Reviews (page 4 of 8)
The soundtrack of my early-teens, familiar but uninspiring
This feels like one of those filler albums that makes the list because of a One-Hit-Wonder (Karma Chameleon). Colour By Numbers isn't bad per se, but it is certainly forgettable. All the songs sound very similar. Vocals are soft and the songs feel drawn out. I'm giving it a 2.5 rounded down.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would
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.
80's pop is the worst era of Pop Best Song: Karma Chameleon Rating: 4.0/10 Stars: 2
2 - Très cool, aurait pu viser le 3 mais quelques morceaux qui font retomber le soufflé.
just fun and unserious 80's bops, all it needs and wants to be.
Fun enough!
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.
Definitely not my bag. I'm not a huge fan of Karma Chameleon really, but it's catchy. The back up singer outshines boy george sometimes. he did a lot of queer culture and the guy has a beautiful voice. on a technical note, there are some nice keyboard parts. wish they were mixed a little louder, at least at some points.
I guess I don't know much about Culture Club. I thought this was going to be more dancey, more fun, maybe even edgy. But it just sounds like cheesy 80s soft rock. Didn't do anything for me. Definitely won't revisit. I'm sure spending a week as Boy George in the 80s would be messy.
Let there be no doubt which decade gave us this album. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, about it it screams 1980s. I'm not sure what it means that my favorite song wasn't on the original release ("Man-Shake"), but Culture Club's charms wore off for me pretty quickly. I think I'm better off having "Karma Chameleon" and "Man-Shake" on a playlist and moving on.
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.
Yeah this is just about as cheesy and shallow as you might expect from the cover. 1.5/5.0: Bad
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
Not for me.
This album feels like vanilla ice cream. Many people like it. It goes well with a lot of things. Its better than no ice cream obviously. And yet, if you have a full flavor palette at your disposal you would pick something more interesting. The record has some nice songs on it. Karma chameleon is a classic. Miss me blind was a pleasant suprise. But the entire thing is a little boring and feels repetitive. Not my thing.
This album has a hugely popular single, but I forgot that there were several other good songs that were radio staples back in the 1980s. It was a worthy addition to the list.
Listened Before? N Great new wave album. Everyone knows Karma Chameleon but the deep cuts here are fantastic as well. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Karma Chameleon
I wish that this album was as transgressive as people thought Boy George was. Pretty middle-of-the-road pop.
Sorry Boy George.
I don't know why there's so much hate for this album but I liked it! Karma Chameleon was worth 10 stars, and there were a couple of songs in the latter half that made listening worth it. Tracks to Track: Karma Chameleon, Stormkeeper, Church Of The Poison Mind
The wrong kind of 80s pop. Culturally relevant Olaf the time but I’m sorry the music and production is terrible.
I get that Boy George and early androgyny was ahead of its time but this album is a bit of a yawn.
Karma Chameleon is good, but other than, pretty forgettable.
A good album, I liked Karma Chameleon and Mister Man the most.
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.
I was intrigued by this. My mum adores Culture Club and Boy George to the point she even dressed up as him for a school thing back when she was a kid! Outside of Karma Chameleon though, I don’t really know anything else by them. I think album kinda sums up why, there’s just not much else on here except for their biggest hit. I found myself quite bored with it and just wanting it to be over.
Fun, joyous, soulful. Came shockingly close to 5 stars for me. Karma Chameleon is undeniable, but so is the rest of the album. A real gem of an 80s album.
Well machined blue-eyed soul/pop record. Boy Georges voice is excellent, but the material does not support it. Overall bland, except for Church of the Poison Mind 2?
I started this 1001 albums expecting to be introduced to so many fantastic albums I’ve never listened to before. Sadly that hasn’t been the case. For every great album I have to listen to 30 duds. I’m only 25% the way through and every day I question if I should continue this musical journey. So far the bad has outweighed the good severely. This album? Boring. I certainly didn’t need to listen to this in my life. I regret that I did.
