Porcupine

Stands the test of time. Well crafted songs, well played and gets the toes tapping and makes me want to sing along even though I don't know the words.

Пацарики просто ровно играют свою постпанк телегу

For EaTBM I'm really a singles-only guy, so this was an unusual adventure into a full album Sadly I dont find any hidden gems, but the Expanded 2004 Remaster did include a surprisingly terrible version of The Cutter!

Ничего не могу сказать, ничего выдающегося:(

For some inexplicable reason, I have a soft spot for this kind of 80s music.

Maybe like 4.5, not necessarily what I'd usually listen to but did enjoy it

I think I quite liked it. The songs kind of all sound the same, but I like them so it works. They’re a little whiny, indie vibes. The album had a bunch of alternate versions of the same songs on it, which kind of annoys me, but they’re at the end so that’s ok

Love Echo and the Bunnymen. Don't think this is their best album but it's a jam.

This feels like an album that goes on forever. I like it okay but can't quite get into the mood for it. Def 80's UK vibe but I like others better.

Joy Division but a little less cohesive

las guitarras me gustaron y tienen una atmósfera re linda pero más allá de eso no me movió un pelo. muy linda la portada igual 🫰🏻

4/5 i like their sound

Lille 3'er. 80'er-støjet.

Tried and gave up

Just middling. Echo sounds so much like every other 80s britpop bands. Not really much to set them out.

ok

3.5 very enjoyable, but didn't manage to stand out.

One of my favorite finds though this challenge was this band. This is the 80s style I love, I think I said before I think it’s a better talking heads personally. 5 stars

Another album i feel like i could have gotten more into but just didnt hit me right today

Just as I started my walk to listen to this album, the Sun disappeared behind the clouds and the wind picked up: it was cold. While on paper, I should like this album, something about it just doesn't gold my attention as much. I have long heard of Echo & The Bunnymen, but this is my first proper introduction to them, and I think their version of rock and new wave feels a little too psychedelic for me at points, or at least too psychedelic for otherwise feels like a rock album. While I find some songs quite attention-grabbing, and I especially like the suddenly electronic-leaning closer, Into Bluer Skies, the others just breeze past me. I can hear in this album sounds and ideas that will go onto inspire bands I love, such as MGMT, but something in the way these pieces come together here just doesn't work for me beyond passive enjoyment. It might just be the vocal tones and songwriting cleansing with the instrumentation for me sometimes, not creating any particular strong hooks or moments of satisfaction in my brain. Highlights: Clay, Porcupine, Heads Will Roll, Gods Will Be Gods, In Bluer Skies

3.5 - Never listened to them before but was a surprisingly big fan. Felt Talking Heads-ish, The Smiths-ish, The Cure-ish at times. Almost had a Southern Asia / Indian note to their instrumentals. Some Epic solos too. Fav songs: The Cutter, My White Devil, Gods will be Gods

Echo and the bunnymen was the worst concert I've ever been to hands down. Not only did they make us wait for an hour and a half maybe more but the crowd was terrible and a gross obnoxious drunk man spilled a beer on my friend and another was creepily following us around which we told the obnoxious man about and he threatened to beat the other man up. I'm not over it and I never want to listen to them again except if I watch Donnie Darko again :/

I don't like it.

Didn’t find it interesting.

I am so sick of the united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland

some cool songs, but even i have to admit that these post punk records are starting to sound samey. 3.5

An indie/punk rock new wave mix that sounds very much like the 80s. Some people may not find that as bad as I do, but with a running time of over an hour, the album is much more a test of my nerves than a pleasant listen.

I’d never really listened to Echo And The Bunnymen before today. I didn’t hate it at all, and had a nice 80s feel to it. Personally, I’m not sure if it would be something I’d ever return to but nonetheless it was enjoyable.

A boring rip off of The Cure and Joy Division.

Musically, this is 100% my jam; I'm a sucker for new wave/post punk type stuff. Singing and lyrics, maybe not so much. Good enough for me to listen to a couple more of their albums for sure.

Great voice, moody atmosphere that's a cool mix of goth and new wave, dynamic interplay between synth/guitar/bass parts, lots of drama, movement, and sweep to the songs. It's the stock cube you need to put into a post punk soup to fill it out, but doesn't have any if the star ingredients.

Sounds great, but the music itself leaves something to be desired. The opening track is a banger though.

A few good tunes, more enjoyable on the second listen

Wow I didn’t know what to expect from this band for the obvious reason that I’ve never heard of them. They have a really interesting sound, like if I had to simplify it I guess I’d call them like a new wave band, but feels more substantial than that. For instance, you might be able to label them as new wave but then what do you call “the cutter”? Well I guess my closest comparison is it would be like a mildly psychedelic new wave ave band. Which I didn’t realize I needed in my life, cause the second the cutter started I was pretty much won over right away. That song totally rips and it’s so different and original for a new wave song. But I guess that’s their big hit song off that album so I’d also like to highlight songs like “back of love”, “clay”, and “fuel”. All of these songs were NOT afraid of being weird and original. As a whole the only problem this album has is just having a few skips that I don’t really connect with or love, but this album as a whole is total gem.

Nicht schlecht aber auf Dauer nervig

Konnte man sehr gut als Soundtrack zu sky machen 7/10 Mochte den ersten Song

Uninspired... Expected more.

I have discovered through this project that I do like Echo and the Bunnymen. I have also discovered there is not one album I can point to and say, "That is the best thing they have done." It does not all blend together but I do struggle to tell the difference in one album from the other. I am not sure if there is an album where Echo and the Bunnymen put it all together. Ocean Rain probably comes the closest. I am a bit surprised we got three albums by Echo and the Bunnymen in this book, though I guess I shouldn't be shocked given the geography of where the band members are from. My favorite tracks: The Cutter Back of Love Porcupine Heads Will Roll Higher Hell

Crap, dreary with only a couple of listenable songs

2.5/5

Didn't sound bad but didn't really do anything for me in a genre that is over represented to me. 61/0

Echoes of Orange Juice.

It’s pretty fun. The beginning and the end of the album are the strongest, middle kinda gets lost a bit. But solid.

i’ve always been a bit of an echo and the bunnymen casual since i decided that donnie darko would be my favourite film when i was 15 trying to be edgy. i did really enjoy this, some brilliant songs and a then a bit of easy background music. the bunnymen really know how to write a bridge - i could listen to the bridge section in the cutter all day every day

It's fine.

I obviously had a very warped view of what style of music these guys play. I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Great bass heavy, almost gothic sound. Favorite track: The Cutter

Respect this band a lot. Overall not something I’d listen to again, but glad to have gone through it! Also… is that a xylophone!?

I’m surprised how much I loved this and was constantly intrigued by what it had to offer. There are so many genuinely unique sounds here used in such entrancing ways that set it apart from the default new wave sound.

Post-Punk perfection, from a band whose influence is greatly underappreciated in American.

Every track was mildly irritating, just not QUITE enough merit a skip. I will probably forget everything about it tomorrow to be honest.

"Not just another DROP IN THE OCEAN." Opening track absolutely streets ahead of anything else here, but I absolutely love that track.

A pretty good album by a pretty good band 6/10

nicht schlecht aber wieder mal boringgg, kann die lyrics nicht verstehen, alles gleich und 80er... 💔

A good britishy pop album a good, easy listening

First time listening. 3.5. Need to listen again. Some great songs and sounds. Enjoyed discovering it today!

