Reviews (page 5 of 9)
kind of like if Dylan was actually good. love love Vincent
A great song followed by a decent but forgettable folk album. Best song: American Pie
This is an interesting album to be here. It’s a consistent album outside of the two rock songs. Unfortunately out side of American Pie and Vincent (being great songs) and the other rock song (being terrible), it’s a pretty mediocre folk rock album. The title track is essential listening though, so I guess it belongs here despite its less than essential listening overall.
All classics.
Fuck Don McLean
Unremarkable for the most part. The exceptions being American Pie: rambling, nonsensical, epic; Vincent: sad, slow, a bit self-conscious; and Everybody Love Me Baby: ridiculous (with Don doing Dylan inflections throughout); really quite bad.
I skipped the first 3 tracks and then played them at the end as someone suggested and it did make it less top heavy and made me listen to the other songs properly. Not a bad effort!
A really enjoyable album. Like most people I've heard American Pie hundreds of times and agree it is a classic. I wasn't sure what to expect from the rest of the album, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Most of the tracks had an 'American Pie' feel to them but they definitely didn't sound repetitive.
American Pie is extraordinary. But please, it’s legendary because it's a fantastic recording of a GREAT SONG, and in spite of, rather than due to, its lyrics - 8.5 minutes of Boomer handwringing over a collective loss of innocence. Good Grief. After that, I just hear a lot of mediocre Northeastern folk splooge serving as a vehicle for over-earnest poems about Don McLean’s favorite historical figures. It’s like he wanted to make children’s music for high school students. “We’ll make it joyful and uplifting and they can learn important lessons from me along the way!” Still, American Pie is extraordinary.
This was a nice mellow album, had some James Taylor vibes that I'm into.
As much as American pie is overplayed, lyrically it is a great song. The rest of the album was kinda meh
Hard to follow that opener but much of the rest also very nice especially the two closers.
Don McLean is ace. American pie is brilliant (though the chorus gets a bit boring). Vincent is a masterpiece. I usually listen to his greatest hits so this feels not as good, which is a harsh comparison. Saw him at Glastonbury once. I was very happy.
I felt like I was listening to two different albums, with the first one being a really fun 7 minute long adventure, and the second one being a 30 minute long stretched out piece of boredom. Every star that I am giving this is because of 'American Pie'.
4-
Apart from the title track and Everybody Loves Me, Baby it's quiet and reflective folk very much in the vein of the slower Simon and Garfunkel tracks. It's a little too slow paced and poetic for me.
A show I recently watched (We are Ladyparts) had a character infatuated with Don McLean. It got me thinking I had never listened to anything other than American Pie. My dad used to regale me in stories about who each character was represented by in that song. I have hated and admired Mr.McLean for never saying, hence keeping th legend alive. This album was exceptional and I sorry I never made it beyond the title track. It feels very singer-song writer, like a perfect summer day. Additional key songs include the ballad Vincent that was both sad and graceful, and the romantic Winterwood. The title track is a must listen for music history lovers, but the entire album holds up.
Random thoughts: * American Pie the song is an all-time great. It is enduring despite its crazy length. * I like the theory that it is about the day Buddy Holly died. I think I’ve heard Don McLean say it is just a song but it is cooler to think it is about the history of rock n roll from 1958 to 1972. * the rest of the album is way more singer song writer than I imagined. It is Jim Croce/James Taylor. It is super chill and I liked it well enough. Vincent was a standout. * this might be the ultimate does a single song make a great album litmus test.
A 1 to 2 star album with a very long 5 star song in it = a generous 2 stars
Based on the title track, I was pretty baffled when this turned out to be so lowkey(?), but definitely a fan!
First time hearing the rest of the album always loved the first song. Very good.
Śniadanko
Old Don had a big slice of American Pie to open the album then the sugar crash set in and 20 minutes of sleepy unremarkable folk music followed.
Real strange one this, really stands or falls on your view of the first track. Because let’s be honest that is the album. It still gets played 50 odd years on because, well it’s a classic, the yearning for a past that never existed that can be everything from a quaint pseudo nostalgia warm feeling, or a quiet dangerous political rallying call. If you take it just as a piece of music then it’s good perhaps great, but don’t sell me the mystic enigma bullshit. The rest is more of the same to lesser degrees, Vincent nice tune, but again not as enlightening as made out, suicide as a statement of artistic grace, doubt that really, was likely a very troubled and tragic man. So as a piece of music yeah it’s a good singer songwriter lp from the early 70’s, but it’s a bit mawkish. 3.5 Stars
Прекрасная меланхолия из 70х, идеально под дождь
I am sure that in my heart of hearts I knew or understood that the song American Pie was in fact written by somebody and that that person‘s name was Don McLean. Although I prefer to believe that the song was created when lightning struck a puddle of toxic waste and what emerged was this travesty to exist in an eternity of replays on clear channel or terrible covers by shitty bar bands. But, after the first track and subsequent 25% of the album was over, I was surprised to learn that Don McLean was a lot more like Jim Croce or John Denver. I really enjoyed the rest of the album and was happy to have the opportunity to listen to it.
liked the song American Pie
One hit song.
A solid album with some great songs like “Vincent” and the title song “American Pie.” I very much enjoyed this album listen and would recommend it to others!
I've never listened to this whole album, and probably really never another song besides the title track. My impression was McLean was a one-hit wonder. Listening to the album kind of confirms that, unfortunately. Basically there is the one song, then a bunch of whiny soft rock schlock. Not my scene. Winterwood is decent, I guess. I'd give this album a 1 out of 5 if it wasn't for the one classic track. 2/5
A beautiful album and comment on the country from beginning to end.
Pretty depressing, pretty dull
American Pie and Vincent ("Starry starry night") are so much played I'm a bit bored with these songs. Very few songs keep getting better the more you hear them, and these aren't amongst them for me. But they are fine songs. The rest of the album I hadn't heard and I quite enjoyed it. Good songwriting, story-telling lyrics (could do without the God and Satan stuff for me, though), musically above your basic "man with a guitar" level and good vocals. Fine bass lines too! It's all very well behaved and it's not a 5 for me. A 3 or a 4 if I'm being very generous, yes. Nothing wrong with this.
I liked the first song
One of the greatest songs ever recorded with some slow boring country. Should have just written some more verses in the title track
This was guaranteed a three by how much American pie slaps but the rest was a bit of a damp squib
Like an off-brand John Denver, except the next best brand.
