Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Some catchy songs. Church of the poison mind and its a miracle are the stand outs. Its a pleasant enough album. Nothing too challenging. Confectionary pop
A medium record.
i enjoy new-wave. really queer and fun :) karma chamaleon will allways be great
Sessão da tarde, Sabadaço, Domingo Legal, Rodrigo Faro… é isso aí. Bem caricato, oitentista, pastelão, mas é divertido e mantém a atenção. Não é um disco de uma canção só, suas outras faixas possuem seu valor próprio. Tudo ornado com essa sonoridade já datada mas ainda divertida. Foi uma escuta ok. 3/5
I've heard Karma Chameleon and nothing else on here. I now wish that were still true. Karma Chameleon is a great pop song. Everything else here is boring and slightly annoying. It's dated and the worst of the trends of the early 80s. Would anyone remember these guys if Boy George weren't so good at being Boy George?
A little dull for an album that presents itself so colorfully. No doubt a cultural touchstone but I probably won't be returning to this anytime soon.
Notables: - Karma Chameleon - Changing Every Day
Great example of 80s pop music, and had some really unexpected musicality that I enjoyed.
I appreciate that this was short and opens with Karma Chameleon but the trouble is after that none of the songs are Karma Chameleon
These guys were musically underrated. Didn’t need the androgyny gimmick. May have worked against them.
it's catchy new wave with a lead that has a great voice, but maybe not much beyond that. it's fun, i'll give it that! i listened to this one a few times over because i couldn't tell if it progressed past that. i don't think it does. i listened to the remaster which appears to be longer, so maybe that's the issue, but there is just a bit too much fluff here in between the good tracks. there's nice dance songs like "it's a miracle", "miss me blind" and "stormkeeper", but much of this is just kinda There or is actively annoying like "man shake". i want to like this more than i actually do.
I liked it! I feel like my mom knows these songs
Culture Club seem to have a ton of hits scattered across their discography. The big one ('Karma Chameleon') is found here of course, but there's more fun to be had across this album specifically too. 'It's a Miracle' and 'Miss Me Blind' were also enjoyable jams. There might be too many 80's new wave/blue-eyed soul albums on this list, but this is probably near the better end of those.
Любопытно, но не для меня
A good piece of 80s pop that has one iconic song (Karma Chameleon) and one underrated one (Church of the Poisoned Mind), but the rest is solid but less memorable.
This is an album that, by my own conditions, I should hate, but I’m a man without conviction. I’m a man who doesn’t know How to sell a contradiction. I liked this despite the cheesy lyrics and dated production. Partly because I’ve heard Karma Chameleon so many times. This makes me feel like I need to be driving the smallest car you have ever seen along a winding seaside road. Favorites were Karma Chameleon, It’s A Miracle, and Church Of The Poison Mind.
Helt grei 80-talls pop. Litt mye munnspill og kordamer for min smak.
På en måte en gjennomsnittlig 80-talls plate. Men det va ikke så ille. Overraskende bra til tider, faktisk. Sterk treer.
Hyggelig popmusikk som er rund og myk i kantene. Blir fort veldig likt.
Karma Chameleon a slapper. The rest is pretty boring to average. The next best song on here miss me blind is just a worse Prince song but it’s alright. I can see why this popped off when it came out but I don’t think it stands the test of time very well. Boy George would have been a killer American idol judge though.
For a brit new wave album, honestly fine. The horns are good, its very disco feeling by trying to make it white. Of the many I have listened to and will listen to in the future, certainly above average but still not good.
Just as gay as you'd expect, and it works. A little longer than it had the strength for, but it's got a consistent vibe, sold production and catchy riffs.
Dated
Good, but that's a lot of synth pop. 'Romance Revisited' at the end of the remastered version was a refreshing touch.
5.5/10 It's fun I suppose but also kinda cheesy. Highlights: Karma Chameleon
Loved Karma Chameleon! The rest were okay. 3.25
Well I haven't heard anything by Culture Club in quite a while, and this morning I am reminded of why I haven't missed it. It's competent, and some of the vocals are excellent, but in the end it's all pretty bland. This is fine for an early-80s pop record, and I always appreciated Boy George's gender-nonconforming thing. But sadly, I think it's boring. 2 stars? 3 stars? will decide at the last minute
I can't remember if it was this album or the next one that I had on cassette when it got caught in the tape player in my car. I did find a shop to open up the player and remove it, but what a pain! I did enjoy this band back then, though. It still kind of bops.
The first song is of course, an actual banger. The rest is pretty mid
Karma chameleon is the best song on this. The rest is kinda repetitive, idk. It's fun in bits and pieces but as an album it's not my favorite. Shoutout to the album cover though, goddamn!!
Didn't have high expectations for this album, but I kinda liked it. And the ending with the instrumental Romance Revisited was not unpleasant.
Its cool that I recognized it in the radio at the same day in Chiang Mai
If you're going to appreciate 80s pop, this is probably about as good as it gets. Sparkly, shimmering production (I'd like to know what to call the glittering effect over all the vocals, guitar, electric piano, and synths). If you've never heard this album, yes, the whole thing, you're missing some musical history. They're good songs, and really not just Karma Chameleon. Lots of 50s and 60s Motown pop tunes done by Brits with super lavish 80s production. That said, when I got to the bonus tracks on the deluxe edition I was streaming, I had to say "yeah, that's enough" and check this off the list. Speaking of the list, this makes me wonder whether this album or their debut, Kissing to Be Clever, belongs on the list. I don't want to go listen and compare, but I'm curious whether I'd find more to appreciate in the debut. 3/5.
1983 was the year that 'the eighties' supposedly began and Duran, Spandau, Wham! and Culture Club spearheaded the second British Invasion of the US pop mainstream. Due to its four hit singles (the obvious opener, It's a miracle, Church of the poisoned mind and Victims) this album became a defining artefact of the era. The work of multi instrumentalist Roy Hay should not be underestimated in the music of this album, as well as the vocals of Helen Terry. To my ears the album tracks pale into insignificance next to the four hits and 'Miss me blind' but 10 million sales and number 2 spot behind 'Thriller' is not to be sniffed at......
