Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Real cool album. Quality songs all around.
3.5
Not terrible and entertaining at times. 2.5
Real good
Real Life starts out pretty punky and transitions to something more synthy and atmospheric almost on Side 2. Shot By Both Sides and The Light Pours Out Of Me are perfect example of the difference and also highlights. This deserves more listens. 7.4/10
New wave. Ni fu ni fa.
Not bad. I wouldn't exactly call it a world changer, but it doesn't make me throw things.
These English bands all sound the same to me
I did not expect this to end with a cover of Goldfinger. Sure, why not, I guess?
Really good but not great
Fine but redundant and a copy of everything from late 60s/early 70s UK
Some good so far I would skip if they came on; wouldn't put any on a playlist though
I've been struggling recently to keep up with all the albums. Life has fully taken over dominating my free time and I haven't been able to give these albums the proper listen they deserve. I've definitely struggled to be a good active listener recently, and it shows with this one. I didn't remember a lot about this album when I sat down to write this review. I was ready to assume that was because it was forgettable and I was going to say some snarky things about that and call it a day. But when I literally saw my opinion of Roxy Music's "For Your Pleasure" evolve from the start of my review of it to its end, I figured I had to give this another shot. I didn't relisten to the entire thing (I have two more reviews to catch up on after this one), but I gave enough of it a second chance to form a refreshed opinion. This is great. Great energy, awesome bass lines, horns(!), and just a fun punky/new wave sound that really grabs your attention and keeps it. I don't know how I could've had a middling opinion of this one with even a passive listen. I must've been really focused on work or something. There's an air of mystery or just weirdness around the whole thing at times, which really adds to the intrigue of the experience. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Some of the songs overstay their welcome a little, but on the whole it feels timed out pretty well. I dunno. I have a weird opinion here where I really like some of this and would just skip some of the tracks outright. I think what holds it back for me is the fact that the singer's voice is, at times, so aggressively British that I just cannot deal. Three stars, I guess. Standout Tracks: Definitive Gaze, My Tulpa, Shot by Both Sides, Recoil, Motorcade, The Light Pours Out of Me
Was expecting something terrible when I saw Barry Adamson's involvement. But this was actually alright. Not great, probably won't listen again, but still a solid 3.
Billy Idol took some notes from these guys. And then made it better.
80s written all over it. It doesn’t hold hold up well. It’s a bit theatrical for me, but there’s some new stuff that at least holds my attention for a few minutes.
Tout ces albums proto-punk/new wave finissent par tous se ressembler, je me souviens de rien pour être honnête
Impressive stuff honestly
Found this a little mediocre for the most part, but there are a few interesting songs (Burst, Motorcade, and The Light Pours out of Me) that signal a big shift from early punk to Post-Punk.
Very very interesting sound.....need more listens....
Fine.
Unknown to me. Unremarkable to me. A fine sound, but Unremarkable. Except that it has sax. That's always a plus.
Don’t believe I’ve heard them before. Similar to Television
Wild and bombastic. late 70s sound with mega plate reverb on all the vocals and some inexplicably vibrato-ey synths.
A mash up of sounds
Kind of punky
The Light Pours Out Of Me is a great song. Rest is ok 3/5
This was a fun one. I think I this one would grow on me with repeated plays. So far, a strong 3 - had me excited to hear the next track throughout.
Another late 70s/early 80s English band. Ok, but not particularly memorable.
While I think it's a well made album, there aren't a lot of standouts here for me. The songs sound very safe for the most part and don't try anything too crazy, which I feel is a big part of success in this genre. Favorites were My Tulpa and My Mind Ain't So Open
Good overall but can get a little grating in one sitting. Perhaps a victim of this challenge and didn't get as much attention as it deserved.
It isn't art and it isn't mainstream meh
Meh... for some reason it sounds a bit older than when it was actually recorded. I mean it's not horrible but a bit samey. It's sometimes difficult to tell when one song ends and the next starts
Ok
Fine but a little dull after a few tracks.
Cool post punk album would listen again
An album i have no knowledge of - pretty good on first listen , similar vibe to the Stranglers, going to give it another go. first five tracks - great, but less keen on the more punky mid tracks and the cover of goldfinger !
I’m’a bit bored of this
Parit hyvät rallit, mutta sen ohella kosolti mielenkiinnotonta ääntä. Pitänee kuunnella vielä ajan kanssa toistamiseen.
Another brit post-punk/pre-new wave band. Nothing new here but I do like the Clash-esque vocals and the synth beats.
Art rock/post punk record with several great tracks.
Okay album
Musically a 5. Vocals drop it down quite a bit.
Good album. Reminded me a bit of Devi
This is a good example of an early post punk album. You can see the beginnings of 80's rock in here with some of the riffs and melodies. It sounds a bit like if David Bowie was more average, or if the Clash were less punk. It's good, but it's not very unique The mastering and production is great; I liked the guitar tones and levels especially. It's front and center without taking over. The bass is clear and punctuated, the drums are even and the cymbals aren't overbearing. "Shot by Both Sides" is the best track on here, it sounds like a faster and tighter Clash song, which I like. I also enjoyed "Recoil". In general the faster and more aggressive the song was, the better it sounded. On the other end I don't need literal circus music on "The Great Beautician in the Sky" at all, ever. The final track, "Parade" was also a bit of a stinker. An average album with some highlights and some turds. Good enough!
