Underwater Moonlight

Ovo je s razlogom klasik ranih osamdesetih

A blend of beach boys, Beatles, the cure, and the smiths

Solid album. Plenty of diverse sounds and songs.

I guess it is ok. Not the best album of all times, but decent. All songs are like background soundtracks to the 80's movies. I liked the energy, but it's kinda blurry - I can't distinguish a song that is No1 on the album. In short: good "background noise" album :)

That was a good album, just a lot of it.

Enjoyed the contrast in singing styles that Robyn Hitchcock uses on this album.

2.5, just meh for me

Everytime I listen to this album, it just gets better and better.

#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

It was decent

Decent

Why

It gets boring really quickly.

It is fine, saved like 2 songs. 2.5 but I'll round up to 3.

Not for me

drei minus

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.

Obviously influential and quite fun but the vocals annoyed me

it’s a four fuck it

It was pretty good. Some good tunes

I enjoyed this one, especially "I Wanna Destroy You"

I listened to the recent (2025) re-master of this. So, Robyn Hitchcock seems to have had a long and illustrious career which has passed me by until today. Sorry, Robyn. Anyway, I took this at face value; it's a decent album of pop tunes delivered with that 1979-80 post-punk guitar energy, and some occasional 60s touches. Nice wandering guitar tunes throughout. Not especially strong songs in my view, although I enjoyed the overall sound and vibe. 'Tonight' was probably my favourite song and I loved the instrumental that followed it, too. Everything you read about them says "influential". As a Brit, I'd like to believe that, but it's hard to join the dots precisely, isn't it? I'm a long way into this project, but, after you get to about 1977, for the next few years I still find it hard to pinpoint exactly what happened when and on which side of the Atlantic. Everyone seems to claim post-punk and garage rock as their own. So, best just to take it at face value, as I say; verdict: it's quite good.

Heh. Soft Boys. That's hilarious. Imagine calling yourself a soft boy. At first glance, this album may seem dumb and silly. The album cover looks weird and, again, these guys are called the Soft Boys. However, Underwater Moonlight is apparently a bit of a cult classic that's influenced bands like R.E.M., so there is justification for this being on the list. There's another thing that potentially justifies this as an inclusion on this list. The album's good. It's fairly ahead of its time, what with the jangle-pop thing going on here, but there's also a bit of clear influences from the 60s on here. I mean, one of the songs is called "Positive Vibrations." I see what you're trying to do, Robyn Hitchcock. Speaking of Robyn Hitchcock, he's a decent songwriter. There are some good songs on here, like the opener "I Wanna Destroy You" and the closing title track. I don't always love this album's writing though. I don't know. There's something about a pretty cool instrumental being used on a song called "Old Pervert" that doesn't do it for me. Oh yeah, the instrumentals! They're quite good. I do think that this album sounds quite nice, at least for the most part. I feel like there was a part that I didn't enjoy much, but I'm not sure where it was in the album. Overall, I can see why people really like this album. I don't love it myself, but I do like it quite a bit. High 3/5.

This album just did not grab me. I kept on checking to see how many more songs to go.

I liked this! But it was also way too long! So it was a love-hate relationship

Not soft. Pretty cool.

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.

This seemed like a more experimental version of REM. Unfortunately, I find REM a tad boring and the experimental part was more interesting than it was enjoyable. Not a bad album, but also not worth revisiting.

40 tracks?! Fuck off. I'm raring albums, not odysseys. Cut down to ten? That's better. You can see a through line from "Help!" era Beatles, straight to the Sex Pistols and on toward Franz Ferdinand, and it all goes through this. That's good, I guess. But I won't be adding any songs to my playlist. So that's bad.

One or two good tracks, but listenable the whole way through. You can definitely see the influence on later acts.

Pretty alright album. Was not blown away

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!

Jorå

Inte alls min stil egentligen, men tyckte detta var smart och jäkligt bra!

Gömd pärla!

Way too long lol

Meh. DNFed about half the songs, and the other hand were just okay.

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

This was a perfect reminder of why it’s worth listening to an entire album. The first few tracks had me thinking, “Here we go…” — I wasn’t impressed at first. But by the end, I wanted more. Surprisingly enjoyable!

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

The first 10 tracks from the original release are good, you could even argue great. But all the added “bonus content” really drags the experience down. The core album is a solid 4/5, but with the extras tacked on, it sinks closer to a 2/5.

I Wanna Destroy You // Insanely Jealous // Tonight //

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

This was a very interesting album that I wasn't loving at the start but by the end I really started to enjoy it. The last/title track, Underwater Moonlight, in particular was a stand out favorite. This album initially gives off the vibe that it's going to be a bit of a straight forward rock/pop album but it progressively starts dipping into a more Psychedelic as it progresses. Would rate it higher but as stated didn't enjoy it until around the middle of the album. Solid production and sound tho!