Ejemplo absoluto de que no hay que poner el hitazo al principio. Boy George canta muy bien y pasas un rato agradable (me lo puse para limpiar y se me pasó volando), pero no hay manera de que remonte Karma Chameleon
I thought Colour By Numbers was a pretty decent album. I think it is an album that would have fit more in the 70s than it would the 80s since it is very disco coded just with a couple of twinges from 80s new wave. I definitely think that this album is really cheesy and reeks of it's time but that is the case with most disco as in general, its just a very cheesy genre especially when you are looking at it from modern lenses. The album is still pretty good despite the cheesiness and it did have some pretty good songs on offer (Miss Me Blind and Victims being particular stand-outs). But in my eyes, you have to enjoy disco to find value in this album, but if you do, you will definitely find it. Best Song: Miss Me Blind Worst Song: Karma Chameleon
Arrancamos otra semana de cuatro días con una banda icónica de los '80, que como a tantas de éste reto sólo ubico por sus singles. De a momentos, arriba, de a otros, más chill, es un buen disco para poner de fondo y destacar algunas canciones para la party. Hasta mañana
i liked the overall vibes and the first song is one i/ve known
4/19 Heard Karma Chameleon a lot at work but not a lot of other songs from Culture Club. Not bad
This album has a lot more going on than I anticipated. I wasn’t expecting it to start right off with the big hit, which was a little jarring.
Yeah, this is fine, I guess. Karma Chameleon is part of the cultural furniture, and Church of the Poisoned Mind and That’s The Way are great 60s Soul throwbacks, a feeling a lot of the album has. Beyond that, though, it’s not really standing out.
Fun and groovy, can get REALLY annoying at certain times
Wasn’t particularly a fan back in the 80’s and listening to the album now hasn’t changed that. Not terrible but not terribly good either.
“Karma Chameleon” was an early favorite of mine and was a big part of me realizing that 80s pop songs are awesome. It’s still a very fun song and gets stuck in your head all day, almost as soon as you see the title. The rest of this album is decent 80s pop. A lot of the songs get repetitive, repeating the chorus over and over again. But as soon as I was wanting some new element, those soulful backing vocals kicked in. That was a cool, surprising addition to the sound.
Awesome pop fun flamboyant record. It's vibrant and full of songs that make you smile. "Karma Chameleon" is a bonafide 1980's hit. I love the ridiculous harmonica and how soft the overall feel of everything is. Great little record with a true smash hit for the decade it was released.
This is your friendly little PSA that Boy George once beat a prostitute
Like it 3/5
soulful pop
This was ok except the backing vocal on Black money it was awful, tuneless and really annoying
Not bad.
Good stuff from back in the day.
Favorite Track: Karma Chameleon
First listen
Its cool, there are some essential 80s vibe bangers on this. Its also incredibly dated sounding. What did this album do that qualifies it as something you need to hear before you die? No one knows. Other than being in an 80s playlist mix I find it hard to believe anyone is sitting at work right now pining for the time they can finally get home and crank out some Culture Club.
Not a bad album, but not my thing really at all. One thing I did appreciate was the musicality, the bassline on stormkeeper was a highlight
This is a solid 3 if there ever was one
Ok overall. No stand out favorites except Karma C.
3/27/26 - listened while driving to golf. It was downhill after the first song. Seems like generic 80s music. Only giving it 3 stars but tempted to take away a star due to how poorly I golfed. Top Song - Karma Camellion
pas mal mais très redondant
New Wave isnt a big thing for me. Obviously the first track is incredibly well known. The next two weren't bad but not really my jam. Didn't realize Boy George was in this band.
Catchy. Helen Terry's backing vocals really bring the juice. Had no idea Jermaine Stewart did vocals with them too.
love 80s music
I laughed when this came up because I think of Boy George as more of a pop cultural figure than a musician that would show up on a list like this. But once I got into it I realized how much I liked it all: the warmth, the harmonies, and yes even the 80s production. I was too young to be there but it was all still floating through the ether when I came of age musically so I still get a sense of nostalgia. Anyway, not something I will probably listen to again any time soon but perhaps less likely to skip it when it shows up on the radio or a playlist.
Entretenido el álbum. Buen pop metieron la verdad. Y no se hace extenso. Va justo a lo que tiene que ir. 6/10
Absolutely harmless 80s-pop. Doing exactly what it sets out to do, providing an upbeat 45 minutes or so, and achieving a charting single. Not really seeing a point to its inclusion, but there have been worse on this list.
karma karma karma karma karma chameleon 💅🏻
It was okay, not the most interesting, a little boring. Probably not interesting enough for me to revisit.
I like Karma Chameleon.
★★★½
Tiesin entuudestaan vain Karma Chameleonin ja se onkin hyvä biisi. Colour by Numbers on ihan kelpo poplevy kasarilta, muttei tarjoa mitään ihmeellistä. En osaa sanoa ansaitseeko tämä paikkansa 1001-listalla, mutta kyllähän tämä kuvastaa omaa aikaansa.
Had heard only “Karma chameleon” upon receiving this. I suppose the second half is somewhat better than the first.
Listenable. I will say listenable.
it was okay--good bg noise and i really liked 'miss me'
Почему-то напомнило 60е, возможно у меня галлюцинации
У меня были скорее заниженные ожидания, поэтому начало после той самой песни показалось интересным, но все же не мой звук, так что хватило где-то на треть альбома, и дальше все просто в пустоту. Хотя все же это не было плохо, просто средне.
Лучшая песня: Karma Chameleon Худшая: That's the way Последние три песни были норм. Там, где завывает женщина - просто ужас
karma хорошо, но глобально не зашел альбом, возможно были завышенные ожидания, 3.5
Приятный нью вейв. За исключением главного хита интересного мало, но слушается хорошо.
For as bright and colorful as the cover is, something just felt flat overall with this record. Particularly the voice. Not a bad voice just flat and not vibrant. I mean total pop album and had massive hits. Give me Duran Duran over this any day. Boring.
I bought this recently on vinyl for $5 and that feels like it's a fair price. I like this weird British early to mid-80s white soul, and Karma Chameleon still slaps, but otherwise pleasant if not great.
No es de lo peor de los 80, pero no se merece demasiadas escuchas.
