Two Dancers

Really surprised by this. After listening to the first few minutes, I was pretty certain i was giving this a 2, as the falsetto voice was an instant turnoff. However after starting the albums a few times, the voice started clicking for me as an interesting dramatic element over the music. The music is really good, that finds a good groove and has an ethereal quality at times. I could definitely see enjoying this more as you get more familiar with it. A surprise!

Hot garbage, out of tune. Have we reached the point in the list where everything worthwhile is covered?

vocals worden saai

Took a while to get used to the sometimes silly vocals, but ended up liking this quite a bit. 4/5

01) The Fun Powder Plot - 8,0 02) Hooting & Howling - 8,5 03) All the King's Men - 7,0 04) When I'm Sleepy - 7,0 05) We Still Got the Taste Dancin' on Our Tongues - 8,5 06) Two Dancers (I) - 8,0 07) Two Dancers (II) - 7,0 08) This Is Our Lot - 7,0 09) Underbelly - 6,5 10) Empty Nest - 7,0 11) Through the Iron Gate - 6,0 TOTAL: 7,32 (73/100)

Really stupid, pretentious lyrics delivered in a really stupid, pretentious voice.

A very odd but quite fun album, that unfortunately doesn’t have too much in terms of substance that makes it memorable. I really enjoyed the last song actually and was veering towards raising this to a 3, but figured I’d stick with my overall feeling

Quite enjoyed this. Having two lead singers meshing over an album is refreshing, in a way. You have one sound like a Millenial Sparks, and another sound a bit like a more sparkly Elbow. None of it explodes, but it is all actively enjoyable.

Weird.probably will listen 2-3 times to settle

Enjoyable, I probably wouldn’t seek it out. Not my style.

3/5 This was pretty chill. Best track: Two Dancers (i)

Good enough to listen to while working, but not really sure if I like it or not. It might need another round of listening

I just couldnt get into this one. The vocals are my main gripe it just sounds weird in a boring kind of way.

El que destaca del disc es la seva musicalitat. És d'una bellesa i creativitat que acaben arrossengant-te. L'indie pop en el seu estat més màgic i artesanal

sort of arcade fire sounding without the emotion couldnt get into it

Love the vocal range, reminds me of Jack Stauber

I think this is an album that if I gave fans my review, they would tell me I just don't get it. And I don't get it. The singer has incredible range and can change their timbre as well as their pitch, but they switch these aspects without warning which stresses me out. It's also just more horny than I am, like, ever. Favorite track was through the iron gate

boy, this one is hard to rate. on one hand, i really liked the music. 4-5 star instrumentals here, super cool late 00s indie vibes. however, the vocals were like a 1-2 and the lyrics were absolutely a 1. what the heck was happening with these lyrics...? "disowned us daddies like the poopers of the party" really says it all. and that's from the same track talking about putting a boot up your asshole and a slipper in your bits. what favorites: the fun powder plot, hooting & howling, all the king's men

Thoughts before listening: another surprising entry for a 00s/10s era indie rock band. I was listening to this type of music back then but barely remember these guys. I'm sure it'll be fine. Review: yeah I'm not really sure what to think. The falsetto vocals are annoying and the lyrics are dumb. The music is fine I guess but not really my thing. Indie pop with dancey beats and chiming guitar. Definitely feels like something that made this list because the editors felt they needed to add some recent albums.

Good

fire

Heeft me door de tentamens heen gesleept harde vibe dit

HL: “All the King’s Men”, “We Still Got the Taste Dancin’ On Our Tongues”, title track, “The Fun Powder Plot” At first I was annoyed that this seemed to be built from the ashes of removed albums by Muse, Arcade Fire, and Antony & the Johnsons. I see now that it’s a different beast (lol) entirely. The difference between the dreamy instrumental soundscapes and the frontman’s voice is a bit oil-and-water for me, but that’s also what makes it stand out And it wouldn’t be the first album to be a 3 today, 5 tomorrow November 8th, 2023

Didn't think much of this jumble.

4/10 - The vocals sound like a ghost moonlighting as a Thom Yorke impersonator.

Honestly pretty good and enjoyable

Terrible falsetto and boring Radiohead-esque instrumentals that are much too pretentious. The hole album is dripping in pretentiousness. Rhythm and percussion was okay on some tracks, especially Through the Iron Gate. Best song was All the Kings Men because the vocals were not falsetto and it was actually somewhat enjoyable.

Didn't find it to be super ear-catching but I did enjoy the listen. 3.5

The Fun Powder Plot - 8/10 Hootin & Howling - 7.5/10 All The King's Men - 8/10 When I'm Sleepy... - 7.5/10 We Still Got The Taste Dancin' On Our Tongues - 8/10 Two Dancers(i) - 8/10 Two Dancers(ii) - 7/10 This Is Our Lot - 8/10 Underbelly - 8/10 Empty Nest - 7/10 Through The Iron Gate - 7.5/10 TOTAL - 84.5/110

I would have liked this WAY more without the falsetto singing. I did liked it on the whole; the beats were great and the non-falsetto singer had a great voice, but Hayden Thorpe's voice really started to aggravate me after awhile. Probably more of a 3.5 or 3.75.

Terrible. Dislike the lyrics, melodies, instrumentation, and the voices of the vocalists. No redeeming qualities at all.

terrible so far. don't know if i'm going to finish this one. Did not like

Some of it was okay but mostly meh.

Not really my jam.

Partly heard before (I think?) Saved 2/10 Top track: All the King's Men

This was fine listening, but I didn't really love it or connect with it much, even being a genre I usually enjoy.

Well, that didn't do anything for me...

Not as dreadful as I first thought. I didn't enjoy the falsetto and the style's not particularly my thing. I wouldn't choose to listen again but I'm not mad.

Uniquely bonkers! Wildly inventive musically and lyrically! YES! YES! YES!

I enjoy the instruments and overall sound, but not a fan of the upper register of the vocals. Points for trying something different though! High 2

At the beginning, I was afraid this was gonna be the bad kind of indie rock: effete, kind of muscleless and too basic. Something easily slottable in a Spotify playlist and promptly forgotten. Thankfully, Wild Beasts' lead vocalist quickly assuaged these worries, as his operatic vocals underpin the songs and give it something to bounce off to. Surprisingly never a dull moment. Light 4

Strange haunting vocals but forgettable music.

