Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Not amazing, really. Slightly punky country, if that's a thing? Not a huge fan of the sound, and the lyrics aren't as clever as they think they are or need to be for something like this. 2/5.
Oh look another 80s British band.
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.
Not exactly the hard punk I was expecting, but not unenjoyable either. Reminded me of Half Man Half Biscuit quite a lot.
mehkons.
If it was little better it would be great. If it was a little worse it would be awful. But it wasn’t.
never has there been a more three-star record than this
Kind of a weird punkish album, I don't really understand the sound of it. Not my cup of tea.
Pretentious. 2/5
Suprised with how good it is
From Wikipedia: "It blends the band's previously-established punk rock style with a country music sound." Well, that sure sounds like it could be a lot of fun! Oh. Well, bless you for trying something new. Here's +1 for a creative risk. Next?
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
Really kind of fun...a type of music that is right up my alley. Still didn't quite love it. 3.5/5
Get on that horse and fuck off.
Maybe..
Not 4 me
p534. 1985. 1.5 stars. Poor man's Pogues, out of tune, no decent songs and with a worse voice than Shane MacGowan. Bonus star for keeping it short.
Wish I could *fully* agree with that review favourably comparing Mekons with Viagra Boys. I can see the relation here, musically, lyrically and conceptually. So, all in all, it sure is an apt comparison. Yet for now, it seems to me that Viagra Boys' music is a tad bit more propulsive and textured (not to mention jazzier and funkier) than this mix of punk, folk and country from the eighties. Both acts are weird, sure. But I prefer my "weird" with funnier and catchier hooks. At least this record doesn't have all the usual new wave or mainstream production pitfalls of that dreadful decade. Which makes it endearing, I guess... 3/5 for the purposes of this list, translating to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes (5+3). Putting this LP on my "waiting list". We'll see if I bump into it again, and if it grows on me... Number of albums left to review: 469 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 252. Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 121 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 157
This is annoying and difficult to listen to; an up-its-own-arse record. It's the kind of music about which people would say "Oh you've probably never heard of them, but I love The Mekons". It's just not to my taste - purposely bland songs with too-clever lyrics; music for the head, not for the body or the heart. This review has become a bit of a diatribe but it's the kind of music I really hate now - I want visceral, powerful, moving and beautiful songs, not post-punk rubbish that's stuck in its own head. One star. Couldn't get past track 3.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: not my kind of thing Favourite song: didn’t have one
Rough and interesting, but probably too much of a downer for me to come back to
Don't like it
synthy chill vibes anime ish
Meh
Found this twee and annoying, not a vibe. I was in a bad mood when I listened to this, I'm not sure if that affected anything... but it certainly didn't help either.
This was interesting. Quite liked it. I looked the band up and they are very prolific, millions of albums.
A sort of punk-inflected folk. It has its moments. A bit disappointing overall.
Not bad - the previous stuff sounded a little more fun to me (like a fun bar band).
This was a fun listen
WTF? Like, seriously, WTAF? Certainly interesting enough that I'm glad to have listened. I can't rightly say if I'm a fan.
Interesting album, might give it a third listen. Not what I expected, definitely lives up to the description of alternative country. Rated a 3 for now.
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.
Chivalry, Flitcraft, Last Dance. Better than expected. I don’t like country really at all and I dislike most punk but having both combined wasn’t the worst thing ever. Not for me.
the album felt longer than 35 minutes. vocals are booty buttcheeks. there are sections that are almost good. instrumental parts of trouble down south and darkness and doubt
I enjoyed this fusion of punk and country. The first track is fantastic, but the middle is a slog. Picks up at the end at least. A worthy addition to this list, unlike many others. 3.5/5 FS: Chivalry, Country, Abernant, Last Dance, Lost Highway
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.
This is an album much like the collective that made it: an interesting idea in theory, not so much in execution. I’ve never been as high on these folks as others, especially in their alt-country phase which has always felt a little bit like inauthentic posturing, and the ramshackle playing doesn’t do much to distinguish them with more effervescent twangy bands of their era.
Kinda country leaning, brit punk? Interesting
Me pareció que varios temas podrían ser tranquilamente de Sumo; y otros, de The Cure, sobre todo por el parecido de la voz. Igualmente, no me gustó tanto.
Average and heard before.
Odd and unfortunately unfinished concept of punk and country mixed.
En aivan ymmärrä mihin tällä levyllä pyrittiin. Outoja välimallin juttuja. 2/5
Täähän oli kiva, kunnon ylläri. Kesäfiilistä. 3,5/5.
Avausraita ihan ok, muuten aika tylsä. 2/5
Watered down punky pop
Schwag
This is crazy man. Went in expecting regular alt country and got way more. Awesome
Helt schwägg
Absolutely solid, nice work guys.
