Reviews (page 6 of 7)
Temu David Bowie. Haven't come across a"sophisti-pop" album on this list yet that I have liked. Fingers crossed this was the last one, but i do have around 700 to go. :(
New wave idk. Hurts my head
If it was actually Peter Gabriel, I’d probably give it a 3. But it’s someone trying to be Peter Gabriel, so it gets a 2.
Boring.
I didn't hate it just can't really give it more than 2 stars
Very generic and forgettable 80s stuff.
Slow and droning vocals backed by some light synth. The pacing of the album felt like it was trying to present some grandiose concept but it all honesty most of the lyrics were either intelligible or just didn't make sense. So if there was a message here, it went straight over my head.
Det er glemt over en weekend, men mindes at tænke det var total 80er lyd.
So so boring
It was emo 80's. It was fine, but also a downer. I really wanted to give it a 3 but the longer I listened I just really couldn't stand it....
This was OK, but again, nothing to write home about.
Tasting notes: Hints of Roxy on the nose, with fleeting scent of Peter Gabriel (or is that Kate Bush? Hard to say!) The first taste wants to remind you of a more modern, more romantic Beatles (possibly). However, it eludes that comparison while begging for the same. Very smooth, sweet but thin, perhaps too chilled and could use some aeration. I never prepare well for these tastings! Ah well! On the tongue, centrally, I'm noticing unusual and fleeting flavors - The Police ("When the World is Running Down" bassline jumps out in the song "Stay" possibly the most exuberant experience here today), XTC, Talk Talk, and a Bowie-esque mouthfeel. No finish or aftertaste whatsoever. Overall a very well made and pleasant white blend, though sadly forgettable. Pairs well with closing a restaurant at 2:30 AM on Wednesday, or brunch at Grandma's.
Sounds very modern indie rock, wasn't terrible
not the stuff for me
Pretty forgettable. Having a hard time remembering anything about this album. 2/5 Probably won’t listen again
mid asf
Very 80s
44/1001 First listen. Another album from a band I’ve never heard of which is great but it’s another dud that leaves me questioning this list. Pretty generic sounding music. Nothing memorable to me. 3/10
2.5
Is a bad idea because it's too dangerous.
Bold choice for the opening track on this album, it predisposed me to hate it almost immediately.
the 80's were rough, all around
Oh great, more '80s crap. How many of these albums are there? Those new-wave albums seem to take up 10% of the list. "Easter Parade" is the only good song. It should've been at the end of the album. 2 stars for "A Walk Across the Rooftops".
Okay. Not quite sure why this made the list 🤷🏼
Wannabe Talking Heads with a bit of Sting sans the knack for melody or hooks.
Unfortunately I think this is one of those bands I won't remember having listened to in a few years. Reminder to self: Like a husk of Peter Gabriel.
Didn't do much for me. A little aimless and soft.
Background music at best.
2.5 - Meh
At its best, it made me want to listen to Peter Gabriel. The rest of the time, it made me hate Peter Gabriel.
Holy cow, it's the progenitor of Coldplay and Sting! Brits really have a high tolerance for noodly pablum.
I sort of like the style, but it is a bit too slow and gloomy for me. If I listened to any individual song I would think it was good, but a full album was a bit too much for me.
Man. This is the brand of 80's that I'm not a fan of. I listened a couple times through and forgot to actually review it and here I am a couple weeks later listening again to remind myself what it was. It's not offensive, it's just blah. Gets an extra star for Stay.
Not for me.
I seemed to stop listening
Ihan hienoja soundeja elektronisia kitara tai jotain muuta pimputtteluja
Fine
This album gave me narcolepsy.
This album doesn’t warrant a score of 1 because it’s technically well done and produced. I just find it sooo boring! So, thanks to its production, it gets a 2 from me. Not an album, or a band, I’ll be listening to again.
441/1001 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
Meh, Destroyer did it better:)
Chato, mas não tão ruim que mereça uma estrela.
My God this sucks. It's like the soundtrack to some shitty 80s movie.
Is this thing on? For the first 15 seconds I thought my headphones were broken. Well, I didn't recognize the band name and honestly, though I have bit of homer bias for these Weegies, Tinseltown is fun new wave, synth pop. However, if I understand correctly, that track basically gained their access to create the album as a "showpiece" for a recording studio. In comparison to that track, the rest of the album feels like listening to a Dyson advert. Comprised entirely of attempts to capture and demonstrate the audio qualities of the equipment — when a song is dynamic it feels like an audio engineer was watching a bouncing meter with a reassuringly crisp thumbs up to the band. In that context, I'm surprised it's on the 1001 albums and I'd love to have been proven wrong.
