Reviews (page 2 of 8)
New band for me, very good listen
1,9/5
So many thoughts on this one, but not enough cares to share them. It's alright, but I'm hardly a fan of punk. A lot of rock 'n' roll influence that really brings out the psychobilly punk blend. Some okay songs, some not.
Fun listen. I really liked Sunglasses After Dark.
Distrayant. 2.5 étoiles
Weird but entertaining. I'd listen to this around Halloween.
Weird
I started listening to this song, and did not realize the song had changed until I heard the cover of Fever. It was not bad, I did not want to turn it off, but I am unlikely to listen to it again.
Part of a quote on Wikipedia described it perfectly: garage-trash novelty. My favorite track was Fever, which makes sense considering the original songs this band wrote were pretty terrible. Somehow, I still enjoyed it more than the Ramones.
I saw these folks play in Denver in the early 90s. One of the most memorable shows I'd been to. Lux crawling head first down a speaker stack probably 5+ feet in the air with his SM-57 microphone stuck fully into his mouth to free his hands. Punk rockabilly and just a straight up fun time. I hadn't realized their history at the time, I just knew the current "hit" "Bikini Girls With Machine Guns" and a few other tracks from college radio heavy rotation. No clue they had albums dating 10 years back like this. Great album and definitely glad I took the time to listen.
Throw in some Ventures, a little early Elvis, some Jerry Lee and a dash of LSD tinged Hunter S Thomson and you get something resembling The Cramps. It might not be the most technical thing you ever hear, but it might be the coolest
2.5 - ok
Fever is spectacular. The rest kinda had me wishing it was over.
Haven’t heard this in awhile. 4 on this list
I was oddly intrigued by this album. Learn something new… “Psycho- Billy.” genre
This one really came out of nowhere for me! I had basically zero expectations going in and ended up coming away with a really cool surf-y rockabilly punk album that was just a rollicking good time the whole way through. Kinda gave me cheesy Halloween music vibes in some parts. I also recommend the single Human Fly for fans of this album!
I appreciate that it was something different, I guess, but it sounded like a bad Elvis impersonator from Las Vegas fronting a very silly band. Like I couldn’t take it seriously lmao That said, I think they probably went super hard as a live act. Could definitely imagine them kicking ass at a festival.
This is spiritually a 1-star album for me, narrowly rescued from that fate by some of the insight I gained by reading some of the reviews here. As crappy as I find the music to be, I can genuinely appreciate its artistic intent being less about the compositions and more about the aesthetic; as a rallying sound for like-minded individuals. One reviewer's comparison to the Rocky Horror Picture Show somehow makes complete and total sense from that perspective. Also, it at least pulls off the "singer purposefully going stupid" shtick better than fucking Adam & The Ants, so it deserves a little bit of credit for that.
This is an album for a really specific time and mood. Outside of that, it is an appalling agglutination of trash. In that mood, I was able to enjoy the riffs and the camp.
I don't seek out The Cramps music, but I have generally enjoyed whenever they pop up in my random play. This album was pretty decent and I've a heard a couple of these songs before. Probably requires a open mind to enjoy and I did enjoy my listens. Can't say I'd purposely put on these guys, but I wouldn't turn them off either. This album was produced by Alex Chilton. Replacement fans probably know the song! 3
3.5 The Cramps are a funny band. If you were to take a look at any picture of the group or their song titles, you would probably think they’re akin to Bauhaus, Siouxsie Sioux & The Banshees, or maybe even Misfits. But nope, they play stuff you would more likely expect to hear from a group of guys with tattoos, hot rods, and slicked-back hair - in other words, guys probably likely to beat up goth kids like these. Other times, it sounds more surf, which, once again, seems totally ridiculous for a group that appears to barely get outside. That being the case, The Cramps almost feel like a gimmick, except… the music actually rips. I will say, I feel like this is an album that I enjoyed the general vibe of more than individual songs, but as far as highlights go, I can point to Garbageman, I Was a Teenage Werewolf, I’m Cramped, and - is that Strychnine? As in Strychnine by The Sonics?? Man I referred to that song as a proto-punk favorite back at album #307, and I feel so vindicated to see it pop up here. Honestly, it’s a great cover as well - while not quite as edgy, it’s a little more spooky, so I think the group really succeeded in making it their own in that regard. Something a little different, but something I dug. I definitely have a punk bias that’s probably inclining me to like this, but then again, I’m not entirely sure I would really call The Cramps punk. Maybe adjacent. Supposedly the correct term for this genre of music is “psychobilly”, which is where rockabilly meets punk and horror. Yes, apparently there are enough bands that meet that criteria to dedicate a whole genre to it. If you couldn’t guess, The Cramps are credited for inventing said genre, and in my very limited research done, it *shockingly* seems most subsequent bands were basically emulating them. Not that that’s a bad thing - they were clearly on to something here. Shoutout to Alex Chilton’s production! (If he was from Venus, would he feed us with a spoon?)
Garage Rock/Garage Punk. Classic sound. Standouts: --------------------------------- I Was a Teenage Werewolf TV Set 4/5
Pretty bad in every sense of the phrase.
I was wondering why this was so grating to hear, and I realized its because its Rockabilly garbage, weird how we havent heard any of it up until now. There is really awful droning through a number of these songs that kind of masks the vocals a little, it also borders on surfer rock a little bit, maybe its supposed to? I dunno, I felt weirdly queasy listening to this. You can skip this one.
Rockabilly! An under represented genre of music on this list. Why? Because it sucks!
Big
It’s an enjoyable old punk album with splashes of surfer rock and hints of rockabilly. 3.5⭐️
When they get really pscyhobilly, it's a whole lot of fun. Look up their performance on the concert film "Urgh a Music War" if you want to see the lowest pants a human has ever worn.