Had never heard of this before now. I can hear how it might have influenced REM and Pixies for sure.

british. old school. rock.

2.2 My top review on here is of the Mekon's 'Fear and Whiskey', effectively saying it is a pointless album that doesn't change anything for anybody. This feels like the spitting image of that. Did this really advance music? Did this change anything? Did anyone really like this? It's not terrible, it's just really not good and altogether kind of pointless.

A perfectly fine album that I didn’t find particularly noteworthy. The abundance of extra tracks added nothing.

The first song or two I was thinking this was going to get 4 stars but the repetition in the songs brought it down to a 3 star.

I never heard of the Soft Boys. I have heard of the Viagra Boys, but they’re a more modern band. Anyway, Underwater Moonlight is the Soft Boys' second album, and it was released in 1980. I’m not sure what happened, but it wasn’t really noticed by anyone, it seems. According to the Wikipedia entry, the United Kingdom was in the midst of a printer’s strike, so none of the rock magazines or newspapers were being printed, and there were no reviews of the album, I guess. Their I found that hilarious for some reason. In 1980, if music critics weren’t able to get there views on new albums out to the masses. How else are you going to build word of mouth back then? I remember reading Rolling Stone, Circus, Hit Parader and RIP magazine to find out which hairband I should invest my time in next. Back to the Soft Boys’ Underwater Moonlight, the album fits in perfectly with the whole new wave type rock that became uber-popular in the early to mid-’80s. The Wikipedia entry keeps referring to the album being psychedelic, and there is a bit of that in it, but it mostly sounds like good ‘80s rock to me. Even though the Soft Boys had bad luck with the printers' strike in 1980, they did go on to influence several bands of some renown, like R.E.M. and the Replacements. You can definitely hear the Soft Boys' influence in those bands. Other bands influenced by the Soft Boys were the Stone Roses and the Pixies. As I’m a child of the ‘80’s I very much enjoyed this album. It’s just weird and different enough to keep you wondering what’s coming next, but it still has good songwriting and musicality to keep you from spinning out into no man’s land like our friends Guided By Voices. I think these guys would have been pretty big if they had come along in 1982, rather than 1980. They were too early for what they were doing. Sometimes it’s like that. If you’re too early, no one but hardcores know you and you’re the grandfathers. If you’re too late, you’re just cashing in, the posers. But, if you weasel you’re way into a group of three or four like-minded bands, you become royalty, the kings. Unfortunately for the Soft Boys, they're the grandfathers.

This was not bad. I don’t anticipate coming back to it, but there are a few neat moments.

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.

3.0

Actually really enjoyed this. Can see how this might have inspired a lot of jangle pop and indie artists.

I've bounced off a lot of British Rock but I enjoyed this one!

Ok sound

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.

Psychedelic Beatles meets Buzzcocks. 6/10

Very diverse. 40 tracks, some better than others. The genres seems to shift around the deeper you get. Pretty enjoyable though. Pairs well with packing for vacation.

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?

Not memorable

Ugh - yikes.

Surprised this made it to the top 1000 - nothing special just some run of the mill punk/post-punk

This was a mediocre 2, but when I saw the 40 tracks it immediately became a 1. This album and band might be a social experiment to see if people will like anything just because a magazine critic said it is relevant or something.

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.

Not bad, just not my genre

***An ok album, too many tracks

Post punk that is fun enough for a listen. 3/ 5

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!

Kingdom of Love is a fairly good tune. Positive vibes has a sweet Sitar riff in it. Fit the "College Rock" genre but are far from being at the top of the genre. I could name 10 better albums in this genre.

Good stuff. Who knew? Listen again.

First off, this album cover is terrible. This band may have influenced a lot of band, but everyone they influenced is a lot better than this, because this is pretty bland. It's not bad, but I don't think anything here really stands out. mid 3.

Funny

Ok 2/5

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

Pretty decent, catchy high octane rock/pop.

Indie fucking songs, all okish. Wouldn't really watch them unless they were a support act.

Surprisingly good crossover album with lots of influences evident. But what's going on with the Spotify version and all those bonus tracks? Have you Boys gone Soft in the head?

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.

I kept thinking this was rubbish, but my foot kept on tapping along. Did I like this? I'm so confused!

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.

This is about what I expected. You can definitely hear that 60s british pop influence and along with the punk feel it makes for a decent combo. Nothing crazy though for me personally. Top 3: I Wanna Destroy You, Positive Vibrations, and Underwater Moonlight Worst: Old Pervert 2.75-3.25/5

Quit vibey

Not bad, but non descript 60s music

yayaya

this was was really interesting and I liked it

Well, this is random. And what is it with these deluxe editions being ridiculously long?