Love so much about this album. My era.
They have the one song, the rest are fine.
Good album - a bit of it’s time, but still some great hits
Tarviiko esittelyjä? Kai tuo popahtavaa soulia on hidastempoista. Klassikkokamaa
Groupe connu par quelques tubes qui passaient (trop) souvent à la radio, et que je n'appréciais pas (par exemple 'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me'). Les morceaux plus dynamiques de cet album groovent pas mal (+1), avec des riffs de basse intéressants, par contre les morceaux plus lents sont plutôt ennuyeux. Ce n'est donc pas suffisant pour avoir envie de l'écouter une seconde fois. =>2/5
Want to capture the spirit of the 1980s? Listen to this album. It has ballads, soul, a bit of reggae and lots of pop. It's not one of those 1980s albums that holds up because we adore two perfect singles (looking at you, Frankie Goes to Hollywood), but which also work as an album. Why not 5 stars? In the end, I missed something that would bring them into the heights of these classics.
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
I have heard and loved several of Culture Club's biggest hits over the years, but I am pretty sure I had never heard an entire album before. Let me just say, I was hoping for more from the band behind "Karma Chameleon" and the brave, gender nonconforming pioneer of the 1980s. A couple more of their big, enjoyable hits are on this album, but largely aside from those hits, this album is a miss for me. Don't get me wrong, they have a good sound and a good style, but a lot of the songs are just kind of...flat; they don't feel completely realized. Probably around a 2.5 for me.
Bit fluffy, really. I like the big numbers, for sure, but there's nothing exciting here.
I don’t like this. it makes sense they put the hit as the first song because everyone would have given up before they got to it otherwise.
For me, the original release is a 4.5. It's super catchy, it's a fun record that's light but filled with hits. The vocals are excellent, the production is very good and the right mix of 80s pop. The synths work superb and mix well with the horns and the voices. Most of the album is pretty good, but the standouts were "Karma Chameleon", "It's a Miracle", "Black Money" and "Miss Me Blind".
Has a couple moments but doesn’t really hold up as anything special
boring. I hated 80s music, it was empty, a very lite copy - as though fisher price made it
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
This disc ages so very beautifully. Mysteriously emotional lyrics, upbeat tempos, addictive hooks. Now I wanna go see em live again... Six Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
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
Karma Chameleon is by far the most well known song off of this album, possibly the only song most people even know by Culture Club. That's for good reason, too, because most of these songs are pretty boring.
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!
LOVED
Wh
I know they were popular I just don't understand how.
It had a big impact but the album itself is largely mid
I’m honestly bummed at how boring this was
One good song, thats it, and it blows that load straight out the gate. That's not enough. The rest stinks. It's only saving grace is its under 40 minutes...
Karma karma karma karma karma chameleooooonnn/and other songs/and other soooooonghggggs
Nice
They have more than that one song? I didn't get through the album. Schlock.
Karma Chameleon is a banger but aside from that nothing really got me moving.
The issue I have with this type of music (especially in the 80s) is that the falsetto, high pitch for some reason always sounds the same to me across the songs. So individual songs can be good (and many are!) but it doesn’t feel like stunning. And frankly, my easy listening budget is spent entirely on Clapton’s work from this era.
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
Det va gøy å høre på, sjøl om det ikke e helt min greie. Men ikke fælt på nokka vis.
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.
A style of music I used to detest, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve actually grown to quite like (nostalgia I guess!)
