Reviews (page 4 of 8)
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
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
Прикольно, но ещё прикольнее скорость с которой этот альбом вылетел из моей памяти
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.
пару песен норм, но глобально неинтересно, 3
I thought was just OK and then I found out this guy sucks.
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.
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
Good but having played it back after a number of years I don’t think it is amazing
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
Maybe a 4. Will relisten after more albums
This had a 70’s sound.
Muy bueno de escucharr, lo haria otra vez, tiene esencia de esa epoca, me gusto muchoo
Solid pop rock - singable but not super extraordinary
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.
Hate that Mrs Robinson cover. The rest is fine.
didnt expect to like this but I kinda did lol x
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Solid 90s pop rock.
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.
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
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
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
idk what i just listened to
Meh
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.
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?
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
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.
Has some understated and pleasant guitar work, with catchy chorus. Really like rudderless
There's something interesting out there somewhere, but can't put my finger on it.
Cool
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.
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
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.
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'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.
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
6/10
Solid outing. Rounding a 3.4 down to a 3... Sorry Lemonheads.
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.
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)
Nichts Spezielles.
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.
7/10
Pretty good alt rock actually. I'm surprised there were a few more good songs than just Ms Robinson. I could revisit this.
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.
I knew the Mrs. Robinson cover. Breezy fun, fine in the moment
3.5
It’s a solid, enjoyable album that goes down easy.
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.
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.
Lemonheads are pretty fun.
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
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
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.
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
High 2/low 3? Not a ton to say, cover of Mrs. Robinson was pretty unnecessary
This was fine, sounded like something I've listened to before.
Totally fine, nothing memorable
Hmm..
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
Un album de pop rock bastant normalet. Pero te Mrs Robinson.
Esta xulo...molt happy.6.
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 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.
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.
It never was a great album. It was just music for 90's powerpop college radio.
its okay a bit repetitive but wouldnt mind if it came on the radio
I enjoyed the second half of the album more than the first half. "Ceiling Fan in My Spoon", "Kitchen", "Alison's Starting to Happen" are good tracks. I like the fact that the songs are short -- the only one over three minutes is the cover of "Mrs. Robinson". I've not consulted the 1001 book, but I suspect that "It's A Shame About Ray" is The Lemonheads sole entry in this list.
Endemic of the 90's Alt-rock explosion, The Lemonheads were a softer, poppier offering. It wasn't particularly inspired or original when it came out, but the very 90's sounds are very comforting to me. I love the attitude, I love the conventions that were new here, that just aren't done anymore ("I WANT A BIT PART IN YOUUR LIFE"). It's a Shame About Ray is middling in many ways, but great in enough ways for me to enjoy it.
Good album, never listened to The Lemonheads before but I'm a fan. Rudderless is a banger
Good album with nostalgic feel
90s pop punk is FINE
זה אלבום מאוד נחמד שמייצג את רוח התקופה וברוח הרוק האלטרנטיבי שהגיע לשיאו בשנות ה90 מאוד נהנתי להקשיב לאלבום ואני שמח שהתחלתי את המסע שלי ב1001 אלבומים האלו עם האלבום הזה שירים בולטים: Confetti, It’s a Shame About Ray, Mrs. Robinson
3.5
Really fun album! Just one note: add the “The”
This is a fun pop rock record.
Decent
It’s ok
like the vibe, didn’t really blow me away but Mrs Robinson is a classic. Doubt I’ll return to it; but didn’t hate it.
Much ‘90s. Much acoustic guitar. Fun adjacent.
I never really got into The Lemonheads. This was OK, but I’m not going to revisit. It’s in here, but PUSA isn’t?!
Very generic 90s alt rock
this is fine. it sounds like 80% of rock from this time period. nothing special but an easy listen
It's the '90s. nothing at all bad but nothing too stand out either. They are a great feeling
I'm new to The Lemonheads (outside of Big Gay Heart). Pretty good - would probably spin again.
