Reviews (page 7 of 8)
2 bBumpin but not my cuppa tea
Modern African, not really my cup of tea. Liked about 3 songs on this album.
I didn't like the first song "Bamboo Banga" and it didn't get better until Paper Planes which is the penultimate song. I can't really recommend this album to anyone.
Tf is this
Pretty awful
Overrated artist, good production bland content
2.5, couple of good jams on this but not enough to maintain interest for the entire album.
I can't say I enjoyed most of this album from the way it sounded but I see her style
Didn't grab me at all until Jimmy. Tough to get through some tracks. ** for Jimmy and Paper Planes.
Boy these songs sure are repetitive
nope
I really did think I would like this more... I remember listening to it a bit when it came out, but revisiting it now, I find it irritating. I think it can't decide what it wants to be. Is it it dance music? I think DJ/Uproot does something in the same vein much better. To be fair, I did enjoy seeing M.I.A. live... but can't give bonus points for that, right?
Not something I particularly enjoyed.
Not my style
I like Paper Planes - you know the Clash connection helps...a lot. The rest of the album mostly meh! Jimmy is a good song, 20 dollar with the Pixies lyric also caught my ear. Overall can't see giving more than 2.5 stars
Paper planes was a fun trip back to being student scum but other than that
Paper Planes is the only decent song. Everything else is just very irritating noises and words on repeat. Shame
ok then, that's fine. thanks for that. ok. bye now.
Crazy sounds. It was definitely different which is good but didn't like it
Disappointing. I really only knew Paper Planes going in, and I was hoping the rest of the album would be a worldly electronic vibe. It got worldly and electronic, but vibes were few, Did think the kids rapping was cute though. Not my style but not bad. Enjoyed the clear influence of travel and world sounds on the album
Very percussive and repetitive, very little else going on. It's not just your typical hip hop percussion, but also some exotic samples. I guess that's why it's on the list. Fine. It's just not for me. Favorite song: the turn
Despite sampling the Pixies and the Clash, this didn't click with me. Too much autotune.
Some of the vocals are auto-tuned - that's pretty bad for a rap artist. I get it if you want the special effect that auto-tune can provide - a sort of digital, computerized sound; however, auto-tune is used so consistently throughout the album that it makes you wonder why she just didn't go ahead and take singing/rapping lessons. It's too bad - I like "Paper Planes" and I appreciate the "world music" influence.
Some interesting samples and loops but her voice really irritates me and I couldn’t really properly finish the record. Paper planes Is the best song here by far
I mean, Paper Planes had its moment in the spotlight, but is anything else here really worth listening to? I don't think so. A singular one-hit wonder from the late aughts does not an iconic album make. Sorry, but bitch, you basic. Oh gosh, got into some googling and I see it's also M.I.A.s birthday today. What a horrible old witch I am to give her a bad review on her birthday LOL. Oh well, I said what I said and I listened thoroughly. I think her 15 minutes of fame were up a long time ago and this doesn't make a lasting cultural impression on me. *shrug*
Now, the big track here is bone fide mint but all the other tracks are just weaker tracks of the same style
I like Paper Planes, but outside of that, this is not my bag. I find the story of the album interesting and the use of all types of instruments and rhythms from different cultures really cool, it is a fascinating and well made album, but the droning of many of the tracks made it less enjoyable for me. I think some of the other tracks could have benefited from catchier hooks and attention grabbing sounds like the gun-shot/cash register part of Paper Planes. There were a few samples from Bollywood early on but I found them to be pretty understated and I think amping that up could have helped as well.
Nothing to write home about.
Some interesting fusion music, but she's just an idiot trying to sound deeper than she is.
So outside of "Paper Planes" and "Jimmy", the rest of this album is unlistenable. It's funny, I remember "Paper Planes" coming out and wondered for a little while why MIA wasn't releasing more music or appearing with other artists since then. Having listened to the bullshit on this album I understand why. 3/10.
Only 1.5 songs were good. The rest was absolute trash. Paper Planes carried this whole album.
not great by most standards, paper planes saves this from being a one
MIA is excellent at creating interesting tracks. The music is fresh and includes unique accoutrements. The rap and lyrics are unfortunately boring and the flow is weak. Paper planes is a cool song but doesn’t save this album for me.
It's like if Lorde and Akon had a love child and that love child turned out to be tone deaf. The best part of this album was when my AirPods wouldn't connect for a whole minute and I thought the first song started with a moment of silence. Paper Planes and Jimmy saved this from oblivion.
Mid album, bangers and clangers, meaning the songs are either awesome or possum. I can’t envision the group liking this very much.
Fun! Classic.
Hip-hop being hip-hop. The background tracks are unsually dance/electronica-oriented for the genre, but that can hardly save anything. 1.5/5
lpm había escrito una review buena pero se borró.. la idea era q hay demasiados sonidos y siento que la mina podría parar de cantar en algún momento, ya que muchas veces tapa los instrumentos. No estuvo mal igual. 5/10
Hip-hop feeling, some singing but focused on rhythmic instrumentals
This album sounds effortless. Like less effort…
Kala flirted between stuff I found interesting and stuff I hated. More of the latter than the former, so 2.
Not for me. Sounds a bit quirky, and not much like almost anything we've had on here, but it doesn't do it for me, it's a bit too raw and doesn't have enough to really hook me in the way that Paper Planes does. 2/5.
I really love one track, paper planes, but the rest of the album is a solid meh. And its worth noting that paper planes is mostly a banger because of the Clash sample. Its a little complicated, as I'm a big fan and proponent of anti-establishment music in general, and MIA does a good job of bringing attention to some things that are otherwise ignored. But the trouble is the album is derivative and not that great. 2/5
Thank the Lord for "Paper Planes" as the rest of this is rubbish.
