Any Other City

Critical response

Matthew Willson of Drowned in Sound stated, "This album is a powerful reminder that the punk scene is still producing innovative and exciting new sounds." Drawing comparisons to bands such as The Slits and LiLiPUT, Andy Kellman of AllMusic commented, "These female-fronted groups have certainly inspired LWB, but this quartet -- simply a drummer, a bassist, a guitarist, and a vocalist -- offers much more than nostalgia and post-punk plundering. They're more of a pop band, which is just fine." Noel Murray of The A.V. Club noted the influences of Patti Smith and Sonic Youth, among others, stating that the songs "reduce the flavor and style of all of Life Without Buildings' influences—25 years of brainy girlpunk—and reproduce them on track after track," though he praised the group for their "great sound."

Sue Tompkins' unique vocal style was singled out in multiple reviews. While John Mulvey of NME compared Tompkins' voice to "the scrape of fingernails on a blackboard," opining that "only mad people and immediate family could warm to Tompkins," other critics were more receptive. Jenn Sikes of Splendid praised Tompkins' vocals, stating, "The chewed word-bits are like little metronomes, counting beats between her fully-formed words, which are spoken/sung in a cheery Scottish accent that's childlike but fierce." Kellman commented that "[h]er repet-pet-petitive repetitive style might be at odds with the ears of some listeners, but it's just as unique as the exuberant vocals" employed by Tompkins' influences. Connor McEleney from Structured Harmony praised bassist Chris Evans' performance by describing it as "the stronghold underneath which Tompkins makes her unique sound palatable."

2014 re-release

The album was re-released to rave reviews for Record Store Day on 19 April 2014 on the What's Your Rupture label. The vinyl issue included a 7" featuring alternate versions of "The Leanover" and "New Town".

Accolades

Pitchfork Media placed Any Other City at number 128 on their list of the top 200 albums of the 2000s.

Track listing

1. "PS Exclusive" - 4:16
2. "Let's Get Out" - 3:57
3. "Juno" - 5:07
4. "The Leanover" - 5:24
5. "Young Offenders" - 3:10
6. "Philip" - 2:29
7. "Envoys" - 4:08
8. "14 Days" - 3:11
9. "New Town" - 5:53
10. "Sorrow" - 6:55

Personnel