The Undertones

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die day 18 and boy, its going to be a long ride if I can manage to stick this out. I’m nowhere near triple digits, and this project is both rewarding and intimidating, equally. As a self described “Music Nerd”, I’m starting to realize that I’m more nerd and less knowledgeable. If you asked me to guess how many of these 1001 albums that I would know before buying this damn book, I’d confidently guess at least sixty percent. What a fool I was 18 days ago. Todays selection is the debut and self titled album from a Punk Rock slash Pop group called the Undertones. This is a great album to put on while you have a shower beer or two. It is fast paced, it’s uplifting, and the simple lyrics about girls and doing hood rat shit with your friends is enough to set the mood. Honestly though, Undertones debut album is largely forgettable. I can’t really explain it, I love these songs when they’re playing, but as soon as they’re over, I barely remember them. Bands like The Ramones sound very similar and are from the same era, yet had more lasting impressions with their compositions. I’m sure many bands took note of this band and built their craft on top of The Undertones established foundation in music, like, say, Green Day or maybe even Soundgarden. I appreciate this album, it is fun and youthful, it sounds great, it just didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. I’m sure it left enough of a lasting impression on other artists to follow their lead. Please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and memories!

16 tracks? I don’t want the deluxe version, I thought. But wait! This is the original version! This will take ages to listen to. But wait again! The album clocks in at a concise 35 minutes! Now that’s an album that breaks down the door, pushes you about for a bit and then gets the hell out of there! Punky, prickly, full of teenage hormones (Teenage Kicks a perfect pop song?), high energy, a really enjoyable album.

The Undertones? More like the Underwhelmings. Straight forward early British punk but basically the same song 16 times on one album.

Holy hell 16 tracks and 34 minutes! I take longer pisses than some of these songs. Some pretty similar sounding pop punk songs to me. Nothing special or crazy to me though. Heard better punk.

So-called pop punk was a necessary tweak to keep punk going. You can only make angry, face spitting music for so long. The mid 70s recession had gone and by 1979 Thatcher was Prime Minister and the weary Sex Pistols fans stopped hitting the streets to burn shit and started to pop pills instead. The time was right for pop punk! This sub-genre of punk is probably the one I know best. A lot of my favourite bands like The Police, The Jam, The Pretenders, Joe Jackson were part of this and were getting traction in 1979. The Clash had been around for the angry years but they were getting more traction than ever as they embraced pop punk. I like the Undertones and the genre but the bands I note above will get the 4s and 5s. The Undertones are a few floors below.

I was running late for my eldest daughter's parents evening a few years ago and didn't have time to change, so was wearing football shorts. As her geography teacher was talking some shit about how well she was doing, I felt a twinge in my stomach. I knew I was in trouble, but tried to stay composed. I'm sat there like "yeah, yeah, she knows all the capital cities of europe because of her years of child trafficking." We all laughed...but then, just as I was standing up to leave, my explosive diahorrea kicked in and launched a splurge of hearty brown liquid, splashing it all across a map of Africa. We all laughed. The Undertones were on in the car on the way home.

This is waaaaaaay better than the Undertones' frankly terrible second album, Hypnotized, which had no place at all on a list of albums you must here. This is somewhat better, in that the songs are catchier and generally recorded quickly enough to capture the energy and charm of the band. But, really when we come down to it, they are really just Ramones clones, down to the cover photo. So why would you listen to this instead of the Ramones? You have sit through the insufferable warbling of Feargal Sharkey. I really can't stand his voice for more than a few minutes at a time. If I had bought the original release, I would have been ropable that Teenage Kicks wasn't on the record. That is the best song, hands down, that the Undertones ever wrote. It's a pretty good single, and I can't believe they left it (and their other single, Get Over You) off the original release of this album. Because nothing else here is that good. Good thing they rectified that on the re-release I am listening to now. But at least it's better than Hypontized, which is a pile of dogshit. And not in a good way.

