Reviews (page 4 of 7)
3,5
Defs sounds like the 80s.
Dad- 6 Mom- 8 Mike- NA Lori- 4 Michael- NA Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 6
3.5
The music is not that great. Feels largely overrated to me.
my first album of 1001 overall, the album was a little bit boring but i liked the ironic melancholic vibe of 'ha ha i'm drowning' and 'when i dream'
I have no issue with the specific album, but pretty tired of all of the average brit-pop representation.
Too long
Maneiro mas sem graça, não sei pq ta na lista
Pl332 N0 m0R3 bR1T p0P
Good but not as great as they clearly think of themsleves.
Listenable, but no matter how many times I gave this a spun really nothing here stuck out to me and if I didn't take notes during my listens I probably wouldn't have a highlight list. Having said that, only the big hit here stuck out to me. This is definitely on here only because Blur and Morrissey cited them as an inspiration which is whatever, I can only complain about this bullshit so many times (I will continue to complain). Highlights: Reward
The very definition of fine. Average to mildly good. Never heard of em before and probably won’t be able to pick them out of a sea of generic 80s British rock.
Kilimanja who?
Another example of why this project doesn't need to be 1001 albums. I like Julian Cope (though I'm not sure I would give any of his albums 4 stars), but I'm not sure I need to hear his early work with a band. At best, it's 7 out of 10, maybe just 6. I will grant that it's somewhat innovative for 1980, but still... three stars.
It was fine, little psychadelic, little 80's/90's electronic synthesizer vibes. Never heard of the group so that was cool, but nothing all that unique and different then made me want to explore them more
80er Punk (neo-psychedelic Liverpool) mit guten und schlechten Elementen.
Julian Cope has far better solo albums. Also, read his books.
5/10 - it started pretty good but quickly became repetitive and I wanted it to end
We’ve had like 30 albums that sound and feel exactly like this album. Even the cover looks unoriginal. If this is neither unique nor very good, why is it on the list?
I wasn't feeling this after a first listen, but I just got done skipping around a few songs and they grew on me a bit. Poppies In The Field is my playlist pick, but Second Head through Brave Boys Keep Their Promises is a nice little section. I can hear this may have been a big influence on a lot of later music I enjoy, so I'd give this another listen for sure.
I think I liked it. Some songs would be good for movie montages
Good background music but not quite a 4 for moi
Some of it is fine, but it’s not quite as interesting as what I normalt listen to from this era
Nothing memorable, but decent enough in the background.
Very energetic post-punk, had a good time listening!
this shit sounds so insanely british it is a pain in my ASS
OK, this is actually pretty decent. The bass (Julian Cope) reminds me of the Clash in an excellent way, Gary Dwyer rocks the drums and Alan Gill and Michael Finkler play a surprisingly interesting post-punk guitar. David Balfe can fuck off with the synth bullshit throughout, though. Apparently the recording of their third album (this is their first) culminated in Dwyer chasing Balfe through the hillsides with a loaded shotgun and I have to say, it's a shame he didn't catch him. There's an album in here. It's probably a pretty good one except for the terrible stain of 80s synth all over it. The Teardop Explodes would've been a pretty good three-piece. In all, I'm not longing to forget this experience but I know I will and I'm at peace with that before the record comes to a close. Apparently this was highly influential for both Blur and the Smiths and, unless this album-a-day project changes some long-held opinions for me, I guess it's all downhill from here for Britpop. 3/5. Might've been a 4 without Balfe.
I am a sucker for punchy, new-agey driving punkish albums and this one is indeed in that bag, however, it is a strange one. Labeled as neo-psychedelia and I guess I can see why with the lyrics being pretty goddamn kookie, to me it sounds far more new-wave coded. Apparently this is another prime early goth sounding kinda record, coming up with Echo and the Bunnymen.. and even though Echo ultimately became more popular, I think this album is slept on. The instrumentation alone is a lot of fun and sonically very bold, not quite in the punk sensibilities in it's contemporaries, it's definitely more poppy and they trade in the moody dejection for more pop-psychedelia sounds. 'Treason' is super jangly. A lot of the songs beyond that sound incredibly similar to each other, and they mostly bleed together because of that. It booms, it's good pop new agey fun, even if it isn't all that memorable and can be a bit grading.
I really liked the vinylie feeling and sound. reminded me of the smiths or sublime.
Solid but not anything special
A bit over hyped. Almost falls in the British favoritism in this list.
Solid 1980's sound - nothing I need to listen to again but certainly fine for what it is.
I liked it but some songs were pretty weird
Не понятно. Сначала вроде интересно, но потом уже кажется что-то не то. 5,5 из 10.
It was alright, had some good songs Will I listen to again: 12%
I like it, sounds like the doors, and the cure together.
some good tracks on this, good album
Fine. Whatever.
-sort of reminds me of the stuff I heard by Haircut 100. very typical yet not entirely compelling new wave. there were quite a few bops and it was a great album to metaphorically shake some ass to but other than that not too much stood out -the band does have a great sense of rhythm and stuff, i just feel they could benefit from better production perhaps? oh well, it’s not bad -Favorites are Sleeping Gas, Second Head, and Went Crazy
Maybe one day I could love them as much as The Smiths or XTC. Not bad but nothing jaw dropping
Perfectly fine, but I probably won’t ever listen to it again.
ha ha im drowning- 5 sleeping gas- 5 treason- 5 second head- 5 poppies in the field- 5 went crazy- 5 brave boys keep their promises- 5 bouncing babies- 5 books- 4 thief of baghdad- 5 no more too british
This ends up feeling messy like the singing is more important than the music. Sometimes it works out but mostly it’s a jumble that leaves little musically for me to enjoy. Maybe seeing them done live would be better.
Psychedelic
3.5
Folks. This isn't Britpop. You cannot call everything that's British and has a slight pop feel "Britpop". Britpop was a brief music thing in the mid-90s. Now back to this album. I'd heard of The Teardrop Explodes but never heard any of their music. This is a lot of fun, actually. You can immediately hear who they've influenced: Bloc Party, Maximo Park, The Young Knives and even Franz Ferdinand. The jagged edges of the rhythm section and the detached vocals. Fun! Personally I would have loved some snarly guitars instead of the synths and the horns, but you can't get everything. Treason is probably the most radio-friendly track and one you could sneak onto a playlist, but I like the more meandering tracks better. All told, a very high 3. I was tempted to throw it a 4 but I'm stingy like that.
3 verging on a 2. Some of the songs are quite repetitive and I don’t care for the style of vocals, but overall short enough to stomach
I was on the fence with this one, I liked it but there isn't anything outstanding on here. The only reason it scores a 3 instead of a 2 is because the original working title was 'Everyone Wants to Shag the Teardrop Explodes' That's the sort of confidence I wish I had when I was younger.
mais um pra categoria: tão genérico que deveria ter a tarja amarela na capa do álbum mas não é ruim, na vdd é um new wave/pós punk bem saudável
não sei se eh ESSENCIAL, mas é divertido. bem normal mas faz bem feito o que se propõe!
