Reviews (page 7 of 7)
sounds as punk as they come
didn't much care for it
2.5
This was a strange album, not sure why it's on the list. To me it was 80s frat rock, an ode to beer, parties, cars, and girls. The singer gave me a bit of Kim Mitchell meets Kiss and i can't tell if it's tongue in cheek or not. They have balls for having a track called Go Back to Africa followed by Master Race, I really hope that was a joke.
Vocals were a turn off. I Got You Babe was the sole highlight.
Szpile w glowie czesc piata
I went girl crazy 3 weeks ago. Murdered 11 and inflicted life changing injuries to 332 others. I'm due for sentencing next week.
Shannah thought it was ok. (2/5) Bill surprised she hadn't heard of them, feels like the book will say they were influential. (2.5/5) Conor thought it was fine. (2.5/5)
Brash and uninspiring. Live this may well be entertaining.
If my research is right, this is one of the very first punk/proto-punk records. Very cool! Don't really love it, but that's cool!
Verzichtbar, hat mich aber überraschenderweise nicht übermäßig genervt.
If I was 14 in 1975 I’m sure I’d love this album. Can’t say I enjoyed in now, but can see the influence it had on later punk bands.
I get it, but just not really my cup of tea. Fav new track: California Sun
Pastiche rock. Ramones without the attitude but with heaps of camp. Well recorded and some moments of individual virtuosity.
Some songs were ok, others were not bad.
Raw, fun, good guitar sounds
Can definitely see how they influenced beastie boys. Still, couldn't get the album cover out of my head while listening, so for me... I'm out.
I guess it broke new ground for its time, but on listening now this sounds tired & kind of dumb.
First Listen. Very early punk. Nice. 2/5
Did not know this album, but it sounded like very straightforward punk-rock.
Dirty, straightforward, punk rock. The music had a certain energy and intensity, but ultimately I found the songs quite boring.
Fun album. Nothing stuck out, but nothing made me want to change to the next song. Will I listen to it again? Probably no.
Großer Zampano in Lycra. Punkig anarchisch und so sehr in Bewegung, dass ein Bobby Conn später hiervon mitgerissen sein muss. Campy weird mit Rocky Horror Attitüde. Mitreißende 2.4
Gudelaunesaufpunk. Warum nicht?! Reißt mich aber gerade nicht ausm Dorf, und 1975 hätte ich (behaupte ich einfach mal) wahrscheinlich lieber Kraftwerk gehört oder Thin-White-Duke Bowie.
Insufferably dumb, but they lean into it in such a way that the dumb-ness makes too much sense. I don't know what to make of it. The music is pretty good, but man is it so obnoxious. I understand that's a selling point for some people though. Just not for me, I guess.
leuk gitaartje hier en daar maar ik vind het niet zo speciaal.
2,2 Dit is echt niet voor mij, denk wel als ik het meer zou luisteren dat ik misschien wel een lichtpuntje zou zien maar ik vind dit vermoeiend om naar te luisteren
Sounds like an early ramones record but i guess thats where its from also. I get a bit confused around 'protopunk' and to me it all sounds like pubrock, but i think its all context driven, tbh i couldnt find a standout track on the album, though i appreciate its historically important. I got you babe was quite annoying imo.
OK pre-Twisted Sister ... so what. These guys are too good to be punk, not good enough to be metal. Maybe a bigger deal in 1975.
The Ramones also covered "California Sun."
Not a fan, a bit like the darkness but earlier
Sounds like known tunes, but seems to lack personality. Not sure I want to listen again.
Also punk but the "rough instrumentation party punk rock" as opposed to "hardcore protest against anything punk rock"
Interesting early rock/punk. Might listen to again in the future. Not dying to own this album.
These guys just seem like a footnote in punk rock history and not a particularly exciting one.
Its just a bit boring, songs dragged, felt quite samey. I see its an important album in punk rock history but its not for me
Pretty cool to hear what was probably the first example of punk music created, but if these guys started the genre they definitely didn’t perfect it.
