Bummed

If somebody were to take the worst elements of 80's music (cheesy keys, gated drums, a dreadful moaning vocalist, all saturated in reverb and thinned waaaaay-the-fuck-out to a treble-y right hot mess) and mix it together, you'd have this album. Not for me.

The musical equivalent of licking doorknobs.

I'm uhhh .. really BUMMED this album is something I had to hear before I die

Sounds like what it is: mediocre, drug-addled, pop rock. Pretty boring, honestly. Ecstasy is not a good drug for making music, apparently.

I'm a sucker for psychedelia and funk. Throw in some electronic soon and I fall for it. Let's be fair. This is no Stone Roses. But it is still one of the defining albums of the short-lived Madchester movement, which became associated with early rave culture in the UK. And indeed you can dance to this. Now, a lot of people think it's dated. I personally don't get that vibe, and I think it holds more than as a product of its time. Did this album remind anyone else of Public Image Ltd? That being said, I do see many of the faults associated with the album. Maybe I have a twisted music taste, but I loved each of the tracks, each with a unique sound that kept things interesting. And that's enough for me to give it 4 stars. I don't have a favorite track, but Lazitis stood out for me (for sampling Ticket to Ride). Other tracks I really liked were Country Song, Mad Cyril, Performance, Brain Dead, Wrote for Luck, Do It Better, Hallelujah, and Rave On. That's half the album...

It wasn’t as good as ‘Pills n Thrills n Bellyaches’ but this album was useful to hear that blend of New Wave and electronic influences which became the Madchester sound. This album is heavily influenced by the talking heads, the smiths, and Lazyitis was very reminiscent of the Beatles’ Ticket to Ride. Overall a nice coherent transition album.

Unhappy Mondays is a more appropriate name for this group, and Bummed is how I feel after listening to them drone on and on. Apparently a lot drugs were used during the recording of this album, and under the influence of drugs is probably the best way to listen to this album.

I may have blacked out as soon as this album started and came to with what I assumed was the same song still playing 30 minutes later.

I enjoyed watching *24-Hour Party People* a lot. It was a film that was both hilarious and well-documented. But OK, once you had that good laugh at the movie version of the band, are you supposed to automatically become a fan of them? Some characters in the Sopranos make me laugh as well. Does that mean I should try to join the mafia? Let's just say that if I can appreciate the Happy Mondays "saga"--filled with drugs, stupid moves, and picturesque characters--that doesn't necessarily mean I'm a fan of their music. I even think that this band is probably one of the most overrated acts that has ever come out of Britain during the eighties. And I'm gonna tell you why now. I don't know if *Bummed* is their worst or "best" album, but frankly, why should I care? Everything supposedly "important" the Happy Mondays released is just a cheesefest sonically speaking anyway, not to mention a total bore songwriting-wise. Ecstasy-induced vocal meanderings over terribly linear tracks is not my idea of what a good song should sound like. And it's not my idea of a good time either, even if I'm in a quote-unquote "party mood". Worse, the nonsensical "arrangements" in those tracks make everything sound even *more* grating. And don't get me started on those horrid eighties gated drums... Now about the supposed critical status of this album, a little bit of translation for ya:  Writing for The Guardian, Alexis Petridis said "almost 20 years on, Bummed sounds extraordinary, but wildly abstruse". Petridis has good taste, generally speaking, but here he's being overly polite. What he really means by "extraordinary" is that the album doesn't make a shred of sense. And what he means by "abstruse" is just that : "abstruse". Priya Elan of NME felt the album "actually dated best" out of all of the band's releases, despite Hannett's "raw production show[ing] the Madchester sound in its infancy" Translation: *Bummed* is not as *downright horrible* as other HM albums but it's still horrid nonetheless. "Dating best" within a discography doesn't necessarily mean "dating WELL". All Music's Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised Hannett's production as "all smeared colors and harsh edges". Translation : it's a formless blob. He wrote that "decadence has rarely sounded as dangerous as it did in the hands of the Mondays". Er... Stephen, ever heard of a band called The Stooges? Or The Velvet Underground, maybe? It's probably a bit "niche" for you, i'll grant you that... Then Stephen describes the sound of the album as "stiff psychedelic funk". Is "stiff" your idea of a good time, Steve? And does such adjective go along well with the words "psychedelic" and "funk"? Later, Erlewine mentions  Ryder "spitting out rhymes", and then expanded on this, calling the album the "result of [a] copious intake of ecstasy". Okaaaay, then. Stephen's idea of a good time is to be bothered by a random drunk on X spitting on him at a dive bar. But to each their own, I guess. 🤷‍♂️ In other words, the critics know it's a pile of shit, but they sugarcoat it the best they can. In response, I can only show scorn at their obvious hypocrisy. 1 star for the purposes if this list, which translates to something around 3/10 or s/10 for more gneral purposes. (1+ whatever...). Next, *please*. Number of albums left to review: less than 400 (I've temporarily lost count here) Number of albums I'll include in my own list: half so far, approximately Number of albums I *might*  include: a quarter, approximately. Number of albums I'll never include: another quarter (including this one - many others are more important to me).

