Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Love it

Great poppy funky jazzy 80s stuff

Wow what a wild album. Great horn section - and just felt like a precursor or early ska album. I would definitely listen again.

Whole album felt kinda sloppy and uninspiring

Such fantastic energy - I bet their live shows were amazing! I was introduced to Dexys way back when (along with the Waterboys, who I haven't had yet in this project, but I'm pretty sure there's at least one of theirs on the list) so have a certain amount of nostalgia for them, but I gotta think I'd be super into this even if I was hearing it for the first time. I guess Kevin Rowland's vocals can be a bit divisive, but I think they work. Love the radio dial intro - here's some hard rock, punk, ska, and brass band music, and while that's not what's coming next..... it kinda has elements of all of those! Fave tracks - "Burn it Down", "Geno", "Seven Days Too Long". "There There My Dear".... I mean "Thankfully Not Living In Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply" could make the list too, it's a laugh!

Großartig!

HORNS! 5/5

What a fun album to listen to. The pacing of the entire thing was perfect. You can hear how the mix of punk, reggae, and disco that this album explores would influence ska music that would rise in popularity a decade later.

Slaps

Una especie de The Cure animado y trompetero. Les compro el vinilo, va.

Tuota en ole varma okno tietoisuuden tilaa ollut heh tarpeeksi kun jokanen kappale kuullosti uskomattomalta häh paskaahan tämä on..

I wasn't sure I needed another album from Dexy's Midnight Runners. Isn't there just "Come On Eileen"? Turns out there is a lot more. I love the horn section and the organ with the punky attitude. It's a surprisingly effective combination that would see revisited later in groups like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. A trombone with attitude is always welcome in my house. Glad to experience this album!

One of the best blue-eyed soul albums out there. You could really feel the combination of new elements and the tradition of soul. England is the best country for modern music, hands down.

Unexpectedly fun! Not a fan of punk normally but this blend of styles did it for me.

jaaa amaze

Thankfully not living in Yorkshire is so good but so random

Early ska/punk, this is my jam, shame it wasn't the right weather for it but still great stuff

Classic album from one of the best UK bands from the 80s - does not contain a single weak song. Ome of these like-it-or-not albums and this factor is more or less determined by whether or not you like the first song: Burn It Down / Dance Stance, one of their best singles. The bonus edition contains the Plan B single which is very different from the version on the follow-up album when they (that is, Kevin Rowland) changed style. I do appreciate that album as well and although concerts from that lineup must have been great to attend, a concert by the original Dexys lineup, with horn section, must have been more special.

Yes, another pearl from the 1001 catalogue. Great songs performed by intense vocals and swinging brass instruments.

One of th greatest albums ever made. In my all time top 5

cool

the more I listen to this bands stuff, the more amazing it all sounds no complaints - easily a 10/10

biggest surprise so far - loved the sound

This is a fab album- love the sound!

The first side of this is just astonishing - six, even seven stars. A fully formed sound from nowhere. If the second half can't quite sustain the extra-ordinary first five tracks (of which Geno is perhaps the weakest. Think about that.) then its just by comparison. An album so in love with a form of music it seems entirely natural to have a cover from that genre that fits perfectly. ps fun fact Burn It Down was called Dance Stance on original release, as I have the 45.

Una especie de The Cure animado y trompetero. Les compro el vinilo, va.

So so good omg

I really dug this album with its punk sound meets some classical/jazz instrumental ensemble. It gave me some pep in my step and swing in my jive Top Tracks: Tell Me Why My Light Turns Green, Geno, Burn it Down, There There My Dear

vibey but old

Fantastic

Fantastic album.

Que pieza tan maravillosa de la música, bonito rock steady, bonito ska, bonito blue eyes Sin duda un gran aporte al New wave

Wonderful

Really fun album! Better than the last Dexys album, almost had a ska vibe to it in places

Lots of horns, lots of fun. I only knew Geno beforehand, I also liked Seven Days Too Long a lot

Total 80’s

Needed this after Meat is Murder. This album is fun and joyous and silly and carefree! 7/10

The Good: We get to run, at midnight! The Bad: We really want to sleep, around midnight… The Ugly: Falling asleep in the middle of the search… Okay, so that top one was bad… sue me. Second album by DMR, and I believe that I gave the other album a 5* as it was surprisingly fun to listen to. This album was a bit more of a chore… though, I could see this being the background music being played at a party, and many people wondering who the artist are as they are enjoying themselves. Anyway, can’t give this one a 5* , but good enough for another spin. 4*

definitivamente o folego da rapaziada tava em dia. só soprinho BACANA nesse aqui um debut beeem sólido, viu. achei melhor que o too rye ay, apesar de come on eileen ser a maioral deles. eu achei massa, mas não sei se precisava de vários albuns deles não. ENFIM, me diverti bastante!

Too Rye Aye was the debut of Celtic Soul - this predecessor was strictly soul, but with working class credentials - I wonder if this is where Roddy Doyle got his inspiration? Or perhaps it was from The Blades. Solid, danceable soul. Well written songs with carefully crafted brass parts and the thunderous hammond holding everything together. Good stuff.

Good record thought they were just one hit wonders

Strong album, like the hits

I love Too Rye Ay, it’s amazing. Do All three Dexys albums need to be on this list? Uh. No. And I like all three!

richtig groovy! sehr nice!

Genuinely enjoyed this album. I’d heard that DMR were a false one-hit-wonder band; basically because everyone knows Come on Eileen but none of their other stuff. This album is a great first listen and no Eileens in sight!

first timer for me. this one grew on me with some repeat listens. they show their ability to build a satisfying crescendo, though it's not in full display like it is on Too Rye Ay. still, there are some rave up moments that deliver on that future promise. the punchy horns, especially in the first half of the album, are a huge distraction from everything else that's going on. left me wishing they just had different horn player or different approach to those parts. felt amateurish.

Really liked this album

Very nostalgic and good energy

I think I just like New Wave, tbh. Solid album.

One of the best bands of the late 70s/early 80s. Other than their big hits 'Geno' and 'Come on Eileen', I'd never really given them much of a listen to. Probably appreciate this sound more now anyway, rather than the techno-pop/New Wave stuff I liked back then.

Super ska fun, I love love love all the rolling Rs and the trills, and Geno is still one of my fave songs

Fun Dexy’s well before the big hit. Lots of interesting stuff happening here and a snapshot of the Northern Soul scene. I enjoyed more than I thought I would.

I really enjoyed this album, especially the brass.

Very cool! Never heard of this

Super wasn't expecting this album to sound the way it did. I was sure I was gonna get 3 guitars with the pedal boosted to max, bassline driving one note into the dirt and a guy screaming incoherently. But instead here's a band driven by horns and organ, tasty basslines and pretty good melodies. It's new wave-y, but in a different way than Elvis Costello or Gary Numan or Thomas Dolby; not so punk inspired or synth heavy, taking more cues from 60s/70s American soul. Track 2 is doo-wop, track 4 could be sung by Wilson Pickett. Seven Days Too Long is where they do the Motown. While the 50 billion classic rock albums on this list do 50 billion shitass interpretations of the blues, this album feels a little closer to a proper version of loving pastiche of its inspirations. It's calling on those inspirations for the base of the music while remaining pretty original by incorporating some new stuff from the post punk movement. Makes it less of a pale imitation by white people of black music and more of something that can genuinely be considered fresh and well influenced. Shocking somehow, but I feel like this may just barely cross into 4 territory.

yeah it was fun

Not bad! And Eileen was nowhere to be found!