Beautiful songwriting and vocals. I'm a sucker for this style of folk music. Awesome piano and guitar melodies. The heartfelt ones hit home without being cheesy.
Thoughts before listening: Well this album certainly includes one of the greatest songs of all time in the title track, and the song "Vincent" is pretty good as well. That being said, I have never seen the actual album to get praise like this. Pretty sure this will be my first listen to the whole thing. Review: So yes, "American Pie" the song is an all-time great and I found myself singing along on the listen this morning. Its a song that has been ever present throughout my life and essentially part of my psyche at this point. I have distinct memories of hearing that song for the first time playing in the equipment room of a summer camp I was going to and immediately being intrigued. The rest of the album however is mostly a slog to get through being largely made up of slow piano and acoustic guitar led ballads. Even with the other hit from the album "Vincent", its a nice melody but its just so slow. Maybe my problem there is I first knew of this song from the punk cover by NOFX. This is a 5-star song that is included on a 2-star album.
I'd only heard the title track, but I need to listen to this again for a proper review.
Nothing else here apart from the title track
An average soundtrack to a much superior film. The title track is iconic, but somehow overplayed despite me not heading it for at least 20 years.
Well that was pleasant. I think that’s the word for it. Just nice. Consistently nice.
The title track is pretty long, but it never overstays its welcome. It's a true classic, a lot of fun to listen to, never gets boring. Also, I can't help but listen to Weird Al's The Saga Begins afterward. I've always loved Vincent, great sad song. Empty Chairs and The Grave were in a similar vein, sad but sweet. Winterwood and Sister Fatima were nice. Everybody Loves Me Baby was fun. Without the title track and Vincent, the rest of the songs would probably score a 3, but those two easily push it up to a 4. Best song: American Pie
Not my favorite but not terrible
Summer vibes need a Green Day
The two singles are, of course, extremely tremendous. The title track in particular deserves its place in the pantheon of ubiquitous and revered songs. It should be annoying, but it's good enough not to be. It's also, of course, a karaoke classic of yours truly, and is great fun for the look of horror as the audience realise you're really going for the full nine minute version, not the single cut. Anyway, the rest of this album is quite so-so.
3.5
Very pleasant
All time classics in this, quality varies but is throughout a good album 3.6
I only knew the title track but this was great, some variation towards the end too.
The title song is the album’s highlight, which anybody could’ve guessed. It’s such a jam and tells a great story. It’s a classic for a reason. The rest of the album is OK. It definitely pales in comparison to the title song, but that title song is tough to beat. Still, American Pie is an easy and charming listen. All songs have beautiful lyrics, which I wasn’t expecting from someone like Don McLean. Frequently I was reminded of Simon and Garfunkel, folk-y but less tender.
The title song, a super well known 8 minute epic, sets a high bar as the album opener. The rest of the album lulls into much more traditional folk music of the times and, in my opinion, doesn't hit that high bar again. I feel like the song "Everybody Loves Me, Baby" is kind of a sister song to "American Pie"; it has a similar spirit to "American Pie" and it shows off a bit of dynamic and range from McLean that isn't as noticeable on the rest of the album. Don't get me wrong, the music here is fine, nice even. His voice is well suited to this genre; it has a very warm quality. But there is something about that title track that the rest of the album struggles to live up to.
This was always one of my favorite recordings. My older siblings listened to it when I was younger. It was a start for me listening to all kinds of different music..
4 for AP and V + a smidge for everything else
Dosadno i većinom depresivno, mada manje grozno od očekivanog. Sreća pa nije duže jer bi baš smorilo.
Thought I didn’t like it much but it kept making me smile
I think it's a fair statement to say this album is primarily selected on the strength of it's well known title track and to a lesser extent, Vincent. It's a well recorded album, full of nuance and dynamics, but I think it takes a few listens to fully appreciate the nostalgia element.
American ass. Title songs a tear jerker the rest just jerk off.
Sing-along heaven or sing-along hell? Whatever, the rest of the album struggles in the shadow of that opening behemoth.
This 36 minute album is 28 minutes too long.
Having not listened to this album before, it's an interesting choice to open with American Pie, difficult to judge how the rest of the album would measure up. There are a few highs and lows, but it mostly plateaus. Notably, I did find The Grave hauntingly beautiful.
It was okay. The song “American Pie” is a classic. Then, the next couple of songs were a little bit dull. “Everybody Loves Me, Baby” was pretty funny. “The Grave” was one of the best anti-war songs I have ever heard.
Mad to think of how crazy Don’s life was. Didn’t realise any of that stuff in the 1999 biopic actually happened to him! Every time Houmous & Chutney crossed paths with him we found him very reserved! 3.8
он приятный, надо потом сделать плейлист из классики (флитвуд мак, Крозби и ко, Элтон, он, кого-то ещё забываю) и переслушать
Better than expected. Nice for a Sunday morning
3x 3.1 classic with American Pie but overplayed for me
Great songs and lyrics
👍
An absolute stone cold classic of an opener followed by the numbers 70s soft rock.
This guy has the sweetest clearest voice, kinda reminds me of Father John Misty. His composition is deceptively simple but is still rich enough to move you. I love the Rhodes tinkling in the background of some tracks like Winterwood, and the tempo switches in that song. I read some other reviews before giving this a listen. One of them suggested to start listening to this album in the fourth track, then come back around and listen to the first three afterwards, so you don't get blown away by the classic of classics (American Pie) and then get disappointed by the relative mediocrity of the rest of the album. I did this and I agree it was the move. I like this type of music in general and I'll absolutely play it in my living room while I'm drinking coffee. That said musically its not super interesting with the exception of his two "american treasure" songs on this album, so my rating reflects only the cultural zeitgeist of it all. Laughing at how Everybody Loves Me, Baby is just a straight up rip-off of American Pie. I do like the song though because it's one of the few points on the album where he goes a bit off the rails melody wise. I'd listen to his stuff more if he got weird with it more.
Not something I would feel the urge to revisit but very high quality nonetheless.
I feel like this needs a second listen where I can take it all in properly. First thoughts though... Great, chilled vibe
I really wanted to shit all over this since I've heard the title track enough for 1001 lifetimes. The rest of the albums not too bad. He's got a good voice, and is a decent enough songwriter.
Среди всех Singer Songwriter что мне попадались на этом сайте - этот самый лучший. Хороший и голос и инструментал и возможно текст, хз
Just one very well known song. But the rest are just ok.
