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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Bandwagonesque

Teenage Fanclub

1991

Bandwagonesque
Album Summary

Bandwagonesque is the third album by Scottish alternative rock band Teenage Fanclub, released in November 1991 on Creation Records. The album gave the band substantial US success when the single "Star Sign" reached number four on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming their biggest hit in that country, with "What You Do to Me" and "The Concept" also becoming top 20 hits on that chart. Bandwagonesque was voted 'album of the year' for 1991 by American music magazine Spin, famously beating Nirvana's landmark album Nevermind. It was voted number 386 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums 3rd Edition (2000).

Wikipedia

Rating

3.11

Votes

7056
Genres
Rock
Indie

Reviews

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Fri Jan 15 2021
4

Pretty good, got some oasis vibes in the middle tracks then realised this came out in 1991, before oasis. No i’m wondering okay, so who do oasis sound like then? Some hits and some not so hits but overall quite enjoyed this one, 7/10. Favourites: Metal Baby Is This Music?

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Tue Mar 16 2021
3

The name sounds familiar, but I don't know this band. They're Scottish, so I imagine the British list author put this on very begrudgingly. The album started slow, but by "I Don't Know" things picked up a bit. This is pretty good alternative rock, but it's very tame. The vocals are subdued, the instrumentals aren't too creative. At least it's got a consistent sound. It's funny to me that the last song is called "Is This Music" because that's probably the best on the album. Yes, guys, THAT is music. Give us more of that. Favorite tracks: Is This Music, Star Sign, I Don't Know. Album art: Extremely simple, but I love this one. We love a sack of money with a dollar sign on it, don't we folks? Wikipedia has a blurb about Gene Simmons trademarking the moneybag symbol, that's insane. I linked his logo below, It's awful. Why did he make it lumpy? Dollar bills are not lumpy. You should be ashamed of yourself, Gene. 3.5/5 https://celebrityclothingline.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/money-bag-gene-simmons-logo.jpg

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Tue Mar 16 2021
2

A fine album under any other circumstances but when your album cover is something I could have created in Microsoft Paint and your music can barely rise above the hum of background music, I, again, question why it is on this list. Clearly this group of people liked the idea of 1001 albums more than actually trying to find 1001 albums. Seems more like they found about five hundred and then said "right, just toss a bunch a randoms in here"

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Mon Apr 19 2021
5

Creation Records at their absolute peak! They released this one, Loveless AND Screamadelica all within 2 months! Good job, Alan!

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Tue Nov 02 2021
5

This is another one of my all time favorite albums so I'm pretty sure I won't be able to review it objectively. Or maybe it's just one of the greatest albums ever. Noisy, jangly, perfect power pop from Scotland. Fun fact: Spin magazine picked this as album of the year in 1991 over Nirvana's Nevermind. Usually when this fact gets brought up it's to show how short-sighted Spin magazine was but maybe they were just brilliant. Don't get me wrong, I love Nevermind too but I listen to Bandwagonesque way more often.

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Mon Feb 15 2021
3

Dunno anything about these guys! The Concept - A nice, mellow song. Sad lyrics. Kind of rides the line between early pop punk, emo, and grunge Satan - Accurate! A mental breakdown December - Another kind of emo love song. What You Do To Me - Beach Boys with more fuzz. I Don't Know - This is kind of an easy listening track. All of these songs have nice melodies. Star Sign - Another touchpoint for me is Rooney. These guys sound like Rooney. Metal Baby - Pure Beatles on this one. Same melody, harmonies. This could be a Beatles song. Pet Rock - Kind of a jam session continuation of the above. Sidewinder - Back to Beach Boys again. This album started out being a downer, but the entire back half is peppy pop songs with the effects pedal turned up. Alcoholiday - Great title. Do I detect some melancholy returning? Guiding Star - Back in full melancholy, even though the melodies are still lilting. The fuzz just keeps increasing! Is This Music? - Good question. I'd say so! Favorite melody on the album, even though it gets a bit close to the U2 department. Overall, this is a fine album. I'm not sure if it belongs on the list of 1000 greatest ever, but I didn't hate it. Pet Rock

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Sun Jan 24 2021
5

Bloody loved it. Perfect blend of early 90's British indie, American alt rock and the 60's. Immediately added to my favourite albums playlist.

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Wed Feb 16 2022
5

I LOVE Teenage Fanclub. That is all I can say. From the minute I put this on, to the minute it is over, it is such a genuine pleasure.

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Thu Apr 07 2022
5

It's tricky because while we hadn't heard of the band, at first it seemed derivative. It sounded like a lot of other 90s alt rock bands, but it turns out that this band was one of the influences for that band and not derivative at all.

