It's A Shame About Ray

Eh it's ok. "Mrs. Robbinson" still slaps. The title song is catchy. I don't know the instruments nor the lyrics don't draw me in. I think if I were to enjoy the music more I'd have to listen to it multiple times maybe. But very first impression, not really grabbing or compelling me to listen more.

It's A Shame About This Album

Lidt poppet punk fra 90’erne, kort og ok

Decent cover of Mrs. Robinson but, otherwise, kind of an unremarkable 90s alt-rock band.

What is there to say about The Lemonheads that isn't really, really, mean? They were host to a bunch of musicians that went on to better things. I don't know. I find the music to be mostly insufferable.

More like Evan Dumbo amirite?

It's..... fine. All kinda samey. Good for it's time, doesn't hold up without nostalgia

It's a Shame About Ray Confetti My Drug Buddy Mrs. Robinson

4.9/10

It's ok but not my bag

Kinda did nothing for me

A clear picture of what the 90s would sound like. Unfortunately it just didn't get me terribly interested to hear more.

I like ceiling fan in my spoon. fine

Just ok

It was ok. It didn't set my world on fire.

Irgendwie sehr eintönig. Hat mich nicht gepackt.

Bra, väldigt indie men fortfarande lite tråkigt

Boring guitar, boring drums, boring vocals. Nothing memorable in the melodies and choruses.

Very disappointing album, felt like listening to an hour of The Brady Bunch songs

This is yet another record that seems somehow indie rock. It might be ok for some, but after too many of these records I find it quite boring and only for the background.

1. It's A Shame About Ray 2. Mrs. Robinson 3. Rudderless

Alternative Rock? What a soulless decade of music the 90s were then. Sweet. Forgettable.

Alright, I guess millennials would have gone crazy for this. Good songs: Frank Mills / Mrs Robinson. (Two covers and not their own) I would probably just listen to The Magnetic Fields for the same vibe

All sounds like one big long song. A bit boring.

2.5

I found this to be utterly unremarkable to be honest

It was okay, but only one popular hit that I liked.

2.4 1x catch up 4/2 on marts

There were a spate of bands — in the '90s-'00s — that I cannot distinguish from one another. There's some indie rock sheen that just coats these acts and they might as well all be the same, mostly innocuous, rock outfit. Well, you can lump these guys in. The cover of "Mrs. Robinson" epitomizes the critique. It's fine. It bounces. It's got all the breaks. 100 other bands could have recorded it and done the same thing. Nothing really distinguishes it. That's my take on the entire album. It's ready for radio. That's pretty much it. It's really more in the realm of a 3-star, but I'm docking a point for its sheer lack of imagination.

A fine album, ok for the time. Not sure why it’s in the list, doesn’t sound like anything particularly special. Not awful

Sort of bland... I somehow expected this to be a quirky '90s alt-teen experience. Instead the whole thing just kind of came and went. Standout: Hannah & Gabi

Good but not memorable or unique. Sounds very old-school at times considering its from the 90s. Best songs (on first listen): Bit Part, Mrs Robinson

The first album on here that I wouldn't have minded not listening to if i were to die tomorrow , unremarkable sound and lyrics

Meh, its really just the same song and tune over and over and OVER again.

11/1001. Should this list be more like 1001 similar albums? Maybe not too fair, but for me this album is here because a) the book is getting old, and b) someone was a fan of brit pop back then. Back in the 90s this was ok, I guess, and in 2025 this album doesn't really qualify even for that. It's perhaps a nice document of an era which came and went, nothing everlasting for me in this album. I agree the best tune is the cover of Simon & Garfunkel, and who gets the credit for that? It's a shame about Lemonheads.

Pretty standard fair 90s alt rock to be honest. I enjoy it as a fan of the genre but it doesn't blow me away in any capacity. Your biggest song being a cover isn't a great look either.

Aburridoooo

Forgettable until that awful closing track

Not that bad, but is pretty boring and does nothing to establish itself as a must-hear album

Generic rock album, nothing to add.

And about this album

It's a decent album but not nearly good enough or noteworthy enough in my eyes to deserve a slot here. I did find "Frank Mills" funny though. I've thought about writing this about some of the previous 90s albums, and I think it's appropriate to put here on It's A Shame About Ray: it's an injustice that there isn't anything by The Cranberries on the 1,001 list. They're a way better, way more influential, and way more distinctive alt rock act with material from around the same time as this Lemonheads album. I'd swap any of the 4 Cranberries albums from the 1990s for this one, but especially 1994's No Need to Argue. (Think I'm going to permit myself a Cranberries rant about once every 200 album reviews and steadily up the length each time.)

2 - kind of mid

it's a shame all I can associate this album with is high school boyfriend & the fact that this was all he listened to before we broke up

Punk lite? Proto pop punk? Feels like Tom Petty trying out some alt rock and punk. Slide Guitar from Hannah & Gabi seems really out of place on the album. It was fine but not really my thing.

