Reviews (page 7 of 9)
- actually not bad, it’s like playful rock music - melodies aren’t anything crazy catchy for me though - some of the instrumentals are pretty decent but the songs don’t have progression and the singing is nothing great - stutter was my favorite song but still not good enough to save…
Good tunes!
Als je muzikale ontwikkeling met name in de jaren 90 plaatsvond, is dit natuurlijk een koud kunstje en luistert dit lekker weg, maar zonder die achtergrond had ik dit waarschijnlijk rete saai en slecht gevonden.
Lekker straight up rocken
Heel fijn plaatje. Helemaal grijsgedraaid destijds, en nog altijd word ik er vrolijk van. Dat heerlijke Engelse accent, en die puntige bas- en gitaarlijntjes. En een leuk feitje: De zangers had destijds een relatie met Damon Albarn, die onder het pseudoniem 'Dan Abnormal' op een paar nummers mee pingelt op de piano.
Veel van hetzelfde.
Solid album. If I'm going to listen to Pop punk this is how I like it. Short and to the point with fat basslines. I remember hearing the 'hit song' in the 90's but didn't remember the band name.
This album was fine. Nothing really stood out, but it wasn't terrible either. I think it's just not my genre, but for what it is, it's good.
Liked the album, last song made me chuckle and got one more star out of me.
Middling punk rock fare. I was generally bored, and I’ve heard better, but it wasn’t offensively bad
Decent 90s Alt album
1. line up - 1 2. annie - 1 3. connection - 0 4. car zong - 0 5. zmile - 1 6. hold me nouu - 1 7. zoft - 0 8. indian zong - 0 9. blue - 0 10. all nighter - 1 11. uuaking up - 0 12. 2 - 1 - 0 13. vazeline - 1 14. never here - 1 15. ztutter - 1
I was really excited to give Elastica a try. A 90s Alt/Punk band that I’d never heard of?? Amazing. Turns out I have heard Elastica. Connection is as bad of a 90s radio rock song as you’ll ever find. Half way thru my first listen I was positive I’d be giving it 1 star. But the second side of the album is actually decent. When they simplify and just lean into more of an Alt rock/punk style the album actually has some energy Still Elastica peaks at mediocre 90s Alternative and bottoms out at terrible (Car Song, Indian Song) 5.3/10
This was a decent post-punk album. It wasn’t the best album of its genre I’ve heard and it certainly wasn’t the worst. I found it very forgettable and had to listen to it again to get a better sense of it. I was able to hear the early Britpop sound though the album is much closer to post-punk
I went wanting to love this album. I mean the cover is sick. I liked it. Not great, but not bad. Ended up liking Never Here, S.O.F.T, Annie and connection. It was probably a couple notes off from being a 5.
this is really a tough album to rate because it’s mostly a 2 but there are some glimpses of 3 and even 4 in there. some blondie vibes every now and then get it to the 3 i think
Meh
nice. sounds like every other alt. girl band of the era. good stuff
# 76 : Just another meh album. All to plain and familiar. I can listen to it, but it's not exciting, no hits and nothing stood out. Wouldn't voluntarily go back to it. Hold Me Now
For the most part pretty boring rock music for me. Vaseline was probably most memorable.
Very boring and forgettable
Didn’t really like this much. Feel like a lot of it fell flat and generic.
First album so far that I haven't heard of before although Connection was familiar so it must have gotten air play at some point. Elastica has some Riot Grrrl going on mixed with some Brit Pop (not my jam). It was an okay enough listen but I don't see myself putting this on again. Highlights: Connection Stutter
I think this album is alright, and not too much more than that. Just has that general quick fix rock that makes it so no one song is bad, but no song especially sticks out too hard either. I do get why this is here, though. It starts really strong with the first song and has parts here and there that grabs you again for moments at a time, but overall it's just decent.
almost good but not really
A fast paces rocky album with quick songs that scratch that post punk alt rock itch pretty good.
Really enjoy this one
pretty ok
Punk, or in the moments, psychedelic melodies doesn't go with the soft female voices for me. There were a few parts that got me listening, but overall not really my piece of cake.
Fun album. Very 90s but not in a bad way.
It was fine, but another that i forgot was on, it all just started blending together
some bangers!
I was just thinking about this before, so this was interesting to see. Second listen. This album just has so many songs that I like. It’s too bad they don’t have more albums (I haven’t heard The Menace yet). Favorite song: “S.O.F.T.”
It just had to be one of the more fortuitous happenings in all of British music, a successful occasion when the muse of two of the most prominent Britpop bands decided to pick up a guitar, write songs, form a band and turn everything on its head. Perhaps the textbook example of what Britpop was supposed to be (smart, innovative, forward-thinking, indebted to post-punk), Elastica is an occasionally exhilarating showcase with moments of levity masked in slower approaches in certain compositions. One of the finest highlights of British music in 1995. Favorites: Line Up, Connection, Car Song, S.O.F.T., Indian Song, Blue, All-Nighter, Waking Up, 2:1, See That Animal, Stutter, Never Here.
This album is the soundtrack of my first sexual experiences. 8/10
Sehr starkes Punk/Indie Album, das einfach viel Spaß beim Hören macht. Klare 4
I mean I don’t like this genre but I did reach a state of neutral tolerance with it so I guess that’s good 2.5/5
Paramore before Paramore. I enjoyed a lot of this
Classic Britpop, which I remember from the time, it being everywhere. My ears pricked up at the Stranglers quote from 'Waking Up' - I note that it seems it was the Stranglers' publisher who sued rather than the band, and that they were actually happy with the interpretation and I would agree their views. I think Elastica took a great hook and did something new with it - that is pop!
