Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Comes in with a blast but gets a bit generic over time.
More brit electronic pop rock that is only here because of the compiler's bias. Started as a 2, finished as a 1. Held its head above the line, but just barely.
A bit of a weird one, I think this album is quite good, sounds nice has some good songs but also some skippable stuff. I do however echo a lot of the other people as I had no idea this band existed and do question the inclusion of them on this list, I feel this list is for bands who have pushed the art of music forward, and I’m not saying modern artists shouldn’t be on this list but more so I feel this band is just another group that made good music in a genre but didn’t adapt or progress it forward
Kind of hated the noise used for the intro to the album at the beginning of Negative Space, but I’m glad I stuck with it as the lyrics and songs on this album are pretty good. I enjoyed the electronic music, vocal style, and themes of grief and loss explored throughout.
I had never heard of Hookworms until this album suggestion. Whilst I like it, and have now listened to the rest of their catalogue, I’m not sure why they are on a 1001 best album list. It’s enjoyable certainly, but there are better examples of their genre out there. Still, guess I’m glad they were on the list otherwise I wouldn’t have heard of them. Better than some of the other albums that have been featured, and certainly a nice bit of fresh air after the recent 60’s/70’s offerings.
No
There are albums I have 3 points to that I enjoyed more than this one. Not really sure what I thought of it.
This was really neat, a bit of a Postal Service vibe in places and I've already listened to some other bits. Nice find.
not really memorable for me, but certainly enjoyable enough
Look all I'm saying is they literally have less monthly listeners than my high school music teacher BTW Gerald Bailey shall live forever 🙏
Not my thing...
interesting, but not my vibe.
These guys are trying to do the dance/ psychadelic thing that is very hard to nail. To their credit I skimmed through it again after listening and I didn't dislike it. It's solid even if I don't think it really stands out.
I'm not sure why this is on here other than the need for "recent" music. It's once again one of those choices where it's fine but it's not groundbreaking or terribly interesting. I do like the sort of post-rock mixed with electronic music buildups but nothing other than the 8 minute "Opener" was really standout to me. It's fine, if I heard it in a bar or a coffee shop I wouldn't even notice it.
Wholly unremarkable by any quantifiable metric, listened to it and forgot about it almost immediately, like zero impact in my short term memory whatsoever. It's not bad, per se, just bland.
Very forgetful tbh I don’t know why this was the first album recommended here to me Hoping they get better from here because it really doesn’t feel like an album to listen to
Just sounds like Passion Pit to me?!
Negative Space - 3/5 Static Resistance - 4/5 Ullswater - 5/5 The Soft Season - 2/5 Opener - 3/5 Each Time We Pass - 4/5 Boxing Day - 3/5 Reunion - 3/5 Shortcomings - 3/5 Average score: 3.3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ wish i knew about the SA allegations before i listened to a couple of the tracks, i'd rather not give them a dime of streaming revenue. furthermore, these dipshits have like ~5k monthly streams. i know those metrics aren't solely what makes a group good or not but... how the fuck did they make this list when seemingly no one knows who they are? i guess if your group is british you automatically make the cut 🙄 anyways, this was pretty mediocre and i've heard other artists do this sound but better (like Hot Chip, another british group!). in fact, i can think of at least a dozen other artists who would've been better selections for this list, regardless of genre or country of origin i hope that should they make another edition in the future, they pick more artists outside of the UK for once. i'm very tired of wasting precious hours of my life on lackluster music just cuz it's bri'ish
Sounded a bit like lots of other indie stuff - MGMT (yay) and Arcade Fire (boo) were the first two to spring to mind. An album - and band - struggling for an identity of their own, I felt.
Decent energy throughout. A clubbing record for clubbing at home. I like the way the tracks segue into each other.
This was a pretty cool mix of neo psychedelia with synthpop and krautrock. The entire album is driven by motorik style beats and rhythm. The electronics are all modular synths that feel alive, and at times glitchy, while the overall soundscape is colorful and full of texture. It’s honestly nothing too mind blowing, but it’s good for what it is. If you like bands like Stereolab, then this will be right up your alley.
This album reminds me a lot of the electronic rock from the ’90s. It’s hard to believe it was released in 2018. Maybe that nostalgic sound is part of why it was well received. Personally, I didn’t find it very original, but I can see why some people might be into this kind of sound. "Opener," which runs for more than eight minutes, has a noisy texture that I actually found quite suitable for background listening while working.
J'sais pas ça feelait genre "Music for musicians" mais en même temps, un shit de 2018 avec pleins de drama, j'le feelais moyen.
As soon as I saw the band name, I thought to myself "I bet this is British." Lo and behold, that is indeed the case. They remind me of a discount version of Passion Pit (who doesn't have an album on this list btw).
Interesting and enjoyable somewhat.
A whole wide world was beginning to open up for Hookworms. More and more eyes were set upon what they were doing, what they had done beforehand and what they were going to do next. Microshift, despite its title, was a massive step forward; an audacious synth-rock blend that never ceases to be engaging and does not fall into by-now exhausted cliches when those two styles become interconnected. Hookworms were set to be the face of what was to be the next step forward. That a sexual assault accusation in the wake of Me Too, that would soon become retracted in the coming years, became the downfall of the band is one of the more sickeningly cruel and unexpected turns in recent memory. Microshift now represents what should have been; a monument rendered incomplete and a journey grounded to a halt.
Great album!
Really great. Some songs a little long
This was great. I had no idea what to expect from this, but I loved it and listened to the whole thing twice. Five stars.
𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 was my first encounter with Hookworms, and it’s a surprisingly powerful mix of psych-rock, krautrock rhythms, and shimmering electronics. The record balances intensity with atmosphere, pulling you into long, hypnotic grooves without losing momentum. A hidden gem that makes me wonder why I hadn’t heard of this band before.
2,5
Perfectly good electro-techno-indie-alt-rock. Not exactly memorable, but not bad.
Very electronic, very fresh. Does not sound too obvious or predictive. Instead, it sounds unique.
No idea who these people are, this was kinda interesting and liked the cover. Would I listen again? Not likely
microshite
This was fine. Nothing really blew me away but I didn't hate it.
Did not inspire me to listen again
Forgetable. One of those that I would dismiss :-(
I really dig this.
