Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

7/10

I dont hate it. But something is missing from these songs thats stopping me from adding them. I wouldn't be mad if I was walking through a store and heard them playing this on the intercom tho

I had to refrain from correcting a coworker who called the band "Dexy & the Midnight Runners" after she overheard me talking about this album and how much it sounded like "Getting There, Eileen". Because I shouldn't even know the lore behind this band's name, either, listmaker.

Like it 3/5

pretty nice

6.5/10

Morrissey com hiperfoco em trompete. Queria dar 3,5 estrelas

it was pretty good, definitely something different, but i liked it. i liked i couldn't help it if i tried the most 6/10

Depressive gothic ska? Sounds like a join project between Madness and The Cure. They are often out of tune, and the broken-pitch vocals are quite annoying, but the album is otherwise interesting and diverse. 7/10

How the hell do these guys have 3 albums on this list

I didn't expect to hear a brass section in an album like this. Very good and catchy instrumentals, but the vocals kinda put me off. Aside from the vocals, it was pretty fun.

Des trucs que j’ai pas mal aimé surtout les cuivres, et d’autres que j’ai pas du tout aimé genre les voix susurrées. C’est donc un mid

Some tracks I really liked, some I did not know what to think of. Lot of horns, maybe too much. And to be frank, during this listening I enjoyed reading others reviews. Some of that are very enlightening.

het was wel ok

Surprised myself and ended up liking it. The horns did it for me.

interesting, I feel like this with many albums, but I'm glad this exists just to see what it would be like. I feel like there's the attitude of punk but with vastly different music. I do like the brass stuff, and its certainly very unique, I'm not sure how much I like his voice, it feels like he is overtrying and putting on a voice which isn't really his. But I guess that's the punk ethos. So no complaints really. I feel like some songs go nowhere though. Favourite songs: burn it down, the teams that meet in caffs, thankfully not living in Yorkshire it doesn't apply, keep it. Overall around 5/10

A little ballsy to put one-hit wonder artists on this list when the hit in question is absent from the album. (And let's be honest: you only knew these guys because of one song.) These songs do sound a bit like Come On Eileen, suggesting that the Midnight Runners aren't great at sonic diversity. This is made really obvious with certain later tracks on the album that sound similar to earlier tracks. I Couldn't Help It If I Tried is a near-direct ripoff of I'm Just Looking, with the same arrangement, tempo, and mood. (Though the arrangement tends to be the same for all tracks here.) There There My Dear kind of has the same problem, but it's catchy, so I'll give it a pass. Definitely punk influence in the singing and drumming, but the absolute dominance of horn sections throughout the album is a little surprising. And not in a bad way at all. At least not to begin with. Though by the third track, the instrumental The Teams That Meet in Caffs, you start to yearn for any texture that doesn't include a brass section. I'm Just Looking somewhat achieves this, but regresses back to the same old brassiness partway through. It's hilariously corny, and the band only kind of makes it work. They can at least apply the style to a slow, soulful, bluesy swing as well as the classic uptempo punk tune. But in the end, the main thing broad audiences are looking for is catchiness, and a lot of the tracks just aren't that catchy. Geno is, though. Not only is it infectiously upbeat after the mildly lethargic I'm Just Looking, but it sounds straight out of a late-60s pop album. Rhythmically experimental (peep those straight vs swung rhythms!) and catchy as heck. Seven Days Too Long is almost Bowiesque in terms of sheer glamour and conviction. I could easily see this track on Ziggy Stardust or Aladdin Sane. The song Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply is also a highlight on side 2 of the album. It's peppy, catchy (ooh ooh aah aah, something something, you get the picture), and has some sweet piano and cowbell contributions. The song Love, Pt. 1 (Poem), on the other hand, is stupid. 3/5 Key tracks: Tell Me When My Light Turns Green, Geno, Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply

Could grow on me. Loses points for the highly annoying whispering bits. An interesting band.

To be honest it was exactly what I expected (not in a bad way)

It’s ok. 2.5

Such a distinctive style and sound.

I really enjoyed this and will be looking forward to their other albums on here.

3/5

Surprisingly good as always with these guys

Interesting sound, soul, punk, pop, rock Read up on them and they’re a proto cult band, I like a lot of cult music, it’s so eclectic, but usually fizzle out after a hit or a debut album.

rescued from a 2 by Geno

It’s not bad. With just about every track, I started off slightly annoyed, but gradually fell in line. Then the next song would start and the cycle continued. That’s largely been my attitude toward all the Dexys albums on the list. I will say - and I’m pretty sure I’m an outlier here - the saxophone kind of warmed me to them.

Before Dexys Midnight Runners would find their fleeting worldwide fame with the single "Come On Eileen", they were just a bunch of drug addicts in Birmingham taking the two-tone sound of the Specials and blending it into something that would later evolve into northern soul of bands like The Verve. It's a decent album, but the story about them stealing the master tapes (and nearly destroying them by accident) to get a better deal from the label is the most interesting thing about this release.

Pretty good.

Need to revisit to do justice… enjoyed I think.

Ey!! Ok Dexys! I had only ever heard Come On Eileen by this band. But I was pleasantly surprised by this album.

Liked the horns, not the vocals

This was fine. Not very memorable. 3/5

Another record where I don't get it. Northern soul - wtf. Where's the great tunes. Adding brass alone won't do it.

What a great album! A complete and joyous departure from the angst of late 70s punk rock. The entire band sounds like they are having fun, and I was immediately caught up. It is sad that ultimately they will be remembered for “Come on, Eileen.” Still, I am really glad to get this album to help shape and form my idea of the band. For the record, I do like “Come on, Eileen,” as a song. The lead singer’s voice is rock solid, and it captures some of the joy and playfulness found on this earlier and much better album.

Good voice, great sound but none of the song are memorable

This was ok. Quite jolly. Ran out of steam for me just over the half way mark, but had a nice 80’s feel to it. The other Dexy’s album on this list (Don’t Stand Me Down) was not as good as this. This was way more fun. Worth the price of entry for Gene alone, really.

