Ocean Rain

My favorite teacher of all time taught me World History and World Area Studies in high school. He loved U2, who I was very familiar with, but he also really loved Echo & The Bunnymen, who I'd never heard of (if my parents didn't listen to them, or if they didn't get any airplay on the local classic rock or modern rock station, my chances of hearing them was very slim). A couple of years ago, an Echo & The Bunnymen song came up on some random Spotify mix that I was listening to (I'm pretty sure it was 'The Killing Moon'), and I really liked it. I'm pretty sure I stopped right then and listened to all of Ocean Rain. I really loved Ian McCulloch's vocals, and I felt like Echo & The Bunnymen sounded like a better version of early U2, and I could see why my teacher loved both U2 and Echo & The Bunnymen. I love the ethereal quality of their instruments; it almost sounds like their songs were recorded in this cavern that's somehow massive and open. On this listen-through, I'd definitely say that 'The Killing Moon' is my favorite track, but 'Nocturnal Me' is fantastic as well. This is a great album, and I hate that I discovered it so late in my life.

Bueno

Музыка похожа на нью-вейв, в целом, приятно звучит, но не по моему вкусу, из-за схожести с The Cure.

Ocean Rain is so much more than just “the album with that one song from Donnie Darko.” Filled with dreamy arrangements and obtuse vocals, it’s strangely reminiscent of the alt-pop that would develop in future decades.

Very classic jangly post-punk sound

Very nice,

Absolutely enjoyable, glad to know the album. Both sides kick off very strong. Side A ends with a head-scratching choice with Thorn of Crowns. Side B is pleasant throughout but doesn’t quite make a huge impact other than Killing Moon.

Echo And The Bunnymen sounds like the kind of act you hire for your kid's birthday party. Do not do this. Ocean Rain is filled with dark, dramatic post-punk just the way I like it. 'Nocturnal Me' is a prime example, and the erratic 'Throne of Crowns' takes it to the next level with its manic, energetic rambling. And 'The Killing Moon' is just incredible - easily a top three moon-mentioning track.

Ocean Rain is one of albums I return to once or twice a year without ever being disappointed. It’s dramatic, melancholic and incredibly grand. The accompanying orchestra does wonders to the songs. “Nocturnal Me”, the beautiful title track and “The Killing Moon” are especially breathtaking with the latter being one of the absolute peaks of the entire post-punk genre (just listen to Sergeant’s solo). Looking forward to join the Bunnymen’s gloomy gondola trip once again.

Very synth.

I was really pleasantly surprised by this album. Loved it.

Know this very well from my first attempt at doing the 1001 albums (only had managed 3 in a month haha) Good tunes with a strong booming voice and the band feels like it’s doing quite its own thing on this record. It’s also well put together - each songs belongs with the others in the order they are - and they are all good songs. Lyrics are a bit too stream of consciousness but it also goes well with the theme of the album so.. it’s a good one.

The Killing Moon is amazing obviously... The rest is quite good, probably needs more listens.

This album impressed me. I knew Seven Seas and of course Killing Moon, but there were a lot more songs on here that captured a great atmospheric whole.

It's always nice to look back on old listening notes and see consistent observations of a band's wont. In the case of the Bunnymen, it's the Arcade Fire connection. Ocean Rain was a shocking listen thanks to how timeless it felt, the vocals and drums I noted of the debut blending into a much more mature and robust texture. Yet, as songs, the effect is that of carefully blanched post-punk, basic and, most of the time, just lush enough. I was deeply feeling for most of the runtime, save a dip into melodrama at the end that didn't quite work. The lyrics I paid attention to were worth one revisit, and suggest returns on a Bunnymen deep dive.

First time I heard of this band and their song "the killing moon" was from Donnie Darko. The other songs are good as well.

Killing moon and ocean drive make it a 4

A great album. McCulloch is a gifted writer and in many ways the Bunnymen embody the *spirit* of the Beatles that still hangs around Liverpool (& music generally) better than most others. This is not the mimicking of the sound and melodies that bands like Oasis indulge in, but a distillation of that essence somehow. It starts with the orchestration of the first track and carries on from there. I don’t love every song on here - to me Bunnymen are a perfect singles band (sacrilege, I know) - but as a body of work it’s a huge, swaggering statement.

Blast from the past! Great album

I would say that Echo & The Bunnymen nailed it with this album, as far as finding that signature haunting & moody sound. The orchestra adds a lot & separates them from all the other post-punk bands. Ian M reminds me a bit of Jim Morrison, but Jim is easier to listen to for a full day. Between a 3 and 4 for me.

