Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Grew on me as I listened - heatwave was a save
Never heard of them. Definitely 80s. Not bad. Not great
zwei bis drei
Rags to Riches synth sounds are decades ahead of time. So good alongside Buchanan’s pleading voice. Easter Parade gives a hint to what’s to come later in their discography (see: Family Life). I do think they’re at the best when they get ballad-y and nostalgic and bittersweet and melancholy. There’s just a bit too much new wave for me on this record. Sweet record but nowhere near Buchanan and co.’s best. Idk if I’m being hard on this record because I love their other three records way more, but it just isn’t incredibly memorable for me. It’s the record I always skip when I do my annual Blue Nile binge. They are so good. Favs: Easter Parade, Automobile Noise, From Rags to Riches Favs:
01) A Walk Across the Rooftops - 7,0 02) Tinseltown in the Rain - 6,5 03) From Rags to Riches - 6,0 04) Stay - 7,0 05) Easter Parade - 5,0 06) Heatwave - 6,5 07) Automobile Noise - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,36 (64/100) Current ranking: 530/732
OK, but not really my thing.
Strange
Talking heads ish with 80s vibe
Heard of this band but never listened to them so today was a revelation. A very different sound even today so truly experimental back in 1984. Something for everyone is contained within this album. One which I will obtain and worthwhile to seek out their back catalogue. 3/5 6/11/25
Never heard of this artist. Read a couple notes about them, sound interesting. Very 80s. Nothing special to me. Catchy a bit. Not for me though. Released my born year. so that's cool
3/5
Started out strong. Really liked style of singing and instrumentals. About halfway through got a bit sick of it. At the end I had clocked out. I don’t think it was necessary for the songs to be 5 minutes plus when the latter half was really repetitive. 5/10
I liked the first couple songs but wasn't too impressed by the rest. On another day might rate it 3/5 but I'm going with 2.
This is strangely easy to listen to. Heatwave is my best example of it. I can't say it's a great song but it took me somewhere listening to it.
I feel like this is the 13th time we've had an album that sounds like this. I'm probably wrong. It might be the 4th or 5th time I'm also mildly impressed that a 1980s album isn't that bad. I'm still puzzled by the origin of that 1980s vocal style.
Musically, it's good... I'm just not interested. Tinseltown in the Rain is with another listen, but nothing else really stood out. I'm gonna ring up my 2.5.
Stay and listen to this album. It’ll remind you of Tinseltown in the Rain.
Had no expectations and was pleasantly surprised. Some of the strings were lovely and the vocals weren't as difficult to engage with as I half expected!
Fint, funky, anderledes. Lød generelt godt. Ville høre igen.
This was actually really nice to listen to. Felt almost dreamlike, where this band was leading you through a specific vision that they had. I could see this being good background music for a game night or something.
Probably missing whatever part of this is important or influential, it was just some pretty standard 80s music where not much of anything stood out.
I wasn't a fan of the first few songs, but "Stay" really got to me. I feel like I've heard it before but I can't find it referenced anywhere. It felt very nostalgic. I'm a much bigger fan of the second half of this album than the first.
Easy to listen to
Me whenever an Album on here is less than 40 mins 😍😍😍The Tinseltown song def my fav.
Given the high quality, minimalist music, and the fact that the album was releases by an audio equipment manufacturer, it's easy to see why people would have panned this album as little more than a vehicle to sell Hi-Fi systems. While it certainly did tick that box for the company, there are some pretty solid songs on here. I'm not normally a fan of genres like Sophistipop or Blue-Eyed Soul, but I did genuinely like "Tinseltown in the Rain" and "Heatwave". The rest didn't jump out at me, but I'd return to those tracks at least, if not the whole album.
6/10 Pleasant, never heard it before and I don't hate it. That being said nothing stood out to me. 9-30-2025
I had some preconceived notions about what this would be, and as such, was shocked by how “80s” it is. I guess I should have known for 1984. It definitely has a coolness factor that I wouldn’t attribute to most albums that sound this 80s. I’m torn between a 3 and 4, but I’ll round down this time.
A band I've never heard of and a nice discovery. These songs have a real air of yearning and melancholy. They're nicely layered and even though it's mostly synths, it sounds more than the sum of it's part I guess. After Tinseltown in the Rain my enthusiasm slightly tempered as it's a fairly plodding pace.. but the interesting textured sound is cool
Was not expecting to start my day with 80s Scottish SynthPop. It's certainly a mood. Feels like something that might end up on this season's soundtrack of Stranger Things.
I was prepared to hate this but it was better than I anticipated. The singer sounds David Byrne-ish at times. I doubt I'd ever revisit this but it wasn't bad.
Very 80s.
This was a really pleasant surprise. Entirely unfamiliar with the artist but will seek out more.
Pretty good album, thought I was going to be walking into something pretty meh with that first song (in all honesty the instrumentation on a walk across… actually spiked my anxiety levels which is hard for a song to do), but then after that the album mellowed out and was quite fun to listen to, I did find myself thinking this does sound eerily familiar to another singer and then looking at the reviews some said David Byrne and I agree and at times the songs can sound a bit too similar to talking heads.
