Reviews (page 9 of 15)
Genialt sutrete
Great first song. Some other good stuff too.
Funny, jangly tales of horny, frustrated youth.
Este álbum probablemente presente uno de los mejores acompañamientos que una persona puede pedir mientras transita su adolescencia. Y aunque quizá repite ciertos recursos musicales, cada canción es una obra maestra.
9. Violent Femmes (1983)/ Violent Femmes C 7.5/10: the first album so far to fully embody Gen-X irony, for better or for worse. The album is always working to further blur the line between earnestness and satire, giving Violent Femmes plausible deniability for either take. Sometimes the sarcastic whining tone feels more reflexive than intentional, making parts of the album feel flat. Other times it works well. 'Confessions' is a multifaceted portrait of adolescence and loneliness in a fast paced world with some fun, theatrical moments. We can't get a read on what the Femmes are thinking, but when the band leans into drama and being really dynamic, their personality and originality shine through. One strong characteristic of their sound is how textured it is. Buzzed frets, brush noises, wrong notes and breaths build up the hype energy and give the songs dimension. Add to all that some really fun instrumentation (new fav genre: xylophone punk) and you have an album I quite enjoy.
Day368 - how awesome is kiss off? this album was on heavy rotation when it came out and it was fun to hear it again
Heard “Blisters in the Sun” for years on commercials and at baseball games. Great to know where it’s from. Nice mix of punk, rock and folk.
Has aged so insanely well for an 80s album.
Some good songs
Man these vocals are not it. 2/5
A true classic
No band has ever done more with less. A masterclass in spinning desperation and angst into gold, and most of it written before Gordon Gano could even legally drink. Honestly, it might be the best album ever written by a teenager.
A totally idiosyncratic sound and a truly top-down great collection of songs. Always think this came out in like the mid-90s and have to remind myself this was only 7 years after the Ramones.
I was familiar with Blister in the Sun (which is a strong opening). Although this sort of post-punk garage rock sound isnt typically my favorite, I enjoyed this album a lot. The songs are simple and somewhat cacaphonous, but nonetheless catchy and effective at conveying the tone and emotion behind them. Lots of angst and frustration in the lyrics. Overall- probably a 3.5/5, but the album had enough hits and strong moments to bump it up to a 4
7/10
Good stuff, of the time. To the Kill gets good in the second half. Didn't know who they were but everyone knows Blister in the Sun
Love the three-piece sound! Bass is awesome, love the stripped back drums, and the guitar feels stripped back too but still noisy at times?? Awesome. Definitely want to revisit
I originally heard Good Feeling from Marshall and Lily. If you know, you know. I liked that song a lot, but finally got around to listening to the whole record. I’m not sure I would find myself turning this on much, but I can see the influence that this album has on a lot of my modern favorites. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but some of it got to be a tad too repetitive for my taste.
There’s a lot of guitar emphasis. There’s not a lot of production it seems and is acoustic-heavy. This would def play in a thrift store. The album reminds me of a folksy angst almost. (I just read the album description on Apple Music, and my notes fully check out lmao.)
✔️
Pretty indifferent to this album. Didn’t quite reach me. Listened to it at work, so I don’t have any standouts besides the song I knew. Standout: Blister In The Sun.
Do you like American music? I like all kinds of music. But I like American music best.
Best: Ugly or Confessions (can't decide) Worst: Liked songs: 25%, 3/12 Light 2 I can definitely appreciate the influence the album had on the alt rock/punk scene, more so with the lyrics than the sound, because really the sound just isn't for me. I was really interested in the folk/punk label, but just didn't love it. The influence on my favorite genre of music and the lyrics are enough to bump it up to a 2 though.
very good
This band is essentially acoustic punk with folk elements. Simple songs with a sense of humor that still manage to be catchy if you don't mind the singer's voice. Honestly the backing vocalist has a better voice than the lead singer, but I like both. Definitely a great band and great album, but it can get a little repetitive and some songs are definitely worse than others. Standouts to me are Gone Daddy Gone, To The Kill, Kiss Off, and Add It Up.
Blister in the Sun is a bop of course but the rest of the album was kind of one note to me. If you really like that sound then you’d probably really love this, but I think I like the band better in small doses. Still good though, Kiss off was a good track too
78% Best: Blister In The Sun; Please Do Not Go; Add It Up; Prove My Love; Gone Daddy Gone Must-Hear? Not quite
This is very up my alley in theory, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. Crazy how ahead of its time it was though - I’m going to have to take Blister in the Sun off all my 90’s playlists.
It's potatoes. A ton of different versions of a kinda similar emotion. Very evocative. Such a vibe. Also it's riotgrrl prove me wrong.
I used to listen to this album as a kid, I always assumed it was a 90s acoustic alternative album, but it's actually from the early 80s. Very unique college rock type sound that's all about the struggled of youth in frank terms. B
Gutes Album der 80er mit spannenden Songs. Die ein wenig Ska und Wave Elemente vorweisen. „Blister In The Sun“ & „Kiss Off“ sind gute Beispiele dieses Stills.
Leider kann ich den „Gesang“ nicht ertragen. Furchtbar. Nullnummer!
No
Acoustic bass shred, pretty simple songs the whole album feels like it was recorded in an afternoon. Favourite song: Blister in the Sun
Started off alright but in the end i did not like. Dunno if its a banjo or what but it ended up being annoying
Music for couples who watch 500 Days Of Summer in their matching Snorlax onesies, call chicken nuggets ‘nuggy nugs’, and watch NPC TikTok videos.
This may be a prejudiced review since I've never liked people that are super into this album. It's fine. Punk rock for people that don't like punk. Except I never wanted to get into it. Most of the stuff sounds the same.
