Reviews (page 10 of 13)
This one was a lot of fun. I usually feel a little limited when rating jazz albums; I don't love the genre enough to give them high ratings, but don't feel it's fair to knock one down solely for that reason. I really didn't run into that issue here. I think the groovy-ness really helped me get into it even if it wasn't my usual style. The frenetic energy of the songs kept me engaged too- it a situation where I was able to visualize the band ripping it up while the songs were playing. My biggest critique of albums I've had with this generator so far is that they lose my interest or have some meh/boring stuff on there, but that really didn't happen with this album until the end. Unfortunately, the last song was a little slow and felt a bit underwhelming after the energy of the first few. Still, very very solid. Overall: 3.5/5
The funkiest of funk
No private spotify session used. Pretty much what I thought it was gong to be, keyboard driven jazz. A little to frantic in some parts, but not too over the top. Some of these songs would work great if you get yourself in a car chase in San Francisco.
I listened to this 3 times and never came away with any discerning thoughts. I think I liked it, so let's give it a 3.5 rounded down to 3. Easily could be a 4.
Herbie Hancock is a name I of course know, but I'm not sure I could have identified anything else about him before todays listen. Really good funk vibes. That's always a win in my book. That said, 5 minutes into the first track, I am slightly concerned it's going to run out of musical runway. This is a great riff, but do I want it for 15 minutes? After the rest of the album, yeah it's fine. Maybe if I was a jazz head it'd be really exciting. But I guess I don't really get it. We had a funky one, then got progressively less funky and more jazzy, but I can't say I understand. 3 stars--I would never mind this playing in the background, but I don't really have much to get out of it in the foreground.
a landmark jazz-funk record, and a full-blown vibe
Listened in May 2021. Jazz funk instrumentals aren't really my cup of tea but it's good for what it is. 3/5
Kinda neat but wasn’t really vibing with it
I dont like this because there are no words and I don't like the sounds. I would not recommend this to someone else because I don't think they will like it. I would give it 3 stars out of 5.
the first song is okay it sounds really weird and i like the sounds kinda its okay over time the song becomes less weird but it was weird in a good way because it sounded good. the next song is the same except it doesn't start off weird and it stays the same kinda but it still sounds the same as the middle of the first song. and the last song is also the same. overall it is okay.
I knew the song Chameleon before listening to this album and I think it has a monumentally funk groove. But even then it goes on for just a little too long, and that's how this whole album feels. It just feels like every song overstays its welcome a bit too much and devolves into something frantic because of it.
A bit invariable but most of the music was good
Prettu good pop, sounds great, but the songs themselves aren't very interesting for me. It wasn't that memorable and I don't see myself revisiting it in the near future. Not a big fan of pop and jazz either. 5-6?maybe/10
More jazz but kinda funky
not my genre but clearly excellent at what it does
Funky but repetitive. Would be an apt soundtrack to a melon bar party at work.
Smooth long jams with interesting solos. Not too heavy
“That song doesn't usually last three hours, but we got into a serious thing.” I don't listen to much jazz or funk music but this seemed pretty exemplary. Some serious musical talent at work here. The first track was probably my favorite. Kinda drifted off after that.
Herbie Hancock always cool. I’m happy I sought out more of his material beyond Rockit. Bringing the jazz and the funk together like PB&J.
Very very 70's easy listening
A couple of the tracks really hit, great blend of jazz and unusual sound-samples. Wish it was a longer album!
Good stuff. Nothing to really come back to but I always enjoy some good 70s funk.
Perfect for a diner or an apéro time
These legendary vamps deserve better solos.
This was cool jazz/fusion. I liked it. It might get a bit too long but it's good.
mir etwas zu jazz-lastig, aber kann man sich zwischendurch mal anhören
One long song that’s a good groove. I was excited to begin with as I marveled at the early funk and its relationship to current popular artists. But by the end I was a little bored. Good use case for this album during a focus session.
smooth
This album digs itself to essence of coolness. So cool that it got boring during third track. Despite its technical excellence I cant give more than 3 stars
This kind of fusion always lingers on the edge. I’m not sure I have the stamina to listen all the way through—but this time, I did. And I kind of liked it.
Excellent groove and bounce right from the get go. It's crazy to think this type of music sounds very familiar, even common to my ears, but this is instead the first time it's been brought to mainstream audiences. Towards the end there was a bit too much technical performance type playing, which doesn't gel with the groove in my opinion. Overall I enjoyed this album a lot and I notice I'm not as allergic to jazzy stuff as I was, say 10 years ago.
That's was some aggressive jazz
3.5 stars. Wish it ended as strong as it started. Man, the funk really elevates what normally doesn’t do it for me.
Used to be obsessed with watermelon when I was 17 Such a sick album I luv
I know this is jazz, but I actually kind of like it (see Darren, anything can happen!)
Jazz for people who dont like jazz
Good jazz album. It’s kinda 70s funk/jazz blend feel. 1001 album worthy: Yes - 50/90
Funky and mad
This is an album that you need to be in a very specific mood for. Id say it was alright, and although this album is iconic, the length of the songs are a lot longer then I'd like. Some songs did do a good job at switching something up mid song, mainly the first 2 songs, while others just kept it the same for 10 minutes straight. Overall, I didn't love the listen, I just liked it. 3.25 Favorite Song: Chameleon Least Favorite: Vein Melter
funky
Interesting but not really my thing!
