It's A Shame About Ray

Evan Dando’s voice always worked better in slower more understated stuff for me. So when you’ve got this upbeat power pop he just kind of overwhelms it with his voice. It sort of belongs to the same sound a lot of the chiller bands had. Spin Doctors. Del Amitri. Gin Blossoms. It’s definitely better than those artists, these guys can write decent hooks

Flojito, debe haber al menos 1000 discos que suenan exactamente igual.

Surprised this made the list as it's not very memorable, but still a good listen. The Turnpike Down was my favorite.

Great simple garage rock but nothing that overly stood out to give it 5 stars

I didn't start out loving this album, but it grew on me as it went on. It's very 90s sounding, and several songs felt like they wouldn't be out of place on a Tony Hawk Pro Skater soundtrack. By the end I was having a fun time with this one. Recommend.

Would be a great Tumblr profile, maybe even a good substack writer, but the melodies are just generic. Great lyrics that I wish someone made a somber recording (not the way they did Mrs. Robinson) Drug Buddy is very solid, though Favorite track: Drug Buddy

rated my first 1001 album song-by-song, but there's too many in this one, so i think i just won't anymore. honestly didn't have the heart to say it about the previous album, but it's generic. this is no different. very similar to a lot of bands around the 90's, doesn't stand out that much. still a pleasant listen, though.

Too poppy punk

An in offensive 90’s alt album.

I never really understood the popularity of this band. Their songs were catchy enough but kinda mediocre. 3 stars. Fave track - it’s a shame..,

It’s a shame about their later career

Plods along nicely, nothing special to write home about.

It’s a shame about this list that it keeps generating marginal 90s albums.

Es la versión extendida entonces se me hizo bastante largo. En su estilo creo que está bastante bueno.

Nirvana meets the Byrds. This is the album that stands in the corner of the dance floor, fists jammed in pockets and head nodding disinterestedly to the beat, but still effortlessly jangly.

Very very meh. This just blends into my mental archive of okay rock music of which there are hundreds on this list. 3/5

Maso

The kinda songs you skip in a Tony Hawk game

Great example of 90s alt-rock. Not sure if it is their best version, historically important, or deserves a place on the list. Enjoyed it even though it is not my preferred style. 0 songs added to playlist.

I really liked this type of alt pop music. There were a few bands like this that I liked at the time and this stripped down music, kinda folky is really great

There's nothing truly wrong with Lemonheads . . . but neither is there anything all that terrific. It's telling, I think, that their breakout song is a halfway decent cover of "Mrs. Robinson," since that song is a clearly written classic with great lines and a super hook. None of Evan Dando's composition efforts come close to this. Admittedly, comparing your own personal songwriting prowess to Paul Simon's is a little like comparing your efforts as an inventor to Thomas Edison's (Yes, I'm talking to you, Homer Simpson!), but that lack of composing greatness seems to me a key reason why Lemonheads only ever became "a kinda fun band from the 90s," rather than a truly great group for the ages.

Meh

## Overview Released in June 1992, *It's A Shame About Ray* represents the pivotal moment when The Lemonheads transformed from a promising Boston punk band into one of the defining voices of '90s alternative rock. Recorded primarily at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles with producers the Robb Brothers, the album captures Evan Dando at the peak of his songwriting powers—a brief, shining window before fame and addiction would complicate his trajectory . --- ## The Music: Jangle-Pop Meets Grunge-Adjacent Energy ### Sonic Palette The album occupies a unique space in the early '90s landscape. While Seattle bands were drowning in distortion and angst, The Lemonheads offered something lighter yet no less emotionally resonant: "edgy power pop" with "ragged, grungy edges" that prevented the melodies from becoming too pretty . The Robb Brothers' production at Cherokee Studios emphasized acoustic textures while maintaining the band's punk energy—"butterscotch streetlamps" and warm, live-feeling recordings that let Dando's songs speak for themselves . The sound is characterized by: - **Jangly, melodic guitars** that nod to R.E.M. and The Byrds - **Brief, compact song structures** (most tracks clock in under 3 minutes) - **Dynamic interplay** between electric and acoustic instrumentation - **Juliana Hatfield's harmonies**, which add "lemon zest" brightness to tracks like "Bit Part" ### Standout Musical Moments **"Rockin' Stroll"** opens the album with childhood nostalgia translated into propulsive, heartfelt rock. **"The Turnpike Down"** incorporates country-tinged slide guitar, while **"Ceiling Fan In My Spoon"** embraces grunge-inspired distortion . **"My Drug Buddy"** features a soulful organ and stands as perhaps the album's most musically restrained yet emotionally devastating moment . --- ## Lyrics: Cinematic Storytelling and Emotional Rawness ### Narrative Approach Dando's lyrics on *Ray* take on a "cinematic quality," painting vivid images of the people and places he encountered during his transformative time in Australia . The album is "stuffed with colourful personalities," from Alison Galloway (the real-life Alison who was "starting to happen") to Tom Morgan's roommate Nicole (the titular "Drug Buddy") . ### Key Themes **Disappearance and Loss** The title track—co-written with Smudge's Tom Morgan—originated from a newspaper headline Dando spotted in Australia about either TV presenter Ray Martin losing his job or a Melbourne vagrant known simply as "Ray." Dando described it as "a very open-ended, grey sort of song" about "a disappearing person" . The haunting line *"Some things need to go away"* captures the album's preoccupation with absence and the complicated relief of letting go . **Drug Use and Addiction** Critics have noted that *Ray* is "as much a junkie album as *Nevermind*," though it wears its pharmaceutical blanket more subtly . "My Drug Buddy" is the centerpiece—a "beautifully raw and honest depiction" of scoring speed in Sydney's suburbs and the hollow intimacy of addiction. The line *"I'm too much with myself, I want to be someone else"* stands as Dando's most open confession, revealing the alienation beneath the camaraderie . **Failed Relationships and Divorce** "Confetti"—written about Dando's parents' divorce—explores "the way people go along with a relationship without really caring about it, just to keep the other person happy" . "Bit Part" uses acting terminology ("cameo," "walk-on," "stand-in") to express desperate longing for connection, even peripheral ones . **Aimlessness and Self-Discovery** "Rudderless" gives the album its emotional thesis: *"Like a ship without a rudder is like a ship without a rudder"*—a meditation on lacking direction that resonates whether applied to drug addiction or simply "ascending into adulthood" . --- ## Production: The Robb Brothers and Cherokee Studios The Robb Brothers (Dee, Joe, and Bruce) brought both technical expertise and an impressive rolodex to the sessions. They recruited session musicians like guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Barry Goldberg (Bob Dylan's keyboard player), creating what Dando recalled as a "wild" atmosphere—Baxter famously placed his gun and Amtrak police badge on the console as a warning: "Don't fuck with me!" . The production philosophy emphasized: - **Organic, live energy** harnessed through Cherokee Studios' unique acoustics - **Acoustic-driven arrangements** that softened the band's punk edge without sacrificing vitality - **Innovative recording techniques**, including unconventional guitar track overlapping on the title song Guest appearances from Juliana Hatfield (bass and vocals), Rick James, and even Johnny Depp (who appeared in the title track's music video) added layers to the collaborative spirit . --- ## Cultural Impact and Legacy ### Commercial Performance The album initially struggled to find its audience. Its breakthrough came through the unexpected success of the "Mrs. Robinson" cover—recorded in two hours in Germany to commemorate *The Graduate*'s 25th anniversary. Atlantic Records tacked it onto reissues despite Dando's objections ("It wasn't a very respectful cover... it sullied [the album]") . The single became a Top 20 hit in the UK and Australia, pushing the album to gold status . ### Critical Reception *Ray* has aged remarkably well. Pitchfork awarded it 8.4/10, and retrospective reviews consistently praise its "joyous" spirit and "30 minutes of guitar-pop perfection" . Consequence of Sound described the title track as "among the best releases of the decade (if not beyond)" . ### Influence The album helped define the "slacker pop" aesthetic of the early '90s—melodic, slightly detached, yet emotionally vulnerable. Its influence can be traced through subsequent indie-pop and alternative rock, with critics comparing its brilliance to The Kinks, early Undertones, and Wipers . Everett True described it as capturing "what it's like to live hard and fast and loose and happy with likeminded buddies, fuelled by a shared love for similar bands and drugs and booze and freedom" . --- ## Pros and Cons ### Strengths | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **Songcraft** | Economical, perfectly formed pop songs that "leave you wanting more" | | **Emotional Resonance** | Deceptively light songs carry genuine pathos and vulnerability | | **Vocal Performance** | Dando's "warm, sometimes slightly wistful and bittersweet vocal" conveys heartfelt sincerity rather than detached irony | | **Production** | The Robb Brothers' approach lets the songs breathe while maintaining energy | | **Brevity** | At ~30 minutes, the album is "short and sweet" with no filler | | **Collaborative Chemistry** | Juliana Hatfield's contributions and the Sydney scene influence add unique texture | ### Weaknesses | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **"Mrs. Robinson"** | The forced inclusion "sullied" the album's artistic coherence; Paul Simon reportedly hated the cover | | **Uniformity** | Some critics note the album's consistency borders on sameness—"playing the same song over and over again" | | **Lightness** | Contemporary detractors viewed it as "soulless jangly indie pop" or "REM at home"—a backlash against grunge that stripped away emotion | | **Context Dependency** | The album's charms are deeply rooted in its early-'90s moment; some listeners find it hasn't aged as well as grunge contemporaries | | **Live Inconsistency** | Dando's subsequent struggles with addiction meant the band could never reliably reproduce the album's magic on stage | --- ## Conclusion *It's A Shame About Ray* stands as a singular achievement—a brief, perfect snapshot of Evan Dando's songwriting peak before celebrity and addiction derailed his trajectory. It captures the "strangely cheerful malaise" of early '90s alternative rock, blending punk energy with acoustic intimacy, confessional lyrics with catchy hooks . The album's genius lies in its contradictions: it's a "druggy album" that sounds like sunshine; a collection of two-minute pop songs that carry surprising emotional weight; a document of aimlessness that demonstrates remarkable focus and craft. As one critic noted, it "can make all seem well in the world" for 30 minutes, even as it hints at the "mess that Evan Dando would soon become" . Thirty years later, it remains "a time capsule" of a specific moment in alternative rock—a moment when jangle-pop could sit comfortably alongside grunge, when vulnerability didn't require distortion, and when a song about a disappearing man named Ray could feel like the most important story in the world .

