Hysterical
by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
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  1. Q Magazine
    Sep 21, 2011
    60
    They make a decent stab at it. But with such an overfamiliar sound, it smacks too much of the World Cup exit montage. [Oct 2011, p.117]
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  2. Mojo
    Sep 19, 2011
    60
    It's no great leap forward, but it's a decent return on the band's early promise. [Oct 2011, p.105]
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  3. Pitchfork
    Sep 15, 2011
    56
    The disappointment is in how it sounds like their years apart have needlessly chastened them into fast-forwarding through the idiosyncratic streak they showed on Some Loud Thunder instead of embracing it, coming out of the wilderness only to end up smack dab in the middle of the road.
  5. Prefix Magazine
    Sep 23, 2011
    50
    Mostly, Hysterical is lost in a hazy cloud that is more Dan Bejar than it is David Byrne.
  6. Sputnikmusic
    Sep 21, 2011
    50
    For a band that once never failed to make an impression, be it positive or nauseating, the fact that the best Hysterical can muster is indifference is simply disappointing.
  7. The A.V. Club
    Sep 20, 2011
    50
    CYHSY has reeled back the infectious madness, softening the edges once made so acute by pinwheeling guitars, buoyant bass, and danceable rhythms.
  8. Spin
    Sep 13, 2011
    50
    It's an overly gauzy, booming-echo epic that doesn't leave much trace after it's over.
  9. The Independent on Sunday (UK)
    Sep 12, 2011
    50
    CYHSY now sound more or less exactly like The Killers.
  10. The Observer (UK)
    Sep 12, 2011
    40
    It has its moments--the title track has a certain chutzpah--but a lack of killer hooks means there's precious little to get excited about here.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. opiatedsherpa
    Sep 22, 2011
    7
    The beauty of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was the seemingly random lifts and drops of two fantastic albums, creating melodies that wereThe beauty of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was the seemingly random lifts and drops of two fantastic albums, creating melodies that were wonderfully unproduced. Maybe it's a taste of irony that the album title doesn't say that about their latest album, which is actually quite pleasing to the ear, but doesn't leave the same taste in your mouth that the previous two albums did.

    This album is good to listen to, but its unfamiliarity shines a light into its shiny coat, which glares at you and makes it somewhat uncomfortable for the rabid fan. I'm sure more listens will calm these nerves, but I hope you know what I mean.    … Full Review »
  2. dolph
    Feb 4, 2012
    10
    This band falls its own pretty little niche. If you listen to a lot of indie rock you'll know how they stand out. Their sound is extremelyThis band falls its own pretty little niche. If you listen to a lot of indie rock you'll know how they stand out. Their sound is extremely original and fresh. This album does it for me again.… Full Review »
  3. Ricko
    Jan 24, 2012
    7
    It's hard what to make of this band now. A brilliant debut, a horrendous follow up. This is neither brilliant nor horrendous which is theIt's hard what to make of this band now. A brilliant debut, a horrendous follow up. This is neither brilliant nor horrendous which is the problem. At times it's a bit of a nothing album. It has some good tracks and opens very strongly, but there are a lot of slow tracks that you just want to skip over. When it's good it's very good and when it's bad its painful.
    No matter what people say, this has to be compared to their debut, and when you do that it just doesn't stand up overall. Where the vocals used to be quirky, the out of tune style grates on you here. And the classic indie pop tunes that were all over their debut are few and far between here. Essentially it seems they've lost much of their char, and they just aren't the band that wowed me with their debut which is a pity. Having said that it's still decent but life is too short for just "decent".    … Full Review »
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