Fuzzy

Dnf

This was fine. Sounded kind of generic and monotonous for the most part. Some decent songs here and there, though. Favorites: The Hook, America Snoring

Hands up everyone who thought Grant Lee Buffalo was a 6’5”, 18 stone beast of a man with a big bushy beard wearing a sleeveless Levi jacket and a deep gravely voice? 🙋 Occasionally you get a big surprise and learn something new following this list. But that’s all I take from this album. MOR mind deadening fodder. 2/5 22/5/26

Nothing stand out here Fave track: Fuzzy

Worst band name ever … unless you’re a Civil War re-enactor.

Nice but not convincing and mostly more of the same

Aika melankolinen tunnelma. Ei oikein herätä mitään tunteita.

Used to get him mixed up with Buffalo Tom. He was probably on cassette tapes given away free with Melody Maker. If so, this would have washed over me as I would have been listening to bands like Pixies, MBV, Pale Saints, Throwing Muses, etc, all of whom were far more interesting and with "new-sounding" music. This is a Bowie/REM rip-off and is a teensy bit dull. Not completely without merit, but definitely not for me.

I bet Lana Del Rey/Ray??? Likes Fuzzy. Dull album.

Not terrible but not my style

When I saw this came out in ‘93, I could not remember this dude at all. I quickly found out why though. It’s because he’s boring and bland as shit. I’m sooooo shocked another album like this makes the list. 1.5 / 5

decidedly not something i need to hear before i die. will forget this within the next 10 min.....what?

Not bad , but it was kind of boring.

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a woman !?

It wasn't bad, just beige and forgettable.

Decent songwriting, some interesting sonics... and yet I just couldn't connect to any of this. Which may explain their lack of commercial success. Just some secret sauce is missing here that I can't quite put my finger on.

Dit is een prima indierock album. Must listen? Mwah, ik vind het niet vervelend om eens gehoord te hebben, kende deze band ook verder niet. Maar als 1 van de hoogtepunten van het album blijkbaar is dat Michael Stipe van R.E.M. het een goed album vond? Tsja, dat zegt echt bar weinig voor me. Ben niet wild van de zanger tot nu toe, hij klinkt nogal alsof hij het eigenlijk niet helemaal red qua stem. Dit is voor mij een perfect voorbeeld van een album waarvan ik nu al ben vergeten hoe het ging. Saaie, voorspelbare indierock. Jammer dat deze lijst er mee vol staat, maar gelukkig heb ik ook een hoop andere muziek hier uit kunnen halen. Dit album zelf? Ik denk dat het prima was geweest als dit het eerste album was wat ik had gehoord in deze stijl. DAt is nu niet het geval, ik denk dat ik alleen deze week al 2 albums heb gehoord die vrijwel identiek waren. I'm tired boss... FAVO: The Hook,

Not a bad album, it was alright leaving it in the background. There were songs that were nice, but the rest were just a bit meh. Overall, it's okay.

This sure sounded like the 90s.

Pretty dull. Couldn't get into it at all.

Ikke meget som sprang mig i ørene på den her. Dejligt behageligt at lytte til, men tror det ryger i glemmebogen lige om lidt.

Kinda dull

Lød fint men fangede ikke min opmærksomhed så godt

2.4 2x not bad not good. SMF airport waiting to return to ATL

Just ok at best.

Fine, but nothing about it really struck me. Stylistically it sounded like early 90s alt-rock, but I couldn't find anything to really get myself hooked.

As average as it gets for me. A pure 2.5.

Dull and forgettable.

Meh

This could be the dictionary definition of meh Didn’t make a much if an impression. Nothing in the lyrics really grabbed me, most of the singing wasn’t very strong, and the music was fine His voice is nice and the music is competent so is it a 2 or a 3

What do these LA folk know about the L train?

I can kinda see it, but not exactly my usual lane of 90s music

Probably like a 2.5, I liked some moments but its not what I expected, kinda felt like more of a Jeff Buckley vibe than anything but so much milder and less raw.... idk

I dont know not my thing

Nothing terrible, just does nothing for me

Not bad. At times it threatened to be good but never really pushed on through. Wholly unremarkable.

Very early '90s rock sounding. The album had some potential, but didn't go anywhere. Wasn't even one standout. Disappointingly bland.

This was nothing special. Competent enough, but nothing unique or interesting about it. A tough week. Next.

Bland music, with mediocre vocals. It’s not bad enough to give only one star, but I’d bet good money you’ve been more entertained by a local cover band than you will be by this album. I think this guy is the author’s godfather’s nephew or something. That’s the only explanation for this being on the list.

Not bad. At times it threatened to be good but never really pushed on through. Wholly unremarkable.

