Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Definitely want to hear more by them! So close to being a 4 star album!
3.5
I feel like I've had enough new wave albums that I don't really have any interesting insights into this one that I haven't talked about already. But a fun groovy new wave album is still a fun groovy new wave album, so I can't really complain.
Meh.. kinda repetitive and boring
Did not age too well, in my opinion. But also decent overall.
84% Best: I Wanna Destroy You; I Got the Hots; Tonight; Underwater Moonlight Must-Hear? Sure
Liked this more than I thought I would
Wow this album just rocks. Great guitar work and goddamn is this singer pissed at someone, the lyrics are pretty crazy
Nog nooit van gehoord, al komt de hoes me wel bekend voor. Dit klinkt echt heel goed! Precies waarom ik deze "challenge" wou doen, platen ontdekken die ik anders links zou laten liggen. Goeie teksten, strakke songs, tijdloos geluid. Prima!
Really nice guitar and drums, but questionable song titles, 3/5
meh album but wtf is this cover
3- Stars (7/15)
I often see this album lumped in with post-punk classics such as Chairs Missing or Jane, from Occupied Europe, and while it does share some of that feel and sound, it has a much more varied sound than those. It might be more appropriately described as a pop-punk album with lots of jangle DNA as well. Really solid album.
mid
Pre-listening thoughts: I also know nothing about this group actually!! So many unknowns after a week or so of like really famous artists Post/during listening thoughts: idk why this being a commercial failure is really funny to me. The audio quality is garbage 😭😭😭! Like maybe that’s why! Reminds me a little of that Magazine album but less quirked up. I can tell the music is good underneath all of the crappy audio moments. Need a re-remastered version of this. Also this album isn’t 40 songs! Google the original tracklist before listening! 5.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Positive Vibrations, Queen of Eyes Least fav tracks: I Got the Hots
A solid rock album with 80’s new wave vibes! I’d never heard of this band or album before but I would listen to this one again and recommend it to others!
40 songs? Please end my agony.
The half I listened to was good but I will NOT condone this length of album
Over 2 hours?!?
These albums do suffer from being quite similiar to each other. Is this the kinks? The soft boys? Some other english speaking rock band with the same sound? I can't tell them apart! Gotta stop listening to this, it is putting me to sleep.
Oubliable et interminable. Quand on est aussi quelconque, on peut au moins se donner l'élégance de la brièveté
Summer vibes need a Green Day
This def inspired some of my fav bands, cus I could hear some familiar sounds such as in 'You'll have to go sideways' - bass line felt IDLES-ey, with the arrangement itself reminding me of Kid A by Radiohead. This is just one example I've listed. Interesting stuff.
Not bad but didn’t really hit me. I guess I wasn’t really in the mood for this. NOTE: I only listened to the original tracklist of 10 songs. I skipped all the bonus tracks.
M'eh, not the worst but nothing special
Thoughts before listening: 80s new wave of some sort I believe. I don't really know much about these guys. Review: So I see this is Robyn Hitchcock's band. I've heard of him before but don't believe I have listened to his music. I always thought he was sort of in the Elvis Costello vein but this isn't Elvis' brand of poppy rock. It also doesn't sound new wave either, with this largely having a harder post-punk sound. I'd say it was probably a bit out of place in the early 80s, although there would be lots of alternative/indie/college bands that would take on this sound through the rest of the decade. I recognize the first song "I Wanna Destroy You" although I thought it was by a punk band. Overall this is a good discovery for the type of music I enjoy. 4-stars
Soft boys not so soft. 3 1/2 rounded up.
The first half of this album is so painfully boring. It is just some standard and bland rock. Thankfully, the second half has some experimentation, with some weird melodies with the guitars. Still, I don't want to listen to this ever again.
I'm loving this album! solid 4 stars.
I don't know about the Byrds or the Beatles, but I'm sure I detected influences of Dylan and Dire Straits on this album, which is a weird one to be sure. It's clear that this band were very serious about their music, and some of the guitar work is excellent. The lyrics are crazy to the point of being amusing, and I could never describe this album as being forgettable, as many have done. On a different day I might have smacked the album with a lower rating, but somehow it was just what I needed to hear last night, and all things considered, I think it's worth four stars just for its novelty.
Maybe we don't need more obscure early 80s neo psychedelica, but I enjoyed it
Something pub-y for the background, but all the bonus tracks kept dragging.
1.25 stars. So 1. Would've been a 2 if not for being TWO HOURS L ON G nice beginning but gets samey too quick
Music is easy on the ear while it also has some punch. I had never heard of the soft boys. Almost two and a half hours of soft boys would be a bit much, however the bonus tracks break off after just a few listens.
Soooo long - Ok - nothing special or bad
This really didn't sound like an album released in 1980 that was mainly recorded in the late 1970s. It's a glorious combination of psych-rock with pop sensibilities, always entertaining, without overstaying its welcome. The guitar playing was particularly good, and the lyrics were suitably "odd" without being cringe. I would have liked this if I had heard it back in the day, before so many other bands came along with a similar style.
