Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Sound of the 80’s. Good band, good music. Plus, had their own style. Was a nice change.
A fun romp, not their best, but I still had a good time. Maybe would listen again? Not sure. Faves - the classic karma chameleon of course, church of the poison mind, miss me blind. Solid three.
Fun pop.
Sure, Karma Chameleon is a great and fun song... the rest is quintessential substantially boring 80s. Not my jam.
Pretty solid 80s synth pop. This album I feel covers the full breadth of the genre, with the more mainstream hits feeling generic and a bit annoying to listen to, but also having some really driving and engaging lesser known tracks. All around decent listen. Top tracks: Black Money, Miss Me Blind, Victims
It's a Miracle is such a bop, but then Black Money comes on, and it's pretty rough. This whole album goes like this, with some good to great stuff like Karma Chameleon and Romance Revisited, and then a ton of mid 80s slop. Solid album, glad I listened.
I just think I wasn't in the mood. I'll give it situational credit in that he further broke some boundaries and I know intellectually that the music was good. It's a bit schmaltzy at times.
First listen, very good album.
I could see how this made a big enough cultural impact to validate its inclusion but yeah this could've just been a 7-inch single instead of the whole thing. Rating: 1.5
Step 1: pick name of song Step 2: repeat name of song 69 times Step 3: add discordent backing vocals Step 4: profit
The 80s concentrated- feels like being at my dentists office
01) Karma Chameleon - 10,0 02) It's a Miracle - 9,0 03) Black Money - 7,5 04) Changing Every Day - 7,0 05) That's the Way (I'm Only Trying to Help You) - 6,5 06) Church of the Poison Mind - 8,5 07) Miss Me Blind - 7,5 08) Mister Man - 7,0 09) Stormkeeper - 7,0 10) Victims - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,70 (77/100) Current ranking: 210/506
Nice and short which I appreciated. I would say half of it was pretty good.
Special but not in a good way
I knew this was gonna be a rough one when it started out with "Karma Chameleon". I hate that song. It's just the same refrain over and over again, and it gets stuck in my head and will not leave. There's no way the rest of the album would follow in the same vein right? SHOCKER, it does. Boy George just repeats some 1-2 lines over and over for about 3 minutes with the same musical refrain playing in the background. Rinse and repeat for an entire album. 80's pop sucks. Also the album cover is just terrible. Like what are the three dudes doing on the left? They just look like three guys from the gym, are they even a part of the band? Also Boy George's face kinda creeps me out.
if they had not had lots of play on MTV & Boy George's flamboyant style, would anyone have even heard of them?? what else do they have apart from that??? and what is the obsession on this list with boring, mid, brit bubblegum pop????
No thank you. Too happy or something
Brit pop.
Another 3, the hits are decent and the deep cuts are alright. Not much here that either stood out to me or was outwardly offensive.
Karma Chameleon is a good song. The rest, except for one or two others, I didn’t like. Probably a matter of personal taste, but this gets a 2 from me. I also question its inclusion on this lis for one song.
Never realized how much Culture Club and Wham sound alike. 2 stars for Boy George's bravery (to a lesser degree the rest of the band to for teaming up with him). But these are generic 80s synth pop songs
Karma Chameleon is, of course, a classic, but the rest of the album is pretty solid as well. Favorite Track: Karma Chameleon
Highly orchestrated, sweet adolescent dance rhythms. Pablum for the most part.
I really like Karma Chameleon, and a little peak into the ‘80s is always fun, but overall, this album feels like being in a musty vintage shop. Some people like shopping vintage. I find the whole ordeal itchy.
I feel this could have been trimmed to an EP, or better yet a two sided single. Miss me Blind or Church of the Poison Mind for a B Side. The rest feels pretty bland, missing the mark on nods to Gospel and Reggae on several tracks. Also how the F did Black Money make it to whopping 5:19. Geez. I 'm sure this hit different in 83'.
Great cover art, one hit. I heard a million times on VH1 but the rest isn't for me
Openen met 'Karma Chameleon' is gewaagd. Het verdeeld mij in ieder geval enorm. Het is zondermeer catchy en het zet toch wel een deel van je hersenen aan die je op vrijdagochtend liever uit hebt staan, maar aan de andere kant ben ik ook direct helemaal uitgeblust. Gaan we echt naar 40 minuten Karma Chameleon-esque circusmuziek luisteren? Maar uiteindelijk blijkt dat het een vreemde eend in de bijt is, en dat Boy George en consorten zich meer storten op blue-eyed soul en sophisti-pop (ook zo'n mooi genre om af en toe te benoemen) dan op jolige new wave. Maar dit is wel die typische plastic, witte soul muziek waar we het al over hadden bij Bowie's 'Young Americans'. Maar waar dat album je nog kan winnen met aanstekelijke grooves, kom ik hier minder makkelijk in. Ik was best blij met de stijlswitch na 'Karma Chameleon', maar dat desalniettemin toch het enige hoogtepunt. Al doe ik daar de achtergrondzangeres wel mee te kort, want die stond wel aan. 5/10 Highlights: Karma Chameleon
New wave baby van George Michael. 5/10
Screams 80s. A couple big hits but some pretty forgettable tracks too. Nothing awful.
3.5 stars rounded up. "Karma Chameleon" is the standout track. The rest is fun soft rock.
This has everything a good pop album should have: catchy hooks, actual music (as opposed to noise), clear, well-executed vocals, variety between songs, reasonable track lengths. I really can't find fault with this - especially in juxtaposition to many of the other albums on this list. In fact, I'd probably have given this a 4, but the other garbage I've had to listen to recently compels me to give this a 5 as a point of comparison.
Karma chameleon is my shower song. Don’t know why. I don’t really even like that song.
Kasarijyystöö. Hauska muttei ehkä taidetta 3/5
Toimiva hittikimara, mutta avausraidan ulkopuolella ei ihan iske. 3/5
Got annoying very quickly
Album 723 of 1001 Culture Club - Colour By Numbers (1983) Rating : 4 / 5 Great mix of upbeat pop and emotional ballads. Some great hooks. Full of hits. Helen Terry's backing vocals are a highlight throughout.
2.1 The dark side of the 80s. Everyone remembers it through rose tinted glasses but every now and then you get reminded there was a lot of shite. This is one of those instances. Just really naff pop, there's nothing redeeming about this. The one hit wonder is arguably the most annoying song on there. Sums it up.
Karma Chameleon is cool and all but the whole album? 1001 songs to hear before you die maybe, but the entire record? I find this pretty lame.
Pretty typical vibe for the era. Liked the rest of it more than Karma Chameleon though, weirdly. A bit fun and happy sounding.
