Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Noise, noise, more noise. This is someone’s cup of tea but not mine. It is definitely unlike anything I’ve ever heard. Kerosene so far has been good.
Говно. Сталь режет уши.
un peu fatiguant à force
Wow. Definitely understand where the likes of Ministry and NiN got their industrial vibe from. The punk fuzzy bass, over modulated distorted guitars, punk voice and speedy drum machine. Nice. Kinda like it.
If it's good enough for frank ocean it's good enough for me. Thumbs up. Very raw.
Bit annoying it wasn't on Spotify... it was on YouTube so at least I could listen. Not for me, it was a bit... raw?
No thank you
There's some cool riffs and some fun groove on some of these songs but the whole album sounds like it was recorded in a tunnel and the vocals really suck at times.
TRASH
SHACK doesn't like the title of this album as he feels nervous using the B word, whereas Scott Kelly thinks he already has his B word pass and is pushing to get his N word pass.
Big black cock
-these songs are SO COOL -also my first band i had to leave spotify to listen to!!!! -passing complexion feels like a very surreal song -big money is really fun -to me this is ROCK! i really am enjoying this -i like his voice and how eclectic this feels -LOOOOVE the guitar in kerosene -fists of love feels very hard rock -easyyyyy four stars for me
Highlights: "Passing Complexion," "Kerosene," "Cables" Cannot believe this is 1986. Very prescient of the hard lean into clipping throughout '90-'00s rock subgenres, from NIN and Deftones to Health and Xiu Xiu, while being catchier than work by Sonic Youth or Throbbing Gristle in this same period.
Songs on the album are greyed out on Spotify in my county.
9th August 2023 Had to listen on YouTube cos not on Spotify. Took about 3 days, not due to length of album. Very strange one, elements of it i liked but overall it was not good. In bits It’s squashy and funky and hard, in others it’s noise.
I can see the significance of this as an early through-line from punk to industrial (though a couple of the rhythm tracks hit me as solid arguments for human drummers). And I'll always cheerlead for true punk sensibility as regards the business of music. I think bands of a similar era (Hüsker Dü, Minutemen) had more interesting things going on musically and a whole lot more lyrically. I didn't dislike it though.
Abysmal
I feel like I should say something for 4 stars but I don’t have much to say. It’s too bad it’s not on Spotify.
BEST SONGS: - Fist Of Love - Kerosene - Jordan, Minnesota
I can dig it
I did not like this.
Unable to review as not available on Spotify
Wasn’t in the mood for our curators post punk BS today
Harsh dark sounds that occasionally groove. Not the worst, but not the best. Don't need to listen to this one again.
Nice album, pretty catchy as far as hardcore punk goes. And of course it's angry and nihilistic. Not an every day listen, but it's definitely really good.
I'm coming down from a high and not only did I have to listen to this shit album but I had to go on youtube to listen to it. There were moments that reminded me of the hyper aggression of 100 gecs but this was nowhere even close to that level quality and was instead just an assault on the ears.
Another bout of noise
grimy as fuck….i love it. danceable and edgy but not stupid.
I want to call this "unlistenable" but I'll just leave it at "not my thing"
Very garage band sounding... and not in a good way
Just no. Absolutely not. I award this no starts and may God have pity on your soul.
Shellac vind ik dan toch net wat beter te hebben dan Big Black, maar ik heb toch altijd sympathie voor Steve Albini en zijn kneiterharde sound!
Ken Steve Albini voornamelijk van zijn werk voor andere bands. Zijn eigen werk heb ik nooit helemaal begrepen. Dit dus ook niet.
Zware kost! En was het niet voor de hele Steve Albini legacy, en al zijn muziek na Big Black met Shellac, dan weet ik niet of ik deze Big Black plaat getrokken zou hebben. Maar ik vind het fascinerend! En Kerosene is gewoon een briljant goed nummer. Heel wat op gedanst in mijn wannabe alto-grunger dagen. 😁
Het EP'tje dat deze band hierna uitbracht heette 'Headache' en dat vat mijn gevoelens over dit album goed samen.
Met wat pijn in het hart geef ik dit slechts twee sterren. Ik kan de bijna techno-achtige basis eigenlijk wel waarderen. Maar dat punk-geschreeuw erdoor heen. Erger mij steeds weer.
Typische hardcore punkrock uit de early days. Het is natuurlijk altijd al een bak teringherrie, maar dit soort muziek is altijd een ongeorganiseerde bak teringherrie. Of meer ongepolijst. En ik ben meer van de iets beter opgepoetste punkrock of hardcore. Naarmate het album vordert, kom ik er wel iets beter in, maar het blijft muziek voor rebellerende pubers, die alles kut vinden in de wereld. 2 sterren voor de moeite, omdat ik dit nog wel enigszins makkelijk uit kan luisteren en niet direct de neiging heb om het uit te zetten.
Best thing about the album was that it is only 37 minutes long.
No sir I did not like it
Sounds like a cheap version of Ministry. 2.5 stars
Normally I like this kind of music. Not this time.
Strange genre pick by this list. Interesting though but still very strange… 2.9
Nasty and disgusting. Absolute waste of a record. Possibly one of the worst albums on the whole list.
Big Black has got to be one of the most overrated bands ever. Just a bunch of aimless noise. I appreciate what Albini has done as a producer, but the music blows. 1.5/5
Saw that Steve Albini died and remembered seeing this album was on the list. I had put it off because it isn't on Spotify, but figure I'll pull from YouTube for the occasion. Did not realize this would err on the Industrial side of the spectrum -- not usually my cup of tea, but the opener has an undeniable energy. Album throughout was energetic and enjoyable for the most part. If I had it on Spotify or some other means I would listen to it on repeat a few times to gather a feeling... As is, this was fine, but nothing that blew me away; somewhere on a high 3, soft 4. I'm going with the 3.
