Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Really enjoyable jangle pop! Wasn’t sure what to expect out of this one but it’s damn nice!
Maso
Very solid. Didn't know them. 4/5
Very generic 80s sort of new wave sound, and just nothing that made it stand out to me.
There's nothing to see here. I'd be less annoyed if it weren't for the annoying lyrics as well. Too much name dropping, too many stilted, poorly flowing verses. "It stinks!" - Jon Lovitz, 1994
4/10
A timeless masterpiece. Lyrically and musically sounds as good as when I first heard it. Not a single duff track and several that I'd say are classics. One of the great albums.
Another Scottish jangle pop band....I just....don't care.... Favorite songs: You Will Never Be No Good, Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?, Four Flights Up, Charlotte Street Least favorite songs: 2cv, Patience, The Sea and the Sand 2/5
I'm surprised that I didn't hate this album, because I remember that, back in the day, I did not like Lloyd Cole's music at all. I won't exactly say that listening to this was a pleasant surprise, but it didn't annoy me and I wouldn't mind if I had to listen to it again. That said, I can certainly live without it too. It's a three-star album for me... Harmless, but rather dull.
3/5 Hyvää taustamusiikkia, ihan hyvää, muttei herättänyt kauheasti tunteita.
Alku ihan lupaava, ja oli kivasti vaihtelua. Mutta sitten alkoikin toistaa itseään, ja albumi oli tarpeettoman pitkä.
Soundi on ihan hyvä. Paljon yhteistä äänimaailmaa The Smithsin kanssa. Albumilla esimerkiksi Rattlesnakes ja Down on mission street kuulostaa hyvältä.
Olipahan mitäänsanomatonta
Kalkkarokäärme ei nyt oikein iskenyt. Ihme kuiskailu biisejä höystettynä princemäisillä kiekaisuilla.
Tuhannen tylsä levy. Kyllä tup nyt taistamusiikkina menee mutta en ehkä varta vasten laittaisi soimaan.
New to me. Some fun lyrics.
So boring I could hardly get through it.
More excellent early alternative music that flew under the radar, at least here in the states I guess. This has some really lovely moments and I enjoy the blend of neo psychedelia and blue eyed soul. The use of strings is also used to good effect and can be surprising.
3.5
ДОБРАЯ СВЕТЛАЯ ГРУСТЬ
The title track makes me feel like the woman in the song speeding just to feel something.
Superb. Refreshing at the time.
Bra men lite märklig, någon slags the smiths/the jam men inslag av blues ibland
The title track is the best thing on here. Either there are some songs that are so prominent in my recollection that they came from these guys and I never knew it, or they sound like every other alt-indie band from this era. Hard to say which. Competent. Not compelling.
Super mediocre. I’m not sure why this would be included on any essential listening list, even though it’s not terrible. 2.5?
Are you kidding
I was hoping for more albums like this one, excellent! Listened to it and played it again immediately.
2.5/5
Very eighties pop-rock. Intellectual or pseudo-intellectual lyrics with strong synth melodies. It is decent, but not terribly memorable.
Hmm. I mean they're fine? But boring. Kind of run of the mill generic 80s music (and I say that as a huge fan of 80s music). I had never heard of them, and I question them being influential. This album came out in 84 and what they were doing was nothing new at that point.
A little more chill than most jangle pop bands of the era (and by chill I guess I mean boring; I listened twice because I thought I missed something but it turns out I didn't). Reminiscent of The The, but not quite the genuine article. I'm giving it a 3.5.
Country rock mouais bof bof
Not bad.
This was my first proper listen to Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, and I was genuinely looking forward to giving them a go. I ended up listening to Rattlesnakes three or four times because I struggled to land on a clear opinion. There are definitely some great songs here, but overall, it feels quite middle-of-the-road. That said, it’s an easy, pleasant listen — the kind of album that works well in the background. On reflection, I’d give it a solid 3 out of 5. Not groundbreaking, but good to have on rotation when you want something mellow and unobtrusive. Favourite tracks: “Perfect Skin” and “Rattlesnakes” stood out as real highlights. Least favourite: Nothing jumped out as terrible — it’s all pretty consistent. Album artwork: I really like the simplicity of the cover. It suits the tone of the album perfectly.
I enjoyed this one more than others of its sort. I think it was just the right mix of mellow and vocal
It's not objectively bad, but it sounds like discount-REM to me. I'll give it a little credit for coming out in the mid-80's without sucking. 2.6
I first heard the song Rattlesnakes because I'm a huge Tori Amos fan, and she has a cover album (Strange Little Girls) that includes her take on this song. She breathes such a different life into the song, and I don't know if I'd like the original as much without having heard her version first. I really, really liked this album, though knowing Tori's version of Rattlesnakes beforehand let me hear the other songs with different ears. I think with some added vocal layering, more expansive production, and some tweaking of the vocal delivery, this could be a great album. I still like it as is, I just wish he'd articulate the lyrics with more rhythm and purpose, and less carefree new-wavey voice. It would suit these songs well. I've listened twice already and would listen again, so it's going into the 4 bucket, but it's not the weightiest of 4s.
Nudna i generyczna płyta. 2-3 piosenki zapadają w pamięć, ale reszta przepływa z ucha w zapomnienie, nie zahaczając o hipokamp. Całość się dłuży, brakuje jakiejś dominanty. 5.5/10 i niech nigdy nie wraca, bo i tak pomylę z czymś innym.
I feel like i could rate this album higher as the guitar work was nice and the lyrics at times were good, but still not enough here to think of this as beyond being an album that was good in its day but not something I would ever revisit.
