Reviews (page 6 of 8)
6/10 - It was alright. It was sort of nice to listen to but nothing stood out to me as great or as terrible. I would not play the album again since there are just songs I like more.
Parts reminded me of simon and garfunkel, but a little goofier. Didn't like it that much, but not offensively bad
Not for me 2/5
Not my thing
Never even heard of John Cale before, nor listened to The Velvet Underground, so this was a brand new experience for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this record; in fact I listened to it at least 7 or 8 times before reviewing. Favourite tracks: Child's Christmas In Wales, Hanky Panky Nohow, The Endless Plain Of Fortune, Paris 1919, Graham Greene.
Just droning on and on with that terrible voice about nothing. 3/10.
Bueno
It's OK, but it kind of sounds like he is singing with his mouth full on a few songs? Title track & "Graham Greene" were pretty good, though.
Interessante. Daqueles discos que você ouve e não cansa os ouvidos. As músicas são suaves e muito melódicas.
This album gets redeemed by it's second half. Pacing was just completely wrong. Some of these more upbeat songs should've been at the start rather than only at the end
It's poetic, it's well written, but it leaves me cold for some reason.
meh all the way through.
Eh it's fine. The la la la la la song is awesome.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that if John Cale could sing like Paul McCartney, this album would be seen as an equal to “Band on the Run.” May this be the most controversial statement you see today.
Uneven; it started well enough, but by the fourth song I was dreading finishing the album. Even as the songs got better, those few tainted the collection.
Okay music, rough vocals.
It was fine. Not my thing.
It was ok, not mad it’s on the list but not my thing
Nothing to see here.
4? Not bad lol
I know this is supposed to be a masterpiece but outside of the more upbeat songs I don't find this to be something I crave to listen to again. It is constantly pitched to me on streaming platforms in the past and I skip after a few seconds. great musicians involved but just seems maybe too smart for me.
C'était correct.
Started off not knowing wtf I was listening to but it got better… not amazing, just better
I’ll bet he thought “Andalucia, when can I see ya?” was a really clever line. He was wrong. 3 because it’s not actively bad, just boring.
This albums always gets better every time I listen to it. My enjoyment for it seems to keep growing and overall is just a solid album to me!
I listened to the song Paris 1919 constantly in 2020, and one day I will do a very over the top karaoke of it. I love that song to death, but hand listened to the rest of the album. I enjoyed the rest, but the only other song that stuck out was The Endless Plain of Fortune. Album cover: B+
I can't quite give it a 4 but I want to.
This album started very slow. I wasn't super interested for the first half, but it picked up in the second. I liked "Macbeth" and "Paris 1919", and really all of the songs after Macbeth. It had a lot of very beatles-y moments. I added a few songs to my playlists. I'd never heard John Cale's solo work before, and I've only listened to The Velvet Underground a little. It's good! 7/10
Did not get it.
This was okay. Nothing stood out at me.
Not bad, but this kind of music leaves me cold.
Lost my notes. This was nice. Unexpected, glad I heard it
This is probably what would happen if you made Ringo the leader of the Beatles. He’s got a good voice - he sounds like an alternate universe Jim Morrison, all but that last track. The whisper singing just absolutely threw me over the edge. I also hate those asmr videos people put out and this was way too similar.
Here it goes…..lalalalalalalala Naja 1 velvet underground punkt
I liked this quite a lot. The title track in particular Felt like a bit of a ground zero for a lot of the literate indie chamber pop that came later Not everything worked but I found it grabbed me more and more as it went on
no
It's fine. Not terrible, but I won't listen to it again. Just sounded like your stereotypical 70s soft rock.
Interesting large orchestral sound. Somehow none of the tracks are memorable.
This is a no-no album for me. The orchestra vibe is ok. 2/5
Good, or at least alright.
4/5. A well-polished collection of orchestral pop songs with a voice that does take away from the effort made to make this as beautiful as possible. There are epic moments here as well beautiful moments as well. The influence I hear through these songs on so many future albums is impressive and I would listen to this one again, just not a masterpiece. Best Song: Child's Christmas in Wales, Macbeth, Paris 1919
Note to self - listen to more John Cale. Beautiful album which I feel like I have only just scratched the surface of.
Pretty into this. It's like a Welsh Loudon Wainwright III or Randy Newman.
Much like the vegetable, this cale was bland, joyless, and difficult to digest. I didn’t enjoy it.
Early 1970's Art-Pop doesn't do it for me and neither does this album.
It's fine, but boring? 2.4.
This felt pretty boring and unremarkable. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
What is this? Un-listen-to-able. 1/5
I thought this was a very pretty album
Chilled out easy listening, and he has a nice voice
Feels like the bad cuts that didn’t make it to the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour album
Not at all what I was expecting. I'm a fan of his work with Velvet Underground, but not really listened to his solo material. Thought it would be more experimental. Not complaining, this is another belter.