This is some ok, but not great, pop music. Some songs structures are unconventional, but the album is still plenty accessible. Nothing here stands out as great, though, it's mainly just ok. The singer has a pretty good voice, though.
Blind album and artist. Not the worst thing I have heard today. 3.
A positive surprise. Will listen again.
Honestly, it's been 3 days since I listened to this and I can't recall any of it. Must not have been that memorable.
Easy listening- Ambient- 80's sound. Nothing quite unique, but not offensive either. Never heard of Blue Nile, nice listen.
3.4
A real mish-mash of sounds this. Like a cross between Talking Heads and Bowie’s 80s period, but not as good as either of them. Might grow on me with more listens, but as of now it’s just okay.
Ég hafði aldrei heyrt um The Blue Nile og mun líklegast gleyma henni fljótt. Það var ekkert að lögunum á plötunni en heldur ekkert rosalegt. Hljómar eins og fyrsta bílsskúrsbandið sem David Bowie var í.
David Bowie Bob Dylan lovechild experimental. Would listen again.
Ég skil alveg af hverju þetta hefur flogið undir radarnum hjá fólki á sínum tíma, en að því sögðu þá er þetta alveg áheyrilegt og nokk áhugavert.
A Walk Across the Rooftops has a strong and very distinctive 80s sound, full of nocturnal atmosphere and melancholy. The production is airy and beautiful, and the album succeeds in creating a cohesive, immersive mood. However, the tempo and overall expression remain so restrained that it becomes a bit too uniform and static over time. An atmospheric album you can appreciate, but one that doesn’t quite hold your attention all the way through. 3/5
Ei tää ihan huono ollut
Ihan jees maalailua!
Neat hidden gem with intricate, quiet sounds that make for a jazzy chamber pop vibe, somewhere between late 70’s Bowie and early 80’s Talking Heads. I don’t love the vocal style and it gets repetitive, but for the time this is a pretty cool album.
Super meloncholic but interesting. Not fully goth, not fully new wave, not fully electrowave, it stands on its own. And that clearly makes some music fans afraid. I won't really revisit this album but it is nice to hear more artistic albums that come from the 80s. Instead of the same 8 highlight reel of albums that Gen X wont shut up about.
That's not my taste in music - But ok
I thought the first song was interesting, but the rest of it was mostly pretty boring. Some songs just felt very monotonous. The vocals really dragged the songs on. Overall, dreamy but sometimes enough to put me to sleep.
Great on a rainy day. I keep hearing Andy Summers’ solo album. If I had heard it back in the day, it would have been a favorite.
British indie! Where its worst.. its boring, but where its best.. its The Killers. And The Killers rock. I get it. It was influential. blah blah blah. Probably won't return to this one.
Standout Songs: Tinseltown in the Rain Stay Kind of middle of the road for me, a couple upbeat tunes but nothing too flashy
I don't think I've been so divided on an album from this list as A Walk Across The Rooftops by The Blue Nile. There's so many elements I enjoy from this but nothing really sticks the landing. Some lovely arrangements, interesting performances (especially a fan of the bass line in the opener), fun (albeit incredibly 80s) vibes and grooves, all hindered by meandering repetitive lyrics, and songs that go on for far too long. None of the tracks on this record benefit in the slightest from their bloated run time (seriously, the average is 5 and half minutes per song). I don't think it's awful, but it's not great either. Maybe I'll come back to it at some point when I can sit in a dark room with headphones while a little high.
v good! 3.5
Jännää ambient poppia ja tavallaan semmoista hieman hienostunutta. Kappaleissa kanssa aika hieno ja monipuolinen äänisuunnittelu. Parhaat: Stay, Tinseltown In The Rain
rather liked this; reminded me of Elbow (another brit alt discovery from this)
It sounded a bit too like Sting at times for my liking.
it was ok. I would give it 2.5 stars if I could.
Didn't take me long to draw a bad first impression from the very 80s production and vocals but given a bit more time and patience I quite enjoyed a handful of tracks from the middle part of the album and realised I may have been too hasty. Another 80s trait is to let songs take forever to get going and establish what they're doing. On my review of the great Brothers In Arms I described this as 'letting songs breathe' and after a couple of plays through I appreciated it more here. For all the ingredients I don't tend to like (add jazzy tendencies and a general new wave flavour to the list), I found it greater than the sum of its parts and might even find time to give Hats a listen at some point. Not my home turf, not my favourite but I'm glad I've given it a proper chance and discovered something I otherwise wouldn't have.
Straddles the line between the talking heads and the police. Not inspiring necessarily, but not objectionable.
This album honestly isn't bad but I don't like that every song just has some seemingly random bell or note that doesn't belong. Sometimes I feel like they sound a little like U2.
Was nice and mellow, slightly David Byrne vibes. Listened to while at the gym and them scooting home
Kinda like soft classic rock
Gear: HEDD Audio HEDDphone Two Artwork: 🌆⛪📸 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🌧️🎷🧐 Rating: 🚶🚶🚶/5
2.5ish
Interesting. Not amazing, but pretty good. This is the kind of thing I get most excited about with this project - diving into a band I 100% never heard of.
I thought heatwave was interesting, the rest just meh.
