★★★★★
Paper Empire starts out with "Absolutely Still," a track that does an exemplary job at starting out the album and relaying a summary of the first few songs. Covering the basics of the first few tracks, Better Than Ezra, does a great job at providing the pop rock hooks that draw you in, regardless of a longtime fan or a newcomer...
- www.reviewrinserepeat.com
2010-12-14
★★★★★
Often compared to more well-known counterparts such as the Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox Twenty, New Orleans' Better Than Ezra has made a name for themselves in the music industry. Playing radio-friendly rock, their sound can be described as wide-ranging. This especially hold true on their 2005 release, Before The Robots. Over the years, they've endured some lineup changes. Currently, the band is Kevin Griffin (vocals, guitar), Travis McNabb (drums), and Tom Drummond (bass)...
- www.the-trades.com
2010-12-07
★★★★★
Collectively, the 13 tracks of Before The Robots are Better Than Ezra's most polished and refined work since their 1997 release How Does Your Garden Grow. The sound, consisting mainly of guitar driven pop rock melodies and likable choruses, is similar to previous offerings from the band. Guitarist and lead singer Kevin Griffin is a solid songwriter who consistently manages to stay original with his work...
- www.offbeat.com
2010-11-09
★★★★★
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- www.offbeat.com
2010-11-02
★★★★★
By now, Better Than Ezra holds few surprises. They make BTE songs full of longing, ache and surging energy. They're attentive enough students of modern pop that their recordings don't sound dated even if they're not 100 percent au courant. There's a light sheen of Coldplayesque gloss on much Paper Empire, but it suits the band and Kevin Griffin's sense of drama. They make being young, alive and in love sound like an epic experience. There are times when Paper Empire sounds very familiar, though...
- www.offbeat.com
2010-11-02
★★★★★
Sound: Bursting into the 1993 music scene via their album Deluxe, Better Than Ezra fit in quite nicely with the post-grunge music scene. While not exactly a groundbreaking band, Better Than Ezra is a good one, and this album showcases this quite nicely. Following the typical "soft but catchy" creed of many '90s bands, this album is great for new and old fans. The guitar chord sequences are simple, the structure a bit predictable, but the end result works perfectly...
- www.ultimate-guitar.com
2009-11-15
★★★★★
No text for this review; see http://robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-cg90/grades-90s.php.
- www.robertchristgau.com
2009-07-10
★★★★★
Better Than Ezra havetheir formula down pat ? they write a few jangly, catchy tunes,play them through a fuzz box for that alternative edge, addsensitive lyrics, and then layer with assorted classic-rocktouches. But the dynamics are robotic and the choruses arefacile, revealing a crushing soullessness at the core of Friction, Baby. It's hardfor anything this slick to generate sparks, much less friction.C
- ew.com
2009-06-12