“Karma Chameleon” and “Church Of The Poisoned Mind” are two of the greatest songs from the 1980s. The rest of the album was just okay. Helen Terry’s background vocals got a little annoying on some songs.
Pretty fun. 3.5 goin down though.
so deeply 80s - some songs were good but some felt just so generic 80s - gotta love the look of the album cover
When I want to get an earworm stuck in my spouse's head, "Karma Chameleon" is my go-to track. It's such a well-crafted pop song. I'm old enough (b. 1972) to remember when Culture Club burst onto the scene. Boy George's cross-dressing queerness was anathema to an era of hyper-masculinity. In many ways he paved a path for, if not acceptance, then visibility. Mostly passable pop; nothing spectacular.
So many albums on this start off with their best song and this one is no exception. Some decent album tracks on here. Big respect to Boy George et al for living authentically "Don't let them tell you that this love is wrong"
The production and vocals are superb but most of the songs are pretty meh, definitely not essential listening
Hog master
I couldn't listen to this when I was younger. It's good though.
En 1983, j’avais 13 ans. C'est l'âge où l'on est une éponge, l'âge où ce qui passe à la télé devient la vérité absolue. Et cette année-là, la vérité portait des tresses, un grand chapeau et une robe de chambre. Il est impossible d’aborder cet album sans avoir immédiatement les images du Mississippi, du bateau à aubes et des tricheurs de poker qui remontent à la surface. "Karma Chameleon", rien que le titre déclenche un réflexe pavlovien. Cette petite mélodie d’harmonica synthétique, joyeuse, sautillante, presque agaçante, c’est la définition même du tube radioactif. C'est le genre de morceau qui te rentre dans le crâne le matin et qui refuse de payer son loyer jusqu'au soir. C’est de la pop calibrée pour plaire à tout le monde, de la ménagère au gamin que j’étais, fasciné par ce chanteur dont on ne savait pas trop s'il était un homme ou une femme, et qui s'en amusait royalement. Mais réduire Colour By Numbers à ce seul tube serait une erreur de débutant. Une fois qu'on a passé l'épreuve de force du "Karma", il faut bien admettre que la production de cet album est un modèle du genre. C'est lisse, c'est brillant, ça glisse tout seul. Steve Levine, aux manettes, a sculpté un son "blue-eyed soul" d'une propreté clinique. C’était les débuts de l’ère numérique grand public, et ça s’entend : tout est net, précis, chaque instrument est à sa place, sans le moindre grain de poussière pour enrayer la machine. L'album démarre fort, non pas avec le caméléon, mais avec une énergie contagieuse qui parcourt des titres comme "Church of the Poison Mind". Et là, il faut rendre à César ce qui est à César : la réussite de ce disque ne repose pas uniquement sur les épaules frêles de Boy George. Il y a une arme secrète, une voix qui vient contrebalancer la douceur androgyne du leader : Helen Terry. Sur ce morceau, elle est impériale car elle apporte une puissance, une rage gospel qui donne un coup de fouet salvateur à l'ensemble. Sans elle, la pop sucrée de Culture Club risquerait de virer au sirop écœurant. L’alchimie entre le chant plaintif de George et les envolées vocales de Terry, c’est le véritable moteur de cet album. Musicalement, c’est plus malin qu’il n’y paraît. Derrière l'image de foire et les tenues extravagantes, il y a des musiciens qui savent jouer. Roy Hay, à la guitare et aux claviers, tisse des mélodies qui accrochent immédiatement, et la section rythmique assure un groove souple, un peu funky, un peu reggae, très "blanc-bec qui rêve de Motown", mais bougrement efficace. Prends "Miss Me Blind" par exemple, la ligne de basse est ronde, la guitare cocotte gentiment, c’est taillé pour les pistes de danse de l'époque, c’est insouciant, hédoniste, léger. Cependant, tout n'est pas rose bonbon au pays de Boy George. L'album traîne aussi son lot de mélodrames. "Victims", c’est la grande ballade, le moment où l’on sort les mouchoirs. Piano dramatique, voix tremblotante, montée orchestrale... On est dans le pathos assumé. À 13 ans, je trouvais ça bouleversant. Aujourd'hui, avec mes oreilles d'adulte usées par des sons plus radicaux, ça me semble un poil théâtral, presque trop joué. On sent que Boy George raconte ses peines de cœur (et on sait qu'elles étaient réelles et compliquées au sein même du groupe), mais la production grandiloquente finit par mettre une distance. On regarde la tristesse derrière une vitrine car on ne la ressent pas en nous. Il y a aussi des moments où l'album s'essouffle un peu, des titres comme "Mister Man" ou "Changing Every Day" qui ressemblent plus à du remplissage agréable qu'à des chefs-d'œuvre impérissables. C’est le ventre mou du disque, le moment où l’attention décroche et où l’on se rend compte que si la recette est bonne, elle est aussi un peu répétitive. On reprend une louche de soul diluée, une pincée de rythmes exotiques pour l’époque, et on sert chaud. Ce qui sauve l'album de la banalité, c'est finalement cette étrange dualité. D'un côté, une musique ultra-accessible, inoffensive, joyeuse, parfaite pour la bande FM. De l'autre, des textes souvent plus sombres qu'ils n'en ont l'air, parlant de trahison, d'identité, de peur, chantés par une figure qui, par sa simple existence médiatique, bousculait les codes de la masculinité dans les salons de la France profonde. C’est un disque de contrastes : un emballage visuel subversif pour un contenu musical qui caresse dans le sens du poil. Alors, quel verdict aujourd'hui ? C’est une madeleine de Proust, c’est certain. L’écouter, c’est revoir le décor de ma chambre d’ado, c’est le souvenir de mes premières boums. C’est un disque compétent, bien écrit, magnifiquement produit pour son époque, mais qui manque peut-être de ce grain de folie. 3 sur 5, c’est la note de la raison. On ne peut pas mettre plus, car ce n'est pas une révolution artistique majeure qui a changé la face de la musique. On ne peut pas mettre moins, car il y a un savoir-faire indéniable et des tubes qui ont traversé quatre décennies sans (trop) prendre de rides. C’est un classique, oui, mais un classique de son temps, figé dans l'ambre de l'année 1983. Allez, je range le vinyle et je garde le souvenir du clip, de l'harmonica et de cette époque où la pop avait l'audace d'être flamboyante, même si elle était parfois un peu trop sucrée pour mes dents actuelles.