Very good approachable actually musical and interesting industrial music with AWFUL lyrics that were repulsive to me. I guess that's the point? Thanks for making me disgusted, teenage Steve Albini. Wish I hadn't looked up the lyrics. 2/5
I didn't want to listen to this since I knew it would be a 1 or 2 rating and on Day 887 I have more respect for my ears and brain and won't make them go through that. Since honesty is a virtue, I wouldn't hit "did not listen" and also give it a 1 or 2 rating - not sure the App allows that anyway. So I had to listen to the first song.
I thought I owned this album, but I can't recognize it. They say it influenced the industrial rock bands that followed, but I would have liked to hear more industrial (electronics) and less rock. I went back and listened to the Ministry album we were sent, which I gave a 4, and based this score on that one - though that's maybe a bit unfair because listening in Youtube isn't as user friendly.
This is more industrial than punk and more noise than industrial and mostly like an ice-pick to the ears. Definitely not a casual listen and you have to be in the mood for this.
I don’t think I’ve come across Big Black before, so it’s another reputable band I can at least say I’ve heard! I like the colouring on the album art. It’s cartoony, but also quite destructive. Let’s see how it sounds! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Kerosene, Bazooka Joe There were parts of the album where I loved the raw energy and overall mayhem of the sound. To my ears, it sits somewhere in a mix of punk, noise rock and shoegaze. However, for the times where I was loving the ferocity, there were probably an equal amount of times where I tuned out a little. My difficulty with albums like this is the lack of dynamic sound, as each song has a very similar style and vibe so it can start to feel a little diluted with less and less standing out. Overall, this had some great and some not-so-great songs, rounding off as a pretty decent album.
-Retrospectively Reviewed on 17/06/23 (generated: 13/06/23)- AL: this to me is what a punk album should be. Weird out there guitaring, soaring cutting sounds. Well engineered, pure power and passion. I wasn’t massively following along with the lyrics but to me this trumps Out of Step and Eternally Yours by a long way. Solid album for sure. FT: “kerosene”, “fists of love”, “bazooka Joe” 4/5
Love it
(As of right now, not available in the UK)
With surprising Prince-esque yelps to start it off and a reliance on synths and metallic elements to keep tones brutal and pulverizing, Big Black's Atomizer can be seen as the band's defining statement and finest hour. Songs About Fucking may be more well known but Atomizer has everything in spades and is very much more consistent. Set me on fire! Favorites: Jordan, Minnesota, Passing Complexion, Kerosene, Stinking Drunk, Bazooka Joe, Strange Things, Cables.
An interesting album that seems to have defined noise-punk rock. It was an ok listen, but not my thing.
Terrible
Pretty confident Spotify banned this album from their site because it is TERRIBLE.
Directo, claro y crudo, un disco lleno de sensaciones que por más falopa que suene reconoce su cometido, dios la sensacion desesperante que genera. 7/10
Fantastic.
The fork in the garbage disposal of albums
8/10 super cool! really liked this! there too many parts that were very drawn out and obnoxious, but I would still say this is a great album
Coool
I hate myself for my weakness My past sickens me.
Bon vieux punk !
Not great
It is one of the most powerful hardcore albums in the list because it can really get things going. A cheese grater torturing a guitar? Yeah, that's how it sounds. And when you're in the mood for it why not? In the end, it is all a bit too similar.
First song is ROUGHHHHHHHHH, hard to continue the album after that one, but I have been pleasantly surprised before on this list. Second song starts just as rough. I had to double check that the video I'm listen to this album on isn't terrible quality. Nope, it's just the songs sounding like barbed wire and sand! I feel like there is actually some decent music behind the "rawness" of this album, but it sounds like they are mixing the audio with the sounds of a paper shredder trying to shred aluminum foil. I would be interested to see King Gizz do a noise rock album.
Feels like I had carnivorous earwigs inserted into each side of my brain through my ears
It's too much for me but sometimes I could get into some of the instrumentals. Just not my kinda music. Another one towards the "noise rock" which I find myself not digging. More towards a 1 than a 3 though. We'll go with 1.666 which feels appropriate.
mjögmjög gott. 4,5.
Noisy and hardcore I probably would’ve liked this album less if I’d gotten it back when I started the 1001 list. I think the worst part of eating music for years is that my tastes have changed somewhat and will keep changing; albums I rated a certain way two years ago might not be comparable to an album I just listened to The walls of harsh sound reminded me sometimes of Loveless
3.5
Solid! Kerosene was eminently listenable. A very accessible punk sound. I liked the energy but it didn’t particularly make a lasting impact.
I love punk rock but I'm not connecting with this record. It's fun and angry but nothing sticking during this listening review. It's well produced and maybe that's the disconnect; I want more raw guitars and drums. There's some studio techniques used that dress up the "punk". I'll have to visit this one another day.
I liked it, but I don’t think I needed to hear it. I had never heard of the band before but I saw that a bunch of people cover their song Kerosene so …
This was a great addition to this list. Another where the 4-star slightly outshines my actual enjoyment of the album, but it was educational to hear Steve Albini's music — which I would have sworn I had heard before but probably haven't — knowing he's produced some big names (PJ Harvey's "Rid of Me" and Nirvana's "In Utero" for two) and often gets criticism for the rawness of his production. So raw and frenetic and noisy... Big Black has all of that in doses that are a little more than I prefer. But it's all very deliberate, and the production is massive, and I found myself sinking in to the songs as the album progressed. I tried working on Thursday while listening to this, and that didn't go well. I'd label it "not great music to write to." But, out walking the dog on a lovely morning, and I was digging it. One thing, I don't typically read up on these albums before listening and reviewing, but I was searching a couple of things after listening and learned that this was recorded to a drum machine. I didn't realize that. I did key in on how precise and consistent the drums were, the bass drum hits in particular, and thought that the drummer was tight. I also liked the overuse of delay and effects that gave the drums (and bass and everything) such a signature beef. But to make the drums not stand out as a machine is a feat.