Ok british punk-ish
One of the very first post punk records. Witty and tuneful.
Really struggled with this one. Others clearly love this but I'm not sure I feel the same - maybe because I'm not super in to art rock. Maybe on future listens
meh
Pretty full-on '80s, no? Especially for a '78 release date. It sounds more like bands one would come to like (Jazz Butcher, anyone?) than a band one actually likes. And let's be honest, they didn't exactly work out to be Talking Heads or, for that matter, Television. One likes the edgy, driving guitars – which even seem to chime on "Definitive Gaze;" but things a get a bit too synthy at time and they put a bit too much weight on the songs – too many tempo changes (see the otherwise interesting and likable "Beautician") and perhaps too long. The artier they go, the clunkier it gets (see synths and sax on closer), which is another way they predicted New Wave. "Burst" certainly engages and "Motorcade" (before it speeds up unpleasantly and then slows down a again) seems to foreshadow about 10 different bands that were just round the corner. But lots else are less impactful. Seems as if they were of two minds and neither the punkier thrashers nor the artier-synthier cuts fullly come off. A for effort (especialy in terms of trying to lighten up punk a bit) and or exerting a positive influence on so much good music to come. B-/C+ for effect. They knew what they were doing, but maybe they needed the '80s as much as the '80s needed them. Bottom line: Television is better than Magazine.
I had never heard of this band before pulling this album, but wow. This is a very cool era of music, and a wonderful composition. Kinda seems Bowie-ish? Definitely a gateway into the 80s era of music. This probably isn't going in my rotation but I do have a lot of respect for this record.
This wasn’t bad. Not something I’d put on again, but didn’t hate it.
Context is important. I'm sure that in 1978, Real Life was a wildly innovative record. In 2024, it sounds like a very average post-punk album. The addition of keyboard is both interesting and mildly jarring. The music is perfectly serviceable. But I don't think I'll be revisiting the album anytime soon.
I feel like I should like this more than I do. It's okay.
Reminds me a bit of The Buzzcocks. Some pretty interesting musical sections that on their own are fantastic. Vocals at times fit and other times don’t. Pretty mixed about this one as there were bits that I really enjoyed and bits that just fell flat. 5/10
Fascinating
It seems to be a huge influence on post Punk so it gets 3 from me. However, it didn't really stand out and it had that very typical post Punk voice
3-4
An average post-punk album with some great bits. "Motorcade" is my favourite track. Some songs are a bit generic. The bonus tracks are boring (They don't count). There's nothing to really write about this album. 3 stars for "Real Life".
This was an interesting listen. I'm glad I didn't turn it off with the first bits of synth started in Definitive Gaze. I could hear where some new wave groups would have picked up from them. I was not surprised when Bauhaus started playing right after the final song.
Interesting but not really for me
Glam rock a la bowie t.rex, and definitely punk and new wave.
Not a bad, not bad indeed
Very enjoyable. Had never come across this before. 3.5
Post punk gem. Lots of synths before they became popular
3+
Some sound design choices that are maybe a bit quaint by today’s standards. Had to suspend some 2024 belief to get down with it. But get down with it I did.
Never heard of them before. Pleasantly surprised. Hardly a groundbreaking sound but I quite enjoyed it.
okay
Fine. Don’t see the post-punk label much.
It's nice to discover a band like this that I knew literally nothing about beforehand. Nearly every single 'post punk' album on here I've actively disliked, but this one hits for sure. It's actually cohesive, and the kind of post-punk mania generally works in its favour. I definitely really like the music on here, across the whole album. I like all the different instruments. I like the weird sci-fi synths in particular. I like the energy and drive of the music itself. I'm not a fan of the singing though. Shot By Both Sides is great. Really nice driving rhythms and guitar in there. 3.5 rounded down.
More than many other
Interesting album Standout songs: Shot by both sides Motorcade My mind aint so open
Curious. Not unlike Black Grape.
It's giving post-punk Bowie with a Manchester accent, a little bit. Considering when this came out, it's absolutely a pioneering record. So while I'm impressed with this album to some extent, it didn't move me personally. It could be one that warrants revisiting in the future. I am curious about the rest of Magazine's work; I feel like they could be a good surrogate for The Smiths. Highlights: Shot By Both Sides, Motorcade, The Light Pours Out Of Me
I never wondered what Buzzcocks would sound like without Pete Shelley but now I know.
Ok. Reminded me of very early Cure albums
soft 3 but cant be a 2. was fine, one song had a riff that sounds just like the bruins goal simplified.
They've got a nice sound but can't sustain it for an album
This was an interesting listen. They have a very distinct sound, but I found them oddly similar to the Echo And The Bunnymen album from yesterday. Not really my cup of tea, but a neat vibe. Three stars.
I enjoyed this but I'm not sure I'd listen to it again??
in 5001 maybe
british people :(
Quite liked that. Punky yet melodic and not too whiny
Album 355 of 1001 Magazine - Real Life Rating : 3 / 5 Meh. A good solid 3. Wasn't a waste of my time but probably won't think about it again.
never heard of them before. It's interesting... clean catchy riffs. vocal style is very dated at this point so not something I am likely to listen to again. Would be super interesting to hear Dexter Holland from The Offspring sing vocals in a modern remake. Listen to "Shot By Both Sides" and tell me that couldn't be an Offspring song...
Techno new wave vs post punk. It was ok but not exceptional.
