Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Buvo okay, nelabai išskirtinis. Kartais skambėdavo kaip Joy division.
Thoughts before listening: These guys put out some good songs in the 80s with a sound that I believe would be considered dream pop style alt rock. I don't recognize this album cover though. I'm not positive this is what's happening here, but there are lots of examples on this list where some European 80s band gets their big hit album AND the more difficult/arty follow-up on the list. Review: I was so close...this is the lesser known debut album not the arty follow-up. Echo and the Bunnymen's big song came out in 1984, 4 years after this debut. In fact, this is the 2nd E&tB album I have heard on this list, and still no "Killing Moon". You know, I like being able to get a history lesson and not ONLY listen to the hit albums, but this one is just okay to me. Its perfectly fine post-punk that leans toward a darker sound, and I am sure if I listened to it enough it would grow on me. However, on an initial play through, only the title track is really pulling me in. To make it worse, Spotify auto-played a random later career song by the band and it was MUCH better. I think this album is suffering a bit from low production values and the band hasn't quite yet come into their own as songwriters. This is a 3-star album.
Crocodiles is kind of an interesting moment, seemingly capturing the evolution of post-punk to goth in real time. That being said, this isn't the most interesting Echo And The Bunnymen album in my opinion. They have a good sound here, but I just don't think they'd entirely carved their niche out yet. The result is a good post-punk album with some pretty great songs that I don't really think transcend the (very saturated) genre. Honestly, it's the gothier tracks that mostly do it for me here, Stars Are Stars springs to mind. But even so, there were bands pushing this sound further a couple of years earlier, like Siouxsie And The Banshees and Bauhaus. However I don't think that really discredits the material here: a good song is a good song. However, conversely there are songs here that specifically don't do it for me. Happy Death Men springs to mind. This is a good record overall, I just don't know if it stands out within it's niche, and I think Echo And The Bunnymen later surpassed it.
I know these guys have at least one great album, I just haven't received it yet... Favorite track: Do It Clean
Prior to this, I hadn't heard much from this band outside of the track on the Donnie Darko soundtrack. This is really good post-punk, proto-goth, new wave-ish stuff. I even have a discount shirt that I snagged in one of those mystery bag type offers -- i can wear it and not feel like a poser now.
I struggle to understand the fascination with this band 2*
2/5
kind of generic rock, but not afwul
I heard some Talking Heads similarities in some tracks, which is the kind of thing people say when they can't think of any unique descriptors. Comparison is the worst way to comment on music, and yet here we are.
Oof, I didn't enjoy this.
Very british
Lacks bite.
snappy
I like it. Not as depressing as their later work. Favorite song: crocodiles.
It’s an ok album. I feel like I should’ve liked it more considering I’m a big fan of U2. But I’ll always prefer their work to this.
It's alright, but it's it worth being here? I guess you had to be there back then to appreciate this. I never really liked the band, still don't after listening to this.
You know it just kinda passes through me 3/5
could've been moodier
2025-10-05: Another dose of absolute enjoyment after the previous albums. Am I that volatile in my listening experience?
Un buen ejemplo de lo que el rock británico en los años 80 era. Saliendo de la efervescencia del punk para adoptar formas más sofisticadas (The Cure, Siouxie and the Banshees, etc) Echo and the Bunnymen representaban una línea que abrazaba sonidos oscuros y atmósferas cargadas que ya destacaban en este primer disco. Yo los idolatré con “Porcupine”, que llevaba ese estilo a lo más alto. Pero nunca fui atrás para escuchar con atención sus comienzos. Ahora me resultan algo cargantes, pero se reconoce ese toque propio que además ha influenciado a muchas bandas posteriores. “Billiard Terrace”, “Pride” y “Stars Are Stars” están entre mis favoritas.
not great
Bit like Rolling Stones. Boring.
Quite nice.
3 out of 5. Feels like it should have been a 4 and there are good moments here. That's how a lot of debut albums are to me.
meh
Cool dark vibes - bonus points for cool band name and album cover
I really enjoyed this, but I feel like it won’t leave a very lasting impression.
I love how this has this punky goth vibe without losing its pop flavor.
file this under "decent, but won't listen to again"
I do not have any nostalgia for Echo and the Bunnymen. I think they fall into the category of bands that are talented and make fine music, whose influence I recognize and appreciate, yet have absolutely no interest in listening to regularly. 3⭐️
Ah! Finally, some post-punk. Enjoyable first listen, pure classic post-punk sound released at the peak of the genre. But can't help it but compare to other post-punk releases from 1980–we have "Remain in Light" by Talking Heads, "Closer" by Joy Division and "Seventeen Seconds" by the Cure to say the least. This album simply blanks compared to these 3, however it still seems like a solid debut effort by these guys. Definitely very enjoyable, at least 3 stars for sure, 3.5/5.0. A few songs from this going to my post-punk/new wave playlist. "Going Up" - an opening track and "Rescue" really stood out for me along, to a lesser extent, a couple of other tracks.
I get why this made the list but it wasn’t my favorite.
Pretty cool, pretty fun
Entretiene pero no he conectado demasiado
Repetitive,and a bit boring. On paper i should really like this but no songs really stood out to me.