Way ahead of its time, what a fun album. I love the xylophone on „Gone Daddy Gone” and Brian Ritchie’s acoustic bass. Favs: Blister In The Sun, Add It Up, To The Kill, Gone Daddy Gone
The middle section was kind of rough, but I really liked how it closed out. "Good Feeling" is a new favorite of mine. Can't give it a 5, but I will happily recommend it to others. Fav song: Good Feeling
Every song was amazing. I loved every second of this album and will absolutely be coming back.
Nah bro
Fuck, this is one of the coolest albums we’ve had
Sounds a bit like the velvet underground
Wat een plaat, Blisters in the sun klinkt oprecht goed, maar Confessions is echt om te janken zo slecht. En dat gebeurt nu bij meerdere nummers, dat de zanger maar een beetje schreeuwt en klaagt in de microfoon, pfoe dit is niet makkelijk om door te komen! nee dit was zeker geen favoriet album, er zaten een paar prima nummers in, en 2 nummers die ik echt wel leuk vond, maar het grootste deel vond ik echt ondermaats. De Xylofoon solo in Gone Daddy Gone was een spaarzaam hoogtepunt. FAVO: Blisters in the sun, Gone Daddy Gone
Released in 1983, Violent Femmes is a landmark in the punk rock scene, standing out for its innovative and raw approach that captured the essence of youth and urban angst in an intense and authentic way. The band managed to blend elements of folk, rock and punk, creating a fresh and unique sound that still resonates strongly today. The provocative and often confessional lyrics, combined with the minimalist production, show how Violent Femmes were ahead of their time, influencing a generation of musicians and challenging the norms of traditional punk rock with their melodic sensitivity and introspective lyrics. This album is not only a seminal work, but also a testament to the creativity and boldness that characterized the alternative scene of the 1980s.
Irrelevant.
Honestly, of you played this for me with no context I would have guessed this was much more recent than 1983 (positive). I like it, the sound is like early pop-punk. It's got energy, but it's tempered by the slower tracks. Some of the lyrics are absolutely deranged and at one point I was like "oh God, imagine if the incels discovered this!" But I still had fun and enjoyed the vibes.
I like alt rock but more upbeat like the 3 smiths and cure songs I know
big midwest vibes! blister in the sun!
Struggled a bit with this one… Opening track has a lot of promise then gets very forgettable. Prove My Love almost brings it back but that track is basically the first song re-hashed.
I enjoyed the first track the most to en the rest kind of felt like more of the same but not quite as catchy.
Blister in the sun is one of my favs but never listened to much else. Bass player was grooving most of this album
Ahead of their time. Like the sound.
I can see why some like it, it isn't bad, just really not my thing.
It's got quite a lot of Jonathan Richman and just like with his oeuvre I like the hits (Blister is great, as is Gone Daddy Gone) but the rest leaves me cold. The combination of overactive bass with the scratchy acoustic guitar and tinny drums just makes it sound like a couple of street corner buskers shouting to get the attention of passing tourists.
Only knew Blisters in Sun previously which is stone cold classic. On first listen I found the rest of the album a bit meh- but its a real grower and by third listen I was onboard. Its not great to work to - but great in the car.
Sounds like Lindsay Knapp’s basement back in high school while we worked on school projects together.
This album was very mature for it's time. I never expected this to be from the early 80s. The mix of angstyness and acoustic punk made for a very unique sounding album that was reminiscent of The Modern Lovers. Favorite tracks: Kiss Off and Gone Daddy Gone
Great album with all the main songs
I said it before, post punk kept Music alive during the dreadful 80's.
I really liked it. Makes me want to learn some of these songs on guitar.
1983? Ahead of its time!! Add it up!! Pixies, you’re welcome!
Super cool! Kind of punkish acoustic rock with great songs.
Started off good was enjoying it then it became a bit samey and and i felt lost its way was listening and then i seemed to drift away and not pay attention to the lyrics anymore.
The first song sucked. The other were.......... Fine. Dude's chronically off key.
When I first heard this album in the early 90s I could not believe that this album came out in the early 80s. It's a popular album but I don't know that it truly get the accolades it deserves for what it brought to the table for music. I'm sure you could name any number of albums that came out in the 80s and say that was a better album than the Violent Femmes debut but that said better album sounds like the time it came out. This eponymous album is mfing timeless.
When I went to university this album was standard issue, just about everyone had it. Blister in the Sun, Kiss Off, Add It Up, Gone Daddy Gone are all songs I've listened to probably more than 100 times. The sound is stripped down, acoustic punk. Some would have called it "college radio" at the time. Great music and quite unique.
Only one good song on the album. dont waste your time
Interesting and rebellious tunes. it was missing a lot of musical interest from my experience. Mf doesn't have to sing like aguilera but hitting note like a school music lesson is also not where the truly greats be lmaooo (3.0/5.0)
Solid part of 90s grunge
Awesome album. Really hits the self-loathing alternate dude vibe well. This album feels a bit like if Patti Smith was a weird dude in his twenties. An alt classic.
Solid 90s vibes from the 80s. I think Mike had this CD because I recognized many of the songs. Would listen again.
I like this. Feels ahead of it's time for 1982. Would listen again
Odd
Love this shit. Fav song was add it up.
Solid album. Definitely feels similar to B-52'S in a way but punkier. I listened prior to most of it and I probably will again. I like irreverence.
Spirited. That's worth something. There's a reason Blister in the Sun is a perennial hit, and a reason it's the first association with an acoustic bass guitar. I don't ever listen to the rest (and hear Blister in the Sun out in the world enough that I don't put it on) and don't like most of it that much. But it's a sound. It captures a kind of awkward crazed teenager vibe. It's worth a go. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
Extremely rad, very sick, I bet if I were a bass player I would be going 5.
Awkward rock for awkward listeners. There’s a nerdy weirdo confidence behind these songs that reminds me of Weezer’s debut album.
2+ Stars (6/15)
Not really sure what to make of this and if I actually like it or not. So going for a middle of the road rating.