Probably would've put two if it weren't for Vincent and American Pie
One amazing song, the rest are ok
3.5
really nice
Classsicccc 4.0
Don Mclean had his biggest (and as far as I know only) hit with "American Pie". The album of the same name has many good songs but nothing much better than his big hit. Fortunately, his album is very cohesive, it's a shame that it loses its strength towards the end.
The first song is the only reason this is included but it’s a fine album
Solid singer-songwriter Americana.
3 sterne
Like the Travis album I got the day before, it's an album you can only like if you're a child of the right circumstances. I'm not. The most American thing about me is my love of gas station hot dogs, and I didn't have a dad or grandpa to gaslight me into pretending this is good which I really think is the only way anyone could possibly like this.
A little corny, sure, but at least in small doses, I like it. Favorites: Vincent, The Grave, Babylon 3.5? 4
I really don't have any issues with the title track, and I think "Vincent" is a brilliant piece of writing. The rest of it is pleasant enough, mostly solid early 70's folk, but I certainly don't think it's as essential or enjoyable as many other albums from this era of singer-songwriters. 3.5/5
A 1970s male political album that does not stand up to the test of time. Empty Chairs is…problematic. Everybody Loves Me, Baby is political satire that would have been celebrated by 1970’s hippie culture, but in 2025 during Trump’s and the billionaire class take down of democracy, it’s just ironic that this song came from someone of the generation that caused the current state. The Grave is heartbreaking but not remembered when it should be. Babylon, also problematic for different reasons. The day this music died has long passed.
We all know that no one needs to listen to the rest of American Pie by Don McLean. This is again one of those “Belongs in 1001 Songs, not 1001 Albums” situations. But I still tried my best to walk in with an open mind. My parents are young Boomers, and I’m a young Millennial, so I was exposed to a lot of ‘70s soft rock in my youth. I tolerated my Dad playing America and Bread and Christopher Cross and Dan Fogelberg; I know what Don McLean is up to here, and I can be open-minded! I love one-hit wonders!!! Nothing about American Pie as an overall album is bad. Truthfully, McLean is a better singer, songwriter, and guitar player than I expected. I can see how you could look at this record and say that he should be given more credit, especially with songs like “Crossroads” and maybe even “Vincent” [although I find that song a bit lyrically trite, in retrospect]. All that’s true. Maybe McLean should’ve gotten more respect, should get more respect, should be listened to beyond “American Pie” the song. But if that was the case, he would have something to offer beyond being ✨good enough✨, and I just don’t think McLean has anything more than that. Yes, he is ✨good enough✨ so this record doesn’t drive you insane, but he lacks an It Factor™️ to provide you with any real magic here. In 1971, there were millions of Don McLeans in cafés around this country, and if your Dad is old enough and lame enough like mine, you know what special sounds like in that early ‘70s soft rock subgenre. McLean lacks any of that, even for his era. Some of this boils down to production and sequencing. There are a couple songs that feel like they fade out way too early, and rob me of an opportunity to find them fascinating. “Till Tomorrow” and “Sister Fatima” feel underdeveloped, but the real victim is “Babylon,” which suffers twice because it’s also the album closer for some reason. This is also a deeply top-heavy record, and in some ways, that’s inevitable when the hit song is also 8.5 minutes long and has to kick off the record. You can’t really avoid the top-heavy allegations in that situation. But the problem is that the second-longest song, “Vincent,” a song that feels like it actually overstays its welcome, follows very shortly afterward, and even with a track between, it’s nowhere near enough breathing room. That means the weaker, less developed songs fill out the back half, and the middling average songs sit in the middle. The worst sequencing offense, though, has to be that “Everybody Loves Me, Baby”– a song that tries to capture some element of the hit’s lighting and strike twice without doing any real evolving beyond its “American Pie (Reprise)” allegations, let alone evolve over the course of its 3.5 minute runtime– leads into the three weakest, most underdeveloped tracks on the whole record. And again, this would be fine if any of these songs had any real ✨magic✨ behind them, but only “Crossroads” gets the closest. Honestly, by the end, a song like “Sister Fatima” actually sounds annoying. Gun to my head, I couldn’t hum you the melody to “Empty Chairs.” And I’ve listened to this record multiple times today. I’ll even say this– “American Pie” is a pretty forgettable song. Sure, the chorus hits, and the first couple verses are cute and interesting, but by verse fucking 6, the static chord progression starts to fade into the background, and it’s not really until the final chorus when I start paying attention again. It’s Boomer clickbait, and the intrigue and mystery of it all gets less exciting the more time moves on from glorifying the Boomers’ youth. Don McLean was never bad, but he was never special. Even at his best moments, he’s kind of an average ‘70s soft rock guy, making him the most forgettable guy in a room full of forgettable guys. He doesn’t do anything wrong, but by not doing anything particularly right, he almost fails harder. Normally, mediocre apathy is something I can tolerate and move on from, but McLean is so particularly uninteresting that it becomes a noticeable issue on American Pie. Listen to the title track in 1001 songs, and skip this record the next time you see it in a bargain bin outside your local record shop.
It's all based on if you like the title track. Well, I never liked the title track and the rest is pure self absorbed buckets of blah and tedium that sounds either schmaltzy, insincere or tedious. This doesn't belong here at all.
Starts good with "American Pie", "Vincent" and the underrated "Till Tomorrow", but gets boring quick and most of the songs seems worse than the next. 2.5
Good songwriting, but boring songs. Even the title track. It's extremely catchy... but it goes on forever. A catchy song should leave you wanting more, but this one over plays it's hand.
I liked this album more than I anticipated. American Pie is a fun song, but it is so cliche at this point that I was bracing for an album that was overly patriotic or masculine. What I didn't expect was "Vincent," an old favorite from high school, to surface. My senior-year english teacher played Vincent for us in class and asked us to analyze it, and none of us AP students picked up on the fact that the song was about Vincent Van Gogh. After listening, this album is probably closer to a 3.5 than a 4 for me, because it does feel a little cloying at times, but overall I enjoyed it and ultimately wouldn't mind hearing it again.
Really all this album has going for it is the title track. Some others sound like o.k. alternate versions of American Pie. Not that impressive if 1/10 songs is worth listening to. 1/5
Favorite songs: American Pie, Vincent, "Everybody Loves Me, Baby", Winterwood Least favorite songs: Sister Fatima 4/5
3.5 stars. The title track aaaand some meh folk rock. As good as the title track is, hard to rate the album super highly when the rest is fairly forgettable. Though "The Grave" is a good dark well-written song.