Listening to this album made me imagine my Dad careering around the streets of suburbia in his Vauxhall Viva modified with twin carbs; me in the back seat barely secured to the hot, faux leather vinyl that passed as a bench seat, him with his brown Aviators, 'tash, flared trousers and mop of hair blowing in the wind. Then I remembered he was more into Meat Loaf at the time and the daydream was shattered. Although lyrically, teenage kicks is still relevant today and the album as a whole was not unenjoyable if a little repetitive towards the end, I think this will end up forgotton, like a rusting car with Teenage Kicks as the singular component rescued and remembered in a museum of classics.

Throw the Ramones, Sex Pistols, and Clash into a blender, add a dash of Bryan Ferry's vibrato, then blend away, and I'm pretty sure the resulting concoction will be the Undertones. I don't know how this is the first time I've run across them, as this album is fantastic. This is top-notch old school punk*, and the last time I was this excited about a new (to me) band was when Roxy Music's debut album popped up a few weeks ago. I found a 26-track version of the album on YouTube, and there's a lot to love here. It starts off strong with "Family Entertainment," and while "The Girls Don't Like It," I sure do. "Teenage Kicks," "Get Over You," "Listening in," "Emergency Cases" ... So many good tracks. And a special shout-out to "Mars Bars," which is quite funny. Honestly, 26 tracks and I had no desire to skip any of them. That's the dream right there. *Except for "True Confessions," which starts with the line "Don't look so surprised," which amused me because it *was* a surprise, and came out of left field with a Devo-like new wave flavor that caught me completely off guard.

I've only been doing this for a few days and this is the first album I've heard that made me say, "Holy shit, how did I not know about this band?" "Teenage Kicks" is a great song but this album is full of catchy hooks and fun, upbeat pop punk that will make you thing of The Clash, The Ramones, and Dead Kennedys. I love it, and I will definitely be adding The Undertones to my library.

Ok, I consider myself a bit of a New Wave/Punk aficionado and I knew NOTHING about this group. Never heard of them. BLOWN. AWAY. This is what I love about this list. This. So obsessed.

very enjoyable. norn iron doing a good.

Used to listen to this all the time but forgot about it. I forgot about it so much, that when this album came up, I was like ‘who are the undertones?’ Then as I played through it, all the songs came back to me. It was like awakening from amnesia. Wow, I love this album.

Incredibly punchy proto pop punk. This is concise, lean, and full of fun.

upbeat energetic old school punk. nice and melodic. its short enough so as not to get repetitive. really good album

But of a wild album. Sounds like if the Dead Kennedy's made an album in the style of Rocky Horror Picture Show. And I've got absolutely no complaints. Big thumbs up from this guy.

What a great album. This is what rock and roll is all about. Young talented kids playing with an energy and joy that is absolutely infectious. 5 🌟

i'm smarter than you

I don’t know if it’s writers block, but I’ve started, stopped and restarted writing this review at least three times. I’ve tried a few different approaches so far, but, really, it just boils down to this: This is my type of punk. Give me a record like this over anything by the Clash or Pistols any day of the week.

This is a new band for me. Although not usually my style, The Undertones have produced a fairly decent album. It is an upbeat, simple and enjoyable album. With so many songs on the album, however, towards the end, they become a bit muddled and you kind of forget that they are separate songs. A good album but sadly I feel a forgettable one too.

One of the earliest pop-punk records, and it goes hard! The hooks are catchy with lots of energy, while still staying true to it's punk roots. Much less far removed than later pop-punk records, but all music evolves in some way. With all the songs on here, some of them don't stand too well, but the general tone of the record supports the lesser songs by keeping things moving.

Sometimes the lyrics are a little problematic but overall I really like the album. High energy, I like the backup vocals being quite present, good performance, no lazy band members, singer is decent. Quantity over quality is a little issue, with most of the music being pretty simplistic, but does a great job as punk rock music. Does have a bit of variety but they mostly stick to fast-paced jams. Want to see their later stuff as apparently they change their style up.

Feargal Sharkey has such a great voice, and a great name for a rock star. The lyrics make you ask "Wow how young are these guys?" The songs are kind of throw-away, yet more complex and melodic that the 2-minute ditties we've received by American hardcore bans, with a few hit worthy like Teenage Kicks and Jimmy Jimmy.

John Peel's wet dream. I could only just about muster a semi.

