Reviews (page 4 of 8)
If you are a fan of punk music, perhaps this is a great album. I just couldn’t wait for it to end.
Bo-ring!
Punk blues and provides a lot of rock and layers.
mid punk
Solid album
Oh hell yeah! I knew of The Gun Club but had never heard any of their music before nor did I realize they were the progenitors of psychobilly/cowpunk, etc. This is great! Short, punchy, catchy songs that somehow combine punk with shuffle beats and slide guitar. I think the songs are better at the sub-three minute time with their longer songs wearing themselves out a bit, but I think that's pretty typical for punk in my estimation. A bit more variety would have escalated this into five-star territory, but even as is, it's a good time.
3.5 stars rounded up. Psychorockabilly that reminds me of The Cramps with a bit less sleaze. Still fun and like discovering The Cramps tried to be a little less weird.
Sex Beat Preaching the Blues
This reminds me of Stray Cats. It's very rockabilly in my opinion. If you like rockabilly mixed with new wave, you will like this.
once i asked a friend who worked at a record store if he himself bought anything recently he was excited about and he said 'the gun club' so i was curious about this band but just forgot to ever look them up for 7 years in a row. i think if i heard this in high school and before i ever heard The Fall i would probably be really into it. in the present i am not sure where rock music fits into my life at all. but i cant hold that against them. likely fun to hear on a jukebox at a burger bar. nice sound fun approach and good dynamics for a style that is very 'point in one direction and keep going' speaking of The Fall: fairly jarring use of the n-word (if i didn't just mishear)
Good
Obnoxious. These guys are trying to be The Ramones, but with more edge... and they didn't do a great job with it.
Du rock. Pas d'originalité particulière.
Sympa mais j’oublierai ! Je veux plus de diversités musicales !
Un peu boring, j'ai pas accroché malheureusement 2/5
It’s an alright album, nothing bad on here. There’s a couple of really good tracks but overall it isn’t one that’s gonna last long in the memory. Top Track - She’s Like Heroin To Me
Raakaa varhaista punkkia, mutta ei liian räväkän raakaa. Kaupallisempaa. Sekoitettuna bluesin, kantrin ja psychobillyn kanssa hyvä setti. Parhaat: Preaching the Blues
Pretty standard early punk.. some strong tracks but some pretty forgettable filler too
She’s Like Heroin to Me // For the Love of Ivy // Cool Drink of Water Blues // Goodbye Johnny
New to me, but really enjoyed it
Pleasant surprise. Less groovy than Gang of Four but mostly pretty similar
This isn't it.
Not for me.
The punk stuff and the first few songs were kinda mid - pretty generic But I kinda like the bluesy stuff- it’s definitely a lot of what influenced Jack white and I could see live shows being super fun - Cool Drink of Water was probably the standout to me Also wtf they just dropped the n word on Black Train
Good
Never heard of them, and had no idea what to expect, except that they were a punk band. I didn’t mind it, and thought it was ok…don’t feel the need to listen to it again, though. I will round up to three stars.
I didn’t know what to expect here. Admittedly I thought the dudes on the cover were the artists and figured it would be a funk album based on the first song title. Huh, little punk rock record. It was fine I’m sure it influenced someone somewhere.
More like Lou Reed than John Lee Hooker, but that's okay. West coast post-punk from this era was starting to go to the country/blues/rockabilly direction with or without the Gun Club. I think a lot of hype about them comes from their influence in the UK, thus their inclusion on this list. Nonetheless, this album is, for the most part, a huge leap forward artistically for a genre that was essentially dead. Very creative, subtle, and dynamic; it flows from aggressive macho youth anthems to introspective country adjacent meanderings with confidence. Unexpectedly tight and skilled musical execution for punk rock. This album is a big step in the evolution of rock music.
Solid (post)punk album.
Really enjoying this, it has a great early punk sound. Full of energy and head nodding drums.
Meeh
This album is a raw, messy, and strangely compelling listen. It takes punk energy and throws it straight into the heart of the blues, creating something that feels both familiar and a little unhinged. The production is rough, the edges are jagged, and that’s exactly what gives it its bite. There’s a sweaty, dive-bar atmosphere running through the whole thing, the kind where the guitars snarl and the vocals sound like they’ve been dragged through gravel. Tracks like “Sex Beat” and “Preaching the Blues” stand out the most, full of that nervy, restless drive that keeps things moving. There’s a kind of reckless confidence to the performances, like they’re not aiming for perfection, just for impact. It’s the kind of record that sounds like it could fall apart at any second, and that tension is part of its appeal. At the same time, the scrappiness doesn’t always work in its favour. Some moments feel more like attitude than substance, and the intensity can blur together after a while. But when it hits, it really hits, and that grimy blues-punk fusion still has a spark to it. Fire of Love might not be a flawless record, but it’s got a distinctive character that’s hard to forget.
Совершенно не впечатлило. Скучные аранжировки, унылый вокал. Слишком много проходных треков. Есть 3-4 хита, но они совершенно теряются в общей массе
Punk and blues: two great sounds that sound great together.
5.5/10 Highlight: Ghost on the Highway
This is great swampy blues punk. All dressed up like an Elvis from hell!
Fun album
This was a cool album Different sound but I liked it.
I've really enjoyed this album for the past few years now. This Bluesy Punk music is the type of music I really enjoy. The atmosphere it sets here is great and there's a lot of memorable moments and hooks. The instruments sound like a blend of western and Punk. I haven''t really found any album like this, which is both a shame and testament to how unique this is.
Not really one of the most notable early-80s post-punk bands, but they have their cult follow. Like The Cramps, The Gun Club specialized in the more kitschy psycho Billy subgenre. And while not a bad album at all, I really miss the campy fun of that band. Key tracks: Sex Beat
Bluesy surf punk. Who knew? Fun album, infectious sound. This one caught my attention and kept it.
"Sex Beat", "Preaching the Blues", "For the Love of Ivy", were great examples of how bluesy this album is for being punk. These tracks worked while most of the others couldn't decide which side of the fence they wanted to be on. This was an interesting listen. An extra star for having the guts to pay homage to the blues.
