Reviews (page 7 of 7)
Crap and lame. Would rather put on Back To Bedlam by James Blunt. This is like the cheesiest ever tour of world music with a litany of terrible dated keyboard sounds and even more rancid sneery terrible talk-singy vocals. Around the same time as Screamadelica, this makes Bobby Gillespie or even Shaun Ryder and Bez seem like Jeff Buckley. In terms of music there’s a whole lotta crusty dub techno, ersatz Guns Of Brixton, cliche desert film score and Yvan Eht Nioj style Indian music. And for added punishment Sinead O Connor sings on a couple of tracks too. So there it is, Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The 1001 List. Never rising above 1 star.
Not available
Wow! This stuff is so startling bad that I went to find out how it ever got made. Turns out, in the early 90s, the devil came back to the crossroads, just when Jah Wobble and Kurt Condon came along. Cobain played a few songs and the devil bowed his head and wished he had long hair to toss around to the rhythm. Jah wobble then presented his mess of sounds. The devil was much pleased by the ‘forgot to read the instructions’ drum machine groove; the downcycled and appropriated instrumentation, so poorly played and utilized below its potential; the child-like rhythms; the “Jesus I could do better than that” vocals. The devil rejoiced…but decreed that it was TOO evil to send this music forward to the people, and so he chose Cobain. Though the devil continues to spin him some Jah Wobble whenever he feels like a little flagellation of the soul for himself
Never listened before and won’t be listening again.
This list is becoming exhausting. Not even 15% done and I keep getting shit like this. A white dude from England that goes by Jah. How does anyone need to hear this crap. Jah Wobble has 11,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Now listeners does not equal good or bad, but I have friends I grew up with that have larger following and better music than this. I am getting close to throwing in the towel on the British circle jerk of a list. 2 more albums this week and they better be bangers or this journey is over. There is something to say about me not liking wildly accepted classic albums like Boob Dylan and U2, but what the fuck is this. Album review, it sounds like a shallow white guy that appreciates other cultures and did a crap job of blending cultures into one sound. It is not good, it is not coherent, it is not worthwhile, it is not unique, it is shit. 1.8/10 133/1001
Not for me!
I don't know this guy but I can already tell he's the most insufferable person in the world. 2/10
Before "cultural appropriation" entered the lexicon, there was this.
First listen
Unavailable
I don’t know what this album was to be honest. I’m not sure if there was a meaning but I didn’t enjoy it or connect to it at all. Even the vocals didn’t seem very good and felt all over the place. Did not enjoy it.
what in the psychedelic shit show was this
Nah
Sounds like Nigel from Spinal Tap did a reggae project. Utter shite.
What even is this?
Did not like it. A clusterfuck of genres and i just don't like that kind of singing that jan wobble bring to the table. That kind of sing-talking.
This is totally unfair, but my immediate reaction to this was that I didn't realize AI was around in 1991. World Electronica is a gateway phrase to mediocrity. It sounds fine, if you're into it, but it could have been generic library music, and I wouldn't have known the difference.
Chemistry teacher plays us the album he and his new girlfriend made over the Summer on holiday with parent's inheritance money
Ooooh okay, I'm vibing, girlypop!! Meh, I'm already having way less fun on this second song than I was having on the first song. I only listened to maybe half???? before I dipped. Kind of weird and like it wanted to be something better. Maybe upon a relisten (if I ever get around to one), it will click.
Absolutely unlistenable
Not available on Apple Music but from the reviews here it doesn’t seem like it would be worth it to look for an alternative.
