Hms Fable

Another British pop album so important that the only sentence under the Legacy tab in Wikipedia is the one noting that it is on the 1001 albums list. I understand that sometimes you need a bit of distance between an album and the review to gain perspective on it, but that's exactly why it shouldn't be on this list. It's a late 90s pop album that sounds like a late 90s pop album. It's fine, but indistinguishable from a hundred other albums that came out in the same era. It's not special or groundbreaking or technically outstanding in any way. Why not throw a couple of Days of the New or Stabbing Westward albums on here while we're wasting everyone's time? 2/5

Jesus, 1999. Were people still doing this in ‘99? Blur were forming The Gorilaz, Radiohead had moved on to Kid A, Kasabian were starting out… and Shack were making this. It’s fine I guess, it’s like a very good pub band but I can’t see any reason for it to be on this list. I got quite angry that this is included.

I think that the fact that this album is in the 1001 is the biggest joke so far. I went to dozen of record stores, I'm on Facebook group with more than 15000 music lovers, I'm digging music for more than 15 years now and no one, absolutely no one ever recommended me this. I had never even seen this poor artwork before. And you know why? Because this album is insanely generic and because it is NOT a monument in the history of music AT ALL. This 1001 thing doesn't even contains albums from artists and bands likes Phil Collins, Gentle Giant, Broadcast or American Football, but of course, SHACK IS HERE! THE QUINTESSENCE OF MUSIC. Thank you and goodbye.

Boy, Oasis really did a number on the Brits, didn’t they?

1001 britpop albums to listen to before you die by your own hand i hope the hms fable sunk with no survivors, this album was trash

"H.M.S. Fable" is the third album by the Liverpudlian band Shack and the first album after the band's reformation following their previous album "Waterpistol" and an album by an off-shoot band, The Strands. H.M.S means Her Majesty Ship which makes sense given the album cover and some of the lyrics. Yeah, I had to look that up. Shack consisted of Mick Head (vocals, guitar), his brother John Head (guitar), Justin Smith (bass) and Mick Hurst (drums). This is a very well-crafted and well-produced (Hugh Jones and Youth (Martin Glove)) album. Definitely in the pop (or Britpop) category but also has some pyschedelic and prog elements. This is one of the most happy and optimistic sounding albums given that some of the songs are about the Head brothers' struggles with drugs, which was no secret. The album starts extremely strong with two great songs. "Natalie's Party" is pop sounding and also reminds me of Cracker. Very optimistic. Guitar bridge. Strings. Chorus. Great lyrics about two lovers. "Comedy" is slower, with strings. Nice guitar outro. Again, optimistic about someone pulling him through. "When you cry it pulls me through." The next two songs "Pull Together" and "Beautiful" sound more like the pop-side of Oasis. Both songs soar. "Lend's Some Dough" may be the happiest song I've heard about drugs... kind of Beatles-esque. The second half of the album incorporates some pyschedelia and prog. In "Streets of Kenny" he's searching for drugs. Pyschedelic and prog, it kind of reminded me of the Moody Blues. Pyschedelic ending with dual lead guitars. " I Want You" moves back to more pop. Lyrical references to ships, kings, queens and Merlin. Very Love-sounding with the pyschedelic guitars. The album ends kind of sad with the song "Daniella," unlike the rest of the album. Acoustic guitar. He lost his friend Jack. Wow, I think I made the most band references in anything I've written but Shack created music that is their own. I've like everything I've heard from Mick Head both previous with The Pale Fountains and subsequently. This album is no exception. I can see why his music is revered by many.

After listening to the first song I had a feeling this was going to be a maximum 3 star, on its way to a 2. But the songs on the album changed genre a few times and the stories for a few of the songs were fairly unique. In the end I went and listened to it all the way through again.

2.6 - Another lukewarm Britpop entry. To quote Beavis and Butthead: "We've got enough crap over here in this country. Why do we need to go to Europe to get more?" The pretty "Daniella" ends this pleasant but forgettable record on a hauntingly mournful note.

Bland and uninspired britpop. Wished I was listening to something else almost the entire time. No more of this, please

Call the police! I'd like to report an album that's been criminally under-rated.

