Reviews (page 2 of 15)
timeless punk
I don't love the sound of his voice, but I didn't mind the songs
A couple of good songs but otherwise surprisingly regular rock. Difficult to listen to that warble for a whole album.
This was pretty good, but nothing anything too lasting for me. Favourite Track(s): See No Evil, Marquee Moon Least Favourite Track(s): Prove It
Really good display of guitar playing. All the riffs are killer and hit you like a thunder. The guitar tones sound fucking amazing and the bass is super bouncy and clear in the mix. Some of the best instrumentation on any punk record. The first 4 songs especially are awesome.
Great alumb. Soulful, felt like listening to Led Zepplin but with a twist, and thus unique to many sounds around. Truly a piece of art of it's time.
Egentligen rätt halvtrist 70-talsrock. Aldrig dåligt men jag vill inte lyssna mer eller någonsin igen. Så int underkänt, men ändå. Snoozefest
Not a bad album, needed a couple of plays through to get something from it though. Didn't really feel like much of an essential album though. More of a band that was 'inspired' by many other artists of the time. Not one I'd revisit.
love it of course. easily one of the best albums of all time.
I am indebted to the hit film Bandslam (Todd Graff, 2009) for giving me a crumb of context back in the day about CBGB and the NY punk scene, which helped me appreciate this album Playlist add: “Marquee Moon”
Helll yeah, title track is so good, first time hearing the rest which I really liked too but need some more listens Sounds so ahead of its time it’s almost bizarre. Not quite prog, not quite punk, not quite indie, far too melodic to feel like post punk, it just stands on its own Tom Verlaine sounds a bit like Julian Casablancas, just me?
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Really nice interlocking guitars. The voice isn't the main attraction for me but good album.
Good composition and instrumentals, ruined by the lead singer. 2/5
I think I need to listen it a bit more, the title is the only memorable one so far
Alt-rock pioneers - the title track is always worth ten minutes of your time.
I love this record.
#470/1001. This is supposed to be a new wave classic, but I cannot picture in my mind when or why or whom to play this record: at home alone, at a party, to friends, relatives or enemies? At least now in 2026 it doesn't seem to wake up any emotion, which is worse than raising fear, hate, disgust, contempt. Not the worst in this list and I like some later Television stuff, but this was one ear in, other out.
Really liked it. Not totally in love with the singers voice, but the music was great. A nice find I had never heard of. Surprised these guys didn’t make it bigger, they are obviously talented and the music piece was enjoyable. I found myself moving a little faster on my morning walk!!
Do I actually like punk? I may not like punk. [insert ego death]
Good album, but it didn't really stand out.
It was fine? Nothing offensive, but nothing that really stood out.
would be absolutely incredible if the vocalist could actually sing loved the instrumentation though
I have no intention of listening to this again but it was ok ig
Lo conoscevo già, stupendo! Intrecci di chitarre, assoli semplici ma efficaci e la voce trasognata del cantante
Не мой стиль ну такое я такое не слушаю 7,5
i'm not really a fan of more classic punk rock(?) albums but i probably would've loved this back in high school when i did. very unique and nice instrumental sections, i can see how it would influence a lot of future bands. if anything i just wish i could've enjoyed it more
Not all entirely that memorable but it does have it's moments. I neither hate nor love anything here. It's just kind of there. Nice combination of blues & punk. Marquee Moon is a very nice combination of two words. Just sounds nice together.
This album reset my standards of what rock must sound like... vocals aside (they're just ok). The whole thing felt oddly cute and warm, makes me happy to be alive See No Evil ★★★⯪✩ Venus ★★★★⯪ Friction ★★★★✩ Marquee Moon ★★★★⯪ Elevation ★★★★✩ Guiding Light ★★★★⯪ Prove It ★★★★✩ Torn Curtain ★★★★⯪
What a great album. Never heard of them, but hear a lot of bands I love in their music. 5/5
Enjoyed the overall listen. Always good to hear something else from that CBGB era.
6/10 Television are one of those bands that are clearly incredibly influential. Their prominence in the early punk and new wave scenes, as well as clear echoes of their sound in alternative rock and indie over the following decades clearly justifies the regard in which they were held, but they’re a band that I’ve never really gelled with. While I like some of their stuff, I’ve always found that I could never quite grab hold of a solid centre to their music, with it being neither all the way into a punk sound, while also not committing completely to the new wave sound that they flirted with. Let’s see if a more focused listen reveals previously unheard delights though, shall we? Straight off the bat, it’s clear that the band leans pretty heavily on melodic content from the guitars, with the prominence of the hooks laying within the instrumental rather than the vocal side of the band. There are touches of jazz to the playing, particularly from Billy Ficca on the drums, but also here and there from the dual guitar work and supporting bass, and when they get stuck into sections with interesting melodic development and overlapping counterpoint between those instruments, there are moments when things really start to shine. Unfortunately, there are also quite a lot of times when the precision of the hooks makes way for sections in which the band begins to drift and as a consequence the focus of the songs do slip and begin to lose their momentum. It’s also the case that the clarity and sharpness of the melodic and harmonic work from the instrumentation does throw stark relief on the more punky vocal of Tom Verlaine. While I’ve no issue with a vocal style like this, it does feel a touch jarring against the more crisp and precise work that’s on display in the rest of the sound palette, so I did find it a little distracting now and then. When things sharpened up from a structural point of view, there were times when I started to get into this, and I could see how significant some of this record must be to people. Elevation and Prove It managed to capture an edge of experimentation while keeping in touch with their thematic centre of each track. But for me it was a bit of a nearly album. It touched areas that I enjoyed, but not completely consistently. equally, there is music that I like that was clearly influenced by this, but it also foreshadows some of the more lightweight indie that isn’t necessarily completely my bag. I tend to prefer my punk with a bit more drive and attitude to it, and my new wave with a bit more coherence and centre, so this managed to slip through the middle of those two worlds, not quite satisfying either, and I’ve ended up back where I started with Television. Not really my cup of tea. See No Evil - It’s somewhere between punk and garage rock, but there’s a heavy emphasis on the hooks, most notably from the guitar. There’s a lightness to the tone and edge of groove to the rhythms that make for an interesting textural blend. It almost feels like it’s going to be a bit too repetitive, but they throw in enough variation just a the right moments to make things stick. Pretty good. Venus - This is a bit less focused and feels a touch melodically rambling. There are some cool riffs and nuggets of performance in there, but for me, it feels a touch disjointed. There’s still something quite charming about it in a way, but I’m not entirely convinced by the musical centre, despite enjoying the tonal blend and production. Friction - They rein things back in again now. There are still moments when things drift on tangents, but there’s a central thread that everything else circles, giving it a far more coherent musical directionality. There are some cool riffs and melodic choices here, and the rhythms that bounce around between guitar, drums and bass are really good. There’s just an edge of pop to this, but enough weirdness and range to it that it’s sonically interesting too. Another decent track. Marquee Moon - The band no indulges their more experimental edges with a ten minute track. There are jazzy inflections to this, but they also centre it around a more punky main theme and hook that allows the experimentation to flow, to prevent things from drifting too far away. The grooves are again pretty good and while the soloing is going on, there’s some great moments from Billy Ficca on the drums while the rest of the band drift off into a more psychedelic direction. It’s perhaps a little on the self-indulgent side, but they manage to avoid things becoming too detached and wanky, with some good dynamic development to keep things moving along nicely. Again, it’s pretty decent and while I don’t love it, I am enjoying it. Elevation - This is cool. I like the sharpness of the main repeating guitar chord set against the smoother lead guitar and the drums that sort of split the difference. There are some very cool rhythmic and compositional choices that pull your expectations as they drag the rhythmic centre around. It’s melodically very pretty too. The change of feel between verse and chorus is incredibly well balanced, adding just enough weirdness before pulling itself back together again. The guitar solo on this one is pretty good and in keeping with the song too. This is a definite high point on the record thus far. Guiding Light - The melodies and counterpoint here are very nice, but it does feel a little more meandering through the verses. That being said, there are some very strong instrumental performances, particularly from the guitars. Bit of a weird on this, because there’s plenty of things to like about it, but I also don’t feel like I can get a real read on where it’s going, but then they throw in some really clean and clear sections that have a much more defined direction of travel. But perhaps not quite enough for me to fully fall for it. Prove It - This one swings back towards something that I’m able to get more invested in. Melodically rich, rhythmically interesting and with enough range to keep things fresh. They do meander a touch in places, but again, there’s such a strong centre that it doesn’t matter in the slightest when they start to wander away from that a tiny bit. There are some solid hooks from the guitar and decent range to the flow of the rhythms too. More good stuff. Torn Curtain - It’s another in which the strongest parts are great, and then there are moments when things just drift a little too far away from centre. The vibe is great, but rhythmically, things become a bit too plodding and dynamically flat, which actually detracts from some of the nice melodic compositional elements, such as the piano playing against the guitar and vocal. It’s all just a bit pedestrian and while there is an edge of weirdness that I like, it kind of threads its way between weirdness and fairly routine elements so it doesn’t really commit to one lane, satisfying neither completely. Meh.
