Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Very weird, not my thing
Passer fint på en søndag. Behagelig musikk som er fin å roe ned med.
Not bad, cheesy but nice to listen to.
Smooth jazz meets adult contemporary. Some of the production is not far off from The Sims 1 soundtrack.
Had the potential to be pretty, but ultimately very dull.
Apron Strings is a forever song
Found this album a big disappointment - I knew Tracy Thorn's voice was amazing but this album is early on in EBTG's oeuvre and reeks of sentimental 80s soppiness. Not for me Clive.
Bad late 80' / early 90's Muzak
Boring ballads. Good for focusing on work but I would probably not enjoy actively listening to them.
Well this was a breath of fresh air as the last album that I reviewed was one of the worst ones so far. Idlewild has pretty tracks in this album and I am a lover of soft rock. I thought I never heard of this band before but I recognize now some of their popular songs. It is one of those scenarios where you know the song but you can't for the life of you recall the band's name. Solid album. 4/5.
Late 80s new wave pop. Lovely voice. Quite gentle and pretty.
not for me
its good, enjoyed it. but nothing crazy
Generic late-80's ballad snoozefest with insufficient sax.
Love the vocals and instrumentals on this. It's got the late 80's pop sound that feels tasteful compared to other contemporaries or 80's nostalgia-bait tracks. Favorite tracks: I Don't Want to Talk About it, These Early Days, Oxford Street, Apron Strings
Decent sounding album but I was not able to enjoy it much.
A cross between elevator music and the soundtrack to a tv movie of the week where one of love interests gets cancer. Borderline unlistenable.
very cheesy, and extremely mid. tv movie soundtrack level. not particularly interesting or listenable
I didn't save anything but this was actually pretty good. I felt myself bopping along and was enjoying listening to it during work. Marking as a 4 so I come back to it!
I am a little confused on its inclusion on the list, but I really enjoyed this album.
This album was incredible. I love the electronic feel and the singer's voice. Just well crafted songs that were enjoyable. Awesome
Nope. Nothing about this was good to me, and I'm not sure I get what anyone would find here that's worth a listen tbh
Bland
My knowledge of Everything but the Girl is a like of the Todd Terry remix of “Missing” and a real dislike of their version of “I Don’t Want to Talk About It”. I expected this album to fall in line with my dislike of its first track… and I was right. It’s dull. It’s depressing. The lyrics to “Oxford Street” had me rolling my eyes in places. It’s lucky I’ve listened to Trout Mask Replica, or I would be giving it 1*, or indeed that I have no half star option, because it would get 1.5*.
I found this so astonishingly dull. But it wasn't painful to listen to. But it was incredibly boring. What to do, what to do..... Thanks to the whole star rating system this is getting a 2, because I can't give it a 1.5, and I have listened to far worse 1s. 2/5
Dentist office music from the 80’s I’ll admit that Everything But The Girl deserves a spot on this list, but certainly not three spots.
Tracy Thorn has a ridiculously good voice, but that only takes this project so far. As a huge dance music fan who was of an impressionable age when I heard the Todd Terry remix of "Missing", I had a hard time digesting this soft, squeaky-clean ballad sound - or dethatching Tracy's voice from that minimalist, cutting-edge club beat sound. I hope they like that remix, I'm sure it follows them everywhere. Anyways. "Love Is Here Where I Live" has some decent electronic instrumentation, even without Tracy or Ben's voice this sounds like some nice 1990 shopping mall/waiting room music (a critique leveraged by many, but to me it's pleasant when done well). It's quite sweet to listen to a song like "I Always Was Your Girl" knowing these two quietly fostered a love for each other, never marketed it, and eventually got married almost 20 years after this record came out. Context doesn't always matter for listening to the albums on this list, but I feel like that little nugget means a lot. All these nice things being said, I think I'd heard enough by the 7th or 8th song. A solo piano with a strong melody, a choral accompaniment, something more was needed to give this thing some punch. "Apron Strings" came too little, too late. 2/5 stars because this just isn't an album you need to listen to, no matter how sweet it is
Sounds like.80s pop, reminds.me.of.lthe music they played in Asda when doing the shopping with my dad at the weekend
Not especially bad or offensive, but also not especially good and was one of those albums that I just wanted to end sooner rather than later.
O vocal da mulher é bem melhor do que o do homem As músicas são meio longas pra um álbum de pop Tem um negócio meio jazz que é legal 1ª metade mais legal que a 2ª Sintetizadores maneirinhos
80s smooth jazz should be something I despise yet I found myself quite enjoying this album in parts. Got Morrisey vibes throughout (especially Lonesome) and not just from the album cover. The opening Rod Stewart cover was great fair play. Decent if not exceptional.
Everything but good songs, amirite?!! ✋ Christ, this is dull middle of the road dreary ballads and I would probably usually give this sort of thing 2 stars but I’m in a bad mood and this is not helping, it’s just making me miserable. Add to that, I’m just annoyed about the suggestion that I should listen to this album before I die. I’ve also discovered they have 2 albums on here 😭
Sooooo boring
90’s Christian Mom Minvan Music
grooviger 90er-sound, starke stimme. aber auch schnulzig. trotzdem: mal was anderes, wenn man EBTG vor allem für Missing kennt.
Schöne Popmusik.
This was a bit bland, jazzy and inoffensive, but not something I'll come back to. 2.5
this is maybe a top 10 most boring album we've had so far to me. this is multi-suite office park lobby music
This band name sounded familiar but I really couldn't place it. I still haven't figured it out, but I was surprised that this sounded kind of like The Pretenders...I think I expected something more electronic and this almost has some hints of what I'd now call city pop. It made for easy and pleasant workday listening.
Correcto
I know why you have to listen to this album before you die. It makes 45 minutes feel like an eternity. I skipped after the sixth song because it's too boring.
Chill and laid back with a good voice to boot. The production wasn’t bad but every next song makes what was good about the one before boring and predictable. Couldn’t pick out a favorite but listening to this in the bg wouldn’t want me peel my skin off. Which is worth a lot
Inoffensive elevator music, boring.