hui das chönt emfall no en harzige werde. fuck ich find de world musig 90er scheiss afoch nöd geil. visions of poo alte. nai finds nöd so schlimm aber ich ha vorher aretha glost und das het halt null seel die dünne froschige stimme bringed halt nöd so viel. relight the flame isch jo gad au ehner basisch so. die "spanisch" gitarre hilft nöd mitem "indische?" touch zeme. ui. und d rick astley ass toms alte wüüüüürkli. bomba tönt au wie en slightly nervöse massage warteruum. seg nöd mamacita du arschloch. ah d sinead o connor singt zum teil? cool aber sorry immernonig cool. ok sie singt nur ufem erste song. die eigentlch sängerin isch belgierin/ägypterin und irgendwie chunt mer s spanisch gad zimli schräg ine. aha de jah wobble isch de bassist gsi vo public image limited scho klar finden so scheeeeeisse. erzulie het etz no en groove moll bass isch erstuunlich cool. everymans an island joo okay. nai actualöy nöd okay. soledad stresst mi etz au seeehr. nai. da git e 1 au wenn nocher no zwei meisterwerk chömed. es isch sooo laaangsaaaam. er singt au afoch nöd guet. so nöd cool schlecht sondern sonder inkompetent schlecht. boah nai die synthi blöser uf sweet divinity naaaaai.
hahahha erst gad letscht wuche han ichs wort bedlam kenneglernt und jz stolper ich scho wieder drüber. Whitechapel wird aber wahrsch besser sii visions of you isch schomal recht langwilig gsi, nöd schlecht aber echt nüt speziells hahah das isch ja mit abstand de grössti song fuck isch das langwilig looogisch ischer brit everyman's an island hani no ok gfunde ah scho fertig ja ich hans nöd guet gfunde und ich chegg nöd, wiso das uf de liste sött sii (ussert dasser brit isch) ah und public image ltd isch au arshc btw
Meningsløst tull.
The first song has all the streams, and then 20000 people moved through the rest. Hardly worthy of a list.
Honestly had to skip this. A random white guy in his 40s doing his best world music impression with karaoke vocals. 12k monthly listeners on Spotify. Cultural appropriation. Awful.
Pre-listening thoughts: I felt guilty the other day that World is in my least fav genres listed on my summary but dude I think the editors of this book are including bullshit World entries (like this). I am positive there are better World albums out there, not made by an entitled white guy who appropriated other cultures’ music. Why did this need to make the list. Post/during listening thoughts: ok slay Sinéad O’Connor! But holy shit all the other vocals are garbage. And the production! The first track is only mildly redeeming. I am actually pissed that this was an inclusion on this list. Fuck you Jah Wobble. 2/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Visions of You Least fav tracks: everything else but especially Bomba’s production
terrible
Holy cultural appropriation Batman!
Vocals sound like the lead singer of XTC, but music is worldly for lack of better words.
That guy may come from PIL, but what he did on his own is terrible. I'm baffled that this album made the cut to this book.
I just can't believe this album is part of this list. How much did he pay for this??
So, this is on the same list as Abbey Road, Nevermind, The Dark Side Of The Moon, Straight Outta Compton, Paranoid, Kind Of Blue, Illmatic, Kid A, Rust Never Sleeps... Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart is considered good enough to be there among these. I must be really missing something.
Who told him he could sing? Who told him he could play bass? They were lying. Cultural appropriation done badly. Why is this on this list? More forgettable twaddle. I was going to give it a 2, but the longer it ran the more bored I got. 1/5. (why can't you give 0?)
Couldn’t get this one on my music service. They had some of his other albums, but I wasn’t wild about what I heard.
This really fucking sucks. Just pick a fucking genre, guys. What the fuck is this pretentious bullshit. This is actively insulting and occasionally problematic. Did not enjoy. 1/5
nope
Hmm a goose honking on the opening track. The vocals come off a bit amateur, karaoke. It all feels like magazines in a dentists office in the 1990s and it's wall to wall carpet in an ugly pattern.
This album was so bland. And when it wasn't bland it was annoying.
What is this nonsense? Why is this on here?
Didn't get on with this one. An English born musician cosplaying as a world musician and it leads to some paper thin interpretations of the genre. Only person who I think ever has successfully got away with this is Paul Simon
Knowing nothing about this artist, I assumed this was a reggae album and boy was I unpleasantly surprised when whatever the heck this is started blaring out of my office speaker. Oof. Sorry Jah Wobble, but you can't call yourself that and produce this trash.
I tried and tried and couldn't find the full album. From the bits I heard, I don't think I'm missing anything.
Schrecklich.
no gracias bro
Awful. Could not get past the first two songs.
Wow, this is so bad. Couldn't get through the whole thing.
