Too Rye Ay

Most of the songs are fine, not a particular fan of his voice. And Come On Eileen is a banger.

Definitely recognize "Come On Eileen"! Enjoyed the rest of the album with the mix of energy and melodies.

Rambunctious to a fault.

Overraskende god hele vejen igennem. Meget festlig.

Not the best from the midnight runners.

Not bad, ima tu dobrih stvari skroz. Možda su mrvu sejm sejm kao slični bendovi iz tog razdoblja, pa samo zato 3/5, 6/10

Bangers but not 100% my cup of tea as one might say.

I love the hit song but I was quite bored by most of the songs besides that

2.6 Such a strange choice. Firstly, I love Come on Eileen. It's a great track, instant dance floor filler at a wedding. But they're a one hit wonder band for a reason. The inclusion of this album on this list is just unnecessary. Come on Eileen works as it's so danceable, but take away that element, as the rest of the album seemingly does, and you're left with grating vocals and far too much brass. They caught lightning in a bottle with that one song, and leave us to suffer through an additional hour because of it.

Eh. If this was the only Dexys album here I might have been more enthused, but as it is this really feels like a lot shit thrown at the wall and one or two bits stuck.

I like Dexys Midnight Runners, but not really enough to seek them out. I’d give this a 3.5.

Enjoyable album. Obviously 'Come On Eileen' is the standout but the other songs were just as fun.

As I said with the last Dexy's album I got - "Solid ska band made worse (for the most part) by a ridiculous vocalist." This remains the case though .5 for Come on Eileen because it's a classic.

I don't love Dexys, but they've got a couple real bangers on here, and they tend to leave me in a good mood, even if they feel like a bit much sometimes. This is one that swings a lot based on mood for me.

6/10 The tunes are alright - gets a bit much at times.

I don't really have nothing to say about this. It's that middle of the road for me. Eillen song is catchy, but nothing else stands out at all.

Aside from their one-hit-wonder smash "Come on Eileen", I'm pretty sure I've never heard anything else by the illustrious Dexys Midnight Runners (although apparently "Geno" and "The Celtic soul brothers" were also hits in the UK, so I guess they were only a one-hit wonder on the US side of the pond). I like it that the rest of the album is recognizable as the same band as their big hit, but not much else on the album really stood out. ("Let's make this precious" sounded to me a bit Cure-like, curiously.) It was a good move that they added strings to their sound, making them a bit more distinctive than other early 80s rock/R&B bands (particularly noticeable on "All in all"); a shame that the horns and string players left the band after recording the album, though. I thought it's pretty funny that after opening for The Specials a few times, they decided they needed to have outfits, and chose "donkey jackets and woolly hats" to look like they came out of "Mean Streets" (and very evident in their quirky video for "The Celtic soul brothers"; I have no idea what look they were going for in the video for "Come on Eileen" with the denim overalls). I wish that their cover of "Jackie Wilson said" was a bit less derivative of Van Morrison's original, but I liked the energy. I'll admit that I'm a bit mystified that there's another album by Dexys Midnight Runners in this collection--it's not clear to me that Kevin Rowland and company are really *that* interesting or important to warrant two albums. But then again, that could easily be said of a lot of artists and albums in this project.

Favorites: The Celtic Soul Brothers, Come On Eileen, Until I Believe In My Soul Of course, the song everyone knows Dexys Midnight Runners for is Come On Eileen, and for good reason - that song is a classic, and a staple in the mainstream new wave scene. However, I can't help but feel that the rest of the record lacks a bit in the same quality/ambitions that Come On Eileen strives for. It's disappointing, honestly.

Ok

Still reeling at the fact that there are three (3) Dexy's Midnight Runners albums on this list. This is fine. I'm not sure what version of the album Spotify has though, it doesn't match any of the album track listings on Wikipedia, it's close to the original, but there are some tracks that seem to be missing and some new tracks that aren't listed, so I genuinely don't know. The majority of the tracks seem to be there and in the right order though so I'm just going to go with it.

More than just Come On Eileen. but not a classic. 3 stars seems about right.

Whole thing doesn’t hold up to the singles but still a classic.

They were probably a lotta fun live back in the day

It’s…eclectic? No one agreed on a vibe. Confusing but had it’s moments? You know an album is good when there are multiple question marks in the review.

come on Eileen is a certified all time BANGER

first listen meh

Fun and enjoyable, and Kevin Rowland's voice is highly unique - in a good way. There's some great tracks on here, even aside from the 'famous one'. Jackie Wilson Said and Plan B are two highlights for me. It's a solid 3, not sure if I would return to it, but it was a satisfying ride.

Decent brass rock surrounding one of the greatest songs ever

Again with Dexy? Odd. They’re ok, but really not special nor unique, good or bad. Move along, nothing to see here.

I don't pretty much like it but its okey, I like the instruments a little bit

In my opinion I liked all of the songs but the first one was my favorite because I liked the beat and singing I would recommend these songs to a lot of people because I think the songs sounded nice. because it had a difirent language

I liked it and saved a couple but I can only listen to so much Dexys because it's a specific voice

3.3 stars rounded down. “Come on Eileen” is great. The rest is consistent and a good time, but the album is overlong.

I like the Ska element of this sound, but I really don't like the rest.

Album 804 of 1089 Dexys Midnight Runners - Too Rye Ay (1982) Rating : 3 / 5 Fun album Enjoyed it again.