I think they have a very cool sound that does stand out more than other punk rock bands. It also has a very Rolling Stone's energy and vibe. I think my biggest hold back is that I wasn't drawn to any of the songs specifically. I liked the album overall but there are not really any singles when it feels like there should be. I would definitely revisit though.
I did try to listen to this album before, and couldn't really get into it. My longstanding issues with 70's post-punk were rearing their heads again. However, something clicked with this listen. I will say the second half of the tracklist is better than the first (Starting at Marquee Moon). It's a little less punky, more melodic (I think). But yeah, good stuff. Definitely improved with the second listen.
Squishy de Meatloaf
Definitely not for me. It is cold and pretentious. That sounds like very talented musicians trying to show just how talented they are. Like they're saying we don't need all these fancy effects cuz we are just so good at playing our instruments and it just ends up sounding heartless.
Fairly average to my ears. 3/5
Classic, classic, classic Although I have this album I haven’t listened for some time, to the extent that I had really forgotten it. Hearing this post punk classic with all its complexity and musicality I can hear how this album has gone on to influence so many acts that had come afterwards.
#248/1001 🇺🇸 NYC 1977, what a time to be alive. Sadly i'd just been born on the other side of the Atlantic when CBGBs was in its prime hosting Television, Blondie, Patti Smith, Talking Heads and Ramones. I don't think that there has ever been a more perfect debut album than this. The whole thing flows so perfectly and each track is so distinctively Marquee Moon. The thrill of discovering this record as a teenager, 15 years after it came out will always be with me. I bought a cheap copy on CD having never heard them before and the buzz from listening now is still strong. Best Tracks: Venus, Friction, Marquee Moon, Prove It, Torn Curtain.
Need to listen to this again with more focus, but it has some very interesting moments and a really contemporary sound
Diálogos de guitarras
has grown on me BIGLY after not liking it for a few years. truly goated.
When you can't decide if you need some punk or some power pop. Then Television it is!
This punk rock music doesn't date.
good sounds, but kept getting distracted halfway through the songs
kinda generic, not as good as what I would expect of classic rock but whatever
Absolutely fantastic, the album is energetic and joyful (barring Torn Curtain). Incredible start to finish. The guitar work is absolutely impeccable throughout the album. Groovy rhythms, cool solos and some unbelievably earwormy riffs. The drums and bass are a bit more understated but still excellent, and have the occasional moment to shine. I’m not normally a huge fan of these kind of punky new wave vocals, but I quite like them here. The album comes out of the gate swinging with a fun punchy opener in “I See No Evil”, really groovy. “Friction” has an awesome guitar riff and a great bass groove. I love the call and response in the chorus. The title track is the high point of the album, with an absolute classic of a riff, I’ll be “diddle diddle diddle diddle duh”ing to myself for weeks I fear. I love how the track isn’t in a rush to get anywhere, just content letting the groove go. Finally the closer “Torn Curtain” is a darker moodier more theatrical track. I really like the drum groove during the verses of this one. The chorus is so melodramatic, a big wall of sound; I love it. An the outdo as well with the guitar wailing over the chorus of “years years, tears tears”, a good use of a fade out.
Larimbecil dice que es un buen disco
Those albums got four guys on the cover really bear something
muy común
I'm amazed this was made in 1977! Well ahead of it's time. I have heard it before. Quite liked this one, it's a shame it's not more well known!
Det er fedt og nuanceret, samtidig med at det holder samme kant hele vejen igennem,
Den er på vippen lige mellem 2 og 3. Fint nok, men hans stemme ender sgu med at trække den ned for mig
*67 Faktisk ret fedt til tider. Især titelnummeret. Man skal dog være i et bestemt humør for at tåle den lidt skingre vokal i alle 46 minutter.
fint
Jeg synes egentlig, at det var okay, men der var også et par svipsere og lidt for langtrukne numre. Kunne være bedre, men det var fint 2.9
det tog mig 4 gennemlytninger, men så fangede jeg det. Kunne godt se fra starten, hvorfor det bliver betragtet som et mesterværk uden selv at være specielt forelsket i albummet, men for hver gennemlytning blev jeg mere og mere vild med det. God kunst må godt være svært at tillegne sig, og synes faktisk det er intet mindre end et fremragende stykke kunst
Fantastisk
Fantastic
See no evil - 4 Venus - 3 Friction - 4 Marquee moon - 4 Elevation - 4 Guiding light - 3 Prove it - 3 Torn curtain - 3
70talets bästa rockalbum? På rak arm kommer jag inte på nåt bättre album som vill rocka från deceniet i alla fall. Nick Kent gav den en tvåsidig lång specialrecension i i NME med omslagsrubiken "Nick Kent finds genius on page 29“. Det är inte bara ett förhäxande gitarrspel från BÅDA gitarristerna dom är hemligheten ("Gitarrer lika fria som Coltranes saxofoner"). För det är inte bara Verlaine det är minst lika mycket Lloyds förtjänst. Visst musiken är briljant och skicklig på allra bästa vis. Men nä, främst är den här skivan så sprängfylld med känsla, en känsla som spretar åt alla möjliga håll. Det är som om den bara måste ut nånstans. Det är en skiva av uppdämd nödvändighet, närmast besatt och desperat, och därför blir den fantastisk. Det är svårt att sätta fingret på riktigt. Lägg därtill den coola New York vibben (Television var husband på CBGB's flera år innan man var i närheten av ett skivkontrakt) och kombon med de där gitarrerna så har du en fullpoängare. Man kanske kan tycka att man vill ha lite mer larm i gitarrerna, att det ska trycka på ännu mer, så tycktre jag de första gångerna jag hörde den. Men efter hand insåg jag att det lite återhållsamma bidrar till det desperata uttrycket, det skymmer inte den besatta känslan. För övrigt älskar jag omslaget, det är tudligt och perfekt! Gillar du det här vill jag passa på att lyfta Richard Lloyds soloplatta Alchemy från 79 också vansinnigt bra New York rock. Även Televisions comebackplatta från 90talet är väldigt lyssningsvärd. Ingen tvekan om femman
Bortsett från nio minuter långa progrocken i titelspåret är det habil new wave som presenteras här. Bästa spåren Guiding light och Venus. Man hör en del influenser härifrån som Olle Ljungström och Reeperbahn sedan plockade upp på sina skivor.