3/5. It's kind of catchy while also still being unique in its lyrics and instrumentation. It's psychedelic in a way with some 80s punk involved. I think with additional listens it could grow on me but it doesn't do a lot of me at this time. It was intriguing for sure so I am interested to re-explore. First listen was average though. Best Song: Queen of Eyes, Insanely Jealous, You'll Have To Go Sideways
2.5 stars
Underwater Moonlight is a wonderfully strange record that manages to be both catchy and completely off its rocker. It takes classic pop songcraft—verses, choruses, melodies you can hum—and runs it through a post-punk, psychedelic filter where everything sounds just slightly wrong in the best way. The guitars jangle and buzz, the rhythms twitch and tumble, and the whole album has this scrappy, urgent energy that keeps it constantly moving. It’s bright and abrasive at the same time, like a sunny day with a looming thunderstorm. What really makes it work is how it balances accessibility and oddness. Songs like I Wanna Destroy You and Kingdom of Love are loud, fun, and immediate, but they also have that slightly deranged edge that makes them hard to pin down. Even the slower moments feel slightly unhinged, like they’re about to spiral off somewhere surreal. There’s a real sense of forward motion in the album’s pacing too—it never lingers too long in one space, and even its stranger moments feel purposeful. It’s a smart, nervy record that still sounds fresh, full of colour and chaos.
No idea
Who listens to this?
Enjoyed it but the songs blend together. Pretty basic
I listened to the 10 tracks listed as the original album and kinda enjoyed it. I nearly punched in a 4 here but such is the divide between my 3s and 4s I don't think this quite earned its place there, but I at least came away from this one with some understanding as to how it earned a spot on the list.
Way better than expected. At first I was going to say it's a punk rock Beatles. The singer sounds like George Harrison and there is sitar in one of the songs. But they actually are not all that punk. I like it though. Queen of Eyes and Positive Vibrations are good ones.
Interesting - I'm not a fan of the byrds, but I'm aware of Robyn Hitchcock, and I like how this was put together. Some nice songs, in particular the instrumental "you'll have to go sideways". A few like "Old Pervert" which haven't aged as well. A strong 3 which, considering I was expecting to hate it, is quite good. Be aware on Tidal that you get the reissue with about 30 bonus tracks - only the first 10 are the original album.
2/5⭐ não é horrível, mas depois da metade do álbum fica cansativo por ter muita música
This was extremely enjoyable
I really enjoyed it but 40 songs is too many for one album
Surprisingly good, 4 stars
Wow that took awhile. This definitely grew on me. I think I would appreciate the album more and the multiple versions of the same song with more listens. This is a nice change of pace from boys that really try to go hard. Really somewhere between a 3 and 4.
I genuinely don't know what I'm supposed to get from this album. It's quirky pop rock that could've been notable had it come out in the 60s, but it seems like pretty cookie cutter neo-psychedelia rock. 3/5 because it was a fine listen.
Awesome. Has a modern lovers-esque edginess that fits smoothly relaxed vocals and weird off-kilter lyrics. Instrumentation is varied and well-done. Love giving 5 stars to a band/album I've never heard of. That's the best case scenario for this program!
If you put a gun to my head, I'm not sure I could remember anything about this album or any aspect of any song besides the fact that it can't have been so bad as to make me remember hating it.
I zero percent expected to hear a veena pop up in the background of this. What? Loved it. There were a lot of great moments, and while I hear the proto-psychedelic sound there is also something very beach boys about it. There were times where it was less beach boys and more psychedelic and I did not like that as much, though I found myself appreciating the musical contribution.
What a discovery! Loved You'll Have to Go Sideways, real Yo La Tengo vibes.
Pretty catchy.
Genial disco de rock que por momentos podría engañarnos haciéndonos pensar que se está inclinando hacia algo más pop, y de pronto sus guitarras, letras y una muy extraña y profunda oscuridad que se siente detrás de todo lo alegre de las canciones, nos toma por completo desprevenidos. Increíble que este disco no haya sido un exitazo y provocara el fin de la carrera de Los suavecitos.
A tightly-packed, effortless blend of psychedelic, post-punk, jangle pop - immensely enjoyable!
My favorite band, R.E.M., was formed the same year as Underwater Moonlight was released. It's not hard to hear, how the jangly sound of The Soft Boys would have influenced the wave of college rock bands in the early 80's. Great record, mixing post-punk, psychedelia and jangle pop as easy as 1-2-3.
Was net niet bijzonder genoeg
The impact was mainly in its influence, but it’s a sparkler to hear on its own terms, and a direct link from psychedelia to indie rock (hello REM). One gets that Robyn Hitchcock – the Peter Sellars of indie rock – can be an acquired taste for his elevated, arty silliness, but enough jokes land and there are enough inspired touches (sitar on “Positive Vibrations”) to make this a keeper. “Tonight” and “Queen of Eyes” and title cut and opener are all strong. One will need to access the bonus cuts on the remastered deluxe editions to get the answer to that critical music question “Where Are All the Prawns?”
If you look at the musical yearbook from 1980, you’ll smile as you remember an incoming, “freshman” band named U2, and you’ll also see older, cool kids like the Clash and Talking Heads. But wait, who were…the Soft Boys? This band might not have received much attention, and didn’t last long. But they carved out a unique lane. They weren’t as angry as the Clash, they weren’t as witty as Talking Heads—though they were a little of both. They also weren’t as serious-minded as U2, or as minimalist as some other bands in the post-punk world. But they combine all these elements into a rich, full sound and interesting songwriting. As it turns out, this was Robyn Hitchcock’s band… hmm, I've heard of that guy. Another band member formed Katrina and the Waves. It’s also said they were a big influence on R.E.M., which is believable based on those opening tracks. So a 4/5 for this pleasant surprise. It dips in the middle or I would have rounded up to 5.
This is one clear examples of why there was a lot of excitement for music at the dawn of the 80s. Not quite punk or new wave, this album feels like one of the signs pointing to the alternative rock genre. Twangy, fun, and not over produced. A pleasant surprise!
