Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Antoisa kuunteluhetki.
This was cool but I really have to be in the mood to enjoy punk.
silly punk album. surprised it isn't all that talked about with other first wave punk. better than early ramones or sex pistols. and funny saxophone.
It's really compelling. For some reason the track listing on Apple Music is shuffled from what is shown on Wikipedia.
Very interesting punk album with some synth influence? I liked it Saved tracks: Identity, I Am a Poseur, Warrior in Woolworths, I Cant Do Anything, Highly Inflammable
A enjoyable listen punk album that feels ahead of its time
Low 4, fun stuff
I love punk.
Le Tigre vibes. Great punk vocals, great sax, nice lil punk album.
Sounds like a punk band fronted by Cyndi Lauper and featuring the sax player from Men At Work. Which is to say, this thing slaps.
tout me faisait peur du titre à la pochette et ce fut finalement une jolie suprise
Good punk rock with sax!
This was an interesting album, sound wise This sounds very 80's despite being released in the 70's. I like the singer's voice for the most part, but it can be a tiny bit grating at some points. My favourite songs were I Can't Do Anything, Highly Inflammable, and Warrior in Woolworths.
Talk about a cover and name that don't inspire any confidence or anticipation for what's inside. As most people here I suspect, I haven't heard of this band before, let's go! Track 1 - What in the Eliza Doolittle? We doing satire music now? Have a feeling this is heading straight for the 1-star pile. 2. Identity - OK, this is kinda lively, no idea what she's saying, but there's some kinda toy wind instrument in the background, and at least the adolescents are having fun with this one. Already this is miles better than The Smiths. 3. The Day the World Turned Dayglo - Still no idea what Eliza Doolittle is shouting about, but appreciate the vigor. And the toy wind instrument turned out to be a saxophone - go figure! 4. Genetic Engineering - I think I picked up a bit of German at the beginning there? The sax player (Steve "Rudi" Thomson) is starting to establish himself a bit more, go on then! 5. Art-I-Ficial - This is my second listenthrough, and I JUST realized that the name of the band is X-Ray Spex, and the album title is Germfree Adolescents, thought it was the other way around. Anyway, this song slaps! This is by no means a 1 star album. 6. Plastic Bag - "My mind is like a plastic bag" declares Poly Styrene, the lead singer. OK, I finally pulled up the lyrics, not as dreadful as I expected, this band keeps surprising me. They seem to be complaining about the over-saturation of media and advertising in 1977, are they in for a surprise when they cross into this millennium. 7. I Am a Poseur - Another bop. Maybe the best so far. Wow, this band just keeps racking up stars. 8. I Live off You - He might be closer to a random high school band member than Sonny Rollins, but this song is evidence that a sax makes a great addition to any punk band (see also The Stooges). 9. Lets Submerge - Just when I mentioned The Stooges, Miss Styrene goes all out channeling her inner Iggy. Another star earned? Another star earned! 10. Obsessed With You - This is actually supposed to be the 2nd track on the album, but YouTube seems to have messed up the order, or following a different release version. Oh well, this album will be getting plenty more rotation, in the correct order next time. 11. Warrior in Woolworths - Woolworths is a clothing store? Seems like there's something deeper here than just the surface lyrics. 12. I Can Do Anything - 12 songs deeps and the energy is still high. Not getting tired of this at all. Dig those rolling rrrs, and I think I'm finally starting to understand what Eliza Dool.. I mean... Poly Styrene is saying. 13. Age - Bonus track? Why not! 14. Highly Inflammable - Another bonus track, nice change of pace from the rest of the songs so far. Conclusion - MASSIVELY surprised and impressed by this one. Make sure you find the version that starts with Art-I-Ficial, as that is the original and imo best album opener.
A lot of screaming
suprisingly good
Punk with some Sax and Female Vocals? Some heavy riffs are really unexpected on this album! I like more than I actually thought than I would. Very "London" sounding band from the end of the Seventies.
8/10. When I first heard the singers voice, I thought it would ruin the album. But I ended up really liking it
Pretty odd but the saxophone was a nice touch. 7/10
Feels like the precursor to a lot but also has some dated elements. A fun project regardless, glad I got to be enlightened to it.
Queer-punk klassikko! Todella aikaansa edellä. Tosin Oh Bondage! Up Yours! ei kyl ollut alunperin tällä levyllä mukana ollenkaan. Hieno single tosin. Aika menoa ja meininkiähän tää on, mutta jotenkin hyvällä tavalla omalaatuisesti! 4/5
First half is a bit meh but wow they put it together I the second half. Love Platic Bag, Warrior in Woolworths, I can't do anything.
Cool!
Stevige punk. Niet onmiddellijk iets dat goed blijft hangen, maar wel een leuk album
I initially pigeonholed this as shouty punk with not much variation (kind of what you would expect from a punk band in 1978) but this gets better the more you play it . Poly was truly one in a million and her personality resonates through the album. The Sax and synth is not a standard Punk sound and I would go as far to say this isn't punk at all? Very early New-Wave? lol! Some slower tracks with quite cutting lyrics too- I mean it's not Shakespeare but better than a lot of other bands I think. "Her phobia is infection, she needs one to survive It's her built-in protection, without fear she'd give up and die" "My mind, is like, a plastic bag That corresponds, to all those ads It sucks up all the rubbish That is fed in through my ear" Plus it's now on Spotify now which is good.