I bought a copy of this in high school and it left a deep impression on me. It paints an ugly picture of middle America, showing you all the horrible things people do when no one else is looking. This is not a pleasant album on any level. It's harsh and abrasive and claustrophobic, and its subject matter is upsetting, ugly, and depressing. And yet, it's undeniably powerful and evocative. (I don't know how Albini is getting those insanely amazing guitar sounds, but it's like razor blades slicing up my brain and I love it.) I am attracted and repulsed. And forever changed.
One of the best albums of the 80s in my opinion and my favourite work from Big Black or any of Steve Albini’s bands. I’m a big fan of this style of excessively loud and pissed off rock music, and the songs here are so well written and infused with raw energy, screeching feedback, rumbling bass and a drum machine that repeatedly beats you in the face. The lyrics delve into the darkest aspects of humanity and the depths of depravity (some choices regretted by Albini, such as the false rumour that inspired Jordan, Minnesota). Not a record you’d play for your parents unless they were really cool, but a complete masterwork and a landmark recording. 5 stars
esunaporon
Definitively Noise Rock, but with a nice hit of passion. Got me moving from time to time through all of the abrasiveness.
Unable to listen - not available on Spotify - rated on expectation only
Big Black doing what Big Black does best. Not as wild as Black Midi, but still a lot of fun.
Started off hating, then grew on me a little. Still realised if it was not for this list I would have turned it off long ago.
1/10, 10%
Never heard of this punk group. It was pretty harsh sounding but not bad.
Finally something original and unusual. Very specific sound, like a compilation of electronic music from 80s, a bit of shoegazing, quite a lot of punk rock. At moments it sounds like an early attempt at industrial music, for some reason it reminded me early White Zombie, even though they provably have nothing to do with each other. "Jordan, Minnesota" and "Kerosene" are certified bangers, the question is, how come I've never heard of this band before? It goes on my "to listen" list straight away. Only issue - maybe it's too experimental at times, only for purists of new and chaotic music.
Master piece. So raw and yet melodic… it is a shame it’s not available on Spotify - but makes complete sense, knowing Albini.
Now here is an example of one to hear before you die. Steve Albini captured the pure anguish and despair that exists within the human experience through a sound that can only really accurately be described as razor blades grating against sheet metal. From the first track about the tragedy of Jordan, Minnesota (told from the offenders perspective), to the menacing opening of Fists of Love, and notable melody? from Kerosene, there is a constant development of more horrific soundscapes that builds throughout. This is not an easy listen, but it is important.
Big black shit
Pee-you! It stinks
Harsh enough to instantly carve a channel for itself, the waves of Atomizer contain none of the usual drum machine pitfalls. Kerosene is a five-star song.
2/10. Atomizer? I 'ardly know 'er!
Generally sounded bad. I did like the refrain of Kerosene and could groove to some stuff. 4/10
Hostile, cold and aggressive. One listen is plenty.
Difficult to listen to as the band removed everything from Spotify - I can imagine why after reading biographies. That's a shame as I'm partially using this lsist as a way to break the Spotify algorithm (although I imagine it'll now just be made up of classic rock if I'm not careful). Found a version on YouTube. It's pretty decent and I'd listen to it again.
There's something about the tinny, electronic dissonance of Big Black that sets it apart from nearly anything else. Like Minor Threat shrunk down and forced to perform inside a crappy old CRT telly. The subject matter is bleakly earnest too. I love it, it's horrible and I love it.
Some good raw stuff here.
This is a bleak record. The lyrics are arresting, and the use of over driven guitars and vocals give an extra punch that drives the despair home. The drum machines and noise elements further add to the atmosphere. The production is memorable and the musicianship is great though it may sound loose and sloppy. Everything is right where it needs to be.
Punk
Not on Spotify
Not really my thing
I kinda like some of the ideas going on here (it sounds a *bit* like Ministry, who I like) but this isn't clicking. It doesn't help that I'm listening on youtube (no spotify) and the audio quality stinks. But the way it's so poppy against such a "harsh" background... doesn't work. I get what it WANTS to be but maybe I just don't care? Maybe the pathetic "omg we hate this and that and oh life is just so bleak" attitude is fucking cliche and boring? Maybe it's nowhere near as artsy as it presents itself? Maybe it's simply just not very good? I dunno, maybe a bit of all of that. 2/5.
Rubbish
Been a fan of Big Black for years. Never really considered them proto-industrial, but I'm buying it. Personally, Songs about F___ing is my go-to Big Black album.
Sticking this out mainly because I love Shellac, but the album opener is horrible in every way. When you can hear it, the bass sound is amazing and I'm into the limitations of the drum machine. This would have probably been my favourite album in the world if I'd heard it when I was 14.
Not on Spotify
Unique, danceable, aggressive, and principled punk. I like it. Thanks Steve Albini!