Another album on here for one song. It was fine.
One of the best albums of the New Wave era. Blends blue-eyed soul with dance beats. Never really paid attention to the background vocals but the female singer is great. This band probably deserves more recognition. The album tails off a little by the end but still a very strong effort.
This album was much more Motown and Prince influnced than I expected, and that made it a really fun listen. “Karma Chameleon” and “Black Money” were both super catchy and “Miss Me Blind” was absolute banger. George Michael must have been a big fan of this album.
An example of the worst 80s music had to offer: just a horribly synthetic and over-produced sounding record. There’s some nice singing on this, but this was too long with few redeeming qualities for me; just not a fan of this at all.
Didn't do much for me.
I've got sympathy for you if you had to listen to this in the 80s, the 80s.
Sure this is a little sappy at times, but it's also got some danceable tunes. I personally love this album and own the CD. Culture Club live is fantastic, and I'll always love Boy George. 4.5 stars.
This is New Wave Pop with a soulful touch. Sadly, then, that at the same time it is so soulless. In other words: there is Karma Chameleon, and then there is all the rest, and all the rest cannot hold a candle to KC. There simply are not enough good songs here. 2/5
I was born in the mid-1990s and grew up in the 2000s, so I didn't have the baked-in nostalgia for Culture Club and their big single "Karma Chameleon". When I heard that song later, all I could say was that it was catchy but not the kind of 80s song I sought. The group garnered their fanbase, particularly with Boy George's androgynous fashion style that would certainly be influential, and I didn't mind if a song of theirs would come on the radio. Still, again it wasn't my cup of tea. So imagine my luck that I got the album with "Karma Chameleon" as the first track. Between that and the rest of side one, the production was muted and dated in its glossy presentation such that these first couple of songs lacked the punch to stand out amidst the various new wave and blue-eyed soul acts I've heard already. By the end of "That's the Way (I'm Only Trying to Help You)" I was ready to give up on Colour By Numbers. Then side two opened with "Church of the Poison Mind" with the accented beat, harmonica soloing, and more effortful delivery from Boy George, and I awoke from the slumber I was in. Following that number with the equally groovy "Miss Me Blind", the horns and tropical vibe of "Mister Man", the surprising synthesizer sweep of "Stormkeeper", and the elegant piano ballad "Victims", and it came as a shock to me that side two was just that good. I even went back and listened to side one to see if my mind somehow changed, and no, it's just the quality of the music elevated literally after flipping the record over. I've heard of albums getting top heavy with putting the best songs near the front, but an album rarely is bottom heavy. Suffice to say, the second half of Colour By Numbers saved this album from being lost in the sea of 80s new wave acts. Your mileage may vary from my experience, but at least I enjoyed a Culture Club album, which is more than I initially expected.
Kind of annoying
Starts off with the always fun Karma Chameleon. But then it kinda drops. The rest of the album is fairly good, except the songs just get really repetitive. Change out the repetitive lyrics for something more, and you'd have a 4 of 5 here. Best song: Karma Chameleon
“Mom, can we have Prince?” “No, we have Prince at home.” Prince at home:
I grew up with pop like that. I thought it was the style of the time. If I heard that too, then it was a sin of my youth. When I listened to it again, I was surprised. I knew many of the tracks on the album and didn't just like them for nostalgic reasons. I certainly won't listen to Culure Club more often, but it was interesting again. 4/5
Everything that's wrong with 80s pop music in 57 minutes. Awful.
Not for me
80s dance pop with static production tracks in background. A fun few songs that hit it big back then, but don’t translate well today.
I remember listening to this album on vinyl in my parents' basement; it felt way cooler and awesome 20 years ago than it does this time around. But a good album, just not great. if I had just been forced to listen to 5 crappy punk albums, I'd give this a higher score, but there have been some good tracks on this list recently, and you are being unfairly compared to some greats.
I did not enjoy this one. For some reason the version of Karma Chameleon that lives in my head is much more upbeat and energetic than the real version. Which made me think I had been listening to a cover instead of the original, but that does not seem to be the case. The rest is so very 80's, not in a good way. No desire to listen to this again.
typical stuff i think of when i think 80s 2/5 just not my thing
Good, but not exceptional.
Don't think I ever listened to them beyond Karma Chameleon and DYRWTHM. Very decent album, reminds me of George Michael.
It's alright, got some good top 100's, but I won't be seeking it out again.
I like Culture Club okay but this is pretty lame. They clearly knew they had one hit and passed the rest of this.
Fine. Not the worst, not the best. Just meh.
awful
Karma Cameleon. New wave pop. Pleasant, smooth 80s pop. Not very exciting, background music.
Favoriten: Karma Chameleon Its A Miracle Colour By Numbers
Karma Chameleon: The Album feat. A Bunch of Worse Songs
Maybe not the best album out of the 1001 but still thoroughly enjoyed the throwback to 80s.
Not bad, but one listen is more than enough
Karma Chameleon - excellent. Rest of the album, so incredibly dated...
Nostalgic but dated. Nothing to make it memorable long-term.
ja die 80er; ist halt top
androgynous synthpop an improvement for the gay rights advocates and stuff but i just don't get it (although i am one gay rights advocate myself) 2/5
This album was really boring and repetitive. Either then Karma Chameleon none of the tracks on here hit the spot. Not something I would listen to again
Colour by Numbers- Culture Club || 2.7/5⭐️ >very cute so far!! i like how “dreamy” their sound is. this whole album is just so 80s. >I LIKE IT. idc if they’re a one hit wonder this album is very consistent although a bit same-y. it’s going for something simple and it executes that very well. the melody is nice and i love the sound of that 80s mic quality. also i accidentally had ts on shuffle for two songs so ignore the whack sorting of my stand out songs bc idc enough to fix it. > giving it a three, overall it’s not bad or anything but compared to other albums this can’t compare. also some songs like ‘changing every day’ had such a strong start to disappoint me mid way through with the lacklustre vocals and harmonies. LIKE IT STARTED OF SO GOOD I WAS LIKE “purr ts is fs second🥈” just to hear that mid ass chorus. and it’s not just that song, it’s throughout the album. lwk hard to rank bc they all feel on the same level🥲 _______________________ stand out songs: karma chameleon🥈, it’s a miracle, mister man, victims🥇, church of the poison mind, miss me blind🥉, storm keeper
⭐⭐⭐— — 2[.7] of 5 stars. Besides being the "one (or 'two hit' - sorry luca) hit wonder" band, I somewhat enjoyed the rest of the album and loved the mix of classic 80s synth sounds and band instruments (shoutout mr. saxophone guy!!), and the basslines & drum grooves on some of the tracks were FONKY AF. However, after the first few tracks, it quickly got a little repetitive instrumentally and vocally (especially with the lyrics), seems like they're kind of a one-trick-pony. But overall, it's a pretty non-demanding, consistent, relaxing 80s pop/rock listen. The opener's iconic, but, besides that I also liked the slower feels of "Black Money," "That's the Way," and the closer, and the saxophone (and horn/trumpet??) solos throughout a lot of the tracks were pretty cool, and the instrumental break on "Miss Me Blind" was cool af. Favourites: Karma Chameleon⭐(basic pick but whatev), Black Money, Miss Me Blind, Mister Man, Victims. Dislikes: Changing Every Day (despite the name it's prolly the most un-changing on the album lol).
