Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Super fedt album, overrater måske lidt fordi jeg er på positivt overrasket jeg havde 0 forventninger
My most surprising 5 star album, but ai just really digged this. The sound was so unique, it was refreshing to hear something so different. I'm not a big country person, but if there is one thing I appreciate from the genre is the fiddle and this is basically a punk album with some fiddle. Favorite Track - Hard to be Human Again Least Favorite Track - Trouble Down South ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am taken aback that this is hated by so many of you. This is probably one of my favorite discoveries so far. I understand that it's weird, but I found it to be a fun and easy listen.
Mekons have 921 fans on Deezer as I write this review. That places them firmly into niche territory, so let's have a listen to find out why this album has been deemed essential. Ah, founding a new genre by melding two existing ones, I see. Yeah this is weird. It rules, added to my digital library. Another of the delightful discoveries this generator brings us!
This shit is glorious. It’s like a bar fight broke out at a hoedown, and someone recorded the aftermath. Feels like the musical equivalent of a really good hangover, if such a hangover exists. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions - Chivalry - Trouble Down South - Hard to Be Human Again - Flitcraft - Lost Highway
Great variety in this record, great listen
Really surprising, I had a great time listening to this
Absolutely love this album. It's so weird and blends punk and new wave with country instruments. Really love how original it is
Another new to me album. 35 minutes is the right length for albums. I got several listens in. This is one of the weirder albums on the list. The structured songs are good, the more experimental stuff is far out.
This was much better than anticipated. 80’s new wavy greatness!
I've really enjoyed this album. It is so good! And it has great songs on it. There's not much to say, it's a funny and very much enjoyable album, which is also great. Not all albums need to be very deep, varied or intense to be great. Sometimes albums like this one are such a great listening. And that's fine too.
Not all that long ago, I went through a heavy Mekong phase, and not surprisingly this was one of the albums. Hey so maybe not a perfect record but that’s not what the Mekons are going for anyway.
Brilliant.
The more times I listened to this the more I fell in love. It’s like if Crass made Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and it’s no wonder this is widely cited as an influence on the 90’s alt-country scene. The back half really kicks things up with the country influences and it’s hypnotic in making me want to come back for more. This is one I’ll be coming back to fairly often.
Holy shit, this album is the definition of getting better with each song. That is a MONSTER second half!!
Though some vocal jank, the album feels like bold statement melodies telling interesting stories
Na az ilyenek miatt kezd bele az ember ebbe projektbe. Hallgattam volna valaha country-punkot magamtól? Nem. Jobb zene ez mint az előzó album? Nem. Megérdemel egy ötöst, amiért ennyire bizarr és kreatív? Igeeeeennn.
Fookin' brilliant.
Man oh man. So back in the 90s, I used to listen to a band, Too Much Joy, with a song called "If I Were A Mekon." Back then, I didn't know what a Mekon was, and I knew I wasn't quite as cool as Too Much Joy. But now I have heard The Mekons. And I'm not a Mekon. So I can't say I'm cooler than TMJ. But I too wish I was a Mekon and so maybe I'm now on par.
Country and punky and gritty. Love it!
Darkness and Doubt Country Last Dance I love the country punk feel of this album. More mekons, please!
British Pop-Punk-Country Twang fusion thing. Cool! I like it. Sometimes reminds me a little of The Clash or maybe The Pouges (but better). Some songs have a sea chanty or maybe an Irish Trad sound. I didn't care for the two spoken word songs but the rest was great! Cool find. Never heard of them before and hope to hear more.
I kinda love the country / punk rock fusion and also how obviously British they are. Totally dig the fiddle too. Though a bit strange and a little messy and chaotic at times, it all just works somehow. I’m a fan!
Mekons go country, which just means another great Mekons album, 80s classic. score: 10/10.
LOVED this, great punk album
80s through back British punk
Oha, was ist das denn? Interessant, originell, kein 0815-Sound, also toll!
A pioneering cowpunk album that may well be the birth of alt country and I love the synth drums.
cool
9/10 absolutely wonderful I truly adored this
Suprised with how good it is
Yeah wow I liked this! It did take 2-3 listen throughs but it’s been on repeat and I’m having a good time
I really liked this
very fun so far. It is a really good country-punk album and quite English too. Rating: 4/5 GEMV (29.06.2026)
I hadn't heard of Mekons before. I liked this. It had a little "Smiths" kind of sound on some of the songs. 6.25.26
A great album by these guys. It has a strong punk element with a mixture of country. Especially the last song, Lost Highway which Hank Williams made popular.
I'd heard of Mekons but hadn't listened until now. Probably not everyone's cup of tea but I enjoyed it a lot.
How did I not grow up with this album?
Æ hørte på den og i ettertid huske æ ingenting, men det va ikke fælt? Ganske ok, ikke så interessant.
Loved the vibes
Bit of a surprise this one, wasn’t expecting much, but I got right into it, some excellent tracks on here, mad mix up though with the country sounding songs
cowpunk is such a surreal genre and i fuckin love it
Что будет если смитс начнут играть кантри? Вопрос, который никто не задавал, но если вам интересно узнать на него ответ - то вот он перед вами. В принципе, неплохой альбом, по большей части довольно типичный пост-панк, но с блюзовыми-кантри мотивами. Интересный эксперимент, но не более того.
thought this was pretty cool and unexpected sound for 1985
Solid stuff.
It was okay. Like the innovation country rock. Did end up listening to physical graffiti again
I like all the Mekons eras.
Truly peculiar at time but I think if I give this a couple of extra listens I’ll really like this There were several songs that I really vibed with off of the first listen 4
I sort of missed the Mekons. Even though they were sort of local to where I grew up, I was a bit too young. I've only heard bits and pieces, none of which were from this record. I enjoyed it.
This is a pretty good album for anyone seeking just the classic post-punk sound, it also brings along some country sounds, which sounds so magical. The baritone voice is top notch, the vocals are something you might hear from a band like The Human League. It has some arty moments like the spoken word sections in "Trouble Down South" and "Psycho Cupid." The album has a nice mix of different sounds, some are noisy lo-fi punk rock, and then the next song might be a tune that you would ride a horse down the highway and into town with. This album is quite good, I would recommend it. Highlight Song/s: Chivalry
This is awesome and new to me. Early Alt-Country vibes
What a great english rock album, felt very authentic and raw in a way that was very enjoyable to listen to
Bad reviews scared me but it ended up being surprisingly good. Vocalist wasn't that bad either!
I didn’t expect to come across and Alt-Country album with Post-Punk flair from a British Band. Sounds like something that maybe won’t work but the Mekons pretty much nail it here. Trouble Down South is an early standout for me. The closer, Lost Highway seems to have the most twang to it and very well may be my favourite on the record. This surprised me, I’m glad it was included. 4 stars
hand-crafted, rough around the edges, honest and true 4 stars
Mekons have successfully made Country enjoyable! This was a very interesting listen, doesn’t sound like anything else, and I do enjoy a concept album.
