Reviews (page 6 of 7)
Those voice cracks does not sound cool lady
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.
It's definitely an interesting one. I don't even know how I would classify it other than not my cup of tea. It's not as bad as I expected it to be but the everything about is kinda forgettable outside of the lyrics. She's got a very unique style that I can appreciate Highlights: Guilt, Working Class Hero
Marianne Fartfull. Yea, not my best work but I didn’t care for this at all. 2 stars
The groove in Brain Drain is enough to save this album.
Liked a few songs, mixed bag
theres flashes of greatness. the production is very interesting. i do not like her vocals, too raspy and pitchy for my taste. some songs were reminiscent of the abba sound. this was interesting but i dont think id listen again. 5/10
I didn't particularly love Faithfull's voice in the 60s, but this is just a struggle.
Pretty basic, everything that one hit wonder
“At the age of 37 she realized she’d never ride through Paris in a sports car with the warm wind in her hair.” The Ballad of Lucy Jordan sure made up for a lot of the rest of the album but ultimately could only do so much.
Kinda boring honestly
Not my cup of tea. The individual pieces were great, but the execution of it all together was unappealing. Even the cover art is beautiful.
Ok aber für mich kein Highlight 2/5
I loved the first song but then it fell off a bit
I actually think the world has enough of english already
Some of the most pedestrian pop I’ve ever heard. Boring, uninventive, and the lyrics seem wildly uninspired.
Her life is way more interesting than this album.
I didn’t hate this as much as I thought I would. I don’t mind her voice. Some of the lyrics are witty and clever, some are just angry. It didn’t drag on too long either.
Her voice is like listening to nails on a chalkboard. The music is ok. Nothing remarkable. Overall this album is a drag to listen to.
Almost went 1/5. Didn’t enjoy this.
Her English isn't the problem.
Meh.
I didn't like this album that much. It's such a shame after I had 2 great albums this week. "Why'd Ya Do It" is surprisingly good, and the rest of "Broken English" should've been like it. The synths ruin the album as they don't fit Faithfull's vocals. That sucks, as I'm usually the guy who likes electronic music. 2 stars for "Broken English".
Such a strange album, not at all what I expected or liked!
Less than 24 hours after listening, I can't really remember any of it besides a general ethereal vibe. Would never relisten, so...
I came into this not knowing anything about the artist or what to expect. Her voice is so full of pain and emotion and after reading the wiki article I understand why. Marianne lived such a hard life before creating this album. This album must have felt like the sun coming up after a long cold moonless night for her. Unfortunately, it's not something I enjoyed listening to. Despite her courageous battle with drugs, heartbreak, and sickness, this album is average at best. This is pre 80's pop and you can hear the sounds and synths that led into prime "80s Pop Sound". 5/10
2.5 (36:25, 8 tracks, 7th album, 1979), New Wave (British) Overall I think she benefited from her dark past, guess she was a major recording artist/actress in the 60s. "As Tears Go By" (1965 - British Invasion) broke her - it's an OK 60s bubblegum song, melodic with high vocals (definitely not this album - she roached her voice) - video is a black and white young blonde (in the style of the times) with breasts very pointed and pushed very high. Sex appeal no doubt helped. British of course. Dated Mick Jagger, broke up (1970), fell apart ended up homeless and addicted to heroin but somehow made a comeback. Had moderate success in 80s and 90s kept recording into the 2000s. Died Jan 2025 (78) Glad I listened - however I don't see any major genre defining or other reason it should be on this list. Wavering 2 or 3, not the worst 2 but . . .I liked some of her earlier work better (checking out Marianne a bit). She was rated the 25th Greatest Woman of Rock and Roll (VH1 1999) so maybe I'm missing something? Rolling Stone ranked her 173 Greatest Singer of All Time. Ended 2, downgrading because context is greater than content on this album. If was going to give Dylan's Blonde on Blonde a 2, I can't fathom giving this a three. I just hate Blonde on Blonde and I know I'm supposed to love it. . . (by the way upgraded to 3, but barely, that was yesterdays album.) Album cover I believe is her, dark blue with a hot red ash cigarette - it's not a bad cover. Marianne Faithfull’s major comeback after years of drug abuse, homelessness and anorexia, first release since Love in a Mist (1967). After ending her relationship with Mick Jagger in 1970 and losing custody of her son, Faithfull suffered from heroin addiction and lived on the streets of London. Her voice was lowered and cracked from years of smoking and drug use. Musically, Broken English is a new wave album with elements of other genres such as punk, blues and reggae. The backing band of Barry Reynolds and Joe Mavety (guitars), Steve York (bass) and Terry Stannard (drums) had been formed in 1977. The album's title track took inspiration from terrorist figures of the time. "Guilt" was informed by the Catholic upbringing. "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan", originally performed by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, is a melancholy tale of a middle-class housewife's disillusionment; Faithfull's version became something of an anthem and was used on the soundtracks of the films Montenegro (1981) and Thelma & Louise (1991). "What's the Hurry?" was described by Faithfull as reflecting the everyday desperation of the habitual drug user. The last track "Why'd Ya Do It?", is a caustic, graphic rant of a woman originally conceived as a piece for Tina Turner. Faithfull convincing him that Turner would never record such a number. The song's profanity and explicit reference to oral sex (which earned the album a “Parental Advisory” label on some versions) caused controversy. Faithfull notoriously performed the title track and "Guilt" on Saturday Night Live in February 1980 where her voice cracked and she seemingly strained to even vocalize at times. Track list - ** singles 1. **"Broken English" 4:35 2. "Witches' Song" 4:43 3. "Brain Drain" 4:13 4. "Guilt" 5:05 5. **"The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" Shel Silverstein 4:09 6. "What's the Hurry" 3:05 7. "Working Class Hero" John Lennon 4:40 8. "Why D'Ya Do It" 6:45
Good musicians and good music but The voice are broken
Meh ?
