Stomp and Stammer's Jeff Clark:

"Whispered vocals offer no explanations, only licking your ears like the ghosts of lovers left behind. This album is a true gem -- definitely worth seeking out."

Read the full review here.

Caroline Borolla of CMJ:

The tracks on this Washington, D.C.-based group’s debut record are short and sweet and provide a warm, fuzzy soundtrack for life’s most reflective and dreamy moments. Pagoda packs the album’s 30 minutes with light, airy, layered guitar pop, taking a page from New Zealand rockers such as the Clean and the Verlaines as well as ’70s rock icons like Big Star. Opener “Cajun Pride” is an entirely instrumental affair, echoing guitars seamlessly intertwin-ing with plucks of a lap steel and barely there drumbeats. Disc highlight “Superbreakout” is among the album’s poppiest tracks, drawing influence from the Clean’s earliest efforts; the song’s instrumental outro finds the band at their tightest and most comfortable, gradually piling on reverb, distortion and hollow drums that increase in power and prominence as the track comes to a close. “Ham On White” adds a ’70s-rock-meets-countrified-folk flavor to the album, while the ironically titled “Piano Song” focuses more on noisy guitars instead of tickling the ivories and once again buries Licciardi’s mysterious vocals. Dearly Departed is at times eerie, but as a whole is a beautiful and refreshing debut.

Scott Reid of Exclaim!:

Drenched in echoed guitar, soft distortion and lightly expelled vocals, Dearly Departed is the debut full-length from Washington DC’s Pagoda, an impressive psychedelic alt-country record that falls somewhere between the Clientele, Fakebook-era Yo La Tengo and, during its more upbeat moments, Big Star. Though its underwhelming instrumental bookends seem tacked on to keep this from being an EP release, the meat of the record — ranging from sparse, sombre ballads to cheerful, sun-baked psychedelia — is strong, especially during the incredibly catchy “Superbreakout” and dream-like harmonies of “Down to the Road.” Though sporadically caught in its own hypnotic trance, letting the style casually carry its ideas, Departed is nevertheless a memorable account of a band figuring out where they want to go.

Kevin Miller of Left Off the Dial:

All hail a little something I like to call “lazy-rock!” Rather than trying to categorize Pagoda and their brilliant debut album, Dearly Departed, I, dearest LOTD reader, have taken it upon myself to create an entire genre for these D.C. area boys. That’s right. Lazy-rock, it is. But please know that this particular sub-genre I have so pompously invented, where Pagoda reside, is not filled with pejorative connotations; I guess I just mean that this music makes me rock out in a more cerebral, less physical way. All explanations aside, back to this amazing album…

Pagoda aren’t really shoegazers, and they aren’t really psychedelic pop, nor are they simply experimental guitar-noise. One thing’s for sure though; the four smarty-pants musicians that form Pagoda must know their rock history and must know the first generation of indie rockers to take from the Velvets. Over the course of their nine-song (and much too short) debut, Pagoda prove their dedication to bands such as Yo La Tengo, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Galaxie 500, and even early-era Floyd. That’s right; these kids are poised to be critical darlings. Honestly, what’s not to like? Tacks like “Superbreakout” and “Cajun Prairie” exhibit jangle-riffic and intricate guitar lines that turn into spacey jams. Elsewhere, one can hear pseudo-blues and a slow-moving slide guitar paired with comforting Ira Kaplan-esque whispery vocals. This album is the mellow indie rocker’s dream come true. Lazy-rock on, my brothers!

Kenyon Hopkin of the All Music Guide:

"Combining the dreaminess of Yo La Tengo and the Americana of My Morning Jacket, Pagoda's debut is gentle and subdued, much like a baby who has just been given a bottle....In between bookended instrumentals, Dearly Departed shuffles along with lovely lap steel ("Throwing Stones," its most upbeat few minutes), hints of Galaxie 500 and Yo La Tengo, and reverb-drenched toy piano that recalls Mercury Rev ("Piano Song")....It's ironic that such a quiet band comes from a city that is known for emo and hardcore, but then, everyone has to originate from somewhere."
Read the full review here.

Rockpile magazine: Pagoda mentioned in the "Trainspotting" section: link.

Review Excerpt of Pagoda from 30music.com:

"Cajun Prairie” is like a dream, slow and relaxed. The bed is an atmospheric organ and synth, lazy guitars and percussion that eventually fall not out of time, but into another time altogether, somewhere across what you’d suppose must be a Cajun prairie. It’s a stumbling, lackadaisical-but-pretty soundscape. And so begins Dearly Departed, the debut album by Washington, DC-based Pagoda.

Ben Licciardi and his bandmates move from the opener into the open-chorded power pop of “Superbreakout,” and a listener wouldn’t be out of line thinking about Big Star’s first two albums, #1 Album or Radio City. This is mid-tempo, double-guitar rock ‘n’ roll, with the pounding drums to prove it, even while Licciardi’s trebly voice stays meekly hidden behind.

But while the Big Star comparison holds, it doesn’t hold to those first two albums. Instead, Pagoda leaves “Superbreakout” as an anomaly and travels the uncomfortable territory of the aborted Third/Sister Lovers album for the rest of Dearly Departed. The songs are piano and organ-driven, with clean-toned guitars adding melodic flourishes and slide lines instead of crunchy rhythms. And everything is soaking wet in reverb, from the drums to the vocals. And oh, those vocals –- Licciardi is an eerie, relaxed Alex Chilton through most of the album.

Review Excerpt of Pagoda from Splendiezine:

When the boys of Pagoda were kids, their hometown was a loud, loud place. Home turf for short-tempered punkers Fugazi, Bad Brains and Jawbox, Washington, DC, was the capital city of East Coast hardcore, boasting the longest mohawks and shortest tempers this side of the Ozarks. How do youngsters rebel in a town full of rebels? Some buy condos. Others join the marines. Pagoda main man Ben Licciardi bought some albums by Yo La Tengo and The Clean. To each his own...On their debut, the dream-pop/alt-country quartet finds their groove (a slow, fuzzy Cowboy Junkies-meets-Mercury Rev shuffle) and sticks with it...

Review Excerpt of Pagoda from Baby Sue Magazine:

If you're looking for a quick fix, this is not the band for you. If you have some patience, however, you will be deeply rewarded by the music of Washington, D.C.'s Pagoda. Dearly Departed is a wonderfully varied experience...featuring strange progressive pop music that is subtle and full of unusual arrangements.

Coming up with influences and comparisons is difficult, as these fellows' music stands squarely on its own as a unique entity. One thing is certain...the more you listen to this album...the more you get out of it. With so many albums, the exact opposite is true...you listen a few times and then you're bored. With the music of Pagoda, the more you spin it...the more you dig it. Highly effective tracks include "Cajun Prairie," "Ham On White," "Mesa Verde," and "Paper Fingers." Consistent...and rather excellent indeed...