Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Please Rise for the Incel national anthem 🫡 Thing is the instrumentation is REALLY good and this shows in songs like Gentlemen and Be Sweet and then like you listen to what he's singing about and it's pretty silly and honestly lame. But there are good songs here, again the two I mentioned I quite liked, it's just a clash of the music sounding excellent the singer sounding pretty shit which evens it out, shame.
This album felt wholly unremarkable to me. Generic 90s rock and nothing that hooked me in or offended me. Middle of the road stuff.
Afghan wigs :)
I could feel the author's hatred, pain and disgust while listening. Probably that's why I wanted this to end so badly. All around me were negative feelings... I'm giving it 3 out of 5 because the artist can convey feelings through their art, however, their art style isn't unique, and I don't appreciate the vocals.
Sure, it can play in the background, I don't mind
Another throwback to the grunge era. I had this album in college and do remember liking Debonair and a few other tracks. Relistening 30 (!) years on, I'm struck by how good the instruments still sound and how bad the vocals are. Apparently Greg Dulli played John Lennon in "Backbeat", which sounds crazy to me. How?? Anyway, the sound is its own, it wasn't a copy of Nirvana or the other big grunge bands of the time, and it does still work.
The rhythm guitars are great. Very melodic with lots of maj7 and 9 chords etc. Probably influential to late 90s/early 2000s emo like Sunny Day Real Estate and the Get Up Kids. Not all songs are very interesting. The singing is a little flat at times. I'm not sure about the lyrics. Favorite song by far: Debonair.
Going to need more listens to get a definitive impression
Don't hate the concept, but not digging the execution.
This album was a perfectly fine alt rock/grunge album. It was by no means in the leagues of Nirvana or Pavement but it definitely wasn't the worst 90s rock album I've heard so far on this list. The vocals sounded like Trent Reznor and the lyrics were basically a concept album about a toxic relationship. I especially liked the track from the woman's point of view. High 3
This album feels like a cross between Soul Asylum and the Pogues. Lot of screaming in their songs (not a bad thing, just an observation). I've listened to the album twice now, and the only song that really hit me was "What Jail Is Like." I found that to be an odd yet interesting song. The instrumental at the end was pretty cool too, you don't hear a lot of bands ending albums like that (Pearl Jam's "Yield" one of my faves by that band comes to mind). I liked it, but there was nothing about it that really grabbed me. So a big "meh" from me.
Es un disco rarísimo, porque los temas lentos son una crema, con increíbles arreglos; pero los temas más rocanrol son muy flojos, lo que lleva a que en su generalidad no me termine de cerrar.
Decent 90s rock ish
I liked most of the sound, not so much the vocals. Overall, this did not feel very exciting or interesting for this genre of music, which I love mostly all of it.
Music itself is enjoyable enough, the vibe does not quite arrive.
For being grunge-like rock, it’s more my style than some other stuff I’ve had on this list but still gets pretty rough by the end of the record. 5/10
First song was not very good... Singer is kinda rough, like a budget Chris Cornell. Guitar solo in Gentleman was great. I like the effect on the guitar used throughout. Lyrics remain angsty. Overall, not bad, not great. Not going to listen to this band anymore, but didn't feel like they wasted my time.
"I got a dick for a brain, and my brain is going to sell my ass to you" is an all time line The guitar in each song is very unique which I really enjoy. Not the biggest fan of the singers voice but that instrumentals are very good
Never thought this band was all that special per se and that goes for the album. It's good but not sure about being on this list to be honest.
Another record I’d be interested in reading why it was chosen. It was fine, but run of the mill. I thing bad, but zero stood out.
Reminded me of other bands i listened to in this era. Solid but nothing really stood out. Probably between a 3 and a 4.
It's very 90s but seems fairly generic 90s. It's fine, I'd listen to it again, maybe, but I won't search it out to put on.
ok
I went into this record with high expectations. I’m quite aware of The Afghan Whigs but never really dived into them. I like the raw production and shift in intensity. The layers are somewhat intricate and Greg Dulli explores multiple genres on this, his defining work of art. On paper I love this. But in reality I leave disappointed. It’s hard to put my finger on what it is exactly. Is it the vocals? Is it the lyrics? Maybe it’s the feeling of emotional distance on an album that’s supposed to be all felling? Maybe it’s just me. But I don’t care half as much about this as I expected I would.
Fine. I know it’s about a relationship and stuff, but it doesn’t really grab me and I don’t remember much about it.
I wasn’t sorry what to expect and was pleasantly not disappointed. It was a bit generic, but then it could be those that came after that copied them. Who knows.
2.5
I feel that emos that like LIVE would like this album. It's grungy with a side of melancholy. Perfect for those moments of self reflection deciding on when/how to get attention.
Very Good. The vocals, while growing on me over the course of the record, i feel detracted from the more interesting musical tone & timbre. I am nit picking i suppose as i will delve deeper into the Whigs discography.
A bit grungy, a bit indie, a bit rocky. This is fine. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: What Jail is Like Date listened: 08/03/23
There's some really great songwriting and production on show here. It sounds great. The guitars in particular stand out to me as being really well produced and mixed, the slide seamlessly between different tones that serve the direction of the songs without ever being overpowering. Similarly there is just the right amount of bass and its doing interesting enough stuff to give some interest but without making itself the focus. The problem seems to come with the vocals here, the singer isn't untalented by any means but he seems to make some questionable decisions, sometimes stretching his range to try and get the effect of his voice cracking which doesn't really land. He also seems to operate in this raspy range which is far to low and slow for him to be comfortable a lot. The vocals are also mixed very strangely, in parts its almost like they have been taken from a completely different project and dropped in with only minimal effort put into making it sound like an organic part of the song. The lyrics throughout also scream "I'm 16 and writing my first edgy love songs" One thing I did respect was the ending. An instrumental (a good one at that) with a relatively complex title gives the whole thing a conceptual spin which I love. In fact I feel like the rest of the album could have benefitted from being a bit more high concept, they are so desperately reaching in that direction but don't quite get there. It makes me wonder if some A+R rep got involved and got them to tone it down from their original vision. Disappointing if something like that happened. Ultimately it has a lot of strengths and some cracking songs but I didn't love it.
