Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Rick Rubin produces a riff rock classic.
Interesting to see that this came out the week I was born. Things have changed in the music industry! Aside from some interesting guitar moments, this was pretty forgettable and stereotypical classic rock.
It feels like such a sell out sound. They were in LA once and tried to make the most dull "1987" style music they could based on that memory. Guns n Roses came on after then and I could instantly tell the difference even before Axl's voice came on. Just dull.
Cool album
*painfully* generic
i am, more than anything, confused about this album. why is it here? like, on this list but also in the world in general. why did the band that made she sells sanctuary suddenly sell out and become ac/dc lite in the late 80s? are any of these songs actually popular or do they just feel familiar to me because they lift riffs from other, better songs? why did they feel a need to cover steppenwolf? all this and more on today's episode of beyond belief: fact or fiction. i'm your host, jonathan frakes also i guess i do like some of these songs. sue me. favorites: wild flower, lil' devil, love removal machine, born to be wild, outlaw
I had no idea there was just so much boring rock in the 80s. Justifiably forgotten.
Classic
This pretty good but definitely of its time and this album is missing some absolute classics
Ok. Just.
Sounds like someone described the cult to AI and it spat this out
guitar based hard rock with riffs that have a kind of southern rock flair. ian astbury has a swagger and attitude that few frontmen have. this was a huge album for me back in the day and it was great to revisit it after all this time. highlights: “wildflower” “lil’ devil” “love removal machine”
Got some all-timers on here.
this really didn’t do it for me
Mediocre bar band rock.
I mean, it eas definitely what I expected from late 80s hard rock. But it reallt didn't stand out, and they absolutely massacred "Born to be wild" minus one star just for that travesty.
Not Bad. Very Rock and roll. The production was awesome I gotta say like every was so clean. Songs were aight
I feel bad but I’m not into it and gotta get thru these more quickly so I can catch up…
Aphrodisiac Jacket sounds like a Citizen Dick song title.
“OH YEAH BABY! MAKE ME CRAZY! AHH BABY! BABY BABY BABY!” There you go. I’ve just summed up the whole album. There’s also a cover of “Born to Be Wild” that only makes me feel guilty for having listened to such a poor rendition. Instrumentation includes pounding drums, lifeless bass, and a very lively guitar that will float around the minor pentatonic scale if it wants to do a solo, which it will at least once a song. Production isn’t great, which is surprising considering it’s Rick Rubin, but all of their albums sound like this so I wonder if it’s intentional? Vocals are unique, but after forty minutes, annoying. Lyrics are nothing special. I enjoy this band, but not for a whole album. Maybe my enjoyment doesn’t even endure three of their songs. Oh well, baby. 2/5
Oh this was good. A classic gold ol rock album was exactly what I needed. Thank you.
In full honesty (with myself) - if I didn't live through this album there's a very high chance I might have heard this today and thought it was laughably terrible. But. I did live through it, it IS hilarious in many ways, and I fucking love it unapologetically and know pretty much every riff and note by heart before even putting MY ORIGINAL 1987 VINYL copy on the turntable and truly annoying the fam. PEACE! DOG! ...I really came close to docking it a full star for Born To Be Wild which even as a kid I knew could end up historically-awful. Goal achieved! But yeah the whole album brings back memories - learning every song on guitar (a great album to learn riff rock from). And yes it's all so goddamn dumb but I dgaf - it's a blast. 9/10 5 stars.
too 80s
Solid rock record!
Aggressively banal. At least for me. It’s probably one of those things you just had to be there for. 2/5
Great album
This is default rock music. If you told me it was AI generated I would believe you.
A buddy of mine turned me on to the Cult. Actually saw them in a small club in Detroit. They were awesome. Loved this album.
Вообще я конечно за любовь, мир во всем мире, и абсолютное безусловное уважение к творчеству, но когда на хуиту, которую играли мои бухие друзья по фану в пятом классе, вдохновившись АЦДЦ, навешивают ярлык "ВЕЛИЧАЙШЕГО АЛЬБОМА В ИСТОРИИ МУЗЫКИ, КОТОРЫЙ НУЖНО СЛУШАТЬ" - уф... Лучшая песня - Love Removal Machine.
This album is overall pretty jammin. I could have done without the shitty Born to be Wild cover. Still, a great rock album. 1001 album worthy: yes - 69/128
p567. 1987. 3 stars. Brit Guns'N'Roses clone. Points deducted for excessive guitar wankage and redundant covers.
This feels like classic 80s hair metal. It's fine, but there isn't a ton to digest here. The guitarist is by far the best musician of the group. Best Songs: Aphrodisiac Jacket, Love Removal Machine Worst Songs: Outlaw
Even dacht ik dat ik naar de soundtrack van This is Spinal Tap zat te luisteren. Want dit is wel leuke bouwvakkermuziek, maar het slaat ook geen enkel onverwacht straatje in. Gewoon gillende gitaren, rammende drums en een beukende stem, best geinig hoor, maar het lijkt bijna een parodie op zichzelf. Maar misschien is de top-1001 er ook om schoolvoorbeelden van het genre voor het voetlicht te brengen. En dan toch maar liever dit genre dan vals punkgekrijs.
Klassieke rock die al veel eerder veel beter is gedaan. Op dat maar eens te onderstrepen hebben ze 'Born te be wild' gecovered. Waarschijnlijk het beste wat deze band eruit kon halen, maar veel minder dan het origineel. De kracht van dit album zit in de catchy ritmes; het is een plaat die kwaad kan voor de nekspieren. Omdat het binnen het genre verre van het beste is, zal ik het niet snel nog eens opzetten en verdient het een 3. Ik voeg het eerste nummer toe aan mijn likes, dat lijkt mij voldoende om over te houden aan deze schijf.
Een beetje over de top hardrock, licht aanstellerig. Een kruising tussen INXS en Billy Idol. Als ik zo de wiki lees, wilden ze gewoon keihard knaken verdienen, dus dit moest zo commercieel mogelijk zijn. Apart dat de snobs dat dan opnemen in hun lijstje, over het algemeen hebben die een enorme hekel aan te commerciele bandjes. Ik vind het op zich allemaal wel prima wegluisteren, al beklijft me ook een beetje het gevoel van een uit de kluiten gewassen dorpsbandje dat op feesten en partijen staat te spelen. Een soort Jovink en de Voederbietels, Mooi Wark. De muzikanten verstaan hun vak goed hoor, begrijp me niet verkeerd, maar deze muziek wordt tegenwoordig door AI gemaakt als je 'hardrock' opgeeft. Qua luisterplezier zit het dan wel weer tegen een 4 aan. Dus ik ben een beetje in dubio wat ik hier aan moet geven. Een bak babi pangang is ook niet bepaald culinair te noemen, maar ik eet dat wel met veel smaak op. Geef je een snobscore, dan zit het tussen een 1 en een 2 in. Geef je een plebscore, dan gaat het richting een 4. Al gooit de hemeltergende cover van Born to be Wild nog bijna roet in het eten.
Love some of the Cult’s tracks, but have never got around to listening to this album - loved it!
