Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Freak shit, but you like that don’t you piss pig
Se comenta que es el mejor álbum del grupo, respeto el comentario y a las personas que les gustan..........
This record feels like a unique and creative descent into madness and I kinda liked it. Wasn't really for me but I could recognize some of the influence.
Albums like this are the reason I really like the generator. I really enjoyed this. I just like post-punk. Not a huge fan of Codex. Favorite songs are On The Surface, Caligari’s Mirror, Ubu Dance Party, and Drinking Wine Spodyody.
What in the Sam Hill am I listening to. Who signed these guys?
weird and not good
Did not get this one unfortunately
Interesting, but couldn't listen to all of it.
Echt schade, dass die Vocals so kacke sind. Musik: 4 Vocals 1
Vocals extrem gewöhnungsbedürftig, aber musikalisch wars insgesamt mal erfrischend anders. 2,6.
I'd never heard of this band before and i kinda wish i still hadn't
Wtf is this shit, it's so bad that I want to give other 1 star albums an additional star
Right up my alley. Screechy weird vocals, experimental synth, from Cleveland? Check, check, check. Similar vibe to Devo in some ways. Exact opposite of yesterday’s album (no creativity)
Interesting but not something I’d listen to
Insgesamt größtenteils zu nervig leider.
Easily the most tuneful of Pere Ubu's record (not a high bar, admittedly) and almost fun (if not quite fully danceable) at time, one is just pleased that Pere Ubu exists, and that all such artists that place their vision above their commercial prospects. To honor such commitments (and because one likes to be contradictory and generally enjoys a certain amount of austerity and thorniness), one resolves to spend more time with these cats.
I'm sure this sounds exactly how they intended it to. I find some pieces that I really enjoyed the strangeness and could see myself giving it another listen when I'm in the mood for a serious appreciation session. But as background, going about your day music it was not a hit with me
pass
Some cool stuff, but not really my style and a lot I really didn’t like
Every song sounded like another artist: David Byrne/Talking Heads (even Tina’s bass); The Police et al. Doubt we will ever listen to again. But this is exactly the kind of lp that belongs on this list. :)
I can see why this is on the list. Not really my jam though
Seems like it should be my sort of thing, but was not my sort of thing.
Iinteresting…
Not my cup of tea but found a few songs I could listen to again. Had Talking Heads vibes at times.
An excruciating listen!
More avant garde then The Modern Dance, which I do prefer, there are still plenty of good songs here it's just the ration of straight ahead punk anthems to more dissonant / difficult songs is lower than on Modern Dance. An altogether darker more challenging listen still highly rewarding. A hell of an album, to my knowledge unlike anything else at the time. 4 stars
It's got its highs and lows. Not as much fun as This Modern Dance, but I'd re-listen...
I'm not sure about this one
thankfully, not another singer-songwriter album. sounds very experimental, disorientating and punky at times. not sure id listen to it again tbh Significant 31/96 Liked 15/96 Added 4/96 YYN(maybe?)
interesting experimental sound, would like to listen some more.
I've really come to enjoy this album. Not accessible by any means but they absolutely did their own thing and did it well. Elements of Devo, the talking heads, Fugazi, combined with some weird 80's art school aesthetics.
I had no idea what to expect, as I had never heard of Pere Ubu nor do I research them first. I loved the style. Experimental, with a proto-Talkinhlg Heads feel. Will definitely listen again
Varies between “pub rock” and more experimental, noisy rock. None of it is interesting to me and I loose energy when listening to it. The vocal is terrible.
I like this a lot. It's weird, but not annoying post-punk. Very dissonant, but it sounds intentional. Favorite song: on the surface.
These guys fucking love Pere Ubu
1.8 Didnt enjoy this one as much as The Modern Dance
One of the hardest albums I've had to rate. I absolutely did not like it but I also found myself mesmerized by the sound more than once. What a strange ride. I know I'll think about this album in the future.
There's something going on here but I'm not convinced I like it that much
Just too damn weird.
Where do they find this crap?!
such a unique sound and David Thomas has such a distinctive voice it creates a wondrous sound, too easily dismissed but not forgotten.
Wild, never heard of this one. Seems like it would go well between my Cramps and the Dead. Thanks for this rambling gem
i was bored.
2.5
Interesting. Challenging. Complex. All of those types of words. Which are really just code for “this is a bit shit, but if I say I think it’s a bit shit people will think I’m a pleb”.
Now this is what this list is all about. Super weird and awesome. Definitely not easy listening, but fun as fuck
Reminds me of talking heads on acid. I liked some of the album, but a couple tracks were just headache inducing
Vocals are grating. Some really weird music also, eg, Thriller! The short I will wait is fairly pleasant, unlike most of this album.
Don’t remember this.
Ubu #2 My first impression is, I kinda liked this more than the first one? Even if that just means that I’m now more accustomed to the funhouse-mirror-warped rock that is Pere Ubu’s music. Not the easiest of listens, but I think this gets a bad wrap on this website. I can’t decide on the big finale “Codex”, on 1st listen it sounded like the worst song ever written, but I keep going back to it…? Hm 3.5 HL: title track, “On The Surface”, “Caligari’s Mirror”, “I Will Wait” December 16th, 2023
The good book says that after some time, Pere Ubu knew that they wouldn't be commercial. After listening to this, I can understand why. Commercial doesn't always equal good, but this is quite far from both. 1.5/5
Talking Heads esq 3.5
Loving the mood and energy, that frantic New Wave thrills.
No. Just no
what was that
Funky, fun, zany, and eccentric. I think Pete Ubu is just a weird band that made weird music that wasn’t terrible. Had never heard of this group or any of their music before but I enjoyed this one! Three stars.
