Broken English

RIP

Banger with unexpected C bomb

Strong early New Wave. A wide departure from her previous work. Quite the tumultuous life. Every track is strong here and really brings it to a head with the dark and brooding cover of "Working Class Hero" and the BLISTERING "Why D'YA Do It?".

Now I’m not usually one for vulgar songs but Why’d Ya Do It was great and earned the right. The rest of the album was pretty great, liked the title track and last two songs the most

Folksy singer-songwriter writes post-punk songs and performs them as new wave songs. Broken English is so up my alley. It just sounds so goddamn cool. Like, this sounds like the ✨idea of smoking a cigarette✨ while also sounding like Faithfull was actively chain smoking in the recording booth. Not every song works, most notably “Brain Drain,” and some of this is a little too Blues Bar™️ for me, but I’m legitimately into so much of this album. “Broken English,” “Witches’ Song,” The “Ballad of Lucy Jordan,” and the epic closer of “Why’d Ya Do It” will all stick with me for years to come. Strange as hell that I’d never heard of Marianne Faithfull until now, and then, the day she comes up on the generator is the day she dies. A weird coincidence, but clearly I need to explore more of her back catalog. A hidden gem, for sure!

Why D'Ya Not Listen to this Album until today?

Wow. That was...something. Why d'Ya Do It really surprised me.

I can’t believe I never heard of this artist before I thought the production was absolutely tight from start to finish. I’ve been a sucker for since lately, and read that it was actually Steve Winwood, who was added late in the process to play keys. I think that really helped balance Marianne’s unique voice.

Enjoyed it

IDK why but I thought this was going to be some terrible folk music. Guess I didn't know who Marianne Faithfull was. Her voice almost reminds me of a more raw, less poppy Cyndi Lauper. I loved it.

This was a good album, ends super strongly with a great Lennon cover and after that the best song on the whole album. Wish I had liked this more to give it a 5, but it didn't all fully click for me

Never heard of her, but this is a memorable and interesting work. Although I don't *think* I like Faithfull's "wrecked" voice, it's really suited to the tone of the album. Her "Working Class Hero" cover works really well. "Broken English," "Guilt," "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" - all good tracks. Then there's "Why D'Ya Do It" which is in a kind of must-hear category of its own. Glad Broken English is on this list as I'd never have encountered it otherwise.

This album is a perfect example of the 70s turning into 80s. It retains that old-school thoughtful singer-songwriter approach, but is increasingly smothered in synths and bravado that'd go on to define the decade to come.

++: Broken English, Brain Drain, Guilt, The Balance of Lucy Jordan, Working Class Hero +: What's the Hurry?, Why'd Ya Do It +-: Witches' Song 8,5/10

Oh goddammit. I have not heard the title track in 35 years and it is crashing back from the start. Still rad as fuck. Ok I was not prepared for how rad the rest of this is. So glad to find it in this project. Really enjoyed this.

This album could have been made a decade later--it feels ahead of its time. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5

I wasn't really enjoying the first half of the album. I'm unsure about whether I prefer the last half, or maybe her voice grew on me as I listened... Either way, I'm satisfied. 3.5/5

A lot more than I expected. Underrated.

God I love Faithfull's voice on this album, what a surprise to listen to the silky contrast of her earlier 'As Tears Go By' after, but it works perfectly to show the move from the poppy 60s to grungy, drugged up fucked up 70s.

Marianne Faithfull was a big deal back in the day, but since I'd never listened to, I never knew why. Now I know and I can see why.

Dark moody synths and extremely 80s tone blues guitar set the mood: brooding and sultry. The vocals are nasal and hoarse. It's like Nega-Fleetwood Mac.

A name I recognise although o don't think I have previously listened to her. This will be changing and I'll be checking out more. Sian : I really like this album - lyrics and words are amazing and it sounds much more fresh and new than it is!

great record, excellent version of Working Class Hero

Nice

This sounds light years ahead of its time for 1979 An utterly fantastic and atmospheric new wave record A very pleasant surprise

Okay, then. I had heard later Marianne Faithfull works, where her voice had gone downhill pretty badly. I didn't realize it all started pretty much here. That last song "Why'd You Do It?"... there are a number of rap songs that I have listened to for this experiment that I was like "it's good, but I feel uncomfortable listening to it." This is probably the first non-rap song I had that feeling about. The music itself had a very angular feel to it, almost Frippian at times. The "Working Class Hero" cover was really good, her voice really gave it more gravitas than Lennon's at times. The title track was good too, a good opener for the album. The more I think about the album the more I enjoyed it, even the last track. (To be fair, it's not bad, I liked the groove, and you DEFINITELY remember it.) I'd probably give it a 3.5, which rounds up to 4. Top tracks: "Broken English," "Working Class Hero," "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan"

very weird and cool actually. bluesy with new wave elements? hell yeah

surprisingly good

This was a grower for me - it definitely didn't hit me for the first 3/4 listens, but then it did. Great stuff. Favourite tracks: Broken English, Guilt, The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan, Working Class Hero, Why'd Ya Do It

Marianne Faithful has many admirers and imitators, but she's as OG as Patti Smith. This album, which she herself calls her masterpiece, howls with the same passion as Smith's "Horses" or--to avoid limiting this to women in rock--any other great album of loss and redemption.

