Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Never heard this before, I can see how it got lost in the mix during that time. Not bad overall though.
Different to what i would normally listen to, admit there is some good tunes on this album
I only know a couple of the singles. This is really good new wave/post punk (I don't know) The playing is accomplished and the vocals are very distinctive.
Good energy. I like the inclusion of the saxophone. I don't think I had heard that in punk before.
3.5 I've never heard of X-Ray Spex, but will continue to listen to this album. I didn't hate it. Kind of liked it.
Hmmm I kind of liked it
Bernard - 7 Lucky - 6
Noen kule sanger innimellom, gøy med litt punkete sound.
Råfrekt. Skittent, catchy og med sax?! What da hell. Gøy!
Dece
I liked the energy, the message, the sax and the punky sensibilities. Some good pop tracks and some rubbish. I did not enjoy her shouty delivery.
Actually not all that bad, love the sax!
Surprising, simplistic and pretty solid. Just too many songs!
Standout Songs: Art-I-Ficial Let’s Submerge I Am A Poseur Not really much to say, a very average female-led punk album. Could do without the saxophone(?) in the background of most songs.
Very out of the box and interesting listen. Sax added a different twist. Probably won’t revisit but it was fun.
A surprisingly enjoyable listen. This was a band I never paid much attention to in my teen punk days, but I kinda regret that now. Definitely hearing some feels that remind me of early Blondie, Siouxsie, and X all mixed in Sex Pistols blender. And although short-lived, they clearly had downstream influence on the riot grrrl movement of the 90s and arguably even some ska stuff of the 80s thanks to the sax inclusion. I usually run the other direction when a saxophone gets pulled out, but I think it works here. It’s quirky, dirty, used appropriately and far from perfect. Which is to say it’s perfect for punk rock.
Another reviewer mentioned they enjoyed the crappy sax. I disagree. But still think this is pretty fun. 2.75/5
Initially quite exciting, but quickly tiresome. Very much punk - lots of shouting and angry guitars. However, Identity was ironically the only song that stood out, the rest merged into one. I'm probably not discerning enough to appreciate this music. Really cool for a forerunner of the genre, but showing its age.
British punk rock with female vocals that really gives you insight on the origins of the genre.
It was alright. I like what they did with the Sax. But a bit too repetitive after awhile.
I feel like on paper this should have checked all my boxes, but in reality I was underwhelmed. Good energy, but didn't leave much of an impression.
That saxophone though!! Add this to the ever growing list of bands I’ve never heard of before, as well as the “debut album” list. And just for good measure, even the list of UK albums. It’s pretty good, some of the songs are annoying and I would likely skip a few of them, but the saxophone ties everything together and truly adds to the experience. It’s Punk with a sax, which is truly the most Punk thing of all. I love their most popular song “I Am a Poseur”, but my favorite song on the album is actually “Let’s Submerge”, as it does an excellent job of letting every member of the band display their talents and really just lets them all fit together perfectly, like a puzzle. Love the goofy album art as well, tremendously 70’s.
wasn't expecting this, but kinda punky-pop
Fun album with a saxophone that fits well even if a bit unexpected. Sadly not entirely my genre.
ne znam bil slušala ali cool as hell
Ein paar unerwartete Banger auf einem Album das mich hauptsächlich bicht überzeugt hat. Identity u. Warrior in Woolworth.
Some really interesting things musically, especially the horns, but can't give it more than three stars with those vocals.
Punk is not my thing. And girl punk is less my thing than punk. That being said, the energy and vibe are fun, and I actually liked about half the songs. Her voice is tiring over the long pull of a double album though.
# Playlist Track - Germfree Adolescence # Notes - Kind of interesting post-punk, but bad vocals are distracting. I know. Punk. But also, English. - Enjoyed the crappy sax, here and there.
Punky high energy from some one I've been heard of, and would have thought was from the 90's. I guess that makes it ahead of its time
It was alright.
Can honestly say I haven’t listened to any punk music before but I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. Possibly I’m biased as a saxophonist but the inclusion of saxophone was genius. I also really enjoying the vocals (again, never expected that from a punk album). I’m looking forward to generating more punk albums on the 1001 list to see whether this is an outlier due to the sax and the band having a female singer or whether I unexpectedly quite like the genre.
Different and not bad.
Some really good female led punk 7/10 Favourite: Art-I-Ficial Least Favourite: The Day the World Turned Dayglo
Honestly a pretty good punk album, but those saxophone parts have gotta go I'm all for a sax, but fuck me was that bad
This was punk but somewhat musical, with horns and such. I mostly enjoyed it. Words were hard to understand and her voice was good but got a little nasally at times. Maybe on purpose as it's kind of a punk sound.
Was this ok. It grew on me
Love the music. Unfortunately, I can’t take that voice. Something about it bores into me and makes me feel physically ill. It’s a shame.
punk chicks
Fuck yeah. Some female-led punk rock I can pop my pussy to. Fun for a few songs, but this has never been and never will be my genre.