I'd never heard of Big Black or Steve Albini before. I'd gone my whole life oblivious to their 1986 album "Atomizer". I'd never seen the cover image before, didn't know what kind of music they played, had never heard a single note. I had absolutely no idea what it was going to sound like. And I was not prepared. "Atomizer" is like being trapped inside a burning landfill, an enormous dustbin being lashed with knives, the inside of a virus-riddled spaceship. Proto-industrial, metal-leaning, produced inside a tin can… it's an overwhelming barrage of noise. The subject matter ups the ante, ramping the album from abrasive sonic experiments to an exhausting exploration of humankind's worst vices. "Jordan, Minnesota" is about an alleged child sex abuse ring and ends with a horrifying depiction of such abuse. "Fists of Love"? Extreme sex degenerating into assault. "Stinking Drunk"? Giving in to addiction. "Big Money"? Abuse of power in the police. "Kerosene"? Bored teenagers setting themselves on fire. It's a real shame that there isn't more light and shade here, because in moderation, "Atomizer" is breathtaking. On first (and second, and third) listen, "Kerosene" really knocked me out. None of the rest of the album quite matches its furious intensity, wearing very thin after about three tracks. So in general, I felt this was powerful music, but that I would never be of the temperament to ever really enjoy it or add it to my collection. 2 stars and done. And then I learned more about Steve Albini. I read that he has grown in stature as a producer since Big Black, working on Pixies' "Surfer Rosa" and Nirvana's "In Utero", among others. Nice! I read some articulate interviews with him reflecting on Big Black, his more controversial lyrical content, what he has learned since, and how he is trying to be an ally to marginalised groups. Great! And then I read that back in the 80's, around the time "Atomizer" was released, his way of being provocative was by owning magazines depicting violent acts of paedophilia. Reading about this, on top of his liner notes for "Jordan, Minnesota", absolutely ruined my day. And now I have no desire to hear any of it ever again. For all "Atomizer"'s intriguing production choices, it boils down to a stubborn and desperate need to be seen as "cutting edge" by being as edgy or shocking as possible. It's a gimmick of the worst kind: cheap, lazy, and just not nice. And so, any goodwill I might have had about the content of this album has evaporated. If you think this makes me a sensitive snowflake and I'm "missing the point", go ahead, give yourself a pat on the back and enjoy Big Black's music while thinking about how edgy it makes you. Ooooh, yes, you're well hard.
maximalist droning zany 80s punk rock that had me headbanging while drowning in rebellious angst. like a more synth-y Black Flag. 4.5/5
Noisy punk!! Yes!!!!!! I tried to get my kids to mosh with me to Karosene but they're lame.
I kind of like it. I don’t know.
A band I was only vaguely aware of, given how much more successful Steve Albini was as a producer. Glad to have listened to it now though, even if my favourite song was the one I knew best before - "Bazooka Joe". A very good album, but not quite 5 🌟 for me.
Nice! I've never listened to Albini's early stuff. This is is pretty great. You can hear a lot of the Shellac that was yet to come. Also hear influences like Ministry (... or did this influence Ministry??). Anyway, good fun.
Monster bass tone. A lot of Mötorhead influence. Decent.
Great takes on the genre. Equal parts catchy and caustic, with great lyrics and a sense of purpose.
Never judge a book by its cover, I really thought this was going to be boring and kind of just bland due to the cover. The cover didn’t appeal to me at first. But after going into the first 2 tracks, I realized how wrong I was. While this album wasn’t perfect, it made me want more. It really does a whole unique take on the punk sound and I really enjoy it. 8/10. I’ll definitely be getting this on vinyl
Wonderfully noisy, loud and intense, so not an ideal background music while reading novels on a sunny afternoon. In the proper context and environment, like sitting in a dark damp basement, a respectably decent album that raises your heartbeat. Slightly above average, but probably won't revisit this for a while and I won't miss it.
Elite level classic. Love this project for discovering new gems, but sometimes you see a familiar sight and it’s just wonderful. This album is, if not quite perfect, certainly as close as can be. Probably his best. ALL IMHO AND SUBJECTIVE OF COURSE
A high 2 – there are some genuinely interesting ideas for a unflinchingly abrasive punk album here, but I’m just not feeling it gel together as I would hope or expect it to. Big missed opportunity to maintain genre expectations while being different in only using Albini’s warbly, hyper-distorted guitar harmonics for maybe two songs. A punk LP of this stature leaning into heavy instrumentation with plentiful melodicism would still be revolutionary today, leading me to wish that was the case instead of constant sludgy guitar I would usually enjoy.
my first DNF
I always found it interesting that a producer so famous for his drum sound would use a drum machine in his own band. Great guitar squeals, shrill human screeches and spaced out uses of silence. These guys don’t try to pass themselves off as anything more than hateful little creeps, and it pairs pretty well with the tone of the music. If Albini had a talent for writing vocal melodies this band would bump up from being pretty great to incredible.
this shit good. pogotovo "Kerosene"
Sadly not on Spotify so had to listen through YouTube with adverts which didn’t give the best listening experience, but found this an interesting and exciting album, one to rerate if it ever comes on Spotify
Ok
very rough garage rock stuff
I wonder how I would've responded to this audible assault back in 1986. This is honestly the first I've even heard of this album and I now know where some of my favourite bands found their inspiration. This is brutal, energetic, noisy and bleak industrial and still sound like it could've been released in this decade, even though it's already 37 years old. What a revelation.
No.
Noise and I guess possibly rock.
Très étonnant disque de 1985 et qui ouvre la voie au grunge, aux Pixies... Content d'avoir découvert le travail de Steve Albini. Très avangardiste et influent. On passe un drôle de moment, sombre, torturé, violent, tourmenté.
AHHH! I love Big Black! Songs About Fucking is a classic and so is the rest of their discography. 5/5.
not my cup of tea
Couldn't listen . Not on spotify
Raw and electric. Pretty cool and interesting late punk.