Heart palpitation inducing shit!
Un álbum muy bueno, excelente introducción al jazz para gente menos sofisticada, como yo. Me da un poco vibes de banda sonora del SimCity. La primera mitad es muy funky, la segunda bastante más lenta, rollo new age. Si el álbum completo hubiera sido como la primera mitad, le hubiera dado más nota. Aun así, un álbum que definitivamente merece estar en la lista y un gran descubrimiento.
This is certainly an album
Pretty cool!
Some good stuff, some boring stuff.
I appreciate what this album is trying to do, but the style is not for me
Listenable but not really my thing.
This is a 2 that goes on forever with nothing really happening if you are just sitting and listening to it full focus, but a 4 as background music with some wine making dinner.
Started out super funky, which ruled! Thrn it went all jazz, which ruled less. It was probably very novel and inspiring, but jazz isn't really my genre at all. Still pretty good though.
groovy
I listened to this 3 times back-to-back and don't remember a note of it after the first track. I only 'woke up' when Spotify started playing its suggested tracks after the akbum finished. It's vey pleasant, but entirely forgettable.
good stuff, nice to listen to
Not my favorite genre, but I do have an appreciation for Herbie's talents. This is good background music for doing tasks around the house or coding on the computer.
Funky, groovy, jazzy. "Sly" got a bit overwhelming/uncomfortable, but just about any good jazz will do that to me. Solid 20 minute start to this album, no notes, just vibes.
I listened to this while making dinner so it all sort of smooshed into each other and I didn't know where one song ended and another started. It was good background music, but nothing life changing. I would listen again and enjoy it, but it could have been many other things.
I'm all for 10 minute long songs but you need to have lots to say and I found myself losing interest. Songs definitely have good moments but also some bad moments when it just feels like "wankery" (that's when you are just fucking around with your instruments without laying down anything sensational). Overall, I like the groove of the songs. Watermelon Man has a cool world music feel. Vein Melter is a great song to get high, sit back and relax to.
This is pretty funky and groovy. Long instrumental songs can be a lot to digest, but they mix the sound up enough that the lengths are tolerable. However, coming off of a long Shaft soundtrack yesterday is making me a tad less tolerant. Need to compartmentalize here though! Really liked the funk of Chameleon, it was my fave of the album. The wooden flute in Watermelon Man is cool too, and I can get down with the piano jams in Sly. Vein Melter got slow and I was kinda over it at that point. Overall, I dig the vibe and the jams, but this isn't really the type of music that moves my soul.
Much flute, much meme potential, much DU DU. DUDUDUDUDU.
Good if in the right mood. Prob good for in te car
Chameleon goes on far too long, and should have started from the second half. Watermelon man does better both in sound and length. The following tracks are less inspirational, but a welcome change in tone and tempo. Overall, I regret to say, that although I once enjoyed the first two tracks, I now find myself feeling like I was "on hold" for the council, and was increasingly aware of how long they'd had me on hold, wondering whether I should put myself out of misery and call back tomorrow. Maybe more indicative of my grown impatience than anything else.
I can imagine this would have been great fun live. Thought it started stronger than it finished.
While I enjoy it for a little, and it is interesting, it’s just not the kind of music that I listen to more than once. With that being said, I think I can hear the genius in it and can appreciate what he did. If I could give it a 3.5, I would. Instead, I will round up because I think this deserves it.
It's Herbie Handcock, not John Handcock
Ca zouke un peu mais les solos de jazz c'est décidément un poil relou
Jakas ogolna zamulka i w ogole mnie to nie porywa. Chyba mam ogokne znuzenie sluchania muzyki.
É bom mas me deu uma bad trip depois de um certo tempo
I can appreciate it, but it isn't really my cup of tea.
-Probably also around a 7/10 for me with high highs and lower lows than David Bowie - Aladdin Sane before this (see below). - It´s cool to have this as my second random album of 1001 after having known Rockit through my dad - I think it´s a synthesizer on the first song and I have heard Hancock is known as a pioneer in that area, crazy for the 1970s -VERYYY jazzy and smooth, great for listening in the background -LONG songs, might be some of my longest in the collection, I thought Chameleon ended halfway through for a second lol -Some parts remind me of the Persona videogame series soundtrack, although I am certain it is the other way around XD -I loved Chameleon, Watermelon Man wasn´t for me -Sly was ok but I prefer Veign Melters bassline -REVIEW FOR PAST ALBUM December 30th 2024 (Start): Only because I missed it there I wanted to add that I generally enjoyed David Bowies Aladdin Sane, it felt like the right length and a good mx. Time has a great message (which could also be linked forward to Persona 5s loading screen lmaooo), Panic In Detroit and The Jean Genies (country-rock idk?) vibe are great! Might be a 7/10 for me.
This is another that is not for me. I just don't like the funk. It's not a bad album, and I did appreciate parts of it and never found myself hating it, but I have no interest going back to it. I'm glad it didn't go too long, though, which keeps it at a 3 for me instead of lower.
