Reviews (page 2 of 8)
someone else's guilty pleasure, for sure
65
Not bad, probably worth another listen soon.
I was really expecting to like this, but honestly, I felt like it kinda sucked. Maybe the visuals were more of the thing, and that’s totally fair, but I found the music to be underwhelming.
Umm, not sure why I always wrote this off as a non-serious maybe one-hit-wonder, but I was so pleased to discover I was wrong. When I’d see people mention Adam Ant as a good thing I just assumed they didn’t have very good taste. Sorry, people I judged! You were right; I was wrong.
Album 310. Kings Of The Wild Frontier (https://open.spotify.com/album/3rCtKLmTi3yf2kRbolwWaV?si=n07nHhJ4Qg2BMwVcFaGPsg) — Adam & The Ants (1980) This album probably was recorded before The Great Ants Revolution and The Ants Invasion. We don't have data on when it happened, we only have consequences. The result is that there are approximately only 8 billion humans on Earth and 20 quadrillion ants. So, correctly it's The Ants & Slave of Ants Adam band. The last one can not be mentioned at all and there'll be no difference, cause there are 2,500,000 times more Ants than Humans. And no one cares about Adam when Ants are everywhere. Ants. Ants. Ants. Ants. Ants I guess this human being chose his name to pay tribute to the Bible and the first human on Earth, because he was the last one too. We all are Ants now🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜 2/5 No liked songs
A classic 3.75 but I’m rounding down
Really like this stuff. It’s just so out there but it’s also actually good somehow. There’s so many layers going on at every second so you can never get bored and they work together well.
Do you think the rest of the band enjoyed being referred to as Ants? An odd album that didn’t quite stick the landing with me.
1/1
Man this was so not it.
No real standouts for me. It was a wall of sound that often didn't appeal to me
Really good album. Very 80s, very fun. Quirky and different though. Iconic, but some samey songs.
this didn’t do anything for me at all
Just no thanks
Like The Clash if they happened to be a million times more annoying and unfocused. Suffice to say, this didn't do much for me at all. It's unflattering music at almost every angle you look at it, and that seems to be at least part of the point - the record is filled with these drunken and loose harmonies that suffocate every other instrument in the mix, and songs that are so unorganized it's dizzying - and even worse, hacked-on reggae sounds than a group like The Police. Credit where credit is due though, there were some killer riffs and basslines here and there, 'Ants Invasion' especially. It's the redeeming quality here. It might sound like I think this is the absolute worst thing on this list, but honestly it's charming in its stupidity and obnoxiousness, and at least it's unforgettable in that sense. But by no means was the music here enjoyable to me, and I do not see myself revisiting it. The definition of music to be annoyed by.
5 Putting this up to a 5 because its one I keep going back to again and again. This album shouldn't work half as well as it does. Its all over the place, often quite silly, but it all comes together amazingly
I didn’t find much memorable about this album, which was kind of a bummer as I know Adam Ant is considered influential. Ah well.
Parmi les premiers vinyles que je me suis procurés lors de mon switch d'achat de CDs vers vinyles à mon arrivée à Mtl 97-98.
Pas convaincu, j'ai pas trouvé ça particulièrement savoureux, entouré si proche par Sonic Youth et The Stranglers. Comme Guillaume, je suis très biaisé par la pochette je l'avoue, je la trouve particulièrement dégueulasse.
Cover affreux. Bonne musique par contre mais dans l’époque j’ai préféré Siouxsie and the Banshees
Sooo repetitive
Very fun: the drums, which I have learned is called Barundi beat, of course appropriated, the yelping vocals, the bass and the silly lyrics. I did not realize how much they borrowed from rockabilly, which was also fun.
1980 new wave pop Los rancheros Kings of the wild frontier
Poppy punk with slapping rhythm
This was a very 80s album. It was ok, nothing particularly special. Got a bit annoying after awhile. Pretty average. 3/5
Pop heavily influenced by punk atmospherics. It's an ok album.
There is nothing of interest for me here at all. 2 stars or D-.
40
An interesting outcome of doing this project is that I have to grapple with what I think a band's music is compared to what it really is. I thought this band was very different to what it turned out to be, but as a result I was a little disappointed?
This is kind of goofy and, in places, straight up bad, but weirdly, I don’t hate it. Even the stupid pirate song. It’s the young, dumb sort of fun that manages to be charming in spite of the mess. You can certainly see the creative spirit here, and I think that’s always admirable. Favorite: Kings Of The Wild Frontier, Dog Eat Dog
Some spaghetti western guitar tones on this. Just really not into this movement in music. Vocals turn me off big time to the degree that it's difficult to focus on.
There were some interesting musical ideas but a lot of it was just annoying. So many songs where a line was repeated ad nauseam
A period piece with the odd good track but on the whole mostly filled with forgettable material. Not an album I'll probably bother with again.
I remember in Australia in 1981, the most popular media commentator announced on national TV that "Punk is dead because of this album. And all over the UK kids are holding Ant Balls!" Which, of course, earned the response, "Must be bloody big ants!" As big, dumb, glam-pop, proto New Wave albums go this is pretty good. Sure, some songs are better than others. There are some that are a lot worse than others. It's all about as substantial as The Macarena, but when they fire up the twin drum Burundi beat and start emoting about warriors and ants and looking like dandies and pirates and going completely over the top it's all very early 80s and a pretty entertaining - albeit slighty weird - good time.
Pretty unique style.
5번째 트랙까지 들었는데 맘에안들어서 걍그만들엇음. 원래였음 끝까지듣는데 지금 좀 많이 즐거워야하는 상황이라
A fun New Wave album, with some Post-Punk edge beneath the surface. The singles stand out here, but the other tracks are not that bad either. A solid 3 for now.
A bit of harmless fun. Love the drumming. There was whistling I ended up skipping 3 tracks, not good.
I want to like this more than I actually do. I only really liked the tracks that said 'ant' in the lyrics. I'd love to hear Ants Invasion done in a proper metal style. It's far from crap, but it hasn't aged well either. I opted for the non-deluxe and it became a bit long, so god forbid... Still, the fact it's genuinely unique and has some good moments worthy of further listening commands higher than a 3.
