Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Stand-out tracks: Nocturnal Man, The Yo Yo Man, The Killing Moon, Seven Seas, Ocean Rain Pleasant listen. Was surprised how intense the strings got at some points, adding an unnerving feeling to the track. The sea theme was present in most of the tracks and gives a nice cohesion to the whole album.
Highlights: Nocturnal Me, Crystal Days, The Yo Yo Man, The Killing Moon, Seven Seas, My Kingdom, Ocean Rain I liked this theatrical approach to post punk. Its sound was diverse enough for me to like it, though it did make me a bit sleepy. Overall however, I have to say that this wasn't a memorable record outside of a few singles.
As a huge fan of The Killing Moon, I avoided the album in case it wasn’t all as good as this song. Sadly, my fears were not unfounded. It was decent, but not an album full of Killing Moons.
Really liked that Favorite track: The Killing Moon
It sounds like Echo and the Bunnymen and I didn’t hate it. Killing Moon is a great song.
I have yet to be won over by EATB. I like the odd song (Killing Moon obv on this album) but generally it leaves me a little cold. Of the three albums on this list this feels the most accessible / poppy and its a pleasant but largely forgettable listen.
Ocean Rain Doorsian and goth-lite with superb pop instincts, the opening run of Silver, Nocturnal Me and Crystal Days is superb, and alongside Seven Seas and the peerless The Killing Moon cements why this is their best album. The liberal use of strings, acoustic guitars and the departure from post punk rhythms give it kind of adumbral grandeur - nothing is hurried, but it has a kind of creepy urgency. The influence of the Doors is evident throughout, but it perhaps peaks derivatively on Thorn of Crowns. It’s not a bad song, but it's possibly the only misstep among the 8 songs on here. I love the Waltzy oddness of The Yo Yo Man, and My Kingdom is a great album track, a nicely played melodic bit of mid 80s pop with a stately chorus and some customarily great Will Sergeant guitar and the title track is great slow burn, softly melodic with an umbrageous darkness to it. I do love this album, even though it features less of the post punk excellence of Pete de Freitas and to some extent Will Sergeant, it's a welcome progression from their excellent earlier sound, and their embrace of a more haughtily orchestral sound is great, suiting McCulloch's enjoyably pretentious and high handed lyrics and vocals. 5. 🎑🎑🎑🎑🎑 Playlist submission: The Killing Moon
This is probably the strongest album out of the three Echo albums on the list. After the inconsistent 'Porcupine' it recaptures the brooding atmosphere of 'Crocodiles' and adds an extra layer of gothic grandeur. It's immediately melodic, veering into baroque pop (though the 'All You Need is Love' cover on the deluxe is truly awful). 'Silver' kicks off as they mean to go on - simultaneously poppy, with dramatic orchestration. There are several tracks that compare well to goth-rockers Siouxse: 'Nocturnal' - dramatic strings about a menacing waltz; that exact same formula is redeployed to good effect on 'The Yo Yo Man'; with 'The Killing Moon' is the obvious standout. It's ornately arranged but doesn't feel bloated. Whilst not masterpiece territory, ultimately a superior bit of goth-pop.
Just like a fart in the wind, I will forget about this. Favourite Track(s): Thorn of Crowns Least Favourite Track(s): Ocean Rain
It was pretty good. I love the gothic vibe that the whole album gave. Great tone, interesting lyrics, and overall a 4/5 on my rating scale.
Really good but not great.
Nostalgia inching this one to the top. Listening now I'm happy to learn/realize that they experimented with a lot of different sounds and instruments. Noticing now also how much Ian uses a stuttering technique.
These guys put out some good stuff, even though they were just wee lads.
Kind of infuriating. I feel like there is definitely some good material here and some interesting and kind of cool presentation. It just feels so inconsistent to me though! Some of it felt a bit bland or even slightly durgey.
good band but i cannot believe that they as many entries as they do on this list
Either lost at sea or down the rabbit hole
They have better.
This has some decent deep cuts. And the hit is tight. Good album
One of the better post-punk albums on this list. The addition of the orchestral instruments really adds some much needed dimension to the songs.
3.4/5 Favorite Songs: Silver Nocturnal Me The Killing Moon Seven Seas
Know that one song, but like the sound from the start. But then grates a bit, moments of real beauty in the music but they end too quick. But overall positive, but initially seemed like it was going to much better. 3.5 rounded down. Heard before? Some Owned: No, 104/394 (26%) Will I get:
Killing Moon is a 5/5 song
3* listen
Very good album. Killing Moon and Silver are SO peak and the rest is great as well.
nice enough
"The Killing Moon" is okay, but doesn't get my pulse or my creative juices really going, and the rest of the album is just straight up unexceptional in just about every way. Not a bad album, but merely fine, not truly iconic. This album bored me when it came out, I was hoping that with fresh ears this many years later I might come to a different conclusion. Ultimately The Cure, Siouxsie & the Banshees, and Tears for Fears just all of this SO MUCH BETTER. While I do agree that this is probably Echo & The Bunnymen's most complete album, I am still hard pressed to believe that any of the albums they recorded was essential enough that anyone else needs to hear them. I recognize that they are not pop, but I honestly don't hear their influence in the non pop music over the next decade or 2 because of this album. Other deserving 1984 releases not on this list that perhaps deserved this spot on the list: Bryan Adams - RECKLESS The most complete album that Bryan Adams ever recorded, from a guy that was a fixture on North American charts for the next decade. Depeche Mode - SOME GREAT REWARD An arguably a more complete album than MUSIC FOR THE MASSES and nearly equally as strong as VIOLATOR. The Cars - HEARTBEAT CITY The most complete album by The Cars and made at the apex of their creative and popular success. Don Henley - BUILDING THE PERFECT BEAST This Henley album is tied with his THE END OF THE INNOCENCE for the most complete albums he ever recorded. Both were fixtures on the charts on both sides of the pond. Talking Heads - STOP MAKING SENSE The ONLY Talking Heads album that belongs on the list. Iconic in every way imaginable. W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P. The debut album from the self-title metal act with the iconic anthem "I Wanna Be Somebody". Helped create the foundation (with groups like Quiet Riot) for the L.A. hair metal scene that would produce iconic groups like Motley Crue, Guns N' Roses, Poison and Ratt.
Ok 3.5/5
Don't particular like this style of music, relies heavily on a catchy bass line, but gets a bit monotonous. Couple of reasonable tracks saving it from a 1.
There’s something about this vocal style and overall thin sound that I just can’t abide.
8 / 10
Is this fey, Simon? It has that quality I associate with our label in that the melodies demand more effort to appreciate, always tuneful but not immediately catchy, clever words and obscurity, song structures that wrongfoot with unexpected permutations and outcrops: from the first moment, the record was telling me you’re going to have to listen to me at least once more to put me together, and I wasn’t convinced. But the second listen pulled it together, and the moment when I realised that “Seven Seas” was a song I loved in my single digits was quite special.
The Bunnymen are an odd bunch - their highlights are up there with the very best of the post-punk bangers, but much of the rest is decent-enough goth-pop supported by Mac's undeniable vocals (and proto-Gallagher attitude), while probably leading the way for U2 to get rich a bit later. Today's is often considered the best of their individual albums (3 all-timers on here, I'll pick "Silver" as the finest but it's close: my man Gil at the wheel for top-notch production), although you're more than adequately-served with a Greatest Hits.
I’m sure if i had been around when this album was released it would have been a 4. Can hear a lot of influence on here, cure, smiths, counting crows and nameless bands from the 80s/90s. Not super my thing but can appreciate.
This is a very good album, highly enjoyable and will revisit. Killing Moon is a GOAT. High 3s.