This was a fun listen. Back in the day, a few friends of mine were obsessed with it, so for me this record works a bit like a memory machine. It doesn’t quite have the wit, the sharp political edge, the dazzling rhythms, or the mind-bending production of, say, Stereolab. But then again, who can match their brilliance? Still, Microshift is definitely worth revisiting: its neo-psychedelic, krauty vibe feels (positively) familiar/nostalgic and the well-placed bursts of noise (Hookworms wearing their Stereolab fandom pretty openly here) give the whole thing enough punch to keep you hooked (haha, no pun intended) right up to the last track. Some lengthier synth-y interludes create a sense of seamless sequencing and give your mind some room to drift (see first section of Opener, which is oddly enough, situated at the centre of the album), before the krautrock-style repetition pulls you back to earth. Checks a lot of boxes of what you’d expect from a nostalgically tinged music project.
Awesome sound. Never heard before. Very few streams comparatively online. Opening track is mesmerizing
Nice.
It’s not bad, but once again don’t understand why this is on this list.
It shouldn’t be on the list; however, it sounds meh not bad not good just right in the middle
Okay I guess. The songs were way too long and repetitive and bland. Just sort of fine all over. Nothing extraordinary or groundbreaking. Really don't think this accomplished anything. They're only on here cause they're British. There's better ways to spend 45 minutes than this.
oh look-another British group I haven't heard of before. and just like the others so far.....there's a reason for that. boring, electronic-pop ramblings. why is this on the list??
Pretty good. Would listen again
I had heard of hookworms before, but i definitely didn’t think i would see them on this list. That being said, this album is pretty awesome. It’s definitely something I’m going to listen to again.
3.5 stars. Musically, first couple tracks remind me of LCD Soundsystem. "Soft Season" synth sounds like M83. Annoying noisy distortion in "Boxing Day" makes it a skip. Standout is "Static Resistance".
Seems like the arena rock version of the whole Meet Me in the bathroom scene. Album is fine.
better than anticipated
Schräg, es kling so, als ob sie Spaß hätten, es wird aber schon ziemlich anstrengend nach einer Weile.
ok. a bit europop. mot really sure why its on the list as it seems fairly generic.
Atmospheric but not much more than that. Some cool moments with interesting beat patterns, but that's where it ends.
That was AWESOME!
Fyrstu tónarnir voru mjög skrítnir og ég hélt ég væri að fara að hlusta á einhverja öfgalist svo hægt og rólega byrjaði allt að smella og það kom skemmtilega á óvart hvernig þetta gekk upp. Þetta væri vanalega þristur en fær fjórar stjörnur af því að þetta var svo hressilegt og óvænt.
2018 Nope, never heard of this. Started brightly with shades of Daft Punk/New Order/Working Mens Club, but soon disappeared up its own backside and simply became a nonentity as the minutes dragged by. I can imagine this being a mainstay of RSD reissues in coloured vinyl and alternative sleeves! Something to cherish for 'hip' 6 Music Dads out there, desperately trying to maintain their relevance. Why is it here? I expect Pitchfork can answer. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Standard 6Music fodder ★★★☆☆ (5/10)
Der var noget på, som virkede interessant. Noget bedre af det nyere.
It's Hooky! It's Wormy-ing (its way into your brain)! you know what I listened to this when it came out and it passed me by. This on a relisten is a terrific album, kind of what Mercury Rev might sound like if they came from Yorkshire. 2018 is a bit soon to judge if this really is one of the best albums every made though. 3.5 but too recent for a 4.
Good enough to listen to twice
Heck yeah! Motorik beats for days. Neo-psychedelic space rock is what wiki says and I dig it. It's what 80's New Wave would sound like with better instruments, technology and production. Killer bassline in Shortcomings. The generator did me a solid today, saved to the library. It ticks all the boxes. An easy 5 stars for me.
I saw that it was British and a feeling of dread came over my body. This list has albums on it that seem to just be here because they're British (and end up being mediocre). This album was actually pretty decent. I wouldn't go back and listen to it multiple times, but I enjoyed it.
Aldrig hört talas om gruppen. Anade att jag skulle gilla skivan. Så blev det också. Men det tog lite längre tid än jag trodde. Kanske tre lyssningar. Första gången var jag dock inte så uppmärksam. Men nu efter några fler lyssningar är jag helt inne i skivan. Det är ett lattjo sound. Varierande och intressant.
Kul överraskning! Det här är ett sound som jag gillar och som påminner mycket om MGMT. Märkligt att de har så oerhört få lyssningar på Spotify.
Ironically, it lacked hooks.
pleasant, entertaining - never heard of them - nothing to write home about though.
This was a new one for me. I like the mix of trance with more of an underlying pop sound. It works.
Strains of albums that came out twenty years prior - Dismemberment Plan, the Notwist, third phase New Order, maybe even Stereolab - aka rock bands that didn't just use synths but leaned in - all the way in. I ended up enjoying this album more as it went on. I thought it would run out of steam. But the song writing is solid. It's highly listenable. But I really don't know why it's on the list nothing extraordinary except it's slightly above ordinariness.
Generic indie pop. It was fine I suppose.
This band has a sound far more pleasant than their name implies.
The mostly uplifting music (a la Fun) added ambient/electronic noises (meant to give a fuller sound) that tended to dull the emotion, rather than enhance it. Each noice that connected one ending to the next beginning became annoying, beginning with the tap “dancing.”
Fun stuff. Liked it more than I would have expected. 3.5* rounding up.
electronic noise with largely unintelligible lyrics, possibly created by parasitic nematodes on acid. The "musicians" wouldn't even put their names on this piece of shit
Why is this even on here? I have some vague memory of listening to this at the time it came out but have certainly never heard them referenced in the years since. It's the opening track rang that a distant bell but this album sounds like an early to mid 2000s post punk electro relic. No way this album only came out 7 years ago. This has gotta be the most curiously inessential album so far. And the story behind why this was the last thing Hookworms ever recorded is some dark shit.
This is the first record I've drawn that can rival The xx's I See You in its inessential nature. I had not heard of this band, and was unsurprised to learn they are from Leeds. The is Alt-J, except Hookworms can't coast off two good hooks. (I had to laugh, upon looking up Alt-J, that I found they are also from Leeds!) Even the Hookworms name annoys me. Are you doing a Beatles play? Are you suggesting (wrongly) that your hooks are earworms? They all credit themselves only by their initials, lmao. And they're cancelled!! What a bizarre inclusion!
