Reviews (page 6 of 8)
the one about the mars bar was bad the rest were excellent
Poppy, lively, energetic. Hints of punk throughout with a fast-paced vibe. Pretty decent record.
Sex Pistols sound without the Sex Pistols content. Grade A post punk greatness.
This album was nice, clean cut and short. It just felt like a nice almost introduction to rock music as nothing too much or too little. I respect it however I don’t see a huge importance to it in my opinion.
More Feargal Sharkey! Much like their 2nd album, but I think I like this a little more. Immediately accessible with a nice gentle touch of that late 70s not-too-scary UK punk. Short (16 songs, 35 minutes) major-melody aggressive tunes with vocals that are almost annoying but not quite - perfectly appropriate. Never a favourite but it's fun rock. 6/10 3 stars.
Like the Knack meets the Buzzcocks.. really good time and only song I was familiar with was "Teenage Kicks" so really glad I'm hearing the rest of this concise album. Nice to hear them tackle some other topics such as on Jimmy Jimmy as well as some other sonic palettes like the flanged out "True Confessions"
Didn’t we do this? Feargal Sharkey is a fine singer and they are fine instrumentalists. But one album is enough.
They were big in Derry. I wonder npow if they are on the Derry Girls soundtrack at all.... Says the wikipedia page. The shivering voice of Feargal Sharkey cofnuse me, as it reminds me of DK. So there is punk and other styles happening. Its entertaining and confusing the familair sounds - and there is a moment where I think its a Tone Loc song, buts its just "teenage Kicks'. pleasant enough early English rock, and a history lesson. is it big and inluentialand special enough for a top 1000? who knows. My guess is its a lukewarm one
Like I said last time their name came up, I was never a fan, but that was mainly because of Sharkey’s voice. Musically, this is quite interesting. Hardly surprising they reissued it within 6 months of its original release date so they could includeTeenage Kicks - their first single(1978) & best-known song - on it. Better thannI expected.
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.
4.5/5. Early pop punk was so much fun, Teenage Kicks is truly an anthem in its own right.
Teenage Kicks is, of course, a classic. We enjoyed this album but it wasn't a standout one.
Short but sweet. I liked the raw yet polished sound.
Ah punk with a bit of soul to it Still good after all this time though a couple of the tracks don't hit as well as they used to. I'm giving it a 4 just cos of those songs and also because I have always found Feargal's voice to be a bit too shrill at times though he does have a good heart (and these days, that's hard to find).
I enjoyed this but didn’t love it.
3.5. Good stuff but I'd rather listen to the clash or the ramones
mehr gefälliger rock aus grossbritannien. und feargal sharkey - die stimme kam mir bekannt vor. guter beat, nette gitarren - mehr nicht.
Raw pop to my veins.
Nice fun punky sound.
good punk rock record, short and sweet tracks, pretty short album overall but was decent
Very enjoyable punk record
Meh nothing standing out about this album. I do appreciate the short runtime.
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.
Zackiges Speed geladenes Rock-Album. Prägende Gitarren, Schlagzeug und Keyboards mit deutlicher Stimme in den vielen meist kurzen Songs (26 in 53 Minuten). Sie wirken manchmal wie Ska oder Psychodillic Songs. Typisch für das Album und gar nicht mal so schlecht ist “Teenage Kids”. Schöne Songs sind aber auch “Here comes The Summer”, “True Confession” und “Jimmy Jimmy”. Gernel mal wieder wenns fetzig sein soll.
Daqueles punks que engatam o ritmo e finaliza rapidamente o disco.
Starts out as a fun and the the starts to get old. Lots of tracks but all similar sound.
Another fun record 4/5
Before I start, I must say: you can't proclaim you didn't overstay your welcome when you didn't stay in the first place. Now that that's out of the way, review time. The album is 16 really short, simple songs that are focused heavily on one idea, both musically and lyrically. It is clearly catchy but with its' brevity comes a lack of substance. That can be averted with higher-quality songcraft, but that isn't present here. The album does feature some decent production choices, especially for an early punk record from a bunch of young bandmates. Honorable mention to tracks 9/13 Get Over You/(She's A) Runaround, their brevity and simplicity are countered by more balanced structures and better hooks. It's a decent record, but not outstanding. 2 stars.
Never heard of this band. So far so good. Fun album. Will I remember it probably not.
