Reviews (page 7 of 8)
That was a tough 44 minutes to get through.
I bought this album back in the nineties but the only track I could remember was On a rope and that was the track that stood out this time too. Standard American hardcore punk in too many tracks.
Wild!
I was impressed by how modern the production sounded and I liked the song On A Rope, but at the end of the day just not really my thing
Not a huge fan but better than others
I would enjoy life as a whole, significantly more, if I never had to listen to this again. No significance, no desire to learn why or how this made it on the list.
This shit ain’t nothing to me man
Song: Born in '69 This is absolutely the type of thing I would typically rate low, but I was in the right mood today, I guess, because I very much enjoyed this. The lyrics, even though sometimes fairly bad, are endearing and kind of funny, and I enjoyed this track a lot.
I don’t know what it is with this record. Usually I love punk rock but I could not stand this particular record. Just an average sounding 90s major label punk record.
Ganske kjipt og raspete
Gav meg litr
Nice rock punk album. Like it
Not my jam
Not my cup of tea
This was an interesting one. It’s repetitive and boring… but not boring. That’s sounds strange, I know, but the energy of it throughout keeps you entertained all through out to at least some degree. While that aspect alone is amazing, it doesn’t carry the entire album. The first half had the better songs. It was ok. However, that energy alone gives this an extra star.
A thrill ride, like a rickety wooden rollercoaster hurtling at speed; driving rhythm section, stabbing horns, charismatic frontman; slick back you hair, rev up your motorcycle, pull on your leathers. Rock music like it should be done - get in, get out fast, look good whilst you do it.
Ugh, awful.
1. middle - 0 2. born in 69 - 0 3. on a rope - 0 4. young liverz - 0 5. drop out - 0 5. uzed - 0 6. ball lightning - 0 7. fat lip - 0 8. zuit city - 0 9. heater handz - 0 10. mizbeaten - 0 11. come zee come zauu - 0 12. zalt future - 0 13. burn alive - 0
This is doing what is critical in punk in the way it brings the energy. I can picture this being a fun band to see live. Wait is this ska? Horns are showing up a lot. Is this a straight edge band? Is this a band that plays at college campuses? Is this... doo wop or like... a Beach Boys type band? On A Rope was fun. Not sure what this thing is but I didn't dislike it.
There are some decent tracks here. On a Rope is alright. Used caught my attention. Ball Lightning is a little corny but works. After that things started to feel like it was going too long Come See Come Saw brings the energy back up a little Burnt Alive is a strong finish. I'd say over all this album suffers from having a little too much of the same energy across the board. It put me in a trance.
Commercial hardcore style music. Ahead of the trend, being released in 1995. Individually some of the tracks are quite catchy and have good energy. As a whole album of the same thing, its a bit much. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: On a Rope Date listened: 17/01/24
Not really into screaming
"On a Rope" was catchy and sounded like these guys actually tried to write a song rather than focus on two chords for the entire track. They sound like a heavier mix of Green Day, Elvis Costello, and the Ramones. It also sounds like they are trying too hard and they just can't pull it off. Even the tracks that sounded like they had a good hook to them never really went anywhere.
Never heard of these guys before but I enjoyed it. Will add to my rotation!
If I could rate it a 0, I would... I don't like this type of music...
How is this must listen to. It’s perfectly average, at best. I like On The Rope but there are 100s of albums just like one 4.8/10
Started off strong - energetic and fun - but it started to lose me as it went on. Felt that some of the middle tracks were weaker.
No thank you
Not my cup of tea. Interesting story though.
Generic 90s rock. Not bad, not special
It’s never a good sign when you think you’re starting to enjoy the album only to find it has stopped and Spotify is recommending you better music. This mostly just sounded like noise to me, but Come See, Come Saw was something approaching the vague notion of a decent song.
I enjoyed this one. I can see why it had underground following. Fun, weird, punk, indie - who doesn't love that?
Fun punk album.
Punkrock, waar nog wel muziek in zit, met veel energie. Maar te veel gitaar en geschreew voor mij.
I never actually listened to an entire album from TFTC, but I have heard of them. Pretty good stuff. Takes me back to the 90s. 4/5
Mediocre 90’s punk rock, didn’t do anything for me.
Being that Drive Like Jehu is a favourite band of mine, I was excited to listen to Rocket From The Crypt as the next thing John Reis was a part of. First time I heard it I was underwhelmed. Now I appreciate it more, it’s a fun album!
Sångaren låter skit. Den sämsta sortebs 90-tals drivel. Låtarna suger. Känns otroligt oinspirerat. Hur fan är detta på listan och ingen Weezer blå????
Not really to my taste, but a solid effort that feels like a blend of Punk and Rock that makes for a fairly unique sound that feels a bit like if the Ramones decided to branch out a bit musically.
When this popped up on my home page, my first thought was “Ugh.” The ugly cover, the stupid font choice, the cringey band name. My expectations were low. I judged the album by the cover. Shame on me. The very beginning of the album seems to confirm my suspicions, but about halfway through track one, something shifted. Starting with the second track, I realized I liked what I was listening to. It has a heavy sound, and the vocals are rasping and intense—but the brass and strings are an interesting element that works quite well with the overall sound they were going for. There are some really exciting backing vocals, and the album is full of clever musical ideas. It’s an album that doesn’t want to be put in a box, and it succeeds at that. Top tracks: “Born in ‘69,” “Young Livers”
Started off a little samesy but I was pleasantly surprised by the variety here
🤘😝
Pretty ok
This is better than the reviews would lead to believe. There are some interesting arrangements here and thier style isn't while contrived. I love reading about their stage antics, reminds me of my favorite band Phish
Some dudes playing some rock music. Not particularly bad, nor particularly good. Just some dudes playing some rock music.
I enjoyed this. Nothing earth shattering, and I'm not sure why it's on a 'must listen' list.....but good stuff.
Parts of the album I really liked, other parts not so much. Probably won't listen to them again.
It was alright. Maybe if have looked it if i few up on the 90s
Not really sure why it's on the list...but good songwriting!
