Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Got a bit of a backlog to get through here since the weekend. Liked this, expected typical 80s synth pop but got rubber soul/revolver era Beatles instead
Schöne Brücke der späten 60er zu 80s underground
Another really neat album that just kind of came out of nowhere for me. Almost all of the songs are really catchy, and all of them are good 4/5
Surprisingly good album, liked the sound a lot plus the songs were very catchy
Great album. Cheap Trick-ish, proto-REM by Robyn Hitchcock. The deluxe version more than doubles the original release, but they made a good choice with the songs they did. I Wanna Destroy You, the title track and the bonus track Wey Wey Hep Uh Hole are my favorites, but all here are quality tracks. Maybe with a little more time listening this could be a 5 star, but for now, it is a solid 4 star album.
lots of really cool colorful stuff on here (opener is really good, queen of eyes feels like a beatles song but with jangly guitars) but unfortunately i cannot in good conscious give anything with "i got the hots" above an 8.
I Wanna Destroy You and Insanely Jealous are pretty good songs.
First ever listen to this. Knew this band were highly influential, and you can hear why. In my opinion, lacks a truly knockout track, but it sounds great.
Hat seine Momente, überzeugt mich aber nicht auf ganzer Linie.
très cool 3.5+/5
Yep, this is just "the Byrds but later". Psychedelia after the craze had come and gone a decade prior. And these boys have the guts to act surprised when its commercial performance was pretty poor. People aren't as moved by music that doesn't push boundaries. The production here is also pretty sloppy, especially in the drums, which sound like they were recorded in a cardboard box. Compare this to Steely Dan's Gaucho, an absolute masterpiece of production value that released the same year. The number of perfect professional ratings on Underwater Moonlight is pretty staggering. You give music like this a 5- or 4.5-star review, and then turn around and give Muse's incredible new album The Wow! Signal a measly 2 stars? For shame. I Wanna Destroy You starts off the album catchily enough. Not a big fan of the messy vocal interaction – that was a fad for a few years in the early 60s, before musicians (correctly) realised it sounded bad. Fortunately, Kingdom of Love presents a pretty solid turn into punk territory, and the guitar part features some great melodies. I'll allow Positive Vibrations even if it's kind of an extended (and disconnected) outro for I Wanna Destroy You. I Got the Hots... wow. Who let the blues into the room? Great groove. Great riff. Absolutely godawful vocal performance – so jarringly bad when it comes in that I had to pause the song to take a breather. At least it's followed by the relatively solid Insanely Jealous of You, featuring a mildly improved vocal performance (Bowiesque) and a good build-up in the instrumental. Side 2 begins with Tonight, which is pretty unremarkable apart from the explosion of energy in the last minute or so. Disappointing to end with a board fade instead of having a solid ending. It suggests low effort on either the band's or the production team's part. You'll Have to Go Sideways uses a 7/4 time signature and again features this slowly rising tension that never really goes anywhere. At least this time, the song ends instead of fading out. Old Pervert is absolute hogwash. The only interesting element is the cowbell. Everything else is messy and completely forgettable. At least Queen of Eyes continues the album on a decent note, even if the sound has somewhat regressed back into Byrdian (Avian?) territory. Finally, we have the finale/title track. Some cool trilled notes on various instruments (synth and strings, I think) in the background, and one of Hitchcock's strongest vocal performances to date. 3/5 Key tracks: I Wanna Destroy You, Kingdom of Love, Underwater Moonlight
Some noisy, lo-fi rock. Has some psych, experimental elements to it and good compositions. I dig how deranged and directionless it can sound, but still comes together. This one is alright.
I didn't know this band. Some good tunes. Good album overall.
Fun listen once I find the album that was not two hours long. Sounds like someone finding their voice after listening to the kinks and other 70s albums. 6/10 Top song Queen of eyes
3/5
love the guitar used through the album, the use of reverb and multiple additions onto the songs and especially the lead vocalists voice is cool especially for the time but it feels slightly outdated but maybe I've been spoiled by similar sounding bands from recent times
It‘s not bad but why is it so long?
Most of the music was just okay for me. I didn't hate it but none of the songs really stood out either. I guess if I had to choose, I would pick, "I Wanna Er (Extract)" only because it was a little different from the others. This is not an album I plan on looking to hear the songs again, plus it was a really looooong album with its 40 songs. I was just glad that most of the songs were less than 5 minutes long because if the songs were longer then this album would have become interminable.
It’s fine I guess this project is getting stale I think
not a bad album, I would probably listen to it again if someone else played it but I would not look for it to play it. It is a typical alt-rock type of music
The album cover is amazing. The album was OK - I was worried it would be bad 80's music, but I was happy with it. I'll say 3 to 3.5 - but will stick with a 3.
Nothing special, nothing awful.