Meh
100 albums in and I get hopefully the last album from this group ... Liked this better than Walking Wounded...80s vibes fit this band better than the cold electronic music on WW...but overall it's still very cookie cutter and unmemorable to me.
Sounds like the couple who tours churches across the Midwest hoping to be the next big discovery. Lovely voices but very dull album.
I wasn't in the mood for this. I liked a few of the songs, and especially the cheesy 80's soundtrack vibe from one towards the end of the album. But I didn't care enough to go back and check which one. 3
Meh.
Everything But This Album
I never thought an album could be this boring.
This might be one of the most boring, synthetic, over-produced and annoying thing I've ever heard.
Maybe they needed The Girl
I much prefer their earlier records, which by and large distilled folk into their “thing”, versus this soulful jazz incarnation. Honestly can’t listen to this, much as I have a fondness for the duo.
Too twee for me.
Yes, I know they're whimsical when it full on folk mood. But sometimes, that's just what I want. Along with endless cups of tea. Idelwild hit the spot for my whimsical needs this morning.
The songwriting is indisputable, as is the guitar interplay and vibrant instrumentation. Unfortunately, the aged-not-well hallmarks of 1988 are there: choppy drum machines, saxophone solos (luckily only on one song), DX-7 pianos. Those now distract but luckily the sweetness of the songwriting and the appeal of the lyrics wins me over.
Some nice background music but all kind of blended into one. Not one of the 1001 albums I needed to listen to before I die. 2⭐️
No thanks
This was drab. It’s hard to feel any strong emotions towards this kind of music. At times it invokes Dido but without the distinctive voice or catchy hooks. It’s less middle of the road than lane-splitting a 3-lane motorway. Will not be returning.
Assume I hate mushrooms. You present me with a perfectly reasonable mushroom and ask me what I think of it What should I say... My answer its a perfectly reasonable mushroom but no thanks. I cant reasonably hate something that is objectively good can I? I suppose I could give a slightly personaly view point explaining my preference to not eat something because of the texture or whatever but pretty weak. However If said mushroom had wierd marks or dirt on it on the other hand I might be able to join the debate of my dislike of the specific mushroom and describe it. Peace and love to all mushrooms!
Mushy eighties pop which can't be rescued by the odd saxophone solo. I found this album so boring I struggled to get through it. It's one redeeming feature is the production quality which, like so many eighties albums, is excellent.
I debated on ranking this a 1 or a 2. I looked at my one rankings. It's not that bad. I looked at my 2 rankings. It's not that good. It's a solid 1.5. It slides towards being a 1 because it's completely and utterly forgettable. I wish I could understand the cultural significance as to why this ended up on the list, because I don't see it. But Tracey's voice is really nice. It would be great background music if you were at some stuffy cocktail party where you didn't really like anybody there but had to go for work. Is it a bland, inoffensive 1 or a just not my style 2? By the time I hit Lonesome for a Place I Know I was looking for how much time I had left. But really, the sax solo at the end of Tears All Over Town was probably the nail in the coffin. It's a 1.
It's better than I remember it but I think this is easily the least of their four 80s albums. Each album has its own distinct sound but this one is the most tentative as Ben Watt begins to noodle with synths and drum machines. The Wikipedia entry even includes a section from Tracey Thorn's memoir that accepts that many of these songs don't really have choruses. Which can be cool if your arrangements are more interesting or your lyrics are more captivating. There's better tunes, better arrangements and way more affecting lyrics on each of their previous three. Skip this and listen to one of those instead.
Not my favorite. I was hoping it would at least be danceable. It wasn’t.
This is a tough one. I like Tracey Thorn's voice. I like later Everything but the Girl albums. I loved her work with Massive Attack. This album, though, is boring and I don't like it. It's only tough because I like them and don't want to give them the 2 stars this album deserves. I like that it isn't standard 80s pop, but it is very poppy, and it's from the 80s, soooo...
This album is an experiment: what if we took country music vocals and lyrics and layered them over electro-bop, bossa nova, or soft jazz? In short, it's a disaster. EBTG even admits to cringing at their early stuff. For all intents and purposes, the band doesn't find their sound until Todd Terry remixes Missing into a house track. Idlewild is when they're still finding out what doesn't work. Fascinating origin and history lesson, and kudos to them for being willing to experiment and explore new sounds on a public stage: without that willingness, they never would have become such a heavy influence on 90's electronica. Doesn't make this album easier to listen to, though.
It’s tender, and surprisingly honest about domestic life and motherhood, which you never hear sung about. A quiet little gem.
I want to give this a one because it was so boring and bland and really annoying, but I’ll be generous and bump it up. Wait. No, I won’t. I don’t ever want to hear this terrible elevator music again. It actually made me mad.
I love this late-night vibe. It pairs perfectly with cold weather and a good wine.
Man, the people were right. Idlewild is the worst Outkast album! Why are there two Everything But The Girl albums on this list? Why?! They're not bad, but in no world do they have two albums important enough to be on a list like this. Walking Wounded? Sure. We can keep that one. It's pretty good and I don't mind the band being present with one album. It also gives trip-hop more representation, which I welcome. Idlewild? It's another fucking sophisti-pop album! I've gotten like 5 of these in the past month and a half! Nothing about this album is bad, but nothing is interesting or unique either. The sound is pleasant, almost a little too pleasant. I wouldn't quite say that myself, but people have said that about this album for a reason. Tracey Thorn's singing is nice, but I also feel like it fits the other album more. The writing just kind of does its job. None of the songs are bad, but they kind of blend in together a bit. I like this album, sure. However, I don't really see what's special about it specifically. Like, what does this album provide that I don't get out of better albums that I've gotten in the past month and a half like Diamond Life or, hell, even Steve McQueen? And of course, I have to bring up the fact that Walking Wounded is the better Everything But The Girl album on the list. Idlewild isn't a bad listen, but it's also not an interesting one. Maybe I'd like it more if it was the only album they had on the list. High 3/5.