A surprising one. I did not have high hopes when I saw the cover, the year and the genre. The art work is ugly so I was expecting the music to be equally unskilled and unpleasant. But no, they’ve got chops and it kind of drifts around the genres: punk/prog/goth/grunge. First listen I was considering a 5, mainly as a way of book marking it to revisit latter, but no, it’s not that amazing. But then I realised, I don’t really like punk or prog or goth or grunge and while this is much better than I was anticipating, it’s still not anything I’d want to listen to by choice. An interesting discovery though.
Pretty good post-punk album.
Cool. 3 stars
burst
It's OK
good. 66/100
Moderately interesting.
This was some kooky sounding music that had me thinking of the Munsters theme song lol. Overall it was ok.
No idea. Oh. I remember the principle lick in DEFINITIVE GAZE. I guess you could say this is a precursor of electronic pop. So far, I'd rather be listening to Thomas Dolby (SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE; ONE OF OUR SUBMARINES IS MISSING). Right now, song #2, MY TULPA, this is looking at ⭐⭐. The lyric "You can touch yourself any time" makes me want to go play the Tubes' DON'T TOUCH ME THERE. Vocals are punk-ish on SHOT BY BOTH SIDES, with excellent drum and guitar. Seems to have evolved into a more punk-ish album than I initially thought. [So I just learned that this is "post-punk". Meh.] Apparently, this album was influential to several bands I sorta like, so while I don't love any songs, the fact of its influence plus the excellent drums and guitar, I'll give it a reluctant ⭐⭐⭐ __________________________________ 🎧 LPs reviewed: 43 🎧 LPs left to review: 958 🎧 LPs I found great/relevant enough to be mandatory listens (5): 10 🎧 LPs I *might* include in my own list (4): 14 🎧 LPs I will certainly *not* include in mine (1-2): 10
Interesting new wave music. Joy Division style music alongside straight punk albeit musical. Clash-style unattractive singing. A good stepping stone from Buzzcocks forward.
I hadn't heard this so came to it fresh. I thought it was fine, but it's not my bag. It reminded me of The Strangers that my mum used to play to me as a kid
Best post punk album I've listened to on this list so far... Still never listen to it again
it's pretty fun but didn't stand out to me that much
Hadn't heard of the album nor band, I quite liked the melodies and progressions - especially on Shot By Both Sides. Probably not an album I'd listen to again, but enjoyed it enough for its 40 minute runtime.
So so
Standard post punk type gear. Unlikely to be played again by choice.
A kind of kooky bit of punk, post-punk, rock, pop - never heard of this but I had moments of enjoyment.
Pois aprobado pero non me gustou tantísimo, tamén bastante tranquilito.
Gold finger by far the worst part of this album. Otherwise, not bad.
I did this one a disservice as I got busy and listened to it over multiple days..may have been a 4
This is a weird one for me. It's not fitting anything in my frame of reference, and initally I was thinking there were a lot of much more memorable things that came out in 1978 (Elvis Costello, Police, Cars, Van Halen). I'm not a fan of Devoto's voice. It's kind of arty in a quirky talking heads way but then there are bursts of these catchy hooks, but some parts have a gothy feel to it. The sound was starting to grow on me towards the end. I may need to revisit this later and see how I'm feeling about it. Shot By Both Sides and The Light Pours Out of Me are the standout tunes for me.
This is a real unique sound, definitely one to hear before I died. I had to give it a few listens, I felt something amazing just around the corner that I just want getting at first. Unfortunately it never happened. This is good, but didn't reach my heart. Thanks though.
Bridge between and or a mish mash of krautrock, 70s punk, some 80s rock, feels like it came at a turning point. Didn't enjoy it much, but interesting to hear.
I really wasn’t feeling this at first, but this is one of the few albums I’ve had so far on this list that actually picks up in the second half. “Shot By Both Sides,” “Motorcade” (the mid-song transition is fantastic), and “The Great Beautician In The Sky” are the standout tracks. Just an okay album overall, but a few really good songs here.
Does Post-Punk just mean the songs are catchy, energetic hooks, are purposely less polished and less abrasive than traditional Punk but still sung with a punk’s sneer? Possibly. If so, Magazine got the memo. But anyone listening in 1978 might still categorize this as Punk Rock—whatever all those genre terms mean. Maybe the keyboards move it closer to New Wave, farther away from Punk, and that’s why it sounds like a gateway to the ‘80s and what’s to come. “Definitive Gaze” and “Shot by Both Sides” are immediate standouts, and the rest is capably done though not a catchy. Never heard them on American radio back in the day, and they probably deserved more attention listening with fresh ears today.
5/10 Too many muso rock albums on this list! But I liked it more than some of the previous ones. Yes, the 70s influences it took were not my favourite - too much noodling and pomposity - but you could definitely hear they knew where the sound was going. Some of the music was excellent and they could really deliver a melody when they wanted to. Bits reminded me of The Stranglers & OMD. Best: The Light Pours Out Of Me
Weird shit
слишком заунывно, не
#100. This is like off brand music. This for people who played with mega blocks instead of Legos and ate King Vitamin instead of Captain Crunch. Sounds like they listened to a lot of punk music and maybe Bowie growing up, but only through the wall from the neighbor's 2.5/5: this is the Dr. Perky of music
Experimental post-punk. Pretty decent but not outstanding.
