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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Black Swan
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 10 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 7 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Original Signal
Release Date: 02 March 2010
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rock, Indie
Summary
The fourth album for the British indie rock band was produced by Tom Rothrock.
Also By This Artist: Beyond The Neighbourhood Tourist Vehicles & Animals
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Absolute Punk (Staff reviews)
While armfuls of musicians can sing songs and sound entirely forced, insincere and phony, Potts is blessed in that every word he sings sounds authentic, honest and direct. In a musical landscape chock full of Auto-Tune and feigned emotion, a disc like this is certainly something to champion.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
Wisely though, they've seen this as a time to consolidate, not experiment or wander off on the tangents which have undermined them in the past.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
The group's fourth outing supports singer Joel Pott's super-earnest reflections with melodies and arrangements direct and sturdy enough to bear the emotional weight. [Feb 2009, p.92]
All Music Guide
Black Swan is a definite sign of progress, though, and the band would do well to follow its path on future releases.
Read Full Review >Slant Magazine
It's an expertly crafted pop record, sure, but Black Swan ultimately reduces to its primary points of reference without any broader context or sense of purpose.
Read Full Review >musicOMH.com
The band's experimental side (the side that made them good) has suffered, as if "Wires" was the new blueprint on how to write successful songs.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
This is music for a Hollyoaks montage, or for waving mobile phones in the air to at V festival. It's hard to love.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
Ultimately, this smoke-and-mirrors approach will not do. The smoke is too smoky, the mirrors too reflective of too much else out there at the moment.
Read Full Review >Paste Magazine
When alone, the sweeping choruses that swarm Athlete’s fourth record, Black Swan, shoot for the rafters without any substantial emotional anchor—the songs get lost in the clouds.
Read Full Review >NOW Magazine
The closest this popportunistic foursome comes to satisfying songsmithery is "The Getaway," whose title is sound advice for potential buyers of this album.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 6.5 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
