Reviews (page 2 of 7)
It's unusual for me to listen past the core tracks of the original release on an extended special edition, but I loved every minute of that. Gave me proto-TMBG vibes in several places which is an additional point from me every time
Great record from another band that I had never heard of until today.
Love it, 2 hours of music though
This album is like a psychedelic bridge between the 1960s and the alternative rock explosion of the 1980s. It brilliantly distilled the melodic whimsy of The Beatles and the jangly, folk-rock urgency of The Byrds into something uniquely jagged and modern paving the way for the college rock movement. Strong influence on R.E.M. and many others that followed.
An absolute classic, bringing shades of Beefheart & Syd Barrett to new wave kids and forever warpring (in a good way) their outlooks on music. Announced Robyn Hitchcock as a talent of note, and Kimberley Rew as an understated guitar hero.
Oh wow. This album is just fantastic. Six songs in, so far, and there's not a dud among them. The guitar is excellent, vocals are a little weird,and melodies are catchy, but in a way I like. And, honestly, there's enough noise, and even almost drone, to keep me riveted. This may be my favorite "discovery" on this journey so far. Old Pervert for the win. This is a great song! Moving along, I don't much like this Queen of Eyes song. It's not overtly terrible, but mostly innocuous Byrds-like harmonies or whatever, so not my jam. I guess the original album ended after Underwater Moonlight. And that would be a great album right there. But the additional songs on the re-issue are also just excellent. In fact, they may ramp up the weirdness. Vegetable Man is moving into Syd Barrett territory and I like it. Definitely giving this a 5.
5/5 - This is the best “new to me” album on this list yet, and it’s not close. This has so many intersections of things I love: bizarre lyrics, jangly guitars, punk, but angular rhythms, harmonies. I can hear what came before it and all the good stuff after (REM, Pixies, etc). How have I never heard I Wanna Destroy You before? (For the original 10 track album. I’ll listen to the bonus tracks later.)
The original skinhead music band. Top music from a top band.
I don't love the album cover, as it is very odd. The rest of what is on here though? I love it. This is exactly the kind of music that I like and am happy this project exists, as I would have never stumbled on this. It's not punk, it's not power-pop, it's not really new wave. Bands that I love were influenced by The Soft Boys and I can see why. I really enjoyed this one and it's getting added to my collection. A really good album of rock songs and my favorite track was probably the title track.
A revelation! I had never heard it before and have been playing it almost daily. Jangly, psychedelic, lightly punk, melodic, harsh, funny. it's great!
juntaram tudo que eu curto nesse aqui pqp maravilhoso fala sério
a mistura perfeita entre post punk, new wave e punk. um tiquinho de jangle pop também pq ngm eh de ferro. me surpreendeu DEMAIS e a capa eh bem foda. estou obcecado escutarei a semana toda. coisa boa esse aqui pqp
Another great discovery that I hadn’t previously known existed and that really blew me away. This is peak Proto-Noiserock (on a personal note: I don’t really see a connection to Neo-Psychedelia nor early REM but rather to bands like Chrome, Pere Ubu or even Devo whom nobody in their right mind would call ‚psychedelic‘ these days) I had to give this a fiver. kudos!
this was was really interesting and I liked it
I looooooooved this
Robyn Hitchcock fan since the A&M push with Balloon Man back in 1987. Finally saw him with the Egyptians in Columbus on half a hit of quality blotter and it was glorious. I didn't to hear Underwater Moonlight until the late 90's as you had to buy your records back then. It's catchy and weird and rocks. And with Kimberly Rew and Robyn on guitar it sits right behind Marquee Moon as the greatest punk/new wave guitar record. The weird, clunky songs (Old Pervert, I Got the Hots) server as great palate cleansers for the insane hooks of all the other tunes. Five Stars all the frickin way on this one. If you get a chance to see Hitchcock live, do it. LSD not necessary, he's a trip no matter what.
strong 4 or 5 4.96/5 first time listening blown away by the influence i can hear in their music that others have taken from. it’s like punk meets beatles but not in a descendents kind of way
Great indie album with very clear Syd Barret influence
EN: I was really surprised by this one. Of course, I didn't listen to the whole thing that's on Spotify, but only to the original ten tracks (I don't have 2 and a half hours free, I'm sorry). The sound is pretty unique, especially knowing how much they influenced the alternative rock scene from here on. I'm also a great fan of their sarcasm and critical position to culture. PT-BR: Fiquei realmente surpreso com esse aqui. Claro, não ouvi tudo que está no Spotify, apenas as dez faixas originais (não tenho duas horas e meia livres, foi mal). O som é bem único, principalmente considerando o quanto eles influenciaram a cena do rock alternativo dali em diante. Também sou um grande fã do sarcasmo e da postura crítica deles em relação à cultura. 9/10
Wow--loved it! Years ago a friend told me I had to get Robyn Hitchock's "Eye" which I did and loved immediately (and which should be on this list) but I never got into more of Hitchcock other than trying his run with the Egyptians which I didn't dig. But this is awesome. "I Wanna Destroy You" is anthem-level greatness and, per usual, there's the one song that kind of ruins the run. Here it's "Old Pervert" which I'll forgive because the rest is so solid.
The generator has atoned for its sins with the first album. This is a really fun jangle pop album (is there such thing as an unfun jangle pop album?). If this project does one thing its get me into psych rock, because these last two albums have been incredibly fun (is that rlly the word for peggy suicide? (no, not in the slightest)) psych albums. The riffs present throughout the album are amazing. I am also getting a lot of long albums. Meh, i don't have to listen to the full extended edition, that would be a fools game. Though these vocals are really good, they remind me of the flaming lips (ignore the fact that i have heard 1 flaming lips album and i didn't like it (though i did like what ive heard off yoshimi battles the pink robots, or whatever its called)). The bass guitar in this is really good. It feels like i can barely hear the drums though. to be honest this feels like a whole album of I Want You (She's So Heavy) by The Beatles. The issue with this record is less so that the music is bad, and more that it overstays its welcome quite a bit. Oh my god, yes the rym version is only 9 tracks, the youtube version has like 31 extra songs (how did somebody think that was a good idea?), thats the length of the standard will wood album!! Holy shit these guys are good at making a groovy guitar segment. oh my god this is the whole track What kind of magic does this generator have? It's showing me peak after peak, lets hope its the same tomorrow. Hold on, i think theres a thrift store in my city named after this album's best track. In other news the queen of eyes is really good. i like the harmonies, it reminds me of Camper Van Beethoven. overall if i havent made it apparent i really liked this album.
Really great, I loved this and I listened to about 2 hours of the extended mix! I'm going to revisit this again.
I was leary of this one going in but they quickly won me over. You can easily hear the influence this album had on so many other groups. This one is going into my rotation.
This one surprised me. I rarely listen to one of these twice in a row. It really hit a good spot for me. I look forward to a third listen.