The Killing Moon is simply a magnificent post punk song. Ian McCulloch does a serviceable hommage to Jim Morrison with his strong booming voice. There are a few other good songs here including Silver, Seven Seas and Ocean Rain.

Liked it, jangle pop sort of stuff (right?)

Enjoyed much more by the second listen

I like the Killing moon best so far

A compelling album with varied, beautiful sounds. Though I'm not sure if this deserves a full 5 stars, I'd have definitely given this 4 and a half if I could. Very strong showing.

Afwisselend vrolijk en triest. Goed album

I loved this one :)

The first half of the album is excellent: moody new wave with some orchestral bits. But approximately after the halfway point, it just turns into average alternative.

This was fun! And great name.

Pretty cool

I was halfway into “The Killing Moon” when our home internet went out. It still has not come back on, sadly, and I don’t have unlimited data (phone plans are dumb and expensive in America, Alex) so I haven’t made it all the way through the album. I’m loving it so far except that “Crown of Thorns” seemed to be in the wrong place and killed the momentum. Give that track the boot and I’d be a very happy bunnyman. Can’t wait to hear the rest of it once Spectrum gets their shit together.

A voice to die for

That’s the Bunnymen that I like!

i’m surprised more of these songs didnt become popular, this album has a distinct radio feel to it. not really my cup of tea, but some good stuff here

The songs could have had more memorable choruses and melodies, but the production and instrumentation was great! Lots of orchestration, catchy motifs and musical experimentation not as common in new wave.

Good album that was carried by its dense mystical atmosphere, created by the instruments and the singing. No song really stood out but the album was an enjoyable experience

I really enjoyed this album. Songs were on fly and there were some really nice guitar parts

A favourite Echo album of mine, I played this to death when it came out. Not listened in years and loved hearing these songs again. Always envied Will Sergeant’s guitar tone

21st April 2022 Listened in the morning and while at amoeba records in Hollywood! Listened again on the drive home. Really liked this, it grew on me and sounded better on second listen.

Raincoat rock from Echo. They have the tunes but do occasionally sound like a Cure cover band (not that is necessarily a bad thing). Best Tracks: Silver; The Killing Moon; My Kingdom

As good as the The Cure!

Amé.

i actually liked this album quite a bit. i thought it had a melodic sense at some point but also just a very pretty sound. i would give it like a 3.47 but it’s too good to just give 3.

4, nostalgic vibes won me over

Låter som nåt en kille som gaslightar dig lyssnar på för att bryta av från the Smiths, nice

<333333

If not for killing moon this would be lower. 3.5

Superb album.

This is the second album recommended to me from Echo and the Bunnymen. Ocean Rain sounds like the version of the band that I am most familiar with. This album has one of my all-time favorite tracks from the band ("The Killing Moon") in addition to other familiar favorites ("Seven Seas", "Silver"). I had forgotten about "Seven Seas" and was happy to hear it again. The album is consistent, but with enough variety to keep me interested. I would listen to this album again.

I missed out by being a little too young for Echo and the Bunnymen by a few years when this came out. Now after knowing their impact on music and giving this album my first full listen, it's good. That whole British new-wave / post-punk sound was all over the place, but EatB clearly have it down pat. 4/5.

Oh damn! "Nocturnal Me" has been covered by Ghost and I didn't realize it was even a cover.

2/17 Mystical cave rock. Standout Tracks: Nocturnal Me, The Yo-Yo Man, The Killing Moon, Seven Seas

A haunting listen!

The first album that I'm hearing from this group. An interesting experience.

4, wonderful album!

I love Echo, and I really enjoyed this album, but the whole thing felt like a filler album for the one song - The Killing Moon.

I really like getting to learn more about post-punk and all of the cool stuff that it spawned. I don't have a lot to say about this album, but it was a good listen. A much subtler touch than the Smiths album I got yesterday 4/5

Bloody good, innit

This is pretty high tier. And the cover looks really good. Wtf is "Thorn of Crowns" Solid 4

A few memorable tracks, but on second listen the first 2 songs are already growing on me.