Between the singer of this band sounding a lot like the guy from The Associates to their weirdly unique style of new wave with Soul and Celtic rock.... I mean it's cool to hear in the later half of the album but the first half I could do without, but I enjoyed this album more on a second listen so who knows, maybe the eccentric and theatrical sound will grow on me.

To me this band is the best example of a one hit wonder. The ultimate answer to a quiz question. Everyone has heard Come on Eileen but not many people know the band behind the song. I hadn't listen to them other than that song until today. Their sound remains the same throughout the songs and the singers voice is the same in all the songs. Some were catchier than others but something is lacking when compared to their biggest hit. Not a bad album at all and I added some of the songs on playlist for the future. A really fun experience listening to a band where I have heard only one song so many times before.

Its quite good. But a bit draining to listen to after some songs

Liked this a lot more than their debut. Come On Eileen is an all timer as far as closers go

Come On Eileen is great, the rest vary from bad to ok

What a tune Come On Eileen is. Rest of the album is OK.

It was fine. I knew the one song which was ok but overall not kind of a waste of time.

So strange to hear *other songs* that sound like a massive but singular hit. Like seeing your elementary school teacher at the grocery store. Huh, she wears jeans! Huh, this guy sings like this all the time! Weird, the instrumentation is actually the baseline level of complication on this album, not supplementary!

it's fun, it's weird, they're weird, it's a perfect album to include in the list

Dexys Midnight Runners are frequently mentioned as an example of a "one-hit wonder" band. Their song, "Come on Eileen" is their one-hit, and the title of the album comes from the chorus in the song. The song is one of the most recognizable 80s pop hits; its distinct sound as a Celtic jig may have driven the song's popularity. As this is also the band's distinct sound, their consistency may have contributed to their association with their one big hit. This is a good collection of songs, with a band that almost suffered for the tremendous success of their first single. They used a string section, a horn section, and singer Kevin Rowland's distinct, dramatic voice to make catchy pop songs.

o álbum é ok, mas me deu a sensação constante de estar numa festa completamente sob efeito do produto. a festa é legal nos 30 primeiros minutos, a onda é boa. depois disso eu só quero ir embora. enfim, sejamos honestos: come on eileen é um clássico total quem não bate um pézinho quando toca ela é mau caráter

The music is interesting, but the vocals are so whiny. Monster hit though. 3.

This had some good songs, and some songs I couldn't get into. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5

Folk robert smith

Hard to believe, Dexys Midnight Runners has multiple appearances on this list, but for many (including myself), the band really had one significant song that deserves mention here and plenty of songs that sounded similar to that "song". The song of course is, Come On Eileen. It's a great song, but we've heard it too many times to keep loving it and without it, DMR might not have had a career. In fact, I'm pretty sure their career is built around Eileen, which is sad because they're probably a decent band to see live and the musicianship on the record is fine. I'm generously giving 2 stars for the song and 1 for the remaining filler.

Come on Eileen is good. The rest of this is alright.

Meh. Repetitive.

Way better than I expected.....more than just a one hit wonder. I was dubious since one of their other albums on this list was a stinker. This one surprised.

like a lounge singer in the 80's doing it, and it's too much for me.

Not terrible but probably won’t listen to it again

With the terrible “Don’t Stand Me Down” and the tolerable “Searching for the Young Soul Rebels,” I was not looking forward to our 3rd Dexys album. But this one has “Come On Eileen,” so let’s give it a chance. The violins are a great addition, and in general “Too-Ry-Ay” is cloer to the tolerable, perhaps even exceeding that rather low bar at times. Kevin Rowland sometimes sounds like Robert Smith - not sure if I just didn’t notice it on the other albums?

Better than expected. Not amazing.

I can tell why these guys were popular in the 80s. It didn’t start out so hot, but it felt like the album built momentum throughout. I was ready for Come On Eileen to push the rating to the next level, but felt underwhelmed. I think the chorus is so overpowering that I didn’t remember how forgettable the rest of the song is.

Good vibes. I have, of course, heard their most famous song and I'm sad that it sort of taints their whole sound for me.

Sounded like a road house live band - it had that constant live music on a stage vibe

Mon chum et moi, on blaguait en disant que c'est ce que ça donnerait si Robert Smith était heureux. Le côté folk, les violons, accordéon, cuivres, le tout s'amalgame assez efficacement dans cette pop vivante et énergique.

Who knew they had more than one song?!

I wish it was more like Come On Eileen, energy-wise.

The Celtic Soul Brothers (More, Please, Thank You) 3.3 Let's Make This Precious 3 All in All (This One Last Wild Waltz) 3.1 Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile) 3.4 Old 3.2 Plan B 3.1 I'll Show You 3.2 Liars A to E 3.5 Until I Believe in My Soul 3.3 Come On Eileen 3.6 Score: 3.27

regular

TOO RYE LOO RYEEE AYYYEEEE!

When they get it right they are brilliant. When they don't, it's a bit boring. Just buy the singles.

Better than I thought! Kind of a proto ska sound. Although they are so distinct everything was kind of come on Eileen adjacent.

A mix of Pop, Celtic, and Folk inspiration that delivers some great tracks and some underwhelming ones. Overall a mood lifter.