I had never heard of Happy Mondays and had zero expectations going in, but I really liked this album. It definitely sounds of a time, but in many ways sounds relevant today as well. Fat White Family seems like the closest modern contemporary. An unusual but catchy blend of dance and '80s pop rock, Bummed is great for repeat listens.

I could tell I was gonna hate this within the first 10 seconds and the feeling never went away

Seeing the artist name, album title and cover, I excitedly prepared a night's worth of ex, a full bottle of lube and my favorite bum plug. Waited for Monday to roll around, called in sick to work, threw on "Country Song", and... this isn't bumming music... no one is getting bummed to this... it sure as hell isn't happy.. Song after song after song, the realization started to set in, that I grossly misinterpreted the theme of this album. I switched to Lady Gaga, Depeche Mode, Madonna, even Prince, anything to save the mood. But it was too late. The room stunk of limp synthesizer chords, winy British inflections and self-pity. My day was ruined. Dejected, I headed off to work. On my way, I lubed up the stairs in front of the old lady's house down the street, gave my happy pills to some school children, and left my bum plug on a drinking fountain in front of the center for the blind. This album ruined my day, and I was determined to ruin someone else's. Listen to it, and it will ruin yours.

Woof. This was my second, and thankfully last Happy Mondays album on the list. I can't think of a single positive thing to say about this album. I didn't care for the vocals, lyrics, or music on this album. Nothing about this stood out to me at all, and it was a chore to get through. I'm really curious as to how either Happy Mondays album made it on this list.

I dropped out before the first song finished. This is rough.

Yeah I was pretty bummed when this came up. Terrible.

I’ve kept coming back to this album for more than 30 years. It’s a complete mess from start to finish and sounds like it was recorded in a club toilet. But it’s also great in its own shambolic way. Shaun Ryder sings out of tune like no one’s listening and there’s something of the everyman in that, he’s not trying to be a rock star. He’s also a great lyricist. The way he uses the rhythms of ordinary (often sweary) language to express meaning and match the melody is extraordinary. For example, the lines from ‘Wrote For Luck’ about his lack of education: ‘I’ve not been trained, I can sit and stand and beg and roll over, I don’t read I just guess’. Ryder isn’t book smart and he can barely sing, but he’s very good with words. He was awarded the NME Godlike Genius award in 2000, and I know they give the award every year but there really is something preternaturally gifted about Shaun Ryder that justifies the genius label. Best song: Wrote For Luck

It’s no pills and thrills but I suspect a few were had in the making.

Belanglos, langweilig, überflüssig - mir gehen in Bezug auf die Platten in dieser Liste, die besser nicht aufgenommen worden wären, langsam die Adjektive aus.

A big surprise how much I enjoyed this god damn!! I loved all the dance elements to this and ended up listening to all the bonus tracks and remixes on the deluxe version. also introduced me to paul oakenfold properly which is awesome, only knew him from a The Streets song reference lol

I feel like I had this idea years ago where you could mix punk and new wave styles with a psychedelic flow, but I never found something that hit its mark quite like this. Magazine by Magazine was pretty good, but it was more gothic than what I had in mind. This is a perfect blend of new wave and psychedelia. The lyrics are on point for a new wave album, but they are heavily based in psychedelic music in their tone. The cadence is very new wave, but the subjects range in a more psychedelic style than most new wave projects which I think is pretty daring. The instrumentation has a lot of contemporary aesthetics in the drums and guitars. The addition of the keys to be that 60s style is a choice that I really love since I can't get enough of that sound. Definitely a stranger album, but I think I will only like it more and more with age. Highlights: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

weird sound but a few good songs

Pure genius. It combines genres from country to dance and indie rock, with quasi non-sensical lyrics. It shouldn’t work and yet it does. This is proof that musical training isn’t necessary, especially when drugs are available. Shame they were such fuck ups…

Great 80's brit pop. Somewhat nostalgic sounds with Beatles tunes and an INXS feel to it all.