Some fun New Wave stuff, but just didn't grip me like some of the other acts in this era
First Listen Favorites: Dog Eat Dog Antmusic Kings of the Wild Frontier
I know what you're thinking. "What is the meaning of this? This doesn't belong in the same conversation as (insert any Obviously Five Star Album)!" No, it does not. Probably. However. To make a case for this thing: it was one of the first popular New Wave records- it was #1 in the UK for a few weeks so - people were definitely buying this thing back in 1980. And if you want to know where New Wave and the New Romantic movement came from, this is a seminal document. The story behind it is also kind of fun- the guy who organized and managed the Sex Pistols stole all of Adam's musicians to form Bow Wow Wow. Not to be deterred, he pulled a new band together, recorded new material, and made it big. But does any of this record make much sense? Is it kosher for a white guy to sing "underneath the white there's a Redskin suffering from centuries of taming?" Can Adam actually sing very well? Did anyone bother telling these guys that you can't just rely on the Burundi beat to carry all of your songs? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding No. But it's still a really fun record that - yes - everyone should probably hear. THREE STARS
Irresistible fun even though I don't know what the fuck is going on. Adam Ant dressed for the catwalk, but also for the Crimean War, yodelling about ants and pirates and cowboys over tribal drums. A band having two drummers is delightfully silly but made for a great defining sound. While Prince Charming and Stand and Deliver are my Ants hits of choice, this is a much better album than Prince Charming. What's ant music for sex people? What's sex music for ant people? Who knows, but I love it. It's a unique glam-punk cocktail that's completely absurd, but the songs are also just good. And nobody ever had a cooler look than early-80s Adam Ant.
Not ANTi this completely but this is just too much of the same thing and the incessant monotonous boring drumming is pANTS. Amazed to learn this was the best selling album of 1981. Stand and Deliver and Prince Charming are the only 2 singles which I really took any notice of and were all anyone needed to hear from this band. Neither of those are on this collection.
This record is fun! Such an enjoyable listen - I have always had a soft spot for Adam and the Ants. In fact I once fell out with a good friend of mine and didnt speak to her for several months when she essentially took the single of Ant Music from me in a charity shop and bought it for herself ... unforgivable! Falls off quite rapidly near the end of the album unfortunately especially when he mistakes himself for a pirate instead of a highway man (choose a lane dude!)
This guy really loves ants! And being a highwaymen! Or a cowboy! And pirates I guess? I could believe the lyrics/themes here were outsourced to a 9-year-old boy. It was fun enough for a bit, really loses it around the time he starts singing about ant sex and pirates. I like the clicky-clacky drums and what I guess is the sound of ants invading at the end of, er, Ants Invasion.
Es ist ein grell geschminkter, tribal‑getriebener Pop‑Punk, der mit Doppel‑Drums und „Antmusic“-Attitüde sofort ins Auge springt. Die Energie ist unbestreitbar, doch hinter dem Stilfeuerwerk steckt oft mehr Konzept als Substanz.
This was new to me. Interesting album, not always in a good way. A little repetitive and just another 80's new wave album on this list. 2/5 Won't listen again
Liked this. Cool vibe and unique
Es experimentativo.
Weird and fun. Favorite tracks: Kings of the Wild Frontier, Antmusic, Making History
I appreciate how much fun Adam Ant seems to be having, dressing like a pirate and singing like he does but it’s not particularly interesting past that information.
I wonder if, had the timing been different, Bowie would have spared a line or two in his epic [purported] Gary Numan diss track “Teenage Wildlife” (which came out the same year as this album) for Adam & The Ants. I mean, whatever his personal misgivings, if you can do a passable imitation of Bowie’s style at any given time you’re already more listenable than most bands in my book. They don’t add much else outside a couple fun bass lines, such as on “Dog Eat Dog” and “Making History”.
I’m disappointed that I didn’t like this record more. Having grown up watching MTV when they played music videos, I am of course familiar with Adam Ant, so I was excited to hear an early record that was presumably less poppy and more unfiltered, which it is, just not in a good way. I found it campy and sometimes downright gimmicky. Oddly, the best songs here are ant-themed
This can only be Adam & the ants. But it all sounds a bit the same
British pop music in the 80s was weird and wild at times. Their biggest hit 'Antmusic' is a hullabaloo of shrieking, hollering, weird percussion and partying - it works, but no idea why it works so well. The rest of the album is not quite as interesting or noteworthy, although the Ants do work their way through a few different genres and styles, without ever really sticking to one for too long. It makes for an interesting listen, but maybe ultimately distracts from the whole, due to the all-over-the-place feel
Flamboyant
This made me feel bad for only giving yesterday’s Donovan album 3 stars. Comparatively speaking, that was a masterpiece. Man, this album sucked. A couple of tracks weren’t total shit. But the rest was just absolute crap.
There’s such a gulf between the really good songs and the ok songs on this record. Basically every time they pull out the Burundi style beats you’re in for a good time. Having said that, the highs of this record are so high you’re in for a treat
You can hear the cheesy 80’s pop group butterfly attempting to emerge from the cocoon of this punk/post punk band but they’re definitely not there yet. I don’t really like the pop group they’re going to become but I don’t like this version either. I think I like it less. Yeah, less.
Adam ant- I guess i appreciated some of the wackiness and maybe I liked this better than some of our recent punky records. I don’t like these kind of vocals though. This was pretty rough too. My least favorite was the pirate song. So many lyrics about ants he really leans into the ant thing. Favorite was “Don’t be square” the lyrics are wild: “Music for a future age Don't be square be there All good clean fun (Whatever that means) Ant music for sex people Sex music for ant people Get off your knees And hear the insect prayer Dirk wears white sox The brain will suffer” 1.5
Disliked just about every aspect of this and it just kept getting worse. Really unpleasant time listening to this.
Omg what the hell
Too long
Super creative and glam. Never boring.
Super fun, early post punk from Adam Ant. Goes down super smooth and easy.
