Reviews (page 4 of 8)
A couple of good tracks. The vocals are a bit meh
Entertaining but insufficient
Not unpleasant but on the other hand nothing tha made me want to listen again
Where's this one been hiding? Not often you come across an album you've never heard of, by a band you've never heard of, and quite like it. Some great musicianship and very listenable tracks. Definitely going on the metaphorical turntable again.
Yeah, OK. This isn't bad!
As someone who is from Ohio, this album is about as exciting as visiting, and living in Ohio. At least it's creative. Favorite Track: "In My Mind"(unfortunately, Ohio is stuck in my mind now).
Perfectly fine, but I fail to see how this would be essential in any way or why I should listen to this again instead of something really interesting
Inventive alt punk but it feels like it doesn't belong in this.
Completely out of left field. A pretty darn tidy rock record, and one I'll probably listen to a lot more. Maybe not the most musically incredible, but damn it I liked it. "The Softest Hammer" kind of sends this album out like a fart in the wind, but otherwise I think it's darn strong.
more selections from less popular groups. this late '80s rock band seems to be liked by mainly generation x former punks. i think a one youtube commenter said that these guys at times sound like the police if they were a little more punky. it's a fun listen, a nice fusion of rock tropes throughout. according to sources, seems to be the most accessible out of all their albums. if it were me, i would say this album sounds like a group of country/folk kids started to make their own rock band, if not trying to make a name for themselves, then embracing their roots. it's super cool.
Interessante como as batidas são um pouco quebradas, me parece que os músicos estão reunidos improvisando um som. Just vibin'. Parecem estar se divertindo. Os solos de bateria são daora. Gostei. Achei legalzin e divertido!
Weird and inconsistent
i can't stand this type of music man Would I listen again: NO Deserves to be on this list: No 1.2
nOTBAD. Like a merging of early 80s indie rock like REM, The Replacements, and what not. Yet it comes at a later time and sounds different but the same - kinda the point of doing this list, no? 3.5/5
fIREHOSE já é de casa.
This was such a great surprise! I misunderstood that it was the band Firehouse and delayed listening to it for a few weeks. I really liked the light punk sensibiliities and compact delivery.
55
Я не очень люблю Minutemen в первую очередь, и как бы был изначально настроен на "э". И вот как бы да, яркие гитары, все такое, чувствуется какое-то влияние Talking Heads, вроде бы всё как я люблю, а песни просто мимо. Лучшая песня - Liberty for Our Friend.
it was all right i mean it was all right
Pretty cool album. Reminds me of some older REM, but doesn’t grab me as much as they do.
There are several funky moments on this record - has the vibe of a bunch of dudes jamming in their garage on a Saturday afternoon. There’s some decent guitar work and great bass lines, but overall ends up largely forgettable. 2/5
This is all over the place. I was expecting a punk album. It's ok in places. Not great in others. Best song to me is Liberty for My Friend. 2.5-3 seems fair.
not bad!!
im listenin
It was really stanky (affectionate) but then half way thru it got stinky (derogatory in this case).
So this is the definition of college radio. Having growing up in the 90's this music always felt so dated to me. The Primus the ween etc played this trope to death. The stoner dick joke music. I will say these guys have a bit more diversity in music, but it's just nothing I can listen to.
Another pretty random inclusion on the list (almost every song on Spotify had less than 100k listens). However, I enjoyed it and found it to be unique and interesting. A cool blend of different genres. 6/10 (3/5)
Wow what a find didn't even hear of them before while Watt seems to have played with almost every name of that era..
Loved it. Slightly more mature and polished than Watt and Hurley's previous band, Minutemen, but still rough and garage band-esque.
This is definitely one of those records where 'you had to be there to get it'. I feel like this is something I missed out on, or just briefly passed by in the record store while my buddy was looking for some Firehouse in the late 80's. I like it, and I am sure there will be future listens to improve my appreciation.
This was fine. 3
It’s an easy listen but forgettable.
Rock. This is one of those albums that sounds perfectly fine when you’re listening to it but once it’s over, you can’t remember a single thing about it.
I would argue that this is the most boring album to date. Dull, uninspired, and dreadfully slow. And I like slow music DNF Best Song: N/A Rating: 1/10 Stars: 1
4/10 - nothing memorable, just ok, but not hardcore punk as I expected
Bang average. 3 stars
The quality here is wildly inconsistent. Parts of this are good. But other parts fall off pretty hard.
Indie Garage-Band rock. Reminds me a bit of a less polished version of Vampire Weekend.
271125 15:16 3 / highlights: in my mind, time with you
Reminded me of early 80s UK bands like bIG*fLAME. Only not as good. Style over substance.
Another new album for me, and a great find. The late 80's was so busy with new music and styles forming. Often things passed you by. This is a wonderful US take on English angular indie. It's sharp, and jabs away at you. Also funky as shit. Which always helps.
Garage band - at best.
Meh?
I’m from Ohio. I can vouch that this album captures what our state is like; quirky, fun, weird, doesn’t take long to get through. Also, Mike Watt is a phenomenal talent.
This is all over the place.
Could barely remember what I'd listened to
Rather boring. The funky bassline on some songs save it a little bit.
Completely unknown to me, and not sure what I think of it. The songs on this all have an aspect that i quite like, whether that is a riff, the bass line, the drums; but the other parts of the songs are just a bit pants. I do enjoy that the Wikipedia summary for the album seems to have been written by a ten year old: "It's called that because it's from Ohio".