Sounds were great, but I could not get into the vocals.

- Well the title certainly fits the vibe of the album - I love the instrumentals but I don't like the vocals really at all - Got more into it as it went along tbh - Two Dancers (i) and All The King's Men are my favorites

- I don’t have many thoughts about this one - just meh

Though the entire album sits on the darker side of the human experience, the diversity of sound is spot on. Hayden Thorpe's voice is absolutely gorgeous with a range and style that rivals Klaus Nomi. The lyrics themselves appear to be mostly non-sensical, but once I started to settle into the album I realized that the lyrics don't paint an exact picture, but an abstract. It doesn't tell a story but evokes the feelings of a moment, of a slice of life, of a tragedy undefined. I thoroughly enjoyed this album.

UK indie shit, not good

Second Listen Wild Beasts are an Indie Rock band from England. 2009 Singles: All the King's Men, Hooting & Howling, We Still Got the Taste Dancin' on Our Tongues Enjoyable, but more on the average side.... 3/5

This one was very weird and different The vocals is either the SpongeBob "dancing in the sunlight" or sort of normal and that will randomly switch for no reason

Unique instrumentals, odd vocals.

Ugh! No.

Decent music. The singer has a grating voice. The lyrics are bizarre at best, and stalkerly at worst. While I find the music interesting, the content will keep me away from this group’s work.

I really liked the production of this album but honestly the breathy vocals kept me from enjoying this album for the most part. It had a nice late 2000s, early 2010s indie vibe but deerhunter did it much better (even though I don't really think that album deserves a 5 anymore)

Nope.

Chill and progressive like Myslowitz

Pretty good. Reminds me of Radiohead but somehow even more etherial.

Very chill, ethereal, a very pleasant listen but can't imagine going back to it

Not an enjoyable experience. High pitch shrieking vocals over very repetitive, camp, bad pop "rock".

This seems to have alot of hate, all the most recent reviews are 1 and 2's. It's finnne if not totally bland, I can get why people hate it because it never really does much but its no where near as offensive as some of the other things on this list.

Why did I miss this album, even whole band? Beautiful voice and dreamy atmosphere. Played this one 10 times in a row! Music gives me same shivers like Billy Mackenzie/the Associates and (Anohni ) Anthony & Johnsons.

I really enjoyed this album for the first minute and 29 seconds. Then the vocals came in. I’ve said before that I don’t mind bad vocals, as long as they fit the music. What I dislike are pretentious vocals, and there’s something really pretentious about most of the vocals on this record. I don’t mind the other guy with the lower range, he sounds a bit like Guy Garvey or the Bon Hiver guy. But the main singers inflection just seems so put on. There are points, two that particularly stick out, where he puts a bit more grit in his voice and it sounds fantastic, very early hard rock. On the other hand, I did find myself kinda getting into it later on. It wasn’t a hard album to listen to. I may come back to it at some point, see if my opinion of the vocals has changed. Rated two and a half but rounded down to 2

For the most part I like this Indi/Alt pop genre whatever it is and I'm guessing back in 2010 it was a lot less common and over done as it is today. I enjoyed the composition of this album and musically I'd say its pretty good outside the falsetto singer who I found kind of annoying. I normally dont mind high pitch singers some of my favorite bands are Rush, Coheed and Cambria and Circa Survive however here it feels like they did their best to ruin an otherwise solid album. Not much else to really say here. This genre has been beat to death and there are a million other bands today that make this exact same type of music. It's a 3.5 for me because the falsetto singer but I guess I'll round it up to a 4. It does a lot right but not enough to rise above other groups they share this genre with. Probably won't be returning to this one.

Landfill indie, but from the poorer and later end of the spectrum. Not very good, but not actively offensively terrible. Lacks any real emotion or artistic merit, but still orders of magnitude better than nico, abba, or morisey. Two dancers, two stars!

I can appreciate the soundscapes the band creates with the guitar effects, drum loops and bass lines, though none of the songs really stick.

3.6 - To me, Grizzly Band already cornered this sound on their 2006 debut "Yellow House" - this indie-dream, queer-fronted, falsetto-forward, intricate-guitar-picking, dressed-up-arty sound...But unlike GB, this one leans much more heavily in the profane, which sets it apart. I like the echo-y bells on "Underbelly", as well as the bouncy pop of "All the King's Men."

What the actual fuck is this garbage. The lead singer sounds like an Oompa Loompa who wanted to cut a record deal. That or a Tiny Tim (of Tip Toe Thru' The Tulips With Me fame) impersonator. That irritatingly high voice coupled with computer generated beats and musical backing that lacks substance, and you're left with this dumpster fire of a band. Add to that a stupid fucking band name, and an even shittier album cover, and you get the monumental disappointment of a listening day I had today. Why the fuck was this even created? And more than that, what brain trauma victim thought it belonged on a list of 1001 essential albums?!? 1001 steaming piles of garbage maybe. I couldn't maintain focus when attempting to listen to this forgettable trash heap, and it even sucked as background music. The album summary should tell you all you need to know about this record. 50,000 copies sold in the UK in the 14 years that it has been out. Could that be because this is horrible?!? Absolutely no redeeming qualities to any of this horseshit. Fuck this band. Favourite songs: All the King's Men... I guess Least favourite songs: When I'm Sleepy..., Hooting & Howling...and the rest of this garbage. I zoned out... 1/5