American Pie e dessverre ein av dei sangane som plage meg mest i verden. Resten va ok-
I mean, its just so pretty. What's not to like? It does become monotonous after a while, but it is only 36 minutes so easy to get through.
Ugh
Carol King wannabe without the likeability. This miiiight have been a gentlemen's 3 if not for the fact that Don McLean is a huge piece of shit, undeserving of gentlemanly grace.
Deeply, deeply uncool. I felt all 36 mins of this
Entirely juiceless man
First listen to this album. As I’m a living human being living in North America, I’m familiar with the title track - one of the few songs I’m willing to sing (horribly) at Karaoke. The teat of the album was new to me. No duds, but no stand outs. Overall an easy listen.
Skeptical because I am frankly tired of the title track but it was a very lovely folk album.
This one was alright to get a glimpse of Don McLean, but I didn't really get captivating by anything other than the hits.
These are pretty good songs.
Yeah, not really.
Weak
Love this record.
Favorite Track: Vincent
The lyrics 👌 makes me nostalgic for a time I never even lived.
Solid.
I couldn't listen to it. So overplayed. But overplayed for a good reason!
3.5 One of the songs I like probably because it’s kind of a clone of Vincent and AP
Maybe if I’d never heard the title track before (I’ll be damned, karaoke, moms, grade school, and tv!) this would have made more of an impact. I feel the narrative around this album’s inclusion on the list is something like “it’s more than a one-hit wonder!”. But when the other singles and album cuts are very… ok… what’s the point?
I've listened to this kind of album at least 10 times on this list alone. This gets a bit tiresome, to be frank. This album is one of the better ones in the singer-songwriter genre. "American Pie" has the famous title track and a few other gems. The songwriting by McLean makes me jealous in a good way. 4 stars for "American Pie".
The song, "American Pie", is a masterpiece of songwriting which recaps the history of music at that point beautifully while also being a tribute to Buddy Holly solidifying his legacy. The rest of the album is nothing special with some great songs and some stinkers. Overall the titular song is incredible but the rest is pretty forgettable, a bunch of songs lost to space.
Damn I didn’t realize the other songs of this album were good ones
This is like the definitive boomer music. American Pie is the big one and the rest are folky soft rock type ballads.
I kind of like this guy’s style. He’s the bridge between Jackson Browne and Stephen Bishop.
The poetry of the lyrics is sublime. The simple arrangements add to the poignantcy.
2.5
3.5
Better than I expected.
Honestly one still adore, even though a) the title track has been played to death, and b) critical reassessment has not been to kind on. I still kinda dig "American Pie", and "Vincent" is an absolutely beautiful ode to Van Gogh. "Sister Fatima" tugs at me a bit. And legend has it that "Empty Chairs" was his song that softly killed Lori Lieberman (uncredited co-writer of the Roberta Flack/Fugees hit) His 1970 debut Tapestry is my personal favorite of his and as far as I'm concerned a five star masterpiece. But as for this one it's a real strong (8.6) ★★★★
The title track is great, and an all-time classic, the rest is kind of meh. 3.5 stars
I'm not a fan of this. It mostly comes off as a poor man's Simon & Garfunkel. As much as I never needed to hear the title track again, it's the best thing on here. The rest of it is mostly Ambien in musical form, except for "Everybody Loves Me, Baby", which sounds like the title track with different lyrics. 2.5 stars.
2.5
Learning that Don McLean pled guilty to domestic violence charges against his ex-wife and now has a extra large warm slice of ‘American pie’ about a third of his age makes me wanna give this a firm thumbs down but unfortunately the title song and Vincent are just a little too all-time classic to write off. Overall very crisp, mellow, breezy, poetic listen maybe a bit corny in places and definitely gets flaggy in terms of quality towards the end. 3.5 stars and stripes.
Nice, harmless singer/songwriter fare. 3.5 stars. Title track, Vincent, Empty Chairs the highlights.
This was one of my Dad’s favourite records. I wonder why “Starry Starry night…” always makes me think of him. Unfortunately, being subjected to American Pie at most of the middle school dances that I went to kinda makes the album lose its lustre. Still, it’s appreciated.
i really loved this for some unknown reason. i’m not a big fan of the genre but this is kind of a classic i think and i totally get it. so nostalgic, so profound yet so simple.
Who hasn’t heard the song, but I’ve never heard the whole album before. I’m not even sure I’ve heard any other song from Don McLean other than American Pie. There were no surprises. Thoughtfully written lyrics accompanied by his smooth, melodious voice. Everybody Loves Me, Baby was a lot of fun and my fave.
🇺🇸🥧! "American Pie" is another one of those larger than life songs that has really solidified itself into American culture. I wanna say it's overrated, but I'd be full of shit. It's a great song. It deserves its status as the go-to campfire song. I was expecting this album to be nothing more than "the album with American Pie on it", but I was pleasantly surprised. Why did nobody tell me how good "Vincent" is?? There's a handful of other quality songs here too. The singles obviously steal the show but overall this is nice little folk album. I'd even go as far to say that if this a Neil Young album it would be one of his more average releases. This has been the most difficult album to rate so far. For now I feel confident its a 3.5/5 but I can't decide if I should round up or down. I think I'm gonna go with a 4 but it's definitely not as good as the other 4 star albums. I wish I could give half stars grrrrrrrr. Favorite track: Vincent 3.5/5
Really good. Even without the title track this would still be great but with it on it makes it an amazing album. Love the vocals and piano. 4 stars
Little sleepy as a whole, but peppered with beautiful songwriting and guitar. Idk, probably a low 3…
Title track is one of the greatest songs of all time The album is better when it's faster. I think the ballads make it lose momentum Everybody Loves Me Baby is fun
Вроде норм но что-то про американскую тонкую душевную организацию
Boomer nonsense
This’ll be the day that I diet.
motherhood and
The ultimate boomer story. Write a great American anthem and live off it for 50 years. Then deny that COVID the vaccine was safe...
Ok
"American Pie" is a phenomenal song, "Vincent" is a great song, "Winterwood" is passable... The rest? We'll, its there.
Great album to have on and chill
Loved it
Folksy guitar tunes. Very melancholy vibe. Loved it
At one point, Don asks what did he do to offend you? My answer to that is using the same melody over and over and over, borderline every song. Some of this album is really nice but good God is repetitive. And yeah you already are sick of the title track.
I can't stand American Pie. 1/10
Canción de American Pie aparte, gran disco con deliciosas melodías de piano y guitarra
Don did it
Maybe it's time to let this music die...