I see why this went #1/#2 in UK/US, much better than I thought
80s island beat dreck with a very capable singer.
Not bad
Pretty pleasant
Solid pop album
Great album. Love Culture Club and Boy George.
I only knew Karma Chameleon from this album as it was everywhere on the radio in the 80s, but beyond that opening track, I was surprised by the excellent music that followed. Boy George has a great singing voice, and the tunes were jazzy and boppy in that 80s synth way. I was pleasantly surprised, but the genre has little appeal for my common tastes today.
Colour by Numbers has an instantly recognizable 80s sound — even without any context, it’s easy to tell which era it belongs to. Despite being from a different time, country, and musical taste, I somehow already knew Karma Chameleon, which says a lot about how deeply that song has permeated popular culture.
Decent x
Decent x
The synth is strong with this one
Very 80s, very Boy George. Some reasonable tracks on here but nothing to shout about
karma chameleon lauft mer huere oft noh und wirds hetz wieder e wuche lang. scho bitz mervige aber halt so unglaublich iprägsame song dasmers chli mue respektiere. d songs nocher hani nöd kennt, aber sind au recht cool? aso so black money isch chli sehr schmalzig aber sie chönd öpis. thats the way wär glaub gern sone elton john ballade. nöd soo guet wells das nöd ganz schafft aber schl guet. church of the poison mind cooler, mit groove gfalleds mer meh. sehr motown aber uf ihri cheesy 80er art i like.
RIESE albumcover uiii AHHHH KARMA CHAMALEON KENNTMER JA eaasy cutes lied hahaha black money hetmer chli en zu aggro hindergrundgsang HQHAHAH isch de gong nötig gsi?? victims ischmer chli zu schnulzig hmm scho au funny aber BÖÖ
Forgetting Boy George's somewhat offensive behaviour, as a little gay boy growing up, he was one of the only representations i had growing up. What a voice. It suffers due to its age and some of the sounds not being as cool or modern as they were at the time.
Decent bit of pop music. Only heard the big two songs previously, but the whole album is a lot more cohesive than I expected. Church of the Poisoned Mind is great.
An 80s overdose! That album cover couldn’t be more 80s if it tried! Hidden amongst a mix of naff synth pop are some really well written songs and great vocals. Church of the Poison Mind and Victims made this a more enjoyable listen than I was expecting.
This is definitely the sound of the 80’s with no resistance. Heaps of fun!
Quintessential, trademark ‘80s pop.
I don't think anything more '80s than this album cover exists. Are these songs cheesy AF? Of course. And I'm here for it. I love the harmonica, the horns, the synth, the vocals. Karma Chameleon is a frickin' bop. I also quite liked Miss Me Blind.
This record hasn't aged well, but "Church of the Poison Mind" endures.
I enjoyed it. I was glad to listen beyond the singles I've already heard and was impressed by Boy George's vocals
More enjoyable than expected, great voice. 3/5
This sits firmly within the zeitgeist for 1983, summing up pop music for this period. Of course, anything caught within the zeitgeist runs the risk of burning bright before fading from collective consciousness. Though would a pop star prefer to peak high then fade, or to never have been at the centre of culture? Forty years later there is still something to be said of this plush, radio friendly form of dance-pop. It's certainly not short of melody as it pleasingly fidgets from one bright, bold idea to another. They know how to write a song with a hook - they earnt their airtime.
Decent synth pop, not my genre, fun and a bit silly and also genuinely catchy in parts, low 3
Not really for me, but definitely see why it was popular. Karma Chameleon still fucking slaps though.
The first song will always make me think of my friend Nate, but there isn’t much that stands out beyond that for me. I’ll be generous and say 2.5 rounded to 3 stars.
I never listened to Culture Club much beyond the radio hits (which I would usually turn off) back in the day. If my only frame of reference for Culture Club was the music on this algm -- this would be a 1 star album all day. The thin, waaay 80's, production is a real turn-off for me. However, I say Culture Club (Ok just Boy George), with like Berlin and The English Beat and some other 80's band at a casino a while back -- and I have to say Culture Club / Boy George (even with his older/weaker voice) really kinda rocked. He assembled a great set of musicians and vocalists and either Boy George or the band in general really changed up the music (it being live really helped in general) but overall it was really kind funky and high-energy..... After saying all that -- this album is still kinda underwhelming but I give it a three for overall context.
Credit to Culture Club for carving their own lane, making a queer radio sound for the shopping mall generation. I hear soul, r&b, blues, and reggae all blended into a pop new wave dessert. That being said, some of the songs are much stronger than others (to my ears). Not my first pick if I want to hear this style of music, but certainly not my last.
Uninteresting
At first incredulous that I had to listen to a song that isn’t karma chameleon I quickly discovered that this is actually a pretty good album
Some bangers and some boring stuff
Good, but I don’t see myself recital too much
So of course I remember the hits from this album, you couldn’t escape Culture Club in the 80’s. But that was all I knew from them so wasn’t sure what to expect from the rest. The first 7 songs were great. I liked them WAY more than I expected. Boy George has a really great voice, more soulful than I remember. And he had one hell of a backup singer. She was amazing. Then it started to slump a little, then it fell off a cliff, and then that last song was rock bottom. I would give those first 7 songs a 4, but have to knock it down to a 3 after the rest of it.
Talk about a guy who the 80’s just wrapped its freaky little arms around. Boy George was way ahead of his time in famously sharing his alternative lifestyle publically. The album starts out great with Karma Chameleon and It’s a Miracle and then slips into a lull for a few slower tracks. Church of the Poison Mind and Miss Me Blind get things rolling again in the middle of the album and then the slower, drab songs return. We finally wrap up with Victims. A roller coaster of excitement but overall this was a decent listen. None of these songs are gonna make my regular library but it was a good nostalgic change of pace.