Abrasive and intense punk infused by heavy abrasive industrial yet still melodic and even a bit catchy. Mamy of them sound like they were recorded by putting a mic in a factory. Reminds me of Joy Division in its dark undertones and distorted atmosphere, most notably in songs like "Bad Houses". Yet their attitude is angry and politically charged similar to contemporary hardcore bands (but not as much screaming or aggressively fast playing). The 1st half is more like a traditional punk album in structure and vocals, but that drastically changes into something much more incoherent in the 2nd half, where the vocals feel more like another instrument. You even have some danceable tracks like "Strange Things." Enjoyed every song, with "Kerosene" being the best, showcasing their potential if they went in that route.
Didn't really like it.
I understand the value but it's not for me
I read about the use of very dark and controversial language being used by this band but to be honest I only caught about 5 words clearly. Very Punk
Had never heard of this band or album. Looked them up later and realized this is Steve Albini’s band so makes sense it’s on this list. Pretty good noise punk
Such an interesting mix of slightly tinny and industrial sounds with dissonant punk vibes. I wasn’t sure how to rate this but I thought long and hard about it and read more about Albini and just gained more and more appreciation for everything about this. So innovative and still holds up after everything that has come since.
While this was definitely cool (particularly seeing Albini origin story), I'm not sure how much I actually liked it.
A fun punk album, that's it
Wow, very good album that I would have never listened to. It's not going to be for everyone but the sound is aggressive without being too harsh. It's a vibe.
not my cup of tea, couple listenable songs but not very good overall
Surprisingly decent! The grainy guitar fuzz sound can be grating at times but they work some really good melodies into the songs on top of that. Realy catchy and energetic. 6/10
Ummm interesting
Kudos to the person who mixed this, just massive amounts of noise to comprehend. Had its moments though.
Not for me.
Un disc que en el seu moment segur que sonava molt més subversió que décades després. Malgrat tot, la barreja d'actitud iconoclasta amb un pre-hardcore/punk amb temes força bons, i el segell de fàbrica d'un Steve Albini ja amb personalitat pròpia, el fan un disc a respectar
album bom, mas nada além disso.
I didn't really know what to expect here, but this is some really great industrial punk. From an American band, no less! I don't want to take away from the quality of the music, which is quite excellent. It's heavy and raw and raging and visceral and it quite simply rocks. I enjoyed it quite a bit. But some of the lyrics get pretty bleak and disturbing. Consider this your trigger warning if you are a survivor of abuse, I mean it. Fave Songs: Kerosene, Strange Things, Bad Houses, Passing Complexion, Bazooka Joe
Gibts nicht auf Spotify
Finally a banger. Only one I listened to 2x so far
Not what I expected having never heard them. There’s not a description of this album that would’ve made me want to listen, but I ended up enjoying it. Made me want to listen to Danzig and I think that’s a good thing
I thought this was the guy who was on MTV back in the day so this was a surprise.
not to be boring and like, only like fiona, but this was a lot
Mostly just noise. 1.5/5
3/5 - drums are wicked but not my cup of tea
Mind blowingly powerful
Was very excited going into this album. The production is definitely something. I wouldn't say it's unique but very lively. I love instrumentals especially in Passing Complexion, but the vocals could do better in terms of volume. Fave track(s): Passing Complexion, Kerosene, Stinking Drunk
The first song is not a great start, loud, abrasive, unintelligible lyrics, and fatiguing to listen to. Hoping it gets better. I don't mind the song "Kerosene", it's the highlight for me so far. "Bad Houses" wasn't terrible either. Meh I don't like giving 1's, but I quickly grew tired of this album and just want it to end.
Could be the recording or listening through headphones but the sound is wack which makes it painful to listen to
Classic 80s album with big reputation that I never got around to but I knew it would be excellent of course.
Really good album. I liked the aggressive guitar sounds, fast-paced drumming and overall production. Maybe a little bit too one-dimensional to give it full marks, though.
Some catchy tunes here (e.g., Kerosine) but overall rather ugly; not to say that ugly can't be beautiful though.
Unhinged, but I like it.
Didn't hate this even though it's heavy. Not bad
A little too long for what it is, but what it is is fucking rad.
Frantic
I wanted to like this, I really did, but I couldn't. It just grated on my ears too much. 2 stars.
I shouldn't like this, it's quite noisy & shouty and yet there must be enough underlying melody to get away with it. The lyrics would probably make the difference between 2 & 3, however I can't discern them.
Politically-charged proto-noise? Sign me up. This fucks.
Not on Spotify
Not on Spotify
Hitting right in the sweet spot between punk and industrial.
The music wasn't terrible but I just really hated it. Didn't help it wasn't on Spotify. That's probably not the band's fault.
This sucked. IDK if the recording was trash or it was supposed to sound that way.
Unexpected funk - a treat for the ears
this is not available on Spotify, I assume for my own protection
Was excited to listen to this one since I’m familiar with Albini as an Engineer/Producer. He has worked with a lot of my favourite bands, Ty Segall, METZ, Cloud Nothings so I wasn’t surprised to be impressed with this album. It’s crunchy, gritty and loud. Sounded like a band that would have been pretty cool to see live, big fan of this one. Definitely going to explore their other work. 4 stars!
Initial impression 3.5, probably give this one another listen
A decent listen, full of noise and vitriol. Not great music, if you ask me, but I can't argue with their social criticisms. I guess I'd just channel that energy in a different way.
I am not a huge fan of electro based music. But I can appreciate good sounds, elegant beats and surprising musical twists and turns. This album works as background as well as for intense listening. A discovery.
