Colour By Numbers

Not my cup of tea

Easy listening 80s music that goes hard

Brilliant early 80s pop, great vocals. Slightly boring tail-end, but magnificent dance pop in the first half. More pop than New Romantic, ska or wine bar.

7/10 Kinda fun. Obviously couldn't come out of anything else than the 80s. A pretty good pop album that does what it's set out to do and doesn't disappoint.

Brani Preferiti: - "Karma Chameleon" Note: Il brano di apertura è probabilmente il brano migliore di questo album e non è per dire che sia il migliore... ma il meno peggio, grazie al coro. Non sono stato in grado di ascoltare tutto il disco per la sua scarica qualità, dovendo saltare parti di canzoni nella speranza di trovare un qualcosa di piacevole.

It's not really fair for me to evaluated since I'm not much of a fan of this type of thing. The standout track for me was not even on the original release: the Live version of Melting Pot...

The old problem of the first song. It gives the vibe to the whole album, but it just doesn't go on. There are moments of said "vibe" throughout the tracks, but non of them are a banger.

So much pain.

“Karma Chameleon” was the perfect amount of fun, 80s, pep and they got the formula just right on that song. Unfortunately after this, every song lacks some aspect in one way or another which leads to an incredibly boring, lackluster, and forgettable album. Uninspiring music from the eighties and nothing else. 2/5

The definition of a one hit wonder.

Fun

Very creative. Fun to listen to .

This is what the 80s sound like. It's over-the-top production is fast enough to dance to, and slow at times to sing to. It's full of cheesy post-disco riffs, minimalist piano ballads, gospel back vocals, and an unauthentic vocal style. I think he's trying to imitate MJ and Duran Duran simultaneously. There are a lot of shit songs on here, especially the bonus tracks (except maybe "Mystery Boy"), but there are also quite a few excellent tracks that nail the synth-led disco sound they're going for. "Karma Chameleon" and "Miss Me Blind" are our catchy bangers. Most of the rock-oriented tracks on here sound like they're part of some action movie soundtrack. Fairly inoffensive, but I can't say any of them besides the two top singles are particularly outstanding.

Seemed better in the 80s.

Catchy, kitschy, and enjoyable, but… kind of one long song.

Wasn’t really my vibe either. Slow ballads were shit

u nalbum correct pour mes gouts. La toune karmaleon est bonne pour vrai c'Est un ver d'oreille. A part cela je sais que ca a eu un impact a l'Époque mais c'est correct. 3

I have no objections to this, but it’s all pretty similar after the first track.

Ihan vekkulia rallattelua myös Karma Chameleonin lisäksi. Mitenhän toimisi jos tässä hetkessä julkastais eikä olis mitään historiaa pohjalla?

Pirtee, mut tavallinen

Unfortunately, there’s only one good song on this album.

seriously?

Not exactly my style, but gotta give Culture Club their flowers—Karma Chameleon is an all-time department store song, even if it’s like 3 minutes too long. I won’t go so far as to say it’s a good song (or that the album is good either) but that kind of longevity and widespread appeal is hard to do.

I was shocked to see that “Karma Chameleon” didn’t show up in the soundtrack of a single eighties movie. It just sounds too much like Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear, or maybe Anthony Michael Hall creating a girlfriend for himself. It was also the only Culture Club song I knew going into this listen, and based on the other tracks on Colour By Numbers, I’m not surprised why. The album is quintessential eighties pop, but as dynamic of a genre as eighties pop is, it isn’t near the top of my list. “Karma Chameleon” is the only song that really stands out to me, and at least none of the rest turn me away, so I can only give this album three stars.

Artist was not bad just did not do it for me while driving to work. I may need to try this album again.

It started off decently, but "Black Money" made me realize how little I could really understand the vocals. The singing style and the mix made them blend in with the rest of the music and everything was just dull. From them on, it was a struggle to find the will to finish the album. 1/5

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

Favourite tracks: karma chameleon; black money; church of the poison mind; miss me blind

Quite repetitive, lyrically not my favourite

Far more tolerable than I was expecting. Even pretty enjoyable at times. Karma Chameleon is a certified banger. I wish they would be a little bit more explicit in their lyrics though, how exactly do you destroy a baby?

Alright, could've been a bit more upbeat

I’m reminded of a charming anecdote about my Grandad who “thought Boy George was a straight guy”. You can already imagine how that turned out. 3.5 stars.

4.0

Moni arvostelee tämän sen takia mitä tämä oli.. meikämanne arvostelen sen mitä tämä on, jos tätä ei olisi ikinä ollut.. Hyvä albumi...

Karma Chameleon is an all time banger and the rest of the songs held up pretty well too

Better than I expected/remembered. George's tone is mellifluous and the backing singers are excellent. Suffers from 80s bass/keyboards and production however.

Decent 80s album.