Ahead of its but half of the album is undercooked

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.

Post-Punk fusions with garage, psychedelic, blues and other genres. Not a bad listen, and I can see how this would be a bridge to later 80's indie/alternative.

Good album! There was some songs I didn't enjoy as much but overall it was solid.

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

2 long and that's coming from someone who listened to Ella Fitzgerald's 3-hour album yesterday. I hav e soft spot for soft bois tho

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.

„Underwater Moonlight“ erschien 1980 und gilt als das bekannteste Album der britischen Band The Soft Boys um den Songwriter Robyn Hitchcock. Aufgenommen wurde es überwiegend in Cambridge und London in kleineren Studios, was dem Klang eine unmittelbare, rohe Note verleiht. Musikalisch bewegt sich die Gruppe zwischen Psychedelic Rock, Post-Punk und Gitarren-Pop, wobei die Gitarrenarbeit und die oft surrealen Texte den Ton prägen. Stücke wie „I Wanna Destroy You“ oder „Kingdom of Love“ sind bis heute die bekanntesten Titel des Albums und zeigen die Mischung aus eingängigen Melodien und schräger Energie, die später viele Indie-Bands beeinflusste. Insgesamt wirkt die Platte kantig, verspielt und zugleich richtungsweisend für den alternativen Gitarrensound der frühen Achtziger.

8/10

Way too many songs for an album.

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?

A nice rock album, feels like the Beatles-esque or some other band from the 70s-80s. Great for having in the background while working. But 40 songs is excessive. Like you couldn’t cut out “like a real smoothie”?!? That had to be on the record. Okay….

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.

Not my thijg

ok so this is supposed to be another shitty synthpop record, innit. wait a minute it is not but i dont like it. 3/5

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.

It's a nice bit of alt-psychedelia that probably came out 10 years too early. Insanely Jealous of You was the highlight track.

Had some good jams, had some misses. It was decent rock. It fits that these guys were an influence to R.E.M. Averages out to something like a low-to-mid 3. Not really interested to explore this one again though.

Listened to this while cutting the grass over the weekend and the entire time I listened I looked forward to it being done. Not that I outright hated it, I was just sort of bored. Can't bring myself to give a second listen so this is going to sit at a 2 for me.

Thought this jaunt was 2.5 hours which was way too long. Got through the first set of bonus tracks before realizing. This was a fine album but it was going to be way too long. Still was just a fine album at it's normal length. High 3. Might be a 4 with a re-listen at the right length. There are definitely some neat tracks in here when you take a hard listen. Nothing flashy, but there's some good technical work in here.

The Soft Boys may be the worst band name I have ever heard. This sounded exactly how I expected it to from the start. The sitar or whatever string instrument that was in the second or third song was a surprise. Album came and went and I didn't really gain anything from it. You'll have to Go Sideways instrumental was p cool though.

First song seems influenced by Surrender. Enjoyed the sitar on Positive Vibrations. This one had moments of 2 and moments of 4. So rightfully going with a 3 here.

Pretty difficult to pin this one down.

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!

had a banger on it for sure

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!

This begins a run of albums from the list I have never heard of, looking forward to this. Really liked the opening track I Wanna Destroy You. Punk and rock, but pretty clean sound, reminiscent of 1950s rock to me, but very punk lyrics, although they are recorded clearly. The album did get less punk and more psychedelic as it went on. Hearing Insanely Jealous (of you) I realise I was wrong about the above, I have heard this before and I thought it was pretty good. That goes for the whole album, good, at the edge of a 4 star rating for me.

Nothing noteworthy. The definition of mid. One riff cought my attention slightly

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!

Bit of a shrug. Decent and can see how it was a stepping stone for new sounds

really long album so i didn’t get through the whole thing but i loved the rock elements! saved a couple songs and liked the inclusion of instrumentals, always a nice touch! was turned off by the 4 songs called “old pervent” and only got through 2 of them before getting uncomfortable. definitely wished i was more attentive with my listening but pretty good!

added kingdom of love

super cool discovery

Nice album that nobody hurts. Too nice for punk, too punky for pop, too smooth for rock.

começa tão forte e foda, mas tem 2h e pouco e a maioria das ideias se arrastam

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)

This is pretty solid. More jangly power-pop than psychedelia imo, and the lyrics are a bit iffy in places, but it's good. First encounter for me and I'll dip back in. There's some bluesy garage rock type stuff later too, though I'm not sure that was part of the original release. The edition I have here is 2.5 hrs long; maybe need to unpick the original tracklist to hear it as intended 🫥

Fav: Positive Vibrations Least Fav: Old Pervert

Great indie album with very clear Syd Barret influence

not bad!

I had never heard of these guys and yet here they are being very influential who knew? Me apparently.

