Reviews (page 2 of 7)
# Album Name: Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches # Artist: Happy Mondays # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Love this album. So many bangers. So many good times off it in the club. Great tunes. STill rocking it hard live today. Even though these guys should be dead. # Top Tunes: Whole album is great # Would I listen to it again? Yes
So fucking good
Such a vibe! Enjoyed the whole ride.
Happy Mondays is like an eternal shade of shameless hedonism. I payed attention to their music like 10 years ago. I was going through a rough period of my life. Did not know what the future held for me or if I was able to bare it. Then, these songs came to me. Bez looked like a guy who couldn’t care less. His ethos was bananas - playing the tambourine and dancing like there’s no tomorrow. That shit clicked. Not saying that I put responsibilities aside and let myself go as a slave to drugs and beats. It was the idea that there was another way to live your life what kept me going. Only thinking there’s another way - although you don’t take it- makes you free. So that’s it, this album made me feel a little more alive. Thanks you guys!
**In-Depth Review: Happy Mondays – *Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches* (1990)** *Label: Factory Records | Producers: Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne* --- ### 🎶 **Overview** Released in November 1990, *Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches* is the third studio album by Happy Mondays and the definitive document of the “Madchester” moment. It fused indie rock, funk, house, and psychedelia into a hedonistic, sample-heavy kaleidoscope that sound-tracked the ecstasy-fuelled Second Summer of Love. Reaching #4 in the UK charts and going platinum, it is often cited as the creative and commercial peak of the baggy era. --- ### 🖋️ **Lyrics: Slang, Scraps & Street Poetry** Shaun Ryder’s lyrics are a stream-of-consciousness collage of Manchester slang, drug references, pop-culture detritus and half-remembered hooks from other songs. He treats words as rhythm instruments rather than narrative tools: - **“Kinky Afro”** opens with the immortal couplet *“Son, I’m 30 / I only went with your mother ’cos she’s dirty”* – simultaneously hilarious, shocking and autobiographical. - **“Loose Fit”** turns a fashion slogan into a life philosophy: *“Loose fit / I don’t give a shit”*; the lyric mirrors the baggy clothing ethos of the scene—baggy sonically and spiritually. - **“Step On”** re-writes John Kongos’ 1971 hit into a narcotic anthem, ad-libbing *“You’re twisting my melon, man!”*—a line that became Madchester’s catch-cry. Ryder’s genius is in **re-contextualising** found phrases, adverts, playground chants and soul refrains, stitching them into something that feels both accidental and profound. Tony Wilson’s oft-quoted line that Ryder is *“on a par with W. B. Yeats”* is hyperbolic, yet captures how the vernacular poetry captured a generation’s chemical optimism. --- ### 🎸 **Music: Indie + House = Baggy Bliss** Musically the album is a DJ’s crate-digging session rendered by a five-piece rock band: - **Grooves first**: Drummer Gary Whelan and bassist Paul Ryder recorded rhythm tracks live, then **looped sections** in the style of club 12-inches; overdubs were treated like samples. - **Guitar grit**: Mark Day’s spiky, wah-treated riffs (**“God’s Cop”**, **“Holiday”**) add abrasive top-end to the rubbery low-end, preventing the record from sliding into bland chill-out. - **Piano house euphoria**: Major-key stabs (à la Italo-house) power **“Step On”** and **“Kinky Afro”**, linking the Haçienda’s dance-floor to indie guitar crowds. - **Soulful lift**: Rowetta’s gospel backing vocals elevate hooks from laddish chant to communal celebration. The result is a **seamless 45-min DJ mix** disguised as an indie album; tempos ebb and flow like a club night moving from warm-up to peak-time to comedown. --- ### 🎛️ **Production: Oakenfold & Osborne’s Club Expertise** Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne were superstar DJs, not traditional rock producers. They approached the project like a **remix session**: - Extensive use of **Akai S1000** sampling, filtering and looping. - Guitar and keyboard parts **chopped & repositioned** to create hook-based arrangements rather than verse/chorus structures. - **Ambient margins**: Reverb-soaked bleeps, crowd noise and found sound (**“Harmony”**) give the record a 3-D headphone space that rewards both home listening and large sound-systems. The duo’s club know-how **curated the chaos**, turning the Mondays’ druggy jams into a coherent journey that climaxes with the ecstatic rush of **“Step On”** and dissolves into the Velvet-Underground lullaby of **“Harmony”**. --- ### 🧠 **Themes: Hedonism, Class & Chemical Communion** 1. **Chemical Optimism**: Every track assumes the listener is either on, coming up on, or reminiscing about ecstasy. The lyrics don’t moralise; they document the fleeting sensation that *“everything’s gonna be alright”*. 2. **Working-Class Escapism**: Ryder’s tales of petty scams, dodgy dealers and sexual mishaps are rooted in Salford estates; the music offers a **carnival release** from that reality. 3. **Fashion as Philosophy**: *“Loose Fit”* and *“Kinky Afro”* equate clothing with mental space—baggy equals freedom, afro equals unruly identity. 4. **Pop-Culture Magpie-ism**: Lifting from Kongos, The New Seekers, Hot Chocolate, Labelle, James Brown—reflecting how rave culture itself **sampled history** to create futurist thrills. --- ### 🌐 **Influence & Legacy** - **Immediate**: Helped push British indie toward dance, paving the way for Primal Scream’s *Screamadelica* (1991), The Prodigy’s indie crossover and eventually Britpop’s rhythm-awareness. - **Long-term**: You can hear its DNA in 2000s dance-punk (LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture), 2010s psych revival (Tame Impala’s groove-centric tracks) and even mainstream pop’s embrace of four-to-the-floor kicks. - **Fashion**: The album cover’s candy-wrapper collage (shot by photographer Paul Slattery and designer Central Station) predicted hyper-colour 90s design and still influences street-wear graphics. - **Cultural**: Cemented Factory Records’ mythos right before its financial collapse; the LP is a time-capsule of the last moment when indie bands could go platinum while referencing narcotics on every chorus. --- ### ✅ **Pros** - Infectious **groove-led songwriting**—every track doubles as indie single and club tool. - **Innovative production**: One of the first rock albums to treat the studio like a DJ booth. - Ryder’s **lyrical collage**—funny, quotable, weirdly profound. - **Rowetta’s vocals** add soulful euphoria, lifting tracks from laddish to universal. - **Cohesive flow**: Plays like a night out, from anticipation to bliss to comedown. - Still **sounds fresh** on modern dance-floors; crate-diggers continue to sample it. --- ### ❌ **Cons** - **Inconsistent deeper cuts**: Tracks like **“Holiday”** and **“Bob’s Yer Uncle”** feel like groove exercises rather than fully formed songs. - **Ryder’s delivery** can grate—slurred, off-beat, occasionally unintelligible; non-Mancunian listeners may need lyric sheets. - **Drug references** border on repetitive; if you’re sober or uninterested in rave culture, the thematic palette is narrow. - **Light on musical virtuosity**: Players serve the groove, so don’t expect jaw-dropping solos or harmonic complexity. - **Album tails off**: Final third loses the killer hooks that make the first half so addictive. --- ### ⚖️ **Verdict** *Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches* is neither flawless nor especially expansive, yet it remains **the most successful and enjoyable fusion of indie rock and acid-house** ever committed to wax. Its grooves are undeniable, its attitude infectious, and its snapshot of a cultural moment unparalleled. More than three decades on, the record still **twists melons**—whether you’re shaking maracas like Bez or simply craving a colourful, escapist 45 minutes. **Score: 9/10** – A baggy masterpiece whose highs outweigh the occasional loose fit. --- ### 🔊 **Key Tracks** 1. **Step On** – euphoric indie-house anthem 2. **Kinky Afro** – slinky funk with killer chorus 3. **Loose Fit** – psychedelic strut, fashion manifesto 4. **God’s Cop** – widescreen paranoia, cinematic guitars 5. **Harmony** – velvet-lined comedown, perfect closer
Absolutely fantastic, brings back many good memories
You're twistin' my melon, man! Happy Mondays, I think capture the feeling of the whole Madchester scene 90s acid house, rave culture, and the raw energy of a night out. Being so intrinsically linked with the Hacienda, their sound completely embodies the party atmosphere of taking drugs, raving, and having a good time. They're a completely different sound to the Stone Roses, who are a bit more psychedelic. Shaun Ryder's vocals mumbly and all over the place in contrast with Ian Brown's monotone drawl. The music feels a bit looser and freer. Its a brilliant album that provides a perfect snapshot of Manchester nightlife during the late 80s and early 90s, as well as the Hacienda sound. Also special mention to Bez for being chief vibe master
Class. Strong enough to generate a 'genre' of music. Now go watch 24-Hour Party People.