Disappointing
I'm kind of surprised this one was seen as a must. I always gravitate towards Sonic Temple, which I think is a more polished and dynamic album overall.
Actually liked this more than I expected to. Used to clown on these guys for being cheese metal, but this is really just a heavy rock/blues style. Apparently that has really grown on me as I get older. Vocalist is especially great, and is one of those voices you know instantly when you hear it.
Groupe inconnu. Du rock basique et mou, avec quelques chorus de guitare qui vont le sauver de la note minimale =>2/5. Et dire que la même année Voivod sortait "Killing Technology", un album vraiment original et créatif ... et pas dans la liste. Le choix des albums dans cette liste est vraiment bizarre !
Proper of its time. Questionable Born to be wild cover, but overall an enjoyable listen
Love Removal Machine
Nada mal rockero!
This would have been the type of music I listened to in the mid-late 80s, but I have never heard of this band, or any of their songs. I understand why. It's not bad (except the Born to be Wild cover) but nothing stands out or grabs my attention
I don't know the pretty much Rip off the Stones, Zeppelin, ACDC and whatever else. Nothing much new here at least this was before everything had to be drenched in reverb.
Repetitive Hard Rock, it kinda slaps but gets boring.
Det er vel helt greit men dette har jeg personlig veldig lite bruk for
It's just not for me. I am not The Cult's target demographic. Album cover is wicked, songs on the album are not. Generic hard rock, wailing guitar, kind-of-bad vocals, especially on the cover of "Born To Be Wild." I was surprised to see Rick Rubin produced this, but that's probably why someone felt like it was worthy of being on this list.
Great 80s rock/metal album! Maybe I‘m biased because of GTA Vice City but I really enjoyed this!
Blind album artist. I thought this album was kinda cool. No clue why it is on the list but I enjoyed the listen. Kinda generic but I still liked it.
Fun, heavy riffs, Danzig vocals
Started well but the voice grated on me and it was a lot of unecessary solos and yeahhhhs
4/5
It’s a shame The Cult abandoned the dark, atmospheric post-punk/hard rock fusion of their masterpiece "Love" for a more straightforward sound on "Electric." While the bone-dry production due to Rubin’s influence made it a stark departure, the original "Electric Peace" mixes show glimpses of their earlier style. For years, I struggled to compare it to "Love" and "Dreamtime," but judged on its own, it’s still solid—Astbury’s vocals and Duffy’s riffs elevate tracks like "Lil’ Devil," "Peace Dog," and "Love Removal Machine" above most hard rock of the era. 3/5
Another unfinished album. Sorry this stuff just isn't what I am into at all.
Wow this is derivative, even for the late 80s. Yea, the Born To Be Wild cover is real shit.
Decent enough of an album. Nothing too special.
Fav: Love Removal Machine Least Fav: Born To Be Wild This level of sell-out is pathetic, the change away from gothic rock definitely seems wrong if this album came from it
All songs are the same and some of the instruments sound like they were recorded with a cheap VST. But it 1987 huh?
Dudes Rock
tutto ok
Oh my this was excruciating. Any subtlety was lost on me.
In late 1986 The Cult put all their influences in a big black cauldron and called Rick Rubin. Something about a cauldron, a bunch of songs that were on the verge of getting it on, the need to break America and English pussy... Rubin listened to the message again & called the boys back, within days Rubin started digging in that rusty beast and found hard psychedelic rock, Highway to Hell era AC DC, The Whiskey au Go Go via The 100 Club, some Led Zeppelin magic, a little Rolling Stones swagger, some T Rex, some goth rock, some T&A and started sorting it all out in his lab. The Cult rerecorded every song they had ready for the next album under the watchful eye of Rubin and renamed the album Electric to better reflect the newly recorded music. It rocked. Not long after the fruits of their labor was released in America & beyond to great success. Electric was hailed from schoolyards to the New York Times as hard rock perfection. Rubin took off his glasses and fell asleep on his shabby couch (his beard full of peanut shells) peacefully knowing that he gave The Cult his best. The boys hit the road for months of sold-out dates and they rocked electric for Electric rocked.
Very generic 80s rock.
The singer sounds like he's the only one genuinely enjoying himself. It's unusual for this list – which tends to favour music with great instruments and bad singers. But in this example, the vocalist is having a good ol' jam (complete with rock screams and clichés), while the guitar, bass, and drums plod along somewhat repetitively. The bass sticks loyally to static chord-roots, and the lead guitar riffs, while fairly catchy, aren't varied enough to keep a whole lot of interest for the listener. Same problem with most of the percussion. "Unadventurous" is the word that comes to mind. I guess rock didn't have anywhere to do except alt and Britpop at this point in time, but there's still plenty of good hard rock from the 80s, and this is simply not the best example of it. That being said, The Cult imitates some seriously great (legendary, even) sounds from the likes of Guns 'n' Roses and Led Zeppelin. (And in that regard, you really can't go wrong even if you lack creativity.) The guitar solo in Electric Ocean sounds exactly like the song title and it's a darn cool track. Love Removal Machine is carried by its riff, which is good only because it sounds near-identical to Start Me Up by the Stones. But copying is fine, I guess, if it's copying something good. There isn't a single song that "misses", and there are a few mild standouts. A textbook 3-star record. 3/5 Key tracks: Wild Flower, Electric Ocean, Love Removal Machine
If this was on at the bar I was at, I would leave
Kinda dumb album. It's not that bad but it doesn't really do anything.
This is great, don't get me wrong. But why this over their Love album? Whatever, it still rocks.
i’m terribly afraid i’m just gonna keep giving everything a 4 but who cares, it’s randomly generated so i’m bound to have a few 4s in a row. each song was different enough from the last and it was the perfect kind of loud. i must say though, im not sure how they managed to remove all the energy from born to be wild, while i was listening i was certain that couldn’t be the original and im glad it wasn’t. the audio engineering on the drums was incredible i could hear every little tap and crinkle i loved it. great to listen to while cleaning, pumps you up. i can sorta tell id get sick of this album pretty quick but none the less still enjoyable to listen to twice.
I like the steady build up on wild flower, its a good intro. Was the guitar riff for electric ocean used in that one spongebob song? I really like love removal machine, but I think Love would've been a better album choice. The born to be wild cover is pretty horrible. I like Ian Astbury's voice and commitment to the fur hat, but overall a pretty generic rock album, but I'm not complaining.
Like AC/DC but more boring. Originally a goth rock band, the Cult hired Rick Rubin specifically to sell out by sounding more like the popular glam metal and hard rock bands of the '80s. The end product sucks. This includes a slowed-down cover of Born to be Wild which puts me to sleep. Bad, in a word.
Un rock familiare. Bello.
Cool, but nothing I haven’t heard before
Good old 80s rock. The Cult was probably not cult for me. I haven't heard anything from them yet. I did enjoy the album a bit. However, there are many other albums by many other bands that are better in my opinion and that I prefer to listen to. 3/5
Huh, seems that I really can't stand The Cult? The best part of the album is the run from 'Love Removal Machine' (a ripoff of 'Start Me Up'), 'Born To Be Wild' (still worse than the original), and the NWBHM-ish 'Outlaw'.