Good fun punk. Faves: Warrior in Woolworths, Plastioc Bag
Raw and energetic, with some parts really rough (inspired by surf rock) while others more smooth (inspired by glam rock and reggae). There's a whole lot of punk attitude. I really enjoy the riot grrrl vocals... something rare I only find in bands like Siouxsie and B-52s. Sax and synths are really simplistic, on the onset of New Wave but still definitely punk, characterized by short track lengths, chaotic vocals, anti-social lyrical matter, and fast yet minimalistic melodies. No signs of weakness on any of tracks; they really go all out. I can't believe these guys made just one album and a few singles but yet are considered one of the classics. I found like three varieties of this album in different track orders, but I don't think the ordering matters at all. Favorites: Germfree Adolescence, Identity, Art-I-Ficial, Plastic Bag, I Am a Poseur, Warrior in Woolworths, Highly Inflammable, Oh Bondage Up Yours
Shouty girl punk with a Saxamophone. Good shit.
Awesome female punk with horns!
Acc kinda poppin
I Was Taking Care Of Business The Last 2Days. Rabby Ysahhel Fy Kol Mehou Dream, I've Been Writing, But Not Much
Gotta love first gen punk/new wave, and sax :)
Such an exciting album. Charismatic, great lyrics, absolutely brilliant take on their times.
Tho I'm not a saxophone fan, I did find the femme vocals on this thrashy trash appealing. It's always nice to discover foundational bands and figures that built some of my favorite sounds in music.
Hell fucking yeah finally some energy. Cant believe i never heard of them before
The cool shit
Love it, a true gem.
this is what I thought punk sounded like when I was a small child, and I was right
7/10
Super bon album punk rock, clairement une influence pour plusieurs bands qui ont suivit. À revisiter
Album was awesome. Wish it was on Apple Music. End of the album even better than the top. Meant to be played loud. Really liked Plastic Bag and Dayglo. Good transition time between rock and punk, can see both in this album.
This rocked! Really liked the use of horns throughout and the unique lyrics, like on Plastic Bag. A nice surprise Saved: Art-I-Ficial, Let's Submerge, Identity*, Germfree Adolescence, Plastic Bag
Ja, dit vond ik lekker. Hysterisch maar met de juiste pit
English Punk Rock YESSSSSSSSSSS. Solid 4.5
Me gustó mucho en conjunto todo el disco
Punksito alegre, mucha energía, todo suena bien. La voz de la vocalista está suave. Me habría gustado conocer esta banda cuando era adolescente, es lo que pienso. Entre las que más me gustaron: "Art-I-Ficial", "I Can't Do Anything" y "Genetic Engineering". 8.5/10
There are some really classic brit-punk anthems on this album and Poly Styrene is one of the most iconic female punk singers ever. Punk is my genre and I'm generally here for the riot grrrl thing but I'll admit that, even for me, a whole album of this started to wear me out. 'Oh Bondage, Up Yours" is still one of my favorite punk tracks but I can only take so much. Also saxophone solos can suck it.
A fine nostalgic for me blast from the past. Great songs about consumerism. A favorite of mine
This album is so good. It’s like fire or electricity. Every track is like a straight defibrillator to my brain. Top tracks Obsessed with you Plastic bag Oh bondage up yours
Surprisingly good, honestly quite refreshing to listen to. Dubious sax tuning lmao. Solid, not sure if I would save any of them though.
Pufffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff!!! Todo lo que me gusta. Todo.Ese punk-pop con vientos es todo lo que me gusta. Me hace acordar tanto el tono de voz de Bárbara Recanati de Utopians. Escuchen este tema de ellos. "Allá voy" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mjx4IHeMg8 En fin. Repito en insisto, el disco es todo lo que está bien en mi cabeza de niño hardocore-ska-punk-fag. ¿Lo voy a volver a escuchar? Pero claro que sí!! 9/10 ludomatics
love it, refined lady-sonics.
Great punk rock almost vicious. Loved it!!!
The Day the World Turned Day-Glo, Identity, Let's Submerge, Oh Bondage! Up Yours!, Age e Obssessed With You
This album is cool! Punk as hell and pretty groovy too. The sax is an interesting touch. Polly Styrene had a cool voice. I definitely hear the influence on someone like Corin Tucker.
i really liked this album!
Actually really enjoyed this. A lotta fun. Lots of comedy lyrics and track names like Warrior in Woolworths. Will go again
Had a lot of fun with this.
"I know you're antiseptic, your deodorant smells nice I'd like to get to know you but you're deep-frozen like the ice" (Germfree adolescence) Obsesionada con las pintas de esta gente, decepcionada con que haya tan pocas fotos en internet.
Love this but can't go as high as a 5
Catchy punk album, as fresh as it was at the day!