Very good
80-ті був періодом коли сінти домінували у тогочасній поп музиці, а навколо синті-попу була зосереджена уся увага. Тим не менш, гарна гітарною-орієнтована поп музика, все ж існувала і у середині десятиліття почала знову набувати популярності. Більш того, зʼявився навіть новий жанр jungle pop, що був започаткований гуртом The Smiths на їх однойменному дебютному альбомі. Lloyd Cole And The Commotions стоять в цьому плані, дуже поряд із The Smiths. Lloyd Cole, як і Морріссі був дуже майстерним у ліриці. У той час він був 22-х річним студентом, який вивчав англійську літературу та філософію в Університеті Глазго. Тому не дивно, що його тексти були сповнені безліччю поетичних та виразних образів. Як він сам зізнавався в інтервʼю The Guardian: «Пейзаж для альбому я черпав зі своєї уяви. Я був у Європі лише раз, але моя романтична образність походила з книг і фільмів. Я випадково натрапив на спосіб створювати яскраві картини, витрачаючи мінімум слів». Ці його слова, чи не найкраще характеризують його ліричну майстерність, що в повній мірі розкривалась у поєднанні із мелодійною та чутливою музикою. І особливо, в цьому плані, виділяються текстурні гітарні партії, та тендітні, ледь чутні, струнні аранжування. І нехай дебютник The Smiths я, все ж, люблю більше, Rattlesnakes ні в якому разі не гірше, а завдяки своїй «стриманій елегантності» часом навіть краще.
Never heard of this before. It's nice 80's jangly rock, kinda reminds me of The House of Love. Not bad or anything but can't see how it belongs on this list. Two stars.
Non mi coinvolge particolarmente
Enjoyed this one a lot, another album where I had never heard a single song before. It moves enough that it doesn’t feel dated or tired
Was not here for this one Will I listen to again: 0%
Really like Forest Fire
Not that memorable, to be honest.
Kirkland Signature "The Smiths"
This album never charted in the US so that's probably why I'd never heard of it. Or maybe it's because it's just non-interesting, middle of the road 80's music. Either way, I didn't do the math and it may well be worthy of a place on a list of 1001 best somethings to do before you die. I just hope that there are better things than this to experience before I get to the end of that list.
I don't remember this group, but, yeah, they sound a lot like my college days.
Jangly guitars, warbly vocals, shimmering synths, poppy bass, cheesy strings, upbeat songs with a bit of snap to them and bittersweet melancholy lyrics. A kind of pop rock that they just don't make anymore. Like a British post New Wave version of heartland rock - a bit phonier, less bombastic, but hitting the same adult contemporary notes. Drags a bit on the slower tracks, but when they're in full on bright jangly mode its so good.
This was quite pleasant.
Hell yeah
Enjoyable 89s college rock
Sounds like something from the cut-out bin at Sam Goody or Camelot Music back in the late 80s. Does not belong on this list.
3/5. A chill and mostly calm soft rock album. The lyrics are not something to write home about but the style of singing and music is hard to resist vibing with. I wouldn't say it's my favorite and not sure I'm listening to it again but it wasn't a bad listen. I always enjoy a dylan-esque artist. Best Song: Perfect Skin, Forest Fire, Rattlesnakes
Not bad but mostly felt like generic whiny British 80s music. I'll forget this one.
Enjoyable English New wave
This sucks
generic 80s pop for me - there were a couple of better songs but overall passed by without much to note
Fantastic mod pop sound. Really well rounded fun album. Never heard of the band but wish I would have known them earlier.
More average British rock.
Pretty good jangle pop, nice warm sound, pretty melodies. Never heard of this before but I enjoyed it.
Weird but not bad, interesting to say the least...
Enjoyed this
I’ve been stumped lately why some of these are even included. Cue GPT Lloyd Cole and the Commotions’ debut album Rattlesnakes (1984) is included in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die because it is widely regarded as one of the defining albums of 1980s indie rock and jangle pop. The album is praised for its intelligent, literary lyrics, sophisticated songwriting, and melodic, guitar-driven sound, which blends elements of folk, pop, and new wave. Key reasons for its inclusion: 1. Lyricism – Lloyd Cole’s lyrics are witty, literate, and full of literary and cinematic references (e.g., Truffaut, Norman Mailer, Evelyn Waugh), setting him apart from many of his contemporaries. 2. Jangle Pop Sound – Influenced by artists like Bob Dylan, Roxy Music, and The Velvet Underground, Rattlesnakes helped define the jangly, melodic guitar sound that became influential in indie music. 3. Strong Songwriting – Tracks like Perfect Skin, Forest Fire, and Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken? are considered classics, blending introspective storytelling with catchy hooks. 4. Influence on Later Artists – The album had a lasting impact on British indie and alternative bands, influencing acts such as Belle & Sebastian, The Go-Betweens, and Teenage Fanclub. 5. Critical Acclaim – Upon its release, Rattlesnakes received widespread praise and has since been recognised as one of the great debut albums in UK music history. Its inclusion in 1001 Albums highlights its status as an essential listen for anyone interested in literate, melodic pop with emotional depth. I still only liked one song
picit idegesít ahogy énekel a tag, meg olyan üres érzelmileg, de zeneileg amúgy bejött elegge, szépek a dallamok
Kedvenc/Favourite: You Will Never Be No Good Jó értelemben kicsit éretlennek érződött néha, de ettől volt nekem őszinte. Úgy éreztem, olyan zenét írtak és játszottak, amihez kedvük volt. Ez a folk/indie pop/rock vonal is tetszett nekem. El tudom képzelni, hogy fogom még hallgatni. It felt a bit immature at times, in a good way. That's what made it sound honest for me. I felt like they wrote and played music that they truly wanted to. I also liked this folk/indie pop/rock vibe. I can see myself listening to it again.
Nothing special here.