Madchester is one of those kinds of music movements that are there for a short, yet very sweet time, and this album proves that in spades. 4.5 bumped up to 5.
I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. As most Americans probably do, I only know Shaun Ryder from being on “DARE” by Gorillaz. This is his band, and this is the first album we’re getting from the two albums they have on the list. I sort of knew about his speaking style, but I think “DARE” gives a sort of bad impression; it’s just a little bit out of his range, and the difference between his lower tone & the falsetto that the chorus is sung in makes him feel… not lazy, but more dulled down. It didn’t give me super high hopes going in, but I figured this would still be nice. Thankfully, I’m a bit of a moron. Shaun’s got good vocals here; it could be the 15 year difference showing, but I just think these tracks are far more suited to his range & as such, they pleasantly surprised me. Yes, he’s still got the speaking style to his vocals, but sometimes he really does glide on the beats in a melodic way, especially when he’s surrounded by the energy of the instrumentals. Speaking of these instrumentals, I’m pretty surprised at how coherently this mix of styles works; we’ve apparently gotten Madchester albums in the past, but this is the first one that feels so upfront about it. This is 90s electronica meeting 60s psych rock (with just a hint of the Britpop sensibilities of the mid-90s to come), and it works very, very well. Lyrically, I do think the album is a little loose, but given that this is probably filled with a handful of UK-adjacent references & my belief that the lyrics are probably the least important aspect here (though they do enhance a few tracks), it’s not that big of a deal. I think “Bob’s Yer Uncle” is the track where they matter the most, and it’s just to give even more of a creepy lean to the character being portrayed – Shaun’s whispery vocals are already slightly unsettling & combine it with an instrumental that feels as upbeat as it does, and you get the most interesting track on the album. As far my favorite goes, it’s probably “Loose Fit” or “Step On”, though it’s the type of versatile album where I can see any track being someone’s favorite. So, why a 4.5 and not a flat 5? Occasionally, Shaun’s flatter vocals do come in & bring down the energy, and that’s part of it, but it really does just come down to the outros on this thing adding far too much filler time to the album. I’m not saying time is an extreme premium or anything, but this could’ve easily been 3-4 minutes shorter by just trimming down some of the outros that go absolutely nowhere. I know it’s probably just a radio quirk to allow hosts to get their monologues / throws to the next track in, but… save those copies for the radio stations & not for the album version, you know? As a whole, the flaws aren’t that big, and I just found this far too enjoyable to seriously consider bumping it down to a 4; for my tastes, it’s an easy bump to a 5. I think I wanna listen to more Madchester stuff now; I’m not sure what else qualifies on the list, but I’m ready for it if it’s there. As fast as Happy Mondays goes, I can only hope that “Bummed” is as good of an album as this one was, whenever it comes up.
Joyful chaos from the heart of Madchester. Every track has its own hook and beat, but it all flows in the same funky, grinning haze. A total vibe of swagger and playfulness—five stars, highly recommended.
I could list a handful of british bands who listened to this and made ripping it off their entire identity. This is an excellent album, one that I am leaning towards giving a 5 straight away.
Excellent record, completely under-appreciated...
Fantastic album. Bridges the gap between pop, dance, hip-hop and indie and creates a really tight piece that never takes itself too seriously.
Great album. It combined sleaze, humour , bass and good times into one glorious swirling funk of an album. My soundtrack.
Loved it! Had a Stone Roses vibe …
Ooh, will I give this a nostalgia tinged 5? It’s a great album, a bit unhinged and a lot of fun. Let’s be honest the production probably makes it . I was dancing around the room much to my cat’s bemusement. I guess that makes it worthy of a 5
Owned a copy of this album since 1990. Singles are still awesome but Dennis and Lois is my fav.
Bumping
Good stuff. Never been sure about them but this was class. Definitely need to be in the right vibe but today I am. The well known ones are good but particularly enjoyed God's Cop and Harmony as new ones to me.
Full of bangers, still sounds the biz.
Well, that was fun!
Listening to this inspired me to watch 24hr party people!
Day489 - normally anything with electronica in the description turns me off but this was a great. everything seemed to blend perfectly
This album is just a glorious rush. One of the reasons it's just so enduring is that there are so many memorable tunes that could have been singles (but that would have been too corporate for Factory Records). "Son, I'm thirty/I only went with your mother 'cos she's dirty" is one of the best opening lyrics to an album ever. I was going to give it 4 stars as I previously thought it tails off for the last two tracks but listening in one go it still had me smiling to the end.
I was born in Manchester and spent most of my early life away from the city so I’m biased in my judgement of a lot of Manchester bands from this era. Saying that, I always loved the happy Mondays and they always felt like the best of the Manchester bands of the time
I was a little skeptical going into this listen that after 35 years this album may have lost some of its charm. I need not have feared, it’s as uniquely brilliant now as it was upon its 1990 release. Sean Ryder is in his prime here, dropping fun, blithe, self-deprecating lyrics which are layered upon an endless and eclectic groove. The Mondays are referential throughout with blatant nods to a wide range of musical influences - Hot chocolate, James Brown, Labelle, The New Seekers - all jump out at me I can’t help thinking that the upbeat nature of this album may have played a part in why I failed to get along with grunge at the time as it’s so contrasting to that scene’s narrative. It’s a brilliant album. It really is.
I feel like this is the missing link between 80's Elvis Costello and 90's rock. Fantastic piece
Bez must've been dancing his face off in the studio, because this album is packed with one awesome groove after another. After listening to this I feel that my mellon's been sufficiently twisted, man! Liked Songs Added: Step On
This is #day195 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… yippee-ippee-ey-ey-ay-yey-yey! Here we are with another seminal album of the Madchester era. As I mentioned in my review of Bummed a couple of months ago, the 2020 UK & EU vinyl reissue of this album slams hard. One of the juiciest-sounding records in my modest vinyl collection. As for the album itself, it’s fantastic, setting you in the mood right from the very first chord. Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches perfectly captures the vibe of the 24-hour rave parties on the cusp of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. It's hard to find that kind of atmosphere anywhere else, maybe only rivaled by Screamadelica... Tracks like "Kinky Afro", "Loose Fit", and "Step On" are real gems among others—this is the record to lose yourself to, vibe out, and let go. I'm giving it a 5 out of 5, of course. Looking forward to #day196.
I got massively into this album in my second year of uni - a time when I was listening to a lot of Britpop and Madchester music, as well as discovering my love for dance music - house, drum & bass, bassline and techno. It was one of the most significant years in defining who I am as a person, and this album will always remind me of those times. Pills ‘N’ Thrills And Bellyaches doesn’t want you to take it seriously, and doing so kinda spoils the fun. Because that’s the main thing this album is - fun. Bob’s Yer Uncle is the only track I’ve never been keen on, but there are so many great tracks - Kinky Afro, God’s Cop, Dennis and Lois, Step On. Musically and lyrically, there are far more adept albums on this list. But this has a laid back indie/dance funk that I always find myself coming back to.
Stone cold classic
Loved it! Easy listening and enjoyable the whole way through
Incredibly surprised! This was very good.
I’ve tried the Happy Mondays before and felt the same as most reviewers but I loved them this time. They like the Hacienda personified and the perfect album to encapsulate the Madchester scene. I loved a few songs and liked the rest. Can’t imagine how great it was to hear this in its full glory at the time. Rating: 4.8
Kinky Afro - pretty good. God's Cop - the riff and scatting in this are great. Donovan - really like this one. Grandbag's Funeral - too abrasive. Loose Fit - like this one. Dennis and Lois - really love the sunny sound of this. one. "It's good to see you. To see you nice. If you do me once, well, we'll do it twice" is great. Bob's Yer Uncle - love his voice on this one. Step On - again, love the sunny sound of this. Holiday - love it. "Slow down, bitch! Bitch, slow down!" - obsessed. Harmony - pretty dull but sure the rest of the album is great so no problem. SHOOK by the sudden stop though - loved that. Tokoloshe Man - not bad.