Punk femenino con una voz con mucha fuerza. Buen disco con un estilo muy definido. Transmite energía.
Oh man. This was such a welcome addition to this week’s listening. Really enjoyed it. “Germ Free Adolescents” is so good! Love that vocal performance. Somebody needs to do a playlist of tunes with saxophones in unlikely places.
Yeah, this was great - love that saxamaphone added to the punk sound. Lyrically this album is so much more relevant than the Sex Pistols' manufactured nihilism. Fave track - "Identity" - mainstream culture is only now (kinda) catching up with what this song is saying!
Amazing
Straight forward 70’s punk with a hint of saxophone. Lots of fun
A bit different but I like it
Goeie oude punk met vrouwenstem. Eigenlijk een van de beste punkalbums met vrouwenstem moet ik zeggen.
Super band de punk garage, j'aime bien ça.
3.5
I enjoyed hearing some riot grrl on this list. Not my favorite thing ever but a nice change
Super surprised by this album. It wasn't overly complicated but that added to its appeal. Great basic punk album. Faves were I Live Off You and Art-I-Ficial
Панк рок
This was actually ok for a punk album. It was better than I expected it to be. Perhaps because the band was woman-fronted, it gave me a different perspective to the predominantly male-fronted stuff that's been fed to us for the majority of the project. It's still not a genre I enjoy, but I did take some more appreciation from this than normal.
For this album I liked everything but the vocals. They just weren't very pleasing to my ear, and it's sung more in that style of the era which I don't like.
In my mind, the female equivalent of Johnny Rotten. The sound is unique but not enough to make me stop and question anything
⭐⭐⭐ Punkrock. Mycket energi ochb bra kvinnlig röst på sång och lite extra krydda och pluspoäng med saxofon som får det att sticka ut. Helt ok album som framförallt börjar bra, dock tappar jag lite intresse under albumets gång och tycker kanske inte att det häller hela vägen så det blir en 3a. Bäst är Art-I-ficial, Obsessed wirh you, I cant do anything, I am a poser
Punk
Early soft punk
Meh
Sheena is a punk rocker, and I am Sheena. Yet again this project reminds me of my love of punk music even if this doesn’t quite get a 4 from me
Definitely an album that would only be in this list. Obscure British punk. Still, glad to have heard it. Some interesting guitar riffs.
Was ready for another 2⭐️day when I saw an unknown UK punk album, but I enjoyed this one way more than expected! It was energetic, with driving guitars and sax blended in throughout. Felt like proto-New Wave, ska. 3.5⭐️
Dripping with all the irony you’d expect from decent punk.
The saxophones are the best part of this female led punk album.
Exciting album, good vibes.
Really well done, supercharged punk effort. Favorite track: Let's Submerge
1978 issued, never heard of them …early high energy punk except for slow ballad Getm-free adolescence (!)
I was not previously with the artist or album. This is a punk album with female vocals. The use of saxophone added some variety to the mix. The songs were fine for me, albeit not particularly noteworthy for me. I wouldn't mind hearing it again, but probably wouldn't seek it out either.
I actually really liked the title song. The rest of the album, not so much.
Hard to say "cookie cutter punk", when it's one of the first punk albums, but, that is what this sounds like
Decently fun punk, but didn't hear anything I wanted to save for later.
I generally enjoy punk but halfway thru disc 2 they did start pissing me off
it was an interesting album, punk with sax.had high energy. might be a grower.
Rad 3.5/5
Punky with some ska overtones. This was a vibe and the album falls right into the sweet spot. Love the title.
I find rhe vocals a bit annoying, but it is okay. 3 stars
What a complete blast this is!
I liked this one. Insanely energetic weirdo punk record. Very fun, too. Great unhinged vocal performances from Poly Styrene (funny. sounds like a drag name), although she does tend to shout the title of the song at the beginning a bit too many times. Initially the cover was kitsch but then I remembered that really was how the 'cool' kids dressed back then. Key tracks: Art-I-Ficial Germfree Adolescents The Day the World Turned Dayglo
Interesting
Catchy punk vibe.
It's not terrible but it sounds like a worse version of Blondie, especially the vocals. The saxophone work adds a nice element, but 70's punk is always a bit underwhelming. A good listen but far from great.
Weird, hat was von DDR Punk. Ein bisschen viel schrei-singen, aber eher so DDR mäßiges hingeroze als screamo oder sowas.
This is just a good time, man. It doesn't really feel very nineties, the punk inspiration is clearly present, and you can tell they had fun making it.
This is yet another one that was only popular in England. No one here has ever heard of the Germ Free Adolescents. It's punk, a precursor to 80's new wave. I don't hear anything groundbreaking, maybe it's on here cuz there's a woman (the famous Poly Styrene) on lead vocals? It's punky and messy as it should be but has fun horns, very late 70's Brit punk - sound like early Clash or Sex Pistols (listen to "Identity") but not as angry or full of testosterone. I don't recognize a single song from the radio, ads or TV but I kinda liked "Let's Submerge". The reissue with a 2nd disc includes their signature track, "Oh Bondage (Up Yours)" but apparently that's not available on Spotify. I definitely could have lived my life without hearing this album but now I can say I have. 2.5-3 stars.
it was probably what people of the 70s thought future music would sound like
No real issues or complaints here. Can definitely here the influence in 90s Riotgirrrl music especially in Le Tigre
quality punk. dig the saxophones. good energy here, even if there aren't any really standout tracks
Not my favorite, but I’m glad it’s on the list.