I saw this described as grunge on Wikipedia, which is confusing since this is very jangly and melodic, more like a heavier take on REM. I was into it. Best song: Hannah & Gabi
typical 90s indie gets typical score
A lot of 1990s alt rock radio is contained in this album’s sound: a little melancholy (or a lot), acoustic guitar as rhythm guitar, jangly electric lead that sometimes rocked out a bit (but not too much), straightforward rhythm section with some occasional tunefulness in the bass guitar lines, and a singer who can carry a tune, but isn’t some vocal marvel. Plus an ease with novelty songs. I should bracket most popular alt music released between 1992 and 1999 as a lot of that time I did not have access to American media, due to being in Germany off and on, alongside the usual poor college semesters without cable. MTV was such a big deal for US music fans, especially during the Alternative Nation “let’s turn band members into tv hosts” moment, which I largely missed. I didn’t know much about Evan and co. before the Mrs. Robinson cover (vaguely recall Blake Babies being something I should track down if I was ever back stateside) and honestly didn’t care too much aside from the novelty of an uptempo “punk” cover of a Boomer staple. Over time the title track and My Drug Buddy became favs, but the arrival of Come On Feel was met with my indifference (also some preference for Juliana Hatfield had crept in). But, for my Boston friends, the Lemonheads were as vital as the Pixies, Dinosaur, or Sebadoh. And when he’s cooking, Evan could write a wicked killer song! There’s a cinematic, moving quality to his pairing of lyrics and melody, most successful on My Drug Buddy’s first verse - you can picture them heading out in whatever car, stopping at the pay phone to call their dealer, etc. The Lemonheads sound really only takes you so far and the result is always just a bit slight, never too deep. Which is fine, more bands should have a scattering of really good singles and perfectly solid album cuts. Again though: why this list? Did they have more of an impact in the UK and commonwealth nations than stateside? What did the average Brit see when they heard this band? I have all of my New England and Boston-specific imagery to rely on but this conjures up less of that and more anonymous, suburban ennui or possibly something more Southern Californian thanks to Evan’s movie star looks and the craft that went into their videos. Couple great songs, but as a statement across an entire album I don’t get how this pairs with The Greatest Albums of All Time.
This is the definition of an average album. Wasn’t bad to listen to, but literally nothing stood out either. Just kinda played in my ears, then it was over. “But Adam, what about the Mrs. Robinson cover!?” What about it indeed; I tend to change the station nearly every time it comes on the SXM Lithium channel. I don’t think it’s very good. Rest of the album is fine, but it is all forgettable. Not a great choice for this list. 2.5/5
This album was a very pleasant surprise to me. Lots of catchy tunes and great musicianship. There were some good riffs in here. The vocals were pretty good considering the sometimes goofy nature of the lyrics. Really good, but I would not say particularly unique in any way.
The title track, It's A Shame About Ray, and Kitchen, were both nice discoveries. Mrs Robinson was of course the standout. An ok album. The Lemonheads have a couple of bangers in their repertoire but they also scraped together a lot of fillers.
generic 90s alt
Recognize the album art from some track on an old playlist, but first time spending time with the Lemonheads. Overall I really liked the sound but was a bit too busy to give this a deep listen. Great background music, 3/5 for today but I could see myself raising to a 4
An ok album, sure. Did I like it, yes. But relisten factor is a bit low for me.
C'est bon, une autre belle découverte! Je réécouterais la première partie de l'album n'importe quand. La deuxième partie, not so much. Pour ça 3/5, sinon c'était un 4.
Rad album. I dug about 70% of it
Solid
The 90s didn't give us much musically - in context this is not the worst.
fine i guess
A solid rock album. Only knew the "Mrs. Robinson" cover before hearing this. I honestly thought it was very funny that they felt the need to clarify that George Harrison was "of the Beatles" in "Frank Mills".
This didn’t do much for me at first, but picked up on the second half a lot. Favorites were: “Hannah & Gabi” and, of course, “Mrs. Robinson.”
nothing special
Nothing wrong with this on a sunday morning, otherwise not very moving..
Not bad but I also would say not amazing. "It's a Shame About Ray" and "Mrs. Robinson" are the only two songs I knew and while I could say each are pretty solid examples of 90s alternative - even the cover of "Mrs. Robinson" has been updated for a fresh spin- overall, many of the song sounded the same to me. It didn't knock my socks off like other 90s early alternative albums from the time may have done.
Nice 90s album. Which is both a compliment and a warning.
“It’s a Shame About Ray” is an excellent single and example of middle of the road 90’s alternative pop. Sure, they tackle tough or dramatic content, but they do it in a safe way. They meandered through five albums only to have their most significant single come through covering Simon and Garfunkel’s Mrs. Robinson - added to the album later the same year of the release. They sound pretty good, but not good enough tor rise about the slightly better 90s bands and albums.