Great voice, interesting album. I’m glad I heard it, but 2 stars feels right for this list
2/5/26. Busy day so didn’t give this the full attention it deserved, but was decent. Ballad of Lucy Jordan was the standout track for me.
Not my type.
I thought it wasn't very good and then realized that this was written in the 70's so maybe it's not that bad given the era. That got me thinking... Why is this on the list, but there are no albums by Heart?
good, pas vraiment ma came, trop 80s mais j'ai aimé Guilt
I just couldn’t get into the vocals or lyrics here, otherwise it would be a good album. The instrumentals were pretty good though, 2/5
Not really my thing. Like a bluesy, discount Joan Jett with a voice that grates on me a bit.
Really mid album. Nothing stood out, didn’t really hate anything. Just a slight ennui. 4/10
Didn't enjoy
I wanted to like her but I don’t :// Also re the album cover don’t smoke friends, risk factor for like every single thing in medicine except ulcerative colitis #funfact
This is respectfully not my sound. Fun fact tho I was a waitress at a restaurant called Broken English in Chicago
"Broken English" title track vocals reminiscent of an angry tipsy woman singing karaoke; very 80s sound for a late 70s release so I guess it's probably quite inventive. "Witches' Song" adds a second drunk karaoke woman but takes a step back in creativity. Karaoke definitely seems to be the overall vibe of the album - I just have a picture in my head of Marianne wandering around a bar invading people's personal space and "singing" aggressively at them. It's reasonably inoffensive in terms of the actual musicality - a couple of decent guitar hooks and bass lines, I just feel like I'd enjoy all of the songs more if they were sung by someone with a better voice. Favourite track probably "What's The Hurry?" even though I still think the singing is the worst aspect. "Why'd Ya Do It" close second, it's a bit too repetitive musically (breakdown is OK) but the lyrics are amusing.
I don’t like her straining voice. First 3 songs all sound the same. Too bad because the bass is cool in some of her songs but just not the vibe or relatable.
Honestly? Kind of boring. Working Class Hero was probably my favourite track. Sister Morphine which is on the deluxe album is definitely a great track as well.
had a good start to the album but i feel like it fell off as it went on
Goes nowhere interesting and is very repetitive. Came out a decade before Cohen's I'm Your Man (which it reminded me of) but nowhere near as good.
Meh
Det ödsliga lätt elektroniska ljudlanskaper passar fint med Mariannes lite spruckna pratiga sång. Som i titelspåret, Guilt och versionen av Working class hero. Jag önskar mer var så.
Album med artister som varit nere på botten och rest sig genererar per automatik gott renommé. Förtjänar de nödvändigtvis goda omdömen? Nja, det tål att diskuteras. Här finns absolut en del bra låtar. Bra framföranden är det dock ont om. Ett grundläggande problem är förstås att Faitfull har en dålig röst. Den må vara sprucken, sargad, men revanschlysten. Men det går inte att komma från att det låter som en gnällig kärring som kedjerökande på balkongen gapar åt kvarterets ungar som lite för högljutt leker dunkgömma. Skivan finns förstås i hyllan. Inköpt för en billig peng på nån mässa. Brukar vara lätthittad i reabackarna. Inte så konstigt varför.
Den här skivan har aldrig fastnat hos mig. Jag köpte den i en reaback på rekomendation av Lars B Persson för säkert 15 år sedan. Hennes röst är väl tillräckligt egen, men det saknas låtar som verkligen tar tag i mig. Bäst är nog avslutande Why'd ya do it.
It's OK, but it's definitely one of those albums that is on the list because of historical context. I enjoyed reading about it more than listening to it. 2⭐️
I feel like I could see these songs being played at a farmers’ market. A tambourine and drum machine would probably be involved. These are not compliments. I really sorta hated all these songs. And don’t really have an constructive feedback, so…
Not my thing
her voice is so grating to my ears, i’m sorry women
This one didn’t do it for me. Working Class Hero stood out, as well as the namesake headliner. I liked the instrumentals well enough but never loved the vocals or lyrics.
The Good: We won’t have to worry about getting cheated on… The Bad: Faithfull isn’t the same as faithful... The Ugly: Trying to put back together the English… I really tried to understand why I had to listen to this… I really did, and I still don’t understand it at all. Could it be that the list of 1001 is not really about good music, but could be about lyrics, which I am not paying attention to?.. I am glad for Marianne that she was able to put her life back together, I really am. However, this album was a bit tough to get through… Regretfully, I will have to rate this at 2* because I can’t honestly see any redeeming qualities to this except for a kudos for getting one’s life back on track!
Great
It's alright? It kind of passed without me noticing it did.
Well produced and well written music, but I'm not really into it.
Nothing exciting about this one. 2 stars
I didn’t love this nor did I hate it. Working Class Hero is definitely the stand out but over all this album wasn’t for me and won’t be remembered.