Wikipedia noemt het een grondlegger van alt country maar ik het vind meer een kruising van alt folk en indie. Semantics. Het klinkt als vanalles dat ik leuk vind
Fun album, it's like a blend of the Pogues and Sonic Youth. It brings a pretty unique sound with it. Some good songs on here, normal songs with some weirder sounds and feedback loops combined in here. There's a hint of Country music in there too. Unique blend of styles for sure, kind of hard to define itself.
I liked this a lot more than I expected!
++: Hard to Be Human Again, Darkness and Doubt, Psychocupid (Danceband on the Edge of Time), Flitcraft, Abernant 1984/5, Lost Highway +: Trouble Down South, Country, Last Dance +-: Chivalry 7,9/10
I didn’t really know what to expect with this album but it was a good time
Really disliked the first song, enjoyed second and the third. Grew on me as it went along. Ended up enjoying it. A bit cacophonous.
Finally
хидден гем, очень понравилось там много песен, интересное звучание как будто не типичное для английского альт рока, я б рекомендовал
Lubię takie dziwaczne brytyjskie rockowe albumy. Nie jest to nic niezwykłego, ale ma w sobie ten pierwiastek magii, który do mnie dociera. Nie jest to idealne, dlatego jest wyjątkowe. Przyjemna płyta, może do niej wrócę. 7.5/10
izrazito mi je teško ocijeniti. neke stvari jednostavnu idu jako. ali vokal je objektivno jako loš, iako ne mogu reći da ne paše. ovdje kao da sve ne paše a opet nekako funkcionira? kakvoćom vrludavo u pičku materinu. istovremeno sam očaran i pomalo razočaran. šta ćemo? četvorka, ko ga jebe, svakako je zanimljivije od dosta dosadnih sranja koje sam slušao u sklopu ovog izazova
never heard of this band or this album, and loved it. Definitely essential listening! Very unique record
A punk and country and western mashup that somehow doesn't involve serious amounts of rockabilly. A very interesting listen if you are looking for something new, not sure this is a daily driver for me, but a nice occasional treat. Darkness and Doubt is a particularly fun ride, especially peppy considering the theme is surviving hard times and war.
I thought the Mekons album was pretty rad. They kind of remind me of a cross between the Fall and Camper Van Beetoven. Post punk with a hint of Americana. Highlights for me were "Hard to Be Human Again", "Flitcraft", "Last Dance", and "Abernant 1984/1985", but really not a bad song here. 4.5 stars.
I think this is pretty good and ahead of its time. Helped by it’s brevity, I’m not sure I’d replay but rounding up to a 4.
Enjoyable listen on the whole
Based on my research, here is an in-depth review of **Fear and Whiskey** (1985) by the Mekons. --- ## Overview **Fear and Whiskey** is the 1985 album by the Mekons, a band formed in 1977 by art students at the University of Leeds (alongside contemporaries like Gang of Four and Delta 5). After being signed and dropped by Virgin Records, the band underwent a radical reinvention, emerging with what many consider the first true **alt-country** album—though it's more accurately described as a collision between British post-punk and American roots music. The album was recorded in fragmented sessions between 1983-1985, using drum machines, fiddles, and a revolving cast of collaborators. --- ## Lyrics & Themes The album operates on two parallel tracks: **political/social commentary** and **personal desolation**. **War and Labor Unrest:** The album is deeply shaped by the **1984-85 UK Miners' Strike**, which inspired the band to reform specifically to support the miners. "Darkness and Doubt" explicitly addresses labor unrest, while "Abernant 1984/5" is among the bleakest tracks, with lyrics like *"Vengeance is not ours, it belongs to those / Who seek to destroy us / How much more is there left to lose?"* The Cold War hangs heavy over the record—it's been described as a "Cold War album" where violence and destruction punctuate the narrative . **Existential Drift and Human Connection:** Beyond the political, the album explores stasis and missed connections. "Chivalry" opens with a drunken encounter in a bar, but its lasting image is of a lone man walking down the street, unable to remember anything except *"the rain and the tears on your face"* . "Last Dance" contains the devastating line *"So beautiful, you were waltzing / Little frozen rivers all covered with snow"*—poetic imagery contrasted with the narrator's inability to express his affections . **Psychological Horror:** "Psycho Cupid (Danceband on the Edge of Time)" stands out as a spoken-word nightmare where a woman describes a violent incident in monotone, witness-report style. It's described as "like nothing you would find on a Rascal Flatts record"—a moment of genuine avant-garde experimentation . The title itself—**Fear and Whiskey**—captures the album's emotional engine: alcohol as both fuel and anesthesia against dread. As Rico Bell croaks in the opening track: *"Fear and whiskey kept me going"* . --- ## Music & Production The production is **intentionally shambolic**—a "gloriously shambolic" document that owes as much to The Clash's *Sandinista!* as to Johnny Cash . **Instrumentation:** The band employs a bizarre fusion of: - **Synthetic and acoustic drums** (including customized Roland 606 and Sequential Circuits drum machines nicknamed "Hugo") - **Susie Honeyman's violin**, which "swirls the atmosphere like the doleful wail of a traincar piercing an otherwise silent night" - **Heavy bass, electric guitar, harmonica, and "warbling, high-lonesome (oft off-key) wails"** **Recording Process:** The album was assembled from multiple fragmented sessions: - Side 1 tracks ("Chivalry," "Darkness and Doubt," "Hard to Be Human," "Psycho Cupid") were recorded at Lion Studios in Leeds using drum machines - Side 2 was recorded in a single afternoon at a "secret location" in London - "Trouble Down South" was a reworking of a minimalist electronic track featuring contributions from Dutch band The Ex and Delta Five vocalist Jacqui Callis The result is a **lo-fi, beer-sodden aesthetic** that sounds like it was recorded in a pub basement after closing time. The vocals are frequently off-key, the yodels in "Chivalry" are deliberately out of tune, and the mix has been criticized as "flimsy" and "muted" . --- ## Influence & Legacy **Fear and Whiskey** is widely cited as a foundational document of **alt-country** and **cowpunk**, though the band's relationship to these genres is complicated. - **Spin magazine** named it one of the **50 Most Essential Punk Albums** - The Guardian called the Mekons **"the godfathers of alt-country"** in 2004 - It predates and influenced the 1990s alt-country scene (Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, etc.) The album's influence extends to its **methodology**: treating Hank Williams and Johnny Cash as "major religious prophets" to be channeled rather than imitated . This approach—respectful but irreverent, academic but drunken—created a template for how punk musicians could engage with traditional American roots music without becoming reactionary or nostalgic. --- ## Pros ✅ **Innovative Genre Fusion:** Successfully merges British post-punk with country, folk, and Cajun influences in a way that still sounds unique today ✅ **Authenticity of Vision:** The shambolic production isn't incompetence—it's aesthetic coherence. The album sounds exactly like what it is: art-school punks discovering country music while the UK collapses around them ✅ **Lyrical Depth:** Manages to address both macro issues (war, labor strikes) and micro tragedies (drunken regrets, failed connections) without preaching ✅ **Historical Significance:** As a document of 1980s Britain—the Miners' Strike, Thatcherism, Cold War anxiety—it captures a specific cultural moment ✅ **Second Half Strength:** Many listeners find Side 2 ("Flitcraft," "Country," "Abernant 1984/5," "Last Dance," "Lost Highway") more cohesive and traditionally satisfying than the experimental Side 1 --- ## Cons ❌ **Vocal Performances:** The singing is divisive—described as "atrocious," "shitfaced drunk," or "your milquetoast colleague who always wants to go to karaoke" . Jon Langford and Tom Greenhalgh's vocals are an acquired taste at best ❌ **Inconsistent Quality:** The album is genuinely uneven. "Psycho Cupid" and "Trouble Down South" are experimental to the point of alienation for some listeners ❌ **Production Limitations:** The 1985 production values sound dated and "flat" to modern ears. Some tracks suffer from the drum machine's mechanical stiffness ❌ **Accessibility:** This is not an easy entry point. As one reviewer noted: "Sometimes you hear an album and you have no idea if it's genius or madness" ❌ **Fake American Accents:** Some listeners find the occasional affected Southern drawl grating or inauthentic --- ## Verdict **Fear and Whiskey** is a **flawed masterpiece**—or perhaps a masterpiece *because* of its flaws. It's an album that "might never make the Country Music Hall of Fame" but remains "one of the most unique albums in rock history" . The Mekons didn't create a polished fusion of punk and country; they created something stranger: a document of British working-class despair filtered through American roots music, recorded with drum machines and fiddles, fueled by whiskey and political rage. It's not for everyone—the vocals will alienate many, the production is dated, and the experimental tracks require patience. But for those willing to meet it on its own terms, it's a singular achievement that genuinely expanded the possibilities of what rock music could absorb and express. **Essential Tracks:** "Chivalry," "Hard to Be Human Again," "Darkness and Doubt," "Last Dance," "Lost Highway"
I am liking this! Lots of hate in other reviews but I am enjoying it !! Maybe alt country / punk country is my fav genre ???