Pretty good and consistent baroque pop record borrowing from 80s synth-pop, contemporaries like Arcade Fire or Grizzly Bear, and post-punk revival (with the repetition, industrial effects, and groove). His voice is pleasant and dreamy with quite a range that does remind me of Kate Bush, an influence he cites. First side is very strong, although they do blend a bit. They all have their high moments, with "When I'm Sleepy" serving as a necessary break between momentous tracks. Our first three tracks are the catchiest and strongest, could be indie rock anthems. "We Still Got the Taste" has a lot of well-executed ideas, showing the extent of his voice and some powerful beats and overlayed synths. The middle tracks "Two Dancers" is the most emotional, something I found lacking in later tracks. It's a well-executed idea with an anxiety-inducing background effect, nicely transitioning to the reprise. I just found the instrumental to be a bit generic "indie rock" in the first part. The reprise started nicely, but the vocals are drums sorta ruined it. I felt like it could have been a nice (and shorter) peaceful instrumental. Lack four tracks felt like unfinished ideas. It's all decent, some of it good, but leaves much to be desired, especially compared to the first half. "This is Our Lot" sounds like Interpol with ghastly vocals, and the build up was satisfying, but took too long to get there. "Underbelly" tries to be experimental, with an industrial first half and a jangly second half that reminds me of 70s ambience, but it doesn't go anywhere, the transition is sudden, it doesn't fit in with the rest of the album, and it just sounds like they're messing around. They try to pick it up with "Empty Nest", which has a cool sound, but sounds like it's trying to imitate the success of the first half but with less energy. If it was crafted slightly differently, I could see it being as a fitting closer. "Through the Iron Gate" is our eery finale. Again, some cool ideas, but it goes too long without going many places.

I've never heard of Wild Beasts before. This album is complex for me to rate. The music kept me engaged for the whole album, but I wasn't sure how I felt about the vocals. The music has alternative and indie vibes, but the female vocalist almost has operatic leanings. Even the male vocalist has me feeling ambivalent. The music was engaging, and I would be interested in hearing more from the band. I didn't just put up with this recording. I liked so much of it even if I don't know what to do with the vocals. Rounding up to 4 stars.

I remember enjoying it at the time of its release, but it has been a long time since I've listened to this album. Album starts with a really fantastically mixed The Fun Powder Plot. Very bright with tons of separation between each of the individual components. Kind of gives it an almost tropical vibe. I've been working with this in the background, but have been enjoying the production quality and several of the songs a lot. This Is Our Lot stands out as one of particular quality. Almost sounds like a TV On The Radio song meets Hercules and Love Affair. Underbelly into Empty Nest is a cruel tease on transition. Not sure why they did that on such an otherwise clean sounding album. I've heard it twice now and both times thought that my bluetooth disconnected. All around this is a firm 4. I enjoyed listening to this twice through and while not many individual tracks stand out, it listens well as an end to end album.

I really thought the intro to the first song was awesome and this album was going to go place, then the singer started singing. Not a fan of the voice. The singers voice gets more tolerable over the course of the album, but the songs all feel very similar. Feels like some pretty standard indie music. I like the pluckiness of the guitar. Overall there were a couple bright spots in this album, and very few lows, but most of it was average or so. This album is pretty solidly in the 3 category.

Very solid album all the way through which I enjoyed listening to. Nothing really stood out in particular except for the different singers voices were very unique and were the focl points of the album. Through the Iron Gate at the end was probably my favorite with the nice little guitar riff that they kept repeating. Would probably need to listen to the album again to get a good appreciation for it, but thorugh first listen it was solid.

Really like the sound of this album a couple songs in. Lots of sounds happening that all work well together. The dudes voice kinda sounds like a mixture of Kate Bush and Wavey Davey. Nevermind the voice changes. These guys have a pretty unique sound. Will definitely come back and listen to them more. Sucks they broke up but c’est la vie

Great easy listen for Monday drive in....

det här får ändå bli en fyra, om än något svag sådan. det låter rätt likt arcade fire/boxer rebellion men med en ganska gnällig sång emellanåt. Sångaren låter lite som alphaville sångaren eller nåt annat generiskt synthprojekt från 80/90-talet

The instrumentation was very well done but I did not enjoy the vocals on most tracks. Overall, not really my thing.

I loved this. I've heard many vocalists attempt to pull off the vocal ranges and operatic falsettos performed on this album, but something about how Wild Beasts put it together totally works for me. Kind of reminds me a bit of Agent Fresco at times. Super into it, totally adding this to the list of "must return to" albums!

This was quite good! I enjoyed it and never heard of them before. 3.75/5

Pretty decent, the kind of indie rock that almost swings. I prefer my music with more of an edge, but this is the kind of coffee shop background noise that I can appreciate it. C+

Just not for me. His voice grates.

I absolutely love the music of this. It's so good! The album is completely let down by the bizarre vocal delivery, though. It seems to be a register too high for the singer and at times is reminiscent of the noise Greg Davies makes when introducing Little Alex Horne. Such an odd choice. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: We Still Got the Taste Dancin' on Our Tongues Date listened: 03/09/23

Well, it definitely seems like a grower. At first listen, I don't really hate it nor really like it either. Will have to listen to it a couple more times.

Could not finish the album.

Fun album, I would have loved this 10-15 years ago.

Reminiscent of U2

I basically forgot I listened to this as I listened

Pretty boring, drab "indie" music. Incredibly annoying singer.

5/5 music, 1/5 vocals

Without looking, I'm going to assume the vocals are a big problem for everyone. After a few tracks, I personally got used to them, and at certain points even liked them; however, I think the main attraction here is the gorgeous guitar work. It sounds like Johnny Marr is a big influence: something not flashy, just adding to the ambience while being quietly brilliant. The instrumentation throughout really brings a lot, it's lush, it's orchestral, it's very pretty. Favorite tracks: "We Still Got The Taste Dancin' On Our Tongues", "Two Dancers (i/ii)"

WTF

Not really something I enjoyed, I couldn't even get through the whole album. The music itself isn't that bad, unremarkable at times, with some fancy, baroque-like melodies, but what brings it down is the vocal. Hard to get through the song, if vocalist is exposed like that, firmly standing in the first row. I will just calmly forget about this band.

Honestly this had a lot of potential for me. I really liked the first song until the voice which kind of ruined a little but not totally. I would be open to hearing more but it was on and off.

