Rattlesnakes

A nice slice of 80s indie.

Wow, never even heard of this, but it's a gem. Good indie music is sort of balancing act. It's sad but uplifting. It makes arty references, but it's ultimately a collection of nice little love stories. It's wryly cynical, but earnestly vulnerable. It's catchy and carefully crafted, but it still sounds like it was written in a basement underneath a golf club (as this apparently was). Everything strikes the right balance here. Love it. Also, I've now realised the Camera Obscura song "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken" is a reference to the closing track of this album (which is the highlight of the album). 4.5* because it's great, but it's missing that nameless little mysterious ingredient that will make me always love Camera Obscura more than this.

New to me; pleasant

Mid: this may be the most average album on this list. It wasn't anything new neither anything so outlandish it's perfection or trash to the ears. It has a song good enough to go into a spotify daily mix all the fucking time but other than that it's nothing special.

It's alright.

Enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting to.

I really enjoyed this album. They have a sound that was definitely popular for the time but the record is pretty well done. There were not too many standout tracks but every one was solid. Not any stinkers.

It was ok. Not a standout in the period, not a standout in its time. But, for what it's worth, it's a very grown-up album for a debut by a young band, I'll give them that. They sound like they've been playing this for 15 years.

Just another average album. I got very bored when listening to it, I didn't find anything exciting or inspiring in it. Its hard to comment on any songs, because I couldn't remember any, even though I just finished listening to the record.

Rating; 6/10

I will give 3 stars to an album that is pleasant enough to listen to but do not care to own or add tracks to a playlist. And 2 stars to an album that is kind of unpleasant to listen to. This falls in the void between. I didn’t dislike it, but it’s so mid and beige that I immediately forgot about it as soon as it ended. In this case, I suppose I’ll round down.

Welp....that was an album. It had songs. It was the sound of beige.

I enjoyed listening to this. But it's another "7 out of 10 album", of which there are very many. As is so often the case, the 1001 project has a British bias. This was big there. But popularity in one small country doesn't say a lot about how good an album is. I enjoyed this, but it's simply good, not great.

Great album, hadn't heard of them before, but good flow throughout the album

Who knew jangle pop could give you amnesia

When you're out of ideas for your list and you need to find some fillers, but all you know are american and british pop rock bands that used to play on the radio some time in the 80s or 90s... Seriously, this sounds like if Johnny Marr joined Echo & the Bunnymen, but it doesn't sound as good as it should.

Your average sophisti-jangle shit.

This one was kind of tough to grade. I bought this album when it was released, on an adventure pick. Some great tunes, and I gave it plenty of airplay on college radio. I think that Lloyd Cole and the Commotions are one of those great “lost to time” bands: Pretty well known amongst the indie set in the 80s, but still drawing a quizzical glance from most listeners. Definitely a group people should be exposed to, and still very fun to see when he tours. But still not sure if it’s 1001-best material. Was frankly surprised when it popped up for today, it’s been decades since I’ve listened to it through. Strong opener and title track, and a catchy lyric wit behind an affected American put-on twang. Forest Fire and Hearbroken are excellent additional tracks. Too many tracks, though, feel like unfinished sketches: speedboat, 2CV, patience, 4 flights up. Call it 3.5 stars, rounded up for nostalgia. And go check out a “best of” - still plenty of other great Lloyd Cole tunes but hard to recommend further full albums.

i had never heard of this band or album before now but this was a great listen. i think i played it through 4 or 5 times in the last 24 hours... it's good!! nice 80s indie/pop/rock/new wave style. adding this to the rotation. favorites: perfect skin, rattlesnakes, charlotte street, are you ready to be heartbroken?

Very interesting! Not my fave, but I liked it!

Surprisingly good pop/country album! I found the instrumentation very intriguing and going in some unexpected places. The vocals, while passable, were the least enjoyable in my opinion. Will check out more! 7,5 out of 10

Quite classic-indie sounding rock album. Guitar tone with the jangle and reverb that I quite define with this genre 3/5

Даже сказать нечего

Relax, ça s'écoute bien. I like it musicalement. Vibe amoureux qui s'est fait laissé. C'est triste. Bon et triste. Proche du 4, mais un solide 3 pour moi.

Fun college rock. It's nothing really insanely notable so it's a bit confusing to me why it's on this list but I do enjoy it quite a bit.

Was ok just not going back for more

Some of the musicianship was good, but the singing was bad. There were moments where his voice sounded fine, but then anything out of his normal talky-singy voice was out of tune and just rough. Overall, this was very boring and I couldn't be happier it's over. 2/5

Barely anything

80s niceness

sonzao legal, bem típico english oitentista, agradável

Rentoa poprokitusta. Laulajan ääni ehkä pidemmän päälle kävi vähän rasittavaks, mutta kyllä tätä vois kuunnella. Vähän ehkä tulee joku R.E.M tai muu mieleen

Not very good, but not terrible. It doesn't really do anything musically to stand out from their peers. I guess a lot of people are into the lyrical side? Lloyd could be poet laureate for all I care, this stuff is a snooze.

