Fromohio

Some goofy little trinkets derived from country and given a vaguely modern spin. The singing – both its delivery and its weirdly terrible mixing – leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, just a couple of minutes in, you really end up tuning the vocals out, focusing much more on the two guitars. But even those, plus the percussion, are pretty simple... All of the above leaves the listener in genuine bewilderment as to why this is included on a list of the 1001 most important album listens of all time. The Wikipedia article for this album is extremely barebones. I really don't think I would've missed much by passing this one up. Low-energy, low-stakes, low-quality. There are a decent few fun moments, separated by a myriad of low-effort stuff you might hear a group of drunk, high folk musicians composing around a campfire. Whisperin' While Hollerin', while technically the most notable song thus far on the record, is notable for the wrong reasons. Disjointed, thin-/barebones-sounding, and not at all as catchy as the Breaking Glass (Bowie) it tries to emulate. Vastopol aims to be a "genius" mid-album acoustic guitar break, something like Led Zeppelin's Black Mountain Side or Bron-Yr-Aur, and once again it kind of fails. (Sing one interesting riff in Vastopol back to me after listening to it ten consecutive times. I'm waiting.) Fortunately, Mas Cojones brings it back to passable country-rock-stuff territory. What Gets Heard continues the driving rhythms and sports a completely different-sounding vocal part, gruff and off-handed, and exceptionally unserious. As is the straightforward, short drum solo in the appropriately named Let The Drummer Have Some. The three most-streamed songs (on Spotify) on the record stand out for their surprisingly good lead guitar parts and solid rhythm sections. They still lack much substance, much *oomph* factor, but I'll be damned if I didn't enjoy myself. From this point onward the songs are pretty simple and nondescript meaning it can be easy to get distracted away from close listening. (I speak from experience.) Still, solid, inoffensive background music, with the real offenders being the interlude-esque instrumentals. Shoutout to the wall-of-sound-esque performance in parts of The Softest Hammer, perhaps the heaviest fIREHOSE get on the entire record. 3/5 Key tracks: Riddle Of The Eighties, In My Mind, Time With You

Surprisingly great! I was motivated to go listen to some of their other albums off the back of this one , and they were also great! Not sure how they didn’t get more popular.

This was good, although very forgettable. Even while writing this, I struggle to remember any highlights, or even what a lot of the songs sounded like honestly. It just didn’t leave any impression on me, positive or negative. Now I know it was a flavor of punk rock that rose from the ashes of the Minutemen… so I get why it was a semi-big deal. It just didn’t resonate with me.

Mid 90s pop indie rock. Probably won’t listen again

Helt grei rock.

The first songs didn't get me but at the end i understood the appeal. Loved the playfulness.

Very nice. 3.5/5. I added “Riddle of the Eighties” to my playlist.

Not for me, very 80’s

A band I only heard about through the Generator (and its subreddit). I didn't know what to expect, I read Wikipedia and noted the 'lineage' from Minutemen. I don't know much about American post-punk/post-hardcore scenes - I know Fugazi (particularly from the film Instrument) and respect them and the DIY ethos accordingly. On Wikipedia someone says of fIREHOSE "dynamic synthesis of punk, funk, and free jazz", that is a big, big call. I listened to fROMOHIO a couple of times, wondering what were they getting at? I early noted I would have been excited to see them live, happy to check out whatever came next. I later decided that was probably what they were aiming for with the album - hence things like two drum solos - which wouldn't belong on an album aiming for any type of narrative or emotional journey. I ended up with three songs I positively liked, a couple I could do without (the drum solos), and some that just didn't make much impact - and no motivation to listen to the album as a whole any more So, I hugely respect the band's reported 980 gigs within eight years, but I'm sceptical that this band or album needed to be on the list, there is better indie post-punk. I'll rate this Okay, 6/10.

M'Eh

4.5

Heard a lot about this band, but this didn't really impress me. You could maybe charitably say they set a blueprint that others followed and refined. But judged on its own terms this didn't really impress me

ow they are yelling and scarey!!!!

From... Ohio? Damn, I can't believe brainrot got to the 1001 Albums list. Does Gen Alpha even make Ohio memes anymore? Am I just completely out of touch with what memes are relevant now? I don't have a TikTok account, so probably. Anyway, this album's okay. It's certainly not bad, and I might even call it a little underrated, but I'm not exactly a fan either. The big thing that everyone seems to be pointing out is this band's connection to Minutemen, a much more significant band who also have an album on this list. Now, I really loved the Minutemen album, so I was hoping that some of the things that made that album great would carry over here. Did they? Eh. Maybe a little, but definitely not enough to feel magical or special. Everything here is competent, but nothing is exceptional. The music is probably the best part. I really like how the bass sounds. It's good. The singing and lyrics are nice enough. There are filler tracks here, including two whole standalone drum solos. The best songs on here are alright. "In My Mind" is nice. I don't have a ton more to say. This is a decent alt-rock album. There's nothing amazing, but there's nothing bad either. It's alright. 3/5.

The Good: We know where this band hails from! The Bad: Nothing good has come out of Ohio, right? The Ugly: Realizing that the f in fIREHOSE is actually a fuelhose... I really want to like this '90s indy crap... but it is kind of middle of the road. Having said that, I am certain that there are die-hard fans of this band out there who love nothing more than to listen to this and recall their youth! For me, that would be listening to the Screaming Cheetah Wheelies, who are much better at this... IMHO Again, I really wanted to like this... however, after listening to the album 3 times I can not give it more than 3*

I immediately thought "this sounds very Minutemen influenced" only to find out that the drummer and bassist were in Minutemen. That being said, I really enjoyed this album. I'm glad to have found it.

fine

É um álbum que tem uma sonoridade crua mas ao mesmo tempo elaborada. O baixo é um destaque. TRIxHBB Kai.

This is a charming and wholesome album and it makes me feel like I'm listening to college radio. Is it as good as the Minutemen? Not even close. But I'm happy to listen to it anyway. Long live Watt.

great stuff! local band! what's not to like? elements of bands to come after this album. possible trendsetters?

Quite enjoyed these dudes

Kinda They Might Be Giants-esque

Weirdly exciting album, positive, and nuanced. fIREHOSE finds a nice cozy place in this, kind of, post-punk Western music. Very little blistering heat and speed from previous incarnations (calling it that to include The Minutemen), this album is an exploration into more melodic territory. But they maintain the amazing musical textures they always had, while making more cohesive and accessible songs. Mike Watt is one of the greats, and George Hurley is a massively underrated drummer. And then we have Ed fROMOHIO Crawford seems to have found his confidence after three records. The band is tight. Get yourself some indie cred and put this in your weekly rotation.