## In-Depth Review of *Underwater Moonlight* by The Soft Boys *Underwater Moonlight*, released in 1980, stands as The Soft Boys’ magnum opus—a record that bridges the gap between 1960s psychedelia and the emerging alternative and college rock scenes of the 1980s. Though initially overlooked, its reputation has grown, and it is now regarded as a cornerstone of neo-psychedelia and a key influence on bands like R.E.M.[4][5]. --- **Lyrics** Robyn Hitchcock’s lyrics on *Underwater Moonlight* are surreal, eccentric, and often laced with dark humor and grotesque imagery. The album opens with “I Wanna Destroy You,” a deceptively catchy anti-war anthem that skewers media manipulation and the cyclical nature of violence: > “A pox upon the media / And everything you read / They tell you your opinions / And they're very good indeed”[6]. This song, like many on the album, juxtaposes melodic hooks with biting, sometimes disturbing content. “Kingdom of Love” turns a love song into a bizarre entomological metaphor, with lines like: > “You’ve been laying eggs under my skin / Now they’re hatching out under my chin / Now there’s tiny insects showing through / And all them tiny insects look like you”[6]. Elsewhere, Hitchcock’s lyrics veer between the absurd and the poignant. “Positive Vibrations” takes a satirical swipe at hippie optimism, while “Insanely Jealous” explores obsession and paranoia with a fevered intensity. The title track, “Underwater Moonlight,” is a surreal narrative about statues coming to life, blending whimsy with melancholy: > “He was white and she was white as only statues are / Fifty years they stood there looking stupid by a jar / One night in mid-August when the moonlight got too strong / They climbed off their pedestal and then they sang this song”[6]. The lyrics across the album are consistently inventive, if sometimes alienating in their strangeness. Hitchcock’s wordplay and imagery are reminiscent of Syd Barrett, but with a more acerbic, post-punk edge[2][3]. --- **Music** Musically, *Underwater Moonlight* is a vibrant amalgam of jangly guitar pop, psychedelic flourishes, and punk energy. The band draws from a wide range of influences: - **Guitar Work**: Kimberley Rew’s guitar is central to the album’s sound—sharp, melodic, and inventive, channeling the spirit of Roger McGuinn, Keith Richards, and Jimi Hendrix[2]. The interplay between Rew and Hitchcock creates a dynamic, textured backdrop for the songs. - **Vocal Harmonies**: The Soft Boys’ three-part harmonies recall the Beach Boys and The Byrds, adding a lushness to tracks like “Queen of Eyes” and “I Wanna Destroy You”[2][5]. - **Rhythm Section**: The bass and drums are tight and propulsive, grounding the more whimsical elements in solid rock and roll tradition. - **Eclecticism**: The album traverses genres—surf-pop (“Positive Vibrations”), blues (“I Got the Hots”), music-hall pastiche (“Insanely Jealous”), and even hints of ska and raga in the title track[2][1]. The arrangements are playful yet precise, never descending into self-indulgence. Unlike their debut, *A Can of Bees*, the band reins in their more chaotic tendencies, allowing the melodies and hooks to shine through[1][5]. --- **Production** The album was recorded on a shoestring budget—just £600—using 4- and 8-track equipment at Spaceward Studios in Cambridge and Alaska/James Morgan studios in London[4]. The production, handled by Pat Collier and Spaceward staff, is raw but effective. There’s a clarity to the mix that highlights the intricate guitar work and vocal harmonies, while preserving a sense of immediacy and energy. - **Lo-Fi Charm**: The limited resources lend the album a lo-fi charm without sacrificing musical detail. The sound is punchy and direct, with minimal studio trickery[4]. - **Instrumental Variety**: Occasional violin, sitar, and sci-fi keyboards expand the sonic palette, but these touches are used sparingly and tastefully[1][2]. The production avoids the excessive polish of late-70s rock, instead capturing the band’s live energy and eccentricity. --- **Themes** *Underwater Moonlight* is thematically rich, blending personal neuroses with social commentary and surreal storytelling. - **Alienation & Paranoia**: Songs like “Insanely Jealous” and “I Wanna Destroy You” tap into feelings of mistrust, obsession, and alienation—reflecting both personal and societal anxieties[6]. - **Surrealism & Absurdity**: Hitchcock’s lyrics often veer into the absurd, using surreal imagery to explore love, identity, and mortality (“Kingdom of Love,” “Underwater Moonlight”)[6]. - **Satire & Irony**: There’s a persistent sense of irony and dark humor, whether mocking the media, hippie platitudes, or romantic clichés[3][5]. - **Nostalgia & Subversion**: The band pays homage to 1960s pop and psychedelia, but always with a subversive twist—undercutting nostalgia with eccentricity and wit[1][2]. These themes are unified by Hitchcock’s distinctive voice—both literally and lyrically—which oscillates between detached observation and emotional intensity. --- **Influence** Though a commercial failure upon release, *Underwater Moonlight* has become a touchstone for alternative and indie musicians. Its influence can be traced through: - **Neo-Psychedelia**: The album is credited as a foundational text for the neo-psychedelia movement of the 1980s and beyond[4]. - **College Rock & Jangle Pop**: Bands like R.E.M., The Replacements, and The Church have cited The Soft Boys as an influence, particularly for their jangly guitars and melodic sensibility[4][5]. - **Indie Eccentricity**: The album’s blend of pop craftsmanship and eccentricity paved the way for later acts like The Flaming Lips and Ween, who similarly balance weirdness with accessibility[3]. Robyn Hitchcock’s own solo career, as well as Kimberley Rew’s later success with Katrina and the Waves, further testify to the band’s lasting impact[3]. --- ## Pros and Cons | Pros | Cons | |----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Inventive, surreal lyrics that reward close listening | Hitchcock’s lyrical eccentricity can be alienating or off-putting for some listeners | | Brilliant guitar work and vocal harmonies, blending multiple influences seamlessly | Production is lo-fi and may sound dated or rough to modern ears | | Melodic, catchy songwriting that stands up to repeated plays | Some tracks may feel like pastiche or overly derivative to certain listeners | | Fearless genre-mixing: pop, punk, psychedelia, blues, and more | The album’s eclecticism can make it feel uneven or lacking cohesion at times | | Satirical, darkly humorous take on love, war, and society | Initial commercial failure; not immediately accessible or radio-friendly | | Influential blueprint for neo-psychedelia, jangle pop, and alternative rock | | --- ## Conclusion *Underwater Moonlight* is a singular achievement—a record that synthesizes the best of 1960s pop and psychedelia with the energy and attitude of post-punk. Robyn Hitchcock’s lyrics are by turns unsettling, hilarious, and profound, delivered atop a bed of jangly guitars, tight rhythms, and lush harmonies. The production, though modest, captures the band’s vitality and inventiveness. While its quirks and eccentricities may not be to everyone’s taste, the album’s melodic strength, lyrical depth, and fearless eclecticism have ensured its status as a cult classic and a pivotal influence on alternative music. For listeners willing to embrace its oddities, *Underwater Moonlight* offers a rewarding, endlessly fascinating experience—one that continues to resonate decades after its release.
How is this the first time I have heard this album? I mean I took on this 1001 album challenge to potentially expose myself to some music I might have previously not heard or written off, but this record is something I feel like I should have been exposed to LONG LONG AGO. Why? It is hard for me to place what genre I would put it in. It isn't punk, it isn't new wave, it isn't jangle pop. I can't define it but I am happy to have found it.
Love this so much, forty years later. So much weirdness, so much pop. Such great guitars.
Loved it then, love it now. Good reminder to listen to the whole album. I don't think this is a nostalgia rating but I guess the Gen Z daughter is the test.
Wow this album just rocks. Great guitar work and goddamn is this singer pissed at someone, the lyrics are pretty crazy
This was extremely enjoyable
Awesome. Has a modern lovers-esque edginess that fits smoothly relaxed vocals and weird off-kilter lyrics. Instrumentation is varied and well-done. Love giving 5 stars to a band/album I've never heard of. That's the best case scenario for this program!
Pretty catchy.
A tightly-packed, effortless blend of psychedelic, post-punk, jangle pop - immensely enjoyable!
Yeah. This is really good and will hit you in just the right spots. Feeling like a lost gem of early alternative, this is just the right mix of jangley psychedelic pop, punk aesthetics, with the outright bizarre.
I rather enjoyed this. Very British, but the influence on later American acts can be felt. I usually don’t listen to the bonus tracks on these things, but I opted to do so today.
This is the right mix of punk and power pop. Great record, listened to it a few times.
This album is like a step before all the music that inspired nirvana such as the pixies but then it still keeps a strong fondness for the 60’s. That’s what’s important about this album, every single song is at least decent, I wanna destroy you is the best but the album is consistent, even the track ‘old pervert’ is entertaining 5/5
the terribly underrated boys who made a perfect album
"You've been layin' eggs under my skin Now they're hatching out under my chin Now there's tiny insects showin' through And all them tiny insects look like you"
What a nice surprise, some early post-punk/jangle-pop that i've never even heard about. Was a blast the whole way through, was sad when it ended. Though that last track especially was a banger.
I actually really enjoyed this. Lots of similarities to Pixies, which is one of my all time favourite bands. You can tell how The Soft Boys influenced them.
I'd never heard of this band or album and thoroughly enjoyed getting introduced to them
- I had to go back and check the release year ... so forward looking, so good. -
Odd and eccentric pop genius from Robyn Hitchcock and company. The first album has its moments, but this album delivers on the promise. An excellent and purely original punk rock take on Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd weirdness.
Really good, and I'd like to check out more Soft Boys. I never heard of them before. The version on spotify is 40 song long. Why can't I just have the 10 track release as original, instead of every ultra low fi recording they could dig up to put on this special variant.
This was surprising and amazing.
An album I'd never heard of before, and I loved it
Absolutely loved this one. Never heard of them before and it was a real revelation. Can see that so many bands were influenced by them!
A lighthearted missing link between punk and indie rock. Wonderful guitar sounds, clever lyrical concepts, psychedelic dynamics. Lovely!
Great alternative rock that is melodic with cool guitar riffs.
Robyn Hitchcock’s surrealist psychedelic masterpiece. Still an underrated gem.
I enjoyed this one a lot. It’s just really good I don’t know what to say about it
I never heard The Soft Boys before but man I really liked this record
I listened to the entire 2.5 hour remaster of this album, never having heard anything by them before except I Wanna Destroy You. I could hear so many artists that were inspired by them in this album and it was such a treat. Love the bass lines.
Honestly this album is sick. Something about it just really speaks to me.
This album was very good. Unusual lyrics accompanied by really quite soft music. Sound in both musical and vocal quality. At times it was a bit Jaggeresque vocally and other tracks traces of The Stranglers were evident. I listened to the whole 2 hours in one hit which I didn't think I would be able to prior to listening. A hybrid between blues and new wave in my opinion and it worked 👍
Underwater Moonlight is a perfect album. From the cover to the sequencing, from lyrics to production… Everything makes sense.
Fantastic, really unexpected album.
You gotta read Kunetz's review
Nothin better than gettin soft with the boys
This is why I love this album thing. I’d never heard of this band before but this might be one of my new favorite albums (all 2 hrs of it). It starts off as pretty standard post-punk stuff. Wait, that’s a major key. Wait, that’s psychedelic with some sitar thrown in. Surf rock? Blues? Jangly Byrds-inspired songs? So so cool and extremely listenable.