Love the music. Diverse in terms of instrumentation focus, good variety in moods, this could bear repeating.... BUT. EXCEPT! Once again, I'm having considerable trouble with the vocals. I'm being kind. More-than-considerable. They're awful. I don't know - maybe I just don't like singing much or at all and it's time to admit it to myself? I realize the biggest reason I don't like most of modern pop music isn't actually the over-production and perfection-to-boredom aspect of the repetitive 3-4 chords, but it's the ~90% focus on vocals for every artist. That doesn't or wouldn't seem to apply here as this music is very much not-poppy, but my terrible point is that I suppose I hear vocals as an instrument not to be placed up front and on top of everything but as an at-most 20% engagement with the rest of the music. Which doesn't entirely apply to this (again) as the mix isn't really the issue here - it's the actual singer/s (I looked. there are 2. I don't like either of them) and vocals themselves. They're terrible and distract me to the point where I don't like the song. Songs. Falsetto howling, low moaning, god it's like a bad opera or musical. It's frustrating OKAY!??!? leave me alone. fk. I don't know... 4.5 on the music, absolute 1 on the vocals ... eh I was gonna compromise (or be generous) and give it a 3 but thought about it during the last song and realized I'll probably never listen to this again which means 2. Make me an instrumental version, someone. 5/10 2 stars.

Just boring. Not awful, mind, but I that is the most positive thing I can say about it.

Wake me up when something interesting happens, like I get a coupon book in the mailbox or a re-run of the Sopranos comes on.

The instrumentation was good, even quite good in parts but the falsetto vocals were just a little too weird for me to vibe with.

Sufficiently weird enough for me to like and everything about this album I like except one thing... that terrible sound coming out of someone's throat. Some people may call it a voice or it could be a hoarse tea kettle stuffed with helium and working a Swedish penis massager. Whatever it is, it totally kills anything this album had going for it. Supremely disappointed.

Another example of the difference between what Dimery picked for the list from 2009 and what I would have included. There's some decent indie-pop here, but it's marred by the kind of vocals that ruined much of 80s British post-punk for me. So of course it made the 1001.

I like the music. No surprise. I dislike Hayden Thorpe’s vocals. Too much whiny sounding falsetto. Tom Fleming’s vocals are serviceable.

Inoffensive indie music. A pleasant listen

Doo doo indie

I feel like if I was forced onto a desert island with only this album as entertainment, I would start to like it significantly more or significantly less.

Two Dancers is the second album by British indie rock band Wild Beasts. It is certified silver in the UK and remains their best-selling album. This indie rock / dream pop album was well received by critics and was a great second project by the band. I liked the vibe from this album and enjoyed listening to it during my workday. I recommend this to anyone that likes indie rock or that similar type of mood that chilled-out indie rock gives me. IYKYK

Didn't know what to expect but surprisingly liked it. Real good indie

Un álbum sumamente olvidable y poco rescatable del catálogo de los 1001 álbumes que debes escuchar antes de morir. No hay ninguna pista que destaque sobre la otra, y en general, se siente demasiado como un producto de su época. Pretencioso sin lograr nada trascendente, Wild Beasts no lograron nada que otras no hubieran hecho décadas antes.

Album #: 213 first impressions: The guitars, percussion, and production are very in line w the indie sleaze of the time, but going for a (much) more polished presentation? Its like Bloc Party x Shiny Toy Guns with ANOHNI singing. after listening through: I don't think I understand why this album is on the list. It was interesting, I guess? post-reading reviews/wiki: Love that the wiki refers to how British indie is more buttoned up. This really does feel that way, other than the absurd lyrics and the dramatic vocals. I never know what "art rock" is, but I suppose other people labeling it as such makes that sound like a fitting genre. recommended for: shopping at urban outfitters; adding a (single) song to a playlist from this era. Not sure which one though.

Best Song: This Is Our Lot. I really liked the slick bassline in the background.. Worst Song: Underbelly. It was kind of pleasant, but then it stopped so abruptly to drop into a heavy kick of the following song that it lost all its groove retroactively. Overall: I mean, it's alright. I can imagine putting it on as chill background music while cooking, but that's about it.

Zeitgeisty to a fault, and (to flatter myself) part of a busy crowd of releases in a similar vein. The softer approach to dance music goes around a few curves, ethereality never interrupted. Tickles nicely.

This is musical mogadon. An album you listen to So you die. When I think of post 2000 albums that are great and this comes up. Awful. I might have to do my own list

It's well produced. Alternative and non standard.A bit haunting and soundtrack like. Atmospheric. Polished. Experimental clanging and lyrical with a good little drum kit. Warbling lyricist who does all kinds of things. Creatively courageous because it isn't going to be a commercial hit and would be hard to give radio play, or tour with.... I didn't bother reading why it's important or who's side project this was. Good but not a bringer of particular joy. Does It deserve to be on 1001 list? Hard to see why... There is a lot of very interesting instrumental stuff that never sees the light of day. Why this one? How much did I love it...? 3-4. I could listen again.

In the classic Australian indie movie Dogs in Space there's a hippy guy who lives in the house and he's always scoring with the opposite sex and one of his weapons of mass dysfunction is to play the same Brian Eno album, it might be the album Cluster and Eno. I'm not a big fan of Eno, so my badly damaged sub conscious was in effect screaming at me to take this shit off. I think they have three singers all of whom are equally shithouse. One of them sounds like Kate Bush getting an enema. And the "music"? Spare me. Maybe there is some form of an afterlife and I'm in it now. DJ Dante is in the house at the Level 7 Disco Inferno and he's playing this "music" on a perpetual loop to those of us stuck forever in purgatory.

I probably got up on the wrong side of the bed. Nothing here got me hooting & howling. I found this a bit on the pedestrian side. Reasonable background music.

Irrelevant and pretentious wallpaper. Was 2009 such a crap year for new music that critics had nothing else to praise but this tepid blancmange? According to Wikipedia,this is Wild Beasts best selling album, having shifted a grand total of 55,000 copies in ten years. Clearly, the punters know what the critics don't understand. Which is that this is dull and unimportant and no fun. You can happily go to the grave without having heard this.

Very neutral, enjoyable background music. Works great while you’re doing something else

Never heard of this band before, maybe i need to get more acquinted. Vocals are annoyingly high pitched for my taste at times, the songs sung by a lower voice were better. All in all a better-than-average album, i especially enjoy the drums and guitars at times. I'm a sucker for math-music.

