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8.8
77635
8.8 |
Paste Magazine
Rebellion hasn’t sounded this awesome — or honest — in a long time
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8.3
77279
8.3 |
Consequence Of Sound
Few bands can return after a 13-year absence and sound vital and fresh, transforming an old-school approach into a process that sounds original
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8.0
77282
8.0 |
Drowned In Sound
This release spanned years and several recording sessions and it’s still absolutely exhilarating
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8.0
77276
8.0 |
The Independent
Listening to Oberst’s righteous rage, his tone a world away from his tender confessionals, one has to credit his dedication, 14 years on, to making them heard
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8.0
77511
8.0 |
Mojo
Depicts a sadness at the heart of America with a confident swagger and righteous anger
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8.0
77581
8.0 |
Gig Soup
This is classic Punk rock at its finest, coupling infectious riffs with socially conscious lyrics
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8.0
77344
8.0 |
DIY
This is an album designed to move people, and ‘Payola’ manages to do so in so very many ways
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8.0
77357
8.0 |
All Music
Oberst and company temper their outrage with unadulterated melodic might, resulting in that rare protest album that rewards both the condemners and the condemned
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7.6
77335
7.6 |
Pitchfork
While Payola is Oberst's most urgent and angry work in a decade, it's by far his most fun record
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7.5
77368
7.5 |
A.V. Club
Oberst and company are best when they concern themselves less with trying to inspire, and more with the musical equivalent of yelling, “Burn it down!”
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7.5
77281
7.5 |
The Line Of Best Fit
Even if seems a touch outdated at points, there’s not likely to be another punk album this year that unleashes its ire with such precision
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7.0
77389
7.0 |
No Ripcord
Payola picks off right where their last one left off while completely ignoring that the past decade even happened, which sounds like a harder feat then it might appear
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7.0
77393
7.0 |
PopMatters
It’s so politically driven and desperate at times, but there’s a roaring joy at the engine that Desaparecidos run off of
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7.0
77404
7.0 |
Exclaim
A surprisingly vital return we never knew we needed
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7.0
77275
7.0 |
NME
Even after a decade as a folk star, Oberst still gives the other grown-up emo kids a run for their money
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7.0
77278
7.0 |
The Music
Unrelentingly bleak and earnest on the surface, but it’s saved by the band’s unquestionable conviction and the edgy punk-tinged rock
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6.5
77659
6.5 |
Beardfood
Oberst tends to annoy instead of move and the pop isn’t counterbalanced with grit
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6.0
77877
6.0 |
Q
It's lengthy gestation has left it sounding a mite disjointed. Print edition only
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6.0
77626
6.0 |
Spectrum Culture
Even when the blood rush hits, the whole production can be a tad disappointing
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6.0
77277
6.0 |
The Guardian
They’re not exactly pushing things forward, but for anyone who wants to take a trip back to when MTV2’s Gonzo was a must-watch, Payola will pave the way
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6.0
77280
6.0 |
The Skinny
This existential howl against cruelty and injustice lends itself to some admirably infectious punk rock with enjoyable delusions of new wave grandeur
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5.5
77482
5.5 |
Under The Radar
Even at 44 minutes, it feels overlong, its energy too diffuse for the intended impact
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