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

This album was released when I was 12/13 years old, so still a huge time for radio but MTV was ascendent, and a huge time for me as an adolescent. When you are young there are so relatively few albums that you've listened to. So some of these songs are deep-carved into my brain. I did not have this album and I had visceral reactions to some songs at the time. This will be an interesting listen. Ok, so when I was a kid I remember waking up to Karma Chameleon on my clock radio and disliking it viscerally. I thought it was vacuous, redundant and irredeemable. I don’t think that I’ve changed much on that front. An ear worm for sure, but in this case that is a bad thing. I dislike the excursions into faux gospel, of which there are a lot of them. Perhaps in a bid to give them more authenticity, they often have an emoting Aretha Franklin-type singer going ham in the background. She sounds much like the Dark Side of the Moon background singer, but here it doesn’t work for me, as it somewhat does there, due to the fact that it’s put in a gospel-lite setting rather than a contrasting one, like histrionic psychedelic prog rock. Changing Every Day is where I found some relief, having a jazzier chord progression brought forward by a nice sounding bass line. It kind of gave me slight Police vibes, which might not be too far fetched given the time and place they both were operating. In fact, the bass is the best part of this album. There are also some passably tolerable 80s funk disco tracks. But they are kind of tepid in both categories. Lyrically,musically this whole thing is a trifle. I suspect that any transgression was in the presentation. Which is cool, but really wish there was some music to match. It has its fair share of Time Capsule 80s benneton ad social justice cheese like Melting Pot. My favorite track might just be the instrumental full-candelabra and strings cinematic affair closer, Romance Revisited.

Pop. Sin más.

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

Tbh it’s another list clogger for me. This couldn’t be a more generic 80s pop album if it tried. I’m sure someone loves this, probably a square who was in high school when it came out, but not me!

Couldn’t make it very far. Would make great hold music, which is better than elevator music, but by no means does someone have to listen to this before they die. #clogger

I’d consider myself a fan of 80s pop, but man this was a slog to get through. I wasn’t ever in to Culture Club and this has absolutely confirmed that for me. Karma Chameleon is obviously a banger, Miss Me Blind is a great track, and I can even get down to Church Of The Poison Mind if I needed to, but besides that everything was so generic and boring. Probably closer to 2.5 stars when I factor in Boy George being a beautiful androgynous gay icon, but I still round down to 2 stars for the overall quality of music.

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.

No jaa, tosi kasari kevyiden juhlien albumi. Tyhjänpäiväistä. Rallattelua. Kuitenkin hyväntahtoista ja sydämellistä, joten ei voi vihata. Fade taas kaikkien biisien lopussa, eli ei osata lopettaa biisejä.

Onneksi tämän äänimaailma on kehittynyt suoraan soulista, eikä esim. jazzista. Harmittava puoli on se, että hittibiisi ei sytytä minua, ja ainoa joka herättää tunteita on Miss Me Blind.

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.

For me this was somewhere between George Michael and Simply Red. I didn’t enjoy any of it apart from a couple of the bass lines. If found the style grating and the lyrics were repetitive. I didn’t like the singer’s voice and it didn’t blend well with the backing singer. The ad libbed vocals by the backing singer in some songs were very over the top and annoying, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. I have no idea why this is on the list, the album had one big hit and the rest was a forgettable cheese selection.

So very 80s formulaic pop! I hated it when it came out and it got so much radio play at the time. Listening to it now I can’t believe how simple and repetitive it is. My immediate reaction was a 1. A negative 1. Odd reaction: the tempo of Karma Chameleon is way faster than I remember. It’s as if my memory slowed it down to mellow it out or something. And then the real song sounds to me like it’s being played back at 1.25x speed. But a few songs were better than I thought they’d be and showed a glimmer of talent (like That’s the Way). Nah, it’s still a 1.

80s could be a two

Not only did I not like this… I did NOT like this. Boy George’s voice annoys me to no end. I cannot understand how someone would find that voice attractive. It always sounds off, like we’re at this creepy community theater show. I can’t place why exactly I was repulsed by this album. But I think it’s 85% Boy George. The other 15% is when, on half their songs, they have an actually good gospel singer in the background doing mindless “hey, heyyyy” sounds that serve no purpose. I hate it when people do that. I hate-listened twice. One star. 1/5

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 couple of fun songs but nothing beyond that for me

Boy George and, by extension, the rest of Culture Club were one-hit wonders. Anyone who has listened to Colour By Numbers will know exactly why. While Karma Chameleon was charming enough with it's dreamy lyrics and earworm chorus, rarely does Culture Club land that same plane twice. Of course, it's worth discussing the cultural phenomena of Boy George. While the New Romantic was playing with androgyny, Boy George seemingly embraced it. There's a lot of ambition in embracing a more feminine look than even David Bowie. There was even rumblings of homosexuality, though Boy George would pull the bisexual card for a while as a sort of rockstar "fuck anything that moves" play. Turns out he was just gay. There's not much else to say about Culture Club. Colour By Numbers was truly unremarkable.

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.

woof. karma chameleon is a classic but the rest of this album is filler. terrible lyrics, boring music, strange but uninteresting instrumentation... just a big resounding meh across the board. come to think of it, karma chameleon isn't even that great of an 80s song either considering what it's up against... favorites: karma chameleon

Eh. Only "Karma Chameleon" is really worth listening to. 5/10

Does the thing where it opens with it's best number, only this one is more a flukey hit than a good piece of music.

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" was a staple of my childhood thanks to my father, so I have a lot of nostalgia for that. The album as a whole is pretty good as well. favs: It's A Miracle, Karma Chameleon, Church of the Poison Mind, Miss Me Blind least fav: Victims

Pop music was king in the 80s. This was one of the cream of the crop, a New Romantic masterpiece. Unavoidable in it’s time. While definitely of it’s time, its themes (at times heavy despite the infectious sound of it all.) A rare band that not only seemed driven by the front man, but allowed the back up singers and instrumentalists shine. Really love the slick Motown update of Church of the Poison Mind.