This has something about it, but never really gets going and has no standout tracks. Vocals are awful which brings it down. Top track: Blister in the sun 2.75
Mostly annoying, with the occasional good bit (vocals terrible, occasional interesting guitar parts), just sounds cheap and trashy. Gone Daddy Gone is the only track I liked the whole way through. Largely just made me think about living in Australia for a year in 2000, where every, and I mean every, pub/bar band played ‘blister in the sun’. I only knew it as the ‘oi song’ then, and to this day I don’t understand why it was such a big deal there.
Saw these once and didn't get it. Think I got confused by the drummer standing up and just too alternative. Remember speaking to the bouncer for some reason and he enquired what is this shit.... he has a point. Extra star for Blister.
Hat mir erstaunlich gut gefallen. Ziehen ihr eigenes - in vielerlei Hinsicht schräges - Ding durch das ganze Album durch. Wirkt sehr authentisch.
Ich finde ganz interessant, was sie ausprobieren, vor allem mit den Singstimmen, aber insgesamt ist das Album nicht so mein Fall.
This album had a huge influence on me in 8th grade, the year after it came out. The music, the lyrics, all of it. Hard to find a better debut album.
I still throw this one on from time to time and it instantly connects me to my awkward and angsty high school self. It’s a sing (or shout) a long classic filled with undeniable hooks and nervous energy.
Rough and rugged indie sound. At moments it sounds like talented musicians, and other moments sound like people just fucking around. I was never a fan, but my sister loved the Violent Femmes. I got tired of hearing Blister in the Sun. Listening to this, I like it ok. Kind of a Pixies vibe. Weird album, raw. Not my thing, though. This album gets a 3. I like Gone Daddy Gone.
I listened to this a lot in Middle School. I adored the goofy irreverence mixed with earnest emotionality, which perfectly sums up adolescence for a lot of us. I was surprised when I learned the year this album came out because it seemed so 90s to me at the time. It felt like it was recorded off the cuff and like it could veer off the rails any second, and the vocal delivery was so wordy and talky that I knew Gordon Gano must be a Gemini. This remains an odd little gem.
Acoustic Punk rock? I could see Violent Femmes covering a Blind Melon song, or vice versa. Listening to Violent Femmes I feel like somehow Gordon Gano and Shannon Hoon occupy a similar sound/range space. Femmes are not really my thing but they are definitely unique and original.
The soundtrack to my 14yo soul. I was listening to second- and third-wave punk, starting to dip my toe into the earliest of earlies, NY Dolls and the Stooges and the Sex Pistols. Chad Wiggins, three years older than me and a skinheaded black-booted tattooed (big deal in Vta for a 17yo then!) god who listened to KMFDM and NIN all this wild shit I still don’t understand, told me, “You like those guys, check the Femmes out.” I did and was like Chad wtf. And he said, “Listen to it again.” I did and was still like Chad I like it but I’m not sure I’m getting it? He said, “Go tell your punk buddies you’re listening to the Femmes.” I did and they were all lol faggot. Chad said, “Why do you think they’re like that?” “I don’t know. It’s pretty punk—it just doesn’t sound like normal punk.” “It just doesn’t sound like normal,” Chad said. “Don’t you think it’s weird that these guys who call themselves punk are scared of something that sounds different?” I literally wore out the cassette. I’m so glad this band exists and that Chad told me it was okay to love them.
Not easy to sound so effortless. Love this band.
1. Blister In The Sun - quite good, but gets catchy after a while. At first, I didn't like it, but ca 1 min into the song, it got better. 2. Kiss Off - eh, decent. 3. Please Do Not Go - good strumming, like the instrumentals a lot, calming 4. Add It Up - don't like the cursing 5. Confessions - quite good 6. Prove My Love - I like it 7. Promise - I like the instrumentals. Catchy too. Lyrics are alright 8. To The Kill - I don't like the intro - stress 9. Gone Daddy Gone - Catchy, love the xylophone 10. Good Feeling - slow, calm, nice 11. Ugly - eh, alright 12. Gimme The Car - alright - Conclusion - the instrumentals are good, but I am not the biggest fan of the vocals. Very screamy
Are they good instrumentalists? No. Can Gordon sing? Not really. Does that hurt this album at all? I don't think so. So many great tunes on this album. We were talking the other day in my friend group about our favourite opening tracks, and I amended my answer to include Blister in the Sun, because I forgot it was the opener. I'm listening to a few of the tracks again, Kiss Off, Add it Up, Gone Daddy Gone. It isn't a perfect album, some of their songs drag a little bit, but overall I loved it.
The sound of this record is very raw, which definitely works in this case. The bass player has some licks that I can't believe are done on an acoustic bass, that shit is not easy. The guitars have their moments too and they're very short and sweet. Definitely kept me interested throughout the record. I loved the sound of this record, even if they're songs I'll likely not return to. I really enjoyed my time with it, and I still think it deserves a 4/5
A mix of loads of things, feels like a pre-cursor to the pixies, and ultimately the 90s grunge stuff. Weirdly, the bass is often quite high in the mix, which I actually really like, as most of the basslines are really good. Favorite songs: Add it up, Gone Daddy Gone. overall around 7/10
some pretty great atl rock and still feels modern to this day.
Απιστευτη ενεργεια, απιστευτα ενδιαφερον αλμπουμ. Σιγουρα θα το ξανακουσω αρκετες φορες. Punk μουσικη με κιθαρα και γενικα χαρακτηριστικα μπροστα απτην εποχη τους. Αλμπουμ που θυμιζει πολυ την εφηβεια και την νεανικη ηλικια. Υπηρχε λογος που ηταν το αγαπημενο του πατερα μ Rating: A
Great album, but it did feel a lil 🍇y
Not my favorite, just because of the Vox
Nothing that struck me... why not but definitely not an album I would give a second listen.