It was okay.
A Walk Across The Rooftops was certainly one of the stranger albums on this list but i didn't find it too bad. It is more or less your typical 80s New Wave album from the UK as it hits all the same beats as it's contemporaries do with things like the vocals, synths and general vibe that they all have. The thing that makes this album as strange as it is would mainly be the fact that some of the songs are compositionally odd, especially with the synths. This album wasn't really a bad listen though as some of the songs could be quite relaxing and very pleasing to listen to. In my eyes, it was those songs that made the album as enjoyable as it was to listen to. Best Song: Easter Parade Worst Song: From Rags to Riches
Akin to U2 with less edge, maybe with a tad of Peter Gabriel with less verve. Good for sleeping I wager. 3
80s melancholy with a dash of electro. Not a single hook on the whole album but somehow still pleasant
actually rather enjoyed this
Prefiero Hats, me parece mejor en conjunto, más accesible y con mejores temas sobre todo por Downtown lights, ahora bien cualquier disco suyo (como Steely Dan) es recomendable e intercambiable.
Another mid album. Was bored. Maybe it also would have benefited from another listen but too boring
Bass-heavy. Peter Gabriel-like? Very 80s. Would listen to again, but not complete click
Scottish synthpop that starts out strong but loses momentum along the way during the quieter songs.
Caught my ear for a bit. Didn’t hate it
This was promising with some unique instrumentation and I enjoyed some of it, but it was infected with the all too pervasive cheese of music from this time period.
Some tracks sounded like Peter Gabriel doing David Bowie impressions, and others like Bowie doing Gabriel. In spite of how much I like both of those artists, this really didn’t do much for me.
It's like Peter Gabriel and Ambien had a baby.
Pleasantly surprised with this one. Pretty dreary album overall but I appreciate the consistency and dedication to capturing a specific tone. I listened to it twice because I couldn’t decide between a 3 or 4. The sound landscape is so mesmerizing and it’s just a great album to just shut your mind off and experience.
Nice enough vibe, for sure. Another largely background one, but I ain't complaining.
Not bad
Site broke last night I think. So from memory I liked this a decent bit. There are some killer synths and the dumbest play well off of its tingly dingly stuff. The vocals remind me of talking heads but quite a bit more subdued. Enjoyable record
Schwerig. Einersiits ged wörk nüd wörk uszsetzte, anderersiits hed halt au nie e Momänt gä woni dänkt ha: "Boah dä song esch e Banger". Meischtens esches halt eifach okay, mer chas lose, aber ned meh.
Totally fine, if not a little dull for me. Nice that it's short!
Nice ambient beep boops -- liked more of the songs at the end. Beginning was a bit hard to get into. Lead singer sounds a bit (a very little bit) like David Byrne
Weird but solid
Since I've never heard of Blue Nile before, when I listened to the opening title track, I wondered if this was some underground David Byrne solo album long before he went solo. It didn't take too long I could hear how Paul Buchanan doesn't sound exactly like Byrne--and really at times more like David Bowie, particularly in "Tinseltown in the rain"--but the similarity to both of them is a bit uncanny (to me at least). All that aside, I enjoyed this seemingly obscure album much more than I expected to. They make a lot out of just a few people and instruments, and their sound is both solidly 80s and yet also more modern-sounding. I'm not sure there are any great standout tracks--maybe "From rags to riches" (despite a very derivative "Teenage wasteland" keyboard riff tucked inside) and "Automobile noise"--but they created a very solid album (more the first side than the second, but still). And even more impressive that they were all self-taught musicians.
I enjoyed this much more when I put on headphones. For fans of Peter Gabriel, I think.
I enjoy the texture and atmosphere of this a lot. The synth work is interesting and I like the bass when I can hear it. The lead vocal performance is my primary gripe, but I don’t love how the drum programming sounds either. I wish more of the melodies had some bite. The second half is stronger.
Good vibes
Top Three Songs: 1) Stay 2) Tinseltown in the Rain 3) A Walk Across the Rooftops Bottom Three Songs: 1) Easter Parade 2) From Rages to Riches 3) Heatwave
These songs were just there and took way too long
Yeah, it was fine.
A bit dull
Trzy plus
Not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t this! Surprised in a good way mostly. The arrangements were really interesting with some great bass playing and unexpected sonic elements popping up all over the place. I enjoyed that aspect of this album most. The production also seemed exceptionally clean. I was less enamored with the lyrics and vocals, and in spite of everything mentioned above about being interesting and unique it also managed to sound very eighties - for me a negative. It stretched itself out, and although there were things to like along the way it did start to feel like a slog midway through the album (and even partway through some individual songs). Tricky to tally where it gains and loses stars, so I’ll just land at three. Felt like I really explored something today though, which is largely what I want from this project.
I finally started to get the album towards the last track "Automobile Noise". It was pretty cohesive and calming. Just not all of the songs were for me.
meh
🔧
I thought this was decent. It's a bit radioheadish and there were some moments that I enjoyed but ultimately it was kind of meh.