Didn't notice it had finished for quite some time so i guess i blocked the whole thing out

Liked the music disliked the vocals

Who ordered the uninspiring indie again

At times this sounds a bit like Glass Animals, which is when it’s at its best.

One of the acceptable types of 21 century music...

Oddly weird

I’d still take this over System of a Down any day of the week. Vocals reminded me a bit of Jónsi or even Bono in a few spots.

It's trying to sound like other bands but is failing massive. This album is just very boring, not much is being said in the lyrics. Just a dead album in general.

It's interesting, but I'm not a big fan of the vocal style. 3 stars.

actually such a mood

Yeah, this album is fine. Didn't really do anything magical for me, but sounds like its time period.

I don't even know when this album ended. The songs seem well written. It's a bit odd though. A bit ethereal. Maybe influenced Bon Iver a bit? Not really my bag. Kind of toes the line on experimental.

deurmelivre, gostei não.

Kind of ok here an there, but overall not hat special

I’ve listened to a lot of indie and art pop for whatever reason during my time here and this track continues that trend in an interesting way. Two Dancers is fairly novel for its combination of indie rock and art pop, with art pop induced guitars, vocals and melodies, whilst also having indie based production and drums. Sometimes the record feels more indie, which is objectively the lower points of the record, and sometimes the vocals go in a more lounge jazz direction which is mid in all honesty, but the arty-indie rock of this record remains true for the most part. There are also some inflections of dream pop in the mix which I’m always a fan of, but it shows up too scarcely in my opinion. Something that also shows up too scarcely (even more so in my opinion) is the inflections of world music, which did add a bit of flair. To summarize, this album is pretty good and has a novel combination of art pop and indie rock. The high pitched vocals add some flair, but when it deviates it sort of loses me. The dream pop and world influences are nice but are far too scarce. While I did like the record, I feel as though there are too many things holding it back to give too high of a score. Still, a 7/10 is fair for this record.

I am super intrigued by the cover art. And the titles of the tracks. Opens really strong. Oh wait, is that supposed to be singing? The vibe is cool but the vocals do not, shall we say, enhance my enjoyment of the music. And the lyrics are genuinely 'naners. The songs feel like the music came first, lovingly crafted. Then poetry from a madman was found hidden in the walls or something. We're getting the first attempt of two people who can almost sing trying to wing singing these words they are seeing for the first time to match the music playing in the next room that they can't all the way hear. I also suspect they are trying to make each other laugh. It's almost cool but shoots wide. Cool adjacent. 2.5 rounding up for uniqueness. I'm OK with it on this list.

The hardest part about rating albums is when an album is undeniably well-made, but for whatever reason doesn’t resonate with me. Often when i don’t like music that I can still recognize as good, I’ll go back to it periodically and eventually something clicks for me. Here, I only have one day to listen and rate it. The music reminds me of XX, the vocals are very different. I don’t love the high-pitched vocal parts, but I do think without them this album would be too bland; the vocals at least add a different element to it. I can see how polarizing the high-pitched part is to listeners, and I can’t figure out if I like it or absolutely hate it.

Dull

Não para de aparecer discos indies. Não incomoda, mas é passar o tempo sem graça.

I had to listen to this album a few times to get a good feel for it, but it was certainly worth it! Distinctly quirky but also pulsating and driving, a fantastic find!

Music sort of fine but the vocals annoy throughout. Sounds like a bunch of lads trying to be a bit indie different.

Seriously, WTF did I just listen to?

Bizarre but kind of interesting

It’s ok and sounds a lot like everything else in the genre

This was OK.

I just couldn't get into it. I think I'm sick though.

Nope. Just nope. Nada. Nope.

Just ok. I don't really love the falsetto singing. My favorite parts were when they were singing in their chest voices.

weirdly reminds me of a lo-fi Talking Heads/David Byrne recording.

The falsetto gets cringey at some points but the music is not bad

Horrid... Nightmare joutuu JUST tän kuulosta indietä vetämänä... Paskaa Paskaa Paskaa..

For the most part I enjoyed this. I was initially off put by the singer’s falsetto but got over it

Most songs were adequate.

I did like All the King's Men. Seems like I just didn't like hooting and howling and when I'm sleeping. The rest I didn't mind on the second playthrough. The singers voice is kind of annoying. But at times, the band reminded me of Arcade Fire. This is a booty call; my boot up your arse hole. This is a Freudian slip; my slipper in your bits.

Never heard of this. I enjoyed it overall. There was quite a few groovy bridges/transitions between the parts of the songs that were really exciting and kept me interested. It felt like a bit of a musical experimentation as it was a touch avant-garde with the instrumentation, production, and especially the vocals.

There's some good music here overall - but the vocalist is a bit abrasive to me.

Yeahhhh, I don’t know. The vocals take centre stage in this one, for better or for worse. It was more worse, for me than better though. Opera-like singing at moments left me feeling queazy 🤢 Some of the lyrics seemed forced (Underbelly). Decent riffs and rhythms. And overall ‘meh’.

Not bad, not great

The songs are actually pretty interesting on this album, but unfortunately the off-putting singing ruins the effect quite a lot.

incredible lyrics, will definitely be relistening

Absolutely love the way this progresses as the album goes on - from ethereal and flowing to a much more driving sound. enchanting throughout. Best tracks: all the kings men, empty nest, through the iron gate

Another new one for me. Enjoyed this, some great guitar and bass work. Will listen to again.

Didn't stand out to me, not bad though

Forgotten gem

Wild Beasts is always a good time

Not as good as I thought it would be, but too moany for me. 2.5

listened to again just as boring as the first time i heard it

It was musically ok but the vocals are so inconsistent from track to track.

I like their music but the singing kind of gets in the way. I don't know. Maybe I could get used to it but on first listening it bothers me.

Pas vraiment marquer par cette album, je sais pas l’annee mais j’ai limpression quils ont ecoute du radiohead et du coldplay et ont essaye de faire quelque chose dans le illieu. 3

the sound of this is what i imagine the taste of dish water to be. actually i take that back, drinking dishwater would probably be quite memorable so this is probably more akin to drinking tepid water that was left in a bottle in the car for a week.

