Reviews (page 5 of 8)
C'est un album éclaté plein de style, c'était vraiment bon j'ai apprécié l'écoute 3.85
Really nice mix of genres, but the album often feels too long to the point is tiring. The first half is fine, but I heavily preferred the second half, with its more punk-ish sound.
Good sound, very British, a little too vulgar
Good album. Took a minute warm up to it.
66/100: Never heard of this guy before, but found this album lyrically pretty funny. It almost feels like Lil Dicky’s mind dropped into a rock star’s body. With that being said, the music itself isn’t all that great. The only song that I actually enjoyed listening to was “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.” Will likely not revisit this album intentionally, but I’m glad I got a chance to discover this artist.
No awareness of this person other than that my brother once put Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll on one of the many mix tapes he gave me. I enjoyed this pretty well, though I suspect I’m losing a fair bit of the wit in translation, both of accent and slang.
Funny album and quitte enjoyable. Not something I would listen to regularly. But for one time it was fun. Favourite song: - Billericay Dicky
eh
2 is too harsh but 3 is too much.
It bad. Much better than I expected from the title
Well that was odd. Album started quite jauntily, cockney story-telling almost in the vogue of Chas and Dave, then developing into something a little more darker and unhinged.
Close to 4 star for me.
This isn't a three star review. It's a blended four star / two star review. The two stars come from the weird sex songs. I'll admit to being slightly prudish about this kind of stuff but they stand out to me as an unpleasant listen. On the other hand I enjoyed the rockers and especially the "slice of life" numbers that sound like a barely-literate Billy Bragg or working class Kinks.
At times high energy punky, at others funky groovy. Despite his extremely British voice, I found myself a bit charmed by the quirky grooviness of it.
There’s a great mix of songs and styles on this album. And the songwriting has humor and wit. Ian Dury seems to enjoy embodying despicable (even misogynistic) male characters - a surprising but frequently funny choice. I like when singers sing in their natural accent (like The Clash) and it’s very fun to hear Ian Dury sing almost conversationally in such a thick accent. Though sometimes the album can almost be a bit too British for me (“Billericay Dickie,” for example).
Welp, so much for innuendos... Ian Dury is pretty clear that this is supposed to be a "sexy" album hahah. I already have a hard time taking "talk-singing" seriously, so this just seems sooo jokey to me. I was glad to hear more variety in the music as the album went on, but still kept the ultra-direct "I shall caress your clitoris" lyrics.
"Wake Up and Make Love With Me" as an opener is 1. an amazing title, and 2. amazingly cool. Lyrics are funny as shit and I can't recall the last time I heard something like this as an opener that made me laugh so hard. It's a really interesting album and sound. I love how the second song starts as a slower ballad-type track and then about a minute and a half in it gets a big feel change with the drumset and rock and roll piano. It kind of sets the idea that you-never-know-what's-next for the rest of the album. It's sleazy and sexy in the best possible way.
Quirky, bawdy and irreverent, but also oddly charming at times. Deliberately noisy but whimsical as well, drawing on a wild variety of musical influences, from jazz and music hall to rockabilly. Ian Dury is an acquired taste, but this album grows on you if you give it a chance. Fave Songs: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Blockheads, Clevor Trever, Plaistow Patricia, Blackmail Man, My Old Man, Billericay Dickie
I'm a little perplexed by this one. There's much to like here with it's grooving energy and variety, but there isn't anything too notable here, and the weirder bits added to the music don't gel well for me. Favorites: "Wake Up And Make Love With Me", "Sweet Gene Vincent", "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll"
The opener is such a slick banger. A nice intersection between disco and punk. After that track, however, he slowly descended into Elvis Costello lite. The riffs and the overall atmosphere might be interesting, but it's pretty bland especially when compared to the opener. Near the end, he made a turn and became full pledged punk. Compare the explosive noise of the genre to the chill vibes of the opener. This album is quite a rollercoaster ride.
Speciaal genre: punk maar ook weer niet. Wel oké om naar te luisteren
Very horny album. The grooves are thick on this baby!
I am partial to parts of this (Billericay Dickie, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll), but I think mostly out of some kind of twisted nostalgia. The rest of the album isn't bad, but I'm not going to go out of my way to listen to it. Bonus points for the lyric "I come awake with a gift for womankind" though.
cool example that good songwriting is all you need for a nice album, Ian Durry sounds like an average bloke but the songs are still great
While the album is a fun romp that does not overstay it's welcome, the vocals are a bit too indistinct. The musical variety on the track helpsa lot, but the style of delivery really feels like it holds the album back. Highlight: Clevor Trever, Blockheads
Mildly entertaining. Like the vocalist's voice and overall style of the album. Nonetheless, there wasn't anything outstanding. Tounge-in-cheek lyrics.
Bardzo ciekawa progresja albumu, zaczynając od wolnijeszych ballad, a kończąc na rockowym, prawie punkowym brzmieniu. Co do warstwy lirycznej niestety nie wciąnęła mnie za bardzo.
J'imagine ça a du être une immense influence pour la scène punk émergente des années 70s, le chanteur fait un peu penser à Damon Albarn, mais pas full mon genre
Rockabilly is back or never left Very good compositions but I really hate the guy's voice
The more I hear it, the more I like it. Standouts: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Clevor Trevor, Wake Up and Make Love With Me, My Old Man Others: Sweet Gene Vincent, Plaistow Patricia 3.5 / 5
Slightly unhinged album. Can appreciate it
Odd and unexpected. Will revisit someday.