3.5/5

I never knew this exact blend of genres existed. It’s like eating a Korean bbq kimchi and cheese mulita for the first time. With like an Armenian yogurt fizz to drink. Like oh wow this works! I’m not gonna eat it every day, but I’d probably stop at the food truck again if I drove past it.

3.5.

I'll listen

geno 1980 england Pop rock, new wave, blue-eyed soul, Celtic folk notable mention not in album: come on eileen

'I've been spat on and shat on / And made to eat soap / I've been working and shirking / For what, I don't know.' Tho they sound completely different, and one would be wont to compare Dexys Midnight Runners to The Clash, Elvis Costello, or The Specials, there's really one band that's comparable to this group, and that would be The Smiths. Kevin Rowland and Morrissey appreciated that anti-establishment music would have to be undergirded by an 'I,' even or especially if that 'I' couldn't help but lament bookishly. So, w/ this said, this is a band and a record theoretically right up my alley: the horns, the soul, the punk, the roaring, the poised and blaring right-side-of-history-adventure. But I think it's overestimated: any great, great song?

Interesting to listen to this album - a departure from their more popular songs, but found myself enjoying this much more!

Not bad. Enjoyed the horns. Seemed to be slightly ska inspired. Overall a decent listen. 3/5 Might listen again

I'd say that this is a pretty fun album -- good vibes. Nothing that pushes it to a great album, but consistent songwriting throughout.

REALLY debated giving 4 stars, but I’m not really getting re-listen vibes from these guys. That being said… Had low expectations and was honestly surprised. I thought these guys were a pretty cut and dry one hit wonder. Turns out they’re less of an 80’s one off and kind of a cool ska meets Chicago meets the kinks type ensemble, while simultaneously being their own thing.

This made me wanna buy some checkered vans and have a skankin good time. Definitely influenced a lot of the orange county bands i grew up with

7/10 Liked this a lot better than I expected based on the previous Dexys album I listened to. The horns are great. The poem is way too pretentious for me. Highlights: Burn it Down There There My Dear Tell Me When My Lights Turn Green Im Just Looking

Here's my review from previous album we had "Loved the horns and the backing vocals and sounds like a very fun live band. A couple songs I’ll come back to (Liars A to E) but generally didn’t grab me. Don’t love the crooning weirdo vocals." Feel the same now, but the horns are better on this one. Makes me want to go watch some live ska/reggae and maybe learn to play the trombone. This one is inching closer to a 4, but ultimately keeping it at 3 because instead of wanting to listen to this it's making we want to go listen to actual ska/reggae. Worth the listen though.

Another one from these guys. Really outwardly fun, soulful and peppy. Honestly, had fun listening to most of these, but I cant see myself routinely wanting to hear this. The gaspy/squeaking vocals lose me. Tell Me When My Light Turns Green was solid. 2.5 stars

This was okay. I see why they are considered a one hit wonder. Because there are no hits on here.

Some really good stuff, some really bad stuff.

291125 10:33 3 / highlights: geno, seven days too long, there there my dear

Quite good! Greatly enjoyed the brass!

Fine, but not as enjoyable as the other Dexys I've listened to from this list. I do quite like the brass, though.

3.5/5 good songs n catchy writing but not memorable

Like many in the US I'm sure, I only know Dexys Midnight Runners as more of a one-hit wonder. Sounds like they were more prominent in the UK, even before "Come on Eileen". The horn/brass is SUPER prominent on this debut album of theirs. Almost to a detriment, honestly. Everything comes off as soul, but sounds more like ska & new wave. Mix in the super Brit vocals from Kevin Rowland, and I guess you've got a unique sound. It's not something that really tickles my fancy that much, though.

I guess I was wrong about them being a one-hit wonder. they have an album on the 1001. definitely would have lost that bet. It was Ok. for the type of music, there were better early 80's groups with similar music, like Madness, Bad Manners, and The Specials. some songs stood out like "Geno" and "Burn it Down" but in its whole, I was a little bored with the album.

Liked Geno & 7 Days too Long.

DMR is no longer a one hit wonder band in my books. They had some chops. However, there’s nothing overly special about the band but they were a solid band.

Fun trumpets but nothing exceptional outside of I'm Just Looking (holy hell what a song that lne is though) and, to a lesser degree, I couldn't help it if I tried.

Was never a fan, but this is ok. Geno was and still is a great song though. Extra point for that alone :-)

Not a fan of dexys but Geno is great and there's a few other decent tracks as well.

Fun instrumentation.

Messy at times but really interesting. A big band of Gaelic folk and punk.

Interesting album today, absolutely never heard of this band before in my life. I am neither super opposed nor attracted to this soul infusion with rock. It's quite fun, energetic, but feels a bit uninspired to me. Probably 3 stars all in all, we'll see.

3 estrelas

Of all the midnight runners on this list, Dexy's is one of them. I enjoyed this album, but it loses a star for that one song that begins with a load of squelchy mouth-sound whispering, like ASMR employed as an emetic.

Three albums on this list. These guys have one über hit, but three bloody albums on this list. And...the one with the hit is decent enough, actually. There is absolutely zero reason to include more than one album of theirs here. Take your pick... This one or the über hit one. Doesn't matter much. They're both more than half decent. One of those two is absolutely enough, though.

Likte det, veldig sånn the zombies vibes. Beste sang: Thankfully not living in yorkshire it doesn't apply

Das Debut der Dexys. Eine poppig wilde Mischung. Geno ist als Single bekannt. Ok zu hören, aber einmal reicht mir dann auch. 3/5

Did a couple of listens but no stand outs really, but fine.

