Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Really in a slump here. All these albums suck. I only listened to the first song of this and it made me feel depressed.
My my, I didnt know the Beatles wrote an album in 1971 🤣 Ive heard a few of these before - How can you mend a broken heart is definitely one of my moms favorites. Overall, I thought this album was surprisingly solid. I know close to nothing about the Bee Gees in their pre disco era, so it was a delight. I dont know if its a gripe, but its time to say it. Theres a lot of Beatles rip offs here. Its Just The Way sounds exactly like a George Harrison song. Its a damn good song, but wow, I wonder if the fab four laughed when they heard this record.
This album kinda sucked. Why is there a pre-Saturday Night Fever Bee Gees album on here?? If it ain’t falsetto disco, I don’t want it. So much saccharine melodrama on here. At its best it’s inoffensive, but mostly it’s corny, trite, maudlin, etc etc etc
Don’t Want to Live Inside Myself is a decent song and sounds like CSNY Helpless. The rest of this is a tough listen. Had no idea The Bee Gees did anything before disco - interesting from a music history perspective, even if the music is kind of lame.
Utterly unremarkable. Beatles F-sides at its best, just chords in a row at its worst. Not annoying, but not at all interesting.
Well this was pretty awful. I could have maybe got behind a later album, but this is just dreadful. Warbly vocals, cheesy lyrics, with slow, predictable, and boring music backing it all. Some of it was almost comedically bad. Most of it was just bad.
It's alright. The songs are pleasant, and it's put together well enough, with nice instrumentation and some nice backing vocals and so on. I guess it just feels a bit inoffensive, and not particularly ambitious. Is that unfair? Their other album 'Odessa' I rated lower. I think this is a step above, but I have the same complaint as on that album. When you have soaring violins and surges of instruments, you'd expect it to be more rousing, but it somehow isn't. Again, knowing that they have some really amazing songs in their ballad-backlog, I was maybe hoping for a little bit more.
many people only think of the brothers gibb as a disco act, but they didn’t morph into that until relatively late in their career. in fact, they have more pre-disco albums in their catalog than disco ones. for my money, i prefer the bee gees during their disco era. this album was ok, but nothing spectacular.
I thought this disco shirt sucked. Turns out they sucked before then.
I was excited when I saw this album, but if you hadn't told me I don't think I would have guessed it was the Bee Gees
I had no expectations going into this album and it ended up being a solid 3
Too many similar sounding ballads, but overall decent. Prefer their pre-Saturday Night Fever era like this, but better songs would help.
This album was very sleep-inducing. A terribly boring album with a great opening track that I first thought Kermit the Frog was taking lead vocals on.
This was just a nothing burger. Nothing about it was altogether enjoyable and I swear Robin's vocals would have been much better on the soundtrack to Rankin & Bass' animated Hobbit. Glad to be done with this one.
Heavily orchestrated music and highly dramatic presentation makes for a pleasant if somewhat bombastic listen. I prefer when things get a little lighter like on It's Just the way, Somebody stop the music. In parts these songs have simpler more traditional rock arrangements that I find refreshing on an album like this that takes itself soooo seriously. Another hilight is the Beatlesque title track. If heavily baroque pop is your thing, this album does that style exceedingly well. 3.5 stars
pretty sick, white lion is super fun
Odd.
I know (and love) Bee Gees for their disco hits but I didn't know about this album. A lot of these songs remind me of songs from "Let It Be." The music has a similar grandeur, and the songwriting is that good. There's a lot of Beatles influence throughout the album, and some country twang too. And the show-stopping drama of it all! The emotions are big on this album. This feels like the sort of album you seek out when the moment is right (I can imagine playing it on a long drive down country roads), and I have a feeling I'll be playing it again soon. Fantastic album cover. I wasn't sure at first how it would fit with the Bee Gees' sound, but it totally fits with this music. 4.5
This was an OK listen for me. The Bee Gees are wildly impressive as a band and will forever be a band that excited me to listen to. But this record didn't have any kind of substantial grip on me and it just came and went. Nice album cover!
A collection of ambitious yet forgettable ballads.
Didn't expect this sound from the bee gees, liked Lion in Winter and the Waterloo song, but the rest was meh, 3/5
Did you guys know the Bee Gees played music before they were a disco act? Well, someone out there thinks you NEED to know this.
Good group from the late 70’s to 80’s. Always able to change their sound to match the genre at the time(rock,disco). Good sound, good music.
Sad to say this, but Bee Gees really were much better in their disco era than before. Honestly, this album didn't impress me that much. I know they have some non disco songs that are decent, but I didn't find them here. Had quite high hopes, but was disappointed. Overall quite boring album with way too many ballads. Lives on the border between a 2 and 3 for me, but think weak 3 is fitting.
Was expecting some upbeat disco but man was this a slog. The singer sounds like Paul McCartney quite often. Some songs really try to sound like "The Beatles". Honestly not much to say about this except I was bored. Blandest album for quite some time.
I’m genuinely surprised this album made the list. Trafalgar sits in a strange, in-between phase of the Bee Gees’ career—after their ‘60s baroque pop heyday and before their iconic disco dominance. Unfortunately, it doesn’t measure up to either era, both of which represent the Bee Gees at their creative peaks. Now, I get that the rules for this list exclude soundtracks, but leaving Saturday Night Fever off while including Trafalgar feels like a major oversight. That soundtrack defined an era; Trafalgar, on the other hand, barely leaves a mark. Aside from the standout ballad “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” the album leans heavily into bland, middle-of-the-road folk-pop. It lacks the energy, emotion, and innovation that define the best of their work. Even Robin’s usually moving vocals can’t save some of these tracks. Favorite song: "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" Least favorite: Most of the rest—largely forgettable Album artwork: A cool visual tribute to the Battle of Trafalgar, which is sadly more memorable than the music inside.
It's weird to me that all the Bee Gees albums on this list (so far) are not what they are known for at all. I mean it's weird that there are multiple Bee Gees albums on this list anyway... If you played this for me I would never have guessed it was the Bee Gees. It just kind of sounds like the generic sort of folksy soft rock that came out of the 60s. This could be like The Moody Blues or maybe America. It's aggressively bland. As much as I hate to say it, it's probably better that the Bee Gees switched to disco and that's probably how they should be remembered. 2/5
3.5
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart is the hit and was an even bigger hit for Al Green. Not disco Bee Gees is not great. Israel is better than How You Can Mend a Broken Heart. It's funny that the difference between a hit song and an album track is someone choosing what is going to be a single. Easy listening 70s hits are just not for me. Remembering sounds like the soundtrack to the animated Hobbit. It feels like an Australian critic needed to get some Bee Gees albums on the list because this feels like a collection of derivative songs. You can hear echoes of the Beatles, clearly, but also Bowie and The Who. Trafalgar could have been off Sgt. Pepper's and I wouldn't have known it wasn't the Beatles. This is not good. There's a pop folk vibe running through some of these songs (When Do I) that sounds like the guy playing guitar on the stairs in Animal House. Where is Bluto when you need him? This isn't torture like some of the albums rated as ones, but it is also not very good in it's own special way. Walking Back to Waterloo is one of the best songs on the album, solid closer for a bad album.
Great Album
Hits and misses
Such an odd bunch. Every now and then they do something cool and progressive and rockin', but its offset by songs that sound like they were sung by drunk old men in a church.
2.4 Well that was pretty shit. Everything between it's just the way and the final track were entirely skippable, and downright annoying sometimes. Those two aforementioned tracks the only things saving this album. Why is this on the list??
Great album. Solid vocals, instrumentation and song writing. I only remember disco Bee Gees from when I was very young. I knew they had earlier albums but I never listened to them. A little too melancholy for daily listening, but if you're in the mood it's tough to beat.