Helt bra straight forward punk rock On a rope cool track
Right off the bat, this album cover is terrible, maybe the worst I have ever seen. It's just an ugly ass scorpion, it's probably why its been 2.5 years since the generation date that I'm listening to this. As far as punk albums go, it's not too bad. Some interesting choices like using horns which I think is a nice touch. Gives a more alt side for the genre and makes it more engaging.
Cool
I mean, it’s a serviceable post-punk, but so would be My Chemical Romance, or Ween, or hell….Devo. I am left severely-wanting in comparing this to what I’ve not seen on this list so far. Fair? Not really, but I have no direction that tells me I need to be fair.
Kinda mid. Screamo/rock ish
Very very fun - with one all time classic single - on a rope is genuinely one of my favourite songs of the 90s! The rest is less memorable, but still really enjoyable. Very nearly 5 🌟 for me
Bit weird but didn't hate it might go back and listen again at some point
Surprisingly I quite like it. It’s just the right amount of punk for me. On a rope was cool and the rest mixed it up enough to keep me interested.
2.4 - Bad and boring as this is, the thing I hate most about this shitty, obnoxiously loud record, is that it makes me feel like it’s beneath my consideration, like I shouldn’t even be thinking about it. It’s a booger you flick, or a fart you sneakily pass at the grocery store.
Not for me
Lang geleden dat er nog een verrassing te boven kwam. Deed me ook wat denken dat The Hives hier wat mosterd haalden
"Scream, Dracula, Scream" is the fourth studio and first major label album by American punk band Rocket from the Crypt. Punk rock, hardcore rock. Yeah, and just plain rock. With its major label debut, the band was given a bigger budget for the album which they used on guest musicians, a string section, additional engineers and different instruments. Rocket from the Crypt members at this time included Speedo (John Reis, guitar, lead vocals), ND (Andy Stamets, guitar, vocals), Peter X (Pete Reichert, bass, vocals), Apollo 9 (Paul O'Beirne, sax, percussion, vocals), JC 2000 (Jason Crane, trumpet, percussion, vocals) and Atom (Adam Willard, drums). The album received mostly positive reviews. "Middle" kicks things off in typical punk fashion...drums, a scream and the guitars coming in to crank it up. He's stuck in the middle. Layered guitars, vocal choruses and pounding drums highlight "On A Rope." Always appreciate a guitar solo in a short song. The chanting of "Hanging on a Rope." They go more melodic in "Young Livers." There is a definite Ramones' influence here. They throw in some horns too. They continued the catchy melodies in "Ball Lightning." Layered guitars and vocals. You can really see the higher production. I also noticed the songs started to be a little more rock-orirented than punk. The album closes strong with two good songs. Horns, more layered guitars and vocals in "Salt Future." This is actually quite poppy. I'm a sucker for the Peter Gunn-sounding guitar and "Burnt Alive" has one. Eerie, screaming vocals from John Reis. Horns elevate and accentuate the melody. This is a very good album with the style I like. The songs are quick and melodic. As mentioned above, the album starts out harcore punk and transitions to more straight-forward rock. The high production does take the low-fi-ness out of the punk which is sometimes desired. Overall. A recommendation for mostly everyone.
Tough way to start a Sunday morning.
First song has really nice punky energy. I was kinda surprised to hear the horns come in on Born in '69! The singer's voice is so-so, it's pop-punk adjacent, but has a little more of a "dude" edge to it. This pairs nicely with the Fishbone album. I'm on track 13 now, and the vocals are really starting to wear on me. This also has a bit of that trite Gen X humor, like Come See, Come Saw. Idk, I got real sick of this by the end.
not for me
90’er punk rock, ikke noget specielt
Not a very engaging album for me. Listened once, didn't really find anything that stood out. Seemed to me very straight-ahead rock punk with a rhythm that didn't catch me. Vocals weren't to my liking. 2/5.
So, for those like me who constantly get them mixed up, this is not Rocket From the Tombs, the important protopunk band that split into Dead Boys and Pere Ubu, this is instead the 90s punk band that took their name from them. There are some decent hooks on this album, but the poppy production and vocalist who sounds like a sloppy drunk Elvis Costello detract from the overall experience.
starts good but gets kinda repetitive
This was fairly decent, but a bit odd. There's a clear switch a few songs into the album from the grimier garage punk style to something more sanitized and clean that I didn't really enjoy as much. It almost felt like they shifted focus towards more standard rock tracks for some reason.
Pleasantly surprised. First album I actually didn’t know anything about but it was pretty sick!!!
I love the 90’s for deciding it was time to bring hornlines back, and I curse the 2000’s for letting that go.
Really love the horns on this one. Reminds me of the bosstones.
Couldn't finish this either, making this the third one-starrer in a row. The singer's voice is dreadful. "Used" sounded like a bad Elvis Costello ripoff.
I'd never heard of this band but the Apple Music write-up makes it sound like it was an important album from that era. I have to say I didn't really care for the singer's voice at all, but the songs were energetic and lively. The horns gave it a ska vibe. I wouldn't listen again and I didn't especially enjoy it, but it was fine.