Fine, agree with the top review that it seems a bit filler in the context of best albums of all time. Odd, considering some standouts on the record.
Fun project, wish I were around to hear this live back when it first dropped. I was already a big fan of a few of these tracks after hearing them on one of their compilations, but within the context of the album they're even better sounding. Bangin basslines and classic 80s post punk darkness whats not to love. Catchy as hell with a solid variety of songs throughout.
Show gazing
The album cover conveys the music just right. Feels like somehow it melts together and it loses focus at times.
not really their fault that the whole genre of english post-punk just sounds like mud to me.
I need to check more out from them, but I really dug this.
3/5
= to the Beatles As far as post punk goes, this is listenable
Fine bit of work here, lacks a killer single but sounds great anyway.
Awesome album. Happy discovering this band. They sound like king gizzard from 1980 and the album was fresh and unique. Great vibes and I’m surprised I’ve never heard of them. Loved it
It was alright. Nothing really stood out on this album for me one way or the other. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Mostly ambivalent.
All I gotta say is thank god this was only a 38 minute album.
This reminded me of Interpol. Pretty good. Easy listening.
If this group comes up again they’re getting a 1-star. Fuck sakes…
Not bad, just put on some Donnie Darko and youre ready to go.
Didn't dislike it by any means. Definitely had some cool moments. Nothing seemed to come together to a great song though. 2.5.
british
This was just ok and hardly worth the reason to be on this list. 5/10.
I am only familiar with punk bands in the 70s, like Ramones, and that's it. This sounds kind of like them with the voice and the bass drum production. But sometimes riff like Crocodiles and beautiful piano playing like Villiers Terrace make this album shine. Listening in low volume, this album is still very expressive.
I've heard of them but thought they were more synth based. This one sounds like there are sonic connections to punk, REM, Talking Heads, New Wave, which all makes sense given 1980.
Meh.
3.5 stars
I could have been tripping but I picked up a nice little late 60's, early 70''s, throw back vibe from this. Not bad, not bad at all...
Kolmas levy jo tältä bändiltä enkä vieläkään ole ihan sisällä.
The Cure light - very light.
British rock/punk(?) isn't a genre I know much about or listen to. The albums has a good coherent vibe throughout. While not a genre I listen to a lot I still enjoyed listening through this.
This was ok.
Great debut album. Very moody with dark vibes. Love the post punk 80s era.
Really liked this one - had a bit of a creepy atmospheric sound and moves into gothic territory especially towards the end. Surprised it's the debut as they seem to have control of their sound already.
Drumming is iconic in early 80s
Ein düsterer, atmosphärischer Einstieg ins Post-Punk-Universum der Bunnymen. Crocodiles überzeugt mit treibenden Rhythmen, melancholischer Gitarrenarbeit und Ian McCullochs markanter Stimme. Songs wie „Rescue“ und „Villiers Terrace“ zeigen das Potenzial der Band, doch nicht jeder Track zündet. Insgesamt ein solides Debüt mit Ecken und Kanten – spannend, aber nicht ganz ausgereift.
Some debuts stumble around in search of identity, but Crocodiles confidently crawls out of the shadows. Immediately stylish in its songwriting and atmosphere, you'll know after the first three tracks if it's an album for you. The music's not as angular as Wire nor as nihilistic as Joy Division, but somewhere sharply in between. It's got enough teeth to grab you immediately and it's moody enough to put on when you want to inhabit a gloomy feeling. In its era, this is a five-star record, yet on the bradytelic timeline of the music of actual crocodiles, it may only be four stars in the night's sky.
okay
Early Bunnymen…saw them when they were touring this. Thought it was interesting then and still do. Of its time but still strong
This was great, the drums are so moody throughout. Saw them 10 years ago and I’d done some prep before hand so remember some of these. Rescue is the highlight of the album, Do It Clean could have be made by the Monkees if they did post punk but I like that. Looking forward to more
About as middle of the road as it comes
If imitation is the highest form of flattery, these guys were flattering a ton of people. I’m impressed by the range. I’m not getting off on this album, but I’m digging it.
Loved this way more than I expected to.
The type of album I feel very uncool for not liking. The singing is too atonal, and the structure of the songs is unsatisfying to me. I'd like to be into Echo & The Bunnymen, but I'm not.
This was pretty cool. I only know Nocturnal Me by these guys (though it’s not on this record). That song seems to be a pretty good depiction of what the band is like and I enjoyed it.
I’ve meant to listen to these guys for a looong time because I knew they had influenced so many of the bands I enjoy today. It all makes sense to me now. I liked this. It was a long overdue listen and won’t be the last.
I just really don’t like post punk. Vocals are garbage, mixing is pedestrian, all the energy and passion from punk is ripped away and replaced with 80s cheese.
eh
Had an ok time with Stars Are Stars and Crocodiles. That’s it really.
Average album of the era
I can recognize and appreciate the influence that this band had over other artists and I recognize elements that would show up more later in history; however, it sounds dated by now.
