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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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The Family Afloat
by Bound Stems
The Chicago-based indie rock band releases its second full-length album.
| LABEL: |
Flameshovel |
| RELEASE DATE: |
09 September 2008 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Rock, Indie |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
100
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Most of the songs on The Family Afloat jump through their share of hooks and phases, few of which seem honed for maximum catchiness. Instead, they leave generous breathing room for Bobby Gallivan's free-associative, episodic lyrics.
80
Lost At Sea
Whereas the last album came across like the more muddled and aimless moments of Fiery Furnaces or Frog Eyes/Wolf Parade songs (all bluster, arrangement - nothing memorable even if expertly played), this record comes across like the more finely tuned pop songs from any of the aforementioned groups.
76
Pitchfork
Bound Stems have the rarefied ability to make that mess sound gorgeous, as if all were in its right place even when it's held together by chewing gum in some spots.
70
Spin
The songs often end up miles away from where they started, but the characters and melodies persist.
60
Under The Radar
Bound Stems make it work for the most part, especially when the band recognizes the merits of orderly arrangement and the times when a simple, catchy melody will suffice. [Fall 2008, p.79]
60
musicOMH.com
The Family Afloat reveals itself as a record that is promising, enchanting, and imbued with a wry optimism that at times is tangible.
The average user rating for this album is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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