Reviews (page 7 of 8)
I love old school Brit pop, but this was pretty dull
Ok I see why I’ve heard The Bee Gees thrown around as a staple band, they kind of reminded me of the Beetles, good thematic songs. 3.5
As I said in the other Bee Gees album, they were so much better in the disco era. This has good harmonies but oh boy does it suck in the latter half. Just insipid melodies and production. Really sucks.
Nem percebi que eram eles que estavam tocando. Assim me pareceu apenas um pop genérico.
I’m surprised I actually thought I would like this more than I did.
i thought i would enjoy this. could i write poetry to this? n
No, thank you.
I don't have much to say because I literally remember nothing about it except how bland and boring it was
Not bad background music, but nothing stands out. Completely forgettable, but pretty.
3.5
Ugh this was a slog to get through. Wanted to turn off more then once, this was really pushing me towards giving a 1 which I haven't done in awhile. Not a single song that was memorable or anything like a banger. Not list worthy. And was the song "Trafalgar" even about the namesake battle? I listened to it and still don't know
massan naama kun odottaa oveproduced aivoja turruttavaa sanantoisto poppi paskaa mutta sen sijaan saa tunnollista...soulful.. yskomaton tunne musiikkia... ('0'). ei kelpaa kansalle. noh kelpaaa minulle. hyvää menoa usrael...us real.
What was the goal for this album? Was it taking a bunch of sweeping emotional ballads and singing them in the most dispassionate and robotic tone possible? The cognitive dissonance I felt listening to "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" being sung by a presumed cyborg was staggering. And the ships on the cover, what's that all about? Nobody knew what the fuck they were doing on this one, they had no idea who they were and what kind of audience would appreciate them. We, the people, want our shiny pants, cocaine and dancing!!! Disco is the Bee Gees lane, and I'm glad they eventually found their lane.
This is a bit shit
This album starts of with vocals so sour I thought it was a joke. These are not the smooth harmonies for which I rely on the Bee Gees. This is fine but How Can You Mend a Broken Heart is as close as this comes to the excellent quality cheese I expect from the brothers Gee.
At its best this is pleasant. There are Beatles and James Taylor influences, for sure, but also strains of someone like...who? Peter Skellern? Because when this dips, it goes into some soupy, maudlin territory. It's barely a shade or two from the easy listening mush of Englebert Humperdinck. Still, 'Lion in Winter' is faintly demented and 'It's Just the Way' contains gentle echoes of 'Hey Joe' and Status Quo's psychedelic blooter 'Pictures of Matchstick Men'. Overall - it's okay. Born to be mild.
We're still four years away from the Bee Gees going disco, so you get some pretty pathetic soft rock for now. Feels like it only hits a stride by side B with the title track followed by a genuinely great Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself. It loses steam shortly after those two songs. God, it's boring as sin. It's slow and whiny and it drags on and on. If this were a single live performance where they had my undivided attention, I would be asleep by the end of it.
Not my cup of tea.
Not the Bee Gees of the Disco, Saturday Night Fever, days. This album lacked energy and was much more of a downer than I wanted.
I wish I have this album more attention. I listened to it while doing homework so it didn’t get much focus. But I liked it I think.
if the beatles made good music
SO schmaltzy but SO good, music to listen with your SO to,so warm and loving, i should hate it but i dont
Not their best, and that Israel song was very cringe.
These were the guys who did Stayin' Alive!? First of all - the album artwork fucking RIPS. Second, how is that shitty single the song that outperformed a deep, varied back-catalogue like this? It's actually such a shame that I'm sure most people out there have the same perspective I had just an hour ago - before I listened to this record. Thinking the Bee-Gees are this weird disco band that had a couple big dance hits and not much else. I had to look up to find this, but Stayin' Alive isn't even an album song, it was just for Saturday Night Fever's soundtrack. That was the most successful thing they ever did. Imagine in another world Elton John's biggest song wasn't any of the songs you know, and instead was some song called Fast Guy from Smokey and the Bandit soundtrack. You'd miss out on so many good "deep cuts"! I digress, this isn't as good as Elton John per se. But. I thought it was a fun, completely different listen than the few high-pitched Bee-Gees singles prepared me for.
If I could give zero…
The music was nice but I do not like the sound of their voices.
Early Bee Gees really hits different. I didn't expect every song on the album to be a ballad, but because of this listen I learned that they were the original English harmonic family. All three of them are brothers! An interesting development that they moved from this to the disco era with such force, but this was there gateway to that level
Their version of 'How can you mend a broken heart' is so bad it's comical in comparison to Al Green's. But they did write it, so some credit is definitely due - just don't ever make me listen to it again, please. I think it is generally the case that other artists versions of their songs are preferable. I also noticed that the melody to the verses of 'Don't want to live inside' is very clearly identical to Neil Young's 'Helpless'. I was losing concentration, then a song cane on that made me listen again: but it was an Eagles song recommended by Spotify - the album had finished. This is happening quite often - clearly Spotify curates much better than this list!
A classical and magical album from the 3 rock and pop tenors. Given them 3+ really.
An album of passable balladry, that would be three stars, except it has the execrable "I Love the Smell of Burning Palestinian Children" or "Israel" for short on there which marks it down.
i suspect this is probably a lot of peoples' first exposure to pre-disco bee gees, which might be a big shock. I actually adore a lot of early bee gees stuff, but i've never really dug into this particular era of their evolution, which is a lot more soft than their early psych-ish stuff (bee gees' 1st, idea, etc). based on already liking their early output, and it being a rainy day, i think this album hit me particularly nicely today. not mind blowing by any stretch, but nice enough.
Very forgettable album. One and done.
very meh
This was just it. I didn’t know The Bee Gees were cool like dat.
Not my kinda vibe, vibrato on the vocals annoyed me :/
1. houu can you mend a broken heart - 1.5 2. izrael - 1 3. greatezt man in the uuorld - 1.5 4. itz juzt the uuay - 1 5. remembering - 1 6. zomebody ztop the muzic - 1 7. trafalgar - 1 8. dont uuant to live inzide myzelf - 1.5 9. uuhen do i - 1 10. dearezt - 1 11. lion in uuinter - 1 12. uualking back to uuaterloo - 1
The Al Green version of How Can You Mend a Broken Heart is the only version I ever knew, but here it is as the first track on this Bee Gees album. Looks like the Bee Gees released it first. I have loved the Al Green version pretty much all my life. It’s just a really good song. The rest of this album is just ok for me. It’s the vocals that ruin it for me. They’re kinda whiny. So for me, the album is just ok.