Kind of a plain, mellow, 90's grunge vibe.
Смешанные чувства Где-то до 3 песни альбома я думал что будет все довольно однообразно, но потом то ли я влился, то ли альбом разогнался и мне стало очень приятно его слушать. Не могу сказать чем именно зацепило, но было прям неплохо Алкоальбом: друзья что-то намешали на вечеринке
Mood: "Начал за здравие, кончил за упокой". То есть, я думал, что это будет боевой такой инди-рокешник, нооо... да, так и было первые несколько песен. Прикололся с текста: "Ladies, let me tell you about myself I got a dick for a brain And my brain is gonna sell my ass to you" Посмеялся. А потом это скатилось в какую-то непонятную кашу. Месиво инструментов, вокал из жопы... В итоге, если и буду переслушивать этот альбом, то его первую половину. P.S. Передаю привет Коле Моргунову и его рекомендации послушать группу Bicycles from Afghanistan: теперь я знаю две группы, которые отсылаются к этой ближневосточной стране в названии.
Reviens me demander une critique quand le groupe aura percé, merci Robert.
Ish.
kinda creepy
Pretty standard indie/punk rock Very generic sounds No song in particular stands out Middle of the road album
Good to get back to an album by a proper band again, largely forgettable, liked the 2 singer setup
I'm not sure if they're aware of how creepy they sound. The instrumentation is good. Pretty sure I won't be listening to it again, though. It's like it was almost good, but there's something off about the entire album. Something disjointed and unnerving (which they may be going for) that I don't enjoy. Maybe I just don't get it. Not terrible, but not for me. 3/5
Music was cool, guys voice put me off
I really want to like Afghan Wigs more than I do. They've got that early 90s indie rock sound that's maybe just a bit too whiny for me? IDK. They're good and I enjoyed this record but didn't love it.
HL: “My Curse”, “Debonair”, “I Keep Coming Back”, “Brother Woodrow” Read during listening that the Afghan Whigs are heavily influenced by soul. Feel like it didn’t come thru until the final 3rd, which was disappointing (but that’s on me, I created expectations prior to listening). Is this an essential listen? Not at all in my opinion. Did I like it? Yeah, it was pretty good. December 28, 2022 (late)
En el cuarto álbum de The Afghan Whigs logran mezclar el r&b y el soul, con todo lo que conllevan estos géneros tanto en lo musical como en sus letras, con el rock, con su característica pesadez e instrumental. Es interesante cómo a la impronta roquera se le unen arreglos orquestales, baladas delicadas y hasta un tema instrumental como outro del álbum. Tienen una banda muy balanceada en cuanto a groove, nivel compositivo, las canciones tienen un atractivo que se hace notar desde la primera escucha. Todo también se ve equilibrado con una voz líder muy acertada en todo momento. Al tener un cierre de álbum tan por lo bajo con los últimos dos tracks, da la sensación de que comienza con un arranque muy power que va cayendo con el transcurrir del álbum. Pero lo cierto esque es un álbum balanceado y muy correcto. Este balance hace que no se note muy atrevido en su pasar y sean más o menos todos los temas muy llanos entre si, haciendo de su escucha, algo aburrida.
Ok album, not bad but definitely not great either. 3,5/5
Instrumentally, I really dig this - but the vocals (not just his voice but the actually melodies) are annoying. Music 5. Vocals 1. Avg = 3
I’ve heard “of“ the Afghan Whigs, but I can’t recall hearing any song. The tracks feel familiar but not familiar enough. This is the kind of music that if I’d heard it when I was 18 I probably would’ve loved it. Now I feel completely ambivalent. I really liked the instrumental Closing Prayer track. I’m also stupidly intrigued by their name as it detracts from their style. All I see in my mind’s eye is a load of 19th century British politicians - not really the image for a heartfelt break-up album.
Eh
I've had a run of bands that I'd never heard of in the last two weeks. Some of them I've listened to several times as well as going for a dive into their catalogue. That won't be happening with The Afghan Whigs. The most interesting song is The Curse which features a guest vocalist. Dulli needs to try something other than yelling when he sings. There are some good sounds but album blurs into sameness because of Dulli's dullness.
Pretty out there, good album
Been meaning to listen to more of The Afghan Whigs ever since Miles Iz Ded showed up on my discover weekly once. At some later point, I'd seen them labeled as Grunge, though I'm not sure I agree with that. They were a Sub-Pop band and so I'd always thought they were from the PNW, but it turns out they're a Cincy based band. Not sure why that matters. Solid 3. Standouts: Gentleman, Debonair, When We Two Parted, My Curse
Heard it before?: no Enjoy it?: Yes, has a very soothing presence Favourite song: Track 3 - Be Sweet
I could never get into Afghan Whigs much but the music is objectively good. All their songs have a seedy LA vibe in a good way.
Garage/Indie/Alt rock. I like the guitars. And maybe the cello (?). Afghan Whigs sound like somebody else. The name is on the tip of my tongue and I just can’t think of who it is. Although I know of the Afghan Whigs, I couldn’t name any songs or albums before today. I may have heard ‘Debonair’ before. It seems to me that the band was either in a movie playing themselves or was on some soundtrack in the early 90s. Reality Bites or Singles come to mind. I just looked it up and they did play as a band in some movie I didn’t see and they were on the soundtrack of the movie Beautiful Girls. I like the first few songs but the interesting instrumental parts start with Be Sweet. Be Sweet - Guitar reverb/feedback is cool When We Two Parted - guitar sounds. Is it a Wah wah pedal? Is this what it means to make a guitar weep? Or is it a cello? The line about the person who hurts you being the only one that can make them feel better is very psychopath-y. My Curse - is it a different singer? (I just looked it up and yes it is) I Keep Coming Back - the beginning has the same kind of vibe as ‘The Night We Met’ by Lord Huron I just genuinely liked it all. Found out that it is an album about the end of a relationship. According to Pitchfork, it’s ‘A harrowing song cycle chronicling the death throes of a relationship ‘. I will have to listen to it again knowing that - someday.