This is on odd album. Sometimes the bad singing worked for me and other times it didnt. The instrumental backing was really well done. The songs range between 3 stars and 1 stars so I will give it a 2 star rating
This is a very absurdist punk album. At times it felt like they had a random noise generator as a backing track. A very wild and mentally stimulating listening session. Punk and rock will always have a plus to my heart. I probably wont listen to songs on this album in my daily listening, but I do appreciate aspects of this album that I can hear more current artists in my life being influenced by.
Unlistenable. There are many "questionable" albums listed here (to put it nicely), but this one was truly unbearable.
Very modern-sounding, I can definitely see how it was influential for a lot of people and bands. Unfortunately I didn't actually enjoy it.
Maybe have heard of these guys before, but for sure have not listened to them. This album was amazing. So weird, and inventive. I will be coming back to this one in the future.
Some of the music was fine. Not a fan of the singing. Way too sober for this album.
There's a lot of post punk I love, there's a new wave that needed pioneers. I can trace a line from this to them. There's a time when I'd have got into an album like this "just because" but it's difficult listening. But I can see what it led to.
3.5 - I can see why this may have felt like a groundbreaker when it first came out. Pere Ubu definitely applies a vastly wide sonic palate and there’s no shortage of anomalies and it takes a while to settle into this Devo-on-ketamine type of sound. I like a stretch of three songs on side B - “Drinking Wine Spodyody”, “(Pa) Ubu Dance Party” and “Blow Daddy-O.” But overall I get a little tired of this seemingly rudderless whackiness. Perhaps at some later time if I have an occasion to revisit this record, maybe I’ll draw some deeper meaning?
Ok så eksperimenterende, men problemet er de elsker sådan en skrattelyd, som er forfærdelig at høre på. Så ikke helt væk, men skrattelyden gør det så svært at høre på
Highly PMS and irritable and this didn't resonate with me unfortunately. Luke is a fan but did advise you have to be in a certain mood for PU. Silly voice
Meh, nothing special, bit annoying but oh wel
Another band I've heard about forever but never listened to before. Musically interesting but the yawping vocal style is not for me.
I actually really enjoyed the 70s post/ punk - funk sound.
Weird
I like all of the instruments sounds and stuff, besides for maybe thriller being a little too slow for listening to while cooking, but the vocals feel like something I would enjoy more on future listens rather than the first. Wanted to do 3.5 but it won't let me!!
This is the type of music the Benadryl hat man would be on.
Wacky harmonies (naavy), octave jumping bass(on the surface), unbelievable dumb lead vocals(dub housing), david bowie ass chorus's (caligari's mirror), studio fuckery (thriller!), post-punky jams(I, will wait) lavender town ass synth (drinking win spodyody), danceable "pop" grooves ( (pa) ubu dance party), repetitive jams (blow daddy-o), unsettling... everything (codex) Overall a pretty awesome listen, and fun collection of quirky aspects. Enjoyed it more than their debut when I listened to it a few years ago, but I think I'll go back to check it out again because I enjoyed this so much. Easy 4 stars, could be even better than that with more listens.
This was weird for the sake of weird or something. This was made by a bunch of guys from Ohio apparently, wasn't expecting that. Not great but had 1 or 2 interesting tracks
Strange… very strange. Kind of felt like an album you need to be really high or tripping to fully get. Not for me
Listened Before? N What an odd little post-punk album. The first half was unique and new and somewhat rockin'. His voice started grating on me by the end of the album though. Added to Playlist: N Songs added to playlist: On the Surface
3.5
I can see why this one is rated so poorly. It’s a bizarre attempt at music, and yet, there is some inept charm here. I’m not gunna bash on it because so many people already have and I do admit that I found moments that piqued my interest. But overall, I really won’t be seeking it out again.
J'imagine que ça doit être perçu par certains comme étant révolutionaire par comment c'eest étrange et je suis sûr que ça a influencé plusieurs artistes de styles experimental. Mais ce n'est vraiment pas tant ma tasse de thé. Mon principal problème vient surtout des vocals qui sont tout simplement insuportables la majorité du temps. La musique est souvent intéressante, mais c'est gâché par les chants qui font n'importe quoi. 4/10
Experimental rhythmic music with a lot of yelling. 2 Stars.
The abysmal average rating + the glowing reviews up top here give me the confidence to say something that's been on my mind since I started the project: The top 20 are basically pulled straight from Reddit, right? Like, I think you would struggle to pick a more stereotypically white male selection of albums. Tastes of the masses well aside, this album rocks in a lane entirely its own. Again, the rating made me expect something wildly experimental and out there, and while the vocals are definitely unique, nothing here grated on me in a way the other bottom 10 albums have. The combination of angular post-punk and free-form electronica is simultaneously discordant yet makes complete sense, the ambling vocals providing a consistently nonsensical glue on top. This is also the rare 'happy' post-punk LP, or at least I got a triumphant, party-like feel from most of the tracks. Most of these albums live in a world of doom and gloom, so to hear the sharp guitars and stilted rhythms of the genre filtered through an upbeat lens felt like a revelation. Just a fun, unique, and wildly individual album, exactly the kind of find I love getting out of this project.
I gotta give it up to the state of Ohio. I don’t know if there’s something in the water or what, but it’s given us a few bands that are just completely unique, like Devo, Pere Ubu, Guided By Voices…bands that do their own thing, on their own terms and succeed. They don’t sound like anyone else, but you can always tell one of their songs when you hear it. Trailblazers, I fucking love it. Dub Housing gets an easy four stars (with the possibility of moving up in the ranks after repeated listens), it’s aggressively weird and totally unique.
