Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Who is shack? Anyways this was pretty good 3.5/5
- Never really heard of this band before but I must say I was pleasantly surprised
I like the instrumentals but the vocals kinda don’t do it for me
A Belle & Sebastian style indie pop bit of fun that doesn't seem immensely deep or all that important but is still pleasant enough to listen to. Didn't feel like they were from Liverpool, and had somehow never heard of them.
3.7 nada innovador, en su mayoría canciones radio-friendly britpop de los 90s pero funcionan bien, y es mejor que cualquier cosa que haya escrito Damon Albarn en esa epoca
Enjoyable but not necessarily memorable.
Very easy listening both in musical technique and lyrical content, relaxing finely made but more or less not my thing. I did enjoy it especially the final track "Daniela" which acts as a nice end point to the album that actually plays into the simplicity seen in the album really well by letting the singer stretch his legs and approach the song much differently to the rest of the album.
some good songs on this
I recall this album being acclaimed at the time and I have heard Srreets of Kenny before though probably not in a quarter of a century, but overall it's not aged well. I noticed a number of times that the best parts of the songs are usually the first or the last 20 seconds, but unfortunately the in-between sections, the core of the song is where it's pedestrian and formulaic. It's not a bad record and I quite enjoyed Pill Together and Daniella
Hear me out, this album is like a Chili's. You'd almost always rather go somewhere else, but somehow you find yourself there. Once you're there, it's kinda a vibe. But by the time you finish, you're ready for a long break from it. This band is just as memeable as Nickelback. One day gen alpha will find out.
#949. Inoffensively boring. 3/5: it's there
3.5
“Comedy” stood out for me. “Re-Instated” for me. I liked the album for a basic (not in a bad way) rock album that I sometimes crave.
Edgy Scouse Oasis
Good music but the vocals were jarring and sounded really amateurish karaoke. A shame because I enjoyed the Britpop indie guitar vibes. 3/5
It started so bland I thought it would be such a boring hour. Even though their singer might be the first ever scouser I’ve been able to understand without subtitles on my first attempt. Anyway, I have to say that the album actually turned out to be evolving and different but still pretty solid and consistent overall and it was a pleasure to listen to it. No way it was an album I should’ve listened to before I die, obviously. But I do enjoy brit pop, so I don’t mind.
Favorite Tracks: - Comedy - Pull Together - I Want You - Daniella
1999.
Just washed over me
I hear a lot of different influences here, not bad but a bit too melancholy for me today.
Not bad, musically competent and the vocals are clean and well done. It's a bit of a fight to keep it from drifting into the background however because it doesn't demand attention, it seems content to mosy on with or without you. There are tracks that are highlights like Pull Together and Captains Table.
i can listen to this, but i fail to understand what is remarkable about it
This is fine. Serviceable Britpop but from 1999?? Very Liverpool.
I was really expecting some 60s/70s nautical nonsense from that cover, was relieved to be met with mid-of-quality 90s soft music instead
Enticing for the first couple-to-few songs, the music sounds nice but the songs don't do enough to stand the test of time against their rivals in the britpop greats. Some pretty parts, only too shallow a whole
helt ok!
Always a pleasure to listen to this
Enjoyed this a lot-would revisit
helt ok!, typ 2,5/5
Decent rock album. 3.5/5
Never heard of these... I mean, it's not brilliant. But I probably would have really liked it in the late 90s.
Bland and inoffensive but certainly not an album you have to hear. Why this album instead of Cast, Dodgy or the Bluetones or any other mid-tier Brit-pop band, and I say that as someone who was a fan of those other bands at the time. Shack totally passed me by at the time. 3 stars
Initially, I thought this was just the standard Brit Pop entry of the week. It felt like one of a thousand standard pop albums, but just as I was about to write it off as such, it kept offering little hints and signs of something better. Granted, it is Brit Pop of the late 90s, but it shouldn't be overlooked. I liked the Beulahesque "Reinstated" and "I Want You" and Natalie's Party.
Album was fine, nothing stood out or was special to me. Probably wouldn't listen to it again and no takeaways for me
It's decent, but it just sounds like way too overproduced. 3.5 bumped down to 3.
Ágætis eitís rokk. Rúllaði án óþæginda en ein hlustun var alveg nóg. Á auðvitað ekkert erindi á þennan lista og kemur afskaplega illa út í samanburðinum við Sgt. Peppers.
Entertaining 90s tracks. Whatever happened?
Bit like the Las. But not quite as good
Pretty good.
I'm not sure why this is the first time even hearing of this, but pleasant, but unadventurous britpop. As times reminded me of the later Ride albums
Little better than I was expecting. Uuuhh I don’t knoe
Just 'meh.
Fav-beautiful 3/5
Aight
Imagine wanting to be Oasis man. Even Oasis don't wannabe Oasis. Its fine. (copied verbatim since we've BEEN HERE ALREADY)
Not much to say here
This reminds me a lot of that Lemonheads album we got a year ago, it's pleasant enough to give it a reasonable floor and earn it a place to make it background while you clean the house but if this thing was an electrocardiogram you'd think the album was dead because the line was flat. No peaks. That said I'd take these guys over Oasis any day of the week. Fight me.
Ah yes, more Britpop. Just what I needed. I don't even know what to say here. I feel like I've been grasping at straws to find interesting things to say about a lot of these albums lately. Shack's H.M.S. Fable is, say it with me now, a decently solid, albeit rather uninteresting, britpop album. We've been here before. The music is alright. I don't have any issues with it. There's some nice guitar parts in there. The vocals aren't my favorite, but I've heard worse. The writing lacks substance to me. There's really nothing in here that feels all that special or meaningful. I've seen people compare this a lot to Oasis in these reviews, but I didn't really think of Oasis as my primary Britpop reference point. I got more Suede vibes from this than anything. Dear God. I'm actually referencing britpop bands that aren't Blur or Oasis. I've gone too far deep into the britpop rabbit hole and it's entirely the album project's fault. 3/5.
