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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Donkey
by CSS
The sophomore album for the Brazilian indie-rock band was produced by band member Adriano Cintra.
| LABEL: |
Sub Pop |
| RELEASE DATE: |
22 July 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...
90
Alternative Press
Though such pop gloss ruins many indie acts, it fits CSS as snugly as vocalist Lovefoxx's Lycra stagewear. [Sep 2008, p.162]
80
Spin
The quintet mostly stays on message, doling out unpretentious poolside jams that recall ESG, Liquid Liquid, and the Human League.
80
Boston Globe
Donkey favors texture over attitude, and while the boozy, shouted choruses remain, CSS now favors a subtler approach.
80
Prefix Magazine
With its shameless pop-punk anthems and wonderfully irreverent lyrics, Donkey finds the members of CSS at the top of their game.
80
Observer Music Monthly
Their joyous hooks ensure Donkey is as fun as its predecessor.
80
NOW Magazine
No sophomore slumping here.
80
Billboard
The upgraded melodic sense makes CSS stand out from all the other electropop bands that sound like Liquid Liquid and can turn a smutty lyric.
80
Hartford Courant
Although Donkey has a sleeker sound than its predecessor, CSS keeps its focus squarely on booty-shaking beats and pulsing bass on songs alternately about rocking your face off (opener 'Jager Yoga') and overcoming emotional turmoil.
72
Filter
Lovefoxxx's metallic delivery and pseudo-rougish lyricism are crisp and poignant, laid out over the kinds of zippy, synth-pop digital landscapes that'll make even the most ardent Reaganomics-kiddie smile. [Summer 2008, p.94]
70
New Musical Express
So, yes, it’s a tougher collection than the first, lacking the merciless hilarity you’d expect. But it’s also a strong step forward and one that proves they won’t disappear in the changing breeze of fashion.
70
Blender
With CSS, even biting the dust is a blast. [Aug 2008, p.82]
67
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Lead singer Lovefoxxx still has much of her earlier pep, but the lyrics (either her own or by bassist Adriano Cintra, who also writes most of the music) don't give her much to work with.
60
PopMatters
Long time fans may feel the slight pangs of longing for their less distilled ventures into sonic schizophrenia, but Donkey is a marginally strong, albeit strange, gut check for a band that has a tendency to shoot from the hip and aim for the kill.
60
All Music Guide
Polished instead of rough, thoughtful instead of brash, Donkey isn't an outright failure, but it certainly is an odd and sometimes disappointing move from a band that didn't necessarily need to change its direction.
60
Dot Music
Mostly, Donkey is undone by a dearth of really memorable, infectious tunes.
60
musicOMH.com
Donkey is not the greatest thing since the peanut Kit-Kat, yet there's some indie-tastic fun with a hint of electro punk, a bit like The Gossip but swapping the Ditto scream for Lovefoxxx's sultry, breathily seductive whisper.
60
The Guardian
Often, Donkey sounds like someone has tracked down the anonymous session musicians who spent the 1970s knocking out polite covers of chart hits for budget-priced Top of the Pops compilation albums and got them to have a stab at replicating CSS's sound.
60
Rolling Stone
Donkey's plenty animated, but it lacks tunes that truly hijack eardrums, which makes it feel like a decent party--fun enough, but soon forgotten.
60
Under The Radar
There’s plenty of sloppy guitar too, but this scrubbed and sanitized CSS will probably let down fans looking for more broken-English pop culture lashings. [Summer 2008]
60
Almost Cool
Donkey is about what one might expect from the group for a second album. Those who liked their rough edges the first time around might find themselves a bit disappointed by the new sheen, but they'll likely gain more fans they they lose.
60
Tiny Mix Tapes
What’s important is confirming that you haven’t completely lost it, that you’ve still got the inspiration that made us listen in the first place--Donkey, however, is in danger of making us forget.
60
Hot Press
Donkey is the mediocre second outing Brazilian electro rockers CSS – will it show that they have more substance beyond being a mere good-time party band?
60
Mojo
It all becomes a bit of a grind--and not entirely in a sexy way. [Aug 2008, p.103]
58
Entertainment Weekly
Despite momentary highs like ''Rat Is Dead (Rage)'' and ''Move,'' the entire album feels muffled by standard dance-punk grooves and generic call-to-party lyrics.
56
Pitchfork
The joycore bricolage of CSS is all but missing on Donkey.
50
Drowned In Sound
It’s not as good as its makers’ first, given the flatness of the overall production which falls well short of capturing the dynamism of the band’s live show.
50
Paste Magazine
CSS is stripped of the qualities that made it the charmingly objectionable crush of two summers ago. And note, this is not the sexy kind of stripped this time around.
50
Dusted Magazine
For the most part, Donkey flounders in a sterile morass. It may well bring CSS to a larger audience, one that doesn't consider subversiveness an impediment, but that doesn't make it any less disappointing.
40
Uncut
Two years of constant touring, countless festivals, a loss of a member (bassplayer Ira) and the addition of Gwen Stefani's producer, and something's gone awry.
40
Slant Magazine
CSS's sophomore effort, Donkey, is one of the year's biggest disappointments, then, because it jettisons most of what made the band interesting (that outsider perspective on global pop culture) in favor of a far more simpleminded, one-note focus on partying.
40
Q Magazine
There's no denying that CSS have grown in songwriting flair and musical sophistication. Unfortunately, this seems to have come at the expense of raw energy and quirky character. [Aug 2008, p.133]
40
Sputnikmusic
It fails as dance, as rock, as pop, and as art-rock or art-pop. Really, should we be settling for an average, inoffensive midpoint between all these, given all the music that exists in the world?
40
Austin Chronicle
Sadly, Donkey's slick production has polished away much of that charm, and bland electro dance anthems like 'Let's Reggae All Night' typify the ride.
The average user rating for this album is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 66 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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