This was fine, but felt like a really slow way to start the day.
I enjoyed it. It's the kind of jazz I tend to like.
Solid Lofi type music. Very forgettable though. 3/5
Initial thought: Oh no. 1973? Strike one. Jazz? Strike two. Sigh. Let’s get to it. Actually, it’s pretty damned good. Turns out maybe I just don’t like trumpet jazz? Or maybe this is just cream of the crop. Either way, pleasantly surprised, and a solid 3.5. It got a little weird in spots. Not cool weird, but cringey 70s weird. That keeps it from a 4, but overall it’s nice.
Perfect by the pool, and encourages a deeper exploration into Herbie’s career. I’m not sure this music will ever be the mood for me … but it certainly helps contribute to one.
Det var ikke helt min kop te, dog var det et stykke musik som man ville kunne dykke ind i hvis man havde mere styr på musik komposition. Det har jeg ikke endu. Jeg ville geren lytte til det igen, måske bare en af sangene, de var lidt lange hvilket gjorde at jeg let tabte opmærksomhed på musikken da den var ganske monoton.
Good.
I appreciated the musicianship but not always the music. Any 30 second span in isolation was amazing. Strung together, I was ready for the album to be over.
Fantastic background music while cleaning the house or working. Not something that is going on an everyday playlist.
I was very excited to finally see another jazz album pop up but then was immediately disappointed. Why did it have to be this one? I love jazz and I like Herbie Hancock but jazz fusion is another thing. I'm not much of a fan of electronic jazz and would choose acoustic jazz over it every time. At times this was a groove and an interesting listen and at other times it was tedious and meh. Look to his earlier works, Takin' Off, My Point of View, Empyrean Isles, Maiden Voyage or Speak Like A Child. 2.5/5
This was actually pretty cool sounding
Very interesting jazz/funk mashup but only in small doses for me
I like it although with only 4 tracks it does sometimes feel a little self-indulgent in the solo licks. I would have preferred a real rather than electric piano but I hear how this fits in with the other sounds. Some really cool sax playing and, while being self-indulgent in places, it never gets boring with a organic development of the arrangements and playing. Lacks a little "sparkle" for me.
Not really for me. It kind of sounded like a weird electronic jazz alternative. I'm not coming back to this.
This cover is already 5 stars on its own.
Fun and groovy but for 40 minutes straight? same baseline for 15 minutes? Not really sure how I feel about the whole thing so far, especially since a lot of the sounds felt a lot more like noises than something actually cohesive. High highs and low lows, will give bonus points for creativity
My only experience with Herbie growing up was his incessantly played 1983 hit “Rockit”, which was all over MTV. Interesting that this album pre-dates that by 10 years, but was clearly laying some new foundations for jazz fusion. There were even moments that had some prog feels, and yet it’s just jazz to me. But not the jazz I’d seek out. Fine to listen to, but nothing much else to grab onto.
Very inoffensive album, I have a hard time feeling too strongly about anything on here. Listenable, but pretty timid as far as jazz goes.
I feel cooler for listening to this. Nice background music and a nice jam. 4 songs 41 minutes 🤣
Herbie Hancock… one of the framers of the constitution and great jazz pianist. I wanted to like this more than I did. More accessible than most jazz we’ve had thus far but still didn’t really land for me. 3/5
Répétitif mais étonnant
Very cool sound but repetitive. I like it but was kind of disappointed to tell you the truth. Good for a listen once in a while 3/5.
Not bad, a little too long. Would give this 3.5 stars if I could, but we do whole stars only here.
Herbie Hancock has done things that I really like. But there are also some pieces where my musical understanding just isn't enough. I just find them exhausting. It was the same with this album. I found the first two tracks great, the last two rather difficult. As good as the whole album may be, I won't be listening to it again any time soon. 3/5
Wow, that was a trip. It's jazz through and through, with all the various instruments weaving their melodies together in a chaotic swirl of sounds. You can definitely hear the funk influence in the bass and punchy drum parts. If you like jazz-fusion, this should be right up your alley. Personally, while I found it interesting, I probably wouldn't seek it out to listen again, though the musicianship is undeniable.
He’s clearly talented and the songs are well done. Fine background music. Not really my thing though. Glad for the listening experience, but, next…
Chameleon is groovy af
Funky kong type beat Track reviews: Chameleon - Pretty funky, cool motif throughout Watermelon Man - tribal ahh???? The didgeridoo or whatever was integrated pretty well. Worst track, but not far behind. Sly: Best track on the record imo, really liked how it was able to contain everything it had going on at the end (unlike some certain street preachers) and tie it all together in the finale Vein Melter: Slower vibe was a nice way to ease back in from the album's narrative climax in Sly and round off the album Also the beetle fella on the album cover looks like if hollow knight nailsmith was a jojo stand. Maybe he just looks like a jojo stand. On the higher end of the "high-quality background music ergo 3" gang.
Not the kind of thing I'd ever really listen to but I didn't mind it
Jazz fusion. A 1970's cop show score. Long for my tastes and delves into elevator music territory at times (I am ok with that) I can hear the influence on so many musical styles, but ultimately this album is not for me.