Paper Planes is the only redeeming song on this album. The rest is very weird and loud to the point where it feels more like an art statement than something that’s actually listenable.
Not really my cup of tea. Surprised myself though by actually listening to the whole thing, was expecting to want to turn it off after a few songs when I saw the cover+genres.
Interesting sounds. Paper planes ok. Did not like
Definitely an interesting listen. Not really for me for the most part. Though, paper planes will forever slap. Spotify listening numbers confirmed.
For me this is one of the best progrock albums ever.
Good for what it is, but definitely not for me.
There are some decent repetitive beats in here that are hard not to enjoy but that's not enough. Too synthetic and busy, but I suppose quite unique I'd heard a few songs on the radio on the past, which are catchy enough but would never choose to listen to this. The pixies lyrics in 20 dollar were particularly grating. Would not go back Timberland in "come around"was probably the best bit and that's saying something
Metto due stelle perché in fondo l’album non è interamente da cestinare. Ma le uniche canzoni che si salvano sono Jimmy e Paper Planes (quest’ultima la conoscevo solo perché usata da Neil Cicierega).
Vocals were too nasal and shrill and the songs too repetitive for my taste
Cool beats but repetitive to the point of annoyance.
Too repetitive, did not really enjoy.
Not really my cup of tea tbh.
Uninspiring lyrics, whiny vocals over a generic edm beat. Hussel and come around are catchy songs, but overall pretty amateur album.
Not for me
Crap, that's all!
不喜欢这个专辑，72年出生的音乐爱好者
Songs I liked: Jimmy 20 Dollar World Town XR2 Paper Planes
One hit wonder..
Respect it but not my thing
I wasn't super into it but I appreciated the pop/hip-hop sound combined with Indian influences.
2.5/5 Pretty good. One classic and the rest are fine….
doesn't get a 1 because paper planes is a bop
This album didn't really do much for me. Probably on this list because of the one song that's really popular.
I had to wade through almost an hour of boring indulgence before I got to "Paper Planes," and even that song is basically a cover.
Unique sounds, with what seemed like Bollywood and African influences. It did get a bit tiring. Don't think I would put it on again, but was an interesting listen.
This is a unique sound for sure. And for a short while I can appreciate it. One song, maybe two, then I get annoyed. I can barely understand what is being said, which is probably my fault. Except half the time I can’t tell what language it is. Reading the lyrics it’s English, but it’s difficult to hear. If this sound were one or two tracks in another electronic album, I could dig it as a good change of pace. However, all stacked together it ends up being cacophonous.
Un disco al que le he faltado algo de presencia. Solo algún tema que me ha gustado especialmente. La sensación de que es un disco más del montón. Ritmos bailables, pero sin nada nuevo
I didn't enjoy this album. I found it to be mostly annoying. I found the last 2 tracks to be catchy but that's about it.
Not a big fan of this-too marching band! Kept making me think of that dumb ass Gwen Stefani song w/ b a n a n a s in her dumb ass baby voice. Last 1/2 of the album was more bearable. I actually liked Mango Pickle Down River, Paper Planes makes me think fondly of Pineapple Express & Come Around w/ Timbaland was all right too.
2.5, jedna dobra piosenka, nie mój gust
Brilliant in snippets, something just didn't click for me
Porquería sintética. Hip hop.
Maybe a little bit innovative for '07, but must confess that the beat kind of oversaturated me. I don't know but I was exhausted of it by track 4. I liked her references to Pixies and The Clash in the coolest songs of the record, and also the Iron Maiden typography on the cover; however, in general terms, think that I do not feel as positive to it as I wanted. I tried, but did not happen
The other reviews are correct, the first half of this album is kinda trash. Has a couple of redeeming tracks afterwards.
I like a few songs on this album but find the rest pretty hard to listen to. in some sense it feels like it dates itself badly.
Should be 1, but Paper Planes was a banger in college
Kinda disappointing. Paper planes was okay, but the rest of the album was so bland
Yeah nah. Interesting layering of beats and snippets of other songs, but overall feel is like a toddler playing with the demo features on a Casio keyboard.
There are two, maybe three good tracks on this; 20 Dollar, Paper Planes and Come Around. The rest is bollocks.
This is not really my preferred kind of music but there are some catchy tunes and Paper Planes is a banger
4/10. They talk very Bri'ish loike. I liked XR2, Paper Planes would have been good if I hadn't heard it so many damn times on the radio. But most of the songs I was not a big fan of, and the runtime exaggerated this.
Eh... En ole yhtyeeseen aiemmin tutustunut, mutta muistelen, että tämä M.I.A. olisi jossain kohtaa ollut kovinkin suosittu ja odotettu esiintyjä festareille tms. Tämän levyn perusteella en oikein ymmärrä miksi. Jotain originelliä tässä on yritelty, mutta itse en oikein saanut mitään irti tästä sekoituksesta. Maailmanmusiikkia, räppiä ja rumpukomppi- ja konemusiikkikikkailua.
The only banger on this album is Paper Planes. Every track on this thing was like "jesus, what am i listening to"
Expected to love this but only Paper Planes was good. Banger for a reason. Was I meant to like this? Found it largely quite irritating.
Hittibiisi oli ennestään tuttu ja koko levyn pliisuin biisi samalla. Jos ei tietäisi artistia niin voisi luulla vaikka Yolandi Visserin (kehnoksi) solo-levyksi.
Toka vika, Paper Planes oli hauska ja tuttukin. Ainoa syy miks levy saanu huomioo? Ei mitenkään kuulu tälle listalle.
Aside from Paper Planes, this album was a dud for me.