Sorti en 1978, "Germfree Adolescents" est le premier et unique album de la formation originelle du groupe punk rock/new wave londonien X-Ray Spex. "Germfree Adolescents" se distingue par une signature sonore immédiatement reconnaissable, fusionnant l'urgence brute du punk rock avec des sensibilités new wave et une instrumentation audacieuse. Des guitares incisives et nerveuses, souvent avec des riffs simples mais efficaces, le tout propulsé par une section rythmique solide et dynamique. L'élément le plus frappant et le plus commenté de la musique de X-Ray Spex est l'utilisation du saxophone qui n'est pas un simple ornement. Il est une voix à part entière, tissant des lignes mélodiques parfois dissonantes, parfois étonnamment accrocheuses, qui contrepointent ou renforcent les riffs de guitare et la voix de Poly Styrene et qui confère au groupe une texture unique dans le paysage punk, le rapprochant parfois d'une sensibilité plus pop ou même free jazz par moments, tout en conservant une agressivité typiquement punk. Au centre de cet univers sonore se trouve la voix de Poly Styrene. Loin des canons esthétiques traditionnels, sa voix est puissante, stridente, parfois criarde, mais toujours chargée d'émotion et d'une conviction désarmante. Son style vocal distinctif, oscillant entre le chant scandé, le cri perçant et des lignes mélodiques plus affirmées, est l'outil parfait pour véhiculer l'urgence et la critique contenues dans ses paroles. Elle ne cherche pas à séduire par la douceur, mais à interpeller par la force et l'authenticité de son expression. Cette approche vocale non conventionnelle, combinée à son image anti-glamour (elle portait un appareil dentaire et des vêtements fluo criards), a fait d'elle une figure emblématique et profondément originale. Au-delà de sa musique distinctive, "Germfree Adolescents" tire sa force de ses paroles incisives et thématiquement riches. Poly Styrene y déploie une critique virulente et souvent visionnaire de la société moderne, s'attaquant principalement au consumérisme naissant, à l'artificialité et à la construction de l'identité. D'ailleurs, dès le premier morceau, "Art-I-Ficial", le ton est donné : "I know I'm artificial / But don't put the blame on me / I was reared with appliances / In a consumer society". La chanson critique la pression exercée sur les individus, en particulier les femmes, pour se conformer à des normes de beauté artificielles ("When I put on my makeup / The pretty little mask not me / That's the way a girl should be / In a consumer society") et dépeint un monde où tout devient produit, standardisé et déshumanisé ("I wanna be Instamatic / I wanna be a frozen pea"). L'album explore également la difficulté de forger et de maintenir une identité authentique dans une société qui pousse à la conformité. La chanson "Identity" est emblématique de ce thème. Inspirée par un incident réel où Poly Styrene a vu une jeune femme s'automutiler dans les toilettes du club The Roxy, la chanson dénonce la pression sociale et médiatique qui enferme les individus dans des stéréotypes ("Identity is the crisis, can't you see? / Identity! Identity!"). Elle met en lumière le désespoir engendré par l'incapacité à correspondre aux modèles imposés. Bien que Poly Styrene ait parfois nuancé la portée féministe de ses textes, insistant sur une critique plus large du capitalisme et de l'esclavage sous toutes ses formes, "Germfree Adolescents" est traversé par une forte conscience des oppressions spécifiques vécues par les femmes. À sa sortie en novembre 1978, l'album fut bien accueilli par la presse musicale britannique, bien que certaines réserves aient été exprimées. Elles ont reconnue unanimement les paroles géniales, les mélodies astucieuses, l'énergie et l'innocence savante et gagnante. Avec le recul, l'appréciation de "Germfree Adolescents" n'a fait que croître, le consacrant comme un pilier essentiel de l'histoire du punk. Un 3 sur 5 pour un album précurseur du mouvement Riot Grrrl qui apparaitra au début des années 1990.
I couldn't believe this came out in 1978. I'm not a big punk listener, but it's pretty obvious that this is the progenitor or riot grrl and pop punk.
Fun punk album. I liked the tracks where they put a lil saxophone in the mix and I liked the energy. Very british.
Yet another anglo punk album. It was ok, not sure worthy of "listening to before dying", like most entries in the list. Had some cool brass, but the female yelling thing is not for me.
Plastic Bag //
Kind of embarrassed I had never heard this before. Definitely an album I should hear before I die, even if I never choose to hear it again. This album had so much energy! The vocals are great- punk, but also melody. A squeaky sax is not my favorite, but it works really well here. A surprise find for me!
mumble punk or what?
Long before there were streaming services and fancy vinyl reissues I carried around a very worn piece of paper with a list of albums I'd read about and wanted to find in used record stores. This one was on that list and I never did find the album. But a few songs were on compilations. I love what this brought to the late seventies UK scene: female voice, horns, and some keyboard.
Very cool british punk with a cool spin adding the saxophone in to help it stand out more. Very fun
Great New Wave vibes.
The speed and energy at which this album operates is spectacular. The lead singer stays at an 11 out of 10 energy level that gets at the essence of what English punk was all about. “Obsessed With You” is such a great example of this constant energy. What’s really cool is that this album doesn’t sacrifice instrumental variety or melodic ideas for that high level of energy. “Warrior in Woolworths” and “Let’s Submerge” introduce a really nice saxophone, as an example of this variety. How cool it must’ve been to be young in the British punk scene to hear albums like this on their release. So much emotion fueling these performances. “Identity” for sure is my favorite off this project. It’s got such a cool start, the lead singer totally sells out with some super infectious screaming/singing. And the crazy, spectacular horn section!!! So fucking good. The little electric guitar refrains that pop in and out super quickly are a little cherry on top of this song which is genuinely one of the better songs I’ve been able to discover this far in 400+ albums on this whole list! Can’t say enough good things about “Identity”. Whatever platform this song did or didn’t have in its time, it deserved tenfold. “Plastic Bag” specifically is such a cool concept because it goes from something that sounds like a Black Country, New Roads sax jam (for all the 20-something’s out there) immediately into an explosive, speedy punk song. The only real change-up on this album is the title track, and it’s really nice! Cool processing/playing on the rhythm guitar/synth? It’s hard to tell if it’s one, or the other, or both. STRONG 3/5, but I could totally see if this was/is your punk opus. Lots of fun listening to this one!
