Reviews (page 4 of 6)
Sounds a lot like Lou Reed, without any of the catchy hooks. But that's OK. It's still a decent album. Higher than some others in this range.
Seems at its strongest when the poetry reading-like delivery is blended with a bit of a signing approach that lines up with the tone of the music. I this Dusted, Punishing Sun, Shiver and Astonished stand out the most for me. Songs like 1972 and Satellite are musically more angsty, but the vocal delivery is still a bit disaffected and seems a bit off to me. Interesting listen.
Interesting. Not sure what to make of it, but it wasn't as boring as I thought it might be.
Musically really enjoyed this, the vocals though just cross the line of being Lou Reed inspired to sounding like a tribute act. Due to that makes me jsut want to listen to a Lou Reed album instead, so won’t make my frequent rotation.
This was an interesting album. I wasn't terribly impressed with it. But I didn't hate it. I liked the wide range of styles and sounds. But nothing was really catchy. There were a couple that sounded dark and industrially but they were mediocre. 3 stars.
Bastante agradable.
Well this is odd. I've never heard of this, or them. Yet the singer sounds kind of like Mr E and Lou Reed's bastard son. It is both amateurish and polished. Dull, yet engaging. I don't think I know how to rate this. I'm very much turned off by Satellite. Because it shows that the Lou Reed thing is known and leant into. Which very much detracts from the overall vibe. Right. I've just got to "Shrine" and thought to myself "Blimey, this album is a bit fuckin long" and checked the album list. To find I was at track 16 of THIRTY tracks, with a playing time of just shy of two hours, and actually fuck that shit. That's too long. The album is too long, and they should feel bad.
Ça a tout juste le mérite de pas casser les oreilles. Vous avez dès à présent la possibilité de me contacter ainsi qu'eltrapeze sur une adresse courriel que nous venons d'ouvrir : robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com Celle-ci peut servir à nous demander ce qu'il faut penser de tel album ou plus simplement connaître la date de la prochaine émeute anti-Costello.
Nouvel artiste à moins de 50 000 auditeur mensuels, décidemment un paquet de gens auront loupé des albums avant de mourir. Pour tout message d'admiration envers ma personne, ou de haine envers mon camarade d'écoute robgruyère, vous pouvez nous contacter sur cette adresse email: robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com
It's a desert-rock band with jazzy influences.
не запомнилось но и не впечатлило. по описанию ждала чего-то поизящней
Never heard of this group, but found it surprisingly listenable.
This is one of these albums that gets you with its unique style on the opening tracks but then it just stays the same. Howie Gelb might be a good producer and man for writing music but his voice is not enough to carry an album, especially not in that quiet style alone.
It's pretty obvious that they deserve more acclaim (based on "Punishing Sun" and "Shiver" and "X-tra Wide," say), but perhaps not all that much more acclaim. It's all just a bit too obscure (willfully, one feels), a bit too ephemeral and elusive, and discordant/distressed (purposefully one assume) and though much that drifts through is interesting and even purty as a desert sunset, much just kind of evaporates. One also suspects this isn't their best record (but simply lacks time just now for full exploration of the catalog) and that some of their influencees (e.g., Bill Callahan, Mark Kozelek) might have outpaced them, even if subject to some of the weaknesses. Also, if GS is/was on this last. where the hell is Yo La Tengo?
Terrible band name, ok record. It feels like there’s more to it with further listens but within the frame I get to judge these albums it didn’t captivate me so … sorry :/
I enjoyed it - fit the mood of the day for me.
I am glad I listened to this one.
Interesting and glad I got to discover it. It's a more defined less rebellious Lou Reed.
This album grew on me. Mellow, somber and at sometimes, dark. Giant Sand's singer sort of sounds like Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Mad Season, etc.).
Ok. Not great
I thought the speaker had switched to playing Lou Reed at one point. Perfect Sunday in front of the fire music, just chill and nice
Better than I imagined, even if not all songs work well.
Reminded me of Cracker, Jayhawks. Slow songs, not high energy. LONG album. Got repetitive after 90 minutes. Didn’t turn it off….
Very interesting. "Dirty by the Rain" is probably the best song of the album.
Every time I thought 4 stars for this album, there’d be a track that just completely lost me. I wanted to equate this to a YHF or Nick Cave of eclectic, weird song structures, and in a lot of ways, it gets there, but then it just falls flat in a monotone attempt to be something more. It sounds almost timeless on some tracks, but then completely dated on others. Kind of stuck on a rating to give here.
Started off feeling like a chore to get through; ended up leaving me feeling rather enchanted.
Virkilega ljúf plata. Ég hlustaði reyndar á eintak með fullt af bónuslögum og þá fór mig svolítið að langa til að hætta og skipta yfir í eitthvað annað en ef ég takmarka mig við grunnplötuna þá var þetta bara fínasta stöff.
Not sure why this is considered an album you need to hear before you die; nothing special about this one. Sonically uninteresting and probably the most sparse wiki page I’ve seen so far
Kind of interesting, but I doubt that I will feel a need to listen to it again. There are plenty of other Giant Sand albums out there that may be just as good or better. Two and one-half stars, plus an extra half-star for the guest appearance of Juliana Hatfield.
Reminds me of Leonard Cohen. Poetic, wistful. The words carry a longing, remembrance of romantic experiences and yearning for a life full of them... Maybe projecting myself onto them. this record was good
uat? did I forget to rate this one... well wtf
Liked it more as it went on. Sounded eerily close to Lou Reed at points. Don’t quite understand what’s so important about this one to include it on this list but an alright listen regardless. Temptation of egg my favorite. Rating: 3.2
Sleepy, southwestern whisper pavement is pretty alright.
Millenial Alternative Rock
You know those support acts for the bigger bands that you always think about: "Yeah, this sounds like a real decent opening of the night, I might look them up when I get home," but then never do?
Rock alternativo. Folk. Tranquilo.
