Reviews (page 4 of 8)
There were certainly a few bops here... but, also a few flops.
Double-double good, double-double good. Probably their best album, though there isn't a bad one among their original run (I like Yes Please).
Some songs were good, others not as much Standout songs: Performance Do it better
As coherent as a Shaun Ryder interview
Not my thing.
Not sure what to expect. First track is a pseudo-country song (aptly called Country Song) Moving In With is indie/britpop style. Some new-wave feeling in there too. Fat Lady Wrestlers is almost Cure-like. Nice soundscapes but not much in terms of hooks or standout melodies More obviously new wave post-punk than i expected (XTC-like in places), but you can hear the britpop/madchester that will come later. Best track - Mad Cyril 3 stars
I admit I didn't listen to this one very closely, so I don't really have an opinion on it.
Good album liked it maybe too similar to the smiths and those groups but same level really so
Yeahhhhh, not my cup of tea. It was decent enough for what it is that I could power through it, but I didn't enjoy it. Fairly monotonous. 1.8
A bloopy, annoying version of Talking Heads 3
Very mid
An absolute masterclass of ruining perfectly fine songs with needless random crap. Wow this was hard to listen to
Not awful but couldn't be less mandatory.
I expected to hate this more than I did. The compositions are nauseating. The production is mud. Still more interesting than any U2 album.
Lol boring
Not really my thing.
Isscomenup, Isscomenup, ISSCCUMENUP, ISSCUMMENUP, EHHHHH DEERRRRRRRRRR!!!!! EHHH DERRRRRRR!!! Swagged out in Madchester (7/10, 3/5 on this scale) (Update: 6/10 now)
i really thought i was gonna love this 😔
Appropriate album title. More British waffle. Its just whatever, nothing special here.
If Len Houmous turned up happy on a Monday you could guarantee he’d bummed his wife that morning. 2.0 3/10 Mad Cyril
Lots of hate here for the Mondays. Entirely unjustified. Their shifty, slinky funk is evolving at light speed here on their second album, accompanied by Ryder's druggy take on the MES Northern truth-teller persona. WFL is just brilliant, and all they needed for stardom was to hook up with a great producer, which would happen in one of the greatest-ever non-album singles, the Madchester Rave On EP and in particular the club mix of Hallelujah. Their time in the sun might have been brief - from Hallelujah to s+++ting the bed with Yes Please is barely two years, but it was glorious.
Hmm, someone this shouldn’t work but t does. Not as good as Pills, Thrills. I really enjoyed some of the remixes on the collector’s edition. I do think they owe a lot to the producers though. 3.5
Once upon a Time Happy Mondays were raucous, wild, but still joyful. This album is none of that.
I like Happy mondays, but the album overall sounds a bit too boomy and 80's, it doesn't quite sound like them
60
Doesn’t set itself apart from other punk albums, just OK.
Eh, i think i could get into the instrumentals but the vocals are just so bloody annoying. Don't really like how he ennuciate words so needlessly like the world "hallelujah". He's so off key for a lot of it and it's so annoying. 1/5 stars. Don't think I'll really ever get into it really
I’ve just heard too many albums that sound like this, and sound better than this, that are already on the list. I gave it a fair shot, going through it twice. It’s fine. It’s just not that good.
Soooooooooooo boring
There are some okay songs on here and there are some awful songs on here (what the hell is do it better). The mix on this album is atrocious it’s the thinnest mix I’ve ever heard. Really struggled through this one.
Not a band I have listened to before. Quite liked some of the tracks eg Lazyitis and Wrote for Luck. However not really impressed..
More proof that doing drugs doesn't always inspire good music.
The title rather summed up my feelings while listening to it. No track comes out of this mess with any credit. It's been said before, and I'll say it again: don't do drugs, kids.
Pretty good album for the time. Some indie alternative elements that were a little ahead of its time
Two hours of 80s garbage.
What's Bez? You know Flavor Flav from Public Enemy? No. Well, he's like that, but with maracas.
Weird late 80s snare drum heavy Indie Rock. Like instant coffee. Whether it is worse or better than nothing depends mainly on your current mood.
This was completely new to me. Interesting sound! I might’ve wished for a little more variety from song to song, but I appreciated the quirkiness, especially in the vocals. The album isn’t really essential, though. I might give it 3.5 stars if I could.
Didn't really do all that much for me. It was good, but not memorable a couple of hours later.
Yet another super mid alternative album.
I really like this—it’s cavernous, raw, wonky and loose, danceable, druggy alt-rock with that distinctive Martin Hannett production sound. Opening track ‘Country Song’ is probably a bit of a misstep, but I’m willing to forgive the Mondays for it as the rest of the album is night on perfect. The ‘Madchester Rave On E.P.’ and the associated bonus tracks and remixes included on the expanded Collector’s edition are a really nice touch as well, completing an excellent package overall. I’m scratching my head a bit at the lack of love this record gets in the reviews—I reckon ‘Bummed’ is a genuine bonafide classic.
