Reviews (page 5 of 8)
respectable funky vibes. deserves a few more listens to hear all the layers!
Very enjoyable sounds. Would’ve given higher score if the singing was more interesting
Sounded well, but generic
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
I'm struggling to form a cohesive opinion on this one. It's kind of generally dancey and upbeat, but it's not something I'm particularly vibing with. It's ok.
3-4
Hmmm, didnt do much for me
Congrats to the person who wrote a seven page essay in the reviews about this album. I wish I listened to whatever you heard, but this was alright at best. Nothing memorable, but nothing offensive. Great to put on in the background at a party.
Never heard of this artist. Eh, this is alright. Not my vibe.
Okiedokie
Which bellend thought this belonged on this list? Slog to get through, nothing of value here.
Magnificent.
Similar to other 80’s/90’s music in this genre, it’s just crap.
Quite listenable! However, if in the top 1001 albums, it would rank near the bottom.
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.
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.
idk but i think this kinda sucks. dudes voice is annoying. beats are sucky. not fun just messy.
Happy Mondays milked their talent for all the drugs they could get. Bez did even better, got the drugs without much more than the ability to dance on stage. And eventually the drugs would kill their career. No ragrats! Their talent was finding a groove and adding their baggy dust to it. And when it worked it was great. Kinky Afro is one of the greatest album openers. "Son, I'm thirty, I only went with your mother cos she's dirty". Step On us just lazy though, and I couldn't ever work out why it was the hit song, worst thing on the album.
good
Ja, das fangt ja cool aa. Leider flachts aber schnäll ab.
kinky afro isch seeeehr cool, i had to crucify somebody today isch huuere e hardi line. find tönt noch guetem alt-rock. gods coo bitz nervig haha aber no cool au? sochli bratty ha au a donovan etz ehner freud erstunlicherwiis. so sehr bri'ish aber au sochli hässig aber au mellow? finds no cool. grandbag?? ihm doud? wat nou? loose fit no cool. s isch irgendwie ähnlich wie stereo mc's gester afoch mit coole text kei rappe (was nöd schlecht wär) und bessere instrumentals. aber halt au so british früeni 90er. loose fit echt coole bass. dennis and lois tönt huere noch disco mit de bongos. findi seeehr geil gad passiert uhuere viel aber s passt alles zeme. OYEAH FLANGER. bobert min onkler. so e lustigi redewendig echt. england wa mached ihr. mega horny song begeisteret mich etz weniger step on hani recht cool gfunde so sehr tanzbar aber au 90er alternative. holiday isch gad recht a mir verbi. harmony isch cute aber macht etz nüt mega bewegends. git glaub es 3, paar cooli sache aber etz au nüt wo mi mega begeisteret. paar seehr cooli songs woni mer scho chönt vorstelle dasses iflussrich gsi sind.
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
I feel like this is the missing link between 80's Elvis Costello and 90's rock. Fantastic piece
Really fascinating album. Fun, danceable. Would go to the club if this is what they were playing.
Second Album proposé par le générateur après 'Bummed' que j'avais détesté (noté 1/5), en particulier par l'aspect très répétitif des morceaux et le mauvais mixage qui étouffait beaucoup les parties de guitare. Le mixage est ici plus réussi, et les morceaux sont un tout petit peu moins répétitifs. Mais aucune piste ne m'a accroché. Aucune chance de l'écouter de nouveau ... =>2/5
Pretty good! 4/5
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
Meh
Gives me an ecstacy flashback listening to this. Shaun Ryder at the top of his game.
Although I know we get a lot of the Madchester albums in this collection, I'm still a bit surprised to see that we get two Happy Mondays albums, since they weren't all that mind-blowing even back in the day (Madchester pioneers notwithstanding), and I would definitely have preferred to have gotten a James album in place of one of the Happy Mondays albums. But here we are. I don't think I've heard most of the tracks on this album before aside from the radio hits "Kinky afro" and "Step on", whose videos (new to me) don't really add much to the experience, sadly, except to reinforce that the 90s baggy look wasn't very attractive on the band members. (But to their credit I feel like their impressive John Kongos cover "Step On" is possibly one of the better covers in this collection.) I think my favorites on the album are probably "God's cop", "Grandbag's funeral", and "Bob's yer uncle", as they seemed a bit more distinctive from the usual Happy Mondays sound (and pretty wild that "Bob's" was originally a reworked cover of "Everybody's Talkin'" by Fred Neil...). A solid album overall, and more entertaining than I expected. In some ways the album reminded me of something that Pulp could have made, but without the intensity and scalding lyrics and music; sort of a Pulp-light/free album.