Lazy vocals but really warm and nice recording. I liked it.
Kind of enjoyed their unique, loose, low stakes style. Some creative choices always meant that songs didn't go in the direction I expected.
Distinctly average
Pleasant enough, sadboy rock with hints of country twang, but a bit long and forgettable
weird but entertaining. 3 stars.
Low marks for the grossly inappropriate song
“Chore of Enchantment” holds its dichotomy within its title: at its best, this record is enchanting. At its worst, it’s a chore. (Here, have all the hours it took me to think of that ingenious summary). Across its sixty minutes, there’s sleepy, crawling folk, country-leaning ballads, dusty alt-rock and the occasional rocking freakout… yielding mixed results, but it’s nice to be kept guessing all the way. Howe Gelb’s vocals are deep, rich and rugged, like latter day Leonard Cohen: no complaints from me. His delivery rarely changes, or inches out of bass register: it’s so casual and conversational that when the melodic side comes in (the choruses of “Punishing Sun” and X-Tra Wide”, or the radio-ready strumalong of “Shiver”) it’s as though the band have stumbled into them by accident, like walking through windchimes. The anomalies in sound are some of the most interesting moments on the record, for better or worse. “1972” is a real left-field leap into some howling, grunge-like workout, fizzy guitars and vocals a barely decipherable growl. While that’s over before it really begins, later in the record comes the black hole of “Satellite”, completely incongruous with the tracks around it. I still can’t decide whether it’s a clever twist of expectations or a pointless nose-dive from the mood established in the rest of the record, but I really admire the audacity of it. For me, it’s some of the quietest tracks which form the most unnecessary padding. I’d argue that “Dirty From the Rain”, complete with rain track, is a curio best left at the demo stage. And then we move into even snoozier territory with “(Astonished In) Memphis” and “No Reply”. They’re both pretty, but utterly inconsequential. On the other hand, “Raw” is a gorgeous exception to this rule. It pulls almost all the layers away for a ruminative, self-deprecating monologue in song, led by piano and swells of cymbals and strings. It’s one of the most affecting moments on the album, and “I would ponder this disease like a peeling onion skin striptease” is a fantastic line. “Chore of Enchantment” may be an overlong, mixed bag of a record, but it’s worth sifting through the sand for the gems.
"Chore of Enchantment" is Giant Sand's sixteenth studio album, dropped in 2000. It's a mix of folk, country, and punk rock, and the lyrics are pretty raw and take unexpected turns. The sound is not your typical blues, country, or classical sound, but it's something different. The title track is a great example of what makes Giant Sand unique. It's this slow, mesmerizing tune with a strong beat and guitars that get all distorted, giving off a feeling of urgency and a bit of chaos. The lyrics go deep into dark and despair, but somehow, there's also a glimmer of hope and resilience. Here's what I like about the album: - It's a mix of genres that keeps things interesting. - The band's skills are impressive. - The lyrics make you think. - The overall soundscapes suck you in. All in all, "Chore of Enchantment" is like a folk album with a twist. Giant Sand does an awesome job blending punk, pop, and even jazz into their signature "western-esque folk" vibe.
I liked the vague menace permeating through the tracks
got velvet underground and beta band feels. Nice.
Un treball curiós si més no. Possible definició de lo-fi, disc que de vegades sembla beure d'improvisacions, arenós, trabat... bon exemple del country alternatiu que al 2000 ja donava clars senyals de ser un génere en si mateix. No és cap obra mestra ni se li apropa, com de vegades pot semblar intuir en l'ambició de la banda, però sí un disc molt interessant, a conservar i visitar de tant en tant en les circumstàncies adequades
Eclectic mix. Not sure about the almost spoken vocals. X-Tra Wide has summer vibes, love the bass and flutes (?) Shiver is catchy, Astonished and No Reply are brooding, the latter with 2 beautiful solos. Surprisingly heavy slow riffs on Satellite.
This album answers the question, 'what if Lou Reed recorded an alt-country album?' This album is very interesting musically and incorporates contemporary alternative rock into a dark, sparse, folk/country landscape. The result is an album that sounds ominous and unfortunately a bit samey throughout. If this album had been pared down by about 15-20 minutes, it would have worked so much better.
Ooit in mijn tienerjaren deze band in de W2 gezien en dat was geweldig. Ik vind Glum persoonlijk veel mooier dan dit plaatje, maar deze was ook prachtig.
In de categorie interessant
Goed te hebben maar ook wel een tikkeltje saai.
Best een mooie stem.
Alt-Country with a Southwestern flair - why does a tremelo pedal sound of the high desert? It just does. Hushed vocals and a generally mellow approach: acoustic guitars, laid back drums, unobtrusive bass and then some 'flourish layers' of electric guitars, synths, and vocal harmonies - then the whole thing is drenched in reverb. Some songs take a harder rock approach with a bit more distortion and some squealing guitars along with a more robust drum part, but their hearts don't seem in it and it fizzles out quickly, returning to more relaxed coffee-shop fare. Somehow I'd never heard of this before despite it being up my alley and only slightly before my era, wierd. Favorites: Punishing Sun, Shiver,
Driest folk rock I have ever heard, but it works on some places.
Quite liked this- laid back, sort of Beck-like. Strange they never came to much. Not sure they should be on the 1001 though........
I have another Giant Sand album, Glum, and like this one I enjoyed listening to it, but remember nothing apart from a thrilling volume-leaping blast of noise on the opening track. Last week, I unfairly maligned Wilco's Foxtrot Onion, which has some similarities to this, and now I recognise a genre, likely named, of deep-voiced indie rock with tastefully rough edges, strategic servings of loud distortion, muttering, and song shapes that are comfortable, Neil Young-sy, Alex Chilton-y - I caught the Dusted In Memphis reference - but don't hook deep. “Don’t Love Me For My Big Muff.” Will Oldham and Bill Callahan are on the border of this, though their lyrical extravagance and weakness for tunes does make them vaguewave dilettantes. Not bad, and I might like it more if I got through a second listen, but apathy overcame curiosity. Trois.