It was fun
Middle of the road
Thanks 1001 albums, I never would have listened to this and my son never would have been introduced to the f-bomb c-bomb combo without you.
When I was about 9, I had a mix tape that had Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick on it - I had no idea who was singing it, or why, but I found it mesmerising.
Durchwachsen. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll hat natürlich Hymnen-Charakter, war aber das einzige, das ich kannte. Die anderen Songs sind mir größtenteils zu punkig; Wake Up and Make Love with Me, Clevor Trever und If I Was with a Woman fand ich zusätzlich zum erstgenannten allerdings recht pfiffig und außergewöhnlich.
No sire, not for me.
Fine - actually better than I expected. A unique British talent.
I like the cheekiness of the lyrics and delivery style. Not blown away but interested to hear more.
on second listen pretty good, lyrics are solid. 3
I enjoyed some songs, but most of it didn't grab me.
Y'all know I love comedy music especially when the music is very enjoyable too. Some of the basslines and grooves are awesome and really compliment the funny lyrics
Bit of fun innit - something a little different. Some infectious grooves and I find the accent quite endearing.
speciaal mijn papa is fan aha
Very good and layered punk album.
Stompin' band at the height of their powers, and a charismatic front man. Sometimes the lyrics are little overly clever (Dury never saw an easy rhyme he didn't like; Billericay Dickie is an example there), and the line between sexy and sexist is often crossed, and has dated especially poorly. Still, Dury is trying to shock and provoke a sense of fun. It's hard to be too outraged when you're dancing, after all. Dodgy sexual politics aside, this is a fun listen. Would buy.
Very cool and funky
A unique album to me. Worth a listen to for the lyrics, and I quite like the style of his voice. Some nice instrumental parts for example on "If I was with a woman".
I can see how this slapped in UK
arseholes bastards fucking cunts and pricks. my kind of lyrics. started a bit slow and a bit too knees up mother brown, but the second half picked up speed and was pretty bloody good. all of it was better than the album i accidentally started to listen to where robbie cunting williams was doing a cover version.
In what turned out to be an enormous error, I had a big, big wank on the morning of an IVF appointment, where I had to go into a little room and provide a sample. So, by the time the moment arrived, no matter how hard I went at it, I couldn't get anything out. In the end I just got some flour and milk and mixed it together with some spit and legged it out of there. My wife was not happy.
Haven’t heard before. Just okay.
Pretty good. Some cool punk and new wave vibes going here. Some strange songs. I enjoyed it but wasn't overly excited.
Don’t know how to pin point it other than the obvious accent but big Brit vibes
Good album, but nothing memorable
Drugs & Rock n Roll. Not so sure about the Sex.
An eclectic mix of musical styles from Disco to Punk Rock. The album seemed pleasing, but since this was a first listen for me, it didn't grab me right away. Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll is a song that I've heard before and recognized it right away. I had no idea previously, who sang it or when it was from. Stand Out Songs: Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll
“Will you be... I hope you’ll be... I hope you’ll be showing your pussy tonight baby! Cause I’m gonna be wanking my fucking cock to you naked.”
Kinda fun
Super fun and lyrically a little bit shocking ahaha
Hmmm, it was fun but I don't know if I will ever listen to it again 2.5?
Intriguing but ultimately mediocre. 7.4/10
Punk/disco rock from England with pretty cool vocals and deep basslines. Definitely can tell it came out of the 70's - this album lets the good times roll!
This guy must get so much old lady poon. Good for him. Also Clevor Trever is the first rap song don't @me
Malgré la recherche desesperée de bad buzz de Ian Dury, faisant regulièrement allusion au sexe et aux femmes de manières generale, cet album restera eternellement aux oubliettes. Et pour cause, la qualité de ce dernier est hautement discutable, je mets neamoins 3 car je n'ai pas été dérangé non plus outre mesure
Um álbum com uma sonoridade agradável, no inicio até lembra Talking Heads. Contundo rapidamente notasse que é um álbum a fazer troça da existência. No geral acho que perde pontos por esta parte humoristica assim tão descarada. Em suma, o álbum ouve-se bem, não é demasiado longo, mas parece que estamos a ouvir uma compilçaõ de músicas pouco serias. Levando tudo isto em conta destaco o Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll. Nota: 5/10 03/06/2024
Great album with some good tunes with excellent lyrics.
Har inte så mycket att säga vissa va okej, vissa va jobbiga—> 2,5/5
Good
Vocals were pretty bad, music was sometimes interesting. I’m not gonna listen again but it was entertaining 6/10
6/10. A strong British accent does make bad sex jokes about 20% funnier, which brings this up from a 5/10. I think it might have been more enjoyable if I'd been able to focus on it a bit more, because I could tell there were some jokes that I missed, but I don't think that would bring the rating significantly higher.
Rough-edged. 5/10
1977, Punk Rock, Pub Rock, disco, Music Hall, geht klar, nichts besonderes
Musically it's quite good. Lyrically...I feel transgressed and violated.
starts very good but it doesn't hold, has some cringey choruses
What a weird mashup of an album! Fave track - "Clevor Trever", maybe - or "Wake Up and Make Love with Me" I think this is a pay-attention-to-the-lyrics album, so probably need to relisten with more focus!
Funky, catchy, and downright bizarre. Really enjoyed the jazz/funk/reggae fusion of the music and thought the weird lyrics were funny for the most part. Reminds me of Warren Zevon and Frank Zappa. Highlights: -Wake up and Make Love With Me -Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll -
ok so this album is kinda bad but in a good way, the songs aren’t that great but still funny, his voice is a bit annoying but it’s sorta catchy and overall it all works together … but i most likely wouldn’t listen to the whole album again, sorry
Was ok - not my taste
Like Leonars Cohen but more vulgar which I respect.