Worthy. Dull-ish
Boring. I've said that a lot on this list.. over a year in now can't lie, it's becoming hard work
some redundant shit right here.
I walked into this not wanting to like it since it's newish (2018) and the 1001 albums list still doesn't have two of the greatest albums of the decade (both released in 2018) that could have easily taken the place of this album (Rosalia's El Mal Querer and Low's Double Negative). Despite that, I actually really liked this. A lot. I'm a sucker for psychedelic sounds, krautrock minimalism and buildups in rock. Some really great bass guitar and textures throughout. The actual opener and the track called Opener are huge highlights. Lyrics are a bit trite and the hooks aren't the most memorable, though. Has a very late "millenial" vocal sound, which is a touch grating, but overall a good album
Oke, voorop gesteld, dit is niet de muziek die ik normaliter zou aan zetten. En bij het eerste nummer dacht ik ook oprecht, oeh hier komt een 1 ster aan. Begon nogal matig met wat verschillende tonen volledig uit de maat. Daarna herpakte het zich echt (op een nummer na maar weet niet meer welke) en was het best wel blij en prima om naar te luisteren. Ga ik dit alleen nog eens opzetten? Dat denk ik niet. Daarom is het een 3
2.5 What is this? The guy who made this list’s buddy’s band or something? Completely inoffensive tbh, but completely disposable.
This album game me strong Spiritualised vibes - and that cannot possibly be a bad thing. Catchy, melodic and multilayered.
Vibey, pretty upbeat, original. Didn't like Boxing Day, thought it was actually a bit grating. Especially liked Soft Season and Each Time We Pass. Not perfect, but yeah overall pretty good.
01) Negative Space - 7,5 02) Static Resistance - 6,5 03) Ullswater - 7,0 04) The Soft Season - 6,5 05) Opener - 6,5 06) Each Time We Pass - 7,0 07) Boxing Day - 7,0 08) Reunion - 6,5 09) Shortcomings - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,83 (68/100)
It wasn't bad, it was just pretty boring. Every sound sounded similar, and they were so long! I honestly thought I'd been listening for 30 minutes and it was only the first 4 songs!
Super cool, feels kinda like Bloc Party and Arcade Fire with more synth. Enjoyed this and would definitely listen again
I liked this! I don’t remember a single song, but I remember I liked it.
Never heard of Hookworms. Is this an album I had to hear before I died? Probably not. But I listened three or four times and it got better with each listen. Maybe it was the crunchy organ and Stereolab vibes? Welp, on my way to listen to some Stereolab.
Even though the album has nine tracks on it, it felt like it should’ve only been four or five. A lot of the songs sounded exactly the same to me.
a pa ono. ima dobrih momenata koji mi se sviđaju, ali ima i nekih skroz bezveznih. tako da za solidnu trojku
This is kind of torturous at the beginning of each song but then it starts to come into its own as a good song. If they cut that horrendous build to the song especially on songs like Opener. Turned out to be a great sounding song but the first part of it turns you off and makes you want to skip it. This album would be a 5 if it didn’t have all that.
Starts pretty poorly but thankfully gets a lot better. Great ending track as well.
Not bad.
learning the release date makes me wanna knock this down a star
fine
My favorite Yeasayer album. It's weird because I enjoyed listening to it but I fully intend to go the entire rest of my life without ever listening to it for another second. It added nothing to my brain Fav song: idk Shortcomings maybe?
This one was pretty fun. Was pretty obvious what it wanted to sound like with this one. It's a bit derivative and it kind of falls off by the second half, but I enjoyed this a lot more than other offerings from the 2010's that the list has given me so far. It's quirky yet weirdly dancable nerd music.
Surely, even Hookworms themselves must be wondering why they were included in the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. I like a good indie electronic drone album as much as the next guy, and I enjoyed listening to this one. But this feels like one of those albums that's only significant because it made this list. I'd happily listen to it again, but I really can't justify a very high score. I do quite like the mess of sounds featured in "Boxing Day" though and wish I could hear more of that... Oh what the hell, 4 stars.
If a 2010s indie artist was influenced by M83 and MGMT, while also having instrumentals that are inspired by the original Tron movie (or at least what I remember/think it was). Good stuff though, generally enjoying it.
# Playlist Track - Negative Space # Notes - Couple of good tracks in the opening, but loses it's way from the 3rd or 4th track. - "The Soft Season" and "Boxing Day" are so bad that I almost gave up on the album twice. - This has absolutely no place on this collection.
I really enjoyed this record. Had some Kraftwerk vibes, but in a more modern pop setting.
Interesting, but a bit too much noise in my opinion
En nyt osaa sanoa miksi juuri tämän pitää olla listalla. Hieno kanssa ja hauskoja soundeja 2/5
Tyyppillinen listan indie-levy 2000-luvulta: ihan ok ja britti.
Pleasantly surprised
Worm Hooks was actually a critically acclaimed solo project by Len Houmous to celebrate the British Anglers Association. ‘Noones ever captured the river banks as well as Len’ NME. 3.8 2/9 Static Resistance
Boppy, like the upbeat vibes
Never heard of the band. Was really, really boring.
Nope
Never heard of them before and wondered about how good the album would be but actually enjoyed it quite a lot
Gone for a 3, may drop to a 2 on reflection but this was better than others that I have voted a 2. No bangers, but solid throughout.
I quite liked the space rock
This is a weird one - I did some additional digging and apparently it was included in the 2018 edition of the book - which is also the year the album was released. It was also the year the band imploded, driven by (now retracted) allegations against the lead singer and primary songwriter. It hits at a problem I have with some of the recent editions of the list, they often include albums that are too recent to make a clear call about. This is fine, even interesting music at times. But it’s also by a minor UK indie band that likely won’t have much of a lasting impact on music culture and history. Two stars is my personal rating system’s way of saying “I somewhat disagree on the inclusion”
really like the cover, but the album is a bit meh
Marketed as “psych,” but it’s sleek indie-electro with reverb slapped on. No grit, no trip—just polished loops dressed up as depth. Modern garbage.
I’ve got no clue why this is on the list but all in all I enjoyed it
I, like other commenters apparently, have never heard of this band. Ever. I did find myself loving certain tracks on this, though. However, there’s just as many that seem middle of the road. 3/5
Yet another album that I could have done with not hearing before I die.