Too weird
I think that a lot of people tend to forget that post-punk can embody a wide range of sounds. It can sound more new wave like the Talking Heads, or it can sound more gothic like the Cure. Those who saw the potential in post-punk early on would adopt a more experimental attitude. Pere Ubu is one of those experiments. Despite the name, there's only a little bit of dub influence in Dub Housing. Most of the runtime is tied up in janky, angular guitars and off-key wails. It gets especially experimental in the tape noises of Thriller! as sounds get less and less intelligible. A descent into madness. Side B brings us back to reality with some wonky synths and a bass groove that slides around. Pere Ubu captures music from a universe slightly different from ours, where we're maybe a file miles closer to the sun and it cooked our brains a little more than usual. I can see why many people would not like this bold form of post-punk, but I happened to enjoy what this album has to offer. Certainly better than their debut.
Awful
We got Pere Ubu's album "The Modern Dance" a while back, and my take was "meh." Nothing on this album's changed my mind. A lot of it was just noise, or off-key sorta-singing. No thank you.
I wanted to like thus, but I couldn't finish the album.
I had to tap out on this one. This was just not good, or interesting.
Weird. Kinda sounds like captain beefheart. Can't say I loved it, but it's the kind of thing that takes more than one listen. Not sure I'll give it that. There were a couple tracks that were kind fun... Wine spodyody especially
The auditory equivalent of visiting a modern art museum and having no idea what's going on
Je vais faire une observation qui vaudra pour tous les groupes à la con comme celui-ci. Quand bien même la musique serait inscrite dans tel mouvement contestataire de mes couilles, en réaction à tel style de musique de mon gland, inspiré de tel contexte de mon anus, si musicalement c'est de la merde, ça restera de la merde à jamais. Laissez nos oreilles en dehors de tout ça.
Un grand n'importe quoi comme attendu, un album complétement à la heuteur des espérances.
My initial reaction is that they definitely fit the "avant-garage" label. Some of the music is actually good/fine - instruments are interesting to listen to and the themes feel fine. The singing is mostly what I dislike - a little too much haphazard singing or just forced half yelling which just feels so bad to listen to. The singer sounds like Morty from Rick and Morty, ugh. Thriller actually sounds like disorienting music you would play at a haunted house. Like why are they scratching their guitar strings. And having Halloween music play. Some of it qualifies as "noise" to me, but not all. I think I'm disappointed that there's actually some music hiding here, because I don't want to listen to it. I reserve 1 star for albums that I would be sad or upset if someone were to play them in most situations - I believe this fits the criteria. As an art project, it's interesting, but as a music album that I want to listen to, I think it's pretty close to the bottom for my personal preference.
I don’t like post-punk. This is awful even for post-punk. Why would you listen to this? Terrible.
Wild and experimental in a raw, punky way. Right up my alley.
Best post punk album ever!????.....I don't think so....
This was intolerable. Avant-garde BS.
This album starts out very jarring. It's nothing short of weird. The abnormal high pitched vocals paired with the high pitched keyboard will definitely get your attention. The singing style is so weird that the lyrics are indistinguishable most of the time but it gives off a very counter-culture vibe. The album starts to settle down around the third track, Dub Housing, on which I really enjoyed the background vocals. Then it really quiets down on Thriller! where it switches to droning guitar with spacey background noises in a way that is reminiscent of a horror movie. It feels like you're in a fishbowl listening to somebody's distorted voice talk over the radio. This song doesn't feel like it belongs on the album stylistically and I'm not sure what purpose it's supposed to serve. But we jump right back in to the unique vocals and alt rock sound in I, Will Wait. I think my favorite song on the album is Drinking Wine Spodyody. It's fun, short, and sweet. (Pa) Ubu Dance Party follows a similar vibe. The last couple songs lose me. Blow Daddy-O has the pacing of Thriller! without the intrigue and Codex is super repetitive with very strained singing. Overall I feel like I should love or hate this album because it's so weird. But truly there are spots that I love and spots that I hate. For only being 35 mins, it feels like this album takes a lot of stylistic twists and turns. Some I like more than others. I wish it were more cohesive and transition better from song to song.
Impossible to mistake for anyone else. I prefer Modern Dance but this one's pretty good.
There are bits and pieces of songs that I like, but I'm not a fan of the way the lead singer throws his voice 90% of the time. Especially how high-pitched he decides to do it. I can sort of get behind the asyncopation and chaotic nature of the songs, but that only goes so far if the rest of the content isn't enjoyable. This is unfortunately a solid 2/5 for me. There are some good aspects of it, but I just could not enjoy any of the songs in full.
Avant garde to say the least with one of the most obnoxious vocal performances I’ve ever heard. Some cool instrumental parts, but yeah, very very weird and avant garde. For me it’s kinda hard to tell a good avant garde album from a bad one. But this one kinda sounds like it came out in the early 90s but it came out in the early 70s so that’s something.
Jesus christ. What an appalling pile of shit this is.
These guys get it. I’m not sure if I do, but they certainly do.
I quite liked how this started. I do not like how it finished. Seemed to go from fairly nice, experimental but melodic right through to dissonant, cacophonic mess with a bad David Byrne vibe. It doesn't seem to go anywhere - like any old claptrap were shoved in with a "that'll do".
Rythmé, inclassable. J’aime parce que ce n’est pas ce que j’ai l’habitude d’entendre
Music is fun, vocals are tough. It must have been the mid to late 1970s that forced post-punk male singers to be higher pitched and whimsical. I would put the vocals in the same group as David Byrne of the Talking Heads and Fred Schneider of the B-52s.
Why is post-punk as shit as punk is good? This sounds like some people were listening to The Talking Heads and decided "we should start a band kind of like them'" then they all got way too drunk and high to be able perform in any way. In their heads, they are killing it, but we the audience are suffering through their incoherent mishmash.