I've been wanting to revisit this one for awhile. "Come On Eileen" is obviously a classic, definitely a white people anthem. The rest of the songs are good too but they don't quite compare to the mega-hit. Good vibes all around. The hobo image that the band was going for during this era is really funny to me. All I can think about while listening is scrawny British dudes wearing baggy overalls with bandanas around their necks. Favorite track: Come On Eileen 3.5/5

New wave folkkia? Lauluääni tuommoinen perus new wave, aika nariseva. Vähän kyllä meh, mutta ei kummiskaan aivan paskaa. Eli aika mid- Parhaat: Jackie Wilson Said, Old, Come On Eileen

It has decent moments, even times where you can hear where this was ahead of its time for a few genres. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of stuff that drags and in the case of Until I Believe in My Soul it drags for 7 freaking minutes.

its fine, ok, nothing special. Come on Eillen being the standout. I applaud it's uniqueness but never really captivated me

Pretty nice

Dexy’s always seem like they’d be a fun band to go and see. I like their take on a more poppy folk and I like this album - outside of the excellent Come On Eileen it doesn’t do anything too spectacular, but it was a solid listen.

I looked at the background of Kevin Rowland, and I was hoping I'd enjoy the rest of this album for the Northern Soul in it. It's okay, but I get why Eileen is exceptional.

Too Ryeeeeeeeght to be one hit wonders. Solid tunes.

After my first Dexys album I was let down and didn’t understand how they could be so appreciated in the UK, but now I’m starting to get it! This was a million times better than the one with the business attire cover, whatever that one is called. Quite enjoyed this and may keep it in the rotation.

Come on Eileen is a song everyone should hear. Not sure if this album is one that everyone needs to hear. It’s enjoyable but not amazing.

Way better than the other album on this list. This one is actually listenable. I still didn't love it, but it was decent at least. 2.75/5

An unusual ride! Like everyone on earth, I knew Come On Eileen extremely well but hadn’t heard the rest. What an odd mix, like Celtic and ska and pop and a Van Morrison cover all got thrown in a blender at the circus. Pretty fun all round! But also somehow off-putting at times.

They have 3 records on the list. This is the only one that belongs here, if any. I'm sure they were a fun band to see live. The singing is not good enough for the record, but you could definitely get away with it in front of a room of drunk people. Songs were better than I expected after I heard their other 2 albums on the list. About them as a one hit wonder: they weren't. I knew 3 songs from this record before. Two of them were covers, but I knew this version. Favorite song: Come on Eileen.

Bravi musicisti, alcune canzoni sono decisamente orecchiabili

Contains their mega-hit "Come On Eileen", plus their cover of Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)", but apart from these, the songs all beign to sound the same to me.

Enjoyable but unmemorable minus the one song.

Mildly enjoyable. Don’t see any reason why this album with its one hit should be on this list though. That’s all you need to hear off this album; more of a Songs You Need to Hear Before You Die list.

Decent pub music. Otherwise unremarkable.

Ya con "Come On Eileen" esto merece la pena. Entretenido, todo con ese aire folkie fiestero, aparte del éxito ninguna canción está a esa altura. Dudo entre 2 o 3 estrellas, seremos generosos.

Fun and jaunty, a classic

fun upbeat

Pretty fun, nothing crazy

Who would have thought that there was more to this album than Come On Eileen and Jocky Wilson says - if you know, you know #TOTP Seriously though, quite enjoyed it.

I can see why Come On Eileen was the hit, but it was kinda fun

It was fine

2.8

Eileen is the only song I know from this record, though I had never heard the a cappella stinger on it though. Another entry that it is wise to check the original release and only listen to the tracks listed there.

Good pop music and great brass section when they remeber it was within their DNA

2 Dexys in three days. !!?? You do know in the States that - easily? - 99.9% of the entire populace (if they've even heard of them) can only name one song of theirs and in fact likely think they only actually *released* one song (which is here, and definitely a classic). This album is nothing like the dressed up compost heap of their next album at least. Kevin Rowland gets mewly and more than a bit self-reverent on a lot of songs (nothing like the followup. please avoid at all costs.) which brings it down in spots (the mellow parts of "Plan B") but the music mostly keeps it at a comfortable level. The best of it is worth a replay - they cleverly have you wait for the big payoff at track 10 but the danger is that by then you might already be tired of having heard it at 10000 weddings. Anyways, it's a fun listen we'll keep at at that and they should have called it a day after this album. 7/10 3 stars.

Very good! 3.5/5

Pretty good

If it wasn't for the strings this may have been a 2 star

Always thought these guys were a bit fake, with the dungarees and aesthetic seeming very prepared, but giving the full album a listen it’s solid.

This album is great if Come On Eileen is your favorite song. The rest of the tracks that make up the nearly hour long runtime outside of that song, are pretty much doing the same thing. Still, it's fun and well produced. It's just way too long and way too similar. Highs: Come On Eileen, Let's Make This Precious, Liars A to E Lows: Old, Plan B, I'll Show You, Until I Believe In My Soul, Reminisce 7/10

If you skip to the next track when he really starts pushing his falsetto range, it is an okay elaboration on come on Eileen

Completely unknown artist for me. A good mix of styles, some good and some not so good. A fair album

Overall decent. Obviously everyone knows Come On Eileen, but there are some other solid hidden gems on this album that feel like an English twist on Chicago's sound. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Wouldn't mind listening to it again, but don't know if I'd seek it out. Top tracks: Let's Make This Precious, Old, Come On Eileen

Pretty good actually. I thought it was the cure some of the time

2.5/5 Enigste bekende nummer Come On Eileen Okay albumpje, niet mijn sound; te oud

Nice place in time album. After the first couples of songs I thought, hmm, this didn't age to well. I was involved summer physical work at the time, shoveling snow, so I kept listening. I ended up really enjoying the listen.