This is the kind of music I feel like you'd hear in a store like Urban Outfitters if the manager is feeling particularly energetic and planning to make the staff rearrange a bunch of things. That's to say: this feels like the outer edge of bland mainstream 2010s psychedelic/hipster/indie/brit rock on the corporate retail safe-list. They sound like a band you should have heard of but somehow don't know anything about. My tasting notes include hints of Passion Pit, undertones of Arctic Monkeys, and the cinematic flourishes of Muse - all bands that came before Hookworms, not bands that would have taken influence from them. And I guess that's where I'm struggling with this one. While this album is totally fine, I don't understand why it's on this list or what lasting impact it's had on the music industry. Like many reviewers, I've never heard of this band/album before and that's weird because it's one of the most contemporary albums on the list. Most of this review was developed during "Ullswater" which somehow felt like the longest 7 minutes in recorded history, only to be outdone by the 8:35 runtime of "Opener" (which is track 5, despite its name). If this list is supposed to stay at 1001 albums, I hope this record is replaced by a more meaningful work soon.
Death Cab For Cutie/The Postal Service meets Arcade Fire. How much more basic can you get? Nothing *wrong* with the album, but there's certainly nothing unforgettable about it, besides just how mid it is.
it was ok.
Dit is echt top! Vette ritmes, lekker en verrassend. Hoezo kende ik dit niet?
Good listening for my acupuncture appt but I think I liked the last album more
It's pretty good but a bit same-y same-y throughout and missing the peaks that make a real classic
Neo-psych with space elements craft a unique sound for a patient listener.
Merkityksetöntä mössöä. Uskomatonta, että jopa tässä vaiheessa he pitivät tällaista täysin merkityksetöntä meteliä, josta on yksinkertaisesti mahdotonta välittää. Ei tunteita, ei filosofiaa, ei munaa. Vain korkeaääninen, ärsyttävä brittiläinen indie-laulaja, jonka takana on joukko vitun twinkkejä, jotka hyödyntävät kaikkia musiikkikoulusta oppimiaan sointuja ja progressioita. Me kävimme musiikkikoulua musiikin tekemistä varten, ellemme nyt perustaisi bändiä. Syökää omat perseenne, te pikku pirulaiset. mahdotonta tykätä tällaisesta mutta en anna ykköstä koska perseeseen mahtuu kaksi. negative space
This was bad.
I was unfamiliar with this artist and this album. On the whole, I really enjoyed it. Will relisten.
It's not clear to me what makes this record essential. It's fine but I wonder if it suffers from recency bias. THE SCIENCES would have been a more appropriate 2018 choice.
Liked this one!
Thought it was just synth until vocals kicked in. wolf parade. could be good Negative space Static resistance Ullswater
better than i anticipated
This was a great discovery. Microshiftbis a good album and I really liked how they blended the eletronic in a post punk scenario, the lyrics are also good and I felt energised after the album. . My only criticism is, again, why is this on the list? Hookworms have circa 6 thousand listeners on Spotify and around 2 thousand followers on Instagram. The only big sites covering it was Pitchfork (7.9) and Drowned in Sound (much better review than in Pitchfork, btw). I understand that the music is good but were they relevant enough to be in the list? The same year we had Mitsky- Be The Cowboy who did something similar with much bigger cultural impact. . I really love to discover new good music but if I had the curation of this list I would not put albums like School of Velocity (Miaoux Miaoux) or Ginger Root (SHINBANGUMI), albuns I love with passion but unfortunately didnt reach much people... Still I give them 4 stars, but wish to have discovered it on the list of best albuns of 2018.
Kinda weird but not in a terrible way. Not that great either
This was good. Reminds me of The Big Roar by The Joy Formidable, even in the "the first song sounds like it sucks and then it gets good". Check that one out, Ben!
First minute or so of this album was a jumpscare that had me thinking we were due for another British bullshit electronic album. Luckily, I was wrong and it turned into a more conventional pop/rock/electronic track. That song took me through the whole range of stars, from 1 star all the way to 5, and I don’t think any other song on this list has run me through that series of emotions. Solid 4 of an album
Musically solid mix of electronic rock and psychedelia, but nothing too outstanding. I didn't really vibe with it, but it wasn't offensive either.
Ok the first song got me. I thought this would be just a bleeps and bloops album but no- it actually went somewhere. I dug it. Kind of LCD Soundsystem-y. Except not as snide. Very positive. The rest of the album is in that same vein- reminds me of Death Cab and Grandaddy. Maybe some Flaming Lips as well? I keep trying to pin these guys down and I shouldn’t. They’re just a really good indie rock outfit with some excellent songs. Count me in. FOUR STARS
no
This was great, it's catchy and easy to listen too
there are 3 albums released in 2018 represented on this list. they're an odd bunch, not really being the most notable releases even in their niche. i guess i listened to Golden Hour and liked it? this isn't even that bad or anything i'm just incredibly confused that this made it over the plethora of great indie stuff put out that year. doesn't mean it's that good, either. very middle of the road and uncompelling. it exists. the krautrock song is pretty okay deserves to be one of the 1001? it's maybe the easiest no of the entire decade
Microshift marks a clear stylistic shift for Hookworms, moving away from noise rock and garage energy towards a more polished, synth-driven sound. The krautrock influence is strong, and there are definite echoes of bands like Stereolab. The production is sleek and carefully crafted throughout. Tracks like “Negative Space” and “Ullswater” build hypnotic atmospheres with looping structures and extended arrangements. There’s an artistic ambition here, emotional depth, themes of grief, loss, and mental health, expressed with clarity and intention. But despite its emotional weight and sonic elegance, Microshift never quite grabs hold. The songs tend to blur together, and while the synth textures are beautiful, the album ultimately lacks variation and edge. It’s an album that’s easy to admire, but harder to truly love. Impressive in sound, but a little… dull in the long run.
Never heard of this album even though I was paying very close attention to the indie music scene in this era. Found this very enjoyable, especially the opening two tracks. Curious why this was included instead of some more impactful records of this style that came out in the same year. 3.5/5
This was awesome. Never heard of this band..will definitely listen again.
Realmente extraño y con una producción peculiar. Algunas canciones son extremadamente largas y hace que el álbum aburra.