I'd never heard of The Soft Boys before, but they're pretty good. Although not the most memorable songs, they are easy to listen to.

Favourites: I Wanna Destroy You, Positive Vibrations, Tonight, You'll Have To Go Sideways, The Queen of Eyes

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.

I enjoyed parts of the album.

I feel like I need to give a neutral opinion on the album or a character from a Cameron Crowe movie will pop up to explain why I'm wrong.

This is not too bad, definitely ahead of it's time. Can hear early REM, Echo and the Bunnymen on the guitar work in particular.

Not bad.

I only listened to the first 10 tracks (the actual record) on Spotify. There's something off-kilter and jangly here. The sitar moments are strange little curveballs. It wasn't terrible, but no rush to listen again. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - I Wanna Destroy You - Positive Vibrations

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!

It's okay. They've got passion.

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

Tbh I've forgotten all about this in a couple of hours—literally cannot say anything about it except that I remember that it sounded decent...

Warum sollte man das gehört haben? I don’t see it

Not bad, some okay songs tbh. First few weren’t bad, title track pretty good. Couple tracks around old pervert were not good. Trying to keep an open mind, not a bad first one🤗🤗 Side note: strange was actually pretty darn good Looking at a 6/10.

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

Not for me

Fairly underwhelming. A 2.5 if there ever was one. This should be up my street, but it never goes beyond a meh.

Average. 2.5/5

Jävlar vad långt och hur många genrer man kan ha på en platta. Sammanfattningen kändes väl typ lite the Beatles med lite The Smiths-stuk. Ändå chill!

Can definitely hear the music it inspired. Easy to listen to.

2,5

Another “just alright” album. I realized an hour in that I was playing some deluxe bonus edition with like 40 tracks; it was bland enough that I was annoyed to have listened to a few extra songs

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.

I was intrigued after the first song but then kinda lost interest throughout the next few. I feel like this could have potential, but it’s just another one of those bands who’s singer could make or break it for them and this one was just boring.

The longer I stare at this cover the more creeped out I feel - no sir, I do not like it. More interesting than I expected; starting with a good/catchy/smart/aggressive and to-the-point opening cut with "I Wanna Destroy You" and then immediately to "Kingdom of Love" which sounds like it's straight out of 1968 in a cool way. I don't know, at the same time I'm thinking even if I didn't love this album... I really did kind of enjoy listening to it. High 3 seems reasonable as there was nothing overly-remarkable for me but it was just a good sorta post-punk-meets-new-wave with a dash of late 60s jangle pop rock album (except "Old Pervert" which wants to be a Gang of Four song but it just sucks). n.b. streaming has this album at like 837 songs, I cut it off at the original 10. 7/10 3 stars.

Not bad

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.

Underwater Moonlight – The Soft Boys (1980) | Psychedelic Rock / Jangle Pop / Post-Punk | Avg: 6.44 | Favorite Song: “I Wanna Destroy You”* Underwater Moonlight is a quirky, off-kilter blend of psychedelic revivalism and punk energy, and while it has its moments, the highs are few and far between. “I Wanna Destroy You” is the clear standout—it’s catchy, punchy, and actually delivers on the chaotic promise the rest of the album hints at. Outside of that, though, it’s a mixed bag. The songwriting often leans more clever than compelling, and the arrangements, while jangly and energetic, don’t always land with weight. There’s definitely a charm in the eccentricity, but from a reviewer’s perspective, charm alone isn’t enough. Too many tracks feel like sketches or stylistic exercises rather than fully fleshed-out songs. Even the better ones tend to plateau quickly. Still, I wouldn’t call it a total miss—there’s a sense of playful rebellion that gives it some spark. But as a full listen, it ends up feeling more like a curiosity than a must-hear.

2.5 or something like that. idk just feels uninspired and uninteresting to me

Meh 2/5

8/10 Totally new to me. Excellent album.

very cool record with some raw songs

Fun

The length was off putting initially but th second go-round I enjoyed it more.

decent but long

They call this psychedelic rock, but I don’t know why. To me, psychedelic rock is the Doors, or Iron Butterfly…something in that vein. For the most part this album was ok, but nothing special. Another 3 star record for me.

I had a choice of watching a feature length movie or listening to this album. It seems I made the wrong choice.

Very same and repetitive.

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.

Good album. Nothing spectacular, but overall solid. 3/5 Might listen again

I have managed to listen half of it. After that I decided that I don't want to listen second half of quite an average album.

Хорошая группа, позитивная, поднимает настроение

Meh

Take this mediocre album off the list RIGHT NOW.

Another critical darling I've never given a chance. This one pays off.

Big ol meh

This is one of my favorite early post punk albums that I've learned about through this site. I had never listened to The Soft Boys before, and damn, it's really good. The opening song sounds 7 years ahead of it's time.

