Broken English

Going three I guess... it was ok

Perilously close to a 2 star

Good lord, what a struggle. I guess the old "it's who you know" adage in life holds true. Perhaps this one was a revelation at the time, with Marianne coming out of whatever hell she'd been in, but I'm not here 50 years later to continue the suffering.

Pretty good surprise. All my life I have believed it was overhyped and still feel the same way but today I listened to a few really good lyrics and in context they are much better than I remembered. This was better today than 15 years ago when I tried it first

This was a nice surprise. It sounds so fresh for an album from 1979, very well produced. I liked her voice as well

Annoying voice and I don't like the music

I don't believe I recognize any of these tracks by title, and I've never listened to this album before. I know enough about Marianne Faithfull to anticipate that this may not be a particularly pleasant listen. I stand corrected, I recognize "Working Class Hero" but not this version of it. That being said, this was better than I anticipated, but still strongly meh.

Well, quite the ending there... Even before the finale I thought this was a bit Nick Cavey, lots of specific detail, delivering things a bit angrily, but that last one was pure NC. Some tracks had quite a nice groove to them, broken English, what's the hurry, quite liked both of those, the latter a bit blondiesque. Mostly though it was standard stuff being presented as more arty than it was.

Quite intense. Nice voice, some great ideas, overall just a little too dark for the sake of it. Why'd Ya Do It probably the standout, but I liked the boring monotony of Brain Drain, sounded like Blondie, and The Ballad of Lucy Jordan. A solid 2.5.

Interesting voice, couldn't decide if I liked it initially, but I think I have decided I do by the end. Not completely sold on the album as a whole though. The ballad of Lucy Jordan and working class hero are the best tracks but the latter is a Lennon cover so it doesn't count! The final song is interesting.... I reckon somewhere around 2.5

A cool album cover that would look great on a poster on a hip kids bedroom. But the music is mostly quite forgettable despite a couple of decent lyrical quips here and there.

ok

#454/1001. Hell of a diary. I know the title song and I've heard a few other tunes here, but i think this was the first complete listen through. One of those albums where you feel the sincerity and where simplicity meets just enough experimentation - nothing fancy, but not just your basic old guitar, bass and drums either. And of course the voice which has gone to hell and back. Hasn’t really aged bad either. Might consider buying in vinyl.

Drugs don’t work kids - right? And if you need any further evidence read the accompanying Wiki entry. What a sad life she led. Pity because in the 60’s she was my and every young boys wet dream. A beautiful woman but her music in my book never measured up to her looks. Listened to this album hoping that I had missed a gem but in all honesty was more moved by her forlorn life than the music. The main takeaway I get from the album is that it must have been the first one to contain the C-bomb. 3/5 28/8/26

I like the album cover. This was fine. I was reading her Wikipedia and it seems like she had a tumultuous life

Interesting in places, but just not a huge fan of her voice

“Why d’Ya Do It?” deserves all its acclaim and more, awesome stuff. I don’t think Faithfull is going to be a new favorite of mine but I appreciate the rawness and forward-thinking sounds here.

Some interesting rhythms/topics, but I just can’t stand the vocal cadence/wavering/tone overall, unfortunately.

Review it in Hoboken English: Hoo uhh heee haaa this album uhhh is a big fuggin uhh piece a shit OH! No. You know what? Do regular English, that was a little too much. Why is it that every horrible album has a John Lennon cover? It feels like a rite of passage for these atrocious singers to try their hand at Imagine, Working Class Hero, or Imagine (dub remix). Working Class Hero is a great song, but it's one of those things that feels really personal and unique. Covering it, on the other hand, makes you seem like a dunce. Anyway, this woman can't sing and is desperate to be perceived as cool. Total pass and reminiscent of the musical output of a white woman who invites herself to indigenous community events because she's "in touch with her spirituality." 1 HIGHLIGHTS: Yeah take another picture of me with a cigarette, maybe Lou Reed will call me.

I can appreciate the jazzier take on the music from this decade. I like parts of it, I’m not really blown away by anything that I’m hearing though.

I really wanted to like this more but it just didn't click for me. Not a big fan of the overproduced instrumentals and the raspy vocals. She sounds a bit like when I saw Stevie Nicks live a few years ago except Stevie was pushing 80 and honestly sounded better anyways. I do think this cool as a comeback album and knowing the story behind it definitely increases my appreciation for it, just not enough to improve its rating unfortunately. Favorite track: Witches' Song

Didn’t warm to this. Reading the synopsis it seems like this is on the list because of her life outside music at the time rather than this being good music.

Dark, harsh gritty, it's a fastinating and engaging listen, if not aprticularly experiemtnal or dinstinct sonically

She has an interesting voice, but the musical style is not that interesting to me

I’m hearing her, I’m listening, I’m not fully feeling her, you dig?

I love this record. 4/5.

This definitely isn’t what I was expecting. Weird slow motion synth disco topped off by a ragged rasp of a voice. In its best like why’d you do it or guilt it’s really entrancing. Falls short of a 4 due to the weird keyboard noises on the title track and the interminable Lennon cover

Onhan tämä oikeaa musaa mutta menee kyllä komeasti ohisektorille. Toki Working class hero on komea biisi. Muuten outoa, vanhahtavalta kuulostavaa konemusaa jossa myös perinteisiä bändisoittimia mukana. Faithfullin ääni on erikoinen ja itse asiassa alkaa ärsyttää aika nopeasti. Ei niin hyvällä tavalla erikoinen albumi. 2/5

#421 Rather enjoyed this, not quite what I expected, certainly quite interesting from a musical perspective. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Listen before you die? ✅ Fave track(s): Broken English Rating: 6/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

'I feel bad, so bad / Tho I ain't done nothing wrong, I feel bad.' A gorgeous comeback in every sense of the word, Broken English is damn near perfect, tho I'm not sure there's a single perfect track ('The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan' comes closest). In short, strong & believable, the album is essentially the darkest, heaviest, grittiest easy-listening experience you'll ever undergo, & that's why it's simultaneously so odd & yet so sensible. Hardly e'er altering her tune & tone, Faithfull is all 'bout that no-nonsense realism - 'Why'd Ya Do It' is harder than just 'bout anything Patti Smith e'er released (not better - just stating a fact) - but Marianne's a visionary at heart. She's just gone thru the fire & knows there's no coming back from that. Just a comeback.

Marianne Faithfull takes everything that should have disqualified her from making a great record—age, addiction, damaged relationships, damaged voice, exhaustion—and turns those liabilities into the album’s greatest strengths. And The Ballad of Lucy Jordan may be the single most devastating example of that transformation.

If I enjoyed listening to belt-sander on a chalkboard, this album would be great. I think it was said best in my household that Marianne was attempting to be edgy but comes off as Elvis Castello. I know she had an earlier career in the 1960s and was tied to the Stones, but this album to me felt like a last ditch effort to remain relevant the changing world. Her earlier work was soft and angelic. This album sounds like her last recording before the trach tube was installed. The Lennon song Working Class Hero is, for me, a not especially great (blasphemy, I know) but her version is grating. Even the bluesy-Brain Drain even felt like, to quote Amy Winehouse, her musicians “where in the place but she couldn’t find joy.” The original version of the Ballad of Lucy Jordan is, for me, the only really relatable song, with its gentle flow. This album just didn’t do it for me.

