Reviews (page 7 of 8)
I remember that I really liked a Lambchop song a while back... The Saturday Option. It was on an album prior to this one. So I had hopes for this album. Unfortunately nothing caught my attention. Just not that good imo.
What a boring album. Very dull, no real excitement in any of the songs.
Fantastic. Turned me on to the band as a whole.
This is like if a Saltine cracker was in music form. Very boring. I couldn’t get into the singer’s voice either. I think this would be a lot better without the added orchestral arrangements.
Too slow and mellow and boring
Didn't really like it
I liked the instrumentation a lot. I just wish the vocals were stronger. It's said Kurt Wagner is the staying force behind this act. Surrounding himself with different talents, he fits the puzzle pieces to what he needs. The problem is that he needs to step up to the music that he puts together, and he doesn't do that very well. Only one or two songs do his vocals fit the song ("Butcher Boy" is. good standout). But I can't help wondering what some of these songs would sound like with a better singer. It has more of that demo vibe than I wanted. DIsappointing.
This album is definitely unique. Not awful, but a bit unusual. I don't know that being different is enough reason to get on this 1,001 list but whatever. Average at best, and I'm ready to move on.
3.25
This is an incredible album, and I can't believe I had never heard of this band before. They have a unique sound that sometimes borders on orchestral, and I like the stream-of-consciousness lyrics in the songs. Just an all-around good, groovy sound to them. Normally I list tracks I like off these albums but I'm just going to say all of them for this one.
Beautiful music. Very unique
Eclectic, talented, anachronistic, but unfortunately not for me.
Really chill album but not something that changed my look on the world
# 75 : It's an album. Can listen to it, but it's not really good, no hits and it made me skip a few tracks to get it over with. Nothing stood out and I wouldn't go back to it.
THIS is what happens when someone decides to make music for reasons other than to get laid, you get a bland, nonsensical, auditory circle jerk of comatose mumble singing and the only 10-piece band in history that DIDN'T disturb their neighbors. Get your priorities straight, and maybe your songs will sound better.
Deze plaat was een beetje saai en eentonig. Deed me wat denken aan een verveelde Blur
"Grumpus" was a pretty decent song. "Up With People" was catchy. but vanilla. "The Butcher Boy" was the most uptempo song, but even that fell pretty flat. This was, overall, a very low energy album that had a lot of songs that were just lifeless.
Interesting listen. The retro sound is very reminiscent of 60's easy-listening orchestrated pop or something Burt Bacharach might have had a part writing. Lush sounding, nods for style and the feeling of being transported to another time. I quite like it, but may wear thin after while. Worth the listen.
Struggling to find a single redeeming feature.
I found nothing to like about this one, except when it was over, couldn't tell if it was country, folk or jazz but it didn't do any of it well
Really wanted to like it but didn’t , the music beautiful the singing and lyrics not so much
At the end of the first track I thought: is this some kind of joke...? I was expecting some kind of anarcho-punk, but no, they were serious. What an anacronism in 2000. If I could give half a star...
Not my thing
meh
Not really my style, but well made and a chill listen
Sucks, but like one or two songs were listenable
Si la idea és posar a dormir les ovelles, és un bon disc
Nice laid-back music that was completely new to me.
Very monotonous and “slow”. I guess it can make for some decent background music
Ganska stabil start påminner lite om Mac Demarco. Bästa låtar Up with people
Galet mysig rock. Skön röst och en allmänt trevlig genomlyssning. Favorit: Up with People
Helt okej, inget speciellt Bästa låt: Butcher Boy
I like to go into albums I've never heard before blind, so I was surprised to see so many other reviewers hating on the vocals. I didn't actually mind them in the main, although there were a couple of places they did seem slightly out of place and too high pitched. Overall this was dull and now I know I'm definitely not a fan of Countrypolitan music. It wasn't so bad that I felt extreme relief at getting through it, but bad enough that I'm giving it 2-stars. There just wasn't anything interesting going on here and it felt a bit like a mixture of Neil Diamond and Radiohead.
Print spoken word, with some questionable falsetto gambles. Saved only by some interesting indie guitar licks. I fully intend to never listen to this again.
Smooth listening country alt rock pop jams. Nothing that really grabs me but the entire album is a chill, enjoyable ride.
It was OK, to be honest I wasn't really paying that much attention, and it didn't grab it
Awful. Boring and monotonous. Nothing redeeming here.
Speaking of disgraced former presidents, Donald Trump got arrested in Georgia today. In other news, this album made me a little bit sleepy. More at 11.
This is a lovely album. It’s not completely exciting or very commercial, so I can understand why I’ve never heard of it. The combination of genres really gives it a beautiful melancholy and irresistible nature. It’s a great album that I enjoyed listening to and will probably listen to again. 4/5
Nope. Bored. Must be missing something but I feel like I say that a lot when I don't like something so maybe I start saying, didn't like it, didn't finish it, won't be listening again.
3.5/5
not actually Britpop- it's Texpop Actually though, now that I've read about the many influences behind Lambchop's music, and can hear said influences (country, soul), it still somewhat sounds like a Blur album to me Could it be that I'll love this more with time? It's really pretty in parts 3.5 HL: "Up With People", "What Else Could It Be?", "The Distance from Her to There", "The Book I Haven't Read" August 20, 2023
Nokkuð næs bara.
