Moss Side Story

What a unique album. It’s described as a soundtrack to a non-existent crime thriller, and that’s exactly what it sounds like, goal achieved. Very dark atmospheres at times, sometimes very upbeat almost to reflect a chase of some kind. Some of it is actually very good, and at other times I was scratching my head. Never heard anything like this before, still unsure of how I feel. 3 stars it is.

I definitely felt like I was experiencing something other than an album. The movie feel was there. The bombastic sendoff gave the album a much needed ooomph. Reminds me of when we donned masks and attended Sleep No More at the McKittrick Hotel in NYC.

How to rate this? I think it is good, but I don't like it.

It's obviously going to be of niche appeal, but for what it I was, I can't say I didn't enjoy it.

2.75

So unmemorable Süße Idee mit dem Soundtrack aber mehr nicht

It’s like combining Twin Peaks with that Dementia album Look, it wasn’t bad, but nothing much to pull me in. I just wanna know the type of weirdo who goes out of their way for this music

I had a film soundtrack before in the challenge and it was Air’s Virgin Suicides. It’s quite nice but felt like without seeing the film you were missing a bit of context to fill in the blanks. So what about a soundtrack to an imaginary film? Here, I know I’m not actually missing anything as it doesn’t exist. So Barry Adamson has a bit more of a job on his hands, painting all of the imagery sonically where there is none visually. And to be fair, he does a decent job; before reading about it, I figured this sounded like a film and he creates some great moods and atmosphere. There are also a lot of sections that feel like a GCSE music student got a brand new keyboard for their big project and want to try everything out. I admire Barry’s creativity and imagination but ultimately decided on a B minus. It was interesting but I’m not that likely to come back to it again.

I have no idea how to rate this. Conceptually, fun. I like the idea. Musically? Ehhhh....soundtracks are such a specific thing that it's almost impossible to judge one without the context of the accompanying visuals and story. It's technically fine, I just don't...care...about the music, and it's trying so hard to put a picture in your head that it actually wouldn't work super well as a soundtrack. Idk. 2 stars for exectution, 4 for ambition, so we'll go even 3.

The fake soundtrack to a fake movie that you’ll get bored and promise to finish another time but probably won’t. Some interesting sounds, but lacking cohesion, and less than compelling.

Interesting, but a little boring at parts. I like the concept of a noir film score.

Interesting background type music

Falsa banda sonora de una película de cine negro que no existe. Está entretenido. Un 3.

Interesting and cool concept which bumped it up to an ez 3. The last song is Chad.

I like the concept, music is fine

Very movie music like album, Very eclectic choice for the 1001 Albums.

Interesting

This was perfectly pleasant to listen to. Some tracks on there that I recognised but I’ll never rush to it again!

I listened to Moss Side Story on Halloween so the first track, On the Wrong Side of Relaxation had me excited with how fitting this album was. The remainder of the album had some spooky undertones but not quite like the opener. It was an interesting listen nonetheless, with some jazzy theatrical tunes. I understand this was written as a soundtrack for a movie that doesn’t exist but if it did, it seems that movie would be a noir crime film. Decent stuff, something different. 3 stars

Very cool soundtrack but I'm not sure I'd choose to liusten to it by itself. I wish there were longer versions of the tracks so I could use them in my D&D game

Tough one. I'm not sure what to say but this is what it is. Theatrical albums were nothing new when this came out but it's not something I want to listen to. Musically the guy seems very talented.

The tension/fear is abundant in the first track The Wrong Side of Relaxation. Overall, the whole album felt like being in an old Hollywood movie. Especially with the culmination boss fight heavy track The Man with the Golden Arm at the end.

Might be fun to play on the porch while kids come to the house to trick-or-treat.

on the wrong side of relaxation- is there a song? 5 or 6 under wraps- 6 or 7 central control- 6 round up the usual suspects- 5 sounds from the big house- 7. bro was cooking suck on the honey of love- 5 everything happens to me- 5 swinging detective- 6 or 7. i like how the horns sound like ominous birds. auto destruction- 7. yooooooo. type shit intensive care- 5 the most beautiful girl in the world- goddamn. 6 or 7 free at last- 5 alfred hitchcock presents- 5. this would play when youre in a cutscene in a zelda game chocolate milkshake- 5 the man with the golden arm- like frankie? 7 or 8 goddamn this was a little odd but i enjoyed it, ill return to it again

Quite interesting concept album, a soundtrack album for a fictional crime film. It's something different than other albums - though there were some interesting bit, but overall it isn't something I would listen to again because it's a bit too directionless. It was an okay listen.

Neat idea. Soundtrack to a non-existent movie. Fun listen, but probably won't ever revisit.

When I was a kid, I used to borrow sound effects LPs from the library and record them on to cassettes to make mini audio dramas. This album is a little bit like that, except it also adds in a musical soundtrack for an imaginary film noir with the track names hinting at the unfolding drama. There are some nice nods to the genre with the Hitchcock tune and a stab at a Bond theme. I could imagine using this as a soundtrack for a seedy spy rpg. Cinetastic!

I don't really care about the weird back story of this album (score for a non-existing movie), what I hear is weird instrumental and somber music with an interesting atmosphere. Of course the result is pretty cinematographic, but as many instrumental albums. It's hard to put your finger on the genre(s), which makes it also interesting. A bit anecdotical, far for the best instrumental album I ever heard, but decent nonetheless.

A soundtrack for a non-existent film. Started off weird and wonderful but couldn't sustain my interest for the whole album.

I don't really like listening to soundtracks. Not sure how i feel about fake soundtracks.

A truly cool and unique-sounding album - though its cinematic tone and aesthetic didn't do much for me when we're talking start-to-finish. Some epic highlights though, like the saxophone-driven 'Sounds From The Big House'. 'The Swinging Detective' was an ominous track here that sounds like it could soundtrack a James Bond movie or something - especially when that horn ensemble kicks in. It's one of my favorites here. Again cool stuff especially to throw on in the background - though it does just feel like a soundtrack, and like a piece is missing. Sounds good but isn't ideal for active listening.

I enjoy an unusual concept, and Moss Side Story delivered. As a soundtrack to a movie that does not exist, this album contains descriptive and colorful song titles. Because noir movies contain a distinct sound, Adamson chose his fake plot smartly. The instruments like the organ or the horns helped sell the plot and also helped to distinguish each song on an almost entirely instrumental album. Still, because there is a story behind the music that I don't know, I feel like I'm lacking something valuable. But for what it is, I enjoyed Moss Side Story--and its pun-y title.