I don't love it much but the cover of Mrs Robinson is a 10/10 71/100
I already forgot what this sounded like.. Favorite track: Mrs. Robinson
fun early 90's pop/rock, although Head fans may disagree. Funny how best song is a Simon and Garfunkel cover.
So so...
Good alt rock album
This album sounds like every 90s alt-rock one hit wonder on rock radio. It isn't bad or grating, but kinda boring. The songs are very short, with only the Mrs. Robinson cover being over 3 minutes. This is good, because there's not much of note here. It's solid, but fails to stand out for anything.
Great cover of Mrs. Robinson, but overall this feels like a poor mans' early REM record.
Very short yet catchy songs. Lyrics are a bit repetitive but has the classic song Mrs. Robinson. 3/5
6/10
Just a tiny tiny bit before my time so it hits that 90s nostalgia spot but not quite. It's tolerable, radio-friendly modern rock, nothing wrong with it but nothing right either. The 3'est 3 I can give.
I like it, a lot the same though, heard other stuff that sounds just like it, great songs here though
Bom
Started off this “1001 Albums Generator” with this one. I’ve never heard of The Lemonheads ‘til now, although their song Mrs. Robinson sounded familiar since I’ve read JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and one of the characters is based off this specific song, and now I know where the reference came from. Good album (didn’t liked that most of the remastered album had demo songs, those could’ve been left off)
- insgesamt ein entspanntes, kurzweiliges Album, ohne große Überraschungen - Mr. Robinson auch hier vertreten und natürlich bekannt. Ein absoluter Banger 3 – War okay / Interessant 👌 Solides Album, einige gute Momente oder Ideen. Vielleicht nichts, was ich nochmal hören würde, aber spannend zu kennen.
This was a fun and breezy listen. Doesn’t feel super revolutionary but had nothing against it. I realised I knew the title track when listening to it and I really like it, but the rest of the album was a bit same-y and hard to tell apart. Overall still enjoyable.
Was this the same song over and over, until "Mrs. Robinson"?
I remember Mrs Robinson but never got into this. 90’s classic. Rudderless-great. Very much a time and place for this one.
Zaczynało się dobrze, ale gdzieś w połowie płyty zmieniło się w typowe dla tamtych czasów rockowe popłuczyny i w efekcie wyszedł taki album do posłuchania w samochodzie, gdy nic innego nie leci. Chociaż wokal i szczególnie backup wokal bardzo przyjemny. 6.5/10 równane w dół.
Decent.
Good, but a bit too friendsy (the show).
I didn't really feel a lot for this in either direction. So, a 3 I suppose? Just not inspiring me.
This was enjoyable but there wasn’t really anything here to put it beyond that. Favorites were Confetti, Rudderless, and Frank Mills.
It’s a rock album. Not bad, but not special by any means. It was good, but I wouldn’t seek it out.
Sounds fresh and lively for the time. Vocals have some interesting qualities but overall didn’t grab me as much as the instrumentals and genre switching. Proto-Cake.
Great title track, the rest is too druggy. Gave it away many years ago.
Nothing bad, sound like most 90's alt stuff
171/1089 - Sounds like Alternative Rock. Competent but that's about it.
Didn't get to listen to it fully, but from the few songs I heard it was pretty chill, basic 90's alt. I would give it another go.
I felt like this was a solid alt rock album! I think I’d only heard their cover of Mrs. Robinson before so it was fun to listen to a full album by them. For me it wasn’t anything groundbreaking but I still had a good time listening and I would pick it up again in the future.
Musically I like this, the lyrics were a little uninspired. On the faster tracks it was less noticeable but once it got to the demo versions of the songs and it was more stripped back, I noticed it more and felt like the songwriting wasn’t that great
Well, I never really listened to them because none of the songs I heard really appealed to me, and now I guess I’ve listened to this album.
None of these songs really caught my attention in 1992. The (90s-style) non-edgy pop sound wasn’t quite my jam, I guess. And still isn’t. But the stretch from “Confetti” to “My Drug Buddy” is catchy—and reasonably smart. Pleasant, not life-changing. P.S. The cover of “Mrs. Robinson,” which was a B-side and added to the re-release, is *quite* good.