Not for me. 4/10
Like folk punk, not a fan
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
Rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.
I really wasn't sure what to make of this even as I was listening to it. The vocals aren't very good, and the music kind of felt like too many things were going on. It didn't sound very good, and I couldn't process what I was listening to a lot of the time. A little annoying, but not bad enough for a 1. My favourite song was Psycho Cupid - Danceband on the Edge of Time.
Loved it. one of those albums you can't explain why :)
Nice
WHY?! Why is this garbage on the list?! It's so bad. The vocals are terrible, the songwriting is garbage, the musicianship is subpar, and the production values are nonexistent. Every track has at least one instrument that's just not playing along with the song. Often not even in the same KEY as the song. It's consistent enough that it's clearly a stylistic choice. A really bad choice. This album has no redeeming qualities. Fail.
I can mess with this. Alt-country is about the only country I generally dig and this is a good early example of it. You can tell that they're coming at it from a punk side which I really like. Thematically it's interesting too.
Genres: Alternative rock, alternative country Formed: Leeds, England in 1976 Run time: 10 songs, 35 min, 17 sec After hearing a couple of tracks from this album, I had the Mekons pegged as a stereotypical noughties, hipster group from a trendy borough of NY. Slightly wrong. They in fact formed at Uni in Leeds in the late 70’s. Fear and Whiskey is their fourth studio album. The album has punk, country and rock influences. I’m sure they have a hard-core following, but they have a limited popularity on Spotify: 40k - 194k plays. Lyrically, I didn’t think much of track 1, "Chivalry". It spent two minutes not saying much then repeated those two minutes entirely. Track 2, "Trouble Down South" reminded me of Billy Bragg. Track 3, "Hard to Be Human Again" and track 4, "Darkness and Doubt" harked back to the days of punk. Track 5, "Psycho Cupid (Danceband on the Edge of Time)" track 6. "Flitcraft" is an upbeat tune. No idea what it’s about or who or what “Long Dead Slim” is. Track 7, "Country" reminded me of Robert Smith (the Cure). Track 8. "Abernant 1984/5 is about a young man starting out as a coal miner, just in time for the miner’s strike. A great political commentary of that time. I think track 9, "Last Dance" is about unrequited love or possibly not having the confidence to make the first move? The final track 10, "Lost Highway" is a cover. It’s a great tune. The important question “Would I listen again”? Probably not. I enjoyed some of the tracks, other no so much. I will look for a “Best Of...” to try. My Rating: ***
Only had a quick listen, didn’t grab me so I’ve decided to carry on and live my life.
it seems like a joke, it’s not punk and it’s not country and there are no tunes
Weird. Didn't really dig it.
A pretty odd and obscure album. Not quite sure why so many albums are in this list and this is definitely one of them. The 80s sound of blah fits here but it’s the random instrumentals that make this so rough to listen to. Not sure if I ever even want to revisit this. There’s just no point to. There are significantly better albums yet this isn’t the worst in this list. 4.1/10
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...
Really enjoyed this one. I was surprised that this was released in 1985. It almost seems more modern. I look forward to hearing more of this one. Standouts: It’s Hard to be Human Again, Darkness and Doubt, 3/5
Dit kunnen wij ook met een paar weken oefening haha, wie zingt? 😅
Wat een week hè jongens
I really enjoyed this, it’s weird and I haven’t heard much like it, which makes me like it more! Adding punk influence to any other music genre makes an album sound like heaven to me. Fav songs: Psycho Cupid, Darkness and Doubt, Last Dance Least fav songs: I liked them all
A few good tracks but not my sound.
Meh. Really didn't enjoy and really only liked Last Dance. Country? 80s Pop? From a former punk band nonetheless? Again, meh. 2/5
The Mekons were one of those bands I'd heard of in the late 70's/early 80's but this was way before Spotify and Rogers Records on the highstreet didn't stock this kind of things so they remained a distant legend. Listening to this now I know for a fact I would have been disappointed. These guys are too clever for their own good. Listening to it now I can kinda 'see' what they were trying to do but it's like someone dressing up as a nurse. It don't make 'em a nurse.........
The Mekons' fourth album. They are from England. Genre: Alternative rock, alternative country First listen. Notable Songs: Hard to Be Human Again 2.5
They might have been uniquely peculiar some 40 years ago, but they definitely didn't withstand the test of time. I would not count this as an album to go back to.
This is a band from Leeds doing alt-country. This shouldn't exist, it definitely shouldn't be on the list, and I'm not sure I can trust anybody that thinks otherwise. Best track: Darkness and Doubt
I bounced in and out of this one while I was working, sometimes rocky and sometimes real twangy which confused me but apparently was their thing. Cheers
I listened to this about 12 hours ago and I couldn't tell you a single thing about it. I think it was okay?