Super cool album! These are the types of albums I was hoping to discover going into this challenge. Underrated with some real good tracks on it
I've been a fan of The Bunnymen for as long as I can remember, and that love began for me as a kid hearing The Killing Moon for the first time. The exotic calling card of William Sergeant's guitar work became a beacon (even moreso than Ian McCulloch on vocals), and Ocean Rain is a showcase of his abilities. With other mainstays like Silver, Seven Seas, and the sweeping title track closing things out, Ocean Rain has earned a reputation for being a fan favorite, though it's probably not their best work as a complete album.
This was pretty good. This kinda post-punk sound (à la Tears for Fears, The Cure, etc) isn’t always a preferred listen for me. But it has its moments. The highlight is The Killing Moon, the song I already knew and their biggest hit. So good. I enjoyed Silver, really liked Crystal Days, Seven Seas, and My Kingdom. The influence of later indie bands like Arcade Fire is obvious here. And also the lead singer occasionally sounds like Jim Morrison and, strangely, Bono. Which are all compliments, by the way. So overall, I enjoyed listening, may pick some songs here and there to revisit but not reallllllly my cup of tea.
Donnie Darko 😛 (need to relisten)
British REM with some interesting twists.
Not my favorite E&B but it had some moments
I liked the balance of tempo and style on this one, but not enough for it to really stand out Standouts Nocturnal Me 3/5
pretty cool. The moaning is hot too. 7.5/10
Better than Coldplay
Another Brit-bias new wave/post punk album from the 80’s that is middling at best? CHECK.
Listened to this once and felt like nothing jumped out at me , tried putting it on again and still felt pretty underwhelmed. Something about the vocal style and music that never really reached a climax or commits to any specific hook. I can hear the influence on modern indie / rock music but these guys just don't really generate any big feelings for me one way or another.
Seriously, a third Echo and the Bunnymen album on this list?! I've had both Crocodile and Porcupine in the past few months and neither of them really left any impression on me. I felt like they were both just alright post-punk albums; nothing bad, but nothing to write home about either. I find it hard to believe we really need all three of these albums on the list and per Dimery himself in this book, "[Ocean Rain] stands the test of time better than any other Bunnymen album". So, I guess if I had to pick one for the list, it would be this one. That said, Ocean Rain actually is by far my favourite out of the three and I can see myself returning to this one. Honestly, I don't know what exactly is different on this album compared to the last two, but I have no desire to return to either Crocodile or Porcupine to figure it out. I do know that Thorn of Crowns is a great song and is giving me early Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds / The Birthday Party vibes. The Killing Moon is another great song and is the only Echo and the Bunnymen song that I knew going into this.
Чуть повеселее, но всё равно мех
Вытащила вторая половина альбома, первая ну такое. Не шарю за постпанк, но если это оно, то немного кринж. Песня из Донни Дарко не зашла как и сам Донни Дарко, хотя казалось бы. Топ-1 - Seven Seas Топ-2 - My Kingdom
I wasn’t very excited to see these guys come up again, but this is by far their best album: pretty and bright, but accented with gothic undertones. Love the melodies and the use of strings. I’ll be revisiting this one.
A few great songs but I was mostly underwhelmed
I feel like if I listened to this like 20 times I would grow to love it. Not gonna do that though. Some great playin. And his voice is a bit melodramatic for me but then he also hits some epic highs so idk how to properly assess that.
#217/1001 🇬🇧 Probably my favourite Bunnymen album and a real reminder of how good they were at the top of their game. Sadly on 2 of the last 3 times i've seen the Ian McCullough was a drunken shambles. This is a reminder of how good they were in their prime. Best tracks: The Killing Moon, Seven Seas, Ocean Rain, Nocturnal Me.
A very well made, balanced album. There are really no weak songs, and there are some songs that are really great. While I prefer their two first albums to this, I would probably say that this album is their most well made and accessible album. A good introduction for this band, containg the classic single 'The Killing Moon'.
What an absolute journey. I really loved this, more than I thought I would even though I already knew I liked Echo and the Bunnymen. It's extremely complex but it never feels heavier than it should. It's very smooth but still beautiful.
Another slowburn which, giving some time, realise how solid it is. I like this "less is more approach" but effectively add a bit more. Nice gloom and mystique and a bit ahead of the curve.. Maybe even a bit of a conceptual thing going on here. Reminds me of Felt in places
When I was a baby, my mother took me on one of our rare, awkward visits to my paternal grandparents. Obviously my father was in hiding at the time and my grandparents knew very little about my mother and me. To make conversation, my granny asked what music my mother liked. My grandad had a music room, where he would play Schubert on the piano and where he kept his cello, his bassoon, all his recorders, and his piles of renaissance sheet music. That is the sort of people they were. "Stephen and I," my mother said, laying a claim on my future, "Listen to the Bunnymen." Years later, when my granny felt that she had been ignored for a disproportionately long time (no one told me that she had spent the period recuperating in a mental institution; I was focused on my GCSEs), she sent a passive aggressive package that included the Bunnymen's reunion album, Evergreen. "I understand you like the Bunnymen," read the note. There is an element of all this that comes from my young father's image of himself as an Ian McCulloch, cool and gothic, a street intellectual, hair. Well, neither my father nor I have much hair now. And, as I've got to know him in later life, I find it hard to imagine there was much cool about him either. That explains where I failed to get it from. I understand he once had a coat though. Still, in May 1981, he turned up at my mother's student flat on Landseer Street with a newly purchased copy of Heaven Up Here, the second Bunnymen album, and somehow wooed her. Their relationship didn't last, as we know, so, when she chose Heaven Up Here as the record to play on her deathbed, I reckon it was because she was wooed not by my father so much as by the version of him that Ian McCulloch made possible. Needless to say, then, Echo and the Bunnymen are a loaded proposition. Indeed, I have fulfilled my mother's declaration many times: I have listened to Echo and the Bunnymen; I have seen Echo and the Bunnymen in the Andersonstown Leisure Centre; I have considered and contemplated Echo and the Bunnymen. And I am always frustrated. There are flashes of brilliance and originality in Will Sergeant's lead playing, although I don't believe him the indie guitar god equal of Johnny Marr, with whom he was often put in competition. Perhaps he would have had greater opportunity to stretch himself if he wasn't tethered to such a lumpen rhythm-section, Pattinson always playing the same surf rock bassline. But, perhaps, the rhythm section would have more scope if they weren't so frequently hogtied by two-chord vamp verses and a different two chords for the chorus. The orchestral flourishes on Ocean Rain show a desire and even the capacity to built something grand and evocative, but, unlike other albums that use an orchestra as part of the band (Ys, L'Histoire de Melodie Nelson, A Short Album About Love), there is no sophistication at the core of the composition. They're just a rock and roll band. Now, I don't know exactly how Echo went about songwriting, but I'm going to lay the problem (and this may be an oedipal swipe!) at the feet of Ian McCulloch. His presence is heavy, but insubstantial. His pose is cool and egoistic - you can imagine him saying "That's great!" and meaning "That'll do grand." Then, he disappears until the press junket where he can tell journalists, as I believe he did, that Ocean Rain is "the greatest album ever." The tell is in his lyrics, which are full of grandeur, almost to the same extent that they're full of shit. Although not on this album, I attribute to McCulloch the worst quatrain in rock music. It is from their 1983 album, Porcupine. "John Webster was One of the best there was He was the author of Two major tragedies The white devil and The duchess of Malfi The white devil and The duchess of Malfi" It manages to be both dumb and pretentious. It is literate without any literacy. The initial rhyme