The Ugly People vs. The Beautiful People The Czars

“Cocteau Twins’ Simon Raymonde and storied engineer Giles Hall take on production duties and make pianos sound like full orchestras and cause strings to echo into infinity. John Grant’s vocals are impossibly sublime throughout the album, as he seeks out tender highs and somewhat angry lows. Whether whispering over distant country twang guitar and mariachi trumpets, intoning over the humming of Tarnation’s Paula Frazer, being vocoderized Grandaddy-style on “What Used to Be a Human,” or harmonizing with the entire band, Grant’s voice is the keystone of the album. The Czars continue to operate and mature most gracefully in their own rarified, fascinating hybrid realm of folk, country, and rock.” - Tim DiGravina, AllMusic