This really scratched an itch for new wave-influenced music with a funk bent. I think I’m also partial to slightly out of tune British rock singers

Chaotic fun, perfect soundtrack to my late 80s life

Total revelation. Never heard of these guys before. Why????

This turned up as a great, darkish wave, cool wave, Grey wave, if you will? Everything works really well together here.

I didn't expect this to be good and was pleasantly surprised. Started off strong with a little bit of a lull but most of this album was really good.

Groovy

Enjoyable and catchy. Very listenable even on first play.

Tym razem tak wyspiarsko undergroundowy albumik, ze az zwiazany z manchesterem, bo wedlug wiki jest to gatunek zwany madchester, a czym jest ten oblakany czester, wiec jest to muzyka z pogranicza funka roka, na ktora powstanie miala wspolczesna scena rave, wiec rok 88 muzyka elektro i mordownie ekstazowo lsdowe menczesteru, takie jest wlasnie tlo tego albumiku, juz nawet teraz slysze, ze ciekawie musi to brzmiec jeszcze pod wplywem psychoaktywnoych substancji, syntezatorowe noisy jak na moving in with daja ciekawe efekty, dobry odsluch, bo nie slyszalem jeszcze czegos podobnego, ozywienie psychodelicznego rokowania w nowej orginalnej postaci, tutaj syntezatory klawiszowe, a zaraz ktos na sitarce robi solowke, przy czym wokalista sobie gwizda na wszystko, doslownie, a co do wokalu, to nie jest to spiewanie wyczynowe a raczej spiewanie psychodeliczne, wiec tez dosc specyficzne, widoczne jest wykorzystanie substancji podczas tworzenia tej plyty, ale o dziwo nie ucierpiala na tym produkcja, bo albumik jest jakosciowy jesli chodzi o mastering, sprawdzam kto tam to mixowal, a to pan Martin Hannett od joy division, wiec swiatowej klasy producent, liczynie jest to zabawa w narkotyki, glowny motyw, na plejaka leci wrote for luck, brain dead i country song, jak bedzie okazja trzeba przesluchac jak wypada reszta dyskografii bandy, albo raczej ich lidera Ryderowego, bo widze, ze sporo stuffu pod innymi bandami rowniez tworzyl

Bummed was actually a pretty solid album. Considering this album's average is on the lower side, i thought that it would not be very good due to that fact but it was shockingly good. This album is of course, incredibly cheesy with all the little new-wavey sounds that are found in quite a lot of the songs to the point where you can easily tell that this is an album from the 80s. I also feel that this album really only started to get going by the time Mad Cyril came in because the first two songs were the weirdest and were not my absolute favorites. Other than that, it is a pretty good album that is most definitely a product of it's time but still a good listen. Best Song: Wrote For Luck Worst Song: Country Song

First off, the production on this album is fantastic. The bass-heavy mix (with trebly guitars riding over top) is peculiar, but it works. The playing is also top notch, especially that of drummer Gary Whelan who holds everything tightly together. Vocalist Shaun Ryder talks, raps and chants over the pounding, repetitive (but hypnotic) music, with only the barest melodies showing up here and there, making him the somewhat far-removed cousin of The Fall's Mark E. Smith. Like Smith, Ryder has an anti-charisma that makes him compelling to listen to. This is an upbeat, weird and occasionally obnoxious album by a band with an idiosyncratic vision. It's certainly not a major masterpiece, but it does qualify as being a minor classic.

I know this album is almost 40 years old, but the portrait on the cover really looks like Elon Musk.

It's hard to separate Happy Mondays' music from the lore surrounding the band, particularly the infamous stories around their fourth album, which helped bankrupt Factory Records. Based on Bummed, it's puzzling how they even made it to a fourth release, or how their much sharper, lauded third album followed just two years later. Normally, I'm drawn to leftfield releases, but Bummed feels like it's pushing boundaries simply for the sake of it. The production is disjointed, the jangly guitar choices are grating, and Shaun Ryder’s vocals—typically a highlight—lack the impact you’d expect. This sounds like a band throwing things at the wall to see what sticks, and that chaotic approach is evident throughout. Ultimately, Bummed is an unfocused experiment best left behind. Give it a miss.

The problem with ecstasy is that it convinces untalented people that they're making good music.