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.

18 year old me had limited interest in Culture Club, I was a Northern Soul, punk, post punk, alternative, indie kid. Older me can now appreciate this album. Not only is it a great pop album, it's a fucking good soul album. 'Poison Mind' has definite Northern Soul vibes. The backing singers are superb, and George has a cracking voice.

One or two good songs here (Karma Chameleon being a classic), but most of it is just cheesy 80s new wave.

Les années 80 regorgent de gros débiles et ceux-là m'ont bien régalé je dois dire.

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

Was looking forward to a good fun record but besides Karma Chameleon, boringly thrown right at the beginning, an omen that the rest of the album is filler, it’s just an album full of filler. To Boy George’s credit, wittingly or not, he’s recorded an anti-money laundering anthem in Black Money.

Aan die single heb ik al sinds de jaren 80 een hekel, de rest is ook verschrikkelijk. Klote band die alles wat kut is uit de jaren 80 vertegenwoordigt.

Leuk die hitjes, maar was nooit helemaal mijn ding. Ook best wel gedateerd

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

Yeahhh this is precisely the kind of 80s pop I do not like at all. Goofy and cheesy and upbeat in a way I don't enjoy. There's one song I only really remember from childhood birthday parties and school discos... It's that one song that they'd always play without fail, despite the fact this was in the 00s, not the 80s. So it was Karma Chameleon, Cheeky Girls, Mambo No. 5, the Macarena, every single time. I don't know, maybe Karma Chameleon will be my favourite by way of nostalgia alone, in the sense of, I remember it, I don't have any particularly good or bad memories tied to it. Everything else just seemed quite filler-ish. Kinda cool how Boy George was confidentally embracing androgynous fashion all the way back in 1983 though, so that's a plus. Favourite: Karma Chameleon

2.5

Went downhill fast after Karma. Couldn't finish it

hahah karma chameleon från the office.. idk about dis, 80tal är svårt för mig.

really??

Boooooring, few songs are ok. Nothing special.

Respect Boy George for being so unapologetically himself and giving representation to queer non-binary weirdos who defied societal norms by daring to be themselves at a time when the world wasn’t very kind about that. He does have a lovely voice too. Karma Chameleon is a song I’ve always enjoyed. But the rest of this album is underwhelming filler at best.

Karma chameleon that’s it. That’s the whole album. Everything else is lame 80s pop that sounds like it could’ve been played before an AIDS event. This is another album that goes into the list of questionable albums on this list. Not the worst album but one song doesn't make this album. 4.9/10

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!

The 80's were weird times

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'll say something that might offend a lot of British people, but to me these guys are a bit of a one-hit wonder. Yeah, I know "Karma Chameleon," we all do. It's a fun, cheery pop song, but that charm doesn't exactly carry me for an album. Supposedly they have others hits (according to Wikipedia at least), but there's not much here that I'd return to. Their style of bright new-wave pop, whatever you want to call this, it just feels cheesy, to the point that I'm kind of put off from "Karma Chameleon" too. I'm probably being too cynical here, but these guys lack a discernable edge. I did really like "That's the Way," but that track feels and sounds like a departure. Can't say this is bad, but it's not moving the needle for me. Favorite tracks: That's the Way, Karma Chameleon. Album art: Really bright colors, and a fun, creative twist on a band photo, isolating the gang into what could be high school yearbook shots. I don't know anything about Boy George, but that's him on the right, right? Odd bloke, that one. Cool cover though. 2.5/5

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

Very basic

Smooth, sophisticated, stylish and surprisingly substantive. Has held up really well, in other words. It's easy to see how CC was always going to be easy to misread and underestimate, given Boy George's controversial (and oxygen-hogging) celebrity. But what a voice he had. It's interesting that none of their tip-top tracks ("Time," [note to editors: this not a "slow dance tune for teens" but rather one of the best pure pop songs of the last several decades – timelessly lovely, rich and bittersweet] "Do You Really" and "Mistake #3") are on this record, which works in their absence, primarily thanks to having such an upbeat tempo and a smile on its face. A more-than-moderate delight to come back across this so many years hence.

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......

nah

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.

Very much early 80s pop music. Like the soundtrack for a cheesy 80s movie which doesn’t seem to specific of a definition cause that could be any cheesy 80s pop but it’s just that you could swap it with any other and not notice

Its funny not recognising the song or band, but the first riff of the first song is so iconic. Rest of the album is diverse, all great in their own way especially for '83 - 4/5

Not much good unless you want to include Karma Chameleon

The album has 1.5 great pop tunes (Karma and Church of...) but is filled out with a lot of song that Wham! cold have covered a bit better. Never a fan of this style of 80's pop ballads but a nice album.

Having recently found out Boy George was the frontman of Culture Club it seemed quite a coincidence that this album would pop up but I was intrigued nonetheless. Going into this I wasn’t sure what type of style this album was all I know was the opening track ‘Karma Chameleon’ which is quite a nice pop sounding track with an incredibly catchy chorus. However I gotta say this album had me hooked, the energy on here was nothing less than vibrant and focused. The record length is a bit long so I was worried for this type of sound what it would sound like towards the end and it does drop a little bit but for the most part it holds it’s own. One of my favourites is ‘Miss Me Blind’ which is an incredibly funky track that I can’t help but bop along to. I got the same feeling from ‘Mystery Boy’ which gave some dance electronic vibes that was just as groovy. I was surprised the amount of social commentary on this album, I really did just expect some fun pop/disco sounding tracks but tracks such as ‘Melting Pot’ talking about how great of all races could live together and get along was not something I was expecting from this band but I gladly accept it as it adds a good amount of depth. Overall I do have to say I quite enjoyed this album, it almost feels like a bit of a guilty pleasure album I must say as it’s not the type of music I’m usually into but nevertheless a good handful of songs on here hit well for me.

