Straight Songs Of Sorrow

Mark Lanegan

Straight Songs Of Sorrow

Album number twelve from the Seattle-based alt.rock musician and second within six months

ADM rating[?]

7.4

Label
Heavenly Recordings
UK Release date
08/05/2020
US Release date
08/05/2020
  1. 8.6 |   Gig Soup

    Lanegan has opened up the door to his past and in sharing it has produced a fine, storyteller’s album full of atmosphere, despair, but perhaps most importantly, acceptance and hope
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  2. 8.0 |   XS Noize

    A brutally honest record, full of pleasure, pain, darkness, light and ultimately, hope
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  3. 8.0 |   The Arts Desk

    This stuff is a few circles of hell deeper than anything Leonard Cohen ever did
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  4. 8.0 |   Q

    A wonderful counterpart to his book, and just as special on its own. Print edition only

  5. 8.0 |   Uncut

    If the dark intensity leans close to self-parody at times, there are enough musical surprises to bring some light to Lanegan's darkness. Print edition only

  6. 8.0 |   Mojo

    The freshness of allowing us into his private world, most importantly, fuels Lanegan's third rock/electronic beauty on the bounce. Print edition only

  7. 8.0 |   The Irish Times

    Emotionally frayed and feral the tracks may be, but there is much beauty in Straight Songs of Sorrow
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  8. 8.0 |   NME

    Grunge survivor shares music that salves the soul
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  9. 8.0 |   Clash

    Loss, regret and shame are wound up in this album’s DNA, but they are balanced out by a generous dose of hope
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  10. 8.0 |   The FT

    The singer’s sandblasted baritone relates his dark autobiography with irresistible swagger
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  11. 8.0 |   musicOMH

    The sheer honesty of Sing Backwards And Weep and Straight Songs Of Sorrow can only be saluted, both are fine additions to the Lanegan canon
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  12. 8.0 |   Under The Radar

    While there is a great deal of range on the new album, Lanegan weaves each track together with a specific thread. Namely, his own sordid time on this earth and the highs and lows of his prolific mind
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  13. 7.5 |   Spectrum Culture

    Straight Songs of Sorrow can be a lot to take in in one sitting, but, hell, what else do we have going on in these strange, strange days?
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  14. 7.0 |   Sputnik Music (staff)

    It’s ironic how Lanegan’s most tumultuous experience came wrapped in one of the most toned down collections of songs so far
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  15. 7.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    There are a few too many moments that don’t quite reach the strange, dizzying heights of the album’s promising opener, but in all, it feels definitive, inspired, fresh and unusual – a combination that is as rare as Lanegan’s prolifically brilliant song writing abilities
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  16. 7.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Pales in comparison to Lanegan's previous records, and leaves the unfortunate impression that it would have been the best of his career if only he’d focused on quality over quantity
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  17. 7.0 |   American Songwriter

    It’s not for the squeamish or those looking for concise, structured songs. But established followers will likely get on board and stay there
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  18. 7.0 |   Gigwise

    A cinematic flood of sensation from a person turned inside-out
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  19. 6.7 |   Northern Transmissions

    Straight Songs of Sorrow isn’t an easy listen. It’s an ambitious and uneven affair, but there are still a handful of solid tracks to gain out of Lanegan’s Sorrow
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  20. 6.0 |   PopMatters

    Mark Lanegan tells stories from his life and wrestles with death, his chief subject
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  21. 6.0 |   The Quietus

    An album that would’ve worked considerably better as a well-pruned EP. As it stands, there’s too much intent and not enough delivery to maintain attention throughout its sprawling running time
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