Hejdlöst tråkigt. För ett rättvist betyg borde man väl lyssnat en gång till. Men vem fan orkar det. Nån slaskig blandning av New wave och progg. Sången är lika upplyftande som ett slukhål. Gitarrslingorna gör absolut ingen glad. Guiding light är väl det enda ljuset i mörkret. Men det räcker inte. Jag stänger av TVn.
Riktigt bra rock. Något solo för mycket och avslutande Torn Curtain tycker kunde lämnats utanför. Titelspåret är lysande.
Pretty standard 70s rock
Another early punk album that seems kind of tame by today's standards. I liked it.
3.25 - Was this band massive? They sound like a lot of other popular 70s rock bands. I need to listen to this again.
Amazing amazing amazing
Like a breed between Talking Heads and Rolling Stones. I'm not sure who carried the baby.
Television It was ok. Friction was cool. Cool intro groove for marque moon. The singer was not great. Not sure I am hearing the intricate guitar playing or jazz interplay that I am reading about. I can hear how they influenced bands like the strokes. 2.5/3
Surprised that this album is so well received and celebrated. I think it sounds really bad. The drummer has a horrible feel and i hate the vocals. Guitars are mid at best. Not the worst thing by a long shot but i didnt enjoy this
Wow he is so whiny I don’t care what he has to say
Now I know what The Strokes listened to when they formed their band. (And what they mixed up with a healthy portion of Garage Rock to create something a good bit tastier.) Love the guitar work and the unusual guitar solos. Side A was considerably stronger than B... All in all, good stuff but not excellent stuff. However, I have the feeling that I might like this even more after more relistens. 3.5/5 - very good
Just brilliant, haven't listened to this all the way through before but just loved it. so ahead of its time
Enjoyable listen from a band I had not previously heard of.
I will never love the New York punk talk/drawl style of singing (thanks, Lou Reed) but some bands are so good that I can get past it - the Velvets, Talking Heads and Television being three of them. Love the music and attitude on this album.
This album was a good time
The title track remains absolutely godly. Some really cool stuff in here instrumentally, proper jangly goodness but I don’t know if I love the vocal style for an entire 45 min album
Album #187: Television – Marquee Moon ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The only album that, at one point in my life, genuinely blew my mind. I don't mean that I've never been completely bowled over by another album. I have. But I mean the actual physical feeling of my head exploding from pure wonder and amazement. This is the only album that's ever made me feel that. It was when I heard this for the first time as a teenager, and it was specifically when the drums come back after those brief few seconds of silence following the guitar solo in the title track. That moment absolutely blew my mind. I became a lifelong fan and staunch advocate of this album ever since. What's interesting is that, at the time, I knew nothing about it. I knew little to nothing about the technicalities of music itself or what was actually going on. This is an album that can be appreciated at any level. At a surface level because the songs are so good and catchy, and at a deeper level because the playing is so tightly arranged, complex and unique. I mean, the band doesn't even have a rhythm guitarist. It's two lead guitars sharing these incredible arrangements. And they're not shredding either. They're expressing themselves. It's a beautiful dialogue between two expert guitarists. It's the opposite of wanky, jock-rock guitar playing. While this album is revered and highly influential, I think as a guitar album it's underrated. This album probably doesn't grab the attention of a kid and make them want to become a guitarist in the way a Led Zeppelin album does. And that's understandable. But this album displays the artistry of the guitar better than any other album for me. It's pure. It's unique. It's completely without gimmicks. There's virtually no effects going on or anything. And what they do with such a simple sound is remarkable. I'm going to be a bit sacrilegious here, but this is the best a four-piece band has ever sounded, including The Beatles. The two lead guitars dance around this beautiful, perfectly weighted rhythm section that fills in the space between the notes so well. It's like classical music. And when people think of rock music going classical, your mind might go to Rick Wakeman and King Arthur on Ice. No. Fuck that. This is rock music gone classical. It's operatic, it's orchestrated, it's dramatic and tender and every emotion in between. Above all else, it's just cool as fuck. And it's a real lightning-in-a-bottle moment too. If you look at their full discography and the albums that came after, like Adventure and their self-titled album from 1992, and you look at Richard Lloyd and Tom Verlaine's solo careers, I don't just mean that they didn't reach the heights of Marquee Moon, because it's impossible to reach the heights of Marquee Moon. I don't think much of it is even really that good. Adventure is a real letdown after this album, although it does contain Days, which I think is their best song, by the way. And then there's the strange fact that I once read that, around the time of this album, they were actually considered a pretty awful live band. I think the head of CBGBs even said they were the worst band he'd ever seen. So it always amazes me that they made this album. They were somehow less than the sum of their parts, and yet they managed to create this thing. Even Tom Verlaine doesn't have the greatest voice in the world. Objectively, it might even be a bad voice for a rock band. But it's the way he delivers things, and it's his lyrics, which are so fucking good throughout this thing. Some of the lines are so provocative because they're so simple. They paint this almost vampiric atmosphere of prowling around a city. It's a nocturnal, slightly sinister world. You've got lines like: “I recall lightning struck itself.” “I was listening to the rain, I was hearing something else.” “My eyes are like telescopes.” “It's a little bit back from the main road.” These are simple lines, but they paint such a picture. It's such a visual album. You're listening to it and you can see what he's singing about in your mind's eye. The lyrics lift the voice up past what it should, on paper, be acceptable to sound like. Look, to me, it's the best album of the 1970s. And that puts it as the front-runner for the greatest album of all time, in my opinion. It would probably get my vote as the greatest album of all time. A lot of heavy hitters on the 1001 list recently, but this is probably the heaviest hitter of them all.
Not bad I kind of zoned out but nothing pissed me off and dragged me out of my subconscious so it was nice but not captivating
Excellent first LP. Had the pleasure of seeing them perform this as an opening act on Peter Gabriel's first solo tour. They were outstanding.
Wholly unique and engaging listening experience. I didn't want this one to end. Favorite track: Marquee Moon
i guess shes chill?
idk mid
Just didn't do it for me. There was so much going on in 1977 music, but not here.
A wonderful slice of rock history.
Overall Rating - 3.06/5 (6.13/10). Nothing particularly special. Not bad, but not great either.
I was familiar with Television but never really invested much time with them. I bought this on vinyl and it has blown me away, the killer guitar hook, build-up and release of Marquee Moon is just awesome. There is not one bad song on this album, the guitar interplay and great post-punk vocals. This band and album have had such an influence on a ton of the music I like and grew up on. Go get this and listen
great album - classic rock, nothing more, nothing less
Je sais que cet album est influent et extrêmement apprécié. J'ai même revérifié, il est 64e au classement général de Rate Your Music. Oui mais voilà, malgré tout, cet album est entré par une oreille et il est sorti par l'autre. Je n'y ai trouvé aucun intérêt à titre personnel. Mais de toute façon, s'il y a un truc que je comprends de mieux en mieux à mesure que j'avance dans la liste, c'est que le punk de base, je peux vraiment apprécier, mais dès qu'un groupe commence à avoir une autre étiquette du genre "post-punk" ou "art punk", ça va pas me parler du tout. Et cet album, c'est exactement ça. J'en conclue donc que c'est pas fait pour moi. Je vais pas non plus mettre une note basse, ça serait ridicule, vu l'influence de cet album, mais quand même.
Not bad. 3.25 rounded down to 3. Favorite tracks: Marquee Moon ; Torn Curtain
classic
Its fine. 70s rock
I love this album
I don't often hear "punk" albums that veer on prog. Fav Tracks: "Venus", "Marquee Moon" and "Guiding Light".