80s before the 80s
Chunky yet predictable.
Pink. Not my thing
Not my cup of tea. Like the energy but wouldn't go back to it
non proprio il mio genere ma ho fatto uno sforzo, e non è male
Vocals were wild on this. Fast riffs and fast vocals. Pretty fun but nothing spectacular.
...
It's a fun punk album. Nothing that would change the face of the world but still pleasant to listen to. Favorite Songs: I Can't Do Anything
Didnt get onboard with this one. Maybe i wasn’t in the mood, not sure. Low 3
Fun album with a lot of energy. Not my type of music for the most part, but I can appreciate it. Rating: 5/10 Favorite Song: Identity
Really fun punk music. Maybe not as catchy or gettin-me-goin as others in the genre, but I loved the energy and overall cheekiness.
신날락말락
Was not too bad. Female-fronted punk is always cool. Also, there were a few metal riffs on this record, which was interesting. Deserves a 3.5. Since I gave my last album a 4 this is going down to 3.
2.5
6/10 There's something quite cool about Sax Punk. I didn't expect to enjoy this one as much as I did. It's underproduced, the vocals are simple, the music is repetitive, but there's charm and fun all around which makes for an overall enjoyable listen. Not revolutionary or overly interesting, but solid overall. Best track: Germfree Adolescence Will I revisit?: Probably not
Positively surprising
Emmm, ok I guess
Pretty good songs with terrible vocals averages out to a middling experience.
Innofensive, but unremarkable
Pretty standard 70s Britpunk album. Poly's voice takes a few songs to get used to. Better instrumentalists than the Sex Pistols. I can appreciate it for what it is.
I have this rated between fun and annoying. I liked the energy of the music but I hate the singer.
3.5
2.5
3.0
Pretty cool. I know the most popular rating on this site for this record pokes fun at people saying it all sounds the same, but I think that’s a valid critique. X-Ray Spex was doing cool things on these songs, but I’m welcoming the end as I feel I’ve heard enough.
Some OK moments especially when the sax fires up. Not a big fan of the vocals. Drumming and bass pretty solid.
I kind of liked this at first but then it got a bit on my nerves
An album for me that was of its time. It's still quirky and OK, but no more than that.
Another British punk band I never heard of. It’s very punk except with some added significant saxophone. They’re all short rockers that rock out. Her voice is suited for punk rock. I’m very in the middle on this but am definitely enjoying it. Seems like good early punk that influenced later New Wave 80s bands. Like a lot of punk, it gets repetitive at times. But I’m still liking it. I think the title track is my favorite song with the slowed down style. Stands out from a lot of the rest of the heavier punk sound. This is all pretty solid. Didn’t really wow me, but a good 3 for me here. Some songs are super fun.
Solid punk album. A lot of the tracks sound the same, of course you get that with a lot of punk music. Some good songs, the lead singer has a good presentation/delivery. Inclusion of saxophone is unique.
Yeellliiing the naaaaaammmeee of the soooonnnggg!
As I have said many times, Punk is not really my thing, but i must admit I found this album much more melodic than most Punk albums!
I didn't mind this, but it didn't really capture my punk heart like I wanted it to.
Yeah, this IS good.
yeah its ok but because of the ideology here's the usual half star deduction 3.5/5
Good punk music, not my favorite though. Felt like they were outta ideas and if I didn't focus on the music each song was kinda indistinguishable from the next.
Blondie en moins bien
meh
This was ok. Not really a fan of the vocals, but I liked the punk vibe. 3/5
Once I got past the banshee one note squeal it was ok. The lyrics were fun.
Fun.
decent record, had some good punky aspects to it
I like punk and over all, this is fun. But maybe not a regular repeat listen for me. 3/5
Kind of cool vibe. Mad respect to the female punk rockers out there. Album had a consistent theme and some bops alongside some less interesting ones. Arguably iconic.
Liked it, but not something I’d reach for
liked Art-I-Ficial, I Can't Do Anything, Identity, Germfree Adolescence,Plastic Bag and Highly Inflammable
I quite enjoyed British album number #853.
A weird example of an album that peaked in the middle for me. At the start I wasn't really feeling it and by the end it had worn off me for a bit, but in the middle I was really jamming with it! Energetic punk rock with a prominent saxophone and Polly Styrene's enthusiastically yelped vocals is a very good combo.
Interesting concept, British punk with some cool saxophone throughout. The song Plastic Bag was AWFUL, to the point that it significantly dropped my opinion of the album after I was enjoying it to that point. I’ll still keep it at a 3 overall I guess.