“Then there was a pushback, TOO MUCH BEE GEES THEY SAID!”
Bee Gees “How to mend a broken heart” is great. Robin Gibbs voice is so weird but I dig it. He does sound like n actual muppet some sometimes. A couple times made me think of Van Morrison. “Don’t wanna live inside myself” is cool. Maybe the weirdest record we’ve heard without being experimental. Not quite sure how I feel about it.
I was super high when I listened to this and for a moment I thought I liked it. But there’s too many weird songs with the weird singer lol.
One point for how do you mend a broken heart only because Al Green’s version. Sometimes it seemed like a muppet was singing. I’d be interested in hearing other people singing these songs. Maybe it would be better? Probably not.
They are not just a disco band!
I learned that The Bee Gees have a hell of a lot of albums and they weren't always disco. Learning those facts was far more interesting than anything on the album. I hated this very much.
Similar to Odessa, some really strong tracks with passion with a few listless ones in between. More good than bad though, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Trafalgar, Don’t Wanna Live Inside Myself and Lion in Winter are the standouts for me. 3 stars
I mean it's some heartfelt shit but, like, not likely to revisit.
4.0
Pleasant soft rock. Gotta say though, I prefer their disco stuff. Has a bit more punch
Vissa lyrics är stendumma men det är helt charmigt
i listened to half of it but it was mighty enough
Was dreading this, but it was so much better than I thought it would be. Psychedelia tinged. Falsetto kepy well under control.
Ei ollutkaan discoa. Hyvää jopa. Aika akustista ja kevyttä rockia. Tykkäsin, ei ehkä ihan yllä 4 tähteä, mutta 3,5 ainakin
The more I learn about the Bee Gees and listen to music over the long arc of their recording career, the more impressed I am. It's not even that I love all the music; it's more about how they've kept going, reinventing themselves, and somehow made it last over several decades. I looked it up and saw that they've recorded and released over 20 studio albums. Wow. This album is one I had not heard before, and I don't think I'd heard any of the songs before. It's okay. Didn't do a whole lot for me, but I can imagine how it fit in with what was going on in the early 70s. And they are superb writers as well as very skilled performers.
Solid songs, easy listen. Nothing really makes it stand out for me though. Bee Gees were very good for a long time before the disco era when they were most famous.
I just don't get some of these albums....
One of the most dull albums I've ever listened to. The vocals are awful. Repetitive and boring. Their disco phase was much improved. Fav tracks: N/A
Excellent
How Can You Mend A Broken Heart ♥️
Sappy post-Beatles / pre-Elton ballads. Don't hear anything new here - really not sure why this is on this list.
Ballads ahoy! These are belted out by the Bee Gees, with varying degrees of success. The timpani drums on Israel are bonkers. Any Trafalgar concept passed right over me. I preferred the album artwork to the actual songs. Music for a rainy work morning.
Not my favorite, too blah and saddish but I love Bee Gees with more pep that might be sacrilegious to say But the radio that came up on Spotify after this album was perfect Sunday night drying my hair music, lots of Carole King, Bee Gees, etc. good vibes
Yeah this sucked
Liked the Bee Gees before the disco days. Easy and very nostalgic for me. Not compelling to take the trip back in time but it did kind of feel like a warm blanket of familiar sounds.
did they all wake up one day and realize that they had more interesting vocals than this
Very interesting! Not the style I’m used to. I’d like to revisit this one.
nasally male voice, definitely a change of pace from the 2016 Bowie album that came just before this. slow and soft rock. listened to side 1 (tracks 1-6) first night. 1.6/5 so far. Barely a 2, not worth a second listen in my opinion.
Loved it!
A classic
Quite forgettable but not terrible.
Cheesy, over-wrought, soft pop-rock in the vein of the Beatles at their least edgy. Even the Gibb's disco crap was better than this. The worst aspect of the whole thing is that you can detect, at times, real song-writing ability, but it's never developed. "Somebody Stop the Music" indeed.
One gets the feeling that the Bros G would have done anything to be stars (and likely did). But really the disco records are the legacy and should be here instead of either (or both) of this one and the spectacularly ill-conceived and overwrought Odessa. One gets the editors trying to open people's eyes to what came before they became the biggest group in the world. And the voices are heavenly, but the ambition is way too much and the end result no better than slightly-above average, amounting to oversweet, sentimental and way too showy – and thus unserious – '60s pop. The vibe is near-Countrypolitan here, faux-Liberace there. The strings and vibrato deliver such an impressive amount of sheer mawkisnhess that it's a wonder the studio didn't collapse. Air Supply feels pretty punk in comparison. And re the warbling on "Lion In Winter" – just WTF? Were they trying to be Dylan or Captain Beefheart or something? Not at all a good look for these cats.
That was a turgid little journey. Every song the same.
when i first saw the artist i expected some repetitive stereotypical overplayed 70s disco, unaware of the bee gees origins. Honestly with a little tweaking in production quality and bit more creative song structures they could've been a much more than just a band with those like three disco hits. 3 stars
I love the Bee Gees, but this got a bit repetitive. A little one-dimensional, not a lot of dynamics.
Not my music. Some tracks were good but the album in total is not that interesting
Boring and annoying voice
A fate worse than death. A reality-bending fuckfest that claims to be 47 minutes long while actually lasting over 7 millennia. Musical equivalent of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
1.5/5
I had previously only known the Bee Gees for their disco, this album was different than I'd expected, but nicely melodic.
Not the Bee Gees album I’d pick.
it’s a very sad album
When I see "Bee Gees" I don't want to hear such wailing. Please stop. It's boring.
Pish. 0 🌟
Kann ich wegen unfassbarer Belanglosigkeit nicht durchhören.