Dad- 6 Mom- 5 Mike- NA Lori- 6 Michael- 6 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 5.75
Good shit
Just didn't click with this
It's a cold October day in 1984, you're driving down to the South of England. You rummage through the unfamiliar car and find a tape from 4 years before and you put it in. You finally see the sign for Brighton as the end of Happy Death Men plays. A fitting song.
A breath of fresh air after yesterday's 3-hour jazzathon. Went for a big cycle up the Mournes and played this twice, brilliant stuff. Absolutely love the jangly guitars in this. The drums in the outro to Happy Death Men are unreal.
Crocodiles by Echo & The Bunnymen is one of my favourite albums by one of my favourite bands. The Bunnymen’s lyrics have always been a little surreal and don’t necessarily make sense—that’s part of their appeal. What really makes them stand out is their sound and style, and this album shows that off brilliantly. Tracks like Rescue, Do It Clean and Going Up are absolute bangers, though there are a few filler moments that stop it from being perfect. For me, that’s why Ocean Rain edges it as my favourite Bunnymen record overall. That said, Crocodiles is still a strong 4/5. Favourite track: Rescue and Villers Terrace Least favourite track: None in particular Album artwork: A very cool, striking cover
Між 2.5. та 3. Психодилічний пост-панк. Досить цікава музика, але не дуже мене чіпляє
Sounds like a demotape of early U2. Why is nobody complaining on the band not playing coherent? The drums are always off (the drummer just joined the band mid recording) and I‘m always afraid the songs fall apart. Horrible listening experience.
Deep and rocking tracks with emotive vocals and
I’ve made efforts in the last to get into Echo and the Bunnymen and haven’t quite been able to have them leave a lasting impression. Their debut album is good. Not breaking new ground from what was happening in the genre at the time, but they clearly knew what they were doing and that they were worth posting attention to.
I recognize this may be a meaningful album. But it’s not for me.
One of the great debut albums!
- in Ordnung, kann man definitiv hören - weitestgehend entspannt -holt mich jetzt aber nicht krass ab 3/5
Loved it! Never heard this one before.
i really love the sound of their voice it’s so satisfying. really liked the pictures on my wall
Wasn't very captured but not bad, would appreciate more on a second listen
3.4 It's quite good in parts. Really liked some of the tracks - Rescue, Monkeys, Going Up. However, others weren't as strong, and I felt the ending was quite weak. Nice bit of early post-punk, almost setting the scene for the darker sides of new-wave.
This is the second EATB album I've gotten in three days. I didn't enjoy this one as much as I did 'Porcupine'. This album is a letdown melodically, vocally, and with the overall songwriting. Standout track: The Pictures on My Wall
Seems very influential to be, but also something that has been so far surpassed, that it aged somewhat poorly. Still a decent listen, but most likely not as impactful as it would've been when it came out
Very 80s, crocodiles was good, a very much quiet rage against the big boys
perfectly OK at music but don't need to listen to and not a top 1001
Driving beat, ringing guitars, dark and moody themes make this Post Punk, which I enjoyed most of the time. Repeating the same line over and over again makes this a lot less enjoyable.
Mostly enjoyable, felt like a lot of inspiration for later Post-Punk
Another total "sound" of British post punk scene. Lips like Sugar is a banger, but again, this is the "album before the album" that lays our the vibe and sound of Bunny and the Echoman. Not bad, they improved from this, imo
Premier album de E&TB. Je connnaissais rien de ce band à part peut-être The Killing Moon. Il se passe pas graaaand chose dans cet album pour l'instant, sauf la voix de Ian McCullogh, et le band qui construit son identité, son son, le mood est important. Mais ça sonne très proche de ce qui se fait à l'epoque, dans le New Wave / Post Punk. J'apprécie l'écoute ceci dit. Le single principal est Rescue, une pièce pas mal moins dark/moody que le reste de l'album In his review of the album for Smash Hits, Ian Cranna said that the album was "proof positive that there's just no substitute for a good song delivered with power and emotion."
I like Echo And The Bunnymen but I don’t love them, I previously had their album Porcupine and considered it a 3.5/5 a pretty good album but not great, this album was pretty similar I like the instrumentation and the vocals throughout but I find the production to be a little flat. I loved “Stars Are Stars” though
I love E&TB so they get 3/5 but outside of the three GREAT tracks it’s kind of a forgettable album
Crocodiles over Ocean Rain??????? They better both be on here. This is a great proto album but I'm not sure it needs to be on this list. I love Ocean Rain, I am a fan of Porcupine, but this album is very much the Bunnymen working towards those two albums. It's still very good, it has that darker sometimes creepy edge that I like more than a lot of their contemporaries but this one is a still a little devoid of that at times. Do It Clean is the standout and the popularity supports that, but it's hard to rate this higher than a high three or the lowest 4 when I know the gas that's coming.
