Too Rye Ay

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.

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

I liked this. Will have to revisit.

I enjoyed listening to the music, Especially Come on Eileen.

Feels like Frankie Goes to Hollywood all over again, in that I learned these guys are not one hit wonders but I still didn't understand why the album made this list. Everybody knows Come on Eileen and I am so sick of that track, though it is solid. Jackie Wilson is a decent Van Morrison remake. The Celtic Soul Brothers sounded familiar and I quite liked it. Like a lot of the album it's really up-tempo and energetic. So I have to give Dexy's respect for that. And I do recognize their fusion of rock with a bunch of non-traditional instruments (horns, woodwinds, violins) and as an English band they do it better than some Celtic bands. So yeah, like the Frankie album I find myself creeping up to 3.5 but I won't go over the edge.

Sounded exactly like I thought it would, that 7 min song near the end went on forever though

ok, too much violin

C’mon

classic 3. i didnt like it but i can't call it bad. too long. come on eileen, tsop

Always amazing

Enjoyed

"Too-Rye-Ay" is the second studio album by English pop band Dexys Midnight Runners. Band leader Kevin Rowland decided to add a violin section to the existing horn section. The horn section was not too happy but would record this album after which they would leave. Good thing...I kind of like the interplay between the two sections. They actually re-recorded a few of the songs with the new violin section. This was the band's most successful album and their song "Come on Eileen" hit #1 in both the UK and US. It would really be their only hit in the US. The violins open things up on their first single "The Celtic Soul Brothers (More Please)." It's fast pace. Violins carrying the melody. Enjoyable enough. He's watching others perform while getting ready to take the stage..a little stage fright. The band does a nice cover of Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)." The string and horn section are perfect for this song. The second side begins with "Plan B," an interesting song combining two songs. Actually, there are three parts to this song with a piano ballad and Rowland crooning, the pace picks up with the violins in the second part and ends with more a rock song and a prevalent bass. "Liars A to E" attacks music journalists. Piano, slower and soulful female backing vocals. The violin, the bass and we kick in with the album closer "Come on Eileen." Outstanding melody, beat and vocal chorus. Hey, a smile came to my face; it's been awhile since I heard this. He finds a childhood friend, Eileen, fully grown and well..."too-ra-loo-rye-ay." I am one of those Americans with "Come on Eileen" being my only exposure to Dexys Midnight Runners. This was a pretty solid album. I see that I have two other of their albums in this challenge. Given that this particular album is the least favorite of their leader Rowland, I'm looking forward to the other two. The album is still worth a listen.

I was trying to remember if there was another album from this band previously on this list, or if they just kept popping up in other background reading because of that 6 degrees thing in British Pop/Soul. Regardless the sum total of my knowledge of this group previously was Come On Eileen, and I was not expecting this album to be quite so odd. Listening to the sole U.S. hit in context I was struck likewise by what an odd song it is, especially for a number one single in America, a song I knew but realized I'd never really paid attention to before. Generally I liked the album, though it's not exactly my genre.

Not a bad sound here, it's the Come On Eileen album.

Har noen gøye deler, men også noen slitsomme deler. Jeg klarer ikke bestemme meg for om jeg liker vokalistens stemme eller ikke. Come on Eileen er fortsatt like catchy, heldigvis!

Better than I remember. Still meanders into mediocrity every now and then, though

Not my general cup of tea but not bad, I liked 'Old' a lot.

J'ai eu beaucoup de difficultés à le finir alors que c'est pas si mal

les cure si ils étaient heureux

These guys play your local pub? They're going to bring the house down. Right place at the right time, Come On Eileen is one of those lightning in a bottle tracks. Jackie Wilson Said here is better than Van Morrison's.

Yup, sounds like the band that did Come On Eileen. Still fun

Only listened to a few songs but I did like them

Blije jarentachtig-hakketakpop, met het onverwoestbare Eileen erop, dat nog steeds Schotland tot Sydney dansvloeren opzweept. Wel aardige sound, maar in de muziek uit deze periode zit een soort rare jengel die niet fijn in het gehoor ligt. Daarom blijft deze steken bij 3 sterren.