I expected this to be more exciting with a name like Rattlesnakes, but it was dreadfully dull. Very middling music all round and not really sure why it’s on the list. Not offensive, just entirely forgettable.
Never heard of them before. Nice listening music!!!
Een zwoel hijgstemmetje, een keer een klaagstemmetje, geveinst mysterieus, zingen alsof je weinig moeite doet. Het heeft ook wel iets van The Cure, maar dan wel op zo'n manier dat het ook geschikt is voor bruiloften en partijen. Jaren '80 schuifelfeestjes in groep 8, of de zesde klas zoals het toen waarschijnlijk nog genoemd werd. Hier in Nederland scoorden ze ooit een top 40 hit (nummer 31) lees ik. Djumbo heeft 5 keer de top 31 gehaald, ter referentie. Als je bovenstaande allemaal leest kun je op de klompen aanvoelen dat dit album echt niet in deze lijst hoort te staan. En dat klopt. Het album wordt gelukkig nergens echt heel vervelend, maar Robert Dimery is z'n grip op de realiteit compleet zoekgeraakt als hij durft te beweren dat je dit gehoord zou moeten hebben. En toch kan ik het makkelijk hebben. Daarom 3 sterren.
Some cool lyrics, mellow vibe
It think it's fine, just not really anything special or memorable
2,5
Aluksi ihan kiva, rehellisesti poprockia mutta joku ihan kiva oma tvisti ja sanoitukset mukavat. Lopulta jäi haaleeksi. Toisella kuuntelukerralla varmasti 3, mutta en ehdi nyt sellaiseen.
Bändi on kuunnellut oleellisen musiikin, minkä takia ideoita syntyy. B-osien säveltäminen tuottaa kuitenkin hankaluuksia, eikä levy lähde missään vaiheessa täysillä käyntiin. Down On Mission Streetissä olisi ainakin ainesta. 2+
Sounds like The Smiths meets J Giles Band.
Album 691 of 1001 Lloyd Cole And The Commotions - Rattlesnakes (1984) Rating : 3.5 / 5 Nice album. Good blend of jangle pop, college rock, and folk rock. The songwriting is top notch. Bob Dylan and Booker T. & the M.G.'s are mentioned as influences and I can hear it in there. Great writing, great sound, great melodies.
Hmm... Sounds like so much other 80s stuff, nothing really unique but Idk the historicality that well so maybe this was the first one ever to do that. Doubt it, but maybe. Not terrible. 3/5
Bloodless, middling, early 80s guitar pop. Sounds weirdly insincere to me. Felt longer than its 35 minutes. The "Forest Fire" instrumental outro was my favorite part of the album. I liked the chorus melody of "Charlotte Street". The lead singer's voice reminds me of Dexys Midnight Runners with a splash of Morrissey, which is not good.
It started strongly but then became a bit repetitive. Reminded me of early James at times, but just lacking some juicy hooks as anchoring waypoints through the album. Will give it another listen - it might be a slow burner.
Albumi #147, 14.02.2025 Skottibändi Lloyd Cole and the Commotionsin debyyttialbumi julkaistiin vuonna 1984. Hyvä levy. Jossain mainittiin genreksi Jangle pop. So be it.
It's not bad but it's also doesn't blow me away. Overall, it's easy to listen to but that's really because it's super generic and not too exciting. I had never heard of Lloyd Cole and The Commotions so at least this list is exposing me to new stuff.
Oh, another 80s Brit-pop band. I couldn't remember a single song after the album was over and Apple Music started playing Brit-pop bands that are memorable (for better or worse). Evidently, they are possibly Scottish? Still, it sounds like 80s Brit-pop, and I'm done.
A soothing New Wave/Jangle Pop record. The shimmering guitar riff on Perfect Skin gave me feelings of what modern New Wave would develop into. Vocals remind me of The Cure and Echo & The Bunnymen as well as many of today’s New Wave and Post Punk artists. Vocal mix could be a little better but it works for what they’re going for. Production is uplifting and bright yet gothic, a nice blend. Favorites: Perfect Skin, Charlotte Street, Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?
Just found this to be quite dull and one-note. Not bad, but also not especially good
Lovely Scottish blokes, sound a lot like echo and the bunneymen, or the classic C86 compilation by NME. Would have been released the same year as Ocean Rain. Really good, listened to it 3 times before rating.
1.6 1x not great
It’s ok
This was unexpected, funky, fresh, and all around good time.
I actually liked this one. Didn’t know of it before.
the songs are ok, but the lead singer's voice pmo. 2,5/5
3.5
Solid bright British pop, over soft upbeat rock. Good voice, poetic lyricism. Enjoyable
Wasn't a big fan of this, kind of bland 80s easy listening
Honestly the intros, instrumentals, and overall vibes as a whole were great throughout this album. But that lead vocalist was woefully inept. His voice ruined it.
Too jangly. I know there's a dad out there that gets transported to the peak of his 20s listening to this. Favorite Song: Forest Fire 5/10
8/10 Very classic Brit singer/songwriter from this time period. I like it a lot and definitely an album I would’ve never encountered without this challenge. Feels akin to folk recordings from the 60s and 70s with the Brit rock twist. Favorite song: Charlotte Street
If the Guardian had a house band they’d sound like this.
This album was a little more solid than the last few I got, so I enjoyed it more but I also don't know if that has made me too forgiving towards it. It has an almost whimsigoth feel about it, which I don’t ordinarily like but it worked for this album. It has a more timeless feel to it, it sounds as though it can be from any time between the 70’s and 90’s. However, despite a great start to the album, the second half falls a bit flat for me. It becomes a bit bland and ventures a little too far into what I call “dad rock”. It sounds a bit like Mazzy Star but lacks that sort of witchy feel I like. But, I would be willing to give it another try if the fancy took me because the first half is pretty great.