This one was terrible. I could've lived happy without hearing the awful production with all the reverb and atrocious singing. I hope the person that mixed this album was inexperienced or had a really bad day. No one could make it intentionally this dreadful.

I could have died happy never having hearing this. How it made this list I have no idea

Back to my youth good album.

i really liked it

This band is in my top 3 all-time favorite musical entities. If you find this to be utter garbage, allow me to explain. Happy Monday's represent the messy halfway point between the punk movement and full on-90's rave culture. Combining elements of post-punk, psychedelia, and the disco roots of electronic music, they belligerently caterwauled their way to the top of the zeitgeist. They represent the decadence of complete disconnection, which they fed into and nurtured through heavy cocktail of ecstasy, heroin, alcohol, and really whatever else they could get their hands on. I can't help but be charmed by them however, I mean what other band gives the most indulgent member of their friend group a couple of un-microphoned maracas and makes him an official band member? All because he's fun to be around and dances like a complete psycho? Happy Monday's, thats who. We're all on a nosedive, these blokes represent a subsection of the population who realize it, and are laughing with their pants off, all the way down. Their keyboard player couldn't play keyboards, their singer couldn't sing, their maraca player didn't do shit except get himself and everyone around him out of their minds on harder and harder drugs. The thing is, is that people that are really high like a good groove, and the Monday's were savvy enough to land on one thunderously good groove after the next. You add onto that the lyrical nihilism of Shaun William Ryder and you have the ingredients for what the Monday's did best: anthems for the alienated. It didn't matter that he couldn't sing, in fact, it was better that he couldn't. He gave a voice the those that were pushed to the breaking point by polite society and just wanted to yell. "Bummed" does not reach the caliber of their cultural high water mark, which goes to "Pills, Thrills, & Bellyaches", but it'll do you one better- it's got "Wrote For Luck" on it, one of their best and most quintessential songs. Reading Ryder's autobiography, he's revealed it's one of his proudest moments as a songwriter. For all the uneducated, across the tracks, utterly shitfaced buffoonery this man is known for, he's actually quite clever. And as history has shown us again and again, turn your nose up high enough and the underestimated ones find their way to the top.

1988 what a great year for discovering new music, with the Happy Mondays being one of the acts. I remember playing this to my unsuspecting colleagues, I loved it, they hated it, they loved Metal. They said nothing would come of the crap I listened to. A few years later I was redeemed. Well luckily for the world, Vince Clarke liked them enough to really launch their career with the remix of ‘Wrote for Luck’ and the rest is history. This is my favourite Mondays LP by a long way. A true masterpiece of Manchester sound. ‘Performance’ is a one hell of a song, but the album as a whole is pretty much perfect.

Love the Mondays

Mad

I don't think I've heard this band. I'm sure I would have passed right over this album if I saw it in the record store. The cover reminds me of Billie Holiday, just close up done in chalk. Solid late 80's new wave.

É como se o Clash e o New Order tivessem um filho.

Я послушал этот альбом сегодня вечером, с 9 до 10 часов. Я гулял по освещенным улицам города и изначально мое настроение было не очень хорошее, но я взял себе банку пива и хорошо прогулялся, слушая его. Весь этот альбом - будто ты сидишь за столиком около сцены и медленно попиваешь, слушая расслабленно-возбужденных музыкантов. Погружение в магию звуков, сливающихся воедино невероятным потоком, истинное наслаждение. Больше всего мне понравились эти песни: Hallelujah, создающая атмосферу всепоглащающего клуба, country song, каа прекрасное начало альбома, сразу цепляющая, moving in with, продолжающая дарить опьяняющее наслаждение и lazyitis, сыгранная с использованием, мне кажется, ситары, риф которой запомнится мне надолго и прямо сейчас играющий в голове. Мне просто хорошо, я прекрасно провел время благодаря этому альбому.

Ayyy Bez was on Pimp My Ride UK, cool guy

Wicked!

This was way better than I expected, despite the shitty prod and mix.

Kamalt El Hadra Ethenya M 3l Bouheli Mte3 Dostoevsky. I'm Better, Ahmed Still Needs Help. I'm Still Waiting For Calls

idk yet

Nick was loving it!

Very fun.