Nearly perfect
Great band name, couldn't really click. Would maybe try again.
I’m Bummed I had to listen to this forgettable album. Just cuz it’s British doesn’t mean it’s good.
meh, new wave junk
This was all right…didn’t hate it, didn’t love it either. 3 stars.
I liked the movie 24 Party People WAAAAAAY more than I liked this album.
I've never thought these guys were particularly innovative or interesting. It's not bad, it's just not great. I want greatness! This is more of the same UK centric albums that the 1001 suffers from.
This felt generic and a little boring.
3/5
1. so, manchester. madchester. cigarettes and alcohol, but 80s manchester. 2. dont tell me that they support man united. tomorrow is the manchester derby and i support man city so i ceased stone roses, ceased new order, ceased morrissey even though he don't watch football, and im not sure that i should listen to another yanited supporting band. and its not boring but its just that type of thing i wont listen again unless im doing drugs. 2/5
Very ploddy, crap lyrics, not sure why at the time this seemed like such a great album, not aged well.
bummer man
Ok so the biggest complaint, and I think it’s my only real complaint, is that the album is horribly bloated. There’s way too many songs that just come across as filler. I did like a good solid number of songs off the album but the vast majority of it was forgettable. That being said the parts that were good, were great. Lots of creativity and originality on this album. Solid recommendation.
Uh, yeah . . . No, thank you
Not my jam. At all.
Maybe I would get more on repeated listens, but I’m pretty ambivalent about this album on one listen. They kind of remind me of the Mekons.
2/5 - I didn’t need to hear this album because it took the same track being on repeat 3x in a row before I finally noticed something was awry. I could not possibly listen to this as a focused experience, but as background while working on a weekday, it never grabbed my attention once. For that, I’ll give it a 2.
Greit nok, litt U2-ete kanskje
5/10. Sin mucho que añadir. Para escuchar esto, mejor Blur.
Remember that movie you know you watched but barely remember, and there's the bar scene with music you can't quite place. I bet that's this band.
Thrills, Pills and Bellyaches is better than this and belongs on the list. Don't think this was worth a second Happy Mondays inclusion but it's not bad. The album grew on me as it went and I got used to the acid grooves
Vaguely countryish guitar sounds with a pounding percussion pushing the song forward. That’s my first impression of Happy Monday’s ¨Bummed¨ album. Obscured words by a high pitched voice singing about rednecks. Next song, the canned 80s drums that I love so much. ¨Mad Cyril¨ sounds like nothing so much as Robert Smith fronting a more optimistic version of the Smiths, one in a world where Morrissey had hanged himself in his mum’s drawing room the day before Marr came calling. Marr then convinced Robert to quit the Cure and come play with him. Honestly, I like the idea of this band almost as much as I like the Cure and the Smiths. This Smiths/Cure/New Order melange continues throughout the album, vacillating between all the different sad bands of the 80s, establishing itself as perhaps the perfect distillation of sad Britain. I didn’t find anything another band hadn’t done better, but I enjoyed the hell out of it. Best songs: ¨Country Song,¨ ¨Mad Cyril,¨ ¨Brain Dead¨
I only really know Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches, so it's nice to dig into Happy Mondays more. I liked this, even though it all starts to sound the same after a while. And I will take this opportunity to once again quote 24 Hour Party People: Tony Wilson: You know, I think that Shaun Ryder is on a par with W.B. Yeats as a poet. Yvette: Really? Tony Wilson: Absolutely. Totally. Yvette: Well, that is amazing, considering everyone else thinks he's a fucking idiot.
I was psyched when I saw that this album had a very cool title, but was bummed when the music was kind of repetitive and tuneless.
So they tried to hit all the 70's rock tropes with this album. I have no other explanation for it other than that. It's like they heard all the great bands of that time and went we can do that! They could not. It's background music in a movie that is set in the 80's but doesn't want to pay for the good stuff. It's played in a TV show flashback. I'll bet they toured county fairs, not state fairs.
Never heard this before. Great Vibe
I'll admit to writing this review three weeks after actually listening to this album, so my perspective has likely shifted since then. That being said, the fact that I don't really remember this album three weeks later, even after listening to samples on Spotify again, is telling. Listening back, I find that a lot of the songs, at least at a glance, sound similar in tone. None of them come back to me as familiar, and I assume that's because of the similarities between them. To me, this comes across as a largely generic late 80's rock album by a band that probably had a much larger impact in the UK than they had here in the States. Sorry to all the Happy Mondays fans out there, but I just didn't get this one. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Country Song, Wrote for Luck, Lazyitis
Not my favorite but fun to dance and vibe to
definitely a Madchester classic!! definitely enjoyed it!