Please can I have a good album at some point, this week has been MISS after MISS
Didn't really like it.
First time I've really listened to Marianne Faithful. I've always known of her, but never sought out her music. It's not bad. I also listened to one of her earlier albums which I actually like better than this one, but I'm not particularly interested in seeking out her music again. A case of the music is okay, but just doesn't connect with me.
The bass lines are great. The rest is unspectacular.
did not demand nor capture my attention
The voice was hard for me to get past.
She's cool and this is a raw album with some great pieces, but the title is apropos - just so anti-snooty that it's snooty.
Didn't pung my socks.
Some decent songs. Not really a lot to say about it. Good if you like a raspy voice, I guess.
I put it on and it quickly faded into the background- it never grabbed me with either joy or anger - until that last track which was just shock for shock’s sake without any art to it. Would have been a 3 before the last track.
mediocre album from a mediocre actress and singer. had it all at her feet but addiction took it away. sad
A bit boring really 2
It was fine. I thought reading about the background of the album was more interesting than the album itself. Some of the songs had a great groove. Standout songs: Guilt and Why'd Ya Do It
An interesting listen but not something I would come back to.
Today is a high 2 for me, much of it passed me by but I like the production and the sound of her vocals.
It sounds too much like what I'd think of when I hear people complain about there being an overrepresentation of random british new wave, it's easy and listenable but it doesn't reach any particular highs or compel my ears much, something something but what about the lyrics something something
The ballad of Lucy Jordan is really good. This album is ok. I don’t hate it. I wouldn’t seek it out either.
Didn’t really like it much at all.
Standouts Guilt
I was severely disappointed in the lyrics, not fond of the vocal delivery (more spoken word than it is singing), and pretty meh about the music. I will say it was well-recorded. I had high hopes for this, given the hype about the album and the artist. Kind of a bummer ⭐⭐
Surprisingly progressive, with electronic sounds and almost an 80s feel to it, but I struggled to get into it.
I've never really listened to Marianne Faithfull. I stand by that decision. 3/10
#728. If I could specifically get less of this, that would be grand. 2/5: nah
it's just.. not.. that.. interesting... zzzzz
I'll have to listen to her stuff earlier in her career to see what she sounded like before the drug use took a toll on her voice. Unfortunately, I'm just not a fan of the vocals on this one. Musically, it's solid (although I'm not huge on the blues of Brain Drain and the bluesy new wave of What's the Hurry?). It's odd that this album is described as new wave though. Mostly sounds closer to a bluesy/folk post-punk on certain tracks (Broken English, Guilt). Definitely an album that's weirdly all over the place genre wise, but also feels pretty cohesive. Guilt kinda feels like a punky Pink Floyd, if you can imagine that. But the vocals just aren't doing it for me, and even the backing vocals don't gel with the leads. So yeah. Good musically, unfortunately not my thing vocals wise. Broken English and Guilt are probably the only tracks I really like, despite her vocals.
Limp, weak songs, nothing jumps out, just wallpaper for her to moan and groan over.
I know that we tend to lionize people who overcame drug addictions or other bad situations, and in some cases that’s totally fair. But in other cases, we make it more than what it really is. That feels like the case here. She reminds me a bit like Stevie Nicks, but she vastly pales in comparison for two reasons: 1. Her voice is inferior and not nearly as interesting. 2. Her songwriting is not good. This album was pretty bad as a result, leading me to wonder, if she wasn’t a drug addict and lived on the streets for a while, would anyone really care?
Pas ma vibe, et la voix est juste non. L'instrumental est raisonnable, pour ça 2/5.
Similar voice inflections to the mom from Mary Poppins.
Dette var slapt. Hun prøver også å være edgy og tøff, men tror ikke helt på det
Meh, couple of okay tunes I remember from the time. But somehow that cool chic is now just sort of lacklustre.
Not a fan of the nasally vocals
Once I get past the raspy voice, I understand the depth of emotion in the lyrics. The Ballad of Lucy Jordan is good, and the profane rage of the betrayed lover in the final track gives an energy that breaks from the introspection that precedes.
Remember that one time your friend's mom with a voice that sorta sounded like Stevie Nick's made a demo at the mall? Yeah, well we found it.
Sleepworking....
I haven’t heard much else from Marianne Faithfull, but I know her earlier albums were more folk-based. For me, this one didn’t quite hit the mark. I understand she was trying to explore post-punk and new wave, but the execution felt uneven. Some songs work better than others, but overall, it feels like she stepped a bit too far outside of her comfort zone. Her gravelly voice and singer/songwriter approach don’t always line up with the music, which made the album feel a little off-balance to me.
At the beginning of Marianne Faithfull's album “Broken English,” the song of the same name sets the tone: sequencer bass, synthesizer, guitar with lots of reverb, and, of course, the monotonous drums typical of new wave, where you're never quite sure if it's not a drum machine playing—and, of course, Marianne's distinctive voice. Unfortunately, this formula remains unchanged throughout the other seven songs, and the mood stays pretty much the same throughout. It's a shame, but in the end, what remains is mainly boredom.
Nothing about this was captivating to me.
What a musical journey.
Meh
While I appreciate this was a comeback album from a troubled life she lived, the Pop-Rock-Folk-Country genre just doesn't do it for me. Favorite Track: "Broken English".