I expected far worse, very nice listen!
3.5
I wasn't familiar with this band previously, but they must have influenced multiple bands that followed (most notably, Talking Heads, Violent Femmes, etc). I'll definitely listen again and check out their other albums.
Great album. Another classic I had never managed to listen to. Made me happy for this service.
None of these people on the album cover are human
Listened before?: i've heard a few tracks on multiple occasions. never took the time to listen to the full album til today See No Evil - 5/5 Venus - 5/5 Friction - 5/5 Marquee Moon - 5/5 Elevation - 5/5 Guiding Light - 4/5 Prove It - 4/5 Torn Curtain - 5/5 Average score: 4.8/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ god it feels like it's been ages since i could give an album 5 stars here, FINALLY. i don't believe in "perfect" albums, but this is one of the closest to perfection i've heard from beginning to end i see The Stokes being mentioned here, do people really think they sound like them?? i don't see it at all. in my opinion, they sound like Talking Heads (at least the vocalist does, he gives off heavy post-punk vibes), with perhaps more psychadelic leanings in the instrumentation. either way, this was the shit
Heard of Television however never listened to them before. Didn't know what to expect. Liked it.
Good
Beautiful album, obviously the guitar playing is extra special but I've always loved the enigmatic but dynamic lyrics.
I get it. I'm supposed to love this. All my favourite bands do. In theory, it should be right up my street. But I've just never really been able to get on with it. So so much guitar that just sounds like mindless noodling. A vocal delivery that really grates after a few songs. Lyrics that are maybe 55% as smart as they think they are. Is this really the proto-punk breakthrough people claim, or just the same self-congratulatory white boy meanderings in new shoes?
Just a great album from front to back
Unbelievably great - agree with previous reviewers about the unexpected quality of this album. If it were like a wine I could hear notes of Galaxie 500, Luna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Inerpol in here. Great stuff! A revelation!
Schön sehnsüchtig klingender rock
Just superb. Marquee Moon manages to be 10 minutes long and remain interesting which is quite an achievement. Tom Verlaines and Richard Lloyds duelling guitar sound is fantastic. Prove It and Venus are two of my favourites but without this album so many of my 00s favourites do not exist.
I need to remember to write my review before hitting the number of stars (we’re in edit mode again!) Anywho! I liked this! You can really hear the influence this album had on music to come; I could in particular hear Lovefool by the Cardigans in Elevation. But yeah all in all a good time
A classic that I was well aware of but had probably never heard of. I think Richard Kingsmill former programming director of Triple J listed Television as his favourite song of all time!! Don't have much to add but it sounded good
this album made me cry the first time i heard it because i was so depressed i would never be a teenager in the late 70s
Nice, this album. I've seen it around on the Internet before. "Marquee Moon" and "Television" are both pretty good names for music projects, though the prospects of me liking this album are admittedly quite dim. There's nothing this can be other than a punk album, right? I've never been a punker. Regardless, I shall go into this album with an open mind. At most these punk thingymajigs are half an hour, right? It shouldn't be too bad. Yup, another punk album. This thing is 45 minutes long, though much to its credit it doesn't attempt to cram 20 songs into that runtime like a lesser punk album would. It just jams a ten-fucking-minute punk song onto the tracklist instead. I mean, yeah. I'm not a punk guy. To my non-punker ears this music just sounds kind of limp and unenthusiastic. Lazy vocals, mild, tepid guitars and an overarching sense of emptiness defines the music of this album. Occasionally, the guitars are decently gripping, though rarely for long. The mastering is kind of annoying, too. One guitar in one ear, another guitar in the other with absolutely nothing to bridge the space inbetween. The result is an empty and skewed sound. All in all, I found this album to be a bit of a bore, though I suppose the guitarwork was competent despite my lack of enthusiasm. Book time. Punk's least commercially successful frontrunner artist at the time, though a defining and critically acclaimed release nonetheless. Television had pitched from label to label before landing with Elektra. That's about it for the book. Wikipedia verifies that this album was a benchmark in the development of rock music and has been massively acclaimed by critics - perfect scores across the board. It was influential in the development of alt rock, which I can believe given that it sounds a lot like Pixies. It also influenced a whole host of other genres, namely indie rock, post-punk, new wave and noise rock. It's been cited as a favourite album by the drummer of Joy Division and the guitarists of Echo & the Bunnymen and Red Hot Chili Peppers. It performed unremarkably on the charts, charting in only three countries (the highest position being No. 23 in Sweden). Lack of commercial success aside, this seems like a solid pick. I cosign this inclusion.
I see - I see no - EVIL! Ahhhhhhh this record. It occurs to me that I haven’t listened to it since Tom Verlaine died, and we listened to it constantly and cried whenever the title track came on in 2023, though. This is a large part of what I mean when I say I'm grateful for what happened in rock music in 1977. The title track is magnificent - the way it goes along like a normal song but then has that break that starts with the guitar - and then the bass joins - and then the drum - and it builds - and builds - and then it dissolves into a delicate thing that sounds like the dawn. And then! it starts up again Oh, and there’s a second side too
No es d emi agrado
it's a completely fine album but a 10 min wailing song paired with true mediocrity is definite 2 territory
Marquee Moon is such a good song, and I really liked Torn Curtain too
Weder Band noch Album kannte ich bis vorhin. Nach 2x hören: volle Punktzahl. Das kommt selten vor. Aber für solche Entdeckungen bleibe ich weiter dabei.
This is an album I know well. Listened more critically this time and it’s still a 5/5 because I can’t give a 4.5 or 4.75. The title track is among my favorite songs ever. There are a few others that are slightly behind but still tremendous songs. There are a couple weak spots, like the repetition on Elevation. But those are quibbles. I love this album.
A lot of guitar
This is such a strong record with each song feeling so inspired and tightly recorded, I feel like television is giving me everything they have to offer and they’ve given me is something masterful. I adore this record. Fav tracks: all of them
Superb guitar parts, but at times overwhelming
Pretty mid album tbh, sounds like every other bands made in the 70s
There is an over abundance of 70 bands on this list
The drums and guitar in the beginning of prove it remind me of papa's freezeria.
Superb album from start to finish!
It grew on me a little but then I got tired of it. I knew his voice sounded familiar. I've heard the title track before but it must've been a radio edit because I don't remember it being 10 minutes long. Not bad, and I can hear how they must've influenced bands like The Strokes, but not really for me. 5/10
Un excelente álbum. Muchas canciones interesantes que nunca pasan a ser aburridas.
One of those I listened to 8 times bc I couldn’t get a sense for what the album was. So boring I got distracted. But sometimes you need music that doesn’t distract you ig
Certainly a vibe. The drumming was crazy.
Didn’t enjoy this album as much as I thought I would. The only song I can remember from it is Marquee Moon.
Back to my comfort zone. An album that I come back to frequently, obviously the stand out track is the title one but there are a lot of other good tracks on here.
Just about a 2
This wasn’t a remarkable album by any means. Pretty boring actually.
it was okay, idk good background music
hmmm i don’t know favorite: Guiding Light
Not for me. Very 70’s…
This was entertaining enough that I'd probably listen to it again.
Not as bad as I was expecting. The 2 side closers are a bit tedious, come across like a new wave band trying to do prog. But the rest of the album is OK. Can certainly hear the influence it had.
Only discovered this a couple of years ago.
Pretty cool different album. Id listen again although not life changing pretty sweet
Weird whining.
This was a fun album! even though the songs are long, marquee moon is great one
It was okay. It picked up more for me towards the end, but I don’t think it’s an album I think I’d run to relisten to, you know?