Sounds like the kind of thing my mum would play in the car, after unexpectedly finding the CD somewhere way in the back of an old box in the attic. This is really, really not a compliment. I'm sorry, mum. Love you regardless.
Very disappointing. I really like Tracey Thorn's vocals and i do like later electro EBTG - but this was bland as fuck 80's lite jazz/lounge muzac shite.
Idlewild Jesus, I thought EBTG were a kind of coolly detached dance inflected pop band with a great singer. And while Tracy Thorn’s voice is excellent on this, musically this is the worst type of insipid, soporific, bland, self satisfied, soulless, hotel lobby, hold music to the point of feeling like an utterly pointless album. Not fun at all. 👎 Playlist submission: These Early Days
This is the musical version of wet cardboard. 'These Early Days' is one of the worst because it feels like they've said 'let's do an upbeat one', but it's more beige than my old maths teacher's corduroys. What follows is a stream of hotel cabaret schmaltz with no character. 'I Was Always Your Girl' is a watery trickle of the blandest shite. Please please don't add 80s sax as well, oh fucking hell there it is. It's worse than the music they play when you spend an hour waiting to speak to customer services at Plusnet. It doesn't even fail spectacularly like the Napalm Deaths of this world. And that's the really unforgivable thing. Thank goodness Todd Terry showed them the way, down the line.
Me gusta mucho más el disco que sacaron en los 90.
👎
Legalzinho. Lembra rumours, mas piorado
This is the 2nd god awful album from this duo. May it be the last! BRING. ON. NAPALM. DEATH!!!! 1/5 #175
While Rick Astley receives adoration….
Generic Hallmark Movie: The Soundtrack
I feel bad giving this a 1 but it is so so boring and uninteresting. She has a great voice but it is wasted here. This was hard to make it through - kept waiting to see why this was on the list but that moment never came.
hyväå kamaa
Meh
Oh God. I wanted to like this so badly. And I was grooving with the soft guitars and ballads but the middle of the album was such a slog to get through for some reason.
Pretty boring in general. Probably for someone, but not me. 2/5
Mellow sophist-pop which veers towards jazz at times. Nice cover of I Don't Want To Talk About it. Has a small club feel to the album and is an easy listen with Thorn's voice at its most melodic
v chill and comfy album. From songs for rainy dusk time and and songs for listening while chilling on a beach and for just closing down for the day, this is a good everyday listening album with easy to reach vocals and easy-going bossanova elements
I think I recognise the first song but this was all in one ear out the other.
That was, not interesting at all
Incest/5 I avoided this at first based on the brigade of negative reviews. No offense, but the album cover looks, ahm... yeah. But I thought after listening to my other vacant albums, I wanted to give this album a chance... ...but instead of using that chance for good, it turned my ears inside and out. This is probably a good album to fuck your cousin or sister to.
It is not the best
A little boring, nothing special
I listened to the first song and skipped through the rest. Seeemed sort of like a wedding band ———————————— My non-musician scoring system. 5 - Love it. Would play anytime, buy, see live… 4 - Good music. 3 - Average playlist. Depends on time and setting. 2 - I can’t listen to whole songs. 1 - No.
Easy listening. Nothing to love, nothing to hate. One of the most 3est 3s that’s ever 3ed.
I listened to this. Simpsons: No
This is the better of the two albums on here.
Sometimes I liked it, sometimes I thought it was whiny and annoyiong. Who knows.
Enjoyed the vocals , fun instrumentals here and there … chill vibes
Not my thing but it's nostalgic
This is nothing. Incredibly boring. There's like brief moments of something interesting, but they are very short lived and few and far between. The lyrics are also pretty nothing. It's almost impressive how nothing this is. For the most part, it isn't pain inducing music, which is actually a plus. But it does take a bit of a quality hit as the album goes. To the point where I'm debating on adding it to my "Did Not Finish" list. I did end up finishing it... To say that the album sucked, is going a little far, but it is not good. It's not interesting. And it for sure shouldn't be on this list. Favorite Song(s): I Don't Want to Talk About It
The Good: We are made aware that what we are listening to is “everything but the girl” The Bad: We are being lied to… The Ugly: Lies will make our noses grow… Familiar with the bandname, unfamiliar with their music, except for, one other two songs that I probably heard while also hearing the bandname being mentioned… and notice that it’s bandname, not band name, just like the title of the album. Does the singer have a nice voice? Yes. Are there issues with the arrangements? No. Did the album irritate? No. Was I looking at the album cover thinking that this band was a side project for Morrissey? Yes! Will I listen to this album again? Probably not… However, maybe out of curiosity… 2 1/2*
Very bland and forgettable
I did not enjoy. Another that was musically interesting but not something I enjoyed at all. Skipped through the album. Felt like easy listening music.
i actually really enjoyed most of this album. i could listen to it without skipping any of the songs, but it’s also boring as shit. would never take pride in enjoying this, because it feels like lukewarm coffee
Enjoyed the vibe.
Of all the albums on this list, this is certainly one of them. Instrumentation is cool at times. The one thing it has going for it is that its not the worst thing I've ever heard. Its just boring and uninteresting
pretty good prob won’t listen again
There is nothing more than weak Pop music here. 2 stars or D.
No 2/5
This was like easy listening pop; strained saxophone-laden baby-making music for people that are so white that they're slightly translucent. This album was so non-confrontational that it killed my ability to write a scathing review about it's blandness. This was melba toast covered in unsalted butter, and then sat on my plate until it was soggy. That's how meh this album is.
Yeah, this isn't great. They really evolved from 1988 to 1996. If you take the vocals off this it's straight up a 90s weather channel music bed.
These songs were played at every prom in 1988, which I love as a vibe.
So mellow. So chill. Peak 80s smooth rock.
Great background music. Just something to keep the silence at bay for a while.