Idc
There are albums that feel like they couldn't ever be re-done or substituted to achieve a similar connection with any new audiences. And with that in mind, I feel like this album could be easily replaced with any album from blink-182 (at least for my generation), or with one from any other "irreverent" teenager band. I mean, I think I get why the compilers of the list thought this one was worthy of appearing on it; but while I recognize the concept of the album, I'm not really sold to the style of music or the contents of the lyrics.
Proto-proto-punk? Best Tracks: Back To Africa, Teengenerate, (I Live For) Cars and Girls
Kon er niet veel mee
no thanks
Hier word ik niet warm of koud van. Niet vervelend maar ook totaal niet interessant.
Aika perusrokkia tämä levy. Oliko siellä vähän jotain rassismiakin mukana kun back to africassa oli jotain ugu-tsugu-uga-uga -mylvintää? Ja heti perään seuraava biisi master race rock! Wikipedian mukaan proto-punk -vaikuttajia. Ei kuitenkaan enää tänä päivänä juuri puhutellut musiikillisilla ansioillaan.
Listened to this twice by mistake and it got worse the second time
Nah
Glam punk
Good punk album. I mostly liked the covers they had, the rest of the songs were good tunes with wacky lyrics. Highlights: -I Got You Babe -Teengenerate -California Sun
there wasn't much rhythm to it
Prima maar niet geweldig
Seminal album but not my taste
Eipä tästä oikein mitään suurempaa jäänyt käteen. Ihan menevää rokkia ilman ylimääräisiä hienouksia. Yksittäisiä hienoja biisejä (esim. Teengenerate) levyltä kyllä löytyy mutta kokonaisuus jää jotenkin mitäänsanomattomaksi. California Sunin kertsistä tuli mieleen se oktoberfestien und ich spring/schwimm/yms biisi!
Not really sure what I just listened to, some of it sounded offputting but then the last song could’ve been a beach boys cover!! I don’t even know!!
Trash rock. Not as fun as the Ramones.
Good start but it lost its way.
Another bunch of "Meh". Not really punk, not really rock, and a cover of a song which makes me convulse and froth at the mouth. No wonder I've never heard of them...
I think the author of book has some weird like trans fetish
There are some badass and fun guitar solos in here, but otherwise not really for me.
Not a fan. Bad version of NY Dolls and Bands of this ilk with a racial vibe. Should not have made the list.
Please, let it end.
Ah, interesting, blah blah, the foundation of punk, blah blah, provenance, blah blah meh meh.
Yeah, it’s a no from me. Love the album cover, though. Also enjoyed the spoken opening for that first song.
Felt a bit like a spoof album didn’t feel well made of creative to me
HARD PASS AND WHAT THE EVER LOVING FUCK LIST!!!! This band appears to be OPENLY FUCKING RACIST!!! I did not read the article or read the track listing beforehand. I was suspicious after the first song. Disturbed by the third. Got to the fourth and turned it off at the chorus. I don’t believe any band of white guys or really anyone, even ironically or in jest, has the right to sing “We are the master race!” Why is this on here??
An absolutely absurd, near parody jock-rock album. Just terrible. Manifestly awful in all aspects. If you like this record, I’m sorry to be the millionth person to remind you that you are an idiot.
Nice backstory but the album / music is why it is forgotten. Is 1001 a history project, or a quality promotion, as this is just not good enough to be here.
Great band, great album
Not rlly my vibe. Fav song is ‘Two Tub Man’.
Lo escuché apenas me levanté
Didn't really care for it.
Gross!
Protopunk, my arse! This is what would have been called "pub rock" in the UK. Pretend punks, playing at being rebels. Bantz isn't funny. Really, really bad.
Boring glam rock. I've committed to listening to all albums in full but this is the first one I've genuinely looked forward to ending.
I don’t really care that it’s the first punk album ever. Not for me.
Not a fan
Initially interested having never heard of this band or album and seeing the cover art made me think this was a comedy album or some send up. I was a little worried when I saw track titles like "Back to Africa" and "Master Race Rock" but again, thought maybe this would be a send up. Maybe I wasn't listening close enough but it didn't feel as obviously send up as I think (hope) it was intended to be. Didn't really enjoy anything about this and was happy when it was over and I could move on to listening to something else.