Bloody good innit

8/10

Mooi, 80’s sferisch dromerig

Narcissus Down. But what a day it has been

Nice album.

pretty good starter songs

Echo and the Bunnymen was one of those bands that got massive play in my house when I was a teenager. I had a concert tee that I wore down to nothing, I loved it so much. Ocean Rain is probably the best album the band ever made. The musical arrangements are lovely, but properly subtle and restrained. I was surprised to read they had an actual 35-piece orchestra backing them up. It’s beautifully done, an example of the right way to use strings in rock music. Special mention to Will Sergeant, whose resonant guitar work is distinctive, but interplays really elegantly with some rather delicate arrangements. The lyrics are darkly poetic and ambiguous, delivered in the way only an English post punk singer can do it, dead serious but then yet… not really. I mean how serious can you be if you're comparing your girlfriend to a cold cucumber in the fridge? Ian McCulloch is playing with language, being deliberately obtuse a lot of the time. He has a way of turning a phrase that is really idiosyncratic but beautiful. McCulloch is clearly influenced by both David Bowie and Jim Morrison as a songwriter as well as a vocalist. There is really one song everyone must know from this album, which is of course "The Killing Moon." If you ever want to share with someone why 80s music matters, that's really the song you've got to go with. It's such a darkly beautiful song, certainly the best they ever made, and also one of the best of that genre/era. As a teenager I was less of a fan of the slower tempo “Ocean Rain,” but I’ve got to say, I really loved it on relistening now. “Thorn of Crowns” seems very much of that time (not to mention fairly silly), but overall, the album has aged beautifully. Fave songs: The Killing Moon, Ocean Rain, My Kingdom, Seven Seas, Crystal Days

3.7 Interesante y una mezcla entre The Smiths y The Cure

Scouse band deserves at least a 4 for their scouse vibes

killing moon really is a huge tune. the rest of the album was decent too, which is a nice change from the usual fare offered up by albums with an absolute massive banger on them.

Very nice. Starting to stretch their legs.

Possiblement el millor disc de la banda, transició entre el post punk dels començaments i el pop més elegant que anirien desenvolupant durant els '80 i '90. Aquí aglutinen el millor dels dos mons i temes com 'Nocturnal Me', 'Crown of Thorns', 'Silver' o, és clar, 'The Killing Moon' destaquen, no només al disc sinó com alguns dels millors temes de l'època

Was really getting the Bowie vibes on this one, and to be honest, didn’t really give this the serious listen it deserves. Listened twice all the way through, but had other things going on. Will perhaps go back and listen again later as nothing really grabbed me except for The Killing Moon. Third listen getting better. 3.5 could go either way

Good album by a slightly underrated band. Favorite tracks so far: Thorn of Crowns, Killing Moon and My Kingdom.

I had never heard this band before (heard of, but not heard). I enjoyed the album - seemed to be like U2 with lots of odd sounds added in (which I enjoyed). It wasn't sticking with me in terms of being memorable but I'd definitely listen again and check out their other albums. I'd say 3.5 rounded up to a 4.

Fairly solid background music. Very 80s.

Almost perfect. Would def go back for more listens. Some amazing gems hidden between the hits.

I was pleasantly surprised that I recognized a song from Inglorious Basterds. Very 70's/80's vibe for sure.

Sort of a more superficially optimistic The Cure… vocalist sounds incredibly familiar, although I’ve never *consciously* listened to the Bunnymen before. I’ve probably heard a song but didn’t know it was them. Or some other vocalist sounding like him. I like this. It’s easy to listen to, while still being interesting.

The Killing Moon is unfuckwithable.

I like the killing moon and most of the songs are enjoyable. Crown of thorns is weird af..

Ok. saved the famous one

Pretty catchy but ain't a fan of thorn of crowns

Listened 12.05.21

Simple, easy listen. Funny enough I heard the title track played on the episode of Good Girls I watched the same day. Strange coincidence.

Loved the songs on this album. It is one of the best albums compared to the ones I have listened to on this list.

Moglo bi se reći upliftični postopunkski album sa odličnim otvaranjem pjesmom "Silver" (ujedno najdraža sa albuma) i sa odličnim orkestralni finišom pjesme 'Ocean Rain'. Neočekivan rasplet kod mene, već sam preslušao album možda 2 puta, ali ovaj puta je ipak više kliknuo. Sve u svemu na prvi puta mi je drugi dio albuma bio bolji, ali drugim slušanjem mi je podjednako pokazao kvalitetu. 4/5 P. S. Album cover podsjeća na pjesmu od Nick Cavea & Bad Seedsa - Weeping Song.