I never really know how to feel about the influx of British bands I have mever heard of before. On one hand, there's something refreshing about, well, something I've never heard of before. On the other hand ... why the UK? I'm not anti British, hell I'm dating a Brit, but it just seems very specific to come across so many albums from this country. I haven't even pulled an album from Asia yet, and at the time of writing this, one of the top charting pop songs is some slutty K-pop number ... Anyway, this isn't bad. The cadence of Lloyd's voice really clicks with me. He's got a voice that has a good rhythm, but for the first two songs, does all the heavy lifting. "Rattlesnakes" is the sort of song I want to see during the remainder of the album. "Forest Fire" delivers in a similarly satisfying manner. At the end of the day, this album was serviceable, satisfying even. As a whole, it doesn't do a lot of standing out, but a decent amount of bangers were still to be had.

So this is the Lloyd who was ready to be heartbroken. I've loved the Camera Obscura response song and had never heard the original. This was an okay album but maybe I was hoping for more. If you told me this album influenced a lot of bands that came after I'd believe it since this kinda stuff has been done better by later bands.

Nothing special

Høres ut som ein blanding av The The og The Smiths

Hits you straight away with upbeat music then takes you on a journey with darker music and lyrics. enjoyed it a lot.

3.4 - Depressing and timid indie-type 80’s jangle rock. It’s a shame, because this could have been an incredible record. All of the elements are there, from the jangly guitar, to the reverb-laden backdrop, to the sweet-mopey vocals, to the unrhyming lyrics... But, again, the songs are just depressing. For example, one song is about sitting in a train station, reading the paper but then getting annoyed because a random girl has the gaul to invite you back to hers for a quick fuck. You begrudgingly accept her invitation and yet somehow manage to not seal the deal.

Not my thing, but I didn't hate it. 2.5 stars.

This is generic boring new wave. Nope.

Got bored of it rather quickly.

It’s just not very anything.

cool

Thoroughly enjoyed this as a more formed and certain new mave album. Certainly not as good as many of it's contemporaries, but worthy of a 4

Top 3 Songs: 1 - Rattlesnakes (3) 2 - Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken (10) 3 - Perfect Skin (1)

Fairly pretentious jangle pop, with the small consolation of being Scottish. Not my thing at all, and (even worse) sounds a bit like the smiths. Just scrapes 2 stars, even with the Scotland bonus!

whilst i liked every song i dont think it was a five star album because every song was likeable but in the same way that they all were so there was no surprise or anything which i was hoping for despite this i think the album was very good and better than i thought it would be

Intriguing. I’m not a massive fan of his tone but everything thing else is working for me. I feel like this definitely deserves further listening so I’m giving a soft 5 to keep it in from getting lost amongst the other 4s

I was moderately surprised at how many of these tracks I knew. If you'd asked me a question about Lloyd Cole, I'd have said I only knew anything at all about him due to the track "Lloyd, I'm ready to be heartbroken" by Camera Obscura, but I found myself appreciating this album for its familiarity.

jako simpatičan jangle pop album, odmah na prve note sam skužio o kakvom žanru je riječ. 3.5-3.8.

Love the voice and atmosphere in general

Never heard of this band before, but right up my street, straight into the regular rotation.

Very nice and listenable sophisticated jangle pop/new wave album from the mid-1980s.

Good but not life changing. Not quite the pure power pop it wants to be.

I ALREADY RATED THIS YOU IDIOTS

This was a pretty good album. I really enjoyed the guitar work - especially the acoustic stuff. It kinda gave off some REM/U2 vibes and time. I can also see how this may have influenced some bands that would come on in the 90s - like Soul Asylum and the Counting Crows (though that may just be the accordion talking). Solid.

Tre stjerner.

Quite a few sniffy Americans not liking this but its pretty fine. There are enough hooks and the songwriting is fine. Hus voice is distinctive.

I really enjoyed this album. Well produced and sounds refined. If I had an issue it’s the similarity. It’s well voiced and performed

Album checked all my boxes but felt like it was still missing something. I think if the lead singer had a bolder/more charismatic voice this would be a high 4

Non suona male ma non ci trovo niente di speciale, l'ho trovato un po' noioso

De va kinda nice faktiskt lite lustig lyrik ibland men ja gilla hu de lät😃

Quite decent 80s rock of that certain sound I can’t really place right now. Enjoyed it but nothing too special all things considered

Traaaaaash.

Solid

Still beautiful after all these years.

This is like... fine but it's kind of frustrating how many seminal pop albums were excluded in favor of random British dudebands

Was alright. Good sounds but not very memorable

No strong feelings about this album.