If it wasn’t for the horrendous cover of “Born To Be Wild”, this would have been a 3 / 5. I prefer The Cult and Ian Astbury over a lot of hard rock acts, but as with the rest of the genre it’s too much of the same and not enough truly memorable songs to really stick out.
Generic hard rock made worse by the knowledge that the band was so much more interesting before this album.
2 out of 5. Bland rock.
Back in the late 80s it was a battle between what is known as Hair Metal and grungey (not grunge) rock like this. I listened to way more music like the Cult than I did Hair Metal, but after nearly 30 years its clear to see that Hair Metal won the battle by how recognizable it is vs an example like this Cult album. It's raw, loud and full of gasoline. 4/5
Should have judged by the cover and avoided altogether
Great rock album, a "few fillers" but some great cuts
The record sounds good, but gets boring quickly as about every song sounds the same. 2.5/5
Every songs sounds familiar because they all sound like every other glam metal/hard rock song ever. 3/10
First time listening to this album, really enjoyed, would seek physical copy, probably a 4.5 so rounding up ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1 uuild - 1.5 2. peace - 1 3. devil - 1 4. jacket - 1 5. ocean - 1 6. fun - 1.5 7. king - 1.5 8. machine - 1.5 9. uuild - 0 10. outlauu - 1 11. memphiz - 1.5
Nah. Two stars ✌
Niet het beste album wel hard
Glam rock ahhh
Rick Rubin can’t save bad lyrics.
An all time great.
My vague recollection (perhaps completely wrong) of this band is that the lead singer was a hunk, and they were known for being a good live act. This is not my jam. Even the Born to Be Wild cover is pretty lame.
Wikipedia mentions a review calling this the “worst version of born to be wild.” I think, well, I have to listen to that right now. I made it 35 seconds. It was indeed terrible. Now I have to listen to this whole album with that first impression. Earlier in this project I wrote that I was giving an album 1 star because it was in the bottom 20% of albums in this project. I feel some embarrassment over that comment because a standard bell curve wouldn’t produce an even 20% in each ratting 1-5. (The album did suck and I stand by my 1.) I just noticed yesterday that I’m awarding 5s at a rate of about 1/10. Analogizing from that, I should be awarding 1s at approximately the same pace and I’m not. This was a borderline 1/2 for me, but armed with this new confidence to award more 1s, I’m giving it a 1. Also, “love removal machine” sent me scurrying to my guitar tabs app to see how close that riff was to “start me up.” Pretty close! Different enough for copyright purposes, I’d say, to be fair. And then the singer’s way he sings “baby baby baby baby” in that song is awfully similar to Robert Plant in “babe I’m gonna leave you.” So that song, at least, reminded me of two much better songs, which was pleasant. Getting to “born to be wild” this second time is so strange. I swear he’s singing worse (on purpose?) on this song than on the other songs. If I could confidently say this was a parody, I might like it more. But I don’t think it is. “Outlaw” was perhaps the worst song on the album, and I gave up on it. And I was offended that they called a song “Memphis hip shake,” which implies fun, musicality, and coolness, all of which this album lacks.
I love The Cult, but if you're going to include only one of their albums, Electric is an odd choice. Either of the releases that bookend this one, Love or Sonic Temple, would be more appropriate. This one represents their transition from an English post-punk style to a more commercial hard rock style, but it doesn't do either very well. Would be a 3 but for the strength of Love Removal Machine.
The Cult is probably my favorite Hair Band now. Really good guitar and the singer isn’t scream singing and actually sounds pretty good. Glad to come across this one.
Had only heard and loved "love removal machine" before but damn this is my jam. This is no masterpiece but this really taps into what I listened to as a child so this is really biased. The energy is really contagious, it's easy listened Hard Rock and for some reason I always thought they were from the 90s or later. Does it deserve a spot on the 1001 albums you have to listen to? meh, but it is better than allot of other albums on this list and enjoyed it to 100% so why not if I have to suffer through like all of Elvis Costello's discography
Decent but not memorable
The Cult: the kind of band that is well known but I did not listen to. First riff: Allright AC/DC rip off, but the sound is clear, fresh punchy....then Wikipedia...produced by Rick Rubin and mixed by Andy Wallace: Okay ! The legends are in command. One critic said that they did one of the worst born to be wild cover : I can only concur with that. The MV is very spinal tap. In short, it sounds good but it may be these kind of album that came out not at the right time...
Not my cup of tea. Seems dull often. I liked the first track though, reminds me of teh very 80's Billy Idol.
Bon album de rock que j’ai apprécié écouter Un peu trop rock à mes oreilles d’où seulement 3 étoiles
Although I like this type of rock from time to time, there were no particular songs that stood out to me. Everything had the same energy. It felt like one long song. At this point, just write one particularily good song, instead of a whole album of mid songs. Could not get through the album.
Was quite fun surprisingly. Not really my music however it was not bad at all.
Rather flat rock album. For me every song has almost the same type of vibe. Not that entertaining as I expected.
« Drop peace, baby baby, yeah, Yeah! Baby!!» ! Haaaa!! Born to be wild… No!!! Come on guys…you just lost a point because of that. I don’t know The Cult at all, only by name. Not the only band to have lost its guts in this decades. But this album is less glam rock than expected (which is good), and I kind of like the voice - lyrics are useless though and 70s rock bands influence is too obvious in the music - this is absolutely unoriginal. Nevertheless, after reading about them and listening to this album, I feel kind of motivated to dig in their previous Goth work which is supposed to be more ambitious.
Not sure I’ll ever go back and listen to this again, but I sure was struck by the strength of Astbury as a singer. There exists a reality in which he is the singer of my favourite band. The Cult just isn’t it, musically. Rounding up, but with confidence.
A my się bardzo podoba. 5/5. Może ja po prostu lubię hard rock, więc generyczne albumy muszą mi się podobać.
Not a cult I'm interested in joining. Overall I guess its a decent example of the genre (Glam-Metal? Hair Metal?), just not really my jam.
I liked Love Removal Machine and none of it was bad. But this just sounded like generic rock.
One of the public reviews says “If you asked an AI audio model to generate a hard rock album from 1987 this is what it would give you” and I feel like this couldn’t be more true. It sounded like a pretty average hair metal rock album, not bad but not really mind-blowing. I liked love removal machine and I hated their born to be wild cover. Just wasn’t really in the mood to listen to this genre in the morning on the way to work so it gets a 2.5/5
Really mid classic rock IMO, seemed to take elements from a lot of the great rock groups at the time but didn’t do anything spectacular w it. Fav son: Wildflower
Solid rock album. Appreciate that it's not super power ballad stereotypical 80s, but there weren't any songs that really stood out to me. Their "Born to be Wild" cover was weak.
Way more boring than I was expecting for a band and album named like that
2,5
A lot of fun.
Sounds like Mother Love Bone. I like the production, too, even if its not perfect.
It was fine
This is a really good album! I always thought that The Cult was underrated and it is kind of unfortunate that they get grouped in with 1980's New Wave because they could really rock out. I enjoyed the album all the way through. My only complaint is that is it too short.
Not my jam.