I was 10 when this came out so I remember Boy George mostly for his androgynous image which was pretty outrageouse at the time. I was a dumb kid and didn't realize he was a guy, my older sister (14 so clearly a woman of the world) was kind enough to let me in on that fact. I'm sure she also reminded me I was a dumb ass. Anyway..... I haven't revisited Culture Club since those old MTV days but listening today I'm realizing Boy George has an amazing voice. In fact this is a really good album. Unlike other 80s pop albums we've had (cough..Cindy Lauper...cough cough) Colour by Numbers provides more to enjoy than just the radio hits. I liked this far more than expected.
3 points only for Karma Chameleon... and nostalgy
Correcto
Not that bad tbh, but I should say I'm lying in bed with a light fever - unsure whether one has to do anything with the other.
Definitely more moody than I expected
I wanted this to be.. better than it was. It turned out to be just a pretty good time. A perfectly serviceable slice of nostalgia. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Karma Chameleon - Its A Miracle - Miss Me Blind
Classic, even my kids knew the first song.
Karma Chameleon was the high point. The rest is the type of music they’d play for elementary school kids that adults think is ‘cool’.
After two listens I still don’t get it
This one's alright. The lead singer's androgynous voice is very nice, but most of the tracks aren't very memorable. Favorite track: "Stormkeeper"
Well I know the first track. Something about the production is immediately annoying. But I do like the catchiness of the first few songs. Overall surprisingly pleasant. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? That 1 song Owned: No: 39/152 (26%) Will I get? No
6.5/10
3.5
Karma Chameleon ist ein gutes Lied, ansonsten eher öde.
Bisschen leichtes Gedudel neben den bekannten Hits.
Pa dosta sladak album, očekivala sam puno gore. Miss me blind mi je super stvar! 3/5, 6/10
As much as I avoided Boy George and co. as a kid/teenager, it would have been strange *not* to have gotten this particular Culture Club album since it really put them on the map. Their sound has never really appealed to me, and not just because of the flat and insipid 80s production style, so none of the tracks really stood out. I *hadn't* seen any of the videos to their singles before, and was impressed how over the top they were/are (and intensely technicolorful), but much like the songs themselves, if there's a storyline to any of them I completely missed it, or in the case of "Karma chameleon" and its riverboat theme, I'm not sure how the video relates to the lyrics. It doesn't really detract from this album, but seeing the fairly weak music of Culture Club get included in this collection, but *not* getting the likes of contemporary bands like Midnight Oil or INXS, who had much more to say and play, really highlights the arbitrary nature of this project.
11/12/2025 It's okay, it's harmless, it's 3 from me. Spotify listeners: 6.4 million
This is definitely better than I was expecting. It's pretty good, and these guys have got talent. It's all very 80's, but it's not irritating, which can't be said for a LOT of that decade. The songs are mostly just really nice, with some fun upbeat melodies, and little bits of detail. I tapped along quite a lot!
thank you gays
dope cover just the right amount of 80s, its still a bit boring though
𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘕𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴 thrives on bright pop melodies and smooth grooves, and 𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘢 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘰𝘯 remains the album’s undeniable highlight — instantly catchy and easily the kind of track that would sit on any modern LGBTQIA+ playlist. The blend of pop, soul and light reggae touches is appealing, and the band plays with far more finesse than they often get credit for. Still, the record is dominated by Boy George’s presence, not just vocally but visually and stylistically. His personality and image shape the entire album, sometimes overshadowing the solid musicianship behind him. The result is a polished, enjoyable pop record whose charm lies more in its frontman’s charisma than in band chemistry or deeper musical exploration.
A fun time, the first song is a classic but not my thing
a product of its time...Karma Chameleon has always grated on my nerves and the the entire album is that vibe. 80's dancercise music!
Love Karma Chameleon, but otherwise rather disappointing
I wasn't a fan of Culture Club back in the day, and that hasn't changed. This album is fine, but it's definitely not outstanding.
It’s a decent album - a product of its time.
Interesting look back, but nothing jaw dropping.
Three good tracks, rest was pretty average
Not bad. 2.5/5
Not a fan of New Wave but Karma Chameleon was and still is a banger.
Holy smokes! I remember this album was in our household way back when it came out. I really love the song “Church Of The Poison Mind”! I couldn’t remember much about the other tracks other than the hits and didn’t expect much but I was pleasantly surprised. Upon listening to this again (about 40 years after the last time I heard this!) I’ve realized how somewhat rooted this band’s sound is in R&B and soul music and Boy George does a good job at getting some soulful vocal takes. Funny how around this era there always seemed to be an obligatory reggae number as well as the dramatic, piano driven, album closing, epic. Alright well this was an unexpectedly fun listen and it’ll make me want to check out their other albums around this time as well.
i like karma chameleon a lot but probably won't listen to the rest again
Pleasantly surprised - had very low expectations for this one but mostly it was pretty good. Couple of weaker tracks toward the back end of the album though.
Je savais en partant que cet album ne serait pas pour moi, et c’est le cas. Il n’y a pas vraiment d’autres bangers à part la première toune (Karma Kameleon), mais le niveau de qualité est supérieur à ce que je m’attendais. C’est plus que des fillers, mais pas de quoi m’impressionner.
It had been more than 30 years since I last listened to this album cover to cover. I remembered it as having a lot of dance or club songs. But it has just as many slower love songs. And as much as Boy George gets well deserved recognition for the bands success don’t sleep on Roy Hay’s impressive keyboard and piano works.
Previously I had heard the singles on this album, but that was it. I always liked Karma Chameleon (it’s catchy) but never liked any of the bands other singles. After listening to the whole album, I have to say that I enjoyed it more than I anticipated, and particularly liked the ballads That’s the Way, and Victims. The other songs didn’t evoke much of a reaction one way or the other. This works out to be another three star album for me.
I’m convinced that everyone who lived through the 80s is a massive fucking dork after listening to this. Not even bad music, just the antithesis of cool in every way imaginable.
Some songs were better than anticipated while others as bad as expected.
The rest of the album does not match the energy of Karma Chameleon but is still good. 3/5
The soundtrack of my early-teens, familiar but uninspiring
Meh. A bit "pop" for me. Never really enjoyed Boy George.