Not Eileen / 10

Punk. New Wave. Punk. New Wave. Punk. Oh, wouldja look at that. My prediction wheel has landed on punk, thereby making the difficult decisions for me. I've never heard of Dexys Midnight Runners before, but this is a pretty neat album cover. I'm hoping I'm in for something good. New Wave. I can never get one of these predictions right. Anyways, this is pretty alright. I think I'm slowly being desensitised to the stranger machinations of the 80s, which is horrifying to think about. I wasn't expecting there to be a prominent ska influence on this album, though it pairs quite nicely with the New Wave vocal style. I also picked up a bit of a dub influence at some points, which is interesting. Despite having so many clashing influences, the finished product comes together quite nicely and is satisfying in how cohesive and well-paced it is. "Burn It Down" is a solid opener. Those saxes are quite good, and I like the warm quality that they adopt during the non-vocal parts. "Tell Me When the Light Turns Green" is a solid follow-up. The vocal melody is pretty great, especially during the latter half of the song. The instrumental track which followed was also pretty decent, though nothing else really hooked me. Still, there were some alright bits. There was a bit of a surf rock sound on one of the songs if I'm recalling correctly and another had a pretty pronounced soul influence. Again, I can't fault this album's admirable show of variety. Book time. Geno was a successful single. That's about it. Wikipedia says that this album has a strong critic backing, though that's also just about it. I liked this album, so I'm willing to bat for it's immortalisation here. I cosign this inclusion.

Not as fun and unique as their follow-up, but still a pretty good batch of songs. Mr. Dimery must really really like Dexys. All three albums from the band's original run made the list? Key tracks: Tell My When My Light Turns Green Geno

Started out being more mediocre British rock. But then Geno came out and it just pumped me up. The whole album started to pick up after that, and was pretty enjoyable the rest of the way through. Best song: Geno

Not a bad album at all. I always forget this is the “come on Irene” band.

Very enjoyable - The Cure Light with horns. But that’s not a bad comparison at all.

Thought this might be a bit better

Too ska for me, but a few good songs.

Mostly enjoyed this. Geno being a standout

I don’t expect I am alone in hating Come On Eileen and thus have never had a desire to listen to any of their other stuff. This album has a certain charm, and more rawness than I was expecting. The upbeat ska influenced songs show a lot of promise whilst the slower ones are mainly dull. All of them are made worse by the over use of the saxophone!

Definitely better than I was expecting, and has a decent consistent vibe across the album. However, I’m not mad keen on his consistently odd vocal delivery, and there’s only so much brass I can personally stand. Low 3.

3.0 New Wave meets Ska. I like the music, the horns are not annoying, Rowland's voice is. Just not into this singing style but didn't hate it as much as I thought I would, kinda Rocky Horror Picture Show

This band has way too many albums on this list. But this one is by far the best. Didn’t know they started out more in the punk / ska / soul genre. Should have stayed there.

Listening to this album after learning my computer is drowned and gone. This will be interesting. I don't hate it.

Fun record! Maybe a little one note but it’s a good note. I appreciate it more knowing they did completely different stuff on other records.

Great

6/10…new wave / 80er indie

Knowing them only from "Come on Eileen", I was unfamiliar with the rest of the catalog. I liked it more than I expected, but the singer's whining voice kinda gets old.

Fun.

Typical early 80s vocal style meets mediocre songwritghting meets questionably arranged brass section with bad intonation. It's listenable, but listeners who expect the likes of Come On Eileen will be disappointed. As was I. 2.5/5

Interesting intro. I have no idea what's being sung but I definitely feel this is an album I can cook or work to. its good but I'm not sure I would buy physical

A decent debut album, offering hints of what was to come for the band in a couple of years. Did I have to hear it before I die? I don't think so, but it didn't actively assault my ears, like some of the albums selected for this list.

Ska vibes? Soul vibes? Interesting mix. Singer could be better. Easy listening, but a filler album for sure.

Varied and different enough that I could have it on in the background. I want to like it but it's just not enough

Not my thing personally

3,5

Better than the other one I got ig

Some jams, nothing special

Not bad album, glad I heard it. Almost like a sound of the poppier side of The Clash meets jazz/big band style. I don't know if I'll be going back to it a ton but an entertaining listen.

10/7/25. Did not expect this type of sound from what I know of the band, but that's due to my limited knowledge. Lots of soulful horns over a late 70s/early 80s punk like sound with the expressive vocals is a unique mix to my ear.

Yeah I liked this, I like his sort of whinny vocals.

Like a bit of Dexys

If i grew up in Ireland, I’m sure I would have been a big Dexy’s fan. The band is tight, and the tunes pop, but the singing is kind of whiny and strained. A 3.

This was a decent album, I have never listened to really any thing other than come on Eileen so it was cool to hear something else!

Cool!

01) Burn It Down - 6,5 02) Tell Me When My Light Turns Green - 6,0 03) The Teams That Meet in Caffs - 5,5 04) I'm Just Looking - 6,0 05) Geno - 8,0 06) Seven Days Too Long - 5,5 07) I Couldn't Help If I Tried - 6,0 08) Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply - 7,0 09) Keep It - 6,0 10) Love Part One - 5,0 11) There, There, My Dear - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,18 (62/100) Current ranking: 515/688

TIL these guys are more of a ska band. i never thought of Come On Eileen as a ska song (although every ska band has covered it), but i also don’t remember horns. now it all kinda makes sense.

This album is fine. Nothing too special in my opinion, but some good tunes. I like the instrumental tracks. The vocals aren't amazing, but it's fine.

The soul elements are just not good and very skippable, but the rest of the album is actually pretty good and definitely better than the other Dexys album on this list. 3.0/5.0: Good

2,8/5

and thus concludes my review of all three Dexy's albums on the list. Of all of them this is the weakest. A few good songs, the rest was pretty mediocre. Why all three of their albums are on this list? I think the author must have been a massive fan. I could understand one being added. but all three?? 3 stars

3.4

Interesting mix of 80s punk vibes, soul and horns but the vocals were too much at points.

Great sound. Fun listen.

Upbeat, could be a good listen in the right environment.

76% Best: The Teams That Meet in Caffs; Geno; Seven Days Too Long Must-Hear? Not quite

Enjoyed this a lot more than the other Dexys album

Как-то не очень прикольно. Звучит как веселая группа Cure с духовыми инструментами. Какая-то позитивная музыка, и, не смотря на на название, совершенно не протестная. Опять какой-то средненький альбом, особо ничего интересного из себя не представляющий.

I've never listened to this album (15). It was okay, a few nice ideas here and there. Nice grooves.

на любителя.