If I've ever heard Colour by Numbers before, I've forgotten. Culture Club was a definite force when they were played on the radio, and I have solid memories of three of the tracks, but the rest of the album left little impression. The album is too soft for me. New wave ballads mixed wiht music that would be appropriate in the elevator or the background noise at a mall. Not music to get upset over, but not music to be excited about. Although "Karma Chameleon" might come back for a re-play for nostalgia's sake, the rest of the album feels like an easy "no".

This is of poor, cheesy, schlock quality. Feels like a middle school production and he's not that great a singer.

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.

Better than I expected. Worth a listen.

I’ve been quite excited to listen to today’s album. Karma Chameleon was on rotation for a very long time when I used to curate my own playlists as a teen. The only other Culture Club song I know isn’t on this album (Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?). I’m excited to hear an album by them in full. Songs I already knew: Karma Chameleon Favourites: Karma Chameleon, Church Of The Poison Mind, Miss Me Blind What is there to dislike about an album where the themes throughout centre on equality, and everybody being a valuable person regardless of what colour they tend to be? There are plenty of songs that had me dancing, and plenty of slower songs that were frankly lovely - both in the themes and the instrumentation. It’s nice to have an album that just makes me feel positive and happy. And obviously, Boy George was way ahead of the time with expressing his androgyny and not conforming to gender norms, and you’ve got to love that.

Just couldnt quite get into it

Garbage

Some of it is decent, but there is a lot of shit here, boys

Wanted to love it, but I'm pretty so so. There are catchy little parts, but a lot of it feels dated and stale.

This album reminds me why I hate 80's music.

"Colour By Numbers" was released 40 years ago. "Aladdin Sane" came out 50 years ago next week. Boy George and David Bowie cultivated androgynous makeup wearing personas in the 70s and 80s. Yet here we are, in 2023, with states passing laws targeting drag shows that are so restrictive they seem like they would prevent any performance by Culture Club or David Bowie, let alone trans performers like Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! or Rainbow Kitten Surprise's Ela Melo. If the 80s could handle Boy George (though I'm sure acceptance of Boy George was far from universal and I'm sure he experienced intolerance and discrimination), why have we not progressed more in the last 40 years? While I fully support Boy George's freedom of expression, I can't stand this album. "Colour By Numbers" is filled with incredibly repetitive songs. Each track is almost all chorus, with 4-5 words repeated until you can't help but hit the skip button. If the music behind the lyrics stood out that would be one thing, but there's nothing here to maintain interest in.

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

This started out strong and, over the course of the album, quickly worked its way down to a single star rating. Every song is bloated with single lines repeated over and over and OVER. The synths are the worst sort of blip-bloop garbage. And the vocal mis-match between Boy George and Helen Terry is downright painful. The album is cheesy and painful to listen to but it was still flirting with a 2-star review until that second star collapsed under the weight of just SO MANY lame saxophone solos. One I might have forgiven. But practically every song is bogged down by an out of place and completely unnecessary saxophone interlude. Truly terrible. I hope I never have to listen to this garbage again.

Oh god no.

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.

Some of these songs are borderline unlistenable (looking at you "Black Money"). I can appreciate this as a funny, silly thing that exists, but I don't respect it. Glad when it was over.

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.

Everything I don't like about the 80s.

hate it 2* - I like this kinda music but this is just annoying

Really great album. It was a classic from the day it was released. 4.5

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

Another album that opens with a banger and then drops off quickly in quality. Definitely can't say it was all that great.

I added a star for karma chameleon.

A very, very mildly catchy, weak sauce semi-hit + half an hour of bland, nameless 80s pop. Not every band that had a hit in the UK needs to be included here, at least in my opinion. Shame the author didn't share it. Update: lucky I listened to the end, cause the last song was easily the best on the album. 2/5.

Elevator music that's only bearable if you're going from one floor to the next. In other words, everything that's dead wrong about the eighties in one album. And the tunes are not even memorable (apart from "Karma Chameleon"). Which might be a good thing, come to think of it, because they fortunately don't get stuck in your head for hours, at least. I have a lot of sympathy and respect for Boy George's character, by the way. He's not always had an easy life, and I can only praise him for reaching the sort of success he reached at a time when prejudice was still everywhere. But I don't care at all for the artist that he is, or for that band he was part in. If really Culture Club wanted to reenact the schmaltzy vocabulary of the fifties and sixties in a more contemporary frame, the least they could do was to take a page from Eurythmics or Soft Cell--to mention somewhat close acts who had their faire share of the spotlight around 1983. Those acts knew how to make their mix of influences sound *vital*, at least in their great singles. In comparison, Culture Club's tunes sounds thin, stale, and hackneyed. Next! Please... Number of albums left to review: 631 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 182 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 85 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 109 (including this one)

слишком поп 80х, даже карма хамелеон слишком поп

Meh! There are so many better albums from the 80s.