I would put this album ahead of its time. Grooves like Prince or a Funkadelic, but had that British rigidity, like a breadstick.
Danceable, interesting sound, but not exactly my cup of tea. Maybe in a different context I’d enjoy it more, but for now it feels fairly forgettable based on my taste.
Happy Mondays are a band who I always remember as being better than they actually are! I start listening and think oh yeah I like this then after the song i know has finished I start to get a bit fidgety and want to start skipping to the next one I know. I think if I was a bit more wasted maybe?
I'm bummed that this will be my fourth 1-star rating in a row. The mix on this album is horrible. Just when I'd hear a song that was somewhat tolerable, the terrible lyrics dragged it down. I'm flushing this turd.
3/5 Best Track - "Wrote For Luck"
I don’t love this. But it’s not terrible and gets points for being so drug-addled. May have benefited from less bombastic production.
This was quite an awful experience, no redeeming qualities to earn a single star
The reviews have me dead but I completely understand if you didn't like this album Top Tracks - Country Song, Performance
Dad- 3 Mom- 4 Mike- NA Lori- 4 Michael- 2.5 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 3.38
Second sentence of the Wikipedia article: "During 1987 and early 1988, the band discovered house music and the rave drug ecstasy." Oh fun. If I didn't already know the author of this book/project is British, the selection of this band/album would have convinced me. I don't care for this. I guess the music is OK - I probably would have loved this in 1989 if John Lydon were screeching over it.
A fun party album from a band that sounds like they're still finding their footing. While I like the atmosphere here, it is a bit one-note and the songs blur together a bit. The grooves on songs like "Wrote for Luck" are great, but other tracks feel a bit anonymous. If there were more hooks or things were tightened up I think this could be great. The closer feels like an early sampledelia track with its Beatles interpolation, but it's the rare track with a real memorable moment. I don't hate the vocals, but I don't feel that they contribute much. Sounds like they're going for a drugged out haze but they just sound sloppy. I do like the lyrics on the first track though, sounds like a defiant party anthem aimed at the upper class.
Vaguely eighties general mishmash with nothing really standing out - not my thing.
Enjoyable enough. Songs do tend to blur into each other. Prefer their next two albums.
Disappointingly samey.
Of the times. Feels like a more alt version of pop music during this period. Has hints of Talking Heads and Janes Addiction. Not something I'd usually go for, but really listenable.
Happy Monday’s grown up album.
Terrible sound
Real mixed bag - some interesting tracks but most of it I found either not that enjoyable or unpleasant
It was fine, but definitely got monotonous very quickly.
It was super 80s, which isn’t itself a bad thing, but it felt addled and unfocused, which is bad, and when it stacks up next to the really good 80s sounds we’ve already gotten it finds itself wanting.
Bummed with the albums so far
Someone listened to Public Image Ltd and decided "You know what? We should make more of this." Bummed is definitely a step up from the likes of Metal Box et al., but not by terribly much. The singing has that sort of lazy, drunken, British drawl that you'll find on most punk and post-punk records. Happy Mondays tries to spice it up with vocal doubling in some tracks and complex, layered instrumentation. (The latter detail reminds me distinctly of the Smiths.) It works on some tracks and *definitely* not on others. Country Song, as the name suggests, is a jaunty piano-based rock track with a decent enough melody – so it gets a pass. Mad Cyril, with its terrible gated drumming (Low did it better) and jungle of clashing harmonic elements, does not get a pass. Nor does Fat Lady Wrestlers for its horrific attempt at a melody. Nor does Do It Better (Good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good / Double double good). Do one, do one, do oneThe band is throwing stones into a sea of British 80s clichés and sprinkling various stimulant drugs onto whatever gets fished up. The music is also generally boring, particularly in the run of tracks from Mad Cyril through to (aptly named) Brain Dead. I found my mind constantly wandering away from the music and to doing my taxes and reading Crime and Punishment. Hence Happy Mondays have broken the absolute most critical rule of music: don't bore the listener. ...But that doesn't mean the listener is off the hook. One reviewer wrote that they dropped out before the first song finished. To that I say: why are you completing this project? To broaden your musical horizons? Or to reaffirm existing ones? I sat through The Modern Dance, 36 Chambers, Spy vs Spy, Lam Toro... and now Bummed. If I can do it, so can you. Another reviewer wrote that the album is "a complete mess from start to finish and sounds like it was recorded in a club toilet", then gave it 5 stars. I agree with the sentiment. Must've been a mouse-slip. 1/5 Key tracks: Country Song, Lazyitis
Pretty good I didn’t get to listen to it all because I fell asleep but it was good
1,5
Not for me. Fine for a bit but all started to sound the same very quickly.
These guys gave me the ick.
Meh - 2/5
Chill & okay. Liked some of the songs
Neat but forgettable ?
