Reviews (page 3 of 7)
It’s pretty cool. Post-punk somewhere in the vicinity of Nick Cave and The Gun Club with a dash of Can and Frank Zappa. Very sonically inventive. I enjoyed some tracks more than others but found the entire experience stimulating.
Psychedelic with lots of other genres
Wow! A monstrously enigmatic album, idiosyncratic, wavy, jangly, artsy…and desperately crying for more than 1 session.
Enjoyed
This album is too long, yet the songwriting is superb, so it never really overstays its welcome. Very early DIY 90’s sound. I’ll definitely come back again!
I’m always a mix of cautiously optimistic and mildly wary when I see artists I’ve never heard of pop up. Especially when I see their roots are in the post-punk genre. This album was a pleasant surprise. Such a variety of song compositions, instruments and interesting lyrics. Dug it!
Kinda liked the British Jim Morison.
I liked it. It's weird. It's strange. It reminds me of Adrian Belew, particularly his work with King Crimson. I feel like I should know who Julian Cope is, but for the life of me, I don't know why. It's a weird cognitive itch I can't scratch.
Excellent luatsn and some superb tracks. Now on my vinyl wantlist and will be getting many more plays for sure.
appreciate the new music
Isn't it nice to get something from the '80s that doesn't scream '80s? Restrained use of synths, no gated reverb, just good musicianship. A surprising gem.
Very cool
Hard to get a clear purchase on this one, much as it is with most of Cope's oeuvre. Feels like fairly standard, bright shiny indie rock at times and then gets considerably more experimental (and interesting) as it goes along and really pays off with some excellent songs at the end ("Beautiful Love," "Hung Up," "American Lite" and "Las Vegas Basement"). Strong overall, but maybe a slight vibe of wanting to like slightly more than one actually does, though the closing sequence of songs makes for a high-quality end.
I own his previous two albums (Saint Julian and My Nation Underground, both for sale on Amazon) and remember liking them. This one was unfamiliar and I liked it a lot. A wide variety of styles, tempos, melodies, etc. A bit lengthy at 76 minutes, but can’t see much I’d want to cut. A solid 4.
Good listen. Some of the lyrical choices were baffling, but the guitar work was excellent
Came into this with zero expectations. This is an artist I felt I may have heard of but really knew nothing about. Really like the mix of punk, funk, and overall originality.
I liked this album a lot. The range of musical styles and lyrics made it an interesting listen.
The album cover doesn't really fit the sound and I was skeptical. I could hear mild punk and some funk and rock in there. All good. Total surprise to me. I'll be listening to this again.
I have never heard of Julian Cope or any of the music on Peggy Suicide. I liked this album. There were moments on the album that reminded me of James, and the instrumental opening to "Leperskin" reminded me of the Soup Dragons, but I think that Cope has his own sound and I'd be interested in hearing more of his music. "The American Lite" was my highest rated individual track. I found myself tapping along to the music as it played. "East Easy Rider" was another favorite track. My lowest rated track was "Hung Up & Hanging Out to Dry" becuase of the vocals that start around 3:30. I do like some oddities, so the vocals on that track or the lyrics about an exploding head ("Head") might have room to grow on me if I gave the album a second listen. Peggy Suicide seems firmly in the four star rating. I'd come back. instrumental opening reminded me of soup dragons - divine thing not sure about the vocals that start at 3:30 rhythm got me going
This one was a behemoth. Had all the elements that I love. Sounds a lot like what BJM went for later. Influences from all over the place. Definitely a starting point for me and Cope. I'll be diving into his other stuff.
Pretty long.. not sure if I like it
Excelent álbum! Innovative and fun, a nice journey!
Usually artists focus on one style, rather than try and knit them all together in one song. You can’t beat a surf / Afro funk / post punk mash up. I don’t know how he gets away with it. No one else could.
I’d heard the name Julian Cope many times, but really didn’t know what to expect going into it. Not bad at all. A bit of psychedelia, but a good bit more post-punk and Berlin-era Bowie, with a strong Velvet Underground feel coursing through the whole thing. Pretty solid.
Excellent album, one of my first CD purchases
Very experimental. A lot of great moments.
I really liked this one. Especially Safesurfer
Standouts: Pristeen, Easy Easy Rider, Promise Land, Hanging Out & Hung Up on the Line, If You Loved Me at All, Safesurfer, You..., Beautiful Love, Las Vegas Basement,
What a wild trip. I knew nothing about Julian Cope coming into this and wasn't sure how I was going to get through 29 tracks but it really did grow on me. Faves: Drive, She Said, Soldier Blue, Love (L.U.V) Remix.
I haven't listened to any Julian Cope before - I was kinda expecting some new age woo, but maybe that comes later in his discography? This was an interesting listen! Given that it came out in 1991, it prefigured a bunch of things alt rock that didn't go the grunge route would go on to do. Fave tracks - "Hung Up & Hanging Out to Dry" sounds like it could be a Beta Band track! Liked the atmosphere of "Western Front 1992 CE", and "Safesurfer" had a certain psych proggy vibe I dug...
This was a very long record haha I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. It could have done with some editing maybe but I see this as a really impressive achievement. Nothing in particular stuck out, but I didn't run into a track I didn't enjoy.
Never listened to him. Will check out more.
I have never heard of Julian Cope, which is kind of surprising because I enjoyed this album quite a bit. I found there to be quite a wide variety of sounds (within the rock framework) included on this. I could pick out influences of David Bowie, Neil Young, Iggy Pop and even The Beatles to name a few. The songs were generally well executed and the album was quite cohesive. The one negative for me is that it is a little long and there are definitely some filler songs that could have been removed, especially around the end. Fav Tracks: Hanging Out And Hung Up On The Line, Safesurfer, If You Loved Me At All, Beautiful Love
Bom som, achei que seria mais um punk genérico mas vários fados, alguns marcantes
Good energy without being too distracting. I'm enjoying having this in the background while I work.
i reallly liked this, it was long so i only got 19 songs in yesterday but i just finished it and yeeoawza !!! this is good!! really goo d !! looking forward to listening to more julian and all his interesting sounds he makes such birdo type beats ! 4.5 almost 5 maybe 5 if i listen again !! but it is so long give it a break brother
Me recuerdan a James, Divine Comedy...
Interesting album. Good find. I enjoyed the instrumentals the best.
Really good songs but an albums can’t be longer than goodfellas.
This was a trip! Never heard of Julian Cope but it was arty and rocky in a fun way. I stopped at the regular album, but I might circle back to the deluxe later.
Album 207 of 1001 Julian Cope - Peggy Suicide Rating : 3 / 5 Good listen. Didn't know much about him going in. He spreads it around a bit. Great guitars, good songwriting. One to go back to. "Peggy Suicide is the seventh album by Julian Cope. It is generally seen as the beginning of Cope's trademark sound and approach, and as a turning-point for Cope as a maturing artist. "
Interesting artist. I never heard of Julian Cole before and this album was quite a ride. Music was very psychedelic and all over the place. I highly recommend if this is your style.
weird and captivating. 4 stars.