I’ve given this album a fair number of listens. I just can’t connect with it. I was leaning toward a 6 out of 10, but then Spotify’s algorithm shut the door for me. I let it play on after the album ended, and it served up a bunch of tracks by obscure bands in roughly the same genre — and every single one of them sounded better than anything I’d just heard. Worse, two of those songs were actually by The Gun Club themselves, from their second album Miami, and both were clearly superior to anything on Fire of Love. The main reason those Miami tracks worked better is also my biggest problem with Fire of Love: the sound. It’s painfully thin and monotonous, dominated by a tinny guitar tone that tries to be clean but just ends up grating. It doesn’t help that there’s a lot of slide guitar — and as faithful readers will know by now, I have limited patience for that particular sound. That slide guitar makes sense, of course, since this is essentially a twisted form of blues — punk blues, or blues punk, take your pick. But it doesn’t do much for me. I actually own The Las Vegas Story, their third album, which I bought after reading some breathless reissue review in what I think was NRC. I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about then, and after this deeper dive into their debut, I still can’t. If I have to name a highlight, fine — opener “Sex Beat” sets the tone reasonably well. The most striking song is probably “She’s Like Heroin to Me” (substance references not coincidental — frontman Jeffrey Lee Pierce reportedly drank like a fish and likely indulged in a few other habits not compatible with a Tour de France lifestyle). As for low points: well, that would be the entire 40-minute slab of stubborn, grinding blues-punk that makes up the album. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not terrible. If it were, I’d have given it a lower score. It just leaves me cold. And there you have it: proof that not all guitar-heavy music automatically works for me. Though, frankly, I already proved that with my Circle Jerk's review.
..
Left me feeling underwhelmed, as everything sounded similar. I just couldn’t get into it, and it didn’t do much to capture my attention.
Meh
Early punk mixed with rock elements, good sound for a first album. Fun to listen to.
Pretty solid. Good variety of tunes.
hmmm
A messier prototype Pixies. Glad to be introduced to it.
As my old man would have said what a bloody racket!
So we got: punk - post punk - blues - psychobilly all wrapped up in a very cool jacket. I can definitely get jiggy with this. I'm also loving the 80s week we seem to be having.
*Cool guitar tone and intriguing lyrics *Great example of punk from this era
Liked it! Punkabilly
I’d never heard of The Gun Club so based on the cover, I was expecting something less… obviously white? On its own merits though, I liked it.
Can see why they're here. Other than that they're like Pixies of they were boring and slightly (more) annoying.
This was pretty enjoyable, bluesy and punky. My only real complaint was that for those two styles of music the production was a bit too nice. I would have liked to hear it a bit less polished, a bit more gnarly. Id happily have it again though.
1. Sex 1.5 2. Blues 1.5 3. Promise 1 4. Heroin 1 5. Ivy 0 6. Fire 1.5 7. Ghost 1.5 8. Jack 1 9. Train 1 10. Cool 1.5 11. Johnny 1.5
Just not for me I guess
i've listened twice and both times i'm thinking wolfmother - it's a fun album
Not my thing and while I listened nothing stood out to me.
Annoying. Made it through 6 of the 16 tracks. It's a no for me.
Never listened before, but I feel like I should have been more wise to this group
Not my type of music, but not a terrible album. Some unique beats and rhythms that I respect. Interesting, but not inspirational or moving.
Moderately entertaining album of transatlantic ‘punk’ with some blues influence. Don’t think I will listen again though.
Good stuff. Reminded me a lot of X mixed with Cramps-style rockabilly. "Sex Beat" and "She's Like Heroin To Me" were my favorites.
If George Thorogood had a love child with the Sex Pistols it would sound like The Gun Club.
i’ll be honest a lot of the songs sound the same, but if it ain’t broke don’t fix it
Definitely one of my favorite Punk albums of all time
Richman vibe, i.e. lofi/proto-punk cannot get less than five out of five.
Another really unique, revolutionary punk album. The Gun Club blends punk rock with a really traditional blues lyrical sound which is really cool. Similar to The Saints - Eternally Yours, these sounds just go together really well and you can hear their influence in The White Stripes. This isn't one of those albums with subtle blues....it's very overtly blues punk. Promise Me has this really cool sound that includes shaking some coins, which I haven't heard before and is interesting. Just a great punk sound and I love how they stayed true to the blues. Love the train snare on Black Train.
Not altogether unpleasant, but pretty experimental and unsatisfying.
I like punk, and this is ok - but that’s all. Nothing really stands out, and I’m unlikely to come back. It’s not bad though.
2.5
Decent if you're into post-punk.
misfire for me
if i was in a dive bar and this band was playing, I'd have the time of my life, but outside of that specific context I'll pass
What was that? A sound experiment.
Fire of Love by The Gun Club has always been a favourite of mine, so I was glad to give it another spin today. At just 40 minutes, it’s short, sharp, and packed with energy – pure punk joy from start to finish. The album feels raw and dangerous, yet surprisingly melodic, with echoes of Iggy Pop but enough originality to stand firmly on its own. It has that rare quality of sounding both familiar and entirely fresh. Favourite track: Sex Beat and She’s Like Heroin to Me are standout songs, the kind I can’t help but recommend to anyone who hasn’t yet discovered The Gun Club. Least favourite track: Every track earns its place here – nothing feels wasted. Album artwork: Striking and eye-catching, perfectly in tune with the music inside.
Love this band and love this album. Raw garage punk rock at its finest. Miami is my favorite GC album though. So I won't officially give 5 stars here, but will round up to 5. 4.5/5 #195
I think their follow up Miami is a better album, it’s much more accessible in a way that I enjoy. This album is pretty good too though!
its fine, bordering on not good
Good stuff! I don’t know this band. A song from a subsequent album came on after this album finished, and I liked it more than anything on Fire of Love, so
Had not heard of this band. A very early 80s punk sound but elements of country/Americana showing up on some songs.
Honestly felt like a parody band in movie. Boring, badly sung.
62/1089 Couldn’t really get into this one. It felt quite underwhelming especially for punk. the songs individually didn’t really stand out to me and the vocals didn’t save it for me either unfortunately 1 star
Музыка: 6/10 Разнообразие: 4/10 Тематика и вайб: 6/10 Цепляемость (отдельные песни зашли): 3/10 Реиграбельность (можно ли рандомно врубить на фон): 6/10 Итог: 5.0
I don't this is especially memorable. But I quite enjoyed it. Low three.
JESUS
It’s interesting to see how the ideas on this album have spread throughout music over the decades. I just hate rockabilly. No offense Jackson Galaxy.
Nice.
I'm quite ambivalent about this album, it's different and the mix of sounds still sounds fresh, but it's annoying at times. I don't think all of it works and is as great as it could be, but it is trying, it has ambition and a point of view, and sonically it is quite daring. I think that alone is worth my time, and it has all of that in spade. Even if it doesn't become a main stay for me, I'm glad I got to listen to it. It probably won't, cause I can't deal with the way he sings the word fire.
2/5
I’m surprised this is a debut album as it lacks much interest aside from a couple of tracks. You just expect more on debut I guess. There’s nothing wrong with the music as such. It’s just a bit tedious and unexciting.
2/5 - I just couldn't get into it :(
Proof that you can be a lead singer in a band even if you can't sing.
So much noise but somehow so boring
It's fine. Nothing special. I don't get why this album is in the list tbh.
First time I have heard of this band or album. This shit slaps. I'm giving it a 4 so I remember to revisit it later, not sure if its a 3 or 4 for me.
