Reviews (page 7 of 8)
I feel like we have heard this all before. Even so, much had a catchy sound…I just don’t know that an album of this stuff can ever really keep my full attention.
I was pretty unimpressed at first but about half-way through started warming up to it significantly.
This was certainly at the forefront of that 80s sound. Catchy and pretty fun to listen to.
Ha ha i'm drowning - 3.4/5 groovy, but kinda shrill even the remaster Sleeping Gas - 2.9/5 more groovy and slightly less shrill. Was a 3.5/5 until the last minute where it blasted out my ears with the same notes every 2 seconds Treason - 4/5 Second Head - 4.2/5 was great probably my favorite thus far. added to playlist Poppies - 3/5 Went Crazy - 3.3/5 Brave Boys Keep Their Promises - 2.4/5 Bouncing Baby - 3.6/5 I WAS A BOUNCING BABY!!!🗣️🗣️ I FELL DOWN!!!🗣️🗣️ Books - 3.5/5 Literally no idea what he's waffling on about Thief of Baghdad - 2.5/5 please stop playing that riff im begging When I Dream - 3/5 They added two minutes to this version, original was only 5 minutes. Rating would be higher if they shut the fuck up sooner, this ain't no free bird. Definitely something i skip at the 3 minute mark it destroyed itself. Reward - 3.9/5 Grand and solid I decided to listen only to the original 1980s tracklist which stops at "When I Dream". Also listened to Reward cause it was on the US version's release. Songs seemed to be very repetitive because every measure was like one bar. Whole time the lengths of the songs were edging my anger and stopping right before i was gonna to do something about it. I'm very critical of songs that don't know when to shut the fuck up. Groovy album nonetheless. Remaster is actually really good because the original is very flat, muddy, and shrill. 3/5, would be a 2 or 1.5 if i ever had to listen to 95% of these songs ever again though. Done with the shitty pop cause this isn't really rock
Passive Listening Notes: IM SO TIRED OF THIS HIPPY SHIT FUCKKKKK Most of the songs blend together, Ha Ha I'm Drowning \ Sleeping Gas > Tuned out this drivel. 2.5/5 Treason / Second Head - Decent, liked the chorus. 2.7/5 Poppies - This guy never gets tired of waiting. Didn't like chorus, sound, or vibes. Not through any fault of its own, just tired of the sameness. 2/5 Went Crazy - Some shit about boys vs girls and he is pain? 2/5 Brave Boys Keep Their Promises - I actually don't care 2/5 Bouncing Babies - God's bounciest baby, was a bit better than previous shit, 2.5/5 Books - Stopped listening by this point Thief of Baghdad - Stopped listening by this point When I Dream - Stopped listening by this point Reward - Stopped listening by this point Extra Tracks: Not reviewing any other shit except for "Use Me" because it sounds like it goes hard Use Me - A couple of the YEAAAHHWOWOAOOAs were cool, rest of the song was 6 different lines repeated over and over with shit ass strings in the background. 0/5 for not living up to the name Overall: 1/5
Started off very strong, kind of lost some steam as the album continued on. The highs are very high.
It's always nice to hear early examples of a style of music that later became more widespread. I can also hear what I think are influences from bands that preceded them. And, yes, of course this is how music works and evolves. No fault of this band or album, but because I've heard so many bands that sound like this, it's hard for this album to stand out, but I do hear how strong they are as performers.
Extremely grating at times. I can't say that they weren't absolutely cooking at points. But I did not like it, and I would need to be paid to listen to it again. This was the first album where I was unsure if I could actually make it through.
New wave and post punk in its purest form. I’m usually not a huge fan of the more popular new wave bands, but this group had an edge to them that I thoroughly enjoyed
Plutôt mid, mais rien de vraiment détestable. C’est du pain blanc, le Jace musical
klingt nach 80s british pop. an sich aber ganz ok
Never heard of this group before. I see the influence on the 1980's.
Awful
Æj. Þetta fannst mér leiðinlegt. Beið bara eftir að platan kláraðist.
Finnst eins og ég hafi heyrt margoft í þessari hljómsveit en held samt að ég hafi aldrei gert það. Rúllar bara fínt og kann ágætlega við þessa tónlist.
Surprised by how much I liked this! Really grew on me. Great tunes for driving.
2/5 naaaah
Lower 80s….ok
3+ nochmal hören
It was fine.
Un d'aquells anys fantàstics pel pop, en el seu sentit més integrador. I la banda de Julian Cope no decep. Pop rock deutor del post punk i la new wave, en realitat un dels discos que va ajudar a definir el génere. I això que el seu single més conegut, 'Reward', va venir just després...
Pretty solid, poppy post-punk. Reminds me a lot of The Chameleons.
After the first few songs I was bored. Sounded a bit like generic early new-wave stuff. Bouncing babies caught my ear though, and then a few tracks later on..gave it a couple listens back in the end. Some of it weak but some catchy tunes. The bonus tracks all pointless, but the actual album is fairly decent. Saved a few tracks down. 3.5*
Ah ja, wieder Brit-Rock Ab 6.,7. Song guter Lauf 11. Zu lang, würde mit 3/4 Minuten genauso funktionieren, durchgeskippt am Ende 14. Ganz cool Letzter Song hat Frank Zappa Vibes
Pretty fun. Kinda like a weird british pop punk album with 80’s vibes. Went Crazy got a 👍. 3.5 stars but will round up this time.
Nr. 12/1001 Ha Ha I'm Drowning 2/5 Sleeping Gas 2/5 Treason 2/5 Second Head 2/5 Poppies In The Field 3/5 Went Crazy 2/5 Brave Boys Keep Their Promises 2/5 Bouncing Babies 2/5 Books 2/5 Thief of Baghdad 2/5 When I Dream 1/5 Reward 2/5 Kilimanjaro 1/5 Strange House In The Snow 1/5 Use Me 2/5 Traison 2/5 Sleeping Gas - Live NR Average: 1,88 I did not enjoy this. From the vocals to the musical decisions there wasn't a lot I liked. This is now my new worst rated album, taking over from Neon Bible - Arcade Fire (2,09) Let's see for how long it will retain that unfortunate moniker.
The guitars were amazing, will have to dwell further
Ok tunes
Meh, not a standout album in my opinion but some decent songs sprinkled in
A SOLID piece of English rock. Sounding like a lot of what’s to come in the coming decade while decidedly being a great rock record. Every song sounds like it’s made by the same group of musicians but also features its own flare. A tough task.