Late 70s experimental, avant-garde album with a few more traditional tracks. This is more musician's music. Pere Ubu is one of those bands that may be known more than actually heard because they have more influence with other musicians than on a general audience. "Dub Housing" is not necessarily for everyone but includes some interesting tinkering with sound and arrangments.
Een punt voor de invloed, verder slecht luisterbaar.
I wanted to like this more than I actually did. I think I can hear the influence of some of this stuff in places like Bowie's Lodger and Scary Monsters albums. But he softened some of the rough edges and turned it into pop music. I'd generally rather listen to that. Still, this is interesting, if not always that enjoyable.
Not a fan at all. Sonically not for me
post-punk, bordering on experimental
Nothing stood out.
It's probably a cliche, but it does sound like Devo / Talking Heads, but less accessible. Survivorship bias there. Devo had better nerd appeal, catchier hits. Talking Heads also catchier hooks / rhythm section and better vocals... still same ilk. I respect it, chronologically. This was no copycat, this were also Post-Punk pioneers. More experimental. I was starting to dig it but the vocals on Calgary's Mirror was a little too weird and threw me off. I accidentally started listening to Street Waves, was getting into it, and realized that was off The Modern Dance. Thriller! is definitely avant-garde, so that's cool especially because the weirdness is mostly instrumental. Codex just does not work for me, I'm trying to be more open to this stuff, but it just ain't hittin'... it's cringey for me. I get that's probably the point, but I don't like it. Going with a 3 on this one. I don't think I'd claim to be a fan of Pere Ubu based on this album, but I'm glad I'm more aware of them. Thinking I might like The Modern Dance better, so we'll see!
Wcale nie dub
Interessant. Sehr ungewöhnlich.
That was hard going!
The gin of post-punk albums in that it's an acquired taste. It'll probably improve upon repeat listens, but the thing is, a lot of people still don't like gin, no matter how closely acquainted they get with it. Maybe gin just sucks.
amateur hour
A couple of weeks ago I really didn't know these guys, now, I've heard two of their albums and am becoming a fan! Modern Dance is better than this one, but still pretty damn interesting. Standout: Navvy Others: Dub Housing, I Will Wait, Codex, 3.5/5
Interesting, but not for me
This is what Talking Heads sounds like to people that don't like Talking Heads
Awful.
The best parts were when the drum beat was present and the vocals were silent. The worst parts had no drum beat and....well.... vocals. This has some value I suppose, not a 1 but I can't get to 3.
I really enjoy post-punk music, but this album was not my jam. I've never heard of this artist or album before, but that hasn't stopped me from enjoying several "new-to-me" post-punk albums and artists on this list, so I figured that I'd probably like this album. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The thing that I disliked the most about this album was the vocals. Most of the lyrics were completely unintelligible to me, and I found the lead singer's voice absolutely grating. Musically, I could pick out little elements here and there that reminded me of Talking Heads, but the overall sound was very unpleasant to me. This album might be important to post-punk music, but I didn't enjoy listening to it.
Post-punk. Ni fu ni fa.
Interesting, strange, varied. Fave track: Caligari's Mirror
Yes. YES! Now, weirder! MORE WEIRDNESS! MOAR! I do enjoy my jangly discordant experimental post-punk, so this is a treat, but I can see that it's not to everyone's tastes. A lot of the people doing this project reveal themselves to be total pop-craving weeners when they hit this kinda thing! 😆 Fave track - "Caligari's Mirror" maybe? Really liked the atmosphere of "Codex" closing things out, too...
thought i might like this. I was wrong.
A bit too strange for me.
Album #11 On paper, this album is a perfect fit for me. Post punk with electronic experimentation and an outrageous singer. Unfortunately, I could not get past the "avante garde" nature off this album. Dave Thomas' vocals are too distracting for me and take away from the rest of the songs. I understand that this is very influential, but it just didn't do it for me. I liked the instrumental songs more, but even those were a bit much for me. 1.5* rounded to 2 because I'm feeling guilty.
Why is this here?
Too new wave
Post punk, rock, mærkeligt, talende, distortion
This will be my 1st back to back 1. I rarely give them. Its almost like a gift so the artist can then go try to make amends for the crap they realeased onto the world.
Can't say much about this.
Really really good stuff. 5 stars/
Interesting, if sometimes off-putting proto/avant-garde-punk rock. Definitely worth one listen. Personal tastes will dictate if subsequent listens are warranted.
This album is insanely ahead of its time. It's some of the best post-punk I've ever heard but can drop into a tight groove when it needs to. The sounds on this album range from traditional rock instrumentation, to noise and synth experimentation. It reminds me a bit of the Talking Heads and the Pixies. The vocals are abrasive and sung (shouted?) with a sense of urgency as if everything might fall apart if the singer doesn't get the words out. I can hear some rockabilly, ska/2-Tone, and garage influences in additional to the upfront punk and avant-garde influences. It's truly a fantastic and fascinating album. I can see why others might find it off putting, but the chaos is just so well orchestrated that I really love it.
The word I would use to describe this would be experimental. I can imagine in the late 70s when this was released it was quite groundbreaking, but is just a bit odd now. Not unpleasant though
Not for me
Baba maal I like how it feels like a couple of guys playing guitars together. Muudo hormo was my favorite tune. Cool Bluesy thing in djam leelii 3.5
Very unhinged
I literally got a headache from this.
Thanks, I hate it. No. Just no.
Not necessarily regularly listening for me but the importance of this album is clear. Considering the time this came out and the influence it has had it is a landmark album
The vocals are the weirdest thing about the album. Starts of strong but I lost interest by the end
God, that final song is terrible
Yeah, this is not really connecting with me. It’s sort of like the Talking Heads, but without all the things that make the Talking Heads great. I’m sure there is some grand creative vision behind it, but to me it just sounds like chaotic nonsense. 2 stars.