That was beautiful and Interesting. Up with People fit the vibe so well.
Un excelente album de rock alternativo con tintes de Americana y country, sin dejar de lado la experimentación, la composición afilada y un sonido sumamente agradable. Una adición que se agradece a la lista ya que previamente no conocía Lambchop.
The music doesn't fit my taste. I guess it's good, so i gave it a three star.
This album is a fantastic combination of alt-country, chamber pop, and soul. The instrumentation varies from lush strings to more traditional country instrumentation creating a full and well rounded sound. The use of voices on this album reminds me almost of The Beach Boys with a more laid back vibe. The lyrics content is dark and brooding further adding to the feel of the album.
Did anyone else see the cover art and assume this would be more of an alt/indie album?
cool ass chamber / bedroom pop shit. just a tad less string ensemble wouldve been nice. fav songs: grumpus, up with people, what else could it be.
This album is really varied and not in a good way for me, I don't know where I stand with it and it makes me feel uneasy. A lot of the tracks sound like an intro for a gritty TV show but they also sound very dark and foreboding. I don't know what it is but it makes me feel really uneasy in the second half of the album. The first half or maybe even 3/4 was very bleh to me. Quite bland, uninspiring and corny. I think I like his voice but I'm not sure and I can't really compare to other work because this is the first I've heard of Lambchop.
This was a surprise to me! I had no idea what to expect and felt I recognised some songs. Kind of Elton John and Pink Floyd at times. I do enjoy grandeur in music.
I liked this, nice and varied but some really good song writing. Never heard of this Lampchop fella
They did it nice enough, but i barely noticed it happening.
It's not much of anything really
Lost me completely when he started singing in falsetto, but got me a bit back at the end with Butcher Boy
This was a bit weird for me, is it country? Pop? Rock?
first let's talk about the good things: beautiful orchestral arrangements, okay lyrics, not a terrible voice the bad things: boring, repetitive and no progression these things destroy the good things 2
This dreamy stuff doesn’t rock my boat.
"Grumpus" is a great track. I like "Up with the People" too. Kurt Wagner's has a good voice but he could dial back the falsetto a bit. I like the arrangements & orchestration, though some of the songs are a bit quiet for me.
I'm so glad to see Lambchop on this list. Its hard to describe his style as its a gentle mix of indie, alt-pop and alt-country, they most remind me of Destroyer with their easy listening vocals blended to alt melodies. Both bands are very listenable, yet not quite mainstream which is why I find them intruiging. This album has two of my favourite Lambchop singles - Up with people and Grumpus and because there aren't any other Lambchop albums on this list it gets a somewhat generous 4 from me.
Wouldn't regularly rotate, but it's good for ambient background music.
Wasn't sure what to expect but what a nice surprise. Somehow this album had passed me by and most of my exposure to Lambchop prior to this was a remix on a chillout album. I quite enjoyed Grumpus, Up with People, and The Book I Havent Read.
A curious one, this one - kinda loungey alt-country. I enjoyed it, but suspect I'd like it even more if I were in just the right mood, though what mood that would have to be I can't say! Fave tracks - "Up With People" for the upbeatness, "The Petrified Florest" for atmosphere...
Oh my gosh and golly that’s pedestrian! Horrifically soporific.
I've never heard of this album and it sounds…okay. There's nothing fantastic about it that really merits being on the list. From the wikipedia page: Nixon became a breakthrough release for Lambchop in the United Kingdom, where it received critical acclaim and was named among the best albums of 2000 by numerous publications. Ah, now I get it. 2/5.
Very bland and plodding and way too long to make it a good record. The songs are generally pleasant but very forgettable.
awful
With the strings, falsetto, and smoothness, this sounds like a modern soul album. Sparse but biting lyrics and unique melodies and instrumentation.
Hi - is it OK if I push past as this is my floor. Many thanks.
I've never heard of Lambchop before, but I thought this was a pretty good album. The string arrangements, the horns, and the vibraphone all combined to make some really beautiful sounds. The lyrics and vocals were great too, especially on "Grumpus." Unfortunately, things took a turn for me on "What Else Could It Be?" I wasn't a big fan of the falsetto singing on that song, and I thought the album's second half was noticeably not as good as the first half. When things worked on this album, they worked well, but when they didn't, they were a big miss for me. I don't think I'll be carving out any time for more of Lambchop's albums in the future. Favorite track: Up With People
I enjoyed the overall sound of the album, but the lead singer kills the whole thing for me.
Weird album. They call anything alternative these days haha. I cannot take this guy’s voice seriously sometimes, but good songs even if they get repetitive.
Started out good then fizzled. 2.5
A bit too inconsistent to be in the same league as What Another Man Spills or Is A Woman, but still a very good Lambchop album of course, with some of their best songs: You Masculine You, Up with People, The Book I Haven't Read, The Petrified Forest. Score: 8/10
Very pleasant sounding album. Some songs sound a bit too similar to keep me fully engaged the entire time, but overall this is pretty good.
Beautiful and subtle music unfortunately ruined by the vocals.
None
Not convinced
Fine, dull at times. Maybe a car stereo while on the 401 doesn't make for the best listening experience.