Same ol same ol.
This album is better than it has any right to be.
Schysst pop/rock a la 80-talet från Julian Cope.
Started off ok for the first few songs. Was going to give it a 3. Then it slipped away from me. Going to give this one a 2
A little chaotic for my tastes
All killer, no filler.
Another band I discovered early thanks to John Peel. I still have my 7" copy of When I Dream.
Genres: Neo-psychedelia, post-punk Formed: Liverpool, UK in 1978 Run time: 17 songs, 1 hour, 8 min The debut album by the neo-psychedelic band. In general the album looks at the struggles of life and love. It examines the positives and the negatives. Spotify: Least popular song: >41.7k Most popular song: >11.2M plays “Ha Ha I’m Drowning” is about a toxic relationship. “Sleeping Gas” is about a person sleep-walking through life. All their hopes and aspirations left behind and forgotten. “Treason” is about someone’s struggle to accept or adapt to change. “Second Head” seems to be about losing one’s way, then discovering that they are back on their original track. “Poppies in the Field” doesn’t seem to have an obvious meaning, but the reference to parachutes and poppies could be a war reference. The singer can see a change in another person and wonders if they can see a change in the singer. This could mean how war changes people. “Went Crazy” paints a picture of someone’s decline into mental illness. Their acceptance of the situation and the struggles to recover. “Brave Boys Keep Their Promises” is an upbeat song about perseverance and determination. The title suggests the brave meet their obligations. “Bouncing Babies” seems to be a cynical look at growing up. “Books” is about someone looking for love. They can't find it so the person tells them to start living the life they have. “Thief of Bagdad” is about lost love. The lover left them with nothing physical and emotionally. “When I Dream” finds the singer obsessing about a love who is far away. They idealise the lover, but the reality falls short. “Reward” “Kilimanjaro” “Strange House In The Snow” “ “ “ It’s a great first album, but it’s not my taste. I loved the song ”Reward” but that was it. Listen Again?: No My Rating: ***
Just more tedious Brit pop. If only these drummers understood the difference between 'drummer' and 'percussionist'.
there were a lot of bands that sounded like this back in the 80s. synth heavy. i wasn’t really into it, but it was ok.
Pretty generic late 80s, early 90s synth pop. Meh.
Very good album of course that I had not listened to for many years. Close to 5 star, but not in same league as other bands from that time, such as Echo & The Bunnymen. score: 8/10.
I'm not too fond of the psychedelic elements; otherwise really ok.
Ikkje mitt nye favorittband, men kult fjell
With the sounds of Brit rock/psychadelia, The Teardrop Explodes provides a decent listen wrapped up in their debut album. A little talky, a little distorted, definitely more rock than psychadelia, particularly by today's standards. Best: Reward Worst: Strange House in the Snow Note:The Spotify version is the 2000 Reissue version
Neo-psychedeliapost-punknew wave. Bien. Un poco repetitivo....
Was interesting but not my vibe. 3/5
Never heard of this album or band. I at first I was listening to Men At Work, but they fit the author(s) sweet spot of BritPop that he likes to shove down the throats of this lists readers. 2/5.
Track 2 is more or less a rip off of Talking Heads “Cities.” Otherwise, good sound. Good example of Brit New Wave.
Not my favorite Liverpudlian band.
Britpop? Ahahaha, who calls this britpop? Madness. Oh yeah, Madness, I guess they're britpop too, they're British and they made pop after all. Anyway, never heard this although I love Reward of course, and whatever I have heard of Julian Cope's output. Terrific new wave record. Pretty clear that the Inspirals listened to and loved this too. Britpop? Get out of here.
Perfectly acceptable new wave. Listening to the reissue that adds their signature song “Reward” to the track list is recommended.
Nicht mein Geschmack
All sounds a bit like 'Reward', but that's a good thing.
não eh ruim, mas to fora!
A bit pretentious, even for me. I struggle with new wave music because it always reads as self righteous to me. I’m certain if I was coming of age while this was coming out, this would be a my lifeblood. For what it’s worth, they do have a good feel for catchy riffs.
I’m a bit tired of all the new wave on this list, but this is a solid example. The instrumentation is pretty great at times, but the album as a whole falls somewhat flat. between a 3 and 4, i’m rounding down because i can
Frankly did nothing for me.
Pop ochentero sin ninguna particularidad. Muy de la época y sin destacar en ningún aspecto. Se deja escuchar
The Teardrop Explodes has a sound that felt like it would fit in with other music from the early 80s that I would listen to. I kept waiting for something from this album, Kilimanjaro, that I have already heard but it never came. The band has a new wave sound, but without a lot of reliance on electronics or keyboards. The sound is something closer to Psychodelic Furs or Simple Minds rather than Depeche Mode. A little bit darker in tone like The Fixx, rather than Flock of Seagulls. Kilimanjaro was good, and it was good to hear some new music. "Poppies in the Field" was the track the caught my attention the most. "Bouncing Babies" was my least favorite track, with some heavily repeated sounds that wore out its welcome.
Taas sitä samaa perus 80 tyylistä poppia. Ei tarjonnut mitään uutta
An interesting 80s sound which I didn’t expect
I was hoping for better. I like a lot of new wave and post punk but this just fell flat.
Not for me
Not really my cup of tea. Some of it gave me Sting/Police vibes.
first listen super boring
Pretty good by 80s standards, personally. A good mix of instrumentation and super-British vocals that didn’t annoy me too much. Don’t think this one will stick around in memory, but at this point in the project I will gladly take an enjoyable 80s album and not look a gift horse in the mouth.
This one came out of nowhere and completely surprised me. I normally really hate 1980’s new wave music but this was a refreshing take on it. I enjoyed this one quite a bit and think it has a lot of potential. My first listen through, I liked the first batch of songs the best, but I will definitely be giving this one another listen.
Upbeat 80s synth pop. I'm here for it
Loppua kohden laulajan ääni alkaa vituttamaan. Soitanta semiletkeetä.
Ei tääkään jäänyt mitenkään erikoisesti mieleen.
Meh
The original version of this album is awesome. Stands up today much better than a lot of other new wave and post punk records from the period.
if i could i'd give it 3.5 but i dont consciously feel like i can give it a 4 knowing its something i likely wont return to.