3 - decent
Another one of those albums that are all right, but feel out of place on this list. Enjoyable, but nothing special.
Decent.
More britpop? Sure!
Der er noget fedt post-punket over dele af lydbilledet. Men det bliver for ofte lidt for pænt og poppet, særligt i vokalen.
Super fun. Reminds me of the replacements which I read were big time influenced by these guys. Some great chunes. Feeling a 3.5 since there weren’t any like crazy standout songs to me, and emotionally I’m not crazy moved. But it’s fun stuff.
Just slash off the last half of the album
It’s not bad, I liked the faster power pop punk style stuff. Some of it was like The Stranglers just not as good.
Robyn hitchcock why are u following me?
This was a pretty solid album, couple of really decent tracks and not much filler. Jangly rock, hints of the Kinks etc. decent!
stopping before the bonus tracks... 3
I'm not a punk fan. It was okay.
This reminded me of some later alt rock to come out in the later 80s and even into the 90s. I felt like I could hear bits of REM and Oasis on certain tracks.
I went into Underwater Moonlight by The Soft Boys with almost no expectations. Between the band name, album title, and artwork, I honestly wasn’t expecting much, but “I Wanna Destroy You” immediately proved me wrong. It’s the kind of discovery that makes working through album lists worthwhile—a funny, bouncy indie rock song that sounds years ahead of its 1980 release, closer to R.E.M., The Stone Roses, and the alternative pop that would flourish a decade later. What impressed me most was how unpredictable the album is. Songs like “Positive Vibrations,” “Tonight,” and “Queen of Eyes” showcase a band pulling from 60s psychedelia, jangly pop, punk, and surf rock while still sounding uniquely themselves. Not every experiment landed for me—“I Got the Hots for You” and “Old Pervert” were misses—but even the weaker tracks felt like part of a band willing to take chances. “Queen of Eyes” was a particular highlight, with its Beatles-inspired melodies and endlessly replayable energy. Overall, Underwater Moonlight was a pleasant surprise. I connected most strongly with “I Wanna Destroy You” and found myself wishing more of the album followed that sound, but I enjoyed the twists and turns along the way. More than anything, it reminded me why I love exploring acclaimed albums: sometimes you discover a band you never would have found on your own and end up genuinely impressed.
Ok summer is too good so I won’t go below 3.
I liked this. Not enough to put on a list of significant albums, but I still enjoyed it.
es un 3 llegando a 4, le voy a poner un 3 solamente por la duración del disco
Nog wel nice (het eigenlijke album zonder alle extra shizzle): 3,5
An interesting listen, that's for sure. It's basically an album which asks the question "What if the Byrds were a punk band?", with its jangly guitars and witty lyrics. If you're going to listen to this one, make sure to look out for the 45th anniversary remaster, otherwise you'll be stuck with a whole lost of extra tracks for something you might not enjoy. Overall, whilst not a band I'd seek out again, I still enjoyed myself quite a bit. Favourite track: Positive Vibrations Least favourite track: Old Pervert
Meh. It’s alright. 80’s soft punk rock. (3)
New Wavey, fun rock music. I don't think I'll revisit this after listening, but it wasn't an unenjoyable time. I made sure to listen to the re-release album and not the 2.5 hour original one. You'll Have To Go Sideways was entirely instrumental but I found it to be one of the best on the album.
Not unpleasant, but ultimately not particularly interesting either. Another in a run on quite bland albums that I'm unlikely to listen to again.
I’m not surprised these guys fell into complete irrelevancy lol Its an interesting soup of genres; it really does feel like diet Beatles at times, with all the harmonies and instrumentation sounding a lot more like what was popular in the 60s rather than the 80s. I think there’s enough variety between songs to get you through the album (though obviously I ain’t listening to the full album bonus tracks and all). Every song is catchy and high energy enough to keep you invested all the way through. Underwater Moonlight has a pretty solid guitar solo and it’s just a nice way to end the album Vocals can definitely miss at times, think the harmonizing parts actually sound quite a bit better. Just a little too British and harsh at times, though for the most part they’re fine. There’s a couple songs that I don’t particular care for style wise, but (mostly Insanely Jealous of You) It’s definitely better than I thought, though you’d have to be an absolute psychopath to listen to the full 40 track album; the main 10 are fine. Probably still a 3, but it’s unique and also very listenable so I could see myself listening to this over some of the 4s I’ve given out
Boring, that’s about all I can say. Nothing stood out to me at all and I didn’t particularly like the music. Just not for me.
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!
I liked it more then I thought i would. Got a lot of 60s vibes to it. The singer also sounds like lou Reed at times. Good fun album
Idk what I was expecting from a band called ‘the soft boys’ but I actually thought this was pretty awesome
Decent album, a little long lol but ok nothing too crazy
An interesting listen. Can hear the psychedelic influences through the instrumentation and song form at times, although there did sound like some “lol random” moments as well which didn’t necessarily enhance the sound. Wanted it to have a bit more bite in the end, a bit more rawness as it was overall too tame I thought.