Not bad, but nothing special. I suppose the addition of fiddles and the like to a punk sound is slightly innovative, but that doesn't really make it more enjoyable to listen to. I wound up stopping half way through the next to last song -- I got the drift by then, and there's better things I'd like to listen to. 2.5 stars, and I'm rounding down.
I had hopes as the album started that it would be something that I would like, despite the country and punk influences, due to the era and some snippets I heard before, but this album just gets progressively worse as it goes on. The fiddle isn't the issue, it's the barrage of sound this album presents with no real weight behind of it. It gives it a "band playing at a music festival you don't wanna be at" vibe, that is only saved because it never is offensively bad save for the one or two times it absolutely zapped my motivation in the moment. I do think my sister will think this album is amazing, as she loves everything going on here, so thanks for that Mekons, someone is getting something out of this, it just isn't me.
Konstigt… njutbart bitvis, men nää
Another good one!
I'd like to think that there are hundreds of subgenres of music, and with this list being only 1001 long, the best 1-10 albums of any subgenre are represented here. If this album isn't right at the bottom of this particular subgenre then god help the rest of the albums. Jesus Christ.
This is really interesting and the mix of punk and country occasionally threatens to explode into greatness However, the vocals are in that awful, affected nasal whine that was so prevalent in the 80’s and that’s hard to get past This could have been great… but really isn’t
Oh ya, this is right up my alley. Like the Clash but with a fiddle. Very reminiscent of The Pogues, and a slight attitude of Johnny Cash. There are a couple more strange avant garde type songs that were misses for me. But overall, this is a very fun, well written and ahead-of-its-time punk folk album. 4/5 Favorites: Chivalry, Hard to Be Human Again, Last Dance, Lost Highway Least Favorites: Trouble Down South, Psycho Cupid,
"Alternative country" 💀
go violon désaccordé ça leur évitera (d'avoir une audience)
Interesting to read about this album's influence as a punk and country combination. I didn't really catch the country genre while I was listening, but I guess there's some fiddle/violin mixed in. The music itself was not to my taste.
I like old school country, and I certainly don’t dislike punk and its derivatives, but, this album fell flat for me. I’m reaching for the Pogues, the Cure, or most anything else before this. I can imagine a later stage in my life where I wonder how I ever gave this album such short shrift. But for now, it remains worse than neutral
i’m not against the concept of alternative rock country, but this just falls flat.
Annoyed me at points
This took me so long to get through even though it was a short album it just was not enjoyable.
Meh kon, was alright mate
Surprisingly enjoyed parts of this,
It was probably good if you're into that kind of thing.
I like the artwork, all faded and washed out, much like the album.
It started out really good with Chivalry, and I was excited for the album. But then it got pretty bland, with some occasional pretty bad stuff, such as Darkness and Doubt with the out of tune violin (especially ending was outright bad imo), and it just didn't really recover to the level of the start of the album. Still, it could have been worse for sure, but didn't hit home for me, and will probably forget about this album fairly soon.
This was a bizarre album. Like a mixture of Viagra Boys, The Pouges and The Smiths, with some fiddle thrown in for good measure. Brownie Points for being different. I really liked "Last Dance" and added it to my own playlist.
My only exposure, really, to Mekons prior to today was via Boredoms’ cover/reworking/extrapolation of “Where Were You” on the Super Roots 7 EP. Boredoms take that song, with its propulsive punk backbeat, and stretch it out into an 18 minute, glitched-out, krautrock odyssey. Highly recommended. That type of punk doesn’t really exist on “Fear and Whiskey”, though track 3, “Hard to be Human” comes close. By and large, it’s what would we might call alt-country today, with maybe a bit more focus on the “alt” than on “country”. It’s not hard to see what Boredoms found inspiring about Mekons as I listen to Fear and Whiskey. It’s a strange album, with some avant-garde tendencies with occasionally processed vocals and spoken word passages, droning violin passages and songs that will occasionally stop on a dime, transform into something completely experimental and different, then return to their previous themes. Fear and Whiskey simultaneously manages to capture a “traditional” sound and a complete disregard for tradition. It’s familiar and unnerving at the same time, sort of a contradictory record. It’s a unique entry on the list and worth listening to more than once.
Helaas, dit ging langs me heen
Iets van gekte kan ik altijd wel waarderen in muziek, maar er zijn grenzen natuurlijk. Dit voelt als een groep dronken idioten midden in de nacht bij een kampvuur op een doordeweekse dag! Zoek gewoon een baan zeg!
Wat een verschrikking was dit en ronduit vals. Bah...
Ik denk dat het knappe hiervan erin zit dat je bewúst valse muziek kunt maken met bewúst valse zang eroverheen. Ander kan ik niet verklaren waarom dit briljant zou moeten zijn.