This is the SECOND Everything But the Girl album this list has subjected me to. I have no idea why this white bread adult contemporary easy listening music is here. It’s like Pat Boone playing Sade. I could not wait for this album to be over. Still, it’s better than Kid Rock. I want to give it a 1, but it’s not as terrible as Kid Rock. It really is like a 1.5, but I’ll give them a 2, like their last album (which I described as mild and inoffensive mid 90s coffee shop music.)
Honestly, vibes
Pop
2.0
Easy listening.
I wasn't really sold on this in the first half, but the back half of the album was pretty good. Standouts Lonesome for a Place I Know Apron Strings 3/4
It is crazy that a "1 hit wonder" has 2 albums on this list, and neither of them have their one hit. Anyways, Protection is one of my favorite Massive Attack songs, but I had no idea who Tracy Thorne was for the longest time. This album sounds good, not great, but good. She has a nice voice, but the songs are a little generic. Mid 3.
What a wonderful Monday surprise this album was. With its Top o' the Mark cocktail lounge, cool and easy, jazz vibe and spot on vocals, it is right in line with the high class clientele that comes to see the show.
Pretty, but boring
Uninspiring!
Kinda cheesy, but also authentic. I don't mind it.
Durchschnitt 2,4
Nice enough.
Pleasant enough.
Wow, there's a lot of hate for this one. I remember "Missing" being released as a teen who thought he was in love and used the line "like the deserts miss the rain" in a postcard I sent back whilst on holiday. She laughed at me, but I digress, that song isn't on this album. Neither are the other two I know, "Wrong" and "Tracey In The Room". Amazing that I've actually heard their spectacular cover of Crazy Horse's "I Don't Want to Talk About It" and even "Goodbye Sunday". I didn't love EVERY song, but there were a lot of decent tracks on this album. Some jazzy, some poppy, some just easy listening. I remember reviewing another album of theirs, "Walking Wounded", which I gave a 4 and this one is better. I like Tracey's voice, maybe not so much Ben's. I can't go above 4 though.
Are you kidding me? What are the chances of two of their albums being only a day apart! Still not into it. Fine and smooth but generally just dull and uninteresting to me. Feels like something that would be playing in a cliche coffee shop in an old television show. Better than the previous one though, more kind of tropical-ish or aquarium-ish.
Very smooth listening, and great chill background music, but nothing really stood out.
I really do not think this was made for me, so I stopped after three songs.
Was good, not great. Maybe I just wasn't feeling the vibes right. Best song: Love Is Here Where I Live Notable(s): I Don't Want to Talk About It
This reminds me of waking up to my mom's Pandora stations in the morning. However usually I recognize most of the music she's playing. 2.75 stars
My original review is below which I’ve had to amend because I mixed Everything But The Girl up with Fairground Attraction. An easy mistake to make I’d wager and why it all sounds so bland. Whilst Tracey Thorn is an undoubted talent (Fairground Attraction) Everything But The Girl have never done anything for me. Even now when I’m a bit older and arguably wiser to the extent that I collect and appreciate the likes of Norah Jones, Diane Krall and the like EBTG (FA) still sound too MOR and devoid of any humph. A bit mind numbing. Still a lot like them and this album so they don’t need my vote. 2/5 6/8/25
I promise, you're good to skip this one.
Heavy on the idle, light on the wild, Everything But The Girl also forgets to pack a compelling reason to listen in this sleepy collection of half-formed melodies.
Couldn't tell you why but I didn't like this one. Nothing wrong with it but it didn't land for me
Hold music. Not worthy of this list. 2*
What a mid tier album... Why the hell is this Yankee Candle/christian book store music on this list?! Do yourself a favor and skip this one
More mellow than I remembered.
2.5
But really? Nothing personal, but I just don’t see why this is something one HAS TO hear before they die. But I have now, so I guess I’m safe.
Last dance at the high school prom type music 2/5
I listened to this on a summer drive in Florida with my mom and daughter on vacation. We all agreed it was “nice” to listen to, but it didn’t fit the setting at all. This is a perfect rainy Sunday morning album. It’s very samey and calming. But it’s not a car drive record at all. I’m certain had I listened alone on my AirPods I’d have fallen asleep. I’m not sure how you rate an album that feels like it needs a very specific setting for it to really work. I’m thinking it’s a 3.5 that I’ll lower to 3.
What…did you say something?!
Pleasant but forgettable.
I Don’t Want to Talk About It.
Very laid back and mellow, a little dull in places
En andra platta på listan med detta band är åtminstone en för mycket. Okej album trots allt.
This one sounds very dated and it’s a little too ballad-esque for me.
I liked this. I enjoyed the lyrics
Not my thing. But also didnt hate it. Very low 3
Fun little album
I can't tell if this is awful or not. I think it's probably fine for what it is, but it ain't for me.
Things were not looking good for this album. A late 80s pop album is exactly what I’m notorious for not enjoying. But I was really shocked how much I enjoyed this record. The vocals lack that horrible slurring the 80s are known for. They remind me of Sade and Sinead O’Connor. Instrumentally it’s also a step above your usual 80s pop dross. The tracks have the same quality as city pop or j-jaz. Slightly more jazzy chord choices I believe. A few tracks aren’t as compelling as others but over all a great listen Fav tracks - Love is Here Where I Live - These Early Days - Shadow On A Harvest Moon - Blue Moon Rose - Tears All Over Town
joo ei tämäkään pippeliäni imeskellyt muttasnoin laitetaan kolmosta kehään se on jo päätetty koska emtt.. kun kaikkki on paskaa niin vähemmän haiseva hevosenpaska on parempaa kuin iuiu kissanpaska. tämä hevosen lantaa.. sentään voidaan viljellä jos tarttee..uskomattoman energianpitoista lantaa, vitusti carbs.. mut kannattaako vermikompostoida? emt vittu.. miks multa kysyt miks kysyyt miks kysyyyt miks kyyystyyyyt??? hyvä lesbo bändi kuitenki aijaha yks näistä on mies... noh heteroseksi ei meikäläisen hakulaitetta viritä joten sinne meni sekin huvi... kalliit on huvit nykyään 3,95 sanoi pikkutyttö ja ojensi limonaadia. vedin vittu turpaan. i dont want to talk about it
An okay album, I liked The Night I Heard Caruso Sing the most.