Fuzzy On paper I think I should like this, but apart from Wish You Well it really didn’t leave much impression on me. I wasn’t keen on his voice, and although there is nice slide and overall playing is fine, it sounds too roomy and distant, making it feel musically quite flat and cold. It also really reminded me of Calenture by the Triffids, which was not a plus. It’s not a terrible album, I’m just terribly indifferent to it. I can’t think I’ll listen again so I’ll go 2. 🦬🦬 Playlist submission: Wish You Well

Not offensive, but not a lot of curb appeal either

Goede start, maar wat saai na een tijd 2,5

it's early/mid 90s country-tinged rock with pretty rough vocals that occasionally made me wince. it's exactly what you expect. originally i was thinking it was a middle of the road album but i honestly think i will forget 90% of this by tomorrow. grant lee phillips is just not a good singer yet he is given the forefront of the arrangement in a typical "vocalist with an acoustic guitar" style, with mostly insufficient accompaniment of the drums. nothing about this is particularly noteworthy to me other than the points that have to be given to "america snoring" because that one's still spot on even today. it's not even a standout musically, just lyrically. "soft wolf tread" is the one that sounded nicest to me simply because phillips was in the back of the mix and his clear limitations were less apparent.

First Listen; 2.5; This just sounded like really basic alternative rock. I enjoyed this enough, but not really anything great. If anything, the rhythm sounded similar between songs - a very basic kick- snare plodding. Favorite Track: The Shining Hour

2.5 decent

Pretty generic sounding nineties rock probably with a bit more country vibe than a city vibe. Forgettable.

Middle of the road.

Fairly earnest acoustic rock. I had only ever heard the name of this band but never checked them out, and I'm not too bothered that I never had until now. I must be missing something considering all the love this album got as it all feels a bit open mic night at your local. Best Tracks: Fuzzy; The Hook; Dixie Drug Store

meh

I don't understand the hype on this one. Pretty boring and nothing very memorable.

It's a little souless, but at times a pretty fun album. cooler than people give it credit for. Fuzzy was a banger.

Some days on this challenge are really hard going. This guy (band?) is offensively dull, chugging along with an annoying voice that sometimes goes falsetto but more often than not just comes across as bored. You and me both, pal. It threatened to get a little interesting in the final quarter or so but the effort required to get there just wasn't worth it in the end.

Never heard of this before. Not bad by any stretch, but I could probably list 1,000 albums that are more deserving of its spot on this list.

Sound not for me but liked a few

This album really wasn't for me, just found it to be boring alt-rock without a ton of variety. I respect Michael Stipe, but I guess even he can be wrong!

Audibly went “ugh” when the chorus for Jupiter and Teardrop hit so that should tell you exactly how I felt about this awful mashup of Ryan Adams and Train. Not even British so I have no idea how this made the cut

BORING.

I prefer the great Britain queen pink pantheress to the American country trumpie 2 stars for effort you didnt stick out to me

3/11 songs its alright like

All over the place... Some songs were Jim Morrison vibe, other songs country twang crap, and other songs couldn't keep in key to save his life but backing tracks nice.

Ok

Ok but wouldn't listen again. 2

Ok

This would normally get a 3 from me but the singer's voice straining to hit the minimal range required means that I'm gonna need a lot more from everything else to make that kind of thing work. Instead it just sounds like they couldn't find a good enough singer. America Snoring is a standard boring early 90s alt rock, but I was listening to it when I learned about ICE killing someone in Minneapolis and welp.

Generic?

In the mid 90s, with grunge already running on fumes, record execs apparently decided we needed a return to folk rock, but with more emphasis on the rock. REM went folky and exploded, so obviously that is what everyone wants rn. So we got some good stuff, for sure. Most of it was bland bullshit like Grant Lee Buffalo. This isn't bad, but it's also not good. It's the album that was played on repeat at Starbucks when they got tired of Soul Asylum. It was designed to blend into the background and not offend. It's as if GLB heard an advanced copy of Jeff Buckley’s Grace and said “I can do that!” But he didn't have the voice or the song writing skills, just the cowboy chords

Like many others here, I had never heard of this album or artist. It has left absolutely no cultural imprint and is largely forgotten. Should it be on the list then? It’s a fine album of 90 alt rock. You can hear the influence of R.E.M, U2. Bowie, The Pixies and Lou Reed. The singer has a good voice and the production is excellent. I liked quite a few of the songs here but I’m probably not remembering them next week.

#223/1001. Based on the name, I was expecting a boogie reggae confederationalist. Instead I got a fireside guitarist who wants to share his views on America. Sigh. Once again there are probably people who this album is worth living for, but I don't belong to that group, and sincerely wonder what is so great about this that it is included in the 1001 collection.