I understand that some love this. Just not me….
bro- idek it was just so lame and boring. I saw nothing inside of this album, its the slowest album ive ever had ts sucks.
Divertidísimo y, aunque podría parecerse a muchos discos de su época, consigue tener mucha personalidad y dejar a Adam and the ants como artistas con mucho ritmo, mucha onda y su propia voz. Me la pasé genial.
Interesting songs but nothing really out there.
Great.
Great album
Perfectly cromulent new wave with a bit of a hard rock tilt. Specific songs aren't really standing out to me, but it's an enjoyable experience. Except for "Making History", that one is pretty insufferable. The bass and guitar tones are great.
Not the worst thing in the world, but I did not enjoy this at all.
Absolutely sucks
https://youtu.be/UFXdTZQ7lkE?is=B_f4a97TV2tngqXU If you go to the last couple of minutes of this you can see how the bass player on this album got the heave ho! This album is a real treasure. Maybe the wildest album to be the best selling in a single year in the UK? We live in such different times. Who at the top of pop is making anything this out there? Charlii XCX? Maybe 🤔
Good album. Very good.
I always enjoy Adam and the ants, even when the songs become less distinct from eachother it just feels like nostalgia to me! Camp fun
Of Interest, but I still have an aversion to New Wave
fun! annoying!
Started with some promise and faded. Last track was also cool though.
The tunes are not QUITE catchy enough and dont hold my attention. The random bits of shouting or primitive vocals dont do it for me, but I recognize that SOME of it is fun… just not quite there 🤷♂️ I wrote about this previously with the Talking Heads. Maybe these guys just takes a few listens before something clicks and you start to appreciate the music
Only know some singles, but this definitely sounds interesting. Top loaded maybe, but mostly solid. Might be a bit too repetitive sounding. 3 Heard before? Some Owned: No, 97/366 (26%) Will I get: No
the whole album is kinda bad and it has absolutely no right to be taken this seriously, that's why im gonna give 4 with no further explanation
Ha! This was the first album I 'owned'. I played my friend's cassette in my dad's car's tape player and held my portable mono tape recorder and recorded the whole album in the car. I would listen to my recording repeatedly until I bought my first original cassette - it was Motorhead...
The ant theme was funny but over meh
Ant stuff is funny. But I wasn't interested "The album was the UK number 1 selling album in 1981". I'm really surprised to be honest
So somehow this was the #1 album in the UK the year it came out. He calls himself Adam Ant, and names the band Adam & The Ants and they have a song called Antmusic. This is really dumb.
So much New Wave. I was not in the mood for this. There are some melodies that caught my ear, but it annoyed me in that 1980s way. I won't think of this in the future.
This isn't that good ultimately, but there's something deeply sad about the loss of this kind of truly bizarre edge to pop music. The world is smooth and polished all the worse for the absence of a bit crap but at least going for something weird stuff - like spooky African surf new wave shanties - in the mainstream. Sure, it's a novelty act, but remember novelty?
Catchy album - might even listen again
Goes much harder than I expected. Almost more akin to aggressive alt rock like Killing Joke than the new romantic era.
Not for me.
Pretty great 80s album. Really gets the 80s
2,3/5
sounds exactly like an 80ies punk meets goth band. while the goofier tracks are not my favourites, there are a few that have a more stern approach which i quite like.
Ganske morsom musikk. Ikke helt hooked, litt i Bowie land, men litt crazy og gøy stedvis, liker det
By the time I got to 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘳, I felt as though I’d already heard too many new wave albums. While Adam and the Ants certainly have their own distinctive style, this record never did much to change that feeling. The Burundi-inspired drumming and tribal rhythms give the album a unique identity, but the songs themselves rarely held my attention. I can appreciate how original the sound must have been in 1980, yet it never really clicked with me. I understand why 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘳 became such an influential record, but despite its originality, it simply isn’t an album I see myself returning to.
I always liked Adam Ant without really knowing his music that well. This is a fine display of why I like it and possibly also explains why i never got to know it that well. It is a major thump-a- thon - high energy right at yeah. The easiest to hear lyrics are often amusing. Not too much drama; just good fun. 3⭐️
Favorite Track: Jolly Roger
This album is awful. I love it.
Most of the songs were pretty good! Some a bit too gimmicky.
Cool album, I don’t like this on as much as Friend Or Foe, but it is clear that they have a very unique vision and sound - nothing sounds like this band.
The singing is bad, the lyrics are vile, and every now, and then, I heard a melody I liked. After I heard it, I felt as if I survived something as opposed to having a good listen. It could have been worse though. Favorite Track: "Ants Invasion".
Poor man’s David Bowie, but better than Bowie.
22/1001 Extremamente chato Dog Eat Dog - 70 Antmusic - 70 Feed Me to the Lions - 60 Los Rancheros - 65 Ants Invasion - 70 Killer in the Home - 60 Kings of the Wild Frontier - 70 The Magnificent Five - 65 Don't Be Square (Be There) - 60 Jolly Roger - 60 Making History - 60 The Human Beings - 55 Media: 63.7
Sometimes I wish I could've been alive to experience the music of the 1970s, but then I realise that would mean also being old enough to endure all of the music of the early 1980s.
Yeah, I'm not sure why I enjoyed this so much. It's probably the outrageous and 'let's throw everything, including the kitchen sink', approach to writing, recording, and stage presentation that I like. Also, this might be a weird but appropriate comparison, but it's almost a post punk/new wave take on David Lee Roth Van Halen. Also, it adds additional distate for that thieving grifter wannabe Malcolm McLaren.
6/10 – Decent
Some OK sounds here but not really my thing.
From cowboys to pirates to ants, this album has EVERYTHING! Everything except songs with any replay value, that is.