Un sonido que no parece de fines de los 70´s, pero que sin lugar a dudas influenció o marcó el punta pie inicial de todo el rock salido de Nueva York, incluso se podría decir que Julian Casablancas toma muchas cosas Tom Verlaine y su estilo desaliñado para cantar. Es un álbum fácil de escuchar y que te mueve, por ende para mi califica como un imprescindible.
Very listenable 70s rock, which has aged well. It would be difficult to put a date on it without being told - a good sign. It often feels like a jam session but one which is kept tight and directional, which really does make all the difference. Enjoyed this.
Another example for an influential record, that i personally don't enjoy as much as I would like to. Tom Verlains voice and singing are not great, the band's performance isn't exactly smooth, so it's only occasionally the energy that gets me.
An album that seems to perfectly occupy a specific moment in time.
6/10… art rock / *1977
Cool
I was really looking forward to this, but after listening, it seems really overhyped
Brillante, una exhibición de rock alternativo moderno en medio de los 70s, super adelantados a su época Letras simples en algunas canciones acompañadas de guitarras con notas divertidas, pero también con la capacidad de ponerse más serios Venus y Marquee Moon fueron mis favoritas del álbum, porque justamente se sienten como un precursor del indie rock, un blueprint bien marcado de hecho Es curioso como en su momento es posible que esto no hiciera mucho "ruido" pero con el tiempo la gente se fue dando cuenta de esta realidad de estar adelantados unas cuantas épocas, que interesante la verdad Bastante recomendable y reescuchable
This is a hard one to rate I do like some of the songs and some others I could take or leave. The thing that really struck me was how modern this album sounds, this could be released today and would not sound out of place in the indie garage scene. If it were released today I would think it’s not very groundbreaking but I can only imagine what they thought back in the day. I can definitely see why it was respected when released and why it’s still so widely regarded.
Feels like the blueprint for some 90s pop rock, and also The Strokes
A classic album that shaped the way for music after its release, Iconic
Take early talking heads + post punk sensibilities+ epic guitars - any sense or humility . I've loved this album for 20 years ever when it was rumored phish may cover it in 2009 (they did exile on main st instead). But I It's not worth any point docking but I do like this version of Marquee Moon more https://open.spotify.com/track/22U0siziTRGRvnM9I61t5E?si=OP7IWl62SdqwIdSMoAxkfQ&utm_source=copy-link&sci=spotify%3Acard-config%3A0BVbGRHYspwgLq93qoY2UO If your a fan you should check that one out
Some of this is a little on the goofy side, and other tracks are downright groovy. Love the title track, for example. There are some other great tracks here too. Worth a second listen for sure. I was suspicious when I saw "art rock" and "post punk" listed as genres, but this holds up. 4/5
Favorite Track: Marquee Moon
Marquee Moon
if this was just 30 minutes of the little riff on marquee moon I would give it a 5
TUTTE LE CANZONI MI PIACCIONO, QUESTO E' IL GENERE DI ALBUM CHE VOGLIO SCOPRIRE CON QUESTA LISTA. STRUMENTALI ECCELLENTI, SOPRATTUTTO LE CHITARRE. "MARUQUEE MOON", "ELEVATION" E "TORN CURTAIN" LA MIA TOP 3. NON DO 5 STELLE PERCHE' A VOLTE LA VOCE E' FASTIDIOSAMENTE STRILLANTE. 4/5
To be honest, I kinda struggle with this vein of punk. Not because I don't like it, it's good and entertaining, but when albums like this are so highly rated I often feel like I'm missing something. To an extent, I'd rather not rate this, but the 1001 Albums website forces you to unless you put "Did not listen", so I'll rate it there but not on AOTY. But anyway, the album is actually really groovy and I think I can sort of hear how the guitar work inspired other stuff and it does sound quite fresh for the time, especially when I consider my wider knowledge of the period. Other than that though, something about the sound feels a little lacking in the energy I'd expect from the genre that also creates hardcore punk, something I find often with a lot of punk, especially the highly rated stuff, although this made up for that with the interesting riffs which created some more energy than I find in those other punk albums. Other than that, I quite like how the songs develop but some of them do run on a bit longer than they need to in my opinion, but I'll try to come back to this soon, I just don't know when I'll have the time/energy for it. One last thing - I do wonder if one day I'll suddenly click with this kind of punk like I have with post-rock and that whole ecosystem this year. I hope I do.
A towering, one-of-a-kind masterpiece, never to be repeated
Hugely original album that seems to be proto-punk, post-punk, and not really punk at all, all at the same time. Some amazing guitar work, especially on the title track. Not quite 5 for me because the vocals grate on me at times and a few songs on the second half are not as good .
have yet to finish…should send to calder so far liked it
this was a mixed reaction for me, I liked the musicality and instrumentals of the songs…..it’s the lead vocalist voice for me. I didn’t like his voice. Maybe listening to the album a second or third time I’ll truly like it
Feels like I'm lacking context of quintessential white boy rock in order to know how I truly feel about this album. I pretty consistently floated between deeply bored and mildly interested during this album, partly because it just sounds unremarkable. The musicians are clearly talented on their instruments, but it still felt like skillful background noise to my ears. But truly, that's why I feel like I'm likely missing the context of how original and/or influential this album and sound may be in the grand lexicon of rock or whatev. I found myself liking certain elements or sections of songs but never enjoying any songs in their entirety. Tiring to listen to lol
I've only ever heard the title track in isolation and I really, really didn't enjoy it. But listening to the entire album really contextualises it and changed my view of the entire album.
This is such an influential record that has inspired loads of punk/post punk/new wave bands that came after Television. There are even some echoes of prog rock which i guess wouldn't have been acceptable to mention back when this was released. Great album!
Nothing bad to say about this album... except that this wasn't my cup of tea. This album is so neutral experience that it is hard to even say anything about it.
#450 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ❌ This reminds me of Talking Heads and not in a positive manner, as I don't like them either. I quit the album after forcing myself to listen to a handful of songs. Not for me 1/5
4/10. the type of shit которое слушали бы мародеры пидоры. мне понравились venus и friction нврн
2.5
When I first listened to this album, I pretty much exclusively listened to electronic music and so couldn't understand the fuss. Returning to it, now, with a far more mind I enjoyed it a lot more, great stuff.
One of the classic records of the 70’s
5/10 - a pretty decent album, not too generic from the era
This was a good album. The band was more important than its commercial success might indicate, and you can hear elements of how they influenced other bands in this record. Enjoyable listen.
It was one of those albums where I found it difficult to just sit down and listen to it properly. I had it in my backlog for a while. At times it was interesting, but at others it was annoying. Not my kind of music. The vocals are an acquired taste.
This was great. It simultaneously sounds like The Velvet Underground and The Strokes. Like a bridge between New York's rock music past and future. Not an album I'd heard before but clear to see how influential it is. The title track in particular is absolutely epic - what a song!
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. Was interesting and engaging through and through. Would listen again! Rating: 8/10 Favorite Song: Elevation
No this is Spotify, not television
Not bad but also not really doing anything for me; kinda boring
cool sound but just not really my thing. super long songs. title track was my fav but i was ready for this to be over
Worth owning for it's strange angular guitar work and slightly unusual compositions. I don't know if this band and album were a consequence of punk/new wave or if they'd have happened anyway, but they were a significant contribution to an era that was terrific fun.
Classic, definitely going to listen to this again
ehhhh...idk. its..okay? i guess?? some songs was okay, but no one was really great to be on my playlist "see no evil" was not for me, didnt like the vocal tbh "venus" was a bit better but still not for me "friction" has a good opening that had me intrigued me but the whole song..meh "guiding light" was the only one that i enjoyed listening but still its not it
Top, top album, even if they all look like zombies on the front cover. Blend of 60s melodies, 70s production and seems to point toward 80s glam rock.