This album was good. I know it is iconic and Herbie is legendary but sometimes I feel that the songs go on for a little too long, however, it was fun to listen to. "Chameleon" and "Watermelon Man" are iconic but to be honest, "Sly" was my FAVORITE. This is an enjoyable album to have in the background as you do other things. Favorite Songs: "Sly" and "Chameleon"
An instrumental jazz/funk album with just 4 tracks. I enjoyed it but I wasn't overly enthusiastic about it. Sometimes it gets to be a little much (but only sometimes).
Four song, 41 minute album. I wasn’t expecting much, but it was actually a decent listen for an instrumental, jazz album. I could listen to this again.
6/10 cool, cool, cool. yep. 11-1-2024
The Funk/Soul bits are amazing, the Jazz bits I don't find hip. Middle of the road for me.
Song I liked the most: Sly Song I liked the least: Chameleon (liked the start of it but it lost me in the middle) Actual rating: 3 stars. I wouldn't be mad if someone put this on to play, but I wouldn't chose to play it myself
Listened Before? N Yep, 70s jazz. Too bad the porn industry decided to make this style of music into "porn music" because that's all I can think of when listening. It was okay. Not really a fan of the long jam style here but it works alright. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Chameleon
Not bad. Sometimes it's nice to have a little instrumental music.
A neat Electric Jazz record mixed with Funk and Rock, though it does eventually feel repetitive and long. I think it works as ambient/background music, but not a record I could just “sit down and listen to”. Favorite track: Watermelon Man
im hintergrund la laufe gid es schöni stimmig, aber es bar sequenze sind au ahstränged biz zu vollglade. De ganz jazzi ihfluss chund au recht smooth übere. pörf zum chöne entdecke und is weekend glyde. De neduzen gid ihne de: ‚good to know’ und ‚will listen somewhen again’ award. Knapp an 4sterne verbigsäglet Ps: Geil dass es nur 4 songs sind, defür langi
Interesting album. I particularly like the weird syncopation with the flutes in "watermelon man". It's definitely a departure from my typical 2-4min lyric-heavy tracks, but something that I could be happy growing familiar with
Boooooooorrrriiiiiinnnggggggggggggg
pretty funky
loved 1st song. rest meh
Still holds up!
Funky, don't often listen to instrumental
I enjoy how frenetic the record is. Rarely drags, which is pleasantly surprising for jazz. I wouldn't necessarily choose to listen to the album again though. Watermelon Man was my favourite.
This was pretty decent! Much better than I expected it to be, given that jazz isn't usually my thing. Think a strong 3.5
groovy
Funky stuff! I liked the first songs more then the last
I liked Headhunters, it's funky, it's jazz made more accessible in that way, it's quite catchy, lasts a bit too long with some repetition that loses your attention but most of it is a very likeable jam, high 3 maybe low 4.
This was fun, a nice, funky but relatively chilled listen. Maybe a bit too much repetition in places, but a very nice easy listen. A high 3/5.
I was a little taken aback when first seeing that this record ran 40 minutes in length with only four songs. Right from the jump I could see why “Chameleon” is one of Herbie Hancock’s most popular works. The whole song is built on an infectious groove with a variety of keyboard improv galore. I was disappointed a bit that there was no guitars to be found on the album at all. Seems to be more of a passive listen. The songs display cream of the crop jazz-fusion musicianship, but as with buy and large instrumental compositions, a lot of it is not necessarily memorable to non-jazz enthusiasts, including myself. Sly was my favorite track.
Alright
A good blend of jazz, funk and rock. Fairly typical of 70's jazz fusion albums. Enjoyable listen. That said, I'm not a fan of 7,8,9+ minute songs that drag on, so that drops this one to a 3/5 for me.
I liked it a lot better than I usually do with jazz music. The first track was a great fusion of funk and jazz; it's my favourite. 3.5 stars
More fun to skip through than to listen to.
I haven't heard this album before. Good album. Not something I'd listen to often.
Good but not ny thing. Nothing that I could hold on to.
Incongruously, this made for good background music while driving around the south of Iceland. Not something I would normally seek though.
Not as iconic as his famous movie score, but relatable and enjoyable. Probably not a go-to for me, but I did enjoy it and nothing here I didn't enjoy.
Awesome, fun, groovey jazz music. 3.5 stars
funk
I listened to this in the background with a lot of other stuff going on (Currier dhall) but I liked the funky jazz!
I really like this music! But I think it suffers from being on an album. This stuff just has to be heard live.
A pleasant enough album not one I would listen to alot
herbie hancock loves to lie.