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Tue May 16 2023
5

Masterpiece!!! Such a brilliant album, heavily inspired by Big Star but they do their own thing and write some damn incredible songs. “The concept” and “alcoholiday” are the best but the whole thing is a blast all the way through. Definitely 5 stars.

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Tue Mar 16 2021
4

Big Star, but not. Excellent musicianship, good tunes, and immediately catchy at first listen. Power pop at its best.

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Tue Jun 08 2021
3

June 7th, 2021 1.THE CONCEPT- Solid first track in two parts. Definitely a rock "anthem". 2.SATAN- Experimental. Self explanatory. 3.DECEMBER- Not too bad. The violins make the song. 4.WHAT YOU DO TO ME -My favorite track so far. Great harmonies. 5.I DON'T KNOW- All-around good rock song. 6.STAR SIGN- 🔼"ditto" 8.METAL BABY- If the Beatles, circa 1963, made a song about an edgy metal chick, this would be it. Definitely a favorite. 9.PET ROCK- Good guitar solo. 10.SIDEWINDER- Another slightly more contemporary take on Beatles harmonies. 11.ALCOHOLIDAY- This is what happiness sounds like. 12.GUIDING STAR- Nice mellowed out tune. 13.IS THIS MUSIC- A refreshing change of pace from the rest of the album encompasses this final track. >In Review: It's impossible to truly dislike this album. Even though it's overall pretty straightforward (nothing too crazy) it's well-produced and there's great harmonies, guitar solos and good vibes throughout. It's timeless pop rock for the whole family (well, except for "Satan" of course). With all that being said, "The Concept" is this album's very own rock anthem and "Metal Baby" is an awesome track that brings the Please Please Me-era Beatles to mind. Also, the final track "Is This Music?" is a refreshing stylistic change of pace (another stylistic deviation on this album would be terrific). Overall, I'd give it a 7 out of 10 if possible.

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Tue Sep 28 2021
2

Do you remember that time earlier this year when everyone made a really big deal about the 30th anniversary of this album? No? That's because nobody remembers Teenage Fanclub, and any acclaim this album received back in '91 has been lost to time. ]"Bandwagonesque was voted 'album of the year' for 1991 by American music magazine Spin, famously beating Nirvana's landmark album Nevermind." Hahahahahaha.... hahahahaha! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Do you know who likes astrological signs? Teenage girls. They’ve got apps that give them daily horoscopes and other jazz. But astrology thinks I’m a Virgo. My 8th grade science teacher looked up the orientation of the night sky when I was born and said that I’m actually a Leo. Do you know who's thoughts on astrology are vague and confusing? Teenage Fanclub. I don’t know what “Star Sign” is trying to say. Apparently it was their biggest hit though. Probably with teenage girls in their teenage fanclub who love that stuff. The rest of the songs made little-to-no impact. "Satan" and "What You Do to Me" and "Pet Rock" were wastes. They weren't interesting enough as near-instrumentals or interludes to be worth it. And the rest of the songs were rather generic. I don't know how Spin got this one so wrong. Their other album of the year picks seem pretty standard and acceptable. Oh well. The music itself is a 3. Harmless, only one or two songs I would actively run away from. I'm trying real hard not to dock it an extra star for Spin's overhype.

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Mon Jan 18 2021
5

Heaps good - classic alt movie vibes

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Mon Jan 18 2021
5

Esse sim é meu estilo! Rockzin indie pra ficar de boa *-*

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Mon May 17 2021
5

Chido, sí me gustaron varias de este rock sabor haggis (porque escoceses XD). La vibrita de garage rock (but not really) de la primera canción le da un toque especiado que después se vuelve más bien melancólico, un poco desabrido, y luego vuelve a la locura con Satan y así ondula entre bandida genérica X y por partes cae pesado. Variedad de moods. Creo que las que más me gustaron fueron Star Sign, canción genérica de rock divertidilla con un bajo muy pegajoso, y Pet Rock que tiene guitarras entretenidas. Letras cagadas que siento que sí dan algo de cringe, pienso también que si estuviera en una banda escribiría pendejadas así, lol, re cursis o simplonas o ya sin sentido de plano. En fin, divertido. Mood: Rocksito bien hecho, pero tomado a la ligera y I can respect that.

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Mon May 17 2021
5

No lo había escuchado nunca y eso que me leí una revista biográfica de esas españolas que todavía vendían en los oxxos de chihuahua por ahí del año 2009. Discazo.

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Fri May 07 2021
5

Classic rock break down at the end of the concept is both hilarious and perfect and December and What You Do To Me both continue to satisfy.

