Colour By Numbers

Decent 80s album.

Enjoyable 80s pop however in the end, just not providing enough stand-out material to warrant more than 3 stars

Pop. Sin más.

The singles are strong, along with a couple of the other numbers.

Good bops, but too many ballads. Love this garbage though

me when i come and go

Several of the album tracks are actually better than that single everybody knows

I actually quite enjoyed this one. Very upbeat 80s sounding songs that got me in a good mood. Somewhat loses steam by the end.

C'est très ok comme album. C'est loin d'être mauvais, mais je trouvais ça un peu trop safe et pareil d'une chanson à l'autre. Un peu trop pastel à mon goût. 5/10

Pretty good pop music.

80s could be a two

New wave - pop. Un megahit. Ni fu ni fa.

Probably the best Culture Club album. I'm not entirely huge on them as a band but their hits are great. The things between the hits I could take or leave, they kinda drag a bit and get muddled in 80s noise

A very 80s album, very synth heavy but still an enjoyable listen.

3.7 - Goofy but well-intentioned and ultimately endearing. I agree with Christgau that Boy George’s croon is clumsy. And the carribean/African/tropical horn-drum backing tracks burn garishly in neons and pastels. But, still, I like the positivity, the pleas for tolerance and the high-energy hopefulness. Extra points for the album cover that reminds me of the graphics on the “Girl Talk” board game.

A gem of a new wave feel. Boy George and crew craft some lovely almost island infused pop that sits in between a bunch of different genres. Never quite finding comfort or a home in any of them. It fizzles slightly in between track one and track ten.

Solid 80s with some Psych nostalgia, but a bit more ballad-y than I like

Karma Chameleon is a banger! These are the sounds of my early years. Mr George's voice is very good. Love a good bit of 80s harmonica. Couple of bangers, everything else solid. Good listen. 3 / 5 stars.

J'ai passé tout l'album à chercher à qui la voix du chanteur du groupe Culture Club ressemblait, malheureusement sans succès.

Ik hou van het 80s geluid, en sommige nummers zijn echt heel sterk en poppy. Maar word ik hier als mens nou echt beter van? Mwa.

Karma chameleon, amazing of course, and it's repetitive but still pleasant. Man, that was an indicator of things to come. Some of the other songs just feel like a line on repeat. Gets a bit droning.

Oh dopo 'Karma Chameleon' non c'è nulla

not bad

Not all of the 80's was amazing was it? There are tribes in the Brazilian rainforest that have heard "Karma Chameleon" and "Church of the Poison Mind" is an absolute banger. The rest? A blur of synth, sax and Boy George.

College Flashback!

I feel this album has earned its place on this list, and I didn't mind hearing it again after such a long time, I don't think I'll be listening to it again

Karma Chameleon will always remind me of that episode of TV my brothers and I made where we acted smart and took dance breaks. Beyond that, this felt like a one hit wonder album from the UK which is to say it’s just right there in that middling middle

I was like "ew another new wave" when I saw the oversaturated cover which with some Japanese characters thrown in for... aesthetics? (a move which I've always thought is cringe, even for the '80s). But setting those aside, this is '80s new wave at its poppiest and catchiest. While I'm not a big fan of those very British vocals, I like how it's handled here and I also like his personality. Overall, while it's just some generic new wave with some decent singles, it still surprised me in a pleasant way.

2/3

This was massive way back in it's time. Relistening now there's 4 distinct hits which are out and out pop with a soul slant (thanks to Helen Terry). It's only really worth listening for nostalgia as it's so 80s. Still, variety is the spice of life and all that......

Goddamn songs were long in the 80s. Pop hits though. Some really cool harmonies. The lyrics are just okay, they're not particularly sticky nor do they seem to mean much, but they generally work. It's incredibly listenable, though there are more than a few throwaways - I could do without the ballads on this album.

Harmless 80s pop album that doesn’t belong on this list. The choruses are all really basic but catchy, the songs are all mostly upbeat. I like the more unique elements such as the harmonica on Karma Chameleon and the synthesizer on Miss Me Blind, but overall a pretty paint-by-numbers album.

Just couldnt quite get into it

Church of the poisoned mind is a better song than karma chameleon. There were some decent songs I’d never heard before here but also too much saxophone.

Quick, important side not about yesterday’s Rust Never Sleeps by Neil Young and Crazy Horse. I remembered the album Live Rust, which is amazing and definitely a hands down, no shit 5 star. Now you may rest easy. Whew! Culture Club is a textbook definition of 80s new wave/pop. Not my genre. Karma Chameleon is fun and the rest of the album is a mix of corny, some fun, and not too cheesy 80s sound such that I’d be OK having it on in the background.

Solid

You can't get much more iconic 80s than Culture Club. Just look at that album cover - if you've got an 80s dress-up party just go as one of those guys! Apart from Karma Chameleon, the overall album wasn't that great. Yes Boy George has a great and varied voice, but there wasn't much that grabbed me throughout, even with the other singles. Best: Karma Chameleon Worst: Man Shake

Entertaining solid pop band fronted by a good singer. The songs are mixed, some bouncy, many fun and few with a distorted view.

Another 80s classic. Not a particular fan of Culture Club and my favourites of theirs weren’t on this album. It was a nostalgic trip but unremarkable. Pleasant enough to listen to so 3*

Better than expected. Obviously Karma Chamaleon is a banger but enjoyed some of the others as well.

Boy George proving that drag is not even remotely new.

I prefer George Michael for this sort of thing.

80s as all hell in the worst way. This is why people say "I hate 80s music". Beyond that... it's fine but oof, not my thing.