Interesting
Wasn’t sure how I felt about this at first. This band sounds kinda like a lot of other early 80s groups, and I’ve grown a bit weary of those. But at the same time, they don’t sound like any one other band in particular, and I couldn’t tell you if they fit into post-punk, new wave, indie, pop, or all the above. I quite like the ‘bounciness’ in their songs. Anyway, when Reward (which I’ve definitely heard somewhere before) came on, I finally decided that these guys are alright!
This is great Loads of great pop songs that are also decidedly odd Great synths, great horns Reward towers of the rest of the album but this was a great listen that I feel will reward repeat listens
This album has grown and grown on me. I already liked Reward but forgot about When I Dream, absolutely brilliant. Honourable mentions to Sleeping Gas, Treason and the title track.
better than i remembered, lovely late 70s sound
Best Song: Reward. Honestly, I'm mostly here for the brass section and the surging baseline. Worst Song: When I Dream. Way too long for what this band seems capable of, and that "scatting" at the end was awful to listen to. Overall: Lively and high energy, but also with a penchant for doing annoying little prog/psychedelic deviations that almost always end up just detracting from the song overall.
Again, bland beige 80s stylings, better than some efforts but not good. Just scrapes a 2 because it's closer to The Jam than it initially appears but a poor imitation of them.
This is Julian Cope again, and (much like his solo stuff), it's quirky and interesting without ever being super catchy and memorable. You could have told me this was released in the 2010s and I wouldn't have been particularly been surprised - it feels like a slightly more modern take on synth rock/pop which I quite like. 3/5
Musically this wavers between quirky fun and repetitively dull. There are a few songs on here I’d probably like a lot if not for the singer, but unfortunately this album just goes to prove that I do NOT like it when a Man sings Like That
Kinda bollocks mate innit
It's pretty listenable for as monotonous as it is. This is pretty ahead of its time for 1980, but was too bland to have any real staying power.
I kind of like this 80s style but these songs seemed too similar. Reward seems fun though.
meh, didn't really enjoy it.
Good stuff! I enjoyed this - didn't recognize any of it but I liked it
Even though this album sounds a lot more dated than many of its contemporaries, there are some great pointy pop songs to be found on this album. You can hear, especially in the lyrics, that Mr. Cope used a fair amount of acid in these days, but wrote some catchy new wave. But where with a lot of bands in this era and style I really get caught by either the emotion (The Sound, The Cure) or the reflection (XTC, Smiths) this album brings more danceable songs and poppy hooks. An uptempo and short "Bouncing Babies" as prime example. Too bad of the horn section though. 3,5*
2.9 - Another “not suitable for export” British record, this time it’s new wave. I’d enjoy this a lot more if I could make any sense of these pointlessly obscure lyrics. “The poppies are in the field / But don't ask me what that means.” Even the lead singer doesn’t know what the fuck he’s blathering on about.
Interesting choice! Always a band ive ignored
Post punk with a good amount of synth. Very Talking Heads adjacent. Seems like it would've been a big influence to the synth-pop revolution coming in just a few short years. Favorite tracks: "Sleeping Gas", "Went Crazy"
It's interesting that this is labelled as neo-psychedelic because all I can hear is the post-punk. I do like post-punk so I didn't mind this. I'll be adding "When I Dream" to my 1001 highlights playlist.
J'ai trouvé ça bon, mais ça fait un peu partie des albums de post-punk qui sonnent typique UK 80s, je n'ai pas remarqué grand chose qui se démarquait tant. 6/10
I ALREADY RATED THIS YOU IDIOTS
Pretty interesting. 3 stars.
I guess it's fine? It's another one of those folky psychy albums that just kinda passed me by
This was… ok I guess? Really nothing special honestly. One of the reviewers said this was if Joy Division made poppier songs, which is a great description honestly.
This sort of, to me any way, just sounds like an alternative version of Duran Duran, albeit before Duran Duran. It isn't bad at all, but I didn't hear anything here that was too crazy for the era, other than perhaps being pretty early on in the style of pop? Unsure. Pretty middle of the road with a good song here and there.
An early offering of what was to come with the New Wave era, this album was an enjoyable listen but didn’t have any songs that popped out from the rest. It had elements of ska and maybe punk, all set to a fairly uptempo beat…but this isn’t an album that I feel I would have missed out on had I not heard it.
It sounds like a lot of other 80s music but this was from 1980. Fairly forgettable other than some great song titles.
Despite looking like a juice of 80s rock sometimes, It's possible to see many differences and highlights here and there in some songs that are really hidden gems. Maybe a less long album would be better, but I enjoyed it.
I feel like a lot of bands have a really great sound, but they don't have any songs worth listening to. They're all technique and attitude with no composition skills. This is one of those bands. I like a good song before anything else.
Meh.
Sunny optimistic sounding post-punk with a sometimes cryptic and even sinister bent. Cope’s croon and the intricate arrangements presage XTC’s art rock turn a few years later, without losing any of the danceable pop flair.
Good running album
This is a wild ride. I really like it.
Completely new to me. Getting shades of Talking Heads and Duran Duran here. Not bad. The trumpets give this a unique sound, and I'm liking the unconventional synth chord choices. Some of these songs don't know when to stop. When I Dream, I dream of that song being 3-4 minutes shorter. Same goes with Poppies. 3.5
Not my preferred sound, but surprising, neat, and ahead of its time.
Sounds like a more driven and experimental version of the Police at times. Definitely a show of the movement towards musical differences in the early 80's, but not something that could stand up greatly to the test of time
2.5
Favorite song: Sleeping Gas (I think).
Liked this, having never heard of the band before. Including 'Reward' which I recognise and clearly didn't know who it was by!
Pretty standardly enjoyable Britpop-sounds like a happier, less grimy Joy Division at times. Easy listening for playlists and background music which is always valuable, and the songs themselves are high quality and well produced. Especially enjoy Haha I’m drowning and thief of Baghdad. Solid listen all around.
wow, that's what I call 80s
If these guys walked by me right after performing this entire album live, I'd say, "Pretty good". And it would surely bother the shit out of them. But I'd mean it. I might even follow it up with, "That's the highest compliment I could give you" which would just send these fuckers into a tailspin. Not one member would appreciate my honesty and they'd probably break up a week later. But I mean it. This is pretty good. Nothing more.