As a Scot, I am familiar with the Blue Nile and I’ve got a nostalgic affection for Tinsel Town in the Rain. However the pretentiousness of this album, is not lost on me. It sounds dated, and as smooth and polished as it is, it still sounds like 1984. The songs feel long, even though the album is relatively short. The album desperately wants you to love it, but it’s actually just an okay listen.
Solid 80's album that could be used as the background soundtrack for the film of my youth.
Constantly humbled by the amount of t of albums I’ve never heard of…this would have been one I’d listen to way back when. Now it’s probably just this one time.
The songs were ok on this album, but I really liked how it was recorded and arranged. Very simple, lots of space. The lyrics were cool.
Blah 2.5
Favorite Track: A Walk Across the Rooftops
started off strong, but i think the sophisti-pop started wearing on me
I think i would like this better if there were no vocals. With the vocals, it feels too mopey and the songs, which I find intriguing musically, lose some of their impact.
This is interesting. I never even heard of this band. It’s like a cool minimalistic chamber pop. Minimalistic arrangements (kinda reminds me of Talk Talk The Colour of Spring, but much earlier), interesting vocalists that’s somehow both sting and Robert smith and his own thing. Music is somber and dark and dramatic. Not my favorite thing in the world but interesting listen. Three stars.
Different. They sound like a downshifted Duran Duran, in tone and mood. Nothing jumped out at me as notable, but it's not an album I hate.
Listened to this last week couldn't remember it much. Not usually a good sign. Now 2nd listen it's OK but still unremarkable. Round up to 3
Nice to listen to, but it didn’t make an impression on me.
Fav - Tinseltown in the rain, from rags to riches
Solid album, not particularly to my tastes. 6/10
Atmospheric electronic approach resulting out of limited musical ability.
Wow I really fell in love with the first two songs immediately. I love how weird and challenging they are. The production choices are bizarre but have a sense of profound creativity. Honestly after those two songs the album fell off hard. None of the other songs stood out the same way, and none of them felt like they were trying to achieve that same vibe or that same creative vision. I honestly think this could’ve been an easy 5 if they had just gotten wilder and crazier and more experimental as the album went on, but either way I felt the first two songs carried the whole album. Ultimately a full day later, those two songs are the only ones I remember which I think says a lot.
I've listened to this twice, and I have no idea what I think of it, other than... I quite liked it? It's a very 80s "we're serious musicians" sound, though.
Peak 80s, which isn’t my favorite genre, but definitely listenable for me. Ultimately enjoyable but I don’t think I would revisit it out of love over and over. I might give Hats a try from curiosity more than anything, I see this as an influence in some of the nostalgic pop rock as the 00s. Reminded me very much of the Killers and even the Postal Service. The bass line in A Walk Across Rooftops rocked, and the lead singer has a great voice. I find the synths discordant thing of the 80s generally to be kind of cheesy but this is a moment
Started out really good, but towards the end I got a little bit bored..
Mid. Took a long time to gain popularity because it doesn't stand out. Bass fucks tho
This was ok. A little ethereal for my tastes. It was giving 80s
good
Love you too.
Talks about being in love a lot. Quite like Rags to Riches This grew on me 3 or 4 I think
Nice enough, but didn't really grab me. A pleasant listen though.
The wrong album choice for this list - it's not as good as Hats.
"A Walk Across The Rooftops" by The Blue Nile is an album that offers a unique and atmospheric experience, blending elements of synth-pop and jazz with a touch of melancholy. Released in 1984, it presents a rich soundscape that is both haunting and beautiful, leaving a lasting impression on those who venture through its tracks.
Pas eu le temps de bien écouter. Le gars n'a pas la voix de D. Bowie mais j'ai très envie de réécouter ça
Quite 80, reminded me of Peter Gabriel and Talk Talk. I don't know what to say except that the author of the 1001 selection must be Scot since it's the second Scottish unedr the radar band that we hear. It's like I'd put Tri Yann the best of in my 1001 selection. Now back to the album. It's not bad and I did like to listen to it But I will forget it soon and probably won't think it again ever. Good effort though.
By track 3, I was sure I had heard this in the 80's and loved it then, but had forgotten about it. Maybe. I probably would have loved it. So much angst but with smarter melodies than Morrissey, et al.
Not a bad album, just not for me.
Crystal clear production with some very weird instrumentation/arrangement choices that are somehow both ambient and jarring. Fairly concise album at only 38 minutes, despite the 5-6 minute song lengths. A couple of the slower songs do drag a bit, but overall the album is too interesting to give less than a 3/5.
Intriguing at times. Would I change the radio station if it came on? Depends on my mood, I guess.
I sort of like this album a little bit maybe. 3 stars or C for my uncertainty.
Went back and forth on this one. Some of it is very self indulgent 80s music and some of it is super catchy and has some great hooks. Can't decide if I like or hate the vocals. Kind of a Peter Gabriel meets David Bowie but he's trying too hard sound. Weak 3/strong 2.
