AOTY 2023

Electra Heart

Marina & the Diamonds - Electra Heart
Critic Score
Based on 17 reviews
2012 Ratings: #1065 / 1119
User Score
2012 Ratings: #219
Liked by 174 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

83
Entertainment Weekly

Marina Diamandis ... rivals Katy Perry for catchy hooks, commands with the swagger of Gwen Stefani, and even comes close to the ethereal vocal exhilaration of Florence Welch.

80
Evening Standard
Marina excels at slower tempos, as in PM, Lies, Valley of the Dolls and The State of Dreaming, where her swooping vocals over an electro-pop beat bring to mind Kate Bush taking the easier option of her earlier days.
80
The Irish Times
She comes with album number two to pointedly prove not only that not all second albums are mush, but also that if you try hard enough you can progress to a level where casual observers become fully paid-up members of your fan club.
80
AllMusic

Electra Heart is a brooding, sexy, desperate, overwrought, and infectious record that's both aware and unashamed of its contrivance.

60
The 405

Electra Heart is a naturally glossy if not promising progression for the young songstress, and the majority of the album is still eminently fun. 

60
The Guardian
Marina Diamandis has a new alter ego to go with her new musical directon. Unfortunately, it's a rather familiar one.
60
Uncut

Whether she'll increase her fanbase on this second album by cloaking her naked ambition in the character of a self-obsessed bunny boiler called Electra Heart remains to be seen, but she's certainly given it everything.

60
musicOMH

There are some strong singles which are bound to bounce around throughout the summer, but what comes next will be interesting

60
The Arts Desk
Second album from Welsh-Greek pop princess is predictable but full of vim.
59
Pitchfork

Whilst there's no getting past some of the duller and more unbearable material on this record, it's a real shame that it's come hamstrung in this unnecessary concept, ready for people to laugh when Marina fails to pull it off. 

50
NME

The album as a whole is an expensive-sounding failure.

50
Drowned in Sound

Electra Heart is a reasonably fun listen, and even if it falls short of its stratospheric ambition, still has more to say than many of Marina's contemporaries. 

40
NOW Magazine
Her husky, swooping voice brims with character, but it’s rarely given room to breathe here, and pairing the blunt metaphorical conceits of songs like Primadonna, Bubblegum Bitch and Homewrecker with equally unimaginative beats results in much middling and unmemorable material.
40
The Independent
Over brutish electro-stomps and fizzy pop trifles every bit as sickly as that suggests, Marina's shrill Violet Elizabeth Bott inflections proclaim her emptiness.
40
The Observer
These prom queen themes have had a more intriguing musical treatment from Lana del Rey.
40
Q Magazine

Electra Heart sounds high on concept, low on songs.

10
Clash
‘Electra heart’ is an ingloriously languid statement of Marina’s demise, the final stamp of disapproval on her flailing excuse of a musical career. There is actually a song called ‘Bubblegum Bitch’ on this album. ’nuff said.
rushmore
100

this is an amazing album, you guys just like dick too much

Host
60

I don't know what to say. It is a good pop album. It's not lacking in depth or anything, in fact it has a ton of depth, I just don't want to explore it. I don't get this album at all. What is it trying to be? It's so all over the place its hard to pin down. Some tracks are fun, others are more melancholy, but they all share one thing, a lack of meaning or direction. You want to send a message Marina? How are these tracks doing that? It really is just a mess that I had to sit through for a while ... read more

GersonAOTY
70

Electra Heart is the most popular (and captivating album for this generation) of Marina's career, within it she discuss topics such as love and identity, creating the title character "Electra Heart" to represent female archetypes in popular American culture (House Wife, Beauty Queen, Homewrecker and Idle Teen).

For me this album both hits and misses, especially in the production that manages to sound quite dated and predictable in comparison to its predecessor The Family Jewels, ... read more

messybloodcake
90

Marina and the dumb critics part two electric boogaloo.

sypher
50

Listened on 30/11/2023

Neatly produced pop bangers with an interesting and well explored concept. Unfortunatly, the rest of the songs on the album doesent hit the same high as the first two tracks.

sleepyhead
90

top 3 - Sex Yeah, Valley of the Dolls, The State of Dreaming

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Track List

1Bubblegum Bitch
2:34
88
2Primadonna
3:41
86
3Lies
3:46
83
4Homewrecker
3:22
79
5Starring Role
3:26
83
6The State of Dreaming
3:36
80
7Power & Control
3:46
79
8Living Dead
4:04
75
9Teen Idle
4:14
85
10Valley of the Dolls
4:13
82
11Hypocrates
4:01
77
12Fear and Loathing
6:07
78
Total Length: 46 minutes

Year End Lists

#31/The Guardian

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Added on: April 26, 2012