Electronic rock, not really into it
Too deliberate without impacting anything really. Experimentally impressive but lacks finesse
Meh.
Sounds like it belongs in a modern art gallery. Eccentric and indie pop rolled into one!
Good indy is good!
I don't know that I would call this a rock album. I'm not sure what to call it, besides very strange. Felt a little like being at a rave at times. Great album art though.
This album was pretty chill. Not too much to complain about but also nothing to write home about. I originally didn’t think it would be for me but then I felt like the album just flew by.
Not bad Indie Psych/space rock from a band that I didn't know of. high 2.5 rounded to 3
while I am a fan of more electronic music... I didn;t enjoy it. It didn't feel like something I'd remember. 2/5
This was a pretty cool mix of neo psychedelia with synthpop and krautrock. The entire album is driven by motorik style beats and rhythm. The electronics are all modular synths that feel alive, and at times glitchy, while the overall soundscape is colorful and full of texture. It’s honestly nothing too mind blowing, but it’s good for what it is. If you like bands like Stereolab, then this will be right up your alley.
What a terrible opening to a really good song. This is a very good record. I love the synths, I love the vocal melodies, the ambience between, how the tracks ebb and flow, man this rules. But also where the hell did this come from, it’s so confusing that the newest album I’ve seen on this list is a 6k a month listener band on Spotify almost assuredly just because it’s on this list. It’s very good, don’t get me wrong, I just don’t know how this album got on here. I would love a backstory from Dimery on how this band found him on the street and gave him their flash drive or something. I’m rating this absurdly high because it’s absurdly good, it’s not a slight on the band, but there are bands I’ve worked with that are hitting these same streaming numbers and they sure aren’t on a essential albums to hear before you die list.
This album started off so strong, but then kinda came in and out of "eh" and "this is good". The "eh" parts of this album sounded like the bad parts of Passion Pit. This band feels like a mashup of Death Cab for Cutie, Muse, a touch of Bon Iver, and Passion Pit (mentioned above). There are also many other familiar sounds that I can't quite tie them to yet. Is this the newest album on this list? Maybe so. It am confused as to why this album was picked. Negative Space and The Soft Season were the two highlights for me, but most of the rest of the album was good. Decent 4 from me
Sounded cool, talked over it in the car. 3/5
Albums not included on this list: Giant Steps - John Coltrane; I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One - Yo La Tengo; For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver; The Shape Of Jazz To Come - Ornette Coleman; Grand Prix - Teenage Fanclub; Under The Pink - Tori Amos; Things We Lost In The Fire - Low; Chet - Chet Baker; Goat - The Jesus Lizard; Transatlanticism - Death Cab for Cutie; Mingus Ah Um - Charles Mingus; Silent Alarm - Bloc Party; Sublime - Sublime; In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel; Give Up - The Postal Service; Weezer (the Blue Album) - Weezer; Somethin’ Else - Cannonball Adderly; Ram - Paul McCartney; Tragic Kingdom - No Doubt; Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend; Excitable Boy - Warren Zevon; Breakfast in America - Supertramp; Flood - They Might Be Giants; The Moon and Antarctica - Modest Mouse; Aquemini - OutKast; Fly - Dixie Chicks; Currents - Tame Impala; Funky Kingston - Toots and the Maytals; Curtis - Curtis Mayfield; Mezzanine - Massive Attack; Shoot Out the Lights - Richard and Linda Thompson; Loaded - The Velvet Underground; Damn the Torpedos - Tom Petty. Albums included on this list: this one. Make it make sense. This was perfectly fine indie synth pop. Nothing bad about it whatsoever. I’d never purposefully put it on but it was not unpleasant to listen to. It was also wholly unremarkable in every sense of the word. Just a non-entity of a record. To the extent there is any validity to a list like this - which is highly questionable - this album has no place on it.
I had zero expectations but I'm pleasantly surprised so far. Standout Songs: - Negative Space - Static Resistance - Shortcomings
Wasn't expecting this one to be as good as it was. I love the drone synthy sound and how they incoorporated it into a rock framework. 8/10
Well, that was mediocre at best. Not sure how this album from 2018 made this list.
I have no memory of this but presumably I thought it was ok
So I’ve never heard of this group even though the album is from 2018, and they’ve only got 6k monthly listeners on spotify. But several indieheads reddit threads about the band’s collapse due to SA allegations so clearly they had some following in the 10s. But now it’s like no one talks about them anymore, weird ghost town effect. Anyway cool songs, not like my favorite or anything though
thoughts: very fun and groovy start to the album with the first couple of songs. glitchy dance-y brit indie rock is a weakness for me and this is hitting that spot. i had no idea what to expect with this but man, this is gonna get some replay songs: “negative space”, “static resistance”, “opener” rating: 8.7/10
Utterly pointless Arcade Fire rip-off. C'mon guys, let's try a little harder next time. (Oops, guess there won't be a next time.)
I feel like I've heard this before, but it's a lot of fun.
Very experimental in the best way. It feels like a full experience. Definitely some I will go back to. Love the use of different instruments to make the music feel like a piece of art.
I will admit to not having heard of this band before. Sort of a bit of Phoenix, with another little bit of the Arctic Monkeys and dare I say a dash of Arcade Fire. This album was pleasant enough. No real singular standouts. But a quality listen, start to finish.
Microshift by Hookworms is a fairly recent album and I had never heard of it. Wasn’t sure what was coming but they hooked me with their ear worm… yea that was bad but this album wasn’t. They bring an interesting blend of pysch and synth rock. Found myself reminded of Death Cab For Cutie at times and I’ve always enjoyed them so I liked this. Good stuff. 4 stars
This album oozes 2010s indie. Wouldn’t be my choice on here to rep the genre (Phoenix is far superior in this idiom). But interesting album and too bad the singer is apparently a dirtbag. So it goes.
very psychedelic and cool!!
Some parts of this I really loved. When the album started, I thought it'd be a 4 or a 5, but then some of the other tracks really dragged.
Would listen to again. Has vibes of MGMT and good mix of pop rock and electronic.
The first three songs are really really good but it goes downhill a bit from there. No idea why it's on this list but I can't say I'm too upset that it is.