Random thoughts: * When I saw this entry, I said to myself: "I know this artist but I can't remember where from. Isn't this Mick Jagger's girlfriend?" * Yes, it is Mick Jagger's girlfriend but she is also an artist herself. * This was a weird entry into 1001 but I enjoyed this detour. I would have never picked this up otherwise. * I particularly liked Broken English, Lucy Jordan, the cover of Working Class Hero, and Why'd Ya Do It. * Why'd Ya Do It: yeesh! I'm gonna need to go take a shower now. * Was she a proto-Courtney Love? I get some Courtney Love vibes from her. * Was this essential, no. But a fun detour.

sad girl music. ok.

ruim

Wow, did not expect to see this name, which I recognise, on this list, as I wasn't even aware she made music! Well well well, this is not too bad at all, but also nothing to write to home about, just a bit well above average, probably right in the middle with 3 stars.

Odd that I really like Steve Winwood either solo or in one of his primary bands (Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith, etc.), but I tend to dislike albums (like this one) where he makes a guest appearance. Honestly, this album made me feel almost nothing. If there was any reaction, it was to the fact that this record led the way for many other 60's stars to make a later resurgence in popularity by performing slick, hyper-produced, pop music. These revivals fed the corporate machines and saved the pocketbooks of otherwise washed-up musicians.

Not too bad. Not really my cup of tea but I can see some people will find it interesting. Her tone and voice are unique and special. But it also cracks a lot at some bad time. And at first I thought it was a man’s voice (not in a derogatory way). If she meets a good producer, it could have been amazing.

interesting story - and a solid album. all in all, not sure i would branch out into more Marianne Faithfull, as several publications (and even Faithfull herself) indicate that this is her magnum opus. would be interesting to hear her earlier stuff, as to see how much her voice changed during her addiction phase

Better than a lot of other albums on the list, I’m just not fully sure why it gets so much admiration. Good, but not great with not many standouts. I could be missing the influence here but this is a three.

I really do not like her voice. It's like it cracks or cuts out before every note is finished.

Cool cover. Cool enough music.

When this album started I thought I was going to like it a lot more than I did. I didn't dislike it, but it just didn't capture my attention.

The final track was intense, wasn’t it? I read the wiki article about it thinking oh yeah she probably said a throwaway word that was considered too risqué for the 70’s, but my lord, she quite went off. no wonder it was banned from radio. It was a pretty good album altogether. They style wasn’t necessarily to my liking but I respect what she went through to put together such a comeback.

70

There's good stuff, there's ok stuff

Meh

As I get ever closer to my 1,000th album, this project has become more about the albums and bands that *aren't* on the list. Not a single Primus album, but there are 265 albums from the 1970s so far, the vast majority of them I could have died happy -- happier, even -- having not listened to. This is one of the albums that I would have been happier had I died not listening to it. Goddamn you, Robert Dimery, you took that from me.

Another album that has no business being on this list.

Boring. Her voice was annoying to me. The songs all sounded the same. Pretty political stuff too, which I never like in music.

Ooooo so close to a 5, even if simply based on Why’d You Do It- so punk rock.

I enjoyed very much. Good bass lines

This is really terrible. Do not like the voice of this singer. Sorry, do not enjoy this music

i think i appreciated this album way more when i listened to what she made in the 60's and was like "oh damn she got so much better in those 10 years". very unique and cool vocals. probably made room for so much art pop even with it's rockiness

I'm not a big fan of her smoker voice at all, and it really puts me off from listening to the messages ingrained in the album. I mean, it's got this real, personal perspective to it that a lot of polished albums fail to convey, because it's masked by great production. Still, though, not my thing, but I'm glad the album is on here.

Много лет назад я слушал Guilt и даже добавил ее в избранное на Spotify. При нынешнем прослушивании я не смог понять, что тогда мне так понравилось в этой песне. Альбом в целом также не показался мне интересным

Pretty cool, not sure if I remember much of it but enjoyed metbinks

Very cool music, witchy and overall groovy with an edge

Good album. I like her broken voice and the overall message of the album. Interesting sound with nice combination of post-punk, blues, rock. Some of the tracks I enjoyed: "Broken English", "Guilt", "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" (probably my favourite), or "Why'd Ya Do It". Not a big fan of the regae influence, but still pretty good. This is between 3 and 4 stars for me. Not a big fan of the "Working Class Hero" cover though.

Very bizarre album. Clicked in pieces, but I felt I was more distracted by elements that felt jarring in a forced way. There are bones, but it's like the album actively doesn't want you to be interested in it. There's one song where it clicks and it's crazy to me that it's the least popular listen on streaming. Top tracks: What's the Hurry?

Im not sure what i was expecting here, but this isnt it. A strange cross between 1980s synth-y pop and club singer. For people that are not in the north of England. A club singer is an mature singer that will perform covers of songs on an irregular basis in working mens clubs as a sort of weekend treat. Marianne Faithfull's voice is undoubtedly gravelly and distinctive. But there are times when it feels like she is trying really hard to do what she is doing. It All feels a bit much and not quite my thing. I am sure this will be someone's idea of perfection. But it's just not for me. (

I don't care how influential Faithfull is or was, this album isn't all that great. Some people would argue that 80s chicks ran because Faithfull walked, but this album is more like a tedious crawl.

Not bad. There were a few decent songs on the album. Beautiful voice tho

Rough smoker voice, rough lyrics. The last track was good, but I'm not sure I loved the rest. Hobo music.

This was pretty good throughout, can't fault it. Having a cover songs brings it down though. I'll give a 4

Wow. I really loved this one & I have no idea who this is until now. Amazing. I loved it more as it played like it just got better and better.

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Weird. Points for emotional expression.

Haar stemgeluid zit ergens tussen Phil Collins en Cindi Lauper, en dat is misschien geen beste plek om te zitten. En muzikaal doet dit album ook aan de jaren tachtig denken, met de strakke poparrangementen met keyboard en saxofoon. Ook hebben de stevigeres stukken wel iets van de muziek van bijvoorbeeld Herman Brood. Een prima album met gevarieerde nummers van de dame met de schraapstem, kortom. (Op aanraden van Cees haar hitje uit de jaren zestig ook even gedraaid... Zo! Dat is nogal eens een verschil qua stemgeluid. Een wonder dat het gekke mens nog 78 is geworden.)

We hebben met The XX en MJ Cole net wat meer digitale muziek gekregen, waarvoor de basis duidelijk voor de eeuwwisseling was gelegd. Bijvoorbeeld door mevrouw Faithfull is. Want ook zij mixt haar ziel met de digitale muziek van haar tijd. Dat was ook wel nodig. Want die stem zelf kost me wat moeite. Maar met het keyboard gaat het wonderwel samen. Ik was zelfs verrast dat het album al weer klaar was. 3,5 ster.

Ik wist niet goed wat ik moest verwachten, maar ik dacht eigenlijk een singer-songwriter te krijgen, a la Joni. Dus ik stond even perplex toen ik de eerste tonen van disco, reggae en new wave hoorde. Met een stem van schuurpapier, wat voortkomt uit een enorme verslaving aan recreatieve middelen, lees ik op de wiki. Kijk, dit is smullen. Voer voor een dikke docu, die er blijkbaar ook recent is gemaakt. Voor de grap heb ik ook even een oud nummer van voor haar drugsexcessen geluisterd. As Tears go by ken ik wel en dat is een soort dusty springfield ofzo, met een mooie zuivere stem. Geniaal, die aftakeling van dit soort artiesten. Dan vind ik zo'n album dus zoveel vetter om te luisteren ineens. Want qua muziek is het niet per se spectaculair. Maar er zit dus wel rauwe emotie in en dat vind ik tof om te horen. Niet dat opgepoetste of overgeproduceerde, al kreeg ze natuurlijk wel wat hulp van muzikale vrienden. Een verrassende ontdekking voor me, mede door het turbulente persoonlijke verhaal. Maar dat soort dingen horen albums ook te kleuren. Ik vind het begin wat toffer dan het einde en als het langer had geduurd, dan was het naar het treurige gegaan. Ik rond de 3,5 ster af naar een 4, omdat ik aangenaam verrast werd.