Talk about a band called...firehose.... Good but also not amazing? Probably needs a few more spins before I’d really enjoy it.

I don’t know about this one, I only kinda half listened but what I heard was petty ok.

Pretty fun, have a friend who might enjoy it

I’m not sure what I feel about this - they’re talented musicians with funny song titles and an mild air of menace, and yet sometimes the squirrelly guitars and uptight bass seem to forget the obvious influences like Television and Wire and the Minutemen (oh yes, Mike Watt was in this band, I see), miss their landing on that higher plane with, like, the Nation of Ulysses, Les Savy Fav, and land offcourse like a wayward Mario kart, waiting for the Lakota of musical taste to pull them out of that bad realm of hot red chili peppers, or Primus at their worst. Not that I necessarily think great music needs to have “taste” but if it doesn’t it needs to be wild and outré and make you shake your head (not with the rhythm but in) wonderment, whereas this sometimes more shades into masturbatory. (Not that I’m against masturbation either!)

I like it, a little jam bandy, a little rocky, a little jazzy

Very well produced and played album nothing stood out but I enjoyed all the songs.

An okay album, i liked Vastopol the most.

Обкладинка прикольна) А що в середині? Та нічого особливого(

Solid rokk, hrátt hljóð og skemmtilegt!

Ég var að fíla þetta. Frábær bassaleikur. 3,5

Could have been worse.

Janglig gitarrspel. Inget som är jättebra inte heller dåligt. Time with you bäst.

and this is why i stick with this project - reminder to check out bands/albums i've always meant to check out. i love minutemen, so naturally i dig this.

Meeeeh..... Mas o menos

I listened twice, did not retain a single word.

A cool blend of influences from Fela Kuti to Elizabeth Cotten. I enjoyed how eclectic the album felt, but I do struggle with Minutemen-style rock. Ultimately, I enjoyed the music most when they were imitating someone else. 2.5 stars.

Nice blend of late punk/early grunge and an always pleasant finger picking acoustic track. 3.5 rounded up, would listen again

Ok. So. It’s not British ❌ Does it belong on the list? See this is where things get tough for me. Cause my first reaction is: NO! No, no. Why? Why could I have died without hearing this album, even though I LIKED it, I really did? Because in 1989ish there was so, SO much other ALTERNATIVE AMERICAN music out there that had more influence and lasting impact. Sorry, but I would rather see Nirvana’s Bleach on the list than this. But what would I really rather see? Morphine’s Cure for Pain -1993. THAT album, while not strictly in the same lane, has had WAY, WAY more impact than this. Sorry. And that’s just ONE example. Just one. From non music expert me. Who happened to be a young teenager in the “alternative scene” during this time. Who was living on the ground, not reading some reviews that my friends sent me. Not sitting in my ivory tower. 3 Boolean: FALSE

couldn't make it past two songs... sorry y'all

This was, at times, both incomprehensible and right in the groove for me. As the album progressed, the more it seemed find its feet. Solid drumming and the groovy bass made for a good foundation for the occasionally noodly guitar and frequently oddball vocals. This is a pretty charming record. I like the loud-quiet-loud structure of a lot of these songs ⭐⭐⭐.51

not for me!

Not heard this before or heard of the band. 1st track was ok but ended somewhat abruptly (a common theme through a number of songs). With some rock/country feeling bass is going off on this and is decently present in the mix. The bass really takes centre stage on the 3rd track and seems to be the highlight for the album for me, with more occurrences on "What gets Heard" The second has a great upbeat feeling and motors along well even if it does stick within it's comfort zone. This carries through the album, once the song has found a groove it doesn't really escape it. Some songs never really get going...Vastapol sounded like it was going to be great but then didn't go anywhere. Can't think of many albums that's have a Drum Solo track in it. It's not bad but a bit lacking in dynamic bit of an odd choice IMO. I listened to the rest and other than "Some Things" nothing stood out. Another of those "why is it on there records" ⭐⭐

An unknown 80s indie rock album that isn’t a boring Brit pop record, more of this, please. This was a great album, it feels like a precursor for contemporary genres like midwest emo. The playing was all great and the songwriting was incredible.

Det her e jo på ingen måte dårlig, men det e heller ikke veldig interessant?

Not quite the New Order to Minutemen’s Joy Division. Dunno, Watt and co. have never done that much for me, total blindspot. I admire the work ethic and wish I’d had that experience but the game had changed long before I came along.

Solid album. This is what this website is for. Discovering new music.

This wasn’t the worst but I really couldn’t tell what this album was trying to be. I feel like every song struggled to connect to the ones before and after it.

probably the most notable aspect is that this is the evolution of MINUTEMEN. No standout tracks here. Midwest sensibilities. The earlier releases by fIREHOSE were rowdier and more fun and allowed bassist Mike Watt to shine brighter.

was alright

This was an ez listening album with some noticeable songs on the back end.

Vale la pena... ahre Nota: 2.9

Album 279. Fromohio — fIREHOUSE (1989) Absolutely forgettable, but kinda good rock album with punk elements. The guitar is fantastic 3/5 No liked songs

Ok ça commence fort j'ai adoré "In My Mind" ! Les trois premiers sons sont vraiment très cool. Ça groove bien, les vibes sont immaculées :D Les sons sont court, l'album est court et efficace. Pas mal du tout.. Il y a vraiment des reviews qui se plaignent des solos de batteries?????? 🤣 Elles durent 40 secondes et sont super cool c'est juste des interludes. L'album est super cohérent dans l'ensemble tout se suit bien. Oubliable mais cool. En fait, je trouve, que ça manque d'identité, ça manque d'un ingrédient magique. If'n est top aussi, ah Understanding aussi Après un long débat entre moi et moi-même c'est 4

Un peu boring non ?

241. ok

Pretty enjoyable rock album

Nothing wrong with it, there is just little to excite. Or remember for that matter. Except the 46 second drum solo, and I’ll have forgotten that by tomorrow.

This actually went crazy. Best album from the list that I never heard before in a while

Not bad but would probably never listen to it again.

Never heard before. This is great.

dit is echt goed??

dit s echt mega goofy het voelt als een vriendengroep die besluit te jammen... ik vibe er wel mee

Rätt najs.

Trodde först att det här kanske hade något. Det hade det inte.

Rätt trist.

I enjoyed this. It’s a bit punk at times.