This review is gonna read like a roast... The vocalist kinda sounds like he showed up in the wrong place and is doing his best to make sure nobody notices, lol. The songs sounded so similar to each other that it was disorienting. This is one "save tonight" ass chord progression on "confetti". This ain't it for me my friends

It's not my cup of tea, but they seem talented.

Idk it’s fine but I don’t think it belongs here? Trying to be edgy with that bright of a guitar is confusing to me

Trideset godina pokušavam skužit šta je toliko super kod ovog albuma i dalje jebeno ne uspijevam 😃

So mid, nothing offensive but also not very memorable 5/10

This is incredibly dull. Not offensive, but I definitely feel like I didn't have to listen to this before I die. Somehow that makes it worse. 2 stars.

This album is the musical equivalent of a 10 year old kid who is a picky eater so every meal consists of boxed mac and cheese. No exploration, safe, bland. One meal or song is just as inoffensive and forgettable as the last. Then one time their mom makes them try a recipe from when she was a kid and it’s good, but then the kid goes right back to mac and cheese.

Mrs Robinson was the saving grace (and it wasn’t even on the original release).

It’s alright. No big stand outs for me.

Retail store rock, 5/10

esempio perfetto di musica meh

It’s okay. It’s not bad. It was a fine enough listen. I just can’t get to a 3 for this XTC ripoff of an album

Music that is so Mid and lowkey stupid (see Ceiling Fan in My Spoon), that I cannot believe anyone bothered to actually write it down, let alone put it to music, put together a band, and record it in the studio. Some of it sounds ok.

It was inoffensive, but rather uninteresting at the same time. The fact that the cover of "Mrs. Robinson" is by far the most interesting song on there is its own story.

Cute, but I fail to see why it's considered essential. I'd rock to these guys live tho

I couldn't remember why I knew this band's name until the album finished playing and their cover of "Mrs. Robinson" came on after. Oh, right. That's why. It's still the only song of theirs I liked. The album ranged from generic rock to obnoxious noise, and I didn't enjoy much of it. 2/5

Thankfully very short. This album definitely reminds me that there is a level of "too palatable" for my tastes. This is so safe and generic that it was kind of a slog to get through. I was alive in the 90s, I remember this music being played a lot on the radio while I was growing up. I just think there's much, much better 90s alternative out there.

If any album sounds like the 90s distilled, this is the one. I don't think I'll ever listen to this again though.

Rudderless and my drug buddy stood out, the rest is meh

There’s some good songs here, but the 90s alternative production is a bit of a turnoff. Overall it’s a middling album.

2.5

Like Blue Rodeo, but forgettable.

You know, it's pretty damn embarrassing when an album makes this list because they had a one hit wonder. And that one hit wonder just so happens to be a cover. In this case it's Mrs. Robinson. Are we just putting anything on here that has had any little bit of popularity? If the Ataris make this fucking list with thet Don Henley Boys of Summer song I'm gonna just go on record and say that this list is in fact not 1001 records you need to listen to before you did. But maybe 50 records and the rest are there to piss you off and test your patience. This record is the quintessential college bro rock album. Has a bit of post punk influence... But over all just bland. Boring. Plain.

Album - It's A Shame About Ray Artist - The Lemonheads Release - 1992 Genre - Grunge/Alternative Rock/Jangle Rock Heard it before? - Y I won't take a bullet for it, but I think taking R.E.M. and giving it a proper crunch works well on some songs ("Confetti", "Rudderless," "Kitchen.") 4/10

It's really dull and the S&G cover doesn't rescue it.

Perfectly pleasant, bland, alternative rock fare that blends into the background on generic radio stations. Not a 'must listen to' album though

Fine 2.5

Well above average in the reality of 90s alternative radio. Indistinct in the field of stuff worth remembering about 90s alternative. You're not gonna get rounded up to 3 stars if you've got a Simon & Garfunkel cover. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Maybe in a different time and place, this album would toe the fine line between indie rock and rough around the edge perfectly...but not today.

Listened to it twice given the hype. It didn't really land for me. Rudderless is alright, but I didn't enjoy the rest. Meandering and often uninteresting, or uninspired.

There is nothing here that twenty other bands don't do better. 2 stars or D+.

This album epitomizes college rock from the 90’s. It was an album that everyone in college listened to and felt like they were in on something amazing. It was lauded like it was the 90’s version of Sgt. Pepper. In the end…it’s an ok album, nothing special. Their one breakthrough song is a cover which doesn’t say much for the rest of the album. It has been for the most part left behind and there is a reason for that. We grew up and discovered that our pretentious idea of music matured, and our belief that this album was something special gave way to the reality that it’s an ok album.

I can understand not disliking this, but I really think you’d be totally fine not listening to this before you die.

Just another mediocre alternative rock album from the 90s.

To me this sounds a lot like some early brit-pop bands. And the sound isn't bad! Not great, but it's listenable to. The big problem is that every single one of these songs are entirely forgettable. In fact I forgot most of them while they were still playing. The chorus would come around again and I would think "oh, yes, I vaguely remember that this might have been the chorus to this song" then the verse would start and if you paused the song at that point there is no way I'd have been able to even hum the chorus. There is just no hook or memorable tune to any of this.