Sounds like a sweltering hot summers day, there are some classics in here, but also a lot of mediocrity.

This isn't bad per se, but it's pretty boring. It's like a pastiche of the most forgettable parts of 90s rock: non-descript electric rhythm guitar, like someone had bleached all the tone from whatever amps they used in post, with someone who can't quite sing pretending to sing/talk at the same time, drums that may as well have been programmed, and song structures that feel like they were written to be tv/movie opening/credits backing. I really have no idea why this is on here.

Lovable, accessible punk. They make me want to smoke some pot and go skating. Their cover of Mrs. Robinson joins the rarified air of excellent S&G covers.

Great cover of "Mrs. Robinson" on this album (or at least the later versions of it). I didn't listen to every single track very closely, but it was another album that I really enjoyed in the background throughout the day. Despite the fact that I was mostly listening to this album in the background, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter's slide guitar playing absolutely grabbed my attention on "Hannah & Gabi." I have to appreciate an album with at least a little variety across all the tracks. I also really liked some of the interesting open chords used in "Bit Part" — they sound a bit like the kind of open and suspended chords that are used in today's math/prog rock.

Love the 90s rock sound. The Mrs. Robinson cover is great.

Digging this. Very nostalgic, very 90s sounding. Really liked the simplicity, and just raw vibes throughout. Definitely ends on a high note with the addition of the Mrs. Robinson cover. I really appreciate music that can transport you to the time in which it was made. This gives that window in some odd way, like it just exuded this energy, flashbacks to what it must have felt to listen to this on release date. (It was a little bit before my time). Although I missed listening to it back when it was released. I am glad this popped up as a little underrated gem on the list. This could easy fall into the river of albums that sit somewhere in the middle at a 3. But I personally think it deserves a little more love than it gets.

Not for me

Just the best. I still love Evan Dando after all these years - the three 90s albums are all great. This one, with Juliana Hatfield's backing vocals, is exquisite. Every song a banger - or whatever the slacker equivalent would be. It must be stressed that this album should be listened to without the addition of Mrs Robinson which would come along and ruin the vibe after Frank Mills.

Never heard really loved

Mrs Robinson is the famous song

Decent listen

The version I listened to included some demo versions. I found I liked these versions much more, and I wonder how the band felt about the change in sound. Was this album how they wanted things to sound? Was this how the record company thought they should sound? Is it both? Either way, I found the album release version very same-y. It's 90's alt rock at it's most genre-confirming.

kai iyo mara iseti ara ro yuradgeba mimeqcia

lembro de um amigo que passou um tempo considerável viciado nesse álbum a uns anos... na época eu achava legal, depois de escutar dessa vez eu achei bem mediano, pra baixo n tem nada marcante, nada especial, é só um álbum de indie do seu tempo

bom eh isso aí né. indiezim power pop com umas guitarrinhas até que interessantes não tem nada demais. mas eh gostosim no azeite. bão pra botar e ir trabaiá, fazer uma coisa chata, sei lá. eh bacana o cover deles de mrs robinson trás memórias. gosto mto!!!

Jangly indie rock with muddier guitars and 90s apathy in place of the jangle. It’s…fine. Of its time. 3 stars, 2 if yours has Mrs Robinson on it

Excellent 90s vibe. Fast pop to slow, lamenting ballads. Great encapsulation of the decade in alternative.

Прикольно, но ещё прикольнее скорость с которой этот альбом вылетел из моей памяти

Приятненькая альтернатива из 90х, которая хорошо и интересно звучит, но не особо запоминается.

Жесть, разблокировано воспоминание. Забыла о них совсем, хотя по молодости сохраняла фоточки Эвана Дандо с тамблера. Вот это супер моя музыка. Нормальные гитары, харизматичный голос и мотивы три прихлопа два притопа, но с грустинкой. Звучит очень по-оазисовски. Они вместе турили, дружили и даже пытались что-то вместе записать. Вот такое я готова слушать 24/7. Очень понравилось.

Недавно подсел на просмотр записей эфиров mtv и mtv2 на ютубе. Этот альбом Lemonheads звучит как все усредненное забытое альтроковое из года 94го, что мне попадается в подобных эфирах. Но обложка прикольная. Upd. На спотике залит Expanded Edition альбома, я изначально планировал послушать только основу и Mrs Robinson, но дела завлекли, а релиз пошел дальше играть, и чет демки этих же песен мне гораздо больше понравились, очень уютные и ламповые.