Weird and surprisingly enjoyable
Doesn't always work, but when it does this is brilliantly weird fun.
Quite good
A few songs really grabbed my attention for good and bad reasons, including Promised Land, Safesurfer, and Western Front 1992 CE. I am starting to resent having to review new music by comparing it to other music I know, but in this case, the way he reminded me of Velvet Underground, Sugar, Morphine, Bowie, Henry Rollins.... some wide variety and usually a positive comparison. And now learning he's a paleolithic scholar on top of this, I'm really intrigued and will return to this.
7/10. I quite liked this album, not sure why. I was definitely dreading the length of it at the start.
I wasn't sure at first... I'll be honest I'm still not sure but I do want to listen to it again so that must be a good sign.
Wild ride. Wasn't sure at first but grew on you.
I can't even begin to describe what, exactly, I just listened to, but I really liked it. The percussion especially stood out to me throughout the album. A solid 4/5. I will be listening to more Julian Cope.
Liked a lot. Nice surprise.
Better than I expected, very long of course, but there was a lot in there. Came to this with minimal knowledge and was pleasantly surprised.
Too long
Enjoyed!!
Enjoyably weird
Interesting, but not there yet.
nice album with a very experimental vibe
what this album did was prove to me that preconceived notions don't do us any good. i made the error of reading the wikipedia article before listening. i was sure peggy suicide would be pretentious art rock or a wannabe pink floyd, and that i would be bored and unimpressed. that was not the case! this album was refreshingly different. julian cope dabbled in so many genres--punk, rock, pop, a little jazz, and more i'm sure i didn't catch. calling this album art rock is limiting, really. cope as the primary lyricist is able to make quite a statement with these songs. the choice of a chorus singing all lyrics in "western front 1992 c.e." is bold. i wish i knew more about u.k. politics, because "each day we get closer to the big bad fire" in "double vegetarian" seems rather poignant. within "drive, she said," two sets of lyrics grab me: "she shouts, screaming down, over cities and towns, 'i have rights!'" and "yeah, we could crawl, but i'd rather drive, she said." 1991 was a quieter time, relatively, for women's rights, but i too want to go fast for societal progress. and that's only a handful of songs! this album could still be considered too long at 75 minutes, but i didn't find myself bored much. cope's ability to make every song unique helped in that regard.
A little too bloated, but I did like most of this. I think the more mature sound as opposed to The Teardrop Explodes really highlights a much more intentional artistry.
meh, sounds hippie, it's ok
enjoyed it probably
Very good
Immensely captivating album with really strong tracks amidst this huge album that can get kind of patchy at some places but we're used to it with double albums, aren't we? I was shocked to enjoy this one as much as I did. I won't get into the music because like most Julian Cope, it's really hard to describe. Like psychedelic rock with some moments sounding like Nick Cave or even The Birthday Party?
Nick Cave psych brother. good album overall
Great sound from the artist, unique soft experimental rock. Cheerful in the edge of being depressing, relaxed beats. Good vibes
After a second listen I liked it even more
A somewhat bizarre amalgamation of music ideas, not just confined to the albums overarching genre. I have no experience with Julian Copes music, but he seems like a songwriter who probably pumps out 100 songs per month. Each song is unique in its identity, but flows with the albums theme. It's quite long, but I found the album was better the longer it went on for. I seemed to enjoy it more and more. Recommend! BEST SONGS: - Safe Surfer - If You Loved Me At All - Drive, She Said - Soldier Blue - Beautiful Love - Las Vegas Basement 4/5
Really enjoyed listening to this album, didn't know Julian Cope and it was a really nice surprise this album.
So far on my listening experience in this website, the albums just don't miss. I don't think some of them are a must-listen album, but a good records nonetheless. This album is amazing, each song is unique, love the instruments, it feels very psychedelic. I was working on my homework while listening to this, and each every track caught my attention, the sound on this album is very interesting and surprising, love it.
Good album
I was surprisingly impressed by this. Really good writing. He has something like 68 albums to his credit only a few of which have achieved even nominal recognition. He may be too smart for his own good. I also think he writes what's in his head and has no desire to kowtow to the industry. He could absolutely write a few I, IV, V, vi hits.
First time listening to this (or really anything by Cope as far as I can remember), but I really dug it. It was fun, but also musically interesting. His vocals are just bad enough that it's endearing. Great album. Will listen again.
Wasn't expecting to like this album, but WOW. "Safesurfer," "Hanging Out and Hung Up on the Line," "Double Vegetation," "Leperskin," and "Drive, She Said" were probably my favorite tracks.
Great find! Really enjoyed this.
Wasn't familiar at all with Julian Cope before this. The first track didn't do much for me, but it took off after that. I love the sound of this album, and I dig the variety of styles. I read a little about Julian's background and there's definitely evidence of his post-punk roots, but there's so much cool exploration and weirdness. The song You... is fantastic. This is an album I would for sure spin again, way too much to hear in only one sitting.
A reecljter
I wasn’t sure what to expect but I really enjoyed this. A strong, catchy, well produced set of songs. 4 stars.
I was born to entertain, so here I go.” That seems about right. One gets the feeling he’s doing this for himself, following his muse and exploring his ideas, more than worrying what the listener would expect. Some of the songs (“Promised Land”) emphasize concept/angle over payoff (or all premise-no punchline as comics say).“Pristeen” is strong opener, followed by a few pretty meh tracks. Then things elevate significantly – “Not Raving” and “Head” and “Beautiful Love” and “American Lite” are all good and “Las Vegas Basement” is a highlight to close. Maybe slightly excessive as a double album, but interesting and engaging all the way through from an artist that’s worth getting to know a bit better.
I liked this more than I thought i would, even though the lyrics are very simple and often repetitive. I can see influences from a lot of other artists and bands here too.
A pleasant listen. Soft rock with some nice synthesizer music in between. Would recommend.
Started slow, but really got me near the end. Liked it!
The second half hooked me. First was okay.
Really cool album. Lots of styles, lots of interesting studio trickery but nothing overwrought, always in service to the song and the songs are great. Great melodies, interesting lyrics and the rhythms are tight and driving. I lje his vocals toond sounds like John Cale at times. 4 🌟
Surprisingly quite enjoyed this. Like most (it seems) of the reviewers I had never heard of this artist and I had low expectations. More of a 3.5, but as we all know, that rounds up to a 4.