Ik vond deze muziek best aardig (al had ik op een gegeven moment wel een shitty-flute-experience). Maar best vrolijk en energiek. De stem echter... Die is toch gewoon vals?
This was not good music.
ну так фигня какая-то)
Hard to Be Human Again seemed the most familiar right out of the box with a pleasing melody and solid vocals. I definitely liked all of the dialogues that were mixed into the music, particularly on Psycho Cupid as I particularly enjoyed the face forward female sounds and the subdued but wild accompanying music. Abernant didn't work for me at all as I wasn't able to bridge the discordant sounds across the vocals. I wondered if there was a connection to David Lynch's Lost Highway or if that was (probably) just a coincidence. Interesting and weird one overall that I won't likely be reaching for any time soon-- I don't think.
Did not meet expectations. So, afterward I turned on Two Gallants, Old 97s and Calexico for a corrective listening experience.
What is this particular British vocal style called? So I can put a name to my hatred. Is it just called "the Morrissey?" The Mekons were punk before this album? I feel so bad for all of their fans in 1985 getting excited for a new punk album and dropping the needle onto this turd cake instead. However, taking the time to seek out some of the previous stuff, it was pretty weird. So who knows. But the lead singer didn't sing like that before this album. There were a few tolerable songs on the back half. "Abernant" and "Last Dance," I think. It finally started to feel like some the alt country influence around those parts, particularly the violins on "Last Dance."
Guy’s voice sucks.
The spoken word of Trouble Down South and Psycho Cupid was off-putting. Darkness and Doubt had some twang that was completely out of place. At least on Abernant the twang verged towards irish drinking song. This album is a big No.
I could repast all the zs from yesterdays Everything But The Girl review. In contrast, this album is more interesting and also more offensive to my ears.
legal o som, punk tem até un violino
This was an odd mix of songs
It’s good, but I only reviewed this album now (as in right now) after listening to it last week and, aside from the first two tracks, it’s pretty forgettable. Still good though.
I'd rather listen to New Model Army.
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!
Being a big fan of the Melvins, searching for their music in countless record stores, I've come across the Mekons on more than one occasion. I was always curious what they sounded like, but never really had the motivation to give them a listen. Now that I've heard them, I feel like I haven't been missing out on anything.
I got how important the band was, but maybe this is not one of their albums that really deserve to be part of the 1001 list. It's not bad, but a flat post-punk album.
2/5
Kind of fun post punk stuff? May revisit randomly but I don’t think this one will stick in my head too much.
definitley punk, not really memorable but reminds me of art rock, or velvet underground.
4 tracks in…this album is legitimately terrible. 10 tracks in…still sucks. Just bad.
It was ok. Vocals were rough at first. Little too punky.
Took the worst parts of country and married it with punk I could not think of anything worse than this. 1
Solid 80’s indie
I hate this kind of 80s British mopy synth pop lol
I had not heard of the Mekons or heard any of their music. Although this style became very common for the decades that followed, from what I've read this album was one of the earliest examples of "alt-country". It's still raucous-feeling to me, and some good punk-influenced rock with quite a bit of country elements. Overall, pretty good stuff.
This was definitely not my thing. Of course it sounds very 80s, but besides that I just found it weird and off-putting. Some instrumentals were sort of interesting but I didn't like most of it. It was bearable, I guess. Fave track(s): Darkness and Doubt
3.75
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.
I normally don't like this type of music, but this one is just sloppy enough to appeal to me. It's closer to Meat Puppets and The Waterboys than it is from The Pogues or whatever, which is a good thing.
Probably the most awkward thing I've heard on this list
meh
I can't stand this one.
4/5
Great genre mix.
Ok... sure... this feels like the band had some kind of emotional breakdown and then recorded this album. Oh boy.
Ugh
Here's a sentence I never thought I'd say -- I'm sick of post-punk country music.
pretty forgettable but i liked the last couple songs
Não precisava conhecer mais uma banda de indie da Inglaterra. Segundo a minha lógica e ritmo de audição envolvida e atenta, não tem mais espaço para músicas que soam monótonas e previsíveis.
It sometimes gets above pub rock, but not frequently enough
This had me reaching for so much other music as so many 80's & 70's elements (XTC, Police, even They might be giants, early Pulp). So thanks for the discovery, that's why I'm here!
Favourite song: Fear and Whiskey
31st January 2023 Listened across the day and finished on the 1st Feb. Ben and Nilisha over for dinner (curry trial for their wedding ). Country punk sounds like the pogues with a comedic edge. 3.5 if I could.
Some songs are better than others - confused by the punk vocals and the fiddle at the same time? 2.8/5
Kinda sounded like Fred Armisen doing an 80s uk punk band skit
Somewhere between The Fall and New Model Army. Eccentric in the best way.