Great in Kazaam, meh on this album.
This is a textbook example of what’s clearly a band the authors love. Nothing wrong here but definitely nothing essential.
I liked it OK. Didn’t blow me away.
70
It was something I had not heard before. Interesting but not something I will quickly return to.
H.M.S. Fable gets out to an impressive launch. She has a strong breeze behind her and improves for the several numbers, and peaks with Captain’s Table. Unfortunately, momentum is lost at the turn and the B Side is becalmed for the second leg. Daniella gives a flutter at the end, which is not enough to get Shack across the pond, but turns out to be just enough to get them above the mean tide mark. (2.6*s) Like ‘em enough to check out their previous album Waterpistol at some point in the future.
Bueno. Me ha recordado a Oasis
This was a fun listen! I liked "Natalie's Party" and "Beautiful" best
This feels like something I would have bought about 20 years ago (so not that far off from its release) because the cover kinda looks cool and I hadn't heard of them and maybe that would give me a little indie cred. I would have taken a quick listen on the headphones at the shop (album 4 of 6 at the new music listening station) on the Tuesday that this came out, and it would have sounded perfectly pleasant. Just pleasant enough to take it home. And after a brief stint in heavy rotation in the car with the other couple CDs I would have gotten that day, it would have found its way to a stack with the rest of my hundreds of CDs at home. And unfortunately, once it found its place there, it wouldn't have gotten played all that much because, while it was perfectly pleasant, nothing really stands out. And so it drifts into the background. I like it when I hear it, but I forget it when it's gone. And 20 years later, I'd still like owning it because the cover is still kinda cool, and it's not a hugely known band, so the little bit of indie cred maybe still applies. So, this is kind of a 3.5 for me, because it so clearly would have fit the mold of how I bought so many CDs around the time period that this came out, and knowing that if I had listened to it at that more formative time of life, it would bring back great memories locked into those couple weeks it was in heavy rotation in the car.
Another one of those "Didn't hate it" type of albums. Like a poor man's Blur. 2.5/5 charitibly rounded to 3.
странно видеть такой альбом тут в списке. глобально звучало неплохо, но вряд ли когда либо вернусь. 3
Ноль информации мною была получена об этом альбоме, кроме того, что в свое время он по версии ряда журналов занял второе место в топах за год. Видимо, составитель очень любит брит-поп. Карина, залогинься
This is a perfectly fine, if not particularly noteworthy or exceptional, example of 90s Britpop with perhaps a touch indie that gives it a bit more color. I'm a fan of the genre and I like this record, but tend to agree it's a bit bewildering why it's on what is ostensibly an "essentials" list. Some good tunes, some OK tunes, and no new ground broken. The definition of "fine".
Pas grand-chose à dire dessus, c'est vraiment du rock anglais typique de l'époque, pas particulièrement mauvais, mais aussi très oubliable. C'est un 3 parce que c'était pas nul du tout, mais un petit 3, quoi.
Not bad but nothing very rememberable. Vocals are kind of rough on some of the tracks.
This improved on a second listen but, ultimately, it was still pretty forgettable britpop that felt like it missed the right time and came out a few years after everyone else had moved on.
Good to know this was what he was up to in the offseason before winning three straight NBA championships
Ah yes, nothing beats celebrating St. Patrick’s Day than listening to none other than… another British band I’ve never heard of. In all seriousness, I’m not much of a Britpop guy at all, but this record had its nice moments. Decent songwriting.
Rock, 1999 -> 3
Solid but not spectacular
fine
Nice Sunday album
You can hear Liverpool by the third beat.
Britpop is pretty cool overall.
A lot more endearing that the cover would suggest. Started to lose me in the end but just still hardly a genre for me. Favorite Song: Comedy
It’s been a long time since I have listened to HMS Fable, but going ing this my recollection of the album was a positive one. This is immediately reinforced by ‘Natalies Party’ and the album generally flows along this line. Unfortunately the album never really raises above just being pleasant and therefore whilst good background for a sunny summers day (currently overcast late winter) it lacks anything to hook you in and stand out.
I remain as baffled by anyone else as to quite how much I enjoyed the first half of this one - it gave me the vibe of the very early 90s stuff that I like. “Pull Together”, especially, was just lovely. The wheels came off for me from the middle - just much later than I expected it to.
Rock pop
Generic 90’s British pop rock
I liked it a lot
I'd never heard of them but I dug it
Skip
Competent but inessential
Pretty easy listening, not amazing but an ok listen
Very interesting album, it’s like if classic rock bands all got together and distilled their essence into one band with modern production, the vocals are very familiar but at the same time I’ve never heard this band before. I think that’s this albums biggest weakness is that it doesn’t really stand out to me with enough of a distinct sound. It’s good but that’s because the form they’re copying off of is good
New to me, some really interesting songs and overall a pretty enjoyable listen. No immediate stand out tracks but would listen again
Nice sound, with interesting lyrics, folky!
Before: I don't have a clue, I won't even hazard a guess. Oh what the heck. It's probably not rap, not country, not jazz. Maybe something in the folk-rock realm? During: Hm, jangle-country-pop-rock? It's not bad. The lyrics in the first rack are interesting, "when you walked in my face and my eyes were shining through". Five tracks in now. This is nothing special but it's not bad, I'll probably give it a 3. Reading some reviews now, seems a lot of people dislike this a lot. Apparently this is Britpop, I can see that now that I've heard 5 songs. After : I wouldn't mind if I never heard any of those songs again. I'll give it a 3.