I like the funky slant: percussion and keyboards are really nice, esp on Step On, but the lyrics throughout are pretty weak. Definitely a fresh sounds in places but overall not compelling. 3+ stars
I didn't hate it.
The song "bob's yer uncle" is the sexy track? I know that "Bob's yer uncle" is a way of saying "problem solved" in merry old. In the American south Uncle + Sexy time = very much a problem. Good thing I have such a refined cultural palette so that I can catch these idiosyncrasies. I also know that fanny is NOT slang for ass in England. I bet that's going to come in handy as I continue to listen to this. Sorry if I'm rambling but if you also just listed to this I bet you're used to the feeling.
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.
Not very interesting. Not an album I truly needed to hear before I died.
This fucking album is as meh as possible. The Truly meaning of ridiculous. I'm so angry with this fuck that i don't have too much to say. And to the traditional families that probably are reading my review i apologize for the bad words but i need to put my anger somewhere. I hate mondays in general and now i hate Happy Mondays.
Baggy goodness. 4/5
Enjoyable listen. Some tracks stand out more than others but would be happy to relisten to from time to time.
Good madchester band great album.
First-time listen for me. Wish I'd discovered this around 30 years sooner. Rounded up.
Pretty fun. One of better EDM albums come through. 3.5 goin down.
Definitely more enjoyable than Bummed, but did we really need two Happy Mondays albums here to begin with
Fun like George Michael
Very boring no real highlights
New one to me and really diggit
Eh. Not my jam, but some people like it.
This is a classic of Madchester, the scene and style where bands like The Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets and The Stone Roses blended rock with rave dance music and a lot of drugs to create this cool, chill psychedelic type of music. This album is a classic and great example of the genre. Dance beats, female liquid vocals, jammy guitar, and a vocalists that shows you Liam Gallagher’s origins. Thing is I just don’t like it. The entire genre really. It’s too laid back I just don’t care. Giving it three stars because it belongs on the list, I just don’t like this music.
Not really my kind of music but Step On was played a lot in my house growing up so I have a bit of a soft spot for it
I have no doubt that this is very popular but it is not for me.
This was far from life-changing, but enjoyable enough. Highlights: Kinky Afro Step On Harmony
There have been so many British rock albums on this and I feel like so many of them just sound the same. This is one those. Kind of fun and reminds me of Tears for Fears or REM but there’s just no real separation.
Some pretty good tunes on here. Remind me of the Soup Dragons
Kinky Afro 3.8 God's Cop 4 Donovan 3.5 Grandbag's Funeral 3.2 Loose Fit 3.1 Dennis and Lois 3.3 Bob's Yer Uncle 3.4 Step On 3 Holiday 3.4 Harmony 3.3 Score: 3.4
I'm really not interested in any pills, thrills, and bellyaches. Nevertheless, I liked this better than the other Happy Mondays albums I've heard. These songs have some sharp hooks for sure!
Super meh
Bland ‘n’ Boring And Bob’s yer uncle
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.
the english need to be stopped
Better than the other Happy Mondays album I’ve had on this list, enjoyable guitar-driven indie-rock. Reminds me of the Stone Roses.
Never listened to a Happy Mondays album before and it surprised me with it's fusion of indie Brit-pop rock and dance grooves that made for an interesting listen. It did drag on a bit too long, but it was varied enough with some solid songs and made for a slightly happier Monday than I was expecting.
No doubt inventive for the time but the sound is probably a victim of its own success. Less a specific band or song but more a nod to a general time and place. If I'm going to be listening to something like this I'll take it in the form of Primal Scream. Highlight(s): *N/A Lowlight(s): *N/A *Each track was indistinguishable from the next, or the one prior.
Very samey. But some funky grooviness in places, I will admit. However, too much of this is uninspiring - too much filler. And the last track is dreadful! Not a fan of the vocals throughout. Quite a dilemma because it isn't as bad as the last album ... but still not a 3 ... so, 2.5? It's one of those tricky situations ... but, thinking of other albums I have given a 3 to, I'm going to have to round down to ...
I bought the 'Wrote For Luck' remix 7" and played it to death, loved that heavy bass, then I bought 'Step On' which still sounds fresh. Suddenly they were huge and on Top Of The Pops. 'Kinky Afro' was ok so I bought the album but was disappointed. Listening now I feel just the same about it. All was not lost! They were great at Glastonbury, their remix album was good, and the Black Grape debut album was miles better than this.
One of those funny albums that come up every few weeks that leave me with next to no feelings upon first listen. Maybe a grower?