pretty flawless for what it is but what it isn’t is ambitious, still a solid 4 star banger
Middle - 3/5 Born in '69 - 3/5 On a Rope - 5/5 Young Livers - 3/5 Drop Out - 3/5 Used - 3/5 Ball Lightening - 3/5 Fat Lip - 3/5 Suit City - 3/5 Heater Hands - 2/5 Misbeaten - 3/5 Come See - 3/5 Salt Future - 3/5 Burnt Alive - 3/5
1. Middle - 1 2. Born in 69 - 2 3. On a rope - 2 4. Young livers - 2 5. Drop out - 2 6. Used - 3 7. Ball lightning - 2 8. Fat lip - 3 9. Suit city - 2 10. Heater hands - 2 11. Misbeaten - 3 12. Come see, come saw - 2 13. Salt future - 1 14. Burnt alive - 1 2 Absolutely ghastly vocals
11/16/23 2:10 S Tier————————— 5/5 A Tier—————————4/5 Fat Lip B Tier—————————3/5 Young Livers Born in ‘69 Ball Lightning Suit City C Tier—————————2/5 Burnt Alive Heater Hands Come See, Come Saw Used On a Rope Salt Future Misbeaten Drop Out D Tier—————————1/5 Middle
Thursday 11/16/23, 2:15, home A Tier————————— Burnt Alive Born in ‘69 On A Rope B Tier————————— Fat Lip Come See, Come Saw Drop Out Salt Future Ball Lightning Heater Hands Suit City C Tier————————— Misbeaten Young Livers Used D Tier————————— Middle
Leider zu Rock und langweilig
Sometimes, I get Captain Beefheart vibes... However, this can actually be called music and does have nice elements here and there
Quite fun album, although I'm not really a fan of the singer. The use of brass is nice and the songs have a great energy, but after listening to this album, I think the band is a one-trick pony.
Ok album, pleasantly surprised
Pretty nice
The packaging was terrible enough to make the contents seem fairly decent!
What gets missed about this band and this record is where Punk as a whole was in the mid-90s. Following the ascension of grunge most up and coming bands were in the mold of Nirvana and Soundgarden and it’s clear RFTC was not that. What they were was a band that mixed punk and modern rock in a way that would both call to the past and influence the future.
Meat and potatoes rock, but the horns and Elvis Costello vibes are fun, I might come back to it.
2.2
Next 5 songs played by my Spotify Algorithm: Frank Black - Thalassocracy X - Soul Kitchen Lemonheads - 3-9-4 Fugazi - Public Witness Program Hot Snakes - If Credit's What Matters I'll Take Credit
Nice rockin' album. Recognized the single from probably a Tony Hawk's game. Short and sweet, had enough variety to keep me engaged for the 40 mins. Good find.
Nice riffs, nice lyrics
Not my jam
Best prima 7/10
Scream being the operative word, it was very loud. Entertaining for the most part but had to keep lowering the volume. Reminds me of certain alternative rock bands from the late 00s - The Hives come to mind, they must have been inspired by this.
We were pleasantly surprised when it got better... Only to realise the album had finished. Really not our vibe, though partly because that genre requires you to be in a certain mood and trying to force it was not very successful.
Surprisingly solid rock album.
if this album was any more Scott Kelly it'd be balls deep in a monkey while a thai bride is fighting off a coked up manny pacquiao for the insurance policy. in other news, my money is on Spackman being Dave.
Oooh cover me in spazjazz and tickle my arse. We have a winner. Can I be unmasked? Will we ever know?
Full Scott Kelly
OK, prefer the Cramps who do a lot more with a similar genre
Not my thing
Not terrible but not the greatest thing I’ve ever heard. Mid 90s punk was great but this wasn’t the best
I was a bit "meh" about this one.
There are a lot of good hardcore punk albums out there. While this one isn't bad, it wasn't notable in any way. All of the songs meld together. 2/5
Nah
On a rope is a classic, not sure what makes it work so well it just does. Rest didn't really grab me but songs are short which helps
This one took me back to my teenage years. Wonder how many times I've danced to On a Rope? Enjoyed the doubled guitars and it was better than I expected. Plenty of energy. Only thing I didn't really like is the singers voice - bit too California Man for me... He also sounds a lot like the guy from Less Than Jake but I'm sure they're from Florida 🤔
First couple tracks didn't do much for me, but glad I stick with it! Really solid, with a few standout tracks.
Excellent.
didnt like
Good
It was an ok punk rock album, have no clue how it's one of the 'best 1001 albums'
First three songs went crazy, everything else was the same
This album makes me think back to the days of playing Tony Hawks Pro Skater on PlayStation. I think it would fit in well with that collection of songs. Maybe not the strongest showing of punk rock but not terrible either. Since their are other (better) albums with this genre of music I can not rate it higher than a 3 out of 5.
Being of an age to have seen RFTC live at Reading in '96, this has a certain nostalgia for me. It does fairly rock along too, although it's not the most sophisticated music going, and the well-known songs (On A Rope, Born In '69) are probably the highlights.
Nojaa. Yks tai kaks.
Pretty basic punk rock, doesn't ruffle my feathers
Big Band Punk Posers
Nothing really stood out to me as particularly interesting or notable, but I didn't hate it.
A little one note tbh but between Born in 69 and On a Rope, they've made a classic
Not my thing
Bit of a mixed bag. Very close to liking it more than I did but might listen again.
it has a very Elvis Costello-y punk sound to it that I really dig — 8/10
good listen but nothing special to me at least
Not bad. I was familiar with RFTC, but hadn't really paid much attention. This is about what I expected. Impressive musicianship, particularly for punk, but a little one-note throughout. On A Rope is probably the only track I genuinely liked, but most weren't bad at all. Just not really my thing.
Huh...never heard of it, kind of surprising this is on the list. I guess just another example of how UK-centric this list is. Some unremarkable American 90’s punk band that was big in the UK… There are about a dozen 1995 punk albums I’d put over this one. I can’t believe this is on the list but not “...And Out Come the Wolves” by Rancid. Other punk bands with solid albums in 1995: Jawbreaker, Lagwagon, Vandals, Good Riddance, NUFAN, Millencolin, Red Aunts, Less Than Jake, Pennywise, Frenzal Rhomb... It's not terrible... but this is definitely not great. I'm going 2 on this one.
Quite fun
The amount of horns in this album confused me, 3 stars.
This is a pretty fun compilation of many genres I love. The feel is moderately repetitive, which makes 14 tracks entirely too long for this album. The singer's voice also grates on me at points. All that being said, the arrangements are all on point. The balance between the heavy guitars and drums and the horns is pretty great. Favorite track: Come See, Come Saw
Fun and high energy
On a Rope is a decent track, the rest of so-so
OK, so not EVERYTHING about the 90s was awesome. Very aware of "On a Rope" because it was absolutely everywhere, and yes, it absolutely rattles along - a great track. The rest though.......... vaguely decent 90s punk-rock. C Fine, but can't believe there aren't other more worthy albums of inclusion.