Ergh. This late 00s indie phase was not the best. I remember seeing these at Coachella in 2012 and mostly shrugging. I find it quite annoying really.

I don't like this record. The music is too monotonous for me and the singing is annoying, but it sounds completely intentional. I'm convinced they tried to sound like this and succeeded. Favorite song: All The King's Men.

The Wild Beasts were, together with These New Puritans, one of the most interesting bands in the UK from the last 15 years. Bought every album when it was released (except for their last one). It is not immediately clear to me which one to choose for a 1001 list, but Two Dancers is an appropriate choice given its impact in 2009-10. One could argue that due to the vocals of one of the two singers and synths they sound a little bit too much like The Associates and that band is of a completely different level, but still.. the songs and production.. it is all great. Art rock how art rock should sound: 9/10.

Did not like this at all. The crazy vocal style was a major factor, of course, but also the songs overall felt rather pretentious to me.

It doesn't always work for me - I'm not too fond of the screaming here and there - but the more downplayed songs like Two Dancers are definitely worth listening.

surprisingly good indie rock

Really thought I'd hate this, my only memory of the band is Alexis Petridis regularly taking the piss out of them. But I don't. The book misses another good chance to include St Vincent, but again 2009 wasn't that good a year it seems. This is alright though, I don't find the voice annoying, unlike some stuff like Future Islands( which can piss off into the sun), I like the backing, post-punky guitars lightly speckled throughout a dreamy rhythm section together with gentle keyboards. It's a good relaxing listen without being boring. I guess on another day I'd dislike it but today I liked it.

Not my kind of music.

Ik vond dit wel tof en volgens Arie is dit niet eens hun beste plaat! Tussen 3 en 4 sterren in.

Ik vond dit een beetje saai

Fijne plaat! Ik kende een ander album van deze band en ook deze stelt niet teleur!

I don't like this very much but it's okay but I'm just not really into it

Maaaan get outta here, this sucked lol. This one was not for me. This guy thing singing higher makes it better? Negative ghost rider. What a drag

Chill instrumentals. Not a great overall listen with vocals.

Rock indie

massa o som, diferenciado, só nao curti muito o vocal falsetinho ruim

Whimsical and different

All the Kings Men is a good tune, but this isn't an album you need to hear before you die.

Production is pretty interesting throughout, but I am not living for these vocals and a lot of the tunes are kinda aimless.

Écouté un peu en accéléré, manque d'un truc qui pète

⭐ This Is Our Lot

Wow. Never have I heard music that started so good be so thoroughly ruined by a terrible singer. Unlistenable.

First time listening to this album - didn't love the falsetto, thought it was overused.

Surprised to find what I considered fairly obscure on this list. It’s a wonderful album that I have a huge amount of love for.

Lousy vocals on great music.

Horrific falsetto ruins decent melodies

ok

If the singer didn’t sing it wouldn’t be as bad. Maybe it wouldn’t be good, but maybe somewhat listenable. Rough.

Absolute drivel.

This was great!

When Kate Bush sings like Kate Bush it's cool and original, when this dude does it, it's super annoying. When he isn't doing that this isn't bad, it's kind of spacey and interesting but he kind of does it a lot.

File under “where did they dig that one out of” (apparently, this website does a lot of digging!). Also, what an annoying voice (sorry!).

Great discovery, I never heard of this album before this list. This post-punk revival sound can often feel boring or repetitive, but on this album it works, mostly because of great instrumentation touches and genre blends. Not a big fan of the vocals on this one though. 7,8/10

If this isn't satire, it is painfully "arty" and pretentious. Like Yoko Ono levels of self-indulgence. The only reason why it is not 1 star is that the instrumentation is pretty good; too bad about the vocals.

A wholly unremarkable album in every possible way. In fact, the only thing that is remarkable about this album is that it is on this list.

Very variable voice singing. Very interesting sound. Varying instrumentation and therefore also sound. Grabs attention. I like the way the cadences flow. Some songs are also very melodic. A surprising piece indeed. Did not know that before. Rhythms also vary from song to song. So nothing boring, nice to listen to. The first album that brought me to discover more of them. Like "End Come too soon". But honestly Smother is the album that is better than Two Dancers. Thanks for showing me "Wild Beasts".

It's ok. Indie isn't my favourite genre.

Bin nu ned dazu kema...

Having made the mistake of reading the reviews here before listening to anything beyond the first half of the first track, I was kind of expecting this to be utterly awful. It isn't. I mean, it isn't world-changingly amazing, but it's pretty decent-ish experimental music, happily released at a time that the music world had taken a battering of the absolute void that was 2002-2008. The music industry was reeling; they'd evacuated their bowels so completely, with such violence and vigour that it had taken their brains out with it. "Oh noes!" they thought. "Napster and Limewire and torrents and Apple Music are going to ruin us!", wailed the music execs. And they sent their lawyers. Wave after wave of lawyers, all claiming that a teenager putting half a dozen of their favourite songs on limewire meant tens of trillions of "unrealised revenue". Indeed, Limewire was sued in 2012 by the Recording Industry Ass. of America for $72tn. $72tn! The World Bank tells me that the GDP of the entire USA in 2012 was $16.25tn, which just goes to show how ludicrously delusional the music industry had become. The Fear Of Piracy ruined music in the mid-2000s, like some eviscerating beast. Any executive with any record label was more acutely aware of the myriad lawsuits against teenagers and college students than of the talent and aspiration of up-and-coming artists. Declining revenues - which would normally be a bad thing - were ascribed to piracy, and yet the music that they made available was dismal. Colour me a conspiracy theorist, but declining music sales could easily be shown as proof that piracy was ruining them - and it might actually have been in their interest to continue pumping out dismal music and dismal artists. This album doesn't really fit that theme, though. Before being recommended this, I had literally never heard of the album or the artist. So clearly the music industry weren't pushing this down our throats in the way that they were for, say, The White Stripes or The Killers. But this album is better constructed than a The White Stripes or a The Killers album. Whilst there are some clear gurns to the camera telegraphing how new and "innovative" this album is, there's also a clearly constructed method to how the album progresses. And that's quite refreshing. Would I rate it as a must-listen? No, clearly not. But is it as bad as the reviews here make out? Also no.