Can only listen to this while groove stomping. My kind of party.
1 star. 1 good song.
Superb!!!
On it
A hugely important album to me. It came out when I was a teenager and showed that new music could be good, when I thought I'd missed all the good stuff that happened in the 60s etc. It still holds up today. Great music, great swagger.
I still remember the first time I heard this aged 13, a classic!
Brilliant. Love this album.
Huge fan of this. Again a large part of my musical awakening, the Mondays sound is just so full, and real. Plus they were from Salford, and so was I. You do wonder how they managed to make this when you saw what they got up to. Dennis and Lois is summer. Funky as fuck.
Perfect for a summer's day. Just a snapshot into the Madchester scene which still sounds good today. I'm surprised it hasn't aged more considering it was so of its time.
Dead on the floor tired but this is a lot of fun
Shambolic genius. High point of Madchester/baggy and indie/rave crossover. Album isn't perfect, but the best bits, stolen from all over and blended to perfection - Kinky Afro, Loose Fit, Step On etc are fantastic fun. It was a great time to be 16.
A perfect album now the sun is coming out. It's going alongside The Stone Roses debut and New Order's Technique as incredible summer day-drinking albums from '89/90. It has no clever messages really, just a hedonistic let's-get-fucked-up vibe which is enthralling. Rock and pop and funk and dance all come together wonderfully 05/05/24
Funky, druggy and tawdry, with that combination how could I give it less than five stars?
Crea un ambiente muy lindo en el cual estar, musicalmente tiene cosas interesantes. Por momentos me recordó a INXS.
Masterpiece. Amazing album.
Mega fedt! Klart noget der skal ind i min rotation. 3 banger tracks, og det har bare hjerte og spiller. Mega fedt cover også
That's a nice punky album
Best so far
All the hits a great swooshy diy rave guitar bender. Could something like this happen again id like to think so.
Tried to put aside my preconceptions about this, buts it's still a five star album all day long.
Good fun. Not sure about the intentionally off singing, but I enjoyed it and like their musical output. I pushed it from 4 to 5 stars purely because it would be funny if this was our group's top rated album.
Kinky Afro is one of my favorite songs of all time. Listening to the album again, I realize how great Harmony is too. The rest is more like 4* but I'll give it 5* for Kinky Afro.
Wow
Amazing
This album is ridiculously listenable to - bearing in mind that it's not clear how much the band played on it, how much was due to production wizadry, and it is clear how Sean Ryder was 'vocalist' rather than singer. Along with the first Stone Roses album a memento of a quite uniquely British artform: baggy.
It's an album so tied up with the British music movement of late 80s/90s, that I wonder what other nationalities make of it. Some guys stole some instruments, learned to bash out a tune and worked out that the guy they gave the mic to was a genius. Working class boys played in guitar bands and hoped to be famous and get out of the terrible lives they had. This gang of boys then took some ecstasy, went to the Hacienda and discovered rave. Then rather than throwing their guitars away and becoming a dance band they put it together. OK there were producers that helped, but this was the moment it all worked. They were too much of a shambles to be a stadium band, or to dry out or to keep it all together for a few more albums. But on this album, in that year, they created something absolutely unique and brilliant.
Brilliantly sunny tunes, so evocative of the early 90s. From the party classic Step On to the superbly cheeky Bob's Yer Uncle, it's a great ride, pun intended. You're twisting my melon man!
4.5
Amazing vibes
Not the most outstanding album here but I had a good time.
Liked this much, much more than the other HM album. Best pure 90s album I think on this list. It's northern, working class and full of upbeat hopefulness which defined the decade.
A gobby smartarse yelling over Balearic fusion with a heavy dose of studio gloss. It shouldn't work, but it does. Loads of fun, catchy tunes and memorable lyrics. Favourite song: 'Dennis and Lois'.
Know iit well
I'd forgotten how much joy I get out of listening to Happy Mondays, something about them just makes me ummm Happy. Fave songs Kinky Afro, Loose Fit, Bob's Yer Uncle, Step On.
Bloody love this album. Best opening line of any album
Such a massive vibe. Reminds me of Spiritualized but more party
I really liked this album. The voice compliments the music very well, and either by itself would simply be doing this album a disfavor. The music is great in that the melodies draw you in and keep you there. Many songs have a sort of pop feeling to them or at the very least an upbeat tone. In addition, there are some funk-inspired songs, which is a plus for me personally. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. Favorite track: God’s Cop
I got "Bummed" a couple of days ago and really liked it, so I went into this one thinking it would be on the same level of enjoyment; however, I was disappointed. The album cover is really cool, and I think fits the genre and style they were going for. The album feels like a mellowed down version of "Bummed," a more radio friendly version that takes a lot less risks. This album is still enjoyable, but I think this one is just not as good as "Bummed." The lyrics are a little more bland on this album, and the songs are more upbeat which, in my opinion, isn't an improvement over "Bummed"'s sound. I do have some praises over "Bummed" though. The flow of the album is much better. It is a much more coherent album, and it does this by taking less risks. The psychedelic tone still comes through on many tracks and (in most cases) done much better than on "Bummed." Highlights: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10.
super cool
Kinky Afro is pretty good
Very good, love the ambience of the first track, love the chaos of the second one, and the in-between chaos and calm of the last 2. Fantastic album.
I've never heard of this band before, but I'm glad I now have because every song on this album is a total banger.
Incredible, vinyl quality
Good vibes
Great album. Really bridges the gap between new wave and Britpop. I will definitely be returning to this album
This album was ever-present for me in college (roommate's favorite) but I did not own it myself. I wasn't really into it at the time (I was more into classic rock) but appreciated it way more now. Would listen again.
Sorpresa grata. La verdad me la pasé muy bien con este disco, tiene que su rock, que su eclecticismo, que sus beats, que sus texturas chidas, que sus vocales culeros que suenan edgy. Desde la flauitita de bobs yer uncle, la onda britpop de Gods Cop, hasta las vibras de The Doors en Grandsbag Funeral, un disco que no aburre. Mood: 0% skips.
I wasn't aware that I was gonna get a second round of these guys. I loved their other album on this list (seriously, how the hell does that have a 2.65/5 average right now?), and this album's about as good. There's absolutely no way that this band was good for the health of anyone involved, though. These guys are blasted halfway to Jupiter. There are even a few points throughout the album where the singer completely loses the beat and just goes on for a while until he matches back up with the band. That kind of stuff makes the music fun, though, and this album is decidedly much groovier than Bummed. I will say, sometimes they get a little too lost in the drugs and forget what makes them sound goo, so while I do prefer Bummed to this album, I do quite like them both.
I like this. There are some great tracks and a man of the match performance by Paul Ryder. Fond memories of my dad playing this album in his racing green Vauxhall Cavalier!
Kinky Afro is a great start to an album "Son Im Thirty, I only went with your Mother caus she's dirty" Loose Fit and Step On obvs stand out. Last 2 songs sound very Stone Roses, John Squire-y guitar. The music is cracking: beats/drums especially. they were never appealing fir the 'vocals' if you can call em that. Coulda really done without him tryna sound sexy on Bob's Your Uncle though. Take me a while to peel that off my brain
Thoroughly enjoyed Happy Mondays on a Happy Sundays
Some great tunes on this one ("Kinky Afro", "God's Cop", "Step On"), and a bunch that were good but didn't stick with me. Might give it another listen at some point.
Some of these albums are good at evoking not just the year they were recorded, but also the times they represent. If 1990 Manchester were to have a defining sound, add this to the Stone Roses debut and you pretty much have it. Shaun and Bez are the the Happy Mondays to the uninformed observer, but the fusion of punk and stones in the guitar playing and the ever more syncopated drum beats are just as responsible for the band's sound as Ryder's garbled improvs and Bez's dancing lunatic image. Special mention for Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne in there production and mixing. Loose fit and Kinky Afro stand up well but John Kongo's cover 'Step on' is now a classic. I enjoyed revisiting this.
