Reviews (page 7 of 8)
I did not like that it is neither foreground or background music
Slow motion alt rock. Not unpleasant, but not something I would ever put on. I love darkness, but this isn't dark, it is just uninspired. I don't mind the drum machine, but if you are going to use a drum machine, do something interesting with it for fuck's sake. The result is an album that I enjoyed slightly more than PSYCHOCANDY, but not enough to actually care about. JOMC is never music altering in the ways that their contemporaries Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, or the Pixies were. They just kind of exist. Almost anything else from the 80s was more enjoyable than this. Boring and tedious like a Sofia Coppola film. Definitely doesn't belong on an all time list.
# 567 : Darklands Darklands - the musical equivalent of a shrug It’s moody, slow, and vaguely atmospheric—like someone dimmed the lights and forgot to turn the music up. The guitars jangle politely, the vocals mumble introspectively, and the whole thing just sort of... happens. It’s easy listening in the most literal sense: easy to listen to, easy to forget. I get what it’s going for—post-punk melancholy with a pop sheen—but it never really lands. There’s no tension, no release, no standout moment. It’s like watching a black-and-white film where nothing dramatic ever occurs. You sit through it, nod occasionally, and then move on with your life. This isn’t a bad album. It’s the kind of record that critics adore and fans defend, but for me, it’s a soft pass with a polite wave. Verdict: Not hated, not loved, and definitely not remembered. File under “80s excess with no payoff.” Best Track (if you must): Happy When It Rains – the one moment where the clouds part and something resembling a hook appears. Listened: 12/09/2025
Not wanting to be a one-trick pony (it seems), the JAMC shed the screeching layers of feedback of their debut album in favor of gently-distorted guitars on this, their second album. In place of the wailing guitars however, did the Reid brothers bring any new elements into their sound? Not really, which places the focus squarely on the songwriting, which (unfortunately) relies on a lot of fairly tired chord progressions. The shapes of the vocal melodies don't vary much from song to song either. The JAMC might have been aiming for a Phil Spector-ish classic pop sound with *Darklands* but the songwriting chops weren't strong enough at this point to pull it off. Lastly, this album is a more polished record than its predecessor (drum machines, anyone?) but it's the anarchic spirit of *Psychocandy* that makes that record a more thrilling listen.
average
this doesn't sound good. drum machine is shit, guitar too twangy. everything played in different rooms. it's like leonard cohen from around the same time. could use a good remaster maybe?
klasicky britpop album (skotsko), pocuvatelny, nepustil by som si tie pesnicky sam od seba - iba ze by som chcel byt pretentious as fuck. je to pomale, hlas je prijemny ale nepaci sa mi vyuzitie nastrojov... nepacia sa mi nizke toniny
Meh
meh
No live drum, kinda boring kinda okay
Kaipaishan sitä vähän enemmän tunnelmanvaihdoksia, tässä on nyt vain joskus vähän vimmaa ja joskus ei. Happy when it rains toki kiinnittää huomion, muuten ei. Jos olisi enemmän sellaista, tää olis varma kolmonen.
Um, ... meh?
Kind of boring
This record is so forgettable I can't remember it and I finished it half an hour ago.
Was drifting in and out of the room for Darklands and On the Wall but other than that steadfastly listened to the whole thing...with difficulty. Very dull, except for Nine Million Rainy Days and About You which are good.
Just another drubby fuzzy post-punk album that we have heard many of times on this list. Nothing at all stood out to me on this.
The first song caught my ear. 2
Me gustó hasta ahi.
Honestly super boring. Was disappointed with this given the interesting album title and cover.
Kind of a run of the mill late 80s album.
The tracks sound like intros/ montage backround music. I swear I've heard Darkands in a film- also why is it 5 1/2 minutes long. I like the singer's- William Reid (?)- careless sound. kind of resembles Lana Del Rey in a sense. I like Nine Million Rainy Days lowkey hard to get through- idk like im not entertained- not rlly sure what im looking for. OVERALL RATING: 2/5
Nothing really stood out to me here.
