Allbarone by Baxter Dury

Baxter Dury Allbarone

85
ChoruScore
7 reviews
Sep 12, 2025
Release Date
Heavenly Recordings
Label

Review coming soon...

Critics' Top Tracks

The standout songs that made critics take notice

1

Allbarone

7 mentions

"The album’s title track sums up this revelatory sound best."
The Skinny
2

Schadenfruede

1 mention

"This is a track of unbridled joy."
Beats Per Minute
3

Return Of The Sharp Heads

5 mentions

"Return of the Sharp Heads flows similarly, painting a picture of late-night scenes"
The Skinny
The album’s title track sums up this revelatory sound best.
T
The Skinny
about "Allbarone"
Read full review
7 mentions
90% sentiment

Track Ratings

How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.

View:
1

Allbarone

7 mentions
100
04:28
2

Schadenfreude

6 mentions
95
03:30
3

Kubla Khan

5 mentions
75
03:08
4

Alpha Dog

5 mentions
53
04:30
5

The Other Me

5 mentions
25
02:13
6

Hapsburg

4 mentions
26
04:50
7

Return Of The Sharp Heads

5 mentions
100
05:05
8

Mockingjay

5 mentions
74
03:01
9

Mr W4

6 mentions
55
03:47

What Critics Are Saying

Deep insights from 7 critics who reviewed this album

PopMatters logo
PopMatters
Oct 2, 2025
90

Critic's Take

For listeners searching for the best songs on Allbarone, standout tracks include “Allbarone”, “Mockingjay”, and “Return of the Sharp Heads” for their combination of vivid lyrics and inventive production. “Allbarone” and “Schadenfreude” deliver the album’s punchiest dance-infused moments while “Mockingjay” showcases Baxter Dury’s masterful wordplay, making it one of the best tracks on Allbarone. The record balances electronic, house-tinged beats with intimate, sardonic storytelling, which is why fans cite these songs as highlights.

Key Points

  • “Mockingjay” is best for its exceptional wordplay and rhythmic interplay, marking it the album standout.
  • Allbarone’s core strengths are Dury’s razor-sharp lyrics paired with inventive, dance-infused production.

Themes

wordplay and lyrics electronic/dance production human relationships biting social commentary
Beats Per Minute logo
Beats Per Minute
Sep 15, 2025
87

Critic's Take

The best songs on Allbarone highlight Baxter Dury’s sardonic storytelling set to hyperpop beats, with “Allbarone”, “Schadenfruede”, and “Kublah Khan” standing out. Allbarone’s title track pairs catchy repetition and futuristic italo-disco warmth, making it one of the best tracks on Allbarone. Schadenfruede is praised as a track of unbridled joy and ranks among the album’s top songs for its hedonistic pop energy. Kublah Khan (Kublah/Kubla Khan) is noted as bombastic and coronates Dury’s poetic skill, marking it as a highlight on the record.

Key Points

  • The title track Allbarone is best for its catchy repetition and italo-disco sheen that give Dury star quality.
  • The album’s core strengths are sardonic storytelling refreshed by hyperpop production and deft guest vocal arrangements.

Themes

hyperpop makeover sardonic storytelling urban satire nostalgic disco/Brat summer influences
AllMusic logo
AllMusic
Sep 12, 2025
80

Critic's Take

Best songs on Allbarone include the title track "Allbarone", the hooky "Mockingjay", and the genre-bending "Kubla Khan". The album's standout tracks pair Baxter Dury's laconic storytelling with Paul Epworth's shimmering, state-of-the-art production. Songs like "Mockingjay" and "Allbarone" are singled out as hooky and well-constructed, while "Kubla Khan" showcases gleaming hip-hop textures. These best tracks exemplify why Allbarone feels like Dury's shot for glory, moving him into a bigger, more mainstream sound.

Key Points

  • "Mockingjay" is best because it's explicitly called hooky and well-constructed, showcasing Dury's newfound mainstream appeal.
  • The album's core strength is pairing Dury's laconic stories with Paul Epworth's polished, genre-spanning production.