Che palle sti album punk, ad una certa il tizio ha urlato per due minuti di fila “I wanna go to the mountains”. E vacci allora, e non tornare
Top notch discovery! Every song is sock removing, mind exploding revelation!
🦩
Fairly uneventful. Did not resonate with me.
Unlike other punk albums we've had I didn't hate this one. That said I struggled to remember the album this morning
Nothing too offensive about the album, just a bit bored and not something I would listen to again. It felt long for a 40 minute album.
Never heard of The Gun Club. Solid punk album.
The cover of this album didn't match what I expected this to sound like. Overall, I enjoyed this and would like to listen to more of the band.
Listened while climbing. At best it faded into background music, at worst it aggravatingly pulled my attention to the whiny vocals or discordant sounds. I’m not an early punk fan, and I have this list to thank for figuring that out. I’ve heard worse however, so it gets a 2.
Punk meets American blues? Really interesting concept. Lyrics veer into "profound" territory. Melodic grooves really get going in the latter halves of the longer songs. "The Doors" vibes for sure. Too much "intentional noise" to be a "really liked it" but there's definitely something here.
Mid
Quite enjoyed a lot of this one, certainly much more than I was expecting to. A couple of tracks I skipped on the third run through but overall one I will probably revisit at some point.
Fairly standard post punk with a few notable highlights. Really struggled to get beyond the vocals which weren’t great.
Not really what I was expecting but the really simple but effective rockabilly punk sounds were great. Vocals are kind of all over the place, but that’s what gives the songs more variation. The way it was recorded you definitely get the feeling these guys would have been a great live act.
jack on fire
7/10
yet another dude who seems to think that actually trying to sing, with pitch and tone, is below him.
Ok
I had to wait until I was in the right mood to listen to this but once I was it was pretty good fun! I read some of the Wikipedia entry and got the idea of it being “punk blues”. It sounds like something from a Robert Rodriguez film, like “From Dusk To Dawn”. After a while I figured it also sounds a bit like The White Stripes but without Jack White’s annoying shrillness …on the whole. Because on a couple of songs it does get a bit shrill and annoying. Overall though, I liked it.
Great stuff!
Throw away all the boring genre labels with modifying adjectives, this is stripped down, amped up, spun out good time rock and roll with old fashioned beats and classic guitar sounds and timelessly charismatic vocals.
I lik it.
Meh. Vocals weren’t insufferable, didn’t hate the sounds, but probably won’t listen to again. Little too “pretentious Tisch student” for my liking.
Western punk vibes i like but kinda background music tbh
More bluesy Stooges
Very punk and a little touch of blues. It's a little bland for my normal taste honestly, but not bad.
Not a big fan of "post punk" or the rockabilly flare that this mixes, but this is better than I would guess based on the artist description.
Sin pena ni gloria
Nothing too extraordinary but it hold up tot he test of time and still sounds pretty fresh. Can hear some influence on future White Stripes in it
I had never heard of this band, but I really enjoyed this album.
It’s alright but every song sounds the same
Interesting usage of a horn in punk music. Reminds me of I can't get no satisfaction.
Pure sh*te.
Reminds me of a band I've forgotten. Would rather remember that one than keep trying with this one.
Generic 80’s pop rock. Not that great.
Great example of the value of this site. Never heard of these guys before but enjoyed this. Like The Stooges and The Stones in parts. Good stuff.
Blah
It’s cool to hear something that basically created the blue print for so many punk American bands.
I'm sure it's great if you were there when it was new. It's not terrible, but too long and it doesn't feel essential at all. Favorite song: she's like heroin to me
Average LA-style punk music. Non-offensive, but also doesn't stand out to me. Did notice some blues influence.
It's not bad, but there's not much variety here, and some songs feel longer than what they really are. It may be because of the vocals, which sometimes get too tiring. Or because of some songs sounding quite the same. Anyway, it hasn't been really of my like. It's not bad, it's not good. That's all.
Man, there's so much stuff in that '76-'84 period that's so interesting and totally new to me, stitching together all kinds of influences together and leaving a trail of influenced afterwards. Just the first couple tracks here tie together the blues to The Pixies. Then it's a kind of rockabilly punk. So much going on in here it's like a musical missing link. Great discovery. 4.5 stars
If it wasn’t for the annoying singer who sounds like Mick Jagger, the album would be quite enjoyable, especially the bluesy numbers
Not completely horrible, but the lack of diversity on this one gets old, fast.
Cuando me toca combinación de líneas de metro hay un tramo donde el bluetooth falla y se me corta la música. Ayer estuve escuchando este disco y ese corte no me molestó. Me gustó más que The Clash, pero igual es un 2 para mi. De hecho me gustaría poder volver y ponerle un 1 a The Clash
Sexually and racially charged, as many good punk records are. I might be outing myself as an ignorant American but I really liked this album! Very punchy, memorable opening song, then the next moment I liked was the energy on the first minute of “For The Love Of Ivy”. The call & response at the end of “Jack On Fire” was really well done imo. I also loved the way he sand ‘gasoliiiine’ in “Cool Drink Of Water Blues”. I realize that much of this is fairly heady for how loud and punkish it is. There’s some amount of narrative in songs, but I wish he wouldn’t have used some of the language he did - even if it was to play a character he’s portraying. Pretty good stuff here, I don’t hear an insane amount of yeehaw punk like everyone else says they do but I still really liked this regardless. Light 4/5 surprise!
A bit peculiar but not necessarily bad.
very repetitive and not really interesting
Very pre-pixies /country punk.
This is cool. Who knew Pixies 3rd best album isn’t even by Pixies
Nope
Not so exciting as I thought it would be... It's just regular, I guess. I mean, It's punk, right?.... so 3 stars.
Not really my thing.
"We can fuck forever but you will never get my soul." Um, OK.
There's good punk rock. I believe that to be true. I also believe that a lot of punk rock is made up of songs that aren't very good shouted out with confidence. That's what I hear here. One song does not make me want to listen to the next. Maybe there's politics in there somewhere, the music does not convince me to dig for it.
Can definitely hear the influence on the White Stripes. Not sure if there's influence one way or the other, but I hear some Violent Femmes in here as well.
good
genuinely this was fucking banging I enjoyed greatly
It's not offensive, or even bad. I just don't really gel with it.
01) Sex Beat - 6,5 02) Preaching the Blues - 6,5 03) Promise Me - 6,5 04) She's Like Heroin to Me - 6,5 05) For the Love of Ivy - 5,5 06) Fire Spirit - 6,0 07) Ghost on the Highway - 6,5 08) Jack on Fire - 6,0 09) Black Train - 6,0 10) Cool Drink of Water - 6,5 11) Goodbye Johnny - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,23 (62/100) Current ranking: 482/645
Another very average album on this list. 3 stars or C-.