One great song, not a great album…
the first song is AWFUL. i can see the innovation in the album, like i think its unique and interesting, but its just not really my thing. its super unrelaxing, and most of the songs never really settle into a rhythm. paper planes and that one with timbaland are great songs though. paper planes especially is such a good song but overall the album just isnt my thing
Interesting album. The best song on the album is, of course, Paper Planes. It is one of the best songs of the decade. Other than that, I don't find much of the rest really appeals to me.
The difficulty here was deciding between 1 and 2 stars. Really not my thing.
Not for me
Did not enjoy.
Paper Planes is a great song. I can't stand the vocals in the other tracks though.
Africka hudba, hiphopove rytmicke tanecne
This is a hip hop album with influences ranging from rave music to disco to indie pop. The sounds on this album---a lot of percussion and synths---are abrasive. They seem to say "if you don't get it, if you're not in the in-group, you can f*** off right off." There were some sounds I liked throught: some traditional hand drums, some whiny out-of-tune synths. But overall, it wasn't a pleasant experience for my ears. The single from this album that everyone and their mother knows, paper planes, sticks out like a sore thumb from the rest of the songs. Not that the album was a particularly coherent whole. It might be clear that I didn't enjoy this album. During the first half, it became clear to me that MIA was trying to do something with this album that is alien to my thoughts about the goals of music. I wouldn't have made... any? of the same choices. The songs dont take you anywhere. It's more like each song drops you into a single, small, uncomfortable room, from which you can't escape for about 3 minutes. The beats and vocals are repetitive and often grinding. I ultimately looked up some of the lyrics to gain more insight into what the heck I was listening to. Themes include partying, drugs, crime, violence, poverty, and racism. There is a lot of anger there, which makes sense of the sonic palette. The second half of the album I enjoyed more, armed with this knowledge. Plus, the songs are a bit more pleasant. The album was sort of academically interesting to me, but I have to admit that I kind of hated listening to it. I guess that means it's not for me anyway, so I can just f*** right off.
Most of the album is very afro-beat hip-hop type. Not too much of a fan of this type of music. The notable exception would be the commercial radio friendly Paper Planes, and I would argue that Come Around also fits this, likely in large part due to their producers (Diplo & Timbaland respectively) Best: Paper Planes, Come Around Worst: BirdFlu, Jimmy 2.5 Stars
Sounds like you’re at a laser light show and the small angry dog next to you is trying to whisper in all simple rhymes
Eh, not for me.
Really wanted to like this but I wasn't all that keen. I already knew Paper Planes (which is probably one of the best songs of the 2000s) and Come Around, the rest of the album went over my head. I really like the context of the album and the themes, but didn't have the best listening experience because it's not really my thing. I can appreciate how well produced this album is though.
Interesting, but I don't think that this was made for me. "Paper Planes" was familiar and is the track closest to getting a repeat listen.
I have to go 2, I could justify a 2.5 even. the back half of the album almost saves it and pushes it to a 3 but I just can't vouch for the first half.
creative, but too trippy
Really creative, super energetic and fun. Wins points for being unique. Loses points for being occasionally hard to listen to.
Salsa!
Not for me. Some good bits, but maybe too many ideas? 'Paper Planes' = 🔥 though.
i think i'd like her but this album wasn't the one to convince me of that
Kala by M.I.A? Who the fuck do you think I am? I'll tell you who I am, I'm *checks username* ... I'm Nigel Spackman. I can't be listening to this garbage, son, I have a reputation to uphold. But here we go... Update: I think it's changed by life. I'm weeping into my Quavers here man.
Overrated.
Not bad, but not something I would regularly listen to.
I wonder if "Paper Planes" wasn't such a smash hit, if this album would have been selected. I've enjoyed her music in moderation but, not being a hip hop fan, a full album is too much, as much as I like the diversons into other types of music . More diversions like the song "Jimmy" would be welcome by me.
Meh
I love Paper Planes, but not really enjoying many of the other songs. Not my thing.
Not horrible but none of it lives up to how dope “Paper Planes” is.
Couple bangers, but this definitely isn't up my alley as an entire album.
Really surprised by this album and not in a good way. Was expecting it to be more like paper planes, which was clearly the standout here. Would have given it a one star if not for that song being on it
2, varios temas son directamente irritantes.
Trash
Lil simz without charisma Or good lyrics Or good beats Or fun Just urgh
Using Iron Maiden letters is a crime. Her "music" is an other one.
To put it lightly, I absolutely hated this.
Inascoltabile
Sounds like something small drunk children make up during a birthday party.
Not my favorite genre. Only listened to one song. Very unique though
This album came out when I was 30. This is the first time listening to it almost 20 years later. I definitely feel like an old person listening to a younger generation’s music. What is this hot mess… I do know “Paper Planes” from party montages in movies.
not even paper planes can save this album
Why is this even on here? In what world did I have to hear this? The decision making on this list sometimes just baffles me
WTF was that? I've seen her on some music shows, and she can actually sing. This - was not that!