Supernatural Surf Rock. Fun.
You get to a point with these early 80's post punk album that you run out of things to say. They're mostly fine but not memorable at all. 6/10
Is Beetlejuice in this band? Very Halloween camp
I had such high hopes
Too goofy for me
Meh, not my genre
So, I'm learning that I was a too serious in my youth. I'm acknowledging now that I resisted bands like the Cramps and the B-52s because they leaned into camp and throwback vibes. Because this music rocks, and it's a ton of fun. I had friends that were fans. I knew the Cramps music a bit, I remember the Bad Music for Bad People collection pretty well and the only explanation I can find is that I couldn't buy into the B-movie horror themes, I liked the "seriously" dark postpunk, I was just not fun enough. I don't think I appreciated fun music until the Pixies came around (thank God), but by then I'd let the Cramps pass me by. The guitars are great, big slabs of buzzsaw noise, and twangy surf tones. Much more dimension to the sound and much louder and sharper than I recall. The lyrics are fun, and the vocals are excellent. I guess the thing I'm finally getting about the Cramps is that they've got way more going on than the themes on the surface, it's great rock n roll, and great punk. Yeah, this album is definitely on my list of "how did I miss this."
Sehr affektiert. Rock n roll Langweilig
Se me hizo un poco repetitivo y largo, pero me gustan demasiado ellos así que bueno.
I knew the Cramps’ music back in the day. They probably stand as my definition of psychobilly, but it sounded better in my memory or imagination than listening to the actual album. The noise aspects are ostentatiously amateurish (it’s punk era, okay, they must have inspired a squillion copycat libertines), but the songs also don’t really achieve the oomph that could have come from the hooks. I’m kinda glad this music exists, but as Christgau said, the joke wears thin before it’s over. I’m not putting any of these songs go onto a playlist for future listening. (You could use an extract from any of them as soundtrack for a ‘crazy’ scene in a little film - that’s about it.) If I wanted off-kilter zany edgy but with more oomph, I’d probably go to Lemon Kittens - I hope I won’t be disappointed next time I listen to them! Meanwhile this album is Not Good, 4/10.
Whether The Cramps invented Rockabilly/Psychobilly or not, they invented the only version that matters to me. This website already thinks my tastes favor punk, but THIS is the specific type of punk that my tastebuds cannot resist. The Cramps get 5 stars whether they deserve them or not.
Eh
I was tempted to just write this off as another meager showing of crap-punk. But if I'm being honest, there is just so barely a little bit more than that going on. "Psychobilly" is a ridiculous genre and a ridiculous way to describe something, but alas, it's exactly what we have here. Which is, in a way, charming. This music is total goof-balls. Like if you asked your weird uncle Rory to write something for the old Universal Monster Movies. In 1980. Like, this is not good. But there are flashes of fun, and it's certainly unique. Fave tracks: - Garbageman - The Mad Daddy - Fever
Great band
Fun punk vibes
Not too bad, I'll say 2.5 - round up. Fun album.
Not super my bag baby
Cool to get some psychobilly in this list - but it was just okay.
Kind of silly and fun at first but, after three or four songs, gets tiresome.
Not my taste
Psychobilly: a weird mix of rockabilly and punk. This is best enjoyed in small doses.
The horror, the horror! A vocal performance shlock with personality via vocal modulations. Surf music for the river Styx.
2.5
Sehr ambitioniert, teilweise recht catchy, aber insgesamt etwas zu dünn.
Stark, aber für mich nicht ganz vier Sterne.
50s rock and roll pastiches mostly, without enough of a modern twist to make it worthwhile. I presume reviewers liked it so much because it reminded them of the music they heard as children. If ‘you had to be there’ to enjoy music then it’s not good enough to be counted as among the best of all time. They had one idea and repeated it for almost an hour, which they clearly realised themselves since some songs (yes, not just one) were literally repeated, and it wasn’t a good idea to begin with.
Guitars are fun. Classic rock sound. To me, nothing super special stood out
Liked some, but kind of annoying.
idk I guess im not a fan
Favorite Track: I Was A Teenage Werewolf
Вампирский отсос
There is some absolutely frenetic energy to these songs, the album feels like it’s a few riffs away from flying off of the rails entirely. Reminds me of early work from The White Stripes. Too samey for my personal taste, but the band definitely hit the vibe that they were aiming for.
I liked it, but I think I was expecting more from it. Love the psychobilly sound, maybe I wasn't listening loud enough?
If only I had a friend who knew about this band when I was growing up, I would have been a long time fan.
Νομίζω έχουν μια πολύ συγκεκριμένη αύρα και την στηρίζουν εξαιρετικά
Kinda of a bridge between the Ramones and the b52s. Mostly works, but gets a little repetitive
Poison Ivy doesn't get the props she should for her guitar playing.
such fun music
I don't think the Lord taught you this ...
Something about The Cramps just clicks with me in a way I can’t quite explain, I really love their music.
This won’t be for everyone, but I quite enjoy it. The rock and roll nature of it, the horror elements. The guitar work stands out. 4/5
Haunted house rock.
A fun mix of psyche and punk rock. Not unforgettable but shouldn't be in the mass of the 3 stars.
It might just be because I’m reading Meet Me in the Bathroom and Jack White is a fan of The Cramps, but this isn’t terrible. Not a 4 star, but high 3.
Cool combination of punk and kind of country.
That was Gothic rockabilly deliciousness. Listen to it to and from work on the bicycle and had numerous gen xers start bobbing their heads and smiling as I rode by.
This style of punk and low production value gets tiring quickly.
Kind of surfy but not particularly interesting
Halloween obsessed Disney Adult music.
a style of music from a bygone era. Can’t say im upset that its no longer the style, but its kinda fun, not good, but fun
A weird album that sounds like the bastard child of punk and Elvis.