Probably his best solo album
I first heard of Julian Cope recently, as he wrote one of the leading books about kosmische/krautrock. I looked him up and thought "holy shit, here's a long recording career I know nothing about". So I'm coming into this album with a pleasant and intrepid feeling of discovery... Well, it's pretty good. I put it in the niche category of "solo male rockers (normally previous members of a post-punk or new wave band) with long and adventurous careers making authentic, non-compromising albums which I respect but don't completely love in all their sprawling incoherence". This record is a semi-concept album. The concept/narrative is pretty loose, and stretches out across 18 tracks / 1h:15m. Within it, there are lots of nice catchy/poppy moments as well as strong elements of rock and alt-rock. I enjoyed it quite a lot on second listen. It doesn't really hang together perfectly, but I like its ambition. It also just sounds better (and more unique) than the vast majority of more "classic" albums on the list. On that basis, I'll be generous with 4*.
Es una mezcla de Iggy Pop y Lou Reed... así punk-rock.
Interesting. I would have rated this a 3 but hit the 2nd half and just started jamming out to it. Listened in pieces and not as a whole but nothing turned me away. 3.6
I really enjoyed this one. It was interesting and different, but still very musical. I liked the variety of instruments and sounds, and how Julian Cope varies his resonant voice. The lyrics definitely make relevant statements to 1991 Britain, and some which definitely speak 30 years later in the USA. I didn't love every track but I liked most of the eighteen. A few quickly picked favs might be "Double Vegetation," "East Easy Rider," "You...," and "Beautiful Love."
-"Double Vegetation" gets pretty intense with some nice screams -"Safesurfer" sounds like some David Bowie stuff -Songs I liked, but didn't have something stand out particularly strongly that caused it: "Soldier Blue," "Leperskin," "East Easy Rider," "Drive, She Said" -I like the keyboards in "Head"
Really nice Songtexts and meanings. (7/10) Favourite Tracks: Beautiful Love
I enjoyed a lot of it. No need for the deluxe edition again, guys. I've not got 2 and a half hours in me. Felt like the Man Utd Villareal penalty shoot out.
Actually enjoyed that
Wreszcie przesluchany na spokojnie, pierwszy albumik ktorego nie moglem dorwac na spotifaju, chociaz go widac, to jednak niedostepny, tak jak wiekszosc tworczosci Juliana przed tym albumem, z tego co sie wywiedzialem, to wlasnie dzieki niemu zyskal popularnosc nie tylko w punkowym undergroundzie, ale takze w troche szerszych kregach, nie jest to album ktory zrobil topowe miejsca w chartach, ale jest to prawdziwy post punk, czemu prawdziwy postpunk, bo wreszcie lirycznie cos sie dzieje nie tylko darcie ryja na tematy przemocowo seksualne, tak w ogole darcia ryja nie ma, a sam wokal jest bardzo podobny do tego jakim poslugiwal sie pozny Frank Zappa, niektore tracki wrecz do zludzenia przypominaja mi jego kawalki, ale o czym jest album punkowy bez darcia ryja i typowego kontentu, trak otwierajacy pristeen brzmi jak typowy kawalek romansowy, tylko ze co to za imie pristeen po guglu wychodzi, ze jest to nazwa ukejowego dezodorantu do higieny intymnej dla kobiet, daje calkiem inne spojrzenie na trak, epicki 8 minutowy kawalek pod tytulem safesurfer w ktorym polowa to gitarkowe wariacje jak u pink floydow, ale o czym on mowi, tytulowy safesurfer stara sie namowic partnera lub patnerke na sex w formacie bareback, lata 90 wiec mocne hivowe viby przez to przemawiaja, a trakow jest 18 i zeby naprawde zrozumiec o co w nich chodzi trzeba je dobrze przeczytac, a jest o czym czytac od feminizmu, konformizmu, ochrony srodowiska, podporzadkowywaniu sie zorganizowanym religiom, przez okultyzm, do hejtowania thatcherowej, jest ciekawie i jest to dobrze zagrane, nigdzie nie czuc, ze slucha sie czegos zbyt rozbudowanego, a kompozycje sa raczej proste, gitarka elektrykowa aktustyk, to narzedzia z ktorych korzystal Cope, reszta instrumentali to basik, drumy i keyboard, chyba nic wiecej nie slyszalem, czas na ciekawostke, tytul peggy suicide nawiazuje do kawalka peggy sue czyli do jednego z najpopularniejszych kawalkow Hollyego czyli pioniera rockowego popu lub raczej popu z ktorego wyszedl rock, szkoda ze nie moge nic dodac na plejke, ale przynajmniej na dysku flac bedzie sobie lezal w bibliteczce, a dosc rare znalezisko, bo nawet na torrentach nie mozna dorwac tego albumika, ale z pomoca przyszedl soulseek o ktorym nie mialem pojecia, a pewnie sie przyda z bardziej undergroundowymi plytkami
Quite interesting, difficult to define
this was really great and had amazing range. feels like some shit my mum would play but in a good way. not a 5 because it was so long that I can’t really remember what I listened to at the beginning.
What a wild ride! Super neat and varied, and a VERY long album. I didn't make it through disk 2, but I did really enjoy disk 1.
I very much liked this. Also a record I’ve never listened to before.
have never heard of this, was pretty good! Safesurfer is a jam.
This is more of a 3.5 for me, but I'll round up. Dope album
Some great tunes
Interesting in so many ways
Surprising, enjoyed some but won’t be one I visit often.
At track 1, I didn’t expect to like this album. I was dead wrong. Interesting diversity of sound.
this really couldve used an editor to cut it down because alot of it is actually pretty good.
Peggy Suicide was a fairly decent listen. It took a search of Cope's Wikipedia page to learn that he was in The Teardrop Explodes and i will definitely say that this album is far more interesting than that Teardrop Explodes album i listened to earlier. That being said, it does still feel like pretty generic 90s country rock for most of the album with some stranger ideas in some of the later songs but not very much. I will still say that the album is pretty solid. The music on offer was pleasant and the weirder aspects didn't drag it down too much. The vocals were also pretty good here too and were probably the best aspect of this album. This album isn't super great but for what it does, it does well. Best Song: East Easy Rider Worst Song: Hung Up And Hanging Out To Dry
There is some interesting stuff going on in this album but it is a bit self-indulgent and most of the tracks could be half the length. By the end, I’m glad it’s over.
1991. Seventh studio album. Seen as the beginning of Cope's trademark sound and approach. On the album's songs, Cope laid bare many of his personal convictions including his hatred of organized religion and his increasing public interest in women's rights, the occult, alternative spirituality (including paganism and Goddess worship), animal rights, and ecology. Stated that the entire album was a meditation on humanity's relationship to Mother Earth. Each song has its own meaning.
what a weird rock album! i'm sorta attached to it, but when i listen to it more actively, i'm not very fond of it. truly hard to grasp...
I like it.