Really surprised at this record, it was nothing like I expected. Some bands pioneer the path for others and Pere Ubu are one of those bands. PIL are clearly one. The Rapture and “House of Jealous Lovers” must have had a Pere Ubu album tucked away in their collections. A band and album that signalled a direction for others.
Interesting if not exactly listenable. Alternated between fun and weird (but still not all that listenable) and flat out disorganized noise. I respect the cojones of everyone involved in putting this album out into the world and am glad to have listened once. Also, once is enough. I find myself at a bit of a loss for how to rate it.
Huh kohtuullisen ärsyttävää kuunneltavaa. Onneksi oli edes lyhyt.
Mikäs tää olikaan. Muistan ulinaa.
Inga större fel på denna.
Sounds like they were trying to explore and push the envelope. Seems like they achieved what they set out to do, but the album is better suited for music history enthusiasts. It's not particularly great music, at least to my taste.
"Ubuesque" is a French word coined after Alfred Jarry's aburdist/surrealistic plays about his crazy character "Ubu-Roi" (King Ubu). The word basically means "grotesque", "absurd" or "unnecessarily complex". And when you listen to *Dub Housing*, you get the picture alright. Especially on its extraordinary opener "Navvy". David Thomas's voice sounds like the one of a demented bat imitating David Byrne right after biting his throat. Bleeps and bloops cover screeching saws all around you. Guitars wince and basslines get lost up their own arses for a few seconds. Short melodic lines surge out of nowhere, only to immediately disappear. It's a disquieting, unsettling experience, and it's intended that way. "Boy, that sounds swell!". It's so easy to picture Thomas waving his "flip-flop" arms like a maniac, even without any film of it to prove it. I'm delighted that Dimery's list has weird art-rock records like this. It's important that all sorts of music are represented, in spite of all the reviewers in here grumbling about it and giving it such a low global grade (I'm talking about music from the "western" world and using the album format, at least). Besides, Pere Ubu is an act so bizarre that it literally can't age. Lots of those reviewers (some of whom loved this record, but also others who actually hated it) referred to recent groundbreaking bands like Squid or black midi so as to give their opinions and try to explain what this LP is all about. And I'm also glad about this. There's definitely an affinity between Pere Ubu's own off-kilter sound in 1978 and the one played by quite important rock bands that don't want to fully rehash the past these days. So you can't deny *Dub Housing* is at least *relatively* essential, if only because of this. That said, it seems there are *two* Pere Ubu records in Dimery's list, if I'm not mistaken... Well, that's probably one too many for such a strange band. I'm all for "acquired tastes" and "slow growers", but using two slots for them might be wasting some valuable room for other wonderful weirdos. Think Sun Ra, Red Krayola or Captain Beefheart. Sure, there's *Trout Mask Replica* in the list (the only record that I fully hate and yet feel like it should be in there for its historical importance). Yet there are other Beefheart albums that should be there too, maybe. And if not, one of those recent British post-punk and/or art-rock acts I've just mentioned could also use the same slot. The more names, the merrier. Food for thought, eh? To be clear, my main gripe with *Dub Housing* is not how weird or "out there" it is. It's just that even if you keep an open mind and try as hard as you can to follow its millions twists and turns, the LP very quickly loses any sense of momentum--and this basically in the middle of the first side. "Free-form" is alright. "Experimental" is alright. But "spineless" is not. And this lack of backbone is especially gruelling on side two. Before that you still have a few bizarre fireworks here and there, like that impersonation of a horrific worm gnawing its way inside your brain on "Thriller!" (I shit you not, listen to this one with headphones, and you'll see what I'm talking about!). But as disturbing as those sorts of shenanigans are, they can't make up for how drowsy the whole thing sounds by that point, especially when it comes to the rhythms used. King Krule, black midi and Squid sometimes have problems to keep things relevant and/or catchy throughout a whole album as well, I can concede that point. But at least the rhythms and patterns used in most of their songs still *mean* something on a rhythmic viewpoint. Not in here, though, unfortunately. Worse, the start of *Dub Housing* suggests it could go to some lively places it actually never really goes to. That's what I call "losing momentum" in my book. And I would give the same sort of criticism for a mainstream pop album if I felt like it didn't fulfill its initial promises in such a blatant way. The problem is not the "style" of the music. It's the way there's no real build-up from track to track. I need to listen to *The Modern Dance* again (Pere Ubu's debut--released in the same year, right before this one). As far as I can remember, it is not fully plagued by this sort of critical issue I'm having with *Dub Housing*. And that's why I will probably select it for my own list of 1001 essential albums, and leave this one aside. So next, please. Number of albums left to review: 522 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 229 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 110 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 140 (including this one)
I can't tell if this is bad because they want it to be or if it's bad because they just suck. Either way it was bad. Like... REALLY bad. It's utterly baffling how incredibly bad this is. How this made the list, I don't know.
4/5 original sounds, influential and challenging
Hated the vocals
Vanalega er ég all in í post-pönkinu en þetta er ekki alveg að ná mér á sitt band.
WHO IS THIS SINGER? WHAT is wrong with his voice?! What sort of insane person let him away with singing?!?!?!?! The music and lyrics in 'Navvy' are laughably bad. Earlier today, I rated a grunge album I had missed. I waited out the whole length of it. Given that I have already exposed myself to one atrocious album, I have decided not to repeat the experience. Pere Ubu are less talented (this is not music -- sound is the only word I can use to describe it) and the album is TWICE AS LONG. 1/10. And what is that name? 'Father Ubu' without an accent? (apparently it is, given that the name is taken from the play 'Ubu Roi' <Ubu the King>).