Violent Femmes vibes at the back end of this album. Really enjoyed it, relistening currently which is a good endorsement i feel
Completely ridiculous album, the guitar work is second to none. Television make all the most techy bits sound easy. Progressive but aggressive, perfect
TV will rot your brain
The title track alone elevates this to a 5. The other songs being good to is just a bonus
Kinda surfy but still lite punk?
One of the finest debut albums in the history of popular music. Simple as that.
I hated everything about this
For some reason, Television got classified as punk. This is because it was 1977, they were playing a residency at CBGBs and they looked a bit like punks, so it was probably easier for record shops to stick them in alongside the Ramones and New York Dolls. However, listening to the album shows that they were something else entirely. Sure, lead singer Tom Verlaine has a flat and slightly quirky delivery (reminiscent of fellow CGBG alumnus David Byrne), but it doesn’t take long before you notice that these songs have a lot going on. For starters, there are counter melodies, extended solos and then you get to the title track which is a ten minute epic full of unexpected touches and sounding more like King Crimson than a typical two minute punk song. Were they post-punk before punk had even kicked off? Is this math rock or art rock? Perhaps this should be filed in its own category under prog-punk? Regardless of what you call it, this is a great album and you can hear the influences on bands that were to follow a couple of years later in the 80s. Telly-tastic!
Good 9/10
mid
Really enjoyable early punk album. I've been pleasantly surprised by a few of the late 80s/early 70s punk bands I have found on this list.
I can see why this is well-liked, but not my vibe.
Really enjoyed this. Great mashup of styles. Sometimes this type of stuff gets sloppy but this is really tight
It’s not an album I go to a lot, but man is it amazing
This was fantastic. Every track was amazingly well written and engaging, with great guitar work throughout. I only wish I had discovered this sooner.
I remember the late seventies, and just how influential this album was. Here in 2026, it still holds up, but the effect has been diluted by so many groups and albums having built upon Marquee Moon's pioneering style.
OK I get it now.
A truly challenging album, in the sense it brings up two contradictory ideas within me. On the one hand, a persons music taste should never be an object of ridicule, it’s preference based on our own experiences that have little bearing on our qualities as individuals, whilst also being unique impressions of each of our personal lives, and we can learn a lot by hearing each other’s perspectives on the music they like or don’t. On the other hand, if you don’t like this album you’re a fucking idiot and I don’t want to hear a single thing you have to say about rock music ever.
This album plays in my head almost all the way through at least once a month. Start to finish, it is a joy.
NYC is probably my favorite city for music, especially from this era, and another key exhibit here. Love how this sounds, the guitar work especially.
I was expecting this to be far heavier and more punky than it is. Sounded more like an evolution of prog rock in places. That said, quite enjoyable throughout.
Television was miles ahead of the other early punk bands in their musical sophistication and technical virtuosity. Some peers may have eschewed guitar solos and other glamorous gratuities as a matter of principle, but Television ought to be credited with composing the first punk epic.
Polished yet raw, Marquee Moon delivers what this rock/punk/punk rock lover looks for: seemingly sloppy yet tight guitar, fluid and pronounced bass, and a vocalist who can only sometimes be understood. Tight band, great guitar work.
Stand neath the Marquee Moon and listen to this BANGER of an album.
Why have I barely listened to this band? I really enjoyed this album.
Naranaranaranaranaa Naranaranaranaranaa noronoronoronoronoo noronoronoronoronoo
Absolute junk The lead singer's voice stripped the enamel off my teeth
Love this album!
This is the sort of art rock I like. Not too annoying, not too pretentious, and very well made. I can tell how much influence these guys had, especially on Talking Heads! Really enjoyed this and will listen again!
Four stars for the music, two stars for the vocalist. Put that together and... Probably not something I will go back to again, but I wouldn't turn it off if it came up on a jukebox.
Never heard of em!!
See No Evil - 5/5 Venus - 4.5/5 Friction - 4.5/5 Marquee Moon - 5/5 Elevation - 4.5/5 Guiding Light - 4.5/5 Prove It - 4.5/5 Torn Curtain - 4.5/5 An album that was deemed post-punk before punk was really over. You can hear the influences that led to Talking Heads, the Cure, Joy Division, and more bands that I can't name at the moment, but those moments are laden throughout here. I love the interplay between the guitars on a lot of the tracks, with a lot of the solos feeling like jam sessions rather than feeling like it was made for a studio. Phenomenal work. Overall: 5/5 Favorites: See No Evil, Marquee Moon
Classic!
Unexpected suprise, some great guitar on here
Some songs are better than others but it's a strong album. Never heard of them before and I know I'm going to end up listening again to get a better feeling. First pass though it's enjoyable.
Es ist ein schlanker, drahtiger Klassiker der New‑York‑Szene, der heute vor allem durch seinen präzisen, klaren 70er‑Klang auffällt. Television kombinieren nervöse Gitarrenlinien, Tom Verlaines spitzes Vibrato und eine fast mathematische Rhythmik zu einem Sound, der gleichzeitig kühl und hypnotisch wirkt. Der Titelsong ist natürlich das Monument – ein endloser Gitarrenaufstieg, der sich wie ein nächtlicher Spaziergang durch Manhattan anfühlt. Doch als Album wirkt Marquee Moon manchmal etwas einseitig: brillant gespielt, aber emotional distanziert, mehr Kopf als Bauch.
Tijdloos pareltje
absolutely amazing omg
This was a super influential album for me in high school. It has so much in it that continues to inspire me, this is definitely a no skip album for me :)
Cool 😎
The coolest band of all time. Awesome geometric guitar arrangements. The strokes should be forced to pay 90% of their income to Television.
Interesting
Lead guitarist was smoking the same shit led Zeppelin would, bass line has jazzy like groves where it introduces its own melodies. All songs are not 10/10 but album tells plays a perfect narrative and is quite pleasing.
Album 256. Marquee Moon (https://open.spotify.com/album/630o1rKTDsLeIPreOY1jqP?si=omFzabyCQxeX-WTP0ejDzA) — Television (1977) A well-known rock album for me, good album 3/5 Liked: Marquee Moon Elevation Torn Curtain
Good stuff
1. fajna muza, wokal średni, gitara perkusja spoko, śmiesznie zaciąga, nie wiem o czym to jest 5/10 2. no ten wokal to nie to, podkład fajny, tekst o niczym dla mnie 6/10 3. ok to jest niezłe, wokal lepszy, podkład fajny, bardziej do poczucia niż zrozumienia, outro spoko 6,5/10 4. intro gitara nieźle, wokal spoko, muza bardzo catchy, tekst prosty ale ok, 4 minuty muzy rozstrojonej gitary ale nie brzmi źle końcówka fajna, i powrót do maina na koniec 8/10 5.zaczyna sie troche dark, te beepy za głośne, mocny lead gitary 6,5/10 6. powolne, pianinko chordsy, trochę dziecinna ta muza do tego o czym to jest 5/10 7. no taka od nie chcenia ta nuta zrobiona, ta gitara jakość głośność jakaś taka stłumiona 4/10 8. fajna muza, trochę za wolna na wokalu, pianino gitara perkusja spoko poprostu zła kompozycja, repetetywna 6/10 Album 5,875/10
For something so “revolutionary”, this was so remarkably dull
2/5. Was alright.
Really good guitar, just a clean solid rock album to me beyond that. Top songs: Friction, Marquee Moon, Elevation
I would rather listen to the other bands that honed their music at CBGB’s like Talking Heads or The Ramones. The album just really grab my attention.