DOWN WITH FARM EMO. 2/5
Everyone knows why the music died! But, Don actually has some other decent tunes. Nice short little album and easy listening. Solid 3.5, gonna round up for Don in hopes someone will appreciate more than just his timeless classic.
The appeal of American Pie lies solely in the title track, a lengthy freewheeling sprawl that documented the domino effect caused by the early February 1959 plane crash that claimed the lives of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens which ended up kneecapping rock and roll's grip on the music landscape. While the momentum is revisited on Everybody Loves Me, Baby, this album is largely dominated by softer, more sleepy affairs that are touching at times and insignificant in others. It's not hard to see why American Pie ended up doing what it did yet it is, quite simply, a mixed bag. Favorites: American Pie, Vincent, Winterwood, Empty Chairs, Everybody Loves Me, Baby, The Grave.
Honestly not as good as I was expecting. It was fine, though.
"American Pie" == DUNE (first book) - A groundbreaking artistic work that firmly holds up to this day. Rest of the album == DUNE: Messiah - Competently and beautifully made, but basically an epilogue to the first book (song) It's yacht rock, but it's rather lovely yacht rock.
3 stars plus 1 for American Pie
It’s fine it’s just not my style
Its a pretty good album maybe a bit to similar the songs with exception of everybody and american pie which is legendary and still holds up. Album llays well slow and folky which os not my thing the song Vincent I feel is a hidden gem of a song had to listen to it twice. Its very simon and garfunkle sound like melodywise and rythymwise. Still enjoyed it even though I dont love thos genere so that means its a good album
A folky album, which I enjoyed but apart from "American Pie" and "Starry, starry night" there were no stand out tracks for me and not sure I would listen to this album again.
p239. 1971. 3 stars. Other than the obvious mega hits, this is generic early 70's 'Merican singer-songwriter material. Well done of its kind though, and on the plus side it's short. Point deducted for recycling "Vincent" for "Empty Chairs".
Gefällt mir gut, 70er Singer Songwriter, bisschen Richtung Billy Joel aber etwas mehr auf Melancholie ausgelegt. 4/5
J’ai décidé d’écouter l’album en suivant l’ordre alternatif proposé par le second top commentaire, et c’est vraiment une meilleure séquence que l’original. Pour le contenu, t’as le classique American Pie évidemment, sinon t’es pas mal pogné avec du folk acoustique un peu pleurnichard, mais pas d’une mauvaise manière. All in all, pourquoi pas un 4, ça fait un boutte!
Everyone has heard The Day the Music Died, and probably too many times to still enjoy it. I know for a while, I couldn't listen to it because of its ubiquity. Serendipitously, last weekend my wife and I were in the kitchen, preparing for the coming week, and listening to music. Vincent came on, and though I'd heard it before, suddenly I realized who it was about. What a sweet tribute. Listening to this album today, The Day the Music Died seemed to me as fresh as it had ever been. Vincent was a punch in the gut, and I felt a true sense a loss for an artist, a tortured soul, a misunderstood man...a person who felt unappreciated, despite trying so hard. The Grave - supremely impactful to me. As a veteran, this reminds me of who I was as a very young man, and makes me grateful this was not my story Babylon - wonderful The sparse arrangements, McLean's simple playing and guitar tone, and all of the feelings this album evoked in me earn this album a 5 star rating.
Vincent and the Grave, good new finds
It’s a wonderful album. I’ve loved this one for as long as I can remember. Heartbreaking songs with incredible storytelling and so beautifully melodic too. His voice is so rich. Very happy for this listen.
À part from « Américain Pie » the test of the album it’s kinda boring…not my cup of tea 2 stars
With this album, it’s not a question of whether or not you like it, it’s how you feel about folk rock. If you like it, this is a fantastic album. If not, this probably won’t be your cup of tea. Probably even boring or even annoying. As huge a song as American Pie is, for my money Vincent is far superior. Of course that could be from overexposure. There’s a certain ubiquity about American Pie, especially if you spent the better part of your life listening to rock stations.
One song I'm extremely familiar with and then 9 more which I kept wishing would resolve into Simon & Garfunkel songs. Nice enough.
junior varsity Dylan
that's the puerto rican flag and yes, it bothered me the whole time american pie is one of those songs where it truly doesn't matter if i like it, it's just canonical. rest of the album was way more waifish than expected, in a way i was pleasantly surprised about. was not in a rah rah patriotism mood . 2.5
I really thought I'd listened to this album before but if I did it must have been lost on a child version of me, because "Everybody Loves Me, Baby" was a delightful discovery. I'm going to subject everyone I know to this song and if I get a show slot for winter quarter I'll subject the listening public to it too. I can't believe people I know have been trying so hard to reclaim Fortunate Son and Born in the USA from people who don't get the point, but none of them ever shared this with me. The Vincent Van Gogh song was kind of nice and the others were there but I'd give this five stars if it was just A Side American Pie B side Everybody Loves Me, Baby
Das Album besteht aus einem song
This is exactly the kind of singersong writer music that I don't like. American Pie brings back sentimental feelings of my youth. And I didn't particularly like the song then either. It was just played a lot. The rest of the album quickly got on my nerves. 2/5
American Pie and Vincent are great songs. Rest is great too 4/5
Solid, homely stuff. McLean has clearly more to offer than just the title track but it doesn't blow me away
A few songs that are almost timeless. Good album, made me sad at points.
Starts off great, ends pretty mediocre.
A lot of nice songs
Lovely
Nice and folky. 3/5
All songs sound the same to me
First song is a classic but rest of the album is boring
What a poet!
One of my favourites!
Wow they turned it into an album
Can’t get over how pretty his voice is. So easy and gentle and sweet. Like, the music is nice, but his singing is fucking lovely as shit. Did not expect to like anything on this record, but I have been corrected. Don McClean has a great voice. Till Tomorrow, Crossroads, Winterwood, I’m upset at how good these are. Motherfucker. Fully expected to hate this record and I just cannot. It gets prettier and prettier. I normally hate this kind of stuff, but this bitch sings like an angel. The slower, the better. All that’s missing is a soul-crushing version of Oh Danny Boy.
Other than the iconic title track and uptempo piece Everybody Loves Me, Baby this is largely an acoustic folk album. There's some good stuff here, particularly Till Tomorrow and the piano driven Crossroads, but I'm not ready to call this a great album. Surely a great single, and at 8 and a half minutes, it's nearly a quarter of the album, so that counts for something. Edges it into *** territory.