I mean this album has Krama Cameleon so if the rest of it sucks this guarantee's that it gets a least a 2/5. This is very indicative of the sound that pop songs had in the early 80's/ late 70's. You can hear the influence of Motown, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson. It's ok. I don't love it, but it's not bad. There are a few songs that are alright, but they don't carry the album. 3/5

yea okay karma chameleon was a bop, but the rest was just whatever

слишком поп 80х, даже карма хамелеон слишком поп

3/5 Liked the songs I knew. Didn't like the others. Too woke. To fake and poetic. Meh

Meh. Another problematic artist this week but that aside this album was... okay. The opening track was of course the high point and it just kind of meandered in mediocrity from there. Seemed like the group had some things to say and was perhaps very "woke" and ahead of it's time? Unsure given I wasn't even born when it was released. Doubt I'll revisit but it wasn't horrific.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I don’t imagine I will listen to this again.

It was a good album; I have many fond memories from this time period.

Also a classic album. contains a few extraordinary songs, the rest is however just average. Though important in the context of music history, not one of the best albums.

Karma Chameleon and other songs by the band that did Karma Chameleon on the album with Karma Chameleon

Love supporting my LGBTQ+ friends, but 1 banger and a bunch of snoozers does not an essential album make.

Pretty good

Great 80s stuff

too much cluberrs

Never knowingly listened to a Culture Club album before. This is enjoyable, the best songs are the singles, especially Victims, the Miracle and, obvs, Karma Chameleon. Some fillers too...

Good singer and I listened to the radio his hit "Karma Chameleon".

Such a strong opening, rest is listenable.

It was fine, like spending an hour listening to Magic FM.

Some good tunes on here, was pleasantly surprised

Expected to hate it after disliking all CC singles that I’ve heard. Skipped track 1 but enjoyed most of the album, decent enough background music with some nice surprises. Probably won’t listen to it again but it’s definitely improved my opinion of them.

Didn't enjoy it, +1 bump for bad behaviour from Boy George

So. I sort of knew that Karma Chameleon, Victims, and Church of the Poison Mind must have had a parent. But I'd never for a moment thought to seek it out. AS an aside – this is only the second 80s pop album I've been recommended thus far, after more than a year. We already know that "random" is infused with a dose of ... something (cc. Depeche Mode and The Smiths) . So... (Actually, I'm barking up the wrong tree here. Lets try again.) I can't be bothered going through the original list, but there's a bit of a bias here. The 80s are the decade where pop music became proper legit cultural capital, and 80s pop... (actually, I'm barking up another wrong tree.) Never ever saw this one at Our Price. Jolly good fun, neither disposable pop nor brooding over seriousness.

Really not bad but a bit too easy. Karma Chameleon is a huge hit though.

3 1/2

Another one of those albums that's fine, nothing bad about it, a couple songs I like, a couple I don't like, and a bunch I'm indifferent about. Not sure why it's on the list - I guess Culture Club was on the forefront of some sort of trend? 3 stars.

This is a borderline album for the list. It's got some big hits, it's got Boy George who gender-bending display brought Culture Club friends and foes. But does any of that make this album a must listen? I'd say no, the album itself does not wave a flag or carry a meaning. Its just 80s new wave synth pop that hasn't aged too well. 3/5.

Head bopped to a few

Yeah good. You know what you’re getting

I've always loved a bit of Karma Chameleon since it was number one the day I was born. This album itself has quite a fun easy-going sound to it.

Tough to rate this one. One can argue "Kissing to be Clever" was the more impactful album, and the one that put them on the map. Does this carry further, than say, Buena Vista Social Club? Decidely so. I would rank it higher only on a forced ranking system. Maybe I should go back and do a forced ranking of all the albums?

Though I was not a Culture Club fan in my youth, I cannot deny the delicious pop candy that is Karma Chameleon. It is a great song. After that, Miss Me Blind is also pretty good, but then it drops pretty precipitously for me. The songs are generally okay, but doesn't shine too brightly.

So I only know the hits, and let me just say that this didn’t sound how I was expecting. Way more soulful than I thought it would be, and I also wasn’t expecting Boy George to share the limelight with a gospel singer. It’s almost like if Hall & Oates joined the Human League, which is interesting, but still not exactly my thing. C

seee

This album is the quintessential example of 80s new wave music. Karma Chameleon was the most famous hit off this album.

J'adore George Michael

classique album pop des années 80 à la pochette douteuse auquel on se sent obligée de mettre 3 étoiles pour le one hit wonder sur lequel on s'est époumonée quelques fois après le verre de trop

Opens with perhaps one of the most perfect pop songs of all time. Your gran can dance to it at a wedding yet has a subversive streak. Rest of the album tries to keep up the energy but gets boring. However that song is so ubiquitous for the 80s it's deserved.

New wave - pop. Un megahit. Ni fu ni fa.

Un poco rollo. Pero bueno, tiene la mítica Karma Chameleon, y es Culture Club.

karma karma karma karma karma chameleon.... I listened to that song for the first time in what seems like forever and realized there's a lot to that song I do not recall...and after listening again, I still don't remember it.

Karma Charmelion album

This hands down might be the worst album cover of all time

Definitely a very 80s pop album. Karma chameleon is catchy but didn't think there were any other hits on the album. Not a bad sound overall though

There was a time when you could pick up multiple copies of this on vinyl in any and every charity shop in England... I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Strange to listen to early 80s pop in the fullness of time and be impressed by how well the songs are crafted and performed. At the time the visuals via Top Of The Pops, Saturday morning TV, etc were so front and centre. Did think that if you slowed it down a bit, the vocals would sounds like Alison Moyet...

Androgynous soul? Nice.

Of course, Culture Club is already iconic thanks to Boy George, not to mention their jazz-pop gay club anthems. (Listening to That's The Way) I'm only a quarter of the way in right now and I can hear how much they influenced artists like Scissor Sisters and Autoheart. I also wasn't expecting the exquisite pipes of a black female backing vocalist throughout. (Listening to Mister Man) Ooh digging the reggae vibes on this one. Unfortunately the variety of synth sounds *really* sounds like someone playing with their new keyboard on Christmas morning. Looking at you, Sir Paul. (Listening to Stormkeeper) George's vocal range is pretty limited, isn't it? I'm never noticed. (Listening to Mystery Boy) This is a lot of fun. I can easily picture myself in an 80s club bouncing around to this one. (Listening to Colour By Numbers) Interesting to see the title track practically at the end, but I see why. Very chill and jazzy. Okay, this was alright. I can easily see the huge, huge influence they were on a horde of artists that followed. But I think from a personal preference standpoint, it was alright.