Albums like these make me wonder the requirements for making it to this list. This album isn't bad, but HAVING to listen to it before I die? I don't think so
Hit and miss, but way too long. There was a lot of fat that could have been cut.
An interesting mix of genres here. Felt while listening that it would be the solo album if someone from a band, had the feeling of someone putting out all the stuff they couldn't get away with when other people had a day. Mostly slightly psychedelic rock but a mix of approaches to this. There was a track that reminded me of sublime half way through. Sometimes it was nice, others a bit meh. Definitely worth a listen but can't really see myself coming back to it. 3.5.
I approve, it’s a high 3. Interesting tunes and the guy’s story seems quite unique.
I really wanted to enjoy this one but ultimately it suffers most from just being too long. Could have used an edit and that’s just the standard edition. There is a great album hidden in there that really bridges the 80s and the 90s in a perfect way but it felt clunky.
mm raro ahre
I had heard Beautiful Love before but not really connected it with Julian Cope..It was alright, I heard echoes of things that were current at the time; U2, the Mondays, Nick Cave and XTC and while it was varied it didn't seem to have much identity. It's 3 or 4 songs too long if it had finished with Beautiful Love that would've been fine with me.
Never heard of this artist. Good stuff. Not for my ears though.
Grew on me as the album went on. There's clearly an artistic vision with pretty interesting sounds, and some genuinely good grooves. The melodies for me are very weak though, which is unfortunate because it felt like there was quite a lot of potential.
6/10 Album tranquilo, pero no es aburrido. No se hace lento y se disfruta
Not a bad album at all. But with one hour and 15 minutes there could be easily some songs left to make an pleasant listening experience.
Zvuči tačno kako bih očekivala da zvuči album jednog muzičara, muzikologa, historičara, i kosmičkog šamana sve u jednom čovjeku. Nesumnjivo muzikalan i na neke načine impresivan, a na druge lud i nelogičan. Previše za svariti u jednom slušanju jer ovo sve čujem prvi put iako sam upoznata s nekim drugim njegovim stvarima i imam baš dobro mišljenje. Ovdje su mi neke pjesme odmah za lajk, neke nemaju nikakvog smisla, a definitivno ne guši kao brojni drugi dupli albumi. Zasad dobra trica, a svakako će se opet slušati.
Love the shugga/shugga beat, the funk, the psych, the discord. Wanders off now and then, but usually makes it back to the trail. I'm putting 3, but its like a 3 breathing down the neck of 4 in a tight race.
I never heard of Julian Cope so I did a quick read through an impressive bio. I was liking all that I read but I can't say the same about my listening experience. At times reminiscent of Lloyd Cole
Another long one, kind of interesting for the first couple of songs, then the funk hits. It picks up again. It's fine, some variety. 3 Heard before? No Owned: No, 101/379 (26%) Will I get: No
This Is Not A Dainty World 1001 Albums Generator 319 (8/4/2026) The beginning of Pristeen reminds me so much of White Light-era Swans, which is definitely a good thing, but it also makes me wonder how this list has no Swans. The rest of this album is totally different from this song, and much of it is different from the rest of the songs. After the neofolk of Pristeen, we jump from the punk of Hanging Out And Hung Up On The Line to the prog epic Safesurfer to the Beach Boys-esque vocal harmonies in Drive, She Said to the punky, jazzy You... This album can't stay still, and I really love that. However, it's definitely too long. By the time you get to Western Front 1992 A.D., the thing kind of loses steam and putters to a relatively unimpressive conclusion. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Hanging Out And Hung Up On The Line Safesurfer If You Loved Me At All Least Fav: Hung Up And Hanging Out To Dry
tonight we've got a big double album by rock musician julian cope, an english guy who's been dabbling in a few different bands and personal musical projects since the late 1970s. his past work felt limiting in aspects, working with his record label and usually encouraged to make more than a few hit singles, but this album is the point in his career where he really wanted to do his own thing and not focus on standard, radio-friendly stuff, recording methods all spread out too. it's a big step for the guy and learning about it was pretty fascinating... very intriguing and kinda unmistakably '90s alt rock. this guy is very creative, but his voice and the guitars, he has a real habit of dragging stuff out to the point where the guitars sound like they're about to break by how much they're strummed and he sounds faint by how much he's just singing and yammering and singing and singing... like, wow. this album's length. it's super long and the more it plays, the less interested i get and the only thing that ends up being in my head is "ughhhhh my god when is this going to end"? horrifically slow burn of an a listen, and i ended up hopping and skipping a few tracks. my hopes were up, which is a bit of a shame.
Had it's up and downs was quite long, some was quite decent some quite unpleasant. Give it the benefit of doubt.
i did not hate this just mildly long hm
I had never heard of Julian Cope before and had absolutely zero idea what to expect going into this album given its title and cover. What I got ended up being fine. The sound got a bit one note by track 5 and although I appreciate him throwing in some interesting instruments here and there, like the saxophone on "You..." there wasn't enough here to make me give a higher rating. 3/5
I was pleasantly surprised by this album and really enjoyed my time with it! Probably a little too long, and I much preferred the front half, but it was good enough for me!
Certainly some interesting ideas in here but it felt long and not sure anything really amazed me enough to want to go back. Pristeen and Las Vegas Basement were kinda good and I liked the expansiveness of the album as a whole. I feel like multiple songs started out sounding interesting but I couldn't fully get on board with the singing and all of the parts together.
I distinctly remember some clown clearing the dance floor playing ‘East Easy Rider’ at a 6th Form football club party! I mean, it’s ok. He can’t really sing and it goes on a bit, but I like it. Plenty of variety and groove in all the right places.
Very varied throughout the album kept it interesting.
Experimental?
It grew on me over it's very long runtime. Might give higher rating with successive listens. It did feel too homogenous for the length.
This is, in general, the kind of music I like, but this felt too long for me to find a groove with. Probably something I'd love if I heard a song out in the wild, but the album as a whole didn't consistently capture me.
This feels way too long for what it has to offer, but it's not without its charms. There's a bit of a Frank Zappa vibe to some of the songs, though a part of that might just be Cope's voice. The lyrics certainly aren't as clever and biting as Zappa can be, but there's a maturity and earnestness lurking just beneath the surface of the humorous viewpoints that are often presented. I don't feel like I've wasted my time listening to this album, but I also don't think I'll take much away from it.
6.5/10
It started off pretty interesting but then got real weird. I feel like there might have been one song early that I could actually listen to again. The dude's voice really reminds me of The Who.
Another case of right artist wrong album. My Nation Underground or World Shut your Mouth far better choices. Still, can't fault this - inventive and emotional and really not like much else out there.