Out of all of the British punk albums we have listened to that was definitely one of them. Didn't love it or hate it. Just 34 minutes of music. Hilarious that they fit 16 songs into that amount of time

Meh, I guess you had to have been there.

Lovely, more dogshit UK punk

Such a great punk vibe

When I bought my cheap copy of this on the Fame label in 1985 I thought I was acquiring an ancient relic. The album was six years old. A blink of an eye to me now. In more age related pondering I don't understand why armed with this, The Ramones and Buzzcocks you would ever want to listen to stagnant genre bound 90s/00s pop punk. People ten to twenty years younger may disagree. Pro tip: search out the punk version of True Confessions live on The Old Grey Whistle Test to fully access their youthful exuberance.

I’m riding a rare wave of 5 star albums this week, mostly from artists I’ve never heard of. Today is the Undertones’ self titled debut. A very early example of pop-punk, this one immediately grabbed me. As someone who grew up in suburbia in the 90s and 00s, pop-punk is near and dear, so it’s cool to hear the beginnings.

This is a pretty kick-ass album. They pack a lot of great tunes into 35 minutes. Favorites: I Gotta Getta, Teenage Kicks, Jump Boys, Get Over You Would I listen to it again: Yes

A pretty cool record! I just knew the name but never heard a song. But it’s very good.

Late 70s punk. I like this sound a lot.

fyre

Enjoyed

Saw these guys live. Tore the roof off.

Hey my birth year! I immediately like the genre :) Soft Punk? lol that's not a thing is it? Reminds me of I Wanna be Sedated by the Ramones. Dude this album was fucking great! 5 stars.

Great example of early punk

it's just a great album.

Never heard of these guys, but why did everyone waste so much airtime sucking off the Sex Pistols rather than elevating the Undertones to a wider audience? So good.

Own and love this album. Lived live with this band. Some of the best sounds of their generation.

Peak!

Крутий альбом

Love this one!

LOVED this album! How is it that I've never heard them before? 16 tracks in 35 minutes is perfect for this old man. I wish I would have heard this back in my middle school days when it was released. It certainly would have been one of those unforgettable albums of my youth. Now it's an unforgettable album of my elderly years.

I don’t always agree with albums being on a list of ones you should listen to, but this one definitely deserves it. The perfect distillation of late seventies punk.

The Undertones’ self-titled album is an explosion of infectious energy and catchy melodies that, while not presenting significant innovations for the punk rock genre, perfectly captures the essence of the music of the 1970s and early 1980s. The simplicity and authenticity of their songs reveal an impressive ability to create memorable tracks that remain relevant even after several decades. The Undertones are a band that, while operating within the traditional parameters of punk, demonstrate a creative potential that is worth following in the future.

Fun Buzzcocky punky power pop music.

This is a lovely album. Very playful and young tone.I liked it

The Beach Ramones.

Derry represent! Fun, infectious, silly pop punk with some timeless classics included. Fuckin belter hi

Very original band and sound. No mistaking the sound of Fergal Sharky's voice. Brilliant, takes me back to an era I loved.

Slapped better than I anticipated!

Is this punk?

Great rock

That was great! Why haven't I heard it before? Better than the Ramones and all those other guys.

It's just classic british punk, what more could you want.

This album is among the most perfect blends of punk rock's drive and aggression with pure pop instincts, all made by Northern Irish hobbits. Essential.

Einfach, schnell, laut, gut!

Brilliant, so it is.

An absolute belter

A perfect little album. Songs about chocolate, girls and growing up. Will resonate with most generations in the early stages of coming of age.

So freaking fun and some full on certified Slappers

Fui pego de surpresa aqui. Achei que seria mais uma banda punk britânica, do início do gênero - que por mais que goste e valorize, hoje só consigo ouvir as músicas que realmente se destacam - mas não. Aqui trata-se do começo do pop-punk. É um álbum rápido (26 músicas em 56min, e apenas 1 com mais de 3min), como um álbum de punk tradicional, mas com mais elaboração melódica, variação e movimento. A elaboração não se estende para a parte lírica com letras menos políticas e mais "bobinhas", o que não acho isso um demérito por si. É um "Beach Boys punk" ou um "The Clash pop" e é muito bom de ouvir.