It was fine!

Solid up tempo songs, some catchy tunes clearly influenced the darkness.

carinino dai

Fun for once

Pretty solid album, nice wintery vibes. Was also kinda done with it towards the end

jag gillar detta men kanske inte tillräckligt för att det ska bli en fyra.

Very new wave! Enjoyed the mix of some ska and some folk. The opening track "The Celtic Soul Brothers" was probably my favourite track. Just upbeat and fun. Ending with "Come on Eileen" is quite a song to finish on. It's a good track but it has been played to absolute death. The songs in between just passed me by. Listened to the album twice but nothing really stuck. It still had a nice sound and starts and ends with a bang.

I liked the first track, a couple others were catchy. “Come on Eileen” being the obvious stand out.

Come on, Eileen…you gotta give me more than that. I was hopeful that this album would present more than the one hit wonder it probably is, but it came up just average. I do like how the band incorporated fiddle/strings into the lineup more. And with the horn section still solid, the songs have an upbeat ska feel…before ska was cool. All in all, an ok listen with very danceable numbers that unfortunately I’ve already forgotten.

This all sounds like pre-Ska (which as we know is even more dangerous than Ska). More of a one hit wonder to me than an album you simply must hear.

Fun album. Dude kind of sounds like Freddie Mercury…but could use a little Brian May. Come On Eileen is iconic…could’ve used a few more of those.

Ok but didn't like as much as their first album.

This album has the feel of something like David Bowie meets big band/swing. I'm not 100% sure how I feel about it but it was entertaining to listen to. Not sure I'd listen to it again.

Come on eileen

The entire time I was hearing this I was like "I swear I know this band". Come on Eileen started and it clicked. Fun album, good thing in their own style, not a masterpiece but good to listen to and Come on Eileen is clearly catchy as hell. I'm sure they'd be fun live.

A lot of this blends together except the big one. Alright energy, but the sound isn't quite right. If I get curious I might check out the 2022 version. If I was looking for the kind of vibe or the energy I found in most of the tracks, I'd lean more towards a Queen album.

I don’t enjoyed this! They are good musicians

• 3/5 • Not a deep album, but worthy of the list for Dexy’s unique sound and Come on Eileen • I hadn’t heard their cover of Jackie Wilson Said before and liked it a lot - now I can say I like two of their songs . . .

The voice and the instrumentation borders on caricature, but comes together perfectly for Come On Eileen.

could i write poetry to this? n

i thought i’d hate it more than i do but still i’m never going to play it again

What's funny about Dexy's Midnight Runners is the difference in their success on opposite sides of the Atlantic. Usually US and UK opinions are (mostly) in sync. But here you had a pretty successful artist with multiple hit albums and singles in the UK but who were a textbook case of a one hit wonder in America. I can kind of see why. The music is slightly celtic tinged which is kind of a novelty for Americans but that much of a novelty. It's enough to support one song (obviously their best one) but the rest sounds just a little bit like something you'd buy in a tourist attraction and never listen to. But that's not a fair assessment. The music is fun and better than expected. There are elements of post punk here, along with celtic influence, jazz, and rock with the combination of strings and horns. It's an interesting album. Maybe Dexys didn't deserve massive super stardom, but calling them a one hit wonder sells this album short. I genuinely wouldn't mind revisiting this one.

Come On Eileen is one of the greatest songs of all time, due to that the album gets a 3. Without that song ... it's fun, but nothing you can't get at any pub

I’d always dismissed these guys as one-hit wonders, but this is a pretty bright and fun genre mix that shows they had more to offer than just the one hit. It is very 80s, for better and worse, but I enjoyed it. Best song: Come On Eileen

Surprisingly quite enjoyed what I heard. 3*

Enjoyed it but its a bit one-note.

While nothing else grabbed me the way Come on Eileen does, it's still a pretty solid setting for that little diamond.

Enjoyed the Van Morrison, never heard their remake until now.

Dexys Midnight Runners had their sound locked in! Most of the album kind of blends together but there are a couple of fun standouts.

Come On Eileen and a bunch of songs that kind of sound like Come On Eileen! not a terrible thing though

It was okay. Two big songs

Come on 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Come on! 6/10

Enjoyed bits of this more than I thought I would, still a bit cheesy. 3.2/5

seems quite generic (listening in 2024), but honestly still fun anyway. loved the celtic soul brothers, come on eileen (can see why hits) + all in all

No es un mal disco pero no me parece tan sencillo de conectar con él. Sobre todo cuando las canciones son muy similares en estilo y el disco dura más de una hora. Pero no me la pasé mal y “Old” me pareció un temazo.

I think I liked it. I don’t really understand them as a band. Is it gimmicky? Is it cool? Whatever. I’m too jet lagged to come up with a better review.

Alright 5/10

Good album

come on eileen is a great song. the rest i enjoyed but won’t go back to

Didn’t make it all the way through but was surprised by this one. Good stuff overall!