«Ya like jazz» Well, yes and no, thank you Mr Seinfeld. Or Barry B. Benson or whatever. I enjoy ambient jazz for example, with its slow and quiet melodies, perfect in the background while a small group converse. Or big band jazz with its grandiose and larger-than-life sound boasting through the room. And then, there is this. I went in, not knowing who either Herbie Hancock or what a Head Hunter was. (That’s a lie, I have read Jo Nesbø) I put on the album and was intrigued by the synths and the building of the music. Then, when the instruments had jammed a bit, I waited for the vocals… and I waited But the moment never came. Okay sure, that is the kind of album this is. It’s instrumental jazz. And that is fine. But I just kept thinking “this part would be great with some vocals”. Instead the instruments do the job the vocals usually do. And there is many great solos by a lot of different instruments on this album. To write music for so many instruments is impressive in itself. I like most of if not all of these solos. But then there’s these parts where there are too many instruments playing at once, these parts often get chaotic and sometimes even wearying. So yea, I like to think that I like jazz, but sometimes, it just gets a bit too… jazzy, I guess? See you next time Jerry! Favorite tracks: I like parts of all of them, but I mean they are just so looong. The start of Chameleon and most of the second half of Sly. 5/10
Not really my thing but I can appreciate the musical skill behind it. Initiatly I wasn't interested, but as I listened I quite enjoyed what I was hearing. It probably deserves another listen but I probably won't get around to listening to it.
I don’t particularly care for jazz, but this wasn’t bad.
Restores my faith in funk.
First time for Herbie. Cool, funky jazz but halfway through everything started to sound the same
I was watching The Grammy Awards at my parents' house some time in the late aughts, and at the end of the ceremony, Herbie Hancock won the award for Album of the Year. When he was announced as the winner my dad turned to me and asked "isn't that the guy who did the music video with all the mannequin parts back in the eighties?" And that's all I know about Herbie Hancock. I've been pretty lukewarm on most of the jazz albums I've reviewed, because I'm not super familiar with jazz, and I have no clue what to listen for, but this album sounds like it might be more aligned with my musical tastes. There's only one way to find out! Well, I really wanted to love this album, but I thought it was just fine. The blending of funk and jazz created a really unique sound, and the whole album was really interesting. The arrangements were really good, and all of the instruments and funky sounds worked really well together. The thing that made me not enjoy this album so much is that it was A LOT to take in. I'm not averse to longer songs on principal, but this album was just tough to digest because so much was happening on each song. There were parts of each song that I liked, and I enjoyed the structure of the songs, but the songs felt like they stretched themselves too thin in a sense. Still, this was an interesting album, it just wasn't my cup of tea. We'll always have "Rockit" though, Herbie.
Easy listening, fun enough
Une exploration, semble très délibéré et réfléchi, pas hermétique, mais certainement rébarbatif à certains moments
big3
*put on album* *listen to album* ... Jesus Christ, am I still on track one?
***An ok, short album
Super fun, weird and chaotic. I've heard the name lots before so nice to hear some actual music of his.
Short but sweet.
not bad but not really my thing
Jazz moderno
Extended jazz solos aren't really my thing. It was funky though.
Pretty nice
As usual with jazz records I enjoyed it for a bit, nodding along with the funky beats, but it's not my favourite genre (on record, I like it live) 3 stars because I got bored in the last track and probably won't listen again, but appreciate the talent of the performers
great instrumentals but I dont realy love the tracks ending
This was fine
I didn't enjoy the thingy at the end of watermelon man. was mostly good but if I was paying attention its bc something stood out and not in a good way. I just am not an enjoyer of instrumentals like this.
very trippy 1970's feel. felt very experimental.
Passed me by peacefully
funkier jazz, didn't hate it but didn't want to listen to anymore after 3 songs and there was still 1 left!
Long songs, but only 4 and funky. First couple were good for a bop, and brought a smile to my face during a meh time. Jazzy. Favourite song was probably Vein Melter for its percussion and chillier tone.
Decent. 3/5
Very cool melding of funk and jazz, I really enjoyed this.
not the kind of thing i’m going to slap on for fun but it’s skillful and accomplished
Doesn't give me anything, quality musicians at least
Cool ideas, but didn't always feel connected
Прикольная непонятная хренатень, которую интересно послушать один раз. Вызывает позитивные эмоции.
Funky, but with almost 60's-style synth. 11mins in and still just instrumental? Well this music is definitely different from "Rockit"...
song titled watermelon man. enough said. she hand on my cock till i Herbie
6/10, забавно
2024-07-12...
Smooth
Mostly fun 'n' funky jazz-fusion, if a little long-winded in parts. The highlight was the intro/outro to Watermelon Man, which sounds like exactly the kind of music I'd expect the yellow-headed chap on the cover to make.
Interestingly funky and jazzy. Every time I got to the point that I thought a song was getting boring they changed it up. I can't help thinking that editing the songs down so that I don't get to the point of thinking that it's getting boring would be advantageous though.
I liked it at times. Gets a bit cacophonous for me at other times. Enjoyed it more than a lot of jazz I've listened to on this project.
Not my favourite genre. Harmless enough, a bit muzak-y and with a tendency to be unfocused
Idk what it is with my generation and our attention spans but 15 minute songs make my butt itch. I recognize it’s great music and it sounds good but my brain (and ears) can’t sit and listen to a song that long. So I guess this rating is more for myself than the actual project 😂 Edit*** I made it to the end of the 15 minute song and that shit ended with some pizzazz (or pijazz if you will) so I’m upping my rating
Eh
It was fine. Jazz with a funk beat. Some "spacey" moments. I'm not a huge jazz fan, but I like it in the background while I work sometimes. However, this was too frantic and upbeat for that. Still not unenjoyable.