I found the first half of this incredibly plodding! It improved a little in the second half with some variation and tempo but it wasn't enough to elevate it to something i'd bother listening to again. Overall it was very of its time and nothing stood out enough to justify its place here.

A little too whiny for me.

2.5

You can hear this guy has some talent, but there’s not much to bring me back. Very sleepy.

If your favorite R.E.M. song is "Losing My Religion", you are very likely to enjoy this album. On the Alt-Country-Folk-Rock spectrum between Steve Earle and The Lumineers, this sits right at medium beige. Certain parts ("Stars N' Stripes", for example) made me wish I was listening to Jeff Buckley instead. A fine example example of an artist sold to the public as the "New Bob Dylan" that turned out to be a son of Mumford. I'm looking right at you, Jacob Dylan. Useful if you need something to listen to during the gaps between U2 releases.

Mid

Ok, so Buffalo Tom and Grant Lee Buffalo are two entirely separate bands?!? Had no idea, but after listening, I realized I am more of a Buffalo Tom guy, apparently.

I had a special hatred for Dixie Drug Store because 1) it sounded too much like sweet home alabama and 2) talk singing.

a passable alt country album. not the worst, but also not remotely the most interesting thing going on in music in 1993. this over Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?

Safe and forgettable

"Got you on the Handycam, fits in my hand" is actually a lyric. This is mostly jangle pop. The singer has a really nice voice, the production is strong. It's just not what I want to listen to. While he's got a nice voice and the musicianship is strong -and at times, great- the sum of the parts are just average. They can't decide on what they want to be...there's some Bowie influences here, there's certainly REM influences. I just don't understand what makes this great. A lot of this album is what I expect to be playing in a Starbucks or what I'd expect to hear in a Hallmark movie. As I've gone along here, my rating system for a 3 is that glad I listened to it, can appreciate it, but probably won't return to it. 2 is...not glad I listened to it, kept wondering when it'll be over. And for the last two songs, I kept wondering when this would be over. And not that it really matters but it's a terrible album cover.

This felt like a real slog.

Bland and inoffensive. In other words, boring.

Pretty forgettable, not bad but the Americana inflected, white guy rock is not doing much for me

It's just a little bit basic and begins to plod after the first few tracks. For a brief moment it sounded like it might be an interesting alt-country Pixies-esque band, but they rapidly lost any goodwill I had by the end of the first half, then it was all downhill from there. Two stars.

Forgettable

Another album that pissed me off with its mediocrity

The vocals make this so hard to enjoy

Eh, 90s nothing radio rock

It was okay.

one of those filler albums i hope in the reissue that it got replaced with - like this isn't a bad album by any merit, but it's just a standard rock album.

Disappointingly low amounts of buffalo

I waited a day to review this, and I’ve got to say, I’ve already forgotten everything about Fuzzy. I’m fuzzy on Fuzzy. I sense a lingering vibe of maybe hanging out at a truck stop or something? Cajun food? The songs weren’t terrible. There was certainly a pleasant 90’sness to it all. But, aside from that, it left a fairly inconsequential impact on my life. Like less than a grain of salt in the soup that is my experience. A fuzzy grain of bland salt.

helt ok

At the one hand I like this kind of music. But at the other hand there is nothing remarkable on this specific album. favourite: the title track 2,5

Not bad

Definitely meh. Tracks to track: Fuzzy

Grant Lee Buffalo is the angstier version of coffee shop singer-songwriters. There's distortion on their guitars, they are clearly fans of Pixies and Americana, and sound very "sensitive tough guys in the 90's"-core. Enjoyable enough, especially given my soft spot for the decade, but I don't think I'll be coming back to this anytime soon. Very forgettable.

Forgettable

4/10

A couple of good ones but nothing stand out

2.5 rounded down

remember it being quite good, but wouldn't really listen to again these days 2

Nothing stuck out to me, mediocre 90s rock.

Pretty similar feelings to No Other. The use of brushes instead of sticks on some of the songs was interesting, lent itself to a fuzzy feel.

Pretty meh alt-rock. A lot of the 90s alt-rock I've gotten has had the same general sound and vibe.

Dette blir veldig "nesten" for min del. Fint gitarspill og vibe, men litt for americana for min smak. Den første låta synes jeg balanserer americana og indie såpass godt at jeg nesten trodde jeg skulle bli overbevist. Etterhvert som albumet progresserer, blir det færre og færre hooks, ting blir mer og mer intetsigende, og selv om det alltid er greit og behagelig å høre på, gir det meg heller ikke lyst til å høre det igjen. Nei, gi meg heller Silver Jews.

Not bad. Stays a little safe though.