Funky
18/09/2025 I have never heard of these guys and it feels like they were the pioneers for a lot of the music that we know today. Well done. Spotify listeners: 24.7k
This is what im here for. A good album id never come across before. The first two songs hooked me in with their low fi attitude but good songwriting. I went off to read the wiki to discover their link to the minutemen which delighted me as they were one of my earliest and favourite discoveries a few hundred albums back. This isnt the white album but i enjoyed it immensely and will be back.
Kind of chilled out rock that sounds like it should have come out earlier than 1989. I have never heard of them but it isn't bad, some variety in the music and lyrics. Nothing really stands out, it might be nice for a party mix so it doesn't distract. Probably wouldn't be high on my list to listen to but I enjoyed it.
It’s unique, in a way that I like. But I don’t love it.
This is exceptionally well mixed and produced. In the beginning it felt like an album that would sound flat and underdeveloped, but I was pleasantly surprised by the musicianship: drums, bass, guitar, and even vocals are carved out and fit well with the total package. The music doesn’t always resonate, however it is thoughtful in its approach and easy to listen to. Worth a revisit!
3/10 - repetitive - hard to hear lyrics - good bass
Got some cool bass/drum grooves. Not gonna jump to listen again but would be happy enough if someone stuck it on.
Some cool moments and a really good drummer. Nothing too exciting but quite enjoyed the bits I paid attention to.
This was surprisingly enjoyable. Lots of energy. Crazy good bassline. Raw punk energy.
FromOhio from fiREHOSE makes the 1001 Must Hear List because of the stylized band name, Liberty For Our Friend, and the drum work on the album. It’s a decent album, nothing great. Listened to it twice, second time (which is usually a score raiser) was just OK. (2,3*s)
There is more to this band then meets the ear. At first they seem a little hap-hazard and simple but if you really give this album a listen, it has depth and talent all around. Feel like these guys influenced Claypool from Primus with the odd-dark bass and ranting on some tracks (like "What Gets Heard"). A quick and easily digestible 31 min album. I'll check out some of their other records and maybe even their founding fathers the Minutemen. Fromohio gets a 2.9 star rating.
Pretty run of the mill indie rock album from what I could tell. It wasn't bad, but at the same time I'm not sure what it did to land on this list. It didn't do anything really unique, and while that isn't a necessary point of entry I'm wondering what the author saw in this to differentiate it from countless other indie acts. Not sure I'll ever find out but there are many worse ways to spend 30 minutes than listening to Fromohio. 2.63 stars
Classic tunes from the spigot.
Solid indie rock album. I never heard of this band before so i was pleasantly surprised by the guitar work on this project. Worth a listen, i will go back and listen to couple of the tracks later.
nice. first time listening impressed
Selv om musikerne har kvaliteter, så blir dette albumet stang ut for meg.
It's ok, but it didn't blow me away.
- very fun - the first half was just alright kind of boring, had a indie british feel with american folk influence - the second half was great, i felt like it really came into its own, it was more like folk rock this time - the vocals fit very well - the drums the second half were fun, creative, and fit the song very well
+ In My Mind
It wasn't bad, but I didn't enjoy it. Entirely forgettable even a couple hours after listening to it.
Surprisingly I liked this one. It was nice to have on in the background.
definitely makes sense these are guys from minutemen. A little more pop appeal in the songwriting for better or worse
Minutemen were better
Came about this band through Mike Watt's solo stuff. Great album that feels like high school.
Mishmash of styles. Too experimental rock for me.
Not a clue mate. Okay its less noisy than I was expecting from the cover and indeed their stylisation Idk man its very stripped back uhhh. I can tell theres some good musicians here but it just didn't hold my attention at all
It’s kinda fun. So is ping-pong, nachos, and Ryan Reynolds. But only in small doses. Not a daily player.
There was nothing technically wrong with the album. The musicianship was fine. The singing was okay. But I found the songs to be boring. I kept waiting to hear a great hook or riff, but nothing happened.
not bad! really good bass lines!
So far on this project, even if I don't vibe with the particular genre of an album, I've at least understood why it's on the list. Not with this one though. It's not bad, but there's nothing at all that stands out about it - just a pretty standard post-punk album. Fav tracks - Some Things
Musically interesting and well-written in parts, though I’m still not totally sure why he’s held in as high regards as he is. 3.5/5
Had some decent guitar riffs but this was pretty indistinguishable for me and I don’t think there’s much chance I ever go back to anything here.
If I met the devil at the crossroads I'd make a deal to be able to play the base like Mike Watt.
It felt like old school rock in the 80’s, some tunes were good but a lot repetitive at times.
great album
Just a compilation of guitar, drums and nonsensical lyrics that don't really amount to an interesting project or memorable songs. Wouldn't say there's anything horrific, but it does become really hard to listen to after like 4 songs. 2.5/5 ⭐⭐1/2
Couldn’t get into this as much as I thought I would like it from reading up on these guys. Some nice bass playing but nothing memorable tracks wise.
Good, but not as good as Minutemen. Unclear if this album should be on this list.
I don’t know fIREHOSE, but I do like the Minutemen. This feels like a classic rock tinged post punk album, like the Dead meets Gang of Four. Good stuff, in other words.
