Matador

Gaz Coombes - Matador
Critic Score
Based on 19 reviews
2015 Ratings: #216 / 1021
User Score
Based on 56 ratings
2015 Rank: #243
Liked by 2 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
Mojo
Ole! The Supergrass frontman hits the bull's eye with his maximum scoring second solo album.
90
musicOMH
He is more adventurous still where rhythm, harmony and instrumentation are concerned, and this record channels inspiration from sources as diverse as George Harrison, 13th Floor Elevators even, and Neu!.
90
God Is in the TV
20 years after bursting onto the scene, Gaz Coombes is on a roll once again.
80
Q Magazine
Made up of Coombes's most beautiful compositions yet.
80
The Line of Best Fit

Matador is certainly the most experimental record of his career, with its loops, samples and gospel backing vocals.

80
DIY
The jaunty, energetic hints of Britpop cast aside, this is Gaz Coombes the adult man, writing adult songs, and they’re really rather great.
80
AllMusic

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.

80
Drowned in Sound
Vital, urgent and impassioned – Gas Coombes has written the record he always deserved a chance to make.
70
Clash
‘Matador’ is an object lesson in letting Britpop mature gracefully, with Coombes operating a million miles away from the wry anthems that put Supergrass at the centre of a post-‘Parklife’ musical boom. The anthems are still here, rest assured; they’re less obvious, but definitely no less compelling.
65
Under the Radar
With the studio as one of his main vehicles, the album is fleshed out in a way that is removed from the sparseness of a one-man operation.
63
Pitchfork

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.

DalekTurret32
96

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

nostar
100

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.

JediMark
79

Picks: The English Ruse / The Girl Who Fell to Earth / Detroit / To the Wire.

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Track List

1Buffalo
3:19
220/20
4:14
3The English Ruse
4:43
4The Girl Who Fell to Earth
3:34
5Detroit
5:40
6Needle's Eye
4:03
7Seven Walls
3:48
8Oscillate
3:11
9To the Wire
4:06
10Is It On?
0:33
11Matador
1:23
Total Length: 38 minutes

Year End Lists

#17/musicOMH
#22/Q Magazine
#24/MOJO
#94/Drowned in Sound
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Added on: January 20, 2015