3/5
Julian Cope definitely left an influence on future artists such as Ron Gallo and Sturgill Simpson. He was a very “spoken word” singing style few artists can pull off. It works here. This genre-jumping was interesting too. I was not expecting a distortion sax solo on You…. Musically I like the vibe he offered, especially the more laid back sounds like Not Raving But Drowning. I feel like the album was longer than it should have been, but if I was buying this on CD in the ‘90s I would have appreciated his filling that CD to the brim.
Random thoughts: * Julian Cope and Citizen Cope are completely unrelated. * Julian Cope is KBCO-core. Genre defying rock and blues music. I wonder if I've previously heard this music on KBCO. * This album covered a lot of musical ground which made for an interesting listen. * The lyrics really jumped out at me on this one, I actually thought the first track was Christine, not Pristine. Also, Safesurfer was interesting. * He kind of has a Billy Bragg feel/sound but less folksy. * Interesting exposure but I won't be heading back here
3/5 Favorite Song: The American Lite
‘Julian CANT Cope’ - as Len Houmous famously said! 3.1 14/18 Beautiful Love
creo que el rock no es lo mío
Decent, but not terribly remarkable. His baritone voice reminds me a little of Peter Murphy. Couple of the songs were pretty good. Couple less good. All in all,
If this was half as long, it would be an interesting four. It wears out it's welcome in the back half. Probably the least listened to album so far by Spotify numbers
This one has me very conflicted. The stand-out songs are pretty good, very sophisticated and experimental. There's so much filler though, I don't think I can award more than a 3
Peggy unalive
pretty strange album that seemed to straddle most genres? i kinda like albums like this: "a hodgepodge". never heard of this guy but he seems talented i suppose... didnt blow me away but soild!
I'd never heard of Julian Cope before. The album was pretty cool. It feels like he was that cool that 80s/early 90s rocker that grunge killed. The songs were cool, but I felt like this album couldve used some editing. Far too long.
Damn good music. Safesurfer is the first song that really struck me and daresay I had it on repeat before I could continue the album.
Each was song is unique and interesting. When I thought the singing were lacking, the instruments stepped in and picked up the slack. Solid musicians. Lyrics weren't my cup of tea. 3 stars because I wouldn't pick up this album again to listen, personally, but I appreciate the art.
You know it grew on me
Time capsule of an album.
This album was really enjoyable. Idk almost a 4 but I’ll stick to 3 for nkw
so far hated all of them except "Safesurfer" also "Solider Blue" i really really like "las vegas basement" this song is gonna change my whole rating tbh
I remember the DJs on the radio going nuts for this when it came out. Never understood the fuss. Still don’t. How exactly is this special? It’s fine. There’s range, but this needed editing. Stopping after 13 songs. That’s enough of this. 3/5
Some interesting ideas, plenty of sprawling psychedelic, artsy experimentation and enough variety to be found on here. However, at nearly 80 minutes, this is a very self-indulgent affair that I'd struggle to see myself returning to by choice, and not all of the experimentation is a resounding success.
Very surprised with the quality of the songs. Especially after reading some of the reviews. The vocals were cleae, the music felt good, and overall i found myself really enjoying the album. That said, I would really like to be able to read the blurb for each of these from the book, and I really want to know what, if anything, differentiates an album you have to hear before you die from a sometimes mediocore collection of songs.
Good
There were a few decent tracks in here but mostly fairly mediocre.
ich verstoh NULL. es isch sehr 90s alternative rock ich glaub de dimery liebt dad afoch. aber häää. es isch au all ober the place. check nöd was das söll gad. ich hans au bitz passiv glost aber da git e zwei.
tönt nacheme coole dude aber au koooomisch s macht no spass bis jz? s isch au zuegänglicher als ich denkt hett de schluss vo double vegetatiom het mich gad ah led zeppelin erinneret lol VÖLLIGE VIBEWECHSEL aber de bass immerno am durregeh hanging out erinneretmi recht an nick cave safesurfer findiiii recht cool, v.a. wenner immer chli s gliche singt und d orgle innechunnt, fast scho hypnotisch AHH ES GAHT UM AIDS OMG UND DENN CHUNNT D GUTARRE INNE WO IWIE CHLI Z LUUT ISCH ABER EGAL ok de schluss hett er echli meh chönne chille aber WAUW was füren SONG NOMAL LOSE es gfalltmer villll besser als ich befürchtet han you... isch meh das woni erwartet han joo langsam hanis ghört wnl hahaha am ahfang würkli ufeme 4er-kurs, s het echt spass gmacht aber iwenn ischs halt chli nervig (wenn au immer kreativ) worde und VILL Z LANG
I wanted to like this more than I did. There are some genuinely cool ideas here. I thought Western Front 1992 C.E. was genuinely awesome. I really locked in at You... though. Julian Cope is one rock star that has been covered by the sands of time, but he also wrote a pretty seminal book about krautrock called krautrocksampler which hasn't been reprinted in years and goes for like $300 on eBay. There's some of that here!! But there's also a lot of jams here. A lot of jams here. Like, a lot of jams here. Like actually Jesus Christ. This album is so bloated, and it's a bummer. I had really high hopes based on his love of Krautrock. I still liked it, but not enough to relisten, and definitely not enough to explore his discography further.
like barrett said... he had Ideas. my biggest complaint was with the annoyingly affectless vocals, which really only worked for me on 'if you loved me at all.' great song. reminded me of yo la tengo. but my god there was a lot of BULLSHIT on this album. so much filler. why is 'safesurfer' just hotel california for like 6 minutes and then only get interesting at the end?? why is the big hit from this album just some weak-ass reggae song?? why is this on the list?? 2.5
Deduct one point for Pristeen - horrible opener. Deduct another for the album art and another point for the album title. Add one point back because it's not so bad musically. Interesting for a single listen. Peggy Suicide feels less like hearing music and more like being scolded by a man who just discovered activism yesterday. Cope piles on themes — politics, ecology, mysticism — but the result is a cluttered, self‑important slog. I do dig the Manchester vibes. The songs blur together into a swamp of mid‑tempo grooves and vague cosmic warnings. It’s the kind of album that insists it’s profound while offering the emotional impact of a damp leaflet. If this is Cope’s grand statement, it’s delivered with all the subtlety of a soapbox sermon shouted at passing pigeons.
Overall: 6/10 This was way too long. The songs were good but not good enough for the amount of songs they put on here. Maybe if they trimmed it a bit I'd like it more. Fav Song: If You Loved Me at All
This one was interesting. I ended up quite liking and saving a handful of songs from it, but then there were quite a few that did nothing for me, and several I disliked as well. 2.75
Released in 91, I can see why this didn’t cut through the grunge noise. But it’s still kind of good.
dense album but really enjoyed a lot of it. some songs are already outdated sound wise, but the guitars are grungy and the vocals are usually pretty solid
ging so. außerdem zu lang
This was a fun listen, enjoyed it
Trop long
Alguna que otra joya, me gustó en general. Nota: 3.5
Kinda off-beat and interesting. I'd listen again. 3.