i do wanna know why the Jesus and Mary Chain seemed so deadset on making the wrong aesthetic choices at all times. with fuzz and reverb, they'd created one of the most iconic and influential sounds of 80s indie rock, melding 60s pop and 80s post punk in a TV static bath. one of the things that kept me from fully loving Psychocandy was how so many of the songs sounded so much alike. surely, on the next album, they'd fix that little bit of disappointment, but keep the strong suit of their revolutionary wash of noise. well, to make a long story short, the Reid brothers are either fucking stupid or just really wanted a hit. maybe they're both. this record sounds like everything else that was coming out at the time, but with the dull songwriting from last time around wholly untouched. for the brief moments where the band actually comes up with a new idea, like "Happy When It Rains" or "April Skies" -- a song with great bones and a genuinely great track respectively -- it feels stunted by having the same sonic palette as The Cult. every jagged edge that made the band exciting and dangerous is now ground down to nubs of indie teen prom rock. listen, i'm not one of those people who gets irrationally mad when a band changes sound. it can be fun to shake things up, and it can be a necessary evolution. but when you take away the noise, you realize just how shallow an act JAMC are. whoever called them a one trick pony for their noise and not their slavish dedication to this sleepy musical formula, you're a monster and i am unsure how you can sleep at night.
Gear: Hifiman Arya Artwork: 📸👋🙍♂️ Production: 🤔😐👍 Music: 🌑👟😖🍭😴🤷♂️ Rating: 👋(👋)/5
It was okay. Didn't hate it but it didn't grab me are make me want to listen again.
Not a lot happening here. It's decent, but not particularly engaging. 2
I found it a very short and simple record, a very consistent 80s UK indie rock/pop sound, instrumentation and vocals just on par for the genre. It's not bad, but it's certainly not outstanding either. It's very stripped down, a bit minimal even. My favourite song was probably Darklands.
I did not use a private Spotify session for this one. 80s music on Benadryl, boring.
soort poppy kruising van Sisters of Mercy en VU... niet mijn ding
This album is sonically so different from their debut Psychocandy it must have come as a shock to fans and critics alike. Having lost their drummer, who went off to Primal Scream full time, they replaced him with an 808, leaving just the Reid brothers and Douglas ‘2-Strings’ Hart. They decide to shuffle off the hype and let their songs do the talking. Bad idea. What this album reveals more than anything else is that the Reid brothers are pretty mediocre songwriters. On the first album the whole thing was wrapped in an original and highly entertaining package, part Joy Division, part Ramones. Take that away and it’s just third division teen angst predictability.
just not melodic enough for me. quite like some of the guitar sounds. don't like the beat machine.
Better than I expected.
Bland shoegazey rock, not very interesting or inspiring. Execution is ok
One note and just kinda there.
Not to be harsh but man, this is forgettable.
Not my bag. Nothing special.
Ok. Wouldn’t listen to again
Tinny and dreary.
It sounds like every song is being performed at the back of a very long cave. I don't think the heavy use of reverb helps the songs at all. Some of them sounded like they had substance, but then it got lost in the reverb. Didn't hate it, but probably wouldn't put it on again.
Every song sounded the same…
Not really my kind of music
Didn’t finish it, the doo doo doo song got stuck in my head and I didn’t like it to begin with and it made me angry
So forgettable, that I forgot the album was on halfway through. The biggest hit of Darklands was extra slow and boring - it was actually a pretty good representation of the whole package. It wasn't the worst album ever, not even close to the worst on this list, but certainly it was a wasted time with ol' Jesus and Mary.
its aight seems like really good roadtrip music
this was ~ok~ It's easy listening, I just probably wouldn't throw it on.
It’s was ok.
Kind of sounded like one long monotone song. Not bad, just boring. Singer sleepy mumbled most of the album with no range.
I just don’t care enough sorryyyyy
The soundtrack to a straight to video movie that takes place in a goth bar, but the band that plays these songs in the movie clearly never touched an instrument until 30 seconds before they started filming. The bar is just a set from golden girls lit like an operating room with two bats on the wall. Guess what I'm saying is they clearly don't live up to their name.
There's something kinda drunk and dopey about this guy's voice that I can tell people think it's romantic or sexy but I don't enjoy it enough to say I like it. Pass. 2 stars
I hear the influence on alternative music to come but it kinda drags. A bit monotonous. 2.5 rounding down
Never really clicked with these guys. It's decent enough. High 2s
Mary Chain minus the characteristic layer of beefy screeching feedback. All of their Shangri-Las and post-heroin Velvet Underground-isms laid bare. For me, the point of it was that you had to ‘find’ this stuff in the mix and I can only conjured so much enthusiasm for a dozen slow songs about rain (typical Scots, eh?).