Blister in the sun is iconic and the rest of the album was largely post 70’s grungy rock but nowhere near what would come with the likes of nirvana. The two good songs kinda carry
It was some cool Music but it wasn’t my style. I didn’t like their out-of-tempo timing sometimes. I know they did it stylishly but AI have it the same Way with Bob Dylan. Eventhough, it was great Music not just my style
yes
Mid
This was a real mindblower for me - acoustic but sounded dirtier than anything else I was listening to. Love it.
Fav: Add It Up Least Fav: To The Kill Got jumpscared expecting an all-woman punk album only to discover that this is an all-man folk punk album
Carried by two songs. But those two songs... wow.
Never quite considered the Violent Femmes to be a band of my interest. But this album was a cool one, kinda like Lou Reed and Velvet Underground mixed up with CAKE and Fugazi. Quite an amalgom of alternative and post punk sounds.
9/10… folk punk
It’s like nirvana but they forgot the distortion pedal 😔
First track is epic..Slow decent
Ahead of its time!
Not sure how this album made the list… I really tried to like it. Despite having a historical dislike 👎 for the first song, ‘blister in the sun’ It just feels very inconsistent. What I do love is the organic instrumental vibe and the excellent mixing that gives the instruments a live feeling and space and clarity. The lead guitarist and bass sound amazing. But the singing sometimes feels painful and whiny. Track 1: annoying full stop. Particularly the bit when it goes quiet and the annoying catchy back packer vibe. Track 2: excellent track Track 3: annoying singing and reggae rhythm Track 4: annoying ‘sexy’ lyrics Track 5: whiny 😫 annoying singing about being lonely Track 6: Really good song. Love the chorus and guitars. Less whiny 😫 Track 7: love the whole punk folk Track 8: well this song dragged… Track 9: Who let the child play the xylophone? Still a banger though! Track 10: a great closing track 2.5 🌟
Love this album. It always makes me think of Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke in “Reality Bites”. It sounds deceptively simple, loose, lo fi and rudimentary yet listening to it now the musicianship and arrangements are pretty sophisticated. It feels like it belongs to a tradition of American outsider Music that I love, like the missing link between Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers and Pavement. Great stuff.
Wonderful
JK Rowling is a bigger fan than I am.
- Violent Femmes waren mir durch „Blister In The Sun“ natürlich ein Begriff, kann mich aber nicht erinnern, jemals was anderes von denen gehört zu haben. - Ich finde diese Mischung aus reinem akustik Folk und punkig-rotziger Attitude und Gesang irgendwie ganz witzig und fand einiges auch echt cool - In großen und ganzen aber auch nicht so viel, was mir irgendwie in Erinnerung geblieben wäre - Und irgendwann ist mir die leicht schief säuselnde Stimme vom Sänger auch ein bisschen auf den Keks gegangen Rating: 2,75/5
I love it, it is so groovy, and I have so many memories of dancing Blister in The Sun. :)
Disco de culto, muy influyente en el indie/alternativo cuando áun no existía ni ese concepto. No ha dejado nunca de ser reconocido, llegando a vender a lo largo de estos años más de 3 millones de ejemplares. ‘Murmur’ de R.E.M. y ‘Confusion is Sex’ de Sonic Youth son de este mismo 83. También High Land, Hard Rain de un jovencito Roddy Frame con sus Aztec Camera. Let it be de los Replacements aún tardaría un año en llegar, Beat Happening algo más. A las únicas composiciones (y forma de cantar) de un adolescente Gordon Cano se les unen un no menos sorpredente bajo acústico de mariachi, y un batería de pie tocando con una simple caja, haciendo ritmos a caballo entre rockabilly, calipso y skiffle anfetamínico. Con razón fueron rechazados por la mayoría de discográficas. Blister in the Sun es su tema estrella, el más conocido de la banda. Kiss off sigue brillando como entonces, a buen seguro que los Pixies tomaron nota de esta manera de hacer música. También Pavement y otros menos ortodoxos como Guide by voices o Clap your hands and say yeah. Prove my love suena radiante, como unos Sebadoh de buen humor. Gone daddy gone fue incluido en el debut de Gnarles Barkley (fue el single que sucedió nada más y nada menos que a Crazy). Un disco adelantado a su tiempo, que hoy en día no ha perdido su vigencia. La portada es otra maravilla. Otros discos de 1983: Los comentados debuts de REM, Aztec Camera, así como los de Madonna, The The, Minor Threat y The Waterboys. Excelentes obras de THE CHAMELEONS - Script of the bridge, Eurythmics- Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN & DOUBLE TROUBLE - Texas flood, Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones, U2 - War , Talking Heads - Speaking In Tongues, New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies, ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN - Porcupine, David Bowie - Let's Dance, Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual, Metallica - Kill 'Em All, e incluso Mike Oldfield- Crises, UB40- Labour of Love, Huey Lewis and The News- Sports, ZZ Top- Eliminator o The Police - Synchronicity...
Favorite Track: Blister in the Sun
shitty, expected more. very repetitive motives my head started hurting
Didn’t realise this was from 1983
一張80年代的民謠專輯 氛圍有點太快樂了不喜歡 我沒什麼太注意歌詞 滿滿的輕快但有點....油膩感整體一個大峽谷公路旅行風我在副駕把獵槍拿出來 然後射殺路上的野鴨
Still some fun here, and "Blister in the Sun" is a bop that stands the test of time.
3.5/5 (could move up to a 4 or maybe just a 3) getting some Lou Reed vibes threw some of this
Amazing songs. Great album.
I've never been a massive fan, but I understand why people are.