I was on board for the first few songs, but it just got it worse and worse song after song. I stopped taking it seriously once I heard "Ant music for sex people. Sex music for ant people." What a horrible listening experience. Favorite Tracks: Dog Eat Dog ✔ Antmusic ✔ Feed Me to The Lions ✔
I only know Adam and the ant followers from their songs "Stand and Deliever" and "Antmusic." So, nearly all of this was listened with a fresh perspective. It was a lot more fuzzed out than I was expecting, sounding a lot like the British first-wave punk but with the grinding guitars slowed down. This is such a 'fun' album, I think people who dislike this album are no fun and have no soul; you can let all your worries go away with this one. It's very eclectic, but most of it is tribal-inflected new wave and post-punk, there's still some very weird stuff like a sea shanty song ("Jolly Roger") and there's a B-movie-like soundtrack ("Ants Invasion.") All of it still manages to work with the primary new wave sound. I would recommend this one. Highlight Song/s: "Antmusic" and "Ant Invasion"
4/10
Better than Coldplay
Bridge sound between the 70s and 80s. I dont love the songs, but interesting to hear the transition/merge of style
Absolutely love the drums and guitars on this album! Unrelenting. And despite some other reviewers, I really don't think he takes himself seriously at all. He gets exactly what he's doing
This album has me crying because it’s so military coded with the lyrics and drumbeats and even the cover. So I’m like okay maybe this is a military guy who made a band with his bunk mates “the marching ants” and they are trying to express their feelings through music. I look him up and WRONG!! He’s a glam rocker LMAOO! So I suppose now I don’t really get the appeal. Some of the songs were catchy especially the background vocals but some were so corny it hurt. I thought that the lions song sounded like Squidwards Tiki Land fr. Not my favorite, not the worst.
I never understood this band before. Every time they'd ever been shown as an influence on some documentary or other, they seems rowdy, loud, obtuse, and not very interesting. And I started this album feeling that way - but a couple tracks in and I found myself bopping. This is a bit infectious. It's like if you took the Cure and made them really bouncy with big drums, vocal overdubs, and a punk-lite aesthetic. There's a manic quality here, reminiscent of Of Montreal in places. It feels like the missing vital corner puzzle piece of the British New Wave jigsaw.
I saw this album cover and groaned because I thought was going to hate it but it was actually so camp - lots of fun
Ok this is interesting, is this camp? Lots of music genres here, from some metal guitar and doo wop? The song about ant sex was so unsexy despite the funky trills. The title track is the only one I would probably revisit.
I was worried just based on the album cover and release date, and my fears were confirmed throughout. I can really enjoy some new wave but find so much of it to be really annoying
When they embrace kitschy themed songs, they get my attention. Los Rancheros, Jolly Roger, and The Humans are all bumping what is an otherwise generic 3-star album up to a 4-star one.
5 out of 5. This album is a banger from start to finish.
It's okay, nothing amazing
Ok...what did I just listen to lol? This album is pretty eccentric and weird. Did I like it though? Yea, I kinda did. It was a good kind of weird.
You know how there are songs that most people know, but when they come on in public everyone singing it just kinda mumbles the lyrics incoherently. This album is like if those songs eschewed actual lyrics and just went straight to the incoherent mumbling.
Totally gonzo, wild, and subversive, but just a little too silly to be more than a three for me.
Dated and a little obnoxious, but ultimately fun. Helped define some of the new wave/post-punk sounds, but I don’t see myself returning to a lot of these tracks, if any at all. They all kinda blended together for me into one congealed, ant-y mass. Strong two. STAND-OUT SONG: “Antmusic” HONORABLE MENTIONS: “Killer in the Home”, “Feed Me to the Lions”
It’s not good, feels like a disposable toy that’s made out of plastic so it’ll end up outlasting us all.
Utter shite.
2.5
I didn't know site users were so familiar with the music of Burundi
What is with all the New Wave music? Good lord I hate this and I'm one minute in. No. This is a joke. The Lawrence of Arabia segment is the best part of the album. This is one of the worst albums on the list. The amount of limited Spanish on late 70s (I'm looking at you The Clash)/early 80s British music is appalling. I would rather be listening to almost anything at this point. If I have to pick a favorite so far, I guess the title track is it. You may not like it now, but you will...written in 1980, still waiting. It has intelligible lyrics, music and reasonable length songs...those are the three factors keeping this from being the worst album on the list. Awesome...shouting out some Native American tribe names after referencing Geronimo earlier...get your own history UK.
Oy lads, it's another album I'm not near British enough to appreciate, innit. Didn't love this one, despite a few fun parts. Seemed a bit samey. Nothing against rowdy chanting for a song or two but this is a bit much.
We finally meet the man who Michael Jackson used to steal his signature look to gain relevance.
Not a big Adam fan, I must say.
They don't make music like this any more. Probably just as well. Reminds me of an old friend, Alan, we were only ever friends and he always wore skin tight jeans and now I think back to it, it was because he had a massive dick. He had an out there persona and could pull any chick he wanted, despite that, we only were friends and I never got to see that dick. He died a decade later, forever young...ish. Tragic. I miss you still mate, forever in my mind. Prince Charming was probably more apt for him, rather than this album. And I bet he could stand and deliver. RIP mate.
Some good songs, but nothing worth returning to or favoriting.
I don't have many notes for this one. It's fine, but it isn't particularly enjoyable or something I'd listen to again.
This album rules. Legitimately great post-punk, early new-wave. Adam is a genius.
eh
Kinda weird…I dig it. Dog Eat Dog is a banger
Hyvää, menevää rokkia. Aika tilaa vievää, voi laittaa taustalle jos tarvii tsemppiä. 3,5/5.
Would I listen again: yea Sort of wacky but I feel like I could really like this in a certain mood. Or find it very annoying lol
Didn’t get to finish it all but some of the songs are so good. So hard to put 3 stars and not 4 it’s just I wish there was a 3.5 stars. Really like Don’t Be Square which is the last one I listened to.
This album is very energetic and makes me wanna get up and move! Love the energy but not a big fan of the sound itself.
fav songs: none repetitive, gimmicky, quirky 20/100
(US version) The best songs on this album were the last 2 tracks (Physical (You're So) and The Human Beings) IF you didn't really listen to the song/words sung to the music. Pretty damn good music. But unfortunately the song/words were just abysmal. The album as a whole was just mediocre because, again, the music was driving while the words were at best puerile. I did give a few of these tunes, individually, 4 stars but at best most of them were 3 stars with a couple of 2 stars as well. In sum, I find this a ho-hum experience and can't be happy enough to give it more than 3 "it ain't ABBA" stars.