This was so very good. I’m going to go listen to more from them.
Nice surprise! Cool bass!
Interesting indie rock album. It's a little generic vocally, but great bass and guitars and sick riffs.
I'm not, but I feel sorry for those who are.
Really Dadtastic album!
not bad, some rly fun guitar in this, but didn’t do anything for me, kinda forgettable
fun little album i enjoyed
Nice sound but samey after a while
i liked!!
this was really bad
this gave me solid television vibes, i enjoyed this record a lot, very energetic band
good to dance to. loved the drumming breaks and the funny titles
Sounds like a less-polished version of the alternative bands I loved in the 90s.
The album features some nice instrumentals, vocals are slightly lacking. Overall, not bad. I would not have found this on my own but will not return to it. 3/5
Not for me
Not a fan
Not for me
Not a vital album.
This is was a good one not a bad track in the lot I particularly liked the opener
Pretty amazing follow-up of the post-Boone Minutemen.
There are dozens of worthy albums, from Modest Mouse, Tool, Ween, Neutral Milk Hotel, Ryo Fukui, and more that didn't make this list, yet this one did?
Well… at least it was only 30 minutes
Didn’t mind this. Some decent tunes and a nice runtime. Maybe something lacking to drag it out of the three though. Simpsons: No
The only way to describe this is as an inoffensive middle-of-the-road album.
I thought I was going to hate this for some reason but it's really fucking good.
Very fun sounding, especially in the first 2 tracks. Tracks to Track: In my Mind, Riddle of the Eighties
OK. Lots of guitar
Is it a mix of random studio recordings? "Hey John, I've got an idea for a riff!" "Yeah? Show it!" And that's how it goes
First 2 songs were really good died down a bit afterwards though
Tough to really explain my thoughts on this one, but fIREHOSE feels like one of those "Your favorite band's favorite band" bands. Like, they are hitting on a lot of good ideas in this record, but none of them really coalesce into good music? And your favorite band was able to take what they heard from fIREHOSE and repackage it into good music. Like I don't know if they were influenced by fIREHOSE, but some of Fromohio reminds me of Sunny Day Real Estate, just without the emo? A touch southern rock or country meets late 80's indie rock. It's tough to describe though, but I always went up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as a kid for vacation, and this music reminds me of the feeling of crossing the Mackinac Bridge on the way home from vacation and you get into the lower peninsula where the grass is just more brown, its hotter, and you don't see the lakes anymore. Just a vibe of returning back to life after having a great time. Weird analogy, but that's what popped into my head. Dry, hot music that while isn't sad, just makes me sad.
3.5 08.07.2025
Nothing wrong with it just don’t really get why it’s on here
This band is pretty sweet, I've never heard of anything they've made, but this album is pretty cool. I wouldn't say this is a "diamond in the rough", but it's at least a garnet or some other minor gem. The guitar riffs in this are super groovy, and the bass line absolutely rocks, and comes across super clearly as it's own distinctive harmony rather than just the base notes of the melody. As somebody who likes some early punk but gets turned off by obnoxious or shitty vocals, this band really delivered, playing some easier listening rock/punk with decisively inoffensive vocals. I wouldn't say they're great, but they certainly don't hurt. This isn't an album I would tell anybody they have to check out, but I'll probably save a couple songs to my playlists and vibe out to them once in a while.
This album feels like a jam session in the basement of the drummer's mom. Casual and a bit rough around the edges. They’re not that bad, but it didn’t really hit me in the feels.
Pretty decent group, but nothing overly special. 2.5 I will round up.
Shout out to the rust belt
Nothing special here - they should work on their capitalization and spacing.
meh
Interesting….
This was better than expected. I'd listened to some album by firehose before and thought it was just screechy, maybe punk-folk. This was much better. Production is better and the singer has rounded off some of the shriekier bits. Mike Watt is a great bass player, no doubt. This seems like what an REM and Meat Puppets collab might sound like in their early days. No album really Needs a drum solo, definitely not two!
Nice album pretty uplifting. Maybe not memorable much, but I won't delete it.
This album feels a bit wacky and I'm here for it.
It was ok. It grew on me as the album went on. Probably not something I'll return to, but if it was playing on the radio, I'm not gonna change the station.
Sounded like a jam session between friends, which was charming in a way. It was fine, I enjoyed it but didn’t love it
This one straddles the 2/3 line for me. Some songs are classic 80s sound and enjoyable. Others are mindless and immediately unlikable and forgettable. Really inconsistent theme to this album.
Excellent
Killer stuff
Totally new to me, very cool album - folky, grungy, proggy and noisy. Great playing and unique vocals bridge retro country rock and cutting edge alt. Favourite tracks: Vastopol, Some Things, Understanding
That was an album of music
First listen
Nice indie/pop-rock album. Good for a first listen. Did not make me a fan, but I wouldn't mind listening to it again. I liked "Vastopol", because it was purely acoustic with a nice fingerpicking pattern, but I later found out it was a cover. The original song is from Elizabeth Cotten. I liked some of the bass lines of the album, but nothing really stuck to me. Surprisingly, the song I liked the most was "Understanding" (nice drums, bass and voice) and not "Riddle of the Eighties" nor "In My Mind", which were the most streamed. Overall, a good 2/5. Not too shabby, but not the best album I've heard.
