"John Vanderslice writes pop songs. His recipe - the premeditated abuse of hi-fi recording equipment fueled by a deeply philosophical reverence for the juxtaposition of ugliness and beauty - is different. It's the opposite of simple. Vanderslice, a San Francisco musician and producer, spent more than 400 hours in the studio making his new album, "Cellar Door." That works out to roughly 33 hours per song. Most of that time is spent erasing what he's already recorded, then carving the remains into lovely, upsetting shapes.

"Cellar Door," released on Barsuk Records, is a pop album from the dark side. In his songs, Vanderslice is the junkie son of a pill-popping mother, a reluctant hunter of bluebirds, a fake cowboy, a prison guard (he writes exclusively in the first person) navigating a churning assemblage of trumpets and pianos, harsh beeps and heavenly chimes, blurts of backwards guitar and glorious chorales. One song, "Lunar Landscapes," is a queasy mash-up of autoharp, Portuguese guitars, piano, and "detuned fireplace," whatever that is. Like much of Vanderslice's work, it's mysteriously, deliriously beautiful."  (Boston Globe)

"These are dog days for so-called serious songwriters. Show me one who's happy with his lot in life and I'll show you the trust fund he's eating off. But while it's one thing to know the sound of one hand clapping, it's another to be able to describe it. And that's what makes San Francisco's John Vanderslice the most important songwriter of the moment. His songs depict loneliness and isolation with a rare warmth and clarity. And nowhere has the vitality of his vision been more clear than on Cellar Door, an album so dramatic and affecting, you get the feeling that Vanderslice won't be lonely or obscure for very long ...

What's most impressive about Cellar Door is that for all its complexity and adventure, it never bogs down under the weight of its own headiness. At its heart, it's a perfect pop album, as hummable as it is thought-provoking. And the ring of confidence in Vanderslice's voice casts a hopeful tone against tragic tales. These days, merely discovering a songwriter this sharp and convincing gives us hope enough."  (Esquire)

"You have to invent language when you talk about John Vanderslice because, if you don't, all you will do is speak in superlatives. It's not as if his music defies description; on the contrary, his self-professed "sloppy hi-fi" sound touches all of the nicest areas of power-pop, whimsical, melodic rock, with just enough trace elements of folk, glitch, and (gasp!) emo to keep you constantly surprised and amazed at what comes out of your speakers. No, what makes Vanderslice so untouchable is the austerity with which he presents his genius, often forfeiting the limelight to the brilliant corps of musicians with which he routinely surrounds himself, allowing the impact of his clever wit, honeyed voice, and inimitable musicianship to soak in gradually. To call Cellar Door a seminal work would undermine the brilliance of Vanderslice's past efforts (particularly “The Dream Is Over”, the 2000 masterpiece of his previous band MK Ultra). Likewise for calling it "career-defining;" with three unspeakably gorgeous solo albums under his belt, it's safe to say his status as preeminent indie-rock bard is as defined as it could ever be. The only thing you can do is call it what it is: a culmination, the result of gathering energy from relentless touring, incessant collaboration, and downright solid songwriting, all cobbled together into an album for which adjectives do no justice ... Another glimpse into the mind of a songwriter who has quietly released a body of work that undoubtedly qualifies as some of the greatest rock music ever written, a musician whose skill demands superlative description simply because that's what it is."  (Indie Workshop)

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