works, although it's awkward, but then he pisses it away on "author of." Indeed, the stresses fall in terrible mid-sentence positions - was, of - and, worst of all, he names Webster's two major tragedies, putting all the metrical and musical focus on The Duchess of Malfi, when he's titled the song The White Devil. Even when he thinks he's great, he's not really thinking! While Ocean Rain is full of such lyrical cack-handedness, it is never so egregious. Good rock'n'roll barely needs thinking anyway and, when McCulloch can fool us into believing he feels instead of thinks, he does a decent job. The Killing Moon is the apex of this - "Fate up against the will" almost feels like something a person might feel, even if I don't know what. Seven Seas is at least sensual, even if "kissing the tortoise shell" is nonsensical psychedelia. Crown of Thorns gives McCulloch the simple frame in which to do his Jim Morrison shamanic schtick, where feeling and pose are the same thing. When I saw the middle-aged Bunnymen play Andersonstown Leisure, a seasoned music journalist we know leaned into me and said "I don't think they mean it tonight." I'm not sure how one is supposed to mean any of stuff that Echo and the Bunnymen is selling. His implication was that, in his greater experience, they once meant it. I guess you had to be there. And, significantly in this story, I come along a little later. But there is nothing on Ocean Rain that I don't like. There are just elements of Echo and the Bunnymen that disappoint me. Like meeting an estranged father, with whom you might be angry or who you might have idealised, you have to come to terms with their ordinariness, their limitations. You'll probably never have a real relationship with them, never one that isn't mediated by expectation and disappointment. But my mother was right, I listen to the Bunnymen. 3 There is a high-mindedness apparent in the first 30 seconds of Silver; a dash of vague chords, the elegant swirl of a string section, and then Ian McCulloch‘s imperious voice pouring out rich sibilance; conspicuous poetry: ‚Swung from a chandelier, my planet sweet on a silver salver…‘ What bollocks though. And my continuing problem with Echo and the Bunnymen is not much more complicated than that. I like high-mindedness and I believe that pop music is a worthy stage for it. Great Art can here be made and I believe Ian McCulloch aspired to it, but Ian’s artfulness strikes me everywhere as contrivance. He knows what poetry looks like - but he has none in him. Those opening lines of Silver, like every other lyric on this album, are skin-deep poetry. Beneath the sheen there is no grasp of rhythm and no instinct for the beauty of language - Nocturnal Me being the principal exhibit here. All is stumbling, witless sixth-form rubbish. Worse still, there is the sense that Ian knows rightly. I can’t avoid the smell of the confidence trick throughout this album. If you deliver your poem in a strong voice, which McCulloch certainly has, with this much clarity of pronunciation and a little bit of reverb - it’ll pass for profundity. No one speaks this loud and this fancy if they have nothing to say right? Well Bono does, for one. In both McCulloch‘s lyrics - grand, hollow constructions - and the self-importance of his delivery of them, and in the performative grunts and yelps that grace ‚Thorn of Crowns‘ is the same faint aroma of bullshit that makes U2 generally intolerable to me. Truly there is a thousand times the poetry in the lyrics that Michael Stipe concealed in a mumble in those days, than the lyrics that Ian and Bono preached from the Mount. Oh generation of vipers… There are no great songs here; not The Killing Moon, not any. God forbid there had been - how would this band have dishonoured it in the recording? The strings on Ocean Rain are worthless, pompous window-dressing. Another veil. Yet there are good songs here - weighed against what they seem (to me anyway) to think they are, yes they come up nauseatingly short, but why shouldn’t I credit the aspiration at least? That the Yo-Yo Man and Thorn of Crowns are both awful, does not exclude the fact that they aren’t exactly boring or unoriginal. There is craft there too - attention to structure, care taken with melody. Echo and the Bunnymen may be lying but they are trying, and it makes them worth hearing. 2/5
One of the classics of my teenage years. Killing Moon is an all-timer, but there's not a weak track here. I'm overfamiliar with it, so some of the magic has gone. I wish I could listen to it again for the first time.
the 80s arent for me
Nocturnal Me and The Killing Moon were super awesome.
2,5
Spacey synthy psychedelic new wave with sweeping arrangements, massive hooks, melodramatic vocals, and some real bangers. A hysterical bipolar album that's dark and moody then bright and joyous. Jangly indie pop with danceable bass lines that really pop in the mix paired with the exagerated misery of goth rock.
God
***An ok, easy listening album
I was on the brink of giving Ocean Rain a 2, for the fact that it sounds like a perpetual album of "Car driving into the sunset music"--Ocean Rain (the track) made me think otherwise. Definitely a depth to the lyrics that I will likely grow to appreciate on the next listen through. Great way to end the album.
finally. although it’s a bit blender than i thought. 3/5
I'm aware of this artist, and I recognize one track by name on this album. I don't get the obsession with this band. At times, I was tempted to give this a 2, but in the end it doesn't deserve it. The track "Thorn of Crowns" is one such example that forced this decision for me. I really hated that one.
While it wasn’t my favorite album it was delightfully unique. I’d heard the killing moon before in passing but that was all I knew from these guys. So I was expecting a somewhat generic 80’s band. These guys stand out with interesting instrument choices and melodies.
Bloody love Echo And The Bunnymen, such a good album so atmospheric so moody so pretty so lovely. Songs that take you on a journey. Though The Killing Moon is one of the all time greats, my personal favourite on this album is Nocturnal Me 5.0/5.0 Best Song: Nocturnal Me
A great album, i don't remember it being this short though, it has such an incredible mood and vibe all leading to the Killing Moon. So atmospheric, so good, one of the best bands of the 80s easily.
I had never heard of this band before this list. I am glad I know them now. This album was a real treat. The killing moon is the stand out track, but the rest of the album isn't much of a drop off.
Aside from Killing Moon, nothing extraordinary
dit is goeie rock gwn
dit is echt heel goed???
I DON'T LIKE THE 80'S CAN WE PLEASE STOP WITH ONLY THESE TYPES OF FUCKING ALBUMS!!! Yes, it was a relevant post-punk/new wave album. Doing this kind of theatrical, swinging performance with an orchestra is interesting from a musical perspective, but I just hate this sound. It's bland, almost every song sounds the same, it doesn't provoke any emotion whatsoever. I don't know what the problem was in this decade, if it was a lack of artistic freedom, or if the changing sound systems just made everything sound so boring. But I'm done with the 80's. Website, are you listening? Give me some good stuff, please!
Loved this album music is good and every song hits in a different way. I only judged it on the original album and not any of the bonus tracks. If I was high this might have gotten four stars
I could write this entire review on Silver alone, as it's my favorite song of all time. However, Ocean Rain is a Gothic masterpiece that needs to be discussed. On every track, Ian McCulloch delivers some of the best lyrics on any album I've ever heard. Each song portrays a perfect soundscape that immerses you in the identically matching cover sleeve, which I also love. What really makes this album though is the staggeringly brilliant orchestra that's featured on every song. The strings bring this record to life, and reciprocate Ian's melodies perfectly. This album is just simply gorgeous, and the breathtaking opening track and ravishing closing bring this masterpiece full circle.
Delightful record.
Though not as compelling to me as the 1st 2 releases, this may be better in ways less expected. My preference may just be that I felt the emotional impact more when I was younger. Or I've matured away from Echo...? But still a worthy release and one I've listened to numerous times. 4 "still a big fan" stars.
3.8
I've definitely heard of them but I didn't connect the band name with the song the killing moon which was the only one I know by them. Their music is weirder than that song though I think lol
I've been away, ratings will be a bit quick
Unfortunately I had to listen to this album in the Gyle on a Saturday.
eclectic mix of upbeat and softer songs
Fantastic! I’ve liked everything I’ve heard by them but this is the best of their albums.
