Pain Olympics

Crack Cloud - Pain Olympics
Critic Score
Based on 14 reviews
2020 Ratings: #32 / 871
User Score
Based on 272 ratings
2020 Rank: #451
Liked by 23 people
July 17, 2020 / Release Date
LP / Format
Meat Machine / Label
Sign In to rate and review

CRITIC REVIEWS

90
AllMusic
The band are nothing if not exceptional at creating a mythos; by promoting inclusiveness and affirmation to aspirational degrees, they demonstrate that by working together, they can create beauty from chaos.
90
The Line of Best Fit

Raw, and real, and often emotional, Pain Olympics is a turbulent journey through the world of this community, proving in itself to be a successful outlet for those creating it, while also offering solace and alliance for those that need it.

90
Loud and Quiet

Throughout, Crack Cloud delight. Pain Olympics is an incendiary snapshot of a real musical force.

90
God Is in the TV

Members of Crack Cloud might eschew all claims of being a cult, but Pain Olympics will speak to many out there looking for meaning and something of substance to believe in.

90
Gigwise

Crack Cloud have produced an existential, genre-defying examination of the human condition. Pain Olympics is a savoury cocktail of tenacious motifs and shrewd vocals where vaudeville grins at post-punk and psych-rock flirts with hip-hop.

87
Beats Per Minute

From the Krautrock-leaning ripper “Tunnel Vision” to their dystopian Devo impersonation “Ouster Stew”, Crack Cloud explore the cracks and crevices of punk and new wave to the deepest and most feral depths.

80
Pitchfork

This art-punk collective’s utopian first LP illuminates the joy, camaraderie, and compassion that can exist in even the most unforgiving, isolating circumstances.

80
NME

A sonic journey that mirrors the real-life one that the collective remain on, ‘Pain Olympics’ is a disturbing, joyous, cataclysmic listen that travels from claustrophobia and fear into wide-eyed expressions of joy.

80
DIY

While the troubles are integral, ‘Pain Olympics’ also manages to find moments of lightness and creative joy throughout.

80
Northern Transmissions

With an anything goes manifesto, ‘Pain Olympics’ could easily go off the rails and become a train wreck, but Crack Cloud manage to get the balance between artistic freedom and well measured chaos just right.

80
Dork
Crack Cloud pass through the past and shift perspective to bring their otherworldly voodoo down to earth. If anything, they’re pioneers.
80
Q Magazine

This debut's best moments ... are when they push against what a post-punk band should be.

CLJesse
77

fucking what

HoodieBraden
80

Emphasize the "ART" in art-punk...

MasterCrackfox
79

Existing as an art collection rather than a mere band, Crack Cloud is both a major force in terms of eccentric and big sounding music as well as a total art-punk throwback. Throwback feels at least like the right word here, as songs like Ouster Stew and Tunnel Vision feel like old-school dance punk whereas a song like Somethings Gotta Give and Favour Your Fortune are a dense and dim form of post-punk.

The collective bridge the modern gap of these previously dominant sounds through constantly ... read more

40

I loved the self-titled and I wanted to love this but its a cringy shit show.

RealZzzz
89

Been eyeing up this one for a while, with a title like “pain olympics”, you know it’s gonna be fucked up in one way or another. This is what I want out of albums, it was a nice 30 min experience, each track flowed into the next even if the themes of each song were wildly different in theme or genre, it all worked to make this grand and artsy clusterfuck of beautiful sounds and grooves. The madness throughout this album is something to really appreciate and, that I love. ... read more

tophysicall
100

IDGAF they r everything

Purchasing Pain Olympics from Amazon helps support Album of the Year. Or consider a donation?
Become a Donor
Donor badge, no ads + more benefits.
Advertisement
Comments (4)
Sign in to comment
1y
3y
3y
3y


Added on: May 19, 2020