Da man keine 2,5 Sterne vergeben kann, bleibt es bei zwei Sternen. Hatte nicht mehr auf dem Schirm, welch' gute Stimme Boy George eigentlich hat. Songs sind so la la. Im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes.

Something I know and like

As an aside: this was America's first real glimpse of gender identity. There was quite a debate about what sex "Boy" was. This is pretty standard 80's fare. Boy has a great voice and the music, for the time, was pretty good. But I hate "Karma Chameleon" with a passion and the rest of the album is just meh.

more than a single, fun!

Not a classic

An album that should not wear well. But yet it escapes from an era of albums that have not: Rio and True for two. It has many of the tropes of early 80s Britpop: sax breaks check, featured female backing singers check, Motown backbeats check, dry as dust production check, gated drums check. And yet it effortlessly rises above all of tis to sound as brilliant today as bursting out of top of the Pops in 1982. Reasons why? George is a better singer than many others, and the songwriting is pretty foolproof. It delivers the four monster hit singles, but much more it’s got unstoppable momentum. Not until track eight – eight! - Mister Man, does the momentum slow from effervescent to album track. Even then, only for a moment are we down before Stormkeeper gets us back on track and Victims gives it the big closing number. Rounding up from 4.8 because yes.

Put this on and immediately felt happier

Karma Chameleon is a fantastic song, and there were a couple of other fun songs on here (It’s a Miracle and Church of the Poison Mind were two other highlights) but otherwise it’s a pretty forgettable and unimpressive album

This album sounds exactly like the cover looks - corny and cringey. So 80s in the worst way. Not my thing at ALL. Even the book seems so mid about it!

Iguana song

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.

love them

no

After listening to about half of this, 80s pop just might be my least favorite genre of all the genres. - did not finish -

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

I'll admit to having a soft spot for "Karma Chameleon," but the rest of this is fucking awful, just the blandest stereotype of bad 80s pop

Dull, slightly cringey lyrics with an admittedly youthful lack of self-awareness, generally a bit warbly and unstructured. Karma Chameleon is obviously a classic but can't carry this amount of filler. Very 80s cheese throughout, a half hearted attempt to get some gospel in the background that didn't quite pay off. Not for me

Some good vocals but it's also typical fluff pop that's just a bit too staid for my taste

Jeez man that sucked

Very throwaway 80s, doesn't have any enduring appeal so not sure why it's on the list

Very eighties. Too radical for Stock, Aitken & Waterman, maybe, but not by much.

😬

Pas terminé, mais bien!

I started off really liking this, already had been a fan of the first track. But it became full of too many genres, while still being overly loud and quintessentially 80s. +1 for gender nonconformity Update: -2 for racism

struggle with that one, like one good song makes a classic?

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.

Much deeper and more interesting than I expected, pretty great version of that 80s sound.

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

Newsflash: music that came out a long time ago that was popular at that time is always going to sound dated, it's a dumb criticism. The hits from this album belong on any list of the best singles of the 1980s. The Church of the Poison Mind rocks and I defy you to find a catchier earworm than Karma Chameleon. There's some filler but a couple of the deep tracks, Victims and That's The Way - I'm Only Trying To Help really showcase Boy George's incredible voice.

Nah, not very good. Not actively painful, but pretty bad.

Great 80s stuff

For the nostalgia it evokes For the classic Pop songs For Boy George’s silken voice For the breezy, uplifting tunes For the mournful, heartbreaking lyrics For the drama and emotion and Helen Terry‘s soulful tones For the impassioned sax and harmonica For the hours dancing round my kitchen For the ability to put this on repeat and it still packs a punch For all this and more I thank you.

This is great album. I've never listened to it end to end but surprisingly recognized a number of the songs. This is a fun band to listen to and Boy George has very distinctive voice. I'd more likely purchase a "best of..." album by the Culture Club than individual albums but I enjoyed listening to this one. It didn't knock it out the park to get a five from me but this is a strong four star album.

I wish the river boat from the Karma Chameleon video was real. The album is more R&B/soul than I realized at the time. Real piano, instead of just synthesizers. Also appreciated the horns and backing vocals.

Before I rail into this album, I want to say that I always thought Boy George was pretty cool. When this band launched, I was a bit confused by the outsized shock people seemed to have about this man dressed as a woman — or androgynously, or whatever — he always seemed pretty genuine to me. I was way more shocked/confused the first time I saw a greasy long-haired metal-head wearing a Poison t-shirt. But I digress... So good on BG for bringing alternative sexuality and lifestyles to the fore. But to elevate this band, or this album, and suggest this was some sort of milestone in music? Really? It sounded dated the month after it left the charts. The deeper cuts are middling to forgettable (to annoying), the arrangements are clunky, lyrically it often teeters on embarrassing — I don't care how much you love "Karma Chameleon," the lyric is better suited for The Muppets. I remember everyone gushing... "Boy George has SUCH an AMAZING voice!" He's got a fine voice, but a singular, "drop everything you need to hear this!" voice? Take a look at the other artists on the top of the charts at the time... Pat Benetar, Sting, Lionel Richie, Donna Summer, Steve Perry... there were lots of incredible vocalists out there. And while Wham! was not my cup of tea, George Michael has that voice. I always took that as people feeling the need to explain why they liked this band — like they needed an excuse. In 1983, this was fine. Let a catchy, nonsensical song like "Karma Chameleon" play on the radio. There's a place for it, enjoy it for what it is. But to try to suggest this is something important — musically? It doesn't hold up.