Rating - 3.4/5. > Mr. Club…. SOOOOO 80s. I like their cute, softer sound, its not overly synth. Very new wave lulz. And although karma chameleon is overplayed imo, its such a cute iconic song. “Its a miracle” is cute. I like the slower vibe of “black money”. “Church of the poison mind” is prob my fav. “Miss me blind” is groovayyy (callback)!!! Ok so they have a song called Mister Man…. Fits my whole “Mr.____” theme❤️. Overall good, kept the same vibe, 80s, Shoutout boy george. > thumbs up: karma chameleon, church of the poison mind, miss me blind.
Come a come a come a come a come a chameleonnnnn
A fun album with a few classics. Easy to listen to but not something I am racing to throw on again.
Part of the soundtrrack to the mid-80s. I was never a big fan of Culture Club, but the opening track "Karma Chameleon" was a massive hit and was everywhere, so it kind of grew on you. I liked the last track "Victims", but the rest of the album is meh.
Day 87 - Feb 9th, 2025 Eh? 3/5
I do like some of the musicality of this. The harmonica adds depth. But in the end, dance beats.
Surprisingly political! Boy George, I had no idea. It's a little "Feed the World" as far as its message but hearts (and vocals) are in the right place.
Very inoffensive and goofy. Not memorable except for the famous track.
Not sure the rest of this album holds up; beyond KC it's an 80s cheesefest. 2* Highlights: karma chameleon (I didn't remember this song having harmonica)
I have heard about Culture Club but don't have any of their albums. So this is new-to-me and I like it.
Not taste in Music but big cultural impact.
Why the repetition? You could pick any song, listen to the first 10 seconds, then set that song on repeat for 3-5 minutes, and you've got this album. I counted "black money" repeated 34 times in a 5 minute song. For a ratio of 1 black money every 9.3 seconds. Extrapolate that across the whole album, cause every song seems to end with just the repetition of a short phrase. My favourite part of Boy George is Alexis Arquette in The Wedding Singer.
First song = BANGER Rest of album, not really that good. It's got some high-highs, but also low-lows.
Once again, I came into the album, not knowing what it is or even what band this is. I was pleasantly suprised with a banger to start off with, but nothing else really gripped me after Karma Chameleon. Maybe that's why it's an unknown band (to me) - one hit wonder?
a really fun album that combines funk, soul, electronica, and other elements into an enjoyable listening experience throughout.
Classic 80s. I would give it a 3.5 if I was able to.
Karma chameleon adds a star. The rest is trash.
I don’t like it boss
This is better than a lot of the new wave in this list. Karma Chameleon is a classic.
Not great
Glad I wasn’t alive in the 80s when this was the peak of the culture!
Karma Chameleon is a hit. Perfect album!
I love reggae. This is an abomination.
It’s an 80s album for sure
I hate that stupid fking chameleon
For music that theoretically is supposed to make you move, most of these songs are very static. Boy George Is mostly locked into soulful white boy vocal mode, with minimal dynamics. I know the Culture Club radio hits, and based on those I expected better from this album.
-2021 me jumped for joy when this album came up, I was obsessed with Karma Chameleon then but never really listened to anything else by Culture Club -I’m honestly ready to defend this album after listening to it, it’s a little corny but there are some very fun and even beautiful songs on here. just the right amount of campy… somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars -Favorites are Karma Chameleon, Miss Me Blind, and Mister Man
This is a very fun record. I enjoyed all the songs, especially Karma Chameleon, That's The Way, Church Of The Poison Mind, and Miss Me Blind.
6/10 I knew the singles of the album already and liked those. The album i good, but a lot of the same. Songs sound very similar. The album closer isn't good in comparison to the other songs, due to this it doesnt end on a strong note Good listen but will not return to it in my free time.
Blast from the past.
More island vibes than I was expecting.
Normal 80s pop. There were some fun elements in this album but overall, it got boring after a while. I mostly just really like Karma Chameleon.
I'm often a fan of synth heavy stuff that has a clearly 80s sound. This feels very dated and left behind though, rather than the likes of Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Tears for Fears that are charming and people still talk about I've never liked Karma Chameleon, always felt like a hokey novelty song. Thought the album was going to pick up with It's a Miracle which has a nice hooky chorus but Black Money pulls it back down again, the vocal melody on the chorus is so annoying for some reason. I think that's a bit of a recurring issue throughout the album, Boy George sings with kind of weird and annoying inflections that, coupled with the very repetitive lyrics, result in annoying and tedious songs Church of the Poison Mind offered something a bit different though, I liked that one 2.5 Highlights: Church of the Poison Mind
#478. This is one where you'd definitely need the associated nostalgia to really like it. No one really needs to hear this one because if you're listening to it for the first time now, it's too late, you're not going to like it. 3/5: ok? Song added to playlist: Karma Chameleon I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
Strong vocals, songwriting, upbeat. pop culture.
okay 80s slay
okay, not really my kind of music.
High expectations, did not deliver. Except for some singles and an ocasional track, this album is mainly ballads and midtempo. Gets tedious pretty quick.
Amazing. I've never listened to this album, but I always liked Culture Club when I heard them on MTV. I was a kid in the 80s, but used to watch videos with my older sister (when she'd let me). Good times, and I'm glad I listened to this now that I'm older.
Making us listen to the whole album just for that one hit is just cruel.
Wait a minute. This isn't as good as people used to think it was.
For a band with an image filled with so many colours and eccentricities in, their music is boring to an unbelievable point.
Almost turned it off at the second donkeyfuck harmonica solo, but I persevered. Sadly Karma Chameleon, one of my most hated 80s songs, is the best one here.
Not for me. 1/5
A pleasant surprise. Boy George has a more soulful voice than I had anticipated, and the range of material kept me interested. Sure, this does feel lightweight, but perhaps that's down to the frictionless, airtight production. It's needed, as George's voice would otherwise run the risk of getting lost in the mix. 'Karma Chameleon' is the biggie and it's easy to understand why - it's bouncy and features an irresistible chorus hook. There are gems elsewhere though - side two especially, with the trifecta of the strutting 'Miss Me Blind', 'Mister Man' and 'Stormkeeper'. A bit of a treat, this.