Очень хорошо
Every track is a standout.
Meh
Actually this was really good. Good combination of punk and new wave with some electronica. I'd listen to a few of these songs again.
Not a fan.
Felt familiar but also unfamiliar. Also not terrible.
Wasn’t one straight listen through so was harder to get a gauge of the album as a whole but I enjoyed it, there was some more enjoyable songs than others but still a good listen.
I’ve owned this for years and only listened to it a few times. Which says a lot about how much I like it. Not bad but doesn’t really grab me.
Nog nooit van gehoord, luistert prima weg, maar niet bepaald essentieel of baanbrekend.
meee
Day 110 Back then, in Italy, Elastica was deemed to be part of the "new wave of the new wave" scene; I didn't pay much attempted to them, because why, I could listen to the original new wave bands, right? Well no, I was wrong, this is an amazing album that has everything I could ask for: catchy hooks, great playing, great songwriting, a lots of that youthful energy that never hurts.
Pretty great stuff! Really enjoy listening to this.
90s alt rock. A few familiar tracks.
The vocals and music could do with better balance. But I do like what I am hearing.
Pretty good
Should be right up my alley, but it doesn't really click. It has the style but not the songwriting. I like it all right, but there are a hundred other bands doing the same thing better, so why wouldn't I listen to those instead? Nothing here is inspired. How did this end up on this list?
I loved the micro phase of music they co-led with Garbage, Courtney Love, and others. Harder than the Breeders, more fleeting than Sleater-Kinney. Just a blink of the eye.
Elastica's debut record is a perfect blend of brit-pop, punk and post-punk. It has a new-wave-like quality without ever sacrificing solid melodies and instrumentation for gimmicks and forced quirkiness. At centre of it all stands Justine Frischmann, perhaps the most overlooked influential character in britpop history. After forming Suede, she went on to create one of the best selling debuts in UK history and be a constant source of inspiration for Mr. Dan Abnormal who also features on keys here. It's difficult, because while she was the muse behind 'Tender', she's apparently also responsible for M.I.A., and I don't know what to make of that.
Elastica manages to perfectly blend britpop and punk in an unholy union that just works. Justine Frischmann and Donna Matthews are both excellent songwriters and with a few touches of Dan Abnormal himself this debut album is one to behold.
C'est tout à fait moyen
ne casse pas une patte à un poisson
Quite bland unfortunately, but enough there to keep you interested. Should be considered the bar to clear for 3 out of 5 albums. Regardless, if I have to listen to any more brit pop and post punk I'll fucking top myself
Great album to listen to
Pure power punk! Awesome listen.
Perfectly serviceable.
I like these cool vibes. Like the band of your older sister, playing from the basement. The one you're not allowed in. Sounds to me like a young versions of PJ Harvey
Pretty by-the-numbers punky album with female vocals. Most of the songs are shorter and faster paced, however there is a little variety. I did like the more straightforward punk rock songs like Annie and Blue over the album’s singles, but this album was far from special.
Stylish high octane rock/pop, wow this blew me away. Superb in every department, this is a great discovery
My favourite britpop album, cool riffs and quality irreverant lyrics, still very listenable and a couple of killer tracks
There were some good Britpop albums and ge absolute stinkers. This is one of the former, loved it then and loved revisiting it
Superb. Dancing in the kitchen.
I listened to this once when it first came out. I kinda wrote Elastica off as a one-hit wonder with Connection. I quite enjoyed rediscovering this, hopefully it won't be another 28 years before I listen again.
I like this I'd give it a 7/10 but round it up so 4 starss
Singles: ————————————————— Stutter (US Alt #10, UK #80) Line Up (UK #20) Connection (#17 UK, #2 Mod Rock USA) Waking Up (#13 UK) Car Song (#33 US ALT) Standouts: Connection, Stutter, Line Up, Car Song, Waking Up, 3/5
Sure, it's "derivative"... Sure, they ripped off Wire... Sure, it's the sort of album that will not be remembered for being groundbreaking or taking any significant risks with its audience... But hell do those songs SLAP you in the face from start to finish. In a year filled with wonders (1995, counting at least *40* essential or absolutely gripping full-length records in my book), this debut manages to end up very high in my own personal ranking. And that is a feat all by itself. Speaking of "years", British post-punk has had a few great ones recently... But I'm pretty sure this poppish version of it here has contributed to keep the flame alive since the subgenre's inception. And even if it didn't, this LP is still a small wonder anyway. Sometimes "essential" doesn't mean "relevant" or "deep" or "sophisticated". Sometimes "essential" means "*Hell, yeah!*" 5/5. Number of albums left to review: 521 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 230 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 110 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 140
somewhere between a headliner and a foot note. ok pop'n roll.
Very catchy overall. An album that ticks all the boxes.
Its quite boring 2.5
super crazy guitar mania deluxe 3 tyyppistä musiikkia..eli siis vähäisintä rokkia mitä koko maailmassa soitetaan . niim vähän näitäkim biisejä höylätty, geneeristä paskamusiikkia joka ei kuuöu lähellekkään mitään toplistoja. työttömien musiikkia. yksi arvostelu antoi 5 tähteä sanalla "brutal", mitähän vittua.. radio rock ROCK AND MORE ROCK ja soittaa tätä 2:1
Forgettable.