Sounded a bit rough at first. Some decent tracks.
I liked it
This is a very unique album. I would not say this would be popular in the mainstream. However, this would be a good gaming opportunity if you’re just lounging in your room or doing art.
To be honest, I liked the vibe here but I could not keep my ears on it. It seems a lot like something I'd like and I'm down with that album cover, but it never got it's hooks into me.
Plucky little album, isn't it? I've heard "Shot by Both Sides" before and I can't tell you where. My guess is that it's in a movie. At any rate, that song is indicative of the others in that I frequently love the music here, but don't as frequently love the vocals. (That's the trend of the week, it seems.) That said, this cover of "Goldfinger" is the shit. Worth a star on its own.
sounded sort of interesting, maybe didn’t give it a fair listen
Easily a 4 with a better singer.
Almost good. Horns and keyboards ruin it.
Definitely a fun and punchy post punk/new wave record. I had never heard of this band, though there was definitely a vague familiarity to them. Certainly probably a likely far reaching influence I was just not aware of. Good listen for sure.
Artistic punk is not what I expected from today's pick, but it's refreshing and something unusual.
agréablement surpris. nice petit album post punk 7/10
December 9, 2023 First time listening to Magazine. Enjoyed this one.
This is pretty good for what it is, but it is not really a style that appeals to me very much, and especially the expressive but ugly vocals put me off.
Some pretty interesting guitar riffs in the songs
That was a pleasant surprise, full of unexpected detail. I'd never heard of Magazine, will probably listen to this album again.
Fun punkish listen, enjoyed more than expected
It was decent. I liked the style overall, but some of the synth sounds put me off, as did the singers delivery. When I try to think of other bands in this genre, The Quick comes to mind. I know they are more punk than this, but I just find them way more charming.
British post-punk. Whatever you’re thinking this sounds like, you’re right.
Está claro que es un album que inspiró a muchos después, no solo contemporáneos ya que a veces suena como si fuera parte de Britpop invasion. Shot by both sides, The great beautician y The light pours out of me.
Shot by both side
Semi interesting Art Rock. Listen once and forget.
Never heard of this. Interesting post punk/new wave rock
I like: Definitive Gaze The Great Beautician In The Sky
I was expecting nothing from this album and it ends up being very fun and enjoyable. +1 on my list of artists I never heard about and discovered through the 1001 list.
Background music, not enough energy
Is this the creepiest album cover yet? It just might be. Friday the 13th and this is giving me the willies. But what's actually hiding within? Oh okay, this is a quirky little oddball delight. I don't mind it at all! I respect the bizarre, I appreciate the offbeat. This is a groovy little gem.
2.5
Not my type of thing
No one song stood out to me.
Meh.
Good!
I really wanted to like this more than I did. With John Leckie producing and John McGeoch on guitar who influenced the likes of Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, John Frusciante and Robert Smith. It left me a bit cold though. Genuinely disappointed
Blev glatt förvånad, utifrån bilden trodde jag det skulle vara bajs men det var bra. Favorit låt: Definitive gaze
Bra lite konstigt album, allt låt rätt samma, men favorit va kanske Burst
Interesting post punk off shook from the Buzzcocks that is remarkablely flamboyant at times.
Decent rock! The singing is a bit too out there for me.
Didn't really stick with me.
Geinige vrolijke muziek. Ik vind het leuk om te luisteren. ***
Mostly a bit oddball but fine. 3.5
Didn’t mind that at all. Quite listenable so 3*
Enjoyed that. Probably just under a 4 star though...
sounds like the influence for violent femmes or stranglers. enjoyed it, not certain how many times I would relisten
Good punk with some truly interesting experimentation with non-traditional instruments for the genre
I liked this pretty well, appreciated the wierdness and the bridge to much new wave and alt-rock. Fair dose of that British alternative male vocalist thing, a little of which goes a long way for me.
I wanted to like this more than I did, its perfectly fine, just nothing really special
The middle got a bit bogged down with filler, but the start and ending were pretty good. I do like to think I like post-punk but it might just be the self indulgence I gravitate to rather than the actual music.
I thought at first this album would be quite bad, the first few songs really weren't good but once you get to Burst and Motorcade it picks up a little and those are good songs. It's a very unique sounding album I suppose for better and for worse but I thought Shot by both Sides was really strong. Give it a listen why not.
Not really sure what to think of this one. I liked it enough but there wasn't any songs that jumped out at me (although the cover of Goldfinger at the end caught me by surprise). But would listen again!
Historically interesting as an a link between punk and new wave. but I didn’t find the music very compelling. Fine but not outstanding.
A little middling. I didn’t hear anything super bold, but it was one that I think could grow on me.
Definitely something going on in this album that is better than I can appreciate. Feel like I need to listen to this a few more times to give it a fair rating but for now I'm just giving it an average score.
Þetta er skemmtileg nýbylgja, passlega moody.