It's pretty generic late 90s, early 2000s indie I feel like. I'm not hating but most of it is just what I hear when I think of that era of 'indie'. However, "Captain's table" and "Streets of Kenny" are really something special, especially with headphones on, which I had. I liked this well enough but especially liked those two songs. They were very floaty and whimsical and fun. Honestly this was another album I had a hard time listening to because the first time I tried playing it in my car and I've found that sometimes an album can't be really heard and understood by myself without headphones and actual focus. Given this, I think I just passed it off as some really boring album that I was gonna have to struggle through. In the end, it really wasn't that bad, although some songs albeit were quite boring, a lot of them were quite fun.
This was an album
This album cover doesn’t fit the music at all.
Day778 - not bad but they sound like the opening act for a better band
Very pleasant listen.
First 3 tracks were TOTALLY meh for me, then immediately after it got REALLY good for a bit? I obviously didn’t love this, but what i liked, i really liked. What a strange thing! At times pretty plodding British rock, at other times a Spiritualized-esque super-freak-out!
5/10… brit pop / indie / *1999
These guys like The Beatles too much. Starts well but tails off a bit
Folk rock, some good songs but not anything crazy. Pretty mid
Niet onaangenaam om naar te luisteren, maar ook niet altijd mega interessant
2,75 prima, maar niet helemaal mijn ding
Is this album generic and forgettable? Absolutely. However, I do think is tolerable, due to its clear sound, nice instrumentation, pleasant voice timbers and a little touch of folk in the songs "Captain's Table" and "Daniella", which are the only remarkable aspects in this collection of super standard britpop songs. So at the end, I wasn't that bothered about this record, but I still think it is not worth listening.
I really liked Captain's Table. Some the other tracks were alright as well, but it just wasn't enough that I would want to find a put on this record again. Wouldn't be mad if it was playing though.
14/20 Sentiment partagé entre des morceaux qui ne plaisent vraiment pas (comme Comedy ou Nathalie's Party), et des musiques qui au contraire m'accroche beaucoup et que je reecouterai avec plaisir (comme Pull Together ou Daniella). Ainsi, l'impression globale de l'album est bonne et me donne envie de le réécouter, sans pour autant réussir parfaitement à me convaincre.
You know, I actually really loved listening to this. It's perfectly pleasant, lots of great songwriting, and lovely vocals. But I have to admit -- lord, it's generic. Simple chord structures, simple melodies, simple themes. It's everything I despise about pop, but this time around it didn't bother me quite as much. Important album? No. An album I never would have heard of that I genuinely liked? You betcha. Fave tracks: - Natalie's Party - Comedy - Beautiful - Lend's Some Dough - Captain's Table - Streets of Kenny - Since I Met You - Daniella
I assume this is what people mean by shoegazing Brit rock. Seemed like generic background noise most of the time.
Okay, I've heard this album now. I would have much rather spent that 45-50 minutes listening to ANY album by Warren Zevon, but what are you gonna do? I already know that Warren has been left off of the list completely. This is not a terrible album, but almost certainly one that I won't remember within 24 hours of rating it.
Nice album to listen to, nothing particularly stood out to me
Gotta ride for the Liverpool boys
A good album, I liked Lend's Some Dough and Captain's Table the most.
Love it.
Never heard this one before but I like it.
I liked this album fine! It didn’t blow me away but it was pleasant and enjoyable to listen to. Overall, this was a good Alt/Indie rock album that I would listen to again if I was in the mood for it.
Not unpleasant but didn’t rock my world. A bit clichéd and bland
90s pop rock sound, catchy tunes.
I had never heard of this band despite being from Liverpool, which I think kind of says a lot about their relevance for something like this. I did enjoy it but there are a lot better albums than this that aren't on this list.
Kind of boring.
Very forgettable
I was officially surprised on how good this album was, and even more surprised that I had never heard of it. I know heroin is bad, but this is once again proof that it really doesn’t inspire a good music. When was first listening to it, I was inspired to find out what the history of this album. In context when it came out, there was a flood of similar bands, such as Spin Doctors, Gin Blossoms, Crashed Test Dummies, and even Dave Matthews Band, that all fell into the same genre. The fact that Shack had such a tumultuous history and they were English made sense why this album didn’t succeed as well in the late-90s American market. But there is a lot to really appreciate about this album and its sound. Natalie‘s Party grabs you from the get-go with the upbeat tempos and interesting familial harmonies. My favorite track though was Captain’s Table. I’m gonna have to explore other Shack albums because if they were anywhere close to this, they deserve a good listen and their day on the radio.
Random thoughts: * I listened to this one several times as I enjoyed it. There were no great songs/singles in my opinion but it was an overall solid album. * It reminded me of "There She Goes" from So I Married an Axe Murderer. The version that has the horns. * It also felt a little more like what I would have expected the modern Beatles to sound like, way less Oasis and more like this. * Overall solid album lacking the hits. Nice sounds and a genre that was up my alley.
It's good album, but didn't Brit Pop peak around 1996? I really can't think of anything particularly influential or significant about a band clinging on a genre that was well on the way out by this point. Sure, there's a market for those who still wanted more Oasis albums and Shack certainly tick that box. But it's really a stretch to say that they deserve a spot on this list. But I guess if you close your eyes and pretend that it was a lost album from earlier in the decade, it's a pretty decent listen at least.