This is some 90s alt rock all right
Not really my jam. A bit like REM. It’s fine. Liked the lyrics
Average.
Really enjoyed this one, was familiar with these guys but not sure I’ve listened to this album before. Ultimately I think it blends into other stuff from this era without truly standing out, and probably isn’t strong enough to be north of a three based on the rest of the albums we’re getting. But I liked it slightly more
Thought this was solid. Not a ton of stand outs but overall a good listen front to back.
Not sure what to make of this one considering their most popular song wasn't even on the original album... thought this was just ok other than Mrs. Robinson. Not much else to say. 2.75/5
It's not my thing.
Some thoughtful songs with some decent instrumentals and okay singing. I liked Confetti and their cover of Mrs. Robinson didn't make me upset, so I'd say that's a win.
A kind of casual look into early 90s alt-pop. I never got too much behind the Lemonheads because of aforementioned alt-poppiness. It wasn't bad, nor was it grabbing me by the lapels and shaking. Casual.
Fun and pleasant and inoffensive. It’s a shame about Ray is a real ear worm.
Pleasant enough. Not really sure this is a must-listen, but I didn't mind the time I spent with it.
Meh 2.5 but punching it up to 3 because there’s enough negativity in the world right now
The Lemonhead’s definitely have a sound, which is to say most of their songs sound very similar. But it’s also the sound of the early 90’s soft alternative music. So if that’s your jam this album is for you.
14/6 album 2 :
Could be the soundtrack to one of those early 90’s MTV type romantic drama/comedies. It’s fine, but nothing outstanding - I think it needs some sort of edge - like Pavement or Dinosaur Jr. has
Wow would you believe it, another album where nothing sticks out but it's not too bad? Crazy
This album has some good songs. I'm still not entirely sure why it's here, though!
Like The Triffids, this is another slice of pure 6/10 music. Nothing really stood out to me at all here.
No idea why this was on here. Not great, not terrible, just blah. It was fine.
Solid album, not my cup of tea
Empecé a escucharlo y me pareció muy básico.
Overall: 6/10 These guys make pretty decent mid-tempo jangle rock, but that seems to be their only schtick. There's not really a bad song but nothing stood out as exceptional either. Reminded me of a less noisy Dinosaur Jr. My favourite song was the country influenced Hannah and Gabi, which was the only song to really break from the formula. Fav Song: Hannah and Gabi Least Fav Song: My Drug Buddy
Late night braums walk, detail transfer for work on the porch. Rain to sleep
James Earl Ray, absolutely. Ray Charles? Absolutely not.
Good stuff
not bad, but not a lot of variety
Favorite track: It's a shame about ray. Overall score: 6.3/10
It's alright. Doesn't fit the list to me but it's not bad.
Classic 90s sounding band for sure. Never heard of them. Was a fun listen
Solid
chill, unoffensive, grungy rock.
Decent album which was easy to listen to. Some nice tracks but didn’t quite get over the hump to a 4. Solid 3.5.
College rock at it's semi-finest. Falls just short of punk, but not dirty enough to be grunge. Fun, easy to listen to, quirky.
Rating: 3 Notable songs: it's a shame about Ray I didnt think I'd like this album but it grew on me as it went on. Its definitely a slow burner but a decent little album with a unique sound
Enjoyable album, nothing stands out too much.
It's a pleasant and easy to listen to album, kind of feels like "the first rock album you should listen to". I'm a bit disappointed by how similar the bits are to each other, but at least it's not offensively bad.
I liked this album when it came out and it still holds up for me. Confetti is probably my favorite song by The Lemonheads. I didn’t need all the acoustic versions of the songs tho. I skipped thru them.
It's a shame it's not just a bit better|.
Hide it from the kids.
Decent alternative album
Fine, generic 90's rock. Not much else. And honestly, even though I've listened to Mrs. Robinson a million times, after listening to it with critical ears, the only reason their version is good is because the song is good. They didn't add much except a change of style. But, it's still 90's rock, which means it's better than a lot of stuff out there.
Loved the covers! Frank Mills was a hilarious delight!
This was a Rockin’ Stroll with lots of Confetti.