Sounds kinda like a trippier Talking Heads album. Starts off okay, but really overstays the fuck out of its welcome
The Modern Dance is usually in my top ten albums of all time, but I wasn't so keen on this. Some of it I loved - the loopiness of Blow Daddy-O, for instance. Call me old-fashioned, but this lacks the direction that the actual songs on their first album add. Probably warrants another listen, and some interesting ideas, but the quirkiness seems a little mannered here in a way that 'Dance' doesn't.
This was a bit of an early morning jolt in an attempt to overcome the hangover. Another album that I know I'm expected to like, but, but... It's too angular for me. All elbows poking you around with no smooth flow. Maybe I drank too much last night.
Mieux que 1 mais moins bien que 3
allez ne soyons pas rabat joie
Why was I so convinced that Pere Ubu was a Black singer-songwriter? Suffice it to say, that is not what I found here. This is a post-punk band from Ohio. They are abrasive and loud and they sorta rock. There is a lot here than is quite interesting, particularly for 1978. You can hear their influence on a lot of music being released to this day. Some of the song here can even make you shake your butt. But I will admit that, at times, they're a little much for me. Certain tracks favor noise over melody. But even then, they're...interesting!
Lacking flow, but not intensity
Gash
Shit, just pure shit. No structure in there sound at all
another one i'm apparently too stupid to appreciate; I just heard this guy's very bad singing!
This is bloody awful!!!!!! Who in their right mind thought anyone needed to have their ears raped and buggered listening to this tortured mutilation of sounds clumped together into an album, never mind think it was worthy of 1001 albums you must listen to!!! I've read reviews giving it 5 and how it's a masterpiece... but you must be off your meds stroking the white rabbit? Pure shit!!!
I made it to track 5 before my ears started to bleed.
Really very odd but strangely entertaining. At least dates to be different
Can't stand this music
It's not "bad" in those certain terms, but I don't know if I see this as post-punk. It's not necessarily a required album, as it is kind of bizarre.
Decent. It's not great, and might not belong on the list, but I appreciate that American post-punk got a spot, so I'm giving it a 3. 3/5
If it wasn't for the voice this could go way higher 2
Wtf?
Instant 1 star
is this haunted
Obviously this is shit?
Wow I really hate the vocals. Thrilller kind of sounds like a squeaky horror soundtrack.
Like a crazier talking heads. I thought it was a great time. A great record.
They clearly didnt take it seriously, so why are we in putting them on this list?
Rather disappointing and unmelodic album
Reminds me of Men at work. Thriller made me wanna throw a chair though.
Interesting
Not my style but really cool to learn about it.
ummm, Whatnow?
6/10
Intros were unique and I was able to listen and even start to enjoy some of it. Then the vocals began.
Wow. What was that I just listened to?
Weird Shitty Devo?
1/5. I just don’t like post punk I guess. Not memorable and just noise. Wish I appreciate it but doesn’t feel like there’s much to appreciate.
And a no from me dog.
Not my lane, but also not completely horrible
what an awfully annoying voice!
Ik heb ooit een album gehoord van Ubu wat ik tof vond. Dat was deze niet
Een soort van nachtmerrie met hier en daar wazige lichtpuntjes. Blij dat ik weer wakker ben.
God no!
Why??
Heu? Toch nog twee sterren omdat ik het ook wel komisch vond.
Unlistenable
I’ve gotten quite a few shitty punk or punk adjacent albums but none as bad as this one. The vocals are terrible which is par for the course but even the production is completely unlistenable about 80% of the time.
Enjoyef
Well slightly disappointed it’s not actually a dub album - but it’s an interesting new wave album - akin to Talking Heads, Devo and the likes. While it’s probably groundbreaking at it’s time - it’s objectively doesn’t stand as well next to it’s peers - with most of the stylings, less of the songs.
🤮 No one should listen to this.
Did nothing for me really
oh god, that voice
Love how these guys just occasionally introduce enough musicality to remind you that they are perfectly capable of making stuff that doesn't sound like pure misery. Then then go back to slapping their synthesiser with a kipper and groaning.
Not a fan.
nop
Ja oke mag er zijn
Only 35 minutes, but goddamn, that was so painful to hear...
This album made me think of Talking Heads except that they're better than Pere Ubu. It really went downhill when they started singing "Drunken Sailor"
Fucking hell. I'm 30 seconds in, and I'm already wondering how the hell I'm going to endure this whole album. What the fuck is this 'singing'? Ok, two songs down, it's picked up a bit... to the point where it's not utterly grating. Let's wait and see... Track 4 checking in... this whole album is just weird, and I'm not really along for the ride. I don't find it particularly charming or interesting, just weird. I can't help but think about the recording process. What's going through their heads? Are they embarrassed when they're just spurting hysterical gibberish into a microphone? Track 7... not far off the finish line now... close, but OH so far. Who the hell voted this into a compilation of greatest albums? What are people getting out of this? Christ. Final song. Come on. Let's limp over the finish line. Please. I'm a pretty upbeat guy, but this whole album has made me wish for death's sweet embrace. Ok. I'm done. It's over. I'm going for a lie down.
3/10
3/10. I don't really get it.
This isn’t quite down there with my worst-rated albums but I can see why this is generally disliked on this site. At least it’s pretty short, though the last couple songs really drag on. 3/10
It's getting silly now. This is almost unlistenable.
I can see what's going on here I guess but it was a chore for me. Maybe on a different day
moglo je i bolje sjest, nije loše, ali nije ni toliko zanimljivo da me odnese
Post-punk. Ni fu ni fa.
jaja, ¿Pero qué broma es ésta? Y a estas horas de la mañana? Me ha hecho gracia, hombre.