2.2 2x

If you looked at the cover and (like I did) hoped for a Joni Mitchell homage, hope something different. Broken English, instead, is a weird blend of (post-)punk, disco, funk, and impressively forecasted 80s pop. A really nice groove in the title track. I enjoy the simple, organic drumming, the gnarly synths, just the atmosphere overall. Shame the uninteresting melody kind of brings the song down. Faithfull also mostly obscures her very... odd?... vocal quality, for the most part, until the next track, Witches' Song. Still a kind of bad melody, and the clumsy self-doubled vocals can't be doing it any favours. I do enjoy this one more than the first, though, mainly for the lovely bass part, addition of acoustic guitars, and more positive, listenable feel. We get an immediate, strong, swung groove in Brain Drain. Again, the rhythm section excels – but the vocals just aren't it, man. I wonder if the lyrics are worth paying attention to here (looking down further, I see a cover of Working Class Hero, suggesting Faithfull may be the lyrical type). It would certainly make sense. But I'm not a lyrical listener. Closing out side 1, Guilt is sluggish and remarkable until around the second half, where the instrumental explodes into a mesmerising soundscape of overlapping blues melodies. Pretty cool. The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan might be the first instance so far of a strong melody on this record. And dang it, we needed one. Actually, the track stands out tremendously, apart from the slight issue of feeling like it builds up for all four minutes without ever really hitting a climax. I read What's The Hurry? as the climax/coda we were waiting for – and also a kind of reprise of the earlier Brain Drain. Similarly groovy, similarly swung, and similarly solid (but not a standout). The cover of Working Class Hero is every bit as good as Lennon's original; I think Faithfull's vocal suits this song better than it does any of the rest of the songs, and also better than Lennon's does on his own version. I do miss that dark acoustic guitar, though. Why'd Ya Do It is a heck of a closer. Doomy, groovy, seemingly unending, with wailing guitars and stomping bass and repeating, almost anthemic vocals near the end. The lyrics grab your attention and are a lot more difficult to ignore than previous tracks. Which is pretty admirable in its own right. I have to shout out the reviewer (we'll call him John) who complains about all the 1-star reviews, which themselves complain about this album only appearing on the list due to context. I agree with the 1-star reviews to an extent, and disagree with John vehemently. John compares Faithfull to the Rolling Stones, noting that the latter "ran out of interesting context and ideas some point in the 70s [and] they've been serving up drivel album after album." True, I guess. I don't think anyone disputes that. But they're lauded for their 60s and 70s material, for damn good reason. Faithfull is lauded less, also for damn good reason. Sometimes the critics (and audiences) are right. Deal with it. 3/5 Key tracks: Witches' Song, The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan, Working Class Hero, Why'd Ya Do It

I didn’t care for this. Didn’t enjoy either her voice or the style of music. It was short so that was nice.

Wow just wow

Broken English is an absolute banger to start to any album. Any song that has fanny, cock and cunt is always of interest.

This was groovy actually. Bit of everything. Kinda enjoyable

Quite the read on the background of this one. Dark, angry, and sometimes bitter, Faithfull’s charisma and determined performance elevates what’s essentially a pop rock record with some grit on it. The cover of “Working Class Hero” is especially striking, and Faithfull turns in my favorite vocal performance on the record in the closer “Why’d Ya Do It”. No self-pity to be found here.

Broken English was an interesting first track. I didn’t hate it, but something about the voice grated on me slightly. It got a lot better in Witches Song. Brain drain was alright. Definitely had a groove to it. The ballad of Lucy Jordan was actually great! I thought it was very melancholy, but awesome. What’s the hurry? Was quite fun. I liked how it picked up the pace a bit. Working class hero also had a very interesting backing track to it which I loved. Why’d ya do it was so crass but I enjoyed it a lot. Perfect way to end the album. 3.5/5 ⭐️ 209/1089

One or two good songs. Her voice is scratchy but I like her

She had a nice voice, but I don't believe I'll be listening to her again.

She's got a cool voice but the actual music is kinda boring.

fun! weird lol

Marianne's smokey vocals are excellent, but the synthy production threw me off a bit. I did have a listen to the original mixes on the deluxe edition, and those are far better in my opinion. Those would have likely been a 4, but the overly-80s sounding version is more of a 2 1/2 or 3.

I had listened to this album in recent years and I cant remember why. I thought maybe it was already on this list, hard to say as it feels like I started this list 20 years ago. Regardless, I enjoyed it the last time I listened to it, and equally enjoy it still. At least that is one enjoyable album this week.

aaaaa

Not exactly my vibe of late 70s music but a real weird voice is always gonna buy a lot of good will from me. Not much cooler than someone with a fucked voice being like “Well whatever,” Also I think I’ve gone my whole life thinking that Marianne Faithfull was a country artist? I wonder why that could possibly be eh

grooooovy. clearly the eighties started no later than nov 2, 1979. wow tho.. her voice is s c r a t c h y if i ever go on a spite-fueled post-breakup chainsmoking spree, i'll put this on. until then...

Broken English's cover hints at a pained, late night singer-songwriter album, so the bouncy synths that open it are quite jarring. They're very enjoyable, even if the song is somewhat linear and progresses with the same sounds throughout. That's really the theme of the album: the songs choose a lane - synths or jangly guitars mostly - and then repeat it. Of the first six songs, the opener and "Guilt" are interesting, while the rest are a bit too repetitive or restrained. The Lennon cover is a highlight, as the menacing pace really suits the song. The closer is the most confounding track, an angry and vulgar rebuke of a cheating lover set over an almost reggae tune that ends in a sax explosion. It's a little off-putting, but also maybe the highlight? The entire album is fine, but it could use more differentiating moments like that.

Сара 4 Марко 3+

Was ok, not great

Pretty great album. It's raw and emotional and its the kind of new wave rock that sounds more like the Clash than Morrisey. There's a ton going on musically, I think the album is consistent and cohesive. A suprisingly delightful album.

As a statement album from an artists who broke through addiction and managed to come out alive, it’s understandable how it got on this list. The subject matter is real and her broken voice fits kind of perfectly for it. The emotion is there and the lyrics are well suited for the songs. As a standalone musical work it’s pretty bad. I get her voice is part of it but she can’t really hold a note for too long and the backing band is simplistic and over produced. The cover of working class hero is awful. The rest of it is better but outside of the lyrical content it’s not good.

Best tracks are the covers. The artist backstory is more interesting than the album.

I had completely forgotten about the song Broken English. It was one I liked very much back in the early 80's, but hadn't heard in many years. I had never listened to this album, but was very interested when it came up today. Right off the bat Broken English started, and I liked it just as much as before if not more. Her voice, so weathered by life by then (I knew nothing of her story other than this was a comeback), was perfect for the song and started off the album well. None of the other songs hit quite like that for me, but I thought all of them were at least good. At times the cracking in her voice was distracting, but then I'd recall what I'd read and give more understanding. It was fascinating in that regard, in a similar way to listening to You Want it Darker by Leonard Cohen. The other standout song for me was Guilt, but Why'd Ya Do It was amazing if not exactly enjoyable.