I was a bit sceptical about what to expect. Never listened to them; I might have heard the name sometimes in the past. I believe that I've seen the cover before. Definitely a sound the 1980s weren't ready for. Somehow, it was a nice experience, and I can see the influence on many other bands.
At just over a half hour, not bad. It's just kissing the idea of psych rock while still being really accessible. Not my favorite, but I can see how this would be well loved by a certain audience.
Favorite Song: I Wanna Destroy You
Je sais pas si je suis le seul à qui ça fait cet effet, mais à l'écoute, j'avais vraiment l'impression d'écouter un groupe qui fait des reprises de vieilles chansons des Who (genre des années 60), surtout sur Queen of Eyes où c'était confondant. Donc c'était très sympathique, mais pas non plus transcendant. En tout cas, si j'en crois que dit Wikipédia, c'est un album qui a influencé de nombreux groupes, donc je suppose qu'effectivement, il a sa place ici. Donc allez, ça passe.
Like what’s so special about this album?
I like the jangly guitars BUT the lyrics take away from the content
Soft Boys is getting a solid to high 3, some great moments and I can hear the influence of many things i enjoy but only a few tracks really grabbed me
Good background music
Strange mix of psychedelia and punk. Notwithstanding the album being 40 songs long, and the lyrics being a bit strange, it is alright.
Fronted by Robyn Hitchcock (my familiarity was initially via "Balloon Man") although his singing style here is more "in the mouth" around the vowels. Not sure why this wasn't better received at the time; there was nothing here I found to be a standout, but it was fine and fit with the period it came from.
Fine, but nothing special.
Pretty good blend of different movements in the pop rock world. I was happy to hear that I didn't have to listen to the 20 hour version.
This really is where the Pixies derived their style, isn't it. I don't hear quite as much REM as some of the professional critics seem to imply, maybe in the beginning. I think the instrumentation and songwriting in here is pretty good but they really peak with the first track and it's all kinda downhill from that point. It isn't bad but that's the single and that's the best track by far. Also pro tip, always look on wikipedia for the original track listing. You don't need to listen to several hours of remixes, b sides, outtakes, etc. Just the original tracks! It's actually kinda short!
i ain't reading all that i'm happy for u tho or sorry that happened
Okay, a confessions. I listened to the 10 songs that were on the original release. The other 5 or 6 dozen I skipped. I made a note when listening to the first few tracks "If the Hollies did punk" and it did seem to be some sort of missing link between 60s British Invasion pop and the later Britpop. Probably R.E.M. had a listen as well. But then we hit "I've Got the Hots" and it went sideways into Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd whimsy - even to the point of a Psychedelia instrumental. And the less said about "Old Pervert" the better. I saw them described as "quirky" and "unique", which probably true, but the 10 songs on the original album.gave me no reason to go on to the expanded edition.
Surprisingly fun! Enjoyable listen
It’s alright nothing much else to say
Two and a half hours!!! I was like no way am I going to do this and then I did. Underwhelming but not awful. Truly neutral.
good stuff
I had to listen to this album twice. The first time, I ended up listening to the album on Spotify which is a 40 song, 2 and a half hour slog. I was hating this album. Then I researched and found this album was only 11 tracks. So I went back and listened to just the 11 tracks from the original release. It was a much better experience. I was surprised to have never heard of this band or this album. It is the connective tissue between the 60s music and 80s alternative.
Interesting hybrid of 60s British pop and 80s indie jangle.
I like the sound of The Soft Boys which is kind of mixture of 60's psychedelia and post punk, but maybe the song material is not interesting enough to keep me focused for full album length. It might also be that this album needs more spinning times, but there are far too many other albums waiting to be listened. Somewhere between 2-3/5...
#377 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ❌ I very much dislike the "neo-psychedelia" tag it's been slapped with. But I do however, understand how they've influenced those who came later. I hear their influence especially in Pixies and R.E.M. who've both lent parts of their DNA from these guys. The "eightiness" of this album is what is disagreeing with me, this is something I can't pinpoint what it is, but I recognized it almost immediately. It's a taste thing, I can't help it and their influence on later bands doesn't make this music sound any better. And the music is the only thing I am reviewing. 3/5
Not bad, but didn't require 40 songs.
Pretty decent
Mucho texto
Grateful for the public service announcement rhighlighting the existence of the original 40min version … almost went in on 2.5 hrs 😱 I liked it … but probably won’t listen again
Not too bad, couple really nice songs. Never had heard before
Never heard of this band. Which is usually a bad sign. But this was enjoyable enough.
This was quite good. First song was a belter and there were some other good tracks buried in there. Never heard of them before but would listen again.