To be honest, I started this one with the assumption that I would strongly dislike it, after reading about the album on Wikipedia. I expected an extremely angry, chaotic and dissonant punk record that I wouldn't stand and skip out on after half of the first four tracks and a single, lone star. Turns out, it really wasn't nearly as bad as that at all and I listened to the entire record and even enjoyed having it on during some parts. While it is angry and dissonant and also very, veeeery angsty; it's not a chaotic punk record at all. It's much more industrial than punk, more artful and controlled than a mere vomiting of pent up, energetic frustrations. In the end, I didn't truly enjoy this album and I don't feel any desire to listen to it again. But still, I was pleasantly surprised.
Oh damn this is heavy, I LOVE it. It's noisy, abrasive, brilliantly produced.
so it’s not on Spotify so not gunna listen cos I’m lazy, but based on the album cover I’m gunna say a solid 2.5 x
Aaaaaahhh!!!
The current stereotype of the American small town serves as a handy illustration of the Hegelian dialectic (although the standard formulation of the Hegelian dialectic came from followers of Hegel rather than Hegel himself). Nice, clear introduction, that! For those without the foolishness to get philosophy degrees, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was a 19th-century German philosopher noted for his obscurancy. Indeed, his obscurancy has led plenty to denounce him as a charlatan (and may well lead me to make some howlers in articulating his views), but he also proved a decisive influence on modern European philosophy. Anyway, focusing on one aspect of Hegelian thought, Hegel asserted that history followed a rational process of progress, a process that became formalised as the Hegelian dialectic. That is, a central thesis gets formed, and the opposite to that thesis, the antithesis, generates in reaction. The thesis and antithesis come into conflict, out of which emerges a synthesis, which retains the rational aspects of both the thesis and antithesis whilst rejecting the pair's irrational aspects. This synthesis in turn becomes the thesis in another round of the Hegelian dialectic. Everyone following? In honesty, it doesn't really matter if you're not. So, American small towns. In 1984, you get the movie Footloose, where wackjob preacher John Lithgow bans dancing and it's up to Kevin Bacon's nifty pins to boogie apart Lithgow's neighbourhood tyranny. So here, John Lithgow represents the thesis and Kevin Bacon the antithesis. I won't spoil it, but you can guess what the synthesis is. And Big Black's Atomizer, with its abrasive guitars and crass lyrical themes, is basically Kevin Bacon (Yes, I knew I had a point to all this!). Now, a lot of parpings has been whaffed out regarding the iniquities of the American small town, and how all the young people get so bored with their parents' genteel Christian fascism that they spend their time putting meth up each others' bottoms and nailing themselves to passing cars. I tend to find such depictions tawdry and rather dishonest: some teens do get mashed up on toad secretions, but most actually just graduate. Speaking of which, the central figure to Big Black, Steve Albini, got himself a degree in journalism before forming Big Black. Nowadays, Steve Albini has more renown as a recording engineer. The job title is significant: Albini refuses the tag of "producer", considering his role to record the act faithfully without contamination from his aesthetic sensibilities. Over 1500 acts have sought his ministrations, most famously Nirvana with In Utero. Of course, I can't speak about the totality of his work as an engineer, but I have loved much of the most prominent work he's engineered. The perceptive might have noticed that I have waffled on something chronic with scant mention of the album. That's because the album is insubstantial to the touch. It's an okay punk album cursed with rather a lack of spark, and yet more evidence to my argument that America never really understood the potential of punk. I do not concur at all with the notion that this is noise at its rawest. Each song sounds fine (not great) in isolation, but the frenzy dissipates as song follows song, and in the end you both feel both drowsy and unfilled. Along with this, the oh-so-adult nature of the lyrics often strikes one as a product of quite cheerless immaturity. That this immaturity was intentional, the punchline for a killing joke, is of no relevance whatsoever. You may consider a song about some teens setting themselves on fire for shits and giggles to be profound, but not me, I've read Hegel. And I've seen Footloose.
An enjoyable punk romp
The lousy quality of the record affects a little bit the possibility of analyzing their songs. I know that garage rock should sound as bad as it is on this release, but it's still making it hard to appreciate. Given that this album is part of the remains of punk history and 80s history that is accessible to us. We probably will never know how these things happened at that time, but this kind of thing makes us feel something that matters. It shows us how humankind is linked by the long line of history and its revolutions (musical revolutions for the sake of this list, but not only). I didn't know anything about "Big Black" before today, but I'm used to enjoying early punk rock.
Unbearable tbh. May have been influential for noise music bands maybe, but I've heard better, more interesting, less simply awful versions of the same thing. Couldn't get through it. Might try again but I doubt it.
Good punk sound
2.5 stars. Not bad at all.
Just a solid, noisy, angry punk record. Shades of everything from Judas Priest to Ministry. Think it loses a little steam near the end, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed the whole thing. Favorite tracks: "Bad Houses", "Stinking Drunk", "Fists of Love"
A guy screaming at me, over noise.....blech
Punk is not usually my 1st choice to listen to but was listenable.
I actually enjoyed this more than I figured I would. It wasn’t amazing but the drum machine was cool and it rolled along.
Uh.... good thing I'm going to work my gosh what the hell is going on here. Very intriguing album where there are weird electronics mix with noise rock and post punk. I like the frist half of this album more The second part. I can't believe they got away with some of these lyrics but then again this is Steve Albani we are talking about. He gives no shits.Oh great who generated albums please give me something interesting that I DID NOT HEAR BEFORE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
Not on spotify
I don't think I'm enough into metal to 'get' this
Pretty good punk album. I appreciated the amount of instrumental compared to vocal.