Standouts: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Others: Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself, The Greatest Man in the World, Israel 3/5
The last Bee Gees album we had on 1001 (Odessa) is one I am not likely to forget since it was mind boggling how such a bad album could make it to 1001. Trafalgar is also very hard to listen to. It is an example of the terrible music that was AM radio. The strange thing about these two Bee Gees albums is that I like the genres; I just hate the albums.
I hadn't fully recovered from the bloated "Odessa" album we got last year, so this one was a pleasant surprise. It starts with, what I think is the Bee Gees greatest pop song "How Can You Mend..." and "Israel" feels a bit soulful and early Elton John-ish, very passable. "Don't Want to Live inside myself" is also a great pop song. Hopefully it was a hit somewhere - I'm not sure if it made it to Sudbury. There are no doubt a few stinkers, "Remembering" being one, but in general, the album is okay, with many songs sounding like they could have been castaway ballads from a mid-70s Wings album.
No doubt the Bros can sing, but this is just too much sappy saccharine for me and I’m getting a toothache.
Bland and uninspiring, not sure how it made it to the list. 1/5 Won't listen again
Fun and at times even beautiful, but ultimately forgettable. Nothing here stays with you except for maybe an overall feeling of the album because all the songs blended together. None of them bad, per se, just that nothing jumps out. 3/5
Jooh huhhu mitä paskaa ei paljoo motivoi suuta soittamanaan..
Lovely little soft rock/pop album. I got this on the day Mr Gibb died so a little more sentimentality there from a fellow Aussie.
Vraiment pas aimé tant que ça. Bin softyyy pis on dirait qu'ils se lamentent non stop. Not for me.
emellanåt lite gött men oftast rätt så långsamt och lite för tråkigt
Boring!
This really is just a weaker version of the Moody Blues. Some songs stick out and are above mediocrity, like the title track.
Expecting a classic. Not at all
Interesting to hear some non disco work and it was fine (2.5/5). Super interesting that the other face of disco (ABBA) also has a Waterloo song hmmmmm
These songs have the power to either pierce your soul or trigger your gag reflex depending on your disposition and mood. I was getting both from song to song. Didn't hear any of the "hits" that I personally associate with the Bee Gees. This was a roller coaster than trended toward lows for me.
I like pre-disco Bee Gees, but why this particular album is on the list is kind of puzzling to me - especially when "Odessa" is already on here. I must admit, their voices often stray into the "is this a joke?" territory, and it's hard to take it seriously.
Parts are damn close to Bowie in a few songs which is cool. Overall a bit lacking in what I am looking for but Bee Gees are definitely more than "Staying Alive".
the bee gees are overhated and have some great tunes so I wanted to like this but oh my GOD it was SO DRAB, it was worse than watching paint dry it was like watching old wall paper peel. A couple tunes at the start were pretty good but the intstrumentation is just rubbish, the strings make the music feel like it's been dropped in a muddy puddle. The song about Israel was an interesting one too lmao
Still in their lame, pre-disco era. But at least it's more interesting than "Odessa".
Bit boring to be honest, first one was good rest was droney.
3/5 The Bee Gees have such an odd sound. Sometimes they sound hip and funky, and other times, so old fashioned and plain. I can't keep up and I don't really want to. I think I'll just always enjoy the songs I know and leave the rest.
I'm not a Bee Gees fan and that's okay. I did prefer this to their previous entry to this list, but I was still definitely waiting for the album to end. Inoffensive but not my thing.
Found a new song I really like, but this was pretty lackluster if I'm honest
Kinda sad and sappy, but not bad
This is atrocious, whiney nonsense. Wrist-slitting music. Probably one of the least enjoyable experiences of this list. Some of the reviews have said that the latter tracks are better. They are not. It's just that so much of your brain has shut down by that point, you don't really notice it as much.
Completely Radio Four. Outdated
Another pre-disco Bee Gees album full of candy cane sweet songs that bore the hell out of me. Maybe a bit less annoying than Odessa.
Bee Gees take there stab at a concept album and its a bit of a mixed bag. Individually, the songs are predominately strong, if at times, a bit formulaic. However, when sewn together, the album can feel uninteresting at times. They use the same "tricks" of the ballad starting off soft and then swelling up and then breaking back. When they break those up with a strong bassline or adding complex acoustic strumming patterns, the music strikes a nice balance. Their biggest offense is when they use nursery rhyme melodies instead of a well written one. However, the Bee Gees are strongest when they sing of regret, triple the vocal takes and harmonize their voices in front of strings and a piano like on "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself". Worthy of a listen for those that can stand soft rock of the yacht kind.
‘Trafalgar’ is an album by the Bee Gees with its cover a painting depicting the famous naval battle of Trafalgar in 1805. It goes about as well as the French and Spanish naval fleets went against the British that day.
Niet wat een mens nodig heeft, wanneer deze al laag in de energie zit. Zeldzaam traag en melancholisch, niet op een goede manier.
Some of the singing was fairly suspect. Not really my cup of tea overall. One in my listening group noted “ this is music for people who wear underwear in the shower”
Very different Gees. I even went gee this is different.
I like the Bee Gees a lot, but there's only so much warbling over a treble-heavy strings ensemble I can take. First song is amazing though.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: No, it’s not for me, I will just stick with their night fever era Favourite song: Track 7 - Trafalgar
This wasn't as bad as I expected, tempered expectations because I have a habit of reading other reviews before listening. I kind of expected something unlistenable, noisy or vulgar, but no, it was pleasant. Yet, it also wasn't particularly remarkable, either. Perfectly average in every little way, with but a few gems sprinkled throughout. If this album were any longer, I'd be harsher in my review, but it was just long enough not to overstay its welcome.
Pre disco bee gees is not a vibe. Like one reviewer stated - 1 star albums st least give you a strong negative feeling... this one I felt nothing for.
For as grand as the instrumentation is a times, so many of the songs end up being totally forgettable. Not at all what I expected from the Bee Gees, but I've never heard their earlier stuff before this. 4/10
It's just the bee gees, nothing too crazy to see here
Not a favourite.
SHACK is a bee gee
BANE
Good lord that was awful! Glad they found their sound with the more disco vibe, but that was hard to listen to.