Ничего примечательного
Would be better as music tracks for tv or movie, not good for just listening
Definitely merit here, but not my thing.
Sounds nostalgic even though it's new to me. Like something I would have listened to in high school or college. Not bad.
Who?
Talking Heads if they were REM
your favourite indie rocker’s favourite record?
Thought this would be cooler, it kinda looked like a cool punky/hardcore album, and actually started sounding that way before shifting immediately into a pretty soft indie rock… but it went up and down, there was certainly some interesting instrumentation. Idk!
Liked
I had never actually heard of this album or this project! cool that hurley and watt got together to make this band after Minutemen broke up, altho they didn't quite reach the high highs of Minutemen it was still a solid listen... sometimes this list is so strange tho cuz like why this album hahaha
Vet inte ens, inte så bra. Förstår inte hur denna kan vara med på topp 1000? Tråkig amerikanskt skit
Some phenomenal basslines, everything else was a bit meh
185/1089 - Don't know what this is but I kinda liked it. Seems underdeveloped at times.
Not bad, but it just didn't grab me
Not bad alt rock! 😁
lowkey the best part of this was the drumming
A really fun listen(i fell asleep lol) 3
Light alt-work with a slight tone of great big sea. Not bad
I had heard Minutemen before but this album led me down a rabbithole of their history and associated acts. Really enjoyable album, reminds me of REM, RHCP, one of those songs sounded like a Paul Simon joint. A tight 30 minutes, very happy to have been exposed to this album.
Solid punk. Tight instrumentation. Nothing stands out to me though.
For some reason I wasn't expecting much from this one. But it's great. Three excllent instrumentalists are what make this album stand out. I want to give special praise to drummer George Hurley, who's particularly talented. Perhaps to highlight this fact, he gets two songs all to to himself to dick around on. And they're good! Some of the songs here have a jam band vibe, others a jazzy one. Not every song is a winner, but the good ones are great. My favourites were In My Mind and Whisperin' While Hollerin'.
It sounds like Husker Dü. Is that a compliment? I honestly don't know. The album wasn't bad, but I don't think I'm the demographic for it. Some songs were at best catchy to me, the rest I don't think I'll remember. One thing I like are how short the songs are and the album is. Short and sweet and I think a lot of albums should be like that in this genre
Not bad…great percussion
Kinda cool. Interesting guitar work and drums. A nice mix between punk and indie or folk or something. It doesn't sound like anything else.
It’s so good. Like if the Minutemen were a classic rock band. And I say that with all sincerity and positivity.
Pretty cool, enjoyable, not annoying - but also the sort of album I could tell I would forget shortly after listening.
Fromohio blends jazz, punk, and funk into a tight, punchy ride. It's offbeat but never abrasive — just the right length to keep things interesting without wearing thin. A bold, genre-hopping album that hits hard and wraps up before it overstays its welcome.
Blind album and artist. I actually liked this style a decent amount, more than other albums on the list. Could've been my mood but I like.
Fairly standard late-80s alt-rock fare.
Interesting inclusion. Starts off nice, then sort of jumps in quality all throughout. I liked the funk and sort of free-form influences, which is heard in the guitar, bass, and drums. Nice little Midwest American charm too I guess.
What a surprise!
These dudes rock
I listened to the whole thing, but can't really remember too much about what I heard...as Shania always says: it don't impress me much.
A band that would go on to influence all of 90s culture, from the alt-rock airwaves to the Seinfeld theme song.
It was like Red Hot Chili Peppers meets Dispatch
a gem out of left field. never heard of these guys before and it’s extremely my shit. what this is all about!
Bait and switched me with the intro. It was interesting and then became cliche and boring :(. Listened whole way through was not impressed.
It was fine. Nothing to write home about.
This is a weird one. No idea what it's doing on this list, but I'm sort of glad it's here because it's a good listen, without being just more of the same stuff you already find on this list or hear(d) on the radio all the time.
rather plain. Nothing stands out to me texturally or melodically
Why? Completely uninteresting in both sound and message. I went to grad school in a small, dusty farm town in Ohio at about the time this was released. I could’ve heard something like this at the college bar on Main Street. No thanks. If I had to recommend a song? Maybe “Liberty for Our Friend.” But, again, why?
Average
interesting pick for this list, not a big fan from the start but still an entertaining listen. highlight was In My Mind
I was hit and miss on this album. As someone who went to school in Ohio, it felt very Ohio - somewhat familiar but also somewhat cringy at the same time. I really like the Minutemen, so parts of the album were good but I'm not sure I'd go back to it.
1’5
Great musicianship and varied styles/ genres. Will listen again.
Nice guitar work but this album is sloppy and forgettable
Pretty good. I added some songs to my Spotify playlist. I give it a 3.5.
I can live without hearing this album again. A couple of songs were ok, but I really struggled to listen to this.
On Fromohio, fIREHOSE dial back the SST punk-jazz attack and veer into twangier, more homespun terrain—think front-porch noodling filtered through post-punk idiosyncrasy. Mike Watt’s bass still slinks and pops, but this time it’s matched with dusty acoustic strums, slide guitar, and the occasional whiff of Americana. At times, the album feels like a scrapbook of sketches rather than a fully fleshed-out record—some tracks end just as they’re getting interesting, others coast on quirks that feel more calculated than inspired. Still, there are moments of charm: “In My Mind” rides a tight groove with an infectious guitar jangle, “Vastopol” is a surprisingly warm instrumental hoedown, and “Time With You” flirts with accessibility without losing the band’s off-kilter DNA. Not quite punk, not quite folk—Fromohio is somewhere in between, but doesn’t always make the case for staying there.