I actually liked this more than I expected to. A lot of NSFW content but I never got the appeal of Ian Dury growing up. This is far more melodic than I expected.
Better than Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, but not something I much listen to any more.
Legendary
This is actually a very funny album with some real guitar riffs/rock accents.
AGGRESSIVELY HORNY. Like, seriously. This guy is so horny. But it has this really fun, classic feel to it, and his British accent is really thick, which kind of adds to the fun.
3.5
After a couple of listens, it has some appeal! Loved all the Essex references
Not a bad album, but not my type. Some songs were pretty good and had killer guitar.
Interesting album. I really like the varied instrumentation, and a lot of the songs are very catchy, but some songs just downwright annoying, and the album name is trash. Closer t0 a 3.3
Yeah, not great. This didn't start out too bad, though as the songs went along, I found his voice started grating on me. The mix of music was bad: new wave, punk, etc. it was all just held back by relatively bad lyrics and his signing. Ultimately just not my thing, but not as bad as The Specials which I just listened to. 2 stars
A good example of what millennia of inbreeding will get ya.
Found the whole thing entirely weird, no wonder that generations views on woman stemmed for a future generation of “you can’t say anything now” felt like I was in an adult nursery class being held by a cockney geezer.
The album starts out with the sex-pesty Wake Up and Make Love with Me, which I quite liked the music for, despite everything else. I thought if the rest of the album was catchy pub-rock fun, I'd be able to look past some icky lyrics and Ian Dury's one-trick-pony vocals. But by the time I got to the monotonously annoying Billericay Dickie, I was no longer having fun. When I got to If I Was with a Woman, I was less certain that Dury was "playing a character" and that he wasn't just a fucking abject worm (see also his relationship with Jane Horrocks, so generously described as "tumultuous"). By the closer, which just sounded like a drunkard shouting racial slurs in the street, I found myself feeling wistful for the charm of that first track of Dury rubbing his boner on you and muttering that you'd better wake up. Two stars because I often really enjoyed the music itself, and I liked Sweet Gene Vincent and My Old Man. But too much of this album was irritating, one-note, and slimy.
Perhaps if I'd been a Cockney barrow boy I may have understood the acclaim Ian Dury received at the time. Heard so many of these songs before that it almost sounds like a greatest hits album. I did listen through this lot though but won't be bothering again. Unfortunately it was never really my cup of Rosie me old china. Sorry.
Really tempted to give this a 1, but I actually quite liked most of the backing tracks. The problem was when he started singing.
This is a relatively alright album. Nothing too exciting and sounds quite old, but it was alright leaving it in the background.
The instrumentation is pretty good for the most part. I'm not a fan of the vocals. My least favourite was Billericay Dickie.
First guitar line of the big hit is all my brain and body need of this.
No thanks
I think he's unique - he doesn't sound like anyone else and instantly recognisable. That said, the opener might be the most off-putting opener I've had on the list so far, and it is frequently irritating. Prefer the more punky sounding songs.
I appreciate the weirdness in it and the musical variation.
Ummm...ok.
Another blind listen. Album title and cover are really cool. ——— Okayyy music is groovy and layered. I love his accent. i’m listening as my husband lays asleep next to me, so the opening track is really making me feel some sort of way. It’s not my cup of tea per se but it’s reallly fun. ___________________________ Despite the fact that most of Ian's singing is really him speaking, it's quite nice. He's got a soothing voice, and his accent is really great. __________________________ Billericay Dickie is too folky for me. ___________________________ Many of the songs in the middle sound the same, to be honest. Woah the breakdown at the end of If I was with a woman is amazing!! ______________________ What a turn into blockheads. the farting sounds were genuinely disturbing. it's giving being drunk as fuck so I guess its doing what its meant to. ________________ The album started off more promising then it just kept getting crazier and not in a way that I am able to appreciate. __________________ over so quick! I appreciate it for what it is, a funky punk rock expression of what white british man pub life was like in the late 70s. but it does not speak to anything meaningful or interesting enough to warrant listening ever again. I enjoyed the opening track but nothing more as a full track. __________________ POEM: Wake up, and make love with me To the song of the coffee machine and The fork that hits the plate reaching for the cake Wake up, stretch your body against the mattress and look at me Tell me all about last night’s dreams
Listening session: june 20th, while chilling on our balcony in Sicily Listened to before: no Thoughts: Favourite tracks: Wake Up And Make Love With Me? Didnt listen after clevortrever
Doesn’t feel like a serious album so much as a musical skit during a tv comedy (I realise I’m probably describing The Young Ones which was likely influenced by this)
This is the most British album ever released. I genuinely can’t tell if I hated it or the absurdity falls into a kind of love for it. Odd, odd album.
It was alright. Kinda ignorable.
333/1089 okay so i’m four songs in and i think this is on the bearable end of the “bri’ish pub rock” cringe spectrum and then i get hit by Billericay Dickie… ffs LAUGHING LAUGHING LAUGHING LAUGHING LAUGHING LAUGHING okay now he’s playing in my face bc why are we doing a gross fart sound on blockheads? unfortunately the album took an annoying turn and never recovered imo 23/100
The Far From Divine Comedy? There wasn't much to like about this. Even the title is off-putting -- and the vocals are similarly repellent. Some of the music was a little interesting -- I liked it when the Moog showed up. It's the sort of pub music that feels like it's giving you an STD against your will. I suppose I'll give it some positive marks for originality. Once I became acclimated to the style, I found "Clevor Trever" and "If I Was with a Woman" alright. The last three songs squander any goodwill I was starting to feel. The bonus track, "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" is nothing special. All this adds up to the lightest of 2s.