Too easy-listening and compressed 80s production.
< the Beatles
Elsker første track. Veldig behagelig album. Litt monotont så derfor litt kjedelig, men om man er i viben er dette gull.
So this is an ok album, auite good to have it on the background but mostly forgettable. While the production is good and pleasant most of the rracks sound the same and there is not much that Tracey can do with her performance to highlight the lyrics. . I will give 3 out of 5 but it shoukd be 2.5. And I dont understand why this album.is in this selection if there is another album of the band. Why is this in the list and huge pop changing albuns like Spice Girls Spice isn't???
little too soft for me
Best Track - "Blue Moon Rose"
I’m really happy I got this album today. Not because I think it’s great or anything. But because I’m having one of those days where shit happens and I could use a completely inoffensive, middle-of-the-road, safe album. Nothing sucks more than getting your favorite album here on one of your bad days. Ok, snark aside, this is alright. I have a soft spot for soft 80’s cheese and Tracey’s got a remarkable voice. But this really pushes on being really bland. It really has no business being on the list at all. There’s nothing of value that demands it to be listened to. Just a very average 80’s album. With Tracey’s voice, it just kind of feels like lost potential. Favorite track: Love Is Here Where I Live Other hits: I Always Was Your Girl, Shadow on a Harvest Moon, Apron Strings, Oxford Street
I like the sounds of the '80s sound of synthesizer.
frekar einhæf en snoturt gáfumannapopp með rafáhrifum. mér finnst þetta ekki mjög spennandi.
not my vibe
1/2
Everything this band does is so dull. It’s not bad, but none of it says anything or means anything.
Love their music. Such a beautiful voice.
En ehkä jaksa levyllistä balladeja. Saksofoni on imelä, muttei onneksi liian. Ihan keskikastia. Aika hellyttäviä sanoituksia. Sympatiapisteet nostaa kolmoseen.
Reminded me of shopping at KMart in the 90s. Completely inoffensive. Very nice Autumn morning music. But kind of one-note and unexciting.
Most songs opened with programmed drums and had cheesy synthesizer. The vocals were bland and boring.
This is airport music. I do not hear hooks or anything that makes this stand out at all.
Many years ago I really liked Eden but clearly my tastes have changed
Nothing too exceptional here. Not a bad listen, but not sure why this is on the list.
Jazzy in a bad way for me
Not their best, bit cheesy, but it's still Tracy thorn so I'm happy
All the songs were pretty slow there was only one good song probably won't listen to it again overall like a 2 out of 5
Um... I thought for a second there that maybe I had heard this back in the day, but I don't think so actually. It isn't bad or really even all that dated. it is maybe just obscure. I suppose as far as the front table and the seats in the back are concerned this band would be somewhere in the middle section. I think that this might have held true even back in the day when they were a "thing." That would explain why a college radio alternative nut would not know them. With that said, there is nothing unpleasant or unworthy in listening. The lead singer eventually gets in and I like her voice. Maybe it is just as a package there is nothing super memorable to point out? IDK. It is OK.
Lovely, lyrical and transportive to the 80s. Really no one sounded like them. This album doesn't even feature "Missing" but it doesn't matter. The songs are jazzy, melancholy, poppy, a one-of-a-kind stew. I often don't think I'll like listening to EBTG but I'm always drawn in.
3.75 rounded up. its fun, I like 80s music :)
I like it. She is relaxed.
Apart from a couple of songs, it's pretty bland and forgettable.
Fairly generic/samey soft pop album. Fine enough to listen to in short bursts, but not interesting enough to keep my attention through the whole album. Still a pleasant if boring listen. Top tracks: I Don't Want to Talk About It, The Night I Heard Caruso Sing
Tänkte inte så mycket. Albumet flöt förbi. Det måste betyda att jag gillade det?
I liked this a lot at the beginning but it blurred together at the end. Plus, I don’t feel like it’s all that unique compared to other releases around this time.
Limp dick!!!!!!!!!
Pleasantly surprised
Album 825 of 1089 Everything But The Girl - Idlewild (1988) Rating : 2 / 5 This one didn’t really land for me. The vocals are pleasant—a few moments gave me strong k.d. lang vibes, which I liked—but after a few tracks, it started to feel like I was hearing the same song on repeat. There’s a bit of charm here, sure, but I’d be stretching to say it deserves a spot on a list like this. A decent album, just not a memorable one. One of many. On to the next.
Tracey Thorn's vocals are fantastic - they fit the music perfectly. Ben Watt's music is mostly cool instrumentation with jazzy vibes, but is often unpredictable, which is nice. Only knock is sometimes the music feels like it isn't going anywhere. 3.5/5.0: Very Good
Quite enjoyable
Honestly not sure why this made the list. It's a smack average 80s pop album. It's ridiculously safe. No genre driving, just a very forgettable album.
Very much not a fan of this. Wasn't into the beat, wasn't into the vocals, a bit laid back and just felt a bit empty. It's not my cup of tea, but maybe it's yours.
Pleasant but not memorable
I wish the writer of the book had to give an explanation of why an album was on the list. This album doesn’t deserve to be on this list. There’s nothing innovative or special about it. Mostly boring with a few moments of cool jazz piano or something like that. The Night I Heard Caruso Sing was almost a beautiful ballad but something just felt off about it.
There was no need for this. I do not understand why this is on the list. Its fine at best, its basic and sad at worst. Redeeming qualities come halfway through with The Night I Heard Caruso Sing, the piano ballad with a cool sax solo and smart lyrics. This was the winner of the record.
Meh, not my thing. Background music in a restaurant I won’t be going to again.
Not as good as I hoped. I enjoy Everything But the Girl, but this felt kind of boring. The only saving grace was Tracey Thorn’s voice.