True story, I was in the 8th grade or so and I forgot I was supposed to attend a friends birthday party. Mom my rushed me to “Records on Wheels” where I frantically looked for something to get my friend. I had no idea what he liked musically. My eyes settled on the Violent Femmes based solely on the name. My luck lies in the fact that I saw “Add It Up” first and he really like Blister in the Sun. A win-Win situation. Some songs on this album re not good but then you have Blister in the Sun and Add it Up which basically cancel out 2 poor songs each with how good they are. The poor songs sound like the were demos and were never worked on again. Like the idea of the song was done but the lyrics were just ramblings that weren’t meant or stay. Then you have Blister in the Sun, Kiss Off and Gone Daddy Gone which sound the same with different lyrics and add it up and Prove My Love borrowing from each other musically. Even with those comparisons, the songs are effective in their own ways that you give these guys a hall pass for repeating the same sound numerous times. You really want to fail this album but as each song goes on, it goes from boring to good. They have earned my respect. I enjoyed this. Choice cut: Add it Up
I had no idea who this band was. I was familiar with the opening track, it's been used in TV, film and adverts before - but I couldn't have told you who it was by. After that I was expecting the rest of the album to be pretty bad, but it was actually quite listenable. I wouldn't say it was my thing, or that I will seek it out again though.
this was a good one. I enjoyed every song. 9/10
неплохой фолк, если его можно так назвать. хотя нихуя не фолк, википедия пиздит нагло
I haven’t listened to this album in probably 30 years and I was surprised how good it was. Maybe because I wrote the Femmes off as haphazard. This isn’t strictly fair- this album is all very on-purpose. The lyrics are deft in a way I never previously gave credit for. And don’t get me wrong, I loved this album and listened to it a bunch back in the day. I just didn’t take it as seriously as maybe I should have.
Interessant aber zu alternativ und wild
fantastic.
I waffled between liking and hating this album, definitely liked the first song and then my emotions were all over the place.
What a great album. Blister in the Sun is obviously amazing, but so many of these tracks had me singing along and dancing. Absolutely loved it.
Reminded me a bit of Cake. Not too bad.
Classic album! You get the "good feeling" that this is what happens when you spend too much time busking on the streets of Milwaukee! (This is a total guess, but without looking it up, I think the Femmes did get their start by busking.) Love this high energy folk-punk weirdness. Every song is good here. Liked Songs Added: Blister In The Sun Please Do Not Go Add It Up Prove My Love Gone Daddy Gone Good Feeling Gimme The Car
add it up = 80s incel anthem wait is this whole back half of this incel anthems confessions would be better if they cut 3 and a half minutes off it going to practice bass harder now
Adolescent Angst: the Band
Impressive that these songs were written by a highschooler, and at the same time could only have been written by a highschooler.
Songs i know: 1 Song i like: 0 WTF is this? It sounds like it has been written by 2 year stoned 10 students for their music gcse coursework and recorded in the PE changing rooms. Absolute codshead of an album.
Don’t mind it. A few decent tunes and I like the production on it - sounds very live. Singer’s voice can be a bit grating sometimes, but the lyrics are decent. It’s very ok.
Used to enjoy this album when I was younger after hearing them on films like Reality Bites and Grosse Pointe Blank. Enjoy the looseness and lo-fi style of the songs. Listening to it again about 20 years later, I still admire those things but tastes change and that alt-slacker sound doesn’t hold the same appeal unless its someone like Pavement or The Velvet Underground who had song craft and musical chops. Standouts: Blister in the Sun Add It Up Low Points: To The Kill - Sounds like they drank the bong water and tried to jam
Liked the acoustic punk energy. Reminded me a bit of Operation Ivy. Not going to rush back to listen again. Maybe will with Blister in the Sun. Was unaware it was these guys.
Pretty dire fare overall
Meh. Sounds like high school kids in the garage.
I like the raw, early grunge sound. Outside of "Blister in the Sun" though, none of the tracks really stood out as particularly memorable.
cant even finish...horrid
Very average album with a positive, but boring music. Violently unremarkable.
Violent Femmes shows you how to do stripped back music that still carries an edge and remains interesting and cool. The first half of the album is stacked with big songs most people will know but not know it was VF who did them (myself included) and, although the second half isn't as good, it's a high bar to reach so the whole record still stands up to scrutiny. The bass is outstanding, it gives every song personality and momentum and irreverence, the storytelling is quirky and fun, and there's even a xylophone solo thrown in for good measure on Gone Daddy Gone. Confessions was my favourite song followed by Ugly, it gets a strong 4/5, falls short of a 5 just because I don't think I'd go back to it regularly and it does lack something that would make it properly compelling and truly memorable, but it's really really good.
I am surprised that this gets ratings as high as it does. It feels quite unfinished, everything needs a lot of tidying up, the singer's voice is super ropey and there's not enough interesting musically going on to make up for it in the most part, though some of the instrumental sections are decent). That said, there are a few really good songs if you look properly under the hood - some of which have been covered in a way that works much better for me than this does. Gets a 3/5 for the potential of this album, just wish they'd done a bit more work on it.
Great Brit indie songs, not clean but rough
YES!!!!! I can’t remember what eight’s for ….
This album means a lot to me
Guys will hear a record full of energetic and sloppily played acoustic punk songs full of frustration and just think "hell yeah"
Good 5
This was more entertaining than I’d thought! Great songs and tunes on this one. Some songs sound like straight from the 50s with punky lyrics and some other do have that 90s feeling (even though this album is older)
This album was aite. They have a unique sound, but it didn't quite capture me. 'Kiss Off' was my fave.
Was ok
Highlights: Add It Up, Promise, Blister In The Sun, Gone Daddy Gone In a nutshell: is this cow punk? I think Confessions sounds half country, half acoustic punk. It’s not often that my attention is held with an album that recycles chords. Damn you Gordon and co (glares and waves fist in the air). Overall: 7/10
I love some Violent Femmes but the last half of the album was honestly very boring.
Insane debut for an 18 yo songwriter
I don't think I knew who the first song on this album was by before today so that's fun. Quite enjoyed, tho a bit screamy
Enjoyed it
This was a fun ride, some early 80s punk-rock with attitude. Hadn't heard of the band before, although I recognised Gone Daddy Gone as it was covered by Gnarls Barkley
Not my type of music, although there some interesting parts.