Meh
There’s bands that mix genres in a way that feels inspired, refreshing, or even novel. This is not one of those bands. This entire album feels so disjointed and out of sync with itself, I had trouble focusing on it. It’s as if each member of the band wants to play a different style of music, and rather than collaborate, they just.. play different styles of music overtop of each other. The guitarist would clearly rather be in a funk-rock band. The bass player dreams of being in a punk band. The vocalist sounds like he’d love to be in a Beatles cover band. I can’t fathom listening to another minute of this. Genuinely grating. 1*
I knew I had listened to this album just before (because of it showing up on this list) or at some point during our long reviewing hiatus, but I didn’t have any recollection of it which didn’t make me particularly excited about listening to it again to be able to actually review it. But I found myself enjoying this album basically from the first track. Genre-wise I’d say it’s somewhere under the broad and nebulous post-punk umbrella but there are small moments that variously give tinges of jazz or folk or new wave. It’s a very interesting record but manages to be interesting in a way that’s not at all pretentious, academic or boring. 8/10 would listen again. I had never heard of this band before.
Some songs were rip roaring yet others were just not up to par. Fun energy and wild inspiration
bland and empty for now
Not sure this album knows what it wants to be. Feels like it keeps trying different things in each song and is never really cohesive. Multiple filler tracks on a 30 minute album is also very embarrassing. Some of the songs do work, but they feel more like accidents than a cohesive musical vision. Top tracks: Some Things, Understanding
average
Despite being punk-ish, there's a distinct lightness or sparseness to the songs.
A refreshing discovery, some great tracks. Not sure why this band weren't huge?
É ruim? Não. É bom? Também não. Podia ser muito pior, na real.
Much like the name, this band’s music comes at you like a Firehouse. 14 songs in 31 minutes in a wide variety of styles: folk-inflected, punk, a track that has Duran Duran new wave-sounding guitar, straight ahead rock tunes. It sounds good, well-produced, but I wasn’t really taken with any of it. The lead’s vocals are fairly weak too.
Not bad just not memorable in the slightest
Man, I love opening up this site and being hit with a tangible feeling of "what the fuck?" whenever I see these kinds of albums grace my screen. This is yet another album I would not listen to in a million, billion years were it not for this site. Far be it from me to complain. There's a beauty in the sheer unlikelihood of these melodies ever gracing my ears. I'll cherish them. Liberty For Our Friend is the best song on the album. It's the only time where the vocals and songwriting really work. There isn't much else to say about the album, really. I think this may be the first time in the history of this site where I'm at a loss of words for what to say. The vocals and instruments never amount to anything beyond mildly pleasing. It's fortunate that this album is only half an hour as it would seriously overstay it's welcome were it any longer. That being said, for what it is it's listenable enough. As alluded to previously, I consider this a "nowhere album" - a term I have not busted out in a very, very long time. I usually have a clear image of the kind of "nowhere" that these albums occupy, though I'm not so sure with this one. I guess this album captures the feeling of walking barefoot along a paved road in the midwest, following the power lines as I wander through nature reserves and vast open plains. In any case, this album is not popular, acclaimed, influential or experimental as far as I can gleam. I'll do what I always do and consult the entry for this album, though it's not looking promising for this one. A precursor to grunge without being an influence of it. Uhhh, yeah. I'll skimp on this album. Adios, fROMOHIO. Into the record shredder you go. For your replacement I would like to humbly induct The Moon and Antarctica by Modest Mouse into the list.
حلو
This was really good and interesting. Folk-inflected post-punk. Really excellent musicianship. Could be a 4, but i’ll have to come back for another listen. I’ll go with 3 for now.
Childhood, man. Booting up the PS2, loading Tony Hawk's Underground2 and skating around Boston and Barcelona all day, but never once altering the soundtrack. Back then you didn't have to, every song was heat. This album reminds me of that, "If'n," "Some Things," and "What Gets Heard" all remind of that special feeling.
Es war nicht schlecht aber kam mir vor wie ein Demo Tape und nicht wie ein Album.
Its definitely not bad and even enjoyable but no standout tracks, just kind of easy listening
It's not unpleasant, and the drummer had some chops... Otherwise, boring, sloppy, uninteresting. Why is this on the list?
Cool
This wasn’t good, wasn’t bad — no need to hear again. 2.5 up to 3.
I went in thinking "Haven't I had this one already?" It looked like a fairly forgettable indie rock album. I'm happy to confirm that it was new and much more interesting than I expected. It feels like really pulling from early punk as well as 80s indie rock, with heavy Minutemen vibes. Oh, half the band were formerly in the Minutemen? Well that absolutely tracks and fills a nice void if you ever get bored with "Double Nickels on the Dime". Definitely a pleasant surprise.