I didn't realize it but somehow these guys suck across multiple genres
Obligé d'écouter sérieusement leur discographie maintenant
je suis peut etre contrariee
Its so fucking bad, the only list this should be on would be the "worst albums ever recorded by a band who later made better work". 1/5
I will try to listen to this record all the way through. I will try to listen to this record all the way through. I will try to listen to this record all the way through. Please, I'd take the Disco BEE GEES over this. Truly one of the worst albums I've had to endure through this project. Zero stars.
Skuffande
Album 74 of 1001 Bee Gees - Trafalgar Rating : 3 / 5 Favorite Track : How Can You Mend A Broken Heart Pre-falsetto Bee Gees. I like some of their stuff before this and some that came after. This a good listen, but I've heard better from them. The first track is starts it off well, but, while they don't totally disappoint, the rest are just kind of meh.
5/10. I didn't even know the Bee Gees made boring soft rock, but I guess they just shat out albums until something stuck
In the book, this album is sandwiched onto the same page as The Yes Album, Who’s Next, and Tapestry. What’s Going On takes up the previous two pages. Somehow this juxtaposition didn’t help the editors put together the idea that maybe The Bee Gees are more well known and influential for Saturday Night Fever than this nonsense. You can’t even argue that that’s not included due to its status as a soundtrack, as Shaft, Superfly, and even That’s the Way of the World stand as counterpoints. 4/10
Boy, this was a conflicting experience. That first song had me pretty hyped for the rest of the album. But, after that, none of songs truly grabbed me. Most of the songs would have one or two parts I liked, but then parts I didn't care about. Every now and then I would get a little bit of a Beatles vibe. The voices were goofy sometimes, but that wasn't really a deal breaker for me. I liked the vocals a good chunk of the time. I'm kinda disappointed by this album, but it could have been worse. I guess I'll see what I think of Odessa when I get it. My favourite song was How Can You Mend A Broken Heart.
This album baffles me. This Eagles-sounding record is on the list. I legitimately fell asleep to this record, honestly. If it’s one thing I can say about the record, is that it is very vibey and easy to listen to. Other than that. This album sucks. The instrumentals are fine but uninteresting, the songwriting is bland as hell, the production feels so grandiose all the time and it gets very stale, and the lyrics are super generic and the album just feels like boring ballad after boring ballad with overproduced, grandiose production. I’d rather listen to the Eagles honestly, at least there is like one track I’d like to listen to. This album is a nice vibe but has no staying power. 3/10
Woah best one this site recommended yet, that Waterloo song had been on repeat.
9/10 sure the Bee Gees are a fairly derivative band, just copying the sounds of The Beatles and Elton John, but it still sounds really good they’re talented musicians, just not very original, I guess
In which the author(s) don't allow Saturday Night Fever because of it's flexible rule against soundtracks so they pull a Bee Gee's album that has one recognizable song. 3/5.
Love it. Really want to hear more. So different than the disco era group. 3/5
10/10 Sleep aid
Soft Bee Gees are soft
Sometimes there are albums on this list that I feel like are only here because they "subvert expectations". When I saw The Bee Gees come up I thought "oh fun some disco to start my work week", and then this album was nice but it didn't sound like disco at all. Cool, I guess, but is it revolutionary? Does it deserve to be in these ranks?
Pre disco beegees big snooze
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Walking Back To Waterloo (12) 2 - Trafalgar (7) 3 - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart (1)
Decent 7
This is easy listening at its peak isn’t it
Surprisingly fantastic. Very 70s
Made as The Bee Gees were phasing out baroque pop in favor of the funk and disco sound that would define them for much of the 70s (and arguably beyond), Trafalgar is a perfectly acceptable group of songs. The brothers Gibb shine on harmonies as only they can, but How Can You Mend a Broken Heart proves to be the only real masterpiece of the bunch.
Thought I liked the Bee Gees, but this album did a great job at changing that. Honestly, what the fuck? First time on the generator an album actually lessened my opinion of an artist. Somebody stop the music indeed. ⏹️
I was definitely not stoked to listen to the BeeGees. Never been a fan. After listening to the album, I’m still not stoked to listen ever again. 😆 Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song: didn’t pay enough attention Worst Song:
Beautiful record with lush string arrangements and stacked harmonies. Reminds me of Elton John and ELO wrapped into one. Too many mellow songs for me though.
I'll give these guys credit for being good song writers and arrangers, but (in my opinion) they should have left the performing to someone else. It's just poor execution of some good ideas.
Ain't no Stayin' Alive
Music to lie naked on a waterbed with a rose between your teeth to, with your hairy little prawn flopping around, praying your girl doesn't hit traffic coming home from work because then you might have to break the pose to flip the record over. Dripping with Napoleonic references and driving home on a sunny day with a band famous for energy made me pretty excited for this. What in the ever schmaltzing fuck was that. Last song is kinda ok but that's it.
Notable for opening with one of the most pernicious earworms in music history. No business being on the list.
I do not like the Bee Gees.
What a let down. I think albums like this are more of a surprise to see on the list than some of the 1 star trash. At least you have a reaction to those. This is just... Nothing
This is an interesting album. It started off really strong, with the song "Israel" probably being my favorite. Then, I feel like it never really gets back to that high, though I think there are some good songs throughout. I had always heard the Bee Gees were more than just their disco hits, so it was cool hearing this earlier music. It makes me want to dig deeper into their early catalog. Standout Tracks: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Israel, Somebody Stop the Music, Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself
Hilariously, piss-takingly over the top. I don't know whether I can laugh or not. A decent record.
The first half of this album was so bad, I said aloud "Get the fuck out of here" as I skipped the tracks. When I got to Someone Stop the Music, I found a glimmer of hope. The next couple tracks were also just fine. I realized it was because they were doing their best impression of other artists, Elton John, Bowie, Simon and Garfunkel, etc... The last few tracks went back to being below average.
Even the Bee Gees sound bored with this album.
It was a lot.
Honestly bland. The harmonies were nice, but their individual singing here just did not hit me right. Outside of a small selection of songs, I won't be revisiting this. I think I don't get the hype of pre-disco bee gees.