I enjoyed this album. I was drawn in by the recurring theme of personal reckoning and the honesty of the lyrics, though I'd guess the narrator and everyone he consorts with are folks I'd rather not have in my life. Lots of scoundrels. The album was hovering somewhere between 3–4 for me, never quite reaching 4 as musically this didn't have enough diversity to surprise me after the third song. I also did not like the harmonies. I couldn't tell if it was the singer doing his own purposely awful harmonies or some other band member who shouldn't have gotten a microphone, but that was a bad arrangement/production choice. I don't care what the aesthetic. Boo. Never listened to the band before, though the name is familiar. Now I have.
One of my favorite album covers. There are definitely some good songs on here, though I wasn't into it for the whole album. I liked it quite a bit back in the day, though, but unlike Automatic for the People, I don't remember it very well. On some songs, I felt myself thinking Greg Dulli was a great singer, and then on the next song I would wonder how the hell this take made it to the master. The music often sounds great, and the lyrics are sometimes powerful and provocative, but at the end of the day, I kept wanting there to be more hooks. My daughter dug it, though, what few songs she heard. So it's got that going for it.
Started off strong than petered out
A very 90s sounding light grunge feel. Never heard of them before but this isn't the worst
Better than I expected from a band with probably one of the most pretentiously crap names in history. Dodgy cover though.
Some really cool sounds in here and I like the vibe - I just wished a liked the vocal delivery better
3.5/5
Good listen.
You have heard this 90s post grunge before
A little hard to listen to at times.
I actually enjoyed the misery that was this album.
Decent listen
An interesting album, which definitely sounds like 90's alternative with a slight bit of grunge mixed in. Guitar pedals to the rescue! Pretty good album overall.
peak 90s alt sounds.
I'm mixed on this. On the one hand, I like the overall sound of this being rickety and unstable and it sets them apart. On the other, I mostly struggle to connect with the songwriting and getting used to Dulli's vocals is not easy. I think if I was more of a rock head I could slip into this easy, but for now only a few songs stand out for me.
Didn't hate it, but it was also a little cringe. It feels like Three Doors Down, but not in a good way. One of the best songs, in my opinion, wasn't even sung by the lead singer. Overall, the album is fine, but not great. Best Songs: Gentlemen, My Curse Worst Songs: Fountain and Fairfax, What Jail is Like
man this is so emo
Fine
Is background music. Wouldnt be bad to add to a shuffle but not interesting enough to go searching for
Had some highlights but overall was pretty mid. Didn’t really like the lead singer’s voice.
This was a decent album that’s I’ve never heard of before. Felt like they were a more relaxed 90s alternative band without sounding too grungey. I liked the instrumentals. The guitarist was solid. The lyrics were ok and the singer was pretty decent. Nothing too bad about the album other than it was probably just too generic at points. 5.9/10
Some really good tracks but I did find the vocals quite grating on occasion.
A concept album of sorts about the toxic breakdown of a relationship. Self-lacerating, lashing out, and brutally frank, the influence of soul ballads (eg Dark End of the Street, as covered on the preceding Uptown Avondale) is apparent, although presented in a much noisier fashion. This is a lot more sophisticated than much of the contemporaneous grunge rock, but no less dark. Possibly more so. I listened to this a bit when it first came out, but stopped because the dark emotional weight made it hard to listen to. This is still one of the most harrowing albums about a romantic break-up and toxic masculinity ever recorded. It still packs a punch today. The album is well summed up by the line “It's in our heart, in our heads, in our love, and in our beds.”
This is a record that grows on you. At first you don’t care much for it but as you listen the bands unique…’90s almost emo sound wins you over.
like a more heartbreaky, less depressed version of nine inch nails 3.5
Quite enjoyed this. It seems pretty heavy lyrically, and it packs a punch musically too, but not at the expense of melody or craft. My Curse was an unexpected but welcome left-turn. The lead singer reminds me of a few other rock singers of the era but I can't think who any of them are. Trent Reznor maybe?
The music was good but the vocals were unimpressive. I've never heard of the band yet they are described as "one of the most critically acclaimed alternative bands of the early '90s"
Okay album. Very 90s some good songs but nothing stood out for me.
Decent pick of Alt Rock that's occasionally generic, but with some bright spots here and there. Favourites: "Gentlemen", "Debonair", "Brother Woodrow"
Musically this album is fine, but Greg Dulli's vocals aren't doing it for me. I enjoyed Marcy Mays on "My Curse." This is a perfectly fine album of its genre/time, but not especially memorable. Fave Songs: My Curse, When We Two Parted, Fountain and Fairfax, Brother Woodrow
Unexpectedly emo 🖤
Didn’t really grab me. More dubiously portentous, gloomy dude-alt.
Surprised on listening to this that I wasn't more into them at the time as it's a 90s sound I was definitely into back then. Probably deserves a repeat listen but initially I don't find it outstanding. Last track, an instrumental, possibly the best one for me. 3.5
Decent, could possibly creep into a four star album on another day. At times these guys sounded like a more rough-and-tumble version of Television; or perhaps a more polite Stooges. The genuinely emotive vocals add welcome grit to the rather polished production. This is only a few primal howls short of true brilliance - but this record never quite overcomes its own innate good manners to reach this point.
Genre: Alternative Rock 3/5 My feed the past week or so has been nothing but 90s alt-rock, and to be quite honest, it's fogging up every subsequent listen. The Afghan Whigs, a group no one has heard of, makes a competent rock record. Am I sure why this was included in this book? No. There is truly nothing signifying or different than its contemporaries. The angst, the heartbreak, and the emotion is felt, but the music never lifts any of these emotional concepts above a casual jaunt. The music plods a bit throughout, but there are beacons of light. Fountain and Fairfax kicks some ass, and the title track is also good, but everything here is fairly standard fare. It's certainly "an album".
Music's that's not too good, not too bad, and generally feels like it's going nowhere
2/23/22
The music is the most interesting thing about this album. Though it is pretty typical 90s driving guitar, bass, and drums, the use of piano throughout and the new wave style bass lines help to open it up and lend a sense of expansiveness. Like a lot of other reviewers, the lyrics are by far my least favorite part. They come off as obsessive and faux edgy making it very difficult to sympathize with the singer. Overall, the album is fine and perfectly enjoyable. I just wish the lyrics were better.
It sure was music. Grungy, moody, Nirvana did it better.