Not sure if I enjoy Rowland's moody, whiny singing or not, it definitely fits the genre but it tires on you. The horns really carry this album, especially in the first three tracks. Not sure I understood a word of the lyrics.

I would call them more Old Wave than New Wave. Dexys turned their back on punk to look for a more retro sound, but they still had a rebellious attitude and came up with this energetic brand of soul. I like this more than their other albums. I struggle with Kevin Rowland's mannered vocals but I like the raucous brass and the Northern Soul stompiness. It's a good album. Do they need three albums on this list? No, of course not. But if you want to understand why they are so over-represented... yes, they had more hits in the UK, but also - the British music press loved them. Kevin Rowland was always enthusiastic, contrarian and unpredictable. You never knew what harebrained scheme he was planning next: Hi band! You know how I hired you as horn players? Well you can ditch the trumpet and trombone because now you are all wearing dungarees and playing the violin. What do you mean you haven’t played one before? They were always good copy. Whether they were always good music... well, you have ample opportunity to judge

Got the big bangers - love the horns

How did I not know that’s dexys was so fucking good??? Hello???

That voice is extraordinary :-) liked the vibe

I always forget they’re British. Lot of songs where they sounded like the special I guess ska was huge in the 80s

Muy chulo

Fun

There’s a weird bridge between new age and folk in the album. I kind of like it…

7/10 Had a lot more fun with this than I thought I would. Very infectious soul and blues sounding music.

Fun to listen to this pre-Eileen Dexys album; really enjoyed it. Quirky & "horn"y, blue-eyed soul meets The Specials, but with a snotty British vocal thing. Never thought about this before, but I have to imagine the Pietasters being really into this as an influence.

"Searching for the Young Soul Rebels" is the debut studio album by English band Dexys Midnight Runners. New wave and blue-eyed soul are the Wiki-listed genres. A description of the music is that it combines punk rock with soul music. The album was produced by Pete Wingfield and was critically well-received. Bandmembers included Kevin Rowland (vocals), Kevin "Al" Archer (guitar, vocals), "Big" Jim Peterson (trombone), Pete Williams (bass, vocals), Geoffrey "Jeff" Blythe (saxophone), Steve "Babyface" Spooner (alto saxophone), Pete Saunders (organ, piano), Andy "Stoker" Growcott (drums) and Andy Leek (organ). Commercially, the album reached #6 in the UK. The sound of radio stations changing opens the album in "Burn It Down." The song title is shouted. Loud horns start and continue to carry the melody. A groovy rock beat. Rowland with weirdly anxious vocals as he sings against Irish prejudice. And chanting backing vocals. The horns continue in the next song "Tell Me When My Light Turns Green." A happier song with co-lead vocals. A sax solo too. The first single released was "Geno." A bouncy beat and a faster pace. This song is a tribute to 1960's soul singer Geno Washington. "Seven Days Too Long" opens the second side. A rollicking fun song. It's quick. Chanting backing vocals and soulful horns. Blazing horns begin the album closer "There, There, My Dear." Rowland mocking a music critic in a letter. A charging beat in one of the better songs on the album. The musical focus of this album are the horns. They join together and have separate solos. They do give songs that blue-eyed soul tone at times. The pace changes between songs throughout the album and you do hear in some songs that punk edge. Rowland's vocals are weirdly high-pitched as he sings, talks and screams. I can see how it might irritate some people. Overall, I found this a fun, enjoyable and fairly original album. The soul and punk fusion kept my attention and I definitely recommend this album to everyone for at least a listen.

SKA!!

A fairly good album. 4 stars or B.

Definitely a different album but overall I enjoyed it 4/5

Tell Me When My Light Turns Green // I’m Just Looking // Geno // Seven Days Too Long // I Couldn’t Help It If I Tried // 4.5/5

A little punk snarl, some blue eyed soul and a whole lot of horns!would fit nicely on a shelf next to Elvis Costello, not because they sound the same, but because of an obvious affection for the music, they grew up with filtered through the lens of the music they came of age 2. An absolute rave up of an album. Loved it.

I’ve listened to other Dexys albums before and really didn’t like them. Maybe it was the arrangement or instrumentation on this, with a focus more on brass as opposed to the weird pseudo country they do on other albums, but this one hit in a way the others simply don’t. I enjoyed it against my will and was pleasantly surprised.

Wonderful album never had heard before this album its a ska, punk, rock combo as good as they come. Experimental disturbing begining nice dance ska tunes in the middle then down a heartbraking ending well done

Great energy with a big band kind of feel

A pleasant surprise, my expectations were somewhat low, but this is fun, very diverse and entertaining. It's not perfect, lots I don't like, but it takes swings and I like that. It sounds quite distinctively them, though I don't their sound all that well. I don't know, I think it's 3,5, but I'm feeling generous

fire

Heel anders dan verwacht, ook echt goed. Leuke blazers en liedjes

Kevin Rowland's vocal style was iconic, oft-imitated nowadays. But the instrumentation is the star of the show for me, really cool, falls somewhere between ska and jazz I guess? I'm no music critic, I've only listened to a thousand albums by now. Maybe I could be.

Brit rock

Enjoyed this one more than don't stand me, can see how influential this album was.

7/10 Good album

This was pretty great, maybe my favorite of the three Dexys records on here. Geno is a classic. Very strong four.

Commence funk devient rock, hétérogène mais il y a de vrais bons titres à garder.

I’ve had not great success with the other DMR albums on this list but this is a big hit for me!! Very fun, almost ska-like, lots of hooks, and short! Great album!

7/10

Love the production sound of this band. The brass is fabulous. Good to hear there is more to Dexys Midnight Runners than just the singles. The album is fairly consistent but the excellence is really about the hit singles. A good listen, only one step away from excellent.

So. Many. Horns. It’s like a high school marching band added on a Bowie impressionist vocalist. None of this is to say it’s bad. It’s very good. Lots of energy. One song (Thankfully Living in Yorkshire…) sounds like it’s straight out of a Beck album.

Most people only know this band (if they know them at all) for "Come on Eileen," which was on their *2nd* album, but this is their 1st album. For me, it's a little like Sly's "There's a Riot Going On" -- I've had the album for a long time, and this is a reminder that I should have been listening to it more (and should do so in the days ahead). This one is definitely between 4 and 5, and if 4.5 were an option, there's a good chance I'd go with that, but I guess I'll go (a little reluctantly) with 4 stars (again making me wish I could maybe lower a few of my early 4 stars ratings). The singer's voice is, umm, a bit *different*, but somehow, for me at least, it's not too offputting -- even, sort of, becomes part of what makes this band unique. Not sure exactly why that is, as weird (which often lies close to untuneful - if that's a word) voices often are offputting for me. Anyway, I'm pleasantly surprised to even see this album here in this list (although 1001 is indeed a lot of albums). Bonus points for a few of those song titles? (But 4 stars based on the songs alone.)