Not country but somehow country.
Colour By Numbers is... not a bad album, but it doesn't feel like majority of it is too strong. Some songs were catchy, but I couldn't remember them next day. Strong 2, weak 3. I've enjoyed it a fair bit, but would rather to listen to something else
i was expecting more and maybe thats my fault
Not the best album ever recorded, fun, counter culture (no pun intended) and enjoyable back day and still is.
Not my jam, never was. I’ll give it a two because I love his back up singer. She’s great!
Other than the hit single it was meh. Background music
Okay, this is fun! I’m giggling at how low its global score is. I feel like this website tends to favor the moody/artsy albums. But this is fun. Even the album art tells you to strap in for some 80s shenanigans. Love it.
Starting off with a legendary track, to fall into oblivion with some light hearted and easy to listen tracks. An easy 2 with an extra point.
Liked this, poppier new order sorta vibe
if i could give this 3,5 i would
it was alright, not something to call your friends about
had to bring out my dad's vinyl record of this one for the deluxe experience!!!! It's a fairly jazzy album that does an upbeat, lovey sound pretty well, but then beats it to death with repetitive choruses and indistinguishable songs. That's my main gripe with this album, although it is still pretty good. Karma Chameleon is Oliver music, although their deep cuts, especially the instrumental bridge of Miss Me Blind kinda pop off. Victims is low-key fire.
Just old pop. Like Prince, but worse.
5.5/10
Karma Kameleon is super catchy. The rest of the album is just ok.
still January 12, 2025 HL: “Karma Chameleon”, “Miss Me Blind”, “It’s a Miracle”, “Stormkeeper” 3.5 I didn’t go into this a huge Culture Club fan, and two full listens later I’m still not in da club but I do appreciate its hooks & general cheesiness. “Karma Chameleon” is one of the best songs of its time though, I’ll give Boy George that. “Miss Me Blind” is a song I wasn’t keen on, but I somehow never noticed that synth/guitar break 3 mins in before today. It makes the whole song, imo
this album is so 80s. honestly a few bops but it gave me a headache after a while- the album felt too long. I'd give it a 6/10
Black album by a white band, timeless music.
Boy George sure was ahead of his time. Must've be wild being so expressive back then. I like the playful tone through the songs. Nothing to groundbreaking in the sound i guess, but the style bumps them up
A classic British pop album from the 80s. Some songs are deeply touching and emotional, while others were major hits of their time. There are also some great karaoke tracks :) Boy George’s vocals are wonderfully melodic
A couple of good songs, and a lot of 80s dross.
One hit wonder
I generally enjoy this era of 80s pop and Karma Chameleon was rightly a big hit. But the rest of this album... meh
Worst Christmas present ever. If Boy George looked like a regular dude, or if MTV hadn't been invented yet, most of us would never have heard of Culture Club.
Starting with the classic Karma Chameleon kind of sets it up for failure. Nothing really compares after, though I do like Black Money.
A melting pot of disco synth pop new wave and soul with incredibly neon 80s production and some gale force full blown diva vocals. Fun and sad and idealistic. At its best in radio pop hit and dance club banger modes - less strong on the ballads.
Great, fun, interesting Good pop songs. High 3 low 4
New wave is not my jam in general, and Boy George is all the way at the Nope end of the spectrum. Clearly lots of talent behind this, but it's not for me. Still, I don't hate it, so sticking with my baseline of two stars.
Really trying to reserve this for when I really mean it, and I really mean it today: I did *not* need to hear this before I die. (No offense, Culture Club, xo)
Just a gimmick album.
Enjoyable and I love Miss You Blind!
Ground breaking at the time
Achei as músicas um pouco repetitivas. Mas Karma Chameleon e Miss Me Blind são um repetitivo legal.
vou fazer um abaixo assinado para o aplicativo colocar meias estrelas!!!!
Genuinely a fun to listen to album although the instrumental style of the 80s isn’t my favorite, but I like Karma Chameleon and the rest of the album was pretty good if not a little repetitive.
Can't do it.. I've been trying to listen to every album all the way through, but I couldn't get past the first song on this. Not for me. Putting Time Out of Mind back on as an antidote.
I get the influence of Culture Club, but not sure I needed to listen to this whole thing before I die.
Fuck yes! I remember when this hit the States. We went mad for this band and Boy George’s style. Pretty much everyone over a certain age can sing Karma Chameleon. This is perfect pop music. Classic structure, hooks, harmonies, great arrangements. Not too harsh. Just fun and soulful music for the masses. The roots are squarely in the Motown style. The 80s brought the nostalgia wave with Blue Eyed Soul. Everyone wanted to be Smokey Robinson. Is there any Smokey Robinson on this list?
Great opening (probably their best song) but downhill rapidly
J’ai été étonnée de constater que le reste de la discographie du band qui a sortit le hit joyeux et entraînant Kakakakakarma Chameleon était étonnamment…mou? J’ai jamais sentie un tel niveau de désintérêt et d’indifférence dans la voix d’un chanteur de musique pop-dance.
Boy George at his best. Not extraordenary special.
Karma Chameleon is amazing, rest of the album fall short for me
putrid
• 4/5 • Liked the album better than I had expected - not a masterpiece but thoroughly enjoyable • Strength not limited to the singles • Clear gospel, R&B, Ska, and Caribbean influences make for a fun a creative mishmash • Production was rougher than I recalled
When I saw today's album, I briefly thought "Interesting. Maybe this will make a fan of Culture Club." By the third track, I'd given up hope for that. Absolute respect to Boy George as a person and trailblazer for acceptance of queer people in the world. And "Karma Chameleon" is still a fantastic song. But the rest just feels underwhelming and dated unfortunately. Fair enough that it was big in the 80s but 40 years later, it doesn't really hold up.
it's just cheesy 80s, not as bad as I expected it to be 2.5 stars
No thanks
Karma Chameleon is far and away the best song, and I don’t think I’ve ever intentionally set out to listen to it. The Poptimistic part of myself kept trying to intervene, tell me that although Colour By Numbers is a pretty bog standard example of 80’s New Romantic Pop, it’s noteworthy because that was an important part of 80’s music. But a larger part of myself was complaining the whole time that this is just bog standard 80’s Pop, and outside of the big single, hasn’t been well remembered. It’s also not particularly well written lyrically, and Boy George as pleasant as his voice is is almost always overshadowed by his backing singers. I could happily have left this one
take all the originality and greatness of the cure and george michael, throw it away and mix whatever is left behind and you get this banal ass album…
Pretty all over the place, with some bewildering lyrics and darker themes. I only really enjoyed the first hit track, but I'll give them credit for making me feel weird and give it a three.
