Matador is certainly the most experimental record of his career, with its loops, samples and gospel backing vocals.
Matador may initially seduce with its slow, enveloping assurance but the reason it lasts are those songs, as exquisitely crafted and enduring as anything in Coombes' rich catalog.
Matador is constantly being pulled in different directions. Had he resigned himself to taking a looser, more natural approach, or gone all-the-way with the Albarn-esque pageantry, we might be talking about a more interesting record.
Buffalo 93
20/20 97
The English Ruse 94
The Girl Who Fell To Earth 91
Detroit 97
Needle's Eye 98
Seven Walls 98
Oscillate 96
To The Wire 96
Is It On? {IGNORING, 93}
Matador 95
OUTSTANDING (96%)
Top 5:
5. To The Wire
4. Detroit
3. 20/20
2. Needle's Eye
1. Seven Walls
Beautiful record. Was in my top 5 last year and after listening to it again today, I changed my mind, it's gosh, darned close to perfect. Fucking fantastic album, hope he keeps going.
1 | Buffalo 3:19 | |
2 | 20/20 4:14 | |
3 | The English Ruse 4:43 | |
4 | The Girl Who Fell to Earth 3:34 | |
5 | Detroit 5:40 | |
6 | Needle's Eye 4:03 | |
7 | Seven Walls 3:48 | |
8 | Oscillate 3:11 | |
9 | To the Wire 4:06 | |
10 | Is It On? 0:33 | |
11 | Matador 1:23 |
#17 | / | musicOMH |
#22 | / | Q Magazine |
#24 | / | MOJO |
#94 | / | Drowned in Sound |