Didn’t mind it, probably won’t listen to it again and not sure it belongs on a list like this
Ok I guess
Does not deserve so much hate, but then again it doesn't deserve being in the list either. Yet again, I had to put up with a lot of far worse stuff from the list, so let's call it a "meh." 6/10.
1st song - good but not for me 2nd - pretty okay i added to playlist 3rd - I like this one 4th - sounds just like the rest did not add 5th - I'm not lending you dough not for me 6th - idk something is off not for me 7th - its like in the middle not for me 8th - not for me dude they sound kinda funky 9th - again dude it sounds like the rest of the album and idk not for mee 10th - again it sounds funkyyyy not for me 11th - bro i swear this is the same song as the others but different lyrics 12th - not that bad its lowkey deep and for once sounds different abit too sad for me tho. 2/12 ( comedy , pull together) i wouldnt mind listening to this but abit too boring for me it gets very repetitive some songs have some distinct to them so i like those more . would of added the 12th song but i just dont see myself listening to this.
Definitely sound Liverpool! Quite tuneful. Clever. There were definitely sounds akin to Oasis in there, which is not a positive thing for me. Streets of Kenny was my favorite.
A couple good tracks, not super interesting
Well, it's got quite a bunch of good songs even but all of it just sounds so generic that I don't really know why would I listen to this instead of _those_ better britpop bands. So, a solid 3/5, but completely unremarkable and don't really see why it should be on this list.
I did not realize this was a different album than the last one for WAY too long. Not especially interesing
+
Surprised me! Im actually enjoying very much this album!
If the list is to believed, Elvis Costello and the entirety of Britpop is the most essential music to ever hit music.
The Pale Fountains Abre con los dos primeros y únicos sinlges: Natalie's Party y Comedy, esta última con un aroma a Jayhwaks. Beautiful baja un poco el nivel porque llega la gloriosa Lend's Some Dough, al nivel de los mejores Bluetones. Streets of Kenny, tampoco es de las mejores, demasiado pesada, o I Want You, Britrock del montón. Justo lo contrario que Reinstated, digna de Mojave 3. Since I Met You, suena radiante, como si lo hubieran firmado los mismísimos Boo Radleys. Jangle pop, Mereseyside, Britpop... lo que quieras, pero muy bueno. Por cierto este como el resto de su discografía y la de Pale Fountains fue ignorada completamente. Solo con Dear Scott ya en los 20´s el bueno de Head logró un merecido éxito. El problema es que ese año se publicaron titanes como The soft Bulletin o 69 love songs...
Super generic. Not bad. 2.5
Late 90s Britpop. Quite lovely, folk vibes.
this is a perfectly ok album that I don't understand being on this list over so many other albums, but then again I think I wouldn't object if the list didn't fall over itself to both include so many britpop albums *and* overrepresent artists like dylan / the beatles / bowie / everyone in CSNY / morrissey / elvis costello / etc. like I would be way more open to this as a pleasant surprise if I didn't know that we had three steely dan albums too many crowding out other albums you actually should listen to before you die. so you know what actually, I take it back. I'm fine with this album being on the list. no point getting mad at these dudes when the real problems are running around with nine full albums anyway this is fine. I'd listen to it again. call this a high three.
Pretty good, some of the songs seemed derivative of Oasis and Blur, but maybe it's just a trend of music that time. I liked some of the more interesting tracks, but I probably won't explore the rest of this bands catalogue. Standout Tracks: Pull Together, Daniella
Not bad but too long
I was not familiar with Shack before listening to this album. It was a pleasant surprise. I listened to the whole album straight through which is my benchmark for a good album. I could hear influences from the Beatles, Crosby, Steals, Nash and Young and also maybe some Gordon Lightfoot. Overall, a really nice album.
Had never heard of this band. Would have guessed it was a 70s band from the sound so surprised to learn this album is from 99
Alt rock
Вполне приятная, ненапряжная музыка
It’s alright ig
It's fine. Here is my note from10/4/2022 on this album: blah
First impression was "sounds like someone blended R.E.M. and Oasis." It does get out of that shadow a bit, and the theme resonates with this old seaman's heart. Pretty good musicality, and if I don't know those other bands I'm not left with much to disparage, especially since they were contemporaries.
Reinstated, Comedy, Cornish Town, Since I met you my fav Okay wow on a first listen this is really great!
This album is why I signed up for this generator. It's a 3 but this is a true deep cut and a hidden gem of an album. I'd give it a higher rating if I had just absolutely LOVED one song, but alas, I just liked most of the album. Captain's Tale might be my favorite song but I really enjoyed Streets of Kenny. You can just hear the Liverpool-ness in the music, and it's quite charming, especially since the city's nautical roots inform the album cover and some of the lyricism. Very pleasantly surprised.
Nothing wroywith that.
Average
Blind album. Kinda generic indie rock for me. Opening track was decent too.
There's nothing innovative or radical here, and the appeal lies in the songcraft which is generally of a decent quality, if often underwhelming. That orchestration often ties back to the 60s ('Since I Met You' is most Beatlesque), and by association, is firmly rooted in 90s nostalgia. Owing to the lack of originality different tracks sound like different contemporary bands. 'Natalie's Party' a dead ringer for the Charlatans. 'Beautiful' is Dodgy. 'Captain's Table' owes a debt to The Las, and this one is if superior quality - excellent folk-tinged number with a great bassline. And credit where it falls due, they have paid it forward with the likes of Elbow (acoustic, strings-driven anthems), The Coral (the fingerpicked 'Daniella') and Gerry Cinnamon (the catchy 'Lend's Some Dough') having taken much from this, often more successfully. I'd love it to be a lost classic like The Las' album, but what it is is a decent collection if songs, a couple very good, and otherwise being reasonably unmemorable and uncharacterless. It just passes to three.
