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9.0
70527
9.0 |
Exclaim
Purists will always pine for Sonic Youth and their glory days, but with a band and album this good, who cares about the past?
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8.0
70513
8.0 |
NME
The refreshing sound of Moore addressing familiar musical themes with renewed energy
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8.0
70458
8.0 |
The Guardian
The unorthodox time signatures and an anti-everything attitude mirror the discord that made his former band a talisman for hipsters and discerning nerds everywhere
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8.0
70459
8.0 |
Slant Magazine
It's clear from these invigorating workouts that a midlife crisis and the breakup of both his marriage and band did nothing to rob Moore of his way with the fretboard
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8.0
70461
8.0 |
FasterLouder
Songs that jettison themselves outward with a Krautrock pulse and drive, the sparkling guitar interplay and tension of Television, beat poetry, acoustic ragas and catchy hooks aplenty
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8.0
70463
8.0 |
Uncut
Dissonance and propulsion remain watchwords. Print edition only
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8.0
70464
8.0 |
Q
In turns seething and sweet. Print edition only
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8.0
70499
8.0 |
The Observer
Although Sonic Youth’s year zero no wave sound brooked no antecedents, the Velvet Underground were in their DNA; echoes still surface here. More surprising, though, is Moore’s penchant for Led Zeppelin
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8.0
70596
8.0 |
State
Moore’s and Sedward’s prowess on their instruments mean that that the subtle inflections and deviations from the root of a riff provide a constant source of invention and discovery
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8.0
70604
8.0 |
musicOMH
Whether or not there’s anything here that hasn’t been made prior to 2014 is another story, but The Best Day is neither derivative nor weak. In fact, it’s another enduring release from an always reliable rocker
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7.6
70639
7.6 |
Earbuddy
At times it sounds close to something you’d hear from his former band, but that’s what it may leave you wanting
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7.5
70594
7.5 |
Paste Magazine
It may not be Moore’s most reckless collection—in fact, it feels downright comfy at times—but the balance between melody and guitar melee is just right
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7.5
70542
7.5 |
A.V. Club
In getting back in the saddle after a rocky couple of years, it’s enough that he’s got the energy and ideas to continue to evolve in worthwhile ways
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7.1
70505
7.1 |
Pitchfork
With The Best Day, Moore is really laying the groundwork for a better tomorrow
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7.0
70549
7.0 |
Rolling Stone
Nobody does dissonant chug like Moore, and The Best Day offers plenty of SY-ish thrills
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7.0
70530
7.0 |
Clash
This is the closest we’re likely to get to a new Sonic Youth album, and ‘The Best Day’ is a great reminder of what made that band so special
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7.0
70540
7.0 |
PopMatters
This is the best Sonic Youth-related album of the new decade so far, and the best Sonic Youth-related album since 2004’s Sonic Nurse
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7.0
70554
7.0 |
God Is In The TV
Sparse in vocals, typically murky when we do hear them, refined, yet thrashing guitar, discord, and conventions of a prog band piece together a record which most Moore buffs will agree is a must-listen album
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7.0
70560
7.0 |
All Music
The Best Day is most exciting when he returns to his most familiar trademarks, again investigating a sound that has spawned generations of imitators but still sounds like no one else
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7.0
70630
7.0 |
Drowned In Sound
This isn’t the sound of him stretching himself, or pushing boundaries – it’s the sound of him comfortably in his sweet spot, and that’s no bad thing
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6.7
70553
6.7 |
Consequence Of Sound
The Best Day? Not quite, but Moore’s clearly got a lot left in his creative tank, and that’s something to smile and feel good about
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6.5
70462
6.5 |
The Line Of Best Fit
While The Best Day does allow Moore to be himself largely free of the shackles of his past it just simply fails to hit the mark on too many occasions
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6.0
70552
6.0 |
The Skinny
Impressive though The Best Day consistently is, the art-rock veteran's distinct sound ensures it’s nigh on impossible for him to sound like anything other than Thurston Moore
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6.0
70635
6.0 |
The Digital Fix
His breathy tones exude warmth matching perfectly the instrumental domesticity that pervades - but this is a Sunday album for a quiet friend, nary a teenage riot in sigh
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6.0
70730
6.0 |
Mojo
For fans of Moore's unmistakeable skronk, there's plenty to devour here. Print edition only
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6.0
70759
6.0 |
The 405
Whilst its relatively long track lengths allow Moore to steadily build the songs, some tend to feel a little flabby, with drawn out instrumentals, a little too much repetition and a lack of distinct tempo change resulting in rather dull progressions
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6.0
70804
6.0 |
Beardfood
Moore's guitar playing is pleasing and interesting about 75% of the time
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6.0
72014
6.0 |
Under The Radar
Ultimately, the album will make its mark as a step in the right direction for Thurston Moore, and if he can lay off the long minor-key dirges, he'll have access to the crown he once proudly wore
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4.0
70460
4.0 |
DIY
This is just too safe and clean-cut
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