126 albums in and I'm detecting a noticeable Brit bias with this list, especially with the more contemporary choices. I didn't even realize the writer was English until I started to suspect as much and looked it up. It's not necessarily a bad thing. Hell, it might even be a good thing for my American ears. Anyway, this one is not entirely objectionable, but mostly forgettable. 2/5 #126
First few songs were good but fell off the second half
5.5/10
Best album I've heard thus far.
Eh, nothing special here.
This didn't break any boundaries in 2018, nor did it seem to take any risks. This was mediocre musical drivel which felt at its highest high, subpar at best. An unnecessary addition to an ever-growing list that has easily exceeded the supposed 1001 albums you need to hear before you die.
Not much to say about this. It's completely forgettable, but inoffensive.
This was a pleasant surprise for once. More British favoritism by the editor of the book, but this one actually panned out for once. I hear comparisons to Spiritualized and LCD Soundsystem, but I don't hear those comparisons really. I enjoyed this album more than the albums by both of those artists. Is it perfect? No, not by a stretch, but it was, for me anyway, better than most of the albums released in 2018. The strength of the album for me is in the first 5 tracks. The last 4 tracks on the album are a mixed bag, with the most interesting to me being the instrumental, "Reunion" and the finale "Shortcomings". Did I think that there were objectively more solid efforts all the way through in 2018? Yes, I think there are seven more interesting albums in this genre alone, including Prodigy NO TOURISTS, Gary Numan SAVAGE, La Matos SUMMER OF '84 Soundtrack, Blue October I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY, Meg Myers TAKE ME TO THE DISCO, The Glitch Mob - SEE WITHOUT EYES, and Awolnation HERE COME THE RUNTS.
I was pleasantly surprised by this.
Not bad and nice to hear a band I've never listened to before. Reminded me a bit of Animal Collective, LCD Soundsystem and Postal Service in places, spacey elecronica/indie with a bit of a psychadelic edge. Probably wouldn't listen again but quite a cool sound even if the album didn't entirely "hook" me
Not for me.
It's not bad. But it's not great ether, sounds closer to the indie from 2014, and I'm a fan of that, but because of this I already heard it all before
First song is great. The rest of the album is fine but not as much my thing.
You gotta do this one in one sitting.
perfectly emblematic of the bland, shallow indie pop rock the 2010s were so good at producing. even if you haven't heard this album before, yes you have
Nice and upbeat, would be good for a workout. Vaguely Arcade Fire sounding
Hadn’t heard of them. Good stuff. Mgmt-ish
Ik ken dit niet en het Wikipedia artikel past op een bierviltje, dus dat geeft weinig houvast. Het klinkt een beetje als Glass Animals, maar dan ontzettend druk. Het neigt een beetje naar van die FIFA soundtrack muziek (misschien omdat Glass Animals daar ook in zat), maar het is te aanwezig daarvoor. Dit is weer zo'n album waar ik niet tegen kan, ondanks dat het geen slechte muziek is. Al die galmende laagjes (o.a. het orgeltje) in combinatie met die zenuwachtige synthjes en de aardig hoge zang trekken bij mij de batterij compleet leeg. Dit wringt precies op de verkeerde plek. Ik vind dit verschrikkelijk. Ik herhaal: Dit is niet objectief slecht (voor zover dat bestaat), maar ik kan hier niet tegen. Ik zet hem af (na track 3) en ik kan niet anders dan 1 ster geven.
Faktisk et godt lyt. Der er noget LCD Soundsystem over det til tider.
Det er okay. Men så heller ikke mere
didn't hate this but didn't think it was especially interesting, wish i hadn't looked up the band
..
Different from my usual listening.
Started off with some promisingly interesting soundscapes, then…New Wave. Oh well.
Not bad- when the first track came on I thought it was going to be more than it turned out to be. Sounds fine but quickly dissolved into the background.
From now on it’s the BigMac system 1-10 scale with decimals allowed. 1 1-3.5, 2 3.6-5.0,3 5.1 - 7.0 4 7.1-8.5 5 8.6 and above. Hookworms were cool - plus was the beats minus was the lead singer beatings 7.0
gooooooood
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5. Loved this weird little album so much. Such a vibe and hit it perfectly between weirdness and absurdity.
I liked this. Had never heard of them and had no expectations going in, but was an enjoyable alt rock album. Surprisingly unbothered by the 7 min tracks
Never heard of them before. It was an OK listen though I doubt I’ll listen again to the album. Can’t even remember any of the songs a day later so not bad to listen to but also forgettable.
A very 3 album. I didn’t like the one song that abruptly ends it made me feel like I accidentally skipped it on my phone so I had to go back and listen twice and it was still jarring the second time.
The sounds of an octopus f**king a bagpipe. Soulless guitar driven dance music that will keep you off the dance floor, off your tits or not. Microshift? More like microshit grande.
Sounded like a lesser-version of Arcade fire. Not for me.
Dreamy and creamy synch indie. Pleasantly surprised to see a release from Hookworms on the list. Really enjoy this one (and the band in general). Love how to tracks all seamlessly phase into each other, and there's some really hypnotic loops in here. Good stuff!
Pretty non-descript, noy very interesting or fresh, never really caught my attention anywhere.
Great album!
It’s sort of interesting. But it really lacks something great. It’s another just okay album on this list. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
Their Spotify description calls them "socially conscious noise rock" and I have a phobia of invertebrate parasites. I wasn't sure what to expect, to say the least of how I started out. Microshift opens with Negative Space, which builds from a highly programmatic intro (you can hear the krautrock influence immediately) to a clean, fairly soaring feel by the end of its near-seven-minute length. For the grittiness of the guitar tone, the vocal delivery, electronic accents and production all combine for a fairly clean, atmospheric number. In short, it builds. Mostly, reminds me of early (Suburbs) Arcade Fire, but with a little less catharsis. This music is very nice and if you like it, you should go back and work through the Canadian indie collectives of the Oughts (Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire).
That rare burger gave me hookworms :(
I actually really dig this style of music and could see myself reslistening to this for sure. I unfortunately have the same issue I have with most recent albums here though - I simply don't think this album is remotely relevant enough to justify its inclusion in this list. I don't think it's proven influential or culturally relevant at all. I hadn't even heard of it until now.
I don’t think I like computer music. Ir are these real instruments?
Good.
A puzzling experience. Low three? Might revisit
Was enjoying this until I found out they'd been cancelled. Woopsie (it's actually still a very strong album).