Got annoying real quick, just another knock off punk band from this era. Rinse and repeat
The lord denies teaching them
Genuinely not sure what to make of this. Some of it was quite interesting but ultimately none of it was enjoyable.
Is this to be taken at face value? Is this an elaborate joke? The album sounds like the band that would play at prom in a high-school movie. The principal would probably break a sweat, but everybody else would know this music is completely tame and toothless. It’s like they really tried to make something campy, but were too in on the joke. To say it with Sontag: „Probably, intending to be Camp is always harmful.“ Did The Cramps really want to make an album that explores the psyche of some imagined monsters and garbagemen, or did they simply want to make a cheap Halloween album? I’m not sure, i just know that to me it appears as the latter. (Note: The lead singer’s singing really reminds me of that guy that sings Kisses Of Fire in Mamma Mia 2.)
Just really good fun.
Album 260. Songs The Lord Taught Us (https://open.spotify.com/album/6S9rbimtTmC0v6UBWqSpay?si=P0AB3AEsRQSmZqQrvXdbIA) — The Cramps (1980) It's okay punk rock 3/5 No liked songs
Day 340 Pretty fun album, the covers were probably my favourite songs. Highlights Strychnine Fever
I know and own I Was a Teenage Werewolf. I like how weird this band is, but their songs all start to sound sort of the same. I liked their version of Fever though.
3.9/5
Thanks for the serving of noise punk, I'm full
What a great album. Maintains some excitement throughout and great to have something short and sharp after a few bloated listens recently
Some cool some bad
Found this to be quite tiring... 2/5
Psychosilly
Meh
I struggled with this. Had to stop listening as was not enjoying. Got back to it and unfortunately not much better. I struggle to find much I like. I did come back to it after a shit day (one car accident + other stuff) so that may influence the review. Their most popular song on Spotify I don't see as anything lifted above the rest of the morass. I almost wanted to give it a 1 but it can't be that bad. Still listening to it as I write this hopefully one song will appeal to me, just one song....... please. Sorry.
A bit samey but OK. Sounds like something from a Tarantino soundtrack.
Along the lines of the B52s, the Cramps are an update of surfing/rockabilly music. Not every song is great, but so many of them are, I am tempted to give it a 5. Rationality prevails. 4.5/5
3 stars
Somehow this band manages to combine Rockabilly with punk in order to create the Psychobilly microgenre, and I quite enjoyed it, even though some of the songs are covers of actual rockabilly artists. I can imagine someone like Rob Zombie being at least partially inspired by this album
Didn't enjoy this one.
Holy shit this is fucking awesome. Weird dark halloween rockabilly music. So cool
I now have ear cramps!
A good companion piece to Iggy Pop and the Stooges. That’s not great news if you don’t like Iggy. But luckily, I do!
Kitsch, absolutely; but there is an integrity to this blending of new into the classic rockabilly sound that would work even if the lyrics were serious. Maybe it would be even better.
Really liked the vibe but gets quite samey production wise after a while. Would prefer to hear these during a goth night mixed in with other creepy classics rather than a whole album
“I'm the Trash Man! I come out, I throw trash all over the- all over the ring! And then I start eatin' garbage! And then I pick up the trash can, and I bash the guy on the head.”
2
It’s giving bird bird bird, bird is the word. 4/10
It's fine but why am I here?
Pretty shite. Not a good listen.
The band’s name is literal. Listen to this, and It will give you actual stomach pain.
Fun, like Halloween the album. The mix of surf, cheesy horror and shock gives me a nostalgia for a time I've never experienced. There are a surprising number of covers, but it still feels kinda unique, in a novelty way though. I enjoyed it, but I couldn't make it a regular rotation album. 3.5
quite alright
idkkk
“Las pesadillas de Reagan suenan a The Cramps” Cuando abrieron las bolsas de basura del vecindario no quedaron dudas: la última noche antes de las elecciones presidenciales Ronald Reagan no pegó un ojo. Las pericias arrojaban distintas hipótesis pero todas partían del mismo lugar: las pesadillas de Reagan suenan a The Cramps. Era un 4 de noviembre de 1980 y uno de los recolectores de basura marcó la pauta. La vida del basurero es así: hacer siempre el mismo recorrido hasta reconocer de quién era cada bolsa solo por el peso con que caía sobre el camión. El que ya se proyectaba como futuro presidente primero había tenido que limpiar el ático para que no quedara nada capaz de perjudicar su mandato. El dinero habla, pero el silencio de un basural dice más. Los recolectores se convirtieron en peritos residuales al abrir las bolsas y encontrar todo lo que la cultura de los 50s había decidido desechar. Lo primero que apareció fue “Songs The Lord Taught Us” de The Cramps. Después vinieron los pulps de ciencia ficción, la pornografia vintage y las películas clase B de terror. Muy distinto de la basura del verano anterior,cuando todavía predominaban los colores psicodélicos. Los tiempos estaban cambiando y la basura también. El futuro ya estaba escondido en un basural a cielo abierto conservador. Lo que Reagan tiraba era exactamente lo que The Cramps convertía en cultura. El futuro presidente no la iba a tener fácil. Muchas horas de trabajo para llegar a casa, disfrutar de su matrimonio y descubrir que no podía dormir por culpa de la institución matrimonial más consolidada del psychobilly: Poison Ivy y Lux Interior. Las pesadillas son desprolijas. No tienen línea de bajo. Las guitarras nunca rellenan, siempre raspan. Todo parece construido con las cosas que Reagan todavía postergaba tirar de su ático. Es peligroso encariñarse con las cosas que necesitamos que sean inútiles, porque nuestra basura también habla de quienes somos. Reagan da vueltas en la cama mientras “Rock on the Moon” lo obliga a soñar con ciencia ficción barata, rockabilly y autocines: exactamente todo lo que detesta. Intenta dormir del lado derecho y aparece “Garbageman”, donde el fetichismo por los residuos convierte a todo lo marginal en una identidad. Prueba girar hacia la izquierda, pero “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” empieza a divertirse con sus propios miedos. Se tapa entero con las sábanas, como cuando era chico, aunque sus pesadillas siguen siendo las mismas. Alex Chilton produce todo como si todavía fuera 1964. Después llega Strychnine, releyendo a The Sonics desde el garage rock. Reagan se despierta sobresaltado. Es hora de bautizar las medidas económicas con nombres optimistas. Si les digo Reaganomics capaz hasta parecen un hit cincuentero. Pero las Reaganomics fracasan con The Cramps. Ellos ya están acostumbrados a sobrevivir a pesar del ajuste fiscal. Convivían con las ratas, con la música que se escapaba desde CBGB y trataban de no pincharse con las jeringas de heroínas escondidas entre las bolsas de basura. en la realidad donde los pongas tardan muchísimo en degradarse. Sobrevivieron a una época donde hacía falta más canciones de los Ramones para desmantelar un sindicato porque ahora el rock apenas dura 2min. La televisión sofisticaba la rebeldía. Patti Smith convertía la irreverencia en poesía. Richard Hell la volvía estética. The Cramps, en cambio, defendían los valores tradicionales del rockabilly desempolvando a Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent y Charlie Feathers. Eran conservadores de los sonidos y absolutamente progresistas en el contexto donde los volvían a usar. Preferían cambios graduales, ya probados por el rhythm & blues de los cincuenta, pero los hacían sonar como una radio rota, empapada de reverb surf y obsesionada con el cine clase B. Era la banda sonora de una película inexistente donde los viejos ídolos terminaban convertidos en música obscena. Nosotros, desde nuestros centros de reciclaje, seguimos fomentando ese mismo programa. The White Stripes, The Horrors, The Black Keys. Nick Cave también llevó sus propias pesadillas góticas y sureñas para compartir el insomnio del garage revival de los 2000. Ese 4 de noviembre hubo dos matrimonios establecidos que revolvieron todo lo inservible según los 50s para crear un futuro nuevo pero terminaron creando monstruos ideológicos atemporales como instituciones que merecen respeto. No hay que ser conservadores con los miedos porque en lo no reconocido está el progreso. Mis pesadillas son las políticas neoliberales y el neoliberalismo tiene pesadillas que suenan a The Cramps.
Zuhause, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Gute Platte.
Listened to this right after Pixies' Surfer Rosa, not too into the raw and ugly rock of this era. Some songs weren't bad, but the album is overall hard to listen to, the lyrics are mediocre, and the vibe is altogether too fast-paced in-your-face.
Had a fun time, but not something I’m likely to revisit
Correcto
Kendte det ikke. Gode vibes. Giver mig lyst til sol og bajer
A little spooky, a little rocky, and totally unique. 1980, man… holy.
Now this is camp. Just wish they switched it up more.
Yeah, it was an interesting listen. I probably won't listen to it again. I was a little disappointed by the I Was A Teenage Werewolf False Start song. Am I supposed to be impressed by the band member being a total fucking asshole? Loss of a star.
classic from start to finish
The Cramps are so much fun. Love the chaos. A few of the songs stand out to me, but there's a pretty high floor for this album.
So THIS is psychobilly. Yeah I’m into it!
This is a very fun album. Rockabilly but all goth and campy. The singer has an unhinged voice that I really like.
Honestly this was good. Had some fun energy.
Sure this was a big deal in 1980, but it's just meh now. The Ramones and Misfits are way better.
Not for me
I don't want to cramp their style but I could have been listening to rockabilly 12 bar rock and roll from the early 1960s except it was worse. They even managed to ruin the old classic 'Fever'. To sum up - it was garbage man!
Unfortunately my last album. Fine, but a bit of a sad way to end it. It is good, but i was somehow hoping tp finish up with an unknown 5 that I could end with
#162/1001 🇺🇸 Marvelous stuff. Rockabilly garage punk. Never listened to this before but will revisit. Best tracks: TV Set, I was a Teenage Werewolf, I'm Cramped, Whats Behind the Mask
Music for people who unironically enjoy Ed Wood movies (I mean this as a compliment)
I wanted to like this more, but the surf rock influences are too strong...
Not bad, but not my taste
This album RIPS.
Some fun songs in here but not much substance
All gimmick
Best Song: I Was a Teenage Werewolf This is a weird one. It has a b-movie aesthetic I like but also is really strange and has very little in terms of listenability. It's original but is there such as a thing as too original, this album screams a resounding yes. 3/5.
5 out of 5. The Cramps have better albums but this was a strong start.
a freaky wild ride with a Rocky Horror vibe. Strange and unsettling but ultimately fun as hell.
Lovely horror punk.
psychobilly pioneers, probably quite a groundbreaking album at the time. hasn't aged well.
Maybe on a different day I would have liked this more. Familiar with some of it, never a huge fan of that quasi-rockabilly sound. Solid, but not great.
++: TV Set, Rock on the Moon, Garbageman, I Was a Teenage Werewolf, The Mad Daddy, Zombie Dance, What's Behind the Mask, Tear It Up, Fever +: Sunglasses After Dark, Mystery Plane, Strychnine +-: I'm Cramped 8,7/10
very halloween themed
a chaotic and eclectic reinterpretation of the sound of the fifties through a palette of post-punk and horror movie sounds a clear homage to the early rock and roll using simple but catchy riffs, lots of twang and steady grooves but with a punk energy and an exaggerated gothic aesthetic that give it a unique, raw, wild, slightly degenerate and fun personality
I like music that doesn’t take itself too seriously but this got tiresome very quickly. Punkabilly is not my jam. 2⭐️
going the full 5, electric
I thought it was going to be more horror pop. I was a bit disappointed
This is a bit too rough and ready for me. Pub band recorded in the corner of a pub vibes. But it’s also got a sleazy cool vibe at times as well. 2.