This one is difficult to quantify, seeing as how it's a soundtrack to a movie that doesn't exist. It's a cool take, and I think it hits successfully: you can tell there's a narrative running underneath. It does swing and miss occasionally; "Chocolate Milkshake" is weird, and the intro, while setting the scene, is a bizarre listen. Interesting, at the very least.

Not bad. Not as good as Goncharov, but not bad. This is a really fun concept but I'm not sure how effective it was overall. I can appreciate what Adamson was going for though, and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" was super fun.

p624. 1989. 3 stars. Strangely alluring soundtrack without a film. Echoes of film noir, British gangster films and Twin Peaks. Points deducted for outstaying its welcome. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it.

What a strange choice to include in this collection. I guess since it's a soundtrack to a movie that was never produced, and maybe more importantly it's an original piece by an artist/band, it can be included despite the general avoidance of soundtracks in this collection? (Which makes me wonder if they considered including either Peter Gabriel's "Passion" soundtrack or the great John Lurie soundtrack to "Get Shorty"?) Regardless, although I found it hard to really focus on music that's largely intended to be background to a movie's foreground, I enjoyed "Under wraps" and "Sounds from the big house" more than the others. (I also kind of enjoyed "Auto destruction", mainly because it made me think of Mr. Bungle's eponymous album, which could easily have been a soundtrack too, albeit a very very disturbed one.) I also enjoyed that sort of ironic/knowing film-noir vibe throughout. I appreciated learning a bit about Barry Adamson and his connection to Nick Cave as well as Magazine, and I also like it that he was eventually able to score actual soundtracks (like "Lost Highway"). But I'm not entirely convinced that I needed to listen to this before I die, frankly.

Mágico

Cinematic, dramatic, beautiful. Not something I can listen to regularly but possibly good dinner party fare though I think it also would stand up well toba listening environment that requires a more acute attention span. I intend to test that they which could very well move my rating from 3.5 stars (3) to 4. 3.5 stars

This was super interesting to me. Not all-together loveable but very unique and quite a ride. I doubt I will put this on again but I definitely enjoyed the artistry of this album, and could actually feel the 'movie soundtrack' vibes. It also made me think of listening to My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult.

Neat, but should it be on this list?

Cool concept, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

3.0

First listen. Decent.

A strange and unique experience that ultimately leaves me with the conclusion that this kind of album is impossible to measure against most of the other albums on this list.

Why is this on the list? Not bad not memorable

A really interesting concept album. I read up on it a little bit and learned thay Barry Adamson was envisioning a score to an imagenary neo-noir film that never existed. I get some of that, but I'm also struck with how much it sounds like video game music (long before full vgm albums were a thing). The songs are varied and are good at matching the theme that the title indicates. There is a lot of varied musical influences and tones (jazz, swing, classic, rock, new world). Its really nice background music. Overall- enjoyed the album. A solid imagination of a movie score

You have nothing to worry about Mr. Adamson.

the ambient stuff on here is a whole lot more interesting than the jazz if I'm being honest. cool concept for an album, curious of what the film would've been like if it was a real film.

This album stands out for the concept behind it and not for the actual musicality. I'm here for the weirdness of it but you wouldn't put on one of these tracks and jam out. That being said, it does manage to accomplish a lot in just 54 minutes. It's very evocative and thought provoking, each background effect a perfectly placed clue, a hint to a deeper plot full of smoke, suspense, and moral dilemmas. It's success rests purely on the fact that there is no accompanying movie (it wouldn't even be on this list otherwise). This gives it meaning, an audio "movie" that allows the listener to construct their own plot, although I do wish the short story from the liner notes could be found somewhere. I think this is a pretty interesting piece of noir art and the fact that it's 35 years old is also impressive. (excerpt: “I wake up in the arms of a beautiful girl who takes me in her eyes and we / fly over the city for a few centuries both ways / Death is for the birds who don’t notice the sky…”)

Not sure why all these "soundtrack" albums are making the list. Moss Side Story is not bad and Barry can bring the suspense. I could visualize some of the scenes based on the track titles and I'd like to read the story that accompanied the album to get a better feel. Last track is best by far. I would rearrange the layout though as it doesn't seem chronological...2.6.

I don’t mind. I thought the entire thing was gonna be super anxiety inducing based off the first track but it does mellow out. Rating: 3.0

unique

Þetta fór dálítið í taugakerfið hjá mér. Fyrirtaks bíómyndatónlist, ef bíómyndin væri til staðar.

Interesting and different

This is my favorite kind of background music, though I wouldn't ever just sit and listen to it without doing something else.

6.5/10

Not something I see myself revisiting, but I gotta appreciate it for conveying scenes with just sound.

INTERESTING!

I was hoping this would be better than Oedipus Schmoedipus, which was ok but very 90s. This is very similar indeed. It's definitely better, and another curio. One to return to though? Not sure, unlikely.

Live updates as we listen: 1. What’s going on? Did I press play? 2. Oh ok it’s James Bond type music 3. No, maybe it’s a Get Smart soundtrack with some sound bytes 4. The drums could be a Nine a inch Nails drum loop. 5. Soooo there’s no singing on this album I’m guessing . 6. Ya this is an instrumental album. 7. Ahhh soft core porn music…..in a scary looking house…. 8. Oh look, is that a Prince song coming up?? 9.skip 10. Nope, not a Prince cover 11. My opinion has been formed. I can’t give this a low score like I gave Grimes. For what this is, it’s listenable. It’s different but it’s not so different it’s bad. No choice cut

I hadn't listened to this since it came out. That's a shame. I don;t think it's a must hear sorta thing but i personally really dig it. 3.5

Turns out this guy was in Magazine. Also did original work for the Lost Highway soundtrack. What a dude. Not sure this is worthy of a place on this list when actual movie soundtracks exist. Glad it is though as I got to learn a bit about old mate Barry.

We’ll file this under weird and wonderful with an equal emphasis on both. Technologically interesting. Love to know how digital its creation was back in 1988. Melodically it pulls from / sets the scene for a whole host of genres, including industrial techno, NoLa jazz, dub reggae, breakbeat and psych rock. But - it’s music in need of a film, and I’m not sure it warrants a second listen as a result.