I've kind of already forgotten it, but the guitar work worked well

This album just makes me want to listen to the Smiths

The lead singer is just sort of an out of tune mess and not in a way where his voice works with the music. It's actually sad because the instrumentals are actually quite nice, but the lead singer makes this unlistenable. It's like I'm watching Memento, but instead of Guy Pearce as the lead, they cast Tommy Wiseau. I definitely understand why I've never heard of these guys though. There's something here, but that lead singer ain't it. This only gets two stars because the music itself is so good, but that lead singer, man. Y'all needed to replace him.

i really liked this album!

This is actually a beautifully written album, with lyrics to rival many. However nothing else piques interesting here. This sounds like a mediocre Talking Heads albums

Kinda bland

Hey guys! Whoa, 80s Brit jingle-jangle, huh? All right.... Welp, see you later!

Not an offensive album by any stretch. I'd give it a 2.5 if I could

3.75

The refreshing middling tones of brit pop to bring me back to even keel. Speedboat stinks, and Rattlesnakes could be good if the singer wasnt so....bland? Like pudding with raisins in it. Forest Fire is the first song that really gelled for me. over all its pretty meh, but i will take meh.

Great debut. One of my favorites.

Tbd on how much I’d revisit, but not bad

Decent but not noteworthy to me

Roughly 750 albums in and I can’t count how many mid Britpop albums there have been. The editors have a clear bias towards UK music, especially this middle of the road 80s pop, and it’s a bit tiring when there are so many other great albums out there to explore.

Mid 80s pop/rock. Not bad by any means but so, SO mediocre. It's not even about the typical 80s sound or other production qualities, but about the songs that have nothing memorable about them. 2.5/5

This was exactly as described. 80s indy jangle.

3.5/5

Solid

I know Rattlesnakes from Tori Amos's Strange Little Girl album. Other than that it was quite a forgettable experience. Some vocals were a bit annoying and reminded me of Morrissey.

Yeah okay but pretty generic, more a rattle than a commotion

Too slow/soft

Not bad but nothing to write home about. 5/10

Fun varied album

Bland and forgettable.

i really have no thoughts about this album. it was pretty good but i have already forgotten it

Jangle pop is also noice

Know I know where Hey Lloyd I’m ready to be heartbroken was inspired from.

Pretty good, enjoyable.

Very 80s but I liked it

Will definitely re-listen

Mumbly record that hints at Roxy Music but without the raw magnetism. There seems to be more below the surface but after three rounds of listening to it didn’t reveal itself to me. Maybe another time.

Are you ready to be heartbroken is a great song, but I just never got into these guys. Pleasant enough but I always just end up feeling I’d rather be listening to felt

Kinda boring

Nice to listen to but overall a little bit tepid

Not bad, but I think some of their other albums are better

HL: “Forest Fire”, “Charlotte Street”, “Patience”, “2CV”, title track Odd case where I wasn’t thrilled about the album the first few tracks, but something clicked about halfway through & I revisited much of the album later the same day. Conclusion: all the literary references feel like he’s aiming, over most people’s heads, for the English Newspaper Critic TM- BUT it also times well with my current musical interests, including nostalgic-leaning artists like Bleachers & Future Islands, and Leonard Cohen. March 26, 2023

4/14, 29%

INT

It sounds so modern for a 1984 album and so "American" for an British group. I wouldn't be so overly positive if it came out in the 21st century. Very "before their times" music.

Great album

The refined sound blend of good 80's music with interesting lyrical content. Very cool how a lot of it references literature and recreates the feelings of being in love 4/5

bangs of Morrisey, but i don't automatically hate it. not for me though all the same

I can't stand 80s

This website seems to specialise in albums with absolutely nothing to offer.

If I'm being honest with myself, this is not a very good album, just more unoriginal brit pop, but I find it fun and enjoyed it for some reason, so that's worth something. 3/5

Upbeat jangle pop with a hint of college inde. It's ok for a filler on the radio but 1001 Greatest? I don't think so.

decent, but not something I would listen to very often. there’s a lot of stuff in the album worth liking (the jangling, the eerie reminiscence to quite a lot of bands you would know, such as Arctic Monkeys), but a lack of energy and muddy mixing brings the album down by a lot. Ultimately it’s good but something I’ll have to re-listen to see if it sticks around.

Really liked Lloyd's voice. Also, I've been to the University of Glasgow (where the singer was when the band formed I think) and it's a lovely place!

Decent New Wave featuring jangly guitars and a filtered vocalist that reminds me of early alt rock contemporaries like the Replacements or REM. It's light and happy with tints of country and folk. Pretty simple stuff, nothing innovative or exciting here, and it gets repetitive by the second half, but it's my type of music so I like most of the songs. I am a bit obsessed with replicating that cool guitar sound.

kinda a nothing album mostly bland rock

I only discovered Lloyd Cole in the past year and I now feel I wasted the previous 40 not listening to him. This kind of literate, jangly indie-rock is exactly the kind of stuff I love and this is a terrific example of it The 2nd half of the album doesn’t quite maintain the charm of the first but I still thoroughly enjoyed this

This album is a lot to process. Cole cited Bob Dylan directly as an influence, and while I don't hear this as much in the sound, I can tell from the lyricism. The good thing is the one thing I actually like about Dylan is his lyrics, I can't stand his whine or the egregious use of harmonica, but he can write a damn good song. He also cites Booker T. & the M.G.'s, which for that to be mentioned by name seems heavy for the one song I recognize their influence on. I might be mistaken, but I hear quite a bit of Elvis Costello's influence on the album, if the band name didn't hint at the like of him. I also get a bit of Nick Cave in the first half of the album, and if naming conventions do mean anything to this band, it also tracks. All that wordiness behind me I do like the album, not sure if I'd give it another listen or if it is a "Must Hear", but it's good.