I liked this album and I also learned that Feargal Sharkey was the singer in The Undertones before his later career as a solo artist / water hygiene campaigner. Who knew?
Catchy well played pop punk. I dig.
Short, fun, energetic and catchy. Quite the incredible pop-punk release from 1979.
Early UK punk. Pretty cool but somewhat forgettable IMO
Not bad for a punk album. I still don't get the appeal of two minute songs that are just loud and fast, but this at least had some musical depth to it. Also wasn't just blast beats for 30 mins. Top tracks: Teenage Kicks, Get Over You, I Know A Girl
cool
had a few really good songs but apart from that i wasn't a fan of the vocals as it felt like borderline shouting at times.
#225. It was OK. I tried to get into it, there just wasn't a whole lot there. It reminds me of like PG-13 Dead Kennedys or something. Maybe that's not the best description, but it's the first one that came to mind. 3/5: tolerable Song added to playlist: Get Over You I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
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
2.5 stars
Highlights: Teenage Kicks, Here Comes The Summer
6.5/10
Not bad
Solid new wave/punk with some iconic tracks. But too long. These albums have a half-life that degrades pretty quickly in one sitting. That energy just can't stay at this level for that period of time.
The lyrics on this feel quite juvenile, and looking at the cover art I don't imagine the members are much older than high school age. Not everyone can make good lyrics, but they did have good instrumentals at least.
Initially wrote this off as another 70s British punk album, but it is a fun 70’s British punk album
I don't know how many of these punk/post-punk UK bands we're going to get on this list, but it's getting hard to keep trying to differentiate them.
New band to me, pleasant surprise, some old school punk similar to ramones etc.
Irish punk music that delivers quick and punchy tunes
Een half uurtje Britse punk met een zanger die door z'n klankkleur en vibrato ontzettend doet denken aan Jello Biafra van Dead Kennedys. Ontzettend leuk en compact album waarvan ik zo een paar nummers in een playlist kan zetten. Zo'n track als 'Male Model' zou niet misstaan in een Tony Hawk game. Het haalt net geen 5.
yooo this shit is straight ass 1.5/5
Pop English rock music that sounds like it was close to making a splash but not quite
short and had energy the whole time, it was ok
Great poppy punk! Love the vocals and the album is full of catchy tunes. I’m a fan!
deva mäkta nice
Particularly like (She’s A) Runaround
I kinda liked it. Something like the Ramones meet the Kinks, both bands I liked, but came across as sort of dated. Maybe it's like those movies that break some new ground but seem derivative if you've seen a bunch of movies afterwards that steal all the best bets. Still interesting for historical context for me.
Good music!
This is great punk/grunge. Sounds good and messy. "Teenage Kicks" is fun. I think "Jump Boys" to "Get Over You" is a low point in the album and could have been left off. Now that I've continued listening, the quality really dips after "Wrong Way." Or I just got tired of the sound. Either way, this album didn't need to be 26 songs long.
Brilliant record.
Underwhelming. Not much interesting to me here, but a solid record if this is what you're into.
That is some genuine and authentic Punk. Quite enjoyed replastering a ceiling to that today.
Pretty good general rock. Kinda skimmed this one
Je pense que j'ai mieux aimé que Hypnothised, mais ça reste que ce n'est pas le punk le plus impressionnant ou qui brise les barrières. De bien meilleurs albums sont sur cette liste. 7/10
early punk with a great beat. the singer sounds like a mix of jello biafra of the dead kennedys and johnny rotten of the sex pistols.
Es buen punk, tiene teenage kicks which is an amazing track. Pero siento que fue bastante repetitivo. 6/10.
It’s catchy and loud and I think it would have been great to hear live at the time. But it’s less great to listen to on headphones on a dog walk. Hard to be objective with these boys because our river saviour Feargal Sharkey has a vendetta against the rivers charity I work for.
Another seventies punk album. Maybe my ears aren't attuned to it, and I suspect they never will be.
We really need to be able to go .5 on the ratings, because this is a perfect 2.5, just bang on average
Just a very nice, fun burst of early pop punk (I didn't even think it existed before the 90's!) that reminded me a lot of the Buzzcocks and The Clash. And Jello Biafara in some spots, weirdly.
Hell of a slice of early Pop Punk. Energetic and lively all the way through.