Uhh. Yeah. Yep. That's some britpop. Yeah it's alright. Not bad. Has some real bangers near the middle to end. Probably the last time I'll ever listen to this in my life though
It's fine, fairly standard late 90s rock.
I guess this is another album that won a lottery to be included in this list. Can't say it has improved my life dramatically but I quite enjoyed it in a somewhat detached way.
I was prepared to hate this on account of being "misc rock" but you know what. I enjoyed it. I will promptly be forgetting about it, but I don't think it deserves the hate it's had in the reviews.
Proof that being from Liverpool isn’t a musical gimme.
I’m not sure what to make of this. It’s kind of boring but it doesn’t totally suck. I’m trying to figure out what kind of person this appeals to. Don’t love it, don’t hate it.
De definitie van een vergeetbare 3.
Pretty enjoyable, pretty upbeat pop music
Hms Fable was a pretty forgettable but still solid album. I've never heard of this band prior to listening to this album but it seems like just another one of those britpop/alt rock bands that are on this project like Oasis, Blur and The Verve. I don't really think that this album hits any of the heights the ones by the other bands i mentioned did but i still think that this album was a very pleasant listen. It is clear here that Shack clearly knew what sounds would be the most pleasant to listen to in terms of both music and vocals. That being said, it doesn't really do anything all that remarkable either and just fades into the crowd of 90s britpop bands. It's perfectly good for what it is, just nothing all too special and it just plays it too safe. Best Song: Since I Met You Worst Song: Re-Instated
Sounds like Brit pop. It’s okay.
Pas passé un mauvais moment je crois mais déjà oublié
Je donne la moyenne 3/5
May be cheesy and basic, but.. well yeah that's what it is. I definitely liked a lot about this album, I just don't think it's something I needed to listen to really. It didn't knock my socks off or anything. Just some good songs. Probably won't be coming back to this, but I appreciate it.
You know, the first britpop album I got, I thought, “Wow, this genre’s not too bad, it sounds like Oasis! Why does everyone seem to hate it so much?” I’m starting to understand why: most of it sounds like knockoff Oasis. This album does have a lot of tropes that I like whenever I hear them, so it’s not terrible or unenjoyable, it just doesn’t feel very special, not even from song to song really. There were so many better albums that could’ve been here instead. 3/5
Not bad, but nothing special. English Alternative rock album from the 90's. No real standout tracks, but no real low lights either. Overall didn't leave an impression. 3-star.
I'm pleased the 1,001 Albums list threw up the Shack album this morning. I'd forgotten completely about the band, plus The Pale Fountains. There was a lot going on back in 1999 - both musically and personally. I was always aware of HMS Fable through the music press, though I've never listened to it. Which is odd, seeing as though the NME banged on about it. It sits perfectly in a post-Britpop world. There's even an argument that The Pale Fountains were very early forerunners for all that followed. On HMS Fable you have the melodies, plus the production. I would have preferred something a little more raw and rough around the edges. The songs are strong enough to carry it without the polish.
The first couple tracks made me think that they are what Oasis would sound like if they relaxed a little. But the later tracks kind of drifted into the same pretentiousness that made me glad the album was over.
Fine; the harmonies were okay, but necessary to fill out the sound; unfortunately the album was bloated, as many were during the cd era.
Kinda sorta like Guster, but less good.
A very nice album, played this loads back in the day
This is definitely an album.
Good
Good britpop. Really nice instrumentally. Vocals pretty weak. Surprised it was released as late as it was.
It's a perfectly nice-sounding album, which is maybe the most damning praise. There’s potential buried in the restraint. Struggling 3. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions Natalie’s Party Comedy Daniella
I for one had not heard of this band before this. This was a solid record. Very 90’s. Some of the songs sound great. I think for me I’m missing a nostalgia factor that would otherwise elevate this rating for me… I like the record but I don’t have much desire to return to it. It reminds me of American bands Toad The Wet Sprocket and Jars of Clay
Nice
Album #942 Decent Indie rock with some dull bits, but just average overall.
Well produced and there was a time years ago where I might have been into it but at this point this flavor of britt pop is just not for me
entretenido
the opening had me really excited then we settled into the albums true nature; another midtempo britpop record. its fine but nothing exciting
I had never heard of the band Shack. I had no idea what I was in for, but I was pleasantly surprised. Shack could be described as Britpop. In fact, Shack is a Liverpool band formed by two brothers Mick and John Head and ended up getting signed to Noel Gallagher’s label. So, it doesn't get more Britpop than that. Before becoming a part of Gallagher’s label, the band released three albums and Fable was their third release. The band had actually broken up before their second album came out. They thought a fire had destroyed the master tapes and then Mick Head got hooked on heroin and the band broke up. Someone then tracked down a DAT with the album was recovered. Their second album was released and the band reformed to record H.M.S. Fable. Didn't the whole thing seem doomed from the start? So H.M.S. Fable comes out and makes a bit of a splash in England making the top 25 albums chart, getting good reviews and inevitably making the 1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It sounds exactly what you’d think it sounds like when you find out it’s Britpop, which isn't a bad thing. I think the album is good, I just don't have the affinity in my heart for Britpop. The song Pull Together would be a huge hit today, I think. The song Captain’s Table is like an old-time sea shanty about the singer’s time aboard the H.M.S. Fable. There isn’t a bad song on the whole album. I think the album a grower and when I’m getting a new album to listen to each day, I don’t have much time to give an album a dozen listens. If I were making a list of albums you need to hear before you die, I’m not sure this would make the cut. I think it’s a shame the band had so much bad luck in its time together. They eventually released one more album, then the drummer died and they broke up. If you’re a fan of Oasis and Blur, and you’ve never heard of Shack, this is going to really be satisfying.