Very solid, quite chill rock album. Some very catchy tunes, and only 31 minutes long. Favourite track: Understanding

Good stuff

Minutemen were the gold standard- D. Boon, Mike Watt and George Hurley were too punk rock for punk rock. The gatekeepers didn’t know what to say with a band that was always jamming econo and marched to their own visions and demons. When D died in that same econo van something broke. When Ed convinced Watt that he should join he and Hurley to continue the journey I thought there was potential that his energy could lift them past grief. And he did. They weren’t the Minutemen but they had the vibe with a little more force. Over time, 2 of those albums, Ragin Full On and If’n, were destined to be come classics. I still spin those records regularly. This one - fROMOHIO, not so much. It did not advance the cause. It was competent, recognizable as Firehose, but not a standout. The songs were just there, as if the band was afraid to take steps that had defined them from the beginning- on their own adventure following their own muse. It was not make a record to promote a tour but rather they just made a record. And that was just not the Firehose way. I cannot recall the name of a single track in this record and I played it twice today all the way through. Hence, while it was enjoyable, it was merely background music and that is why it doesn’t belong on this list even though I am admittedly a fan. 3/5

Honestly a great discovery

First half was kinda mid , second half was amazing

Nice!

Nothing to write home about by any means but also enjoyed it. Like the unpolished, rawness of it. Draws on a lot of wide ranging influences throughout, particularly interesting to hear a fairly heavy REM sound at times.

When I lived in Orlando in the early 90s, fiREHOSE had a show scheduled in town. The local paper did a feature on it but instead of fiREHOSE (the band actually performing), the article was about FireHouse (the hair band famous for the song "Love of a Lifetime"). It was hilarious so now every time I see fiREHOSE, I think of that and chuckle. Anyway, this album slaps.

I wasn't a big fan of this. Seems like a band that would play a typical bar. I can definitely hear the musicianship but there is little to no appeal, and it feels super washed up. No thanks

Amazing find! Everyone is so proficient, harmonies blend so well, loved the songs and it is right up my alley. The drums are so good, bass lines very cool and the mix of everyone sits pretty well. Would recommend, 100%

Mid at best.

I'm vaguely aware of Mike Watt and I quite liked _Ball-Hog or Tugboat?_ when I came upon it through another challenge on here. This didn't really have the same effect on me, not that it was bad, it just didn't seem to really elevate itself at any point to something I would describe as needing to hear before I die

1. riddle - 0 2. mind - 1 3. uuhizper - 1 4. vazto - 2 5. cojonez - 0 6. heard - 0 7. drummer - 0 8. friend -1 9. time - 1 10. L- 1 11. thingz - 0 12. underztanding - 1 13. zhit - 0 14. hammer - 0

How, Why?

Great music! Vocals and lyrics not great.

Found it to be quite boring and not really that necessary to listen to before I die.

Heard before?:❌️ Will listen again?:❌️

Very fun and solic album! Really liked it!

Not bad

Doesn’t do anything for me. It just ran over my head. Can’t tell if it’s good or bad so i guess I’ll give it a 3

listened to it yesterday, already forgot it by today

Not at all what I was expecting, in a good way. Another album that was a pleasant surprise and another artist that I want to check out a little more after I’m caught up.

Some of the songs I really liked and others I hate it. I was really all over the place with this album.

Overall sounded pretty good but it was hard to pick any standouts. Band name made me think this was going to be more heavy metal-esque

lowkey good

This album did not get my attention until about the third song in. Then they turned up the funk volume and started groovin'.

Generic, garage rock. Most songs are kinda just snippets. Not my thing. Top tracks: "Mas Cojones," "Time with You"

idk why some things are on this list. This is that.

--Riddle of the Eighties...rough start but settles into a decent groove --In My Mind...Mike Watt bringing it. cool guitar. fun track --Whisperin' While Hollerin'...Watt bass is great again but not much else to it --Vastopol...guitar interlude --Más Cojones...I'm a sucker for Watt's bass but they might be leaning on it a bit too hard --What Gets Heard...see above. this still kicks --Let the Drummer Have Some...why not. it does sound difficult --Liberty for Our Friend...playful ditty. might have more impact if I knew who the "friend" was --Time With You...oh snap, it's a pop song! nice groove and it's more than just Watt --If’n...interesting but uneven. I could grow to like it --Some Things...fun power pop. full band thing again. LP feels oddly back loaded for me --Understanding...another radio-friendly unit shifter. I feel like these guys are making fun of me (in a good way) --'nuf That Shit, George...more drums --The Softest Hammer...a change of pace. I dunno, it's just kind of there

I don't know how I missed this. I actually had the vinyl of this when I was like 12. My dad's wife at the time was way younger and had it. She didn't even like it. Her friend in high school had told her to get it. I yoinked it. It's OK.

Fun album and a quick listen at 32 minutes. It's kind of bass heavy - some parts of the music remind me of Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Waffled between a 2 and 3 here. I’m only passingly familiar with fIREHOSE/minutemen/Mike Watt, but know we are in “artist’s artist” territory. Still, knowing that, I feel like there are better offerings.

Borderline annoying vocals. Unmemorable music. Not sure why it's on the list.

This album beat my expectations. I expected it to be awful and it was merely meh.

2.17

I wanted to be a lot lighter with my rating for this but I just cant lol. I didn't enjoy not one song and they all had very similar vibes to me. Definitely not for me and that's okay.

In My Mind

Like the instrumentals more than the vocals. Combined it was alright. 6/10

I too am from Ohio. Didn't know what to expect going into this, I had never heard of fiREHOSE before and alternative can be really hit or miss for me. Ended up liking this a lot more than I initially expected too. Lots of great short songs that deliver a quick punch. I even let Spotify play this album on repeat and listened to it twice back to back which is rare for me. Still falls just shy of a 5 star as there are some weaker songs among the strong ones. Favorite Track - In My Mind Least Favorite Track - Liberty For Our Friend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ooooh. This was good wasn't it. Not quite sure of the genre it sits in - definitely influenced by 60s jangle-rock-pop harmonies with some post-punk / college-rock vibes in here as well. I can't honestly say I'd consider it "essential" listening, but I did very much enjoy it as an artist / album I'd NEVER heard of previously.

A: yey någo som e lite annorlunda än dom typ 20 senaste albumen (betoning på lite), kan vara biverkning av att lyssna på musik i sån intensiv takt. Kändes stundvis som dom glömt producera andra halvan av albumet o just called it a day. 3/5 D: Jag tror dom satt denhär med i misstag. Den hade inget skäl att existera. Kändes exakt som sådan musik som en tomat skulle producera, både på grund av färgen och smaken. De som vet vet. Förtjänar inte högre än 2 #justicefortriangle 2/5

5/10 - Not unpleasant, but I found myself zoning out for long stretches of this.