Good first time listen.
Slow start instrumentals aren’t bad.
Pristeen Safesurfer Leperskin
meh
fajna okladka idk
It's giving Lou Reed but I can't really explain why
La primer canción daba vibes a jolene y acá bancamos el girl power asiq arrancamos mal pero nose cool
i liked some parts and disliked other parts
There’s some good stuff here but the album is way too long. It feels like a lot of the songs are similar and the ones that are not are very different and don’t always work.
Art rock, psychedelic rock.
Eclectic mix with a little bit of everything. It was a lot to listen to at once, but I really appreciated several of the songs.
The cover art had me completely fooled for which type of music this is. Felt like some metal or rock-like thing, but turned out to be one of the most pop-sounding records that we've had on this list. Sounded like a boring version of early R.E.M or something similar. It had its ups and downs, but in the end it all felt too forgettable. No song really stuck with me. While the vocals weren't particularly interesting, the issue wasn't really with the production side. The songs just sounded a bit generic somehow. Weak 3.
This album is confusing and long but interesting and full of Easter eggs. Need to re listen a few times
This is a generous 3*. It didn't capture me but the variety made it not tedious to listen to. Nothing really stood out, overall forgettable.
3 out of 5. Not bad music that ran a little too long but not the end of the world.
I probably need to give this another listen because I spread it out over several days. It was fine. Nothing special.
An interesting listen that deserves further album looking into.
flashes of some great stuff and some boring not so good stuff 3 stars
It's alright but I instantly forgot the songs once I'd completed the album. Also, I'm confused as to why he goes off key sometimes.
Interesting album. I actually quite enjoyed it. It go down by the end but the beginning is pretty good.
Sounded a bit like REM at first. It was an interesting album
I had never heard this album. I was pleasantly surprised! This album would have been really solid if it was trimmed down to 12 songs or so. But none the less, still a good listen. 90’s sounding, but in the best way possible
Didn’t know what to expect going in but it was mildly enjoyable
Very enjoyable album with some bangers in-between. I liked how experimental he got sometimes.
Very British
Definitely falls into the repetitive trap, which detracts quite a bit from it. Some of the songs would have been pretty enjoyable if they hadn't just been the same 5 words repeated for 2 minutes straight. I have to say though, there were some beats that got me unintentionally foot tapping.
Not the worst thing I have heard.
Some cool moments, some really meh moments
Nice overall vibe despite the messy side. Makes me want to dig a bit deeper. Had never even heard of Julian Cope before. There’s a noisy, slightly Lou Reed kind of feel I like.
I wasn’t loving this until ‘Hanging out and hung up on the line’ and then I really started to enjoy myself. Not sure it’s a must listen but there were some bright moments.
Pretty good.
There is a lot going on here and it wasn’t all that bad!
Pretty boring
This one didn't really speak to me, but I do like some of the songs individually
Way too long. Have to revisit sometime
This is interesting and not at all what I expected. That said it’s still not really for me.
Decent but went on a bit too long. 3/5
Peggy Suicide is a bad pun, a dark Dad joke. I liked it, it's a bit long of an album. The music varies at times, which can be refreshing. Lyrics are interesting & darkly odd. About in the middle 3.5
There's some neat ideas and interesting blends of rock and psychedelics, but I found it really peters out after the second half. "Safesurfer" is certainly the highlight, I just didn't find myself captivated nearly enough to give a damn about any much else about this record.
570/1001 2026.03.13
It's ok, but nothing special. A little too long, but not unpleasant. Ranges from great to incredibly boring. Perfectly in the middle. 3/5
It was much less abrasive than what I thought it would be based on it being a post-punk album and that album cover. Some songs really surprised me, like, East Easy Rider feels so out of place. But they were good songs, especially towards the first half of the album. But like others here have said, it's too bloated. There were a few nothing songs towards the end.
That's not my taste in music - But ok
There were things I liked about this album and things I didn't like. For one, it's just too long. There are quite a few strong tracks, but it has become a common refrain in my reviews that I would prefer a tighter selection of tracks to a long album with multiple weak tracks. Favorite track: "Safesurfer"
100% would have made a solid single album. Too much filler here on the double disc package.
Decent album, it just runs a little long for me. I do like how it bounces around stylistically, it doesn’t feel stuck in one lane, and that kept it interesting even when my attention started drifting. “Hanging Out & Hung Up on the Line” is a straight banger, easily my favorite thing here. And “Head” genuinely it sounded like something you’d hear from Sublime. If this thing was trimmed down a bit, I’d probably come back to it more.
You is sferig
Really enjoyed this. It sounded like a mix of a lot of great British bands like I thought sometimes he sounded like Ian Curtis, then it would jump to pink Floyd then Paul Weller. I had never heard of Julian cope but think I’ll be listening to this more.
It was okay... can't say luch though i listened to it once
Way better than I expected. Never heard of this dude. Enjoyed a lot of it.
Didn't hate it, didn't love it. Definitely some interesting tunes. Not sure I'll ever revisit as a whole album, but there's some choice tunes among the bunch.
There are some interesting spots on here and a good bit of junk.
Hate the album artwork and not fond of the initial track. But over 76(!) minutes of eccentric indie rock, this one won me over. It’s a 3.5 for me
Psych and art house rock pushing the boundaries to your ears.
If I had heard this when I was 21, I would almost certainly have loved it. It isn’t bad, but my musical tastes have changed since 1991. Could possibly try it again, but I’m not in a hurry. Good rhythms and layering of sound creates a disconcerting edge while keeping it interesting. Album title is off-putting. 3 stars
I’m surprised I never heard this before. It’s very good. There’s great variety in sound and style. That album is crazy long. 2.5 hours is too long.
Distinctive but not very exciting. I can see why Julian Cope has fans but he doesn't do much for me.