Not bad, moody and evocative, or just one note sad lad crooning
Interesting. Didn’t like it at first, but could be something that grows on me
Kind of all over the place in terms of sound, but i liked a lot of the ones nearer to the end of the album
I had never heard of this band. I don't know if I'd consider it essential listening, but it was better than I expected. The singer reminded me a lot of Lou Reed at times.
A couple of isolated points of interest but overall more middle of the road alt countryish rock
This was a bit too slow a plodding for me. I can hear a lot of really cool influences, and I like the psychedelic elements, drums that are evocative of Jazz, and what sounds like a steel guitar in places.
Quite lo-fi. Not enthralled by the whispering vocals. Some interesting ideas, but mostly boring. Not awful, so it can scrape a 3 stars.
It was not a chore and was quite enchanting. I was expecting to hate this. From the album art to the album name and the fact it was two hours long…but two hours came and went and I was surprised. I had to google to check the lead singer wasn’t Lou Reed, and at other times felt it could be the Eels. I liked!
Holy fuck that put me to sleep. Does this want to be anymore one note, it's ok they don't charge you extra for using more than two of the bastards. Glad this turdthistle is in the rear view mirror.
not exciting
3/5. This really shouldn’t be a 3, but something about this record captivated me. I enjoyed some of the themes but at the same time felt it was very strange.
3.25
I don't know if I'd go back to this but I'm glad I listened to it
Well, that was quite the mixed bag of stuff. I generally liked it but didn't love it.
Ok, didn't really engage me.
je n'ai pas compris
Not bad, got a bit bored.
Ret chill, noget af det lyder som om det kunne være på soundtracket til Natural Born Killers. Jeg kunne godt lide hans stemme, lidt Lou Reed/Nick Cave-agtig. Alt for lang og monoton dog.
Super underligt valg, aldrig hørt om det her før. Ikke noget særligt, men vil heller ikke være for hård for jeg brugte det virkelig som baggrundsmusik
I’ve never heard of Giant Sand before. It seems like a pretty silly name. Not sure why, but I don’t like that name. Apple Music tells me it’s rock music, so hopefully I’ll enjoy the music more than the name. What a bad band name though. It’s just so silly. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Temptation Of Egg, Shiver Thankfully, the music was much better than the band name. I can’t say I really understood what they were on about at times (Temptation Of Egg being a prime example), but I did still find myself enjoying it. It felt a little saloony and exotic. Both the male and female vocals sounded fantastic and made for a nice feel throughout. I won’t say that this stands out as a great album, but I definitely did enjoy it.
6/10. Yeah, this wasn't bad, I even sort of liked it, but I am curious why it is on the list. It certainly sounds like some other stuff, but is that because it actually pioneered some of this sound? If so, it wasn't worth the mention on Wikipedia.
Just so boring. 5/10
why so many bonuses tho...
one banger
Слушах го частично, но не го доизслушах, защото си пуснах The Black Keys 😄
I was prepared not to like this, I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. It's a mix of dreamy, strange, and surprisingly affecting tracks, a total mood. It worked great a day after listening to Cowboy Junkies yesterday. They are like two sides of the same rootsy coin, with CJ having more of a torchy alt-country vibe and Giant Sand leaning into the hauntingly surreal. There's a lot to like here and I plan to come back to it. Fave Songs: Raw, Punishing Sun, Wolfy, Astonished (In Memphis), Way to End the Day, Shiver, Bottom Line Man, No Reply
Not for me
Decent but very uneventful and plain
first listen its really hard to place this style of this album, i'm not sure what it wants to be
I liked this a lot, though I got distracted ny things coming up while listening and feel like it would take another listen to really peg how I feel about it, particularly lyrically.
Random nonsense with no need for it to be on this list. I quite liked it though - I just don't think it is one of the 1001 best. Prog folk with country influences, but also very artsy. Good, but not great
I think I listened to Gian Sand before, but don't remember which album; pretty sure it was not this one. This sounded pretty good, but I did not particularly like the vocals.
There are a number of fine compositions, such as Satellite. In between it ripples too often.
“What in tarnation” 🤠 Decent album, what sounds like a simple country Americana gradually throws in classical samples, dissonance & distortion. Something vaguely unsatisfying about the project as a whole, but it shines in individual moments. The amount of outtakes in the 25th anniversary version (it has not been 25 years since 2000!) reveals a band full of ideas & piss & vinegar, though it's possible those ideas were better fleshed out in Giant Sand's offshoot, Calexico. HL: “(Well) Dusted”, “Satellite”, "Astonished (in Memphis)" "Way to End the Day" of the bonus tracks I listened to, "Catapult" is pretty cool September 24, 2023
Very, slow folk rock. Drones on for an hour, but pretty good nonetheless.
It's a good album. Very late 90s. The singer feels halfway between a blues growl and Lou Reed at his most bored. It goes on a bit. It's almost varied enough to get a way with it, but the key word here is almost.
3.5
Chill vibes Favourite tracks: Dusted, Wolfy, Shiver, Bottom Line Man
Decent background music but doesn't stand out...seems in the vein Smashmouth's jazzier tunes.
I had not heard of this band or heard any music by them, and I really like this album. Has something of a Velvet Underground vibe to it, albeit quite a bit more country and western-sounding. The sparse arrangements still have a richness to them, and I like the way the singer delivers his vocals. I like those tracks -- the more stripped down and mellower ones -- best. I'll have to check out more of their music.
Enjoyable.
Pleasant little (not lengthwise) album. I believe this is also one that didn’t last more than one edition, rightfully. Still, the soft palette is nice to listen to
almost 2 years later.. listened to it. (17 jul 2025). It was not bad, don't know why it put it of for so long. I don't mind this style of vocals - the ones where he seems like he's singing but talking at the same time. It's low energy but soothing in a way. Feels abit like some of velvet underground's tracks.
