Reviews (page 3 of 7)
This is a pretty cool album...there are some almost lo-fi funk elements to it that are really interesting to me. I definitely wouldn't have found this one without the book. Favorite track: Harmony
It's aiiiight. Good rock album to listen to on any given day
Rock alternativo. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
first listen. Very cool music really did peak in the 90s
3/4
Proto-Screamadelica! Kinky Afro er vel det store nummer, men det var måske mit mindst yndlings. Generelt synes jeg det er virkelig fed
i need to find some tie-dye
Very funky and original. Well performed and produced, even though its at times deeply layered you can hear every element clearly and it's never overloaded. The lyrics are fun and catchy too. Particularly excellent guitar playing and bass playing Lastly, making good happy music isn't easy, and they really pull it off so there's that too
wow. Like other reviewer, pleasant surprise. Had not heard of the group or the album before, but there is a lot of good stuff here - lofty and hoppin'. You cven hear strains that have bee sampled from them but still - one of those happy finds
Это лучше, чем то, что было в прошлый раз! Такой неплохой фанк-рок-дэнс-хип-поп-пуп-туц-туц. И даже не так много следов наркотиков! Напомнило Гэрбэдж, скорее из-за супер-выверенных ритмов.
Vibes
First time with this one. Excellent Indie rock. Funky dance beats with interesting lyrics. Some tracks can be a bit repetitive, but I enjoyed this record. I will listen to it again.
Uza sve mane ovaj album i dalje ima miljardu hitova
I used to have a best of compilation album that had four songs from this album on, which makes them familiar and the rest of the material pretty new to me. I have to say, that although I love the tracks I knew, some of the other tracks felt a little weak in comparison. I'm going to give this four stars, because it's a great album, but there is a little bit of filler.
Baggytastic
1990 Genre: Madchester, baggy, rock Standouts 5/5: Kinky Afro, Step On 4/5: God's Cop, Donovan, Grandbag's Funeral, Loose Fit, Bob's Yer Uncle, Holiday. 4/5
As I have since I first heard it, I feel like this is three of four brilliant classics, padded out by filler. Filler which is often funky and lyrically clever enough to get away with it, but keeping it from being a five star album. A very good album, the little Screamadelica that could - possibly because Shaun Ryder is so charismatic you forgive him for his sins. The anti-Gillespie if you will.
Great instrumentals not to crazy about the vocals
Fun and light, listened to it twice.
nice bit of noise, wheres the ket?
90’s galore
Favourite song - Loose fit
Alright you got me, I enjoyed this more than I anticipated
This held up a whole lot better than I thought it would - OK, sure, Sean Ryder doesn't exactly have the best singing voice, but it works in context. Loose Fit has a great riff, Step on takes me right back to the nineties, and I enjoyed Harmony a lot.
Heard this many times over the years and always had passing respect for it, more of a "don't mind it being on but wouldn't put it on myself" kinda thing. But I enjoyed it more than I remembered!
youre twisting my melon man
Spray it on and tag it.
"Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches" is the third studio album by English rock band Happy Mondays. Manchester, baggy and rock are the genres. This album and band along with the Stone Roses are seen as s bridge between the Manchester indie and rave scenes. It was produced by Paul Oakenfeld and Steve Osborne. Both had major roles with Oakenfold providing the loops and Osborne the song arrangements. Happy Mondays are Shawn Ryder (vocals), Paul Ryder (bass), Mark Day (guitar), Paul Davis (keyboards. Programming), Gary Whelan (drums) and Bez (percussion, dancer). The album hit #4 in the UK and #57 in the US. It received mostly positive reviews. "Kinky Afro" opens the album with a swirling keyboard and ascending guitars. A nice vocal chorus based off of Labelle's "Lady Marmalade." Interesting lyrics by Ryder as an ode to his Father and fatherhood. They add a slide guitar, horns and a groovy beat to "God's Cop." This rocks kind of hard. Their third single "Loose Fit" has a slower beat and a melodic 80's sounding guitar. A chill vibe. How one should approach life. "Bob's Yer Uncle" has a more Caribbean beat. A strumming acoustic guitar. Ryder is whispering and dirty talking about sex. The loud piano keys, then the beat, the whistle, Ryder talking and finally the guitar and we're off with their big song "Step On." It's a cover of a Jon Kongos' song. It's also a protest song. I love the interplay between the piano and guitar. The album ends with "Harmony." Slide guitar and high pitched piano notes. This sounds like a Flaming Lips' song. It's appropriately about being high on ecstasy. And, it's about time I mentioned drugs; it is Happy Mondays after all. This is very good album. I thought some of it might have sounded dated but I found the beats, guitar, bass and piano/keys interesting and varied. They do incorporate different styles (funk, rock, dance). A decent listen beyond their two big hits.
This album is very 90s (not a compliment) and incredibly British (also not a compliment), but it pulls it off nonetheless. Lot of fun and catchy shit.
We had another Happy Mondays album (Bummed) about 100 days ago, and this is miles better than that was. Shaun Ryder's voice isn't great, but he knows where it works and avoids where it doesn't. Kinky Afro is a brilliant song, I prefer it to Step On, and the rest of the album is decent enough. Also remarkably ahead of its time Britpopwise - we're still 3-4 years before Oasis and Blur get going - so bonus points for that. I think it just about scrapes a 4.
Love that madchester in general, but this one lacks bangers
This was an interesting listen. I enjoyed it. Not something I might necessarily go back to though.
Somehow not great but I still listen to it regularly
A fun album that helped me understand the progression of British music from the 80s to 90s Britpop era. Didn’t mind it at all.
No idea this existed. Pretty cool!
Another one I spasmodically reacted to when it popped up! I’m really entranced by this whole era of Britpop surrounding Factory Records. Some of my favorite bands are in this orbit (Joy Division/New Order, The Stone Roses), and Happy Mondays are no exception. The movie 24 Hour Party People (so named after a Monday’s song) is a good primer on this whole “Madchester” movement - though Tony Wilson is apparently a much bigger asshole than Steve Coogan portrays him and The Stone Roses get short shrift since they didn’t really give their blessing to the project. Still worth a watch. “Loose Fit” is a personal favorite, but the whole album is full of danceable and sing-along-able tunes. Drug-fueled and sex-driven. Hard not to like this band in spite of all of its baggage. Great record.