Eh. It was alright. 90s rock. Not very catchy and the vocals seemed off
Probably have a better opinion of it than it deserves due to my lack of familiarly with its influences, so this sounds still fresh and new to me. Came off as a catchy, more Brit pop oriented style of what Tiger Trap did, which I adored, so this couldn’t be too awful. No individual song really stood out but all was enjoyable to listen to at the least.
Child, please.
When I saw they were an offshoot of Suede, I was prepared for the worst... but I was pleasantly surprised that this was a fun post-punk flavor of Britpop that didn't make me want to die of boredom.
Some really fun femme lead postpunk. A little samey at parts, but tight enough to cover it.
Awesome
Connection
Definitely not one of the absolute worst, but also definitely not good. No idea why this is taking up a slot on this list. Half-baked music with horrible production.
I like most of the songs, but this record is not essential. They were followers, not leaders. Almost every song reminds me of an older song by someone else. But in a good way. Favorite song: Smile
It's ok, not very different than other new wave and pop punk bands of the era
Great album, no bad tracks, all runs together nicely I can't believe I missed these guys first time around
I figured I would like this album and indeed I loved it from the opening to the first track. Nice mixture of short and interesting songs that never got stale, in fact it just got better and better the more I listened. It's not quite a 5, but seemed closer to a 5 than a 4.
Three member bands are my jam.
Nothing about this album was memorable. I found it to be just your standard euro pop. Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song:
Line Up, Connection, Car Song, S.O.F.T., Waking Up, Never Here. A few eh songs but otherwise I enjoyed it. 7/10
soft, never here. just like my dad.
fun power pop
A lot of this feels like familiar ground for much of what came out in the 90s/00s. This doesn't feel hugely original, but its not bad either.
I'm a very casual fan of Cheap Trick but this live album really showcases what made them special. Super high energy and equal parts catchy and noisy. So many bops.
pretty catchy but not special
All-female, post-punk, rock band. Pretty great.
Didn't care for this
This album is okay. I am more just confused as to why it's on this list.
It was ok, I loved the connection but I've always loved the connection.
Never heard of this band and was unsure when it said britpop. This ain't britpop. This was really good. Other reviews say it is derivative of other bands, but if that is true, I am checking out those other bands as well since this was good shit.
4 por Cannonball
Wonderful album
Olha só! Até que apareceu um britpop aceitável por motivos de vocal feminino e ter alguma pegada punk.
bof
Classic 90's Alt feel. Catchy while still holding to the edgy attitude. Interesting stories behind the band.
Album sympathique, me semble avoir ouvert la voie à beaucoup de groupes à chanteuse comme les Beaches
A decent album, the middle was a drag but the beginning and end were pretty enjoyable. Nothing special though.
This is what happens when you mix pop, grunge and punk but don't have the press that bands like Garbage or The Breeders got. I hear a lot of The Pretenders here, although that just could be the lead vocalist.
90s landfill indie. They obviously loved Wire cos they nicked some of their tunes.
BL: never heard of Elastica before - but after doing some digging and seeing their links to Suede I’m excited to hear it - Suede has produced many a song I like. AL: in the end I felt pretty “meh” about this album. It wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t good. It’s a shame because Suede was a band which in my eyes had some amazing diversity alongside being quintessential to the development of britpop as a genre so how is it that an offshoot of it can be so bland and generic? All 15 tracks sound the same, and while it wasn’t too offensive due to its short running time I just felt rather empty after listening - I can’t say much else about it. The instrumentation is good - however it all mostly sounds the same, there weren’t any drum breaks, guitar solos or even vocal moments which stood out as interesting or even unique. A pretty bland experience overall, don’t think I’ll listen to it again. Favourite tracks: “Car Song” & “2:1” (the only two which made me actually look at the track listing) 2/5
Not very exciting post-punk rock
A couple good songs, but a lot of okay ones too.
What’s miraculous isn’t that they manage to fit 16 songs onto a 40 minute record, but that they’ve each earned their spot. Ripping off Wire and The Stranglers with equally carefree admiration, unconcerned with big ideas and deep meanings, putting the joy of simple pleasures on display. Loud, pithy, and all the better for it. Standout Tracks: Connection, Car Song, Waking Up
At the time when the debut album from Elastica was released, I didn't pay much attention to the record. It was a time when alternative bands were becoming more noticed and female fronted bands from the the Riot Grrrl era were getting much attention and signed by mainstream labels. What a time for music, lots of good music being produced from bands that were otherwise considered underground and alternative. Elastica had a cleaner, more polished post-punk sound and image that I now realize is a band I should have taken notice of more. This album is high energy, loud and incredibly catchy. All thriller, no filler and I'm so sorry I didn't catch on earlier. Unfortunately, besides a second album in 2000, I would consider the band a one-album wonder, but oh what an album!
I can't go a full 5 stars, but I love this album a lot. I had this album when it came out, and played it a lot.
Not bad. Not great. Just pretty good. 6.5/10
A mi el de hoy es de los que me gustan…2:1 está en la BSO de Trainspotting(PSP)
I thought it was"Elastica" by Elastica is a very generic album that embodies the typical Britpop sound of its era. The only real standout track is "Connection", which features a catchy guitar riff and an infectious chorus. Overall, the album is okay for background music with a bit of energy, but it's not an album that I would actively seek out to listen to again. The music video for "Connection" captures the same level of energy and excitement as the rest of the album.