Easy listening. Good album. Maybe a re-listen some day. No tracks for my best of 1001 playlist
Lead Singer sounds a lot like Lou Reed. But it isn’t Lou Reed.
The extras on this album were unnecessary but the original part of the album were nicer than I imagined
Kinda reminds me of Silver Jews, but much less interesting. The music is pretty nice, the vocals are alright. It's mostly inoffensive, but boring. The breathy near-whisper that often makes up the vocals is a bit off-putting. Not totally sure why this one made the 1001 list, but whatever.
Not really my thing. I found it a bit boring
C'était nul. J'ai pas compris le délire. Déjà, le chanteur, t'as l'impression qu'il a peur de faire trop de bruit, il fait que marmonner du début à la fin. Et musicalement, même si c'était assez varié, ça restait quand même sévèrement barbant. J'ai franchement subi cet album que j'ai trouvé juste ennuyeux et insipide. C'était censé être quoi, comme genre musical ? J'ai cru voir sur Wikipédia que c'était de la country un peu spéciale ? Ouais nan, c'était nul. Pas nul au point de mettre 1, mais quand même vraiment pas intéressant.
Nothing much stood out from this recording to warrant a positive review. Have to give it a Goldilocks review. Not low-fi enough to provide a sitting in the basement with them feeling. Spare, slow songs did not reach True Detective starkness. The singing on those tracks could not reach the level of Mark Lanegan, Nick Cave, or even the baritone voice of that guy from Morphine. Unlike Morphine, Giant Sand did not bring a new sound to this unadulterated style. While the honking sax of Morphine wears thin, it makes you perk up the ears for a bit. The music here failed to engage me in a meaningful way. Without something intriguing in the music or vocals, Giant Sand issued a record that sits squarely in the background.
I admire the intricacies of this album, but after 2 listens I'm not sure why it's essential. Somewhere between Lou Reed and Olivia Tremor Control, but no song stands out and they don't seem to have any kind of larger cultural impact.
started out promising but somewhere between the 2082. and the 2128. bonus track variation of the same song he lost me. it's down to earth feel good sound with a nice musical tone and voice, the spark just never ignites.
Very mono tonal and boring if I’m honest
Slog of an album. Boring. Guys voice did my head in. Picked up a bit at the end but this is definitely not essential listening.
The only person who I can stand singing like this is Lou Reed. Like another reviewer, the vocals killed this for me. The songs really aren't bad. But, however pretty it got, however dreamy the guitar, however thoughtful the lyrics, and even, however noisy/grungy now and again, the singing made me constantly impatient to get to the end.
One of those albums that you’ve never heard of, and doesn’t seem that popular, and then you listen to it and wonder why it even sniffed this list. Kinda like a bad Grandaddy, or a folksy Lou Reed, or a shallow Leonard Cohen. It’s not all bad. There’s a few songs I genuinely liked, and as rightfully pointed out before me, “Shiver” is a banger. But the whole thing is too damn LONG. Clocking in at almost an hour, and most of this sounds exactly the same. The vocalist is awful with his talk-sing style and the lyrics are not interesting enough to justify the length. I kept thinking of that Family Guy quote: “It insists upon itself.” A stinker!
This was a chore to listen to. Dudes with vocals like this always make the longest albums.
Miraba bastante prometedor. Creo que es bastante tranquilo. Me pareció un poco largo y aburrido, creo que es algo que hay que escucharlo varias veces para realmente encontrar la magia en el álbum y siento que son canciones que de fondo como porque podría ser bastante filmográfica
Listened a couple of times and whilst there were some nice moments (particularly the strings/ classical bits) they were eclipsed by longer periods of meh. Its a borderline 2/3 for me - but I doubt I will return so its probably a 2.
I’m not really sure what do do with this album, it feels all over the place. Some of the so gs seem like they might be cool chill background music, but then the next one is something else. I don’t hate it but I’m not that invested in any of it either.
Chore
A poor imitation of Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen. A bit dull.
Hmm, so many mediocre white American men thinking the world just has to hear their words of wisdom and that it must come from them. Delusional. Why is this here? The classical interludes don’t make this a must listen, neither does his voice or the dull instrumentation. The best thing on this is the John Parish remix of Shiver which isn’t even on the original album. The extras take this to nearly 2 hours. I did not listen to all that
this gave me nothing
I enjoyed it slightly more as time went on that is still very a chore
Strange album. Disappointed that it wasn't more consistent.
CHORE
this was a chore
Boring annoying can’t decide what it wants to be white boy singer song writer ahh RYM: N Saved a song: N
Definition of mid (2.5 rounded down)
2.5
Maso
booooooooooring... just adding random noises to your music does not make it more interesting. I won't listen to the whole album, after song 5 I gave up. I would like to give this a 2.5 rating if possible as it's so mediocre.
Just kind of middling sad mopey pop rock.
Another serviceable yet forgettable entry on this list
Yeah nah
It was a bland tasteless and annoying album
ugh-complete Lou Reed/Leonard Cohen vibe with the sing-song, whisper/talk vocals. of which I do not care for at all. boring/yet irritating all at the same time.
Not my speed.
Mostly just felt that I don’t get it. Might be too dumb to appreciate poetry. Felt like the arrangements went to some cool places at times, but clearly not the focus.
Howie Gelb has pumped out (both as Giant Sand and under his own name) an astonishing volume of recordings featuring this under developed, stream of consciousness songwriting, his atonal vocals delivery, and lyrics that are neither clever nor interesting. The old cliche is "creativity is making mistakes; art is knowing which ones to keep." Well, Howie seems to be adept at making mistakes. The problem is none of it strikes me as worth keeping and, judging from his productivity, he seems to keep EVERYTHING. The backing tracks are beautifully recorded though.
A chore of an album to listen to more like
Weirdly boring. Not terrible, just a bit boring.