Boring. No.

The only things I recognize from this album are the names Soft Boys and Robyn Hitchcock, and the opening track which Uncle Tupelo covered but I never could have told you who played the original. That song sounds like punk to me, like something the Stooges would have written. The rest of this sounds like a mix between Elvis Costello and early R.E.M. It also kind of reminds me of the only Hawkwind song I'm really familiar with ("Silver Machine.") The Apple Music description of this ("The sound of the Soft Boys is the sound of 80s college rock before its time") is pretty spot-on. These guys missed MTV by just a few years. This music would have fit right in with the early videos I remember. I really like track 6 ("Tonight.") It's kind of funny that the same dude who wrote "Walking on Sunshine" also co-wrote "Old Pervert."

Really enjoyed this. Pop guitars infused with the New Wave sensibility of the time. Some great tunes, delivered with punch. Good playful fun.

Not as good as the hype suggested. Sounds very authentic, often a little too laboured. Was probably recorded with plenty of denim involved.

I'm starting to think that every band to ever come out of the UK is on this list.

More from the fascinating era of new wave experimentation in the UK. Punk receding, New Romantics on the horizon. Another record where the liner notes take me on a fascinating journey. Matthew Seligman I know from Thomas Dolby work and its quite a career. Robyn Hitchcock of course I know but not from this. Then the links from the two all over the place. Then Rew wrote Going Down to Liverpool, Walking on Sunshine and a Eurovision winner. Music sometimes is one big family. Not a bad record either.

Inoffensive rock. Spotify link contains all the release options so if the 2 hour runtime is too long for you take a look at the original tracklisting.

Trying too hard to be weird and wacky

I didn't mind it. But I completely understand why it was a commercial failure at the time of its release and why they broke up not long afterwards.

It was aight. Liked it more than I thought I would but not amazing. Generous 4.

20250627. Molt bon cd.

I love all of it. A great British rock n roll band captured at the peak of their powers. Sort of a band out of time, in that this kind of almost neo-psychedelic rock was very much out of style. But you can hear them soon after in REM, Camper Van Beethoven, Dream Syndicate, Replacements, Pavement and other 80s bands. The leadoff I Wanna Destroy You and the title track are both perfect peaks to a captivating series of songs that grab you by the ears and do not let go. And they nailed all of the peripherals : killer band name, killer album name, killer cover art. The title tune's melody borrows liberally from Donovan's There is a Mountain but it's in service of a beautiful turn of tune you can't fault them. Robyn Hitchcock is in danger of being forgotten and he's a true genius. This is only one of several five-star albums he's made ... so far. The lead guitar player Kimberley Rew went on to make a mint with Walking On Sunshine. But Underwater Moonlight is when the stars aligned and everything hit.

Funny to get yet another early 80s British album for a third day in a row; thankfully each of them hasn't been all that similar, and "Underwater Moonlight" definitely comes in as the most rock-oriented of the three for a change of pace (the other two were Japan's "Quiet Life" and The The's "Soul Mining"). And much like the other two, this seems a bit lost in the shuffle, without a lot to distinguish it other than it was their second and last album before Robyn Hitchcock embarked on his solo career (of course, it probably didn't help them that they released the album in the midst of a printer's strike in the UK, so no album reviews to generate buzz). Not a lot stood out for me, although I enjoyed two tracks quite a bit, "I wanna destroy you" and "Insanely jealous", and also their title track, and there's a good sense of humor throughout (or at least I hope it's meant to be humorous) that reminded me a bit of The Kinks. That said, the Wikipedia and "1001 Albums" entries seem to differ on my tepid evaluation, praising the album as an unheralded one-off psychedelic rock classic, paving the way for bands like REM, The Replacements, Stone Roses, Pixies, etc. I guess so, but I'm not likely to listen to this again or even remember much from the album even a few days from now, I suspect.

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.

I like it it’s giving Lou reed.

Meh. 5/10

I appreciate the weird bits in this one. "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." Didn't go through the frightening mountain of extra material - I focused on the original 36-minute release.

Decent album, better than I expected. Wouldn’t turn off but probably won’t seek it out again, 3/5

What's the point of all this rock? Surely, there are other genres with intricate and nuanced sub-genres that deserve to get some attention? Unspectacular album, didn't feel the need to finish

Auténticos, buena producción musical

Day533 - there’s probably an interesting story behind a band that makes an arguably great album and then breaks up

The Soft Boys are basically all my favorite bands' favorite band, so why do they do so little for me? I guess part of the problem is something like "I Got the Hots" sounds like one of the throwaway tracks Guided By Voices would do for 30 seconds, but it's nearly 5 minutes long! The quality control here isn't very good, and even the good songs feel directly ripped from the 60s (for example, the verses of "I Wanna Destroy You" are basically just the Who's "Much to Much"). As a contrast to the Soft Boys, I'm gonna leave you with a band that proclaims themselves to be the "genuine original hard guys": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cGKaoL_kws

Couldn't even finish the first quarter of the album. On Spotify, their biggest song (which I didn't like either) is the very first song on the album and it seems like it's all downhill from there. When I started this, I told myself that I was going to listen to every album to the fullest, even if I wasn't enjoying. Nope. This killed that. I mean, I wasn't having a good time AND it's 2.5 hours long.