It’s a pretty good 3, but it’s just sort of… safe. It’s hard for me to find the specific words I want to say, because I do think this album has some pretty energetic tracks throughout, but none of them are necessarily that memorable. It’s not an Apocalypse Dudes situation where I felt like every song just sort of blended together, but it is a point where the quantity of the album creates diminishing returns on the quality of the album – at some point, the soundscape loses its luster, and even with the 16 tracks here all being relatively short, some of them do feel unnecessary, even with some decent variety within. It’s a good listen, and I’m sure it’ll resonate better and perhaps more deeply with someone else, but for my money’s worth, this is an album that you take all the songs in, throw on a playlist, and then just go “oh, this sounds cool” when it comes up on shuffle, and never think about it again afterward. Hence, the 3, but it could go up to a 4 later. The guitar work was absolutely stellar though.
Pretty fun! Kind of Clash meets Specials with some catchy stuff. Here Comes The Summer was great. Light 4.
Good punk, I liked it
A softer style of punk. The songs are catchy but they don’t have the lyrics intensity or message of contemporaries like the Clash. That said I did like this one.
Solid punk rock from a band I’ve never heard of before! This was a fun listen too! Sounds like they pull a bit from the Clash in the fusion of rough sounds with classic melody.
Whole lot of fun, hard to believe it was 1979. Earworms up and down the whole tracklist. Fav Track: Jimmy Jimmy
Que bonitola sorpresa está bands
“Razor sharp post punk anthems” Makes me feel like I’m 13 discovering punk rock for the first time.
These guys were much ahead of their time, now, I'm sure. I'm not sure how much I like it since it still sounds generic to my ears.
Just OK
A bit too basic. Teenage Kick is amazing. The guitars sound like That Petrol Emotion
liked the rock/punk rock vibe of the music. solid beats.
"The Undertones" by The Undertones is a timeless punk rock album that encapsulates the energy and spirit of the late 1970s. Released in 1979, this debut album is a collection of short, fast-paced songs characterized by catchy melodies and upbeat rhythms. One of the standout features of the album is the band's ability to blend infectious pop hooks with punk sensibilities, creating a sound that is both accessible and edgy. Tracks like "Teenage Kicks" and "Get Over You" are instant classics that showcase the band's knack for writing catchy, memorable tunes. While some may find the album's production a bit raw by today's standards, it adds to the overall charm and authenticity of the record. "The Undertones" is a must-listen for fans of punk rock and a testament to the band's enduring influence on the genre. 4/5
The Undertones is the debut album by the Irish rock band The Undertones. This punk rock album brought a fresh sound to the genre and was critically acclaimed as a result. The young band may have produced a run-of-the-mill rock album, but it has soul. I enjoyed the vibe on this album, with "Teenage Kicks," "Here Comes The Summer," & "Jimmy Jimmy" being the standout tracks. If you're a fan of punk rock, then you should like this album.
Interesting, kind of early punk album. I enjoyed it, partially cause how short it was, but overall it was good. 3/5 Might listen again
3-4
Fast pace music that all sounds alike.
Punk. I get it.
Fine for background music. 16 tracks clocking at 34 minutes made it an easy listen - but I cannot remember any one song in particular after listening to it. I’m not a punk fan, so I might not be seeing something.
meh, reminds me of lamer Ramones.
i didn't know they punked like this in Ireland. pretty good stuff, but I've never been that big on classic punk.
Never heard of these guys and enjoyed this very much.
Not bad at all -- nice poppy little tunes.
While this half hour of family entertainment did make me get my teenage kicks, much like a summer mid budget action flick, it came and went without much though afterwards.
Competently crafted punk rock that's most definitely a tier or two below the more household names of the genre.
Great stuff
right up my alley babey
Poppy and punk mixed together. Energetic and a bit fun.
Some pretty straight forward, yet wholly fun punk-rock/new-wave tunes. Feels bubbly and youthful
Kind of a fun album. Sounded a little punky. I don't think I'd heard of them before.
Energetic and raw punk. Not particularly inventive but a quintessential spawn of the wave
Un buen disco de punk con condimentos de rock y blues
Was okay
More boring punk.
Punky. I like.
Really good. Sounds like the Clash meets the Ramones. A strong 3
Some OK UK punk. Other bands did it better and are more recognizable because of it. Some good tracks on here tho, good listen overall.