Excellent album. Pleased to pull it on this slow Sunday morning, it'd been a bit since I had listened to it.
Real pleasant but not awe-inspiring. Is that really so much to ask for
3.5
"Paris 1919" is an art pop solo album by the Velvet Underground's John Cale. Full of literary allegories and the UCLA Symphony Orchestra, this album received high remarks for its poetic songwriting and idiosyncracity. However, this album is an unremarkable, utter snooze.
At first I liked this. And then it really started growing on me! I remember Cale’s voice from Songs for Drella that my dad played a lot for a short period of time when I was a kid. I never understood that album but it was a comforting album. The album is so awesome. One of my favorite discoveries from the list. This has a great flow and variety to it. I think a surprise 4.5+
Surprise! This is always nice to find someone you think, oh this is going to suck…. Then it blows your mind! 4/5
Really enjoyed this.
Not digging this so far. It sounds from it’s time but not anything special or unique that stands out to me.
Great baroque pop! Good on ya Cale
nog en cool en. Unikt
Almost touching at times.
despite the velvet underground being my favorite band of all time and me absolutely loving lou's solo works, i dont feel the same love for cale. this is a pretty good album but i struggle to see what makes it a masterpiece in some peoples eyes. no weak tracks and no great tracks. 7/10
Did not enjoy this. 1/5
This really didn't do much for me. A couple of great tracks, and a few tracks where his voice is straight up annoying.
Not for me.
Got about halfway through and got bored. Better than Elvis Costello Lou reed and Neil young. But that’s not hard. I like Cale. But should this be here? 2.5.
SILLY_SING_TALK is what I will call this silly and almost absent genre - singular for its ability to evoke so little. it serves to introduce me to something completely different - job done. Boxed ticked. can we leave now? And I did not quite fall asleep but I got annoyed. So wierdly slow I felt like I was following a forgetful, verbose and mad (but sedated) englishman around their house as they SING-TALK a description of what they do in each room of the house.
I saw John Cale a decade later at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, on a double bill with Jonathan Richman. My memory is that both of them were playing solo. The only thing he played from this album was the title track, indeed one of his best. In fact, I think this may be his best post-VU album. I’m a big Lowell George / Little Feat fan, but had no idea that George & drummer Richie Hayward ever recorded with Cale. They really rock out on Macbeth. And the whole b-side of the album is a real pleasure, with the title track & Graham Greene standouts. I also must mention that there’s something about the guitar flourishes at the beginning of the opening track, Child’s Christmas In Wales, that is so much like the opening of Slice Of Heaven by Dave Dobbyn & The Herbs (1986). And the keyboard opening to Antarctica Starts Here could be straight from a Carpenters’ track. Wonderful record that is never boring.
The Jukebox Rebel review of this album says "His predilection for the avant-garde is truly abandoned on this springtime ’73 offering, as he explores his inner Randy Newman. Artsy and poetic, the set is graceful from beginning to end and never grates, despite some real MOR vibes from tracks such as “Macbeth” and “Andalucia”." I am not sure that _any_ of those comments, intended as praise, are actually good things. John Cale is an intelligent artist who has done many (MANY!) challenging, interesting and influential things across the space of his long and varied career, and I own a lot of records where he has had some input as a performer or producer. And this is a sophisticated and beautiful album, (even if his voice isn't _quite_ up to what he wants from it. But it bores me, especially coming from such an eclectic and adventurous artist. I'd never really listened to this album before, although I know of it by reputation. And I was distinctly underwhelmed, maybe because I was expecting more. It's not bad per se, but I just wanted more. The title track is catchy, and I quite enjoyed. 2.5 stars, rounding down for "disappointing album from a great artist".
I've never listened to solo John Cale but i know him as a member of Velvet Underground. This is very dreamy, orchestral pop. It reminds me at times of the John Grant album that I loved earlier in this project.
The music, a mix of folky orchestral art rock is very good, as are the catchy songs. Cale, unfortunately, is not the most gifted of singers, so the end result is a little amateur sounding, but still enjoyable enough.
Je ne sais pas porquoi
This was ok, better in subsequent listens listens but still not quite hitting the spot. Velvet underground was better than the sum of its parts I guess.
The title track is a clear standout, and accompanied the reading of the Wikipedia pages on the 1919 Paris Peace Accords well. None of the tunes were bad or tedious they just didn't hook me in much.
Some parts good, some parts less so. Listenable enough.
Ayup. That’s it, no thoughts or feelings, just a Goofy-esque “Ayup” (2.5/5)
Not a lot going on here musically, kinda feels like this would be better developed if made today. Overall it was decent enough.