Some good hits but not sure why it is on this list to be honest
# In-Depth Review of Culture Club's "Colour By Numbers": A Masterpiece of 1980s Pop ## 🎵 Overview and Context **Colour By Numbers** (1983) stands as Culture Club's sophomore album and artistic pinnacle, released amid intense pressure to avoid one-hit-wonder status after their debut "Kissing to Be Clever" . The band—fronted by the androgynous **Boy George** alongside Mikey Craig (bass), Roy Hay (guitar), and Jon Moss (drums)—crafted an album that fused **new wave, soul, pop, and gospel** influences into a cohesive yet diverse sonic tapestry . Produced by **Steve Levine** (described as the "fifth member"), the album refined the band’s sound with sophisticated arrangements and emotional depth, ultimately selling over **10 million copies worldwide** and peaking at #2 on the Billboard chart (blocked only by Michael Jackson’s "Thriller") . --- ## 📝 Lyrics and Themes ### Emotional Depth and Personal Turmoil Lyrically, **Boy George** served as the sole writer, drawing from his **tumultuous romantic relationship** with drummer Jon Moss, which was kept private at the time . Tracks like "Karma Chameleon" and "Victims" mask heartache beneath catchy hooks, with themes of **alienation, love, and compromise** . For example: - **"Karma Chameleon"**: Despite its upbeat melody, the song explores fear of alienation and inauthenticity, with lines like *"Everyday is like survival, you’re my lover, not my rival"* . - **"Black Money"**: A ballad addressing unrequited love and emotional sacrifice, though its titular metaphor remains ambiguous . - **"Victims"**: A grand ballad highlighting George’s vulnerability, with poignant lines about love and loss . ### Social and Cultural Commentary Songs like "Church of the Poison Mind" and "It’s a Miracle" subtly critique societal norms, reflecting George’s experiences as an androgynous icon in the 1980s . The album’s title itself hints at **simplified perceptions of identity**, contrasting with the complexity of human emotions explored in the lyrics . --- ## 🎶 Musical Composition and Style ### Genre Fusion and Instrumentation The album seamlessly blends **blue-eyed soul, pop, gospel, and new wave** . Key musical elements include: - **Harmonica and Saxophone**: Tracks like "Karma Chameleon" and "Church of the Poison Mind" feature Judd Lander’s harmonica and sax solos, adding a folk-rock and Motown vibe . - **Piano and Strings**: Ballads like "That’s the Way" and "Victims" showcase minimalist piano arrangements and orchestral swells, emphasizing emotional depth . - **Gospel Influences**: Backing vocalist **Helen Terry** provides powerful, soulful harmonies on tracks like "Black Money" and "That’s the Way," elevating the album’s emotional resonance . ### Vocal Performance Boy George’s voice is remarkably versatile, shifting from soulful crooning in "Victims" to playful pop delivery in "Miss Me Blind" . His collaboration with Terry creates a dynamic contrast, particularly in call-and-response segments . --- ## 🎛 Production Quality ### Steve Levine’s Influence Levine’s production is crisp and innovative, leveraging **Fairlight synthesizers** and drum machines while retaining organic elements . The album strikes a balance between **electronic experimentation** and **acoustic warmth**, as seen in the juxtaposition of synth-driven tracks ("It’s a Miracle") and piano-centric ballads ("That’s the Way") . Levine’s role as a "mediator" was crucial, as the band often clashed during rehearsals . ### Sonic Diversity and Cohesion Each track feels distinct yet part of a unified whole: - **Upbeat Pop**: "Karma Chameleon" and "Church of the Poison Mind" are radio-friendly anthems with infectious hooks . - **Soulful Ballads**: "Black Money" and "Victims" showcase the band’s maturity, with layered instrumentation and vocal depth . - **Experimental Touches**: "Stormkeeper" incorporates pan-flute and atmospheric synths, though it divisively meanders . --- ## 🧠 Themes and Cultural Impact ### Identity and Androgyny Boy George’s flamboyant style challenged **gender norms**, making the album a landmark for LGBTQ+ representation in pop culture . Tracks like "Karma Chameleon" subtly address the pressure to conform, reflecting George’s personal struggles . ### Influence on Pop Music - **Boy Band Blueprint**: The album’s mix of catchy pop, heartfelt ballads, and charismatic frontmanship influenced later acts like Take That and the Backstreet Boys . - **Critical Acclaim**: Ranked #96 on Rolling Stone’s "100 Best Albums of the 1980s," it remains a touchstone for 80s pop excellence . --- ## ✔️ Pros and Cons ### Pros: 1. **Catchy, Well-Crafted Pop**: Hits like "Karma Chameleon" and "Church of the Poison Mind" are timeless, with infectious melodies and clever hooks . 