I just can’t stand 80’s pop music
It was okay. I mean, I made it through. But it's not going on my list to listen to again.
Kan er de vinger niet opleggen, maar op een of andere reden niks voor mij
I'm on a serious run of sad white guy music right now. Genre variously described as sophisti-pop, synth-pop, ambient, and blue-eyed soul. Whatever it is, it's not for me.
⭐️⭐️ 1001 ALBUMS- # 78 The Dull Nile 😴 This album wasn’t bad by any measurable standard, however from an entertainment forum that music is intended to evoke, it felt quite flat. Perhaps a curse of its time, as the 80’s generation seemed to really love their flavour of synth pop. Now there are elements of these song arrangements to enjoy-Rhythmic and cinematic, with layered textures and a pulsing bassline that mimics a heartbeat with sparse instrumentation lets Paul Buchanan’s voice shine — vulnerable, longing, and utterly human. A Walk Across the Rooftops is not just an album — it’s a mood. It’s what happens when emotion, restraint, and atmosphere blend with each note, albeit to varied effectiveness. 🎧 Classic Track: Stay 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: Easter Parade 🚫 Skip Track: From Rags to Riches It’s not immediate, not catchy, and definitely not pop in the traditional sense. This is an album that demands patience. If you’re not in the right headspace, it might leave you cold. The record thrives on mood. Every sound — synth, drum machine, horn, or silence — feels hand-placed. It builds a world more than it delivers “songs.” 🖼️ Album Artwork: Whatcha lookin’ at fellas? The album feels too distant, even emotionally inaccessible. The tempo rarely rises above a slow walk. If you’re not already tuned in, it can feel like it’s going nowhere. Repetitive an arrangements with tracks often relying on a small palette of repeating musical ideas. While this adds to the hypnotic quality, it can feel monotonous — especially over multiple listens. There’s little variety in rhythm or structure. While some of the lyrics are poetic and poignant — others veer into vague abstraction. There are moments where you wish Buchanan would say more, rather than just suggest. Perhaps apt for a rainy day listen or just background white noise not intriguing enough to dedicate closer attention. Required listening before I die??
Some elements on this perhaps I should like, such as some nice sequenced synth but over al I found it pretty awful
not too but gets a bit repetetative. Heatwave and Stay stuck out to me. But a pretty forgetable but short new wave album.
Definitely a miss for me.
I made it through 4 tracks and axed it. It's not for me.
Seems like rather standard 80s synth-pop fare.
A little too emo for me. The singer sounded like he was going to start crying any second.
#663. This probably shouldn't even be on the list of best 1001 albums from 1984, let alone of all time. 2/5: meh
Not so much
The synths and percussion give the album a darker feel to it Highlights: - Tinseltown in the Rain - From Rags to Riches - Heatwave
Listened to first couple of tracks . Was OK, but repetitive and did not overly enjoy
bleh
Very highly produced album - probably over-produced to the point it really lacks any emotion. To my ears anyway.
Not really much to say about this. Quite a boring album.
Nothing Memorable
Unremarkable in every way
Started off hopeful seeing it was released in the mid 80s (My favorite decade) but after the 1st song felt like Temu The Cure. Guess it started to grow on me because by the time I got to work I decided it wasn't horrible but not sure I could give it a 3. Solid 2.5
Not my thing. Very homogenous as well. 1.5/5
This did not do anything for me.
This was very dull and sounded like a mediocre Bowie album. I like new wave and wanted to like this more, but it just was not it.
It’s fine. Nothing lame or offensive about it, but also zero people I would share this with
Not for me, dawg
Some interesting production and song structures...and that's about it
First impressions are important, and this album was a bit of a disappointment off the bat. Did grow on me a bit, but only a bit. Sounded more like a poor impression of Bowie or Genesis or some other group I can’t place but would rather be there than here. This I can’t in good conscience score higher than 2/5
Fucking booooorrrriiiinnngggggg
Boring
That was a long 38 minutes from someone who thought he was Peter Gabriel. He wasn’t.
Couple okay songs but most are forgettable.