When energy exceeds talent. Super great fun
4/5 actually really catchy
They’ve never been a favourite, but this is a fun album with some very decent tracks. Favourite track: Kinky Afro
Guitar and alt vocals. Solid drumming. Summer vibes? "Cool". Some bluesy vibes, "funky soundgarden". Very much a product of the time, but also a product I wish I had heard earlier, pretty good!
Can't complain
Another pleasant surprise — knew of this group but that’s about it.
This is really close to something I love, but just not quiet. I thought all of the individual songs sounded good, but they all felt like they were lacking that extra touch that would bring it over the edge from good to great. Overall a solid album, this is more like a 3.75, but I will round up to a low 4. Low 4.
Seems to have improved with time
The perfect cross point between alternative dance and baggy. A vibey, groovy rock band with a keyboard and programmer bringing the dance music. It’s crazy that a group who presented themselves as raucous, careless nihilists somehow managed to turn in one of the tightest, fluid, meticulously detailed records of the 1990s. It had a defining influence on the sound of the decade yet has never been replicated.
8/10 I wasn't really feeling this at first but it had a few surprises such as 'Bob's Yer Uncle'. I think it might grow on me with more listens.
Underveis måtte æ sjekke om Happy Mondays kanskje hadde en sang på soundtracket til Baz Luhrmann-Romeo & Julie, for det føltes sånn. Dem har ikke det, men det hadde passa utmerket godt inn, så tolk det som du vil.
Madchester representation! Going to guess this one doesn’t land too well with the non-UK based users of this site.
Really enjoyed!
Not too bad. Some arrangements can be inspiring. Can be a good foundation to build on top of. Loose fit ok. The rest is unfortunately just mediocre. But overall it’s a nice one.
Brit Pop innit?!? 4
Whiny Brit pop. Reminds me of younger times.
If heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy could collaborate on an album for the 24 Hour Party People aura farming crowd, this would undoubtedly be the result. Listening is like being at the Hacienda, capturing that wild Madchester vibe when indie and acid house got all loved up. It's awesome, crazy chaos, thanks to Paul Oakenfold's beats and Shaun Ryder's lyrics, they're deep, funny, and totally nuts, I mean he opens the album with the refrain "Son, I'm 30, I only went with your mother cause she's dirty, and I don't have a decent bone in me". From "Kinky Afro" to "Step On", it's exactly how a night out feels, including the morning after... Some might say it's a mess, but that's the scally charm of it all, it's all nothing but pure vibes, not being super musical. It's a classic British album, people either love it or hate it. I think it's a must-listen, still gets me hyped after all these years. It's a crazy, unforgettable time capsule.
Kind of like 60's Rolling Stones. A lot of joy and excellent tunes. 4/5
I know Ryder can’t sing but there is some great music in this.
A fun baggy album of mostly bangers.
It was always going to come down to when I heard this. The Mondays, who - as previously acknowledged - are at best a very imperfect band, are probably the most experiential listen of all time. If I was trying to work, or read, or behave like an adult in any way, it's hard to see me enjoying this. As it is, a sunny Saturday morning, pottering about before a big day out with some pals, it was absolutely storming. I found myself really focused on SW Ryder's lyrics. They're way better than they have any right to be a lot of the time. He's a poet, hidden behind a scally facade. Ultimately, that in yer face lyricism, the baggiest possible beats and the knowledge that, just out of earshot, Bez is having a right old time, is all good enough for me.
Приємний чиловий та груві альбом. Дуже британська музика
Apple Music lists this as pop so with that considered, I really enjoyed this one. I think it dates itself, and you can clearly tell this late 80's inspired, but it's still solid
I very much enjoyed this album. Some songs remind me of the cure. Very 80s very groovy.
All about the grooves and hooks. More of a scene than an album, but it has a happy place in my life.
This was a fun little album. I don’t think it’s amazing but it was a fun listen-through.
This is just a great overall sounding record, no single track jumps out but the whole works, just a feel to the whole thing, great groove and interesting lyrically. Didn’t pay much attention when it came out, there was that odd bloke dancing about not appearing to do much else. Bowl hair cuts and baggy trousers. So Wasn’t expecting to like this but I did, liked it a lot. 4 Star
Muy buen disco, temazos geniales y en general una muy buena sorpresa. Con más escuchadas a este y otros de sus álbumes, seguro les pongo más calificación, pero de entrada lo disfruté bastante.
Always thought Happy Mondays were a bit of a fun novelty band but this is the real deal. Tons of snotty attitude and danceability.
More fun than I expected, seeing how lukewarm alot of the reviews have been.
i only went with your mother cause she’s DIIIRTY
I really like these grooves, even if I couldn’t quote a thing
S'pretty guud
Like this a lot. Love making rock instruments into dance music, it's very innovative and I found it entrancing at times.
Some great tracks, captures a moment perfectly, Fucking love Shaun and Bez.
Może to mój dobry nastrój, a może to po prostu dobra płyta. Nie jest wybitna, nie wkręca się w mózg tytanowymi śrubami, ale jest ciekawa. Kojarzy mi się z takim trochę bardziej tanecznym U2. 6.5/10 równane w górę.
I’m
Wow, 3 albums que j’aime d’affilé! J’espère que rien de mal va m’arriver demain 🤞🤞
I bought this album when it was first released. Hearing it now for the first time in many years, it’s a bit more interesting than I’d remembered and, certainly, musically much more sophisticated than their previous two albums had been. I also hadn’t realised quite how many cultural cross-references there are in the lyrics. A couple of the songs on here, eg Step On, are real bangers.
As someone living outside the UK, I'm genuinely curious how britpop became so popular outside the UK and not madchester? This is the second madchester album I've gotten from the list and I like it so much more than any of the britpop albums that have been generated. Maybe it's just because it's new to me and I haven't heard it thousands of times like Oasis and Blur? Would I feel differently if madchester managed to break out of the UK and britpop didn't?
Good stuff! relaxing, psychedelic, easy listening, a bit samey but excellent up beat background
Another Oasis-adjacent band, but dance-y and with some songs you know and forgot about.
I never listened to the Happy Mondays much, but I really enjoyed the whole progressive thing that came mainly out of Manchester in the late 1980s/early 1990s. It's was a nice next step for new wave and punk. They kinda hit that electronica/dance itch too, especially with some of the remixes. This is an excellent album and you can clearly hear the influence they had on the bands that later fought in the Great Britpop Wars of the 90s and the Early Aughts.
Pretty good album, though I don't have much to say about it.
3.8
This was fun. It is a solid soundtrack while I was studying. It doesn't ask alot of me and I'm happy with that. It is a fusion of indie and dance and for the most part, it works well. The highlight for me was Step On
Bastante guay, bastante buena onda, me mola su rollo. Me gusta que esto me esté haciendo descubrir grupos que no me habrían saltado a la vista de otra manera. Hace que tenga imágenes menos caricaturizadas de las décadas pasadas y HA ENTRADO UNA FLAUTA. Ha entrado una flauta en Bob’s Yer Uncle y me acaba de hacer una gracia tremenda discazo. Nunca había escuchado nada de la escena Madchester y con esto del baggy para mí es como si se hubiesen inventado un género en rym pero ey no me quejo que está guay. Medio rock, medio dance, medio hip hop, bastante chill, bastante divertido.
Fun madchester sounds, I dig it
Was really surprised by this one. Great beat throughout this album. Really enjoyed it. Solid 4.
Listening to Happy Mondays always gives me this weird false sense of nostalgia, like I’m longing for a time and place I wasn’t actually around for. But they really do capture a unique moment in British music history. They had a smooth blend of indie rock mixed with acid house, and their whole vibe was aimed for the dance floor, but done within the framework of an actual band instead of a DJ or producer. The album’s production was handled by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne, and both played a big role in shaping the sound. Paul Oakenfold bringing in the club elements while Steve Osborne handled the rest of the production. It’s also worth noting that this was one of the first albums Steve Osborne was credited for producing.
This was really good. Good music, different and unique.
Wow. Every once in awhile they send me an album that gets me by surprise. I had never heard of these guys before but every song on here is a banger. The first three songs, Kinky Afro, God's Cop and Donovan are my favorite. I can't even tell you what genre this is. It's kind of like Elvis Costello meets the Byrds.
music
77/100. A very enjoyable listen. Might be my first real exposure to the “baggy” sound, and I liked it. The blend of psychedelic rock and dance grooves really works.