3 stars just for Teenage Kicks, plus one for the rest.
It’s a light pink that gets repetitive. I went six tracks in and I don’t think it gets better. Not very good. Rather hear the Ramones or T Rex.
Enjoyed this! I know the song Teenage Kicks, which is great. The rest of the album sounds similar.
John Lennon soll mal gesagt haben: "I always liked simple rock". Er wäre dann hier voll auf seine Kosten gekommen. Für mich war das Album auf die Dauer zu eintönig.
pretty solid. could i write poetry to this? y
A fine album. Really enjoyed where Spotify took me after this album was done.
I really liked True Confessions. Nothing else really stood out.
This is extremely my shit. Punchy and catchy as hell. Great jangly guitars!
Fun! Such authentic energy for a 70’s punk band
35 minutes of really solid punk. It's frantic, irreverent, and nihilistically joyful. Just 16 tracks of devil-may-care fun and I'm here for it.
Pop punk? I like it. Buddy holly meets punk
Simpel-Punk aber ganz lustig. 2S.
A low 4
A bit basic past Teenage Kicks
High tempo, good time rocking. A lot for next generations to draw from.
Teenage dreams, so hard to beat.
Not grating by English punk standards but also not amazing by those standards either. Pretty average and only thing I’ll remember is that one of the songs was sampled in a one direction cover of one way or another by blondie.
Full of bangers tbf
first listen super fun for 1979
Not sure why this made the list. Average forgettable pop punk.
Lovely, more dogshit UK punk
Punk, aber eher Rock. Kann man sich anhören, ist mir aber von Rhythmus her zu hektisch.
Fine, song of the summer was fun and male model was fun. Probably wouldn’t re-listen to the rest of the album
They remind me of The Clash and Dead Kennedys, some songs are alright but I'm not the biggest fan of their overall sound, 5/10
A fun album. Listened to the version with the big singles on it, but the whole album was decent. Will listen to it again for sure.
Nice bit of poppy 'New Wave' to brighten up a miserable day. I didn't mind them as a kid. However I preferred That Petrol Emotion as an adult. All the singles are excellent, even the album tracks are good. Both versions of 'True Confessions' were the standouts for me. A low 4.
Completely fine pop punk. I like the lead singer's vibrato.
Fun! 3.5
2.75
I was surprised that I was not more aware of this album upon hearing it. Just a super enjoyable early pop punk album from a bunch of weird-looking British dudes. Lots of great, late 70s punk fun 4/5
A fairly good album, it has the classic song Teenage Kicks Wich I really enjoyed. I also liked Family Entertainment, Jimmy Jimmy and (She's A) Runaround.
Nothing I'm going to remember.
Reminded me of The Clash and the Sex Pistols Cars, Ramones and Romantics. Band is from Ireland.
Teenage Roxy had good taste!
Catchy pop punk rhythms. Great sounding guitar work, they were certainly not sloppy with their time like a lot of bands in this genre can be. Interesting layered vocals with a weird tremolo/vibrato at times. Too many songs that just fade out because they reach a state of endless repetition, but not all of them. Anyway, the music is fun, and wouldn't be out of place in a Tony Hawk game.
Rating: 6.5/10 Good album overall. The first half is great, very catchy with plenty of fun guitar riffs and melodies. After a certain point the charm of this album starts to wear off, the second half is decent but the ideas start getting repetitive and some of the songs start feeling redundant despite the album's short length. Favorite songs: the first eight songs. Worst songs: Get Over You, (She's A) Runaround.
Ekki leiðinlega leiðinlegt, en þetta er samt svoldið leiðinlegt. Pönk er bara dálítið boring, svona oftast. Og þetta er oftast.
It never really deviates from it's one dimensional path
Solid album start to finish. Great songs, well produced.
The Undertones self titled debut is shocking for a band coming from Derry, Northern Ireland in 1978. It’s so bright, the first comparison it brings to mind for me is The Beach Boys. But they are not The Beach Boys, they play hard and fast. Everything is very tight and simple, teenagers playing for teenagers. 7.4/10
Funny how this is only a 34-minute record, because it feels like it goes on for much longer than that. It's nice that The Undertones figured out a sound, but there's not enough variety or any distinct flavors to keep this album interesting. It's too much of a soundalike of its contemporaries. This will be one of those albums that I will have forgotten about by tomorrow. The sole track worth taking note of is (She's A) Runaround.