Only knew later records by them, this one is punky and the bass is really holding down the melodies. I liked this quite a bit. I like where they end up, but this was really cool to hear after that awful Live at the Witch Trials record from the Fall. This is so much better. Also Bill Drummond produced this and I can't wait for us to get KLF. Feeling 4/5
Fav: Crocodiles Least Fav: Pride One of those albums that I was about to write off before immediately reaching the best songs
Can't really be objective with this album. It is one of the first post-punk albums i ever heard and I LOVED it from the opening drum flourish to the opening crescendo of Going Up; WOW! I was hooked. I realize the album has its flaws (Happy Death Men), but so moany great songs. Villiers Terrace, the title track (Me i'm all smiles, I got my Croc-O-diles), Rescue, All That Jazz, Monyeys, Stars are Stars, Pictures on My Wall. I know I was onto a band that would become a part of me. 5 stars (though if being objective it would 4.5, but I can't)
I prefer their sound at its most haunting. Some instrumental breakdowns were welcome surprises, but overall the songs blend together making the full album a dull (if inoffensive) listen. The vocalist has a pleasant tone but does nothing memorable with it. Crocodiles just melds into the post-punk albums pile, never distinct enough to stand out.
***An ok album
Mjä. Låter som all annan rock. Egentligen helt ok men fy fabian vad osugen jag var på detta nu. Och någonsin. Tror jag.
Was alright
Very good debut album of which I was unfamiliar with…familiar with later Bunnymen, this was a welcome listen, a start to hopping down the Bunny trail.
I am familiar with the name Echo And The Bunnymen and have fond memories of it. But that must have been a long time ago. The music is typical of the 80s sound. It wasn't outstanding, and I had almost forgotten it, and rightly so. The album wasn't annoying, but it wasn't inspiring either. 3/5
Favourites: Do It Clean, Stars Are Stars, Monkeys, Crocodiles, Villiers Terrace
Extreme late 70s/early 80s post punk vibes, close your eyes and it could be U2 or Simple Minds, somehow Ian McCulloch sounds like both Bono & Jim Kerr, depending who you are thinking of at that moment... A tidy package all in all.
I like Echo and the Bunnymen, but not as much as Robert Dimery, clearly. It's an OK album but I never found their first album quite as compelling as their second/third album. It's part of a UK musical movement but maybe Joy Division did it better?
Not their best, but still good.
Cool
I know they all rode motorbikes
Wanted to like this more.
A band that influenced so many bands I love, but because I am a philistine with no respect for history or legacy, I much prefer all those bands to these OGs.
I love this time in the early 80s... dark, moody, and completely unsure of where to go with punk rock. They almost have no filter, but they sound good. Maybe this is the bane of 80s music.
This whole record sounded a bit like light punk without hooks, and everything sounded quite the same. Didn’t like the guitar sound particularly much either. Maybe I didn’t pay that much attention but this didn’t grab me.
Got this back to back with Technique by "New Order". I feel like I've already had my fill of New wave. Worth noting is that this album is very early for the sound it has which is pretty cool. That being said, I found it quite boring. Strong 2 star.
Never was a fan of 80s new wave..and this album reenforces that opinion. Seemed to get worse the deeper I got into it...
I like their best songs, but overall pretty boring.
Eurythmics was disappointing. Echo was not. I think I like this probably because it’s early. Good not great but way more rock and guitar that I thought. 6.2
Not convinced
Nice stuff. None of the songs stuck out but I'm interested in listening again.
Potential there but I'd need more time with it I think
I never got the die hard love for EatB, but it was fine.
It was fine. Nothing quite memorable.
I liked this one, wasn’t able to get really into it though. Best song: Pride Notable(s): Villiers Terrace, The Pictures On My Wall
rock pero no m produce nada
not sure why i hadn't really given them a chance but they are pretty good
Good stuff
Not great
Never heard before. It’s ok I reckon. Not much variety though.
Pretty cool. Never listened to them before but I like their vibe.
Ihan kivat Joy division -vibes, mut ne tekee sen hyvin, Echo sieluttomahkosti. Noh ehkä yhden armotähden annan, koska vaikka olin tylsistynyt, en vihannut.
I really like Ian McCulloch's vocals. It's good music but unfortunately it also sounds A LOT like a cheap version of other bands I prefer (Joy Division, Talking Heads, etc) Nothing really stood up to make an impact on me. 5,5/10 fav songs : Monkeys & Rescue
This was fine, but that's all. Not great.
I like Echo and the Bunnymen, but this album isn't quite up to par with their later work. Do It Clean is a fun song though.
Definitely Echo and the Bunnymen. Not as iconic as some of their later work, but clearly and distinctly their style and a great debut album.
Solid 80s alternative, but not their best.
Increíble que este álbum sea el debut de los Echo and the Bunnymen. Este nivel de genialidad se alcanza como al cuarto o quinto álbum, si es que se llega alguna vez, y al escuchar Crocodiles parece que estamos escuchando a una banda más que experimentada. Pronto le daré una segunda vuelta y le seguiré con el resto de los discos de Echo y los conejombres.
Decent 1980 debut from EatBunnies. No hits or standouts, but an easy listen. Kinda reminded me of the somberness of The Cure with an REM vibe. Best song for me is Villier Terrace. Crocodiles surfaces at (2.65*s)
Crocodiles did not snap as much as I'd hoped. Compared with the previous list entry from the Bunnymen, this album was a yawner. The only song that got my attention was "All That Jazz" (and I don't like jazz). Boring, somber alt-rock. Not a list deserver in my opinion...1.26 stars.