The whole album should have been like Why’d Ya Do It (not that the rest is bad but mamma mia)

Broken English is such a bad song but like in general this album isn't offensive enough to warrant a 1 star. 4/10

Wow, this was good, great tunes and voice. Word of warning - prob best not to play Why D'Ya Do It when your parents are around 😐

decent listen.

boring

Her voice is so fucking cool and I love the sparse synths. Broken English is very Moroder. Why D'Ya Do It is so funny it's a perfect match of a voice and lyrics. Of course it took 6 songwriters to craft something so beautiful. The cover songs I have less love for but they're still cool.

Muy buen disquito de rock setetentero, me ha recordado un poco a Patti Smith, igual no es un disco al que vaya a volver un montón pero eso no quita que esté estupendamente hecho.

goog i think but i barely remember it so ig not good enough lol, #girlpower tho

gostei, me passou uma vibe meio natalia bedingfield, 3.5

I liked it! I've never really sat, and listened to her before, but she's good! Made me check out more of her stuff, so this time - the list worked.

Ok

Well, I knew of her and maybe heard about her relation to Mick Jagger, but I didn't know the rest. I knew Broken English and The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, and those are the better tracks on this album. The rest is somewhere between ok-ish and quite good.

Really just didn’t enjoy this. Didn’t like her voice. Melodies were simple. Lyrics were nothing special.

Broken English is raw and visceral, pulling absolutely no punches in its delivery of what life's sometimes ambivalent cruelty can do to a person. Faithfull's voice is weathered, worn, and street-wise from over a decade of hard living, and it gives the record a credibility it wouldn't have had otherwise. Though it's wrapped in radio friendly packaging, Broken English is made up of eight songs by a woman who has been run through the wringer and had the gall to live through it. While her male counterparts earned legendary status for their swinging 60s lifestyles (I'm looking at you Mick Jagger and Keith Richards), Marianne Faithfull had to rebuild her career and her life without the same glowing aura of coolness surrounding her mistakes. Is the record perfect? No. But it stands as a testament to her strength against almost insurmountable odds to regain her status as a musical icon. It's also a big middle finger to those who left her in the gutter while they continued their careers unphased.

Okay. That was alright. I feel like I don't have much to say this time around. Marianne Faithfull's Broken English is an album with some good elements and some elements that I don't care for. I'm not huge on Marianne's vocals on this album. Apparently her voice was damaged pretty badly by some pretty nasty drug use and laryngitis in the 70s, and I think her voice actually sounds pretty decent knowing that information, but her voice does still sound kinda shot at times, so there's that. The music is kind of interesting. I really wasn't expecting this to be a new wave album of all things. I thought this would be, like, country or folk or something, but no. There are some solid songs on here. I like "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" a good deal and I actually think that her cover of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" is pretty decent. The album's short and I really don't have anything negative to say about the listening experience, but I also don't have anything to say that's a huge compliment. The album's nice, but not amazing. 3/5.

Hard to evaluate outside of her life story, but it's more than just a document of her clawing her way back from the abyss. The Lennon cover is meh, but Broken English is a good song, Silverstein's Lucy Gordan ballad is haunting and perfect, and the edgeladyish Why'd Ya Do It still punches after all these years.

I was surprised to like this. She is raw and super cool.

That is an awesome album cover… Didn’t know anything about this artist or album going in. Sorry, I just don’t care about celebrity soap opera generally, so I didn’t know about Mick Jagger, her former fame, her heroine addiction and homelessness. I just listened to the album. At first I thought, “yeah, well, whatever 70’s female singer-songwriter I have never heard of for a reason.” But then it started to work on me. Like water. She seeped into my cracks. By the end Why’d Ya Do it, which has to be one of the BEST punk rock love ballads of all time, I was throughly impressed. 4 Boolean: TRUE

It was fine. Lyrics were a little iffy.

I couldn’t get past the vocal mix

It’s ok, like I think I could die without listening to this

5/10

Wtf are these lyrics? What is this vocal performance?? wtf is happening how is this even a consideration to be on this list.

“Masterpiece” is a stretch. It was fine, but wouldn’t ever return to this.

While there is some interesting elements in this album, I find it a bit boring. First of all, her voice is quite peculiar due to the abuse of heroin, which as a result, makes it quite raspy and flickering. I also think it is a bit flat. I don't really find her to be very expressive or emotional, but that's my personal opinion, as I've read reviews of people stating the exact opposite believe. With all being said, it is far from being the worst singing I've ever heard and I certainly don't mind it that much. Instrumentation-wise is where I find the album to have more interesting things. Overall it sounds as sophisticated and minimal as something coming from singer-songwriter, but with some New Wave touches added on top, such as synths, keyboards and even a saxophone in the song "Why'd Ya Do It?". In addition, I liked the sound of the bass throughout the whole thing, having some groovy and funky lines, like in "Broken English" and "Guilt". However, despite of the variety in styles and these little details, I don't really enjoy the album as a whole, as there are some moments I don't really care about or do anything that interests me.

Jezus wat kut. Is een beetje alles of niets de laatste paar albums, of een 1 of een 5. Dit is een 1

Totally unfamiliar with Marianne Faithfull, but ultimately middling.

You know… could have been worse.

First time listening to her music. Her voice and lyrics are haunting. This album feels very cathartic to make. I’m curious to listen to the rest of her music and to understand her story better

the combo of the blues influenced rock and reggae components mixed with Faithfull's voice feels like a more upbeat and groovy version of a Tom Wait's album, but for the woman. The combination of this with learning about her recovery from addiction and homelessness really adds some weight to her already raspy and damaged voice.

Thought sounds super plain for the most part

This was a lot better than I thought would be, amazing voice, Great melodies. The lyrics of the last song though, chef’s kiss.

Nasal ish voice, pretty funky Loved the first song

6.5/10 - The Highs were High but the rest was pretty medium.

I've listened to this so many times today and I'm still not sure how I feel. I like it but I'm not sure how much. Broken English has a good funk to it., Why'd Ya Do It is strong, and the cover of Working Class Hero is good. I think that this is a unique album on this list and I appreciate something a little different. 7/10

Has never heard of this woman before and this is pretty great. The raspiness of her voice really works with the pain on a lot of these. Title track, Lucy Jordan and Working Class Hero all excellent

Interessante Stimme und Frau :) Hat mir gefallen

nicht mein Ding, mag die Stimme nicht.

Lahm, wohl eher wegen der Hintergrundgeschichte relevant

I don't know anything about Marianne Fathfull, or the background of this album, so I can't appreciate it as a comeback album. I didn't particularly enjoy it, both from instrumentation and vocal standpoint. The working class hero cover was nice, but I also don't listen to the original often. However, Why'd you do it was a banger and will be going on the playlist.

First time listening to a Marianne Faithful album. Really only know her from the Metallica tune she sang on. I like her vocals, raspy and dark. Steve Winwood is outstanding as always. Like a lot of albums this benefits from multiple listens. Solid record.

wtf was that last song though

Not my fav and didn't like the voice cracking. I had heard Broken English the title track before

thought it would be less punchy than it actually was but nothing wrong with that, the cover art sorta made me expect that vibe, too many songs are suffering from being outdated somehow, if I was born earlier I'd love it but since I wasn't it just doesn't resonate here

This lady is a weird singer and yet I am so fucking compelled by this album. I'd bet this would be great road trip music if I didn't have a seven-year-old currently. That closer track is some filth in the best way plausible. It's just a really interesting record.