The first time I listened to this album (and The Blue Nile as a whole) was this listening party in an old Discord server, the person making the listening party happen was someone who loved this band dearly because it was personal to him (I think something to do with his parents, I think). It's been years since and I haven't talked to this person in forever, so the only thing left is this album which I haven't really revisited because both times I heard it was either not really focusing or being really exasperated at how slow and minimal it was and just wrote this album (and Hats) as purely something I would never care for. I think after this listen though I feel like I misjudged the album as some totally boring, mid 80s artsy thing and not a genuinely nice album that utilizes its sense of space for its benefit. I'm not gonna say every decision made by the album sonically clicks with me, the opener feels a little awkwardly mixed and some songs like Easter Parade just hardly left an impression on me to really care for it, but I think every other song had a melody or something that really caught my attention, especially when the singer had more of the spotlight (like Stay or Tinseltown in the Rain where he sounds great), also the closer's semi industrial thing works so well for me, it's probably my favorite for using negative space in a song to feel so... clean but not in a negative way? I'm happy I can find a reason to reassess this album in a way that gives me more to appreciate from it.
Haunting dreamy palate. The Seinfeld bass line in the first song was a trip. I liked the instrumentals but the lyrics did not resonate as much.
I got a bit of an 80s era Peter Gabriel from some of the tracks - although without his vocal chops and lacking the solid musicianship from his work. Not unpleasant to listen to but scratching my head how to rate. Probably a weak 3 from me…
Eh it was alright. I probably wouldn't want to listen to it again though.
Bright yet eerie sounds Host a melancholy voice That croons deeply sweet
The symphonic arrangements (symph-pop?) are an irritating distraction from the basic song structure and intelligent lyrics. Just when I get intrigued the synth and strings come in to ruin things. From Rags to Riches is nearly perfect though in its atmospheric hauntings and odd percussion. As long as they're doing things along those lines I totally like the weirdness.
I wasn't sure what to make of this as it began — it was teetering on a fine line for me — but as it played, I found myself sinking into the aesthetic of the band. Understated, a little strained, but assured in a way that drew me in. As she may mention, Niko had put this album on her latest list (apparently this wasn't initially included on the 1001 list?), and in our inner circle this would be at least a 3.5, but I don't know that I quite sank in enough to get to the 4 star. But a band I'd give more listens to to see if my affection grows.
I struggled with how i felt about this. I admired it more than liked it. Not sure I'd queue this up again anytime soon, but I'm feeling generous this morning, so i'll round up to a 3.
An album with some interesting ideas, if not always the easiest to listen to. Stay in particular was fantastic though. Favourite tracks: Stay & Heatwave Would listen again. 3/5
started as an alright synth pop album but got a bit too whiny towards the end
Nice music overall but easy to lose track imo
It was fine, a little bit of stuff I didn’t like, but I added some to my playlist.
It's slow, it's sad, it was minorly annoying.
Walk Across The Rooftops is an interesting listen with its atmospheric production and moody vibe, but as a whole, it doesn’t quite come together as good music. It feels more like a concept than something truly engaging or memorable. Fascinating, but not fulfilling.
Never heard of them before. I like the first two songs on the album a lot.
I really only enjoyed the vocals on “Tinseltown in the Rain”, but man these instrumentals were flat out great. They made this album a joy to listen to.
skrítin eighties þjóðlagatónlist. of undarlegt til að gefa ekki 3,5.
Very Bowiesque
enjoyed it more than i thought i would. felt more rock than "Scottish folk ambient". but what do i know. fav song: tinseltown in the rain.
Kinda sounded like the soundtrack to a forgettable 80s movie
Enjoyable sophistipop.
The Blue Nile is a Scottish band that makes ambient synth-pop. A Walk Across the Rooftops is their debut album. At the time of its release, the album met with critical success, but did not have find significant commercial success. As years passed, its reputation grew, and subsequent releases from the band brought more attention to this debut. The band creates upbeat, melodic songs, like their single "Stay," with ambient electronic backgrounds. Some tracks have a more serious sense, like "Tinseltown in the Rain," anticipating the drama inherent in later 80s pop.
Nothing memorable Whatever
Not bad at all. Pleasant even. Not really my thing though. Got a little bored with it.
A decent album. Not particularly memorable, but I liked it as background music. Perfectly serviceable and decent enough.
The music dropped me into a reflective mindset. I like that.
Interesting. Kind of like a slower U2. Or maybe Springsteen? I don’t know, but pleasant if nothing else.
I just dont really like the moaning style of the 80s. Dont know why
This struggles to shake off the influence of Peter Gabriel to me. But I did like it.
Reminded me of all the 80’s British rock bands
Very 80’s vibe
Хороший альбом
It was ok. 2.5.
very 80s synth-pop sounding songs. i hadn't heard of the group before today and i'm a huge 1980s artists lover... love their sound.
Does everybody in Scotland sing like this? There was some decent stuff here but fell a little flat at the end. High 3.
Yet another band I’ve never heard of and a questionable addition to the list. Not bad, just nothing special.
The singer sounded a lot like Sting to me. Overall it sounded like a blander version of the Police too. Nothing to hate here, but nothing that really grabbed me either.
80’s flavored music to have on during chill time. Nothin I’d need to put on again.
I'm not sure about this album: the music is quite pleasant in an ethereal haunting sort of way, but the singer's vocals are a bit depressing, sometimes sounding a bit like Peter Gabriel having a bad day.