I'll admit his voice is a bit annoying but the music is pretty catchy at times. I would categorise them as a One hit Wonder and the album featuring Come on Eileen has already appeared on this list so... Are deep cuts really must hears? Well the list features half of Elvis Costello's Discography for no good reason so i guess why not

Dexys does not belong on this list three times. Heavy on the horns, at least this one is a little different.

For a one hit wonder, this is the third album of theirs I've heard on this list. Mid

Saxophones Sounding Quite Like A New Chance

While the lyrics are interesting (the ones I can understand, anyway) and the actual music is good, I can’t get past how grating and whiny the vocals are. The horns were an interesting touch and it was fun to listen to (for the most part), but I doubt I’ll listen much again.

ніколи не чула про цей гурт, але мені подобається. така.. вимучена музика юності.

Decent though a little smarmy at times. At its very best it reminded me of the Violent Femmes a little bit. But ultimately I don’t see why I’d listen to this over Too-Rye-Ay

#108/1001. This list has surprisingle little (so far) of rhe 80's. For me it was an inventive era, punk movement maybe died or turned in to hardcore, but it opened up the doors to so many kinds of styles, experimentations, new and old sounds, non-western influences, funk, soull, ska, folk... Era of massive proge and rock giants was over (and era of massive pop giants begun). Dexy's is known from a few songs, but other than that I assume most of their production os unknown for many not living in the U.K at that time. And perhaps to many who were there as well, there were so many things going on. After all, It is a decent album, but for me there is nothing in the whole which makes this a masterpiece. One nice Polaroid of the 80s.

I like this, this was ok.

I liked the instrumental track The Teams that meet in Caffs. I like all the horns in the tracks, good fun.

fun and good

not my style.

Unexpectedly good proto-ska. Nice horns and upbeat tunesmithing.

Classic UK pop rock.

Quite fun, enjoyed the horns

Not my thing

Some sophisticated stuff

Great music, but not exactly my cup of tea.

Yawn

Thank God this was before they realised they could make 12 minute songs.

A nice blend of ska, pop, bits of punk and more. Instantly recognisable lead vocals (that I'm not that fond of). Not my favourite album, but fits its era very well.

2.7 2x

Really interesting, love the big band. Would have been awesome to see live. Don't think I'll reach for this one again.

fine for background music but won’t seek it out actively

They're males under the age of 30 years old.

Kinda silly, definitely not boring. Would listen again. 3.5

Burn it down: the intro is a bit too long and doesn't add much to the song itself. I like how the trumpets resemble like a national hymn. The singer's voice is too whiny and you can't really understand what he's saying. Four minutes are too many for this song, it doesn't have anything special 6/10 Tell me when My light turns green: i still like the fun sound of the trumpets. The lyrics are unintellegible. More fun than the previous one. 7/10 The teams that meet if caffs: I like how there is no sung part, the instrumental is fun and almost sentimental. 7/10 I'm just looking: I liked the whispered intro with the soothing melody in the background, it feels like someone is actually spying on someone. I like the groovy vibe and the bass. The melody is snappy and jazzy and I like that. 8.5/10 Geno: The intro hyped me but then it slowed down and I was a bit let down. Didn't tell me anything. 7/10 Seven days too long: It reminds me a little of Billy Joel. 7/10 I couldn't help it if i tried: 6/10 Thankfully not living in Yorkshire it doesn't apply: 8.5/10 Keep it: 8/10 There there my dear: 7/10 Average: 7/10 (or 3.5/5)

Nice tight sound and production, fun album, the horn section is great, vocals a little off putting for me but otherwise not bad

It's OK. Kinda ska but not exactly?

3/5. I'm glad there was not a single word I understood from the vocals and that this was purely an instrumental album. It felt akin to Irish ska punk and although those are great genre titles, it seems there was missing a little of the punk as I could not understand what they were upset about. Now there is something to be said about doing this on purpose, which is pretty punk, but it doesn't seem to land as it should, from what I heard. The instrumentation was great, don't get me wrong, I just wish there was a little more oomph to the vocals. I think this was a good listen, but it could have been a lot better. Best Song: The Team That Meet In Caffs, Burn It Down, I'm Just Looking, There There My Dear

burn it down- 4 or 5 tell me when my light turns green- 5 the teams that meet in caffs- 5 im just looking- stop whispering right now. 4 geno- 5 seven days too long- thats what this album feels like. 4 or 5 i couldnt help it if i tried- 4 thankfully not living in yorkshire doesnt apply- 5 keep it- 4 or 5 love pt 1- 4 there there my dear- 5

Recently tried some of this--not too much toward my liking. Hard to get around the voicing. Punk is trying to find a way forward, holding hands with Geno. A good effort, bombast and braggadocio abound. This album gets much better as it progresses, as if they were learning too.

I was quite torn on this one because I was never particularly a Dexy’s fan. I did prefer this early music but everything was ruined for me after Come on Eileen. I did love Geno on here. And I was surprisingly buoyed along by the rest. But I don’t think it hit me hard enough to want to listen again.

I posted this earlier, but somehow my review never got saved. That's my story, at least. So... channeling my reaction... Basically, I thought this was much stronger than the first album we spun by Dexy's Midnight Runners, but I still cannot understand how all three of the band's records made this list. This started out questionably, and then there was some interesting and even enjoyable stuff there in the middle. But Kevin Rowland's (yes, I had to look that up (again)) vocals are singular and idiosyncratic, which is to say it's hard to be indifferent. On some of the tracks I was enjoying, it wasn't an issue, but it was impossible to get through the entire record without slipping into discontent, based on the singing alone. Didn't love it, but I was rather harsh with my first review, and I've softened a bit with this one.

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: The Teams That Meet in Caffs, I'm Just Looking, Geno Is "English Blues" a genre? That's how I'd label this, or at least some of the tracks. Most of the time, I can't make out what the hell the singer is saying. I quite like a few of the middle tracks; tracks 3, 4 and 5 are all pleasant. The instrumental track in particular I really enjoyed. Not much else to say. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Solid 3 material for me.