This is damn cool. Full of piss and vinegar. I like the dated instrumentation and he scratchy voice. Seems like a record that needed to happen for lots of things that came after.

This is a great, hidden gem IMHO. I bought this vinyl when it came out, and did not really know her work - although she did sing on some Stones classics like \"Gimme Shelter\" - [that's her singing Rape! Murder!]. Glad to give it another listen. Get past the raspy voice - it's character!

This version of Working Class Hero is outstanding. Why d'Ya Do It is an A+ jam, and the lyrics are uhh, eye opening when you're sitting at your desk in an office building at 7:30am.

"The ballad If luzy Jordan" ist eines meiner Top 10 Songs, die mein Leben beeinflusst haben. Davon gibt es 100 Songs. Ihr wisst, was ich meine. Und diese Lieder erzeugen heute noch Gänsehaut. Das Album insgesamt hat mir sehr gut gefallen, besonders "Broken English". Sehr düstere Lieder mit gebrochener Stimme vorgetragen. Sehr beeindruckend 👍

I had never heard Marianne Faithfull before, but I really dig her vibe. Her voice is so unique and her songwriting's very good too.

the lyrics were the most interesting aspect, i think this was well writetn. the music was not hugely speaking to me, though i could see myself really loving this in a different mood. a bit too repetitive and low energy for the me of right now; i was living for the bright instrumental moments that popped through. final track brought this from a 3 to a 4.

This album is fantastic.

This album surprised me. It started out almost tentative and scared, but by the end, it was full on riot grrrrl.

<3 women who cannot sing

I wasn't even aware of Marianne Faithfull's album. I heard some of it from friends back then, but never felt the need to own the album myself. I think the voice is great, but it can also get on my nerves in the long run. Alongside Broken English and Workingclass Hero, I particularly liked the track Why'd Ya Do It. 4/5

Little drama

Mick Jagger never made a solo record this good... or really, a good solo record, period. Team Marianne all day every day

Great album. Had a hard life, our Marianne. My favourite thing about this album is that the NZ release is missing the best song 'Why'd ya do it' due to that pesky C-word. Still very prudish over here right through the 70's.

Probably won't listen again but that was quite enjoyable. Plenty of post-punk goodness in there.

Very cool, I enjoyed this a lot.

I never listened to much of Marianne's work. This album was pretty good

Such a touching album. Great songs, the production blends well rock and early Electronica and Marianne's voice is super special and exposed yet strong. The song broken English itself was a favorite of mine for a long time, but hearing the entire album now just makes me appreciate it more.

This is pretty good. I can hear a lot of the sounds I really enjoy in 80s pop starting to form here.

4/5

The folk bits are kinda forgettable but the title track, The Ballad of Lucy Jordan and Why D'Ya Do It are all dark and snarky new wave. Her ashtray voice only adds to the decadent vibe this album has.

Hey, this album is great! Raw and atmospheric at the same time. Just a nice dose of artsy sounds on a post-punkish new wave. Wasn't prepared for that!

I had never heard this album before, so went in with no expectations. I really enjoyed it. I wonder if she’s an influence on Cyndi Lauper?

What a bad bitch. This album hit hard. Loved the lyrics and the ebb and flow of the mood. A fantastic discovery.

This one's cool. Like a proto Rick Rubin american Johnny cash rehabilitation before that was a thing. Her voice is rough, and suits the material perfectly. Excellent snarl and bitterness when needed, or world weary sadness on the ballad of... one. New wavish and punk influenced and likely influencing. I remember her and that distinctive voice from metallica in the late 90s? I thought I remembered her from REM around the same time, but turns out that was Patti Smith on E-bow the letter. Bitching cover too.

I didn't know much of Marianne Faithfull other than the fact that she was classic rock's Courtney Love. I didn't love this at first, and I still think the title track is the weakest one. But it's also out of place. Most of this album has an edge that I really like. I got a lot of "The Wall" vibes from this one.

icon

Really cool and retro I liked it a lot! Going to check out more of her stuff!

It's a great pop album by a legendary singer. In fact, I find that this electronic sounds really helps to give more of contrast to Faithfull's rather raspy voice than many other instruments she had and would sing with.

Rock peculiar. Versión de Working class hero. Un 4.

"The Ballad of Lucy Jordan".

Listening with a glass of wine and a book, the catch in her voice keeps catching my attention

Catchy album.

Marianne Faithfull's story is one of tragedy and perseverance. Having started out as a folk pop artist in the 60's, she had been romantically involved with Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones. This fell apart in 1970 and, after losing custody of her son, she fell into heroin. The rest of the '70s would be Faithfull battling her addiction and homelessness. At her lowest, she would record demos with Barry Reynolds that would eventually get her signed with Island Records for her comeback album. Broken English is a radical embrace of the contemporary and forward-thinking music styles of the day. A little post-punk, a little funk, and a lot of new wave makes this a departure from her more folksy sound in the '60s. Combined with her raspy voice now affected by laryngitis, Faithfull had developed a distinct sound that made this album so well-received. Songs like Guilt and Why D'Ya Do It land their emotional impact, emphasizing the hurt in her voice.