Not really for me. I liked “Warrior in Woolworths” and “I Can’t Do Anything” the most. 2.5 Stars.
A punk rock tantrum – loud, messy, and you’re not sure if you should applaud or call for help.
3.2 3x quick and nice voice
Early punk, female vocalist, sax
just okay don't really know why all these magazines are getting a hard-on for this
Strange album, not something I would listen to casually. I respect the “weirdness” of it though
It was ok, Styrene’s voice grates on me after a few songs. I prefer other punk and other female punk singers to Styrene.
Judging the album by the cover, I thought I was going to hate this but it was actually pretty enjoyable. Early punk with added saxophone makes for a compelling combo.
Heard it before. Sex Pistols wish they were X Ray Spex 3/5
Good, really decent. Loud sharp, aggressive in all the right ways.
Ehhh, I liked this at times, but that flamed out towards the end.
Blind album and artist. The 2 big hits were good but kinda generic from what I could tell.
I think this is cool because of the decade it came out as I’d guess there were not as many female led punk rock bands with weirdo instrumental twists. As an album there are some cool ideas / songs on it but just some good punk rock/new wave record a la devo. Opening track has a great sax. This stuff feels like proto skater punk. The singer of sleater Kinney feels very inspired by this vocalist. Maybe a bit of le tigre too. And the 5,6,7,8’s. The sax really sells the record style as it fits their rocking grooves.
quite interesting but too much punky for my preferences
I kinda dig it. It would totally be fun to go to a dive bar, and get hammered too.
I bought this album at the time and still have it in my record collection. That said I don’t think I have played it for well over 30 years. As I recollect I thought the sound on my particular record was not particularly good and a bit thin. It was never a record I overly enjoyed because of the tinny sound and repetitive nature of the songs. I didn’t listen to my record today but the Apple Music stream. I must say that the sound of this was vastly improved and nothing like I remembered it to be. I particularly liked the sax solos interspersed about the album which I never really had noticed previously. Polly’s voice is still irritating after a while so thank goodness for the sax interludes. Have given it an extra star than I thought I would when it was revealed on the list. 3/5 20/2/25
Pretty fun ska/power pop/pop punk album. Had never heard of this band before.
3.5
Albumi #150, 17.02.2025 X-ray Specs on uusi tuttavuus. Debyyttialbumi Germfree Adolescents julkaistiin vuonna 1978. Bändi on melko mielenkiintoinen new wave punk-bändi. Naisvokalisti Poly Styrene antaa mukavan mausteen bändin soundiin eikä Rudi Thomsonin soittama saksofonikaan ole punk-bändeissä niitä yleisimpiä soittimia.
Amyl and the Sniffers must be inspired by these guys somewhat, lots of similarities. It was quite fun and felt much more modern than 1978.
The good girl rock
It’s 1970s Brit-punk with a sax. Mostly not my jam. Identity is the stand out track for me. Everything else feels very Johnny Quest and I’m not crazy about it.
Nothing but boundless energy here, it fizzes and crackles where other punks might crash and bang - the saxophone is a very welcome addition! Favourite tracks: Art-I-Ficial, Warrior in Woolworths, Let's Submerge
Lot of energy in this album. Enjoyed it 3/5
Loud girl punk
Not really for me. I liked “Warrior in Woolworths” and “I Can’t Do Anything” the most. 2.5 Stars.
Didn't expect to like this and have been pleasantly surprised! Pleased to hear female vocals and pleased to hear a punky sound rather than the grungy drone I sort of expected. Good find!
3.5
Riot girrrrl punk. Well executed, without being obviously different from their late 70s peers.
Can hear how it most likely inspired future bands. Can also detect how Poly Styrene was probably taking the piss out of society in general.
Some very strong “Teen Titan” theme song vibes. In general though, a bit too chaotic at times for me to fully buy in on the first listen, but I’ll return.
good but not my cup of tea at all
Punk fun, and a nice forerunner to the later riot grrl era
This was a really fun album overall, though it lost a bit of steam for me with “Germ Free Adolescents” (title track) and the following songs. I did listen to its twice though, and could definitely see myself revisiting many songs!
This would baaaaaang live
3 - v samey
Never heard of this group before. It's all very raw, jumbled, but they certainly have attitude. I guess that describes a lot of early punk from the 70's. The prominently featured (and oddly tuned) one-sax horn section immediately stands out, as you simply don't hear that in punk rock. More indicative of the era rather than the genre I guess. Also, I liked how Poly Styrene just vigorously yells the song title at the beginning of most of the tracks. Interesting early punk album that loses its momentum at some points.
Helt ok punk. Tycker det är svårt att gilla rejält dock. Det gäller den mesta punken. Med något undantag.
Fun little surf punk album.
Lekker punkrock, maar nergens echt geweldig
Kinda of liked this. Don’t think I’ve heard a sax in punk music before (not ska). It works well.
The horns on tracks like Identity (which sounded like Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4") were a nice touch that elevated this beyond a generic punk album. Unfortunately the lead singer's voice was pretty difficult for me to listen to and frankly distracted me throughout the album. I don't think I'd ever put this on again, but I can see why someone else would love it and that they might have a great live show.