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.
как обычно абсолютно воспоминания об альбоме обнулились к понедельнику, пришлось переслушивать. хорни шептание но не мерзкое как у некоторых
Vähän tylsänpuoleinen tämä poprock-levy. Olisin kaivannut enemmän ajoa. 2/5
Not for me. The mix of British 80s into proto-90s does not age well.
A bit corny but it has some grooves. Would enjoy this work more as a live experience
I dig it
Ok
I like this similar to yeah yeah yeahs. yeah.
6.5/10 - it was pretty funny sometimes and sort of entertaining but I wouldn’t go back to it
You’re twisting my melon man
Some good vibes but overall I'm not too hyped on listening to a british man singing in a creepy whisper voice about taking someone from behind
didn't get around to this yesterday but listening now. Had to skip the God makes it easy track. The sound is pretty cool, I can see some wordly influences like caribbean maybe? The sound is growing on me. The bass line in loose fit is cool. Has a cool ambient sound. 3 stars.
Stone cold classic
Album 682 of 1001 Happy Mondays - Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches (1990) Rating : 3 / 5 I expected to dislike this but was pleasantly surprised. Didn't detect any hits Bit overall it was a nice listen. I'll add this one to my saved album list.
First impression: Ehhhhhhhh. Final impression: it didn’t get any better.
Its got a nice rhythm going, but I don't like the vocalist
Loved it! Easy listening and enjoyable the whole way through
Solid album by a band I have never heard of before.
Transplanting the most Manc band imaginable to southern California results in the Mondays trashing the mansion, fighting each other, and accidentally making their best album.
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.
This album was a drag, honestly. The most exciting part was the title. There wasn't much that sounded interesting, creative, or unique. I guess this is a dance genre popular in the UK around the album's release in 1990, and I guess I hadn't heard it before. But if you're going to make me listen to a genre called "baggy", please make the music kind of decent. I mean, their cover of "Step On" was pointedly not good.
Well, I genuinely thought this would be worse, so there's that? It wasn't awful to listen to, but it also didn't really excite me. I did find myself at least intrigued, and the album was listenable so...2 stars? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
mjög mjög gott. grúv og fyndnar línur.
This did nothing for me.
If you made it past Bob's Yer Uncle, you're a stronger person than me. Jesus Christ that was insufferable.
Low on thrills and heavy on the bellyaches, you might just need a pill or two to get you through this one.
Incredibly surprised! This was very good.
This was fun
Kinky Afro Loose Fit Bob's Yer Uncle Step On
Honestly, nothing really stood out about it. It was enjoyable but forgettable. 2.5
Another band I’ve never heard of that sounds like a dozen others.
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
“Yor twistin’ mah MELON-man!”
Strangely, I just watched the "24 Hour Party People" movie starring Steve Coogan a couple of weeks ago. I had it saved to a 'watch later' list and didn't remember why. The focus is a music-centric somewhat fictionalized biopic of the main dude in Manchester-based Factory Records who's biggest bands were Joy Division / New Order, and later Happy Mondays. If you like this stuff and don't know that movie, check it out. It's weird and cool. One thing it gives you is some insight into how the Mondays were in the right place at the right time for this "dance music meets rock band" scene in Manchester in the late '80s. [Yet another '90s album from the makers of this list. It must be when the authors came of age, there's no other way to explain it. They're probably British too. I'll probably go find out in 100 albums or so.] I can only take so much of this relentlessly samey drum groove, not being at a dance party in 1990. The production is fantastic.... thick, buttery, varied, with a vocalist who obviously isn't particularly gifted at singing handled very well both in the recording and in the mix. This record could have sounded 100x more annoying than I it does, as I expected it to actually, not being more than passingly familiar with this band. As a pure record, though, it comes across as... well, quite samey. I'm one of those people who loved the Stone Roses first album, know all the songs inside and out. I could give a rat's ass about "Fool's Gold" and "One Love", which is where they really got dance-y like the Mondays. I liked the b-side to Fools Gold better, 'What the World is Waiting For'. But I digress. The Stone Roses first album had 10 songs that were distinct from each other, there was no mistaking one song from the other (we won't get into Waterfall/Don't Stop), but this Mondays album blurs together... as a record, that's not good... at a dance party, though, it's great... the beat is relentless and there's ENOUGH variety in THAT context. I'm glad I heard this Happy Mondays record, I'll be a skosh less dismissive of them going forward.
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.
I'm not really into house and such, but this is enjoyable if not standout.
Can only listen to this while groove stomping. My kind of party.
Not my album but not bad either
Planning on growing a Kinky Afro now.