It's interesting I remember listening to this record a few times when it came out and not being enamored with it (other than Come On Eileen) but it's a fun well made record

Well, there are approximately 37 Dexy’s albums on this list and this is finally the one that everybody was hoping was the only one. They’re lone US hit. It’s not a bad album. I don’t consider a great album, but it is good. A lot of zydeco elements, so I kinda need to be in a particular mood for it.

So I finally got to the Dexys' album with come on Eileen on it, it was good, but I am still pissed they have so many albums on this list.

Basically what I thought it'd be. It was good to hear Jackie Wilson Said and the rest was fine.

I liked it a little less then their previous album in our mix. But I have to admit that spotify tricked me a little bit with the other one by playing some songs outside of the album

Interesting and unique aesthetic, and it's well-produced, but why do they have multiple records on this list? An observation: This is what Chicago would sound like if they were British and a bit less chopsy.

A fun album full of songs that sound like they would be sung in large crowds at the local pub. I would push it to 3.5/5.

I found this one hard to rate. It’s an eclectic mix of great, good, and not great. I’m giving it 7/10, which translates to 3.5/5, and I’m choosing to round that number down rather than up.

One certified hit and the rest I could take or leave.

Better than expected

This was fun, and it'd be fine in the background. The final track is a belter, of course - though to be honest, I'm not sure I'd listen to the whole album again apart from that very familiar song.

come on eileen is an obvious highlight but the rest didn’t do much for me

Het was prima… leuke mix van folky met die instrumenten maar niet ieder nummer was even enjoyable. Come on eileen uiteraard de uitschieter

This album came and went. I feel like you could listen to this whole thing on shuffle and it would sound the exact same. Horns and strings are definitely a favorite of mine to be included, but this album just had too much of it. All that being said, Come on Eileen is a certified banger.

Pretty fun album with some upbeat tunes. Horns and strings are pretty nice throughout. The singer still has one of the weirdest singing styles, but it worked on this album. Come on Eileen gets the boys going everytime. Definitely way better than the other album we listened to by them. Got into the high 3 category for me.

Jackie Wilson Said is a great song. Rest of the album is ok 3/5

Yeah, they're a one-hit wonder, but this whole album brims with infectious enthusiasm.

Classic. Not bad. A lot more instrumental than expected - but in a great way.

Made me like DMR more than I did before, despite only knowing 2 songs.

Wow - it has ben awhile - have this in vinyl when t came out - they were going to be the 'Next NEW Super band\" (per the late, great Scott Muni, WNEW FM, 1982). Holds up petty good. Surprised. A strong 3.5

3/5. Clearly the highlight is Eileen but the rest of the album is still pretty enjoyable. The Celtic vibe with multiple genres, mostly poppy and accessible, creates a nice experience but I wouldn't say the album as a whole is a great album. Just some songs here and there are notable. Best Song: Come On Eileen, Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile), Until I Believe In My Soul

Decent. When I’ve been at a particular level of tipsiness at a wedding or bar or whatnot, I’m sure I’ve shouted along with Come On Eileen, and that is a great song. The rest of the album was fine but nothing grabbed me.

I liked this less than I thought I would. I think it’s wrong to give us an entire album just because one song is in it, but here we are. This album ranged from “I don’t really like this” to “This is OK” to “Oh, shit. Come on Eileen is a banger!” Evens out to a three, but without the last song, it could’ve gotten a 2.

It's okay. Come on Eileen is pretty irresistible and there's some pretty good other songs here but it I didn't love it and probably won't ever listen to it in full again.

In the US they were a one-hit wonder but damn, that one hit sure is catchy. Also creepy now that I can see the lyrics.

Too wry, ay it.

here's a penny for every time I've heard Come On Eileen, buy yourself a thousand pairs of socks man

It’s chill.

One of the stars goes entirely to Come on Eileen...

Sometimes approaching something I like, but kind of irritating for the most part. I do like “Come On, Eileen,” though.

Pretty good I'm not sure if it's as good as the other one I rated a 4, but it might be

This should’ve been the only album to make the list from them. You get the hit everyone knows and then some other pretty solid almost prototype ska stuff

I remember listening to this when Eileen first came out and wondering if they would be a one hit wonder or there was more to it. Well I don't think they had many more hits but I did enjoy the album.

I would say most of this was "ok" with a few songs that caught my ear. I already knew and loved "Come On Eileen", but I also enjoyed "Plan B", and "Show Me". Definitely enjoyed a lot more than any other album I've seen labelled new wave so far, so maybe there is hope for that genre for me yet.

3.5 This was actually pretty great!

Utterly forgettable. The horns are nice and it's pleasant enough listening. The best vocals are the nonsense sounds. Then there's Come on Eileen which is a stone cold classic, pure earworm. 5/10 7/10 with Come on Eileen.

In 1982 Dexy’s Midnight Runners had a massive hit with Come On Eileen, everyone started dressing like a tramp in torn dungarees and wedding discos were never the same again. Apart from the hit, this is an interesting mix of Northern Soul and folky fiddle playing played with a po faced intensity that’s a little bit disturbing. I probably don’t need to hear this again until the next time I’m invited to a wedding.

I had no idea where *this* song came from. I loved the fiddle on the first song, but then it turned quickly boring. There are maybe two or three songs that can be rescued and are not too bad, with nice brass section.

Closer to 4 but not quite there

I /hate/ Come on Eileen, it's plainly a rubbish song. I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of this album though. Far from what I expected it to sound like, it's ambitious and doesn't follow any kind of formula. I don't like it enough to give it a 4, but I've changed my tune about DMR

Great music, but a 3* album

Two hit wonders

Fun 80’s British

Entretenido.