Surprisingly somber music. Expected the high pitched Bee Gees that I knew of. Good album, though.
Largely boring and annoying, but not terrible.
Not a bad record by any means as a singer songwriter/pop rock style record but definitely a reason why it isn't known for a lot of hits for this group given their reputation.
When I saw the artist, I was expecting a completely different sound. Overall, it wasn't bad; just mellow early '70s soul rock(in recent U.S. elections, Trafalgar, and Israel have different meanings). . Favorite Track: "Israel".
5 stars to counteract all the low scores. Come on! These guys were legends in their time. Respect.
Pretty good. Israel was weird as hell but I liked the rest well enough
This sounds outdated as hell. Listening to the album the whole way through was quite the difficult task... I honestly found nothing enjoyable about it. It's definitely not the kind of music I associate with the bee gees and it doesn't suit 'em well, in my opinion.
This was ok.
Well, I braced myself for the “voice” and weirdly that did really materialise. What I didn’t didn’t brace myself for is a pretty boring album which at some points the vocals were not great. Not sure if the disco era are seen to revive the Bee Gees but this was not that great.
I like the Bee Gees, but this album was just ok to me. It seems to bridge their early folk roots and later disco sound. The turns of phrase were really nice at times, but I can only take so much romantic easy listening.
This really just wasn't enjoyable. I'm at a loss for other comments.
this was bad on so many levels, cringeworthy at times
I have tried the Bee Gees (old and new) a few times and I hear the nice harmonies but the tunes just don't grab me.
What a gem of an album. If you think you know what the Bee Gees are, take a listen to this, it will surprise.
This one was fine. Forgettable but fine. I think I like the more disco Bee-Gees songs. Nothing here stood out for me
Цей альбом нагадує мені фільми які знімають спеціально для Оскару. Він надмірно пафосний, показово сентиментальний, та ніби як "штучно емоційний". Проте сказати, що він прямо "поганий", я також не можу, та і загалом тут є пісні, що гарно запам'ятовуються, наприклад - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? та Israel. Проте серед подібних гарних композицій - більшість матеріалу тут зроблено за штампованою схемою софт року. Trafalgar звісно можна назвати найбільш цікавим серед іншої творчості Bee Gees до їх "диско" періоду, але він просто губиться у порівнянні з іншими над-цікавими альбомами того часу. Bee Gees також прагнули щоб Trafalgar був одним із таких, але їх великі амбіції як раз і зіграли з ними злий жарт. Вони увібрали усі характерні елементи тогочасної популярної рок музики та намагалися "викрутити" їх на максимум. А апогеєм цього стала, притягнута за вуха концептуальність, альбом посилається на битву при Трафальгарі 1805 року, але фактично не має до неї ніякого відношення. Якщо ви не знайомі з Bee Gees, то звісно можна послухати цей альбом, але якщо ви хочете познайомитися із, справді гарною, психоделічною та "розумною" рок музикою початку 70-х, то краще витратити час на щось інше, наприклад на Can - Tago Mago, про який ми ще поговоримо в рамках цієї серії, або Led Zeppelin [IV] про який я вже трохи писав (https://t.me/community_didko_music/174).
For someone who doesn't know much about the Bee Gees' discography beyond hits like Stayin' Alive and How Deep Is Your Love, "Trafalgar" can be surprising and confusing at the same time. Although it doesn't stray from the band's sound, it doesn't seem to shine in their long discography. It's a good album to pass the time, but after it's over it seems like you've forgotten what you heard. 3 stars only for the band's reputation.
This is truly awful from beginning to end.
Not my thing... Won't listen again.
Stick to disco Barry Gibb
Really interesting hearing some pre-disco Bee Gees, but they definitely grew better into that sound. One of the Gibb’s voices on this is really bizarre and made some of the songs sound unintentionally funny.
Horrible.
It’s very melodic, I dunno what to really make of them, soft, but it’s alright. I don’t have too many feelings.
A pre-disco Bee Gee's is like an untoasted sandwich :(
the bee gees? more like the ZZZs, am i right??????? it's like they tried to write an album full of beatles ballads but forgot to make any of them good or interesting. yet another album that, based on the album artwork, should've been full of sea shanties and nothing else. that would certainly have been better than whatever's going on here. 1.5 stars but i'll round up because of their willingness to leave that vocal take in on dearest. he really sounds like he's stretching to reach those high notes. amazing stuff. favorites: how can you mend a broken heart
This is far and away the best Bee Gees I’ve heard. I’ve always liked “To Love Somebody”, but I was nervous going into this because I tried Odessa a few months ago and wasn’t feeling it at all . Very Elton-esque on this record. Far too many ballads overall, but there’s some really solid stuff. 3.5/5
Let's just try to sound like the Beatles if the blandness dial was turned up to 11. Pretty unbelievable how much music the Bee Gees made before disco was a thing and that they managed to keep going, this is really unremarkable. "I know what the next track is gonna be! Plodding pace, strummed acoustic guitars and strings!" This is one of those albums clogging up a spot that could've gone to Neutral Milk Hotel, Weezer or something else overlooked by Dimery for the book. PS free Palestine 🇵🇸
I don't like disco but when I saw that I got the Bee Gees I thought at least it's the best of disco. Instead I got shitty rock. Boo. 2/10
This feels like the least essential album that has been generated for me so far. And along with that, I didn’t really like it all that much. I was so close to just skipping Lion in Winter. What is that vocal performance? I feel I’m obligated to give this a 1. My 2s so far either had a sound I don’t care for but, they were trying to do something different and just fell flat (for me) or have a sound that is at least okay (I wouldn’t make you turn it off), but they don’t seem to do anything special or even try to. This one has a sound I don’t care for and doesn’t seem to try and do anything special.
I'm so glad the Bee Gee stopped trying to be the Beatles and became disco
в большинстве случаев очень козлино. сама Трафальгар песня очень на битлов похожа. знаменитую про брокен харт так и не запомнила…
One or two songs stood out a bit, but for the most part this is soft rock that doesn't have much to offer other than a whole lot of cheese.
I hear a kind of mix between Elton John and The Beatles. Still, nothing really sounds relevant.
Ok, there's soft rock and there's SUPER SOFT rock. It's so focused on being easy to listening that it becomes almost insulting to the power behind every human ears. The lyrics are awful, the music is uninspired to an impossible level.
It's not Saturday Night Fever but it's okay. Really liked Walking Back to Waterloo.
Please Stop the Music!
The warbling sounds of a broken heart.
Serious ballads Of their pre disco era Are proper snooze fest
I'd never heard anything outside of the disco hits, so this was interesting, if not fully appreciated. I quite like the big, symphonic pop numbers, but there's some real misses here. 'When Do I?' was distracting with how odd the vocal performance is, and I didn't find it that interesting lyrically.