This was a pretty good album, I had not heard of them before but I did like what I heard!
I had this whole snarky review in my head where I was going to name British rock bands that I love from this era, but it turns out this album is pretty solid. It can't hold a candle to LCD soundsystem, but it is still good. Unlike numerous other UK indie rock albums from 2000 to present day on this list, this album actually has some character. I guess you guys will have to wait until tomorrow when I get some no name white bread British band for me to write my snarky review. Low 4.
kinda weird
Decent alt. Nothing I’d put on though.
This has 6000 monthly listeners on Spotify, I guess most of them because of the book or the generator. -1 star for being the 999th British album on this list
Het klinkt verdacht veel alsof iemand muziek moest maken bij een computerspelletje op de Gameboy. Licht esoterische zuurstokmuziek dus, er zal vast een markt voor zijn, maar voor mij wordt het algauw te langdradig.
Rock staat er op wiki. Verder staat er eigenlijk helemaal niets. Dus wat kunnen we verwachten. Het begint elektronisch, maar al snel hoor je waarom er 'rock' staat. Halverwege de zeroes was dit soort festivalmuziek de trend. Dit album komt uit 2018 en hobbelt dus achter de feiten aan. Tijdens Ullswater zing ik bijna mee "Everyday I love you less and less". Zo erg ademt dit Kaiser Chiefs. Er is weinig mis met dit album, maar waarom staat dit in de lijst? Het is niet zo toonaangevend, niet beter dan anderen in zijn soort en het heeft geen continue kwaliteit. (Na nummer 3 volgt een bak opvullers). Het was prima om eens te luisteren, maar volgende week ben ik het meeste wel weer kwijt.
Een behoorlijk recente toevoeging en het komt meer dan eens voor dat ik er dan nog nooit van heb gehoord. De wiki weet amper iets te melden, niet eens een stijl. Hookworms is een 'rock' band blijkbaar. Als het eerste nummer instart, krijg ik eerder Daft Punk-achtige vibes. Op het moment dat de zang erbij komt, wordt het wel meer festival rocky. Maar dan wel artsy-fartsy als Arcade Fire. Ik was in eerste instantie wat skeptisch, misschien ook omdat ik net de Beach Boys moest luisteren, maar ik kan dit soort muziek een stuk beter hebben dan dat gedateerde gewauwel van wijlen Brian Wilson. Er zit veel elektronica om de rockmuziek heen, maar het vult aan in plaats van dat het stoort. Het tempo is lekker hoog, de muziek sfeervol. Het gaat vaak genoeg even lekker los. Voordat je begint aan een lijst als de 1001 hoop je veel bekende klassiekers te horen en een aantal verborgen parels, waarvan je blij bent dat je ze hebt leren kennen. Inmiddels weten we iets beter, dat er dus ook heel veel meuk tussen staat. Daarom word ik altijd wat terughoudender als ik een moderne plaat als dit zie staan. En dan is het eigenlijk des te leuker als je positief verrast wordt. Want ik vind dit hele fijne muziek.
Cool textures but not exactly for me.
Solid synth indie with strong beats, krautrock drumming, riffs that are a throwback to 00s post punk revival guitar, some garage psych fuzz bits, classic synth tones and programming, lots of energy throughout and a singer that suits the music and doesn't stand out for good or bad. They're doing a very generic sound as well as can be. This is such a fun kind of band, people are always going to keep having them, making ok albums and playings party shows that get the crowd dancing. There should be (and kind of is) one in every town at all times and once in a while one of them like MGMT will strike gold with a banger that goes huge and brings a lot more energy/attention to the scene so it starts to permeate the whole pop landscape before receding back to baseline.Some good stuff on this album, but nothing bangs hard enough to break containment.
Ultimately a pretty middling album for me. Not sure what sets it apart from its peers that made their mark in this genre from 2007-2012ish. Seems like a continuation of the “Dark Was the Night”-type thing.
Who is—oh they’re pretty good
Listened to half and could not remember what it sounded like. 2 stars for no impression
Never heard. Some interesting stuff. May found a new band to like. Very cool stuff.
parts were ok, did not like most of it.
good!
Static resistance is my personal favourite. Would be a great band to see live.
10/10 super fun, mildly psychedelic I really like this
I have never heard of them before, but this was great
3/5
I had never heard of this band. I enjoyed the album! Great length - I think any longer and it might have gotten boring. Solid album, I'd say 3.5 - rounding up.
First time hearing this. It’s good!
This was pretty decent and I've never even heard of them.
not bad
Super album
Modern synthpop? I like this
Nice!
A psychodelic church concert. There might be people who enjoy it, the rest will most likely stumble in and back out after a short while. Transitions between songs are on point though.
This list has so much old music that it’s easy to forget the effect of modern music production technology on the landscape of music. This band (which I’d never heard of) is able to create an exceptionally produced blend of prog, krautrock, and more modern indie.
Just not my kind of music. Too cold
I didn't like Boxing Day very much, but I liked the rest of the album. I love the spacey feel.
Can we get some LCD Sound System? We have LCD Soundstystem at home.
I have never heard of Hookworms, so everything about this was new to me. I'm surprised to say that this was very enjoyable. Look at me--liking music from the current decade! Way to go! That said, who are these people? Is this really one of the top 1001 albums ever made? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I still liked it.
This is just a fun album
This kinda stuck in my brain, it hooked me and wormed its way in. Loved this album although I did not expect to at all
This is why I'm here - unexpected gems. Such a great combo of mellow tunes with a driving beat. An espresso martini for your ears.
