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The Beautiful Lie
by Ed Harcourt


8.8

based on 15 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 8 votes
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Official Artist Site

This is the fifth solo album from the prolific English singer-songwriter.

LABEL:	Dovecote
RELEASE DATE:	03 June 2008
DISCS:	1 disc
GENRE(S):	Singer-Songwriter, Indie, Rock

NOTES: Original UK release 5 Jun 2006.

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...

All Music Guide

Beautiful Lie is an invigorating and frequently gorgeous affair, essential for old fans and a good place to start for newcomers.

PopMatters

Harcourt’s sound might not suit everyone’s taste (it’s fairly dramatic), but to those who are taken with well-sung, introspective piano ballads and gloriously cascading anthems about Love and Death, The Beautiful Lie will in no way disappoint.

Under The Radar

As is typical of Harcourt's releases, some selections of The Beautiful Lie require time to reveal themselves, which is why slow-burners such as 'Braille' and 'Good Friends Are Hard to Find' have "buried treasure written all over them. [Spring 2008, p.76] [Spring 2008, p.76]

Boston Globe

Harcourt's fourth album certifies his musical genius with songs that are catchy enough to be plastered all over the summer airwaves, bathing us in sweeping melodies and infectious beats.

Mojo

Marvellous. [Jul 2006, p.106]

musicOMH.com

Even the moments when Harcourt just falls short are infinitely more interesting than most people's failures.

ShakingThrough.net

Another almost-but-not-quite entry in a catalog full of near-miss gems.

Q Magazine

His best since 2001's Here Be Monsters. [Jul 2006, p.114]

Drowned In Sound

Despite all of the ingredients for a great album being present, it just doesn’t ignite, perhaps due to the unmoving, maudlin stance from which it is all delivered.

The Guardian

He loses focus on this overlong, under-achieving album.

Paste Magazine

It might as well be Harcourt’s thesis: marrying the histrionic truths of the deeply aggrieved with the formal mastery of great pop. More often, Harcourt’s failed attempts at mimicking Jeff Buckley throw whatever genre he tries off balance.

Uncut

Mostly sounds like a weary retread of 2005's superb Loneliness. [Jul 2006, p.95]

Dot Music

"The Beautiful Lie" isn't without its merits but their appearances are few and far between.

NOW Magazine

Wading through almost an hour of smoky-voiced lonely-heart ballads like You Only Call Me When You're Drunk, Late Night Partner and Until Tomorrow Then is a yawn-inducing exercise that makes you question whether Harcourt's really this sad or if he's just putting on a lugubrious front.

Pitchfork

The brio of an amateur would almost have to be preferably to the overzealous professionalism of Beautiful Lie, whose frilly "classicist" pop gets all dressed up to go absolutely nowhere.

The average user rating for this album is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

RJ gave it a10:
Absolutely amazing album...new listeners might take some time to warm up to Harcourt's brooding style, but the songs on this album display his sincerity and dramatic flair that has become sort of trademarks of his. This is Harcourt's most complete album to date. Buy it. Listen to it.

Rennie M gave it a9:
More 8.5, but a very very strong album... The end of "you always call me when your drunk" is a little unnecessary, but besides that its a stronger album then here be Monsters and right up there with From Every Sphere... With more listens it could possibly be his best. Ignore the critics!!

Matt A. gave it a9:
I have never gotten the critics lukewarm reaction to Harcourt's albums. While his lyrics haven't always been the best, his music and melodies have always been innovative and beautiful. This album is no different, and it is lyrically his best album to date. This guy deserves better than the so-called critics are giving him.

Sam R gave it a9:
Ignore the mixed reviews and get this album. beautiful voice, beautiful harmonies, beautiful songs. 'revolution in my heart' is worth the cover charge alone.

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The Beautiful Lie by Ed Harcourt

The Beautiful Lie
by Ed Harcourt