Apparently, I've received a lot of punk and post-punk albums here on the list these last few days. However, I'll not complain about it so soon since I discovered and rediscovered a lot of good bands and albums. This "Elastica" starts very well and declines at the end with a more "pop" mood that does not look connected with the album's first part, but it's still a lovely release for punk and post-punk fans. I'm not sure it deserves a spot on the 1001 list since it's somehow too much " standard, " but it definitely deserves a place in my ears.
never heard of them. Is this another drummer-led band? I think, then,... turns out I know & LOVE "connection" for it's edginess and her sexy voice... its 90's joyfully relived, Turns out I would have been a massive fan if I knew them. discovery! Best tracks on first listen are: Smile (oh YEAH on the finish), Connection, Car Song, Blue, (and yet, GREAT drummer, i love their sense of rythmn, and her voice is at an indiscirbable sweet spot of soft refined, and yet a punky edge makes her elusively sexy to listen to.
The 90's had some great rock and roll moments, and Elastica is up there with the best. I've always loved a rockin Tele/Strat combo and they have a great rhythm section, especially the drummer. Waking Up, yes I know they were a bit naughty, has always been my favourite and Connection would be in the top ten of 90's zeitgeist moments. Straight out great rock and roll record, loved going back to it.
From the moment I first saw Elastica on Rage, I was a big fan. And I had a huge crush on Justine Frischmann. The song was Stutter - still one of my Top 5 favourite Britpop songs from the 90’s. The look of the band - like who gives a fuck - the low-slung guitars,the thrift-shop clothes & the fabulous, breakneck tune, clocking in at about 2:20. This was well before the album was released & the great singles just kept coming - Line Up, Car Song & the amazing Connection. The album is a great listen - 16 tracks at an average 2&1/2 minutes long per track. It never gets boring, right to the great closer, Vaseline. Yes, they were sued by both Wire &The Stranglers for “borrowing” from their work. But, hey, how many times did The Beatles get sued for the same thing? This is a classic album.
Elastica have been criticized for recycling hooks from Wire (Connection draws from Three Girl rhumba) and the Stranglers (Waking Up leans on No More Heroes), and I hear Bowie (Lined Up from It's No Game) and the Pixies (S.O.F.T. from Tame). But, in the words of Elvis Costello "It's how rock & roll works. You take the broken pieces of another thrill and make a brand new toy." And in all these cases, their broken pieces are tastefully chosen and the new toys are thrilling. Justine Frischmann does do the flat-affect monotone vocal styling that was a feature of Britpop, although she isn't quite as bored as the blokes sometimes seem (I'm looking at you Damon and Liam). But the playing is energetic and straightforward rock and roll. Short, sharp, smart and to the point, there are a bunch of catchy post-punk tracks here with a point of view and something to say, and I really enjoy the listen. They are energetic, muscular, snarky and smart, sexy and stylish and cool as fuck. I listened to this album straight through 3 or 4 times in a row, and it never outstayed it's welcome. The highlight tracks (Stutter, Connection, Car Song, Lined Up, Smile) are numerous, and the whole thing speeds by and is done and dusted before you get the chance to draw breath.
Score: 70 Album art: 50 This album is a fun but inconsistent time. There's a lot of good songs here but also a decent amount that arent bad by any means but they definitely aren't as interesting or well polished. The mixing on the songs is all over the place and it makes some of them feel more like demos than fully developed tracks. I like the different singing styles and the variety of different rock genres. It feels like they were having fun and I enjoyed it despite its faults
Love a rock band with a lady singer. Feels like any of these songs could be on a 90's teen movie soundtrack. This album isn't so much pop as it is punk. 15 songs, but all pretty short, it's a breeze to get through, though I wish some were longer. I don't think any of this is revolutionary, but this sound makes me feel nostalgic, enjoyed all the songs.
This was a fantastic album, great singing, great punk rock guitar and bass. Can’t believe this is the first time I heard it.
Very good
It's a good post punk album and I liked listening to it. I tend to lean more towards grunge in the world of "Punk inspired genres", so I'm a little surprised how much I liked it.
This isn't Brit-Pop first off. This is post-punk in the vein of other post-punk bands at the time. I know two members of the band had ties to Brit-Pop through Suede, but this isn't Brit-Pop. I was never a huge Elastica fan but you can hear some Bloc Party in here.
This was once again ite
the shorter songs were best, some of these songs just kind of bored me when normally i enjoy this kind of music. barely gets a 3
That was fun. Not for me again though.
För tråkigt
Cool as hell
Im digging this. It's like a long lost punk album that young George would have ate right up. Annie is a fun song. I hear shades of a 2000s rock sound like Bad Religion in here.
not really my thing
It’s fine.
Aika hyvä indie! Mutta en ihastunut. Ehkä vois parin kuuntelun jälkeen - mutta pelkään myös, että herkästi jää keskinkertaiseksi.
Sisältää muutaman hyvän idean (esim. Car Song, Blue) ja kunnioitettavaa minimalismia, mitä tulee koukkujen säveltämiseen. Kärsii jossain määrin täytebiiseistä, liian ammattimaisesta tuotannosta (miksi vaikkapa Stutter-biisin kitaroiden päälle pamautetaan lasia leikkaava treblebasso ja stereorummut??) sekä 90-luvulle tyypillisestä melodisuudesta.
