Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

It's a no for me, dawg

Heavy on the horns.... The most interesting thing about Dexys Midnight Runners is the name. A reference to England's Northern Soul scene, the all night dance clubs that bumped American Motown Soul music until 7 AM would host danceathon that incentivized its dancers to take dexedrine - or Dexys as they were called - in order to stay up dancing. Most of these dancers were younger guys who worked six days a week in heavy industry so this was their main outlet. Coming out of Birmingham, the DMR boys were in the scene, even having written some Northern Soul stuff. This isn't that, instead broaching more new-wave/ska stuff that was a lot more in vogue by the time 1979 rolled around. Most of it is straightforward ska stuff, as was trendy at the time. The best stuff is roundly the sweaty, amphetamine fueled stuff that you could concievably mix into a Northern Soul playlist. It's interesting in a historical curiosity way with the right context. But let's say, hypothetically, you only listen to 1001 albums in your life, this doesn't need to be one of then. Favorite Tracks: Geno, Seven Days Too Long, There There My Dear

This is really different stuff, kind of whimsical at some points. The music and lyrics remind me of theatre kids in high school for some reason. It's not bad but the vocal seem kind of weird enough for me to not take it seriously. It's not bad, just not something that is for me.

Not my favorite sound. Fine in small doses but this is not an album that speaks to me

Sounds like some could be good, but nothing that really caught me

ta bueno 2/5

I don't mind most of what's happening here musically, but Rowland is very, *very* hard for me to tolerate. This might not bode well for their other two masterpieces that appear in this book. 2/5

Hormis 2/3 titres écoutables, globalement je n'aime pas trop

Did not find this too interesting.

The wailing, gulping style of singing annoys me. I recognise Gino, but I would say this album is not as good as Too Rye Ay, also on this list.

Is this guy actually for real with these vocals? Surely this is a prank.

I've never listened to this album and I was excited, thinking this might end up a hidden gem. Alas, in the end I can't get past Kevin Rowland's weak vocals - I like plenty of music with folks who don't technically sing well, but I couldn't even get with Rowland's poor phrasing and the character of his voice just grated on me. There's tremendous musical potential here, and I like a number of the songs - particularly Keep It and There There My Dear. And I can see how the album would make more of an impact in its time. But in the end the vocals really did me in.

Dull. 2/5

This must be what ska sounds like to people that don't like ska. But I truly am glad I didn't have to listen to Come On Eileen.

Judging by the cover I expected a post punk album, but I was surprised. Not bad, but didn't really catch my attention very well.

I was expecting to hear come on eileen, and somehow wasnt disappointed when it never came on. I did not have these guys as a punkish band, so that was a huge revelation. overall a pretty ok album.

This New Wave album is exhausting to endure, bursting with frantic horn lines, cluttered arrangements, and relentlessly shouted vocals. The energy is chaotic rather than invigorating, with every track competing for attention in a blur of brass and bluster. Though the lyrics aim for youthful rebellion and sincerity, the overblown delivery turns passion into noise, making the album feel more like an onslaught than a celebration.

I’m not giving it a one but I will say these guys don’t know when to end a song and I don’t want to hear this ever again.

This one wasn't for me. Kind of gave me a ska/pop vibe but just couldn't get into it. Great production and solid sound tho, I'm sure folks are well loved.

negative experience to listen to while coding, but great for cleaning the house

Oddly underwhelmed by this one. I guess you had to be there.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to listen to the full album, but I listened to all but the last few tracks. The album started off strong. I was really getting into it. As it progressed, the music became less appealing. I don't really have anything else to say, so I'll shut up.

better than the last dexys album but not by much.

This was meh

A THIRD Dexys Midnight Runners album on this list? A fucking THIRD one?? 2/5

a little too kooky for my liking.

My last (hopefully) of 3 Decys’ records and it’s their earliest one. I guess it’s slightly less annoying than the later ones but not by much. I like some of the horn playing anyway.

I dig their sound, the jazzy with horn section, punkish speed. It all does a good job of creating a fun environment. The vocals do not coincide in this would in an effective way, that’s were I get lost. Too many albums on this list from these guys.

Not great. Not horrible. But nothing on there with the pep or fun of Come on Eileen.

Цікавий мікс соулу, року, джазу та ска. Місцям це гурт Chicago зі скашними духовими. Це сподобалось. Дуже не сподобався вокал: ні голос, ні мелодії. Він точно виділяється, але краще був би більше дефолтним. Місцями було прям важко і як на мене не пасує настрою та змісту музики.

Didn’t hate it, but didn’t love it either. Dead middle of the road for me music wise, but ultimately made worse by the singer’s voice. 2.25 / 5

There was a lot to like about this album, but I could t quite get past the shiny vocals and repetitive horns. Maybe it will grow on me if I come back to it

Nah

The music is great but the lead singers style of moany herky jerky singing gets old after one song.

Not my jam. Horns and some version of early auto tuning by combined singing but slightly out of tune. Good melodies.

On paper this is right up my alley. I love a brass and horn section in rock bands. But for the most part it doesn’t do it for me. Geno is an exception, that song rules. It has a more god only knows what wave of ska swing to the playing and melody that it l is absent in other songs. They do have some nice and catchy hooks though.

Mercifully Come on Eileen is not on this album. 70 British pub rock like the jam or the saints but more horns and more goofy singing. Wouldn’t listen to again.

New band for me. Most track were enjoyable.

Terrible trumpets.

Why, just why is this the 4th album Dexys midnight runners have on the list? Having one was pushing it this is just ridiculous. I did listen to it all so limps in with a 2nd star

There's other instruments that you can build a melody with, you're not limited to the melodica.