Dit album doet me denken aan de studentenfeestjes in de jaren 90, toen dit nummer nog steeds een dansfavoriet was. In de K-sjot, een zompige Utrechtse werfkelder, waar het nog ouderwets stonk naar bier en het blauw stond van de sigarettenrook. En de volgende dag je kleren dus nog steeds stonken naar bier, zweet en sigaretten. Dan kon je nog een keer nagenieten van het feestje. Katers bestonden niet: de dagen waarop je kon zuipen en zonder kater wakker worden waren toen nog niet op. Die goeie ouwe tijd. Ik pink een traantje weg. Over de muziek: veel toeters en bellen, pianootjes en violen. Op zich wel lekker uptempo, zelfs de ballads zijn wat sneller dan we gewend zijn. Die typerende Britse 70s/80s zeikstem wordt op een gegeven moment net zo'n oorwurm als Come on Eileen. Maar het album als geheel valt me niet eens tegen. Al klinkt het wel ietwat gedateerd.

Come on Eileen is a great song and some of the other tracks on here had a similar energy. But it wasn't as tight as I hoped it would be or live up to that one hit.

Easy breezy feel good listening- sits on the same shelf as the Bruce alb in my mind.

Another album I wanted to hate that was actually surprisingly worthwhile. This probably deserves a second listen. Highlights: (I'm in heaven when you smile), come on Eileen, all in all.

Best album we've heard in a while, but still not the greatest. But it is a fun listen.

Fiddles, not banjos.

Kinda fun. Little bits of ska before that came a thing. Definitely original.

Album was decent. I wouldn’t change the station if it was on in the background, but also wouldn’t seek this out to listen to it.

Young soul brothers indeed. Fascinating artifact of the northern soul scene that stands on its own right. Just a bit too much filler to get over a 3.

Nice album. I can hear the Irish roots, big brass, and mesmerizing vocals from the lead singer.

This guy's voice is so unique. Borders between cool and kinda annoying. This is the 2nd album i got by them. Grows on you the more you listen. Just gotta get in the mood for that Irish vibe

Good Pop-record but only a few hits

The Celtic Soul Brothers, Come on Eileen normalne i live oraz Respect live spoko, reszta średnia takie 3.5

Un bon divertissement sans plus, comme l'autre album que j'ai eu d'eux

It’s absolutely an album built around a hit single. “Maybe throw a Van Morrison cover on there too.” I remember loving Come on Eileen, and liking their version of Jackie Wilson Says. Turns out, their version led me to the Van Morrison version, which is where that lived for me. The rest of this is forgettable, but Eileen gives it a 3.

I liked it... overall, truly...but had it not been for this list and Come on Eileen, I'm not sure most of us would know who this band.

I looked back at my previous review for Dexys, and I compared them to The Clash but with an added horn section. This record feels a lot more indebted to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, with horns and a very active violin. More Celtic influence, as well. It's fun, but this record felt a little one-note to me. Once you heard a few songs, you got it. Favorite tracks: "Old", "Come On Eileen"

At the time I went well beyond saturation point with Come on Eileen. And his voice + violins would usually turn me off. However, overall it was better than I expected

Energetic Music; portraying some good amount of joy in life; to a certain extend however also quite similar from track to track; good album; probably not my favorite either.

Come on Eileen and other songs by the group that did Come on Eileen

Unremarkable but pleasant and listenable. Every song kinda feels like come on Eileen. But there’s a ton of shit on this list and I’d happily take more of this

It’s a peppy little album. The best track though is obviously Come On Eileen, even though I’ve heard it thousands of times. But damned if that isn’t one of the best one-hit wonders of all time.

Some jams but gets old

It was OK. There didn't seem to be any other catchy songs like "Come On Eileen."

Come on Eileen

Interesting voice. The style of music is not my match. They should have let go of the violon. Bad adjustments of intensity, too simple and annoying violon. To me the best song is Reminisce at they end of the album.

kinda liked it, was surprised

I'm a bit surprised to find this album on the list. It's good, but I don't feel like this broke any new ground or is really that spectacular. 3 stars.

As I'm making my way through this list of albums I've come to the realisation that I don't really like new wave music. Come On Eileen is a banger tho

Although I shit all over the first Runners' album I got, this one was a pleasant surprise and went a long way towards redeeming and legitimizing the band in my eyes (ears). To note, it's upbeat, raucous, fun and creative. 3 wailing fiddles out of 5 🎻🎻🎻

This album was a pleasant surprise, with more than just the one iconic "Come On Eileen" to offer a listener. While it has several high notes and songs, the larger album is still of a time and not terribly amazing or worth revisiting. However, big shout out for the great "Jackie Wilson Said" cover.