I had no knowledge of Marianne Faithful before this record and honestly, it kind of blew me away. The songwriting and storytelling alone is really really good. But then the elements of punk, new wave and reggae are really interesting and engaging. Every track is a little bit different than what I would have expected. I went into this totally cold and was really engaged throughout. Nothing could be prepare me for that final track.

You'd think I'd know who this was, but now I know. Glad I got to know her a little.

Maybe the wrong vibe.

Didn't know what to expect. First track wasn't bad then it descended into drudgery.

It’s strange to be introduced to someone with their comeback album. This seems like a very raw and vulnerable one and the weight she adds to the cover tracks hits well. Her version of “working class hero” is amazing.

But she’s such a beauty, and kind of new wave

3.25

was quite interesting but not captivating. Liked few tunes more than expected.

I really liked this one. The songs have a cool, steady pulse to them, and the mix of dark mood and catchy grooves makes it an easy album to settle into. Even without knowing all the history behind it, the beats, the attitude, and the overall vibe just work.

1/2

I'm surprised it took Marianne Faithfull so long to make this album. Actually, it was music itself that had to catch up with Faithfull, as back in the 60's this style was obviously nowhere to be found. This style of artsy New Wave fit her voice to a tea. The songs sound dark and menacing, but retain a sort of sensual quality that is hard to explain. Key tracks: Broken English Witches' Song Why D'Ya Do It

Broken English is the first album by Marianne Faithfull I’ve come across in this challenge, which surprised me. I’ve always loved her voice, so I was really looking forward to listening to this one. I really enjoyed this album. Marianne’s voice is the star of the show — raw, distinctive and full of character. There’s a lived-in quality to her singing that gives every song real weight and emotion. She sounds completely believable, no matter what she’s singing. The songs themselves are excellent too, with a darker, edgier feel running throughout the album that suits her perfectly. There’s an intensity and honesty here that makes the whole record feel compelling from start to finish. This is definitely an album I can see myself coming back to. Favourite tracks: I enjoyed a lot of this album, but the opening track “Broken English” and her cover of Working Class Hero were particular highlights Least favourite tracks: Everything on the album was worth listening to Album artwork: Cool album cover, Marianne was a very cool lady!

There are a perfect number of tracks for any user-created setlist, and that number is 10. After oh, about 6 or 7 years of making 10-track sets, a key contributor hit upon the brilliant idea of running stats on the sets, so we could better understand our own humanity. after some shit-talk about repeated tracks and bitten swipes I realized, with horror, that I had put the same track on two consecutive sets, and the worse, that it was the most recent two sets I had made. Adding insult to injury, I hadn't included the track either time because it was good, but only because it featured the unfunny novelty of featuring unexpected swearing. Yes, Marianne Faithfull track. I am now repelled by the track and somewhat also repelled by Marianne Faithfull. It isn't her fault . It's my fault. Only my fault. This is a review of me, not of her.

There are moments of brilliance here: the intimidating snarl from lived experience, making Lennon tolerable, the most confrontational song on infidelity ever recorded. I will revisit. However, I must correct the record set by my Project Partner. It was a Martha Wainwright track that he put on consecutive sets, not Marianne. It was the other one with the swearing.

Nothing particularly interesting about this. I found it pretty average on all levels and lost interest quickly.

Artiste connue de nom. Je n'apprécie pas vraiment sa façon de chanter, et je trouve que l'accompagnement a mal vieilli quand il est plus électronique. J'ai rapidement laissé l'album en musique de fond (pas désagréable par ailleurs) et fait autre chose. Donc pas de seconde écoute envisagée. =>2/5

Is this Marianne Faithfull album made better by knowing its context and her life story? Probably. If you didn't know her history and that this album is a comeback after some tough times, you might be inclined to dismiss it as simply a Stevie Nicks knock-off goes to the new wave store to pick up some 'contemporary' style. And, to be fair, maybe there is something unappealing about her voice / vocals and there might be something about the music that feels borrowed from the moment. On the other hand, there might be something in that raspy, crackly voice over the polished pre-80s studio sound (mostly it's a new wave influenced 80s pop vibe without the hyper-polished, gated snare sound that's yet to come mixed with a little Patti Smith Group) that's compelling in how the opposite forces play with each other in the songs. The record is also sequenced masterfully with a slow-burn of emotion where the penultimate Working Class Hero cover takes you to the edge and Why'd Ya Do It bursts forth angry ruminations on betrayal.

Some good songs, but her voice just wasn't really working for me.

I liked a lot of this instrumentally, but couldn’t crack the vocals, her style and delivery, at all.

Nothing stood out to me

I knew about this woman from Metallica's The Memory Remains. I never heard any of her solo stuff. I have to say, her voice is interesting. But other than that, I didn't really like the songs that much. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't listen again.

Slam poetry – too musically spare to be that on the nose

Reminded me of Tina Turner in a weird way, but not as soulful and way more unhinged.

not entirely sure what to make of this…I’ve always heard boomers and Gen X talk about Marianne faithful but I was never aware of much about her besides her relationship with mick jagger. My lack of awareness persists.

who the hell pissed this woman off so bad that she wrote the last song on this album holy shit

not sure if i'll return to it, but it is interesting

Sounded like an even more broken down Stevie Nicks and not in a good way

Not good

Decent

Enjoyed a few tracks, great comeback album

Some incredibly descriptive lyrics and good tunes. Also an interesting story about her life and this album

Pretty cool but nothing amazing

This site has too many post-punk derived albums. I don’t want this. I didn’t want yesterday’s album. I want something that is genuinely important in music. This… well I don’t know if it is. It has a real tight cover, and I like some of the songs. It’s certainly interesting, which I always appreciate. Looking more into this album’s background and Failthfull as a person, her having started out as a baroque pop singer and then falling into a life of excess and homelessness, and then putting this out, it’s admirable. A song such as “Guilt” is evocative and interesting in the context of her circumstance, and her cover of Lennon’s “Working Class Hero” is chilling and freakish in a way I really fucking love. This album overall is really well done and I liked it more than I expected to. 8.2/10

The minute this album starts, you know it's 1979, from the disco inspired backing track, to the clean and precise production. It truly dates itself but not in a bad way. Marianne gives this a real chilling viscerally haunting, which sets the tone for the album. It really creates an energy on unique energy on the album such as the opening title track, "Guilty" and the epic "Why'd Ya Do It?". Also her reading of Shell Silverstine "Ballad of Lucy Jordan" honestly gives more perspective and depth (especially from a woman's point of view) that Dr. Hook couldn't tap into. But there are other track that the arrangement/production gets in the way, as in "Working Class Hero". It's feel more like a battle cry, when Lennon simply let the words talk under the sneer in his voice to cut the listener to the quick. It not necessarily bad, but it's a take. (8.5) ★★★★

Not my favourite style, but good. 3.5 stars

I think it's pretty cool and the synths shouldn't work, yet they somehow do. I do think the songwriting is a bit uneven though. "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" is my favorite track. 3.5 stars.

3.5

Two Mars bars out of five. Mars Duo.

Fair

I liked her Gritty voice. She sounded cool

This was a nice surprise. It sounds so fresh for an album from 1979, very well produced. I liked her voice as well

Cool. Good voice, good tracks.