+++

Perfectly fine with some standouts (such as the number one single)

Helt ok men 1 hit är inte ett bra album.

Colour By Numbers is a bit like a mix bag of lollies (candy, sweets, or any other term for confectionery). There are a few favourites that make your day, one or two you would happily throw to a pigeon or some other scavanger bird, and the rest are some nice filler. I didn't hate a particular song, but there were some elements I could have metaphorically binned. Not a massive fan of some of the sax for instance. Karma Chameleon was the only song I knew beforehand and always viewed it as something pleasant. I did like the stretch between Church of the Poison Mind and Mister Man a lot though. Victims was a nice closer too. Rest were filler.

Genre: New Romantic 3/5 In this episode of Bland Pop Album, we have Culture Club aka Boy George's album Colour by Numbers, an album that flew by rather gleefully. Now, Boy George's false imprisonment conviction story aside, I had absolutely no desire to listen to this, and was fully anticipating a mighty stinker. However, this remained joyful and fast-paced enough that its runtime never felt too long and nothing overstayed its welcome. Led by the mega-hit Karma Chameleon, a totally gutless, bland, but totally inoffensive pop song, it does pretty much the same thing track to track. Nonetheless, its energy and constant flow kept it pretty engaging and entertaining. Synths and electronic drum patterns stay busy and active throughout, with the usual tinny 80s production and some standard pop arrangements, but all done flamboyantly and with a certain unwaverable quirkiness that keeps each song peppy in its own way. It's a Miracle and Miss Me Blind were two other decent pop songs, with some decent lead vocal performances from Boy George, and some uneventful, but playful synth-pop arrangements. It's no masterpiece, but it has no right being this enjoyable. Didn't hate this nearly as much as I wanted to, and while I don't think I need to revisit this again, this should provide mild entertainment to 80s heads and pop fans alike. Not bad, George.

Easy listening. Some memories.

Meh, not really a fan. I liked their two hits but never really got into them. Weird thing was I bought this album in HS. Also, Boy George had some issues. Chaining an escort to a wall and beating him with a chain? Weird shit man. He's like the Rick James of the British Empire.

better tunes than I thought there would be. Very evocative of the 80's

I feel that someone put the 80s in a mixer and just put the result in my ears. The worst part is that I kinda liked this amorphous slime of nostalgia.

Interesting early 80’s Pop. Enjoyed it, but didn’t love it

Hits hits hits. Of its time, and was a huge hit. Enjoyable if not my usual cup of tea

It took about half of the album for my brain to say "oh, this is campy, and that's why I want to listen to it," and from that point on I really enjoyed it.

It was better than I expected, but expectations were low. Some good singing and there was certainly some heart put into it.

Charma Chameleon, 80’er pop, flerstemmigt, catchy

Kind of like prince

I liked this more than I expected to. I've found that I've not really loved or hated most of the recent albums.

3.9

Zeemzoete popmuziek. wel eens plezant om naar te luisteren

Some bangers. But the unknowns haven’t stuck

This has 1983 written all over it. In pink.

I am very familiar with the band CULTURE CLUB and the album COLOUR BY NUMBERS. I have CULTURE CLUB’s first three albums: 1) KISSING TO BE CLEVER (1982); 2) COLOUR BY NUMBERS (1983); 3) WAKING UP WITH THE HOUSE ON FIRE (1984). I liked COLOUR BY NUMBERS for the hit songs that it had. BOY GEORGE and CULTURE CLUB were groundbreaking for presenting androgynous dressing style, sexual ambiguity and reggae infused pop to the masses in the early/mid 80’s. After listening to COLOUR BY NUMBERS, it is not bad at all, but the big problem for me, since I’m an album-oriented person, is that the album itself is very inconsistent. It has four very great hit singles: “KARMA CHAMELEON”; “CHURCH OF THE POISON MIND” ; “MISS ME BLIND” and “IT’S A MIRACLE”. For me, CULTURE CLUB is a singles band because the rest of the songs are filler, with the possible addition of “THAT'S THE WAY (I'M ONLY TRYING TO HELP YOU)”. Because of the band’s lack of strong songs that were not singles, they are the perfect band to get a compilation album of greatest hits: CULTURE CLUB ‎– THIS TIME - TWELVE WORLDWIDE HITS - THE FIRST FOUR YEARS. In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, COLOUR BY NUMBERS is their one and only entry. Rate Artist: CULTURE CLUB (3.5) Rate Album (Year): COLOUR BY NUMBERS (1983 Original) (3.5) Rate Album (Year): COLOUR BY NUMBERS (2003 Reissue (5 Bonus Tracks)) (3)

Estilo ochentero. Bien producido. Pop agradable de escuchar.

Couple of good songs on here, but overall this is pretty missable.

Fantastic pop album but I prefer their debut.

Karma Chameleon and Church of the Poison Mind are two classic 5* songs - the other singles and album tracks are in the range of 2*-3*.

This album is probably the best album that Culture Club ever did. It has a few quite good pop songs, with some excellent singles. I think it could have been improved by dropping a couple of songs. This is one of those bands that had a lot of potential, but ended up falling far off the radar, both from their own personal problems and the whims of pop music. That's too bad, because Boy George in particular had so much talent. I forgot what a pretty voice he had. Fave Songs: Karma Chameleon, It's a Miracle, That's the Way, Church of the Poison Mind, Stormkeeper

A fun enough album, with a unique sound. That sound gets kinda samey during the back half though.

Karma Chameleon -- duh Black Money -- I like the chorus Changing Every Day -- funky arrangement

Pretty much exactly what I was expecting…. Nice listen!