Boy, that cover is the most Eighties thing that ever Eightiesed. This album did nothing for me. I tried to put my hatred of '80s production behind me, but so much of this album just sounds like the stuff you hear in dentist offices. Plus, on several songs, I felt like that backup singer was oddly mismatched to not only the music but she overpowered Boy George on several occasions. Still, a couple of songs were OK. And I certainly don't hate this music. I just find it very Eurovision. But thumb's up for Boy George pushing gender nonconformity 40 years ago.

Confessions of an MTV junkie: I remember when MTV launched with "Video Killed the Radio Star." I was hooked. Every single day after school MTV was a big part of my routine. I wasn't a huge Culture Club fan when Colour By Numbers came out but the repeated play on MTV combined with my fascination with Boy George got these ear worms deeply embedded in my mind. As I matured and realized it's OK to love pop, I listened to a lot more Culture Club. What a joy to listen start to finish because I forgot that so many of the hits came from this album. I'm a big Sam Smith fan and watched him perform at the White House celebration of same-sex marriage law yesterday and it hit what a huge cultural influence Boy George has been to gender non-conforming/trans/queer people in the music industry. Duh! Department of obvious.

I like Boy George as a person but always found Karma Chameleon, and Culture Club's musical output annoying as a kid. That hasn't changed. Obviously never listened to an album. The female singer with prominent backing vocals on a few tracks is the best bit. Reminds me of that Simply Red album I had to listen to in places. Most of the other stuff isn't as annoying, (although some of it is) and is fine I guess but it's not for me.

too much cluberrs

This album is like, I forced an AI to listen to 1000 hours of 80's pop hits. The beats and synths are good, but the melodies and harmonies just feel aimless and trite. As if they were trying to make the hooks easy to remember, while not realizing that that's not what makes them catchy.

cumma cumma cumma cumma cumma cumeleon u cum and go. this is entertaining the first time and then it tries to enter your skull through blunt force repetition i haven't actually investigated this band at all aside from hearing a few singles, i don't think they're super highly regarded in most circles boy george actually isn't a very good singer? he just sounds kind of flat, his voice doesn't carry much my initial impression is that this is fine but thoroughly forgettable pop music. This in spite of most of the songs being painfully repetitive. it's trying so DESPERATELY to make a hook stick that I think it actually has the opposite effect. The instrumentation on "miss me blind" is a little funky which is cool but on most of the songs it feels like the instruments are pushed so far back they're barely noticeable. "mister man" on the other hand verges into being irritating they wrote a song called "man-shake" yet seemingly none of the lyrics are remotely sexual. wtf. boy george makes being gay boring as this wears on I really don't like it, it's not viscerally offputting but there's very little I actually enjoy here proof that the 80s weren't all amazing given these dudes were topping the charts everywhere

no thank you this is music that says nothing and means nothing. can't stand it

I honestly really enjoyed this album. Some of the songs sounded like they could be the soundtrack to Titanic, some reminded me of popular WHAM songs, and some were just bopping. I like Karma Chameleon, Manshake, Melting Pot

C’est difficile à écouter par bout. Il y a quelques chanson où le côté gospel sort assez fort pour que j’aime un peu ça. Autrement, ...

J'avais oublié que les arrangements de Karma Chameleon sont dégueulasse. Je m'attendais donc à pire de cet album, mais finalement c'est pas si mal quand on est pas trop dans les sons 80 qui vieillissent vraiment mal. Le refrain de Karma Chameleon est un ver d'oreille réussi, mais c'est la seule pièce avec cet effet. J'ai été frappé par la voix qui sonne comme celle de Dryden Mitchell d'Alien Ant Farm qui est pourtant dans un tout autre style. Album à connaître, mais sans plus.

I was surprised to discover I like this album! I’ve listened to a little bit of Culture Club before, but never a full album. And I am surprised to discover this is a pop album I like! Of course Boy George does incredible with the vocals, but I really liked the composition also. And the melding of soul, pop, and gospel music into one album is amazing!

An album that only could’ve come into existence in the early 80s. Everything about how the band decided to present themselves is so peculiar. From Boy Georges look to the album art to the utterly perplexing music videos it just gets weirder and weirder. That being said, pretty good album. High points are Black Money, Church of the Poison Mind, and of course the ever-popular Karma Chameleon.

I've heard Karma Chameleon so many times. You could put a gun to my head and I couldn't name one other song by Culture Club. I was not born when this album came out so my first thought is that they're a one-hit wonder but maybe I'm wrong. Someone that was a teenager when this album released maybe heard several different Culture Club songs on the radio. After listening to the album it just reinforces my thought that they're a one-hit wonder. It's bland.

me ENCANTÓ fue divertidísimo aaa. 8.5/10

80s

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...

All the 80s hits <3

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

A slice of it's time that doesn't really hold up today - despite the best efforts of the much over-played opening track.

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

yet another totally unremarkable album that makes me think the listmaker just grabbed a few albums he had heard of from various genres that he doesn't know anything about (I am from the generation that made "Karma Chameleon" a hit, it's a fine song, but the idea that I must hear this album before I die is laughable)

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.

Really grating, every song outstayed it's welcome, definitely captures what's it's like to listen to heart FM. Massive respect to wham for making this sort of music remotely palatable. Another one where I made sure to check the original tracklisting so I could skip the 'bonus tracks' on the remaster.