Not my jam
Type of music dudes on motorcycles blast for everyone to hear Will I listen to again: 0%
No!
ok
Hard Rock de los 80 que, honestamente, mostró sus años casi inmediatamente. "Había que estar ahí" es lo que dirán quienes disfrutan de esta colección de canciones que siguen casi todos los clichés del género y de esa década.
Solid british Rock!
01) Wild Flower - 7,5 02) Peace Dog - 7,0 03) Lil' Devil - 7,5 04) Aphrodisiac Jacket - 6,5 05) Electric Ocean - 6,5 06) Bad Fun - 6,5 07) King Contrary Man - 6,5 08) Love Removal Machine - 7,0 09) Born to Be Wild - 7,5 10) Outlaw - 6,5 11) Memphis Hip Shake - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,86 (69/100) Current ranking: 300/451
I feel this is fairly rated. Nothing special but no skips.
Didn't know cover band music could make this list Best Song: Peace Dog Rating: 4.0/10 2 Stars
A pretty decent hard rock album. I prefer the sound of Love better which has more subtlety and space than this more straight forward album. What I like; their penchant for writing ear-worm riffs that are immediately recognizable. Case in point, Love Removal Machine. What I don't like; Ian Astbury tendency for vocal histrionics. There is no doubt he has a powerful voice just needs to rein it in from time to time. Also the guitar work can get a bit over the top but generally Duff sticks to creating powerful riffs and lovely melodies. And the cover of Born to be Wild is a mistake that should never have made it to tape. 3.5 stars
2.5
This is a pretty weak cult album. They had stronger stuff later, this is ultimately forgettable and not the cult album I would put on this list. Then again, maybe it will turn out to be like other british bands and it will turn out that literally everything they have ever done is on this list. 2/5
Classic 80s album. Not much else to say
Not that I despise The Cult. It's s just, they're so meh. Occasional great songs, relatively bland arrangements, a very one- dimensional singer and dull production make this record a very dubious choice for the list. Intentionally powerful music that misses most of its intention.
New to me and I like it. Not surprised to see Rick Rubin as producer. I like pretty much everything he produces.
I'm not really a fan of this genre - there's only one song of theirs I like and it's not even on the album! It's like this is full of songs that kinda sound like them but never quite get that hook into you. Decidedly average.
Now this rocks! I hadn't heard of this band before, and after an initial listen I'm quite excited to listen more to it! It is very classic hard rock or maybe even sleezeish. Very melodic, with great riffs and the singer's screams of "Yeah" scratches my brain real good. Really liked this album and am going to a song from it to my playlists!
Sounds like an Acca Dacca tribute band has to write their own songs. They thought they'd steal a few "Baby"s from Robert Plant and that would be all good. How did this boring shit sell?
Not sure if it’s actually meant tongue in cheek but either way I Enjoyed this one. Bad fun, THPS 4 anyone?
It bugged me the whole time I was listening that it sounded so familiar but The Cult doesn't sing the song that I kept thinking back to. (And I couldn't place it...) anyway, this album was great. Tons of positive energy and great guitar. Loved it.
Fuckin' A -- Besides Born To Be Wild, I've never heard songs from The Cult, but I loved it!
I'm a hard rock fan, but I can't help feeling that there is something missing from this album. It seems too... sterile? Unusually for an album in this genre, I feel no compulsion to add Electric to my music collection, and no desire to listen to it again, at least, not on a frequent basis. It's good enough for four stars though.
Okay, that was surprisingly good, maybe except for that cover. I'm not a fan of hard rock, especially from 80s, but Rick Rubin has to be some kind of savant - he just makes most of the records he touch so much better then the genre would suggest. Nice vocal, interesting guitar solos, pretty okay riffs and beats. Very enjoyable.
About what I was expecting. Rock from the 80s. I did not have a bad time listening to it, but I'd argue it's not significant.
Another one - generic, not bad, but not special.
Astbury can surely wait and this is a fun record to listen to. Some good jams, but that cover of Born To Be Wild was ill-advised, to say the least.
Didn’t really know much about this going in. I remembered it’s some classic hard rock band. Indeed that’s what it is. Cool power chord riffs and great heavy metal singing. Overall it’s pretty good but nothing earth shattering. Bad Fun is a cool song. Outlaw has a cool riff. It’s not a bad album but I can’t see how it belongs in this list, so two stars. I have to say I gave a listen to their previous album, Love, and I feel it’s much stronger than this one.
Sure, ok.
I liked it. Some have said "generic rock", while I don't entirely disagree I think it has enough to separate it from the others. The Cult have enough of a different sound to stand out, after all they defined that sound with "She Sells Sanctuary". Giving it a four because I'd listen to it again.
Competent, but oh so generic.
Love The Cult, but ripping off Start Me Up then following with a cover of Born To Be Wild seems completely unnecessary. Keeps it at a 3.
#469. Add another tally to the list of one hit wonders' wrong albums from this book. 3/5: okay at best Song added to playlist: Love Removal Machine I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
super mid
I liked this band a lot
I hadn't heard this particular record before. What the fuck happened to this band? The answer is Rick Ruben clearly. They had this cool hip goth thing going and this is just jock bro bullshit. Fuck this album. It would have been like a 2 or 3 on it's own merits. But knowing what they did before compared to this... yeesh.
Born to be boring and derivative.
I was introduced to The Cult growing up, I think its the closest my family comes to hair metal, and its great fun but the cover of Born to Be Wild is enough to lose anyone a star.
I've never listened to this whole album and yet I feel like I have. Because, if you've heard one or two Cult songs you've pretty much heard them all. I do own their album Love and have listened to it more than a few times. Other than She Sells Sanctuary, I don't think I could name another song on it. After listening to this entire album, except that some of the song names are kind of unique, Aphrodisiac Jacket?, I can't really tell them apart. Honestly, these guys are good in small doses, but they are repetitive, but they are repetitive. One last thing, this album's cover is great for the "Guess the Lead Singer" game. Who could it possibly be?
I liked this, but got tired of it by the end.
Slay!
so forgettable and that’s not what a good rock album should be… and that born to be wild cover honestly sucked 2.5/10
There is zero reason for this to be on this list and for me to have heard it before I died. I am giving this a 1 star in hopes whoever is responsible for this list will reconsider this very basic, middle-of-the-road rock album which does nothing new or revolutionary for even the time it came out.
Poor Man‘ s Guns’n Roses
hey, not bad!
Good rock I guess, not really for me but maybe I would have liked this in 1987. Maybe I wouldn't have though
Hard to judge. I kind of have a sweet spot for this album. I don’t know why but I like it. Except for the „Born to be wild“ cover. That was unnecessary..
Nice sound and good guitar riffs. This feels very 80s rock in a good way. I hadn't heard about the band before but now that I have I will probably add a few songs to old-school rock playlists.