More Happy Mondays and Madchester music. This album, with a horrendous title, is more rock and less acid house than Bummed - much like Screamadelica from Primal Scream the year after. So less danceable, but with stronger songwriting. I dig it.
Okay, hear me out… This might sound conspiratorial but I think I’m onto something. Following the horrendous mess that was Bummed, I firmly believe that the record company got rid of the entire group and replaced them with actual instrumentalists and competent songwriters. Nothing else makes sense considering the change in quality in the short amount of time. I deduct one star as I normally wouldn’t condone such KGB methods. This time I will make an exception though.
Huh - Happy Mondays have always floated in the peripheral of my musical understanding; a band that had its moment a while ago, didn't seem to hold any appeal for me and whose members are mostly known nowadays for being clownish fuck-ups. What a surprise, this is great - a rolling, bouncing melange of rock, indie and dance music. There's an agreeably twisty quality to the guitar work, as if it's created with more adherence to the rules of geometry than those of music. Underpinning everything is a mildly lysergic sensibility and sense of slightly lunatic fun. Good! Great!
Impressions: It sounds like a rock-new wave-dance album. Liked it. Favorite tracks: Kinky Afro, God’s Cop, Bob’s Yer Uncle, Step On Rating: 4/5
Grooves very well and is good indie pop. Immense fun and genuinely no filler. Has aged surprisingly well and is as infectious as when I first lapped it up. Who really knows what or cares what Shaun is really singing about. But seriously, drugs are bad, kids. These scallywags are not a good influence.
I had mixed feelings as I listened. I would really be liking a track and then I would suddenly feel irritated and wish it would end. I think it had to do with the dj work (love it) versus the vocal work (not so much). Overall, I think my good feelings were more plentiful than my irritated ones.
I had to check to see if we'd listened to any Happy Mondays yet and, yes, we listened to Bummed about a year ago. In my review, I said I wouldn't remember it and I did in fact not. This was much more enjoyable though. Some songs were very catchy and appealing. Don't know if I'll remember this one but I'm more likely to listen to it again.
I’m not sure what I expected… but this exceeded expectations. Fun. Kinda catchy!
Fun
It might not be the best album, best singer or even music for that matter, but dear me, does this album make me happy. Best effort from Madchesters most drugged up band.
I had never heard of this band. I liked this...it wasn't love at first listen but I think I'm going to keep it on my phone and listen again. It sounded very 90s, so it's interesting it only came out in 1990.
OK. Bit of fun, some good ‘uns there. What does Bez do?
This is one of the great findings of this list. I had a vague idea what the Madchester scene was but didn't know much of it. This album by Happy Mondays is a great introduction for a groovy, experimental sound. Not everything works, but that's fine.
Good upbeat chaotic fun!
Fun album
Muy lento para mi estilo
Step On
This album really does not sound like it was made in 1990. I don't know quite how to describe it, but it's cool. Having electronic producers on to make loops and effects for the songs fits really well with the bands style 4/5
My favorite of theirs, but I’m sire the memories of the times contribute to that.
A rocking good album, 4 stars.
there's no happy mondays..
Classic from the Mondays
Fun album
Tof album dat me af en toe aan INXS doet denken
When I first heard this, many years back, I assumed it was a greatest hits collection as there were so many greats. Such a weird blend of laid back vocal and funky beats over a sort of half-understandable social commentary. And I don’t mean that as a negative. The overall feeling is of hedonistic cynicism and all the contradiction that entails.
It's hard for me to give an impartial view of this, given how important it was to people of my generation at the time. But yes, it's still great to listen to.
Great album, kinda feel the happy Mondays are a bit underrated these days vs the stone roses. Not sure why
Power pop? It’s hard to define.
Now that was just an awesome time. A great record.
- First time listening in full - Thought the rest of the album wouldn't live up to the popular songs, but it's all consistently good - Unique sound - Fav songs: Step On, Kinky Afro, Bob's Yer Uncle
That was fun. I had never heard of them before.
This is a great album
Carino ha un po' del George Michael, uno stile poco definibile e nessuna canzone che spicca. Comunque molto orecchiabile.
Great memories
Yeah I mean what a banger and takes you to 90s Manchester in an instant. Very iconic beat and just generally very fun. Made me want to party, have the thrills
Great stuff. Don't think I've ever listened to a full Happy Mondays album. Thought I was going to get bored of it or feel it's of an era that doesn't fit with me but I did actually really enjoy it.
I have never had a happy monday
Rock alternativo. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
While the only song I knew from this was Step On, and it still probably remains my favourite, this was a decent album, though a few songs were a bit forgettable. Favourite: Step On
I thought baggy was supposed to be bad what the heck man. You're twisting my melon man.
This was great! Awesome instrumentals, fitting vocals, interesting compositions all around. Favorite track: Loose Fit
4, Really enjoyed this
A definitive representation of the Madchester movement with clear fusions of psychedelic rock, acid house, and funk. Compared to Bummed, this is more focused and is a better collection of individual songs. I can hear influences from shoegaze and the Stone Roses with their high production and complex fuzzy sound, composed of a lot of trippy sounds and effects that make it unpredictable and interesting to dissect. Compared to Stone Roses, this has less of a groovy 60s sound and instead has a stronger connection to the acid house movement, making most of these songs fun to dance or vibe to, even if they're not that high-energy. My main complaint is that the I find the themes of the songs to be essentially the same, and I could get pretty bored if not for all the cool techniques they throw in. I compare it to the Stone Roses which has a unique style to each song and think how much cooler this album could be if they reinvent some songs entirely. They're all fine songs on their own and I could pick out tons of things I love about each of them, and you can bet your ass I'll trip out to it, but with the exception of "Step On" and maybe the upbeat "Dennis and Lois", I don't get excited for any of them. I do think the track ordering is great, starting off with the club hit "Kink's Afro", putting "Step On" near the end, and then closing off with the satisfying smooth blend of "Holiday" and "Harmony."
Huh, I have a surprising (to me) amount of affection for this album - I guess it got a lot more play in my uni days than "Bummed". Fave track - "Kinky Afro" and "Step On" are both monster tunes. "Harmony" is a lovely outro, too!