Their debut album. Punk / Ska / Soul. I like the horns. The band are clearly tight. I'm not exactly sold on the vocals from Kevin Rowland. Musically the energy is there and I enjoy the sound. Its those vocals, they just take me out of it. Geno is a good example of this. Really good band, get a new singer.

A voice for singles. Unfortunately this is a full-length LP. Love the backing band, get tired of Kevin's vocal histrionics very quickly.

Geno is cool. The rest didn't grab me. I've tried with this album before. I know Dexys fans adore it. I'm missing the gene required to appreciate this one.

Not my favorite, I’ll give it 2 stars. Maybe it was more of a product of its time but nothing stood out to me. Maybe it gets better as time goes on since this is their debut album but I’ll pass.

I did not use a private Spotify session for this one. "Dexy's Midnight Runners", the perennial answer to the question "What is a one hit wonder?" There is nothing on this album to change that answer. Don't care for the singer's voice, couldn't stand the falsetto.

How can one be so British? Dexys Midnight Runners levels of Britainium need to be studied. Anyways, this was a decent 14 hours of horn music. Wait, the album was only 39 minutes? Huh…

I’ll be honest — I went into this expecting “Come On Eileen” cosplay and came out feeling attacked by brass. I’d written Dexys off as one-hit wonders, but this debut? It’s an entirely different beast: loud, frantic, and wildly committed to being very horny (musically). Kevin Rowland delivers every line like he’s either being exorcised or urgently trying to clear his throat. Spotify doesn't even know the lyrics — probably because no one’s ever managed to decipher them. Did this influence The Mighty Mighty Bosstones? Feels spiritually adjacent. But for me? Bit much. Way too much horn, not enough harmony.

I really wanted to like this. When I heard the first song I was apprehensive but open minded. I just can’t do a whole album of this sound and I was very grateful this one was under 40 min. Musically yes, I’m in, love the brass. But Kevin Rowland’s voice in this was grating in one go. In smaller doses it was more enjoyable, just listening to one song with others mixed in. Come on Eileen this was not

If they had a different lead singer I maybe would've liked this, but couldn't get past Kevin's ridiculous vocals.

So like did we accidentally hit select all when putting DMR on this list? I mean cmon one was more than enough… Given that, this is considerable better than another we e had and I see differences here. Still, I’m good with this band for awhile.

I'm finding it extraordinarily difficult to dial in to Kevin Rowland's voice/vocals on this. I really enjoy the Too-Rye-Ay album but this one (our THIRD Dexys album!!?) too often just sounds like a much much less fun version of Madness. I think we're done here. 4/10 2 stars.

Come On Eileen is one of my favorite 80s songs, so I was really excited to listen to one of their albums in full. Unfortunately this left me disappointed. Ska is one genre I just can't get into. There's exceptions, of course, but I mostly can't stand it. This album was too close to ska territory for me and did not carve itself out as one of the exceptions. I will say the horn work is good throughout, just not my thing as a part of this particular whole. And I don't enjoy his voice, which could have made the difference. Bummer.

Fine, but some of the songs are seriously irritating

Some of the music was ok but I very much dislike the vocals.

Just okay. None of the songs felt particularly bad, but none of them stood out to me.

The horns on this album are absolute garbage. They don't know how to start or end a note together, and the tone is awful -- did they hire actual toddlers to play or something?

Honestly I like the overall sound but the singing style frustrates me to no end. It's basisally impossibls to tell what is being said and it's purely because of this falsettoey-slidey way he sings everything, and clearly the lyrics mean a lot just by looking at them, so I'm a little baffled. Maybe it's a feature of the genre idk but it grates me

2.5

Oh come off it Eileen

Tycker detta, som med de flesta låtar i denna stil, är rätt tråkigt tyvärr.

# Playlist Track - Geno # Notes - A weird, mixed, overly-British bag. - There are some cool tracks, like "Geno", and there's some youthful energy that almost makes the album fun at times. - However, with tracks as bad as "I couldn't help it if I tried", this is tough to recommend. The slower, ballad-like tracks are all incredibly dull.

Second Dexys album the generator has given me and I'm starting to understand the haters. This album was literally nothing special, the other one I've listened was even worse. Why are there so many Dexys albums here 2/5

I think I've only ever heard Come on Eileen. Good use of brass in songs, speed it up and you have Ska I guess. Vocals are the weakest part. I don't hate it overall, but it won't be in my regular rotation. It sounds like the late 70s/early 80s, and would be an excellent anchor for a time period in tv/film. It feels like it needs an emotion behind it, or it's not clear enough, Love pt1 is close but otherwise I don't "get" the album.

Not that great influence. Felt like a drag.

boring

post-punk soul som blander punk facetter med soul inspireret musik. det hedder northern soul, som er sådan en obskur lyd som nordengland søgte eskapism i. albummet handler om ungdom og oprør og søgen efter noget ægte i overfladisk verden. det er ikke lige noget for mig? ved ikke om det er vokalen eller hvad det er, måske er jeg bare for meget inde i metal pt. Men den der marcherende lyd med blæserinstrumenter osv fanger mig bare ikke lige umiddelbart. Altså det er meget charmerende og det er nok noget jeg bliver nød til at revisit.

Started to feel samey by the end

A lot happens, with little effect. At least this album doesn't have THAT song on it... Sometimes feels like a joke that I don't get.

Woeful. Abysmal. Almost derogatory to my ears. Pish.

Gino brill. Rest......

Nope, not for me.