I remember liking these guys in Jr High but onlyh a couple of tracks - this faded into the background - and my mom said, what is that crap you're listening to .. LOL
Dull
Lame 2/5
This is one of those bands that I should like on paper, but don't like on their records. Nothing much happens on this records. The songs are not bad but very basic, the singer sounds uninterested, guitars are straight forward and predictable, drums are computers. Boring.
Not terrible. For some reason was thinking Metal and not 80’s soft rockish. It’s not bad but it couldn’t keep me interested.
I'm not going to say this was bad, because I don't think it is. However, it is more boring than listening to paint peel. 2/5
Very middle of the road. I’m starting to feel there’s too many 80s/90s rock albums on this list already. That’s not to say I didn’t like this, it’s easy enough to listen to and the songs about rain were fitting as I was driving through rain, it’s just mid, as the kids would say. Very forgettable. Top tracks were Happy When It Rains (more for agreeing with the title’s sentiment than anything) and April Skies.
I’ll give them an extra star for being Scottish?
I don't know why so many people have rated this album as 5/5, it's a mediocre album at best.
So sad. 2/5
After the personal affront that was Psychocandy, I am really hesitant to give this band another chance. But here goes... "Darklands," the opener, sounded like New Order's "Love Vigilantes" (I want to see my family...) meets Bowie's "Heroes" within the first 20 seconds of the tune. Beyond that, I guess I couldn't care less about these guys. At least I didn't despise it as much as the other.
Some bands just don't do it for me. It's not necessarily their fault, I just can't get into them. TJAMC is one of those bands.
Went on far too long, and nothing really stood out to me. Not willing to listen to it again to figure out if there are actually good songs on it.
Not so great for me.
Like Goth Lite but not very interesting to listen to. A star for being Scottish but wouldn’t listen again. Nothing catchy or evocative
Not bad, but I got bored pretty fast.
Fuhgetttaboutit!
Did not bring me joy
Not my cup of tea, but i understand the efforts. This kind of music is rather on the “safe” side and i would get why many people would rather listen to this. I enjoy the sound tho.
Completely forgettable pop rock
At least it's a short album? Really average stuff here and another British bias inclusion on the list. I don't even know what to say about this album it's so unnoteworthy. 4.25/10 (2.125/5)
Nah.
This sounds like a soundtrack to a movie. Not complaining but not loving.
Pretty unremarkable if we're being honest
Wasn't available on YT music. Didn't really matter that I found it on YouTube, nothing really stood out. Easy listening, '90s soft rock.
Boring
Depressing and high energy. Unsurprisingly lame.
Yep still not for me
Pop-rock cansino. Un 2.
First song? Awesome! Rest of the album??
First couple of songs, Just ok, nothing spectacular so far. Full album -- meh, nothing really caught my ear.
I listened to this yesterday and now can’t remember a single thing. Neither positive nor negative. It just washed over me. 2.5/5
What a pile of nothing. I remember the era where anybody could be a "singer". I don't miss it. At least it didn't irritate me, that's why I gave it a 2.
This was fine, just unremarkable.
Pretty mediocre. I haven't heard anything that brought my attention. 2.5/5.
most of my reviews are just repeats of the same 5 complaints. one thing they have in common with this album
Fair to middling
..
Blah
Fine I guess, but I found this pretty unremarkable.
I understand and appreciate just how influential and important The Jesus and Mary Chain are, I just don't like their style of music that much.
Its catchy enough pop but in the end its just work to listen to.
I don't like the lazy 80s sound of this whatever.
Weak everything
I knew a few songs from TJAMC, but never listened to one of their albums. You have to be in a very specific mood to listen to this or need to get into a brooding, melancholy, ennui kind of mood. Decent music……but only at times.
Boring 80s.
Not bad but not really my sound. Very 80s sounding.
kind of bland album, probably won't go back to it.
Writing melodies is hard, eh Good news! The lead singer has such a limited range that it doesn't really matter! Not my thing.
Good music, but worn and dated. Listenable in mellow setting but I wouldn’t seek it out or buy it.