De synths staan aan, het ruikt spontaan naar haarlak. Ja hoor, dit is een echt jaren '80 album! Er word een saxofoon behoorlijk afgemat, de zang is voor mij echt typisch jaren 80. Met mn ogen dicht hoor ik dit echt zo op Veronica of zo'n andere oude mensen zender. En dat is meteen ook een beetje mn issue met dit album, het is niet super bijzonder ofzo. De muziek is vermakelijk, ik vind de synths enzo echt wel geinig, maar uiteindelijk vind ik nou niet dit een album wat echt uit de tijdsgeest springt ofzo! In tegendeel, zeker richting het einde word het wat saaiig. Moet wel bij gezegd worden dat de zang echt dikke prima is en nummers als Kilimanjaro lekker duister en onheilspellend zijn. Die trek ik dan ook een stuk beter dan eerdere nummers. Eh, ik denk niet dat ik dit album ooit nog eens zal luisteren, maar ik ben niet boos dat ik het ooit wel heb gehoord. Dit was best ok. FAVO: Went Crazy, Reward, Kilimanjaro
Whoever the bassist is, give him a raise. Some great work on this record. Especially on songs like Second Head. That said, its generally just a fine record to me. Throw another late-70's/80's post-punk/new wave/goth rock record onto the list I guess. I'm definitely getting a deeper appreciation for the genre due to this project, but this is definitely an overrepresented genre. I'm 130ish albums in and have gotten a ton of post-punk, and there's no end in sight, haha.
Pretty good post punk new wave brit pop rock 80's record.
Deram uma exagerada ai no trompete galera rsrs 🎺🎺 ... Mas suave, o baixo é bem saboroso e mais do que compensa. E eu particularmente aprecio o estilo lirico e sonoro desses vocais, apesar que as vezes as repeticoes me cansaram. Enfim. Algumas faixas bem notaveis mas outras bem esqueciveis. Mediano. 3.5/5
My Reward is still fantastic, but the rest is a little same-y.
Nice poppy punky music
79% Best: Sleeping Gas; Went Crazy; Bouncing Babies; When I Dream Must-Hear? I'm split on this one... the songwriting is good and the basslines are absolutely killer. However, a ton of the synths sound tacky. They are interesting parts, it's just the sounds used that leave a lot to be desired. Therefore, I have to give this one a maybe.
01) Ha Ha I'm Drowning - 7,0 02) Sleeping Gas - 6,5 03) Treason - 6,5 04) Second Head - 6,5 05) Poppies in the Field - 6,5 06) Brave Boys Keep Their Promises - 7,0 07) Bouncing Babies - 6,0 08) Books - 6,0 09) Reward - 7,0 10) Kilimanjaro - 5,5 11) Strange House In The Snow - 5,5 12) Use Me - 5,5 13) Traison (C'est Juste Une Histoire) - 6,0 14) Sleeping Gas (Live at Club Zoo/1981) - 5,0 TOTAL: 6,18 (62/100) Current ranking: 422/558
I liked the bonus tracks on this album more than the original release, but I won't count those in my rating (with an exception for Reward which seems to get an honorary inclusion in what people consider the official version of this album). Overall, pretty forgettable. 3/5 Highlights: When I Dream Reward
This sounds a lot like The Jam. Interesting to hear something of what would become Echo and The Bunnymen in the future, but it's just a well-made copy of Paul Weller's band. 3 stars is fair.
I’ve never heard of this band before but it reminded me of my high school years. I loved this album!
I put this on while Laura was shredding cabbage. She said "Oh I don't like this" That said its grown on me a little. It's pretty samey, definitely an album with a sound that it does not deviate from. Also they repeat lyrics a lot.
Not the worst britpop on the list, but still is another britpop album on the list.
3/5. Teardrops for Fear of Exploding. It's fun and the songwriting is well done honestly, but it's not better than Tears for Fears, which does it better later. I give it credit for innovating a sound that will be much popular down the road. Overall, it was a pretty solid album, and maybe I just wasn't super feeling it, but I wasn't inspired to repeat listen. If someone did like it a lot, I can definitely see it. Best Song: Treason, Sleeping Gas, Went Crazy
I can definitely hear shades of Echo and the Bunnymen and The Cure in this album. Probably wouldn't listen again as no one track truly stands out to me, but not bad.
This was another brit pop band from the 80s sounded like they wanted to be Duran Duran which is a great band to rip off but they just weren't as good lol middle of the road album
Very Duran Duran. They both came out about the same time.
Very nice listen! Made the morning drive go well
Ladies and gentlemen, I think i have found it, I have found the most 80s album to ever exist with Kilimanjaro. Pretty much every single element of 80s music that has appeared in those albums, it's all here from the keyboards, to the synths, to the bass, to the guitars, to the vocals, to the lyrics its got everything you can think of which means it really earns that new wave tag. As for the album's quality, it's fine albeit nothing all that special. Beyond some decent melodies, there isn't really anything that stands out about this album, neither good or bad. The album was only around 37 minutes long so it is a pretty harmless listen. Best Song: Poppies In The Field Worst Song: Books
Highlights: Poppies, When I Dream, Strange House in the Snow
Julian Cope and the lads overcame one of the goofiest names in music to produce a solid album of psychedelia-tinged Britpop. The origin story is a winner.