Just mid tbh not good but not terrible. They all sound the same but the lyrics aren't good enough to hook you in2.4

No lo conozco de nada. Veamos. Pues no puedo decir que me haya molestado nada en concreto, pero no encuentro un solo momento interesante en todo el disco. Una vez escuchada la primera estrofa, ya tienes la canción entera. Es un disco absolutamente prescindible en una vida feliz.

Yawn. Who are these people.

A slow, lush blend of folk-rock and grunge, built on distorted yet melodic guitars, sweeping rhythms, and impassioned, textured vocals, yet often slipping into something boring and forgettable.

pretty cool

Overall it's fine, doesn't light my brain on fire like some other albums on the list, but it does its job. Solid vocals and storytelling, musically it doesn't wow me though. Feels pretty boilerplate at this point

Not my fav. At all.

Sounded a lot like something/someone else.

2,5

Yeah, 1001 is loads, but there are also fucking LOADS of albums and I just don't think this is one that feels necessary to listen to. Just very okay. 2.5*

нудятина

Grant Lee Buffalo’s Fuzzy is often hailed as a cult favorite, but for me, it falls flat. While the band’s blend of folk-rock and alternative textures has atmosphere, the pacing drags, and too many songs blur together without leaving a strong impression. Grant Lee Phillips’ voice is rich, but the songwriting doesn’t consistently deliver hooks or momentum. Overall, Fuzzy feels more like background mood music than a compelling listen.

Once you get into the mid-80's and beyond, it clearly becomes hit and miss as to whether I am familiar with a band, so it would seem. I understand this was the bands first album, not bad actually.

I prefer his work as the Stars Hollow troubadour. I particularly disliked Dixie Drug Store. It's like they were given a prompt to write a song featuring New Orleans, shouted out everything that came to mind, Family Feud style, and then used all of it whether it worked or not. I lost it at " secret place in the bayou of her blankets" and never regained it. Ooh, jambalaya indeed.

Mrh

Fine album, didn't leave a huge impression.

As Jeff said, ok but not memorable.

Groupe inconnu. Rock mou sans aucune originalité dans un album très long. Pas désagréable mais plutôt ennuyeux. =>2/5

# Album Name: Fuzzy # Artist: Grant Lee Buffalo # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Below average americana. Poor album imo. Most of it went by in a whimper. # Top Tunes: Dixie drug store # Would I listen to it again? No

I don’t get the hype. Not much there.

Deny Lee Buffalo. One Del Amitri is more than enough.

muzzy

I've already forgotten it

Dull

The opening number, The Shining Hour, isn't very melody-focused. The singer seems to be picking a haphazard series of blues-scale notes and belting them out with more oomph than tunefulness. But hey, it's better than no melody at all. And starting with Jupiter and Teardrop, it gets a heck of a lot more listenable. Nice acoustic guitar tone, especially when the electric guitar jolts you awake with a dreamy, distorted solo. The guitar are a real highlight throughout the album, with their peak possibly being the title track. Lots of (post-)psychedelia-type tones in the choruses and solo. The acoustic strings also do a solid job in the music, giving it a heavily American tone that toes the line between country and late-80s rock. The sound gets very cumbersome about halfway through the album. Soft Wolf Tread and Stars n' Stripes have very lazily delivered vocals and fairly unconvincing instrumental parts – the vocals exposing just how limited this guy's range is. Some of the higher sung notes in these later songs are egregiously out-of-tune, and it's up to the other instruments to cover for that. Sometimes they do – Dixie Drug Store has a fun piano-based, honky-tonk atmosphere. You Just Have To Be Crazy is a slow yet powerful way to close off the record. But for about half the time, the sound is either unkempt or uninteresting. So the album is about 50-50 on "the good vs the bad". That being said, an album like this (particularly when it's not that famous) should be judged harshly. How did it get onto this list, other than Michael Stipe really liking it? 2/5 Key tracks: Fuzzy, Wish You Well, The Hook

jatkumo vaan pidentyy.. mitä ovat nämä saatanan satunnaiset albumit jotka tullut vastaan.. kohta kuukausi mennyt kun viimeinen viiden tähden michelin albumi syöty.. joo ei ole kuraa ei ole kidutusruokaa. kelmiruokaa, konna-lurjusruokaa syöttää vankilassa ja nauraa mahaansa. vaikka en ole alimman tason maaorja niin ei se tarkoita että hyväksyn tämänkaltaisen keskuskeittiö ruoan.. vähän jotain rajaa nyt. tämä filuri kirjankirjoittaja viimeiset kolme vuotta kohta PÄÄTTÄNYT mitä kuuntelen.. dominoinut minua.. sinä kuuntelet tämän ja tämän tänään ja sen jälkeen voit itse valita... jos haluat voit kuunnella mitä kuuntelet... saatana.. fzuzu

Snooze. Another faceless 90’s alternative band offering a discordant mishmash of off putting, tuneless, hook free sound collages.