Not bad at all. Some cool beats. Found the vocals to be pretty similar in places with not a lot of variety but the instrumentation and effects made up for it. Fave tracks: Karma Chameleon, Church of the Poision Mind, Stormkeeper

Good clean singalong 80s pop/soul, and if you have a few drinks and squint hard enough Boy George does a passable George Michael impersonation. But it's Helen Terry who is the albums secret weapon and her huge voice elevates every song that she appears on. Yeh, this record is a bit too earnest in parts, but mostly it's a lot of fun.

I was prepared to dump all over this album, but I like it. I'd be fine if I never heard Karma Chameleon ever again. But there's no denying there's a few very good songs including the afore mentioned mega hit. That's The Way and Church of The Pouson Mind being standouts. A real snapshot of what hit music was in the 1980s. 3.5 🌟

Decent album, not only Karma Chameleon is worth the listen (which I do not like at all). Moss Me Blind is a huge tune from my toddler years, still rocks the hell

I was surprised I recognized so many songs on this this album! I accused my co-judge of owning it and then she counter-accused… Anyway, BG has a lovely voice, Karma Chameleon is a great radio-pop song and there’s a handful of others I like. Helen Terry on backup vocals is a big plus and adds to the soulfulness. The schmaltzy production I don’t like.

cheesy pop

meh

This is better than I remember it being in the 80s. Perhaps I'm clouded by nostalgia. There is some really good pop here, lots of variety, lots of things that at the time were quite experimental. An enjoyable listen.

Not bad, but way way way too much filler. This could have been 10/11 tracks. Towards the end the songs all blended together as one.

Pretty cool little synth pop album. Soulful at times. Karma Chameleon is a certified banger.

Leuk om eens te horen, ik ken er stiekem meer nummers van als ik dacht 😊 Als 5-jarig meisje toch al veel muziek gehoord, blijkbaar 😃

Ik kan deze artiest niet meer luisteren zonder aan Beavis & Butthead te denken. Zij zeggen in een van hun afleveringen "Haha, he is not a man, haha" als Boy George zingt "I'm a maaaannnnn". De muziek zelf is stiekem best leuk en veel nummers ken ik ook al. Het is echte disco uit de jaren 80. Ik voel een "guilty pleasure" of "foute vrijdag" opkomen. De toppers zijn de bekende nummers "Its A Miracle" en "Church Of The Poison Mind". De ballad "Victims" heeft ook wel wat. Op den duur voelt het album wel als een eenheidsworst en beginnen alle nummers op elkaar te lijken. Muzikaal zit het wel steengoed in elkaar allemaal. Ik bombardeer het album dan ook als lekker maar niet opwindend. Geef mij maar een echte vrouw ;-).

-"Karma Chameleon" is good and catchy. I can tell why it was the hit from this album -"It's A Miracle," "Church Of The Poison Mind," "Man-Shake," "Melting Pot," -"Melting Pot" is my favorite track. It seems live, has trumpets, good guitar riffs and bass riffs.

Pure 80's Sound. (He sounds a little bit like George Micheal, didn't he?) Karma Chameleon is a certified hit single. Second half is better than the first. (6/10) Favorite Tracks: Church of the Poison Mind, Mister Man, Melting Pot

you can feel the colours but they are not that bright

It's pretty queer and gender bending. I think Boy George kinda wants to be an English version Prince but he's not quite that talented.

BANGER

eu nunca ouvi nada deles além de karma chameleon, foi divertido, mas não é grandes coisas

I’m embarrassed that I didn’t hate this one. And I knew more songs than I expected. My kids even liked it!

An iconic album of the era, but one that doesn't have the most lasting songs. It serve as a valuable insight into the time it was made though.

Hmm, quite a generic 80s music. However that doesn´t mean I did not enjoyed it, some of the songs were really catchy.

Cracking vocals from our George

Un mega temazo increíble, y me han gustado las voces femeninas, el acompañamiento. Bien

Cero ganas de escuchar esto. Madre mía qué portada. Pues no está mal, un disco más Soul que pop ochentero a pesar de que empieza con un hit de los 80. Más parecido a Stevie Wonder o Simple Red que a otra música de esa época.

3 even decent songs carma chameleon all time shit

Better than expected

Yeah it was alright. A few good tunes.

A few good tunes and very popish in a good way

One hitter

Fun. Pleasant.

It was okay I guess, but also slightly boring 80s pop

The album never really hits the highs that their most famous song, Karma Chameleon does, but it is a fun 80s album. Reminds me a lot of Wham

culture club! but hmmm i think i know why karma chameleon lang yung most famous... i generally liked the other songs tho, they're just not that remarkable

I have a hard time saying this is a 1001. Boy George was a cultural icon in the 1980s, but is was not necessarily due to his music. Karma Chameleon is classic ‘80s goodness. The rest of the album is, at least for me, mid. A lot of this album his vocals sound like was chasing George Michael, but without the production quality or song writing chops. Church of the Poison Mind was a really good song. And I appreciated the Reggae inspired Mister Man. I also respect that when people like George Michael and Elton John were still faking being straight, Boy George was flying his flag proudly. But again, that focuses not on the music but the artist and his identity politics. Good: yes. Classic 1001 Must Hear: I don’t think so.

Banger first song (which I'd somehow never heard before). Meeeeh most of everything else.

Culture Club? Really? This is an act which had its place in 1980s pop culture, released a memorable hit as the opener of this record, but didn’t produce an album that justifies replaying four decades later. There’s a lot of filler here, some of it is not awful in part because George has a good voice, but come on….

Fun to listen to after all these years. But will I listen to the whole album again? Probably not.

Sāku gigglot, kad dzirdēju pirmās 2 sekundes 😍

I'm with Stu-this is not the good Culture Club stuff, it's the cheesy stuff that I hated then & still don't like now. If you want a treat, listen to Boy George now - his voice is v different & all soul - gorgeous!

I try to have an open mind. I really do. I didn't really like it back on the day. And I do hear the influence but to me it is so much that was wrong with the 80s especially the ubiquitous treacly sax and Casio keyboard setting #3. I respect the soul pipes when he takes it down - though the background singer is the real star but otherwise this was my 80s teen nightmare and apparently I haven't grown up much.

