American Football

Pitchfork 7.7/10 For fans who want a second masterwork as vindication for American Football, LP2 doesn’t exude the stakes it should ... In a more tangible way, the rebrand of American Football as a straightforward songwriting outfit inevitably relegates their inventive musicianship to the periphery.

A.V. Club B Comparing any band’s recent work to its long-ago debut is unfair. But American Football, a band whose gap between debut and follow-up is old enough to drive, is a special case. The intervening years have been kind to the group; its easy chemistry remains a dialogue full of endearing, if not ample, surprises.

The Needle Drop 5/10 American Football's sad but nimble sound has been replaced with soft rock complacency on their new comeback album.

Dork 4/5 There’s a reason their reformation was met with such zeal.

DIY 3/5 There’s only a few things ‘American Football’ could have been, and a replication of the debut was always out of the question. It’s turned out to be a record that could well hit many young hearts once more.

All Music 4/5 Some might miss the more abstract appeal of the original AF album, but the way the band updates and slightly expands that approach makes this new album a resounding success that works on the sonic level, and maybe more importantly, a deep emotional level.

The Skinny 4/5 Like its predecessor, this is a record you’ll want to spend endless nights with.

Clash 8/10 It might be cut too close from a cloth that’s aged beyond its prime for some people, but we for one can’t wait to see how a new generation of votaries will cling onto this record as we did the first.

Loud and Quiet 7/10 Almost two decades and a generation on, the teen immediacy that sparked their slow-burn success has been replaced by something older, wiser and world-weary – but on this evidence, it’s gratifying to see American Football catch up with their own history.

Pop Matters 4/10 The returns are decidedly mixed. Some listeners may get a satisfying-enough taste of what they loved about the first LP, while others will likely be disappointed and maybe even a little puzzled by a familiar favorite made uncanny.

The Guardian 4/5 For the most part there is little interest in deviating from the tried and tested, but for anyone who felt the band were gone too soon in their first incarnation, this is a welcome trip into familiar territory.

Spectrum Culture 65% As it turns out, American Football was not some emo legend that appeared and faded into the ether. It’s just a band, and a very good one.