Forgettable
I probably need to listen to this quite a lot more. Not sure hmmm
On initial listen, never hearing of Marianne Faithfull, it honestly sounded like some cheesy early 80s wine-mom local radio soft rock that snuck onto this list somehow (I now see it was released in Nov '79). After reading a bit about the highs and very-lows of Marianne's career, its importance seems to make more sense. The record is more of a redemption story from starting as a young pop singer, actress, and socialite -- known for her distinctive melodic voice -- then her highly publicized relationship and breakup with Mick Jagger, losing custody of her son, years of heroin addiction, anorexia, and homelessness... and getting back into the business again with her new permanently-altered voice which gives a whole new sound and impact to her music. Learning more about the story behind the music gives me an added appreciation to its sound, and I am intrigued to know more about her life and career. To me however, the context of this album still seems to be the main driver for getting high review scores and making this list. Without that, it sounds like wine-mom suburbs jams.
While I like her worn vocal style I thought this dance rock outing by Faithfull was pretty bland.
Marianne’s ability to come back and make a solid album after years of crazy life experiences is impressive, but only carries the music so far. There’s a few gems in this otherwise meh album though! “The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan” is a fun story with an instrumental that very much sounds like it’s out of the New Order playbook. Like, this is very “Your Silent Face”. “Working Class Hero” has a scathing view on class struggle and societal structures/stereotypes. The closing “Why’d Ya Do It” is just crazy especially given it’s time, just listen to it is all I can say. Everything else was very fugue and forgettable. Not bad, but not notable to my ears. I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve had a universal slam dunk album, or much lately thats beyond the year 2000. Firm 2/5 on this one. Just wish there was more substance to latch on to
I admire the vibes but this chick's voice sounds like if Stevie Nicks had a frog in her throat
classy but nope
Ahhh jeez. An album that feels like it’s on here because of the tragic story rather than the actual quality of the album.
I feel bad because she obviously poured her whole being into this album but I didn't really enjoy it and I think it verges in forgettable
She sounds like the precursor to Natalie Merchant, et al.....meh.
Entirely unremarkable and no standout tracks for me.
Eh kinda boring and feels like she's trying to be edgy but maybe she was back then :shrug:
Unfortunately this feels like one of the instances where the artist may be more interesting than their art :( I don't mind her deeper voice, but I'm struggling to get behind the often messy quality of the backing. I also don't think that the lyrics are nearly as inspired as some people interpret them to be.
I have mixed feelings about this album. it's certainly an experience but it falls flat in a number of ways. it's like that kind of artist that doesn't really sing when they're performing but instead speaks musically. I don't have a lot of examples of that that I like. there are few interesting and solid songs but everything is quite same-y. I like her cover of working class hero even though she is no such thing. Best: Broken English and Why'd You Do It
Why, why, why is this on the list. This is horrible.
Her voice just became worse over time. I don’t really want to listen to a chain smoker sing
um, no. why is this on the list??
This was pretty awful. She’s clearly only famous for who she slept with.
I get the mystique. I saw her over the years on TV and knew about the Jagger connection. But just not much of a voice. She sort of sounds like a singing goose on this. Not for me.
Oh wow I realllly don't like her voice, her delivery. The lyrics are intense, the arrangements good, but I can't get past the singing. The album cover is cool, she seems cool, I want to like this, I don't.
Why does this sound sleazy to me?
2,5
I understand the context of her struggles, but I don’t feel like the target audience for this one.
Expected to like it but didn't
Based on the reviews, this is apparently one where you need to understand the backstory, time and place to "get" this album? I wasn't at the time and place. And I don't know the backstory. And I don't really love this one in and of itself.
The album was okay, but a lot of it just droned. I was also surprised that on an album that was only 37 minutes, there was a cover of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero".
She might be cool and she has a history with rock and roll, but I didn't like her music or voice.
Not a fan, too 80s synth
Did not expect it to be that bad… Fav: -
Very raspy voice, and it's all a bit samey. I feel like people rate this more for the sob story than the music
This one's a head scratcher. She doesn't have the most enjoyable voice, the songs sound like one's that come from the $1 bin at the local record store. Every track was kinda boring. So it's not songwriting or vocal prowess, I don't think it's the backing band or the production, what got this album added to the T1001 list? It has a decent amount of listens on Spotify, with one "hit" (in what country?) in "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" at 40M listens. It was as weak as all the others, this must be a British thing. How happy was John Lennon with her cover of "Working Class Hero"? The final track is god awful, is it the rawness people liked on this album? It's raw alright, like fresh rugburn. This was a complete miss for me, I can't justify how this made the list. 2 stars, maybe closer to 1. I'd never listen to it again.
The story around the album was really intriguing but the music itself didn't really connect with me.
Easy to listen to, fairly solid album. Just not my style currently
Meh. Whiny. Nothing I would listen to again.
I enjoy the backstory to this record but feel like it lacks direction, and the early New Wave aesthetics along with her voice are a tad unsettling The title track rips though.
People love a comeback.
last song is wild
decent
Kinda rough, ngl
what was this 🥀 I mean seriously how does something like this drab end up on this list
5/10 I didn’t really love her frail voice and I’ll probably never come back to this on my own. However there were some good lyrical moments of going against deadbeat significant others.
I'm sure this was cool at the time. There are some groovy guitar and bass lines. Really liked the last song.