Surprisingly great. Acoustic pop punk that must've sounded way before it's time, as it has aged really well.
What a debut album. I hadn’t really given this album a listen before and was so surprised, in a good way.
Ironically, blisters in the sun is the weakest song on the album. The album is a ‘music geeks must hear’ to appear ‘I am soooo into music because I like Violent Femmes 1983 album’ Not my bag, not totally offended..definitely won’t judge you if you do love it!’
Really did not like this. Vocals were weird, shouty, and off-key, and the instrumentals sounded like a high school band somehow got a recording contract and made an album of them jamming in their garage (which probably isn't far off from the truth).
I never knew this was from the early 80s. I could swear this was 90s Gen Xer music. I really enjoyed his. Blister in the Sun and Add It Up used to get heavy rotation on the radio in the 90s and I’ve always enjoyed them. The rest was new to me. Favorites: Blister in the Sun, Gone Daddy Gone Least Favorite: Good Feeling 4
Sounds like a teenager in his bedroom making up songs
So peculiar for an album with standard instruments
Decent. Not as 80s as one expected, and more raw.
Started listening to this album sober = shit. After some work drinks = good. Could also be that the first half is bad (bar first song).
3.5/10. While I understand that this album is really important, and has its fair share of devoted fans, it really isn't for me. The music gave me a massive headache, and I constantly waited for the album to end. It was an incredibly unpleasant experience for me, personally.
I knew ‘Blister in the Sun’ very well from the past, but unfortunately for me I hadn’t heard any others on the album! I really liked the stripped back sound, really a pioneer of the alternative grungy style that came later. 4.25/5
This definitely got better on repeat listens. Pretty scrappy but fun songs. Favourite tracks: Blister In The Sun, Kiss Off, Add It Up, Prove Me Love, Gone Daddy Gone.
Every track cannot be 'Blister In The Sun', unfortunately
3☆/5 10.18.2024
ok
I liked it - fun and a couple songs were really nostalgic. Wish the lead singer had a better voice.
Excellent album and a fun listen. Oddly enough this band comes off as a folk-punk, acoustic power trio of teenage angst, and they pull it off in style. I was sixteen when this album was released, and it fit my worldview at that time perfectly. It is still a lot of fun to jam out this one even now.
Не очень зашло, пока не понял в чем тут кайф
First song has been stuck in my head all day
It was okay
This has been on my list to listen for a long time and I wish I had not snoozed on it. Really enjoyed it. 4.5
one trick pony but the one trick is pretty darn good
"Blister In the Sun" and "Kiss Off" are great openers to the album, but then the singing style gets old quick.
had all three of their songs i liked, plus one new-to-me that i also liked. at it's best, i think some songs kinda resemble a more upbeat lou reed, at worst it's just kind of annoying. 3.5? my mom was a huge violent femmes fan so i have a soft spot
There was one song in here that I found really annoying but it was for a petty annoying sonic reason that just didn't agree with me, which happens. Fun. Short.
What a strange little album. Either the songs were good, musical and catchy or they were mediocre, with the vocals being a bit grating.. Enjoyed some of it, other bits I can leave.
"the violent femmes are the band people pretend weezer is but in real life. so of course they were very important to me as a teenager" - unpublished joke review i wrote in January i should note three things that are true about the Violent Femmes (more considerably their heathenistic debut): 1. it is incredibly impressive Gordon Gano wrote all these songs when he was still in High School, 2. he could not have written them any other time, 3. the album is better for it. really, any complaints i have with the lyrics of this thing pertain exclusively to the incredibly cringy lyrics of the bonus tracks stapled to the end of every US CD. everything else is pretty tame, including "Add It Up". maybe you could make the link between Gano's sexual frustration and misogyny, but really, it doesn't seem like he's angry at anyone except himself. he knows that it could he could be much worse off than simply unloved. of course, it also goes without saying that even if the lyrics were "better" (an impossible concept to me), they'd still pale in comparison to the sound of the tracks. everyone who's ever walked into a Guitar Center and seen one of those big ass acoustic basses have sat down and played G———4———5—4———4———5—4———4———5—4———| 2x D—5———5—————5———5—————5———5—————5—| A—————————————————————————————————| E—————————————————————————————————| at least once. Violent Femmes strikes the right balance of something to play in your room alone while moping and for your family while driving on a nice summer's day. yes, even the tracks where he says fuck. the bonus tracks, however, are not car friendly. they're barely ear friendly. in my endless crusade against bonus tracks, "Ugly" and "Gimme The Car" (which is five FUCKING minutes, Gordon, cripes) are Evidence No. 1. just take the CD out of the player after "Good Feeling" -- it's better as a closer anyway.
Not really my type.
If you live anytime in Milwaukee, this gets engrained in you. Taking a fresh listen to this, it’s pretty good. Just overplayed in my sphere.
High energy. Some catchy hooks. Gets quite intense. In regards to the lyrics it does get a bit whiny and pitiful, to an obnoxious point. Good instrumentals but the lyrics not so much. Highlights: Blister In The Sun Prove My Love Gone Daddy Gone
Don't really know what to make of this recording. Definitely a punk/new wave/indie flavourful. I can see this album appealing to some, but nothing in it for me.
The only track i know by the Violent Femmes is Blister In the Sun. I quite like the music but don't like the lead singers voice or as Deb says instrumentally they are strong, vocally less so! Deb is happy not to listen to more, Siân may explore further!
Kinda cool but a bit samey
Fun garage band rock. Enjoyable.
Really stripped down sound for a post punk album, gutsy. Vocals were bad but yet just the right tone for the material, overall I liked it.
A few good songs. I liked the guitar, but got repetitive. Vocals were annoying after a couple tracks. Couldn’t wait for the album to end.