Found the Killing Moon after going a bit into Bunnymen's discography following Crocodiles and immediately liked it. Felt the same after listening to this album, very nice flow and makes me feel like I'm on that album cover with them. A very good album Already Saved: The Killing Moon Saved After Listening: Silver, Seven Seas

Saved Prior: The Killing Moon Off Rip: Silver, Nocturnal Me, Crystal Days, The Yo Yo Man, Seven Seas, My Kingdom, Ocean Rain Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: One of those albums where I like damn near every song on the album, but nothing floors me. I love the mellow atmosphere of this album and the production was much better than the other Echo album in here. The Killing Moon is one of my favorite songs ever too, but there wasn't enough here to push this into 5 territory. Just a thoroughly good, sometimes great album.

Ook dit moet ik nog een keer goed luisteren. M'n eerste indruk is een 3,5 maar met het voordeel van de twijfel wordt dat dus een 4.

Pretty good -- thought it sounded like the artist from the Donny Darko song (because it is!).

New wave/post-punk. 7/10, John Peel was right about this one.

Kind of liking this! I did not know they were the ones who did "The Killing Moon" but I really like that song. I like the unstable, on-the-edge feel they have going on in some of the songs. Solid!

Pretty nice without being anything super special

!!prettttyttyy!! kinda timeless, really talented and catchy. I liked when he said c c c c c c c c cucumber🥒

Killing moon man

Wasn't feeling it at the beginning, but it grew on me

4

Pleasant listening music but nothing I'd get excited for.

Rating snooze/10

Why is this on the list

bastante entretenido, no terminan de volarme la cabeza pero se disfruta 7/10

Alright

Definición de mid:

Mid, no me copó, pero no está mal, sin pena ni gloria. Un poco raro a veces.

I like the name of this band, and the style of this band, but I’ve tried before and can not muster up a ton of enthusiasm for their sound. There’s nothing majorly off-putting, but nothing that really grabs me either. I will say that I got a laugh out of some of the lyrics on “Crown of Thorn”.

Not bad. I've realised I know one of the tracks but had no idea it was them.

Interesting production, particularly with the strings, and the short runtime means none of the songs feel repetitive or outstay their welcome, but it can feel a little bit thin and lacking in impact at times. I'm not wholly unconvinced that this albumk is placed on the list on the stregnth of the Killing Moon alone, even if it's not my favourite on there.

Mildly enjoyable

A a non-Pop 80’s album I can listen to. Something really familiar about the lead singer’s voice.

73

It had some okay songs - not bad.

A very 80’s album thats elevated by an orchestral sound and a psychedelic edge. I knew the song Killing Moon, but never listened to the whole album. I can’t say the rest of the album really lives up to the expectation set by that song, but it was a very decent listen. Fav Track: Killing Moon

It was okay, decent vocals, good lyrics, jammy instrumentals. But not entirely memorable.

Rainy camden pub suitable

Much better than the other album of theirs on here, Crocodiles. Killing Moon is brilliant

Ominous record, which leverages a lot of orchestration and lush production to create an unique atmosphere. Way beyond their most well-known hit 'The Killing Moon', it is their most complete experience. 8/10 [KEEP]

aika asaatanan hyviä biisejä mut myös aika todella huonoja. 3/5

There's a lovely alternative, post-punk tone to this record with shades of The Cure or Nick Cave, and there's plenty of very enjoyable moments. What the album lacks for me though is many memorable moments that leave you wanting more. Whilst I enjoyed the record throughout, at no point did I think “wow”. 7/10.

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.

It sounds like Echo and the Bunnymen and I didn’t hate it. Killing Moon is a great song.

good band but i cannot believe that they as many entries as they do on this list

They have better.

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

nice enough

Ok 3.5/5

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.

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

Better than Coldplay

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.

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.

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

Nocturnal Me and The Killing Moon were super awesome.

2,5

***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

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.

Aside from Killing Moon, nothing extraordinary

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'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

v nice! :) my fav is the killing moon

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

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.

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

Really liked the orchestral backing but otherwise didn't really do anything for me.

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.

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.

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.

i loveeee killer 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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

So 80’s

80’s English pop punk

Hauntingly beautiful, and yet quickly forgettable. I listened to the album twice because I immediately forgot it upon completion the first time.

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.

Very solid. Would listen again, and probably need to listen again.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

I love The Killing Moon because of Donnie Darko but forgot about the rest

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.

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.

Ok.

3.3/5 killing moon 5/5 song

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.

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

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

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.

I have enjoyed some of Echo and the boys - nothing too great on here.

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.