I saw someone write that this album is here due to the context, not the content. That feels right to me. It isn't that it is a bad album. But it doesn't feel specific. It is a generic form of female led pop...and I can't tell if it is the start or the end of the genre. It is just really not much more than average...maybe even slightly below.
It’s fine
Interesting story, seems to be similar to one of the songs monty python uses (or takes the piss from)
Ég hélt alltaf að þetta væri sú Marianne sem að Leonard Cohen væri með en neinei ekki hún hún var ekkert söngkona. En RIP ég held hún hafi verið að deyja. Tónlistin er ekki alveg my vibe
Meh
Not a great suggestion.
Marianne Faithful has an interesting voice but the songs left me a bit cold.
Definitely unique, although I didn't really like it.
Vibey, but not memorable
Interesting. Didn’t enjoy it all that much. I’d feel I need to listen to it again.
A bit too cleanly new-wavely for my liking. But has done enjoyable stuff going on. 2.5
2.5 - alright
her voice kinda sucks. hate to say it because all the drugs and homelessness that cam before this but im just keeping it 💯. Why'd You Do It was a fitting closer to the album (it sucked)
I liked the music more than her voice. Wasn't all bad, just mostly. 2/5
A surprising album, opening with the eponymous track, having the pulse of a synth-driven Kraftwerk number. But it has the artifice of a challenge game show - think Krypton Factor, think Crystal Maze - rather than the minimalistically delivered motorik beat of those aforementioned tuetonic peddlers of synth ambience. 'Why'd Ya Do It' is by far and away the best track. It perfects everything the album is trying to achieve. A great groove, fantastic bass hook, well-applied sax, Frippian guitar. A vocal that is semi-spoken with venom ostensibly flowing from persona experience. And lyrics that'd make a whore blush. Some decent album bookends, but overall it's a sense of a good story behind it rather than a good album. I can't see NASA putting it in a space capsule and firing it out to Mars alongside 'Dark Side of the Moon' put it that way.
lo empecé tres veces y nunca lo terminé, para mí es suficiente como para saber qué (de forma idéntica qur la gran mayoría de estos álbumes) no vale la pena
Not a great New Wave album. Didn't age well, a bit cheesy and lacks any sincere power. Good on Marianne Faithfull for making it out of whatever self-inflicted hell she had been in though.
What a horrible, whiny voice with 80s synth pop backing.
No disrespect… but holy hell that was awful.
I liked the second half a little more than the first half, with the addition of more reggae and post-punk style. I found the first half repetitive and annoying. And most of the songs I liked the most were covers.
Loved the first track, but the rest was pretty bland.
Dieses Album habe ich irgendwie nicht so sehr gefühlt. Klar, ihre rauchige Stimme und die düsteren, teils provokanten Texte haben eine besondere Atmosphäre, aber musikalisch wirkt das Album manchmal etwas monoton. Der Titelsong und The Ballad of Lucy Jordan sind starke Stücke, aber insgesamt fehlt mir die Abwechslung. Vielleicht Geschmackssache – für mich bleibt es eher ein Album, das man einmal hört und dann nicht unbedingt wieder auflegt.
I felt personally victimised by the last track.
Wins best Spotify "about the artist" so far. MI6+ ballet
Its not good, but its not bad? Best Song: Guilt Rating: 4.0/10 2 Stars
Shit, I'm not sure if that was depressing, or I'm just in a mood. Maybe time for some Bobby McFerrin.
Boring
I’m not sure what this was supposed to be
The most important thing about this album doesn't come from the music, but from reading at least parts of the Wikipedia page. It's incredible for Marianne to have returned to make music, and to release an album after everything that she went through. You can hear it in her voice, both the quality (poor) and the emotionality (great). The suggestion from the producer to go more "modern and electronic" was a really great decision, I think. I think the album falls pretty flat as it is, and I think it would have been much worse without that "modernization". Ultimately, I think this album wouldn't make this list if it was made by anyone else. Context is really important, and this album is notable mostly for that reason. Favorite Song(s): The Ballad of Lucy Jordan
It was ok, but I don't think I will be coming back to this anytime soon
I don’t think I like this lady’s voice but the lyrics were fun!
On record, Marianne Faithfull is only ever a foil for other people: Jagger and Richards weaponising her innocence; 90s hitmakers revelling in her back story and her pedigree - PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Beck, Billy Corgan, Jarvis Cocker, Metallica. Even her interpretations of Weill, Mercer, and Kern or settings of Byron and Shakespeare rest on how her deep, rasping croak feels like a debauchment. Having her vocalise at all seems like decadence. Broken English is the most significant of a handful of records that prioritises Faithfull's contribution as artist rather than interpreter. However, she was not an artist in that sense and she was not a lyricist or a melodicist. Backed by an egoless new wave band, rather than more successful musicians as on most of her other records, she falters a little as the main focus, so the band never really takes off. Songs like Broken English and Guilty simply aren't as rich or sophisticated as others that she would perform in her life and they never seem to go anywhere. The covers, The Ballad of Lucy Jordan and Working Class Hero, stand out, although the latter sounds odd in the mouth of a patrician such as Faithfull, regardless of how low life laid her. Probably 2.5. The cover art for Marianne Faithfull’s Broken English looks like satire on an imagined collaboration between Joni Mitchell’s Blue and David Bowie’s “Heroes” I will also confess to laughing out loud a couple of times while listening. Ultimately though, I appreciated that I wasn’t supposed to be laughing. This is terribly dull, witless music. Four-square phrases played by a band of no musical distinction. Marianne Faithfull certainly has a characterful voice but no melodies worthy of it. The lyrics are rotten stuff - pedestrian couplets (sometimes laughably contrived) and mangled common metre. By the time ‘Why‘d ya do it‘ tries to grab the listener by the scruff with its cocks and cobwebbed fannies it is too late - that track feels merely like a grotesque and slightly desperate addendum. Covering The Ballad of Lucy Jordan was, no doubt, a bright idea although its dramatic potency emerges predictably from the obvious and crass conceit that Marianne Faithfull at this time ‘fit’ the character. Covering Working-Class Hero was a terrible idea. 1/5
Bleh
Pretty boring with some interesting moments
i couldn't understand
Mid...only interesting part was that you started to hear a lot of 80's type motifs despite the fact this was a late 70s album. 1.5/5
2.8
DO NOT like her voice. Sounds like lung cancer. I liked the closing track though.