Fear and Whiskey is a genuinely fun record and an easy, rewarding listen. I love the way spoken-word passages sit over scrappy punk rhythms and that wonderfully wild violin—it gives the album a character all of its own. The subject matter is quirky and unexpected, but the storytelling is sharp and engaging throughout, carried by music that never feels lazy or predictable. This is the kind of album you finish and immediately think, yeah, I’ll happily come back to that. Favourite tracks: Psycho Cupid really stands out its odd, inventive and brilliantly, with spoken words that pull you straight into its world. Filcraft and Chivalry are also highlights, especially for that brilliant violin-driven punk sound. Least favourite tracks: None. Every track earns its place. Album artwork: Love the cover it perfectly suits the album’s off-kilter spirit.
Un peu folk, ça change du rock habituel j'ai bien aimé !
Great sound, songs and production.
I never heard of them before and I actually really like this. It has a nice quirky vibe about. It which appeals to me. This was a fun listen
Good, but definitely not the first alt country album, as the description mentions. Hallowed ground was the year before (also definitely not the first), and many more before
This is really unique but also familiar? I feel like I'll definitely be returning to listen to this album. I really liked it. The fiddle goes hard. Or is it a violin? Is there a difference? From a more analytical standpoint, this album gets really close to absolute genius a few times without going all the way. I think some later 90s bands filled in the missing pieces. But that keeps it feeling weird and unexpected in a way that hit very well for me, even if not "perfect."
Not sure about the genre, but enjoyable
Good mix of samples - feels like it could've been released in the 00s.
Sound a bit like a the Cure to me
At the start I didn't really feel it, even though this should be right up my alley. Yet, towards the end of the album I was fully in. Listened to it again and have to say, this is an underrated classic. Even if you don't like this album in particular, a lot of the indie scene of the 90's early 2000's and even current acts (with bands like Geese), feel very much in line with the experimentation this album provides.
Denna skiva har också pendlat upp och ned för varje lyssning. Jag är lite svag för detta sound (med fiolen/folk som element). Någon enstaka låt som sticker ut, nedåt. Men de flesta håller rätt bra nivå. Men saknar, som många gånger förr, en riktigt banger. Blir en fyra ändå. Pga helhet/sound.
Never heard of this album or band. Going in completely blind.
Wonderful stuff! Not listened to these before, so was a great surprise. Very Pogues/Waterboys… not just the Irishness of the strings, but the punk delivery very Shane McGowan. At times they walked the line of in tune/out of tune gloriously. When they crossed it, it sounded just right. This will get more listens for sure.
oddly amusing. its rough and ready. playful. and reminds you anyone can record music. we can all have a go if this passes muster. perfect just isn't needed. at times sounded like mix of Hunters & Collectors and the tuneless Billy Bragg
Feels like artist like madness and social distortion perfected the sound more than a decade later. But it’s cool to both see the outlaw punk and it’s early farm and post punk bands actually be a little - punk, even with a fiddle. Mostly great spots with a few very weak response but that’s on last dance makes up for all of it.
A wholly unique album that has a sound all it's own. Take a tad of British Punk with some twang from a Guitar & that rock sound. I'm also a sucker for a harmonica in odd spots. Not all that unique of singing voice & it reminded me of Ween's country album. 4 for being unique.
An album I have wanted to listen to for a while. Immediately like it. This is the type of recommendation that excites me. Maybe doesn't quite reach a 4 score but will check the rest of their stuff. Has more character than the previous 5 picks 3.5 rounded up Heard before? One song Owned: No: 32/128 (25%) Will I get? Maybe - will check out more of them
I don't know if I enjoyed this album enormously, but I'll be darned if it isn't super unique. It really holds your attention, and it is very worthy of being on this list just for the experience. 3.5/5.0: Very Good
The opener "Chivalry" houses what is surely one of the worst vocal performances I've ever heard, with absolutely no exaggeration on my part. I'm undecided whether it's a deliberate work of genius or just a load of obnoxious wailing. In fact, that sentiment can be applied to the album as a whole in a sonic regard, although it improves markedly from there on. This is an utterly bizarre and consistently thrilling punk/alt-country album - I was dreading it based on the brief Wiki description, but alas my fears were misplaced. Imagine The Damned undergoing frontal lobotomies and chucking some steely Americana guitar / harmonica into the mix, and you aren't a million miles off. Why the fuck do I like this when I generally hate anything vaguely resembling country with a burning passion? Perhaps I'll never be able to understand.
Fun album
Punk, country, rock, producción destartalada... ¿Alternativos? Entonces no eran ni eso. ¿Perdedores? Para perder hay antes que tener algo, y ellos han sido ajenos al éxito. Un disco excelente, al nivel de los Pogues? por fuerza sí, por letras no. ese año publicaban Rum, sodomy and the lash... Fueron una banda en la que se apoyaron muchos otros (16 Horsepower por ejemplo, o U2 quienes les telonearon en sus primeros conciertos...). También hay que recordar que no estaban solos: Jason & the Scorchers y en cierto modo The Swans. El violín ya lo habían introducido con éxito los Dexys, pero aquí se integra de otro modo mucho más radical. Chivalry abre y es de dodne sale el título del álbum. Darkness and doubt es una lúubre maravilla, increíble que fuera publicada en el 85. Hard to be human again es unos de sus clásicos. Psycho Cupid es la Velvet en los 80... Cupid pasaría en cualquier álbum de los Pogues (Lost higway tiene cierto parecido melódico con Dirty old town). Last Dance en los de Triffids o Go-Betweens... Es disco que realmente merece la pena, si no estuviera en esta lista jamás se te pasaría por la cabeza escucharlo. Si piensas que los 80 eran sintetizadores y sonido limpio, ponte esto y sorprendéte. 1985 es el año del C85, Psychocandy, This is the sea, Low-life, Once upon a time, Brothers in arms, Hounds of love, Steve McQueen, Love not money, This nation´s saving grace, Fables of the reconstruction, Around the world in a day, Rain dogs, Meat is murder, Slave to the rithym, Songs form the big chair, What Does Anything Mean? Basically , Rum, sodomy and the lash, Don´t stand my down y Picture book. Pues este de los Mekons sonaba diferente a casi todos ellos.