Beetje een saai album. Waarschijnlijk wordt het beter naarmate je meer luistert, maar de eerste indruk is niet heel geweldig
Very 80s. But not in the good way. 5/10
Didn’t do much for me
Meh, some parts were pretty chill and vibey but overall the songwriting here doesn't really do it for me
First two stars. This album was not good and I wanted to skip every song in order to find something good. Nothing resonated, and all songs felt kind of forced
Not very catchy and I have a hard time imagining that anyone who isn't British and born in the 1960s would include this on their top 1000 list.
anos 80 obscuro e chatinho 2 estrelas
My god this is in need of auditory viagra - might have been the softest soft-rock I've ever heard. It's like they thought Discipline era King Crimson and the Police were far too experimental. I wanted to rate this a 1 because it sickens me that this is in the 1001 list where there are >10 million albums in existence, but the ambient bits warmed me up a tad at the very end. 1.5/5 -> 2/5
A Walk Across the Rooftops feels like someone took every 80s pop cliché — glossy synths, moody vocals, dramatic pacing — and crammed them into one album. If that’s your thing, great. But for me, it just didn’t hit. It’s not unlistenable, but it’s definitely not memorable either.
eh
Artsy, atmospheric
Pretty boring
I did not enjoy this
This was a slog to get through. I felt like celebrating when it finally ended!
Meh, ok
My only previous exposure to The Blue Nile was tracking down their original version of the song, 'The Downtown Lights' - which I had first heard (flawlessly performed, by the way) by Annie Lennox on 'Medusa'. While I did enjoy the dark and moody atmosphere of the original, it wasn't enough to hook me, and I forgot all about them. Until now. If you're into this genre, there's some great stuff here. If you're not, I imagine this would be as painful for you as all the jazz, blues, and folk tripe on this list has been for me. That said, this has been a repeat experience for me for them: I love the mood that's set, and there are wisps of brilliance (e.g. the instrumentation on Tinseltown is choice), but once again, there's just not enough here to hook me. Sadly, I'll likely be forgetting about them all over again as I pursue other, more interesting finds throughout this challenge.
This wasn’t terrible to listen to, but terribly boring. Nothing stood out.
I already forgot this
I can see why this was a commercial flop when it came out, and why it gained popularity over time as a non-popular music album. It's got a lot of the 80's feel to it that popular music of the time had. The synths, the real and computerized basslines and drums mixed together, the particular tone of voice the singer has, it's all very 80's. I don't think I would call this revolutionary or anything, but it's a side of the 80's I hadn't really heard. It's experimental art pop using a whole different sound "kit" different from any I'd ever heard before. What it is missing unfortunately is much listenability. It fails to cross that line from interesting to pleasant, exciting, or danceable. It just kind of lives in the realm of cerebral, and not in a really good way. "Tinseltown in the Rain" is the radio ready track from this and despite the number of streams it has, it's not really any good at all. It's lacking the parts of the rest of the album that make it unique and just sounds whiny. I think "Heatwave" is a better tune and it's not really that good either. There's too much effort required to really appreciate this, I think. You'd have to have grown up at a certain age to really get this, I think, and even then you'd also have to be pretty far up your own ass to say it's great. A bit too pretentious for me - it's art school music for synth lovers that isn't far enough in either direction to make me want to care. It's a 2.5 for me but I'll round down because there are plenty of 3's better than this.
They kept taunting me with songs that seemed like they had potential but then they just threw it away. Nothing caught my interest, and I was looking forward to the end. These guys wish they were U2.
Alexa, play me Travis, but from the eighties.
Not very good
not for me, mate. dude just keeps whining...
I don’t like this……….
This reminds me of other bad 80's albums except it was consumable.
Really interesting instrumentals let down by boring songwriting and lacklustre scotch morrisey vocals
Not a fan of dissonence, but I can conceptually get how this is innovative
I don't know about this album. 2 stars.
This was not unpleasant but pretty dreary and boring. Not really sure why this made the list.
If the snare drum wanst deafening it might be ok, but it was too hard to listen to
Meh. This one was pretty meaningless to me. I have no intention of listening to The Blue Nile again.
Sonically very much of its time. I like the wobbly synths, the vague, dreamy vocals but not that Seinfeld-esque slap bass . At all. I would like to adore this record in the way that many of my friends do, but the moment that the slap bass comes in, I am turned off.
The instrumentals were nice but didn't like the singing.
Nix für mich
underwhelming. pünkt gits für experimentierfreudigkeit, aber ich erkenne weder es konzept (ussert repetition), no isch d singstimm schön. d grüsch wo de bass macht erinnered mich teilwiis a verdauigsgrüüsch. easter parade isch aber sehr schön, experimentell und nöd zu tonal, aber ruhig und nachdenklich. allerdings mues ich amerke, dass de sänger sowohl d vokäl als au d konsonante schleikt und ungnau singt und s gfallt mer gar nöd. di ruhige songs (ungefähr ab easter parade) gfalled mir generell besser, will det isch s repetitive und experimentelle eifach so öppis wie meditativ und bide songs wo schneller sind oder meh passiert ischs i mine ohre eifach all over the place.