Me gustaron los elementos psicodélicos de algunas canciones También hicieron un excelente trabajo en un interludio instrumental, que fue mi canción favorita del álbum Entiendo que fueron una referencia (tardía) para bandas que tuvieron mucho reconocimiento unos años después, un gran álbum de impulso para otros, así que fue bueno tener la oportunidad de escucharlo, y en otro momento lo volvería a escuchar
inspired rem
boring fucking shit
Music I'd listen to at the bar. I looked up the album online and found that it can be categorized under the genre "College rock" which is oddly on the nose. Insanely Jealous of You is the first song that caught my attention. Honorable mentions: Where Are the Prawns, Ngl there's a bunch of songs I'd skip, it gets a bit repetitive. But in hindsight I should've paid more attention to the lyrics, since that's what people online seem to like the most. I think overall it wasn't my cup of tea.
An influential, not-all-that-popular album, the type that are often a chore to listen to. This one was quite enjoyable, though. Not sure how often I'll return, but I enjoyed this first listen. A high 3-star rating for me, with "Tonight" being my favorite track.
Pretty good. I primarily enjoyed the instrumentation. Favourite Track(s): I Got The Hots Least Favourite Track(s): Kingdom of Love
A good rock record. No moulds being broken here though. Side A 1 "I Wanna Destroy You" (3/5) 2 "Kingdom of Love" (3/5) 3 "Positive Vibrations" (3/5) 4 "I Got the Hots" (3/5) 5 "Insanely Jealous" (3/5) Side B 1 "Tonight" (3/5) 2 "You'll Have to Go Sideways" (3/5) 3 "Old Pervert" (3/5) 4 "Queen of Eyes" (3/5) 5 "Underwater Moonlight" (3/5) Total - 30 Average - 3 291/1001 154/291 albums reviewed were new to me
This was a bit of a surprise. I've never heard of it, and based on the band name, release year, and album cover, I thought it was going to be a tough listen - and it wasn't! It was kind of weird in a good way: shades of punk, pop, psychedelic, maybe even a little New Wave. An interesting listen.
ok...........anyway........
more totally fine music that just doesn't feel like it's earned its spot on this list. if you told me this was robert dimery's old college group that he played bass in and wanted to sneak into the list, i wouldn't question it for a second. that's the level of unqualified we're working with here. but again, it's fine? 2.5 stars, rounding up to 3? whatever. i'll never think about this again. favorites: i wanna destroy you, positive vibrations, vegetable man
Goes in one ear and out the other, but you don't register it as "bad" at all while listening.
Never heard of the band or the album and nt surprising given that it appears to have been a commercial flop, albeit it has been reappraised in more recent times. And rightly so, it's very listenable and I was pleasantly surprised by the blend of post-punk and psychedelia that worked together very well. One i'd happily revisit.
This is a fine record, and has a few memorable sounds. Overall though it's pretty boring. There are almost no memorable lyrics, and some of them are downright bad. This is an inoffensive, forgettable record.
Had never heard of this lot - can see how it influenced *everything* post-punk / indie after it.
Kingdom of Love is a really good listen
Pretty derivative, but reasonably fun
Great energy, with a couple standouts. Fun listen.
Good sounds and ideas but seems not fully there yet
Not bad bit if you asked me what the sound of this band is, I would have to say everything and nothing. Most of their songs sound like other bands but not as good. Nothing terrible but just not that memorable.
Pretty good.
I believe I could hear the influence it had on later music and understand why it might have been culturally relevant/important at its time. Not annoyed I listened to it, but don't anticipate listening again, seeking out further releases or even quite remembering the name of this one
Properly likeable and I had to keep checking the date to see if it was 90s Brit pop and of course it wasn’t.
I kinda dig this
Neve heard of the The Soft Boys. That was good. I enjoyed it
Decent Probably prefer different versions of i wanna destroy you, but nice to hear the OG
åbenbart lidt et blueprint på college rock og slet ikke lyden af dens samtid. Det har inspireret bands som R.E.M osv. Det lyder meget sommeragtig og er gode vibes, jeg kunne lied rigtig mange sange på albummet. Jeg har gemt mange, men det var typisk dem som ikke var så poppet i strukturen eller vokalen. Kunne f.eks. ikke mega godt lide the queen of eyes og underwater moonlight. Synes bare det er sådan lidt for pophooket og mangler en smule kant. Det er lidt for rent i lyden osv.
Kolejna płyta, która niby jest edgy, ale to ostrze jest nieco stępione. Oceniłam tylko 10 pierwszych kawałków, bo nie będę się katować wersją z 40 utworami. Poprawne, rytmiczne i w tamtejszym nurcie/klimacie. Czego chcieć więcej? Czegoś na pewno. 6/10.