The punk tag had me wary at first, but the sax bug's contribution does bring a very interesting edge to the album 🎷🐛 Quite a fun energy throughout, and I do like how colorful and sincere the whole thing feels. It’s hard to imagine a modern band with a singer named Poly Styrene tackling consumerism and environmental issues this earnestly. Standouts: Obsessed with You • I Can't Do Anything
sviđa mi se ideja i jako mi se sviđaju saksofoni. ovo bi mi se u teoriji trebalo svidjeti, al jebote, vokal je ili jedva prolazan ili naprosto nepodnošljiv i zbog toga znatno narušava bilo kakav potencijalni užitak u slušanju. s obzirom na to trojka je možda i previsoka ocjena, al neka, ima žara, ima originalnosti i ima lude saksofone
Lovely cover
Kinda cool
3/5
Rating: 6/10 Cool punk feminist political music that feels way ahead of its time. Like it must have influenced a lot of riot grrrl and later women’s indie punk, and sax in punk way before people thought that was cool for a bit. I’m sure I would like this band the more I listened because a grating voice can grow on me and the first listen is always hardest in that aspect. Identity was really cool
Correcto
Bra! Sångerskan har en röst gjord för punk. Häftigt album även om det inte är en absolut favorit hos mig. Uppskattar dock låtarna och gillar helheten.
An okay album, I liked Warrior in Woolworths the most.
Never heard of this group but it’s some pretty fun punk.
Fun and loud example of early Brit punk, while not my personal flavor, I can see why it influenced others to follow suit
Pretty interesting. I liked the sax and I tend to like a female punk vocal. 3/5.
Great early punk band.
Another one I’ve never heard of! Really excited to listen. Art-I-ficial was a very nice opener, and following it up with Obsessesed with you was so good. It was fast and fun which is honestly not what I expected. Warrior in Woolworths was a change of pace, but was still quite listenable. The name made me smile. Let’s Submerge was honestly more of the same, but I liked the horns. I can’t do anything was pretty good. I took it as a bit satirical and thought it was quite perfect. Identity was an alright closer to side 1. Opening side 2 with Genetic Engineering, this was one of the first songs I think I genuinely enjoyed on this album. It’s not that I didn’t like the rest, I just find very obviously British music hard to get into. Not sure why, although it’s probably due to the fact I have family over there and have complicated feelings about it. I live off of you had some cool moments. The pause at the start was a cool bit of punctuation, and as with this whole album, the horns are awesome. The title track was slightly strange. I didn’t love it. It took away the pace of the album but not in an alright way like Warrior in Woolworths earlier. I genuinely liked Plastic Bag. It was a return to form. It was quirky but in a good way. I didn’t have too many feelings about the closer. 3/5 ⭐️, 6/10 47/1089
Cool, fast, punk music with energic voice and interesting saxophone moments. I like punk songs like "Identity" and, even more, the direction they explored with "Germ Free Adolescents".
Enjoyed the energy of this album.
Quite liked this one, which I wasn’t sure initially if I was going to
Bin the saxophone and you have a good album. Loved the DIY nature of this and most of it seemed ahead of it’s time.
as far as punk goes, it's tolerable
I don't think I've heard saxophone in a punk band before. I dig it.
Rad
Couldn’t quite catch the words!!! But you know seemed pretty punk rock.
Solid all around
A one-half-star lift for the saxophone addition to a proto-punk band.
Is this ska? It's weird listening to 800 albums and now hearing ska and thinking ah Jamaican influence. This is pretty tight for the style of music. The singers voice does a great job of cutting through at the right moments. I'm liking this more than I expected. I like the album cover for the times. Also I can deduce the sticker is covering two feet and they are wearing one green and one blue sock. It's nice to get a free puzzle with your album, like on the back of a cereal box.
The Sax Pistols. Fun stuff. High energy. Some pretty good mixing.
Pretty good album. Love the incorporation of the saxophone on the punk which makes this unique with a soul of ska. Good album bit singers voice was a notnfor me altough she can actually sing. Pitch was not my thing but she hots notes and the album has a few really good raw punk songs. Her voice becomes repetitive and sounds the same after a while
Votes against? Punk. Votes for? British punk. Votes against? Slightly irritating voice. Votes for? It's female-led punk. Votes Votes for? It has a sax on it! Look, for punk it was alright, did some interesting things, had some interesting instrumentation, was a bit irritating, but perfectly listenable. A perfect 3.
I really wanted to like this. Female fronted punk. The first track started and I loved it. Great riffs, cool singing. A bit Johnny rotten maybe in her delivery, but something else too... But then as it went on less of it was like this. The big riffs kind of calmed down, the vocals become a bit less decipherable, they brought out a bloody sax and it sounded like they weren't sure if they were punk or in madness. Every so often the sax worked, but more often than not it sounded like you'd wandered into a 1st year uni students house party where everyone still thinks it's a good idea to drink blue aftershock. I really wanted to like it and I didn't totally dislike it, but my excitement after track 1 just veered off.
punk as punk should be - laut, roh, wild.
Erfrischender Punk Rock der dank Saxophon 🎷 anders wirkt.
now this is how you open an album the horns and vocals are very energetic especially on I live for you age was also so good really solid punk album
Pretty catchy songs and a quick runtime. Fun enough to listen to
Not my cup of tea, but I see why this is on the list. Inspiration for females in pink, rock etc.