The result of 4 guys finding out what ecstasy is and going "now what if we made music on this shit?" I'll tell you what, this music sure as hell sounds like 4 guys high out of their minds making drug music. The whole album is insanely psychedelic and weirdly groovy for how hard it is to get a hold of at some points. Regardless, I love psychedelic pop and this album is no exception. I have no clue how I haven't heard of these guys and only just recently found out about The Stone Roses, but Madchester is definitely a genre for me to look into moving forward. Nothing but a good time.

very new wave, very fun

have to admit as i was doing my cursory wikipedia reading my eyes completely glazed over. oh wow, a uk band ive never heard of...from the late 80s and/or 90s....and they discovered DRUGS! this list is a lil self parody sometimes man HFJFSHJFS i sometimes also glazed over while actually listening to the music, but i can tell it doesnt deserve that. its easy to write this off as more hazy druggy british rock, but theres at least three distinguishing features im sure ill remember: (1) songs that feel kinda loose and drifty instead of the hyper-punchy stuff that would become britpop, a lot of clear influence from psychedelia and even the more coked-out sly and the family stone records (2) some rly cool liquid basslines from paul ryder, accentuated by (3) EXTREMELY cool and vibrant production from unknown pleasures producer martin hannett. initially thought i could just write this off cuz again theres So Much Hazy British Rock Music but this is hazy in a way i dont think ive quite heard before...feels smeared and runny, almost oil painting-y, with a strong texture and physicality even as it seems to float in and out of existence, idk how to describe it if u havent actually heard the record but its cool! silly list, but good album

It’s not so bad

Another band I only just recently heard of that is very much up my alley. Reminded me of Duran Duran and nothing really stuck out, but a good vibe either way.

It's interesting. Light-hearted, moving. Not quite my cup of tea, but I hear some interesting things in here.

so fun, so gross, so discombobulated. the album is a mess and this band self imploded thankfully. bonus points for having a band member who doesn’t play an instrument, just dances on stage

I like it.

Never heard of this album or band before Kind of funky I didn't realize it was actually psychedelic funk bro I can tell drugs were involved in this It sounds like proto psych rock I love the pastel cover art This is genuinely so fucking dope My rating of this kept getting higher as the second half of the album progressed Favorite song: Mad Cyril or Rave On Surely a 8/10 album

Fun but unpolished, amazing how much the singles had been worked over by the time they hit America.

Never heard of the Happy Mondays but I enjoyed this a lot. Definitely felt very 80s but also had a lot of interesting sounds. Would definitely listen again. Also Spotify only has the Collector's Edition which has a bunch of remixes and some of those slap pretty hard too.

sounds like ecstasy but youre not really having a good time

Probably will like more after more listens. Enjoyed the back half more than the first side. Probably a 3.5 but rounding up

Fine album.