For a punk album, it's pretty damn good. The female vocals and the saxofone make it different from other ones.
Saxophone and punk is way funner then I thought it would be! Punk sometimes is too punk for me and pushes it to a place that is not enjoyable. But this is the right amount of punk and then the addition of the saxophone gives it a fun and different sound. It almost becomes punk mixed with 50's bop music (clapping and talking part in I Can't Do Anything). Let's Submerge and I Can't Do Anything are my favorites.
A fun surprise!
solid first wave punk, the sax is the good kind of sax, which is hard to pull off
6.5/10
L7 must have been influenced by them because some of the sound is identical. The trumpet amidst punk rock is an interesting combination, but it kind of works. It was interesting enough to listen to. Not sure I would seek it out again though
I found this slightly annoying. And as with other punk records I’m sure it was so cool at the time but just feels dated now. Pretty good songwriting in general though. ‘Identity’ in particular is a great song. I also appreciate the use of saxophone throughout.
#76 - kinda fun and of it's time.
fun
Fun punk rock/new wave
Catchy songs. Terrible voice 3 ⭐️
good vibes i suppose
Not bad, not bad
Out of all of the punk we have listened to, this has got to be in the top 5 albums. There were definitely some 4 star songs on this one, but the album didn't quite put it all together to get into that realm for me.
At first thought this was going to be a standard boring punk album. But turned out to be pretty sweet with the horns and distortion electric guitar, especially on Identity. Germfree Adolescence sounds like the start to a War on Drugs song. Her voice was pretty harsh and never clicked for me. Some songs were pretty boring and they just used the normal punk drumming pattern the whole time which gets very old. But this was actually a pretty cool album.
When she said "my mind is like a plastic bag" I really felt that. I wrote this as a joke but this song akshually fux. Pretty solid for some punk! Definitely some of the better ones we've had. High 3.
Nice
1st generation UK punk that has a real "bunch of kids fucking around having a good time making some noise together" feel to it. There’re the basic guitar/bass/drum punk chugga chugga boom riffs but on top you have wild sax and harmonized guitar parts taking turns playing big hooks over/inbetween Poly Styrene’s distinctive singing: forceful and nasal and charismatic in its "who cares if I’m on key, I’m here to rock" energy - the OG brat. Some great lines: “my mind is like a plastic bag, it sucks up all the rubbish fed in through my ear!”. A punk circus.
Pretty classic sounding british punk album - full of attitude, particularly from lead singer Poly Styrene (great name). The saxophone elements are a highlight of this record for me, those brass notes really do elevate some of the songs. However, I felt like the album was a bit repetitive and got a bit stale after the first half. It does take a bit of an interesting take on an anti-capitalist agenda (the focus on sterilisation and germs, using this is a bit of a metaphor for capitalist society, wiping up the 'bacteria' of the working class), but ironically things started getting a little bit sterile to me after 40 minutes. 5/10
Fun album. Liked the addition of horns to some early pop/punk music. Overall decent. 3/5 Might listen again
Панк-рок с прикольным женским вокалом. Но особенно трек никакой в душу не запал
Great for their time. Less saxophone would've been nice, but fits the period.
A fun punk classic. Hear a lot of influences to Sleater-Kinney on here. Love all the sax. Probably not something I will return to a lot but a fun short listen.
This was interesting - refreshingly different punk-ish. High energy, high volume, with some witty lyrics. The accent and the casio-saxophone grated a bit by the end though. 3.5/5
After listening to this record, as a producer I would have suggested only one change, which was to take the instruments in the higher registers and encourage them to drop them down one octave, in order to let Poly Styrene have that entire register to her vocals, because it was difficult at times to enjoy the vocals because there wasn't enough headroom for them to shine. As a fan of grrl rock and punk, I am aware of the influence this band had on the grrl rock and punk throughout the late 70s and 80s, so it gets a 3 instead of the customary 2 I would have given this record if they just were just an ordinary punk act that came along decades later.
Listened to the first few tracks and likely won’t go back but some decent, standard punk
Angsty punk rock 🤘🏻
Don’t really care for this kind of punk. Middle songs were the best.
Enjoyable 3.5
Punk rock new wave. Chulo.
relatively cool for never-heard-of punk album
Two great opening tracks, then felt banal throughout. Liked the use of the sax though, touched on some interesting points about consumerism too
I wanted to stop listening halfway through track 1, but I'm glad I persevered. Oddly jaunty, this. Definite shades of Debbie Harry in there at times, too.
This is so cheesy :lol: :lol: :lol:
Vocals a bit grating
During the first song I thought I’d hate to this but it grew on me and eventually I quite liked it.
Close to a 4 but the singer was just a little too annoying
Had a great time with this. Flirted with a 4
Fine
This has all the things I like in music but just couldn't get into it
I enjoyed the energy, singing, and saxophone!
Proof that punk can be fun to the point of being silly. A lot of other punk is tongue-in-cheek funny while still being angry or critical of the status quo (Sex Pistols), or self-deprecating humor (Ramones), but X-Ray Spex is in your face about shit as mundane as plastic bags. Not a favorite album of mine but it also set the stage for many more punk and alternative acts, especially the riot grrrl movement. The first time I listened, I wasn’t a big fan of Poly Styrene’s voice, but it’s grown on me the more I’ve heard.
I was thrilled to see this album come up as I've loved Oh Bondage, up Yours for so long. What a sweet sax....sound. The voice is alot to take after a few songs, but there's enough sax use to warrant a 3.