Somehow the vital connection is made. I always thought the words were "Somehow we find a connection is made." Oh well. What I also didn't realize is how SHORT that song was, only 2 and a half minutes. The other songs on the album were pretty good, too. Even the goofy ones (looking at you "Vaseline."). I can see how this album became so popular so fast. Reading their wikipedia article, I did not realize they only had two albums. (3 if you count the BBC sessions, which had a number of unreleased songs). Back to "Connection"... does it lose anything once you realize the riff was taken from the Wire? I don't know, it's still a catchy song regardless of who wrote the riff. And the other songs on the album are still good. They don't fall into the trap other bands do, where the one song outshines the rest of the work. The other stuff holds up pretty well, IMO. So yeah, I could see me coming back to this one. Listened to it twice already, so I would say it was really enjoyable for me. Maybe it was the vocals, I just liked how they came across. Strong "4" from me.
I feel like until a year ago I didn't know anything about Elastica except Connection (a solid tune). I think Waking Up came on randomly after listening to something else and I dug it so I went back to their debut album to see what else was worth adding to a best of 1995 rock list I had made. I also added Stutter (another solid tune), but I focused on singles and most listened to on Spotify and didn't really listen to the album. I missed out because this is a solid, rocking album. Pulled me in from the first two tracks before Connection - Line Up and Annie. Other highlights were Smile, Hold Me Now, SOFT, and Never Here. They pack a lot into 16 songs and only 40 minutes. Their whole trajectory and performance reminds me of the Breeders - a real solid mid-90's album from three female musicians on guitar and bass (and a male on drums), yet they kind of disappeared after that, probably in part because they got mislabeled by some (me included) as a one-hit wonder.
This band slip under my radar in the 90s. I definitely would have picked this up back then had I heard about it. The guitar in the first track reminds be a bit of Robert Fripp’s Guitar on the track “Disengage” from his Exposure record. Back to Elastica though… I enjoyed this album from start to finish and listened to it a few times. The songs are short and to the point but each one is rocking and memorable as well. Justine Frischmann’s voice is a mix of sarcastic, sexy, and aggressive. The playing on the album is solid too.
90s version of the Wire. This one has some serious Pink Flag vibes, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. They pull it off well enough. There is also a very distinct 90s sound here that takes me back to acts like Breeders, Pixies, and Blur.
Nice album! Some of it pretty generic but overall, good stuff!! Saved tracks: Connection, Car Song, S.O.F.T, Blue
pretty good
Opens strong but overall a pretty forgettable album
Hey just because their best songs are other peoples songs doesn't mean this is not worth listening to. Still an insanely catchy and sleazy 40 minutes rifling through the post-punk canon. Think of it as sampling with instruments and you'll be fine.
Hey, a Britpop album I actually enjoyed. I've always loved "Connection," but I'm not sure I can give this a 4. Let's call it a 3.5.
meio punkzinho mas não empolgante
more like modern punk than Britpop, although the Britpop tag never really made much sense anyway. Enjoyed this and knew more songs than I thought I would, definitely not usual indie dirge. strong 4
Inte särskilt kul.
Short punk songs that take cues from Blondie (the melodies and hooks are just as important as the volume of the guitars). A lot of the vocals have that bored, disaffected tone that's in vogue with some indie bands now (Wet Leg and Dry Cleaning are two that come to mind). Cool to hear a band from the 90's doing it. I'm sure there were even others who did it before Elastica. They have some range too. I was surprised to hear the psychedelic vibes of "Indian Song."
Love a good raw 90's album cover. Hate those distorted guitar tones. Ugh it's like it's coming out of a 25$ practice amp that's been living in someone's grandparents attic for decades. Even worse is that the guitars are panned the way they are with the on/off right/left playing. It hurts!! Not unlistenable though. Ok so "Connection" is their big track that I remember. This album was ok, I think it's a 2/5 for me. Not sure if it needs to be on this list.
Stuck between 3 and 4 here, in that it's I'm quite fond of the style and of course 90s British rock, but I recognise the fact that it's not really that original or clever. I'm not 100% sure it belongs on the list, but I'm glad to have found it here regardless. As for the place and time, I get a cool punky bedroom on an autumn afternoon, and I have no idea why. 07/02/23
Electric, somehow the Band Name is fitting well for me.
Listens: 3 Enjoyed: yeah sort of Something screams warm up act to me but the type that makes you keep paying for the main act just to see them. I can't even state what was particularly appealing but there was something pullin me back
Underrated indie grunge album.
The Specials, My Perfect Cousin, Banana Splits, Pixies, B-52s...it's all here. Maybe you spot the magpie tendencies of these riffs because of the band's well known 'borrowing' of other songs, and the tunes are mostly quite familiar. Having said that, I actually enjoyed this more than expected. A punky pop romp all over the face of Britpop. I much prefer the energy of this to some of the other Britpop crew, and the sparse, harsh sound suits these songs. There are a few duffers (esp Indian Song), and pruning down to 30 minutes or so would have helped, but still plenty of catchy sing-along tunes here. 2.5 stars.
One of those albums that I never bought back in the day, but I pretty much know it inside out. It was EVERYWHERE around '95. The Evening Session had it on rotation each week. I finally bought a cheapo CD copy last year. It still stacks up, I still love it. The influences are clear to hear. Line Up, Connection, Waking Up, Stutter - all snarling BANGERS. Elastica were great at being a slightly more angry band compared to the othe
Brilliant
Just plain electric guitar music, was good when I listened it but not definitely worth looking back
I never heard of this band. Line Up: oh it's rock? Rock-ish? Women!?.... I really didn't look closely at the picture didn't I? Secretly I never got over that teenage emo-rock fase 😅
punchy and fun, super enjoyable listen
More UK alterna-garbage. Just a bland, it's-already-over-didn't-you-get-the-memo attempt at the punkier end of grunge - mindless chords, monotonous drumbeat & singing, minimal songwriting. Just as all the other bands that didn't get the memo started doing the exact same thing. Not surprising it's in the list here, but as usual it doesn't deserve to be. 2/5.