## In-Depth Review: *Bummed* by Happy Mondays **Bummed**, released in November 1988, is Happy Mondays’ second album and a pivotal moment in both the band’s career and the evolution of British alternative music. Produced by Martin Hannett, the record is a swirling, chaotic, and at times abrasive blend of psychedelic funk, post-punk, and proto-rave, capturing the hedonistic spirit of the late 1980s Manchester scene. Below is a comprehensive analysis focusing on lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and a balanced assessment of the album’s strengths and weaknesses. --- ## Lyrics **Shaun Ryder’s lyrics on *Bummed* are a defining feature of the album’s character.** - The lyrics are a mix of wit, street slang, surrealism, and social commentary, delivered in Ryder’s distinctive slurry, anti-charm style[1][2][3]. - Ryder populates the songs with a cast of no-hopers, vagabonds, and oddballs, drawing inspiration from working-class Manchester life and pop culture. Tracks like “Mad Cyril” reference the film *Performance*, while “Fat Lady Wrestlers” and “Country Song” (originally titled “Some C*nt From Preston”) showcase Ryder’s penchant for absurdist humor and taboo-breaking[1][2][3]. - The lyrics oscillate between the funny, the dark, and the nonsensical, often inviting repeated listens to decipher their meaning. They evoke the cut-up techniques of William Burroughs and the streetwise poetry of Mark E. Smith, but with a uniquely drugged-out, Mancunian twist[3][6]. - Sexuality, drugs, and urban malaise are recurring motifs, often presented with a sense of menace or gleeful nihilism: “Come on in, grease up yer skin, bring a friend,” Ryder leers at one point, making even sexual encounters sound repellent[6]. **Pros:** - Inventive, witty, and original use of language. - Captures the spirit of late-80s Manchester and the acid-house generation. - Memorable characters and vivid imagery. **Cons:** - Obscure references and slang can be impenetrable to some listeners. - The lyrics’ crudity and nihilism may alienate those seeking emotional depth or clarity. --- ## Music **The music on *Bummed* is a messy, hypnotic fusion of genres, built on groove and atmosphere rather than traditional songcraft.** - The rhythm section is the bedrock: Paul Ryder’s bass and Gary Whelan’s drums lock into relentless, loping grooves, providing a danceable foundation that nods to both funk and the emerging acid house scene[3][4]. - Mark Day’s guitar work is angular and textural, eschewing classic rock heroics for stabs and chimes that add color and tension. His playing adapts 60s influences to the late-80s context, signposting the arrival of the 90s Madchester sound[3]. - Paul Davis’s keyboards are crucial, linking the sound to contemporary dance music, but they rarely dominate. Instead, they flesh out melodies and accentuate the percussive drive[3]. - The band’s playing is often loose, even shambolic, with songs sometimes feeling improvised or barely held together. This chaotic energy is both a strength and a weakness, contributing to the album’s unique character but also its divisiveness[5]. **Standout Tracks:** - “Wrote For Luck” is the album’s centerpiece, a hypnotic, groove-driven track that became a Madchester anthem, especially after being remixed as “W.F.L.” by Paul Oakenfold and Vince Clarke[1][2]. - “Lazyitis” stands out for its Irish showband flavor and direct melodic lift from The Beatles’ “Ticket To Ride,” highlighting the band’s growing musical confidence and playful irreverence[1][2]. **Pros:** - Infectious grooves and danceable rhythms. - Innovative fusion of rock, funk, and electronic elements. - Unpredictable, energetic performances. **Cons:** - Sloppy musicianship and loose song structures can make the album feel unfocused. - Some tracks verge on monotony or lack memorable hooks. --- ## Production **Martin Hannett’s production is central to the album’s identity.** - Unlike his stark, minimalist work with Joy Division, Hannett opts for a dense, reverb-soaked, and psychedelic soundscape on *Bummed*[4][6]. - The mix is thick and swirling, with instruments often bleeding into each other, creating a “wall of sound” effect that is both immersive and disorienting[6]. - Drums are pushed to the front, bass is thick and rubbery, and guitars and keyboards swirl in the periphery, contributing to the album’s “hyper-reality”[4]. - Hannett’s approach amplifies the band’s strengths while covering their technical weaknesses, layering enough parts to create a compelling, if sometimes chaotic, whole[5]. - The production captures the queasy, claustrophobic feeling of overindulgence, mirroring the album’s drug-fueled themes[6]. **Pros:** - Unique, immersive, and psychedelic sonic landscape. - Enhances the band’s raw energy and unpredictability. - Iconic sound that influenced the Madchester scene. **Cons:** - The dense mix can obscure individual instruments and lyrics. - The production’s murkiness may be off-putting to listeners who prefer clarity and polish. --- ## Themes **Bummed** is thematically steeped in the hedonism, disillusionment, and surreal humor of late-80s Manchester. - The album revels in decadence, drug culture, and the darker side of urban life, but does so with a sense of glee rather than moralizing[4][6]. - There is little sense of hope or redemption; the mood is one of resigned celebration of excess and absurdity. - The sound and lyrics together evoke the queasy, disorienting side of the ecstasy-fueled “second summer of love,” rather than its euphoric highs[6]. - The band’s outsider status is palpable: they are untrained, vulgar, and defiantly anti-commercial, standing apart from the mainstream even as they helped define a new musical movement[1][2]. --- ## Influence **Bummed** is a landmark album in the evolution of British music, particularly the Madchester and baggy scenes. - The album’s fusion of rock, funk, and dance music laid the groundwork for the Madchester explosion, influencing bands like The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, and later Britpop acts[1][2][7]. - “Wrote For Luck” and its remixes became anthems in clubs, helping to bridge the gap between indie rock and rave culture[1][2]. - The album’s raw, unpolished aesthetic and embrace of working-class, drug-fueled hedonism resonated with a generation disillusioned by Thatcher-era Britain[7]. - Its influence extends to the present, with many contemporary artists citing Happy Mondays as a key inspiration for their willingness to blend genres and flout conventions. --- ## Pros and Cons | Pros | Cons | |---------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------| | Inventive, witty, and original lyrics | Lyrics can be obscure, crude, or alienating | | Infectious, danceable grooves and rhythms | Musicianship is often sloppy; some tracks feel unfocused | | Unique, psychedelic production by Martin Hannett | Dense mix can obscure details; production may feel murky | | Captures the spirit of late-80s Manchester and the acid-house era | The album’s mood is relentlessly hedonistic and nihilistic | | Pivotal influence on Madchester, baggy, and later Britpop scenes | Lacks emotional depth or mainstream accessibility | | Standout tracks like “Wrote For Luck” and “Lazyitis” | Some tracks verge on monotony or lack strong hooks | | Unpredictable, energetic performances | The chaotic energy can be divisive | --- ## Conclusion *Bummed* is a singular, era-defining album that captures the chaotic, drug-fueled energy of late-80s Manchester like no other. Shaun Ryder’s lyrics are a blend of street poetry, surreal humor, and social commentary, delivered with a distinctive anti-charm that is both off-putting and magnetic[1][2][3]. Musically, the album is built on relentless grooves, loose song structures, and a fusion of rock, funk, and proto-rave, all wrapped in Martin Hannett’s dense, psychedelic production[4][6]. The album’s strengths lie in its originality, atmosphere, and influence. It is a messy, immersive, and at times abrasive listen, but one that rewards those willing to dive into its world. Its weaknesses—sloppy musicianship, obscure lyrics, and a claustrophobic mood—are also part of its unique charm, making it a divisive but essential artifact of its time. *Bummed* stands alone as a document of a specific cultural moment, one that helped shape the sound and attitude of British music for years to come. Whether you find it exhilarating or exhausting, its impact is undeniable.