= the Beatles

Interesting guitar lines, lots of microtonal stuff. Not super easy to listen to but interesting!

Decent early 80s alternative, though I didn’t hear anything classic.

Squarely in the not for me category

Despite having heard of these guys for years I don't think I've ever listened to any of their music. This is what I understand to be "post punk" but made palatable unlike the unlistenable goofy shit like The Fall. This isn't my favorite genre of music by a long shot but I finally get what they're trying to do now. It's like pushing the Smiths forward in to something a bit less depressing, but keeping the same format. I guess this would go on to be the basis for shoegaze music in general, which again, not a huge fan. Out of all the British post punk we've been put through on this list this may actually be the best one, but that's not to say it's that great to begin with. It's fine. I think "Heads Will Roll" is the best track on here because they used a melodic minor key without any references to the desert or arabia in the lyrics.

Ich mochte es actually! Bin zu müde um mehr zu schreiben.

Not really what I’m interested about in

Good not great.

Well worth it

It remains a mystery to me that at the time, U2 became one of the biggest bands in the World and Echo and the Bunnymen didn't. Better songs, better musicians... Porcupine and War were released in the same month in 1983. Compare and contrast.

Prickly

Came back to this with fresh ears hoping my mind would be changed. Sadly not. It's all downhill from The Cutter, apart from a brief renaissance with Heads Will Roll.

Tremelo riff + sitar -like sound + quirky instrument that doesn't usually belong in post-punk + loud high-range vocals yelling about something + reverb = this. Prime example of overdoing it for nothing. The input is a lot of work, but the output comes out to be so insignificant. You're doing all this talking, but can you walk? This project runs and rambles to its end with song structures that don't feel cohesive. The lyrics are constant meandering mush with a direction I can't find. The sound is there and can be led to good places such as on the first two tracks, but once you show up and impress, you have to keep it up. A big whatever if you ask me (5/10, 2/5 on this scale).

I loved them in high school, and this still hits that same brooding nerve, especially on “The Cutter,” which remains sharp, urgent, and bouncy. A few tracks (the title song especially) lean so heavily into seriousness that they lose a sense of joy or lift for me. At its best, this album is thrilling and cinematic; at its weakest, it feels a little weighed down by its own mood.

Rating: 9/10 Short Review: Maybe I'm giving out 5 star ratings too liberally (to be fair, there's like 5 rating options), but fuck!!!! This album is just so freaking cool. The atmosphere of this thing just rocks so hard. Its so fuzzy and distorted and awesome. yippee.

Not a fan of the Bunnies (…..the Bunnies….). My ears kept switching off (…..switching off……)

Very nothing

Acceptable. What else? I can’t come up with

Is 3 Echo & the Bunnymen albums too many? Probably, but they're all pretty decent, at least.

Cooooool new wave stuff. Drops of Bowie, the Cure, the Smiths, the Doors, the Clash. Each track pretty different, haunting vocals, lots of different sounds and instruments and styles, sounds like the alternative 80s. The Cutter probably the best example, most accessible, but I enjoyed the journey that the title track takes you on. More experimental, psychedelic, western, eastern, marauding yet in no rush to go anywhere. Cool track. And then Heads will roll! So freaking cool sounding song. Ripeness feels like The Clash. The Doors run through the whole thing. Looooove the intro to Higher Hell, a beautiful but gloomy track adorned by flashes of instrumental color, fills, riffs, etc. which builds and builds into overlapping waves of vocals. Gods will be Gods - driving, cool acoustic strumming bits, speeding up as it goes along until the climax, then a slow descent, building back up. Fun. All ends with Fuel, a dreamy, spacey but murky and vibey track like walking through a decommissioned underwater amusement park. Overall loved the album, 4.5/5! How to pick a favorite? Gonna go with Fuel.

Just hooting and hollering

I love The Killing Moon but had to switch this one off. A nice sound but not really any songs?

Sounds like the smiths

Where do they find these albums man

love

I only finished this because I was too lazy to change it. It wasn't offensive, at least.

Top Songs: The Cutter Ripeness

Oh right, this record. I love "The Cutter"; hard to resist singing along. Let's see what the rest of it is like - I never did end up getting any of their records at the time, just enjoyed their hits when they came on the radio. So I think this is one of those records that grow on you with repeated listens as you start to process the lyrics. The band are doing some interesting stuff behind the vocals, like on "Heads Will Roll," "Gods Will Be Gods," and the 6-minute title track, and I'm bopping along with the consistent beat. I like this - well, I've always enjoyed the danceable but with miserable-sounding vocals kind of New Wave that came out in those days. So: 4 stars. 4/5

Whoa what an album

Quite enjoyed this! 4/5

I like the music but the songs are so indistinguishable from each other

Decent, no stand out singles, but good sound

I can feel myself building resentment towards Echo And The Bunnymen for how many albums they have in this list. On paper, they look like they’d be my kinda band, but I absolutely cannot be bothered to connect with their music. I promise I've tried. I guess this is New Wave (TM) but it's important to kinda talk about what that means. This was a weird time when New Wave included the Bowie-inspired "Plastic Soul" kinda funky New Wave (think Talking Heads), the post-punk style of misanthropic rock (like this, Joy Division, etc), and sadly, the cloyingly pop-focused synth pop that you probably think about first when you think of New Wave (I refuse to dignify this with examples). I think I like the Plastic Soul New Wave the most, and this variant second. This record resonates with me more than either Joy Division album, so there’s that. But it feels like “What if U2 didn't write any hits?”, and I barely like U2 even with the hits. I guess I should be heartened that E&TB seemed to get semi-famous before U2 did and maybe the influence worked in the other direction. I’m not. It’s still the same shoegazy ethereal pop-rock but all the themes are dark and the twinkly guitar sounds are in the midrange instead of up in the treble register. IDK. All the ingredients are here but the recipe just isn’t quite right.

Ikke min cup of tea

Now if this was a tree, I'd be more interested

Favorite Track: The Cutter

Couldn't make myself listen

If you want to listen to an album that is basically the same song for 11 songs. I just couldn't.

Nice variety of instrumentation, better than I expected it to be

This was exactly the vibe I needed to hear today.

I always want to like them more than I do.

Album No. 0116 on my list. I had listened to a few of Echo and the Bunnymen’s songs before, but the entire album was completely new territory to me. Sound-wise, it’s really as much post-punk as it gets. I like that sound actually. Very powerful, very 80s-like. “Porcupine” is a solid album overall, but there are huge differences of quality between the songs. I’ll add “The Cutter”, “Back Of Love” (cool lyrics!), and “Heads Will Roll” to my playlist, they’ll probably become favorites of mine. Especially in the latter half of this album however, there are a lot of less good tracks that rather feel like fillers to me and are much less distinct than the aforementioned songs. 3/5 stars.

Dad music for Gareth’s

no genre has suffered more in terms of taking a hit in my estimation going through this project than post-punk. imagine how tired we are, truly

i'm unhappy listening to this!!!!!!!! this is boring! i'm restless! bye!

This is #day515 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here we are with my second Echo & The Bunnymen record already. It's not that I dislike this kind of music, quite the opposite, but this is a case in point of a band that could've been better off with one album on the list. Instead, we get three. I've tried approaching Porcupine a couple of times; I even owned an original German vinyl pressing (and eventually sold it), but it never really clicked for me, aside from a couple of songs. I doubt it ever will. Still, it's better than the average record on the list. Let it be a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day516.