Never heard of artist. Thought is was alright. Not sure I'll remember, but wasn't disappointed

didnt know what was going on and was the epitome of background music that failed to grab me. Might just be ADHD brain but after listening to the album it felt like I had only listened to one song. drink: applesauce left out in the heat and slightly mushy with NO CINNAMON

Helt ok men inget som stod ut något speciellt för mig

Härlig röst och stämning.

Stark trea.

Mest känd för mig som tanten som sjunger i "The Memory Remains"; Inte tagit mig för att faktiskt lyssna på henne förut. Jättebra! Och vad kul att hon kunde bli verkligen känd tack vare Metallica på gamla dar.

I think the significance of this album was a bit lost on me, and on its own I didn’t really find any standouts musically. Lyrics/background of The Ballad of Lucy Jordan and Why’d Ya Do It were interesting enough, but that’s about it. I dug a little more into the artist, her history, and some on songs and noted the stark difference in her voice, but in conclusion, not an album I’ll revisit.

Oh goddammit. I have not heard the title track in 35 years and it is crashing back from the start. Still rad as fuck.

It has its merits and it includes a wide range of influences. Sadly it seems a little bit over produced and contribed

i liked the vibes and sound of this album more than the previous one. No saved songs, but broken english was my fave off the album. loved this era of music

Blind album and artist. Honestly this album did not bring joy but did not make me wanna skip songs or anything. Generally a sign of a 3 for me.

I'm about 8% through with this project and there is already a bit of a roadblock. I suppose it's inevitable that a collection of 1001 albums would be difficult to compile depending on the rubric by which you define “must hear”. But while I definitely don't want to only be listening to albums I already know, I could really use a bit more stuff that I believe in. At least Marianne is an artist that was relevant in her time. At least she is a woman, which is infrequent. I'm not even angry at the fact that she sounds like Cruella DeVille (despite being in her early 30s here), though that does make this a tough listen. The thing for me is that this has just so much that isn't particularly good on it. Is this her best album? No idea. It would be a shame. The only things that really held my attention are the cover of Working Class Hero and the venomous fuck off of Why'd Ya Do It? The latter feels like it walks a line of shock for shock's sake and shock to really hammer home the inappropriateness of what was done. It's not a track I'm dying to come back to. It's uncomfortable. But it's pretty obviously supposed to be. There is power in rejecting the confines of demure femininity, and this does that. I'd welcome this on the list just for the bros who are inevitably gonna squirm over it. But the rest, I chose to relisten to, because surely I missed something? Well, I say the rest, but I knew i did not need to relisten to the title track, which fails both on annoying production and clunky lyrics. I suppose this is ahead of its time there: there is a lot of production here that feels more like the filler on an 80s new wave album (those shuddering synths on The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, for example). It's not quite as bad on round two, but it still gives me nothing to hang onto. And that's a concern… we'll see if the flow gets stronger or if this is gonna be 100 good albums and 900 chores. This is probably a 3.01* or so all told. I'm bummed about that too, guys

okay, faithfull is one of those i'm embarrassed to know little to nothing about. i've really only heard her as a back-up singer and as a member of the rock n soul revue. really enjoyed this album. i know she doesn't sound like this her entire career, but ima check out more stuff by her.

Why? I kinda understand the historical context, but the album itself is annoying and boring. Her voice is interesting but that doesn't make it good. The lyrics aren't bad but lose something when you think, she's a musical artist and read her history. There are much better albums not on this list. It's annoying and sad that those are skipped for albums like this. I get it we all have favorite albums and those heavily influenced the list maker but damnit do better.

While her voice is unique and works really well with the instruments and the songs aren't bad there is also nothing that pulls me in or makes me want to com back and listen again. Its music I would expect hearing on the radio but not choosing for myself.

I loved this a lot a solid 4

Marianne you ain't a traitor to good music fr fr. Didn't know all of these songs beforehand, enjoyed the witch one and the final one a lot, not sure about the Working Class Hero.

Kinda weird music in between really great songs, don't know what to do about it...

Groovy beats with some weird lyrics

Really good album, between a 4 and 5. Whole thing is great, this was such a nice surprise.

A remarkable album considering the events during recording which you need to read up on . Some classic McCartney here

I think you've got to be in the mood for it, but this is a cool album. Pretty amazing for the time period and surprisingly funky at times.

Years of abse had destroyed her voice by this time apparently, but as a new fan, the voice is my siren, my beacon drawing me into this moody masterpiece. Simmering with tension and almost recoiling at how raw it sounds, this album is a great listen. By far the best version of Working Class Hero, what a cover. Why D'ya Do It is one of the angriest songs I've ever heard. Loved it.

Quite generic 80s songwriter pop. Cool voice, a good song but not too much more. 5/10

This album was not what I expected at all. I'm not super familiar with her stuff, but when I think of Marianne Faithfull, I think of her stuff from the 60s (and that she was Mick Jagger's girlfriend for a while). This definitely was not from the 60s. If I didn't know when it was made, I would have actually guessed it was from the 80s. Definitely a different sound than I expected. Some of the reviews other people left on this album said that they didn't like her voice. If you know the background, this album was her comeback album after she had struggled with drug abuse, anorexia and homelessness. She had basically trashed her voice by this point in her life, so it was sounded more smokey and crackly than it had before. I actually liked her voice. I also read that Cyndi Lauper was really inspired by Faithfull, and I could definitely hear that on this album. Solid record.

Bit of a boring listen for me. I mean its alright as an album, it just didn't hook me.

What a cool album! The songs are interesting and did a good job capturing my attention.

4/10

This woman sounds like a witch in a Disney movie.

Ehhhh….not for me

Kind of forgettable. Wasn't necessarily bad, just not incredibly interesting either. 2.5/5 Won't listen again

Some moments of good singing, some moments of good music, but the songs rarely cohere into something that really works for me. Liked it, didn't love it.

I don't think I understand this kind of music... it all sounds the same to me. I feel a little bad because it was really fascinating to research her and her life.

Зараз цей звук відчувається досить вінтажно і десь заходить на територію ретро-футуризму в чому є свій прикол. Дуже приставуча одноіменна пісня, з класним хуком. Загалом приємні враження від альбому, такий роковий нью вейв. Трохи не вистачило 4.

Ніколи не слухав її альбомами, було досить цікаво насправді. Непоганий кавер на Ленона до речі.

