Bitter Rivals

AlbumOct 08 / 201310 songs, 29m 31s
Noise Pop Contemporary R&B Electropop
Popular
5.9 / 10

For their third album, Sleigh Bells have made a few tweaks to their formula. On Bitter Rivals, Derek Miller and Alexis Krauss have embraced more varied instrumentation and they've become more creatively democratic, with Krauss writing most of the melodies.

C

Before Sleigh Bells became nearly ubiquitous in commercials and morphed into a favored buzz band for Coachella devotees, the noise-pop duo was rightly praised for its absolutely killer debut—Treats is full of sound and fury. Follow-up Reign Of Terror found guitarist/producer Derek Miller and singer Alexis Krauss…

7 / 10

The New York noise-poppers continue to diversify on their third LP.

8.7 / 10

The opening title track off of the third Sleigh Bells album, Bitter Rivals, must have been carefully crafted to both…

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Check out our album review of Artist's Bitter Rivals on Rolling Stone.com.

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Over the course of the three albums Sleigh Bells cranked out between 2010 and 2013, the pop and noise elements in their music didn't always play nicely together; 2012's Reign of Terror had almost as many frustrating moments as inspired ones.

5 / 10

Sleigh Bells quickly painted themselves into a corner with 2010 debut Treats.

5.5 / 10

"You are my bitter rival/And I need you for survival" sings Sleigh Bells frontwoman Alexis Krauss on Bitter Rivals' opening and title track—a sentiment that applies well to Sleigh Bells in general, when you think about it.

7 / 10

Album review: the third album from Brooklyn pair Sleigh Bells, 'Bitter Rivals', comes under the Clash microscope.

5 / 10

Bitter Rivals is, in a word, predictable, and predictability is absolutely backbreaking to a band like Sleigh Bells.

7 / 10

It’s been about 20 months since we last heard from Sleigh Bells, when their second album Reign of Terror was released to a tepid reception.

6.9 / 10

Sleigh Bells' "Bitter rivals" reviewed by Mike Unger for Northern Transmissions. The latest single is "You Don't Get Me Twice". Album out 10/8 on Mom + Pop.

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Album Reviews: Sleigh Bells - Bitter Rivals