2. **Emotional Depth**: Lyrics explore complex themes of love and identity, elevating the album beyond typical pop frivolity . 3. **Vocal Excellence**: Boy George and Helen Terry’s performances are soulful and dynamic . 4. **Production Quality**: Steve Levine’s blend of electronic and acoustic elements creates a rich, polished sound . ### Cons: 1. **Filler Tracks**: Songs like "Mister Man" and "Stormkeeper" are criticized as forgettable or generic . 2. **Dated Elements**: Some synth and sax arrangements sound distinctly tied to the 80s, potentially alienating modern listeners . 3. **Lyptic Ambiguity**: Tracks like "Black Money" suffer from unclear metaphors, weakening their impact . --- ## 🏆 Conclusion **Colour By Numbers** is a **masterpiece of 1980s pop**, balancing infectious optimism with lyrical substance. While a few tracks haven’t aged perfectly, the album’s strengths—catchy singles, emotional ballads, and innovative production—cement its legacy as a influential and enduring work . It remains Culture Club’s definitive statement, capturing a band at the peak of their creative and commercial power .
Bleh.
If this was a just double a-side of Karma Chameleon and Miss Me Blind, maybe it would be a 4.
The opener and Miss Me Blind are okay, I guess, but the rest of the album is just boring 80’s slop.
Karma Chameleon is a jam, but the rest is just ok
Good album that's fun to listen to. Several bangers, moderate generational. Unique talent and sound. Very enjoyable.
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.
Objectively a good, fun new wave/pop album with one megahit, subjectively I don't like the early 80s production and sound and it's not my kind of music.
I hadn't realized, before this list, exactly how much the Brits were trying to sound like 60's r&b in the 80's I mean, what's more soulful and funky than white Europeans with second generation Yamaha keyboards?
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
Good
Karma Chameleon, total banger. The rest of the album? Mostly filler, going with a 2 because I can appreciate what Boy George has done for gender and for it being on the shorter end of the spectrum
I really don't see how this is significant in any way -- sure, "Karma Chameleon" is a one hit wonder, but it's a mediocre one at that, and the rest of the album is just incredibly dated tosh.
Some songs I liked but it has a bit too many country undertones for me taste
First time listen! I do know the first song for sure.
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.
Aside from Karma Chameleon, the rest of this just wasn’t for me.
Not my Taste
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.
There were a couple of songs I enjoyed (Karma Cameleon) however I felt the majority of the songs were very repetitive. I know this is a symptom of the 80s, but this was a lot
Great pop music … at least
Loved Miss Me Blind and the general vibes. Somewhat tiring music at some point though.
Way more involved instrumentally than I had imagined and I ended up liking it way more. I see you boy George
I‘d rather listen to all Throbbing Gristle albums simultaneously for 30 hours than to one more song of this terrible plastic karaoke masquerading as new wave, reggae or whatever
oh so this band made Karma Chameleon!
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
Karma Chameleon song that everyone knows, even if they dont know the title of the song/artist. The rest of the album was just ok, suppose you had to be there to appreciate it.
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.
Meh
mid pop album, I felt all songs sound very similar
Buenas música
Good pop album
Not my cup of tea but i listened to the entire album. The album did not age well to be on the list of the albums to listen before I die. Colour by numbers after 42 years has too many potential skips except « miss me Blind » which i would gladly add to my playlist. The album would definitly symbolize a kind of nostalgia of the 80’’s and its sounds of synths and drums, which i completely understand.
Very very 80s. Kind of generic pop. I didn’t dislike it, but not particularly memorable for me other than the obvious hit.
Throwback to my college days so enjoyed it for nostalgia sake. Never listened to the entire album so enjoyed the non hits as much as Church of the Poisoned Mind which was my fav of their hits.