Stark start! Det händer ganska mycket och det känns som det testas lite olika saker, men det är väl inte ovanligt för Post-Punken som jag förstår det. Jag gillar soundet dom lägger fram. Första låten ('Definitive Gaze') har en återkommande melodi från en synt (antar jag) som är riktigt i min smak. Bitvis kanske det blir en aning "körigt" för min smak, där "körigt" betyder att det endast skriks och spelas hårt. Men å andra sidan finns det värre saker än det, hyfsat genomgående har musiken ändå en framåtkänsla, även under "köret". Känslan att stå och stampa på samma ställe når mig aldrig riktigt men vad det är som ger mig den känslan kan jag inte ge ett säkert svar på. Kanske är det för att den variationen jag nämnde tidigare också gör att det inte känns repetetivt? Musik som ger mig denna känsla kan jag i alla fall tycka är väldigt medryckande! Det slängs in lite sliriga gitarrsolon här och var. Inte det bästa jag hört kanske, men ändå oftast ganska passande med resten av bilden som låtarna målar upp. En låt som jag inte riktigt förstår mig själv på är 'The Great Beautician In The Sky'. Först tänkte jag att "äe fan vad oinspirerat och sämst", men sen hände något och det blev plötsligt intressant lyssning. Från en sekund till en annan förändras låten helt och hållet och jag börjar plötsligt gilla låten. Men det sjuka är att det är första delen jag känner mer värme kring, den som jag till en början tyckte var tråkig. Fattar ingenting. En sida sak om soundet är att det ibland påminner mig lite om BD, vilket såklart inte är en dålig sak att göra. Bäst: Tror öppningslåten 'Definitive Gaze'.
Fun art-punk with a lot of energy. At times they sound like someone put The Clash and Talking Heads in a blender. I definitely enjoyed the first few tracks the most.
I really dig the experimental sounds in the first track. The weird panned reverby piano is super cool. I like how it also doesn't linger too long and doesn't stray TOO far from it's original sound. It goes back pretty quickly to the regular track. "Burst" is great and sounds like an edgy Bowie song. Even more so when you get to the end of the track and hear that great haunting repeating fade out. "Motorcade" has a super impressive guitar solo. I really like how foreign and otherworldly it sounds. Hard for me to pinpoint exactly what it does to get this.. I think it's just playing an arpeggio that is in a different key than the rest of the track. That's really unique and right up my alley. I love the pace of "The Light Pours Out Of Me". I think most rock albums should have at least one track like this on it. It's a nice change of pace with a meandering drum and guitar part that just hangs out and lets the vocalist do their thing. Good position in the flow of the album too. Enjoyed this album. The edgy Brit rock sound isn't always my favorite but I had a lot to like in this one.
Great 70s rock. Pleasantly gnarly
Interesting & surprising. Got me hook line and sinker. A bit rough around the edges, but a good thrash. Favourite Track for me was: My Tulpa
Interesting. I can't really see it catching on. But has taken up a bit of time in this flight, so I guess it's all good.
Yeah, I liked this
I had to remind myself that Howard Devoto was a founding member of the Buzzcocks and only recorded an EP with the band before forming Magazine. You can't deny they sound a bit like the Buzzcocks, but more new wave sounding rather than punk. The keyboards and more pop oriented sound help distinguished themselves from the Buzzcocks and they released an impressive debut. When I heard them years ago, it didn't do much for me, but listening now, I like it a lot more than previously.
Proto-post-punk, diggable.
6th June 2023 Listened on the way to meeting Harry at the Park Theatre to see Shape of Things. Enjoyed this, moody and edgy indie punk record. 3.5 if I could.
Meh. Not bad, but also not great. I never heard of this band or album before, and they're OK. 3/5
2.5
probably really different and cutting edge when it was released. now (shot form both sides aside) it sounds fairly tired.
🪭
It's pretty bad, but in this case that's a good thing.
New wave. Ni fu ni fa.
2.5/5
Pas si mauvais que ce que cette ignoble pochette laissait entendre.
Par pitié qu'on ramène une cargaison de coke à Robert, rien ne va plus depuis qu'il est sorti de cure de désintox.
Meh
Pós punk que me agradou pelo instrumental e não incomodou pelo estilo do vocal. Valeu conhecer.
It's your typical post-punk affair, and a little bit derivative. That's the downside of being a genre pioneer, you spearhead an entirely new sound only to get left behind by those you influenced. Oh well. I'm sure this is still fantastic to post-punk enthusiasts. Personally, would've enjoyed the record better if it leaned more into the weirdness of The Great Beautician in the Sky.
OK. Middle of the road.
I see why this would be on a list for influential albums cuz this is straights 80s post punk before that genre was invented. The instrumentals are the highlight of the album. The singing and lyrics are weird af but I can see why some people would get into that kind of sound. Good mix of tracks too with some fast paced buzzcocks type punk songs thrown in with the keyboard heavy songs. I’m hesitant to give this anything higher than a 3 cuz I only got to listen to it one time through but it’s a 3 I’m wanting to listen to again.
Better than Hüsker dü, I fucked with a few tracks like definitive graze and touch and go
Created a pretty cool dark atmosphere. First 3 tracks were some bangers then kinda all fell together for me. I liked it. Another high 3 for me. Heard before: none 😄😄: shot by both sides, definitive gaze 😟: beautician in the sky starts with 3 minutes of carnival music but the second half kinda grew on my ngl. If the rest of the album didn’t already do it, this song is 100% guaranteed to scare the hoes
Decent album. Somewhat jarring. Not 100% certain what to make of it. Might explore further.