It's not for me
Wow. 200 albums. It's kind of hard to believe that I've made it this far. For 200 days now, I have listened to an album nearly every day. Some of those albums are iconic masterpieces that everyone should listen to in their life. Others are the complete opposite of that. Fortunately, most of the albums have leaned closer to the former than the latter. Even more fortunately for today, Paris 1919 by John Cale is one of those albums! I was a bit miffed when I saw that this of all albums was #200 initially. I mean, a solo album from a former member of the Velvet Underground? I was hopeful that the album was good, but I didn't really see much of a reason for this to be on here at first. However, a few things happened that changed my perspective on John Cale's inclusion on this list. For one, I realized just how expansive his career is. He didn't just work with the Velvet Underground. He's also had appearances on some other albums on this list, with one of them being Bryter Layter by Nick Drake. I love that album! I didn't know he was on there. Also, apparently his version of Hallelujah was the one used in Shrek. That's just awesome. Being in a Shrek movie doesn't automatically mean I'll like an album from an artist (see my review of Nighthawks at the Diner by Tom Waits), but it adds some credibility to their name in my eyes. On top of all of that, in addition to some other instruments, John Cale frequently plays the viola. I play the viola! The viola is such an underrated instrument, and I'm always happy to learn of more violists. Finally, there's one more thing that happened that made me understand this album's inclusion on this list. I listened to the album. I know, right? Honestly, this album's really something amazing. The sound immediately hooked me with the piano on the opening track. The variety in each song is very respectable and I like it. The singing is quite good. I think John Cale is a good vocalist who is, dare I say, better than Lou Reed. The writing is quite solid as well. Songs like "Andalucia" and the title track are just great songs in every regard. Overall, this album is a very pleasant surprise that is, in my opinion, better than any of the other 50-album milestones I've gotten yet. High 4/5.
easy listening, on the edge of surreal folk music. Nothing caught me straight away, but with every song flick back (while I write this review) I grow fonder with a quick familiarity
The first three songs are nice and smooth-flowing. "Andalucia", "Antarctica Starts Here" and "Half Past France" are a bit lame. "Macbeth" finally has a nice beat and much more energy. Overall I don´t like his expressionless voice. 2,5
This seems like one of those albums where you had to be there, back in '72 to get its significance. Now, over 50 years later, it's easy to miss what makes it extraordinary. It seems just like a pop album from that time, which is all fine and good, but the fact that it was made by John Cale does bring it up a notch. I dunno, maybe I need to give this another listen. Top tracks: Title track, "Macbeth," "Antarctica Starts Here"
This is one of those albums where if you were just given it and asked to listen without being told anything about it was you might say "not bad, so who is it?" The baroque or orchestral style is cool, kind of feels like the Bee Gees (maybe I wouldn't have chosen them if a couple of their albums hadn't come up recently). But it's John Cale. "What's that now?" Of the Velvet Underground. "Shut the front door?" I admire Lou Reed's solo stuff but the sound is still so different, he's just a clever lyricist. This? Well, the musical backdrop is so prominent that the lyrics get lost initially and I still haven't quite followed them. But the music is so warm and inviting. Apparently if I went looking for more John Cale (which I might) I wouldn't find anything else like this. Without that context and his VU background, would this Cale album make the 1,001 list? I don't know. It's got a good feel but it's not overly special. Favorite tracks were Child's Christmas in Wales, Hanky Panky Nohow, Macbeth, the title track, Half Past France. Graham Greene was kind of cheeky, had an almost Jimmy Buffett sound. Feels like a 3.5 at best but I'm rounding up for the pleasant surprise.
Downright horrible, boring, out of tone.
I was not expecting to like it this much, but the tracks felt very unique despite their names.
Decent, but nothing too memorable
Pleasant surprise! Did not know he was a member of The Velvet Underground. Instant love.
I like the voices. It's a nice album Fav songs: The endless plain of fortune Andalucia :=]
This is easily Cale’s most accessible music outside of the Velvet Underground. The orchestral arrangements are great throughout the album, and Cale’s composition is good but he’s just not a good singer unfortunately. Probably my favorite Cale album up until Hobosapiens which surprised me with how much I enjoyed it.
I'm aware of this album's great reputation, I think I've listened to it once before but I do not know it. The title track is hugely Beatles-esque, and stands out for me. I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing in terms of the album. I love the, I would say very English lyrics despite knowing Cale is of course Welsh. But he's going on about Chipping Sodbury for crying out loud. Despite it's poppy facade I feel like this is a record that needs a few listens to truly love. I listened again later and I'm not a fan of couple of tracks like Macbeth but a lot to like.
Enjoyed it more than not. He did sound a bit like Ringo.
Pretty mundane album overall, nothing too exciting here and a pretty short record.
It’s a nice album, but didn’t love.
nette hintergrundmusik
Naja, ein ruhiges harmloses Album. Nichts für mich.
Melancholy. That's when this evoked. If I ever need to quell myself, I'm sure this could come in handy. Though it's pace may have the opposite effect. Though Macbeth was grooving.