Sounds like an influence on the Pixies. I really liked this album
A new discovery for me and one I really enjoyed. Loved the energy and fusion of punk with blues/ country/rockerbilly. Would have liked a bit more rockerbilly but so refreshing and fun compared to dirge of the Alice in Chains album I had been listening to prior to this record.
Fire of Love With the first track it felt like the punk and American roots amalgam was a bit overstated, it’s pretty straightforward but pretty good early 80s post-punk power-pop. The rootsy bluesy punkness did start to reveal itself after that though. Obviously Preaching the Blues is a Robert Johnson song, but it has a nice rockabilly feel to it, with some nice guitars and a nice energy, and Promise Me with its fiddle and slide guitars is very good too. She’s Like Heroin To Me is another good combination of power-pop punk-stomp and country-blues guitars. Black Train, despite some questionable lyrics, is a good bit of rockabilly thrash and I like Cool Drink of Water is another nice punk-blues arrangement of an older blues song. Ghost on the Highway and Jack on Fire I liked as well. There’s definitely an influence on the White Stripes, and it echoes some of The Clash’s rockabilly from London Calling a couple of years prior, and it reminds me a little of the Violent Femmes and The Replacements, although without the latter’s stronger songwriting skills. Overall it’s a fun album, with a nice point of difference from many of their contemporaries, the slide guitars, fiddles, country twang with a bit of garagey punky thrash is a nice combination. Rhythmically though it does have a tendency to stay in the standard punk drumming lane, missing a bit of swing and groove that I think would make the songs pop a little better. Still, I’m sure I’ll listen again. I don’t think it quite gets into the 4s, it doesn’t quite have enough standout songs for that , so it’s a solid 3. 🔥🔥🔥 Playlist submission: Promise Me
Whereas The Cramps took punk and leant into rock n roll and surf-rock, The Gun Club leans into blues. Although the extent of their blues credentials involves use of a slide, and a cover of Robert Johnson. 'Preaching the Blues' is a nice cover in a rockabilly style (it sounds nothing like the original and is brilliantly spruced up). This is all pretty much straight post-punk (more garage rock than punk), and it's great fun. 'Sex Beat' is a fantastic post-Stooges piece of punk pop. 'Jack on Fire' is a marvelous cross between post-punk and Dylan. 'Ghost on the Highway' the best example of blues-cum-garage rock. One of the jewels in the crown here is Lee Pierce's Lou Reed-inspired voice; it's energetic but detached at the same time. Inevitably it doesn't keep the quality at the last, although I was quite taken with the take on 'Cool Drink of Water Blues'. Just shy of a 5 by a hare's breast.
Fantastic time capsule. Great attitude, sticky tunes. This album is legendary!
idk a little meh to me, feels a bit generic for 80's punk and the cover hasn't aged well.
This one just isn’t for me, sorry
Raw, swampy punk-blues chaos that crackles with danger. Every note feels like setting fire to midnight.
I didn't care for it. Found it a bit tedious.
It's like if the Clash were a bit more aggressive, and much less interesting. Also American. Also boring. This is far too long for a punk album, but at least it's a pretty decent example of the genre at the time.
This wasn't as hard as I would have hoped from the name.
I liked it, never heard these guys before.
Gonna get religion, gonna join the Baptist church...
Been a while since I listened to this one and its still as weird as I remember but I think I dug or understood some of the songs on this album better than I did the last time I listened to it. But even if I didn't find anything new, this album has Sex Beat and that's one of the best songs ever so...
breaking bad guy on the cover wtf
‘Sex Beat’ is one of the best Punk songs ever—and one of the greatest album openers of all time. From there, it’s just banger after banger: ferocious, desperate, and buzzing with heat. ‘Fire Of Love’ dives deep into Roots music and the Blues but never loses its wild Punk edge. Plenty have borrowed the sound, but no one’s matched the fire.
Would not buy
A fun alt punk rock album
It's getting annoying over time
Hey Chat GPT, compose an incredibly generic "punk record" using the same drumbeat on every song, and make sure to include every punk trope into the lyrics. Ok that all said, I feel like this album probably had a big influence on John Dwyer of the Oh Sees. "Jack on Fire" Sounds like a mid-album track you'd find on an Oh Sees album nowadays.
Groupe inconnu. Punk-rock avec parfois des instruments inhabituels pour ce type de musique (slide guitar), et des reprises de blues traditionnel. Ces reprises ont vraiment peu d'intérêt, certaines sont molles et peu originales, d'autres sont un peu plus dynamiques mais le mélange de genre est plutôt raté. Les morceaux punk sont un peu trop lents à mon gout, sauf exceptions (comme 'She's Like Heroin to Me') qui sauvent l'album de la note minimale. Pas de seconde écoute envisagée. =>2/5
This is so cool. Bluesy punk!! Very much full of abandon and passion and yet not unclean in the ways that matter. This is another band that I could see myself watching at a DIY venue and saying it was the best show of my life. I really like the slower songs too, just the right blend of blues and punk. I can't believe this came out in 1981, it sounds SO much more recent. So cool. Even the album cover looks Modern. I would have a vinyl of this and feel very cool for doing so. It's just that, a really really cool album.
Yeah, I don't know about this one. It sounded very much like The Cramps (of Psychotic Reaction fame), which I don't really love. It was kinda all over the place and the music wasn't really what I'm looking for. I think I just don't like this genre, whatever it is. Two stars.
Det var en fed oplevelse. Blues punk. Jeg tror dog det er glemt ret hurtigt også. Men dagens oplevelse var sjov nok til at ratfærdigøre en 4er.
Cowpunk! Har ellers kun hørt det begreb omkring tidligt D.A.D. Det var sgu ret godt. Var underholdt.
It’s fine.
Different. Pleasant. unremarkable. But promising.
Never heard of them. Very much enjoyed this album.
Didn't really love this one and it felt like it was trying to annoy me at times :/
I don’t think I even have to listen to the rest of this. The lyrics are garbage, it’s pretty generic post punk. The only impressive thing about them is their ability to crescendo and decrescendo but it gets a bit redundant as it’s over used. Wouldn’t listen to again.
Absolutely runs out of steam and ideas towards the end but this is a cracking punk album when it hits it’s high gears Sex Beat and She’s Like Heroin are both electric
Awesome album! I have heard reference to TGC in the past (and enjoyed a cover of one of their songs by the Japandroids) but never dug in. This is some seriously good stuff! 4.5/5
2.5
Pretty hip music for its time. It was ok to listen to but i dont need to hear it again. Three stars
Blues and Punk! Awesome!