2.8 The most average rock album I've heard in a while. I've never heard a Rembrandts album but that's pretty much exactly how I imagine it would sound. Like an REM or Nirvana-lite without any hooks. Quite fitting that the only song I found interesting on the album, Bit Part, was ruined by the sample at the start making it impossible to throw onto any playlists. Good one guys.
outside of the well known song this was an ok rock album! short!
Ms Robinson is a nice cover. The rest of the album is ok, but nothing great. Hence the middle of the road score of 3.
Not knock your socks off or this is awful. It’s in the middle
A couple of fun songs on here.
To me this sounds like an album you would have listened to at a pool party as a middle schooler. It does seem ahead of its time though. I would have guessed 2002, not 1992. 4/10
Nice little album
Rest in peace ray i guess
Buen disco, pop indie agradable.
good jangle, consistent and fun but nothing too impactful
I remember years and years ago my dad got two really early lemonheads albums from the record shop, definitely their first album but I don’t remember what else. I never actually listened to it and later I’d find out about it’s a shame about ray and not listen to that… but at least I knew the Mrs Robinson cover. Would still go 3/5 though its solid and good songs here but nothing interesting
Liked the last song.
Upbeat alt rock. I love that the vocals don’t try to do too much, but at the same time the album is a little forgettable.
It's sort of OK.Lad rock.
It's a shame about the fact that this album isn't quite as good as I remember it being. Of course, the Lemonheads peaked with their cover of Mrs Robinson, which is only on this album as a bonus track, so can't influence this scientifically rigorous process. A pity. Anyway, it's pretty serviceable, but distinctly nothing special.
Absolutely mid
Close to a 4, Evan seems to make songwriting look effortless but a few of the songs didn't really leave a strong impression so opted for a 3. Fave tunes were Rudderless, Alison Is Starting To Happen and the title track.
Generic in a good and nostalgic way, like it’s a hermetically sealed time capsule from 1992. It’s calming in a way that only this uptempo college rock can be. Rating: 3.5
Not bad. Totally 90’s.
Solid
It's a bit "meh" isn't it. Felt like someone covering someone else all the way through.
Nothing all that special, but it's hard to complain about a quick and simple 90s indie rock album. It's still pretty punchy and had a fun energy.
3/5
концентрированный альтрок 90-х
What a boring album. I like Mrs Robinson though
6.5/10
It’s a Shame About Ray ist das fünfte Studioalbum der US-amerikanischen Band The Lemonheads, die unter der Leitung von Evan Dando in den frühen 1990er Jahren zur prägendsten Grunge- und Alternative-Rock-Szene gehörte. Das Album wurde in den Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles aufgenommen, einem renommierten Studio, das für seine ausgezeichnete Akustik und langjährige Geschichte bekannt ist. Die Produktion übernahm Dando zusammen mit den erfahrenen Produzenten The Butcher Brothers, was zu einem eher rauen und klaren Sound führte, der die Vielseitigkeit der Band widerspiegelt. Das Album bewegt sich zwischen Alternative Rock, Indie und Pop-Punk und bietet einen eingängigen, aber auch melancholischen Klang, der den damaligen Zeitgeist einfängt. Besonders hervorzuheben sind die Songs "Mrs. Robinson", ein Cover des bekannten Simon & Garfunkel-Klassikers, sowie das Titelstück "It’s a Shame About Ray", das mit seinem minimalistischen, aber kraftvollen Sound und Dandos markanter Stimme zu den wichtigsten Tracks des Albums zählt. Die Lieder sind häufig von einer leichten Melancholie durchzogen, kombiniert mit einer charmanten Unbekümmertheit, die typisch für die Band ist. Die Mitglieder der Band, die überwiegend aus den USA stammen, legten mit diesem Album den Grundstein für ihren späteren Erfolg. Evan Dando, als Frontmann und Hauptsongwriter, trägt maßgeblich dazu bei, dass das Album sowohl musikalisch als auch emotional fesselnd ist. Die Lyrics sind oft introspektiv und vermitteln eine gewisse Wehmut, was das Album zu einem späten Highlight des frühen 90er-Alternative-Rock-Genres macht. It’s a Shame About Ray ein zugängliches, aber nicht unauffälliges Werk ist, das den Charakter der Lemonheads eindrucksvoll zeigt. Es bleibt ein klassisches Beispiel für die Fusion von Indie-Rock mit poppigen Elementen und hat sich als eines der bekanntesten Alben der Band etabliert.