I remember the single "Connection" from Elastica when it came out. This album's music has one foot reaching towards punk energy, with the other planted in some of the BritPop of the early nineties. I liked "Connection" when it came out, and I liked this album. "Car Song" and "Indian Song" were a couple tracks that I'm saving for a re-listen. It's a bit of a stretch, but I'm rounding up to 4 stars, because I might come back to see if I missed something.
Average
Ok i guess. a couple saves but not revolutionary
bored me
Surprisingly melodic offbeat pop, great time. A great record.
I didn't recognize the band's name, but I did recognize one of their bigger hits, "Connection". Very catchy song. Overall, I enjoyed most of the music, some of the filler songs were kind of meh. But I listened to this twice and will check out their other stuff.
Definitely enjoyed the album more than I thought I would
Classic
Nytt bekjentskap. Ekte punkrock "jenteband" (dog med mannlige innslag). Mye attitude, sinne og aggresjon. Litt mye piggtrådlyd for mine ører. Lite originalitet her. Hadde kun ett album som slo ordentlig an. Topp tusen? Hm...
Did not know them so far. Nice Indie Rock, but a little bit too predictable. It is ok, by not a favorite.
Great 90s vibes
This album is Primus but less psycho. Quite nice. Hard for me personally to LOVE anything, however it is a nice listen.
I heard it for the first time. Nothing special to me.
Unashamedly cops riffs from Wire but we'll forgive them for the fact this is arguably the most fun 38 minutes of the whole Britpop Era
Ok Album with a couple of known songs
3.4/5 pleasant but nothing special
Pas mal du tout, des bangers, du bon post punk. Mais rien de groundbreaking ou de particulièrement marquant. Clairement un biais UK.
Good female rock album enjoyed this
Incredibly normal album from an exceedingly usual 90s indie band. It feels accomplished but unexciting. If I was a 13 year old alternative pop punk fan in 2003 I would probably play these songs on my first guitar. I am a 30 year old cynic in 2023 though so fuck that
Like #1 Line Up & #7 S.O.F.T.
blast from the past
Just a solid torpedo of well-crafted post-punk. Lyrically the words suit the music well but I’m not sure they’re saying all that much. But the whole album is so well played and composed, not one real clunker in a crowd of short, fast songs, that this quibble is minor.
There's a couple solid riffs on this album, but it's mostly unmemorable, and I can't help but wonder if it's in part because of the production, which softens and muffles everything. This is an album that would benefit from sharp edges and crunchy textures, but there's this gentle reverb on everything that mushes everything together. It feels like they tried to hard to make it radio palatable and by doing so, made it sound like something that wouldn't stand out on the radio.
This album did meet my expectations. I really liked this, the whole album is very concise and is quite rare to hear a female voice in rock especially in the 90s and she did a good job with her vocals. Pretty good overall.
not my thing.
Very nice instrumentals... Was not a powerful vocal presentation.
Terrible
solid rock album. female vocals rule. some dank leas lines and meanderings. feels like a punk album for the 90s. its like less cool sleater kinney or something. but that makes it cooler than a lot of other garbsge 90s shit? im glad i listened to them shout at me a bit. thanks!
outdated but still intrigues
Definitely punky, but not too aggressive
Very interesting
Meh
Ah, 1995, the year I didn't listen to new music anymore.
Not bad, not great.. nothing really stood out to me, but no complaints!
Punk but chill.
Made me incredibly nostalgic. Loved "Connection".
1995. Connection, Waking Up
Godawful rip off of Wire, Buzzcocks and The Stranglers (and contemporary Blur in a Hole/Nirvana sense). Becomes steadily worse as it goes on. Totally creatively bankrupt, so disappointing to see this come up on the list. Utter shite
What Elastica does well is brevity. There are some absolutely banging tunes on this album. But just when you’ve got your teeth into one it ends abruptly. I found myself yearning for at least one more chorus. I don’t know if it’s irony or commentary when Connection finishes after two and a bit minutes. Is it a treatise on the brief life we have or the need to make instant connections? I’m not convinced they’re that deep. But that song has now become iconic and features in at least one advertising campaign every year. So that ‘connection’ has endured, although the lifespan of the band was short. They made two albums and Justine remarked that it was one album too long. Paraphrasing obviously! But you can’t deny the energy and bounce of this album. It’s Joyous Britpop for Tigger - Winnie the Pooh’s springy friend - but it does make me crave a song with a couple more minutes to bop along.
Girl fronted punk band. Very kewl. I like this album and would listen to it again. By the late '90s this sound is nothing new. The band created two albums in their 9 years of existence. As much as I like this album, it doesn't stand out as a must listen to before I die qualifier. I'd love to be in a band like this and glad I was introduced to the group but it doesn't need to be here.
I was familiar with the song Connection and am happy that the rest of the album is as enjoyable.
I totally missed Elastica when they first came out, and I can't be sure what I would have thought of them at the time, but this weekend, I thought they were super cool. Bowie's "Scary Monsters" channeled through Blondie at its most punk. I can't claim to remember all the songs, "See That Animal" is one I remember particularly enjoying, but I was taken by the songs and attitude and affectation of the band. I know we say this, and I'll promise to stop after this review, but it's hard to rate something on its first listen and feel like you're getting the full scope of the album. That said, my first impression was, this is a four.