That was fine.
The Happy Mondays definitely get points for being different, but let's be honest, this is a rough album. It's an early example of Madchester, mixing post punk with acid house and rave culture. It's hardly the best example though. The singing and performances are pretty poor. You can imagine the band high on every drug they can get their hands on, playing back their music, and feeling like they were the greatest band on earth. Joy Division producer Martin Hannett is the best thing here but it's sort lip stick on a pig. The Happy Mondays had better later work but never matched the Stone Roses. This album was at least very influential so points for that. It's interesting but no masterpiece.
The second one star album in a row. Growing up in North of England while the Madchester scene was happening, I have tried very hard to like the Happy Mondays but have never been able to understand their appeal. This was not an easy listen.
Det er ret fedt med et nummer eller 2. Musikken er ret generisk, men der er også noget dragene ved det som gør at det ikke er kedeligt ret tid. Og under 40 minutter er et plus!
Jeg elsker vokalen. Noget af musikken er også okay. Men for ofte mister det min interesse.
Not for me. I was in fact bummed
I think I've always felt they were kind of average, and yeah that pretty much the case. He's not really a good vocalist in most places, but there's certainly some character I guess. The instrumentals are over-soaked in reverb to the point where it feels quite claustrophobic. The instrumentals are also very repetitive. Its nothing totally dreadful though. I like the funk elements, but I think people like The Stone Roses do this thing so much better. The Lazyitis song is very good, I like the weird lead instrument and the Beatles interpolation. I also really like the rave on song, reminds me a bit of fools gold with it being mostly instrumental, and it does groove quite hard. Favourite songs: performance, lazyitis, rave on, boom. Overall around 6/10 (only just)
3.5
Greit nok, litt U2-ete kanskje
Easy listen, enjoyable, not really a single on the whole thing, but enjoyable nonetheless Good Easy 3 baby
Different, will need another listen.
I know the Happy Mondays are supposed to be so influential, but this album was just boring to me.
ovo mi se baš dopalo! :)
Like Duran Duran lite, if that makes sense.
bummer
This is the best they could come up with fueled by ecstasy? Dang. A lot of others do it better. Anywho there were some tracks it’d probably be fun to roll to but mostly not.
Pretty solid album, I like a good amount of it. A genre I wasn’t aware of, the latter half of the album is pretty good. I think 3 is good, 3.5 if possible.
Didn't like and didn't finish.
"Henny Penny, Cocky Locky, Goosey Loosey Turkey Lurky, Ducky Lucky, Chicky Licky" Wow so bold and inventive thank you sir.
Sympathique à découvrir, pas un style que j'écoute, mais pas mon style, je ne réécouterai pas.
Sometimes music leads you to conclude "I really should have done more drugs". Happy Mondays are the band that lead you to conclude that you probably shouldn't have.
Both more 80s sounding and more punk sounding than I was expecting. It was okay. Would probably grow on me but I much prefer The Stone Roses.
The sound and production to this album was really good, not that I’m an expert on production techniques or anything but it sounded so clear and was easy to distinguish between the different layers of instruments, the bass and drums were highlights with the deep bass flowing alongside the booming drums (I felt this style of drum sound was used a bit too much though) and the electronic am elements working well to keep each song a bit fresh. The vocals however were my least favourite part of the album, not only were they a little drowned out by the instrumentals but the vocalist sounds a bit annoying sometimes especially with the lyrics which were clearly intentionally comedic but still took away from the album being better. Favourites: mad Cyril (the best example of this albums nice production) and lazyitis (liked the desert like guitar), Overall, 6/10.
Pretty refreshing for late 80s brit rock, still nothing special
it’s alright, though nothing i feel compelled to revisit
Good stuff
Was ok, 3/5
Not too bad actually. Only heard pills ‘n thrills before, but this was quite good.
Meh.
Just meh
If there was a dance party in Alice in Wonderland, this would be in heavy rotation.
This felt very wasteful
listened to it on multiple occasions and walked away feeling nothing. not even bummed.
2.5
Was not a fan.
Classic Mondays really. It's extremely cool, it's got a great vibe, it's great fun. Is it actually good? Not so much. But it's a very enjoyable way to pass the time, and you can really sense how much fun they had making it.