An exciting sound and a couple of big singles.
I can see how this may have influenced Achtung Baby but that album is way better than this...the lead singer's voice is Liam Gallagher on steroids with the Brit whine. Highlights: "Kinky Afro" (jangle dance pop), "Loose Fit" (the sparse, somewhat ominous guitar riff is cool and the syncopated percussion works. Thankfully the vocals are more of a croon than a whine through much of the song) Notable: "Bob's Yer Uncle" (creepy vocal delivery fits the creepy lyrics...ew...and I didn't need the female orgasm sounds either), "Holiday" (the main musical part reminds me of the Police but the vocals are definitely not Sting-like)
I didn’t even finish it. Vocals are horrible
A blend of all different of genres, which makes it interesting. But it's just not for me.
Didn't really get to make a lasting impact. The sound was funky but lacked edge. The singer sometimes has that valium vocals going on. It was ok.
1 star. 1 good song.
Inheritor of the Jagger Swagger — certainly the singer holds his notes a little too long as he pushes them out trying to birth his own cool. The dance album Mick aways wanted to make — just take the 6 and turn it upside down to 9 to make your decades dip and flip to another era. Both of the sentences prior start with an implied question and end with a statement, but is it possible to switch the order for this sentence? A bit of nonsensical, mildly clever fun to stretch the content further seems appropriate for these Happy Mondays who take an idea into the 5 minute mark for the club more often than they take out the trash.
Superb!!!
More good than bad, but not the vibe right now, I guess.
Yep, this garbage will give you a bellyache. But no thrills.
About what I expected
Not entirely my genre but I liked it, before turning it for sleeping
Two Happy Mondays albums in a week? Is this some sort of a prank? Why not have something good on here instead? Hey you, you reading this, skip this shit and go listen to Foetus instead. Happy Mondays my ass...
Muy divertidoy pegajoso, se convierte en un clásico instantáneo después de la primera escucha
Just simple awesome
Love it. Seen this crazy bunch twice. Love it!
3.5 stars. A lesser version of Stone Roses in the Madchester genre, indie rock meets psychedelia. Still a decent listen, better than run of the mill britpop, has some good tracks. Cover of "Step On" is catchy but the standout is "God's Cop" as well as "Kinky Afro".
Interesting sounds. A lot of lyrics about sex. Especially Bob’s Yer Uncle. Nothing to incorporate into daily rotations. ⭐️⭐️
Never heard of this band before. I like the energy. Enjoyed the first song very much but unfortunately the rest didn’t live up to my expectations after that one.
It’s good but the British people are kind of annoying, Pulp is better
Enjoyable album 3/5
On it
Nah not for me
A fine sound, attitude at a high level.
Not sure I needed this
Not bad, not sure I'm a fan, but was worth the listen.
Different
Late 80s brit pop party vibes. Did not enjoy but not a bad album.
Blaaannddd.
My era, but I never listened to this sort of thing back in the day. It’s OK, but none of this hits the heights like The Stone Roses album from the previous year. When I listened to that as part of this it blew me away, whereas this is just OK. I knew a surprising amount of tracks from it and it obviously has some decent moments, but I don’t know if it’s one I’ll come back to again.
Very funny and cool.
I mean, I get that the editors of this list are British but is this really an album that deserves to be on the best 1001 albums of all time? Plus one star for having some decent lyrics, but not a good album. 2/5
Some of the guitar riffs are decent, but I'm just not into 90s club music.
some classic Manchester rock/pop. although this album was released over 30 years ago still got a great sound to it and several of the tracks (Kinky afro, Loose Fit, Bobs Yer Uncle) would fit on any playlist of contemporary British rock. Give it a listen.
Ehhh boring radio filler
Tell him to go suck a lemon
Didn't go in with high expectations, it was already tho. Not great, but, just like, you know... Whatever
Nothing crazy, pretty middle of the road in terms of sound. Nothing explored here, just a typical rock album but I’m not mad at it
Once again i must ask, outside of some bery notable exceptions, do the british know how to make music?
I never really got the whole Madchester thing. A lot of it sounds more suitable for cocktail party background music than ‘mad fer it!!!!’ raves. I guess you had to be there. Admittedly this album has more going for it than I was expecting, though I did start to lose interest after a while. Also, the technical prowess of the lead vocalist is rarely a dealbreaker for me, but 45 minutes of Shaun Ryder’s dulcet tones makes a compelling case for me to reconsider that stance… 2.5 / 3
Britisk rock, dancevibes, lidt indie
These guys are fun - grillers and chillers in here.
fine enough. can’t really form an opinion ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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
Fun little album. Pretty dancy in the 90's kind of way. 6/10
very much of its time, still listenable with plenty of great tracks. 3.5
An interesting listen! A bridge between the 80s and 90s, some funky tunes. Better than I thought it'd be, but not an all-timer.