This was OK background music but it didn't hold my attention

Some real shades of 80s and 90s stuff here. Nice, but nothing especially grabbed me.

Pretty good

Not 100% sure of the vocals, but still like it. Nice surprise.

The Fun Powder Plot- 2 Hooting and Howling- 3 All The King's Men- 1 ... Can't listen to it

I did like some of the songs. Some others were a little boring. Overall not very memorable.

I would have liked this better if the falsetto vocalist didn’t take himself this seriously.

Liked it but after a while I started reminding me of other music that I actually like more than this

Really liked the vibe of this album

I used to be a big fan of the modern British Indie rock. Has elements from that that I really enjoy. The singer kinda ruins it for me with his moany falsetto

It kinda sounds standard indie-pop fare. I dunno, it's not a very different record from other indie records of the same variety at the time.

Surprised I hadn’t heard of these guys.

If Bjork had a back up band, this would be it.

The shtick gets old and this one sags in the middle. “Underbelly” is great and refreshing near the end but not enough to make up for the previous 4 or 5 tunes straight with no perceptible shift in tone.

I bet they liked Sparks.

I can really dig the rhythm section but the vocals were grating to be honest. I’ll give 3 stars for the rhythm section, they sound like 80s Post Punk. 3/5.

Ok: it's from 2009, has a savage name despite looking wimpy... hipstery "dream pop" is my guess. And I've never heard of it before, so it's gonna be another "didn't chart outside the UK" pick from the clown author of this book. aaaand I was VERY close! Seems to be a mix of dream pop and indie. English, barely made a splash even there and totally unheard of outside the UK. Quite toothless, as was expected. You can tell it really wants to be taken seriously as high art, especially in the singing. But fuck that, this is hipster nonsense. Unknown, beige and forgettable, but here they are eh? 2/5.

Een soort huismerk Bowie maar dan een stuk minder kut. Er zijn niet echt nummers die ik er tussenuit pluk om in een playlist te gooien, maar in z'n geheel genomen een hele aardige album-ervaring. Heerlijk om aan te zetten en niet teveel op te letten. Zang is bij sommige nummers wel heel vreemd en tikt de categorie 'kattengejank' met vlagen zeker aan, maar toch is het wel lekker.

Pop diferente, en ocasiones un tanto instrumental. Voces también poco comunes. Tiene un punto que es agradable de escuchar, pero no me llenado especialmente

A bit experimental pop music. I didn't find much memorable about it.

Enjoyable album that maybe needs a few more listens to sync in. My first impression was Hercules and Love Affair lite. I could be wrong

I almost like this but the falsetto singing kills it for me but the smooth jazzy beats sell me

This is an album where I really enjoyed the music much much than I enjoyed the vocals. It's the same reason I can't seem to enjoy Anthony and the Johnsons. The music, especially rhythmically, is really good, but the falsetto voice, in my humble opinion, takes too much away from it, stands too much in the foreground and is starting to annoy quite quickly. The few songs where it doesn't happen are my favourites.

Never heard of wild beasts before. Can’t say I really clicked with this album. Similar to other more recent albums not sure why this is on the list over under albums around the same time.

The music is good but I really disliked the vocals, it really wanted to make me skip. 2 / 5

Heard it once and could not remember anything.... Started it again and to be honest the genre is probably the only good thing I can take away... It is not pop, it is no rock it is something I woild say pretty fresh but the execution is not what I like especially when compared to other artists.... 1.5 because it is OK to listen to... But let's move on....

I’m not sure how some of these albums made the cut.

Trash. Nothing good. Can I give 0??

My cerebral cortex has been properly tickled. A very nice listening experience. Just when I've been getting kind of tired of falling asleep to either "Souvlaki" or "Heaven or Las Vegas" every night! A fine addition to my Sleepyhead playlist.

It's okay. Of it's time, in a Fleet Foxes etc. way.

83/100: I can see how someone might dislike the sound of the lead singer's voice on this album; however, I'm not one of those people. I thought the lead singer's voice was really beautiful throughout this album. It's actually a big reason I liked the album as much as I did. To each their own, I guess. The instrumental tracking on this album creates such a unique vibe, big fan.

Sort of a hodgepodge exploration of the singers admittedly great vocal range but imo a tough listen. Lots of innuendo and cheeky lyrics.

Just about everything I hate about modern indie wrapped up in one package. Sterile, bland, ultimately forgettable navel gazing “rock”. You could put this record in playlist with a dozen other late aughts/2010’s “indie rock” bands and you wouldn’t be be able to differentiate this band from any of the others. That’s because “indie” has gone from being an ethos to a marketable sound. …and that sound is boring as fuck.

Weirdly melancholic

A nice find here, stylish and interesting. One’s not entirely sure how one missed this group in real time. First cut features as elegant and upmarket a “booty call” as one is likely to get. There’s an arty ominousness to the proceedings and lyrics, which keeps one engaged and a bit on edge. Societal decay and personal deterioration seem also danceable, in a modulated, melancholic sort of way. The falsetto is the strongest, and most original effect, and nicely suits the polished-up and sleekly modernized new wave vibe of the playing. Will be looking to hear more.

Maybe I'm too old but I just don't see the appeal of this semi electronic indie folk stuff. It's ok background music but there's no soul, no attitude and very little to hold my attention. With different (better?) vocals there might be something here but I will leave this in the listened and moved on pile. If it's your bag then enjoy it but I just don't see it. A very bored 2 stars.

Serious and well crafted like Radiohead and Elbow, but slightly more immediately palatable. Falsetto can grate after a while, but not at all like Justin The Darkness Hawkins! I can see why Wild Beasts were critically acclaimed but didn't gain wider public acceptance. Useful to be introduced to this now defunct band.

Toffe muziek, maar niet zo speciaal

I am usually a sucker for this sort of indie art rock sound, but man, this just didn't really hit like I wanted it to. The songs almost always started nice but never wanted to develop or change much throughout. Not to mention the singer really straddled the line between unique and annoying.... this was just didn't do it for me I suppose.

Really cool Ethereal and dreamy sounds to me. I'd put this on in a heartbeat.