9/10 Favourite: Sex Beat Least Favourite: Black Train
Well this was certainly a completely new sound to me - a mix of blues, punk, some surf rock and country influences. It makes for a relatively interesting listen, but personally, I really didn't enjoy this one very much. It starts off strong with IMO the best song on here in "Sex Beat". Other highlights include "She's Like Heroin To Me" and "Ghost on the Highway", but the rest is ranges from average to bad, especially on the B side, when I was just waiting for the album to finish. The production is intentionally raw and minimalist - I guess it fits the style, but it was kind of harsh on the ears, especially how the drums were mixed. The singing style which draws inspiration from the likes of Lou Reed was also a bit annoying. All in all, a pretty forgettable listen. 2/5
Punk rawk, dude!
Tony Hawk core
Really liked a couple of songs. Interesting combo of punk with country/blues themes and undertones. Crazy to have never heard of this band before.
An absolute country-punk classic. Damn good album.
Noting special
I dig it enough
What a weird album. It's good, but it's so strange. An obviously punk band with a horrible singer, but it works. Also... Since when did punks start playing country music??? I've never heard a band that sounded like this and I actually like it. It's a 4/5 for me.
More noise than rhythm. Not for me.
Maybe I was just in a bad mood listening to this album, but it sounds terrible and absolutely does not need to be on this list at all.
3/5 punk but it had more variety than usual punk
Making punk music is a tightrope walk between being entertaining and being authentic, which is difficult at the best of times. If you're doing this as a California bred band appropriating southern music without any irony whatsoever - like The Gun Club is doing here - you may as well not bother. It's shtick. And I don't get it. By the way, how about that n bomb in For the Love of Ivy?
Good energy on display all throughout, but not enough diversity to really hold my attention. The sound reminds of Velvet Underground and Pixies at times which I do like. No real obvious errors in execution. It’s just not quite for me.
Wijs album! Kende het totaal niet! Jack White is blijkbaar fan en ik begrijp het wel! Doet me denken aan een hardere versie van Talking Heads. Cool! 3.8
This ever was cool but a bit underwhelming.
loved it, if you like modern garage psych stuff like Osees or King Gizz you can't go wrong with this one.
Although I like this genre, I've never heard of the band or the album. I thought the beginning was very promising. It sounded like a lot of fun. However, the rest of the music sounded very similar. It didn't inspire me. I probably won't listen to it again. 3/5
This kind of grew on me but needed to be digested in smaller doses as the songs start sounding the same. I wouldn't object if someone else threw it on but I won't return to this on my own. 2.5/5
Pretty good! I hadn’t heard any of this before, but some of these are going in my regular rotation
augh. i always want to listen to this album since discovering it on rym. but anyway, somebody goes "A right load of pretentious bollocks has been written about this band "there's never been music like this, before or since". Well good, because it's shit." checked out their page and found out that based on things hinted in their reviews, they're about 70 years old since they talked about listening to led zep's (then newly released) second album in their teenage years. ok boomer. when i saw the genre i initially think that this is somehow the more evil, nick cave like version of the cramps. but they're a less evil, more 50s rock and roll version of the cramps. It didn't live up to my expecation but is stil a fine album. 3.5/5
I like the concept but the Wesley Willis delivery kinda makes it hard to enjoy
Different style of punk that I'm accustomed to, but I liked it. More blues influence. Feels like a forerunner for Kings of Leon
Love the delta blues influence and surf rock guitar styling
not bad, reminded me of the pixies just not quite as good
Fine, but I probably won’t return to it.
Liked it more than I thought it would, and I should probably listen one more time since I missed a few songs while I had to take a call at work. and one song kinda sounded racist, but maybe I didn't hear it correctly. I'm not into that. Sticking with 2 for now I guess.
Was never crazy about rockabilly, but this is fun enough. I bet plenty of people in 1981 hearing this music for the first time were pretty chuffed.
Good start tailed off
My expectations were low, they met them just fine
not much to comment
If your into screaming this is the album for you.
Not too bad bluesy punky noise
Enjoyable
That was sick
I didn't mind this .. until I read the lyrics which are problematic to say the least. So, I'm deducting marks for that utter nonsense. The album is post-punk with rockabilly and Americana influences. It isn't super-special but I can see how later bands were influenced by it. I'm in the midst of a stream of mediocre-to-bad albums and I'm hoping for some decent stuff soon. Please.
Heard some Gun Club songs before. Sadly I didn't care for this album at all. The songs were one big nothing. I'm looking forward to listening to their other albums though 1/5
Punk has never been my favorite genre, but this was fairly enjoyable
1/1001 The Gun Club 'Fire Of Love' 1981 I'd never heard of this, so had absolutely no preconceptions, other than the cover, and that turned out to be a red herring. There's apparently some cross pollinating with The Bad Seeds. Anyway, I like it. I would describe their sound as psychobilly with a sinister/dark edge. Solid 7/10.
Enjoy the production and overall sound. Blues influences can be a bit hit or miss in places. Appreciate the bands overall charisma. 3-4
1. Sex Beast - 8 Great punk rock sound. Guitar sounds so brilliant in the opening and in the bridges. 2. Preaching the Blues - 8 Great instrumental sound. The constant back forth of the instruments ducking for the vocals and exploding out of them make this a very very fun track. 3. Promise Me - 5 The violin in the background sounds more like a constant annoyance than adding an element to the track. Drums and guitar outside of that sound great. Vocals are good but about eighty seconds in the violin begins to overpower the rest of the track. 4. She's Like Heroin To Me - 8 Another solid track. Drums sound incredible on this track, especially the bass drum on it. Lyrically the song is a lot of fun as well. Just overall a fun track. 5. For the Love of Ivy - 5 Lyrically I think this song is a trainwreck but the drum and bass line make it instrumentally brilliant. Goes on for about a minute too long and the ending is completely unwarranted. 6. Fire Spirit - 5 This needed to lyrically sound better. The lead singer's octave travels all over the place but instead of being into the higher and let down into the lower octaves, instead it's just a random spread of a vocal range. Instrumentally it's as good as the rest of the album. 7. Ghost on the Highway - 6 Pass over track. Nothing about this track is bad but nothing about it is remarkable. 8. Jack on Fire - 2 Awful track. The vocals are all over the shop and it feels like it will just be continuous talk without a break until there suddenly one for the lead to just sign the words "I'm the jack on fire" before continuing this random monologue without a purpose. Instrumentally it is equally as uninspiring. 9. Black Train - 3 Drumline is the only thing redeeming in this track. Lyrically it's way too repetitive and instrumentally it's not super dynamic. 10. Cool Drink of Water - 3 Just 6 minutes of void. 11. Goodbye Johnny - 6 Not a bad track. Instrumentally it's very enjoyable with some brilliant drumming. Vocally it's ok. Structurally the song is a bit random. Ok for the last track on the album. Average Rating: 5.36 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 2.68 Rounded Up: 3 Stars
After a couple listens, I do like the instrumentation, but the vocals aren't really for me. Feels like it must be a punk standard. 2.5
Repetitive and uninspired 2.3
Kinda alt-country, psychobilly, punk. I like it, would play again and share with others
Finally this list has presented an album I have never heard of but will definitely listen to again.