I get what this is supposed to be. It’s good for what it is and I suppose people heard of it and were influenced by it.
Poly was a trailblazer who should still be out there sticking it to the establishment. Glad this seems to be widely recognised as a significant contribution to the punk catalogue.
I could listen to the title track for ever and it’s a good reminder to floss. The rest was a bit samey but I’m giving her a three because, icon. Also, why on earth wasn’t I in a band in my teens?
YES to girl punk bands! X-Ray Spex brings a lot of new wave and even ska sounds to their punk while still keeping things very punky -- this was a bit of a change I enjoyed compared to a lot of the hardcore punk acts on this project. The ska sound comes through heavily on this album in the form of horn instruments and saxophone. Additionally, they're one of those quirky, weird bands (a la B-52s) and that weirdness just works really well for them. Honestly, I'm here for all of it. I just find it quite interesting how this group elevated (in my opinion) the punk sound to the next level by dabbling in sounds and styles of the coming decades. Not necessarily a favorite album on this project, but I would consider this a hidden gem of an album that I didn't previously know about, from a band I had not heard of before!
Another perfectly fine female punk album from the 70s. But also another one that I don’t understand the purpose of it being on this list.
This is actually prretty great. I am definitely a punk fan and this fits right in there as it should. I am surprised sometimes by how many bands and musicians I never heard of. This band also has a bonus of having a sound that could have been made yesterday for some reason. Genres like punk don't necessarily age as some others might as it is, and many of the themes are still hanging in the air today. The hard part here is that while it is varied and interesting, the lead singers super strong voice, by default, kind of makes the songs blend together sometimes. I found myself semi-consciously looking at how many songs were left as I began getting antsy towards the end. Nevertheless! Worthy and interestiing, especially if you are into anything punk or want to hear a non auto tuned voice for a while!
Not that bad
A punk album that was not entirely what I thought was it was going to be. The music was pretty good, heavy on guitars and saxophone. The lyrics aren't amazing but there is at least a little bit of thoughtfulness and substance. Notable songs are " Highly Inflammable' and "The Day the World Turned Dayglo".
Punk rock new wave. Chulo.
New wave isn't really doing it for me atm. I guess there are some fun ideas here and this album has quite a defined sound, but there's not much I can imagine going back to. I find the vocals grating and they detract from some of the musical ideas. 3/5
There is a lot to like here. Energy, sense of fun, saxophone. Oddly I liked the second side more than the first. Mostly I just didn't connect with the singer, making my appreciation more intellectual than emotional. Which is not great for punk. Undoubtedly belongs on this list.
Cigarettes was the only song I liked after two listens. 3/5 to commemorate its contribution to punk, but not my thing.
Not my bag, plastic bag that is
I think this album would have been high rotation for me if I had heard it as a teenager. As it is now, I enjoyed it and will be adding it to my library for next time I’m feeling something with attitude. Highlights: Art-I-Ficial, I Live Off You, I Am a Poseur, Plastic Bag.
Hauska! Eikä aika obvious hauska. Paljon vauhtia hyvällä tavalla. Kiva ääni laulajalla. Ei kaipaa useampia kuuntelukertoja sisään pääsemiseksi, hyvä sekin. Ei kuitenkaan mieleenpainuvia melodioita.
Ei mikään helpoin levy: selvien koukkumelodioiden sijasta bändi harrastaa jippoja (huom. esim. rytmi, tempo, instrumentaatio). Silti levyllä saavutetaan jotain ainutlaatuista. Ja mikä laulaja. 3,5
A surprising amount of fun with a few bangers
Goes alright for a protopunk album
I was quite mixed on this one! Some I was infused about, others I got much more into. I warmed to it towards the end and got in the groove more.
I feel this cup has been filled already.
Yeah some nice crass rockin' punk, very late 70s UK.
Good punk album. Some bits to cheesy for my taste. 3/5
A bit head do-ing to start with...Poly Styrene's voice isn't the easiest of initial listens. But it grew on me and, as a complete album, it works pretty well. Favourite track: The Day the World turned Dayglo
alright, lots of energy.
I usually have no use for punk but I actually enjoyed this. Maybe it’s the sax.
I think I would have liked it more if I was more of a punkhead. Plastic Bag was super enjoyable; it’s like a proto-Black Country New Road.
first listen. such a fun album!! i will definitely revisit it.
Germfree Adolescence - 4 Identity - 4.5 The Day the World Turned Dayglo - 3.5 Genetic Engineering - 3.5 Art-I-Ficial - 4 Plastic Bag - 3 I Am a Poseur - 4.5 I Live Off You - 4 Lets Submerge - 3.5 Obsessed With You - 3 Warrior in Woolworths - 2.5 I Can’t Do Anything - 3 Age - 3 Highly Inflammable - 3 Average - 3.5 I wasn’t excited for this one but was pleasantly surprised I liked this better than Sex Pistols. Not good for Hangover
I Can’t Do Anything about the Genetic Engineering of this album at my Age.
The musical work was good, there was a saxophone, but the lead singer couldn’t sing very well.
3.8 - I may not be wild about this glam funk sound, especially with its liberal use of saxophone, but I am in awe of Poly Styrene. The voice, the look and the lyrics are undeniable. I also love the pulp sci-fi themes that still make this record feel current. Standouts: "Genetic Engineering", "Identity."