Unsure what it was
Immediately, I'm struck by how quiet the vocals are compared to the instrumentals, unless they're high pitched and screeching. Beyond that, the instruments just feel like they blur together, unfortunately, and man are they shrill. I wouldn't really say the band covered any topics, because they barely even mentioned anything in passing. The lyrics are really minimal and the music just doesn't carry the rest of the record. Cool album art, but that's about the best that can be said.
Kerosene, Bazooka Joe
Steve Albini: master of noise Post-punk meets noise rock meets industrial meets awesome.
Pretty cool, unique vibe. High energy. Grows on you as it goes.
Great I really enjoyed the punk sound!
Too bad I didn't know about this album as a teenager!
Great energy. This album surprised me. I ended up really, really liking the song 'Kerosene' and that's made me look favourably on the rest of the album. It has a distinct industrial, heavy feel to it that reminds me a lot of Nine Inch Nails (during their industrial phase of course). I don't usually like industrial music, but this was great. Definitely worth a relisten. Atomizer, allow me to give you a generous 4 stars.
Asskolli hressilegt. "Noise rock" er einn af flokkunum sem þessu bandi er gefinn og það stendur alveg undir því. Mun ekki setja þessa plötu í gang eitthvað oft en get ímyndað mér að það hafi verið bilað að fara á tónleika með þeim!
Really not a fan of this industrial noise music. Somehow, I was already familiar with the song "Kerosene" but I can't for the life of me remember where I heard it before. I still pretty much hated it though.
Lol, this is incredible! The production is so noisy and raw. Steve Albini's band, so that makes sense. Sometimes gives me some Ministry vibes with the combination of drum machine and distorted vocals.
Liked this album, but didn't love it. Gotta appreciate what it did though. 3.75/5
Noisy, raw and intense. No idea who these guys are but I enjoyed this quite a bit. The synth work is pretty crazy. Highlights: Passing Complexion, Kerosene, Stinking Drunk
Big Black fuckin’ rock. Don’t have much else to say. B+
Like a proto nine inch nails mixed with 80s punk sensibilities. So much energy and angst, but still listenable.
Loved it. Never heard anything quite like it
Most songs feel too repetitive. I don't mind the chaotic tone but it becomes too much. Very monotonic.
No thank you. Just noise. Completely unnecessary inclusion.
Another punk rock album that gets palced next to the many others: not very remarkable, a bit too loud and aggressive and easily forgettable
HL: “Passing Complexion”, “Kerosene” I hit up Wikipedia immediately after the first track ended, to learn a little about Big Black/Steve Albini. Turns out he was involved (as an audio engineer) in several of my least favourite albums on this list so far (Blues Explosion, Slint, even Surfer Rosa), so my distaste with this sound is at least consistent. The demented riff in Passing Complexion was probably the high(est)light for me
Not my type of music
Le chanteur des Big Black est très certainement l'homme le plus malsain de ces cent dernières années. J'en ai pour preuve sa manie d'entrer en salle des professeurs tout en confiant à ses collègues adorer quand le vent frais souffle dans le c** des gosses. Il y a des choses qu'on devrait parfois garder pour soi...
Cet album au nom extrêmement douteux ne m'a étrangement pas tant dérangé que cela musicalement parlant. En revanche, sa présence sur exclusive sur Youtube m'horripile au plus haut point. Nous avons déjà émis plusieurs rappels à l'ordre à l'encontre des artistes usant de cette stratégie. Le prochain album sera sanctionné d'un 2/5, et ce peu importe sa qualité.
Not something I'd seek out but it was fantastic
Punk metal stuff. Not my cup of tea
Probably one of the worst albums here
beurk
Sadly not on the old Spotify 🙁
Liked this a lot for what it is. Sounded like highly caffeinated Black Flag with some youthful exuberance.
Interesting at times, grating at most.
Not really my thing, but I can see how it leads to the things that are my thing.
Good wholesome fun
Awesome abrasive noise
It wouldn't work on Spotify, so I streamed it from YouTube, every 2-3 songs, I'd think, "Oh, this is different, nice interesting change ... " and then find I was listening to an advert. It's good solid guitar noise, which I want to like, but when I find myself enjoying the jingles more, it's very telling.
I'd been putting this off as it was unavailable on Spotify, and I couldn't be arsed with YouTube ads. But finally gave it a listen... pretty fecking awesome! (but now all I can think about it investing in stocks with Trading 212, argh YouTube ads!)
Surely the favorite album of those three teenagers Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) manipulates into murdering her husband in the movie "To Die For". Especially Joaquin Phoenix's character. It feels like an album that would inspire a kid like that.
Littéralement mind blown, le mélange de son est ahurissant, c'est tellement en avance sur son temps. L'une des découvertes les plus surprenantes des 1001.
They have this industrial sound that I'm used to with CSS.
I've never heard of Big Black, and all of the music on Atomizer was new two me. I did not like this album. I like some heavy music, but I don't like the screaming and grumbling. It felt like a low key entry from Rob Zombie. Even without the vocals, the music didn't catch my attention. I put up with this album, and now I'm done.
You can hear so much of Albini's influence – whether it be the song structure, sound, or production – on grunge/alternative/punk/HC. Collectively, the songs work well together. Definitely will revisit in the future.
Hated it.
Not on Spotify
A big noise from big boys. I have this on vinyl and still play it often. I believe Nirvana ripped BB off with a lame, sanitized version. This is the real deal.
You have to be on Spotify to exist. It's a shame since the bit I listened to on YouTube sounded pretty cool
Not my thing. Couldn’t get through it
punk bem executado.