Embarrassingly recently I had my first experience with a collection of compositions let down by their recording. Nixon didn't let me down; Its output is a deep pin in Lambchop for the future. The reason behind the lacy production is less clear. The songs barely hang together, and are composed of many a gauzy layer. I think of a National where more sentiment is reified in synthesizers.
2.5
Seriously blown away by this alt-country, alt-rock offering. Easy and breezy like a Sunday morning in one corner; evocative and sinister like a 2am Saturday alleyway in another. I listened to the first 3 tracks on repeat after listening to the whole thing. Knew nothing about this group but was NOT surprised to find their Nashville roots given the rambling guitar sound. Solid underground offering. More, please.
Might be something interesting happening musically, but I couldn't handle the vocals.
Big production, tiny voice
2.9 - "A" for effort, I suppose. I admire the songcraft and the intricacy in the musical arrangements (the intro to "The Book I Haven't Read" is particularly striking) on this chamber pop record but I generally dislike the overall sound, especially the liberal use of wispy falsetto. Similar to other acts within this vein such as The Divine Comedy, I'm glad to give it one fair listen and hope to never hear it again.
Meh...interesting but really not that great. 1.5/5
Something about this album was kind of nice but also really boring. I don't know, it was hard to tell what the singer was saying at some points and the tone was just weird sometimes.
Soft. Easy going. Couldn't get into it.
Neither the music or the singing really brought me in. Butcher Boy was ok, but overall I just couldn't get into it after two listens. It had some motown vibes, but the singing on the record detracted from it for me.
Boring. Forgettable. Squawking at the end. Thank you, next.
A song or two were quite nice, but all in all I was better off unaware that this kind of music exsists
It's really boring. I don't know why it was such a big deal and breakthrough for Lambchop
I decided to bring the hammer down on his one. The instrumentation and melodies in this album are SO GOOD. There's even a point in the 4th or 5th song where the strings remind me of Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose, and it's fantastic. Unfortunately, this guy has the most ANNOYING voice I think I have ever heard. His falsetto thing makes me want to go postal. With a better vocalist, this album would be a 4 or 5.
Ihan kamalaa lällytystä
Folkmaisesti jazzahtavaa. Karua kuultavaa.
Surprisingly easy to listen to. Overall was enjoyable
This had a lovely sound.
Very steady, satisfying indie album. A few familiar tracks, a nice consistent ryhthm. Interesting enough but not era defining or anything. Simple, understated, hits the right spots without overexerting.
hipserbilly
Musicalmente funciona bem, desde que a se coloque para tocar apenas com uma trilha sonora agradável de fundo.
Kinda cool. Lo key and less punchy than I'd anticipated.
A chilled and enjoyable spot of early thou's indie, might come back to this
It’s bad knockoff Cat Stevens.
2 bland
I don't get it. I just don't get what this is or why I should care. It all sounds okay, but it never makes me sit up and take interest. Beck did this style 10x better on Midnight Vultures, which was released before this album 2/5
I liked grumpus a lot. Weird bro. Into it.
Reminded me of forgettable music I would hear in a coffee shop until the last two songs that actually started to come alive.
This was cool and inventive and interesting
Great laid-back sound and orchestration (especially the brass). However, I'm unable to rate it any higher because of the unintelligible lyrics and the grating falsetto throughout.
Interesting downbeat album. Great use of strings, nice guitars, soft but rhythmic and well-mixed. The singer’s decision to sound like either late-career Bob Dylan or Tiny Tim on almost every song does bring it down, though. Best song: Up with People
Quite liked it for the early Pink Floyd feels, but 'meh' overall.
Another of those bands I'd heard of a lot but never got round to listening. Got to say this was a massive disappointment though. It's got a Muzak quality to it I can't get on with. In places I want to like the chilled vibe it seems to be aiming for but it comes out bland and tacky. I also think the vocals are also buried in the mix far to much for the style but that may be a blessing since his voice takes on an annoying tone when it strays from the bass register he's normally in. Then we hit the song he sings entirely in falsetto and it sounds ridiculous! It just keeps going downhill from there... Roll on tomorrow!
more to be admired than adored
Þessi er misskemmtileg, aldrei mjög leiðinleg svo sem en ég þarf ekki allt. Lokalagið er töff. Falsetta Wagners er ekki góð en söngurinn sleppur annars fyrir horn. Nokkuð fjölbreytt sound, smá country. Jújú, allt í lagi.
Hmm ok :))
Probably my favorite of Lambchop's many records. Sweeping, cinematic country.
ok just boring and the songs sound the same
This is so close to good, but sometimes I can’t let my ears wrap around some things, like vocal choices, that distract me from perhaps fully enjoying it.
Highlights: "Grumpus," "The Old Gold Shoe," "Nashville Parent" A band could do worse fusion than classic soul with New Wave and country touches. The band can build an atmosphere, but they're at the mercy of the vocalist on this one. There's a very narrow context in which the falsetto works, like on the second track, but he often pulls it out at a terrible time. I try to appreciate this as something similar to Nick Cave, but the surreal, mysterious appeal of some lyrics mostly seem to dance around being a sordid alcoholic, and fittingly never arrive at something fulfilling.
I wish you could leave '0' star reviews.
Easy listening. Not really my thing and something that makes me wonder how it made the list.
This was a truly lovely record to listen to. Beautiful, wistful and melodic indie music. I adored it.
