WHY? - Alopecia
Critic Score
Based on 16 reviews
2008 Ratings: #38 / 806
Year End Rank: #28
User Score
Based on 188 ratings
2008 Rank: #102
Liked by 27 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

90
Drowned in Sound
There’s nothing else like this out there that’s as perfectly realised as this, and to draw upon previous, albeit indirect precedents, that leaves only one outcome from this unruly verbiage.
90
Tiny Mix Tapes

Alopecia, their third full-length release and second as a full band, is a darkly tinged juggernaut.

82
Pitchfork

Eyebrows raised when Why? were chosen to support the Silver Jews on a 2005 tour, but that seemingly incongruous bill made more sense when considering one of Berman's better lines: "All my favorite singers couldn't sing." Likewise on Alopecia, Yoni Wolf doesn't seem to know he isn't a diva on "Simeon's Dilemma", that he isn't a New Pornographer on "Fatalist Palmistry", or that he's not a grizzled battle-rapper on "The Fall of Mr. Fifths", and he won't let any of it ge

t in his way. He's got too much to say to be concerned about it.

80
Slant Magazine

Alopecia builds upon the promise of 2005’s Elephant Eyelash and a pair of earlier EPs.

78
Coke Machine Glow

Alopecia exhibits impressive growth and an admirable attention to detail that places yet another unique stone along Yoni Wolf’s fascinating career arc.

70
SPIN

Laced with brainy raps, cooing backing vocals, and a keen attention to melancholy melodic detail, Why? almost one-ups those heady precursors.

Space Vacation
99

HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY TO MY MOST FAVOURITE ALBUM, I LOVE YOU <3

It's hard to decide a "favourite album" but this might be mine...
I can't begin to put into words what makes me love this record as much as I do and as much as I have.
In a way it's responsible for me becoming a real fan of music in the first place, leading me to delve as deep as I have.
It's the most touching thing I've ever heard.
I love the music.
I LOVE Yoni Wolf; everything about him.
I'll never feel right ... read more

smallpeeble
83

i never thought indie rock x alternative hiphop fusion in this album would be this lit. s/o to Space Vacation for recommending me this album. cheers! x

faves:
1. good friday
2. song of the sad assassin
3. gnashville
4. fatalist palmistry
5. simeon's dilemma
6. by torpedo or crohn's

exception
78

On his most critically acclaimed album as Why?, Yoni Wolf creates a blissful mixture of indie rock and hip hop that has a keen attention to detail. The lyrics are legitimately well written and relatable, with pop-like song structures.
The formatting and sheer quality of Alopecia is brilliant, but the music itself isn't anything super special. Wolf's voice isn't the best over the rock instrumentation, which is present more here than ever before, that he uses. And in addition to that, the ... read more

nnpoc
92

86>92

A brilliant album with engrossing instrumentals, choruses, and writing hampered by only a few questionable and undercooked tracks ("Twenty Eight" comes to mind).

Zwuppo
91

Alopecia, the Indie-Rock project led by Yoni Wolf, member of the experimental hip-hop group Clouddead, is quite the interesting project. First off, I love the fact that the album cover takes place on top of a cloud, and like the imagine it's a continuation of Clouddead's self-titled. I've been a fan of the Vowels pt 2 for a while now, as it was one of my most listened to songs from last year. This song is a quotable, catchy rock cut with a great chorus. However, I never actually checked out the ... read more

SenorMonty
84

the idea that this is a member of clouDDEAD is so foreign to me for some reason

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