26th September 2023 Listened on the way to Costco a day late. Visit to nursery in the afternoon. College sounding 90s punk with brass. 2.5 if I could.
"Muum can I buy this Rancid album" "You have a Rancid album at home"
I have never heard of this band before, probably because they were drowned out by so many of the rock powerhouses during the '90s. And rightfully so, because this is a pretty subpar version of '90s rock. I can see what they're going for - there's a punk rock, Ramones vibe with the incessant energy and unwavering noise, but that sound doesn't work for everyone. This album could've used a few peaks and valleys for the actual sound, because the only peaks and valleys I observed were with regards to the quality. You wait nearly half of the album to get to a good song with Ball Lightning & Fat Lip, but after that it stumbles again. There's another good track with Burnt Alive, but what a bummer because that's the last song on the album. But then again, if the record is as inconsistent as this then maybe it's best to just get it over with.
Pretty solid “meh”. Back half of the album grew on me a bit. Don’t think it warrants a second play through to find out.
Somewhat interesting, at times.
horrible
Pretty damn fun. Dunno if it'll become part of my regular rotation tho
Schrammeliges Rockalbum.
Me recuerdan a Los Imposibles, y a los The Rolling
It's 90s punk done right. It's louder and more aggressive, but not really hardcore, although the first tracks share some characteristics. Considering this is the same lead guitarist as Drive Like Jehu, it's insane how this is exactly the opposite in terms of accessibility. Where those songs were complex and abrasive, these tunes are much more melodic, borrowing from contemporary alt rock, retaining that distorted guitar. With the exception of the horns, there's not much innovation. There are some quirks, like the 60s sunshiney harmonic sound of "Misbeaten." But the amount of filler songs do bring it down. Half the songs do blend for me. In general, you have the energy and riffs, and I'm sure they'd make a killer live performance. It's consistent, has its hits, is not too long, and has a good choice in opening and closing tracks. If it were cut in half to an EP, I'd replay it much more.
It's good fun, but I feel like ska punk beat them to the innovation of having a brass section. On A Rope is a banger.
really enjoyed this one, actually! i absolutely adore punk and harder music, and this was a very nice change as compared to the softer albums this site has been giving me. the only thing knocking this album down a star is my expectation that this would be psychobilly being completely destroyed--kidding, although i am disappointed. it's really just the whininess of the singer's voice.
-Born in 69 is a great one -Ooh love the crunchiness of on a rope (crunchy sax??? Sick.) - drop out - great hook, added - ball lightning lyric “want some cheese with your whine?” Woof. Lyrics are definitely the weakest part of this album overall, but that lyric Fucking suuuuucks
Pretty standard 90s punk, was still fun to listen to
6/10. I liked the bits with horns
I could see this being popular in the MTV and Tony Hawk video game era. It’s just not for me. 5/10
On a rope, on a rope, got me hanging on a rope, On a rope, on a rope, got me hanging on a rope, On a rope, on a rope, got me hanging on a rope. 🚀💀
Heard this album a few times now. Nothing really stands out, but it's pretty good for 1990s punk. The songs are longer than your typical punk songs and some have some catchy riffs. The best song, Used, is probably the least punk-sounding song on the album. Standouts: Used, Born in '69, On a Rope. Rating: 3/5
This album is fuckin’ FUN. Solid punk rock with some ska flavor sprinkled in to keep it interesting, I’d never heard of this band before and I’m glad I have now.
Fun, awesome punk rock. Really nice guitar riffs throughout and great instrumentals in general. I love the energy, it just goes and goes but without becoming same-y. I look forward to listening to more from this band soon.
Pretty cool proto-punk with some early Ska elements. Both heavier and poppier than I expected. I dig it. Four stars.
90s style punk (ish) with rock&roll (and sometimes country) leanings
BEST SONGS: -Middle -Used
3/5. I can see where they get the Nirvana comparisons. Fun, little album. Nothing special in my opinion, but kept the energy high.
A fun, upbeat punk rock album. Nice horn section that isn't gimmicky, but not super influential.
Good energy but it just seemed liked one thing over and over...nothing that will stay with me past their cool band name
This was a riot of a discovery, some good straight-down-the-pipe grunge punk, good guitar sound, good energy, singer is so-so but the music allows him to get away with it, bet they're great live. 4.
This is really good fun. There's still a bit of grunge in here, but it's much closer to the reworking of punk that comes in the early 2000s really, so ahead of its time. The singer's voice is a bit grating over the course of a whole album, but it's fine for a few songs at a time. On A Rope is mega catchy, like that, there's some decent variety in styles throughout. 3/5, not miles off a 4.
Generic and dull. Production is pretty bad too.
A punk classic. Some ska influence throughout. I was surprised to see it pop up on this list, but it was fun to revisit it and feel 16 again.
On a rope, but nothing else worth listening to
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Middle, On a rope
Just a great punk record from a band at the height of their powers. So much fun.
They seem like a party band who would have been fun to see at the time, but not really a seminal release that justifies inclusion on this list. And I agree with the other reviewer about Come See Come Saw being a rip-off of 'Know Your Product' from the Saints. Penalty of one star for that.
Scream, Dracula, Scream by Rocket From The Crypt is an adrenaline-fueled and exhilarating album that epitomizes the band's raucous energy. Released in 1995, it solidifies their status as a powerhouse in the punk rock scene. Tracks like "Born in '69" and "On a Rope" showcase the band's dynamic and infectious sound, with tight musicianship and Jason Crane's charismatic vocals. The album's production is raw and gritty, perfectly capturing the band's electrifying live presence. While some tracks may not reach the same heights as the standouts, Scream, Dracula, Scream remains a thrilling and wild ride from start to finish. It's a must-listen for fans of punk rock and a testament to Rocket From The Crypt's enduring appeal.