Eclectic choice .. I love the idea of making a album as a calling card for future soundtrack jobs....listen to this and give me a job to do the music for your dark film. It works and a couple of songs I will revisit, especially swinging detective, Alfred Hitchcock and man with the golden arm.

I don't know why people have a problem with the fact that it is a concept album. I was positively surprised and thought it sounded quite timeless. Don't know if it should be on this list though.

When I read that this was a concept album of a non existent neo noir type film I was instantly hooked. When I listened to it, however, it was not what I was expecting. Many tracks, especially the first were almost too scary to listen to. Like a ghost recording or something. But you had the classic chase scene type investigation at night music which I liked. Overall I'm glad this was on here because this is super unique. I'd love to see more people try this in modern day.

This was an interesting one! Apparently an instrumental soundtrack-type album for a non-existent crime or horror movie? Really cool concept, and that concept is apparent in the music and the song titles, I love that. Reminds me of the conceptual efforts of Tom Waits, minus his cheesy vocals. Here, the quirk wasn't too much for me, the music is cool and creates the desired mood pretty effectively. Oddball stuff like this is welcome. Favorite tracks: On the Wrong Side of Relaxation, Central Control, The Swinging Detective, The Most Beautiful Girl in the World. Album art: Unfortunately not as interesting as the music, but I do love the quote - "In a black and white world, murder brings a touch of color..." Badass. I also do like the picture of the guy, even if it's not a very distinct cover. Font is solid too. 3.5/5

This album sounds like a good movie score. It definitely has a lot of great music and is varied, especially for the time, but nothing ever stood out enough for me to think I'd ever return to it. I can't find a fault with it, but I keep going back and forth on whether I should round up or down from about a 3.5, which is what I probably would give it. A 4 seems too much, as it didn't pull me in, and it doesn't feel that monumental, for what it is, but it is good and well done. I have to use my personal tilt to give it a 3, but, again, I do feel it is maybe a bit more than that.

Vaguely interesting and perhaps slightly better than average as background music. The problem with artists that have a unique and singular vision is that they run the risk that few others will get it, which seems to be the case here. There are moments but it doesn't cohere. "Everything Happens to Me" is the highlight. For most of the rest, one isn't sure what he's meant to be listening to or for. Let's be honest: this is marginal material.

Interesting concept but not easy listening.

Honestly, pretty fun. Once you realize it’s meant to be listened to as a soundtrack it is enhanced a bit

Cool so this was properly interesting. My first thought was that it sounded like a soundtrack and actually that was the point of it. It felt like England to me too. The era is a little before my time (I was 6) but the familiarity with the themes meant that it spoke to me in a way that I hadn't predicted. I didn't love it at all but I was glad to have heard it. It's good work.

Interesting concept, although not sure I would listen to this more than once and ultimately it kind of fades into the background a bit.

In spite of being a moody soundtrack to a non-existent movie, this album was a better listen than I feared. Nothing I need to listen to again, but quite alright. 3/5

I thought I would hate this album. I didn't hate it. It's actually not bad. It's flawed and I won't revisit it that much, but it's ambitious and definitely would make a decent soundtrack to some neo noir film. Solid neutral.

pretty cool, chillaxing

Как концепт - вполне интересно, я бы такой кинчик с саундтреком глянул с кайфом

This made my cat uneasy! Besides that, a well executed concept, but I prefer his ”Oedipus Schmoedipus” musically

Different, interesting.

I don't dislike this, but I can't imagine ever choosing to listen to it.

Meh. Artistically deep, hard to listen throughout.

Scared my kid, will revisit

Very experimental, at times brilliant and at times hard to listen to. Touches of jazz, blues, even Stravinsky. 3/5

Il concept è spettacolare però la musica mi ha preso poco

nice and chill, I like it, one-time listen for me though

Interesting, and a few really lovely tracks. Definitely didn't make me think of Manchester in the late 80s, but I didn't read the full concept, so I don't really know the story he was telling. I liked it overall.

I found this really interesting and creative. Reminded me of Paris in 1969 where I was not, rather than Manchester in 1989 where I was. But I will listen again, I reckon

After listening to this I can see why, as soundtrack producer for David Lynch's LOST HIGHWAY that Trent Reznor included 4 Barry Adamson tracks. With this album coming out 5 years before, it seems that informed some of the sonic ideas on The Downward Spiral whether it was conscious or subconscious. You can also hear influences of this on one of my other favorite albums David Bowie's 1995 concept album, OUTSIDE. In 1989, this was probably the first album I can remember that ever tried writing an entire film soundtrack for a non-existent film. These days it is an old hat idea that many artists have tried. Groundbreaking as it might be, it does feel like it overstays its welcome a bit. I started feeling my attention wane at around track 11 of 15. I do understand why it is on the list, though. It did influence many other acts, their albums, what was possible, and how they would present those ideas us in meaningful ways throughout the 1990s and up to the present. This set the scene for Trent Reznor to assemble the craziness behind the soundtracks for not only LOST HIGHWAY but also NATURAL BORN KILLERS.

Obscure montage of styles from trad jazz to nu jazz to James Bond type productions. Engaging, confusing and challenging

OST of a non existing crime movie. Awesome idea, although the execution could have been more memorable.

Sometimes interesting, sometimes more annoying. I appreciate experimental music but probably won't listen to this again

Non male🤓

Interesting. Probably wouldn't listen again though.

It's pretty dark, probably a bit too dark for me. I feel like I want to see the film, but there isn't one so something is missing.

I'll admit for the novelty that this was an interesting listen with an interesting concept. Almost completely instrumental and sounding like a score to a movie that doesn't exist. Definitely not worth a re-listen, but kind of a cool concept. Of course, there's apparently multiple albums with similar themes by the same artist on this list. Why?

Un disco distinto con sonido original. Eso sí, es difícil saber cuándo apetece escucharlo. Interesante

Cool concept album. It definitely feels like it's from a movie. Don't think I'll ever listen to it again

The idea of a soundtrack for a movie that doesn't exist seems less like a novelty and more like a resume for Adamson. But as that was his intention, I can't really fault him there. The music is fine and indeed would make a good backing for a neo-noir film. For me, soundtracks, real or imagined, are not usually that interesting to listen to on their own. But there are some interesting pieces here. 'Sounds from the Big House' could have influenced some early textures used by Nine Inch Nails. Indeed, Reznor would later tap Adamson for songs on the Lost Highway soundtrack. I don't know that this list needed two imaginary soundtracks by Barry Adamson but it was fun to hear this one.