From the Vault #14 (February 28, 2026) Ten albums. Ten albums left and I will never have to listen to another one of these hip-hop thingamajigs in my life. The road has been long, arduous and dispiriting, but the end is finally in sight. I listened to M.I.A.'s previous album a good while ago. I rolled it on the list around the time I started writing these pre-written reviews. She seems to have been dealt a favourable hand by the listmakers. "Arular" was removed by the curators in the same revision of the book where they added this album. I'm not sure whether they regretted the inclusion of Arular and wanted to replace it with a better incarnation of this music, if they thought M.I.A. was only deserving of one list album and wanted to make sure it was the best nomination possible or if this whole book thing is a tax write-off and they're lazily shifting albums around to justify getting another one out the door. In any case, this appears to be her definitive and enduring release, so I'm curious to know what it sounds like. More of the same. Who would have thunky-wunky? The aesthetics of the third world are nauseating and horrifying to me. Thirdies just don't understand the value of silence and personal space, like the cities in India where the drivers are honking the everloving shit out of their horns for no reason other than to announce their presence, or the times when you're walking through an ethnic neighbourhood and the local storefronts are plastered to the fucking brim with signage and typography. Silence and the ability to be comfortably left alone with your thoughts appears to be something which disproportionately upsets people of low intelligence and I mean, uh, if we take a look at the global IQ distribution. To tie my racist tirade in the Wendy's parking lot back into my review of this album, it's the object of this very disdain I've discussed. These songs are just so fucking busy and obnoxious. The instrumentals buzz, hiss and spit constantly. There isn't a single second of this album where I'm not being aurally assaulted by the worst electronic loops known to man. There's no space to catch my breath and no depth to any of these tracks as a result. The vocals are shit, which I recall from my time spent with Arular. I probably mentioned it somewhere in my previous review, but the British inflection that native-born browns have is the most aggravating thing in the world to me. It just sounds so aggressively air-headed and vacuous. Overall, this was a bleak listen. I've heard "Paper Planes" before. It's a regular on the Strayan airwaves to this day. It's a decent song, but man if I wasn't put through the fucking wringer in reaching this track. The buzzing, blown out electronic tones and whatever the fuck else take a seat and respectfully linger in the background. The vocals are still irritating, but what really helps this track along is the fact that it features purposeful songwriting. There's a good bit of kick in the vocals as a result, and the gunshot samples add a unique bit of percussion to this track. The song lost me as it went along, but it's decent for what it is. Book time. The vocal samples are a product of M.I.A. traveling around the world and recording them herself. Among the other samples are Pixies, The Clash and Tamil/Bollywood movies. A darker album than its predecessor. Not a commercial success, but was met with widespread critical acclaim. Wikipedia says this album was the best-performing electronic album of 2007 in the US. It charted all across Europe and the West and was on the year-end electronic charts for three years in America. "Paper Planes" was a pretty big deal and also charted all across Europe and the West as a single. I don't know what the book's talking about when it mentions a lack of commercial success - this seems to be a home run relative to where other artists in this genre have placed. The album was also warmly received by critics and has received enduring acclaim. I mean, I hated this album, but these are more-than-solid qualifiers for the list. I cosign this inclusion.
Never listened to MIA, even though I’m aware of her existence. Maybe I’ve heard a song or two or her on another track, but wouldn’t be aware of it. Don’t like the first song. Repetitive dance pop. My guess is this is not going to be for me. I was expecting something more musically interesting. It’s a lot of hard beats and her weird rap singing. It gets a little better after the first few songs, but it’s still not for me. So many songs sounds like the one before it. Really not a fan. Music is a funny thing. This is a critical acclaimed album and she’s a well known global artist. Some people love this. I very much dislike it. Although. I did recognize Paper Planes and do think that’s a good song. Just not for me. Going 1. Paper Planes is fun. Wish it all sounded closer to that.
Paper Planes es la única canción que se salva de ser "mediocre" pero aún así se siente que fue una canción diseñada para tener reproducciones y no ser una canción generada por la artista. Todas las otras canciones son extremadamente olvidables y el primer pensamiento que me vino a la cabeza al terminar el album fue que esta lista no tiene criterio alguno, pusieron los álbumes que quisieron sin fundamento alguno.
Whatever man. I know some people really like this, but it's just annoying to me.
Oh man, so relentlessly annoying. The album really takes off with the song Paper Planes but unfortunately you need to go through 11 songs of non-melodic clap trap to get there. I don’t admit to understand the sound and it does absolutely nothing for me. I think it would work dancing at a rave after a few lines of coke while clutching a bottle of poppers. But as Brian Wilson once wrote , that’s not me.
The album is kinda like the life of a paper plane, a fun idea but tough to land.
This is almost embarrassingly bad. It sounds like a teenager who's not very good at singing has just discovered music editing software and is throwing every idea that pops into their head into every track. I admire the self-confidence to publish something like this though
This album is painfully bad. Like it has absolutely no redeeming qualities. I generally try to find something that I like even in music I hate but I can’t find anything good about this at all. It’s basic, poorly recorded, badly sung, no real instruments, boring electronic beats. It’s really bad. A complete waste of 45 minutes. 1/5
It was forgettable, really. Then I read through some of her turn into conspiracy and fascism and I regretted listening to it.
The single off this album, Paper Planes, is a certified banger. Shame the rest of the album is insufferable
Neneh Cherry with more kit.
Yeah no, Hard 1.
The Good: We should always remember those who are MIA The Bad: Music Is Missing… is what MIA stands for… The Ugly: Finding out that Kala means today, tomorrow, machine, doohickey, and a slew of other words. You guessed it, fail on this album. There are moments, though I’ve forgotten about them already, that for an instance you are thinking that things aren’t that bad… for an instance… I don’t know why this album is on the list… which, it seems, has become a more frequent thought that I am having… yet, over 600 albums into this journey, I should know better than to think that Mr D has anything but my sanity in mind. So, for those of you who’ve not listened to Kala before, prepare NOT to be impressed… 1*
I don’t like this. Not one bit. Another album i just can’t finish.
1/5
0.5
Good ukulele brand. Utterly atrocious album.
The opening song was painful, but then I saw a Billion play song and got excited about the prospect of redemption ... but then when the gun shots starting ringing over the illegible lyrics I gave up ... Worst Billion play song ever!
Mostly repetitive beats and noises, which I find difficult to listen to. Nothing here for me to personally enjoy.