Very 90s teen movie vibe but good

90s alt-rock is such an average genre of music. there are so many bands this album could have been and so many bands who were doing the same thing at this time. Mrs Robinson and knowing me knowing you are good covers; they get a star on their own! Apart from the covers this is a very basic album that could be by anyone at that time and is instantly forgettable. That said I enjoyed Rockin stroll and It’s a shame about ray. Particularly the demos that are on the extended versions. Favourite song: Knowing me knowing you Least favourite: Nothing was bad, yet nothing was very good at all. Album artwork: Cool cover.

Sounds like it's time but not awful. I can't really notice anything that stands out but it could be that this influenced a lot of things that ended up sounding really similar. Don't regret listening but won't go back.

A couple songs were fine but mostly this was forgettable indie pop for me. 2.5/5

I’ve heard of these guys my entire life and maybe even heard a few of their songs before? Maybe just the Mrs. Robinson cover from Wayne’s world 2. Regardless I was a little underwhelmed. They’re fine just kinda boring. I’d give it a 2.5 if I could.

Fav: Rockin’ Stroll Least Fav: The Turnpike Down It’s a shame about The Lemonheads

Not really bad but not really good either. found it a bit same-y and bland. No songs really stood out to me other than their version of mrs robinson

My first girlfriend would listen to this and the spin doctors non stop, it is not a good combination of generic 90s “alternative” rock

In a dictionary of musical genres, this one would be as close to a definition of alt-rock as one could get. It's not a compliment. 2/5

Ganz ok, reicht aber nicht für 3.

Another album that’s probably captured perfectly the flavour of the month but there’s very little variety here and it means very little to me. My favourite track was actually the first of the bonus tracks. Bland.

Standard early 90s American indie garage band rock which the creators of Daria would not stoop to including in scene transitions.

It's ok, fun at times but not my thing

Quite boring early 90s alternative. Not sure why we needed to listen to this album, especially since Mrs. Robinson wasn't even on the original release.

This just isn't hard. Like it doesn't go hard.

I have no nostalgic connection to this album, so it did nothing for me. It's like fake pop rock they'd play in a 90s sitcom about skateboard bros or something. Only recognize the "Mrs. Robinson" cover from the radio. It's alright.

Meh Is dit nou zo bijzonder

5/10 Does not deserve to be on the list. Boring.

A mediocre dad-rock album with no unique elements. It's a shame this is taking the place of other potential albums. The only redeeming qualities are that many of the instrumentals are at least average and it's relatively short. 1.8/5 -> 2/5

ZZzzz…

Vacuous, beige, and vanilla are words that come to mind listening to this album. There's no particular stand out tracks, just a slush of dull music that is mercifully short (not listening to any demos or rehashes of songs that were crap to begin with). This is jangle-pop that is so formulaic that I could switch in one of a dozen similar bands and not even tell anything had changed. It's so dull it doesn't even deserve 1 star, so I'm giving it 2.

It's a good album, it's just missing something. Very easy to listen, but while listening I find myself not paying attention, just does not grab you. It's a good album, but not great though!

Eh, very repetitive. 4/10

Can’t appreciate.

Good music makes you feel something. This makes me feel nothing.

It's almost how unfair with how huch better Mrs. Robinson is than the rest of this album. I don't love this era of alt/ indie rock as it all kind of blends together and that same effect is apparent here to me. Standard garage band rock. I like Confetti the most from this album.

I’m sure I would have liked this if I’d been of the right age to enjoy, but I don’t understand why it would make a must listen list. It’s quite pleasant but unremarkable.

Not my cup of tea in the slightest. I did make it all the way through so it gets 2 stars.

A very tired and obvious sounding early 90s album. No idea why this is on the list. It isn’t offensive, but there is nothing new or even moderately interesting here.

Monotonous voice and songs. Nothing special. It's just ok.

When this album came out, I remember knowing people who were really into it, and feeling a bit like: "Why?" There's nothing bad about it, just nothings noteworthy... whichever it's a 3 star album that gets a minus 1 for taking up a space on this list.

Under the definition for 'mediocre' in the dictionary is a picture of this band. While this may not assault the ears the way other music might, it's doubly offensive for being so boring.

Most of this album is not enjoyable. There are a couple good-adjacent songs. But mostly mehhhh.

Torn as I think there are some great tracks on here but they are a real marmite band and there’s a lot of shite too - I’ll go in the middle shame you couldn’t give 2 1/2

This album was just "ok" at the time and it's just "ok" now. A couple of decent songs, but for the most part it's just missing something :-/

Never liked this grunge pop lite album at the time Thought the years may have been kind but nope, still don't like it To be fair, it's not dated that much but then, shite's always gonna smell like shite. One extra star cos Mrs robinsons a fun cover at least.

positive this was radio background music at some point in my life but i rly only recognized the mrs. robinson cover. 2.5 in the "eh, whatever" kind of way

Not bad

Pleasant but bland early 90s guitar pop. Part of the "alternative" bandwagon that didn't and doesn't command any particular attention. Only notable at all for the brief presence of Juliana Hatfield before she left and formed the The Juliana Hatfield Three.