Лучшая песня: Ms Robinson Худшая: Все остальное Очередная безликая музяка с ленивым вокалом чувака, которого будто заставляют петь. Даже кавер на Саймон и Гарфанкел звучит уныло

пару песен норм, но глобально неинтересно, 3

Не совсем поняла, что этот альбом в принципе делает в подборке. Достаточно базовое гитарное звучание, неужели один -единственный кавер на Саймона и Гарфункеля имеет такой вес? Плюс были сложности в прослушивании первой половины альбома из-за проблем со связью. Вторая его часть с демоверсиями тех же треков показалась душевнее что ли

2.08

I thought was just OK and then I found out this guy sucks.

Eh

sweet blast from the past, I remember we loved this album when it came out, just the right amt. of riffs and angst mixed w the right amt. of melodic loveliness. Everybody dissed them and Evan Dando, but listening more than 30yrs later was a pleasure! Not Suede - that can stay in the vaults TYVM..

This one is like the guy in high school who was unusually kind, had a soft touch, and seemed to know his way around. Almost like he was raised by a single mother. He has appreciation and a softer side.

Sometimes you get the album you need. No idea how this all works so well but it does. It just works. It's near perfect pop with just enough 90s thrown in. Bravo.

Not a bad album at all. An easy enough listening. Better than other bands from the same genre and period

It's a decent 90's alt rock album. Didn't really move the needle for me, but wasn't bad. 3/5 Probably won't listen again

It’s a shame about remembering this album after it ends. 4/10

Good but having played it back after a number of years I don’t think it is amazing

Overall, not a bad album, it was alright having it in the background, but maybe a little bit meh listening to it nowadays.

This album is a time machine back to the 90's, and I am shameless when I say that I love it for that. I've never heard of The Lemonheads, and after the lull of albums I've had my hopes were at an all-time low here, especially with alt rock always giving me pause. But the first tracks were way more fun than I anticipated. It's poppier than most alt rock I've heard, which of course leans more into my preferences. There's almost a bit of ska mixed in here, or at least whatever element of 90's music also leeched over into ska. Sure it's not perfect or dripping with heavy, emotional themes or lyrics like some of the highly-renowned grunge and alt rock bands of the time, but there are more songs on this album that I'd listen to again than in all of the four Radiohead albums I've listened to so far combined. 4.5/5 Highlights: Confetti It's a Shame About Ray My Drug Buddy Alison's Starting to Happen Frank Mills Mrs. Robinson

Some lovely songs on here, but also some, ultimately, forgettable.

There were good songs, but nothing exemplary.

Very basic but fun album. It’s a bit too repetitive. The riffs, and none of the songs really, are nothing to write home about, but they still enjoyable. Not much more to say. Simple album but nice and easy to listen to. 7/10

I liked this more than I thought I would. Easy listening early 90's alt/indie.

This album was fine. It sounds good, but it didn’t do much to grab my interest and was just kinda there.

It's a Shame About Evan Dando Masturbating in Front of That Poor Woman

Listened halfway through to my way to work and I still don't get this pop punk stuff, it's way too sanitized and boring to me, probably 2 stars

Maybe a 4. Will relisten after more albums

It's albums like these that make this project so worth it for me. Cozy and fun at the same time, so good!!!

Punk. Music all the same.

- ..... meh. -

Vocalist sounds sedated.

This had a 70’s sound.

Muy bueno de escucharr, lo haria otra vez, tiene esencia de esa epoca, me gusto muchoo

me gusto

Breezy indie rock from 1992 that sort of drifts by without much of an impact. A cheeky cover of Mrs Robinson by Simon & Garfunkel is by far the best thing on here with the rest of the tracks being a case of diminishing returns with dour lyrics about taking drugs, homeless teens and cheating in relationships, over the top of jangly guitars. Giving this two stars for Mrs Robinson alone

Surprised to see so little love for this here. Sure, the sound may seem quite 'generic gen-x indie' - especially to today's ears - but the songs? Fantastic. If you just let this one wash over you because of it's genial, laid-back vibe, you might want to go back for a closer listen. Dando is a hot mess, but he's tossed off better songs in his sleep than most people manage in their whole careers.

Solid pop rock - singable but not super extraordinary

mh nicht so gut gealtert na ja ...c

Good but not amazing

I was expecting more punk and less pop, skimming through the catalog it seems like their earlier albums might appeal more to me. Some songs sucked me in (title track, Alison’s starting to happen) but much of it get a little bland. 2.3 if you don’t consider the Mrs Robinson cover part of the album, 3.0 if it counts.

2.5

Hate that Mrs Robinson cover. The rest is fine.

It's a shame this album took up a spot on this list.

didnt expect to like this but I kinda did lol x

Woah, surprising off the bat - upbeat, theme songy start. upbeat folk rock? really easy listening, good road trip music, feels like a soundtrack to a show for sure. Better than I was expecting, 4/5

picks: it's a shame about ray, mrs.robinson

Yeah, this was fun in the 90s, but it was not exactly groundbreaking. Indie rock with folky overtones. Still fun to listen to.

2026.03.03.

It's jangly, it's harmless, it's simple and it's fine. I don't understand why it belongs on this list.

I was really excited to listen to this for the first time in forever. For some reason, this album encapsulates more of the slacker ethos of the time. Don't know why, but that's how I feel. Didn't hold up as much on this relisten. Oh well. These things happen.

Shallow but cozy as a cardigan.

Has to be one of the most mainstream sounding alternative bands of the 90's. It's not bad but it really doesn't stand out in the crowd. Their biggest song on Deezer is the Mrs Robinson cover with the groovy bassline and that's the most memorable one to me. It was a pleasant enough way to fill up 40 minutes but I don't really think I'll listen to it again. It kind of feels like one of those albums you have to grow up with to form a bond with it.

Good on the more acoustic, chill and slow songs, but not something I would probably come back to. Low rating probably due to the comparative context of this list. I think theres probably better stuff in the 90s that could replace this one. Interesting to listen something new though

One of the most middle-of-the-road albums I have ever heard. There is nothing here that is bad, but there is nothing here that is good. This sounds like if R.E.M. or The Smiths challenged each other to write the blandest most boring songs imaginable. Mid 3.

Bland, powerless

Very of its time - jangly 90s indie rock inspired by 60s jangle pop (as emphasized by the inclusion of the Mrs Robinson cover). It's fine, but I would've liked more variety in vibe & tempo.

My rating 3.1. Album became better the further along you listened but think other groups with the same sound did it better. Namely the Gin Blossoms.

Kind of cool, but not blown away.

👍🏻

Great energy, quirky little album. Also brings back memories for me, so there is probably a half star nostalgia bonus.

I see Indie and I groan. First thing I do after bringing up an Indie album on this list is check the Wiki to see what the original track listing was so I don’t have to suffer anymore than necessary to hear the album as it was released. Sure enough the album that came up was a Remastered release almost twice as long - whew, dodged a bullet. Then I hit play and before I knew it had listened to the whole thing, didn’t skip a track. Was it great? Hell, it’s not the frigging Beatles, but they can carry a tune and aren’t screaming at you. Plus one for not being anger inducing rubbish.