Genres: Punk rock, hardcore punk Formed: San Diego, California in 1990 Run time: 14 songs, 43 min, 41 sec The fourth album by the American punk rock band. Spotify: Least popular song: 72.5k Most popular song: >4.5M plays. From the word go you know you’re listening to a punk band. The lyrics are fairly simple and musically it is punchy and maintains a good pace. I’m pleased to say they don’t scream the lyrics at the listener, which is sometimes the case. Many of the songs are sub 3 minutes and the longest is only 4:39, another typical characteristic of punk. The general theme of the album is life and the struggles it throws in the way. It’s about not always fitting in with the norms expected by society. It’s about defiance and persevering when the odds are against you. The album is a great nod to the original punk sound. It is a good listen, but has no standout songs for me. Listen Again?: No My Rating: ***
It's basically one 43 minutes song, but I like the song 3/5
Lots of energy, some catchy bits, decent overall
Okay punk rock music from a band I’ve never heard of.
High 2 star rating. Some fun tracks, some sub par. Whilst their is reasonably broad instrument usage in most tracks, track to track dynamics aren't great which makes it a more tiresome listen than it should be especially as even the few decent tracks never reach anywhere near "incredible" in their own right
Frenetic. Drum driven and drum heavy
I know this is tied to Drive Like Jehu, which I love. Reminds me of Rancid, and maybe Trent Reznor (vocally, anyway). Seems to be very early rock-n-roll influenced, with a lot of Elvis Costello thrown in. It's fine. Has some sticky hooks and great tunes early, but doesn't really crest over that. Favorite tracks: "On A Rope", "Born In '69"
This album started off really good with some killer sounds that felt fresh but as it went on, it fell into that generic rock territory. I can't complain too much because the good songs were great like like Middle and On a Rope. Also there are certain words and objects that are immediately logged as "bad ass" in my head and there are so many on this album cover. "Crypt", "Dracula" and a damn scorpion. Very cool
I wish I liked this one more, but there was just so little here to latch onto for me. It was punk but not punk enough, rock but not rock enough, Apple Music called this "pop" but nothing popped like that. No hooks or riffs that I'd be able to identify in a line-up, nothing like that. Dangerously generic. I tried it twice to see if I was crazy the first time around but yeah, it just whizzed by without making a strong impression. I've definitely heard the band name before, and I expected something more explosive, if not just more memorable. What we got wasn't technically bad but when I struggle to find much of anything I want to keep it's pretty bad. Favorite tracks: Ball Lightning. Album art: I've definitely seen this one before and think it's really cool. Very simple font style, and the scorpion on an all white background is memorable. Truly, the most memorable thing about the album is this cover. 2/5
Good solid post grunge rock and roll. I saw them a few times when they toured that album and remember there being what felt like hundreds of RFTC bowling shirts worn around town in their wake. Great memories but I admit that it has been a couple of decades since I gave them a listen. Good fun album and it was definitely a breath of fresh air at the time but nothing really groundbreaking. I will have it on repeat for the rest of the day but that is just me
2.5
Not really sure why this is in here, mediocre punk
This is a very unfocused project from these guys. It pulls a lot from Elvis Costello vocally and a number of mediocre garage rock band instrumentally, which, in this context, feels indecisive and not well done. There are some solid, fun songs on here, but it’s difficult to get past the cheesy lyrics, repetitiveness, and unoriginal style. 3/5
blahska or bunkpunk
Kinda sounds like it's trying to imitate another band but in a really shit way. Wont be revisiting this band
Liked On a Rope. Didn’t like the others.
Highlights: Born In '69, On A Rope Leave Em's: Misbeaten, Salt Future, Fat Lip, Burnt Alive Overall Thoughts: I walked away from this album after making it nearly halfway through. Somehow, in the hours that I was gone the album got significantly more listenable... now I'm not saying it's great, but I was ready to write a one star review for it. Some of the songs, especially in the first half actually kind of rock out. It did start going down hill again in the second half around the mid point, and I'm thinking I would've enjoyed this album more if it were twenty minutes shorter. The lack of variety and space is expected from a rock album but it would have been welcome. Upon second listen I do think the bad still outweighs the good, but there is at least something I can point at to appeal for a rating better then bottom of the barrel. Score Breakdown: 2.421 & 2 -> 2.211
There's some really good stuff on here worth another crack
Not something I particularly enjoy. The best song in my opinion was the most popular one.
I liked this!
It was okay.
Eh. I've definitely heard worse from the list, but I don't particularly think this needs to be here. Not a huge fan of the vocals either. Pretty solid 2 for me.
There are so few good US punk band, these are not one of them
Just didn't grip me. Wanted it to end.
I tried to like this, but it just fell a bit short of expectations
Not the worst 3
If the album was 3-5 songs shorter it might be a 4-5. Really enjoyed the music, the base guitar was a little relative and not interesting, the horns were but they were used a little too relatively as well. It’s kind of my issue with punk is how repetitive a single song can be
High energy rock with punk edge, not much stands out besides the energy
I only knew On A Rope already It’s a great song All the rest of these sound just like it And that gets a bit tiresome a bit quickly
If I can describe this record in one word, it’s 90s. Scream, Dracula, Scream is the epitome of 90s punk rock. No, I mean it. From ska punk, to cow punk, to Midwest emo, to skate punk, to traditional punk, to even grunge and alt rock. Like this is the epitome of 90s punk. There is some hardcore influences but it seems only for specific parts of specific songs. Kind of a shame but what can you do. Now, I love punk rock and I think that it is good a lot of the time. However, this album is kind of boring. The wide range of influences may seem nice, but none are truly done in a way that standout (maybe the ska punk influences but there are some horn performances I can be more fond of honestly). As it stands, it is just a lot of punk. And I’ll admit, I am pretty tired so that doesn’t help, but it can certainly be more interesting. I enjoyed this record, I’ll admit, but it wasn’t the most interesting. It peaked in the literal first minute and just mellowed out. Eh, while it is boring, I did kind of enjoy it on the notion that it is punk rock. For that and that alone, I’m willing to give this album a 6/10.
solidly punk, fairly accessible.