Felt that this was a super generic album. Forgettable sound. Didn't really stick with me, although not bad per se. 2/5
I don't have any connection to them and listening through a couple times didn't really do much for me. It's not offensive, I'm actually surprised I didn't care at all about it, haha. Just made me want to listen to other bands exactly like them. Might be the drum machine 🤷
Sounds somehow uninspired and „bored“. Bit not in the good, post-punky, way.
Perfectly corpulent.
Never could get into it.
Tråkigt album, låtarna var helt okej men inget att komma ihåg direkt Bästa låt: About you
Jasus
Sleepy and dull Not a fan 2/5
pretty average work on this album.
Ehh. Not memorable. Also why are 3 songs about rain?? Endearing in a way tho
Emo
Old school goth, not really my bag
Meh
2+
It's not as good as Psychocandy.
Pretty dull.
Happy when it rains Feels very boring. Background music for sure.
i don’t know… this one was kind of boring to me.
I’ve heard of TJ&MC for a long time but never listened to their music. I will continue to not listen to their music because this was like The Cure if The Cure was boring and utterly forgettable.
So awful. Barely escaped a 1 star because I was bored to death but my ears didn't bleed
ok
Melancholic and slightly mundane, I feel this album is more about lyrics than the melodies or musicality, not something I’ll be interested in again likely unless I take a deep dive. 2.4
god idc 2.5
So boring
Nothing special
TDS-lite, not in sound but in subject matter. In short, very depressing. Not much stands out and it's very samey. Not a fave of mine, but I see the appeal.
Pretty dull and disappointing. I've never dug in to this band but I assumed they had something interesting. I didn't hear that here
Not a memorable song or one I’d want to hear again.
Rock, wave, industrial, ballads, male, mid/slow, quite boring voice, way too much delay on drumset, has a vibe, but expected more due to "shoegaze pioneers" and Roadburn24 billing...
The tunes were catchy enough but there's a fatigue to the music that was hard to shake. The production had a real echoey effect that added to the dreariness. I don't know how this would have been received in its time of release, but I am struggling to hear anything remotely mindblowing.
Inoffensive, but no substance. 2/5
Once again, expected more and was disappointed.
Darklands - not too bad. Listenable, but boring. Deep One... - carbon copy of the first track Happy when it rains - not something I'd listen to, but it's ok. Pure pop. Down on me - best track so far Nine Million... - back to boring again. April skies - like the Ramones. Nothing interesting or complex Fall - exactly as per April skies Cherry came too - too Pop! On the wall - Zzzzz About You - simply boring Some Candy Talking - also boring Enough of this album, it's a 2 star at best
Boring
Have heard the band before and was looking forward to listening to this. But I must say my previous assessment of the band still holds, it just doesn't quite hit the spot for me. It's a bit hard to put my finger on exactly what doesn't work for me. I think it's partly that it sounds like the sort of music where it'd go into a really punchy and catchy chorus, but it never comes. If it instead is going for a more subdued alternative vibe throughout, it doesn't quite have the quirkyness, the interesting vocal melodies, or the raw emotion which I think such music calls for. Like, I dunno... The Cure perhaps, to take an example of the same era. I would like to give this a few more listens. I do like the sound generally, so it's a bit disappointing that it just doesn't quite hit for me.
i mean not bad but incredibly unmemorable
ok
Quite good bit too long
Better than the last heaping pile of garbage from this band, but still just generic, bland, bad 80's music.
- Puh, fand ich irgendwie schwierig. Das Album hat natürlich eine eindringliche Atmosphäre und eine gewisse Ausstrahlung, klar, aber so richtig ist der Funke auf mich nicht übergesprungen - Es fehlte mir leider etwas die Abwechslung, wobei ich mir gut vorstellen kann, das Album im Hintergrund in bestimmten Situationen laufen zu lassen. 2,5/5
Nicht schlecht, aber auch nicht gerade ein Album, das einem die Latschen auszieht.
Thought I'd hate it, few tracks were alright, most were not.
Decent effort, I like the Langois atmosphere of the production. 2/5
Very calm start to the album, soft rocky. Not my type of album, very calm, but not bad quality. 2/5
Just kind of boring. 8/1001
Inoffensive to the ears but p bland 2.5/5
Thought this was gonna be Christian rock... glad it wasn't. ✝️✝️
Not for me
Scottish alternative rock band. Des balades alternatives. Pas deg, mais pas fou non plus. Le pace et les chansons se ressemblent pas mal toutes.