114 (generated) / 447 (rated - 2024 May 20) first impressions: You know when you can tell something was supposed to sound "futuristic" but now sounds super dated? This is what the first songs sound like to me. At least the synths / keys. The vocals are extremely...British. The drums do sound somewhat oddly modern but I don't think they were part of the theme. This definitely feels like like one of those weird transition albums that bridge more definable sounds of eras (this one is like...somewhere between New York Dolls and Talking Heads) after listening through: It got better as the album went on. or maybe I just got used to it. post-reading reviews/wiki: I'm impressed with how good I've gotten at guessing recording dates for albums from the 60s-80s through this project. recommended for: People who want to understand the origins of New Wave.
Arty post punk from the man who ditched the pop-punkiness of the Buzzcocks, though a couple of the tracks are still co-writes with Shelley. Occasionally fun, quite often arch. Best Tracks: Definitive Gaze; Shot By Both Sides; Recoil
Idk, this was just okay.
Honestly this sounded like generic late 70s punk rock. Didn't find much special with it - wasn't horrible, but nothing jumped out at me. It actually started out ok but seemed to take a weird turn towards the middle before returning to a better sound towards then end. 5/10.
Post-punk with heavy leanings into punk and some goth sprinkled in. Not bad but nothing wowing me. Favorite track: "Recoil"
I feel like this one will keep growing on me. It's going on my playlist, but so far the only 2 that stood out were Burst and Shot by Both Sides. 6.5/10
I go back and forth with this one, and with Howard in general.
Solid instrumentals but I couldn’t get behind some of the lyrics. I should give this another chance sometime
Some early post-punk in a similar vein as Television. There's a sort of prog-adjacent style to their songwriting which makes Magazine's sound pretty unique, but I don't think it entirely lands for me. There are some great songs on here but the whole thing was just fine. Not bad.
bien owo diría que 7/10
Prima, heb wel het gevoel als 1 op de 3 albums punk is. Beetje griezelig ofzo deze keer
I enjoyed this album much more than I expected to, however, the vocals ruined it for me. Whilst the instrumentation made for an interesting and quirky listen - the flat vocals made everything sound the same. Shame really, it could have been great.
For a band that’s considered one of the best post-punk bands, in a genre that was supposed to be really groundbreaking in the 80s… this sure sounds a lot like what Syd Barrett was doing in the early 60s
This was fine. 2.8
Kiinnostavaa hieman psykehtävää rockia
Can tell it's almost the 80s
3.5
i was definitely kinda excited when it opened up, but this album doesn’t really go anywhere or have much to say. weird that someone would le an the buzzcocks to make something even more droning. definitely not a creative post-punk record looking back at it, but i guess it could’ve meant a lot at the time.
there is a lot of only so-so new wave/punk on this list. meh i get that this was 1978 so it's a tad early but it doesn't do anything better nor does it set up a path for its later contemporaries. meh, again
So many thoughts in just the first 3 minutes here - I love how the album starts - the musical introduction in "Definitive Gaze" - but then the vocals start and ...GAK. It just doesn't seem to match at all for me - at first I'm thinking this is gonna be a cool art-rock maybe moving slightly into a light-proggy realm but now is it punk?? and if so why? Which would be fine I suppose but for me the snotty vocals are ruining what could have been an interesting project. Even just sticking with this opening cut - the dissonance of the breakdown/bridge even has a touch of some Joe Jackson or other advanced new wave. The track would have been a great instrumental. ... Ehh a funny thing happened along the way though after writing those live-ish thoughts. ...I kind of got used to the vocals. And.... hmm. Do I actually kind of *like* this?? It's weird. Kind of wonderfully weird in parts. Not all songs are equal of course :P - there's some throwaway material that just didn't develop into good songs (e.g. "Parade") and the overt punkish songs is just not my bag. After 5-6 minutes I was convinced I was going to give this a 1 or 2 but the weirdness wins out. Holy hell this isn't for everyone and my family was ready to kill me while this was playing but the high points are much more melodic than I'd have expected. I might sneak this in from time to time. 6/10 3 stars.
This is a fun album to listen to, but not as memorable as similar albums of the time. The songs blend together after getting only a little bit into the album. They failed to create something as inspiring as their contemporaries, like the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and the Damned, created time and time again. I'd listen to them again, but not for inspiration. 3/5
Unlike Orange Juice (see 419) this is, for good and for bad, post-punk in sensibilities and outcomes. Which is to say, lest nihilistic but just as (perhaps more) ambitious than punk. "The Light Pours Out Of Me" is the clear highlight; enthusiasm counts for more that songwriting chops 5 days out of 7, so the slightly repetitive vibe of most of this album can be excused on the grounds that the vibe isn't a bad one.
I remember hearing "Shot By Both Sides" on the radio I believe, it's a fun post-punk song for sure. The rest are decent songs but overall not as good as that one. Not bad though.
Some weird post punk stuff
Not the worst punk I've ever heard 2 Might be the best punk actually 3 Ok maybe the best
Ok
it was ok
5/10. This was, perhaps, the most typical album of this list on this list. Decent British rock music with mildly interesting lyrics, a self-indulgent length, and a whiff of circus music.
