Any early-'90s 4AD release is bound to have certain
Cocteau Twins qualities, and
Blow is no exception -- unfortunately, Swallow's vaguely danceable grooves add about three cups of water for every cup of pure art-rock influence, and the album comes across as a dated exercise in marginal blissfulness. There's a certain pop appeal to the album's tracks, and it probably won't disappoint those who are utterly dedicated to the arty genre defined by 4AD releases, but
Blow simply doesn't distinguish itself from the legions of similarly inspired records that swept Britain during the label's heyday. ~ Nitsuh Abebe