Reminds me of being in high school and going to watch local bands in tiny clubs, except some of those bands were good. This was painful.
Made me uncomfortable the whole time that I couldn't finish it. Though I do like the 'Handsome Dick Manitoba' wind breaker on the album cover.
Yet another subpar male late 70s rock band
Non è proprio il mio genere, anche se l'ho ascoltato fino alla fine
I am surprised this is in the top 1000 albums, am I missing something? Sounded like American 1970's glam rock
Thumbs down
I hear a mixture of Kiss and the Beach Boys. Not great. 1.5/5.0
Not for me
No, not for me.
This feels like an album made for Andrew Dice Clay fans.
eggs
Track 1 and I'm listening to Blue Oyster Cult... but with less talent. Then a Sonny & Cher cover? I've no idea what to say about 'Back to Africa' other than it really hasn't aged well. Is this a novelty album that someone mistook for early punk? I'm not wasting any more time on this tosh. 1/5
I don't really like it that much
The MC5 did this way better in 1969. I wasn’t impressed with anything on this album. The Ramones did the better California Sun cover too. I’m all for proto punk and garage rock but the Dictators don’t stand out.
Scuffed music
Maybe not actually that bad, very silly. Just really wasn't feeling it tonight while packing my stuff, waiting for Iris.
Awful
They lost me on the master race song. I get it's probably tongue in cheek with the lyrics and maybe it was groundbreaking for the time but I'm pretty bored listening to this.
Мені здалось, що альбом не пройшов перевірку часом. Звучить просто як прикол, який мені не видається забавним.
This wasn't good. The only positive was that it was over in under 40 minutes.
I get it. They are taking the piss and having a laugh. Doesn't mean that it doesn't suck. Give me the Ramones or the Tubes for better versions.
Only exists in 1970s misogynistic time warp. The album needs to be erased for all time, along with the worlds number 1 most awful cover.
I hated it. I don't care if it is punk or what. Yavşak bir grup. Caarrrrrss anddd girrrllssss. It was torture to listen to this.
Insulting and annoying. These talentless and overconfident bozos ruin 35 minutes of your time. These talentless arrangements and structure are terrible. The vocals fail to make a significant impression, much like the instrumentation. The lyrics, on the other hand, make quite the impression, though, not a good one. I’m not at all surprised that an album like this exists. I don’t necessarily blame these guys for making a bad album. I do, however, blame the list maker for this inclusion. List maker is a lunatic for this one. 1/5
This is terrible.
Teengenerate
any comment i make about the mood of this would quickly dissolve into insecure bitching on my part so let's not do that. i know the racist shit is supposed to be satirical but it is goddamn difficult to buy that something this fratty has any layers to it. also not really punk sounding tbh especially for the time period but that's not really a critique. still, putrid vibes. deserves to be one of the 1001? nope
Appreciate learning about this pioneering band in the NYC 70s punk scene. But NOT my jam. In fact I couldn’t get through the whole record. Really grating and irritating. Sounds like they are trying to be funny, but it’s not. Maybe just really dated and hasn’t stood up.
Garbage schlock rock with a lot of bad covers. Didn’t understand why I needed to listen to this
The sarcastic cover of I Got You Babe was the lowest point in an album full of low points.
The first song sounded like a Kiss outtake; that is not a compliment. When I first bought the New York Dolls Lp when I was in high school in the late 1980s, I understood the context that the NYD were working with and that the LP could not hope to capture their live show. I can only assume this band has a similar unknown to me arc, because this is a pedestrian record that I cannot understand why it is on the list.
punk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rockpunk rock is a genre I fucking hate
Absolute trash. I love punk and this is not good. Rides the line between hair metal riffs and the punk style untrained vocals. In not picking a lane the whole thing blows.