The best opening lyrics to an album ever and that us a stone cold fact. It's a difficult album to rank because Kinky Afro, Loose Fit and Step On are all 11/10 tracks. But the rest of it hasn't aged very well. Will give a 4 out of respect for the sheer amount of drugs they've done without dying.
Loved this album!! Sounded very smooth to me.
Good flow, but songs are diverse enough it keeps you interested. Love the lyrics.
Breezy, loud and fun, just what a Madchester record is supposed to be. A sign of what was to come in the decade ahead.
Never used to get the Happy Mondays hype. But, having actually listened to an actual album of theirs I realise that it was one of my many strongly held opinions based on nothing much! Great tunes for a day in the park drinking cider.
Sounded to me like a mashup of a bunch of different artists and styles. All kinda fun at least
Live reactions from late Tuesday night after work: For an album with such an eclectic mix of influences, these first few tracks aren’t as fun as I would have thought. It’s almost there but not quite raising my pulse. Ok I just got to “Dennis and Lois,” which is really scratching the itch for me. It sounds like U2’s “Mysterious Ways” with a little extra disco influence. Really digging it. (Fwiw, U2 released that song a year later so maybe it’s fair to say they were influenced by this album?) Maybe it’s this double IPA I’m drinking but the second half of this album is hitting way better than the first. The flute on “Bob’s Yer Uncle” is so fun. And that female backing vocal having an orgasm on the track? Haha I love it. Yeah I’m officially into this. “Step On” is a banger. And the last two tracks are really fun too. I’ll need to go back and listen to the first half of this again because I’m thoroughly charmed right now. Listening again on Wednesday morning and I’m really enjoying it. Their style took me a minute to connect to. His hoarse, shouted vocals are cracking me up. It’s a fun choice for a dance-y record. This one’s gonna go into high rotation for me for the next few weeks.
Pretty eclectic, pretty weird, very interesting, very listenable. I enjoyed it a lot! I really liked that they didn't seem to worry about adding unconventional things into the productions, and it seemed to bounce around different emotions and vibes and feels without ever making me as the listener feel like something was off. It is all tastefully done. Will have to listen to this album more than once to pick up on more things though.
Scuzzy, funky and vibrant. A genre-defining work that's also a delight to listen to. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Step On, Loose Fit, Dennis and Lois, God's Cop, Kinky Afro, Bob's Yer Uncle, Harmony, Holiday, Donovan, Grandbag's Funeral
A classic indi record
This one is always good company, listened on the way down to the coast. Nothing much to say, just good memories and dancing.
It’s a nice album from the early 90’s. It really sums up that era from England
I’m sure it was fun at the time but all seems a bit messy and shouty now. A bit more going on musically than I was expecting though.
I was thinking that this album was all around solid but lancking any stand-out tracks. Then Step On came on and I upgraded this to a 4 star.
Quality Britpop
Such a strong sound it conjures up an era. A bit before my time, the rock/rave scene had vanished from Manchester by the time I got there. The songs have a tendency to blend together and drag on a bit during the weaker parts. But it has such a strong vibe that kinda distracts from how boring the album actually is. 4/5 - Would give it 3 but my inner Manc is pushing it up to 4.
Fun album. Sounded a bit more modern than '90.
Madferrit. How a bunch of junkies can knock out a British classic should be seen as the quality of British drugs and our drug addicts. The music's as baggy as their jaws were gurning. Best Tracks: Kinky Afro; God's Cop; Step On
Rockin hamz
This was great! I've never heard of this band or Madchester style music. I'll definitely want to check out more in the future. I can definitely see some influences the style has on bands like the Chemical Brothers.
A creative blur between sensational dance music and indie, art rock guitar sounds. It may seem like an odd combination of genres, but to me it's almost the personification of the atmosphere of early 90's UK. I can visualize a shabby dance club with a small band in new wave outfits performing Step On, God's Cup and Loose Fit with a dance pit around them. And then the band switches it up, and gives you a punk rock show that isn't changing any of the tones they've been playing for the club. It may be super niche or an adjustment to really latch onto, but this was easy for me to enjoy and pick up. This record represents a distinctly different corner of what rock was doing during the 90's. Favorite Songs: Step On Least Favorite: Donovan
Made for a great drive home track. Good vibe energy
This is a really fun listen. There are some really good hooks on some of the songs (Kinky Afro, Loose Fit). There are many moments of "that sort of sounds like ________", and use of familiar samples from other artists' songs. This is an album that I would listen to 2-3 tracks at a time, but not listen to all the way through.
What a great, fun album. Really captures the birth of Britpop and the whole Manchester sound, as good as the Stone Roses did it. Fantastic!
Silly.
Love all the extra stuff going on in the background. A real nice mix of samples, drums and keyboards. Sean Rider's delivery is perfect too.
Fun album with iconic moments
MAD-chester. Has anyone used that before? Haven't listened to this for a long time. It was very enjoyable...especially juxtaposed with some of the shit we've had on here this week. Well done lads.
Professional Mancs doing funky Manc business professionally. Very good.