This was pretty weird, and I don't know why it's on this list. However, I actually enjoyed it.

Cool concept. Some tracks were better than others, but there were a few that were quite great

It was... complex.

Interesting listen. Don’t think I’ll listen to it again, but it wasn’t a chore to listen to at all.

Liked it. Cool concept and definitely created a vibe, up there with some to the good instrumental soundtracks.

endte med at være mere positivt end negativt stemt. Den er i hvert fald anderledes fra det meste vi har hørt!!

I was gonna say, this seems like a soundtrack. Then I looked at the Album Summary, "The album is a concept album, a soundtrack album to a non-existent crime film."

Really fun idea and executed well. Great to music to work to.

Despite the intro being a little too long, I actually felt like I wanted this record to be more of a slow burn. The concept is really cool, and I felt like some of the action could have been more of a climactic piece itself, instead of having moments of excitement and moments of lull. I love the subtext on the album cover. It actually made me excited to listen and gave me just enough information to want to hear the album full through and to learn more about the premise. This was cool! Execution could have been better overall but I enjoyed this.

Pretty cool, I'd had enough by the end but it was cool

This was a bit of something different. It did sound just like a soundtrack, although a little bit of a loud one to just sit and listen to without an accompanying picture. And I kept wanting to like this more than I did. I suppose it made my workday a bit more dramatic…

kind of interesting but also less so than oediupus schmoedipus. low 3

Really enjoyed

Really is very cinematic, and deserves a second listen

A lot of variety in texture and sound in this album. An atmospheric opening, some colourful tracks, then a pretty mechanical and gritty change in Auto Destruction. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World has aspects of its composition that could have come straight out of a Nintendo track. Clearly an imaginative and forward-thinking album, despite not necessarily being all that evocative or enjoyable. The last track goes pretty hard though.

This reminds me of the score I wrote for a non-existent movie except I haven't done it yet. That being said, it was a decent thing to listen to while driving and trying to imagine the cheesy late 80s early 90s B movie this would soundtrack.

Cool concept but it’s not music I’d listen to on the regular

Noir-ish and cool, cinematic in feel. Really interesting listen, but obviously not something I would want to hear every day. This is a more successful album I think than the other Barry Adamson album I've heard on 1001 Albums (Oedipus Schmoedipus), which I found to be a bit overwrought. Here, Adamson shows proper restraint on all the added sounds so that they add needed ambiance, without tipping into kitsch. There's also a real sense of movement through a plot, even if the plot is something that doesn't actually exist. Fave Songs: Everything Happens to Me, Under Wraps, Central Control, Autodestruction, Intensive Care, Sounds from the Big House

Falsa banda sonora de una película de cine negro que no existe. Está entretenido. Un 3.

Interesting Album

If I was watching a movie and this was the soundtrack, I would likely make a comment like, “interesting soundtrack.” But this isn’t a real soundtrack, is it? There are some interesting moments but overall not something I was that into. 3 stars.

Ahhhh, worth listening, but still not quite my type.

Can't say I have ever heard of Barry Adamson before this. This album sounds like it belongs in a film noir or even Cowboy Bebob. Not a bad album, but not something I was hugely into.

A really cool concept (a soundtrack with no accompanying film!) that builds up some really rich and evocative soundscapes, but eventually wears out its welcome. Definitely a unique album.

I mean it would be a great soundtrack but there’s no movie!

I mean... There are a lot of good things here. I'm not seeing whatever it is that made it stand out enough to be included on this list. Feels like something that shouldn't be here, and I enjoyed it. I don't know anymore. 3/5

Ruidoso, caótico pero agradable

A soundtrack without a movie

Pretty interesting concept album. Some good, some not as much.

I felt like I was changing between being in a nightmare then into a good dream then back to a nightmare this whole album. The Swinging Detective was my favorite song. Sounded like it was the intro to a James Bond movie. This album kept me on edge the entire time and I had no idea what was coming next. You would have to be really messed up to want to take drugs and listen to this album. This might be the hardest album to rate so far. It was so strange but I also kind of appreciated it for what it was and found myself enjoying it in the background. I'm going to have to put this at a 3 because there were parts that I loved but then also parts I hated. Such an interesting concept to make a soundtrack for a non-existent movie.

5/10. You know, this doesn't sound bad. It's actually kinda cool for what it is, which is apparently a soundtrack for a pretend movie because the guy couldn't get hired to make an actual movie sound track. Absolutely baffling why this is on the list, until you realize that he worked with Nick Cave at one point, which automatically makes all of his work so amazing and worthy of inclusion. Still, better this than another album where I actually have to listen to Nick Cave sing.

Interesting concept, and well executed. I don’t know what I think about it being on this list though.

Good stuff, but not my fav of his.

I am reading Up Above the City, Down Beneath the Stars at the moment so a nice coincidence to get this album. I never could get into the music, maybe a little too cinematic and a bit boring but the albumcertainly has its moments.

My second Barry Adamson on this list. This was a really interesting album, I always love some new instrumental music for my working playlist. Chocolate Milkshake was a favourite.

It’s definitely trying to do something?

Really unusual, different album!

Cool in concept. It definetly feels overdone. The Swinging Detective is pretty rad. But the issue is that this isn't a movie score. It is desperately trying to be one, but is not. So it feels the need to add on this extra cheese layer. It feels more suited to a video game soundtrack if anything.

What an odd idea. I'm a fan of odd ideas, but I'm not really sure that this works properly. Something about the production is a bit off and it lacks the story to tell that it needs as a soundtrack. Yesterday's soundtrack album - Shalimar - was better. This was interesting, but I'm not sure I'm listening to it again. Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars, but it can have 3 for being odd.