Como primer album recomendado de los 1001, me hace dar cuenta que no se un carajo de musica. Hay tanta profundidad y referencias que me hubiese pasado por encima si no leia el art. de Wikipedia, y hay millones que se me habran pasado y no entendere ahora misma o nunca. Se inspiraron del Northern Soul de Inglaterra que asimismo se inspiro en el Soul Negro de Estados Unidos. Mucha historia. Buen lore el del album, se robaron los tapes!! No hay ni un tema que me enamoro honestamente, Geno fue mid para ser el mas escuchado, pero fue una buena escuchada el album en general. Tema favorito: Thankfully not living in Yorkshire It doesnt apply por ser el mas rapido y ritmico.

Dexys Midnight Runners- Searching for the Young Soul Rebels I know Come on Eileen. You know Come on Eileen. That’s all I’m going into this with. Burn It Down Tell Me When My Light Turns Green The Teams that meet in Caffs- nice to have a saxophone driving a pop rock album I’m Just Looking- seems ballad-ish, about a lost love- more emotion than I expected Geno- was their horn section really this powerful? Seven Days Too Long- I don’t know what year this came out, but where are they in the annals of ska I Couldn’t Help It if I Tried- Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn’t Apply- Keep It Love, Pt 1 (Poem) There There My Dear Overall, a surprisingly enjoyable album. They are definitely working that proto-ska thing with all the horns. I had trouble with some of the lyrics. At some point, I will go back and listen to this. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Enjoyed it mostly as background music though.

One I've not listened to before. Just thought of them as one hit wonders with "Come on Eileen" and kind of dismissed them. You either love or hate horns on punk albums, and I love it! I'd bet this was a real fun live show, especially if you were drunk; clearly the band is having a good time doing it. Lost points for the vocals, Kevin Rowland sounds like he’s having a stroke… 3⭐️

Meh

I quite like it overall. Love a ska brass section. The vocal performance is just... a lot. Why did this particular style of punk vocal have such a chokehold on the British music scene for so long? It's genuinely unpleasant to listen to.

Instead of complaining about this band having 3 albums in here (it is objectively ridiculous that they do), I'll just stand on the take that this band could have been really good if Rowland wasn't so irritating with his vocals and lyrics. The amount of times I thought "Oh, shut the fuck up" to just him in particular during these songs was staggering. The horn-based punk derivatives worked fantastically for me otherwise!

It’s okay. New to me but I like that it’s upbeat.

Fun energy and the horns give it character but I didn’t find a lot here that I want to go back to. I had a hard time understanding the lyrics so if there was a lot of depth here it went right over my head

Det var sjovere end jeg havde forventet

Geno goes. The rest of this Ska stuff ain't for me, but I respect that this band is better than just one hit.

I was not expecting the ska influence or horns on Dexys Midnight Runners' debut. I did enjoy the vocals, but the songwriting left a lot to be desired. Kind of middle-of-the-road, soul influenced ska with no desire to push envelopes, though, there are a handful of memorable songs here. Highlights: "Geno", "Seven Days Too Long", "There There My Dear"

Logically, I know that they must have made albums, but because of that one ubiquitous and unavoidable single, I had never thought to check out their other stuff. Surprisingly good as it turns out

My favorite parts of this album were the instrumental and the poem. Decent album though actually.

Quite fun while youre listening to it, but afterwards nothing really sticks out too much. A generally forgettable album for me, although I did enjoy myself

I've never listened to their music, other than that one song that everyone loves. But thankfully, I'm a big fan of The Cure, so I'm loving this. Tell Me When The Light Turns Green is a cute, groovy tune. At times this album sounded very juvenile, especially on tracks like Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire. Overall, a fun, party album that is a good time.

Dexys har visst fler låtar än "Come on Eileen". Men inga lika bra.

Not bad but I found some of the songs sounded too similar…not enough variety.

It ain't so much New Wave, it ain't so much Ska, it ain't so much of much really.

A couple of really great songs, I wasn't expecting so much blues but was pleasantly surprised it carried so much emotion. I got over the singer's wailing enough to chew through it.

The simplest way to describe this album is fun. Fun music, fun lyrics. And if you like horns you’ll love listening to this one.

I only ever really new DMR for "Come on Eileen" - which I always thought was fun, but nothing special. This album surprised me a bit. The whole thing is pretty good. All the same fun vibes as "Eileen" - but also made me appreciate them a little bit more than I had.

To be fair, I’m not high on ska nor UK music in general but this really isn’t very good.

Some albums manage to sound fresh decades after their initial release. This is not one of them. It's extremely evocative of a specific time and a place, and that can be a great thing if you were there. I was not. It just kind of washed over me I'm afraid. Not awful but I doubt I will ever get around to listening again.

Try all you want; put on a donkey jacket and flat cap, add all the brass and play all the stuff you heard from two-tone. Even put on a dress and hire backing dancers. But if the first thing people think of when they hear your name is white British people dancing in a municipal hall in the eighties and nineties, that’s who you are. Alternatively: Track 1 on a musical accompaniment to a Martin Parr exhibition.

Interessante pos punk/new wave. English com metais. Tem três discos dessa banda na lista. Esse é o primeiro. Interessante. Legal!

The music on this is right up my alley. Loved the sound, including the horns and everything else. The vocals often just sound sort of stupid, though. I wish he sang with a bit less affectation. If the vocals were a bit more straightforward I would have loved this.

Coole bläser

I honestly didn't know they had other songs aside from Come On Eileen, and this album doesn't have that song at all! They had enough songs for at least TWO whole albums? Wow. Anyway, it was fine.

Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5

This album is worth it for Seven Days Too Long and Geno alone. The rest is ok

It’s fine. Solid 3. (Tim: His mannered vocals are hard to take. Still a 3.)

Better than the first Dexys I got; not as good as the second Dexys I got. We really need three?

Wait, there are multiple Dexy's Midnight Runners albums on this list?? Why? This is fine but ultimately nothing to write home about.

I know these blokes are on the list multiple times and all I’m gonna say is I will be outraged if Hall and Oates don’t make an appearance. This album is fine. I only knew this band from Come On Eileen. Favorites were Tell Me When My Light Turns Green, Geno, and Seven Days Too Long.