I loved this. It’s a really fun synthesis of new wave and psychedelia. I can definitely see why this band had an outsized impact.
i had never heard of this album or band before, but oh my is this album prescient! this album sounds and feels like an album that swarths of 1980s college rock/alt rock bands listened to. you can hear the blueprint being made for bands like REM. a very cool album. i particularly enjoyed the tinge of psych rock that it had at points, especially the sitar on "positive vibrations"
Mesmerizing, inventive, winding, jangly psychedelic pop music that belies a real sicko’s sensibilities under the hood. Feels like the skeleton key that unlocks a greater understanding of much of the music that I love without feeling dated, or like the stuff it influenced outright surpassed it. Like this was doing 60’s folk revival a decade before The Stone Roses, and sultry lounge lizard blues 30 years before The Growlers. I can tell what will keep me coming back to this is the tension between lovingly crafted pop melodies and surrealist lyricism. This is an absolute gem and probably the first new worthwhile thing I’ve been turned onto by the 1001 albums list.
I've been a huge fan of Robyn Hitchcock for years. It was ironic that it probably took me fifteen or twenty years before I discovered The Soft Boys. This is a great album. Quirky, fun. Great songs.
Never heard this band before, which is surprising but they were great. I could hear the influence they provided future bands.
I feel like I’m listening to the missing link from classic rock to 80s college rock
A jam from start to finish. I loved it and want to listen again!
I am feeling this album. Glad I found out about them!
Flipping marvellous.
Great album and one of the best things the 80s has to offer!
Just wow. I have heard of the Soft Boys but was never motivated enough to check them out, and I'm glad I did! Investigating further I've seen reviews that make such statements as "stone-cold classic of neo-retro-psychedelic jangle pop (src: Jive Time Records)" and I couldn't have said it better than that.
RYM gives this album the genres "Neo-Psychedelia, Post-Punk, Jangle Pop." Kind of an all-over the place variety of genres, so it's just better to say this album sounds like 60s hippie pop given a little bit of early 80s punk energy. But that feels too slight of a description. This is a great pop album that somehow manages to foreshadow a lot of trends of the alternative 80s, being long before the trend of 60s nostalgia, Pixies-esque obsession of quiet-loud dynamics, and Johnny Marr's jangle maximizing the sound of the guitar. I Wanna Destroy You is a great opener and mission statement. Amidst jangle pop with a delicious twang, the singer belts out the title of the track. Kingdom of Love has a great interplay between the first calmer section of the chorus, and the second meaner section of the chorus. Positive Vibrations definitely brings the punk speed to the late 60s love songs a la Beach Boys, esp with the sitar sprinkled in. I Got the Hots sounds sleazy in an almost cute way, especially with that inversion of tone in the chorus, even ending out in a rocking tremolo. And Insanely Jealous of You builds up subtle tension, punctuated by a delicxious guitar, before the singer repeats the jealousy. All of these are just S-tier songs. Granted, the album doesn't always have killer songs hiding great ambition. Tonight is a bit more of a traditional love song. You'll Have To Go Sideways is another exercise in tension building, although this time it starts louder, and kinda stays that way. Old Pervert is another sleazy song, but a bit more punky. Queen of Eyes is a really pretty and almost romantic song, that's unfortunately a bit too short. Still, these are not bad songs, just A-tier songs which still showcase the great talent of the band. And all is again great with the closing title track of the album, carrying the romanticism of Queen of Eyes and fleshing it out with the track dynamics and build-up that The Soft Boys have shown in the previous tracks. A damn fine album with a effortless faux-psychedelic sound and swagger. Decent 5
I wanna destroy you I feel it coming on again Just like it did before They feed your pride with boredom And they lead you on to war The way you treat each other Really makes me feel ill Cause if you want to fight Then you're just dying to get killed I wanna destroy you Great album. Kind of retro hipster, but great despite that. 5/5
Wow, this is by far one the most outstanding records I found through the generator. Such a great band. It has everything I like
Have had a soft spot for this album for a while now. Really enjoy the fusion of post-punk and psychedelia, and love the lyrics, though I can imagine the voice they're delivered in is pretty divisive. Fave track - "I Wanna Destroy You" has been a personal fave for a while now, but on this listen "Insanely Jealous" stole the limelight. Such great lines! The night is black and thick I wander past your window And I catch a cigarette thrown from a jewel encrusted hand It comes on pretty quick Exactly like a crocodille In search of a mirage across the undulating sand
10/10 fucking iconic and underrated as hell
Albums like this are why I love this project. The influence on college rock and lo-fi indie are clear. However, the Soft Boys expertly weave neo-psychedelic with jangly post-punk/new wave to create something with pop sensibilities that appeals to the more art for art's sake crowd. The influence by the Beatles and the Kinks can be heard throughout but are conveyed in a way that is understandable yet pushes the genre forward in a very interesting way that I would expect to hear ten years later.
The Soft Boys sounds like a gay porn collective. Despite the name and the needlessly long album on par with a Scorsese film, it kept my attention all the way through. There were a lot of things that I liked about it. Simple basslines, screech-y guitar with lots of feedback and no frills vocals. I was happy to be turned on by The Soft Boys, pun intended.
An absolute classic of rock music, especially for the genre of acid punk. There are so many great songs on here that sound a bit like the Stranglers would do psychedelic rock with a little bit of Talking Heads. Definitely one of this gems everyone should listen to!
An extraordinary feat and a criminally underrated album that sounds like an all-time classic today. I didn't know who Robyn Hitchcock was before I used this app. Now I stand corrected. I have a pretty busy day today, and unfortunately, I can't write a proper review (I hope the creators of this great app could give us a way to amend or revise our reviews once we're done with the 1001 albums). But here are the words or phrases that would have appeared in said review from me: thrilling / melodic / "I Wanna Destroy You" is a powerful opener / incredible vocal harmonies / feels like an insant classic / the album starts on a very hight note, yet what's great about it is that its many other high notes are very different from that initial one / nonetheless, the whole thing stays cohesive / jangle pop / college rock / post-punk / hearkens back to great moments from the sixties / use of post-punk energy / foretells indie-rock from the nineties and later / perfect guitar lines, angular and yet strongly harmonic / sardonic-yet-often-tender lyrics / lots of specific references to past bands, yet their influence never feels "forced", it is totally "digested" by Hitchcock and co. Examples: Buffalo Springfield-Neil Young for "Kingdom Of Love" / The Beach Boys for "Positive Vibrations / The Cramps (or the early off-kilter rock that inspired them) for "I Got The Hots" / The Velvet Underground for "Insanely jealous Of You" (That viola and the tribute that it is to John Cale! That crazy vocal performance and its tribute to Lou Reed!) / Todd Rundgren or Big Star for "Tonight" / The Feelies or Television for "You'll Have To Go Sideways / Gang Of Four or Wire for "Old Pervert" / The Byrds for "Queen Of Eyes" / Closer "Underwater Moonlight" is a perfect gem / The best anthem about getting older ever written / Perfect, perfect LP / 5 stars Number of albums left to review: 548 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 218 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 105 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 131 Oh, by the way: I love how some people in here just can't read (or just click on one link): it's called BONUS TRACKS, you fools! Of course they're NOT gonna be up to the level of the proper album. That's why they weren't included in the first place! But what really takes the cake here is the reviewers who did notice that all those last cuts were bonus tracks, and yet still complain about them, and so give The Soft Boys less than a 4/5 grade as a result. I sometimes think there should be some some sort of "listener's licence" exam that should be taken before using this app... Naw, I'm just kidding, ha ha. But *still*. Guys (or gals). Get a grip. Please.
These guys were ahead of their time.
A mix of Lou Reed, Mark E Smith, Gang Of Four and Beach Boys!
Great, well ahead of its time. Felt the influence on REM, as well as another band that completely escapes me. Another 1001 gem.
Meilleure découverte via ce site depuis Head Hunters de Herbie Hancock Prefs: I Wanna Destroy You, Positive Vibrations, Insanely Jealous, Tonight, You'll Have To Go Sideways, Queen of Eyes, Underwater Moonlight Moins pref: Kingdom of Love
månsken!!?🤨 under vattnet??!??!? så bra
favourite song: i got the hots least favourite song: you'll have to go sideways absolute fantastic album. robyn hitchcocks lyricism is engaging and funny throughout. lovely instrumentation. an album i already loved before this.
If you're not the kind of person who gets a kick out of the lyrics in Kingdom of Love, then it's going to be more difficult for us to become friends. I wanna destroy you, insanely jealous, queen of eyes, underwater moonlight, these are all total bangers. Hook it up and feed it directly into my veins. On a sidenote, I love all these innocent wet behind the ears types who somehow think this album is genuinely 44 songs long.
Never heard of the soft boys before. This album is brilliant can see the VU influence on some of the songs. I love finding these albums Iv never heard and were never commercial success but influenced so much of the music I listen too.