Surprisingly good album, somehow I was expecting only high pitched singing and it was not the case, they have a great range of singing articulations, great pianos and songwriting.
first Odessa, now this… pre-disco Bee Gees is just not it
1/5
Not my piece of pie.
chill
This pre-disco Bee Gees record delivers a listenable but mostly bland collection of soft rock tracks that start to blend together by the end. The album actually starts fairly well with the slow soft rock ballad “how can you mend a broken heart” which does a decent job even if I don’t feel as much emotion from the song as it is meant to have. The following track “Israel” is much in the same vein but does a better job in my opinion, with better vocals and much more interesting things going on instrumentally. “The greatest man in the world” is another soft rock ballad but has a better chorus than the other tracks. My criticism of this song is that the outro doesn’t feel nearly as grand or emotional as it should given the rest of the song. Following this is the more guitar-centric “It’s just the way” which is a pretty good pop rock tune which keeps things short, simple & sweet. We get back to the ballads with “Remembering” which is mostly a fine song but the vocals don’t do anything for me and doesn’t have anything over the couple of songs in the style that have already appeared on the album. “Somebody stop the music” is better though, as the vocals and instrumentation is superior and the song goes in a more interesting direction at least in the outro with some good bass work to add a bit of variety. The second half of the album is marked by the Beatles-esque title track “Trafalgar” which, with its Lennon like vocals, is actually a pretty good track. Back to the slow ballads with “Don’t wanna live inside myself” and whilst I appreciate the passionate vocals on this track more than most of the other vocal performances on the album, the emotional aspect is lost on me as I feel like I’ve heard this song already done 2 or 3 times on this album, following the same formula and the songs are starting to blend together. “When do I” doesn’t do much to help this and, in my opinion, is one of the more forgettable tracks on the album. The same can be said about “Dearest” which to me is a non-starter that suffers from blending in with a few of the other tracks here without any real defining qualities. “Lion in winter” is more interesting at least, because it has some good bass work and a more wild vocal performance, but the song itself is just as average as many on this record. Thankfully, the album ends on a better note with “Walking down to Waterloo” which is this almost tragic sounding anti-war track which creates a unique atmosphere compared to the rest of the tracks on the album. I think I got what I expected from this pre-disco Bee Gees record. It’s mainly a collection of slow tempo soft rock ballads, most of which blend together into a listenable but relatively bland experience. Some tracks are better than others, and this album is pretty front heavy with all of the better tracks coming in the first half. There are a couple of highlights, but by the end the tracks became pretty boring to listen to. In saying that, the album is well made and the couple of tracks which add variety are appreciated. I wouldn’t even mind these soft rock ballads if one or two of them popped up but there are just so many that sound so similar that the emotion was completely lost on me. At least this album had some good bass work. Regardless, this seems like a weird choice for albums that you “must” listen to. 2/5.
That was a slog to get through, some truly awful vocals in places too.
Very 'Let It Be' era Beatles vibe. No bangers, but well-produced.
As an active and critical listener I liked that it was beatles esque and almost the score to a film. But as a fan of music, theres a reason the bee gees switch to disco when it exploded. Because this shit is boring and un inspiring. Middle of the road contemporary mix of instruments and pacing.
One baffling vocal choice after another. And so maudlin. A real slog to get through.
The Bee Gees are so weird!
Average tracks.
More words than music, like the music was thrown in as an afterthought
I actually kindda like the pre-disco Bee Gees, and some of the tracks on this are interesting. But there's just too much whiny nonsense to overcome.
Listenable.
I never liked the BeeGees but I must admit, listening to it now, brings me back to memories of Bat Mitzvahs in my teenage years, so its hard to evaluate properly
surprisingly boring. the bee gees are obviously known for their disco mega hits but we’ve had an earlier album of there’s in this list before. that one was big and sprawling and cool. this one just wasn’t. kind of watered down late beatles and pink floyd. never bad but never that good either
Melancholy and Beatlesque, it’s a lovely album - not essential - but lovely.
Nothing really redeemable
I haven't given the Beegees a deeper dive than the simple disco tunes, so that was interesting, but nothing really noteworthy.
Remember when Metallica put out those albums Load and Reload because they were growing as artists and didn't want to be stuck in the thrash metal, 10000 notes a second box? Everyone was like, we're here for the thrash metal. Can't you please just give us some thrash metal? You guys are really good at thrash metal. WTF is Lars playing? an empty beer keg instead of a snare drum? has Kirk gone... bluesy? At first, I thought that's what was going on here. Like... the Bee Gees were tired of being stuck in the fun disco dancy box and set out to write an album with a bit more gravitas. Then I looked into it a bit and realized that the fun dance stuff didn't come until later, so now I don't know what to think. I do like the fun disco dance stuff better, tho.
Sounds uninspired. Such a boring album… I WAS A LIiiiOOoN
The Bee Gees before they got their funk on. What is offered is par for the course 70s rock which I don't find too engaging. Sure, the songs seem lovely enough, but I really don't feel anything while listening to them. This may be something I'll have to revisit later on to truly appreciate. Best Tracks: - Trafalgar - It's Just The Way Worst Tracks: - When Do I Rating: 4/10
I'm a fan of the Bee Gees, but didn't really care for this album.
Kind of nice to get an album with some of the deeper cuts. Overall good, but not amazing
Honestly shocked by this. Not that I thought I’d dislike it because I generally enjoy the Bee Gees, but this was lowkey brilliant. Maybe I’m just in the mood to be sad, but this left an impression on me in a big way. One thing about the Bee Gees is they’re so good at conveying emotions with their voices in a much stronger way than lots of other acts. “The Greatest Man In The World,” “It’s Just The Way,” “Trafalgar,” and “Don’t Wanna Live Inside Myself” are my favorite songs from the album, but there wasn’t a track I didn’t at least somewhat enjoy. Emotionally, I really felt this and vibed with it. Definitely going to be on heavy rotation for me for awhile. A good surprise.
This album was pretty good. Sounded a little different then what I'm used to with the Bee Gees, (Mainly just Stayin' Alive) but I did enjoy it. Solid 3.5 Favorite Songs: Israel, Trafalgar Least Favorite: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
boah, das ist mir viiiiiel zu schnulzig; kann ich mir nicht wirklich anhören
Not gonna lie it was boring as hell - I'm giving it 2 stars because through that boring stuff "Trafalgar" stands out very epically to then crush back down to boringland
not what I was expecting from the Bee Gees, a lot of David Bowie sounds, 2nd half dragged quite a bit though.
Few great songs nothing to remember, different times different vibes.
I think now, after two Bee Gee's albums have come up here, that they suffer from that not uncommon "greatest hit" syndrome. See, once you hear, and like, the Bee Gees for their most amazing songs, unless you are a superfan, you are likely to not enjoy any of their random albums quite as much. On the other hand, there are a few, rare bands, where a greatest hits album does not distract from their catalog. I want to make that clear here as this album IS better than the first I rated, it has that more familiar Bee Gees sound I love from their top hits. So based on my taste, there are big differences in their albums (contrast those rare bands that make each album hard to choose from). So, bottom line is that this is a pretty good album, not my favorite, but gives a good Bee Gees vibe nevertheless.
I adore the Bee Gees, they are a massive lifelong favourite that I grew up on and still listen to constantly (their greatest hits triple LP might be my most played vinyl) and my crush on young Barry Gibb will never subside, but taking this album honestly at face value, it’s not one of their better outings at all and I’m pretty surprised it’s on this list. Like there are several I’d give five stars but this is far from one of them. How Can You Mend and Don’t Wanna Live Inside Myself are excellent, and great examples of their songwriting prowess, but on the other hand you’ve got the total drivel that is Remembering which sounds like it’s from the Middle Ages or something, and a few others made me want to hit skip too. Interestingly, some of it also sounds quite Beatlesy, like It’s Just the Way. Look, I don’t really have any specific complaints except I guess that a lot of this sounds outdated in a not-fun way, whereas I could listen to their disco days forever. (2.5 stars)
Having only heard falsetto disco era Bee Gees before, I was surprised by the melodic lead vocals on this one. I thought many of the songs were quite beautiful and well written, but I wasn't entirely sure if I felt much real warmth behind the singing. A confusing one for me - I will say 3.5 stars, but I'm rating as a four because I want to come back and relisten to consider more.
Panic at the (lack of) disco. This is not The Bee Gees I want to listen to.
