Reception
The song was downloaded over 40,000 times in its first three days of availability. One of the earliest reviews for "Strange Overtones" was on the August 11, 2008, episode of NPR's All Songs Considered. The Los Angeles Times called the track "intimate" and Stereogum echoed this by labeling it "warm"; it also received a positive review from Rolling Stone.
Pitchfork Media gave the song several adulations, including a positive review in their discussion of Everything That Happens Will Happen Today and naming the song number 11 track of 2008—including appearances on eight editors' end of the year lists—and placing number 297 on the Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s. Pitchfork also solicited the opinions of musicians for their favorite albums and songs of the year and The Watson Twins proclaimed "Strange Overtones" one of the best songs of 2008. KCMP's Top 89 of 2009 featured the song on two editor's lists. Mark Wheat of NPR named it one of the top 10 songs of 2009.
Ranking 60th for the year, this song was one of several from Everything That Happens Will Happen Today which appeared on The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop singles poll for 2008—"Life Is Long" placed 337, "My Big Nurse" was 350, "Everything That Happens" ended up at 748, and "I Feel My Stuff" reached 942. In addition, a vote was cast for "Strange Undertones".
Read more about this topic: Strange Overtones
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