I don't remember any of their music except for the cover of Mrs. Robinson which apparently Evan Dando hated and only did for a rerelease of The Graduate...what a sell-out. The first two tracks sound like the themes for 90s tv shows. This is like if Foo Fighters did Big Me for every song. I bet Ben Folds loves these guys. This is so forgettable, probably why I forgot it. It is both short and non-offensive, which makes it better than a solid 30% of this project so far.

Yea

This album invoked a feeling of nostalgia in the first handful of tracks, the guitar tone just made me feel nostalgic for old times. Unfortunately, this mood did not permeate through the entire record. 3/5 stars.

Suuuuper easy listen holyyyy. Sounds like the soundtrack to like… one tree hill or the OC or something. Chill 90‘s show filmed on film.

alternative rock, dont like it why its in this list? maybe the cover of mrs robinson was popular

Not bad, nothing that particularly stands out to me

My best mate got really into The Lemonheads like one day before all that shit about their singer came out. That’s funny I guess. This is fine, kind of like the worst of 90s Dinosaur Jr without the great guitar. I think I know them from their cover of Mrs Robinson, but don’t feel I’m missing much else after listening to this.

What a find! This is the kind of experience I was looking for when I started this musical journey. This album is such a distillation of the early 90s. It feels so homey, so comfortable. Like it's April 1993, you and your best buds and maybe your girlfriend are riding your bikes over to the lake after school and this is playing from someone's portable jukebox. I absolutely love the nostalgic feelings that exude from the carefree lyrics, the Smiths-esque guitar, and that organ that pops up every now and again. The song lengths are all so short but it's paced pretty well in terms of upbeat, faster tempos and slowing things down. Ending on their recognizable cover of "Mrs. Robinson" was a nice touch, too. Too bad about their singer being a POS, but it doesn't take away from how good the album was.

Ordinary alternative rock, not too bad, but nothing memorable either.

16/02/2026 Average at best. Spotify listeners: 664.6k

Listened while cleaning up the house. A really pleasant little indie rock album from the early 90s that isn't grunge. It didn't blow me away and I'll probably have forgotten about it by the end of this project but liked it nonetheless.

pretty nice

Aika kevyttä ja hyväntuulista, melkeinpä pop rokkia. Vähän tälläistä yliopisto rokkia. Parhaat: Rudderless, Mrs. Robinson (cover)

And here we have another addition to the 90s Alt-Rock Albums That Were Somehow Included On This List Over The Weezer Blue Album Despite Being Way Less Iconic And Also Less Good Club. Confusing name for a club, I know, but it's the best I've got. How the hell did this get here? Does anyone even remember the Lemonheads? Apparently these guys had a pretty decent hit with their cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson." That's always a good sign, isn't it? When a band's most popular song is a cover of a song from an artist that's already popular? Those bands always go on to have fruitful and worthwhile careers, don't they. Putting the Lemonheads on this list is like if they put Alien Art Farm on the list. It's a stupid idea. No offense to the Lemonheads or Alien Ant Farm, but saying that either of those bands have an entire album that's a must-listen is just baffling. Anyway, the album's okay. It's a pretty average 90s alt-rock album. Not a bad one, just an average one. It's like the definition of a 6/10. The vocals are alright. The writing doesn't have any bad or questionable moments to it. The music behind the album is decent. I don't really have much else to say. There's nothing bad on It's a Shame About Ray, but nothing really stands out to me as top-tier either. It's a decent album, but it's not one that has made much of a mark on history, and it's not better than the Weezer Blue Album. I'm sorry for bringing it up again, but I just can not for the life of me understand how they forgot to include Weezer on this album list! 3/5 for the Lemonheads album.

It was not very memorable for me

Fun alt rock. Not groundbreaking or amazing, but fun regardless. (Doesn't really belong on a list of albums you *must* hear, but it's as good as a lot of other 3 stars.)

Velger å gi meg etter første demo-låt. Gir meg mens leken er sånn halvgod. Ikke fryktelig inspirerende, men ikke direkte møkk.

Son todos los temas iguales

It is a decent record. Evan Dando and Julian Hatfield were very good artists. My favorite song of the Lemonheads not on this record. Also, the cover of Ms. Robinson, is ok. It does have a time and feeling record.

didn't like it then, don't like it now

Was alternative rock a mistake? Did it unleash something upon the world that could never be undone? Whose to blame for Adam Duritz besides the wave of soft toned, slack mouthed hordes of alt rockers blending genres that should have, for all intents and purposes, been left separate? I can't say. I don't know if anyone can. But this album summons vitriol from my soul and I have little but condemnation for it.

meh

Classic alt. This was great

220/1001 The Lemonheads - It's A Shame About Ray Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ Having only heard the cover of Mrs Robinson before, I didn't really know what to expect from this and on first listen, it seems as though it's more of the same vibe. It's fine, but doesn't exactly excite.

Man, the opening guitar chords on this one gave me some hope that I’d enjoy this one. Then the vocals started. Listen, I get that the early nineties was a wild time for alt-rock and grunge but this vocalist should not have been signed to a record deal. His style is so outrageously boring and monotonous. He sounds like the act of recording vocal tracks in the studio is the most boring things he’s ever done, and he just wants to get it over with. There’s nothing there to make this enjoyable. Instrumentally it’s just the same boring kinda distorted guitars, root note bass lines, and boring drumming. I am genuinely baffled that this ended up on the list.

God this album suuuuuuuucks. It took until 14 tracks deep to get to a song that I didn’t actively want to turn off, an under-two minute B-side (“Shaky Ground”) that was apparently bonus material. All of the actual original track listing of the album is grating 90s indie rock slop. Awful, awful.

This just feels really cozy in this low-key, quietly sad way, and for some reason it hit me as weirdly nostalgic even though I don’t have any real history with it. It’s super understated emotionally, like it never fully lets you in, but that kind of works in its favour. The short songs fly by and honestly make it easier to sink into rather than feeling rushed. Lyrically it’s simple and honest, with little lines that catch you off guard instead of trying to be deep. Sonically it’s pure early ’90s slacker-indie charm. By the end I wasn’t blown away, but it just sat with me and is quietly great and very easy to come back to.

Solid 90s pop rock.

This was great from start to finish

Oh, hell yeah. This album is in my power pop wheelhouse. Loved it when it came out and it has improved with age. They were better than most of their 90's peers because of their melodicism and Evan Dando's voice and songwriting. Juliana Hatfield was also a vital part of the band, contributing solid bass and background vocals. Not quite a 5 star album because there are some lesser songs on the second half. It's crazy that the fantastic cover of "Mrs. Robinson" wasn't on the original album but they put it out as a single and added it to the album as a bonus track. Love this one and I didn't realize how much I missed it.

This gets better as it goes on. First few songs feel like pretty generic 90s alternative, but eventually the power pop element really starts to come out, and there's even a touch of alt country with the pedal steel on Hannah & Gabi. Not super impressed with the Simon and Garfunkel cover. I like what I've heard from these guys, more just good rather than anything great though.

it's 3.5

Well, that was more disappointing than I expected, sadly. I'd heard of the Lemonheads before, and certainly heard their title track single on the radio back in the day, but never knew that was theirs, probably because it wasn't all that catchy or compelling (although reading that the title was taken from an Australian newspaper headline about a teenager who'd moved to Sydney and was homeless and was considering prostituting himself to make money certainly makes the song's backstory a bit more interesting). But none of the tracks really do much beyond sounding like they really wanted to be on the "Singles" soundtrack, but somehow couldn't quite make the cut. At times it felt like they have a kind of a tepid take on the mellower side of Husker Du/Bob Mould or even The Meat Puppets, but even that sounds a lot more interesting than the reality. I always *did* like their version of "Mrs. Robinson", though, so there's that going for them (even though I never realized it was *their* cover), and that's really the only reason they get three stars from me.