American Pie and Vincent are both incredible songs, but there’s a few terrible songs which bring the average down (Sister Fatima, The Grave and Babylon). If the album finished three songs earlier, it could’ve been a 4/5.
Pretty decent!
I had never listened to this album, as I did not like the title track-easily 4 minutes too long with boring lyrics. However! The other tracks on this album were pretty good-very late 60s folk. Stripped down acoustic guitar and vocals. Some of the tracks were worth a revisit (The Grave and Babylon I liked) though overall this album isn’t really my jam-a bit too saccharine/sentimental for my liking. I’m torn between 2 and 3 stars. I don’t think I’d revisit this in full, so I give it a 2.
se me metio una noche estrellada en el ojo
Don McLean – American Pie This is gorgeous—vocally, lyrically, emotionally. It might just be my favorite discovery so far. Upon finishing this album, my instinctive response was to lean back in my car seat, shut my eyes, and just smile (don’t worry, I was parked). The gentle warmth of these ballads washed over me completely. Songs like Vincent, Empty Chairs, and Crossroads are stunning, each filled with heartfelt emotion and delivered with incredible sensitivity. Of course, the epic American Pie itself is a phenomenal opener that sets the tone beautifully. If I had one complaint, it would be Everybody Loves Me, Baby. It feels like a record label-mandated upbeat track that slightly disrupts the album’s otherwise soothing flow. Standout Track: Vincent Score: 5/5
I’m not gonna dunk on the classics. I like this song and I always have. The rest of the album is meh.
Wow.
Bye bye indeed.
Don McLean demonstrates a melancholy that sounds like a poppier version of Nick Drake. While I personally prefer Nick Drake's style, I will hand it to McLean that he crafted some classic songs on his brand of introspective calming ballads. Overplayed as they are "American Pie" and "Vincent" are still beautiful and tragic. The rest of the album continues in the same vein and would perfectly fit a lazy, rainy day at home.
It was okay. I don't think this type of music is for me. Each song kind of felt like a less good "American Pie". But giving 3* because American Pie is just that good.
It was alright. America Pie is kinda played out but I appreciate the lightning in a bottle he captured with it. The rest of the album is decent, he has a wonderful voice and the composition is pretty good throughout.
My dad always liked American Pie the song. This was my first exposure to the album. I thought Vincent was really great, I have an affinity for Van Gogh's art and story. I think much of the album is slow but there are some more upbeat tracks. All in all I think that this is a pretty decent album and I think American Pie taking up almost a quarter of the run time bumps it up.
In light of events today/yesterday and the title track, here's a loved-by-american-elites Mr. Liberty, Freedom, and Democracy...tap dancing for his freak master: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJlnsNvWNVo
We've all heard the one song on this album, which is the first, and it appears that he uses the same musical modes/progressions in the rest of the songs too. It's really weird - Till Tomorrow has the same hook intro as American Pie...it's literally the same notes. Vincent follows the same thing, so does Empty Chairs and Everybody Loves Me. It's not a bad progression but that's a lot of re-use. It's one thing to have a motif throughout your album but it's another to use the same notes in the same order. Vincent is a good song anyway, despite the sad subject matter. Overall this album didn't really leave me impressed. The re-use of phrases in nearly every song really turned me off. It's fine, but the songwriting doesn't really stand out like other more prominent folk singers of the time. It's perfectly well performed, just pretty dull. The album title is fitting as it really is just that song over and over.
Ugh. No. It's long and it's the same thing over and over. +1 point for being parodied by Weird Al.
A good album, but the understated charms of its mostly slower tracks falls under the weight of the opener.
Nice, slowed down album (after the title track). And that title track is one of those cultural milestone songs that blah blah I don’t know what I’m saying. Always liked the track Vincent in particular.
My oh my
A little too slow and soft for my liking, “American Pie” is a pretty good song tho
I am pretty burned out on the title track but I hadn’t heard it in years and the rest of the album is pretty solid. 3.5.
pinnacle of boring white people music
Other than the title track this is pleasant but dull. But the title track drags it down for me; it's so overplayed. Low 2.
Fav song: Till Tomorrow Beautiful, beautiful album. Really exceeded my expectations. This album is what I'll think of whenever I think of Americana from now on.
hauntingly beautiful voice. boring. 2.5/5
Meh, next
Beautiful, chill album.
Fine
It was fine. A little dull after the title song. The starry starry night song was pleasant, though.
It's got that one song tho
I thought this would just be the title track and a load of filler. Some really hauntingly beautiful tracks on here. What a voice. Notwithstanding the title track is a 10/10 sing along classic
This surprised me. I assumed it would be uncool. It is a bit uncool, but it's got heart. He seems like a gentle guy singing gentle, melodic songs. A pleasant surprise.
# 359 : He's done a pretty decent job, great album, I like the hits of course, but sad and mellow overall. Listened to this whole album for the first time today and it's nice with wonderful folky acoustic tracks, will definitely listen again. American Pie & Vincent are the standouts - after you play those, you can pretty much shelve this LP.
3.7, some good tunes on there
you already know this is good
#393. Everyone knows this song. No one likes it, but we all know it. And also there were 9 other songs or something. I don't know, it was boring I think. 2/5: There wasn't even any Eugene Levy. Song added to playlist: American Pie 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
We’ve all been subjected to (assaulted by?) all eight minutes American Pie at some point, if not MANY times in our life. It has its charms, but I was not excited for a whole album of it. But, I found some things to like, like “Winterwood”. He seems to be trying his hand a lot of the popular styles of the times, sounding at times like Dylan and at others like Simon. Not bad on the whole.
BYEEEE BYE MS AMERICAN PIE DROVE MY CHEVY TO THE LEVEE BUT THE LEVEE WAS DRY
Nice. Hard not to think of the movie ...
us folk
Better than expected. After the opening track, most of the album consists of gentle folk tunes which were nice background music for working/coffee drinking.
Mostly mid except that one song.
I thought it would be awful after American Pie. Actually, a good album!
Pretty much what I was expecting
Decent easy listening folk - American Pie - funny movie!
Title track is all time classic. The rest is fine if not super interesting
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. One of those albums where the hit song isn’t even the best song on it.
