Albums to watch

Not Real

Stealing Sheep

Not Real

Second album from the harmonic psych-folk Liverpool trio sees them utilise synths and drum machines this time

ADM rating[?]

7.1

Label
Heavenly
UK Release date
13/04/2015
US Release date
21/04/2015
  1. 8.0 |   NME

    'Not Real' catapults the Liverpool-based trio into a shiny, silver-suited, synthpop future
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  2. 8.0 |   The Quietus

    Like all great pop, it's full of memorable lines and nagging hooks, but also the sense of something ungraspable, resistant to easy interpretation. The water's great, but it's spiked with something strange
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  3. 8.0 |   Mojo

    Truly a class act. Print edition only

  4. 8.0 |   The Guardian

    At a time where the word “random” has been diluted to mean anything from the genuinely surreal to a misplaced spoon, it’s a relief to find something so instinctively strange
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  5. 8.0 |   DIY

    It becomes clear very quickly (about ten seconds into opener ‘Sequence’) that they’ve taken the ‘if it ain’t broke, break it and start again’ ethos
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  6. 8.0 |   musicOMH

    An album that’s more mature and focussed than Stealing Sheep’s debut, harnessing all of their interesting quirks within a showcase of excellent songwriting
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  7. 8.0 |   All Music

    Despite their best efforts to thwart it, Stealing Sheep's intoxicating otherworldliness ultimately wins out
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  8. 8.0 |   The FT

    Electronic instruments bring the pastoral, folky side of their music into the computer age
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  9. 7.5 |   The 405

    A catchy album that makes you want to dig deeper and discover what they are trying to say lyrically and musically
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  10. 7.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    An interesting hybrid of accessible but surreal, metronomic pop
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  11. 7.0 |   Clash

    Whilst you can't help but admire Stealing Sheep for evolving their sound, with a few track tweaks it could have been an evolution which went so much further
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  12. 7.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Consistently intriguing and occasionally glorious, Not Real feels like a genuine step forward
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  13. 7.0 |   Uncut

    Moves them into dreamier, more intriguing territory. Print edition only

  14. 6.0 |   Q

    Freak-folk femmes go synth-pop. Print edition only

  15. 6.0 |   The Arts Desk

    For its melodies and songs alone, Not Real is a winner. In its final bricolage-style assemblage though, Not Real is not so sure-footed
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  16. 6.0 |   The Irish Times

    A charmer of an album
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  17. 4.0 |   Drowned In Sound

    It’s a shame, because Stealing Sheep are a likeable band with decent potential. But then stealing is taking from others and sheep follow the herd
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Stealing Sheep: Not Real

  • Download full album for just £9.49
  • 1. Sequence £0.99
  • 2. Apparition £0.99
  • 3. Not Real £0.99
  • 4. This Time £0.99
  • 5. Greed £0.99
  • 6. Deadlock £0.99
  • 7. Evolve & Expand £0.99
  • 8. Sunk £0.99
  • 9. Love £0.99
  • 10. She £0.99
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