Ok didn’t listen to all of it
I honestly thought I’d hate this way more than I did. I still thought it was pretty damn boring overall, but not the worst thing I’ve heard yet.
If "inoffensive pre-grunge/indie rock from the 80's" was embodied into a singular album, this would be it.
This was alright. I think I liked it in the beginning but then it just got meh in the end. Just not anything exciting or influential in my opinion!
I often look back at many of these 80s bands/albums with nostalgia - even if I didn't like them much at the time - but this one does almost nothing for me. Melodic sure but nearly catastrophically-predictably dull progressions topped with by awful dense/reverb-drenched late 80s production. And programmed drums to boot. Oh and vocals that are just a bit too much like a Lou Reed who can almost sing. At best they're indicative of a slightly more upbeat (emphasis on "slightly") early shoegaze. Not entirely awful but not at all interesting either. 3/10 2 stars.
Har aldrig tyckt att Jesus and Mary Chain varit särskilt bra. Tycker jag fortfarande inte.
I have been listening to this several times and found it enjoyable. Not remarkable. Not an album that I felt compelled by or delighted by but satisfied. It sounds like my type of music, but I cannot quite get into the lyrics and patterns behind the tracks. So, I think its a two-star rating for me. Not quite 3. It may be something I get into, but I am not compelled to just yet.
The appeal is lost on me. There is the glimmer of something good buried in here but it is obscured by the overwhelming guitars, muddy vocals and production values. Another one that leaves me cold
It’s a vibe. It feels like an album that would mean something to you if you heard it at a certain point of your life. I’m not at that point.
I just listened to this album and I remember nothing, not a fan.
Paska mut ei sentään mikään wilco
by the time i was halfway through this album i was ready for it to end.. the music itself is alright, but the tracks all sounded the same which made the overall album too bland/brooding imo
Pretty mid honestly
Next day and I barely remember it.
Pretty disappointing 80s alternative rock. Took all the bland bits of similar bands and rolled it up into one. Not a single track worth saving down.
Ehh wasn’t digging it
svideo mi se zvuk ali vecina pesama samo lice jedna na drugu, ali kao mozda nekad i budem slusala opet
Alternativ 80’er indierock, shoegaze, drummachines
Reminds me of a slowed down The Cure. Too depressing and lethargic.
sixk
Maybe in another lifetime this would have appealed. This is dated, not well.
Really boring and forgettable music. Nothing special about this album jumps out at me. Zzzz
Not as bad as their debut, but I find little here to appreciate. I think I just hate shoegaze, I find it depressingly dull.
Sounds like more distorted Pulp. Eh. Not a very exciting or memorable shoegaze record, if you can even classify this as shoegaze. Maybe something to come back to later because I barely remember any song from it.
Dark shoegaze; very droning and simple. My favorite track was the last one on the album, but there's nothing here that I'd like to revisit.
Kuuntelijalle suodaan mahdollisuus uppoutua kahdeksankymmentä luvun rokki pömpötykseen joka on hienosti koottu.. album cover osviitan antajana toimii mainiosti… Mahdollisuudesta kun ottaa kiinni.. on siellä biisiä joo on hyvää darkside heh.. JAHA JA SUOMALAISIA KOPIOITU.. blind channel bandia nimittäin… 4 tähden albumi ja nautin.. mutta tähdet plagioinnista tippuu… ei voi ykköstä.. eli nollille laittaa YKKÖNEN TARKOITTAA NOLLILLE.. EI VOI VÄHEMPÄÄ ANTAA… niin… ei voi siis nollille laittaa koska hyvä album art,, matches music,..elikkäs.. ei selvää saa,, mutta ymmärtäö mistö biisit kertoo kuulemmattakin.. siihen tarvitaan taitoa että heh………2…….
It’s just kind of… dull?
What if you were too bored to actually play any music on the day you were meant to play music but then in a serious of hilarious coincidences you accidentally recorded yourself being bored and then the recording studio saved it, pressed it, released it, and then 35 years later some dickhead put it on a list?