Is American Pie the most famous song in the world? It’s the only one I can sing in the shower word perfect from beginning to end. I think this is some feat given its length. The only song of that length which comes close to a perfect singalong is Stairway To Heaven, another song of similar stature, but I have to confess I do fumble the words when I get to verse 6. It is of course also a great drinking song and I can look back fondly on those drunken nights, lads together, arms around shoulders, bellowing out the lyrics at the top of our voices. The album also features Vincent which is another great song. Not in the same league as American Pie but a lovely gentle reflective song which you can relate to a lot of events happening in your life. Then there is the rest of the album. I bet I’m not alone when I say all the other songs are relatively unknown to me. This is not to my credit. I have the two aforementioned songs on various greatest hits CD’s so I never bothered to buy the album. I have listened to it in full before but it never made a mark with me. Today was different and I listened to it skipping the two big hits, to assess if I would buy the album in that format. My answer is yes I would. Some good songs which In their own right stand up but obviously have suffered because of the magnitude of the big two. This is an iconic album deserving of its place on the list because of its title song alone but worthy of merit for the quality of the supporting songs. An album which should have been in my collection long ago. A serious wrong which I will soon put right. 5/5 23/10/24
When I saw it was the American Pie song dude, my heart sank a bit. I've heard this song too much, but actually, this record is super lovely and the title track is actually decent too. Glad I got re-educated. He has real sincerity in his voice that I just love. Favourite tracks: American Pie, Till Tomorrow, Vincent, Empty Chairs, The Grave.
First song is a classic, the rest is pleasant but nothing super special
Sublime
oo I wonder if Don McLean has an album of spooky tunes like "Babylon" One of those albums that has a ubiquitous titan that kind of takes all the buzz (see also: the album In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, which I heard for the 1st time last month)- to be honest, the other 8 songs have to also compete with the stunning "Vincent". "Everybody Loves Me Baby" is perhaps the only other uplifting moment apart from the title track, which I'm grateful is part of the album even though McLean's voice fits the slow songs the best HL: title track, "Till Tomorrow", "Vincent", "The Grave", "Empty Chairs" October 19, 2024
4.5 LOVE IT
Great Folk album definitely some very chill vibes and i grew up with the title track around me all the time so brought back some nostalgia
You can see why the title track has about 500x as many listens on Spotify as almost all the other songs on here. It really is very different and way better. "American Pie" is an upbeat rocker, if about twice as long as the usual upbeat rocker. The rest of the CD is guy-in-a-coffeeshop acoustic folk. One other song I hadn't heard of ("Vincent") also has a ton of plays, but it's much more like the rest of the CD than it is like the title track, I wouldn't have picked it out of a lineup. In fact if I was gonna pick another song as a winner from among the rest it'd be "Everybody Loves Me, Baby", which is a nice song, but the collective Spotify universe has shown it little favor. Guy-in-a-coffeeshop acoustic folk is fine, but bottom-line, this guy is a one-hit wonder. This isn't the worst one-hit wonder CD I've ever heard, in fact it's fine, it's just awfully light, and also kind of slow and dull.
This was a good listen. A little more religious than I prefer.
meh first song good
- I was a little biased before listening to the album because I don't like the song American Pie at all, but I was more than pleasantly surprised - i have to say that i liked every single song in its own way especially Till Tomorrow, Vincent and Crossroads (even American pie is alright in this context, but certainly overplayed in my opinion) - such a wonderful album, loved every second of it - listened to this on a sunny and rather cold autumn walk and it made me enjoy the nature and my surroundings even more - don’t have anything else to say OVERALL: 4/5
3.5 I liked this much more than I thought I would
One perfect song and a bunch of good well written but unremarkable folk songs
First listen. This was pretty mediocre, apart from a few songs.
There are a handful of songs I never want to hear again, the title track is near the top of that list. Turns out i never want to hear the rest of this album again either.
Well, that was interesting! Everyone remembers American Pie, but the rest of it? Get ready for sad songs, because album this has 'em. Not saying that's a bad thing, it's just not MY thing!
Just a disclaimer: My ratings are a reflection of my own personal taste and nothing more. I bought the singles American pie and Vincent when I was a kid in junior high, but had never listened to the album. I have to say I really enjoyed this one, and will pick up a copy if I see a decent used one in store someday. The song American pie seems to be a bit of a The song American pie seems to be a bit of an anomaly on this album, and most of the other songs are quite similar to Vincent. Definitely will listen to this one more in the future.
Very nice album. Went to look up Don McLean to see if he was still alive...then saw that not only is he alive but dating a 30 year old OnlyFans model 👀
That song is a classic. Seems like the rest of the record was just thrown together around it.
Not bad but I've heard it so many times that it's not so great anymore. I'm sure I will hear these songs again because they seemed to be locked into American pop culture. Don't think I need to try to hear this again because it's just going to happen through movies and other means.
I guess there's a reason no one knows any songs other than American Pie!
Some classic folk “rock” songs. Not particularly uplifting but certainly memorable.
3.5
Syrupy sweet, more of it sounds like Vincent than the title track, but all the songs are pretty decent (or a wee bit better than that)
Really good. I'd been meaning to listen to more of Don McLean, but never got around to it. The second track is a bit jarring after American Pie, but the album as a whole is really good. The Grave is a high point later in the album, too.
Beautiful, atmospheric acoustic guitar sounds. I'm not bothered about American Pie but I love Vincent and Everybody Loves Me, Baby.
6/10
193/1001 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
Darn good album and a classic. 'Vincent' is my fave, but of course 'American Pie' is a banger for karaoke.
I can't listen to the song American Pie without hearing the Weird Al lyrics.
This guy can make two types of song. Slow acoustic, and “American pie”. Seriously, “Everyone Loves Me Baby” sounds exactly the same as American Pie. Such a boring and overrated album. Probably only on here because of nostalgia.
Two fantastic songs. The rest sadly forgettable.
hes like "and this one thing happened and then this other thing happened" and i dont care about either of those things you know?
Definitely Great.
It's good for what it is but, yet again, too "american" for me. I just picture a bery nationalist american family driving a minivan to a caban in the woods.
'American Pie' is what it is & his rendition of 'Vincent' can still move to tears all these years later.
Eh, the movie was better
The American Pie that I like has more boobs in it
A classic album. I especially enjoyed the lyrics of Everybody Loves Me, Baby (the song itself was quite similar to American Pie). Vincent is also lovely! McLean's voice is just so smooth and drips with nostalgia.
This album is awfully gentle but was a refreshing listen. As singer/songwriters go, I'm not terribly familiar with Don McLean, but I can understand his popularity by this record alone. This was pleasant. Almost too pleasant.
Fine. Boring and repetitve, but fine.