Fromohio is just another late 80s alt rock album to add to the ever growing stockpile. If i were to compare this one to another album on this project, it would probably California by the American Music Club since they share a lot of the same ideas and have a generally similar sound. I do think this one is a bit better than that one since i do enjoy some of the melodies of this one a bit more than that one. There are also 2 songs where they are just drum solos which I'm not a huge fan of since single-instrument songs aren't really my thing but they were pretty short at least. Honestly, i really don't know what else to say about this album, it's more or less something that existed. Best Song: What Gets Heard Worst Song: Let The Drummer Have Some
Pretty good!
Nice variety of sounds. Some great bass work. Feels a little sparse at times, but I think that’s what they were going for.
After that intro, I was expecting something a little less folksy. It was fun, though!
Oh come on. (ntm.)
Not horrible but nothing really grabbed my attention. Luckily it's a short album.
I would probably follow Mike Watt anywhere.
Very solid and playful, if imperfect, musicians who said, “Fuck it, we’ll do it live.” DIY done right.
It’s got that friend-jam energy. Like three dudes who have played together forever and still think it's funny to put in a goofy break or yell something off mic. The melodies are jangly and warm, the guitar lines simple but catchy. Like they don’t care if it’s tight, just if it’s fun. It’s a hangout of a record. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - Riddle Of The Eighties - In My Mind - Time With You
One or two really good tracks, but the rest of the album is pretty mediocre, I think. Not something I would seek out to listen to again.
4 out of 5. A very pleasant surprise, this is why I'm working my way through this silly list.
Solid album from what I remember. I had a dog pass away yesterday morning so it's kind of a blur.
This seems like a couple of friends got together to make an album for fun and accidentally ended up on the "1001 albums to listen to before you die" list. It's great and a whole lot of nothing all at the same time. The lead singer has a great voice
Snappy guitar playing, bland everything else.
I actually really enjoyed this album. Never heard of them, but I definitely want to go back and discover more!
I expected worse from the cover and names. Never heard of this band. Stealing another user's review. "not bad at all yet completely forgettable at the same time."
Yeah, fine.
Another new band and record for me. Found it quite tinny and jangley. Production felt messy and badly mixed without much skill or pleasure. Pretty simple, uninspiring and not too pleasurable to listen to at all. Kind of like a bad mix between raw punk, deep blue something and knock off Primus. I do value that they seemed to give themselves some creative freedom with surprises and unconventional elements throughout but mostly just sounds like some kids jamming or trying out instruments in a soundcheck. Nice to have some drum solos featured (although probably to just lengthen the shortness of the album!) Everything feels like it could have potential and is just done so poorly. Vocals painful at times. Turn that guitar down! Urgh. Relief when is got through the offensive listening experience.
Day515 - i’ll be putting this one on my library
This was when people got so bored of rock they invented funk rock and quickly regretted it
Very forgettable
mad cojones
I really enjoying getting these deep cut 80's albums even if they aren't always that great. Favorite track: Riddle Of The Eighties 2.5/5
not for me...
nice enough
I did not use a private session for this one. I know fIREHOSE, but have never sat down a listen to an album. I like it, can tell how it influenced bands I like, but not going on the heavy rotation play list.
Catching up … (another positive one) Firehose - Fromohio Never heard of this band, or listened to Minutemen beyond singles Veering from post punk to Rock n Roll - track by track feels like a different band (replacements, Big Star, pixies, wipers, fugazi). It isn’t perfect, the skipping around (even within tracks) making it hard to latch on to. It also sounds like it was recorded in someone’s back garden (which is also part of the charm). The DIY ethos / lack of polish and production is ultimately what makes it sounds fresh. This makes me want to find time to dig into this scene. Bands I’ve heard of but never listened to properly like Mission of Burma and Husker Du. 7/10 (I’m rounding up to 4/5 , because i keep sticking it on , and I think it’s a grower)
Didn't really have hits on it, but it was nice to listen to. I tend to like the fIREHOSE albums more than those made by the Minutemen. I generally like Punk more than Indie Rock, but this just clicks more for me. Time really flew by with this listen. Sounds like it was a real precursor to all the 90's Indie music that came on the scene later on.
Enjoyable album that I had never heard of before
Ret godt. Har hørt det det gennem min Jackass periode, ikke noget jeg havde et kært forhold til, men alt der kunne negles på nettet, og som lugtede at Jackass skulle jeg lytte til. Jeg kan godt lytte igen en anden dag. Men det er en lille 4er som jeg ikke aktivt vil opsøge.
Total ukendt album og band. Det var faktisk ret godt. En fin blanding af DIY punk og melodisk rock
Boring!
Ho-hum. Perfectly okay music but lacking in excitement or wow moments.
On Fromohio firehose seem too keen to show off their prowess as musicians. The voice is weak and way back in the mix. Impressive in many ways but lacking the songs to bring you back for a repeat listen.
I loved this album the second I heard it. But I’ve had to play it ~5 times to understand what on earth I’m listening to. Is it a sort of early REM thing but with more of a freestyle jamming style? Or does it sound like a more laid back Pere Ubu? Or are they like a sort of slightly unhinged country band like The Colorblind James Experiment? Comparing bands with other bands is boring but I just can’t yet properly catorgarise the gentle magic behind what fIRHOSE is doing. I’m going to have to do lots more listening.
Some very interesting genrehopping going on here. Just imagine how good this album would have been if the songwriting had been more than just decent as well.
