Bitter Rivals

Philip Cosores of Consequence of Sound described Alexis Kraus' vocals on the record as leaning "heavily" on the "hip-hop cadence" of Sleigh Bells' previous albums "to go along with [Kraus'] inked-up bubblegum melodies". Cosores also described the album's musical styles as nostalgic, featuring "nu metal serving as a warning for pop punk, and freestyle, and whatever else might next resurface".{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2013/10/album-review-sleigh-bells-bitter-rivals/|title=Album Review: Sleigh Bells – Bitter Rivals|last=Cosores|first=Philip|date=October 8, 2013|website=Consequence of Sound|accessdate=October 9, 2013}}

{{Music ratings

| MC = 70/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/bitter-rivals/sleigh-bells |title=Reviews for Bitter Rivals by Sleigh Bells |publisher=Metacritic |accessdate=August 25, 2016}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |last=Phares |first=Heather |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/bitter-rivals-mw0002579085 |title=Bitter Rivals – Sleigh Bells |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=October 6, 2013}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2score = B{{cite web |last=Thurm |first=Eric |url=https://www.avclub.com/review/sleigh-bells-ibitter-rivalsi-103896 |title=Sleigh Bells: Bitter Rivals |work=The A.V. Club |date=October 8, 2013 |accessdate=August 25, 2016}}

| rev3 = Consequence of Sound

| rev3score = D−{{cite web |last=Cosores |first=Philip |url=https://consequence.net/2013/10/album-review-sleigh-bells-bitter-rivals/ |title=Album Review: Sleigh Bells – Bitter Rivals |publisher=Consequence of Sound |date=October 8, 2013 |accessdate=October 9, 2013}}

| rev4 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev4score = A−{{cite magazine |url=https://www.ew.com/article/2013/10/04/albums-october-11-2013 |title=Albums: October 11, 2013 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=October 4, 2013 |accessdate=August 25, 2016}}

| rev5 = The Guardian

| rev5score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |last=Costa |first=Maddy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/oct/03/sleigh-bells-bitter-rivals-review |title=Sleigh Bells: Bitter Rivals – review |work=The Guardian |date=October 3, 2013 |accessdate=October 8, 2013}}

| rev6 = NME

| rev6score = 7/10{{cite web |last=Levine |first=Nick |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/sleigh-bells--2/14848 |title=Sleigh Bells – 'Bitter Rivals' |work=NME |date=October 7, 2013 |accessdate=October 8, 2013}}

| rev7 = Pitchfork

| rev7score = 5.9/10{{cite web |last=Zoladz |first=Lindsay |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/18594-sleigh-bells-bitter-rivals/ |title=Sleigh Bells: Bitter Rivals |publisher=Pitchfork |date=October 8, 2013 |accessdate=October 8, 2013}}

| rev8 = PopMatters

| rev8score = 7/10{{cite web |last=Conaton |first=Chris |url=https://www.popmatters.com/review/175714-sleigh-bells-bitter-rivals/ |title=Sleigh Bells: Bitter Rivals |publisher=PopMatters |date=October 7, 2013 |accessdate=October 8, 2013}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone

| rev9score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Ganz |first=Caryn |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/bitter-rivals-20131008 |title=Sleigh Bells 'Bitter Rivals' Review |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=October 8, 2013 |accessdate=October 8, 2013}}

| rev10 = Spin

| rev10score = 8/10{{cite web |last=Aaron |first=Charles |url=http://www.spin.com/2013/10/sleigh-bells-bitter-rivals-mom-pop/ |title=Sleigh Bells' 'Bitter Rivals' Delivers Candy-Coated Annihilation You Can Believe In |work=Spin |date=October 9, 2013 |accessdate=August 25, 2016}}

}}

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 70 based on 27 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".

Philip Cosores of Consequence of Sound compared the album to nu metal bands such as Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Staind, who all had "a similar pattern of three albums into the spotlight, [with] their third being a success in terms of attention, but also a signifier of the end of people caring in quite the same way". Cosores also felt that the album played to Sleigh Bells' strength, but mostly felt "stuck in the weaker aspects of their previous albums, busying up the mercifully brief tracks with unnecessary filler".

{{Track listing

| all_lyrics = Sleigh Bells

| title1 = Bitter Rivals

| length1 = 3:19

| title2 = Sugarcane

| length2 = 2:47

| title3 = Minnie

| length3 = 3:01

| title4 = Sing Like a Wire

| length4 = 2:35

| title5 = Young Legends

| length5 = 2:50

| title6 = Tiger Kit

| length6 = 2:55

| title7 = You Don't Get Me Twice

| length7 = 2:43

| title8 = To Hell With You

| length8 = 3:09

| title9 = 24

| length9 = 2:58

| title10 = Love Sick

| length10 = 3:09

}}

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Bitter Rivals.{{cite AV media notes| title = Bitter Rivals| others = Sleigh Bells| year = 2013| at = CD booklet| publisher = Mom + Pop Music| id = MP118–2}}

Sleigh Bells

• Alexis Krauss – vocals
• Derek E. Miller – all instruments

Additional musicians

• Kevin Osborne – whistling on "To Hell With You"

Production and recording

• Chris Athens – mastering
• Andrew Dawson – mixing, additional production on "Young Legends"
• Will Hubbard – executive producer
• Derek E. Miller – production
• Shane Stoneback – engineering, recording, additional production

Artwork and design

• Steve Attardo – design, layout
• Derek Miller – art direction, original photography

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{{Sleigh Bells}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2013 albums

Category:Mom + Pop Music albums

Category:Sleigh Bells (band) albums