I enjoyed this way more than expected after reading some reviews.
I enjoyed this kind of strange hearing country music from Leeds in England, but I dig it. I might listen to this again.
Weird trad folk + new wave?? I guess?
I must say, this is a pretty fun album with quite a lot of depths beneath the guitars and violins
Had a lot of fun with that one. It definitely feels like the country brother of Dexys or Pogues. There were some catchy melodies despite the weirdness of it Rating: 4.3
Quite a lovely album with cool experimentation on it. Some forgettable parts here and there, but overall an intersting experience.
this sucks ass but in a way that i fuck with
I dig this alot
Fun album I liked it
This album came up straight after The Modern Lovers and it was a good follow up. At first it didn’t grab me but the mix of punk, country, folk and a dash of Billy Bragg priest song really grew on me. Glad to have discovered this album.
3.5/5. Soort country/post-punk
I’d never heard of the Mekons before. I’m not sure how to classify them, but, whatever genre(s) they are, it works. This album is delightfully discordant. The chaotic nature of the song instrumentation really worked for me for some odd reason. I’m a huge fan of British accents in singing, so I liked both the male and female lead singers’ voices. I am intrigued and definitely want to discover more from the Mekons now.
Misses out on 5 from me as the first few songs didn't hit, also heavily 80's style drum production isn't my favourite but then this album shifts! Love the fiddle and as a whole the album finds itself in a bizarre realm. Not as out there as I'd expected but will get another spin
Knowing that the Mekons are Jonathan Franzen's favorite band didn't put me in the right mood exactly, but just 30 seconds into Fear and Whiskey I realized they too were a band for me. In a sense, they're the Grateful Dead of punk rock: a collective more than a band that incorporates elements of country into the schematics of their original approach and emphasizes the live show. But they're also something else entirely: I'm assuming they do not have legions of fans but thousands in the know, and while the Dead are essentially a live band w/ album footnotes, the Mekons are real studio folk. Full of warmth, humor, modesty, they yet know they're onto something. 'I wanted to say fall in love w/ me / I wanted to say fall in love / It'll be alright.'
I enjoy when stuff like this comes up. A sort of post-folk sound I wouldn’t have thought existed. Most of it was pretty fresh and while there was a few bits that sounded like Dexy’s off cuts that dragged it down - I’ll go 3.5 and round up.
A true introduction for me. I'd never heard of these guys, and it seems the group went through some ship of theseus ass changes. Anyway this was supposedly influenced by country - but don't let that fool you only lost highway remotely sounds like it, they have fiddle and twang and shit, but it sounds more like fairport convention esque english folk takes than anything like american country. Anyway good songs, cool performances, and new to me!
Albums like this make me love this list. Idk if I would’ve ever come across it otherwise I really liked certain song and the album overall was solid, but Chivalry, Trouble Down South and Last Dance really made it feel alive. It felt like not only do they actually like making music but they’re actually good at it. It’s surprising to me how frequently one of those feels like it’s missing.
I’ve known about the Mekons for a very long time. They were all over compilations I used to collect from labels like Rough Trade Records, Soul Jazz Records, and many more. But despite always being curious about them, I never actually sat down and listened to any of their albums until now. Whether you want to call this alt-country, cowpunk, or something else entirely, these guys are definitely pioneers of that sound. This is country music filtered and reimagined through a DIY, chaotic punk lens. You get punk style rhythm guitars blended with twangy country leads, including slide guitar. There’s also a prominent use of fiddles and banjos, which gives the album that rugged, Americana barroom feel. Overall, this was a fun album, and I’m definitely going to start working my way through the rest of their catalog over time.
It is not so strange an idea to me that country and punk can, or even should, be smashed recklessly together. Look at The Gun Club, Meat Puppets, the cowpunk scene at large, or even some of the alt country songwriters of the '90s like Will Oldham who definitely had some involvement in the punk world. Although I will say, even though Mekons have all the components of these two worlds, the stuff happening here on Fear And Whiskey is like some secret new thing. Like for a couple of tracks, before I was sold on this, I was convinced that this was just lunacy. We aren't quite starting with punk, it's more Post-Punk, almost New Wave. And while most of the examples I provided incorporate country more as "Americana", where the music is made a little dustier, maybe a little lower fidelity than a regular punk album, and the sound and palette reflect that, that isn't how Mekons really go about things. The sound here is pretty much pure Post-Punk (with some New Wave sheen), but the *songwriting* is *very* informed by country. Like this is country software on Post-Punk hardware or something. And, very importantly, the biggest aesthetic effect the country influence has here is the fiddle, which is a major part of these arrangements, and it sits super weirdly, because it is played in the super expressive, almost sour way that the fiddle manifests in Country Music. Throw some borderline spoken word on top of it all and add the occasional weird-o vocal effect here and there for good measure, and you're left with a real headscratcher. Like this isn't all *that* weird in the grand scheme of things, but all of the components here are so deeply mutated that I actually sort of struggle to fathom how they stumbled into this space: It almost has a surreal quality at times. More importantly, I have decided that I like it. Chivalry is a good picture of what’s happening here, it’s idiosyncratic, unique and kind of fun. There’s a little ‘80s cheese, but it kinda works here, just adds another axiom for me to gawk at. Although I was sold by the end of Trouble Down South, it’s conversely kind of a dark take on the sound. It has a sourness, and it’s kind of theatrical in a weird way too. In fact, I’ve heard some people mention that this is a concept album, and I think that tracks. Darkness and Doubt is cool too, it almost sounds like Modest Mouse for a couple of passages, and it honestly sort of makes sense. Country is great too, and I really like the cover of Lost Highway at the end. Although honestly, once you tap into the aesthetic, the songs are all pretty great. It really is fascinating music. I can imagine this isn’t for everyone, but give it a chance, it’s pretty cool!
Mekons are cool. Alt country Mekons: cool. Where Were You is their best song (it's not on here). Especially when Boredoms interpolate it. Too cool for DSOTM dweebs.
A strange combo but it kind of works!
Surprisingly good, interesting mix if a lot of i fluences coming together very well. Extremely enjoyable.
I’d never heard this. I liked it and it might need a relisten to truly appreciate it.
Like it!
Dobry
Mwha
I’m bucking the consensus. Had a rad time listening to this. Its fusion of punk and country does sound off putting but it gels for me. It’s coming from such an earnest place. Found a few new favorite songs. 4/5
Weird and interesting
A pleasant surprise. Reminiscent of Billy Bragg, The Pogues, and The Clash. Nothing virtuoso here, but that's part of the pleasure. They have a voice, a point of view, and an attitude, and they express it very clearly. I am down.
