Crocodiles

File under: Bands that i think are talented and make fine music, whose influence I recognize and appreciate, yet have absolutely zero interest in listening to.

This is a seminal album for me. In 1980 I was 18 years old and and was deepening a musical rebirth. Shedding the shackles of classic rock and discovering the joys of alternative rock. Melody Maker and NME were the bibles of my religious awakening. That's where I read about Echo and the Bunnymen and how I was lead to their first album. From the moment the rumbling bass and drum that introduces Going Up, I was hooked. I have the original Canadian release which does NOT include Do It Clean as the second track which is fine by me; I think the ne two punch of those two songs back to back as my introduction to Bunnymen may have caused my head to explode. I won't go into a track by track lovefest, just suffice to say that the album gets stronger and stronger and kick started my now decades long love of British alternative/ post punk music as well as indie/alternative music in general. 5 🌟

This album lands squarely in the “I feel like I should like this” camp. However, for reasons I can’t articulate, I just don’t find it that compelling

An album I just don’t care about, it’s been weeks since I’ve had an enjoyable listening experience with an album. Somebody please help me

I never really listened to Echo and the Bunnymen much because their name and fans were off putting, but this record is really fantastic. Cue regret for not tuning in earlier, as this would go splendidly alongside the cure, new order, joy division, the smiths. Really great, moodly rhythmic rock record. 4*

Post-punk is one of the worst genres of music I've ever heard. A scourge upon mankind, a plague upon good taste, an offense to good taste.

This album has the feel of a high energy anti-establishment punk album of the 70's, heard through the haze of heavy sedatives. The tempo is slower, the gritty effects are traded for rich and mellow reverbs, but the bite is everywhere and just beneath the surface. Check out the track "All That Jazz" to hear what I mean. This is a great album and pair perfectly with works from groups like the Clash. I'm surprised that I never really listened to this group, but I know I will be now!

Crocodiles by Echo & the Bunnymen (1980) If you’re looking for meaningful lyrics, disciplined poetic cadence, creative melodies, elaborate chord structures, skillful performances, and fine vocals, you should look elsewhere. This Liverpudlian group’s debut release has a steady and competent sound, but it lacks variety on almost every level. I’m looking for artistry here and not finding it. Ian McCulloch’s lead vocals are too often stuck on one note, with easy intervals begging to get back to the home tone. It’s what a non-singer does when forced to write a song he has to sing. While the themes are dark, they neither shock nor provoke empathy. All we get is assorted amateur adolescent angst that could be assisted by amphetamines. It’s a sad album that provides its only musical variation on the final track “Happy Death Men”. If this record has a highlight, this is it, but it’s more of a lowlight. The lone lead solo guitar work is found on this track, and listening to it goes a long way toward explaining why there isn’t more of it. Guitarist Will Sergeant has a very narrow comfort zone, and he has the good sense to stay within it. It seems to me that in a title track about “Crocodiles”, it seems that one could find some actual crocodilian images that might give some meaning. But nope. The listener is pretty much on his/her own. In the song “Rescue”, they ask: “Is this the blues I’m singin’?” No, I don’t think so. More like the blahs. 1/5

A truly miserable album which is what makes it so perfect.

I remember listening to some of this band's later work when I was in college, and I'll never forget their video for 'Bring On The Dancing Horses' (a song from a later album) that always reminded me of Equus, a great play (no idea if the band intended that). This album, their debut (I think), is great. Nice mash-up of rock, post-punk, new wave -- this is all my best guess; I often mess up all these subgenres -- and I like the strong bass lines.

Turns out, I like this band

Whoever made this list had a raging hard-on for British boy bands from the 80s. That being said, this band was one of the slightly better ones. I probably won’t remember it though.

9/10, really fun 80s rock while I really liked their first album, the stuff that came after was undeniably better still a damn good start for a band tho

What a fantastic album. Loved Rescue. This is the sound of my youth, being played at parties by countless cover bands, along with Oingo Boingo, B-52s, REM, U2

Good album. Really build momentum. I think the sweet spot is Monkeys, Crocodiles, and Rescue. Band sounds good. Good harmonies, crisp vocals, and cohesive new wave sound.

No está a la altura de Ocean Rain, pero bueno, qué puede estarlo. Sin embargo, bastante bueno.

Very cool

5/5 - New wave? The Smiths? This hit the spot :D

very cool

What a belter and a soundtrack to my youth!