Sleepy & tiresome. The part of the palette of the 1970s that I despise.
So exactly why was this album on the list? I see nothing redeeming about it. If I could give it zero stars I would. Disco era Bee Gees is better than this and that is saying a LOT!
A generally boring album. The harmonizing isn't as good as CSN, and the softer family pop is done way better by groups like The Carpenters. I did like the opening track and also Walking Back to Waterloo, shout out to Napoleon, he was a cool guy.
Boring
I love the Bee Gees. Love their harmonies and unique voices. This is not one of their best albums but I still like many, not all, the songs. Lion in Winter was a pretty horrible song. I still need to give it a 4.
One really good track on this album. The rest is really just filler.
I wasn't familiar with non-disco Bee Gees. Kind of sounds like the Bee Gees trying to sound the Beatles and ELO. Kinda cool!
Irgendwie nicht mein Geschmack
Well it's good to know the Bee Gees sucked even before they were doing disco.
The Bee Gees! Finally, The Bee Gees! I credit my parents playing their BeeGees records when I was young for shaping my inclination for vibrant, melodic dance music today. So it was a breakneck shock to hear these guys before the soaring strings and harmonized disco choruses. Like, this is genuinely just an early 70’s record full of rock/pop/singer-songwriter ballads. All that being said, it doesn’t take long to hear the blueprints for their transitional success, as “Israel” has some of those string sections towards its second half while Barry Gibb goes on a little crooning tangent with his signature wobbly vibrato thingy he does so well. A few tracks later, “It’s Just the Way” sounds a bit too much like an easy -listening Beatles song. Similar guitar tone and you can practically hear Paul and John harmonizing together here. It’s also at this point that the BeeGees would like to get it through your head that this album is all about wishing and yearning. Some of its hopeful, most of it is hopeless; “Remembering” makes me sure that one of these guys just got a divorce or is character acting as a divorced man. A high point in the record for me is the beat switch on “Somebody Stop the Music” to something more fun and swanky, even if it still has Beatles fingerprints all over it, which STILL continues onto the title track. I’m left wishing for a bit more variety, like the grand sense of a silver lining on “Dont Wanna Live Inside Myself” which should have been the closing song. Good I’m moments, does a lot of the same sulking for the majority of the time.
Proto-glam love ballads. Some of which have a widescreen glamour but generally lacking in energy. The single Trafalgar is moribund with the boys struggling to get the chorus out despite clear intent for it to be a belter. Some of the songs (Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself, How Can you Mend a Broken Heart) display the occasional flashes of a rythym section and what lies in the future in terms of hit singles, but these are just flashes of brilliance trying to keep its head above an ocean of boring. This feels like what mum and dad would have been listening to in 1971 while the kids were losing their minds to LA Woman and Sticky Fingers.
Don't ever question my punk credentials I totally still think disco sucks, but The Gibb brothers wrote all of their own music over a career spanning decades with several major changes to the bands style and still coming out on top. Gotta give the credit where its due, these dudes can play and write, they really were the real deal and they were brothers which is cool.
Yes, used a private session on Spotify for this. Would it be crappy disco Bee Gees or even worse folksy Bee Gees? Somewhere in the middle, it turns out, Bee Gees trying to be the Beatles. I didn't hate this album like I did the last Bee Gees album, but never again will I listen to it.
Was looking forward to a disco album. But this must be there earlier stuff before they turned disco. I know Bee Gees but not this soft rock Bee Gees.
Alot less funky then I expected. This kind of older soft rock/pop does nothing for me personally. If that's your thing, give this album a listen, but I won't come back to it.
I was pleasantly surprised by this! What amazing harmonies and chord sequences. Very rich and warm music. There was only one song I didn't really like. The rest was excellent!
That was great, surprisingly good. It had chutzpah. Like I said before with the Bee Gees, they became a bit of a disco band but really that wasn't what they were all about and this album shows that.
This is another one of these cases, of course I’ve heard of The Bee Gees and I know their hit songs, but I never listened to a full album, and actually don’t think I ever heard any song in hear. So I gave it a listen without prejudice and… It’s crap. This is simply awful. The most sappy, corny music and lyrics. Why would anybody want to hear this? It’s so overly sentimental to the point of parody. I mean yeah they have great vocal harmonies but this is pure dreadful kitsch. One star.
1971 must have been a bad year for music....globally....for this to be considered for the list. It's bloody awful !
Yeah, this was another ok album. Nothing too special here. Probably a 6
Kind of boring to me. I thought The Bee Gees were supposed to be better. 2/5
Thoughts before listening: I mainly know the Bee Gees from their disco era and especially from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Those songs are classics even if the sound doesn't necessarily resonate with me. My understanding is that the early Bee Gees were more of a pop rock band, but I have never actually listened before. They do seem to get more respect than I would assume based on the disco era so I am interested to see what this sounds like. Review: This is some pretty sappy soft rock. Its definitely well performed with strong vocals, but I am just not into this sound. The Bee Gees disco era is certainly a more interesting time in their career. 2-stars
1/21/25. Cool hearing more of the Bee Gees outside of their famous disco songs. Some nice ballads in this one, more laid back pop. Decent!
Very much of it's time- before they hit the big time but it's pretty wishy-washy to be honest. Not BAD bad but if they hadn't gone onto bigger things this wouldn't be here. A shame Saturday Night Fever isn't allowed.
It's fine. Kinda boring. Some moments that are nice to listen to (end of The Greatest Man in the World for example), but on the whole it isn't grabbing me. Remembering and Dearest arr absolutely rubbish. Robin Gibb I'm so sorry but you shouldn't be singing WHO LET THEM RELEASE LION IN WINTER THIS WAY
Mid album
2.25
Det är för mycket cheesy ballader! Det finns fantastiskt bra och starka ballader men dessa är för "uppenbara" och för "rättframma". Sen kanske jag kommer få mycket hate för detta (inte nödvändigtvis i vårt gäng men i världen i stort) men jag tycker Barry Gibb är en överskattad sångare, särskilt hans tenor-bröströst som blir för nasal och för mycket vibrato för mig. Det finns fina låtar på skivan men inget fantastiskt och det är alltför jämntjockt. "Somebody stop the music" är nog skivans höjdpunkt med sina mer poppiga och Bowie-eska kvaliteter. Tycker också att detta är långt ifrån Bee Gee's bästa album. Den livar upp sig lite under andra halvan men nej det var inget kul eller spännande med detta. 1/5
En obruten svit av fantastiska ballader. Tycker väldigt mycket om det här albumet men jag är lite förvånad att den är med på listan. Vet inte riktigt om den är speciellt unik rent musik-historiskt eller så. Men ska ett Bee Gees album med på listan (och det bör det) så kan det lika gärna vara denna.
Kul album. Inte lyssnat så mycket på Bee Gees utöver de kändaste låtarna. Förvånad över hur mycket de låter som Beatles på det här albumet
Cute poppy tunes
Surprised by this to be honest. Some nice tracks
So durchgehört und nichts bemerkenswertes festgestellt :-/ War schon voller Vorfreude diese große Band zu hören, aber das Album war wirklich Mittelmaß. 3 Sterne
ersten Lieder noch ok. dann aber zu weinerlich das ganze.
Hab Disco erwartet, hab lahmes Gedudel bekommen.
Pretty sure under other circumstances i would have appreciated this one a bit more, but...
point8.
This was a surprise for me, considering my past exposure to The Bee Gees was always the disco era Bee Gees. It really wasn’t bad, I think I enjoyed at least half of it. It’s a very full sound, accompanied by an orchestra that helps produce a very large and dramatic atmosphere. There are some songs that I’d skip over during future listens, and some where the vocals were too much. But, overall, pleasantly surprised.