Marquee Moon Television 1977 Genres: Rock, Punk Styles: New Wave, Alternative Rock, Art Rock, Experimental, Psychedelic Rock 1. See No Evil (★★★★★) -Contexto: Una declaración de principios. Habla de escapar de la ceguera cotidiana y buscar algo más auténtico. Mezcla ansiedad urbana con una sensación de libertad inminente. -Fav 2. Venus (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Una de las letras más poéticas del álbum. Usa imágenes surrealistas para hablar de la belleza, la fascinación y el deseo. Más que contar una historia, transmite una sensación casi onírica. 3. Friction (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Trata sobre la tensión emocional, el conflicto interno y las relaciones marcadas por la incomodidad y la confrontación. Musicalmente refleja esa fricción mediante guitarras cada vez más intensas. 4. Marquee Moon (★★★★★) -Contexto: El centro del disco. Un viaje nocturno por una ciudad llena de misterio donde el protagonista parece experimentar una especie de revelación espiritual. La letra es deliberadamente críptica; importa más la sensación de descubrimiento que una narrativa lineal. -Fav 5. Elevation (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Habla de ascender, cambiar de perspectiva y buscar un estado superior de conciencia. Tiene un aire optimista dentro del tono generalmente inquieto del álbum. 6. Guiding Light (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: La balada del disco. Una reflexión sobre el amor perdido y la esperanza de encontrar una luz que oriente cuando todo parece desmoronarse. Es la canción más emocional y directa. 7. Prove It (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Inspirada parcialmente en relatos policiales y novelas negras. El narrador desafía a alguien a demostrar la verdad detrás de una historia o un crimen. Combina misterio con una energía casi detectivesca. 8. Torn Curtain (★★★★☆) -Contexto: El cierre más oscuro del álbum. Habla de finales, separación y desilusión. La "cortina rasgada" simboliza la pérdida de las ilusiones y el momento en que ya no es posible ocultar la realidad. -TOTAL = ★★★⯨☆ (3,81) -Debería ser un 4 estrellas por redondeo, pero me sonó más como un 3.
This album was a boring earsore from the start. Really didn't like any bit of it (especially the vocals) and was ready for it to be over immediately. 1/5
Interesante álbum, si bien recién comienza mi camino por este viaje musical, me gustó mucho este rock visceral que deja más sensaciones que enseñanzas directas. 7.0
Ok, n tem como um rock dos anos 70 ser ruim.
Nice album. Was not familiar with them.
Sonically one of the best albums I’ve ever listened to.
The beginning of post-punk, but there's still a lot of 70's rock influence here, especially on "Guiding Light". The lead vocalist sounds like cross between David Byrne from Talking Heads and Gordon Gano from Violent Femmes. It's hard not to hear the next 30-40 years of guitar music in Marquee Moon.
Probably deserves more attention from me. I’m kind of over the sound that this albums specializes in; however, I can tell that it is a top tier album of its genre.
One of my favourite albums of all time! I sometimes wish I could listen to this for the firsg time again.
Álbum que um adolescente dos anos 80 provavelmente ouviria e amo isso
Not bad, nothing super memorable.
Yeh, it's great
I personally did not like a single song
great
One of the earlier post-punk albums, and also definitely one of the best! It jams, it grooves, and it retains its moodiness even when it rocks hard. 9/10 for sure.
This was fine, not bad or anything, but nothing really special either. It’s like if I went to YouTube and asked it to find me some generic classic rock.
Wasn't impressed at first, seeming like a run-of-the-mill post-punk album, but that all changed real quick. From Friction onwards it's nothing but gas, with the title track in particular being a journey on its own!! Real close to a 4 on this one. Standouts: Friction • Marquee Moon • Guiding Light • Prove It • Torn Curtain
Gentlemen, I am pleased to say I finally "get" Marquee Moon! This album was recommended to me before and it landed with a dull thud. Didn't get it, found it generic and boring. On giving it another listen, I instead found beautiful guitar solos with great tone and intricate bass. It does slump at the end before roaring back with the last track but I got so much genuine enjoyment out of this album.
Funky, if was on wouldn't mind but not my style
It was decent but sounded so much like the band before that I had trouble differentiating.
Iconic
As 70s psychedelic rock goes...it's fine? I guess?
Not sticking for me
Some lovely jangly guitar playing. Without this the Strokes would not exist
Very good.
I wouldn't say this is universally bad. But it sure is not good to my ears.
One of rock’s quietly influential albums. It’s hard to put your finger on what genre this is- punk? post-punk? new wave?- but however you categorise it this is a pretty refreshing departure for the time that would prove especially influential over New York’s rock band revival of the early 2000s. In some ways though, it is still a product of its time. There’s still some 70s rock excess with 10 minute tracks (admittedly that was on the very good title track), and I’m not quite sure that I agree with descriptions of this as a hook-led album. It’s certainly very listenable, but not too many songs stuck clearly in my mind as distinctive tunes. One that certainly is an album you should hear before you die, but not quite 5* for me.
One of the best albums of the 70s and probably one of the most influential, especially on the alternative rock that would emerge in the following decade. While Television are associated with the New York punk scene, they were markedly different from many of their punk contemporaries, with more emphasis on technical proficiency and longer, more complex tracks, with the title track being 10 minutes long. The centrepiece remains the aforementioned title track, which brilliantly showcases the interplay between Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd's guitars, one of the key parts of Television's appeal. The best part of the album however might be the one-two punch of 'See No Evil' and 'Venus' two shorter hook-driven and instantly memorable songs that see the album off to a roaring start. From there, it's a showcase of technical brilliance throughout and evocative lyrics closely tied to the neighbourhoods of Manhattan.
One of the greatest 70s guitar albums, but definitely not a typical one! It’s difficult to genre-type; the playing is unusual for a rock album of the period but it clearly massively influenced later alternative/indie rock. Side one kicks off with a trio of relatively short, catchy, hook-driven (and great) songs, before ending with the incredible 10-minute title track, an exceptional extended jam. Side two is just as good; the solo on ‘Elevation’ is fantastic, ‘Guiding Light’ is one of my personal favourites, ‘Prove It’ is great fun, and ‘Torn Curtain’ is a brilliant, dramatic closer. Solidly 5 stars.
I like this album alot. It feels summery.
bring back long songs
It did sound a bit generic and like every other rock act from this era, however there were times with some good riffs and tunes to keep me interested
Huge fan of the raw punk, indie rock guitar work on this album - it works really well to give the album an interesting edge when paired with the raw vocals. On the whole the album feels strong and well written, but it doesn't strike me as absolutely perfect. There are a couple of tracks I don't love as much as the rest, and sometimes the raw, jagged nature of the tracks can feel overdone. Minor criticism though for a very good album.