Pretty cool, just not something I’d revisit
I like it. 3/5, though, it wasn't that great.
This was probably better than I'm giving it credit for. I just don't think I was in the right mood for this?
It's just like a lot of British punk, nothing too special, except the singer reminds me of female Johnny Rotten and the saxophones. It's a pretty fun record but still at time same-y
Yehaa, rockt ine. Biz mood abhängig. Aver hed guete drive. Female rebel vibes kickin asses in the 70s
In my opinion, disc 1 sounds a little less punk rock and almost like a precursor to ska-punk. Vocalist is aight, some songs I could dig it, others were just aight. Disc 2 takes a bit more of the punk rock approach. I think the band fits much better into this box, and I thought it was pretty fun. Probably wouldn’t go back to this much, it was fine.
I fun little punk album. I love the brass sections. Makes it almost a ska punk album, but not quite. I enjoyed listening to it, but I doubt I will ever come back to it.
6/10
Fun, punk excitement
Amyl and the Sniffers definitely liked this album
Again, know the band, but not too many of their tracks so ready for this. Packs a punch - nice energy and use of sax too. There is a nice originality and quirkiness to them and likely a distinguishable sound, even amongst new-wave punk. A kinda Madness meets Sex Pistols. I was kinda done by the end of the first side. Enjoyed it, but had kinda got the picture by then and sounding similar-ish and pretty similar for the second side too. Enjoyable enough, like the originality but probably wouldn’t return to listen (3.5)
I will admit that I had no idea what to expect. It was like the B-52’s and Joan Jett had a baby. It was a very listen and truly exceeded all of my expectations.
Fun lil bop of a record
Art punk? Meh…
This was a pretty good album, good old school punk and I liked it!
Groupe inconnu. Punk assez dynamique avec une instrumentation originale : un saxophone en plus des classiques guitare/basse/batterie. Le sax apporte vraiment quelque chose de plus (accompagnement mélodique ou chorus). Je l'écouterais certainement de nouveau, mais il ne rejoindra pas ma collection (pas trop fan du style par ailleurs). =>3/5
Punk rock saxophone? FUHHK YES. This is fun as hell. Interesting group/story too. Burn bright for a short time & then off to other projects. Each of the principals went their own way & I def plan to give each a spin or three. We’re gonna say 3 & 1/4 stars, round that thing back down to 3, & pour one out for Poly
This is pretty cool. Classic punk rock sound with added saxophone filling the gaps that would often be filled with lead guitar. The energy is really good here. Favorite songs were Warrior In Woolworths, I Can’t Do Anything, Plastic Bag, and The Day The World Turned Day-Glo.
3,5
Solid old school punk/alternative. Punk rock chicks are badass.
Cool punk album. Nothing amazing, nothing awful to me.
3/5
Very fun classic! Few songs do sound somewhat “samey.” Some are a bit all over as well, very angry at something or someone, than bam horn section. Other than the few outliers, it’s definitely a fun punk rocky vibe with a hint of humor? Reminds me of something roller derbies would be playing or background track for a skateboarding video/videogame in what feels like the 90s. 7/110
An energetic, female-vocal, early punk (late 70’s) group/album. Musically, it was great, didn’t catch all the lyrics.
Could grow to a 4, but a bit too samey and doesn't have their best song.
Well it sure is of the era, pretty basic late punk-ish entering into the pre-new wave era. Surfing that spot in-between. But certainly captures the time.
Made it through most of this. Some decent punk. I see the attraction. The voice is brutal after a while. There's so much punk and post punk on here....
Saxophone is a big plus Shades of Grease + the B52s???
Not too shabby
Best Song: Identity. The saxophones were a nice touch to this punk ditty. Worst Song: I Am a Poseur. Sometimes a song feels like it was written to be popular rather than written to be good. This feels like that. Overall: A great, very "youthful" feeling punk rock album. The star here is the vocals, but the rest of the band is able to keep up well. Disc 2 felt a little more ordinary, but the first half was great.
reminds me of 10 things i hate about you
Ahead of its time. I want to say 4 stars and I hope I listen to this again
Late 70s punk rock. Great delivery and attitude.
Mijn eerste gedachte was: punk met een dame in de lead. Toch doe ik de band daarmee te kort. Er is aandacht besteed aan de muziek. Het is vrij dansbaar (of waarschijnlijk springbaar) door het catchy ritme. En met name de sax doet wonderen. Het geheel maakt de punkzang acceptabel. Ik verander mijn oorspronkelijke gedachte daarom naar: punk met de sax aan de lead.