Ranges from kind of fun 80s trash (Karma Chameleon) to truly horrible 80s trash (Black Money)

Being forced to listen to this immediately after George Michael's "Faith", I'm struck by how similar they are. There are a handful of middling pop tunes here, but the overall vibe is vapid and lacks any kind of edge. Representative of the worst of what the 80s gave us.

So, after seeing what the first track was - and putting myself through listening to it - I was prepared for a 1 star rating. However as I cracked on with my boring day job, thinking about the review I'd write, something intresting happened. Colour By Numbers delivered some alright tracks. This isn't a good album but it has good moments. I can't help but enjoy Black Money and Changing Every Day - and while it's riddled with 80s cheese and other such elements that stain music of the era, it's not enough to keep it fully down. Boy George is a twat though.

This is the most mayo white, sauceless, spineless music I’ve heard maybe ever

Did we really need to know anything after Karma Chameleon before we died?

No thank you. Not my thing at all. Karma chameleon is insanely popular for being a really bleh song and the rest of the album is a worse version of that. Some songs had fun beats though so 2 stars

Go back to the 80s and then quickly leave it. Two stars for memory

The first track is very catchy and I heard it way too often when it was released. The rest of the album just gets a meh, nothing too memorable.

This album had the potential to be way better if the songs weren't so repetitive and bland. Starting with the positives, I'll say that I like the singers very soft and pleasant voice, the sound of the record is also very smooth and there are some actual funky bass lines. Now into the negatives: this album can get tedious and derivative with so much repetition. I said that the singer has a nice voice, but I also think it lacks a bit of emotion. I'm aware this is supposed to be romantic and poppy, but a bit more passion and energy would help a lot. Well, I'm saying this when there is an additional voice in some songs that has actually a lot of projection, but is not enough. When it comes to the instrumentation, they neither get saved from the criticism of being too passive, or at least in general. There are some saxophones, harmonicas and other elements here and there that can create some worth listening moments. Nevertheless, nothing truly impacted me. I want to like this album, because there are some really catchy melodies and everything is nice to the ear, yet it doesn't grab my attention neither it is interesting nor it makes me want to dance.

Kinda boring and not my style of pop.

Album is relevant for really just one song. "Karma Chameleon" is fun, but the rest of the album is repetitive and drags on. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again

Wow that album started fire and went nowhere. Didn’t care after the first 3 songs or so. It’s generously getting a 2. I did not care for it at all. Half the songs were just the same words. Don’t respect that.

2/5 So they put this album on this list because of one hit... that's just mid. The piano and orchestral parts were pretty good (Victims, Romance Revisited)

Ooof. Karma Chameleon is a hit for sure, but the rest is just basic and forgettable. At least there aren't any songs on here trying to justify a genocide.

Not a fan of this. Karma Chameleon is the star of this album and I wouldn't even consider that to be a good song. I'll cede that it is catchy, but not enough to buoy an entire album out of mediocrity.

5. avgust 2026. 16.00h its whatever best: mejbii miss me blind dala bih 3 ali posto je boy george zionist AI using freak koji je kidnapovao nekoga i udarao ga lancem onda -1 poen :p

Pretty dang cheesy, but it probably felt edgy towards mom's in the 80s

2 for Karma Chameleon

I think it's beautiful that Boy George looks exactly like Emily Blunt. Other than that I hated the album. This is one of the worst times for pop music they're using synths that are supposed to stand in for real instruments but they're still early so it's kinda uncanny valley, and everything is so reverbed out I hate it. No effort put into the lyrics either the chorus of "It's a Miracle" is "It's a Miracle / It's a Miracle / It's a Miracle / It's a Miracle / It's a Miracle / It's a Miracle / And dreams are made of emotion". Some fun polyrhythms though and Karma Chameleon is so so good - 2 stars for the Chameleon.

Wednesday, 15 July, 2026 Meh. It was fine. Karma chameleon is catchy. The rest is unnecessary.

Was dreading listening to this when I saw it come up but actually not as bad as I feared. Still not my thing, thanks but no thanks.

Fuck off Boy George, I've got a hangover and I'm not in the mood. Bonus star because Karma Chameleon is a banger.

Lightweight pop.

Culture Club! I warmly remember the first time I heard Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, spilling out the door of a clothes shop - I stopped in my tracks - it was a revelation, for someone drenched in punk, new wave and post-punk - I could also listen to sweet and sad music for Sensitive New-Age Guys!! But - this album is very slight. I know some of the songs but have no enthusiasm for them. I have no objection to Boy George as a singer but am not about to praise him as a blue-eyed soul singer. The band arrangements are busy in an 80s pop way but do not attract me to repeat listen. I don't object very strongly, but am relatively disappointed, so I'll say it's Pretty Poor, 3/10.

Archbishop Desmond tu

Not sure how this is #96 of the best 100 albums of the 80's; not my cup of tea.

Could've very happily ended this after track 1.

A poor man's George Michael

Karma Chameleon is classic, and Boy George a unique individual who flew his own flag. It was interesting the way this band pulled together aspects from multiple genres to make some alright pop-rock songs. Just not really in a style that interests me or I care to revisit.

Как будто на семейном застолье посидел

Welp, I guess Karma Chameleon is just stuck in my head for the next 3 days. Pretty run of the mill pop record. Nothing really stands out, outside of the cultural importance of the group. Every song ends with a repeat of the chorus lyrics into a fade, which gets quite annoying. Not super enjoyable. 2/5.

All due respect to Boy George and everything he's done for the community, but this just wasn't for me. This is pop to the most annoying degree, cheap and tacky throughout with very little soul. The whole thing feels over-produced, especially when it came to that bloody harmonica, and I honestly found myself in a bad mood because of it. Meh.