This album is dope! I've heard Family Entertainment on random play a bunch, but this is the first time hearing a full Undertones album and it was great pretty much the whole way through. 4.5/5

This album rules. I was surprised to see that we already listened to a later Undertones album earlier, and have no recollection of it. Apparently I thought it was decent but nothing special. This one rules though. 4.5/5

Clásico instantáneo Lleno de estupendas canciones más allá de las clásicas, Jump boys es un buen ejemplo. Get over you (el segundo single del disco), True confessions o Listening in, también. Teenage kicks, Jimmy Jimmy y Here comes the summer son las más conocidas y brillantes pero el resto conforman un debut histórico. Male model presenta unos coros que resuenan a lo mismo que los Ramones: el pop de los 60. Los mismo sucede con I gotta getta con ese órgano surfero. También es evidente la influencia de The Buzzcocks (otro grupo fundamental). Wrong way podría ser un temazo de los B-52´s. Canciones de apenas dos minutos, ritmos y construcciones sencillas pero con un gran sentido melódico. Todas son tarareables y disfrutables. Pero todo se minimiza cuando llega una de las mejores canciones de la historia: Teenage kicks. No está en absoluto nada mal para una banda que empezó alrededor de 1975, pero tardó tres años en grabar porque tenían que aprender a escribir y a tocar la guitarra... Otros discos de 1979, el año del \"Disco sucks\" y también de maravillas como: JOY DIVISION - Unknown Pleasures, THE CLASH - London calling, VAN MORRISON - Into the music, NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE - Rust never sleeps y Live Rust, AC/DC - Highway to hell, PAUL COLLINS BEAT - The Beat, THE CURE - Three imaginary boys, THE POLICE - Regatta de blanc y zenyattà Mondatta, THE B-52'S - The B-52's, GRAHAM PARKER - Squeezing out sparks, THE KNACK - Get the knack, The wall de Pink Floyd, Armed Forces de Elvis Costello & The Attractions, We Are Family de Sister Sledge, Look Sharp! de Joe Jackson, Spirits Having Flown de Bee Gees, Breakfast in America de Supertramp, Y de The Pop Group, Voulez-Vous de ABBA , Bad Girls de Donna Summer, Lodger de David Bowie, Discovery Electric Light Orchestra, Exposed y Platinum de Mike Oldfield, Fear of Music Talking Heads, Off the Wall de Michael Jackson, Quadrophenia deThe Who, Reggatta de Blanc de The Police, Prince de Prince, Damn the Torpedoes de Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers , One Step Beyond... de Madness, The Specials de The Specials, Journey Through \"The Secret Life of Plants\" de Stevie Wonder, Metal Box de Public Image Ltd., Risque de Chic, Real to Real Cacophony y Life in a day de Simple Minds

Raw pop to my veins.

So important, but also so good. Not the first punk album, nor the best, but a keystone in the story of guitar music, in the UK in particular.

cool

This was so good, I love this sound (surf-punk). It’s like Dead Kennedys were in a good mood. I had not heard these guys before and was slightly expecting a ska band with their name

That is some genuine and authentic Punk. Quite enjoyed replastering a ceiling to that today.

Que bonitola sorpresa está bands

“Razor sharp post punk anthems” Makes me feel like I’m 13 discovering punk rock for the first time.

Fun! Such authentic energy for a 70’s punk band

Teenage dreams, so hard to beat.

Solid album start to finish. Great songs, well produced.

Simply superb. Derry's finest

It’s got Teenage Kicks - 5 stars.

Who can argue with this energy? I've been hearing a lot from about about Feargal Sharkey over the last year. Now I get it.

Damn, just a few albums after Dookie where I had to point out that pop punk isn't really my thing, I get this one (never heard it before). This is the pop punk album to beat forever after, I think. 16 songs in 35 minutes so nothing overstays it's welcome. Perfectly fun and danceable. Doesn't take itself seriously and only the necessary amount of angst. Literally no complaints, this album is fun as hell.

Thought this was great and enjoyed all the songs

Early punk. The instrumentals reminded me a lot of the Strokes. The vocals not so much.

Meh.