Fine.
Everything But The Will To Finish Listening To This Album
Zang: Goed Productie: Gedateerd. Dit is wel echt een album waarbij je meteen hoort dat dit uit de 80s komt. Het verbaast me zelfs een beetje dat het late jaren 80 is, ik had zelf eerder early 80s verwacht. Het is best wel lieve muziek? Ik weet niet hoe ik het anders moet omschrijven, maar dit is gewoon fijne popmuziek. Niet super bijzonder, maar ik zal het niet snel afzetten. Voelt daardoor wel een klein beetje als muziek die je in de Xenos hoort ofzo, en das natuurlijk geen heel groot compliment. Dit voelt, hoe meer ik luister, als Sade light. En dat is geen harde kritiek hoor, Sade is namelijk echt geweldig. Maar ik merk toch dat ik het hier gewoon net ff een stukje minder vind dan Sade. Het is goed, het klinkt prima, maar het is allemaal net wat minder gepolijst en de zang is gewoon niet zo goed als Sade bijvoorbeeld. Ok, hoelanger het album duurt, hoe meer ik me irriteer aan het feit dat dit net zo spannend is als een glas water. Er zit bar weinig pit in. Sorry Sade, dat ik je hiermee vergeleek. Het is gewoon heel erg saai. Begint best vibey, maar op een gegeven moment schrik je wakker en kom je er achter dat je het halve album al hebt geluisterd maar er eigenlijk niets is achter gebleven. Je legt je hoofd maar weer op je toetsenbord om nog even te genieten van de laatste tonen van de H&M Hitzone cd. Slaap zacht. FAVO: Love is here where I live, I always was your girl
Started off ok but I got bored quickly
Very soothing. Enjoyed “I Don’t Want to Talk About It” a lot.
I really don't like this album cover and I can't determine why. It seems like both of the members of Everything But the Girl are smirking at me, knowing this album should not be in the book yet it is anyway. Maybe it is the Michael Stipe-meets-Morrissey look of the guy or maybe it is just the smirk. Probably just the self-congratulatory smirk. The only song I knew by Everything But the Girl was "Missing," that massive hit that was impossible to miss on the radio and on MTV. These songs do not sound like that song. The cover of "I Don't Want to Talk about It" is pretty good and measures up to the original in many ways. This was softer and melancholier than I had expected it to be, mostly because I had heard the "Missing" remix. My final conclusion is I tend to agree with the other listeners that I'm not sure why this one is in the book. It's hard for me to give it a "1" because it's inoffensive. It's also hard for me to recommend it since there doesn't seem to be anything new or revolutionary presented here. Not sure why I need to hear this one. It does not feel notable. I did like: I Don't Want to Talk About It These Early Days Oxford Street Goodbye Sunday
...
jesus if i wanted to listen to ballads with a biiiig side of melancholia i would have just put on whitney houston immediately followed by the smiths but this was not it
Sappy elevator music
Did you know that monday means sunday is over?
It is a nice calmer vibe
I was confused why you guys hated this album so much but by the time they got to the 25th “every Monday is goodbye Sunday” I started to understand
p588. 1988. 2 stars. UK k.d.laing clone. Bland background music for late 80's cocktail bars, complete with cheesy sax. Shame really, because there are a couple of half decent songs on here - it's just missing any sense of excitement.
Boring, elevator/hold music vibes. I prefer to listen to opus one.
She has a very pleasant voice, and I quite enjoyed the opening track, but it quickly deteriorated from there to disposable 80s cheese. By the time I got to the excruciatingly banal 'Goodbye Sunday' I was ready to turn it off, but I'm glad I stuck around for "Shadow on a Harvest Moon" which was the only other highlight for me.
1.25
Yes, I've shit on Everything But the Girl before in the past. Heck, I gave one of their records a 10/100. That's tied for my 6th lowest rated album ever so far. That's pretty fucking low for a softy like me. But I found this album to actually be pretty enjoyable. It does drag a lot and the lyricism is still pretty meh but I expected to like this way way less. I like the added bonus track on the reissue version of this album a lot too. Actually, that might have been my favorite if it was on this. Favs: Love is Where I Live, These Early Days, I Always Was Your Girl Least fav: Goodbye Sunday
Slightly depressing music.
Inoffensive office radio music. It's there, it's music, but I don't care enough to pay attention.
So. Boring. 100% not my style of music at all. Next please!
Idlewild is so, so beautiful. I'm getting a strong Stevie Nicks vibe, but it isn't a carbon copy of her music. Everything but the Girl brought their own stylings, and the frequent sax is doing a lot (and is really great, too). Tracey Thorn's melodic voice gives so much in every song. Yeah, a lot of the songs blend together but the album is a whole vibe, it flows great, and has captivating lyrics. This album's release is ahead of its time in 1988. This album must have been an inspiration for indie music in the nineties, specifically those solo female artists. 3.5
There's that one song that nearly everyone knows by "Everything But the Girl" -- I'm talking about "Missing". That early 90s song was always a unique play on the radio, not quite sounding like anything else playing at the time. It had that relaxing, easy-listening pop sound, but still somehow managed to sound exotic and intriguing. This album, unfortunately, was anything but that. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't unpleasant, but it was ultimately pretty one-note. This is kind of in line with 90s female singer songwriter (what I lovingly call "Lilith Fair music"), but ultimately it's just not quite as interesting.
En la cuarta pista ya llevaba como diez bostezos, supongo que todavía no bati el récord. Lo siento
The singer is good, the material is average, the production is smooth making for a chilled, pleasant but ultimately dull listening experience.
Everything but a shit, shite 80s style
This took me 45 minutes closer to the day that I die and gave me absolutely nothing in return. Utterly pointless.
Incredibly normal.
I'd prefer Walking Wounded over this, literally and metaphorically.
Absolutely not, hard pass.
Smooth ethereal jams. Tracey Thorn has such a distinct voice. I just… probably won’t listen to this one again.