‘70’s glam. Same family as early KISS and the New York Dolls but way down this family tree. Sounds like a bar band & not too inspiring. Have heard the same sound done much better. If you want wrestling schtick, see Los Straightjackets.
no
Just because you did it first, doesn't mean you were any good at it. 3rd rate pub band, who just happened to do something a little bit like punk before punk. Not for me.
???
Nothing of note.
not my style
It's irritating
I don’t get “punk” if that’s what this is.
Well, it’s 1975 garage band punk at best. I mean there is a place in the world for that. But not in my house.
Loud basic low brow punk rock
Not sure if this is a spoof or not, but we’ve heard it all before
Not exactly sure what to say. This is a strange album and a strange hybrid band that don't really know what they are? Certainly not Punk- shadows of Glam, Pub rock and even pop.
Weird music. Rock/ punk, not sure.
This is bad....very very bad
Did not care for it.
You know how 10 years ago, when your parents would watch Jackass with you they'd roll their eyes and something like "Well, now I know why they call this show 'Jackass'?" Meanwhile, they'd be thinking to themselves, "I remember the Dictators and that was some funny shit." This is not funny. It's fucking stupid. The thing that makes it even less funny is 'Manitoba' or whatever the fuck he calls himself THINKS it's funny. It's like when a 6 year old puts on a wig and sunglasses because it makes their parents laugh. This is terrible. "Go Back to Africa...?" and "Master Race Rock...?" At least Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera know they're idiots but continue to snap their nuts in mousetraps even if cameras WEREN'T rolling. I found this album stupid, disingenuous and lacking relevant personality.
Garbage
Never heard of them and for a good reason it seems. On principle I'm skeptical of American bands from the 70s that are called punk because I think The Ramones are one of the most embarrassing bands ever. This band here? About as proto-punk as Cher whose cover is on this album for god knows what reason. The Stooges were 10 times more proto-punk 6 years earlier. The Dictators clearly haven't heard of them. 1/5
Damn this sucked
This list is making realize a lot of rock bands in the 70s sounded the exact same. It’s fucking boring. Our parents like this music because they were teens and feeling rebellious. This music sucks.
Pænt dumt. Mens UK punkerne var sådan "riv systemet ned! anarki nu!", var US punkerne sådan "elsker biler og piger hell yeah!"
Kiss for the functionally unemployable. I bet it was a lot more funny to make a punk version of a Sonny and Cher song in 1975 than it seems today 50 years ago, but I'll bet these knuckleheads didn't think anyone would listen to their stuff this far into the future. Let that be a lesson to all of us. Not every beer-addled hilarious idea should be recorded.
No can do. 1
Pre-listening thoughts: we’ve been on quite the streak of artists and albums that I’ve actually heard of. Not surprised that came to an end with this one. Post/during listening thoughts: I expected this to be a little bit more hardcore. It’s ok I guess, the production dates it a little bit. The cover of I Got You Babe didn’t really add anything, it’s mid. I expected a complete twist on the song considering the supposed genre of this album. WHY ARE THERE NOT ONE BUT TWO RACIST SONGS ON HERE????? Maybe I misinterpreted the lyrics but uhhhhh??? Yeah for that alone it’s a one star😭 shame cause it’s a decent record otherwise! 2/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no!!!! Fav tracks: California Sun, I Live for Cars and Girls Least fav tracks: Back to Africa, Master Race Rock
I
Did not listen
That was very unenjoyable.
Similar a The Clash
Whoops, accidentally died without listening to this oh don’t worry it’s fine
"The Next Big Thing"? Not so much. Especially after enduring their cover of "I Got You Babe". Really? So many songs to choose from and they choose that one? This album didn't do much for me and certainly does not deserve to be on this list. These are among the album choices that make me understand whether I should continue...
ouch..... that didn't age well at all. 1 star
Not my jam
Et par hakk for køddete for meg
eh 1.5/5
No
Really? Was this a joke? A trick maybe to see if we were paying attention? Awful, just awful.
I don't care about this. I don't like the album cover, either. Pass.
Not the best I've heard.
the seventies and novelty music was rough!
It’s just not that good
If you want punk, there are options. I wouldn't bother with this.