6 / 10 Pop ochentero, aunque el disco está bien y tiene buena instrumentación, la voz del cantante se termina haciendo pesada. One Hit Wonder!!

Favorite Track: Come On Eileen

It's only 35 minuets until the best song on the album but by god did it feel like an hour. Just not good stuff bar Come on Eileen which is certified banger. 2.5/5

Nostalgic for me - Mom always liked ‘Come on Eileen’(an aberration in her taste as well) because it was all over the radio when I was born.

Good album enjoyable listen :)

Never liked Come on Eileen when it came out so put me off ever listening to this album, but there are some decent songs on this, although not enough that would make me actively want to listen to it.

Im annoyed by the number of albums that clearly only have the one hit on them. Today is Dexy’s Midnight Runners and we know they’re only famous for “Come on Eileen.” So why is the whole album on this list?

Heard this many times, one of Penny's favourite albums. Better than I remembered

Decent with a good song.

Different, I definitely liked the large mesh of styles. British new wave, and fiddles, and horns, and Celtic. Pretty cool.

Come on Eileen

I assumed this was a super deluxe rerelease from the number of tracks, then saw no sign of that on the cover image and assumed it was a double album when it came out for the first time in the 80s, and then "celtic soul brothers" came on for a second time and I was relieved I could turn it off as the rest was clearly remix and live bumph. Not that I thought it was a bad album. It's the sort of thing I would only listen to due to this 1001 albums challenge, so I was glad of that. And, on listening, I thought, "I love a horn section so I should like this." But I find Kevin Rowland's voice to yelpy. It seems to gimmicky. Too of it's time, maybe? But alright!

Liked more than I thought I would….

Folk for the radio, folk 3.5

This was fine, but other than Come on Eileen, was meh.

It's generally fine, but the rest of the songs are heavily overshadowed by the legendary Eileen, which I feel is the only standout song anyway.

An enjoyable pastiche of fiddle music and soul. Not something that I'm going to keep with me but perfectly listenable.

Een beetje folk-pop-achtig met een goeie schep door mij zo gevreesde ska erbij. M'n koperen blazer tolerantieniveau wordt weer even goed tegen het licht gehouden. Als je bij het CERN deeltjes van U2 en Beatles met de snelheid van het licht op deeltjes Madness en Queen (bij Plan B doet de zanger echt z'n beste Frederik Mercurius impressie) afvuurt krijg je ongeveer dit denk ik. Stukje jaren '80 rockopera ook. Klaagstemmetje. Een hoop dingen waar ik niet kapot van ben die op zo'n manier in elkaar grijpen dat ik het toch goed gedaan vind. Niet alle nummers zijn even tof, met name de wat tragere nummers werken voor mij wat minder. Het album eindigt met de hit, daar heb ik toch een beetje een zwak voor. Een 2 zou te laag zijn, dus gewoon een nette voldoende.

I liked Come On Eileen prior to listening to this, but I wasn't prepared to listens to in over and over and over. All of these songs sounded similar in a lot of ways. I'm not necessarily knocking it - they created a pretty unique and recognizable sound. Good album.

6.5/10

Come On Eileen has 600 million listens. The next closest track has just over 6 million. That sums up this album pretty well IMO.

I enjoy the mix of 80s pop, Celtic and ska music. Generally has a good groove. Come On Eileen will get everyone up dancing and Jackie Wilson Said is a fun little ditty. High 3.

The violin and horns give Dexys a unique sound, but in the end they’re still one hit wonders

3.5.

High 3

Too-Rye-Ay gets a 2 before anything else comes into play because Come On Eileen is one of the biggest bangers of all time but most of it doesn't reach me in the same way. Jackie Wilson Said is top, Show Me is lovely, as fun and wild and happy as those three are, don't do enough to get above a low 3 because the rest of the record is weak. It also has too many meandering, slow, pointless ballad-type songs which expose the poor vocals and I want more of the upbeat and bouncy stuff.

This is good fun, particularly the first half of it, then tails off before you hit Come On Eileen as the closer. Agree with Phil that they are much better when they do the bouncy upbeat stuff rather than slowing it down too much. 3/5.

Not bad, not great. Something in between.

I didn't expect to hear a cover of Van Morrison's Jackie Wilson Said, but it was unexpectedly good. And so were some of the other bluesy songs. Still, it wasn't the best. 5 stars for Come On Eileen & 3 overall.

I had hoped that this would be better than it actually was.

THREE albums by Dexys Midnight Runners? How is this list not biased?

The whole album is an extended "Come on Eileen", while never reaching the heights of "Come on Eileen".

A full album of "come on, Eileen"

Come on! 3.5

It's fine. The british bias of the book is starting to slowly kill me, as this was not especially required listening, but it was fine.

Feel good nostalgia.

There’s a certain vibe this album gives off. It’s fun. It’s super catchy and catches you off guard with some of the jazzier instrumentations. The pop sensibilities don’t come right out and instead work as a nice surprise. I’d relisten to a lot of this. Sadly in its time it lead to only one hit for the group behind it. An all-timer hit but only one nonetheless.

Pretty good, but the drums are so corny

Charismatic album, has "Come On Eileen", lots of folkish fun

It's not bad, just a... lot. Quirky like the love interest in an indie rom-com; I can see why some people like them, but they're not for me.