It's ok, just a little mellow for my liking
Liked the last song best and somehow it's the least played on Spotify
Tried listening to this during my morning routine. Felt like my coffee was judging me. It’s clean, slow, and borderline sterile. There’s a tiny little smidge of beauty in the minimalism, but it’s buried deep under layers of melancholy. I kept waiting for something to happen and it just… didn’t. Very few albums actively feel like they’re trying not to be catchy. Maybe someone finds this haunting. I just found it feels like getting ghosted by a jazz band. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions: - Tinseltown In The Rain
2.5 too slow for work
Voice is a bit Bowie-esque
I'm trying, but this sounds like so much 80s Brit (I know they're Scottish) pop that never broke out of its core group to the wider world, and definitely not to posterity. That's fine. I have favorite bands like that. Why is this one on this list, though? I could barely remember anything to write after the album was over because my mind was already reset by anything else I heard that was more interesting. Okay, that sounded mean, but I think you get it. It's not bad, but it doesn't rise to the level of mortal recommendations.
A typical 80's production but in a good sense. Very UK Worth a deeper listen...
Average
Arguably interesting but not really my thing.
Unless you want generations of people checking their headphones, don’t start your album with 10s of silence! A good album - bleak yet heartfelt.
Weird. Not bad, but weird.
lil bro sinä et ole david bowie.. älä laula kuin retardi henkilö plIIIIIS. oonneksi hidas, introspektivinen ambient-tarinankerronta pelastaa katastrofilta.. tämä on aikuisille albumi.. ei lapsille.. olemmeko rikkaita vai olemmeko köyhiä, onko sillä enään edes merkitystä?? no on. tarkoittaa ketkä paiskiihommia ja ketkä pummeja... pummit siis rikkaita heheh... saatana leikatkaa vammaistukia NYYYYT!!! epstein records hold up.. satuloippa hepat ja sitten mennään from rags to riches
Never heard of it before and I have to say that it didn't really do anything for me. This album feels extremely dated with its instrumentals that sound like stock sounds that you'll find in keyboard that you picked up at a sale. It is probably a product of its time and it's difficult to judge it without any context regarding this album. Maybe they pioneered a new genre with the drumkits, synths and sequencers but man this album is really a snooze fest. Honestly, it didn't age at all and I had to struggle through it quite a bit. Upon further listens, I think I can get behind the idea of the album but it just doesn't come together in a cohesive way. The title track and Tinseltown stood out to me because they were a bit more engaging with a groovy bass and more energy. Unfortunately, a lot of it feels pretentious and just incoherent. These instrumentations are thrown together in an isolated fashion which makes it all feel super disjointed, the missing song structures aren't helping either. If the artist wanted to create a moody and atmospheric album, I think that that they failed in their execution and mostly because the instrumentals sound so terribly dated. I don't think I can recommend this to be honest.
I had really high hopes from the lead song, but all the other ones let me down. The lead singer gets really whiny the longer you listen to him
25/02/25 This was terrible.
Ok 2/5
Relativ langweilig und nichtssagend
Solid projectand felt like something refreshing. But on a honest note, it is not really crazy and dont made me feel something after the first 2 tracks.
As far as New Wave goes this was ok. I appreciate how they were aiming for an expansive sound. I don’t think they were ultimately successful but at least they were trying.
A boring early 80s album
Another hard one to listen to. I seem to remember hearing "Tinseltown In The Rain" when it came out and quickly changing the radio station. Just vapid generic 80s British new wave. Not for me
Enjoyed the ambient music parts - this would be so much better without a singer. 2/5
Dull
This didn't do much for me. It's well done. But I won't come back to it.
Not the worst I've heard during this journey, but certainly not something that makes me want to listen to this for a second time.
methinks the singer is trying a little too hard to be a modern day frank sinatra. not for me.
Just listened to this about an hour ago. I do not remember anything about it.
Boring forgettable dated album. Singer tries so hard to sound like Peter Gabriel. Not working.
This list is not disabusing me of the notion that 80s music sucks.
The whole thing kind of passed in a blur, and I was on the way through an accidental second listen before I realized
These guys a boring version of all the good bands from this era. Also his lyrics are weak. He's trying way too hard.
Indie music for the era of cassette tapes and boom boxes. Not too bad as far as synth music goes, and I appreciated the non-sex subject matter.
This one sounds like it's probably decent if you can get on the same wavelength. There's some good piano in there, but the general vibe is not something I enjoyed. 2.2
Sonne un peu comme The Police mais en moins bon. Très contemplatif, pas très entraînant.