You have maybe 2 good songs doing all the heavy lifting and hoping it’s enough to call this a good album, it’s not
Nothing particularly differentiates this from any other 80s pop. Mediocre.
was not expecting this to be as good as it was, really fun and surprisingly not too heavily dependant on Karma Chameleon. 7.5/10
first listen it's definitely groovy
“Karma Chameleon” is one of the great pop songs of the 1980s, which makes it one of the great pop songs ever. That song anchors a collection of enjoyable albeit light char-friendly New Wave music with a touch of blue-eyed soul from Boy George. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-colour-by-numbers-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
SOOOO long
Absolutely first-rate vocals (both lead and backing) are the strength of this record. Odd to think how well this stands up given Boy George's focus on style over substance; if kids didn't know how controversial his look was, will they just think he's got an all-time voice that could flit between pure pop, white soul and gospel-inflected R&B. Playing is polished here and production is first rate. One always thinks these songs will seem trifles, and then finds them surprisingly substantive, if still fun, bouncy and danceable. One can make a case that Kissing To Be Clever is the better of the record (if only because it includes "Time (Clock of the Heart)" which isn't – hey editors – just a "slow dance tune for teens" but an absolute contender for GOAT love song), but still, glad some CC made the cut here.
An interesting pop 80s album that feels like looking in a time capsule. It's actually neat to hear their take on culture and society and how they thought it would look in the future. Otherwise, the band itself was unremarkable. Boy George is fine but his backup singer was better. 2.5 brought down to a 2 cause I'll never listen to this again.
Boring eighties stuff. The title couldnt be more correct.
perfectly enjoyable kitsch imo! unfortunately idk if it quite beats the allegations of One Song Where The Songcraft Comes Together Notably More Than The Others but of all the songs in that category karma chameleon is probably one of the best and will not be denied by me. almost everything else is pretty glompy and structurally inert unfortunately but i still had a good time cuz its hard to beat this hyper-colorful new romantic sound palate...if the songs were more memorable, they would be very easy to tell apart with the genuine variety tied together mostly by admirable garishness. and no matter what he's singing boy george is a nice presence!
Ok fun album. Seem to recall gifting this on cassette to my 12 year old sister who gave it back to me unopened on my birthday 2 days later.
camcamcamcamcamcmamcmcamcahmeeleeooon. sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana sana toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto toisto todella todella todella todella todella todella todella todella todella todella todella todella todella todella todella hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä hyvä albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi albumi miss me blind
When I first heard Karma Chameleon, I wasn’t thinking this was gonna be an enjoyable experience for me. By the end of Victims, I fell in love. George’s voice is stellar and the instruments are fantastic. Landmark album
When I was four years old, Boy George was my first crush. Now that I've grown up to be a lesbian, it all makes sense.
This had some great hits in it that I knew but didn't attribute to Culture Club. Everyone know Karma Chameleon but a real new is Church of the Poison Mind. Great listen from a great 80s band.
Sure, Karma Chameleon is catchy, but there's a reason it's been played around 38 times more often than the next most listened to track. Mostly pretty bland pop, far from essential listening.
Starts out bleh and only gets worse
Well, the album opens strong at least. "Karma Chameleon" is a stone classic, and without a doubt the best song here. That harmonica line it has does so much for me, whether it's fake or not. As for the rest of the album, though... I wouldn't go so far as to call it bad — the 1's and 2's I've seen people give it are a bit too harsh — I wouldn't exactly day I was all that interested in it, either. Over the rest of its runtime, I found it very easy to space out and let my mind drift elsewhere. And unlike other albums, where I feel very bad about doing that sort of thing... Not here. Besides "Karma Chameleon" and "Victims" (which I managed to rejoin the album in time for; I think it's a nice ballad), nothing here sounds terribly special to me. Like, jeez, at least RIO had hooks, y'know? I'm at a 3 with this. I don't think it deserves lower. Like, maybe without "Karma Chameleon" to kick down the door... But still, nothing here's that offensive to my sensibilities, so... Yeah. I like y'wears at least, Boy George. Y'did real good with y'did there.
Some pretty damn good 80s british pop, but not much else to say besides that. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
Oh, sue me, I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. I just really enjoyed that, what can I say? I feel firmly established in saying that synthpop will simply win me over every time if it’s done well, and this is done pretty damn well. Obviously, Karma Chameleon is like, the super duper all-timer hit here, forever established in the 80s musical canon, but like… almost all of the other tracks here are pretty good. There’s not a bad one, just a few that felt either a little long, or a little repetitive, or a little half-baked; a number of tracks lyrically suffer from the “first minute is the whole track” syndrome that really bites at a lot of 80s synthpop. With that said, as long as the instrumentals and the general vocals can overcome that, to evoke some sort of bigger, grandiose feeling that just feels dance-y and fun, it’s enough for me. This album does it in spades; when the lyrics falter, or things get a little stale, a sax solo is always there to save it and bring the mood right back up. Either that, or just some super catchy vocal melody – the layering on the background vocals throughout this album is a real highlight to me. I’d also be entirely remiss to not point out that Boy George sounds strikingly and scarily like George Michael. I now have a lot more appreciation for Culture Club than I had going into this. Karma Chameleon (and by extension, Do You Really Want To Hurt Me) felt like maybe a one or two-hit wonder sort of thing, but what’s here is *good.* It’s a fast 38 minutes, it’s catchy as hell, it’s tightly produced, and looking at the chart data, no wonder the only thing stopping this album from going to #1 was Thriller. That’s just some damn good synthpop to my ears – I can see how it’d be jarring to some people, and maybe if I were in a grumpier mood, the faltering moments would drag this thing down more for me. Right now, though, I don’t really care. I liked it a lot, and it’s very easy for me to bump it up to a 5.
Not really for me but some of the songs do stick in my head. Will I listen to again: 10%
Not quite what I expected.
Catchy and fun. Very 80s. Not something I would seek out, but a fun listen regardless. Very funky beats that lead into clever hooks.
I really like it, its very 80s like I said for like half of my albums. It's so fun and colorful.
Sorry, absolutly not music for my ears.
fun album with 80s pop and interesting instrumentals
A thoroughly unremarkable ‘80’s pop album if not for 2 things: Karma Chameleon, which is a great song and Boy George’s vocals. It’s light and enjoyable but nothing more than that.