Something different - I enjoyed it!

Late 70's new wave/electro pop. Apparently Marianne used to date Mick Jagger until she got heavy onto heroin, lost her house and her kid, and lived on the streets for a few years. This is her first album after she got clean again, but similar to Billie Holiday, the years of drug abuse permanantly fucked her voice up. Left it more gravelly and in a lower register. It's a pretty solid album nonetheless. Steve Winwood did the synth parts for the album. Marianne does a solid cover of John Lennon's song Working Class Hero. Why'd Ya Do It made me laugh. The vulgarities in that song stood out against the rest of the record, but it was still a really solid song. The guitar work on that song in particular was spectacular! Favourite songs: Why'd Ya Do It, Brain Drain, The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, Broken English, Working Class Hero Least favourite songs: Guilt 4/5

Favorite Tracks: Broken English Working Class Hero Guilt

This is my first Marianne Faithfull album, and from what I've read, her music dates back to the mid-60s, operating in the folk scene at the time. Similar to the Leonard Cohen 80s era, this is another folk artist who hopped on the new-wave train. There's a killer bassline on the opening title track. I like Marianne's delivery here, it's slightly off-kilter. I also like "Witches' Song" but I found a lot of the lyrics in this song and this album in general to be very cryptic but I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing and par for the course for this type of music. The instrumentation is overall very low-key on this album, not too much interesting going on. Typically not a good thing but it spotlights Marianne's vocals and lyricism which are certainly worth paying attention to. "Guilt" is a lyrical highlight, showcasing the protagonist's fear of committing potentially harmful actions, and expressing guilt for even having these thoughts. "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" is also a very tragic track detailing the regrets of an older housewife and the instrumentation is particularly standout here. Despite working with the new-wave instrumentation on this album, Marianne sticks to her roots in terms of songwriting (I can only assume) as there is very much still a folk nature to the way everything's delivered on many of the songs here. It's a strange dichotomy that mostly works. The album has a strong ending as well with the ominous and dystopian "Working Class Hero" followed by "Why d'Ya Do it" which shows a complete switch up in Marianne's vocal delivery and lyricism when compared to the previous tracks. The instrumental is more lively here as well, filling the space with organs, horns, and an incredible post-punk groove that twists and turns throughout the track's 6-minute runtime. A much dirtier punk-inspired track that is probably my favorite here. I think the instrumentals of the earlier tracks leave a lot to be desired but overall, a very enjoyable listen. I'll be checking out her previous (and later) works after this. 7/10

Pretty good, kept growing on me. Her voice cracking/stopping so much was a little off-putting at first, but I must've gotten used to it by the end. I had never heard of her, so I read up on her life and how her life and it's troubles altered her voice. That last song caught me off guard lol.

Nice! Very good

Once you get used to her voice, this is a good album.

Love that you can hear the dark side of life in her voice & felt Guilt to the core.

The Swinging Sixties gave way to the slum Seventies and whatever glamor that was left was swallowed up by the grime. Marianne Faithfull was amongst the throng swallowed up and made worse for wear from these changing times. And when she re-emerged with the blue smoke atmospherics of Broken English, she sounded like it. Yet she wielded it as though it were a weapon and it often becomes another instrument alongside the spiky new wave that characterizes the album, most notably on The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, the title track, Brain Drain and, of course, Why'd You Do It. Whether it's in the standard release or the original mix, Broken English is Marianne's finest hour and a new wave hallmark. Favorites: Broken English, Witches' Song, The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, Working Class Hero, Why'd You Do It, Sister Morphine (12" version). Generated on 1/25/24, reviewed on 1/31/24

An original cover-star of the British Invasion, and poster-girl for 1960's Swinging London, Marianne Faithfull arrived on the music scene with the sweet and solemn "As Tears Go By", a Jagger-Richards joint. Very soon afterwards, she became known solely as Jagger's girlfriend and "muse", inspiring numerous Rolling Stones songs. Jump-cut to 1979, and that's all over: her voice has weathered heroin, homelessness and heartbreak, and the singer who emerges in “Broken English” is notoriously pained and raw. It's a confronting listen, but a strikingly timely one: Faithfull slips into the new-wave stylings of the late 1970’s as easily as smoke through the lungs. Right from the off, the title track of "Broken English" must have taken the remnants of Faithfull's fanbase by surprise, while pricking the ears of alternative rock enthusiasts. Harsh guitar chords ring out over a pulsing rhythm, while a repetitive synth bassline slyly sidesteps around Faithfull’s cracked and scratching vocal. It's an accomplished and gritty track, perfectly establishing the album's prevailing moods… gloom and rage. The rest of the songs are meaty, morose, magnetic. "Guilt" is one of the finest songs here, building an insidious dread with every self-eviscerating line over its bluesy minor-key groove. "What's the Hurry" lifts the pace to a spacey shuffle, and there's a cover of "Working Class Hero" which works surprisingly well as a moody synth-pop dirge. There are deceptively sweet melodies at play too, in the likes of "Witches’ Song" and especially "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan", one of the album’s two singles. But the content remains dark to the last: Faithfull addresses addiction, war, violence and death in stark terms. And if you’re still wondering whether she has any punches left to pull, let “Why’d Ya Do It” clear all doubt. Dark, scorching lyrics, a menacing groove, amazing abrasive lead guitar and a slow creeping blackout of an ending: superb. In other news, the ubiquitous Steve Winwood is back again on keys: I’ve gone through 400 albums and this one marks his 8th credited appearance, giving him an exposure rate of 2%. Brian Eno would kill to have fingers in so many pies.