It’s music. It’s forgettable, but it’s music. I did not need to listen to it.
Enjoyed listening - will comeback and listen to it again sometime!
I suppose that was alright? I liked some of it but I don't know that I'm keen to hear more.
Fun for a listen, some songs fresh and novel, but by the end it does feel like just "another albumful of songs," even if it sounds pretty solid Feeling exemplified by moments like in "Old Pervert" when the singer asks if your name is Midge in order to rhyme the line with bridge - a bit of an underachiever, there Also their biggest hit sounds like the most Cheap Trick song I've heard on this list and I already had the actual Cheap Trick live album This album's cool though
2.75 - I've never heard of the Soft Boys before. This was fine.
I'm only considering the ten tracks from the original release for my rating of this album. This one is pretty good, it starts out strong and has a cool sound throughout. I was surprised when I saw the length at first, but the original album doesn't really have any filler. Favorite track: "I Wanna Destroy You"
I treat bonus tracks, remixes, radio edits etc as optional. And thank god because I enjoyed ten songs well enough but I wouldn’t this album if I had to sit down for two and a half hours of it
I realized the original album was only 10 tracks long after i’d already listened to 23 out of the 40 tracks on the remaster. i thought the album was okay. i liked some of the songs. i don’t feel like this was particularly noteworthy for me though.
Not half bad but I didn't need 2 hours of it
It was alright. Nothing special but
2.5 hr album is bold for being such soft boys. electronic rock? It's not unlikable, but I listened while working and don't have anything memorable to report. Just an ok this is fine album. WHy on this list...
Underground feeling rock that just kept going
There’s some pretty cool stuff in here, but I’m not sure that I had to hear it before I die.
Interesting. It has a sixties-vibe, reminds me on Krautrock at times but ist also a tight rock album at the same time. Fav: You`ll have to go sideways
Always wondered what Robyn Hitchcock's claim to fame was! This was pretty good, weird and funny. Not sure why everyone says they influenced R.E.M. and the Replacements though. I hear more Elvis Costello and Marc Bolan. On the other hand, it's more guitar-forward and stripped down than a lot of stuff from 1980- maybe that's the influence on 'college rock' that people hear. I definitely need to give this more time! Favorite song: I Wanna Destroy You
Ok album, probably influential at the time but most songs are quite forgettable. 3.5 stars
I think of these albums as joining the dots. I hear the influence of the likes of The Stooges and The Velvet Underground as well as psychedelic bands, and I hear the influence on some of the alt rock bands from the late 80s and 90s. Not sure it stands that well on its own, but it has a place in the journey of rock through the years.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, but it still didn’t quite get over the hump to a 4.
This is the type of band that is inspired by stuff that I like, and may have influenced other stuff that I like, but I'm just not into it. The last two tracks were actually pretty good; it's a shame the whole album doesn't sound like that.
Great album cover
I loved Positive Vibrations!
Punky psychedelic rock. I enjoyed it, but you’ve gotta be smoking what they were if you think I’m going to listen to 30 bonus tracks. The main 10 tracks were all fun but a little forgettable.
6.0/10
Fun, quirky, power pop type record that fuses punk energy, post-punky off kilterness, poppy melodies, and psychedelic sounds with an oddball approach. Since they’re around the same time it gives me a sense of The Feelies and The Undertones with more embracing of 60s psychedelia and a bit more bizarreness. It’s just got this sense of punk has some weird corners to explore, let’s have some fun and make it catchy along the way.
This is way better than most shit I had come up recently and its not even anything to write home about. But it is nice to have something where you don’t feel like listening to a loser like donald trump talk.
Before: Oh, I recognize the album cover. I think one of my friends had this back in the mid-80s. And of course I know the first track, I Wanna Destroy You. I was a big fan of Robyn Hitchcock back in the early 90s. During: I like I Wanna Destroy You a lot. It's ranked 88 out of 95 on my favorites from 1980 play list. The next 2 tracks are not so great. I Got The Hots is a good one that I remember as well. I decide to add it to my favorites from 1980 play list. The next 6 are nothing special. I guess this is going to be a three. After : Overall, I think the album is kind of lame, except for 2 tracks that I like enough to put on my favorites form 1980 list. Maybe taken in the context of the time it was produced, the album deserves a higher rating, but I check my 1980 list and there were several albums at least, that were much, much better than this, imo. For reference, my top 5 albums from 1980 are: Pretenders, "Pretenders"; The Specials, "More Specials"; XTC, "Black Sea"; The Fall, "Grotesque (After the Gramme)"; The English Beat, "I Just Can't Stop It".
I'm not sure if this sounds incredibly ahead of its time, or if current indie has just mastered sounding like the 80's.
My rating 3.2. I enjoyed this. One of the reasons I like this experiment. The chance to listen to artists that you haven’t heard of but enjoy.