It's pretty solid but it's not anything that really impressed me. There were a few songs that I saved. 6/10

I loved Firehose's first album Raging full on. This one not so much. Lackluster and derivative. Nothing too exceptional here

Chill and easy to get through. Great guitar and I honestly think the cover is great hahaha

2.5 stars from me. Pavement BS but some good parts no doubt.

Interesting album. Lots of variety in the tracks, and plenty to keep my attention. There's some pretty decent moments in here, and definitely some good guitar work.

Initial post listing ranking: 5/10 (2 stars) Type of music: Rock, fast, pap pap type drum Thoughts: Reminds me of Lucas and The Decemberists. Like the sloppy bass, reminds me of Casiopeia Favorite Track: Ah I don’t even know

This was OK I guess.

This is solid, feels slightly ahead of it's time

Enjoyed this. Some good alternative rock herr

Creo que lo que más destaco en este disco es su bajo, que en todas las canciones está muy bien. El asunto es que el resto del disco, canciones o instrumentos tampoco me hicieron tan feliz.

This reminds me of the high school band you hear play at the local club one town over and not in a good way.

Reminds me of a lot of people. guys havin fun

(Light 7/10) Not as bad as people are saying, but I definitely understand the sentiment that if this band weren't related to The Minutemen then they would have been forgotten 80's college rock fodder. The best aspects of this record for me are the bass playing, a lot of the times the bassist is doing really impressive stuff. Sadly the songs at the core of it all either feel unfinished or overall non-substantive. This one is certainly odd, that's for sure. Especially considering it's inclusion in the 1001 albums book. Again, I do not DISLIKE it, it's got a kind of charm to it in the same way a fledgling garage band made up of art students recording their first album has, I'm just missing why this British compendium of "essential listens" deemed this entry worthy.

fIREHOSE is on the list? This is okay, I seriously hope Minutemen come up at some point, because while I love Mike Watt and appreciate pretty much everything he's been involved in, including a deep cut from the early 90s is a stretch.

Pushing the limits of 80s skate music in new and folksy directions! Love getting a new band

3.8/5 mike watt laying it down

Has a 00’s indie band aesthetic in 1989, not sure whether to give it additional credit for being influential or deduct points for inspiring some pretty shitty music. I did enjoy the listen though even if it didn’t make a huge impressIon on me.

3.1 First couple songs sucked. Stay with it if you can, gets a bit more charming as it goes

Mike Watt: top 10 guy. Riddle of the 80s is such a tune. The rest, pretty 3 stars. They walked so Sebadoh could run. RIP D. Boon

Very experimental, to me it was just noise

Ehhhh

Not only did I not need to hear from this band, I did not need to hear this album. It's a decent enough rock album. There are no hooks. You're never going to hear this on the radio. This is not commercially viable. I'll bet this album sold like mad in their hometown. Outside of Ohio (I assume that's where they're from), this is obscure and forgettable. Dimery, you suck. This isn't an essential album in any sense of the word. The Minutemen weren't important for music as a whole, and this album even less so. Quit mythologizing people. If I need a music history lesson to understand why an album of band is essential, then IT'S NOT ESSENTIAL. My Rating: 2/5

This is good but never heard of them but seems like they have other albums with more of their popular songs. This one doesn’t have a top 25 most popular track on it.

Imagine trying to follow D. Boon

un poco mierdón

Cool. Fun. 4

Strongest three I can give. I prefer 'Flying the Flannel' to this record, but oh well...

This is spunky and fun - and very short!

This was a fun listen and short. Somewhat lacking in memorable songs but the energy makes up for it.

Firehose seems an apt name for this band, as listening to them feels like being blasted by a neverending, chaotic, stream of random genre chops and changes. It's like an amateur band experimenting, trying to pin down a sound they want to explore, except with professional quality musicianship.

I found this pretty generic to hundreds of similar sounding bands from the time that did not make the list, so I am really not sure what makes this stand out above them. This was entirely forgettable. Standout song was What Gets Heard. 2 stars

I guess I'm in the minority here. Love this album!

Being a bass player myself Mike Watt is a huge influence on me. fIREHOSE is a great band that I had the pleasure of seeing live once before they packed it in back in the early 90s. I like the precursor band The Minutemen a bit more. This is a kinder, gentler, more radio friendly version of that band. Fromohio is a solid album but not my favorite of theirs. Only Ed is from Ohio by the way. Watt and Hurley are from San Pedro, CA. But Ed definitely brought plenty of folksy Midwestern vibes to these California punks. And I guess that's the best way to describe fIREHOSE. Pretty much Watt and Hurley blending their old SoCal punk roots with Ed's folksy REM-like chill. Love these guys, but highly recommend checking out their album 'If'n' if it's not on the 1001 list. This one's a 4. That one's a 5.

2.5

American music is usually divided into two broad categories - west coast (hippies and surf guitar) and east coast (NYC gangstas and hipsters), without much thought to anything in the middle. So, it makes a pleasant change to hear an album that is literally from Ohio, and a fine listen it is too. It has a bit of post punk energy with some nice riffs, solid drums and bass lines, but what sold it for me was a brief cover of Vastopol by the great Elizabeth Cotten which just felt right slotted in with everything else. This really does feel like a group of young people getting together to play music for the fun of it, and acknowledging influences from all over the place. Not earth shattering, but reassuringly life affirming.

Very raw energy, without being aggressive. Not a sound for an entire album for me.

Jangly, folkish, acoustic guitar. Semi talking heads on track 2

Middling alt rock. I liked a few tracks, like "Vastopol" and "Some Things" and "Understanding". Very lo-fi, but not necessarily in a good way. Bits of it just sound like some guys fucking around, like there are two minute-long interludes of the drummer just faffing about like at a garage practice. The guitars are pretty good, but the album is weirdly forgettable.

I’m there firehose. Incredible cow punky sound and super unique. Lots of eighties records don’t sound like this so I adore it for that.

This was GREAT. But I’m not walking away with a real favorite song to add to the playlist ya know? Maybe it’s a grower like that teenage fan club album… but idk. Love the sound though seriously reminds me of gift shop. Gonna give it a light 4 so that I revisit it in the future.

...huh? Why this one? I haven't been doing this for very long, but it's possible this might be the least noteworthy album on the list. I had never heard of this band, which is apparently a side-project including two members of Minutemen. It's not even the most popular album by this very band. The Wikipedia page includes the phrase "It's called that because it's from Ohio." Beautiful. This feels almost completely unremarkable. I mean it's fine, but it's got a nice sound, but the lyrics feel so stream-of-consciousness, that Liberty song kinda just sucks, there's two whole drum solo songs, I guess that's kinda funny...why in the world is this tagged post-hardcore? This is just, like...boring indie rock. What the hell.