I only really know these guys from their song "Sugar Kisses." Echo & The Bunnymen was always one of those bands that I thought I should check out more, but never did, well here I am now. They seem to have really powerful songs a la "Sugar Kisses," playing every song like it's their last one. The tone is just excellent, and the instrumentation is insanely colourful. Highlight Song/s: "Clay" and "Heads Will Roll"

And "Too Many Albums Syndrome" strikes again! Why do Echo & the Bunnymen have three albums on this list? I don't get it! They're good, don't get me wrong. I'm not going to say that they're irrelevant and that they shouldn't be on this list at all, but they are just not important enough to have three albums here, especially given the abundance of other 80s post-punk bands on the list. This just screams redundancy. That's honestly my biggest problem with this whole album list. Artists and bands who only need 1 album like Echo & the Bunnymen get 2 or 3 albums on the list and the artists and bands who actually should be having 2 or 3 albums end up having 5 or 6 of them! One of these days after I finish this project, I'm going to make my own 1001 Albums list and it is going to be SIGNIFICANTLY less redundant than this one. So yeah, this album doesn't need to be on this list because Ocean Rain is better and it has "The Killing Moon" on it which is their best song. Of course, Porcupine is not a bad album. I do like it. Everything that I've enjoyed about the other two albums is here. The dark vibes are cool, the basslines are strong, and the writing and singing work together to make a good melancholic atmosphere. My problem is that nothing here is special! Everything that this album does can be heard better in other albums from this band and genre. I will say that this and Crocodiles are around the same level for me, but it is not surpassing Ocean Rain. Porcupine is a solid post-punk album, but I've heard too many of those for this to speak to me in any significant manner. It's good. Quite good, even. I just didn't need to listen to it. I'm sure it's a great listen for people who really really like this band, but I'm not an Echo & The Bunnymen super-fan or anything like that. I think they're good, but I'm not passionate enough about them to strongly recommend three of their albums. High 3/5.

Got told that reviews like my normal ones aren’t good enough, as if the project is to have wax poetic about every album and act like an over the top, pretentious asshole. No, the project is to listen to 1001 (seemingly) British (post) punk albums… and this one was meh..okay. Get off your high horse, no one wants to read your essays.

Now i like some Echo and the Bunnymen ( the obvious ones Killing Moon, nothing lasts forever and their cover of People are strange). Unfortunately nothing here comes close to those and my overriding wish was for this album to end

The only Echo and the Bunnymen song that I have ever objectively liked is their cover of “People Are Strange”. Seeing as that isn’t on this album, the best I can say is I don’t mind “The Cutter”. Aside from that, it was all just that standard, pretty depressing 80s sad-men music.

Oh, more post-punk... This is starting to become my new "oh, more jazz...". I just don't really get it most of the time. Bits of this reminded me of U2 - I think specifically the vocals - which, as I am at best indifferent to them, that wasn't helpful. I like the brass on Back Of Love, though I'm not sure I like much else. In general, it's all very jangly guitars and echoy vocals (it sounds like he's singing in a cave). Not even the handclaps on In Bluer Skies saved it. Just not my kinda thing at all. 2/5

Early 80’s British rock sound

Echo and the Bunnymen have always stood out to me as the brightest post-punk group. Yes, their music features a lot of the gothy, moping, but the songwriting is much higher energy than a lot of their contemporaries. Porcupine is the culmination of The Bunnymen's sound. I tend to put this record on a lot in the spring, especially on rainy days, because of the energy it carries. There's more experimentation and addition of instruments (xylophone, various stringed instruments piano), some of which hints at the direction they would take for Ocean Rain. Quick shoutout to the guitar noise solo on "Higher Hell"!! It's been a while since I've listened to Echo; especially Porcupine. It holds up better than I thought, and while the band tends to get sorted in with the post-punk/goth rank and file, I do believe that they are a band with a unique skill set and sound that sets them apart from the pack. While not as successful as some of their peers, they did put out 4 great albums in a row for us to enjoy. Crocodiles is still my favorite, but Porcupine is a close second. Highlights: "The Cutter", "My White Devil", "Clay", "Heads Will Roll", "Ripeness", "Higher Hell", "Gods Will Be Gods" Really most of the album great.

so good!

#228/1001. Echo and the Bunnymen are - at least in Finland - one of those forgotten gems of popular music. I learned about them sometime late 99s or early 00s, as a friend of mine (who was in the know) and his British mate were remembering the good old days along an E&tB Box. Unlike many bands before that and later, this is one I never got bored with. I soon got myself a greatest hit cd and learned a bit more about the band. Apparently it was either them or U2 who the British press thought as the next big thing, sort of heirs of Joy Division after Ian Curtis joined the heavenly (or the other) post-rock band. Well we kind of know what happened. New Order! No, not really. This album has the band at its gloomy prime, with a pair of opening tracks that cut through you, followed by a few delicate pieces, with all sorts of interesting things happening left, right, up, down, back, forth and inside your head. The title track and Ripeness are newly found favorites for me, since I kind of fell in to the trap of getting too familiar with the greatest hit compilation which I started with. The melodies are great, the ominous feeling kicks U2s ass any day or time. I just reviewed Peter Gabriel's 3rd, famous for not using any cymbals, and while they do exist here, they are used very sparingly. I think only one or two songs use hi-hats. I don't know who invented these heavy reverbed goth drums, but although they sound very 80s and goth, they couldn't be done any other way. There are drums, drum machines, handclaps, xylophones, you name it. God I miss the 80s rhythm sections, percussions, imagination they had to try different things in pop / rock music. The album and the related music video shoot must be the reason there are so much good music coming out of Iceland ever since the mid 80s. My advice is to skip the alternative versions (at least I was recommended a Spotify album with quite a load of bonus tracks), or take them as a curious adventure of how what not to do if you want an Echo and the Bunnyman evergreen. The last bonus song is an extra-album single, and a neu-wave disco banger.

Great album

Mediocore attempt at post punk that shows just how wide the gap is between the premier bands in the genre and the every(bunny)man.

This was fun and creepy

12/26/25. Wish this was one where I could rate a 3.5. Love the established post punk sound and the experimental aspects as it goes on, what a fun listen! Will need to revisit.

Portada icónica para una banda que supo recoger el legado de los Doors y sostenerlo en los 80´s. Hoy en día esa foto sería con IA o directamente no se haría. Entonces era algo más humano y heroico a la vez. Los Bunnymen son el antecedente claro de U2, Héroes del Silencio y tantos otros. Este díficil, en todos los sentidos, tercer álbum, fue exitoso. Aunque la crítica lo recibió en su momento con tibieza, el tiempo ha desmotrado que está entre sus mejores momentos (prefiero Ocean Rain o Crocodiles, pero este está realmente bien). The Cutter es uno de sus mejores temas. El resto navega por los parámetros habituales, densos, algo repetitivos, pero de gran calidad. Gods will be gods es otra joya.

The primary association I have with this band is Donnie Darko and The Killing Moon. Just occurred to me there’s that scary bunny man vision Donnie has, wonder if that was intentional or a weird coincidence. The music is fine, Television + U2?