## In-Depth Review of *Electric* by The Cult The Cult's *Electric*, released in 1987, marked a significant shift in the band's musical direction and is often seen as a pivotal moment in their career. With a raw, riff-driven sound produced by Rick Rubin, the album diverged from the post-punk influences of their earlier work and embraced a more straightforward rock aesthetic. This review will explore the album's lyrics, music, production quality, themes, and its influence on rock music, while also discussing its pros and cons. ### **Lyrics** The lyrics of *Electric* are characterized by their simplicity and repetition, often prioritizing sound over meaning. Ian Astbury's vocal delivery is powerful yet somewhat cryptic, with phrases that resonate more for their phonetic qualities than for their narrative depth. - **Repetitive Themes**: The use of words like "baby" and "child" appears frequently, creating a hypnotic effect. This approach aligns with the album's overall sonic simplicity, where hooks and catchy phrases dominate. - **Imagery**: Songs like "Love Removal Machine" feature vivid imagery that evokes a sense of wildness and freedom, despite being somewhat abstract. Lines such as "Plastic fantastic... Lobster telephone!" from "Aphrodisiac Jacket" showcase a playful yet surreal lyricism that reflects the band's artistic ethos. Overall, while the lyrics may lack complexity, they effectively complement the album's energetic sound and contribute to its anthemic quality. ### **Music** Musically, *Electric* is defined by its heavy reliance on guitar riffs and straightforward rock rhythms. The album features: - **Riff-Driven Structure**: Each track is built around strong guitar riffs, reminiscent of classic rock influences like AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. Songs such as "Lil' Devil" and "Love Removal Machine" exemplify this approach with their infectious hooks. - **Instrumentation**: The production is notably stripped back compared to previous works. The bass and drums are more prominent in the mix than in earlier albums, allowing for a more dynamic interplay between instruments. This clarity enhances the raw energy of the music. - **Diverse Rhythms**: While most tracks maintain a steady 4/4 beat, songs like "Peace Dog" introduce more intricate drumming patterns that add variety to the album's pace. ### **Production** Rick Rubin's production style on *Electric* is a crucial element of its sound. His approach can be summarized as: - **Crisp and Direct**: The production is characterized by a clean sound that avoids excessive effects or layering. This choice emphasizes the band's live performance energy and allows each instrument to shine. - **Influence of Hip-Hop Aesthetics**: Rubin's background in hip-hop informs his production choices, leading to a raw yet polished feel that was innovative for rock music at the time. This blend of styles helps create an accessible yet powerful listening experience. ### **Themes** Thematically, *Electric* explores concepts of freedom, rebellion, and hedonism. - **Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle**: Many songs celebrate a carefree attitude towards life and relationships, embodying the spirit of classic rock. Tracks like "Bad Fun" encapsulate this ethos with their upbeat tempos and celebratory lyrics. - **Urban Influence**: The album reflects an urban sensibility, drawing on experiences from city life that resonate with listeners seeking authenticity in rock music. ### **Influence** *Electric* had a profound impact on both The Cult's trajectory and the broader rock landscape: - **Paving the Way for Future Bands**: The album's success opened doors for bands like Guns N' Roses and contributed to the emergence of genres such as grunge and alternative rock in the late '80s and early '90s. - **Legacy**: While some critics view it as less innovative than earlier works like *Love*, *Electric* remains a touchstone for fans of hard rock and has influenced countless musicians who cite its raw energy as inspiration. ### **Pros and Cons** #### Pros - **Catchy Riffs**: The album features several memorable tracks with strong guitar hooks that have stood the test of time. - **Energetic Production**: Rubin’s production enhances the raw power of the band’s sound, making it ideal for live performances. - **Cohesive Sound**: The consistent riff-driven approach creates an engaging listening experience that flows well from one track to another. #### Cons - **Lyrical Simplicity**: Some listeners may find the lyrics lacking depth or complexity compared to other albums in their discography. - **Limited Musical Variation**: While many tracks are strong individually, some may feel repetitive or formulaic when considered as part of the whole album. - **Mixed Reception Among Critics**: Despite its popularity among fans, *Electric* received mixed reviews from critics at its release, which may affect its standing in comparison to other Cult albums. ### Conclusion In summary, *Electric* by The Cult represents a bold reinvention for the band as they embraced a more traditional rock sound under Rick Rubin's guidance. While it may not possess the lyrical depth or complexity of some contemporaneous works, its infectious energy and memorable riffs have solidified its place in rock history. With both strengths and weaknesses evident throughout its tracks, *Electric* remains an essential listen for fans of hard rock looking to understand the evolution of one of the genre’s influential acts.
Meh…. It’s okay, not offensive enough to warrant 2 or fewer stars. It just sounded saccharine to me, like the way mediocre pop sounds sweet as boring candy. In this case it sounds like honeyed heroin.
Amazing sound! The songs were pretty similar but they were good, so I'm okay with it
Probably wouldn’t have picked this but liked the diversity of the music. Not too much like the hair band.
Another throwaway to listen to before I die, this time with the image of Rick Rubin rubbing his tummy as he faxes notes, “more Plant, dial up Young (Angus), lighten the Van (Halen, Eddie), park the cowbell?” This is fun and the Cult were clearly a strong rock unit, but as we’re almost halfway through the list I fear we won’t have ZZ Top’s ‘70’s run, or much from the Groundhogs, sprees from bands who made and mastered this mode rather than made a straightforward call-back to it.
Cock-rock by the numbers, if competently played. I was not interested in re-heated "Start Me Up" when I was 12, and remain unimpressed.
a really fun straight rock album. it's raucous in all the right ways. the only thing I wish was that the production was a little more rough around the edges to match the energy, but otherwise a great surprise!
The Good: actual rock ’n roll The Bad: it seems like we need to wear a dead animal as a hat to be the lead-singer… The Ugly: the fact that only the lead-singer is allowed to wear a hat… I mean, have you looked at the haircuts of the other band-members? People bitch and complain too much when it comes to The Cult. At the end of the day, they never sold-out and started making those fuckin’ power ballads like all the hair-metal bands started to do. I saw them live once, but can’t recall the venue, nor the year… guess I was wasted. Anyway, as a rock-n-roll band they could have gone further than they did, don’t know if that has to do with the ego of mr singer-man, or we can blame the dead animal on his head… Sonic Temple is a better album, and Ceremony is where they should have bowed out, knowing they did the best they could. 4* because I really enjoyed just listening to music today.
Electric is the third album from British band The Cult. Rick Rubin produced this album, and he helped the band shift from their goth-rock sound to a metal sound. The result is a great example of guitar-led, 80s metal band. Electric includes "Love Removal Machine," one of the band's biggest singles. Ian Astbury's soaring vocals and Billy Duffy's wailing guitars makes for great metal. These songs are all well produced enough to account for the band's popular appeal.
Sehr gelungenes Heavy Metal Album. Starke Songs mit viel Riff und High Speed. Jederzeit wieder hörbar.. Gute Songs sind „Electric Open“, „King Country Man“ sowie die Interpretion von „Born To Be Wild“. Stilecht, Kurzweilig mit Starken Songs 😊
Super super mediocre. I’m not familiar with the band, but the Wikipedia summary makes their previous albums sound much more appealing than this one.
This is a rock album.