Richard Hell is the archetypal punk. Perhaps just THE punk. Maybe just punk. Richard Hell IS punk. Confrontational. Sloppy. Transgressive. Spontaneous. He comes in spurts. There was none more idealistically incendiary, none more philosophically jagged. He invented the safety pin look. He lived the attitude that Malcolm McLaren would reconstruct for the Sex Pistols. Sure, it was a contrivance when Hell did it, but it was his contrivance. He was the original. The Sine Qua Non. And thank god he left Television in 1975. It is hard to imagine that Verlaine's gorgeous lines and transcendent solos would have made it past Hell's bullshit detector. His bullshit detector was faulty. His bullshit detector was bullshit. The gentle pretensions of Marquee Moon are warm and pleasing. Fred Smith's bass isn't fancy, but it is tasty. Verlaine's voice is weak, but it does exactly what it needs to do: hide behind those neatly interlocking guitars. I don't need to know what he's singing about, because this isn't about attitude - it's a considered guitar record and the attitude, to the extent attitude is present, is disciplined, precise, and gentle. Lester Bangs compared Television to Quicksilver Messenger Service. That's also bullshit. It's punk posturing too. There is a version of rock criticism where the two poles of Hell and Verlaine, two best friends who "hated each other as only best friends can," as Hell said, are equally necessary. Where they are forces that balance each other out. A simplified theory of John and Paul explains away the Beatles in such a way. But there is a simpler truth style: Verlaine is better. Perhaps he needed Hell to jumpstart him. Perhaps there is an opposing force that would challenge him or push him into more exploratory territory. But it wasn't Richard Hell. And it wasn't punk. He didn't do better than this, for better or worse. 3.5 We had CCR‘s Green River the other day, which I really enjoyed. I didn’t mention it in my review but when I was listening to that album it occurred to me that CCR might be an example of a band whose music I thoroughly admire even though I don’t particularly care for any of their songs. It‘s a tricky distinction to make which is why I didn’t bother. If I like the music I like the record - if I like the ‚track‘ I must perforce like the ‚song‘ etc. on the surface it’s a terminological problem and why waste too much time thinking or writing about that? Well here’s the same pickle again. I admire Television‘s music. They keep their identity as a rock band while striking out for new ideas in arrangement and texture. They are really good, creative players. I can happily listen all the way through Marquee Moon without feeling a drop in quality. Yet, there isn’t a song/track here that I honestly care about. To be fair to CCR - there are key differences in the two situations. So much of CCR is based on blues procedure; that more than anything is why I say I don’t admire their ‚songs‘ even while I actually delight in listening to Keep on Chooglin‘ or Tombstone Shadow or even Bad Moon Rising because they are such enjoyable, creative players. That background procedure isn’t the problem with Television, but there is other baggage that I think weighs them right down. I can’t listen to Marquee Moon without thinking about the Rolling Stones. Tom has a fair bit of Jagger in his voice and the band, committed, as I say, to keeping a core band sound tick along with something of the Stones‘ relaxed, unfussy interplay of relatively clean guitar sounds. It also presumably doesn’t help that an ex-Stones engineer is behind the desk. Well perhaps the open invitation ought to be resisted - Marquee Moon is a debut album, and how unreasonable it then is to listen on the Stones’ terms rather than Television’s. Well what can I say? It’s hard to resist. Marquee Moon’s not anywhere near as enjoyable as Sticky Fingers or Exile I think to myself as I go along. Silly me. There is another oppressive ghost when Marquee Moon plays, however. And this one isn’t quite as silly and easily dismissed as the last. I can’t listen to Marquee Moon without thinking about Patti Smith’s Horses. That album haunts everywhere here; in the ambition, cued from the Velvets, to render rock music as a more challenging form of art, and especially in Tom Verlaine‘s vocal (sometime comically so) and in his lyrics which have all the poetic aspiration of Smith‘s, without any of the power and purpose. Marquee Moon is a good album and is always celebrated as a distinctive album. I understand that, but I can’t feel that. It always feels to me that Marquee Moon‘s distinctiveness can be had better somewhere else. 2.5/5
Boring. But loved the titular song
wasn't a jam for me
C'est super agréable à écouter, juste un excellent album de rock, maîtrisé, fun, bien produit, pas un classique pour rien. J'ai entendu des trucs qui m'ont plus impressionné à la même époque donc je le mettrais pas dans mon top personnel mais je pense que c'est quand même un incontournable qui a sa place dans ce top 1001
Ben groot fan van dat nummer Marque Moon, maar het album als geheel is een beetje mwah
Don't love the voice, but I love the musicality of guitars & percussion. Quandry how to grade this one.
This could have been good if the vocals weren't so painful to listen to.
Why is this band punk? It’s not bad, and so far I like it. But it feels like the Clash but not as wimpy of a sound. I love the bass line on Venus. I don’t get the hype. I think I need another listen.
Fairly forgettable. May even forget about it by the end of the day.
I'm glad to have heard it. Not sure I'll remember it. It's fine but nothing I'd seek out.
That album cover. Months into this project and I have come to realize a few things: 1. I generally hate the 60’s. 2. Despite all its “issues,” excesses, misdirections, I think the 70’s are much more my jam. 3. In the beginning, I was cautious about rating an album, like the above, with which I have a fairly high level of familiarity, too highly. How does Marquee Moon rate against London Calling? Can both be 5? How about Gang of Four’s Entertainment? I have actually known THAT album the longest of them all, and it is beloved by me for what can only be described as personal reasons. Is it even possible to rate it objectively? Now, after many albums, many days, and reading many largely arbitrary reviews by others, I have come to the conclusion that much of my reluctance was silly, self-imposed foolishness. I’M A MUSIC LOVER. That’s why I’m here. Others reasons for being here and their reasonings or lack there of for the ratings they give really aren’t my concern. I love this album. I have loved it a long time. I think their use of dissonance is brilliant and ahead of its time. 5 Boolean: True
"Marquee Moon" is a great song. And that's it.
Another one of my favorite albums of all time, and I know before I hit "play" for this listen through that its going to be a 5 star. These guys were The Strokes before the Strokes - a punk/rock and roll attitude and New York sneer, but with intricately arranged guitar parts playing off each other and some great melodies. Tom Verlaine even kind of looks like Julian Casablancas in the cover photo. My dad loved this album and the first time he played "Marquee Moon" for me, it was one of those musical 'moments' that stopped me dead. What an epic experience, that song. I can understand how some may not be crazy about Verlaine's voice, its a little like his good friend Patti Smith, but otherwise I think this is just a perfect album. Top 10 for me no doubt.
Yeah this definitely sounds like NYC in the early 70s. Great album.
Bangers front to back. Great listen.
#40 Some good, some meh. The title track is great, and the second half of the album is much better than the first. I can definitely see how this influenced later alt-rock and indie-rock bands.
A perfectly nice listen but just didn’t feel the impact of the overall experience. A bit too samey all the way through which caused me to switch off slightly.
I had never heard this but really like it! Sort of a cross between Clash and Talking Heads. Also that looks like John Linnell.
Liked this one more than expected! A good post-punk sound, with some interesting guitar parts and structures. Didn't like the vocals as much, but that's usual for punk music for me. Sounds like they influenced the Strokes
An interesting listen for the level of detail in the melodies
I liked this! Good ballads and fun instruments. Not as crazy as crimson king.
I have 2 copies of this album, yet I never listened to the whole thing. I did yesterday. Tom Verlaine's voice annoys me, but the music is intriguing - a mix of angular and melodic, I just found out he died in 2023 - how did I not know?
Amazong
Another old favourite - a great album for the start of the week. Favourite track: See No Evil
I don't know if this makes sense, but this feels very...pure. Like real music. I don't know, whatever. It's good.
Good music to make breakfast to. Beatles vibes. I liked marquee moon- didn’t feel like a 10min listen
This was just okay, sort of forgettable.
Oh, this is new to me and a really pleasant surprise! I don't love the lead singer's voice (it's got a whininess I don't tend to enjoy listening to) but I do love the overall *vibe* of this album.
I found the vocals initially jarring but once I was used to them, I thought they went well with the music. Really enjoyed the guitar playing on this album. The whole thing just stays so interesting throughout. Very much fits in with my music taste (band where the lead singer has a voice that puts people off). There’s a fun jazziness to it, and once you’re onboard with the singing, the music is just so good. After initially being put off, I think I might give this one five stars. There’s just something about it that I love. Fav song: Marquee Moon Least fav: Friction
I don't hate his voice but I do think it started to grate on me a little by the end of the album. That being said it's rare I like a ten minute song as much as I liked Marquee Moon, found the guitar especially satisfying. Kind of mindblowing that it's from the 70s. Favourite song: Marquee Moon Least: Friction