It's A Shame About Ray

Fico ruim nao

Tuttu levy vuosien takaa. Tätä tuli popiteltua joskus lukio/opiskeluaikoina aika paljonkin. Rempseätä punkpop-menoa jossa ei turhia ylimääräisiä kikkailuja juurikaan esiinny. Hyvä levy, mutta ei todellakaan mitään vallankumouksellista. Mukavaa nostalgiafilistelyä kuitenkin!

it was ok

It's a goodun but not wholly memorable

The clear highlight of this album for me was the Mrs Robinson cover and also "Rudderless". There were a few other really good songs, but it also fell into that alt-rock sameys that Elastica also hit for me. Not quite as memorable as I hoped even after attempting two listens.

90s indie/college rock. Power pop. Sounds like Elvis Costello

Cool one, like it

“Californian” commercial rock

i heard this once or twice a few years ago when i had a bit of a period of listening to this early 90s alternative almost-grunge type stuff. it's not bad, but is a bit samey. a bit whiney in spots. 3/5.

it is quite alright

2.5/5 not bad, but not a must listen.

That Mrs. Robinson cover is great.

Never got into these guys, and I still understand today why that was. The music is just a bit dull and dry, not much character or energy to it and is a bit depressive on the ears. I know this crew had their fan base, but I wasn’t a part of it. This music is best left in the 90s.

this sucks

Yet another album that is listenable but forgettable. DNF.

It’s all nice and floaty, but it just feels like there’s something missing. It’s just a bit dull and samey. Aside from their great interpretation of ‘Mrs Robinson’ is just beige background music

The only song I knew by The Lemonheads was their cover of “Mrs Robinson”, which is brilliant. Nothing else really lived up to that, but this was alright - the very definition of a 2.5* album. Not sure it was strong enough to round up overall: I wasn’t particularly engaged with chunks of it.

Alright…

so boring

5/10

Bland

First Listen Favorites: Mrs. Robinson My Drug Buddy Ceiling Fan in My Spoon Honorable Mentions: It's A Shame About Ray

It's taking so much in me not to hit 1 star on this one. I can't, because I could see an appeal to this. To me, its bland, moody, angsty trash. Sorry

Just a bit too uninspiring for me Will I listen to again: 1%

90’s music scratches something for me but it’s really contextual. This time it didn’t necessarily hit.

I might rate the album better if I wasn’t listening to a bunch of better versions of this album over the last week. Really doesn’t do too much to me

It's got some sound of some kind, but honestly, it's the same sound that I've heard so often. Vocals are just so dull and inoffensive, which feels like I'm listening to plant dry. It's punk but in that acoustic indie-pop way. I even skipped a song pre-emptively without realising that I'm listening to an album because I got that bored with it.

As someone who lived through the release of this album, I can tell you that no one cared about this album. It only got attention because of the "Mrs Robinson" cover for the The Graduate 25th year re-release. Not an essential album by any stretch. The Lemonheads only appealed to the fascist zine-heads. You know the kind, the ones who were hogging all the computers and photocopiers at Kinko's anytime you need to get something done for school. Alternative album title: MEH

It's ok, not terrible, not great. Listenable but not something that I'll be coming back to.

I like Confetti. The rest of it's a bit dull.

1,5

Feels like an empty shell of pop

it's fine

No idea but this album cover is so good/of the era. Fineeee, redundant perhaps?

Not bad. Probably wouldn't listen through again.

It is a catchy and jangly collection of tunes but seems to carry nothing that noteworthy within in. It is a very easygoing listen overall. 7/10 [DROP]

Probably never gave Lemonheads much of a listen due to the Mrs. Robinson cover being their “hit.” Listened to this album and actually pretty good until the end when Mrs. Robinson kind of runs the album for me. Probably won’t listen to this one again. Between 2 and 3 stars for me, definitely not in the 1,001 albums to listen to before you die.

Boring

meh? 90's nostalgia and that's about it

I listen to a ton of R.E.M., so Lemonheads get thrown in my algorithm all the time. It makes sense - they're contemporaries, they're both jangle job, etc. But the difference is this is boring and rote and R.E.M. rules. Sorry, I don't make the rules.