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Sun May 23 2021
5

Great blend of Brit pop and punk with The Beach Boys influence coming through. Overall, a warm album from a band who knows how to effectively switch up a song

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Wed Aug 04 2021
5

Completely blown away by this album. Unfortunately, my review is not very original and reflects the others that I have read: Didn't know much about the band so this album was a pleasant surprise. Still incredible to think that this was released in 1991. Even the mixing is a joy to listen to. I've listened to it no fewer than 4 times since it showed up yesterday. I then jumped on ebay and purchased it on CD. A real gem!

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Tue Aug 17 2021
5

Just some good 90s rock. The guitars were front and centre and it clicked. Liked this a lot, new one for me never heard of these guys before today. Added most of the album to playlist.

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Wed Oct 06 2021
5

A beautiful album which still stands up and can lift the spirits in minutes

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Wed Nov 10 2021
5

They could have been massive

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Sat Nov 20 2021
5

metal baby star sign alchoholiday guiding star satan i don't know what you do to me

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Mon Jan 24 2022
5

Parece precursor do brit-pop

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Sun Feb 13 2022
5

Great band and great album. What a year 1991 was for music. This is one of the many great albums that came out that year, and over 30 years later it still sounds great. Great 90’s indie rock mixed with some 60’s. Given I’m Scottish this is maybe a biased voted but I believe this to be a solid 5 star album.

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Sat May 07 2022
5

Love this. I really should’ve listened to it when I first heard of it years ago.

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Tue Jun 14 2022
5

Brilliant. I'm not sure why I didn't listen to them before, other than my disliking for jangle pop. An extra star for being Scottish as well means that it has to be 5 🌟

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Thu Aug 04 2022
5

Creation Records has its finest moment.

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Wed Aug 31 2022
5

めちゃ可愛くてポップなアルバムでした。前向きになれる。

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Wed Sep 07 2022
5

Sounds like what I'm listening to when I come home from the skate park and need a glass of water.

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Tue Nov 01 2022
5

Been a member of the fanclub for decades.

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Sun Dec 11 2022
5

9/10 some really, really good stuff here not enough for a full 10, but still definitely a great album

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Mon Dec 12 2022
5

I really enjoyed this album, some really fresh 90s indie rock

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Fri Dec 16 2022
5

One of the best albums of the 90s by far. Every track is superb, but ‘This is Music’ is just a perfect song.

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Tue Jan 31 2023
5

I knew the band by name, but had never stopped to listen to anything of theirs... very good, I liked it a lot, and now I will listen to more!

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Sat Feb 04 2023
5

Exceptional 90's rock album that really pulls from the power pop classics. Influences from the Byrds and Big Star here are obvious but the album doesn't sound like a copycat since it really combines shredding alternative rock guitar. One of the 1991 an a definitive 90's rock classic. 9,5/10

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Tue Feb 14 2023
5

This is an album I still pull out and listen to start to finish. It takes me back and makes me smile.

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Fri Mar 10 2023
5

Zalige slacker-plaat. Toffe ontdekking

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Wed Apr 05 2023
5

Early garage grunge! Barrel of fun

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Sun Apr 16 2023
5

ONE OF MY FAVOUIRTIRE ALVUSMASUS EVVERERER

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Tue May 16 2023
5

First album and it's already off to a great start. I feel like this band has been on the periphery of my music landscape for ages but somehow they've never crossed that threshold. If I would have discovered this 20 years ago it would have been in regular rotation and it probably will be now.

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Wed May 17 2023
5

Loved it. A power pop classic with strong echoes of Big Star. Hooky, melodic and charming, with a nice bit of burn to keep it from getting too pretty. Not perfect, but the magic is in the quirks and imperfections. I was leaning toward giving this a 4, but it's just so infectiously good. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): The Concept, What You Do to Me, Is This Music?, Metal Baby, December, Star Sign, Sidewinder, Alcoholiday, Guiding Star, I Don't Know, Pet Rock, Satan

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Wed May 31 2023
5

I’ve never heard of Teenage Fanclub before. I’m also quite unsure what to make of that album art. It’s definitely minimal-esque. It also doesn’t really give any clues as to what music lies in wait for me today. I hope it’s good, but that album art doesn’t exactly leave me hopeful. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Concept, Star Sign, Metal Baby, Is This Music? Holy guacamole, this truly rocked my socks straight off. This feels like it is aimed exactly at my taste in music. It’s 90’s alt-rock, distorted guitars, apathetic singing. It’s really hard to go wrong for me here, and Teenage Fanclub goes so very right. After the album finished, my only disappointment was that I wanted more as I didn’t want it to be over yet! This is a definite stand out new discovery to be added to my playlists. I loved this to the moon and back.

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Wed Aug 19 2020
4

Always love a bit of creation

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Tue Nov 10 2020
4

i like this, sounds like a foreign rusty machines. album also has a good spotify radio.

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Thu Jul 01 2021
4

Very very fresh, fuzzy pop. The runtime is broken up by instrumentals which feel good. For that matter, the entire project feels pretty great. I think it succeeds on about as many levels as one could expect it to.