Nie przypuszczalem, ze tak niszowy gatunek jak madchester bedzie sie az tyle razy przewijal na tej liscie, a jednak pojawia sie kolejny raz i nadal potrafi zaskoczyc swoja orginalnoscia i tripowoscia, bo jednak kultura drugowa glownie przemawia przez ten material, a themem mogloby byc ekstazowe popowanie, co wyroznia ta plyte jest zdecydowanie performens jaki na gitarce robi Mark Day, az dziwne ze nigdzie inadziej go nie mozna uslyszec po takiej plycie, ale jak na szalonego czestera nie samym skilowaniem na instrumentach tworzy on swoj klimat, album byl produkowany przez duet Osbourne Oakenfold, co dalo idealny bilans jakosci produkcji do didzejowego stylu samplowania, bo pojawia sie tutaj sample ktore wedlug mnie wychodza daleko poza co juz slyszalem czesterowego, jak na traku step on, ktory jest coverem Kongosowego singla o tytule he is gonna step on you again, wiec dosc egzotyczne kowery, wygiete do hedonistyczno narkotycznego stylu bycia czesterowego, przepalone wokale Rydera tez trzymia poziom, zarowno w bardziej konwencjonalnym spiewie jak i na przeciaglych transowych receytacajch, nawet jesli jest to gatunek tworozny z mysla o zabawie klubowej, to i tak dobrze sie tego slucha w celowym zaciszu, no jesli kontent liryczny nie za bardzo odbiega od swiatopogladu sluchacza, bo prawdopodobnie dla kogos bardziej prostego musi to brzmiec jak zawodzenie zula zbierajacego na nastepny pakiet dykty, na plejaka dodam wspomnianego step ona, otwierajacy kinky afro i holiday, chociaz ciezko bylo wybrac traki, bo cala plyta jest niesamowicie rowna i nie ma kawalkow zapychaczy, spotifajowa wersja po raz kolejny obrodzila w ekstra tejki, jak dotad najsolidniejszy madowyczester, klasa wyzej niz primal scream
I had a lot of fun listening to this one, never heard it before. Likely won’t again lol
Ya no sé si se puede hablar de un género para todo el disco, o sea más bien hay una mezcla de varios y muchos géneros por separado, no sé, pero se antoja pasarla bien con esto de fondo, muy onda cine. Eso sí, como que ya suena a los noventa y hay de repente soniditos muy chidos, como la ¿flauta? o algo parecido en "Bob's Yer Uncle". Mis favoritas: "God's Cop", "Loose Fit" y "Step On". Siento que no sabía nada de Happy Mondays antes de esto. 8/10
Really like this. Doesn’t feel overly “groundbreaking” but it may have been for the time. Good stuff.
I really liked this a lot. I wasn't sure what to expect - for some reason I had the Sundays in my head, so was thinking female singer, mellow, poppy sound. This was really catchy and rocked in places. Adding it to my liked albums.
Pretty chill vibe. I like it. Would listen more. Adding to my collection.
parece blur eu gostei
unexpected gem
Again an unexpected gem
This slaps. Didn’t get it before. Indie rave.
Never heard of them before. Pretty good album.
det här var gött. go bas som på nåt sätt genomsyrade alltihopa
Bonus points for the frankest, most relatable lyric of the Madchester scene “Son I’m 30, I only went with your mother cos she’s dirty” In parts groovy, poppy, funky and underwhelming it’s hard not to boost up the score due to liking what they stood for, an important album with some great tracks but it does have some flat spots too. 3.4
I never really liked the Happy Mondays... they weren't as psych (obvs) as other brit bands that I was into at the time (Ride, SM3, etc.), but also not house-y enough to be fully rave music (which I also adored at the time). So somewhat in-between, but without a synergistic strength. Much like how tech house is the weakest parts of techno and house put together. At least to my ear. So this was better than I was expecting, but still somewhat lacking.
Good, but nothing special
meh
Bunch of miscellaneous indie stuff, I'm sure it was cool for 1990 but today it just doesn't stand out much
My ears perked up at a certain point on the album. Turned out, I was listening to the collector's edition, what was perking my ears were the remixes. The rest, ok. I’d probably bug out a bit more live, but the sauce didn’t transfer to me on the album.
Sounds a bit dated, but it was still decent. 3.2
Found it a bit crap beyond kinky afro and step on. Like a bad indie band. Can ya stick to the weird dance inspired stuff please. Gets a 3 just because step on is ridiculously good
I appreciate that the Happy Mondays were doing something different, there were moments I was having fun on this album. It’s dancy, Shaun Ryder is an entertainer, very distinct lead vocals. There are so many moments, I’m at odds, thinking whether I’m into it or annoyed… possibly both. It’s weird, it’s kinda fun, it’s dumb. I can say with 100% certainty that I hate Bob’s Yer Uncle or at least I’m pretty sure I do. 3 stars
Good as background music, wouldn't recommend it for anything more.
Not a bad album, but the singles outshine the deep cuts by a loooong way.
3,5
For some reason, I found it really hard to concentrate on this album and keep interested. I found that quite strange, because I've listened to some extremely boring/dull albums, but managed to keep engaged. I just wasn't really feeling this one, if I'm being completely honest. I mean, it's not something that I would desperately turn off if someone had it playing, but it wouldn't be my first choice. The instrumentation was really nice throughout, and so were the vocals. They were also quite funky in some tracks, yet I still couldn't really connect to this album all that well. I think for me, there was pretty much just one or two songs that stood out to me and got me slightly interested. Stand-out track: Kinky Afro Step On
I can see why people like this.
*1984. *This was a very pleasant surprise - U2, Peter Gabriel vibe, with a touch of Talk Heads occasionally. *A little two synthy and 80s to score more than a 3 of 5 though. *These are long songs (5-6 mins each), but it works as an album. RATING - 7/10
pretty good album. I will listen to this again. It had several songs that I recognized but did not know the band. A solid 3
3 stars
pretty good for background music but it's extremely easy to ignore
fun
Pending
Sounds like a ripoff of The Stone Roses without sounding much like Oasis, the band the Stone Roses were ripping off. It's kinda fine. I probably would have dug it in the 90s, it's pretty peppy and "psychedelic".
I didn't mind listening to this but it wasn't anything special.
Strange album, some songs that I disliked some that I found really good. I doubt I would listen to that again but who knows.
Better than I would have thought! Not at all a novelty band at this point. Good music
This album has a swagger and a vibe that is one part fresh and one part bland.this album was just ok. No particular track or momentum stood out.
An album made to dance to - when Step On came or as a single and as a video on MTV it was everywhere! So burned into my brain that 36 years later I can still hear it reverberating as soon as someone says Happy Mondays. Fun, groovy and by far their best song. Still, not sure how one great song makes an album though. And not sure how they are worthy of having two albums on the list… 3⭐️
Favorite Track: Holiday
keine Ahnung was ich schreiben soll, typische Musik von der Insel die sich bei mir nicht anheften wird
Schwankt stark zwischen schwach und gut. Die Remixe am Ende waren gut, aber nicht Teil des offiziellen Albums. Lieblingslied: Loose Fit
Zweite Hälfte war angenehmer zu hören
Acid Rock/Indie? Good songs for summer
Kind of fun
The non single tracks are just not as good annoyingly
A slightly disappointed solid to high 3 for Happy Mondays for me. They nail the genre and style but none of it really gets me going aside from Step On. I generally don’t like the vocals which likely stops me properly getting into the grooves which are undeniably there.