None of it really stood out to me
v nice! :) my fav is the killing moon
There's a reason "The Killing Moon" is the big hit from this album, because everything else feels like a pale imitation of other similar acts from the time, like Simple Minds. It's perfectly fine, if you're not really listening,
Ocean Rain is a darkly romantic, brilliantly theatrical record that captures a band operating at the absolute peak of their creative powers." By swapping out the gloomy claustrophobia of post-punk for sweeping, cinematic arrangements, Echo & the Bunnymen created an album that feels entirely timeless. It is gloomy yet majestic, cold yet deeply passionate. Whether you are revisiting it or diving in for the first time, Ocean Rain remains an essential, breathtaking listen.
I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did. Porcupine was just okay for me. This felt like a step up. The tracks here are just way more interesting. It’s definitely one of those albums that gets better the longer it plays. "Nocturnal Me" is a big standout for me.. Decent vocals.
This takes me back to high school. Nice album.
The Killing Moon is so good and I was vibing with the rest of the album but also I remember nothing else.
Good fun this one. First time listener to this band. Not sure if I would listen to the full album again but the Killing Moon is an absolute banger
No thanks. 2/5.
(2/5) Our first encounter of Echo on this list was ok. It didn't leave a solid impression with me but it didn't illicit any hard feelings either. I definitely haven't revisited them and I still don't feel compelled to do so now. This feels like more of the same and is beginning to blur against all of the other early 80s and/or New Wave we have already encountered. A quick count of the 'New Wave' tag on the list leaves me with **146** albums. 🤔 Too much? "The Killing Moon" is ok, but not enough to bring this out of a '2'.
We'd already had Giraffe a few weeks ago, and this one felt like more of the same. They may have added a bit more depth to their repertoire, as this seemed to incorporate a bit more Doors atmospheric, and at times McCullough sounds more like Jim Morrison or Bono than Robert Smith, but it still didn't push it's way up to a 4/5, and now that I've heard more from them I don't feel the need to explore further, and am really wondering why they have three albums on this list.
143. Ocean Rain - Echo And The Bunnymen (1984) Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 4 Emotionality: 4 = 4.4 rounded down to a 4 "You kill when you talk and the enemy weakens/ Your words start to walk when you're not even speaking/ If my heart is a war, its soldiers are bleeding" Just under two months back we reviewed Crocodiles (3.8 rounded up to a 4) and I ended up liking it quite a bit, to no surprise. I've listened to their first four or five some years ago, and mostly liked what I heard, with the current album coming out on top in my memory, in no small part because of the general upping of the band's melodic game, and of course the big hit. As much as it was. Not sure it ever charted in the U.S. at all ( I checked later and it did not). As I mentioned before, I think this band got on a lot of people's radar via two soundtracks - both decades apart, both for horror/ horror adjacent movies. Their cover of "People Are Strange" by the Doors was featured prominently on the Lost Boys (1987) Soundtrack, and "The Killing Moon" on the Donnie Darko (2001) soundtrack. I think this first instance is the first time I probably heard them, though there's a chance I may have seen Pretty in Pink first which featured another song. I would have been too young to care much at all about the names of bands or songs at that point. It was the second instance that I distinctly remember taking notice of who the band was, and by then it was much easier to start tracking these artists down. This album I'll predict will get no less than a four, but will I like it that much more? THE TRACKS "Silver" - The first thing I notice hear is right away is how approachable and radio-friendly this sounds. Catchy vocal melody, and memorable guitar and string elements, and a snappy clean production feel that is up there with the best of the 80s Cure stuff. McCulloch seems to have more or less shaken off his Jim Morrisonisms, and overall the sound is a lot more lush, and less murky than on Crocodiles. We are somewhat out of order here, as the third album on the list - Porcupine - probably showed some of this evolution in progress. That will be an interesting look back I guess when we get around to it. "Nocturnal Me" - I think there might be a lot more acoustic work on this album. Certainly there's a much stronger sense of arrangement and cohesiveness. This and the last song definitely sound like they're from the same album. This one has a bit of a theatrical bent to it, and the enormous bass drum, the strings, and what I think are harpsichord or piano elements put me in mind of a lot of the carefully arranged stuff Nock Cave would be doing in just a few years. There's an operatic, over the top aspect here that the crunchier, guitar heavy stuff on Crocodiles sounds a million miles away from. I am really enjoying this hard lean into a still dark but luxurious orchestral sound. "Crystal Days" - The strings are used as back up here and aside from the prominent cello bit, it's mostly alternately stuttering and brightly ringing guitars. There's a little bit of the psychedelic here, but it's much more of a cousin to the Paisley Underground jangle pop that was coming out of the West Coast of the U.S. around the same time, with bands like the Bangles and Dream Syndicate than it does with any of the harsher, more reverb heavy post-punk and goth-adjacent stuff that the Bunnymen usually get lumped together with. "The Yo Yo Man" - There are some strong sea shanty vibes on this one, and McCulloch's Morrison tics are back a bit. The harpsichord ( I think) along with what may be a plucked harp(?) help to give this a very archly baroque flavor. The production throughout has had a bit of an echo, which while it serves to tie everything together with a similar atmosphere, is making it hard to identify some of the instrumentation. "Thorn of Crowns" - What sounds like a sitar, along with the chugging guitar, the Bo Diddley beat, and the stuttering vocals make this one a bit more psychedelic and slightly sinister. Good fun, but a bit scattershot, and leans into the more self-indulgent ""Father?" "Yes, son?" "I want to kill you!"-esque Doors style. A mixes bag, but where it shines is when the pace is steady and we're not sitting around waiting. "The Killing Moon" - Finally the centerpiece of the album, and I'd argue, their entire career. These guys are not one-hit wonders by any means, but as much as I like a lot of their stuff, and as catchy and hook filled as it is - none of it approaches this one as far as pure pop perfection. Beautiful core melody and an equally catchy sing-along chorus all rest on some of the band's most fantastically urgent playing, and McCulloch delivers emotionally here where he's more detached elsewhere. It's a shame this never busted the charts over on this side of the pond as it seems tailor-made to appeal to the same ears that would make a cult out of bands like the Cure or Siousxie and the Banshees. I do know that the band was very resistant to touring here, and promoting themselves ( even back home), and that seems to have been handicap of many an otherwise great band who failed to break America. Top tier stuff and makes it into my all-time best of the century canon for sure. "Seven Seas" - The twin to the last track, this one is as ebullient and playful as that one was murky and threatening. Both are a little witchy and full of the kind of nonsensical, mysticism that make pinning down any sort of message a mug's game. This was bouncy and catchy and full of live and brightness that it easily made its way up to the number two spot for me. "My Kingdom" - The moment the chorus hits on this one the song lifts up into overdrive it approaches the best sort of similar feeling on some of Robert Smith's most joyous songs. Loved the harmonium or synthy imitation at the beginning, and I think this one had my favorite acoustic guitar work of any song on the album. The guitar and bass dancing around each other provide the core to this, and it almost feels like a lost Stranglers track at points, with McCulloch sounding very much like Hugh Cornwell at points. Go listen to "Skin Deep" right after this for comparison. Great stuff. "Ocean Rain" - We end strong in low, slow and moody territory, and a revisit of the not quite overarching theme of the ocean, both its perils and appeal. But even when the lyrics are drowning in a morass of gloom, we get moments of prettiness in the instrumental breaks. I'm sure Mculloch never met a metaphor he didn't like, but it's very atmospherically successful. Even if the lyrics are all soft, waterlogged wood that falls apart into mushy pulp when you grab hold to steady yourself. HIGHLIGHTS - "Silver" - "Nocturnal Me" - "Crystal Days" - "The Yo Yo Man" - "The Killing Moon" - "Seven Seas" - "My Kingdom" - "Ocean Rain" MIDLIGHTS - "Thorn of Crowns" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS Over all this was just a good, if not better an experience than I expected it would be. A much stronger, well polished, and thoughtfully arranged and cohesive version of what we got last go around. And the lean into the jangle poppy orchestral sound pushes a lot of my musical buttons. With a few more listens under my belt I could easily see this breaking through to the high 4s and getting rounded up. There's barely anything here to complain about, though if I had to I might call out the somewhat shallow well of emotionally affecting content throughout. McCulloch dips into it occasionally, but is a bit more restrained than I would like given the lushness of everything else around him. But then maybe that would be gilding the lily. Otherwise, the band has no problem climbing up onto the bench with the likes of the Cure and their ilk. Though they might be a bit further down, and not as likely to see as much court time. These are not garbage time players though, Far from it, and I'm looking forward to filling in that lone remaining spot, and in catching up with more of their stuff besides. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS FURTHER LISTENING - Script of the Bridge by the Chameleons - Aural Sculpture by the Stranglers - The Head on the Door by the Cure - Starfish by the Church - Mirror Moves by the Psychedelic Furs - A Pagan Place by the Waterboys
Our second Echo and the Bunnymen album, we had “Crocodile” a few weeks back. Considering that was my first encounter with E&tB, it has been funny to notice them as an influence among the warly ‘90s alternative rock I am more familiar with. I just started reading this book on Lollapalooza and E&tB have been mention quite a few times in the first two chapters. Listening to this one, I found I enjoyed it slightly more than “Crocodile.” The orchestral strings are used to great effect. It lifts the album and creates a certain internal balance of force against the rock sound. We’re still in moody territory on these songs but there is slightly more effort on the production which leans a sense of brightness. Optimistic might be going too far, but it feels less dark to me. Interesting what a few melodies will do for one’s psyche, no? Ultimately though it can’t reach high enough for a “4” for me. 3/5
Très très solide
Tiene buenas canciones. No está mal teniendo en cuenta que es un disco de los 80.