This album smells like patchouli in a cultural-misappropriation kinda way.
usually i try to listen to albums with an open mind, but boy howdy, from the first track, i knew i was going to not enjoy my time with this album. the production is so badly dated and cheesy, it sounds like music from a second-tier straight-to-vhs-and-only-sold-to-libraries educational program. the world music influence added here only compounds on that, especially when it is talk-sung over by a bored sounding english man who sounds like rowan atkinson's zazu from the lion king. this really is my trifecta of dread - boring electronic music meets white dude doing world music meets woefully dated production.
# Album Name: Rising Above Bedlam # Artist: Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart # Rating: 1/5 # Comments: For me personally, this is an absolute shocker. Dog shit in fact. what is it even doing on the list i'll never know. # Top Tunes: Absolutely fuck all. # Would I listen to it again? fuck no.
This album is the dictionary definition of white guy world music
This album is so important it's not even on Spotify. There's over 50 other Jah Wobble albums on there but not this one. I had to find it on youtube and now i'm irritated that I had to go through all that hassle to listen to this nonsense. The bass is decent. That's it.
1l
I don't even know what this was trying to be.
The only reason this gets a 1.5 and not lower is because Natacha Atlas makes an appearance. I’m still giving it a 1 on this site site, because it doesn’t deserve to be rounded up. It’s pretty much cultural appropriation trying to mask itself as acceptable because it features actual artists from the cultures and regions it is taking from. Also the talking instead of singing by Jah Wobble is just incessantly dull.
- phew.. war mal wieder ein Album, das ich nicht komplett geschafft habe (auch wenn es keine -1/5 war)
Why is this list so terrible?
nicht so meins, leichte electronic und orientalische Einflüsse
Public Image Ltd had some good songs, this is just cheesy. pass the velveeta
British guys doing reggae stopped being cool after The Police dabbled with it. How did this make it on this list, this was awful. I regret ever hearing it or even knowing of it
No thanks.
This is not for me. It does not invade my heart.
It's giving 90's Nirvana mall vibes.
Thoughts before listening: Is this going to be some sort of 90s British reggae? Doesn't sound very good if that's the case. Definitely never seen this cover or recognize the artist. Review: Well its not reggae although there are dub elements throughout. Lots of other stuff too. Apparently Jah (why I assumed reggae) was the bass player for Public Image Ltd which is a band I can't get into. Same for this. Theres just nothing here thats grabbing me and the vocals aren't very good either. I'm leaning toward a 1-star rating. I don't really like it.
Not a fan... I always try to give it a listen even if it is not my taste, but this was just awful. 1/5
Couldn't listen because this goober has decided to take this album down from everywhere. Loser.
Reminds me a LOT of the B-52s. I really like the fusion of styles here, but I think this album is more successful when it treads into non-English lyrics. I'm not sure I can justify giving it a 2 for that though. Really didn't enjoy
Hmmmm. I like PiL - but think it's probably Lydon's raw snarl that lifts it. This is.............. not good.
Potpourri ist noch das netteste was ich sagen kann über diesen Stilmix. Ist das World-Music? Oder irgendwas mit Ethno? Da bin ich komplett abgehängt. Der "Sänger" gehört in eine Punkband, schlimm.
1/5. I sometimes think the curator of this list is trolling.
I first heard of Jah Wobble when I heard Eno/Wobble's Spinner. Loved it. Then I learned that he came from PiL, so I decided to not seek out any of his other works. Well, judging by this, I was right to ignore his output. "Icky" is the best word I can come up with for this. Is that a Casiotone drum kit? This is "world music" for people who don't like brown people. This better not throw off my YouTube algorithm.
The bass playing is pretty slick, especially on Erzulie. But otherwise I'm not interested. The male vocalist is boring and bad, and the instrumental being a weird mix of synthetic and acoustic just is not combining very well. This gets worse as I listen too. I'm so checked out, and just waiting for the album to end.
A hot mess of every early 90s shit fusion pop sound, rhythm, and instrument, with nothing of interest to be shown for it.
No disponible en Costa Rica
Bad. Not good. Should not be on this list
Not available anywhere. 1 star it is
I wish I could say this bored me, but it didn't. It annoyed me to the point that it became a gnat on my ass.