Eh
Yeah this is absolutely not an album you should have listened to before dying. It's not inherently bad, but the voice is very annoying in my opinion. It's a question of 'How British can you get?' which is very off putting. The low recording quality also makes it tough to listen to the craftmanship of the musicians. 2/5
Miced bag of parts that really don't leave you on the fence. Either you dig the overly british voice or you don't. Either you find the coarse lyrics funny or vulgar. And I find my opinion meandering from song to song between "ok sod that was over the line, he's not singing here" and "Sounds a bit like Blur, nice." I do think there's a bit of the book writer's nostalgia coming through here. The review in the book is more about Ian Dury as a person and the fact he finds the lyrics funny than anything musical.
He likes to fuck and drink I guess. I don't get the appeal
oof not a pleasant listen
This dude fucks chicks in DK Mode.
i have had an irrational hatred for ian dury for most of my life and i genuinely could not tell you why. i liked aspects of this, like the first couple of songs and the bass on if i was with a woman, but taking the album as a whole i wasn't really able to get behind it
I could not listen. Too goofy
Good, but just kinda gross... and most Bri'ish sounding guy ever.
Till en början trevligare än vad jag trott. Inledande Wake up and…gillar jag. Skön discokänsla. En del hyfsad punk också. Men tramslåtar som Billericay Dickie kunde vi ha varit utan. Tyvärr blir det mer och mer på minuskontot ju längre in i albumet vi når.
Eddie Meduza-versionen av the Clash. Funkar säkert att skråla på puben. Trevligt sväng emellanåt.
I get why the creator of this list would like this but I didn’t.
Some of it was kind of interesting. 2.5
Not really my thing.
It’s a 70s funk album. That’s also a punk album that has some of the weirdest lyrics I’ve ever heard.
God damn... This album list really is just a bunch of old British men jerking off each other's music tastes, isn't it? There can not be a single soul on this planet who isn't a 60-year-old British man who cares about this album, right? I know I don't care for it! Granted, I am pretty much the total opposite of the target demographic for this, but that didn't stop me from liking other "incredibly British albums" from bands like the Kinks and Blur. I think this album is genuinely just bad. Now, I will say that it's not all bad. I think the music of this album is genuinely pretty good. Most of the instrumental parts of these songs are enjoyable. Honestly, if this album was just the instrumentals, I think I would enjoy this album enough to give it a decent 3/5 or so. But that's not how things work around here. We have to deal with Ian Dury's singing and songwriting, and I don't like it. He puts no effort into his singing on most songs, and on the occasion that he does put effort into it, it sounds like crap. The songwriting might genuinely be even worse than that. Bro really says multiple slurs in the final song of the album. What the fuck. This album made me uncomfortable. Once again, I think the music here is genuinely quite good, but the voice and lyrics just ruin everything. This guy's kind of like a 70s British equivalent to Limp Bizkit in a way, except I genuinely enjoyed the Limp Bizkit album more than these. Jesus. Yeah, this is ass. Decent 2/5. The good instrumentals save this from being a 1.
Great instrumentals, not so great vocals. I feel like a singer this mediocre has no place singing over instrumentals this good, but I guess that's part of the style. Similar to the last album, there was one or two songs where he actually sang from his chest, likely mimicking styles from America, and he had some decent vocal jobs. But for most of the album, it was that nasally half-singing that I just can not really enjoy. It didn't take me long to figure out that this guy is pretty raunchy, with varying results. I thought "if I was with a woman" was pretty funny/cheeky Strong two to a light three
They just keep getting more English This album has its merits, there are some interesting bits, but the music is not primary. I'm not likely to love an album where the lyrics are the primary focus rather than the sound. At least there is variety in the styles of song. Fairly enjoyable listen that I won't come back to. I'm definitely not the target audience
The single Sweet Gene Vincent failed to chart and I can see why. I wouldn’t want to hear it on the radio. Some of the funk songs had a great funky baseline but when you stop and listen to the lyrics or his voice, it’s rough.
5/10 This one has a lot of personality. It’s weird, cheeky, funky, and very British in its own way. Not connects with me, but I respect how unique it is.
No. 2.3
Meh
This reminds me of when someone takes a sip of a weird drink and says, “this is terrible, you have to try it!”
Some of the music behind this was good - especially the bass But he's southern so he can fuck off the cunt
+1 for that random part of one song that straight up sounded like a wet fart. Bravo. 2/5
One or two listenable to take it out of 1 star territory but overall did not enjoy
respectfully… no
This is completely unhinged. It’s more of a cultural artefact than an album. So I agree it should be on the list, but I can’t say I enjoyed it.
Imagine this soundtracked the BBC’s office parties in the 80s. Musically, it’s a bop. Lyrically it makes me feel queasy. I’m going to give the guy the benefit of the doubt and assume the lyrics are from the perspective of characters rather than Ian being an absolute creep.
Didn’t like a lot of the lyrics, sexist. Music very mid. 3/10
Ist ok, kann man mal machen
The kind of shit ass music Austin Powers would probably obsess over
sounds in the realm of something Jessica would like
Ian Dury you crazy bastard. Talk about strange, in a comical way. That's what saved this album from being a 1 star. It made me laugh it was so bad
This is novelty music. I disliked most of it, especially his voice.
I understand this was an E album, but I thought it was more childish and crass rather than explicit. Not my thing.