And i go ABAPAABAPAPAPAPAPAPAPPAAAAOOOUUH
new wave, post punk, 1980 -> 3
Looks promising from the Wikipedia article. Never heard of this band though I'm usually a fan of this genre of music so I'd be surprised if I hate it. Ha Ha I'm Drowning Has some interesting synths. Great bassline. The vocals are pretty intense. Don't really care much for the horns, they come across a bit crass. The song is catchy enough and has a really intersting instrumental passage, which sounds pretty powerful. Love when the vocals come back to finish of the song. Good. 4/5 Sleeping Gas The fade in is a strange choice, really intersting. The guitar riff is pretty diffuse and watery. The organ is definitely unique for this era. Don't love the vocals here, really repetitive. Decent. 3.5/5 Treason Feels like a much more conventional post punk song. Has a very prominent bassline, dreamy guitars and yearning vocals which I all feel are very typical for the genre. Really like the chorus. The instrumental has a lot of texture. Could do without the backing vocals. Great. 4.5/5 Second Head Really moody and deep bassline. Has a lot of atmosphere to it. I tgink the scarce instrumentation really works with the vocal style on this track. Love when it lets itself get a bit more psychedelic. The lyrics seem pretty well thought out, adds to the paranoid almost horror like feeling that comes with the bassline. Great. 4.5/5 Poppies In The Field Starts off as a continuation of the sound of the previous track, though when the strange effects come in the vibe shifts. Love the guitar played in reverse. Adds a sense of uneasiness. The drums also add to this effect with the heavy use of cymbals. The track does a lot with the post punk sound, innovating with a lot of effects without going to hard on the synths. Great. 4.5/5 Went Crazy I maintain my opinion that the horns don't sound good on this album. The more upbeat tempo is refreshing. The vocals are really intense and agressive, almost uncomfortably so. Don't really care for the lyrical writing of this one, it's a bit dull. Fine. 3/5 Brave Boys Keep Their Promises Don't like the guitar at all. Sounds terrible. The vocals are also quite irritating. I don't think anything about this track works. At least the lyrics are somewhat interesting. Bad. 1.5/5 Bouncing Baby An agressively British man screaming "I WAS A BOUNCING BABY" at the top of his lungs following by some spooky synths is not something I expected to hear today. The track has a pretty alright atmosphere, but it's incredibly chaotic. It's interesting, but not pleasant in any way. The vocals and the synth are both really intense, battling for your attention. Decent. 3.5/5 Books Doesn't sound great. Can really feel a lack of production quality here. Sounds really flat and compressed. The bassline is pretty cool. Instrumentally it's an interesting scattering of instruments that all feel underimplemented, to the point where you only really remember the blazing horns and the underlying bassline. Vocally he delivers a charismatic performance in line with the rest of the album. Fine. 3/5 Thief of Baghdad Interesting opening. Great instrumental, really builds upon the strange and psychedelic vibe promised by the intro. Lovely use of synths. The chorus is memorable and distinct. Good. 4/5 When I Dream I like the electronic feel. The chorus is extremely dumb, though I do find it quite charming as well. Really like the instrumental passages, they feel simple yet contain plenty of texture. They add an additional layer to a fairly simple song. The ending segment takes way to long to change and evolve, makes it really repetitive and annoying to start off with. Never really gets much more interesting than that, as all you get is this meandering synth playing over the same backing instrumental. It's fairly atmospheric, but not enough to keep it engaging. Feels uneccessarily long. Decent. 3.5/5 It's an alright album with some interesting ideas scattered throughout. In a post punk landscape full of instrumentally similar bands I really like their attempts to mix in horns and organs as additional pieces to their sound, even if the ideas are sometimes better than the final result. I also enjoy the psychedelic elements employed in some tracks, which is a really interesting innovation for the genre, where the blend of the different musical styles worked strangely well together. Add the really intense vocal performance and you get a unique but often inconsistent experience. I'd say the main culprit for this inconsistency is the lack of production quality, making many of the songs sound muddy and cramped as a result. There's also some inconsistency in the songwriting here, resulting in several songs that either sound a bit directionless or just generic and bland. Finally I feel it lacks any real highlight moment, any one track that really makes you want to return to it. While individually several tracks scored highly, none really made me jump out of my seat. In the end I found this album quite middle of the road, plenty that worked, and plenty that just didn't leave much of an impression. 3.5/5 leaning more towards 3/5. Fave track. Second Head Least fave track. Brave Boys Keep Their Promises
This album started out feeling very generic and typical, but as it went on it definitely got a bit more interesting and grew on me a bit. Unfortunately the singer does sound very generic, even if some of the lyrics and music are pretty good. In the end it just doesn't do much for me, but it was enough to make me listen through more than once, so it just clears 3 stars for me.
Reward cracking tune
Some very good tunes first couple and reward. A far bit of filler though
Very cool album as I’m kind of a sucker for that 80’s new wave sound. This was good.
This is a perfectly nice 3/5 album. It’s competent, with some nice melodies and grooves. I’m not massively into this era or genre(s), but it has some personality to it and that works in its favour. I like the bass-lines and touches of keys in there. I felt there was a bit more filler as it went on, but overall it’s not bad.
That killer 80s sound at the cusp of the decade.
This wasn’t bad. It was a lot better than my knee jerk expectations of English psychedelic rock from the 80s. Kind of enjoyed the Julian Cope from a while back, kind of enjoyed this.
no no no no no no no no noNO NO NO NO NO NO NON ONO
Never heard of this band, but i enjoyed the experience of Kilimanjaro. Again i found myself listening to the bass tone and style which were delightful and distinct. This was an album i may give another spin to, but didn't have any songs really grab me when i listened.
Fun at times but a bit monotonous at times
Case File: Julian Cope—A Day in the Life Julian Cope exited his residence at precisely 07:42 hours, locking the door with a practiced flick of his wrist. The morning air carried a faint chill, but he ignored it, scanning the street with the quiet vigilance of a man who had seen too much. His target was clear: the corner café. He navigated the sidewalk with purpose, avoiding eye contact with loitering dog walkers and the occasional rogue cyclist. Inside, he ordered a black coffee—no sugar, no hesitation. The barista, a reliable informant named Lucy, handed over the drink without a word. Cope nodded his thanks. It was an unspoken agreement—they both knew he would be back tomorrow. At 08:15 hours, Cope entered the office, a beige-walled precinct of spreadsheets and unanswered emails. He took his seat, powered up his workstation, and surveyed the damage from the night before. Twelve unread messages, three flagged as urgent. He started with the easiest—a system update notice, quickly dismissed. The next was from IT: a reminder to reset his password, a task he postponed indefinitely. The third was from a higher-up, demanding a report he had yet to compile. He exhaled slowly. This was going to require precision, timing, and at least two more cups of coffee. He rolled up his sleeves. The case of the missing motivation had just begun. By 17:35 hours, Cope had closed out his inbox, filed two reports, and survived a tense 47-minute meeting that yielded no actionable intelligence. He powered down his computer and grabbed his coat, exiting the office into the fading daylight. The streetlights flickered to life as he made his way back to his apartment, retracing his morning steps with the quiet efficiency of a man accustomed to routine. Once inside, he removed his shoes with methodical care and collapsed onto the couch. The day’s work was done. But he knew—tomorrow, he was going to start a band and enter the music business.
Jeden z tych albumów, który przychodzi i odchodzi. Nie przeszkadzał, ale też w żaden sposób nie zapadł w pamięć. Brzmiał trochę jak stary Lady Pank.
Helt Ok, känns som det finns för många treor i en lista av de bästa
Post - punk classic very good album solid 10/10
Als je 300 willekeurige albums uit deze lijst plukt, is de kans groot dat je iets wat hierop lijkt al een paar keer hebt gehoord. Jaren '80 Britse popmuziek, maar we geven het een gave genrenaam zoals post-punk, of in dit geval neo-psychedelica. Het is gelukkig geen verschrikkelijke ervaring. Deze overleef je wel. De zanger is zeker niet de meest vervelende in het genre en dat helpt enorm mee. Je hoeft het album absoluut niet gehoord te hebben, maar ik kan verder niet actief hekelen. Een solide album met lekkere baslijntjes. Een degelijke 3 sterren dus.