Pretty unique, quite amazed I haven't heard of them before
It was okay. 2 songs were too long for me, as I'm not really into jazz. The album cover alone gets a star.
Ok
Not awful but not great. Started strong then I got bored.
I liked "Watermelon Man" a lot, but the rest of the songs were unmemorable to me.
Easy enough listening. Nothing special.
Not my music but intuition tells me it was well written for the right audience
This album reminds me of the past. Chameleon, a more than 15 minutes long jazzy bass theme (not on bass guitar but clavinet?) with keyboard/synthesizer and saxophone. This could drive one of my housemates crazy. Watermelon man. When I am listening now I still think Herby Hancock is funky, bur I am missing something (a voice, a surprise, lyrics), although the instruments do have a talk in Watermelon Man… Sly; It is jazz, it is a bit Santana in the percussion and freaky. Vein Melter is wonderfull on the keyboards, the baseline, the reverb, a really jazz funk dreamscape. Maybe the pieces are (too) long in these impatient times. I am now going to llisten too Hancocks earlier album that maybe was before he was more mainstream funky jazz. And via via I found the new album of Nubiyan Twist. Exactly the kind of funky jazz I need anno 2024!
Great musician, great album, but I’m not much a jazz fan
To experimental and repetitive, otherwise a good background track.
Jazz
Funky but a little over the top at times
There is a whole lotta funkadelic musicianship here that I can't even pretend to understand. All I can say is that it sounded cool and groovy while I was listening and I enjoyed tidying up my emails while it played through 3 times. So, that's a 3 from me dawg.
It was a very interesting listen. Some jazz, R&B, fusion, blues, techno..... And for 1973 this was way ahead of its time. A lot of it sounded like a Beck album without the vocals: 20 years before Beck put out Mellow Gold. This isn't really my thing. But if this were on in the background, it wouldn't bother me.
Prachtig instrumenteel zeker eerste twee nummers
A curious one. Interesting but not one to listen to again. 2.5
Not much of a jazz fan, but didn't mind this. Didn't fall in love either, I find jazz does tend towards self indulgent. Loved the sound of the clavinet, that was the highlight for me.
Chill, funky jazz album. Enjoyed this more than I expected, a pleasant start to my 1001 albums journey. I'm not a jazz fan but if I was then this might just be the first thing I listen to!
instrumentally speaking great album with great musicians. To listen in a bar while sipping whiskey
solo instrumental, me gusta que es corto dentro de todo y va cambiando las vibes a medida que avanza, el principio me recuerda mucho a la musica de la pelicula gatsby, una gran fiesta de los años 20 y termina casi sonando como una peli de terror
funky
I think you had to be there.
Funky.
Hmm...I'm not quite sure how to rate this album. It has four lengthy jazz-funk instrumentals, each of which sort of noodles away without really being particularly engaging.
How can I explain, you ever have a destination in mind and you kind just meander around too much and forget where you're headed? Thats what this, if you love jazz and funk you'll like it but it just spends too much time exploring, if that makes sense.
Some groovy things on this album but I found a lot of it… annoying? Just the sounds and notes he was playing were very grating at times. Also a friend convinced me to see Herbie in concert once and it was the worst show I’ve ever sat through so that might be colouring my view of this album
Listening to this you can hear the influence it had on the Beasite Boys, so obviously, I dug it, though I did feeling like I was the sidekick in a Blacksploitation movie. Chameleon was the key track for me, and I vaguely remember our high school band teacher attempting to have us play this. Overall, I’d listen to this again
5/10. An alright jazz album to listen to
Chameleon - 4 Watermelon Man - 3 Sly - 2 Vein Melter - 3
Chameleon - 3.6 Watermelon man - 3.4 Sly - 3.3 Vein melter - 3.3 3.4
5/20/24 S Tier—————————5 A Tier—————————4 B Tier—————————3 Sly Chameleon Vein Melter Watermelon Man C Tier—————————2 D Tier—————————1
I enjoyed this album immensely. I am not an expert on Jazz, Funk, etc., but It is impossible not respect the craftsmanship and craft on every musician involved on this album.
cock. un jazz bastante interesante y divertido
Sounds like I just listened to a man having sex with a trumpet for 45 minutes... intense.
Cool, funky jazz. I like the first song quite a bit, but I don’t think I listen to enough jazz to really appreciate this
Weer Jazz achtig dus weer drie sterren. Wel leuk, niet fantastisch
Never loved this album much, but enjoyed it this time more than I expected.
ho appena realizzato una cosa. mi piace il jazz. sono shook to the core.
When I was a kid, Rockit was my favorite music video. I can't even hear the song without seeing it. And that is all I knew of Herbie Hancock for a long time until I found out he was a very well respected jazz musician. This is the first time hearing one of his albums, which came out the year before I was born. For someone who doesn't love jazz, it's decent jazz. There were some annoying things like the (I think) slide whistle in Watermelon Man and the repetitive beat in Vein Melter. I liked the craziness of Sly. Overall, 3/5.