I am not a fan of the Velvet Underground, so I had a fair bit of apprehension seeing this come up. But this was very good! Pleasantly surprised. I don't have much else to say about it.
Two stars upon first listen, three stars upon the second. Thus, this album is a grower. However, as there is a new album tomorrow and plenty other music I’d rather listen to, I don’t have the time to let it grow. Best track: The Endless Plain of Fortune, which he manages to destroy with his lifeless vocals. Try the Manic Street Preachers cover instead.
Child’s Christmas in wales & Paris 1919
A nice little album.
Just meh
He sounds a bit like Ringo, lovely at times though. The recommendations I got afterwards were amazing
It was pleasant enough.
Cale is one of my favorites, but this album was not my favorite.
With "Paris 1919", Cale delivers a warm and melodic album that captivates the listener. I, for instance, loved his delivery and shiny instrumentalization. One can see the direct influence on some indie bands from the 90s, like Silver Jews or singer-songwriters like Elliott Smith. Great album
I loved John Cale’s album from last year. It went under the radar but I thought it was the on par with very late career albums of recent years from the likes of Cohen, Crosby, and Bowie. Paris 1919 is an interesting psychedelic album that previews artists like Beck and Neutral Milk Hotel.
This was an alright album. You could tell how much of velvet underground cale had his hand in as this was a less dark and somewhat more palatable version of that music. Cales performance doesn’t change and his style is consistent from velvet. Overall it was an alright album and if you like velvet underground this is a good other option. 6.1/10
Folk with orchestral layers.
Paris 1919 isn't up to much. The first few songs are mostly miserable, then we get something really quite good in Macbeth, before by far and away the most recognisable song in the title track. Shame that's quite forgettable too, then we're into the closing few because thankfully the record doesn't outstay its welcome, and those last few songs aren't memorable either, although Half Past France does sound quite sweet at times. Think it scrapes a 2.
This is a real mixed bag. Starts badly, most of the first few tracks are slow and a bit dull, but gets much better towards the middle of the album with two very different songs in Macbeth and Paris 1919. Doesn't quite manage to get to 3 though.
Difficile per i miei gusti... alcune canzoni quasi ostiche...altre un po' meglio...ma non più di 2* per il sottoscritto.
Paris 1919 is a pretty decent song.... and that's it.
I don't know man, I just can't get into this.
Pretty good
Really expanding the range of "Alternative" here. It's not even close to "Alternative" in a cool, Indie sense of the word you'd expect for 2024. It's bad, slow, baroque-style singer-songwriter type stuff that could only have been appreciated 50 years ago. And some songs on here are just dumb. Flirting with a 1*.
Definitely extremely ambitious for a pop album. But impressive as the fusion of genres and the orchestral music is, I'm not really convinced. It all sounds well enough in the background, but there's nothing much to grab and hold me. To me this seems more like a proof of concept than something I'd revisit to actually listen to.
This list seems to have devolved to random 60s unnotable folk, 80s British pub rock, and bunch of avante garde stuff. Guess which this is?
I get this guy is a legendary producer but his actual music just sounds like a bored Ringo Starr
A surprisingly accessible record by an artist known for experimentation. Feels out of time, but not disconcertingly so.
I liked it a lot!!!!!
- eh - appreciate that it was short but eh - 1.5 but I need more rating variation so I’ll round down
- I really like what he’s doing here - very pleasant music - almost a show tune vibe -3.5
so good.
Dull
Gorgeous, an album filled with little avant-pop gems that’s complex enough to keep returning to again and again
John Cale was mij niet bekend, maar z’n naam zal ik ook weer snel vergeten
Paris 1919 is wel redelijk bekend geloof ik maar mwoah, verder niet enorm denderend
Easy listening potato monkey
What a great album. Hat’s off to John Cale for being one of the masterminds of the Velvet Underground but then also being a genius in his own completely different realm. Such an original voice and fun theatric songs… love it!
nice concept an lyrics
Loved it
Quite British
Couldn't name you any other Welsh musicians of the top of my head, but now I have Mr. John Cale. Not a huge fan, but pretty nice vibes in this one.
john cale war mir eher wegen seiner arbeiten mit nico und brian eno bekannt. mit den alben von eno aus den 70ern hat das hier viel gemeinsam und man nennt das wohl artpop. finde ich gut, die kollaborationen aber noch besser
Pretty sure everything this guy shit out made it on this list. This is fine I guess. Rather forgettable.
Put me to sleep.
The first half of the album is nice I guess. The sort of thing you would have as background music in a cafe. Not something I would actively seek out. It picks up a bit with Macbeth, then the title track Paris 1919 which I found interesting. It dropped back off a bit after that.
This guy should try out for the stormtroopers because he can't hit a single note. This is making me groan out loud in disgust. I hate this and it's making me angry. I'm not finishing this one. Easy 1 star.