Let me set aside my rage over the shameless Wire and Stranglers rip-offs to try to enjoy this thing. The harmonies on Car Song are cool. The beginning of Hold Me Now is cool. The melody for the verse on S.O.F.T is cool. I think the thing that prevents me from enjoying this music (aside from their plagiarism, of course) is the singer's cold, ironic, distant delivery. I get tired of people who think they're better than everyone. Personally, I'd rather listen to Sleater-Kinney.
"She's got her keys, money, and fags" Can't say I know Elastica though the songs sound a bit familiar. Until embarking on this 1001 endeavor, I didn't realize how much I enjoy mid-90s new wavish style tunes. What musical conventions did they tap into to make "Indian song" have a gentle Indian vibe behind the driving rock? I didn't hear any sitar but I certainly felt the south asian influence. Tablas? I will definitely explore more Elastica. And I'm happy I listened to this album before I died.
I guess this answers the question what if Blur were female-led and adopted a more punk-like sound. Altogether solid.
I have come to the conclusion that I like music that has a pulse. And not just the drowsy thup......thup......that comes with a food coma. No, I like someting more like the heart pounding that comes from a pack of skeletal zombie wolves chasing you through the forest while the only door to your safety slowly closes in the distance. Although not nearly that frenetic throughout, this album does have a pulse. Never heard it before but I liked it
It has a blistering first half I loved. The second half might be better with more listens, but it was not as good as the first half.
Great album. Every song is a winner. If they borrowed a riff from time to time so be it. Still sounds fresh and new and vibrant . 4.5 stars
The band and their music are all new to me, and I really like this album. Very catchy harmonies, rhythms, and melodies. There's a definite 90s rock sound to them, which of course makes sense given the time and context when so many rock bands being recorded and played on the airwaves had that grunge-y sound, but this band is more fun for me to listen to than most of the mid-90s punk-influenced rock bands.
Good old fashioned 90s rock and roll album. So good I listened twice.
Connection was one of my favourite songs as a teenager but I never listened more to Elastica, so I'm glad this gave me the opportunity. Strong Britpop album. Loads of energy and nostalgia
cool
90’s wire with a female lead singer that’s slept with both Brett Anderson and Damon Albarn. Of course this is amazing!
90s fare with some punk and Adam & The Ants Infusion.
actually pretty fookin good. 4/5 no 10/10 songs though but the album as a whole is very nice to listen to
Seems cool
Don’t really like this album. punk rock never it for me, especially punk rock with women’s vocals for some reason. Just comes across as punchy and droning. 2:1 kinda nice though.
Here we have a rarity in Britpop-a group mostly comprised of women! Elastica has plenty of punch and vivacity, but the songs sound a bit too similar to other groups of that time.
3.75
I was not previously familiar with this group, and the music wasn't offensively bad but just didn't stick with me.
This album is a solid fave.
Middle of the road 2-3. Don’t feel I will be revisiting Cover art 2/5
for the go getter in you..... let em out
A good album without a doubt, just not my thing. First Listen?: Y Fav. Track(s): Connection Rating: 2/5
Great listen. A nice cohesive album that anyone could listen to and enjoy
Very easy to get into. I liked it right from the start. Love to hear more of it. 3.5/5
Eh, not really my thing.
Music that inspired Lindsay Logan’s character in Freaky Friday.
My mind wasn't blown, but it also wasn't blunted.
One of the most important albums of the 90s. It felt a little dated though.
I really liked this! I've never heard of them, so thank you.
Great stuff. Catchy riffs, good energy, bops all round
Not that it was a reinvention of British post punk, but I thought it was pretty good for the genre. Thoroughly enjoyed it. 4/5
3.5
so much fun
pretty dull. 2.
The music was okay but couldn’t hear the lyrics.
Can't believe this group somehow slipped past my radar all these years! This is a great discovery and a nice throwback to '90s angst, in the form of a record that sounds like it came from a jam session between friends. I enjoyed a lot of it - especially Line Up, Connection, Car Song, and Waking Up. But, I can't help but feel like this sound has been done better by bands that came before and after Elastica. Still cool, though!
I had never heard of Elastica before today. I would compare them to the girl alternative rock/punk groups such as Garbage or Paramore. Not a bad sound, but nothing really set them apart from the loads of other bands just like them from that era. Was a good listen, but not something I would throw in heavy rotation to listen to again. Favourite songs: Stutter, Annie, Never Here, Blue, S.O.F.T., Least favourite songs : 2:1, Car Song, Indian Song, Line Up, 3/5
Meh.
Exactly my type of music. Enjoyed listening to this album because of the genre and style, but nothing really stood out to me as special either. Favorite track: Never Here
Not bad, but nothing interesting
It's great, some real nice soft punk Favorites: Connection, All-Nighter & Stutter
Not my kind of music. I'm actually surprised that the album has made it to the 1001 list.
Discazo de todo un disco de rock con buenas melodías, excelente voces y acompañamiento. Buenas guitarras y batería
2.5 stars. Wasn't super into it but not bad
Very cool
Thick-skinned, spiky and sexy, plus a hit that serves as a template for The Strokes et al half a decade later.
Beginning track had some very weird grunting. There still hidden gems in this very heavy tracked ablum
2.5
It was the second time, still a good album!
I only like a very specific type of alternative 90s rock like this and this album is part of that specific type. I love this kind of female led retro punk type stuff. 2:1 and connection are the best tracks
Rich kids play Britpop. Some ear worms admittedly
I really liked the grunting sound effects in “Line Up:” it scratched an itch in my brain. I had never heard of Elastica before, but now may consider myself a fan.