Hard carried by karma kamaleon, outside of that this is pretty bad 2

Karma Chameleon slaps, but I didn't really love the rest of this album

Titular track I didn't realize how much they extended the song with filler parts, variations on a theme. This was all the rage in middle school but I don't remember the sexual ambiguity being that big a deal - there were bikes to ride. Couple of sleepers leading into Changing Every Day a bit more upbeat then into a straight ballad That's the Way - decent. Sparseness helped limelight the vocals. The later tracks are a homogeneous mishmash of Casio drum track #3. You can hear this in most pop songs from the 80s and every dance hall from Limoges to Levis. They rode Karma Chameleon wondering if those produce milk cause it would have been bone dry. Ah, white people reggae. Mister Man. Decent voice on Boy George. Not something I took note of at the time. His ballads are slightly reminiscent of Michael Jackson. Soft and vulnerable. And then we reach Man-Shake which is a thing. Disco inferno that is Mystery Boy. Feels like we're all over the place at this point on this album. Not a bad thing for the variety but I'm walking by not stopping. Into the live tracks I have not heard a song intro'd with "It goes like this" in such a long time. Nice memory. Prototypical one hit wonder album. 2/5

Weak pop of the 80s. That's the Way is excellent, when it's just piano. But the weak-ass rhythm is distracting at best. And I had to listen to some of these songs for ten years. 2/5

Ugh. Tough one. Don’t like this but can’t deny the 3 hits were everywhere at the time and the album had impact. 2.5/5

Karma Chameleon is catchy. And this is all performed and sung well. But not really something I’d choose to listen to. And quickly becomes too sappy / cheesey / dated 80s for my tastes. Props for the cultural impact but overall gets a meh from me. Put do you really want to hurt me on this and maybe it gets a nudge up. 2.25

Karma Chameleon - 3.5/5 It's a Miracle - 3/5 Black Money - 2/5 Changing Every Day - 2.5/5 That's the Way (I'm Only Trying to Help You) - 2/5 Church of the Poison Mind - 3/5 Miss Me Blind - 3.5/5 Mister Man - 2.5/5 Stormkeeper - 2.5/5 Victims - 2.5/5 One decent hit song followed by a bunch of filler. No really worth sitting through the other 35 minutes after listening to their only hit. Overall: 2/5 Favorites: Karma Chameleon, Miss Me Blind

Meh. El primero un temón, obvio.

unsurprisingly good first track rest is fine so far, basically the same vibe but less remarkable 💥karma chameleon 💥church of the poison mind

2/5

Yeah, one hit at the start, then a pile of samey pop

Has anyone ever listened past the opener? It's dated but not in a good way. Boring pop that was probably very exciting at the time.

A couple of decent tracks hasn't aged particularly well pure teenage 80s pop

One hit song does not make a good album. Favorite Song: Karma Chameleon

# Album Name: Colour By Numbers # Artist: Culture club # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: One hit wonder album. The rest is trash. # Top Tunes: Karma Chameleon # Would I listen to it again? No

Have rediscovered a bunch of pop from the '80s, which I have largely avoided most of my life. Was excited to jump into this one, anticipating a similar bit of fun. But beyond the big Karma Chameleon single, I really didn't connect with this record. It felt all very brassy and lacking the inventiveness of compatriots.

Há aquele primeiro clássico, depois é demasiado anos 80, consigo imaginar vibe zara anos 80. Se calhar um 2.5

Não é muito a minha cena, e só conhecia a primeira música

Podia ter dado 3 mas ate foi mais a capa que puxou para o 2.

Karma (Karma, Karma, Karma, Karma) Chameleon. Jeuk (jeuk, jeuk, jeuk, jeuk). Goed, dat is ook een vorm van impact natuurlijk.De rest van het album is net iets minder saai en net iets minder sterk dan Idlewild van Everything but the girl dat we net gehad hebben.

Wederom een overduidelijk product uit de jaren '80. Wat me wel gelijk opvalt, is dat de muziek vrij suf is. In mijn herinnering swingt het wat meer, maar dit is helemaal niet zo bombastisch als sommige andere muziek uit deze tijd. Het heeft juist hele lieflijke synths en zachte drums. Waar ze het meeste mee uitpakken, zijn de make-up en de kostuums. Man man man, wat zien ze er allemaal uit zeg. Heel vrolijk. En ze pakten blijkbaar uit qua drugs en daar ging het er ook harder aan toe. Ik lees alweer over heroine overdoses. Kijk, dat zijn wikipaginas waar we van smullen. Maar goed, dat beoordelen we hier niet. Het is natuurlijk niet al te best en zoals gezegd vrij suf. Het hoort zeker in deze lijst, vanwege de megahit en het aantal verkochte albums. Meer dan 10 miljoen, bizar. Maar meer dan een 2 kan ik er niet voor geven.

4/10 Karma Chameleon is fun but the rest I really didn't care for.

2 sterne

Peaks at the first song and then just kinda turns into a bland, if a little fun and catchy, new wave album. I think I want Culture Club to be better then they are, because I see a lot of promise that just isn't quite there. Like what Culture Club and Boy George represent as GNC represent are more interesting then the actual listening experience, which is a bit sad. I really have nothing to say about this album though it mostly just passed me by. Karma Chameleon is still great I guess, despite the fact that I associate it with family social functions.

Do you really want to hurt me? Yes.

disappointing

was chill, but not really our style, had no consistent flow to it. 2/5

Ja nei, det her går ikke.

This not very interesting to me.

Honestly, the first time I heard Karma Chameleon I thought it was great. Since then, gee whiz that song is annoying. Didn't even have it saved to my spotify, but it was on a YouTube playlist back when I start exploring music. Didn't get a lot out of the album, liked one song. S/O to Boy George for being an icon, though.

I am not in the club.

Dull and generic 80s music. I remember "Karma Chameleon", but upon relisten, its quite average. I'm good, thanks.

I didn't even like this in 1983, and as a 13 year old at the time, I was the target market. I remember when Culture Club made their debut on Top Of The Pops and my mum's reaction: "blimey, that's a man!" Different times... Anyway, I'm still not keen. Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★☆☆☆ (4/10) Total reviewed : 311 Already owned : 69 Purchased : 15 To buy : 4 Nope : 223

There are a couple of alright songs on here but lots of bland 80s pop. I don't think they ever really bettered Do You Really Want To Hurt Me.