You don't notice it as much.
I like these guys and have paid $ for their music but we didn't need more than one of their albums. This is an example of how this list was clearly made by a Brit
Although I don't really know their sound and discography aside from what this collection served up, it seems to me that this album is probably the only one we really need from Echo & The Bunnymen. They managed to balance the Smiths/Cure sounds of "Crocodiles" and the U2-like punch in "Porcupine" into something more distinct to them. The 35-piece orchestra occasionally gets a bit too intrusive, but on tracks like "Nocturnal me" the strings and percussion actually help (perhaps not so much on tracks like "The yo yo man", though); on the othe rhand, I was struck by how much "Thorn of crowns" seemed like a riff on the Doors' more maudlin stuff. And while the album can't entirely escape sounding like something from the 80s, a lot of the album doesn't sound nearly as dated as a lot of the fare from the 1980s in this collection. And of course how could anyone deny Richard Kelly's 1980s-era soundtrack genius for "Donnie Darko", where "The killing moon" gets marquee treatment (although Gary Jules' cover of Tears for Fears' "Mad world" is easily the best piece in the film)?
Good album though didn't blow me away nearly as much as hearing "The Killing Moon" during the movie "Donnie Darko"--quite nice there.
Probably the best EATBM album I've gotten in this yet
"The Killing Moon" is one of my favorite songs of all time probably. Fantastic song. "Silver", "Seven Seas", and "My Kingdom" are great too. Overall a very good album. Nice use of the strings.
Really liked the orchestral backing but otherwise didn't really do anything for me.
lindo lindo lindo puta que pariu esse álbum é incrível, não tem condições killing moon é uma das melhores músicas feitas na história das músicas feitas
a regra eh clara: tem the killing moon eh 5 estrelas, sem conversa. esse eh o menos triste deles que passou por aqui, né. gosto da produção desse aqui e dos instrumentos de corda e etc. acho que combina bem com o climinha soturno deles. dito isso, eh um clássico, né. eh uma PEDRADAÇA, não tem jeito
I've never really understood how this album lives up to the towering mythos and adulation often associated with it – I've always found it to be one of EatB's weaker albums, despite occasional moments of greatness though numbers such as "The Killing Moon" and "Nocturnal Me". It hits a real lull otherwise, where the grandiose production starts feeling like a crutch to mask meandering, melodramatic hook-sparse songwriting lacking in energy.
This album has some really delightful songs, one of which is an 80s classic: Killing Moon. It's a strange song, but beautiful nonetheless. There were two other songs that quite surprised me. Crystal Days and Seven Seas both have that quality that 80s post punk used to have that is difficult to imitate nowadays. This gets a welcome and slightly stunned 4 from me.
Nothing but Video not available. Unable to listen to it.
They had a nice sound and for the most part I enjoyed it.
High 3. Not much to report here. I liked it. I only gave this one one or two spacey listens.
Best tracks; 1 Silver 2 Nocturnal Me 3 Crystal Days 4 The Yo-Yo Man 5 Thorn Of Crowns 6 The Killing Moon 7 Seven Seas 8 My Kingdom 9 Ocean Rain 10 Angels And Devils
Easy to make fun of in hindsight, but this takes me back…
Just a pretty generic album that sounds like nothing
I enjoyed it, but it's not something I keep coming back to. IMO this is only here because of "The Killing Moon" and how iconic it is.
Beautifully produced and atmospheric, but it never really hooked me. The Killing Moon felt slow and never got going. I can appreciate why it’s considered a classic, but I’d be unlikely to put it on myself. Well made, and I certainly wouldn’t turn it off if someone else was playing it, but I wouldn’t seek it out either.
Really nice album enjoyed it worth more listens i think
uh-um 🥰🌚🌘✨🔮
The Killing Moon
Highly underappreciated and brilliantly produced. Much like Kate Bush's work, this is an album focused on storytelling as opposed to just pumping out hits, and honestly it pays off in shed-loads, creating vivid imagery and evoking plenty of introspective emotion. I'd only ever heard The Killing Moon before thanks to its appearance in Donnie Darko, but I'm glad to have finally listened to the whole thing. Well worth it. Favourite track: Thorn of Crowns Least favourite track: N/A (It's all great)
Sometimes dark, sometimes bright. Absolutely brilliant album. Ocean rain is one the most beautiful song I ever heard.
2.5 rounding down.
One of my all time favorite 80's records, mostly for its amabition and mystery. It's unfortunately not the greatest sound; the orchestrations are muddled in the back of a lot of the songs and only come through on a vinyl copy. But there's so much packed into each song, such drama and eerieness with 80s guitar pop, that it stakes Ian McCullough's immodest claims of being the greatest band of the decade. Over time, it's clear it was the first to smash the door open for bands like The Cure, The Smiths, Depeche Mode and U2 to dig deeper on their end. But this one always has a soft spot in my heart, flawed as it can be.
Overrated band. Album is average. I keep hoping this band will surprise me one day. Sadly, still hasn’t happened. They’re just not that interesting.
Dark, moody lyrics with some excellent musicianship and synths underneath.
6/29/26. Might be one of my favorite 80z records so far. Great blend of alternative rock and pop from this era that keeps the BF s interesting throughout with nice arrangements and vibes.
Ah some 80s synth pop. Oh, going for a weird vibe eh? Man this is fairly high on the weird 80s scale. Meh, these bunnymen should've stayed away from the echoes.
i loveeee killer moon
Second half of the album was much better for me! Favorite song: the killing moon
Nice 80s alternative rock album. Nothing too crazy but some good depeshe mode vibes
This is tough. i lack the capacity and context to judge this one with total fairness. I hear the greatness, I really do. But I can't say I connected with it completely on first listen. It's all there, "The Killing Moon" is a condensed example of how these guys know how to write a pop-leaning song. It's a classic. I can't say a single bad thing about it, but it doesn't hit home for me. 850ish albums in, this may be a symptom of post-punk fatigue. 3/5 nothing against it
𝘖𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘯 was a pleasant surprise. I already expected a strong post-punk album, but I didn’t expect to enjoy its lush, orchestral sound as much as I did. The strings and rich arrangements give the record an almost cinematic atmosphere without ever overshadowing the songs themselves. What impresses me most is how naturally those orchestral elements fit into the band’s sound. Rather than softening the music, they add depth and emotion, giving the album a character that sets it apart from many of its contemporaries. Few post-punk albums of its era sound quite like this. 𝘖𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘯 shows that the genre could be ambitious, elegant, and richly orchestrated without losing its identity. It’s a combination I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I did.