Iconic but not a personal favourite
Someone called it Acoustic Punk and that's likely exactly the reason why I love this. With lyrics that are teenage frustration personified
Perfectly mediocre album
Outstanding.
This album is absolutely timeless, as I never would have placed it in 1983. Punk, raw, alternative, and could have been released a decade or two later and fit right in. Blister In The Sun is classic, but I liked much of this album, including Gone Daddy Gone, Kiss Off, and Good Feeling. A coming of age album that is incredibly genuine.
Why didn't anyone tell me the Violent Femme is 3-4 dudes? Misleading. Great album.
**an ok album. I didn’t enjoy, but not a bad album
1. heard blister in the sun before, it’s a song i actually have in a playlist or two. it’s pretty good. 2. pretty good, i like how it gets more intense as it goes on. a song i’ll def add to playlists in the future. 3. album is coming off a lot more acoustic sounding that i thought, thought it’d be more rock but i like it. please do not go is alright. just sounds like teenagers whining honestly. 4. i really like add it up, the instruments, the voice, the lyrics, the story, i love it. 5. don’t like confessions. 6. i like prove my love 7. promise is more rock like, i like it. 8. felt like twink death and birth at the same time 9. surprisingly loved gone daddy gone 10. good feeling is my absolute favourite from this album. i’ve heard it before and have always loved it so much<3 11. ugly is kinda like more of the music i like from the 80s. 12. this song is okay, randomly i really like the middle of this song but the rest is alright.
Good melodies
A good mix of punk indi rock. Apart for a few pieces I mostly enjoyed it
Great, simple rock
Knew more of these songs than I expected. Loved it
Decent album but nothing special.
Amazing, funny, and catchy indie rock that's reminiscent of 21 Pilots
What an album ❤️
Boring and hurt my head
Enjoyed this one a lot. I like the old school vibe it had.
I’ve never liked Blister In The Sun very much but the rest of the album was okay. Not really for me but somewhat entertaining.
Low 4 77/100 How was this released in 1983
Will listen tomorrow
A few notable songs. It feels early indie/punk. It very virgin coded to me. Definitely a raw sound Not super my jam.
Didn't love this one as much,
I do enjoy the violent femmes - but I do also have trouble doing an entire album by them. I freakin’ love that “raw” sound that 80s punk and pop brought us. But this album as a whole probably won’t make the regular rotation
The album has an interesting mix of songs. Bordering on punk, was shocked to find out the song you hear on the radio on 2024, Blister in the Sun, was written in the early 80s.
Blister in the Sun is a fantastic song, one that most people would instantly recognize. The rest of the album was new to me. I found it to be alright - a pretty fun and energetic album, with a few mellow songs to balance it out. Some of the songs are a bit noisy/chaotic for my liking, but I found the mix of punk and acoustic to be an interesting one. I definitely wouldn't have guessed the album was from the 80s (not a good or bad thing, just sounds more like 90s music to me). Overall, an enjoyable listen, but not sure if I'll find myself returning to it for further listening (aside from Blister in the Sun).
Not mindblowing, but enjoyable after getting over the vocals being a bit grating.
So I saw this band once and thought before the festival, "oh yeah I know that 1 song". Performance blew me away, but i never returned to this album for some reason.... here i am now, once again blown away. This will not longer be that band with that 1 hit, but that epic debut.
September 24, 2024 HL: "Blister in the Sun", "Please Do Not Go", "Confessions", "Gone Daddy Gone" Violent Femmes' debut is what I imagined the Pixies would sound like, before seriously listening to either band. I knew "Gone Daddy Gone" as a Gnarls Barkley song, back in 2007; this might be the first time I've listened to the original version. Strange! Overall, I enjoyed the mix of melodic, hooky folk mixed with darker, noisier moments. As the top review on this website implies, it's about 10 years ahead of its time.
What would Primus have sounded like if they had signed to K Records?
So many hits! I'm tired of Blister in the Sun, but can still dig the majority of these.
4/10
My kids are going to think I'm so cool
Wow, this album is amazing, especially for a debut album I'd heard a few of the tracks before, but not the whole thing. Earnest but silly in the most delightful way.
Punk emo sounding
I had high hopes at the start of this album, but it was overall quite insufferable. The instrumentation is really interesting sometimes but the lead singer is annoying and there are some quite terrible lyrics. I just know their rehearsal room smelt really bad. Take a shower please.
Off to a good start with blister in the sun but overall I found the vocal style kind of jarring. I liked some of the bits that were a bit spoken word adjacent though. Some of the lyrics were a bit dodgy as well. Favourite song: Blister in the sun
I didnt hate this one as much as the others, it was okay, 2/10. I like the background music
I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!! There no other album that sounds like, which is crazy because it is basically only vocals, hi hat, snare, acoustic guitar and bass. What is also insane is that this came in 1983. It sounds 10 years ahead of time. This album is so much fun, all the songs are so much fun to sing along too and have really great melodies and some witty lyrics. Their bass player is on another and is really what sells this album for me. The 4 track run at the start of this album is perfect and one of the strongest openings of all time. I love the harmonies in Please Do Not Go, the bridge of Kiss Off, and the main melody of Add It Up is so good. I really should try to listen to their other albums. High 5.
“Why cant I get just one fuck”- there’s a lot of sexual frustration in this song
fantastic album. it's one I've been meaning to listen to for a long time after a lot of recommendations but I'm surprised at just how much I ended up liking it. bassist is great and the overall lyrics and vibes of every single track is on point. love it
некоторые забавные, но в среднем слишком крик вс музыка и некоторые слишком хорни 80е
Lemme hear that glock solo
5 stars, obviously.
Pretty good.
A bit samey
Hey, I remember getting into Violent Femmes through The 100! And it was only *checks year* almost 10 years ago... oh... oh no...