2/5. Nope.
Easy listening, listened a few times in a row
Her voice is terrible, and after reading the Wikipedia on the album I see why. I think the music is super good but I didn’t enjoy her singing through most of the album pretty much at all.
такой гнусавый голос и странные песни что ретроспективно показалось, что я не могла это не слышать. какая странная хрень, ещё и местами эротика)
There are some fun synthy things going on, and the songs and lyrics are ok, but I don't really like the music or vocals much. Feels like the new wavy edge of the disco era and this album doesn't know what it wants to be.
Apple Music recommended Kate Bush after finishing this album. Yeah. That says a lot to me.
I haven’t heard much else from Marianne Faithfull, but I know her earlier albums were more folk-based. For me, this one didn’t quite hit the mark. I understand she was trying to explore post-punk and new wave, but the execution felt uneven. Some songs work better than others, but overall, it feels like she stepped a bit too far outside of her comfort zone. Her gravelly voice and singer/songwriter approach don’t always line up with the music, which made the album feel a little off-balance to me.
No idea why this is on the list
I don't like her voice. The music is well produced generally, but would be hugely improved by a proper rock vocalist and an enthusiastic drummer. As it stands, it's underpowered and plodding. Not bad - just nowhere near as good as it could be.
Good I think? But can say I feel all that strongly about it
Meh
instruments sounds great
Oof, that voice is horrendous. Would be an extremely mediocre album without it, but with, shocking stuff. 1.5*
Her voice is bad
First album I didn't really want to finish. A bit all of the place with range of sounds Thought hey at least it's ending stronger before remembering working class hero is a John Lennon song.
ekkert sérstaklega gott, þó glittir í eitthvað við og við. hlusta samt tæplega aftur. 2,5.
Did not like this at all. 1.9 stars
I mean she did tell me to spit on her snatch 🤷🏻♂️
Cyndi Lauper before drugs.
Definitely original, but not something I ever plan to come back to. Definitely enjoyed it a lot more in the second half than the first, specifically with Why'd Ya Do It. The brutal lyrics and general groove felt good even though it was almost 7 minutes long.
Not feeling it but do recognize its influence. Spotify played Suzanne Vega right after and it tracked with this influential artist.
man wtf was that last track all about
It’s interesting, but that’s the best I can say for it.
I was looking forward to this one but found it a bit boring!
This was fine but nothing stand out
Rock und New Wave. Markante Stimme.
Just not very compelling in any way. Album cover art gets a 4, but the overall sound and vibe of this album left me feeling... underwhelmed.
This album is musically unremarkable and the vocals are...... not good. I'm not sure how this is considered some sort of seminal work from her. If it is, then the rest of her catalog must be shit garbage.
Nope
A bit meh
Beautiful cover
4.5/10
Started off thinking I should like this but ended up realizing I don’t.
Impressive production, probably ahead of its time for 1979, but did not resonate. Hated the vocals.
Listening to Marianne Faithfull's Broken English was a mixed experience for me. I found her voice raw and gritty, but instead of being intriguing, it felt grating and unpolished. Her cover of John Lennon's Working Class Hero was particularly disappointing; it lacked the emotional depth and subtlety of the original, feeling more like a harsh imitation. Similarly, her rendition of Dr. Hook's The Ballad of Lucy Jordan didn't capture the charm and poignancy that made the original so memorable. The production aimed to be edgy and contemporary, but often felt dated and overdone. Despite these issues, I did notice some moments of lyrical brilliance and bold themes in the album. Songs like the title track Broken English showed her willingness to tackle difficult subjects, even if the execution was uneven. Collaborations with musicians like Steve Winwood and Barry Reynolds brought a level of musical sophistication, but it wasn't enough to save the overall experience for me. While Broken English might appeal to fans of Faithfull's unique style, I found it to be a polarizing and challenging listen. It’s far from horrible, but certainly a long way from good. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 0 STAND OUT TRACK - None
More like broken voice. Wailing in the wrong key over simple loops does not make for a good time.
Broken English is the seventh studio album by Marianne Faithfull, originally released in 1979. This is an interesting one. Faithfull was at rock-bottom throughout the 1970s. She fell hard into addiction and was living on the streets. This is known as her "comeback album". Her voice is noticeably worn at this point from drug abuse. It provides more emotional depth to these songs. Where I think this album lacks is the production. It's too slick for my tastes. I mean, it was 1979, so it's pretty much to be expected. I just think a more lo-fi production style would suit her voice more.