3, уважих, ама не мога да дослушам
I did not like this one Will I listen to again: 0%
Post Beatles pre disco Bee Gees is not what I wanna hear. It’s not bad, just so unremarkable.
Partly torturous Israeeeel israeeeeel
Way better than I thought it was going to be. I was pretty impressed.
Before the Bee Gees went falsetto and ruled the disco, they sang three part harmonic ballads that were turbo shite. 1/5 and I’m taking a point off for them singing songs that celebrate a genocide state (Israel) 0/5 and deservedly so.
Love the harmonies here, and the unexpectedly dark subject matter is really interesting. The production is really gorgeous as well.
At least it’s not disco
Robin Gibb sounds just like Barney from the Simpson's when he sings!
And the winner of the "biggest disparity between my preconceived notions of a band and what their album is actually like" award goes to Bee Gees! Yeah this is not what I thought this album would be. Like many, my only exposure to Bee Gees until now was through the absolute classic that is "Stayin' Alive." So, needless to say, I was not expecting a slow, sappy album that is very much-so not disco. But is Trafalgar any good? I guess. It's nothing crazy, but it's alright. It's certainly not the best album I've gotten in this first week of 2025, but it's not the worst either. The sound is alright. It works for the vibe that the album is going for. The singing is decent. The writing works. It's good. The album does feel a bit long even though it's only 47 minutes, but it's not too long. This album really doesn't make me feel any super strong emotions. It's alright. Not bad, but not great either. 3/5.
Terrible. Trying to sound like the Beatles
Not really my thing. Amazing to think of the longevity and twists and turns in their career though.
Good lord, the Bee Gees are awful.
Stick to disco!
It’s mellow and kind of sad. The harmonies are smooth, but there’s a heaviness underneath. Feels like something Paul McCartney might have done on a slower day. It’s nice, just a little downbeat. Simple and quiet.
Classic? Sadly, no. Some pieces are OK. Some didn't stand the test of time. Two stars.
I really expected this to be "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" and a bunch of crap, but I ended up liking this way more than I expected. To be fair, my expectations weren't that high - I never got into them as a kid - but it was great to hear that they had a whole sound beyond just the "Stayin' Alive"/disco years. Highlights for me: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Israel, Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself, Walking Back to Waterloo Tracks I probably could've lived without because they're just a bit too schmaltzy and over-the-top: Remembering, When Do I, Dearest
five. five. five.
Pre-listening thoughts: I <3 Bee Gees and I am also simultaneously confused at this album pick. Why not Spirits Having Flown, Main Course (my fav), or even the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack? I love their early stuff, don’t get me wrong, but I feel like both of their picks being their pre-disco/pre-RnB stuff is bizarre. It should be one early and one after they blew up to show their evolution but whatever. Also everyone go watch their documentary it’s really good!! Post/during listening thoughts: this is weirdly Beatles-esque at points? But this is very downtempo/midtempo. It is quite perfect for my mood tonight. I hate New Years. But Bee Gees make it a little better. 8.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: I wanted to Fav tracks: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, The Greatest Man in the World, It’s Just the Way, Somebody Stop the Music, Trafalgar, Dont Wanna Live Inside Myself, Walking Back to Waterloo (but I liked the whole album tbh) Least fav tracks: I just wish there was like a little more upbeat-ness to some of this. It drags in its middle a little and that is why it is not a 5 star album from me
Pushing through the urge to picture Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake all through this album. Israel sound so much like Elton John to me. When Do I would be a hilarious karaoke song, at least in the car. Lion in Winter is a jam. Overall, fine. If I’m listening to Bee Gees, it better be To Love Somebody.
3.5
Some of these songs are cool… and some are just objectively awful. Oof.
Why I hate Australia vol. 37
So. Many. Ballads.
Woohoo! Another Beatles reskin!
decent for what it is but thats not very
Oldie but good
That was the BeeGees???
This was a lot more mediocre than I expected. Nothing really grabbed my attention and I'm not too sure what they were going for. This feels more like "the studio says we have to make an album" vs it being an artistic passion.
I'm not sure this album can live up to the battle depicted on it's cover. The production is nice and warm, with some good stereo mixing. It's Just the Way had some standout bits. Somebody Stop the Music was alright. Lion in Winter feels like it's so close to being a really cool song. Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself hooked me more on second listen. Really good track. This is a pretty solid album, considering I only knew them from Saturday Night Fever type stuff.
It's amazing it's their 9th album and equally amazing that they made it to disco and some actual songs with this bland overblown easy listening bag of bones.
Inesperada poronga de los Bee gees
Ya this was boring.
Needless to say, this was quite a bit different from what I was expecting out of a Bee Gees album. Unfortunately, what I expected and what I got still yielded the same level of interest: fleeting
Random name for an album - but a great cover. Surprisingly enjoyed the album - given I disliked the first few songs as found them very saccharine and ridiculous when Barry (?) talks. But it picked up - got a bit Beatles derivative in part and a bit over the top - but liked Trafalgar and Lion in Winter in particular.
not a lot that interests me here.
While I truly appreciate their vocal harmonies of The Bee Gees - this was sooo mellow to the point of being forgettable. A bit too sappy. The best was yet to come for them.
Not my tempo.
I thought this was a pleasant listen, very heavy on the melancholy. Cool cover art too. Stand out track would be Greatest Man in the World. I feel like someone in the group went through a bad breakup before making this lol.
Less of the 70s high voices but some massively over ambitious songs that come across a bit glib. Well produced though.
anyone that hates disco should be made to listen to this pile of shit
I was expecting disco music. This was Beatlish. Not bad.
Don’t think so
If I had to describe this album with one word, it would be “boring.” Couldn’t wait for it to end. Two stars rather than one because it was palatable enough that I got to the end.
Even though I've been aware for years that the Bee Gees weren't always a white disco band, it's still kind of a surprise to hear what they sounded like four years before "Jive Talkin'". 'Cuz that's just who they are in popular culture, y'know? High voices going "AH-HA-HA-HAH" over a four-to-the-floor beat. So to fall back in time and hear an album's worth of Beatles-y soft rock in decidedly normal voices... Most people, I don't think, would've ever guessed this was the same band who'd later light the world on fire with "Stayin' Alive". And, hey, wouldn't you know — I actually really like this. What can I say? I'm a sucker for soft rock cheese every now and then, and this is, mm, such good cheese. I mean, you hear these orchestrations? Goodness me. Like, I say this is Beatles-y, but really, this specifically sounds to me way more like a softer, subdued Electric Light Orchestra. That's a kind of comparison that's a big plus in my book, given how much I loved OUT OF THE BLUE when my group got it. I guess the worst thing I can say is that the Gibbs' normal voices are maybe a little wonky, but it was never a bigger problem to me than just going "Huh." Honestly, there's not even much more I wanna say about this album. I just think it's good stuff, y'know? I really enjoyed it. Not enough, I don't think, that I'm chomping to give it a 5, but I wouldn't go less than a 4. Like, I can tell why this sound isn't as iconic as their disco stuff, but, aw, heck. I'm happy to hear it. (Boy, and if you wanna talk about the Bee Gees and The Beatles... The SGT. PEPPER'S movie is a trip and a half; I'll say that much. Goodness.)
Not really digging this one, honestly. Might just be because I'm more familiar with their disco era, but it's just kind of boring. 3 stars.