Average. Not that bad. I would gladly listen to it if there was nothing else to listen to.
Classic album. Boy George vocals over a synth sound.
If someone ever asks you "What did 1983 sound like?" You should play them this album.
just fun and unserious 80's bops, all it needs and wants to be.
It’s “fine”, but never in my life have I heard an album where every song, the chorus is composed almost entirely of the band singing the title of the song again, and again, and again. Lazy ass lyrics.
I liked Victims the most
Vibing enough for 3 stars, I like several songs outside of Karma Chameleon.
Mostly filler to be honest, without Karma Chameleon this would probably be lower but it is a pretty great song. The rest is generic 80’s pop, none of it’s bad but it’s quite boring, there’s just not much going on and it all sounds quite the same throughout. It kind of sounds like a worse version of George Michael maybe due to how Boy George sings. Once again though that’s not to say it’s a bad album, it’s decent but is saved a bit by the hit single. Favourites: Karma Chameleon and Storm-keeper if I had to pick my favourite from the rest. Overall, 5/10.
i was disappointed in this album. i didnt expect it to live up to the hype of karma chameleon but i did expect it to be better than it was. i guess i was expecting more church of the poison mind and less black money. overall it was fine
I wish that this album was as transgressive as people thought Boy George was. Pretty middle-of-the-road pop.
6/10… 80s Pop / new wave
Three great songs and some backup
3.5/5 Not generally into the new wave bubblegum stuff, but this album grew on me - much more depth than the singles suggest.
They have the one song, the rest are fine.
Tarviiko esittelyjä? Kai tuo popahtavaa soulia on hidastempoista. Klassikkokamaa
AIGHT
This new wave soul mix is SO poppy and fun. I truly had the most pleasant time listening to Colour by Numbers. "Karma Chameleon" is an extremely good #1 hit with possibly the best harmonica bit ever, and most of the songs were silly/whimsical. The world definitely needs serious and political music, but we deserve un-serious music, too. The backing vocals were powerful; there was one singer who contributed a fantastic voice to "Black Money." 3.5
Has a couple moments but doesn’t really hold up as anything special
ganz cute aber nothing outstanding
80's pop. Not as New Wave as I was expecting it to be! Lots of gospel influence throughout and interesting choices. This is what pop should be. Some good tunes to dance at weddings to. Best Tracks: Karma Chameleon; That's The Way (I'm Only Trying To Help You); Church of the Poisoned Mind
I've given 3 stars to worse albums. It's fun because it brings back that 80s vibe. But it's nothing special.
++: Karma Chameleon, It's a Miracle, Black Money, That's the Way (I'm Only Trying to Help You), Church of the Poison Mind, Miss Me Blind +: Mister Man +-: Changing Every Day, Stormkeeper, Victims 7,3/10
To all the negative reviews freaking out about having to listen to Culture Club: You're not "cool" because you dislike pop music. Listening to a queer guy sing pop music is not emasculating you. Grow the fuck up.
What a fabulous romp through electric eighties!
Wh
It had a big impact but the album itself is largely mid
Karma karma karma karma karma chameleooooonnn/and other songs/and other soooooonghggggs
Nice
Karma Chameleon is a banger but aside from that nothing really got me moving.
Rating: 6/10 Carried by Karma Chameleon but there a few other good songs on here, the rest is just okay.
3.5
Too many ballads
I probably would’ve rated this higher if I hadn’t been biased by all the other reviews 🥲 I understand it’s probably not a “must hear before you die” album, but it’s still a mostly solid record! It did start to sound the same towards the middle, but overall I enjoyed it.
Good fun, better than I expected.
Some good hits but not sure why it is on this list to be honest
Pas déplaisant à écouter, mais pas mémorable!
Good lord this makes me cringe at what a blockhead I was back in my early 20s. I dismissed it as fluff, akin to the bubblegum pop that was all over AM radio in the '70s. If it wasn't fast and loud with distorted guitars and snide vocals I had no use for it. Listening in the intervening years I've opened up to the substance behind the slickness. There's some great music here. The hits are the strongest tunes, but there are a lot of those. Happy to hear this on a busy Wednesday morning.
You’ll recognize “Karma Chameleon” and that’s it. Given the music style (80s new wave pop), I was expecting to really dislike this. The fact that I didn't is testament to what they accomplished. None of the songs offend. But it’s still what it is.
Ok
I liked the saxophone.
Surprisingly enjoyable listen. Had them down as one hit wonders but found myself nodding the head and tapping the foot a fair few times. Nothing groundbreaking but if you need some straightforward, easy going pop music, its not bad. I enjoy the brass, the range of synth sounds and the funky bass. The choruses are always decent enough. Vocals are distinctly 80s, no complaints with them. The woman piping up with backing vocals here and there is fantastic. Lyrics meh. Favourite track - Miss Me Blind. 7.5/10
This whole feels like the 1980s, for better or for worse. Karma Chameleon is a really catchy ear worm, but I have a hard time remembering any specific songs after that. I enjoyed listening to them, and I don’t feel like my time was wasted listening to the album, they just also lacked staying power in my brain.
Karma Chamelion heti kärkeen, bängeri. Muuten aika perus poppia. Ihan jees. Parhaat: Karma Chamelion, Miss Me Blind, Victims
Surprisingly good songs and arrangements. Expectations were low after the first track.
Great pop music … at least
Way more involved instrumentally than I had imagined and I ended up liking it way more. I see you boy George
Blue-eyed soul ... think Dusty Springfield.
For me, the question that always arises with these albums is if the huge hit song on it merits its inclusion. In this case, probably yes, as this style had its moment and influence. As an album, it's okay. 3/5
It is the weirdest thing that Culture Club had a big hit with "Karma Chameleon", a jaunty lil psychedelic pop song that sounded more like a number from a musical than a pop hit. But in the context of Colour By Numbers it makes more sense, adventures with new wave pop.
mid pop album, I felt all songs sound very similar
Buenas música
Very very 80s. Kind of generic pop. I didn’t dislike it, but not particularly memorable for me other than the obvious hit.