Interesting mix of 60s-ish psychedelia and…punk? I think? Neat, 3.5
Rúmlega tveir og hálfur klukkutími af algjöru meðalmennskurokki með lélegum söngvara er ekki það sem ég þurfti að hlusta á áður en ég dey. Ég átta mig á að þetta voru fullt af bónuslögum en platan sjálf var heldur ekki góð
I was a huge punk fan back in the day (still am) but somehow these guys fell through the cracks as I never heard of them. No great loss - pretty boring generic stuff.
2.0 - Weak
No tengo idea qué escribir sobre esto porque lo olvidé completamente al terminarlo. Nota: 2.1
This is what I signed up for, a fascinating (and long!) album from an artist I'd only vaguely heard of. Likely to come back to this
I'll admit, I was not at all jazzed about sinking into a 2 and a half hour long album, and while I still don't care for the length of this, it is an incredibly solid, modern-sounding punk record with so much weird shit going on I couldn't help but admire. We have tracks here reminiscent of early Pink Floyd that take wild left turns, paired with groovy post-punk beats. The only guarantee across the album is that there are no guarantees, and you have to respect the effort there.
Jangly guitars, tight harmonies, and eccentric songwriting create an accessible and adventurous sound across a just alright album.
A cool piece from a less “top of mind” post-punk band. 1980 was a big year, holy.
what's with the ventriloquist dolls?
Another album that has retrospectively decided to be cool. It was ok
At times this album was cool and punky. At other times a pale stand in for The Rolling Stones. I’m not sure there was much here that I’ll be coming back to.
sparkly guitars, garage and raw album sounds exactly like you are in 80. Would always have it in a playlist 3.5
I’ve never heard of The Soft Boys before, but I’ve seen this album cover on the List Challenges website, and I’m really curious as to what this album is like. I tend to love the eighties when it comes to music, so I have high hopes for this. Let’s jump in! I thought this album was pretty good. It was a really unique slice of new wave, blended with some energetic rhythms and punk rock social commentary. The guitar playing was good, especially on the up-tempo songs like “I Wanna Destroy You,” “Tonight,” and “Positive Vibrations.” There was some really solid bass playing later on in the album too, from “Insanely Jealous” through “You’ll Have to Go Sideways.” I found the vocals to be pretty solid throughout the album, and the violin playing on the title track was really good too. As much as I enjoyed some of the guitar playing, some of the slower and more rhythmically driven songs bored me a bit. Even with some good guitar playing, there weren’t that many memorable hooks or melodies; the songs were enjoyable in the moment, but I don’t think this album is going to stick with me. This was a fun listen, and I can see how it influenced other bands, but I don’t think it’s something I’d go back to.
This band has a foot in the past and one stepping forward. Interesting sound. I don’t hate it, but I’m not Gaga over it.
2.5 - I started hopeful, but I dunno just really fell flat for me
No strong feelings. I think I liked a lot of the bonus tracks more than the album itself. 3/5
Genuinely quite enjoyable. Far too long.
I was listening to it, and it was okay. But it kept going ... and going ... and ... I checked ... FORTY SONGS? I'm sorry, I just can't ....
Okay.
Albumi #173, 12.03.2025 The Soft Boysin toinen albumi julkaistiin vuonna 1980. Ihan jees meininkistä powerpopin tai janglepopin tapaista jytkytystä. Kolme ja puoli tähteä.
ok
Trying to look past the shear length is difficult, sounds like Bob Dylan at points, eastern accent is very obvious which I like, gives a uniqueness to the voice although not a fan of the production - to airy and dry.
such a long album but i did enjoy, pretty cool
Yeah. This is really good and will hit you in just the right spots. Feeling like a lost gem of early alternative, this is just the right mix of jangley psychedelic pop, punk aesthetics, with the outright bizarre.
Uuuurgh aloolaa chocatatata turluturu
This is one of the big surprises on this list - good stuff, particularly the guitar work.
Die Texte waren fragwürdig. Aber die Musik war schon ziemlich eingängig.
just ok
Sorry, to me, nothing new, groundbreaking or genre-definjng here. Not a must hear...
Was decent but damn was this album about 90 minutes too long.
T/m Old Pervert
Absolutely shimmering Robyn Hitchcock
There are too many 60's albums to get through on here to enjoy an album that sounds like a 60's albums. Not all bad but I wasn't able to appreciate its influence.
Psykrock med lidt punk over det, sikkert indflydelsesrigt men ikke helt deroppe
It was fine but nothing grabbed me too much
A pleasant surprise. I really dig this edgy REM. Super good!
I liked it — cool to hear a clear contemporary of Pixies — but I dunno if it’s something I’d come back to. I think it’s a 3, but a high one. Nah, ok, I’ll give it a low 4.
Long but a solid album all the way through. Jammy without feeling directionless.
Needs to fully commit to the weird
I didn't know such band or album before, but this was good album, liked the vibe.
Fuck Old Pervert
fun but forgettable!
Worth another listen, not bad.
I rather enjoyed this. Very British, but the influence on later American acts can be felt. I usually don’t listen to the bonus tracks on these things, but I opted to do so today.
# 419 : it wasn't bad, I don't love, I don't hate it. Am I glad I listened to this? I suppose, but who has time to listen to all 40 songs at over 2 hours?. Did I enjoy it? In parts. Will I come back to it? Doubtful.
Nothing really stood out. Was fine.
Terrific – and the bridge from the ‘60s to the ‘80s. One’s always liked Hitchcock’s solo work but this is is excellent. Opener, title cut, “Tonight” and “Queen of Eyes” are the top tracks. Who this record influenced is important, of course, but it also works very well on its own.