3.5/5

This was actually not bad, even without Come On Eileen! I really liked the horn section. Liked Songs Added: Geno Seven Days Too Long

This album wasn’t bad, but it’s nothing I’ll ever go back to either. On the flip side, it’s interesting to explore Dexys Midnight Runners just to hear something different from “Come On Eileen.” If you’re a fan of music with brass instruments, then this will be right up your alley. Other than that, there’s not too much to say about this album because nothing really jumped out.

I liked this more than the last dexys midnight runners album but honestly I kind of ended up just zoning out during it. That's usually a 3 for me because it doesn't annoy me but also nothing really stands out to me.

This was better than I expected. It’s not great (or in my top 1001 albums), but there were strains of a band growing up alongside Clash and finding a different, soulful sound to play with. Enjoyable for a single listen, and I wouldn’t turn it off if it came back on my rotation after this.

Slightly better than Don't Stand Me Down. More upbeat instrumentals on this one. The instrumental parts weren't bad! Sadly the 'singing' and wailing if we can call it that is still tragic 3 ⭐️

Doesn't move the needle at all for me; it's music.

This was decent. Some influence from Talking Heads, it seems.

It was enjoyable, I like that early ska sound they have going on, I can see where others have been influenced

At first, I thought I was listening to an early Ska record. However, upon further listening, this is new wave rock with horns. All of it is serviceable and decent, but nothing stood out, even the hit single, "Geno." Without any anchoring nostalgia, this is an a-ok record.

6.65 ★★★

Like the instrumentation, hate the vocals. 3 stars

I liked this a little more than I thought I would. It's kind of a more soulful version of the 2 tone scene that was happening at the time. Kevin Rowland's vocals are probably an aquired taste for some, but I think the weirdness of his vocals kind of makes it kind of cool. My favorites are "Tell Me When My Light Turns Green" and "I'm Just Looking". 3.5 stars.

Kevin Rowland’s voice is a bit of a strange one. It is very like Roland Rat (make that ‘Rowland Rat’!) but always yowling and with a brain injury that makes his speech mainly incomprehensible. But it’s not actually too annoying on this album and there are quite a few good choons with rich, horny, solemn but sassy northerner soul horn grooves. Lots of good quality trumpeting and tromboning amongst the weird, wild n wonky Roland Rat yowling. Geno is the pick of the pops whereas that spoken word free sax love poem towards the end is the king of the stinkers along with the Jimmy Somerville Yorkshire song. High 3.5 stars.

At the time I'm writing this, the ratings for this average to exactly 3. Who am I to rock the boat? 3/5

Always thought these guys were Irish for some reason, so mostly this album is just making me think of the Commitments. It's fine, but why wouldn't I just listen to classic soul instead?

some good tracks, a lot of filler

With the constant horns, I kind of felt like I was listening to a British version of Chicago. Not as good as Chicago, but pretty alright overall. There were some good songs in here like Tell Me When My Light Turns Green and Geno. There There My Dear was a strong closing song. There were a couple of lowlights on this album. The beginning of I'm Just Looking gave me the ick, as the kids would say. The vocals in Keep It are also particularly annoying. Maybe if this album had this band's most famous hit, Come On Eileen, we'd be pushing towards a low 4, but I think this just lands squarely as a 3.

Who in the bloody fuck actually needs to hear 3 Dexys Midnight Runners albums before they die? While the inclusion of 85 Elvis Costello albums is a blight in its own right on this list, at least Costello had some hit to even out his miss ratio. DMR (as nobody calls them) lack anything that I can qualify as a hit. I mean Come on Eileen is a fine song, but only in the sense that its kind of fun and nostalgic. Outside of that narrow focus, I'm unclear what I'm supposed to get out of this exercise. Welp that's my disposition going into this album. I'll try to keep an open mind. Ultimately, I feel unshifted from my starting position. While this _was_ admittedly a better sounding album than the other 2 so far on the list, it still didn't do a whole lot for me. I didn't actively hate it but I really didn't need this. Low 3 in my book.

We did not need another Dexy's album on this list. I don't remember much about the other DMR albums except for lots of horns. This might be the best one we have had? The bar isn't exactly high...

Third and hopefully final album by them to come up on this list. Looking back at my other 2 ratings this one is right in the middle between the other two at a mid 3. The singer is still mad weird. And the amount of horns that they used made this sound like a ska album.

"This was fun. I can see where it's listed as having some ""Soulful"" roots. I've only ever known ""Come on Eileen"" and it sounds on brand. "

Previously rated: Too Rye Ay (4/5) ********************* In small doses. That's how I like listening to the singer of this band. The music is pretty cool and jazzy. Kind of like the album album from what I remember, but this one doesn't have Come on Eileen. I liked Seven Days Too Long and There There My Dear.

Bouncy, peppy, ska-y fun. Rough around the edges. Considering the band name effectively means "Cokey's Nighttime Smugglers" I'm gonna let them off with less polish. Wish it had "Come on Eileen" tho

bello

3.5/5. New wave, I guess, although not super obvious. I think this album has some different sounds, which is refreshing. Overall, not something that really excites me, but not bad.

A punk album with lots of brass instruments

7 days too long without you baby come on back to me 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️ I'm not gonna wait around forever.

Enjoyed this. Definitely going back

I only knew this band for Come on Eileen and this album was astonishing. It feels like early ska or at least that it maybe influenced later ska. The story of its making is fascinating too. The vocals are often too British New Wave but the rest of it is so not-that that this is a more enjoyable experience. I love the horns throughout.

Actually really fun. I wish they continued in the more horn-forward style tbh

This was an alright, typical-sounding British album, nothing too exciting, it was not too bad having it in the background.

1. Tell Me When My Light Turns Green 2. Geno 3. There There My Dear 4. Burn It Down 5. Seven Days Too Long 6. The Teams That Meet in Caffs 7. Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply 8. I'm Just Looking 9. I Couldn't Help It If I Tried 10. Keep It *Interludes omitted*

un album muy divertido de new wave, honestamente no esperaba que quedase muy bien mezclado con ska, pero cumple y se hace recordar.

Wow I actually like this one a lot more than the others on here. The brass really adds a lot. Still has a couple I'm not as into but overall this is much more entertaining.