Typische ouderwetse punk, maar nu met een zangeres, die niet veel verschilt van Johnny Rotten. De gitaren beuken er wel lekker op los moet ik zeggen, het is vrij strak gespeeld allemaal. Ik ben normaal gesproken niet zo'n fan van toeters, maar dit toetertje vind ik wel geinig, het stemt wel vrolijk. Jammer dat ze er wat andere geluidjes tussendoor willen gooien soms, want die zijn wat minder geslaagd. Het geheel klinkt als een wat ruigere Blondie, zeker als het meer richting de new wave gaat, zoals in Warrior in Woolworths en Let's Submerge. Ik moet zeggen dat ik het uiteindelijk leuker vind dan ik vooraf had verwacht. Het stemt me best vrolijk, er zit lekker tempo in. Op een andere dag had ik dit misschien ook af kunnen branden, maar ik wil hier nu best een goede 3 voor geven. Een 4 vind ik weer iets teveel van het goede, want na een half uurtje heb je ook wel genoeg gehad.
ja ganz okayes punk album. bissl anstrengend auf dauer. 3.5.
It’s got character, some of its annoying some is endearing
This is fine mid-rate punk. It’s not amazing, but it’s ok.
Die Sängerin ist etwas extrem. Saxofon aber ganz cool
Fun 90s vibe
Never heard of these gals. Nice punk with some ska influence. Could imagine them in a Tony hawk soundtrack.
Pretty damn cool! I forgot to rate after I listened but I def liked it. Not 100% my thing but love the production and the songs
Same problem as Nirvana. Gotta understand the words in order to fully enjoy. But the style and the sound are p phenomenal. Def get why this is on the list.
Pretty solid album. I loved the saxophone.....something that doesn't show up in punk music very often, if ever. This was a fun punk rock album Top tracks: Warrior Woolworths, Let's Submerge, Highly Inflammable
Enjoyed this one quite a bit. 3.5/5
Pretty cool
I'm happy for them.
Another of those albums from my high school years that I missed completely because it had no traction in the U.S. (at least not in my native Midwest). It's a fun listen.
Picks like this are getting to the point I can’t even figure out what to really say anymore. It’s just another album that is okay at best, and never really does anything for me as the listener. 2.5 / 5
rock. english. punkish.
this was sweet - i loiked it v much!
Rock n roll with a female singer. Lots of guitar, it’s punk apparently but I am more familiar with later punk that is a lot faster. I can see this being super cool at the time.
corny, fun new-wave
Está divertido, aunque la voz de la vocalista sí puede llegar a fastidiar. Me dio muchas vibras de The Rocky Horror Picture Show, lo cual siempre es bueno. De hecho, ahora que lo pienso, es como si Magenta y Columbia hicieran un grupo musical: éste sería el resultado.
Meh. I love punk but it rarely rises to the 1001 GAOAT level. Good but probably will never intentionally re listen.
Not bad, but generic punk with a slightly grating voice after some time. Gave up before it finished. Punk isn't really my thing to be fair.
Not a fan.
Sax punk rock. Vocals are hit-or-miss but better than most of the punk albums so far. Kinda indifferent on this one.
So, I had two punk albums before this, and I'm not a big fan of punk. It's alright. It has its place. But this was quite delightful. Female punk for a change. And what drive. Two issues for me... the singer's voice gets a bit hard to take whenever she has longer sections of straining to to reach heights her voice isn't well-suited to. Also, the album is a tad too long.
Quite focused on teenyboppers.
Punk B52s? It’s ok. 2.5
It's a real punk rock
Love the sax in the raw punk sound.
Not bad - punky, interesting listen, but won’t be revisiting
110/1001 :: X-Ray Spex - Germ Free Adolescents Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Rating: 6 Listen before you die: Yes Punk mixed with a little bit of ska. Especially for 1978, my guess is this was fairly influential landing it on the list. That said, while interesting it feels like there’s something missing. More bite maybe or more catchy hooks? Not sure but probably won’t ever return to this.
Didn't expect to enjoy this as much as i did. Fun album. Favorite track: identity other picks: warrior in woolworths, i am a poseur, germfree adolescence
Wacky and interesting. It's always fun when the saxophones come out to play.
A version of punk rock that's early enough it still feels like rock to me (and not punk). The liked the vocals OK, and the music OK, and really got into a couple of tracks. Anytime saxophone pops up on a rock record it's hard for me to be too upset.
Weird one this. One of the original punk bands, a one hit wonder. But surprisingly listenable. Would have expected them to be bigger, perhaps they were and I just missed it, I never have been into punk per se. Basically this was ok, and the title track is a classic. Got to be a 3.
Know of the band or rather Poly as they always pop up for 30 seconds in the punk documentaries though never heard a whole album before today. Obviously part of the sex pistols scene, direct linage from garage and golden age rock and roll, that sax, with undertones of reggae influences, the I can start a band and do that my way. As if prog never happened ( smiling emoji). Yeah fun listen 4 Star
Something on this list that while I have not actually checked out, I have been aware of for a decent chunk of my life and would have inevitably checked out. Honestly? Pretty decent! Not entirely my thing but it was nice actually listening to it after hearing about it all these years. RIP Poly Styrene!
Not my thing at all, however, as punk goes a female lead is different to the norm. The 2nd half of the album is also noticeably better than the first. Still punk but far more memorable and catchy. Fave Track = I Live Off You
Great lyrics, pretty decent tunes, the walking wailing turned to go overboard at times. Very respectable punk album.