Back half of the record was better
felt really long despite only being 35 minutes?? nothing of note here
3. Yawn
Dull
Very John Hughes-core... I dug it (8.0) ★★★★
Nice sounding and enjoyable, but not too memorable either. 3.5 stars
feel like it's kind of generic 80s jangle pop. I thought it got a little stronger near the end, but all-in-all, nothing really stood out to me. If I heard any of these songs in the wild, I wouldn't know if it was Lloyd Cole or Simple Minds or Psychedelic Furs. 3 stars.
2.5
Band name is meant to be ironic, right? The closest this album gets to making a commotion is Forest Fire which is still a resolutely 7/10 song. Patience has those female backing vocals to give it a slight Prefab Sproutish/Deacon Blue flavour and in general it has a nice classy, vaguely jangly sophistipop sound but everything about the band is only minutely above average and the songs themselves are vigorously unmemorable.
Appealingly weird lyrics, and the style varies between "decent background listening" and "exactly the kind of thing I like."
oh this was uhhh i don’t know this was pretty good. thought it was going in one direction and then didn’t fully commit. i don’t know. could have done more i can hear the promise, but it just didn’t quite stick the landing for me. mid to low 3
Pre-listening thoughts: gee no clue who these guys are either. Literally been on such a mid streak of unknown artists. Which not saying that every artist I haven’t heard of on here makes mid stuff, but I’ve just been on a streak of artists that I don’t know who happen to make mid stuff. Post/during listening thoughts: this is pretty standard 80s new wave stuff. There’s some fun instrumentation and the vocals remind me vaguely of Jarvis Cocker. I really wanted to give this anything but a 3. I have actually been begging for something above a 3. Every album I have rated in the past week and a half has been a 2 or 3 with maybe one 4 thrown in there. I did enjoy this. Just not enough to escape the hellscape of 3 star albums. 6/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nope Fav tracks: Speedboat, Rattlesnakes Least fav tracks: Down on Mission Street, 2cv
I know the Lloyd Cole name but never listened to him before. I now understand why he's never hit my radar. Talk about vanilla and boring, the album cover is as exciting as the music. "The Commotions"? That would lead one to think this is a rockin' album, which is not factual. The dude is a weak vocalist and the music is so generic, none of this speaks to me or reflects 1984 in any way. I have no idea why this was included in the Top 1001. No hits, no radio play, no staying power, no outstanding vocals or guitar work, just another middle of the road album. Is it a lyrical masterpiece or something, what am I missing? This came out right when I started high school, if it was popular I missed it completely and I'm an 80's music savant. The listen counts on Spotify speak volumes to how popular this album is or ever will be. "Forest Fire" was the only song I could fully listen to. Weak addition to the T1001. It must be a typo. I give it 2 stars for not being unlistenable.
I really love the title song , there’s some good stuff across the album . going to listen to this a bit more see if it grows on me .
This was adequate. Nothing unique.
This album was so uneventful and bland I don't even remember what it sounded like yesterday.
Mid brit pop. With that 80s mystique for the singer where they don't really sing, but melodically moan into the mic
⭐⭐⭐ 5/10 Because of the horrible album I've had to listen to yesterday, I was actually afraid it was going to be another one of these days when I read the top review. However, Rattlesnakes is a nice listen. The album makes use of calm new wave guitars, combined with the sometimes a bit awkward vocals from Lloyd Cole. There are some bops on the album: Perfect skin, Rattlesnakes, Are you ready to be heartbroken. But nothing really to blow your socks off or write home about. It's a good album, pretty forgettable. 5/10
I bought this when it came out and played it to death, I guess my teenage self identified in some way with all the angst! Funnily enough I listened to this a few weeks ago for the first time in about 20 years and thoroughly enjoyed it. There are some fillers on here but also some belters and contrary to a lot of people’s opinion the 80s produced some great music especially for us who grew up listening and going out dancing to it. However I did go to see them live and it wasn’t the most riveting performance I ever saw though they did sound pretty good.
British rock akin to Simple Minds; I enjoyed it, but it was a little one-dimensional.
ranging from “fine i guess” to kind of just boring. my score might improve if i listen to it again but then again it might not
a lot of nothing happening here. could i write poetry to this? n
It doesn't get much more "middle of the road" than this, folks! Y'know the thin empty space between the yellow lines in the road? This album lives there. It's all perfectly competent, but absolutely nothing thrilling. This space on the list could have been used by much better records of the time. For great songcraft and musicianship while still featuring a slight twang and the trademark slick production of the mid-80's, try "Boomtown" from David & David. Or maybe the edgy Pop with a pinch of sandy grit found on INXS' "Listen Like Thieves."
Enjoyable, but not amazing in any way.
Must say this was quite a boring album. It just lacks identity completely for me. Everything sounds very tame and vanilla, very forgettable overall. Didn't sound bad by any means, just very uninteresting.
Is this the blandest album on this list? The sound wasn't bad just incredibly bland. Not much more to say than that nothing really stood out to me.
This album was like sex for the first time. Didn't know what was going on, over before it began, and left no impression aside from the knowledge that it was interacted with.
brilliant
4.5/10
Mais pop dos anos 80 que pretensamente tenta ser sofisticado, e de fato, é apenas massante.
Pretty good, not sure if its valid to be on a list of "..before you die". But it was nice post punk/new wave easy listening.
A very nice introduction. The voice sometimes reminds me on Lou Reed? Over all I like the music although there is no outstanding song.
Perfectly serviceable jangle pop. Thought I was going to have a revelatory experience after Perfect Skin and Speedboat, but it seemed like the rest of the album just fizzled from there. Some great guitar tones and playing, but didn’t enthrall me.