Not great, wouldn’t listen again

Mid meh early 90s jangle rock, catchy to some extent, but mostly quite basic

So far this album has been boring. The lyrics aren't captivating. The music is generic 90s alt/rock. Kind of a nothingburger.

Adequate. But I can think of at least a handful of other alternative bands from the early 90s that I would’ve rather listened to today.

I struggle to find any enthusiasm about this album. It's not unpleasant but it's so mediocre. The Mrs Robinson cover is the best track but the original is better anyway.

Gotta say, the most interesting part of this album is its name.

Hmmm. I think I liked them better as the Old 97's (to paraphrase a band whose album better appear on this list_.

I found I owned a Lemonheads album. Not this one. I looked for delight and joy. Connection and a sense of my community. The music has that alternative buzzy-ness..guitar and drums and vocals . A simple sparse setup. And, even after listening to this and that, and again, I'm untouched. I know folks do enjoy, but like other alt rock groups, it's missing me somehow. Not the worst, not the best. Apart from Confetti. That rather confessional lyrics/vocals set. Yes, solid sentiments there. The strangeness of of that state, well set up. But apart from that, kinda meh at best. I'll probably continue to forget the Lemonheads. 2 stars.

Never listened before. Was MOR indie stuff I’ve heard countless times before so nothing hear to write home about. 2/5 9/5/24,

This is another one where I find myself thinking what the hell is this on the list for until the one hit wonder comes on (in this case way too late in the tracklist). At best this was middle of the ground 90s alt. Can hear a lot of Elvis Costello and REM, maybe a bit of Hoodoo Gurus too. In any case I'd prefer to see a Gurus album on the list instead of this.

Väldigt basic, lite tråkiga låtar och inte alls något speciellt. Nästan vilken artist som helst skulle kunna skriva det tror jag. Jag sparade några låtar men bara för att det iallafall gick att lyssna på.

Best Song: Mrs. Robinson. Hey, I recognize this song. Almost certainly the reason this entire album is on this list. It has a kind of fun, jump-up-and-down energy to it. Worst Song: Rudderless. I often like a recursive or self-reflective lyric, but the cyclical "a ship without a rudder is like a ship without a rudder" seems to serve absolutely no greater metaphorical purpose. Overall: It's unfortunate that the most evocative, emotional aspect of the entire album is the brief clip of a woman shouting at the beginning of "Bit Part". For an album whose lyrical content suggests that it has an emotional story to tell, that 90s patina of noisy monotony undercuts any impact it might have.

Title track and Mrs. Robinson cover = great. Everything else = mid

Dull 90s pop rock

i feel like every song immediately exited my brain after listening, but overall it's pretty much fine. however, It's A Shame About Ray is one my least favorite songs of all time so that's an automatic deduction right there

1.5/5

A few familiar tracks. Some of them even good! Very much a case of "you had to be there", I guess.

Bored, best song was a cover. Shut up about it Ray!

Unremarkable. There always seemed to be much better music around whenever the Lemonheads released an album.

It's fine for its time, short enough to not get bored, but the nostalgia didn't hold for me. It probably only made the list due to the Mrs. Robinson cover, which was only appended onto the re-release edition.

Having never heard this album before, my first impression is that this must've been the soundtrack to many languishing Gen Xers.

3 songs in and it's just la-la-la. I prefer a little more substance. Rudderless was half ok ...and then it's back to predictable la-la-la A 2 cos I got bored with it

Ugh, this reminds me of the decades I was a prisoner of FM radio and when those DJs were paid to force us to listen to tripe like this album sounds like. I mean, maybe there is something legit quality and soothing to some types of college coeds that have parties in weekends. I dunno. Oh and covering Mrs Robinson? Da hell was that meant to prove.

Early 90's Alt Rock at it's best... not that great in 2024. 😆 Still giving it 2 stars as it's better then a lot of the crap on this list.

Ok album. Not my cup of tea but not bad for what it is.

meh

I don't really know how I feel about this. Listened a few times. Meh

Laut a la Greenday

Ihan kiva, etenkin nimikkobiisi, joka on jonkinasteinen klassikko tietty. Pidin myös Mrs Robinson -coverista. Se kuitenkin pisti levyllä silmään, ja muut biisit hukkuivat aivan toisiinsa. Ei jäänyt nerokasta vaikutelmaa, vain ihan kova.

Pop-punk lähtee leirinuotiolle. Mitähän tämä kaipaisi... Variaatiota? Riffejä? Ehkä vain koukkuja.