Dog Eat Dog - 4.5/5 Antmusic - 3.5/5 Feed Me to the Lions - 4/5 Los Rancheros - 3/5 Ants Invasion - 4/5 Killer in the Home - 3.5/5 Kings of the Wild Frontier - 3/5 The Magnificent Five - 3.5/5 Don’t Be Square (Be There) - 3.5/5 Jolly Roger - 3/5 Making History - 3/5 The Human Beings - 3/5
The cover is so funny Adam & The Ants is who I want to be in my life
This is a really daft album. Adam Ant stitched together his sound from all the bits he found in the dressing-up box and delivered it with unabashed enthusiasm and extra drums. Occasionally it had me shaking my head at how gauche it all is, but mostly it made me smile. Four stars is probably generous but I appreciate this reminder of a time when the pop charts were open to stuff as idiosyncratic as this.
In 1982, ‘Kings Of The Wild Frontier’ won the Brit Award for Best British Album as the best selling album of 1981 in the UK (they changed to use a jury instead a few years after this). This means that it outsold Queen’s Greatest Hits album, as well as the Human League’s ‘Dare’, containing ‘Don’t you want me’, Phil Collins’ ‘Face Value’, which has ‘In the air tonight’, and John & Yoko’s ‘Double Fantasy’, which has ‘Beautiful Boy’. I would sooner listen to any of these three songs for 41 minutes on loop than to this festival of bizarre, lopsided, mediocrity.
This was fine.
Not quite sure I've felt this ambivalent about an album before.
Album just didn't know when to quit, had to take a 2 hour break at "Jolly Roger".
He looks like he wants to eat me. Are we sure he's never eaten anyone before?
Mezcla de punk, pop y new wave, personalmente no me gustó, tiene bastante personalidad y energía
No bangers. Seems annoying.
A lot better than anticipated. Akin to Bow Wow Wow, post-punky with big drums.
A damn lot to love here. I didn’t realize he had to completely rebuild the band for this, they sound great.
About 400 years ago, I remember having a playlist challenge with colleagues using the Grooveshark platform (RIP). We had to put together ten songs, with one of them being an outlier for reasons only known to the creator. Then we had to go to the pub and give a speech about it or write a short story about it or something. These details are hazy. Anyway, my outlier was Ant Music. When I gave my little speech at the pub and asked the participants to guess the outlier, the mostly Gen-X group immediately identified Ant Music because “that song sucks.” I was too young, supple, and naive to have any stigma attached to Adam Ant. I had zero context for him, and I just thought the beat ruled. I think it still does. Listening to the whole album for the first time today, it’s very hit and miss, but I admire how generally hectic it is.
I can't get really into the music by Adam & The Ants. All the songs sounds a like and everytime I want to scream Stand and Deliver. Not my cup of tea
A weird mix of new wave/art-rock/punk, I found this pretty engaging throughout.
cool
P ok while doing gardening work
original, new wave punk. Mostly rhythm based. A few tunes from my youth
Heard Before? Yes, but not in ages. Notes: - nearly every song has too many repetitions of the chorus. this is grating for me, no matter how much i like the song. - great use of lead vocal multitracking and also goofy backing vocals. - mostly the instrumental parts are simple to the point of mind-numbing. the legacy of punk, i guess. - thus the album succeeds when it leans hardest into costume party silliness, "Los Rancheros" and "Jolly Roger" being prime examples. Verdict: Hard to imagine anyone taking this seriously and it can be truly annoying but I'm here for a campy fun time and it often delivers. Listen Again? This list might just kill my love of New Wave through overexposure.
the earlier you are in the punk thing the more forgiveness I have for your pirate song
Surprisingly sick. Feels like these guys were sort of the sacrificial lamb for making fun of 80s stuff when I was a youth. Bad choice, turns out. You could do a lot worse than Adam & The Ants.
ok - but not special
A surprisingly cool album for me.
Pretty good
I don't know what new wave music is but this was pretty enjoyable. There's a hint of that 70's punk sound but clearly with more rock elements pulled from the 60's. Antmusic and Ant Invasion were my favourites. It's a bit too campy at times but it's never boring.
7.5/10 standouts - feed me to the lions, ants invasion, kings of the wild frontier SO CATCHY having much fun with this one!! a couple songs are now on my playlist
Not it. 2/5.
местами забавно, музыкально не особо
I should hate this and yet against all odds i kinda like it. Giving a 4 for surprising me
Another instance where the ideas were good, the execution fine, but the material needed a better songwriter.
Solid but not as revelatory as I expected. Occasionally the hooks were grating. Solid 2.5 but I’ll bump it to 3 because i like its vibe.
I’d goo 3.5 if I could
This is album is probably the most effective form of punishment I have ever witnessed. Woeful album, I counted down every minute until it was over.
Post-Punk/Indie - Aus heutiger Sicht etwas schwierig zu hören. Damals ein Album, welches verschiedene Genre aufnahm, klingt heute leider weder nach Fisch noch Fleisch, schon gar nicht vegan ;) Mit 80er Charm und Witz. Die Ärzte haben dort einiges abgeguckt und übernommen.
It’s ok, but not my favorite.
Now we are talking, have a lot of respect for this band. 80s punky new wave pop bore lots of bands but the Ants were innovative for their use of the Burundi Beat. This coupled with the high energy chants makes this an energetic art school wonder.
i liked it? 4
p450. 1980. 3 stars. Mad as a sack of frogs. There is a bit of everything in here - 50's rock'n'roll, glam rock, African beats, meaningless lyrics and earworm choruses. It shouldn't work, but somehow it does. Too much filler, but the singles are terrific.