This is an album of non songs. It evokes nothing, means nothing, and does nothing. What is this? The wiki says it's the 5th album by this band. How is that possible? Sometimes this list is total shit
Eh
good
Simply terrible. The lyrics are trash. The arrangements sound nice but are very generic. I feel like i’ve heard them before on random hallmark shows or movie montages. Each song sounds the same- bland flavorless boring. I could get why some people could like listening to this in the background but this sounds like other generic playlists I have put on in the past while cleaning. I definitely don’t think this one belongs on this list. I struggled to get through this one.
I did not know what to expect, was really pleasantly surprised, then disappointed. It got a bit samey and not-for-me. You win some, you lose some and sorry Lambchop, you didn’t win me.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: The old gold shoe, Up with people
Good, I enjoyed it a lot. The instrumentation was really nice.
Perfectly fine to listen to, but entirely forgettable.
Listened at some point 3/5 Favorite song: up with the people Weird noises were very distracting but he has a beautiful voice
Very genre bending and interesting enough to listen to where I would again
I really wanted to like this. Started off a little like Pulp, but just became too bland. Not for me.
I had never heard of Lambchop, and don't know what I expected from this album. And, I won't lie, I wasn't laser-focused on the album for the entire running time. But what I heard, I liked a lot more than I expected to. Alt-country with chamber pop influences. Very well-written melodies. An overall "throwback" sound. I will definitely be giving this one another listen.
Average
Yeah, man. When your album gets classified as both "alt country" and "chamber pop" you know you've done something wrong. I can't give this a 1-star review in good conscience because the songwriting and the musicianship are both pretty good. But combine them and, for some reason, the end result is just... it's really bad. And all the falsetto vocals have got to go. They're so bad.
Cette voix, ces orchestrations... Peu de chansons vraiment marquantes, mais un ensemble très harmonieux, enveloppant. Et beau.
This was okay but I wouldn’t listen to these songs again.
Each track is indistinguishable from the last and they’re all dull an boring
Not exactly bad, but not very memorable. I could give it a 3 because it could potentially grow on me.
fuck you
I’d never heard of Lambchop before today so didn’t have any preconceptions. I’m a vegetarian though so if manes sense that I hadn’t consumed their music before. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: You Masculine You, Up With People This was a perfect album to listen to on a Sunday morning. It was nice relaxing music and helped me to recover from a hangover. Musically, Lambchop remind me a little if Eels which is a big positive for me. The singing was very unique at times, going from a gritty tenor into sudden falsetto. It can be a little jarring at first, but after a couple of songs I’d fallen quite in love with his voice. This was a very good find, and I’m happy to have discovered it, even if I was 23 years too late.
Heeft wel iets
Best leuk eigenlijk. Echt een zondagsplaatje.
Dit vond ik best wel sfeervol en prettig op een zondagochtend.
Nog nooit van gehoord maar beviel wel goed!
Aangename verrassing.
Not sure who this album is for - solid, orchestral/choir-like, and well-performed the instrumentals may be, but the abstract songwriting and lack of focus on any driving melodic or narrative themes means this one is a meandering mess.
Pretty monotonous, except for the weird muted falsetto, which was still boring. 2/5
Wow I listened to this literally two days before it came up on the shuffle. Lambchop are absolutely an unclassifiable band, alt-soul, new country, whatever. But the songs are brilliant all the way through, Wagner's voice a dolourous delight and the arrangements stately. Is it a five? Yes probably.
Another great find. I am excited to look into more Lambchop
Definition of week week 2000's "rock" hated it
I do not understand this kind of music
Chill indie pop. It’s gonna depend on mood for me, but I was in the right spot as I listened to it.
Discoveries like this are the reason I am trying to work my way through the 1000 list...expose myself to different and unknown music for myself that is interesting. I wouldn't say I love this album but it was different, complicated and fascinating. Realllly liked the Petrified Forest track.
chill
Ehhh
My favourite Nixon. That is to say: It’s decent
Chill
Lots to love about this album but the jury is still out on his vocals.
Not crazy about this. There are some nice moments, but his voice is very boring. Also, this album is way longer than is warranted. Probably won't be returning to this anytime soon. Favorite track - Distance From Her to There Least favorite track - The Old Gold Shoe
Cool folky rock album, I'm surprised I haven't heard it before. Kinda like a cross between country wilco and a less experimental radiohead. I'm not surprised that Up with People is the band's biggest song on streaming services by a long shot. It's super anthemic and fun, but definitely not my favorite song (that would probably be track 1). I have a feeling this band is probably popular with the older, mid thirties-ish, ex-blog-hipster crowd, so it's cool it was put in front of me off of this list.
It was okay. There were some songs I like better than others. Wasn't a fan of the weird squeaky falsetto vocals at times.
Bloody loved this and will explore the band more. Delicate chamber pop rock with invention. Great stuff.
Not what I expected but I liked it
I don’t know what to make of this album because the lead singer basically whispered every song. I got through about 6 songs and it felt like I always had to increase the volume. I didn’t really find the instrumentals anything noteworthy either. An overall big pass. 2.5/10
Holy shit this album is boring. The cover gave me the impression that it was gonna rock and it did not rock, not at all
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yes, it’s quite euphoric and powerful to start with and fades out quite wonderfully but wish that powerful feeling stuck out a bit longer Favourite song: Track 1 - The Old Gold Shoe
Pretty Boring Album
Hmm this was an interesting album. I had no idea what to expect based on how Wikipedia described the genres. I feel like I’d like it more if I listened to it a few more times. It wasn’t bad but I also wasn’t enamoured by it. I liked Up With People the most.