Jesus, some of the lyrics on this are as bad as they are delivered. Which didn’t really surprise me, as despite only knowing a few songs by these I was aware that they aren’t known for their writing or singing credentials! On a whole, it’s not for me. This whole scene sort of passed me by, and I found chunks of this boring on the verge of irritating. But I do get their appeal, they’re more than some pill heads having a good time, and they have rightfully created a legacy for themselves. I’d love to have a pint with Shaun Ryder. Comes across as a decent chap and I bet he has some tales to tell
Better than I was expecting, I've been fairly dismissive of the happy Mondays in the past but its much more interesting than I thought. Think id heard step on too many times before and drawn my conclusions from that. The guitar is really good, quite angular and choppy in places. I do find the singing quite drony, sort of like primal scream. Puts me off a bit. Might listen again, 3.5 but closer to a 3.
Step On is decent. The rest of the album isn't half bad either - a lot more ambitious than I thought it would be. Despite being from Manchester, I don't know a lot about the Madchester scene. I don't mind Shaun Ryder's vocals either.
Wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this, know the hits but nothing else really. Even so, it didn't surprise me at all..... Kinky afro and step on are by far the best tracks. There was quite a bit I thought wasn't great, couple of slightly better ones around the middle of the album, then it dipped again. Shaun Ryder can't sing, bet they had fun though 2.5
Meh
Favorite Track: Kinky Afro
#423. I didn't hate it, but I surely didn't care enough to like it. It really leaves no impression. 3/5: mid Song added to playlist: Kinky Afro I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
Jumittaa, jumittaa. Itse asiassa pari hauskaa melodiaa siellä välissä. Ne jopa hymyilyttävät. Mutta silti ennemmin toivoin, että levy loppuisi jo.
A-puoli laahaa, höpisee ja toistelee, B-puoli herää rytmiin. Ei ole mahdotonta että palaisin tähän joskus.
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
Muy bueno
Kind of forgot it was on. Put on Stone Roses after instead and that was much more fun.
Okay, kinda cool.
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
p644. 1990. 3 stars. If you were in a field with a thousand other people, completely off your tits on E, then I can imagine this would be a 5 star album. In the cold morning light, this has not aged well - pilfered hooks and bass lines, covers and Shaun Ryder can't sing.
Very Meh
Happy Mondays' cultural profile and influence is way bigger and more powerful than their actual back catalogue. A handful of stomping great singles. Quite a lot of dreck. Still an interesting listen.
I've never really got these to be honest. Another one of those 'had to be there' bands by the sounds of it. Love Shaun & Bez on Gogglebox though. 2.5*, rounding up as the album actually ends pretty strongly with the last 3 tracks.
A pretty good album, I liked Step On the most.
I do like Loose Fit and the rest sounds ok as basic Rave music I like where it sounds rougher but not something I would go back to much.
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!
Swagger
I was looking forward to this one as I’d never heard it. I was disappointed.
Not bad, doesn't twist your melon too much.
Hmmm ... listening to the album is ok, but somehow nothing at the end. The music flows by and by.
I’ll never understand how the Brit’s can honestly say something like, “oy bruv this new band Happy Mondays is a madchester baggy band innit.” My brother in christ, this is just shitty generic 90’s alt rock. I really have nothing more to say about this album than that. 2*
There are several tracks on this album that kinda have a fun, funky vibe, but the vibes are invariably ruined by asinine, off putting lyrics sung in a supremely annoying voice. I’m getting tired of this project recommending tasteless british drivel. 4/10
- Happy Mondays waren mir im Zuge der Madchester Bewegung ein Begriff, weil ich die Inspiral Carpets sehr gerne mag, aber gehört habe ich bewusst nie etwas von Happy Mondays. - Ich fands eine ganz witzige Mischung und hatte auch zeitweise Spaß beim Hören (ein zwei Tracks fand ich auch echt ganz cool), hat mich aber dann doch nicht wirklich gecatcht. - Glaube mir war vieles dann doch ein bisschen zu repetetiv - Leider im Vergleich zu vielem Zeug von den Inspiral Carpets doch ziemlich outdatet, durch diese Ende 80er/Anfang 90er Dance Grooves - Sicherlich keine schlechte Band oder schlechtes Album, aber hm Rating: 2,25-2,5/5
- i.O. aber auch etwas bowing
The most okay album ever. I’ve listened to it, I haven’t hated it, I’ll likely never listen to it again. A simple cycle.