Everybody in the world knows "Blister in the Sun" and apparently it is about drugs. Kiss Off, Please Do Not Go, Prove My Love, I liked the prominent bass on To the Kill and Good Feeling are all really good songs. The lead singer's voice can get a bit grating at times, which did in some way hamper my ability to enjoy the songs. This album was pretty much what I expected and could have come straight from the 90's. It's really ahead of its time and for that reason I think it has a place in the book. Not sure I would revisit.
its great just not my fav
Raw indie sound. Some songs are too alternative.
good album he sasys swear words though thats bad
WAIITTTT I ROCKED WITH IT ! definitely feel like i've heard blister in the sun in the pop culture zeitgeist before but yeah i'm into it
Distinctive sound
Forgot to rate this one like 2 weeks ago. From what I remember, I liked it a lot. Plucky bass, stripped down drums, grungy vocals
There's only one way this is going to go - 5 stars, despite staggering amounts of teenage angst :)
heel nice, lekker schreeuwen met soepele gitaartjes.
A 4.5 for sure!
I’ve heard of the Violent Femmes before, specifically the song “Blister in the Sun” which I consider a bop. That song happens to be the first song of their self-titled debut right here. Much like the aforementioned song, this album is filled to the brim with folk-punk tunes, where the acoustic guitars are rollicking and playful alongside well-accented percussion from Victor DeLorenzo. Gordon Gano wrote in such a manner that this album maintains a high energy throughout its runtime. The only song I didn't immediately gel with was "To the Kill", though with a second listen I came to realize that the tonal dissonance throughout song is still mildly cohesive in its structure and actually pairs well with the perverse lyrics of the narrator thinking about killing. There’s a such a twisted fun nature throughout this album, and I have no doubt in giving this one high remarks. Check it out.
love them, not my favorite album but defiantly a banger!
If you’d asked me to guess the year and genre of this album from the title, then acoustic folk punk from 1983 is probably the last thing I’d have gone for. This turns out to actually be a lot of fun, written by an 18 year old high school student called Gordon Gano, mixing punky Lou Reed style vocals with bouncy acoustic guitars and lively drums. The highlight is the first track Blister in the Sun which I recognised from the Xbox Rock Band soundtrack.
Everybody needs some accoustic punk!
Decent album, especially for a debut. Prefer the instrument lines (that bass!) to the vocals (which sound a bit whiny). Lyrics are a bit samey (I feel lonely, why will no-one love me, ad infinitum).
All bangers.
angsty teen boys who want sex
I can excuse the bad voice since it compliments the punky elements nicely Standout: Blister In The Sun
I cannot believe it was published in 1983, so fresh. Could be yesterday
This youthful combination of anger and humor could easily come off as embarrassing or kind of laughable once you’re no longer a teenager yourself, but here, it really works. Totally fun and with a unique sound. Favorite tracks: Add It Up, Promise
Was very good. Only bad song was Please do not go. Will I listen to again: 90%
How does such an voice match so well with the music? It's dirty, greasy, & raw. Love it.
A few months ago, i became a father. As i listened to this album, i discovered some interesting thoughts about my daughter, women and men. Thanks for this.
I hadn't heard of the group before, and the album wasn't my favorite. However, I did enjoy the tracks 'Add It Up' and 'Gimme the Car.' While I generally like noisy songs, the vibe of this album felt too chaotic for my taste, with the noise seeming out of rhythm. Overall, it didn't stand out as anything special to me.
2024-09-02...
Spiky, very direct and heartfelt. Sharp, raw and challenging with some very catchy tunes
Amazing sound, especially the bass. Songs are fun to listen too but except the first one do not immediately stick in your head... Multiple listenings will fix this though... I stopped after good Feeling as it is the perfect end for this record.
Was aware of Blister in the sun but little else. Sounds pretty dated but no doubt influential, can’t see myself revisiting it
Great album with lovely punk ditties.
Teenage hormones meet acoustic punk. The dude's got his hands full. When he can't beat his meat, he plays guitar with as much passion, and when he can't pluck and strum that guitar, he gives his meat the same treatment.
Taking too long again, Bill!
Kind of underwhelming but then I've always felt this way about the singles from the album. I like them if they come on, yet rarely seek them out.
9/10
Strong week so far. Another epically important album. Bonus points for Milwaukee’s greatest alternative-folk-nerd band.
Yep, 40 years after the fact, this album is still pretty undeniable
More punk than I expected, but probably my favorite version of the genre.
Great album to represent early 80s stripped down teen angst music. Songs by young adults for teenagers. It still holds strong today with a number of bangers, most prominently Blister in the Sun, their most popular song by far. This kind of music led to the alternative genre that exploded in the 90s.
started pretty strong but overall i found it a bit grating
I obviously knew Blister, but this was a fun listen. Sounds like nothing else from 1983 and almost like a protopunk Mountain Goats. I think it dipped a little in the middle but it opens and closes strong.
I was just talking to a coworker of mine about how weird The Velvet Underground is and how I can't imagine why people consider them so influential. Then I put this shitshow on and totally got it.
I had never listened to this album all the way through but knew four of the songs. As a whole it is an amazing album!
Just wild. Kinda grating, I have to take in smaller doses, I don't have this much energy anymore, lol. But every song is a classic. And it sounds so fresh. 4/5
Some great tracks on this album
Proper good, should really be 5 stars but goof was too cruel and did nit allow it.
1. blizter - 1 2. kizz - 1 3. do not go - 1 4. up - 1.5 5. confezzionz - 1 6. love - 1 7. promize - 1.5 8. kill - 1 9. daddy - 1.5 10. good - 1.5 11. ugly - 1.5 12. car - 1
i've already listened to this album and i absolutely adore every second of it
Whiny AF. Never really loved them
Oops. Rating and comments for Pet Shop Boys was meant for this album. Life is a mystery!
More hits than I realized on here. Not sure I've heard Good Feeling before, but really enjoyed it in particular.