I wish that I loved this album more than I did. I think I have the capacity to love it, but it just didn't click with me today. It was some great rock, but I either just wasn't in the mood or something was missing and I'm not sure what it was.
Didn't stand out too much to me. The album overall sounded pretty good, but it all sort of blended together. Still some great moments though. Favorite Songs: Debonair, My Curse, Brother Woodrow
toffe listen
Similar to a lot of other album, not an incredibly big fan.
I did enjoy it, but it seems like something that needs a few listens to really say anything more
some ok, some meh
Really quite good.
Was gonna give it a 2, but the last few tracks bump it up to a 3
i feel like i should have liked this more than i did. just got the feeling listening to this that dinosaur jr did it better.
I don't know this band. I really like the 90s alt-rock sound, love the use of the minor keys, some of the strong bass riffs remind me of the post punk and hardcore and math rock I listened to growing up (eg Estel, Fugazi) and the guitar sounds a bit like Interpol mixed with Mudhoney mixed with Placebo. Expansive. I really dislike the vocals, the singer's voice, its just so American, like if Chris Cornell or Layne Staley couldn't sing. Prefer it when heavily distorted, but the verses are kinda whiney. Reading the wiki blurb, I must say the idea of the album exploring "the dark psyche of the '90s male" is massive eye-roll, sounds very emo, self indulgent, those poor 90s males. Chorus melody of "Be Sweet" is really beautiful. Intro riff to "Debonair" reminds me of the Clash. And the guitar riffs of Warpaint. The singing in "When we two parted" is dire, so out of tune. Ditto for "I keep coming back". Like fully out of tune. I actually found phrases in almost all the songs that I loved, but equally did not find a song where I loved all of it. Its a shame, as I think if this was instrumental or a different singer it could be a 4/5 for me. But the singer drags it down a 3, and that feels generous. Second half of the album got quite same-y, much lower quality than the tracks at the top.
I've never heard of this band, though it's a genre I really like, and I have to say I enjoyed it a lot. Will definitely listened to this again. My only real complaint is than none of the songs on their own really stood out to me.
Was musikalisch so schön datiert aber auch abwechslungsreich, gut produziert, stimmungsvoll festgeschraubt wurde, das wird dann mit diesem männlichen Katzenjammer wieder aus der Fassung gehauen. Hab ich mich über diesen einen von einer weiblichen Stimme begleiteten Song gefreut! Trotz allem 2.6
Don’t know what to make of this. It was listenable, angry sounding in places.2/3* ?
Funny when an album happens to hit your own mood.
Rockigt och mörkt, hemska texter om en destruktiv relation. Efter närmare efterforskning ser jag att albumet är en brytpunkt för bandet, då de tog sig från ett mer rockigare grunge-sound till att inkorporera mer soul- och R&B-influenser. I albumet har de hittat en bra balans mellan den högljudda grungen och något mer melodiöst. Ett solitt och bra album, som kanske tyvärr saknar någon riktig "wow"-faktor. Debonair, Now You Know och Fountain and Fairfax höjdpunkter av de mer rockiga spåren. Av de lugnare och balladigare sticker When We Two Parted och My Curse ut. Bästa låt: When We Two Parted, kanske.
not bad. Not super my style but has gotten a few replays and will probably continue to do so.
Bright, airy, punk rock guitar over jam band drums. Like RHCP, Incubus, and Blink-182 had a baby.
Vocals are easily the weakest part, cool guitar riffs Debonair, Fountain and Fairfax are my favorites
No complaints, some I liked more than others.
Damn, this rips!
Not memorable!
its just kinda boring alt-rock
4/15
3/5
3. Good energy to have on while working. I've kind of forgotten most of it here the next day, but I suppose there's nothing wrong with that.
Kind of boring, but not bad.
fine. Appropriately angsty, but to me doesn't reach a Pearl Jam or Nirvana level of the time.
Vocalist is giving me strong Nine Inch Nails vibes. Slow start too, this could be a nicely paced album.... Second song has a lot of energy behind it, just wish this albums mixing was better for a 'remastering' Lyrics to 'Be Sweet' got a chuckle out of me. This is a decent example of good songs without autotune in my opinion. Debonair has a nice little funky jive. Songs vocals show emotion, but they're not the nicest to listen to. But the instrumentals are soothing alongside them. Its not the most calming listen, but the lyrics and word play seem to carry the most. Secondly followed by the instrumentals, but the vocalists emotion gets the better of him on almost every song. I'd give this 3 stars.
Not too bad! Pretty ordinary, definitely won't listen again.
Didn't really like it at the beginning. Seemed ok, but just too garage-y. Low quality protection, mostly uninteresting songwriting. Things turned around later on in the album when it got more interesting. In particular, the last two songs and then the final instrumental track were really good. So a 2 for most of the album but then a 4 for the last three tracks.
Some pretty good tunes, good lyrics. But some shit too. Kinda rock with distorted guitars. Last song instrumental almost a bit Radiohead-ey. 3/5
Really enjoyed this, lacked standout tracks perhaps but they’ve a good sound and an interesting style and lyrics.
A nice wee surprise of an album. Might not revisit but definitely enjoyable.
Very passable but unlikely to ever go back, forgetable stuff and god knows I’ve tried with this band over the last 25 years
Good bass heavy 90s alt rock. A little dreary at times, but I guess that has a place
Moody alt-rock. BT: Gentlemen, Debonair, When We Two Parted
Pretty cool guitar, but voice a bit creepy to me... sounded a lot like Trent Dresner. Didn't listen to it all
Aika semi, osassa biiseistä vokalistilla oli yllättävän paljon epätasaisuutta. Välillä oli hyvää settiä, toisinaan jäi sitten vähän valjuksi. Skarppaisi, mokoma! Jossain biisissä (vai biiseissä?) ollut nainen oli tasaisempi, mutta miehen äänestä pidin ns. hyvissä kohdissa enemmän. Annan tälle peruskolmosen, taustalla meni ärsyttämättä, mutta ei myöskään aiheuttanut suurempia intohimoja.
Nope not for me. 5
6/10. The cover art is kind of funny though. Good sound, but nothing to write home about.