Good pop; I esp liked the cover of Frank Mills, a song I used to audition with back in the day.

I'm not sure if I have many strong thoughts about this one. It's good. It's consistent. It whips along at a fair old pace, and even though there's some variation in there it still somehow all feels very similar. The drums and guitars are kind of the same throughout, without anything really pushing the envelope. However it's nothing other than very listenable. 3.5 rounded down.

Mrs Robinson sounded cool

Dreary.

Short and sweet

Was alright, and I agree it is a shame about ray.

I reviewed the wrong album! This was good in a way.

A lot of the songs sounded the same. Not a bad thing since it flowed well but not a strong listen.

Enjoyed it, but did drag on after the first half Standout songs: Rockin Stroll Its a shame about ray

Enjoyable enough album without being anything that will live long in the memory

Good Rudderless the best

Ho him. So what?

I remember seeing The Lemonheads at my college for free. And yes, this album epitomizes college 90's rock. Listening now, it's fine but doesn't leave much of a dent.

It's hard to figure out what to say about the Lemonheads. Decent stuff, pretty standard for its era, but nothing super engaging. If this came on the radio, I'd be fine with it, but I don't really see myself saying "hey, I really want to listen to some Lemonheads right now".

Solid 90's alternative, but nothing really special about it.

Fall in the category of nice but easily forgettable. The album is fine but could not find any outstanding song. Future listen might change this

Should have heard this when I was 12. It is pretty catchy at times but I don't connect with it on any kind of meaningful way.

Enjoyed this one more than I could imagine. Heard Johnston, heard Neutral Milk, heard the bands like Everclear that my best friend from highschool used to put after school. Never really realized they made that cover of Mrs. Robinson which I loved as a kid. Nothing trascendental but it was a fine listen.

I’d don’t enjoy this feeling of the 90s.

idk what i just listened to

eh, it was fast. Basement album

Meh

I had to listen to this before I die??

Un grupo con buenas canciones, buena presencia, pero lejos demasiado lejos de los puntales de Boston (Pixies, Dinosaur Jr., Galaxie 500) o de otros ilustres como Buffalo Tom, Come, Throwing Muses, Después del comercialmente decepcionante Lovey una año antes, este sí que tuvo éxito. Entre este It´s a shame y el posterior Come on Feel the Lemonheads es difícil elegir. Tal vez el último por el que para mí es su mejor tema: I'll Do It Anyway con la ilustre Belinda Carlisle. De este It´s a shame destacan Confetti, la titular It's a Shame About Ray, la alegre The Turnpike Down, el power popAlison's Starting to Happen, el sonido countyr de Hannah & Gabi (de lo mejor del lote), Sin embargo, a mi, Rudderless, My drug Buddy, Ceiling Fan in My Spoon o Bit Part no me dicen gran cosa prefería las citadas antes u otras como Wilco o sobre todo a los JayHawks (por no hablar de Sonic Youth) , ahora bien las bandas indies del Xixón Sound suspiraban por ellos (Australian Blonde sin ir más lejos) . Kitchen es un buen ejemplo de ello. Juliana Hatfield hace un trabajo soberbio al bajo en todo el disco. Versiones de Hair en Frank Mills y de El Graduado con los Simon and Garfunkel de Mrs Robinson, de gran éxito entonces y en su versión de los 90 que aporta poco a la original. Jangle grunge fue una buena etiqueta, pero Jangle eran REM y mucho mejores, pero Dando era más guapo. Una lástima que su inspiración no llegara lejos.

For a band from the 80's with such a sour and wry name this record comes across as very earnest and pleasant. More like The Minty Antacids. I do hear some Hüsker Dü in there, but leaning more toward sappy steel guitar and Monkees wholesomeness. It's a nice band, but the demons possessing me revolted. I know it's just me, but I needed a blasting, bombastic palate cleanser after half an hour working up to dry heaves.

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Good fun, not sure it really stands out relative to the other music released around this time.

It's a shame Evan was too cute at the time and it took another 20 years before I gave this record a chance. In the 90s, it could be hard to take seriously the bands floated on My So-Called Life or in Sassy magazine, where the cool of thrift-store, ultra-lite grunge was elevated to be better co-opted. The Lemonheads' jangly slacker take on The Replacements has an easy, casual charm that could be dismissed at the time due to general Dando saturation. Overall, the record is tamer and more pop-oriented than I prefer, but I can't deny its time capsule catchiness — like an oversized plaid flannel shirt — every once in a while you could just put one of them on, you know?

more music you'd hear in a 90s teenage coming of age movie

Mediocre Alternative Rock from America - nothing special. Best track is their cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" which wasn't on the original album release.

Could definitely hear one of these songs in a 90s coming of age movie. Mrs.Robinson is a fire song

1/23/26. Just meh, thought a lot of the songs went nowhere but still sounded okay. To my ear, it's REM with Scott Weiland as the front man with a straightforward pop sense.

Well, partly nice, partly not. One of so many average albums here on this list. One wonders why (and it is not a matter of taste - this album has not contributed anything to the history of music).

Pleasant - didn't realise this contains Mrs Robinson.

oh yes!! one tree hill rock vibes.

Ein album das man nicht versteht, Nicht mein Ding

It's alright! Very inoffensive, but very samey and like...I mean inoffensive in a derogatory way haha. I did like Shakey Ground though, and the woman's rage intro at the start of Bit Part.

Has some understated and pleasant guitar work, with catchy chorus. Really like rudderless

This album is included on this list becasue of the song Mrs. Robinson and not much else. 3/10

There's something interesting out there somewhere, but can't put my finger on it.

Cool

OH MY!!! I had lost contact with the great band! The (mighty mighty) Lemonheads! Mmm... This is most definitely right up my alley! The blending of genres and lyrical qualities... like dad rock, new wave, post-punk, surf rock, even country is still refreshing as it was "back in the day." What a great band! So happy to be reunited! Mega bonus to the album generator!

One great cover, the rest soso

You can always rely on The Lemonheads

I enjoyed the tempo of the album but couldn’t quite get right into it. Shane

Lots of lovely jangly pop. Not grabbing me in the feelys. But could imagine putting it on in the background for a mellow afternoon. Definition of a 3*

Like a Rich Tea biscuit. Completely inoffensive.

Прикольный альбом из 90-х, никогда ранее не слышала об этой группе. Добавила 1 трек в избранное, но каких-то особенных эмоций альбом мне не выдал

Every song on this album was the same. I don't get why this needed a full album. That 1 song wasn't bad, but I was hoping for something more than that.