Solo para iniciados....
Not my vibe even though I like Folk and old rock
Lille 2’er, overhovedet ikke noget for mig men jeg hørte det på en bar, og det passede meget godt til den
Decent album. Bass: very good Drums: ok Vocals: ok Guitar: was there any? It’s kind of positive rock from 70s, like Loaf Meat if something like that.
Defintely a weird and wonderful album. Super groovy, the instruments in the background are playful and fun, but damn those lyrics are fucking crazy lol. Sweet Gene Vincent I can see myself going back to. I can imagine an old perverted man listening to some of these songs maybe its the voice? But the songs are very visual. But the lyrics are a fever dream
the first half of sweet gene vincent is awesome and then everything else is 70's slop
If you judged a book by its cover you’d think this album was gonna be pretty interesting. Turns out it was boring AF.
This guy isn’t one for nuanced lyrics
Oi, this album sucks. It's redeemed, slightly, by a couple of songs, "Sweet Gene Vincent" and "Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll," both of which are fun and goofy. Most of the album is either old English vaudeville which isn't nearly as amusing as it thinks it is, or pub punk songs like "Blockheads" and "Plaistow Patricia," both about sleazy characters from the underside of British life. No thanks on either. There's just a smarmy, douchey quality to the whole thing. I'm rounding up from 1.5 stars.
Oh boy, this was weird. In a sea of British albums that this list is, this one is probably the most British so far lol. Interesting to hear a combination of punk, disco, and music hall. I thought it was pretty fun musically, too bad Ian Dury can’t sing very well.
Ik las de reviews en kwas verbaast da iedereen zo slecht sprak over dit album... en dan ben ik naar het 2de nummer gegaan en snapte ik het plots.
Sex and drugs and Rock & Roll war ja ganz nett
1001 albums but each album gets more British
I thought I hated it, then thought it wasn't too bad, and ended up finding it pretty annoying.
NGL I thought some of this slapped. His voice is definitely an acquired taste and the lyrics can be ridiculous but they grab you. Some song were absolute ass though and were very childish. Fave song: Plaistow Patricia, Wake Up And Make Love To Me 2/5
Ian Dury has a lot of personality, and the songs are unmistakably his. Unfortunately, with the exception of the first track, I struggle to stay engaged with them. They're, for the most part, not bad, but I just find myself getting a bit bored by the end of each one.
I’m not sure this has aged particularly well.
I did not like this one. Maybe I just don't get it, but it sort of feels like a "you had to be there" kind of album, if that makes sense.
This project is making me appreciate that this era of British working class eccentrics being allowed to make pop music existed. Half these songs are straight music hall ditties and most of them sound exactly the same. I don't like them very much but I do appreciate their existence.
If you just remove the singer, it'd be so much better.
The music and vocals aren't the problem here, it's the gross, pervy and strange lyrics. I have no wish to revisit this.
Man what the hell I hate how I actually like the sound of the music, some of those baselines are actually catchy and the use of saxes is really well done. If this was an instrumental album I really think it’d be a 4, but unfortunately the guy has to open his mouth. I’m pretty confident that this is the worst the vocals have been for any album so far, it’s like he’s trying to sound as aggressively British as possible. I’m pretty sure he tried to sing in as close to an everyday voice as possible to hammer home the themes of this album, but it makes him sound like a classless idiot (especially with how shallow and dumb some of those lyrics are). One of the only songs he actually puts some oomph into his vocals for (Blockheads) sounds so much better than the rest of the album, though even that one has so much else to dislike about it. I’ll admit this is definitely one I’d like more if I was British and I didn’t hate that stupid britslop accent, but I think an album that sounds ear grating to everyone not living in your country can’t be considered good.
Band is tight and doing some interesting stuff. The vocals are absolute garbage, though. 2 stars
de ersti Teil vom Album hani gar ned mal so schlecht gfunde aber denn irgendwenn hets öppis bi ihm putzt und er isch insane worde. Schad für ihn unds Album, aber darum nur zweimal go bsueche ide Gummizelle
could be a 1
The aural equivalent of being slobbered over by a drunk sex pest who thinks he charming and funny.
Not for me
Probably fun to listen to in other settings or occasions, but def not in the mood today. 2.5
Simple & funky... maybe too simple. Favs: Blockheads Wake up and make love with me Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Geezer core. All rude banter, character studies in pub blokes, goofy singalongs, and tipsy accordion. The warm ale of music. Possibly the most English album of all time.
Some great music with a drunk uncle mumbling over the top such a shame.
This guy really wants you to know he fucks.
Honestly not sure. I don’t mind it. It’s very … Laarrrrrrrndan. But it’s also irritating. But in an almost fun way that I almost like. I don’t know. 2.5 rounded down.
This sounds like some guy doing a bad Austin Powers impression.
Right off the bat we have a bad start with the horrible album title. Is this what passes for "must hear" music over in Britain? This is one export they can keep. There was nothing here that would compel me to ever want to come back to this album.
Maybe I should've cherished Bob Dylan a little more while I had him.
Essex crap
It shouldn’t be so hard to figure out if this is bad punk or a bad parody of good punk. Maybe it’s brilliant punk portraying itself as a bad parody? The time I’ve spent writing this is way more time than I’ve wanted to spend thinking about this album.
Proof that people’s inner 12 year old can lead to sales and the success of an album - I’m sure they were all ashamed then and now. Would this be a must listen if not for the British accent?
The only way I can sum up this album is by saying the vocal delivery & lyricism kill it for me. There are some decent instrumental moments and grooves, but the way Dury sings is extremely jarring and some of the songs feel like I'm listening to a creepy bloke sing inappropriately at a circus. The lyrics are shit too. All in all a very odd album.