Shite
Too raucous
Not a fan
No Silly
An album full of punk and punk versions of some of my favorite songs. Idk man, just wasn’t for me
I did not like the repetitive guitar riffs. It sounded all the same except for one two songs.
Awful awful awful. Just objectively bad music. This run of three horrendous albums has also coincided with three days of me and my family being struck down with norovirus. Both are experiences I would not wish on my second worst enemy. Rating: 1.5/5 Playlist track: (I Live For) Cars and Girls Date listened: 23/02/24
After hearing a bit, wasn't a fan with the genre
Not for me..................
Wow talk about racist. wtaf
Bad Grunge
Yuck
So dumb, so dumb
Didn’t like.
I've noticed another theme with this list. It's that if a one-hit-wonder has their one good/influential song come from album (in this case "I Got You Babe" here), the whole album is just arbitrarily considered to be just as important as said single, and the entire album is tossed on the "must listen to album" list, despite the whole album is trash aside from the one important song. Just because you find a $20 bill in a public trash can doesn't mean everything else in the trash can is automatically worth the value of the $20 bill.
Another album that's here not because it offers good music, but rather because years later someone had a brain fart re the album's dubious historical value.
I developed a theory when a really smart English professor I had once introduced me to the band Fear. I think two types of people like dumb shit: 1. Dumb people, and 2. Smart people that are constantly surrounded by smart shit and so they think dumb shit is transgressive and rebellious. Well, I grew up steeped in dumbness and I don’t view dumb shit as anything other than dumb. So fuck this album. It’s only made worse by being made before punk rockers realized their shitty songs wore out their welcome after 2 minutes and so these songs are as bad as the worst punk rock but three times as long. I wish I could rate this worse than one star.
A few decent guitar licks but this is shite.
Doesn't seem to be punk, doesn't seem to be glam, has a bad cover of I Got You Babe, immediately forgettable.
Horrible
Dumb, but before it's time dumb so there's that?
Two listenable tracks and they are both covers, punk pioneers my ass I'm huge into Punk and never heard of them before. This is not an album I needed to hear before I died.
Twenty years ago, the Canadian electronica/DJ/producer, Dan Snaith, decided (wisely) that he should come up with a stage name. He wanted something Canadian, so started performing under the name, “Manitoba”. Soon after he received a cease and desist letter from the lawyer of “Handsome Dick Manitoba” the roadie/ MC of The Dictators. As ridiculous as the lawsuit was, Snaith’s lawyer recommended against going to Manhattan to fight it - so Snaith changed his name to Caribou. I decided I wouldn't let that incident cloud my judgement when assessing The Dictator’s music so to get a more positive perspective, I read the 1001 www review, but the few positive remarks offered by the reviewer turned out to be backhanded compliments.
Unbelievably awful. The reviews mention that this is Proto punk, but it doesn’t sound like punk at all. It’s Proto-hair band garbage. Really 1001, really?
some of the dictators' lyric topics were questionable at best. i guess it's edgy to shock your listeners with songs like "back to africa" and "master race rock." i have to assume these songs were done tongue-in-cheek, especially since the dictators have jewish band mates, but i can't say knowing that made me feel more comfortable. is it that edgy to blatantly use racial stereotypes that have dehumanized black and jewish people for centuries, or is it disrespectful and racist? (it's disrespectful and racist). but despite my rating, i'll provide some deeper thoughts. the dictators' go girl crazy is definitely an early punk sound. covering sonny and cher's mega-hit song and creating a beach boys-esque song "(i love for) cars and girls" not only connected punk to the sixties pop sound but gave the dictators that punk humor, perhaps even before other artists did that.
not really sure what to think about this. The music is pretty interesting, but some of the lyrics are, well... with the first song simulating a live song... this goes down as a... wait for it...
More William Hung than anything resembling punk.
Musikalisch seichtes Punk Rock Gedudel.
Is this Spinal Tap?
Nah.