Never listened. Expectations: None - Verdict: Alright - (Well) Dusted has an interesting atmosphere, it's a nice song. Punishing Sun and X-Tra Wide are also pretty good. 1972 comes out of nowhere with some volume and then Temptation Of Egg is quite different as well, I like it. Wolfy is really good and Shiver is pretty decent. All the songs here are quite good without being anything super special to me. No Reply is good and Satellite rocks. Shrine is a pretty ending. Good album.
The album would have been better if the guy actually sang, but most of the album he did the “speak singing” thing, which I am not a fan of. It comes across as gimmicky and makes it seem as if the singer can’t really sing very well. Americana-infused folk rock is not for me. 2⭐️
First and last day I’ll think about Giant Sand The instrumentation is really nice at times, i would say i was vibing with it a little over half the album. It’s not exciting, but it’s good background music. I’d say it’s pretty unique, where it has that southwestern influence without the imagery and energy those bands usually have. There’s some awful sections of music in this one though, the Overture was so painful it took everything in me not to skip it. It’s all uphill from there, but there’s still just random noise in the middle of songs that ruins the ambiance this album tries to build. I never got used to his voice, really hate when it sounds like they’re cupping the microphone with their hands and whispering like they’re telling their best friend a little bit of gossip. Also hilariously long for what it was and definitely should have been a third of its length at max This is another one where it’s pretty obvious the 1001 people just guessed when the first edition came out which recent albums would stand out; pure comedy when you open the Wikipedia page for this album and the only legacy is “it was in the book”. You know it’s rough when these guys get 5 digit Spotify streams a month. There’s definitely worse music out there, and it was definitely interesting at times, but I don’t respect it enough to give it a 3
It's just so... low energy. I was constantly waiting for the album to be over so I could put on something more fun
What else is there to say other than this is a long a very, very boring album. No song was interesting and there was literally nothing to this album, at all.
Frankly, Chore of Enchantment is tedious, dare I unoriginally say it's a chore. It shuffles along like a pale imitation of Lou Reed generated by an AI model, all muttered half-songs and without any of the bite, wit, or danger that made Reed compelling. There’s one bright spot “Shiver” which briefly hints at the emotional resonance the album could have had. But one decent track can’t save an experience that mostly feels like listening to someone strum their way through an album of nothing but self-indulgence. By the time it’s over, you don’t feel enchanted you feel like you’ve just endured a very long sigh set to music.
Interesting arrangements accompanied by doleful disinterested vocals. Can't help feeling if it was released purely as an instrumental album it would be a better experience.
Jesus H. Christ, this was a punish to listen to. A chore even. Starts off pleasant enough but quickly devolved into one-note monotonous boredom. When I saw I was only 30 minutes in and that the bonus track edition was TWO HOURS long I wanted to cry. I do wonder if those bonus tracks were even more of the same, or stylistically different or interesting in any way. But fucked if I was going to keep listening any longer.
this album is so bad....
A este punto, hubiese sido mejor que osama bin Laden hubiese hecho esta playlist.
Na, pensaba defenderlo porque no me disgustaba, pero “temptation of egg” fue demasiado para mí. Rateando como album creo que le pondría una estrella y media, no es lo peor que escuché, pero no escucharía dos horas de eso.
Chore of Indifference, that’s what this was. I really disliked the talking whispery vocals, but anytime the singer went anywhere above that, it made the songs much more enjoyable. Unfortunately, that only happens a few times.
Who is paying money for this - who is responsible for this list?
The Good: Who doesn’t like to get enchanted? The Bad: If it is a chore… then it is less enchanting… The Ugly: Finding out that Giant Sand is really quicksand… Well, that last portion isn’t 100% accurate… technically speaking, though the sand might be quick, the death is ohhhhhh sooooooo slowwwwwwww…. This is brand new for me, which is kind of nice, and the first track made me sit up and listen… yet, when I found out that most tracks which followed #1 were pretty much the same, the novelty of this band quickly faded away. People need to start making music again. Not try to make art. Or make a statement. Or feel like they have to fill an album with at least 1 hour and 20 minutes of stuff… I don’t know how to rate this album… I want to go down the middle… but seeing as my journey of the 1001 is starting to make me a bitter person, I fear that this album doesn’t deserve more than a 2*...
291/1089 okayyy the dramatic overture into a moody guitar led song, i’m liking the vision …and that was about it for what i was interested in. i think the sound’s neat for a song or two but the album dragged imo and isnt for me faves: (well) dusted, shiver, dirty from the rain 28/100
I found it a little weird when he would just talk. I liked his singing voice though. The album ad whole though is not my vibe
This wasn't offensive, but it wasn't good either. All of the Leonard Cohen and Lou Reed (who I both despise listening to) references in other reviews are, I think, spot on. I think maybe this is on the list to remind you that some people out there just like those stinky fermented fish in a can they eat in Scandinavia, and while you don't, it's ok they do ⭐⭐.49
Sorry I did not like this at all.
😐
very very boring and pretentious.
There was nothing of interest in this for me
mm
I like the musical style of this album, but it is extremely one note. Also, the total lack of energy in the vocal department turns this into a snoozefest. A criticism that is wholly personal to me: I grew up in the 2000s, and was formed by 90s and 00s rock music. I’ve never heard of Giant Sand before. I have to conclude that it’s because it’s boring and not that good. Why is it on this list?
This man needs to learn to sing and stop growling into the microphone
(Looks at title) Seriously? You’re going with that? (Looks at runtime) Seriously??!! (Plays album for 22 minutes) You really were serious. God bless you.
Never heard of this group. I found it interesting, but not sure I will go looking for it again.
If this guy actual sang instead of whispering, this could have been something.
Bored and annoyed
This is what I image some Leonard Cohen songs sound like if you don't like Leonard Cohen
We have Eels, Jeff Tweedy, and Nada Surf at home.
Bissl langsam und schwer. Weis nicht wirklich.