You have to be in the mood for fusion JAZZ.
Good
Gets a little weird at times
Groovy
It's okay, but not even the best version of Watermelon Man, I'd say.
Yeah, this was pretty good.
This was a new experience for me. The only Herbie I had experienced before is Herbie: Fully Loaded. I was expecting this album to be conventional jazz (or what I consider to be conventional jazz) with a saxophone, piano, drums, and an upright bass. I was surprised to hear how electronic and funky it was. My musical palette is not well developed for this kind of album. I have a hard time listening actively, and it largely fades into (enjoyable) background noise. I liked what I heard, but I'd never put this on when I am trying to actually listen. I'd put it on as I do work, or have some atmosphere around my house. I liked Watermelon Man the most. Sly gave me anxiety. I know this album is not a 3 star album, but I'm going to give it a 6/10 purely based on my enjoyment. I am not a jazzman. 6/10
Good jazz funk album. No lyrics allows me to focus on the task at hand when doing other things. A great introductory album.
41 minutes long and only 4 songs? This could be special. That said while the tracks are enjoyable enough there doesn’t seem to be a coherence that joins them together. As such, while I hate giving out 3* ratings as it’s the ‘meh’ score, that’s what this one’s going to get.
Funk jazz hybrid. *(More funk than jazz!) Engaging. 1st side better than second.
A very pleasant groove
I hadn’t heard this before. I liked it and may give it another listen sometime.
Nr. 154/1001 Chameleon 3/5 Watermelon Man 2/5 Sly 3/5 Vein Melter 2/5 Average: 2,5 Didn't really care for this album.
“Chameleon” has so many memorable melody lines.
Enjoyed this listen, good background music.
good time
A bit more funky than some the previous Jazz albums, didn’t mind it. Simpsons: Yes
The album art looks like the little guy from Robots! Crazy that each song is 10min long. I don’t listen to much jazz, but I liked the techno aspect of the keys, that really saved this album for me. After so much dude rock, this album was refreshing. Good stuff!
This is a very fun album, groove is off the charts. I don't know enough about jazz to critique is properly but I certainly enjoyed it. Album cover is awesome. Fav songs: - Chameleon - Watermelon Man
So I read some of the reviews for this album on this website before listening and I was expecting something life changing. Not the case. This funky jazz was fine, but not 5-star, MUST-HEAR great, as a lot of people have expressed. Some obviously talented musicians put these pieces together and it was worth a listen, but I wouldn't say I'd listen to it again.
I'm sure there's something genius going on, but it's lost on me
yeah sure i get it, it's great, but it's not for me
Chill but not my vibe
I feel like I would have enjoyed this way more if marijuana was involved during listening.
I liked how different this was, but it wasn't really my thing. Kept me interested though. 3/5
it’s giving elevator music
Busy
Cool, groovy, wild.
Groovy!! How did I not know Herbie Hancock is from Chicago? Cool cat and a very smart dude. Even though this wouldn't one of my desert island picks, I love the creativity and experimentation on this record. After it played on Spotify, the algorithm thought I'd like the Budos Band, and the algorithm was right! Much more accessible than Herbie and super cool! https://open.spotify.com/album/7Gu0cy8nMC6Uk10PsdAHXd?si=IQ_JUYZJRNW0uOrkh3Mqqw
First track - It's very pleasant to listen to, perhaps in the background, but nothing really stands out. Second track - the scat singing or flute, or whatever that is in the beginning, is amazing. The way this track progresses puts a smile on my face. Third track - and we're back to the merely-pleasant background music. I love the way it speeds up and become almost chaotic a minute or two in, though. It screeches like a beast! Fourth track - Doesn't live up to it's name XD. Some devastating keyboard sounds but nothing more to it than that. Overall - I see the appeal, but it's not my thing.
Good by feels dated.
Good but cant take that type of music for 40 minutes
джазовые треки клёвые, фанковые вообще не зашли, в среднем норм)
Originally only knew this guy from his song Rockit which is very different from this album. It started off strong but ended poorly
Pretty good!
Weird time for Jazz. Groovy for sure but not sure if I want it to be jazzier or funkier.
Jazz, flott, 1973 -> 3
Herbie Hancock is an inspired keyboard player, with an extensive career in jazz, funk, fusion, and electronic music. Head Hunters was a breakthrough album for him, which brought his jazz/funk fusion to mainstream audiences. The album includes four long tracks, which wind through composition that sound as if they arose out of improvisation session. The songs are centered on Hancock's impressive keyboard work, and he's supported by a talented jazz band. These are interesting tracks, like "Chameleon" and "Watermelon Man," and makes for a good album, but perhaps not a great album.