I like this a lot actually, playing with the baroque pop elements strongly.
Me gustaron los sonidos de las canciones aunque algunas fueran un poco melancólicas.
Disco genuinamente sesentero, con voces melódicas y melosas. Ritmos tranquilos y generando influencias para grupos futuros
This album is not my kind of content. I like love songs, but this is not it. Presumably it's not the disco-era Bee Gess yet.
It's a travesty that this exercise is flaccid balladry is included on the list but the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack is ineligible since it's not wholly original.
I enjoyed this one!
Wow this was really good! Some of it was kind of corny and I definitely didn't expect it to be so fucking sad?? But good album. 3/5 for me
Not a prior listener to the Bee Gees, but nothing stuck out for me here.
I really liked the first song then was a bit disappointed that the rest of the album didn't hold the same quality. Wasn't the worst listen. Somebody Stop The Music was also pretty good but the album as a whole was middling.
Pretty boring album, not what i expected from the Bee Gees.
It was fine. 3.5 stars
Mietinkin joskus, ettem tiedä, millaista Bee Gees on. Imelää.
Huomaan välillä hitusen lämpeäväni jollekin melodialle, vähän niin kuin monilla käy Totojen ym. kanssa. Levyn toteutus on kuitenkin vain niin (en keksi muutakaan sanaa) ällöttävä, että tiedostamattoman resistanssin asettama muuri sitä vastaan on ylitsepääsemätön.
Not my chop of tea.
I was pretty stoked about this album as I think of myself as a pretty big Bee Gees fan, but I must say, this album was bleak and hard to chew through. I was hoping for the disco tracks we used to roller skate to, but instead, this was something else completely. Some good harmonies, but nothing like their disco!
So much promise... so much disappointment. GDMF, when will this band deliver? Will it ever deliver?
The Battle of Trafalgar was a British naval victory against Napoleon's France and their Spanish allies. Trafalgar Square in London is named after that seafaring triumph. I guess maybe Maurice Gibb lived near Trafalgar Square, though I couldn't find any explanation of the meaning behind the song "Trafalgar." The Battle of Trafalgar is pretty interesting. The album "Trafalgar" is not interesting. So instead, let's review the Battle of Trafalgar. Napoleon wanted to invade Britain. So he teamed up with Spain and sent their armadas after the English Channel. Invading Russia may have been the mistake that doomed Napoleon, but attempts to invade Britain did not work out so well either. On paper, the French had the superior force. But it was the bold tactic of British commander Horatio Nelson to charge right in and split the Spanish and French fleets. Even though French admiral Villeneuve had worried they might attempt this tactic, he still didn't plan for it. I'll give that decision ⭐️. Nelson was shot by a French sharpshooter during the ensuing battle, so I'll give him only ⭐️⭐️ due to the dying. But posthumously he gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and an eternal role as a British icon and namesake. The British victory gave them the crown of best navy in the world, and helped set the course for British imperial dominance of the 19th century. I've never been much into naval history, but reading the synopsis of the Battle of Trafalgar and falling down the Wikipedia naval rabbit hole was pretty exciting. Navies and sea battles are a bit slow, but maybe the summaries are quicker and more interesting than the Master & Commander approach. Oh, and the album! "Odessa" introduced me to pre-disco Bee Gees, and I was unimpressed. "Trafalgar" is the only other Bee Gees entry on the list, and it is also pre-disco. I remain deeply unimpressed and bored. I should have just stopped at "Somebody Stop the Music." When the artist implores you to stop listening, maybe you should heed that call. Instead I made it far enough to discover that of all the Bee Gees voices that I dislike, I dislike Robin's voice the most. It makes me want to stop the music. But I made it all the way to Waterloo. Was this just a concept album about Napoleon's biggest humiliations?
Not the fun upbeat disco Bee Gees you were expecting.
Who thought it was a good idea to make an entire album of ballads? Please fire that person.
Did they just stick a pin in a map and write songs?? It was a lil flat. Bring on disco Bee Gees.
Ei täl oikeen lähde. BeeGees on tosi poikaa discovaiheessaan, ei tässä! 2/5
Oli tässä joitain hyviä hetkiä, mutta en kyllä tajua, mitä tekee listalla.
Bändillä on toki legendaarinen asema, mut en kyl yhtään ymmärrä miks tää levy on tällä listalla. Eikö tämmösiä pehmeitä hempeilyrocklevyjä oo 13 tusinassa? 2/5.
Meh
I had a feeling that I didn’t like the Bee Gees. Now it is confirmed. I am sure they have some other albums that I might enjoy listening to. Most of the songs on this album are so fucking dull. Jimmy Fallon didn’t do me any favors by doing his Barry Gibb impression so damn well, which makes me laugh every time Barry sings. Favorite Track - Lion in Winter 2 out of 5 stars
I listened to this 1 day ago but literally cannot remember a single note that I heard
i liked it. idk what else to say
It wasn't a great album. It is certainly better than a one but I wouldn't say it is a two. I will round down.