Again, like the last album of theirs, I didn't dislike it but I couldn't tell you a single track when I had finished. Mediocre.
Hahahh j'adore le lundi c'est trop marrant
Mieux que leur autre album auquel j'aurais sûrement du mettre un 2 au vu de mon commentaire. Mais bon c'est pas exceptionnel non plus et j'ai été trop sympa ces derniers temps :/
Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches was an enjoyable and easygoing listen overall, full of loose grooves and upbeat energy. While listening to Kinky Afro, I kept feeling like I had heard its chorus somewhere before, and was interested to learn that it paraphrases Lady Marmalade by Labelle. It was nice to hear an older song reinterpreted in a completely different musical context.
Tässä oli tutuista biiseistä Moulin Rouge versio tehty Christina Aguileran toimesta muun muassa. Muuten sellasta varmaan ihan legendaarista kamaa
- fun! would listen again
Started ok but had some weird lyrics, lacking standouts. 5/10
I think I understand what they were trying to do on this, but it was just boring
I didn't dislike the core album but I never cared for remixes...or the remix ends up way better and I feel cheated by the original. Either way this was ok and I felt like I was listening to God Lives Underwater plus weed and reggae dancehall.
Nothing special but listenable.
Not bad. Good.
Wel oke.
Hade mått bra av något som stod ut lite mer, men i grunden trevligt
Chill men inte speciellt minnesvärd lyssning.
Chill utan att vara tråkigt.
Lot of fun but I prefer Black Grape
leuk maar niet amazing
Should be a two but how can I give it a two if it’s got a song called Bob’s Yer Uncle?
Nothing crazy, pretty good though.
Fun grooves and credit to the band, they no what a hook is and have no qualms about using them. The downside of this album is the annoying sound of the vocalist and meh lyrics. If I could get a copy of this with the vocals scrubbed and replaced with an instrument playing the vocal line, it would be a far more interesting album to me. I've always enjoyed the mixture of traditional forms with looped textures and electronics for a more expansive soundscape. It is clear that this was an inflection point in England from the more traditional acid rock into proto acid house and setting the stage for the forking off of bands who were inspired by this going directly into rave culture. That said, I am not a fan of the bands like Blur, Oasis, and their contemporaries with the 90s Brit Rock. Most of which I found completely dreadful. While I am still sold the Happy Mondays, I did certainly enjoy this more than BUMMED the other one of their albums on this list. I also enjoyed this far more than The Stone Roses entries altogether. I am still convinced that the best version of this creative idea actually came from Pop Will Eat Itself. Not only is their album far more interesting to me, but they did it a year earlier with their album THIS IS THE DAY...THIS IS THE HOUR...THIS IS THIS. I also highly recommend their DOS DEDOS MI AMIGOS from 1994.
Not a huge fan of his voice but I like how hypnotic the songs are
Works well as background music. I enjoyed the first two tracks but then had the impression of listening to these same tacks over and over.
easy listening, reasonably nice music, but also very forgettable. eh
Pretty normal alternative 90s rock, but interesting since it sounds like it should have come out about a decade later in some songs. Nothing remarkable but decent.
Catchy 90's pop sound. Its fine.
Really good beats, really good production. Quite enjoyed this. Will have to listen again sometime!
I can't help it - I dig music like this. The lyrics were a bit silly at times, but it was fun to groove to. Dennis and Lois stood out to me. 3.5 stars!
The Happy Mondays will be forever associated with a particular year in musical history and it’s not 1990’s Madchester. Rather, it’s 1971 with their iconic cover of Step On by John Kongos as well as numerous other riffs and motifs from that pivotal year. It’s slightly sobering to realise that there is a longer gap between the release of this album and today, than there was between then and the era that Shaun Ryder was gleefully plundering for ideas. Does it hold up? Well, kind of. The rhythms and dance beats get the job done, Ryder’s nasal Manc drawl is as irritating as ever, but we never did find out what ‘Twisting my melon, man’ meant or what Bez was being paid for, exactly. Call the cops-tastic!
Cool album. Not much to say
Kinky Afro, Loose Fit and Step On are amazing. The rest is not as good.
Will anyone bellyache if I say this sounds like U2 from Pop onwards?
An infinitely better album than bummed
gut aber boringggg
Enjoyable enough. Like a prelude to oasis
Not terrible, and a good proto Britpop album. Not my cup of tea, but definitely interesting.
Instrumentation was realyl great but the vocals seemed a little off? o ver processed or outta key or something
I appreciate the vibes well enough I spose
Shaun Ryderin eli "iT's dAreeE" miehen bändi. Tässä se laulaa paremmin ja muutenkin hyvää. Britti rokkia mutta tosi monipuolista sellaista. Parhaat: Kinky Afro, God's Cop, Bob's Yer Uncle
Full Album Thoughts: Album Rating: 2.85 (B) This was not really a stile I had ever been exposed to, and I kinda dig it? This feels like baking out in the hot sun stoned out of my gourd with a tall cool glass of ice cold gin and tonic. Or maybe I am just wanting it to be summer already. I take issue with the lead singer's slurred delivery, but the actual song writing chops are too damn solid. See my thoughts on Step On for more details about the album as a whole. Track Thoughts: "Kinky Afro" A- This could almost be a heavier rock Talking Heads song. This is a compliment. "God's Cop" B+ The slurred singing is going to grate on me. But the actual bass heavy production helps keep things head bopping. I think the the weird overblown slide guitar works here, do not tell neil young I said that. But the rest of the production being swimmy is points off. Im just going to assume he is singing that "Me and The Cheat (from Homestar Runner) got slowly stoned". Why is Cartman singing at the end? "Donovan" B+ Please stop singing from the other room. This feels like something that would absolutely go on to influence Gorillaz... though maybe that is the harmonica. Oh and we are in Zora's Domain all of a sudden. Okay yeah no I think this is going to be another case of I really like the music's instrumentation, but the slurring singer is detracting from my enjoyment. "Grandbag's Funeral" C Actually a bit too discordant. This is cacophonous without actually being enjoyable. Captain Beefheart they are not. "Loose Fit" A- Guy Ritchie Montage Music. A little bit of Spyro (composed by Stweart Copeland of The Police, so like good company). "Dennis and Lois" B Funk Clav! Hell yeah! Other then that, no noticeable traits to latch on to. Good background music. B for background. "Bob's Yer Uncle" F I do NOT want to hear this tone of voice ever let alone when we are making love. Ew ew ew sorry no ew gross. The actual groove is too repetitive. No amount of funky flute is going to salvage this. Is this a call back to Stretch's Why Did You Do It? "Step On" (John Kongos cover) B- I hate having a twisted melon. Apparently this is a cover? It also feels like a bit of a call back to Come Together? This is a kinda nothing song, that just isnt quite my style. I think this album is RIPE for sampling, as there are little golden nuggets throughout... but idk if I want to be picking through the rest of it. Enjoy that metaphor. "Holiday" B This was kinda in one ear and out the other if I am being honest. Its a trick to be up beat and laid back at the same time. "Harmony" B+ This is now this is laid back, I do like the plucked strings reminiscent of say an electric ukulele, and coming after Holiday into what sounds very Tropical... I see the vision.