This is some generic slow 80s pop for 35 minutes. Not terrible, but it feels like it lacks any momentum throughout.
1. zkin - 1 2. zpeed - 1 3. znakez - 1.5 4. ztreet - 1.5 5. fire - 1 6. charlotte - 1.5 7. 2cv - 1 8. four - 1.5 9. patience - 2 10. ready - 2 11. zuueetnezz - 1.5 12. babiez - 1 13. zea - 1 14. good - 1.5
Boring
Apart from two of the three singles taken from this album, "Perfect Skin" and "Rattlesnakes", I'm not really a fan. The music is pleasant enough, reminiscent of R.E.M., but nothing really stands out; however, I can't decide whether or not I like his voice.
Love the vibe
🎧Decent jangle pop with literary/cultural references that sometimes feel forced. Some of these songs remind me of The Go-Betweens and The Vulgar Boatmen but, you know, not as good as either of those bands.
Day 0008/1001 Albums a Day Fav tracks: Perfect Skin, Charlotte Street Bad tracks: Patience, Are you ready to be heartbroken
This one caught me by surprise. I was expecting yet another post rock underground punk album, but was pleased with the tender moments of this piece and some relateable lyrics. Not the best album ever, but a great representation of why this challenge is important!
Emo without the rolling guitar and killer backing vocals, I really prefer those.
I enjoyed this album so much. Reminders of history and reminders of what I enjoyed about music back then. On my high repeat list. Awesome vocals, evocative lyrics, atmospherics and it just works.
Still holds up after all these years
I don’t know why this is on this list. Sounds like a bunch of other bands from the “Breakfast Club” era. Nothing special about them.
Favorite Track: Rattlesnakes
This album lack any type of substance. This was sooooo boring. I'm giving it 2 stars because the production was very clean, but that's all.
A purely o.k. soft rock album. Some instrumentals that were maybe a bit influential to 90s bands like Radiohead. 3/5
Horrible jangly, affected sophisto-pop from the 1980s that I would rather have forgotten about to be honest. There's literally nothing here that stands out, other than the first track, that was a big hit for some reason. The lyrics sound like something a twelve year old might think were clever, but then look back and wonder at how cringe they were a year or two later. The best part of this experience was realising that only the first ten tracks were on the original release, so I could stop listening earlier than I had first thought.
With its unsuspecting set of influences (Joan Didion and On the Waterfront being prime examples), Rattlesnakes is a perfectly capable and economical record from Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. Almost every song on here is very well done, nicely composed and has little to no wasted note. There's a favorite here for everyone. Favorites: Perfect Skin, Speedboat, Rattlesnakes, Down on Mission Street, Forest Fire, 2cv, Four Flights Up.
Enjoyable 80s jangly intellectual pop
Perfect pop
Soft rock
Keeps improving with repeat listens. Voice similar to the Jazz Butcher.
- I thought the mixing was off, especially on the first song - Not a fan of the guy's voice - Everything else was really good
I like this! He sounds like Michael Hutchence.
Really nice 80s jangle-pop singer-songwriter stuff with a touch of eclecticism and refreshing lack of social-consciousness. Perfect Skin is a killer song. And if you like Lloyd Cole's voice (which I do) then thi is a pretty enjoyable and very respectable piece of work.
Really enjoyed listening to this one due to the wide variety in instruments, lyrics and even genres at certain points Favourite songs: Forest fire, are you ready to be heartbroken Definitely will relisten to this one in the near future
I can take it or leave it. I guess I'll leave it.
I've had Rattlesnakes on my playlist for years and really enjoyed but never delved deeper. Really enjoyed - whimsical 80;s indie pop. Particularly liked Down on Mission Street. Its not going to change the world or really get the juices flowing but its a very pleasant listen.
#434. Like The Smiths, but boring. I mean, the Smiths are boring, but you know what I mean. This is also boring. 2/5: meh. Song added to playlist: Perfect Skin 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
It was good. I enjoyed it though there are no songs particulate that I will be coming back to or found too memorable, I feel it was if it’s time
Just like the smiths but not as good but don’t hate it
Holy shit BORING
Extremely unimpressive
Boring 80’s pop, Forrest fire gave me a flash of hope but the album kept dragging on into a hopeless uninspired mess. Waste of time and a waste of a spot on the list.
Honestly I didn't get it. Like a cross between rock and pop, if that can describe it. Singing wasn't great and instrumentals weren't spectacular either. In other words... not sure how this got on the list. 5/10.
Proto Brit pop had some good ideas sprinkled in but not enough to make it enjoyable
He sound like he's laughing all the time.
disapeared in to the background
Great surprise of an album! This fits in nicely with the UK jangle pop of the 80s such as Aztec Camera DNA Prefab Sprout. Very nice!
Listened before!
Like 2 memorable songs but the rest is so washed out and hazy and not so catchy. 3/10
Great
It’s okay - I have to listen to it a couple more times, because it does remind me of other stuff from the same period, that I like. But I think it laves that special something… The voice needs some getting used to
Приятный голос в вокалиста, альбом достаточно нейтральный
This was pretty fun. A band I hadn't ever heard of before, and an album I could definitely see myself listening to again. But that's only if I remember to listen to them again
First time listen. Very pleasant early-indie sounding pop, but not much to latch onto at first listen. Singing is at times a bit overreaching, but I suspect that repeated listens will reward listeners.