The album is solid, it does nothing wrong really. The 80s was saturated with post punk & new wave, and I feel this album doesn’t do enough to stand out. It does have a dash of psychedelia that gives it a bit of a kick, but that’s about all it has to offer. No songs were outright offensive. I want to praise the instrumentation on haha I’m drowning and second head. Treason is clearly the highlight of this album with its catchy melody. I also wanna praise sleeping gas for its background droning, something about it really did something to me. If I could this would be a 3.5
ehhhh nothing really stood out to me. Reminded me of just better artists
I liked this one a lot. The first song has a funny lyrics and the entire album has really good energy. I also really like bouncing baby although the lyrics are a little goofy. Cool hidden 80s gem overall. Cover art: 2/10 it’s not even a good photo lmao
Idk how y’all were hating on this one fr. The guitar riff breaks that follow the choruses on I’m drowning are unexpected but sick. Baseline on second head goes crazy and is a little smiths like. I like how the album is really close to being pop but always has an element or chord progression that makes it darker. The moody lyrics and delivery, bass lines, and guitar riffs definitely influenced a lot of British groups after them. Really solid 4 that I enjoyed a lot but don’t know if it’s quite a 5 for me after 2 listens. Update: fuck it I’m going with a light 5 hopefully this ages well 👍: haha I’m drowning, treason, second head Guess for art rating: 5/10 for og one 6/10 for mountain cover
Not my cup of tea
Solid album all around. Good vibes and enjoyable listen. Some of the instrumentals are more fun, others are kind of mysterious and moody. Super cohesive and consistent. Out of all the post punk stuff we’ve heard this is probably my favorite. Also just dope that this is a band I’ve never heard of before, it’s fun to discover new stuff I like. I’ll be revisiting. Favorites: treason, poppies in the field, when i dream. MMM: I GO wa bA bA bA bA bA wabadaba ba bA bA bA bA bA babadaba WOAHHHH😮
Pretty meh on this. Another mediocre and inconsequential entry to this list. It's fine, but one of the top albums to listen to before I die? I think not.
What came first, the chicken or the egg. Some things have definite answers, others only have the vibe. The vibe I get from this album is that is the chicken, I mean egg, I mean it sounds a bit derivative.
Not bad at all. Like the Smiths meets the Cure meets Duran Duran. Never heard these guys and I'm sure I should have.
Made me sigh a lot
I really disliked Julian Copes solo album, but this was some decent generic 80s fun. The first half of the album had some great bass lines. The second half did fall flat so it’s a 2.5/5 for me
I listened to this yesterday and I don't really remember a single standout moment on it. That pretty much tells me everything I need to know. 4/10
Very mediocre. There wasn't a single song that catched my attention.
Likes: Drums sound good from a production standpoint, bass is always moving and doing something interesting Dislikes: They seem to think that repeating bad lyrics will make them less bad. Guitarist is often offbeat, and not in a good way. Mike Campbell needs to have a talk with the synth player about serving the song, and tell him he’d do the band a favor by fucking off instead of playing about 85% of the time This one was rough. Gave it a few chances, and that made me like it less. It’s like a mix of The Police, The Cure, and The Killers that is somehow barely listenable.
Mostly good apart from the silly, over indulgent live track at the end which was utter rubbish!
Listened Before? N This was a weird one. It was really close... really, really close to being very good. But it's not. Others did it better - *cough cough Echo and the Bunnymen* but they made a good effort. Also- why is "When I Dream" 7 minutes long? If you're going to make a song that long it needs lots of content. This one just repeats itself for about 5 minutes. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Reward
j'ai mis 2 mois à écoyter cet album mais c sympa. un peu trippy
How a mountain make this music
Pretty good.
I’m diggin it. Lots of energy, fun tempo, a bit repetitive at times with the lyrics but it works.
Meh - easy background music. Not much else for me.
Pretty good post-punk effort with great songwriting. Quite enjoyable. 7,8/10
Honestly underrated and really enjoyable
AIVAN USKOMATTOMIA COLLABEJA LÄHIAIKOINA!!!?! Pet shop boys - Ennio Morricone "It couldnt happen here" MITÄ??? Albumin paras biisi.. Kilimanjaro revisiitillä tänään.. Kukas tehny.. Jahas JULIAN COPE.. tuttu viiden tähden albumi takana.... Jahas tämä on hänen bändinsä.. projekti.. Jahas.. Häpeällistä..
Not too bad, not something I'd listen to again
I'm so tired of every album being a British rock band. This is inoffensive I guess. Just feel like getting the same type of music over and over, and having it all sound similar is going to make me instantly have a negative reaction to it even if it isn't that bad. Most of the songs have good bass lines. Not a fan of the singing, but the instrumental part of almost all the songs is catchy and pretty enjoyable. It almost carries the songs to make them good. Probably a light 3/5
it's a wonder the world continued to take an interest in music after the british got their hands on it. i would have considered it a lost cause.
This is kind of a strange album, in that it's genre is somewhat hard to place. It bears some similarity to Pelican West by Haircut One Hundred, especially when the horns/sax are playing, but it also feels like a post-punk album at times. There are a lot of different moods here, but it's really good overall. Great music with interesting lyrics and a great voice. I would not be surprised to find out that this album influenced a lot of 80s artists because it feels like the sounds on this album are all over the place in the 80s, but I don't remember hearing a lot of stuff like this that came out earlier than this album 4/5
3/5 Above average.
Un disco con cosas intrresantes, no tiene destacas ni voladas de cabeza pero es una linda scuchada merecedora de un 6/10
Decent but underwhelming
How have I slept on Julian Cope for this long?
Pretty eighties. Some good tracks. Not something I'm compelled to listen to again, but decent enough.
Dreadful stuff. Goofy tuneless singer, and corny songs one after the other. Fuck no.
Decent album, alternative indie rock
Fav songs: - Sleeping Gas - Treason - Second Head - Poppies in the field - Brave Boys Keep Their Promises - Thief of Baghdad - Kilimanjaro - Strange House In The Snow
I listened to this a couple of times whilst working because I didn't have any strong feelings! I really liked the sounds and vibes, so the small feelings I did have were positive. It just didn't stand out very much to me.
Perfectly pleasant quintessential 80s I would say! Obviously in the same vein as Echo and the Bunnymen but it didn't hit the same spot for me, they did have enough punchy riffs that do a good OOFFF. But I didn't not like it.