Un bon album de rock alternatif. 3.25. Mon facteur de reecoute n’est pas eleve
Indie
It was fine. 5-6/10
Very 90’s sounding which I love. Took me right back to that era. I found the album to be simple but interesting yet effective. Not too terribly musically diverse but pleasant to listen to.
Even though it's new to me it's such a feeling of the '90s that I heard my partner and hid my snack because I was so convinced it was my mom
Little to say here, probably cause I listened to this hot off the heels of Pharcyde and it was just not as interesting.
This album was fine. It was definitely characteristic of 90's rock.
Cage the Elephanty. Not quite as good but dig it
Not bad
Moody rock. A little too loud/shouty for me, but some songs were good.
I enjoyed the groove. Not my scene.
A very 90s alt-rock breakup album. Best track: Brother Woodrow
Debonair What Jail is Like
Nah. Unmemorable songs. Try hard emoting and boring drums and guitars. I did not like this album.
This is a frustrating album because there are parts of it that I genuinely like. Musically and sonically it's excellent, with that classic '90s sound that I love. There are moments where I think it's about to click with me. Then the singers voice comes in, and it completely takes me out of it. His vocal delivery just sounds pretentious to my ears, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get past it. I'd find myself getting invested in a song, only for the vocals to ruin it almost immediately. The lyrics didn't help either. Compared to so many great albums from the '90s, I found the writing surprisingly weak, and there were more than a few lines that made me cringe. Combined with the vocals, it made the album feel more self-important than emotionally compelling. I can appreciate why this album has its fans, and there are flashes of quality throughout, but they're buried under vocals and lyricism that just don't work for me. I wanted to like this far more than I actually did, but in the end it's a 2/5.
This was so boring.
The music on this list is always either genuinely great or because of the author’s UK centric biases. This one is suspiciously the latter. Angsty late 90s alt rock with no bite.
Musically ok but melodramatic to the point of feeling like a celebration of wallowing in despair.
voice is VERY grating lol my favorite song was the one where its a different person singing. idk i didnt think any of them had a good effective build for me. very of its time. its competent enough but would not return to this.
Pretty boring, the singer has a rubbish voice
the band sounds great, lead singer is a tool. sounded like a bono rip off but MUCH worse. DNF
Wasn't a huge fan of this, the vocalist wasn't great and the album cover honestly gave me the creeps.
The slow lyrical songs were absolutely awful. The faster paced songs were a bit better.
Trying to keep an open mind, but the album cover seems in real poor taste. The lyrics seem completely unrelatable. I don't know anyone like these characters. They seem like exaggerated bullshit that only songwriters and auteur filmmakers could come up with. The songwriting arrangements didn't particularly captivate me either. Just kind of meh. Kind of the most beige of 90s rock. Probably won't revisit this Afghan Whigs album.
Hmmm, kinda hard to get into, kinda performative vocals? Not my fav
I don't know, I'm just not a grunge guy, DNF
geen slechte plaat, maar elke song is praktisch een doorslag van de vorige
The premise of this album is really interesting, particularly since I knew nothing of it going in. By the 2nd song I was like, what is this trashy dude music? By the fourth it was clear, but he problem? The subject matter of toxicity has not aged well and the songs are not good lyrically--just full of hatred. The music is pretty good though and unlike others, the singer's voice doesn't really bother me. However, it has no relisten-ability and who is this for, really?
Nothing to see here. Keep it moving.
And now I have listened to an album by The Afghan Whigs, a band with a great name. Generally not a big indie rock guy.
Not my cup of tea. Reminds me of the grunge era of the 90s
Nice indie album, couple good tracks..
Welp…I’ll start off by saying this album had a lot of potential to be good or even great. The instrumentals are fantastic. The closing track perfectly captured the frustration and sad vibes of the entire record. And it was my favorite song off the album because it was the only song that saved my ears from hearing the terrible whiny singer. I’m all for imperfect vocal performances but it has to somewhat go well with the music. For example, Jeff Mangum from Neutral Milk Hotel doesn’t have a good voice, it’s even bad at times. But it goes very well with the raw low quality recording and thrashing acoustic guitar. This band’s singer does not accomplish that at all…His vocal performance is almost as bad as the lyrics. The lyrics makes this guy seem like an incel that’s never gone through a break up before. Don’t get me wrong this is a very listenable record thanks to the great musicianship of the band. However, I would cringe a little bit whenever this guy started flapping his lips and making pitchy noises with his vocal chords.
If I Were Gong - 3/5 Gentlemen - 2/5 Be Sweet - 2.5/5 Debonair - 2.5/5 When We Two Parted - 2/5 Fountain and Fairfax - 1.5/5 What Jail Is Like - 2/5 My Curse - 3.5/5 Now You Know - 2/5 I Keep Coming Back - 2/5 Brother Woodrow / Closing Prayer - 1.5/5
Nothing special
So bland
Look, I’m a huge fan of 90s rock, but the pulls we’ve had so far have not done it for me. I know there’s a ways to go, but if you’re talking about cornerstones of the 90s alternative scene, we can do way better than this.
Sad 90s music. An indie band, but not one I would listen to. I can see the appeal but there are many, many bands that do the same thing better.
This has a real "deep when you're 15" sound.
Song after song my review was, pretty good instrumentation, but the vocals weren't strong enough. My Curse was a little better with a different vocalist. The last track without vocals is the best. I don't know, this is really solidly between a 2 and 3 for me.
Very Smashing Pumpkins. Meh.
Half a day later, I've forgotten about it. No really, I don't remember a single note. (Though relistening to the first song, this is not half bad. Or maybe it is, but I should revisit it to make sure.)
I remember seeing this album cover in shops during my early teaching days and it is an album of its time - an alternative grunge influenced album with a bleak set of break up lyrics. There were moments of recognisable musical character which was a reaction to the sheen of the 80s but it was mostly a bit of a dirge and an overall glum listening experience. I was SO pleased that Britpop came along and made this kind of album a thing of the past. Not a poor band but the music's appeal was unlikely to be eternal.
it's another American alternative rock band from the '90s. The layered guitars are mildly interesting, but on the whole I'm finding there's not enough about it to keep me engaged.