I find Nixon is a highly uneven album, with a strange combination of country and soul. Sometimes it really works out, like on the song 'Up With People,' but other times the falsetto and half-hearted soul just really don't do it for me. Gave it a couple of listens, but it never hit anywhere.
Not my vibe right now but I may go back to this later
BORING.
Sadly I couldn't really enjoy this one at all. It was just very boring and forgettable. It's one of those albums where I just "heard" it and proceeded to not listen to any of it really. Like a background track. If I wanted that I could have just listened to the fan noise of my PC for 45 minutes. Technically it was fine, seemed well-produced enough. Just really wasn't for me. Favourite: Up With People
Nice and relaxing
Felt fairly bland
Indie rock with symphonic elements. It sounds like Nick Cave joined Arcade Fire. I didn’t super enjoy it. The vocals are a bit of a let down, ESPECIALLY the awful falsetto songs, and they were sometimes too quiet or indecipherable.
I really like this
Favourite song: Nashville Parent
I mean it’s alright but it’s just so in the background 3/5.
Anfangs noch besser, irgendwann geht einem dann doch die Stimme auf die Nerven.
Takes quite a few listens to get into. Some of the songs are quite nice. The album is mostly quiet and soft and does tend to be a bit boring at first, it gets better.
eSseNtIAl LIstEnIng I was so excited at the beginning of this journey but 250+ albums in and the only surprises are how much mediocrity exists out there. Don't get me wrong: I have discovered plenty of good music from this list, but even the new to me 5 star albums are by artists I had already heard of.
It's very well done music, but it's quite boring. Each song is so much alike and most songs drag on a bit longer then they should have. The closing song "Butcher Boy" is my favorite since it's different and more compact.
What a pleasant surprise! Judging by the band name and the track titles, I thought these would be gag songs. Not adult, contemporary pop rock with a twinge of country, a bit of R&B and some moody atmospheres - à la Matchbox 20 or Vertical Horizon in their senior years and in a parallel universe. Makes for superb easy listening on a Sunday morning, although it gets a bit weird at the end. Favorite tracks are Grumpus & You Masculine You.
Musically I found this interesting enough, charming even at times. But that strained vocal by Kurt Wagner did nothing for me. I'm a fan of unconventional vocals. But this guy sounds like he revels in the fact that he's not even trying. Fave Songs: Grumpus, You Masculine You, The Distance from Her to There, The Book I Haven't Read
I don’t see the point of this album.
Interesting mix of genres but overall a rather monotonous album that's quickly forgotten
This was a beautiful sounding album, the arrangement was gorgeous but the vocals on some tracks lets it down a but
Of course I love this. It's so rich and tasty. Super soulful, full of flavour. No idea what Kurt Wagner's on about, bit that just adds to the mystery.
Cool stuff
I expected a rock album but got a blend of country and disco (?), falsetto included. Certainly unique, but boring. I appreciate its quirkiness and the blending of genres but I'd say that's it.
2/5 it was pretty stupid even though I admired the guys confidence
The old gold shoe - boring and meandering Grumps- Has a bit more to it but not a fan of the lyrics personally You Masculine You- hate the extended falsetto throughout the song Favourite songs:Up with people, the books I haven’t read Yeah I found this album quite annoying, especially the falsetto songs. Just because I didn’t listen to this closely I’m giving this 2/5 as I may have missed some depth behind the lyrics?
Beautiful and calming baroque pop, reminding me of Mercury Rev, accompanied by witty lyrics. Love the cool instrumentation reminding me of certain 70s folk acts like Tim Buckley, but with the cool twingles of country. Start off strong but repeated itself too much and got gradually lamer as the album went on. Could have been a 4 if followed the momentum of the first 4 tracks. Favorites: Old Gold Shoe, Grumpus, Up With People, Petrified Florist
Liked it
Meh
Enjoyable. First Listen?: Y Fav. Tracks: - Rating: 2.5/5
shit
good album.
This didn't really do anything for me. A couple of passable tracks but most I would classify as "wishy-washy nonsense".
Not into alternative country, so this is my first encounter with them. It’s not my style of music, really. The guitar work is often decent, but lots of the songs just don’t really go anywhere interesting. Nothing is off-putting or unlistenable by any means, but nothing is memorable or resonating with me either. So many of the songs have a single reasonably catchy melody and then don’t develop or build off of it in an interesting way. The songs that do have a climax have it come way too late and with way too little interest. Listening to the same chords five minutes straight to have the song finish with the same exact chords but now with brass and choir voices over it just doesn’t do it for me. Lyrics aren’t anything special either. Overall, it’s a reasonably competent record, but nothing I’d see a reason to come back to.
Country alternativo, soul. Ni fu ni fa.
Alternative countrychamber pop
it's fine? weird name for a band.
I had never heard of this band, and as soon as the vocals started on the first track I was like, well, this is gonna be a 2 at best. But the lyrics are great (and often hysterically funny and crass). So I started to think about it like it was Cake and the deadpan talk-singing got easier to take. In the end this album was sort of weird and wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Boring and monoton.