Get some generic 80s songs with some good lyrics and a few undefined instruments. Put it in a mixer, and you will get exactly this album. Not exactly bad, but it is far from something significant. Nice album cover

Rattlesnakes on the surface is a bit of an unremarkable album, I was initially confused (as are many reviewers) why this would make the list at all. Despite some great guitar tones and playing, notably on Forest Fire. the whole thing just passes by as a little bit anonymous. But as I often do I scanned back through some of the tracks afterwards and started noticing that parts of it sound remarkably like pavements 'Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain' which didn't come out for another 10 years. Parts of it also sound a bit more new wave or smiths brand goth pop. So it seems to occupy a space within the indie music cannon where its looking backwards and forwards, bridging the gap between older, more heavily textured precursors to modern indie and the brand of jangly cynicism we have had since the 90's. Unfortunately the interest only carries it so far and I still think its ultimately a pretty mediocre album. A solid 3, and I think a good candidate for dropping off the list in later revisions unfortunately.

Bra debutalbum och jag är ju lite svag för bra denutalbum.

Saw the band name and thought, 'great, I like one of their songs.' Alas, it was not on this album. Pretty shit.

This is absolutely wick

i know i didn't hate this but i'm struggling to come up with anything to say about it.

Wout! Wout!

Couples songs

Yeah. OK. Yup... I wouldn't listen to it again. But I can definitely dig

Two good songs but his voice gets boring.

It's a great lyricist with a good voice and sadly, a very pedestrian band. Without that final element, I can admire the spark and wit, but... That's all. A shame

Was OK like a crap version of James.

Not great, but it's ok

This would make great music for the end credits of a budget ITV drama

It was alright. Musically, it didn't grab me, but enjoyed the whimsical lyrics. 2.5

Cool. Average 80s ish music, didn't pick up anything especially good or bad. Second track was notably good

This album is pretty generic. Definitely not bad but also definitely not something I’m gonna hurry back to.

tbh i’m kind of just sick of this genre of sadboy britpoppy punk

This was good but nothing totally grabbed me, nothing seemed too special about this overall. The vocal delivery reminded me of Lou Reed at times. It just seems that this is another album that was added just bc we need yet another British artist on this list. This is 3 stars

Not bad.

Great stuff

Don't like the vocals. Sounds like a whiny Pommie with US country inspired happy guitars (Telecasters and Gretchs possibly). Didn't listen right through.

:D

Folk rock: like rock, but boring.

This is what I like about this malarkey. I like what I know of Lloyd Cole but have never had the occasion to listen to an album. This forces me to do it, and it's great. Will definitely come back to it. The Sea and the Sand and the other singles edges out by Perfect Skin as best song.

overall impressions, its...fine...i have no other thoughts. kinda boring, nothing all that interesting going on.

This seems to be another of those 80s bands that were sort-of indie, except ‘indie’ didn’t really exist yet (I guess they called it ‘New Wave’ back then?) First half I liked, some catchy melodies and interesting (if a bit pretentious/geeky) lyrics. Speedboat is a bit of a tune. By the end of the album I was getting more easy-listening, poppy vibes (i.e. a little blander). 2.5 / 3

Doesn't really wow me, at first a bit mid. Rattlesnakes is cool though. 2st

really fun 80s rock - 9/10

p527. 1984. 3.5 stars. Sounds like Edwyn Collins hipster kid brother. Jangly 80s guitars, bitter sweet cynical lyrics, but missing standout tunes. If the rest of the album was as strong as Perfect Skin you'd be looking at 5 stars... But it isn't.

This album is pretty decent. Nothing too special but nothing terrible either. I feel like this album is perfectly average. Definitely got an 80's vibe from this album too. Favorite song: Down on Mission Street Worst song: Four Fights Up

Quite nice, listened easily

In today's entry for generic Brit-pop that sounds like just about anything else done by a better qualified group you should listen to before you die we have Lloyd Cole And The Commotions, a group I've never heard of and if I did hear anything I'd think it was the Smith's or Morrisey's solo work. 2.5/5.