Actually a little easier to listen to than I thought. Nothing Id really try to come back for. Ill go up from 2.5.
Hmm this is pretty....
I love their later electronic stuff but this easy listening stuff does nothing for me. It's largely inoffensive but I don't connect at all.
Smooth, pleasing and interesting. Not their best.
Lovely. Long live 🇮🇱 🇮🇱 🇮🇱
ma no
Really beautiful
Ok, yeah. It’s pretty bad. It’s not 1 star bad, but it’s bad. Let’s start with the positives. The lead singer has a pleasant voice. The background instruments and overall mood are pretty upbeat. Those are the positives, now let’s talk about the negatives. This album is so boring I can’t even put into words how much I wanted to fall asleep listening to it. The lyrics are cheesy, and every song sounds exactly the same as the one before it. Picking a favorite is pretty hard because of that. I guess it would be “Tears All Over Town” because of the smooth Jazz going on in the background of the song. Very well, they can’t all be bangers, but at least this wasn’t offensively bad. On to the next one.
7/10 Decent album about all kinds of love and relationship struggles. Past lovers, new lovers, family, childhood Favorite Tracks: Love Is Here Where I Live, Oxford Street
aggressively fine
Meh
I really love Tracey Thorn's voice and it's paired with some quite lovely music, but this just isn't really an album for me.
Lovely background music, which is itself both a pro and a con in my book. I previously thought this group only recorded moody electronic music.
A banda e o disco são muito bons, faltou visibilidade.
extremely bland. nothing bad but nothing really interesting. some cool saxophone here and there
Fairground Repulsion
dyk idlewild was the original name of jfk airport? also an endurance test in endless tedium
blah
Sounds fine but not for me.
Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood but this was pretty boring.
It's ok but too much "jazz pop", ok to listen to but nothing special.
This group wasn't that popular here in the US, other than I remember their song Missing being big in the early 90s (good tune). And after listening to this album, I kind of know why on both fronts. Let’s just say that the dance infusion into Missing is probably why it was a hit. The first thing that struck me on this album is that Tracey Thorn is an excellent singer who has a really nice tone to her voice. She reminded me a bit of Natalie Merchant, though Merchant's voice has more character to it while Thorn is a bit more breathy. Ben Watt is also a good signer, though not as good as Thorn, and his best moments on this album really come when the two of them are harmonizing together. The opener to this record (original release), Love is Here Where I Live, is a decent song. Breezy in some ways, though Thorn brings some nice emotion to it. As I listened further though, a lot of these songs just kind of floated along for me. They were easy listens, but they didn't really reach me that much. Many times, the song would just drift off at the end, causing a "really, that's it?" reaction. Frankly, as I listened to this album, I found myself longing to listen to Johnny Hates Jazz, British contemporaries of Everything But The Girl. Turns out I wasn't wrong for that, as evidently they both could be categorized as sophisti-pop, a genre I've never heard of before. Anyway, JHJ songs are just better, as they have more weight and are superior constructions. I would encourage anyone reading this to go find their Turn Back the Clock album, which blows this one away - Shattered Dreams, Heart of Gold, I Don't Want to Be a Hero, Don't Say It's Love, What Other Reason, and Turn Back the Clock are all better tracks than anything on this record. All the same, there are a few songs on here that I did like, such as Blue Moon Rose and Lonesome for a Place I Know. Also, their cover of I Don't Want to Talk About It, which was added to the re-release of this album, was decent. Some nice instrumentals in it. Maybe if this was the first song I heard from them, I might have really enjoyed it. But after listening to the rest of the album that sounded very similar, I just didn't care. A pretty weak album for me and probably not worth seeking out by most people. Off to listen to Johnny Hates Jazz . . .
I first heard about this band in a Todd in the Shadows review and remember enjoying the song he clipped, and remember it sounding trip-hoppy, but other than that track, everything I've heard from this band sounds like this record. So yeah, I went in originally (Not for this record but the band in general) expecting a trip-hop vibe and I definitely did not get it, haha. This music wouldn't sound out of place as waiting music or in a soap opera. That isn't to say those are criticisms of the music, that's just the fact of the matter. I will say, the amount of 1's this record is getting in the reviews both surprise me, and don't. In no universe is this a 1/5 record, it's just too good. The sheer quality of the songwriting is amazing, so many great little ideas, licks, bass notes, etc. all over this thing. But on the other hand, the amount of 1/5s does not surprise me at all in the sense it reminds me that it's sometimes a bigger crime to be boring than it is to be bad. Because at least with bad, you have something to talk about, to have fun with ripping into something. With something that's boring, even talking about it is boring (Although there are some good one liners in the reviews. I liked the "Everything But The Tunes" one). That said, I don't think this record is necessarily boring, it's just a victim of it's style. There's no real upbeat song to engage the listener, and it quickly becomes background music. Every last track on this album is a slow ballad, with maybe a tune or two evoking a slight tropical vibe to get you out of the dirge of feeling like you're listening to the credits of Days of Our Lives. For my tastes, this is a 3/5. It's not something I'd ever go back to, or the type of music I'd ever listen to, but it's just too good to be getting all these 1s and 2s. There's too many unique, little ideas in every song. Definitely one of those, if this were up my alley, it'd be an *exquisite* record type situations. For what it is, it is damn near perfect, just not my vibe personally. (I'll reserve my opinion for when I get the other EBTG album on the generator, but one record from them feels enough, haha. Lastly, shoutout to the name Everything But The Girl. That's a great name for a band). Edit: I'm an idiot, and the Todd in the Shadows review was about EBTG (originally thought he mentioned them in passing). Also an idiot in that the song, Missing, is not trip hop, and its closer to a 90s EDM type thing, although Todd does compare it to Trip Hop even though it really isn't.
I enjoyed it and would be interested in my thoughts on a relisten but first time through wasn't all that interested.