In an era celebrated for its alternative rock innovation, "It's a Shame about Ray" feels like a missed opportunity. It's an album that might find its way onto background playlists for '90s nostalgia nights but doesn't command the listener's full attention. For those exploring early '90s alternative rock, there are far more compelling and rewarding albums to reach for. In the end, while The Lemonheads may have aimed for the sweet spot of '90s alt-rock charm, they instead landed in the realm of the forgettable.

Weak

soothing music, not my favorite.

These musicians always thought they were a little more special than they actually are

Ok but dull, samey jangly pop rock. Not worth a second listen.

Ima par ok stvari, ali je dosta monotono. Vjerojatno ne bi slusao opet. 2.5

Gear: Hifiman Arya Mische: mundgerecht zurechtgelegte Akustikgitarren am Rande der Soundstage, Drums und Vocals einschläfernd Mugge: bekömmlicher Pop-Punk ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Wertung: 2/5

Sorta Ramonsey bland repetitive youth pop, unsophisticated but without the sort of exuberant vulgar appeal that can sometimes correspond - casually optimistic but with no real emotional staying power and otherwise aimless. Not to mention the BPM doesn't sit right all with me, a little fast and slow at the same time. Difficult to settle with.

Sur les milliards d’albums créé par l’être humain, comment ca se fait qu’il y ait autant d’albums aussi insipides et peu inspirant sur une liste qui se limite à seulement mille album? Je veux dire, c’est tout ce que l’humanité a à offrir? Du indie rock qui sonne comme du pain blanc, copié-collé à répétition? Il est temps qu’il me propose un 5, je vais devenir bazou-baseball

Rock music with a lot of acoustic guitar. Definitely not my music. So sad.

Seemed a bit one note.

I am not familiar with this band at all, even after listening to their top songs on the streaming services. This seemed like pretty run of the mill 90s alt rock. Very short and sweet record. It was fine.

Nei dette var bare en kjedeligere versjon av så mange før dem med akkurat samme sound

Big ‘bridging scene in an American Pie sequel’ energy.

I'm finding this really lightweight. Everything sounds really crushed and the drums sound like toys. None of the songs are actively bad but it's not great when the head and shoulders standout is a cover. Fountains of Wayne did it so much better

not my stile

Rudderless was my favorite. Average alternative album.

I’m not exactly sure why I would need to listen to this album before I die? It was OK, but pretty bland jangle pop. Meh from me.

I am usually a fan of a bit of 90s alt rock, but this feels like it could be one of a dozen bands from around the same time and nothing really stuck out as that ground breaking. So it was fine, and I enjoyed the first hald but probably won't relisten. It doesn't help that the album linked has all the demos so I felt like I listened to the radio versions and then to a highschool boyfriend playing them to me in his dank bedroom while I pretended to care.

AJ: The most 1992 thing I’ve ever heard, catchy, pop grunge. But he sounds bored and so I feel bored. Mrs. Robinson rules, tough.

It’s aight, gives me early boy band vibes. A little lack luster for me.

Mid asf

One of the albums of the 90’s

Rip ray

Very samey stuff only good song was a cover of Mrs Robinson

its weird, it reminds me of Great Big Sea if they decided to make Alt-Rock instead. I cant find a song I actively like off this album.

So I think I figured out how this list was made… if an album had 1 “hit” single off it then it gets added to the “1001 ALBUMS to listen to blah blah blah”. I guess a mediocre cover of Mrs Robinson counts as a hit single because otherwise I have no idea how this album made the list. I don’t think the author of this list actually listened to many of the full albums because man… this list is full of stinkers

Seichter Alternative Rock. Bekanntes Lied: Mrs. Robinson

Average indierock. Not bad, but nothing special

Jaa-a. ihan jees mut en taas ymmärrä että miks on listalla -- onks tää tosiaan niin ihmeellistä? 2/5

No, really - another milquetoast offering from the early 90’s. Not a bad record, but the songs do run together and there’s not much to differentiate Lemonheads from a dozen other albums of the same ilk.

It was ok

Okish. A couple of ok songs but pretty meh.

Bang average album that was heading for a bang average 3, but their desecration of Mrs. Robinson requires a 1 point deduction.

Immensely forgettable.

Pop com aroma de grunge. Funcionava na rádio e MTV.

I thought this was pretty meh. I love pavement and expected it to be similar, it was, but much worse

Fine catchy, alternative, jangle rock.

I never really got the Lemonheads; had friends who were super into them, but they always seemed a very generic and not particularly interesting iteration of late 80s-early 90s college rock. Hard not to think the tenuous Harvard-MIT links did a lot of heavy lifting in giving them greater prominence than they deserved. Having said that Mrs Robinson is a banger, one of the best covers of all time (but wasn't originally even on the album). Title track is good. The rest totally forgettable.

Nothing special here. Tell me they had more than one good song....and it's not on this record that I find overrated by many. How was this shoved down our throat but I missed Manic Street Preachers?!?!