I was kind of excited about this as I've had a new appreciation of New Wave music after listening to a handful of good albums in recent weeks from this list. I did not like this at all. It's like the worst of New Wave mixed with the worst of Soul and Funk. I used to think Karma Chameleon was a catchy little song, but hearing it in context made me dislike it.

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Karma Chameleon I woke up this morning - my cold getting progressively better after a proper, full night's sleep - and sat down with my morning coffee to see what's playing on the List this morning. Yesterday was 70s UK trash pop 10cc. I have had a pretty bad run these past five or six days. Only one album that received higher than a 3. So, I was not super happy to see yet another New Wave band come up. This has to be something like the 20th or 25th (no, I just checked, this is my FOURTY-FIFTH) New Wave album I've had to endure. This album feels dated. God, I fucking hate this genre. The 1980s are far and away my least favorite decade, its not even close. Karma Chameleon saves the album from getting a 1.

Sounds like a poster child for the 80s

Not quite as terrible as I thought it was going to be. Some variety in the songs. Unnecessary saxophone solos on every track. Derivative. Trite lyrics. But Boy George has a lovely voice.

Sometimes you should just. Listen to a good single. And leave it there

Definitely enjoyed this more than I thought although it isnt my thing. Some good singles. A nice piece of very 80s pop.

Another day with the 1001 albums list, another problematic artist. Do we set anside all of Boy George’s heinous acts to view the music objectively? Sure. But we haven’t forgotten! Also, other people worked hard on this album, not just him. This album has some bops, but ultimately is pretty schmaltzy.

80er Pop

I didn’t have high hopes and my gut was right on this occasion. Boy George had enough charisma to give us a reason to kind of give a shit about this trash slop spread over 10 tracks. It’s barely a one hit wonder too because Karma Chameleon is pretty fucking stupid and I hate that I still go along with it. It’s comparable to that dumbass Cars For Kidz commercial with the ear worm jingle. This was dumb, what a dumb addition to this list. 2 stars

Best Song: Karma Chameleon. And least this one has a bit of a swing to it, with a catchy (albeit bubblegum) chorus. Worst Song: Victims. Would it be an 80s pop album if it wasn't interrupted by an overwrought Disney-esque ballad? Overall: The perfect distillation of the type of slick, overly polished 80s music that I really dislike. I can discern that there is talent here - from the performance to the production - but that doesn't change how over-polished it feels to me. And I just don't know what to do with music like this. It isn't groovy enough to make you want to move or dance, it isn't earnest enough to elicit any emotional response. Music for feeling nothing. Music for disassociations.

Nah, annoying 80’s pop, not my jam. Karma was ok but only out of familiarity, the rest was skippable.

A fine, but not too remarkable 80s album.

I actually think that there are some well written tunes on this album. But, they kinda suffer from poor arranging and performance. Karma Chameleon has its moments but it sounds a little thin and cheesy. Changing Every Day has this sly progression, but it's presented as a fast kinda rock/bossa hybrid. Doesn't work for me. It's a Miracle has a really good song buried under a track lacking in tight playing and good production. Black Money is well written, but what the hell is the bassist doing? Either playing the same thing wrong over and over again or playing a bad arrangement perfectly. Most of the album is like that. That's The Way was a straight dud for me. I would have liked to hear these songs performed by someone else, cuz I do think they've got the potential to be really good. Back half starting with Miss Me Blind is a little less mismatched, the performances get a little more solid there.

I still like Karma Chameleon despite having listened to it 1000's of times. Reminds me of staying with my much older cousin in the 80's when it came out and he had the 7 inch and kept playing it for me and my sister as we fecking loved it. Rest of the album is a fairly strong pass.

Catchy pop but too 80s

Didn't age well. Didn’t like it much at the time, either.

Lots of soft rock here. Soft rock and that 80s sax. At least it has Karma Chameleon.

Love karma chameleon but wasn’t really into the rest of the album

Startede ok festligt, men ikke rigtigt noget ved i længden.

for some reason it pisses me off but maybe i’m just in a bad mood. really do not want to keep listening.

He's a good singer. Pleasant enough but washes over you.

Not really for me although loved them back in the day

The singing of both Boy George and the backing singer were great. Everything else I found pretty drively.

A colourful and cheery way to start my day, Karma Chameleon is a pop classic and along with that, there are some decent songs that occupy the first half of this album. Unfortunately, the longer the album goes on the soppier it becomes, there are some positive messages but delivered in a way that is completely naff, I’m looking at you Melting Pot. It’s nearly an hour long, that’s a lot of filler.

The other reviews are saying it well. karma chameleon is an earworm hit. The rest is all 80s lite. Boy George was a courageous cultural dude but his album is just a British milk toast version of the time.

Gear: INAWAKEN Twilight-DS Artwork: ️ 🟪🟧🟦 Production (Remastered): 🙂‍↕️🧼🪩 Music: 🫧🧠👋 Rating: 🟥🟨(🟩)/5

Поп-музыка 80ых за пределами хитов (и то ко многим тоже есть вопросы) - это место работы ассенизатора. "Colour By Numbers" один из миллиарда однотипных альбомов, где есть главный хит, а дальше пустота, которую остается только перетерпеть. Еще и обложка ужасная.

Certified one-hit wonder. 2.5/5

nah

"Karma Chameleon" opens the album. Bold decision, as it immediately falls back to the standard British new wave glook median.

Not really for me. Pretty simple instrumentals and Boy George doesn't have a very commanding presence on this imo. Some ok bops but not a particularly strong album experience. 2/5

Trying to listen to these albums objectively, but this one is hard to separate from the many parodies, memes and gags this band has been of a part of. Ehh didn’t like it

I guess bro

The balance of this wasn’t quite right for me. Obvs some hits but otherwise it felt like either the vocals or instruments were overpowering the other.

sounded quite dated and uninspired version of the 80s where the songs never quite took off I really expected this to be more enjoyable than it was it briefly got better around Miss Me Blind but not enough. also Romance Revisited was a nice song to finish on even if it originally wasn’t part of the album and felt like it shared almost no sonic DNA with the rest of it

Karma Chameleon is good because it has a sick harmonica riff. The rest of these songs do not have a sick harmonica riff and therefore are not good.