I enjoyed it, might not listen again but I would happily enjoy it in a social situation or something.

a lot of range and folky but rocky

I'm a sucker for psychedelic rock and danceable electronic music and I like the short-lived madchester music scene of the late 80s and early 90s. 'Bummed' is one of the most well known albums from that era. It's fun and doesn't take itself seriously, all the songs has something interesting in it. It's just pure chaos from start to end, and the ecstasy influence is clear (it makes the singing a bit tiring towards the end of the album). Wrote For Luck is definitely the song that stands out the most. Overall I prefer 'Pills and Thrills...' from the early 90s but this is also a good album.

Bummed is pure, messy, late-80s Manchester chaos—equal parts sleaze, swagger, and genius. It’s not an easy album to love on first listen, but once you tune into its shuffling, drugged-out rhythm and Shaun Ryder’s surreal mumblings, it clicks into something strangely hypnotic. The grooves are deep and grimy, with loose funk and post-punk riffs held together by just the right amount of acid house weirdness. It’s an album that shouldn’t work as well as it does, but there’s an undeniable charm in the madness. Producer Martin Hannett gives everything a foggy, haunted-space feel, while the band stumbles through songs like Wrote for Luck and Mad Cyril with irresistible confidence. Bummed is grubby, chaotic, and strangely brilliant—a true Madchester milestone.

Cool

Pretty fun eclectic mix of songs! Wasn't convinced at the start, but came around on it as the album progressed.

Every band needs it's own special chemistry. And Bez was a very good chemist" - Anthony H Wilson

Different enough that I kind of enjoyed it.

smh there are two happy mondays albums on this list and neither of them are their floptastic debut record produced by john cale which means i can’t go on a tangent about john cale producing them and what a miserable experience it was for everyone involved here in my review. and yet somehow i managed it anyway…my mind! anyway my first instinct is to make fun of this band cos they are famously so dumb but the joke is on me cos i liked this a lot. that jangly melody is typical of sooooo much indie rock (especially in america) in the 90s and 2000s that it kinda shocked me to remember this record came out in 1988. there are still so many bands that are trying to sound exactly like this—what makes it better is that FAT bass line throughout. tbh it sounds a lot like thinking fellers so it tracks that i like it so much. fav tracks: country song; moving in with; fat lady wrestlers

i really liked this!! it reminded me a bit of the fall album which i also really liked. idk this was just kinda weird and catchy and fun. i listened while i did a puzzle and it was amazing

I WILL TAKE HAPPY MONDAYS ANY DAY OF THE WEEK

Very out there for the times, but sounds very typical 80's. It kind of bridges the gap between psychedelic rock/dark wave/funk/post-punk. These guys were clearly doing a lot of drugs.

The apogee of the Mondays - weird, wobbly, paranoid, slippery, spaced out and spacious. Amazing that they built a stadium-filling career on this difficult music. On the expanded edition, the many luxurious 12" mixes open up the sound and give it all space to expand and take over.