This reminds me of rich white girls posting on their instagram stories, and then going on to consider themselves activists because of it. Like damn, marianne, u taking urself too seriously.
I'm assuming the artist is British and that's why it's on the list. Not a good listen. Don't recommend. Do better, list!
While she has a good voice, the album is incredibly lackluster
Just not an enjoyable voice. Some of the lyrics were interesting but the album just couldn't decide where it was going. The music itself was good.
decent but nothing remarkable
I don't think I can forgive her for butchering one of my favorite John Lennon songs. The rest of the album was meh anyway.
Interesting new wave sound but I don’t love the quality of the vocals unfortunately. I found them more distracting than engaging
really liked everything about this except the experience of listening to it
I found this a bit boring. Seems like it's mostly in the list for the context of being Faithful's comeback. The vocals don't quite have the power to bring the heft to the big moments. Instrumental bits are fine, there are some nice guitar licks and moody electronic sounds and whatnot, but nothing that massively grabbed me. The last track is by far the best on here for the venom and guitar solo, but the rest is dull
Cool album, not something I’d ever pick up outside of this list. Can’t say I’d recommend it to someone but pretty cool listen.
Giving these bad reviews is always hard. You still made an album. I haven't. You made one after being fucked over by Mick Jagger in a custody case and wrecking your vocal chords while on heroin. But yet
Yeh idk
Halfway through, and I am not too sure I like this album.
What are you fighting for. Catchy tune I am not sure what this records impact is. Brain drain feels just like that she is draining all my energy. I think it work well as a record and the covers are awesome buy why'd ya do it is a crazy messy song. A anthem of cheating and also getting cheated on it is crazy two crazy people just calling each other out. I don't think its that iconic. Just okay but fun to listen to for an hour.
weird and interesting historically, not necessarily musically
Best Song: Broken English. Her fractured, breaking vocal quality is quite nice and original, and I felt it was most on display for this song. Worst Song: Working Class Hero. How dare you make me spontaneously think of John Lennon. Overall: She has a pleasant voice, sure, but nothing extraordinary. Plus, all that surrounds the voice is pretty standard fare for the time, so this really doesn't feel like it warrants inclusion on this list.
Not good.
How many writers does it take to write "What are you fighting for"x6? According to wiki, four. Why D'Ya Do It requires an explanation
went from a 1 to a 2 by the time I had listened to 1.5x of the album pointless lyrics and very "I'm such a unique person" art student disease
Just not very good at all.
When I was young I pretended to like Marianne Faithfull because I thought she sounded cool and then I was embarrassed when I actually heard her and did not enjoy her music, so I can’t really listen to this without cringing at my younger self. That being said, still not a fan. This album was…I don’t remember hearing anything pop out at me or make me want to listen more than once.
This feels more like someone who is popular for a story or associations vs just the music. 1001 is a lot but not sure about why it needs to be here. Could be missing something.
Meh.
This is another new one for me. I like the music on here, but not a huge fan of the raspy voice. I'll give the rest of her albums a listen. Guilt is my favorite.
love the synths but not a fan of her voice 2.5/5
Good production with lackluster vocals.
Favorite Track: Broken English I found this album to be pretty forgettable. No songs stood out to me. A very average album for the most part I rate this album 2.4/5
A decent album. I'm glad she recorded it and enjoyed some acclaim. It didn't set me on fire though and I didn't really get a sense of her as an artist, somehow.
This isn't a bad album, and there were a couple songs I thought were okay...and I can definitely see how it is likely a precursor for New Wave or "proto-new wave." However, I find her voice grating, and I just didn't feel it holds up today, even if it is a good one-time listen "for historical purposes."
An album that I wouldn’t really listen to from the 1970’s that sounds like an album I wouldn’t really listen to from the 2010’s.
Meh
Didn’t really listen. Whoops
Yeah this was a big nope. Hated her voice, hated the music. The last two tracks saved it from a 1.
I didn't get it.
Not my favorite 70s band or album. Didn’t get much. 4/10
Interesting vocals but quite tedious
Good beat, some explicit language
Det eneste som ramte mig ved dette album er luknings nummeret. Rå tekst, rå vokal, en tekst som bliver spyttet ud. Den fik mig til at genlytte Billy Nomates, og jeg kom ikke tilbage til det her album igen.
Et kedeligt lyt, lige indtil coveret af Working ClassHero. Jeg tror ikke jeg har hørt et så velfungerende cover af en Lennon sang før. Men resten var en lang ørkenvandring i ligegyldighed.
I did not like this
This production is strong, I like her smokey voice, but most of the songs just aren't very interesting. Broken English and Why'd Ya Do It were pretty good.
I wasn't feeling it. I'm not a fan of her vocals. I'm not sure if it's her voice or singing style. Maybe it's both
i don’t like her voice and it leads me to not enjoy any tracks on this
Broken English Lagane stvari, artsy - od country to electro utjecaja
I mean it's powerful, but that doesn't mean I enjoy listening to it.
Yeah not that good
Not horrible but never rose above unremarkable. I found her vocal style/affectations annoying/grating.