Some pretty cool dark jazz or something

2nd album from this guy on the list and just like the last I don’t hate it but I also don’t love it. On the plus side, the music is dramatic and ever-changing. He can certainly create a mood. But the flip side is that you desperately want some singing or dialogue to help it all hang together. Music by itself is not a storytelling medium but serves to enhance the lyrics. You do wonder how well this might work with a Nick Cave or Scott Walker on vocals. As it is, this score for a film that does not exist is like going to see a flea circus in a really, really interesting theatre. Ultimately, you’d rather there was more on stage no matter how grand the setting

Great concept

Pas détesté, c'est assez original. Ça sonne vraiment comme une trame sonore. Ça a ses pours et ses contres, car souvent ça sonne comme s'il manquait des images pour accompagner ou quelque chose. C'est quand même avant-gardiste par contre. 7/10

This was OK, but it wasn't particularly memorable. A few decent tracks (I liked "Under Wraps" especially); maybe it would grow on me.

Cool concept, af en toe ook best wel vet, toch net niet. Ook iets te veel matige nummers.

Cool, cinematic score

Oddest album yet. Cool idea

C'Est pas si bon m mais en meme temps il y a quelque chose de quand meme vraiment orifinal et c'est vrai que j'avais l'impression parfois qu'il me racontait un film ou une histoire. c'etait une belle écoute un peu bizarre. 3.25

a soundtrack album to a non-existent crime film, medium exciting

Gick mig helt förbi när det begav sig. Inte så tokigt.

I hadn’t heard of this album before, but I don’t live too far away from Manchester (and Moss Side) so my curiosity perked up at that. A quick Google says it is the soundtrack to a non-existent film which sounds quite fascinating at a concept. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Everything Happens To Me I’ll start by saying that this album feels like one where you need to listen to it a lot over time to appreciate it, so listening to it for one day before moving on to the next album might not really do it justice. However, that how every review has been so far so it’s only fair that it gets the same treatment. I did enjoy this while it was on, and it was fun to imagine what might have been happening in the scenes. The music is quite jazzy but without being too strange to be hard to listen to. That being said, it didn’t hook me in to the point of wanting to keep coming back to this. It was an interesting concept, but I don’t feel the need to keep it on rotation.

It was exactly as described. A soundtrack for a non-existent film noir movie. I liked the callbacks to the Hitchcock theme and in some of the song titles. Probably would have likes it more had I seen the movie first.

I can see the merit of this album as a film soundtrack, and maybe in one of my more avant-garde moods, I can appreciate a soundtrack for a nonexistent movie. For now, it basically just reintroduced the city noise my headphones were actively trying to cancel out.

Some really interesting ideas and executions on this album. But it's still the fact we're listening to a few film-score tracks for different non-existent movies. Lots of sound that might be better if they were, indeed, used in movies instead as music on an album

som interessante, trilha sonora de um filme de crime nao existente

A bit of an oddity really ....it does sound like a soundtrack album. Not sure when I would want to play it but I see he went on to write soundtracks for real films so it was a bit of a gateway job application U guess. Sombre, dark and interesting.

interesting mix of instrumental music, sound effects, and sound bites. various emotions evoked from the songs, including anxiety, suspense, and nostalgia. an adventure in listening. highlights: “on the wrong side of relaxation”, “suck on the honey of love”, “the most beautiful girl in the world”.

As far as concept albums go, this is pretty solid. I'd never heard of it before but the artist did a great job of making a soundtrack feel that was still very musical. Even the sound effects have a rhythm to them tying the whole thing together. I may even listen to this album again.

For what it was, I actually liked this album. A soundtrack to a fictional crime/horror film in Manchester, England. Not sure if I’ll ever listen to it again but it has its place in a list like this, for sure.

Like watching a silent movie but I create the images in my head

I probably should have read a little bit about this one first, but oh well. It was alright. I'm picky about vocals so instrumental music is always welcomed. I didn't dislike this but it wasn't very interesting and it was hard to pay much attention to.

So this is one seriously interesting album, and i absolutely love the back story to it - it's the debut album for this artist, it's an instrumental soundtrack to a noir film that doesn't exist. Who the hell greenlights this thing?! Someone was happy to fund this. I just love that an artist was able to express their vision. There are some really interesting sonic ideas on this, but its super slow and I'm not mad about the production/mastering. It leaves alot lacking. I have to appreciate what they were doing though

Cool idea but couldnt help feeling it was missing an actual film

An instrumental soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist. On the face of it it seems a pointless pretentious idea. funny I actually enjoyed this. Wouldn’t rush to listen to again but glad I listened to it once.

Moss Side Story is pretty good, but I'm not sure it fully works. Film music is always about being good but not drawing attention to itself, but these tracks feel more like conventional "songs." Great production though.

Mögulega mest "out there" platan hingað til. Kvikmyndatónlist við kvikmynd sem er ekki til. Töluvert um gler að brotna en oft flott stef, töff og skemmtileg. Ég gæti alveg hlustað aftur.

Pretty interesting and complex from a former punk bass player.

Started off as really good, but IMO it doesn't have enough satisfying moments to compliment the Avant garde

first listen whatever this genre is, i like it

È la colonna sonora di un poliziesco che non esiste. Interessante.

Some big band era sounds. Some really cool horror movie vibes. An eclectic album. 3/5

Flawed but effective, Moss Side Story brings an experimental spin to the movie soundtrack. It sounds like the other fork of a creative process that would sand off the sharp edges of a first draft into something slick. At its best, the music is still slinky, but that draft contained a little too much downtime. It's quiet music, though, of an almost-genre, so the listener had better take note.

INT

Really interesting album, probably the most experimental one I've encountered here so far. It has elements of dark jazz and tape music and it plays like a soundtrack to a movie that never existed.

Don't know what it's doing on this list, but still a very refreshing experience compared to all the boomer rock bullcrap contained in here.

Interresting even tho I’m not really into this genre usually

It was a pleasant listen, fine dark jazz with very good experimental moments. That said, I would have wished a shorter album. One hour of instrumental crime jazz could become a bit boring.

Tf is this

The concept behind this record (the soundtrack to a noir film that doesn’t exist) is more interesting than the record itself. Several tracks do conjure up a nice spooky vibe, but not nearly enough yj warrant a repeat listen.

Interesting

Like trip hop, but worse.

Lovely dark atmospheric stuff. It has no teeth though.

It was cool and weird.

I really like the idea of this, and tbh it was pretty well pulled off. Problem is it's pretty heavy on the ambient noise over music, so by about halfway it ran out of steam. But novel idea so 3/5.

really interesting idea, very good and entertaining.

What a unique story for this album, that it's a soundtrack to a film that doesn't exist. Smart of him to manifest his career this way, create a proof of concept for exactly what he wanted to do. I wonder how this made it into the larger public consciousness.