Nyt jäi taas perushakkaamiseks, hieman jopa muniin puhalleltiin.

It feels like the Lemonheads had one foot in the underground and one foot in the C-suite trying to impress the suits and ties. Ultimately, they appease no one! I also hate that cover of Mrs. Robinson, sorry!

ummmmm i wasn't bothered but i wasn't moved so

tja.. nogal easy listening die rap op de achtergrond verdwijnt... geen uitschieters, behalve dan misschien de cover van S&G...

Made me want to listen to some Julian Hatfield, so not all bad

Школьное музыкальное выступление в Америке. Это буквально отражение страха и при этом мечты выступить на сцене каждого кто занимался музыкой в школе Америки. Вот он стоит на сцене все девочки на него смотрят и он выдает нереальным вокалом второсортный панк. Вообщем по раскрытию краткого описания можно понять что обсуждать нечего, второсортный скучный неинтересный. Оценка тем ни менее 4/10 исключительно из-за лояльности к жанру.

Yawn, the end is a bit better but yeah no nostalgia, no interest.

Not much worthy of note in this album, and the ms robinson cover is really not great

Not a bad listen. 2.5 stars.

I love 90's rock but these guys just ain't it for me

Boring

frictionless and monotonous.

I understand there is almost definitely some "Seinfeld isn't funny" going on here, but I just don't think this album holds up well at all. The songs are incredibly bland and forgettable, and this band sounds like every other alt rock band from the early 90s.

Generic '90s "grunge"-pop. Is the influence I'm hearing kind of like R.E.M? The album art feels like it's made for a children's book, which makes me think on the potential grand scale metaphor: for the new generations, something not entirely sophisticated, but leaning towards it. You'll get there later on, buddy. 2.2/5

Teški napor od albuma, osjećam se već kao pokvarena ploča ocjenjujući ove underwhelming pop rock, ili kako se već u nedostatku boljeg ukusa i glazbe kategoriziraju, bendove. 2/5, 3/10

Completely bland. Forgettable.

A few good tracks here and there, but it’s definitely not an album I needed to hear before I die.

Not pitch perfect. Not catchy. Poorish production. I’d say bad arrangement as well. Lead vocal has a nice tone but that’s it. Very narrow range and no techniques.

this wasn't awful, but i don't understand what this album is doing here. its biggest claim to fame is a dope cover song, but that wasn't even on the original release of this album... seems like an odd choice for an album that we MUST listen to

The best thing about this album was the cover of Mrs. Robinson, the rest sounded like a college band trying to reinvent Weezer....poorly.

it was way too repetitive.

It's not terrible, but the twangy instrumentation/vocals and fairly unsophisticated nature to proceedings aren't much my thing.

Entirely forgettable, with the slight exception of a Simon and Garfunkel cover that wasn’t even supposed to be on the album. They made that track, by the way, sound like it belongs in a Monkees episode.

Bien basique et répétitif tout ça

Review - mid jangly alt rock Score - 5/10 Need to listen? NO

Bland, inoffensive indie rock. I am struggling to see how these guys had any impact on the culture back in the 90s. The best track is the cover which closes this LP, the original Simon & Garfunkel song with a new desktop theme.

High 2 from me too, i almost like it but i needed more from the arrangements, especially the guitars. They manage to sound like they have 1 guitar rather than 2 and it lacks interest even if the genre/style is up my street

Ég þekkti útgáfuna þeirra af Mrs. Robinson en restin af lögunum fannst mér afskaplega bílskúrsbandalegt og óeftirminnilegt. Ekkert gæðastykki hér á ferð.

Spiritually Australian?

Utterly forgettable alt rock with a certain sleazyness to it that really wears itself out after a few songs. Uninspired and bland, but not offensively bad at least. The Mrs. Robinson cover is certainly there I suppose, it's definitely a song... That can honestly be said about most songs on this album. They're just kinda there. 2/5.