4/5
Surprisingly good.
I really enjoyed this one. I had not heard of Mekons and expected a different sound given its release year. Sounds like a preview of lots of indie rock a decade plus later.
I gotta call this book's genre labels out for giving me the completely wrong impression of this album going in. I mean, you label anything with "post-punk," I'm on edge. Even after learning a bit more how to deal with it thanks to LOVELESS, it's still not exactly something I'm looking forward to. "Great," I'm thinking: "here goes 30 minutes to noise and nonsense pretending to be art." That's a worry that only lasts about as long as it takes me to hit "play" on the album. This is a country album. An alt. country album, sure; it's not George Jones, or even Kacey Musgraves, but the influence is unignorable. Like, damn, you could have labelled this thing as post-punk **and** country and given me a better idea of what this thing is actually like. Well, in lieu of the book giving the people any indication about that, allow me to do so. The brief description I'd give of it is that it's like if a punk band that frequently played pubs decided they wanted to also be a country act. So, it's not as far to the side as to be cowpunk, but it's still a pretty obvious mixture of the two. And a potent one at that — this is some good-ass shit. It can kind of be like The Clash by way of Chumbawamba's folk albums... If they were a bit more "roight, roight" about it, y'get what I mean? And seriously, don't ignore the "frequently played pubs" thing as part of my description. That's a big part of the appeal, 'coz I can totally imagine a room fulla people shouting along to this. S'why I don't mind how the guy isn't even really singing on this thing. I mean, when the hooligans on their fourth pint you're playing for aren't gonna, why should you? I wanna go on, but honestly, I don't even really have much I wanna say about this thing. It's some real solid-ass punk-style country, with some damn good fiddle to boot. I'm not going buck wild for it or anything, but hey, it's a million times better than what I assumed it would be. I mean, hey, if I were post-punk, I wouldn't complain about any boost in its standings, I tell yah...
Varied, original, and irish/UK sounding
A fabulously oddball album.
I low key love this. Like Old 97s meets early U2. Weird vibes all around but really and truly very good.
Really like the vibes of this project! Postapo vibes, weird, bizarre, low-key The Wall-like. Far from being something special, but completely adequate.
The punk/country shouldn’t work.. but it does???… This album rides the fine line between genius and strange. Just when I think I get it, it flips right on its head (although never in an off-putting way) and raises more questions. But at the end of the day isn’t that what great art is about?
He eivät ole pelkästään keksineet hyviä biisejä, vaan täysin omanlaisensa kulman koko rock-genreen. Olen kahden vaiheilla lauluraitojen rosoisuuden suhteen, mutta koukut, IDEAT, kuuluvat läpi. Levyllä on muutama tasapaksumpi hetki, mutta se ei myöskään lakkaa yllättämästä: bändi kehittelee kantrin ja punkin yhdistävästä duurista huomattavan paljon melodiaa. Kannattaa kuunnella.
Weird mix in a good and bad way. Unique approach.
To the best of my knowledge, I've never listened to an album from these folks... and I'm glad to have rectified that, as I enjoyed this quite a bit. Felt like a fairly wide range of musical styles and yet everything was tied together with a nice firm dollop of flat out weirdness, which I appreciate and enjoy. I look forward to listening to this record more and seeing what else this artist has put out.
Obviously a lot of ideas at work here. Initially I felt that it was more interesting than enjoyable, and I guess I still feel that way…but it’s still pretty enjoyable, especially after multiple listens. I kind of reject the alt-country label, though. Sounds to me like a punk album with clever instrumentation.
An interesting mix that I don’t think was executed as well as the creators had hoped. The more “Irish” this sounds, the better it is, and the back half is much better than the front half. The weaker tracks on this one (“Trouble Down South”, “Psycho Cupid”) bring it down a bit, but the album goes out on a very high note.
This was the first album on this list that I’ve just…never heard of. Never heard of the band, never heard of the album. I’m going in blind…. …and you know what? This is great. I originally thought this was an album from the 90s, then when I looked it up after listening I found it was from the 70s and let’s just say you can see the influences these guys must have had on many other bands. It’s kind of a bit country by way of the M62, a bit punk, a bit rock and roll. It’s in and out in under 40 minutes, so doesn’t overstay its welcome. Adding to regular rotation.
I went back and forth between really loving it and disliking parts (spoken word interludes). Still, apparently groundbreaking and presaged a lot of music i would come to like.
Mighty fine album
A group of Brits doing stripped-down, country-inspired punk with fiddles sounds like an absurd idea. And frankly, it is, but this album is all the more punk for it.
I really appreciate any sort of country-fusion, particularly country rock fusion. This album was fantastic at getting an even blend of country and rock, when a lot of the time albums billed as "country rock" are 90% rock and 10% country. Felt pretty jarring to hear country music sung with British accents though haha. I think they could have done a better job at getting the folk instruments to blend with the electric instruments, especially on Flitcraft. I didn't like their lead male singer's voice at all. Favourite track: Hard to be Human Again
I thought I was going to hate it. It had everything I haven’t much liked about some of these albums. It’s from the 80’s. It’s a British band I’ve never heard of. The singer has that horribly typical British singing voice that sounds like he's a whiny drunkard. It is apparently heralded as a masterpiece by fans of the band. But you know what? Honestly, I thought it was great. Such a great, laid back sound throughout most of it. And even when it kicked up the energy it still never came across as overly aggressive. I don't know what you call this genre, but I've definitely heard it before. Rural folk rock? The kind of music that has that very Irish-sounding violin and folky feel but still manages to have a rock edge to it. That's what this was. With a lot of other stuff thrown in too. And I think that's where it kind of lost me in places. I can see how it's considered a masterpiece. It's weird, it's experimental, it's adventurous and it definitely has a unique air about it. But I think it tries to cover too much ground in such a short time that it becomes unfocused. Listening back to some of it now, I hear so many influences and so many genres that it honestly makes my head spin, and not in a good way. Compared to my low expectations, it gets five stars. But outside of those, it's a solid three stars. So I'll average that out and hand it four stars. Standout Tracks: Darkness and Doubt, Flitcraft, Abernat 1984/5, Last Dance
Weird, unique, crazy and yet listenable. People need to make this kind of stuff or we will all go mad.
Wow - not what I was expecting and surprised I haven’t heard it before.
Country punk before it was a thing. Dig it, will probably go down this here whole rabbit hole.
I had never heard this album and I enjoyed every minute of it. I read that it's the "first" alt-country album but I hear as much folk music influence as I do country, however who really cares the music is challenging and tough and just sounds like it's created by musicians that care about their art. I loved it. 4 stars
Overall a great listen. 3.8/5
thoroughly enjoyed / appreciated / ??? Kinda freaky but layered and interesting to delve into- all the fiddle haters can fuck off
This sounds very familiar to me, I just have had this on a cassette tape but not knowing who it was.
Never heard of this. I might be crazy for giving this 4 stars, but it kind of grew on me as it went on. At first I was annoyed by the intentionally off-key discordant stuff. I'd call it the Cure meets Dexi's Midnight Runners.