Really enjoyed this one. It doesn't do anything revolutionary, but the tracks are all so catchy and memorable. Good bops
Right in my sweet spot, post punky power poppy with catchy choruses not trying to be anything it isn’t. Saved to the ol Spotify albums which is criteria for 5 stars
Mix Syd Barrett with the Byrds and this is what you get: British psychedelic jangle pop with sixties influences. Great album! Discovered it 25 years or so after its release ..and for me, one of their best songs, "He's A Reptile" is part of the album ..but it is not: it was added in the reissue. The 10 original songs are strong enough to hold their own though and several of them are perfect examples of outstanding songwriting: 5 stars easily.
Absolutely loved it
had me from the first track, just brilliant
i'm alive to listen to that kind of stuff. amazing
Very unique and an original style. The sound and lyrics were somewhat psychedelic. Really dug this one.
spft
I don't think this project has necessarily uncovered many gems for me (mostly "yep, agree, that's a classic" or "huh, interesting, I don't think I would have listened to this before) but this is absolutely lovely. 60s harmonies combined with early 80s power pop / post-punk. Thanks 1001 albums project (and thanks to the reviewer below who pointed out there was a 10 song version available)
Det va overraskanes gøy, egentlig? Ikke kjempespenannes, for all del, men ikke så verst selskap på gåturen hjem en lørdag.
Don't have much to say on this one, honestly. 3.5 bumped up to 4.
Had no idea this band even existed. But listening to them you can hear the obvious connections to the Pixies and (sometimes) REM and other bands that were supposedly influenced by them. Not all the songs work, but there are a lot of songs so plenty to enjoy here.
Very cool album Standout songs: I Wanna Destroy You Positive Vibrations Youll have to go Sideways
Loved this new wave album. I’m surprised I never heard it but it was completely new to me, despite its 1980 release date.
Zu allererst: 2 Stunden, 27 Minuten. Ihr habt sie doch nicht mehr alle. Ich habs dann mal auf die 10 Originaltracks ohne Re-Issue-Songs beschränkt. Das muss ja echt nicht sein. Nicht weil's kacke klingt sondern weil ich mir die wirklich guten, abgerockten, Lofi-igen, lässigen Songs nicht durch more and more of the same kaputt machen wollte. Wirkt irgendwie nicht wie 1980. Klingt teilweise wie mid-60s und dann wieder wie late-80s. Schöne Entdeckung.
You can see where Radiohead might get some influences from, liked the sound of this a lot!
Hørte lidt, og det var fedt! - Hørte det færdigt, og det var fint.
Hitchcockian. Wonderful power pop stuff and incredible sound from this slept on British band.
Recorded in 1980s this ain't no Viagra Boys. Can hear the bridge between the 60s and 70s to the college radio music of the 80s. Better than expected. I liked it actually even if a bit quirky.
I heard it like an early version of pop/punk rock. Very interesting album, almost conceptual, to listen from beginning to end. It's the first time I heard of them and love the singer already.
ngl, i really enjoyed this
funn!
nog leuk
Дуже цікаво послухати) На четвірочку)
love the whole album
Muy bueno el disco. Sorprendió.
Here's me been thinking for a few decades that Stiv Bators sang I Wanna Destroy You. Soft Boys/Dead Boys confusion. To be fair it sounds more like a Bators' title than a Hitchcock one. Still. The shame of it.
I wanna destroy you - 4 Kingdom of love - 4 Positive vibrations - 3 I got the hots - 3 Insanely jealous - 3 Tonight - 4 You'll have to go sideways - 4 Old pervert - 3 Queen of eyes - 3 Underwater moonlight - 3
Solid album, lots of recognizable tracks need to give it another listen
19/05/2026 I went full slog and listened to the 2.5 hour version 😒 I guess I was so numb to it by the end, that it just ends up getting rated this way. Spotify listeners: 25.1k
Cooles Album. Hat mir richtig gut gefallen!
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. You see, some synthpop albums from the early 80s gave me a bad taste in my mouth. If more albums from that time period were like "Underwater Moonlight", I wouldn't have had such disdain for the 80s. "Underwater Moonlight" felt like a fresh interpretation of 60s psychedelia. "Insanely Jealous of You", with its bouncy bass, is my favourite track from the album. 4 stars for "Underwater Moonlight".
I really enjoyed this. My absolute favourite was ‘You’ll have to go sideways’, which was an unexpected Krautrock number in the middle of the album. It was oils have benefitted from a few more diversions like this but it was still a really enjoyable listen.
Such a pleasant surprise! Love this introduction to a band and album I’ve never heard of. Perfect for a drive to my new favorite brunch spot by Prospect Park with Greta and Lo on the best weather weekend the city has seen all year
Lowkey cv nog. Duurde effe maar it has grown on me, er zitten gewoon niet zo veel vervelende stukken in ofzo. Ik heb wel gewoon enkel naar de korte versie geluisterd (10 nummers) want fuck 2u30 naar 40 nummers van dezelfde band luisteren.
I listened to this cold and was annoyed at another mid 90s Brit pop album. Then it got better, took some turns, and holy shit this was 1980? Clearly an influential album (for better and worse). A good album all the same.
Psychedelic post-punk with a quirky, slightly dark sense of humour is an unusual flavour but The Soft Boys show it to be quite effective. I Wanna Destroy You is a passionate anthem of hate with gorgeous harmonies. Positive Vibrations is the complete flip of this with cheery vocals over quite anxious, busy-brained and amped up guitars. Tonight is more at ease with itself with quiet verses and electric, punch the air choruses. The twisty turny guitars on You’ll Have To Go Sidewides are brain bending. And then there are the various more patient, far weird cuts. A vast record!
this had bangers on it, i really enjoyed it
Ok
Pretty not bad. The more I listen the more I like.
Da fak je to?! Ne pomaga, da je na Tidal, ko odpreš album, 40 komadov?! Še dobr, da wiki zadeve razjasni, album je dolg le 36 minut, Tidal mi spet da neke bonus tracks k so ble na remastered ipd verzijah vključene. Phew. Ampak ja. Confusion. Creepy naslovnica & prvič slišim za izvajalca. (No, naslovnica mi je obenem creppy & všeč.) Ok, The Soft Boys ne začnejo soft at all, z "I Wanna Destroy You". V "Kingdom of Love" so besedila kr zanimiva. So far sicer ne slišim psihadelike (kar je wiki obljubljal), bolj post-punk, new wave. Je pa totalno všečno (spet, wiki prav 'commercial failure'). Ok, ja, ni glih vsak komad a banger, pa zanimiv je the random vibe change ("I Got the Hots"). Ampak hud komad & isto sledeči, "Insanely Jealous of You", k basically šopa start to finish. "You'll Have to Go Sideways" me mal na The B-52s spomne z melodijo. Ampak, dejansko totalno unikaten band. Prijetno presenečenje.
Enjoyable, would listen again.
If I’d have stopped after the first ten songs I’d have given this a three. But I liked a number of the bonus songs even more. Rock n’ Roll Toilet made me laugh. Bonus songs bumped it up to a 4.
Really enjoyed this I've never heard of the band there was a 60s sensibility to it so looked up the release date (1980)
Enjoyed this a lot, must have been quite a unique sound at the start of the 80s and I can hear how it would've been influential on the alternative rock of the decade. The songs bounce along in a way that reminds of early REM and there are some very catchy tunes which I'll definitely come back to with quirky, psychedelic lyrics. 4* because the second half is not as strong as the first
Total unknown to me but really felt like a band I should have known about. I can hear echoes of them in so many bands.
A hidden jem
Does this book have a bit of an obsession with 80s post-punk? Yes it absolutely does. Did I roll my eyes when I realised this (completely unknown-to-me) entry was yet more 80s post-punk? Yes I did. Although I thought with a name like The Soft Boys, it would be more synth-pop/new-wavey than it is. Did I really enjoy it anyway? Yes I really did. It's melodic and good fun, and doesn't feel horrendously drenched in the usual 80s production pitfalls. Please don't plough through the 147 minute, 27-track version on Spotify; an absurdly bonus track-heavy reissue. The 45th Anniversary Reissue from 2025 contains the original 10 tracks and it does the job nice and succinctly. I don't quite understand why anyone would stop and take stock at 45 years, rather than wait five years for the neat and tidy big five-o. Maybe it just made them feel a bit old. I guess I can relate.
4/5
I'm so used to groany middle-of-the-road rock albums on this albums generator by now, that I was completely expecting to hate this. When an album wasn't initially met with success, my opinion is usually something along the lines of "I could tell", and these guys disbanded months after this effort so... What a great surprise to see that not only is this something I'd never look for, but it's also something I really enjoy. So it's got influences from the past, like Beatles-pop or blues, but it's also got some of the magic juice that more modern or recognized bands of the 80s pull off. It feels like either they were super influential, or right at it with everyone else exploring the evolution to the sound of a generation. What's important to me here is how the pieces that make this Frankenstein's monster are what I objectively consider 'the best parts', so it's feeling like a weird combination of things I typically dislike, in a way that I highly appreciate. I heard the 45th anniversary remaster which oddly enough is the release with the original 10 song track list. I don't want to ruin this experience by listening to any of the extended 2 hour versions. It's a very well curated piece of work. Hell, I'd buy it. It's not perfect, but it's got constant hook and pull. 3.6/5
FUNKY ANd fun listen! britty and rocky
This was fun. Brit poppy, nympho, somewhat Beatles-esque psych, short and sweet does it's thing and gets the fuck out of there. Insanely Jealous was an immediate vibe for me.