To be honest I dunno what was going on here exactly…
"oh hey, this guy sounds like the "goo goo muck" guy", I said, naively super cool goth album, not sure how much i like that kind of mouth perpetually open style of singing but it certainly fits whoever's in the background of the false start interlude added at the end sounds like a dick lol
Hard not to love The Cramps. Good album.
I know the band name and logo, but I don't know if I've ever really given them any listening time. It's not worthy of the Top 1001 but they're a mix of sounds including surf rock, 50's swing, 60's tv show theme songs, rockabilly, punk, etc. I can hear some Ramones, Horton Heat, Nirvana, White Stripes, The Clash, B-52's, The Hives, Stray Cats and Social D. They came out before a few of them, so perhaps we can hear their influence?! You can't hate it; it's fun, entertaining, you can understand it and the musicianship is pretty good. 28M people have played "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" and the rest of the album is peppered with decent listener counts (9M, 2.9M, 2.1M, 10M). It says they have 1.2M monthly listeners on Spotify, those are solid numbers so longevity is on their side. Would I listen to it again? Not likely, but I'm glad I did it once. I was entertained for 25 of the 40 minutes. 2.5-3 stars.
Dont vibe with it that much 3.6/10
The songs basically all sound like goo goo muck except for fever
I saw the album cover, having never heard of the band, and was optimistic. The year 1980 as well suggested that they might be some gothic, electronic act. Instead it was a low-fi, punky, rockabilly sound. Not what I expected, and alas, not something I was that keen on. The songs mostly blurred into each other too.
Jerry Lee for my generation.
Fav- rock on the moon 2/5
Someone mentioned to me that there's no bass player and I somehow got fixated on that and was listening for all the places where I'd want there to be a bass Standouts The Mad Daddy 3/5
Holy distortion. It sounds like every guitar, amplifier, and larynx on set is clogged with a generous layer of mud. Also incredibly low-effort. Somebody gave this 5 stars and mentioned this probably taking under a day to record, the band only using a single low-quality microphone in (what sounds like) a tin shed, and it being classic rock'n'roll. The first two qualities are very obvious negatives for me, and unfortunately I don't see this ever qualifying as classic rock'n'roll. The guitar sound is pretty sweet, though – even if that sweetness is short-lived. 53 minutes is a long time to suffe–uh, I mean, groove. Extremely distorted opening number, TV Set. Reminds me a bit of Interstellar Overdrive on Pink Floyd's debut record, particularly the melody and general guitar tone. Though there isn't exactly anything else in the song. The second and third tracks, Rock On The Moon and Garbageman, lose me a little bit. Too much needlessly frying audio and too little actual substance, or introduction and development of themes, and so on. Rock On The Moon is the worse of the two because, even though it tries to incorporate some sort of vocal, the vocal buries itself deep in the mix such that it's impossible to make out the words. Then we get I Was A Teenage Werewolf, which throws us a bone in the form of 12-bar blues. Groovy enough, but the audio is unabashedly and objectively terrible, so it remains a little difficult to fully enjoy. Mystery Plane is just a single riff over a single chord for 163 seconds. People giving this 5 stars cannot be real. Too many tracks are exactly like this. I'm Cramped, What's Behind The Mask, and Tear It Up are exactly the same. The relative monotony gets broken up at the end of the album's "main release" with the detective-thriller-esque Fever. Having a significantly more listenable guitar tone helps a heck of a lot. 2/5 Key tracks: I Was A Teenage Werewolf, Fever
I think they pulled off exactly what they tried to do, it just doesn't work that well for me. It's like if Elvis made a punk band and they only played shows on Halloween.
Elvis Presley clearly never died; he faked his own death to form a band combining his new found love of punk rock, surf rock, rockabilly, and a bit of goth. I enjoyed Songs the Lord Taught Us so much that I listened to it a few times and then followed it up with their next album, Psychedelic Jungle. Songs the Lord Taught Us leans a bit more punk and Psychedelic Jungle leans a bit more surf rock/rockabilly, but, man, they’re both great!
Uninteresting, both lyrically and sonically. If you’re going to go punk, go punk. The album’s treatment of “Fever” is its only saving grace.
Enjoyed this more than I expected
Ok album. A few highlights in there.
Rockabilly? Don't know - I enjoyed this but knocking downa poin t becuase it felt too long
It's pretty fun and deserves some kudos for inventing a genre but, at the same time, it's also pretty slapdash and one-dimensional. Not something I particularly feel the pull to revisit.
There’s only room for one shouty growly punky band with a nod at Elvis in my life and that’s early Nick Cave, but I kind of liked I Was A Teenage Werewolf and the cover of Fever.
Did not enjoy this album. It’s on the low end of bad punk.
I like the idea of rockabilly punk in theory, but these songs don't do much for me.
Most of this album is good rock ‘n’ roll; however, some of it gave me cramps
I just think I'm not the biggest fan of punk but this was better in my eyes than some other punk albums that have been showing up lately. Engaging and not weird for the sake of being weird Fave Songs: I was a Teenage Werewolf
I don’t know, I hate that semi-shouting style of singing, it’s just so annoying to listen to. But the instrumental was decent.