All songs felt kind of the same to me. Album cover makes me queasy. + On A Rope + Ball Lightning + Misbeaten
Not so good fr
In between the wailing sounds of Drive Like Jehu, guitarist John Reis played and sang for Rocket from the Crypt. Rocket is a much more straightforward rock band, while maintaining a lot of the energy and loudness from Drive Like Jehu. This energy is backed by a horn section, borrowing slightly from ska's third wave resurgence. It's pretty good! Not nearly as forward-thinking as Drive Like Jehu, but it's got a lot of classic songwriting combined with a passion for noisy guitar and drums. It works for Rocket.
Rock con ciertos toques punk, divertido de escuchar, intenso, guitarrero y con contundencia
Como dicen los gringos: Unimpressive. Leyendo el abstracto de Wikipedia noté que el supuesto single y gran éxito del disco había pasado sin pena ni gloria mientras lo escuchaba.
Nah….
Rocket from the Crypt are a punk band I've not heard of until this record appeared as the daily selection on 1001 Albums. There is more emphasis on melody in these tracks than what you get from your typical punk band. The songs are much too bright to be called "grunge" - I'm guessing lots of 80s rock band influences. "Young Livers", "Used", "Ball Lightning", and "Misbeaten" are like 90s punk versions of The Clash and Elvis Costello tunes. The lead singer even sounds a bit like EC.
I don't want to be a dick and give an album one star, but this was neither appealing to my sensibilities, nor interesting enough for me to forget that it was not appealing to my sensibilities. On A Rope was a banger though. I somehow liked that track on the album.
Another album I’m shocked that I enjoy so much. The hooks are just so catchy and earwormy that it makes up for it not being one of my favorite genres. 7/10
Was not impressed with this one. The first few tracks were good but it starts to get a bit boring after that.
Guess which album number this is? Yep. #4. Alternative punk? Some of the metaphors are wayyyyy over my head. "Young Livers" rule tonight? The sound is decent, though.
There are some really strong moments on this. On a Rope, Young Livers and Drop Out stand high for me. This was close to a 4 for me, but a bit too much of it blurs together and isn't very memorable. Still enjoyed quite a bit of it.
Best Song: Used. I might just be a sucker for gang vocals, but I liked the blend of punkishness and doo-wop on this track. Worst Song: Heater Hands. Proof that you can over-repeat an outro. Overall: This album is the most 3/5 an album can be. Was it full of fun, bouncy little rock ditties? Yep. Did I enjoy listening to it? Check. Will I remember an ounce of it in even one week's time? Absolutely not. The embodiment of "we're here for a good time, not a long time".
Favorite Songs: Used and Heater Hands. I really enjoyed this album, but it was just basic punk/rock. Why is it necessary to hear? Heck, even Wikipedia barely had an info on it.
Absolutely dreadful, it's not even post punk, it's a poorly executed crash smash drum and single chord basic strum of the axe... and if you were tone deaf and smoked 60 unfiltered ciggies a day, you would still pull off better vocal range than these guys. Never heard of the group, and obviously for a reason, they're mega crap, just another Americana gabage band of 14 year old spotty faced dorks thinking they're awesome. This group and album do not warrant consideration for 1001 albums.
Hints of trumpunk in this one but a bit more raw and grungy. Well produced sound. Nothing really stand out.
Less chilly rock... But I guess it's not something you can't listen to if you're into this kind of rock/punk.
In the middle of punk/ melodic hardcore revival of the mid nineties, these beasts popped up and showed us what concepts like punk or attitude really meant. Honestly, I still preferred 'Dookie' or 'SMASH' -and still do, but this one was a great companion, a well received and deserved fist in the face
It felt too much like one of those bands that you heard in backing music to early 2000's coming of age comedy films with a tiny bit more bass, wasn't really into it
Vraiment jsute un album punk rock mid-90. Pas vraiment dequoi capoter et assez oubliable. J'imagine que ca n'a pas vraiment bien vieilli. 2.5
Enjoyable at moments, but overall I didn't care too much for
I really liked this at the start but this tracklist is so front loaded then gets quite samey at the end, the first couple of songs are bangers though 3/5.
Great punk album!
Meh No.
Gritty and gutty, but far from great, as all the racket adds up to very little. The raucous repetition (near constant) is slightly mitigated by the use of horns here and there and the occasional deployment of something like vocal harmonines (see "Come See, Come Saw," "Misbeaten"). Otherwise, this one-note, tiresome, and mostly forgettable, though it's not hard to see (or hear) how they were probably great live.
Starts off like a punch in the face. On a Rope has big Faith No More vibes. I really liked Ball Lightning for the mentions of cheese and wine. I was so warmed up to this band by the end that Burnt Alive is also a fave.
On the one hand, it's a bit one note, but on the other hand, it's a fun note, but on the other other hand, it goes on for over an hour, which is perhaps a bit much of that note. Shorter doses would be preferable. I saw RFTC at a Glastonbury, late 90s, and they convinced the more chemically altered members of the crowd to treat the hellish mud quagmire in front of the stage as a slip n' slide, which was fun enough to secure them a 4 in this here review! Fave track - "On A Rope", obvs...
Groupe que je ne connaissais pas du tout; belle énergie et dérision qui me plaisent.
Middle- call and response type Next few tracks: Born in ‘69, On A Rope, Young Livers decent enough👍 Drop out- meh Used- this track seemed pretty cheesy Ball Lightning- More of the same Fat Lip- some concept there👍 Heater Hands- this album continues to whelm Misbeaten- I feel like I would like this song if there was an attempt at lyrics Come See, come saw- could’ve been called comme ce comme ca ngl, but I enjoyed👍 Last two songs- same old same old This album was just mediocre for me 2/5
Álbum de punk rock clássico, contem algumas musicas boas e no geral me surpreendeu.
Pretty bad! Almost one star. But there was one song that was ok.