Sophisti-pop, lidt kedeligt
The songs on this album are very good at setting the mood. Its and album I think need the right place of mind to really enjoy fully. That being said I didn't dislike the songs as and the album is definitely something I could see myself listen to if I remember it existing when I'm in the right time and place. that's a big if though.
Given that this is "sophisti-pop", it's interesting to listen to what passed for sophisticated in the mid-80s. The songs amount to a "lite" version of Peter Gabriel's music - the lead singer's style is basically an imitation of Gabriel. As such the album lacks any originality.
I'd rather not hear it again but it wasn't awful.
Forgettable
5/10
elevator music
tinseltown in the rain is the only interesting song on the album - rest is pretty plain and slow music.
This is a very well-recorded album. The production is top-notch. That being said it is 80s synthpop which is not my favorite. I may try this one again to see if my impression changes.
Another one that I have no idea why it’s on this list. Perfectly acceptable music. But nothing special. And I’ll never listen to it again. 2.5
It was alright listening to it in the background but I’m not sure I’d go back for more. 2/3 ?
Dull.
Geht so.
Twas the 80s
I get it. I did enjoy some of the soundscapes on this album. And the singer has a pretty good voice. But nothing about it really reached out and grabbed me.
A sad man
80s drivel - this stuff is hit and miss for me and most of this was a miss
This is like discount Springsteen
The title track and "Stay" are decent, but "Easter Parade" and "From Rags to Riches" were nearly unlistenable. Another album that makes me question its place on the list.
I'm not sure at which track I went from being bored to annoyed.
This was a weird album and I was trying to figure out why it was picked for this list. Then it comes up on demo albums for CD players from the 80s all the time and that sort of made sense, but I still don't think I had to hear this one.
I knew Tinseltown in the Rain, but I had always thought it was by Prefab Sprout. Listening to this album, I could well believe it was indeed churned out by Prefab Sprout, as it's just as appalling as their album on this list was. I can't get behind the vocals, they really drag everything down. The rest of the music isn't great either. I'm giving it two stars, because it doesn't quite cross the line into being painful to listen to, but it gets close at times.
Another synth driven, ambient noise band with a crooner. Not much that hadn’t already been done already ad infinitum.
Really boring. Nothing ever grabbed my attention except an odd bass riff.
Didn't really register for me
Way too slow and spacey for me
Just ok.
A fairly basic, synth-pop sound, that sounds very dated and pretentious, but not uncommon for the mid-80's. It starts out feeling fresh sounding, with a new wave sound and smooth electronic beat, that must have pretty cool if you like this genre. It gets tiresome and begins to feel generic, bland and whatever the word is for the opposite of edgy. It reminds me what I didn't like about the 80's, with a bit of a Peter Gabriel-esque sound, but at least Gabriel had some corners to his music.
Ik ken uiteraard alleen het nummer Tinseltown in the Rain. Blijkbaar was dat met name in NL een hit. Verder deed dit album niet zo veel in de wereld. Toch staat het in onze snoblijst, maar gek genoeg kon ik hem niet vinden in de papieren versie. Ik was namelijk wel benieuwd wat Robert en zijn minions erover hadden geschreven. Ik moet het dus met wikipedia doen. En wat me meteen opvalt, is het genre. Sophisti-pop. Er is dus gewoon een eigen snobgenre, snobpop! Zo klinkt het album ergens ook wel, vooringenomen borstklopperij, kijk ons eens sophisticated muziek maken! Wat zijn we toch goed, veel beter dan al die boerenlullen die postpunk of new wave maken. Dat zijn maar aanstellers. Om eerlijk te zijn kan ik sommige nummers wel goed hebben. De eerste twee nummers zetten een bepaald sfeertje neer, mede vormgegeven door het stemgeluid van de zanger, die expres traag zingt, achter de tel zelfs denk ik (maar nu ga ik zelf iets te sophisticated, snobistisch lullen over zaken waar ik te weinig verstand van heb). Zolang het dat geluid heeft van Tinseltown, dan is het prima, maar als ze uitstapjes gaan maken naar electronisch of naar tranentrekkende pianonummers, dan is het niet om aan te horen. Al met al is het wel allemaal veel van hetzelfde. Want de meeste andere nummers klinken precies zoals Tinseltown. Dat ene nummer kun je prima in een spotify-lijstje hebben, maar een heel album is teveel van het goede. Wat dat betreft had dit beter in het boek 1001 songs kunnen staan dan albums. En dat kost dus sterren.
Starting to feel sorry for Dimery if this is genuinely the best he could think of.
I usually quite like ‘dreary’ music but this is a bit too far. He sounds half asleep!
Stay is the only song that stood out.