3 stars
Fun album, but maybe a little generic, I heard some inspiration taken from The Smiths and The Clash which I enjoyed, wasn’t as good as their stuff, but their were some nice tracks on here for sure. Favorite Tracks: My Drug Buddy, Bit Part, Kitchen, and Mrs. Robinson.
Just alright.
Meh. Wayne's world
Great album! Dando writes insightful songs and has a great voice. Too bad he got taken down by substance abuse.
Very stereotypical 90's alternative rock that is a nice little time capsule to a sound that doesnt' really exist anymore. It's impressively "pure" in the sense that nobody is trying to bend a genre (though maybe it's due to this being what a bit of a pioneer in the pop-alternative rock category) or be overly artistic or deep. It's a pure good times album, with some occasional feelings thrown in there. I think the only song I'd heard before was the cover of "Mrs. Robinson", which is a great cover. I think I liked the title track the most though, it's got that simple structure with a nice chorus and chord progression without being tonally simplistic. I wouldn't call the rest of it totally forgettable but it works more as a collection rather than singles. I can't think of another standout on here, but they're all fine. I'd put the whole thing on while working or relaxing outside.
A fine listen. Reminds me of what was on the radio growing up without having heard this on the radio. It's good enough but not good enough to make me revisit it.
incredibly same-y middle of the road alt rock. not great, not terrible. anyways, here's wonderwall
This fits for the era but doesn’t age well compared to some other 90s bands. Good sound for a Saturday night.
I'm a power pop guy, so The Lemonheads have certainly crossed my radar a few times. Sure, their cover of "Mrs. Robinson" later became a huge hit, but I've always been fond of this album's title track too. It's a fun and short album, capturing the essence of the lighter, melancholic, and jangly side of the early 90's alt rock scene. The group's next album had some good stuff if I recall too.
78% Best: It’s a Shame About Ray; Rudderless; Kitchen; Must-Hear? I like this record, but there are plenty other albums in this style (even in this book) that makes it non-essential.
It’s fine, among the amazing music of the 90s especially with grunge, it just kind of feels whatever. It’s a shame about ray might be the worst song too somehow.
It's just okay. Nothing really special
This is what I imagine every teenager in America listened to in the 90s
This was okay. I get the sense I would have liked it more had I discovered it when I was younger.
"Frank Mills" hört sich an als nebenbei sich einer die Falten aus dem Sack schlägt, was ist das für ne Aufnahme? 3sterne
Prime 90s pop, with the jangle and the alienated lyrics and the catchiness. One I can listen to multiple times. “It’s a Shame About Ray” absolutely holds up. I say: Dando-riffic!
Some good ones but pretty generic!
Pretty fun. Kinda chill, lyrics are whimsical and wandering. Enjoyable background hangout music 3/5.
I like it
An album full of energy and good feelings. Very shiny music.
I remember listening to some of these songs when I was a kid. The "weird" kids listened to the Lemonheads, they weren't so mainstream. It's a great album with great tunes that are pretty chilled out. Some interesting lyrics that fit right in. It's kind of a nice time capsule type album for me to remember the old high school days.
The best song on this album wasn't even part of this album. goes by inoffensively enough though tbf
Pretty good, nice.
I like the 90s thing but I felt the songwriting could be better. The demo of It’s a Shame about Ray is excellent 3.45
This was really pleasant. It reminded me of road trips listening to early aughts indie rock. Not better than a theee though
Never really understood why xrt seems to prefer this version of Mrs. Robinson
Pretty good jangly poppy alt rock, suffers a bit from being a bit generic but changes it up enough throughout the album with a few softer songs
Just alright.
pretty solid rock but not super memorable
This sounded very dated but as I don't mind this era of music, it was alright. I'm keeping "The Turnpike Down" for my 1001 Highlights playlist. I'd say overall I liked this, but not enough to listen to it again.
Very 90s. Happy grunge music. I prefer my grunge dark and brooding. But this was actually better than I thought it would be. Not totally great but listenable.
Good fun rock and roll (Alternative Rock) Sounds like an (better) inspiration for the Rembrandts. Maybe it laid the foundation for the “Garden State” sound? Guitar work sounds very Boston (the band/album) to me. Also, the REM influence is clear, but with “surf rock band” energy.
Fine