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.

This may be my surprise album of 2025 up to this point. I think to truly appreciate, you need to listen to the full 40 songs as I think it just got better and better as the album went along. I have spent all this week trying to digest all the songs and the more I listened, the more I kept thinking Velvet Underground. Hell, he even starts to sound like Lou, imo. Especially songs like Like a Real Smoothie, Alien and Insanely Jealous and Leave Me Alone. Any song on the last half of the album. This is a really enjoyable album and my rating increased with each listen. I will be taking a dive into these guys. Still trying to sort out all the songs I'll be downloading, but no doubt this may be the best 2.5 hours of listening since mistakenly listened to 5 hours of Velvet, which turned out to be a blessing. Love Lou and Velvet and it may be a bit early to call it love with the Soft Boys, but this was a very very good album. Almost great. 4.5

3.5 I’ve seen a lot of people refer to this album as the bridge between classic rock and indie rock, and I can totally hear that. Like, if you took REM, combined them with a group like The Byrds, then threw in a dash of early David Bowie for good measure, this is the album you would end up with. So, it makes a lot of sense that REM, did in fact, name this group as a major influence, and knowing that, you can’t help but notice that so many elements of their sound are found here, though admittedly in a sort of primitive state. As someone who likes quite a bit of REM’s stuff, I quite liked what I heard here. Still, the degree it borders on conventional classic rock holds it back from greatness, especially with how much it wears its own influences on its sleeve at times (Positive Vibrations? Really?), but overall, this is an enjoyable album that doesn’t outstay its welcome, and I think there’s certainly an argument to be made regarding its importance on the decade ahead, despite how bad it flopped upon initial release. I liked just about every song here, some more than others (Old Pervert was a little questionable), but I Wanna Destroy You, Insanely Jealous of You, and the title track were my favorites. I even liked the bonus tracks included on Spotify as well, with He’s a Reptile, Strange, and Where are the Prawns being songs that stood out to me as well. While I wouldn’t say I’m walking away in love with this album or The Soft Boys, I will say that this is exactly what I was hoping for with this list - being introduced to lesser-known, but influential artists that I end up liking myself. Good pull, Mr. Dimery - I’m even willing to overlook the fact that one of these guys is responsible for Katrina and The Waves’ Walking on Sunshine.

Fun album. Did not listen to the full 2.5 hour Spotify extended mix

Really great, I loved this and I listened to about 2 hours of the extended mix! I'm going to revisit this again.

Bizarre mix of Punk, New Wave, and 60s Psychedelia. Had its moments, but they were few and far between. 2 stars.

That's a...long album, huh?

150/1089 - The melodies are repetitive and the voices are a bit on the grating side but other than that this was a good listen.

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.

I had never heard of this band and with a band name like “The Soft Boys” combined with the album cover I was expecting something completely different. This has catchy hooks and grooves. Very enjoyable listen, although very long and I strangely can’t say I flagged any songs. It was enjoyable as a house painting background backdrop though. 3.5/5

I really dug this. The influential effect it had on bands like REM, Television, Replacements is very apparent. Was always a Robyn Hitchcock fan. Makes perfect sense that Robyn Hitchcock and his new band were slated as openers on REM’s Green Tour in ‘88-89.

This was pretty good, and definitely not something I had heard before so I appreciate the inclusion. Ultimately I think it’s something I’ll forget about by next week though

I enjoyed this. An interesting mix of styles and sounds. A lot of it sounded familiar so no not sure if they were good at expressing what influenced them or influenced a lot after them. First song gave me Cheap Trick vibes (mommy’s alright, daddy’s alright). Queen of Eyes was straight up mid-60s boy band (I was getting Byrds vibes). And track 8 was definitely about my brother. But was this really 40 songs and 2.5 hours!?! Admittedly I didn’t make it through all of it, but I think I got the idea. 3.5

I enjoyed this more than expected. Never heard of them but apparently pretty big influences on other bands (namely REM...supposedly). Anyways, rounding up for the nice surprise. 3.5/5

This is really good — a delicious blend of post-punk, '60s pop, and new wave, all whipped together into a tasty treat

I Wanna Destroy You is a favorite song of mine (although I admit to liking the Uncle Tupelo and Circle Jerks covers more). I like the punk flavor but sometimes Robyn Hitchcock voice gets to me a little.