I don't know what style of rock I'd call this. It's nothing groundbreaking, but it's easy to listen to, definitely easy to come back to. It's also just good music. I might check out more from this band in the future

See those little black boxes? They are called telephones. I’m gonna let you in on a little secret about these telephones. They’re not gonna dial themselves! Okay? Without you, they’re just worthless hunk of plastic. Like a loaded M16 without a trained Marine to pull the trigger. And in the case of the telephone, it’s up to each and every one of you, my highly trained Strattonites, my killers. My killers who will not take no for an answer! My fucking warriors who’ll not hang up the phone, until their client either buys or fucking dies! Let me tell you something. . I’ve been a rich man, and I’ve been poor man. And I choose rich every fucking time. Cause, At least as a rich man, when I have to face my problems, I show up in the back of a limo wearing a $2000 suit …and $40,000 gold fuckin’ watch! Now, if anyone here thinks I’m superficial or materialistic. Go get a job at fucking McDonald’s, because that’s where you fucking belong! But, before you depart this room full of winners, I want you to take a good look at the person next to you, go on. Because sometime in the not-so-distant future, you’re pullin’ up to a red light in your beat-up old fucking Pinto, and that person’s gonna pull up right alongside you in a brand new Porsche, with their beautiful wife by his side, whose got big voluptuous tits. And who will you be next to? Some disgusting wilder beast with three days of razor-stubble in a sleeveless moo-moo, crammed in next to you with a carload full of groceries from the fucking Price Club! That’s who you’re gonna be sitting next to. So, you listen to me and you listen well. Are you behind, on your credit card bills? Good. Pick up the phone and start dialing. Is your landlord ready to evict you? Good. Pick up the phone and start dialing. Does your girlfriend think you’re a fucking loser? Good. Pick up the phone and start dialing! I want you to deal with your problems, by becoming rich! All you have to do today …is pick up that phone, and speak the words that I have taught you. And I’ll make you richer than the most powerful CEO of the United States of fucking America. I want you to go out there, and I want you to RAM Steve Madden stock down your clients’ throats. Till they fucking choke on it till they choke on it and buy 100,000 shares! That’s what I want you to do. You’ll be ferocious! You’ll be relentless! You’ll be telephone fucking terrorists! Now, let’s knock this Motherfucker out of the park!

stale, so so stale

Easy background listening

Nice album with interesting acoustic demos (extended version), which I sometimes preferred.

I enjoyed it! Cover of Mrs. Robinson gives me joy

I just feel like it’s missing something…idk “I’ll put the cobwebs back in place” Okay it gets better as it goes on

pretty okay. kind of nothing special, but like my ears weren’t hurting after listening rating: 4.5/10 fav track: mrs robinson (not even by them)

I know that some people consider this a classic, but is it? Really? It's surprising when hearing it again after 30 years just how mid it is. A couple of good songs, but mostly not, and the whole album sounds pretty crappy. There's a reason that the Lemonheads are more of a footnote to the 90s, and this album is part of it.

A very melancholic album I think my favourite from this album is rudderless or Allison’s staring to happen.

I love it! This is by far my favorite since I love the punk rock music vibe. It reminds me of all of my favorite songs when I was 13 years old.

Some of the most generic “alternative” music I’ve ever heard.

I love this type of interchangeable faceless 90’s alt rock! Great walking music with a good nostalgic vibe despite not knowing any song apart from ‘Mrs Robinson’. Nothing too special but I liked it.

C'est un album un peu bizarre, un petit peu punk dans l'esprit, très pop avec un côté un peu edgy, que je saurais pas vraiment définir. Y'a une bonne énergie et c'est vraiment sympa à écouter, mais c'est pas non plus un groupe sur lequel j'aurais particulièrement envie de revenir.

I love this record. Evan Dando is such a good songwriter. His lyrics are so quirky, at times dark, but always with a charm that is undeniable. The playing is great and I have a soft spot for this kind of sound: grungy electric guitar, acoustic guitar and melodic bass.

I've tried a number of times with this album. It's never truly clicked. I can hear that the songs are there, but something holds them back. Can't put my finger on it. I listened on Spotify, which has the demos after the album. I love the demos. The songs shine. They should have kept the songs smaller and cosier, like the demos.

Solid catchy pop rock. Sort of like pavement but less experimental. I like this kind of straightforward evocative songwriting, even while acknowledging it has its limitations. It’s a shame about Ray always makes me feel something, as does my drug buddy. Maybe because I remember Sean’s dad randomly loving the lemonheads so this reminds me of childhood. This is a nitpick but with such spare instrumentation, I think a lot of these songs could use a heavier bottom end. The bass could ground these light songs more and make them hit a little harder.

I’ll always appreciate a rock album over a critically acclaimed art piece. This delivers some solid rockers. Not quite REM level high tempo tracks, but I get that same happy feeling with a fresh sound. I liked Rockin Stroll, Confetti, Mrs Robinson. Pushing close to 4 stars, but not quite

I bet this album would rule if you grew up hearing it a lot. To my new ears though it’s boring - nothing really surprising in chords, song structure, melody, production. Might prefer Sepultura to this. This week I saw a video of Third Eye Blind playing “Graduate” live back in the 90s, and I’ve been replaying that self-titled album a lot. That’s a 90s album that ticks those boxes. Incredible album, so many hits, and looking at the other contemporary albums in this list, a crazy omission.

6/10

LOVE The Lemonheads!

Solid outing. Rounding a 3.4 down to a 3... Sorry Lemonheads.

Dull

Kinda reminded me of Social Distortion. I dug this album. Not really something I'd want to listen to constantly, but not bad at all.

I like this. It’s not changing my world view or anything, but happy to listen to it.

Honestly while I won’t return to this as rock just isn’t my jam outside of some particular things this kinda hits the spot? Feels like great background music (not criticism)

This is just a genuinely good time from start to finish, but it stays in this polite, jangly pocket instead of fully letting loose. Like, laid back slacker vibe but with actual polish. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - It's A Shame About Ray - Rudderless - My Drug Buddy - Mrs. Robinson

Nichts Spezielles.

It’s a Shame About Ray feels instantly familiar to this Gen-Xer, even though I’d never really heard The Lemonheads before (aside from the “Mrs. Robinson” cover). The music is loose and jangly, packed with solid hooks and an easygoing momentum. Evan Dando’s delivery is noticeably detached—almost aloof—floating above the driving rhythms in a way that feels both cool and slightly removed. The whole album carries the vibe of a band playing a frat-party set that’s better than it has any right to be, with lyrics that swing between genuinely poignant and casually funny. It’s an enjoyable listen, and its charm lies in how effortlessly it wears its melancholy.

Lyder ikke dårligt men meget banalt. Stor 1er

Fint nok. Meget 90er.

Decent but generic 90s white guy soft rock

Phenomenal. Seriously underrated.

25. its spot on the list is questionable

This is a GREAT album from the early 90's. No notes. Pitchfork: 8.4 Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs (seriously, all the songs....) Confetti It's A Shame About Ray Rudderless Bit Part Alison's Starting To Happen Hannah & Gabi Kitchen Frank Mills Mrs. Robinson

Really didn't like this era of music. Seemed like Grunge Lite and everything sounded the same from so many bands. Lost interest in listening to music during the early 90s due to this.

Really ended up enjoying this one and checking out their other stuff as well.

Not much variety in the music. No track really stands out. It feels a bit safe.

It was good but sounded like 100 other bands from the same time

7/10

Nothing got me going in this album. It was dry from start to finish. Mrs. Robertson was the only song kind of ok. But even then.

Pretty good alt rock actually. I'm surprised there were a few more good songs than just Ms Robinson. I could revisit this.