This is the right mix of punk and power pop. Great record, listened to it a few times.
Music: Kicks Ass Length of album: Kicked my Ass Best Song: I Wanna Destroy You Rating: 7.5/10 3 Stars
I was 18 in 1980 and bought 'Sounds' (a music paper) every week, yet I've not heard of them or this album. Maybe it's the naff name? (certainly not up there with Joy Division or Echo and the Bunnymen) or the unmemorable tunes ( after 3 listens yesterday, I can't remember one track this morning). Still at least I gave it 3 listens so it can't have been that bad.
This album is like a step before all the music that inspired nirvana such as the pixies but then it still keeps a strong fondness for the 60’s. That’s what’s important about this album, every single song is at least decent, I wanna destroy you is the best but the album is consistent, even the track ‘old pervert’ is entertaining 5/5
the terribly underrated boys who made a perfect album
This just kept going. Would've given it another star if it were half the length.
Can't believe i never heard of these guys. Totally see where Supergrass and Stone Roses got their inspiration from
Was relieved when Tim said it was only the ten songs. I liked this and have never heard of them or their songs. I am not confident in my musical knowledge but it sounds a bit velvet underground, beach boys perhaps a bit Ian Dury in the speaky bits. I enjoyed 'I got the hots for you' maybe the lyrics are a bit dated but whatever. Surprised to see that this is 1980, I'd of put it earlier.
Like this a lot. Very nice discovery. Can feel the influence on a lot of stuff I love.
Certainly a band I have never heard of before, I rather surprisingly liked it, which made me explore a little more and can really understand the influence they had on bands such as REM & the Stone Roses. It kind of links the 60's decade with the 90s decade (despite coming from the 80's decade!) when it comes to that psychedelic kind of Rock genre. Has this album taking me by surprise? Yes. Would I listen to it again? Yes. After a few more listens would I mark it higher than 3? Probably (& that's the beauty of this one album a day game, every day's a school day) ps. the album cover makes me smile.
"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"
Meh
they're ok. but i'm not insanely fond of that kinda beatles classic rock thingy...
Interesting album I had not heard before
gerði ekki mikið fyrir mig. en er ánægður almennt með stefnuna og tímabilið. gef 3,5 svo ég hlusti aftur.
Some fun and interesting moments, but overall very boring and derivative. The singing was particularly unenjoyable, and I found it rather interesting that the best and most musically engaging song on the album was the instrumenta track. Moments of potential that are never fully realized or explored surrounded by a sound that ranges from bland to unappealing. Top tracks: You'll Have To Go Sideways
What a nice surprise, some early post-punk/jangle-pop that i've never even heard about. Was a blast the whole way through, was sad when it ended. Though that last track especially was a banger.
Wow, this sounds like the missing link between 70's Rock and Power Pop and all the Indie Rock that came afterwards. You can really hear how it was inspired by both Psych Rock and the later Punk and Power Pop. The songs are all fun listens even though they don't really stick yet. Probably gonna listen to this one more, it's a fun short and punchy album. The fact that the streaming version has 40 songs on it probably lowers the score a lot on here.
Mediocre
Not my kinda album. They seem like a generic mix of a bunch of different bands tbh.
That was a LOT of music. No complaints, in fact I think I'd have loved it had I discovered it in the 80's. Seems dated now, but very representative of the day.
The best new wave album I have ever heard. Would be perfect If I liked new wave, but for it being a genre I am not keen to, this one rocks. 7/10
Really good, groovy, like if all those Beatles sounding bands took the good drugs. Too damn long tho.
Great underrated album.
i wish this were better. i liked the lyrics/themes A LOT but i wasn’t particularly enamored of the sound itself. too bad…
That was pretty fun actually! I enjoyed it
I actually really enjoyed this. Lots of similarities to Pixies, which is one of my all time favourite bands. You can tell how The Soft Boys influenced them.
Väldigt långt album - 2.5h. Lite roligt och flamsigt
Not sure why this is on here. Just sounds like they listened to too much Rolling Stones. Not memorable
It was just OK, there are better albums of that genre 15 years before
Not terrible, just dull
I've never heard of the Soft Boys and was pleasantly surprised that this was a UK-based artist. The influence is very obvious over what would become later 80s music. This is a well deserved cult classic that will get a respin from me for sure. 4/5
Was better than expected, felt more 90s than 80s.
In my opinion it's boring
ich verstehe, dass dieses album in den 80ern inspirierte, aber gleich 40 songs mit 2.5h laufzeit? für mich zuviel und ohne highlight.
Einfluss oder nicht. Mir egal, ich finde die Platte echt nicht hörenswert.
Some fun stuff here, from a group I'd never heard of before.
It's been a long time since I haven't been able to make it through an album, but I am struggling on this one. For some weird reason ... forcing my self to listen to it is actually making me mad. It really does sound like an album someone wrote over a period of time as they slowly descended into madness.
I liked the sort of soft punk sound, and some of the lyrics were cute and clever. All the bonus tracks were a bit much; the songs all sounded the same after the 11th or 12th
Pretty good, actually. I would listen again.
I’ve been thinking more and more about the actual title of this “albums to hear before you die” and I think it’s shaping my opinion more and more. I find I have less patience for what I think is mediocre. Did I need to hear this album? Not really. +1 for I got the hots
I'd never heard of this band or album and thoroughly enjoyed getting introduced to them
It was alright for a band I’ve never heard of before. I can see how they were considered rock underground. Definitely not a commercial sound but still overall listenable.