Another band with “hardcore” roots, another odd representative album choice. fIREHOSE formed after the incredible Minutemen had dissolved after the tragic death of singer/guitarist D. Boon. Fan of the band and guitarist, Ed Crawford of Ohio (as referenced in the album title) convinced bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley to start playing music again. On a personal note, I was very excited about fIREHOSE because I was such a big fan of Minutemen. I was a teenager at the time and although I listened to a lot of punk, outside of a handful of bands, I never really connected to the hardcore scene. A lot of those bands I liked were on the SST label, but unlike a lot of those bands, Minutemen were different. More musical, minimalist drawing from a broader range of influences funk, jazz, r&b and punk, but not like anyone else. fIREHOSE kept the same blueprint but formed an identity of their own. I, personally would have gone with Ragin’ Full On or Flyin The Flannel, but Fromohio is very good. Listen to fIREHOSE.Listen to Minutemen. 4.5

Never heard of them before; not bad at all!

I kinda liked it

This is aggressively mid, generic, forgettable music. How is this essential?

loved! this is great. kinda rock, little jazzy/eerie, fun

1) 2/10 - idk what this jangly non-descript music is. I dont think I like it. 2) 5/10 - cute guitar riff. Whatever song otherwise. 3) 6/10 - some decent elements to this song. Better than the last two. Still mostly meh. 4) 1/10 - basic country guitar intermission 5) 1/10 - I cant even quantify this as a song 6) 3/10 - more meh 7) 1/10 - why? 8) 1/10 - idk what this band wants to be. This is like a Beatles b-track ... I'm over this. not for me at all. Its not country. Its not punk. Its not rock. Its a weird bastardization of them all and its ugly.

Realising these guys are the scraps of The Minutemen makes a lot of sense why I found this so catchy. Overall a pretty sweet listen, lots of great guitar/basswork on display. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Light and fresh!

This is a tough rate. I thought this was an nice collection of short and interesting tracks. At the same time, I wasn't overly wowed as a whole. It's a definite 3.5 album, but which way do I go?

Why? Or should I say wHY? 1.0

Decent alt rock, but it's not something I'd go crate digging for, you know?

Highlights: In My Mind, Wisherin’ While Hollerin’. 2.1

The ghost of D. Boon hovers over everything this band ever did, which is both unfair and completely understandable given that this is the two remaining members of the Minutemen plus Ed Crawford, a superfan of the band who talked his way into Boon's former spot. I say "unfair" because it's difficult, even on this third album, to set aside the sadness of Boon's untimely death; it colors everything here at least a little bit, from the quickly played, quickly abandoned opening riff on "Riddle of the Eighties" to, really, any time the tempo or intensity lays off a bit - which. among other things, undersells Boon's own penchant for softer, more contemplative moments. Yet especially on the back half of this album, as the dynamics and tempos let up a bit and settle into a more easygoing groove, Crawford isn't trying to be Boon so much as he's trying to make the sort of thing somebody would make who was influenced by the same stuff that influenced Boon (Sixties psychedelic folk, Krautrock, punk, funk). The difference is subtle but important; Crawford is a better technical singer, for one thing, so he's at his best when he leans into his tunefulness. And of course I haven't even mentioned Watt's bass playing (excellent as usual) and Hurley's drums (right there with him). On "If'n" and "Some Things" in particular the three musicians blend together beautifully, fusing into something like surf-punk as Crawford grows wistful. "Dreams break chains," he sings - including chains of grief, it turns out.

I didn't appreciate this band at the time. The Minutemen and fIREHOSE were the Rush of the post-punk/alt-music scene. And despite the greatness of D Boon, I prefer fIREHOSE over The Minutemen.

Their album "Flyin the Flannel" is so much better. I'll listen to this again but with some difficulty

Folk-punk-funk-whatever in short bursts. Never heard them before but I liked it.

The unusual punctuation in their name is a signal that this group isn't going to be normal. Not sure what my long-term feel will be on these guys yet..,

Nothing really memorable...

I have never heard of Firehose. So this is all new to me. Thoughts after listening 3 times ... While listening, I checked out wikipedia and noticed that these guys were the successor band to Minutemen after one of their members died. I have 2 liked songs on Spotify by Minutemen but I don't remember when or why I encountered those. When I first saw 14 songs I thought maybe it was a double album but then I realized it was only 32 minutes long. So the average song is just about 2 1/4 minutes long. It all goes by very quickly. Unfortunately a lot of it is fairly forgettable. Also, none of these songs had their lyrics on Spotify so I was having a hard time figuring out what any of these songs are about. I did end up liking 5 songs - "Riddle of the Eighties", "In My Mind", "Vastopol", "Time With You" and "Understanding". The first 2 songs have a pretty good vibe but it sort of drops off from there with a few good ones sprinkled throughout the rest of this. Even these songs that I liked are "good" but not "great". Also - the songs I didn't like aren't necessarily "bad" - but not worth popping up on my playlists in the future. It's all mostly just "ok". Liked songs on Spotify: 5/14 Rating: 2/5

Objectively a good album. Unique style, great instrumentation, and a good run-time. I just didn't really like it that much. I can't deny the skill put into it-- the drums, bass, and guitar are all spectacular and really shine throughout. I think "Liberty For Our Friend" was my favorite.

Strong album. I’ve always been a fan of fIREHOSE and the Minutemen before them.

Certainly an album with music

Had no idea what to expect but I like it! Midwestern garage rock? Here for it. Understanding is my favorite song, and even if it's the only one I revisit, that's fine, I enjoyed listening to this.

oooooo this bassist! Yummy. I get a real heart on for any band that places the rhythm section front and center. The bass and drums are indeed front and center here. I like it.

Nice yet unremarkable.

A cool album that has a very 90’s sound.

not too bad not too bad

Nothing at all monumental. a $1.99 discount bin record for me. And that's about $.50 too much.

Some nice moments of lo fi charme, but all in all too inaccessible.

I've never heard of these folks! Perfectly serviceable but I don't think I needed to hear it before I died?

This was pretty ok. Glad I listened to it. Some cool background music. When it finished, I was disappointed there wasnt more.

Why must every track start with this chicka-chicka bullshit indicative of these optimistic white boy’s privileged beach-side upbringing complete with too-deep tan and bleached surfer hair? Because otherwise there are some fun rhythms, bass lines, and guitar licks as the tracks go on.