This is when I really like 1000 albums. Based on Come On Eileen, I had no interest in this album and assumed it would be generic 80s British indie. But this is so vibrant and alive, mixing angry punk with ska-y brass and soul singalongs. Excellent.

Everything was going great until I’m just looking and then that songs energy made me wanna bail so hard that I took a 30 hour break from this album. It’s a good album! There’s a lot of sampleable stuff on here, a lot of football game anthem sounding stuff next to talking heads homages. Seven days too long is a great talking heads song. Tell me my light turns green is a great football horn section. I’m at a high three low four simply because I do not like I’m just looking. I’ll give it a 4 but if I never return to anything here I’m bumping it down to a 3.

Très sympa, pop rock un peu jazzy, vibe British façon Beatles plus moderne

Un peu long mais c'était cool !

2026.02.10.

These guys are just good, slightly odd fun. I rate it.

Despite Kevin Rowland being a cock I did enjoy this, some classic tracks, notably Geno and there there my dear

what a fun surprise!

Something to do to kill time us look at the list and try to find the most egregious mistakes. One option will always be having THREE Dexys albums. I could be convinced that one is acceptable, but I'm also open to the idea that zero is the right number. Apparently this is a band as important and influential as U2 or Van Morrison. The worst bit is this is actually a pretty good album. No standouts, but no duds either. Not a bad listen, but one of the most important or influential albums ever made. No sane person could argue yes

I guarantee that if I had found this album when I was 12/13 that it would have been one of my favourites. I loved 'Geno' back then, and I think Dexys are at their best with a lot of brass behind them. It didn't particularly wow me, but I still found this album really enjoyable.

i liked this, had some great tracks, fun record overall

Okay damn I was not ready for how good this was - this is why I'm doing this project!

It’s interesting to hear Dexys Midnight Runner’s first album. I didn’t realize they were so into crime and fashion. Maybe a bit too much brass band for me, but this is definitely a mark left from a time and a place that I was happy to stop by.

This album is great. I was pleasantly surprised. I was completely unfamiliar with Dexi's Midnight Runners, with the exception of "Come On Eileen," which is a fine song but man, this album is just great. I'm debating; I'm between four and five stars on here. There's one song on here I didn't like, which might drop it to the four. It's at least a solid 4.4. Awesome album, loved it.

Gosto da banda com instrumentos de sopro. Me agradou.

This was good craic. 3.5

Big fan of this band. They had 3 albums, I like the other 2 better, but this one is pretty fun as well.

New to me and wow, this is spectacular. I’m a sucker for brass instruments and they are put to wonderful use here. I’ve gotten a couple other albums from this band through the algorithm and I’m a little surprised they ended up with three on the list, but I’m glad to listen to all of them.

I accidentally looped it and still had a nice time, 3.5

A cada play eu me sentia voltando do intervalo da novela da cor do pecado VOU DEIXAR

Great album, gostosinho de ouvir. Mas teve umas partes esquisitas como todo álbum

The Skanks

trop bien j'aime la vibe respect

i love this sound and this is an extremely fun record

cool sound, will relisten

Es ist ein leidenschaftliches Debüt voller Energie, Soul und Haltung. Dexys Midnight Runners liefern hier ein Statement – roh, aufrichtig und musikalisch eigenwillig. Besonders Tracks wie „Geno“ oder „There, There, My Dear“ zeigen, wie viel Kraft in Bläsern und Überzeugung stecken kann. Trotzdem: So sehr das Album auch beeindruckt, es erreicht für mich nicht ganz die emotionale Wucht und Eingängigkeit von „Come On Eileen“. Vielleicht liegt’s am Fehlen dieses einen magischen Moments, der alles überstrahlt. Stark, aber nicht überragend.

This is a band I basically only knew from one song, and not a song I particularly liked. I was therefore shocked at how good this was!

LOVED this. what a time. so british. yorkshire mentioned

Buenísima mierda. Divertidísimo. En los 80 pasaron muchísimas cosas que no ubico demasiado. Entre el new wave, el soul, el ska. Un muy buen disco, saxofones on point y todo buenos temas, buenos bangers. Muy divertido. Al principio de un tema me susurran y eso me raya un poco, pero me pegué unas buenas bailotadas y me dio buenos ánimos para afrontar la mañana. No conocía, buena mierda.

Good 👍🏻

****A good easy listening album

Actually love a bit of Northern Soul and this feels somehow purer and more fun/alive than the super well known singles and work that came later.

I do love this album specifically how the last few tracks really hit strong.

A brief review today as one of my kids spent last night and today in the hospital, and thankfully all is ok. I only know Dexys from Come On Eileen, so I was confused to see this come up today. And boy what a surprise! This was a lot of fun to listen to. The horns were amazing and it was a cool mix of punk and blue eyed soul. Some of the vocals were a bit tough at times, but I felt the passion throughout. One of the biggest surprises so far.

I’ve never heard much from Dixie‘s midnight runners other than Come on Eileen. This was a pleasant surprise and really enjoyed it, especially to start scrolling on the dial and hear the Sex Pistols and the specials.

I didn't even realize until after that this was the Come On Eileen folks. This album's style is very different from that song in my opinion. Not better or worse just different. I really liked this album. Might actually like ska now. Go figure.

love the sound on this one - miss the 80s sound sometimes 4/5

If you hate the over played Come on Eileen, you might be surprised by this bands other music. I know I was. Crispy Bass. What’s not to like. Surprisingly fun album.

Think I prefer Too Aye Ray but man these guys are fun. That said I don’t think they deserve two albums on this list. Was going to go 3, but there are at least 6 jamz on here. Got give it up for Dexy, and also not forget his Midnight Runners. Would be hilarious if there were like five more Dexys albums on here.

First thing I noticed was the brass section, unexpected and very enjoyable. Overall I really like it

combining the energies of punk music and northern soul into one package so raucous and delightful you almost think they're about to reinvent ska from first principles.

Hooooooorns

Kõlab hästi

This was a super fun album to listen to! I never would anec guessed there was music that sounded like this in 1980! This was like Royal Noise Brigade meets Less Than Jake while sounding Irish. I loved the horns. I actually liked that every song sounded a bit similar, when I usually don't like that. His voice was very unique.

Did you know that the come on Eileen band was a ska band, me neither.

Beyond Geno I'd not heard much of this album before – this was back in the days when you needed to but it on vinyl or rely on radio play remember. And I'd never had a reason to go back and find it until now. I do, however, have somewhere a copy of something by the Blue Ox Babes on vinyl – the group that spun out of this early Dexys lineup. I must dig that out as I thought it was an album, but Wiki tells me the LP was never released at the time... I enjoyed that sound, and I rather enjoyed this as well. Certainly different to the sound from Too-Rye-Ay. I lie that sound to, but I think I prefer this one and this is something I'll want to listen to again for sure. I suspect if I spent more time with this it would rise to a 5.