After the first track I was worried this would just be a lot of shouting over boring guitar chords, but the tracks that followed had more colour than that. It stays the right side of the fun/annoying line more often than not. This also appears to be a key album/band in the early UK punk scene that I was previously oblivious to, so a nice education for me.
Punk rock new wave. Chulo.
Punk with saxophone. At last a punk album that I like. Usually i love punk's message & style but not the music. Apparently a mostly in tune sax can change that.
3.5
Another band I never heard of but liked!
trying to find the end of my burning silhouette
When driving home from Spain to Germany next time and i am tired will try this album to accomplish
Her voice got annoying at times. Love the horn/sax section.
very... unhinged album. idk what the lyrics were about but i liked the sax.
Interesting, very funky and upbeat. Couldn't understand a word they sang, but fun, nonetheless.
I was expecting something much worse based on the cover, but sax + punk is simply too good of a combination.
Nope
Cool ig
Surprisingly enjoyable, 57/100
Когда я в первый раз прослушал альбом, я подумал: "Че за говно?". Реально, голос мало того, что постоянно кричащий, так еще и невероятно слабый, я давно не слышал таких слабых голосов. Но на втором прослушивании я стал получать кайф от крутого саксофона и от сопвдения мелодии с голосом. Это как "Дайте танк!" -- неплохая группа, но постоянно слушать запрещено.
Music was ok, not into the singing.
Interesting female punk album, not one I immediately connected with but grew after a few listens.
Pretty nice punk, from an era of punk I'm not too into.
I liked it
I knew their name but couldn't recall any records of them. Earliest punk with the unusual addition of a saxophone, her voice is one of a kind, so this is a remarkable album. Punk is usually not my choice of music anymore, but sometimes one is in the right mood, and then I will listen to this album.
Fun, upbeat, punky energy. Not super inventive, but nice to have in the background.
Cool vibe. Love that girls were doing punk music early on in the scene.
Punky, but I'm not sure how good it actually is. Possibly I just wasn't in the mood for it but I found myself zoning out alot
good punk album
Never heard of them, and thought my internet connection was messed up with the guitar delay on the first song. "Identity" sounds like "25 or 6 to 4" goes punk. I like the different instruments throughout (horns, sax, and was that a clarinet!?). And its cool that they used different tunings for the snare drums on the various songs. Fun album to listen to.
I would go see this band live. Sounds super fun. Almost like if the pixies hired Iron Maiden’s guitarist and the sax player from Billy Joel. The singer is exhausting though. The only words I could pick out through the album were “MY MIND IS A PLaStIC BaG” and her tone is… exhausting. That knocks it down a full point from like a 4.5 to a 3.5.
Punk rock new wave. Chulo.
Ça gueule énormément mais je crois que je ne vais plus faire l'effort de commenter quoique ce soit ; eltrapeze et moi avons déjà commencé à amener des jeux de société et attendons patiemment la fin de ce générateur de malheur.
ça gueule ça gueule et c'est bien la la seule chose que l'on en retient
I knew more X-ray Spex than I thought. Quite enjoyed it. The sax as a Punk weapon is a nice touch. I can’t work out if the lead vocals are really irritating, or not. Probably depends on my mood.
Sounds a bit dated now, but it captures some of the energy of the Punk era in the late 1970s. Quite liked "Identity" and especially like the title track "Germ Free Adolescents". On tracks like "I Live Off You", you can begin to hear the start of the Ska resurgence that followed.
Decent punk sound but didn’t really hook me. As an aside, someone in our group mentioned that the solo Poly Styrene album is good so I also listened to that; it was a *very* different sound and I didn’t really like it. But this group album is ok.
Enjoyed this, but almost wanted to enjoy it more. The louder and more punk it was, they stronger the songs. When it slowed it lost me a bit.
mixed bag!
I love Poly Styrene but I also love not listening to her entire albums at one sitting. Sorry! Love u!
Punk
Great punk rock. Would relisten. Three stars
meh
You know, I can't say I was ever expecting to listen to a female-fronted punk album featuring saxophone solos in it. Anyway, this one's okay. I was quite intrigued when doing research and also when I started the album. It's definitely an interesting album to say the least. The sound is pretty good, with the saxophone solos being a great touch. The lyrics and writing touch on subject that remain relevant to this day. However, I have two main problems with this album. First off, I'm not the biggest fan of the singing at times. It just doesn't really resonate with me all that much. Secondly, and this is the big one, is that after a few songs, this album became quite repetitive and samey. Each of the songs just kind of blended into each other. Overall, not a bad album, but not the greatest thing in the world. I do think that another rock album with saxophones from another band could be an interesting idea though. light 3/5.
I enjoyed "Germ Free Adolescents" and "Warrior in Woolworths". X-Ray Spex is punk shot through with wry humour rather than raw (and tedious) aggression. Some of tracks approached SKA with its use of back up brass instrumentation. Unfortunately there was not a lot of variation between songs so the entire album sounds rather same-y. 3.2 rounded down.
New album, new band for me. Wikipedia suggests it wasn’t released in the US, so that may be the reason. The album has a bright, clear sound that I really enjoy (especially the brass!), though I’m not a fan of all of the songs. The title track, Identity, Poseur, Let’s Submerge, and Warrior in Woolworths are great, though possibly a little much for an early morning listen.
Guitars played with an urgency and female vocals howling words of frustration and despair: I love this kind of music. I’d imagine that most people who are not contemporaries of X-Ray Spex found the band from listening to the fantastic “Oh! Bondage Up Yours!” This was definitely my case, although I can’t remember when I first heard it. This song is undoubtedly the highlight of this album, but there are enough good songs that make this a cohesive and interesting record (like “Plastic Bag” and “Art-I-Ficial,” for example), if not a brilliant one. If possible, I’d give it a 3.5 - 3 for the album and another notch for the stepping stone that this was for all the riot grrrls that came after it.