I’m at a 3. I’m really not quite sure what to make of this album. This is my first time hearing anything by the Bee Gees that isn’t How Deep is Your Love or Stayin’ Alive, so my brain was certainly more predisposed to expect a poppier, brighter record – not necessarily even disco, but just more… fun, you know? I don’t know if my struggles with this album are a result of misplaced expectations, or if it’s truly on the band for stretching out into a genre that they just don’t feel comfortable in. This really is a technically sound record – I think the lyrics & the instrumentation are pretty good here, and when their vocals click, the tracks do work really well, defying expectations in a positive way. However, I can’t help but think that the general tone of the album, in terms of the front to back experience, is just too somber for a band like the Bee Gees, at least in terms of how I perceive them. There’s so many tracks that are just sad orchestrally-driven breakup songs, and that lack of variance becomes more apparent the longer the album goes. Even past that, there’s just a lot of love songs in general, and it really wore me down to not get anything poppier or brighter or more energetic for the vast majority of the album – even Led Zeppelin knew to put Black Dog before Stairway to Heaven, you know what I mean? I guess this album just suffers from impostor syndrome to me – it’s not that the Bee Gees can’t pull off this style of rock, because they technically did. They just didn’t do it in a way that feels like their own style, and while I don’t really have a better sense of what “the Bee Gees” musically are, past my limited exposure… I dunno, it just feels like they’re trying to take the best of other people’s styles while trying to pass it off as their own. It’s kind of like stolen identity, and when I was listening to most of these tracks, I just couldn’t shake the feeling of “this song would be hitting much better with me if it were someone else performing it”. It’s really in the vocals, and I don’t want to disparage the Gibbs like that, but… man, it just didn’t sound right for most of the album. It’s really apparent on “Dearest” – you get Michael Jackson or some other highly accomplished vocalist who can hit those notes, you’ve got a hit. When it’s Robin Gibb doing it, sounding like a mix between Billy Crystal & John Mulaney, it just feels off, and it’s a feeling this album never really shakes off of itself. I want to like this more than I do, and I want to give this more than a 3, but I just can’t justify it. It’s an album with well written and well composed songs that just seem sung by the wrong band for the job – it’s like when other artists do the vocals on a demo as a placeholder. It suffers from a lack of variance that really affects the album experience, even if there’s not a bad track here. It’s not a bad set of songs though, and I’m sure someone will enjoy this more than I did. I dunno, there’s just too many things that add up to make this really click for me, and that’s why I’m stuck at a 3.
Good coherent music. Like the Bee Gee's. This will get 3 stars from me.
Wow did not like this at all
I honestly thought I like the bee gees. Initially I thought it was going to be an easy 4, it went downhill quickly from when I pressed play.
The two Bee Gees albums I've been served so far have confused me. This is the band of 'Stayin' Alive' and 'Night Fever' fame? Apparently they started off doing this soft-rock countryish thing and while I enjoyed Odessa, I'm not so convinced by this. There are some nice moments but I cannot be doing with the vibrato vocals.
Firstly, it’s deeply fucking weird to write a love song about any country, let alone the genocidal ethno-state that is Israel. That is enough to earn 1 star all by itself, but every single song without exception is a slow dreary ballad with inane lyrics like “Where there’s sand, where there’s beautiful sand yeah”. Somebody Stop The Music - please.
This was a weird one for me. I really enjoyed the first two thirds of this. It was solidly on its way to a 4 star. I was getting some late Beatles from them. I was enjoying the vibe. But the last few songs lost it for me. Suddenly went into musical theatre style ballads, that didn’t really work for me. Simpsons: Yes
Not necessarily bad, but incredibly boring and was relieved it finished.
Not what I expected from the Bee Gees. Nothing of any note on here.
A love song about Isreal hasn't aged well, although I don't know the politics and history enough to tell you whether this was a bad take in 1973. Bee Gees are a weird one where I respect them as musicians but can't stand their music mostly. Although this was all a little dull.
Not bad, not great.
Odesa was bad enough, but I was generous there with a 2. I can’t keep curving these guys’ work. This early Bee Gees stuff is just awful.
Fucking hell, this was awful.
This album is so bad it sounds like a skit of a band trying to sing fancy. It's boring, shrill and slow. I give very few 1 stars but this deserves it.
Light fun
7/10 Beautiful vocals but lacking in diversity Favourite Song=Walking Back To Waterloo Least Favourite Song=When Do I
Who hurt you Barry Gibbs. I googled it and I still don’t know. Pretty mild album with a few surprising songs. I’ve saved Remembering, When Do I, and Lion In Winter for future listening. I did seriously google each member and their potential divorces trying to figure out who made The Bee Gees so sad but in the process I found out they didn’t really get their iconic sound until about 6 years after this album so it’s not surprising to me that my favorite songs on this album are when they up the energy and lean into it more. A bit melancholy but perfect for staring at an old painting of a boat.
I don’t think this album is as bad as some we heard this week… but this also isn’t the typical Bee Gees sound that most would expect. I’m all for bands experimenting and changing as their career goes on, but I fail to see how this album, by such an influential disco/pop band makes a list of “must listens”. While ‘How Can You Mend a Broken Heart’ peaked at #1 in the US as a single, the album was a moderate hit peaking at #34. The single and the album as a whole failed to chart in Britain. Confused by this choice and how it makes the list as a whole. I even went to the Wikipedia article scouring for some info to help it make sense. I’m not a major Bee Gees fan my any means, but I have to imagine there is a more influential album of theirs more deserving of a listen.
So this is obviously in their earlier stage of their career before they became synonymous with disco and high falsettos. It unfortunately falls a little flat and kinda boring but I have always freakin loved how do you mend a broken heart. That harmony section near the end of the song (dahhh dah dahdah dah dah dayah dahhhh…) I could listen to on repeat. So good. It is also cool though to see some of the beginnings (even though this is like their ninth album apparently??) of their sound that they will become famous for later on like in the song Israel. Barry does this little vocal riff but in a normal octave that sounds like his falsetto stuff later on. Also, would really encourage yall to watch the documentary about them on hbo. I thought it was really cool
Cool but not groundbreaking. Definitely not the best Bee Gees album, curious what caused it to make the list. Pleasant to listen to but not likely coming back.
First time I can remember taking a deep dive into a Bee Gees album. A pleasant album to listen to with a lot of great harmonies but I guess they don’t start hitting the high notes regularly until later in their discography? I’m teetering between a two and a three, and what’s gonna push me to a two is that one song towards the end of the album where it sounds like a muppet is singing. I know I like The Bee Gees, but maybe not this version of their sound.
If I'm listening to the Bee Gees I want to be listen to Disco! I recognized "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" and I think it's a solid song. The rest of the album was pretty boring though, and not in the let's put it on as background music kinda boring either. Overall it's not bad, but I was a little let down by it.
3.5
I really love the arrangements on this album. But quite honestly not their strongest batch of songs. "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "Isreal" and "Don't Want to Live Inside Myself" are the stand out tracks. The final two cuts "Lion in Winter" and "Walking Back to. Waterloo" I loved the progression of the song much more than I did the songs themselves. But then there's songs like "Dearest" (definate slog) and quite frankly most of the first side that are kinda slogs. They have much better albums than this... Especially in their 60s run, and *Main Course* of course. (7.33) ★★★½
Like this a lot more than I thought I would. It sounds a bit like Beach Boys in the same era, but more ballady and grand. 4 stars
I don't really care for "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart", and some of the other songs featuring prominent Robin Gibb vocals (he kind of sounds like Kermit the Frog to me), but the rest is all pretty good. "Israel", "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself" and "It's Just The Way" are all highlights. 3.5 Stars
3.5
Nevermind Trafalgar. This felt more like The Hundred Years War. It is such a tremendous slog with one murderously dull and wretched folksy symphonic cornball ballad after another and not one disco hit in sight. The music is already pretty lame anyway but the Gibbs bros manage to serve up a truly bizarre and horrendous set of vocals with Robin especially pushing the boat out here. Robin has some really stiff and weird delivery going on with When Do I and with the chintzy oompah eurovisiony arrangement it does give me serious Edvard Khil trololo vibes except it’s not fun or uplifting in anyway and on the histrionic Lion In Winter he sounds like Roger Daltrey with a buzzard in his throat whilst running around after catching fire. 1.5 stars.