Pop, 1973 -> 2
It's alright. Feels very uptight. The latter half of the record is the best. Favorite tracks: "Macbeth", "Paris 1919"
Never heard this one before. Nice little album
Easy listening and pretty solid album. No real standouts for me and may not warrant another listen.
So boring. Its best quality is that it’s only 32 minutes. Almost like he was tasked with making an album, but actually didn’t want to draw any attention to himself. 2/5
This was really uneven from my perspective. Some good, some not so good. The ballads seem like filler, but there are some neat ideas in the other tracks.
Great!!
A very cool and quirky album for the 1970s. Intriguing and clever lyrics over an idiosyncratic musical backing. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Paris 1919 Date listened: 23/02/24
Very interesting and poetic…I like the orchestral influences.
Shockingly did not make me want to do the hankey pankey
Liked the vibe. I didn’t necessarily “get” the album though. Short and moderately sweet, but fairly forgettable.
This album wasn’t for me. It wasn’t hard to get through by any means, it just didn’t do much to compel me. There were a couple solid songs in the quick listen, but nothing notable. If I had to choose my favorite it would be Macbeth, and the fact that it sounds so different than the rest of the album is probably why.
The shortest album we've listened to so far at only 30 minutes. I really like his voice. This was an easy one to listen to. Just as you start getting into it, it's over.
Nothing special came from this one for me. 2/5
Awful. Why? Why is this one of the 1001 albums?
I hear a lot of Bowie here, and echoes of Velvet Underground. Good stuff!
Wonderful songs. I enjoyed them more and more as I listened more carefully.
Nice!
An absolute delight!
What a phenomenal surprise this was! Incredible album filled with interesting and very enjoyable songs. After each song I kept thinking damn, that’s good! Then the next one would be even better. The second half of this was some of the best music I’ve listened to on this project. Super terrific!
You're a ghost ladadadadadadadada
Thoughts before listening: Former Velvet Underground member that I don't know much about as a solo artist. Lou Reed was always the bigger star, with John Cale being portrayed as an avant garde artist. I'm expecting art rock with lots of ambient soundscape type pieces. Review: This is more orchestral pop music than the post-rock I was expecting. I hear a bit of the Velvet Underground in the instrumentation and arrangements, but this is quite a bit different from the sound of his former band. On initial listen, "MacBeth" stands out as a flat out rocker that immediately draws me in. Overall I don't hate this album but it's not something I'd go back to often. 3-stars.
Quite alright
Expected to enjoy this a lot more considering that I’ve always enjoyed Velvet Underground and he worked with Modern Lovers who I also really like. It was fine, just a bit dry overall. Title track was really good though. 3 stars
short and sweet. I like Kale more.
Dude can't sing. At least it wasn't Johnny cash tho
Hanky Panky No Thanks
This guy lived during the 60’s and thought that all British people could write music
Yeah this was not good. Reading up his background you'd think there'd be something interesting in this album, but there's just isn't. A couple orchestral moments are nice tho, gotta give it that. Also it's short, that's another bonus.
Generally not a fan of this kind of music, but I'm always willing to give a chance for the albums. This one is just quite bad though. As soon as I heard the first song, I knew the vibes were bad and this was not for me. I personally hate his tone, the vocals and melodies are bad, lyrics are weird, and the whole record is just a giant mess of boring pop-rock stuff with some ballads filled with weird and downright annoying instrumentals. 'Macbeth' and 'Paris 1919' are the only half-decent songs on this, but still not nearly enough to save this absolute ship wreck. Very little to like here for me, never listening to this again.
A decent if somewhat inconsistent LP - had things stayed in the vein of ‘Macbeth’ this would’ve easily been a 4-star rock LP. Definitely a matter of taste but the slower, ballad-like tracks don’t do it for me and seem to gum up the flow of the album. Cale can clearly rock, and I wish he had let loose and done so a bit more here.
3.5
3.5
nothing on first listen to indicate a major miss in my musical history timeline
Best goed. Niet helemaal mijn genre
Moderately interesting.
Obscure but good
I really enjoy the sound of an orchestra mixed with rock. I'm sure that if I were more knowledgeable about history, the lyrics would have more meaning. Sounded good regardless.
It's ok
Truly never heard of this artist. Interested to listen to this. Not sure I will be able to get through this album. So far just not my style, very mellow. His voice is very reminiscent to Jim Morrison's.
Okay, but a little boring.
Very impressive for a solo rock album from 73. I think some of the slower songs drag it down a little considering the album’s length, but still a solid and enjoyable listen.
Decent album overall, enjoyed the second half much more. Self titled song was great as well.
3/5 personal favourites: • half past france
I very melancholic experience, where every song has this tinge of sadness to it, despite often being mainly very pretty and touching, both lyrically and tonally, but it still feels as though there's this effect that makes one feel a sense of longing, perhaps nostalgic, and I genuinely think its impressive how well the album makes you feel that way. Even the songs I'm not as much of a fan of, such as the country-twange-esque ones, capture this feeling like no other, and it really makes one wonder how Lou Reed was able to catapult into stardom, whilst Cale fadded from the public psyche, because I'm sure, had this album been known better, that this would've been oh so popular in today's world.