"Fear and Whiskey" is the fourth studio album from the English rock band The Mekons. Musically, the album marked a dramatic shift from a previous punk style to incorporating more country elements include a fiddle, steel guitar and harmonica. It is credited as one of the early alternative country albums. I sort of agree with that but in this music, you hear rock, pop, a lot of folk, punk and country. The album lyrics and theme loosely center around a community struggling to retain its joy and humanity through a war. The album had modest commercial success due to production issues but had much critical praise. "Chilvary" opens things with a happy melody and beat. The fiddle and guitar carrying the melody which we see throughout this album. Three stanzas are repeated. He gets drunk and sees somebody he knows in tears. On the third song, "Hard to Be Human Again," a blues harmonica comes in and then the song goes more punk and rock with the beat. This sounds a lot like The Clash. I don't know exactly the meaning but a bathhouse is involved. Hey, we got a waltz in "Darkness and Doubt." We'll, at least a waltz at the beginning. A standard beat begins, the violin leads and we're country. I think this about rebellion. They do mention following John Wayne across the field. "Country" is actually a rock-pop song. I'm hearing Slade. A good change of pace from the previous more folk songs. The beat picks up on "The Last Dance." A violin lead with a standard rock back beat rhythm. Cool song. Simply about love and dancing. The album ends with a Hank Williams' cover "Lost Highway." They take this in a traditional folk direction. Again, a violin lead and the only guitar solo I get to hear. This album was fun. It covered a lot styles. You hear various other artists but they are definitely unique. The Mekons are a very prolific band with 23 full length albums, 10 EP's and various singles and compilations. I think I could replace finishing the challenge with finishing The Mekons and it would be in about the same time. However, I will check out more Mekons and so should you.
medium
Je n'ai pas été très impressionnée... Mon chum a dit: «On dirait des punks, mais pas fâchés.» Je pense que ça résume bien l'ensemble. Rien ne nous retenait dans cet album.
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.
It was like a mix between The Fall and The Pogues. An interesting collection of ideas delivered in an unorganized and low-budget production.
Kooky diverse unusual post punk with some fiddle
Jesus Christ those were the longest 35 minutes in my life. I don’t know man, it seems these were some tripping cowboys. I think a one would be too harsh, so I’ll give it s 2/5, since it isn’t a catastrophe, but it isn’t good.
5/10
The music was interesting but I just couldn't get past the singer. Some interesting prog / punk reminiscent of the pixies and the cardiacs.
This was fun. I really enjoyed it. Will dig deeper into the band.
I knew nothing of this album...or band...went in cold. And... I think I reaaaaaally like this. Added the whole album to my playlist. A weird mix of British Punk and folk/country meets a early David Lynch film? I don't know...but I liked it. saying 4.5 but giving it 5 stars.
oh no darling, this is just terrible stuff
Was not a bad listen. Lyrics could have been clearer.
Seemingly experimental, the featured fiddle, drawled dialog in place of singing, there is a sense of country and a tinge of Pink Floyd. However, this is bad country and a bad Pink Floyd. Notable exception is the song "Flitcraft" where the country and folk element just seems to work to where it might even work as a bar anthem. Beyond that, though, the album is without significant impact as it just sort of plays with a sense of crisis of identity till about halfway through when it blatantly tries to be a country album by a band that has an idea of it, but struggles with its execution. If there has been a question of what 'trying' sounds like, this is Exhibit A.
Folksy super unknown indie predecessor from across the pond. Some stuff was a tad too experimental for me but I thought it was interesting to listen to. Chivalry was the best song. 3.5.
Rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.
Medio punk así gracioso. Sin más.
1. Starts like mellow Talking Heads, but more mainstream. 2. Then it gets weird 4. Similar to Television, not bad 6. Sounds like Dreadnoughts drinking song 7. Like a bad Ramones song Total: strange mix of styles, couldn't put my finger on it. Not bad, but not in my favourites
Interesting and hard to label to any genre
Punk but wasn't feeling it
I couldn’t find one good song on this or any of their albums. A singer doing a Robert Smith impression doesn’t match this group’s so-so instrumentals.
A very interestig listen. Unique in a lot of ways
A very pleasing mix of post-punk, country and folk. Definitely grows on you
2,5
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.