'Porcupine' is very much a transitional album for Echo and the Bunnymen, seeing them shift away from the murky post-punk beginnings of their first two records for the majestic melodies of 'Ocean Rain'. But the roots of 'Ocean Rain's' success are very much present on 'Porcupine', with hooks aplenty. Starting with the gradiose opener 'The Cutter' and continuing through 'The Back of Love', 'Clay', 'Heads Will Roll' and 'Ripeness', it's evident that the Bunnymen were going for tigher, catchier songs on this record. This tightness is evident in the growth of Ian McCulloch as a vocalist, adding plenty of drama to the themes, as well as the increased confidence in the instrumentation, with Will Sergeant, Les Patterson and Pete deFrietas all coming into their own on guitar, bass and drums respectively. The title track is the only song that reflects the band's murkier, more meandering past, but 'Porcupine' is the work of a band that has finally settled on a formula that feels comfortable and clear, and they'd only outdo themselves with 'Ocean Rain' the very next year. Equally dark and catchy, 'Porcupine' is the beginning of Echo and the Bunnymen's peak period. Best songs: The Cutter, The Back of Love, Clay, Heads Will Roll, Gods Will Be Gods

Fav: Clay Least Fav: My White Devil Should this have been included? Probably not, but I’m not complaining when it’s surprisingly good

The Cutter slaps but couldn't really get into the rest of the album

The time isn’t always right for the darker side of the Bunnymen but when it is, it hits the spot nicely

This is something I never would have listened to but now I’m glad I did. However, the chances of me returning to it are slim. Not impossible tho!

This was fun! I saved “The Cutter,” “Heads Will Roll,” and “Ripeness”. This pop-punk skater vine was a great ride.

Droning but catchy at some points.

eita como fazem barulho

Litt lei 80-tals post-punk no

It’s not bad. Good rhythms and some interesting instrumentation. However, I can’t help but think that it sounds like knockoff Bowie, after having a Bowie album yesterday. Hopefully that’s not offensive to fans of this genre or band. Overall, pretty good, but not memorable.

Produced by Ian Brodie with two significant hits on it, they were nip and tuck with U2 for the post punk alternative crown at the time. Not well reviewed at the time but it has aged well - sounds more of its time now

Porcupine is the sound of Echo & The Bunnymen stepping fully into their role as one of the defining bands of post-punk Britain, while still keeping one foot in the shadows. Where Heaven Up Here was claustrophobic and stormy, Porcupine feels more expansive and deliberate, as if the band have learned how to shape atmosphere into songs that linger rather than simply brood. Will Sergeant’s guitar work is the album’s quiet hero: chiming, watery, and elastic, it gives tracks like “The Cutter” and “Back of Love” a sense of momentum without sacrificing mystery. Ian McCulloch’s vocals are at their most assured here—aloof, dramatic, and occasionally pretentious, but in a way that suits the band’s grand, Romantic vision. There’s a confidence to his delivery that makes even the more opaque lyrics feel purposeful. The album isn’t flawless. Some of the deeper cuts blur together in mood and tempo, and Porcupine lacks the raw danger of the band’s earlier work. But what it gains instead is cohesion and poise. This is Echo & The Bunnymen refining their aesthetic rather than reinventing it, laying the groundwork for the even more polished Ocean Rain. Not their most iconic album, but arguably their most balanced—Porcupine rewards patient listening and confirms the band’s place in the canon of essential early-’80s alternative music.

Eh. U2 meets a darker tone? Solid, but nothing more. Nice instruments has to be said. Better than U2 at least.

p510. 1983. 2 stars. The bastard Scouse children of The Doors. Starts off brightly but fizzles out really quickly. And it's fucking miserable.

🙂

This is Fuel to your listening fire.

Just fine but doesn’t quite get there.

New Wave slop.

Some nice instrumentals and instrumentation for some of the tracks but nothing really stand out for me

Quite fun, but nothing particularly standout.

Echo & The Bunnymen are definitely an interesting band. I used to think they were overrated, and I think what made them hard for me to grasp at first was the expanded atmosphere they layer on top of their dark post punk foundation. It’s like the core of their sound is firmly post punk, but the added psychedelic elements introduce an atmosphere that didn’t always feel like it aligned with those darker undertones. Over time, though, I’ve definitely warmed up to them. I started discovering random tracks here and there that I genuinely enjoyed, and those slowly eased me into their music. This was my first time listening to this album from beginning to end, and while I wasn’t fully on board at first, by the second song it already had me hooked. Eventually, I’m planning to work my way through their entire discography.

Solid album

I really need to listen to more Echo and the Bunnymen. They’re so good. I absolutely love Nocturnal Me (though it’s not on this album) and I enjoyed pretty much every minute of this album!

Overall: 6/10 Decent lil' thing, but entirely uninteresting to the point that I have nothing to say about it. Fav Song: The Cutter

ok this one was good and I am glad to have listened. fine. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)

If there is one big piece of news I have received in the process of going through this exercise, it might be, “Echo and the Bunnymen fuckin rule, ya dummy!”

wowowowo

Best surprise so far!

Typical 80s rock. I liked the album, but it wasn’t life changing.

More melancholy Brit pop

Good listening, just nice to have on. Will listen to more

A timeless classic, which is ironic, given that the genre "Post-Punk" is defined by it's moment in time. It was great when it was released, it's great now

The descriptions of Echo and the Bunnymen as a second-rate The Cure aren’t entirely wrong. I like the vibe of the album, but nothing really stands out and I wasn’t sad when it ended.

An early sense of excitement came from hearing “The Cutter” as an opening song. Sharp songwriting and a catchy hook had me looking forward to a lot more. Sadly, nothing quite matched that high. That seems to be my experience with Echo & The Bunnymen - they’re good for a couple fantastic new wave/post punk/pop rock songs and everything else on the album is just an attempt at the same sound. Some glimmers of hope came pretty late, like the hypnotic second half of “Higher Hell”, or how “Gods Will Be Gods” ended. This is about as true of a middle of the road album can get for this list. 3/5

Yeah I'm into this

There are times when this really pops and is exciting to listen to. There are times where the Talking Heads + Bowie mash up gets a bit tiring. And there are times where there sounds like an extended solo on empty coke bottles happening.

creative textures

Whyyyyyyy is there yet again another album by this band on this list? They're fine, I'd even say I like them but they deserve to be on this list once, and once only and certainly not this album.

A lotta people don't know what Britpop is. This isn't Britpop. It's also not great. I like the vibe but there aren't really good songs here

I believe this is my 2d Echo and the Bumnymen. I find this very bland. The title track is the standout but mainly because when it begins it sounds like music from a Western. I do enjoy the bass playing but the rest of the music is indistinguishable from many other albums/acts from this time period.

The Cutter

Tää levy jäi näköjään kuuntelematta oikeassa kohdassa. Kuuntelin tän ja aika geneeristä ja tyhjänpäivästä poppia...

A generic post punk album with some interesting moments influenced by indian music. 2.5/5

a good album to listen to on a sunday

I did not enjoy this

It was OK ish. 2.5

Solid album -- aside from The Cutter, aren't too many standouts, but good overall. Like the use of the sitar in places.

It got boring after a while. The compilation album, “Songs To Learn And Sing” had all of the good songs. The only two songs that were good on this album were “The Back Of Love” and “The Cutter” and I can them on the compilation album.