I feel so silly for loving these guys. It’s goofy, cheesy, and undeniably fun. They quirky vocals and the 80s horns limit its spinability for an everyday affair, but I’ll be cleaning the house to this one for sure.

Like being in a gang with your mates who all, inexplicably, have brass instruments

Great album! Hadn't heard the whole thing, just the hits, but it was a great listen front to back!!

I had never heard anything by these guys except for "Come On Eileen" and this album really surprised me. There is a lot of infectious energy, a great horn section, and a raucous sensibility that really engages the listener. There isnt really a dud on it. They also bring some ska into it and remind me a little of the band Madness at times.

Gotta admit I came i to this one a snob, thinking there must be a reason that the world only knows Come On Eileen. But then that brass kicked in, whoa. Did not expect this to basically be a rocksteady/ska record, and most of it sounded pretty great. Definitely want to listen again

I am always a big fan of horn sections in music, and this album has plenty of that, so that is a big plus. The first half of the album is great, however it slips a bit in the second half, as the horns take more of a back seat as well. Really the first 4 songs are the highlights for me. 4/5

I enjoyed this more than I thought I was going to. They should be known for more than come on Eileen.

A melting pot of different styles and influences but all in all an enjoyable listen.

Hell of a good time here. Just fun. Kinda ska like kinda folk sections. Its the come on Eileen guys. I never would have thought id listen to anything else by these guys. But good and fun stuff. Very enjoyable

I think their follow-up is a bit better but this was still a lot of fun. The punk northern soul fusion feels more obvious on this one as well. This goes into the guilty pleasure folder. Rating: 4.2

In another timeline I probably would've been very confused by this album's presence here in the book — and, in fact, that **all three** of this band's albums are here. Like, come on: these guys? The "Come On Eileen" guys? They're one hit wonders! Why do they deserve **one** album on this list, let alone **three**? Luckily, I'd gotten the scoop years ago thanks to a Todd In The Shadows video. See, if you don't already know, Dexys is one of those bands where while they might be a one hit wonder on this side of the globe, over across the pond . . . oh, they were a **big** deal. They weren't constant hitmakers, no (in fact, I think they're only a **two** hit wonder over in merry ol' Eng'lund), but they had their fans, and still do. And of course the critics loved them. Yes, yes, this could easily be spun as yet another "British album that Big Important Critics™ lose their shit over," but I'll have you know! It actually rules. For me, it all comes down to a simple fact. I've seen this album get labelled as New Wave, both on this website and over ol' reliable Wikipedia. Myself, I can't hear where they're coming from. I guess I might just be stuck in thinking of "New Wave" as either DEVO or Duran Duran, but still. Blue eyed soul, I can buy that one way more — but if there's any genre I was thinking about listening to this, it was ska. As I've said before, I **love** ska (mostly 90's stuff, like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Smash Mouth's first album), so it was exciting to me to hear how much this thing sounded like that stuff. Now, of course, this material is **not** ska. Not exactly, anyway. I don't think you'd hear this stuff and mistake it for The Specials. But the band, and specifically the horns, have such a punk energy to them it's hard **not** to draw the comparison. Even on the slower songs, I still hear that electricity bubbling underneath and powering everything. It was the main thing that drew me through this album — and seriously, the cover of "Seven Days Too Long" on here? Incredible. It's the album's single most ska thing, and I 100% see it joining my current rotation of songs. Easily my favorite song here. And, y'know, it's a good thing this album has such delicious ska flavoring, 'coz when you get to the other big point about this album, frontman Kevin Rowland . . . oh, boy. As I said above, I've seen the Todd In The Shadows video about this band and their one American hit. Since then, I've listened to "Come On Eileen" a fair amount over the years, on and off. This ain't my first tango with Kevin Rowland. I've had plenty of time to get used to his . . . eccentricities as a vocalist. Namely and primarily the fact that you can't understand him. Like, sure, once you know what he's saying you've got it, but actually **getting** to that point is a whole feat in and of itself. I saw one review say he's not so much "singing" the lyrics as he is "sobbing" them, and, y'know, maybe. To me, though, his delivery and word pronunciation often sounds like when I try to play a confused caveman, kinda just randomly moving my mouth into different shapes and letting my tongue flap about while I'm yelling. It's really not **that far off**. And, look, on the one hand I don't have **too much** of a problem with his vocals. I think they kinda work with the ska vibes this album gives off. I mean, it makes sense given his history in the punk scene before forming Dexys. Y'know, if he was singing on some kind of Sex Pistols instrumental instead of tryna sing soul music I don't think people would have as much of an issue with his voice. But then, he **is** trying to sing soul — or at least attempting to, so... And I've read reviews pointing out what a lyricist Kevin Rowland is, and, like, I guess? But how can you even understand what he's saying with his mush mouth? And believe me, I **tried**. I really did! But unlike other albums where I make this attempt despite my "melody first" brain, I didn't stop following the words because I realized they weren't helping. No, I just couldn't find the complete words! Like, Genius, AZLyrics, whatever DuckDuckGo pulled up — none of them had the complete words! So I ended up spending a lot of time trying to parse Rowland's delivery so I could understand where in the hell I was supposed to be... And it wasn't the most fun thing in the world, in short. Honestly, when I decided to completely forgo the lyrics and treat the entire album as an instrumental, with Rowland's voice being just another instrument, it worked a lot better for me. Again: it's ska, and Rowland has a punk-ish flavor to it, so . . . it just works. And I wanna be fair, too: from the lyrics I **did** end up following along with, I think Rowland's a fine lyricist. I particularly like the last song, "There, There, My Dear", which is an "open letter to a dishonest music scene." I kind of take it as a mission statement against who or whatever it was directed towards, particularly with the album ending on the words "Everything I do gon' be funky from now on" (taken from the chorus of a Lee Dorsey song). This was my first Dexys Midnight Runners album (somehow, all those plays of "Come On Eileen" never convinced me to at least listen to its home album, 'Too-Rye-Ay'). And my impression coming out of it is . . . I liked it a lot, though I'unno if it would convince me to 100% get aboard the Dexys train. Rowland's vocals **do** sort of hold it back from being truly incredible — and with songs like "Geno" and "Seven Days Too Long", it really should be. I think it'll be up to the following two albums to make a better case for these vocals. If they fail . . . well, I'll always have respect for the level of critical praise they were able to garner. And, hey, I'll have a couple new songs to play besides "Come On Eileen". It ain't nothing.

While they're more famous for the famous hit, their debut ain't half bad, either. Solid 4 Stars.