“Come On Eileen” was an outlier for this band, and I like a lot of this material quite more than that song, which became an eardrill. Kevin Rowland’s voice is A BIT MUCH sometimes, but when he dials it down and the band gets into a groove, there are some terrific relistenable songs.

🎧Righto, pretty good Northern soul and punk-inspired pop rock. Some of this reminds me of Elvis Costello. Good brass section. Kevin Rowland’s voice sometimes stinks.

One hit wonder band

Enjoyed this one maybe the most of the 3 dexys records. That being said, I still didn't care too much for it. I might revisit it, but only begrudgingly. 2.8/5

Decent

Vocals remind me of Bowie. Not bad but not for me.

Gav altså lidt punk vibes selvom det overhovedet ikke er punk. Fed horn. Ville have været en 4er men der er lidt for meget filler

"Searching For The Young Soul Rebels" by Dexys Midnight Runners offers a vibrant burst of energy and soul-infused enthusiasm, characteristic of the early '80s. I liked it, but I won't go back to it. While it captures the youthful spirit effectively, the album feels maybe a bit one-dimensional. Its driving intensity and consistent theme might appeal initially, but lack the variety necessary to hold long-term interest.

Die Musik ist ja ganz gut, aber der Gesang gefällt mir nicht.

The brits should stick to making car shows

Not too bad

I’m not sure if this makes sense: I get they are good at what they do but it doesn’t hold much interest for me

I do enjoy the madness of the Dexys, think there’s other album had a single track which encapsulated that, this one has similar vibes but no stand outs

There are some cool tracks on this. I only knew the smash hit. As an album, the frontman's voice annoyed me after a while but cool to listen to some individual tracks from here.

Solid ska band made worse (for the most part) by a ridiculous vocalist.

Listenable.

I wish this list gave as much respect to older blues, country, and Americana as it did to new wave music

Ok, happened

Ska!

I gave this two the first time, but that was harsh. Here's a three

Stabil platta.

3.5 stars — this is a fun one, not one i think i’ll reach for a ton but glad to have listened to it

I'm not super familiar with the world of ska, but this sure sounded like it. I found that surprising, considering the only song I knew of theirs before this doesn't sound like ska. Anyway, it was fine.

Leuke ontdekking, alleen zal ik m niet heel gauw nog een keer opzetten

Geno is a classic Burn it Down is decent Seven Days is Too Long is a highlight It's not bad but 3 dexy albums is insane

Whooaaaaa Geno! A song with two distinct memories for me: 1. Losing a quiz at Toffs nightclub York, despite - or even because of - cheating. Having successfully identified Star Trekking by The Firm as being from 1986, I got down to the final two in said quiz (taking place at midnight in a crowded club). The DJ played Geno, and told us to write down the year and the artist. Closest wins. No problem with the latter, it's Dexys. As for the year, I happened to see my opponent write 1981. No problem, I'll just go one year up and write 1982 - they're early 80s, but surely not that early. 1980. He won a karaoke machine, I won eternal shame. 2. Singing it on karaoke without the benefit of knowing any of the melody or lyrics beyond the bit where you shout 'whoa Geno'. The rest of this album is so-so.

Who knew the Come on Eileen guys had more hits.

Good album

Had never heard a Dexys Midnight Runners song before other than Come on Eileen. 80s alt vocals over a lot of horns. It’s pretty good

4* horns 2* vocals

Underwhelming despite the horns. Could have been sub optimal listening conditions and would be willing to listen again at some point.

Better than I was expecting. 3.5*

I’m a sucker for a tight brass section. That makes this album for me. Otherwise it’s kinda lacking the hooks I want from Dexys

Fun and upbeat! We had "Too Rye Ay" not too long ago. Both are quite similar in style and fun. "Too Rye Ay" had more memorable songs with "Come on Eileen" and "The Celtic Soul Brothers" while this album only really had "Geno" that I think stood out. Still a fun album but not something I really feel like listening to again. "Geno" pushes it to a weak 3.

So here's one I'd say need not be on the list. But it is, and I like horns, so a 3.

Their other albums were better

Idk. This is one of those albums on this list where I enjoy listening to it, but will also forget about it within a few days.

The instruments were nice but the sorrowful singing voice mostly ruined it for me.

Tiden har nog runnit ifrån dem. Jag kan höra att det här var bra nån gång förr i tiden. Men nu tar det inte tag i mig. Trea

The music is great but the vocals get so tiresome

The first half of the album would bore me quite a bit. However, when the uplifting melodies flood the following songs, I started to take a keen interest in it. I saved a bunch from the final ones.

The vocal sounded familiar to someone but I can't tell to whom.

Was this bad? No. Was this great? No. Did I want to listen to it again? No. On a 1-10 scale I'd probably go four, but with 1-5 scale, I find it hard to give it a two, as it is not objectively bad. Yet another UK centric pick, certainly not something you "need to hear before you die"...

Thought this was alright. Worth a listen anyway, didn't not enjoy.

++: Burn It Down, Seven Days Too Long, Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply +: Tell Me When My Light Turns Green, The Team That Meets in Caffs, I'm Just Looking, Geno, Keep It, Love Part One +-: I Couldn't Help If I Tried, There, There My Dear 6,4/10