What is this English psych pop rock? Super catchy and engaging
This is surprisingly good. Apparently Soft Boys were very influential for indie bands. You can retrofit that connection when you listen to the Soft Boys' sound. Some interesting use of instruments and confident cross genre experimentation . Didn't know it but happy to be introduced to the Soft Boys.
I've been listening to each album rather apathetically recently. But this album, by a group I'm completely unfamiliar with, broke through. I really enjoyed it, and hopefully this feeling of reinvigoration will rekindle my listening habits and let me appreciate the albums to come in the coming weeks.
Enjoyed this. Felt like a pretty authentic blend of influences but still felt like a cohesive album. Feels like there is next to nothing online about these guys and I had never heard of them before. Wish I could get a bit more context around this band but this album stand alone felt really listenable to me.
I’ve never heard of the Soft Boys before, but this is excellent! It’s a bit punk, a bit new wave, and a bit psychedelic. I’m surprised this album was released in 1980; they clearly had an influence on several bands to come later.
I'd heard of them but never heard them. This is exactly why I came here! Sweet!
Not half bad!
I was ready to absolutely rave about this album after the couple of songs, but it lost me really quickly. The opener has some of the best sixties harmonies you can imagine, and it creates a nice juxtaposition with the threatening song title. It keeps that vibe - some lovely sitar dotted about - for a bit, and then it's like they discover The Stranglers really suddenly, and it becomes very generic softcore punk. A mixed bag, but still a decent one on balance.
Great album by a great band!
3.75
Another 80s English rock band I’m unfamiliar with. Going to listen to the original 10 song album first the sake of this. There’s a lot of bonus songs on streaming. Early on, and definitely an interesting sound. It’s like 80s post punk rock meets 60s rock. Really fun sound. This is fantastic. The kind of unheard of music I was hoping to find on this list. Really enjoyed the first half. The second half doesn’t pack as much a punch. It’s fine, but feels like a little bit of a fall off. There’s really a mix of punk and 60s psych style harmonies. It’s a great sound. The album ends strong with two great songs at the end. Underwater Moonlight might be the best track and it closes the album. This is a solid 4. I was debating up to a 5, but think it has a little lull in the middle that prevents it from fully getting there for me and overall doesn’t have that extra wow factor. But a really enjoyable listen.
Was not expecting much and was blown away
Very good album the copied the best stuff of the best bands at the time even a little van halen and and some brit-pop very good and sounds like they are top notch musicians
I really enjoyed this. There were several songs I plan to revisit. While it sounded nothing like Squeeze something about it kind of reminded me of that band.
This is like if somebody explained the Beatles to somebody and told them to recreate it, without having to experience the pain of listening to the Beatles
Soft Boys were led by Robyn Hitchcock who continues to tour and make interesting music and of whom I am a big fan. They disbanded shortly after it was released and I wasn’t aware of this album until 1984 or so early in Robyn’s solo career. This is an excellent album, with some great songss including “I Wanna Destroy You”, “Tonight”, “Positive Vibrations”, “”Queen of Eyes” and the title track.
Really fun album, super weird but very enjoyable. Old Pervert was hilarious
I have this, but it has been a very long time since I listened. Strong start! A bridge from the 70s to the 80s, you can hear Elvis Costello, and Pulp. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes 57/229 (24%) Will I get: A nicer copy maybe
This is a cool cross over album. In a lot of ways it feels like something that cam out of the early 70s; blues, psych and soul kind of are the sonic engine on this record. But then you kind of have proto-indie brit pop elements on the service. Which makes it fun and unique. It feels like it could be The Who or Pulp at any given moment. I enjoyed this!
This album could have been 5 stars if it was about a third of the length. Can't have a 5 star album be 2 and a half hours long and 40 tracks. A very strong 4 based on the first 10 songs or so.
oh I'm into this! This is exactly the weird niche shit I wanted to find through through this project. I'm eating it up! This is like Ramones meets Beatles meets post-pet sounds Beach Boys meets Cramps with a bunch of other stuff mixed in, but in the best way possible! It wasn't like mind-blowing for me to give it a 5 because some parts didn't hold my full attention. Still very good overall! Top 3: 1) I Wanna Destroy You 2) Insanely Jealous of You 3) Positive Vibrations
A bit of a cross between classic punk energy, cute jangly power pop, and new wave quirkyness. The guitars are great - slinky leads breaking into some super bright twangy arpeggios. Naive lead vocals and Birdsy 60s psych harmonies. I wanna destroy you is an amazing opener, Kingdom of Love rips, Insanely Jealous is hilarious, and the closing 2 tracks are really good.
Don't think I'd ever heard of The Soft Boys before, but I enjoyed this album.
Review - an interesting power pop album. A lot of my reading about it talks about how psychedelic it is - maybe more psychedelic than most of their contemporaries but I was pleased to hear only a small amount of sitar gratuitously strewn throughout the tracks. Rating - 7.5/10 Need to listen? YES
jako dobro, nadomak petice! kratko i slatko, nekako tipično, a opet dovoljno raznovrsno. posebno mi je dobra bila relativno atipična "insanely jelaous", ali sve su pjesme dosta dobre
8.5/10 Strong, upbeat start. Clean guitars and riffs that are enjoyable to the ear. Almost seductive tone. Effort and talent noticeable. Lively and coney album.
I didn't know what to expect here, this was surprisingly great punky jangly indie. Rate it highly
Love Robyn Hitchcock solo and I loved this. It's interesting to hear this early stuff. Better than most of the bands they influenced.
The album grew on me as I listened.
Étonnamment bon mais baaaaaaad long
This album is great. I've loved the Circle Jerks cover of I Wanna Destroy You ever since high school but only recently learned that was a cover of the Soft Boys. This album feels like someone doing their best possible version of a 60's garage band but making it so much cooler at the same time. 4/5
Fun album. I read it was really influential. I'm not sure I'm hearing why that is, as it sorta sounds like 60s jangly pop but with a little punk backing. It's nice but surprising that this sound would be considered that new. Still, I did enjoy these songs quite a bit. 3.5/5
Didn’t we already have this? It feels like it. Anyway. This was really good. If I heard this 25 or so years ago I probably would have been really into it.
70/100. A really solid post punk record with wit, edge, and a strong sound. It might not be the most groundbreaking release from that era, especially considering how stacked the early 80s post punk scene was, but it absolutely holds its own.
Ok so yes, this was way too long. But it was super cool.
Que disco surpreendente! Um Pop pós punk com elementos psicodélicos. Achei uma experiência ótima! Celest Wyvern Qing.
this album should’ve been an easy 5 for me but something about the first half of the album made it feel incredibly long. all the songs were enjoyable and none were very long so I’m not sure why it felt that way.
This was really fun. Had never hurt of them before this but enjoyed the eclectic funny rock/pop songs.
Pretty fun psychedelia. Honestly didn't really dislike any tracks on this album, but at the same time, nothing ended up being a huge standout, so my overall score isn't too high. Favorite Songs: "I Got the Hots", "Insanely Jealous of You", "Old Pervert" Low 4.
Diverse musical ideas and styles. Interesting and enjoyable. Solid album.
2 and a half hours, nahh, still good tho
Ég er ekki að dansa við þetta cover, en þetta er mjög skemmtileg plata. Alls ekki það sem maður á von á frá árinu 1980, nema flangerinn á gítarnum kannski, en þótt ég sé um margt hrifinn af því ári, þá er það hrós í þessu tilviki.
Another great discovery! A helpful reminder for why I’m doing this list.
3.5/5
This is the kinda thing the book/website is great for. I had heard of the Soft Boys but had never listened, and I am thrilled to have been given this album for today. Proto-punk with a psychedelic edge. This really hit the spot, to be honest. Sounds more modern than it is, some of it. Glad to have discovered the band.