Concise, cute, cocky, candescent, captivating, catchy, cathartic, charming, cheeky, cheerful, childlike, comely and cuddly. The cover of Mrs Robinson was a bit of a distraction from a great compilation of short original songs that are over too soon but is kinda perfect for that. A fan of it at the time and still sounds wonderful. And Dando was kinda cute too (& a lot of the other c words). Personally I prefer it ending as originally intended with Frank Mills.

i love loser music

This was a pretty good album, though Spotify kept playing random shit in between the songs so idk what songs were actually on the album…

Far from the sour suggestion of their name, this record is full of sweet tunes that won’t leave a bad aftertaste. But really - in the landscape of early 90s Alt Rock, The Lemonheads occupy a melodic and lightly overdriven space somewhere between the raw angst of every grunge band and the poetic earnestness of bands like Counting Crows. Listening to this album actually kept reminding me of the softer parts of the first Foo Fighters record, if that tells you anything. You might know the cover of “Mrs. Robinson” from this record. I didn't feel like I needed to skip anything, but I also didn't save any new 'liked songs'. It’s a fun album to throw on for a change of pace.

what an absolute banger. had so much listening to this faves: rockin' stroll, confetti and it’s a shame about ray

I knew the Mrs. Robinson cover. Breezy fun, fine in the moment

3.5

Jangly early 90s rock. Meh.

It’s a solid, enjoyable album that goes down easy.

This was awesome. I've only known the Mrs Robinson cover before this. I didn't expect a soul asylum type 1992 alternative album, but I loved this. I'm gonna revisit this one again for sure.

Some pretty solid 90s alt rock here

This is one of my go-to albums when I'm feeling down. It's not a particularly happy or calming record, but it captures a feeling of yearning so acutely. Desperation, exhaustion, aimlessness, maybe a bit of optimism. All coated in goofy bravado. It's like they had that painful ache of youth along with the foreknowledge that it never really goes away in adulthood. A work that makes my own alienation feel less debilitating. It's the sort of album where a cover of 'Mrs. Robinson' makes sense as the closer. Favorite tracks: Rudderless, Bit Part, idk all of it really.

If you like this kind of music, man is this a great example of it. And I really, really like this kind of music. I've had a lousy week, and I swear a fog lifted when this started playing. I was transported to a better world for a little bit. And that's pretty much all I want from music.

I’m glad this album is included in the list because I feel like the Lemonheads are underrated. At least nowadays they’ve been kind of forgotten and lost among their peers of 90s indie/alt rock. But the Lemonheads are really good and worth remembering!

Not a favourite. If there were a perfectly middle-ground album, this is it.

I worked in an office where a main project was designing a cock and balls in Alaska that could be seen from space. The night before a progress meeting on said project, I went to an Evan Dando solo show. The project manager has wanted to come to the show, but couldn’t, due to some poor life prioritisation in his part. At the start of the meeting, I told the PM the show was fine overall, but Mr Dando seemed a bit sad. The PM then spent the next 20 minutes sketching pictures of a glum Evan Dando on the whiteboard, based on my description of him. I still have the meeting minutes somewhere. The cock and balls was late and over budget, but it got built.

Enjoyed this more than I expected to after the first song. It’s breezy, subtly sweet, of-its-time rock music. Felt like hanging out with an old friend in board shorts. I’d give it a 3.5 if I could.

Jangly guitars are go! Sounds very of its era now. Not very original to be honest. Just sounds like any number of bands from that time. It’s decent. Not really doing much for me. 2.5 rounded down to a 2

Heavy, but too monotone!

nothing

4.5

It's a Mix of 90s as Alt & jangle pop with healthy dose of Elvis Costello quirkiness as well (8.75) ★★★★

Nice jangly power pop. 4 stars

Probably more than any other album, this album reminds me of college. It's a jangly alterna-pop classic that really embodies the sound of the early 90s. Evan Dando has a knack for writing catchy hooks about the sometimes shady, drugged out slackers in his life. Juliana Hatfield joins the band on bass, and her and Dando's voices sound awesome together. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter also makes an appearence on slide guitar. Tons of great songs here -- "Rockin' Stroll", "Confetti", "My Drug Buddy" (the best song about falling in love with the person you do drugs with) and the title track. It also ends with a wonderfully quirky cover of "Frank Mills" from the musical *Hair*, which fits the album so perfectly, you wouldn't know it was a cover. 5 stars.

4.5

If life gives you Lemonheads put Evan Dando and his bandmates into a big electric juicer and make some Lemonheadsade from it. Other than the taste of Lemonheadsade, the only really sucky thing here is their band name. Musically it’s pretty rad and kinda like Hüsker Dü or Nirvana if they were mainly into clean jangly 60s pop and had just a tiny bit of added early 90s skater slacker ethos. Melodically it is really bright and chirpy throughout even if the tunes aren’t always exactly memorable and there are some cute cowabunga skater girl harmonies that pop up now and then. It hits a strong streak in the middle but does tail off near the end and it is quite a short album anyway at 29 minutes which is a bit sketchy. If Lemonheads haven’t got anything going right now they could remake this album from a Star Wars angle and call it It’s A Shame About Rey.

2.5 sounds like the soundtrack to some sitcom like Friends.

Lemonheads are pretty fun.

'I'm still aware of little, but I'm gonna try'; 'It slipped my mind that I could use my brain.' The Lemonheads makes short and catchy tracks that unite the lyricism of Elvis Costello w/ the slacker poses of Pavement. Yet, their catchiness never catches fire, and as one song starts to bleed into another, Evan Dando's voice dawdles and exasperates more and more. It's a shame - I dig their ethos of simplicity and curtness - but they simply don't explore enuf for me to bother: their enervation spells out an indifference even the grandest slackers don't assume. Their cover of S&G is, in fact, the best 3 mins on the record, which says a lot about their inability to invent a serious or memorable sound. The nineties had a whole lot to offer better than this.

'Mrs. Robinson' is a bit of a hard carry for an otherwise pretty alright album.

It’s ok But this album has such a reputation (or at least it did with the cooler kids when I was a teenager) that I think I expected more

The only reason I am not rating this as a "one-star album" is that it houses one of the greatest cover songs ever recorded. Pretty forgettable.

This album would have gone CRAZY in the early 90s. Very steeped in its era of alt-rock and it's a good listen. fav tracks: Alison's Starting To Happen, Mrs. Robinson

Kinda sounded like a a budget Elvis Costello. Good song writing, a fun cover. Solid album.

This is shockingly dull. Not much to say, but I really cannot see how this is different from any of the other poprock acts of the 90s-00s. I guess it's useful as an example of what was going on? This is a 2 at best. And only because it's not actively offensive to my ears.

Wasn’t familiar with a band, though I’m sure I’d heard their “Mrs. Robinson” cover before. This was pretty good! They must have taken a page out of the Beatles’ playbook, because almost every track is short and to the point. The longest track is the aforementioned cover. The titular song is really good, though I actually liked the demo version more as it’s slower and gloomier. All in all, pretty enjoyable! 4/5

I loved, loved, LOVED this one in high school. I think it's mostly held up, though it feels very of its time. 4 stars for nostalgia.