Slightly annoying surf rockabilly bullshit
Did not enjoy this and had to skip a lot of it
Terrible. There's actually some psychobilly that I enjoy (The Reverend Horton Heat and The Legendary Shack Shakers). This is not in the same league. 1 star.
I enjoyed this one, but it's not going to be on repeat at my house any time soon.
I like The Cramps, I like their style and sound -- but it is all the same. This was a fine listen...
Absolute beast. Perfect mixnof 50/60 rock with the evolution into punk. Very marked influences from elvis amd the rock masters of that era. Must listen
Not for me now to be completely frank
Dated and rubbish. All the same
Rockabilly and weird punky pop has never been for me. This sounds like the weird stuff that would be on some gonzo late night program about aliens set in the southwest US on '80's cable TV.
Awful reverb
I mean it's The Cramps, so clearly I don't have anything bad to say, but it's also clearly a first album. I like Flamejob.
part of this were fun but don't really see myself going back to it, except maybe on halloween 3 stars
sorry moest m afzetten is niet mijn ding
Melodic and chaotic. Just the way rock and roll should be. 4 1/2 stars
It's the early 80s, it's the Cramps, it's dark psychobilly! What is not to like!?
Just so not my thing like.
My rating 2.8. Ok hillbilly garage rock.
I wish (s)he hadn’t
Had high hopes to start, but it really starts to grate on you after about 10 minutes.
Een expres lelijke punkvariant op rock 'n roll. Een boel aanstellerij, je vraagt je serieus af of dit ooit publiek trok. En waarom wij het moeten luisteren. En wat deze lui gesnoven hebben. Ik krijg er ter plekke 'the cramps' van. De meerwaarde van de opname in het befaamde boek lijkt te zijn dat we nu geleerd hebben dat dit mallotige genre 'psychobilly' überhaupt bestaat.
Een band die waarschijnlijk een prima bluesrock album had kunnen leveren. In plaats daarvan laat de band de zang extra lui klinken en nemen ze het op van buiten de festivaltent. Verspilde potentie.
Dit is blijkbaar de voorloper van psychobilly. Dat soort punkachtige muziek heb ik wel voorbij horen komen op verschillende festivals, maar heeft mij nooit geboeid. Het heeft dezelfde desinteresse van punk, maar dan trager. En in dit geval wil het ook een beetje schijtlollig en/of artsy fartsy doen a la Talking Heads. Dus Talking Heads meets Sex Pistols. Dit is niet echt aan mij besteed, al krijg ik het best uitgeluisterd
The rockabilly influence is kinda cool, but all the songs run together to me. I get that the repetition is part of their sound, and they sound good doing it, but there’s only so much you can do with that before it gets monotonous to listen to. I can tell they had a lot of fun making it, and I like their sense of humor, but it’s nothing I’d personally seek out again. I respect the influence they had on the genre and aesthetic, though. Favorite track: Garbage Man
And that's my music!
It was awful.
I had been looking forward to the Cramps album that is in this book, and though I did not like it quite as much as I thought I would, it's still a very good album. For me, the weakest tracks were the cover songs. The originals were all great. The Cramps do not take themselves too seriously and I think that's part of their success. Good listen and I'm surprised the cumulative score for this one is below a 3.0 My favorite songs: TV Set Garbageman I Was a Teenage Werewolf The Mad Daddy What's the Behind the Mask Strychnine Tear It Up
Great raw sound
In the 21st century, bands play garage punk rock because they can’t really play properly. The Cramps took a different approach and recorded their debut album *Songs The Lord Taught Us* exactly as raw and rough as they wanted it to be—despite their far superior musical and instrumental skills. This kind of thing has always remained rare in punk rock, but I actually really enjoy listening to bands like that. Of course, it’s still a long way from the major milestones *London Calling* and *American Idiot*, but it was definitely an entertaining 53 minutes.
Decent album.
It's hard for me to gauge how subversive this would have been in 1980. It's fun though. And fun to learn that Alex Chilton produced it!
Mucha mezcla, me termina pareciendo sucio. No me convence.
This was atrocious. They sound like they were constantly trying to play 50’s rock n roll songs but putting their own “controversial” stamp on each. The result is embarrassing. Absolute bollocks.
Typical 80’s rock
I can hear the influence in their music. A whole album of this kind of music might get tiresome though
It was alright but I wasn't a fan of the shaky vocals. It got irritating
I love the like spooky surf rock genre. This stuff just works for me. A fun and different album
Got to love an album where psychobilly meets punk. At times a got a cowpunk vibe ala Jason and the Scorchers. Will definitely add to the rotation.
Drum and guitar heavy late punk offering with appropriate screamy vocals - a piece of its time.
⭐⭐⭐ Detta var inte riktigt vad jag förväntade mig. Trodde det skulle vara vanlig punkrock. Men detta är någon form av punkig rockabilly. Ganska kul album, annorlunda och röjigt. Spåren är konsekventa, till den nivån att de nästan flyter ihop, så det får väl kanske vara en liten plump. Kan tänka mig att jag kanske lyssnar på detta album igen, gillar röjet och att det är lite udda så det blir en 3a. Bäst är I was a teenage werewolf, The mad daddy men alla spår är ganska likvärdiga.
Why does this sound like punk Jerry Lee Lewis?
Yeah, not my thing
я не умею писать разнообразные отзывы, но что-то как-то опять скучно хотя ванну под это может и веселее мыть, чем под вчерашнее
Twist and Shout вроде норм
Horrible
Campy as hell; Lux Interior's vocals can best be described as evil Fred Schneider, this record is loud and fun. The guitars sound trashy as fuck, and there's practically zero low-end in the mix, but it really benefits the dark twist on classic rockabilly and garage rock. It does kind of grow stale by the end, but there's some truly amazing songs here. Especially "Sunglasses in the dark" and "Garbageman".