Nah
Grata sorpresa este disco, no conocía para nada la banda y ahora me llevo varias canciones para mezclar en mixes
Was cool at first, but then it started to feel like that Clash record we listened to…annoying Defiantly interesting parts, but know when to reel it back
notes - alt country / punk album - never heard of this band before - in theory this should be up my alley, i like punk and i like country influences - it just didnt come together for me - the fiddle was annoying - the songs werent compelling enough to ignore it - the first couple songs were really rough, got a bit better after that fav - hard to be human again - where all the elements came together in a way that made sense least fav - darkness and doubt - intentionally wonky but it goes on way too long 2/5 interesting in theory but annoying in execution
This album definitely gets points for creativity regardless of how much I enjoyed it. The mix of punk and country works really well if you’re into both of those things. Unfortunately I wasn’t a huge fan of the punk side and didn’t enjoy this as much as I wanted to. Either way points for being unique
I thought it was fine probably
s'alright
Kinda strange country-folky rock album. Sadly I couldn't particularly get into this one very much, though some of the songs had interesting lyrics. Favourite: Abernant 1984/5
This sounds like what would happen if you mashed The Smiths & The Pogues together. It's not bad but it is confused. Not sure I'd listen again.
mehkons?
Meh... felt like a chore to listen to.
Depressing and out of tune
It was ok.
T3B 1. Trouble Down South 2. Chivalry 3. Flitcraft Very unique! Great listen, hard to score.
Didn't find much I enjoyed with this one.
3.5
Interessante combinatie, nog weinig gehoord. Maar de uitvoering was niet altijd even super goed
I like the vibe of this. Some good driving beats, and I like the violins.
It made me want to go listen to The Wedding Present and The Go-Betweens. This is a style of music that I usually love but I found this album fall flat in comparison to the aforementioned bands
Simplistic; didn't touch me.
Overall I liked this, not sure how much I'll be listening to it again though. I'd probably give it a 3.5 if I could.
★★★★☆ for psycho cupid - danceband on the edge of time but overall i wasn't into this
Not that I don't think this album isn't good by a technical standpoint or in the eyes of other people, but this album has everything that I am just not interested in. The half-present instruments and clunky rhythm makes it impossible for me to get into the music. Relieved when the last song ended honestly. Could have been worse, though so. 2/5
It takes until the final track for all the wayward ideas in this LP to coalesce into something listenable, and even then the final product leaves quite a lot to be desired. Adding a bunch of funky instruments (including some of the worst-recorded violin I've ever heard) and spoken word segments does not make your generic rock sound any better.
2 bad
It was decent. Nothing particularly memorable
Weird. Not in a good way. 2/5
Pretty good, some country influence but not as much as I was expecting Might want to try out more of their discography at some point, seems like they changed their sound a lot
This album is kind of funny, the country elements tinge it all over a lot heavier than I was expecting. I wasn't expecting it to feel so disjointed, but maybe that's what you get from one of the first to do it. I definitely consider the influence of traditional folk music to be a lot more present than country music, particularly considering what side of the Atlantic The Mekons hail from. Enjoyable enough.
Half of the album sounded more like Irish Punk, and the other like 80s obscura. That's not a complaint, lol
typically i've admired albums on this project that mashed together drastically different genres because some unique, creative sounds can be a result. well, fear and whiskey has changed my mind. the combination of alternative and country on this album does not mesh. i guess this was music but it was so disjointed. it didn't flow, no interesting sounds were created. other albums with unusual genre combinations were cohesive, at least. and that damn fiddle got on my nerves. i walked away unimpressed and bored. in fact, some of this was not listenable or enjoyable.
I had concerns when I saw the genre of "alternative country". I grew even more concerned when I read other accounts that this was essentially a mash-up of country and punk. I'm open to the idea, but I definitely wasn't convinced this album would be a masterful example of the mash-up. My concerns were definitely valid. It's an incredibly bizarre mashup that was not well produced. It's like hearing two different tracks, one country, one punk, that were layered on top of each other and just turned loose. The way it ends up manifesting in the final "mix" on most of the tracks is in the form of punk sounds with weird fiddle overtones. It's discordant, and it's messy. The vocals on this album are annoying and often rambly, too. I've heard worse on this project, but I'm not going to let it stop me from conveying in my rating that this was far from necessary listening.
It was okay, doubt I'll listen to it again
Alright.
DIdn't find this too compelling - listening as background music and nothing made me stop and want to pay attention.
Interesting album with a concept that gives it charms to a lesser known band from the UK. Still active today and doing great.
Started promising but it was not for me
Interesting blend of country and 80’s indie rock. Some catchy tunes included
im literally obsessed with this album, the clamor! the fiddle!! 10/10 i liked every song on the album 😔
This caught me by surprise. The singer is rarely on pitch and the drum machine is overbearing. Somehow it is post c&w and post punk at the same time. Yet there is a ton of charm here and I love it for its sheer creativity and effort.
Sounds like Morrissey, terrible.
Irish folk post punk?,
Bleak... 5/10
At the intersection of ‘80’s hair metal, country and punk lies this album.
Things I like: - Post-punk - Marxist ideals Things I do not like: - Fear - Whiskey - The fiddle With each listen the underlying melodies surface more and more, and 'Last Dance' is starting to convince me that perhaps the fiddle has some "raison d'être".