Jangly post punk, good
As far as Sophisti-Pop goes, this isn’t bad and a lot of the best tracks sound like a lot of the good Bedroom Pop that has come about recently. The problem is that the songwriting is trying, as far as I can tell, to emulate the sort of Kitchen Sink Drama that Squeeze did so brilliantly, especially on Up The Junction, and the content just isn’t there. It’s all fine, with some odd turns of phrase that were enjoyable, but it doesn’t rise above fine, doesn’t have the same level of storytelling as Squeeze or the complex emotionality of Prefab Sprout
When you find out Cole wrote these songs at the golf club where his father was employed and his family lived, it kinda makes sense. A little pretentious but solid.
Very pleasant
Something new, something fine.
I would have liked it in 1984
Exactly the kind of 80s sound I find it really hard to engage with. It's fiine, but it's way down the list of things I ever want to listen to. Right at the bottom just above coutry music.
They should call this list "300 Essential Albums and 701 Reasons to Boil British Music Critics in a Witch's Cauldron". Who even cares anymore. Just 26 more albums until I'm done.
This sounds like so many forgotten 80s pop-ish bands, imitating the smiths or the waterboys or simple minds or the mekons or the icicle works or any of those bands. Just kinda throw 'em into a blender. I like those bands, but this is just...more of it? Who cares.
It’s a curious inclusion. Jangly guitar-centric pop tunes with some flavours of folk and country thrown in. Nothing apart from Perfect Skin really landed for me as a pleasurable earwig, which is what I think the album’s ultimate purpose is. Interesting critical analysis suggesting that this entire album is a tongue-in-cheek sarcastic take on traditional romance. Interesting enough to save this from a one-star rating.
Maybe my ears are off but the albums I enjoy on here tend to be rated low and the albums I don’t feel anything towards are rated high. But this album was fun, it wasn’t mixed the best, the vocals were the cleanest but I enjoyed listening to it. It actually kept me calm while I was damn near an hour late for my date and searching for parking in the city. So there’s that!
Dull.
Never heard of this artist. No idea what they sound like nor have an idea. Give me a little Empire of the Sun vibes, the singing does. It's cool. Not for me.
Two stars is plenty.
Mostly brilliant
Scots indie
Meh
While I don't typically like "Sophisti-pop", there were a couple of songs here, particularly the opening track, that appealed to me. Maybe it's because the band avoided most of the musical cliches common to the New Wave era.
exceedingly forgettable - half the time I thought I was listening to The Pretenders by accident.
Still great but a couple of filler tracks.
I have never heard of this group, so this was a pleasant surprise for me. I liked this album a lot. Reminds me a bit of The Smiths, but less depressing. Songs I like the most: Rattlesnakes Forest Fire Four Flights Up Patience 3/5.
++: Perfect Skin, Speedboat, Forest Fire, 2cv +: Rattlesnakes, Charlotte Street, Four Flights Up, Patience +-: Down on Mission Street, Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken? 7,6/10
Mostly ranges from easy listening fluff to actually bad songs (Down On Mission Street). I did kinda like Charlotte Street and Patience. Overall it's bland, and doesn't feel essential at all.
Cole and the Commotions always seem to be holding back. The melodies are there, the dynamics are there but they never really let go. Speedboat, Rattlesnakes and Down on Mission Street are perfect example. Could be elite but end up just good 6.1/10
I had forgotten how good this album is!!
Not bad, Scott from 80's
I seem to be in the thick of a wave of New Wave. I've learned that this is one of my least-favourite genres in music. However, despite the heartsink and perhaps helped by my rock-bottom expectations, I thought this was pretty good for the most part and didn't mind giving it a second listen.
Just stellar – smart, savvy, literate, interesting, melancholy – all the things one loved in an indie pop/rock record circa early-80s (perfectly aligned to one's teenage years). An astonishing debut, that maybe drops too many names, but is otherwise modest in its ambitions. Clearly it's too subtle, too earnestly ironic, for many of the reviewers here – not every records needs bangers, eh? Or, the problem might be that, as one of his later songs would put it, "Baby, you're too well read."Dylan and Leonard Cohen are the wrong comps, Elvis Costello is a better one and John Wesley Harding, who followed LC. One is rounding up because of the personal connections (saw him multiple times and and interviewed him for college radio).
I wish I had any strong feelings about this.
The definition of not bad, but forgettable.
I just really can't stand vocals like this. Seeing past that, it's fairly bland anyway. Is this really top 1001?
A perfectly fine album with a couple of decent songs. I'm not sure this is essential though. There are plenty of similar albums that get the same type of music across. Best Songs: Rattlesnakes, Charlotte Street Worst Songs: 2cv
No matter what words he sings, his voice sounds the same in every different song. Boring, bleh... 1 Star
Echt 3x niets. Snap niet wat het in de lijst doet.
A sophisticated jangly pop sound. Killer voice. Will revisit.
La nada misma
Starts strong, but too many skippable tracks for a 4.
I liked "Rattlesnakes" I was absent in the 1980's music scene.
I mean, I didn't mind it. And it was a pretty quick, nice listen. /shrug
Sounds like a soundtrack for every 80’s movie, but the generic version.
Very 80s, this time in the best possible way. An interesting album
I tule respectiä shallow musat korville..
Didn't listen.
Early brit-pop that screams 80s.
Very enjoyable album of 80s alt-rock. It’s upbeat and melodic with some occasional blues and a touch of twang. Sometimes they almost sound like The Smiths if The Smiths were cheerful.
Sparkly British alt-rock. I like the sound, it's reminiscent of Flock of Seagulls a little? Maybe less flamboyant and evocative as them. The title track was nice, I really liked the acoustic guitar in it. This one will get another listen at one some point for me. I liked these lyrics in "Rattlesnake": "She's less than sure if her heart has come To stay in San Jose And her neverborn child still haunts her As she speeds down the freeway As she tries her luck with the traffic police Out of boredom more than spite She never finds no trouble, she tries too hard She's obvious despite herself She looks like Eva Marie Saint In "On the Waterfront" She says all she needs is therapy Yes, all you need is love is all you need Jodie never sleeps 'cause there are always Needles in the hay She says a girl needs a gun these days On account of all the rattlesnakes"
Excellent! I loved the guitar work on this record. It's a great debut album and very pleasurable to listen to.