Mostly unremarkable. Best track: Down on Mission Street

Great album

Eh, nothing different just average

It definitely has some 80s feel to it. I had never heard of this band before and I am fine with that. I didn't care for it but I didn't skip any songs. No need to revisit. It is better than a one but I am rounding down.

for an artist and an album i had never heard before, they knocked my socks off! not to mention i hadn't heard of the genres jangle pop and college rock before. i was so pleasantly surprised. rattlesnakes was a lovely, soothing listen with tender lyrics. sometimes the lyrics veered off in a pretentious manner, almost like name dropping, but even lloyd cole later said he was embarrassed by some of the lyrics, so i won't hold it against this album. i feel a lot of similarities musically with this album and the smiths' the queen is dead--which is nothing against lloyd cole and the commotions, since rattlesnakes predated the queen is dead. it's definitely less weird, which probably means less punk, than the smiths.

I had never heard of this band, and I was surprised to find that I really dug this album! If I had to describe it, I would say it's like an easy listening, folky new wave. In other words, it has that new wave strangeness about it, but a lot of the heaviness of new wave is tenderized with that folk sound. One thing that can happen with folky music is that everything can sort of blend into one mess of sound, but I did not feel like that was the case here; each song stood on its own and had its own unique presence. Bob Dylan seems to have been a huge influence for Lloyd Cole, and considering I am not a fan of Dylan, I was very pleased to find that Cole and the band found a way to take that inspiration and create something fresh with it. I've seen some debate about whether or not this album deserves to be on this list. Maybe, maybe not -- I can see arguments for both. But either way, I really enjoyed it, and I'm going to let my rating reflect that.

Kind of Brit-Rock-ey, but with a fun twangy, echoey guitar tone

Ok

Never heard of this album or artist before, but was pleasantly surprised. Jangly, at times moody, and literate much like a more caffeinated And Also the Trees.

Pretty decent album to have on in the car when while you’re driving around town

A pretty solid 3

Decent album, not convinced it should be on this list

Pretty cool! Odd vocals

starbucks music

Wow. Really enjoyed this album. Great playing, hyper literare lyrics that imopress even on first listen. Lots of lyrical turns that jump out. Lloyd is a gifted story teller and his characters are really well drawn. But the songs are the thing and they are all gems. 4 stars

smiths-like.

Mostly uninspiring 80s UK pop with jangly guitars, pretentious lyrics, and lame emo singing. That there still somehow, mercifully manages to be a couple of semi-decent songs on this is a minor miracle.

I have loved this album ever since it slid into my consciousness as a teenager. As one of the other reviews here says - like swimming in autumn. Beautiful

Surprised. I like it.

Good classic album

det är bra, det har nåt. bra längd på albumet också vilket hjälper att cementera fast fyran.

boring

Enjoyable throughout. I liked it more than I expected to. Lots of catchiness. Could listen to again. My mom would like this album. It sounds like it influenced a lot of big 80s music. Kinda sounds like New Order.

Meh was bad

This was cool but meh

I did not have the opportunity to set down my thoughts this morning after listening. I couldn't remember anything. Not bad but apparently totally forgettable

Great album with feel good music

Not sure I'd consider it one of the greatest 1000 albums of all time, but it makes for pleasant easy listening sure

It’s fine but kind of repetitive and tied to a specific sound I can’t really get into

I really liked this? Like early R.E.M jangle pop mixed with 80’s new wave vocals.

The most striking thing about this album is Lloyd Cole's use of narrative songwriting. It's really nuanced and unique for its time, like reading a series of really clever short stories. Musically, the songs are pleasant fare with alternatingly jangly and jagged guitars and subdued melodies. Cole's sometimes wavering vocal style takes a little getting used to, but it's still a solid listen. I find I'm enjoying this more each time I hear it. High 3, not quite a 4. Fave Songs: Perfect Skin, 2cv, Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?, Four Flights Up, Down on Mission Street, Patience

Probably a 3.5 really, quite good and an album I'd never listened to before.

Nice background music then defaulted into bully Bragg on YouTube

Absolute classic of an album. I've still got the vinyl copy I bought on release.

A very well produced album, crips, clean, clear, but the songs, only interesting in the beginning, became slower in tempo and excitement after the first few tracks which ultimately leaves the albums a bit average by the end.

Enjoyable album, reminds me a bit of the slower songs of REM. Nothing groundbreaking but just a good combination

Melodic indie rock from the 80s. Quite alright!

Literate, clever ("Must you tell me all your secrets when it's hard enough to love you knowing nothing?") and excellent, this is a hallmark of early '80s indie rock or alt pop or post-new wave or something. One can make a case he was a kinder, gentler (or better read and educated) Elvis Costello, but this and next few records had a lot to offer, even if he never seemed quite cut out for music biz. An all-time personal favorite, though one can see the flaws (perhaps too many name-droppy preferences and pretty muddy production). The tone and tenor and surfeit of great songs – "Perfect Skin," "Forest Fire" and "Patience" "Are Your Ready to Be Heartbroken" and "Rattlesnakes" – more than compensate. Barely a foot wrong here.

+ Speedboat is goood. + Forest Fire is something of a song, hahaha.

Classic songwriting!

Easy sound and not hard to get through. Nothing really stood out beyond the first song.