Not sure I quite get the almost surreal hype that, apparently, surrounds this album. Sure, for the most parts it’s a thrilling and enjoyable ride, but the first half feels slightly too long. The second half picks up the pace nicely but unfortunately ends on a lackluster note. Best: Trouble Down South / Hard to be Human Again / Last Dance Worst: Darkness and Doubt / Lost Highway
Good. I think I need to listen again
It’s Cowpunk—what else could you want?
Touches of the Cure, a solid listen on our car trip into Malaysia
Aldrei hef ég heyrt um þetta band áður og þessi plata gerir svo sem ekkert fyrir mig. Skv wikipediu er þetta fyrsta platan sem er stimpluð "alternative country" og, já, sá stimpill passar alveg. Það eru samt alveg pönkaðir undirtónar hér og þar.
Nope, not for me thanks. Bad. My dad would like this.
ooof 80s shouty trash no thank u sir
It's o.k.
Shockingly bad vocals. Sounds like a bunch of off-the-charts drunk people decided to form a band and record an album all in one night.
Interesting mix of genres but ultimately not for me.
Combining country and punk. Not something I would consider. On some of the pieces, it works. But doing it for the whole album, the novelty wore thin for me. And that spoken word piece, WTH was THAT all about? I totally get the vibe they were going for, but I wasn't feeling it. The best country punk song I ever heard was "The Country Death Song" by Violent Femmes. This was NOT comparable. Fortunately it was only 35 minutes. But still, not enough to sustain me. Give it 2.6, round up to 3. Moving on...
So I sampled a bit of the Mekons first two albums and, yeah, they couldn't have gone on that way. To paraphrase from the cinematic masterpiece Van Wilder, their previous work was decorated in post-punk f#ck. I'm not sure I'd call this country as much as Gaelic folk - of course mixed with post-punk or new wave(ish) alternative. The Dropkick Murphys probably owe the Mekons some credit. This album is admirable and far more palatable than their initial work, but I still don't think I want to make it my scene. I'll give a shout out to what I thought were the best songs - Trouble Down South, Abernant 1984/5, and Last Dance.
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.
When this was described as British pub punk, I assumed it would be similar to Irish pub punk. No, it's a very distinct genre of its own. Interesting listen.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Last dance
I can acknowledge that this is good. However, it's not my taste. Not a big fan of the vocals or the genre.
Based on the descrption, I wasn't sure I'd like it, but it was actually good
Kinda folksy Indi stuff. Not awful sounding but not my vibe. 2.5
Some great songs, but not really a great album as a whole for me. I definitely see the appeal and why it became so influential, I just wish it was more consistent.
Fun and samey all at once. It plays the one note well.
What if country music ended up in a London pub and drank too much? This is the album. Bar bonding singalong of Hank Williams, the social commentary of punk, and the rainy days of The Cure. It's a weird bastard of a child that is surprisingly enjoyable.
Another 90’s British punk group that sounds like a 90’s British punk group
Eh
Shannah missed most but didn't particularly enjoy what she heard. (1.5/5) Jane thought it was very 80s and a bit schizophrenic. (A generous 2/5) Bill commends them for writing a bunch of songs that weren't just love songs. (2/5) Few songs that Conor'd come back to. (2.5/5) 2/5
Pretty boring.
Fine, has some nice bits.
This is pretty cool. Janky, shambling, unusual. Reminds me of a lot of downright odd-sounding first wave punk like the Raincoats. Or like if Big Audio Dynamite went into British folk and American country instead of hip hop and reggae. The vague violen melodies over droning bass reminds of Richard Thompson's approach, but more punk and experimental.
Initially thought this was going to be a 4/5, but as the songs progressed, I liked it less and less. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't especially good either. 3/5
Couldn't get into the vocals. Everything else was fine.
Pretty nice stuff. It keeps a solid beat going and I like when the strings are added into the mix, but I don't think that I'll ever really go out of my way to listen to this again, either. C
Folky punk is kinda ehhh to my tastes, but this wasn’t tooo bad. I won’t be actively tracking more down from Mekons, but I won’t shy away from it either. 2.5
Lovely stuff
Not at all what I was expecting… I thought American garage rock. The is not that! Very enjoyable; needs a revisit though!
I had higher hopes for this. It passed me by a bit as punky irish music only slightly more modern than The Pogues.
Wow. Nobody gives a shit about this record. The first track has 161,000 plays on Spotify, but the others have less than half as many. Another critically-acclaimed UK post-punk record on this list. It's a genre I'm inclined to like. But what sets this one apart from the rest? After listening, I'm not sure I know. They are a tight band, and they are less metronomic than other bands from this moment. The drum machines weren't taking over. That's good I guess.
I was excited about this one. I mean “Fear and Whiskey” is basically my personal mantra. Alas, while it was definitely interesting, I wasn’t a huge fan. Sorry.