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

Enjoyed it more than I expected but each song and the album definitely over stays it's welcome. Wouldn't listen to it again.

Karma chameleon aside, can't say I enjoyed it. Melting pot was quite good too Very 80s.... But not the good kind of 80s

Love this album so much! I used to steal it from my mom's collection all the time so I could listen to it in my room.

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.

Sorta light and poppy as I remember. Backing singer is out of tune a lot.

When this album came out I totally dismissed it as bubblegum pop and never listened to it. Forty years later, I sincerely thank this 1001 album generator for making sure I had it on my list. This album is really good!

Karma Chameleon is ridiculously fun, and reminds me of mornings before school watching pop up video. The album had a steep dropoff in quality after the opening track, I was looking to bail (probably from the experiment, possibly from this earthly plane) after That's The Way's depressing notes but then Church of the Poison Mind popped up and suddenly all was right with the world once again. The disparity between the energetic pop and sorrowful ballads is so interesting to me.

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.

A lot better than I remember it back when it was released. Back then I was into heavier music and this was worse than bubblegum pop, it was the pits, however with my maturity and time it seems now that I can listen to it and appreciate it a little more. It’s still not something I would have as a saved album on my Spotify though but worth of more than 3 stars

You wouldn’t think an album with such a dayglo cover would be so dull. Reminds me of Wham! which is not a compliment.

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

too pop for me, did not like it

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.

karma chameleon carries the album so hard, most other songs are mid

Some classic pop, but especially the last track is also a bit more serious. All in all, very nice.

This has been a favourite since the day it came out. Glad for an excuse to listen 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.

Eh. It was fine, but didn't do anything for me. I didn't hate it, but I'd never choose to listen again. 2.25/5

The only song I know is, of course, Karma Chameleon and though it is an earworm, it's honestly quite boring. And that does for the rest of the album. A fine 80s pop album that's just sounds like a dull version of Michael Jackson. Highlights: It's A Miracle

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

More than just Karma Chameleon, this is a really nice soulful pop record. No weak tracks and Boy George's voice is lush. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Karma Chameleon Date listened: 15/09/22

Karma Chameleon is good, but the rest is soft bad 80's pop. Nah, dude.

Not sure why this was on the list of 1001 albums to listen to before you die. I could have lived my life perfectly never having listened to it. Shhmehhhhh.

Au bout d'un moment ça agace

Meh

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

So I'm enjoying the first few songs, then on comes That's The Way, where Helen Terry flexes her vocal muscles. This then leads into The Church of the Poisoned Mind, where the band rips into this bouncy, irresistible tune where Helen once again soars. Those two songs are worth the price of admission. This is a perfectly designed album, with a natural flow that is perfectly signed off by Victims, a song that deserves greater recognition for it's clever mix of big ballad and minor key sadness.

Soild 80’s pop but not to my taste

crapy pop

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.

Blue-eyed soul done right early 80s style. Boy George is a great songwriter and his production value in this (especially with powerhouse supporting vocals by Helen Terry) augment the album fully..

Not in 1001, in my opinion.

Boy George, long hair and makeup included, was a huge cultural phenomenon. No doubt about it. The music, however, was always mediocre.

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.

Not a bad album, but not a good album either. Just very very meh. "Karma Chameleon" is a classic track, though very overdone as a meme and I'm over it. Nothing else really stands out to me on the album.

Karma Charmelion album

This isn’t my kind of music at all. At the time I absolutely hated it, but now I can appreciated Boy George’s voice, however it’s still not something I’d want to listen to.

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

It still slaps, and there isn't one skippable song. That's right, the album tracks are just as good as the singles - and there were a ton of singles released from this gem. In the interest of full disclosure, 13 year old me wore the shit out of this record, which might play into my continued appreciation for it. Interesting how "Church Of The Poisoned Mind" has become more of a legacy song for Culture Club over "Karma Chamelon". The secret weapon is backup singer Helen Terry, whose voice perfectly complements Boy George's blue-eyed soul. The epitome of a great pop album. Anyone who disagrees secretly has a problem with androgynous people.

This is a pretty superfluous album. Ubiquitous 80s pop, and not of the remarkable sort. There are a couple of decent tracks but not enough to make this an album you MUST listen to. Boy George’s pioneering fashion seals a two star verdict.

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

I do not have any high hopes for this… The album opens with karma chameleon it’s a song I recognise and it’s okay but has to win the award for the most middle of the road pop of the 80’s. I don’t recognise the it’s a miracle but it’s still the same brand of music, nice and listenable but boring and sell outy. Things get slow with black money it’s a rather forgettable album track but I can still see them doing worse. I sorta like changing every day like the verses aren’t bad as such but this band cannot write a chorus for the life of them, they just say the songs name a few times then that’s it. Side one ends with that’s the way ( I’am only trying to help you) the song starts sparking my interest ( as it’s very different from the rest of the album) but the gospel style backing singers don’t work on a pop record, but hey nice for trying. Side two starts with church of the poisoned mind it’s good for the album probably the best song would probably save this album from the inevitable low rating if the chorus weren’t so repetitive ( but the backing vocals do work). Miss me blind is the most repetitive song on a very repetitive album like the whole late half is chorus-> generic guitar solo-> extended coda. It’s just not great. I like the pre chorus to mister man but the rest of it is just the dumbest song ever ( and it’s not even super repetitive). Just by reading the lyrics of stormkeeper I predicted how the chorus was gonna go it’s so generic but it’s short. I think culture club became conscious of their repetitive choruses as victims is only said like four times in the whole song. Anyway it’s a fairly generic piano ballad to close off one of the worst albums I’ve ever herd. I maybe being too harsh but this is a 1. Compared to what I have rated a 1 before at least tortoise, the incredible string band and Robert Wyatt provided unique listening experiences, public image at least had sparks of hope. (My other 1 was kid rock and well they’re not that bad). Compared to other 80’s pop this is nothing, honestly listen to pet shop boys, Duran Duran or even A-ha then listen to this you can tell that those other three bands weren’t 100% in it for the money.