"Crocodiles" is the debut album from Echo and the Bunnymen with two songs, "Pictures on My Wall" and "Rescue," on the album previously released as singles. This is quite an album. The music is described as post-punk and neo-psychdelic with imagery of darkness and sorrowfullness. Yes, that's all there. To me, the sound is sort of similar to Joy Division's "Closer" and Gang of Four. The band includes Ian McCulloch (singer), Will Sergeant (guitars), Les Pattinson (bass) and drummer Pete de Freitas whom they added after they signed to a label and were encouraged to add a drummer. One of the first things you notice is how prominent each of the band members are. They all make major to contributions to the songs and album as a whole. McCulloch's lyrics are dark and appear very personal. Given the imagery and personal nature leaves a lot of these songs open for interpretation. The lyrics and music match perfectly creating a great dark and somewhat haunting mood. "Going up" starts the album with Pink Floyd type echoes. Check neo-pyschedelic. It builds with a solid rhythm section and sort of a slash-like guitar. "Do It Clean" has great drumming and absolutely great guitar in the middle. I have no idea what this is about, cleaning your room, doing cocaine??? My favorite song on the album is "Monkeys" with just a great guitar intro and chorus. The bass and drums create a great atmosphere. It sounds like the bass is carrying the melody. My guess it's about a change needed in a relationship. The second side starts with their second single "Rescue" and probably their most recognized song on this album. Another great guitar intro going into the melody. Tremendous catchy vocal chorus. Definitely one of their best pop-type songs. The first single was "The Pictures on My Wall" and appears to have a more keyboard-focused chorus. More echoes. Neo-pyschedelia checked twice. The music is a great match for the lyrics which express a state of despair and paranoia. Joy Division and Roxy Music typically get a lot accolades for the best-ever debut albums and rightfully so. But, this is also just a great debut, worthy of a listen and being on this list. They would also have a few other outstanding albums later on in the decade.

Already one of my all time favourites!

Plagued with sadness and misery, this is a standout album of the Post-Punk era

Again another superclassic 5-star album, just like their second, third and fourth album, which presumably are included on the list as well.

It's an interesting album and band.

I was surprised to see I rated the other Echo album (which I rated 725 albums ago) 3 stars, even though I'm sure Spotify has put a few of their songs on random playlists for me and I enjoyed them then. Just the same, I really enjoyed the Crocodiles album as well. So maybe that's evolving taste, maybe it's evolving rating standards and maybe Echo And The Bunnymen need the listener to be in an appropriate mood to hit just right. Because this album really did hit just right. More of a 4.5 rounded up, rather than a clean 5, but a very good album just the same. I particularly enjoyed the textural depth of the instrumentation.

I really like this, I’ve never heard of this band before but it feels similar to The Talking Heads.

This sounds like all those unidentified 80s songs people find on old cassettes, but if they were actually good. Cozy and romantic but also futuristic and ominous.

early 80's new wave fan girl here

Really enjoyed this one

Echo and the Bunnymen is a classic too, very good mix of rock and new wave 😊 5/5

I love the story from Bill Drummond about seeing the giant rabbit head in the twisted tree that supposedly noone else had noticed at the photo shoot. I can't see anything else. This record is so good my microwave died.

Excellent album from start to end.

One of my all-time favorites (I very slightly prefer the first three Echo albums and the way the songs play with dissonance to other stuff by them but love their whole career). Villier's Terrace piano part and the Happy Death Men trumpets stood out to me in this listen through. That and Will Sargeant! He's such as virtuoso, doing rhythm guitar things that invite bits of more minimal space into the songs along with unexpected lead guitar licks all over on this album.

Kinda reminds me of Grunge

I am a fully signed up Bunnyhead (?) and this is as perfect a debut album as you could ask for. Ian Mcculloch is exactly who Jim Morrison might have been had he grown up in Liverpool in the late seventies, and one of music's best frontmen. De Freitas and Pattinson are a dream rhythm section, as 'angular' as other new wave bands but with a drive and melodic aspect others lacked. Will Sergeant created a guitar sound all of his own, enough said. Have I gone on about how unjust it is that U2 conquered the world while the Bunnymen, the finest of the post new-wave big 3 with them and Simple Minds, did not. It is unjust. The songs? Flawless apart from possibly Happy Death Men which does sound like something they knocked up in the studio in half an hour. 4.9999999. 'Heaven Up Here' is even better.