From whom dont understand Portuguese the expression: mela cueca, música de motel e antena 1 songs, its exactly what this álbuns means. The word cheesy define all this songs. Its time to you in the 80s put this song and iniciate the art of copulation with the song of this lazy sax. Mental!
Good background album
Really liked it, cool laid-back melancholy stuff!
Second EBTG album, still not had their "big hit" so I'm worried there is a third that I have to endure.
Yawn
I actually hate this. It's easy listening schlock you'd hear on 80s and 90s AM radio. I'm rounding up to 2 because I kinda liked the song the dude sings (The Night I Heard Caruso Sing), and didn't hate Apron Strings. I thought I hated Missing when it blew up and was all over MuchMusic in high school, but I'd rather hear that for 45 mins than this dated adult contemporary snoozefest.
Gah. I’m one song in, and I’m already pissed and bored. I ended up listening to some of this while my 7yo son was in the car, and he asked if we could listen to anything else. I said we could, and then we laughed about how much we couldn’t stand this.
Too sentimental. Boring.
I hated pretty much every minute of this inane nonsense. Vapid rhyme schemes, dull backing tracks, and cringey AF lyrical content. How did this even get made? Never again. This list honestly puzzles me sometimes.
Appreciate the musicianship and quality production, bright and vibrant. But this sophisti-pop genre is not my cup of tea.
I’ve never listened to early Everything But The Girl, I did recognise some tracks. It was an ok album
This album is so pretty. It’s quite subdued, but it makes for such a pleasant listen. It opens strong with their cover of I Don’t Want To Talk About It, and it continues in the same vein throughout. The vocals, specifically, are very cosy and warming here. This is a strong album, and I like it a lot.
I liked the overall sound of this one.
2.5 rounded up because their top Spotify songs are actually bangers. It was just a little too one note sounding for me.
80s light pop with pleasant lady singing. Very calming music, pretty as well. I Always Was Your Girl has a nice sax solo. The Night I Heard Caruso Sing has some nice vocal harmonies and sax solo as well. Apron Strings is nice. There were maybe 2-3 dud songs. I didn't think this would be my cup of tea, and it's still not really, but 4 stars for how good the music was and the album as a whole being cohesive.
Chill folk vibes, good vocals and instrumentals. Nothing really stood out, but pleasant to listen to. 3
Well, to be honest, i think it's better to know her as a one hit wonder, although the remixed version. Really, not a single catchy song in that album, almost all of them are skippable or at least one-time listen songs. They get boring. Maybe it's just me. Maybe she revolutionized music genre, maybe she has great voice(no, tbh). I didn't really like it. But, did I like it more than Adele? Hell yeah! Songs saved 0/12 :c
Not really my thing…
Inoffensive but doesn't really stand out
I suppose that, whilst I do appreciate and value EBTG, I've never been mad on them; they never excited me much. I'm fond of them, I guess. Saying that, this album was new to me. The "sophistipop" label on Wiki isn't wrong; this is a very polished album. Really nice songs, but a bit like something I'd put on in the background if I didn't want to offend anyone. I found the song about Caruso and Apron Strings most affecting, which were the most stripped-back. I liked Tracey Thorn in The Marine Girls; she maybe just got a bit serious (and "sophisti") for my personal taste, although her voice is beautiful. Quality and talent, just not really for me.
I was a bit disappointed by this, being a fan of Tracey Thorn's voice and later EBTG tracks. The drums are just too tinny sounding, makes the whole album sound like a demo.
So cheesy dreadful. More like Everything But The Music. I'd be happy to never hear this soulless mess again.
I'm not sure why this album is on this list at all. Sure, we can think about representation of all genres, but this is generic and bland especially considering the time in which it was released. A few tracks have some crooning horns, which had been done with more style and originality by Tom Waits in his early works over a decade prior. Generic ballads abound here, nothing of note. Pass.
This felt like I was in a late night McDonalds in the 90s and this muzak played while I waited.
Decent
Meh.
I didn't hate this but wouldn't say I liked it either. But I'm reserving 1* for albums I actively disliked.
Dreadfully boring.
Wow, that was intense... ly boring.
When I get these Brit I always listen hoping that this will be the one that resonates. This wasn't the one that resonates and I'm starting to think maybe Brit Pop might be the equivalent to me of what other people think when they get the a hardcore album from Napalm Death or an out there album from the Butthole Surfers.
Slow Pop, slow food.
Not a bad album, but not a group for me.
Please, no. Anything but 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭.
This is like a cup of tea that somehow reads your mind. It’s soft, slow, and peacefully delivered. Tracey Thorn’s low alto feels like she's letting you in on a beautifully sad secret. She reminds me of Natalie Merchant in that grounded, soul-settling way. It still blows my mind that this same duo gave us the 90s club staple “Missing.” This is quite the opposite; it makes me wish I were a cat in a patch of sun, half-asleep, waiting patiently for someone to pet me. And honestly? That’s kind of the dream.
Music for waiting rooms, but with slightly more interesting lyrical content.
How did I get two albums of this bland tat twice in three days? Why is it even on here? Like Dido without the edge.
Sophisticated pop. Some it is quite nice, but none of it is as memorable as their later trip-hop incarnation.
Put me to sleep
yawn
An 80's version of Joni Mitchell. I dislike Joni Mitchell
Not for me.
3 stars
DNF
I actually like this music (I like elevator music). What's wrong with some low key vibes for a lazy Sunday morning reading the newspaper in the sun. But needing to hear this before I die?? Embarrassing. To quote Aesop Rock, these are songs for people "who have never had a day a snow cone couldn't fix".
I almost made it 100 albums without having to give a one star rating, but then here comes Idlewild guns blazing. Or rather guns doing nothing at all. Just no guns.
At first I thought: a little too clean, low energy, some pop clichés like the smoky sax solos and drum programming. But some of these songs were really touching, clever, and they really sound good even if it's not my favorite style. Tracy Thorne's has a lush, expressive voice. Enjoyable easy listening, kinda jazzy (I guess). Just the opposite of challenging. Pretty good.