One big hell yeah for heroin, if it makes a voice sound like that. Hot damn. Why'd you let us suck your cock?

I liked this? I think I liked this. Maybe a lot? But also I couldn’t tell you anything about it. But I definitely enjoyed it! That cover of Working Class Hero is excellent!

Solid album. And The ballad of Lucy Jordan.. What a tune!

Really good

I've never heard of this album or artist before, but I really enjoyed listening to this. The title track really stood out to me; I loved the bass playing and the synthesizer sounds that were utilized, and the lyrics had a really powerful political message. The guitar playing and synthesizer sounds were strong throughout the rest of the album, and the lyrics felt incredibly personal, as they ranged from painful to thoughtful and then to outright rage-filled and crass on the album's final track, "Why'd Ya Do It?" Marianne's vocals were incredibly unique as well, and gave this album its own distinct post-punk feel. "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" was an incredibly strong song too; its jittery synth line was a perfect compliment to the story of a disillusioned suburban housewife. This was a really strong album, and I look forward to revisiting it soon.

Amazing... I do t know if this is soft rock or angry feminist rock but I'm a fan and I liked this

"Over 30 albums, a vast stream of adoring collaborators, a Grammy nomination for Broken English, the Commandeur Des Arts et des Lettres, awarded by the French government, it goes on. She survived addiction, overdoses, cancer and more … And yet, to the world at large, she’s still just Mick Jagger’s ex-girlfriend. Well, fuck that.” Tilda Swinton, Broken English. Highlights: Broken English, Guilt, The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, Working Class Hero, Why D'Ya Do It. In a nutshell: gutsy and sorely underrated. Challenging. Lyrically iconic. Sonically unique. Marianne Faithfull establishes mood and beat from the get go. Wikipedia labels this as new wave but it waltzes with and away from said category. The final track- Why D'Ya Do It- is a spiteful, yet eloquent piece reminiscent of an X-rated Patti Smith poem ("When I stole a twig from our little nest and gave it to a bird with nothing in her beak, I had my balls and my brains put into a vice and twisted around for a whole fucking week" And that's the 'tame' lyrics!). The common complaint of Faithfull is her voice and crass lyrics. Yes, it's not for everyone. Thus the basis of its appeal (am I a hypocrite for complaining about Michael Stipe's voice and not Marianne's? Probably). There are a few challenging albums on this list. Give it a chance. Go on with an open mind. Marianne is one person you need to remember and to not forget. Overall: 8/10

I've somehow never really listened to her before but this album is fantastic. It's got such an edge to it. You can really feel how hungry she is to earn back her acclaim, and apparently it worked. Why'd Ya Do It is insane.

"The Ballad of Lucy Jordan"

Its pretty cool! Again that song Working Class Hero comes up. Why'd You Do It is a great tune.

"Broken English" is the seventh album by English singer Marianne Faithfull. The album is considered her comeback after years of drug abuse, homelessness and anorexia. The music genre is put in the new wave rock category with elements of punk, blues and reggae. OK...don't know i heard too much in the "elements of" area. It received critical acclaim with it being her masterpiece and music matching her raspier voice. Commercially, it hit #82 in the US and #57 in the UK. The self-titled "Broken English" opens things up. Guitar, synths and a pronounced bass. It's got a disco-esque rock beat and very 70's/80's sounding. Faithful's voice does work with the music as she sings about terrorists at the time. A synth opens "Guilt." This is slower with a bluesy bass and the sax gives a jazzy vibe. Written by composer Barry Reynolds, it describes the feelings of growing up Catholic. The first single "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" is Faithfull's rendition of the Shel Silverstein written and Dr. Hook song. It's been awhile since I've heard the name Dr. Hook. Her rendition is all synths as Faithfull's tells the melancholy tale of a middle class house wife's dissolutionment. It ends with droning synth. This song works. Faithfull takes John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" in an even more ominous direction. She talks. There's slashing guitar and an eerie snyth feel. The album ends with "Why D'Ya Do It." Here's the new wave guitar. Written by Heathcote Williams, it's the caustic rant of women at her lover and lover's infidelity. The lyrics are very descriptive and I can see why this was banned in several countries. I would not want to meet this women. I don't think it's an accident that the guitar riff in King Missile's "Detachable Penis" sounds exactly like this. This is a decent album and grew on me with repeated listens. Some of the remix song versions are better than the originals too. Her voice does work with this music especially the heavier guitar and more eerie songs. With the synth, it does have a very late 70's/early 80's sound on some songs. I would say it's worth a listen for most people.