Thought this was brilliant. Natalie's Party and Daniella are both superb and book end some absolutely brilliant 90's indie music.

This one's a pleasant surprise. Never heard of Shack before but I enjoyed this a lot. I'll probably check out the rest of their catalog. Thanks generator.

Splendid

Never heard of this but it is brilliant

Yeah, this is just typical britpop. The fact this album and this band are utterly unknown to me, someone who was a teenager in the 90s in the UK and bought in, at least a bit, to the britpop scene, speaks volumes.

Mick Head is one of the greatest (unappreciated) songwriters from Britain in the last 30 years.

Great album. Very chill. I liked it so much I added it to my Spotify favorites. I especially liked the vocals / harmony.

First listen of this band. Loved this record

For some reason seeing this cover always made me think this was some kind of bad Alt Country record. Boy, I couldn’t be more wrong. This, is a very welcome surprise and the record pretty much hooked me. It’s in the vein of Oasis, very strong Britpop with great instrumentation and songwriting. I’ve got a feeling this record is gonna creep up very fast and become one of my favourites! 8,5 out of 10

Loved this, and never had heard it. I hear influences from the Beatles, the Who, the Byrds, maybe even a little Simon & Garfunkel. Will listen again.

I was very surprised by this album. I really loved it! Not only did I enjoy every song, but also how the album ties together. It has this very nice cool calm alt-rock vibe that feels modern but it is also very distinctively 90s.

Superb album!

Great album, combines the best aspects of Britpop with some Indie and Folk elements. Especially loved the harmonies and the catchiness of the songs

Don't know how that one passed me by, fantastic album

It would be hard to review this album without comparing Shack to Oasis, so I won't try. It's a band fronted by troubled brothers who sing soaring melodies about scoring heroin accompanied by strings. They're the Liverpudlian Oasis. In fact, the two bands had a sort of co-dependent relationship, even if one made it big while the other one opened for them years later. This certainly sounds like an Oasis album, but better; a glance at the lyrics reveals a song-writing talent that the Gallaghers could only dream of. Shack is one of those "what could have been" bands that nevertheless managed to pull it together long enough to make one memorable album, and this is solid stuff. Best track: Beautiful

Meh

Another day, another "Why is this here?". I geniuenly get madder the more this plays

Nah, not for me. Maybe I'm just grumpy because my last 6 albums have been duds, but this was not good.

disharmonious cross between blues traveller and oasis. it actively offends and i dont like it

This album is absolutely great. Loved every song!

From the name and album cover I thought this would be Irish jigs or something. This album is nice, it has a calming feel-good rock vibe. Definitely that late 90’s alt feel

Good stuff. I enjoyed this.

I really liked this.

The last classic album to come out of Liverpool?

Reminds me a little of All The Roadrunning or REM. Their songs are really good at both hitting all of the satisfying resolutions while also moving in interesting unexpected directions.

I liked how this album wastes no time and dives straight into the music—several great and lighthearted songs.

This was massive in the UK for a bit, but somehow it completely passed me by. It was better than I expected; the connective tissue between Oasis and Elbow.

Wasn't expecting to like it, but this is a gem of its genre! It sounds a lot like R.E.M. The strings were a wonderful touch throughout. I loved the songs that felt a little shanty-ish/adventurous/folksy, like Streets of Kenny or Daniella. At times a bit too cheesy, but it never was unenjoyable. The best songs I loved, and the worst songs were still very nice.

Some good easy listening - kind of distracting how often they changed time signature in many songs, but it felt like a precursor to Guster, so I liked it similarly.

This was fine. Sounded like every other 90s band, but just a little late in the game so not sure what it made the list.

Ah achei bem meh, tipo musicas legais e algumas bem estilizadas. Consigo imaginar piratas "atuais" escutando isso, mas nada excepcional

This was pretty good, but I’m not sure it was a “must-hear,” especially when other, more notable 90s alternative bands are unrepresented on this list (Barenaked Ladies, Ween, and They Might Be Giants come to mind). I often liked the song better than the vocals. The use of orchestral instruments was nice. Overall, a nice listen, but a rather middling inclusion.