I was not in the mood for this album today - it did not land on my ears well. I was not a fan of his spoken singing. Even the sound of his voice itself irritated me.
Well, I'm in trouble. I played this Saturday morning while cleaning the house. Thinking it was the worst of Dinosaur Jr., Wilco, and a few others mixed in. Getting ready to skip and my wife who never has interest in any music says "I like this!" So I had to listen to the full thing.
Good lyrics. Otherwise, boring and depressing. 2.6
I could literally name 1,001 other albums that should be on this list before this one.
Going for something quiet and somber isn't bad, but overdoing it makes the end result really dull
Was this album picked at random ? Its just so boring and bland and.. bad. The laughable attemps at being experimental/weird and the annoying voice of whoever that singer is make this album a chore to listen to. Its not the worst thing in the world .There is some ok tracks on here. Rarely. Can this shit just end pleeeeaaaaase. No I am not listening to the 14 bonus track than you Apple Music.
I wish this could just suck properly instead of occasionally threatening to get interesting.
Not my jam
forgot to rate this and lowkey forgot what this sounds like
An OK sound. I don't know the band and not really my genre.
Sounds like a support act at every gig I’ve been to. Pairing notes: best enjoyed standing up whilst drinking beer out of a plastic cup. Be sure to politely but unenthusiastically clap after each song and wait for some better music to come on.
Way too long, there were some good songs, but it was really difficult to get through the whole thing.
Did not like it at first and it grew a bit on the second listen but still.... Happy to forget this even if there's some interesting bits in it.
Thought i'd enjoy it more than I did after the first track. Another good track or two scattered throughout, but not one to revisit as a whole album.
A bit of a chore indeed, but not that much enchantment
Un álbum demasiaaaado largo, al pedo. Se me hizo denso. Realmente cansador. 3/10
Eddie veder wannabe soms. Heel raar dat dit in de top 1000 staat
Prog/Alt/Experimental Leonard Cohen
This is decidedly not for me dog. The vocals are an acquired taste to be sure, and worked for me on a couple of occasions but overall a slog.
Meh. Some of the tracks were terrible, the rest were the type that I wouldn't drop everything to turn off if it came on the radio, but honestly nothing here I ever care if I hear again, and a few that were awful.
This low-effort whisper singing makes this borderline unlistenable. The only props I can give it is that everyone else does their job.
Way too long. Not very good. Some decent moments though
Chore being the operative word. Sprawling, eclectic but ultimately tedious.
I wasn't so enchanted by this chore
I'm 26 days away from the end of this list and they hit me with the bottom layer of the vacuum sack. Seriously??
A chore, indeed.
I didn't need this on my list. Reminiscent of less interesting versions of music I don't really like.
Didn't do much for me.
Doesn’t really stand out to me. Unintrusive
Damn that was an absolute SNOOZE FEST
This was fine I guess. I see comparisons to Lou Reed but to me this sounds like a slowed down, crappier Pavement. The songs aren't objectionable or anything but it's just kind of a drag. Shiver is a standout though - decent song.
Millennial mellow, slightly mysterious low fi Americana featuring a lead singer heavily inspired by Lou Reed. They create a few moods but if this is something I need to hear before I die, I sincerely hope there will be some considerably different sounding ones leading to the inevitable……uncut magazine would no doubt have given this 5 stars!
Troisième jour où je ne suis pas emballé par ce que j'écoute...
I'm not a huge fan of country music, but at least this album had some interesting elements that made some tracks enjoyable.
Nice background music.
The real chore is listening to this. It's like listening to the same song over and over for nearly an hour. Obviously an exaggeration but it just meandered along and did...nothing. Also the random opera/record/tape bits are just incredibly weird, man.
Respectfully, I really can’t get over the “man finally finding himself (he’s a genius btw)” of it all.
boring
Loved the music vocals not so much
disjointed, hippy, moody, not really my style. Definitely not produced for the masses. This might hit if u r in a trippy mood.
Sings like Lou Reed but the music's boring
Nothing inspirational or made me sit up on my seat. Very samey start to finish, one long song.
*Adam Sandler voice: "Chore of Enhancement? More like BORE of Enhancement!"
Leonard Cohen sounding-ah alternative rock.
Bro thinks he’s Lou Reed or something
Yksipuolinen näin pitkäksi, ei kovinkaan hyvin aikalaisarvosteltu, eikä juuri kuule puhuttavan. varmaan listalla lähinnä koska amerikasta. 2/5
Very excited after the first two songs but then became a bit of a 'chore'
naja
I listened, but I don’t really understand why this ended up on this list.
Feel like I'm so close to enjoying a lot of these songs, it's like I have an itch to scratch and these songs are almost doing the job but not quite, very unsatisfying.
A lot of Lou Reed, a little of the National and a remarkably odd choice for 1001 albums I must listen to before I die. A few good tracks, but largely forgettable.
Kinda of different striped down sound. Reminds me of something I can't put my finger on. Would be interesting break and refresher in a compilation. Entire album was a little boring and made me sleepy.
So very boring.
Often boring, at times interesting, rarely (though not never) enchanting.
Ok, suponho que algum membro da banda seja amigo ou parente do autor da lista. Isso explicaria. É um disco verdadeiramente obscuro, pouco conhecido. Não foi uma escuta ruim. Achei um pouco pretensioso, talvez, mas não acredito que ser pretensioso é algo inerentemente negativo. O disco possui uma sonoridade variada, com elementos combinados de folk e um certo indie sleaze. Há algumas faixas mais lentas, como baladas e até umas valsas, também possui algumas canções mais animadas, que me agradaram mais. Essa mescla de Folk Indie Sleaze não me pegou totalmente, mas certamente manteve minha atenção. Um corte ou outro do álbum foi dolorosamente entediante, mas sua duração total não é tão longa, e é algo bem diferente. Mediano, mas inofensivo. Iria dar 3 estrelas, mas o disco é desnecessariamente longo, acabou se tornando uma verdadeira “Chore”, igual o nome do grupo. 2.5/5
This is late 90s pop folk - post emo-core, post glib.