Meh, pretty boring, just kind of 80s rock blah background.
It was a nice slice of progressive pop
Sumo con esteroides
Pretty steady solid 80's album. Couple of standouts, particularly of course Reward, but the rest is basically other versions of that song. Classic "acoustic track at the end" is a nice way to round it off.
I don’t remember anything about this album and I just listened yesterday.
middle of the road synthpop
Great 80s music!
Nice classic rock album with expressive vocals, mellow drums and nice guitar lines. Overall quite soft but still enjoyable.
2/3
Awesome 80s
This is really imaginative and creative. The production and songwriting is all great. Really evocative
pretty much the same song but as an album
That's not annoying, but it's nothing special. I wouldn't listen to this again but it wasn't painful.. so there you are
psychedelic indie. Shades of echo and the bunny men.
Don't love his singing style. Haven't heard anything too interesting in this album yet. It sounds so familiar for a band I've never heard with such a weird name. Some interesting instrumentation and lyrics. But I don't like listening to it.
I definitely like their sound but maybe just one or two songs at a time, not an entire album. Got a bit bored
Could not get through this one
I’m between 2 and 3 but leaning 2. Idk I was kinda bored by this
Not sure I'd heard of this band prior to this project, maybe they didn't have as much reach in North America as over in Britain. I enjoyed the album but I don't really see how it was influential or significant in any way. Sounds pretty similar to the other 80's BritPop albums that made the list 3/5
I never heard of this band but glad I listend to them because it fit the kind of music I'm into very much the 80s New Wave pop vibe.
Unknown artist for me, but it was a pleasant surprise! 80's sound all the way through
Pretty ok 80s album but probably would have been better without the last 5 songs or so
Pretty nice, upbeat and fun.
Cool sound, very 80s. Went on for a bit too long
Never heard of the band before. I usually enjoy listening to something I already know and can sing along to, but this one have a certain vibe that attract me to it. Loves the drums sound. The vocal is pretty cool too. Will re-listen to this.
didn't finish, too 80s
Enjoyed
Kind of crazy to hear the sound of a whole decade of post punk bands in one band/album. Even get a hint of Cyndi Lauper for some reason. Lot's of 80s musicians were listening to these guys in high school.
New wave / post punk rock. Sounds a lot like The Jam. Pretty good
This is a decent album. I liked the beginning, might just be that I remember it best but I do like Ha Ha I'm Drowning quite a bit. (The synth riff really helps that one.) But as it went on it felt a bit boring, the songs just repeated the same musical themes and didn't really stand out much in any way? I didn't really notice many interesting harmonic or melodic lines further into the album, and since I listened to the 17-track remastered version, it went on for quite a while. Not bad, it was a vibe for sure, but I don't think I'd probably want to listen to it front-to-back again.
lol look at that stache on the guy on the left i like the horns on track 1? coming off another new wave album theres a bit of danger of overload on similarity but initial impression is this is better than culture club i like the horns on track 1 and the guitars make some nice chimey noises. the singer here is much better than boy george little bit harsh and abrasive on track 2 but that's a positive for me I'm very partial to the sound of this although I've heard a lot like it before and it doesn't especially stand out in any way. it's on the high side of fine. I like it and would re-listen to it occasionally but not very often. it's got a good sound but isn't especially hooky. "when i dream" is VERY irritating though, minus points for that being used as the closer i don't know if Reward "counts" as being part of the album when it was initially a non-album single but was included in the US version but i will consider it. I kind of get why this was popular, the horns and organs are pretty boisterious. it's okay.
i liked this. had a fun energy to it, lyrics were interesting. big contrast to culture club where this felt like it had a lot of life and passion behind it seemed like there was always something new happening with the music and i liked that about it reward i guess was added later but that one was really good might be a 4 if i felt like i would ever listen to it again but tbh i probably won't. that doesn't mean i didn't have a good time tho. close 1st or 2nd favorite so far, with darklands
Je suis passé à côté de mon match
remontading
This is the good stuff.
Solid 80's new-wave.
Rewarding.
One of the better Marvel adaptations
Better then expected new wave pop. Went Crazy was the best song. Now where is my keytar?
I swear I've heard this exact album a few times now.
Yeah, it’s was ok. But probably won’t listen again.
I was 13 when Kilimanjaro came out. My friend bought the album when it was re-released with “Reward” on the album and the mountain on the cover. I loved all the songs and found that I remembered most of the lyrics as it was playing. Julian Cope was always a bit of an oddity, and even though he was a teenage idol here in Britain, I found him a bit of a pompous ass. I think that’s because he was drug addled at the time. Doesn’t detract from those fantastically clever songs. It would be a solid 3.5 but I’m rounding it up because it was very important to a swathe of British teenagers.
trur eg kan lika detta om eg gir da eit nytt forsøk
Genius.. the archdrood takes off
that was actually not bad New Wave?
Sprak me niet aan
Salright
Would’ve been just ok in the 80s to me
This is one of those bands I'd heard of but know nothing about. Although as soon as I heard Reward my memory was pricked by one of the great dance numbers. Definitely enjoying the surging bass and drums on Second Head. Then it pops nicely into Poppies which builds very nicely to a satisfying conclusion. When I Dream is a great conclusion to the album with its psychedelic slow fade giving more than just a gentle nod to a certain Liverpool band.
Generic, and bad. Especially that title track...
There is such a thing as the sound of the eighties, and The Teardrop Explodes probably defined it with Reward. The whole album is about as eighties in feel as you can get, which, given that it was released on 01/01/1980 (apart from Sleeping Gas - the live track at the end on the version I heard from Spotify which is from 1981) is either remarkable prescience on their part or an indication of how much influence they had. Not enough to my taste to be 5 stars for me, but I would not begrudge it 5 from people whose musical taste it fits better.
Fun tracks, very tight band. Lyrics a bit repetitious at times.
Wow. Is this the Smiths, but fun? Jangle my guitar baby, let’s go!
Its alright, the songs are fun though.
liked some earlier tracks but the rest was not as good imo
I love this album, one of my favorites of all time!
A post-punk masterpiece. (4.5)
Kinda good low key
Actually better than I thought it would be.
Interesting.
bit shit
Nice post-punk.