I skipped most of the album as it was just reissue tracks, but the original 10 songs were really good. Very unique
Kende het niet, was een aangename verrassing. Natuurlijk niet de schuld van de soft boys maar het album is te lang om in één dag te raten. Hierdoor moet je er doorheen beuken terwijl veel nummers wat meer aandacht vragen. Denk dat ik het leuker vind dan ik nu denk. Twijfel tussen 3 en 4 dus dat is 3.5. extrapunten voor de cover dus afgerond 4
I went into this album with no prior knowledge of the band and found myself blown away. Even with just the opening track, 'I Wanna Destroy You,' the appeal is immediate. You can clearly hear the influence of psychedelia and late '60s/early '70s rock, but with distinct shades of British punk. It’s easy to see why so many bands were inspired by this sound, like R.E.M., the Pixies, and that entire era of alternative rock is all right here, Brit Pop too. I was pleasantly surprised and felt no reservation about diving deeper to see what they would do next. Highlights: I Wanna Destroy You, Tonight
On va mettre les choses au clair tout de suite : si vous pensez que le rock anglais de 1980 se résume à la new wave synthétique froide comme un cul de jatte en hiver ou au post-punk dépressif façon Joy Division (que j'adore, calmez-vous, je ne blasphème pas), vous vous mettez le doigt dans l'œil jusqu'au coude. En 1980, pendant que tout le monde cherchait à avoir l'air le plus malheureux possible en imperméable gris, une bande d'hurluberlus menée par un grand échalas nommé Robyn Hitchcock décidait de faire revivre le psychédélisme des années 60, mais avec une énergie punk et une grosse dose de surréalisme. Ce disque, "Underwater Moonlight", c'est un peu l'ovni de ma collection. Je devais avoir dix ans quand c'est sorti, donc autant vous dire que je n'étais pas franchement en train d'analyser les subtilités des guitares Rickenbacker à l'époque. C'est plus tard, bien plus tard, quand je traînais mes guêtres derrière le comptoir de ma radio indé dans les années 90, que cette galette a fini par atterrir sur ma platine. Et bordel, quelle claque. C'est marrant, parce qu'en le réécoutant pour cette chronique, je me suis fait une réflexion : curieusement, l'album n'a pas trop mal vieilli. Il est toujours aussi fun. Et "fun", c'est pas un mot que je dégaine souvent quand je parle de disques cultes, souvent plombés par une aura de sérieux académique chiant à mourir. Là, non. C'est frais, c'est barré, ça part dans tous les sens. L'histoire de ce groupe est à pisser de rire quand on y pense. Vous avez Robyn Hitchcock, sorte de fils illégitime de Syd Barrett et de John Lennon, qui écrit des textes où il est question de lézards, de reines des yeux et de royaumes de l'amour peuplés de créatures étranges. Et à côté de lui, vous avez Kimberley Rew à la guitare. Oui, LE Kimberley Rew qui, quelques années plus tard, ira former Katrina and the Waves et écrira "Walking on Sunshine", ce tube radioactif qui nous a tous donné envie de nous percer les tympans à force de l'entendre. Mais ici, en 1980, le gars est une machine de guerre avec ses riffs tranchants, mélodiques et nerveux. Musicalement, "Underwater Moonlight" c'est le chaînon manquant. C'est le pont branlant mais génial qui relie les Byrds et le Velvet Underground à ce que deviendront R.E.M., les Pixies ou les Replacements. Sérieusement, écoutez ce disque et osez me dire que Peter Buck de R.E.M. n'a pas tout piqué ici. Le son de ces guitares qui s'entremêlent, ce "jangle" un peu sale, c'est la matrice de tout l'indie rock américain qui va débouler dix ans plus tard. On ne va pas se mentir, l'album s'ouvre sur un hymne absolu : "I Wanna Destroy You". Le titre pourrait laisser croire à du punk nihiliste de base, genre "je vais tout casser parce que je suis un rebelle", mais c'est bien plus vicieux que ça. C'est une critique acerbe du système, des médias, de la guerre, mais enrobée dans une mélodie pop tellement accrocheuse que tu te surprends à chantonner "I wanna destroy you" sous la douche en te savonnant les parties intimes. C'est ça le génie du truc. Te faire avaler du cyanure avec un glaçage à la fraise. Et puis il y a "Kingdom of Love". Ah, mes aïeux, quel morceau ! C'est là que la folie douce d'Hitchcock explose. Les paroles n'ont aucun sens pour le commun des mortels ("You've got to lay your eggs before the sun comes up" ? Sérieux Robyn ?), mais on s'en fout royalement parce que le groove est là, bancal, hypnotique. La basse de Matthew Seligman (paix à son âme) tricote des lignes qui te donnent envie de danser comme un épileptique dans une boum de fin d'année. C'est ce mélange de technicité pop et d'amateurisme punk qui rend le tout irrésistible. Il y a aussi "Queen of Eyes", une pure merveille power-pop qui aurait dû être un tube planétaire si le monde n'était pas dirigé par des sourds. Ça file à toute allure, les harmonies vocales sont aux petits oignons, et ça te donne une pêche d'enfer. C'est le genre de morceau que tu mets à fond dans la bagnole, vitres ouvertes, pour faire chier les voisins au feu rouge. Ce qui est fascinant avec "Underwater Moonlight", c'est qu'il ne sonne pas comme un disque de 1980. Il n'a pas cette production datée avec des caisses claires qui sonnent comme des coups de fouet sur une tôle ondulé. La production est assez brute, presque live, ce qui lui donne cette intemporalité. On dirait que ça a été enregistré hier dans un garage à Cambridge par des étudiants en art sous acide. Et c'est un compliment, croyez-moi. Il y a des moments plus sombres aussi, des trucs plus atmosphériques comme la chanson titre "Underwater Moonlight". Là, on plonge dans le psychédélisme pur et dur. Les guitares se font liquides, la voix de Robyn se fait plus lointaine, on a l'impression de flotter dans un aquarium rempli de gin tonic. C'est beau, c'est trippant, et ça prouve que ces gars-là n'étaient pas juste des clowns pop, mais de vrais musiciens capables de créer des ambiances complexes. Alors oui, je sais, je suis censé être critique, donc je devrais trouver des défauts. Allez, pour la forme : par moments, ça part tellement en vrille que ça peut devenir agaçant si on n'est pas dans le bon état d'esprit. Si vous cherchez de la structure couplet-refrain bien carrée, passez votre chemin, vous allez faire une attaque. Et puis, il faut supporter le côté "dandy excentrique" d'Hitchcock qui peut parfois friser l'auto-parodie. Mais honnêtement, on s'en tape. C'est justement pour ça qu'on l'aime, parce qu'il n'en a rien à foutre des conventions. C'est un disque de transition, un disque charnière. Il ferme la porte des années 70 et ouvre celle de l'indie rock des années 80 avec un grand coup de pied au cul. Sans The Soft Boys, pas de R.E.M., pas de Smiths (si, si, écoutez bien les guitares), pas de toute cette vague de groupes à guitares qui ont fait les beaux jours de ma discothèque. Au final, "Underwater Moonlight", c'est comme retrouver un vieux pote qu'on n'a pas vu depuis vingt ans. On a un peu peur qu'il ait changé, qu'il soit devenu chiant, qu'il nous parle de son plan épargne logement ou de ses problèmes de prostate. Et puis non, dès les premières notes, on se rend compte qu'il est toujours aussi con, toujours aussi drôle, toujours aussi vivant. C'est un album qui te rappelle pourquoi tu aimes la musique : pour l'énergie, pour la surprise, pour ce petit frisson qui te parcourt l'échine quand un refrain parfait déboule sans prévenir. Je lui mets un bon 4 sur 5. Pourquoi pas 5 ? Parce que la perfection n'est pas de ce monde, et que je garde mes 5 pour des trucs intouchables comme Unknown Pleasures ou certains Sonic Youth. Mais putain, on n'est pas loin. C'est un disque essentiel, un "must-hear" comme disent nos amis anglo-saxons. Si vous ne l'avez pas, vous avez raté votre vie, ou du moins une bonne tranche de rigolade musicale. Allez, filez l'écouter et arrêtez de m'emmerder.
The Soft Boys! Despite the name are not soft at all! I really enjoyed this punk/rock/psychedelic/bluesy crossover! It could be a 5, but I only have had time to listen to it once today, I might update my rating if I come back Fave Track: I got the hots
Never heard of these guys before. Quite liked it.
Another nice surprice! Never heard of them before, but I liked their style from the first moment. Nice and easy pace, some cool harmonies and nice overall production. The first songs are the best (I only listened to the original albums 10 songs), the later half is still okay. Favourite songs: I Wanna Destroy You, Kingdom Of Love and I Got The Hots.
The expanded "deluxe type" album has a lot more additional interesting tracks (arguably more interesting then the stock standard studio album), nearly a 5 star
This was a huge surprise. Based on the description, I kept putting off the listen as this isn't my kind of music. Or so I thought - I could hear so many bands that I love in this one group. It was punky and fun.
This was new to me and I really enjoyed it. Post punk via the Byrds, as imagined by Robyn Hitchcock. Really strong top to bottom with a couple of killer tracks. I'd even go so far as to say it's more consistent start to finish than any Byrds record. This one feels like it came out too early, as the Stone Roses had clearly heard this and hit pretty big with their own version just a few years later
4 stars for the original 10. No stars for old pervert.
Long but 4 for just the core tracks
five stars for the actual album, the first ten songs. two stars if including all them extras.
A great album, mixing sunny 60s harmonies and jangly guitars with surreal lyrics and post-punk darkness. Reading that this influenced REM and the Stone Roses makes a lot of sense. Best song: Tonight
The Soft Boys were pretty good boys.
This was an unknown gem. I love when this happens. This band is like early surfer rock, post-punk, slightly psychedelic, pretty good lyrically, FUN to be sure... If they had just a modicum less distortion in weird places I would have zero problem with throwing them five stars, it is THAT good! But it is kind of oddly British which makes the surfer vibe... somewhat odd, but that is being REALLY picky and specific. The Soft Boys are REALLY fun and entertaining to listen to! If you are curious about British Beach Boy with a bit more of an edge than this is a gem!