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Mon Apr 19 2021
4

Skulle kunna fått en femma men albumet var lite för enformigt

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Fri Apr 02 2021
4

Really enjoyable album. So much variety that ultimately results in a highly satisfying listen.

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Tue Feb 16 2021
4

A lot of these alt/indie 90s rock bands are starting to sound the same to me. But it's still nice.

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Sun Mar 07 2021
4

easy going rock, really liked it

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Mon Jan 18 2021
4

Curtindo bastante, guitarras com noise e vocais melódicos, com harmonias

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Fri Jul 02 2021
4

Had never heard of this album or band before and was pleasantly surprised. Was great

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Sun Feb 21 2021
4

The outro to Satan is sick and I liked Sidewinder as well. Is This Music? is a great closing track too

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Mon Jan 18 2021
4

The very first notes were pretty jarring. So far I like the songs themselves, but I’m not a huge fan of the electric guitar heaviness. I like the vocals and the melodies, but the electric guitar makes my ears want to bleed.

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Thu Jan 14 2021
4

Fun, early 90's blend of guitar-infused rock with pop vocals.

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Mon Feb 15 2021
4

Pretty cool. Very Weezer like

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Mon May 17 2021
4

Un álbum medianito, a gusto, hasta tranquilo a pesar de tanto riff. De pronto tiene reminiscencias de Sonic Youth, yo diría en mi poco entendimiento. Se me hizo curioso que la apertura sea la canción más larga y la que más cambios internos tiene y que el cierre sea un cuestionamiento instrumental ("Is This Music?"). Canciones fav: "Star Sign" y "Alcoholiday". Le doy 7.5/10.

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Tue Apr 13 2021
4

Very interesting, much better than what I was expecting

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Mon Feb 08 2021
4

This fucking rips! I’ve never heard of this band.

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Thu Apr 15 2021
4

7. Maybe an 8, didn't listen that intently, might come back to it at some point to see

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Mon Mar 01 2021
4

ok, not sure how it is on the list, but nice indie rock

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Thu Apr 15 2021
4

Pretty forgettable but good, nice for doing homework. 7

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Thu Apr 15 2021
4

don't really get the hype for this one. sounds good but it’s pretty generic and the lyrics seem so cliched. 7

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Tue May 11 2021
4

Fijn album! Lekker 90's gitaargeluid.

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Wed Mar 17 2021
4

Enjoyed this much much more than I have previously.

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Tue May 11 2021
4

Hele toffe plaat. Kende deze nog niet zo heel goed, maar heb 'm zelfs 2 keer gedraaid.

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Tue May 11 2021
4

Ken ik alleen van naam, beviel goed!

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Sun Jan 24 2021
4

Not heard of the album, or the band. Not quite sure how. Good album. Very 90's indie. Guitars, jangly. Decent.

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Sun Jan 24 2021
4

I enjoyed that, a good album. 4*

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Thu Jan 28 2021
4

Really liked it, shoegaze britpoppy vibes

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Tue Mar 16 2021
4

Interesting album. It starts off w/ what seems like an ode to Free Bird and then explores the alternate 90’s alternative timeline. Spin picked this as album of the year over Nevermind, and I see where they were coming from. This is a world where My Bloody Valentine was Pearl Jam. It’s an interesting thought. Overall, I like this album, I will listen to it again. I think it’s worth exploring. I’m rounding up and giving it a 4

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Sat Jul 17 2021
4

War schon eine kleine Überraschung!

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Fri Mar 26 2021
4

Feels like the perfect teenage alt rock album. Really enjoyed every song on here! 4/5

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Mon Apr 19 2021
4

Good ol' 90's rock! These Scots knew what they were doing when they made this Alternative Rock album, and it was very enjoyable to listen to.

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Wed Mar 31 2021
4

as predicted, very alt rock-y. fitted my taste in music, kind of reminds me of the replacements

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Thu Apr 15 2021
4

I was pleasantly surprised by this one, thought I wasn't going to like it but ended up really getting into it. 8, saved and will probably come back to this

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Thu May 27 2021
4

Really good album. Not better than Nevermind. But still good

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Wed May 26 2021
4

Very very surprised at this album, I really enjoyed it, kinda my genre though

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Fri Jun 25 2021
4

Very cool nostalgic sound. Reminds me a little of the Foo Fighters (at least their mellower songs). Gives me some angst by association, but in the best way.

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Thu May 06 2021
4

Pretty impressed with this first album. Had a very fresh sound given it came out in the early 90's. Seems to meld several genre's together in a nice melodic way.

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Fri May 07 2021
4

-alt rock - 8/10 -dc nu l-am ascultat mai devreme

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