I don't know whether I would have payed much attention to this after first listen if it hadn't been for Pills n Thrills, which is a groundbreaking UK indie album. I wasn't grabbed by this, it seemed a bit of a shambles and the original production was "terrible". Though the remix is slightly better it's still far too reverbed and sparce. This could have been so much better with decent production. But it is a great album, it's got all the groundwork of Pills without the polish. They were a band fusing dance and indie and guitars and attitude and they had a singer that sounds like a rock singer but has the most incredible way with words. The late 80s/early 90s golden era of British indie was my university days and this band were absoultely pivotal to that. It was, though, one of those albums that when it came up I thought "the Yanks are going to absolutely hate this" so British and so of a moment this is. Oh, and Wrote for Luck is one of the greatest songs ever released and on the back of this The Mondays came out with Hallelujah. Double Double good.

Quite liked this would like to listen again more attentively 7/10

Cool post punky stuff.

Period defining

Enjoyable - don't think I've listened to this in full before, and it's aged well.

I have a soft spot for factory records after watching 24hr Party People

4 stars

Never really transcends or fully takes off though "Lazyitis" and ""Brain Dead" are pretty strong. "Hallelujah" is much better in club mix. Blatant rip-offs of Beatles and O'jays, (though latter could generously be called a sample, one supposes) are a bit much, too, and show limits of what these guys could do, which seems like not much relative to their accolades, obviously. Production is pretty terrible too – among the worst on the list. The remaster sounds flat and distant and muddle all at once – could the originals have been any worse, really? Editors seem to knock Stone Roses to glorify these guys -- come on, now. Rounding up because God loves a drunk (or at least looked out for these ones).

79/100. A good-sounding alternative rock record. Nothing groundbreaking, but definitely a fun listen.

Happy Mondays may have been my favourite band for a short while in the early 90s, but that was basically down to pills and thrills plus Hallelujah from this. I was very young and I'd never heard this record. Not even sure I knew an earlier album existed. I'd seen Madchester Rave On 12"s knocking about people's older brother's record collection, that's it. Standing out with it's multicoloured lettering on a black background. Had a great time listening to the club remixes afterwards. If you're listening to the Hallelujah with the high pitched Hallelujah sting in it, you're listening to the banger. Although the album version with the scrawling guitar solo is pretty ace too. Oh yeah, and the re-released dance remix of Wrote For Luck (wfl) ohoh, ho. Yeah that was a banger. The Vince Clarke one. Probably had that on one of those Indie top 20 vinyls. For all intents and purposes, The Mondays WERE Madchester. Hailing as they did, not from Manchester but nearby Salford, my manor. So there's a heavy dose of nostalgia there for me. Great to hear such a different sound from them. Yep, Talking Heads, yep, The Fall, yep, lots of drugs. The actual record ends with Lazy itis, but I don't care, I'm including Rave On EP. Thumbs up.

Well now this was a bit of a surprise. I actually liked it. Didn't expect to, but yeah it was very good especially Mad Cyril and Rave On. I certainly would baulk at parting with money for it. Definitely worth a 4

“Rock band does ecstasy and makes a psychedelic record” is such a trope but it almost always hits. This is a great example. I love how rough it is. It feels like constrained chaos.

Solid album. I guess this is what people raved to in the 80s. I heard some Oasis in this. There's another album from this genre by the band Flowered Up that I really liked. Otherwise I really don't know much about this whole scene.

I am really surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. It was like Devo on ecstasy. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5

Likably loose and raffish, vaguely Stones-like in that sense, with some plus-pleasurable moments and vibes, but no songs that take off or fully captivate. Much better – hookier, more compelling – was to come. Rounding up for that reason, to a very soft 4.

This is #day34 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's all about the vibe here. Happy Mondays... Even though I prefer Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches (the 2020 UK & EU vinyl reissue slams hard, by the way), I find Bummed to be an essential document of the Madchester era. It's nothing short of psychedelic, funky, ecstasy-driven sonic sluggishness. Agreed, it's not The Stone Roses or New Order circa Technique (and it shouldn't be), but there's something about the laid-back, goofy nature of this record that you can't resist. Can you? I'm giving it a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day35.

pretty solid album here. in my opinion, it sort of starts off slow but does pick up towards and through the second half. at times it reminds me a little bit of REM and similar bands from that era. definitely has a college rock feel to it. solid production and solid instrumentation. i sort of wish i was wowed by it a bit more but i can see it as an album i would be interested in returning to at some point.

The guitar and especially the bass in this album is great and definitely the highlight! Everything else is not quite as good but still quality. Definitely an 80s feel with this album and it works well. Enjoyed and would listen to again.