I had to try multiple times to get through this album. The top review for this album is right, but there are some okay songs. I won't listen to them again, but they didn't make me want to turn it off. Those songs were "Visions of You" and "Erzulie." Other than that though, this album was grueling to get through. Plus this guy is connected with Johnny Rotten. Fuck that guy.
No.
Previously of Public Image Ltd., this is bassist Jah Wobble's experimental attempt at "World Music." This is cultural appropriation at its finest. Jah Wobble's Invaders of the Heart is exclusively British musicians playing with "foreign" influence, with the exception of trumpeter Harry Beckett who is actually of Barbadian origin. This album did not chart, has little to no historical or popular impact, and is just offensive.
Not my style
This was difficult. Kind of all over the place, nothing really appealed to me.
Rising Above Bedlam by Jah Wobble and The Invaders of the Heart kicks off with the captivating vocals of Sinéad O'Connor, setting an exciting tone. However, the album's lengthy compositions make it hard for some listeners to connect with, especially those not already into world music. It feels like the music is trying too hard to showcase its global influences, bordering on self-indulgence. While ambitious, this approach may overshadow the album's broader appeal. Overall, this might not resonate with everyone and falls short of greatness, particularly for those not keen on world music. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 1 STAND OUT TRACK - Visions of You
After reading the review about the guy from down the hall in college, I felt like that summed it up. Upon reflection I see a commercial outlet for this album. The kid from film school decides to make a combination of Pulp Fiction and Natural Born Killers that will "be this generation's The Omen." The writer/producer/director/star is talking to the assistant he got by falsly promising academic credit for working on a "real film set." "He'll work for a credit and a sandwich? Will he come down on the sandwich? Okay, if Jimmie can't get off from Starbucks, make a PB & J and get him in here."
I don't understand how some albums get on this list. Like the first song was ok and then it just got worse for me from there -- fine, I don't have to like every album on here. But what was this album doing that was new or different or that makes it stand out? And my god, those lyrics "Love conquers fear ... in the arena ... of LIFE!" Bleh
Not as unlistenably awful as a lot of the records I’ve given a 1/5 - I kind of appreciate some of what this is trying to do. I just think its inclusion in this list is such a waste. Trying to be an eclectic ‘world music’ album that just uses the most base level features of the genres and cultures it borrows from over some awfully dated synths. I’d have more leniency if it was a mid 80s album or something but it’s 1991, it should sound cleaner than this
I'm not the type of person to throw this phrase around lightly, but I think this album should have been called Now That's What I Call Cultural Appropriation. I think that Jah Wobble and company (Sinead O'Connor sings on this album, neato!) had some pretty big aspirations in making this album, but unfortunately those aspirations didn't play out very well in practice. This album is pretty much a mess: there's Spanish singing, without elements of latin music, there's political messaging without any teeth or meaning, and there's a lack of overall cohesion from track to track. This album feels pretty empty in all aspects, and it was a chore to get through. Sinead O'Connor's vocals were nice, but overall, her talents are pretty much relegated to the background, which is incredibly unfortunate. I'm glad this is the only Jah Wobble album on this list, but now I'm dreading the Public Image Ltd albums.
WHAT?!?? I kept listening to this without any idea who or where it came from, foolishly thinking the nex song would tell me more about what this is supposed to be. Then I finished the album. I have no idea what this is and maybe that is for the best. Favorite track? "Ungodly Kingdom" I guess. 1/5
Truly a mess of an album. Supposedly lead by a bassist, the bass lines are simplistic. The genre is "world music" while being written and performed by 5 white people from the UK. It's tiring to listen.
just feels fake Okay, I was going to give this a 2, but why? What am I giving it credit for? There’s nothing I enjoyed here, so why not give it a 1?
Not a fan
Visions Of You is a fairly boring song, but Sinead O'Connor's voice elevates it significantly. The rest is pretty terrible.
The first song is probably where Enigma got his inspiration for "Principles of Lust". For crying out loud, what a horrible album.