Just not the right direction for music to have taken
Maybe some people like this album, but I genuinely did not enjoy a single track. Lackluster vocals and subpar instrumentation. 2/5
3/5. It is another alright album. It sounds really similar to all these other pop rock bands from the UK around this time
Pretty good stuff but not sure when I'd listen to it again, getting slightly overwhelmed with sheer number of bands that have a similar vibe to this
It is 80s music. None of the songs are particularly memorable and I do not think I was familiar with any of them either. Over it was alright. Better than a two not really a 3 but I will round up.
Another new one to me, I pretty much immediately liked it. Sleeping Gas devolved into such a chaotic mess of organ and horns. Did a little research; Julian Cope got his start here, that's cool. Yeah, this album was pretty rad. Will definitely listen again.
Another surprising album. I liked this one quite a bit. It wasn't perfect, but I really enjoyed it. 4.5/5
Cool post-punk/new wave album with some great eerie synth and catchy hooks. Groovy and electric.
Another post-punky/dreampopy album where I can appreciate it but don’t love it. I don’t really have much to say, honestly (and I’ll probably be behind for the next few albums). C
This is the kind of odd new wave that existed at the very beginning of the genre and I wish had been kept around for longer. Not bad, though I don't see myself revisiting this much.
Honestly almost completely blown away by this. This is the missing piece of the puzzle bridging the gap between British psychedelia of the late 60s up to the British rock groups of the 00's. You can clearly hear the sound presented on Kilimanjaro in later British acts like Arctic Monkeys and Kaiser Chiefs. Some great tracks on this like the opener 'Ha Ha I'm Drowning', 'Thief of Baghdad' and the danceable 'Went Crazy'. Throughout the record is a controlled chaos of synth, organ, drums and erratic vocals, and it works really well! Unfortunately, 'When I Dream' is way too long - at least the version currently on Spotify. I wholeheartedly understand why it was originally cut down.
I mean… This had some fun songs on it, but as a whole I didn’t really care much for it. I don’t remember a single chorus or hook just hours after listening. It’s not a bad record, but I don’t actually see the point of it being on here. Maybe I would’ve been blown back in 1980? Or maybe it’s an album that needs some time to grow on you? But as of right now it didn’t do much for me.
It's very 80's and overall a pretty good album. It goes someplace. Their is a 60's guitar lick in the song HA HA IM DROWNING and very intesting repetitive lyrics in SLEEPING GAS. This album isn't with some duds like TREASON and even though the beat is good in BRAVE BOYS KEEP THEIR PROMISES. I don't think lyric makes the song that. So overall a good album with some small faults
The album has that typical 80's sound including the soft echoey vocals. Talking about vocals, or actually lyrics.. I must say the lyrics make it pretty clear it shouldn't be taken too seriously. It makes the vide of the songs pretty mellow which you wouldn't think at first. Here and there you can also hear the influences of psychedelics, it gives the songs/album some wavy 'edges'.
Not bad by any means, but really, I don't think I would ever think to spin this record again. It was nice, but it left no impression on me.
I do enjoy this, although at times I felt like someone else did the sound better. But that doesn't make it bad, just similar to other stuff.
For some reason, I've amalgamated Tangerine Dream, Teardrop Explodes and Flock of Seagulls into one band. Flock of Exploding Tangerines? Sounds like an Orange Juice tribute band. Anyway, one of the reviews said "cheery Joy Division" and I sort of get that. I know more solo Julian Cope than any TE so I kind of enjoyed this although expected 'World Shut Your Mouth' to be the next track after every track. Enjoyed the bass, 80s production and general properties. Still don't understand the line about Rafferty. All in all, pretty good, but not amazing. 3.5 rounded down.
Has a funky, Brit-pop kinda thing going on. Not bad. 3.5
Police + duran duran but not better than the sum
This album was pretty good for this genre, but I am not a huge fan of the genre. Also, there is way too much representation on this list. It gets old quick. 3.5 stars
Meh
Nice but not addictive
"Kilimanjaro" is the debut album from the Liverpool band The Teardrop Explodes consisting of Julian Cope (vocals, bass), David Balfe (piano, organ, synthesizer), Gary Dwyer (drums) and Alan Gill (guitar). The music is categorized as neo-pyschedelic, post-punk and new wave. Alright. To me, this music has a definite early 80's feel with its use of keyboards, horns and especially the peppy (best word I could think of) tempos and rhythms. I thought this was a really good album. Plus, they have one the coolest band names which is based on a panel caption from a Marvel's Daredevil comic strip. This album has a number of different versions and reissues. I listened the 17-track version with their hit "Reward." The album starts with "Ha Ha I'm Drowing" and its funky bass lines, horns, synthesizers in the background and sort of a chaotic guitar break in the middle of song as the rhythm changes as well. Tempos change a few times throughout. A straight-forward song about relationship troubles. The second song and first single "Sleeping Gas" builds with its guitar, drums and vocals on top of each other creating kind of a paranoia feel. This song reminded so much of "With Sympathy"-era Ministry, which I like. The third song and single "Treason" is maybe my favorite song on the album with a very catchy vocal chorus. Definitely one of the more "poppier" songs on the album. The second half of this album version continues the good songs. The second single "Bouncing Babies" has a psychedelic keyboard/organ melody, changes tempos between verses and is very unique. I think it kind of purposely tries to create an eerie feeling with the music and lyrics about how one becomes more toxic as life goes on. Another single ""When I Dream" continues the pyschedelic keyboards creating kind of a dreamy atmosphere. The previously mentioned "Reward" was the biggest hit on the album. It has a more peppy tempo, adds horns and again has that eerie pyschedelic keyboards and organ going on. A commentary on pop stardom. If you are a fan of the Sirius XM radio station "First Wave" this is right up your alley. I'm a fan so I liked this quite. Some of the songs also sound very similar to Echo and the Bunnymen which probably isn't surprsing given Julian Cope and Ian McCulloch were in a few previous bands together.
Painful
Not bad postpunk of the eighties
When I first encountered the name "Kilimanjaro" (it is the tallest mountain in Africa for those who don't know), I thought it was a kickass name. One of the names that I would consider when I form a band or something. It's a shame that the name is given to a terrible trumpet-infused '80s psych-rock parody.
Awfully good to be so little known. Cope deserved more, though the tunes are quirky and they get a little synthy at times (curse of the '80s). Still, one hears easily how they were admired and imitated -- classic intense New Wave, with some dark humor thrown in.