Felt like some mediocre 90's alt rock. Not bad, but also not great. I don't know The Lemonheads but if this album is an indication they found their lane and stuck to it. Most of the songs were very similar with a lot of down-the-middle choices. I stuck around for the added Mrs. Robinson cover which I realized I was already familiar with and was yet another mediocre production. If you were into the 90's alt rock scene, or following Boston bands specifically maybe Lemonheads did something to stand out but 30 years later I got nothing. Any individual song on this album isn't bad, but it does little to wow me in any way. The whole thing was kinda wimpy and sappy but maybe that was just the style at the time. When the album wrapped it was forgettable so I won't be surprised if a couple years from now I don't have any recollection of listening to this album. 1.61 stars

Another one hot album. Generic 90s alt band trying to sound punkbbut sounds like every other generic 90s alt band thats trying to sound punk

I never really got the Lemonheads. They're fine but they don't blow me away.

Ugly ass album cover. Pretty mid songs overall other than the obvious standout.

far too long with this ....why do we need 3 versions of most songs

A perfectly acceptable pop album, but not for me.

Very 90’s. I’m not sure how this band got so popular back then. This whole album was so bland. This is the band playing in the background of a teen house party in a 90’s movie. Even worse, I had to suffer through all the songs a second time but the DEMO version.

I know the name Lemonheads, and for some reason, I know the name of the lead singer, Evan Dando. But I'm not sure I know any of their songs. I must have heard or seen them on MTV back in the 90's. I assume they are that kind of '90s softish rock that was popular back then. I also noticed Juliana Hatfield plays bass in this album. I remember the Juliana Hatfield Band, or Trio, from around this time as well. I'm not sure I remember a song of theirs, either. This album came out in June 1992. Regardless, I'm going in blind, just like I like it. I also like that the album is just 12 songs, with each song under or around 3 minutes, and several under 2. That gives me punk vibes, which would be cool. Track 1 is Rockin' Stroll. Okay, the guitars are acoustic feeling, though an electric guitar is being played. Hatfield's bassline is very '90s-sounding, though that could just be the production style back then. The band is a trio with David Ryan on drums, but near the middle part of the song, I hear an organ playing, just adding another layer. There is no guitar solo, though an electric guitar shows up in the second half of the song to play a nice rock riff. The song seems to be about a kid in a stroller whose mom is taking for a "rockin' stroll." The point of view is interesting, but the song isn't that great, really. Track 2 is Confetti and it's another song that sounds like just acoustic guitars are playing, but there is at least one electric guitar. I really didn't hear an electric guitar until Dando played a neat little Ace Frehley-like solo in parts. It's weird, the Lemonheads seem to be really good at making the sound of electric guitars disappear on a song. Not sure that's a good thing. This song sounds kind of like the first song. The lyrics aren't crazy interesting. I'm not sure what caught critics' ears. The music isn't bad, in fact, it's good, but I've heard other bands do it better. Track 3 is It's a Shame About Ray and this was the first single off the album. The single made the top 30 on the Billboard 200. I like this song. It still sounds like it's an acoustic song, but there is a nice guitar riff in places. It kind of gives me a Cheap Trick vibe, musically. I also feel a bit of Foo Fighters during the chorus, maybe a slow version of Monkey Wrench. They get in and get out in 3 minutes, which is nice. I will give Dando credit. He knows how to say what he needs to say and do so efficiently. That was a knock I had on Kid Rock when he decided the hip-hop grift had played out, and he moved on to the country music grift. Old Bob Ritchie couldn't figure out how to end a song. He writes 5-minute songs that need to be 3 minutes long. But when you're not a natural songwriter, you don't know those things and apparently never learn. Track 4 is Rudderless, and the opening riff