Love the idea of creating a soundtrack to a hypothetical movie as the driving concept, but I find the results here somewhat lackluster and unfocused, especially when he throws on covers of things like the "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" theme, then the concept doesn't even hold up.

Movie soundtrack/murder story

Interesting without being great

Soundtrack feeling, some nice songs amongst it, didnt dislike it but still not a discovery.

Interesting instrumental album

Very strange, but also very compelling. It really works as a soundtrack to an unfilmed noir flick, which I love the idea of. It kinda inspires you to make up your own movie while listening.

very ironic timing

Very talented, great musician, but too experimental for me.

24/08/2022 Barry Adamson – Moss Side Story 3/5 I’m not going to comment this album song by song because of its peculiar context. Moss Side Story is a soundtrack of a film noir that doesn’t exist. It is quite the experience, original, and it is successful in creating the atmosphere it wants. I think that it handles the composition, using both of music and other sounds like screaming; very well. However, it is a one-time only experienced, at least for me. It is built to be listened in its complete length as a whole; and it is not enjoyable as a traditional music album which has quasi-independent songs (with some exceptions, like Under Wraps, or Everything Happens to Me). And it’s something I don’t think I will come back to listen again, at least on the short term. The thing is that albums that are not pleasant to listen to because they transmit unwelcome feelings, like this one in some instances, or Everywhere at the End of Times (a masterpiece about dementia and old age by The Caretaker); are not something to enjoy, are something to experience.

An album I couldn’t muster feeling one way or another. Late 80’s electronica.

Favorite song: The Man With The Golden Arm.

I have to say, this was an interesting listen - but not necessarily always a very fun one. I appreciate the effort though.

Bizarre

Interesting

Very odd. Certainly interesting but not exactly music, or at least not the variety I’d choose to sit down and listen too.

What the heck even IS this music? A very odd one to have made the list.

Imagine a dark, inner-city street. Hear the keys enter the ignition and turn the car on. Now the car is rolling, making it's way to nowhere in particular. The radio comes to life, but it's all scattered voices and static. Follow the car for a little before stopping by a shady alleyway. There's a woman there, muttering strange things to herself. Who is she? Is she alright? Footsteps on the pavement, getting closer and closer as the woman's deranged words get more feverish. Tension builds until suddenly, a scream from the woman! She's been murdered! We have a case on our hands. Barry Adamson is determined to tell you a story. He takes the idea of a concept album and completely commits to a narrative focus. This is a soundtrack to a film that doesn't exist. Vibes are noir, dirty, and cold. I can't help but be reminded of Roman Polanski or David Lynch, as Adamson weaves familiar scenes into each song. To say this album is ambitious would be an understatement. Adamson is banking on listeners being open to the idea of an imaginary film in addition to experimental elements in the songwriting. The Swinging Detective is easily my favorite song on here, but the whole album is really something to behold. Certainly one of the most unique albums on the list, though it can suffer from being sort of boring and narratively vague (likely on purpose, though i still personally struggled with it. Worth listening to once for the novelty, then never again.

The soundtrack for an imagined movie: quite cool noir music, but on re-listening to the album, it has too many passages of very low ambience (but not ambient on the level of e.g. Talk Talk) so overall I am not completely invested. Overall, a pretty decent album.

Weird. Different.

Pretty good for an album with no words lol, but other that pretty meh 😑

For the most part, this was a pretty solid experiment. I like that it was a soundtrack for a movie that doesn't exist. That makes it more like a soundtrack for life. Like when Peter Griffin had his own theme music. I tried to picture what was going on in his life by the music he wrote. It isn't something I'd just listen to for shits but it was certainly entertaining for the time I listened to it.

Zonder de David Lynch link had ik er misschien wat sneller overheen geluisterd, maar het intrigeert me wel ergens. Niet voor herhaling vatbaar, toch aardig.

Liked it

Spooky

Pretty wild album. Definitely a trip. Had a lot of Frances the Mute vibes.

this is really really cool - never heard anything like it

Seems like a lost soundtrack to a 1970's alfred hitchcock movie about a carnival serial killer.

Interesting instrumental type horror movie suspense shit

I have to say that this does indeed sound like a soundtrack of an actual film. He certainly nailed that, especially the ambient parts with background noises. It reminfs me a bit of United Future Organization, who were always keen to break into a Bond-like jam. 1001 gives greater credence to this LP than Barry Adamson seems to, since his Wikipedia (artist) page barely mentions it.

I don't get all the hate for this, I found it to be quite good, but then again I'm a big fan of film scores/soundtracks. A really good soundtrack can elevate a crappy movie eg Gladiator. Some of my favourite albums of all-time are by the OG of film scores his-self, Ennio Morricone, and Hans Zimmer also made quite a few epic soundtracks in his early days, before he started turning out rubbish like Batman, Inception, Interstellar etc. When listening to Moss Side Story I can almost see a noirish detective movie with lots of shadows, wet streets and tension filled chases down dark alleys and stairs. Its too bad the film never got made.

Speciale sfeer, maar geslaagd in zijn opzet

A movie soundtrack for a movie that doesn’t exist. This was really cool! Not something I would listen to again (unless I got some wicked headphones or something) but a fun experience. The sound was awesome

It is considered one of the most important movie soundtracks without a movie and is an absolutely delightful instrumental music listening experience. If you got time for that (6/10) FT: The Man With The Golden Arm

interesting concept, interesting execution

Cool album, fun to imagine the story behind the music. Not something I would listen to alot though

I like concept albums. I like the idea of creating a score for a movie that doesn't exist. I love Danger Mouse's Rome. This just wasn't quite as good for me. Still enjoyable.

I wanted to love this but couldn't quite get my head around it.

Soundscape … filmic … some great passages

This was a wild ride. Not crazy about it but found a great song. Cool concept album

This was a really cool idea for an album, but we could have gotten the concept in one song. The individual tracks were sort of repetitive for the most part and did not stand up on their own with one or two exceptions.

Ну я не большой фанат саундтреков, тбх. Вообще хз как это оценивать. Первая песня в наушниках реально немного стрема нагнала. Вероятно, это комплимент как для триллер-саундтрека. В остальном ну. Ничего особо не отвращает, но и слушать просто так не стал бы. Бэкграунд нойз/10

Вроде похоже на нормальную музыку. Формат саундтрека для нихуя - звучит как какой-то кал. И во многом им и является. Но тут содержание удобоваримое хотя бы. Можно воспринимать как арт- и прог- какой-нить, интересные решения относительно структуры композиции и выбора инструментов. Но возвращаться, конечно, не стану.