I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4, but I did like this a lot. There’s only one truly bad track here to my ears, and that’s “I Couldn’t Help It If I Tried”, and it’s mostly because the track goes nowhere for its entire runtime, & because I Couldn’t Understand Him If I Tried, and believe me; I tried. That’s the biggest sin of the album; I cannot understand Kevin Rowland on a number of these tracks unless I have the lyrics in front of me, and what makes it worse / annoying is that the vast majority of these tracks have incomplete / incorrectly structured lyrics online, leaving me partially in the dark on just what the hell some of these tracks are talking about while I can’t understand his talking. You would think that a lead vocalist being mostly incomprehensible would lead to an actively bad album, but the neat trick of Dexys Midnight Runners is that, for most of these tracks, the band themselves just have a weirdly infectious energy that somehow works in their favor. This is a ska-ish soundscape, relying on a lot of horns & percussion to do the heavy lifting. Thankfully, they pull it off, and even though a lot of this album ends up sounding the same, I can’t say it’s that big of an issue since they just generally sound that good. Their instrumentals are all strong, save for the nothingburger of “I Couldn’t Help It If I Tried”, and even then, I think it’s just poor execution of a well-intentioned vibe / atmosphere that they just don’t maintain very well. It also helps that even with Kevin Rowland having absolutely no enunciation in his voice whatsoever, his melodic enough voice still maintains a pretty strong structure, to the point where the lines that do come clearly out of his voice paint a decent enough picture towards the intent of each track. His vocals being incomprehensible is a sin, yes, but he balances it out well by just earnestly fucking trying to keep a melody regardless, and I’d say he generally succeeded. Past that, it also helps that for the tracks that do have mostly complete lyrics to follow along to, I’d say a good chunk of them are pretty well-written. This album’s other big sin is just lingering around; I’d say there’s at least 4 or 5 tracks here that go about a minute too long. Overall, it’s an album with flaws, and it’s one that should probably fall flat on its face because of those flaws; however, there’s something still weirdly infectious about the energy this album brings, and even after a dud track or a long outro, the intro to the next track usually lifts up the mood in a way that just feels kinda bright. I wish I had a better sense of an overarching theme / inspiration for the album, but I do feel like part of it is just picking yourself up after the tough times, and they certainly nailed that vibe from the instrumentals alone. His vocals being incomprehensible is dragging this down to a 3.5, along with the lingering tracks, but I think it’s worth a bump up to a 4 because it still ends up as a pretty fun listen despite itself. Definitely looking forward to their other two on the list now. P.S.: If nothing else, “Geno” & “Seven Days Too Long” are rad as hell.

Ok, een dikke blazers sectie! Klinkt eigenlijk best wel lekker! Wel beetje jammer van de zanger, die is niet top, maar misschien is dit een acquired taste. Dit vibet echt heel hard, het is een soort bigband, jazz, funk rock album. En eerlijk? Het is een keiharde vibe. Ik heb het gewoon best wel naar mn zin. Blijkbaar is dit ook de band achter Come on Eileen, ook een banger trouwens. En eerlijk? De zanger is toch best wel een acquired taste, wat ik al dacht. In het begin denk je wtf is dit voor zanger, maar hoe langer hoe beter ik hem trek! En die blazers, ja sorry, dan heb je me gewoon! FAVO: Tell me when my Lights turn green, that meet in caffs, Geno, Seven days too long, There there my dear

Quite enjoyed this! Lovely brass, always a good addition. 4/5

now THIS is the fun kind of British Music

That was fun! New Wave recently turn out to be one of my favorite genres.

Great album id never heard before. Soul pop punk? I like it

Довольно неплохой альбом британской новой волны. Напомнил мне Talking Heads

So many of the songs have at least one (if not more) moments of endearing melody that catches my attention. Really enjoyable and will revisit.

You know? This was quite fun. Unexpectedly so

A very pleasant discovery! I remember that the guy in my local record store recommended this one and now I regret not picking it up then.

Doesn't have Come On Eileen on it, so zero stars

Geno There, There, My Dear

I loved the brass, attitude and energy, and enjoyed the second listen. Nice and short, and punchy.

Much more of an 80s ska band than I had expected

Still can't believe these guys aren't irish. Anyways they have their very distinct sound with the vocalist's kind of intentionally sloppy singing and their combination of soul with rock. The performances are very energetic, the sounds are super lively. I love the jazzy sounds and the songs seem to have positive messages which is also cool. I prefer their next album but this is still great stuff.

Not bad. Better than I knew to expect. The horn arrangements are great.

somehow jeff buckley meets the clash, what a good freaking album

Really digging this one.

I only really thought of Dexy's as the Come On Eileen band, which was a bit unfair. This album is good fun, I love a brass section and I enjoyed the Northern Soul cover.

Far too jumbled with an overall shine - feels like the start of something. 3.5

oh wow it's ska clash

Чесно скажу цей гурт пройшов повз мене й от зараз слухав вперше. Хороший приклад британської музики 80х, приємна секція духових, соул, мені таке подобається.

really good

7.5/10 Really nice this. Pop soul with a punk vibe. The production and delivery were dramatic and flamboyant. Massive horns. Fun Best: Geno

4 out of 5. This album was a good time, and it was finally a chance to listen more songs from them besides Come on Eileen.

Refrescante y alegre

funky, punky music with a really interesting sound to it, is that ska influence i hear? maybe it's just the excessive amount of brass that's consistent throughout the album's runtime. this is dexys midnight runner's debut album. the music is straight up in your face, like the band all huddled close together just to give you a good show. there's just so much... brass, and yet i think for the most part it works really well, really emphasizes the dramatic lyrics. a bit of commentary and a lot of pride, power and punch. it's niche, but i think it's cool.

Lacks any song quite as perfectly catchy as “Come On Eileen”, but it’s a nice combination of Bowie, 2nd wave ska, and soul.

Far better than I’d expected. Already knew a couple of the tracks as they were popular in the UK, but the album as a whole really stands up.

Surprised by how much I liked this. Learned about northern soul and how this band was inspired by that. Fun album!

Really great music tracks. I just can't get on board with that 80's british lead vocal style a la Morrissey

Very fun listen. A lot more interesting than their big hit.

Ærligt brød mig ikke super meget om de første 2 - 3 sange, resten blev hørt i bilen med børn som gidsler på bagsædet. De kunne rigtig godt lide den, og især blæser instrumenterne fangede de. Så muligvis på grund af dem en Micro 4er, eller ihvertfald en kæmpe 3er.

Can understand why this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but idk, there’s something charming about this record for me. It has heart. Geno has “come on Eileen” vibes, and I enjoyed the horns etc throughout. Listening to this made me want to go to a show, I bet this was a lot of fun live.

It's not just come on Eileen and it never has been! Justice for dexys!

I enjoyed this about 100% more than I was expecting to. Super fun listen. Went through it twice back to back. The horns are great. 4/5

Not catchy melodies, but lots of points for a highly original and unusual blend of sounds

4+ Stars (12/15)

This was a fun listen - I didn't recognise any of the tunes except Geno. The album has a consistently sunny vibe, nice stuff

Favorite: thankfully not living in Yorkshire It doesn't apply Such a great listen, would give 4.5 if I could!

I liked this one more than the other one. This kind of has a more ska punk sound to it, which makes it more interesting and fun. I liked how they really leaned into the brass section, and had a little more angsty and punk inspired vocals. I had a lot of fun with this one today!

Really cool album. Has a surprising element of confessional songwriting. I think I understand why Rowland is highly regarded in his country.