Alveg smá áhugavert, sérstaklega fyrir 1984. Nútímalegt sánd.

influential, classical, killing moon is ace, otherwise

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.

Not what I was expecting. Not terrible, not great. Right in the middle for me.

OK

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

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.

Decent

Quite generic. 6/10

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

3,5

Great

weird and dark, there are a few stand out moments i love when they go unga unga dont think this will end on my rotation but a fun listen

This is the first Echo album that I have listened to fully. I read some of the wikipedia which says that this got mixed reviews upon release, and if thats true, I cant wait to hear the other albums. I thought this was very good. Maybe a little self-indulgent, or a popular band on their 4th record. Most of the songs were good pop bangers accentuated with orchestral parts. Some songs were a little cringy, I'm thinking mostly of Nocturnal Me, but maybe that's what they were going for as proto-edgelord gothy 80s types. All in all, I enjoyed the listen.

I’ve never been a huge Echo fan. This album was ok, not great and I would not go out of my way to listen to it again.

This was fine. They sounded pleasant enough, lyrics were kinda just throwaways for the most part. Nothing really felt special or revolutionary with this.

would be pretty easy to dismiss this as The Killing Moon and eight other songs, and like.....it's easy because it's true. but i just can't bring myself to not enjoy this kind of jangly, gothy proto-indie. just my kind of thing, man

I'm sure it's cliche but man The Killing Moon is a great song.

Hyvää alt rokkia tai mitä post punkkia onkaan. Vähän erilaista folk ja teatraalis viboilla. Vähän tulwe R.E.M mieleen. Parhaat: Nocturnal Me, The Killing Moon, Seven Seas

Bastante bueno, música de los 80, estandar. Nada de que quejarme.

A good album but not as good as Porcupine.

Forgettable but I can see how people would like it

I like the orchestral addition and The Killing Moon is a classic. 3/5.

Mysterious. Just sounds like the 80s but more artsy. Not much stood out to me except for the lyrics, which were pretty psychedelic.

Muito bom, nem reconheci a banda pelo nomr, mad a única música deles que conhecia é deste álbum - The Killing Moon. Acho que é a melhor também, mas gostei de tudo!

Good. "The Killing Moon" is one of the best songs of the decade imo. Some good depth here shows it wasn't a one-off for the band at that time.

actually really good

Haway, this is far too much echo and the bunnymen for this list, we need one album at most. Don't really have anything to say about this that i didn't say for the first one. It straddles 80s pop and 80s indie, though more of the former than the latter. I don't mind the mix but hard to pick any parts that really stood out. Wouldn't go back i think, serves me right for saying id need to hear more to make an opinion after the first album. I've made my opinion now, 2.5, don't need any more.

I want to start by talking about how "Nocturnal Me" got me wondering for the whole day where did I listen to that song before. Turns out, it was apparently used as an ending for an episode of the "Stranger Things" series. I've never saw it, but my sister was a hardcore fanatic of the franchise, so it had to be that. Anecdotes aside, this is a great post-punk / goth / jangle pop that makes a great use of a string orchestra to create some beautiful and epic passages. Another thing that stands out is the combination of both the happy sound of the jangle pop and the more moody side of goth. For example, the opener "Silver" starts with a very uplifting melodies and passionate voice, while the next track, "Nocturnal Me" fits incredibly well the more moody and cold sound of the goth music. I have to say that I don't think this album has the strongest or most memorable material from these styles, but it is still a very pleasant experience and sounds quite well.

Cool but not bangin

meh, la verdad le tenia mas expectativas, es bastante flojito el album, esperaba algo mas afilado pero es demasiado ambiental sin terminar de ser psicodelico

Lovely. Holds up pretty well across the board.

This is second Echo and The Bunnymen album in this list and I liked this one more than the first one.

Decent 3,5

Punk suavecito Usaron una banda/orquesta para la confección de este álbum, se pueden percibir la variedad de instrumentos en su producción Thorn of Crowns mi favorita

"The Killing Moon" is a creative grandiose pop hit. The rest of the album is what would otherwise be interesting dark, brooding symphonic pop/rock that is brought down by cliche 80's production.

The cheery upside to post punk, has a bit of a loose Doors-style energy against the new age of sounds

"Thorn of Crowns" is just odd. Sounds like the band was just goofing around, making noises and playing with the echo features on the recording equipment. "Killing Moon" is their big hit here, and is the strongest track. I could say more, but it isn't necessary because this is yet another album that makes me question why it made it on this list.