I don’t think that this album belongs on a top list.
ja det här var väl inge bra. sophistipop kan ju vara kul men kom igen. gnällig röst och allt känns over the top på nåt vis
Oh cool, some long droning songs filled to the brim with dumb synth and electronic drum sounds. Yawn.
Heard the name a time or two but I've never listened to The Blue Nile. 1984 was my high school wheelhouse and I listed to everything so there has to be a reason this never hit my radar. I didn't enjoy the intro song, dreary and bland. "Tinseltown..." was their obvious hit but again, it didn't capture my attention, average at best. The second most popular song, "Stay", was by far the best track. The singer sounds like he's over his skis on vocals, straining to find any range or stay in the pocket. Clocking in at 5-6 minutes on every tune I found they wore out their welcome at the 3.5 minute mark on most every track. There's zero reasons that are obvious to me on how this made anyone's Top 1001, it's stark and boring with no highlights, no hits, no compelling songs or instrumentation. I felt like he was a drunk making up songs over a guy hitting a piece of tin in an alley, never captured my attention. 2 stars
Annoying voice
Not my cup of tea
Kind of slow. It didn't grab me. Just always seemed a bit off key to my ears.
A very 80’s synth sound. Some weird stuff here mixed with a few catchy songs. Ok, but not that memorable, imo..
Hard to see what they were going for here
It's all so lovely and all so boring. I find myself having the desire to turn each song's BPM up by 25% - everything is incredibly laconic and mostly "driven" in that sense by the vocals. Bit of a shame as there's a lot of lovely melody here but I find it tripping over itself for the entirety of the album and the "do i love you? i do love you" repetitiveness of the lyrics early on are a distraction. I only notice them because it takes him so long to deliver the next word 4/10 2 stars.
This is what it would sound like if David Bowie sucked and made shitty music
dull
It was a bit repetitive and the instrumentals were far too loud in comparison to the singing. The lyrics didn't really make sense. Not the worst album I've listened too but I won't be listening to this again any time soon
Nearly sent us to sleep in the car and killed us.
Another sophisti-pop album. Tinseltown in the rain is a nice famous song, the rest went in one ear and out the other. Doesn't seem to excel in its genre or borrow enough outside it to be memorable and worth revisiting.
So, this was not really enjoyable, but it was a relief after all the terrible music this list has been serving me. My only hope is that the first hundred albums I listen to are trash, and the remaining 901 albums are amazing. This list is bullshit, really Anyway, this album: Inoffensive. I certainly would have liked to hear this album in the year of its release. I think it would have been really different from everything else I was used to hearing at the time. I don't know if I would have liked it, but I think I could have appreciated it a bit more than I can now 2.75
Boring
After the first two tracks, which I absolutely loved, I was convinced I’d discovered my new favorite album. Then it slides into mediocrity pretty fast with generic sounding tunes, without the inventiveness shown in the first couple. Disappointing. 2.5/5
I went from Queen to this as I'm catching up with the weekend's albums. Some interesting instrumental things, but nothing super interesting, Enjoyed stay. 2*
Just had my weekly dose of mid '80s British pop. Thanks 1001 Albums
Way too many of the albums on this list are overrated EU releases. While I didn't feel the need to just turn it off and move on, it came close. Bladn, unseasoned nonsense from the EU, which is becoming a regular occurrence
wasnt for me
This was alright. I'd heard of them, but that's about it, it sounds like the beginnings of slick synch pop which bands like Aha ran away with. So I'm guessing Aha must have been fans as they sound like an upbeat version of this. No particular stand out tracks as it just groans on in its merry way. A 2 star effort.
langweilig
i fell asleep
Meh, this was boring. The singer sounds a bit like Sting or Bowie to me but I found the tunes monotonous. Listens: 1 Fave Track: Automobile Noise Rating: 2
It’s been two days since I listened and I can barely remember it. Soz.
All these songs are way too long, Paul Buchanan doesn’t sound as good as he does on Hats, and I just don’t like this production. Blegh. 2/5
Really cool child pop album, but not as good as hats. So probably doesn’t need to be on this list.
2+
When you go shopping at the expensive hifi store, this is the kind of record they use to demo the $5000 bookshelf speakers. The production is crystal clear with soft instrumental parts and distinctive vocals over the top. The piano sounds just like a piano and the synth bass fills the room with low frequency sound. And with all recordings used for this purpose, the songs take a back seat to the enjoyment of the mechanical process of recording sound and playing it back.
Peter Gabriel takes a sedative. There was little here for me. I read about the quality hifi of the album, but my sense of this is pretty limited, so I may not be the best judge.
Boring
Enjoyable but very samey and got tiresome towards the end. Probably wouldn't listen to it again.