Pleasant, although completely inessential, Lou Reed style strumalongs periodically punctuated by tracks with frankly annoying production (presumably a forced way of giving the album some variety)
Didn't click with me. Reminded me a little of Mark Every, but i just couldnt find the hooks that grabbed me.
Mix of weird
OK.
J’ai trouvé l’album monotone et la voix du chanteur qui voulait trop sonner comme Lou Reed / Leonard Cohen :/ pas de personnalité
On first listen I kinda dug a few songs, but god on relisten it was such a chore to get through. The recording quality is poor, and it sounds like you went to your friend' roommate's singer/songwriter performance at a local café and his mom recorded it on her phone. Not something I'd return to for another hour, despite the pleasant moments. 2.4/5 -> 2/5
Yeah, nothing particularly special or remarkable about this for me. I’d never heard of Giant Sand prior to this coming up. Nice production, and everything is played well but that’s about it. All a bit dull and maudlin.
Ikke veldig givende. For lavmelt.
Chill men kjedeleg.
When the Wikipedia page is only 4 sentences, you know you're in for something weird. And I guess it kinda was. But it wasn't very interesting or good either. It's too long, has zero memorable songs, and just isn't important enough to be on this list. I have no idea why this album is anywhere near the 1001 albums, let alone on it.
2 out of 5. Nothing for me here really but more power to those that like it.
Such a forgettable album.
от полушепота у меня даже не встал(
Inconsequential utter dugshite. Terrible Tom Waits-like singtalking but without even having interesting storytelling. An instrumental version would be fine.
hat mich nicht umgehauen. Klingt wie Eines von 100.000 und nicht 1001
Budget Lou Reed and friends. That temptation of egg song was a bit too r*pey.
Howe Gelb does an alright Lou Reed impersonation, but who needs that when you can just listen to Lou Reed? It’s very chill and has a laid-back sound (like a lot of Lou Reed stuff), and isn’t unenjoyable for what it is… it just feels like a knock off. The lyrical content is interesting enough as well, but not enough to save this from the “Meh.”pile.
I have a soft spot for Calexico, whose two members formed the core of Howe Gelb's backing back in Giant Sand, at least during this record's era, though I never fell in love with Giant Sand's massive discography or had the attention span to investigate even a fraction of it. I did, however, see Gelb play solo once in 2003 at the Knitting Factory in NYC (along with Kristen Hersh and Andrew Bird), and I remember being pretty impressed with his storytelling ability and charisma. He came across as a Dylan or Waits-esque troubadour in a way I just hadn't gotten, and still don't get, from the records. These songs have all the poetry and all of the sultry, smoky affect but none of the hooks. Regardless, Gelb did pick the right guys to back him: Calexico's John Convertino and Joey Burns are masters of southwestern atmosphere. They sound so perfect that you almost don't hear them, perfectly placing their frontman at the fore without distraction while still immersing him in sound. I want to like this more than I do; the songwriting just doesn't move me. But I love the sounds and I love the album cover! And I love anytime Juliana Hatfield is on backing vocals. Favorite song: Temptation of Egg
Not for me. Very dull. Some interesting bits
Put me to sleep. 2/5
An ok album in its own right with some nice guitar and singing. The songs feel meaningful and heavy. They definitely get the vibe they want across with these songs. That vibe isn't something I want to listen to often though. Maybe I will find this again one day when I'm more in the mood. Or maybe I will forget about Giant Sand today, never to return. I don't feel sad about any of those outcomes.
Come on now, really? What’s this supposed to be? Kind of a mid bluesy rock album by a wanna be Tom Waits. It’s not bad or anything but also not a must or a should listen at all. Two stars.
Got boring fast. 4/10 Favourite track: (Well) Dusted
Sounds like a less enthusiastic EELS. Not terrible but not really for me. The singer sounds like someone else but I can’t quite place it. But it’s a 90s song. It’s not Shaun Colvin because that who sang Sonny came home. Overall and by the end I was into this.
I like the sound but too religious.
A chore to listen to indeed. Another completely unnecessary and forgettable inclusion on this list. Elementary lyrics mixed with overall boring and unoriginal music makes for a nice arrangement of drivel. Only rounding up due to some interesting production sounds.
Unnecessary
🥱
Listened to this on Friday and had to pull it up again on Monday to remind myself what the heck it was... totally forgettable I guess. Could be better than I (don't) remember, but I am rounding down. 2.5/5
Giant brengt absoluut een eigen geluid en sfeer en verdient wat mij betreft zeker een plekje op de lijst. Maar wat luistert dit lastig zeg. Instrumenten en stem lijken soms eerder bestreken te worden dan aangeslagen. De volgende keer worden ze weggedraaid. Of overstemt door een raar geluid. Terwijl er volop tijd is waarin Giant de elementen tot hun recht laat komen. Uiteindelijk zijn de uitschieters, met name als de zang à la Dylan verdraaid, voor mij bepalend.
Really struggled to figure out how I feel on this one. There's some really cool bits of music scattered across an album that (even ignoring all the bonus tracks) feels like it drags on a bit long. It's probably not helped by an inability to properly end a song. It either ends abruptly, resulting in a jarring shift to the next track, or there's a little coda which feels at odds with the rest of the track. But the big hurdle is Howe Gelb's vocals. At times he sounds great. A slightly gruff edge to his voice that lends the songs a certain bar room melancholy, but all too often the songs are delivered in this hushed whisper that feels so limp it drains the songs of any impact.
Kind of sounds like a lame version of Karate. There were some moments of brilliance and I did enjoy parts of songs, but the overall experience is just kind of boring. Satellite is a good song and it conincidentally happens to be the only one with a bit of noise behind it. I was in the mood for this type of music but I don’t think I’ll revisit this any time soon.