It didn't stand out to me, but I enjoyed it. It played in the background at least two times.
Sounds like 20 different bands. Which is fine. Clearly influenced/influencer by many
Decent listen:
Some cool songs but holy shit it’s too long. 3.5!
I'm fully aware that I listened to this, but I couldn't tell you a single thing about it.
Ik vond de stem en de gitaarrifjes wel leuk. Het eerste nummer vond ik niet zo sterk maar ik heb al met al best genoten van het album. I got the hots vond ik wel leuk. Ik vond naast de leuke gitaarrifjes de bas wel een beetje saai dat het veel scrummen was van dezelfde snaar. Voldoende maar niet fantastisch
Nog niet eerder van deze band gehoord, maar ik was blij verrast, de 2:20 minuten leken korter aan te voelen dan dat het was en ik heb veel leuke en orginele, muzikale dingen gehoord. Toch jammer dat het zon lang album was, niet alleen kan je hier drie albums van maken maar ook het kaf van het koren scheiden met alleen maar bangers, toch waardeer ik ook het werk wat ze erin hebben gelegd en vond ik het ook weer een unieke luisterervaring om zolang naar dezelfde band te luisteren. 3 sterren
fun listen went o youtube :D
I listened to Underwater Moonlight at work for the first time with no prior knowledge of The Soft Boys. I recognized “I Wanna Destroy You” because The Circle Jerks covered it, but otherwise didn't get a good read on but otherwise didn't get a great read on the album. Unrelated: Rachel Getting Married is leaving the Criterion Channel at the end of the month; I should watch it. I love Anne Hathaway. Who should appear, and play awesome tunes in this movie? Robyn Hitchcock, vocalist for The fucking Soft Boys. Incredible in this context and prompted another listen before bed. It's giving 60's mod-leaning punk rock with psychedelic tendencies. There are shades of Cheap Trick, Bauhaus, The Who, and Lou Reed, while also carving their own sound more akin to R.E.M. There are a lot of great tracks, and there are a few middling ones too. Giving this the absolute highest 3 star I possibly can.
Enjoyed it but just not enough for a 4. Truly a 3.5
Nice punky pop stuff with a 60s vibe. Also the album is massive, 40 songs?!?
I liked this album, especially the album art! The tracks are pretty epic and pretty hard. Their cover of vegetable man (in the bonus tracks) is a very decent cover!
The sounds are before their time, but overall something felt missing
I can see the influence they’ve had on the genre, and on the bands that came after them. This type of rock it’s not really my favorite, it’s kinda not engaging for me, but I liked a couple of the songs on the album.
Decent without being too exciting.
Great writing and the music was often more complex than one might expect from what felt like a punky band from that time. Downgrade for eating 2.5 hours of my day.
3.5
Rating: 7/10
Not bad by any means. Did it absolutely blow my mind? No. Was it all that unique in the history of music? No. But it was not an earsore when it was on. 2.7/5 -> 3/5
Kind of a strange one. Has some cool elements to it, the title track is good for example. It's decent, just don't know if it sings to me personally, despite liking psychedelic rock in general. 3/5.
This album sounds pretty modern for 1980. The Soft Boys give a new shine to Psychedelia, a style that was sorely out of fashion at the time. I do wonder if they pioneered Neo-Psychedelia or if they were a part of some sort of movement. I know there was also Echo & the Bunnymen, but were there more of them? Key tracks: I Wanna Destroy You Positive Vibrations
Pretty fun stuff from the lads
Solid songs, but a few too many of them.
I have no real connection to this music, but it seemed fine. Reminded me a bit of the early Sloan stuff that TBH I really do love... so this gets a couple of bonus points for that.
Solid
I listened to the 45th anniversary remaster, which is in line with the original A/B-side track listing on wikipedia. This makes the album more concise and cohesive and is preferable over the expansive 2,5 hour extended edition. Overall quite good, instrumentals and vocals good, just not quite as gripping. 3/5
Really great songs, nice guitar tones, the voices sound amateurishly recorded
3. good but some not so good
It’s more than just a feeling but still not a top of hard rock top álbuns
New to me but I enjoyed it. Great 80s post-punk to alternative sound with some 60s psychedelic harmony mixed in. High 3.
This album...was 2 1/2 hours long. I didn't hate it but man that's hard to review after one listen.
2.5/5
This isn’t bad. I thought it might be based on that album cover 😂. But didn’t amaze me.
1/5/26. Love the first track since it comes out with a bang. Album gets weirder and a little more drawn out as it goes on, but it stays interesting. Almost goes from pop to exploring different arrangements.
not very memorable and SO long
Meget bedre end jeg forventede
#813. I listened to this like a week ago now, so I've forgotten most of the thoughts I had while listening to it, but i think the gist of it was it sounds like an American 90s garage rock band, despite none of that being true. Decent though, I think. 3/5: acceptable
It’s fine, easy to listen to but nothing special
🙂
good but 2 hours? how
I didn't know this. Got repetitive after a while, but it was a pleasant surprise.