I was surprised at the consistency of the album, its good. The overt nods to Celtic culture is interesting bc it sounds so completely British other than a few folk phrases peppered on. Vocal stylings very unique.

Very 80s but also very unique at the same time. The fade out of a lot of the songs does throw me off though. Regardless, most of the songs are really fun and not what I expected out of an album from the 80s. Reminisce (Pt.1) was an interesting end to this. Fave track(s): All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz), Old, Plan B

Öðruvísi 80s plata. Hress og skemmtileg, með heilmiklu þjóðlagaívafi.

Like the vibe, energy, instruments. Some really stand out songs but apart from the few, the rest kinda blend into one.

This sounds like the kind of album my mom would adore. Shows come on Eileen’s instrumental wasn’t a gimmick for one song it’s the whole ass album

Is fun, especially the well-known song.

Wish version of The Cure but with trumpets

Excellent art direction, unique styling to the music. Hampered slightly by poor mixing

J’ai tout de suite trouve leur hit. Le reste etait assez bon aussi. 3.25

Old + Dubious

This was enjoyable, it was nice to hear real instruments especially after some of the over produced, synth-laden crap we've endured. Hearing the song Come on Eileen in context of the album was interesting too

Its a distinctive album of Van Morrison style Celtics soul with brass and folky violins. Come on Eileen is still ubiquitously annoying. Also K Rowlands voice is not for everyone. Full of gusto but its not something I lreally ove. A breath of fresh air in the sometimes naff 80s though.

It turns out there's more to this band than Come on Eileen. But also quite a lot of repetitive filler in there.

If Queen and the Talking Heads had a baby and that baby was a little bit into Celtic and Southern music. Theatrical. Upbeat. Big. Come on Eileen is a classic, but I really enjoyed 'Jackie Wilson said...'

This was new for me but I recognize some of the songs.

Not the Dexys Midnight Runners I would rate highly from their collection of albums

There should be more pop songs written about darts players.

cuts along nicely at first, peaking at 'Jackie Wilson Said'. After that, becomes overly long ... they could've cut a chunk out ... all becomes a bit same/same. The Waterboys do what Dexys do, just better.

Really happy music!

Fun but a lot of it is kinda samey

I listened to the 2022 remix album. Sounds good, not much bottom end. Oh, wrong review style. Yeah, some good songs on here and always nice to hear some non-rock instruments played fast and effectively.

This album mixes "cool! good English folk stuff" and "is this just generic nostalgic 80s songs?". For me, it's a solid 3-stars. However, since I discovered this band on this list with their first album, it's strange that I gave five stars for the first, with much more solid work, and three to this one, but I'm not a suitable parameter when giving stars/points, so I accept my incongruencies 😁.

Never knew how much ska was on this album

The horns are so good, why add strings? More of the same from their debut. I like the idea of Dexys more than the music, but it's all fun and enthusiastic. I guess it's a 3.

Hmm trur eg må hørra på da igjen snart

Just ok, it did start pretty weak and then picked up in the back half quite a bit.

Slow dive and MBV are better

Nothing wrong it, just plain. Come on Eileen isn't enough to save a whole album.

It's unique, but gets kinda boring after a while

Well I have to say I'm very surprised by this album. Knew the song Eileen, but nothing else. I enjoyed a lot this album. There were times I thought this guy's voice sounded a lot like Robert Smith of the Cure. Different than my usual listening and glad I now this band has better songs than just Eileen. Solid 3-3.5.

Ima dobrih stvari! Oh, nisam znao da je njihova Come On Eileen. The Celtic Soul Brothers, All in All i Come On Eileen su mi favoriti i stavljeni u plejlistu osamdesetih.

"it sounds like this band played the same song in a bunch of different ways until they found one that white people would play at every event" Nah but for real I was pleasantly surprised.

Really fun energy. I love the lead singer's willingness to get goofy and over-the-top in his vocals. A true entertainer. “Come on Eileen” is a classic that I fell in love with as a kid after listening to some "Best of the 80's" mix CD my sister had lying around the house. It’s still a great song. The cover of "Jackie Wilson Said" is really good too - it's a great fit for this group.

Nice fun album. I think "Come on Eileen" being one of the most recognizable songs of all time helps out the rating, but I feel like it's a fair 3/5. Singer has a great voice with such an interesting primary timbre and he is obviously confident in using it and experimenting with his voice and all of this is great. "Fun" is the word that keeps coming to my head.