80% Best: Wild Flower; Electric Ocean; Love Removal Machine Must-Hear? Almost
Take a bunch of local bar bands, throw them into a battle of the bands-type show, slip in The Cult, without the flash and professional stage gimmicks and listen. Is The Cult's music distinguishable from the others, are they any better, would they win? My point is, The Cult sound so generic and underwhelming, how did they get them on this list? Their music is okay, I don't not like it, but in a music world with hundreds and thousands of bands that sound similar, do they deserve airplay and arena tours more than any of those other no-name bands. Do "Joe Blow and the Nobodys" deserve just as much attention? And apart from the "cool" name, The Cult must have won the musical lottery. At least a good bar band can play competent cover songs, The Cult's version of, "Born To Be Wild" is an uninspired head-shaker (not in a good way) on an otherwise so-so album.
Cultin levyistä Love ja Sonic Temple on mun mielestä parempia. Tämmöstä ihan ok hyvin tehtyy rokkii 3/5
Tavallaan ihan punttia vipattava levy mut jotain jää puuttumaan, ei aivan nappaa matkalle rock'n'roll-helvettiin.
maybe this is just not the genre im most comfortable interfacing with but besides how fascinating it is to hear that this band was previously making music that sounded nothing like this (and for my lack of enthusiasm, it seems harsh to call this unformed or unconfident), this absolutely refused to take root in my ears for the most part. feels lacking in standout riffs or vocal parts, or really most any distinguishing traits at all...except maybe the lead vocals by ian astbury, a nice combination of gritty and soaring
This album makes me want to smoke dope and grow out my hair, maybe then I’d enjoy it
It was all fine, but not really groundbreaking in my opinion. It sounds like the kind of band you'd hear in a bar on a Saturday night.
It was more palatable than a lot of rock from this subgenre, but overall not something that captivated me.
2.7. I think I prefer gothic rock The Cult over hard rock The Cult.
Worst album cover of all time, but the music's not that bad. Pretty fun hard rock. That being said, putting this, a fairly standard hard rock album, on here instead of "Love", their previous album (with their biggest hit) that's a cool mix of hard rock and goth, is another one of those picks that can only be explained with the "Council of Magic 8-Balls" theory. I won't elaborate. 5 albums remain.
Not worth spending time with.
This album was thankfully A LOT better than its cover. Still not amazing though, the energy was there but the riffs were very simple and generic and just left a lot to be desired
3.5/5 Solid album. Wasn’t paying super close attention to it cause I was doing other stuff while listening to it but I enjoyed it and was never bored which is really good. Pretty basic sound; it’s just classic rock but there’s nothing wrong with that.
I just didnt see what most people saw in this it wasnt that good. It felt like stereotypical rock you would find in the 80's. The best song on here was Love Removal Machine and the worst was easily Peace Dog and Memphis Hip Shake.
Fav song: Peace Dogs It's ok. I think the most interesting thing about this album is hearing the late 80's production transitioning into what would be the iconic 90's rock sound. I also like Wild Flower, that one was pretty good!
Gran disco
Ian Astbury sings like he’s yelling for the kids to come to the dinner table. That Born to Be Wild cover….*involuntary shudder* This is a very odd album to be in Rick Rubin’s portfolio. Imagine producing Licensed to Ill and then this. Weird.
It's pleasant. Classic hard rock, I think. It meets my expectations but nothing more. I'm in a good mood today for this, but any other day? I have no idea. 2.5-3/5 seems a decent evaluation. Half of the riffs and sounds give me deja vu.
Absolutely nothing wrong with this Absolutely nothing particularly special about it either mind
If Def Leppard stuck to the basics. More tolerable but less fun?
I expected this to be earlier than 87, mustve sounded a bit generic even then. Didn't do much for me at all
So generic. Not sure what this is about.
Reading the wiki blurb, and knowing that they fell off hard I was a bit worried this was going to be crap and a complete cash grab (I love Love)…but it’s pretty good. The classic vocal style is still there though the distortion effects have been scaled right back, so it still sounds like The Cult (with a bit of AC/DC in there)
Fuck I really needed this - It's very much a stoner rock vibe before stoner rock was really a thing. I really enjoyed it when I was listening to it and I will probably listen to it again, but I have to admit it's not particularly remarkable so I feel like I can't give it 5 stars
generic hard rock
Generic
solid rock album. strong guitar and good energy.
Gooood!!!
A fun album by a classic rock band. But a must-listen-before-you-die album? I think not...
Less talented and less energetic guns and roses.
A hard rock album that evokes the sounds of the genre throughout multiple decades, from the new wave influences of Billy Idol to the metal-esque sound of AC/DC. We even have an iconic cover (maybe a couple?) of classic rock songs to wrap it all together. However, this love letter to the genre rarely comes off as creative, or even charismatic. Instead, you just get a lot of lesser versions of iconic bands' sounds, and it can be a bore at best. Sure, everything is technically sound, but it isn't important or even that high quality for a genre shift for a band. It really is like if U2 got a heavier sound, but if you don't like U2 or that heavier sound, what are you left with?
it was ok. default rock
Knowing only their older stuff, didn’t expect something like AC/DC. A bit generic, but I found it enjoyable.
It's not shit, but does absolutely nothing for me.
Good road trip music!
Straight ahead good time rock and roll. Fine, fun even, but unexceptional and I am no more at peace with my eventual demise for having heard it. I was going to give it three stars but I'm lowering that out of respect to Steppenwolf.
It's laughable that an album like this would be on this list because this is the most generic rock I've ever heard. Rick Rubin produced this? I know not all his albums are bangers, but he generally has good taste and what makes an album and sound hit. This is...not bad? Decent guitar playing, vocals aren't my thing but I can tell he's a good singer. They are just creating the equivalent of YouTube copyright free background music in the style of 80s rock.
It’s ok. Nothing standout on this album.
This is really good.
4/5 Loved some of the guitar solos.
Pretty good
OK at best.
I recently was introduced to post-metal band Sleep Token. They’re good but I have to admit there were times I was wondering if I was listening to pop ballads, groovy metal or broadway inspired pop rock. There is no mistaking the Cult. This is tuning the motorcycle rock. This is riding to the local dive bar rock. This is pitching a girls butt rock. This is missing two teeth in the mug shot rock. Memphis Hop Shake, Bad Fun and Electric Ocean were key tracks. Did anyone else get The Rolling Stones “Start Me Up” riff in Love Removal Machine? The only song I didn’t like was their down-tempo Born to be Wild cover. You can definitely hear the influence they had on bands like PJ, and especially early ‘00s Jet. This was fun!
I listened to this during a very traffic-filled commute home. So this might be quite biased due to the circumstances this was listened to. I was already one foot out on this one and then the "Born To Be Wild" cover came on and I jumped right out completely. Nothing about this resonated with me. It wasn't pop enough to be catchy and it wasn't musically varied enough to keep me interested. This should have been left in the 80s. I won't be listening to this one again.
Ganska slätstruken rock som är gjord 100 ggr innan detta album och 100000 ggr efter
Most 2/5 ever.
Landed on the right day for me. Really enjoyed the straight ahead louder rock. I can’t listen to a lot of The Cult but really enjoyed this. Good example of the style and nice to see on the list.
Rockin and ok
A good album, I enjoyed Lil' Devil and Born to be Wild.