Ok. Didn't really grab me, but fine for a background listen.

Buena instrumental

Good for a one stop listen

Strong commitment to a bit.

Casi paso de este disco y me alegro de no haberlo hecho porque tiene un rollo súper guay. Ya tengo la banda sonora, sólo me queda montarme la película.

Detective soundtrack

3.5 - A fun concept - soundtrack to an imaginary film. Tracks seem to narrate a noir detective story in a seemingly chronological order such that I can almost see the film unfold in my mind. Best to know the song titles as you listen because they give a sense for the "scene." This was a fun listen. Highly cinematic, interest sounds and loops, cool reverb effects.

ihan jees, mutta vähän taustamusaa

This was an interesting concept album. It made for decent background music, but not really something I’d want to listen to multiple times.

Some odd moments. Some interesting moments.

Very unexpected listen. I quite enjoyed it at times, will have to relisten to it.

Good but difficult

Koncept album, soundtrack til film som ikke findes, mord, spænding, sjovt, instrumentalt

1/20 3.5/5. Love the concept for the album, very well executed soundtrack, although I don't see myself replaying much. Standout Tracks: On The Wrong Side Of Relaxation, Sounds From The Big House, The Swinging Detective, The Most Beautiful Girl In The World, The Man With The Golden Arm

Concept album. Neat

Bit weird and disjointed... reckon there’s a good album in their; just needs more attention!

This was quite quirky and fun, and I suppose was a bit of a trailblazer in proving that instrumental soundscapes could be popular. But I feel this genre has come on so much in recent years, and while this wasn't at all bad, I can't see myself choosing it over some of my recent favourites, such as Andrew Wasylyk.

Never listened. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Alright - I'm expecting something quite chilled out and dark based on the previous Adamson album on the list. The feel is certainly cinematic and nocturnal. Nothing on here is quite strong enough to really grab my attention. The Swinging Detective followed by Auto Destruction is a good little combo in the middle. There is nothing that I dislike about the album but it sort of passed me by without leaving any impression.

What a great concept, very innovative and there are a lot of ways to spin it to make a potentially novel and interesting listen. Unfortunately the execution here Sucks Ass Big Time… for someone who wants to listen to music. From what I’ve gathered, Adamson made this to showcase his skills as a stepping stone to actually work on a real movie, and evidently it worked out for him. So really, this did exactly what Adamson wanted it to… but I’m rating this as a music album listening experience, not as a film director looking for talent, so I still stand by my previous remarks.

An interesting concept and listen. Like a late 60s/early 70s crime drama soundtrack. Not something I’d listen to regularly though. 2/5

another first. pretty different than anything i've ever listened to so far i think. made me feel like i was in a movie and this was the soundtrack. not bad necessarily, just felt like a regular soundtrack to me.

There is a David Lynch/Scott Walker type of vibe on this album that makes it interesting, but I would kind of want to like this more than i actually do. Probably would work really well as a soundtrack

It’s good for what it is but I don’t think it has a place in this list

This sounded like the ambient background music to a movie I don't want to see

Marko- 2, valjda :) Sara -2

Interesting concept, but weird album to have on this list

Why would I listen to the soundtrack of an imaginary film that is essentially a demo tape for Hollywood producers?

Very alternative. Not really my thing, but I enjoyed a couple of the tracks

On the wrong side of relaxation - 2 Under wraps - 3 Central control - 2 Round up the usual suspects - n/a Sounds from the big house - 2 Suck on the honey of love - 2 Everything happens to me - 3 The swinging detective - 3 Autodestruction - 2 Intensive care - 2 The most beautiful girl in the world - 2 Free at last - 2

It would've been a 1, but at times it made me feel like I should go on a heist, so at least I got something out of it.

Like a spec script for film scoring. Nothing memorable here.

"The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" is what Wii music would sound like if you were psychotic.

Everything I know about Barry Adamson was against my will. Favorite track: The Man With The Golden Arm 2.5/5

Weird and unnecessary. Not bad music, just an overly complicated concept album that nobody asked for.

Comes off like an eerie movie soundtrack, which works at times but I can't really see myself going back to this one. Favorite track: The Man With the Golden Arm

Definitely does not belong on the list. It's an interesting enough concept that falls apart towards the end, when he starts covering other theme songs. Come on, man. You can do so much better. It's not bad music, it's interesting as background music if you're into that concept thing, but I don't think this is that influential. For a list that says "No Soundtracks", there's a surprising number of soundtracks, so why did we need a soundtrack for a movie that doesn't exist? My Rating: 2/5

I do kind of like a lot of the tape loops and sounds going on, but I found thebl overall concept, mood, and flow if the record lacking and boring

WHY is there another Barry Adamson album on the list. Nice to see some Bad Seeds-adjacent people in the credits but... I don't get his whole shtick of making "music for imaginary films". If your music doesn't sound compelling with or without visuals then you just composed some absolute bullshit. The samples of movie dialogues just make this whole thing even more cheesy. I only don't hate it because there were some okayish tracks 2/5

Má aj lepšie albumy a nie som si istý, že tento album sem patrí...

Moss Side Story plays less like an album and more like the soundtrack to a film by Adamson's collaborator David Lynch. And while that's the point, the imaginary film feels underdeveloped. It begins with a sound collage of voices and news reports and then moves on to jazz. Dark jazz from a crime film morphs into something more industrial. As evocative as the jazzy moment are, they often feel a bit generic, like stock music from a crime show. Perhaps that's what was required to make this feel like a soundtrack and not a jazz album, but the story underneath the music never really takes shape, making the album feel like it's missing the visual component. Not a bad listen, but also not anything terribly unique either.

A soundtrack for a non-existent film. In other words, fraud.

This is a debut album from English musician Barry Adamson, and it is a concept album - written as a movie soundtrack for a fictional movie. The music is entirely instrumental except for some sound effects. The track “The Swinging Detective” has a James Bond vibe (intentional?). The rest of the music is easy listening, electronica, etc., and varies to correspond to the “movie”. “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” is a reworked version of the theme from the Hitchcock show. How did this make the list? There must be hundreds of instrumental movie soundtracks.