I'd say the story of Marianne Faithfull is one marked by endurance. She was one of the leading female vocalists during the British Invasion of the 1960s, alongside roles in drama films, and even a publicized romance with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. Then things started crashing down. Her relationship with Jagger ended after she started an affair with someone else, and lost custody of her son in the midst of it. She retracted from the spotlight and succumbed to problems with heroin addiction, drug and alcohol abuse, and anorexia nervosa. Probably the most notable aspect of this was that after years of smoking, drinking, drug use, and severe laryngitis, Marianne's once melodic vocals became raspy, cracked, and lower in pitch. Gone was the innocence of the woman who once sang "As Tears Go By". She tried a comeback with the country-influenced Dreamin' My Dreams, but it was only a minor success. This was her make-or-break moment. Fortunately, she started surrounding herself with help. She formed a partnership with songwriter Barry Reynolds and found a producer in Mark Munday, who offered her the break she needed. Mundy then suggested taking her music in a "more modern and electric" direction, bringing in Steve Winwood for keyboard duties. The resulting record was Broken English, a radical departure for Marianne as she embraced the burgeoning punk and new wave scenes. I enjoyed this record, and it's admittedly surprising for me to say that. Obviously, because of the damage done to Marianne's voice, there are noticeable cracks in her performance that I wouldn't normally be into. But in this case, her fragile vocals made for a more world-weary perspective, reflecting not only on her own problems with addiction outlined on "Brain Drain" and her Catholic upbringing on "Guilt", but also observing the larger world. The musings on terrorists with the opening title track, the reckless abandon of "Witches' Song", and the passage of time on "What's the Hurry" are all presented with such jaded character over a palette of jerky rhythm guitars, supple bass, stiff percussion, and Steve Winwood's eerie keyboard playing, with occasional embellishments of violin and saxophone. Even the cover of Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show's "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" sounds darker and twisted, offering a new interpretation that the woman struggling with mental health would get sent to a psychiatric hospital to get the help she needed, rather than falling off the edge of a building to her death like in the original. Probably the most striking tracks for me were the two closing numbers. Marianne's take on John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" has much more conviction and frustration than John could muster on the original. That commitment to the performance further deepens on "Why'd Ya Do It", where her recitation of Heathcote Williams's outlandish poem over a heavy reggae backdrop is the kind of closing statement that makes a lasting impression. Broken English is the kind of reinvention that's hard to achieve, yet Marianne Faithfull did just that against all odds.

Not really necessary though interesting, rickie lee jones is the true messiah of this style

Tiene algo esta señora. Muy bien. Amerita explorar. Nota: 3.8

Enjoyed some songs, others not so much. Overall decent. Standout songs: Guilt Working class hero

Couple of good songs on here but it's a bit wonky.

Light 3,5

The context and the story behind the artist and the album are significantly more interesting than what is on this record. I think knowing the story made me more sympathetic to the songwriting, odd vocals, and droning sound of the music. I’ll give it a 2.8/5, because I think the story is worth knowing, even if the album is pretty meh.

This album didn't age as well for me. I loved this when it first came out, but now it sounds a bit passé. Her voice is rough, but fits for her style. The music itself is dated and the lyrics don't carry as much weight as I remembered. I'm almost at a 3 yadda-yadda stars, but admittedly compared to some of the music in the late 70s, it's compelling me to a bit more. 4 "barely passable" stars.

Really enjoyed this one, really exceptional opening and closing tracks. 4/5.

favs: broken english, witches song, the ballad of lucy jordan

Great album 4/5

Not my style

I‘m torn on this one. Her pain feels real to me and I do jump to support female artists on this list. But it also all feels a bit… pretentious? Have been meaning to return for another listen but it ended in my account getting paused.

Really good stuff! Never heard this before.

Una joya. Siempre que mencionan a Faithfull se me viene a la mente la voz rasposa y dura de The memory remains, y siempre me sorprende lo dulce que puede sonar en sus álbumes de estudio. Un discazo con puro banger, no hubo una sola canción que no me pareciera increíble. Intensas, pegajosas y si se les pone poquito atención, super madreadoras. Un trancazo.

Sounds like George Costanza's mom smoked a billion cigarettes and then made a kinda edgy album

This album was a pleasant surprise. After reading her Wikipedia page and how it described her voice as becoming rougher, I halfway expected to hear something akin to Bob Dylan gargling broken glass. However, I was surprised to hear that I like her voice during this period more then I ever did when she first came out in the 60s. From the opening track Broken English to the closer Why'd Ya Do It, this album rocks.

This is a really cool little record somewhere in the interstice of the 70s and 80s. Thats what I found the most value in. It has those synth heavy passages and it also has some real home grown instrumentation as well. Its one foot in both generations. And to top it all off the vocals are killer as well. I really enjoyed this one. Like alot. I saved more than half of the track list and was still happy with the others as well. I dont have alot more to say but I know i felt great with this. And I cant deny that

Parts of this are incredible and parts are just songs.

I keep trying to find a way to like this one but I can never quite manage it

Okay I have to admit that I listened to this while working lights for a musical so my focus was not totally there. That said, a weak start to such a banger. It really clicked around Guilt where I was like holy shit this thing is just good. Truly a high two to a high four with that song alone. I’m going to have to give this a more thorough listen but I’m at the highest four and it really is tickling a 5. The production is so good, she does such cool things with her voice, the bass is killer the whole time, great album.

I didn't love this. Faithfull's voice is really an acquired taste, I guess, and I just haven't acquired it. The instrumentation was good, but didn't really stand out to me. The vocals and lyrics were a little... odd. Like I said, I didn't love it, and I was kinda glad when it was over. Two stars.

Not special, a bit boring

Unfortunately, this album is super forgettable. None of the songs are particularly bad, but there isn't even a standout that may be worth a respin.

Buenos Temas. Arranca flojo y dsp sube

I keep hearing about how important an artist Marianne Faithful is, much more than just former girlfriend of Mick Jagger. I was not really familiar with her work and extensive career. There are a couple of tracks on this album I had heard before - Broken English and the Ballad of Lucy Jordan - and it was good to listen to them attentively. It's a good album and clearly she's an artist worth becoming familiar with.

Rich, textured layers of electronic sounds made even more impressive considering that this was released in 1979. The balancing of these sounds with the more acoustic instruments is handled very well, the songwriting is great from start to finish, and I always enjoy the inclusion of a former Beatle - here with John Lennon’s Working Class Hero. My only criticism is that the vocals are ever so slightly underwhelming.

Angry aggressive marginal interesting worth a second listen.

Weird but not too bad

wasnt terrible

I guess it's cool that back in the day, people who couldn't really sing well could have careers as singers. Didn't really love this, but I can't be too harsh

Favourite track: Working Class Hero On the whole, didn't really do anything for me but quite pleasant listening. The sort of thing your uncle would probably like.

Certainly interesting, but not sure I ever see myself revisiting it again.

lento, tipo funk, no es desagradable pero es muy meh,

Gross

Enjoyed this one much more than I expected. Solid record.

This wasn't my favorite. I wanted to like it. The back half got better but the music plus her voice just wasn't clicking with me.

But for a relationship with Mick Jagger, this album would not be here. The Working Class Hero Cover is the highlight, but it's an all-time great song, so . . . I am ordinarily a big, big fan of a powerful female "smoky" voice. But Marianne's is, by her own admission, a product of cigarettes, heroine, and poor health from years of self-abuse. I find it really unfair to talented women to give Marianne credit for that. Influence 3. Quality 3. Hits 2. Intangibles 2. As I said to myself when Metallica used her on Load, who the hell is that? 2.

3.5/5

I definitely want to revisit

So many albums in I think she lost some of the juice.

I thought this was a 90s album for the first half before I looked at the background. An interesting album

Was not expecting this to be so good. It’s timeless. Could’ve been recorded today and would still hold up.

One of the most recognizable voices in music. I have only listened to a handful of her songs before, though. I remember her featuring on Metallicas The Memory Remains, and her own song Guilt popped up in a fitting scene on Mindhunters (great series). This is a short album, but I liked it. Good songs, lyrics and I find her voice works well here. Favourites: Guilt, The Ballad of Lucy Jordan.

I just love this version of "Working Class Hero"; pluas, it has "Broken English", "Why D'Ya Do It"... I mean, yeah, I'll definitely feel better for listening to this before I die 5/5

This album didn't really do much for me lyrically or musically. I didn't have any familiarity with Marianne Faithfull. Reading up on its history I can see why the album might have been selected for its story, rather than its content. A good topic for a music documentary, but not essential listening for this project as the album doesn't really stand on its own as something worth engaging with. I doubt I'll give this any more spins, but it was a fine listen through once.