This was going to be a one star until Reward. I loved that and everything after so it got bumped up a couple of stars
This website really needs to stop scaring me with that "post-punk" tag. At this point, my experience with the genre has been so bad that I'll always come into an album tagged with it expecting the worst. So, y'know, on the one hand I'm like, "Thank goodness it turns out that this is just bog standard British New Wave." But then, y'know, obviously that's also this thing's big problem: that it turns out that this is just bog standard British New Wave. Within the first few seconds, I thought these guys sounded like a one hit wonder. I have no proof if they actually were or not, but that's just the vibe I got. And, like, they're not the kind where they had such an incredibly unique song that it caught the public's imagination, no. This isn't a "She Blinded Me With Science" or "Come On Eileen". I'd say this is more, like... "Turn Up The Radio" by Autograph. Where they happened to be at the right place at the right time with a popular sound. I mean, this album just strikes me as "Yeah, they really didn't have much else to offer beyond their big hit that you couldn't get anywhere else." That's not to say there's nothing here. The keys, synths and guitars can do nice things at times. In fact, the singer's voice, though a bit generic, isn't even that bad. You wouldn't not have a decent time going through this; there's just enough "goofy new wave" fun. I just can't imagine going that wild over this unless I was just **that big** a fan of British New Wave and somehow didn't know where to find better. Ultimately, if they were a one hit wonder and I was asked if they deserved better, I'd say "Not really." They're perfectly serviceable, but that's all they are. Just an also-ran you'd forget about the moment Duran Duran dropped their debut a year later. It'd be mean to give them less than a 3 — and for sure they're better than many post-punk albums I've had to put up with — but they really don't deserve any higher. (Also: "neo-psychedelia?" They're not that either, Wikipedia. Where the heck did your editora get that from? Goodness me.)
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump down to a 3. It’s really not THAT bad, it just feels significantly “worse” than some of its other new wave contemporaries – I know Wikipedia will classify this as “post-punk neo-psychedelia”, but that doesn’t feel fair. I hesitate to say “dollar store Duran Duran demos”, but it feels that way at times. When this album tries to feel bigger and introspective in its lyricism, it kinda falls flat on its face, whether it’s in the lyrics making no goddamn sense, the vocal performance not having the conviction to match what it’s going for, or the instrumentation just barely meshing with the lyrics. This album feels a lot better when it’s focused on the energy of the instrumentation, and once they really hone in on that during the back half of the album, it clicks a lot more. Granted, they kind of ruin all goodwill they built up with the absolutely mediocre closer of “When I Dream”, which feels like the biggest offender of “first minute” syndrome that there’s been in quite some time… but they don’t ruin it THAT badly – enough for me to lean fully downward on the 3.5 side of things, but it was already leaning that way regardless. I understand why the average rating for this is like, a 2.89 – it’s repetitive, it takes a while to really get going, and a lot of the tracks are inconsistent in the execution in a way that drags down the experience. From a purely competent musical standpoint though, I love the sound of the synth work & percussion here, and sometimes the vocals really do mesh nicely. When it all comes together, it sounds good. Granted, it’s still never as good as say, Duran Duran or R.E.M. or Talking Heads, but it creeps into “fun cheesy 80s new wave” territory enough times that it kind of won me over, regardless of how it compares to its contemporaries. So, yeah, it’s a 3.5 that I’ll bump down to a 3, but it’s got a good, earnest energy throughout, and you can tell they really are trying. Other bands and artists would perfect this further, but for 1980, it’s really not THAT bad. Maybe with enough time, a few of these tracks will click more to the point where I’d feel safer with a 4, but it would take a LOT of time, I think. Regardless, it’s a solid listen, and a solid 3.
Not too bad!
Not bad, maybe too long. I thought the production was solid and there was some interesting stuff. High 3.
An alright listen. Brit New Wave and I don't really mind it. Pretty middle of the road for me as I feel there are more albums in the genre worth listening to, but I still enjoyed it
2,5
Never heard it before. It's OK
Makes me want to listen to the cure instead.
First of all, lol a bunch at “Ha ha I’m Drowning” (the title). This music is almost a parody of the 80s. I don’t know if I hate it or like it. Boy, these guys love the brass instruments. Treason is a jam.
Sometimes you wonder why certain records made the list. I kinda felt that way about this record, but also thought it was pretty good. Very of the times and sounded uber-80s but all in all, enjoyable!
3 - I liked it. Didn’t leave a lasting impression though
Interesting
80s UK neo psychedelia. Cope had a great voice but some of the songs on this debut seem a bit flimsy...
Never heard of this band before this list. I was never much into pop in the 80s but this one made me feel very nostalgic. I liked it and will give it another listen.
Other than Sleeping Gas, I thought the first half of the album was enjoyable to listen to. Then the second half really dragged. I'm caught between a 2 and 3 here, but ultimately feeling like this deserves at least a low 3.
i liked most of the songs and also added them to my playlists but also there were some songs that i found quite boring. overall it was a nice album but not the best
Straight out the 80s,pretty good and vibey but not new enough dot this to be a 4 stars
Sounds very echo and the bunnymeny but they did have close ties with them so makes sense, pretty poppy but quite good
Would rate 3.5 but can’t, interesting vibe
Aight
Me ha gustado más el aire proto Manchester sound que el disco en sí. Ojo y que estos eran de Liverpool, pero hay un aire Inspiral Carpets, Echo and the bunnymen (estos si eran de Liverpool) muy bueno. Me guardo When I dream. Y dudo entre 2 y 3 estrellas, pero como supongo que habrán salido mal parados voy por las 3.
Quite enjoyed
5/10 Favorite Tracks: When I Dream, Reward, Thief of Baghdad Least Favorite: Ha Ha I'm Drowning, Sleeping Gas, Poppies, Went Crazy, Bouncing Babies, Brave Boys Keep Their Promises, Strange House in the Snow
Reminded me of Talking Heads
Fun early 80’s pop feel
Upbeat 80's synth pop. Entertaining background but nothing memorable enough to be stuck once album over.
At times this felt like Talking Heads. I enjoyed the beginning a lot more and the end seemed to get a bit lost/bland toward the end.
Kind of just another Neo-psych English album from the 80s. This one was pretty high energy which was nice but didn't do much for me. Pretty low 3
почему вики называет неопсиходеликом то что звучит как английский панк? почему они поют по-французски? больше удивления чем впечатления
A classic Alt 80s UK sound, rooted with flavours of Echo and the Bunnymen. Few cool tunes, with a unique Liverpool sound I haven't really heard too much of.
I'm sure they were very influential at the time. To me, however, this sounds like another typical example of early British Post-Punk. There's a pretty good amount of Bowie worship going on here. The horns were a nice change-up, though.
I've never heard of these guys. Not bad. Probably won't seek them out again but wasn't a bad way to spend my morning.
hljómaði full nýrómantískt í byrjun fyrir minn smekk. en vinnur á og á köflum mjög gott. aðra. 3,5.
Mix The Clash, The Police, The Doors with a hint of maybe of Duran Duran, and I have a feeling like you'd get this album without the low points. It's not without it merit, and it's pretty okay to listen, but all the high points feel like I've already heard them elsewhere.
Some decent songs, some rather annoying songs.
A psychadelic rock album that manages to feel jarring (Thief of Baghdad is a lrime example), there doesnt seem to be a flow if that makes sense. That being said I enjoyed this more than most of the psychadelic rock we get here, it crosses over into 80's movie montage sound here and there (Sleeping Gas), also 17 tracks? Tighten it up guys, take it down to 12 and it gets way more digestible.