> flying through Miami Beach in a car with doors that open not like this > **limply mimes a regular passenger car door opening** > but with doors that open like this > **enthusiastically thrashes hands in the a chaotic whirl** > fuck yeah 2 stars

First time hearing Boy George, and I gotta say, I love when the voice doesn't match the body. There's something about that disconnect that just works. For some parts, this felt like boyband-type music... until Church of the Poison Mind. That choir background? The instrumental? Perfect. Same goes for Mister Man and Mystery Boy. The lyrics are decent too, nothing groundbreaking, but they serve their purpose. But here's the thing... it's missing that something to make it wow, you know? It's good. Solid. But it's too reminiscent of other '80s work to really stand out on its own. Romance Revisited is the best one. Truly beautiful, I love instrumental tracks, and that one hit different. Boy George's voice is the standout, genuinely nice. The production is tight, the backing vocals are on point, and there are moments of real brilliance. But the album plays it safe in a decade full of safe playing. Good, not groundbreaking. The thing is... it's good. Well done and perfectly curated, but lacks depth. Decent, but not a capolavoro. A perfectly nice album I'll probably forget in a week, except for Romance Revisited.

This was fine. Didn’t really stand out much. Karma Chameleon remains ‘a bop’

Perfectly upbeat 80's album. It falls a little flat on me, but I could see how people might like this. It feels far too cheesey for me to take seriously. To Culture Club's credit, Boy George has a great voice, but Culture Club's pop/R&B stylings are definitely not my thing.

Good to hear Karma Chameleon in context. Otherwise feels a little underwhelming.

🧀

It’s alright. The extra soulful parts just sound phony. That said, I love Karma Chameleon and Mister Man. It’s a Miracle is also very listenable. Looking forward to George Michael. I have a feeling he does this sound better.

Liteweight R&B with a couple of hooky hits and a bunch of so-so filler. Very 80s in the worst and best ways ( I mean I lived this records year on the charts), but all in all, not a great set.

The hits here still hit, but the rest? Disappointing is an understatement. I think I owned this album on vinyl when it first came out, but if so, I was skipping most of the songs.

Honestly boring upbeat. 2/5

it started so strong with karma chameleon and then it just lost me

Yes, no, thank you. Very much disliked this. Stand-outs - Miss Me Blind - Victims - Mystery Boy (Suntori Hot Whiskey Song)

Es geht.

This album is cute and very easy listening, therefore nothing leaves a big impression. I qwas more into the song that Spotify chose after this album ended.

Karma chameleon - 5 It's a miracle - 2 Black money - 2 Changing every day - 2 That's the way - 3 Church of the poison mind - 3 Miss me blind - 3 Mister man - 2 Stormkeeper - 2 Victims - 1

Not much to say today and I’m otherwise exhausted. This record is not good, only saved by Karma Chameleon and that song is fine.

It ok

Linda portada. Su hit lo escuché un millón de veces en VH1, pero el resto no me convence lo suficiente.

I don’t remember questioning the gender fluidity of Boy George as a kid. It was a non issue and we got Karma Chameleon and Miss Me. The rest of the album is slow going.

Not a fan

80s production is booty to me in general, but there were some great moments on this album for sure. Some duds. Didn’t save my song thoughts.

Boy george kinda sucks bro, like I’ll take Marc Almond every day

Couple of good tracks. Always struggled not looking at Boy George and thinking he’s an idiot. May have swayed me 😬

Just found this pretty dated and bland and probably should have just stayed where it belonged, back in the 80’s

It really doesn’t help my frame of mind getting this the day after Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’. This is some bad 80s pop doldrums we find ourselves in. And let’s not pretend I’m ever going to appreciate this. At its core is some 80s’d up soul/funk/reggae sounds which makes up the bulk of the non-hits, which is just plain naff. Karma is so overplayed it makes me want to run away from it. Church of the poison mind for some reason I like and saves it from a 1*. Come on winds blow, get us out of this spot!

This album was all over the place and full of skips... but 'Karma Chameleon' will always have a special place in my heart (shout out Saints Row 2 radio)

Boppy and fun, great for background music. Became a little too repetitive both stylistically and lyrically. Not bad.

Colour by numbers feels about right for this - it's all quite formulaic and uninteresting. Not unpleasant, but hard to get excited by.

not bad, just not my usual cup of tea.

A couple stand outs but overall it felt repetitive

He escuchado la mitad, es popero no destaca demasiado en general. 2,5/5 ⭐️

karma chameleon is fun not so much the whole album

I really hate the fucking harmonica on Karma Chameleon, it seems completely out of place. Otherwise, I'm neutral here. It's fine, but the very '80s production really drives me crazy. Not one I'd revisit, not one I enjoyed for the production either. I've heard it and I'll move on without looking back.

I really liked Romance Revisited. Reminded me of The Holiday for some reason!

Ah, Boy George singing about wanting to put “a love deep within you” on a track called ‘Mystery Boy’, which shows up directly after a track called ‘Man-Shake’. The 80s were so subtle. This was a slog to get through and not a fun listen. The faux reggae-tinged dance music was monotonous and droning. This is a museum piece of the parts of the 80s most would prefer to forget.

A little bit of fun here, but overall, not a thing I need in my life often.

I never much liked Karma Chameleon. Still don't. But there are a couple good songs on this record. Not really a fan of ballads either. Shout out to Helen Terry on vocals.

Too much excitement

This band is kinda like if Prince sucked. “Karma Chameleon” is still okay though. It’s one of the first popular songs I remember knowing as a child.

The algia in nostalgia means pain. I think that if it had not been for Karma Chameleon this album would have been a dud. It pains me to say it but I think that Culture Club gets a lot of good grace from that song. The rest of the album pales in comparison to that one bop.

"Karma Chameleon" is great. These folx can write some nice pop songs, but this ain't for me.