First song is a banger, the rest is decidely "eh"
Featuring The Song With a Life of Its Own, and of course Vincent, this is quite a nice collection of songs, some haunting, beautiful and poetic, and some slightly less memorable. But I liked it overall.
Hard to listen to this - have heard the hit song tooooo many times performed by too many bog average guitarists in pubs. Vincent is a nice ditty and Don has a fine voice and a good twang on the geetar, it's a low three for me.
I've heard American Pie a million times, but for some reason it always takes me back to sitting in my grandmother's Buick with maroon interior after getting picked up from elementary school. She used to pick me up and then we would drive over and wait for my cousin and listen to "oldies" on BIG 100. I think by the age of 8 I had all the words committed to memory. I do love Vincent, though I'm partial to James Blake's cover. The original is much brighter in tone. The Grave brings some dynamicism to the closing of the album. Only real standout to me outside of the hits. As a general statement, folk-rock doesn't do much for me. This was really no exception. The hits are memorable, but the rest is pretty forgettable IMO. I don't begrudge anyone for enjoying him -- his voice and arrangements are nice enough -- just not for me. High 2.
Don has a great voice and American Pie is a great classic. It definitely skews this album for me put I'm going to give it a soft 4.
American Pie (the song) is an all timer that does a lot of heavy lifting here. The rest of the album has no surprises. I have never listened to Don McLean, but it all sounded like American Pie. This is on the high side of 3
I wonder if he knew just how enormous American Pie the song would be when he wrote it. Did not expect the rest of the album to be mainly acoustic slow songs after that. Pretty solid album all around, wish I listened to the lyrics more because I fell like they probably were pretty deep. An album I definitely enjoyed listening to once but will never think of going back to
American Pie is such a classic song (RIP Buddy Holly and Richie Valens). The rest of it is just alright folk rock, nothing crazy and not one of my favorite genres, but nice enough on a sleepy Monday. Low 3.
I love the song Vincent so was excited for this but it was underwhelming as an album. Two bangers but the rest was just ok and got a little boring by the end. Favorite songs were: 1. American Pie 3. Vincent 7/10
One star album - bumped to two star because American Pie is a great sing-a-long song.
4 stars
This is a perfect album, I am so in love. Horrendous album cover though WOW All songs were amazing I don’t have any favourites
Ok I suppose
Don McLean a une très belle voix, et fait chanter sa guitare en plus. Un maître de la variation. Mention spéciale à la dernière pièce, d’inspiration grégorienne
He’s a fine songwriter. Of course American pie is a baby boomer anthem, one of those songs that created a false nostalgia for a better time in Australia for example. Are there levies that we could drive a Chevy to to watch good old boys drinking whiskey and rye? And yes the lyrics have been analysed to death, ironically given the song theme. It’s a bit beyond criticism really. Over played. Not its fault. Over analysed. Not its fault. False nostalgia. Erm. Vincent is lovely. Again over played. But if you haven’t heard it in a while it’s good. They are the two best tracks. The rest are fine tracks written by a talented songwriter. McLean still tours and is by all accounts a terrific performer. Without the two singles I think he’d fit in to the California singer songwriter - think Joni, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Jim Croce, Eagles, post Peter green Fleetwood Mac. But he wouldn’t stand out. Those two songs though. It’s not really a five star album but giving it any less feels wrong. So I’m going to cheat and round up a 4.5. It’s sort of a 3.5. But the cultural impact of the title track bumps it up. (I’m not a huge fan of the song anymore having heard it thousands of times.)
This album is a trap. I dont think it needs ot be here ... Sure. A rock n roll moment. But is this really essential listening? The song yes. The rest no. Guys! c’mon...Maybe my first time for the whole ALBUM. The nostalgia inherent to track 1 is drawn out and expanded for a whole album, as if by a Spinner at a Wheel of Gloom. Now I don't blame people for throwing out the album in frustration. I own a discarded copy myself. Ha! I get the joke. The cover is so iconic. Its says “All American Party its all Ok”, but its not. Bait and Switch? Who wants a copy of the pop folk rock equivalent of Auld Lang Syne? Tricky. And a Bummer. And now I need an antidote to lift my spirits now! yuk.Wish i didn't listen. Bastards.
When my kids were young, once a week they would get picked up from school by their Pop, who would take them back to his place for an afternoon of bad television and junk food. It was one of their favorite days of the week. On the drive from school, he would inevitably play 'American Pie', and, as a result, all my kids love it. As many people do. It is a classic sing-along song. When it starts up, people almost can't help themselves from raucously singing along. It's got an easy tune and even the most mediocre singer can have a crack. It is the cause of some of some distress to me that my own family think this song is great. When they've had a few drinks at Christmas, American Pie often ends up on the turntable for a sing-along (although only the title track. Nobody is interested in the rest of the record). I leave the room. I hate, loathe, detest and despise the song. I don't like the pseudo-profound lyrics. I read an article once describing it as "the most cryptic song ever written". Cryptic only if you can't decipher ham-fisted allegory, that is. It is the worst kind of boomer elegy for "how great things were in the 50s", a nostalgic myth I never bought (see also: We Didn't Start The Fire). I don't know why this appeals to younger Australians so much; it is full of 1950s American references that just don't resonate here. The tune is banal. And it goes for fucking ever. Eight and half minutes of this repetitive crap! I swear to god if I have to sit through it once more, I will gouge out my own eardrums with a fork. I usually listen to the album for review through the whole way through, but I can't stomach this. It all sounds pretty much the same, varying between soft, sad songs, and repetitive mid-tempo wannabe knees-up numbers. Vincent is OK. Cover photo is iconic. But I hate the title song and its malignant presence infects the whole album.
A nice little bit of Americana, but the songs sound a lot alike
Solid album. Might be folkey for some but I like it, partly because I'm old.
This is a folk music masterpiece. The arrangements and lyrics are a masterclass musical poetry. It's almost ironic that American Pie is the heavy lifter here when it's lyrics are sort of haphazardly thrown together, but it's one of the most well-known sing-alongs of all time. It doesn't really fit the album that well, but it's still an undeniable classic. The rest of the album is where the real magic is though. I can't wait to go through this album multiple times and give more dedicated attention to the lyrics as I do.
The man is a poet
Everybody Loves Me, Baby felt weird in the middle of all that, but I understand why the tone was so upbeat—it would've sounded super whiny if it matched the tone of everything else. Nevertheless, it detracted from the overall groove of a pretty good album.
Yeah I’m hard