3.5/5

Marianne’s righteous rasp faithfully harmonizes her harrowing past atop a smoke-swirled synthesis of musical styles and influences.

Really didnt get the hate, something between 3.5 and 4, good album 👍

She's so funny with a great performance on this album, and the switch to more synthy sounds (after I listened to the original mix) was a great call. It makes the album diverse, and when drums, guitars and saxophones hit, it really packs a punch

A grown up Cyndi Lauper with hints of Euro culture, like Joan Jett, or Chrissie Hynde with a smooth delivery. Easy listening rock? Almost country but not at all, probably some folk influence. And, a distinctively feminine 70s city blues vibe. Has originality and authenticity.

Felt rather before its time in many ways, with an almost 90s twist to it. At the same time, it reminded me of some incredibly talented women of that era, namely Patti Smith and Stevie Nicks. I liked it, didn’t love it.

Never heard this discussed - why? Not what I expected at all and it's really good. Like Grace Jones on crack in places. Particularly Why'd Ya Do It? Which is deliciously vicious and epic. Broken English is great bit of electronica, the cover of Working Class Hero works really well. What a mood piece. Will definitely come back to this.

I love the dark and Gritty and feel of this, also quite tight as a record. Missing a shining element, but not a bad record by any means.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Broken English, Guilt, What’s the hurry

Amazing how this simple but beautiful work is growing on me. Stunned

Well this is really annoying. I just don't like her voice. The music was uncomplicated and not over produced. I really liked it, and as I said I don't like her voice. Now you may think that is what makes this difficult, but you'd be wrong. What makes this complicated, is she compliments the music perfectly. I really couldn't imagine any other voice performing those tracks. Would I buy it, yes I would. Would I actively seek it out to buy, no probably not. That only leaves me one score to give it. 4

Another British person,,,, but once again pleasantly surprised. The wiki entry taught me a lot about somebody I’d never heard of before and the added context of her illness and addiction contribution to her unique voice is very touching. She’d have made a good blues singer or 60’s singer songwriter with her smoker voice. The music itself I liked a lot, and the new age synthy-rock blends well with the older styles of blues and rock she sounds like. The Ballad of Lucy Jordan is particularly good

Amazing voice. Interesting lyrics.

Suprised, didnt know this artist. Solid album.

She's a badass

didn’t sound broken to me

A mishmash of genres that suits Faithfull’s smoky voice. Could perhaps stabd to ge a bit longer.

Cooool

4.25

Tremendo está este disco. Realmente tiene unos arreglos y una musicalización espectacular.

Punky, I liked it. Good fun and the last track was very funny

Varied yet cohesive, with an rdge

An album that improves as it plays and I suspect improves as it is re-played. Faithfull was onto something here - this observer of the rock and roll lifestyle, stuck in the fame amidst the depths of the addiction, everyone caught in her sights and nobody is safe. Defiant, feminist, individualist, writing her own narrative.

"The Ballad of Lucy Jordan"

Nice little surprise. Though some of the synthesizer/electronic vibe that is layered behind many of the songs date it a bit, there really isn't anything here that isn't strong... it's a pretty consistent interesting album. I enjoyed her take on Working Class Hero as well as songs like Broken English and Guilt.

She makes a Shel Silverstein song sound like it was written by Kate Bush. This was obviously years ahead of its time. An amazing blend of Patti Smith, Courtney Love, and Exile In Guyville. One thinks people wrote her off for "just" being one of Mick Jagger's flames. But the hot take part of me believes history will continue to improve it's standing and it'll eventually be considered among the top 20 albums ever recorded by a female artist. And Christ, what an album closer.

This is pretty ahead of its time for 1979. It has also aged pretty well. This was a good listen from start to finish.

This is an exceptional album

Never really checked Faithfull's discography, though I think I heard Before the Poison (2005) at some point. This one took a few listens to get into, especially her voice being a bit out there, but in the end I quite enjoyed it. Interesting Lennon cover.

Quite interesting and sounds a good bit ahead of its time, like 1985 instead of 1979, with its edgy, electronic-y, decidedly post-punk feel. Titular opener is biting and engaging. "Brain Drain" is pleasantly spiky. "Guilty" smolders with a touch of understated funk.The voice isn't exactly to one's tastes, but it's well-used throughout, especially in building drama and suspense. One finds this to be a worthy inclusion on this list, if mainly for "new" music discovery.

A fantastic mix of broody sass and attitude, an original punk heroine!

Portrait of the artist slowly turning into a vampire.