Listening to this resulted in a near-constant "wtf is this" running through my mind. I don't know what I expected; I've heard "Come on Eileen" too many times to count at this point, but still wasn't prepared for whatever this album was (and COE wasn't on it). Interestingly, the thought went from a bad wtf (first few songs), to an OK/fun/almost good wtf (Geno to Seven Days), back to a bad wtf, then to OK again. I try to avoid other reviews before rating each album to make sure I form my own opinion on them, but this one I had to do some research on. I found the mention of ska an apt descriptor, and that context made sense for the composition choices and overall feel of the album. It apparently also gets mentioned as a soul effort, which I didn't hear myself. The vocals especially seemed way off for being considered soul. I had to take a break before coming back to the last few songs, which I think helped a bit. The whole album at once was a lot to experience. Still, it probably bumped me up to an "OK" on them rather than thinking they were more wtf bad. I just can't rate this very highly. I didn't like most of it. I thought a few parts were OK. I don't see myself listening to it again. Overall: 1.9/5

Greit nok, ingen ny favoritt

It's sympa

Absolutely fine, but nothing that particularly jumps out at me.

It's like the predecessor or missing link between the British invasion and Ska. These vocals are all over the place, melodramatic and loopy. Musically it's not bad, but I'm just not feeling this incomprehensible impression of The Talking Heads. But then again, them horns are pretty dope in Tell Me When My Light Turns Green.

nop

Not even the album with Come On Eileen…

Fun album but nothing really stuck with me

Burn It Down - So bizarre hearing him swear as such a whimsical singer. Song is alright. Tell Me When My Light Turns Green - ok. The Teams That Meet in Caffs - this one is good. Love that they have an instrumental track. Slight sound of Madness on it. I'm Just Looking - his voice does not at all suit this type of song (also hate the whispering at the start); he should not try for sexy! Geno is alright. The rest are dull except Love, Pt. 1 (Poem) - cool to have spoken word on it. That and the instrumental song are the only stand outs.

2.5

The fact any Dexys album made it on to this list, not to mention one without Come on Eileen, is a surprise. This album is somewhere between Ska and Brit pop. It wasn’t horrible, but not earth changing.

Stuck between SkaPunk and BritPop in a bland way.

Did not like the first two Dexy albums so bummed there's a third. Please don't make me write this again. Few songs and his voice still sucks ass and we're aiming for a third straight 2.

Pre-Eileen let's see if it's better than that one post-Eileen album I got earlier. Nope lead singer things he's saying some deep shit but this is meh

If there was a way to separate the horn section from the vocals, this would have been a much better album. The horns were awesome but, Kevin Roland can not sing. The story about the band stealing the master tape and holding it hostage was more interesting than this album.

Dexys Midnight Runners < Madness

This is #day268 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... this one started out pretty promising (those radio channel flips in "Burn It Down" were a cool touch), but then the trombone kicked in, and didn't leave for the rest of the album. I'm fine with sax, though... well, for the most part. The vocals reminded me a bit of Bryan Ferry, though not in the best way. It's way too rowdy a kind of new wave for me, if you can even call it new wave. On a positive note, I like the album artwork. "I Couldn't Help It If I Tried" is the closest I can nominate as the album highlight. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day269.

DNF. Whatever redemptive qualities the music has are completed ruined by the atonal, incomprehensible vocals. I can’t rightfully give this a 1 because the brass and bass parts have some redeeming qualities, but I’m stoked to never listen to this again. Listened to: walking through Brooklyn.

I was shocked when the album with Come On Eileen was on this list, and felt it didn’t deserve to be. Imagine my surprise when a second Dexys album pops up. I didn’t even know they had two albums. I will give essentially the same review…mildly enjoyable, but shouldn’t be on a list of must-hear albums.

If you like Ska this is probably a great album but I don't so I'd say this is fine, completely fine, nothing else

I had high hopes for this album, as I had heard a rumour that it was really good, far better than the one big hit everyone knows. I liked Geno, I didn't like the vocals, they sounded like the singer was underwater or something. I didn't like the horns by the end of the album. 2 stars, mainly for Geno.

Appeler ça de la soul, c'est tellement insultant que c'est raciste. On dirait des jeunes skins anglais qui essayent de parodier le genre avec des trompettes MIDI et des synthés cheap.

Another Dexy album, 2nd in the past two weeks. The album sounds very ska with the horns being the main attraction. None of the songs though are notable.

I don't understand why this needed to be a double album, nothing here seemed so amazing that they needed to do a double. Wouldn't it have been better to release it as two. I don't hate any part of it, but it was just sooooooo much Dexys and I found myself lost and a little over the horns and the singers voice, especially after Keep It, Pt. 2. I think I would have gone much higher if it just didn't feel like they were just doing too much.

Im a little surprised that I’m not really liking this album. I enjoy Come On Eileen enough. The use of horns on this record feels aggressive and confrontational…like you get punched for every time a negative thought about the music crosses your mind. How dare you not love what we’re cooking up here. POW!! This album borders on ska, which I’ve never really cared for. I enjoyed Geno though.

Nah. I'm out on this one. The horns annoyed me. The British moaning vocals annoyed me. The whispering at the beginning of I'm Just Looking infuriated me. Why is every third entry on this list a New Wave album from 1977-1983?

I guess this is new wave?

This album was straight up annoying. The vocals were the worst, but the instruments can't get away unscathed. The mastering on the horns were awful. Some of the songs were fine, but this album was a big miss.

All together pretty boring. The horns added a little pizzazz but not enough to make it interesting. Found myself skipping every song before it finished. Also didn't like the singer. Sounded like an Elvis caricature.

I absolutely hate that singer. Second album from them on the list so far, and the overwhelming feeling listening to both is that the band is great, but the singer and his affectations ruin everything.

I’m not sure dexys is 1000 album important. They have a couple of great songs. Geno on this. Come on Eileen. Some decent stuff. But this falls into the ‘not here’ pile. 2 stars.