This was really lame
This is what I expected all British music sounds like. Bland and uninspiring, much like their brekkies. I mean come on guys - beans, mushrooms and whole tomatoes?? Those have absolutely no business being eaten in combination with each other, let alone at 8am.
C- Darklands - 2 Deep One Perfect Morning - 2 Happy When it Rains - 2 Down on Me - 3 Nine Million Rainy Days - 2 April Skies - 2 Fall - 2 Cherry Came Too - 2 On the Wall - 2 About You - 3
I was looking forward to listening to this album, but was deeply disappointed. The tracks are OK, I can listen to the whole album, but it was all a bit boring, and that's not how I remember these guys from back in the day. It all seemed a bit preprogrammed rhythm from a computer rather than previous stuff they did.
Much better than Psychocandy, but still not my favorite work. Fairly repetitive and doesn’t keep me engaged.
Music is decent, but to me the vocalist just sucks the air right out of this album. Turns this into a very dreary, depressing listen that takes any enjoyment out of these tracks.
Did someone swap out my coffee for decaf this morning? I am not super angsty today, might try this again another time!! I think I get it though!! Some decent songwriting overall. When you think back to Tuesday this week, at least we can all say we listened to Darklands, right?
Not really my jam.
Some of this music is fine. But generally it's a real snooze. Not a good album to try and stay awake to while at work. None of the instruments are very interesting. The songwriting is ok, but the sound is so consistent here, it's like listening to one long song with some gaps.
The 80s didn't believe in vocal range. It all sounds like the same song over and over.
mid
Boring as hell, but influential and noisy some times
Was nice in the background but no songs stuck in any capacity. one song sticking feels like minimum for 3 stars
Fine enough. Something I’m coming to realize is that I really don’t come close to grasping the canon and evolution of music. This album probably represents some major link in the development of and influence in more contemporary, indispensable genre/band. And because I can’t see this interconnected matrix of growth, most albums stand alone in my mind - and this album stands alone as fine enough, not gonna add any of these songs to a playlist.
Ei oikeastaan millään tavalla erikoista
Before today, I had never heard of The Jesus and Mary Chain before. They are a indie rock/shoegaze band from Scotland. One thing I am learning through this 1001 albums exercise is how much I hate shoegaze. If you aren't going to be enthusiastic about playing your instruments or singing, then why the fuck are you making music? This is depressing, brooding music which is sung by someone who seems bored to be there. The guitar is played shittily with tons of distortion (maybe to try and cover up the lack of talent, but it doesn't work). Overall, this was a shitty album by a shitty band that I will never visit again. Only reason it's 2 stars is because at least it isn't fucking Joy Division. I have no idea what this could have influenced. Why it is on this list, I don't know. Different strokes for different folks I suppose. Favourite songs: Happy When It Rains, Cherry Came Too, Darklands Least favourite songs: Nine Million Rainy Days, On The Wall 2/5
I remember hearing this band’s name a lot back in the 80s but never listened to them until now. They sound like they’re appealing to a certain demographic that leans towards the goth side. Not really my thing. I gave it two listens but there really wasn’t anything that caught my attention or made me want to go back to it or check out any of their other albums. Moving on.
Fave songs: Deep one perfect morning, Happy when it rains, down on me, about you Just a bit one note and monotone 2/5
Meh, I liked the radio that played afterwards
Hat mich nicht begeistert. Die Lieder haben etwas zu wenig Energie um es mir öfter anzuhören.
Bit of a ho-hummer here for me. At times it sounded pre-grunge, which was a welcome change from the otherwise forgettable balance of the album.
yeah no yeah, it's OK - nothing wonderful in here though
Áheyrileg tónlist svo sem, ég ætti að fíla þetta alveg sæmilega, en hér er stærsti gallinn að ég fíla ekki þessar raddir. Bara alls ekki. Sorrý með mig. Þetta er eins og Courtney Taylor-Taylor án sjarmans. Skiptið um söngvara og talið aftur við mig.
It's a little slow for me. Like the antithesis of Grunge really.
Vous connaissez malheureusement la règle ; quand au lendemain d'un album on n'en a plus le moindre souvenir, c'est que sa qualité laissait à désirer voire qu'elle était lamentable.
Taken in isolation, some quite good songs, especially Some Candy Talking. But as a whole, it becomes hard to distinguish one track from another. little variation makes this a dull and forgettable experience
Typical 80s alternative. Nothing stood out I wouldn't skip if it showed up in one of Spotify curated playlists.
not bad.