Heard it before. Nocturnal Me and The Killing Moon are fantastic songs. But I'm afraid the rest of the album ain't it. Ian's vocals just don't work for me on other songs on the album, they don't fit the music. Echo were always one of those 80s bands I could never get fully into 2/5
This project is going to stockholm syndrome me into liking 80s brit pop isn't it. Because explain to me why I like this album? Am I being transformed? Will I soon sport a union jack and smoke a pack of cigs? Will I like beans on toast? Time will tell.
“The Killing Moon” is such a legendary track that it bumps this otherwise Pretty Good gothy new wave record into something special.
Beyond Killing Moon do you really need to listen to this Jim Morrison wannabe?
Found this album to be kind of boring. Another 80's post punk/new wave offering for the list. At least I recognized a couple of songs. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again
Better 80s vibe than I expected. Definitely good background music for Stranger Things.
Beautiful from start to finish, title track and killing moon best. So atmospheric and psychedelic in some moments, poppy in the others, while also carrying this dark and gloomy feeling
I own this album on vinyl having bought it when released. Pleasantly pleased when I looked on Discogs to see what it’s worth now. That aside and not having listened to the album in years, I realised today why I bought the album back then. It’s full of good melodic tunes which get you immediately and become ear worms for the rest of the day. Some tracks are supplemented by excellent orchestration which increase the hook effect present in every track. Great songwriting and I’m glad this list enables that to be recognised. 5/5 23/6/26
4 out of 5. Very likely my favorite album of theirs, at least so far. The Killing Moon is a classic.
Je l'avais déjà écouté auparavant, et franchement même avis pour cette deuxième écoute Un très bon album qui s'écoute très bien d'une seule traité Ils n'ont pas forcément inventé qq chose mais il maîtrise très bien ce qu'ils font
Logique de s'appeler Echo quand tu chantes dans une grotte, par contre les hommes lapins ? Playlist pick : My Kingdom
The Bunnymen never quite made the perfect album but this might be as close as they got with, for me, their best set of songs.
I went into this album only knowing The Killing Moon, and I came out a little disappointed. Not sure what I expected. It's an 80s pop album with some interesting ideas. The vegetable song was weird.
shit being an alt girlie in the 80's must've been the best. very dope, i like most every song quite a bit, but The Killing Moon is tough to beat. solid 4
Rating: 6/10 I was never into these guys weirdly enough. This is their big one and to me if this is the best they get then I kinda just Echo as some fairly decent jangly post-punk. This one is more ambitious and probably a fair bit better than their debut but I guess have them down for the same score. The B side is pretty solidly better and to be honest The Killing Moon is far and away the best song here. Adding that one especially but this could certainly grow on me
It hurts me to say this but I didn't think this album was that great. Even after multiple listens, it's pretty funny how The Killing Moon is strikingly that much better than every other song on here. They're kind of just lost and subdued and drag a tiny bit, and then Killing Moon brings the passion, and then it's back to average average 4.5/10
THE ATMOSPHERE! The vibes are quite dark but not in a depressing way, feels more nocturnal. The Killing Moon is an all timer. The rest of the album is also really great. I love the guitar work, so beautiful.
OK, het was beter dan verwacht... toen ik Killing Moon zag staan, dacht ik dat de hele plaat zo ging klinken... gelukkig was het beter, maar nu ook weer niet zo goed dat ze in mijn lijstje van 1001 staan
2.5 It's my fault I expected more but at least The Killing Moon slays
No está mal pero not 4 me
didn't care too much about it Will I listen to again: 5%
3 I started liking it more towards the end, but overall didn't really do it for me. Seemed like the vocals were mixed too high compared to the instrumentation maybe
A halting relic of 80’s goth pop that leaves you wanting
Ocean Rain is not trying to be everyday post-punk. It is trying to sound like moonlight hitting stone. It wants elegance, mystery, melancholy, and a little decadence, and it gets there more often than not.
The Killing Moon stands out. Apparently that's all I have to say about this album. My 2nd of Echo and the Bunnymen; this one is a 2. Post-punk? I didn't get any whiffs of punk in this.
Echo & the Bunnymen are one of my favourite bands, and Ocean Rain is such a superb album that I never need an excuse to put it on. This album is brilliant its close to perfect, moving and, for me, the absolute peak of the Bunnymen’s work. Everything about it just works. The atmosphere, the strings, the melodies and Ian McCulloch’s voice all come together beautifully. A lot of music from that era can feel dated now, but Ocean Rain still sounds as alive, powerful and magical as ever. This is one of those rare albums that never loses its impact no matter how many times you hear it. Favourite tracks: “Ocean Rain” and “The Killing Moon” are both superb, though “Thorn of Crowns” remains my personal favourite Least favourite tracks: Every song on the album deserves its place Album artwork: I’ve always loved the album cover — iconic and perfectly suited to the music
Well so far it's q very British and very cool album. Colorful Post punk that really moves well from song to song. Good balance between bangers and ballads. It will get a very decent 3
I think I had only heard Killing Moon before. Great album! Good variety and lovely orchestration. My favourites were Silver, The Yo Yo Man, The Killing Moon and the title track.
14 year old wannabe goth me would have loved this album, but the adult me isn’t too sure. The killing moon remains a classic, but I feel the rest didn’t quite drum up enough emotion for me.
Awful
This has the distinctive sound of being of its time. Outside of the Killing Moon I wasn’t familiar with any of the rest, but overall a pretty pleasant listen
Surprised how much I liked this, great album
This was really good
It's a nice new wave album, but nothing special in particular. Didn't really stand out to me in any aspect or whatsoever. Dreamy atmosphere is what I liked the best, maybe after a few more listens I could appreciate this album more than I do now. For now, it earns a solid 3/5 from me. Favorites: Nocturnal Me, Crystal Days, The Killing Moon, Seven Seas
It has some decent instrument but lyrically it ain't it 3.4/10
So 80’s
80’s English pop punk
While this album has some good tracks, it ultimately makes you lose interest before the end.
I’ve tried to listen to them a few times and it’s just not my thing
Hauntingly beautiful, and yet quickly forgettable. I listened to the album twice because I immediately forgot it upon completion the first time.
Frábær plata. Var ekki viss fyrstu tvö-þrjú lögin en svo klikkaði eitthvað. Hittarinn er auðvitað geggjaður en restin af plötunni er alls ekkert síðri.
Echo and the Bunnymen var svo góð hljómsveit. Frábær plata, allt góð lög, eini gallinn kannski að hún er of stutt.
When to listen: Dusk, not too warm and not too hot. I imagine it on a beach, even if this music isn't particularly island-y. I'd heard of the band but never heard their music, pretty darn good! Had to go back and re-listen to The Killing Moon because it didn't make an impact first time around, but the second time I really liked it.
Favorite track(s): Nocturnal Me, The Yo Yo Man, Thorn of Crowns, The Killing Moon
Day884 - it gave us the killing moon so that boosts the whole album
First time listening to this particular record despite listening to "Crocodiles" and "Porcupines" many times over a few years ago. I much prefer their earlier, guitar-centric brand of post-punk compared this; just not totally into this band's particular useage of string arrangements. 6/10.
8.5/10 I'm not familiar with their music but I really enjoyed this! Ian Mcculloch is such a great vocalist.