Kind of interesting, but mostly just an odd album. It never gets bad, but never really does anything great. 2/5 Likely won't listen again
ok
Didn't hate anything, but it was so mid and forgettable to me
Un poco meh.
On the one hand, you can hear how important the pulsing and calming things he brought to the Velvets were. On the other hand... It's a bit boring.
This is very far from what I expected from John Cale after listening to Velvet Underground, but I liked it. It's not so remarkable, but it's good.
Chamber pop. Ni fu ni fa.
Nah
Very poetic. I'm not very familiar with his work, which should appeal to my avant garde sensibilities. This album probably needs more context (time, place) for it to make sense to me. Another critically acclaimed record that made me wonder why. I like a lot of his later work better. Not sure what I'm missing here. If I had more time I would probably listen a couple more times.
Sat on the fence with this one. Absolutely epic moments with totally forgettable ones in equal measures 2.5
nice enough
Smör, helt ok, 3!
Orkade inte ens lyssna klart. Bättre kan du 1001albumsgenerator.com.
Inget som riktigt fånga mig
I enjoyed this album
This has to be one of the most boring albums I've ever had the misfortune of listening to, no contest. Total snooze-fest. The only reason this doesn't completely fail is because there's nothing TECHNICALLY wrong with other than it being utterly devoid of energy, attitude, or interest. Just another of those head-scratcher, "WHY is this on the list?!" records.
I listened to this this morning and have left it to marinate. My only memory is how annoying the organ was in the first song so I can’t say I enjoyed this.
If I'd been a record label exec and John Cale was in my office with his demos I'd have taken out my cigar king enough to say "Where's the zing John? The kids want zing these days. Zing!" then I'd have thanked him and sent him on his way and to see my secretary on the way out for his travel expenses
I like the 70's dreamy melodies but just wish his voice was better.
This was fine. I didn't hate it. Didn't love it. Largely forgettable.
This was okay. The album’s eponymous song was the best track on the album and the song after it was decent. I’m kind of struggling to remember what the rest of the album even sounded like. Maybe more of a 3.5?
I didn't think it was going to be as good as it is. Has a handful of slappers.
Classic rock. Pretty nice. Favorite song: Half Past France.
3.5/5. Definitely not my type of music but I was having a good time. Didn’t have the desire to skip any song. My favorite album I’ve reviewed so far.
Previous Familiarity: Low. Only experience with The Velvet Underground. Upon first listen I was underwhelmed. John Cale is a very pedestrian vocalist and the songs didn't really do anything to grab me. After the second listen, I still didn't think Cale's singing did the songs any favors, but I did find the arrangements to be very becoming on a few of the tracks. "Endless Plain of Fortune" and "Paris 1919" both were able to showcase what Cale can do with melody and mood, but the rest of it did not feel special. Not essential listening.
It had a bit of a shaky start, but Andalucia on was excellent!
Good Folk, but nothing to write home about.
Nicht meine Richtung
Folkalicious. My son asked if this was in a language other than English after the first song...
This was a nice spot of whimsy. I really like the title track, very music hall meets prog.
Nothing really stood out to me other than the title track. 3/5. Favorite Track: Paris 1919
My second solidly mediocre album in a row. Nothing about this stood out to me.
Meh
No ihan jees!
boring af ngl
One of those really pleasing finds. I'll make the obvious comment that I wasn't expecting this kind of album. Very enjoyable.
This album was okay. I didn't hate it, and I didn't love it either. I wasn't really that in the mood for this sort of thing, but I think I'm never really in the mood for this easy-listening stuff. It was all just a bit slow. There were a few high-points on the album. I thought Andalucia was nice with it's dialled back and tender feel, and then Macbeth came out of nowhere and became the most energetic point of the album with an awesome rock and roll beat. I only wish that Macbeth was longer, and the album had more songs like it. I thought the title track was fine, it grew on me a bit throughout its duration, but it was still absolutely forgettable following Macbeth. The one song I totally disliked was Antarctica Starts Here. I detest whispered vocals in most situations; it never fails to creep me out. Overall, the album was okay. It's not one I'm likely to remember at the end of this list, but maybe I'll find a time and a place for it one day. Favourite: Macbeth
Pretty record
fun sounds, weird lyrics, great sound mixing.