Lets play a game of Two Truths and a Lie - 1. They're called Adam and the Ants even though its just the lead singer who's called Adam Ant (Get it?). He plays Ant Music and is charge of the Ant People, which doesn't really tie in to the original pun at all. 2. The album transcends genre with the only through-line seeming to be bandits and renegades. There's a cowboy song, a highwayman song, even a pirate song. It was a bold idea to base their entire career on this theme, but I guess it paid off. 3. Midway through one of the songs they play the theme to Lawrence of Arabia for some reason. Just kidding, all of those things are true, nothing makes sense. One song at a time is fine, the whole album together really drags. But at least its fun for a while. And so, so camp.
This won a Brit Award? Must’ve been a slow year
not bad, interesting- but not special
I just don't care
It’s not as bad as I feared, but I would t say it was good. 2.5 stars
rockig, fetzig, spaßig, shaky shaky iwie aber trz nicht so meins. also safe nicht schlecht.. 3/5 hab die melodien gar nicht gfühlt, also so den roten faden mäßig je weiter ich hör desto weniger gefällts mir, vllt doch 2/3
Already brilliant, and gets an extra point for Adam starting fights in pubs.
Adam Ant. The dude who performs in late 1700 era military uniforms. Man, that's a style, you know? He knows how to write a hook, how to keep a tune moving, and keep it danceable. You may not like every song on the album, but if you listened to it, you know you were grooving in there at some point. Come on, admit it. It's catchy, man. My Rating: 4/5
Damn they are obsessed with ants. Weird album not something I would listen a lot too but some fun songs that had elements i enjoyed. 1. Antmusic 2. Los Rancheros 3. Making History
I thought Adam and the Ants were really best known for their singles and but their albums. Turns out that's true, and this album didn't have any decent single hits on it. Terrible drivel overall
me encantó, que chimba de flow
Wow, a whole side of punk I never knew about. An important link from the 70’s glam of New York Dolls and Roxy Music to the 00’s festival freak-pop of Animal Collective, Tune-Yards, and MGMT.
I was familiar with the name Adam & The Ants because how can you not be with a name like that.... First listen of a full album though. Very cool. Not defined by any one genre but definitely behind their own style. That's probably the most important thing to me at this point in the project (Album 306). If the artist/album has a unique style and they deliver it subtly without trying to push it into my ears then I find myself thinking "Yes, I'm glad I'm listening to this before I die" 3.5
Something different, but so similar to the rest of this genre. Best Song: Kings of the Wild Frontier Rating: 6.5/10 Stars: 3 (barely)
Fun stuff
I really didn't like this album at first, and then all of a sudden I realized I was enjoying it. I think that I just had to reframe my expectations, and realize that this was just some good, slightly silly fun. Actually, after listening to this I think most albums could be improved by having pirate songs. Favorite track: "Kings of the Wild Frontier"
Highlight: Los Rancheros In a nutshell: stand and deliver! Spaghetti pop-punk meets campy new-wave. Adam and the Ants is another 80s band who decided to make frivolous and fun music in a bleak time. Forget your troubles and cares. Turn up your stereo, here are Adam and the Ants! Overall: 4/10
There is something a bit kitsch about this. Early pop punk?
Nope 1
Very pop-ish music with a clear 80s vibe. Nothing that stood out to me in any way, good or bad.
This one surprised me and I think it needs another listen
🎧So bland and so lacking in personality
Love it
Let's play a game of "Am I British Enough For This" I like synthpop as it would be in two years or so after this album. The transitory nature of Kings of the Wild Frontier is just not developed enough yet.
Too long
Very nice example of punk from that era. Reminds me of B-52s (but obviously Adam and the Ants are their predecessors). Not a music style I particularly like.
meh.
Sounded fine, no song really did much for me besides Ranchero
Like it 3/5
530+ albums in and I'm running out of unique ways to say that too many of these white whiny manchildren sound the same.
Awsooome
This sure is an album. Very apposite for a list that should be called "1001 albums"
Occasionally successful at breaking the British rock/new wave mold. Sometimes getting too lost in the silly sauce. An opening “Dog Eat Dog” had me gleaming with hope for this record. So much pizzazz in a first song. But alas, a slow descent into fun but predictable songs would follow. The syncopated percussion is cool on first listen, but it’s used enough to feel a little boring by the end. “Dont Be Square (Be There)” was a little breath of fresh air. ‘Ant music for sex people, sex music for and people’ is a line worth getting to in the tracklisting. I feel like a visual accompaniment would carry this thing a bit further, I’m sure he’s got some goofy music videos. Otherwise a soft 3/5
*Kings Of The Wild Frontier* is a fun, over-the-top out-there record that still manages to keep its boots planted firmly on planet Earth through the skilled, inventive playing and solid production. Adam and his crew weave pseudo-African percussion, spaghetti western guitars, pirate chants and scattered bit of rock 'n' roll history into a surprisingly cohesive whole. This record isn't all that profound lyrically (and may be just a bit confused at times) but it *is* loose and playful, and it lives up to the anarchic spirit the best rock music is supposed to have.
The Dandy Highwayman makes an appearance. Massive for a short while. It's what you want from a pop star; a bit of sexiness mixed with danger. The music is all right - lots of tom toms. Not as great as everyone makes it out to be - and the pirate song is truely terrible. You probably had to be there. Best Tracks: Ant Music; Kings of the Wild Frontier; The Magnificent Five
Sassy kind of?
I don’t have a strong opinion about this album. I just didn’t like it very much.
Really enjoyed it!
I had no expectations before listening to this album. Many of the songs are a cacophony of voices over somewhat catchy choruses. I don't know if I would consider this new wave. It's sort of glam wave, which isn't really a genre. My favorite songs: Dog Eat Dog Feed Me to the Lions Ants Invasion Kings of the Wild Frontier Jolly Roger
What a ridiculous sound this is. It’s like the bad boys from the neighbourhood formed a band and it became cool or something. It’s good fun, always liked Adam Ant. Some filler on this but an enjoyable ride.
Pretty nice
I find this album pretty annoying but I'm not sure what exactly makes it annoying to me, it just is. It's not very good, but it's kind of funny.
Fat no for me
Fun and diverse with a beat that makes you want to move.