Pleasantly surprised by this one, not a punk fan but found myself enjoying this. Really good guitar and sax and interesting vocals and lyrics. It won't convert me to punk but I enjoyed it.
Listened to the band before : No Songs I already knew: none Favourite Songs: Plastic Bag, Warrior In Woolworths Punkish. Some good hooks, pulsating rhythms and decent melodies. The vocals are disconcerting at times although they suit the genre, style and the album as a whole. There is enough variety in this album to make it interesting. Simple songs and moves along.
Proof that punk was attitude more than music. At the heart of this are three minute pop songs. The use of sax sets them apart from the rest of the movement. Overall a fun album. (A great band to use in 6 degrees of separation given their later projects)
I liked the saxophone in this, I thought that was an interesting addition. The singing reminded me a little of the B-52s, but a bit more in your face. The song that gave me the biggest eyerolls was "I Am A Poseur" and "Plastic Bag". But the rest is pretty solid punk. Top tracks: "Art-I-Ficial," "I Can't Do Anything," "The Day The World Turned Day-Glo"
punksax, aningen sexigt
Enjoyable 3.5
75
I usually say this about punk rock and its that the closer it is to hardcore or post-punk the better it is, mainly because it adds actual variety to a very meat and potatoes genre. Germfree Adolescents IS very innovative and varied in the way I enjoy, the addition of sax, the weird effects, the more repetitive songs, and even somw songs that border on Thrash. If you added some more angular chords this would be early post-punk to-a-tee like PIL or Magazine. Now, do I enjoy it? Eh, I remember a ton of people loving it and saying it was the best punk album ever, I do appreciate how weird it gets but its also just a thing where I have listened to other stuff in post-punk so much I just prefer listening to that. But I do strongly recommend it for a better, more varied experienced with punk for starters along with Wire's Pink Flag and the Damned's debut
Punk is cool again?
I LOVE the music. But I hate the karaoke.
Ten minutes (i.e., three songs) in, I feel like I'm not going to hear anything that's going to change my mind about this album. It's, well, 1978 punk. Perfectly good 1978 punk, but still. I can practically hear everyone they've influenced in their music, which is also (a) to their credit and (b) a reason I'm not feeling blown away. Well, OK, a few surprises--I appreciate the warping of the 50s-girl-group sound on "I Can't Do Anything", and the title track does stand out. But still.
Different
Classic punk where Poly Styrene's energetic vocals separates this from the others. Whoever invented the use of saxophone in punk deserves at statue!
Awesome, finally another band I know almost nothing about but the name. 70's new wave-ish punkrock is usually not something I'm all that into, but it appears "The Specs" have additional instrumentation and raunchy attitude, which pleases me immesely. It got a bit tiresome towards the end, but quite fine specimen, none the less.
2.64
Cool how early something like this came out, but unfortunately pretty average in terms of quality
Enjoyable punk, saxophone is a good add
X-Ray specs bring a great atmosphere. I particularly liked the extra melodic push provided by the saxophone, which was always welcome. Some songs are more punk than others but it’s certainly a nice counterbalance to the more celebrated punk acts of the era. There is a uniformly fun and exciting sound but I think it’s missing a couple of killer singles that push it into that next category for me.
Unsurprisingly this album is too punk for me, the almost title track is easily my favourite and I love this direction but 2/3 of it doesn’t jump out from the punk crowd to my biased ears. Some of the lyrics add interest for me, as does the sax and the band being fronted by a woman. Overall though still not in my wheelhouse, low 3 for me!
Girl pink with a sax is fun, but not enough to get a 4th star from me
now that's punk
I liked the instrumentals. I didn't care for the vocals.
I find this kind of punk quite boring
Quand j'ai vu le nom et l'album cover je me suisndit c'est British! Un peu irritiant et quelconque en général. J'aime les thèmes anticonsuméristes et l'énergie en général, mais je pense pas réécouter.
This album is great if you like being yelled at while listening to punk rock/new wave instrumentals in the background with quite possibly the worst sounding saxophone ever. That sounds harsh but I did enjoy it. This is one of those listen to once every few years type of albums. Warrior in Woolworths was my fave song mostly because the vocals were toned down and actually enjoyable
Didn't thrill me.
I thought I would like this more, but it didn't really hit with me. Sounds good, might throw on in the background, or maybe it needs another listen to crack it?
This kinda sounds like the Go-Gos on a coke bender with the Clash as the backing band.
I was not super impressed for most of this, but the end really came together, very solid.
It started off great .. I was like heck yeah a female lead punk band ... Awesome ... But maybe it just went on way too long ...
Nicely played, the only thing I didn't enjoy were the vocals.
some songs were more punk, others were more new wave. the saxophone was a nice touch. unique female vocals. different, but good. i had heard of the band and the vocalist poly styrene before and now i can definitely hear how influential they were.
É bom, mas não me prendeu. Ao todo, achei meio entediante. Há outras bandas com a mesma pegada que gosto bem mais. O saxofone é legal.
+ points for saxophones.
Super fun. I'll probably return to this one