Not as strong as their prior entry but not bad. I have to give The Bunnymen credit as it sounds like they established their sound pretty early. Even as a debut album I feel like it had a lot of their signature already included and it was pretty tightly produced. There wasn't much to take away from this listen as none of the songs really stood out. It wasn't a bad listen just mostly forgettable once I got through it. I'm not sure there's any reason for this to be on the list because it didn't appear to do anything different and didn't hold a candle to prior entry Ocean Rain. 1.97 stars
Well, I see the vision... but I didn't enjoy much the listen.
The thing with Echo and the Bunnymen is that I remember my mind being blown when I realised that Echo is a drum machine. This means whenever I listen now, I’m always looking for any telltale signs that the drummer isn’t actually a person playing. And I can never find any. Perhaps that isn’t the point of this album, but it’s still where my mind goes to. Anyway, this is a decent enough listen. It’s nothing revolutionary to me, but I’d still say I enjoyed it.
Not bad
Honestly, I expected more from Echo and the Bunnymen because of how much I love The Killing Moon. It was still pretty good and enjoyable, very 80's alt. I would give it another listen for sure, hopefully I'll get more out of it the next time around.
Good
Crocodiles nails that gritty, moody 80's alt-rock sound with raw vocals and jangly, echo-drenched guitars that make it feel like you're wandering through a rainy dreamscape in a leather jacket.
I usually like the post punk sound but I wasn't really feeling this one so much. I felt it would do well with repeat listens. The songs didn't feel distinctive enough from each other with the result that seemed like sets of noises giving way to other noises.
love it
Not a bad sound - sit alongside The Smiths and Cure.
The dawn of the initial wave of post-punk gave us plenty of records to choose from, and Crocodiles by Echo and the Bunnymen is one of those that proves its worth and then some, documenting the band in its beginning stages looking to become the band they were meant to be; the potential is there and the songs on here says as much. Favorites: Going Up, Stars Are Stars, Pride, Crocodiles, Rescue, Read It in Books, The Pictures on My Wall, Happy Death Men.
I read a memoir by a woman who started her career in the music industry working for the Beatles at Apple, and ended it at what she considered her rock bottom - being a tour manager for Echo and the Bunnymen. She honestly writes about it like it’s the ultimate humiliation. I thought about that book while listening to Crocodiles because while they’re no Beatles (who is?) , they are pretty good. Certainly not a mortifying stain on anyone’s CV.
Crocodiles nestles very comfortably between The Cure and The Smiths
Solid 80s rock.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the band, the dark melodies and the chime like guitar sounds sounds, but apart from being a really good debut I can’t quite see what distinguishes this one. Having given Nina Simone a 4 yesterday (really a 4.5 but I tasted it in a hurry at ten to midnight), I can’t give this more than 3-3.5.
Again not a bad choice love echo.
Second best band ever from Liverpool. You can hear what they will become but they are not quite there yet. 3.5
Monotonous
This is ok but it's kind of dull.
Fantástico
Just great.
Really interesting. On first listen I feel like it's alternating between early smiths style jangle pop and gang of four or even fugazi. There is definitely something about that guitar and bass tone that feels smithsy. Something about the playing too! I'm now getting interpol! (obviously the later acts will be influenced by these guys)
Meh
All right, this was actually a very fun vibe. Some kind of spooky stuff, some just nice dark background listening.
This sits a few steps below the post punk, I really enjoy. I like it but it doesn’t grab me the way that post punk usually does
Nothing stood out, it was just some noise in my ears that I was mostly indifferent to.
Good band. Good album. Solid 80’s post-punk.
Crocodiles is for sure a benchmark in goth rock and post punk. I think it is one of the most 'tinny' sounding albums of this era, due to what they were recording on and with. Ian is totally consistent as a lead vocalist, even this early into the band's existence. The lyrics are pretty esoteric equally reflective and melancholic. The song structures are both isometric and linear, per the early post punk of the time. Obviously.. the Cure fucking exploded with this exact sound pretty much. I do think there is a more primitive nature to what Crocodiles does in particular, for the grooves are rigid and repetitive to perhaps dilution at times. Do It Clean, Stars Are Stars, Rescue and Villiers Terrace all stand out for obvious reasons, but mostly because they are a bit more compelling as full songs than the rest of the songs on this one. There are better Bunnymen albums.. I blame the sonics and songwriting on this one.
Aight
100% my thing.
#14 Crocodiles ~ Echo And The Bunnymen A fairly underrated rock band that emerged in the 80s, the debut of Echo And The Bunnymen borrows sounds somewhat similar to the works of other bands around the time, such as The Cure, Talking Heads and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The issues is that those bands have much more distinct styles: the echoey reverbs of Siouxse's later 'Juju' and the Cure's contemporary 'Seventeen Seconds', and the manic Eno-infused whirlwind of Talking Heads' 'Remain in Light'. Crocodiles sounds just very average. This is by no means a big at the band's competence. The music at its barest is tight and well-controlled. The lyrics are average, but the vocals are pretty great. No doubt this is a great band in the making, but they need a bit more edge out of their debut to might be worth considering listening to. But if you are already in love with bands under 'post-punk', I don't see why you should really dismiss this album. Verdict: pretty inoffensive
Part of the Post-Punk New-Wave movement with a bit of Neo-Psychedelia for good measure. Reminded me of The Teardrop Explodes, so not really surprised by bonus track "Read It in Books" which is a cover of "Books" by The Teardrop Explodes.