A solid 3. There were some songs where the guitar sounded great, especially Down on Mission Street.

I had basically no expectations, but this was pretty decent!

Enjoyable; didn't pay much attention as it was in the background while working, but it was pleasant to listen to.

A very interesting record! "Forest Fire," the title track, "Four Flights Up" and "Perfect Skin" were probably my fave tracks.

Classic from my bedsit days. Just great songs for the position in life I was in at that time

I remember this album from when some of its tracks (most notably, Perfect Skin) were getting a fair amount of airplay on the radio stations to which I was listening at the time. I liked their music when I heard it, and I really don't think I've listened to them since the 80s, so it's great to hear it come up in the rotation here. I hadn't listened to the full album before, and it's better to my ears than I would've guessed. I had thought of them as being in the "alternative" rock genre, which it probably was back then, I don't really know, but it's more of a blend of bluesy-folk-pop with a sprinkling of slightly dark edge from what I suppose people might call "art rock" or something like that. Good stuff.

Didn’t mind this. Some pleasant melodies and the whole set flows as an album nicely. The singles are the standout tunes on here, and the only songs of theirs I knew previously. But the lyrics feel a bit mannered / contrived in places, with the abundance of ‘references’ liberally (ahem) peppered through the tracks.

I always thought Lloyd Cole a little too clever, a little too knowing for my tastes. I could just about get my head around a Smiths album, but Lloyd Cole to my young mind was a bit of a Bob Dylan. I'm pleased to be proven wrong. My personal intelligence hasn't advanced much over the years. But I've come to realise that you should approach music at a basic level. If you like it, then you like it. I like this.

very unique style of music, not really a clear style therefor pop although its quite eccentric

RÀS.

Toujours aussi effaré que des albums d'un tel vide artistique se retrouvent propulsé dans une supposée liste d'excellence.

Nice enough, don't know why it's on this list though. Forgettable

Rattlesnakes is mostly a wordy set of songs. On its face, the sound world is not particularly distinct. That's not to say it's bad, but the focus is clearly supposed to be the on the songwriter here. And it might be the bias of my perspective in history, but Lloyd doesn't sound quite in the league of the other great writers of the era. But in thirty-five minutes the music grew on me, so who knows, this might be primer for future appreciation.

I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this. Adding to my rotation!

Nostalgic

It was okay, never heard it before. Nice nostalgic feel.

Nothing that special really was it?

Well this was a lovely surprise. A few tracks I knew (not by name) and it feels surprisingly fresh. A lovely summer album.

Pop ochentero animado.

Indie pop de los 80. Me ha sorprendido para bien.

Man had an ear for a tune and some poetic things to say, with recurring themes of contrasting basements and flights of stairs and comparing women with perfect skin to old school movie stars. Pretty charming and has an air of romance to it and if the production feels a little low key and unvaried at times, at least you feel he made the album he wanted to make.

1.5

This was fairly decent for what it is. I'm not super into jangle pop but by the second half it was starting to sink in that Rattlesnakes is fairly different. The compositions and singing reminds me a bit of New Order if they weren't doing new wave. Some of these songs I'll revisit sometime. At the very least I'm glad to have listened to this as it sounds like it will grow on me in time.

Oh look, a late 70s early 80s UK pop rock new wave post punk band I haven’t heard before

The singer has some goofy tics which make this album more fun and stand out more than all the other super generic 80s British new wave on this list.

Easy listening crooning-adjacent with some pep but nothing remarkable in Rattlesnakes. 2/5.

This was quite nice - perfectly pleasant to listen to, but not particularly exciting or gripping. Wouldn't switch it off if it came on, wouldn't choose to switch it on either. 2/5.

Rattlesnakes and Forest Fire certainly caught my attention but the rest is much of a muchness.

Wel oke maar tis niet hard of snel genoeg om echt van deze alternatieve engelse band te luisteren

'The Smiths' van den ALDI. Die indruk kreeg ik bij dit album. Geen hoogvliegers qua nummers

j’avais apparemment sauvegardé 4 titres auparavant, je devais être un peu à fleur de peau ou je sais pas

maybe nothing very special, but I enjoyed it, short and fun album

I think from the moment "Perfect Skin" concluded I wasn't going to enjoy this record. As always, I finish each record on this, and this isn't any different. That time gave me a chance to distill what I didn't like about this record. This record sounds like it's full of songs that are destined to be TV theme songs (see: the "Friends" intro song). Lloyd Cole attempts a voice that I can only assume was supposed to be "seductive", but manages to be able as "seductive" as wallpaper paste. Lyrically, there are plenty of lyrics that felt like he went with the first idea that came to head and called it "good enough". When I was on the Wikipedia page for this record, the first thing you see is a quote from Lloyd Cole essentially insinuating that "Perfect Skin" is him trying to be Bob Dylan, and hinting that, "Dylan would've written it quicker". I'm not even a huge fan of Dylan, and I'm insulted on his behalf. I normally end each review with a "Favorite tracks", but gracefully all of these have slipped out of my mind. It's somewhere between yacht-ish yuppie rock, and the type of watered-down, corporate blues that Clapton was making in the 80s. No. No. Absolutely not.

