Gina Birch Trouble
Gina Birch's Trouble arrives as a mischievous, lived-in collection that balances wry observation with a playful pulse. Across the record Birch confronts ageing, mortality and mischief with a voice both affectionate and edged, and critics note the album's coherence and surprises despite its restless textures.
Professional reviews, though limited in number, deliver a clear critical consensus: Trouble earned an 80/100 consensus score across 1 professional review, praised for standout tracks like “I Thought I’d Live Forever” and “Causing Trouble” which reviewers flagged as central moments. “I Thought I’d Live Forever” draws attention for its cheeky pastiche on mortality, while “Causing Trouble” propels itself on motorik momentum and list-driven lyrics. Critics also highlighted the spectral dub of “Doom Monger” and the minimalist electronics of “Keep To The Left” as vital textures that keep the record unpredictable.
While singular in its review sample, the assessment suggests Trouble is among Birch's most focused late-period statements, delivering memorable hooks and sonic experiments that make several of the best songs on Trouble feel essential. For readers searching for a concise verdict or wondering if Trouble is worth hearing, the critical consensus leans positive: an assured, often surprising record that rewards repeat listens and highlights specific standout tracks critics repeatedly praised.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
I Thought I'd Live Forever
1 mention
"She goes straight to the point with the first track, ‘I Thought I’d Live Forever’."— The Quietus
Causing Trouble
1 mention
"Much like her paintings, the eleven-song release is defined by mood swings: from frenetic post-punk on ‘Causing Trouble’"— The Quietus
Doom Monger
1 mention
"Spectral dub with sci-fi effects a-la King Tubby on ‘Doom Monger’ is a sedative antidote to the narrative"— The Quietus
She goes straight to the point with the first track, ‘I Thought I’d Live Forever’.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
I Thought I'd Live Forever
Happiness
Causing Trouble Again
Cello Song
Keep To The Left
Doom Monger
Don't Fight Your Friends
Nothing Will Ever Change That
Hey Hey
Sleep
Train Platform
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Gina Birch’s Trouble feels like a lived-in, mischievous statement, at once playful and pointed. The review highlights best tracks such as “I Thought I’d Live Forever” and “Causing Trouble” as central moments, the former tackling ageing and mortality with a cheeky pastiche, the latter a rousing, list-driven homage carried on motorik beats. Birch’s use of spectral dub on “Doom Monger” and the minimalist electronics of “Keep To The Left” keep the album surprising and cohesive, making these among the best songs on Trouble. The voice throughout is wry, observant and affectionate, selling why these are the best tracks on the album without ever losing its edge.
Key Points
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The best song is the opener “I Thought I’d Live Forever” because it marries solemn themes with comic delivery for immediate impact.
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The album's core strengths are its genre-hopping mood swings, cohesive production, and playful-yet-political lyrical focus.
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