3.75
Self-important rehash of 60’s garage rock.
I continue to hate 80s music
אלבום אייטיז קלאסי. זה נשמע כמו אייטיז מזוקק אבל עם גיטרות מצוינות. לא הקטע שלי אבל אני יכול להעריך את זה Happy death man זה 10 מתוך 10 שיר מועדף - Happy death man
Да нормуль епт
There's no killing moon on this one. Altogether a fine post-punk album. Not amongst the best in my opinion, but it was a fine listen. Mid 3
Poop
menBunny boringKinda
Happy Death Man sounds like a Joker tattoo
It was completely tolerable. Absolutely zoned out while listening Fav song: Going Up (I guess?)
Didn't feel like I needed to listen to this one. Instrumentals were fine, but the vocal work just wasn't compelling.
Väldigt generisk typ modernistisk psychrock. Inte min kopp te, Happy Death Men var den enda jag reagerade på lyrics på…
Ocean Rain is the one you want to listen to
I'd never listened to Echo and The Bunnymen before at all and I liked this. Great guitar playing and rhythm section - I especially found the drumming really good. The lyrics are melancholy and slightly downbeat but intriguing. Definitely reminds of The Cure and Smiths who are bands I love I found it a bit droney to enjoy for a full album so not quite 5* but one I might revisit for another spin
Their debut runs about as standard post punk as it goes I think, mainly because it's not quite as full of the psychedelic ideas that make EatB unique later on in Ocean Rain; however, average post punk runs at about a "pretty good" for me, so it's enjoyable no matter what, maybe in a few more listens I'll warm up to it
I have never heard of Echo & the Bunnymen before so I had no expectations. After listening, I'd say it was ..fine. Nothing really blew me away, but nothing made me want to turn it off either. I listened to it twice and the second time I enjoyed it a little more.
Saved
Not a big fan.
Meh
Another album I wouldn't have appreciated a few years ago. Very much in line with The Cure, it's chill but alternative. Glad I listened to this.
This is #day313 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to post-punk classics again. It's crazy to think this came out 45 years ago. What makes this band stand out in the '80s scene is the psychedelic element in their music. While, say, The Chameleons (one of my favorite bands from the genre) leaned more into goth rock, ethereal wave, and dream pop, the Bunnymen embraced full-on psychedelia, though not without a trace of new wave and punk roots. The instrumentation on the debut is raw and tight: jagged guitars, metronomic drums, and a bouncy bassline. Very much in the vein of Jeopardy by The Sound (another all-time favorite). This is deep autumn music, for wet November days, when the trees are stripped bare... Straightforward, stark, beautiful in its own right. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day314.
Highlights: Going Up, Villiers Terrace. In a nutshell: jangly emo post-punk Note: the UK LP has ten songs and the US LP edition has twelve songs. Your experience may vary. I listened to the US LP. As a debut, it's good. Is it distinctive compared to their peers also appearing in the book (The Cure, S&TB, etc)? Not really. Worth a listen though. Overall: 7/10
Oyes
generic 80s rock album
it sounds good but nothing really excites me. it’s just… there. “rescue” slapped. “villiers terrace” was also good. i was not interested enough to listen to the extra two tracks from the US version, “do it clean” and “read it in the books”. 3/5
Strong record as you'd expect, even if not a true favourite.
Was super exciting
Was okay, feel like it probably sounded better when it was released
A bit nothing really, just another album off the list, I wouldn’t listen to it again.
Just not my cuppa... Just find it all a bit bland.
Album 799 of 1089 Echo And The Bunnymen - Crocodiles (1980) Rating : 3.5 / 5 " brooding lyrics, psychedelic influences, and tight musicianship" Good listen. Remember seeing this one on the Rolling Stone charts back in the day but never indulged.
It's fine, nothing special.
I've never gone deep on this band and I hope they have another album or two on this list because this was very very cool. Was U2 trying to sound like these guys when they started out? Probably. Gloomy post-punk that really rocks. Must-listen #153.
Solid debut album. I enjoy their later work better, but this good too.
I never got into Echo and the Bunnymen and I don't really know why: they're adjacent to a lot of bands I love out of a time I think was pretty exciting for music, but listening to this I think I know why. Totally innocuous album. Some of these songs are really great, some of them are not so great. Almost wanna give this a 4 because a couple of moments really hit for me, but overall it feels pretty one note. I think people doing something similar did it a little better.
I do like the raw, dark post-punk sound on this. It might even be their best album. It’s a good one, but not in the same class as Joy Division who define the this genre.
I’m definitely an Echo fan. Very cool record with some “hits” on it.
Seemed more rock then some of their later albums. A pretty good listen.