I’ve never heard of this band and don’t care if I never hear of them again
Bummed kind of feels like a one trick pony, but it is a pretty cool trick. Happy Mondays kind of reinvent psychedelia from the frame of reference of Brit Pop, indie and English Funk without resorting to the well of cliches that Psych has been tethered to since the beginning. A lot of the heavy lifting here seems to be in the production which is hazy and blurry as these songs kind of throb along. And the songwriting here is decent, but not quite good enough to make me want more after a full listen. The best decision here is that Happy Mondays made sure these songs all have momentum: sometimes modern interpretations of psych feel meander-y and directionless, but not here. And I know I said this is a one trick pony, but one particular song is an exception here. Country Song incorporates like Acid Country influence, and the result reads to me as *very* psychedelic, like it just feels super trippy in the way it pulses, and it's really captivating. Nothing else here quite captures me in this way, but I do feel positively about this over all, and I finished this album feeling generally pleased.
no reason for any album to be that long
Okay
Talk-singing, feels kind of background lazy in its vibe. Sounds are interesting, seems Talking Heads-adjacent. Nothing I'd listen to on repeat, but it's fine.
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.
plan to finish but haven’t. still pretty good (which is why i plan to finish). 4/5.
Very fun.
Can't sing, can't play - somehow they went a long way. I guess the remixes are what pushed this lot over the top, as the first half of this is monotonous and the 'singer' tone deaf. I really don't get this, although it probably made more sense at the time to those under the right influences.
A rambling album - what else did you expect? The Mondays were never going to come up with a polished piece of pop. The guitars float over you, rather than pick out the notes. It's like one endless sound, stretched up and down the scale. I've no idea what Ryder is singing about. The album is all the better for that.
PSychedelic Funk nade of cheesy keys, gated drums, a dreadful moaning vocalist, all saturated in reverb and thinned out.
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.
I was Bummed this wasn’t better.
Back to my youth good album.
I usually like stuff like this but i find this a tad underwhelming
It’s fine.
Suena bien, lp para roadtrip. No estoy tan habituada a escuchar este tipo de música pero me ha gustado
meh
Bummed by name, bummed by nature
very new wave, very fun
3+ Stars (9/15)
Dessa självgoda pundare kommer undan med det.
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.
The mixture of swirling psych/garage rock and house music creates a cool atmosphere, though there are a few baffling 80s pop moments sprinkled in. Yet again it's a British artist I'm aware of -- through my parents, "Bez from the Happy Mondays" meaning someone who stands around and doesn't contribute anything essential, Shaun Ryder being on Gogglebox etc -- but I've never listened to. Shaun's voice is a little buried in the mix, without reading the lyrics as I listen it's hard to tell what he's speak-singing. It reminds me of Mark E. Smith, except his vocals and lyrics stand out more. Maybe it's the combination of drugs: MES's speed and lager make for a more anxious, angrier and more perfectionist/tyrannical presence, while Shaun Ryder doesn't give a fuck because he feels great on ecstasy, heroin or whatever else.
I played this album and found it a little samey and rather underwhelming. The version I streamed had a bunch of remixes which I thought superior to the actual album tracks.
Not as good as pills, thrills... And you kind of had to be there anyway. Interesting to hear the mess of things going on musically, but I'll be honest, this doesn't hold up the way the best of those years has done
track 1: Okayy opening, though it's like only one-dimensional, I kinda jive with it track 2: honestly I fw this track HAHAHA track 3: alrighty 80's bop! track 4: THE BEATSSS!!! UGHHH!!! track 5: A good track, but the lyrics don't make sense. Nice beats tho track 6: This track doesn't connect with me (one-dimensional). What a shame because the beat is fire track 7: One-dimensional track again, but better than the track before (WHY DOES MOST OF THE TRACKS ONLY LIKE ONE NOTE WHEN THE BEAT IS BEATING???) track 8: I like the story behind this track HAHHAHAHAHA track 9: Okayy an improvement!!! I like the melody and the grunts HAHAHA track 10: My fav so far track 11: An "okay" track, but I can't relate tho track 12: This track is so all over the place lol track 13: One-dimensional track again, and the lyrics kinda weak track 14: FILLER track 15: Another "okay" track (6/10) This album feels like an unfinished painting, raw and lacking spices. But I appreciate the beats on this album. The beats are what saved the "one-dimensional" tracks. And I prefer the standard over the deluxe, where the bonus tracks give me what people say the "album fillers".
There were much more interesting albums in the 1980s that should have been chosen over this one. This album doesn't offer anything that anyone really needs to hear. A more interesting selection would have been Pop Will Eat Itself's THIS IS THE DAY...THIS IS THE HOUR...THIS IS THIS!
I feel brain dead listening to this. Songs are just extended for no reason.
let's keep the indie scene!
Bring a Friend //
Really mitiged about this one. Some songs are really really great! On the other hand, I wanted some to end so badly because it wasn't my cup of tea at all/ I didn't like the voice of the singer (or the way he sang). Some songs have such a great production nevertheless...! I must add, I didn't listen to the 'Collector's Edition'. Just the original one, what came out in 1988... Not like I don't have the strength to listen to it during two hours but... Yeah, no actually. I might pass. I'm maybe going to say something really mean but my first thought was 'oh, is this cheap Talking Heads?' I'm sorry lol. I guess maybe it's the voice of the singer...? Maybe mostly on the first songs of the album. But overall, it wasn't that bad (I don't think being 'a cheap Talking Heads' band is a bad thing at all), I really liked Country Song ; Brain Dead & Lazyitis - I added those songs right away in my liked songs. Still a nice album after all, I'll relisten to it one day, I'm sure!