Why does he sing like that? It’s so annoying

Not one, not two, but THREE albums of this goofy ass singing so far on this list. It's kind of enough already. The album wasn't good and no songs really stood out. 4/10

Ok 80’s vibe

Not sure what was so special here. Geno was fine, the rest was barely fine.

I liked this better than the other Dexys albums we've listened to so far, but it still just didn't really do much for me.

I'm having a hard time rating this on its merits alone. Probably the best of the three Dexy albums on the list, but I'm going to punish it for being the third. Wish this would have come up before the other 2, but it didn't.

Thought this would be more punk. But all I got was this new wave..

Instrumentally it was a 4. Then there was the vocals

First couple of songs - I hope the brass section lets up soon. They didn’t.

Mew wave punk med horn, lidt træls vokal, men har lidt appel

2.25

Some cool songs (“Thankfully not living in Yorkshire”, “Sevrn Days”), but mostly it sounds like a high school marching band got stranded in the auditorium with a junior high punk band and they put on their own version of The Breakfast Club to pass the time until the salty old janitor found the keys to let them out…

Fav song: Geno A little bit bland, but quite fun to listen to I guess. I was never the biggest fan of Dexys Midnight Runners, always had em down as a Temu version of The Specials.

dude's voice bugs the shit out of me

Some rhythms are fine but most of it is painful. Don't like the voice, nor the melodies

Hated his voice but brass was great

-meh it wasn’t terrible, there were some pretty catchy songs on here and I really liked the vocal affectations -overall it wasn’t really anything too interesting to me though… a lot of new wave and blue-eyed soul records from that period just sort of sound the same to be idk -Favorites are Thankfully Not Living In Yorkshire It Doesn’t Apply and There There My Dear

another annoying album

Sometimes it gets nearly good

Album cover pops up. "Oh boy, these guys again." A couple months ago I rated DMR's Don't Stand Me Down as a 2, but parts of it have stuck with me ("they all sounded the saaaame"); I remember it as being weird and obnoxious but with flashes of greatness. Searching for the Young Soul Rebels avoids doing the really annoying stuff - like blasting you with music after quiet bits of talking - but unfortunately the flashes of greatness are gone too. I liked Don't Stand Me Down better.

I’m tired of pretending that these albums are that good or influential

Mid-album, my wife walked into the room and said "that sounds like a high school jazz band. And not a good one."

And remember, all of you youngsters who rely solely upon GPS and can't even read a map: Africa is a continent, not a country, and it's nowhere near the North Pole! (Just my attempt at a little humor...) tallennettu tuo teksti myöhemmäksi (onnistunut yritys pikku huumorille pikku huumorille...) käännetään se suomeksi. Ja muistakaa, kaikki te nuoret, jotka luotatte pelkästään GPS:ään etkä osaa edes lukea karttaa: Afrikka on maanosa, ei maa, eikä se ole lähelläkään pohjoisnavaa! (Yritin vain vähän huumoria...) saved that text for later (successful attempt at a little humor for a little humor...) let's translate it into Finnish. the teams that meet in caffs

This was completely unnecessary and barely enjoyable. Dexys Midnight Runners sounds like a bad horn-laden version of The Cure. Just another glaring example of a record that feels like it only made the list in order to get it past a specific threshold so they could get closer to a 1001 total.

Fair music, though uninspiring. The vocals seemed like someone who had no idea how to sing and was just emulating what they thought was singing. Forced vibrato for the fail.

Geno was a decent track. The rest sounds like a perpetual b-side

Good try, Geno is ok.

2,5

Nothing about this stood out to me. It was just neutral and non-offensive. At least Eileen didn't get herself involved with this album.

Instrumentalmente, este acto y disco en específico pudo haber inspirado a ciertas bandas como Oingo Boingo, Neutral Milk Hotel e incluso The Microphones, pero la voz y la letra hacen de este disco una experiencia sumamente tediosa. No hay ningún hook en ninguna canción y ningún pasaje vocal afinado, lo que hace que el disco no tenga ningún single de por sí. Algunas canciones destacables del LP son "Thankfully no living in Yorkshire..." y "Seven Days Too Long". Sin embargo, no creo que este disco debería estar en la lista, no es una experiencia imprescindible para nada. Sálteselo si puede. PD: No puedo creer que este disco dure solo 39 minutos, es tan aburrido que parece durar 5 horas.

Meh

Boring

Not a patch on their other album on the list.

Same as the last Dexy's album, just more of it.

Some of it’s fun and enjoyable, but a lot of it really drives home why this band is a one hit wonder (at least in the US).

The trumpets ranged from Sweet Sweet Victory by SpongeBob to The LeBron in the studio reaction video. And I can’t explain it any better than that.

If I really think about it, 'Come On Eileen' is a crap song. Over the years I think I've been conditioned to sing along to it purely out of familiarity and mob mentality. It's not on this album, but whilst giving this a listen, it suddenly hit me that I actually don't like that song. I think it's the god awful vocal style that shits all over a clearly talented band. The vocals work on a couple of tracks, but mostly they don't. He's actually horrendously annoying. 'I Couldn't Help Myself If I Tried' is especially difficult to get through because of the vocals. Just incoherent wailing and warbling all over the place and it ruins the song. Whereas in 'Thankfully Not Living In Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply' it actually is so over the top that it actually is an enjoyable track that matches the fun music. It seems to me that Dexys Midnight Runners are a bit of a ska band in disguise. 'Geno' starts off sounding like it'll be something fast and in the vein of Madness or The Specials. But before it even has a chance to get going, it then slows itself down into a pretty average track. It's annoying hearing what this band could be but they fall short, and it's mainly the vocals that let it down.

Never heard of this band, and nothing at all familiar about anything on this record. Kind of weird mix of late 70s/early 80s ska and new wave. It feels all over the place, but strangely works. Wild to me this is on the list, but early 80s UK new wave is waaaaaaay too over represented on this list, so I guess it's not that surprising.