Pretty bored with this record. Listened through 2 times and couldn't remember a single track.

Не хватило фузза

I did a minute or so of each song and it's dull. Nothing sticks out. Like a duller Jeff Buckley.

Nothing special. Yet again, why would you include this on the list?

Alt-Country isn't really my thing, but I may like it more than regular country most of the time. Probably because of the indie influences? I don't think I ever hear about this album or artist outside the 1001 albums discussion, but I guess it's one of those curious underground inclusions. Key tracks: Fuzzy The Hook

if you step on a cat it might sound better.

Snooze. Standalone, I can see a song or two being good in a playlist with other, more exciting, music. As a whole 50-minute straight-through listen? America IS snoring.

It was fine, but it’s another on one the growing list of albums where I can’t find the secret sauce that gets it on the list.

Nå er det mye seigt her

Only an American would find this remarkable.

2.5 - not bad but nothing too exciting

The best thing I can say about this is that it's competent. Not engaging or exciting. Also did not like the anti-American stuff.

I barely like anything coming from Los Angeles, California.

Somebody's bargain bin find that they justify as a hidden gem just because it's slightly better than most bargain bin finds.

i think this is an attempt at y’allternative but it really just wasn’t hitting today tbh

Don’t know why this album is on this list nor what the band was thinking when they approved half-assed lyrics that start promising then reveal themselves to be the work of a smooth brain. I liked the sound of the music though

Mediocracy!

That R.E.M. guy needs better taste in music

I don’t really know if I like this or not. I wanted to skip track 2 constantly because I felt it was a bad version of Moonage Daydream. But other songs on here are quite okay. It’s like a psychedelic folk/country universe

Kind of a cool combination of acoustic and electric guitar sounds for a bit of jangle and a dose of fuzz. Has more of a country folk feel to it than a lot of other 90s alt rock, without going full alt-country. Definitely has the gen x angsty melancholic overwrought emotional range nailed down, an album made for Ethan Hawke to make annoying faces over. Favorites: Grace, Fuzzy

It was just all a bit nondescript. Not terrible but not that interesting either

Bit fuzzy on this one

Reminds me of The Waterboys

Imagine if Father John Misty came out in 1993 instead of the 21st century. That is exactly what this sounds like. Its not bad, but it gets to a point where every song starts sounding the same.

not for me

Boring music. Boring vocals. Definitely had some promise at spots, but it felt like it constantly let me down.

What to make of the singer-songwriter in the 1990s and beyond? Even if it was a solo project, the 90s and 00s largely maintained the fiction that a band was the equal sum of its parts, every group an REM or Pearl Jam. GLB has everything in place for this to work except the songs. Wonderfully expressive and distinct singing by G-LP, at times reminiscent of Jeff Buckley, but the result is something fixed in its era and as I’d half-expected them to show up at the Bronze or Stars Hollow, sure enough, G-LP was one of the Gilmore Girls troubadours. It’s fine but returns us to the ongoing question of who put this on the list and why. Grunge music really did not win over UK audiences, so much so resistance to it was part of the NME/MM push for a uniquely British 90s rock answer to the glum and angsty Americans, yielding a half decade’s worth of chart-topping britpop. But GLB broke through with some English audiences, becoming a favourite of an aforementioned britpopper, influencing the Oasis single Some Might Say.

dull as dishwater

Replacement level rock album

It’s fine, often verging on good. But did I need to hear this before I died? No, I don’t think I did. A two.

Not as awful as THE XX (what is really?) but still not great. I liked a couple songs (The Shining Hour and Grace- a song that sounded a bit like The Dream Syndicate) a bit and nothing on the album made me wish I was deaf like THE XX did, but I heard nothing that would ever make me want to play this album again. Two stars for not outright sucking like THE XX. CONS: As mediocre as it gets. PROS: They are not THE XX.

I was sorely disappointed with this one. None of it was bad but overall it felt like bland alt rock most of the time, and I can't believe I'm saying this as someone who used to hate country, but I just didn't get enough of that country charm from this record

Not very memorable.

Pretty forgettable. Not sure what I was meant to find here. Not awful.

Giving a weak Bowie vibe. Very 1990s bar band. Very of it's time. Takes me back to being in the back seat of someone's parent's minivan driving around suburbia. It's a fine example of rock music in a time. I probably won't think of it ever again. I probably won't remember it. If this is your thing, no harm, enjoy.

There were some good moments, but they were too few and far between. I'd love to tell you what they were, but my memory is a little...

