to the light at the end of the tunnel.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Deceiver
    It's dark subject matter — which makes grunge's famously gloomy sonic palette a particularly good fit for a record that's as beautiful as it is bleak.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Look Up Sharp
    Dal Forno is still true to the homegrown production that fans grew to love; Look Up Sharp is showing listeners just how much she's evolved in her slow-moving, wistful world.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    uknowhatimsayin¿
    It's Brown's pen game and ear for production that carry the album's comedic spirit, anchored by technical and stylistic changes.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Rubberband
    Rubberband has been executed with genuine respect for the artist. There's enough greatness here to justify the effort. Even if we hope this doesn't launch a new kind of re-bop craze, it's still great to press play on another Miles Davis album.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    All Mirrors
    Monumental and intimate in equal measure, All Mirrors' boldness is exceeded only by its profound emotional resonance. Angel Olsen's talents were always apparent. Here, they seem limitless.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    In Cauda Venenum
    The writing is catchy and memorable, interesting and complex, giving the ten-track release tremendous depth that offers a brand new listening experience with every listen. It's an album that requires a lot of consideration, but the reward is well worth the attention.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Carrying On
    This is the fifth album in nine years from the still-young Saskatchewan folk duo, and it continues their sustained level of excellence.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    C'est ça
    What makes C'est ça such a triumphant return for the band lies in just how damn listenable Fly Pan Am make it all come off, giving fans something much more adventurous and challenging than simple nostalgia would ever allow.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Hey, I'm Just Like You
    Hey, I'm Just Like You is an emotive and catchy pop record, but for Tegan and Sara, it's more than that: it's a message to fans to let them know they are not alone in their struggles.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Sound & Fury
    Listeners should strap in and brace themselves for some stylistic hairpin turns. Thankfully Simpson is at the wheel, his Teflon tough voice, high torque guitar playing, and vivid lyrics steadying this thrilling journey through a world on the brink, and ensuring the wheels never come off, which would surely happen with a lesser artist in the driver's seat.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Stars Are the Light
    Although ultimately underwhelming, Moon Duo still create an enjoyable easy-listening psychedelic atmosphere in Stars Are the Light. It might not be the kind of album you can become deeply attached to, but would never fail to please as background music.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Abundance Welcoming Ghosts
    Abundance Welcoming Ghosts is, in other words, not always an easy journey, but its desire to thoughtfully explore the nooks and crannies of the land and the heart do make it worth the effort.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Talkies
    Having only a few minor setbacks, The Talkies is an exciting new addition to Girl Band's discography with its refinement of their sonorous experimental punk style and its ability to stay intensely enthralling, avoiding repetition. Getting deeper and darker than ever before on The Talkies, it will be interesting to see what Girl Band do next.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Altid Sammen
    Heavily inspired by collaborations with Antwerp's Baroque Orchestration X (B.O.X.) and other likeminded artists at the 2018 Berlin PEOPLE Festival, Altid Sammen is a sonic exploration of unique instrumentation that adds to the rich tapestry of Efterklang's canon.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    In the Morse Code of Brake Lights
    Despite any nitpicky issues one may find with In the Morse Code of Brake Lights, it's refreshing to see the New Pornographers, 20 years into their existence, still trying to swing for the fences.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Sunshine Kitty
    Although Sunshine Kitty could be shaved down a bit, this album feels like the first time Tove Lo is really situating herself on her own ground. It's sexy, raw, and honest — but above all, Sunshine Kitty is just really good dance music. Essentially, every song on this album would bring anyone to their feet.
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