Endless Arcade

Teenage Fanclub - Endless Arcade
Critic Score
Based on 23 reviews
2021 Ratings: #415 / 753
User Score
Based on 95 ratings
2021 Rank: #848
Liked by 2 people
April 30, 2021 / Release Date
LP / Format
Merge / Label
Jangle Pop / Genre
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CRITIC REVIEWS

90
musicOMH

Endless Arcade might be an album of recalibration and evolution, but it’s also one that more than holds its own against the lofty peaks scaled earlier in their career.

80
Uncut

It would be foolish to wish away what we have — Endless Arcade exists, and it's excellent, with enchanting melodies, emotional depth and a few unexpected evolutions.

80
The Irish Times
Topics may touch on self-doubt, the significance of civic responsibility and the not-inconsiderable values of being true to yourself and others, but it’s all squared with such uplifting melody lines it’s ridiculous to nitpick.
80
Record Collector

Endless Arcade represents the biggest demand on their followers the band have made for some time, with pensive contemplation underpinning an eclectic, experimental set of songs.

80
The Arts Desk

Endless Arcade is a lovely album, one of Teenage Fanclub’s best. It also shows they have survived Gerard Love’s departure.

80
The Observer

Endless Arcade dwells on the end of love, as hymned on multiple TFC albums; on stoicism in the face of this emotional catastrophe, or – on Raymond McGinley’s songs – our tiny place in the cosmos and the importance of eking joy out of everything.

80
Mojo

A searching, typically heart-warming record about middle-aged men somewhat adrift, yet ultimately anchored to people and place, Endless Arcade testifies to the Fannies’ endurance.

80
Clash
It’s the sound of a group locating a quiet sense of renewal, probing for fresh inspiration and – for the large part – finding it.
80
The Skinny

On Endless Arcade, Teenage Fanclub sound refreshed, renewed and remarkably like themselves.

80
Under the Radar

If anything, their legacy is as glittering as that of their influences, and Endless Arcade represents another wholesome addition to a steadfast catalogue that oozes quality from the word go.

80
AllMusic
Although Love is missed, his absence has thankfully resulted in only a subtle shift, and Teenage Fanclub still sound like the beloved purveyors of vintage-inspired guitar pop that they've always been.
73
Spectrum Culture

Endless Arcade still ends up being an overall enjoyable addition to the band’s catalog, even if the absence of one of their founders can be felt.

73
Paste

While Endless Arcade may not quite match the standard of consistency Teenage Fanclub is known for, it’s an excellent reminder of just how much songwriting talent has called this band home for the past three decades.

70
Slant Magazine
The album is a welcome, if predictable, reminder of the days when the guitar-driven verse-chorus song was king.
70
DIY
Ripping up their rulebook? Hardly. Giving long-time fans something new to enjoy? You bet.
70
Pitchfork
The Scottish band’s eleventh album feels uniquely pensive, even tentative. Nearly every song will have you humming along, though few seem designed to grab your attention.
70
FLOOD Magazine

There’s a thick patina of wistfulness throughout Endless Arcade that can drag it down when compared against the recent discography, but there’s enough sweetness to each bite to draw you in and want to stay awhile once more.

70
PopMatters
For all the enjoyably sunny fatalism, though, the absence of vocalist and bassist Gerard Love, who left the band in 2018, is noticeable.
70
XS Noize
The continued embracing of their natural musical maturity is producing some fine material. Still very much necessary and always welcome in this day and age.
68
Beats Per Minute

Endless Arcade is a quiet record that helps reaffirm Teenage Fanclub’s enduring appeal: their songs can help dull the pain. And pain there is.

60
God Is in the TV

The biggest problem here is that Endless Arcade sounds like it was recorded by someone standing in the next room using a Dictaphone.

60
The Sydney Morning Herald
Although they hit sweet spots with the beguiling chime of The Sun Won’t Shine on Me and the Zombies-meets-Love shimmy of Warm Embrace, quality control varies and simplicity sometimes drifts into sing-song territory.
60
Classic Rock
Teenage Fanclub are national treasures with a well-honed formula, but they need just a little more musical and emotional grit to avoid fully surrendering to pastel-shaded midlife mellowness.
Valeyard
75

Solid second half of the album. A bit repetitive as a whole.

ArthurPerry
70

bem normalzinho, dá pra engolir

JohnLouisHoward
NR

they should be punished severely for that seven minute opener. look, we know what to expect and they deliver. it's not terrible, but it's nowhere near their best. maybe it's time to call it a day.

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Added on: November 11, 2020