Felt like it got repetetive fast and i didn't enjoy him going out of his vocal range.
Competently played, but the songs tend to blend together. The singer should stop trying to reach notes beyond his range.
Absolute epitome of meh.
I think this is the first artist and album that I was completely unaware of! I love the album art, but admittedly did not listen to much of this album. This doesnt seem to fit the format of "1001 albums to hear before you die" or any sort of album a day thing, because the songs are deceptively complex despite being so soft and simple sounding on first listen. I feel like the songs may be rewarding enough on repeat listens to warrant the high praise the album obviously received, but listening to it once it's frankly too hard to tell. It makes me wish this site had a "listened but cannot rate" option, I would choose that, otherwise I'll go in the middle of the road with three stars, and I will probably revisit again later
A special and unforgettable voice
Can't believe I've never heard of Lambchop. This album is lush and layered and an aural feast
Pleasant but kind of dull
Really not sure what that was but overall did not like it. Not what I was looking for.
This was so boring I actually died. When the paramedics resuscitated me they told me I was the third person that day who'd died of boredom while listening to Nixon.
Listened Before? N Well, this album definitely has a British vibe to it, despite being American. It's easy to see why they were more popular in England than the US. For me, it's a bit too slow and sleepy. There's some neat sounding disco-style keyboards. It's not awful, just not my cup of tea (no pun intended). Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Grumpus
It's not bad, in an 80s Leonard Cohen on a budget kind of way. I'm not here for not bad though. Really good musicianship, but the songs are somewhat somnambulistic. Definitely couldn't rate it one, but I have no intention of going back to this ever, so I can't give it much more than that.
Far from the worst albums this list made me endure, but still - I fail to see the alleged specialness this album holds over thousands of others that is supposed to be the trait that sent it into this list. This is the definition of "nothing special".
C’est bizarre mais pas mauvais. Ca s’ecoute bien mais il n’y a rien vraiment qui sort du lot. Ca ne m’a rien q’porte et il est temps que je note ces qlbums plus severemnt 2.75
I remember loving a few songs off this album when it came out but was left lost after listening to the whole thing. Twenty odd years have passed and I still feel the same. Some good Americana on here though nothing revolutionary
Calling this alt-country is like calling Metallica alt-disco, which is no comment on the music, just the inanity of the genre designation. As for my comment on the music: too limp and too slight. There are definitely some nostalgic reflexes in here, but I'm not sure what era they're harking back to and I'm not sure Wagner is either.
Nice folk smooth
This sounds like nothing that was going on around 2000. Almost like it should be in the 60s or 70s. It’s weird. Trying to figure out where this fits in the realm of 1001 albums I have to listen to. I feel like countless bands did this better 30-40 years before these guys did this. 1 star because I can’t give it zero.
In the words of Bill Knust, this isn't my jam.
Nope
Not exactly my forte, Its somewhere between Ween and Pavement. Kind of chill, maybe too chill. I wanted it to go "off" at some point and it just kind of went. The band was clearly great, really good sound, but you know.
Didn’t really care for this. Not bad, not good.
very good. Quirky. I enjoyed it a lot!
Modern easy listening? A bit beatlesesque as well. Vocals were unique.
Have never heard of this band before. Really enjoyed this album. Thought the instrumentation, arrangements, and lyrics were all compelling and unique. I admire the blending of different popular styles to create something new and fun to listen to. This album has a great blend of easier listening tunes and ones you need to focus on. It reminded me of other indie bands like maybe Wilco, especially the lead’s soft, slightly acerbic voice and observational lyrics. I will totally recommend this album to others now that I know it.
There's a clear musical link between this and Leonard Cohen, who was last up. Leonard doesn't do anything for me and yet there's something I like about this album. It feels more thought out, structured and accomplished.
Yee-har.
Haven't heard of the band, quite enjoyable album
Up With People is a 5. The songs that remind me of Beck are okay. Props for naming the band after a Sherry Lewis puppet.
I found this just dull. It wafted past without leaving a mark.Apparently it's 'alternative country'.
Denne har jeg faktisk kjøpt en gang i tiden og hørt en gang. Mye bedre enn jeg husker.
Gjesp
behagelig jobbemusikk men ikkje så mykje meir
Very chill, and nice voice, will listen to it some more
Kinda reminds me of Lullaby for the Working Class, except not as sad.
I'm not really sure how to classify this music. IDK, it's not for me.
Showgazed tempo and early millennium indie sensibilities coalesce here to craft something easy to listen to but difficult to truly enjoy.
Wow, never ad erd of thees before. It is very nice.
Meh.
Boring as hell
Wow. This sucked. Like genuinely, this is absolutely atrocious and borderline unlistenable. I found nothing redeeming in this and was relieved when it finally ended after 50 minutes. Too long, too repetitive, the music sucks and the vocals are horrible. Good god, the vocals are so bad. How can you make a song like "You Masculine You" and think you've created art. I'm almost 150 albums deep and this is was the hardest thing to finish save for maybe L'Eau Rouge by The Young Gods. Watergate.
Bit weird, not uninteresting.