It was decent, but no tracks particularly stood out to me. I liked it somewhat, though.
Well what do you know, UK new wave. Nothing standout, sounds exactly like the fucking kazillion other UK new wave albums on the list, no reason for it to be here. 2/5.
While I love some '80s English synth-laden pop (Duran Duran, Psychedelic Furs, A Flock Of Seagulls), there's a flavor of this genre that does not connect at all. This falls into that latter category, along with groups like Roxy Music, Depeche Mode, and a host of other bands that I sidestepped in my most active era of musical discovery. I had never heard of this band — the name alone would have made me avoid them back in the day — but I went into this hoping to love the album. Alas, not so much. "Second Hand" had a promising bassline, and there were plenty of musical moments that I was enjoying, as immersed in an early-'80s production sound and writing aesthetic as they were. Ultimately, it's the vocalist that made this a one-star rating for me. I was going to give it two, but I was repeatedly turned off by the lyrics, melodies, and choices, and then when "Use Me" came on, that sealed this as a one-star listen for me. Another album I'm glad I listened to, but not one I particularly enjoyed.
Huh. I knew nothing about this band. I've heard of Julian Cope and maybe heard a song or two by him, but had no idea he was in this band until today. I dug this, though by the end I was getting a bit tired of it. Cool lyrics and melodies and good drumming. This was a cool find and I'll def look more into other songs by them and Cope.
Guess I'm a real 80s bitch. Totally enjoyed this album. Particularly liked "Poppies," "Books," "When I Dream." I noticed on Spotify, which is my method of listening, has tracked 9.1M plays on the song "Reward" and 85K plays on the album's namesake song "Kilimanjaro." On Spotify there were two bonus tracks that I liked -Traison (C'Este Juste Une Histoire) - Liked them singing in French a lot! - Sleeping Gas (Live at Club Zoo/1981) - Wish I were there! Cover design: what the heck is the guy (second from the left) holding?! Learned the definition of "blighter," which is a term used in "Went Crazy." Can't say I would spin this one on my own, particularly as I never heard of Teardrop Explodes. But would I get up and dance to this...hell, yeah.
I'm not sure about how "essential" this album is but it is quite fun. Very jammy and grooving and catchy. Definitely something I'd listen to again.
Great mix of post-punk and new wave. It's really dynamic, most of it sounds playful but there's a subtle eerie vibe that goes through it that I really appreciate. Nice discovery, I'll certainly go back to it.
A wonderful surprise that was! I already knew a song or two, but the whole album was a treat! Great mix of post-punk, New Wave and a little hint of neo psychedelia; a wonderful melting pot.
Good blend between a lot of subgenre I like. nice discovery, will get back to it Soon
I'm really glad I discovered this album via the 1001 albums generator. I never heard of them before and it's amazing stuff. Post-punk, new wave, psychedelic... Everything is there for me to love this record. The synth tones and layers were perfection.
You need to ensure you are listening to a version that includes 'Reward' as you can then at least say you have heard this bags before.. and well worth the listen it is too. Yeh, I know of Julian Cope, but didn't know this is where he cut his teeth. File with Dexys as 'an enjoyable rewarding listen'.
Well played performances , but just not a lot of substance.
classico album dos anos 80. todas musicas soam iguais, so o tempo que muda. da pra dançar pelo menos. talvez eu gostasse se eu tivesse ouvindo numa pista de dança a 40 anos atras.
2.5 / 5. Good album, easy to enjoy. Need to hear more of this one.
It is what it is. I think they inadvertently invented the 80s Stock Aitken Waterman sound. So much synthetic horn I thought of Prince Andrew, in a playground, necking Viagra. The lyrics are surprisingly great when you cut through the hideous, compressed, none more 80s production. There's a version of this band that didn't try to be huge that could have recorded an amazing album.
Tired of all the Brit pop on this list
Overstylized & boring
80s fun
Another band that I was not all familiar with, at least in name, but I guess that is all apart of this album a day thing. Overall the album was alright. It was your standard sounding album from that time. Nothing really stood out to me and again that is because I only give these albums a quick once through. I also didn't read the information behind the album so that probably didn't help. Anyway it is what it is so on to the next album!
Me gustó
Just another new wave album.
Decent album that has some interesting sounds but overall, over the whole duration of the album, it just doesn't offer enough to justify more than being average
My predispositions are pulling at me, but despite a few flourishes, Kilimanjaro isn't carrying very much with its sound. More than listenable once, but confusing: Typicality is not canonicity.
Never herd of these guys before… The album opens with ha ha I’m drowning an amazing danceable pop rock song theres especially great mental stampeding drum breaks. Sleeping gas is the same sorta thing the instrumentation here is amazing especially the vocals on this one weirdly complement this song quite well. The song can be repetitive but still cool. Treason is an amazing pop song with stunning drumming I’am kinda glad this is there second biggest song according to Spotify! Song four second head has a brilliant bass line that carries this one. There’s also a cool little drum break in this song. Poppies has a cool intro and guitar riff but while I get what they’re trying to say the lyrics aren’t great. Went crazy is alright again great instrumentation and it would’ve felt a bit filler as the songs seem to be doing the same thing but that bridge is great for this song. Next is brave boys keep their promises it’s not slow as such but is one of the slowest songs lacking the multitude of instrumentation on the majority of the songs just being led by drums and guitars for the most part. Yeah it’s a good song. Bouncing babies is a little odd the drums actually do make it sound like it’s bouncing in the ear, not a favourite but certainly unique. Books is a little darker and more aggressive the singer shouts for the most part, the guitars are cool yet quiet and the bass and drums are good two. The best bit is the horns though gives it a great sense of grandness. The penultimate track thief of Baghdad it’s a slower track certainly different from the rest album the chorus is epic the rest of the song is alright but not too special still like it though! The album ends on when I dream it’s alright fairly grand great synths so strong closer I guess. If I didn’t see they were from Liverpool I would’ve honestly thought this was some early form of madchester I like it at moments but there’s quite a bit of filler here too.
pretty nice
Pretty good for a new wave 80s album. Treason and Second Hand are good songs.
New Wave Emo. tbf, the presence of Julian Cope ought to be warning enough of this...