Karma Chameleon is an ok song I guess but the rest of the album really did nothing for me
Back in the 80s Culture Club was overplayed, so I didn't think I would like this album. I ended up liking it more than I expected.
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
There are definitely pieces I quite like: eclectic instrumentation, variation in sonic inspiration, and some solid performances on the instruments and vocals. But many songs fall into the pop music hole of just repeating the chorus for most of the run time.
Catchy 80s pop songs, inoffensive and a little bland, but catchy.
Every minute is like survival. Well, alright, it’s not that bad. But let’s face it. It’s early 80s British dance pop. It’s wank. Even if I have the LP courtesy of my mother buying it when she was about 15, there’s no personal connection that can overcome the vague vibes of VHS exercise videos and Top of the Pops lip-syncing. Karma Chameleon is horrible, where else can you find the harmonica played so invasively and irritatingly? (Yes, I like Bob Dylan). The rest of the A side rolls by in a lulling sense of hot pink and post-Falklands British economic upheaval. The B side is at least slightly more interesting - an attempt at Karma Chameleon vol. 2 with the first track, and an admittedly catchy Miss Me Blind, with Mister Man a track that would be considered a dud on a better album and one of the better ones on this one. And... Victims is surprisingly OK? In comparison to the rest of it anyway. It’s incredibly dated and probably felt so even later in the same decade. It’s not for me, and I doubt it’s for many under the age of 50.
Rubbish
funky, fresh
So ... I know the song "Karma Chameleon" but if we're being honest I am unsure why that is the song I've heard. Maybe I have heard others before and I am just unaware? Possibly. I really enjoyed "Its A Miracle," "Black Money," "Miss Me Blind," and "Mystery Boy." I did NOT like Melting Pot.
I don't think I'd ever actually heard the whole album. I really enjoyed that
Really disappointing, considering how much I like Karma Chameleon
I can’t
I enjoyed the Alan Partridge Easter egg near the end. I feel like I’ve hitched my wagon to more interesting (to me) 80s stuff so this suffers big time in comparison, but there are hints in here that it wasnt completely by the numbers.
Fun 80s pop, definitely had my head bopping the whole way through!
2.5 - only worth it for karma chameleon
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.
Great 80’s throwback
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
Cheesy pop I didn't like when it came out, still dont
One-hit wonder type album. Very 80's in a fun way, but no need to listen to more than the opening track Karma Chameleon.
I love Boy George's voice and Culture Club has a fun and unique sound.
tough listen
At first, I thought I would like this album more than I actually do. It's a really bad record, very 80's pop, but in a very bad sense. It feels uninspired and full of filler. I didn't like it, that's all.
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
So boring, so repetitive. How is that what became of new wave?
Standard 80s pop that fails to have their meaningful songs resonate up to and beyond the fascination in their public personas.
This is pretty bland stuff. I also think Boy George doesn't have a very strong voice.
Ok, but wasn’t a fan.
They tend to repeat the same lyric way too much. This is amplified by the fact that they repeat the same one liner back to back ad nauseam. The sound is inoffensive, so boredom is the most I get. The videos do add a little to the experience, mainly the first two.
Their second album. New Wave / Pop. Everyone knows Karma Chameleon, the opening track. An 80s Pop classic. I always liked Boy George as vocalist. He has a good voice. There's some catchy beats, synth, trumpets and all sorts. A few good tracks to tap your foot to but a lot of filler too. Pretty cheesy. Boy Geroge's voice and Helen Terry's voice do not compliment each other. One huge hit and a bunch of meh.