Kind of interesting Brit psychedelia. Nothing ground breaking. It felt like the songs on Spotify were out of order. Songs would slam to a halt and it always sounded like the next song should just flow into the previous on but they don’t. It’s hard to explain but I think this album needed to be resequenced
too repetitive
The Teardrop Explodes' debut album artwork offers an intriguing visual journey. Originally, the cover featured a shadowy photograph of the band, which was later replaced by a breathtaking image of zebras in front of Mount Kilimanjaro. This transformation elevates the artwork from mundane to iconic, capturing the album's adventurous spirit. The mountain landscape provides a striking contrast to the band's Liverpool roots, symbolizing an escape from industrial monotony. While the zebra-laden mountain scene is visually arresting, it feels slightly disconnected from the band's post-punk aesthetic. The artwork's evolution demonstrates creative risk-taking, earning it a solid three-star rating for its bold reimagining and evocative imagery. Album artworks rated: 24/1001 Music's not that great
I enjoyed it. Got a little repetitive after a while but it was a good listen.
This reminds me a lot of a band called The Jam
K-K-Kilimanjaro Joo, Kilimanjaro, joo, Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro, joo, Kilimanjaro, joo Kiliman-Kiliman-Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro, joo, Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro, joo, Kilimanjaro Kiliman-Kiliman Kilimanjaro huipulla kuin farao Vahvistetut poikaset haluavat seurata seuraamista varten Pyydän P:täni, mitä vittua yrität lainata Tähtää polveasi, kun nostan nuoltani Tule vittuun, tule vittuun kanssani Pane vittuun, ei ole aikaa paeta Puuta, jota kutsun, kun kaadan puun (puutavara) En välitä Gudjonista vai Leestä Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro, Kiliman-Kiliman.... uudenvuoden hurmaa.. annetaan kolme sleeping gas
Didn’t expect to like this but it stands up
I think I’d have to listen a bunch of times to understand why this album stands out. Listened passively and felt meh.
Nothing special, but I liked it - fun, synthy new wave. It reminded me a bit of Echo & The Bunnymen. That live version of Sleeping Gas was…something. 3.5
Decent but forgettable new wave
Pretty standard 80s sound. Just not all that great or memorable.
Some cool trippy tunes with an 80s bent
Quite liked. Didn't realise Julian Cope
Kinda boring. Too long.
It’s just okay! I’ve never been to Kilimanjaro
This is enjoyable!
There are some English bands that when you hear the first time you don't quite pick out a distinct English accent from the vocals so you can't immediately pin point where they're from. There are other English bands that have such a strong accent you can pinpoint their origin down to the county. This is the latter
What the typical early 80s album sounds like. It's not too bad though and is worth one listen.
it was pretty cool but didn’t sound much different from any of the other albums with this vibe
I generally like this era of post punk/new wave etc. ‘Kiliminjaro’ has some standout moments. ‘Ha Ha I’m Drowning’, ‘Sleeping Gas’, ‘Books’ and ‘When I Dream’ (my favourite track on the album by far) are the picks here. I also listened to the bonus tracks which I tend not to do, and of those ‘Use Me’ is by far the best and worthy of a place on the album. The rest of the album is a bit by the numbers, but I find myself coming back and listening to this quite often nonetheless.
Favorite Track: Poppies In The Field
Noch nie gehört, besser als manches andere aus den 80ern.
Decent, never heard it before. Probably just on three.
Lots of reviews saying this was dull and repetitive, but I thought it was pretty decent fun. I don't think I need to listen to it again, but it wasn't terrible.
Weirdly the original release of this album omitted both the title track and their biggest hit, but this version has those plus a couple of other b sides. Anyhoo, with this we are very much in the post punk era with a side line in obtuse lyrics. I struggled to hear what he was singing in places - for years I’d assumed that he was asking his mum to accept his reward. This is probably the best band to be named after a random quote from a Silver Surfer comic.
Decent post-punk, but not really memorable.
It had its moments
É legalzinho, mas acho que já tem bandas demais assim no mundo. Embora acho que entrega o que promete, principalmente em Treason, Second Head e When I Dream.
Legal pra escutar enquanto trabalha. Tem umas músicas com hooks bem chiclete e que ficam na cabeça.
да нахуй нормик тоже, в килиманджаро все спокойно
This was a good 3 star album for me. I had never heard of them before and I was kind of reminded of really early The Cure but maybe a bit more boring. Strange House in the Snow was totally bonkers, and the live track at the end of Sleeping Gas was pretty good. Several pretty good tracks on here that I may return to, or may look into their other albums, so I guess that means a 3 star album.
Better than I expected, but still not terribly interesting. 3 stars.
Catchy. Pre classic rock
Yesterday I got the Simple Minds. This is not very different. Also good but not great. A little faster. I like this one better. Most songs are alright. I skipped the bonus tracks. Strange how the title track was not on the album originally. Favorite song: Second Head.
I normally have very strong feelings about Julian Cope and the Teardrop Explodes, but not today. This was a decent album.
This was so British. Not bad, if a little boring. I wouldn't say it warrants inclusion on the list, but I didn't mind it.
I liked this - last live song and Julian’s chat wasn’t great.
Did the people who write this list just stop listening to music post the 80s? I can't with all this Brit Pop. The album itself isn't bad, and if not for the overdose of britpop I'm suffering from going through these albums, I might have said I liked this album. Probably deserves higher than this rating but I simply can't with this list. 3/5
Ha Ha I'm Drowning 3.2 Sleeping Gas 3 Treason 3.1 Second Hand 3.2 Poppies in the Field 3.3 Went Crazy 3.4 Brave Boys Keep Their Promises 3.3 Bouncing Babies 3.3 Books 3.1 Thief of Baghdad 3.3 When I Dream 3.2 Score: 3.218181818
It's OK, I liked it a little more than I thought I would. I actually get some Talking Heads type of feel from some of the songs.
Super pleasantly surprised by this, some of the songwriting is awesome. There were some dude but some serious hits too
I didn’t know this band or this album, but I really liked the sound! The more the album went on, though, the more I wished there had been a little more variety. Honestly I couldn’t tell where the first track ended and the second one began. And by the end I wished I was listening to The Jam. Not bad - not great.
Meh
A lot of cool stuff on this one, and definitely better than a lot of other britpop adjacent albums on this list. Some of the psychedelic tones they play with are super interesting, especially on songs like When I Dream and Poppies In The Field. Not a whole lot I'd add to my playlist, but some definite bangers here.
I liked it, but I'm a sucker for 80s new wave.
There’s some good stuff here. Very clearly influential. Probably sounded pretty radical when it was released. As with most of Julian Cope’s music, I like parts of songs, but not a whole song. Traison, is better in French, though. That was cute. 3/5
Just sounds like an average 80s album. Still fun tho
pretty solid brit pop punk, 3.75
This band features Julian Cope's weirdness in full display (already rated a Cope album, Peggy Suicide). This is just another neo-psychadelic britpop/new wave album. Nothing interesting here that would separate it from the hordes of other britpop shit to frequent this list. Once the song Kilimanjaro hits, the rest of the album from this point forward is insufferable garbage. The rest of the album to this point was at least tolerable. Favourite songs: Reward, Second Head, Ha Ha I'm Drowning, Went Crazy Least favourite songs: Kilimanjaro, Sleeping Gas, Books, Strange House in the Snow, Use Me 3/5
The vibe is not bad but this could not contend with my workday.