Well this was a lot better than I remember it - and I get the rave culture vibes it presents. Still find it hard to love, but finally I've come to terms it's actually a more than decent record.
Never heard of Happy Mondays before, but I enjoyed this one a decent amount. It was a really unique sound, and I liked the kinda psychedelic tones I was hearing. Favorites were Loose Fit and Step On.
I don’t think this album really hits its stride until the second half. The fusions of dance music and rock sometimes work and sometimes don’t really. Favorite songs were Kinky Afro, Dennis And Lois, Step On, and Holiday.
Heard of but never heard. Instant like. Added to my faves.
Me and baggy are like the two people in a friend group that know eachother very well but don’t get along. Especially in context of the happy Mondays, like step on is really good and you can make an argument for kinky Afro and gods cop.
Just what we needed here at the end, as if we forgot where this list originated. Not a bad album but no reason to be on this list.
Pretty unremarkable British rock album. A couple good tracks but "just fine" is really not worth including on this list, man. Though shoutout to "Bob's Yer Uncle" for just being a great track name. Also Wikipedia says this is part of a genre called "Madchester," which is a psych-dance movement from Manchester. How full of yourself do you have to be to claim your city's music is its own genre (especially when it's just reviving existing things)? Favorite tracks: Grandbag's Funeral, Loose Fit, Bob's Yer Uncle. Album art: Love how colorful it is, though makes it pretty hard to read. Can see they leaned all the way into this madcap, psych aesthetic. 3/5
I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Four stars from me.
This is the second Happy Mondays album I’ve gotten in the last three weeks, and it feels excessive. I did enjoy this one slightly more than the last one, though.
probably one of the best alt dance records i've heard this is album does get kind of tiring by the end tho ngl
I don’t know about this… I guess it was funky but just not exciting. It didn’t really have anything SHOUTING influential or amazing at me. I passively listened to it and just waited to it to be over honestly. It was a nice vibe but just not so WOW.
Well, it's definitely better than their previous directionless mess of an album "Bummed" but... it's a fairly pedestrian if pleasant melodic british rock album. Meh. And pedestrian in the "accompanying a middle-aged overweight pedestrian who needs to sit and rest every once in a while" sense. So I guess this album to me is like a dull slow walk on a rather unsightly street that gives me no exercise. I'm just so bored. 4/10 2 stars
Rating: 9/10 Amazing, simultaneously catchy, psychedelic, and creative.
My god, what is this doing on this list?
Hasn’t aged well. Not much to enjoy beyond the big singles.
It's fine. I thought from the opening two tracks I was really gonna like it. Not like crazy love, but dig it well enough. I did recognize "Kinky Afro" once it got to the "Yippy Yippy ya ya yay I had to crucify somebody today" I was like, oh that song. After "God's Cop" it was pleasant enough to listen to maybe in the background but really not much to hang on to. (6.8) ★★★
Like some of fhe songs, but mostly it is too dance oriented for me. 3 stars
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”
Fine, kind of grates after a while.
Maybe a 2.
Nothing to write home about. I didn't like it much at all but it wasn't 1 star bad. To think of what could've been here in it's place.
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
The vocalist sounded a bit like Bob Dylan to me. I know that sounds weird, but the vocal lilt just reminded me of it. I did feel the songs went on a bit too long, like "Dennis & Lois". It got tiresome. Although "Bob's Your Uncle" is a bit... randy, I liked the instrumentation, the woodwind breaks were really cool to hear. The wide range of influences were good to hear, and I get that the band sounds a bit fun, but the songs were a bit repetitive and went on a good minute too long. I was all "get on with it!" Top songs: "Bob's Your Uncle," "Loose Fit," "Kinky Afro"
Ah, so that is the term for this British music scene. Madchester. Or baggy. I'm still not sure how I feel about this whole dance rock scene. So British. So you had to be there. We've seen some entries already from Primal Scream, The The, and...Happy Mondays. How about that? Another band with two albums that really doesn't deserve more than one. Only The The got a 3 from me, though I waffled on a 2 or 3 for the other prior albums in this genre (including Bummer by Happy Mondays). I found myself skipping through songs so there you have it. Another 2.
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).
Very good, though I'm not a huge fan. Mid to high 3s
Brilliant. Love this album.
The only good part of the album is when they rip off Lady Marmalade for one line.
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 🤮
It’s definitely of a time and place, but outside that particular setting it just doesn’t have much appeal other than some nostalgia.