+Poppy upbeat songs for when you're in that kind of mood +Good singing voice -Not very captivating -Nothing is as catchy as come on Eileen

I didn't listen to everything but the ones I did listen to were kind of just alright

Meh

Come on Eileen is a fun song with a cool rhythm change.

Not bad. Come on Eileen is by far the best song though

Come on Eileen

Check out the live version of Come On Eileen on their VEVO. You won't regret it.

An album best know for its big hit come on Eileen. The rest of the album had a similar sound to that song but nothing nearly as catchy or entertaining. The band has a decent pop sound and also sounds like they have Irish or Scottish influence. 5.8/10

I enjoyed the very english vibe and folky pop songs. Come On Eileen stands above the rest, but most of then are enjoyable pop songs. Pleasantly surprised.

Pretty good, but often feels a bit too safe. Wish they utilised more of the female backing vocals you find in the last few tracks. Still, ‘Come on Eileen’ is a bop and no one can deny that. Favourite Tracks: - Come on Eileen - The Celtic Soul Brothers - Until I Believe in My Soul Overall Rating: 3/5 (B- / C+)

was a nice vibe. Didn't know they were the band behind come on Eileen

agradável, som bem feito

Surprised by how entertaining this was

Dubious, TSOP equally good as Come on Eileen.

Some good stuff and some that is kinda corny and mildly irritating. 3 I guess

More enjoyable than a lot Irish/celtic albums offered up on the list. Of course, this album will be forever known for the infectious "Come On Eileen", a once in a lifetime banger that shot to number one in the US during a remarkably competitive year. It also branded Dexys Midnight Runners as one-hit wonders in America. This album suggests they were more than that, although don't listen to the wan covers of "T.S.O.P." or "Jackie Wilson Said" for inspiration. They deserved to have greater success here in the States, but I don't believe Dexys should have multiple albums on the list. This one can stay.

Has that song Come On Eileen but not much else.

Come on Eileen was the highlight

Better than I expected!

Interesting mix of folk and pop and maybe rock?

Interesting, irish folk music and Ska horns. Upbeat songs, some driving bass lines. Overall decent album

Really cool sounding album.

They have a distinctive sound that is fun to listen to but not something I would seek out for regular listening

COME ON EILEEN!

This band is one of those where the songs really don’t sound like what the band are gonna be… The album opens with the Celtic soul brothers it’s a well put together song with great instrumentation and the sample at the start is cool but it’s not overly that special. The ooh sounds on lets make this precious are annoying, also the bridge is wired but the only highlight is those trumpet noises. Then is the rampaging waltz All in all its good probably my favourite track so far as yeah it’s fairly pub-laddy but at least it’s distinctive. Jackie Wilson said is a solid cover the most memorable bit is the singing at the start but the rest of the song still hits fine. Side A ends with old a depressed drunken piano track which forms into a slightly hopeful yet gloomy thing definitely my favourite! Side B starts with plan B a two parter initially a slow piano song solid but not amazing them then after about a minute it goes into a medley into a rather fun poppy song another top track. I’ll show you is like let’s make this precious but without the annoying ooh’s so it actually works perfectly as a song not an all time favourite but enjoyable. The gospel like backing vocals over the typical dexys tune makes Liars A to E quite a unique sonic for this album but without any of that this song is devoid of any specialities still good though. The penultimate track on the album is the longest song on the album Until I believe in my soul, quite a heavenly song a great way to make this album slow down until… One of the weirdest choices for an album closer ever come on Eileen it’s a pub laddish single that everyone knows I can’t fault it but does the song serve as a goodbye. Solid but not great.

Not too bad. Most of it was fun, some of it got old.

Come on Eileen all I liked

Come On Eileen is an absolute banger and a classic, but the rest of this album makes sense that it has fallen away. None of the other songs had quite the kick but I still enjoyed listening to them.

We all know Dexys for the one song, and thank goodness the one song is on here! There are a couple others that I enjoyed too though, including "Until I Believe in My Soul" for its sudden divergence into jazz territory. Not an album that I'd want to relisten to as a whole, but the standouts are nice, I mean, c'mon, Eileen. Favorite tracks: Come On Eileen, Until I Believe In My Soul, Plan B. Album art: Have definitely seen this one a bunch over the years, a sad sack of a man. Must be waiting on Eileen to love him, or maybe his application to be a Midnight Runner was rejected. It's a cool cover. 3/5

Love this one. Finest blend of folk and pub rock