Geologist & D.S. A Shaw Deal
Released Jan 31, 2025 Drag City
Established consensus 5 professional reviews Updated Oct 15, 2026
Mostly positive consensus
Geologist & D.S.'s A Shaw Deal is most compelling when its guitar lines and electronics collide, turning experimentation into a lively, unpredictable conversation.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
Knuckles To Nostrils
1 critic mention
“Moments like “Knuckles to Nostrils” and “Petticoat” loop blissfully as sparks of electronics grind against Shaw’s complex guitar melodies.” — Glide Magazine
Petticoat
1 critic mention
“Moments like “Knuckles to Nostrils” and “Petticoat” loop blissfully as sparks of electronics grind against Shaw’s complex guitar melodies.” — Glide Magazine
Ripper Called
1 critic mention
“Its songs like “Ripper Called” appear to sample the making of a balloon animal” — Glide Magazine
Full critic consensus
Geologist & D.S.'s A Shaw Deal is most compelling when its guitar lines and electronics collide, turning experimentation into a lively, unpredictable conversation. Its 71/100 consensus score across five professional reviews suggests a generally favorable, if not unanimous, reception; the available review emphasizes the duo’s musical chemistry and willingness to let competing ideas run free.
The strongest signposts into the record are “Knuckles To Nostrils” and “Petticoat,” where looping electronics spark against intricate guitar melodies. These are the album’s more accessible moments, though even here the parts seem to tussle rather than settle into easy harmony. “Ripper Called” takes a stranger, more playful turn, likened by one critic to the making of a balloon animal, while “Route 9 Falls” points toward the more challenging reaches of the pair’s sound. Together, the tracks sketch a record that prizes surprise over convention.
The broader appeal of A Shaw Deal lies in its spirit of togetherness without restraint: Geologist and D.S. sound willing to follow an idea wherever it leads, rather than force the music into familiar shapes. That fearlessness can make the album an elusive listen, but it also gives its best passages a sense of discovery. For anyone wondering whether A Shaw Deal is worth exploring, the critical picture points to an adventurous collaboration whose most rewarding moments emerge from friction, curiosity, and trust. The reviews below offer more perspectives on where that balance succeeds.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Route 9 Falls
Wit Of The Watermen
Ripper Called
Loose Gravel
Petticoat
Knuckles To Nostrils
Avarice Edit
Get the next albums worth your time.
Critic-backed picks in one clean digest. No clutter.
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 5 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Geologist & D.S. make A Shaw Deal a long odyssey through lofty visions, and the best songs on the album arrive when guitar and electronics grind blissfully against each other. “Knuckles To Nostrils” and “Petticoat” loop as sparks of electronics meet complex guitar melodies, the more conventional side of an album that still lets competing melodies battle for dominance. “Ripper Called” sounds like the making of a balloon animal, while “Route 9 Falls” offers the more challenging side of these otherworldly treasures.
Key Points
-
“Knuckles To Nostrils” and “Petticoat” stand out for their blissful loops, where electronics grind against Shaw’s complex guitar melodies.
-
The album’s core strength is the duo’s chemistry, turning experimentation into an otherworldly journey that rewards a deeper listen.