The title-track of this LP is a hidden gem, coupling a lively and wonderful string section with a pure vocal earworm. Just a perfect song. The rest of the album is pretty good--moody like the "transitional" albums of Brian Eno as he went from glam-rock to more cerebral landscapes. Maybe a notch under them, but good nonetheless. I'm glad I have this album in my collection. It's interesting to see John Cale exploring the idea of "decadence" in fashions that are radically different from the ones of his legendary former band, the Velvet Underground (very much under the helm of Lou Reed anyway). Here we have a classy, literary, European version of said "decadence", hearkening back to the "modernist" period mentioned in the title (as "rock" as John Cale's music is). The title-track is the cut you must not miss to understand this whole record, though. Don't forget to give it a spin. Number of albums left to review: 344 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 298 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 157 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 210
Eigentlich ne ganz geile stimme. Ja okay, bin irgendwie schon wieder raus
I listened to this the same day as NIN 😆. It was fine. Nothing overly special to me.
could i write poetry to this? n
The title track came up on my Discovery Weekly a long time ago, and I've loved it ever since. I've tried to get into this album a few times since, and I just can't do it.
Melodic and beautifully arranged. Put me in the mind of Nillsson! Surprising, since this seems 180-degrees from the Velvet Underground.
Sounds ok
Ooo I was excited for this one, but also a little apprehensive based on this title/album cover. But I know my boy, John Cale of Velvet Underground fame, is a musical innovator and creative genius. So I put my trust in him. And I am not disappointed at all! I am loving this album! The first track was very peppy and uptempo, it immediately put me into a happy, excited mood of anticipatory eagerness for every coming track. This is such a joyful and delightful journey, I wish I could hear it again for the first time! It's a gift I want to keep unwrapping. I can't even describe how much I love the intentional dissonance between the musicality and the thematic lyrical content; this is absolutely delicious and I have savoured every bite. John Cale is criminally underrated, I'm in awe of him. This is a masterful exploration of his solo talents and I'll be spending a lot more of my time with it. Adding into regular listening rotation!
Haven't listened enough to form a more profound opinion, but overall I enjoyed it. Good to know John Cale know. As the founder of the Velvet Underground, he definitely belongs to the list of music essentials. Before listening to the album I was a bit skeptical whether it's gonna be another flop, but I was pleasantly surprised. 7/10
Extraordinary. A true hidden classic. The first four tracks are excellent and fully engaging and then ends very strong indeed. Beautifully conceived, skillfully executed.
meh
Booooring
Not my vibe. Too relaxed for a crazy morning, felt like i was falling asleep
This is a very cozy album, it makes you want to listen to it in the evening with a cup of tea, a cigarette in your mouth, and the soft light of a lamp.
brilliant.
Middle of the road. Not boring, but doesn't really stand out either.
Having never heard of John Cale I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not well versed in orchestral music but he uses it wonderfully without it overpowering his vocals. The title track especially blends it together well. This entry stands out from the rest of its peers in the early 70's experimental rock genre (if thats what you call it) coming out of the UK. Really enjoyed this one.
I loved this album. Being familiar with the title track I wasn’t sure what to expect from the rest of the album but it delivered big time. Beautiful symphonies! This kind of album is what this list was made for
Wasn't familiar with John Cale but a pleasant surprise. Very well crafted, melodic album.
Was leuke achtergrond muziek. Deed me denken aan iets dat vroeger bij mijn moeder had kunnen opstaan. Goed geschreven muziek, maar deed me niet echt iets.
Even though I didn’t know any of these songs, the music had a familiar vibe. I enjoyed it, especially the titular song.
Somewhere someone may call this brilliant, I call it absolute rubbish. Boring.
Pleasant listen. I liked the chords in hanky panky knowhow. Nothing that really stands out.
I've heard the title track from this before and was a fan. I really dig the orchestral vibe of the album and how the harmonies work. Far from a perfect album but I'm glad to have heard it.
His vocals feel like he is a ghost haunting the songs from the corners and if I try to focus on what he is saying I can never quite get there. The instrumentation seems like something special. I'm questioning if getting rid of the vocals would be better. Get this guy a coffee!
What I'm learning about myself is that I enjoy the members of the Velvet Underground solo much more than I do together. There wasn't a track on this album that wasn't both enjoyable and memorable. Great lyrics like "her schoolhouse mind has windows now." Excellent orchestral pop taking up where the Beatles left off and creating something new. No notes
Never really got into Cale but I liked what I heard here. Child’s Christmas was a strong opener. The title track sounded familiar and it was good. Half Past France was my favorite - loved the far away, eery sound of it. I imagine this at the more accessible end of his discography. Good listen.
I expected a much more avant garde sound and I was happy that this album was pretty mainstream. Nothing really special about it but at least it is more accessible than much of his work.
Ahead of its time for sure. I have to assume this was influential on David Byrne and the entire genre of indie rock. Did I love it? No but I don’t feel like my time was wasted either. 3.5 would be appropriate if possible.
Odd choice for the list - maybe you had to be there?
Pretty fun but nothing special. I agree with the commenter that said this sounded like Ringo. It really does. Kinda cheesy in that way.
I always liked this album but thought it sounded a little snobby, like English-professor-rock. Listening now it feels more emotionally deep. The songwriting is just great.