I'm really torn with this one. I liked the energy and some of it really had me hooked. But the production sounded off to me - too thin or small or something? And the more I listened to it, the more I wanted it to end, which isn't great. I won't go back unless some really explains it to me.
Um, yes please. May I have another? I'm really embarrassingly unfamiliar with most of Albini's own music (though I have listened to Shellac some), but I loved this! Absolutely scratches the itch of early Ministry and all that Wax Trax industrial stuff, but still has a quality to it that's entirely separate from that scene. Weirder guitar sounds and noisier perhaps? Whatever you want to call it, I would have loved this in 1993 and kind of can't fathom that it came out in '85. Btw, did you see the news that Steve Albini won like $150k in a poker tournament recently? Can you imagine playing cards with that dude? Ha. Anyway, this one was way up my alley and has given me a sliver of hope in this list yet. Will we see a Ministry record? Skinny Puppy? Nipple rings crossed, dudes.
I don't know about this one
Nah not for me.
Cool. Some absolutely insane guitar sounds. Also kinda annoying. 6-7/10
Einstaka sinnum skemmtilegt gítarsarg og gott beat, en miður skemmtilegt umfjöllunarefni í textunum og á köflum of fráhrindandi fyrir mig. Æi, ég nenni þessu ekki.
Pangarrre
Clxssic. The pounding drum machine, Albini’s inelegant delivery, and the sound they produce from their metallic guitars is either stunningly ghastly or like you’re being run over with a bulldozer. That being said, there are better noise-rock albums out there… well deserving of being on this list, nonetheless
Damn... dehä e hårt
Good punk/industrial record for it’s time, definitely a pioneer. Poor quality recording and redundant songs dropped this one down for me, but still great stuff
very fun noisy stuff. might be my favourite punk album now
Not available on Spotify. Found on your tube. Pretty good.
Wholesome songs about paedophilia, racial passing, abuse of power in the police force, arson and self-immolation, shame, fist fucking and domestic violence, alcoholism, the tale of a Vietnam vet who becomes a contract killer (or is it really about drug addiction), the rat race, and cattle slaughter in abattoirs. The aural equivalent of suffering blunt force trauma to the head from a sledgehammer, these guys are so nasty, hard and bleak, that they make everyone else’s music sound as light and fluffy as a Disney movie soundtrack.
That was angry fun. I heard bits of The Pixies as well as some angsty metal. There was a pop sensibility hiding in well constructed, musical songs.
Pretty cool, shame it's not on Spotify though 4
не доступен
I'm not sure I'll remember much of this tomorrow but it's really good fun while you listen to it. I dare anyone to listen to Strange Things and not nod their head manically along to the beat.
2/5
Is it punk, metal, industrial? All of the above.. Great album that help pave the way for industrial metal bands suck as Ministry, NIN, KMFDM. Great album. Kerosene is so damn good.
This is a great album. I was very into hardcore punk when this came out and it was just… different sounding but with all the intensity and emotion.
Loud noisy fun. Always worth a revisit.
Had not listened to this one before. But it's very good. Sort of a punk rock/industrial thing. Reznor of NiN was probably a fan of this album. I liked it.
2.5
Deliberately trying to make bad music in the 80’s must have been very dificult
Probably not one I'd listen to again but it really grew on me as I listened. Some great, heavy riffs. Standout track: Bazooka Joe
Too much for me, no thanks.
first listen very harsh industrial sound and i didn't not like it
Couldnt play it on spotify
Not sure if it's the YouTube quality but this sounds way more industrial than punk (to be fair I'm not schooled on the cross over there)
You have to listen to this loud to match the vocals with the instruments or else you’ll hear more instruments than the vocals. Which is either brilliant for a punk band or just because I listened on YouTube
Meh
Lo cierto es que, aunque debería haber sido un disco que me gustase (por el estilo punk, fundamentalmente), lo cierto es que me ha dejado muy frío, casi ningún tipo de ritmo asociado y canciones que no me han supuesto nada
It explains a lot about where Albini is coming from. I enjoyed this.
Never heard of this album or band before...but man there are some crazy tracks here...If I ever had a budget could see using some of these in a film. Fists of Love and Kerosene being two off the top of my head.
And this will stay with you until you die
Noisy as fuck. Nope
Liked the instrument play but did not like the screaming, felt out of place
I just can’t win.
What a ride
Сверх ужасная музыка. Записывали явно на кухне
Punk oscuro. Ni fu ni fa.
One of the more yikes-inducing albums on the list, I'm sure. I hope Steve Albini is confused by my having listened to as flac files taken from a vinyl edition.
One halfway-interesting track and a whole lot of noise. Best track: Kerosene
mehh
Bij de eerste nummers dacht ik het te moeten doorworstelen. Maar al bij al was het niet 'verschrikkelijk'
5.0 - Came to this with low expectations and they were immediately shattered. I've come to respect Steve Albini's exalted status as a producer. Now I'm in awe of him as a complete artist. The interplay of brutal drum machine, growly bass and clear vocals situated defiantly in the foreground - these elements make this album feel timeless. And the guitar sounds! Dry, gnarly, industrial. "Kerosene" is an obvious standout - so bleak! How do they conjure a screeching pterodactyl on "Passing Complexion"?? This album sounds nothing like what I know about 1985.
Fun, verryyyyyy similar to Minor Threat. Good, yes.
Did not expect to like this so much, but it fucks pretty hard. 4.25
Strong 3, wiggy music
Reminds me of Rage, Grew on me second time round, Might come back later. 5/10
Heavy, driving, hard, too much for these old ears
I like this genre, but not this album
Just not me. Tried hard, but this didn’t move the needle.
Thos was pretty shitty.