3.5
2.5
gitarrenrockgeschrammel / acoustic guitar
Generic brit-pop. It's alright, but not in 1999. Other bands did it better, earlier and moved on. It's not bad by any means, but probably not worth being on this list.
Hadn’t heard of this but quite enjoyed it.
Sounds like they're trying to be any one of a number of bands from the 90s. Without really achieving an identity of their own. Occasionally, particularly on the more melodic pieces they sound like there's something there but otherwise it's cut and paste 90s indie pop guitar band
Good album
Nice at points but mostly forgettable.
Chill band, guitar and voice like Oasis, but much less moving
This wasn't a bad album, but there was nothing special about it either. Of it's time meat and potatoes britpop. This could be someone's favorite album, and it could be someone's else's example of britpop's nadir.
Unknown band. Good tunes and nice vocals. Very enjoyable.
This is a pretty average album for me. Nothing that stands out as great and nothing that stands out in the opposite way. Nice enough to listen to. As an American, the undiscript British isle accent is nice. But thats almost all that stands out. Its someone who isn't me's favorite album. Its just fine.
A pleasant listen. Mellow. Somewhat boring.
Not a band I’d heard of - I was too old and they were probably far too trendy for me to listen to at the time. I imagine that if I’d seen them as a support band I might have gotten in to them. A bit. Maybe. This seems a curious choice for a list like this. I’m not convinced it adds very much and it all feels a bit bland and not all that interesting. It’s not bad; it’s just not something that I feel I’ve particularly missed in my life by not having heard before.
Dad- 6 Mom- 7.5 Mike- NA Lori- 5.5 Michael- 4 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg-5.75
More average Britpop...bleh. I'm not hearing the R.E.M. comps but I also don't have a good one myself. This might be the most inoffensive, bland Britpop we've had. Like it didn't sound bad, but also wasn't super engaging. Landing at a Low 3.
An album that just kind of came and went. Sounded like REM a bit. Probably a 3.5
Some meh britpop. Some of it did remind me of Elbow even though it was worse. Still not terrible but not great either.
no real standouts pretty consistent though
I was living in London at the height of the emergence of the british indie scene into what is now known as Britpop. Reading up on this band, outside of an album released in 1988, their first major album was 1995. Maybe they got lost in the noise of the oasis debut album and everything that followed, but I have never heard of this band in my life, and I was fully embedded in the scene at the time. I listened to this album very objectively and it is very very generic. Sounds like every other band from that era that got lost in the noise of britpop. Comedy was probably the best of it. In a year where so many incredible albums were released that didn't make this list, i cannot for the life of me see why this gets the nod ahead of so much. its not unbearable to listen to though so gets the generic 3 stars
A tad too bland for me.
Kinda hipster-ish turn of the century alt britpop that starts out ok, and then wears out its welcome.
6/10
Not my cup of tea but the music is solid.
good small pop
Hat perfekt in die Stimmung gepasst, nett, nicht mega aufregend
I was surprised I did not know the band. Some Brit Pop/Rock with rich instrumentation, sometimes too much. Mostly harmless. Fav: Daniella
Underground oasis
Really enjoyable album through and through, not any hits but everything was good. Good lyrics and some fun sounds, definitely enjoyed
Ok
Oasis light.
Every song sounds like the backing track to a filler scene in Dawson’s Creek where the camera pans around to the characters in their various past times, separately.
Letztes Lied war gut. Sonst ganz ok
honestly sound a bit like oasis overall enjoyed
Generically britpoppy, but in no way unlistenable.
couldnt care less realy, not bad but heard it 1000 times
HMS Fable – Shack (1999) | Britpop / Indie Rock | Avg: 6.65 | Favorite Song: “Natalie’s Party”* HMS Fable sits in that middle ground where solid songwriting and likable melodies carry the weight, even if the album doesn’t push any boundaries. “Natalie’s Party” shines through as your favorite, and it makes sense—it’s one of the few tracks here that feels fully realized, with a memorable hook and genuine energy. The rest of the album hovers mostly in the mid-6 to 7 range, suggesting a smooth, enjoyable listen without a ton of standout moments. It’s competent and occasionally charming, but not particularly daring. There’s a bittersweet, reflective tone across the record that gives it a consistent emotional color, which can work both for and against it. Some songs start to blend into each other by the back half, and that sense of sameness is likely why a few tracks dipped closer to the low-6 range. Still, Shack clearly knows how to write from the heart, and while HMS Fable may not be a top-tier Britpop album, it has a sincerity and melodic sensibility that keeps it grounded and likable.
Not bad. Sounds a lot newer than it is.
I’ve seen this album cover before on the visual checklist, but I’ve never heard of Shack before. Looking at the album cover, I’d assume that Shack sounds like Flogging Molly, with more focus on the accordion and the concertina. I truly have no idea what I’m in for on this album, but I’m excited to find out what this album sounds like. I could never have predicted what I’d hear on this album, but I enjoyed it. Listening to this reminded me of what I felt when I first listened to Copper Blue by Sugar. Like Copper Blue, HMS Fable is a solid and fun rock album, with a heavy emphasis on some beautiful melodies. The thing that I found most striking about this album were the strings, but the guitar playing and vocals were good too. My biggest complaint about this album is that it didn’t lean on its strengths enough, and as a result, some of the songs were a bit bland in comparison to the standout tracks on the album. But when this album was firing on all cylinders, it sounded really good. I thought “Pull Together,” “Beautiful,” and “Natalie’s Party” were the best songs on the album. “Natalie’s Party” was a great lead-off track, and I really loved the depth of sound created by the strings and guitars. The vocals and piano on “Pull Together” were great. The echoing effect on the vocals was really great, and the strings went along perfectly with them on the chorus. The strings on “Beautiful” were excellent. I especially loved the way that they built in pitch across the lines of the chorus, making each chorus feel like a mini-crescendo. All in all, this was a fine album, with some really good high points on it, but I don’t know that I’d come back to it again.