Not bad, really only about that cover though

I’m more than happy to listen to this kind of music, but as 90s alt-rock goes this album seems kinda middling. There aren’t any real standout tunes, and I’m also a bit young to have any nostalgic connection to the band. So in the cold light of restrospective, generator-mandated judgement, I give it 2.5 stars.

it was alright. liked few songs but its not my type of rock. it sounds a bit too much like for teenager imo

It's marvellously average.

Every song was too same-y for my liking, but I'll give it credit for being brief.

Okay - title track is good

The music isn't bad, but there's nothing special about it either. Worse, there's very little originality in this album (a fact made even clearer by Mrs. Robinson cover being the album's best and most famous track).

Was not a good sport on this one and did not finish. Not a huge fan of their hit on the album and couldn't listen to 15 more songs of this, even if they were short.

It was ok, interesting instrumentals but wasn't moved by the lyrics

I didn’t like this at all and that’s interesting because I always thought I would have but just sorta missed the boat. Happy to revisit and see that I wasn’t missing a thing.

It is a shame, Ray must have been disappointed too, I know I was. The album was nice(ish) to listen to, I like acoustic guitar, but not with the luvvy duvvy hey girl lyrics they plied onto these tracks. I guess this album just lacked the punch I was expecting from the Lemonheads, with Mrs Robinson being the only track with a decent rock feel.

Listenable enough but very bland.

This is an album I bought in college, listened to for about two months, exchanged at the used record store, and never thought about again. The best song is a cover and wasn't even on the original release. The Lemonheads were definitely an also-ran band that probably got a bit more of a push than they really deserved because Evan Dando was handsome and they probably got a mention on My So-Called Life or something. As a 90's relic, it's trifling, but fine - but an all-time album? Come on.

Demos beat the tracks. 2/5

Okay, it's a big no-no from me. Irritating voice, very boring music, all the songs blend in with each other, making it a one big pile of boring mash-up. Only interesting song is a cover, "Mrs. Robinson", which actually is not that much different from the rest of the album, but at least it wakes you up from the coma sustained before. Let's just forget about this album and move on.

Meh.

Feels like some generic punk rock band from the lower end of the spectrum

It's trying to be punk and contemporary at the same time, and I don't think it really works. I feel the Nirvana angst coming through, mixed with some extremely vanilla Oasis-style rock. The Confetti track is a perfect example of this. The production is also very flat which does not help matters at all. There are some redeeming qualities in the instrumentation, but nothing that isn't found in a better format in other acts. Overall I think they tried to spread themselves too thin trying to incorporate all of their influences and wound up without a specific direction or identity. Fave tracks: Mrs. Robinson, Ceiling Fan in my Spoon

Eh, I was a bit optimistic for the first few songs, but I quickly lost interest after that. It's OK, but not that good.

It’s weird that I got Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel (containing “Mrs. Robinson”) just 2 days before this. As far as the album goes, it’s just not interesting.

About as middle of the road of a rock sound as I can imagine. The songwriting is alright and the music is pleasant enough but the lead singer isn’t selling me on the songs. Terrible album cover. 😬

"Rockin' Stroll" 's vocal melody sounds so familiar to me. In the first verse I'm hearing maybe It's "I Got You Babe" "Confetti" has a great guitar solo around 1:45. It's short but super tasteful and has a great edge-of-breakup guitar tone. "Rudderless" has some really great chords on guitar to start. It's like Stone Temple Pilots -esque. Very dissonant and yet still listenable. The other vocal parts were cool too but each one (the female "response" vocal, and the male harmony) is too loud compared to the main vocals, which is weird. I really liked "Shakey Ground". Nice short ballad about someone having a platonic friendship that their girlfriend wouldn't be happy with. "Mrs. Robinson" is one of those songs that I could listen to every day, much to the chagrin of the people around me who have to hear it over and over. Having a band cover it I think gives me another reason to put it on repeat, because "this time it's different"! This album was good but not great, and I think it's really elevated a little too much by "Mrs. Robinson". When I was listening to the earlier songs, I knew that that was coming up and I think it colored the experience for me. If there was a song that I felt "meh" about, I still had some excitement that such a classic was right around the corner.

It's not bad but I don't find it very special either

Uneventful

Wow this is middle of the road. nothing to excite or criticize really. Could have given a 3 but as this is supposed to be "albums you must listen to" this is the complete opposite. You forget it as you are listening.

I think that the term "generic" was invented for these guys. I'll give it a 2 just because they had the decency to leave it at a short 29 minutes.

Not that bad, but I wont ever listen again...

Generic and boring, still it wasn't hurtful to listen to.

2.5

Mellow punk rock, not a fan

Before listening to this album, I'd only ever heard The Lemonheads' cover of "Mrs. Robinson," which is a really great cover. With only that to go off of, I wasn't sure what to expect out of this album. If I had to summarize my experience in one word, it would be 'underwhelming.' Nothing here really stood out to me. I wouldn't say this was an unpleasant album to listen to, but I definitely don't understand why this album made the list. I'll admit that the lyrics to the title track were really great, and their version of "Mrs. Robinson" really holds up, but that's it.