En una època de cúspide creativa, semblava que innovar era obligatori, i això porta a intents fallits com aquest
Not good.
i've hit a point in my reviews that i'm tired of using the word unremarkable so i've begun using an online thesaurus. pere ubu's dub housing is unexceptional and pointless at best. i can sort of understand its importance in punk history, but whatever. there's better punk out there. and i'm tired of hearing so many distorted noises for no purpose!
The eccentricity of this album could have been something interesting. But it was more than that. Not only was this album eccentric, but it was absolutely grating, cloying, and irritating, if I'm being honest. This did nothing for me.
Their best album yet.
I like the album cover.
Just not my thing. Vocals murder this.
Awful
Rare PooPoo
Could only manage 4 tracks. Couldn't listen to the vocals anymore.
not for me
These guys are pretty interesting, this isn’t their best album though
You can see them musically experimenting here on this album and like some experiments they turn into Frankenstein's monster complete with angry villagers with torches and pitch forks hunting it down for the abomination it is, in other words I thought it was poo.
Terrible. Worst thing I have ever heard
1/30- Driving to school
The award for worst vocal performance apparently goes to David Thomas from Pere Ubu. This was borderline unlistenable, while somehow still being incredibly boring musically? God I hate this mix of new wave and post-punk.
Talking Heads, but no one know how to sing or play any instruments.
A riveting and strange album which I thoroughly enjoyed. But I can't shake the feeling this would be much better experienced live than on record
More avant garde atonal nonsense. Hints of tune.
These idiots should be banned from owning musical instruments. There is nothing on this record that could begin to be called music. None of these brainless bastards can play an instrument, let alone maintain a beat, or carry a tune. This sounds like a bunch of 5 year olds left in a room with musical instruments, and their main objective is to fucking destroy the instruments by wailing on them. This isn't a genre of music because this isn't music. By times it sounds like they're trying to emulate Talking Heads, but they don't have the cognitive ability to even begin to come close. The "singer" sounds like a cat stuck in a grease trap. If you can't make music, don't. This has influenced nothing but headaches from every poor sod subjected to listening to this trash. This "band" should have to pay fines for every set of ears that bleed because of their garbage. Never heard of Pere Ubu before, and will have forgotten about them by tomorrow. Whoever put this album on this list needs their head examined. Favourite songs: (if forced to pick) On the Surface Least favourite songs: Navvy, Dub Housing, Thriller!, (Pa) Ubu Dance Party, 1/5 because I have to... It'd be a 0 if I could.
So bad I had to write my first review. There’s enough post-punk representation on this list that the inclusion of this nonsense is baffling.
Think there's been a mistake?
Oj! Här har det krävts lite tid och ett antal lyssningar för att smälta allt och låta det MARINERA. Galen och rå post-punk, tydligen väldigt inflytelserikt. Och jag kan förstå det. Som en mer sinnessjuk version av Talking Heads. David Thomas röst är verkligen en sk acquired taste, men jag älskar den! Har alltid hatat sea-shanty-tiktoktrenden, så det var gött att höra Drunken Sailor bli massakrerad på ett så fantastiskt galet sätt i 'Caligari's Mirror'. I de mer experimentella låtarna, som 'Thriller!' och 'Blow Daddy-O', är det bara att blunda och ryckas med. '(Pa) Ubu Dance Party' låter som om bandet släpat med sig sina trasiga högtalare ned på stranden för en improvsession. Skränigt, men ändå med en så dansvänlig beat. 'Codex' är fantastisk, mörk, sårbar. Varje sekund är fullmatad och uttrycksfull. Det känns som varje bandmedlem har the time of their life (eller the trip of their life). Urcoolt. I've got these arms and legs that flip-flop flip-flop!!! Bästa låt: Dub Housing.
Decent start, but lost me about halfway through.
Odd but mildly interesting, a bit like talking heads
Me no like
Partiendo de un tipo de voz un poco peculiar y sin mucho carisma, el resto de canciones me han parecido un nivel similar, con escasa melodía. Estilo algo de pop, aunque también un poco extraño
I like the instrumentals, reminds me of garage indie like The Fall but I don’t like the vocals, too wacky & to the fore for me. The very start of post punk. Well produced, loads of ideas & sounds going on here. It’s quite dubby, woozy dub. It’s really hard to describe or categorise this LP, it’s unique, other than the voice it’s really interesting, I’m glad I’ve heard it. As for that voice it just shouts and wails tuneless inane lyrics, it’s too art punk for me. Live it could well have worked though, the voice working like another instrument, jamming with and surfing on it. The music is very alternative, which is a good thing, proper indie music I would call it, John Peel Festive 50. I rate 5 for the music & production 1 for the vocals which gives it a 3. I love the cover art & LP title. Creepy, mysterious, woozy music.
Irritating. I can't listen to Devo without getting irrationally angry (this type of music just awakens some primal rage inside of me), so listening to Devo: Deluxe Edition over here is not something I enjoyed very much. I will now proceed to live the rest of my life without ever thinking about this album's existence for even a second.
Brings back memories of the New Wave music I listened to in college in the early 80’s
10/10 kinda sounds like it’s ripping off the Talking Heads (came out like a year after TH ’77) but whether or not it is, it still sounds really damn good and super fun I will take post-punk any day
Klinkt als een bende zatlappen die wat roepen en lawaai maken op instrumenten. Een kakofonie van vanalles en nog wat, onaangenaam om te luisteren
Wtf was this?
it's weird in both a good way and a bad way
Unable to find, listened to some other albums by this artist.
I'm not really liking the vibe that they be putting down
I want to respect this but I just did not like this
A lot of the album felt very drone-y and same-y. I did like codex tho
Очень сумасшедшая музыка. Авангард-панк. Не моё, хотя саксофон и бас иногда прикольно звучат.