Not inspired to listen to this one again. Petty samey but the production was quite nice.
it’s ok not a huge fan think it’s a bit weird
I can hear that a lot of today's music is inspired by this era, but I don't really understand what's special about this one. 2/5
Sort of sonically interesting but also sort of boring
A little sleepy for me. Lyrics and vocals are a little… fine. I enjoyed the electronic flair. Overall just an album that’s… fine.
I couldn't pay enough attention to it, or it was so boring that my brain turned off for a few minutes. Anyway, it's just a standard hidden UK rock album. There's nothing much to see here.
Yawn, it's alright
It was pretty unique and the guy was a decent singer but making a sort of laid back ambient indie thing doesn't give you many options to change it up, so it sounded very samey. These guys should do the opposite of putting a slow track in and have a heavy riff based banger in the middle. As with a lot of chilled albums, the lack of contrast makes it sound like it never gets out of first gear. Nice enough though, 2.5 but more a two
Found this pretty dull, didn't dislike it particularly, but not for me. Very 80s, but not so offensively so as some stuff we've had. Regardless I would never choose to listen to this 2
Heatwave and Tinseltown In The Rain I liked, other songs were ok, some boring. Mix of Sting and The Cure in parts.
Not my vibe. Sounds too much like The Police.
Sounded like a poor imitation of Peter Gabriel
- eh - A little boring tbh but it wasn't horrible - Stay was fun but eh
Not particularly interesting sound to me. Mostly ambient synth pop from the mid 80's
Overrated. Mushy.
It was good. Nothing really stuck though
An okay album Top tracks: Tinseltown In The Rain
Here and there some nice melodies and use of instruments, but most of the lyrics were hard to bear.
The gin of albums in that holy hell is it an aquired taste. You almost need someone to champion it for you to get in the right space. The common folk would brand this "not easily accessible". My review of this isn't a number but "incomplete", since I truly intend to revisit it, which isn't something I can say about some of the shit on this list.
Average 1980s pop. Others do this genre better.
Didn’t really do much for me to be honest.
Didn't really like this. Standard 80s sound but not something I would have listened to even back then.
This reminds me of Peter Gabriel, and I don’t care for Peter Gabriel. (ntm.)
The music isn't bad, but it is is bland and completely forgettable
Упоротый саунд, приятный вокал. Но пожалуй два, слишком упорото как по мне
Super weak sauce. Flirting with 1* badness.
Boring 80s music. No wonder I did not notice this band then. Not a "1" terribly boring, but I would not put the album on again.
fine for what it is but this is not my bag
Ugh...not another Scottish band.... I've noticed through doing this generator exercise that there is a good chance that if the band bio says they are from Scotland, that they're going to be shit. That trend holds true here. These guys sound like a shittier U2, which was a feat I thought impossible, but here we are. This bleeding hearts gloomy shit just doesn't do it for me, and the singer moans more than sings. Favourite songs: Tinseltown in the Rain, Stay Least favourite songs: Easter Parade, Heatwave, Automobile Noises 2/5
This album makes you truly understand how profoundly lead poisoning affected an entire generation.
No. Not essential.
2,5
Another album I don't understand. A Walk Across the Rooftops sounds like a knock-off album by the Pet Shop Boys. I love PSB very much, so this album wasn't a complete slog. But gosh it left me wanting more. I don't know why this was included! One of my more specific criticisms is that there was all too much repetition in the lyrics and not enough creativity.
Not at all unpleasant, but not very remarkable. Another addition on this project that I feel is kind of a waste. This is basically 80s new wave, but really dulled down; most of the things that make new wave exciting are not present here. When the music is incredibly mellow, more emphasis ends up going on the vocals -- and the vocalist is not very good. I don't really have any other thoughts, as this album just didn't leave much of an impression.
An LP where every song contains a declaration of unrequited love made while standing in the pouring rain with a boombox over the singer's head, all set to elevator music. Not my thing really
Doesnt do anything special. Why is it on this list
Meh.
Pretty bland album. Very mediocre in every aspect. Vocals unenthusiastic and I think the vocalist is trying to put me to sleep. Stop it! I'm honestly just as bored as the three people on the album cover look. 2 yawns out of 5
Listened 3 times, didn't find anything that i liked in it
Not for me.
Niets aan, wel goed gemaakt
Bien
Was okay. Heatwave was nice to listen to but man did it drag. Didn't care too much for the vocals. Not my kinda thing.
Bit too 80s for me, but it wasn’t terrible
Impressively produced pretentious crap. The mix and production is the star but the songs I could live without. I had to read the Wikipedia article to get an idea why this album is on this list and after reading that I'm still not sure.