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.

This was a new one for me. And I really liked it. If I do this challenge a second time, this is one that I could see even being bumped up a start, but for the first listen, it was really good. There's a longer version of this album that's also a decent listen, but I don't think the flow is as good.

Thoroughly enjoyed!

This album is laying eggs under my skin and they are erupting in my mind. Oddly archaic and contemporary at the same time. I don't know if I'm listening to a remaster, but every clang and wail of the guitar rings crystal clear and the vocal floats breathlessly bright on top. They seem to explore every vein they imply. I'd rest on the rocks too.

This is to music what Frank Sidebottom is to comedy. It’s off the wall and surreal but influential and brilliant in its own right. That being said it doesn’t quite do enough for me.

Even as I could hear the myriad artists this sounds like it influenced, it failed to make an impact on me. Coming off the Kaiser Chiefs listen, I didn't find this as charming or endearing, and I could maybe see this album creeping up on me, but then again, maybe not. It's good to put Robyn Hitchcock in come context, but I ain't no convert.

I never cared for this one as much as their debut, A Can of Bees. Today though, this one hit a bit harder. I still don't love it as much as some, but it's definitely fun and interesting and a little wacky.

Loved this. What a find!

Meh

This album seems to be sort of bridge between the jangle pop of the 80s and the beatlesque pop sounds of the 60s. An album that is both ahead and behind the times.

I liked this album and the Brit punk vibes

Outro caso onde streaming está completamente errado. O album não possui 40 faixas e 2 horas e meia de duração. Sua ordem original encerra com a faixa titular Underwater Moonlight. E foi isso que ouvi. Pra começar, o disco me lembrou muito os Beatles. O conteúdo lírico é inconsistente. Alguns versos são bons, mas alguns refrões são péssimos. De qualquer maneira, esse álbum parecia a frente do seu tempo, em certos momentos. Foi interessante e prendeu minha atenção.

Solid rock/pop album with well crafted songs. I'm just not sure it's something I'll return to, other than the track listed below. Liked Songs Added: I've Got The Hots For You

Meh

Didn’t finish. Kinda liked it

Started off strong, but slowly faded throughout the album, but still very enjoyable.

Hmm… sometimes you feel disgusting

Mais um disco que representa o som da época. É uma banda competente, tem um trabalho de guitarra interessante, alguma referência aos Stones dos anos 60, mas não me diz muita coisa musicalmente. O mais legal do álbum é não ter uma sonoridade definida, tem uma vibe pós-punk, mas também flerta com a psicodelia, mas é isso. Um bom disco e só

Really good, very early 80s. Although I prefer their other album, A can of beans.

40 tracks is way too many and probably impacts the rating. The Soft Boys go hard on the new wave sound. Definitely would listen again but maybe not all at once.

Fun album I'd never heard before. Make sure you only listen to the 10 original tracks.

Why is it so long?

364/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

Album did not impress me, also way too many tracks. 4.2/10

Not the worst. Read about them a bit. Crazy they didn't have success but many bands were influenced from them.

It was hard to listen to the Soft Boys. Not sure why they made the list.

I need to revisit this album and band. There was something here, but I didn't get a chance to dive deeply into it. I'm intrigued!

Pop-like 60s psych rock while punk was taking over the scene. It had some good songs. Not sure I would listen to the whole album again. Especially when Spotify has the 2hr+ version with 100 bonus tracks.

Not for me

Not bad. I can see how it would be influential to the indie and alternative rock scene. Stone Roses, Seahorses, Shed Seven... Some songs were pretty great, others mediocre. Interesting lyrics.

## 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.

another fun one

Pretty average post punk to me though the title track is really great

First listen

Prog’s whimsy, the Byrds’ guitar chime, the clangor and glorious aggression of post-punk, earworm melodies, check check check, I think I have a bingo! Never heard them before, wasn’t sure about the Stone Roses comparisons until “Queen of Eyes”, which is a two-minute prècis of the later band’s Olympian debut; and the song that comes after it is odder and even better.

I'm a big fan of Robyn Hitchcock on occasion. Naturally, while my friends all blasted "Nevermind" on repeat I was obsessed with "Perspex Island"; Bingo Hand Job at the Borderline is probably my answer to the "any gig + time machine" icebreaker. He's Syd Barret with better tunes, a one-man, weirder REM who is always witty and excellent live. This album deserves its cult classic reputation and was a blast to hear again.

Its a weird one, reminds me of a few other artists that I like, but I'm not so sure when you combine them all the result works.

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.