Oasis lite

HMS Fable I wasn’t kind of interested in hearing this for the first time in 25 years. I’m not totally sure what prompted me to buy this out of nowhere when it came out, but I guess it was something to do with Noel Gallagher liking them. I liked it a decent amount then, and I enjoyed it well enough now. There’s no doubt he can write good melodies in the vein of cosmic classic rock scousers in the vein of The Las, Cast, The Zutons etc and lots of Beatles and Love and a dollop of REM make it a very pleasant listen, even if it does start to run out of the steam by the end of the 47 minutes. Still it starts nicely with Natalie’s party, Pull Together and Beautiful, all nice Sgt Pepper/60s influenced indie pop, before peaking somewhat with the suitably seaborne Captain’s Table and the Irish inflected Streets of Kenny. I’ll go 3, I’d revisit if I’m in the right mood for some nostalgic easy listening 🚢🚢🚢 Playlist submission: Captain’s Table

Before listening to a note I’m wagering the reviews will be full of “another British band I don’t know” calls for more Pearl Jam or (Christ) Radiohead or whatever the hell you lame-oes like. This is stalwart melodic, heads down guitar pop that I’ve somehow never heard despite it surpassing what I remember of the avalanche of dull, post-Oasis dadrock that had me fleeing radios for the second half of that decade. They sound profoundly unfashionable and completely devoted, which pushes them up in my book.

Generic off brand Oasis

if this book makes me listen to even just one more britpop album you WILL see me on every news channel

I'm four tracks out from the end of this one and remember nothing of the first 8... This falls into a particularly bland space of turn of the millennia alternative rock and I'm struggling to see why its included on the list. On one hand, the music is fine, but on the other every song sounds like an impersonation of another, better artist. At their best, they sound like a slightly edgier R.E.M. Can't imagine ever coming back here, but it also feels wrong giving this a 2. So I'm going with a completely limp 3.

I can envision everybody screaming “ITS ANOTHER 90s BRITISH INDIE BAND! FUCK!” right now. the first side is so good but the second side drags down it a bit. 3.5/5

This album was fine. Nothing great, nothing horrible, just straight down the middle.

Managed to listen to this without knowing anything about the band, and yet it was /instantly/ identifiable as a second rate Liverpool indie band, circa 1998-200. Not unpleasant at all - there's that late 90s sweetness or production polish, and there's maybe a little bit of the La's, a bit of The Pernice Brothers, a bit of the Cosmic Rough Riders, a bit of The Thrills etc etc etc. It's fine, but totally unexceptional. Probably a three star album, but tempted to mark it down because what the heck is it doing on the list?

At first I thought this album sounded like something you’d hear in early episodes of Friends, which made it feel a little behind the times for 1999. But some of the later tracks started to sound a bit more like mid-aughts bands, which would make it a bit ahead of its time. Either way, it was an easy, pleasant listen. Not earth-shattering, but good.

Not sure how this one snuck in... Its good, its fine. I like the songs, some songs were better than others. I probably won't revisit, but I wouldn't be mad if it was on. I guess it was somewhat forgettable?

Didn’t change my life, but wasn’t bad.

Ok album, listened 3 times and couldn’t really get drawn in. Nothing bad per se, just never heard the lyrics blend with the music and transport me.

Scouse britpop arriving at the fag end of the movement. Best Tracks: Natalie's Party, Comedy, Streets of Kenny

Not bad, but nothing that particularly stuck with me

This gets lost in the sea (geddit?) of late 90s jangly, indie pop and as a consequence, sounds like many other bands of the time. Captain's Table is great song but not enough to lift the album above 2 stars.

Harmless pop. Will tickle some ears, but will not cause any pain or lasting impact. Like a breeze, will flow through your ears

this is such a nothing album

Mum, can we have Oasis? Mum: No there is Oasis at home The ‘Oasis’ at home: [insert this album] Just a joke but there were a few songs which did sort of sound like they were ripping off Oasis’ sound. An alright listen and I didn’t completely hate listening to this album just felt quite meh. I do think however, that the instrumentals in all fairness were actually quite good, but I just really wasn’t a fan of the vocals and lowkey just gave me a headache. I do like the album cover though and was maybe expecting more of a folk sound paired with more acoustic guitar riffs and some good vocals, so was bit disappointed. Standout songs idk ‘pull together’ maybe, I would include ‘Daniella’ but only the instrumental.