Very solid. Would listen again, and probably need to listen again.
incel Bowie rip offs
Such a disappointing album. Every song seemed to have so much potential to begin with. But the way they used each track made it a pretty hard listen. Songs I liked: 1/5
I didn't think I would but I ended up really enjoying this album, I love the general vibe.
Liked the instrumentals but didn’t love the lead singer’s voice. It was kind of creepy. The album sounds like it could have potential but it didn’t grab me
1. Silver – 3.0 2. Nocturnal Me – 2.5 3. Crystal Days – 2.5 4. The Yo Yo Man – 2.5 5. Thorn of Crowns – 2.5 6. The Killing Moon – 2.5 7. Seven Seas – 2.5 8. My Kingdom – 2.5 9. Ocean Rain – 2.5
Starts off a little different from the sound of the other album I had from these guys on this list. Not bad, just different. I have no idea what these guys are about at this point. Maybe that's the point. I still don't know what post punk is. Anyway, 3/5. Not bad.
Echo is a band I missed out on. I’ve enjoyed every listen.
I don’t find a band more enigmatic thank Echo and The Bunnymen. They look large in 80s music but without a truly major hit. And they sound like a lot of other artists, but they are a band that when you look at when albums were release you realize that their influence was deeply felt. It’s an enjoyable listen but rated higher for influence and quality than iconic songs.
Interesting, this album for sure has it's moments and one outstanding single, but overall it's the musical equivalent of using 100 words when you could manage with 10. Perhaps it's the production (vocal really high in the mix) but really not feeling it, it makes 37mins feel like 2 hours.
8/10 "The Killing Moon" is an all time favourite and stands head and shoulders above bit just this album, but most 80s alternative. Rest of the album is still great - inventive, atmospheric, interesting.
Genuinely not great.
Killing moon is a full star itself
Decent record Killing Moon obviously stand out track. However a lot a synth filled fun. His voice was great on this and lots a whirling guitar.
Could use a singer.
Top notch. First listen, thank you!
Enjoyed 1 song, the rest was pretty basic
Something about this album really irks me. The production is weird, it almost sounds like they’re going for a doors-y vibe at some points but it just doesn’t work. Obviously the killing moon is a good song though
Good arrangement with the strings
In my last review of an EaTB album I gave a 4. Not really into them much and their sound is sometimes too U2 for my taste. The last album I was able to pick out some elements from The Cure, but not in this one. Didn't get much from this one, won't be going back to it.
Eh it’s fine
Pop rock un peu entre Bowie et Ah-Ha j'ai trouvé. Je savais pas que Nocturnal Me c'était d'eux
Je connaissais « killing moon », c’est sympa mais je pense pas réécouter
C'était sympa mais sans plus
I have listened to Ocean Rain a few times before because I am quite fond of some Echo and the Funny men songs, like the Killing Moon, which is on this album. Speaking of the Killng Moon, it's by far the best song of the album. It stands out the most and sounds the most unique, I think. The rest of the album is solid, but I've never been overly invested in it. A lot the other songs do sort of blend into one in my head. I do like the musicianship and singing though. I'd give this a 3.5 if I could.
Very 80s with a lead singer very reminiscent of a lot of others from that era.
Poetical and heavy feeling. Wish it would have been more musically diverse and experimental, feels contained and not so interesting
Good album
Opens very strong but gets a little less catchy by the end.
I was so hoping that I'd be able to post a 5☆ review for this album. A lot of my old school friends were big Echo and the Bunnymen fans back in the day, and I just sort of tolerated them and liked the odd song. 40 years later however, I haven't changed that much. Killing Moon and Seven Seas are both good songs, Silver and Crystal Days are pretty decent, as are My Kingdom and Angels and Devils, but there's nothing that I can pin a gold star on and say "That's the reason why this album is in this list!" It turned out a bit disappointing. A low 3 stars.
I know I'm supposed to like Echo and the Bunnymen but I really am not a fan. So sorry.
Thoughts before listening: 80s new wave band with some really catchy songs. In my mind they're in the same category of bands like the Cure and the Smiths who were putting out strong albums instead of just pop hits. Review: So I think there's a bit of a darkness here that puts these guys squarely in the post-punk category as opposed to the more poppy and bright sounding new wave bands. Thats a good thing to me and they really do remind me in many ways of those other bands I called out in the intro. This certainly isn't a goth rock album, but there is a depth to these songs that also makes them interesting. "Killing Moon" is the recognizable song and its awesome, but the album as a whole is very strong. 5-stars
Felt the first half was maybe a bit too much art rather than composition. The second half was good though, heard elements of the cure
It took a couple of listens to really get this, but I'm glad I took the time to listen more than once I was familiar with Nocturnal Me already and I thought most of the album would be like that. I'm glad it's more reminiscent of The Cure though, an entire album of that style may have gotten tiring. Nocturnal Me is great though, it's like spooky mafia music Highlights: Nocturnal Me, My Kingdom, The Killing Moon
Opens strong. Quality drops in the middle imo but when you find yourself wavering about 15 minutes in just know that they save the best for last. The last 4 tracks do the heavy lifting here, especially The Killing Moon and Ocean Rain. It’s a collection of different influences but Echo & the Bunnymen definitely do their best with the “small orchestra with a drum set” sound in this album.
GOOD
hearing this one on the cd that I own rather than spotify cause im better than u hoes
Enjoyed this one and will probably be back for some repeat listening and a rummage through the band’s back catalogue.
Mmm, they’re fine. They try really hard to move me, but they’ve never cracked the Cure level. Ian McCulloch has a grand baritone, and there are several legit hits in their catalog. It’s just that the non-hits don’t land at all. No resonance. McCulloch described Ocean Rain as “the greatest album ever made.” It isn’t. Echo and the Bunnymen (what are we, a children’s book?) sound like a copycat band, a pretend band, a band that makes you wish you were listening to a different band. A better band. This isn’t hate I’m broadcasting here. It’s indifference.
Not too memorable but giving off The Smiths and Nick Cave vibes. Vocals do seem to pop out and doesn't quite gel with the music. 3/5
Wasn't bad but nothing memorable
Mto bom, mas preciso ouvir com mais atenção
Certified banger, The Killing Moon is enough for a 5 for me
I love The Killing Moon because of Donnie Darko but forgot about the rest
That must be at least top 3 best new wave albuns of all time without a doubt
Such a pleasant surprise, especially seeing the year this came out. Ahead of it's time for sure
Killing Moon is such a good song. this whole album was good but it had standout moments.
The Killing Moon!! a goth dance floor classic!
this is ass 1/10 Will I add this album to my library? no
I love this album and this band so much. They just get better with age. Truly, a remarkable sound.
This is a fine album overall. Some tracks just don’t really do much for me, and while “The Killing Moon” is an obvious standout, I never fully connected with the rest of the album in the same way.
Mall goth! Pleather romantic! Black eyeliner and a chain belt.
No private session used for Spotify. I like this album, the orchestration added a lot to Echo's(i guess) voice, and I like the guitar. Side note: I like Pavement's cover of "Killing Moon", but I didn't know where the whole "cu cu cucumber cabbage came from", decades later, I do.
Fantastic 80’s goth-pop-new wave. The vocals are the best maudlin theatrical belty style this side of early U2/ Bono
Straight yummalum. Scrumdidiliumptious. Love love love echo and the bunnymen and their vibe.
Ok.