Reminds me of the Clash
Ended up better than I expected. Will I listen to again: 65%
Took a few songs to get into the swing of it but by the end I was very much on-board with what they were doing. Helps that the penultimate song 'Last Dance' is an absolute rager, 10/10. Feels like something that could really grow on me over time, post-punky country, a rarity for sure (check out The Gun Club).
I liked this! I like anything that mixes genres together and comes out with something as smooth as this. Wikipedia calls this alternative rock and alternative country, but I heard traces of Britpop, new wave, and post-punk in there, too. Would listen again!
Overall a decent album. Its lyrics had deep meaning, talking about life during war. Its music was a mix of rock and country, and making it sound very nice. Overall I would reccomend giving this album a try.
Do you like upbeat songs? If so, this album is for you! I can't understand what the lead singer is saying at all tough. But that's okay because the background music makes up for it! I recommend that you listen to this album.
At first this was kind of a meh album, but about halfway through it clicked and I realized this album is amazing. 8/10
I kind of dug this album. Each song was fun and different and I really liked that. I didn't like Psycho Cupid and was worried where the album might go from there but it stayed on a good course. I really liked Last Dance and Lost Highway. They all were different but had a flare that let me know they were all the same band.
8/10. Great stuff. Was leaning 7 but ended strong for an 8.
Ooh I loved this! Was listening to Plowing Into the Field of Love by Iceage recently, which is one of my all time fav albums, and was looking into this Cowpunk genre, which I think is such a cool sound, and this scratched that same itch!
Brilliant
I thought this would be cooler based on the description. If I had gone in blind I probably would've liked it.
Wonderfully weird and fun, with "Chivalry" and "Darkness and Doubt" and "Psycho Cupid" among the best cut. Full marks for originality and executing with a sense of humor and context.
I had never heard of this band, but I enjoyed this all the way through. If you’re into talking heads, velvet underground, devo and the like, I bet you’ll like this too.
Great take on country and folk.
I like this more than I dislike this. It’s kinda like the Pogues but a little toned down. Which makes it less good, they should have leaned into it more. I dunno. Some of the songs were very catchy and I’d listen to them again
It seems quite unremarkable but I did really enjoy listening to it
Den här plattan behöver de inte skämmas för.
drellifínt. fleirameira. 4,5.
Some lovely songs here
Неплохо
It was a fun listen. New wave, post-punk and folk mixed together, in a way that it somehow worked together.
fear and whiskey mekons 1985 1. chivalry: 7/10 2. trouble down south: 5/10 3. hard to be a human again: 7.5/10 4. darkness and doubt: 7/10 5. psycho cupid- danceband on the edge of time: 4.5/10 6. flitcraft: 7.5/10 7. country: 7/10 8. Abernant 1984/5: 8/10 9. last dance: 8/10 10. lost highway: 7/10 overall rating: 6.9/10
Though it was gonna be full country
This was a strange one, a twisted mess of genres that was so different, it really stood out to me. I don't think all of the rock/ country mash up worked, but it was funky and cool anyway. My favorite was definitely Darkness and Doubt.
The Mekons are a name I have heard and read about but never actually listened to. The first few bars of the opening track had me worried I was doing to listen to synth folk so I was pleasantly surprised when it properly kicked in. One going on the listen again pile
4/5
Nother group I never heard of.
It grew on me.
great stuff!
Alltaf gaman að kynnast einhverju nýju. Hafði aldrei heyrt um Mekon. Mjög skemmtileg plata og á eftir að kíkja betur á tónlistina þeirra.
i love the pogues!!!!!!!!
Just an overall cool album that some folks hold up as the first alt-country album. Much different from the 90s version of alt country, but it's easy to see how this album serves as a bridge between post punk and country. The songs are really fun, and they vary a lot from song to song 4/5
Excellent, a great surprise, reminded me of the Pogues and the Clash combined.
I really enjoyed this; found it quite haunting and will definitely listen again.
Not bad, I liked the music but it didn’t really convince me. Something is missing here. But the ideas are quite good
4.1 - Down the street from my old Brooklyn apartment was this late-night takeout spot with a raggedy yellow awning called the "Happy Taco." Its Chinese proprietors served up Mexican and Chinese basics, and mashed up both cuisines liberally. For example, it wasn't uncommon to order a quesadilla and find it made with rice papers instead of tortillas. Another pleasant surprise was when they gave you pork fried rice with your adjoining refried beans instead of the yellow rice that's more traditional. Despite the cultural incongruities, I liked their food -- it always hit the spot after a night of drinking. The Mekons have approached country music in a way that feels similar to how the "Happy Taco" interprets Mexican food. There's little reverence for tradition, or cultural norms. Sure, there may be whiffs of country elements on here (e.g., fiddling and bluesy guitar picking). But mostly, they smear on their own post-rock sounds, creating something messy, sometimes confusing, and overall quite compelling. Oh, and to make this record even weirder, they throw in a few spoken word asides (see "Psycho Cupid...").
Absolutely loved this! Country meets Velvet Underground in northern England.
This album had me so conflicted. There were points that I wasn’t really sure about this album and then there were other points where I said to myself “this album is a masterpiece.” All the interlaying sounds work together in such a way that I could see people giving up on it by giving it just a surface listen but the further I got the more I understood it. “Trouble down south” was my favorite track.
Medio punk así gracioso. Sin más.
Day74 - genius poets,maybe-bad karaoke, sounds like it-punks with synthesizer and violins, that too. guess who liked it though? this guy
If Wilco and, I don't know, The Clash? had a new wave baby. This was an unexpected and pretty wild journey. I was ready to sit through a bland, mid country album based on the cover and title, but was pleasantly surprised. Just because there's violin throughout the record doesn't make it country music. This band doesn't seem to give a shit about appeasing anyone but themselves, and I really dig that, even if not every track clicked for me. The best thing this record offers is inspiration. You can hear so much of what major artists would go on to do in the next 10 years here.
The punk-meets-country aesthetic and familiar angsty English vocal seemed bound for a 3 at best, but the synthesis oddly compelled and propelled something in me.
Mekons Fear and Whiskey 78.52 Chivalry(76) Trouble Down South(82) Hard To Be Human Again(82) Darkness And Doubt(79) Psycho Cupid(84) Flitcraft(60) Country(76) Abernant 1984/5(85) Last Dance(87) Lost Highway(65)
Me gustó más de lo que me habría esperado!
It had stuff. 3.5
very interesting combo of country and punk. 4 stars.
Liked it!
Never heard of these guy's before. Sounds like a combination of easy-going punk/Cajun/country-folk, I LIKE IT!! I would not normally listen to something like this, but I'll keep these guys in my scopes and listen to more.
I've been meaning to listen to this band for a while. Country + punk is something that I very much enjoy and this was one of the first bands of not THE first to do it.
It grew on me over time
Another band I thoroughly enjoyed, but was previously unaware. And I was a big punk, new wave fan in the 80s!
3.8 - some songs were a bit challenging but overall enjoyed
Dug this. It reminded me of that song Bug Country and the singer reminded me of the guy from the Pastels. I was lukewarm at first but thought the second half was really strong and had a pretty unique sound. Last Dance was my fave.