The quality of singing on this is really poor. Not even adequate for background music.

I thought the horns were fun, and the songs themselves were good. But my god did the vocals ruin the album. And they're all over, so it's not like I can escape it.

The singing is still not to my taste but I like the music. Lots of backing horns and retro cool vibes on tracks like Tell Me When My Light Turns Green and The Teams That Meet in Caffs. The extended instrumental passages help matters too. Seven Days Too Long another good one with its piano part. The vocals go way too high pitched at times which holds this back a lot, but at least we're not in one star territory.

Ska, soul & pub rock. Fun horns, uptempo bass and lively drums, pretty crappy if animated charismatic thin nasal lead vocals fleshed out with some backing singers. High energy but easy going. More interesting as an artifact of a place/time in UK pop culture than as an album I want to listen to.

Pareceu-me uma tentativa de parecer um The Cure acelerado. Datado e pouco expressivo.

Different than expected

Day281 - i thought maybe they would be more than their one hit but then i listened and realized i was wrong

The album your high school friends’ ska band would have made circa 1996-2000.

Just really hate their voices. I liked the brass/chicago like instrumentation but that’s really the only thing that brings it up to a two for me. I also did kind of like the scrolling the radio bit on the first track but had it gone on for like five more seconds it would’ve gotten kinda annoying.

Meh. The only reason this gets a two is because I know what a one on this list truly sounds like. The back half of the album was kinda tough to get through, probably only going to listen to Come On Eileen from this group.

There's a reason that they aren't Two Hit Wonders

Highlights: Seven Days Too Long, The Teams That Meet in Caffs, Geno. This is where UK music got dance-y, feverish and a little bit weird. The only good thing that came out of Thatcherism in my opinion. You can tell that the band took their inspiration from The Specials (tour buddies), Celtic folk night lock ins and new wave. It's inconsistent, but you gotta acknowledge the band's enthusiasm. Overall: 4/10

Punky feeling, not quire there...

I’ve already forgotten about this album

First stong has a Sex Pistols sample. Horns! Named after party drugs! Always interesting when an album that doesn't contain the bands biggest single is selected. There really isn't enough trombone in rock-based music. I really enjoyed a lot of the album. Geno is clearly the most popular song on this album, based on listens in Spotify, and I get it. Total Wall of Sound. Keep It feels like it was added to the album to pad for time, thematically and tonally it doesn't really fit the rest of the album. It also reminds me a lot of Everclears - I Will Buy You A New Life. A poem? Yuck. On full listen, if the album had ended on the song before Keep it, I'd have rated it a 3, the last 3 songs pull it down to a 2.

Made me run alright

Big up brum (even though I’m mentally checked out of there). Love come on Eileen but not feeling this album as a whole

oddly enough, at times the singer’s voice sounded like robert smith of the cure. but i just couldn’t with this one. this was pretty unlistenable in my estimation.

I tried... It's just not my jam.

While I appreciated the creativity and commitment to the horns as the driver, this didn’t blow me away.

I think Dexy needs to keep searching. With an over the top exaggerated affected way of singing along with way too much horns just for the sake of being horny, this one fell flat for me and at times was slightly annoying. For a better representation of soul punk horn sound check out The Specials. “Come on Eileen! You can’t get here soon enough!”

Spent most of this album trying to determine if this is a parody band. And the rest trying to decipher which band they were parodying.

This album was quite horny. Or I’m horny? Either way a 2.25. Way too long and doesn’t have the song that everyone comes for. Also love the first song he says “for god sake burn it down!” And then it comes out with some happy Billy Joel beat and horns. Haha

ugh

They are weird but not in a good way

Fav: Geno Least Fav: I Couldn’t Help It If I Tried The horns were the one saving grace of this, as it would definitely be a 1/5 without them. This album would win a 5/5 on incomprehensible vocals though

My first thought was it’s hilarious to pick the Dexy’s album without Come On Eileen on it but it was somewhat interesting. The album is all over the place, sometimes it felt like they were trying to be a more ska version of the clash other times it’s kind of goofy pop. I’m a sucker for the horns though

2.4 I mean, what are with the vocals. There was some viral clip of a live version of Come on Eileen on youtube where the vocals were laughable. This whole album kinda felt like that. Bands solid and the horns are worth listening to.

Seemed likable during the first few songs, but eventually became grating and the vocals deeply unpleasant at times.

I did a bit of additional research to further inform my review and noticed that Dexys Midnight Runners are an English band. This came as a surprise to me as none of the lead singers vocals registered as that language in my head. His slurred and overly performative way of singing was a detractor from most of this album and often had me wondering if this man rode the shortbus or if the recording booth reeked of Pale Ale during those jam sessions. The brass on the other hand was a nice change of pace from what I am used to hearing and while a bit obnoxious at times was the highlight of the album (its introduction in the 4th track did jumpscare me though). I feel like the faster paced, more poppy tracks worked better for me than the slower and more sappy ones as they were carried by the energy of the instruments rather than being harbored down by the lead singers moody mimicry of his native tongue (his backup singers thankfully help him seem legible on some tracks). I feel as though track #3 (The teams that meet in Caffs) was my favorite track by proxy of it being a purely instrumental song. The rating ends up meeting itself somewhere in the middle due to the Yin/Yang that is the pleasant instrumentals versus a lead singer with a baffling way that he has chosen to sing There were moments where I was nervous this album was going to devolve completely into Ska music

For starters I'm reading the lyrics to a bunch of these songs in Spotify as the song plays and it flat out doesn't match what they're saying most of the time. The prime example of this is There There My Dear. How can anyone sing along to this, nobody sounds like this. Geno - good tune, I can understand I bit more of what he's singing about and it's enjoyable. Instrumentals stood out a bit more too. I don't know what you'd call this kind of music on this album but it's really not for me. I gave Come On Eileen and The Celtic Soul Brothers a listen off Too Rye Ay. Better tunes than anything in this album by a long way. Took them 2 years to figure out how to write bangers.