Oi the lads are a bit mental here innit? Off their meds are they?
Was fine. Happy Mondays probably just too happy for me. Many of their songs sounded similar to others, not quite to the point of completely ripping them off, but definitely in the same vein.
It was good enough, no complaints, but I can already tell you I won’t remember this album come next Wednesday.
I wasn't really very impressed. The guitar was somewhat cool on some tracks but generally it was just fine Standouts Donovan 3/5
Didn’t hate it. Will never play it again tho
I don't remember listening to this. ⭐⭐⭐/5 Highlights (I guess?) Grandbag's Funeral
А от цей альбом хеппі мандейз мені сподобався. А може просто був настрій на Медчестер. 3.5
Kinda funky, but pretty boring and repetitive.
Better than I expected, recognised one track and that was ok. But that was about it. Worth a high 2. Feeling generous so ill round it up to a 3.
Yawn. More like Middling Mondays for this Brit Pop outing. I really don’t have much else to say at this point with albums like this. 2.5 / 5
Pretty run at the mill rock, altough diverse!
Happy Mondays were first out of the gate in the Madchester scene, and clearly had a large impact on both The Stone Roses and Primal Scream. Sadly for the Mondays, they weren't quite as good as either of those acts. Still, this is a solid party record, I enjoyed it and would listen again, but tbh would never reach for it over one of the other two aforementioned bands
no idea. Realizing how British rock this list leans. Not necessarily opposed. Though this is definitely not just a British rock album? Genre bendy music wise I think I’ve felt nothing then suddenly bobs yer uncle vocals assault me?! The lyrics though 💀 Learning about the British second summer of love in 1988 with MDMA and the smiley logo and giggling that I was born during the extended British summer of love
Honestly not bad. Not great or anything. But not bad.
Interesting stuff. Why is the first song called Kinky Afros when it’s sung by an all-white British band? Let’s not linger on that. It’s a decent album, a good vibe for my hour-long drive to my incredibly mediocre 5k performance in Black Lick, PA. Will probably not return, but good for a ride. A one-night bandstand. A one-night band. Whatever makes the best pun. See ya!
It's not a mess. It has some interesting sound choices. I don't know about mandatory listening but sure, something like this in the list, why not. This is in the like 900s of 1,001. High 2 low 3.
This is a harmless fun album. Would be a great local bar band. A basic baseline example of a rock album.
Wasn't that into the Madchester scene but this album was always there or thereabouts for me. Good dancy tunes and E energy of the 90s. Nostalgia.
Very familiar with Kinky and God's Cop, just now listening to the rest. When on, really on. When working things out, curiouser and curiouser. I'm all ears. I don't want to rave about it, but it has some good moments, esp. in those first two.
This was all right. Some of the lyrics that I caught were pretty cool. The music never got terribly exciting, but there were some juicy guitar bits.
alright. nothing stands out but still nice
very fun album
𝘗𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 ’𝘯’ 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘺𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 captures the loose, hedonistic vibe of the Madchester scene, blending dance rhythms with rock elements in a relaxed, groove-oriented way. The album has a distinctive atmosphere and a certain charm, even if it often feels more about mood than strong songwriting. At the same time, it never fully grabs me. The laid-back approach can come across as unfocused, and the songs don’t always leave a lasting impression. It’s enjoyable in the moment, but ultimately a bit underwhelming.
I think I would have liked this at the time. At least enough to get the album. But I don't have the nostalgia to lean in on, so it falls a little flat.
Love and Rockets recall here. Maybe some Big Audio Dynamite as well. Definitely in the same vein. Its ok. Definitely has that Brit pop feel of the late 80's...
Album No. 0194 on my list. I don't know why, but while the self-titled debut album of The Stone Roses is among my favorite albums of all time, I had never paid much attention to either of the two other Madchester bands, i.e. Inspiral Carpets and Happy Mondays. Of both these bands, I had only known exactly one song. In case of Happy Mondays, it was "Step On" of course. Anyway, I was kinda curious what this album had to offer. And I think that "Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches" is an interesting album indeed. It's rock music, but it's also pretty groovy, somewhat experimental and pretty dance-able. You can hear some punk influences, you can hear some early electronica influences, you can hear the classic rock influences. I'm not a huge fan of the tracks themselves (they just don't appeal to me that much), but in essence, this is a pretty solid album. I'll add "Kinky Afro", "God's Cop", and "Step On" (of course) to my playlist. 3/5 stars!
Pa čak ni nije loše, casual listening! 3/5, 5/10
Not bad but an artefact of its time.
I like 'Kinky Afro' and 'Loose Fit' a lot!!!!!! Tends to be more up my alley when it is house-ier .
Nothing wrong with it but it didn’t really get me going
I actually kind of liked this but it started to be pretty repetitive.
I know this album from my college years, I may have owned it, but in no way would I consider this a Top 1001 album you must hear before you die. The Brit favoritism is coming in again, this barely made a dent in the USA and spawned a minor hit (#57) in "Step On". While "Step On" was a hit and sounds fantastic on headphones, "God's Cop", "Kinky Afro" & "Bob's Yer Uncle" were catchy and add value to the release. Most of the album is vanilla. "Grandbag's Funeral", "Holiday" and "Harmony" are just plain awful. This being album included in the T1001 falls in line with some of the other suspect Brit releases that have somehow made it. Handful of good songs but nothing to justify a spot in the ALL TIME LIST of Top 1001 Albums you must hear before you die. 3 stars is generous.