I seem to like the Ants more each time I listen. Fresh off the back of Malcom MacLaren stealing his band for his pedophilia side project, Adam regroups and creates what I’m now considering one of my favorite new wave albums. It does feel distinctly more camp than its peers. It results in songs that are weird yet never lose their funk. I enjoyed pretty much every song on this listen. Rating: 4.7
Over 2 hours of this? Hell no, I’m out after half a song
Fjollet, skabet, prøver at være talking heads, men uden talent.
Meh. Sådan lidt godt og nogen gange lidt for skabet
Of all the albums that make me feel nothing, this is one of them.
This is #day632 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I've heard the name Adam and the Ants before, being a fan of late '70s-early '80s stuff, but never felt the urge to explore them. Maybe it's the look that didn't quite pull me in. Listening to this record for the first time, I realize this isn't exactly my kind of new wave. It's a bit too much of everything. At the same time, it's fun and clear evidence of a band beating its own drum. Burundi drum, if you will. Personal highlights: "Ants Invasion" and "The Human Beings." Let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day633.
One from my teens! Still a classic!
Album #81: Kings of the Wild Frontier - Adam & The Ants Genre (W): New wave, rock and roll, pop No singles. I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: The tracks I listed under “favorite songs” are my favorites for how groovy they are. I love the production of this album the most, along with the enthusiasm of Adam Ant. Favorite songs: Dog Eat Dog, Feed Me to the Lions, Ants Invasion, The Magnificent Five, Don’t Be Square (Be There), The Human Beings
Number: 115 Date: 04/28/2026 Artist: Adam & The Ants Album: Kings Of The Wild Frontier Year: 1980 Genre: New Wave Familiarity: Well-versed (4) Rating: 2 Before: ======= I have to admit I was a bit of a fan back in the day. In fact, I'm pretty sure I have this on vinyl. During: ======= Now at track 3 "Feed Me to the Lions"...this is pretty bad. 3 Dog Eat Dog 4 "Antmusic" 2 Feed Me To The Lions 2 Los Rancheros 1 Ants Invasion 2 Killer In The Home 2 Kings Of The Wild Frontier 1 The Magnificent Five 1 Don't Be Square (Be There) 1 Jolly Roger 1 Making History 1 The Human Beings ----------------------------------------------------- 1.78 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= This album is a good candidates for the worst of the popular 80's new wave albums. 2 my personal rating 4 suitability for this list 4 impact ----------------------------------------------- 3.3 composite rating
The band name, their description, the album title, and the cover all point to what I thought would've been an easy 1. But the drumming is really interesting and so are some of the songs. It definitely bored me in the second half, it's a gimmicky act anyways, but it gets a lot more mileage than the rest of the fluff in this list.
War damals schon albern
this is almost certainly a three of an album and I'm being overly harsh but it caught me in the wrong mood and I found it deeply annoying
this is almost certainly a three of an album and I'm being overly generous but it caught me in the right mood and I found it charming
This guy is insane. I really enjoyed Kings of the Wild Frontier. There are significant differences between the albums released in the UK vs US. Physical (You're So): the OG was fun to hear.
2026.04.29
Блекло но шум приятный
4/23 Boring and bland
Sounds like it was recorded on a 4 track
Kinda cool, production quality is poor but I hear a lot of the Clash. 3 - deserves to be on this list
2/10 Fun but not for me
Fun enough background music
Lo unico que vale la pena de este album es que a veces parece que estas escuchando a los b 52s pero de una forma mucho más aburrida y sin esencia. Hay un ant kink del que lamentablemente no estoy formando parte por lo que no puedo sumarme a la movida que se ve mucho en otras reviews de "odio este album pero le pongo un 5", a mi de verdad me parecio malo y la portada es horrible 2/10
Weird, but this was the only Adam & the Ants record I enjoyed. With a little New Romantic flair, the weird pirate costume and the tribal drumming similar to Bow Wow Wow, thes made some pretty catchy Ant Music. Listening to this record 45 years on, it really is interesting as to how many songs are still memorable and fun. Starting with Dog Eat Dog right into Ant Music is a great way to kick off the record. These still hold up. The rest of the record keeps the sound pure fun with some excellent guitar work from Marco Pironi. What makes this compelling is the varied approach taken on the songs. Adam had his own approach and unique phrasing which made this pop forward punk-pop. A gem of a second record! 4/5
Another one that takes me back. I think I had this cassette.
Ni chaud ni froid Sincèrement ça n’a pas cliqué, c’etait pas désastreux mais rien de spécial PAR CONTRE pourquoi les 20000 versions de chansons ? Désolée mais j’ai skip les chansons en double
This is just delicious - press darlings is outstanding but the whole album has such momentum That new wave bass hits something specific in my soul
How does it manage to sound so fun and accessible, and so strange and quirky at the same time?!
Enjoyable.
When I was a kid growing up in the UK in the 1980s, Top of the Pops was the place where you see and hear new music for the first time. An outrageous or charismatic performance was guaranteed to be the talk of the playground the text day and more than likely would send the single shooting up the charts. Adam and the Ants were one such band. Why was that guy dressed like a 18th century hussar? Why did he have a white stripe tippexed across his nose? What was the deal with having *two* drummers? They quickly got a reputation as a teeny bopper band but this album shows they had a lot more going on than impressive clothes and fancy videos. Aside from the African Burundi beat inspired tribal drumming, this album has influences from punk, rockabilly and even a bit of surf guitar from musical magpie and lead guitarist Marco Pirroni. Adam himself was a great frontman and lead vocalist with a different costume for every song. Pirate-tastic!
First things first. I was not in the mood for this album today. When I saw it come up on the generator I laughed, never imagining anything by Adam Ant would be on the list. I knew them from the early days of MTV, but didn't care for their music at the time. All of that being said, I tried to go into it with the right frame of mind but never really could. As soon as the record started I was immediately put off by it. There were subtle reminders of artists I like, but the whole of it just got on my nerves. I listened as I was driving home from work and there was a lot of traffic on the roads which didn't help, but I think if I was enjoying what I was hearing it might've not mattered as much. There were a couple of songs I thought I might like, but then something (usually the vocals) would change my mind. This was a very unenjoyable listen.
