Posts in review

Let the reviews commence...

this album is the perfect blend of everything that Juliana already does best, while amping up the melodies, harmonies and moods to degrees that even some of her most ardent followers probably couldn’t have predicted.

Marc With A C, The Real Congregation

Having made her name producing sardonic jangle-pop tunes with sometimes uncomfortably honest lyrics, Hatfield has wisely gone back to those roots for There’s Always Another Girl. Recapturing the golden-age of ’90s female-fronted indie, the album feels startlingly retro at times.

7/10

Terry Mulcahy, wears the trousers magazine

The innocent voice may be a little raspier with age, and the heart may be a little more ragged and roughed up by experience, but the soul of Juliana Hatfield remains strong.

Snob's Music

"This is explicitly about having sex with you," Dando mumbled, prefacing the hit "It's About Time."

"I didn't know that until we were rehearsing recently," Hatfield quipped, making light of it. "But I never did it."

"That's true," he said.

The second Juliana & Evan show at New York's Mercury Lounge reviewed with photos at The Village Voice.

"On tracks off her latest release, 2010's Peace & Love, Hatfield sang diary-entry-esque lyrics about "butterflies landing on my pillow" ('Butterflies') and "missing your dreams" ('What Is Wrong'). They were sometimes abstract, sometimes intensely confessional, as in her ode to her singing partner, 'Evan.'"

Last night's Juliana & Evan show in New York reviewed (with photos) at Spin.

If you thought the negative review of Peace & Love in Pitchfork was infuriating (and others did), take a deep breath before reading the PopMatters review.

It's OK if a reviewer doesn't like the album and can offer a criticism that explains why but other than an opinion that the lyrics are weak, the gist of the review seems to complain that Juliana has the audacity to still be making music after 20 odd years. The review has been suitably taken to task by 'stever' in the comments on the PopMatters site.

Hopefully this is not a view shared by every writer on PopMatters. Indeed, in 2008 Juliana was described there as a "talented iconic rock star" and How To Walk Away as "a brilliant new album of intensely personal songs"

Ho hum.

Another bunch of Peace & Love mentions from review sites, blogs and the wide world of the web:

Entertainment Realm

Cleveland Scene

Spectrum Culture

Creative Loafing

Alt Ohio

Ink 19

My Gray Morning

Peace & Love is this week's Editor's Choice on the US version of the digital download site 7digital. The title track, easily one of the standout songs on the album, is currently free. Hopefully this will spark a few sales among the curious. A good thing, even if the Editor's blurb is a bit sloppy:

"Peace & Love is the 10th studio album by Hatfield, marking 20 years as a recording artist. The title track on this album is free this week and offers listeners a nice example of the singer/ songwriter's somber folk magnifigance (sic). She supposedly produced all the songs on this album as well as playing the instruments. Her heart seems weathered but her sound remains very young and fresh on this 12 track album."

Magnifigant! As for the self-production, there's no supposedly about it.

Another collection, this time of largely indifferent reviews from blogs, review sites and the internets at large:

Stereo Subversion

Snob's Music
Mog
The Red Alert

The dedicated Peace & Love page on this site has now been updated with a track by track review, together with its usual collation of info and links.

A reminder of course that Peace & Love is released this week. But you knew that.

Reviews of Juliana's new album Peace & Love are now appearing on blogs and music sites. Here's a selection with links to the full articles:

"Modest atmosphere, fearless honesty"

Paste Magazine

"Hatfield is at her best when she's in full-on confessional mode" 3/5

Jonathan Keefe, Slant

"Peace and Love has a real organic feel to it throughout, filled with strummy acoustic guitars and Hatfield's rich, emotive voice that add up to a collection of heartfelt, intimate songs." 7/10

Tim Hinely, Blurt

"What might seem at first to be a darkly solitary album turns out to be subtly strong and affirming." "4/5

Neil Carver, Eat Sleep Drink Music

"As Hatfield as always done, she seems content to produce music from within herself in this effort. With the grittiness of the '90s washed away, the album reveals a soft honesty."

Michelle O'Brien, Ink

"An admirable change in pace, it sounds sparse but crystal clear, with Hatfield’s radio-friendly vocals having a very pure quality." 3/5

Terry Mulcahy, Wears The Trousers Magazine

"A girl and a guitar can be a powerful thing. If that girl is Juliana Hatfield, you know that it will be an enjoyable experience. " 3/5

Robyn Gatsby, The Fire Note