What the fuck? Was there like a wildcard spot on the list for an album chosen at random from the "USED CDs ONLY $.25!" box? I guess this wasn't objectively bad, but...like, why? Competent musicians, completely uninspiring music ⭐⭐.5

it's OK but completely forgettable

Didn’t think it was that good. Cheesy cliche lyrics, every song was gimmicky, and the discordant vocals sounded bad.

I have a soft spot for Brit pop indie but fuck sake, this hardly an essential album is it?

Feels like substandard britpop.

did nothing for me.

Really? This was an album I needed to hear before I die? Yeah alright.

Hms Fable, while it at first glance seems to spark an interesting vibe with it's opening track, quickly bores. Truly one of the most mediocre inclusions on this list. I can't see how this album should be here at all. It's not unlistenable, far from it, but still. This is one inclusion I'm going to rightfully rant about, if I finally get to know which albums didn't make the cut.

I thought this was Shaquille O'Neal, boy was I disappointed

Perfectly generic. I wonder if there's Polynesian music on this list.

This sounds like they keep trying to write a theme song for a '90s sitcom but keep falling short.

I wouldn’t put this in the top 50 of 1999, much less the top 1001 all time.

There were some nice moments (Streets of Kenny, Danielle) on this but that would be obliterated the next minute by the most middle of the road Britpop indie crap. Really frustrating album

As a brit born in 82, who loves britpop and music generally i couldn't be any more in the target market for this. But even i found this average. There are hundreds and thousands if albums more deserving of this list. Its not a bad album, but its certainly does not fit the brief.

sounds like every-other ~2000's brit pop band, but without the one or two good songs that make them worth listening to. I can see why this guy did heroin to make things more exciting, still not a terrible album 2/5

Sounds like a bad Coldplay cover band. It’s not miserable but wouldn’t pay the cover charge.

Nope, not rewarded by this listen. I mean, I heard it. It penetrated my space every so often, a distraction that lasted less than a moment, then quickly shoved back to that area already occupied by all the other daylight noises… distant cars, the construction project next door, the AC fan, the damn phone ringing, the wife. It failed to deliver; join the list.

It's like the non-alcoholic, diet, fat-free version of R.E.M.

A pretty inoffensive Britpop outing. I'm not sure why it was deemed interesting or noteworthy enough to appear on this list, to be honest. I found that I'd stopped paying attention to it a couple of times and had to focus on it to even really realise it was there. Not "bad", per se, but certainly not of any particular note or merit.

mid AF

Never heard of this band or album. Opened the link in Apple Music, very surprised it was released in 1999. As a teen in 99, I was obsessed with finding and listening to as much music as possible. How did this escape me? Two seconds in and I understand why. This album is bland, uninspired faff. I hate it. How the hell did this album make the list of albums I HAVE TO HEAR. Really didn’t. 1/5.

Now this is some prime over-rated low-effort Brit bollocks (as judged upon hearing it in 1999, yet alone today from this list). I think their A&R man later wrote the entertaining if concerning "Kill Your Friends", perhaps as a diversion from the tedium herein. If we're now just randomly lauding tuneful obscure nautical-adjacent Beatlesy-indie I'm going to use the rest of my time to highlight Pugwash and the excellent "What Are You Like?" You're welcome.

None/5 Another day, another proof that whoever made this list is fucking retarded. When I saw the album cover, I thought "hey this could be interesting if it's something like Flogging Molly"... But ofc I was disappointed when I read "Pop/Brit Pop". This album is somehow even worse than the Robbie Williams bs I had to listen to a couple weeks ago. Good thing I can choose not to listen to this.

Utter shite. It's derivative as all hell, a bit like a Temu Crowded House over a decade too late, combined with the worst aspects of C-tier UK bands at the time like Travis. Trite lyrics and embarrassingly simple songs, coupled with a competent pub singer with zero interesting or intriguing qualities. Saccharine and overwrought string arrangements and flourishes on meandering songs that neither need or deserve them. As the 90s came to a close, in the year that we got classics like 'The Soft Bulletin', 'The Fragile', 'Ágætis byrjun', '2001', '13', 'Terror Twilight', 'The Slim Shady LP', 'Mule Variations' and exciting debuts like 'Showbiz' and 'The White Stripes', even Coldplay's Blue Room EP...*this* is what we're highlighting????