I was bracing myself before it started and then Ugggh. How can I describe the sound? Soundtrack for a shot movie about awkward skater boys? The kind of music they'd have in a Jackass film. Intentionally annoying shitm Cultural sludge of America. Maybe it's supposed to be funny and Beavis and Buthead laughed at it while headbanging . 1 star because the drummer worked hard. Woeful song titles.
Never heard this lot before. There’s a photo on their wiki page in which they appear to have copied The Hives’ dress-code. I loved The Hives. This band’s sound is not as frenetic as The Hives but it’s very classy, all the same. Blown away when I read that this was recorded at Gold Star Studios, where Spector’s wall-of-sound was built. The production is great, and there’s not a song here that I don’t enjoy. It seems to be classified as punk, but it just sounds like great rock’n’roll to me.
This album is so boring. The energy level is consistent and just palls. It is recorded and mixed in such a way that an individual track would pop when played on the radio as the best thing you heard that hour, but listening to the whole album is exhausting. I hate his whiny voice, which just seems like posturing. I hate the arrangements. There is no point. It generically 'rocks', but there is no real grit to it. I'm sure they put on a decent live show (and it seems like they do a lot of live gimmicks), but these songs bore and tire me. I give it a second star because it is energetic and decently recorded. Actually, I think Come See, Come Saw is just a re-write of Know Your Product by the Saints. One star off for plagiarism of a far better song.
Tight, tight album
I liked the album, and I will say the singer does a very good Elvis Costello impression. But the songs are all very... consistent. They're high energy, but there's nothing to vary them at all. After hearing the whole album, you're exhausted. One song up on shuffle is great, but all 12 of them? I doubt the tempo for any of these songs varied... at all. It just all felt like it blurred together. The horns came in for a song, then they were gone, and came back again. I needed something slower to mix it up a little, you know? Just for a minute or two. Nothing to really write home about, high 2, rounding up to a 3. Next.
Ah, 90's punk. I wonder why no one ever coined the term brass punk for bands like RFTC or Less Than Jake, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Fishbone, etc. who prominently featured horns and sax in their ensemble. I gotta admit that this isn't my scene - but it's not terrible. The brass brings a soothing effect to the otherwise pounding sound. Sort of like adding cucumber to gin to cut the bitterness. I felt like the opening couple of tracks, including their apparent big single Born in 69, were lacking that melody. But I started to change my tune (as they changed theirs) at On a Rope and Young Livers. Definitely a lot more vocal harmony and more well-blended brass and strings through the middle of the album. The sequence of Ball Lightning, Fat Lip, and Suit City was a great listening experience. My interest started to wane from there, with the exception of Come See, Come Saw - bass and brass nicely partnered in the opening of this track and deft pairing of brass and guitar as it progressed. Burnt Alive was a decent closer to the album I guess. I feel like if there was a list of 1,001 musical acts you need to see live before you die, these guys would be high on the list. As for the album, it feels like a solid 3.5 but no more. Too bad there isn't a button for that.
This wasn’t a bad album, but it really didn’t do anything for me. I enjoyed “Fat Lip”, mainly for the creative guitar riff. ”Misbeaten” was interesting too. Most of the music sounded like punk with horns. Not much more to say here.
Nothing terrible, nothing that blew me away
RIpping off Blg Flag, Dead Kennedys, etc.. The question is why..
Boring
Swami John Reis hear my prayer: "Please send me a daily listen that continues to rock despite its years." Raise your hand if you're a Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes or Night Marchers fan. John Reis has blessed us with many great records through a variety of groups. Rocket From the Crypt has always been the "most fun" of them. Loud guitar, upbeat tempos, and cheeky lyrics — this album delivers on that most of the time. It's not 5 stars good. I've got to save those stars for Hot Snakes and Drive Like Jehu records.
This is delightful. I’m thoroughly charmed. I guess they’re a punk band (sometimes) but they’ve got a Stonesy rock swagger (especially when the horns come in). They’re very comfortable reaching into every corner of rock for sounds that fit the song at hand. I was consistently surprised by the instrumentation and tonal shifts. I love the riff on “On a Rope.” I think I’ve heard it before somewhere but man it rocks. Big, bold, brash and fun. Occasionally the vocals were a little grating but I still respect the swagger of this band.
I feel pretty well versed in rock/punk, and I'm surprised that I really can't recall ever hearing of this band/record/songs whatsoever. The sound is cool, it's like super modern punk rock with ska elements (35 seconds into track 4) that also gets heavier (36 seconds into track 1). The production is very impressively crisp for 1995. The guitars and drums really sync up well and fit together like puzzle pieces. The compositions just felt OK to me and didn't blow me out of the water. I was curious about this band so I looked up the amount of plays per song on Spotify and they were really low- like way below the average for albums on this 1001 list.
Scream is right… it’s all I heard. Honestly I don’t see what any sort of appeal from this is. I didn’t get any chance to appreciate any music because any chance I could it was interrupted by some more screaming… I just don’t get it.
I hate you for making me listen to this singer. And by "you" i mean literally everyone involved in his life: his parents for birthing him, his schoolmates who encouraged him to stay in a band, his teachers/mentors for not nurturing him to get a degree in something less annoying and eventually years later keep his noxious bleatings out of my earholes. And then whoever was responsible for foisting this album upon the public. Other than that, I loved it. (...the music is occasionally ok/fine, if not supercompressed in that 90s-style where everything had to be as loud as goddamn possible and literally tires your ears within minutes. Turn the volume down and it's still loud. That's just ... ...actually...I'm gonna take back even the hint of any quasi-compliments - now here's some of that stupid 90s "let's add HORNS to this punk-like song to be cool" ["Young Livers"] no it just makes it even more awful. Is this album done yet?) but as ever, singers ruin everything. Burn me tf alive. 2/10 1 star.
Upbeat punk rock. Worth another visit.
Perhaps the most basic and uninspired example of 90s rock music. No thank you, gentlemen.
Not as bad as the I thought it would be based on the name but still not at all for me. Just scrapes by with a 3.
Surprisingly, good and energetic. Never heard of these guys before.