Better than i anticipated from the come on eileen band. Early ska sound with 80s synth.

I’m forever surprised at how many good albums Dexys Midnight Runners had, when everybody only knows Come On Eileen (they know Geno too, they just don’t know that they know it). Today’s album is another fun one, and so uniquely the sound of Dexys Midnight Runners. I listened to this one twice, as listening only in the car didn’t really do it justice. It’s hard to define this band, but I do know that quite enjoyed this.

Only knew them from "Come On, Eileen" but this was a very pleasant surprise. Definitely an underrated album for New Wave music.

interesting album i would not have otherwise listened to

Album 770 of 1089 Dexys Midnight Runners - Searching For The Young Soul Rebels (1980) Rating : 4 / 5 Enjoyed this debut album one more than I expected to. Nice blend of punk and soulful brass. Awesome vocals, good songs. Not much to complain about.

The better Dexys album on this list. Love how horny this band is

Album d'un groupe anglais des années 80, mélangeant pop, rock et soul, très bon album avec des bons refrain et des bon joueurs d'instruments

pa zapravo je baš catchy.

Ovaj mi je masu bolji i od prvog di je came on eileen i od onog ambicioznog trećeg

# Album Name: Searching for the young soul rebels # Artist: Dexys midnight runners # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: For a debut album, the band is very tight musically. Theres a big jazz and SKA influence in many of the tracks. The sax in Meet in Caffs was absolutely banging. I think “Im just looking” was an attempt at a Ballard from the Dexys! The build up to the sax is sweet. Geno. Nuff said. What a classic tune. Everything about the song is A grade. Quite a fun album overall. I did find it got a bit too much by the end. This is a low 4 from me. # Top Tunes: Meet in caffs / Just looking / Geno # Would I listen to it again? Probably

“Searching for the Young Soul Rebels” is like stumbling into a sweaty, brass-fueled revival meeting where everyone’s wearing denim vests and shouting lyrics with the fervor of a preacher convinced he’s discovered disco’s missing soul – and, frankly, you’d be hard‐pressed to leave without catching the fever. From the gravelly exhortations of “Geno” to the jittery paranoia of “There There My Dear,” Dexys Midnight Runners serve up their brand of Celtic‐punk‐soul with the precision of a detuned saxophone and the gusto of a rabble‐rouser hopped up on too much coffee.

You know what? I wasn’t sure at first but ended up really liking this one.

Great album to listen too.

This is some horny British rock. I like the vibe, the songs grew on me with several listens. I'm having a hard time understanding the lyrics sometimes but I like his overly dramatic singing. Love that Trombone solo in Tell Me When My Light Turns Green. Seven Days is Too Long has some great jumpin energy. It's how I feel about every Saturday. Where have you been?! Awesome that this album has a horn heavy instrumental. Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire is a favorite! I love it, but I have no idea what he's saying.

I thought these guys rose from the ocean like Mariah Carey at Christmas time, made Come On Eileen, then descended peacefully back into the sea. Happy to know I was wrong, this album rocks! Love all the horns throughout. The fast songs bop and the slow songs are cool and soulful. Fun listen!

Too Rye Ay has been one of my favorite album discoveries of this 1001 journey, so I was pretty excited to get Dexys’ debut today. It doesn’t quite have the catchy melodies of its successor, but Young Soul Rebels is a solid debut and a good mission statement for the sound of the band. 3.5

I knew that this was a classic thanks to Todd in the Shadow’s Dexys video- all three of their pre-reunion albums are lauded, in fact. It’s pretty good, full of catchy hooks even if it sounds kinda samey. It’s not quite my speed on the whole but I’d listen again. B-

Jeg er faktisk jævnt stor fan af Dexy's Midnight Runners, både den er og deres næste er gode albums. Geno er en banger. Sangeren er en acquired taste men jeg synes det virker

Really good. I somehow missed out on this back in the day.

I liked this more than the last dexys. Lots of strings in that, lots of brass in this. Ska soul with a few hits I knew but didn't know were theirs

nice

Very unique sound using a variety of rhythms, instruments, and highlighting the lead singer's distinct voice. My only complaint is that it's too long.

So viele Lieder waren kurz davor so gut zu sein, dass ich sie gespeichert hätte

I liked this, adding it to the rotation

Surprisingly I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. Really really catchy tunes. I'm surprised they never made it huge beside their one hit.

Cool as a cucumber and the brass is class.

Neat to hear the debut of a group that I’m somewhat familiar with but not deeply. Really like the horns and ska vibe, a few tracks I loved and 1 or 2 didn’t care for. 4/5

This album had some hits. Geno and Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply being my two favorites. The vocals are weird. I'm still not sure if I love them or hate them. The pacing of the album was good as it had its ebs and flows. The drumming stood out on the higher tempo tracks. Overall it was a solid album.

really fun listen!

started off VERY strong, started lacking a little more towards the end love the brass and everything though so still amazing, cheers xx

I’ve never listened to this album before, but I actually really liked it. Went to my playlist

14/1089 - Sounds like this band would've been fun to see live. Voices sound a bit weird, but it kinda works! Backing instruments are solid.

Must say I'm quite impressed how good this was! My initial expectations hit rock bottom when I saw that it was an album from Dexys Midnight Runners, as their previous albums, along with similar acts such as The Pogues, hasn't been my thing at all. But this was quite nice! Off to a bit of a slow start, but I found almost all songs starting from 'I'm Just Looking' until the very end to be very good. Ones that stand out as especially good to me are 'Geno', 'Seven Days Too Long', and 'Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire Doesn't Apply', the latter of which is a really quirky but cool song. I was going to give this a 3 star, but I actually think I'm going to raise to a 4 star. Taken by surprise with the many good songs on here, definitely worth a listen!

I need to come back to this album. Not what I was expecting and really good to listen to. I didnt have any track in particular that stood out but the overall energy of the album and the music is good. If i had some liked tracks from it it would easily be a 5 then.

M'encanta Dexys Midnight Runners i només havia escoltat Come On Eileen, se m'han fet molt agradables d'escoltar. ELR: 3/5

Great listen. Like many I’m sure, I only know this band as a one hit wonder. It couldn’t be further from the truth. Songs across this album are bouncy and full of life and energy with the driving rhythm section and uplifting horns. The track “Geno” in particular is tremendous.

December 25, 2024 Thanks, Santa- I’ve already got two of these though… -The vocals in “I’m Just Looking” are strange even for Kevin Rowland -Generally the more upbeat tunes work the best, but “I couldn’t help it if I tried” is a ballad that stands out -“Seven Days Too Long” is a neat cover version -I could wax poetic on the insanity of including 3 Dexys on the list, as others have; it would only delay me admitting I really like the sound of this record. Sometimes all I need is a peppy horn section and I’m sold :) HL: “Light Turns Green”, “I Couldn’t Help It”, “Geno”, “There There My Dear”

Bouncy.

Kevin Rowland's vocal affectations are pretty marmite. I can live with them. This is a good album. Varied and kept my interest. 4/5.