Nice for background music, I'll probably check out some of their other stuff.
not too memorable to me
Non touching soft rock.
Getting hard to rate these 90s britpop beatles inspired albums, there are so many
2.7 I'm obviously missing something here. Just sounds like some generic 90s Brit rock, I assumed it was something earlier but given it was 99 I thought this would have stopped right now. Like a crap Dodgy. Clearly am missing something, apparently it's crept on to some best of all times lists. Am I even listening to the right album here?
It was fun
I mean, not bad, just just the definition of average. 2.5/5
Hmm British ok
Never heard of Shack. Not bad. Not great.
Never heard of Shack. Dreamy, late 90's Irish/Liverpuddlian vibes. I'm getting a spacey Todd the Wet Sprocket? Not bad. 2.75 stars. Rounding up to 3.
good indie rock 6/10
I feel like I'm in a 90s quirky rom-com. A little curious if they sound a bit derivative or if they're one of the first of this type of...alt? britpop? I like the nautical sea shanty parts.
I like this. Reminds me of Sixpence None the Richer. Favorite Track: Comedy.
A nice collection of alternative rock. I enjoyed the album as background music for working. No real standouts but solid album all together.
This is bright, optimistic, and woefully behind the times at its release. Here’s the deal though: it sounds just as good as any pop rock album of the 90’s. There are good songs here based on threadbare subject matter like ‘being too tired to socialise’. It’s all fluff, and clearly chasing a trend. But damn, I kind of vibe with this in spite of its obvious mediocrity. The arrangements are glistening, and I get the sense that these guys really gave a shit. A sheepish three stars. ✨
I was expecting more hot trash from the author’s Brit Bias, but it ended up being a middle of the road experience. Some songs were pretty meh, while others turned out to be decently enjoyable. I’ll never return to this album, but I’ve had worse recently. 2.5 / 5
It's fine. Best song is Since I Met You, which is almost great if it was just a little more bombastic. So I'm giving this a meh, over all. Didn't dislike it at all.
Just … ok.
Anthemic, britpop, psychedelic, swirling, sappy, Beatles. Sure, a bit generic, but inoffensive.
Hmmm... Jangly pop rock. Canadian? Not my thing so far. Nice hooks
7/10
Basically a perfect "C", which I guess rounds up to a 3?
The closest I’ve ever been to a 90s Time Machine.
There are a handful of excellent songs in here. Then others are plain as cardboard.
I liked this one, especially Natalie's Party and Streets of Kenny.
Alright not incredible (to me)
Fun record, never heard of the band, but the album sounded okay, a product of its time and well produced.
Not heard this album before. Some good tracks on there. Worth a listen again.
Not bad, but nothing grabbed me.
Not one I had heard of before. It's OK. A nice bit of variety in there. I wouldn't turn it off but then again I doubt I have the urge to go, I really want to listen to Shack today.
Can’t remember
Robert Dimery probably heard these guys in a bar once and decided to put them in his book.
Some cool rock tracks in there!!
There's a certain kind of UK music journalist who can't let go of the idea of Michael Head as a lost genius. The songs on this album are nice enough pastiches of all the 60s tropes you know so well. It's like a gentler Oasis or maybe Cast. It's not really genius. He's put out more than a dozen albums in different guises. So, he's not really lost either. Just there if you like this sort of thing. I think it's OK.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly why this didn't wow me. It might be because the wall of sound was so dense that even the breakdowns were drowning in reverb. It may be because some of the songs sounded like Discount Oasis from a small fishing town whose main exports are tinned anchovies and 2 weeks of tourism. The more folky bits were good
I liked half of it. It’s a 3.5, but I’m rounding down.
Ok
Favourite track: Since I Met You
I'm stuck between giving this a 3 or a 4.... Favorite song: Lend's Some Dough
This album is fairly good but nothing really stands out. 3 stars or C+.
Here we go, my first Britpop album from the list. I've gotta say it isn't really a genre I'm especially interested in, which isn't to say I haven't enjoyed anything in the ballpark. I can get into some of the classic bands that have transcended the genre, most notably Blur and The Stone Roses. However, what we have here seems to be a real deep cut, I was kind of taken aback when I saw that this band only has 23,000 listeners, initially because that is *pretty* underground. But after my listen of this, I'm more surprised that this band doesn't have more, I think a lot of people would be pretty into this. That being said, I only sort of liked it. To my ears, this album is one with a couple of great songs, a couple good ones, and everything else is sort of just fine to me. The opening hat trick of Natalie's Party, Comedy, and Pull together is pretty good. All of these songs are at least good, with Pull Together being pretty great in my mind. These three songs are all catchy and well written, and Pull Together has a subtle melancholy and some faint electronic elements that push it above and beyond for me. Overall, this is a strong enough start to the album, all things considered, but it kind of loses its footing pretty quickly for me. It takes until Streets of Kenny and its kind of baroque, shanty-esque feel to even get remotely as interesting as this opening salvo again, and even then, I don't know if I think it quite reaches the heights of those first three songs. Then we have another run of songs that don't do it for me, before ending on a high note with what may be, in my eyes, the album's best, Daniella. After some of the lower moments on this album, which I think somewhat often gets a little too twee for me at times, Daniella is a refreshing joy. It is stripped back and earnest, and stands out here as an especially well-written folk/singer-songwriter song that I could see entering my regular rotation. Also, I'd like to note that even though I think this project is a little uneven, the palette of it is overall pretty interesting. Acoustic guitar, violin and the vocal stylings all contribute to a sort of baroque atmosphere overall, which, as I mentioned earlier, occasionally shifts into kind of a shanty-like space. Additionally, the electronics on this are usually welcome. There may be too many good songs for me to go a 2 here, and I'm also not sure that the lows are low enough, so I'm gonna settle on a pretty low 3. This was fine for me, if pretty uneven, but your mileage may vary.