While i could feel the themes of relationships gone awry and somewhat forbidden or in some secrecy, the album as a whole felt more like a collection of singles. That being said, it is catchy 80s pop all the way with a lot of soul and new wave feel. Boy George’s voice is amazing and the female background vocals almost steal the show for me. Brought me back to my youth for sure
Fun, infectious 80s cheese at its finest. Boy George surrounds himself with amazing musicians that makes this better then it ought to be. Man Shake is hilarious. Very much a product of its time 3.5
funky, fresh
Hmm zastanawia mnie, co ta płyta tu robi. Karma Chameleon to jest hit a reszta też całkiem przyjemnie łaskocze w uszy, a Boy George przetarł wiele szlaków dla przyszłych artystów, szczególnie w temacie wyrażania siebie. Ale no to jest taki pop-rock lat 80’. Dobra płyta, ale czegoś mi brakuje. 6.5/10 ale równane w dół.
This list is interesting because all the cultural boogiemen of my youth, i.e. Boy George or Ozzy, all sound so quaint and downright pleasant. Never really appreciated how great his voice was, or how unusual of a band Culture Club, especially to score such a huge huge hit with this album in the US in the early 80s. Karma Chameleon is just perfect. I feel like I'm not the target audience for the rest.
Fun 80’s bop
It was ground breaking in its day. It hadn’t held up except for a couple of cuts. Mostly nostalgia at this point
=The Beatles
I love Boy George's voice and Culture Club has a fun and unique sound.
Surprisingly good instrumentals. Unfortunately for Boy George, I enjoyed the parts on this album without his vocals the best. His backup singer however a different story. Beautiful.
The pop gets so annoying (Except you karma chameleon) Still not bad though
Standard 80s pop that fails to have their meaningful songs resonate up to and beyond the fascination in their public personas.
Pretty good 80s pop. Probably pretty middle way back then and pretty middle way now. Nice tunes no real let downs but not blown me away
there's not a lot here outside of the big track, and that's the opening song. it's fine, but really nothing mind-blowing here. the sound is fun and a bit of the time. but really it's kind of an unremarkable album.
Memories
Good songs and I liked it probably 3.5
Do not listen to this if you have a shitty morning... It makes it worse... Very forgettable except for the first track that everyone knows... But the most annoying thing is that the songs overstay their welcome massively, way to repetitive and long... Still, if I were in a different mood, might have liked it, so benefit of the doubt, it's OK.
Made me feel good
Pretty inoffensive as 80s pop music goes, with some pretty good songs (Karma, Black Money, Church, Miss Me), but the deeper cuts are a bit dull. Have to give respect to Boy George as a trailblazer though as well.
zabavan pop album koji bi bio odličan da je na razini prve pjesme, čistog bengera
Perfectly pleasant and passable 80s material, with nothing especially bad pushing it below an average rating. I'm very surprised by the average sitting at 2.80 stars (which indicates a lot more 1s and 2s than usual) given that this is pretty distinctive-sounding for its time and compared to the rest of the list. And, to top it off, the whole record has decent melodies, harmonies, instrumentation, and groove. Really, the only especially bad parts of this album I noticed were the cover art (messy, cluttered, too colourful) and its lead single, Karma Chameleon, being massively overplayed. It's a carbon copy of most other huge singles from the decade (compare this to Take On Me – they're shockingly similar). Also, Stormkeeper is kind of a boring song compared to the rest of the pack. All that being said, Colour By Numbers still impresses me. That's The Way is a pretty piano ballad that absolutely deserves more listens than it seems to have, particularly seeing that the questionable 80s production sheen is completely absent there. Church Of The Poison Mind is also a standout, mostly for the excellent backing vocalist in the chorus. Nice driving tempo too, with trumpets punctuating each line like any sensible 80s track would do. It's A Miracle is essentially a mildly stripped-down disco track, again with the great backing vocals that defy description other than "dang, that's great". In fact, the entire album reads as a response to Chic's 1979 album Risqué, perhaps with slightly less complex instrumental arrangement and marginally better compositions. 3/5 Key tracks: It's A Miracle, That's The Way, Church Of The Poison Mind
I knew karma chameleon. But the rest of the album kinda sounded like the same thing arranged differently. The songs were a little bit too long for how repetitive they were. I did like that the final track was an instrumental interlude that really cut me back to reality with how sharply it contrasts the vibe of the album.
Lite 80-tals pop funkar. Har varit sparsamt med sådana album.
nastolgic, better then anticipated, the 80s is goated, would give a 3.2 but website sucks
Saved by the hits. Also Boy George is one of my favourite vocalists of all time.
I mean, it was the 80s ... and it was the weird part of the 80s
Funky fun and feels like the most 80s album ever
Not my usual jam but fun stuff.
Before Karma Police, it was this
Some great pop tracks on there but not every track was a winner.
Nice
classic 80s
Campy good fun but I lost interest about 5 songs in Totally realize why this was so popular when it was released - a sound that spoke to people who weren’t being heard or recognized
Alright
3.5
"Karma Chameleon" is an all-timer. The rest is okay 80s pop. A bit dated. 3 stars
This actually surprised me a bit. I knew "Karma Chameleon", "Miss Me Blind", and "Church of the Poison Mind" by virtue of being alive in 1983, but really, the whole album is pretty consistent. Some of the deeper cuts like "Black Money" and "That's the Way (I'm Only Trying to Help You)" are pretty cool too. Boy George is a better singer than I think I realized -- there's a nice blue-eyed soul quality to the whole affair -- and it doesn't sound totally dated like a lot of the pop from this era does. Probably not an all-timer for me, but I thought it was a good, enjoyable listen. 3.5 stars.
Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleon definitely would make a 1001 songs list for the 1980s but otherwise this is a pretty uncultured choice of album for the list. It’s A Miracle and Miss Me Blind are nicey nice, slightly above-average slices of 80s pop but there are quite a few crusty dull gospelly ballads that drag proceedings and generally it’s all the type of music that Wham and Style Council do a lot better. 3 by numbers.
3.5
I liked this way more than expected. I was expecting my idea of hellish 80s pop but this was pretty enjoyable with the exception of a few duds
Fun for what it is! Starts with a banger, but doesn’t always keep that level.
It's a decent pop album that may not be for everyone but the guy can sing and that's what saves it.