This does have one of the greatest opening lines of any album, and the peaks (Kinky Afro, God's Cop, Step On) are fantastic time capsule moments. I don't think it holds together as an album, especially with the added remixes at the end, but it's a solid, fun, funky listen. High 3/low 4, just stretchkng into 4 territory for me.
Had never heard of this before but it was pretty good.
The second half of this album is exceptional Harmony is outstanding, Bob's Your Uncle is so good.
Quite better than Bummed. Every track sounds good, and is enjoyable though not memorable. Again reminds me of Talking Heads 3.9
Schöne Fusion von Indie und Breakbeat-Elementen. Krass, wie anders Shaun Ryders' Stimme im Vergleich zu Gorillaz' "DARE" klingt.
This is great stuff. I really enjoy the mood of the whole album. "Kinky Afro" is just superb. "Step On" is also great - even though I now see it's a cover.
One of the albums that captured the zeitgeist of the Madchester scene. Some great tracks on here which are probably more accessible than previous albums. Not my personal favourite but I enjoyed revisiting this album
Will need to give another listen. A good rock album.
Creative, funky post-punk, alt. rock, psychedelia, dance. I think I might have seen the name of this group before but I hadn't heard any of their songs until now. I really enjoy bands in the realm of the Madchester & Baggy scenes. I think this is just as good as the Stone Roses' debut. Happy to add this to my library.
I was always a big Stone Roses fan and due to misplaced tribalism never really listened to the Happy Mondays. I know the big tracks very well and they have a great groove. The album tracks a bit more of a mixed bag and I am on the fence about Shaun Ryder. You can hear the strong Andy Wetherall influence in the mix. Not quite a 5 for me.
Listening to Happy Mondays always gives me this weird false sense of nostalgia, like I’m longing for a time and place I wasn’t actually around for. But they really do capture a unique moment in British music history. They had a smooth blend of indie rock mixed with acid house, and their whole vibe was aimed for the dance floor, but done within the framework of an actual band instead of a DJ or producer. The album’s production was handled by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne, and both played a big role in shaping the sound. Paul Oakenfold bringing in the club elements while Steve Osborne handled the rest of the production. It’s also worth noting that this was one of the first albums Steve Osborne was credited for producing.
Took me about halfway through before I started vibing with this album. It’s pretty good once I was on its wavelength. But I still have no clue what defines Madchester music. Is it just kind of scuzzy britpop? Who knows
Fun silly Manchester in the late eighties
I was nervous about this one. First album by someone I had never heard of. Then I saw Paul Oakenfold mentioned and I thought, ok, let's give this a chance. I actually really enjoyed this album. It's fun, fresh, and catchy.
This album is right up my alley I really enjoyed it
The most mellon twisting album of the 90s - at once ecstatic and miserable in a uniquely Mancunian mode. Sprawling dance rock that's wild, ecclectic, hedonistic: a triumph of the pure desire to have a good time over the necessity of talent. Fun remixes too.
I wanna listen to more Madchester music. Favorite track: Kinky Afro 3.5/5
****A good album, easy listening
whata Madcester
Enjoyable and fun, with a good variety of instrumentation. Often noisy in a fun way.
++: Kinky Afro, God's Cop, Grandbag's Funeral, Dennis and Lois, Holiday, Harmony +: Donovan, Loose Fit, Bob's Yer Uncle, Step On 8,2/10
Upbeat and groovy. This one was a good one from start to finish. I particularly liked Dennis and Lis, Step on, and Holiday.
I had no idea what this was before today, and at first I wasn't sure whether I liked it or not, but by the end of the album I was completely won over and I listened to it again. Cool melodies, crunchy, edgy guitar riffs and just overall cool and nice sounding music. Four stars.
It only just occured to me as I was playing this album how much EMF's "Unbelievable" has messed up my perception of Madchester. When I imagined the genre in my head, I heard big guitars, a running beat, lots of energy... Y'know, jock jam shit. Shit you could put next to 2 Unlimited. So, you can imagine my surprise, then, when I started listening to an actual, foundational Madchester record and it's... Not that. It's not hype at all! That's not to say Madchester, as last as I'm taking it from this album, is slow or anything. It has a clear pulse to it. But I can tell, it's much more inspired by indie rock, acid house and 60's psychedelia and pop. It's way more chill than I would've expected. And I can imagine that a younger me would've been disappointed by this fact. "Y'mean it's **not** as pump-up as this EMF song? That's lame!" But I'unno, listening to it at the age I am, in the state of mind I was in... I dug it. It's just such a fuckin' vibe, man. And a damn groovy, danceable one, too. I mean, the problem I have with a lot of music I imagine is supposed to be dance music is that I can't imagine how anybody **could** dance to it. That's why a lot of electronica falls short in my eyes. But this? Oh, I can imagine absolutely getting loose to it. Hell, even in my chair I was movin' my stuff a little. I hear "Bob's Yer Uncle" is lyrically about a creepy guy — heck if I care, though! The acoustic guitar workin' together with the bongos are too good! And the flute that pops in? Oh, yes, please, I am **down** for this. If I've got any problems with this album... Maaaaybe these songs could have been cut down a liiiittle? I can absolutely jive to these grooves, don't get me wrong, but I'd be lying if I said I couldn't agree with a fellow group member that maybe these outros go on for a little long. Myself, I don't think it's radio DJs; I think it's to keep the energy pumping in the club. But I'm not at the club, nor on MDMA, so... But it's hardly enough to knock it any big points. Regardless, though, consider my interest in this scene fully renewed. I don't know if I'm going as wild for it as British critics were back in the day, but dang, yeah, this is good stuff, and I had a lot of fun listening to it. I guess this is another win for the Gorillaz stamp of quality — I mean, "DARE' in no way prepared me for what this would sound like, but still. I'm pretty happy, y'all Mondays. (And seriously — what was I thinking, defining Madchester by an EMF song? I don't think they're even Madchester to begin with! Maybe they started in there, but do they sound like this? No! And maybe they coulda lasted a little longer if they did. But, eh, somehow I think they'd still be One Hit Wonders b/w an "I'm A Believer" cover for Comic Relief. Ah well. OH!)
Un álbum enérgico y divertido. Me resulta como una combinación de The Rollings Stones con Gorillaz (por la sonoridad general, la energía, la voz y las melodías). No sé si considero que sea un álbum particularmente memorable, pero creo que con ánimo adecuado se disfruta bastante. No tengo mucho más para destacar.
Fav Song: Step On
I'm torn... I really enjoyed many songs of this album, but it felt waaay too long! that's the problem with albums that include 40% of repeat songs. If we took out the last 30 mins of this album, it would have been a 4.5, but... 3.5
Funky
9/22/25. Didn't know what to expect, what a pleasant surprise! Not sure why I get a little tropical vibe, but the songs are uplifting and laid back while still having a rock sound. The guitar work vaguelely reminds me of The Police. A bit high praise? Maybe. But enjoyed this album a lot!
This album is pretty iconic, and much more solid than I expected it to be. The three best songs are the singles of course (Kinky Afro, Step On, Loose Fit), but the general vibe is great, and it's an important point in the evolution and popularisation of dance music.
A few stand out tracks, and overall a decent album
Lekker prog raar album, wel leuk
I enjoyed this album quite a bit. There are quite a few catchy tracks on the album.
I gave Bummed three stars and compared it to a different version of James. The comparison to James is still apt, as so much of what Happy Mondays does sounds like James, especially on the first half of this one. I enjoyed Pills 'n Thrills and Bellyaches more than Bummed. It starts off really strong and then does taper off a bit towards the back half (except for Step On). I can tell they were working with Paul Oakenfold because there is a more "dancey" sound to this one. The feeling here is very, very Brit-pop. Proving that Oasis helped to make it popular but there were other bands doing Brit-pop before it was even considered a genre by most. I would recommend this one over Bummed, as this has better songwriting and just is an overall better album. Step On started off with such a 90's R&B keyboard lick that I thought C&C Music Factory had taken over my Spotify. Kinky Afro God's Cop Donovan Loose Fit Dennis and Lois Step On
80s indie rock dance music. Worked for me.