Really liked this country/punk mix, worked for me
bust out the fiddle and the harmonica this is fun as hell
Country alternative ? Sounds horrible… wait That’s fucking good but what is Eminem doing here
Gutes Album. Aber nicht mein Vibe. Aber dafür, dass es aus den 80er kommt super progressiv. Hat sich angefühlt wie ein 00er Brit Pop Album.
Wonderfully discordant. I'd only heard Deserted from 2019 and that was great. So, good to have one of their early albums on my radar, will definitely revisit.
Fun and unique
It was fun and alternative short but sweet
Genuis artsy Folk-(Punk)Rock with yelly parts, smooth choirs, strange but always catchy arrangements. I feel like knowing this before listening to it for the 1st time.
A lovable oddball of an album that one wants to love more than one actually does. "Chivalry" and "Darkness and Doubt" are best and most memorable cuts. "Psycho Cupid" also terrific and seemed to set up the spoken-word template followed by REM, Belle & Sebastian, the Clientele et al. To quote the band, "fear and whiskey will keep you going." Rounding up for being a unique and truly original little melange.
It was good
Alternative country is an apt name. A little like the "country" songs the Beatles made. Fun.
Really not my cup of tea, but not a bad album. It has it's charm and beauty. It is just not meant for me.
Celtic Punk? That’s new! I’m liking European 80’s bands more and more, this is no exception.
The description of punk and country was a bit more interesting than the album ended up being, but I got some enjoyment out of it.
After a rough start, I quite enjoyed this.
A punk country album?! I’m interested… And interesting this was. It sounds like a lot of fun was had making this. The instruments are varied and well–played. I liked the unique songs. Nice!
Porto-Viagra Boys Favourite tracks: Chivalry, Darkness and Doubt, Last Dance, Lost Highway
I don't know what the hell I just listened to or how to describe it, but I love it. Definitely will revisit. 4/5.
British country music - by a punk band - that is better than it has any right to be. Not quite 5 🌟 (that is for the best of the best) but a really solid 4!
The punk-rock-country fusion was a bit jarring at first but eventually won me over. This album sounds a lot more modern than a 1985 release. Standouts: Hard to Be Human; Last Dance.
Schwag
This is crazy man. Went in expecting regular alt country and got way more. Awesome
Helt schwägg
It’s definitely more alternative than country. I actually thought they were from Ireland after listening to it. Pretty good stuff. I really enjoyed it. It is the kind of music I look forward to hearing again and again. 4/5 Standouts: Hard to Be Human Again, Last Dance, Lost Highway Other very good tracks: Chivalry, Trouble Down South, Darkness and Doubt, Psycho-Cupid, Flitcraft, Country, Abernaut 1984/5
Wow, what a surprise. When Chivalry kicked in I was like ok, these guys sound pretty cool and then Trouble Down South kicked in and blew me away. Hard to Be Human Again brought some normality back along with Darkness and Doubt before Psycho Cupid just leaves my jaw on the floor. I look forward to spending some more time with this.
Fun! I bet these folks were a blast to see live! I do enjoy a good shambolic mash up of folk and punk - CF, The Pogues... Fave track - "Psycho Cupid (Danceband On The Edge Of Time)" was kinda post-rocky, with the spoken word biz going on. "Abernant 1984-5" for something more conventional...
Surprisingly enjoyed parts of this,
legal o som, punk tem até un violino
Tom Greenhalgh's quote, "pretty soon the difference between the three chords of country and the three chords of punk became blurred," really just sum this album up. The affinity between punk and country really does make sense and the Mekons bring it to life with swagger and confidence. What really struck me about this album is how contemporary it sounds. Freak Folk really came into its own in the late 90s and 2000s and remains a huge influence on contemporary music. This album predates that by almost 15 years. The experimental art collective style works well for the Mekons and brings an element of subversion to traditional instrumentation. Overall, a fantastic listen!
I've always liked the idea of Mekons more than the actuality. This album is really good, but not as good as I want it to be. It doesn't grab me by the scruff of the neck and tell me how good it is. I really like it, but at the same time, don't feel the need to ever hear it again. But if I do, great.
4/5
Great genre mix.
Somewhere between The Fall and New Model Army. Eccentric in the best way.
I've heard OF the Mekons, but can't say I've ever actually heard them. I wasn't sure what to expect from this album, but it wasn't this. I thought they were a punk band, but this ranges from art rock to alternative country. A very interesting listen, and I have no doubt, one that could easily grow to be a favorite.
Excellent!
Whenever I listen to a band or album that I wasn't previously familiar with, I try to put them in a category - what other music are they similar to? When I read on Wikipedia that this was considered an alternative country album I was expecting something Wilco-esque, but this was more raucous, more punk-like. Reminded me of The Pogues, or maybe Billy Bragg a little bit. In any case, I liked it a lot and plan to delve deeper into the Mekons music. 4 stars.
This record must be the primary influence of bands like Wilco. Kind of an alt-country vibe, though to me there is much more to it: English punk, new wave, some reggae, some rockabilly, even some folk. Has there every been a country song with polyrhythms? Very interesting record that tackles heavy themes of life in a village during wartime. Another great representation of the type of album I'm hoping to encounter on this list.
Kinda cute. Like in a Belle and Sebastian way.
Medio punk así gracioso. Sin más.
A very pleasing mix of post-punk, country and folk. Definitely grows on you
I thoroughly enjoyed this album. I don't know why. There is something about this mixture of punk, folk and wave that somehow speaks to me. I couldn't recall any individual songs, but the album as a whole is a really nice listen. 4/5
Solid, consistent. I liked it, not much to say.
First impression wasn't great but the album grew on me, and the last two songs I ended up adding to the list. Quick thoughts, they're a bit like Diet Pogues, and Lost Highway sounds suspiciously close to Dirty Old Town.
Grata sorpresa este disco, no conocía para nada la banda y ahora me llevo varias canciones para mezclar en mixes
Half of the album sounded more like Irish Punk, and the other like 80s obscura. That's not a complaint, lol
Good. I think I need to listen again
British Post-punk from Leeds with a fiddle? Yeah, why not. This is my first time listening to the Mekons and the reminded me of a post-punk meets Waterboys sound (at least on this album). A lot of the songs on the album seemed to be about war or the aftermath of war but that was just a first impression, and I could be dead wrong. It was a pleasant enough listen to make me want to come back to the band and check out some of their other stuff so 4 stars for Fear and Whiskey.
Pub cowpunk? Shambolic and odd with post-punk spikiness.
Based on the descrption, I wasn't sure I'd like it, but it was actually good
Fun and samey all at once. It plays the one note well.
Lovely stuff
Not at all what I was expecting… I thought American garage rock. The is not that! Very enjoyable; needs a revisit though!
Fun stuff.
great mix of punky vibes and country sounds. Interesting lyrical exploration which tracks for cold war and unfortunately can remain pretty relevant.
I liked this. True post punk where they could experiment with the formula.