It was super solid! There were some awesome songs and the production has aged well. Voice sounded like David byrne
I kinda casually listened to this and didn't think much of it, but then gave it closer listen and was pretty impressed. I don't love any of the songs, but it all works really well together and they're doing a lot of interesting things sonically and compositionally. I get the feeling this could really grow on me over time and would be more of a 4 star after a few listens.
Pretty good, inoffensive. Nice background noise. A little Phil Collin’s esque in some moments. Not going straight back to listen to it but wouldn’t complain if it came on
Liked 4 songs. It is not something I would listen to again
This was a good one. I liked the feel (somewhere between Joy Division and U2) and the production quality was impressive. They could have cut down some of their songs though. The musicianship wasn’t quite enough to justify multiple 6 min + songs.
When I read "Sophisti-pop" on the wiki I really was expecting to hate this, but I think those bottom-of-the-barrel expectations let me enjoy this a lot. I thought it was very well done. It takes a lot of what the normal 80s synth-pop records were doing and builds on it. Great use of instruments and mixing, especially in songs like Automobile Noise and From Rags to Riches, even if I didn't like the songs all that much. However, I loved how From Rags to Riches just sounds like music straight out of Earthbound. My favorites were Tinseltown in the Rain and Heatwave.
New wavey... First few tracks are reminiscent of U2 from around the same era. It devolves over the course of the LP into slower ambient tracks that remind me of the parts of Peter Gabriel's catalog that I do not like; mostly snoozers.
this was pleasant. More mellow than i was anticipating. Def wanna give it another spin. Heatwave is a great song.
Synth pop/rock with a U2 flair.
po pire
Nice vibes. 3
Chill achtergrond
O man. Die stem. Verschrikkelijk. Soms zelfs mompelend en zeurend tegelijk... Jammer want ik vind de rest van de muziek soms wel erg fijn. Dan weer heel filmisch, dan weer heel elektronisch, dan bijna huppelend. Soms ook wel weer tergend saai. Leuk album dus om een keer te luisteren. Maar door die zanger geen tweede keer.
Rather discordant in the main, I did enjoy a few moments of this album, so for that I'll give it three stars. But really I see it as a 2.5.
Chill
This is an interesting album, it blends a lot of styles of popular 80s music into something that works better than it should. That being said, the vocal tonality of the singer really distracts from the standout production and instrumentation. Most of the time, he sounds like a distant cousin of Sting. That kind of vocal works for a deconstruction of reggae, significantly less so for a fusion of post-punk, goth, ambient, and new wave.
Really interesting. A fun find and a weird story behind it.
3.5 A lot to like here
Pretty good. 3.9
2/3
Not my style.
Their synth pop grew on me as I listened to "Stay" and "Easter Parade", the rest were ok.
My first impressions of this band was that the production was not great. It felt like a lot of Casio noodling. Having said that, sings like "Stay" were pretty catchy. But some of the songs did feel like they went out on a little too long, like "Tinsletown In The Rain," which just felt repetitive after a while. Still, I keep coming back to songs like "Stay", "Easter Parade" and "Heatwave". So... interesting ideas, catchy (but long)* songs. * = When I say "long," I feel that a few just overstay their welcome. I've listened to and enjoyed songs that are over 20 minutes long, so length is not normally a factor for me. Top tracks: "Stay", "Easter Parade" and "Heatwave".
Here's what some of the first few lines of Wikipedia had to say: "Although the album was released to little fanfare and was not a big hit on its initial release, it slowly accumulated fans and sales through word of mouth ... and by the time the follow-up was released in 1989, [it] had sold 80,000 copies." So in 5 years it earned so much praise it sold 80,000 copies, which is remarkable because? This list has a love of blue-eyed soul (think Simply Red) and while that sound is fine and all, I don't see what the big deal is - with the genre or this album. I think "little fanfare" tells you all you need to know. Next.
It grew on me, I think....
a little long and meandering but has interesting production ideas throughout
Thought I heard some similarity to Peter Gabriel in some tracks. Not something I would listen to personally, but I think this is well made and would appeal to some listeners. Definitely respect finding these various sounds they are building some of these tracks around.
I don’t think I’ve heard of The Blue Nile before. The opening track was a love song, but gave an air of spookiness and things going wrong. It made me with that The Blue Nile wrote the score to Sweeney Todd instead of Sondheim. The rest of the album made for a fun, if less spooky, listen. I did find the tracks after the initial one a bit less interesting so it peaked early for me, but it is by no means a bad album.
Kinda dull early 80s synth pop. I will forget I heard this soon. A very low 3/5.
Very meh. I thought the vocals were a little obnoxious, but I actually enjoyed the cheesy 80s digital instruments. Plus the bass carries this album. I wish this was just an instrumental. 5/10 Would I listen again? Probably not
A Walk Across the Rooftops and Stay are good tracks, but the overall cadence of the album is all the same. Not sure I’ll come back to this one. 3/5
listened to again the side of 80s music that just doesn't hold my attention
3
#58 - Nice background atmospheric music but I didn't find it very exciting when I paid close attention to it.
Decent. Short.