I thought that the only song by The Cult that I knew pretty well was She Sells Sanctuary (which isn’t found on this album). However, Lil’ Devil is definitely familiar to me. I found pretty much everything on this album to be fantastic. It’s absolutely dad-rock through and through, and I’ll fight anybody who tells me that’s a bad thing. My only nitpick is that their cover of Born To Be Wild is a little weak, but otherwise I loved this album. His voice is exceptional.
"Wild Flower" is great. The rest is of this sub-meh. The Steppenwolf cover is in the conversation for the GOAT of ill-advised covers.
Really good album enjoyed this 👌
3 stars
2 Stars (5/15)
For every innovative and influential album from the 80s that deserves the recognition it gets, there are two completely unnecessary records that provide absolutely nothing which counteract the good one. I never thought the would come where I’d find a band that puts even AC/DC to shame in terms of making the most generic rock music ever, but even they are more interesting than this. This is so predictable, it’s maddening. I fail to see what the purpose of music like this really is. Maybe you are just looking for something fun and mindless? I don’t know, I’ve heard some pretty dumb and mindless music before and even this sounds bad. It begs the question of what really drives someone to make this kind of art. Drugs? Pure boredom? Too much money that you don’t know what to do with? I have no idea. I’m being a little harsh though. I guess this isn’t actually all that bad. But I can tell that it provides me with zero stimulus. Not one neuron is firing while this is playing. I just look for more of an actual experience when I’m listening to my music, and this gives me nothing. It’s like the Madonna equivalent of rock music. This is possibly the most 5/10 album I’ve ever heard in my life. I guess technically I heard was objectively bad. None of it made me groan or cringe or nearly fall asleep. But I also wasn’t impressed by any aspect of the music itself. Singer is decent, but has no real standout moments. The guitar playing and drumming are also pretty run of the mill. But almost every song starts the same, and I felt like I could almost what I was going to hear next in each song. This basically exhausts any ideas it has in its first song, and just rides that for the next thirty-something minutes. It sucks too, because before making this record, they used to be a post-punk band. Not sure where the change came from, but this could have been something much more interesting. Rating: 5/10
Liked the opener wildflower a lot! Pretty fun meathead rock. The rest of it was pretty generic, good guitar though. Solid 3 veering to a 3.5
LP
Guitar solo on Love Removal Machine is so damn good, and the filmclip ticks off every rock cliche. The Cult are a hard band to work out - some of it is more punk than cock rock, but there is also a lot of .... cock rock. Some bad songs on here, but the good songs get to three stars.
This isn't for me
Didn’t love it
I wasn’t impressed by this at all until ‘Bad Fun’ transported me back to the most happy memories of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games of my youth. From there on to the end of the album, I simply smiled and let the boys rawk.
Straight forward rock and roll.
I wouldn't exactly call this terrible but it certainly isn't good. Not really a sound for my ears. I didn't like it very much but I've encountered far worse. Definitely not an essential listen. I wonder if people who like this type of rock would even consider this an essential album?
Absolutely soulless.
I'm not a fan of hard rock, so I honestly got through this by not paying it much attention. It didn't seem to be particularly bothersome hard rock, at least.
The late 80's really sucked. This is better than a lot of the sleazy rock that was going around but it still lacks any merit.
so, a bad ac/dc rip off done by brits? thats… ummmm… silly. ac/dc isnt good enough to even be a band to emulate. i dont think this belongs anywhere but a garbage can.
Had only heard Fire Woman before this. Like the vibe, looking forward to giving it another listen!
80’s hair metal. I like the genre and this album had some good tunes which I enjoyed while listening to it but it was quickly forgettable after the album ended. Not memorable.
Yeah, it’s fine, but the tunes aren’t nearly good enough for me to turn a blind eye to the fact that, even in 1987, this surely would’ve sounded like a tired rehashing of every classic rock cliche in the book.
Exceptional start and maintains a degree of classic rock throughout - lil devil and born to be wild are standouts
Hair metal. Nothing really special here, nothing to differentiate this from other more famous bands, no songs really stuck out to me afterwards….and yet I still had a good time listening to this album. I just liked the driving guitars and the sound.
Could listen all day but it was very generic.
Feels dated
Svakalega fínt fyrir það sem það er, en það sem það er er bara alls ekki nógu skemmtilegt. Lögin renna saman í eitt og ekkert virkar catchy. Þetta er þétt og gott sound, en mér finnst þetta frekar boring.
You know what's funny, as soon as this thing started I thought the lead singer, Ian Astbury, sounded a lot like Jim Morrison revived in the '80s hair metal scene. Well turns out the guy fronted a The Doors tribute band with some of the Doors' core members. Pretty cool - I haven't listened to that tribute band but I can only assume he does a good enough job. As for 'The Cult' and this album in particular, it's pretty good all things considered. I mean this sound has gotten kind of stale for me - but I genuinely have no complaints when it comes to the vocals, playing, and song structures here...it's just they're nothing really special either. I did like the song 'Lil Devil' quite a bit.
It was alright
Not their best
Short circuit.
Generic
This scratched an itch for 80s rock without being glam metal. Their Highway to Hell cover is probably one of the worst I've ever heard.
I mean, again, I'm sure they have their fans and all, there are just better bands playing that kind of rock. Also it's an album from 1987, but it sounds way outdated.
Not sure why this made the list. It doesn't seem particularly impactful nor outstanding for its genre, but it's still quite a bit better than some of the other albums these past few weeks. The guitars are pretty good and songwriting is tight and fun. I did enjoy the album, but not to the point that I'll re-listen.
When I saw The Cult on the list, I expected the brooding gothic rock and post-punk flair that made 'She Sells Sanctuary' iconic. Instead, 'Electric' hit me with a barrage of power chords and bluesy riffs. It’s not that the songs are bad—tracks like 'Wild Flower,' 'Lil’ Devil,' and 'Love Removal Machine' are undeniably fun—but this feels like a band abandoning their signature sound for something safer. What makes 'Electric’s' inclusion on this list even more puzzling is that just months later, Guns N' Roses and Aerosmith would unleash 'Appetite for Destruction' and 'Permanent Vacation,' respectively. Even the filler tracks and throwaway moments on those albums outshine the best offerings of 'Electric.' And it’s not just GNR and Aerosmith—the likes of Motörhead, Whitesnake, Kiss, and AC/DC all released albums in the same year that captured this hard rock vibe effortlessly. The Cult's attempt feels forced, like a cat trying to play fetch, awkwardly inserting itself into a game that’s simply not in its nature. Nothing illustrates the album's confused identity more than the regrettable cover of Steppenwolf’s 'Born to Be Wild.' The Cult drains all the energy and danger from the original, leaving a lifeless, by-the-numbers version that feels more like a box-ticking exercise than a tribute. As for Rick Rubin, he’s known for his minimalist production style that allows an artist's raw energy to shine. Around this period, he produced iconic albums like 'Licensed to Ill' by the Beastie Boys (1986) and 'Raising Hell' by Run-D.M.C. (1986), capturing their live essence. His work on 'Reign in Blood' by Slayer (1986), 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991), and Rage Against the Machine's self-titled debut (1992) showcases his knack for capturing a band's raw energy. However, Rubin’s approach falls flat with' Electric', stripping away the atmospheric elements that defined The Cult’s earlier work. The material may not have been strong enough to begin with, but the result is a hollow sound that lacks the visceral impact of their past. Instead of forging a clear identity, Rubin's production leaves the band sounding disoriented. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? No Would this release make my personal list? No Will I be listening to it again? It’s fun in parts, but there are better albums and more authentic bands from this era.