I enjoyed this one quite a bit more than the other Happy Mondays album on the list. I would listen to this one again, happily.
Interesting enough and has aged well. Some good guitar-playing too. But although this was a pleasant one, I don't see its significance, if you're not a member of the 90's Manchester party scene.
En nice blanding af rock og dance. Det er britisk festkultur i slut 80'erne og starter 90'erne. Det hedder åbenbart Madchester musik hvor man blander baggy rockgrooves, acid housebeats, psykedeliske guitarer og funky basgange. Historien eller albummet skulle gerne føles som en nat i byen hvor virkelighed og hallucination blandes. Det er åbenbart en af de definitive madchester albums. Baggy betyder det er loose og groovebaseret, langsomme og dansebare rytmer.
Madchester saints giving good vibes while pushing up the tempo
Good music. I can see how if you were 15 and in Manchester in 1990 this would become your entire personality.
8/10 - pretty good! very unique for a rock album :)
Fun ‘90s flashback.
Shocked, surprised snd thoroughly impressed. Based on the album cover I thought we'd be listening to some 1990s disco infused hip hop pop junk like Dee Lites. But no, bulletproof, groovy, influential britpop and rock. Blends and encapsulates all the 4 britpop super groups into one amalgam of delightful listening. If listened to critically you can here disco grooves and rythmns of Stone Roses, sonic qualities of Blur, song structures of Pulp, and the vocal stylings of Oasis but 4 years early. Ill need some more time with this band but its a great listen. Especially on friday, with friday beers in the pipeline later.
If there's ever been a more Madchester album than this one, I haven't heard it. The Happy Mondays were born out of the Factory Records scene, the fiercely independent record label that was home to Joy Division and (just about) everything else that come out of Manchester influenced by the Sex Pistols. As Joy Division would give way to the dancier, synth-laced New Order, so would other bands start to bring post punk to the dancefloor. The Happy Mondays were supposedly pretty chaotic behind the scenes, but they really delivered on this new style, aided by the production of DJ Paul Oakenfold. Primal Scream would follow this path a year later, enlisted electronic artist Andrew Weatherall to produce their celebrated "Screamadelica". While "Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches" may not have achieved the same fame, it's arguably the more exciting album, with hits like "Step On" and "Loose Fit" lighting up Factory's infamous club with a brightness that Primal Scream could never quite reach. If it sounds a little dated now, remember that it was very much a product of its time and place and should be remembered for the achievement it reached at the time.
Definition of class ! Dennis and Lois is an underrated banger!
Pop rock, echoey feel
I don’t always listen to the music of the Madchester era, but when I do, it’s the Happy Mondays.
Liked it more than I remembered liking it 👍
Never listened to this all the way through. Super fun. Bunch of weirdos making art kids shake their butts.
Never heard of this group but they’re fantastic. Loved this album
7/10
Alright, let's spin Happy Mondays' Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches. I'm landing this one somewhere between 3.75 and 4 stars right now, and honestly, that number might creep up the more I give it a proper listen. Funny thing is, I didn't really give this album much attention back when it came out. Even though they're exactly the kind of band I was into back then – you know, like [insert a similar band you liked, e.g., "Stone Roses" or "Inspiral Carpets"] – it just kinda flew under my radar. But now? Yeah, this thing's definitely growing on me. It's got that undeniable groove, those distinctive vocals, and just a whole vibe that's hard to ignore. It's quirky, it's danceable, and it's got that undeniable alternative rock vibe. I'm kicking myself for sleeping on it all those years. Worth a revisit, for sure.
Melon well and truly twisted
Just so happens that I listened to this on a Monday, and I was Happy that I did. Never heard it before, and it didn't take long for me to to get over my general disdain for Manchester (specifically their football clubs). I willing embrace this aspect of the local music scene
Decent listen.
I like this quite a lot even if I was sceptical at first. I love the way they channel a lot of the sixties music through more modern indie sounds of the time and dancing beats. Some songs even have a bit of a gritty Rolling Stones flavor.
A surprise 4 for me.
There is a real mad, untamed energy about the Happy Mondays. I was familiar with the band from the movie 24 Hour Party people, and have only heard a few songs before. Overall I dig it, and I think there is enough worth revisiting here.
liked this album a lot, groovy and a rock sound, one of my fav genres.
Another album I didn’t know about that I’m happy to know now! Fun.
We mancs like to listen to a lot of shite, but this was great. Some of these basslines are sexy
Always liked them from the Greatest Hits album. This one is also good stuff
It made me Happy on a Wednesday
The name didn't say anything, but then I recognized the sound of many song. Remembered me of the first time I listened to the Stone Roses, I enjoyed it
wait this is so sick wtf
Madchester!!
I had no idea what to expect from this album. Fun high energy songs mostly. Just good enough to make it into my collection...for now....might change my mind later.
8/10 Excellent stuff, really enjoyed this. The definitive Baggy album? Step On perfectly encapsulates the early 90s. Really well put together, can hear influence on things like Blur and Beta Band. Best: Step On
I thought this was pretty great. My first listen, and I’ll definitely revisit Madchester again.
4 - not bad at all! thought I was gonna have to suffer through this, but it actually had a fair bit of depth
I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting to. What I expected to find annoying - Shaun Ryder’s vocals - are quite conveniently buried in the mix at times. They usually don’t overstep the mark. The instrumentation is engaging and has aged much better than I would’ve thought too. In my mind Happy Mondays occupied a cornier tier of music than The Stone Roses and Primal Scream, but I think that was an unjust preconception. For a few seconds at the start of Dennis and Lois you could even imagine you were listening to a Curtis Mayfield track. Fave Tracks: Kinky Afro, Dennis and Lois, Step On 3.9/5
Pretty decent album from a band I had never heard of. 4 stars or B-.
Interesting
Helt kurant tidlig 90's pop/alternativ. Produksjon var bra på plata var bra, fengende.
I know the mental fans go for earliers but this is my favourite Mondays album, bought when it was released. For me, it's the musical high water mark of Madchester.
A really fun album throughout and one of the gems of Madchester from the early 1990s. The production is great and the whole album is consistent and cohesive. The songwriting is not as great as The Stone Roses' debut, for instance but it is a really great album that I enjoy listen. Step On is one if those songs that I will never get tired of. 4.5 stars.
Top stuff
Happy Mondays... Very much a product of Manchester
A bit of a banger.
Loose fit is sublime, a woozy anthem for the baggy times. There are a couple of other gems on here, too - Kinky Afro and Step On, especially
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Very 90s dance music which was a surprise!
**** FOUR STARS **** First listen to the Happy Mondays and I like it!
Some GREAT songs and a bunch of good ones.. and an occasional “meh”. Overall really liked this though
Pretty good British pop rock
This is wahat college radio sounded like in the late 80s. Happy Mondays, Stone Roses, Ned's Atomic Dust Bin, Jesus Jones - to a lesser degree The The. But now, a couple of these instrumental intros sound like the music that would play on a live TV streaming sevice when they don't have a commercial to show. This album is pretty solid though 3.75
Great
01) Kinky Afro - 9,0 02) God's Cop - 8,5 03) Donovan - 8,0 04) Grandbag's Funeral - 7,5 05) Loose Fit - 8,5 06) Dennis and Lois - 7,5 07) Bob's Yer Uncle - 7,5 08) Step On - 10,0 09) Holiday - 7,5 10) Harmony - 7,5 TOTAL: 8,15 (82/100) Current ranking: 142/503
Magnificent.
Very enjoyable indeed
Good stuff - but I have definately gone volte-face on the Mondays over the years and of their first 3 albums this is the one I return to by far the least - preferring the almost post-funk of their earlier work. Something about the Oakie production is a little too well polished and clean for me. A great run on songs at the start of both "sides" however even though the Kongos Step On version remains superior.
poah kinky afro findi en reechte banger, chans aber iwie nanig so ihordne okok bi god's cop macht jz iwie sinn d synthis sind mier mengisch chli z dominant aber suscht findis gad reecht cool he ich han e mega gueti ziit sehr schnell fertig gsii! au wenn mier selte öppis "speziell" ufgfalle isch, hans sehr gnosse wird das album sicher wiedermal lose
Really fascinating album. Fun, danceable. Would go to the club if this is what they were playing.