I liked this one. Sort of got that New Wave from England vibe. Pretty decent album I'll listen to again.
It’s ok but not too memorable at least for first time listeners. They use semi tones a lot..but I don’t think this makes the album sound pleasant or any different. I can tell they must have put some efforts but it just didn’t work very well. The recording and production are a bit off for me as well. Simply stacking multiple sound tracks and put the reverb to the max won’t make it sound better. I could be wrong but this won’t be my personal choice..
Chill and groovy. Probably won’t be back on my own I could be convinced to.
standard brit rock. didn't really stand out to me, didn't strike me as something that is in the top 1001 albums of all time. but hey, what do i know.
I think I should have liked this more, it just wasn’t as memorable as I was hoping. Finished faster than it felt like it would because the songs were pretty good, but I can’t really tell you much about anything I had listened to.
It was good, but I'll probably forget about it in a week.
Pretty good!! I was hoping for more new wave vibes but this was mostly post-punk, so I’m not complaining.
Ok sound.
Good English new wave but I feel they have better albums
It was fine
All the songs just blended together into an unappetizing mix.
It's not bad, but my main feeling is gratitude that Oasis eventually came along and put an end to the brooding 80s.
I don’t see how this album stands out in its category. Extremely mid.
The album is 38 min long but why does it sounds so repetitive ?
No stand out songs here, but vocalist Ian McCulloch has long been one of my favorite new wave singers. Plaintive without being whiny.
They really like reverb and long drawn out yelling lyrics. Otherwise, more boring '80's proto-emo. Kind of like the Cure, but not as good.
The sound reminds me a little of other bands from that early 80's time: The Cure, REM, U2, etc. I didn't get into any song in particular.
When I think of Echo and the Bunnymen, I think of some of their hits like "The Killing Moon" and "Lips Like Sugar." Elements of some of these songs hint toward those hits, while never quite hooking me in the same way.
Like if you sprinkled some Stooges on Joy Division - with maybe a splash of the Cure and even the Cars. I enjoyed it but feel like I should have liked it more than I did.
One of the easiest albums I’ve ever tuned out. Couldn’t remember one melody if I tried. A general vibe will come to me if I think about it hard enough, but the lack of range here would have been very striking if I had been interested enough to pay attention. Energy was up and when I tuned back in for the last half of the final track, I was happy to find I enjoyed it. Fine work, gents, I guess. 3/5
1. Going Up - 7/10 2. Stars Are Stars - 7/10 3. Pride - 8/10 4. Monkeys - 8/10 5. Crocodiles - 8.5/10 6. Rescue - 8/10 7. Villiers Terrace - 7.6/10 8. Pictures on My Wall - 8/10 9. All That Jazz - 8/10 10. Happy Death Men - 8/10 11. Do It Clean - 8.2/10 12. Read It in Books - 7.5/10 8/10
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Somehow they are the missing link between the Stooges and Arcade Fire. Moody and emotional they have a compelling sound. I love the driving rhythm section. There is plenty to like here.
1980. Not too noteworthy. Some gloomy post-punk Doors inspired sounds.
Compared to their other stuff… meh
I feel like this was fine, but a little too "dark" for me. Its all the vocalist. The rhythms and Instrumentals are fun. I can't explain it but it did feel pretty repetitive. Like the songs had one idea that they just did for like 2.5 - 4 minutes. Idk...I can't explain it. This is a strong 2.5. "Do It Clean" was FUN tho. This album overall is just....average Liked Songs: "Do It Clean" , "Monkeys" , "Crocodiles" , "Rescue" , "Villiers Terrace"
liked songs: Going Up, The Pictures on My Wall, Not bad, not great. 2.75
This being Echo’s debut album does underpin the score. It’s not necessarily a bad album itself but when compared to what this band was later able to accomplish, this just doesn’t stack up. Every sound seems to be confined in a small space, there isn’t much variation to anything which makes this record feel repetitive.
Probably one of the most middling albums on the list and the global ratings reflect it. It's 80's British synthpop / new wave. One of many on the list, but better put together and more punch than others. Still, I don't really think it justifies its position here and I don't see myself revisiting this soon. I like how it seems to be a bit less polished than their other album on here, not edgy enough to be like the post punk and new wave I like though.
Ahhh I think I like their sound, but I'm struggling to pick out something I'd actually wanna relisten to on a regular basis!
Really not sure what to make of this album. It's cromulent, has a bunch of interesting moments, but nothing really stands out to me. It feels like an odd choice to include on a list like this. Overall pretty neat though!
Grooooovy. I love post-punk like this, there's just such an energy to it.
It was perfectly fine. Not really sure why it was on the must-listen list.
Once again an album where the vocalist gets massively carried by a phenomenal band. At times the singing sounds like bad karaoke underneath layers of reverb. This put me off enough that I can't *quiiiiite* justify a 3. Solid project otherwise!
I love Echo and the Bunnymen but this is not their best. Flipped between 2.5 and 3, especially on second listen, but the really good songs are good enough that I bumped it up. I think a lot of them will make it to my Playlist, but I dont see the album as a whole becoming regular.