From the first song, I couldn’t wait for this to be over. Boring as shit.
This was not the album I was expecting to hear from the Bee Gees, but that's not a bad thing and speaks to their range as musicians. This felt more like a Simon and Garfunkel or Beatles album than what I generally associate with the Bee Gees. Slower and more focused on the lyrics, this album was easy to listen to and showed me a side of the band I need to further explore. I can see why these songs are less known but this album deserves recognition for what it is.
Ik vind de up-tempo liedjes van de Bee Gees erg leuk. Helaas is dit album erg rustig en een beetje saai. Next.
Was expecting this to be much more squeaky - thought it sounded more like a Beatles album and I kinda liked it
I'm not certain I get the appeal. I know the Bee Gees for danceable rhythms and meaty hooks, and that just seemed absent here.
Fucking awful.
The high pitched gimmick is a bit corny but without it like this it’s a bit bland.
Another pre-disco Bee Gees album? These guys have their moments, but this ain’t notable. The writer of this list obviously has a bias towards certain artists of the British vernacular.
From before their disco days (and after their weird psychedelic sixties days). It's all ballads; quite sombre. I am not quite sure if it is grown up/sophisticated (and *good*) easy listening or saturday night light entertainment/common denominator (and *bad*) easy listening. I keep going back and forth. It has some nice moments - occasionally it sounds quite Beatle-y - but you can also imagine most of these songs being covered by Westlife or Boyzone and they're bringing out the stools when they perform it on Wogan. No squeaky voices, that's certainly a plus. Three feels generous but two is too mean.
Dad-soft-rock core. Nice melodies but a very boring album to listen completely.
I mean - they know how to write songs and there’s always a place for a twee ballad. But I can’t hear the Bee Gees without thinking of Kenny Everett’s skit and they just became figures of fun. And twee is not my bag.
I like the Bee Gees and their musical compositions. I knew the first song but was less familiar with the others. I don't enjoy Robin's vocals and he should stick to harmony.
I love the Bee Gees, but this album was abysmal. Except for ‘How Can You Mend a Broken Heart’
There were moments of brilliance on this album, and the opening track is a classic. That said, this was too warbly and unfocused to rise to greatness and didn't match Odessa in its scope. There are two Bee Gees albums on this list, and how one of them is not a later offering from their pinnacle heyday is a mystery. There are at least two or three in their catalog that deserve a listen ahead of this one.
I guess I just don't have the gene required to enjoy early Bee Gees. Their harmonies are great, of course. And I didn't know that the opening track wasn't originally an Al Green song (though Al Green's version is better). But this album was dull.
I'm not exactly having fun with this. It's kind of boring rip. 2
A decent album with some good ballads. But nothing stands out as great.
Free Palestine
Pre-Classic Bee Gees, not too shabby. I hadn't heard any of these songs before and they sounded like a rough version of themselves before they became the refined hit makers. Still pretty good though.
I was expecting their high pitched vocals from Saturday Night Fever, but I was pleasantly surprised with softer rock instead. The first few songs were powerful, but the album weakened as it progressed.
This was pretty good. A bit too somber to be yacht rock. Better than the hits they are known for, in my opinion.
Can't say I like anything about this
It is US presidential Election Day 2024, Harris/Walz vs Trump/Vance, and I’m listening to Trafalgar by The Bee Gees.
I don’t know if I hate how lame this is, or if I love how lame it is.
Não consegui ouvir até o final zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Étant plus habitué aux Bee Gees de la fin des 70s, voire même du début des 80s, ce fut une mignonne découverte. L'avant chef-d'œuvre! Le travail de l'ombre du groupe pour atteindre ce qu'ils sont devenus en suite. Pas mal. Un peu sale le mix mais c'est 71. J'aime bien la présence assez remarquable de guitares saturées.
I liked this album but it was not what I had expected at all. I was expecting Disco and instead it was like if the late, more mature, post-drugs Beatles wrote instrumentals for a David Bowie inspired singer to sing over. I kinda Disliked the 2nd half (From "When Do I" onward) but I loved the 1st half Liked Songs: Israel, The Greatest Man In The World, It's Just The Way, Trafalgar
liked songs: most of them I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I've never listened to any Bee Gees songs that weren't disco, but this was actually a great album. 4
Not how I thought this would sound.
Having heard only Stayin Alive, I never realized how good the Bee Gees actually are
Pleasantly surprised by this! Lovely songs, very well produced. Definitely has me interested to hear more Bee Gees
Not really a fan of this era of the Bee Gees.
-wow well this was.. VERY much not what I expected to be listening to when I saw I got an album from The Bee Gees. The voice was unrecognizable from the one in the orgasmic disco hits I’d been so used to hearing -it was lowkey boring in several parts but never horrible -Favorites are The Greatest Man In The World and Trafalgar
Despite its cheesy glory, I didn't hate it. Talkin it up!
Niet mijn ding, en ik miste de disco.
Didn’t realize how long they had been around.
I will confess there was a split second when I thought this was a Muppets album,and once that thought is in your head it is hard to get rid of.
Great record. The opener How Can You Mend a Brokenheart is one of the greatest songs of all time. Second track Israel is probably the worst track on the album, followed by Greatest Man, which is okay. Next song is where the record picks up, Just the Way, which sounds like a john lennon beatles song from 67. The other highlights include Don't Wanna live inside Myself, Trafalgar, lion in Winter and the fantastic closer Walking Back To Waterloo, which I think is one of their best songs I find it hard picking a rating for this when we are rating out of 5. I'm not sure it's a 5 star but four doesn't seem enough as it's better than the majority of 4s. I also think the BeeGees deserve to have a 5 on the list, but the two choices are slightly left field. I prefer Main Course and feel like the late 70s albums are much more important
Absolutely boring.
It was alright typical of the time, at times very samey
Not incredibly ear catching, but a nice peaceful listen! 3/5
I just do not care for folk rock Bee Gees.
This gets better as it goes along, but was still average at best.
mostly slow and sad
Highlight: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart. In a nutshell: Somebody stop the music! The opening track is proof that the Bee Gees *did* write some decent songs before their disco era (another one is Spicks and Specks, not on this album). But there are not many here or on Odessa. The Bee Gees are more of a Best of band. Just play How Can You Mend A Broken Heart and move on. Overall: 1/10
Is this better than Odessa? Probably. It's tighter and there's some mediocre Beatles rip-offs? Sure. But the maudlin songs are so bad. And it just feels like a contract fulfilling album. Don't understand how this gets on this list
It doesn’t bother me, but this has no real reason to be here.
It's far from their later disco era songs, but also different from their earliest albums. Their voices are very nice, and it's a good soft rock album, though at times a bit bland.
Defininitely not the best of the Bee Gees. 2 stars or D+.
stupid essay grr I am losing my mind. Anyways I love this it's so lovely and kitty is just chillin with me on the sofa and thats so lovely. Also trafalgar is a weird word and I don't like how it sounds sung.
7/10 - It was kind of boring but I enjoyed most of the experience. I thought there was some interesting instrumentation and singing.