This was painfully boring. It started off fun/ strong but lost its spark as it went on
Like this album. Don't love it though. Fun sound, I am a big fan of the drumming performance, but it definitely becomes a bit repetitive towards the end. No major criticism, but nothing that blows me away either. Favorite track: God's Cop
fun
Its fine. I don't have much to say about it. It didn't blow my mind at all.
I like this one, good rock-electronic mix.
This is fine. Definitely “happy” sounding. Not incredibly compelling music though
Gonna come back to this one one day and like it more, i bet.
Some of this was familiar but much was new to me. I'm probably being unfair on the band, but I played this whilst working on something fairly complex so wasn't concentrating. To me the tracks blended into each other with little to discern between most of them. That's not to say the album is boring. It was OK to listen to and I didn't skip parts.
This was a hard album to place. I feel like these guys are really in between different styles. Sometimes that makes for a pretty intriguing listen but in this case I just felt a bit lost. There were a couple songs that I liked but probably more than I didn't care for.
Shimmery, reverby indie, with dance/rave influences and plenty of swagger. Precursor to britpop. Still sounds pretty fresh considering it's from 1990. Few tracks in the indie side comes out more. Best track - God's Cop, Loose Fit, Bob's Yer Uncle 3.5 stars - pretty good, great in places, but not overwhelmingly so
не
Honestly much better than I thought.
Decent, was surprised by how poppy and electronic it would get. I was expecting punk!
ładne it's not one of "no skips" records there are some highlights but in general it was okey
Favourite Songs: God's Cop Bob's Yer Uncle
Sounded like generic 90s
2.6 2x catch up 3/3 nothing special
Based on this album and other similar ones I’ve already heard on this list, the only reason Madchester was ever put on a higher pedestal than other 90s dance-adjacent stuff is cause it was being made by (PRESUMABLY) white dudes with guitars. Not to say this is bad, it’s pretty pleasant, if not forgettable.
It was ok, a bit nostalgic
Always can look HM for a bit of a throwback feel. Uk for real
You're twistin' my melon man.
Another English band who wasn't on the radar for 80s and 90s middle America.
Interesting
No es mi estilo, pero me parece un buen álbum para tener música de fondo que escuchar. En general, me pareció bastante reiterativo, sin ningún tema que haya llamado realmente mi atención. ↑: Loose Fit ↓: Holiday
Overall vibey and easy to have in the bg
In the 2+ years since I've started this album project, my taste in music has seen various subtle changes. I've realized that there are things in music that I like more than I thought I did, as well as things that become more apparent as things that I don't want in music. But the more things change, the more they stay the same, and there are plenty of opinions that I first formed in 2023 at the start of the album project that I still agree with now. Despite my music taste changing quite a bit over the past 2 years, I still don't really care for Happy Mondays. Bummed was an early album of the project for me, and it's been a long time since that album. In fact, the wait between me listening to Bummed and now is actually longer than the time between it and this album's release! That's pretty crazy. You know what's not crazy? Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches. Yeah, I wasn't huge on Bummed at all, and while my first impression of this album is more positive, I still don't love this. I will say that my review writing skills have gotten marginally better, and I can more easily point out issues that I have with the albums. For instance, I've realized that I don't really like Shaun Ryder's vocals. They're too mumbly for the music. They don't really work super well together in my opinion. The music itself is definitely better. It's the kind of thing that only could've come from late 80s/early 90s Britain. It's got that Madchester style, but I find it to be less refined than something like The Stone Roses' debut album. There's a bit more of a focus on the dance influence here and it's not my favorite thing ever, but I get the appeal. The writing still isn't my thing, but there are some good moments I can point out like the commentary on "God's Cop." There are some questionable parts of the album, like the rather unnecessary female moaning on "Bob's Yer Uncle." So, yeah. I think Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches is the better of the two Happy Mondays albums I've heard, but it's still not special enough to warrant this band having two albums on the list. I'm not even sure they need one. I'm not 100% opposed to this one being here, but I'm definitely not going to advocate for its inclusion myself. It's okay. Decent 3/5.
Dance music with an alt rock tilt is a great idea, and the lead singer has some swagger and a political chip on his shoulder. Add a little drugs without the push of the psychedelic bend of the 60s and you get Happy Mondays. Surprisingly refreshing considering the whinier tracks on the album, these guys have a nice groove that makes me want to explore these late 80s/early 90s British bands that seem to channel the angst of the age well.
The album art is horrific. In the most beautifully mesmerising way, of course. And in that way, it kind of represents the music. There's nothing particularly catchy or approachable about the compositions. In fact, there's this crazed cosmic energy about Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches that makes it pretty difficult to approach through a modern lens. This is a record of its time for sure. The singer has an air of "retired punk performer" that was begrudgingly forced into a softer, less sticking-it-to-the-establishment persona. And to his benefit, I think. Another bland, drunken, slurred English delivery of loud silly lyrics on this list (i.e. punk music) might very well end me. Instead, we get something similar, but with more understated and musically interesting instruments to complement it. Take the slow, high, trancelike synths in the first half of God's Cop (and, for that matter, the synths and strings in the second half too – equally great). Never would you see such a spectacle in the rigid confines of 70s British punk, but here it not only sounds pretty good, it works with the singing. But maybe that's just my nostalgic love for Split Enz talking. Unfortunately, Donovan and Grandbag's Funeral are back-to-back examples of this genre *not* working. They're complete flops – not memorable or catchy at all. The music takes a complete left turn in Bob's Yer Uncle, where the vocals are more understated, mysterious, faux-sexy. The instruments, particularly the hand-percussion and acoustic guitar, really shine here. The best track as of yet. Step On is pretty much the same, and I like it just as much. Great piano solo, and a sort of upbeat espionage-movie-montage mood. I'm glad Happy Mondays didn't choose to use this weird mumbled vocal for every track, though, because I know I would hate 40 minutes of this. I'm 50-50 on the album closer Harmony. The outro is pretty cool. And the sudden ending makes the song sound like a happier, poppier I Want You (She's So Heavy). So, all in all... sure. This album (and this band) "set the agenda for much of the best British music of the 90s" (per another reviewer). Yet it's weird and wacky and mildly unapproachable. You have to take both of these into account. The piece 4′33″ (John Cage) is a pretty darn influential piece in the context of musical progress, but you're insane if you think anything other than 1 star is reasonable. Because it's not just the influence, it's the sound, the longevity, the approachability in a modern-day context. All that balances out to an average rating. 3/5 Key tracks: God's Cop, Bob's Yer Uncle, Step On
Very 90s. It sounds interesting but there's something missing for it to be better. The vocals are alright and the lyrics are also just alright. It's perfectly fine.