I really struggled to get through this. Paper planes is great, but the rest of the album feels undirected and chaotic in a bad way. The book implies this is a masterpiece and I see other people saying it sets the path for a bunch of other music. Maybe it’s not stuff I’m listening to but I just don’t see the impact. Not for me.
Not my cup of tea.
MAGA weirdo
This is horrible. Someone owes me money for the suffering I have endured.
I really wanted to like this album, I actually listened to it twice to see if it would grow as I liked Paper Planes when it came out but I really could get to grips with the repetitive “Electro Dancehall” It is really critically lauded but I couldn’t listen to this album again if I tried. 1.3
Not for me 1/5
Grusomt Skække beats Dårlig synging Lite melodisk Dårlig klang Eksperimentelt
Well. I can’t exactly say this was boring. Experimental album from MIA here. I’m hearing just about every sound from around the world thrown into one bowl creating a sound I can’t say I recall ever hearing before. Unfortunately beyond the cool production there’s absolutely nothing going on for me. It’s such a big & in your face feeling album but I genuinely have no takeaway. This is some shit you turn on while you’re about to trip with your boys in Ibiza. Totally thought the album would be in the same vein as paper planes- I was wrong. I can honestly say I’ll never return to this one.
The only song i could finish was paper planes. Idk what was the rest. Not a good album in my opinion lol
Hatet virkelig denne. Sitter igjen med en følelse av å være pinlig berørt på hennes vegne.
Helt jævlig.
Che cazzo sto a senti
Yawn ... I am actually surprised as much as this guy who made this list loves songs from GTAV, that we didn't get the album with Bad Girls. But knowing this guy's tastes, I am sure that album is coming! On a side note, just another mainstream album with millions of listeners, multiple writers needed for very simple songs, on to the next crap album on this list.
This is not an album I ever want to listen to again. It's simply awful. I find it neither listenable nor danceable. I just hope I don't get "BirdFlu" from listening to it. Why are there people who tell artists like M.I.A., "Hey, that's great!" "Hey, we'll produce that!" "Hey... oh, I don't know what to say anymore." Zero points!
Sorry, bit young for me!!!
Painful!!!
Paper Planes slaps but it’s the only song on this album I like
Paper Planes is the only song worth listening to on this
Paper planes cannot save this album, can’t even get through the first song. It’s all noise to me
Not for me
I would rather listen to the DK rap on repeat for an hour. Catchy, but also shite, 40 minutes that I won't get back. creative, but also shit. Music videos kinda cool though. 5/100.
This sort of music gives me a headache.
Not even music.
Fuck M.I.A. she sucks
Not for me
I hated the last album of hers. I hate this as well - it’s just more of the same primary school skipping songs.
Nope. Absolutely not for me. Rapping I cannot understand plus percussion. Didn’t bother to listen twice. Added “Paper Planes” to the Generator playlist.
huh..
Uh, nope.
Talentless dribble.
My god is she insufferable. I always found her annoying and felt very vindicated when she turned into a tin foil hat wearing rfk/tulsi supporting antivaxxer. One of the most overrated artists of the 21st century.
No thanks
460 albums in. Easily the worst so far. 0 stars.
z albumu znam jedną piosenkę że względu na to że przewijała się już jakiś czas w internecie, i myślę że jest najlepsza ze wszystkich piosenek w albumie. na pewno pierwsze piosenki mi się nie podobały ponieważ były zbyt techno i za mało melodyczne. ostatecznie nie bawiłam się zbyt dobrze, można powiedzieć nawet że byłam dosyć zmęczona tymi piosenkami. daje mu 2/10
Awful!!
кал, который невозможно слушать. его название «kala» полностью описывает альбом
Horrible
Repetitive
Terrible
Other than Paper Planes, no song on this album was that good.
Sounds like a headache
Awful
Bulls....
This suuuucks. Bamboo Banga is one of the worst songs I have ever heard. British rappers sound corny as hell. The same way the words "my lord" said aloud in a film by someone without a British accent sound odd, rap music and British accents just sound off. Without Slumdog Millionaire becoming the hit it did, M.I.A. would just be another weird act with no following in the UK. It doesn't get better with BirdFlu. Oh my god, it's like a challenge to see if she can make each song more annoying than the last. Every song on this album is awful. Nothing screams "serious musician" like having children rap on your album. She just steals lyrics. Where Is My Mind? from the Pixies and some lyrics from Paper Planes. In '92 I was most certainly not listening to this awful, awful album. I think it would be safe to say that in America M.I.A. is a one-hit wonder and she still managed to get two albums in this project. I'm not going to say she alone calls into question the validity of the methodology used to put albums on the list...but she might be Exhibit A. Two albums? There are so few American rap albums on this list already. I like Paper Planes less because this album is so bad. Come Around with Timbaland is the best song on the album.
Weird one for sure. Wasn't really a fan, but i would be interested to hear some of her newer stuff potentially. I like the craziness of it, but it feels like the songs aren't really ones that I would turn on much myself
"This is when "filling a quota" becomes more important than actual talent... one star... at best. this album is a lot... of nothing."
Paper Planes is the only song on here that doesn't sound like incoherent noise. Not my cup of tea at all.
This album is so god damn annoying.. I don't even know how to describe it.. I just hate it. Paper Planes is cool, but not nearly enough to justify bringing this album above 1 star.
I suppose this deserves credit for being creative - smashing together so many genres and styles is brave, but this album is diabolically executed. Paper Planes is obviously the highlight, but it isn't nearly strong enough to carry the rest of this record
I made it 3 songs into this dumpster fire before calling it quits. Repetitive, and a ful. Then switched to just the “highlight” paper planes. I can not freaking do it. This sucks so bad. And 2 disc worth. No thanks 1001 album worthy: no - 108/203
Not my jam, I liked one song, but nothing else clicked.