Wannabe U2
Kind of different! 3 stars
This is some very cool new wave music, with each track containing its own personality. The album opens with a fantastic avant-new wave sound, and while afterwards there are some tracks that are better than others, the group’s personality is definitely apparent, most notably in the hooks. “Stay” is the highlight for me, but the tail end “Heatwave” is a low-key epic that follows the softer “Easter Parade” very well and helps bring the album to a close, alongside the pleasant “Automobile Noise.”
I was going to say I'd never heard this before, but maybe I have and just assumed it was The Cure.
3/5
Quite a nice listen 6/10
4 absolute great
I almost like A Walk Across the Rooftops, Heatwave, instrumental parts of Stay
Sophisticated and smooth pop music by Scottish band The Blue Nile, I liked this album even though synth/80s pop music is usually not my taste. It was a pleasant Sunday evening listen.
Pretty chill. Ambient and moody.
The first track had me intrigued. The second and third glad to have discovered the band. The final two made me thankful it was over. 80s grooves = great. ballads = deafness cannot come soon enough.
hey this is a pretty cool little walk across rooftops here. bit of unsettling heights-make-me-nervous energy up this way. towards the end I have maybe had enough rooftops. but I appreciate you showing me the rooftops.
Nice.
это блюз? (чувак с бабочкой) интересная но тоскливая)
Ok
This album is rather cozy and enjoyable. I consider this a high 3/5
Never heard of these. It was ok. Tinseltown in the Rain was decent but on some of the tracks I just felt this vocal was strained. Not sure he was singing songs that suited his tone. But what do I know. Brandon Flowers has made a career out of it.
Приятный синтпоп в духе времени. Достаточно драматично, чтоб это не звучало тупой магазинной музыкой с понятным битом для настроения. Некоторые песни сильно лучше других. Лучшая песня - Tinseltown in the Rain.
Really enjoyed this one. Tinseltown in the rain and heatwave were great but Easter parade was a little boring.
It's alright ig some songs were good but others were boring
Primeiro ouvi e achei legal, voz muito boa e um instrumental bacana. Depois de ouvir inteiro, percebi que havia me esquecido completamente do álbum. Talvez seja falha minha, mas geralmente isso indica um trabalho mediano, que até pode ter momentos de brilho, mas que não são suficientes para ofuscar sua mediocridade.
Some pretty interesting ideas and production, it has moments that reminded me of 80s Bowie.
Nothing memorable about this in a good or bad way, it was a pretty standard pop/rock album
There were some interesting sounds in here, but most of the songs were so slow and low energy I just can't see myself coming back to this one.
Too mellow and sad but liked the background instruments
I liked "Heatwave". This is fine...
More enjoyable than I expected. A bit samey and monotone at times but still decent.
3.5/5
Good
weird vibes
Yep. Good album.
Just kinda nice. Not brilliant. I tried to like it more, but nothing really stuck with me. I enjoyed the restraint.
A bit boring Very atmospheric
Decent album, enjoyed Tinseltown in the Rain.
Was as pretentious as I thought it would be
aight
Kind of interesting but slow.
3.3
it was cool!
I loved the title track. Thought it was pretty stunning actually - miserable and dark, jazzy, thoughtful (if a touch repetitive) introspective, loud, loads of contrast. The rest of the album is pretty lacklustre. 2.5 overall, but a 5 for A Walk Across The Rooftops alone. Memorable song.
- I don’t know why but this guy just feels like a creep - some interesting instrumentation -2.5 but I’ll round up
pleasant sounds, nothing that grabbed me
I like The Blue Nile. Enjoyable and distinctive album -- I can't name a lot of other bands that do this sound this well, especially not as early as 1984. But it's not their best, and it's still a "7 out of 10" album (of which there are soooo many), so rounding down. Good album, sorry to rate a 3 since it's better than most others in this category.
A love letter to roofs
It was neither great nor terrible
Sounded like talking heads
Me gustó sobre todo la canción de 'Stay'.
"Can this be all we will desire?"
Sofistipop. Ni fu ni fa.
Muted synthy 80s album, not bad, just a bit weird, and not super interesting. Stand-out: Heatwave
Good composition and lyrics. Very 80s Bowie and Gabriel
Interesting album, not my favorite thing ever but it does sound pretty unique. This is an '80s Scottish band and apparently this was basically unknown when it was released. There's a rumor (that allegedly is a myth) that this album was created to test some new hi-fi sound equipment and then the company liked it so much they formed a record label to release this. While I guess that's not true, I can kind of see where the myth came from. The sound is really rich and there's a lot of interesting background sounds. It's a bit synth-y at times, but less in-your-face than a lot of what else was coming out at the time, they seem more thoughtful about it all. Despite this, while I did like the album enough I feel like it didn't blow me away. While reasonably interesting, the songs dragged on a bit and left me a bit bored at times. The singer is fine but nothing particularly exceptional to me. This is a solid but slightly boring album, borderline 3.5. Favorite song: Tinseltown In The Rain Other: A Walk Across The Rooftops, From Rags To Riches, Stay, Easter Parade 3/24/24
2.5
Simple and without the overly synth-y sound of the 80's.
Classic.
Another band I didn't now. Nothing special for me, typical 80s Alternative.