‘‘Twas alright without being spectacular
Enjoyed this! Favs: haha I’m drowning, sleeping gas, reward and treason
I like all the sounds individually, but it annoys me when it's all put together (it's the style of vocals that annoys me most, in this genre there is a fine line between great and grating). However, it being from 1980, it was innovative so big respect for that. ALSO they are northern, and I have to support them for that reason alone. Standout tracks (positive): - Treason - I liked the French version too 4/5) Standout tracks (negative): - When I dream - Strange house in the snow - a solid 1.5/5, I hated it so much I skipped halfway through
Echo and the Bunnymen/ Duran Duran fusionish. Quite nice in an innocuous kind of way.
Pretty good
It's fine
80s rock. Started off really strong but petered out in the second half. Loved the bass.
Thoughts before listening: One of those bands thats hit my radar for years, but where I know very little about them. Its from 1980 so I'm guessing it will be British post-punk/new wave sound. To be honest though I thought these guys were like a 60s garage rock psych band like ? and the Mysterians. Review: Ok...so this is an 80s new wave take on 60s garage/psych...at least according to Allmusic. Either way, its pretty good. These songs are all upbeat and catchy, and I really like the horns which adds a different element to their sound. The best song on here is "Reward". 3-stars
# Album Name: Kilmanjaro # Artist: The teardrop Explodes # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Reward - what a belter. Cracking tune. Obviously well known but its got such good pace, rhythm and energy. Love it. Best track on the album by far. Treason was another good song. The rest of the album was rather forgettable on a first listen. Just alright. Nothing stuck. I came back for a 2nd listen and it was more palatable. Just an alright average album imo. This probably shouldnt be on the list. I've had a run of albums like that recently. # Top Tunes: Reward / Treason # Would I listen to it again? Mebbe.
I’m a fan of new wave, but had never heard of these guys so glad I had the chance to check them out, but none of this really stuck out to me.
Neo-psychedeliapost-punknew wave. Bien. Un poco repetitivo....
Would have been a 2.5 if possible due to one super irritating song toward the end. Otherwise, not bad
Some were decent, some screaming all over the map
Ihan jees indierock tms! 3/5
I liked the instrumentation. But MAN they were repetitive. I don’t care about Rafferty becoming a serial. Although the comics line in the one song made me smile. If you’re going to be that repetitive, maybe your songs should be shorter. Top tracks: “Second Head”, “Poppies In The Field”
So one of the lead singer's solo albums came up for me to rate about a week ago. I had no idea who he or his band was. This sounds way different than his solo work. The latter is eclectic and unusual, this is sort of new wave meets Celtic rock - reminded me a bit of Dexy's Midnight Runners but with more synth. But they also reminded me a bit of XTC (not a bad thing) with the poppy way they repeat lyrics and add in unusual percussive or synth sounds. When I Dream in particular, which was probably my favorite song on the album alongside Ha Ha I'm Drowning. Like XTC, I think the album is a bit uneven. But it was better than I was expecting. I felt myself creeping up from a 3.
Pioneering I suppose but I prefer the genuine psychedelic rock that came before and the darker synth pop that came later.
Strong first impression betrays plain 80s Britpop that overstays it's welcome. Not for me.
This is #day24 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, which is also the first day of autumn 2024, and... to me, among the classic '80s post-punk acts, say, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Chameleons, Sad Lovers & Giants (some of my favorites), and others, The Teardrop Explodes have always fallen behind. This listen wasn't an exception. The music is good, but because it's kind of too pop (?), I can't relate to it on a level I do with those other bands. My favorite song here is Second Head. Anyway, this is a 3 out of 5 today. Looking forward to #day25, which also means getting back to work as my short vacation is over. Fingers crossed, random generator.
I kind of like Ha Ha I’m Drowning, Treason; I almost like Books
Kinda good. Great band name. I’m no officionado on early 80s though and tbh sounded pretty generic to me. Couple of highlights in the well known Reward and Treason, with the rest to me hanging off them somewhat. I’m just about interested enough to try out some of their other albums.
Now I love me some Julian Cope as a song writer and raconteur, but that really doesn’t stretch to much pre-90s material. As with most 80s bands, I just can’t get on with the instrumentation and production trends. All sounds so dated and flat. While Cope’s lyrical stylings and the lively bass do give this some uniqueness, a lot of the songs drag and Reward aside (which is a great tune), nothing really grabs me. I’ll bump it up a mark though as I bet there’s no Cope solo material on this list, and the man deserves some respect for what he was to become……
Happy go lucky ahh music
Sounds like any generic 80's new wave / post punk stuff, but it's not necessarily bad. Just generic.
Post punk and new wave are some of my favorite genres of the 80's, so I had high hopes for this album. However, I guess there is a reason I never heard of these guys, because this is one of the most average albums on the list. I guess the only reason this was chosen to be on this list is the Echo and the Bunny men connection, but I think they have enough representation and I would have enjoyed another Cure album much more. This album also came out after the Cure's 17 Seconds so it's not like this album is ground breaking or anything. The singing here isn't that great, and those Trumpet synths sound terrible. When I Dream is way too stupid to be that long. low 3
Hm... this one could grow on me maybe. On first listen I still just feel like I don't get this genre of music very well. I feel like I get glimpses of things I like though so maybe I am on my way to getting more of an ear for New Wave? As is, it's "fine" so a 3 star from me. I am glad I looked up the original track list or my listening time would have about doubled. I don't always remember to check that, but it's saved me a couple times. I think the original length is about perfect. Keeps the sound from becoming overly wearing or dragging on.
Very nostalgic post-punk, new music 1980's charm. Takes me back to high school, John Hughes movies, cafeteria dances, and wishing for a glamorously angsty life in the UK.
No bad, but not something I’d likely come back to.
Some cool 80s sounds.
This seems like any other generic british new wave shit. Some songs were fun, some reminded me of The Cure. A bit repetitive overall. Stand-out: Poppies In The Field
Alright
Otro LP común y corriente destacado por el británico encargado de escribir esta lista. El debut de The Teardrop Explodes no es para nada malo, de hecho es bastante disfrutable, pero a la vez, no es para nada destacable. Tomando tendencias que venían creciendo hacia finales de los 70s en la escena musical inglesa (como el sonido de The Cure y Joy Division), esta banda hace lo mejor que puede para construir un sonido diferente, fracasando en el intento y sonando como todos sus contemporáneos e incluso más genérico. Si tuviera que darle algo de crédito a este LP, es que es uno de los primeros en explotar el característico (y aburrido) sonido del pop ochentero británico. Mejor que algunos de sus contemporáneos, pero para nada imprescindible. Te recomiendo escucharlo sólo si te gusta el sonido new-wave con "tintes góticos" inglés.
Predictable
i’m not sure what it is, but something always stops me from fully enjoying this album…☹️ really love Thief of Baghdad and Ha Ha I’m Drowning though
That was not that interesting but also not bad. Good to how it play in the background and occasionally you would wake up and think „oh this is nice“
This was a pretty perky bit of UK pop. Cool drumming and catchy tunes, I did enjoy.