Worth it for ‘Why D'Ya Do It’, one of the nastiest, and best songs ever committed to tape, but pleasingly, ‘Broken English’ is full of highlights, such as the aforementioned track, the title track, ‘Guilt’ and ‘The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan’ to name a few. ‘Working Class Hero’ is the one cut that doesn’t work for me, the arrangement just falls flat. Apart from that one small blip though, the rest of ‘Broken English is excellent, and it’s an album everyone should have in their collection.

This was my second listen. First time didn’t really grab me. This time through it was more impactful. The working class hero version stood out.

So here's an interesting one... On my first listen, distracted and not fully engaged, I was pretty indifferent to this record. But I had an opportunity to listen again, more focused, and I was taken in. Reading a little about Faithfull's personal struggles, including her losing her voice, definitely put her singing and story in an entirely new perspective that made a difference in how I related to the material. I was less smitten with two of the songs that were among the top listens on Spotify, "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" and "Working Class Hero" (never a fave of mine). Everything else was very engaging in a strange way — it's hard-to-articulate what it is that's compelling. I'd say it's the entire package of songs, mood, production, and performance that coalesce. The closer is raw and aggressive in a way that must have been pretty shocking in 1979, the opener is provocative, and I enjoyed "Witches' Song" a lot. Along with all this, the 4-star rating speaks to my interest in listening to more, particularly the live album, "Blazing Away," and the following studio release, "A Secret Life," that features her working with Angelo Badalementi (who died in 2022 — https://blog.discmakers.com/2023/01/musicians-who-died-in-2022/).

As far as this new wave stuff goes, this is up there

Este ha sido un verdadero descubrimiento. Se agrega inmediatamente a la biblioteca y a la rotación.

This album is beautiful. I loved it's strange New Wave melodies. They feel lost somewhere nice between between punk and disco. With just a twist of kraut rock in the synths and percussion. I loved that the brutal honesty of Marianne's lyrics feel especially brutally honest in the unique voice and way of her singing. She is an amazing storyteller. "Witches' Song" might be my favorite. "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" and "Why'd You Do It" too. This is my first time ever hearing this album. And I'm so grateful for it. It feels really special.

I really felt like I connected to Marianne Faithfull in this record. You can hear the years of pain, suffering, grief, defiance. I think her performance is captivating, and it helps that the music is so well produced, a really good example of this style, great guitars. The one track in the middle that sounds like an English folk tune, but with a different take on it production-wise… THAT I really liked. But it had me hooked from minute 1! Four stars!

This is a package to be commended. A more than fine example of where the music delivers to album cover. It is an interesting mix of songs that are well produced. The vocals vary but are punchy, gritty and strident throughout.

Þessi plata er algjör negla. Fröken Faithfull kom þarna frama sínum aftur af stað eftir nokkur mjög erfið ár.

I quite liked this. Very good country-punk-synthpop stuff, and I really liked the darker and angrier songs. Favourite: Working Class Hero

Interesting, dark, angry. I felt it

Excellent album, I love her unique voice. All of the songs are good.

total blindspot - had never even heard of her. sounds more recent than the 70s to me. intense.

The albums opener broken English is a decent song rather simple but a nice plunge into her sound, but there’s something about her singing that I really don’t like to be honest, hope that opinion improves as the album goes on. Witches song goes in a folkier direction than the other tracks I prefer it to the last song but something still isn’t clicking. Brain drain was a rather likeable song though I don’t know why though but this one was good, very good in fact! Guilt is a nice tender ending to side one that eventually spirals in its energy throughout, not necessarily something a I love but still rather entertaining. The ballad of Lucy Jordan is a banger an amazing example of side 2 track one being a banger! What’s the hurry was also a banger but I couldn’t find anything notable as such. The penultimate track working class hero is a slow powerful banger loved this one! Why’d ya do it is dance rock at it’s finest brilliant closer. This is a very backloaded album in my opinion the last 4 songs were amazing but the first 3 were a mixed bag. 4/5

Surprisingly experimental and electronic, and quite raunchy.

AHEAD OF ITS TIME. i would believe this was made today if i didn’t know better.

Faithfull at his best

Je ne sais pas si elle fait exrès pour que la voix casse comme ça, mais ça devient agaçant quelques fois. Autrement, c’est plutôt cool comme album.

Je connaissais le nom, mais n’avais encore jamais rien écouté de ce qu’elle a enregistré et j’avoue être agréablement surpris par cette écoute. La voix a du vécu, mais elle sert bien l’album. Gros coup de coeur pour Guilt et Why’d Ya Do It. Je vais assurément revenir à cet album.

this is a great album. Lyrics, band, both up there. Marianne's voice needs to be gotten used to a little but it came off well.

There’s a lot of interesting parts of this album - but it’s a little on the monotone side musically as a whole. However it contains some juggernauts - Why D’Ya Do It - the album closer is off the wall gritty and powerful - her cover of Working Class Hero is also a perfect match for her brooding gravely voice - title track Broken English and Ballad of Lucy Jordan also elevate this album. The brutal honesty of emotion throughout this record just gives it an extra star - it is the journal of a wrought heart and should be measured as such.