I tried to download this to listen to in the car and only the first two tracks downloaded - so listened to them about ten times each and really enjoyed them - lively sparky college pop reminded me of vampire weekend - so was looking forward to the rest of the album.... Not quite a crushing disappointment but sadly the it did not live up to the opening two tracks. There are some nice moments - but its quite messy - a mix of styles so fairly loose jams and it just doesn't really hang together or deliver on the promise of the two openers.

fROMOHIO I listened to this one many times. I’d never heard of them before, but I loved its combination of country, alt, rock, punk and folk with hits of funk and disco, and it feels like one of those great discoveries from the list. You can hear some Replacements, Big Star, Smiths and R.E.M. and it has an Exile on Main St looseness, sharing the feeling like it’s going to break down at any minute, but it always manages to stay on track. They must also have been an influence of White Denim, it shares the same kind of spirit and energy. And I think Mike Watt has now become one of my favourite bassists, as he is arguably the star here with loads of killer basslines - In My Mind, Whisperin’ While Hollerin’, Mas Cojones, What Gets Heard (Duran Duran vibes on this one), Time With You - mixing a punkish tone with post punk, disco and melodies. There’s some excellent guitar playing too, it's never too flashy but there’s loads of catchy riffs and hooks and the playing always seems to serve the song. I love the Nile Rogers-esque opening riff to Riddle of the Eighties, before it shifts into a great jangle-pop track, the refrain in In My Mind is naggingly excellent, and the Gang of Four style playing on Whisperin’ While Hollerin’ is great. It’s superb on Time With You too, mixing a weightier, rocker sound with more of a disco-funk under the verses. It's a really strong set of songs overall, even with the two skit style tracks in Let the Drummer Have Some and ‘Nuf That Shit, Geroge and the vaguely aimless, if still fun, instrumental Mas Cojones. As well as the tracks mentioned above I love the folk-blues of their version Vastopol (a song I didn’t know before), the shifting styles and tones of If’n, the very White Denim Some Things, the classic sounding Understanding and the spacey, droning psychedia/proto industrial feel of The Softest Hammer. This is definitely in my top discoveries from this, alongside Holger Czukay, Keith Jarret, Mekons and Pere Ubu and is a nice, loose and rockin’ 5. 🚒🚒🚒🚒🚒 Playlist submission: Time With You

An intriguing album changing it's sound from Waterboys type folk-rock ('Riddle of the Eighties'), Devo-type angular guitar runs and vocals ('Whisperin' While Holerin'), Jansch like Blues picking ('Vastopol'), Per Ubu melodic dissonance ('Mas Cojones'). 'Understanding' is great guitar pop - perhaps Gerry Rafferty, maybe even Crowded House; and the flirtation with yacht rock is back on 'Time With You' with echoes of Steeley Dan funkery. Then there's a drunk singalong of 'Liberty for our Friend' and the grunge-paced closer 'The Softest Hammer'. A highly enjoyable find.

This was pretty fun-sort of post pop/punk art noise, reminds me a bit of The Make Up but with more delightful vocals. What I’d want out of a 10 dollar show with cheap beers and a fun hand printed band tee shirt.

pretty fun but mostly unremarkable

Not for meee...

Niiiice! I love all things Mike Watt! Pleasantly surprised to see this album on the list. Just some great rock and roll with probably the best bass lines in existence.

I did not realize there was a Primus-->Uncle Tupelo axis of late 80s music. But these guys are on it, and I dig it. The creative explosion that happened from 1988-1990 and incubated the grunge era does not get enough credit.

I was of course expecting some Minutemen DNA on this record, but I did not anticipate that the singer would sound like Gram Parsons or that the music would be so folky or occasionally sound like Television. The recording is bare bones but their live chops are A+ and the spirit of the affair is infectious (understandable from a band whose origin story is the literal realization of ‘this band could be your life’). From the ashes of the Minutemen comes hope, new life and a fresh, new sound. Like Fleetwood Mac (strange band to compare them to, but go with me) this is a band whose rhythm section has status above and over the singer, which allows for the proper dynamics to shine through, even when the best songs are from the lowest status member of the trio.

7/10 (dropped from 4 to 3, relisten)

This felt familiar without ever hearing of them before, and reminds me of many other groups here and there without sounding exactly like anything else.. it’s weird. Enjoyed this quite a bit, perfect short length to not overstay their welcome, overall 4/5 I’ll be looking into their catalog more

This is exactly why I signed up to this challenge. An album I've never heard of from a band that is totally unknown to me, in a subgenre I wouldn't usually go for. Whilst not a classic in my opinion, it's still a fun listen. Short but sweet, just as it needed to be. Favourite track: What Gets Heard Least favourite track: Understanding

Always worth a shot to listen to a Mike watt project. But honestly this was pretty underwhelming. All the bass lines and tongue in cheekiness of Minutemen without the edge. 0 reason for this to be on the list. But shoutout Mike Watt love his bass playing.

Whatever Gueli said.

firehose walked so angine de poitrine could charge 72 dollars a ticket at history. this gave me anxiety in a good way musically and kept me interested but unfortunately the lyrics and singing were boring :/

This was well executed, but it seemed like they weren’t quite sure what vibe they were going for. There were really drastic shifts, sometimes mid-song, and it kinda took me out of it.

Ihan hauska + hyvät bassoilut

pretty forgettable. this feels like more of a jam sesh than a full album so on the whole it didn't do much for me. there are good tracks like "what gets heard" which had a deliciously funky bassline, as did much of the album, although i can't say much of this stood out. the guitar-forward tracks made my eyes glaze over whereas the bass-forward tracks at least had Something going for them. it's kind of odd. nothing about this is actively Bad it just went in one ear and right out the other, even after two listens.

This is the first out there album on this list (doesn't have great professional ratings, wasn't a hit, wasn't all that influential) that I find interesting enough that I kinda get it. This album feels like it was made having fun with friends whilst throwing everything against the wall, and what you get is an imperfect mess that, on occasion, lines up just right for it all to somehow work. Stuff like "Riddle of the Eighties" and "Understanding" really worked for me and "What Gets Heard" is weird but kinda great? On the other hand Mas Cojones, the TWO drum solos that seem to be there as a kind of joke, didn't work for me.