This band (and Buzzcocks) convinced me to persevere with punk. I realised it could be fun and playful and smart, and didn't always have to be so serious. There is a bit of filler here (Billy's Third, for example) and I have heard Teenage Kicks too many times to even know if I actually like it any more, but any album that has Here Comes The Summer, Get Over You and Jimmy Jimmy on it has to get 5 stars. Energetic. Smart lyrics. So much fun.

Four stars for Teenage Kicks alone. Plus one for Jimmy Jimmy. The rest is a bonus. But WHAT a bonus. You can see where Supergrass lifted their best ideas from.

Tracklist: "Family Entertainment" "Girls Don't Like It" "Male Model" "I Gotta Getta" "Teenage Kicks" "Wrong Way" "Jump Boys" "Here Comes the Summer" "Get Over You" "Billy's Third" "Jimmy Jimmy" "True Confessions" Musical Style and Production: "The Undertones" is known for its raw, unpolished, and stripped-down punk sound. The album was produced by Roger Bechirian, who did an excellent job of capturing the band's frenetic energy. The music is characterized by fast tempos, simple but infectious guitar riffs, and John O'Neill's distinctive, melodic guitar work. The simplicity of the instrumentation is a testament to the band's DIY ethos and their ability to make something great with limited resources. Lyrics and Themes: The Undertones' lyrics often revolve around the themes of adolescent angst, the frustrations of youth, and the awkwardness of teenage romance. "Teenage Kicks," one of the album's standout tracks, is a perfect example of this, with its infectious refrain, "Teenage dreams, so hard to beat." Other tracks like "Get Over You" and "Male Model" reflect the band's humorous and sometimes sardonic take on these themes. Standout Tracks: "Teenage Kicks": A timeless punk anthem, the song's simple but unforgettable melody and relatable lyrics have made it an enduring classic. "Get Over You": This track is another highlight, featuring a catchy chorus and an infectious, punky energy. "Jimmy Jimmy": Known for its upbeat tempo and clever lyrics, it's another fan favorite. "Here Comes the Summer": A contrast to the typical punk sound, this song exudes a carefree, summery vibe. Impact and Legacy: "The Undertones" had a significant influence on the punk and new wave movements. "Teenage Kicks" is often regarded as one of the greatest punk rock singles ever recorded. The Undertones' knack for writing infectious pop-punk melodies with punk sensibilities helped shape the genre's evolution. The album is a blueprint for countless bands that followed. Overall Evaluation: "The Undertones" is a classic punk album that has stood the test of time. It's a concise and energetic collection of songs that perfectly captures the spirit of youth and rebellion. While it may not be the most groundbreaking or experimental punk album, its simple and effective approach to songwriting and performance is its strength. The Undertones' debut remains a must-listen for anyone interested in the punk and new wave genres, offering an engaging snapshot of the late 1970s music scene. In summary, "The Undertones" is a landmark album that showcases the band's ability to craft memorable pop-punk tunes with an irreverent edge. It's an essential addition to any punk or new wave music collection and a testament to the enduring power of youthful energy and rebellion in music.

Never heard of this band before today and I regret it. This is a really fun album and I will be adding this to the list of albums I will listen to. What I love about this project is finding new bands such as this.

Teenage Kicks! What a damn classic. Love this whole record. The blueprint for teenage angst punk rock.

Was really good as well, kinda reminds me of those old high school movies 5/5

Punky with a definite rock and roll influence, I only knew a couple of tracks but had to give this a second listen.

Fun music and lyrics!

A straight forward 70s punk album. Enjoyable. Five stars because it was refreshing after the last album i listened to.

Does it deserve the 5 stars I’m going to give it? Maybe not quite. It’s a solid 4.5 but I’m a sucker for punk and pop-punk so it gets bumped up.

Classic punk rock record. The difference between this album and The Buzzcocks is that The Undertones seem to be having fun and have zero pretension in their view of the world. Not sure there's a single bad track on this record.

slay

Fun pop-punk from back in the day. This is how it's done, Green Day!

An important album in both punk history and Irish music history. Teenage kicks is one of the most flawless pop punk songs ever written and the rest of the album is just as strong!

This was really fun. It reminded me of 90s pop punk.

What a brilliant album, thoroughly enjoyed listening to it