Weird
The music is pretty good, lots of different styles going on. The vocals though, even for punk, are just not that good bordering on dreadful. Most of the time it doesn't even sound like singing, more talking or that suggest-a-note thing people do in musical theater when they can't really sing, talk-singing I guess. In 1977 London this must have tapped into the zeitgeist of the moment, but this is a "You Had to Be There" album that just doesn't hold up at all.
Liked the music, really didn't care for the lyrics and singing. With less affected singing / content this could have been a 3 star. The tone of it was a bit too aggressive for me, from the album's title all the way down.
DNF, no thanks.
Ok so the first song is fine when it’s instrumentals. And then the vocals start. They are painfully British and painfully bad. He sounds like somebody’s grandpa being forced into doing karaoke. And the lyrics are worse. I’m not even gonna talk about the lyrics dear god. I’m not opposed to immature, sexual lyrics. Hell, I love The Pixies and Violent Femmes. But those are visceral. This sounds like it’s trying to be sexy, and unfortunately for all of us, they are deeply unsexy. Sweet Gene Vincent is a pretty good song—a soft waltz that uses his vocals in a way that’s actually good…and then there’s a sudden switch. The vocals are better, but they keep getting lost in the mix and he does sound vaguely out of breath. I do like the energy. Instrumentally, this guy seems like a solid songwriter. But in terms of lyrics…not so much. I’m still scarred from the opening track. And vocally he’s very weak. I don’t mind bad vocals—my favorite genre is literally punk—but he doesn’t have the energy to make up for it. I’m Partial to Your Abracadabra traumatized me once more. I think the first song on here that I listened to and thought “hey, this is good” was Blockheads. Which is the name of Ian Dury’s band, so that is kinda interesting I guess. Blockheads to the end of the album is pretty good. I’ve heard Sex and Drugs and Rock n Roll before. I wasn’t a big fan when I first heard it and I’m not a big fan now, but it is a punk classic. I can definitely see how this guy was importantly to early new wave, but I think that there are far better albums out there in that genre and time period, like literally any late-seventies new wave. He seems like a solid songwriter, but the vocals, lack of energy and horrible lyrics make it unbearable whenever he opens his mouth. A star for the last few songs being pretty okay, as well as the songwriting and punk spirit though.
kinda of disco and rock...interesting....but not something I enjoy
Better than Slade
meh.
Yeah, maybe not. It’s mostly the vocals and lyrics that ruins it though. Stand-outs: - Clever Trevor
this album broke me
GOING IN: Not fussed really LISTENED WHILE: supermarket shopping FAMILIARITY: Know the artist, not the album SKIP RATE: Played it straight through REPLAY VALUE: Once was plenty DISCOVERY CURVE: Warmed up nicely ALBUM ARC: Pretty even, consistent VERDICT: Better than expected BODY'S VERDICT: Toe tapping situation FAVOURITE TRACK: My Rating: 2.5
Not my bag. I tried but after a few songs, I was done
The title grosses me out. The songs on the album seemed too samie for me.
who is this
★★½
this was not for me and wouldn’t want to listen again. I felt more positive at the start but it really grated on me and it took a lot to resist the urge to skip billericay dickie
Personally didn't like it but in a musical point of view it's a pretty good album!
I recognize "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll," which easily the best song of the album. The rest suffers from being too separated from my both culturally and temporally. Maybe it kills in late-70s England, but it just feels a bit flabby and dopey now.
Starting off with a disco track about wanting your girlfriend to wake up so you can shag - because it's better when she's conscious - is a hell of a way to start. That the vocals sound amateur at best is also pretty ballsy. But even if I could see this as cheeky, throwing-shit-at-the-walls fun (funk! punk! disco!), it's just not very good. Especially Billericay Dickie - that track was like Yellow Submarine crossed with a shitty carny ride sung by the guy who gets booed at karaoke.
I have no idea how to rate this. So many versions of the album as well! It's a whole album of wink wink nudge nudge. It's great to his accent shine through. But some times it grates and some times it has a charm.
Too much novelty music for me. Annoying, sorry
Strong singles, but a succession of novelty songs grates.
So I didn’t hate all of this, some of it is quite fun/funky, but I hated enough of it that is has to be a 2…
Whenever I see a double album list on Spotify I immediately go to wikipedia and see how many songs were on the original release and limit my listen to that list. I would not want to listen to two hours of this.
A cool listen, could feel the art school - felt pieces of the Clash, pieces of Lou Reed but a little more pop. Might need a few listens to grow on me. The type of music I love from my peers but is a little harder to get into when its a few generations older than me.
This is a right old knees-up, innit. I had no time for this at all when I was getting really into punk, but I can see what he is trying to do here. Still not really my thing, and not an album I would play out of choice, but I kind of get it now, at least. And he loved Gene Vincent, so that's a plus.
I had never heard of this album
Overall: 4/10 Not really feeling the super heavy accent this man has when singing. On top of that, the songs just don't have enough punch for the most part. Fav Song: Blockheads
More of an italicized innnnnteresting than enjoyable. The Blockheads was fine, but Ian Dury’s talk-singing shtick wears thin fast.