I thought it was ok but nothing stood out

Meh

Wait I liked this a lot

alright

Jagged alternative rock and post-hardcore driven by wiry bass lines, nervy guitar interplay, restless drumming, and earnest vocals moves like a beat-up pickup truck swerving across backroads with the engine barely holding together—messy, stubbornly alive, and more emotionally engaging than technically refined. Overall exhausting to hang on and while doing so not getting sick to my stomach.

in its own way, this band has a unique style. But i don't think that means, that this style is something that everyone likes. I find it interesting, but not appealing. and ok.

I don't believe I've ever heard of this artist before, so I'm going in totally blind. I didn't really enjoy this, though I will say it sounded like it was about 10-15 years ahead of its time. But ultimately this also felt quite forgettable.

Now we're talking! This is totally my wheelhouse/comfort zone (and an album I've been listening to since it was released).

Average. 2.5/5

Great energy and a very quick listen. I love the early garage punk essence that this gives. I dig it!

Pretty good. A bit quirky.

Here's the latest album that has left me scratching my head, wondering what it did to deserve a spot on the 1001. It's grown on me more over 3 listens, and it does get better as you go through the songs - Time With You and Understanding are good songs that seem out of place with some of the inconsequential noise at the beginning of the album on tracks such as Mas Cojones and Riddle Of The Eighties. There are decent riffs in What Gets Heard and it closes nicely with The Softest Hammer, but there is nothing jumping out and grabbing my attention or moving me to feel something. I played it enough for it to grow to a low 3 stars.

Kende ik totaal niet. Leuk om naar te luisteren. Afwisselende liedjes

Weet het niet goed, niet super, ook niet saai, maar wel heel kort

I quite liked this album. I enjoyed their style. They sound like a band I would have liked listening to live. And their Explicit label was nothing! Especially with some of the f- bombs dropped by other bands.

3.5

3.0

listened to this a few times, very groovy tracks

No. 186 Never heard this before, liked it.

yuck

Nothing memorable from this album for me.

Meh

This is perfectly fine but really not for me and I'm feeling kinda mean today. Very American folk but in a way that I'm not really sure why it's on this list.

Needs another listen

This is the epitome of unremarkable and bland. It sounds like a hundred bands, and without any ear for melodies, cause none of the songs sticks. Is it neither all bad, un-listenable or garbage, but it definitely does not belong here in my opinion. Cause it manages to be late to the party with their sound, and outdated. Didn't enjoy myself.

Me gusto

first listen dogwater

3.75

Really good album. The only thing holding this back from a 5 rating is that I don’t the vocals are mixed well. Sounds like a home recording.

Yeah, didn’t really get to into this one.

Meh

If it weren't for the lineage to the Minutemen there wouldn't be any reason even pick up this record but once you do you'll find it's yet another of a million scratchy lo-fi American rock albums with a terrible singer. Completely undistinguished.

Not feeling this album or band but it's the first of this project and it's not my usual genre. Guitar is great though! It's the vocals that I'm not digging. Average white man talk/singing. Might be better of Spotify had the lyrics.

Loved it

Creative. Surprising. Sometimes nutty.

"It's called that because it's from Ohio.[9]" Thank you Wikipedia

This album was good. I’m doing this review at 1:30 AM and I listened to it a couple hours ago so I don’t remember what my favorites were. I remember it sounding like a combination of Flogging Molly and Modest Mouse. Overall, I would give it a 3.7/5! 🫤👍

7 / 10

instrumentals are ruined by like everything else highlights: what gets heard 2.5/5

Some 90s rock with not much flavor to it. I’m not too fond of this type of stuff, but it’s not the worst.

The instrumentation was fantastic on a lot of songs but some failed to fully deliver when the vocals kicked in. A fun listen and lots of great drum beats and guitar licks to keep you interested. It made me giggle when their songs did what they said on the tin like “Let The Drummer Have Some” and “‘nuf That Shit, George”.

Undeniably stylised, I like the blues-y folk thing they have going on. It's not something I'd have chosen for myself, but it didn't overstay its welcome. "Whisperin' While Hollerin'" is probably my favourite song here, the bass is very driving.

It's a 3 today. I was bored listening which is a huge bonus. Id say I enjoyed listening to half of the album. I have no clue what genre any of it was it was all over the place. there were songs where I hated the verse and loved the chorus because they seemed like different genres. I wouldn't listen again, but it wasnt shit.

never let them know ur next move... im not sure how to feel. i didn't think it was bad but i didn't really enjoy much of it - maybe except vastopol? even then i wasn't obsessed. and the yapping pissed me off. maybe im being harsh because ive run out of listening stamina but it's like a 2.5 just not as interesting as things ive given three...

Honeslty a fun little album. I like the sound and how it feels like theyre just playing what they want to play in the moment. I think Riddle of the Eighties captured me more than the rest of the songs but I think this was a good album.

Rock that I would have considered myself agonisingly cool to have listened to as a teen 3

I like this record. Is it an all time classic album? That's not a hill I want to die on, but I really do like it.

I will get through this album (one day, probably soon - it’s playing right now). But I don’t need to finish it before I rate it because it just so perfectly fits the mold of a mediocre 1001 albums album. It’s okay, and it’s different - but it really goes through one of my ears and out the other.

Reminds me quite strongly of Television in places - and I mean that as a great compliment. Really good playing. Melodic, funk-infused, almost hardcore-adjacent. Full of contradictions then, in a good way.

Ok but just eminently forgettable.

Never heard of them before, but enjoyed it a lot.

Never heard of these guys, but i see they're formed from the remnants of Minutemen. I didn't like this quite as much as liked Minutemen, but it was reasonably close, and a fair bit better than the name and album cover led be to believe it would be. I think a strong three; almost a four.

I really don’t know what to think about this album. It was constantly meh, with some good moments here and there 2.5/5

Some albums make it really difficult to remember this process is based around the premise these are 1001 albums to listen to before you die. This is one of those, not because it’s horrendous (as to some degree the fact they solicit an extreme reaction means they serve a purpose), but because it’s just so mediocre. It just sounds slightly dated and on some tracks like the sound engineer has failed to balance things, so songs like In My Mind sound like the instruments are too high in the mix. Given the mediocrity of what comes before i also take issue with ‘nuf’ That Shit George’, i do not need a 30 second drum solo. Neither did i want a closing track that sounds as if its looped back to the start several times.

I had absolutely no idea who this band were and, even having listening, still have no idea. This album was bizarre in its length, and a bit incoherent, so it was hard to get a read on them. Large parts of it were fine. I even quite liked “Time With You”. And then it had weird, totally unnecessary instrumentals which were over by the point I realised that’s what they were. This is probably a 2.5* album but it’s a spring morning and the sun is out, so I’m rounding up.