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.
4/10 Should be right up my alley--I couldn't get past the "English school boy finds a microphone and shows off for his parents" vibe. More fool me. 10-15-2024
Wow, no, no thank you
This was okay. Hadn't really listened to them before. It might grow on me.
Ok 4-
Cet album m'a irritée. Des thèmes éculés et une voix geignarde, des sections rythmiques vieillies
Manchester bonkers funk rock with that Ryder vocal. It still find it disorienting.
First listen. Ok.
It started off good with the opener but besides a very few tracks it didn't get much better. I liked the vibe the album was going for but the punches didn't land like I thought they would. Overall, it's ight. Top 3 Fav: Kinky Afro, God's Cop, and Holiday Top 3 Worst: no bad songs 2.75-3.25/5
Highlights: Kinky Afro, Denis and Lois -Truly funky -Lacks the energy it needs at times -I find the vocals really lacking -What the actual fuck is Bob's Yer Uncle. I haven't felt more uncomfortable listening to a song in my entire life -Doesn't really have that much to make it interesting so it gets boring a lot of times -The lyrics are mostly shit -Overall boring and uninteresting album, wouldn't listen to it again Rating: 3/10
Doesn’t do anything for me, but it’s not awful.
Mostly fine. A few of the songs were bad.
Some of the songs were cool, but the music often noticeably felt like it was using a drum machine, which was distracting and not pleasant.
A good fun blast from the past
Very much of its time, sounds incredibly dated over 34 years later - which not everything from that time does. Fun and daft, and sounds like it took about the same length of time to write as it takes to listen to; every track sounds like a first draft, even the cover version.
3/5
Pretty lame.
Got two Happy Monday albums in a row and hope the second was the last one. It's not bad, but I don't know what they are doing on this list.
Ok I guess, Step on has memories but a bit lame really
Good but not my style
Better when the vocals are off though...
This feels like a record that if you were in a specific place at a specific time would be monumentally important to you. Alas dear reader, I am not of that time nor of that place. As such I found it to be less than interesting. I get what the band was going for - but it feels like a work in progress compared to future albums that blend dance and rock.
A happy Monday? In this economy?
Fell flat for me. One and done.
This is the album to play to anyone who needs to understand the "Manchester sound."
pretty good, fun sound, a little on the longer side.
Nothing special, just more Britpop that I have come to expect from this list.
Je ne comprends vraiment pas l'attrait de ce band il faut croire. Je l'ai trouvé aussi peu intéressant que Bummed. J'ai l'impression que cette musique s'adresse a une démographie bien particulière du UK. 4.5/10
The music isn't bad, but the lyrics are repetitive quite often and overall not super interesting.
I can see how they were groundbreaking, I just don't think it holds up that well some 35 years later. And Shaun Ryder's voice has an irritating effect on me after a few songs.
Why is this on here? Just because it was something this dude likes, doesn’t mean we have to listen to it. Getting annoying.
2.5
Really fun album.
This album turned my uninteresting Saturday into a Happy Monday
Lately I've got a lot of mixed genres albums on the list. This one is also a mix, but in a different way. You can hear different decades. 60's, 70's, 80's and I'm pretty sure I've heard some future in there too. Since it came out in 1990, I think it's a great album for the beginning of the 90's. 3.5/5.
Just totally glazed over listening to this one - nothing here I even remotely enjoyed
Some enjoyable stuff but largely forgettable
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.
I can’t explain why, but I love this band, reprobates that they apparently were ! There are some great tracks, some just alright, but overall it’s a high 3*
Fuck britpop and whatever this is, too. 1.3
It's fine :D
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!
Kinda just mediocre rock that isn't really special in anyway. Super forgettable.
Feels like a nice stop along the way to listen to some Britrock from Salford
The only way to make Manchester bearable is to be on copious amounts of drugs, and I think the Happy Mondays encapsulate that. The music is alright too.
Unhinged British pop that blends the old and the new. Definitely worth a listen.
It's alright. Fun. Didn't knock my socks off.
The album starts off really strong and promising, then unfortunately makes a weird and unappealing turn in it's middle tracks. It ends on a higher note, but overall nothing incredibly remarkable. The most popular songs are really good, and the rest of the album ranges from forgettable to bad. Top tracks: Kinky Afro, Step On, Holiday
not really my thing.
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.
A fun album. Reminded me of Duran Duran with a sprinkle of Talking Heads. Enjoyable!
This is an example of where the structural bones of an album are greater than the musical artistry therein. Being one of the first rock bands to get a world-class DJ to produce your album at the absolute acme of the Madchester movement would do it. The “stupid fun” of this disc is evident and you can forgive it lots for not being super polished.