For a group called "The Soft Boys", they're anything but.
Really enjoyable album
Note: I only listened to the 10 original tracks on the 2025 remaster. This is album is awesome. Very unique. Like a 60s pop sound with Byrds/Beatles-esque harmonies at points mashed with a post-punk style and incorporating a lot of psychedelic and experimental instrumentation and progressions. Great production. Very very cool music. This is the kind of hidden gem I started this experience to find. A couple low light songs keep it from a 5/5, but I really liked this listen.
What was this thing? A quadruple album? My goodness. Putting that aside, though, the album exceeded by expectations. It got a little weird at times and was definitely too long. But there are some undeniably great tracks that felt like a blend of some of the genres I enjoy the most.
Really enjoyed this one. A great blend of psych, post punk, and some pop. Definitely feels a little ahead of it's time, but you can still hear all of the influences they were pulling from (Beatles, Syd Barrett/Pink Floyd, the Byrds, etc.). I'd imagine bands like the Stone Roses and REM were big fans of this album. The energy feels palpable from the first track to the last. I really love the cover art, too. Everything about this album is cool to me. Favorite Trax: I Wanna Destroy You, I Got the Hots, You'll Have to Go Sideways, Underwater Moonlight 4.5/5
So good. One of the more eclectic post-punk albums to crawl out of the Sex Pistols eruption. After 1976, everyone had their own idea of what direction the sound could go towards. People adopted saxophones or made dissonant noisy albums, others had jangly guitars, and even more embraced synths. After cutting their teeth on the more lo-fi A Can of Bees, The Soft Boys opted to synthesize their classic influences (Beatles, Stones), their contemporaries (Wire, Stranglers), with an ear towards the future. Songs like Queen of Eyes sound like Dunedin Sound bands like The Bats while some tracks sound like The Replacements. It's an incredible sonic grab bag. Nearly every song hits a different tone and tune, really ambitious stuff with a good sense of humor. Favorite Tracks: I Wanna Destroy You, I Got the Hots for You, Insanely Jealous of You, Tonight, Old Pervert, Queen of Eyes
Surprisingly good, nice mix of 80s post punk and psychedelic rock. Reminds me slightly of The Jam. Will listen again! 3.5 rounded to 4/5
Given the year, and the band name, and the country of origin let's just say my expectations were low. But this actually is kinda really good.
Some of these songs didn't have to go as hard as they did, but it was worth it. Insanely jealous of you was the song that kicked off my interest
Never heard of them but I liked it. Stuck to the original 10 tracks rather than 2h30
Havde det rigtig sjovt med den her! Virkelig fed energi!
FUN! Sounded very modern for its time.
those puppets look fun!
Pretty good, but way to old and British for me to fall in love with. And drums that sound like cardboard boxes are always gonna be a turn off for me. I'm very pro-drums-that-sound-like-drums.
I had listened to this album before maybe ten years back and liked it alright. I Wanna Destroy You made a big impression. It's a great song, and if you told me that was Cheap Trick I might even believe you. I liked Positive Vibrations but lost interest after that. A second chance through gave me more to like including Tonight and The Queen of Eyes. I'm generally a sucker for jangly pop done well, so that tracks. There are too many songs that bug me like I Got the Hots and Old Pervert to go to five stars for me. Also, the metaphor for love on Kingdom of Love has to be one of the creepiest used in pop music. I saw Robyn Hitchcock in concert in college because Matthew Sweet was the opener. He was touring Girlfriend which I was infatuated with at the time.
First three songs and several of the later ones reminded me of 1980s arty college-rock bands I liked such as Thrashing Doves and Let's Active. But this was 1980, so I guess it may be on the list because of being pioneering in that genre. (Genre?) The talky imitation-Velvet-Underground stuff didn't work as well, but I'm still giving it a 4.
I really enjoyed this. A great example of early British new wave. Some of the middle tracks are a bit of chore, but overall, a good listen. NOTE: just listen to the original album tracks... skip all all the bonus material.
First time for me. This album paired well with cooking dinner for the next few days.
Borderline four, but it didn’t really have bad tracks
Quite enjoyable. Some really fun and clever and off-kilter songs on here, and it really does sound like the late-60s psychedelic rock updates for a post-punk era. Must-listen #261.
Surprisingly enjoyed this album. His voice was beatles-esque and it had a great British rock feel, but was
Actual album is 10 tracks. It is 40 tracks on Spotify because of bonus discs etc. Only taking into account the first 10 tracks.
Only heard this album a few years back and it seems to be a forgotten gem from 1980. Mix of Beatles/Byrds and early Floyd/Velvet Underground makes for an interesting pop punk album with some catchy numbers . Well worth a listen.
Another one of those bands I've never heard of, but from the first track this band seems really promising. It's hit or miss but overall a fun album that I'm glad to have experienced.
The first hour was some creative and enjoyable rock, everything after that was dumb but thankfully I found out that only the first hour was the base album and the rest was unreleased bonus track type stuff
Felt like it was the inspiration for half the indie bands I like in the 00s. Definitely see this as a precursor to some greatness, albeit not as great, because having to break new ground. Upgraded to a 4 because it clearly has weight in the music I loved as a teen.
and this IS 80s nonsense i'm here for
This was a cool sound that I really liked at first, but the lead singer's voice kinda got on my nerves after a while and their sound was kinda chaotic for long listening. The lead singer's voice actually really reminded me of the dude from Midnight Oil (Beds Are Burning), and I had to look it up to make sure that it wasn't the same guy. Anyway, I really liked most of these songs, but it's one of those things that I can only take in certain size doses. Four stars.
mislim super al puno previse predugo pre
Ovo je s razlogom klasik ranih osamdesetih
#170/1001. Yet another case when I start listening to an album, and it just keeps on going and going. Yes, the original had only 10 songs instead of the 40 supplied by the system. God damn, the special editions are for hardcore fans, and have already spoiled many a good review and album as a whole. Had to give it another spin to hear it as it should be. Well, sounds like the early 1980s, some post punk touch topped with ringing guitars, echo here and there, punky - nearly goth - bass and drums, psychedelic influences, neat pop songs, the whole is mostly harmless than scary or weird or painful as many contemporaries were. The 2nd listen reveals a neglected classic which nearly got buried under 2h 27 minutes.
This is a great post punk record that I'd never heard. There are elements of psych and county and 90s indie all over this thing. Really liked this one. Four stars.
Quirky, poppy, post-punk. Refreshingly NOT the music of today, and imo, the content holds up. I found the sweet bits surprising, and the sour bits unique. Definitely putting this in my regular rotation.
I loved this album. It has a foot in about every camp. It’s shambolic punk, it’s got post punk vibes, it sounds like Syd Barrett doing an internship with The Byrds, it has early Primal Scream vibes, You’ll Have To Go Sideways has that early 80s synth sound, and at times the album reminded me of mid-era Flesh For Lulu. This is what early Pink Floyd should have sounded like.
This album is not in my typical wheelhouse, but I liked it a lot. Copy/paste the link to read more: https://tinyurl.com/6zr4j8tn
Not for me
Underwater Moonlight — второй студийный альбом английской рок-группы The Soft Boys, выпущенный в июне 1980 года на лейбле Armageddon. Альбом не получил широкого признания критиков и провалился в коммерческом плане, а группа распалась через несколько месяцев после его выхода. Тем не менее Underwater Moonlight в ретроспективе считается психоделической классикой, повлиявшей на развитие музыкального жанра неопсиходелия и на творчество ряда групп, особенно R.E.M.. Несмотря на коммерческий провал, «Подводный лунный свет» стал считаться уникальной психоделической классикой. Мэтт ЛеМэй из Pitchfork в рецензии 2010 года отметил, что альбом не имел коммерческого успеха из-за того, что вышел не вовремя: на момент его выхода публика не проявляла особого интереса к «музыке, в которой сочетались бы неизгладимые гармонии The Byrds и сюрреализм Сида Барретта», но в любом случае этот альбом «лучше всего рассматривать в ретроспективе, и, несмотря на то, что он вдохновил многих музыкантов, нет ничего похожего на Underwater Moonlight». В 2001 году Билл Холдшип из Rolling Stone написал, что влияние этого альбома прослеживается «в творчестве самых разных групп — от R.E.M. и the Replacements до the Stone Roses и the Pixies». По словам Стивена Томаса Эрлевайна из AllMusic, Underwater Moonlight «повлиял на джангл-поп группы R.E.M. и другую андеграундную поп-музыку 1980-х». Ставлю 4, до пятёрки мне чего-то не хватило. В альбоме нет песни, которую бы мне хотелось поставить на повтор, но в целом он слушается приятно.
it’s a four fuck it
I enjoyed this one, especially "I Wanna Destroy You"
This one was a really fun listen. It felt like a mix of surf rock, punk, and psychedelic rock all rolled into one, and it somehow worked perfectly. The energy is high, the guitars have that jangly edge, and the whole thing feels both weird and catchy in the best way. The title track stood out right away, and songs like “I Got the Hots,” “I Wanna Destroy You,” and “Positive Vibrations” kept the momentum going. The sitar in “Positive Vibrations” was an awesome surprise and added a cool twist that set it apart from the rest. Underwater Moonlight is one of those albums that grows on you as it goes. It’s fun, unpredictable, and full of personality. Definitely one of the cooler surprises from this list so far.