Yes, the backstory is sad. I feel bad. So bad. For her and her child. But you really need to know that context to appreciate this album, or really, her voice for what it is. And the music is well done. But the voice is grating. I’m always reluctant to rate female artists poorly. Lord knows the incels doing this project can’t stand listening to any women, no matter how talented. But I’m having a hard time listening past her voice here. It gets points for the musicianship of the backing band though.
A couple pretty good songs here, overall this was pretty damn underwhelming though.
This LP would be much better off if every track dropped a chorus or two - there are some interesting melodic ideas here, but each track feels bloated and as if there’s a runtime minimum Faithfull is stretching to reach. Also wish the Depeche Mode-like instrumentals from the first track had carried through the rest of the album, most of the remaining tracks feel pretty ho-hum instrumentation-wise
Not for me
Title track is great. Got my hopes up. Fairly weak tea from then on
not bad, but there is a reason why I've never heard any of these songs
I’m not familiar enough with the rest of her work to know if this is par for the course or a kind of misstep in an otherwise solid catalogue. There was some lyrics I really liked but didn’t fully connect with this album overall. Not going to write her off though. Two and a half. Fave track: The Ballad of Lucy Jordan
Oof ouch owie my ears
Decent album. Not a favorite.
1.5 stars. Naw. I'll pass. Cool that she was making a comeback after fighting addiction, but I didn't like any of this. Especially the explicitly vulgar closing track.
Folk poprock, ikke så fængende, lidt irreterende vokal
# 167 : Ok, not an awful album, but nothing great either. It's fine, but it's definitely one of those albums that is here because of context rather than content. 2 STARS
Not my favorite type of music....a little to electronic for me.
Very very meh. Doesn't make me angry but I do not really enjoy any of these songs at all.
Ik luister deze albums altijd met koptelefoon en normaal staat het volume van de computer ongeveer op 10%. Door een mij nog onbekende oorzaak stond het volume vandaag op 100% en ik kan je vertellen dat ik dat ik dat synth-riedeltje van een seconde, waarmee dit album begint, nog heel lang ga herinneren. Pure pijn. Over pijn gesproken. Haar stem is aan gort door haar leven als zwerver en dat moeten we blijkbaar extra waarderen. Ik heb er een beetje moeite mee moet ik zeggen. Je had ooit zo'n dakloze (Daniel Mustard) die vol overgave 'Creep' zong en daarmee bekend werd. Bij hem had het straatleven z'n stem mooi verneukt. Deze mevrouw klinkt eerder als een Corry die afgelopen weekend te vaak heeft staan schreeuwen tussen het roken van Belinda Menthols door. Haar stem is niet lekker ruw geworden, maar vooral heel dun. De stem valt regelmatig zelfs weg en niemand in de studio die bedacht dat het in sommige gevallen toch beter was om het zinnetje even over te doen. Authentiek, doch kut. Ze leeft nog steeds, dus wat dat betreft heeft ze het goed gedaan. Dit was voordat goeie heroïne werd verneukt met fentanyl natuurlijk, maar toch. Het laatste nummer is een tikkie expliciet en daardoor zeker bijzonder. Qua album kom ik niet hoger dan 2 sterren.
I'm sorry but her voice annoyed me. Apart from that it was unremarkable rock music.
Middle of the road late 70's contemporary. Nothing special, but nothing short of decent music. Bonus points for proto 80's new wave sounds at time. As my good buddy nino says "theres some cool guitar solos in here".
Sounds like a bar band
i know Marianne Faithfull for two things, one being linked in some way in the dead of Jim Morisson, and the other is being in relationship with Mick Jagger. This album was her comeback, she struggled with a lot of issus in the years prior, like heroin addiction, anorexia and finacial problems, anyway i didn't listen her prior reccord so i'm not able to say how much of a diffrence it make. Its a new wave kinda reccord, with syntetizer and all The album contain a cover of John Lennon's working class hero wich is really diffrent from the original Why'd ya do it is probably the most original in the album with the electirc guitar intro and the more rock vibe to it. I don't have a lot to say, not very impressive
Eh
Well, this was sure an album. The only word that comes to mind is “bizarre.” But not in a good way. Honestly I would have given this a 1 if it weren’t for “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan,” which is actually a pretty good song. I'd probably like this more if it was the 80s, and I was on a lot of cocaine.
An album clearly more about the pop culture around it and the story associated with it. I totally respect that and understand the struggle she had but this album was not for me at all. Her vocals are so weak and broken despite knowing the story behind it. Honestly shout out for Steve Winwood for carrying a lot of this album and not getting the credit he deserves. The smokey jazz sound with the edgy lyrics just don't do it for me here.
2/5 unmemorable
80s easy listening retro
2.5
Not really my jam
fun but i don’t see myself coming back
Agradável, versão interessante de working Class Hero.
pretty dull and forgettable, sounds like her voice is mostly gone. the synthesizers are fine but do not match her voice
Okay why is this special? I don't really like these kinds of vocals anyways but the album seems uninteresting no matter what.
Budget Tina turner
Ehhhh, not my favorite. musically harsh and lyrically crass.
Ehhh just not for me. 4/10
Must have been a thing in the UK. Opening track is no good… Neither are the next few tracks. The Ballad is ok but still is never something I’d choose to hear. Is she trying to be Tina Turner? The Working Class Hero cover is not bad! Still probably a 2 for me.