Not to bad…an album that I didn’t hate!
Man, I really enjoyed this. A little punk, a little blues , all raw excellence 👊
One of the most fun things about this experience is discovering contemporaries of bands I love. This is an awesome precursor to Pixies and I’m glad to have heard it. Not crazy about the racist lyrics in one song (edit: TWO songs, woof) and the confusing album cover (maybe there’s something I’m just not getting)
This is right up my alley. Great stuff! I appreciate the energy, the creativity, the musicianship, the quality of the recording... it's just a fantastic example of intelligent post punk.
Cool and catchy.
Va vel litt bedre enn frykta, om eg huske riktig
Absolutely not.
Not sure about this.
Not what I expected. At first I thought it was kind of refreshing because it's not quite any of the other albums I listened to so far. But everything kind of sounded the same and it was just alright. A song here or there in a playlist would be fun, the album with all the things back to back is less appealing
Promise Me shat me to tears with its awful percussive noises featured within. I was so uninterested in this punk shite that at some stage I read a news article about how Ed Sheeran won his legal case regarding Thinking Out Loud vs Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On. I straight away scooted off to listen to them both, gleefully forgetting that I was halfway through my album of the day. Both songs were a million times better than anything The Gun Club had to offer, and I’m glad Sheeran won the case.
7/10 Very cool. I've never heard this before. I quite liked it. 6-17-2025
Super boring and not very good.
There are fun moments where I ALMOST want to dance lol. But it gets a little repetitive and I'm not a fan of the singing style. It falls a little flat for me. But the album is not terrible and I wouldn't turn it off, maybe just skip around. So far, Jack on Fire is pretty good!
no me ha matado la vd
I kind of liked their sound, but after listening to the whole album, I’d already forgotten them. Not very memorable.
The Gun Club really nails this great combination of blues and punk, with some tracks even carrying a strong country vibe. The punk element gives their music a rebellious edge, while the blues brings a gritty, raw feel to it. On top of that, they have a wonderful Gothic Americana vibe that truly sets them apart from any other punk band out there. If I were ever to make a list of my top songs of all time, “Sex Beat” would definitely be on it. It’s one of my absolute favorite tracks.
Punk! Nix fr mch...
Initially liked The Gun Club sound a lot, fast hillbilly punk guitar and twangy vocals. But the songs are so similar that by the third one I was ready for a change. Strong finish with Ghost on the Highway. (2.3*s)
I don't like the name of the first track but it actually was a decent song. The front half of this album is better than the latter, I def didn't need the alternate versions for any of the songs as they all sound the same anyway. Overall, a pretty good sound coming from early 80's punk. However, I am very put off by an all-white band using the N-word which makes the album art even more puzzling. I dig the clearly self-made amateur art vibe though. This is like a very messy version of The Pixies without all the things that make them good. It def lost some points and they land at 2.25.
Interesting debut record from a band I never heard of. I was into the first half with the lead off track's grungy surfer punk sound. Kept it rolling until about the midpoint, then back half kinda lost its appeal. Started to get a little too cowboy punk for me. Not sure exactly what's going on with the cover but get some weird voodoo vibes. Overall, a different one from the list that was a good entry...2.6 stars.
Not sure how I've never heard of The Gun Club, especially as a resident of the LA area for so long. Fire Of Love isn't an amazing album but it has more than enough appeal to belong on the list as a sleeper hit. My lone criticism is that the songs tend to run into each and all sound pretty similar. By the end of it I had my fill of The Gun Club but I enjoyed it enough to be pleased with the entry. I'll keep an eye/ear out for these guys to see if they ever get any play among LA bars/clubs/venues. 2.73 stars
## In-Depth Review: *Fire of Love* by The Gun Club *Fire of Love*, released in 1981, is the debut album from The Gun Club, a Los Angeles band fronted by Jeffrey Lee Pierce. Fusing the raw energy of punk with the emotional depth of Delta blues and the twang of country, the album is widely regarded as a groundbreaking work that redefined the boundaries of American rock music[2][3][4]. This review examines the album’s lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, and concludes with a balanced assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. --- ## Lyrics **Raw, Lurid, and Uncompromising** Jeffrey Lee Pierce’s lyrics on *Fire of Love* are a feverish blend of Southern Gothic, urban decay, and desperate longing. The writing is both poetic and abrasive, often laced with violence, lust, and religious imagery. Songs like “Sex Beat” and “She’s Like Heroin to Me” are direct and visceral, using stark language to evoke obsession and alienation: > “I know your reasons and I, I know your goals, we can fuck forever but you will never get my soul.” (“Sex Beat”)[4][6] Pierce’s lyrics frequently channel the darkness and vivid imagery of blues traditions, but recast them through a punk lens. Tracks like “For the Love of Ivy” and “Black Train” push boundaries with controversial language and character-driven narratives that adopt the persona of a depraved Southerner, sometimes to the point of discomfort. The use of the n-word in “For the Love of Ivy” is particularly contentious, and while some defend it as satirical or character-driven, it remains a jarring and problematic choice[1][3][4]. Elsewhere, Pierce’s writing is haunted and existential, as in “Fire Spirit” and “Ghost on the Highway,” where the lyrics evoke a sense of restless searching and spiritual desolation. The album’s words are never safe or sanitized; they are confessional, confrontational, and frequently ambiguous. --- ## Music **A Frenetic Fusion of Punk, Blues, and Country** Musically, *Fire of Love* is a landmark for its seamless integration of punk’s urgency with the structures and motifs of blues and country music. The album opens with the explosive “Sex Beat,” which eschews a traditional chorus in favor of relentless drive and tension[3][4]. The band’s cover of Robert Johnson’s “Preaching the Blues” is a statement of intent—honoring the blues while injecting it with punk ferocity[3][4]. The guitar work, courtesy of Pierce and Ward Dotson, is a highlight throughout. Slide guitar lines snake through tracks like “Promise Me” and “Jack on Fire,” giving the music a swampy, Southern feel even as the tempos and aggression remain firmly punk[1][3][5]. The rhythm section—Rob Ritter on bass and Terry Graham on drums—provides a tight, propulsive backbone, particularly effective on rave-ups like “She’s Like Heroin to Me” and “Ghost on the Highway”[1][4]. While the album’s sonic palette is relatively narrow—most songs are built on similar chord progressions and tempos—the execution is consistently energetic and inventive. The band’s ability to sandwich traditional blues covers between their own originals without losing cohesion is a testament to their vision and musicianship[4]. --- ## Production **Raw, Immediate, and Lo-Fi** *Fire of Love* was recorded in two studios with two producers: Chris D. (of The Flesh Eaters) handled five tracks, while Tito Larriva produced the remaining six[2][5]. The production is intentionally raw, with a lo-fi quality that accentuates the album’s urgency and grit. Guitars are distorted but never muddy, drums have a bitter crunch, and vocals are pushed to the front, sometimes teetering on the edge of distortion themselves[3]. This stripped-down approach suits the material, emphasizing the band’s live energy and punk ethos. The production avoids polish, instead capturing a sense of chaos and danger that is integral to the album’s impact[3][5]. At times, this can make the album feel sonically repetitive or abrasive, but it also ensures that the music remains immediate and visceral. --- ## Themes **Desperation, Decay, and the Search for Authenticity** Thematically, *Fire of Love* is steeped in desperation, spiritual yearning, and the dark underbelly of American