Great punk vibe, some interesting odd time? Cool counterculture feel
love some girly punk! cool blend of feels, more dynamic than i know of this genre
British rock, didn't vibe with the yelling ??? probably a lot better live
It’s fun. Reminds me of no doubt somewhat as well. Not sure I’d come back
Some called this album a hidden gem, but I think there's a reason why it was lost to the ages. The vocals are shrill and unintelligible. This is another example of the indisputable UK bias in this compellation of albums. Despite the incomprehensible vocals, the rest of the album is pretty fantastic. The instrumentals are phenomenal. The punk rock drumming is energetic, fun, and the fills are clean. The saxophone rips and is admittingly my favorite feature of this album. The instrumentals could easily be an inspiration to punk, rock, ska, etc. I would love to hear this album with a completely different vocal track.
Bien punk bien entretenido pero no se si volvería a escucharlo
Pleasing to the ear at times and a supreme lead vocalist, but incongruous as a whole album.
Quasi-New Wave-Punk-Post Punk that is actually not too bad. A 41 minute punk album is a bit long and X-Ray Spex do not try to fill it with variety. Change the lyrics to any song to be insulting, questioning, funny, angry or just infantilistic humor and you have X-Ray Spex gist. 3/5.
This is good sloppy punk, but it just isn't for me. I think if you like vintage punk you'll enjoy this!
Engelsk 70’er punk rock, fyldt med horn, mærkeligt, men fungerer på en måde
More sax in punk pls
Punk rock new wave. Chulo.
I was a teenager through the punk explosion, but X-Ray Spex sort of passed me by. Listening to this now, doesn't make me want to hark back to those days, and they didnt have the extra edge that bands like The Clash and The Jam had. But this is good stuff, a drummer whos on fire and a singer in Poly Styrene, who was all attitude and angst. Interesting use of the sax on some numbers must have been quite novel for the time.
Woman yelling over great music.
Fun punk!
Surprisingly "soft" and not-raw punk album
I really liked the first song, but I feel like it never really advanced from there
Punk rock
Fun, raw, high energy album. For me it is a little repetitive but I think that is a common critique for me on a lot of punk type albums, when songs are noisy and fast like this there’s just not much you can do to change things up
Good honest punk
Spunky punky! Screechy vocals start to grate, but forgivable as interesting to read up about Poly Styrene's life.
After hearing that stupid "Bondage, Up Yours" song on every punk comp forever, I wrote this band off as a complete waste of space. Then I watched the Poly Styrene documentary and was a bit more interested in hearing more. Now, after listening to the entire album, I realize I was wrong - About half of this is pretty good...and the Bondage song is nowhere to be seen 7/10
It's punk music. It was short. It was tolerable. Probably no need to revisit, but it wasn't bad. I'll round up
Never really listened to the album before, but it’s good and Poly Styrene really does sing like a female Johnny Rotten.
кричащий панк не воспринимаю)
AJ: Age is my favorite song. Duh. Fucking rock band. Band goes hard and lead vox lady rips it. Getting a 3 from me but they’re cool.
Energetic, poppy, catchy 1978 punk record. Standard off key wailing vocals, but enjoyable overall. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Art-I-Ficial Date listened: 30/06/23
I love the use of horns, but can't stand this woman's voice
Pretty good.
I don't know about this.
Once I got past the interesting voice and strange saxophone, it became a quite pleasant punk album
'Germfree Adolescence' was a highlight, just a standard 1970s punk album, not bad, not good
Pretty raw, lot of energy but those vocals were hard work sometimes
I wish more punk songs started with someone shouting the title at you.
Low effort review here but enjoyed the listen. It’s easy to be won over by Poly Styrene’s energy. Not sure all of the saxophone was needed as heavily as it was. Three and a half. Fave track: Plastic Bag
This album opens great. Noisy and full of puss and vinegar. It doesn't hold however. By the end of the record, you can hear new wave sneaking in. Still a fun one though.
Actually pretty good although I don't like punk
Good! I especially enjoyed the instrumentals.
Strong tunes supported by Poly’s fantastic voice. But, who thought this needed saxophone?
I loved the music and lyrics but the singer has the most obnoxious voice!!
Fantastic instrumentals ruined by an AWFUL singer. I want to hear these songs sung by someone who can actually carry a tune.
Punk with sax - who knew? Not me anyway. Enjoyable up to a point, being the point when Poly Styrene’s voice went from impressive to irritating.
5.5/10 saved by the sax
This was alright! It was kind of repetitive and I didn’t really find any song that stood out more than the others. Didn’t hate but wouldn’t listen to it again.
Might give it a second listen. Interesting. Prob influential to a number of Oughts bands; Hot Hot Heat, Hives…
16th March 2023 Listened all throughout the rest of the week as we had ben and Nilisha’s wedding on Thursday which threw everything off. In the best way. This album is sex-bob-omb and it’s here to kick your ass!
Good in small doses.
I liked this, I'll listen to it again. A 3.5 for me (rounded down)
Bit late to this one, but the Spotify link takes you to a weird remaster rather than the original, with the tracks out of order and some missing. I really liked this - it's not super original, but it's catchy, doesn't overstay its welcome, and it's got bags of energy and is full of fun. The R rolling a la Sex Pistols is funny, the lyrics are really quirky but quite clever and I enjoyed it. Not quite good enough for a 4 though, so still stuck in my rut of 3s.