Teardrop Explodes are one of those bands that I appreciate but have never really gotten into. I can't put my finger on it as they tick all the right boxes for me musically. I found my mind wandering while listening to Kilimanjaro. There are some great cosmic, very English songs on here, Reward is a pop classic. Good album that just didn't capture my attention
I didn’t mind this but it struck me as fairly typical of its time and genre.
Neo-psicodelia. Un tostón. Un 2.
I quite enjoyed this, another great discovery from the list. I'm keen to keep this one on the playlist. Faves: Sleeping Gas, Kilimanjaro, Treason (and Traison from the bonus tracks)
Pas pire. Ils ont une bonne énergie et quelque belle surprises.
Pas mauvais. Il y a des pièces très intéressante. Un peu trop long, mais la version originale est probablement ok. C'est une époque que je connais très peu et que je suis content de découvrir. Pièce préférée: Treason
Stand out "Poppies in the field". it's another very 80's album that only just sneaks a 3.
Very 80s, which is not a compliment! Best song is Reward, which wasn't even on the original version. Enjoyable enough, but not great. Definition of three 🌟 to me!
I want to be a fan of The Teardrop Explodes but somehow I always forget that they exist. I do love their music though. Those horns!
Hi- Treason, Went Crazy, Thief of Baghdad, When I Dream Prog-rock/New Wave vibes, definitely sounds British. Pleasant and easy going, with competent vocals and instrumentation. It's definitely got charm and is more interesting during subsequent playthroughs.
Not essential, but not bad. There are some extremely catchy jams on this record, and some queasy-cheesy moments, too. (6/10) FT: Treason, Brave Boys Keep Their Promises
Whew. Last time I had an experience like this was at the dentist’s office. Parts of it weren’t unpleasant, but most of it was, in particular the concluding bit, ‘When I Dream,’ which played away far too long (7:14) including a prominent shrill keyboard descant that sounded and kinda felt like a dentist’s drill. And that keyboardist worked on some of my other teeth too throughout this LP, often introducing mildly irritating discordant notes to the melody. I’m generally a fan of this in rock music, so that’s not really the issue. I think it was more keyboardist David Balfe’s tone- whiny, tedious? The ‘horn’ effect on his keyboard on ‘Went Crazy,’ for example, almost got me committed too when my neighbors witnessed me running around the cul de sac howling and gripping my tortured ears. And he returned to the scene of the crime on the very next number, ‘Brave Boys Keep Their Promises,’ which is a song title that is must exist on a recording of a band with the name The Teardrop Explodes, right? But the blame cannot be placed solely on the fingers of Balfe. It’s all for one and one for all on the last three songs. ‘The Thief of Baghdad,’ in particular, sounded like a cellphone recording of any new wave Karaoke night hosted weekly (probably Wednesdays) by your local pub. The band’s occasional forays into a disco/punk territory were… different. The arrangement on the first song, ‘Ha Ha I’m Drowning,’ seemed awkward somehow; however, I did enjoy the second one, ‘Sleeping Gas,’ but for the life of me I’m not sure why. And yes, this is yet another one of those British bands (although not Britpop) that substitutes guitar and keyboard chord progressions for singular note solos. I think bands generally do themselves a disservice when they go in this direction. That said, The Teardrops Explode did play well together. Maybe it’s just that no one in the band has the ability to pull off an instrumental solo? Hey, there’s certainly plenty of other good punk bands who share the same challenge. Vocally, Julian Cope is probably right where he should be, a bit of a mess, often falling flat, but doggedly sneering his way through, one victim at a time. On the aforementioned disco/punk number ‘Went Crazy’ I believe he’s satirizing something or someone. I just don’t know what or who. Oof, then there’s those awful keyboard ‘horns’ again, too. ‘Bouncing Babies’ was the standout, for me, and for some mysterious reason, Balfe’s mostly off putting keyboards worked this time, in part, because of their work alongside these clever vocals: ‘I was a bouncing baby. Now I’m a bouncing bomb. So won’t you come and diffuse me before I kill someone.’ A striking and clever image. As was the one on ‘Second Heart’ when Cope asks ‘How’s your second head? Is it the first one you started off with?’ Unfortunately, most of the rest of the lyrics and music never quite made it to the summit of 'Kilimanjaro.' Not that it wasn’t a brave climb. (Has anyone identified what that lad in the background second from the left is clutching?)
Reward is one of my favourite songs and I enjoyed the rest of the album. 4*
Didn't get much from it. I think it was very 80s and maybe I didn't give it the time it deserved.
I enjoyed this album from start to finish. This neo-psychedelic post-punk record is intensely layered and melodic. It has a frenetic energy to it that borders on the claustrophobic creating a simmering and explosive record.
I enjoyed this quite a bit, more than I thought I would. It reminds me a bit of the Stranglers. I'm not a fan of the trumpets, which I actually assumed was a synthesizer at first. But in general this was a solid post punk album. Fave Songs: Poppies in the Field, Treason, Thief of Baghdad, Second Head, Sleeping Gas, Bouncing Babies
Not a bad album, just really not my jam.
-I like the guitar and keyboard grooves in "Sleeping Gas" -"Went Crazy" has a cool bassline and catchy chorus -I like the drum/guitar riff in "Bouncing Babies" -Strong 3, Weak 4?
very cool
decent new wave album but did not stand out to me. 5/10
7/10. First album in a bit that I'd say I enjoyed, but still not all that inspired.
Commits the cardinal sin of being boring. 4/10
Not bad, but not particularly memorable either. There seems to be a lot of random new wave/post-punk type bands on this list.
Awesome really got my grooving
Lots of 80s shlock. Anything interesting is just about ruined by the voice of Julian Cope. Oh no, I guess I won't be welcome in England now. What a pity. Best track: Poppies in the Field
It’s interesting how so many post-punk/new wave bands from the early 80s sound like variations on the same sound. Not in a bad way…just interesting..
Ok album. Reminds me of an earlier version of Prefab Sprout.
ouff, les albums sont difficiles ces temps-ci. Un de bon ( pas celui-ci malheurrusemrnr) parmis des dizaines de vraiment moyen. Commence à être un peu difficile. 2.75
I can usually find something enjoyable, interesting, or at the very least noteworthy about any album. I'm struggling with this one. It has all the elements I would generally quite like, but here I found it all very boring. I'm sure at the time of its release it was quite a new sound and therefore less tedious.
3/5