Meh
90’s Rock
Generic indie rock
While I didn't hate this album, there were no memorable moments nor interesting sounds. The singers voice was abysmal and off key. Not my vibe. 2/5
Mid
All I can conclude is that I won't get my time back. 2.1/5
Seems pretty 90s, which make sense. I actually found myself paying attention to the song where a woman took lead vocals ("My Curse") on both play-throughs.
Eh. Middle of the road for me
I came late to the Afghan Whigs. I guess I might’ve heard tracks from this or Congregation back then and agreed with myself they did not need my attention. I was coerced into giving that attention to Black Love which I believe followed this album. To my surprise, I found myself reluctantly impressed by it, but never felt the need to reach back into their discography (nor to investigate subsequent releases lol). Recently (relatively speaking *cough*, could be 5 years) I came across Gentlemen for practically no money and gave it a shot. I found I was no more enamoured with it than the hints I’d heard all those years back. Listening today, I had a higher tolerance for it than before and I think it might be out of relief, having put up with (doing this 1001 thing) many hideous albums of US alt-metal-masquerading as grunge. Gentlemen isn’t grunge either despite this being their first album having left Subpop. Honestly though, I’m just not buying it. Greg Dulli is not convincing me whatsoever. I’m just not having his “passionate” (annoying) screeching when the song is meant to be get serious. I’m not having his relentless “did you notice I just sang something edgy? Did you? Did you notice the edgy thing?” I’m not buying his “I love soul music. Can you hear the soooooul influence? We really love soul music!” Just nothing about his shtick am I lapping up. Sorry. If I was hearing this average, noisy, alt-rock album and it was just some unpretentious dudes, not trying to sell me a bunch of BS about how they live on the edge of the dark reaches of society or whatever, I might be able to swallow it more easily. But instead I have to call out what I am presented with. It’s probably a 3, but I’ve got myself annoyed now, so 2 it is. I’d better give Black Love a refresher listen and see what allowed me to overlook the baggage.
(40/100)
Holy cringy lyrics
Hate the music but appreciated the point of view / concept. Not many artists willing to play the bad guy, in a very not cool way.
Break enough 90s rock conventions to stay interesting, but also kind of annoying.
Ok
I don't know what this flavor of Alt-Rock is that Mr. 1001 Guy keeps trying to get me into, but it isn't working. This kind of stuff is incredibly boring. It's like a Shadow the Hedgehog monologue spread out across a whole album, set to the same bassline and drum part eleven times. If I were this guy's ex and I came across this album, I'd be like "okay, and?" My Curse was at least an interesting change of pace and there's definitely worse alt-rock on this list, but that second part's mostly because its competition is Incubus and Jane's Addiction.
breakup album that doesn't sound as good as radiohead or most alt rock bands in the 90's
This album is a good example of why I listed to a lot of Classic Rock in the 90s
Yeah not not much to say.
if not being yelled at is never not a good thing this can be avoided
This album was a very dull overall. It tried to be all edgy 90s rock, but ended up feeling kind of generic and, honestly, a bit uncomfortable. While the guitars and drums were good sometimes, it just felt like bad alt rock or some lame grunge copy. The songs weren't catchy, and 50 minutes felt like forever. But the real problem? The lyrics and Greg Dulli's vocals are awful. He goes from screaming to whining, and the lyrics are just toxic and immature. They feel like some entitled, misogynist talking about relationships, making the main character super unlikeable. "My Curse" was cool, and the last song was alright, but the rest? Sounds like someone uncomfortably yelling at their girl in public.
Maybe one decent song but mostly bad
Eh. It's not terrible, but it ain't great either. I think a straight 2 is the highest I can give it and even that's kind of a stretch.
It’s ok.
I feel like the only reason this album gained any prominence, is due to the fact it came out in the only window when there was any interest in this kind of music. It feels very bland and generic for its time, with little to no songs standing out on the album. It isn't really bad at all, it just feels like a cheap effort to write according to what is popular. 2/5
I expected some fey British indie. I did not get it.
Ik heb het geluisterd maar ik heb niet echt geluisterd, maar t klonk een beetje als een aanstellerige versie van de Foo Fighters. (Ik vind Foo Fighters niet vet)
Generic 90s rock. Wooo....
Gentlemen sounds strong and emotional, but too similar songs make it harder to stay interested all the way through.
Best Song: Debonair. Very stock standard 90s rock. Worst Song: I Keep Coming Back. Ooh boy those vocals were not hitting for me. Overall: If you ask me tomorrow what I thought of this album, I won't be able to tell you. Truly in the category of "well, it wasn't bad". Absolutely ordinary 90s alt-rock.
90’s rock n roll just sounds meh to me thus this album fall short to my ears
Dollar store NIN
Proto douche rock. Did these guys influence Creed and Nickelback?
Meh
Day790 - its indie bands like the afghan whigs that inspire other bands but i wouldn’t say it belongs on any must listen to list
Jangly guitars, dodgy singing on I keep coming back, I probably won't. Lucky to get 2 on this.
The music of this was cool in places but the singing wasn’t at the same level. Some of the sounds are reflected in later work by other bands that I like. Overall, not enough to make me come back to this one though.
Was looking forward but it didn't hit for me unfortunately.
Not for me
Sometimes we all need to listen to a real run of the mill 90's rock album, and this is a real meat and potatoes, straight up and down, beef Wellington, "Don't trust the Argies!", dick in the vagina, cheddar cheese, and chicken tikka masala album. Pretty boring, and done to death. I genuinely barely even remember anything off this record except for a few of the songs having pretty horrible lyrics.
It was alright, some songs i liked while others not (if i had to choose the order, i would have listened to it backwards). Not so much my taste i guess but i get the theme behind it and i can appreciate expression through a sensible and raw (or just complex but human) perspective.
Meh. 90's alternative rock sound, but there are better representations of the style elsewhere.
The question I suppose is whether the singer is glorifying the objectification and belittling of women in a relationship or whether he is dishing up a critique of toxic male arrogance and flawed world views? Band-wise, very strong and enjoyable. Conflicted on the lyrics.
Not sure about this one.
I can appreciate what’s going on, however nothing really landed for me and my taste. The instrumentals are very cool and well-done but vocals remain pretty unpleasant and the songs are overall forgettable.
Overall alright, pretty chilll album that you can just leave in the background while you're doing stuff. Nothing too exciting, but it can definitely be worse.