Not at all what I was expecting from a Bee Gees album but it was fine I guess
"Trafalgar" is the ninth (seventh internationally) album by musical group the Bee Gees. It is an album composed of all ballads. Robert Stigwood and the Bee Gees produced the album. For this album, the Bee Gees consisted of brothers Barry Gibb (vocals, rhythm guitar), Robin Gibb (vocals) and Maurice Gibb (vocals, bass, rhythm guitar, piano, mellotron and organ) and drummer Geoff Bridgford. The album hit #34 in the US but did not chart in the UK. The lead single "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" kicks off the album. A soft start with a piano and acoustic guitar. Barry and Robin are the co-lead singers. Needless to say, great layered vocals and harmonies. String/orchestral arrangements in the background. Great song...one of my favorite Bee Gees. "Israel" features piano, bass and drums. More string/orchestral background arrangements. Barry on emotional lead vocals in an ode to Israel. The second side opens with the self-titled "Trafalgar." Hey, no orchestra. Piano, electric and acoustic guitars, bass and drums in a more rockin' ballad. Co-lead vocals. Needs someone to know him and to get to Trafalgar. A hidden gem. They get back to the strings in the second single "Don't Want to Live Inside Myself." Barry Gibb in another perfectly executed emotional lead vocalist role as he's got to find out who he is. Stating the obviously, this album has outstanding lead, backing and harmony vocals especially Barry. The album is very well-produced and, actually, I felt the string/orchestral arrangents were a little overdone. I liked it when they rocked out a bit without the strings; the songs had a Beatle-esque pop feel. But, overall these songs are well written, composed and executed. I think these guys may have a future.
Slightly better than Odessa. I didn't hate Odessa. This album is not very different. Tearjerkers. Both of them on the list is too generous. I prefer their disco phase. What struck me is, it's the Brothers Gibb (BG, Beegee), but it sounds like the same singer all the time. Favorite song: Lion in winter.
Good opening, the instrumentation acompany really well the lyrics. Love the sound, it makes it up for the pretty simple lyricism. Track connection ups the overall narrative.
Really enjoyed this.
Sounds like Bee Gees if they were bored and depressed.
Hmm. Pre-disco Bee Gees. Sure, the Bee Gees are proven songwriters. I don't know a single one of these songs. Some of them sound like the Beach Boys, some of them sound like the Moody Blues, some of them sound like Kermit is singing (When Do I).
Haven't listened to much pre-disco Bee Gees before. I don't think I was missing out on much, I've already forgotten nearly everything about this album.
Not as good as expected
So many great songs in the Bee Gees catalgoue, not many of them on this record. This *can't* be the most essential BG record surely.
Nobody really needs to hear this
hm, I've heard the first song on this album, we'll see if I recognize any others. ugh, not my style man. 2 stars
I was expecting to love this but I just didn't. 2.5
way better than i was expecting, so good
Trash, my life is diminished having listened to this hot garbage.
Yikes, that second track sure does hit different in 2024. Someone should try standing outside Roger Waters’ home, holding a boombox playing that song: apparently, he loves it. “Israel” is a microcosm of the album as a whole: grandiose and very pretty, but over-sentimentalised to the point of making us queasy. Unlike “Odessa”, which I thought showed off a fair amount of range and musical diversity, “Trafalgar” shows the Bee Gees hollowing out a niche in balladry, and sticking to it. These songs are mostly very maudlin and weedy, like the lead single “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart”, “The Greatest Man In The World” or the interminable “Remembering”. It is, however, saved by a smattering of strong moments and grows stronger as it settles in (I love the band’s iconic harmonies shining through in the chorus of the title track, the symphonic-leaning “Don’t Wanna Live Inside Myself”, even Maurice’s contribution with the climactic ending of “It’s Just the Way”). “Somebody Stop the Music” is possibly my ultimate highlight, with a sincere, heartfelt centre, practically aching orchestration and a disarming T-Rex style interlude. And then there’s the big outlier in “Lion in Winter”, which is built around a thunderous drum figure. No trademark silky-smooth Bee Gees falsetto here: Barry’s vocals are cracked and broken. Otherwise, though, “Trafalgar” is so singular in mood and tone that it feels hard to believe the Bee Gees could turn their hand to anything else. It’s genuinely impressive that nearly six years on from this, the brothers Gibb would cement their legacy with the “Saturday Night Fever” disco extravaganza. They’ll always be remembered more for that, and rightly so: still, “Trafalgar” is worth a listen for those lonely, lovelorn days of longing.
Very nothingy, to be honest.
These are not the BeeGees I am looking for
Before this I had no idea that The Bee Gees had a pre-disco career. Now I understand why that fact evaded me.
Trafalgar I went on a bit of a deep dive through the Bee Gees back catalogue before their disco pop machine pomp as I’ve always been partial to stuff like New York Mining Disaster and Massachusetts. This album and Odessa stood out particularly. For such a brilliant songwriter as Barry and for how good Maurice can be, it's always seemed slightly strange that, aside from the SNF soundtrack, they don’t really have a defining album. When you listen to their albums there are some great tracks (and some not so great tracks) and a lot of dead ends, and you get a sense that they often didn’t quite know what they were as a band and as artists. Despite them, and Barry in particular, being up there with some of the best songwriters and song craftsmen (craftsthem?) of all time it feels like they never quite found their place, and that they perhaps didn’t have the personality/character/vision of some of their peers to make fully realised albums However, and despite the similarity in the balladness and tempo of the songs on here, and while they aren’t as immediate as some of their pop classics, this for me is probably their most coherent album, the sense of vaguely melodramatic overthetopness, combined with their songwriting craft and skill makes its a bit of a broodingly atmospheric overlooked gem, with some nice oddness and interest to it. There is also some great bass on this, a bit like Serge Gainsbourg in its tone and place in the mix but it really adds a great colour to it. I’m not always keen on Robin’s voice and he does sound a bit silly at the start of Remembering and When I Do, but I really love Barry’s voice, and he’s really great on Israel. Their harmonies though, as they always are, are superb throughout, so well considered and constructed with that great fraternal tone. Standouts are How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? with that super little piano counterpoint, the fantastic Israel, The Greatest Man in the World, Somebody Stop the Music, Trafalgar, the brilliantly and slightly odd Lion in Winter and Walking Back to Waterloo. It’s Just the Way and Remembering and fine but not as good as the others and When Do I and Dearest don’t work so well for me. Slightly tempted to go 5, but in reality this is a solid 4 - some great tracks, great harmonies, surprisingly good bass and an overall slightly strange and spooky atmosphere. ⚓️⚓️⚓️⚓️ Playlist submission: Lion in Winter
Orchestral rock, but no where near ELO. Some songs here are insufferable while others work well.
I only know the Saturday Night Fever era of The Bee Gees, so imagine my surprise hearing this album and loving every second of it! Did not expect this sound but it was a great album!
Big fan over here, no one out there hits those harmonies like the Team Gibb
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart 3 Israel 3 The Greatest Man in the World 2.8 It's Just the Way 3.2 Remembering 2.9 Somebody Stop the Music 3 Trafalgar 2.9 Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself 3.1 When Do I 2.8 Dearest 2.5 Lion in Winter 2.4 Walking to Waterloo 3.3 Score: 2.908333333
Not a bad album. Never heard anything from these guys before disco.
bissl zu schnulzig für mein geschmack
Oh no. Such a wussified, limp, no balls, lame suckfest this was. Why is this album here? Some of it actual sounds like parody. Give me disco falsetto Bee Gees any day over this garbage. Best song (and only tolerable one): How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
#342. What the fuck even is this? I was expecting disco, but what I got was like Laurel Canyon's worst secular gospel band. This shit is not for me. 2/5: yikes Song added to playlist: Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
It had one interesting track toward the end, Lion in Winter, I kept. Otherwise, its early BeeGees leading up to better stuff in the subsequent albums.