Boooooring… even Hüsker Dü was more raw. If this is HC punk (as someone in the comment section on YT suggested, I never listened to HC punk before.

2.5 fun ig the pixies really were ahead of there time

Boring really

2/5. Not a lot of memorable songs and the Mrs. Robinson track wasn’t even on the office track listing. It’s not unlistenable just not important.

I mean, it’s alright. A bit samey, Mrs Robinson was a highlight though.

A proper meh album. floppy.

It’s like if all the good parts of REM and the bad parts from Hüsker Dü mixed. Not my thing. 2/5

MEH

Mrs Robinson cover

boring as fuck

wont bother listening again

Imagine being Ray. Being kicked out of school for so many times you not only made it in the newspaper but also inspire a generic alt-rock album.

bien qsy 6.5 /10

I do not care for this. I understand the appeal of it. I just don't find it all that engaging, novel, or profound. Really not sure why it's here, beyond the Mrs. Robinson single, which wasn't even part of the album originally.

it was fine but a bit boring

Music that I like while not being all that interesting. 2/5

I get it

Would’ve been good in middle school

Tråkigt och generiskt. Bästa låten är en cover

meh

This was totally only on the list for the Mrs. Robinson cover, which wasn’t even on the original album. Shame on you, Dimery. 4/10

A bit disappointing, coupla songs that stand out (I really like Ceiling Fan In My Spoon) but too much of it is one-paced and forgettable.

Not particularly memorable - that said, I thought it was early 2000s indie and it's actually early 90s, so probably gains some bonus points for being ahead of its time. Title track is decent, and their Mrs Robinson cover (which I knew already) is great, but otherwise there's not much here to recommend. 2/5, nearly a 3 but just not enough depth.

They have a twangy sixties sound. The title track isn't bad, but overall, it's pretty forgettable and not unlike a multitude of other bands from the 80s and 90s.

Listened to it but can barely recall

My favorite song was a cover song that was not as good as the original. Can't really tell why this album was on a list, but it wasn't bad per se.

Not bad, but very samey.

- Never heard of The Lemonheads before - Meh - Not a bad album, but I don't really understand how it's on this list as it's very generic sounding 90s alt rock - Doesn't help that the best song is a Simon & Garfunkel cover - Fav songs: Mrs Robinson, Rudderless

This motored along nicely but didn't take any off road turns.

This was every punk album ever created followed by an okay cover of Mrs. Robinson. It's not bad but it's not particularly interesting either.

Nei

Decent 90s alt-rock album, though nothing really grabbed me about the sound of this band. I think their songwriting is better on the more acoustic songs. When they go for more of the straightforward 90s rock it just sounds generic. Standout Tracks: It's a Shame About Ray, My Drug Buddy, Hannah & Gabi.

nicht so. Irgendwie kuschelpunk

There is not a lot worth mentioning on this the sophomore major label album by The Lemonheads - most famous for an uninspiring but radio friendly cover of 'Mrs. Robinson'. 'It's A Shame About Ray' stands out as a decent track, and you can see why it was chosen as the title track. Nothing aggravates about this record, and nothing stands out. I most certainly did not need to listen to this before I died.

I remember stumbling into this when I was about 14 - and I really liked it. But for some reason I never returned to it after I listened to my friend’s CD 2-3 times. And I think that might be the reason, that I don’t care that much for the record today - because this has all the elements of a 90’s record that require some nostalgic attachment for you to really appreciate it. At times it’s quite fun and I like their jangley sound, but it often feels monotonous and without any true emotions. It’s a shame.

09/23/2022 Generic 90s album from what I recall. The Mrs. Robinson cover was great, but it was somebody else’s song. — Good day yesterday. Studio went by really quickly and then I got to see Lukey :)) we went to dinner at MF sushi and that shit was sooo good. Excited for the rest of the weekend

this type of music that the lemonheads had here was very popular in the early nineties, but i'm not hearing much that's intriguing to my ears. musically, "the turnpike down" was the most interesting number here! and i enjoy the album title; it definitely grabs attention. i do enjoy simon and garfunkel, so the cover of "mrs. robinson" was appreciated. lyrics weren't too different, though "confetti"'s did grab me. unfortunately, this will just be a forgettable album as part of this project. not bad, not great, but nothing to make it stand out.

Enjoyed it for about 3 songs, but quickly came to realise it's one-note nature. Every song sounds the same!

middling 90's alt rock with a good cover of Mrs. Robinson.

Pretty standard 90s alternative sound. Couldn't find too much info about them, besides that they covered Mrs Robinson well. Nothing stood out to me unfortunately

It's fine. Couple cool songs but nothing blowing me away

Im unsure how to judge this album. Its a pretty good representation of 90s alt rock but nothing stands out. Most popular track is a cover, albeit a good cover at that.

Sé ekki ástæðu þess að þessi plata hafi komist á þennan lista. Hresst beat, en lítt merkilegur söngur og einhæfur hljóðheimur. Mrs. Robinson coverið er lélegt. Ekki pirrandi en algjörlega óeftirminnilegt að öðru leyti.