Really liked the guitar and atmospheric nature of a lot of the songs, particularly the first and last tracks. Conceptually cool but I just didn’t like the dudes voice, it was more often out of tune than in, which marred the whole thing for me
I had never heard of this group, and I can't say I am sad about it. Not my cup of tea.
This album reminds me of my old childhood friend’s parents and somehow managed to get the smell of marijuana in my mouth. I did not enjoy this.
Didn’t do it for me
Just.......no. I don't need Songs from Underground. Also, I get it's going for grunge, but dissonant does not mean out of tune.
My curse is kinda good. I've listened to so much altrock at this point that nothing really stands out but this album is fine. 2 stars only because it's so mid
Tästä levystä ei jäänyt mitään mieleen. En tykännyt laulajan laulusoundista. Oli liian kähinää. Soitanta oli ihan ok
This was very bland. Band has a cool weird name I guess. Very questionable album cover too.
I really enjoyed the instrumental side of this album, but the lead singer is an insufferable twat and his lyrics are pretty terrible. Not that the songwriting is bad, I get that the point of the album was trying to "explore the dark psyche of the 90s male", I just found very little to be relatable or enjoyable about his concept of the 90s male.
Very forgettable, but at least the rest of the album wasn’t as atrocious as the opening track.
Nothing much going on here
why am i being screamed at
Not very memorable
The instrumental section is servicable, and sometimes pretty nice (though wears thin over time), but the vocals and lyrics are just AWFUL.
It started ok, but then it slipped more to the boring side.
sorry team i don’t really like his voice
I didn’t really care for this album
Smashing pumpkins did it better.
I’ve seen so many bands like this open for the one you want to see. At first it has promise, but within 5 minutes you hope it’s over soon. There is a distinct lack of fun here.
It was okay, didn't find myself liking any of the songs that much
It's whiny and depressing 90's slop. Usually I love this stuff but the lyrics were equal parts hateful and empty. It really didn't do much for me
I was due for a swing and a miss. Still can’t get in the swing of most of the alt rock genre, and I really like the concept behind this album and can tell it’s been crafted from a meaningful place. Maybe if I was going through something then any of these songs would have landed, but ultimately the vocals just don’t land with me at all, even if the supporting band was impressive. It’s deeply moody, almost angst-filled music, and most of it went right through me.
I wasnt my thing, the lyrics was interesting tho and its certainly an interest experience that I do think everyone sjould listen at least once, its good for having a conversation.
I did not like this. The one positive thing I can say is that from a songwriting perspective this is good. The songs are well composed, and I can understand how someone else may get more out of the lyricism on this album. To me however it was difficult to listen to. I understand the lyrics purposefully try to portray an gross and awful character, but it feels like the album's mostly just wallowing in that unlikability instead of deconstructing and analysing it. It just feels like a shitty guy trying to excuse his abusive behaviour in a past relationship by trying to shift the blame and gaslighting you into feeling sorry for him. Pair that with the singing not being quite to my liking and this made for a grating listen. A few reviews here describe this as 'incelcore'. If I wanted to be equally dismissive, I feel like 'restraining order core' would be a better description. 2/5 (not far from a 1/5, but the instrumentals save it from that fate)
It takes too long to get going and too long to end. There’s a lot of expression, and it’s dense. It almost felt like drowning on dry land.
Meh 90's grunge rock.
"Oh, Afghan Wings. I'm vaguely aware of them and feel like they might be a band that I should have been more into." Hmm.
Cover Art 4 Music/Melody 4 Lyrics+Vocals 1
Unremarkable.
I really do not enjoy this type of singing - it’s not bad but just that kind of forced air so every line sounds like the singer is running out of breath with desperation. Made the album pretty hard listening tbh but otherwise musically inoffensive but equally not all that gripping soz
I wanted to like this and get into the angsty space required but my angst just turned into angst against this album. Be Sweet would go well in a Buffy scene where Angel or Spike are being an emotionally villainous, with some good fake rain and too much hair gel. My Curse was the stand out song for me by far, but then I got angsty at Spotify for not listing the woman doing all the heavy lifting in it - love your work Marcy Mays!
I don’t dislike grunge or 90s alt rock, but this album is neither nostalgic to me nor interesting to listen to with modern ears.
Great music ruined by inane lyrics and a whiny singer. Different vocalist and this would be close to 5 stars.
Een album dat duidelijk geworteld is in een mannelijke, broeierige jaren-90 rockesthetiek, maar voor mij weinig emotionele of muzikale houvast biedt. Ondanks het aandachtig luisteren bleef het afstandelijk en generiek aanvoelen, zonder momenten die nieuwsgierigheid of herkenning opriepen. Interessant om gehoord te hebben binnen de context van de lijst, maar persoonlijk raakte het me niet en voelde het niet als iets waar ik naar terug wil keren.
I’ve heard worse.
A slightly interesting take on grunge with a few decent songs. But the lyrics are fairly cringeworthy. "Gentleman" is often described as one of the best break up albums ever. But it sounds like the kind of break up where one side is pretty much entirely at fault. You know when you want to be supportive of a friend but you kind of just think they're an asshole? Well that's this album. The lead singer is clearly aware of this and gave the album an ironic title. He claims that the lyrics are only semi-autobiographical but I'm not sure that that makes him look that much better. If you're going to embellish your own character, you could make them more sympathetic. Overall, there are some songs (such as "Debonair" and the closing track) that I am really tempted to enjoy more but the lyrics and grating vocals make it hard. It could have been a better album but I think it's not for me.
This was alright. Definitely got bored by the end of it and skipped through the final instrumental but stayed engaged with it pretty much the whole time. Interesting, sad/disturbing themes and lyrics in it, genuinely hope whoever this is about got away from this dude (permanently) he seemed like a dangerous arsehole/incel. I liked the musical style itself.
I always feel like this is a band that I should listen to more of. Solid, high 2s.
Much of a muchness really. Nothing special.
Like a bland and chewy piece of meat. Unappetizing.
Day 14: The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen I really was not in the mood for exploring "the dark psyche of the '90s male". The album title is ironic and the songs seem to be a bit of humble bragging about the self-loathing of the “90’s male” and his bad behavior. I added “What Jail Is Like” to my Generator playlist but eventually skipped it so often I decided to remove it.