Grey shitty 1/5
The music's just not very good nor particularly original. The band name and aesthetic reminds me of that Sasha Baron Cohen movie, and honestly, they bring to music what he does to the art of cinematography. One mankini out of five 🩱
It’s cheese 🧀 😬
This feels like a novelty album or something, but all signs on wikipedia point to it being a sincere effort by this group. I found this album to be pretty lame. There was nothing to interesting going on in the instruments or the songs themselves. Most of the singing was like punk-style half-yelling, but it was clear the odd time they tried to sing a melody that none of them can sing. Also reading about member Richard Manitoba, he is an asshole.
If I wanted to listen to a poorly sung rendition of “I Got You Babe” I would go to karaoke. The voice that delivered the line “Edumacation ain’t for me” was very believable- sounded highly regarded. Vapid lyrics delivered by shitty singers.
Американские панки- отдельный вид эээ не знаю чего. Не очень интересно, даже не органично. Неужели у бритов и амеров одинаковые интонации и маньеризмы одновременно появились? Последняя ничо в стиле бич бойс
Weird 70s rock, not good
It's been a while since an album made me feel spiteful, and this is doubly disappointing thanks to the Andrew W.K. on some associated remixes. Humor is the one thing going the Dictatorss way, which puts them on shaky footing. The album's just not fun to listen to, even as I sit muttering "It was made in 1975" to myself. There's no path to conjure the antidote to grouchiness. Just punk music that got there early and then, I suppose, stopped.
No stars
Never heard of these clowns, but maybe they influenced some musicians and definitely influenced teenage boys to think it was ok to act like jerks. Many offensive lyrics and would never be on my top albums list.
Not my favorite. A lot of the music sounds like a joke. The album cover is disturbing.
Didn't like it so much
You're kidding, right?
Ouain. J’ai beaucoup rit au « cha, cha, cha » à la fin de California sun. Autrement, c’est un peu débilisant comme humour. Musicalement, c’est plutôt mauvais.
Ouf. Musicalement, j'aime ça même si c'est tout croche. Ça fait partie de l'humour de la chose. Pour les paroles par contre, un gros malaise pour certaines pièces. D'autres ont fait mieux.
Queen aside glam rock (never mind glam punk) would not be a genre I’m a fan of. I’ve never heard of The Dictators before and nothing here would make me want to listen again
not a fan
American, 70s, Rock Useless, boring, old
Absolut grauenhaft. Ramones plus Rocky Horror minus Teenage Angst und gayness, und was kommt dabei raus? Schrecklich schwanzige High-School-Footballer-Gutdrauf-Musik für den Schulhof-Bully. Handsome Dick? Ihr habt nix kapiert. Wahrscheinlich hätte ich mir das Album als Teenager 3-4 angehört und ganz okay gefunden, bis ich es doch irgendwie doof gefunden hätte.
Sounded like a bad version of KISS, lots of covers, maybe all covers? Not sure.... did not enjoy though.
The positive reception this album received upon release and that it continues to enjoy is mind boggling. It also says a lot about who writes music reviews and who listens to punk.
vad i helvete. "Go Back To Africa" är inte rolig, den är fan i mig rasistisk som fan
I feel dumber for listening.. Sketch style covers of 60s/70s contemporary pop (California sun/I got you babe) with bizarre originals (back to Africa/master race/etc). Maybe I just don’t get it
Really not a great album. Gave off similar vibes to the modern lovers, and I found its lyrics a lot clearer, but it put itself down by being such a product of its time.
1/10 enjoyment lyrics are dated
So, daar had ik nu even helemaal geen zin in..
Bad rock music.
I was not a fan of this album at all and it really left a bad taste in my mouth early on. 01/28 - Yesterday I worked on redlines for the manufacturing set, fixing missing information in the model, and coordination items with Vidula and Courtney. The Dictators had a very whiny sense to them that I simply could not connect with.
I DGAF. Go Back to Africa? Master Race Rock? I don’t care if this is tongue in cheek, or if they’re playing a role or what. This is just stupid bullshit.
More dumb 70s music. This site isn’t a 1000 albums you need to hear, it’s just random generic crap.
Old school rock and roll vibes with weird voices. Not my style 1/5
Liked this one
Good fun