Lovely lost album. I know Robyn Hitchcock from his solo work - it’s fun to find this album. It’s even more fun to hear how this impacted on all 80s and 90s indie music.
The lyrics in this are just my thing! Surreal, dark and creative all around.
- I had to go back and check the release year ... so forward looking, so good. -
Schrott.
Not for me. 1/5
Not bad - weird at times - but alright background music again especially for tv shows like How I Met Your Mother ahaha i don't know what I'm saying
Pretty Soft from the Soft Boys - wasn't in the mood for these funstars
This album was a fun one. I definitely get some jam-band psychedelic rock type, combined with a pop/punk vibe as well. Odd and unusual - but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Cool influences, but all sort of blended together due to length of album
This is fine. I don't see the significance of this album, though. Overall average and forgettable.
Hab den Wiki Artikel gelesen beim Hören, und jo.....definitiv die Vorläufer von REM und so, aber irgendwie fand ichs trotzdem nicht schön. Wahrscheinlich deswegen auch REM so erfolgreich, haben dieser Art von Musik den Feinschliff verpasst. So fand ich dieses Album dieser Band eher Medium - 3 Sterne
Ganz nett anzuhören.
Medium
Not bad, but it didn't make a tremendous impression on me.
How have I not heard of this band until now? This is totally up my alley. Whatever, glad I did check this out though, even if some pockets of it were a bit odd. Probably an 8
Left only the softest of marks
Another basic Andy 🤷
can definitely see the rem influence!! i quite enjoyed!!!
This was fine. I see how they influenced The Pixies and others. It was fine.
It was enjoyable punk rock, I was having a good time until I scrolled down. 2 hours and 30 minutes is unnecessary, I can't do it. Gets so damn boring after a while.
Really fun listen! Can’t say it does enough for me to love it though.
Poorly produced 80s trash
I liked this one! Good vibes 4 ⭐️
Unhinged but beautiful and charming. Enough poprock sensibilities to keep the audience engaged as they dive off the lyrical deep end.
# Playlist track - Underwater Moonlight # Notes - Is that really a 40 song, 2 and a half hour album? No way dude. - This is a fun listen. The energy is there, cool guitars and all. But that's WAY too much. - "You'll have to go sideways" is just a boring solo. - Stopping the listen around track 13 or so. This just isn't good enough to justify 3 hours with it.
Maso
2.5 stars. As a precursor to modern alternative rock it's decent, especially the first half of the record. But it drags on gets old, too long. Standouts are "I Wanna Destroy You" and "Insanely Jealous of You".
Odd and eccentric pop genius from Robyn Hitchcock and company. The first album has its moments, but this album delivers on the promise. An excellent and purely original punk rock take on Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd weirdness.
Made the mistake of listening to the full 2,5 hours only to find out the original album was only the first 10 songs. Still, did like it, would perhaps listen again in a while. Update 2 years later: I did not, downgrading from 4 to 3.
long as hell, didn't listen all way through. not a bad sound tho
This is like a missing puzzle piece you find years later for a puzzle you’d already sold in a garage sale. Obviously influential to so many other bands who became a lot more famous than the Soft Boys.
Really good, and I'd like to check out more Soft Boys. I never heard of them before. The version on spotify is 40 song long. Why can't I just have the 10 track release as original, instead of every ultra low fi recording they could dig up to put on this special variant.
This was surprising and amazing.
There are so many of these post-punk bands that sound so similar that I really just can’t get into them. If you love this genre, you should feel like a pig in shit because this was such a massive scene in the early 80s. Look at this as a bridge from The Velvet Underground to R.E.M. 3.2/5
For the benefit of everyone else - the original album is just the first 10 tracks on Spotify ('I wanna destroy you' to 'underwater moonlight'). That's a much more manageable listen, and keeps them at a 3 for me. If I had to actually listen to this for 2.5 hours, the rating would be much, much worse. 3/5
An album I'd never heard of before, and I loved it
4.5 Good listen for sure. I thought it sounded like a post-punk beatles (early beatles that is). Some interesting guitar work. There were a couple proggy spots that reminded me of a band I listen to now, Squid, that I like.
Meh
Good one
Absolutely loved this one. Never heard of them before and it was a real revelation. Can see that so many bands were influenced by them!
Too many songs that were too similar - enjoyed it got about 20 minutes then it descended into a trudge
This is surprisingly good. I never heard of them before. I can see how it has been influential. Nearly took marks off for some of the daft lyrics. Want to give it a 3.5 but that’s not a thing so 4 it is
Really nice bit of jangly post punk. The sound is pretty ahead of its time too. Let down a bit by songwriting.
Definitely progressive, sounds very 90s but just thought it was all fairly mid
Meh
Ei kovin laadukasta. En löytäny oikeen mtn tarttumapintaa
Норм. Лучшая песня - I Wanna Destroy You.
eh..
Simpatico
Only my second Joni album ever. I listened to Blue a long time ago and disliked it. I should revisit that album because this is really great.
When I heard the opening notes I thought "oh joy, more indie rock" and wasn't much looking forward to hearing the rest. The first track 'I Wanna Destroy You' is their most popular (according to Spotify) and I didn't like it much. I thought the chorus was weak. It didn't bode well. But after a lacklustre opener, it actually went from strength to strength. 'Positive Vibrations' picked things up a bit. 'I Got The Hots' was a slow, bluesy, country sounding song that chugs away nicely with a catchy chorus. 'Insanely Jealous of You' is a slightly frantic track, with an uneasy sound. 'You'll Have To Go Sideways' is a great instrumental. 'Old Pervert' almost ventures into heavy metal territory and the closer and title track is the closest thing to a ballad this album gets. I read that R.E.M. was inspired by the band, and I can certainly hear shades of them in certain tracks here and there. The vocals are pretty good and not monotonous like I thought they would be. The guitar work shines here, there's all sorts of little riffs and licks on every track. I don't really understand how this was "influential on the development of psychedelic rock" according to Wikipedia. I guess in 1980 it may well have been. What I thought was going to be a slog to get through turned out to be a good little album.