2.5 - I like the singer's voice, but it suffers from the same problems as most of the punk albums I listen to do. The ending was nice, and the bonus songs were better, but I'm going off of the initial release's track listing, so. Better than some punk I listen to, but this album doesn't stand out too much.
Ekki alveg að hitta í mark hjá mér. Röddin í Feargal Sharkey fer líka í taugarnar á mér.
Not my jam
Bravi ma non memorabili
meh
I was not familiar with this at all before hearing it. It's punk, in the direction of The Clash, but it almost reminds me of the Strokes. It's fine, nothing objectionable, but nothing really stuck out about it on first listen.
Fell asleep
Simply superb. Derry's finest
Oh yeah, this is the good stuff! Late 70's pop punk ftw! Really good listen, you get exactly what you expect to get. I'm a satisfied customer today.
Like a weak version of the sex pistols.
I enjoyed this a lot. Had not heard it.
fuckin right mate
Absolute gem of a power pop record. No duds noted as it stays fresh while breezing through 16 tracks in 35 minutes. Though it’s more of a casual surprise than memorable spin. It is definitely a background record, good for the road, doing chores around the house or a quick work out.
Extremely average, like most punk music from this time period. Completely uninteresting and unremarkable, but not the worst thing ever made or anything. Meh.
mid old rocky stuff
Good enough.
Okay
Not very impressed. It could be that modern bands have refined this style so much that this one album sounds too simplistic/dated to me. Will I listen to any song here again? Unlikely.
For most of the album this was looking like a mediocre off-brand Clash knock-off, but it was actually the bonus tracks that got my ears to finally perk up, in particular Mars Bars was a great song. 3 male models out of 5 🏋️🏋️🏋️
Fun, punchy and fast moving English punk with bit of a pop sensibility. Lyrics aren't particularly deep, but they're about what you would expect from this kind of band. "Teenage Kicks" is a classic of the genre. Fave Songs: Teenage Kicks, Here Comes The Summer, Get Over You, True Confessions, Listening In
Teenage Kicks aside, wouldn't find myself listening to this much.
Mix of the clash and sum 41, old school vocals and drums but guitar sound getting a little more modern
Solid powerpop punk album
Lekkere poppunk, gaat vaker op!
The Undertones - The Undertones 6/10 - 3/5 Pretty repetitive. Many songs blur together, even though they're decent. Seems like The Ramones but not as good.
Not my favorite
It’s got Teenage Kicks - 5 stars.
First heard The Undertones on Angela’s Punk music Grad class CDs. “Get Over You” made it on to the Punk 254 compilation I made. Good example of British/Irish punk that avoided the straight confrontation of the Sex Pistols and embraced some melody.
A little too pop'y punk for me.
A few bangers and not overly long but felt a little 1 paced at times
Not sure if the other songs are all measurably worse than Teenage Kicks, and it's just because I've been exposed to that one so much that I think it's a banger. Probably a 3.5
What a badass album!
The list gave me two really good punk records in a row, but I feel that this record didn't live up to my newfound expectations of punk. It's a little boring, and a little all over the place. Not bad by any means, but it could be a whole lot better.
It’s pretty good from an immature, me n the boys out chasing the muff around kinda place. Not the highest quality but a good bop. 2/5
Очень неплохо
Great sound, and songs don’t overstay their welcome. Obviously influenced by the Clash but I hear a lot of what these guys did in late 90s skate punk.
This album was superb, I was familiar with the big songs from The Undertones but nothing else. Full of energy and not one song felt like filler. The only knock on this for me is its length. Too many songs for how short they generally are.
Overall a fun album. I struggled whether to give this a 3 or 4, it sounded a big basic but it came before most similar-sounding albums so maybe it deserves some extra credit.
The Undertones are a strong punk rock group hailing from Ireland. They have a very exciting sound and the upbeat, driving tempo gives great energy. This music makes the listener want to get up and jump! The drums are, by far, the best part of this album. The Ramones were probably a very strong influence on this album.
I like this. Nice solid punk rock.
Demasiado previsor. Poco innovador. Rock con estilo y escuchable, pero sin más. Válido para cualquier momento
just fine. similar tone throughout entire album. its lively and kind of a product of the time.