This is an interesting curio: how do you remember an Album Band™️ who are mostly remembered as one hit wonders? Yes, I know that Dexys Midnight Runners are not one hit wonders in the UK, but I get the impression that time has leaned more favorably to the American narrative in public memory. And if we’re talking canon (as we always are when analyzing this list), then public memory matters when assessing Searching for the Young Soul Rebels. Modern critics seem to overcorrect the one hit wonder allegations, claiming that the US messed up by not giving Young Soul Rebels its rightfully earned dues, and I think that overcorrection is what landed this record a spot on this particular list. (That, and the British-centric narrative that persists throughout this list.) But is it canon-worthy? Is Searching for the Young Soul Rebels a great album? Does it prove that Dexys Midnight Runners are more than their most well-remembered hit(s)? Was their clear album-oriented vision only obvious in retrospect? Kinda. And kinda not really. Searching for the Young Soul Rebels is certainly well-made. The musicianship is top-notch. The aesthetic, while put on, is intriguing, and feels sincere. The soul revival approach is coming less from a place of nostalgic cash grabbing, and more from the vantage point of a crate digger, and that’s obvious, and one of this record’s greatest strengths. And even if you’re not a fan of Kevin Rowland’s vocal choices like me, it’s still a meaningful, thoughtful choice that fits the aesthetic goals. My issue, unfortunately, is that the songs very rarely work. The crate-digger, niche reference worldview brings Dexys down interesting alleyways that tie back to long-forgotten touchpoint of the soul genre, but hearing them revived, you immediately realize why they died off in the first place, and why their graves were forgotten beneath the overgrowth. The origin of this style of soul feels kitsch in a Tin Pan Alley way, ephemeral and made for a quick buck. So when Dexys tries to redo it with all the sincerity in the world, it doesn’t sound artful, it sounds tasteless, naïve, and even immature– not just collecting Beanie Babies in the 2020s, but leaving them in your will to your children as a financial asset. Not everything on Searching for the Young Soul Rebels falls this flat– the record hits a good stride in the middle where I see how someone could enjoy it– but most of it just doesn’t feel all that deep. That’s important, because this is one of those records that you know the band thinks is so deep, overflowing with meaning, and deserving of canonization. And it just isn’t that, despite the band’s talent and despite Rowland’s vision. As someone who’s fascinated with one hit wonders, there’s so many records by long-forgotten bands that I’ve sincerely defended as 10/10 albums that I’d rate above Abbey Road, Pet Sounds, Dark Side of the Moon, Rumours, etc. I’m not averse to sticking my neck out for this type of band. But Searching for the Young Soul Rebels is not an album worth sticking my neck out for. It’s decent, and not trash, but it is shlock, forgotten for a reason. Not $1 bin, but $2 bin. It’s decent, but I’ll be lucky to remember to pull the few songs I like out and put them on a playlist, let alone remember the album as a whole in a month or two.

1 hour 49 min of Dexys and none of it is Come on Eileen. Didn’t expect that

Meh, it’s ok

I understand the political and nostalgiac impact, but sounds like proto-ska. I'd much rather listen to the actual Geno Washington than "Geno."

I didn't realise DMR were a '3 albums on the generator' kinda band, but then I wasn't born when any of them were released so who am I to make assumptions? And anyway, I like 'em. There's good stuff on all of their albums - they're just not quite consistent enough to convince me that any of them are classics. Their 'best of' collection must be all killer, mind. 3.5

Solid memories of living in Ireland in the 80s. Love the emotions, and energy.

Good, but not my taste though

The band is excellent

Musically, this was alright. I quite liked the horns and almost Madness-esque vibe to it. But vocally it wasn't for me. Almost wish it was an instrumental album!

The ska vibes grow on you. But ruined by vocals similar to what happened to Talking Heads and The Smiths for me.

Not listened to this since the 80's. I found if anything that with the passing of years I appreciated the music more. Stand out track is obviously 'Geno' but there's much to enjoy here.

S'okay. Not my cup of tea. Solid instrumentals and vocal work I didn't care for. 'Geno' was good and my fave pick.

Better than the hit but still not exceptional.

2.9

No. 287/1001 Burn It Down 3/5 Tell Me 3/5 The Teams 4/5 I'm Just 3/5 Geno 3/5 Seven 4/5 I Couldn’t 3/5 Thankfully 4/5 Keep It 4/5 Love NR There 3/5 Average: 3,4 Positive surprise for me. So far I mostly disliked the new wave albums on this list. But this one was actually quite enjoyed listening, especially the use of trumpet.

fun blokes who don't stick out too much but they enjoy what they do ay

Cool stuff a bit boring at times

Hey this is alright. The horns work. Perhaps a little too ska on the last track. From reading the other reviews I did not expect the horns to work. I didn't know this band from the hit Come On Eileen and would have been more suspicious if I had. I am turning off Come On Eileen as we speak so that I don't round down to 2.

Kind of rolled my eyes when this came up, just because it’s a band that I (and most people, I think?) would consider a one hit wonder. A good lesson in checking oneself. Sounds like if the Clash had done one more album, and it was their second worst one, but in a good way. Rounding down from 3.5 here.

Not a huge fan, but nothing terrible.

Dexy's in their Northern Soul original incarnation, featuring of course, the stomper that is "Geno", bangier than a box of firecrackers. Of course, they would go on to discover violins and dungarees and give us the timeless classic "Come on Eileen", but let's enjoy them as they were...

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels does a fair job of setting a really tangible mood with plenty of emotion but it's mostly brought down by terrible vocals. Kevin Rowland can't sing, it doesn't really matter at times because it suits the song (I Couldn't Help It If i Tried, for example, is a fantastic song and his vocals are fine here), but there are too many occasions where it's just incoherent warbling in the wrong key and ruins the song. The highs of the song I mentioned plus Tell Me When My Light Turns Green and Geno are impressive, the horn section is very much my bag throughout, but it doesn't hit a consistently high quality bar often enough to get more than a middling 3.

Not my cup of tea really, our second of their albums in the past few weeks. Singing is really ropey, works in some places, doesn't in others. Definitely interesting though in places, probably does merit a place on the list, but not something I'm likely to revisit in reality. Just about a 3.

Not as good as too rye ay but it was decent and geno is a really good song.

fun fact: "dexys" refers to dextroamphetamine, a stimulant medication used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy :) had no idea what to expect from this album but it was a p fun romp. 3.5 stars

Dexy's gave birth to the notion of Irish Punk music (The Pogues, Black 47, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphy) and outside of their one-hit-wonder label thanks to 'Come on Eileen', this second entry of theirs to this list is very different, yet draws a roadmap for the bands listed above. 3.5/5

I neither love or hate, it's alright.

Fun and poppy. Definitely appreciated the brass and woodwind incorporation as well, helped this album stand out a bit more and made it feel less dated. Unfortunately I do feel like a lot of the songs are very similar as they would be on any album, and there isn't enough that's wholly interesting to me to make me want to come back for more. Top tracks: Tell Me When My Light Turns Green; Love, Pt. 1 (Poem); There There My Dear