Ahead of its time, some good tracks. Between a 3 and a 4
Wieso hat die Version auf spotify sooo viele lieder...da können sie ja nichts dafür. Man hört wie einflussreich das ding war
A lighthearted missing link between punk and indie rock. Wonderful guitar sounds, clever lyrical concepts, psychedelic dynamics. Lovely!
All I can say is that it is … interesting.
чисто нормис софт рокешник. в моей системе координат троечка - это ок нормик
Good ass post-punk - it's been a while since I've heard post-punk as good as this! It's not special or anything, it strips the genre's generally varied sounds down to their most rudimentary, which might be exactly what draws me to it. It's not barebones by any means, but fundamentally strong and punchy. There are still some experimental genre fusion moments here, especially on the song 'Positive Vibrations', which gives off this particular '60s psychedelic and pop-rock vibe...reminds me of The Who in that sense. I'm not a fan of describing albums as "cool," but this album just feels like the people who made it are way fucking cool. Like how a song like 'Insanely Jealous of You' stutters its way through its bitter spoken-word passage with that tightly picked bassline egging it on. 'Tonight', for as catchy as it is, is quite unsettling lyrically—I didn't take it too seriously though; the album does an exceptional job at setting itself up to NOT be taken seriously on the lyrical front. 'Old Pervert' gives off very subtle 'Big Black' vibes with that cacophonous and twisted guitar riff - the subject matter too is very...ominous and quite disturbing. This is the kind of cheeky post-punk from the early '80s that I can always get behind. This album cover rules too and 'I Wanna Destroy You' is a great ass song!
Really wanted to like this more.
Great alternative rock that is melodic with cool guitar riffs.
Sounded like many British bands of that late 70s time, felt like the Siouxsie and the Bandhees, Talking Heads or even the Psychedelic Furs just produced new music. It wasn’t bad just not insanely original.
Not sure why this is on the list, low 2.
2.5 hours and none of it is special in any way. Wtf is this.
Sort of beatlesy landfill 60s pop rock. Thought the attempts to be 'experimental' were pretty dreadful, maybe the Beatles aren't that bad at it after all. Just read the wiki and apparently it was released in 1980 and is considered psychedelic? It's a bit quirky but I wouldn't go that far. Even less impressed now knowing it came out after a whole extra decade of progress. 1.5.
I didn't like the recording quality - it sounded underwater. Just not for me - overly long, not particularly entertaining. The different versions of Old Pervert were very unnecessary. 1 seems harsh, but I just didn't have a nice time listening.
Never heard of the soft boys and it seems they weren't about for long. Immediately identifiable as English rock. I thought it was fine but nothing amazing. Seems a lot of later acts cite them as inspiration, which is perhaps why I don't find it so interesting. Maybe it was at the time. Thought some of the bonus tracks were the best...... Had to listen to this in 2 seasons. 2 and a half hours is too much! And 4 versions of a song about a pervert is too much too! I actually think there's bits here that were pretty good, but it's too long..... I suppose the original album wasn't that long but the one I listened to was and for that reason it's the 3 side of 3.5
I liked and enjoyed it but it didn't rise to the level of something I would seek out. If I were present and someone threw it on I'd be content to listen again. Very OK.
Interessanter psychedelic rock. Das Original-Album ist gut zu hören. Bei den Bonus-Tracks kam bei mir dann das Gefühl auf, dass es sich ganz schön in die Länge zieht. 4/5
Really enjoyed this one. Little bits of multiple genres perfectly smashed into one album.
Terrible.
Neither of us had heard of The Soft Boys before this, however, we will be regular listeners now
It's almost really good. I can hear future bands taking this kinda sound and making it much better, but these people just didn't quite get there.
This was ok. Kinda forgettable but also kinda unique. 3.2
Greit
Robyn Hitchcock’s surrealist psychedelic masterpiece. Still an underrated gem.
Ich hab mir leider meine Gedanken nicht aufgeschrieben
Just ok at best. Some songs weren't terrible, but plenty of them were.
This was fine. Better than expected (I expected nothing), although I just listened to the first 10 songs (the playlist was like 40) and remember nothing.
I liked Positive Vibrations and Strange.
It wasn't anything particularly special, but really enjoyable to listen to. The songs that stuck out for me were 'I got the hots' and 'Underwater moonlight'. I'd put this album on again for sure. 3.5/5 stars
Jesus fucking christ this was miserable. this is definitely not the worst album we've had but it just really wasn't that good at all and its so goddamn long I dont understand why its on this list and I dont know how anyone listens to this and enjoys it. at least as an album. Some of the songs were fine, but overall I just didn't like it. I think this may have been the least I've enjoyed listening to an album on this list so far. Like it wasn't even comically or offensively bad, at least thats entertaining. This was just bad. edited: I dont know what I was going off about this wasn't that bad. it still wasn't good.
5/10 - it went from normal rock to boring rock. One of the songs had cool instrumentation. They were soft I have to say.