That fucking stupid fucking brass horn. I couldn't enjoy any part of this album because of that stupid fucking horn section. I don't know if it's even horns, maybe it's saxaphones, or a trombones, or a trumpets idk. Maybe it's a sax and horn together but Jesus Christ it made this album unlistenable. Its just fucking shit. If this music even slightly represents living in England in the 80s, I understand why there are so many fucking stabbings. I would fucking go insane listening to this bullshit. I literally am unable to find something I enjoy about this album. The lead singers voice does have a certain 80s weirdly enjoyable 80s sound to it, but otherwise this band just sucks. I don't hate brass or classical instruments or jazz or anything like that. Just this fucking album. Also, even taking away that, this music is just shit. I didn't enjoy any part of it at all. This just made me want to start rating guns based on mouth feel. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered there's a fucking disk 2 on this album with 21 MORE FUCKING SONGS. It doesn't end. I did not listen to disk 2. I could not stomach it. This album is basic shitty drivvle. I have nothing smart or funny to say about it, it's just fucking garbage. The only time this music should be used is in a movie about England highlighting how much living there sucks. I have given this album 2 stars because it did teach me something about myself: I never knew I could dislike something so much.

No me gustó

Always sounds like someone singing down the pub to me.

Better than the other album, but still not good

The vocalist had an annoying voice, the trumpets were overused, and the songs were, for the most part, forgettable. Not the worst album I've heard in my life, but I definitely won't be listening to this band again. 2 stars

There’s some complexity in the lyrics but I couldn’t help myself from thinking “ worse British version of Chicago.”

The only song of them I had heard before was Come on Eileen, and none of the songs on this album are nearly that catchy. 2.4 stars

Meh 🫤

It's like pop meets soul music

Reel Big Fish meets The Cure.

Search failed.

I can't focus enough to listen to this which I guess is a review in of itself?

I like Come On Eileen as much as the next person, but it wasn’t on this album and the singer of this band can’t sing to save himself.. While there is a bit of bop to some of the songs, I would rather not put myself through listening to this again. Tbf, it’s not my favourite genre mix. Fave Track: Geno Rating: 2

Found the vocal style here quite off-putting, a la Talking Heads

I thought I'd love it because it's so British but nope, really didn't care for this

the most 80s of crappy 80s music.

Geno

A part from a few cool sax solos, this is pretty annoying.

This works for exactly one song

Quirky but not all that fun. The second half is better.

This wasn’t good.

This album was pretty unremarkable for me. Nothing grabbed me and kept my attention really. The singer doesn't really do it for me and the saxaphone isn't adding too much for me either, besides in Geno, which was my favorite here.

Do we really need these guys 3 times on here? The music is ok, but his voice for a whole album? Damn I’d almost rather listen to Morrissey. Almost

Gino is a banger and added to my library. I liked it when they trilled. Otherwise all the same.

Musically this was pretty cool, but there's no way I can ever take these vocals seriously man, it sounds like goofy karaoke or something lmao. And then they go and pop in a poem near the end where he sounds all cool and stuff. 2/5

The horns were great but got tired. The vocals were an interesting style but got tired. It was challenging to finish the album.

This dudes voice is AWFUL. Seriously he’s on par with Bob Dylan for me (and that’s really saying something). Does he try to make his voice sounds this bad? Is this something he’s worked at? He’s completely unintelligible and painful to listen to. The only reason this isn’t a 1 is because of the instrumentation, the horns and others were nice but my goodness his voice is PAINFUL. Not worthy to be on this list and should not have been forced to listen to.

Lots of horns / woodwinds. Didn’t do much for me cause it was a pretty standard 80s British album (at least that’s what it sounded like). I was starting to get into it during the middle half of the album, but the start and ending fell flat for me.

I love me a good horn section but this can be a bit excessive at times. Fun, easy listening, but it always sounds like they’re falling a little short of a pop hit they’re aiming for. Meanders around a lot

Gave this a couple of goes but it really didn't click with me. It's not terrible and there are some good moments but I could never hear this again and not really feel like I'm missing much. Geno is good.

songs range from boring to annoying

This is another one I liked more than I expected. I had this band in the category of one hit wonder, but this record-prior to the big hit-shows they had captured something going on in the UK at that time: the reemergence of soul music. No standout songs for me, but reasonably enjoyable to listen to.

This album would be a 1 star but there were occasional glimpses of things that were fun to listen to. Everything else was annoying. I think this album was the only one so far that I was mad I had to listen to it.

None of the songs stood out to me. I liked the instrumentals, but not overly memorable

Not terrible, but no thanks. Classic "How is this a top 1001?" Album.

Sometimes it sounded like Pulp if they were a 80's band. Pulp are better.

I'm gonna need someone to explain to me how this made the list. What is this guy bawling about?

That album was kind of pointless and annoying. I've heard worst, tho.

Extremely meh

The Northern soul and ska influences should make me live this album. But Kevin Rowland’s idiosyncratic vocal style grates quickly throughout the highlights. “Geno” is great and other tracks could shimmer and strut. But there’s no escaping Rowland’s deliberate squeaks and off-tone quips.

I didn’t really like this one much. Some of the horn sections were okay but the lead singer is super annoying. And I didn’t need to have two Dexter albums on the list, that’s for sure.