has some dissonance in it that is intriguing. Hatfield gets some time to shine singing backing vocals. Oh, that middle section is really good. Maybe the best part of the album. I really liked this song. Track 5 is My Drug Buddy, which they retitled as Buddy because I guess kids didn't know about drugs in 1992. The adults had to keep kids from finding out about drugs, and one good way was changing the title of this song, rather than just talking to their kids about drugs. That way, when little Johnnie starts doing drugs, parents can blame the Lemonheads rather than bad parenting. Good thinking, adults. The title was changed back to My Drug Buddy after a little time passed. The song starts out with an organ that plays a melody that sounds like Steely Dan's song Dirty Work, so I already love this track. The song is about a dude who loves the girl he does drugs with. Simple. I assume she just loves doing drugs with him. But he seems to be too afraid to truly find out if he has a chance with her, so he just keeps doing drugs with her. It's kind of a sad song, really Track 7 is Bit Part. The song is nothing special, really. But the lyrics are quite funny. The guy singing just wants a bit part in this girl's life. He's not asking to be the main star or even a supporting actor. He'll take a bit part. Just a little more than a stand-in. Dando is quite the poet, but the music is just that poppy rock music that was huge on the radio and MTV at the time. It's almost folk rock. Never been my cup of tea. Track 8 is Alison's Starting to Happen. This song is fun as hell. It's about the blossoming love of a guy for a girl named Alison. Alison doesn't know it yet, and maybe he's a bit stalkerish. The song has some great sounding guitars. It's the first song that sounded like a pure rock song with electric guitars. I think it should have been a single. Probably my favorite song on the album. Track 9 is Hannah & Gabi, and speaking of Steely Dan, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, guitarist for Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, plays slide guitar on this song. This song is very country-sounding. Baxter's slide sounds like a lap steel guitar, which makes it country to my ears. It's a nice, mellow song. I really like it. Track 9 is Kitchen, and it sounds like the 90s through an R.E.M. filter. It gets better when the bongos come in midway through, but otherwise, it's just 90s rock. Track 10 is Ceiling Fan in my Soup. This is a rock song. It's very punky. The lyrics are weird. I'm assuming the song is about mental illness. The singer says he feels like a bent fork tine. That's a great line. The song is quick and pretty good. Track 11 is Frank Mills. The song sounds like Dando with an acoustic guitar, just letting it rip for one take. There is also someone in the room playing percussion, but the percussion instrument seems to be someone's chest or back being patted by someone's hands. The song has goofy lyrics, which Dando seems to be able to crank out at will, but it's not anything particularly memorable. Track 12 is a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's Mrs. Robinson. It was the second single off the album, though it wasn't originally on the album/ It was added as a bonus track in later pressings as their version of the song became a worldwide hit. The song was recorded for an anniversary tribute to The Graduate's soundtrack. Now that I hear this, I think I remember it from that time. The song was in the top ten on the Billboard Modern Rock tracks. Nic Dalton played bass on the song instead of Hatfield, as she was already out of the band by the time of the recording. The song is an all-time classic, and while the Lemonheads don't really change much, just the addition of chugging guitars and rock drums is a huge change sound-wise. I can see why this was a hit. It's a great song. Dalton's bass really stands out, too. I have to say, while there were some good songs on here, I'm still kind of surprised it's on the list. Maybe I'm thinking too small, and 1,001 albums are a lot more than I think. I guess I'm thinking these albums should be 5-star bangers, and this is a 3-star alrighter, at least to me. If you want a great example of what 90s rock radio sounded like, minus the Seattle sound, then this album is a good one to listen to. Otherwise, it just didn't blow me away.