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
This was the first cassette I ever owned when I was seven, based, I guess on the success of "Karma Chameleon," or whatever the heck got a second-grader to buy music in 1983. I got rid of it as I grew older, probably before I started junior high. I don't regret that. I still could sing along to most of the choruses if I wanted to. This is scratched into my brain. That said, I had no idea how vocal-forward this was until now, and how straight-ahead pop/blue-eyed soul it was. Like, if this wasn't sung by a white guy in drag, essentially pretending to be a Black woman, there'd be no reason to even lump this in with new wave. Clearly positioned to crush early MTV, this was just pop. I'm confident that outside the Hot 100, this wasn't culturally significant or musically relevant. No hip young gunslingers are calling Culture Club an influence, and they never have.
Horrible. Not my style at all.
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.
Fun
When you title an album Colour by Numbers you invite the usual accusations of being unoriginal, formulaic and trite. And guess what? Beyond the hits (Victims, Church of the Poison Mind, It's a Miracle and of course, Karma Chameleon) you might as well use this as lift music or as background filler in a restaurant.
Made me feel good
Pop music by numbers more like. A few fun songs but mostly all around forgettable not a bad album by any means but far from something you must hear before you die.
It's just too boring. Except for Karma Chamäleon, obviously.
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.
Mostly I enjoyed the hit tracks on this album, and while several of the lesser known songs were pretty good, there were others, that I felt were pretty weak efforts. Also, I'm not sure about the rather bold backing vocals which didn't always seem to gel with the rest of the arrangements. But still a good album overall from my perspective.
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
4/5. I think I have the benefit of not being bombarded with these types of songs on the radio in my formative years. Boy George's voice is so calming and smooth added with the soft pop in the background is so perfect together, each on their own can be overbearing but there is just enough of that production to keep it feeling authentic. There wasn't really a feeling where I wanted to skip any songs and that is definitely a win for me. Best Song: Karma Chameleon, Church Of The Poison Mind, Black Money
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.
Every single song is great in its own right. I knew about half from general radio play and Mister Man is a banger that should have been released.
yeah why not
Not sure this should be in the list. Pop music from my childhood...
I wasn't looking forward to this one and physically groaned when I refreshed the page this morning. Got it out of the way quick though and can report that this album is exactly what I expected it to be which is largely very bland! It's all very well written, put together and produced, but it feels like a dull cosplay version of much better things. It's magnolia paint, generally inoffensive but there's no oomph or wow and it's exactly what I hate most about music! The bluesier, stompier tracks were the most listenable but most of it was just 😩 and it frustrates me greatly that it’s artists like her that are championed by the industry.
Not sure this belongs. Three really great songs. Two so-so. The voice is wonderful; smooth, assertive and confident. But the production is woeful; so thin and tinny it could be children's music. All in all, it was a fine collection of pop music for its day.
It's very 80s, as you would expect. Not really my cup of tea, even though the opening track is iconic.
Lite 80-tals pop funkar. Har varit sparsamt med sådana album.
Great start. Don't remember much after that
I damn near wore out this vinyl when I was younger.
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
master piece
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
I had very low expectations coming in and Boy George did exceed them if only just barely. Sometimes the artist is more interesting than the art. I did have a lot of fun imagining that the choruses were all written because the band could never remember what song they're playing. The title of the song is just repeated sooooo much on every track.
I enjoyed this album the further I got into it. I didn't think I enjoyed Karma Chameleon, but it's been stuck in my head the past few days.. 4/5
classic 80s
No
Besides Karma chameleon, I wasn’t impressed
A sparkling pop album with an early 1980s sheen (particularly that cover) - but frankly it all seems very lightweight, especially the non-single tracks.
By the 80's, I had pretty much checked out on pop music as it was becoming pretty awful. I think Culture Club was more interesting as a cultural phenomena than they were musically.
Ugh. First off - I can't stand Boy George. He annoyed me so bad on I'm A Celeb. Also google the radiator incident if you're not aware 🙃 So feelings aside - this album was ok. Very dated but instrumental wise was ok, catchy in places! Better than I expected I've never liked Karma Chameleon but there's better songs on the album. I also didn't really like his voice either. Just sounded a bit dull? Overall meh but not quite a 3 2 ⭐️
so boring
I expected this to hold up better than it does. Does remastering ever actually improve anything? Best track - Church of the Poison Mind
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
In a surprise to absolutely no one, I rate an 80's pop album highly. Not top of class, but really fun and listenable. 4 stars.