My grandpa is very homophobic and I disagree with him on many fundamental values, however he's the person I inherited my music taste from and I feel indebted to him despite our disagreements. One of my fondest memories with him was listening to 80s hits CDs in his car, and when Culture Club came on he *always* made it a point to condemn Boy George's homosexuality while painting him as a hell of a singer. And while I ended up very gay (ultimately a disappointment to my grandfather), we can agree on one thing: Boy George is a hell of a singer. To be clear, he isn't Pete Burns level cool and as far as white sophisti-guys Mick Hucknall outclasses him heavily, but I've always had a soft spot for him and his chameleon-chasing antics. "Karma..." has grown a bit off me over the years but it's still an iconic piece of 80s pop. "Miss Me Blind" I heard first on Watch Dogs 2 and it instantly became my favorite song from the band; about a year later and that hasn't changed! It has a great soulful bounce to it that rivals anything Spandau Ballet or Scritti Politti were putting out years later. While this album isn't all zingers, it doesn't overstay its welcome and doesn't try to be anything more than a product of the times. That makes the songs quintessential of the New Romantic era; its datedness is its biggest strength. 8/10
Karma Karma Karma 3 stars!
It's a miracle.... that this album is featured on a list like this. It's a miracle... that I endured listening to this entire album. It's a miracle. 1.5
I really wanted to like this bc the other reviews are so annoying "why is this a must-listen?" "this is just AI-generated 80s pop" like um it is quadruple plat in the US?? OF COURSE this feels like 80s pop BC IT WAS POPULAR IN THE 80S AND A HUGE HIT. Anyway I still didn't like it lol
Karma Chameleon is a song that totally fucks. The consistency of the latter new wave bops makes for a really enjoyable effort. Really timely album to get on the Eurostar to jolly old Londontown. The album never goes from good to great for me though, so a 4 it is.
I actually really like this more stripped back approach to new wave, it's quite an original sound and I've never heard anything quite like it. Definitely one I can see myself getting into even more in the future.
Generic 80's garbage.
Great start to the album, but unfortunately it fell off as it went along. Still a fun album in parts, but too much filler.
I'm gonna try to be brief on this one for once because I have to go somewhere soon. This one's good. It's very 80s, especially in the sound department. "Karma Chameleon" is a pretty fun song that is simultaneously ahead of its time and very dated. The other ones aren't as interesting, but are still solid. The singing is quite fitting. The writing is also alright. It's very funny that, between Funkadelic yesterday, and the band that Boy George was in today, I got two artists in a row that were referenced in Gex. The album's solid, but it's not my favorite. I wish I could say more. Strong 3/5.
ボ ー ゲイ Okay, because of the cover I expected something truly disgusting, but it opened with a really catchy pop song. All is forgiven Was fine
boring beyond belief. almost made me sad that I didn't forget my headphones
..
Produktionsmässigt den svagaste plattan jag fått rekommenderad tills nu. Riktigt tunt ljud. Låtarna är inte toppen heller. Finns några guldkorn, men också väldigt mycket utfyllnad.
The first 7 inch record I remember owning was Karma Chameleon so I really wanted to like this one. The production is overly sweet and more than a few songs edge a little too close to George Michael territory.
I was surprised on how good the album was....
Favourite song - it's a miracle 4.5 stars
Karma Chameleon is an all-time ear worm. The rest of the album follows suit style-wise but is inevitably downhill from its initial zenith. A bit weird and VERY 80's
Nice background music. Boy George in his heyday.
The Good: Who doesn’t like it when it is evident which color to apply? The Bad: However, what if I don’t agree with the indicated color? The Ugly: That the British keep pestering us with the word Colour… Loved it! Brought me back to my youth, and also made me realize that, though a massive Pop band, they knew how to play their instruments, and Boy George has some more than impressive pipes on him. It would be 5, but it isn’t perfect...
Karma Chameleon pretty good, the rest of this was very forgettable
"Colour By Numbers" from Culture Club, I MUST hear before I die? Seriously? I go on and on about music from the 80's, how there was a lot of great music, punk, new wave, LA, Minneapolis, Athens, Boston, college alternative rock, but most of it was outside the mainstream. Commercial radio and MTV showcased some of the worst music of the decade with Culture Club near the top of the list. If a couple of manufactured hit singles and a bunch of filler is considered an essential record, this list is whacked! I'll be honest, I disliked CC then and now and I'm still haunted by their dreadful music on commercials and TV and movie soundtracks. This is the go-to music for fun loving, free spirited, flaky 80's inspired characters who have a passion to wear face paint and dress like a sensitive clown. I have nothing against Boy George, but to me Culture Club represented everything I hated about the 80's...again there was some good music in that decade, but not here.
Boring stereotypical 80s pop
Great songs on here. The 80s were something else man, so much good stuff.
This album seems a lot less fun once you know that Boy George imprisoned and beat a male escort. If we focus just on the music, it's fun overall but it gets pretty samey fast. Like, really samey However, the doo-wap influences are fun. 3/5
It's fine
A nice selection of soft songs, with some higher energy songs, however a few songs are repetitive. Standout Tracks: Karma Chameleon, It's a Miracle, Church of the Poison Mind
When I first showed this to my parents, my father said this was “terrible” and my mother said I would hate it. What a great first impression! Parents aside, this album is unabashedly 80s sounding. Reverb drums and all, it’s a good example of pop music at the time, however that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have faults. It’s sappy and very cheesy sometimes, and some tracks aren’t that memorable. The vocals from Boy George, a few catchy songs, and the lyrics save this from being a loss though. If you like the 80s sound and cheesy stuff, i’d recommend this. :
3.5, but I'll round up to 4 cause there are some real gems on this one
***An ok album
It reminded me of that cheesy music you hear in the background of some "B" 1980s movie. It was very lackluster, lacked real instruments, and the singing was unbearable at times. Favorite Track: "Karma Chameleon".
1. kameleon - 3 2. miracle - 1.5 3. money - 1 4. day - 1 5. uuay - 1 6. poizon - 0 7. blind - 1.5 8. mizter - 1 9. ztorm - 1.5 10. victimz - 1.5 11. zhake - 0 12. myztery - 1 13. pot - 1 14. numberz - 1.5 15. romance - 1.5
Fun album!
Quite enjoyable although every song sounds the same. Can’t give it higher than a 3.
A poor man’s wham/george Michael. This was fine, inoffensive 80s pop, but lacking the real heart and soul of George Michael and the fun of wham.
One of my favorite things about the 80’s, Boy George just iconic.
not as bad as people said, but not impressive either
3.5
Favorite Track: Miss Me Blind
I loved the radio hits on this album when they came out when I was a kid. Pop with a little bit of soul and Caribbean flavors sprinkled in.