I'm still waiting for this band to click for me. Ocean Rain didn't do it for me except for a few tracks, and this album is following the same trend. I'd rather just go listen to the Sound or the Cure. The Cutter rips though. 5/10

Never really got into E&TB much before but actually quite liked listening to this one. I think this project has awoken a hidden goth adjacent appreciation in me that I didn’t know was in there before. Going to go and buy myself some eyeliner now.

A great album, really enjoyed that. Only really familiar with The Killing Moon so not sure why I hadn’t explored more. I get quite a few influences on bands I like, in particular The Horrors. A bit too 80s in places but looking forward to discovering more of them.

Another perception burst by the list. Turns out I like ‘em, or at least this album. I was quite fascinated, given my Julian Cope (not so much Teardrops) fanboy status, by the similarities between them. While completely unsurprising given they were in bands together. The bass lines are eerily similar in style, and the vocals while individual also have similar lilts and patterns. The big difference is the guitar style, which give it quite a unique dark style alongside the vocals. Enjoyed the album and interesting the different directions each artist took in time.

Its, dark, gothic, heavy, and unique. It's a must listen, and probably Echo's best album. I am probably biased here, grew up listening to them and have seen them live.

It's been a rough run recently. 1001 albums and seemingly most of them are rubbish.

In my opinion this is another example of how big the dropoff in the bands of the 80's was from the bands of the 60's and 70's. 2 stars or D+.

..

¿A qué viene esa teatralidad cantando? La música no está mal si exceptuamos el bajista que es un chimpancé borracho. Pero esa voz y esa forma de interpretar parece de muchachada nui.

Upphafslagið (The cutter) náði mér strax. Hin eru fín og skemmtilega pródúceruð, en líða ögn fyrir að ég er ekkert sérstaklega hrifinn af þessari rödd eða þessum póst-punk söngstíl. Solid þristur sem hefði mögulega orðið fjarki með fleiri hlustunum.

Corker

Fun album

Two great songs to start it off

Somehow missed this one. Not my fave though, bit pre-Smiths

Meh. Forgettable. 5/10

So British

Having only known The Killing Moon prior, I expected better.

Was it bad? Not really? Will I ever listen to them again… not really

Jesus this was bland.

Not bad by any means, but other bands have just done it better and they are pretty forgettable. Album started to fall off towards the end

Bland Division

A very good album by a very good band. It's not quite as good as Ocean Rain, which is basically their Magnum Opus, but it still shows them operating near their creative peak. They sit in the post-punk space along with Joy Division and The Smiths, but The Bunnymen lean more toward atmospheric, spacious soundscapes while still carrying similar feelings of emotional heft. What I like about Porcupine, and about the band in general, is how they build these big, immersive sonic landscapes yet still retain a sense of raw energy and grit, delivered through Ian Mcculloch's vocals.

Reminds me of The Cure but shitter. Nice for in the background but I don't think I'll be coming back

I feel like I want to like this more than I do. The Cutter is a really great song, but much of the rest of the album really runs together.

It's fine. Not my favorite of their albums, but it's fine. They're stuck in this weird kind of place between the delightful dreariness of Dead Can Dance or Nick Cave and the fun goth rock The Cult would be doing a couple years later. Mostly it feels awkward and I always liked them better in their poppier Killing Moon / Lips Like Sugar groove than this one. Anyway, it's fine. already in collection

Today felt as cold as this cover art. I can always use a dose of the 80’s, no matter the weather.

The Cutter is so majestic the rest pales by comparison. Disappointingly mediocre. Definitely a greatest hits girl when it comes to them

Porcupine is my first encounter with Echo & the Bunnymen. My first impression was that it's similar to The Cure, but that Ian McCulloch's voice isn't as captivating as Robert Smith's. There was a dusky tension more than an airiness, carried along by the bassline, even as the lyrics and McCulloch's delivery varied. Since my version included alternate tracks, I was able to determine that the atmosphere was an intentional thread for the album. Alternative to alternative isn't necessarily pop, but those later tracks marked a big shift in energy.

Echo and the Bunnymen has always felt like a weirder Cure and Smiths hybrid. Love the Cure, hate the Smiths. Leaves this right in the middle. A couple of great songs but not an amazing full album. 2.75⭐️

great album from a great band. not sure of the extras to be honest

Semmosta...ei haise ei maistu. Jotain kuuluu kyllä

Tylsää.⭐️⭐️

Not really

Somewhere between punk and The Cure lies Porcupine by Echo And The Bunnymen. More leaning toward The Cure really. In fact, they have a bit of the U2 sound in them. Also, I think they took the echo too hard. Every song is full of the echo, and I realize that's the band's name and all, but it seems excessive. This album is bleak, but I like bleak music. It's also full of witticisms that insist upon themselves. This is the kind of album that I remember talking to my ex husband about, and I'd be like "What does this even mean?" and he'd say "It's just poetry." Which I think was an excuse so that he didn't have to reflect on his feelings and impressions, but I find myself reading the lyrics of this album and thinking to myself that it doesn't really mean anything and that it's just poetry. I don't hate this, but I'm not sure it fits into my life.

Lyrics and vocals are punk the backing is goth

Weird Af Don't really like

It's a pretty decent neo psychedelic pop/rock album with dark overtones. I do love their album covers

Saw this guy live and he sucked can't get over that.

Up there with the best of their albums before things got a bit stale, I very much enjoyed revisiting it

Dark, moody and a little grumbly.

The opening 2 tracks were pretty good, then it descends into a gloomy introspective melodrama. I always want to like Echo & The Bunnymen more than I actually do.

I was excited to see this album come up today on the generator. Echo and the Bunny-boys (what we called them back in the day) were a band I enjoyed very much. The thing I didn't count on for today's record is that this is one with no songs I'd already heard (The Cutter sounded familiar though). What I realized midway through the album is that I prefer their more polished music that was yet to come. This one had some songs I liked-The Cutter, My White Devil, Heads Will Roll, and In Bluer Skies-but had a number of songs I just didn't connect with. There were also none that I loved. I felt there were some cool musical flourishes that made some songs a bit more interesting, but not truly enjoyable for me. Not a bad album at all, but disappointing for me.

I still have the vinyl version of Echo and the Bunnymen's eponymous album from 1987 (feature the Door's Ray Manzerek on keyboard), and I have always been a fan of their music. There are many bands from the 80s with a similar style, but the Bunnymen have consistent high production value, hooks, and tone without any trace of the negative 80's over synth style. Porcupine stands up well over time. And while it is clearly an 80s band, they do come across more as an alternative band than just another 80s band. Great stuff.

Another album in which I wasn't interested when it came out and again, now I can hear that it was pretty good and I should have been interested.

3/10

Echoes through time

Porcupine (Expanded; 2004 Remaster) The Cutter 10/10 Back of Love 7/10 My White Devil 6/10 Clay 5/10 Porcupine 5/10 Heads Will Roll 5/10 Stopped listening after this The Cutter was great but every subsequent song sounded like noise for the sake of noise. The vocals are whiny and annoying. The beat is basic and boring. The riffs are basically non-existent. I'm writing this as I listen, and I'm currently bored as fuck. This feels like a bunch of European white boys lamenting the fact they were born in the 1960's and not the 1860's.