This went a lot harder than expected. I was naively looking forward to a pleasant rendition of Watermelon Man but got the full Jazz Odyssey in its place. Entertaining, but quite a spooky accompaniment to working late into the night alone in an empty office. Weird noises and some unpredictable banging high in the mix. Not sure I'd rush to listen again in different circumstances, but I can feel the quality
Al de hele dag loop ik Watermelon Man te fluiten, nog voor ik maar één toon van het album geluisterd heb. Blijkt het uiteraard niet de versie te zijn op Head Hunters, maar die van zijn debuutplaat. Dat is even bijkomen. Head Hunters is natuurlijk een masterpiece van de fusion van jazz en funk. En hoe dat klinkt hoe je perfect in het verschil tussen beide "Watermelon Mannen". Al stoor ik me aan het gefluit op dat bierflesje, dat had Herbie achterwege mogen laten. Hoe dan ook is Head Hunters is heerlijke luistersessie met opener Chameleon als hoogtepunt. Shout-out naar Sly Stone voor de #inspiration. Highlights: Chameleon Sly
Fun, but long and a little repetitive
henti þessu á þegar ég var að elda. Game changer að hafa djass í eldhúsinu. 3.5/5.0
Herbie alltaf grúví.
If you're looking for a prog funk-jazz fusion, this is probably the place. Chameleon is funky, fun, and certainly is the most accessible; the album seems to get more esoteric and experimental as it goes on. "Watermelon Man" is a bit of a jarring transition with its African inspired intro, but it settles into a much more western vibe that honestly wouldn't be out of place in the background of Peanuts special. I'd bet money "Sly", or at least a section of it, has been used over an extended Blaxploitation chase scene. "Vein Melter" has more of an X-rated cartoon scenery vibe, but both are very much 70s time pieces. Oddly, I hear some echoes of Nobuo Uematsu's FF6 in some of these pieces, maybe he is a fan? Head Hunters is a cool album with virtuosic instrumental displays, but for me there's not a lot to come back for either.
Good background music
Weird. In a positive way.
One of the quintessential jazz-funk fusion albums. I like a lot of funk and I can do some jazz, so I enjoyed this. The tracks are long and super jammy and they clearly know their way around their instruments. This type of album is really unlikely to reach a 4 or 5 from me, but it's a solid 3 that I could see throwing on for chill vibes. Highlights - I dunno man, it might as well have been 1 super sized track for me.
This was a soothing album to listen to and made for some great background music. I appreciated the 'jamminess' of it.
Cooltrea
Liked the good elevator music portions, some of it was not up my alley don't really know anything about jazz, should listen to some more
Ewww
I like Herb
Great album, but for some reason one that I'm not into
I really liked the fusion of jazz and electronic. While I'm sure it was groundbreaking in 1973, it isn't much more than good background music now. If I was trapped in an elevator for 45 minutes, I'd love if this was the soundtrack, though.
I don't know if it's because I've had a string of terrible albums lately, but this was downright pleasant!
Starts well but gets a bit too jazzy for me, was still ok though
Nice album
Solid jazz album
Nice and interesting, but this style of music is not my personal favorite
6/10
Opener was awesome
Hectische shit
It sounds like good background music especially at a restaurant. The only complaint is that he could have broken up each of the songs into another. I say that because they all changed style at some point.
The album started off very nicely - chill, groovy, jazz vibes... but at some point they started using too many instruments at the same time and it got a bit overwhelming, so 5 stars for the first song and then the rest re a bit... meh
Funky background / jazz
Good jazz compositions with good solos. Interesting bringing in synths - can sound strange at first but then blends in well. Probably not my favourite style of jazz but glad to have listened to expand jazz knowledge.
Herbie Hancock is always someone I wanted to listen to but just never did. This is an interesting album but I found the bass lines lacking on some songs. Really cool fusion of funk and jazz.
Honestly didn't make much of an impact on me. It was ok background music.
not my thing
Not my cup of tea but I recognize and respect.
Not my jam typically, but it is at least listenable. I will say the cover is absolutely AMAZING. 3/5
can always listen to Herbie Handcock. excellent background music.
Chameleon is an amazing funk-jazz song. The rest fall into that modern jazz problem of trying to do way to much with each instrument leaving it burdensome on one’s ears.
Track 1: I really like the bass sound this. It reminds of high school when we were supposed to play this for marching band. I like that this is kinda just a jam session too. Fairly long song that’s repetitive but it’s a good jam song. Track 2: I’ve always liked this song due to the flute sounds and intro followed by the bass that sets a really nice groove. Fun saxes in this and just another good listen. Track 3: I like the crazy sax a couple minutes in. However, everything else gets a little crazy and makes it very chaotic. This one is all over the place while listening to it. Track 4: I like the layering that happens in this song and the low woodwind that followed the bass in the beginning. The strings are also fun while a sax gives a solo. Overall: 6.8/10. Decent album but some songs are just too long but it really is a fun listen through, especially the first two.
Good album. Like the first two tracks a lot. Still mostly holds up. Was probably super innovative for its time but some of the sounds are sounding dated now/borderline cheesy.
Sounds this album has been influential and has been sampled a ton, which is cool. But I didn't really get into this album too much. Parts were OK as background music.
It's legendary, sure. But it's still a bit wanky
Great musicianship but not what I enjoy listening to - repetitive chords create unpleasant tension for me
I didn't find this offensive, but I listened to this twice through yesterday and when it comes to review it I can't remember a single thing about it apart from the sound bed that's is used in a sports podcast I like. I remember finding it perfectly pleasant but nothing memorable.
good background while working music
Groovy