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
Sometimes I stare at the “Did Not Listen” button with lust. I long for a timeline in which I had decided not to listen to this one album. Who would know? Who would care? I imagine in that timeline we brought out the guillotine for lousy politicians, enacted universal healthcare and other socialist policies that truly benefit us, the people. But I just know in my heart of hearts that listening to “Happy Monday’s” is what took that future utopia from me. From us. Anyways, congrats Ariana on Sweetener.
I dropped a star for being not good AND too long. Pick a struggle.
Shaun Ryder's vocals can be a little grating but they don't always overpower the excellent grooves throughout the record. Wrote for lick is a total highlight
The shoegazy elements of this album were OK, but the "funk" was nonexistent other than some bass passages - mostly sounded like badly sung punk/post punk other than a few moments. 2/5
not swag
Turkey Lurkey, Tricky Licky, Ducky Lucky Why are we yelling?
Most of the songs sounded the same, too many things happening at the same time so you couldn't make out the words. Sometimes the start of the song would sound really good and then they kept adding more sounds until it sounded messy.
Don’t believe the hype! A few good bands does not make a scene. The Happy Mondays are not even a band you should listen to on an average day where there is nothing left to do let alone listen to before you die.
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
Where’s the happy? Ugg. It started with a country song that threw me for loop, not a good one. The production is annoyingly loud, confused and random. There’s lots of noise. I don’t like Joy Division either so there’s that.
It's pretty good
I like it.
If you looked up mediocre in Webster's dictionary, there would be a picture of this album as the perfect description.
Another rather uninspiring 80's British album. Hard to pay attention to it. Everything sounded the same. 2/5 Won't listen again
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
Eh, it’s fine. Some of the lyricism is pretty dumb, and while the music is decent enough, it feels like you have to be immersed in the drug culture of 1980s England to get the most out of this album, which I am not.
More interesting and jangly than expected. Very eighties. Gets a bit samey but enjoying the percussion. Shame the remastered version is still so muddy in places.
Mostly uninspired, progressively repetitive throughout. At least the remastered version is mixed better than some reviews have said.
Why? Cheer up!
I gave it a try, I made it about an hour in but it’s really a slog and didn’t grab me at all. Just not my style.
Pretty poor
I don’t always like music where the vocals are hard to hear I feel nothing when listening to this
Fun but unpolished, amazing how much the singles had been worked over by the time they hit America.
I liked this more than I expected to, the singles stand out as highlights but it falls short of classic status
Terrible. Annoying. Poor quality. So bad it made me angry. Had to listen to something else to calm me down.
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I'm torn. In the balance, this album didn't do it for me. But I did find it interesting, and it seemed like something I *could* like, theoretically.
80’er rock på ecstasy - bogstaveligt talt
Album 798 of 1089 Happy Mondays - Bummed (1988) Rating : 3 / 5 Decent album blending psychedelic funk with post-punk grit representing the "Madchester" sound. Enjoyed the overall production. Good album.
Wherever I was listening to the album on had like 6 versions of hallelujah, dunno if that’s how it was supposed to be but rough. Seems like some weird stoner Christian spoof.
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.
I don't hate everything about it but it was really long and I got pretty bored
This is so bad.
I'm bummed because I listened to this on a Tuesday(just missed the mark), and I'm bummed that I listened to this album before I've died. Non-bummiest track: "Lazy Itis".
This album has potential but is lacking something. Maybe a better producer? Just can’t get into it.
Thought this would be a lil cooler than it was.. but it was good. Enjoyed the last song
Fine
before listening wikipedia said that the band made this album after listening to a lot of house music and doing a bunch of ecstasy and somehow the music recorded didnt reflect that at all
I'm *album title* this album wasn't a little more interesting, but it was relatively fun. In a sea of late 80's new wave records, this doesn't manage to break away from the norm enough to get my attention.
A baggy blend of dance rhythms and rock attitude that feels authentically Manchester messy.
This one had potential, but I think its a little too disjointed. Good ideas but bad implementation, probably from the overuse of drugs. Some of these really jam and I can see how they are capturing the essence of a rave, but as a band it isn't very coherent at times. 2.5, I round down 1=Crap that shouldn't be here 2=I didn't like it but get why it's here 3=I thought it was ok or even like it, get why it's here, but won't revisit 4=I like it, will revisit 5=This is some of the best music I've ever heard and will continue listening to it
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
I struggled to score this one. While there were a few tracks I really liked, there were also more than it’s fair share of duds and I really started to lose interest during them. Top Track - …Mad Cyril
I don't think I listened to this album. It happened to play while I tried to listen to it.