Not aggressively terrible, but pretty boring.

Johnny Cash vibes. Nothing special

Sounds okay, but never would consider this to be "must hear". Easy to listen to and has some fine moments, but really there are other more worthy Brit-Pop band that could make the list. I did enjoy it though.

Very good, already knew many of the songs but a welcome re-listen. Are You Ready to be Heartbroken, Forest Fire and Perfect Skin are classics.

"Rattlesnakes" feels like an indie pop album lost in time. Lots of acoustic guitars and tambourines, some fun lyrics and cheerful sounds, and sometimes it tries to sound like a happy Bob Dylan. It doesn't really stand out as an album.

Rattle baby

A good 80s Brit indie love album. Like Orange Juice meets Prefab Sprout with a hint of Smiths. Listenable without much filler, but only Perfect Skin seems essential.

The songs are ok, but they sound more like the background songs of a movie. It's nice as background music but it doesn't feel like it deserves that much attention.

Hmm, I don't know. I liked it, but ultimately it was just a little... unremarkable? I also felt like the singer was not very strong in terms of vocal range.

Easy to listen to, nothing extraordinary, just a good sound. Listened twice to the album and it got better and better. Favourite songs: - Rattlesnakes - Down on mission street

Not much here for me.

Close to New Wave or Post Punk but a little bit of something else. I think the something else is in a small part a combination of soul/funk and maybe a little punk rock, too. 3.5

Drama, Getting lots of Dire Straits vibes Have never heard of them before... Enjoyable, had the volume quit low.

Not into this one. Something about the vocals doesn't vibe with me, even though it's not too dissimilar from stuff I know I like - music is weird eh?!

Saw the album cover and was very convinced this would be like a very low moody country album... Absolutely was not.

Easy listening but very meh. Wouldn't turn this on out of my own volition but also wouldn't be upset if someone else did.

Sort of a strange album. Some songs very much like Dylan. Overall enjoyed but no real standouts.

Masterpiece. Love his voice, though at times he does waver at the top of his minimal range. Own and only ever listened to "Mainstream"; now wondering why I never looked for any of his other albums. What a dummy. Fav tracks: "Forest Fire" - super catchy. "Speedboat" - soothing and just downright fun. Least fav: "Four Flights Up". But is on 2.5 mins, so goes fast. A-

This album was an interesting listen; I'd never heard of Lloyd Cole and The Commotions prior to this, but the music sounded familiar in that it was redolent of the jangly guitars, tuneful melodies and simple song structures peppered with the occasional strings or organ sounds. It made me think of indie rock bands like Real Estate and The War On Drugs, amongst others. Rattlesnake was an enjoyable journey, with songs like Patience that garnered repeated listens with its 80s-pop-esque drum sounds and catchy melody. Tracks like Perfect Skin featured the jangly guitars and exuberance that has since become a mainstay of many an indie pop band while others like Down On Mission Street explore a darker sound that sounds like a Robyn feature on a War On Drugs song. For its seeming simplicity, this album is chock-full of tasty bits of musicianship, like the tiny time signature changes, textural keys and what sounds like a banjo in the opening track. Lloyd Cole could very well sneak into any indie playlist undetected, and is a testament to the fact that its all been done before; one need but dig back a little further.

Love this. Very much of its time, but still a great pop record.

Definitely not an industry plant lol

I don’t hate the music, I just hate this album for existing and taking up a spot on the list that should have gone to Silent Alarm by Bloc Party

okay British sound.

Solid 3, enjoyed the vibe

Boring and Forgettable, Honestly no Idea why this is even in this List

A bit boring but has its moments

Started out interesting but quickly descends into pretty dreary 80s indie-pop.

The first half of this record I found to be fairly forgettable, but the tail end had some acoustic stuff I enjoyed and could see myself revisiting.

Generally enjoyed it

Haiku: This had some nice songs, But nothing fully grabbed me, Maybe I’ll come back.

filler British rock pop period music. some potential candidates for your hipster cred indie pop playlist

Standouts - None (I was listening pretty passively, used it as background music)

I little more my style.

I found this one very boring. Couldn't get through more than a couple of songs. Not into the 80's soft rock sound.

This sounds like such 80s rock - it’s fun. Easy to listen to. Audio sounds far away with an echo. The track rattlesnakes has a different sound than the rest (at first)

I don't think I've ever heard of this group before. The album art makes me think of an abandoned house in a dusty cowboy town. I'm guessing the name \"rattlesnakes\" subliminally made me think western. Getting started with Perfect Skin I immediately like the music, and the voice, and the lyrics are clever. Lloyd's voice sounds familiar but not specifically, I think it is just \"standard 80's british pop\". As more songs go by I think the opening track is the standout. The rest is just fine, workmanlike pop. The music reminds me of bands I love; The Cure, Aztec Camera, Icicle Works, etc. Yet by the end of the album all I'm feeling is \"this is fine.\" I'm not quite sure how this album made this list, tbh.

