Reviews

“It manages the twin trick of being about something – excessive retouching of pictures so that people don’t really look like people anymore – while being so choc-full of vim and fizz that you can’t really say what is going on.” Five out of five.

“Their orchestral collaboration unites everything beautiful and bonkers about the band”.

“.. idiosyncrasies, combined with tight musical discipline, made this concert a joy.” Four out of five stars.

“The set is all too brief for everyone’s tastes, but it serves its purpose in demonstrating that the live incarnation of Everything Everything is every bit as engaging and awe-inspiring as its recorded counterpart.”

Seven out of ten. “Man Alive is an album blissfully uninformed by the ideals that have governed white male four pieces from provincial British towns over the last two decades.”

Eight out of ten. “If however, the thought of it as a brilliantly unsolvable puzzle appeals, then bow at the feet of pop’s new Picassos.”

“The album itself sets a whole new and very different precedent for how well crafted, great pop music could and truly should be.”

Five out of five stars and CD of the week. “this Manchester-based art-rock four-piece deliver on their promise, with a riot of a debut album”

Two out of five. “Man Alive left a lot to be desired for this particular reviewer.”

Five out of five. “With such a range of styles and ideas this record should sound misguided and cluttered, yet it constantly surprises and thrills, and is an absolute work of genius.”

“People might be drawn to Everything Everything for their refusal to sound obvious, but they will stay for this band’s mastery of the basics: grooves and feeling.”

Three out of five. “What Everything Everything have yet to learn .. is the wisdom to know when to stop.”

Four and a half flies out of fly. “A captivating, thrilling listen from start to finish – ‘Man Alive’ is the best British guitar debut of 2010.”

“.. they’re pretty good. Actually, no, they’re better than that. Unconvinced? Listen to Man Alive.”

“Here is a conversational exchange between our Albums Editor Greg Salter and our Overlord-of-sorts Natalie Shaw, about the sparkly-fresh new album Man Alive by hot young things Everything Everything.”

“Man Alive amounts to a promising debut ..”

“Man Alive arrives at last as the accomplished and relentlessly forward-looking debut we always knew it could be.”

“Everything Everything’s debut album ‘Man Alive’ is packed with ideas and influence.”

Nine out of ten. “‘Man Alive’ will not be to everyone’s tastes, but for those who like daring and original music, complete with incredible vocals and harmonies, it will be considered a bit of an oddball masterpiece.”

Eight out of ten. “Man Alive delivers a phenomenal number of wonderful electro-tinged rock songs, showcasing a wealth of musical prowess and maturity often unheard of in a band of their age”

Five out of five stars. “Once in a while a band comes along that has you fizzing, clamouring, boasting with excitement. The repeat button gets worn. Your housemates get bored. But you persist.”

Eight out of ten. “It’s definitely a fun record and one you won’t quickly forget.”

Five out of five. “It’s basically exactly what great pop music is all about, and yet it probably won’t go to No.1. We should all be ashamed.”

“There’s no-one else making music quite like this. Aside from the refreshing sound it’s extremely well executed, and no-one seems to know quite how to describe it.”

“The Manchester-based band Everything Everything have made a cracker of a debut album.”

“EE are wilfully eccentric, and endlessly entertaining, but they know more than most how to craft a song, how to make an album. They know how to give it depth, light and dark, and they – crucially – know when to stop.”

I think he liked it

8.5 out of 10. “One of the best albums so far this year, “Man Alive” is a debut that had more than a bit of pre-release expectation on it, but that expectation has been met and surpassed, without a doubt.”

Nine out of ten. “.. an album which stands out as a result of its pure honestly and creativity”

Seven out of ten. “‘Man Alive’ is an encouraging start for Everything Everything and despite the fact that it’s a record very much ‘of the moment’”

“The result leaves most of these contemporaries feeling that after this, its back to the drawing board.”

Five out of five. “If it’s a grower, it’ll be the best album of the year.”

“Man Alive breathes life back into a stolid and boring music scene and challenges it to evolve into something better.”

“If only everybody everybody stuck their necks out like this.”

Three out of five stars. “Everything Everything may still be able to make this their year”

Grade A+. “Now that the debut album from Everything Everything is finally ready to launch we’ve grabbed ourselves a copy, but is it any good? …Yes. Very.”

“Sometimes there are albums which deliver exactly what you expect of them, sometimes there are albums which are OK, sometimes there are albums which disappoint and then there are albums such as this which far outweigh any expectation and really call for your attention.”

Four (and a half) out of five from musicOMH. “Sporting successful singles, re-recorded demos and sparkling new efforts, it’s a debut album that should displease no-one.”

“The melody itself serves as a carrot dangling over your urge to sing along. You bloody want to because it is so darn catchy, but here is where they have tricked you, into thinking it follows a conventional melodic pattern. Try and sing along and you will wail.”