This is almost 1 star bad.

not bad, but pretty forgettable. (2.5/5.0)

Not bad, but not super exciting. Wish You Well is a pretty good track. I'm not sure I'll go back to these, just not interesting enough.

A bit boring although I liked the gentle, americana approach to 90s rock.

Eh? It's fine. No clue why it's be on this list.

2 feels harsh but 3 feels generous idk, it was okay

didn't do a lot for me, clear to hear the influence on later REM records but the song-writing didn't pull me in

It's alright but not super motivated by it and not likely to go back to it

This was alright but nothing outstanding

2.5

Wasn't sure what this album was offering at first, it's some sort of alternative/grittier country sound. Fine enough, but it was already feeling repetitive about midway through. Just made me want to listen to regular 90's alt rock when it was all said and done.

- lief im Hintergrund und nichts hat es aus dem Hintergrund wirklich hervorgeholt - insgesamt aber entspannt und ganz gut hörbar 2,25/5

I remember these guys. I remember being a bit bored. It's very 1993 in the sense of not sure what it's trying to be - it sounds nice sonically, but I'm not feeling any bit of it. Bit of a Bowie knockoff on track 2, no? I don't particularly like Bowie. Fuzzy. Yes, I remember this song now. ... or do I? ehh...man I've already forgotten it all after finishing 10 minutes ago. Absolutely inoffensive and completely fine and utterly reverb-washed-boring. On some level it is weird criticizing something that's not "bad" but this is a great anti-example of everything I listen to music for. I felt nothing during this other than an impatience to finish to get to something more dramatic, more exciting, more dynamic, more passionate, more dangerous. More ANYTHING. 4/10 2 stars.

[5/10] Big shrug

Gay

Va kje heilt for meg detta

Ok album

I’ve been doing a thing where I let albums accrue and then skim. Maybe I miss some gems but albums like this really validate the theory that maybe 30% of the 1001 albums I HAVE to hear are actually worth a listen

Aggressively mediocre

this was so much nothing to me

Clean sounds and interesting songs. Some songs are much catchier than others though. Not catchier as in sing-a-long catchy. More along jamming along and wanting to listen to again catchy. I had a good time listening through the album but I don't think I will come back to it anytime soon.

wasn't the best but no means the worst

-----

I really disliked this. The overwrought singing style reminds me of some combination of Hunter, Jan from the Offices former assistant, and the kid on the stairs in Animal House who has his guitar destroyed by Bluto. The progressions and melodies aren't particularly interesting, the production sounds good. Wouldn't say this offended me - i could understand how someone may enjoy it. Despite all this, I'm not sure i can argue with Michael Stipe saying it was the best album of 1993... pretty rough year for music.

I admittedly have a pretty low threshold for being annoyed by vague protest songs, but "America Snoring" struck me as a particularly condescending and whiny addition to the genre. The rest of the album is so staunchly 90s it almost sounds like a parody. I hear a LOT of REM in them, little bit of the Pixies (if I'm being generous), maybe some Goo Goo Dolls (if I'm being cruel). The songs are very conventional and formulaic for that era, both in structure ('verse chorus verse chorus bridge, guitar solo that reiterates the vocal hook, chorus chorus';) and in the playing (standard drumming, bass that doubles the root note of whatever open-chord the rhthym guitar is strumming, inexplicably moody singing) The melodies and progressions all feel very basic - which is fine if the song is primarily a vehicle for interesting lyrics (a la leonard cohen, dylan), but I can't say that's the case here. In fact, this album is almost entirely devoid of unusual or interesting decisions. On top of that, I detect a note of preening self-seriousness in the vocal delivery, which is annoying. Does anyone remember the Sopranos episode where Adriana is trying to manage a shitty 90s pop rock band, and Heche tells her 'I just don't hear a hit' ? This band reminds me a lot of them fictional band. That said, some formulas are formulas because they work - Jupiter and Teardrop + Fuzzy both kinda rocked. But it's no surprise at all that, amid so much 90s nostalgia, this album has been lost to history.

Lead singer's voice sucks

First song was okay, kind of reminded me of Okkervil River but really nothing memorable on the rest of the album.

Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Artwork: 📸🕯️😪 Production : 😐🙂👌 Music: 🎸💔📜 Rating: 🕯️🕯️/5

Declamatory vocals reminiscent of The Waterboys, guitars and backing vocals drawing from Bowie's glam era with Ronson - ok, but nothing remarkable here at all

2.5

Fine enough but unremarkable and nothing I’ll come back to

Cool that the lead singer is the troubadour in Gilmore Girls, but I wasn’t feeling this album.

Eh, nothing stands out here. 2.75 but rounding down bc ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Never heard of this band or album before. It was ok, nothing outstanding, another one I don't understand why it's here. 2*

If David Bowie and T. Rex made me want to kill myself. 2

Underwhelming

Just okay. 4/10

Okay. Nothing special.