Someone’s drunk uncle recorded an album of himself doing karaoke at the pub.
Ehhh Never got into this band. Don't think this sound every worked well.
Yeah ok 80s pommy pub rock sorta stuff. Never heard it before yet it sounds like something I've heard a million times. Songwriting is kinda low effort. Nowhere near as energetic as the pogues, or as moody as the cure or smiths. Overall it's as generic as it gets, but it's not awful and it only goes for half an hour. 3/5.
I love their first single, a proper slice of messy punk pop. But I have never gotten along with their country-tinged later work, despite endless plays on the John Peel show. I was hoping this was a chance to change that, but I remain unmoved. The ‘looseness' of their earlier work is still there, but it sounds to me that they have sucked both post-punk and country dry, and this is what was left. And poor Hank must be turning in his grave at the karaoke-style closer.
Another album that is new to me. I loved it from the first opening seconds on Chivalry. It reminded me how brilliant albums use to be when they actually sounded like albums. 35-40 minutes is the perfect length. No ta to add ons and bonus tracks. Wonderfully wonky and unlike anything else around the time. You can hear the influences this had as post-punk grew up to become something a little more mature and socially aware.
Ik voel de potentie maar dit album is echt veel te vaag. Ik kan me niet voorstellen dat dit serieus bedoeld is geweest geworden. **
Ridiculous.
Good album but I don’t like fractured country lol. Favs were chivalry and lost highway
Best Song: None. Worst Song: Chivalry. What in the 8-bit cowboy is that background instrumental? Overall: I will be surprised if there is a worse vocal performance on this list. This sounds like your milquetoast colleague who always wants to go to karaoke, so you assume they must be able to sing, but when they get on stage they just start loudly talking with the music. And it's interspersed with amateur theatre? Even better. This album is one of the 1001 ways to tell that you've actually already died and you were sent to the bad place.
I get the feeling they were a punk band that looked over and saw what the Pogues were doing and thought, “Hmmmm, maybe that’s where things are going…” But then didn’t quite get there.
Very eclectic. Enjoyed probably slightly more than half the tracks though. Shame that the lead track was bad though as it coloured my opinion of the whole thing.
Fun stuff.
“Meh”kons Good title
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.
I knew the Mekons a little bit from hearing them on compilations from their more punk days. This one is a lot more experimental, some of which works, some of which really doesn't, and is much different sounding than what I expected based on the little I knew going in.
One listen sufficient. There is a reason this didn't get released widely in 1985. Not shocking, but not good.
Some nice ideas, the Mekons are really an idea band - as in I like the idea of the Mekons more than I like their music. Was it really the first alt-country album? Anyway, not much distinguished music.
Прослушивание 1 1 Что происходит вначале?) Он специально в ноты не попадает?))) Ну и дерьмо. 2 Ничего не понимаю. Эмоций нет. Похоже на проходняк 3 Ну и хрень 4 Скучное дерьмо 5 А в чем прикол говорить хрень весь трек? 6 Какая скукаааа 7 Спасибо этой группе за то, что в альбоме так мало треков. Слушаю из-за уважения к сайту и автору книги. 8 Исполнитель не умеет петь. ЖЕСТЬ 9 Вот у меня вопрос, а почему это в 1001 альбоме? Видимо надо было заполнить дерьмом. 10 Ура конец. Какой ты rollin stone. Как хорошо, что это всё Вывод: оценка понятна: 1/5
Decent. Varied between thinking "is this a precursor to I, Ludicrous" and "No, this is a bit more punky". Decent listen. Would I listen again? Probably not. Would I turn it off if it came up on random places? Probably not.
The mix of indie, punk and folk is really different and interesting. A through line from this through Belle and Sebastian to Black Country New Road is quite apparent. Not every experiment works, but when they do, as they do with Psycho Cupid it's transcendent. When they don't, it's just good. Flitcraft has a lovely Dexys vibe too - I can see the links - Bands that fiercely do their own thing regardless of the fashions.
This is why I am here, to discover bands and albums that I have no clue about. I went into this hoping for good things. It was fine though, nothing special on first listen.
Totally unfamiliar with the Mekons. Hard to get an accurate impression after one listen
I liked the idea but poor execution
Kinda mid
Joy Division really was one of the most influential bands of the 80's, couldn't stop thinking of them while listening to this album. Not to say it's bad at all, I quite enjoyed it, but felt too mixed on it for a few songs. A pretty nice album if you're a fan of punk/alternative/Irish pub sounds. 3.5/5
Really good album. Country elements are strong and not half-assed. Musicianship is top notch, and the lyrics were good but hard to follow. This album was a joy.
2022.01.11
Alt Country? What in hell? This sucked ass
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
Off pitch is not a good attribute, no.
Interesting - but not sure I would want to listen to that more than once