Put this on when I wasn't really paying attention and it was good enough to make my listen properly. Then I find out it's the guitarist from minutemen, which makes a lot of sense. It's definitely more cohesive than a minutemen album, a normal number of songs of normal length. Not quite as good I'd say but still great. Some things in particular is class. Even quickly listening back now it's grown on me so could be a 5 soon.
Over in a flash. Quite surprised this is late 80s, sounds considerably more modern. However, pretty dull overall. Some nice guitar bits, but didn't enjoy the guy's voice. Too whiny.
Never heard of these guys but I read a few of the reviews and it sounded up my street. Was good! Couldn't help but hear rem and minutemen after seeing that in a review. Pretty good description of the sound I think. Probably wouldn't have put this as from the 80s. Overall pretty good. Might be back 3.5 but closer to 4
Going to need a few more listen to appreciate and understand but background noise for now
Sounds like one of those albums an popular band puts out to show that they aren't pigeon-holed to a certain genre or sound. Problem is I have never heard of this band, so I have nothing to judge it against. No disrespect to The Minutemen. Which ultimately that this album is nice, but not memorable. Though it may be memorable if you listened to this artist's entire catalog. 3
This is the first album I listened to twice in one day. The first time I listened I thought it was nice, later in the day I wondered, what did I actually hear. In each case completely new to me
Had never heard of this band before. One of the reviews quoted in the Wikipedia article said "Imagine a technically imperfect band that has the art of free-form fusion mastered,” and I think they nailed it. I liked this - fun to listen to. The instrumental tracks in the middle and the two drum solo bits made me feel like I was just hanging out with the band or at a really small show of their friends or something. Highlights were Vastopol, The Softest Hammer, and Understanding
Als groots fan van Minutemen kwam ik met fIREHOSE ook wel aardig aan mijn trekken. De onnavolgbare drums van Hurley en het speelse baswerk van Watt staan nog steeds centraal, maar er valt wel een hoop dynamiek weg na de tragische dood van Boon. De lyrics zijn minder 'witty', maar vooral het ronduit magische samenspel tussen de gitaren van Boon en Watt laten een leegte achter. Ik snap dat het genre-wise een andere kant op gaat, en duidelijk richting de typische alternative rock sound beweegt die de 90s uiteindelijk kleur zou geven, maar die gedreven (hardcore-)punk sound mis ik toch wel echt. Het is een waardig overblijfsel, dat wel, maar ik zet Minutemen nog maar eens aan. 6,5/10 Highlights: What Gets Heard Time With You
Had hier nog nooit van gehoord maar het spreekt me wel aan. Het heeft de punkyness vanuit de overblijfselen van Minutemen, maar anderzijds de meet folky stukken, bijvoorbeeld in Fastopol. En nu is Folkpunk altijd goed voor mij, dus gaat dit er ook wel in als gesneden koek eigenlijk. Vooral die bass-gitaar van Watt. Wat klinkt die heerlijk blubberig, love it. Vond de tweede helft wel wat minder boeiend. 7/10 Highlights Mas Cojones
Hmm nei
Weird… komisch aber nicht schlecht
fora album koji na vokalnoj i tekstovnoj razini ne obara s nogu, ali zato zaraznim bas-dionicama. mjestimičnom zaigranošću i još nekim cakama itekako pobuđuje volju za naknadnim preslušavanjima
A brilliant mix of folk and post punk ideas. Will be returning to this album and band.
2.8 did you know they're from ohio? faves: riddle of the eighties, liberty for our friend
Track 1: "We've got R.E.M. at home!" From there it felt like this was a band that still hadn't figured out its own style, and should have spent more time in the garage before going to the studio.
Guy on the guitar shreds man holy SMOKES
actually pretty good i dig it
This is a nice little album by a band i hadn’t heard before! I appreciate that it doesn’t seem to follow a specific formula or try to sound like anybody else. I’ve been on a run of really boring Brit-pop so what a relief! Just the contrast almost made me give this a four, but I’m not sure I will really come back to it. It is original but good not great. It would surely be a 3.5 if that were possible.
That was some nice indie rock, but it wasn't unique enough to set it apart from other similar albums. 3.5 stars
This was surprisingly really good, after seeing it was a group formed by members of the minutemen I was skeptical as nickels by the dime was quite mid, butt I can say after listening this is much better than that. The guitar and bass is so much better on this album in my opinion, the drums are good in both but the actual songs I thought were so much more enjoyable. Unlike nickels, this album is very short with longer songs rather than the rather messy many short song style nickels used. I liked many songs on this album but my favourites were the first 2 mostly because of the jangly guitar, the drums solos were a cool edition (my favourite being the second one). I wasn’t a massive fan of some songs though like the third track and what gets heard despite its cool bass line, the vocals just didn’t really do it for even though I think the vocals are consistently good elsewhere on this album. Overall 8/10.
Meh
Hmm... There are some splashes of interesting flavor here, but nothing ever gels... Unsatisfying... Like having a few bites at a buffet and leaving hungry... Disappointing... A taste of honey is worse than none at all...
This was ok. There is nothing here that I would consider noteworthy, or repeatable. I will probably forget about this album in about a week.
From ohio. Hard alt rock
Well that wasn't too bad. As it started, I thought it might be a pass on this one, but as it went further into the album, it got better as it went. Not saying this will be in my daily listening schedule, but it was a decent collection of songs.