Pretty strange genre of country. Some of it was pretty good but was all around kind of cheesy. This is a high 2 because it was kind of boring, but not offensive to my ears at all

Very bland, soft rock, with bland singing. In some ways it's nice to have these unpopular choices on the list, it makes me think that the curator(s) of the list put them on out of personal love and passion for the album instead of because of their cultural significance. I didn't like this, though.

Eh, there's better music

Holy mid. Resident sleeper

It’s not bad, just didn’t stick out to me

generic and monotonous Favorite tracks: the shining hour, fuzzy

It wasn't only America snoring during this record... snoozfest... next

Not as bad as I thought it was be but still didn't really like it

I listened to it, and after it was done, I can tell you what the album sounds like, but can’t tell you anything about the individual songs. Nothing stood out to me.

Somehow manages to be all over the place and boring at the same time.

An inoffensive unremarkable album.

This feels like I was transported to a coffee shop in the early 90's and have to listen to a guy play grunge-folk for the entire place.

Bändin niimi ja levyn kansi lupaili merkittävsti pahempaa. Parista yrityksestä huolimatta ei tehnyt kummempaa vaikutusta.

This is not a good album. Generic singer/songwriter music that sounds exceptionally derivative of David Bowie (though a watered down version). 1.5/5 -> 2/5

Jeez… could they be any more formulaic and tedious? Yea, they sound a little like Neil Young, but that’s about it. Besides, that’s not really that much of a high water mark in musical genius…. Vapid shite made for sorority girls who want to feel “edgy” but don’t know how

Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo. And by that I mean I don’t like this album very much

It’s a shame to waste that gorgeous voice on overly repetitive choruses and sometimes caterwauling cries. Good musicians put to waste, too.

Not for me

A mix of rock-folk and country-folk that is representative of what the early 90’s had to offer, which means it’s just not that good. Hipsters who think they are into politics and wax on about how “both sides are bad” probably love this album. (BTW, the “both sides are bad” are among the most politically ignorant among us)

🥱 not sure what this is doing that it deserves to be on this list?

From the Wikipedia article, I can see that this artist and album influenced many people that I like, but this is just another proof that sometimes it is better to stay away from (bad) influences.

Started strong, became very meh

I couldn’t get through this album. This used to be my wheelhouse, but I found this, honestly, lyrically, musically and spiritually, empty. I like to believe that I’m always looking forward and waiting for new things to amaze me - this helps me to see that I’ve moved on past vapid, navel gazing, Yawn Rock.

I had never heard of this album or guy before. He sounds so much like a Ryan Adams on some tracks (the shining hour, you just have to be crazy). I think I need more time for this album to grow on me- at some points I wanted to shut it off but there was something that prevented me from dismissing it completely. The fact that Michael Stipe called it the best album of 1993 means there is something there.

Did not love it. Some of the guitar was cool.

Can't say this really did anything for me.

Just not really my speed. Probably wouldn’t throw it on rotation again.

A whole lot of meh...

I liked the guitar some, but it's not good enough for this list. 2/5

Hmm, it’s okay. I listened to it while working and it didn’t really catch my attention.

Production is great, strong chords and arrangements, vocals not so much

Didn’t quite finish

After listening to this album twice, I still don’t remember a single song. If you don’t count the Sweet Home Alabama-riff, which I found annoying. Will not listen again

Correcto

Kinda forgettable

Boring.

I wonder if Grant Lee Buffalo has any relation to Tokyo Lee?

Eh, kinda interesting at the start but fairly forgettable afterwards.

Forgettable, even to unpack to. 2/4

It's ok, didn't grab me Will I listen to again: 1%

Sounds boring and uninspired. Monotonous vocals, same-y guitar sound all throughout.

Best Song: Jupiter and Teardrop. The electric guitars brought some much needed energy to this one. Worst Song: The Hook. Just an objectively worse song than the one by Blues Traveler that uses the same gimmick. Overall: Kind of generic, sleepy-sludgy alt-rock. I can't imagine that this was very revelatory when it came out, and it's even less so now.

I don't think the songs are very good and the vocals have too much "performance" in them. I bet this guy is really into John Lennon.

Ehhh

exceptionally white music

Not offensive but also not good

I did not care for this. The syncopation in the first song tricked me each time into thinking there was going to a shift in tone and energy and I left disappointed. I made it 6 tracks in before putting on Mom Trapz II, a far superior listening experience.

Not sure why this is here but it's fine outside of the context of this list I suppose.

Meh.

America Snoring because this is boring.