life. Pierce’s fascination with the South, despite his California roots, imbues the album with a sense of place that is both mythic and menacing[5]. The lyrics are haunted by images of fire, ghosts, and trains—symbols of escape, destruction, and the search for meaning. The album’s obsession with authenticity is palpable. Pierce, disillusioned with the perceived artifice of punk and glam, sought to reclaim the emotional honesty of blues and country, even as he twisted those traditions into something new and unsettling[5]. The result is music that feels both rooted in history and defiantly modern. There is also a strong undercurrent of sexuality and violence, often intertwined. The album’s characters are driven by lust, addiction, and a sense of impending doom. This lends the record a feverish, almost hallucinatory quality, where boundaries between desire and destruction blur. --- ## Influence **A Blueprint for Punk Blues and Garage Rock** *Fire of Love* is widely acknowledged as a foundational text for the punk blues genre, influencing countless bands in the decades that followed[2][4]. Its fusion of roots music with punk energy paved the way for acts like The White Stripes, The Black Keys, and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, as well as numerous garage rock and indie bands[2][4][6]. The album’s willingness to embrace both tradition and innovation set it apart from its contemporaries. While other bands (like X or The Cramps) were also mining American roots music, The Gun Club’s approach was more aggressive and less nostalgic—“lovingly ripping [roots music] to shreds,” as one critic put it[6]. The album’s influence can be heard in the rawness and emotional intensity of later alternative and indie rock. *Fire of Love* has been included in the book *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die* and regularly appears in lists of essential punk and alternative records[2]. --- ## Pros and Cons | Pros | Cons | |---|---| | Groundbreaking fusion of punk and blues, creating a new genre | Some lyrics are deeply problematic and have not aged well[1][3][4] | | Raw, energetic performances throughout | Sonic palette can feel limited or repetitive over the course of the album[3] | | Intelligent, vivid songwriting with strong imagery | Production is intentionally lo-fi, which may alienate listeners seeking polish[3][5] | | Memorable guitar work and slide guitar flourishes | Pierce’s vocal style is polarizing—expressive but sometimes grating or off-putting[1] | | Tight, propulsive rhythm section | The album’s relentless intensity can be exhausting for some listeners | | Influential—set the template for punk blues and inspired many later artists[2][4] | Some tracks feel less essential or redundant (“Fire Spirit” compared to “Ghost on the Highway”)[3] | --- ## Conclusion *Fire of Love* remains a singular achievement in American music—a record that, through its fearless fusion of punk and blues, redefined what rock could be. Jeffrey Lee Pierce’s vision, both musically and lyrically, is uncompromising: the album is by turns exhilarating, disturbing, and deeply moving. Its rawness and lack of restraint are both its greatest strengths and its most significant liabilities. For listeners willing to embrace its chaos and confront its uncomfortable moments, *Fire of Love* offers a potent, unforgettable experience. It is a document of a band pushing themselves—and their audience—to the edge, and in doing so, leaving a permanent mark on the musical landscape.
not enough stars for this one, God bless you Jeffery Lee
I guess I can see how this was a bit ahead of its time, but I didn’t think it was all that great. 2.5 stars if I could rate it that way.
Not my brand.
Incredible! This is why I keep listening and pushing through this list!
Yeah I could've died without this 2/5
This was really cool. Didn't feel as special/different as a lot of people say it is, but still enjoyed it a lot.
Interesting album but didnt really enjoy it. standout songs: Sex beat For the love of ivy
I get all the comparisons to Jack White and Pixies but this just doesn’t hit the way their music does. Could be a slow burner though because it went from a 2 to a 3 on second listen
Furious, primal blues. Fear and lust and avarice all bundled together - all dressed up like an Elvis from hell. Jack White studied this closely! Five stars
J - 3/5 Best Track - "She's Like Heroine To Me" F - DNL
Where has this been my whole life? Demented blues punk and the singer sounds weirdly like Jonathan Richman. It's like if someone merged the Modern Lovers with the band playing instruments made from corpses in From Dusk Til Dawn. Slaps.
This album cover rules. Put it on a shirt and then put it on my body. Maybe somebody will ask me to name three songs and I’ll have to say I CAN’T because I’m a POSER. Are you happy now? What can I say, I like the pink, I like the composition and most of all, I like the weird smiling man with the flaming mop (?). Let’s get weird. Hopefully. Sex Beat - Punk? Score. This is the sex beat? Nothing’s happening. I thought this was like a rain dance. Being lied to out of the gate isn’t the way I wanted to start the cool album cover album. Preaching the Blues - I liked the start of this quite a bit. Hell, the whole thing is the same so I like it quite a bit in general. Repetitive, but very high energy. Good stuff. Promise Me - More repetition and drawn out ideas, but that near constant tone in the background is super cool. Nice touch. She’s Like Heroin to Me - Well, she’s like a heroine to me. We’re not the same. Hey guys? This song rules. Keep up the good work. They can’t miss a vein here. For the Love of Ivy - OH YEAH. We’re in riff city. AND we’re talking about wanting to go to hell? Hell yeah. This song rules. The riff switch-ups, the rage, and even the extended . Everything fits. Punk with a sense of anxiety. Fantastic. Well. I mean that one lyric was pretty suspect. Not sure of the context for the n word?? Anyway. Fire Spirit - After that awkward realization, of course this song kicks all kinds of ass. Has me questioning everything. Well. I can’t deny that this is another monster of a song. Ghosts in the Highway - Why is O beside I on the keyboard? I swear to god I can’t write in or on. Even that sentence was butchered repeatedly. Anyway, this song was a return to normalcy. Showing off the country influence, but kind of slow for me. Jack on Fire - Could’ve named this song “Jack Off Fire” but they didn’t. First lyrical disaster averted and I for one would like to applaud them for that. It takes a lot of restraint to put down the pen when you’re about to write a song about uhh self-love. Anyway, this song was another lull. Too repetitive for me. Black Train - We’re so back. Oh god is he using the n word again? Alright. I’m hoping that it’s some sort of commentary on this style of music. I’m not seeing much come up on Wikipedia about it, so I’m going to assume this isn’t the Klan’s favourite band. Cool Drink of Water Blues - Smoooth. Tooooooo loooooong. Oh well. They tried. Goodbye Johnny - My name isn’t Johnny. You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d start to think that these bands weren’t writing these songs with me in mind. Now THAT is ridiculous. Man if you take 20 minutes off this album, we’re talking about one of the great punk releases of all time. When it was good, this thing was unstoppable. Tight playing showcased the palpable, sizzling energy on this record. Now the weird n-word segments. I don’t really know what to think there. There is really no outcry online that I can see or mention of the band being racist in any way. I’ll take the word usage as an outdated way of showing the ridiculous? While those moments did kind of take me out of it, the songs themselves? Very good. Cut some of the filler away and I’m playing this one on repeat. Don’t shoot the messenger. 3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: She’s Like Heroin to Me, For the Love of Ivy, Fire Spirit
I like the sound but all the songs sounded the same to me
Knew I recognised the name but it only clicked once for the love of ivy came on. As well as covering the song there are a lot of clear influences on Japandroids, little turns of phrase and the general sound really. Must be super influential on garage rock. This sort of music benefits from better recording/production options so it sounds a bit thinner than you'd like but the song quality shines through. At the time this must have been incredible. 4.5.