Sounds like a pretty generic new wave album - but I like new wave.
Listenable if nothing else.
Better than most psych albums that show up on this list
I owned this album as well as several from Robyn Hitchcock, both solo and with The Egyptians. The other leader of this band was also in Katrina and the Waves and wrote Walkin’ on Sunshine. Decent example of Power Pop, but not quite as good as I remembered.
OK
Really long album.
muito interessante, trabalho de guitarras inspirador, boas composições. Fonte do REM, Pixies, Stone Roses e outras. 3-4 estrelas
unusual stuff. never heard about it, but its nice enough
So, seeing that so many of the songs were bonus tracks, I wanted to check what the original album looked like and whether this is how it originally came out or if it is a re-release of sorts. Spoiler alert, the bonus tracks were not included originally. Looking at the album the way it is presented here, it is a 2. It does not matter who you are, a two hour long album gets boring, and at some point you just want it to be over. However, for this rating, I will take into consideration the first release, which is a much more reasonable 36 minutes. That way, I would say it is a 3. Nothing spectacular, but it is way better in that form. I am actually not sure why they chose this version of the album for the list. The one with just the first ten songs exists on Spotify. It is even stated in the book that each album on the list had its original version selected, not any later re-releases or reissues.
An album of English whimsical psych-pop. Quite nice, and I think I'll listen to it a bit further. But I don't think it outstanding.
This should hit one of my my sweet spots - jangle reverbed rockabilly guitar, big loud fast chords, 60's Byrd's sound that I don't much like in the Byrds, but we keep hearing bands influenced by the Byrds who sound so much better to me than the Byrds. Despite loving the sound of this album I didn't actually love any of the songs much, but the sound is so good I'm feeling like it might grow on me.
Not a ton to say about this. It was decent
Liked this more than I thought I would. One look at the cover and name of the band gave me I wasn't sure what was coming my way... felt like the Byrds met the Beetles, met Marquee Moon by Television. Old Pervert sucked, not a good song, don't know how that made it on over some of the bonus tracks. Didn't listen to the whole bonus section, but a few of them were pretty good. Favorites were: Underwater Moonlight & Queen of Eyes 7.5/10?
Not much to say for this one. I liked it. Didn't rock my world, but I liked it.
There is something about the year 1980 that I love. Disco was dead (unfortunately) but New Wave and Synth Pop were making their rise up the charts. I guess I love that transitional period in music, when there is some change, some experimentation, and most importantly, something new. Like 1970 in the movie world, can you really think of any bad records released in 1980? I actually kept listening past the original studio album, and enjoyed a lot of those bonus tracks!
Started pretty solid then seemed to go downhill. The music style was nice but lyrics were a bit odd at times.
A bit quirky and confusing
Actually much better than I thought it was gonna be. Sound was good, just didn't really like the dude's voice. Also none of the lyrics really did anything for me and that kinda held it back from being a higher score.
it's just an odd/weird/strange listen. not quite sure what I was listening to at several points. vocals were bland.
Kinda crazy and quirky. Enjoyable and charming. Good and musically fun but not enough for regular listening.
The kind of 1st album where afterwards the band splits and goes onto better things
Surprisingly good. This album was either 10 years before or 10 years behind its time. Had it come out in 1970 or 1990 it would have been recognized as a good album. Instead, it came out in 1980 and was lost in the sauce.
It’s like the Beatles met joy division, listened to an album by the replacements, and made an album. It’s not as good as either, but it’s still good. It feels like music in progress. You can hear the early British pop rock influences of the early sixties, you can also listen for where things are headed with punk and new wave. In and of itself, I don’t love it. But it’s fascinating to hear a half dozen disparate bands shine through in just 36 minutes. Overall an album I enjoy and I see where it influenced other albums I love. It’s an important part of the development of guitar music between folky cowboy chords, jazz standards, and a bit of discord all mixed with a tinge of urgency. Tonight is a stand out track. A 3 because I think it far outstrips the qualifications for a 2, but I don’t think I’d come back to it.
I can't believe this is the first time I'm hearing this. Or maybe I had and then forgot. Still pretty great.