Yeah, this is fine.
Solid
I only knew them by name before. Some songs are very good, the album as a whole isn't that great. Favorite song: perfect skin.
Pretty inessential, but there's way worse on this list
China Crisis meets Flight of the Concords. 5/10
Another group I never heard of.
Slow rock
Every now and then my record store would have a massive used CD sale where a bunch of shit was $1, and there’d be hundreds of bands you never heard of, but you’d look them up because their name or album cover was kinda interesting. They all sounded like this. Completely forgettable and uninteresting. Who cares oh my god.
Man this era was saturated. The best thing I can say about this album is that it made me appreciate the ability we now have to listen to whatever music we like (so I don't have to hear this again).
Enjoyable album
Rustige muziek. Goed te luisteren, maar niet echt bijzonder.
This could have remained out of my ear holes and I could've died just fine.
First song: oh, I like this. Fifth song: this first song is really long and boring.
noooo basta con sta merda
Mediocre and bland. Not terrible but it doesn't belong in the book. Didn't move the needle at all. A pedestrian affair.
This was nice. I don't think I'd call it essential listening, but I did enjoy it.
I might have loved this in the 80s or early 90s, having missed it then it sort of just comes across as average indie-schmindie, arch witterings. Patience sounded like bad ABC. Not as good as either the Smiths or The The, so essentially, I am absolutely sorted for this sort of thing, thanks very much.
A bit twee and annoying tbh
Very forgettable. In fact I struggled to remember what it was like when I only listened to it this morning, had to go back in to remember.
its not good enough to call it good and not bad enough to call it bad... 2.5/5.0
Okay, but nothing special. Why is this on the list??
Way too many boring filler songs that sound the exact same! Also, I don't really get the whole "lyrics sometimes not flowing well between verses" -thing. Some of the songs have real potential though. Perfect Skin and Down on Missio.nStreet were the highlights.
Fine enough jangly 80s new wave/pop. Some decent songs, nice guitars and vocals, but it doesn't stand out massively to me, there's a fair amount of filler here. An inoffensive 2*
Reminded me of Prefab Sprout in the most awful way possible.
Unexpected really nice album. Very 80s but very listenable... Like the new waveness, would love to have this vinyl on a lazy day, morning vibes. 3.4.
It’s fine. I guess.
I have to admit, this is a pretty random album to end up on a list of 1001 albums you must hear before you die, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It’s classic 80s jangle pop. If you’re into early R.E.M. or bands like The Smiths, this is definitely an album worth checking out.
Perfect Skin // Speedboat // Down On Mission Street // Charlotte Street // 3.5/5
The first song wazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......
This is one of those albums that's faded in almost complete obscurity today but is actually still pretty decent. It's 80s indie pop, loosely influenced by Bob Dylan, with literary references and honest examinations of relationships. The style seems to owe a small debt to some of the more digestible post punk bands, but is a lot more radio friendly. 'Rattlesnakes' may struggle to be remembered these days, but honestly, you could do a lot worse than the Commotions.
Some nice, soft-sounding indie/jangle from the '80s. Very much inspired by Bob Dylan, which isn't a bad thing, but I believe it will inform a lot of people's opinion about the album.
A decent album from the 80s. I like Lloyd cole
Should I be sad to admit that this was a new discovery for me? Or should I be delighted that the horizon of discovery is still as vast as it ever was? Like Dante once said, I am as proud of my knowledge as much as my doubt. Still, a college rock band eluding me for this long! Anyway, 'Rattlesnakes' by Lloyd Cole and the Commotions is a remarkable debut record, though I'm not sure if he has penetrated influence beyond those in Scotland. His literary sensibility married with buoyant jangle-pop soundscapes is delightful at best and unmemorable at worst. In fact, the first four songs are a solid showcase of the very best of Lloyd Cole, particularly his incisive descriptions and observations. Lead single "Perfect Skin" contains some of the most original lyrics on a woman's face I've heard in a while: "she's got cheekbones like geometry and eyes like sin/and she's sexually enlightened by cosmopolitan/and when she smiles my way/my eyes go out in vain/for her perfect skin." This is the kind of description you share after studying someone for so long. Idealizing someone not just for their beautiful features, but for the fact there is something so pure and so unblemished about them. "Speedboat" is a sly, slinky, sexy song. As it should be given that it is referencing a Renata Adler book. It begins humourously enough ("they're all down in my cellar/with their government grants and my IQ") and Lloyd Cole's singing is soft yet imbued with so much attitude, it's totally beguiling. That said, I feel that the verses and the bridge set you up for such a rewarding payoff in the chorus, but the key change feels a bit awkward to me. The strings in "Rattlesnakes" are as every bit ravishing as you'd hear on any R.E.M. album from this period. And like R.E.M., Lloyd Cole seems to be working with a tapestry of melodies for the grand majority of time, so if you're listening to this and thinking it's not all that catchy, the goal is to keep listening to it until the entire songs lives inside you. "Down on Mission Street" comes close to providing a satisfying melodic line in its chorus ("when you go down on your knees/you're so hard to please") but wraps it up a beat or two in advance, until the very end when it is repeated again and again, only with more embellishment from the strings. A masterful move given the song's subject about living a life bereft of gratification. The second side drops down in energy a little bit, but picks up with the rockabilly-meets-Flying Nun buoyancy in "Four Flights Up." The guitar sound in "Sweetness" sounds exactly that and could frankly go on forever. "Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?" is befuddled with a few confusing production choices (electronic drum/claps, choir), but is otherwise a very sweet track with some more beautiful strings. Rainy day music. B+
Not bad. The first track (Perfect Skin) is one I'll come back to. Fades out a bit towards the end. Lots of similarities to bands like Died Pretty and The Go-Betweens
Another pleasant but very average and forgettable jangly pop 80s record
boo. Went in thinking I’d love it, but boo.
