Deep Sea Diver Billboard Heart
Deep Sea Diver's Billboard Heart stakes a claim as a comeback record that pairs guitar-driven catharsis with shimmering synth textures, earning respect from critics while remaining unmistakably the band's. Across professional reviews, the collection's propulsion and moments of yearning make a persuasive case that Billboard Heart is worth attention, with a 74.75/100 consensus score compiled from 4 reviews signaling generally favorable reception.
Reviewers consistently point to the title track “Billboard Heart” as a centerpiece, while “Emergency” and the collaboration “Let Me Go (feat. Madison Cunningham)” emerge as repeat standouts; Paste and Clash both flag “Tiny Threads” and “Emergency” for blistering guitar work, and Pitchfork highlights “See in the Dark” for its widescreen solos. Critics praise Ellen Dobson's songwriting and vocal grit, the record's blend of Northwest grunge and dream pop influences, and the varied production that lets anthemic rock sit beside quieter, weightless passages.
Not all notes are uniformly rosy - some reviews suggest a tension between grandiosity and intimacy, with certain moments leaning toward polished arena-ready sheen while others preserve the band's scrappy essence. Still, the critical consensus emphasizes musicianship, resilience, and the record's ability to translate existential dread into anthemic release. For searches like "Billboard Heart review" or "best songs on Billboard Heart," critics agree that “Billboard Heart”, “Emergency” and “Let Me Go (feat. Madison Cunningham)” are where the album's strengths most clearly crystallize, setting the stage for deeper listening in the full reviews below.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Let Me Go (feat. Madison Cunningham)
3 mentions
"The Madison Cunningham collaboration, “Let Me Go,” is another standout"— Under The Radar
Billboard Heart
4 mentions
"The soaring title track is the perfect introduction"— Under The Radar
Emergency
3 mentions
""Emergency," which screeches with guitar playing that would fit right in on old White Stripes material"— Paste Magazine
The Madison Cunningham collaboration, “Let Me Go,” is another standout
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Billboard Heart
What Do I Know
Emergency
Shovel
Tiny Threads
Loose Change
Always Waving Goodbye
Let Me Go (feat. Madison Cunningham)
Be Sweet
See in the Dark
Happiness Is Not a Given
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 5 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Deep Sea Diver’s Billboard Heart centers its best songs around muscular guitar catharsis and unguarded yearning, with “See in the Dark” and “Emergency” standing out. The review’s voice emphasizes Dobson’s widescreen, off-kilter soundscapes and the way solos rescue moments when words fail, so queries about the best tracks on Billboard Heart point to those storming finales. Mornings to nights, the record rewards repeat listens - its propulsive first half and pensive back half give listeners clear places to find the album’s most thrilling moments.
Key Points
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The best song, especially "See in the Dark," is defined by cathartic, frenzied guitar solos that resolve emotional intensity.
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The album’s core strengths are Dobson’s commanding vocals, detailed arrangements, and a blend of propulsive riffs with hopeful lyricism.
Themes
Critic's Take
Deep Sea Diver’s Billboard Heart feels like front-page rock - propulsive, moody and unflinching. Ellen Johnson praises the album’s best tracks, especially “Tiny Threads” and the title track “Billboard Heart”, for marrying blistering guitar with sly synthwork and vivid, sometimes macabre lyricism. She singles out the boosted collaboration on “Let Me Go” (feat. Madison Cunningham) as one of the album’s high points, and frames “What Do I Know” as a dancey counterpoint to the record’s shadows. The result is indie rock that could lift Deep Sea Diver toward bigger stages while still feeling intimately, fiercely their own.
Key Points
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The best song is "Tiny Threads" for its frenetic arrangement and defining lyrical lines that capture Dobson’s musical truth.
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The album’s core strengths are its blend of grunge-tinged guitar, crisp synthwork, moody lyricism, and confident songwriting.
Themes
Critic's Take
Deep Sea Diver return with Billboard Heart, a comeback that leans into anthemic momentum and assured songwriting, with the title track and “Emergency” standing out. The reviewer praises the grandiose, epic opening of “Billboard Heart”, and the propulsive, early-00s muscle of “Emergency”, while noting the band’s versatility on quieter moments like “Loose Change”. Dobson’s vocals and the guitar work are repeatedly singled out, giving fans plenty of moments to revel in and critics reasons to admire the craft. This is an album where the best tracks - notably “Billboard Heart” and “Emergency” - crystallize the record’s strengths and make clear why listeners searching for the best songs on Billboard Heart will find much to enjoy.
Key Points
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The title track is best because its grandiose, epic opening functions as a confident statement of intent.
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The album’s core strengths are anthemic momentum, versatile songwriting, and captivating vocals and guitar work.
Themes
Critic's Take
Deep Sea Diver retain their signature sense of weightlessness on Billboard Heart, but here the band adds crunchier guitars and soaring synths to broaden their palette. The soaring title track “Billboard Heart” serves as the perfect introduction, its gorgeous instrumentation showing why it ranks among the best songs on Billboard Heart. Other top tracks include “What Do I Know” with its explosion-like drum fills, and the duet “Let Me Go” which stands out for the matched vocals. The brooding “Tiny Threads” and sleeper hit “Happiness Is Not a Given” round out the record's strongest moments, each underscoring Dobson's knack for making existential dread sound cool.
Key Points
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The title track “Billboard Heart” is best for its gorgeous instrumentation and role as the record's perfect introduction.
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The album's core strengths are Dobson's guitar work, diverse production, and the ability to make existential dread sound alluring.