3.5
Fav: Ha Ha I’m Drowning Least Fav: Second Head
If given the chance to place this release in a ~2 year time frame, I'd have been willing to drop $100 on my guess. Tight drums, reverb vocals, slightly-cheesy keyboard, galloping up-front bass line, occasional white ska influence - all the hallmarks of its era and .... yeah it's very British-1980. hmm from somewhere in my brain I remember this closing track "When I Dream" I don't know... it's not spectacular and YMMV - but I like it, yet I wonder how much I'll remember of it tomorrow, and in a way that's a shame - feels like the kind of album that had I heard often and/or known growing up would bring some strong nostalgia. If I have the wherewithal and memory I might listen to this a few more times. 7/10 3 stars.
This is an album on the cusp of eras. It's fine.
3.5
There were times that I thought that I was going to give this album four stars, because early on I really enjoyed it. But the double album mixed with too many echoed lyrics killed it for me. I went from jamming out to wanting to put on something else for a roadtrip. Was the feedback on the live track even necessary?
Had it playing in the background during a conversation. It did it's job and was a surprisingly good fit.
Beetje lang maar wel leuk
Pretty good stuff! Favourite Tracks: "Sleeping Gas", "Second Head"
3.8
cool album.
Not bad! Very New Wavey to my ears
I have heard of Julian Cope but never this band. Enjoyed the listen, definitely an early 80's vibe
É ok. Não é ruim. Não é bom.
Weirdly rad and funky. Would listen again
I was pleasantly surprised by a Julian Cope album in this challenge last week. So I was interested to hear what else he had done. Unfortunately, The Teardrop Explodes isn't quite as noteworthy. It generally sounds like a typical 80s indie rock band, recalling The Smiths or Echo and the Bunnymen. It's a decent enough album though and has some highlights. It's a fun album and has some good guitar work. It's a bit of a stretch to say it deserves a spot on this list though.
I think that this era of post-punk doesn’t really grab me the way I would hope. Nothing wrong with this album, but nothing for me to hold onto.
I didn’t hate it and certainly enjoyed some parts but won’t be back again.
3 but kinda meh
I can hear a lot fo influence here for post punk. I've never heard this band, but obviously there were important and the music is not bad either.
crazy little album, i like it
I wavered between starting to like this album and hating it. There are some nice elements but gets repetitive and nothing really stands out. One of those albums where you can't remember a single song after listening to the entire album.
Some rad organ! A pleasant listen!
I quite like the music but I'm not too fond of Julian Cope's voice.
groovy 3/5
I don’t know. I didn’t know this album before I listened to it today. It’s possible that if I’d heard it in the early 80’s I might have been more impressed but two my ears it was nothing I haven’t heard done before, and better, by other artists.
'When I Dream' is the audio equivalent of used watercolor water. just all muddled together. and its seven minutes long ffs
Ok
I like the prominent new wave bass lines, but there’s too few really memorable tracks. Best track: second head
Pretty good album.
Nice enough. Not mind blowing. Seems like a lot of good but not great lately.
Ik heb even van tevoren gespiekt. Wat krijgt dit album van de 1001-luisteraar? Een krappe 3. Daar baalt producer Bill Drummond van. Ik had dit album nog nooit gehoord, maar wel het nummer van Bill over dit album. "Julian Cope is dead". Met het risico dat ik dat nummer verkeerd interpreteer, verwacht Bill dat het album een klassieker zou worden als hij Julian van zijn aardse bestaan afhelpt. Het blijft een gedachtenspinsel. Maar alleen al het bestaan van dat nummer heeft dus al zijn werk gedaan. Want anders had ik pas vandaag van dit album gehoord. +1 voor de marketing van Bill. Bill is dus trots op zijn werk en teleurgesteld over de waardering voor zijn werk. Trots mag hij zijn. Het is, zeker voor zijn tijd, een toegankelijk album waar weinig op of aan te merken is. En dat is ook precies waarom de waardering niet bijzonder hoog is. Het valt totaal niet op. De rigoureuze maatregelen die hij voorstelt, zouden daar geen verschil in maken. Ik ben het behoorlijk eens met de 1001 luisteraar. Het is een harde 3.
Oei, Britse post-punk uit (het begin van) de jaren 80. Het treft zeker gelijkenissen met andere bands uit die tijd. Maar de zanger is minder zeurderig gelukkig en ik vind de drums wel leuk om naar te luisteren. Het geheel is redelijk uptempo en dat houdt de vaart er lekker in. De jaren 80 waren vaak ook wel goed in prominente basloopjes. De gitaar staat vaak op een redelijk clean geluid afgesteld, in tegenstelling tot de (heavy) distortion in de jaren 90, en daardoor hoor je de bas gewoon overduidelijk. Dat maakt het interessant om te luisteren, er zitten muzikaal prima stukken in. Ik kende hier vooraf geen enkel nummer van. Soms is dat niet erg, maar bij deze band had ik dat toch liever wel gehad. Tussendoor even zo'n kraker van een hit, dat had het album best een ster extra kunnen opleveren. Nu heb ik me er best mee vermaakt en niet aan gestoord, maar ik ben bang dat ik het ook weer snel ga vergeten. Oftewel, een vergeetbare 3.
Album 420 of 1001 The Teardrop Explodes - Kilimanjaro Rating : 3 / 5 Some more basic British Pop among a bunch of other basic British Pop. Nothing too special.
Quite enjoyed a lot of this. Some good bass, kinda reminiscent of joy division, but more poppy. Recognised "reward", but thought the opening tracks were the best. Probably won't be rushing back but quite good. 3.5
Nice vibe.
I'm pretty sure, that I've never listened to The Teardrop Explodes before. So this was a first listen through. Im a huge Duran Duran fan, and it's so obvious that theese two bands emerged around the same time in Britain. Their sound is so similar. I can also hear some Talking Heads in their music. I kinda like the 80's pop vibe but the psychadelic almost trance-like elements of the album really rub me the wrong way. At first playthrough I found most of the tracks drawn out ("Sleeping Gas", "Rewards" ) and the excessive repition of lyrics and of simple short musical arrangements extremely annoying. However, the album grew on me. Top tracks for me is "Books" and the ska-like "Treason", "Second Head" and "Poppies in the field".
A post-punk mental health crisis. I went into this completely ignorant, never having so much as even heard of this band. Tracks range from driving, disco-y to more atmospheric and experimental. Trying to discern which musical constellation it resides in, I got a little Talking Heads, shades of Blondie... Maybe the Smiths? Yes, definitely. There's a flourishy bit in "Brave Boys Keep Their Promises" that reminds me of a similar part in "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now." "Strange House In The Snow" is a straight-up Kate Bush song, full stop, which I was amazed to discover. Interestingly, this album came out 4 and 6 years, respectively, before those other two. How influential was this album to other artists in its time and place? I don't know the answer, but I'm guessing this album was seminal in influencing a lot of post-punk and new wave, because a lot of the trademark elements are here, the layered shimmering guitars, the sampling and heavy use of synthesizers. I discerned many intriguing musical elements the further I got into it, but for me, the lyrics often came across as unsophisticated and repetitive, sometimes seemingly ad-libbed in that “Jim Morrison wandering around the stage on acid” sort of way, although it's clear they were earnestly trying to express a sea of emotion. Spotify has this album as including some bonus tracks, and I went ahead and listened to those as well, even though I guess it was just the original album alone that lead to it being included on this list.