"Microshift" is the third studio album, the fourth long play album and the final album by British rock band Hookworms. Neo-psychedelia, space rock, noise rock and drone rock had been their musical genres up to this album which saw them use more "electronic loops and glacial synths." The bandmembers included EO (guitars, backing vocals), JN (drums, percussion), JW (guitars), MB (bass, synthesizers) and MJ (vocals, keyboards, synths and producers). Commercially, the album reached #18 in the UK. Electronic beats, synth noises and robotic synth voices open "Negative Space." MJ enters with a tenor voice. An underlying synth melody and ringing guitars. Dance beats come in. This really reminds me of early 80's synth Ministry. A compelling song about the death of a close friend. The beat picks up in "Static Resistance." Muddled vocals and a similar guitar/synth melody. This song is much more driving and urgent rock. It would not be out of place on an LCD Soundsystem album. They go more with a bouncy beat in "Ullswater." A song that builds with a nice searing guitar solo. A song about a family illness. A synth drone from the previous song carries into "Opener." A beat changes that and into quite a nice pop song musically. The guitar cranks it up a bit. MJ going on about the inability of men to open up. The album closes with "Shortcomings." A heavy bass, normal drum and a post-punk sounding guitar. A vertical catchy chorus and overall song. Insecurity over one's onstage appearance. I had no idea what to expect going into this album so I was pleasantly surprised with a very good album. It's hard to pinpoint this band but they reminded me at times of LCD Soundsystem, early 80's Ministry, Postal Service, Stereolab and New Order...all good comps. Songs can be urgent and driving or more subdued. Mostly electronic beats and synth melodies but the guitars play an important part. Serious and adult lyrics discussing death, illness, ending of relationships and insecurities. It's too bad this was the last album for the band or maybe they never would have topped this. Regardless, it's an album worth a listen.
At last, some middle-aged white man music! I can imagine that Radio 6 Music was all over this when it was released. Therefore, of course, I liked it.
This was fine. I liked parts of it.
This album was unexpectedly really good.
idk i mean it was nice background music! kinda boring but i didn’t hate it
A good album, I liked Negative Space, Static Resistance and Shortcomings the most.
That was alright! A cross between Spiritualized and late era Wilco.
Another surprise for me, never heard of the band before, but loved it and will have this in my rotation for a while.
Tf is this... 2018 is it some mad shit. Yes. Oh fucking hell they're from Leeds. Hm so the front half of the opening track was like weird electronic noises and then the back half is uhh. Indie slop. Yeah i like can't hear this it's going straight through my brain. Exactly the style and era I can't be arsed with. Perplexed that it's on this list honestly feel like I should have heard of it? Pet favourite of an editor ig.
This is fine, but it shifts from Flaming Lips to Orchestral Manoeuvres to any number of other electronic bands.
Okay, this is 100% my jam - I've never heard of this band before, and am extremely pleasantly surprised. Time to see if they have any other music and all about... oh. Maybe not. Album still bangs though.
Hadn’t heard them before. A new favorite!
3.75
Interesting. Some catchy beats, but overall not something I would go back to.
Loved this. Will dig deeper.
Truly random choice.
I really liked this!
Начало первой песни альбома очень психоделическое.... (Потом прочитала, что это нео-психоделический рок) Вокал прикольный, да и песня сама по себе. Первая песня на четвертой минуте так раскрывается, блаженство. Чем-то напоминает пилотов, первая песня полетела в плейлист. Боже это что за алмаз?? Я кайфую. Все песни были успешно добавлены в плейлист)
Not bad, still wondering why this album is so essential.
Wow this was a chore to get through. It’s some pretentious crap. Now I love pretentious crap, but when you get all pretentious then the bar is that much higher to make music that is meaningful and connects with the listener. This is just weak songs wrapped in repetitive noise. Also never heard of them, it’s pretty new, no listens on Spotify, not sure what got them on the list. One star.
Uhh idk nothing worth noting here. Felt very generic. Definition of mid without the years of legacy to back it up. 3/10
Honestly, how did this album even make it onto this list? It’s just bad, forgettable background noise. To make matters worse, the band’s troubling past only reinforces that this disaster deserves the lowest rating possible. If this is your only listening option, I’d suggest just staring at a wall instead. At least that won’t leave you feeling confused and uneasy!
Goede muzikanten en goede zanger. Maar ik vind de liedjes wel saai. Keyboard is leuk, maar het voelt alsof ze het standaard demo pingeltje aan hebben gezet. **
Noisy, sometimes catchy, sometimes annoying, poppy, experimental Electronica.
Fantastic surprise. 100% my shit.
True neo-psych here from a band that is consistent while evolving.
Kinda liked this, but not enough to listen again. If you fancy the flavour why go for the rip off when the original is available?
Pa iznenađujuće zanimljivo! Super mi je kraut djir, odlične melodije, jedino taj vokal ne mogu probaviti. Baš mi je šteta jer instrumentalno dobro zvuči. Zbog toga 2/5, 4/10
favorite song: static resonance. Overall score: 7.4/10
Found myself enjoying this one- I had never heard of Hookworms before. 3.5/5
It’s fine. Like it’s a decently made 2018 indie rock record. No idea why it’s on this list other than the guy liking them. Nothing makes this a monumental album in any way. That all being said, it’s good some good energy and good tunes. But if it fades in the world’s collective memory that wouldn’t really be a bad thing.
p951. 2018. 1 star. Microshit more like. Bland noise with limp vocals. Zero redeeming features. WTF is this on the list?
NOT my style.
Some interesting moments, but it dragged. Felt like wish.com LCD Soundsystem
Like this is not something I needed to listen to before I die, it might kill me how bad this is, noisy nonsense.
"I'm telling you the kids are going nuts for this indie thing, we can't just be putting only electronic music we used to dance to on ecstasy in the 90s! You there! Intern! What are the kids bopping to these days?" "Well, my nephew's in this band Hookworms... they played at the Cheltenham Music Festival, subbing in for Mouse Trap Replica on the Benson's Motor Oil Pop-Up Stage, right behind the Shawarma stands, right next to the latrines." "Are they anything like them Arcade Fires and Vampire Weekdays?" "My mates seemed to like them, could've been the drugs though..." "That's good enough for me!"
I was trying to enjoy it but 1) never heard of this band before [derrogatory], 2) went to google the band and had the bad news that they broke up because the singer was accused of doing bad stuff to a few women, 3) I just couldn't get into the damn album.
Too hard core for me.
I know a Gen X British guy made this list because he clearly is not aware all of this sounds like an iPhone commercial from 15 years ago and does not belong on this list. It has a few moments in the end but this is just slop... it's musically competent but still soulless and uninspired. FFO Target checkout line music
Tame impala csak nem olyan jó
Another I didn't really need. Rated a 2 because it wasn't actively bad. But seriously, I seem to be in the middle of a long dry spell with this project. I wonder why I don't seem to have any long spells of great music?
It's ok but skipable. Can't see that this will be relevant in 30 years.
Good album just not my favorite type of music
Not my jam
No thanks.