Just terrible
The only reason I didn't take a flathead screwdriver and jam it into both eardrums is that I was afraid that, this being the last thing I ever heard, it might be stuck in my head until I was able to find that final sweet release. Best track: lol no
Oh Lord. Beautiful music, classic rock-ish, but the vocals completely took me out. TERRIBLY whiney and just overall a killer. I cherished the songs on the album without the vocals. Would I go back to this album? Maybe-ish but probably not. Favorite lyric: Lack of lyric.
Bit too weird, won’t be returning.
I actually really liked a lot of this.
Decent 80s new wave protopunk.
Sounds way ahead of its time, the genre bending, the punchiness, the whole thing.
I can't help but enjoy this. It managed to surprise and delight me at nearly every turn. I can see why people would be annoyed by the vocal style, but I think it's funny and entertaining. Has a nice layer of texture and atmosphere throughout. Underlying it all there is a true playfulness I find endlessly compelling. It's experimental but still manages to be fun. I'm a sucker for iconoclasts doing their own thing. So far ahead of their time I'm not sure we've even caught up yet. I kept wanting to listen to this over and over again, and it just kept growing on me.
Plot: Someone gave too many drugs to David Byrne. Instrumentally I love everything that is going on, but like many people I can't get onboard with the vocals. They are too distracting in their delivery. I am fine with atonal but it's just kind of annoying to me. They are sort of "there" in their annoyance, I'd want it either more abrasive or less atonal and not in this middling area of cacophony. "I, Will Wait" is more along the lines of what I want. Actually the 2nd half of the album would be a 4 for me. It's starting to grow on me though, but my initial impression is 3.
Au début j'ai beaucoup ri, puis j'ai pleuré. Une expérience atroce que je ne veux plus jamais revivre.
Not my cup of tea. Only listen to bits of 4 songs. Wouldn't listen to this album again.
Uit de 1001 albums die je gehoord moet hebben om te testen of je nog altijd smaak, beoordelingsvermogen en oren hebt: check, kennelijk heb ik die allemaal nog, want wat een bagger. Het klinkt als wat eruit zou komen als je aan een zesjarige zou vragen om een popalbum in elkaar zou steken. Ik moest Stef Meeder's Hammond Harmony opzetten om bij te komen. Heeft ook een leukere hoes om naar te kijken.
Dit is een test neem ik aan. Geef je dit 3 sterren of meer, ben je af. Mag je niet meer meestemmen...
Een soort cultvariant van Talking Heads, die extra krankzinnig zijn geworden. Het geluid klinkt ook alsof ze door een kussen heen aan het spelen zijn. Dat zou Joni ook eens moeten doen. Er moest blijkbaar weer een afspiegeling van de tijdsgeest bij, maar er is gewoon een reden dat niemand ooit meer van deze pannenkoeken gehoord heeft. Het is simpelweg bagger. Ik heb het na een paar nummers afgezet, verschrikkelijk.
It has some moments here and there but is mostly annoying. I can get down with some Sonic Youth, Captain Beefheart, Ween, etc but this stuff is just goofy, weird and annoying without much that I could consider endearing. To be blunt: it feels like pseudo artsy hipster crap and I'm not feeling it.
weird and wonderful
Outside of post-punk devotees, this album probably appeals to a very limited audience. Harsh and formless.
Would give a 0 wtf is this
Anything positive that could be said about this album is immediately eradicated by the overwhelming presence of the singers stupid ass alien voice. It would’ve been cool if he used it on a couple songs but he uses it on every single song and it’s just so retarded
This was unnerving and I kind of loved it. It took me a while to adjust to the vocals and I think the opening track is the most abrasive they are on the whole album, but there's a lot of versatility across the record. Post-punk as I've never heard it before, and it was a delight
Varies between interesting songs and plain noise
Not my cup of tea but interesting
Catchy, but not for me. I think there were more skips then listens if I listen to this again
Dub Housing is the second album by American rock band Pere Ubu. It is a post-punk album that is regarded as one of the band's best. The album was critically successful and has been rereleased multiple times, but I didn't see it make it on any music charts. I disagree with the critics' ratings. This album's music and its themes/direction did not make sense to me, so I did not enjoy it. The post-punk sounds were too abrasive for me to vibe with, and I don't know what this album wanted me to feel, so it left me with a bad taste in my mouth (or should it be a bad sound in my ears?).
what a weird album, can't say I was a fan at all
I want to like this album, but it might be too new-wave-y for me. Not really catchy in the way that the talking heads are. Caligari's mirror is nice and there are catchy moments to this album- the rest is kind of a stew that I can't get into. 2 stars
Come on, some interesting chord progressions which keeps it from being 1 but "what do we do with the drunken sailor".. no
Not bad but one and done.
Certainly a strange one. Not for everyone, but a fun piece of underground history.
Vaya mierda
flashes of good, flashes of avant-garde toss. mad that it came out in 78 though, seems like it should be early 80s so it was probably pioneering.
I'm eating a raw lettuce head and listening to Pere Ubu. My thoughts are this... can a ostrich kill an unsuspecting baby with just one look? Can a cow suffocate an unsuspecting baby with just one breath? Can a weary train driver on his way home from another long day of driving trains up and down, up and down, see into a baby's soul with just one wink?
Much better than dub step.
Godfathers of avant-garage/post-punk/art rock/whatevs being the Godfathers of avant-garage/post-punk/art rock/whatevs. Sonic experimentation breaking out into the occasional herky, jerky, jangly post-punk tune. Sold fuck all records but inspired a generation, that old chestnut.
Fucking nonsense. The vocals are just dumb. Whoever rates this as a classic needs their ears checked. Christ.
Honestly I can’t even say I LIKED most of it, but man, they sound like they are having so much fun and being absolutely unhinged without caring what anyone thinks, and that’s punk as fuck. It feels like an unhinged Talking Heads after dark.