I actually decently enjoyed the big single and some of the other songs, they’re just so muddy and long. 6/10
3.7 - A solid post-punk new wave sound with tinges of glam. Slinky guitar work and interesting synths. Songs tend to ramble especially in the middle. Standouts: “Shot By Both Sides”, “Burst”,
This album was surprising to me that it was from 2007 and not the 70s
Definitive Gaze: if they let Gerard Way into Mario Kart My Tulpa: ska-esque Shot By Both Sides: neowestern cyberhorse chase Recoil: i dont have anything to say about this really - it justs sounds like a typical "rocky and roley" song Burst: very eighties movie opening credits Motorcade: fun song, i'm really losing steam here The Great Beautician In The Sky: clown carnival came through the boys' boarding school The Light Pours Out of Me: *gemma collins voice* this. is. serious . . . stuff. Parade: clown carnival . . . in hell! Shot by Both Sides (alternative version): crickets.. My Mind Ain't So Open: guys can you quiet down a bit pls thx Touch and Go: whoa that was so george harrison for a second. then it went back to regular Goldfinger: gold named finger:
First part is a banger and the rest feels like it’s trying very hard to be
pretty good Brit rock sound.
IDK, it's fine, I guess? Sounds a lot like what it is which is a watered-down version of Buzzcocks. Not much here, TBH.
Forgettable album of music already included in the first edition of the book.
Surprisingly decent Post-Punk album with a few nice songs, overall though too little to get more than 3 stars
I wanted to like this. I like post-punk and I like what was going on with music in general in the late 70s, but this album just didn’t do anything for me. I didn’t dislike it but I wasn’t particularly into it, either.
i want to love it because of the singularity and ambition but they fuck it up with a lack of great tunes and too much irony
Good album, I enjoyed it.
All new to me -- this band and their music -- and I enjoyed listening to this album. For a 1978 album, it sounds in some ways ahead of its time. I like how my ear sometimes hears the music as punk-flavored, more poppy, kind of rock-ish, at times even 60s garage-band-esque, a little hint of what was to come (New Wave/post-punk), and so on. Shows their creativity and range, at least to my ear. Some real energetic numbers on this album. Bet they were a lot of fun live.
Gaudy, Portlandia skit level absurd but somehow still found a nitche inside my head Catchy at some points Good sound quality
What the hell is going on with the vocals? I fucking hate this album cover as well. I actually like the music but the vocals ruin it for me. Tempo change in motorcade is cool. I want to hate this more than I do.
Another album that's okay, but is not special in any way. You can hear the album is heavily influences by the punk scene from Sex Pistols onwards, but the sound is more modernised, it falls at time into 'pop' shelf. In general, just a little bit before it's times. The aforementioned sound has vocals, that actually bring Sex Pistols back alive. In my opinion, same ton of voice, similar way of singing. Not really my cup of tea. Guitar work is more interesting, there is couple small gems on the album, brave solos, amusing riffs. Problem is that now, day after listening to the album, I'm not able to name any specific song. They meshed into one, rather average record and this is how I'm going to rate it.
Decent album, glad I listened but not sure it will make my regular rotation.
Un bon album, pas trop punk, un peu de pop. je n'ai pas détesté l'écoute. Cependant, ces albums ne me reste pas en tête et j'ai de la misère à faire un vrai critique lorsque j'ai terminé. C'est un peu vide de nouveauté comme beaucoup d'album sur cette liste et je crois que l'époque et le contexte de l'écoute est très important pour justfier leur place sur cette liste. 3.5
I liked the ahead-of-its-time sound of this album. There are definitely interesting things going on. I like the synthesizer in "Definitive Gaze," which was a great start to things. "Recoil" feels really punk. The carnival feel of "The Great Beautician in the Sky" clashes with the slurring vocals. And I very much love their take on "Goldfinger." It did go on a bit and I didn't always love the lead vocal, but overall it was good stuff.
Another just ok from me. Some fun pop synth sounds mixed with punk drum fills but nothing much that grabbed me.
Dobar mi je bio al mi nije ostala nijedna pjesma u uhu
7/1/2022 - ALBUM #155 Today's Album: "Real Life" by Magazine - The Spotify page for this album says the album came out in 2007, when in actuality it was only remastered in that year and the publisher didn't bother to change the date to the actual release date of 1978. Before I knew this, however, I thought this sounded like an actually somewhat decent 80s punk tribute band incorporating new-wave sounds into their overall aesthetic. However, once you know this album came out in the late 70s, it becomes clear how ahead of it's time some of these tracks are. The highlights here all demonstrate some of the incredible synth work that pushes this album above other punk outfits of the time just in terms of its raw sonic power. I think the problem I have with this album is not only that the vocals sort of stink, which they do even for a punk album, but it's actually how the instrumentals sort of degrade over time. There are a lot of moments in the beginning of this album where I really felt like I could look past the vocals like I do with most punk albums and enjoy the instrumentals because they were pretty solid, but by the time we get down the track list to songs like The Great Beautician In The Sky and even the closing track Parade, the instrumentals just feel really cheap and not really well thought through, which is brought down by the fact that the already pretty awful vocals are getting worse at this point as well. It really just feels like a case of a really front loaded album due to poor pacing and planning on the band's part. I really enjoy a lot of the aesthetic and sonic choices in the beginning of this album, but even the more straightforward tracks near the end just pale in comparison. Overall, this is a pretty ahead of it's time and ambitious punk rock album to come out of the 70s, but it just sort of runs out of steam by the half way point and has a hard time covering up it's technical flaws with it's aesthetic. Give this a listen if you like punk and new wave and want to hear an early example of a band trying to combine the two. Highlights: Definitive Gaze, Shot By Both Sides, Motorcade, Score: 6.5/10 An ahead of it's time punk project that gets worse as it goes on
This had an interesting vibe. Can hear the Buzzcocks energy.