Got 4 songs in and said nah i'm alright
I can see the talent here and why it’s very popular but I am rating these on my own personal opinion and this just wasn’t for me. Favourite: Wonderful World Least Favourite: Erzulie
This 1991 album still carries many hallmarks of the 1980's production values, which sounds dated and in many ways, unappealing to me. Digital recording was perhaps nascent and synthesizers overused. However the bass lines are excellent, and this album is sonically interesting overall, incorporating various elements of world music (Spanish, African). It flows continuously through various attractive grooves and trance inducing states. It's psychedelic and an interesting listen for sure, but the vocals by Jah are by no means exceptional. Meanwhile the lyrics, when not profound and deep, come off occasionally as trivial and of low caliber. That said, on RISING ABOVE BEDLAM, Jah Wobble is reflective, cheeky, and an extraordinary instrumentalist and this album was an interesting and new experience.
Sucks Cultural appropriation the album
AJ/ wobble my ass
Unorganized collection of random genres and vocals. There were some passages of some songs that were average, but no one track is even good on this. Then you add in the bad vocals on each track and there is nothing positive about this album for me.
Mega ASS
I just couldn't finish this album. This album sounds like someone went backpacking around Asia, went to a few full moon parties and came back "enlightened". It's pretentious and feels like someone is just trying to hard to be deep and worldly. Relight the Flame sound like someone singing bad karaoke of a lesser known Disney tune whilst trying to imitate Leonard Cohen.
Weird album. It took a couple of tracks to learn to ignore the terrible singing. Still not that great once you can. Kind of reminds me of the last record by the Clash, which was terrible.
There wasn’t one part of me that liked this.
I did not like it. Lyrics were gibberish.
• It’s giving “on my gap yah” • The male vocals are a bit unbearable if i’m honest • I would never listen to this album again • Favourite song: Bomba
No
I don't see myself ever listening to this
Ok ish
What on earth was all that about then? Not particularly interesting or enjoyable, as hard as I tried to listen.
It's like someone decided to fuse a load of music together without realising it sounds awful. I found the singing to be especially grating. Couldn't manage to finish it.
Disco desconocido para mí y de los 90 nunca pinta bien. Un pastiche house, chillout con mezclas étnicas y pseudohispanas como en Bomba. Aburridísimo y cero interés para mí.
I wanted this to end so badly. The best of the album feels borrowed. The rest, cringe. There were delightful moments of 90s nostalgia early on but they got swallowed up by the overall awfulness of the rest of the album. Was wavering over 2 stars but song by song, Jah Wobble talked me down to 1.
Some weird Australian stuff? This doesn’t belong on the list.
It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever heard, but I just think it doesn’t deserve to be on the list
2.5/10. parece musica q pondrian en una club scene de una pelicula del 2010 sin presupuesto como el pico. nose me cargo todo excepto la ultima cancion y las primeras maybe.
I liked the diversity of songs on the album. That doesn’t mean I liked it at all. Vocals were unbearable at times and the sound within each song was repetitive.
1.5
E kje så fan av world music egentlig
No good
This did not, in fact, rise above anything for me.
I have no idea what this album was supposed to be. It seemed like a world tour of music that was not entertaining. I don’t think I’ll listen to this one again. 1.7/10
Awful
Just listen to Primal Scream for fuck's sake.
Very cultural and lame
Really very dull. A couple of ok tracks.
musical flatulence
Not a fan!
I know we are told not to judge an album by its cover but since it’s not available on Apple Music I’ll just say I’m glad it’s not available on Apple Music. There is no way in any reality this album belongs in this list.
Shite.
weird stuff
Kedeligt 90’er rock, ikke meget at komme efter
Not my cup of tea
Absolute crap. Unlistenable. You know back in the day when you'd go to HMV and they'd have the listening station pre-loaded with the picks of the week? This is like the random album they had to put in that to meet a genre quota mandated by corporate. It suuuuucks.
I did not care for this album.
Inauthentic crap, trying to slog through it. They really tried to make music.
Only listened to a few, but not something I liked.
Awful
nee, kan ik niets mee
When you think it couldn't get any worse.
Una de las peores mierdas que he escuchado nunca
Escuché algunas rolas de estos weyes de otros discos y están Chidas pero, o no escuchamos el mismo disco o no fumamos de la misma, nomás NE.
i hat this ablum