Something between R&B and soul music, Nixon is a combination of smooth, sweet sounds that act like a balm on your soul. By nature very atmospheric, if you're not in the appropiate mood it can get quite grating after a while, someone adding honey to the cup of tea you were looking forward to drinking bitter. Nevertheless at the right moment it's a pleasant, soothing experience
There was something gripping about this record. I liked the slow pace of the music & rich arrangements. Highlight: Butcher Boy
Nie porywa, flat mnie brzmi jak soundtrack z romansidła. 2.5/5
Tragiczny album. Na początek zaczynał się tylko jak nudny soundtrack z jakiegoś rom-comu. Potem okazało się, że głos wokalisty jeszcze mi bardzo nie odpowiada, a szczególnie jak zaczyna się to wycie. Aranżacje muzyczne na wskroś nudne. Dałbym 2, ale biorąc pod uwagę, że już na początku albumu wypatrywałem kiedy to się skończy, daję po prostu 1
Easy listening, interesting and fun!
The album started off not bad, musically it was good. Only the songs in falsetto I disliked and there were to many of them.
Pop rock. Suave. Aburridito.
Hadn't heard this in over 20 years. I find myself rather better disposed towards it now somehow. "Grumpus" and "Up With People" are still my favourite tracks from it, but now we can also add "The Petrified Forest" which I'd entirely forgotten (how *could* I have forgotten that wild flanging?). Really not a fan of Kurt's falsetto, though...
Here's the thing: during the early naughts, a bunch of British critics on the lookout for the next Mercury Rev gave raving reviews on this album made by an American alt-country/indie-rock act from Nashville, leaving other critics from the other side of the pond a little nonplussed as to what their honorable colleagues from the U.K. really saw in that band. Here's what one of those more skeptical American critics wrote at the time ; "*Nixon* serves as a reminder that expertly executed stylistic hybrids and ironic juxtapositions-- great though they may be-- don't replace memorable songwriting. Sure, it's a novel concept, but while some of us may still be patient enough to "get it" five albums into the band's career, Wagner's talent and unique vision should demand a more challenging album." This somewhat skeptical reception, here taken from a Pitchfork review, perfectly trancribes my own feelings about *Nixon*. In spite of the lush arrangements drawing on Philly soul, nothing much special happens in terms of melody, discernable intensities or sense of dynamics in the course of this long record. When Kurt Wagner goes into that strange falsetto mode, conveniently buried in the mix, it just feels cringeworthy instead of fragile or graceful or charming. The whole thing sounds so... remote, like generic background music droning in some hipsters'café. Even "Up With People", the supposed centerpiece of the album, would actually be a very minor cut in most of the records from the nineties and early naughts that made Dimery's list. If only for this, I'm also deeply confused at what some people really see in *Nixon*, just like most American critics at the time. Maybe it's that incredible artwork setting them into some sort of mood beforehand. Such cover is indeed incredible, and it made me want to love this record so much. Except that I didn't... Should I continue here? Does this foppish thing deserve so many words to describe it ? Some people think it does, apparently. Pitchfork made amends later on for instance, probably still under the lasting influence of those slightly deluded British critics we've mentioned earlier. Just in case that first honest reviewer of theirs might have missed out on something truly earth-shattering, they called a true fan to write a second review about the album's reissue. And here's what this new reviewer wrote in passing: "Even as a fan, I understand the ways in which Lambchop can seem standoffish and cold." It seems that second reviewer was as honest as the first at least. However, the *real* problem with Lambchop might not be about *temperature* or so-called "sophistication". I actually don't feel as if Lambchop are looking down upon us poor mortals. I feel like they're looking at nowhere in particular, that their stare are totally blank. This is not shoegaze here. This is *nothinggaze*. And this empty feeling can even be explained in purely *musical* terms. To this listener, the real problem is indeed that Kurt Wagner never tried hard to write proper hooks, or choruses, or even simple endearing moments, anything substantial that could make you relate to the proceedings. It seems that what *Nixon* is really all about is style. And style is sometimes not conducive to good writing. So, is this an album you must *absolutely* listen to? Not to me. Lambchop are excellent musicians and arrangers, no doubt about that. But the spark is missing here--that sort of spark you can find in acts that are not so far away from the territory supposedly explored here: stuff like Deerhunter, Vic Chesnutt or even Kevin Morby. In all those examples, you can often find two pivotal ingredients that seal the deal for most listeners of likewise genres: memorable melodies and recognizable emotions. And sadly, *Nixon* only very rarely uses those two pivotal ingredients. Of course, in a list a 5001 albums instead of 1001, such album would be noteworthy, if only for its overall stylistic intent (and artwork). But fans got to understand *some* acquired tastes are often harder to acquire than others... Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 947 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 24 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 14. Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important to me): 16
Not what I was expecting from a band called lambchop but it was solid chill music
This shit sucked. My god it was boring as hell. Sometimes I think this author has no idea WTF he’s talking about. This in NO way needs to be heard before you die.
Weird…
Interesting, would watch at a festival
Ok I've had this saved for a couple of weeks. I can't categorise it, but why should I? Get Richard Hawley vibes one day, Jarvis Cocker the next. Ok, it's not an platinum best seller classic, but I REALLY like this.
Pleasingly pleasant, after expecting something a lot more shouty with that title.
No ty
What a potpourri of genres and sounds. But they're all centered around a voice that isn't very interesting to me. Why is this record on the list. Would be a 3/5 in the normal world. But it's a 2/5 on this list - not as egregious as the worst here. But nothing special.