This one was a miss for me. Just a lot of generic alt rock sounds and the use of drum machine definitely made it feel more hollow
Dull. I don't mind depressing music, but not dull depressing music
Not really my vibe
Didn't like it, quite dark.
Boring. And really basic. These guys have a pretty unmoving songwriting formula. Flip between two chords endlessly for the versus, and maybe a third for the chorus. And pretty much each song uses the SAME pattern. Didn't really enjoy this very much.
Kind of interesting, but very same-y throughout the whole album. Shoegaze isn't really my jam. Kind of fun alt-rock guitar (kind of like REM?) but the droning vocals were getting tiresome by the end of the album.
Solid 80s vibe sound with notes of Bowie and Sting. A little boring and repetitive at times, but not bad
I want to give it a 3, but it's just a bit "lacking something" for me - maybe will improve over time, but I can't see myself wanting to choose this
Strong 2, liked parts of it
This is kind of a monotonous and brooding album, but it is totally listenable in the background. Not much breaks through the hum. It is exactly what I think of when I think of this band.
Pretty good
ok for the first five songs but they all sound the same
Tämä on taas jotain kakkosen ja kolmosen välistä. Eipä tätä tule varmasti enää uudelleen kuunneltua niin painetaan kaksi*.
Aika diipadaapa yhdentekevä
Meh
I didn't really care for this. It was a real snooze. Sometimes sounded like boring pixies.
Much like a lot of the mid-80s goth rock NOT made by The Cure, I want to like this more than I do.
I loved JAMC when they first started out, and saw them live around the time this album was released. But they never seem to have captured that initial noisy soundscape by the time they started making records. They have since written some great rock n roll tunes without all the feedback, but this seems to fall between both stools - none of the whirlwind of sound of their early live stuff, and no standout tunes on here to compensate. This washed over me, I’m afraid, which was a bit of a surprise. I expected to enjoy this more.
My initial thought was: Aargh! Shoegaze again - what for? Happy to find it's much softer and more melodic than the previous impenetrable offering. Just like normal music, in fact. 'Some Candy talking' written in 10 different ways, plus a bit of the Beach Boys unexpectedly thrown in. I like it - but not enough to ever play it again.
**
Not my favorite. Very different but didn't love it.
Pop-rock cansino. Un 2.
A probable link between '90s grunge and '80s new wave. Apart from the sweet guitar riffs and some decent alt-rockish hooks (which are only in the first half, btw), this album is neither interesting nor enjoyable as a whole.
ponderous but rudimentary
Основатели шугейзинга не особо впечатлили. Есть пара песен, которые более менее понравились, но на этом все.
Getting past one’s expiration date is one thing, but this stuff is bland all over. Whiny borefest with tons of feedback.
As I recall, their first album garnered interest because of the feedback and production. That sound seems to have been stripped away, leaving them to be judged here on the vocals and the song writing, which I find dull and uninspiring.
I’m really done with Shoegaze. It seems that every other album that comes up is either Shoegaze or Brit-pop so this band is collateral damage.
Tän tyylinen masistelu ei oo ollenkaa mun juttui man
Found it quite plain. Pretty much all around, the vocals and instrumentation don’t leave much of an impression. 3/10
Uno de los grandes defectos de muchos discos está referido a que no es posible distinguir una canción de otra. Este disco sufre mucho de eso.
This album was confusing... 60s style songs, 90s style grunge but with 80s drum kit. The whole thing felt... "blah". Uninteresting, nothing standing out. No favorite track.
Meh
I guess I can see why this was popular in the timeframe it was released. I find it unremarkable though.
I need to go through the lyrics. Sounds to me like a phoned in album. Lead singer doesn't sound like he's even into it.
2/3
each day is getting better but we are not there yet, felt like generic 80's music.
First Listen. LOVE their sound. Every song sounds great. Can't wait to get to know this one better. 2/5 for now, but I can tell this will be higher, next time I listen to it.
33 tracks and a 1 hour 44 minute run time? That's a lot. First song has some vaguely U2 sounds to it. It's growing on me over time - there's a sort of campy Suicide meets the Doors feel to it. The Surfin' USA cover is suitably dark and gothic.