Cool guitars Nothing stands out crazy but that’s ok
A dark and ethereal classic.
Was OK, yeah.
Solid 3.75
not bad, nothing special
Not overly into this, not very memorable. Honestly haven’t listened to the band before, which is strange because I went through a phase of listening to a lot of psychedelic music, but this album just felt quite dull
Good album, I never listened to it before. I was surprised that it didn't have any of the Echo and the Bunnymen hits , but it was still a cohesive piece
It’s regular Brit Rock
I've never listened to this band. I've always known about them but I guess I have just avoided them because I 'knew' I wouldn't like them. This is very Emo
A sound that underwhelmed me in my high school/college days. Apparently, not much has changed in my musical tastes since then.
Love the guitar work, some of the best post-punk I've heard. Also like the fact that it's short and straight to the point without any dud tracks or anything that seems like filler
Debut albums of bands who would go on to have better albums should have asterisks next to them. I get why I’m listening to it but I shouldn’t have to.
i absolutely loved this, felt like i was in an episode of something lol, they’ve got that ‘the cure’ essence its so good, sounds like something i’d hear in a vintage shop
This is just absolutely brilliant . Such a nice vibe . So easy to listen to . Didn’t feel like 40 mins which is good . And all the songs sounded different in my opinion . I just really fucking loved it . WOW
was pretty good!! surprisingly not a favourite, would give it a 3.5 if i could! i did add "villiers terrace" to my playlist, really really liked the sound of that one!
It's not really my thing but I get it. A pretty solid 3-stars.
3/5. You can definitely tell they have not found their sound yet and are rather an imitation of other bands. Fortunately, they still sound great and you can see the direction they are heading. Interesting lyrics and sharp front and center guitar. This was a good listen but didn't give me many new feelings about Echo or this genre in general. Best Song: Pictures On My Wall, Rescue, Do It Clean
Perfection. Plain and simple
Very good!!
В общем нормально, но голос с эхом напрягает, словно запись с концерта
5/10…new wave / 80er goth
Alright
More 80s post punk. I can only handle in small doses.
Rating: 3.5/5 | Favorite Track: Pictures On My Wall --- Not my favorite Echo and the Bunnymen album, but still has some good early goth tracks. Pretty decent debut album.
Ok 2/5
..
This is a fine album but I really question why there are like three echo in the bunnymen albums on this list. Any of them would be fine but we don’t need this many
Decent songs. Good guitar-play. 3/5
Upbeat post punk with a darker twist at times. It’s well made, not necessarily boring, but I didn’t really love anything on it either.
2.5
Solid, pleasant on the ears. Nothing incredible going on though. 7/10.
My third album from Echo And The Bunnymen, and I'm tired of pretending the music sounds good. It doesn't. Sure, the energy and enthusiasm is kind of there, but the musicianship is definitely not. I don't actually have much to say after my reviews of Ocean Rain and Porcupine, particularly in the vocals. Claiming you're standing up against the "music elite" by creating (deliberately bad) punk/post-punk music is only a sound idea if you're actually good at playing your instrument. And nowhere is this rule broken more egregiously than in post-punk vocals. Echo & the Bunnymen is no exception. Tracks like Stars Are Stars and Crocodiles (the title track) are only listenable for their instrumentals – and nearly unlistenable for their untrained, out-of-tune singer. It's put through a sort of distant, metallic filter here, but rather than masking the poor singing (which would still be a bit damning), it just makes the music seem emptier and less passionate. In addition, within the tracks, there isn't much progression or change of moods. It feels a little disorganised and chaotic, yet still manages to be (energetically) monotone. Impressive, I guess. The dense guitar/synth sounds sometimes make up for the singing and push this record to a more reasonable 2 stars. But no higher. (I'm trying to understand what people see in the Bunnymen, I really am!) 2/5 Key tracks: Do It Clean, Rescue, Villiers Terrace
solid 80s rock album!
Very decent new wavy album
Meh, geen fan van Echo and the Bunnymen. Ik denk gewoon geen fan van new wave. 2.4
Ah Punk? Hät aasatzwiis au ächli Gmeinsamkeite mit REM. Typischi Hitparade- und Radiomusig us däre Ziit. E
ersti drü songs etz afoch sochli standard post punk? nüt mega bsunders. ich han easy viel gschriebe und s het alles glöscht. album okay het mi nuuuuull berüehrt.
han chli angst ÄHHHÜÄÄ talking heads??? do it clean chönnt en soundtrack sii zumene amerikanische coming of age film wo de protagonist gad im chevy vo sim papi abhaut de bill drummond isch ja en funny guy es tönt zwar alles schnell chli ähnlich aber ich han seeehr spass joo es isch talking heads aber weniger quirky uii iwie han ichs gfühl gha, es müsst jz denn fertig sii, es zieht sich jz ebe doch chli puuh ja ursprünglich wärs es 4i worde aber jz ischs echt chli ahstrengend worde. drei
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Kyllä tämän kuuntelee, mutta jää kyllä ainoaksi kerraksi.
Ei helvetti mitä ränkytystä. Muutama kohtalainen yrityskin levyltä löytyy. Juuri ja juuri 2.
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