Themes

slick production decadence and regret genre variety mainstream breakthrough
The Quietus logo
The Quietus
Sep 12, 2025
80

Critic's Take

The best songs on Allbarone are the title track "Allbarone" and "Schadenfreude", which the reviewer highlights for their vivid character work and emotional rawness. "Allbarone" is described as a tech-trance centerpiece depicting public tears and corporate hellscape imagery, while "Schadenfreude" is praised as "deliciously bitter" and original. The review also singles out "Return Of The Sharp Heads" and "Mr W4" for strong character moments, making these among the best tracks on Allbarone for listeners seeking narrative depth and gritty honesty.

Key Points

  • The title track 'Allbarone' is best for its tech-trance production and raw emotional centerpiece.
  • The album's core strengths are vivid persona work, narrative songwriting, and strong producer collaboration.

Themes

persona and unreliable narrator modern alienation/corporate hellscape collaboration/production influence
The Skinny logo
The Skinny
Jamie Wilde
Sep 9, 2025
100

Critic's Take

The best songs on Allbarone are driven by Baxter Dury’s newfound dance-ready sound and Paul Epworth’s punchy production, with “Allbarone” and “Schadenfreude” standing out. Allbarone is highlighted as the album’s centerpiece for its catchy hooks and visceral, textured beats, while Schadenfreude benefits from Epworth’s faster studio pace that pushed Dury to trust his instincts. Return Of The Sharp Heads and Mockingjay are also noted for their evocative late-night imagery and anthemic romance. For listeners searching for the best tracks on Allbarone, start with Allbarone and Schadenfreude for a clear sense of the album’s revelatory energy.

Key Points

  • Allbarone is best for its title track’s punchy hooks and Epworth’s dance-ready production.
  • The album’s core strengths are its cohesive, dance-inflected production and Dury’s witty, character-driven songwriting.

Themes

dance-ready production witty storytelling collaboration with Paul Epworth late-night scenes romantic/fictional references

Re

Record Collector
Sep 9, 2025
80

Critic's Take

Best songs on Allbarone include the title track "Allbarone" and the bitter standout "Schadenfreude", both highlighted for compelling songwriting and vivid delivery. The review praises Allbarone as Baxter Dury's most compelling album in almost a decade, crediting Paul Epworth's propulsive electronic soundbeds. Schadenfreude is singled out for its hilariously bitter tone and biting sprechgesang, underlining why it's among the album's best tracks. Overall, fans searching for the best tracks on Allbarone will be drawn to the title track and Schadenfreude for their memorable hooks and production.

Key Points

  • The title track "Allbarone" is best for its memorable presentation and role in the album's comeback feel.
  • The album's core strengths are Dury's sardonic vocals, witty lyrics, and Paul Epworth's propulsive electronic production.

Themes

sardonic wit biting sprechgesang propulsive electronic production comeback/return to form
The Line of Best Fit logo
The Line of Best Fit
Janne Oinonen
Sep 9, 2025
80

Critic's Take

The best songs on Allbarone are the title track, "Schadenfreude" and "Return Of The Sharp Heads", which showcase Baxter Dury’s knack for marrying dancefloor energy with oddball, emotionally sharp storytelling. The title track is described as "relentless high voltage dancefloor catnip", while "Schadenfreude" modernises machine musik into a bitter, shiny reboot. "Return Of The Sharp Heads" is praised for its "mesmerising onslaught of bile" and disorientating disco-funk, marking these as the standout moments on Allbarone.

Key Points

  • The title track is the best for its relentless, high-voltage dancefloor appeal and emotional misdirection.
  • The album’s core strengths are its smart character vignettes, inventive wordplay and the fusion of melancholic lyricism with propulsive funk.

Themes

status and branding nocturnal inner monologues melancholy wrapped in dancefunk wordplay and character sketches