Nice music. 8/10

This whole new vibe could be interpreted as pretentious, arrogant, obnoxious, but no- this guys are just savages an they're kind of insane probably. Love the marching band sounds, the horn, the unrefined voice.

Really surprising effort from what I thought was a “one hit wonder”

The ska/soul/rock influences are there, but it still manages to sound like nothing else before it. His singing is really messy and expressive, pathetic and theatrical, and I think it works well at times. I prefer this version of 'Seven Days Too Long' to Chuck Wood's. That style does start to wear thin by the end of the album. And there were more slow songs than I would have expected. But it was good. The more lively stuff felt outrageous.

Y'know, I liked this! I expected the vocal style to grate on me, but I ended up liking it. Loved the horns, too. I think I'd be delighted if a song from this album came up on shuffle. 4 stars - will be adding this to my collection.

B+ Burn It Down 4 Tell Me When My Light Turns Green 4 The Teams That Meet In Caffs 4 I'm Just Looking 4 Geno 4 Seven Days Too Long 3 I Couldn't Help If I Tried 4 Thankfully Not Living In Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply 3 Keep It 4 Love Part One 3 There, There, My Dear 5 I think Dexys is probably the most underrated band of all time. Everyone calls them a one hit wonder, but their discography is stacked outside that song. Honestly, I like a lot of their music more than it. I’m partial to Too Rye Ay, but this has all timers like Burn It Down, Geno, and There There My Dear.

Enjoyable high energy album. I heard it a couple of days ago so the details are a blur but I liked it.

This is the album that made me realize that they are a ska band and I’m ok with that.

I can't give this less than 4, even though Dexys ruined everything by subsequently releasing Come On Eileen which I've always utterly loathed. However. I always loved Geno, so I was very happy to give this a whirl, and I wasn't disappointed. I don't love Kevin Rowland's voice, it's true. But I really like the "brass with attitude and despair" sound. I Couldn't Help It If I Tried is a great track. And Geno is still awesome. I just wish their output had ended here.

Surprised. Not a fan of the overly emotive vocals but overall nice music.

great band

Enjoyed this - funny that their most famous song is kind of their most annoying one. Favourites - The Teams that Meet in Caffs, and Geno

I liked this a lot. This is going to sound bad, but it sounded quite amateurish, which I love personally. The horns intonation was just a bit off, the singer is not a conventionally very good singer, and it was an odd mash of punk and soul. I loved all of that, because it combines to make you feel like you're listening to your friends' weird ass band in a basement somewhere, as they belt out something that absolutely shouldn't work but it comes together wonderfully.

Really good album. Northern Soul meets Punk. It was new and fresh and different back in the day and still gets plenty of airplay today. Northern soul is enjoying a revival at the moment and if you go to any soul cafe or other venue playing soul music there is a good chance the dj will slip in one or two Dexys songs.

So viele Lieder waren kurz davor so gut zu sein, dass ich sie gespeichert hätte

is it crazy to give this a 5 i actually just really enjoyed this one and i’m feeling generous tonight no yeah this was awesome okay i’m not gonna give it a 5 but i feel like i haven’t felt very specific way about an album since magazine and i can’t quite explain what i mean by that but just know that this specific 4 is a higher 4 than the previous 4’s i have given

Pre-listening thoughts: come on im dean and my hands are so clean at this moment I am stapling Post/during listening thoughts: this ain’t even the one with come on Eileen on it. Wait but this is kinda fire. Why were they a one hit wonder they should have had so many more hits! 😕 8.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no there’s so much like it out there but man I enjoyed this! Fav tracks: Tell Me When My Light Turns Green, Geno, Seven Days Too Long, Thankfully Living in Yorkshire…, Keep It Least fav tracks:

got to say - this kind of music usually really gets on my nerves but I loved this one !!!

I like the upbeat nature of the music and the incorporation of brass instruments. The singing is weird - the words are largely unintelligible - but I feel it goes really well with the vibe of the music. This feels like a precursor to ska, which I liked back in the day.

I love the horns on this album! This is like an early British ska band. That was a real big fan of 7 days is too long and Tell me when my light turns green. I wasn't crazy about the slow songs, but I like this album way more than I was expecting.

So close to a 5 star. The contrast with the keening vocals of Rowlands with the upbeat backing of the band is astonishingly good. Love this album

Actually really good

Extra star for sheer girth.

Unexpected surprise - what a treat!

I've always liked this album. A very British mash up of soul, ska and I guess folk. Geno was such a good single, really made an impression on me at the time. Still enjoy listening to this.

So, my second Dexy’s album. The biggest issue I had with Too Rye Aye was that the songs didn’t stand out from each other particularly. Searching For The Young Soul Rebels is much better in this regard, it’s all memorable and all pretty good. But, Too Rye Ay has the benefit of having Come On Eileen which is an all time classic Pop song. Geno is the big Pop single for this album, and I love it. It’s a great song, but it isn’t as good as Come On Eileen or even their cover of Jackie Wilson Said All in all, Young Soul Rebels is the better album, but Too Rye Ay has the higher high point. I think that the higher quality of the deep cuts compared to the singles means that I have to give it a higher rating

I danced to Come On Eileen with my other daughter at her wedding so I have a definite soft spot for DMR. Imagine my surprise when I listened to this and realized they possessed a creative depth unknown to me. There, There, My Dear especially stands out in this regard. Time to go to the record store.

4.0

I Couldn't Help It If I Tried is a beautiful track. I enjoyed this.

La voz se parece a la del de The Cure. Son divertidos. Mucha trompeta.

Enjoyed this one a lot. Bouncy Irish rocking fun.

For some reason I’ve always looked at Dexys as a bit of a joke band but this is a really good album and I’m defo diving into their back catalogue!

Lemppari: Seven days too long

Man, I didn't expect this album to be so polarising. I thought it was great. The instrumentals of this album are genuinely incredible, I loved the brass and the horns. I can understand why there seems to be a hate for the vocals, but I quite enjoyed them. They didn't tire for me at all. It worked well with the brass backing. Unless you're referring to Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire - holy shit that song was foul, like he completely forgot to sing. I'm Just Looking had so much passion and soul put into it - that song was a standout. The latter half of this album was somewhat of a letdown when compared to the first half to middle, but still an enjoyable listen to me.

We have Morrissey at home sounding aaah front man. Do not let Taylor Hannon near this cunts he would have an anneurism listening to them. I had literally never heard of these guys before. I thought this was gonna be an easy 5/5 for me but then it mixed it up. I genuinely thought the first couple tracks were phenomenal. Then Geno, the most popular track on the album hit and it was downhill from there. A string of good but not great tracks and then a step lower. The final track was great though. This album is front loaded as fuck. The lowest 8/10 I can possibly give without it being a 7. Would probably be a 7.6 if I believed in such degenerate reviews Fav tracks - Burn it Down, Tell Me When the Light Turns Green, The Teams that Meet in Caffs, I'm Just Looking, There There My Dear Least Fav - Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire it Doesn't apply

Geno Geno Geno Geno

This is my 2nd Dexys album on this list and it's a cracker although I still prefer Too-Rye-Ay this is a close second. Geno was the big hit and still is a banger but I personally am a fan of Burn it Down & I Couldnt Help if I Tried.