This album wasn’t bad sounding, but it still felt like a slog to get through. I think because of the trumpets and the awful British accent, which I got used to after a couple listens.

Come on Eileen is good but the rest was just ok 5.5/10

Pretty fun album, nothing stood out to me too much other than come on Eileen though. 5.5/10

Come On, Eileen is the real star. The rest has some interesting vocals, but no standouts for me.

Come On Eileen is the thing. The rest is also enjoyable. 3.5/5.

Enjoyed the variety of styles

Half not on Spotify

One of many reasons why I enjoy doing this 1001 list is because I come to realize that some of songs that are so well known... I have not the slightest clue who sang/played them. In this case, the song Come On Eileen. 100% did not think it was Dexys Midnight Runners. Honestly, I thought it was sung by the Cars... The singers have similar voices. The Cars are better, in my humble opinion. I'm not a big pop rock fan.. There are some fun and cool/interesting parts, of course. And in no way are these bad songs. But over all, it's not my type of genre. I can't help but bop my head to some of the songs though. I really like the Celtic influence in a lot of these songs. Hearing the fiddle is great, and some songs have that shanty feel to it. Fun listen. Moving on.

Everybody loves Come On Eileen and I was pleasantly surprised by their cover of Jackie Wilson Sang, but overall, not my taste.

"I came for EIlen stood for Reminisce" - David "Its a deaf in one ear kinda album - Caleb

Always seen Dexy Midnight Runners as a one hit wonder, but this album proves they were more than that.

It's enjoyable but Come on Eileen is the only thing truly memorable on here. Also why does this guy sound just like Robert Smith?

So Come On Eileen is obviously the prize of this album, but by its weight alone does it drag this album up to three stars in my view. It’s such a weird marriage of folk, soul, spoken word poetry, and New Wave. I’d say it’s unique, but we had Dexy’s first album on this list as well so…

For some reason, the 1001 algorithm saw fit to give me Dexys Midnight Runners almost back to back, separated by only one album between them. I definitely wanted to churn out a listen and a review for this album while the previous album, "Searching for the Young Soul Rebels", was still fresh in my mind. This album was fine; I'd even go as far as to say "pretty good". But for me, it didn't live up to the hype of "Come on Eileen". The rest of the album just kind of blended into the same general sound. While definitely not unpleasant, it still felt relatively one-note. "Come on Eileen" finishes out the album with a bang...a bang that the entirety of the album fails to nail up until this point. Once again the album is described as new wave, but this album feels a bit more bluesy, a bit more folky, and again, a bit more proto-ska. I know there is yet one more Dexys Midnight Runners album on this project...to which I ask...why? They're fine, but arguably do not need to be on this project three times.

I was looking forward to this. I've been told that DMR have a ton of bops outside of Come On Eileen and Geno. Well...it just sounded like DMR on weaker tracks than Come On Eileen and Geno. Not bad...but perhaps I was expecting too much

Good

# 138 : Interesting mix of songs. Not too bad of a mix. Typical 80's vibe that produced one of the most played songs on the radio... Come On Eileen

3,5. furðulegt á köflum. skrítin blanda en á skilið aðra yfirferð.

Couldn’t really understand a word they were saying but come on Eileen amirite

Mid

Listening to the original release’s tracklist, I wondered if it would just be a big buildup until Come On Eileen finally was the curtain closer. The instrumental and vocal performances certainly were cohesive and consistent, so if I was hooked on the group’s style, I would like all the songs and the strong poppy, folkish vibes of the album. But Come On Eileen being the breakout song and by far the one I’ve been exposed to most, it still outshines the rest in catchiness and melody (the melody in the second half of Old is really nice though). They sort of reminded me of ABBA and Bee Gees, and these songs could seamlessly fit in a playlist of pop from that generation and be a good time. 5.5/10

Not the one-hit wonders I thought...

Some good tracks but not really my thing

Come on Eileen is still the catchiest tune on this one.

Finally, something a little more upbeat and happy. I’m familiar with the most popular song on here but could’ve never told you the artist before now. The songs in general aren’t bad to listen to, but each tends to overstay its welcome. Each could be trimmed by at least a minute without losing anything. Notable tracks: Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile), Come On Eileen

garageband queen med gaulete sanger som er rough around the edges med noen få fete blåserekker og riff og noen fete låter.

It wasn't bad. Some decent tunes on that album, and it is a shame they got a One Hit Wonder tag.

Gets stale after a while. The first three songs were enjoyable, and then Eileen of course. The rest is meh.

Surprisingly didnt hate it, but at the same time didnt care much for it. Mixing sounds kind of all over the place, but at the same time I think if someone enjoys this type of music, they can get a lot out of it.

I feel like this could have definitely been more exciting. It was fun start to finish, but only some of it was memorable. You only got one song with any staying power. Otherwise wonderful. 3/5

Difficult to understand what the main singer is saying. Come on Eileen is still a banger. Would be 2/5 if not for that song

Decent

Doesn't do it for me. Seems ok overall.

alguns hits!

Eileen TahLooRye! I wonder if these guys had anticipated that song being played at every Manitoba wedding social from 1982 until eternity

Interesting, definitely not terrible but didn't connect with me a ton either. Come On Eileen is so good.

