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10.0
36839
10.0 |
The Independent
A marvellous piece of work, boasting a rare congruence between lyrical themes and musical evocations, and fronted by one of the most broodingly characterful voices in rock music
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10.0
36901
10.0 |
Independent on Sunday
Minor keys, draggy tempos, undecorated structures, an implicit sense of what it is to be enslaved
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10.0
36949
10.0 |
Mojo
Inevitably, that voice still defines him: like cumulus nimbus glued to the horizon, or a turbulent priest with finger raised. Print edition only
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9.0
36798
9.0 |
musicOMH
It's impossible not to get swept away by the emergency room blues of Leviathan, or the electro-swamp-psychedelia thrum of Tiny Grain Of Truth and not marvel at Lanegan's damaged genius in the process
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9.0
37023
9.0 |
Clash
This is a confident, bold and captivating record, and one which is dominated by that beguilingly ragged voice
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9.0
37034
9.0 |
The Quietus
The sound of an artist freeing himself of expectation and convention and in the process has delivered the finest work in his already impressive canon
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8.5
36964
8.5 |
The 405
An album of truly impressive variety, power and quality
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8.2
37123
8.2 |
Beats Per Minute
He’s a musician who refuses to let complex music become irrelevant in an era that’s overwhelmingly flooded with easily forgettable pop
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8.0
37070
8.0 |
PopMatters
As he enters his fourth decade as a performer Mark Lanegan is undoubtedly operating at the top of his game
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8.0
37178
8.0 |
Spin
Much of this vibe comes from Lanegan's voice -- a smoke-scarred, death-haunted baritone that croaks, rasps, and howls with charismatic relish
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8.0
37379
8.0 |
Q
It's the curveballs that make this such a powerful return. Print edition only
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8.0
38159
8.0 |
AU Review
Die-hard fans could well be disappointed for the exact reasons Blues Funeral might be one his most notable studio releases for years
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8.0
36976
8.0 |
Rave Magazine
A smoky, darkened-room album of 21st century blues rock, infused with mechanised rhythms somewhere between Suicide and Iggy Pop’s Nightclubbing
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8.0
36908
8.0 |
The Observer
He appears to have been hoarding his best material for his first solo album since 2004's Bubblegum, because Blues Funeral has quality to spare
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8.0
36928
8.0 |
NME
It's all brilliant. Print edition only
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8.0
36822
8.0 |
Evening Standard
Like a great horror film, the album is brilliant at building suspense
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8.0
36757
8.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit
Lanegan’s in brilliant voice throughout, his tobacco-scorched subterranean baritone rumble managing the Tom Waitsian feat of sounding damaged beyond repair whilst remaining a powerful and versatile instrument
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8.0
36758
8.0 |
The Skinny
Another memorable foot forward in a fascinating career
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8.0
36797
8.0 |
BBC
A mighty voice of formidably expressive multitudes, here given room to roar
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8.0
36859
8.0 |
Uncut
Grunge-blues giant returns, now digging deeper and - shock! - nu-disco. Print edition only
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7.7
37120
7.7 |
Paste Magazine
Lanegan’s range is so much wider and deeper than anything the vast majority of singer/songwriters can touch, and his fearlessness remains devastatingly affecting
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7.5
36937
7.5 |
Prefix
A funeral is a termination, but can also be a clean slate. Lanegan completely “gets” that duality – and wields it expertly
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7.0
37173
7.0 |
Consequence Of Sound
A creative and fitting nudge out of the comfortable shadows and back into the harsh spotlight
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7.0
39513
7.0 |
FasterLouder
Blues Funeral works because it stepped outside its boundaries and tried something new, all the while still bearing Mark Lanegan’s well-loved craggy fingerprints
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7.0
37179
7.0 |
Blurt
It's unlike anything Lanegan's ever done, and it points in a direction that he'd almost certainly be wise to follow on future project
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7.0
36934
7.0 |
Bowlegs
As his deep vocals rise and fall within the layers of liquid synths and echoing guitar tones, Lanegan creates a new form of gothic American, electronic pop
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6.0
36880
6.0 |
The Fly
Proof, at least, that the blues still thrive
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6.0
36899
6.0 |
DIY
No one does impending death quite like Mark Lanegan. But would it be too much to ask for a little more breathing space next time?
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6.0
36827
6.0 |
The Guardian
For the most part, this is bluesy, lugubrious, modernish rock, elevated by Lanegan's remarkable gravel-pit of a voice
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6.0
37289
6.0 |
State
The problem isn’t that it’s a poor record, but a patchy one of too many troughs and too few peaks
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6.0
37711
6.0 |
No Ripcord
As powerful a tool as his voice is, you can’t escape the feeling that he’s holding something back
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6.0
37993
6.0 |
Rolling Stone
Invoking Leonard Cohen, Andrew Eldritch, and countless other gothy dudes with a taste for dysfunctional relationships
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6.0
36756
6.0 |
Drowned In Sound
A record for ardent fans and not casual admirers
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5.9
36991
5.9 |
Pitchfork
Blues Funeral sounds adrift both sonically and lyrically, chippy drum machines and oozing synths backing Lanegan's verbal merry-go-round of rising suns, avenging gods, and pitiless oceans
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4.2
37002
4.2 |
A.V. Club
Lanegan’s voice may be timeless, but its versatility has its limits—and Blues Funeral tests those limits just a little too much
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