Decent early new-wave, parts of it even reminded me of the band Wire, especially in the vocals and sort of bizarre fusions and odd British wittiness that sometimes eluded me. It's a clearly very intentionally cheeky album, given the title of the album and many of the songs here (namely 'Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll', which, ironically, was one of the more tolerable tracks here). I did find the concepts of some of these songs pretty ridiculous, especially 'If I was with a Woman' and 'Billericay Dickie', which was just a fun song to listen to. But the songs themselves didn't do much for me at all; none really stick out, and the album itself was way too all over the place for my liking (probably at least partially the point). And the over-the-top and edgy character played on many of the songs got kind of annoying near the end, especially on the song 'Plaistow Patricia'. There are some decent moments; I actually really enjoyed the harder, Clash-style punk of 'Blockheads.' But not much else here appealed to me, definitely not a record for me. This really feels like super niche music for a super specific point in time.
At first I actually vibed with this, but man did it sour on me. I think bro is the most British-sounding British person I've ever heard in my life. Chill, bro. Fave tracks: - Wake up and Make Love with Me - Sweet Gene Vincent - Blackmail Man - Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
1st song had me real nervous, but 7 out of 11 tracks being good for a very experimental album from me is very high praise. I've never heard of Ian Dury before this so it was really cool being able to just jump right into this. The drummer and the bassist were in the pocket on every single track. a very nice record. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll had to be the best track. overall, a 6.9/10.
Enough with the fucking british albums
Weird-ass sexual predator shit. A couple good grooves
This is the music equivalent of The British putting beans all over their food
Kinda fun, sex & drugs & rock n’ roll and all, but otherwise, not for me.
Gimmicky.
Just another quirky UK artist who might be fun in a limited set in a pub one night, but not for a full show, or even full album for that matter.
This is not a family friendly listen for Thanksgiving, that's for sure.
I don't think I realized how little vocal talent it took to write an album worthy of inclusion on this list until I listened to this thing. I'm only not giving it a 1-star because the instrumentation on it isn't as bad as Ian Dury's singing.
Early british punk.
For a ‘’sex, drugs and rock n’ roll’ record I thought this was pretty tame
Hat mir beim ersten Hören besser gefallen
It gets better towards the end with tracks like 'Blockheads' but I was really not enjoying the first few tracks except for 'My Old Man'.
kinda dry
This was cool 70’s British music. Didn’t really click for me.
Weird just plain weird
The godawful (repurposed as a 90s Spray and Wipe jingle) 'Billericay Dickie' aside, I thought the music itself was pretty good. The bad lyrics, one-note, constant horniness and low-effort cockney vocals on the other hand...really hard to get through.
This feels like a fake album from an Alan Partridge show
I didn't like this album. I'm not sure why I didn't like it, I just didn't.
Et par hakk for britisk for meg, ass
An interesting listen. It's got spadefuls of character and edge. But gets tiring the more you listen. Enjoy the highs of Ian Dury (esp. hit me with your rhythm stick). But don't think there's a strong album here. 2.5/5
Not that pleasant. Especially as a 2 hour process.
Mishmash of genres with nearly spoken word over top. Album should have been more interesting, but comes off as immature and boring. 2/5 Won't listen again
Not as good as I was expecting. Maybe speaks to a moment. Maybe I should register. Maybe.
This cannot be an actual album released by actual humans.
All over the place!
First song made me think it's not going to be as bad as I thought And it wasn't, but it wasn't good either Oh fuck nevermind it gets worse with every song Not 1 because I'm immune to rage bait
Kinda pissed me off a bit
Not bad, but really nothing groundbreaking.
Ian Dury has maybe one good song.
Weird one. It is ALL OVER THE PLACE as far as sound. It's not entirely bad, but completely comes off as a desperate novelty. I wish more of it sounded like Plaistow Patricia. Holy shit, I vividly remember Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll from early childhood, hearing it on Dr. Demento!
This is the single most British thing I've ever heard (derogatory)
Wake Up And Make Love With Me //
have you ever wanted to listen to the bloke at the end of the bar sing-rap over some 70s pub rock? yeah, me neither.
01) Wake Up and Make Love with Me - 7,0 02) Sweet Gene Vincent - 5,0 03) I'm Partial to Your Abracadabra - 6,0 04) My Old Man - 5,5 05) Billericay Dickie - 4,0 06) Clevor Trever - 6,5 07) If I Was with a Woman - 5,0 08) Blockheads - 5,0 09) Plaistow Patricia - 5,0 10) Blackmail Man - 5,0 TOTAL: 5,40 (54/100) Current ranking: 594/675 Really?
Weird, goofy, dirty for 1977 but fun. Maybe the Benny Hill of music!
this guy needs to jack off before recording next time
I liked his accent and that’s it.
This would be a solid 3 except that “panties” is one of my aversive words and there’s a sound effect in ‘Blockhead’ that is just like a juicy fart, so 2.5 and rounding down because I never plan to listen to album again.
Is this who Bill Nighy's character in Love Actually was based on?
Weird album. Not my jam.