Det er jo dem med The Killing Moon. Troede de var et one hit wonder band. Okay det lyder af Joy Division. Samme mørke stemning og til tider det industrialiserede lydbillede som JD også havde på deres debut fra året før. Det her er mega fedt 🖤 Nyt yndlings album. Weekenden skal vist bruges på at lytte mere af deres diskografi

A perfect debut and post-punk album. They turned a bit more artsy and mellow after this one. I love the rawness on here Best: Crocodiles, Villiers Terrace

A band just about finding their sound. This record is superb for it!!

Not my style, I can tell it's a good post punk debut, just not my cup of tea.

🔥

Good stuff. Not just the new-wave synthpop I expected, but a bit more like post-punk.

I liked it. First complete Echo and the Bunnymen album I have listened to

Not what I expected, knowing their big hit, but pleasantly surprised

Another bunnyboys alBum ?

false

Nice and chill.

Pues sí era como lo esperaba (?), a partir de canciones aislados que les había escuchado. Hay algo de sombrío en el ambiente que algunas canciones construyen y también en las letras. Quizá me gustó más la primera mitad del disco en general. Mis favoritas: "Going Up", "Stars are Stars", "Crocodiles" y "Rescue". 9/10

Bien, darketón, (postpunk?), tiene sus buenos momentos donde dan ganas de mandar a la verga todo y bailar y patear y dar golpes al aire, pero sí tuve algunos skips, no creo volverlo a escuchar. Aunque, en el radio, cuando acabó el disco, me salieron unas de ellos que sí me prendieron, así que quizás y explorando otros de sus discos me entusiasmen más, no lo sé. Favs: All that Jazz, Crocodiles, y el final de do it clean. Mood: bailando de noche en el cementerio en los 80

I really dug this, cool atmosphere, a hint of danger, good songs

This was pretty good. Sounded a lot like college rock/ Talking heads.

Onto Jesus and Mary Chain next, right Barry?

Didn’t know this band, what a pleasant surprise!

Great album!

An intricate album, melodic and rewarding. Will definitely listen again.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Do it clean, Monkeys, Crocodiles, Happy death man

Favourite songs: Villier's Terrace, Crocodiles, Stars Are Stars, Monkeys, Pictures on my Wall. The only low point was Happy Dead Man.

I don't have a super in-depth review of this one. I'd never heard of these guys before. But this is a pretty solid sound overall. It's an interesting mix of New wave and post-punk and I really like it actually. Definitely worth the listen and will probably get a few other listens too.

A nice surprise

they're always good fun. plus, you know, soft spot for liverpool. humorously enough, of the maybe four humans i know in liverpool, one's cousin dated les pattinson back in the day. also, down by the liverpool docks, there's an echo & the bunnymen superlambanana, which is awesome in every way. anyway, i like this album plenty. great sound for 1980, and definitely a taste of what was coming from them.

Totally enjoyable listen, did some interesting things too. Favorite tracks are probably Going Up and Pride

Un dels grans discos del postpunk, que destaca per la seva originalitat. Clarament del gènere, però sense l'ostentació fosca d'altres grans figures. Més orientats a les melodies crepusculars, amb uns treballs de guitarres increïbles i la veu inconfusible de McCulloch. Els seus quatre primers discos són per anar recuperant i disfrutant

Ongedwongen pop-muziek. Niks mis mee. ****

Oscuro melódico. 4.

It's ok. Very 90's and drones on, but ok.

Nothing as good as the killing moon but still good

Such a strong debut album, very atmospheric and dark. 4.5/5 stars

Drug music for fashionable people and cute, arty girlfriends with better than average taste in music and taste for synthetic buzzes. That’s what comes to mind, anyway. A shade darker and moodier than I remember, with strong vocals and guitar. Some clever touches (the piano on “Villiers Terrace,” the closing “jam” [by new wave standards, anyway] on “Happy Death Man”) but sort of generic and simple-sounding at times, a prototypical new wave record, and in a way. 3.675 – not really a 4 because of being vaguely undistinguished and not really their best work, but better than a 3 and of my generation so … 4

Great bass line - “Crocodiles”

Steengoed rock album, heb er wat van in mn eigen lijst toegevoegd

Didn't know this one, but knew the artist. I like it quite a bit. Listened through twice. Very good post-punk. Would listen again.

Basically they're a weirder version of U2. That's good, because I like weird and I like U2.

An excellent little post punk debut before they evolved their sound to incorporate more new wave influences. Great basslines, love the drumming in All That Jazz. Horns in Happy Death Man are fun.

An great debut post-punk album that sounds so familiar in today's ears. It's exactly what lots of teen punk/rock bands aspire to produce, something that's moody, mysterious, full of angst, horror and despair. Best: Rescue Worst: Happy Death Men

Nice and mopey, but also groovin'.