1st song. Kinda reminds me of REM in the oddest way with the lyrics that feel almost too fast for the tune itself, Definitely starts running. Suprised this is early 90s and not mid 90s 2nd song. Gives Greenday Vibes in the pop punk feel, but specifically the earlier (and better) Greenday albums. Some great guitar work but I'm not hooked on the singing yet. 3rd song. Not my favorite so far, sounds like something off a burnout soundtrack and unfortunately not in a good way. Cool post chorus transitioning into the next verse though! I like how breezy and fast these songs have been so far but I wonder if that leads them feeling a tiny bit one dimensional and not fully fleshed out to me over longer songs. 4th song. I really like the background singing in this, and the instrumentation is at its best so far, but the lyrics still are so hit and miss for me. It's not that I don't connect with them, but they feel like they hit the mix of vagueness and angst that give pop-punk a bad name as being a more vapid form of punk. 5th song. Wow this is a pretty huge shift from the previous songs, and I really like it! I feel like a younger me would resinate with this more and find the lyrics a little less eye-roll worthy, but I feel that's the way of this kind of music in general. It works best at a specific time in your life, and that's great in its on right. 6th song. The downside of an album with so many songs like this is that I'm a quarter of the way in and yet the songs are starting to merge together for me. This one didn't do much for me. 7th song. Great Intro, mediocre song. Skipping forward a bit because I don't have much new to say. The cover songs here are god damn great! Mrs Robinson is played with the kind of deep sarcasm that the song deserves. I don't like it more then the legendary original, but I totally get it. This feels like the kind of cover Alien Ant Farm wished it could be but never could. By changing the genre it reinforces the sardonic nature of the song whilst updating it in a way that feels like a commentary on how little the topic has changed. Also there's a cover of Knowing me, Knowing you on here??? This song feels like it was made for me. There's something almost MTV unplugged about this uncover, which I do really like. It's lowkey, and appropriately somber. Maybe the covers are the things I like most about this album? On the otherhand, I can never imagine really listening to this over the original which has so much more emotion with Frida's beautiful voice. I think I liked this album, mostly! I don't think it was incredible by any means, but the highlights were pretty high. I do wish the album was a bit more focused and the best songs were a little more fleshed out, especially because some of the middle tracks meld into one another in a way that didn't make for a great album listening experience. It feels like a 3 for me but not in "mediocre" way and more in a "the positives and negatives balance each other out"

Short and punchy It sounds a bit like transition songs on Dawsons Creek or Gilmore Girls, and I don't think thats a criticism. I wish there was a little nuisance on the ratings as I think its bang on between a 3 and a 4, maybe even a 7.5/10.

Wow never really heard these guys, but its some great catchy pop stuff, with heavier backings, a bit like the instrumentation of the teenage fanclub or something, but less Scottish. Yeah I don't think the instrumentals are that unique for the time, but its still good fun and quite catchy, which I think is sometimes all you need to do. I also quite like the male/female vocals, and the acoustic layers with the other electric guitars are good, makes it feel a bit like the Smiths, very jangly. Not too much else to say, just some solid songs, singers pretty great as well and quite varied. And the acoustic demos are cool as well. Favourite songs: rockin' stroll, confetti, its a shame about Ray, rudderless, my drug buddy, a bit part, kitchen, ceiling fan in my spoon, Frank Mills, Mrs.Robinson. Overall around 7/10

A great time capsule. Evan Dando and friends bring cool tunes that could make you feel both joyful and nostalgic. Love this album.

Very bland and mediocre.

Aggressively mid. 2/5 Highlights: My Drug Buddy Frank Mills

This is ok but it's a bit bland. The songs all have a very similar jangly, strummed guitar style and tempo. I didn't hate it but I didn't find it remotely memorable I had time to give it another listen, which i don't normally do, but thought it was worth a go and I then decided to downgrade from 3 to 2. It didn't grow on me at all

This reminds me of that group of girls in hs/college that wore doc martins but were not into punk but were not in the norm either. Just kind of in limbo. Kind of like this music

Generic '90s indie pop with no grit nor flesh.

High 2/low 3? Not a ton to say, cover of Mrs. Robinson was pretty unnecessary

Exactly what you expect from 1992 indie rock. There are tons of bands and sounds like this. It's annoying. Very similar songs, jangly indie pop and lacking the emotional centre of grunge. Sounds like depressed suburbs teenagers. Best song is a cover which is always a yikes

This was fine, sounded like something I've listened to before.

sush a shame about Ray

Totally fine, nothing memorable

Hmm..

2,5/5 i found it boring overall

Loved it

This kinda woulda sorta shoulda rocked. Dave Grohl clearly loved it and incorporated the best parts into the Foo Fighters.

Ok, but all the songs sound the same 2/5

If 90s grunge was also influenced by power pop of the late 70/80s via Joe Jackson or Elvis Costello. Time capsule of an album.

Ok album

It's a shame about the blandness. Two-chord wannabe grunge that can't even commit to electric guitars.

Great

Un album de pop rock bastant normalet. Pero te Mrs Robinson.

It happened that I've listened to the album along with the The Charlatans album 'Tellin' stories'. 90s, alternative/pop rock, etc. Indeed, they seemed to be similar. But the level of energy in this one is so much higher! Makes you feel younger. 'Mrs. Robinson' - my fav, of course.

Esta xulo...molt happy.6.

LOVED IT. Right up my alley, possibly my favorite album from this generator so far

Saturday morning cartoon music.

The album is fine. Sounds like many other pop rock bands from the 90’s. Nothing objectionable - well maybe My Drug Buddy, that was pretty bad - but otherwise I didn’t mind it. I was pleasantly surprised to hear the Mrs Robinson cover, I didn’t know that was them. I’ve always thought that was a great rendition of that song. Giving it a 3, a middle of the road rating for a middle of the road kind of album.

It’s rock ‘n roll with no emotion. The music is decent but there’s nothing to connect with; The remake of Mrs. Robinson might be the only exception there. A couple of the songs (like Rockin’ Stroll and My Drug Buddy) should never have been recorded. They sound like someone broke out a guitar while sitting around a campfire and this was the result. One and done for me. I’ll never listen to this album again.

This keeps to the predictable patterns of 90s alternative. I like Juliana Hatfield’s other work fine, but there’s really nothing exciting or exceptional here. And, for the love of whatever you consider holy, why give us multiple versions of the same songs? I know it’s the ‘deluxe edition’, but do I really need multiple shots at a song like My Drug Buddy? Was there a deeper level to the story about waking up and calling your dealer to get the same drugs you got yesterday that I missed the first time? I didn’t think so. I would humbly offer that, no, we didn’t need multiple versions of that song on this album and probably not the other eight either. It’s a shame about ego.

It's a shame about the lack of any creativity on this album. Every song was bland, nothing to like or dislike. Except the Mrs Robinson cover, that was great.

Kinda generic indie rock sounding stuff. Meh. Two stars. Bad singer.

I felt so little listening to this that it was almost zen.

Some good stuff but a lot of it was too melodic and mid tempo.

An old fave. Has some banger highlights but doesn't stack up across all the tracks

Rock, Folk, Punk, 1992 -> 3

Another album I’m not excited about. Lemonheads are too slacker grunge bland for my tastes. Let’s see if a forced listen will change my mind. Not as boring as I feared, but won’t listen again. 2.5/5, straight down the middle.

Solid guitar playing is a highlight, vocals carry the melodies and really drive the songs. Some great hooks. However, the whole record pretty much sticks in the same tempo gear and blends the whole record into itself, which takes away something from my enjoyment.