"The album title is a play on words in reference to Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story". No kidding???? Anyway, this is hilarious to me. The kind of little project we all make in GarageBand, yet somehow it made it to the list. I don't think I'm in the mood for it, though. But I do like the title 'Everything Happens to Me'. The last song was definitely the best, but Barry didn't write that one.

I was very familiar with Barry’s brilliant work with Magazine and Visage, but not so much with his solo work. As a demo this is pretty amazing sonically, with the bits of dialogue interspersed throughout the story. But it is a demo for a guy who wanted to do soundtracks. It obviously worked because he did get a job doing movie soundtracks. But does it belong on this list? Not a chance. It’s basically a good instrumental record but not really that innovative or interesting and that is a fact. It’s the conventionality of the whole thing that is the shock given Adamson’s much more popular and interesting work with Magazine. 2/5

É um álbum que tem suas qualidades. Me lembra as trilhas de alguns filmes e jogos. Mas não curti. Kawanoaudio Horaiko.

Leuk concept, maar niet voor mij

I sort of liked the parts where there was actually music

No standouts

While I like jazz, this one was hard to get through.

Never heard of album or band. Alternative has me weary. We’ll see. Opening is interesting. Not really musical. Very eerie. The rat noises/breathing are really weird. Hate that. I mean the first “song” was absolutely nothing. It’s like watching a movie without all of the good parts. Under wraps is SO much better. Love the piano. Great production. Central control was just there. Sounds from the big house is back to good music. Really good soundtrack song. Suck on th honey is pretty good too. Really nice piano on everything happens to me. Swinging detective is weird butbhs a good sax. More awful sounds on auto destruction. Back half is ok at least. This album feels very wannabe Pink Floyd without the good lyrics. Intensive care is more background noise. I mean I’m not licking this up after my next meeting. This is JAA. Nothing special about it. 2/5.

Instrumentalmusik ist nicht mein Ding. Als Hintergrundmusik kann man es man hören, das reicht dann aber auch. 2/5

"A soundtrack to an imaginary film" is a pretty weird concept for an album, and seems a pretty pointless exercise to me. It's quite listenable, and clearly plays like a film score - but do I want to listen to that by itself? Not really.

I like the idea of this album, but I don’t like listening to the actual product. If you’re not supposed to enjoy this, then it’s a success.

Artiste inconnu. Quelle idée bizarre ! Rare sont les films dont j'apprécie vraiment la bande originale. De mon point de vue il faut que j'ai vraiment apprécié le film pour avoir envie d'écouter la BO, et aussi que la musique soit particulièrement originale pour me donner envie de l'écouter sans le support visuel ! Là il n' a pas de film, et la musique n'a rien de remarquable ... Elle n'est pas désagréable, et quelques morceaux sont réussis, mais je ne l'écouterais pas une seconde fois. =>2/5

Highlight: Under Wraps. In a nutshell: an instrumental album like no other. If there isn’t a credo to making music, it should be this: “Be different. Be weird. Be creative. And for god’s sake don’t be boring” The debut solo album for Barry Adamson (post Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds) and the birth of his "fictional cinema soundtrack" format. Acid jazz, sampling, classical and industrial collide here. Edgy. Noir. Random as fuck. Not boring, that's for sure. Overall: 4/10

3/10… film noir / crime jazz / *1989

Music for a film, innit?

I understand the point of this albulm but I dont like the actual music as a whole project

this was so funny, very detective-y, spy vibes

Otro álbum que no entiendo qué hace acá. Es música de película instrumental, de una película que jamás existió (?

I’m bumping this up to 2 stars for the big swing, but this was a miss. Too much ambient noise, and not enough music.

I love Barry Adamson. I really do. But this isn’t an album I needed to hear before I die 💔

592/1001 2026.04.14

cool concept but not a great record

Es un soundtrack. Tiene cosas buenas, pero es raro

Bit of a let down. I really enjoyed Oedipus so was looking forward to this, but it was a lot more atmospheric. Kinda felt like there should have been something visual going on as well

Me atrapaste, es cine 🫵🏻

The bard of my second home here, with a very weird soundtrack to a film noir that doesn't exist. It's cool, and occasionally really interesting, but it's often just plain odd and basically pointless. Love the TV news report samples that occasionally get used by the way.

ok gotta do some catchup here. wrong side of relaxation--oh my fucking goodness this is music????? i can't quit less than one track in, but i hate this. 1989 checks out. under wraps--now that i'm through 5 minutes of hell for the introduction... this is fine. so it's a concept album for a non-existent crime drama about his home neighborhood in manchester. honestly this sounds exactly like an '80s crime drama soundtrack. nothing more or less. "we see it something in the nature of a cancerous growth." maybe the cancerous growth was the albums we listened to along the way. jk jk ... but also ... i hear a tardis, is the doctor here???? ope there's the tardis again. the doctor said no thanks. man with the golden arm--going all james bond for the outro?? ok that one is interesting. really really not a fan of opening the album to a 5 minute sample of hell. the rest of it was fine. adamson obviously used all the normal tricks in movie soundtrack composing to create a movie soundtrack. like i said in track 2, it's exactly what you would expect an '80s crime drama to sound like. the question is, why? who knows. honestly, 2/5.

Don't really know what to think of this album. It is totally unclear why this mixture of sounds is one of these 1001 albums. If you haven't hear, you haven't misssed much.

I kept just waiting for something to happen, and it never did. Reading about it after, I get the concept as crime movie soundtrack to a fictional movie, but it just is boring. I also feel like hip hop in the 90s took this vibe and actually made good music with it. So there is better music with this concept. There are all good songs but just never will listen again

Siisti ambient kunnon kauhuleffa intro. Levy muutenkin soundtrack olemattomalle salapoliisi leffalle. Ihan hauska sillein ideana, mutta kuullostaa ihan normi leffa soundtrackilta eikä tee siitä mitenkään erikoista. Parhaat: On the Wrong Side of Relaxation, Intensive Care

Idk felt like the dude put this on the list because the artist worked with Nick Cave and the dude has a hard on for anyone related to Nick Cave, it’s kinda embarrassing. There’s some interesting points here, sometimes it’s fun and spooky but not for most of it, just boring and indulgent. Might put the over of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents theme song on my Halloween playlist.

concept kinda cool, album kinda meh