Godt album synes jeg. Kunne jeh godt lytte til igen. Lyttede d 23-10-23 om morgenen på job og hos Caro. Kunne hurtigt høre at det også var denne gruppe der havde skrevet Come one eileen.

i like the instrumental

I’d hesitate to call this a classic. The most recent album I’ve been exposed to that I also wouldn’t call a classic was Beyond Skin by Nintin Sawhney, but I think that I enjoyed that one more. More of the songs stuck out. Another reviewer has said that most of the songs blend into a fairly enjoyable mush, which are my sentiments exactly. The good songs are really good, and the weaker songs aren’t unenjoyable, just forgettable. Or maybe it’s an album that needs more than two listens to fully appreciate. I’ll probably find myself coming back to it.

This was a lot better than i was expecting considering what the biggest hit is. would i go back? no

Mostly fun, folky, pop music with a real classic in Come on Eileen and a decent cover of Van Morrison.

Bizarre, but I like it. Some really old time techniques - call and response, crooning, grazing in the grass. Glad the horns stayed on f or this one. Will be interested in what they sound like without them.

Only familiar with Come on Eileen. This album sounds just like I expected it would based on that song, for better and for worse. 3.5/5

80s English

Pleasant Irish-flavored pop. “Come On Eileen” is of course the standout.

Not really a fan, but it's reasonably good music to work to.

Come on Eileen, britisk 80’er pop, new wave, munter lyd, smelter lidt sammen

Come on Eileen seems to be a one hit wonder. The other tracks were more filler (but fun).

Eileen is an all time banger. Some of the other songs were fun but a lot less memorable.

A lot of sound, thays doesn't sound like anybody else! Mainly upbeat with a final story telling track

они милые, но похожи на всех просто

Gave this a run on a Monday morning and it didn’t really click for me. It was a groggy morning, so I gave it a fair shake with another listen later in the day and it’s fine but still no connection here for me. It’s definitely a distinct sound, Kevin Rowland’s vocals are energetic but also wear on me at times. There are some jams here, 3 stars

2.5/5. Very 80s, and nothing that I'll need to hear again. Come On Eileen is alright. Overall, this is fine and average.

Fun folky album, I don't think we needed two albums by Dexys Midnight Runners in this list. Overall I enjoyed it.

The second Dexy Midnight Runners album dealt to us in a couple of weeks. Again, I mostly enjoyed what they are pumping out. More specifically, I liked the fullness of the horns and strings, as well as the overall upbeat tone. An hour straight of it was a bit much, but it's much better than the majority of other 80s pop I've heard. I probably won't be adding this to my playlists or anything, but it's been fun and different.

couple of bangers

Competent reeling from the pop-folksters. Pleasing enough, but ultimately forgettable.

classic

AJ: folk…ska…? Come on, Eileen.

High 3

come on eileen (this album was fine)

Come On Eileen is untouchable Jackie Wilson is a fine cover The rest is ok but certainly not essential

Better than I expected. For the life of me though, I don't know why three of these are on the list.

The band is good at the style of music they play, but this style of New Wave has a cap for me of how much I can enjoy it. 2.5/5

Australian 80s. The album leads more into the sound of folk bar music than I had expected.

I was already familiar with "Come On Eileen" , of course... But discovering what this band--mixing blue-eyed soul and traditional folk sounds--had under their belt was interesting. I'm not gonna lie, though: as of now, I'm not head over heels about what Kevin Rowland and co. accomplished in their first couple of albums--as striking as said albums might have sounded to some listeners at the time. I understand the Van Morrison filiation (in case you missed it, there's a cover of the Irish songwriter in *Too Rye Ay*'s tracklist), and I think I "get" the overall artistic intent behind this whole thing. But I still have a hard time finding Dexys Midnight Runner endearing. It's a matter of personal taste when it comes to hooks, chords and vocal lines, probably... Not that the band is "bad", by any means. The horn section in Dexys debut *Searching For The Young Soul Rebels* already gave a somewhat ska-like atmosphere to the whole thing, and made this act sound sincere and authentic--even though I didn't think everything in that debut was *that* memorable. In comparison, this sophomore effort is a slicker affair, and the addition of strings in it was also a welcome development. But then again, beyond "Come On Eileen", I didn't find the songs terrific either, as nicely performed as they are. The first two tracks were pretty good, especially during their harmonic climaxes when the time came to warp things up. Yet I still wish Rowland had spent more time on those harmonic flourishes and other last-minute catchy hooks, instead of wasting his energy on less interesting chord progressions during the bulk of the songs. Most of the tunes meander a little too much in those underwhelming waters, relying on the talented singer's voice and a few short solos here and there (horns or violins). As a result, this record remains stingy as far as "wow" moments are concerned. At least to me. To be honest, I'd rather listen to Madness if I want that kind of overall "ballroom-party-mood-enhanced-by-horns-and-whatnot" (even if the British ska band are far from being my all-time favorites either). There are two different mixes of this album, by the way. Rowland had it mixed again in 2022, because he was unsatisfied with the original version (here on that Spotify link). I kinda agree with him. If ever I return to this LP in the future, that's the version I'm gonna go to. 3/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential" albums (which translates to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes--5 + 3). Next, please... Number of albums left to review: 543 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 221 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 106 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 132

Really enjoyed tracks 1-4, but lost a bit of enthusiasm for 5-9. Track 10 I think is probably still great, despite having heard it a million times. 3.5