This album is a fun listen. Despite it having 40 tracks it managed to keep my interest.
Inte alls min stil egentligen, men tyckte detta var smart och jäkligt bra!
Gömd pärla!
Loved it. I listened to it a few times. I Want To Destroy You, I Got The Hots, Insanely Jealous and, You'll Have To Go Sideways were my favorites.
Great
Exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to discover! Jangly psyc pop from the guy who wrote "Walking on Sunshine" mixed with surrealist poet and Dylan aficionado who wrote the folk music for a film I saw a couple of weeks ago. Annoying that streaming always seems to only offer the longest possible versions of albums packed with bonuses; but the structure, variety, and pacing of the original 10 tracks is great, and the extra tracks are still a vibe
Not everything hits, but the stuff that does is really good. The strong British accents, for whatever reason, fit the psychedelic stuff well.
Starts strong and finishes strong
I think this is a grower, will hopefully develop from a 3 to a 4
Surreal and psychedelic, pretty unique. Good album. I Wanna Destroy You and You'll Have to Go Sideways in particular are bangers.
What a nice surprise! The middle section of this record kinda brings things down a bit, but the front and back ends are ridiculous. Super catchy, well written, everything I want out of this style of music. I will be revisiting this one again soon.
Actually really enjoyed this. Can see how this might have inspired a lot of jangle pop and indie artists.
This was real solid early 80’s music.
A lot of fun! Silly goofy punky stuff, but not in the "just trying to make noise" kind of way.
We had fun!!
I've never heard of this band or any of these songs. I listened to the ten song version of this and liked parts of it, other parts not so much. Did not like Old Pervert at all, but overall this was weird, there were good beats, harmonies, and chunky guitars, all things I like! I Wanna Destroy You and Tonight are my favorites, but why are men so creepy?
My initial thought was ....... 2 and a half hours. My last thought was, is that it? (despite the repeats). First listen, loved pretty much most of it. Sounded very familiar, like we'd known each other for ages.
destroy destroy destroy destroy destroy destroy destroy
Really enjoyed listening to this album I had never listened to! Some great songs. I think I'll likely come back and listen to this album more in the future. "I Wanna Destroy You" is a good lead off track and the title track closes out the album. Almost went with those for the playlist, but settled instead on "Kingdom of Love" and "Queen of Eyes." Lots of good songs across the 10 tracks!
Good stuff. Who knew? Listen again.
Having only heard "I Wanna Destroy You" before this, "Underwater Moonlight" is a nice surprise. I had thought they were probably some one-off Cheap Trick clone or Big Star wannabes. Fortunately, the music proves me wrong. This album deserves to be better known.
I loved this! Power pop with a punish edge. Clever lyrics.
Dope
this is very good
Better than you'd think some post-punk semi-mod 70's Cambridge indie group would be. But then I'd think it would be shit and it was actually a'right, I suppose. The lyrics were pretty nifty and the guitar work was jangly fun.
Oisko tää vähän niinkuin varhaista pop punkkia? Vähän siltä sekoitukselta kuullostais. Tosi hyvää kummiskin. Parhaat: You'll Have To Go Sideways, I Got The Hots, I Wanna Destroy You
I like this, mix of psychedelic with indie rock vibes.
yayaya
Good album! There was some songs I didn't enjoy as much but overall it was solid.
The album cover reminds me of this "demon" my sister and I encountered in the woods in Florida once. It was a paper mache mannequin of an elf set up in the woods by an elderly person, which was very cute in thought, and nice of them to set up for Christmas joy and stuff. ----- FULL STOP: I think it's a very sweet thought and the fact that someone put in the effort to do that really did bring me Christmas joy, and I appreciate that there are people out there who do cool stuff like that. I am not making fun of their work, I am impressed with their paper mache work and dedication to making others smile. ----- HOWEVER, it was peeking out from behind a tree FAR back in the woods and we found it at dusk. My sister drove off and left me there in the dark with the demon. I felt like Usain Bolt in that moment, I have never run so fast. We never found out where it went after the hurricane but god have mercy on the people who did. Shit posting aside, this album rocks. Previously, we have heard many albums that have a similar sound to this but are awful and feel like torture to listen to. This album led me to understand that I do enjoy this style, but those bands are doing a terrible job of it. There was enough variation in this album that I actually was ok with it being 2h27m. Really glad this was on here.
8/10
Always happy to see some neo-psychedelic rock, I didn't listen to any of the bonus tracks but I'm sure they're just as solid and catchy. The sound is oddly warm and comforting to me, and I'm not sure why that is -- but who am I to complain?
Dug this! unexpected and welcomed.
This was some fun rock and roll. Only listened to the original album, not the bonus tracks. Would throw it on again.
I'm not surprised I've never heard of this, as it sounds like few people have. I can definitely hear the beginnings of REM-era rock in there, along with the tail end of post-punk. Really enjoyed it.
Never heard of The Soft Boys before, but I wish I had. Great album.
dziwny to byl albumik nie zapomne go nigdy, psychodelicznie pokrecony post punk z nutka, a nawet z dzbanem spermiarstwa, bo softowe boysy robia naprawde dziwne love songi, zwlaszcza jesli chodzi o liryke, bo instrumentalnie nawet nie strasza, ale gdy sie wsluchac o czym jest spiewane, bo trzeba z byc albo maniakalnie rozkochanym, albo byc mistrzem ironii milosnej zeby taki album wystrugac, orginalna wersja ma tylko 36 minut, ale w reedycjach pojawialy sie dodatkowe traki i inne tejki, wiec na spotifaju zrobilo sie z tego ponad dwie godziny, byl to drugi i ostatni przed 20 letnim haitusem bandy albumik, wiec moze na reedycjach wrzucali co sie dalo, czuc roznice pomiedzy oszlifowanymi 36 pierwszymi minutami a reszta trakow, ale i tak nadal sa bizarne, a to jest fakt ktory robi te plyte dla mnie, na plejke dodam kingdom of love i insanely jealous, a z dodatkowych trakow hes a reptile i empty girl, nie sadzilem ze bede sie bawil tak dobrze na obskurnym wyspiarskim nagraniu z 80s
I really like this record! I love the punchy guitar parts (lots of great guitar writing in general). The lyrics are honest and sincere. Reminds me of Television, The New Pornographers, even The Kinks!
I like The Soft Boys the most when they play pop punky tracks in the vein of Buzzcoks and The Undertones, such as in tracks 1, 3 and 6. Queen of Eyes with its 60s pop sound is also an obvious highlight. I don’t like The Soft Boys when they play Old Pervert. God, how I hated that song!
I liked this one. It's punk with a mix of 60's sounds. I should come back to it later, I think it will grow on me.
Nice, smooth rock record!
super cool discovery
This was fascinating. I'd never heard of them. It was weirdly contemporary
4+/5
Robyn Hitchcock, Psychedelic, Byrds, Big Star I want to destroy you Insanely jealous of you
Pretty good (I obviously only listened to the first 10 tracks)
Reviews said like REM, Stone Roses. 2 of my faves. How come I never heard of Soft Boys? I think the band name is creepy but I enjoyed this alot, despite their dumb name.
This is what i want to find when I look up "80s music" on spotify. Lyrics are leaning a bit too heavy on edgynes, but have some good lines, I mainly like listening to the guitar and drums, letting the lyrics support that at times. "Positive vibrations" is so good!
I find it odd as a fairly big music fan, I've never even heard of the Soft Boys. So I am very curious to hear see what this album is all about. Track 1 opens strongly with a pop-punky song. I am honestly flabbergasted I have not heard this before. Track 2 continues the jangly not quite punk sound from Track 1. This is excellent. Sounds like it should be on that Nuggets compilation of 60s psychedelia. Track 3 was stellar. Almost Beatles-esque. maybe more like The Kinks. Either way, great tune. Track 4 takes a bit of a step back. The slower tempo and the spoken word vocals for part of it don't really work IMO. The rest of the album had more highs than lows. This is probably my favorite new discovery so far. I'm so glad I got to listen to this album! 3.9/5
Lovely retro style album
Well, this sure is a long record, but it was good from start to finish. Nothing boring.
Weird cover art, good album. I liked everything that was going on here.
This album was a ton of fun. Never heard of them before, but I loved it. I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of their stuff.
8/10 Totally new to me. Excellent album.
very cool record with some raw songs
I really like this album, having never heard it before, and it really does stand out in time, as a blend between something that could have been from the 60's and sounds that are very obviously from the 70's and leading into the 80's post-punk. Ultimately, I don't think it's a 5 star album for me, but it's a solid 4 to 4.5. I just think that it doesn't flow as well as it could. I actually listened to their first album, as well, and I think it is a bit more cohesive in its delivery.
Хорошая группа, позитивная, поднимает настроение
Another critical darling I've never given a chance. This one pays off.