Of the post-punk acts I have been exposed to, Echo and the Bunnymen are without a doubt the most niche of the bunch. So what differentiates them from the better-known post-punk and new wave groups operating at the time, like Joy Division, the Cure, and the Talking Heads? Ultimately, not enough for me. Much like their contemporaries, the sound and feel of this album is defined by a sense of melancholy and anger. In a way, I feel like they struck a nice balance - they avoid digging too deep into the despair of a group like Joy Division, and incorporate more melodic sensibilities, with some psychedelic and Indian flavors added. Singer Ian McCulloch’s vocals are mournful and, in my opinion, offer an upgrade over many other post-punk vocalists. However, by charting a middle path, the Bunnymen also lose some of what makes the other groups stand out. At the time Porcupine was released, the post-punk movement had been running for several years, and not much of what they did here would sound new anymore. To me, some of the songs on this album sounded strikingly like a blend of Bowie and the Talking Heads without hitting the highs of either. Maybe I’m coming up short in an attempt to be even-handed as I’m admittedly starting to tire of the post-punk depression that I’ve been revisiting repeatedly, but I’m sure I would have gotten to this point over the years this sound had been in play by the time this album was released. This feeling of underwhelm pervaded my perception of the album for me. It was a perfectly fine release, but didn’t do anything to stand out in the wake of what had come before it. I doubt I will be returning to it.

Listened to this passively but looking forward to revisiting!

I really liked this! There’s some really interesting stuff happening with the instrumentation and the lead singer is giving Spooky Bono. A 5!

I’ve always liked this band but I had never listened to a full album. This is good though. It’s moody but compelling. I really like the title track, Heads Will Roll, and Bluer Skies.

A little biased on this one because of what it meant to me as a 13 year old. Getting into the Cure and The Smiths and bands like Exho saved me from the 80s radio schlock.

enjoyed this, which is good cos there's apparently three of em on this list

- The Cutter is great - nice melody & gothy vibes… Enjoying Clay, Heads will Roll, Higher Hell, Gods will be Gods, and In Bluer Skies a lot, too. - I’m getting a bit of a U2 feel from this guy’s voice in parts of the second song. So, I guess it’s like moody britpop with a lot of the Cure, the Church, and a taste of U2. I used to love U2 until I realized Bono was a prick, so I’m conflicted about that song, lol. His voice is making me think of someone else, too, but I can’t place it - I wonder if it’s just them because I had never actually listened to a full album, just heard their singles. He’s got a great voice. - love the momentum of the drums, and there is some nice bass in there and cool instrumentation throughout, but the guitar can feel thinner and more twangy than I like in places, but other places it’s nice. - I’ll definitely listen to it again.

Not bad. No complains, but probably best left in the 80s.

This album hit right at the perfect moment where post-punk started blending into new wave, and you can really hear that transition in the sound. It’s got that dark, moody atmosphere typical of early 80s post-punk, but with just enough melody and polish to make it accessible. The production feels big without being overdone, and the guitars have that cold, echoing tone that gives the whole record its edge. It’s not the kind of album that grabs you right away, but there’s something interesting about how it bridges two styles that would soon take very different directions. Porcupine might not be full of standouts, but it captures a cool point in time when music was shifting from raw punk to something more textured. It’s a solid listen if you’re into that early 80s sound.

Not for me, seems like a lot of other folks dig it though

Great album a hidden gem. Amazing band from that era that was never huge in the USA although a pillar in the UK. Like this album better than the one containing some of the best hits.

I've already reviewed the EATB album that followed this, Ocean Rain; 4 stars. As I said then, for some reason I'd never sat down to listen to a whole album of EATB before, despite liking their singles and overall vibe at the time. I had a feeling I might like this one even more, as it preceded their move towards a fuller, mid-80s sound with orchestral backing. In other words, I knew it would be a bit more more stripped-back (although I note it still has quite a bit of echo in the production - no pun intended). With simpler arrangements, the quality of the songs and the energy are even more important. Energy-wise, this is great: driving indie pop and some real emotion in the vocals. And I was impressed with the songs too. Some haunting melodies; I'm on board with their apparent fondness for an Egyptian-sounding vibe. I thought there was an early Cult vibe too (not as tribal-sounding, but some similarities). The title track, with its mid-track change of pace, is especially good. Another highlight was Gods Will Be Gods, which suddenly developed the expansive feeling of being a great track to drive to (and the Jim Morrison love was front and centre - a good thing imo). I still love The Cutter and The Back of Love. To repeat, they're a band who sit perfectly in my favourite genre, and I thought this was a great album. Perhaps: an oddly weak ending to what was originally the last track, In Bluer Skies. I'd made up my mind by then, though.

Bien

Echo & The Bunnymen will always be an amazing name for a band. Luckily, the music lives up to the cool name because I enjoyed quite a bit of the album m.

Let's not forget Metallica have four albums on this list. First listen sounded interesting, so gave it a second listen in the afternoon. I never got into the Bunnymen back in the day, Don't know why, It's sort of early Simple Minds/U2. Ok, I think. Might listen a third time. Maybe some songs will stick then?

This is bad

Day 62 Tough one to rate as I got to know Ian McCulloch a little bit through music and football in the 00s and he is undoubtedly one of the most arrogant, smug pricks I’ve met in my entire life. Just going off the music though, it’s fine I guess 6/10 Highlights The Cutter My White Devil Heads Will Roll

“The Cutter” was an outstanding opening track. It set the tone for this album perfectly, with its guitar, bass, and drums; then bring in the strings. “Back of Love” and My White Devil were my other faves. Xylophone in there? The singer gave me maybe a little Bono vibe in a few measures now and then. Listened before? N Saved any tracks? N Favorite tracks? The Cutter, Back of Love, My White Devil ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Liked it. Saved no tracks.

The unexpected marimba was interesting, but the vocals are unpleasant. Never heard of Echo and the Bunnymen before, and I can't say this has me looking forward to more. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): N/A ⭐⭐: Didn't like it, didn't hate it. Saved no tracks.

like the previous echo and the bunnymen album i had, it truly doesn’t interest or excite me. i’d rather do a dive into the cure’s discography. 2.5/5 🌕🌕🌗

So today, the third album by Echo & The Bunnymen from this list. After listening to the beginning, I thought it would be hard and exhausting and doubted whether I would really listen to it for over an hour. But actually, it wasn't a problem. I liked the album better than the previous ones. At times, the music reminded me of U2. I'd like to listen to it again. 4/5

Ei nappaa mulle

top 3: - the cutter - my white devil - higher hell

a bit too "80s" for me

jeg kunne bedre lide den her end den sidste vi havde med dem, men synes stadig de er lidt anonyme i forhold til alt det andet britiske post punk vi har på listen

De bedste numre var rigtig gode! Meget forundret over at vi har haft to E&TBM plader men ingen af dem var Ocean Rain eller Heaven Up Here!

Felt a bit generic. Some good songs, but not enough to justify a higher rating.

I loved this album. This band definitely had a Smiths sound to it.

From British punk yesterday to British post punk… sometimes this project seems than worth it.

I'm developing new policies around this list, so today I listened to all three list Echo records. We don't need three Echo records, but I like Echo, and this is the best of the three, by just a bit. Less artful than the Cure, less dark than Joy Div, less pure than Mary Chain; good band.

Great

Geggjuð plata gott band. Drungarokkið geggjaður stemmari.

Frábært drungarokk sem fangar tíðarandann vel. Ekki skemmir kover myndin fyrir.