Unfortunately didn’t really dig this other than the hits!
It’s just not a good album
3.5 stars, really. Still fun, in small doses.
2/5 depressed today
Karma Chameleon is a legit hit! The rest of this record was borderline off-putting for me.
Damals als Culture Club in den Charts waren, kaufte ich mir bewusst kein Album von ihnen. Ich war überzeugt, dass diese Band nur Hits , aber keine guten Alben liefern kann. Der Hype um Boy George war mir zu groß und oberflächlich. Nun habe ich mir das Album dreimal angehört und muss mich bei Culture Club entschuldigen: Jazz, Gospel, Pop, bisschen soulig, da ist mächtig was geboten. Und die Mundharmonika ist einfach gigantisch. Das war bestimmt nicht das letzte Album von Culture Club.
Pretty much as I remembered. Classic 80's.
Culture Club was an interesting band from the 80s. Lots of pastels, lots of gender bending confusion for conservatives, and lots of soul from a bunch of English white guys.
Basic 80s new wave with a hit song in the form of Karma Chameleon.
I’ve never listened to this album, I only know “Karma Chameleon” from its heavy radio and Mtv rotation. Boy George has a smooth voice and he writes some really catchy songs. The music is fun and mostly upbeat with the exception of some soulful ballads. I’m really impressed with the band too, all components are firing at 100%. I found Roy Hayes’ intricate guitar and piano work really impressive and performed really well. The rhythm section of Mike Craig and Jon Moss is really tight with a lot of interesting change ups. Mike Craig’s bass playing is a stand out for me, with some really impressive bass lines through out. I think “Miss Me Blind” might be my favorite for my first listen but really every song kept me captivated. Overall a great 80’s classic that makes me want to listen to more their albums as well as revisit this one more in the future.
Meh. I'm not a huge fan of Culture Club. I think it missed me when I was younger. My sister listened to metal, and my brother was into hip hop. When my mom jazzersised, it was to Wham, which is very similar to this I suppose, but a little more fun. I'll take George Michael over Boy George, both in music and if I were attracted to men. George Michael is superior. There is a slight nostalgia to some of the songs on here, so for that I will give it a 2.
Boy George's voice is so limber and clear, effortless in its delivery. That works for Culture Club, who keep the soundscape pure without distortion. The bounce of "Karma Chameleon" has almost a reggae feel; I hadn't noticed that before, and I hear it on some other tunes here too. Great tune. I liked this one since it first came out. I forgot about "It's a Miracle." Still jams. The next three songs show us Culture Club can handle R&B and samba just fine; indeed, "Black Money" could be at home on Bobby Brown's "Don't Be Cruel" album. We get back to dance pop with "Church Of The Poison Mind." I didn't realize "Miss Me Blind" was Culture Club. This album keeps surprising me! With a sweeping epic R&B ballad closing the album ("Victims"), Colour By Numbers vacillates between slow introspective R&B and upbeat, poppy dance club tunes about relationships. This album has more depth than I gleaned from the cover. Three slow jams back-to-back was a bit of a drag, although the individual songs were good. This may benefit from a different song sequence, or replacing a slow jam with a more upbeat one, but in all, Culture Club execute on both the jams and ballads.
I like a lot of music from the '80s, generally, and I was familiar with three or four songs from this album, but I never thought about going any deeper with Culture Club, because for me, even though they are so quintessentially 80s, their music is not anything that I ever felt too strongly about. Boy George and the whole androgyny thing was such a big component of the visual arts of '80s pop culture, though. Well, now I can say but I've listened to a full album. All in all, I think I'm good with just staying with the singles. Although I was kind of surprised and intrigued to hear a little bossa nova flavor on one song, there were too many sleepy slow jams for my taste. The female backup vocalist was quite powerful and at times rather overshadowed the main vocals. Seemed like kind of a "light" album overall-- nothing too heavy going on.
This one was ok for me. George O Dowd has a good voice and sings soulfully. The music backing him though, particularly the drum tracks sound kind of low.quality. Or maybe it's just the way the album was mixed? George does some decent singing on this album but I am not sure it should be on this list.
Wasn't sure what to make of this! It was quite fun but there was that weird song about mixing races to get coffee coloured people. Not sure what to make of that. Overall it didn't leave much of an impression on me
This was pretty bland for me. Karma Chameleon is a banger but the rest just felt like forgettable 80s drivel to me
In a nutshell: a lot of style, little substance. Many of us know Karma Chameleon. Most UK listeners would recognise the singles or the whole album. It is crooning soul meets light new wave pop. Helen Terry's backing vocals were great. Music by Culture Club, Soft Cell and Frankie Goes To Hollywood represented a cultural retaliation. The UK was a mostly despondent nation under a Tory (conservative) government and emerging from a recession in 1983. It's not my thing. Overall: 3/10
2.5☆/5 09.17.2024
“Karma Chameleon “ was stuck in my 10-year-old’s the rest of the day after listening to this album with me. I hate that he was tortured like that. The rest of the album isn’t bad. The sad I’m cover kills me.
Not bad
Colour by Numbers is the second album by Culture Club, originally released in 1983. This is some pretty straightforward 80s pop with some blue-eyed soul elements. Everyone has heard Karma Chameleon. White people go feral for that some for some reason. The rest of the tracks weren't bad, they were just bland. There's some cheesy synth stuff sprinkled in here and there which certainly doesn't help. The bass lines throughout these songs are pretty solid tho. Whoever the bass player is was getting funky at times.
Not totally insufferably 80’s but it is and is also too long. The first track is a classic
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background When it comes to Culture Club, I'm really only familiar with the huge radio hits. (Karma Chameleon, Do You Really Want to Hurt Me). They're fine for what they are, and the album itself goes down fairly easily, but I don't hear much that is going to make me want to return.
As someone born in 1972, it might be a shock to some that I've never been a fan of 80s pop music. And, most of it hasn't held up well over time. I didn't like Culture Club when they hit in the 80s and I still don't. However, I have to give a tip of the hat to Boy George as he did deliver solid vocals for the group and often times his tone reminded me a little of George Michael.
Enjoyable but it contains Karma Chameleon so I have to cut some stars. Karma Chameleon is a musical disgrace.