Oops! I must have chosen “1001 Albums To Never Listen To Before You Die” by mistake. Awful..
This is the third album I was proposed and the third that would not be on my list. I was aware that there would be albums I do not know yet and I was not going to like them all. But I was not prepared for something this bad. Not sure if I should adjust my earlier reviews now. Oh, seems I cannot send with zero stars...
45 minutes of my life that I'll never get back
Never enjoyed M.I.A.’s style, and after learning more about her Anti-Vax stance, support for RFK Jr., and Trump… Fuck this cunt
Day592 - there should be a zero star rating
Helt uforståelig at denne artisten er representert med TO album. 🥸
Skipped through the tracks but nothing connected with me.
"This album is so fucking annoying" - Me....a real thing I said while listening to this album. Specifically "World Town." This isn't good. "Paper Planes" couldn't save this album. Liked Songs: "Paper Planes" and "Come Around"
headache
a lot of African beats. but it's very hard to understand what she's saying. Except on the tracks where it's just very repetitive. which has been most of them. Paper Planes is really the only good song off this album. it's not bad. just not my cup of tea. and too repetitive.
This album wasn't my kind of music at all which surprised me since I like a lot of hip hop. The flow didn't work for me at all in most songs and the random noises made it even worse.
Boy, that was awful. But at least it was repetitive.
"This doesn't even deserve the 1 that I am forced to give it. This was just horribly awful to sit through. I can't understand the acclaim this album has gotten. It's boring. It's repetitive. From the album cover that was obviously put together by a hangry 2 year old, to the rudimentary songs and lyrics, it shows little imagination. Hot. Shit. Garbage."
Gear: HEDD Audio HEDDphone Two Artwork: 🎨👾😎 Production: 👊😎👍 Music: 🙄😵💫😖 Rating: 🗑️(🗑️)/5
Album 841 of 1089 M.I.A. - Kala (2007) Rating : 1.5 / 5 This one just didn’t land for me. It’s not really my style to begin with, but even if it were, I think it would still fall low on the list. I can appreciate the attempt at a global, genre-blending sound, but the execution didn’t hold my interest. Sometimes it felt more like noise than music. Just not for me.
This is the 2nd album to come up from M.I.A in my first 125. I sure hope it's the last. This is practically unlistenable. At least it sounded like she had fun making it. Bring on Napalm Death! 1/5 #125
Kala sounds like a thrown together mess of weak rap skills over shitty beats made on a cheap mixer. Without "Paper Planes," M.I.A. would be missing in action. Disco "Jimmy" was the only other decent track. The artist got waaaay more attention than deserved when this album dropped. Can't say I really enjoyed this...1.28 stars.
Her voice: annoying Her beats: annoying Her music: annoying I hated her first album, this album doesn’t change anything. She might be the most annoying artist that I have gotten on this list. Her voice is like nails digging into my ear canals trying to reach my eardrums. It’s repetitive in the worst way possible. I think to find this music entertaining you might need to have a brain deficiency prerequisite. You might say “ohh but paper planes is a banger”… no, I hated that fucking song when it was popular and thought it was garbage music then too. God fuck this album and fuck M.I.A. and her trash ass music. 1/10
Got two songs in wasn’t feeling it
I couldn’t get it or listen to the whole thing
I know an album that will get on your nerves... I know an album that will get on your nerves... I know an album that will get on your nerves... I know an album that will get on your nerves... I know an album that will get on your nerves... I know an album that will get on your nerves... I know an album that will get on your nerves... I know an album that will get on your nerves... I know an album that will get on your nerves... 1 star
I read about M.I.A. years ago in a newspaper for self-proclaimed young intellectuals. Before that, I was familiar with the abbreviation as the title of rather poor action films. The reviewer described the album as the music of a kindergarten on speed, but was quite enthusiastic. I then listened to an album of it. I remember again, I couldn't understand the enthusiasm. Nothing has changed. 1/5
This is one of those weird albums where I can understand what someone else might like about it, but to me it sounds absolutely unlistenable. Definitely can't listen to this during work - the instrumentation is distracting beyond measure and the voice just makes me angry. Wasn't able to stand more than half of most tracks and gave up trying after the sixth.
I tried to listen but this really puts the shit into... well...shit.
I really tried to give this the benefit of the doubt considering the album as a whole, and trying to suspend judgement after the absolute dross in the first few tracks. But that just carried on throughout. Any plus points for creative/unusual beats and the mixture of different styles cultures etc is lost by the repetitive lyrics that feel like someone is slowly driving a blunt nail through your head. This isn’t one for me. First 1 star review!
Just to be transparent in the first 5 seconds I decided I hated this. Like some kind of blind tribal curse. This music and those like it, I possess a rather specific condition – a self-diagnosed case of unearned musical snobbery. It's a concious delusion, where my limited cultural exposure has convinced me I'm above appreciating anything that doesn't fit my incredibly specific, and uninspired, criteria. Anyway there is my excuse for being an intolerant, old-fashioned insert word. It's a personal failing. Though who's to say my decades of selective listening arent simply more evolved than those "people" that listen to this. Is it my sophisticated filtering mechanism. Higher function or intolerance you decide... And yes I did listen to the WHOLE album. To actually write something about this album. Its like listening to a Haribo advert just less fun as you cant see anything.
This is possibly the most annoying album I've ever had to listen to. I've probably heard worse albums, but not many that were thumped into my head with so much energy and eagerness. To add insult to injury it even includes a mangled Pixies track. 'Paper Planes' started and I suddenly realised how it got on this list. One really great, infectious track that I have liked for a while but never knew where it was from. Sorry though, one decent track does not a decent album make.