It sounds dated in general. I think after the title track there's some details in the production that stand out, I guess that's what makes this album a "must". I could've done without it. Feels like alternative Smiths. 2.3/5

Porcupine will be my final E&tB album to review. I gave four stars to both Ocean Rain and Crocodiles, and honestly, I think I should have given both of them five stars, especially Ocean Rain. I really like listening to these guys, so I have some really high hopes for this album. Porcupine turned out to be another wonderful entry from E&tB’s catalog, and I really enjoyed listening to it. E&tB do such a great job of crafting a unique atmosphere with their music, and their sound is always beautifully dense. Ian McCulloch’s vocals were once again excellent, and in a crowded field of post punk artists, E&tB really sets themselves apart. The guitar playing was excellent on this album, and I really loved the strings that were used too. The lyrics were often dark and cryptic, and it was enjoyable to try to parse meaning out of these songs. E&tB has become one of my favorite bands with multiple entries on this list, and I’m delighted that I got to familiarize myself with three of their albums. Some notes on the songs that stood out to me: “The Cutter” was an outstanding opening track. It set the tone for this album perfectly, with its eerie opening guitar riff, and some excellent bass and drumming as well. The sound of this song really opened up at about the halfway mark with some really bright string arrangements. “Back of Love” had some excellent drumming and bass as well, and the main guitar riff was really good too. I loved the percussion on “My White Devil.” I think it was a xylophone that was being used, but whatever it was, it had a skeleton-like sound to it that was really excellent. The wordplay in the cryptic lyrics on “Clay” were outstanding. I’d have to say that this was my favorite songwriting on the album. The title track was really wild, in the best way possible. The guitar playing was excellent, and this was the perfect example of how E&tB create such a lush atmosphere on their albums. “Heads Will Roll” had some great strings, and I loved the brighter sounds that were peppered in as well. The tone of the guitar on “Gods Will Be Gods” was fantastic. The frantic crescendo was particularly excellent. Porcupine is a great album, full of dense atmosphere and excellent songwriting. The strings from Shankar help give this album a really unique sound, crafting one of the early eighties’ best post punk albums.

Great (listened before)

Unmemorable, como dicen los gringos. He calificado mejor otros discos de Echo y este, en estricto rigor, no es un mal disco. Yo, que tengo predisposición favorable al Rock y al Pop, debería disfrutar de este disco, pero por alguna razón pasó sin pena ni gloria. Además, Echo no es un grupo que necesite tener tantos discos en un listado como este.

Porcupine is the second post-punk album the Generator has given me in the last week and I'm sort of beginning to understand what makes this genre what it is – it's the vocals. Much like the The, what separates Echo & the Bunnymen from their instrumentally-similar mainstream counterparts are that the vocals are written and performed in a more edgy/moody way that (seemingly) intentionally clashes with the tones of the backing track. That said, just because I feel like I have a better understanding of something doesn't mean I enjoy it. Porcupine makes me feel like I'm listening to a U2 album with more outside-the-box compositional choices – a couple of tracks gave me a similar soaring, anthemic feeling to some of the Irish band's better cuts, but most just didn't do anything for me. I'm seeing a lot of people comparing this band to the Cure, which makes me both excited and worried to dig into the latter once I'm deeper into the list. Hopefully the other two E&TB albums to come are better than this one. Highlights: The Cutter, Heads Will Roll

Not my bag.

"You're trading Hot Rats for Echo And The Bunnymen??" Jokes aside, was expecting it to be worse, but it was fine. Not my kind of music at all, but it turned out to be more artsy than I expected and it's always a good thing.

I didn't take notes but only the hits like the cutter or clay were good everything else was a little boring

Just fine

I’ve tried to listen to them a couple times and I don’t really get it

One thing about me: I fucking LOVE Echo and the Bunnymen.

I've never been particularly hot on Echo and the Bunnymen, whose music I've always felt was decent, if a bit unspectacular and lacking in memorability from the snippets I've heard. I've had a slightly better time with this one, which errs more on the psychedelic and experimental side akin to The Associates. Although, where they seemed to throw everything at it, this felt a bit more measured and restrained. There still aren't many individual moments here which really leap out at me, but as a whole it felt a bit more energetic and purposeful. It's got potential to be a grower, although when I'd actively choose to put this on again is an issue that hangs in the balance.

2.5

Another brit band I can't crack.

I have no idea where there are three Echo and Bunnymen albums on this list. Whoever put together must have been a British goth kid in the 80's

This was just okay. I'm, at this point, growing a bit weary of the amount of Britpop on this generator. The first Echo And The Bunnymen album I got was pretty mediocre, and I have to say this isn't much different. The vocals really aren't all that great, but some props to the musicians as there are some pretty good songs (musically) in here.

3.9 Starts off great and just goes a bit meh. faves: the cutter, my white devil

Cracking album from start to finish, with two great singles from it

Not bad, not good. I got through it

What a difference a day makes. I listened yesterday to part of the album and it wasn't just clicking. Maybe it was gloomier out but something hit different when I picked up listening to it this morning. I heard it differently, and even the first opening songs that I was on the fence about sounded better. I am going to save the album for future listens.

Never a big singles band, EatB really embody that 80s sound without making a huge impression. Still an enjoyable album.

Interesting. I'm not a big fan of the lead's vocal stylings, but it's good. The lyrics were good an engaging. Specifically liked "The Cutter", "Clay", and "Gods Will Be Gods". I stopped listening after "Fuel", because I didn't think all the alternate versions would add to the album. My Rating; 3/5

Sanctimonious meh

3 stars

Yet another picture perfect example of a 3 star album. Did I enjoy it? Yeah, I enjoyed it enough. It did things musically I enjoyed. Am I going to remember this after 24 hours have passed? Absolutely not. A lot of the songs had vaguely Egyptian or maybe even Indian sounding themes which I enjoyed. I don’t know, it was all good. None of it was bad, but none of it was particularly memorable either. I liked his voice well enough, and the music all passed the vibe check. An incredibly standard, generic review for an equally standard and generic sounding album. I liked the last song the best, “Never Stop - Discotheque”. There are 3 of these albums on here, so I can only imagine these guys are huge across the pond. Sure, I can see that. They’re good enough. Side note, as a great man once said, “Name something that follows the word Pork”. “Upine”. Call it a 3.6/5 and I’ll see you tomorrow for another one.

fínt bara, man tbh ekki mikið eftir þessu því ég hlustaði fyrir nokkrum dögum en segir kannski bara mikið til um þessa plötu

gseht uhuere noch british new wave uus haha. yep isches au am erste lied ah. strings(?) melodie sehr cool. sehr post punk gitarregrüsch überall au. es isch uhuere simple minds. back of love au uuhuere. so gruefne gsang irgendwie. my white devil isch easy, no cooli chromatischi gitarre line. und s xylophon au nice. aber find etz scho dass sich öpe das zeigt het wo das album wird mache. easy guete post punk. clay cooli soundstruktur. find eh sie mached mega interessanti sache mit de gitarre. sehr afoch grüsch zum teil. sehr metallisch. und denn zeme mit de warme akustische gitarre passts mega. ja langsam chumi dri. nice. porcupine de song hani weniger packend gfunde. heads will roll fangt super ah. cooli sounds wieder seehr geil die tüf gitarre (synthi?). guets zeiche dasi nöd erkenn was füres instrument dass sache macht zum teil. instrumentali bridge isch extreeem geil.

bruched mier zwei albe vo dene? es isch sicher will ich scho negativi erwartige han aber ich finds bis jz recht lame und gfühlt scho 100 mal uf dere liste ghört wenigstens ischs albumcover cool! poah gönd die claps uf de sack bi bluer skies 1 oder 2, nüt neus und scho 828 mal ghört würkli als "schlecht" chanis nöd bezeichne aber es het mi iwie recht gnervt

Just sounded like synth pop to me, nothing bad, nothing catchy. Easily forgettable

15.00 (seuraava päivä), himassa, harmaat gensut, qobuz enpä tienny tän bändin olemassaolosta. kiinnostus heräsi tutustua muihinkin levyihin

There were moments where I felt this album was leaning up against goodness, but those moments were few. I'd rather just listen to The Cure.