Se questo album fosse al colloquio per un posto nella mia playlist gli direi che gli farò sapere per poi non richiamare mai più
Two Happy Mondays albums in the space of three days - lucky me! This was a big step up from Bummed to be fair. It’s still not really my thing but the production was so much better and, while I think Kinky Afro is overrated, two of the other singles (Step On and Loose Fit) were both pretty great. An improvement on all fronts from their previous album, but not quite enough to warrant a 3 for me - just going from a low 2 to a high 2
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
Wel fine
This has hooks to draw you in. Really good stuff, and had never heard this album before. So... thanks!
Good vibes like Beatles? Favourite track: Loose Fit.
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.
Not it
1. kinky fro - 1 2. cop - 0 3. donovan - 0 4. funeral - 0 5. looze - 0 6. denniz - 0 7. uncle - 1.5 8. ztep - 1.5 9. holiday - 1 10. harmony - 1 11. ztep on - 0 12. kinky - 1 13. looze - 1 14 uncle - 1 15. man - 1
I didn't know what I was expecting, but it was okay but weird. The fife on Bob's Yer Uncle, the sampling on Kinky Afro, the rock guitar of grandbag's funeral. I don't know if it was a cohesive album, so it was confusing overall. But individually most of the songs were okay. Wavering here between a 2 and 3
This album was a pleasant surprise. Never heard of these guys and I was intrigued when I saw Paul Oakenfold had a part in this production. I assumed it would be more heavily electronica than it was. I enjoyed the funky grooves. Great vibes!
What even is this? It sounds early 80s but is early 90s? Nah, I’m out.
Skemmtileg plata og hittararnir geggjaðir.
Lemppari: Bob’s yer uncle Vähiten lemppari: Kinky afro
Upon reviewing the lyrics for the song Donovan on this album, I’ve come to the conclusion that I should not make it my theme song. The album is decent overall. It’s good, and understandable why it was such a big deal back in the day, but now it sounds a little dated. Although maybe it sounds dated due to so many other bands mimicking their vibe and stealing their thunder. It does have some fine four star moments sprinkled about.
This was not quite entirely my thing, which is a little surprising. I feel like Happy Mondays inspired some bands that I like more, and the Fall also embraced this kind of sound around the same time, and I like those albums. But this one was just fine to me. Sorry Happy Mondays, more like Adequate Tuesdays amirite?
I had never heard of this band or album. I liked it quite a bit.
Can we please be done with this Madchester stuff soon? I mean, how much can you milk the concept of The Slightly Shoegazing Rolling Stones with Acid House samples? It's tiresome. On some tracks they break out into a fun ruckus, which is alright but most of it is not. I went back to The Stone Roses (#65) for a quick comparison and while that one bored me, this here - with the front geezer loosely talking in his two or three notes all the time - is irritating. Cool cover, though.
indie rock house 80s-90s
Dance rock. It's ok. I like the weird horny one. bob's yer uncle?
This almost sounds like early U2 at some points, and then some late 90s alternative as well.
Boring, uninterresting and mediocre are probably the best things you can say about this.
Dead on the floor tired but this is a lot of fun
Some good grooves. Can't say they are overloaded with musical talent. Their main riff is that piano sound thingy
Thoughts before listening: Madchester scene band that I know very little about. I've been surprised by how much all these once buzzed about Brit alt rock bands just don't do all that much for me, so I'm not too optimistic about this. Review: This is actually pretty fun. I'm hearing a bit of a punk attitude with psychedelic guitars and dancey beats. I think this all works well and quite frankly these guys probably could have been a big deal in the American jamband festival scene of the 00s. 3-stars
To borrow from The Simpsons, about the Happy Mondays, I can tell you two things wrong with their name. Well, one I guess. Happy. It’s not very happy. More monotone. Nothing stands out. It’s not terrible in the sense that it shouldn’t be listened to. It’s just not what I’d highly rate. Choice cut: Grandbags Funeral
Appreciate the percussion that’s low-key and thudding, but often inconspicuously in the background. Guitar sections were repetitive and uninspired. Vocals hit and miss. Fine for background music but didn’t particularly enjoy how the guitar tracks interacted with the rest of the musical elements. Listened to: on a train in New England. Favorite tracks: Kinky Afro, Step On
I definitely want to return to this one.
Wondering who I wronged in the world to get two Happy Mondays albums back to back. This has me feeling bummed out and with a bellyache, and I hope I never have to listen to this god-awful band again.