That one was weird, I'm usually a sucker for 80's new wave and pop, but this was all over the place. Like the riffs were great and the instrumental kind of slapped, but it sounded weird when put together, like it felt like a jam session at times and not finished songs? The singer kinda sounded dead inside too, really not fitting with the upbeat sound. Not bad overall, but odd. 3/5
It's ok
ništa posebno
3.4 - Another composed slab of sophistipop but this record is far too adult for my taste. It sounds like the dreary ennui of your morning commute, or the grim determination of gathering up all your tax documents. “Easter Parade” is particularly drab.
Pretty average.
Chill, folksy vibes
Not good not terrible
I seem to recall having a cassette copy of this back when it was released. Listening to this album now, the songwriting is pretty terrible. Musically it's interesting in spots, but overall, it's the sort of thing that I listened to once, and then didn't want to listen to it again. As I'm going along in the 1001 and I'm a bit beyond 200 albums now, I'm beginning to form the opinion that I won't give a four or five to something unless I know I want to listen to it again. If it doesn't capture my interest enough on a first listen, there's no way it deserves a four or five.
Like a less good version of the talking heads
Good album. Only 7 songs show the limitations of the time when this was released. Never heard of the band, but Tinsel Town in the Rain had a ton of listens and I do agree it is worth listening to at least once.
As described, this was an ambient album. This is however one of the better ones I've heard and includes some nice vocals.
Okay
Hmm…. A Scottish band from 1984 that I’ve never heard of. Could be interesting. Check reviews, average rating is 2.87…. Uh oh. It’s ok, nothing special. But then again, I never really “got” the rhythm sound of the 80’s. And especially the UK synth-pop bands. The drums are way too treble-y / compressed, there's way to much of the synth sounds that dominated the era. The songs are kind of down beat.... But it works OK, for what it is. And what it is is not what I prefer. 3/5, it wasn’t boring.
only really knew tinseltown in the rain before. this was a great listen! electronics up my alley. bleak and also hopeful.
A bit like Bowie, but less exciting, fantastic bass playing though
Nothing to say really
I'm not sure how too feel about this one. Its got some cool aspects, uts not bad but it is weird
It's definitely not my thing. I can see why people love it so much but for me, while I enjoyed what i heard, it's nothing i would put back on to listen to.
This is an odd one. I love the mix. The instrumentation is eclectic and doesn't sound anywhere near as dated as their contemporaries. I personally don't mind somewhat atonal meandering music either. The lead singer's voice was nice and fit the band well. But it feels unnecessarily inaccessible. They hit me the same way TV on the Radio did back in the early 2000's. I actually rather enjoyed most of the music I heard, but it was all so hip and I was too square to be allowed to the party. This is that but from the 80's. I bet this was super trendy in the right circles.
Schwere Kost. Definitiv ein Album, dass man mehrere Male hören muss, bis es sich einem erschliesst. The Blue Nile waren Lieblinge der Kritiker.
I enjoyed this overall. It didn't make a massive impact on a first listen, but I appreciated the sound, which took me back to 1983/4: shiny production, tinkly sounds, introspection. Lots of apparent influences: Peter Gabriel, Japan. Overall a bit earnest for me, but I think I'd get more out of another listen, and it would have been interesting to see them live.
I hadn’t heard of this at all but it was an enjoyable listen of its era. Loved the bass. Listen to again - Automobile Noise
This was a bizarre album for me. It started off great and I thought it had 5 star potential. The first couple songs were catchy, but then the back half of the album dragged. Those slower songs were a slog to get through, even though it’s a relatively brief album. 4 for the good songs, 2 for bad the bad. Let’s call this a 3.
It’s fine I suppose, albeit a little goofy.
I don't have many opinions on this one, it was fine?
Something different pretty decent
Easter Parade was nice the rest sounded like a Scottish version of Sting singing over a million synthesizers
I like that The Blue Nile have their own sound. And there are a few good tunes on here. It's definitely a mood. The voice s beautiful, and this didn't outstay its welcome at 38 minutes. One for another listen at some point.
This is an album that has layers. It's quite a debut and sounds like little else from 1984. I love the way each track builds up. Yes, it lacks balls. It's a lot smoother than all the cock posturing that the 1,001 Albums list has served up of late. Shaven balls. That feels nice.
hmmm, it was quite enjoyable and i didn’t mind it so much, it was crazy how long each song was on for though, it was interesting and reminded me of tears for fears and donnie darko and something else that i can’t put my finger on rn. but it was cool.
Some beautiful songs with pristine production. I liked the first half more. The early songs have drama and momentum. The second half is slower and wore on my patience a little more. “From Rags to Riches” in particular is very pretty.
Cool sounds. I think at this point in the 1980's musicians were starting to get comfortable with synths and digital sounds and how to effectively use them in a way where they didn't stand out This record has a lot of cool ideas in it. I love the arpeggiated synths throughout- the ones in "From Rags to Riches" sounds like a callback to The Who's "Baba O Riley". The singers voice in this track is also such a nice contrast on top of this smearing of digital sounds. Very cool blend of organic and inorganic. I think I like this more than the other 80's albums that have come up on this list recently. It feels more daring, and more open to pushing structure.