It was aight
Fun, funky early 80's sound. Worth another listen and probably some other albums as well. It has sounds from late 60s and 70s rock but also a very 80s sounds plus bits and pieces that have influenced 2010s indie rock sounds. Very versatile.
Too many annoying songs
Liked the songs but nothing stood out to me. Also…twice as many bonus tracks as “real” ones feels a bit much.
Seems like early 80s to me….
The first track on this album is a 5 (I Wanna Destroy You). I do think this band was probably the first of its kind to inspire music like Nada Surf / any kind of college indie - was a cool listen as I didn’t know these guys existed.
A gem of an album. Really enjoyed it.
did NOT make it through this whole thing! good vibes though
Not bad but just made me want to listen to a better band the whole time. Kind of like a bridge between the Stones and New Wave stuff
I like it. I've never listened before but I'll probably come back
More psychedelic rock. How much is there on this list? Fast paced, catchy, all sounded the same though. And then I saw it was 40 songs long.... might not listen to the bonus ones. It was decent. Got quite strange towards the end. Highlights: I Wanna Destroy You Positive Vibrations
Nice enough
Boring, album sounds like it should have been from the late 60s, not 1980
Spotify wil me hier 2 uur en 27 minuten mee vermaken door 30 bonustracks toe te voegen. Ik beperk me lekker de originele 36 minuten. Op de Wikipedia word je met gekke genrebenamingen om de oren geslagen, maar desondanks is het een wat saai album. Het is een beetje Beach Boys, Monkees met een klein randje punk maar net niet, en iets wat R.E.M. later beter zal doen. Vergeetbare 3.
Strong first half, weak second half.
You’ll Have to Go Sideways when you listen to this. It does give out some Positive Vibrations though.
Quite good and catchy
The Soft Boys really feel lost in time. But was this album released too late for the 60s psychedelic movement? Or too early for 90s indie rock? It exists somewhere in between but not along the usual evolution of rock music in the intervening decades. Instead, it opts to revive the Byrds and the Beatles while injecting it with experiments from a future beyond 1980. It's punk, new wave, classic rock, and psychedelia all rolled into one. At many points, it reminded of Velvet Underground, if they'd gotten their start in the early 80s. The more I listen, the more I love this. What a hidden gem this album is!
I will be skipping the bonus tracks sorry soft boys. I think this is okay. Just all kinda sounds the same. But not bad!
I really enjoy the first 10 songs but now I'm gonna take a break.
It's so long! Didn't finish it.
Listened to the original tracklist, not full extended album. Harmony singing style reminded me of the Beach Boys, and the music reminded me of the Yardbirds. Didn't click for me, 2/5.
Robyn Hitchcock has long been one of my musical blindspots and this album, at least, makes me regret that. What a blast.
It's so cool listening to music Pitchfork would've given an 8.2 in 1980.
Great Music - weird lyrics. And 30 bonus tracks??
I couldn't finish this.
I thought I'd like this more, but it was just alright. 2.5 stars.
Not terrible, but not great either. I knew the first track from somewhere, but that was it.
There's a lot of it some of which is a 'challenging listen' & a weird habit of the lyrics being the title repeated ad infinitum - albeit often in a very pleasant way. A tough one to rate, for all of the above there's several tracks that are absolute bangers.
How have I never heard of this before? When I pulled up the album on Amazon Music, it's 40 songs and 2.5 hours which is too much of anything. Except this is so good. I've rarely - maybe never - heard so many bands that would later come along within a recording. It turns out the original was only 10 tracks, but all 40 are worth it.
Pretty enjoyable album although nothing really stood out that much.
I enjoyed this one a lot. It’s just really good I don’t know what to say about it
The original album is 10 songs of tight rock pop in the vein of Television and Big Star. Don’t be fooled by the 2 1/2 hour 40 track bloat of the reissue which is strictly obsessive fan only curiosities. Hugely influential on a generation of indie rockers especially creation-era c86 types. Great stuff following in the footsteps of greatness for which it almost but not quite reaches. 4.8 stars 😀
I'll admit: I didn't finish the whole album as it appears on Spotify. It was 2 hours and 40 minutes, which is pretty nuts. I enjoyed the first few tracks, but got annoyed after an hour and a half, so had to deduct a star.
Sometimes albums are under appreciated gems due to circumstances. Timing, marketing etc etc. Some times the album just isn’t that good.
They manage to cram every good sound from the 60s and 70s into this album and make it work.
Mediocre at best. Some songs better than others, but nothing I'd rush to get back to.
Remember Robyn Hitchkock from the 80's but had never listened to this group. Interesting!
I didn’t fully connect with this
Bit samy and long
It’s ok. Fun and upbeat. But I only listened to half of the album. It’s so long!! Over two hours. No thank you.
This was a grower, not a show'er. Tracks i enjoyed - wanna destroy you, kingdom of love and jealous of you. Overall a decent listen but took a few goes if im honest. Thats not a bad thing though. The OG album is actually pretty short at 35 mins or so. I might come back to this at some point. Dont think it should be on the list though.
British rock, very Beatles inspired. It was okay.
Robyn Hitchcock is an excellent stylistic emulator of the songwriting of Syd Barrett. On Underwater Moonlight, it sometimes sounds like Barrett himself charting a curious course through the weird waters of the chaotic 1980s. Of course, Hitchcock stands apart on his own merits, yet the influence of Barrett-era Floyd’s sunny psychedelia shines through. And for all that, I’m a fan.