First time I've ever heard of X-Ray Spex. Apparently they are a female punk band from Britain. Upon listening, that is exactly what they are! Good old 70's punk! The lead singer, Poly Styrene, can really belt out the lyrics, but there's something about her voice...I can't understand what she's singing most of the time. Musically, this is right down the alley of the Sex Pistols, or the Damned. The strong female lead gives me vibes of B-52s, Blondie, and Garbage. One thing that caught me off guard was the inclusion of a saxophone (not something I'd ever heard used in punk music before). Oddly enough, it worked really well with the fast punk, and gave it their own flavour. Overall, not a bad record at all. Spotify links to the bands Anthology, but I just listened to the original record, as an additional hour of live tracks and shitty B sides didn't interest me, and would have probably hurt the bands overall score. Favourite songs: Let's Submerge, I Am a Poseur, The Day the World Turned Dayglo, Identity, Genetic Engineering Least favourite songs : Germ-Free Adolescents, Plastic Bag 3/5
Had only heard "Oh Bondage, Up Yours" before - never listened to a whole album. It's decent punk, but nothing that gets me too excited.
Definitely an interesting album, however in the light of my all-contemporary sensibility a bit too homogeneous, but that is the least of the problems, I did not connect with any of the songs, they just seem to me to be well thought out songs but otherwise leave me with little. I clarify that in my critical evaluations I also take into account the strictly subjective aspect of mirroring or perceiving a connection with the songs. I found the vocal performance and the inclusion of the horns interesting.
Didnt hate it
Not to bad.
The sax added an interesting twist to a solid album. The vocalist is the star here.
3/5. A fun collection of punk pop but a little repetitive and the vocals are unintelligible at best. Catchy though.
Digging the punk sax.
Weird af
Прослушано! Яркий и заводной альбом, очень неплохо.
The opening track is a little listless but Identity puts the album on a firmer footing. The album is a punk classic and has that proto-second wave ska sound that still manages to bring it. Some of the songs feel pretty worn out on me, but i suppose thats more me than the recording. I see their influence on Mustard Plug and hear a lot of similarities to the British two tone bands.
Liked it. Will probably never listen to it agian mind
Setting the stage for a generation of female punk groups to come, X-Ray Spex finds a unique tone that doesn't rely on quick thrash tracks. The next evolution of Runaways, but with the British tinge.
3.5 Grows on you quickly
Die sax is wel vet. Leuk album
girl punk
Good album but a one and done. I can see how this album could have influenced a lot of other artist.
Female vocalist led punk with anti-consumerism sentiment. Standout is "Art-I-Ficial."
Didn't like the vocals much but the music was great and energetic.
Somehow missed this interesting gem from my knowledge of the early punk canon. They are an interesting point of view of punk in 1978 - screaming saxophones and pristine production - with an intense voice at the helm of it. There are some great songs here but overall as a record it a too much I feel - the pace is a bit haphazard and the record of a bit too long for the intensity at which it plays.
This was, I found it to be enjoyable but at times the vocals hurt my ears
Very fun, it sounds awesome to be young in 1978! Songs are very dated though, as they are very of their time. Hard to pick a favourite, since they all sound basically the same, but the first three tracks are definitely a very strong start to the album.
Good woman punk
Dans le genre punk on a vu pire
Fun album. Instrumentals kicked ass, but the lead singer's voice was hard to listen to at some points. Favorite track: Identity
Overall liked it as I like punkish female lead groups but by the end of the album it all sounded the same.
Kind of a bop
Mixed. Love the vocals and sax, but like with most 70’s punk I get pretty bored and worn out during the second half.
Oikein jees punkkii. Aika varhaisindierock fibat. 3,5/5
Varsin hyvä torvirock-levy! 3/5
i thought it was okay i believe
An extremely precise punk backing band fronted by explosive, raw and untamed vocals. It makes for a solid album that I'm sure was influential to countless artists over the years. This sounds like a group that would've been really fun to see live. I appreciate the break from the norm that the track 'Plastic Bag' provided, and it makes me curious for what could've been if they explored outside of their punk structure a bit more.
Raw, wild, fluorescent riot-grrl pre-cursor punk. The energy is undeniable, but the awfully obnoxious, 5-minute "Plastic Bag" at the midway point of the record really brings the fatigue on early.
Not the best of the era. Lead singer wasn't to my tastes. Interesting background music for drive time
Second time listening to this one. There are quite a few songs that catch my attention. Still getting to know this, but I like it. 3/5
Fun, dance-y punk album. Kind-of sort-of 1970s pop punk? Vocals remind me of Blondie, lyrics are more junkie/garage-inspired though. A solid listen, I am surprised this group was a one-and-done in terms of albums, I feel like there's a lot of potential here. I really enjoy the double-tracked guitars in certain areas throughout the album. Noteworthy record, glad to have discovered it. Fave tracks: Germfree Adolescence, Plastic Bag, Age
Don't really have much to note other than that there have been a lot of ska/punk albums on this list. More than one would expect. Definitely not my favorite genre, but I can get behind some of it.
moshpit punk with saxophones. good.
It was ok. I’ve heard a hell of a lot worse, but no really memorable tracks.
punk with spunk
I liked this one in small doses -- 2-3 songs at a time was fun but I couldn't do the whole album in one sitting.
Banging