OK, schmaltzy Bee Gees, long before they went insanely successful with disco and *Saturday Night Fever*. I gotta admit that parts of this record, along with other moments from *Odessa*, were a little less annoying than what I expected them to be. Look further into those two LPs and you may even find a couple of tracks that are actually quite good. The thing is, those good tracks can't save you from the utter debacle that many other songs on those albums are. To go to specifics as related to *Trafalgar*, I'm not sure what the lyrical point of *Israël* is, but that tune sure has a nice melody in it. Likewise, *I Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself* reminds me a little of what Grandaddy's Jason Little can pull off when he wants to write a heartfelt ballad for the ages about lonely, melancholic souls. Which is quite encouraging. Oh by the way, let me just digress for a second here, and use this occasion to remind everybody how unfair it is that no Grandaddy album made it to this list. You'd just need to replace the pre-disco Bee Gees with their albums, and *voilà*: the list would instantly "feel" a little better than what it currently is. And the thing is, folks, Grandaddy also knew how to *rock* once in a while, which is another reason to include them. Conversely, The Bee Gees clearly didn't, especially in *Trafalgar*. That 1971 album even has less variety than *Odessa*. Literally *all* the songs are sentimental ballads, and you quickly risk going through a sugar overdose--and mess with your levels of insulin--as you inflict such grotesque and laughable displaying of sentimentality to yourself for so long. And then, one shouldn't forget all the syrupy string arrangements suggesting the PA system of a lunatic asylum. Not to mention the ridiculously performative vocals going to all the wrong over-the-top places in most of these tunes. Evidently, those lame vocal parts are the crux of the issue here. Each and every one of the three Gibb brothers are culprits, of course, but none is as guilty as f*cking Robin, especially noticeable on side two. Yes, that's it, that's where the real crime is. Literally every time Robin Gibb opens his mouth, overindulging in that constant annoying vibrato routine, it feels like nails on a chalkboard. Except that those nails belong to Vishnu. Or to an octopus. Or even to a centipede, given the end result. To be perfectly honest, I just want to strangle someone when I hear that voice. Or, if I can be civil and contain my murderous impulses, I want to plead the man responsible for it to just leave me the f*ck alone. Please. Oh, please. Robin, I'll do whatever you want me to. Just... Don't sing, OK? Please. So thanks, 1001 albums. Now, by the grace of your application, I know exactly why I *can't* include any Bee Gees albums in my list (*Saturday Night Fever* being officially a "various artists" soundtrack). And it's because of Robin Gibb. Well, for the most part, at least. I didn't know I needed that sort of information before I die. Well, to be perfectly honest, I'm still not sure today that I *did* need such info before. But here we go, I guess. To conclude, I also noted that only five reviewers in this group gave a 5/5 grade to *Trafalgar*. I'm not the sort of reviewer to say "The People have spoken". The majority is *not* always right. But let me make an exception here. Because my mind still needs some sense of justice and closure after the Robin Gibb abuse it's been exposed to, and this in spite of a few reedeeming moments found elsewhere in this album (helping *Trafalgar* reach a miraculous 2/5 grade). So... Well... The People have spoken. Right? Number of albums left to review: 632 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 182 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 85 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 108 (including this one)
Objectively bad singing
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Nice soft rock/pop album, but I was not a fan of Robin's voice on the songs he sang alone
I started off disliking this album and it got slightly better as the album went on. While not a BAD album, I don't see any reason this should make the list. It's just soft rock from the Bee Gees and I found nothing on here that justified the inclusion.
A quick fun breezy album by a great band. Hadn’t heard any of these before but enjoyed it overall including the title and cover.
Okay this is getting ridiculous. A SECOND Bee Gees album pre-dating their disco stuff that actually put them on the map? Like this first, this one isn't bad at all, but it's not that interesting. If you're going to even include the Bee Gees on a list like this, you HAVE to include their hits, the style they were best known for dominating. This is just generic rock opera type stuff, it's no surprise they needed a big pivot to catch the eyes and ears of audiences worldwide. Yet another day where this list puzzles me. Favorite tracks: The Greatest Man in the World, Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself, Walking Back to Waterloo. Album art: A busy harbor. Right as I'm typing this, I hear a brother Gibb sing "a thousand ships, a windy sail" on "Walking Back to Waterloo." I guess that helps? It's a cool cover, and the little scroll of text at the top is nice, but nothing too crazy or memorable. 3/5
Oh god, that warbling voice! Soft ballads - who listens to this and is under 80 years old? It sounds like I'm stuck in a church service and they have got a house band. And not the James Brown sort, the blue rinse hair and pearls sort. This was a painful listening experience. Bring on the disco Bee Gees cos this is so middle of the road. Lion in Winter just about broke me.
it wasn't great but it wasn't bad. pretty much, certainly nothing noteworthy. 3.
The most boring album I ever had the displeasure to muddle through.
I wanted to hate it because Bee Gees but this was actually not too painful to listen to.
I didn't know that the Bee Gees havde made such depressing song. They aren't bad. It's good songs on this album, but not amazing. A bit too depressing for me. Overall ok album. I don't mind listening to it, but I won't put it on myself. The rating is between 2.5-3
Soft rock. Muy blandito. Aburrido.
This album is nothing like the Bee Gees most of us are familiar with; sadly, there is no disco in sight. Nevertheless, it is a solid album of soft rock ballads, all of which are quite pleasing to the ear though not my genre of choice. Best tracks: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart, Israel, Trafalgar, Don’t Want To Live Inside Myself, Remembering Worst tracks: When Do I, Lion in Winter, The Greatest Man in the World
Trafalgar is the ninth album by the English pop rock band the Bee Gees. Interestingly, this album was more of a hit in the US than Britain - peaking at #34 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and the lead single "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?" was the #1 single in the US. This soft rock album was pretty good, but nothing special in my opinion. However, I'm not usually a fan of soft rock so my opinion may not sway others'. If you have the chance to listen to this album, then give it a try and rate it for yourself.
Geen groot fan van deze 'melige' zang.
Nog voor dat ze door hadden dat die high pitch voices een succesvol handelsmerk konden zijn. Dat in ogenschouw nemend is deze plaat echt enorm saai en zingen ze soms ronduit vals.
Astemblief zeg.
Soms lijken ze ineens op Aaron Neville. Vreemd is dat. Wat ook erg is, is het lied 'Is-ree-jel'. En het is soms vals.
This bonkers divorced dad album features the horniest song about Israel I’ve ever heard.
Prior to this listen, I'd only heard Bee Gees' big disco hits, so I was expecting a lot of falsetto, some grooves, and a lot of great harmony. Well...some of that is here. Not sure about the grooves, but it's definitely giving vocals throughout. It's also- surprisingly- giving a lot of deeply sad songs ("When Do I," "Don't Want Live Inside Myself") that are borderline hard to take seriously because of the production. I can't say I love a lot of these tracks - they feel overwrought and theater-y with the cheesy orchestral sounds, even for early 70's...but overall most are just okay. Solid 3.
pretty nice
Doesn’t rise above being another pre-fame curio. Hardly essential, marginally listenable.
Interesting album, not much disco, some big tunes
2.5 rounded down. This was okay-ish, but leans towards being bland soft rock, which... Not my jam. I'll take their disco stuff every time!
Not so bad. Not a 70s contemporary fan
interesting.