Some tracks are really unlistenable and sound like a parrot screaming Paper planes is a classic tho
This was a fairly painful experience. There were things on here that I think I might have enjoyed, but I really don't want to listen to it a second time to confirm. It would be like running back into a burning house just to save a few knickknacks that I'm sure I could find better replacements for on Amazon. Anyway, somewhere in this fiery mess I heard a sample of the Pixies (who are pretty much perfect on their own, though, so this did nothing for me). Oh, and as I barreled through this inferno, I also picked up some Lady Gaga vibes (who wasn't yet on the scene for another couple of years or so); so that's noteworthy, I guess. If this could be run through some magical, noise-cancelling filter, maybe it could be clutched from the jaws of Hell. But as it is in this state, it's unlistenable trash.
Dette er bare møl
This shit gave me a headache. Worst cover of "Roadrunner" ever.
Not for me
Thumbs down
I like Hip Hop and have given other hip hop albums good ratings. But this is painful. I couldn't finish a single song. The beat, the background, everything is just hard to listen to. I'm surprised how much I hated this.
I'm actually surprised. Everyone knows paper planes right? It's just a part of the culture. But no one had heard the rest? Maybe that's just me. But holy shit did I hate this. On paper it sounds perfect. But none of it works for me. The weird double vocals that don't even feel synched up or even playing off each other at all. And why is the whole thing recorded on like 3 tracks? I just feel empty when I hear these beats. Like half of what is supposed to be there just isn't. She turned in her half done homework. It's just awful. Paper planes and the final track with timberland feel like the only listen able tracks here. I'm kinda bummed cause i wanted to like it but I just cannot do that
This is #day255 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… two albums by this artist on the list? You must be fucking kidding me. I find this music to be particularly insignificant. Two and a half songs in, and I was done. It's been a while (actually, a month) since I rated an album a 1, so there you go again. Looking forward to #day256.
Just plain yuck.
Paper Planes was good. The rest was unbearable
Gave up on this after a few songs. It maybe is good for its genre, but it's really not my bag. 1/5
Wow. I could have gone without this. Expecting the album to be slightly better since I remember hearing Paper Planes a lot back in the day, but no. I’d never listen to this again.
I'm convinced the author hasn't actually listened to this album themselves in full, another BS one hit wonder album. That's being said I'm gonna be blasting the most profound lyrics I've ever heard. When it's really hot, we go to the river and swim When we're goin' fishin', we catchin' the bream When the river's high, we jump off the bridge And when we get home, we play some didge' When it's really hot, we go to the river and swim When we're goin' fishin', we catchin' the bream When the river's high, we jump off the bridge And when we get home, we play some didge' 🔥🔥🔥 2/10
super annoying and spontaneously turning one of the songs to a Where Is My Mind cover seals the deal
I didn’t know you could legally package 11 filler tracks around a decent song and call it an album.
This is some of the worst music I've ever heard. Can't even be saved by the excellent alliwannadoisbangbangbangbangkcccchingandtakeyourmoney
I hate this so much.
Don't like the vocal style much. Or any of it really.
I got 2.5 songs in and I just couldn’t do it. This album isn’t for me. Maybe it has some cultural significance or something because I just doesn’t feel like it should be on this list.
Kala – M.I.A. – 1/5 Not really my type—too much drumming, odd rhythms, and layered vocals that didn’t sit well with me. The only song I liked and knew was Paper Planes, which is very famous, but the rest of the album wasn’t an enjoyable listen for me.
This was a pile of self indulgent shite. Paper Planes was the best of a bad bunch.
1.0 - Awful
I didn't like anything about this album. The songs weren't catchy, beats weren't original and listening to the entire album was a chore.
One song of note, and only because it blew up, not even sure why.
Paper planes can’t save this from 1 star. Every other is a skip.
If you play this on aux im getting violent
Whew. What a slog to get through. We start with the one-two helicopter crash that is Bamboo Banga / BirdFlu, a pair of songs so self-assured that they surely don't need any kind of melody, good vocal delivery, or convincing instrumentation – at least, according to M.I.A. In fact, these factors end up being the songs' downfall, because when so much is stripped away, you're left with complex artificial percussion backing an unrefined, childlike vocal and to bland, clichéd lyrics. It turns out M.I.A.'s voice is actually pretty good (see later tracks), but in this first run of songs, she sings/raps in a near monotone which still manages to be harmonically disjoint from the chord progressions. It sounds... well, bad. M.I.A. also chooses to double-track her vocals on most songs, which is by no means a bad choice – countless 60s bands pulled this technique off well – but her clumsy, inconsistent delivery makes the singing sound messy and unprofessional at times. The song Boyz begins to show promise with the Olympic-sounding brass part, but again M.I.A. self-sabotages with the (essentially) one-note melody. Jimmy and Hussel are the first two good tracks. They showcase some fun synth parts and the first appearance of solid singing and melodic work. The only other tracks I'd be willing to listen to again are the mega-hit Paper Planes and the album closer Come Around, both of which have memorable, catchy hooks. The remainder of the album is mostly complete throwaways. The kids of Wilcannia Mob who feature in Mango Pickle Down River just don't sound very good – though props to the low beatboxing that substitutes for a bass synth. Pretty cool. XR2, World Town, and 20 Dollar are three extremely anonymous electronic club-rave songs that don't really get off the ground at all. I'd be interested to hear M.I.A. singing with any kind of effort or passion. It would completely change my view of her music. 1/5 Key tracks: Jimmy, Hussel, Paper Planes
It’s nothing really special and nothing I personally would revisit in full other than one song (Jimmy). It was also quite repetitive which was sad, sorry
First track annoyed the shit out of me. Second track sounds like Nelly Futado having a fight with Mini Mouse. Third track…fuck this I’m gonna have to skip through this, it’s hideous FFS! No it’s not getting any better, Japanese Boney M ?! OK Paper Planes is just about bearable but only for The Clash sample. This is the worst so far by far, horrendous!