Een soort ska met een zanger van wie de luier nodig verschoond moet worden. Sjonge jonge. De muziek heeft nog wel iets aanstekelijks eigenlijk. Normaal vind ik ska super kut maar dit vind ik nog wel aardig. De zanger verneukt het vakkundig. Wat een debiel.

I know that I'd like this album better if I gave it a few more listens but many of the songs sounded very similar to me. I maybe should not have listened to the remastered version which included multiple versions of the same track.

This is a super unfair way to say it, but basically the entire time I was listening to this album all I could think was I'd rather be listening to The Pogues. I appreciate the attempt to meld folk with rock but it was a bit too poppy and the music didn't match the messaging of the lyrics in some cases to an extent that took me away from the song. It wasn't bad, but it just never really worked for me.

First impression is that his Voice sounds so desperate but the first song was good tho. The Direction they go with them Instruments is cool. I dont get along with his voice. It destroyed it for me. No need to revisit it. 1.5/5

Just didn't work for me

The crying toddler voice kinda works for Come On Eileen, in a jokey, fun way. But I can't take it seriously and definitely can't stand a whole album of it.

Pretty shit apart from 1 song

The uneven and often incoherent blend of genres. There are a few stand out tracks but overall, it is only ok as a collection of songs.

Not really my cup of tea.

midnight runners sind mdma verkäufer. isch seehr englisch sehr nice aber. sie hend gern blöser. und d blöser töned nöd soo guet und d arrangements sind sochli semi geil. the teams that meet in caffs. ich chrck langsam d bläser arrangements, sie wönd töne wie otis redding songs oder so. i'm just looking findi recht ass. mer ghört meistens nöd viel ussert de blöser. geno und not living in yorkshire sind cool find s album sehr schlecht abgmischt, d blöser sind viel z troche und z luut und am kevin rowland sini stimm treit z wenig zum soulig sii. come on eileen isch en riese banger aber er isch halt nöd uf dem album. git öpis zwüsched me zwei und me drü wells es paar gueti songs drunder het aber s tönt halt nöd super und chunt meh wie e otis redding imitation übere als öpis eigets. ich han gad nocher halt au aretha franklin glost und da sind welte wenns um soul goht.

Everything I’m reading is saying this is soul music but I think they’re just too afraid to call it ska 5/10

ELO mixed with the Cure mixed with 3rd wave SKA. Sounds pretty bad when you mix it all together

nice horns gets it a 2 i guess. lead singer whine more pls. im begging u to whine more right in my ears.

Not really my thing

One of those albums let down by the vocals. Kevin is an emotional fellow, I got pretty tired of his overwrought swooning. Can see the influence in Jarvis Cocker who does it so much better. Northern Soul - not my bag baby.

Like a pickle juice shot after a sip of whiskey, punk rock and soul music mixed together shouldn’t work, but it kinda does. Kinda. Maybe not the most successful examples of Northern Soul, but likely the first album exemplifying the genre. Forgive me; I just wanted ‘Come On Eileen’.

Takie średnie gejowe

Meh

Very uninteresting stuff for me.

Didn't know this band was trying to be The Specials.

Did not enjoy this one. The horns took me way out of it. They were so prominent, but also so flat, uninspired, and often out of tune.

nothing memorable for me here.

I guess you have to be in the mood for a horn section, I was not.

Before Too-Rye-Ay, DMR debuts with an intriguing sound that aimed to combine New Wave with Northern Soul. I feel with Too-Rye-Ay, they forgot about their roots to make weird music to dance hard too while on speed. This record is much slower and more soulful, but still features the distinctive whiny vocals and lush orchestral sound (mostly attributed to the horns and a groovier rhythmic drumming pattern). But just like Too-Rye-Ay, I feel like they're just too loud and obnoxious here, substituting form and structure for sensory overload and unexpected interjections in an attempt to entice the audience to sing and dance along. It feels cheap and clustered, but at least it clearly shows they're putting effort into it. There's a lot of potential here, and I've seen songs they covered (like "Jackie Wilson Said") that shows their music can be adapted really well if the songwriting was done right, but that's still very much lacking here. Favorites: Geno, Seven Days Too Long

5/10 not for me.

As a kid i grew up listening to the distinctive horns of Dexys, which is quite enjoyable, but I never liked Kevin Roland's voice.

Not great, bit chavy.

This was a weird experience. I didn't hate this, but I don't know if I'll seek this sound out again.

Not too sure why this one needed to make the list as their other more popular album was a bit better. This one sounded pretty similar with the Irish influence on it structure and singing. Some songs were catchy and worth listening again but the album overall isn’t that strong and feels like dated pop rock. 5.7/10

I never would have listened to a Dexys album if not for this project. I’d only ever heard Come on Eileen before. I liked the energy of some of the songs, but I couldn’t get into this album as a whole.

can't be arsed with Kevins voice at all and i'm clearly not as in to brass as this lot are.

Like taping a snorkel to your mouth and having music stand over it and shit into your throat.

found it boring tbh

Not as entertaining as their next album, and there is no reason to look for any hit or single on this record. It might be because I have listened to those albums in this sequence, because I don't think Dexys Midnight Runners is a band you can listen too often. The novelty is gone, so is my excitement for this band.

I liked it as bg music, but i like other songs by them better than what i heard here.

“Keep It” should have been the name of the album. This seems like an unremarkable album from one of those successfully insincere bands that every generation seems to relish.

Sounds experimental.

perfectly decent

No many feelings about this album.

Searching for the young soul rebels - dexys midnight runners burn it down - 2/5 tell me when my light turns green - 3/5 the teams that meet in caffs - 1/5 I'm just looking - 1/5 geno - 4/5 seven days too long - 3/5 I couldn't help it if I tried - 2/5 thankfully not living in yorkshire it doesn't apply - 1/5 keep it - 2/5 favs: geno 2/5

The definition of mid

Come on Eileen isn’t on this. Too many horns. I made it 3 songs.