Pretty good! 4/5
Gives me an ecstacy flashback listening to this. Shaun Ryder at the top of his game.
After slogging through Bummed, I wasn’t expecting much from Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, but to my surprise, this one actually works. Maybe it was the added experience, maybe it was Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne tightening up the production, but this time around, the Mondays’ shambolic energy translates into something genuinely enjoyable. When the album hits, it really hits. Kinky Afro is untouchable—swaggering, effortlessly cool, and built around a groove that never quits. Step On is just as iconic, with its piano stabs and Ryder’s sneering delivery making it an instant dancefloor classic. Elsewhere, tracks like Loose Fit, Donovan, and Bob’s Yer Uncle keep the momentum strong, delivering infectious rhythms and Ryder’s signature blend of nonsense and brilliance. Not everything lands—Grandbag’s Funeral is the closest the album comes to dead weight—but overall, there’s a consistency here that their earlier work lacked. The Mondays’ musical limitations aren’t a problem this time; in fact, they’re part of the charm. This isn’t about technical skill—it’s about groove, attitude, and that hazy, late-night euphoria that defined the Madchester scene. It’s easy to see why this album became a staple of clubs, pubs, and student nights—it’s messy and unpredictable, but undeniably fun. It might not be a perfect album, but when it’s good, it’s great.
Baggy goodness. 4/5
Good madchester band great album.
First-time listen for me. Wish I'd discovered this around 30 years sooner. Rounded up.
Fun like George Michael
New one to me and really diggit
This was far from life-changing, but enjoyable enough. Highlights: Kinky Afro Step On Harmony
Better than the other Happy Mondays album I’ve had on this list, enjoyable guitar-driven indie-rock. Reminds me of the Stone Roses.
I dig it
You’re twisting my melon man
Solid album by a band I have never heard of before.
At times I found this very run of the mill. Other times it seemed innovative. Guess that’s why they never made it big. Had fun reading the reviews though.
I'm no expert at spotting the various underground club music genres, but this one reminds me of Primal Scream and I'm into it.
mjög mjög gott. grúv og fyndnar línur.
Kinky Afro Loose Fit Bob's Yer Uncle Step On
An exciting sound and a couple of big singles.
Muy divertidoy pegajoso, se convierte en un clásico instantáneo después de la primera escucha
It’s good but the British people are kind of annoying, Pulp is better
A fine sound, attitude at a high level.
Very funny and cool.
I like it. I'm going to go out on a limb here and it sounds like a merger of the 80s vocal sound (The Jam/The Clash) with some later 90s stuff (Portishead, Massive Attack). 4/5
Manchester. I’m not a great fan of this stuff but it’s significant. And this is a good example. 3.5
In the immortal words of David St Hubbins, it's such a fine line between stupid and clever. And this band is right on that line. Were the Happy Mondays a bunch of ham-fisted, untalented, drug-addled chancers and plagiarists who stumbled into a music career as a cover for their ecstasy dealing, or were they the outsider poet geniuses of a new postmodern musical scene that melded indie and dance? Well, kind of both... The band's management were really smart in following through on the wonderful Wrote For Luck single, where Paul Oakenfeld and Steve Osborne had produced an excellent and innovative remix. it was an unusual call to hire remixes to produce the whole album, but it works. The band are technically limited (and that's being a bit generous), but the groovy dance production courtesy of Oakenfeld and Osborne suits them well. The dance production really highlights their strengths and covers up their weaknesses as a band (particularly the inept drumming). Some of the songs here are a bit rubbish, clearly the result of some pretty forgettable jamming, but edited and cobbled together by Oakenfeld and Osborne into a seemingly coherent and eminently danceable album. Overdubbing Rowetta's vocals over a number of the songs helps a great deal, too. I find Sean Ryder's loose and impressionistic lyrics both infuriatingly stupid and also full of fresh and surprising imagery. He can't really sing, but he can get the point across. The Mondays didn't really have their own musical ideas: they pilfer and grab musical snippets from wherever they please. But when they play back their magpie gleanings, they emerge in an idiosyncratic and unfiltered way that actually is something fresh. This accidental innovation is a mixture of lack of musical knowledge, carelessness, low inhibitions, and heavy drug use. I suspect this sounds great if you are off your head on acid. I'm sure this was great in the Hacienda in 1990, but at the end of the day, all I can really hear is the drugs. So many drugs. 3.5 stars
Love this era of British music. Might be better than Britpop for some of the bands are classics, like the Happy Mondays. Highly recommend. 8/10
Swagger
Heard of but never heard. Instant like. Added to my faves.
I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Four stars from me.
Rating: 9/10 Amazing, simultaneously catchy, psychedelic, and creative.
Cool, fun Madchester album. "Kinky Afro" and "Step On" are both pretty great. 4 stars.
A good time capsule record. Like Life On Mars-ing to the grottiest, dingiest Madchester nightclub, investigating and hanging out with all the lowlife and having a mildly decent time. Chief gargoyle Shaun Ryder comes up with lots of memorable lines and you really hear chief dancer Bez’s contributions too. Gold is struck on the super ravey, earwormy and iconic Step On along with Lady Marmalade rip-off Kinky Afro and Loose Fit. The rest is generally ok but not especially catchy and it’s mainly helped by the dance beats which do tend to be more comedownish than partytastic. Grandbag’s Funeral and Bob’s Yer Uncle probably the two other main highlights. Low 4 stars. “You’re twisting my Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, man”
One remembers these cats as drug-addled knuckleheads, however awesome-timely-appropos their tunes were for a narrow set of circumstances (dark and late, clubs and drugs). But this record holds up well and substantively enough to cause one to rethink that real-time thesis. There's more proper rock (some roaring and snaggletoothed guitars; some most infectious drumming [or drum programming]) to this than one recals, with the club music tropes, effects and sub-structures adding compelling flourishes and intensifying glorious hooks. See how "God's Cup" ends with ripping/shearing guitars, staccato, stringy synth pulses, and controlled but driving drums – what a poweful mix to serve both club and arena (or headphones). "Kinky Afro" is a great opener, from the vaguely ominous acoustic strumming that starts thing to the "yipee-yippee-ya-ya-yay" call at end. "Bob's Yer Uncle" is not just a masterpiece of sexy sleaze, but offers a touch of haunt to make it most memorable. "Step On" is just as excellent, but in an orgiastic, ebullient mode ("twistin' my melon, man!") – these were happy drugs taking effect. "God's Cop" and "Loose Fit" are also highly effective. Just great and so fun to be reminded of just how much so.
There's some cracking tracks on here, but it's still only the third best album by the Monday. Blinders like Kinky Afro and Step on are surrounded by average fare like Donovan and Dennis and Lois. You get the impression here they succumbed to their own success. They got far enough up their own arseholes that the record stood until Oasis came along. Still worth a listen though
Donovan Bob‘s yer uncle
Pretty enjoyable
Need to start by complaining about the fact that there are two Happy Mondays albums on this list (at the same time - this isn't a case of removing one and replacing it). When I got "Bummed" I complained that they reminded me of James who don't have an album on the list (even though Happy Mondays opened for them!). Also, the lyrics on Bummed were so crass I took a point away from my rating. The good news is that this album is much better, sounds more unique, and the lyrics aren't so crass (except Bob's Yer Uncle <insert eye roll emoji>). I still question why this band needed two albums on the list, but this album was a fun listen and the lyrics didn't detract this time. If the editors ever revise the 1001 going back further than the last 10 - 20 years they should remove Bummed and keep this album. I'd listen again, so that's a 4 for me. Favorite tracks: Kinky Afro (reminded me a bit of The The), Donovan (do I hear an 80s King Crimson-type guitar line? Noice), Loose Fit, Step On (cover of "He's Gonna Step On You Again" by John Kongos - 1971 - the original is pretty cool. Check it out).
An important album at an important time for UK music. I can imagine if you aren’t from the UK and/or late 80’s/early 90’s wasn’t your thing then you might not like or understand the album. Or you probably like Velvet Underground 🤮
Ok 4-
A good fun blast from the past
This is the album to play to anyone who needs to understand the "Manchester sound."
Really fun album.