I’m somewhat familiar with the name Julian Cope, but I’ve never listened to his music before. The variety here definitely helps the 1hr 15min runtime from feeling too tedious. Overall, it was solid, but didn’t do a whole lot for me.
not sure, some interesting songs but a bit of a drag
This record is all over the place, and much too long for an album without any sort of concept tying it together. 76 minutes is nowhere near as egregious as the Gershwin Songbook (Ella Fitzgerald), but at least that one combines an excellent genre/compositional style with some legendary singing, instrumentation, and showmanship. What does Peggy Suicide have going for it? Some decent grooves and a mediocre singer? At any given point, the album is generally enjoyable, but not anywhere near high-calibre enough to justify its inclusion on the list. Plus, there is a very clear-cut series of throwaways here that drag the average quality down significantly (You..., Leperskin, Western Front 1992 C.E., Hung Up And Hanging Out To Dry). I guess Pristeen works as a sort of Dylan tribute. It exceeds the bar despite the lyrics being very, very repetitive. But from Double Vegetation onward, we hit a (vocal) wall that persists for most of the follow-up tracks. Cope is a bad singer and he doesn't do much to hide it. Out of tune, very little control, and an absolutely deranged "rock scream". Some metal singers might give it a nod of approval, but not this guy. The rest of the sound construction is fine, if a little repetitive. Hanging Out And Hung Up On The Line reminds me of a late-era Doors tune (circa 1971). It's driving, rocking, and has a Morrison-esque vocal delivery with a bit of punk pizzazz (which weakens it slightly). Easily one of the strongest tracks here. Safesurfer is another strong contender. While some might consider it a filler instrumental, I understand it as a tribute to Bowie's Moonage Daydream, complete with the Ronson-esque otherworldly guitar playing. It's a great 8-minute jam. Beautiful Jam should also be mentioned for its horrific keyboard-trumpets. Fortunately, the rest of the song is pretty good. 3/5 Key tracks: East Easy Rider, Hanging Out And Hung Up On The Line, Safesurfer
Consistently solid
An interesting album but it was trying to do too much. Each song felt like a different genre.
Never listened to this before, I enjoyed it
Not sure what this guy did wrong this was average
A bit inconsistent.
My only experience of Julian Cope up until today was listening to the single World Shut Your Mouth which I liked back in the day. So I was quite intrigued to have an album to listen too. And in the most part I enjoyed it. Too me he sounded like a British Nick Cave. A tad long maybe but on the whole very listenable.
A long and varied album. I feel like if it was edited down it would be tighter and more impactful.
I know little of Julian Cope beyond _World Shut Your Mouth_ which is regularly played on the little radio I listen to. I think I've heard one or two other tracks which I remember thinking were good but never delved further, so this was a nice opportunity to fill in a knowledge gap. And I had a nice time... this is good. I get some Nick Cave vibes, particularly in his voice and there's a good amount of experimentation across the songs. It's a bit long and does waver towards the end but there's enough here to enjoy and revisit
Some good songs
Weird but I quite enjoyed it. Probably wouldn't listen again though.
The song, Safesurfer, is a perfect encapsulation of this album: entirely too long, but def had bits I enjoyed. Props for variety even though not all of it connects. 3/5
Pretty decent. Wasn't sure what I was expecting but this was a solid listen. Kinda had some Pixies vibes to it, with some Cure and some 90's grunge. This seems like the album a hipster would listen to who's so contrarian they think the Pixies are "too popular" for their tastes. Not a knock on the album, just a knock on contrarians. I think I'll listen to this one again some time soon.
The composition of Peggy Suicide is quite astonishing: there are about forty minutes of skippable music, a few songs that just shouldn't have seen light, a few interesting ones, and Safesurfer (Chief's kiss). Don't know how such a combo came to exist and how to rate it, but Julian Cope deserves some appreciation for creativity.
Not bad. Probably better than The Black Album
Unexpectedly good. Like Morrissey but with more oomph
Interesting textures, nice variety and competently made - but no songwriting that really hooks me. Faves: Double Vegetation, Soldier Blue, Beautiful Love
There's enough going on here that it's no surprise some of it was intriguing and entertaining. I appreciated the musical diversity and sense of humor and the way it sometimes sounded like an alt rock adaptation of Motown. Nothing quite clicked for me, tho.
I found myself alternating between engagement and boredom/disengagement with almost every song.
I listened to half, but not the whole double album set. I could appreciate what he was doing, but wasn't drawn enough to commit to more than that. I gave it enough of a listen to treat it fairly, I think.
I didn’t hate this. Guy sounds like Echo and the Bunnymen sometimes and The Cramps at others and then he’ll hit you with some proto trip hop or some Primal Scream-esque song. He is clearly a musical omnivore. He likes some weird sucky music but he also likes pop and straight ahead rock and roll. This album is too long but the length gives him more space to make some good songs to go along with his bad ones. Overall, this wasn’t all that bad.
Weird art rock singer vibes - I liked it and would listen again
I feel like this album would be much better if they just used the latter half of it. The first half has a few good parts, but as a whole it feels like everything else from the 90s. The second half is amazing by comparison. It jumps a lot from idea to idea and all of it works pretty well. The last handful of songs is especially great, just sucks that I had to wait an hour to get there.
Worthy of another listen. Some interesting stuff and the good songs jump out. If the album were shorter it might not be as noticeable, sadly the album drags and is 6 songs too long. Would have been 4 stars with the best 12
I was dreading listening to this album knowing its runtime but the music wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. The length was definitely the worst part so it felt like a chore to listen to. There weren’t any songs I really latched onto but there were a few great moments throughout the album. The singer was just okay but I liked the production.
I think I enjoyed
Album #25 Julian Cope: Peggy Suicide This is not an album that was anywhere near my radar, as far as I can tell, it wasn’t on anyone else's either. From what I gather, Julian Cope is a cult-favourite eccentric singer-songwriter who never really broke into the mainstream, outside of his bubble in England. This album, Peggy Suicide, is his sixth studio effort, and certainly, from what I can gather, his most ambitious. A 75-minute behemoth consisting of everything that Cope’s mind had to offer, exploring a wide variety of genres and themes. To be completely honest, I was not looking forward to this, despite the genre listings being mostly up my wheelhouse. Maybe the lack of expectations is why I enjoyed this as much as I did. There is a lot to enjoy about this album, and the variety ensures that almost everybody will have at least one song which they like. Though the variety, and specifically the length, also hinder the album and prevent it from ranking too highly in my estimation, as the listen can feel a tad disjointed. The most comparable album that I have had on my list so far would be Guero by Beck; both Beck and Cope are eccentric style-benders who possess immense talent and seek only to appease themselves. However, that comes at the cost of mass appeal (which I’m sure they aren’t worried about). All in, though, there were definitely more songs I enjoyed than didn’t, but I’m not sure I’ll be too eager for a relisten anytime soon. Safesurfer and Beautiful love will likely join the rotation, however. Best Tracks: Safesurfer, Beautiful Love, Pristine Worst Track: Western Front 1992 C.E. Score Out of 10: 7
Highs and lows - liked a lot of the instrumentals, really disliked the guy's voice. Overall I’m confused how I feel about the album, if it was a different singer then it might be higher.
After the demise of The Teardrop Explodes, Julian Cope seemed to veer away from pop-oriented albums to more esoteric output (and produced tomes about prehistoric sites in Britain!). This album has some pretty good tracks in it, but at 1h15m it kind of overstays its welcome. And I see there's even an expanded 2h20m version!
Hello, post-punk. Hello further UK musical influence. Especially on the upcoming scene. I like it. I wouldn't buy the album and I'm much more about the artists this kind of stuff influenced than the ones that started it, but it won't live on my vinyl shelf.