It's okay. Can't imagine myself coming back to much, there are other better things of a similar style available

Very Doors-y, very 80s.

I really like The Killing Moon. The rest of this ranges from just ok to pretty good.

Decent. Only recognised one song though.

Not my favourite album by them but a nice listen

This was okay.

Echo & the Bunnymen were the band that the ultra mega cool kids liked in high school. I liked this one well enough, I guess. Killing Moon will always be the fave on this record.

I really liked it! I’d only heard the most popular songs but I liked the rest a lot too, will definitely listen again. Really easy listening and great moody vibes it’s low key but still engaging all the way through.

Better than the other Echo album I heard during my first 100 days.

Started out annoyed by this, really grew on me as it went and was taken on a journey. Finished too early for me to fully love it though.

Good not great

Wechselt sich ab zwischen luftigeren und düsteren Songs, gefällt mir ziemlich gut. Erinnert mich angenehm an The Cure.

Odd tracking given that the back half is far superior to the front half

Overraskende helt ok.

I liked the Beatles cover. A bit of a fun David Bowie vibe.

A bit too dour and proto-indie for me, but some of the orchestration on this really lifts it

Something happens in my brain when you take a chord to its sustained 4th and then back again. And apparently Echo & The Bunnymen got the memo because they pull that simple trick multiple times and now I think I liked this album a lot more than I really did. I gave them one star for 'Crocodiles'. I'm not sure how they got so much better in just four years but I'll gladly listen to this again.

Elsker det ikke. Men syntes det var mye mer givende enn annen post-punk jeg har hørt. Liker at det er så mange forskjellige instrumenter på albumet.

Det er klart den mest kendte Echo & the Bunnymen plade af dem vi har haft, tror jeg, men jeg synes egentlig ikke den var massivt bedre end de andre. Men den er nok lidt mere weird! Mindre traditionel post-punk. Synes det er ret fedt, de har alle sammen været ret fede

Nice! Did not know they were the ones who made The Killing Moon, since I've only ever heard Pavements (great) cover of it.

the killing moon в моєму плейлисті багато років, чудова пісня, альбом повністю ніколи не слухала, загалом норм, та не викликає бажання переслуховувати

This was interesting. I never heard of this group before and I probably never would have if it wasn’t for this list. It was weird but I liked it. I may give it another listen.

Perfect encapsulation of 1984

decent vibes, I’d listen to this again

It's one of those albums that became background music and that I forgot I was listening to.

6.5/10 - good but for a specific time and feeling

Troisième album après 'Crocodiles' et 'Porcupine' que j'avais assez appréciés (notés tous les deux 3/5). Ce nouvel album est un peu différent des 2 autres : la section rythmique m’a semblé plus en retrait (en particulier la basse), et des interventions orchestrales ont été introduites (heureusement plutôt discrètes, je crains souvent ce genre d’apport …). Je pense que je l’écouterais de nouveau, mais comme les 2 autres il ne rejoindra pas ma collection (il manque un petit quelque chose pour me le faire totalement apprécier). =>3/5

good! but wouldnt listen again

Oh to be cursed witn having made a song as good as “The Killing Moon”. Incredible vocal performance and definitely an influential sound. It's just that there's not a single track that is anywhere as close as "The Killing Moon".

I love the Killing Moon so much but the rest of the album bled together a bit, I think I will like it more on repeated listens.

I feel somewhat disappointed by this one, I liked The Killing Moon and Silver before today and I was hoping the rest of the album would be at least as good.

The second half is much better than the first, but not enough save this album. The Killing Moon is a song I already knew and I love a lot, but I never listened to the album it's featured on before, so my hopes were pretty high unfortunately. Not a bad album but eh, just expected better

it was good, but I got kinda bored/wouldn’t put it on again- I liked the last two songs best

"Crystal Days" and "The Killing Moon" vastly outweigh every other track on here, which are all fine, but nothing I'd ever seek out

Overwrought gothic whimsy with a punk edge. Loved the orchestral elements. Some of these lyrics are a bit much. Solid 3/5. Others did it better.

My listening conditions weren't optimal with my toddler screaming through some of the later songs. I was familiar with the more popular songs off of this album like Killing Moon. I honestly thought I would like it more and maybe the listening conditions of the day were a detractor. But I also might just be getting past my more gothy days as a middle aged man and I have a little less patience for some of the singing on here

Decent listen but didn't grab me

Seven Seas was my favorite track. Overall it was a fine album, not something I will revisit but pretty good