No me gusto para nada, parecen ruidos de obra, moledora, taladro, mezcladora
Man I'm getting old. The second this started I thought "oh this is what we're doing? Alright". I can tell they really loved making this. Not what I'm looking for but it isn't poorly done.
Hearing the opening track and seeing the album run time at 38min helped a little. Having a bad head cold and this album really do not mix well. This had ingredients that I like, but this is probably too far for me.
I dare say this doesn't sound like the Lord taught them these songs at all. But it does sound good, whomever taught them these songs. It's some good old fashioned garage rock with a bit of punk. It's not my favorite music or a particularly outstanding one but it is a fun album to put on to just rock out for a bit.
yeah it's fine
I listened to the first four songs, then I couldn't take it any more and just skipped through parts of the remaining ones. The album is a true display of low-shelf composition and musicianship. Psychobilly my ass, that's a made-up niche name for 'rockabilly by guys who are not good enough to play rockabilly well'. I think it was all natural to make overly simplistic songs with the same I-IV-V chords in the 50s, as the music we know today was still in its infancy. But 'Songs The Lord Taught Us' came out in 1980. We're talking about artists like Michael Jackson, The Police and Prince laying the foundations for some of the coolest staples in musical history. And, just to bring us back to rockabilly, there was Brian Setzer, who was absolutely playing the shit out of the genre at that time. Compare him to these jokers, and it becomes evident how pathetic they were.
Unfortunately although I was intrigued to see this pop up, it didn’t do much for me Playlist add: "Strychnine"
I love a good surprise. And I really was not expecting much with this one but I found it shockingly good. Who knew I was a fan of "psycho-billy?"
I've heard The Cramps before but not really given them a proper listen as I'm not particularly a fan of rockabilly or campy horror movies so it seemed like they wouldn't really do much for me. I also didn't realise just how many different record labels they had during their career, presumably because they were difficult to manage..Their musical output though is great and I'm glad I got around to finally giving them a chance. The first five songs were fantastic then we get to The Mad Daddy which was the first song that I found that I thought the schtick might be wearing a bit thin, but then straight after that the weird metallic hum that starts off Mystery Plane kicks in and they were back into keeping me highly entertained. There was one other song (I'm Cramped) which I found a bit basic but otherwise there's no pet up in the quality and the cover of Fever at the end was a great finale. For me, it's a very strong 4, almost a 5 but maybe not quite musically or thematically diverse enough to really warrant top marks.
never heard of these guys before and i have no fuckin clue what psychobilly even means but it sounds like these guys kinda invented it. if it's all like this maybe im into it actually? i fuck w/ this sound for sure. i like the frantic vocal style even if i can't really understand what lux interior (really good stage name btw) is actually singing most of the time, and i always love distorted guitars drowned in delay and reverb, so this is definitely my kinda shit. im feeling a lot of surf rock influence in here too which like, idk if thats a common thing in psychobilly or what but either way im enjoying it. i think my pick for favourite track is a coin flip between "i was a teenage werewolf" and "the mad daddy", but the quality is pretty consistent throughout so its a hard call to make. my only real complaint is that it can be a little samey, but its one of those cases where im into the sound enough that i don't care that much, yknow? i had fun with this one. definitely another album i could zone out to on a hot day. i gotta investigate psychobilly....
Didn’t like it
Sejt.
Great album, pretty iconic, not much more to say
I don't know if it was because I just listened to Bob Dylan, but this fucking sucked as well.
That was rough. The mix, the songs, the vocals… even the cover. If I never listen to the cramps again that will be too much. 1.4.
Very weird album. Nothing like I expected from the album cover. Had Elvis vibes in places. Incomprehensible and annoying in others. They were obviously having fun making it. But it’s not really my jam. 4/10 Acceptable
A little bit of rockabilly, surf rock and punk. Cool at times, but it is a bit too much with the echo on the vocals.
Sleeper hidden gem alert! Psychobilly, when done right, has to be one of the coolest evolutions of any sound. I'm sure that most bands doing rockabilly/psychobilly in the 80's and beyond grew up on American rock progenitors like Elvis. To be able to essentially play the same genre of music, but with an aesthetic twist and sonic iteration, must've been a thrill. The Cramps kill it on here. Immediately I thought about how much this guy sounds like the lead singer for The B52's. I liked the way "Garbageman" steamrolls forward with that constant kick and snare going. Then "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" is a classic deserving all the praise it gets. I adore the echo and reverb combo that creates something like a haunting vibrato effect on the lead vocal. "Mad Daddy" is hysterical in its delivery of a very classic 50's rock-on-the-dancefloor sound, once again just flipped on its head to become something more gothic altogether. "Tear It Up" revisits this method with just as much success towards the end of the original tracklisting. Then that cover of "Fever" to close it out! Total slam dunk!! The insidious, creeping, ocassionally offbeat delivery had me enraptured. Coupled with instrumentation that's minimal 90% of the time, then spastic 10% of the time. Wonderful. Loved this. It falls just short of a 5/5 for me, I think some variation in vocal delivery or song structure could've pushed it over the edge. But for these guys to be one of the first ones through the wall for psychobilly music? An incredible feat. Wildly captivating. It's late April as I review this, but it sounds like Halloween in my ears
I’d give this negative stars if I could. Z-
Fun, dark, dirty, sensual. 4/5
A-MAZ-ING! Surf Vamp Horror Rock!
I’ve never been a punk fan, and this list is exposing me to a lot of it. I can tell this band is good at what they do, I just think what they do sounds a bit shit.
I was looking forward to this one, but what a let down. It's a cliche, but how did bands like this get signed? And what does this do for anyone 45 years later except inspire some nostalgia? Next.