Dull, how was this so popular
I did not expect this from the Bee Gees. In sharp contrast to Stayin' Alive and More Than A Woman, it was wistful, melancholy, and pretty, nearly every song hitting that spot and scratching that itch simultaneously. A comforting, familiar pain, you know? I can't come up with anything clever or witty at the moment, I just want to know the next album because untitled2 so shamelessly assumed I would enjoy it. Let's hope they're correct.
Not the Bee Gees that I expected to hear, and I’m thankful for that. You kind of forget that the group had a short ballad era and these songs really are haunting in the best way. I love ballads but I see why other people may hate them. Dearest is kind of a cheesy song but I loved it, I’d add it to a playlist or just listen solo if I’m in a somber mood. If this album wasn’t so rushed being made I think it could be a 5 star album in my eyes, but 4 stars for sure right now.
Yeah I came into this only thinking of staying alive and snf stuff, so this really surprised me. I liked it a lot, so much that I actually liked 3 songs immediately and they're going on the playlist. 3.5-3.75 so it got a 4
I love the Bee Gee’s. I’ve only really listened to their 60’s albums and Saturday Night Fever, so this is new. I think Odessa is their best. Maybe it’ll come later. But, I love the name and album cover, and the opening track is getting me goin. The Al Green cover is superior, but it’s a great one regardless. Barry Gibb is my spirit animal. Want to give it 3.5. I’m glad we got an early Bee Gees album because everyone just views them as the disco group, but they’re much more. They were like a Beatles/Moody Blues mixture before SNF. I relistened to SNF after this and holy moly, I forgot how good it is.
very dramatic and emotional yet so dull
i want to like it more than i actually do
Not to compelling
first impressions : bee gees, stayin' alive; starts off with a CLASSIC banger, looks hopeful; 2nd song is an imaginary place, interesting; 3rd is named after alan rickman, no way; cover art is a cool painting and i'm excited to listen to the title track :] after listening : nice vibe, chilled out and very much granda's car vibes, it felt nostalgic <33 title track did not disappoint, the "forgive" in when i do made me laugh hehe, trafalgar gave beatles vibes favourite song(s) : how can you mend a broken heart, remembering, trafalgar !! BONUS !! : dearest (its very emotional :')) ) rating : i enjoyed this a lot but don't feel like its something i would listen to super often, i'd have to be in the mood for it and as i'm rating off of how much i think i'd listen, i choose 2/5 which is a SIN but PURELY BASED ON HOW OFTEN I WOULD LISTEN !!
Not a fan
The Bergers rival any bands harmonies of their era, they're masterst of sounding like anyone else in each era they performed in. The Beatles, the beachboys etc. This album is full of sappy sad songs. The guys can sing. Innovative they are not. With that i give this a solid 2 stars
bee gees suck
Not as bad as I expected from the Bee Gees.
Pleasant, some nice tracks, a few duds Could have used one or two slightly more upbeat tracks to lift it
Love the Bee Gees but this was clearly a practice album before they cracked it ! Not great 2*
Not sure what I was expecting but I don't think it was this... It was fine but unspectacular.
Yeah, not my favorite. 2 stars
Niet zo zot van dit album
beatles wannabes, plus one good song
I really don’t care for his music.
Sounds like a bunch of drunks in places. Lion in Winter I'm looking at you... Not their finest.
-"Don't Want To Live Inside Myself" and "Walking Back To Waterloo" kind of caught my attention -Otherwise, this was a very boring album of ballads with nice singy harmonies but not enough to make it interesting -The Bee Gees need to go back to Stayin Aliveing
Not my jam, but it was interesting to hear another side of The Bee Gees.
Nice work, boys.
Þetta var bara frekar slöpp plata
A couple of songs I liked. Most were songs that sound like meh BeeGee songs. A couple were horrendous, but that was the way it was with albums.
Most of the songs are about love or more specifically breaking up. I'm such a badass because I can't relate to breaking up with someone 😎 privileges of being lonely big W
Okay
Meh, bland dirge. None of the fun that make disco-era Bee Gees listenable in a somewhat cheesy way, and little of the feeling of ballads such as How Deep is Your Love.
Was a bit surprised to see this one has such a low rating. Sure, it’s not the iconic disco Bee Gees, but I thought it was a decent stab at Beatles-esque, cinematic pop-rock. Admittedly on second listen I realised there were too many ballads and a couple of stinkers… still, it just barely clings onto its third star.
Admiral Nelson will be turning in his grave.
Bit boring
It doesn't help that the lead single has been done much better by Al Green. Odessa was acceptable and has it's strengths, but I'm not seeing this here. Here we have baroque pop with heavy string arrangements and piano, soft and mellow with classically-inspired dramatic parts, thanks to the dynamic range of our Gibb brothers. It has its moments, but it's mostly boring and repetitive with little highlights. "Somebody Stop the Music" is probably the only song that really stands out for it's folk-like middle section and ethereal coda. Favorites: The Greatest Man in the World, It's Just the Way, Somebody Stop the Music, Don't Want to Live Inside Man
These songs were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked
Nice but nothing too crazy. Some songs were a little boring.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
meh.
3.5
приятненько мне понравилось не знаю что еще сказать
J’aime les bee gees mais je ne reconnais aucune chanson sur le disque. J’aiaime lecoute tout de meme. 3.5
It’s not surprising the Bee Gee’s never really found success with their Moody Blues-esque psych-pomp. Trafalgar’s overwrought orchestration and plodding pace makes it a chore to listen to.
An interesting listen in contrast to later Bee Gees. Definitely some hints of Beatles in here.
J'ai bien aimé le début, les chansons m'ont touchée. Mais, vers la fin, la prestation vocale commençait à me lasser, j'avais hâte que ça finisse.
Soft rock de los Bee Gees. Demasiado soft para mi gusto. Ni fu ni fa.
Just the other day I learned that “I started a joke” is a BeeGees song, so o actually was expecting something better from this one, it’s not bad but it’s quite uninspired and long. I was going to give it a 2 but fuck that apartheid state of track 2. Let’s end that joke already.
Good, not something I’d bother with again
Unexpected prog about love.