Very '80s -- a slightly harder Cure/Smiths/etc. vibe.
I remember taking this out from our local Library 'on-loan' for a week and playing it to death. Unfortunately it disappeared soon after (probably stolen) so I was never able to repeat the experience and my pocket money was spent on other random stuff (sweets) so 'saving up to buy it yourself' was not an option. This is a trip down memory lane although it's got the '80's' vibe and is pretty much the same the whole way through. Still, it's a good vibe and enjoyable now.
Fun energy and the songs kind of fly by in a good way. I liked the instrumentalists, I liked the vocalist, and the production was nice. The only downside for me is that it didn't really leave me with any songs that I can look back at the track list for and say "Oh yea I loved that one!". It was almost too homogeneous. I just did a test where I played back a few seconds of each track and they really are all pretty similar. Cool album cover. If that text was removed it would look like a modern 2020's indie rock band cover, which I think is cool. I feel bad for the guy on the right though, he's really got that line right up in his eyes!
I do like how urgent this sounds. A lot of the 80s post punk wants to sound this urgent but can't. I too am tired of all the British new wave on this list. But this is not as bad as some others. It is a little samey sounding. I will also say that the first half is far superior to the second half of this album. It's almost like they ranked the songs from best to worst and then just shipped it that way.
A solid 3 star album. Beautiful reminisce of the early 80s. Boosted by the epic ‘Reward’.
It's alright, I guess.
This is a style of music I'm somewhat embarrassed I like as much as I do. That said, this is only an ok version of this style.
Primer acercamiento a The Teardrop Explodes. Buen albúm, con gran composición en general y algunos puntos altos muy destacables. No obstante, solo conecté con esas canciones, por lo que no me veo volviendo a escuchar este LP de inicio a fin. FAVTRAXS: Ha Ha I'm Drowning, Sleeping Gas, Second Hand, Went Crazy LEASTFAV: Treason
It's a decent 80's pop album, nothing special. It's easy to get bored of that 80's production sound though. I just always hated how horn sections were recorded.
I don’t remember this band at all. But I enjoyed this quite a bit. Yep it’s 80’s indie. I like 80’s indie. Is it something special, though? Nah.
Inizialmente non mi convinceva, ma il mood è un po' cambiato...
Decent 80’s sound
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Went crazy
Another satisfactory early 80s New Wave Brit Pop band. This was fine, but I don't recall this band ever getting much traction here in the States.
It wasn't that bad, it's just that nothing remotely differentiates it from other music of the same style.
Hay una base post-punk pero más suavizada con teclados/sintetizadores y con las voces no tan oscuras. Lindo disco. Tranquilo.
This was fine.
Pretty mid!
Another British “no hit wonder” that only put out two albums that no one has ever heard of. Did I need to hear this before I die? Probably not. Am I mad I listened to it? No. It was pretty decent. I agree though, none of the songs particularly jumped out or stuck with me and they were mostly overlong and repetitive. Especially that When I Dream one. It hit the outro 3 minutes into a 7 minute song. It just repeated the same lick for 3 more minutes.
Pretty decent. Probably didn't have to be over an hour long. But overall a surprise. Never heard of these guys before probably because to me it seems like typical 80s-fair, albeit right at the start of the decade.
I like
Ok. 2.5
It’s interesting.
Quite liked this, still prefer Cope's solo material but this wasn't bad at all.
It was all right, a little forgettable and a lot of the songs sounded the same. Not bad but not great either.
Nice album, his way of singing is the biggest attraction and When I Dream, a classic new wave song. I do like similar bands lik Echo &Bunnyman and the Chameleons more, bit darker. So was 4 stars in the old days, but 3 still remain.
Has a very classic 80s sound. Didn’t listen to the whole thing. Just wasn’t in the mood. Not bad but to me sounds like any other 80s band.
I liked the genuine sounds. It was some good old school rock!
Generic 1980 Brit-pop. I guess it is pleasant.... enough. Really, it's fine... really. I mean, I feel like I ought to like this. And I don't dislike it. But it is nothing especially special. I've never heard of The Teardrop Explodes, and I was still pretty musically savvy in 1980. I was doing the whole "college radio" thing back then, they clearly didn't make any splash in the US. Anyway, easy 3.
Classic 80s sound. I really enjoyed this one. I wish I’d given my last two albums 2 stars because this is a 3 star album for me.
Interesting 80’s post punk album Iv never heard of, just a bit too much 80’s keyboards for my personal preference. But it did come out at the start of the 80’s so il give them leeway and suggest this is an album you should listen to before you die, but I won’t be rushing back.
stylistic this reminds me of Neil Young‘s „Rockin In The Free World“ Some nice tunes with nice basslines and great drum-fills, but all in all very similar sounding from start to finish
This was eh
2.5
Not bad, cool listen. Live track at the end wasn’t great. Very average to me, but 3/5 for now as a second listen might help
HL: “Sleeping Gas”, “Treason”, “When I Dream”, “Reward” (bonus track), title track (which oddly is a bonus track) I approve of this seeming blend of Magical Mystery Tour & Talking Heads ‘77 Kinda makes me want to Watch Rafferty turn into a serial 3.5 January 31st, 2024
Not my favorite genre, but still entertaining enough.
It's solid post-punk new wave-y stuff, nothing much to comment on really. Kind of breezes past you, probably doesn't deserve to be on the list, but at least it doesn't overstay it's welcome.
Sometimes they use horns in their songs, which I love. Cool 80s vibe before it became the norm.
This is such a 80's Brit-pop sound, bouncy, fun and at time infectious, but really nothing that makes it stand out as being essential. If you played this alongside other similar sounding bands from this era, it would be difficult to differentiate them, just not memorable. With that being said this was a good listen, I didn't feel the need to turn it off early and I might listen again in the future.
Great driving beats. Classic 80s sound. Upbeat and fun. Modern comparison is the zutons
I quite liked it :) nothing special, and I didn't really like the songs at the end of the album, but the first ones were pretty good
Never heard of this band before and I really could've lived without ever listening to them. Legit only a couple of good tracks in an overall really mid album. A bit too long for what it delivers.
As new wave as it gets. Horns, guitars, pop synth, weird lyrics, moody vocals, this album has it all. Some of the tunes have a Dexys Midnight Runner vibe that I really dig. Some of them were repetitive and lame. Overall it was fun to listen to.
Community radio cool
This is a mildly enjoyable post punk record that didn’t stick with me much after listening. Some solid grooves and guitar work, but I could do without all the extra horns and overall goofiness this gave off. Could just be me. I dunno, it’s early.
This record never reaches the heights of its namesake, but I did quite like the bubbling flow of funky bass lines throughout.
Fairly simple new wave album. Was pretty bored at first, but came around on it. Some fun sounds throughout. Some more listens and I think this would grow on me.
Some 80s psychedelia which is a genre I'm not sure if I've listened to before. Favourite songs were probably Treason" and "Reward" where the blend between 80s groove and physch reallly worked well. It is a bit too long and samey though. Took me a few listens to get into but it's growing on me each listen.