Why is this a pre-mortem listen exactly?
No me gustó este disco, y no entiendo muy bien cual es el atractivo como estar en esta lista. Entiendo que se basaron en la música electrónica, y por ende la repetición y el beat sostenido. Un sonido muy ochentero, que me llama la atención porque ya eran fines de la década. No me pareció un mal álbum, pero para nada de mi interés
Fine album.
I expected a lot more when I saw it was psychedelic funk. Got better as the album went on though, some saves.
Sve je ok ali je samo wrote for luck klasik
Could be my thing, but it just didn't hit
Too much going on here and I definitely didn’t need the collectors edition
This was OK but it’s still just a second or third rate band for England. Meanwhile no Louis Armstrong. Pretty ridiculous.
## 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.
A musical run on sentence. This is bad and redundant
This turned up as a great, darkish wave, cool wave, Grey wave, if you will? Everything works really well together here.
Pretty good. Different.
1.5, I do not like this vibe or type of person
interesting background noise at times but maybe too generic/nothing stood out to me
Interesting parts but you can tell the drugs are starting to brain rot the band
I enjoyed it, might not listen again but I would happily enjoy it in a social situation or something.
I do like 80's sound in general but there isn't anything crazy crazy special on 1st listen. I would need more listens to appreciate certain songs. I liked recognizing the Beatle-ness of the Lennon-McCartney song (last track)
a lot of range and folky but rocky
ok, didnt really connect to this one very much
i really liked it
It was like 35 minutes of the same crappy song over and over again.
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.
The mixing on this sounds like the singer and the rest of the band never talked to each other. They're on completely different pages with this. A great example of some of the worst elements 80's Brit-rock had to offer.
Somewhat interesting but didn’t grab my attention. Was worth a listen but likely not a second.
I’ve always found some Happy Mondays songs pretty decent, and I genuinely appreciate their role in Factory Records and the Hacienda scene, so when I say I really wanted to like this album, I mean it. But listening to it over 35 years later, with the party long over, this album hasn’t aged well. Shaun Ryder’s slurred, obnoxious vocals drag everything down, because he doesn’t really sing, just rambles a bunch of nonsense over the music. I read that some fans call him a lyrical genius, but to those still holding that view, I’d say it’s time to check into rehab, because the 1988 rave movement and acid house explosion ended decades ago. This feels like an album you had to of been there at the time to truly get understand it, and back then, it might’ve hit different. For those of us listening now, it’s a hazy, disorienting, monotone record with no standout or memorable tracks, except maybe “Hallelujah,” and that’s likely because Paul Oakenfold and Andy Weatherall stepped in to keep the band focused and grounded, helping them craft a serious track.
I’ve always found some Happy Mondays songs pretty decent, and I genuinely appreciate their role in Factory Records and the Hacienda scene, so when I say I really wanted to like this album, I mean it. But listening to it over 35 years later, with the party long over, this album hasn’t aged well. Shaun Ryder’s slurred, obnoxious vocals drag everything down, because he doesn’t really sing, just rambles a bunch of nonsense over the music. I read that some fans call him a lyrical genius, but to those still holding that view, I’d say it’s time to check into rehab, because the 1988 rave movement and acid house explosion ended decades ago. This feels like an album you had to of been there at the time to truly get understand it, and back then, it might’ve hit different. For those of us listening now, it’s a hazy, disorienting, monotone record with no standout or memorable tracks, except maybe “Hallelujah,” and that’s likely because Paul Oakenfold and Andy Weatherall stepped in to keep the band focused and grounded, helping them craft a serious track.
Flojo y representativo de la música de los 80 . No resiste el paso del tiempo.
Wrote for Luck Lazyitis
Well, I am bummed
Gave me Jesus Jones vibes.
Virkilega leiðinlegt dæmi. Mér var meira að segja vísað á safnaraútgáfu af plötunni og ég hugsaði hver myndi vilja eiga þessa plötu. Allt er eins og síendurtekið. Vík brott.
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.
The album title tells it all about how enthused I am to have to listen to it. It's just more generic Madchester shit that doesn't really translate on this side of the pond. It's not bad, it's just.....lame..... Favourite songs: Mad Cyril, Rave On, Fat Lady Wrestlers Least favorite songs: Wrote for Luck, Do It Better, Hallelujah, Bring a Friend, Holy Ghost, Boom, Brain Dead 2/5
Uninspiring
I couldn't finish this album. It wasn't good
This really doesn't do anything for me at all. It kind of low-key sucks and doesn't do anything interesting. The singing is really hard for me to listen to. I guess the production quality is really good, but that's really all that is interesting to me in this album. Favorite Song(s): Wrote for Luck?