Need to give it some more listening. Saturdays are tough to rate a record on but there is some fun guitar work on this one.
Cool album, if not a little bit long on the play time. It's an interesting hour and sixteen, at least.
Some of this very good but the wide range of styles works against it
12/22/25. Cool hidden 90s gem, well thought out songs and some catchy hooks. More pop than I expected, but still solid.
Fuck, already? Bro, I just got the Teardrop Explodes album not even two weeks ago. What is this fucking website? Whatever. You know what else is whatever? This album. It's fine. It's certainly more interesting than the Teardrop Explodes album on account of it not being yet another 80s new-wave album, but interesting doesn't always mean better. I'd say this is a bit better than Kilimanjaro, but not by much. This album upsets me a little because it has moments where the music could be really cool, but then the flaws become more apparent over the course of the album and it kinda diminishes the feelings that the album gives me. There are moments here that I actually enjoy. "Safesurfer" interested me a good deal, but mostly because the chord progression and the key reminded me of Pink Floyd's "Echoes," which is one of my favorite songs of all time. Some songs have solid compositions to them, but the album just has these noticeable flaws that drag it down. For one, I still don't care for Julian Cope's vocals. I don't think I need to elaborate on that. Secondly, the album is far too long. While this is far from the worst 76 minute album I've heard, it also does nothing to warrant that runtime. In fact, I'm starting to run out of things to say about the album. The writing doesn't speak to me. The music itself isn't bad, but also has these occasional annoying moments. Like, why is there are part where he says his own name? I don't know but it takes me out of the album because it's kinda jarring. This album is just okay. I don't really see why it has to be here. Low 3/5.
I just can’t seem to climb on to the JC wagon! I can see the appreciation but I don’t share it! Part of it is his voice and the durgy nature of the rock music composition. There is a lack of interest there for me. I did quite like Hanging on the line.
Ihan passelia musiikkia. Vähän ohuelta kuulostaa, mutta ei hassumpaa... taustamusiikkia.
More interesting than I expected. Seems like low reed type. Seems like his ideas and creativity are more impressive than his vocal abilities. There was good music here.
It was okay.
Some good tracks here, but vocals did not agree with my ear 'oles. It's long too. I liked "Safesurfer", at least until the vocals kicked in.
Hard album for me to pin down, some stuff that I was vibing with but then it would switch up on me real quick. IDK didn't really flow well for me. 5/10
Another of those albums that I loved parts of and other parts I didn't really like.
6/10 - pleasantly surprised, great to have in the background
An ok album, too long with some good songs dotted between some ok ones
I wasn't really paying attention to the first like 6 songs cause I was doing some college stuff, but once I started listening to it for real this was pretty alright. I feel like it's very standard for British alt rock, especially of the time, but that doesn't make it bad. I still enjoyed it, but it's not something I'd hear again. Favorites: Safesurfer, If You Loved Me At All, Leperskin
Listened on our drive to relatives for Thanksgiving. It's okay.
I'm not sure how much Christine was able to take, but I kinda liked this. To a point. I'm not likely to go back to it, though I may check out more J Cope.
i went into this with a bad attitude - why is it so long? why is it a meandering worse echo & the bunnymen? but talked myself off the ledge and gave it an honest chance. it's fine. it's extremely fine. deeply okay. certainly an album. that's all i got. i'm coping with julian ok.
while there are some decent tracks on here, the whole thing way outstays its welcome, practically begging for acknowledgement and praise of how intelligent and artful it is. ultimately, it's not worthy of any such accolades. favorites: double vegetation, east easy rider, hanging out and hung up on the line, beautiful love, hung up and hanging out to dry, the american lite
it was good but it felt like i was browsing r/atheism and that's never really a feeling that i want to have
Quite interesting. Every song was quite different. Julian has a cool voice. There were one or two songs that really caught my ear but even without the bonus disc, this is very long!
Again it's not bad, just not great either. I like the variety of styles, sometimes it sounds like Alan Parsons Project, Pulp, David Bowie, or any other big British band.
bonkers. i enjoyed.
non siamo riusciti ad ascoltarlo tutto perché molto monotono forse non era nel mood recupererò vibe generale positivo
Nice
Better than I would have thought from the Exploding Teardrops guy! Prob won’t come back but my ears will perk up if I hear Julian Cope.
A bit of a wild ride that started off poorly but mostly won me over with its charms.
I’d never heard of Julian Cope before but I’m partial to these 80s post punk acts. Kind of a punk Frank Zappa vibe, I liked it.
jojo, cool gubbe. men musiken var rätt schizo om du frågar mig
Even taking out the “bonus” disc that’s in the only version I could find, this is too long. But musically I enjoyed it – much to my surprise. I suspect I should really try to spend more time with it. So it’s a shame it’s effectively a double album which means I probably won’t.
The opening track Pristine reminded me of the Velvet Underground, and there were a few other songs where I found myself wondering “who does this sound like?” It's not bad, and I really liked a couple of tracks, but I'm not sure it's quite good enough to justify the length (or maybe it's place on this list).
This seems to be one of those albums where the artist and story behind it are more interesting than the album itself. Cope's life as a best-selling archaeology writer, a once LSD-burnout, a survivor of the 1966 Aberfan disaster, and a musician constantly on the periphery of international breakout and bumping shoulders with famous musicians lends him to a certain mythology and air of self-importance. This album was made in the aftermath of the Poll Tax Riots which he participated and was photographed in, and he expounds on his anti-police and anti-Thatcher sentiments, his rejection of religion, his reflections on the occult, and some pseudo-scientific and spiritual reckonings on humanity's relationship to Earth and nature. It is all over the place, and feels like an unorganized dump of ideas and sentiments that sound important when you're high and the main character, but aren't as profound to an outsider looking in. All of this stuff lines up with him calling John Sinclair's Guitar Army his holy book while making this album. Perhaps the above is a bit harsh. Its jumble of ideas is not necessarily bad. What comes to mind is that it is "Pynchon-esque"-- a whirlwind of hippie counterculture reflected on and reinterpreted, with many threads of story and style that the listener gets lost in. It's long (75 mins) and a bit dense (not as dense as Gravity's Rainbow and surely not as well-researched) in the sense that so much is going on and so many sounds and styles are colliding. Perhaps some Zappa is there too, at least in sentiment and wah pedal, i.e. without the virtuosic compositions. There are quite a few styles and song structures here; it never is boring. I think the most memorable song is "Soldier Blue" which actually has this kind of pop funk flavor to it. Most of it is blues-inspired psychedelia and pop rock with uninspiring droll vocals over top which range between bored Nick Cave and bog standard Britrock inflections. This is all to say, I wasn't a fan of his singing but enjoyed most of the instrumentals. Overall, I just found little to latch onto, but I respect the scope and daring in ideas. I expect this is an album that needs more than one listen to really sink in.