Kinda mid
1985 - British Post-Punk
Una altra de les joies per descobrir dels 80. Punk, country, folk, tot barrejat amb molt de gust i inspiració. Una mena de Levellers accelerats, The Pogues meets Buzzcocks amb temes tan bons com 'Darkness and Doubt', 'Hard to Be Human Again' o la versió de 'Lost Highway'. Sempre l'he tingut al radar i havia escoltat alguna vegada, però aquesta és la primera on finalment he captat la raó de la seva inclusió a la llista
As this started I thought it's not bad but it's also not that good. Then by the 3rd / 4th tracks (Hard to be Human Again and Darkness and Doubt) it gets very weird but in a good way. I'll probably be the first to ever draw this parallel but the weirdness reminds me of that Brazilian psychedelic band Os Mutatntes. The weirdness is extensive and covers not only the lyrics and melodies but also the singing and the instrumentals. This LP is definitely weird. Nothing wrong with weird; there is good weird and bad weird. For me it's good weird. 3 ratings are so middle of the road I feel I need to avoid a 3 since it doesn't work for weird bands.
Wow, this is an excellent album. It's this great intersection of sounds/genres with lyrics that are darkly poetic and beautiful. The conceptual element of the war pulls everything together really well and is like nothing I've quite heard in a post punk album. The dark subject matter could make an album like this a real slog, but musically it leans to the upbeat, like a lot of the best country music does. The Leon Payne cover at the end is a great choice that really fits with the whole mood of the album. Fave Songs: Abernant 1984/5, Darkness and Doubt, Chivalry, Country
I dig this! Kinda like if the Clash or even the Smiths made an alt country album. I can hear the influence from this in so much other shit.
great, kinda weird but i really liked it!!
The Mekons are first listen for me. An interesting mix of punk and country with some nice lyrics.
6/10
Now this is important. There’s a type of a partying that is high-value. I’m not talking about having fun at auntie’s birthday party. I’m talking about a hard hard hard type of partying. Drugs in plentiful forms. An unfamiliar venue. Lots of strangers seasoned with several people you know: very few to zero close trusted confidantes or friends. I’m talking about a kind of partying that is extremely intense. One that transcends the basic concept of good or bad. Part social, part internal. Flavoured with danger and uncertainty, seasoned with new elements you've never encountered before, but all within your grasp to manage. The type of partying that imprints on your memory for life in spite of the drugs, and perhaps adjusts your trajectory going onwards. Like a concentrated dose of living packed into a single wild evening. It is pretty much impossible to plan, but when encountered I advise you ride the experience to the max. While trying to chase this type of thing regularly is not advisable, and will almost certainly ruin your life forever, including a handful over the course of a lifetime is a special ingredient if you want to have a GREAT life. Now I don’t know this album. It really meant nothing to me at all. I didn’t even think it was that good. Except...for some reason I can’t explain, it reminded me of hard hard hard partying. And that? That I like.
I listened to this twice. The first time was while cooking beef short rib on the day of said beef’s expiry date. Should I use this? I thought. It does smell kinda bad? But how bad does it need to be to kill me and my whole family? I hummed and haaaed over this dilemma for about four hours while the beef was slowly cooking. I was vaguely aware of some disturbing country music playing in the background. Should I just toss it out? On the one hand, that would be a waste of food and effort, on the other, my children could get sick and die. What to do? Eventually, I pulled it out of the oven, broke it apart with a fork, and I could still smell a very faint unpleasantness. The smell was barely detectable, but still, it triggered a primal aversion in me. One should listen to these internal alarms occasionally, I thought. So I threw the beef in the bin and ordered Indian takeaway. To my knowledge, no one in my family got diarrhoea. The second time I listened to this was with headphones in an office after reading my project partner’s review of the album. He essentially related it to the musical equivalent of a party that transcends fun and becomes quite nasty. As the occasional dangerous bender enjoyer, this is a correct take. I left work early.
this was not bad! I liked his accent when it shone through occasionally and found Psycho Cupid and Flitcraft both pretty interesting tracks. I feel like the Mekons have been completely forgotten and I had certainly never heard of them before. Probably wouldn’t necessarily go back but good to hear from someone completely new
I was expecting something pretty much like a British version of the Meat Puppets, but honestly this sounds more like the Pogues? There's a bit of Violent Femmes' Hallowed Ground in there too, but not enough to bring this album to the next level.
Good in parts, but not great.
Nothing bad nothing brilliant
Punk from the mid 80s.
It happened - it didn't do "it" for me, but was interesting music
Was just a meh album for me. Wasn't bad, just didn't have anything significant. Sounded like a stereotypical 80s band.
I thought I would like this more than I did. Not bad though.
Another album where my opinion begins and ends with "this is fine". Psycho Cupid - Danceband On the Edge of Time is unique, and I'd say both Flitcraft and Last Dance are solid songs, but the album ends with Lost Highway which is easily the worst on the album, and nothing really gets above "solid". Not a waste of time at least.
Decent.
Didnt do it for me
Pretty cool. Really fun blending of the punk and country elements. Some really cool, chill punky sounds and a fun relaxed songwriting voice. I'll go back to it
Didn't grab me, but enjoyable enough
Chivalry 3.5 Trouble Down South 3.3 Hard to Be Human Again 3 Darkness and Doubt 3.2 Psycho Cupid (Danceband on the Ede of Time) 3.2 Flitcraft 3 Country 3.3 Abernant 1984/5 3.4 Last Dance 3.4 Lost Highway 3.1 Score: 3.24
Okay despite seeing how many negative reviews there were for this album, I was afraid. Pleasantly surprised.
You’d think this would *really* appeal to my alt-country-loving heart. But not so much. The vocals just don’t appeal to me significantly. The themes do, though.
Grimy og fedt!
Good and fun music, the Mekons fell like they are one drink away from hanging it up and enrolling grad school for anything in the social sciences.
- 3.5 for it's exploratory nature rounded down for it's crappy execution .... and, no, you get to excuse crap by calling it "punk". -
I mean, after 1st song it was bad, than it wasn't and then I was praying for it to end.
Not exactly sure what is happening here. I was thrown off a bit trying to categorize this as punk, it is not even close. In a way their sound is more mid-90s than mid-80s. I don't think I would go back for a re-listen, but it did not bore me to tears.
Сара 3 Марко 4
This was painful at quite a lot of parts. Some of the guitar solos were a relief. The singer was like when music gets called experimental but they forgot it needs skill too, I could do that experiment. I guess this represents the northern english student band part of music history? And for that (specifically, yorkshire) it can have 3 stars instead of 2.
I enjoyed parts of this quite a bit. I might even return to it here and there, and I'm glad I listened. 6/10
Aside from the last track (Lost Highway) which was far too country for me, I really enjoyed this. I like a punky vibe that’s not too hard core, and that’s what this delivered - but not in a predictable way.
Alt-country sounds. Probably a 3.5. There’s a lot here to like but I feel like it’s just a little short of something. This album does draw my interest to this band. Worth a further exploration I think.
Interesting blend of Smiths, Clash, Talking Heads era punk/new wave with country elements. Like a more sophisticated Pogues. Not bad at all.
Helt okänt för mig. Efter en svag inledning låter från och med tredje spåret Hard to be a human again inte alls så tokigt. Får lite the Clash-vibbar. Gillar den gnisslande felan och det punkiga anslaget.
Big Audio Dynamite with a fiddle.