Interesting sounds
not too interesting
Good but nothing made me want to listen a second time.
Promedio. Nomas para saber
I was hyped when I saw this come up but I think I like a bit less punk in my post-punk. Still a good listen
Was good but lacked a little umph
Bit weird for me. Some good instrumentals though
Back in the day, local Toronto radio station had the Punk band the Buzzcocks on heavy rotation. But punk fizzled pretty quickly and it was time for something new so bandleader Howard Devoto left and formed the Post-Punk band, Magazine. This album bridges the gap between punk and new-wave nicely with a liberal dose of synths, keyboards, and guys who could actually play their instruments. Since this was their debut their sound wasn't fully fleshed out yet but they still had some good ideas, IMO The Light Pours out of me is the strongest song on the album and should have been released as the single. The rest of the album is pretty decent, but I'm really looking forward to their latter albums which feature their best music, eg Song from under the floorboards and About the weather.
Interesting stuff
I suspect Magazine are another one of those bands where a well-chosen best-of is all you really need as such, but still interesting to hear them at proper album-length.
Shot By Both Sides plus some fairly generic songs.
Perfectly average. Nothing special, nothing bad just pure middle of the road music.
Pretty fun. Not sure if I'll listen again.
This was ok, some good some I sorted of forgot I was listening to anything as I’d lost interest in. Not a classic for me
Unusual in it'd time and space
The album is alright. Interesting cover of Goldfinger.
Enjoyed
I enjoyed it alright at the time, but not enough to actually go back to it. Good punk for sure, though.
On closer inspection, they were one of the bands that ushered in the post-punk era. It has punk, new wave and rock elements, it's mediocre. (5/10) FT: Shot by Both Sides, The Light Pours out of Me
I had never heard of this band before this. Definitely a classic post-punk sound.
Buzzcocks without the teeth. Best track: Shot by Both Sides
better than the virgin suicides for sure
The best of this album IMO: - Parade This album did nothing for me except for Parade, which sounds quite different from the rest of the album. 2.7/5
No stand-outs
Interesting post punk album. P-good at first listen but no song really stood out. Perhaps could use a second listen, but didn’t have time today. 3
As far as art rock goes: enjoyed more than Roxy Music, not as much as Sparks.
Bit of Bowie, Joy Division, and Television influences coming through here. Just ok.
I love the punch of this album but it tails off around Motorcade
Okay jeg er bare ikke vild med punk-rock. Stemmen er irriterende og mixet lyder underligt. Jeg kan godt høre de gode rytmer og melodier men er ikke vild med hele albummet som sådan.
I’m not the biggest fan of punk. This was not my favorite album, but it was listenable.
British rock punk hear influences of bowie and beatles
Pretty groovy. His vocals remind me of Of Montreal. I think I could bob to this again.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: My tulpa, Parade
I really wanted to love it after reading some of the reviews; but I didn't. It just didn't take. 2.6
This was good. I had never heard of this band before. I've heard a lot of bands referred to as "post-punk" and I've never been sure what that means, but this comes closest to making sense as being that genre. It has some remnants of punk but a lot more going on. 3.5 stars.
Liked the intro to the album most. Didn't love the singer's performance / lyrics. Decent album. The review of the album hurt my impression of the music interestingly. The writer touted it as a near-genius level album and I just cannot give it the same credit. It's alright.
Didn't love every song, but it was a good energy boost
Kind of sounds like a punk version of Bowie. Not bad.
Pretty good. Reminded me of bands like the Sex Pistols and Ramones.
Alright album. Probably wouldn’t listen again
A little odd but I liked it. Rock and roll but kind of halloweeny
Pretty good, some of them were a little funny to hear. Overall 3/5
This was a first time listen to a band I do not know. There were some elements that reminded me of other stuff I've listened to, but I can't quite pin down what it is. Another album where I don't have enough context to know why it's on this list. On fist listen, the music was fine (3 stars).
I already have this, but it clearly didn't make a memorable impression on me... It's pretty good though. Post-punk of the kind of slow-burning new-wavey variety. There's strong elements of "punk proper" still here, but also traces of what would become gothic rock, and some vocals & lyrics that foreshadow industrial/neofolk. It's never going to be in my top 10 post-punk records, but still glad I re-listened to it. 3.5
Sonido pptente, no está mal
Was alright, only a couple of tracks stuck with me
First and last couple of tracks were a bit meh but middle section was bangers!
"You always collect your fists When my shadow falls upon your hands You're just giving body heat away But they say you're a nice enough young man" (My Tylpa) ""Why are you so edgy, kid?" Asks the man with the voice" (Shot by both sides) "Sometimes I forget that we're supposed to be in love Sometimes I forget my position" (Parade) Me gustan bastante las letras de este disco, pero se me hace un poco cuesta arriba la música. Too much progresivos para mí.
A punk rock with little psychedelic touch, good but did not stand out for me
Explodes on "Motorcade". 5/10
Not bad
Never heard of this group. This was pretty cool, a good handful of tracks that I enjoyed, but a lot of the rest of it became background noise. Still, great guitar work and good melodies. Seems like the groundwork for a lot of rock that came after it. Favorite tracks: Definitive Gaze, My Tulpa, Motorcade Album art: Looks like a Scary Stories picture with a bit more color. I like it. 3.5/5
Not bad