First listen
This is a review of the album Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches by Happy Mondays.
Fun music, but not much stands out
The Happy Mondays leave behind the heavy reverb that was all over Bummed and go into far-dancier beats on Pills 'n' Thrills. The results can vary from track to track, but what's good is good and what's not passes by without much thought. What I can commend this record for is that I feel like the Happy Mondays have found something that I feel define them directly. The description of Madchester/Baggy is more in line with what I heard on this record. It's not a spectacular record, but my feet does still step on the beat for good reason (6/10, 3/5 on this scale).
I wasn't in a mood for any new music today so I went a bit skeptical in this record. Reading that the lyrics were written on opium piqued my interest. The record sails along smoothly. It juggles multiple ideas but it manages to stay coherent. It's dancy, it's dreamy and at times even psychedelic. Most of all it manages to deliver some good tunes. To me the vocal performance fell flat at times but the entertaining lyrics and great melodies made up for it. The best tracks on first listen are "Loose fit", "Bob's Yer Uncle" and "Harmony".
It just sounds the same. This is not bad but I’m missing some energy here. I really liked the last song though.
Нормальный такой ровный.
Ok
It's kind of meh, it's not bad, it's not super spectacular either, just meh.
Well. The Happy Mondays never clicked with me like they should have, being a white guy of a certain age and taste. I was expecting to rate this a 1, with a "what's all the fuss". But this time it was different. A lot more complex and interesting than I'd percieved before. I liked it, didn't love it. Heard a lot of the bands I love in this music than I have before - I knew they were influential , this time I felt it. A gentleman's 3.
This was...interesting. For now I have to give this 3 stars (and far too many drug references) but it wasn't bad. I found that this kind of just faded into the background rather than jump out at me in any way, but was not atmospheric enough in any way to go on a chill playlist. 3/5
pretty dancy
There were parts of this album that were a bit on the cringy side, but overall the vibe is good even if the album might be a song or two too long. Maybe a 3.5 for me?
It was an ok album, I didn’t hate it.
I like the musicianship, just wish it had something to say
It's a neat album but I want more out of it.
Baggy. Such a unique and interesting movement. It sounds so free with it genre-boundary defying mix of rock and dance music. It's psychedelic and energetic, and of course everyone involved is drugged out of their mind, as is usually in these kinds of things. This may not be the best of its genre, despite being a good one, but it is a great representation of it. There's even a song called "Loose Fit" for crying out loud. Too bad Baggy fell apart really quickly, it didn't even make it past the early 90's. Key tracks: Kinky Afro God's Cop Step On
Some great songs on this, really sums up the 90s baggy movement. The other tracks are ok, overall not a bad album.
Kills n chills ‚n‘ oke album aber hed mi au nöd wegblase 3 happy thursdays vu minere siete
Kind of a fun album. Not bad
Y'know this actually wasn't as bad as I initially though based on that god awful album title, but it also wasn't really that good either. Couple of stand outs
Listening to this on a Friday, ironically enough. I'm still not sure what Madchester is supposed to be, really. It all sounds OK to me; a little dance-y, but still sort of alt rock at its core. Wasn't necessarily jumping out of my seat, but a fine enough listen.
Mondays cool but too many
Rock
90’s techno pop
Best Song: Kinky Afro On a plus side, this is better than Bummed. That being said, this isn't anything I really enjoy. Some tracks are better than others on here but overall this misses the mark. 3/5.
Sonically similar to a mid table, nil-nil, premier league, draw.
I know a few of these from various nights out. And they're the sort of track I enjoy remembering, but don't necessarily enjoying sitting through. The rhythms are fun and the bass lines are pretty good. The guitars go from cool riff to annoyingly abrasive. The vocals are fairly ropey, but there are times where the production fits it perfectly. One of the remixes of step on came on as an extra track and instantly the mix is nicer to listen to, that is clearly the one most places play. I dunno, I want to like it more than I do. I think I prefer black grape.
Kinda wanted to hate this album, but in the end ended up liking it. The bass sounded pretty damn good, and half of the songs were very fun
Nothing exceptional but a pleasant happy Tuesday spent listening to this album previously unknown to me. 3/5 13/5/25
The first two tracks have great energy and brightness, and for some reason Bob’s Yer Uncle seemed standout for me.
A riotous slice of Madchester swagger. Funky basslines, loose grooves, and Shaun Ryder’s cheeky drawl make this album impossible to sit still to. It’s messy, colorful, and dripping with hedonism—like a night out that never ends. Pure fun, pure movement
Kinda fun. Not that many hit tracks. Liked kinky Afro and loose fit, checked their top Spotify songs and those were the top tracks off the album go figure. Turns out I agree with public opinion here
Not too good and not too bad. Can't really say much after that.
Fun but not a very ground breaking or standout album to me
Ive never rated the Mondays as i've always thought of them as a vibes and drugs band. This album seems to be the reason they were lauded as it comes with some quality and loads of potential, but is still baggy and in need of discipline.
ho ascoltato solo le prime ma sembrava carino
damn i dont care. merry christmas though
Kinda good. Doesn’t feel very cohesive tho.
Decent.
Great Songs: Step On Good Songs: Kinky Afro, God's Cop, Loose Fit, Dennis and Lois, Bob's Yer Uncle, Holiday, Harmony Mid Songs: Donovan, Grandbag's Funeral Bad Songs:
uneventful
You’re telling me this Baggy album has a song called Loose Fit? I forgot I already listened to an album from them through this list also
tryin to get into this guys psychology where he thinks i gotta listen to two happy mondays albums before i die...? anyways was shocked to learn this album was produced by Paul Oakenfold that is honestly a bit too random
This music was just ok. I finally recognized one of their songs after going through a few of them, and it was pretty good.