23 May 2013
Here's how it works: The Recent Releases chart brings together critical reaction to new albums from more than 50 publications worldwide. It's updated daily. Albums qualify with 5 reviews, and drop out after 6 weeks into the longer timespan charts.
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The Manchester experimental instrumental rock / prog / Krautrock trio with their debut long player
6.4
Apart from the odd needless detour to bloodless math rock territory, Plank! manage to twist these oft-troubled templates into compellingly unique shapes Read Review
They understand that just because you happen to be playing in 11/8 doesn’t mean you can’t be fun to listen to. I like this record a lot Read Review
Instrumental yes, but also wonderfully melodic and – dare I say it – maybe even a little catchy too Read Review
A very intriguing and exciting debut. It doesn't outstay its welcome and it manages to conjure up all kinds of terrifying images in the listener's head, which is no mean feat for an instrumental band Read Review
Animalism gently pervades your consciousness on repeated listens. Live with it a while, and you too might start thinking they could be this generation’s Goblin Read Review
Mancunians' Krautrock revival wears thin. Print edition only
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Plank!: Animalism
Sam Amidon Bright Sunny South
A truly sincere and beautiful album The Line Of Best Fit
The Fall Re-Mit
As with nearly all of the Fall, this album does what it wants to do, forcing the listener to submit to its terms Pop Matters
Bright Sunny South is full of these unhurried, easy moments, and succeeds because of it Pop Matters
30 Seconds To Mars Love Lust Faith
Flawed yet with some redemption, Love Lust Faith + Dreams is a mixed effort Pop Matters
Dirty Beaches Drifters/Love Is The Devil
More robust and eccentric than anything he's ever released before Pitchfork
The National Trouble Will Find Me
This is The National’s 4th or 5th comfortably strong album in a row, another slight variation on a tried-and-true theme No Ripcord
Majical Cloudz Impersonator
Majical Cloudz are far from the first to bring about a warming sense of humanity through electronic music, but rarely do you see a synth-based “singer-songwriter” album pulled off so convincingly No Ripcord
Laura Marling Once I Was An Eagle
A masterpiece Daily Telegraph
Mount Kimbie Cold Spring Fault Less Youth
Rhythmically charged but often quite impressionistic tracks. Print edition only Uncut
Kimbie's melodic experiments never lose sight of the dancefloor. Print edition only NME
The instruments are always operating at the service of dominating vocals. Print edition only Uncut
By paring pop music to its core human elements, Majical Cloudz has written a record that’s bare enough to breathe inside Consequence Of Sound
Even if Impersonator isn't the most uplifting music to listen to, it's carefully restrained and delicately expansive at the right moments The 405
With such a wide-open sound, even the confusing and painful parts sound hauntingly beautiful All Music
Over a backdrop of loops and electronic drones patient to the point of static, Devon Welsh bellows lyrics so naked they're embarrassing to hear, let alone repeat Rolling Stone
The French duo's 4th album has picked up a good number of 10/10 and 9/10 ratings, but also a handful of 6/10s. Responses range from those who see it as an album that will still be being listened to a decade hence and others who are left thinking "is that it?"
Since we've been around, that is. So, the highest-rated albums from the past four years or so
Frank Ocean Channel Orange
Anaïs Mitchell Hadestown
Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
PJ Harvey Let England Shake
My Bloody Valentine mbv
Ry Cooder Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down
Kendrick Lamar good kid, m.A.A.d city
Arcade Fire The Suburbs
Tom Waits Bad As Me