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.
This project is teaching me that I like punk much more than I thought I did. This is just plain fun. Wish some of the songs were longer.
This is how I imagined rock and roll to sound when I was younger. Wouldn't listen to it again on purpose, but liked it more than David Bowie.
# 135 : Who, What... Early British punk that rocked on. Had a bad day? Play the Undertones and kick something. Short songs with a fast tempo mean It's all over before its begun, but there is so much here. Favourite Track : True Confessions
Don't care for punk but at least the vocals on this were not the typical british shit. 1 star extra for the clearer vocals
Fun! Some questionable lyrics though haha
Was just alright.
There was a tempo-driven energy that lessened the barrier of entry made it easy for me to casually enjoy the experience and disregard the lyrical content or any feeling of repetitiveness. I found the accent on the vocals refreshing compared to the overabundance of British-based banks. This and The Clash have helped me realize I can like punk rock and tend to be drawn to it over more heavy/hard/grungy rock. It felt long for 35 minutes but was nice to have on while not having to give it my full attention. 6/10
Great album, never listened to it before, even though it was released during my childhood.
Du bon punk un peu trop flat à mon goût, il manque de piquant
I'm not a big punk fan but I liked this quite a bit. There's something very relatable throughout all these songs, on top of the authenticity, energy, and angst. After this album I listened to some Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Sham 69, and the Clash. Damn if it wasn't all good stuff!
Not into this. It's overdone.
3.5
Punk rock is 16 songs in 34 minutes 3
I liked the idea of it but could not make it through the whole album.
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.
POP-PUNK WILL NEVER DIE 4 because there are many boring songs
male model is funny, i know a girl
This is what I was hoping for when I started this project—someone I’d absolutely never heard of that’s just a good listen, start to finish.
Best suggestion so far
A bit of music history that holds up well.
Fun British punk album with short, sweet songs. I enjoyed this one!
pretty great, maybe 4.5 but not 5
Thought this was great and enjoyed all the songs
Fun punk pop.
I have known who Feargal Sharkey is forever, but I didn't know he was the singer in The Undertones for some reason. John Peel really liked 'Teenage Kicks', it's a good song. It is a bit samey, but a good samey?? It's a good three-chord pop-punk song they play 16 times! 2.5 stars / 5 stars.
Hadn't heard of this band until teenage kicks came on and was like oh yeah that thing. It was perfectly adequate.
Not my favourite genre, but I did enjoy Feargul's vibrato vocals despite usually disliking such delivery. Teenage Kicks is a great song.
Meh
All songs sound the same to me
Very good early new wave is how I would describe them
It feels like listening to the birth of punk yet it isn't. It feels like listening to a band that inspired the Ramones yet It came out after the Ramones debut. It feels like I would remember those songs as some are very good yet I couldn't sing one 5 minutes after it ended. 3 stars
This is a bop, I love late 70s British rock, turns out. Compared to other stuff I like though, this is reasonably boring. It makes decent background and dancing around music, but it definitely didn't blow my mind or anything.
Pretty fun classic English punk. I could just tell the genre based on the album cover lol and they did not disappoint, it went pretty hard and had some fun songs.
This is a pretty solid punk offering. Nothing special, just fast-paced and fun.
Oh yes !!!
Teenage kicks & Here comes the summer Songs too short though!
Classic '70s punk/pub rock from a Ireland. Scratches all the itches. Energetic, snotty, agitated, and hilarious. Better than a lot of similar bands of the era, if not quite Jam, Gen X, or Buzzcocks caliber.
TBH kinda forgettable? Maybe I just wasn't paying attention
Its a very listentoable album. True Confessions was cool. Very tough between a 3.7 to 4. So I'm going with 4 since this was a debut.
Just solid. The vintage punk feel with strong pop sensabilities. Nearly every song is pretty approachable and easy to enjoy (maybe Wrong Way is the one song i would skip). Impressive and fun.
Fun
I do not really like punk. Neither do I really like new wave. The undertones make both work though. It gets a little samey after a while though.
Early punk. The instrumentals reminded me a lot of the Strokes. The vocals not so much.