Not really for me, music was ok, but it's really not my favorite genre. Nice try guys.
Meh. Not terrible, but nothing that stood out to me. I wouldn't seek it out again, but I wouldn't really mind it playing in the background.
For some reason I expected something better. I am not sure why. Don't get me wrong - it was a cool album but nothing crazy.
Just sounded like bad Duran Duran
Good title.
Not interested in this music
This will be a new one for me. Never heard of these blokes. This isn't bad, but I'm not blown away. The bass guitar is prominent in the mix on several songs. This kind of has some INXS, pre-Patton Faith No More, and general 80's vibe to it. Performance and Brain Dead were favorites. It was ok. 2.9 rounded up to 3.
First listen to these guys. I know they are well known in the UK, but this failed to make any sort of impression on me. It was just...there?
Bummed some wanker thought this deserved to be on the list
I had never heard of this band. I got sort of a Cars/Todd Rungren vibe from it. I couldn't understand many of the lyrics. The rest of the music was just OK. I noticed one song (Lazyitis) had Lennon/McCartney as co-song writers. I'm guessing it was because one bit sounded like Ticket to Ride.
Really captures the music at the end of the 80s/start of the 90s. May sound dated now, but I can hear the inspiration many artists pulled from this band.
Meh. Grungy Brit pop
Ended up listening to this with my 15yo in the car, and I got to warn her about the perils of recording an entire album under the influence of ecstasy.
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.
yeah im bummed alright
Really cool 80's band/album I was completely unfamiliar with. Enjoy the pop-punk sound. They have elements of the Police, U2, and other major bands but a rough-around-the-edges sound all their own as well.
Wasn’t too impressed but it was kinda cool. Not my thing
Kinda nothing sorry
I like the sound. Can’t figure why I know this band so well but don’t recognize any songs on this album. Need to give it a few more listened and check out the rest of the catalog. 3.5
not for me
Honestly... meh. I wanted to be happily surprised and I appreciate the guitar and production, but it feels... hollow and like someone trying so hard to be cool
Dreary!
Fine, not amazing
Very 80’s sounding
When I tell people I don't really like 80's music... This is what I mean. 2/10
i had fun and thats what counts
No. Couldn't make it past the second song.
Cool
Slightly annoying at times, but mainly in one ear and out the other. I don't really like any of the songs.
Pretty fun eclectic mix of songs! Wasn't convinced at the start, but came around on it as the album progressed.
Funky, weird, dated.
Every band needs it's own special chemistry. And Bez was a very good chemist" - Anthony H Wilson
Well, Bummed sure is a fitting title — because that’s exactly how I felt after sitting through it. It’s like someone mashed up a bunch of half-baked ideas, added some chaotic energy, and said, “Good enough.” Most of the album sounds like a group of people arguing over what genre they're trying to be while tripping on something questionable. “Lazyitis” was the one moment I actually thought, Hey, maybe they know what they’re doing. But then it was right back to the mess.
4/10 - It was kind of weird not that enjoyable. Not horrible tho so 4/10 feels right
Like the last happy Mondays album but worse. I like the cover tho
Oh es war ja dann dich gar nicht so schlecht
# Album Name: Bummed # Artist: Happy Mondays # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Im listening to the collectors edition. A total of 27 tracks. Looking at the history of the album only the first 10 songs were on the original release. I always remember growing up in my teens and hitting the indie clubs. You could guarantee the mondays would have a few tunes absolutely belting out with people ripping up the dance floor. Usually off their face of course. But still, the mondays had some great tunes. I've seen them live and they were good! Sadly, this album is extremely flat. Theres a couple of good tunes like Mad cyril and WFL but the rest of the album doesnt hit the mark. You can tell they are getting their feel for the lead up to Pills, but i expected much much more from this listen. Im disappointed. # Top Tunes: Mad C / WFL # Would I listen to it again? Maybe but not anytime soon.
Listening to this did not make for a very happy Monday, that’s for sure. Maybe you need to take ecstasy to find this stuff enjoyable?
This was ok, but there is nothing here that is making me want to come back to it at any point in the future.
Different enough that I kind of enjoyed it.
Bummed I had to listen to this. Happy Mondays, never seem to do it for me.
It’s Friday, and I’m bummed. Because it’s another Happy Mondays album. This is supposed to be “psychedelic funk?” It is not very psychedelic, and there’s barely an ounce of funk. Definitely bummed to spend a Friday in Madchester. That whole scene deserves maybe one entry, not three.
Bummed is an apt name. Why do English bands of the 80s sound so similarly moan-y?
I’m bummed I wasn’t happier listening to this album.
I wanted this to be better than it was. The Mondays are hugely important to the Baggie / Madchester / Indie scene of the early 90s, but this is really just so very … meh.
Another good background track
I liked it okay, sounds great but it didn’t quite stand out to me.
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