I know this band exists, and I know they are held in high regard, but I must admit, outside of Fool's Gold, I hadn't listened to much else. It's a nice enough album, a little 'of its time' for me. I'm sure the Brits still froth over it.
Another pretty heavy 80s sound. Tried to keep an open mind but wasn't really for me.
Meh
Hummmm paso sin ver
Boring
É possível perceber a importância, só não é suficiente para sensibilizar para mais audiências.
Pretty boring. Honestly didn't even bother finishing it.
It wasn't bad bad so it saves itself from a 1 star review, but man was that a whole lot of unmemorable nothing
Generic soundtrack music that all blends together.
I don't really have much to say about Darklands; it was mostly just background noise for me. Nothing really jumped out as I listened to it, and the lyrics were like a less grating, slightly-more-punk version of Morrissey. If I were feeling a little more generous, it'd probably be three stars.
while I actually love their first album, Psychocandy, I've never been a fan of anything else they've done. but, I said I'd give it a fair shot. the only thing I've really gleaned from this is that I suddenly realized where the Stone Roses got their influence. so following that influence line, without this album, there'd probably be no Oasis, which is either great or terrible news depending on who you are. anyway, decently catchy melodies, but in the end it's a very plodding and vapid stretch into the pop sphere which leaves me neither loving nor hating it.
Tja, het ging een beetje aan me voorbij. Niet slecht, maar ook niet erg spannend.
It was okay.
underwhelming
Nothing noteworthy about this album
Like the sound but too many weak songs.
I respect it but I’d never play it again
A solid proto-alternative album. But nothing really stood out. Was good in the background, but never demanded my attention. They made an impact on some though - apparently they are name-dropped in songs by Death Cab, Jimmy Eat World, and Shins, so it sounds like they were influential even though I had heard the name but didn’t know their music.
Meh
I find nothing remarkable about this album or this band. Although I knew their name, I'm actually surprised I'd never heard their music before. The music doesn't hit my 80's sweet spot. (Possible exception is the final track - the acoustic approach is much more interesting to me for their sound than the rest of the album.) It actually sounds more like some of the forgettable 90s bands, so maybe they were ahead of their time. But I haven't missed having them in my life and don't think I will.
kinda boring but there's some okay songs
ambient, good
It was fine. Just wasn’t all that interested.
Can tell they're British. At times the riffs sounded a bit like The Lightening Seeds. Pretty average though, some tracks were alright, didn't excite me much. 2/5
It's just so boring. Maybe I don't *get it* but it's just wailing over the same two chords for the whole album
Could probably give this another listen, but I'm starting to get pretty behind. Nothing special or particularly compelling, just decent alt rock
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: April Skies Cutting Edge: Happy When It Rains Overall Notes: Fairly one-note. I know their song Head On and that song is better than the entirety of this album. I can see how this would've influenced grunge and stuff but this album was just aight.
Nah
Nothing special.
Meh
Bit boring and samey
Tengo buenos recuerdos de este grupo, incluso alguna anécdota como el padre de un amigo diciendo que el vinilo estaba rayado que esas guitarras sonaban fatal. La cuestión es que es Darklands no me ha parecido interesante conociendo Psycandy, Automatic o Honey's Dead. Escuchable como complemento a sus otros trabajos.
I found this one kind of boring. Just felt like the same thing over and over Favorite tracks: “Down on Me”
Old style but wasn't the interested
2
Droned on for too long.
sleepy time, not bad - just not good
Pretty repetitive and not all that interesting.
not good, not terrible. kind of dated sound (80s drum machines and synths with tons of reverb), but it still works as background music. all the songs blend into each other.
Well... knowing the connection to Primal Scream helped a lot with context, but still not all that impressed.
Ok I guess
Again with the melodramatic
was ok igues neit speciaal
A few individual songs stood out, but each song sounded too similar to each other, i ended up getting bored half way through
Boring pop with a bit of guitars. Didn't like it. Nothing new to my ears. 1/5
The areas of Hell.
favs: darklands rating 0.5/5
I actually forgot this was playing. I was in the car too.
Käytännössä samat biisit ollu jo tän 154 levyn aikanaki jo 160 kertaa
★¼
Never liked them. It's like an overdose of quaaludes in band form.
Nope
proof that the drummer makes the song no drummer = no song