It's fine, but nothing special. 5, maybe 6 out of 10, but since it doesn't belong in this project, I'm rounding down. 2 stars. (As I expected, this is a British band that hardly anyone has heard of -- this project has a huge British bias. To be fair, Britain has made the greatest music of the last 65 years, but even so....)
This coming out a few years after the Silver Jews’ American Water says it all. We’ve already got a monotone poet in the late 90s indie rock scene!
A not completely unpleasant album but a totally unremarkable one. It's one of those albums I forget minutes after I finished listening. I haven't even heard about the band before even if I listened to a lot of music at the turn of the century? I wonder why is it on the list when many great albums are missing?
Absolutely not something I needed to hear before I die. The instrumentation is fine enough, cool in places but nothing I haven't heard before. But the speak/singing, mumbling going on by the singer was just creepy and annoying.. I'm not necessarily against that style, but I just wasn't having it at all here. Admittedly I was about 1/3 through the album when I got distracted by something at work. Then just didn't bother to finish it. About 450 albums through the list now and this is only the second one I just couldn't get all the way through.
I was so ready for this to be over.
Not a huge fan.
Odd mix of country, Americana and indie didn't really grab me. Some of the vocals verge on spoken word at times. Never heard the band or album before but won't be seeking out any more
eh
They got one thing right, this album sure was a chore
I can appreciate what they were going for, but I don't think it was executed well
This sounded like Leonard Cohen fronting Wilco, and that combo just didn’t work for me.
This was a rough one. The playing of instruments was fine, but the “singing” was pretentious, at best, and the lyrics left a lot to be desired.
Bargain bin Leonard Cohen
I had never heard of this album before. There are some nice tracks on this album but it’s more of a once in a great while kind of listen for me. The instrumentation is amazing, but I get tired of the “speak singing” delivery, it’s just not my thing for a whole album. It blends folk, country, and indie into a kind of desert psychedelia, which I can enjoy in small doses but the specific style starts to wear on me and gets a bit old after a while. There’s a melancholic emotional journey throughout the whole album, but it also feels unobtrusive and generic. Overall, there are a few songs that stood out but when you throw around 30 tracks into one album, something’s bound to stick. It feels like they focused more on quantity than quality here. Favourite tracks are Shiver, Astonished (In Memphis)
No standouts
Ikkje så nice
Right out of the gate this was giving Eels meets Nick Cave and I am into that. But then it just got more boring, sad to say, as it went on. Eventually it was a bit of a slog to finish. This band seems kinda cool, but this album just did not make an impression at all.
Yaaaaaaaawn 2.4
I really didn't get this one. The vocals are bad. Some of the instrumentation is fine. A few tracks I didn't mind but an overwhelming number of tracks that were hard to get through.
There are like 10 albums on this list with the same early 2000s freaky hipster vibe that sound and feel exactly like this and none of them deserve to be on the list
It’s ok, not my particular groove but I like X-Tra Wide
Musically, it was decent. Lyrically, it was plodding and unimaginative. Chore of Enchantment is an ironically precise album title.
Mixed bag on this, some of the cuts I enjoyed, others, not so much. This was another new band for me, which in general terms is a positive for me.
It has a vibe, I'm just not sure it's "my" vibe.
Uhh I like slowcore and alt-country enough ig, but this was kinda boring as shit. 2.5/5
Never heard of this album or band and I'm Gen X. I'm sure this sounded right for its time. But at 16 tracks, interest wanes 5 tracks in. No wonder it's barely survived its era.
some good instrumentals but his vocals are boring
Knew nothing about this. Not sure I know much now tbf.
This was way too sleepy for my taste, but that's a subjective thing, right? So I'll just say that it wouldn't be the last album on my list if I chose to relisten to 1001 albums again.
myah i think i would rather listen to one of their early cowpunk albums. a voice like this would work much better with that sort of rough energy than the slow and laid-back country flavored indie muzak on this album. get a lot of Eels vibes. if that's ur thing that's ur thing i suppose. sorta reminds me of the background music from Wild at Heart. vibe pieces don't do much for me though deserves to be one of the 1001? no. the alt-country selection isn't horrible but this should not snub Uncle Tupelo
The lead singer kind of sounds like Lou Reed, but he’s not Lou Reed, and that’s okay.
Just okay
I'm going to be honest with you all. I'm starting to get kind of upset with this album list. Time after time, day after day, I generate an album only to find that it's completely irrelevant and has no business being on a list like this. But hey, I've got to keep an open mind, right? Well, sometimes that doesn't matter because the album ends up being boring as shit. This album does nothing for me. This thing is aggressively mid. Even the album cover is boring! I guess I can praise some of the instrumentation, which I liked. The instrumentation on songs like "Shiver" is solid. Other songs like "Wolfy" don't do it for me. It's a mixed bag. I don't like the vocals. Others have compared Howe Gelb's vocals to a mix of Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits, two artists who already have a crap-ton of albums on this list. I agree in all of the worst ways. I don't like Howe Gelb's voice. It's grating. The writing just exists. I guess I can commend this album for not being 16 versions of the same song, but when the songs aren't great, that doesn't really mean much. Also this thing just goes on for too long. I guess the "chore" part of the album title was accurate. The "enchantment" part? Not so much. This thing is going to leave my brain as soon as I finish this review. This thing has no reason to be on this list and I find it boring. High 2/5.
Boring
Little slow and boring for me. Was expecting something diff than what this is. Wouldn’t say bad just not me.
Naw
It just never seemed to get going
wtf is a big sand anyway? a rock? this was pretty boring, we get it dude, you want to be Neil Young. wasn't an awful listen, but a swing and a moss nonetheless
Was a guy rambling some stories while whispering with some basic chords and instrumentals mostly through it. Guess there were some catchy parts but none of it was memorable.
Wtf was this
The indie sound is there, albeit basic. I've known too many guys with bands that sound like this. The 'aren't-you-lucky-I-got-out-of-bed-to-mumble-sing-to-you' vibe is tiring.