If ants could make music would it be this shit? I doubt it!
Some cool songs in this but can give no more than a 3
okay but not quite there
Je had er denk ik bij moeten zijn
It was fine, new wave is cool but I didn't need a whole album of this?
This is okay I guess.
Some of this is interesting, and there’s a lot going on throughout. It doesn’t really sound like punk or ska, so those labels feel a bit misleading. It’s not something I see myself returning to, but it’s not a bad listen either.
2.75/5 A cross of post-punk/new wave and glam rock. The drums and chanting in the "Kings of the Wild Frontier" has a good sound. Feels like it wants to be a street riot song, but it also kind of theatricalizes the plight of native/indigenous people. Most of the other songs, like "Antmusic" and "Dont be Square" just dont do it for me. Too campy, without any substance.
Raw and rough. Really nice album with lot of power.
Very enjoyable post-punk, with hints of the Gang of Four, but feels just lacking something I can't put my finger on to tip it into being a classic.
Solid 3+ album. I like the notes of bluegrass and yodeling but it sometimes felt a little much.
Edgy and sexy
Pokręcone, ale jednocześnie nudne? Jak to możliwe? Sama nie wiem, ale jednak im się udało. 6/10.
Very different music, and I respect its idiosyncrasies but it’s just not for me
Ei ehkä ihan omanlaista musiikkia. Ihan mielenkiintoista. 2/5.
Whimsical
3.5 - Good
> the Beatles Dug this
Pretty cool, ahead of its time for 1980 and I can imagine it must've been a blast live. Not particularly catchy or interesting songwriting-wise though, and a bit dated. Faves: Dog Eat Dog, Antmusic, Feed Me to the Lions
I like new wave, but it does have the unfortunate symptom of lyrics being unintelligible at most times. The vibes were making me think of mad max style bands of roving punks performing bc they could and they want to
meh
Just fine, didn’t really get going at any point
A delightful romp.
04/04/2026 *1. dog eat dog - already like this song! the guitar, bass and drums are alll greaatt!!!! *2. antmusic - already reaallly like this one as well :) the drums at the start are great! remember i was obsessed with the music video when i was a kid lol. fuzzy guitar is niice! 3. feed me to the lions - more of a grungier sound... not as big on this as the prev tracks, but still wouldn't complain if it played in the background! 4. los rancheros (demo) - nice bass at the start! very western lyrics! oh it literally mentions clint eastwood lol. guitar is lovely! really nice ending. 5. ants invasion - sinister guitar at the start... loooove the bass! love the kindof screechy sound near the end! 6. killer in the home - wasn't as fond of this, but loove the guitar about 1:25 mins in <3 loove the drumming!! *7. kings of the wild frontier - already like this one! the drumming is absolutely fantastic!! bass and guitar are great!!! not sure how well the lyrics have aged... good intentions i guess? 8. the magnificent five - nice guitar! assuming the title is a reference to westerns again... nietszche? *9. don’t be square (be there) - more 80s start! bass is greeatt!! really enjoyed this one!! 10. jolly roger - pirate theme? nice! 11. making history - loove the screechy guitar at the start and the bassline! alright :) *12. the human beings - more subdued at the start... bass is great again! really liked this album! really looved the starred songs and still liked the rest of them, but felt it fizzled out a bit towards the end? loved watching adam and the ants music videos as a kid, remember being particularly obsessed with the comically large pound note in goody two shoes?? will listen to their first album soon, have heard a few songs i liked on there already and really loved their songs that are in jubilee <3
Fine for what it is
one song sounded okay but overall not intrigued
Adam & The Ants oli valtavan suosittu bändi 80-luvun alussa ja tämä kyseinen albumi Kings of the Wild Frontier oli vuoden 1981 myydyin Iso-Britanniassa. Itselleni kaikki biisit olivat kuitenkin vieraita ja noinkin suuri suosio tuli vähän yllätyksenä. Kyllähän tämä ihan kelvollinen albumi on ja jyskyttävä rumpusoundi jää mieleen. Levy on jotenkin niin aikansa tuote kuin vaan voi olla; vanhentunutta "uuden aallon" outoilua ja tarttuvia pop-melodioita. Monet biiseistä jäävät keskinkertaisiksi, mutta arvostan bändin omaperäisyyttä kolmen tähden verran.
Could very much do without the redface on the album cover (and in the lyrics of the title track), but for the most part this was a solid new wave listen! I like my new wave, for the most part, with some weird or unique element, and the angularity of the songs combined with the Burundian drumming styles incorporated on some songs definitely scratched that itch for me.
Stupid
Dear god it's garbage. Purposefully so, as I understand it - which I can respect in spirit, but the listening experience is just godawful. A punk rock album where the singer goes stupid for 45 minutes is more than I can handle.
Man, I really wanted to like this more because there were so many positive and interesting moments but it's a little long and I found it annoying.
273/1001 Adam and the Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ The singles from the band I'd heard previously were mildly entertaining and so how's an album without those singles? Pretty awful. Entirely derivative nonsense.
I know someone who tours the UK as part of the biggest Adam & The Ants tribute bands here. I never knew they were so popular, and after listening to this I really don’t know why they are.
01) Dog Eat Dog - 7,5 02) Antmusic - 7,5 03) Feed Me to the Lions - 6,5 04) Los Rancheros - 7,0 05) Ants Invasion - 7,0 06) Killer in the Home - 7,0 07) Kings of the Wild Frontier - 7,0 08) The Magnificent Five - 6,5 09) Don't Be Square (Be There) - 6,5 10) Jolly Roger - 6,0 11) Making History - 6,5 12) The Human Beings - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,83 (68/100) Current ranking: 538/871
Not bad, but not mind blowing. I enjoy Friend or Foe a LOT more.
es como la música que haría billy idol si hubiera recibido amor cuando chico
Kinda obnoxious. Not actually bad, but I didn't like it for 90% of the album.
Solid for one of the worst album covers I've seen in a while.