I liked the more poppy songs with a hook. Fun blur/dandy warhol vibes. But gets a bit single note at times.
This album came up and I thought "I know them" but now I realize I was thinking of Republica. This album is well encapsulated by the cover art. Starts strong and catchy and stays strong throughout, songs flying by rat-a-tat-tat. An enjoyable, energetic listen. Loved it. Favorites: Connection, Car Song.
Great stuff, not sure its britt pop but still really enjoyed this
Heard before: no Solid, but didn’t grab me.
Not bad, not great
Decent sounds but not any tracks that catch my interest.
I thought it was a bit Transvision Vamp, and a bit Adam Ant in places, and although the band has got a big following, and respect to them, the album didn't do it for me. I couldn't see the reason why it should be included in the 1001 best, which might be more my failing than theirs.
Þrælskemmtilegt post-paunk með britpop ívafi hér og þar.
More Brit-alternative than Brit-pop, but I remember hearing this a lot back in the 90s and always enjoyed their music. On relisten, it's still good. 3.5/5.
Damon Alburn didn’t write or produce this album. That much ought to be obvious.
Way more Brit pop than I expected. Woo
Some good memories here from my Britpop clubbing days, not a bad listen.
Indian Song: nicely layered Vaseline: catchy There seems to be a tiny bit of similarity to the freedom of the David Bowie album I just listened to and this one, 20 years later. I really would like to listen to these albums in sequence, with somebody curating the list to make the most of the influence felt by previous albums.
Stevig album met kort en krachtige nummers. De harmonieën in de zang komen wel tot z'n recht
I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this album as much as I did ! It was good. 3*
It got better with more listens and there were a couple of songs towards the end (Vaseline and ?) that were pretty good. Otherwise another disappointing one.
Very good, but not quite great.
Best Song: Hold Me Now. Nice, short, to the point alt-rock track. Almost has a grunge feel. Worst Song: 2:1. Never felt like the song landed on a decent rhythm. Overall: Neither offensive nor interesting. I imagine it must be a historically relevant article, but to me it mostly just feels like a standard, rather dull alt-rock album.
Vibrant 90's sound. Pleasant brit rock/pop with a cool image. I'm liking a lot of the sounds on this album tbh so it's one for me.
Un grande
This album is great and lead to influencing some of my favourite acts. The observation I have is well I think Connection is the song that has endured in pop culture longer, Stutter has been seriously underserved. I still hear Connection used in movies and commercials. I was of the opinion that the Captain Marvel trailer should have you Stutter in it instead of Connection. I realize why it wasn’t chosen, as being a song about male impotence. I would also probably would have made the movie seem more exciting than I actually was. My question remains, though, why isn’t Stutter having a resurgence at this moment? Absolutely seems like a song that Olivia Rodrigo would cover on tour right now.
Pleasantly surprised: I don't normally enjoy britpop, but I love the punk edge put on this record. Think the front half is a lot stronger than the second half, and it seems to run out of steam near the end, but love the occasional noise and the occasional pop-punk sounds on this one. Favorite tracks: "Line Up", "Annie", "Connection", "Waking Up", "S.O.F.T."
Britpop revival when?
A writhing, pulsating mass of 90s Britpop indie energy. The girl power on this album is far more raw, kick-ass and, dare I say, Spicy than other iconic female (led) groups from the decade. Nice touches of grunge influence and I'm getting shades of the Pretenders. All in all a solid record
It's deeply unoriginal as The Stranglers and Wire's bank accounts will attest, but it's so direct and so joyous you'd be heartless not to love this album. Iylt is just SO COOL.
An awesome and very very underrated 90s classic... which I was only partly familiar with. But almost every song here is a banger. Not a 5-star because most of the record suffers from iffy production - apart from the singles which magically fall into place. But song wise it's a lovely and cool album.
Gah I love 90s girl alt rock and Elastica has to be one of my all time favs. Despite them fully ripping off a bunch of these tunes - they do make them their own (half points I guess) The bass guitar stands out throughout the album but I think the vocals are the unsung hero here. She's got a really effortless style thats loaded with personality. This is an album I'll be coming back to frequently - almost 5 stars Standout Tracks: Line Up, Connection, SOFT, See That Animal. Stutter
The most consistently dull album that has come up so far. A few tracks are decent (still far from amazing), however the vast majority are just boring - not bad, not good, somewhere unsatisfactorily in between. I didn't dislike this album while listening to it, but at the same time I didn't hear much to convince me it would be worth revisiting, outside of the small handful of songs below. Standout tracks: "Connection", "S.O.F.T.", "Indian Song" and "Waking Up"
Singing on this album is pretty good Some tracks are just okay The track "See That Animal" is amazing The second half of this album is definitely better than the first 6/10
Really similar to Wire, which is not bad. I didn't like that much on my first listening, but the quick songs and the nostalgic 90's feeling made me appreciate the album more. 6.5/10 Favorite tracks: Car Song, Smile, Vaseline
Pretty average garage-post-punky-brit-rocky album. It has attitude, but not too much - kinda repetitive and not very imaginative. 5/10.
good ole rock n roll. theres nothing really special about the album.
Nah
Worth it just for Connection. Anything else good on the album is gravy.
Another classic my sister used to play a lot
There's a real swagger to this album, which it needs to having the brass set to rip off The Stranglers et al. Good fun, hammers along.
Not bad
Fun!