Feels very generic at times, which is a pity because the guitar work is good, and the music is otherwise exciting. I’ll agree that it always feels like they’re about to play “She sells Sanctuary” and you realize how vanilla the album is without a very similar sounding songs presence.
The Cult decide they want more money and so move on from their goth roots to more standard 80s hard rock - and it works. This album is great, stoopid, dumb, fun. Does it need to be on this list? Probably not, but I'm glad it is. Best Tracks: Wild Flower; Lil' Devil; Love Removal Machine
Never listened to this one before. It didn't have any of the "Cult classics" (pun intended), but it actually might be my favorite of their albums. I'm not even sure why really. It just spoke to me.
A grab bag of all sorts of different influences, loopy and heavy. Very enjoyable.
don’t….. looooove
Not bad, just kind of average. There were some good moments where I was into it, tho.
Not bad, not good, not memorable.
Another one in the hair metal books. Interesting to see where the bar of hardness in rock was at the time.
I have heard them on the radio, but never felt the need to buy an album. "She Sells Sanctuary" from their previous album is more to my liking than anything on this one. I did not like their cover of 'Born to be Wild' the rest was fine.
Perfectly serviceable.
Yep, that sounds exactly like an okay rock album.
I was hoping to like this album as I like older stuff by The Cult, but this album was kind of a mess. Seemed like they were trying to go all-in on the hard rock sound, but did not pull it off well at all. Peace Dog sounded like they learned to play the same day as the recording, and Born to be Wild was just a trainwreck. Sometimes they got into a decent groove, but it doesn't sound anything like the Cult from previous albums, and it's really not anything I'd want to listen to again.
Honestly really didn't like this. It felt so try-hard, and rip-off and unauthentic. I was surprised because I remembered liking The Cult alright. I went back to their previous album and it was immediately better. I think Rick Rubin fucked these guys up. 1.49/5
Fucking love The Cult. Their early goth rock is incredible, but I also dig their pivot to AC/DC hard rock here. Ian Astbury’s voice is just as well-suited for the latter as the former and his bandmates deliver. Top-tier shit. B+
Super generic rock album, it's hard to believe Rick Rubin was involved with this. It annoyed me how much Ian said "Yeah" throughout this record. I also thought the cover of Born to be Wild was notably worse than the original.
I've always liked the Cult's sound. But it's really limited to their hits. Because when listening to a whole album every song starts to sound like Fire Woman.
This rocks pretty hard. Clearly influenced by AC/DC. I liked it a lot.
Plain, old fashioned rock and roll. Nothing groundbreaking here but it was a lot of fun to listen to. Rick Rubin loves AC/DC and that comes through in the production here. The lead guitarist was on fire and I wonder why I've never heard of this band. It sounds like Lenny Kravitz may have been inspired by the cover of "Born to Be wild" and “The Removal Machine” sounds like “Start Me Up”.
Pretty decent Rock music. The vocalist doesn’t over do it and is in the nice mid range and the songs Rock. It’s on the tin (kinda has a Billy Idol vibe on some songs) 3/5
Just some simple hard rock really. There isn't anything particularly bad about Electric, and I find quite easy to listen to. It went by somewhat fast. However, a lot of the songs sound similar, so I honestly have no idea what a lot are even called. There's nothing really unique about Electric, though it at least sounds like The Cult. They have a vocalist with a recognisable voice at least.
Yet another glammy rock. Except this one is actually quite decent.
This Album made my hair grow 40cm. I went to a protest against the Vietnam war, slept with the girlfriend of my best friend and died of an overdose while listening to my own song in the radio for the first time. Best 2 weeks of my life.
okay sound, pretty samey from that era. Sounded like Billy Idol, but also trying to capture 70's hard rock sound. Probably won't go back. Probably 2.5
That’s a hell yea from me brother Love Removal Machine = A+++
it's like, so many of The Cult's songs sound the same to me, but FUCK, they sound good.
Favorite Track: King Contrary Man
80’s hard rock that I forgot about as soon as I stopped listening
Oh, this album slaps. The Cult came here to rock hard, and they went hard. I am a sucker for the classic eighties, hair metal, hard rock sound. Even the song titles are super reminiscent of their contemporaries. The lead vocalist has such a gritty voice, which lends itself to the genre well. And those guitar riffs? Damn. I didn't and still don't know much about the Cult, but Electric departing from their original gothic sound is a bummer. Their most well known song is gothic rock and slaps pretty hard. Regardless, I enjoyed this album a lot.
I am a bit torn on this album. Yes, I found myself enjoying it, as I do generally like glam and heavy metal of the 1980s. That said, these guys were more or less reinvented to fit this trending sound, and it shows; they don't sound nearly as passionate or "into it" as many of the 80s glam metal bands who were truly made for the genre. Again, I enjoy it, but it sounds a bit generic if I'm being honest. I feel like one of the most obvious displays of this is their cover of "Born to be Wild" -- it's just anemic compared to the original. Now all that said, I am also a fan of goth rock, which is what made these guys famous on their previous album, "Love". Most of what I knew and enjoyed by The Cult is from that goth rock era. It's a bit odd to hear them forced into this new bubble, and to have that represented on this project rather than what they were actually most known and praised for. As I mentioned, I couldn't help but enjoy this, and further, I can't help but stan The Cult's vocals. So this still comes out okay in the wash, in my book.
Cartoonish rock posturing. Bring back Southern Death Cult.
Warbling by numbers.If you start me up, if you start me up, I'll never stop. Whoops. Wrong song. But yeah, The Cult do little to disguise where they wanted to head with this change in direction. It's a MONSTER of a guitar album, without swaying into the silly metal category. The riffs are basic, but beefy. The stop start drumming paces the songs well. It has more in common with Run DMC of the time than Gawd awful Metallica. A whole lotta fun.
Just generic classic rock it seems derivative and like a parody at times. Unfortunately uninteresting
This album feels raw and gritty, like a mix of AC/DC and early Aerosmith. The guitars have a sharp, bluesy edge, but there's something almost primal underneath. It’s got that driving, no-frills rock energy. The vocals are bold, a little untamed, with a swagger that fits the stripped-down sound. It’s simple, in a good way.
Ja, lässt sich gut anhören.
Not a fan. I was like oh this got better and actually it was just the album ended and Spotify was on autoplay. Not offensively bad just not very great either
4/10 - Generic rock album. I thought I would know born to be wild because its the name of a song that I had on this fake guitar that I used to play way to often when i was like 6. But I do not think that its the same song. A bit of a let down.
Mid
Was alright, only one song was a bop
Lots of fun
Just not my cup of tea. The singer fluctuates between out-of-tune screams and what seem to be bad Louis Armstrong impressions. Nothing particularly memorable here, it's pretty cheesy.