A few bright points in a mediocre effort.

Pretty generic 90s alt rock album. This felt like a compilation of songs as there didn’t seem to be a cohesive element to them. There was a cover or two in here too. The singer isn’t bad and the band plays well but I just found some of the songs odd and nothing too special. But overall it’s ok. 4.9/10

Fairly tame 90s pop rock. Nothing earth shattering here. The only reason this album made the list is because of the Paul Simon cover. 2 outta 5 mics

Meh / 10 , gonna give this a 1 - the only song that got popular from this guy was a cover and it's a good cover. But meh

Meh

Reminds me a little of Counting Crows. Easy-listening, simple. Steel guitar in "Hannah & Gabi" is a nice surprise. "Kitchen" is pretty fun.

Kinda mid tbh, just really felt like an album with no unique identity. Sure there was a couple good tracks but it's quite forgettable.

not a bad album, but not really my cup of tea. i’d need to be in the mood for it to listen again.

I guess the 90s did have a certain sound, like the theme song from friends, this one with an increase of the blaring guitar sound. Alright.

I thought it was quite good, some of it was good listening but others was very samey to other 90s alt bands of this time. Not really my type of music but didn't hate it. 2.7/5

all a bit too samey for me vocals aren’t for me won’t listen again 5.3/10

basic 90s alt rock

Звучание неплохое, но альбом довольно однообразный и новаторский разве что на момент выхода. Возможно, сам по себе он бы получил от меня 5 из 10, но учитывая этот список и то, какие альбомы в нем есть это оценка 3 из 10.

2.5

p684. 1992. 2 stars. Average white boy garage band plays average white boy garage songs. Nothing memorable here. Why is this on the list?

Just not that good. Likable and approachable, sure, but first half is awfully samey and formulaic (simple chords + mid-tempos + rolling beats + longing, semi-ironic vocals + rinse + repeat). Second half is slightly better. The steel guitar on “Hannah and Gabi” just reminds one how little variation there is. “Drug Buddy” and “Bit Part” are best of the lot. The S&G cover is merely annoying, partially because it was well-loved by knuckleheads. This is my sweet spot and era and these guys failed to impress then, a poor-man’s Replacements at best, strike me the same way now. They didn’t exactly overwhelm contemporary competition (Buffalo Tom, Soul Asylum and Grant Lee Buffalo and, adjacently, Yo La Tengo and Dinosaur, Jr. [both of which, along with the criminally-excluded-from-this-study ‘Mats, are much, MUCH better bands]). One smiles, one taps one’s toe, but remains underwhelmed, but "bubblegrunge" was on target and maybe flattering to the LH’s. 2.5 > 2

Slow and not very catchy so far. I don't think the music is bad just not my style. Boring and bland.

kind of boring

The Lemonheads have melody writing down, but too-quickly give it up to slide on every song into acoustic guitar pop-punk jangle. Without a concept to tie it together, the record slid past without making much of an impact on me.

Same same same, like a lot of 90s alt rock it seems. But it was fine! I think my top pick is 'Rudderless'

It's a shame Evan Dando cannot sing properly. A few of the better songs can withstand his bland performance, but half of the songs are not that good and the limitations of singer and band start to annoy.

This was only ok to me. The music was pretty underwhelming and all the songs sounded exactly the same. I perked up at one song (Frank Mills), but then realized I just recognized that song from Hair.

Certes j'ai somnolé pendant l'album, mais rien n'a retenu mon attention.

Grunge hasn't aged well. I always viewed Mrs Robinson as comedy record. Didn't make it to the end of this album. I'd forgotten all about Juliana Hatfield.

First time listening to this one. I have heard of the Lemonheads, but I don't think I can name one song. None of the songs on this one are familiar to me. I think it has potential and there are a few songs that really stand out to me. The first was My Drug Buddy. The title track, It's a Shame About Ray is the next best song followed by the cover of Mrs. Robinson. Others: Bit Part, Hannah & Gabi, and Frank Mills. 2.5/5

favorite songs: It's A Shame About Ray; My Drug Buddy; Mrs Robinson.

It’s not necessarily bad but this kind of music is very lame imo

Nothing earth-shattering for me here.

With a band name like ‘The Lemonheads’ the odds of this being a good record were always going to be low. And so, it proved to be.

Pretty good. Might have to dig in another day

Ну ооочень скучно. Пару дней пытался осилить альбом, не вышло.

It was easy to have on in the background but I wasn’t that impressed 2*

Bit disappointing. Felt like it was a bit sub-Wildhearts rock. Not much too it.

It looks much better as an idea than an actual result. Basic indie rock with

Not to bad listen to most of it

Is this the group that sings the Friends song? The only halfway decent song here is the “bonus” track remake of the Simon & Garfunkel classic which, aside from its janky, driving beat, has none of the charm or musicality of the original.

Never really got the hype about this one. It's a pretty fun album but nothing really clicks for me