Look, I love weird music and I love noise so I appreciate those aspects, but these songs are just annoying. The only song that wasn't annoying was Paper Planes and that's because Straight To Hell (the sample) is my favorite Clash song. I feel bad giving this one a 1 because it's very unique, but on a scale of every album on this list, this is one of my least favorites so far. I see why people would like this, but it is not for me. I had to skip a few songs, because they were giving me a headache. High 1.
Honestly not a great album
fhfhbbb
Listening to these lyrics and remembering that she married a millionaire and her values seemed to change overnight! MIA is a little shit head and this album sucks.
First song was horrible. I tried to stay open minded but the second song is horrible and annoying too. By this point my ears are suffering. 20 Dollar is a cheap knockoff of The Pixie's Where is My Mind. Really wish this list would give me that album instead. Paper Plans is a song I knew already and is okay I guess. But by now I'm questioning the integrity of these songs and lo and behold, it's a ripoff of The Clash's Straight To Hell. The only possibly good thing about this album is not original.
Wie auf dem Bauernhof: Eine Ladung Mist nach der anderen! Gackern, Kreischen und Jammern hat mit Gesang nichts zu tun. Dazu klopft jemand mit einer Stange auf einem Fass herum. Unhörbar!
I skipped every track!
Really, truly bad. The one hit song is nostalgic for me but the rest is quite dull and laborious to get through
Annoying noise. Not for me.
Paper Planes is good. The rest.. not so much. Can't stand it.
Mais isso atingiu altas doses de chatura.
Terrible. Just noise for most of it. I feel justified being like the only person I knew who didn't like Paper Planes back in the day.
A lot of this album sounds like it was made by a child. Occasionally some cool use of samples. '20 Dollar' was catchy. 'Paper Planes' was catchy. I hope I gave it a fair shot; I’m not sure I did. But even the catchy songs are self-important, image-obsessed, and arduously humorlessly political. This album came out a year after Kevin Federline’s similarly funk carioca influenced ‘PopoZão’.
I suppose they do what they do well, just not for me. 1
This didn’t help my hangover. Too much going on. Maybe I need to go and have a lie down in a dark room and give it another listen later.
Drivel..like her last album
This is my 100th album. Thank you for the headache and also recommending me 99 albums before I had to suffer through this one.
shit!
gods have forsaken us
Awful.
I immensely dislike Hip Hop. I don't know if this is good or bad but I just can't get through it as much as I try.
I didn’t drink the M.I.A. Kool Aid in 2007 and I ain’t drinking it now.
I didn't make it very far into this one. I remember Paper Planes being a big single at the time and the rest sounds like what I would expect the rest of the album to sounds like. Not really my thing. Also not really anything special.
Wow that was irritating as hell..
One really good tune (Paper Planes). The rest seemed to have some small degree of undeveloped promise and are well, just annoying after 30 seconds. One star.
That was a lot of work to get to the Paper Planes song. Everything else on this album blurs together into noise soup. Paper Planes is still great.
My two least favorite genres are world and hip hop. And this is hip-hop that samples more world music than anything else. Paper Planes has some parts of it that are sort of listenable (I can see why it's a popular single at least) but this is not for me and I hated most of it.
Hip hop with an African feel. I didn’t like her previous album and I didn’t like this one either. I think it’s just not my style of music. I don’t think it’s bad, I just don’t like it.
Each song is repetitive and unlistenable. I guess you'd have to be in a dance club and on a lot of drugs to like this music. One positive is that each song is unique...but I can't handle this. Paper Planes is ok, but if you like this, listen to the original, Straight To Hell by The Clash. It's so much better.
Never heard anything from her, except Paper Planes, and i wish i never had
I did not enjoy this at all. Even back when this released, I never understood the appeal nor the praise it garnered.
fan vad det här är tråkigt. paperplanes är ju bra men inte tillräckligt bra för att rädda upp den här skiten.
All I wanna do is *bang bang bang* and *cash register sound* and a tell people that their covid vaccine has a 5g chip. Paper planes slaps everything else involved does not
Horrible!!
Oh Jesus. My first association... PAPER PLANES. Turned from a dancefloor favourite to an annoyance. Also, hasn't she turned into a bit of a conspiracy nutjob lately? Anyway, on to the music. Phew. I appreciate the layers expertly laid on top of each other and all sort of making some sense. Nothing here is a coincidence. You can also hear loads of influences. First two that come to my mind have a connection, even - Tom Tom Club and My Life In the Bush of Ghosts. The thing is: So many of the choices made are just so annoying to my ears. High-pitched repetitive samples. Give me a claustrophic feeling of being on some sort of trip without an off button, when I've only had a glass of beer. Which of course means there IS an off button to what I'm experiencing. Jimmy is weirdly annoyingly catchy in a way that might make me want to come back to it in the same way I sometimes need a dose of Gwen Stefani's Watcha Waiting for. But by and large, I never want to listen to this album again.
Genuinely awful
Aside from Paper Planes and maybe 2 other songs, this entire album is garbage. truly annoying noises put over nonsensical lyrics. sounds like "thirteen year old's first time using fruity loops program" and feels even worse.
I couldn't seem to vibe with this, apart from Jimmy and Paper Planes. Otherwise, I found the rhythms and vocal off-putting.
Not sure an album could be much more unlistenable than this. At times the songs would give a hint of being something decent, but then just turn into absolute shit. Paper Planes is OK, the only coherent track on an album of random sounds.
I honestly thought I wad having some sort of fit listening to this. Not good at all I'm not even a fan of paper planes, which is the only one I knew
This is relentless shrill fucking noise. HARD PASS.