Meh
No squeaks, no disco, no thrills.
Why is this unneeded amalgam of boring ABBA and simplistic Beatles on the list? The album is ridden with subpar songwriting and clumsy transitions between segments within the tracks. I am inclined to give a 1/5 since this is now the second Bee Gees album where I cannot fathom why it is on the list. And for the love of God, please stop it with the vibrato on. Every. Single. Track.
When Odessa disappointed me earlier on this list I was sure that the pre-disco Bee Gees still had something great to offer. Surely, Odessa was just a failed concept? Now I’m quite adamant that they don’t. There’s absolutely no joy to be heard in neither the songwriting, singing or musicianship. Everything is rather dull and somehow uninspired. It’s not all bad, but I just don’t particularly care for any of it. Starting with “When Do I” and culminating with “Lion In Winter” it’s as if the three brothers embarked on a quest to see who could deliver the most ridiculous vocal performance. I honestly burst out laughing at the vocals on “Lion In Winter”. How is this not a parody or sketch? I was ready to really love the early 70’s Bee Gees. But I simply don’t think they want to be loved.
Es la primera vez que escucho un disco entero de esta primera etapa de los Bee Gees y me gustó, incluso ahora siento que prefiero este estilo al posterior movimiento "disco". Lo mejor está en la primera mitad del disco. Lo único que me molestó es no entender la elección del título y la imagen de tapa, porque es muy fuerte hablar de esa batalla y no encontrar relación en absoluto y ni siquiera información sobre eso.
I love The Bee Gees. Both their older and newer stuff. this album isn't my favorite, but I like a lot.
There really is nothing like the early Bee Gees (except maybe Christopher Guest in “A Mighty Wind”). More vibrato than falsetto. Although when I say early, I had no idea this was their ninth album! And it's kind of a dark one. Interesting and compelling. And so sad sometimes!
I didn't really enjoy this album, and if it wasn't the Bee Gees, it would have ranked lower...just kind of to slow and sad for me today.
Man, I did not expect this to be so BLEAK. The Brothers Gibb are sad. I'm glad that in a few years they will know that you should be dancin'. Yeah. This is soft and gentle if depressing. Seems I like most the tunes written by Maurice, which are the ones that sound most like The Beatles.
I love this album. It is lush, emotional, and the instrumentation is great! More than just “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?”, there are a lot of underrated songs from this album. My favorites: “Israel”, “When Do I”, “Remembering”, “Trafalgar”, “Don’t Want To Live Inside Myself”.
To me, this just sounded like a subpar Beatles/John Lennon knockoff, about 5 years too late. I wasn't a fan.
Better than their disco stuff but still only 2 stars.
Did not age well. Super sappy & slow
not my cup of tea
Massor av fina låtar jag aldrig hört förut. Mycket bra platta.
Ridiculous album...hated it, then kind of liked it...its very silly
I feel I'd have to give it a few more listens to see if I'd grow to like most of the songs more than I did. None of them was bad by any means, but after such a great start at the beginning of the record, I'm afraid the rest of the album didn't quite keep me as engaged. I thoroughly liked the first two tracks – How Can You Mend A Broken Heart and Israel. I also enjoyed Walking Back To Waterloo at the end of the album.
It's not bad, but it's not 'good' either (at least for my tastes). It's a 2.5, but in this case I'm rounding down. Maybe I'd change my mind on a few more listens, but I somehow down this will even get that chance.
Dirge.
Classic
Surprisingly beautiful
zzzzzz
Interesting, but I'm not sure it belongs on this list.
I had no idea that the bee gees made music like this or any music outside of disco. Nevertheless, this album was a bunch of kinda boring love ballads that didn't ever really catch my interest. It may must be my bias against the bee gees and most disco in general but the vocals in this weren't great either.
Hmm I'm a bit disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too much off. It's a pretty sad/melodramatic album. Nothing really upbeat as you'd expect with the Bee Gees. There's probably a reason for that but I'm not familiar with the albums history. I guess it's a typical album you put up on a bad fall day with the rain is pouring against the window outside and the days slowly get shorter.
Meh
I do like the Bee Gees and this album is not bad. So I would give it 3 out of 5, not super but still enjoyable. It is a little to dramatic for me. A few Favourite song: - Israel
Surprisingly good actually, never really listened to the Bee Gee's other than the classics
Like many others (I assume), my only exposure to the Bee Gees is their disco hits. So needless to say, I was a bit taken aback by the sound of this album. And, in many ways it exceeded my expectations by a ton. There are some really stand-out tracks like "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" "Israel" "Trafalgar" and "Walking Back to Waterloo" but on no planet should this album be considered a must listen.
Not my Jam. Very mediocre
Ok for what it is. Bit weird.
I've never listened to the Bee Gees but considering their era, this is impressive. It's probably more on the balladry side of rock which can be a bit much. I had my fun with this and I really wanna return to this.
Beegees are all happy and jovial right? Wrong. This album is REALLY personal and introspective, with songs like "Don't want to live inside myself" and ones about missing an ex-wife. It's almost depressing at points. But wonderfully so. I almost LOVED this album. But - there's a couple of songs where the Gibbs try and hit REALLY difficult notes with their voices - they are competent, but aren't exactly amazing singers, so it fails at this point, songs like 'Dearest' and 'Remembering' I almost had to skip because the singing was too bad. But songs like the lead 'Mend a broken heart', 'Don't want to live inside myself' and 'Walking back to waterloo' are really good. 3/5
This is a lovely album, full of sweeping, string-laden arrangements and heartfelt vocals. The sound is pretty downbeat and slow moving, gloomy even, so it's a bit of a mood. Lyric-wise, I'm less than impressed. Some of these songs feel more like writing exercises than fleshed out ideas. I mean... "there's beautiful sand" in Israel? I hope they got support from the Israeli tourist board for that one. That said, the talent of the Brothers Gibb is unmistakable, even on the more lackluster songs. They have some of the most unique, powerful vocals in pop music and a real natural talent for songcraft. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" is an achingly gorgeous song, one of their best. Fave Songs: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself, Walking Back to Waterloo, Trafalgar, Israel, Somebody Stop the Music