Yeah, this was simply awful. I thought Karma Chameleon might be enough to save it from the ignominy of a one star rating, but to be honest, unless I'm three beers in at a party or wedding I have zero interest in that irritatingly pointless song either. I was really relieved when this one ended and never want to hear it again.
First off, Karma Chameleon is one of the greatest single pop songs ever. I've never heard much else from Culture Club before. They are definitely the epitome of 80's pop. It's a Miracle is vaguely familiar to me as well. An album that sounds like nostalgia and regret. The tunes are repetitive, but when they hit, they really hit. The results is a very mixed bag of catchy melodies and headache inducing skullpiercers.
Alright
3.5
2.5
Stands the test of time really well. Karma Chameleon is of course a classic, but the other singles still sound great - It’s A Miracle, Church Of The Poison Mind, and the sublime Victims. There’s a slight lull in the middle of Side B, but otherwise this is banger after banger. 4.5 stars
I don't remember the last time I heard this out my kind of always put in the back of my mind it's a decent 3½★ album. But honestly listening to it this time, I personally think side one is downright excellent and going into" Church of the Poison Mind" this is looking like a solid 4★. Pretty much after that it just kind of lies there. "Miss Me Blind" is my least favorite of the singles though it's not bad. "Mister Man" I thought was just an awful song. "Victims" is a good closer but it didn't really bring anything more to the table better than what it did on the first side. Truly along with the singles, I really enjoyed "Black Money" and "That's the Way (I'm Only Trying to Help You)". I think they were magnificent songs. The latter actually has the most impassionate performance by Boy George on this album. I'm going to give it a high 3½ only because the second side really didn't live up to the first (7.9) ★★★½
"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 don't know what to say about it, not really memorable. Was ok 2/5
80's Pop. Enjoyable listen. Not sure it would be required listening though.
———————————— I wanted to give this album a chance, being tunes from my younger days, but only a couple I’d say 3. 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.
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.
Pop confection very over produced, a lot of half formed so so tracks but some good songs particularly the hits. Lot of filler!
Iconic 80s dancing
I think I knew I wasn’t going to like it. I kind of wanted to like it, but there was really no way that I was going to like it. I’m just not a fan of this sort of schlocky 80s pop. I will admit, karma chameleon kind of slaps, but this type of music just isn’t for me.
Found some of it sort of charming, but not a needle-mover for me overall.
great album. enjoyed the whole thing. good music and lyrics that come after the music industry itself
Fun listen but I don’t think I’ll do it again
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.
Class
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
Can you get more 80's than this? Not my bag. Is it on the list because of Karma Chameleon? One song shouldn't be enough to include something that is mediocre.
Pretty forgettable.
I had heard bits and pieces through the years but hearing the entire album is a new thing. Wow. This is beautiful music.
A breath of very fresh air, and I'm sure these guys were perceived very interestingly by their peers and listeners.
Overall I didn't like it too well. Karma is great but the general style was just hitting for me
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.
The opener is a classic but it gets way too 80s for me after that. Best song: Karma Chameleon
so fun! i recognize the lead singer from somewhere and i just CANNOT tell. so many different genres fused together! i definitely recognized “karma chameleon” but some other songs also felt familiar. very vibey, very groovy. 4/5.
Les années 80 dans leur incarnation la plus pure.