Never heard of the group, all the songs are new to me. I'm reasonably ok with the songwriting but don't enjoy the overall package. The voice is grating to me, the pace a bit too laid back, the overall feeling is more twangy than I enjoy unless you are going all the way there.

As the title suggests, this is a very hazy album with some good moments but okay and passable moments are few between. I hear david bowie, I hear Bruce Springsteen, I hear Elliot smith I hear R.E.M and yet none of it really feels like it is fully realized. The 90's had some really great records and I love being thrown onto new artist but this just wasn't as excitable as one would lead you to believe. The song the Hook uses the chorus to talk about the Hook kinda fun and engaging but American snoring is RATM inspired too but It is all so passable. I will not be revisiting, and I have a strong letter written to the creator of this book and list cause how much were you paid. By the last song I was glad it was ending even if the song itself was good. 4.5/10 but really a 4

Never heard of GLB back in the 90s, and now we know why. Not that good. The Hook is the best song, again not that good. America Yawning is more like it as this album in a snoozer (1.6*s)

A pretty good 90s album. I imagine if Michael Hutchence didn't die, INXS would have put out something liken this as they mellowed. Band sounds like they could have been featured on VH1 crossroads. Not leaving a major mark but holds it's own.

Wasn't expecting anything from a band called Grant Lee Buffalo. Was pleasantly surprised at what I got. It hit a very casual 90's sound that I'm surprised I hadn't been exposed to previously. It's not my favorite but was an easy listen. I guess all I can say about it is that it's fine but nothing special. I don't really have much to say about it in the wake of the listen. 2.39 stars

That time, when they are strum strum strumming along, and then they stop . . . and THEN start strumming soooo hard!

I didn’t necessarily hate it, but I wanted it to end by the fourth to last song, so that is not good. Obviously. Bye bye

90s alternative is probably my comfort food as far as music goes, and this definitely has the feel of the early 90s. Unfortunately, that’s really about all it has going for it. I just didn’t find any of it very interesting. Mostly it’s just there. I wouldn’t jump over a couch to shut it off, but I’m not going to intentionally listen to any of this again. Knowing that Michael Stipe loves this album actually knocks it down about half a star for me, too.

It’s ok….

I'm really not feeling this. I realize why I never listened to this when it was new. The first track gives a little hope, but my attention is quickly fleeting after that. I was glad when the album suddenly ended and I was graced with silence.

Nineties rock is so hit and miss…for me, this was the latter.

2.5 Got bored, wasn’t bad but won’t be coming back ever again. Lick my asshole Grant Lee Buffalo

lacks good songs

Silly

White bread

No thank you! There wasn't anything bad per say, and I'm glad other enjoy this because the artists sounded skilled, but I was quite excited when this album finally ended. It just wasn't for me.

This was ok, but overall sorta boring. I kept hearing things that reminded me of other bands, but nothing I could *quite* put my finger on. Overall, it was too slow. 2.49/5

Just boring.

Boring, bland, unoriginal. A bit waste of time, even the few songs I listened to.

Pretty standard alternative rock album from the 90's. Only one song I actually "liked". Dixie Drug Store was pretty good, but again, it sounds like a standard 90's alt rock group. Musicians sound talented, but this is a forgettable album.

Meh

I started out kinda liking it. Then I realized; this was the early nineties! I like some stuff from the late 90's-2000's that sounds like this! Must have been an influence! Then suddenly after a few tracks his singing started to remind me of Bono. Anyway, I hate music now.

Extremely generic rock. Choruses repeat way too many times in some songs. Idk how anyone would ever be in the mood to listen to this.

Decent, a pleasant listen but nothing that grabs you and won't let go. Stars 'n' Stripes threatens to be interesting; Dixie Drug Store is probably the highlight.

A solid example of 90's mainstream alt rock. I wouldn't ever want to listen again but I didn't dislike it completely

Fine. Not great.

Not what I expected but still unlikely to revisit

Not great Bob. Only barely made 2 stars.

Meh I couldn’t get into this one at all. Not for me.

Laughably bad

Meh

Meh.

This feels like a band they'd play in High Fidelity.

Maybe I'm not familiar enough with the genre, but this doesn't seem groundbreaking enough to really land towards the top of this sort of alt rock genre. Grant Lee-Phillips vocals are serviceable at best, and whiney at worst. The heavy focus on rhythmic guitar outstays its welcome, and overall the album drags as a result. Highlight: America Snoring

Boring

Prickly.

Dull, ponderous Alt Rock that Screaming Trees, Morphine etc did better.

Countryish, not super interested.

Kinda bland and uninspiring

2.5 This sounds like a hundred different 90s albums thrown into a blender and puréed into a CD.

Jupiter and Teardrop - tune! the rest less so

Ok.