Hard

Power pop classic

A big influence on bands like R.E.M., The Replacements & The Stone Roses and really the entire college/indie rock of the 1980s & beyond. A psychedelic near masterpiece that sounds like it was inspired by The Beatles, The Byrds, Pink Floyd's Syd Barett while having their own very unique one-of-a-kind style. Nothing sounded quite like it when it came out in 1980 and nothing has since. When the band broke up in 1981 lead singer Robyn Hitchcock went on to have a well-respected career first with The Egyptians & then as a solo artist while guitarist Kimberley Rew joined Katrina & the Waves and wrote 'Walking on Sunshine' for them a truly awful song that made many people pray for deafness or even worse.

hmm

Wijs album! Zijn precies wel blijven hangen in hun 60's sound, want dit klinkt niet echt als de jaren 80. Wel veel te lang, wat de algemene kwaliteit van het album naar beneden haalt. Maar bvb Kingdom of Love is een zeer wijs nummer! 2.8

40 songs?!?!?! And I only liked 1.. enough said.

Unbelievably inventive, diverse, and engrossing. 4.5/5

feels like pretty generic 80's rock, sounds kinda like Jefferson Starship and Triumph but softer? Its hard to pin, I feel like their peers are better. Som3 nice instrumentals but nothing really stands out.

Not for me but at least some of the guitar work was interesting. Second song especially!

Okay, this wasn't horrible, but I'd never listen again. Also, what's up with the spotify version having 18 million songs on it?? 2 AND A HALF HOURS?? Who do they think I am??

It’s fine. Just sounds like if the Beatles were worse and considering this came out after the blueprint, what were they doing? 5/10

Ja jemig, wat moeten we hier nou weer mee. Flauwe jarentachtigpop, er is geen kraak of smaak aan. Alsof een stel punkjongens ineens commercieel zijn gegaan, maar niet goed weten wat ze ermee aanmoeten. Het opvallendste is de hoes.

Een album van The Soft Boys dat start met I wanna destroy you...Dat is dan hun zachte kant... Dit werk heeft nogal wat van de jaren '60 overgehouden, inclusief af en toe het zwaktebod van de verlengde klinkers. Het is allemaal te overzien hoor, maar als je dat doet, moet je wel zorgen dat je stem niet overslaat. En ook dat is nog wel te overzien, maar het valt me op omdat het album zich verder niet zo onderscheidt. Misschien is dat het echte probleem. Hop, uit de lijst deze schijf.

Dit moet een voorloper van REM voorstellen, maar ik haal dat er totaal niet uit. Ik weet niet goed hoe ik het dan wel moet omschrijven. Er zit in ieder geval tempo in, het heeft een aanwezig baslijntje en de elektrische gitaren galmen als in rockabilly. Het heeft dus wel iets punky's in zich, maar dan iets muzikaler. De zang is ok, soms meerstemmig, maar het stoort gelukkig niet zo als andere Britse punk of 80s zang. Dat we na dit album Onderwater Maneschijn nooit meer van de Zachte Jongens hebben gehoord, is blijkbaar omdat ze er mee gekapt zijn. Dan ben ik wel altijd benieuwd waarom. Was er ruzie in de tent? Nam de drummer teveel drugs? Of nam de bassist juist te vaak een greep uit de bandpot? Wiki weet er net zoveel over te vermelden als ik over dit album verder heb, namelijk niet veel. Ik vind het wel geinig, maar het blijft allemaal niet echt hangen. Gelukkig wel bij REM blijkbaar. En ook the Replacements werden hierdoor geinspireerd en van hen vond ik het album dat we kregen een positieve verrassing. Voor dit album zal ik wel weer op een weinig memorabele 3 uitkomen.

But if they can't be rabbits, they'll be friends.

Love this so much, forty years later. So much weirdness, so much pop. Such great guitars.

Robyn Hitchcock is a brilliant songwriter and storyteller. There's no one like him and he's unapologetically himself. I like his later stuff, solo and with the Egyptians better, but that may be because I heard it first and loved it before I heard The Soft Boys...but this is obviously the basis for that and indie psychedelia.

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.

i dont really get it. sorry mom

man for having such a chill album cover their album is a sonic assault 🤨

Completely new to me, loved their sound especially the songs with the catchy harmonies, at times they sound like a post-punk version of the Byrds or Beach Boys. Will definitely have this on rotation.

Remember yesterday when I said I had to strap in for an album that was 1 hr 33 min? Yeah well this one just totally humbled that with a whopping 2 hr 27 min lol. Unfortunately it was actually so long that all the songs kinda started blurring together but I did stick it out and listened to all of it. There were some spooky vibes and some really weird songs (rock n roll toilet like are we kidding). It was cool to learn this band influenced big names like R.E.M. and such. It didn’t stand out to me too much, I’m exhausted now.