It's chill
Not bad!! Liked it overall
This wasn't bad! Cool album art too.
ok
I feel this meant a lot of things to some people at the time. It is like oasis, a band I don’t care too much for, without any swagger. Really quite dull. But inoffensive.
Итс окэй. Лучшая песня - Daniella.
Warm and pleasant, not bad, but it also probably doesn't belong on this list
More boring pre-millennial British alt rock.
I’m confused because I have literally never heard of them before and I don’t know why this is on here. It is pleasant enough and sounds better on the headphones but nothing groundbreaking or genre defining
Honestly, liked it a good bit. Not my favorite, but good.
No
I am tired of ranting about this. It is another unknown Alternative UK late 90's early 00's band that made no impact, has no lasting power, and no one remembers. However, for some reason (i.e. they are British) there are like 30 of these bands on this list and they all make the most generic music imaginable. At least some of the other bands had one single with a couple of million streams, the highest one on this album just broke 2 million and every other song is 100k-200k. This is just diet Oasis. It is fine. I don't need to listen to this. No one does. I am still upset that Lonesome Crowded West didn't make the cut. At least now I know what Oasis would sound like if they didn't have great hooks and strong melodies. Low 3.
Nice but somehow forgettable. Maybe after a few listens it could grow on me.
I'd never even heard of these guys before, but they're pretty good. The melodies are nice, and it was pretty consistent for the whole thing. Maybe it started to feel a bit more generic as it went on? Maybe. I think there's enough variation in here to make it worth a listen. I like the backing vocals and the additional violins for a bit of heightened delivery. 3.5 rounded down.
Absolutely lovely indie pop. Some really nice stuff on here! I enjoyed this, though I’ve a sneaking suspicion I’ve heard it before! Still, many worse records out there than this one!
2x 3.2
Fun little album.
Cool album. Shades of Elbow in there.
Inoffensive yet indistinguishable britpop. Has enough good moments to earn a passing grade but there isn't enough to make it an absolute must listen.
Oof, so poppy
catchy!
This is a completely new band to me. Without research I would have said that they were from 2000 onwards. In fact they are a late UK 80s band. This album is lovely but not interesting enough for me to give it 4 stars pity.
Generic pop rock. Pleasant enough.
not super my cup of tea. reminds me a bit of mewithoutYou and ajj. liked daniella!
Ho, hum. Pretty unremarkable but not at all offensive.
Percepisco ci sia una narrazione dietro, anche a giudicare dalla copertina Ma non ho sbatta di cercare il testo Si beccherebbe un 2 perché le musiche non sono il massimo, ma magari i testi lo alzano, quindi dai, 3
Разовое прослушивание - и не зацепился ни за что. Но и отторжения не было.
3.5
It's Britpop, but it branches out at times. It's better than Oasis, but it hasn't sold me on the genre.
I hadn't come across this band before so I'm glad this album came up for me.
Not bad
This was actually pretty decent. Very listenable.
British, poppyesque, British, serviceable, British, wiped from my memory immediately after listening, British. 5/10
Had never heard of this one, and was pleasantly surprised. Not quite gripping enough to get to elite territory however. 3.5/5
Pretty good but I already have enough of these kinds of records and this one didn't do enough to stand out.
I've never heard of Shack before, and definitely haven't heard anything from this album, so it's nice to get a new (to me) sound. It seems like a fine enough album, but honestly nothing much stood out, musically or lyrically, except that it sounds like it could have been produced 20 or 30 years earlier than it was (except maybe "Shack - reinstated"). I kind of liked the back-to-back "Captain's table" and "Streets of Kenny" a bit more than the others, but I'm not sure exactly why, and "Daniella" reminded me a bit of Gorillaz in a weird way. Sadly, the Wikipedia entry is pretty spartan, so it wasn't until I read the "1001 albums" entry that I got a glimpse of the sad and drug-ravaged story of the Head brothers and their path of will-play-for-drugs for far too long. And apparently several of the songs are all about their quest for heroin and other narcotics back in the day.
Solid jangly pop that's easy on the ears.
Good album but wasn't focus on it but most of the time really catchy especially "Beautiful" and "I Want You".
incredibly disappointed with everyone involved in the creation and production of this album for leading me to believe it would be a bunch of sea shanties, then pulling the rug out from under me with yet another lukewarm serving of 90s britpop. unreal. favorites: natalie's party, comedy, pull together, daniella
And we’re back to just so-so music.
Pretty good, pretty interesting. Sounds like a pastiche of four-guy guitar bands without being derivative. It's its own thing but it's hard to describe how it's different. Worth another listen.
This is fun, but there is no range. Just forty five minutes of jolly indie rock pop. It’s fine, nothing incredible, but it works. 3/5