This was very joyful to listen to! Maybe too joyful to listen to when working on asylum applications…
Was a lovely listen on the way to work this morning. Apparently it had been around but Bagelbutt and Otrops failed to tell me.
Lovely but kinda boring. Inoffensive? Couldn't hear lyrics well. Never heard of this guy before.
very 70s accusticish
No thanks.
Better than I expected
Never heard this album before. Some really good songs, especially in the beginning. Some of the songs sound a little like showtunes but overall pretty good.
Child’s Christmas in Wales - 8/10 Hanky Panky Nohow - 8.5/10 The Endless Pain of Fortune - 8/10 Andalucia - 8.5/10 Macbeth - 8/10 Paris 1919 - 8.5/10 Graham Greene - 8/10 Half Past France - 9/10 Antarctica Starts Here - 7.5/10 TOTAL - 74/90
Lou Reeds partner i Velvet Underground. Inte rolig alls. Stundtals rätt mediokra arr och sången känns oklar. Ganska långt ifrån nivån med VU.
Eh, not a fan.
Not at all what I expecting! I was getting John Cale mixed up in my head with J.J. Cale... I like this Cale better! 3/5
It's interesting in some places, but they didn't make up for the boring-ness of the rest of the album.
Really enjoyed this eclectic and quirky collection of songs, I’d love to dig into this more.
At least with Kale you get the feeling you’re doing something good for your body, even if you don’t enjoy it. Unlike this Cale.
If it’s going to sound this bad, I would at least expect better lyrics than “Andalucia when can I see ya”. At least it was short
Would’ve voted for a 1 but it was so forgettable I wasn’t sure how bad previoussong sucked.
Gives you a lot of respect for Lou Reed who had to put up with this in the Velvet Underground. Sounds like a bad Ringo solo album
1.4 didn't care for this very much. Will check out his other stuff based on his resume
Slight Christmas vibes? But the songs were too similar, no variety.
Not my taste.
Enjoyed this album, had a nice mellow vobe about it. Never heard of John Cale before this
Couple of half decent song but kind of just meanders along without really doing anything. Not bad music but does nothing for me.
2/5 - Did nothing for me, just unoffensive background music
Lyrically dense and full of orchestral influences this is one of the only solo efforts from John Cale I can enjoy listening to, he kinda reminds me of Bert Jansch on this. Overall it is a bit bland as an album however. His work as part of the velvet underground was much better.
I didn't expect this to remind me so much of early Floyd. Loved it.
Chill vibe
Engelsk singer/songwriter poprock, lidt kedeligt, et par ok numre
Pee good, not sure if it really deserves a 3 because I couldn't really see myself resisting this but it better than a 2
normal
It was pretty fun to listen to. Couldn't decide what genre it was but liked it all the same.
This one is a good one! Vibes of Fleetwood Mac and Beatles
Has the feel of the beach boys with a classical feel.
Never got into John Cale's solo stuff, but this was great. A couple of bangers on here and I'll be looking into more of his stuff.
really did my ears dirty by listening to this. the endless plain of fortune
Essential Tracks: Paris 1919 (playlist) Children’s Christmas in Wales Half Past France
Easy listening, poetic
Very enjoyable album with lavish string arrangements. The only bad thing I can say about it is that there’s no real standout song.
I can tell this album deserves a spot here, but like most, it just doesn't do much for me. Despite it not being an album I deeply enjoyed or resonated with, it was still an okay listen. One complaint I have with a lot of the other albums I've heard so far is that most of the songs feel very "samey." That is not the case here, there is so much variety within this album and I truly appreciated that on my listen! The standout song for me was definitely Paris 1919 (unsurprising that it was the favorite as it's the name of the album), but otherwise nothing else really stood out. Deserves higher I'm sure, but giving it 2 stars. Would probably be 2.5 if that was an option.
Coming from the guy behind The Velvet Underground’s earlier and more experimental albums, I did not expect this one to sound as pleasant as it did Despite this change in sound, Cale still manages to put his talents as a songwriter on mass display here Favourite tracks: Child’s Christmas in Wales, The Endless Plain of Fortune, Andalucia, Paris 1919, Antarctica Starts Here
First half bearable. Second half not so. Please end. 2.5*
10/10 I forgot that this guy was in the Velvet Underground and was completely blown away by how beautiful and imaginative this album is but now that I know, it should obviously come as no surprise that he’s such a genius
No doubt its an important artistic statement, a commentary on politics and the state of the world, but sadly it isn't at all interesting to listen to. Way too much orchestration and not enough Lowell George, who apparently played guitar, though you'd never know. All too epic and baroque in a whimsical masquerade. Don't like it at all. Naive melodies. Hotted up around Macbeth, but still failed to capture any interest.
Honestly kinda dope, hanky panky nohow pr whatever goated
Pretty good