I'll tell you what, this album is incredibly frustrating. I'm going to imagine that if you can see the reviews then you've listened to the album, and like me when you saw the length of the album you had a serious double take. I dreaded starting something so long. Then I started it, and I noticed that the musicianship (specifically the guitar and bass) were phenomenal. Holy smokes is this some kind of secret masterpiece? An hour or so goes on and I'm still really enjoying it. Dare I saw I think the singer for The 1975 stole his style directly from this singer. Now we get to the last 10 songs of the album, and I believe they're an obvious filler. At first I wondered if they were just extra studio stuff that can be included in special editions, but I checked the official track listing and there these filler songs were. This is where the album goes from a 4 to a 3. Repeats previous songs, meanders along at times, and really loses its charm. I'll need to go through it again to get some of the keepers. If you want a good album just listen to tracks 1-30, and forget about the last 10
Album 983 of 1089 Underwater Moonlight - The Soft Boys (1980) Rating : 3.5 / 5 I went into this one completely blind. No expectations, no previous opinions, just a clean listen. And honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. This is some fun, energetic rock with snappy guitar work and songwriting that keeps you engaged the whole way through. I’m not even sure what official genre label this album carries, but what I heard was a really enjoyable batch of alternative-leaning tracks with just enough quirk and personality to stand out. It’s catchy without being predictable, and it’s got that slightly off-center charm that makes you want to revisit it. Definitely one I’ll circle back to for another listen down the road.
This was weird... but fine.
A little bit of punk, a little bit of surf rock... not my cup of tea
Fine little Post-Punk album but it was 2 1/2 hours for some reason. Not what I had the time for on Thanksgiving. At least it wasn't super weird and I enjoyed what I heard. 5/10
All British pop bands sound like they’re desperately trying to be the Beatles. These guys are not. It’s not awful, but I don’t want to hear it again.
Uhh, this one joined the pool of "fine I guess, for its era" albums we've had here.
this inexplicably slips into the jangliest 60s rock imaginable for an album from 1980. or maybe it's very imaginable that the "soft boys" are doing a song called "positive vibrations." the rest of it was good though
nice enough
Thought I was in for monster listening session when Apple Music displayed this album as 40 tracks and two and a half hours long. Turns out actual album only 10 tracks and rest were bonus tracks. If these were a bonus at all is debatable because after the first 10 tracks it all did become a bit repetitive. Still the official track listing was a surprise as I did enjoy all of them. Not bad for a band I’ve never heard of before and a genre which doesn’t always rattle my ribs. 3/5 21/11/25
The 2nd half of this album is where it really got going for me. The vocals are by no means bad but there is something about them that I don’t quite love, however, musically this is great and I could definitely return here. Only 36 minutes so might return soon and get a better sense of it.
Not to be dramatic, but it stands to reason that prawns would, in fact, be down by the sea. I'm not sure we needed 6 minutes of reminding us of that fairly obvious conclusion.
Huge album due to the bonus tracks but it's all fine
This was fine, I guess it mattered more in the moment since these guys were "alternative" for their time and influenced what was going to come.
Stylistically interesting and definitely before its time. However, I found the lyrics creepy and disturbing in a way that would make me choose the bear over these guys
This is a fun, Television-esque record. Short and sweet, this album had some good beats, buzz, and “Positive Vibrations” from 1980 (and very sounds like the times). Top tracks: “I Wanna Destroy You,” “Kingdom of Love," "Underwater Moonlight”
--I Wanna Destroy You...sonically it's lighthearted power punk. lyrics are not so light --Kingdom of Love...like the bass. I don't love the track but it has an interesting arrangement --Positive Vibrations...the bass/guitar/sitar middle eight is cool. fun song --I Got the Hots...I'm pretty cold on this one --Insanely Jealous of You...this one has me tapping my toes. not a ton going on but it has a driving rhythm that I enjoy --Tonight...radio-friendly unit shifter --You'll Have to Go Sideways...solid guitar-focused instrumental jam. a little repetitive --Old Pervert...throwing me a curveball here. bass is real heavy. track title is apt; nice 'n' grimy. I like it --Queen of Eyes...generic '60s feel --Underwater Moonlight...feels a little like Pulp. fun closer
I had never heard this before. I really enjoyed the listen.
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.
It was decent
Decent
Why
It is fine, saved like 2 songs. 2.5 but I'll round up to 3.
drei minus
Obviously influential and quite fun but the vocals annoyed me
It was pretty good. Some good tunes
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.
I liked this! But it was also way too long! So it was a love-hate relationship
Not soft. Pretty cool.
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
Jorå
Way too long lol
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!
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 //
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.
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.
3.0
I've bounced off a lot of British Rock but I enjoyed this one!
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.
Surprised this made it to the top 1000 - nothing special just some run of the mill punk/post-punk
Not bad, just not my genre
***An ok album, too many tracks
Post punk that is fun enough for a listen. 3/ 5
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
Pretty decent, catchy high octane rock/pop.
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?
I kept thinking this was rubbish, but my foot kept on tapping along. Did I like this? I'm so confused!
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
Ahead of its but half of the album is undercooked
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.
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
„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.
Way too many songs for an album.
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….
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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 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
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
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
It's okay. They've got passion.
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...
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.
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.
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
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.