I'm not sure I've ever heard of the "alternative country" genre, but I suppose it's a fitting title for this type of music. This album was pretty cool. It was a nice blend of weird and melancholy and funny and interesting. You know, staples of the alternative country movement. :)
beautiful western, classical, alt-rock album - 10/10 his vocal range is also really impressive
It's all pretty meh.
Offensive that it was ever compared to Pet Sounds
The only good thing about this band was that it gave my colleague an idea for tea tonight......
Not that it was a bad album its just not for me. Kept thinking "the next song" but in the end it was a solid shoulder shrug.
What a find! I have never heard this band before but I loved listening to this!
Immediately infectious! I can't believe I never heard of them. Loved it!
I associate Lambchop with bass vocals, so was surprised that most of this record was in falsetto. It’s definitely not what I was expecting, but it felt both a little underdone and a little overdone, in general. I did think that the first song worked really well in its indie rock vibe, I just wish that the rest of the album followed suit.
Strange crooning, falsetto ballads. It’s like some of the slower Ween stuff, but not as well written
Boring
I was looking forward to this as I knew it was alt-country but had never got round to listening to it. It's actually a bit closer to pop. Up with people is very good but a lot of the album is a bit easy listening. I'm not sure about his falsetto either
It didn’t really grab me, but musically it was fine. Don’t know if I would go back and Re listen but I can see the appeal
Very pretty. Lush orchestral backing. However, some mumbled vocals and a few falsetto curiosities! Reminds me of Sufjan Stevens. Was expecting alt-country not sweet melodic chamber pop/blue eyed soul! A high 3 for its accessibility.
It was alright for background music with dinner. Nothing special though.
Another new one on me. Good in places
To be honest don't remember listening it was just like a moment in time that was so unexceptional!
Not what I was expecting, and not all that memorable
I got all excited when that one song dropped, and thought this was going to be a barnstormer, but then nothing else dropped. I looked up some of the lyrics and was fairly unimpressed.
Mellow, in a Sunday morning in Spring, while making pancakes and supping on a fresh coffee kind of mellow. That is before you get to the last couple of tracks that are a bit heavier, like the sediment in your French coffee press, gritty. Could be a grower, an acquired taste.
It was innocuous enough, but I wouldn't seek it out. Probably would not have listened through to the end if I weren't doing something else at the same time
Instrumentals we're decent, vocals and mixing terrible.
Wagner's voice is like salted caramel chocolate. It shouldn't work but it does. Likewise, Nixon feels too mature an album to be a genuine breakthrough hit, but here we are...
Initially interesting, but quickly fell off for me. Two stars for good instrumentation.
Nice sound. Really nice. That is the beginning tracks. "Grumpus" has a lovely, flowy feel that was just relaxing. "Up With People" has a fun sound ... but I am always a sucker for brass in songs. But the last 2 tracks of the album really fell off. "Petrified Florist" sounded like the singer was being tortured. "Butcher Boy" was just a flat, unexciting, jumble of sound. Enjoyed. Will look into them some more.
Nice chill sound. My favorites were grumpus and up with the people
Pretty good! I like the instrumentals a lot. Vary much soul /folk rock. Relaxing!
mjög nice og kosy plata, minnir mig á destroyer, virkar líklega mjög vel við alls konar tilefni, dinner, chilla, lesa, læra, whatever basically. bara allt í allt geðveikt nice plata, er að hlusta á The Book I Havent Read á meðan ég skrifa þetta, sjúklega þægilegt lag. ég er eiginlega korter í 5 stjörnurnar, ég ákveð það á morgun þegar ég má loksins gefa rating. þetta generator dót er veisla maður
I didn't expect this to be such a chill listen
Jos Leonard Cohen olis syntynyt myöhemmin ja kiinnitetty jollekki hipsuhtavalle pienlevylafkalle niin tää olis tulos. Mulla ei oo mitään tätä vastaan, mutta aika taustamusaksi tää jää. Yksikään levyn koukku ei aiheuttaa mitään fiilistä että wau! Sanat myös aika nonsensea, mikä saa mut lyyrikkona kyl aina vähä nihkeännahkeaksi. Kansi on tosi tyylikäs. Siit mä diggailen. 2/5
Eipä juuri säväyttänyt, tuntuu aika random levyltä ollakseen tällä listalla.
Instrujutut paikoin kivoja ja Grumpus oli hyvä biisi. Mutta laulutyyli rasautti ja loppua kohti aika keskinkertaista muutenkin. Indie rockin ystävänä pieni pettymys, kun oli jo pidempään pitänyt Lambchopia kuunnella.
Nyt ei kyl ihan iske, jotenkin todella kädenlämpöistä tämmöstä menneiden vuosikymmenten hipsu-indiefiilistelyä. Teksteissä on jotain herkkyyttä mut musapuolen herttainen sävy ei toimi. Butcher Boy ehkä levyn paras biisi mutta on liian vähän, liian myöhään. 2/5.
A real struggle to get through, I found it monotonous, mundane. Although I think that's maybe the intention in an odd way. I get why people would like it but it does nothing for me.
It's mostly okay? I have an issue with albums that don't feel memorable, either lyrically or musically and this one just feels merely okay. It's not offensive, but I don't think I'll ever go back and actually seek it out.