I liked the combo of Bit Part in Your Life and Alison’s Starting to happen. Overall not for me but this must have gone so hard if you were 15 in 1992 and liked skateboarding and were in love with the weirdest girl in your class and considering becoming a stoner. There is sweetness throughout and I can see why people like them but musically it did not Excite me and I think I am prejudiced against (some) American Things.

I think the Mrs Robinson cover really skews this album. The rest is fine to bland - but damn it they did a great job on that cover

This was mostly bland alt rock, with few interesting aspects at all.

only not giving this 1 star because of mrs robinson

..

Way too generic for my liking. Shockingly so. Beyond the title track and Mrs Robinson cover there's just nothing to remark on. At least the songs are concise, but there's a noticeable lack of any signature stand out moments to keep me engaged

[album #13] just boring. The mrs robinson cover was so bad. the rest of the album wasn’t awful but there was nothing special imo. 2/5

Boring

Donnerstag, 16.07.2026 ~Nachmittagstief, abends ~ Diverse Anläufe gebraucht. In der philologischen Bibliothek, beim Schreiben meines Exposés. In der Ringbahn auf dem Weg nachhause.

Donnerstag, 16.07.2026 Zweimaliges Hören in der philologischen Bibliothek im EG und UG jeweils links beim schreiben meiner Hausarbeit über JP Sartre und sein philosoph. Wirken

Personally I didn’t really like this album except rudderless

90s alt pop-rock movie b-roll soundtrack

I had a great opening line for this review; “I didn’t give a fuck about The Lemonheads then and, having listened to this, I don’t give a fuck about them now,” but that’s probably too harsh. It sort of grew in me. It’s not as egregious as Travis in being MOR wank. It reminds me of 90s / Gen X / Slacker vibes, which is nice. I feel like I am in the film Ghost World or something. But it’s also a bit boring. Nice but dim. Fine. Whatever. (Which, at least, is an attitude which befits the vibe.)

Alright.

Just no for my taste

Sobrevalorado

Sounds like the background music for a early 2000 sitcom. Pretty mid overall.

Fun but forgettable, probably won't listen to it again

Lemonheads spelades mycket i Hassan vill jag minnas. Collegeradiorock snarare än indie och på det hela taget ganska ljummet. Men dom ska ha kredd för att dom aldrig försöker vara särskilt tuffa. "Mrs. Robinson" har jag nog hört oftare med LH än originalet, så det är såhär jag tror den ska låta. Men den ingår ju faktiskt inte på USA-original cdn. Titelspåret, "Confetti" och "Alison..." tycker jag rätt bra om men det stannar typ där, det är för mycket 90talets radiovälling för min smak. Om man man röka morötter blir det en tvåa

Har för mig att man gillade Lemonheads när det begav sig. Kanske inte den 90-talsindie som gått hårdast i stereon därefter. Men visst här finns en del trevligt att lyssna på. Som titelspåret och My drug buddy. Som helhet håller det emellertid inte. Man ligger rätt ofta farligt när den förfärliga amerikanska highschoolindien. Eller som i the Kitchen som blir mycket signaturmelodin till Vänner.

I’ve always thought that if they hadn’t done the Mrs Robinson cover, then this album would have never gotten any interest given the rest of it is just a drab lifeless version of everything that was way better than it at the time. Also, his voice just sounds like Elvis Costello. Hope that’s spoiled it for a few people. You’re welcome….

ok

It’s an ok early 90s rock record. Kind of sounds like a mix between REM and British rock from that era. 2.6/5.0

It’s not a good sign when the best song in the album (by far) is a cover. Although Mrs. Robinson was pretty peppy and fun - enough to pull this out of 1 star territory. Otherwise it was pretty bland. For mid 90s pseudo indy sound, let’s just do Alanis or Barenaked Ladies. Even Counting Crows in a pinch.

Very boring one. You can’t say it’s no good, but is this a must listen one? Ask yourself.

Its an ok album but I find it to be too jangly and safe for my tastes. I do give them credit though by managing to combine grunge with pop punk, sort of like Silverchair meets Ramones. I am familiar with Mrs Robinson which is an ok song but that's about it. Didn't know it was a cover though.

Es un rock pop con algunas melodías pegajosas No hubo más que destacar del álbum, no es malo en si, simplemente no sobresale en su gran mayoría desde mi humilde perspectiva

The music is upbeat and jangly, the singing has a kind of emotionless/flat delivery, and it just doesn’t work for me. - In spite of my tepid feelings toward the album, I wound up listening to the bonus demo versions at the end, and I preferred their grittier, lo-fi sound. In the end, it wasn’t too bad - just bland. 2.5

Catchy and kinda charming I guess, but man is it same-y. Kind of like your useless stoner buddy. Good in small doses but lacks much real appeal.

This is just fine? Like non offensive but not interesting at all. "Mrs. Robinson" was basically the most interesting thing on here, and it's never good when the best song on the album is a cover.

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

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

Too poppy punk

Maso

The kinda songs you skip in a Tony Hawk game

Meh

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

Not for me

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

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

2.08

Eh

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

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

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

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

- ..... meh. -

Vocalist sounds sedated.

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

mh nicht so gut gealtert na ja ...c

2.5

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

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

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

Bland, powerless

It was not very memorable for me

Son todos los temas iguales

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

meh

Dreary.

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

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

eh, it was fast. Basement album

I had to listen to this before I die??

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

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

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

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

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

One great cover, the rest soso

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

stale, so so stale

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

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

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

Dull

Fint nok. Meget 90er.