This is the kind of album I hoped I would find more often in this list, as far as variation goes. Generally, the album's style is pop/rock with some blues thrown in for good measure. The most well-known song is probably The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, which is dominated by a wobbly synth arrangement, but every single track is different here, so with every song the listener has something new to discover (unlike with so, SO many other albums on this list). This was a great find, to which I will listen again. 4/5

Goddamn but "Why D'Ya You Do It" is still bracing, isn't it? So many controversial songs get tamed by the passage of time, but somehow this hasn't...

First time listening to this and I really enjoyed. Do recommend

pretty groovy, 8/10

Icy horror.

Liked this a hell of a lot more than I thought I would. Don't think I've ever listened to a Marianne Faithfull album before... Definitely pre-judged her and got it wrong

This is surprisingly good. I knew next to nothing about her. My only memory, and it vividly came to mind as soon as I read her name here, was when I was maybe 13 or so and she was the musical guest on SNL. I had never seen or heard of her before. The reason why the memory is so vivid is that I remember so clearly how striking her appearance was, and, sadly, not in a good way. I had never seen a human so thin and frail. She looked severely ill. The performance is referenced in the Wikipedia entry about this album, and the entry speaks to her years of substance addiction and it makes sense now why my 13-year-old self was so struck by how she seemed. She is still alive, though, and hopefully, she's okay. I never like to see anyone suffer. In this album, I hear a talent that can cut across an interesting variety of music. Synth-dance-y at times, dark edgy bluesy and rock-sounding, and a bit of punk and new wave sound. Really cool stuff.

Not bad. Reminiscent of grace Jones Dub in parts

Y'a des petits bangers en vrai !

great transitional album with a couple electronica nods. keeps it punk though overall. working class hero cover is fantastic

Few different sounds mixed well in here. Who knew that county could sound good with a little electronic backing.

Very good album - surprisingly engaging.

Still like the title song; rest of album pretty good

dark, fractious, bohemian, a glass of wine and a Gitane. then another.

I guess I never really got onto Marianne Faithfull’s post-70s career. I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. Not exactly for me but I’ll give it an extramarital point for some ahead of their times raw nasty lyrics

girlboss laying down some good shit. English Joni Mitchell not messing around I liked a lot

Great album by the late but one and only Marianne Faithful. Very 80s sound, but ir was actually released few months before 1980. Just discovered that Steve Winwood provided keyboards on this album. This rocker and new wave style suited her in a great way. She even wrote on her memories that this was her masterpiece. Highly recommended.

Un treball que expressa la música des d'una forma molt personal d'entrendre-la. I la persona que l'expressa demostra ser una artista en el seu sentit més punyent, rebosant -en aquell moment al menys, de coses a dir i de maneres com dir-les. Un disc molt personal, i a la vegada molt obert i fàcil d'entrar en ell. El cènit de Faithfull com a artista i una altra joia a conservar d'uns anys màgics de creativitat

I know the name Marianne Faithfull but haven't knowingly heard her before. I know that she sang backup vocals on Neil Young's Harvest record. And I think she's more "of that era" but then I start listening to this record... This is so dang rad! Such synthy goodness. I'm really into it. Another record that BUT - Her voice sounds weak and strange. Again, haven't heard other things from her, so I don't know if that's an anomaly here, or that's what she sounds like. I think it works well for this style of music (which isn't necessarily known for great vocals). Just not what I expected for a person that *I think" is known for a great voice. [Note: After writing this, I looked the record up on Wikipedia and saw this, which may explain the voice: "The album marked a major comeback for Faithfull after years of drug abuse, homelessness, and suffering from anorexia."] I need to see what other great female songwriters were up to in the mid-late 70s. Between this record and Joni Mitchell's output, it seems like the ladies of the 60s were much more interesting after their careers peaked. I mean, does anyone want to hear what CSNY were doing in 1979? Didn't think so... This is a great record and I'll definitely listen again. Man, so many 4's in the new year. Need so shitty records to break this trend.

Enjoyed this. Never thought of Faithfull as musician. Shame on me. The synths are clearly bolt on, but they do succeed in modernizing it. I'm sure I've heard a cover of the title song somewhere too.

Well, it's a listen. Not sure if I'd go for the whole album again, but it does grow quite considerably between the first and last tracks. I can definitely see how this has influenced later work. I was thinking Grace Jones, and it turns out that Barry Reynolds worked with Jones following the release of Broken English.

I am digging this vibe, but what are we talking about here in Broken English

Verrassend goed album zeg!

Quirky. Klinkt niet alsof het uit 1979 komt. Veel covers.

This is a forgotten favorite from my youth. Favorite might be too strong an adjective as I liked it never loved it. Marianne's voice is an acquired taste; all tobacco stained and whisky soaked. But the songs are tough and uncompromising, (check out Why'd ya do It) for about as raw a lover scorned song as you will ever hear), and her take on Working Class Hero, the Lennon classic, is absolutely definitive. I do love the arrangements and listening to this for this first time in many years was a nostalgic and rewarding experience. 4.5🌟

Knew of Marianne Faithful, but had never heard her sing before. Dubious at the first few notes, I quickly found myself enjoying her voice and tone. The songs weren’t all awesome, but I’d definitely listen to another album.