★★½
Ніколи не чув про цей гурт. Я таки чув хіт з цього альбому)
This is an underrated gem of The 80s
3.3/5 killing moon 5/5 song
Echo & The Bunnymen again? Kind of overrated at this point. Ocean Rain is their fourth studio album and their third one on this ridiculous list. I wish I could find a replacement list to going the journey. The album was released in 1984 so it had a lot of competition for attention. I might have stated it in the early reviews of their albums, but I find Ian McCulloch bit bland compared to the other English singers during this time period. It was released to mixed reviews. I just remembered who liked them in my life. It was in the 90s, I had a friend named John and he liked them a lot. John turned out to be a bad friend and so was one of his favourite bands. He was extremely deceitful. The best song is the title song, but even that is not going on my list. My opinion on this album is quite simple. It drones on and on. His vocals sound the same on each song. Do yourself a favour and listen to "Bring on the Dancing Horses" or even "Lips Like Sugar". This is what they could have been. This album is pictured in the dictionary under mediocrity. Look it up. 5/10.
Fine. It grew on me a little as it went. It’s kind of standard 80s new wave. The singer has a pretty good voice though, so that’s a plus.
Already knew the Killing Moon. Liked Silver, Nocturnal Me, and Crystal Days the most of the other songs. But the whole album was pretty vibey. Also 9 songs in 37 minutes, very efficient. Almost a 5 but I don't think I can give it that last star.
Its a rock style that is not related with my liking
solid
Was feeling a little underwhelmed after my first listen of this. So i decided to give it another spin. It was much better the second time around. The first couple of songs don’t really do it for me. When the album reaches The Yo Yo Man, my enjoyment of it increases greatly and I loved the second half
This was good but I wanted it to be better
REM did it better. 3.5
Second Bunnymen album here. I think I preferred this one out of the two though. Nothing amazing about it, but solid in all departments and had a nice 80’s feel to it. Wouldn’t revisit, but wasn’t terrible.
зе кіллін муун
My kind of 80s music...with a weird little twist.
Classic 80s nostalgia. Still one or two tracks that I love, sadly the rest of the album feels dated and a bit average.
That sound. Students and angsty teens everywhere loved it. Ian McCulloch’s voice, like Lloyd Cole and the Waterboys, was what all creative arty people were into. The jangly guitar sound. The sophisticated lyrics. We felt clever because of it. And it just sounded so great
The Killing Moon is just an amazing song that really takes me back to high school. But over all, the album is not my favorite. Again, rounding up.
Just can’t get into that 80s production.
I have enjoyed some of Echo and the boys - nothing too great on here.
That was a lot of fun - far less synth based than I'd presumed. Making me nostalgic for the early 2000s when Donnie Darko was definitely my jam.
This is more like a 2.5 for me; I generally don't like this sort of 80's new wave sort of thing, but this one was OK. It was weirdly just kind of non-descript. I actually went back and listened to it again because it didn't really stick with me at all on first listen.
This feels like generic pub music to me, maybe with an 80s twist on it.
Heard Before? Yes indeed. Notes: - the mix bothers me a bit. vocals way too forward, no low end. - it's too bad because the arrangements are so fantastic. for me the key feature of this album is all the extra stuff, from the strings and synths to autoharp and finger cymbals. - most drums sounded awful in the 80s. these are just fine! - i don't really care about the lyrics, and they mostly seem to function as mood-setting. - many very similar vocal melodies. - more dynamic than I remembered; i like all the space in "Thorn of Crowns". Verdict: Not as essential as I remembered. But intermittently glorious and probably their best album as a whole. Listen Again? I'll probably go through all their 80s albums again at some point, although there's a strong case to be made that they are best as a singles act.
A warm and textured post-punk album that I've been meaning to listen to for ages. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Excellent stuff.
Tvö lög ágæt, hitt óspennandi.
Fílaði þetta sánd
Alveg smá áhugavert, sérstaklega fyrir 1984. Nútímalegt sánd.
Saved? ✅ Would listen again? 🤔 Would recommend to anyone? 🤔 Would buy on Vinyl? 🤔
Pretty good, but not life-changing or anything. The album did seem to drag a little towards the end but generally quite an enjoyable listen
influential, classical, killing moon is ace, otherwise
not for me
에코 앤 더 버니맨 - 오션 레인 (1984) 총 9곡 수록, 37분 이제부터 년도를 씁니다 사유: 멋져보임 슬슬 장르 이해를 멈추기로 함 음악은 우선 받아들이고 그 뒤에 정의하는 것이야 좋네요 1984년 작이라고 믿기지 않는 새벽 취향곡 근데 제 취향이 늙었을수도 앨범의 모든 곡이 좋냐: 그건 아님 특히 마지막 곡인 오션 레인은 너무 지루하다는 느낌이 있음 그러나 그 전까지의 노래가 듣기에 좋고 오션 레인 전 곡인 마이 킹덤은 즉시 북마크할만큼 마음에 들었음 한줄평: 시간은 숫자에 불과해... 취향: ★★★★☆ 재방문:★★★★☆
je commence à aimer ça les jingly/jangly guit et le 'new wave/post-punk' je sais pas si c'est un syndrome de Stockholm. Peut-être qu'à force de me shooter du rap 90s début année 90 ça va aussi se développer. J'ai trouvé une similarité avec le Radiohead de The Bends notamment pour leur single The Killing Moon. Un groupe que je connaissais pas, mais je suis curieux d'en savoir plus!
post-punk années 80, c'est sur que je vais aimer ça! Pourtant j'ai été déçu je trouvais ça quand même flat. Ça gagne en qualité à mi-chemin avec The Killing Moon et Seven Seas, mais quand même c'était ordinaire.
4/5
Not what I was expecting. Not terrible, not great. Right in the middle for me.
Classic Dark Wave record! Fantastic stuff
I listened to a few times trying to understand what I thought of it. Great singer, some nice orchestration, a couple good songs (Killing Moon is great), but just... flat, uninspired and overworked. I wanted to like it and every time I listened it just let me down. :(
I like this band more and more with each album I listen to. The second half here is fantastic. Love the vocal inflections and the guitar work is solid. Favorites were Silver, Thorn Of Crowns, The Killing Moon, and Seven Seas.
This is #day610 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… funny how just yesterday, when I got a country album, I wrote that this list sometimes feels like a competition between country and post-punk. Well played, random generator, because here we are... My third and final record from the Bunnymen. Quite possibly the epitome of mid-'80s post-punk and alternative rock with a big orchestral soul. "The Killing Moon" is, of course, golden. Also, I've always loved the album artwork. Happy to own an original German vinyl copy. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day611.
OK
Despite my appreciation for Killing Moon, I did not enjoy this album.
fav songs: silver the killing moon distant, atmospheric, moody 40/100
Starts off with good energy with "Silver" and gets a little odd from there. I didn't get "The Yo Yo Man" or "Thorn of Crowns." I did enjoy "The Killing Moon" and would like to know the story behind the video. "Ocean Rain" is kind of a downer to close things. Interesting to hear the orchestra in the background.
Great
The killing moon really does pop off the album in a wonderful way. The other tracks aren’t half bad either
I'd buy this album and not regret it. That's enough to earn it a 5.
It started out fine, but lacked range. Besides that one song that I vaguely know, I think this was just rather boring.
Finally the Bunnymen album that actually deserves to be here. Favorite track: The Killing Moon 3.5/5
I think I need to try and listen again later when I'm chill or stoned or something. Cause my impression of the first listen was that the name was more interesting than the album... I found it a bit boring. Some tracks were kinda interesting, but overall it was just kinda there...
This was kind of uneven for me. I liked the non-orchestral numbers better.
One of the better records I've heard from the post punk genre, a high 3.
I liked this, 80s and melancholy and good.
Big time post punk classic for me, I love the way the Bunnymen are really insanely esoteric in their lyrics but don't really make a big thing of it, instead setting it against this amazingly catchy spiky songwriting with these little moments of euphoria that burst through the gloom.
Not my thing
Really grew on me as I listened
Decent
Quite generic. 6/10
Hmm... Reminds of Morrissey. Pretty boring
Liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Felt a lot of personality in this album. Didn't care for crocodiles earlier in the experience, but this is much better - 7/10
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Listen again