"The Undertones" is the debut album by Nothern Irish rock band The Undertones. The album was recorded in London and produced by Roger Bechirian. Punk rock and pop punk. Yep, that sums it up. The album received widespread critical acclaim with descriptions such as "great, elusive, valuable, new pop alongside Blondie, Elvis Costello, the Ramones and the Buzzcocks. The album is considered one of the best from 1979 and one of best all time pop/punk albums. A slashing guitar opens "Family Entertainment." A clear rhythm guitar and a fast punk-pop pace. A catchy melody (most of these songs are). Darker lyrics at face value suggesting incest. And there's more slashing guitar on "Jump Boys." More power pop punk with multiple backing vocals. A guitar and bass solo in this 2:42-minute song. I have no idea who the jump boys are. Drums start "Here Comes the Summer." Right into guitar power chords. Oh, the keyboards driving the melody. Sun and girls. "Jimmy Jimmy" is slower with a melodic guitar. It kicks with a more classic rock beat. Another dark song lyrically as little Jimmy gets carried off in an ambulance which no one saw. Pounding drums and rolling bass get "True Confessions" going. This is different and I like it. It's more post punk and actually sounds like Devo. A hypnotic, mechanical, repeating guitar note. "Listening In" is melodic with guitar and keyboards. It goes right into the short closer "Casbah Rock." This sounds like it was recorded in a cave and maybe that's on purpose as The Casbah was a venue they played at. I think there might be a similar titled song a few years later. This is a very good album. I can see the comparisons made to those 1979 bands mentioned earlier. Catchy, melodic, pop-punk fast. Short right-to-the point songs. A darker edge lyrically to some of the songs keeping it interesting. Yeah, it you want to place yourself back in the 1979 pop-punk era, this is a good place to start.
Cool little punk record. It’s a little bit forgettable, but the simple and more uplifting lyrics were a nice change of pace to me. The songs are also short and sweet, nicely paced album! It’s good punk, but it’s not the BEST I’ve ever heard. Still pretty good.
Good stuff! 4 stars.
Fun album. First time really listening to this band. Definitely keeping this one in rotation.
Not worth a spot in the 1001.
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.
Marshmallow punk? They sound so nice. “True confessions” keyboard version stands out for originality (though I would have cut the vocals) 7/10
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.
Sometimes melodic, sometimes edgy. The lead singer’s thin, trembly voice can barely keep up sometimes.
Decent but I've heard better punk rock.
It was fine, all sounded rather similar...?
Really really fun. All sounds sonically awesome too. Teenage kicks is the tits
Really good riffs and big variety of songs. A bit one dimensional but still diverse for a British rock n' roll classic. (79%).
I've never heard of The Undertones before, but I really enjoyed listening to this album. This album was a great combination of punk and new wave. The songs were driving, fast paced, and succinct in their lyrical messages. I loved that The Undertones made their point in each song, and then moved on, refusing to beat around the bush and drag their songs on longer than necessary. The drumming and guitar playing were fantastic, the vocals were unique, and the lyrics were the perfect combination of sometimes serious, and sometimes funny. Highlights: "Family Entertainment," "I Gotta Getta," "Here Comes the Summer," "Get Over You," and "I Know a Girl."
Classic: I saw the track list and was bracing myself for the longest album ever but was pleasantly surprised when it was only 30 odd minutes long. And boy what a cheeky 30 minutes was it. Began with 'family entertainment' and from there it was a solid album throughout. A little underwhelming at points but it's for sure solid classic rock.
This album is good it’s just that there’s much better punk stuff than this
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.
They listened to The Clash and The Ramones didn't they
British Ramones. Ramones are better, but this was still good.
this was a fun surprise! i had never heard of this band or album so didn't know what to expect. but i found a pretty fun punk record that i felt combined the sensibility of the clash with the hooks of the ramones. it didn't absolutely floor me, but was still a fun listen!
Yep
I found myself relistening to this a couple of times, but not because I liked it, but rather I think it reminded me enough with other music I did like that I thought maybe I was missing something and if I tried hard enough I would like it, but no I don't. Also I highly recommend not watching the videos, I think I might have ruined Teenage Kicks by doing so.
Pretty cool album...fun punkish sound. Really lighthearted that works well. 4/5
Teenage Kicks! What a damn classic. Love this whole record. The blueprint for teenage angst punk rock.