I finished the album but I can’t really remember what I heard
Boring
Just ok Feels alittle stereotypical 80’s
It's just kinda boring
This was the type of music that youbknowvhotvhatdvin the 80s, but now just plays like background music to your everyday life. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exciting. Listen again: not intentionally, but it’s not that bad Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song: Easter Parade (I like the piano)
you can listen to it, but you don't have to...
Boring. Waste of time.
David Byrne on Ambien. Blegh. So boring.
I liked it at first. It was interesting and nostalgic, though I’d never heard it before. But then it got tedious and boring. Meh.
Can’t get into it
boring
Chill vibes. Vocals a bit grating.
Helt skön pop Lite forgettable
I do like the violins, but nothing I’d really come back to
Meh.
I feel with this, just like with Hats, that some people that spent their teenage years wandering around in the rain worrying about girls might have liked this but if you missed that moment of vulnerability you would never quite get it. Tinsel Town in the Rain is great though.
Best Song: A Walk Across The Rooftops. "Least bad song" would be the better descriptor. The bass was alright I guess? Worst Song: Heatwave. I'd really grown annoyed with the whole package by this point. Overall: I can't exactly pinpoint why, but the main feeling I get when I listened to this album was "pathetic". Maybe it's because the lyrics had this desperate, yearning, "pick me" quality to them, but I wished he'd grown a backbone before the album ended.
Paskaa oli mutta silti experimentaalia ja siitä pisteet kotiin..
Boring. Unimpressed. Snooze fest. Disappointing. I’d hate to be one of these guys moms and have to pretend like I liked their music. 2/5
Couldn’t get into this one.
Booooooring… i dont understand why musicians think it is necessary to repeat the chorus for 7 times at the end of a song. End it! Songs were too long and went nowhere. Could have trimmed quite a bit of fat and been better
And exercise in 80s production technique without songs to back it up. 2/5
It was ok, a real 80s vibe to it
Like The Smiths but not as good and way moodier.
Boring schlock. Nothing interesting to say about it, other than Heatwave being fine.
Boring. Vocals way too quiet. This is like the music you make as a kid where you find a nice 4 note bar and then repeat it again and again and again because you don’t know how to develop it.
Kind of meh. didn't really do anything for me. Good background music
it was just okay. nothing stood out too much. Heatwave was okay. 2
OK album.... I feel like they couldn't decide if they wanted to be soft rock or prog rock while thinking that a jazzy sounds was "smart". If you can get past the title track, it definitely gets better, but never really great.
Heard before: some I'm very happy that 1001 Records is recognizing this style - pseudo-sophisticated 80s pop, dramatic vocals, synth strings, slap bass. But this really isn't the best example; it's a pretty inessential set of songs. At least it doesn't make me actively angry, like a few of the other selections so far. That's a plus. But I really hope there is some Prefab Sprout or Thomas Dolby or ABC or Ultravox or Talk Talk or Spandau Ballet… So many other acts did this better. Top tracks: Tinseltown In the Rain, Stay, Easter Parade
Productie wel onder de indruk van, muziek zelf een stuk minder
Initial thoughts: - this guy's voice definitely has a David Byrne-ish quality, but I'm fairly sure it's not him... - sounds pretty experimental, while still using a very 80s palette of sounds - have I heard the second track before? - seems a bit more concerned with cinematic moodscapes than songs - kinda vibey but kinda boring - this is gonna take a second listen to decide which wins out Second listen thoughts: - I'm listening through earphones, at night, while travelling through the city, which I reckon could be the perfect setting for these songs to shine - oh, somehow I'm picking up fewer vibes than before, shame When it all clicks the effect is pretty cool, but it doesn't click all that often, for me. 2 / 2.5
Made me real sleepy at work (2.5/5)
I was intrigued after the first track, but the rest of the album was rather bland. The music was a mix of synth pop, ambient, and new age. On paper this doesn’t sound too bad, but the execution was lacking throughout the album.
I mean, I want to like this but it's just so uninteresting and kind of full of itself.
ehh
Just realised that I thought the songs were good when the album had stopped and it switched to recommended songs...
Not great.
Très quelconque pis le chanteur commençait à me taper sur les nerfs vers la fin
Very boring and very 80s. Not good.
Melancholoy without the beauty or the compulsion.
Oh. Another album of earnest whining and guitars. It's fine and all, if that's your jam, but by the end when they were singing "Are we rich or poor? Does it matter any more?" I was shouting, "Yes, it does matter, if you're poor." Maybe I missed the point of the song ... Maybe I missed the point of the whole album?
This made me feel very very sleepy. 🥱
1.5/5 annoying