Almost a 5, but there’s a bit of filler on Side 2. Still an astonishing debut

Warming up for greater things.

I love the rawness of this album. For me it has a dark gritty unpolished feel. The later albums are great but for me this has an anger and urgency that sometimes was produced out of their later, when they became full on Indie heroes. Great stuff...

Dark and brooding, a good listen

Noir-drenched baselines for creatures of the dark.

This is a pretty fantastic debut album from Echo and the Bunnymen. Jagged, yet darkly beautiful vibe. There isn't a flaw to speak of on it except that it lacks the variety and depth of their later works. But wow, what a great start. Fave Songs: Do It Clean, Rescue, Crocodiles, Stars Are Stars, Pictures on My Wall, Happy Death Men

Great post punk album, really enjoyed this more than the later echo albums Iv heard.

Great goth rock vibes, had listened to some Echo and The Bunnymen and this is as quality as the rest I had heard Favorites: Stars are stars, Crocodiles, Rescue

4 I raised an eyebrow when I saw I was about to listen to an Echo and the Bunnymen album without any of the hits on it, but mad props to this list for highlighting it, because this is an absolute hidden gem. For me, this is new wave at its best - gothic, yet danceable. Going Up is a catchy kickoff that sets the tone for the rest of the album nicely (as all great openers should), and despite listening in an office cubicle, I couldn't help but bob along to Do It Clean (yeah, yeah, I know it wasn't on the original release, but it was on the version us Americans got, so I'm counting it). Admittedly, not every song is a standout, but they all do a great job of maintaining the atmosphere and energy of the album, and nothing feels out of place. Will be listening again. Favorite songs: Do It Clean, Going Up, Monkeys, Rescue

Nice. I've always liked E&B. This was a fun easy to listen to album.

Awesome sound. Iconic voice. More please!

Ik hou enorm van deze sound en de bevlogenheid die hier in zit. Een bepaalde gekte en urgentie die mij elke keer als ik het luister weer enorm aanspreekt. Goeie band!

Echo en de konijnenmannen waren voor mij een nieuwe beleving, die goed beviel. Tof plaatje.

Has any record more frequently featured the expression "Do it" more often or had a singer use it more with more conviction, despite the repetition? Likely not though the necessary research to confirm won't be done for reasons of time consumption. Echo are a better band than one remembers, and there are many winning moments on this and a credible arty vibe and solid vocals and guitar work throughout. Not exactly a high-water mark of or post-punk or early alt or New Wave or whatever it's supposed to be called by this time. One doesn't think it sounds as dark today as it likely did then (and not early Cure dark anyway, which was a lot dronier); no these cats were hookier and quirkier, too, which adds up to lighter. Maybe doesn't quite deserve a 4 (and they don't really deserve three records in this list though one's enjoyed listening to the others [as one does in navigating the esteemed compendium] but it gets one anyway because of it's of one's vintage (slightly ahead, actually).

Really enjoyable, loved the sound

Awesome energy. This is definitely up my alley. I’ll have to play it a few more times to pay more attention to the songs but I love the performances and the style. The horns that come in on “Happy Death Men” were a surprise. I wish more songs on the album had stuff like that. Feels like a bonus treat on an overall strong album.

Listened Before? N I love these guys but I've never listened to this old one before. It's very, very good just like their later stuff. Great raw sounding post-punk/new wave stuff. Very.. well... echoey :-D. I'll probably add this one to the library. It gets weaker toward the end, but still solid. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Do It Clean, Rescue

Enjoyed listening to this again as it has been some time. These first few records were just so great and bring back a ton of memories of junior high as they were coming out. Some nice pop songs that were not hits but rather catchy nonetheless. There are also a few filler songs that make this probably my third favorite E&TBM record but still, a timeless classic.

Some cracking tunes on this album powered by McCulloch's strong voice. Spent a whole summer (1981?) listening to a 1+1 cassette with this backing U2's Boy.

I bought Ocean Rain on vinyl when I was 15 in 1984 but never heard anything from their other albums until I bought the greatest hits album the next year. Rescue quickly became my favorite Bunnymen song!

Never really got around to this group but I like it. I assume the band Crocodiles is named after this album; if you like this you might like Crocodiles' album Sleep Forever.

What a fun little album

Fun listen. Feels like the bridge between ABC and The Pixies

Solid album, I liked it. Probably deserves more listens than the two I gave it, but I can't see my rating go beyond four stars.

liked it