Something more recent now, eh?

I had heard of this band bit don't think I had listened to them before. I enjoyed some of the songs on it but overall it sort of faded into the background for me. Instrumentally it sounded quite good but the singer's baby voice vocals were a bit grating in places. Not sure if I'd listen again, maybe it would grow on me a bit.

L’ambiance est cool. Le vocal lui est propre et nous sort de l’habituel.

C'est intéressant, mais pas totalement original. J'entends là-dedans du Grizzly Bear, Arcade Fire, The XX et un peu Alt-J dans les percussions. La durée est bonne. Je vais sûrement y revenir.

Beautiful background music but the singing is terrible. The vocals attempt to be overdramatic and powerful, where a subtle, soft voice would've been much more fitting

Sucks.

Indie-pop. Ni fu ni fa.

Mezcla de The National con Anna Calvi.

Never heard of this band before. I really like the instrumentation but the "falsettoness" of the lead singer is making it hard for me to fully get into this band. All "The fun Powder Plot" hooked me right away with the intro but the vocals fell flat to the point that I un-added it from my Spotify songs. All The Kings Men was a good one too. just overall not a singer I want to listen to for a prolonged period of time

The start of the first track had me thinking - "oh no, not another boring indie thing", however it got better. It never reached the level of persuading me that I should listen to more of their work, but it also did not have me wishing that it would end soon. Fairly solid soft rock/indie with vocals that would be better if the singer did not depend so much on his falsetto. They also have little idea about how to structure an album. The first minute of this album will lose tham a lot of listeners.

didnt really feel like anything

it's ok, preferred the songs after "two dancers" pt 1 and 2.

Enjoyed this more then expected, good vibe overall

Not too bad, not too good either. There was just nothing I got really hooked on.

fun! weird! reminds me of that one Antony and the Johnsons albums I have, especially the vocals. probably will not return to this one.

Synth driven art indie art pop that needs a few listens. The high male voices will turn some people off. I kinda like the vibe but there are are no killer tunes on there.

I was skeptical at first, but into it by the end of the album. Enjoyed the lushness of the production and the soulful vocals. Makes me think of Bloc Party.

Almost laughed out loud when the singer started singing for the first time. His warbling sounds like an affected joke. I can't take it seriously. Musically I'm basically on board I guess, but the singer breaks the mood every single time.

Instrumentation sounded okay until the vocals came in and... I definitely am not a fan, not my style at allllll.

Not a fan of the style of music nor the singing style. Indie rock is just not my thing.

I only listened to half of the Album and so far I have not listened to a song I would like to sing or dance along to.

Did not enjoy the sounds

not my cup of tea

Gives me Bowie vibes

favourite song: all the kings men least favourite song: when im sleepy... alright instrumentation, but shockingly poor lyrics and unbearable vocals.

If "Autumn in the North of England" was an album, this would be it. Spooky atmostpheric rock, great vocals.

I don't think this album belongs to the list of 1001 you must hear before you die. It got some Kate Bush-esque songs and is overall art pop/rock but doesn't bring anything interesting. The vocal style is shifting from good to annoying. I could barely make out the words but that is usually not a problem. Very forgettable in my opinion.

Fully unremarkable. It does nothing for me. I doubt I'll even remember it was even on my list in a few weeks time, it just has no resonance.

My biggest pet peeve with Indie music is how it sounds like the singer is singing poorly on purpose. This is no exception. Instrumentals are cool though. Favorite track: Two Dancers (I)

Weird but ok, not a general sit down and listen

Was different than I expected.

Perfect distillation of "the kind of shit that will make the optimal amount of music critics fawn over it"

kinda cool

meh 2/5

Overall pleasant to listen, but it turned into just background music very soon. Instrumentals were very nice, vocals did lag behind a bit but didn't disturb. I liked it but just can't see this as a must listen album.

I can see what they're trying to do here, and I feel like I'd be down with all these elements. But together, it's a miss.

Bloody hell this was hard work. Some thing too strained about its reach for otherness. I’m quite partial to some varieties of vocal noodling but not, it would appear, to Wild Beasts’ approach. Set my teeth on edge. Maybe they’d take that as a compliment?

Des influences de Muse et Radiohead. Bon album en général, passe vite, mais un peu oubliable.

Interesting, but I don't like it.

It was moderately good. Nothing crazy nor anything really bad.

Complex with a good bop. What I hear when I'm still dancing at 3am

I stopped after 2 songs. The singer’s voice was annoying.

Boring

Icky vocals.

Pretty good, would listen again

Disappointing. Sounds a bit like reheated early Suede, but the theatrical (histrionic) vocals get annoying pretty fast and there isn't much going on elsewhere in the music that is very interesting. Nah

Thought this was an interesting indie rock album. The band has a unique use of instruments and vocals. I don’t find it as impressive as some other indie rock artists but they are talented and made some good music that I’d listen to again. 6.1/10

Freaking great music. Freaking horrendous vocals. Look mate, you might think that sliding into every note is a cool stylistic choice but we all know it's just because you can't find the damn note. You're not fooling anyone and the falsetto bit wears very thin very fast. Listening to this album, I was mostly overwhelmed by anger that such good music was getting utterly shat on by such terrible vocals. At the end of the day, as much as I wanted to give this a better score for the band's sake, the vocals are so bad that I just can't give it anything more than a single star. I just hate those damn vocal so much. SO MUCH.

It’s fine, the definition of the word.

OK - similar to their other stuff, but not as funky or immediate. Won't listen again

Some bjorkish stuff with real strong love concept I just didn’t like it

Listened to on 8/16/22 3/5 Favorite song: Hooting & Howling Nothing super memorable - I felt like the pitch was a little out of range but all in all it was good

Unsettling indie album. I could tell it was inventive, but I really didn’t like it.

This album gets lost in the sound of that era, late 2000s to early 2010s. Monotonous and unexciting. Not really sure why this album makes this list – almost as if an editor has some personal, nostalgic connection...

Eh

They came up with a fun concept and implemented it well. Some alternative albums give me the impression that the artist is taking things music a bit too seriously. I don't have this problem with this record (this is, of course, very subjective). Also, love the chill new wave vibes.