I used to quite like this album, but it hasn't aged well.

Pop. Very defining of that era.

If you told me to close my eyes and fart out a generic 80s indie pop album, I would produce this album exactly. Maybe I’m hating more on the form or the era more than the artist, but this slow 80s synth pop just bores me to tears. 2 stars because you have to be doing something right to fit perfectly into a stereotype. Wish I could appreciate them more, but the music seems to be giving me very little to work with. The last song was okay

Not what you might think.

Ahhh, nostalgia is a great thing. An album of its time, but still stands up even after nearly 40 years.

A couple decent tracks but the rest is a fairly monotonous janglefest.

Don't get me wrong I am all for a jangly guitar and a crooney sing-a-long but this album is mostly boring.

Thanks to this album, Wikipedia and a helpful friend, I am now aware of the existence of the genre "sophisti-pop", which I can now avoid for the remainder of my life

Decent. Liked speedboat

not for me, not explicitly bad but, some of the songs were distracting because i just did not like them. at all.

While this album does have a tendency toward the pretentious, it still sounds really good. There's not a lot that stands out, but all of the tracks are really solid. That is no small feat considering the diversity in songwriting and the amount of different influences blended into coherent songs.

Ok, I guess, like a better version of The Smiths. Very 80s, very jangly, rubbish lyrics, annoying vocals, not my kind of thing at all. One extra star for attending attending same uni as me!

A pretty fun, casual jam album. No recognized songs

80s as heck. I enjoyed my listen, upbeat and interesting enough to keep me going no problem. Instrumentation surprisingly good too.

11/22/2021 Today's Album: "Rattlesnakes" by Lloyd Cole and the Comotions - Yeah I am not a huge fan of this one. I think it's admirable for some of the production. Many of the synth lines on the songs are good and there is a lot of talent among the band, but I honestly think this is some of the most generic pop rock music to have come out of the 80s. The vocals like if Billy Idol but worse and I just think every backing track sounds like the soundtrack to some inspirational young teen movie in the 80s. The lyrical flow also just seems really awkward. Like there isn't an understanding of when to end a line. Overall, not my thing. Score: 3/10 Solid Highlights: Rattlesnakes

Good classic 70s vibes, I really enjoy the instrumentation and the style it was going for. Sounded generic and not very unique, but I enjoyed it nonetheless

Never heard of them before but a pleasant surprise. Smiths/Cure vibes

Ratttlesnake reminds me of something chase would listen to

Remind me of Crowded House. Kind of blah, a good song here and there.

Hadn't heard this before. Not sure if I needed to. Not bad but not remarkable. I think this only got on the list because British music seems to be graded on a curve.

Interesting sound, but didn't grab me as much as I wanted. But not super cheesy 80s, so it has that going for it.

Pop

I love Brit pop. This was a little more on the indie side

This album is like swimming in the early autumn when the weather is still warm and the water is just beginning to cool. It’s a mellow and calm experience, but you don’t want to stay in too long.

Distinctive voice and well written songs. I don't especially like it, but. I don't hate it either. It's a good album, just not to my taste.

Was expecting a country album based on the title and art. More of an alternative rock group, trying to place who this reminds me of, definitely some music my parents would listen to when I was young. Voice is halfway between Iggy Pop in Wild Child, and the Don't you forget about me singer. Really not sure why this is on the list, don't think I needed to hear this, just very bland/generic 80s soundtrack rock.

I was mostly bored by this album throughout listening to it. No songs stood out and it just sounded like 80s pop. Didn’t despise it but couldn’t find anything that would make me listen to any one of the tracks again

Generic. Not even generic anything, just generic.

The text on the cover looks like it was put on there with the default ms paint text. The songs are great though. Reminds me of Prefab Sprout. McQueen is one of my favorite albums, and this one doesen't go all the way to be equal imo, a 3.5.

First time since starting this that I have listened to an album, and then immediately listened to another by the same act. Loved this.

Some good songs Bit of a soundtrack to the end of my teenage years …

Un bon album 3.25. J’a aime lecoute et certaietounes mn plus accrochees

Second Listen. Becoming a very familiar album to me. Some call this album 'boring' but, it is not. It is a comfortable album. I enjoyed it from start to finish and look forward to hearing it again. First listen I gave this a 2/5, now it is a solid 3/5.

Good listening.

I love this genre. That 80s UK New Wave. While there are lots of bands that fit this genre, ironically this album sounds more like The Cars, an American band! Perfect Skin is a poppy, fun, introduction to the album. Speedboat is a great groove. I can see this song being a real fun part of a live show towards the end of the show or just a break from an upbeat set in the middle! I see Lloyd Cole cites Booker T and MGs as an influence, and I completely see that influence in songs like Speedboat and .

3/5 some interesting ones, but...