This album turned my uninteresting Saturday into a Happy Monday
It wasn't all to my taste, but what I liked I liked. Some cool noisy funky post-punk vibes. Need to check out more of their stuff.
Ah, Manchester ! Fin des années 80, début 90. Pendant que le reste de l'Angleterre se morfondait sous Thatcher, la ville devenait l'épicentre d'un tremblement de terre musical et culturel : "Madchester". Un bordel sonore où le rock psychédélique copulait sauvagement avec la house music naissante, le tout arrosé de litres de bière et d'une quantité astronomique d'ecstasy. Et au sommet de cette pyramide de la débauche, il y avait les Happy Mondays. Et "Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches", c'est leur chef-d'oeuvre, le monument ultime à cette époque de folie douce. Le titre seul annonce la couleur : des pilules, des frissons et des maux de ventre. Le programme est clair, on n'est pas là pour enfiler des perles, on est là pour la défonce et mon Dieu, quelle défonce ! L'histoire de l'enregistrement de cet album est déjà une légende en soi. Le label Factory, dirigé par le regretté Tony Wilson, décide d'envoyer ses poulains à la Barbade pour enregistrer. L'idée, sur le papier, était de les éloigner des tentations de Manchester pour qu'ils se concentrent sur la musique. Quelle putain d'erreur car les mecs se sont retrouvés au paradis, avec un accès illimité à toutes les spécialités locales plus ou moins légales. Le résultat ? L'album est le son même de la débauche, c'est un disque fait par des défoncés, pour des défoncés. Et ça s'entend car le chanteur, Shaun Ryder, un des plus grands poètes prolos que l'Angleterre ait jamais porté, a une voix qui les fins de soirée qui n'en finissent pas. Il ne chante pas, il scande, il postillonne, il raconte ses histoires de galère et de petites combines avec un accent à couper au couteau. C'est le son d'un mec qui s'en fout, qui est trop occupé à planer pour se soucier de la justesse. Et c'est absolument génial, Shaun Ryder, c'est le chaînon manquant entre Mark E. Smith de The Fall et un pilier de pub. Un véritable génie, je vous dis. Et puis, il y a Bez, lui c'est le danseur fou, le joueur de maracas possédé. Le mec qui ne savait ni chanter, ni jouer d'un instrument, mais qui incarnait à lui seul toute l'énergie du groupe. Sur scène, et probablement en studio, il était là pour secouer ses maracas comme si sa vie en dépendait, le regard vide, un sourire béat accroché aux lèvres. Bez, c'est l'âme de Madchester. Musicalement, l'album est un tour de force. C'est un mélange improbable de funk crasseux, de rythmes house hypnotiques et de guitares rock psychédéliques. C'est le fameux son "baggy", ce groove un peu lourd, un peu bancal, qui vous donne envie de danser comme si vous aviez des spaghettis à la place des jambes. Des titres comme "Kinky Afro" ou "Step On" (une reprise improbable de John Kongos) sont devenus des hymnes. C'est dansant, c'est funky, c'est incroyablement addictif. Le cocktail "Sexe, drogues et rock'n'roll" est ici poussé à son paroxysme. On pourrait même y ajouter le mot "dance", mais pas dans le sens péjoratif que les rockeurs comme moi lui donnent parfois. Ici, la dance n'est pas une musique de club aseptisée, c'est le son de la rue, de la fête qui dégénère, de la communion sous produits chimiques. Alors, pourquoi cette note bâtarde ? Pourquoi ne pas mettre un 5/5 direct à ce disque iconique ? Parce que, et je vais être tout à fait honnête avec vous, je crois que je n'ai jamais été assez défoncé pour l'apprécier à sa juste valeur. C'est un disque qui demande un certain état d'esprit, une certaine... ouverture des chakras, dirons-nous. C'est un album social, qui s'apprécie en groupe, en suant, en perdant la notion du temps. L'écouter seul dans son salon, sobre comme un chameau, c'est un peu passer à côté de l'essentiel. C'est un très bon album, objectivement. La production de Paul Oakenfold et Steve Osborne est brillante, les chansons sont excellentes. Mais il me manque ce petit truc, cette connexion viscérale que j'ai avec d'autres disques. C'est donc un album que je vous conseille d'écouter, que vous soyez sobre ou complètement ailleurs. Dans le premier cas, vous apprécierez la qualité de la production et le génie des compositions. Dans le second, vous comprendrez probablement pourquoi une génération entière a perdu la tête sur ce son. Et rien que pour ça, "Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches" a sa place au panthéon des grands disques. Même si, pour moi, il restera toujours le son d'une fête à laquelle je suis arrivé un peu trop tard, ou un peu trop... clair.
A interesting swirl of rhythms, almost trying to pull you into a trance. The beats are loose, carefree, and almost lazy, but in a way that feels intentional. Never heard of these guys before, but it was a pleasant surprise. Great vibes!
Feels like a nice stop along the way to listen to some Britrock from Salford
I've never heard of Happy Mondays. The album has a great title. Very funny. I really enjoyed the music. Maybe it won't be one of my top albums, but I can well imagine listening to it again. If there were 4.5 points, I would give it. So 9 out of 10. 4/5
This has hooks to draw you in. Really good stuff, and had never heard this album before. So... thanks!
The best way I can describe this LP is like walking into an ice cream shop. You can probably find whatever flavour you’re looking for, it’s just impressive that the flavour you’re looking for is available. There’s a base of funk to every track. But every track has a different layer. Low-fi, hard rock, pop, acoustic, to borderline carribean. And it all effortlessly blends in together to the point you almost feel like you’re on a trippy musical journey. I also love how everything feels loose. There’s almost an intentional disconnect between the music and vocals that just somehow works here. It has a defiant post-punk feel to it. Really solid LP.
Skemmtileg plata og hittararnir geggjaðir.
I had never heard of this band or album. I liked it quite a bit.
indie rock house 80s-90s
I definitely want to return to this one.
Shockingly good
What a record, what a time. If only rave culture had extended further in the '90s and rap-rock and ALT metal, etc had been precluded or eclipsed, we'd all be happier-chiller now (albeit with vastly fewer brain cells). "Step On" is infectious to a near-otherworldly degree – utterly irresistible. "Bob's Yer Uncle" is among the sexiest-sleaziest grooves of all time. Much else works well and effectively. As with one's youth in clubs, this and they were never gonna last.
You know what your getting with the Mondays
Never really listened to much Happy Mondays stuff although I am very aware of them. Surprisingly, I quite enjoyed this album. A fun album mixing dance and 90s British rock. I've always been iffy on Madchester stuff, but the only criticism I have is that Shaun Ryder isn't exactly the best singer. I suppose being a good singer isn't really the point though.
It was a happy Monday listening to this
The summer of love might have concluded in Manchester but that didn't mean the Mondays were through blowing the audience's minds. On their third and probably most popular album, the band found a way to bridge together thrills with possible transatlantic success the kind that would cure a belly ache (with or without pill usage, although they'd probably prefer the former). One of the last gasps of the moment before the vicarious imitators shone through, for better or worse. Favorites: Kinky Afro, God's Cop, Donovan, Grandbag's Funeral, Dennis and Lois, Step On, Holiday, Step On (Twisting My Melon Mix)
Cooles Album aus 2010 einer alternativen Rockband aus Manchester mit leichten Ska und Avangarde Einflüssen. Sie nehmen sich und ihre Musik nicht ganz so Ernst, sodass z.B. die Flötenexperimente in “Bobs Yer Uncle”eher amüsant klingen. “step On” ist ebenfalls ok. Es ist bedingt zum Wiederhören geeignet.
I never really paid much attention to Happy Mondays at the time this album was released and nor was I much into rave culture. That said, I rather like this album despite being about 34 years late to the party.
This is such a fun record, one of my favorites from the baggy/Madchester scene in the late 80s/early 90s. One part jangle pop, one part dance/trance, and one part classic rock, this album is more than the sum of its parts. Really just banger after banger that aren’t really club/rave songs, but still tremendously fun to dance to.
inaspettatamente mi è piaciuto parecchio. Ha le vibes di quell'indie rock che mi ha proprio gasato
oh là. questo è l’indie rock che mi piace. bravi amici lunedì felici.