This was odd. Like they were trying to sound like multiple other bands but doing it badly and coming out just slightly wrong. Parts were a bit Red Hot Chilli Peppers, parts a bit REM, at one point he sounded a bit spoken-word Shatner. The drummer was frequently cymbal-obsessed (or it was just the really poor mix - sometimes you could barely hear the vocals over the instrumentation). I had never heard of the band before and have no intention of listening again. I'm not angry at it, just bemused it ended up on this list. 2/5

Slap base, math rock, lyrics about basketball, production at times that washes out the lyrics all without the key ingredient...soul. I imagine the friends of this band ran out of excuses to not come to their gigs before they 'made it'.

They’re fun! Strange album however, the great thing about Minutemen, X, Husker Du, Butthole Surfers, etc. is they took the intuitions of the 60s and injected it with the punk fury of their day, initiating the rich pinnacle of Punk’s second wave. This stuff, (done much better by say, The Replacements, who blended both intuitions to reach a blissful new high) sort of completes the circuit back to peaceful 60s folk and roots rock (sounds very much like a slightly more edgy Jackson Browne), and by even stepping over into progressive intuitions of the early 70s (Yes, King Crimson). The result is a bit bland, their earlier album Ragin’ Full On is much better, an intuition of pop punk/emo to come.

4/10

Overall interesting, I think I can go for a 4 here. Kind of a rock/punk REM sort of sound

This album was a surprise. They're definitely punk, but there's a prog quality to it. I can't quite get to 4 stars with it, so it lands at 3. But this was definitely one of the few punk albums I've enjoyed listening to.

Pretty sure I'd heard of fIREHOSE but never listened. They hit that pre-90's I just missed for being a little too young. I really liked it and think I'd have been a fan back in the day. Pretty funny album too. They have a song called "Let the Drummer Have Some" that's just a 1.5 min drum solo. Later in the album there's another drum solo song aptly called "'Nuf that Shit, George," haha. Very enjoyable and fIREHOSE is cool in my book.

Kind of a nothing burger album... Nothing really struck me... The first concert I ever went to had Mike Watt open for Primus, TIL Mike Watt is in fIREHOSE.

12 April 2026 10pm 6/10

This was really cool. Little bit punk, folk, and slightly proggy. Felt very DIY. 4/5

Pretty awesome sort of folk/indie rock album from the midwest. Enjoyed it all, maybe dragged a little towards the end. Fun album

Soft hammers hit hard nails. Let the drummer get some, and the bass rolll. And they're not from Ohio, hm.

It was... unexpected.

“Frum-MO-he-OH?” Is that some kind of variation of bohemia? fIREHOSE is tight, for sure. It’s easy to imagine the best way to capture them, live in a small club. A lot of this would work there. Sounds like what you might get if you threw Guided by Voices, Living Colour, Little Feat and crisp production into a blender. The standout track (and the only one I’d heard before, which got a good amount of airplay on alternative rock and college radio) is “Time With You.” Like many GbV songs, a lot of these feel unfinished, only getting started towards something interesting and then they’re over. And there’s too many throwaways, in particular the (mercifully) brief drum fill tracks “Let The Drummer Have Some” and “’nuf That Shit, George.” Mostly it all seems ephemeral, nothing you’d remember to come back to once it’s over. 2-1/4 stars

This is exactly why I signed up for 1001. Glad this album was in their line up. It will be a nice addition to my playlist. No standout song but clocking in at 31 minutes, I'll listen again.

Great band, this record is so so.

Nice enough indie rock with some good bass playing. Didn’t really like the vocals though and wasn’t tempted for a second listen.

Never heard of these guys. It's pretty raw sounding, just the essential band pieces. But it's not bad, mostly pretty quick little rock tracks. I really liked the guitar work on the album, and some of the vocal melodies were super solid. I was skeptical at first but by the end there were quite a few songs that I liked! Standouts on this listen were "In My Mind" "Time With You" "If'n" "Some Things" and "The Softest Hammer" This was a surprise album for me, I think it's a definite 4. Really cool sound that I think will only grow on me with more listens.

listened to 3 songs

Uneven but a couple good songs

Interesting late 80's jangle rock from the Midwest. They'd have been buds with the Connells when they swung through North Carolina.

Nuf that shit George is just Animal drumming and it's a delightful interim. More albums should do fun dumb stuff.

Very neutral feelings on this album. I’m sure this band has a solid and loyal following somewhere and just because I haven’t heard of them doesn’t mean anything. I liked their sound ok enough, especially the bass. Vocals were nothing special. Good for them, getting on this list.

Fav song: Liberty For Our Friend

Never heard of firehose Never heard from Ohio Never heard any of the singles. Something caught my ear the first time I played it. Every repeat it connected more. They don't really fit into any genre of the era and that's not a bad thing.

Pretty solid tunes, dug the bass work.

This was forgettable. It felt like listening to your friend's garage band.

Forgettable

More folky than rock

Pretty solid

Another artist I've never heard of and I'm not entirely sure why it's included but generally enjoyed listening through a few times. There's some superb bass guitar work, probably the best thing about this album, but generally it's all good fun and highly listenable. Not the strongest 4 but better than all the 3s I've racked up lately.

One of the more sui generis 80s indie acts, taming the dissonance of post hardcore and combining it with jaunty funky popping bass parts and guitars that twang and jangle. Everything's familiar but assembled and performed in surprising combinations. Only the vocals - nasal, flat, weirdly coffee shop open mic earnest - bring it down.

Not for me. And honestly I've heard so many better albums from the 80s

Sounds like a thousand other indie pub bands. It’s fine but not anything to write home about

Surprisingly interesting

I really like this style and some of the instrumentation here is really good. I just think this never does quite enough to push it over the edge. Band I had never heard of so I am glad I listened. Favorites were Riddle Of The Eighties, Mas Cajones, Liberty For Our Friend, and If’n.

i loved the bass on here, this is exactly my taste so it was great to hear, cool stuff

wouldn't say it's my favorite of theirs but this album really grew on me this time around. firehose are a real special band, man. 'time with you' will always be one of my favorite firehose songs.

I prefer Ragin', Full-On (which I was listening to when I had a stomach bug like three years ago so I associate it with that despite liking it), this one feels a little more ramshackle, but I still like their sound and they're great instrumentalists.

Went in with no expectations but really liked it somehow? Cool vibes

Not too shabby for being a band called fIREHOSE

I can't hate this, it's a group of dudes just having fun, but it is very much not my jam. The first couple of tracks are aight.

A nice and quirky little piece of rock (30 minutes.. let's call it a music pebble then). Not going to be one of my favorites, but certainly a good record for a day.