Decent, but it wore thin toward the end. Somewhat dated.

Another in a series of bands my favourites are indebted to or love but I just...have never found a way into. Not my first go around with Echo’s earlier work, but my sense is the same as in the past: whole lotta sound and fury signifying...something? I like this one a bit more than other Echo efforts, there are some commonalities with their post-punk contemporaries - U2, Joy Division, The Smiths, The Cure - but where those bands are also often mired in melancholy, they have songs, whereas a lot of Echo comes across as little more than a step removed from jam sessions. It’s a pose, a vibe, and it’s a very legible one, but they didn’t arrive at matching that pose with fleshed-out songs for at least another record. It’s fun to imagine an alternate timeline where Echo took off in the US the way U2 did, saving us from world saviour Bono, maybe keeping them upstart underdogs instead of what they inevitably became.

I have never listened to the Bunnymen because I've never liked the lead singer. This is very good indeed.

"Porcupine" is the third studio album by English post-punk band Echo and the Bunnymen. Post-punk and pop are the Wiki-listed genres. Fine. The album was initially rejected by their record label WEA for being too uncommercial and was re-recorded with L. Shankar providing strings on some songs. Lead singer and guitarist Ian McCulloch admitted to having difficulty writing new material and the mood within the band was "horrible." Besides McCulloch, the band included Will Sergeant (lead guitar), Les Pattinson (bass) and Pete de Freitas (drums). Initially reviews were poor with complaints of non-originality and reusing motifs whereas recent reviews such as Pitchfork's cite this album as their definitive statement. The album reached #2 in the UK and #137 on the US Billboard 200. Wobbly strings open "The Cutter" giving it a Middle Eastern psychedelic edge. Deep bass, guitar slashes. McCulloch's strong vocals. A synth sounding like a trumpet at the middle right takes this song away. McCulloch wonders why get circumcised; he's not worth it. A wonderful song...one of their best. And no let up on the next song song "The Back of Love." An echoing guitar. Frenetic drums and bass. Urgency in the the vocals and music. More drama with the strings and synths. McCulloch exploring the non-romantic side of love. A droning post-punk guitar and idiosyncratic drum beat highlight "Clay." Sergeant stretching the guitar strings. Soaring vocals as he struggles between his good and bad. Some more Middle Eastern strings and an acoustic guitar are added in "Heads Will Roll." McCulloch's vocals are layered. The guitars are layered. Great, great melody. A hypnotic bass and beat begins "God's Will Be Gods." The pace picks up. Resolved vocals and vocal echoing as McCulloch has made a mistake with his girlfriend. The song builds chaotically towards the end with guitar slashes, added strings and a rolling drum. Ian McCullogh said that in hindsight he was coming to terms with the opposite of himself recording the album and lyrics show that. They're very personal, showing internal doubt. He calls up Nietzsche, Cain and Abel and God. At times, his vocals are strained and up and down and this caused riffs within the band. We'll, you know what? This resulted in a fantastic album. It's one of those albums that becomes better with each listen. For all the horrible moods, the band sounds fantastic. All three other members maybe playing at the height of their career. The production details (strings, synths and handclaps) add to new details with repeated listens. The highs are very high with "The Cutter" and "The Back of Love" but the rest is very strong too. Echo and the Bunnymen have a few very strong albums and this one is right near the top.

I think I would like this more if they had a different singer.

Ok

Good 80s album.

This is fine. Title track was a drag, but Heads Will Roll was solid. The instrumentation is pretty cool. Kinda psychedelic, proto shoegaze at times with a bit of eastern flare. Unfortunately the songwriting just isn't doing much for me

The Cutter - 5/5 Back of Love - 5/5 My White Devil - 4/5 Clay - 3/5 Porcupine - 4/5 Heads Will Roll - 5/5 Ripeness - 3/5 Higher Hell - 5/5 Gods Will Be Gods - 3/5 In Bluer Skies - 5/5 Average score: 4.2/5

Kinda enjoyed the music, but really didn't enjoy the singing.

One big steaming pile of shit! I made it to the start of side 2, and I had to force myself to wait that long, before I couldn't take it anymore. Every track was just monotonous and tuneless to me.

Not really my thing, especially the vocals

Pretty much love every song on this album. It's their best by far, not even a contest. Post-punk at it's finest. Best songs: The Cutter The Back Of Love My White Devil Heads Will Roll Gods Will Be Gods

4 or 5/5

The band’s OK, but there’s something unbearably cloying about his voice that makes them unlistenable.

100% forgettable. I actually had to go look at the song list this morning before writing this review. For a minute there I thought I hadn't listened to it.

Great album. Cutter is an exceptional cut. But...I am still partial to the 2 earlier albums, especially Crocodile. Man, Crocodile made me a post-punk fan. Absolutely. But still, Porcupine is exceptional.

The warbling, the intense gothic tinged warbling.

I actually enjoyed the vibes on this one. Interesting melodies, a wide range of sounds, and an old school cool feel.

Good

It's music, it's competent, but I'm growing weary of Echo & the Bunnymen. I don't really care for this sanitised post-punk they produce and they sure as hell don't need 3 albums of it on the list. Realistically a 3-star album but it ain't getting that out of spite. The Cutter is a fine song, but everything here kind of becomes a forgettable mesh. Ocean Rain is a more interesting work by them IMO and that was all the Echo & the Bunnymen needed here.

Другий альбом від гурту в списку. Вже тут майже не залишилось психоделічності першого альбому, і настрій більше в сторону готичності. Плюс додаються місцями дуже вдалі поп-приспіви й одночасно все досить вигадиливо зіграно

Echo and the Bunnymen, and particularly PORCUPINE, have always sounded to me like what happens when you cross dark post punk of Bauhaus and Siouxsie and the Banshees with a vocalist that sounds Bono. They managed to co-opt the sound of Goth without actually becoming a Goth Rock band. I've wanted to embrace this band's sound for decades now, as they seem right up my alley of post punk and new wave, but every time I sit down to draw in an album I find myself appreciating the engineering and production of their albums, but zoning out after a few tracks. Such was the case with PORCUPINE. "Cutter" is a fantastic opening, but by "Clay" I'm finding myself drifting off, as if, when I wasn't looking they've slipped me a soporific. 1983 was such a stellar year for music albums. It seems like there were plenty of other greats that deserved to be on this list instead of Echo and the Bunnymen. This might be their best album, but it doesn't feel like it was a necessary album in order to grasp the development of post punk/shoegazing/dream pop.