Fav songs: - On A Rope - Used - Burnt Alive
2.5
The lightest of fours. An enjoyable poppy punk outing, first few tracks are especially good.
one noted high school drop out punk rock band.
The first couple of tracks were fantastic, but it starts sagging after that. There’s some good moments in the later half, but most of the time it’s just generic punk.
I don't know, I really enjoyed this. The opening track was a bit of a turn-off at first but, as I started to listen, I started to really dig the vibe of this whole album. It's irreverent and energetic (maybe even frenetic) but there's still a lot of skill and subtlety hidden inside these tracks. The engineering and mixing, in particular, are pretty spectacular. Like I said, I don't know. It was just fun.
Lasted 3 songs
Not my jam. I respect it however it definitely didn't appeal to me
Oh god American Garage Punk. really tried to give this a shot but I was cringing the entire time and had to turn it off as I hated so much.
Has its fun moments but it’s very meh…
This was just a bore of a listen. It wasn’t bad but it was just didnt go anywhere. Did nothing interesting or new and sounded old for ‘95. Overall 5/10
Sounds like an album of Green Day b-sides. And "On a Rope".
The best it can be accused of is breaking old ground.
punk's not dead! well it is now
I don't know why, but I expected more. Guess it's back to "Savoir Faire".
This album has me with a smile on my face, especially with the ska sections. I don't love how the lead singer sounds, but the grooves are punk and chunky.
Ugh. Just no.
Not sure why this is in the list, either. It’s ok, not good. Not revolutionary like I expect.
On a rope on a rope got me hanging on a rope.. still a great punk rock song and their biggest single. Probably Group Sounds is a bit better (4 stars, at least in my memory) but SDS is quite good as well of course. Quite a surprise to see its inclusion in the list.
Energetic rock, but nothing special.
Very decent punk rock, don't like the vocals very much.
Having never heard of this band or album, I was pleasantly surprised! 90s punk with quality songwriting and great horns throughout. Bit too long for this type of sound, but fans of Fucked Up or Titus Andronicus should absolutely check this out
Uopće nisam raspoložen za ovu vrstu glazbe danas, ali ono - glup naziv albuma, benda i cover album, u pičku materinu, ali je okej album.
Littered with bangers. Nothing fancy or earth shattering, and doesn't sound like an album up for consideration as one of the greatest on time. But no skips, just good all around.
While I liked the sound of this record and I would put a couple on playlists I don’t think it belongs on this list. Definitely worth a listen though.
straightahead rock with various punk, ska, surf vibes. good background road trip music for when the Offpring feelstoo high energy
I'm not sure if the lyrics are washed out by the music because that's just how they like it or because the lyrics aren't terribly good. Either way, it's kind of annoying. Still, the instrumentation's decent and the brass gives them a nice, full sound. Giving them a generous 3 stars.
Boring & unoriginal. Lyrics were terrible, but music was ok.
Goes hard but the vocalist is so bad...
Just lacks character. I don’t like this era of rock at all. Sounds like a garage jam band that wants to be edgy. Tried to find a redeeming song but couldn’t.
The poor man's QOTSA. One dimensional AF, but you cant deny it rocks through its whole play length
Listens: 1 Enjoyed: no Again, just not really for me. Not enough in it to intrigue me for a second listen. The music is pretty cool but the lyrics and voice are just a huge pass
Nice ride down memory lane. I remember when this album came out. It was like a punk version of the Blues Brothers. I absolutely loved the first three tracks, "Middle", "Born in '69", and "On a Rope" (and I still love them today). Unfortunately, after such a great start, everything after sounded quite underwhelming, to be honest. And it's still the case now for me, even though my music tastes have quite broadened since i was a teenager... That being said, I find the average grading of the participants in here extremely harsh. This is no essential listen, obviously, but it's still decent punk rock. So for once, I'm gonna give a 4/5 grade to an album I actually won't include in my own list. Trying to tip the karmic balance a little here, even if this won't change anything to the average grading... Number of albums left to review: 738 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 129 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 65 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 69 (including this one)
Camp
Some of the music was fun, especially a couple of songs towards the end, but I didn't get on with the vocals at all
Härlig rock! Lite punkigt, lite rock'n'roll, lite blåsorkester. Påminner om Foo Fighters (eller tvärtom med tanke på åldern) - framför allt Ball Lightning.
The most average thing I’ve ever heard.
Þetta er... meh. Ekkert spes. Mögulega hefur dagsformið á mér áhrif á þessa skoðun. Prófa að hlusta aftur seinna.
It Really suprised me this album… I had never heard about this band..
Hmm, pretty dodgy
Unoriginal wannabe-ska 90s alternative
Never heard of them, doubt I’ll remember them
Punk 'n roll!
This was just a FUN album that i could really easily get into and carries the energy through the whole thing. Little sinister, little horny, little vibey. 4/5
Nothing but punk rock from start to finish. With a larger budget than their previous releases, they definitely utilised it to it's fullest potential. With string sections, brass sections and of course the mainstay distorted guitars and heavy percussion made the listen quite rich. However, I found the last few songs on the album a little lacking. Best: On a Rope Worst: Salt Future
90s punk rock n roll, but with the bonus of horns. Ok, probably as good if not better than over-rated Green Day.
It’s interesting - the music is pretty good, nothing really bothered me. But at the same time, it doesn’t jump out with anything special. I can see why they were signed but I can also see why they weren’t huge
T3B 1. On A Rope 2. Born In ‘69 3. Dropout Really good punk album. Just not an A or S tier. Solid 3.
The band name, album name, and cover art are all very metal. So I did a double click when I hit play. I was expecting metal which this is not. Good energy but otherwise unremarkable. I like this kind of music when it is fun or cheeky or has something particularly interesting going on. It's fine I guess but why is it on this list?
Generic noise (that seems to pass for “rock music” in the USA)
Rating: 1.0 Best Track: Heater Hands
I'm not a huge fan of punk music and this album didn't really change my opinion of the genre. Just not my thing.