If all you know of Culture Club is Karma Chameleon, prepare to be surprised. Despite its upbeat subject matter, Boy George sounds oddly subdued on the title track and lead single. It’s mostly peak 80s with prominent synths, flanged fretless bass and gated snare. Stylistically it’s mostly mainstream blue eyed soul. What rescues it from being just that is the deep tracks. That’s The Way is a disturbing song lyrically but beautifully arranged, and greatly aided by Helen Terry’s astonishingly powerful voice. Black Money is another good track. Boy George is at his most interesting when he’s writing something other than love songs, though of course that’s what paid the bills. Victims is probably the standout example of his ability to write striking songs and is one of my favourite singles of the 80s. Fun jibe: the album cover is laugh out loud funny. Boy George looks like a sulky teenager who’s just been told they can’t go out ‘looking like that,’ and is about slam the door behind her. I presume he’s meant to look deep and thoughtful or maybe smouldering. If so, they missed by a country mile. Hilarious and impossible not to see once you’ve seen it.
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.
Meh. Cheesy got moldy
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
A lot going on here.
karma chameleon is the worst ohrwurm you can have
Karma Chameleon // Church Of The Poison Mind // Miss Me Blind // 2.5/5
One of my favourite albums. Every track is brilliant.
Not for me
Nothing crazy aside the first track, mostly filler but still mad respect for what expecially thr frontman was doing in the 80s
Talentless twat! And that backing vocalist sure can shriek.
I hated this when it first came out. It sounds to my young self like bland sugar pop. Recently I found it on vinyl for $2nand my opinion is changed. Boy George is an amazing singer and the entire album pings from one track to the next. Still not a fan of Karma chameleon though
Sometimes a song is catchy and you deep inside like it... Karma Chameleon is not one of them for me. catchy and annoying that i heard since i was a kid. Rest of the album is there. it's just there. very 80s
I like his tone. Very nice production too. Music wise not the best but it’s ok. I like it’s a miracle more than Karma Chameleon. I really liked his voice at first but then I realised he was a bit too soft sometimes.
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.
Karma Chameleon really saves this album, but I just can’t get into new-wave. The one live track I listened to I think I enjoyed more than most of the album itself, because it didn’t sound so over produced and fake. It’s gonna be a no from me dawg
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.
Again…’80’s pop is not my thing.
It is a fun album, but it has obviously not aged well. It is campy and over the top.
Aggressively mild in every way possible, complete with cheesy 80s sounds. I’d rather not listen to anything than this.
p good
Первая песня понравилось, остальное пока не понял. Фоном звучит нормально. 6,5 из 10.
Really really hard to get through. Karma chameleon is a highlight, and I hate that song.
A couple of good songs (Karma Chameleon not being one). Some obvious filler. Not dreadfully bad considering they were a bunch of clubbers who thought they'd have a go at creating a band. And credit to George for being so ahead of his time (though not musically). But somebody please shoot the backing singer.
Gets old
First song is amazing, but it was a mistake to put it on the front. None of the other songs come close and it made me bored.
corny, annoying, terrible ad libs, random instrumental outro track, and yet i lowkey like it
A few good ones, but very repetitive
Hey chatgpt generate me an 80’s album Edit Apr 15 2026: 3 --> 2
+1 for gay -1 for karma chameleon
Only here because of one song and the song isn’t even that good anyway
1.6 1x just so 80s.. never thought i would be listening to this album and unfortunately it's pretty painful. stayed out of 1 star thanks to a few catchy tunes
Bloody awful singing over bloody awful muzak. I appreciate its massive cultural merit, but with almost zero musical merit it should be nowhere near this list.
This is not for me at all. The hit is whatever, it's a cultural touchpoint. This brand of 80s new wave is not for me.
I'm guessing that the reason this album is on the list is that it's an example of music with absolutely no redeeming qualities. Unlistenable.
I enjoyed listening to this album. It was a super flashback to the 80s. Silly, Synth, Pop, Catchy, Charisma. What's not to like?
Not really my thing and felt like a bit of a chore getting through the full album. Fave track: Miss Me Blind
Yeah...
I liked it
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
Interesting, only knew the single. I think I prefer other new wave bands.
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.
no em puc creure que CAMACAMACAMACAMACAMALEON VINGUI D'AQUI la resta descafeïnat, però CAMACAMACAMACAMACAMALEON
Little baby George Michael! I like this vibe
Just pretty bland 80s pop.