3.5/5

Funny that guilt is on this album as it was also one of the closing songs in mindhunter which I've just finished watching. Guilt into ballad of Lucy John (which sounds like it had Leonard's fingers all over it) into a Blondie sounding What's The Hurry? is a very strong clutch.

Great, too short really. Blindsided by the last track! :grin:

Some hidden classics

New discovery. I like it and her career arc is really interesting.

4/21 Great songs, her raspy voice gives it that edge. Standout Tracks: Broken English, Guilt, The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan, Working Class Hero

3.65/5

Some hits, some misses. Might be better on a re-listen. The Ballad of Lucy Jordan is amaaazing though, such a good song. Why D'ya Do It was also a good track. Her voice is weird but I like it.

Never had heard of her, but actually wasn’t too bad. Some good stuff some stuff but overall pretty good

It's pretty forward thinking— for its time. It's dated, but it feels like '80s level production of pretty high standards, which is literally ahead of its time. It's got songwriting I appreciate, working to fill your mind with visuals whenever you allow them. It's probably not the best day for me to hear this, it felt a bit like opening recent scars on economic stability and holding people accountable for shit. I'm not sure if that's the album or it's me projecting, but it's hitting hard in an uncomfortable way. Points for the artistry. The music? Eh. I like the Dylan-ness of her style, it works great with her beat up voice. I think she just let the producer go wild and nobody stopped to pin the sound in a direction that pairs with the lyrics all throughout. Great work on both parts, missing direction for me to call it a must listen. Maybe just for historic significance. 3.1/5

it was fine

I quite liked this album. however, I did have a question about its place on this list. It felt like a generic late 70's/early 80's style pop album, which is what it is. I did really enjoy the cover of Working Class Hero though

Very rough voice against quite clean synths. Interesting contrast but not always my thing.

Have never listened to this artist before, but I liked her voice and sound on this album. Tough history preceding it, but she pulled through, at least for this one.

A remarkable comeback from one of the most famous people of the sixties after a quite shocking turn of fortunes involving drug addiction, anorexia and homelessness. Gone was the pure convent girl voice and here was a whisky soaked, lived in deeper range. Helped by a new wave production, and Steve Winwood on keyboards, the songs have a world weariness and, in some places, decadence which has more in common with the times. The ballad of Lucy Jordan, despite being a cover, is a very strong track and the rest are all fine but not earth shattering, at this great distance....... Critically and retrospectively lauded after a modest success in 1979.

Fun, but ??1!! 1001??

The music is not bad but most of the songs don't really go anywhere. "Broken English" is a mild electro-funk road and the vocals are just traveling along on cruise control. "Witches' Song" turns down a 70s soft rock road while the vocals continue on cruise control, etc. ("Brain Drain" is too boring to describe.) "Guilt" has a disco bassline and some jazzy guitar and saxophone, like a watered down Steely Dan. The music alternates between these modes. Her voice captures your attention but it grates unpleasantly at times. Not sure how obscure a reference this is but her voice has a quality that reminds me a bit of Kevin Kinney from Drivin N Cryin. The synth flourishes throughout the first song are annoying, but generally the music is OK although most of the songs go on a bit too long. I knew the name Marianne Faithfull before but wasn't really sure if she was an artist, a musician, a celebrity girlfriend... She seems like an interesting person who probably has something to say, but the music doesn't interest me enough to ponder the lyrics very closely. The lyrics of the last song are somewhat interesting in that they present a woman's response to her male partner's infidelity, but the song is narrated from the man's perspective recounting what the woman said to him. I guess it is an interesting way to show the difference between the two perspectives. After reading a bit about her, I went back and listened to her first two albums: a 60s pop album that's not bad but very much of it's time and an album almost entirely comprised of traditional folk songs. I liked the second one better, but they were both enjoyable. This album just sounds like music that would play behind a driving montage on a moody early 80s TV show or movie. Not bad if you're into that vibe, but I don't think this album is that interesting if you aren't already invested in Marianne Faithfull as a person. Essential listen: no Desert island disc: no

Баба противно поет как скрипучая старая ворона, а обложка красивая

This was kinda interesting with the post-laryngitis vocals, even if the music is not really my jam. Definitely better than some of the new wave stuff on this list. 3.4

6/10 - I enjoyed this much more than most 70s albums

Going three I guess... it was ok

Perilously close to a 2 star

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

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.

ok

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

“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.

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

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

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

#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 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Weird. Points for emotional expression.

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

Wow just wow

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.

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.

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

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

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

decent listen.

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

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.

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.

It was fine. Lyrics were a little iffy.

5/10

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

You know… could have been worse.

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

wtf was that last song though

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

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

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.

3.25

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.

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.

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

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

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

Fair

I liked her Gritty voice. She sounded cool

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

Helt ok men inget som stod ut något speciellt för mig

Stark trea.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Gross

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

3.5/5

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.