"Colour by Numbers" is the second album by British new wave group Culture Club. New wave and blue-eyed soul are the listed genres. Hmmmm...I might go pop instead of new wave but whatever. The band does include members beyond lead singer Boy George who are Roy Hay (guitars, piano, electric sitar), Mike Craig (bass) and Jon Moss (drums). The album did well commercially hitting #1 in the UK and #2 in the US and received mostly positive reviews. "Karma Chameleon" has a very nice intro with guitar/bass to drums to harmonica. Boy George has clear and loud vocals. A very catchy chorus accentuated by the harmonica. It's about being afraid of standing up for something, being a suck-up and getting paid back for that. Oh, and it was a very big single. The fifth single "It's a Miracle" has a synth and horns open. A funky/dance beat. It's bouncey and happy. Great backing vocals by Helen Terry. Speaking of great backing vocals by Helen Terry, "Church of the Poison Mind" opens the second side. An organ and a blasting harmonica. Great lead vocals and chorus as well; this time accentuated by horns. Ummm..probably my favorite Culture Club song. Vocals come in right away in "Miss Me Blind." Very 80's and easy sounding although Boy George is telling someone that they'll miss him. The album closes with a melancholy ballad "Victums." A different ending, dramatic with strings and drums. The music on this album is happy, light, poppy and has catchy choruses. Great vocals by Boy George and Helen Terry. Very nice of use the harmonica and horns and, therefore, great production by Steve Levine. There's some filler songs but half the album had hit songs and those songs still stand up today. So, I think you'll know if you'd like this album.
I threw in the towel so fast on this one, you'd think I was working in a laundromat. 1 precious hour of my life saved by not listening to this album out of 5
Nice slice of the 80s
It came and went.
It comes and goes.
it came and went
Karma Chameleon is so far above every other song on this album, but the rest is okay. Can't really say its a good album overall.
keep going, I'm sure the next forgettable new wave album is the one that I'll finally love (at least karma chameleon is good)
Liked song 1 and 2, turned it off when I heard he’d chained someone to a radiator and beat them.
a banger followed by a bunch of snoozers
Not really into it. Not terrible tho, just won't remember or listen again.
Karma Chameleon is a catchy song, the rest is weirdly annoying, because the repetitive lyrics and Boy George doesn’t modulate his voice.
Karma chameleon lol
Was it good? Arguably - it was at least well-executed with tight production and a clear vision for what it wanted to be as an album. Was it ageless/timeless? …please refer to the cover art.
Oh man, the second ‘Karma Chameleon’ played I was transported to just about every family party/event I have ever been to. It might actually be one of my most listened to songs, and that stat has the context of it being completely against my will. Not that it’s a bad song - I can see why it was a hit. But the fact it continues to dominate in the wedding/christening/birthday circles to this day kind of amazes me. It’s also a reason why I was ready to write this album off, to be honest. But it actually surprised me. Boy George has a pretty good voice. He really shines in the ballads: Changing Every Day’, ‘That’s The Way’ (with Helen Terry absolutely killing it, as well), Victims - are all phenomenal tracks in their own right with very well written lyrics to back them up. But I find where this album stumbles is in its more up tempo tracks. Sure, ‘Karma Chameleon’ has somehow stood the test of the time. But the rest of the selection on this tracklist has not particularly aged well. They’re enjoyable, but you wouldn’t exactly need to be asking the question “what decade are these songs are from?”. It’s a total product of its time, and I think there’s other artists/bands who moreso deserve some of the recognition for the popularisation of this sound. Overall it’s a decent album. If you’re a fan of that pure 80’s pop flavour, you’ll definitely find it here. I can personally appreciate it on some level as an overall project, even if it’s not completely for me.
Putting any cultural impact aside, this is an incredibly schmaltzy and of-its-time record.
This album was a total snooze fest. There was absolutely nothing for me to latch onto, and it barely served any purpose beyond being background noise.
Boy George, mir bleibt auch nichts erspart. Aber wenigsten keine 68er Schrammelmusik oder 90er Grunge/Alternative-Bands, die aus gutem Grund heute vergessen sind. Dachte ich. Keine Ahnung was zwischen 1983 und heute passiert ist. Oder ob es an meiner momentanen Corona-Erkrankung bzw. am Fieber liegt: hat mir gut gefallen und hat meine Laune eindeutig verbessert.
This is a rather subjective review since I was never in 80s pop and this album just confirms my bias. There is some good production work here and some catchy hooks and beats. Still, I have no desire to ever give this a re-listen.
Fun and energetic, but nothing super crazy. Some songs were overly repetitive and got annoying.
Loved it
6/10. A bit corny. But I can appreciate it. The background singing and saxophone were enjoyable as well.
Surprisingly solid. I rolled my eyes when I saw it come up, but I give George and the others credit. Lots of good orchestration. I enjoyed this more than I expected.
Not for me. Did not enjoy.
Horrible
Only knew the first absolutely huge hit on this album but there were a couple bangers throughout. I enjoyed the more upbeat songs to the slower paced ones. 7/10
This is an easy one for me to review. Karma Chameleon is catchy as hell really didn't like the rest.
Karma Chameleon was a favourite of mine when I was younger so I was willing this to be good, but the rest of the album is a bit 'generic 80s pop' for me. It picked up in the second half with songs like Stormkeeper bringing the summery vibes, but nothing really elicited a reaction beyond the odd involuntary foot tap or head nod. 2.5
This is just mostly happy and weirdly jazzy cluby. It is just very different, but in a good unique way that seems to exude Boy George.
Karma Chameleon is such an 80s staple, and I was hoping this album would just knock my slouchy socks off. My socks stayed in tact, but it was still catchy and fun and got better on the second listen.
Peaked at the first song
The hits are hits, the rest of the album is fine. Probably more significant for really introducing the world to Boy George.
This is the first album in a minute that made me want to get up and dance. And though I hadn’t heard it before, I *loved* Church of the Poison Mind. I think I’ll work a few of these songs into my regular rotation.
After the opening couple I thought this wouldn’t be as touch a listen as I’d expected. But then Black Money decided to spoil the fun, and with honorable exceptions in Miss Me Blind and Stormkeeper, it stayed that way. Not too much to fuzz about
My early 80s cultural awakening was authored by E.T., Mary Lou Retton, Mr. T, and Boy George. I cannot be objective with my unadulterated love for this album, but I can be rational enough to observe that Helen Terry deserved some sort of Grammy for her work on this disc. Those pipes are phenomenal. New Wave 4 Life!
Karma Chameleon is of course a huge track. I didn't know any of the other songs, but it's an easy, fun listen. I was surprised how many tracks had that "soul" singer featured.
The rating isn't really a knock on this album. It's all serviceable and occasionally fun. I just think there might be better albums out there to represent this era and genre. I appreciate the nods in several songs toward diversity and inclusion, even if they come off as corny by today's standards.
Surprised by how much of this gave a George Michael feel - soulful backing singers with peppy 80s vibes. But despite the talent of those backing singers, this mostly feels like a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy of other things that are much better.