I appreciate the energy, but all of the songs sound eerily similar. Same guitar riffs at the beginning, similar tempo, sort of nondescript lyrics. It didn't land for me.
Never heard of the gun club and I can't really think of anyone else to compare it to.... Which I think is a good thing. I didn't know the release date while listening and would've definitely put it as mid 90s, pretty surprised to see it was early 80s. Enjoyed it, but didn't fully grab me for some reason. Think my favourite was "fire spirit". Might give this another go. 3.5 but 4 because it sounds way before it's time
Some punk bands are going for an energy, and some are just masking a lack of talent. This is a prime example of the latter.
The Gun Club congregate to concoct an unholy mixture of rockabilly, blues and punk to start a Fire of Love. Whatever what may know or may not know about The Gun Club, everything is offered here; the kind of sex, drugs, rock and roll, debauchery, mystique and wildness that was scarcely available at that time. Come away from this having been able to experience it, even if it was just for one time. Favorites: Sex Beat, Preaching the Blues, She's Like Heroin to Me, For the Love of Ivy, Ghost on the Highway, Black Train, Goodbye Johnny, Fire of Love (Alternate Version).
Punk uit 1981. Ik vind het leuk dat het nu een keer géén Britse groep betreft. En het heeft blues invloeden. Wat we zelf ook wel hadden kunnen bedenken, want alle muziek van na de eerste wereldoorlog hebben we te danken aan blues toch? Met lichte spanning zette ik het aan omdat punk ook teveel kan schuren, maar dit glijdt soepeltjes naar binnen, ondanks een stukje keelpijn dat m'n kleine prinses zorgvuldig vanaf het kinderdagverblijf heeft overgedragen naar papa. Het is allemaal niet zo wereldschokkend, maar dat is maar goed ook op deze derhalve belabberde maandag. Redelijk eenvoudige muziek, maar de boel is best aardig geproduceerd voor een oud punk album en dat levert een stuk luistergemak op. Je hoeft deze echt niet gehoord te hebben voor je permanent kleiner gaat wonen, maar toch 3,5 sterren.
Felt quite a lot like the Modern Lovers album where its not really a certain genre, I guess you could say it's punk, but parts sound a lot bluesy or country. Also feels a lot like Television, but a bit more gritty, and I'd say it more punk-esque (instrumentally). It maybe also felt like the Birthday Party, at least guitar wise in some places. Is overall quite good and the dark, edgy atmosphere its trying to do works very well. Downsides are as always that some songs are a bit nothing. Favourite songs: sex beat, promise me, for the love of Ivy, fire spirit, Jack on fire. Overall around 7/10
Good album I enjoyed a few tracks but this didn’t stand out to me compared to other albums on this list.
Not a fan really, quite boring to be honest, the first song I quite liked, the next 2 felt like they had nothing really going on. She’s like heroin to me was a good punk one (felt very pixies), the other one I liked was ghost on the highway which was also very pixies. Other than that, the others were not my thing especially when it went full bluesy on songs like cool drink of water blues which was a bit of a drag. Also casually dropped the n word twice. Overall, 4/10.
Five stars awarded for outstanding achievement in the field of overall vibes. Am I able to hum any of the melodies after listening to this? No. Did the album feel great from start to finish? Yes.
Pretty good, a little samey, ultimately but not in a necessarily bad way. Reminded me of the Cramps, and X in some places.
This is about what I expected. It had some four and five star elements, but some of the language used wasn’t…cool.
Not my jam.
I like one song so I will give it to one.
Fun.
3/5
Another 80s album doing 80s things. I feel like I would really dislike this thing if I listened to it a year ago. I'm growing as a music consoomber. Definitely need to consult the book on this one. The book pins the music of this album as "psychobilly", which is apparently a real genre of music. Great name. Influential among noughties garage rock bands. I think this album is more influential to the "Rock and Roll McDonald's" guy. I can feel his soul emanating in these tracks (or the other way around, I guess). "some of the best American rock'n'roll ever recorded." Big call. "A huge array of influences". I guess I can vouch for the inclusion of this album. The weird shit is the good shit always and forever. I quite like it. The vocals are campy and well-suited to the wacked-out lyrics, which are well-suited to the old country theming. I can't help but feel like this exact niche of album is also occupied by "Fear and Whiskey" by Mekons, and this list ain't big enough for the two of these albums I'll tell ya hwat. It's strange to me that the 80s was apparently the designated decade for this style of music, though in all fairness this music doesn't sound like it belongs to any decade of music, really. I do not think that this album is "some of the best American rock'n'roll ever recorded" obviously, though I do think it's pretty competent. The more obvious rockabilly tracks are enjoyable in their high energy, such as "Ghost on the Highway" and "Goodbye Johnny". The more subdued, minimal "Cool Drink of Water Blues" was my biggest surprise. There's a very thin line between carrying an air of meandering through music and actually being meandering. I think this album did a pretty good job of landing in the former camp despite really pushing it with the long track length and screeching vocals. The obvious surf rock influences on "Sex Beat" and "Goodbye Johnny" was also pretty good - I quite liked those instrumentals.
Great punk blues album, I bet The Pixies were fans because I can hear them in some of those songs
I don't really get why this is on this list, but I prefer their second album "Miami" anyway.
I'm really bad at telling if a punk album is a good one or not, but I this was a pleasant listen overall. I can't say I would come back to it again, tho.
2 - a bit chaotic
I liked this! Surprised I hadn’t heard of this before
I was definitely surprised by this album. For me this is much more interesting than X or The Cramps who come across as very simple or novelty based, the album is musically wild and adept at the same time. They don’t just bang out Psychobilly rants. Everything sounds very tight and beautiful even at its wildest.
If someone asked me to conjure the sound of 80s punk, this would be it.
Varför är det här med på listan?