An album I would argue that is carried by the first song. Song is infamous but really doesn't do it for me but I would still rank it high than most of the other songs. 1. Mystery Boy (Suntori Hot Whiskey Song) 2. Stormkeeper 3. Karma Chameleon

Surprised me. Expected a nothing album but the music and lyrical content along with the delivery nailed it.

This brings back some great memories. The album and its songs were popular at a time when I thought myself a macho teenage guy, into hard rock, too cool for pop, and really stupidly ignorant about sexuality and gender. Despite my own self-manufactured idiocy, I loved these songs then and love them now, and found myself truly enjoying Boy George's bravery and entertaining fun. Looking back, of course, I wish I had been stronger about standing up for those amongst me who are "different" from what I had been conditioned to support. What's done is done and I can only move forward, as I have been for decades, and I must continue to learn and grow to recognize and push through any remaining prejudices, biases, and societal expectations. Back to the music. I had forgotten that this was an early 80s album, not later in the decade as my memory had categorized it, which makes it even more remarkable to me because I think there's a good argument that Culture Club, especially Boy George, really paved the way for many to follow. These are well-written, well-performed, and genuinely engaging songs. Boy's voice is outstanding. I remember especially loving "That's The Way" with his voice and Helen Terry's just soaring. I used to listen to that one in my headphones over and over. Love him and love his work.

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.

+++

Ja fanar hårt me viben men de va int otroligt bra tbh

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

Helt ok men 1 hit är inte ett bra album.

Mér þykir mjög vænt um Culture Club og þessi plata er mjög góð. Nokkrar perlur á henni. Mæli með.

Reminds me of school discos... I hated school discos

A pretty standard 1980s pop album that has a couple of pretty good tracks, but ultimately just blends in sonically with the rest of what came out at that time. 2.5/5

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.

No.

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.

Classic. Favorite song: Victims. 4.5/5

Hmm. This may be an interesting experience. Karma Chameleon is a time-honoured classic, but while the rest of the album is good, I can't ever imagine a situation where I'd play it again.

fun

This album is a great mix of New Wave and pop. I was truly expecting to dislike this album but it was catchy enough to keep my attention. The music is firmly within the pop traditions and oscillates between how much new wave is thrown in. There are moments that are pure power pop and moments where the post punk/new wave influence is apparent. Some of the arrangements on this album predict the rise of boy/girl bands in the 90s and really contextualized for me where that music came from.

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

Dull

Are we just reaching for that 1001 number at this point? Okay, not painful to listen to, which is how I dictate what gets a 1, but not much fun either. It's just mediocre. Mediocre voices, mediocre backing instrumentals, mediocre lyrics. I suppose they all match each other nicely that way. Is this the kind of music you put on for your kid to entertain them? That's what the first song felt like for sure.

Not for me. Sounds like every stereotype of the 80's in a bad way.

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.

Karma chameleon delivers but all of the other songs feel a bit empty

karma chameleon and the next song were great, rest was ehh to bad

TBH it's pretty inoffensive lightweight 80s pop (though I am a miserablist) Not a big fan of the main backing singer whose tones grate on me. The lyrics are all a bit simple/banal. 4 hits though and I rather like (bit OTT, and orchestral) Victims which finishes it all off...2.5

2nd May 2022 Listened in the morning on the way to work. Met Gareth and Ben to watch Liverpool Villarreal champs league semi where we won 2-3. Quite enjoyed this, but not as much as Cyndi Lauper. Had some good tracks but felt a bit lightweight for me. 2.5 if I could.

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

There's some solid hits on this new wave album led by Boy George, however I will be an infrequent re-visitor to this one. The vast majority of these tracks are emotional, and meant to evoke similar feelings in the listener; it feels a bit put-on and cliche. Got pretty bored while listening to be frank. There is some good incorporation of strings at times and synth-y beats, but overall I do not operate on the same wavelength as this album. Fave tracks: Karma Chameleon, Black Money

Eehh wasn't super into this. I didn't find it to be necessarily bad, just not really my thing. The music was a bit too upbeat and twinkly-sounding for me. Reminiscent of foggy dream sequence in a movie with a lot of lens flairs or something, not sure how else to describe it. Karma Chameleon is definitely a classic tune though, and I'm glad this album is included, if only for that. Fav Tracks: Karma Chameleon

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

Nobody needs to hear this album while they are alive.

This is fine.. feels too long. But maybe I listened to an extended version.

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.

Eh, it was better than I though. But not great.

Ok, I enjoyed this top to bottom. Despite the obvious flaws like thin voice, dated production and cheesyness, it makes up for a lot with lots of hooks, earnest effort, compositional creativity, and some je ne sais quoi I can only call charisma. Sam Smith is awesome, but I hope it’s safe to say it helps to have blue-eyed soul like this to stand on and move ever forward.