Decent but generic 90s white guy soft rock

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

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

Jangly early 90s rock. Meh.

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

nothing

2.5 sounds like the soundtrack to some sitcom like Friends.

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

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

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

Very bland and mediocre.

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

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

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

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

2,5/5 i found it boring overall

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

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

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

Saturday morning cartoon music.

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

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

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

Day 82 This is fine but one I’m unlikely to ever return to bar a couple of songs. 5/10 Highlights My Drug Buddy Bit Part

Albummet falder ikke indenfor min musiksmag. Jeg kunne forestille mig at nostalgi kunne have en større indvirkning og der er nogle sange der er gode.

3 is nice enough 4 nice. 5 aswell but a bit repetitive 9 my favorite so far 10 my least favorite so far Unfortunately It's not great Not at all Not so nice to say, but I completely forgot about it once it was over. But it's not offensive in any way... It's a flat

Not great. Mediocre songs, Mediocre playing. Absolutely nothing interesting. Nothing exciting. Nothing memorable. For me I can't offer anything better than a 2

Just okay

Their fifth album. Indie Rock. Every song is the same middle of the road blandness. The vocals aren't great either. The album is...just...boring.

Not interesting

Enjoyed this, but nothing stuck with me. I feel like there may be other things in this band's discography I'd like more. Oh also, fucking hate their Mrs. Robinson cover. It's on the same level as that Alien Ant Farm Smooth Criminal cover. Not even kidding.

I feel like I'm listening to a bunch of stoners (who used to perform as a youth group band 4-5 years ago) try to write music that sounds punk, but not quite nailing it. Can't say I hated listening to It's a Shame About Ray, but I didn't really enjoy it either. It's certainly not essential listening material in my book. Separately, I noticed that the Lemonheads' top song on Spotify was their cover of "Mrs. Robinson" and that it was on this album – I didn't want my first impression of the iconic song to be a cover, so I decided to listen to the original and mildly spoil Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends album (which is on this list) in the process. I later realized that the cover isn't actually a part of the original album and that I could have just not listened to the bonus tracks. My bad on that one. Highlights: Confetti, It’s a Shame About Ray

What is the point of this. Music this absolutely bland and should should at least have a good vocalist.

It has that '80s rock feel, yet it's not hard to listen to and sounds familiar to the ear. Even within the same album, it features tracks with distinct atmospheres.

Not really

Scrubs ass music

The Lemonheads were swimming against the tide of grunge in 1992 with this album. It lacks the emotional weight, fury and aggression of grunge and that's a welcome deviation. However, save for the title track and an absolutely cover of Simon & Garfunkels 'Mrs Robinson' there is little worth remembering about this album. It's all decent but nothing special. Top Track = Mrs Robinson

Tiesin bändin ja keulahahmon nimeltä. En oo ikinä kuunnellut heitä. Enkä kuuntele jatkossakaan. Tää levy oli mun korviin tasapaksua poppia, mitään ei jäänyt mieleen, eikä oo mun kuppi teetä. Ainoa menevä biisi oli ”Mrs. Robinson”-coveri.

Damn they felt rebellious, they even said "tit" once Soft punk for Christians

Meh

Super generic. Not that great

I don’t know. Must listen? Their version of Mrs Robinson took all the menace out of it. The rest of it is fine. Quite ok even. But hardly essential…

Very boring run-of-the-mill indie rock. Very hard to justify this being on the list but something like The Beatles' Let It Be not being on the list. 2.0/5.0: Disappointing

Starts off quite high energy and interesting and sort of just fades into boringness. Forgot I was listening to it multiple times and really wanted to like this one. Rudderless stood out to me. Won’t listen much again and certainly wouldn’t recommend.

2.1 - Mal wieder ein Album, bei dem ich nicht verstehe, wie es auf die Liste gekommen ist. Kein Hit, nur Einheitsbrei, gerade gut genug, um nicht geskippt zu werden. Highlights: It's a Shame About Ray

Pure 90s jangle rock. Other people did it better though. Just made me want to listen to gin blossoms.

Mediocre middle of the road rock. Quite boring and featureless

na not my taste

65

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.