I’m pretty split on this album. On one hand, it’s an incredibly influential record that blends post-punk with neo-psychedelia and jangle pop. The Soft Boys were clearly inspired by 60s psychedelic and folk music, with The Byrds being a major influence. But what’s impressive is that The Soft Boys went on to influence the 80s indie and alternative scene, especially with their jangly guitar work. R.E.M. and The Smiths have both pointed to this album as a key influence on their sound. So, while I appreciate a lot of what this album has to offer, some elements just feel a bit off-kilter to me. I really wish I enjoyed it more, but overall, I’d give it a slightly better-than-average 3.5.
didn't hate it, didn't love it.
The Soft Boys? You bet they are... 0/5
I don't hate it, could stand to listen to it again. The bonus track thing... Really detracts from it so - 1 for a 2hr album
Alternative Rock with 60s vibe, surf / beach boys inspiration. Neat, not what I expected for the early 80s
They probably had a place in the post-punk, Brit-noise era. Fun I guess, but like many 80’s British bands, they just don’t age well.
This was an unexpected treat, an 80s album I hadn’t heard before that was actually quite fun. Even when I didn’t love the music, the lyrics were usually quite funny, even/especially when they don’t make any sense.
I never heard The Soft Boys before but man I really liked this record
Pretty solid but nothing groundbreaking
Decent. Two and a half hours is a tough sell.
I listened to the entire 2.5 hour remaster of this album, never having heard anything by them before except I Wanna Destroy You. I could hear so many artists that were inspired by them in this album and it was such a treat. Love the bass lines.
Honestly this album is sick. Something about it just really speaks to me.
holy shit, how does this record have 30 bonus tracks?! I didn't love this album but it wasn't terrible to listen to. Felt like they took great inspiration from the Beatles, 70s art rock, and punk and kind of mixed it all up.
God no.
The disconcerting cover was a clue. This is icky and I felt like I was listening to the record collection of Jimmy Savile. Then the titles of the next 39 tracks added dread to that. The lyrics are a nauseating string of chiches. I check. Yep.. As I suspected. This perversion is English. Anyway, I Not in the mood for disgust or listening to other people's hated today. Aborted at track 3. Trust your instincts.
I saw Robyn Hitchcock at The Basement about 15 years ago, as support for a Q&A by famous 60’s & 70’s rock identity Joe Boyd (most notably worked with Incredible String Band, Nick Drake, John Martyn, R.E.M.). Can’t remember what he played except for a few Dylan covers & his voice, which was never the greatest voice, was in decline by then. So I was keen to listen to this album, particularly when I discovered that Kimberley Rew was a member of the band. When The Soft Boys broke up, Rew formed Katrina & The Waves & wrote their big hit Walking On Sunshine, but more importantly, wrote my favourite Bangles track, Going Down To Liverpool. And I wasn’t disappointed. This is a terrific record. Often influenced by the 12-string approach of The Byrds (which R.E.M. would cite as the influence they took from The Soft Boys) the music here is not one-dimensional. From the opening track, I Wanna Destroy You, which is very reminiscent of We Love You by the Stones, to Queen Of Eyes, which sounds so much like The Byrds, to the quality pop of Kingdom Of Love, every track is a delight. And then there’s I Got The Hots, which comes out of nowhere & almost steals the show. Really enjoyed hearing this album for the first time & I’ve just kept playing it.
I approached this album with trepidation. There have been quite a few cult' artists on this list, who generally do not live up the hype of their sycophantic fanboys. "Oh, So And So is a genius! You wouldn't have heard anything he did, but his first album is great, but it was only ever released on wax cylinder in Azerbaijan. I've got a copy, but you wouldn't have heard it. He went mad and lived in a dustbin for 30 years. He had a triumphant return at the Royal Albert Hall where turned his back to the audience and farted into a microphone for a continuous hour before pouring a bucket of eels all over himself! I've got a bootleg, and it's the greatest work of art in the 21st century! But you wouldn't have heard of him." I exaggerate for effect, but Robyn Hitchcock falls a bit into that camp, and he tends to play the part. I had some justified fear going into this record that it was going to be over-praised, under-produced and willfully obscure. Reading that the recording budget was 600 quid didn't fill me with confidence either. But, at first listen, I was pleasantly surprised. Some solid tunes and playing, great harmony singing (although Hitchcock's voice can be idiosyncratic. He hasn't leant into the full-blown annoying bleat of some of his later output). The band can rock, and it sounds way better than it has any right to, given how cheaply it was recorded. After a few more spins, I really started digging it. There are some really solid power pop tunes on here. The lyrics are often surprising in a weird Dylan kind of way. It isn't really of its time; I can see why it wasn't a hit at the time. But if you are recording songs like this, on the dirt cheap, self releasing, and using cover art like that, you really weren't ever expecting to sell a million copies. The deluxe version I listened to had a bunch of bonus tracks (from the Two Halves For the Price of One album compilation thingy) which were also pretty solid, which surprises me because bonus tracks are usually mildly interesting rubbish at best. I would totally listen to this again. But only on wax cylinder. 3.5 stars, rounding up for being a genuine surprise
This album is great. I love it!
2.5☆/5 08.15.2024
Much less punk than yesterday's album. Another reviewer aptly called it "the Byrds, but punk."
I knew some of Robyn Hitchcock’s solo work and of course Katrina and the Waves, but had no idea that they both originated in the Soft Boys. Another reviewer described this as: “What if The Byrds were a punk rock band?” which is the perfect description, so I’m stealing it. A fun listen, and you can hear the influences on jangle pop / 1980s indie rock. Songs I liked: I Wanna Destroy You, Tonight, Queen of Eyes, Underwater Moonlight, I Wanna, Er, Over You. 3⭐️