So “Rattlesnakes” by Lloyd Cole isn’t exactly my cup of tea, but at least he’s got a fairly original sound, and I thought this album was fairly well-done… Pretty decent diversity throughout the tracks, and the musicianship is solid… Not the greatest vocals or lyrics in the world, but certainly serviceable for sure… Most tracks were just fine with me, and while there were a couple that I really didn’t enjoy, there were a couple that I did… Best tracks on the album IMO were “Speedboat”, and the closing track “Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?”… Not sure why this is on the 1,001, but better than many that I have listened to so far, and a solid 2 for me…
Very generic 80s
Mediocre. Forgettable, Samey.
This is just fine, a few really catchy songs but overall a bit generic as 80s pop/rock goes. It does get points though for seemingly being in the vanguard of this genre's explosion, I suppose.
This is the sort of album that if I'd known about it at the time, would have been something that I'd have listened to over and over. I quite enjoyed this and Lloyd Cole's voice.
I don't get why I needed this one. From time to time, I thought I was liking it, but mostly it was just kind of blah...no seasoning...
Very generic early 80s college rock. Not my thing.
This was alright. Didn’t change my life or anything.
Mostly boring but I liked the song Rattlesnakes
listened to easy pieces a couple months ago and i have more or less that same opinion here. decent songs, but a boringgg album. i got very tired of the vocal style and it's just not very dynamic and every song is a little too similar. at a certain point you resent that youre listening to it.
Literate high grade '80s pop. Twinges of the sound of the era, a kind of white boy should that pervaded a lot of post new wave. Muture beyond its years and a timeless classic As an aside I had an acquaintance describe the as The Smiths for people who drink and have sex
boring as hell. not bad not at all, but there are so many albums like this one on this list, but this one just shouldn't be here. how can 2minutes feel sooooo long. each song felt like the 10m version of all too well.
Quite a nice easy listen. I'll give it 3 but probably really a 2.5
I quite liked this. At the same time, I'll likely forget this album exists tomorrow. 3 - 3.5 stars
Never heard of this and it didn't make much of an impression on me. It was fine, but this is definitely in that area that I don't consider to be essential.
Kind of like dire straits light. Not bad.
Musically the band isn't bad but this voice is not for me.
3/5
I think I liked it? I didn't hate it. I have a soft spot for that 80s synth pop vibe, but I don't have a strong opinion on this one. It's better than 40% of the albums that I have been dished up recently. I wouldn't buy it. Does a series of brief statements count as a review? Does a series of banal tunes count as an album? Three stars.
Didn't hate
It sounds like a well put together 80s rock record with maybe a slant of regionality. Totally solid not very memorable
The singer sounds like someone heard David Byrne and said “what if this was uninteresting”. Or Bob Dylan and thought “no songwriting but marginally better singing”. With that out of the way the actual songs aren’t terrible. Was this the genesis of this era of British pop/rick music? If so then it’s a good beginning but I don’t know enough of the genre to know when and how it really started. You could say this is a great example of it anyway. It might be derivative of others but I don’t know what came first. The production and mastering/mixing is good. I like the clean guitar sounds and there are even bits of strings in some songs that make them more engaging. It isn’t unlistenable by far but it’s just kinda there. Background music for a movie set in the 80s or a modern grocery store. Really don’t understand why this is on here UNLESS it’s the first album of its kind, I guess.
I might like this better with a different singer. I kind of liked the instrumental parts but every song got worse for me once he started singing.
Didn’t like this vibe
Oof his voice is like a vampire singing
Sometimes I just don't understand why some of these albums are on this list. What is it about this that I need to hear before I die? Nothing, I'll tell you.
I was surprised by how much I liked this. Something about the way everything came together... it was a nice, relaxing, smooth, upbeat listen.
Really nothing to say about it. It was boring.
Pretty nice listen, doesn't feel particularly deserving of being one of the 1001 essentials.
"Oh, yay! More jangle pop!" - not me On the one hand, it's not the Smiths or Morrissey. On the other, it's still not good and Lloyd Cole might have a worse voice than Morrissey. At times I wonder if I'm way too sober at a karaoke bar.
Honestly? I'm confused why this album is on the list. What is special about it? It sounds very standard. That doesn't mean I hate it, I think it could be great after a few more listens. After one playthrough I would say it's just okay.
British Country?
Never listened to the album, had only heard "Perfect Skin". Distinctive vocals. I'm normally a fan of jangly guitars, but this album doesn't add up to much. Not memorable.
Late '80s: I definitely remember Lloyd Cole and The Commotions, but more the 1994-1989 compilation album. Still quite enjoyable. High 4 for me.
I have a soft spot for 80s alternative music. I realized though that after listening to the whole album, I didn't really listen to it. It's good, but nothing really super interesting or off putting.
Hadn't realized this was the group that did "Perfect Skin", and otherwise I didn't know about them. There's a throaty ambiance to his voice that reminds me of Hollis from Talk Talk or Roxy Music's Brian Ferry. Overall a good non-synth representation of the early 80's: a nice album and very enjoyable. 3.5 because there's nothing really *outstanding* here; Perfect Skin is really good, the rest is good, but not memorable.
Didn't recognize the name of the artist or album, but definitely knew "Perfect Skin". Solid album. 3
Can’t do another American dad rock band. Sorry