This album has some real bangers, music wise. Good god are the vocals ghastly, though.

Ngawa.

Pretty fun, sounded a bit like another album I got on this list by The Style Council. Overall 5/10

What is up with this list giving multiple listings to one hit wonder bands? These guys should not have three slots when the only song by them anyone knows is Come On Eileen. Hell, that one song doesn't earn a whole slot by itself. This is pretty blah.

Mitähän tää olis, jotain ihan ok synä rocki poppia. Ihan medium ja porkkana kurkussa poikittain

Some tracks were fun. Had to listen twice to grow on me. But too often the guys voice was so squawky every other word

Konsepti välittyy, mutta illuusiota sen välttämättömyydestä ei synny. Myös musiikki välittyy - mutta se typistää itsensä konseptiin.

Eh. Not bad, but not necessary. Musically it's fun but we really don't need multiple Dexys entries on here. All the horns on here, they sound like Chicago but worse. Favorite tracks: Geno, Seven Days Too Long. Album art: Just some guys in a green filter. Not much going on here. 2.5/5

Klingt teilweise nach sterbender Katze...BritRock/Pop ist nicht meine Welt...

Generic

Once again it's the vocals that ruin it for me. Otherwise, it sounded okay.

Dexy's midnight runners made an album that doesn't have come on eileen? really? There was one song, idek which, that I remember liking but that was it.

Punk but meh

The horns, the accent, and the voicing are just too much for my head. Hidden underneath are some pretty decent jams and pretty intense lyrics. It is a real slog to get through to that level and that is a bit of a shame. There was maybe more here than I ever gave credit for--one-hit wonder issues. That isn't enough for me to actually want to listen again.

I never thought I’d become a Dexys Midnight Runners completionist

meh

This is the debut album by English pop group Dexys Midnight Runners. It is a new wave pop album that combines aggressive punk rock with soul music, and it was very popular in the UK. It was an interesting album with quite a lot of use of horns which I found both pleasant and overbearing at times. However, I liked the album and enjoyed my time listening to it.

I guess the band name is fitting cause this really does feel like 40 minutes of a manic high in an English pub in 1980. Singer is annoying. Don't need any more of this stuff. 2/5.

Fun, light rock. Not my thing.

Not my sound, not terrible, okay for background, but nothing gripped me.

Not a great sign when my favorite track on the first half of the album is instrumental. Why oh why did Kevin Rowland ever think that "putting that 'crying' voice on" was a good idea?!

Too much brass, too much sax, wake me up from the bad dream.

Oh for fuck's sake. Whoever sent out the memo to 80's artists to "sing" in that mopey-muppet-whinge-whine voice was a proper douchebag. Music here is pretty fuckin musical, then Dexy (or whoever he is) just SPLATS that mopey voice all over it like a fecal Jackson Pollock.

I should like this stuff, white boy soul, horns etc. Indeed a couple are quite fun, but his voice isn't great and I can still hear the insidious evil of Come On Eileen and too many ruined nights as a kid

annoying MTV vocals

Nothing special

Solid release, not my favorite but a decent listen.

Didn’t enjoy this one

I didn't really care for this album. The style of the music and the style of the vocals were a strange mix

Whiny slightly out of tune 80s. Not my thing.

I always thought Dexy was a one hit wonder and... I still think that.

There were beats that I enjoy, but his over-affected accent was a turn-off. And at first I was like - ah, a predecessor to ska, like the horns on every track. But then the further into the album, the more I found the horns distracting and taking away from the songs.

litt rotete - alt var ikke på spotify. men det var helt greit. vanskelig å finne høydepunkter - samme med lavpunkt. Usikker på bruksområder. det passer like dårlig til alt

Okay I guess. A bit samey after a while.

Supposed to be punk soul or something like that, according to some review I read online, but couldn't get into this mish mash of whatever it is.

I feel like I should've liked this more than I did. Perhaps I didn't give it enough attention what with my first day back at work for a week and a bit.

Unoteworthy album, save for a couple of brief tracks

Not really my thing

Correct... 2.75

Annoying

Listened Before? N This is interesting. Not really for me, but interesting. Reminds me of when I used to be cool. Pros: Early Ska and late Punk influences here make it a historical piece. Some of the horns are very nice sounding. Cons: The vocals are not particularly nice, and they're not enunciated well so I don't know what he's singing about. The slow songs are a terrible grind to get through. Added to Library? N Songs added to Playlist: Tell Me When My Light Turns Green, Geno

Didn’t enjoy the vocals, music was interesting ska

Genre: Blue-Eyed Soul 2/5 My second album of theirs that I’ve received throughout this project. Out of over 1,000 albums, I’ve gotten two of three(??) Dexys Midnight Runners albums in the book. Much like the other one, I was over this long before it finished. The horns in this are so absolutely bizarre, and so off-putting, the entire time. I could never feel comfortable throughout this entire project, as the horn flares were bound to jar me loose, and completely break me. I was laughing throughout a large majority of this. Although I would never listen to this again, and new wave is DEFINITELY not for me, and the enjoyment I got out of listening to this was not from the music itself, this album tickled me. It’s a complete joy bomb. But it’s way too much for me.

Not a fan. Sounds like pub music, but the lead singer was castrated before singing. "Keep It" has to be one of the most annoying songs I've ever heard and the fact that it's 4 minutes long is painful. My favorite track was probably either "Geno" or the instrumental "The Teams that Meet in Caffs", but I still wouldn't call them good, just above-average.

More varied than I expected, but hampered by a not very good singer. Geno is the best song, burn it down is pretty good, and the rest are fairly forgettable