6/10 An 80s icon. Rhythmically interesting as far as pop goes. Stylistically rich and not unpleasant
This may be controversial, but I’ve never been the biggest fan of Karma Chameleon
I think I bought this one as a record in 1984, and it has what Simply Red does not: a lot of fun! Totally Motown-derived, but what’s not to love about Motown? Very 80s production, but it was the 80s, so there’s that.
Did you know that in 2008, Boy George was convicted of chaining a sex worker to a radiator and beating him? Neither did I until after I listened to this, which was pretty good. The abuse did sour me on it a little, though.
It’s overproduced and has a lot of electronic instruments. So, it has no excitement. Karma chameleon and victims are the exception. Not a bad album but I wish they had let loose a bit more and not cleaned up the tracks so much
Hijole. Pensé que me la iba a pasar bomba, y no. De hecho me pareció aburrido y que el tiempo no le hizo justicia. Se le notan los años, cosa que no me esperaba. En primera, porque Karma Chamaleon me sigue pareciendo un hitazo, y en segunda porque canciones como The crying game, que yo sé que no viene en este disco, se sienten extraordinarias a pesar de los años que llevan encima. Este disco en general fue un meh. No malo, no bueno, ya lo escuché y no creo volver a él nunca.
Never been a huge fan of Karma Chameleon, it always reminded me of a rejected disney song. The rest of the album is pretty forgettable, not bad, just bland. low 3.
Strong start with karma charmeleon, nice melodies - but absurdly repetitive.
I can’t believe how long it is!
A jam or two, but mostly kinda sappy and boring. “Clowns caress you, figures undress your fear…”
I had no interest in hearing anything by Culture Club except for the few hits that I knew. Seeing Boy George on the cover looking like Sansa Stark changed my mind though. I'm kidding, I still wasn't exactly pumped for listening to this one. It was pretty much what I expected with Boy George's ear for melody, the 80's production and the new-wave/reggae mix that populated the few songs I already knew. But really, Boy George looks exactly like Sophie Turner on this album cover. It's uncanny. I didn't hate this album overall. It was what I expected, nothing more and nothing less. There isn't too much here that I think deserves inclusion in this book. It's not bad enough to greatly dislike but also not great enough to be lauded. And as always, I love the random saxophone in the background of so many of these songs. Karma Chameleon It's a Miracle That's the Way Church of the Poison Mind Miss Me Blind Mister Man Victims
Solid pop album. Nothing really crazy on it.
Moro og nostalgisk uten at eg har hørt alle sangene. Karma Chameleon e jo ikonisk. Isje super spesielt album utenom det tho.
Not bad
First listen and apart from the hits not much happening. Seems like George found a line he liked and decided to repeat it often.
This is a pretty interesting album of white people soul. I definitely think it's worth a listen, even if it ultimately doesn't feel that groundbreaking.
Pure 80s magic
colorful indeed
Karma Chameleon // Church Of The Poison Mind // Miss Me Blind // 2.5/5
It’s always cool to hear the context of a one hit wonder. I think given the pop nature of Karma Chameleon as well as how trendy they are with then contemporary fashion, it’s safe to say they were fishing for a hit and not just making music for the love of it. Which is fine, pop has its place and I’m happy with what they came up with, but I do think that was the goal of this album. Cool listen but I probably won’t be back.
If for whatever reason there were a scenario where you had to pick one 80s album to explain the sound and vibes of the decade, this is an album that should be considered before a lot of others. A lot of fun to listen to and starts off strong with Karma Chameleon. I did get a little bogged down towards the middle, but not too much. Might give it another listen but it’s more likely I’ll just come back to listen to the songs I enjoyed the most.
It's kinda wild that "Karma Chameleon" is so big. It's a good song, but it doesn't really feel that much different from all the others on here. The whole album is really easy to listen to. Some songs get a little repetitive though. Overall a decent experience.
Typical 80s pop music. Very catchy, not memorable besides the hits on it.
Первая песня понравилось, остальное пока не понял. Фоном звучит нормально. 6,5 из 10.
corny, annoying, terrible ad libs, random instrumental outro track, and yet i lowkey like it
+1 for gay -1 for karma chameleon
I enjoyed listening to this album. It was a super flashback to the 80s. Silly, Synth, Pop, Catchy, Charisma. What's not to like?
Solid talent, just not really my style. I missed the 80's craze by a few years, so the new wave fad does nothing for me. That's not to say Boy George isn't a huge talent, because he is, it's just, to me, one stellar song does not a good album make. There were so many of these albums in this timeframe (one good song, and a lot of filler). Ok album, but not something I would rush to listen to again. Favorite songs: Karma Chameleon, Miss Me Blind, Church of the Poison Mind Least favorite songs: Changing Every Day 3/5
This was a fun listen. I didn’t love it but I really enjoyed it while it was on.
Pretty mad in a way that this odd wee guy became one of Britain's most enduring pop cultural icons. No accounting for public taste eh. Still, there is some enjoyment to be had on this record. Production dated, lead vocal weak-as-water, but still somehow OK for all that.
A fun romp, not their best, but I still had a good time. Maybe would listen again? Not sure. Faves - the classic karma chameleon of course, church of the poison mind, miss me blind. Solid three.
Fun pop.
Pretty solid 80s synth pop. This album I feel covers the full breadth of the genre, with the more mainstream hits feeling generic and a bit annoying to listen to, but also having some really driving and engaging lesser known tracks. All around decent listen. Top tracks: Black Money, Miss Me Blind, Victims
It's a Miracle is such a bop, but then Black Money comes on, and it's pretty rough. This whole album goes like this, with some good to great stuff like Karma Chameleon and Romance Revisited, and then a ton of mid 80s slop. Solid album, glad I listened.
I just think I wasn't in the mood. I'll give it situational credit in that he further broke some boundaries and I know intellectually that the music was good. It's a bit schmaltzy at times.
Nice and short which I appreciated. I would say half of it was pretty good.
Brit pop.
Another 3, the hits are decent and the deep cuts are alright. Not much here that either stood out to me or was outwardly offensive.
Karma Chameleon is, of course, a classic, but the rest of the album is pretty solid as well. Favorite Track: Karma Chameleon