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FUNKED UP

2117¬Montreal's foremost exponenents of Prince-inspired dirty funk are back with their new album. Critics so far are impressed, Rave Magazine seeing the album as an affirmation of the band's unique style.¬False¬

Middle of the Trail

2101¬Rootsy folkster Ray Lamontagne continues his career as a Radio 2 botherer with his new album. Critics see it as competent but hardly revolutionary, scores coming it at around 6 or 7.¬False¬

Towering achievement?

2098¬There's a very rare 10/10 from The Skinny for the rapper, pianist and producer's album, released to accompany a feature film also written and produced by the maverick Canadian. Such enthusiasm is not shared by the BBC or music OMH, who regard it as interesting but only partially successful.¬True¬
The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night

The Besnard Lakes

The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night

Third album of multi-layered indie rock with a post-rock & psych pop slant from the Montreal band

Critics average rating

7.9

Label
Jagjaguwar
Release date
08/03/2010
  1. 9.0 |  The Fly

    ...intense, swirling storms of songs, recalling at once their closest contemporaries, Band Of Horses, and The Beach Boys
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  2. 9.0 |  NME

    The combination of Canadian indie, psychedelic ’60s rock, cosmic ’70s pop and shoegaze is nothing short of beautiful
    Read Review

  3. 9.0 |  The Quietus

    This album is a blinding listen, interesting, deep and indeed beautiful to behold
    Read Review

  4. 9.0 |  Rave Magazine

    While as a whole, the record isn’t quite up to the standard of its glorious predecessor, it comes pretty darn close
    Read Review

  5. 8.6 |  onethirtybpm

    A triumph. It combines their immense instrumental talents with their pop sensibilities in a formula that provides an irresistible song on almost every occasion
    Read Review

  6. 8.0 |  Drowned In Sound

    When they perfect that balance between ephemeral delicacy and soaring grandeur they sound ready to blanket the entire world in their shadow
    Read Review

  7. 8.0 |  music OMH

    You won't find a more compelling wall of sound in many other places this year
    Read Review

  8. 8.0 |  Uncut

    Print edition only

  9. 8.0 |  Mojo

    Print edition only

  10. 8.0 |  Q

    Print edition only

  11. 8.0 |  No Ripcord

    The Besnard Lakes’ take on psych-pop sounds grand and ambitious, even unpredictably accessible for those who’ve been following their career
    Read Review

  12. 8.0 |  Eye Weekly

    The Montreal space-rockers aren’t about to radically change course. So, on album No. 3, the band opt for fine-tuning enhancement over radical evolution
    Read Review

  13. 8.0 |  Under The Radar

    The Besnard Lakes roll out note after note, moment after moment, song after song that build in anticipation, spectacle, and beauty
    Read Review

  14. 8.0 |  Blurt

    Roaring Night pulls off the difficult feat of being nearly all crescendo, all finale, without becoming tedious or overblown
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  15. 7.8 |  Pitchfork

    There isn't anything that would be considered a radical departure. But when you make the kind of entrance the Besnard Lakes did, there isn't much to fix
    Read Review

  16. 7.5 |  The Line Of Best Fit

    An impeccably produced piece with true dynamic range
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  17. 7.0 |  Spin

    ...it's beguiling but disorienting
    Read Review

  18. 7.0 |  Rolling Stone

    Take time to savor it, and you'll be transported
    Read Review

  19. 7.0 |  Tiny Mix Tapes

    ...brings the Montreal group’s potential down to earth, expanding what were sweeping, almost classical compositions into gut-wrenching, prog-y panoramas
    Read Review

  20. 7.0 |  Bowlegs

    Their fantasy confection of Crazy Horse, Fleetwood Mac and The Beach Boys works far better when open to the listener’s own interpretations than within any prescribed narrative framework
    Read Review

  21. 7.0 |  Pop Matters

    This stuff is too big and too beautiful to ignore
    Read Review

  22. 6.0 |  The Skinny

    An enriching mosaic of sound that comes very close to fulfilling its ambition
    Read Review

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Track preview & download

The Besnard Lakes: The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night

  • Download full album for just £7.99
  • 1. Like The Ocean, Like The Innocent Pt. 1: The Ocean £0.99
  • 2. Like the Ocean, Like The Innocent Pt. 2: The Innocent £0.99
  • 3. Chicago Train £0.99
  • 4. Albatross £0.99
  • 5. Glass Printer £0.99
  • 6. Land Of Living Skies Pt. 1: The Land £0.99
  • 7. Land Of Living Skies Pt. 2: The Living Skies £0.99
  • 8. And This Is What We Call Progress £0.99
  • 9. Light Up The Night £0.99
  • 10. The Lonely Moan £0.99
  • Service provided by 7Digital

Back On Top?

2114¬The Manic Street Preachers have had something of a critical rebirth with their last two albums, and that trend looks set to continue with their latest offering. The Line of Best Fit call it a "wonderful album", while The Fly reckon they "are in the form of their life". With only a few reviews in so far, it seems we could have a contender for the higher echelons of our chart.¬True¬

Pain and pleasure

2105¬Can the third of the three Mancunian electro-ish bands which featured in the BBC's Sound of 2010 list emulate the success of their counterparts, Delphic and Everything Everything? The jury's still out so far. NME is a big fan of the duo's 80s-inspired synthpop anthems, but The Guardian is far from convinced, and others find the album stylish but unremarkable. ¬True¬

Dream team?

2070¬You would imagine that one revered master of popular music working with the material of another revered master of popular music would result in something quite special. However that doesn't appear to be the case, according to many critics. Some find the album partially successful, others are seriously underwhelmed, such as The Guardian, which describes it as "horrible". ¬True¬

Mixed reactions

2106¬Very mixed views around on the fourth album from New York's prime purveyors of post-punk gloom, now back at their old label, Matador. Most critics accept they've moved on from the danceable rhythms and singalong hooks that leavened their earlier work. The reaction to what remains is very varied: some, such as Uncut, regard it is refined and elegant; others such as Spin regard the new material as dull rather than hypnotic. ¬True¬