Some fun grooves ("Brain Drain") and good production, but I'm not a fan of her vocal style. Sometimes things get weird; "Why'd Ya Do It" sounds like Adrian Belew joined a reggae band.

Litt svak 4’er

Strange. I thought I rated this one previously. Anyway, it's an odd album. That's about all I remember now. I'm gonna give it a 3 to be fair since my memory is a little hazy now.

Damn, new wave really didn't take long to get boring, huh? I can only imagine how disappointing this album would have been right after it came out, this new and exciting genre being lead by amazing and interesting bands like Blondie and Talking Heads, and then this comes out and it's like asking a computer to make a new wave album with no soul. To give credit where credit is due, performance wise I have no complaints about this album at all. Vocals are on point and the guitar playing and all that are very well performed and put together. But the writing and the ideas this album tries to explore are so boring and predictable, and it really does leave me with nothing interesting to think about.

The vibes were there, and that sound effect at the beginning of the first track was just . ݁₊ ⊹ .

If you like tom waits early work you'll probably like this

I approached this record with trepidation. I’m certain I’ve heard Marianne Faithfull before (I think it was on Rock and Roll Circus), and I didn’t care for her vocals, and that was before the addiction and homelessness. Her “masterpiece” comeback here is insipid, banal, uninteresting soft rock music. How it won nominations and awards I will never understand. She shows absolutely no emotion on these tracks. At least the Ballad of Lucy Jordan was average. This album does not, in my opinion, belong on this list. 2 stars. Very close to giving it a one.

I thought this was a really good album with deep and meaningful lyrics

It's fine and working class hero is a good cover but beyond that...

More an album for who the person is rather than the music

Not sure how to feel

I liked the style but nothing was overly memorable. I’m encouraged to check out more though.

Good easy listening. Somewhat ahead of its time with some of the new wave style in 1979.

Þetta var ekkert spes 😬

This has to be one of the earliest New Wave albums. She sounds like better Cyndi Lauper. The title track is like someone singing over a Giorgio Moroder score. I lied, this is 1,000 times better than Cyndi Lauper, still not great though. I kind of like The Ballad of Lucy Jordan. I definitely think she has an interesting voice. This is Bjork's favorite album. She just said "fucking"!?! Scandalous. Why'd You Do It? would make Cardi B blush. Can't get away from ska with these British acts.

She can't sing and is quite annoying. It was different to what I expected though, I'll give her that.

I like the rhythm of the album. A real pleasant listen without fails. Somehow sounds more like 80s to me?! Surprisingly good. favourite: "Broken English", "The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan" 3,5

echt een mooi plaatje, voor wie van haar stem houdt

Not what I expected at all! I thought it would be jazzy torch songs, not essentially a Grace Jones art pop/new wave album

Funky, not expecting this at all. I kind of like and disliked it throughout but overall it was enough to memorable. It had that sort of mesmerising almost tribal beats feeling to it, possible will come back to it, let’s see how time treats it

Good music, wild lyrics. An interesting listen.

My main association with her name is that famous candy bar story involving Mick Jagger. Which isn't good or bad, it's just something that's out there. So the name rang a bell, even the album title. Never actually listened to this, though. And unfortunately, something really grates me about this album. Quite probably her voice, I'm afraid. Alongside the production and the melodies. It just really isn't my cuppa any more than Bruce Springsteen, whose voice has a similar effect on me.

I only listened to this album once before today and not really liking it. However, upon relisten, this album is incredible. The bass in some of these songs is smoking.

I listened to this while I was mowing the lawn so probably not the best environment but it was exactly what I was thought it would be. I didn't find anything amazing but generally "nothing" songs for my liking.

It was fine

Never listened before but enjoying the blend somewhere between Blondie and Pink Floyd

That last song is a killer. I was not expecting to be hit with a "why'd you spit on my snatch" on the way out. 3.5

Those voice cracks does not sound cool lady

# Album Name: Broken English # Artist: Marianne Faithfull # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Ah marianne. The only thing i know about you atm is the infamous mars bar. Apart from that, this will be my first album. Hopefully its as good as the mars bar. I enjoyed this album. MF has a very husky voice. I quite liked the pink floyd-esque drive on many tracks. Working class hero sounds like a take that pink floyd would do. An interesting take on the track. Not a bad effort. Several good tracks on here. It didnt blow me away but its a good album. It will definitely make me look into other stuff. Which is the whole purpose of this project anyway. A solid 4. Why'd ya do it - track of the album for me. # Top Tunes: Broken English / Witches / Lucy Jordan / Whats the hurry / WCH / Why'd ya do it # Would I listen to it again? Yes

Eh?? I don't get it.

Um what. I listened to her 60s stuff to get some context and compare how her voice changed. Sure, the croakiness lets her express her emotions better, but...do we need this? Do we need to listen to this before we die? And the lyrics...what? I kind of liked "Guilt" and "Ballad of Lucy Jordan"....those lyrics were bearable. And "Working Class Hero" is originally a John Lennon song. But by the end, the album just really went wild, and not in the fun way. In the very uncomfortable way. I'm giving a 2 because I like the Winwood production.

I read that one of her collaborators said that they can't even listen to this album anymore because she sounds like "a broken speaker" and the vocals are all wrong. Agreed, sir! Broken English comes across as some anti-war song but it really just sounds racist - don't worry about violence in your home country, come to America and try to be American. For the first time, I question why this album is on the list.

Other preamble: I feel like I see Faithfull's name everywhere as a "favorite artist's favorite artist" type. I've never gotten into her, but excited for the occasion Listening notes: -Title track is good. her voice is distinctive in a good way. Backing bass track is solid. -She sounds strung out, which I think is very much intentional. -Obvious comparison here is Nico's Chelsea Girl, but this is after the world has beaten the musician down, discarding her on the side. Brain Drain is the obvious exploration of the effects of drugs -"Guilt" seems confused to me. On one level, it feels like a listing of all the things others have done to her that she feels guilt for: Mick Jagger and his crowd picking her up to exploit, then tossing her aside as the drugs take their toll. But I can't make much sense of the lines about murder, which seem to indicate that she would if she could, which seems to be appropriate to be guilty about. Or maybe we're back to comparing herself against the big shot more famous people. Anyway, there's ambiuity, but that's pretty much alright by me. Anyway, the instruments on this track are really doing it for me. -Working Class Hero is a really great cover. Taking what initially sounds almost like a guthrie-style folk song and giving it the exhaustion and defeatist sound that pervades this album is really good. -Okay, Why'd you do it sucks. This song is real exhausting. Review: Accidentally saw that the group hated this album, which really dimmed my excitement for listening, but now that I've done it, I'm not really sure what the deal was. This is an awesome album. I guess the fact that she's like Nico (another artist I loved whom the group despised) should clue me in here. Man the last song on its own takes away the fifth star though.

Why d'Ya Do It? is simultaneously the best and worst song about being cheated on. It's a low point for a roller coaster of an album that starts low, gets good in the middle, and then sends you cratering down to a, and I quote, "barbed wire pussy".

fino valentino

Ok

A top 20 album for me and one of the better releases in the 1970’s. The combination of world weary anger, intelligent political commentary and great playing and production is just brilliant.