I try to judge these albums on various merits for why they should be included on this list. Some albums are a showcase of the technical skill and musicianship of the artists involved. Others were a cultural phenomenon at one time, and some are just progenitors that influenced other artists and albums. This album is none of those things. As a band with a name I didn’t recognize, I was expecting to hear something amazing, or a style choice that others mimicked to greater success. None of that is here. It’s a perfectly cromulent album, but nothing about it makes it worth a recommend, let alone a spot a list of extremely important albums to hear in your lifetime.

Why is this on the list? Who the fuck cares about Shack? Who even remembers Shack in 2023? Imagine the great album whose place on the list is kept occupied by fucking Shack

Pretty boring.

Lowkey liked that

Qué maravilla y qué delicia de álbum, con vibras de REM y de The Decemberists en lo que se refiere a su desarrollo de un rock alternativo a partir de presupuestos folk. Aunque se empeñen en encasillarlos dentro del fenómeno Britpop, Shack se desmarca bastante del hype de los Suede-Blur-Oasis y se concentra en crear buenas canciones, redondas en composición y perfectas para el mainstream al que, por lo que yo sé, no llegaron. Otra banda para reivindicar. “Beautiful”, “Comedy”, “Re-Instated” son mis preferidas.

A true hidden gem.

Внезапно очень зашло, настоящее открытие. Люблю такую музыку

Шок, но вижу их впервые. Хоть они и подписаны на лейбл Нобеля Галлахера, но никогда не попадался этот андеграунд антимейнстрима. Могу слушать такое 24/7 365 дней в году и чувствовать себя самым счастливым человеком. Моя база, мой лор. У меня не было и шанса. Понравилось с первых пяти секунд первой песни. Отличная музыка, учитывая весь минимальный набор ресурсов. Просто ливерпульские дядьки, которые любят писать хорошие песни под гитарку. Так и должно быть.

Лучшая песня: Comedy Худшая: Re-Instated Что? Бритпоп не на одной ноте и без повторения одной фразы 100 раз? Мелодичный??

music is love

Uff que buen disco. Esta muy divertido, no cuesta nada escucharlo, tiene una energía y estilo muy típico de los 90's, y justo es eso, un buen disco de los 90's con ese sonido tan característico de las rock/pop bands de la década, con mucho estilo, divertido, armonías sencillas pero sumamente efectivas. Okey pero luego llegamos a la mitad y wtf, Captain's Table y Streets of Kenny son como un puente en el disco, dos pistas con estilo cinematográfico y con un gran cambio de humor, y de carácter. Se siente muy bien ese cambio en el disco, muy orgánico además. No se siente el putazo, como si cambiaras de disco. Despues de estas dos canciones volvemos a algo similar de la primera mitad pero se siente distinto como si el genero britpop de los 90's hubiera evolucionado, se hubiera convertido en britpop de los 2000's; muchos aspectos como los arreglos corales y de cuerdas dando un toque casi orquestal, los puentes de las canciones cuando modulan a una tonalidad menor, los solitos de guitarra super melódicos pero con su dosis de grunge y los coros que le dan más cuerpo a la armonía de la canción al estilo Weezer o Arctic Monkeys o Blur, entre otros. Bueno y luego llega el final con Daniella, WTF, que graaaaan canción. Llega para decirnos que no son cualquier banda, son verdaderos músicos y grandes compositores. Gran concepto, no se si era la intención pero al menos así la sentí. Muy buen disco.

This was a cool surprise. I had never heard of this band before but the music was well composed and performed, and everything mixed together excellently. I was really impressed, especially having gone in with no expectations.

Almost as pleasant a surprise as The Stone Roses. I had not (nor had my spouse) heard of Shack. Not sure at all what to expect and was really blown away. But I guess I'm a sucker for mid to late 90s, northern English/scottish indie bands. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Highlights: "Natalie's Party," "Re-Instated," and "Daniella"

- greatttt start damn - And to think I almost skipped this! - I love the strings on comedy - I want you was a vibe - The whole album is a vibe! - The outro to since I met you is great

This is unique.