1989 again... Easy listening maar echt totaal niet heel boeiend ofzo. Ik had pas bij nummer 9 door dat er uberhaupt iets aanstond. een mooie 3 sterren.
fIREHOSE pra mim sempre são meio esquisito pq parece que boa parte da surtação mais divertida do minutemen vinha do D Boon, mas ainda assim sempre bom ouvir o baixo do Mike Watt
This felt like some garage band but not in a bad way. Raw, unpolished but still good. I liked that he sounded more like rehearsals or bad audio live quality. It’s not a bug, it’s a feature. Nice guitar playing and drums too.
Before this album came up for me, my entire fIREHOSE experience has been Mr. Machinery Operator, Brave Captain, and In My Mind. I bought Mr. on CD in 1993 because a girl I liked said I should check it out. No future became of the girl, but the album is still in my rotation to this day. Anyway, we're taking about Fromohio. It's different than what I would I have expected. I hear a lot of sounds that I am familiar with from the 90's, so I'm guessing this album did have some significant influence on the future of music. Overall though, I liked listening to most of it, but not enough to really come back to it. There's a lot of great music out there and I may not have time for this album again, but I do appreciate the experience.
Pretty fun listen
какие-то концептуальные коротыши вперемешку с хуй пойми чем
Surprised to see this here. R.E.M. lite, from the ashes of the Minutemen. These sketches of songs don't always coalesce, in the way that something semi-contemporary like Frank Black's Teenager of the Year does, but it's a more-than-noble effort.
One of those seminal bands that I don't mind at all. High 2s.
Actually pretty great. Alternative creative rock living room style! Pleasant voices and great drumming!
American alternative rock from the late ’80s and early ’90s usually isn’t my scene, and I’d never even heard of fIREHOSE—or their album Fromohio—before this. Honestly, the quirky way they spell their name didn’t give me high hopes going in. That said, Fromohio turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It’s a genuinely easy listen, with a sound that’s both warm and stripped-back. The production is clean but unpolished in a good way—there’s a rawness that adds charm. The band jumps between blues, acoustic, and rock influences, and each track is anchored by standout drumming that really pulls everything together. The lyrics are solid too—nothing overly poetic, but they suit the vibe perfectly. Favorite track: In My Mind – laid-back and catchy. Least favorite track: Honestly, nothing here falls flat. The album is short, sweet, and full of variety. Album artwork: The cover is chaotic in a cool way—there’s a lot going on, and it matches the band’s eclectic sound.
Jag trodde här har jag ett fynd vid första låten. Tyvärr klarade jag inte av det mer än en kvart
I've never heard of this album or the artist before, but that's quite a unique album cover, although I have to admit that it's a bit on the ugly side. Early alternative rock has been pretty hit-or-miss with me as I've made my way through this list. I really enjoy Sonic Youth, but for some reason, bands like Jane's Addiction and Dinosaur Jr. haven't really landed with me. I have no idea what to expect from fIREHOSE, but let's go to Ohio! I connected with this a little bit more than I did either Dinosaur Jr. album. The first two songs were really great, but the album never did match that high again over the rest of its run time. "Riddle Of the Eighties" had some great guitar playing and vocals, and I really liked how it would stop and start throughout the song. It was a really fun and hooky opening track. "In My Mind" was great too. I loved the calypso feeling of the lead and bass guitar playing. It was an excellent follow up to the opening track. From there though, the album was a bit on the boring side. The guitar playing was really good throughout the album, but there was very little over the last 12 tracks of the album that stood out to me. However, "Time With You" was really good. The guitar playing was fantastic, and I loved the tone of the vocals. Even though I wasn't wowed by this, I still thought it was an interesting listen, and I'm glad I got to experience something a little different today.
A decent listen. Opening track is good and it has two separate drum solo tracks, but on the whole won't last long in the memory.
Funkier, more alt-rock sounding Minutemen? I mean, yeah, it's not Double Nickels On The Dime, but this is more than worth a listen! Strong 3.5*
fine I want to have something good to say about the next one
Short but sweetly melodic.
What in the name of god is this
Fav: In My Mind Least Fav: Liberty For Our Friend Bass went kinda crazy ngl
Quite liked it!
Was not familiar with this band but was surprised at how much I liked it. Great early alt rock. Good guitar work.
A strange little album with a sound that’s hard to pin down, tossing acoustic guitar into a surprisingly textural and atmospheric album that somehow still feels like punk. I didn’t love it but I did enjoy it. Best song: Understanding
Who? The fact that the band stylized their name as "fIREHOSE" rang alarm bells for me, as did the stylized name of the album "fROMOHIO". The longest track is 3m 16s, and the album sounds like a collection of unfinished demo tracks. Musically, they're all over the place, and nothing really stands out or grabs my attention.
First listen. Pretty good music. Surprised it would be on this list though. Not sure it reaches that caliber but I have been surprised by a lot on this list so far.
14 tracks in 31 minutes? Ok, this has to be punk or hardcore - excellent! Yeah, not quite. It’s not bad, not at all, but it’s quite forgettable. It was ok, but I’d have been way happier if it had been punk.
Just a bunch of fun, tight indie with playful drums
Will listen again
Pretty bland and inoffensive. Not "bad bad", but nothing particularly interesting or stimulating. Don't really get how it's on this list, to be honest.
This is a fine album - I disagree that I had to hear it before I died but I'm glad the generator has thrown another album my way that I likely never would have heard of