This album surprised me. The first few songs blended together, but not in a good way. Vocals were very distinct and interesting throughout, but something about the pace won me over starting around song 3 or 4, it just kept doubling down and it worked

Awesome 4.5

Good

Good album, Geno is a great track and there are no bad ones

I really REALLY enjoyed this album, and had never heard it before. Thanks for the insight. I'm broadened! :)

I was surprised, really enjoyed the horns

Still searching.

Dexys Midnight Runners had more than one album!? Actually, pretty damn good! Lots of catchy songs.

I'm sure I'm not in the minority when I say that the only Dexy's Midnight Runners song I know is "Come On Eileen." I always thought Dexy's were just a one-hit-wonder; I had no idea until I started this project that their music is pretty well thought of amongst critics and music historians. I do love eighties music, so I think there's a pretty good chance that I'll enjoy this album. I really enjoyed listening to this album. I've mentioned this quite a bit in my recent reviews, but I've been reading through Dorian Lynskey's 33 Revolutions Per Minute this year, where Lynskey talks about the history of protest songs. I've learned a lot about the political landscape of England in the late seventies and eighties, which gave me a lot of context for this album. Also, last year, I read a book about the history of The Troubles, which gave me even more context about the lyrical content of this album. I guess all of that is to say that I really loved the songwriting on this album. The lyrics touch on things like class and social standing with first hand insight, which gives a lot of authenticity to the album. The album even ends with Rowland calling out other bands who sing about political issues, but don't do anything to back up their words. I enjoyed this album musically as well. The trombone and saxophone playing really shine on this album, giving it a unique feeling that sets it apart from other new wave music that was coming out at the time. Dexys utilizes these African and Caribbean sounds in a way that never feels like appropriation, but in a way that fleshes out the punk-sounding simplicity of the guitar and percussion. I assume that the rich textures on this album had an influence on the sophisti-pop sound that came out of England in the late eighties as well. Parts of this album dragged a bit, and I wasn't always a big fan of the vocals, but this is a great album, especially when you look at its place in history and culture in England at the time. This album was a fun treat, and I look forward to the other Dexys albums on the list.

Warm and uber-listenable and super Celtically soulful, there are maybe more horns than ideal, but they go all-in on it so hard to argue. In fact, one must resist the temptation to call this the "horniest" record in the whole book. Certainly it's among the hookiest. The name-dropping of Irish literary titans is very much to one's taste an the picking on Deep Purple and Johny Rotten on "Burn It Down" makes perfect sense. "Tell Me When" an "Seven Days" are infectious. "Geno" is a bit much for one's taste, but the appeal is clear. "Thankfully" is good fun and breaks up the flow a bit, mostly in a good way. Rowland's a compelling singer, even by the high standards of '80s popl in the UK. Traces of his tone and approach can be heard in . They seem to have threaded the needle of being commercially underrated and critically overrated, but their legacy seems relatively safe and one's glad to have finally gotten this band (via active listening) after years of wondering what all the fuss was about. Horns-driven here and thick with strings elsewhere, DMRs were going to do some shape-shifting across the records to come (not unlike the Bee Gees in some ways), seeking their foothold in the market and maybe they cared a bit too much about what they were wearing (as opposed to what they were playing), but this album, the first, seems the strongest.

Really good

Let's get this out of the way first. There don't need to be THREE Dexys albums on the 1001. Their albums are simply too similar. This album doesn't bring the fun as much as Too Rye Ay (although they start to turn it on with songs like Seven Days Too Long and Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply). That said, they definitely have a great sound. I'd call it glam punk soul. Favorite moment learning about the album - I was curious what "Geno" was about, so I looked it up and saw it's about soul singer Geno Washington. I then checked out his Wikipedia page and saw this excerpt: "[Geno Washington] was encouraged to make a comeback in 1980 due to the rekindled interest in him resulting from the Dexys Midnight Runners hit single "Geno", but he initially declined, as he was completing his degree in hypnotism." You can't make this shit up. Favorite Tracks: Burn It Down, Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply, There, There My Dear.

I had heard nothing else by this band, other than "Come on Eileen" and I did not expect their debut album to sound like this. There were many horns on this album that I did not expect to hear and this was a very pleasant sounding album. I'm a little surprised the album with Eileen on it is not in this book (or maybe it is?) but I enjoyed hearing it.

Quite different from "Come On Eileen", but one can still recognize the common parts. The brass parts are good, but Rowland's singing is sometimes annoying, even if it was probably made intentionally. Nevertheless, it's fun listening to.

I'd never heard of this band before. Is Ska Punk a genre? Rowland's vocals are the weakest factor of the album. The horns are spectacular, especially Paterson's trombone. Very tight. "Everything I do will be funky from now on."

El renacer del soul birtánico tuvo en este disco su causa fundamental. Un álbum de culto empezando por su primer tema, "Burn It Down", en el que se encuentran el clasicismo del soul, con su sección de vientos y su órgano Hammond, con la actitud punk reinante en la Gran Bretaña de inicios de los 80. Destacaría los grooves de R&B y los ganchos melódicos de "Seven Days Too Long" (uno de los temas que más me gustan del disco), así como el sencillo "Geno", con el que alcanzaron el número uno en las listas, y el tema final, "There, There, My Dear", sobre la impostura del artista que aparenta lo que no es.

This was a fun album. I love the sound of big band in with rock or pop and that was well mixed in here.

Not sure that this is punk, but I liked it. I like lead singer’s voice and their sound including the horns. It was certainly different.

4.5 stars. The album before Come On Eileen and it's great. Brass horns full of energy and punk-ish vibes but still catchy pop and a bit of soul. Standouts are "Tell Me When My Light Turns Green", "Geno" and "Seven Days Too Long".

I guess there is more to this band than I thought! A fun blue-eyed soul album that I assume was more popular in the U.K. than here. Does it really need to be on the list? Of course not, but it was a fun listen.

I had only heard their one hit, which isn't here. They were pretty interesting though.

La voz se parece a la del de The Cure. Son divertidos. Mucha trompeta.

Vocals meh Music yeah!!!

these brit’s keep making music

Good vibe album. Love his voice. Like the ska edge.

Only ever knew come on Eileen from them and this album did t even have that song, so I wasn’t expecting much. Walked away pleasantly surprised. I’m a sucker for a good horn section. Takes me back to my Ska days.

Tickles me that this super upbeat music is from the same place Black Sabbath was formed.

High energy liked it a lot. tracks with no vocals were a bit hard to get through as were when it tried to deliver slower songs. some real gems here though 4.4

Better than I thought it was gonna be at the start. 7/10

Love me some Dexys. “Geno” is a regular on my 80s playlist. I’ve heard this album before and I feel the same, I enjoy the faster paced songs a lot more then the slower ones. 7/10

Favorite Tracks: There There My Dear Tell Me When My Light Turns Green I’m Just Looking

Surprisingly good, but faded late in the album.

Good album. Some very catchy tunes.