Driving and lively, fun and edgy. One likes how they expanded the punk palette a touch (with some twinkly keys [as on "Here Comes the Summer] and backing vocals [as on "Jump Boys {which sure sounds like it should be called "Drunk Boys"}] while keeping legit teeth and thrash on the guitars and appropriately sneery vocals. The content is dead on track, too – mostly girls and lots of emotions.
I didn’t love all of it, and I didn’t hate all of it. Half the album was a 4, half the album was a 1 or 2. And it wasn’t have the songs, it was like half of each song.
Decent punk. Teenage Kicks is a classic, another couple of standout tracks, a little bit of organ and the odd funky bass solo. It does get very samey though and the singer’s vibrato gets annoying.
This is a fantastic (and classic) debut album. Great punk- and garage rock with melodic vocals and dazzling hooks. Too bad several of the early singles (like Teenage Kicks) are not on it. So this is an exception to the rule that bonus tracks are a bummer. Listen to the even better experience of a re-release/extended version of the album and get the six star treatment.
Was really good as well, kinda reminds me of those old high school movies 5/5
No Teenage Kicks, but plenty of other great songs on this pop-punk debut of the Undertones. However, it is a bit too straightforward to get the full 5 stars - it does not help that its successor, Hypnotized, is a significantly stronger album. score: 8/10.
Decent album, but not as good as Hypnotised.
Very enjoyable punk.
Léger et entraînant; une célébration de la jeunesse
sehr gut. 4 punkte
Punky with a definite rock and roll influence, I only knew a couple of tracks but had to give this a second listen.
It's the type of modern pop energy and rhythm I enjoy the most!
The Undertones were one of those underappreciated British (Northern Irish actually) bands from the UK New Wave scene of the 1970s. They created excellent power pop. Their most famous song, Teenage Kicks, is on this album.
It's like if the Beatles tried to be kind of edgy or something. Somehow makes them sound even *worse* than the Beatles
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.
Family Entertainment- 3.6/5 Girls Don't Like It- 3.3/5 (sounds like a total drama song) Male Model- 3.5/5 I Gotta Getta- 3.7/5 Teenage Kicks- 3.8/5 Wrong Way- 3.8/5 Jump Boys- 3.7/5 Here Comes the Summer- 3.5/5 Get Over You- 3.6/5 Billy's Third- 3/5 Jimmy Jimmy- 3.4/5 True Confessions- 3.9/5 (She's a) Runaround- 3.5/5 I Know a Girl- 3.6/5 Listenin In- 4/5 Casbah Rock- 3.5/5 Total- 3.6/5
Fun music and lyrics!
pretty good proto-punk album. I liked it well.
Album with ups and downs
meh
Okay at times
It does not spark annoyance, it doesn't spark much joy either.
Really like the Brit punk/60's garage band sound, fun album to listen to. Only real issue is pretty much every song is the same, hence why I really can't give this 5 stars.
Right up my 70's punk alley. My rating is on a scale of 0 to Ramones for this style, so take that into account when I give this a 4.
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.
Very samey, but in a good way I guess. There's a few stand out songs, but everything else is just more of the same with slightly different lyrics and a slightly different tune. Short and sweet, but nothing amazing.
Nothing that is going to blow anybody away but I do appreciate that the lyrics are more fun than you normally get on a punk record from this period.
I never heard of these guys, and the cover sets up a false image for what you can expect soundwise. I put on the album and was pleasantly surprised! Nice shorter punk songs in the Ramones vein. Songs you can easily sing a long and stick their hooks in you. I dig it! 8 out of 10
Yeah solid I didn’t hate anything off that, I think the singles are a little ahead in quality and the others can get repetitive but still great rock songs. 4/5
Name like The Undertones there is no way this isn't punk. I listened, but I really didn't care. I enjoy punk in certain varieties, but this is not my cup of tea. 2 / 5.
Early punk rock. Nice job.
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
Pretty sick. I'm not big on '70s punk but this was a good listen. Nothing really stood out to me, but I didn't hate it.
This was a fun one.
This was bloody awful. Only managed three songs.
A lovely serve of jaunty, happy, semi-punk. Very tight and well arranged.
Simple irish punky pop much beloved by John Peel. Short snappy working class songs about young love and council estates. Largely forgettable but to the point.
A perfectly fine punk rock record, in the vein of the Buzzcocks or Ramones. Favorite tracks: "Male Model", "Teenage Kicks", "Here Comes The Summer"