I can 100% see how this album served as a link between late 80s/early 90s grunge and the alternative rock that came in the mid-late 90s. Despite enjoying both of those eras, that doesn't mean that I enjoyed this in-between. It's ok, but lyrically hard to listen to. And somehow the singer manages to channel Steven Tyler and Lenny Kravitz at the same time.
This is pretty close to right in my wheelhouse. I'm sure I've heard a few of these before but never really got into these guys back in the day. It does kind of have a generic proto-grunge sound, could've been any of a number of early '90s bands. The ballads -"When We Two Parted" and "I Keep Coming Back" really make this album a chore to listen to.
I got the impression that he was not happy about the dissolution of a seemingly toxic relationship
ok? men?
1993, and we’re back in grunge-adjacent alt-rock territory here. However, the lyrics on this made me wince - when you get lines like “I’ve got a dick for a brain” you have to ask if someone is being funny, ironic or are they actually serious? The theme of this album is supposedly the breakup of a toxic relationship and sounds pretty po-faced, so make of that what you will. When the album reached My Curse, a song about domestic violence from a woman’s perspective, the overall effect is pretty gut wrenching. I really hope this is not autobiographical. Not a fun listen or a particularly edifying one.
Mediocre at best.
be sweet is really good; everything else is pretty unenjoyable
Voice: ok. Lyrics: not.
I can understand this one. If I'd heard of this effort during my angsty teens, I would've totally overlooked the vocals, enjoyed and sympathized with the general energy. Today, I can't get past the vocals. I've decided I'm docking an entire star because of them. The energy though, the pain, the concept, it's actually pretty cool. I like the direction, my complaints are with the producers and the lead vocalist's ego. There's an extra decimal in there for the exquisite album cover. Had I gone in blind, I might've bought this. 2.3/5
meh
Who? Just average, forgotten about 90s rock. Does not need to be on the list.
really dont like this one. why is it here.
Would not listen to this again. 2/5
woof. musically it's pretty good / alright / of the grunge era, but man I can't get over the incredibly out of tune self-involved sing-talking about having a dick for a brain. the cover is cool though.
Love the music, nothing positive to say about the vocals
This album. I have struggled with the rating on this one more than any other. On the one hand: this album made me reevaluate my negative opinion of grunge and alt rock. The music is interesting and varied, things I generally criticize alt rock for lacking, it had me thinking, maybe I just don't like the watered-down, radio filler I was exposed to in the genre, maybe the deeper cuts have something more to them! On the other hand: I hated listening to this album. Dulli's lyrics are awful; banal, on the nose musing about how much he hates women that repeat themselves endlessly. He says everything he's going to say, and with zero subtilty, in the first track and then beats those sentiments into the ground. The vocal styling also often feels at odds with the music and there are more than one just straight up off note. It's a shame, this prompted me to look into some of their other work and it's interesting! They do some really good covers of motown songs! As for the albums cover... whoa, I mean, I get it, but my first impression was mild repulsion. It's certainly provocative and it does fit the album's theme of people with the emotional intelligence of 7 year olds playing at romance, I'm giving it a 4/5 even though I'm still a little queasy about it.
I didn't know the Afghan Whigs before this. A lot of the backing tracks were exactly what I like, I could hear lots of interesting bands in some of their parts and sounds. Really liked them... However, I just didn't like the vocals, I didn't like his style, or his tunes and from the little amount of lyrics that I figured out I wasn't overly taken with them either. I think with another singer I'd have loved this band, but then it wouldn't be this band I guess. Oh well.
Just too hard, harsh for my tastes.
i understand this. and as much as I like the general genre, this felt unengaging
A bit dull for my tastes. Not one I’d come back to.
The only one I actually enjoyed was the one where someone else was singing. Other bands did and do this sort of thing much, much better.
Someone said this is the missing link between hair bands and grunge and I can see that. However, I found it excruciatingly boring. 2/5
Not sure why I need to hear this. Probably just not my thing.
It's a mediocre white guy rock band from the 1990s. Why is this on the list?
I've forgotten everything since listening to this album yesterday so clearly no lasting impact.
2.45
like the last half of the album, the first part does nothing for me. 2
Well that sucked
This is a pretty depressing and drab album, all things considered. I guess there isn't much to consider though, as this is primarily an alt rock breakup record through and through. Sure it's raw and emotional, as your hear in the lyrics. It's also maybe a little novel, as I can't say I've heard too many breakup-exclusive grunge records specifically. Doesn't mean I enjoyed this listen, however.
Du ptit régurgit auditif pour bien péter un plomb
I enjoyed a lot of the music but I apparently do not have the patience to listen to Greg Dulli's whinging. It's not even that he has a particularly bad voice, I just cannot stand his delivery. 2/5
I don't see what all the fuss is about. It just sounds like regular 90's Alternative Rock with a slight Indie edge. Not bad, but not anything special either. Key tracks: Debonair
I'd always seen the name but never heard the music. Trent Reznor sounding vocals with a Wilco meets Bush sound. Very underground 90's. Wasn't quite my favorite but am happy I listened.
Meh
This style of alt-rock just isn’t for me. I understand why someone would be into it, but I find the lead singer’s voice grating. It’s a well-produced album of heartfelt music, but I don’t think Afghan Whigs are my taste.
I pride myself on being a huge grunge fan but I don't recall this band at all. The record is OK; it's definitely grungy and got that early 90's rawness to it, but it fails to give me the huge moments that the other big acts from the time provided. I step away from the album not remembering any big chorus hooks or any special guitar riffs. There's good ideas here, but not enough to stand out. It sounds like a band to me that had a good core sound, were able to pay for some legit studio time, but didn't execute well enough in the composition facet to really get to the next level. I suspect a lot of the reason is on the vocalist, as I don't really think he has a great tone, and I don't love his melodies... and grunge was a genre that was jam packed with amazing vocalists.
Massively unmemorable and quite boring to be honest. A classic of the 'why is this in here' genre. One thing that you learn quite quickly on this voyage is that - particularly from the US - there is alt rock and there is alt rock. It can go one of two ways, and this one goes the bad way. No imagination or subtlety. No thanks.