After the jump scare of the link taking me to a 2-hour deluxe album, I reluctantly waded into an album I was convinced is hate after the first track But I thought it was actually pretty good? It's weird; it's brash; and lyrically it can be downright annoying at times. But it's fun, funky, and interesting. That being said, even though I enjoyed about half of the tracks, I totally get the negative reviews, and I'm convinced that Ian Dury's debut album's inclusion on this list is just, as the British say, taking the piss out" of us with making us listen to it. Favorite tracks: My Old Man, Clevor Trever
This sounded a bit like shitty British Lou Reed with instrumentals that were more Bowie/Roxy Music meets punk rock (so glam punk i guess?). I found my enjoyment of a track was connected to A) how much effort he put into the vocals and B) how much I could understand what he was saying. The lower the effort, the less I liked a song. So when he's doing his lazy shit Lou Reed thing, he's pure trash and I don't see the appeal. Buttt when he goes into his punk shouting style, I actually kinda like his vocals, like on the track Blockheads. I think I prefer his punk vocal to Johnny Rotten (who I hate for the most part). If only he was shouting better lyrics. Which leads me to B)... so on the tracks where you can't pick out his lyrics, things are alright, even good at points. Buttt when you can pick out his lyrics, you realize they are shitty, pervy, racist and sexist. He really ruins a lot of tracks with the words that come out of his mouth (see the opening track... and many other tracks). I actually like the instrumentals on this record overall. I like this weird punk glam thing. I really wish someone else had written the lyrics and he'd given up on this Lou Reed impersonation. Coulda completely changed my feelings on this album. Note on the lyrics: There's a real art to writing a dirty song that doesn't suck. So far a lot of people who have tried it in this 1001 albums challenge has failed. Ian Dury fails brutally. I don't know what the trick is... is it being vague? Is it some sort of confidence that makes a dirty song work? I dunno. But there has to be a reason some work and most fall flat. Anyways, it's hard to balance the lyrics vs the instrumentals. Wake me up and make love with me is so terrible, i wanted to give the whole thing a 1. Butt The instrumentals are pretty great and the punk tracks in the back kinda work for me. I guess it's a reluctant 2?
This guy is pretty hilarious. “Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll” is the standout highlight; honestly, you don’t really need to hear the rest of the album because it kinda drags. Wouldn’t revisit.
Didn't connect with me. I wasn't super in the mood for the kind of unique goofy punk the record was going for
Listened in the truck via YouTube music. English guy that wanted to be Iggy. Definitely see where The Streets got their influence.
Ok'ish rock.
I appreciate that this exists but I don't ever want to hear it again.
Not sure this is really one I needed to hear before I died. It's fine, I guess. I don't hate it, but I feel like a couple of songs was sufficient to get the sound/vibe and I really didn't need 40 minutes of this. I don't mind goofy music, but this didn't feel particularly clever. I will grant that "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" kinda slapped.
Listen in awe to this drunken karaoke night at the local Manchester pub.
I think I had tired to listen to this before and bailed out after a few songs. I did listen all the way through this time. Even Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll could not earn this one a third star. Too many repetitive rhymes in a blue collar English accent for me.
Nope this is not it
Rock and roll. I couldn’t tell but the album felt slightly comedic in a tongue in cheek way. It was entertaining at first but got annoying fast.
Starts with cool piano and bass beat
What if Bowie sucked, the album. Why is this here.
This is dumb… but at the same time there are a few okay-ish songs on here
most british brit
5/10 Was this any good? No. Did I enjoy it? Yeah, sort of, maybe. Highlight: Blockheads
Fine at best, novelty at worst.
Songs are good other than dude singing
A generous 2. It’s so hit and miss for me. The opener ‘Wake Up and Make Love With Me’ was absolutely banging. But then it descends into Chas and Dave level crap in places.
The instrumentals ranged from fine to good, but I cannot stand this guy's voice.
Not horrible, but nothing I'd want to hear again.
-this is really one of those albums that just makes me… seriously wonder why they’re having me listen to this. utterly no comment tbh -it was. kind of funny at times? and i did like some of the attempts at a harder rock sound but other than that. idk just not something i would ever listen to in my own time -Favorite is Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Artiste inconnu. En fait non, j'avais déjà entendu 'Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll'. Rien de bien intéressant dans cet album qui mélange plusieurs styles sans rien amener d'original. J'ai quand même apprécié 'My Old Man' (+1) pour sa basse et son chorus de sax. Mais ce n'est pas suffisant pour une seconde écoute. =>2/5
This is a good example of music I dislike
I've never been a fan of Ian Dury but there's no denying his massive influence. Listened to the album. Onwards.
Great album, already in my regular rotation
Not really my thing, I liked a few songs atleast, like Sweet Gene Vincent, If I was with a woman, Blockheads, Sex & Drugs & Rock n roll. Probably won't listen to this again.
2 - Ooosh I found this a bit hard to listen to.
This was delightful for a few minutes, but it kinda becomes too much and just drags after a while. Glad I heard it, but not something I'd really come back to.
Major ick with that first song. And several other songs, really.
I don't quite get all of the circus comments in the reviews on this. It's just fairly generic 70's rock, IMO. It's no more circusy than some of McCartney's late Beatles compositions. Not terrible, not great either.
If you engineer your music to sound annoying for artistic effect, it doesn't make it any less grating to listen to
# 504 : New Boots And Panties. surprisingly catchy, yes,... weird yes,... interesting, yes,... but... Would be embarrassing to get caught listening to this hahaha. Fav Song: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll Listened: 17/06/2025
< the Beatles Why does this album sound like it should be performed at a circus?
Grappige opbouw, erg Brits naar mijn smaak en net iets te veel rijm. Klonk bijna als comedy of satire
I actually didn't mind some of the more punk adjacent tracks, but then some of them were absolutely unbearable.
Rambling, almost spoken-word, not great
Tja
TF are these lyrics? Is this written by a horny teenager? Nope, definately written by someone bored out of their skull, and just spewing some sort of stream of conciousnes. I mean, it's not bad, just... IDK. "If I Was with a Woman" is kinda disturbing. I take it back. The lyrics are not great, and the music isn't melodic. Really not my jam. 2/5
Come on. This isn't good. I have to believe if anything, this was one of those records that's "so bad it's good", right? I mean, if not for the foul language and risque' themes, this sounds like children's music. It's that the appeal?
Why is this on the list.