Quite fun, gothic, camp rockabilly. I can see how this really influenced 80s Matchbox B-Line disaster who then improved on the formula.
I can dig some rockabilly vibes, but this one not so much.
As Lux sings: “Square pegs don’t fit into round holes, and I can’t fit into these clothes…” That’s kinda how I feel about The Cramps. I was always a square peg, and I remember their songs being sandwiched between other punk bands on our cassette mix tapes being passed around in high school. But I just never quite got into them. Still, I love the rough, messy, swampy, dirty, unpolished way this was recorded. Anything more polished would ruin the psychobilly intent and vibe.
Album title gets 5 stars. First song gets 1 star. The rest is a bunch of 2s with maybe a 3 in there if you’re feeling generous or in the right mood.
I like the term psychobilly more than the music. This was fine and a few parts I enjoyed, but overall pretty underwhelming. 2.75/5
This was very fun! The only thing that keeps me from giving this four stars is that I don't think I'll be getting back to this album.
This is pretty fun, and if you’re in the right mood, this will transform you into a TV set ya dig
The alleged birth of 'Psychobilly' - the fusion of punk and rockabilly which sounds to me quite shambolic and, if it weren't for the slap back echo on the vocals it would be a rubbish set of rock and blues songs. This is not the sound of 1980 to my ears..........
The cramps feel like a band that would have a rockabilly Christmas song on a Mistmas cd. The teenage werewolf song was fun, could give or take the rest.
3.9 surprised I never got into The Cramps when I was listening to Reverend Horton Heat and the like. I enjoyed the album thoroughly, even if it's not the most sophisticated of the 1001. I checked out other albums in their catalogue briefly and recognized a couple of album covers, but nothing else really caught my ear or felt vastly different sonically.
Horrible
Psychobilly you say? Well I quite liked the first few tracks but it tailed off into nothingness pretty quickly...
This is like a parallel universe where Elvis presley is the lead singer of a goth rock band. And you know, I didn't hate it.
Things I care about: the Sonics, the B-52’s, campy horror films, punk, rockabilly. Things I don’t care about: the Cramps. The sum is less than its parts.
Unserious and punky. Got a little repetitive, but still amusing. Probably won’t revisit though. Rating: 4.5/10 Favorite Song: I was a teenage werewolf
It's basically what happens when take punk and put it into a blender with rockabilly. Not my thing.
Rock lobster meet surfing USA
Boring
I think weve all found an album we can agree on. That agreement is its shiteness
2.5 was okay I kinda like the 50s garage surf sound, but What the band is trying to do gets a bit repetitive though. Decent enough album I just dont need to return to it.
Not bad as far as Punk goes. Seems like a charismatic lead singer and the music is pretty tight and guitars sound decent. Bet they were good to see live. No idea what he was talking about at any point. Which is both a positive and a negative. ...Probably
It’s one of those cases where the image and performance of the band is better than what they put to record. It gets an extra point for being produced by Alex Chilton though. Birra fun.
captures the authentic garage rock experience by being physically painful to listen to even at low volume.
Better than I remembered.
Full Album Thoughts: Album Rating: 0.13 (D-) I dont know why this album is here. Its generic punk rock, heavy on the punk. Its knock off B52s. I checked out. This is an album that feels phoned in (lots of cover songs apparently) and so is this review. Track Thoughts: "TV Set" D Generic blues riff with the weird B52's lyrical delivery. Huge fuzz sound drenched in reverb, with the surf rock drums? Sure why not. Its meant to be a WALL of sound, but its not my cup of tea. "Rock on the Moon" D- Oh this album is a shitpost. Understandable. I can apricate a shit post. I do not have to enjoy a shitpost. "Garbageman" C Louie Louie and Bird is the Word shade! You really do just get to make a song about the garbage man, I take out the trash, and its a hit and gets in a book about the 1001 albums you gotta listen to... I mean, I can see why, you need some Weird Shit thrown in... but this is beyond me. "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" C+ I present for the consideration of The Dark Universe, the DEEP CUT trailer song for the hypothetical Native American Werewolf in Paris movie. "Sunglasses After Dark" C- Its no I Wear My Sunglasses At Night. Again, I feel like this was just an excuse to show off what "Real Punk" was. "The Mad Daddy" D If they were making songs like this still... I mean, I think I could get in on the market? "Mystery Plane" B- You know what? This is actual a hell of a song. Its actually got some... build to the intro, its still the generic surf rock, 12 bar blues structure, but I can absolutely see this being The Standout From The Album. The guitar tone is actually doing something... strange? The rhythm section then the doubled bumblebee buzz overtop. "Zombie Dance" This is still more knock off B52s. "What's Behind the Mask" From here on out I checked out of this album and am awarding everything an honorary D tier "Strychnine" "I'm Cramped" "Tear It Up" "Fever" F How do you take this song and make it boring
Repetitive. Loud and muddy, yet also weirdly thin and hollow-sounding. Not a big fan.
This is rock n roll, energy, fun. 4 Star
Je m'attendais pas à du rock/punk mais c'était sympa sans plus quoi
Sympa mais ça ne m’a pas transcendé
Pas du tout ma came
Brilliant. Take rockabilly and punk rock, add like this B-Movie twist, but the woman in charge, camp it up... it's a blast. Loved every second of it and am now in the cult. Thank you very much.
So much better than I thought it was going to be. Thought it was more a parody punk band but there were actual jams on it. Their version of Fever was amazing.
4.5/10 good listening
Fajne całkiem
Enjoyed "I'm Cramped", Nothing too special for me, but they do have a very nice rock and roll sound which I think is very iconic. Not too bad, but nothing too memorable.I also like "Fever" though, so.
I get the Cramps. This is a really interesting mashup of glam post punk and early 50's rock and roll, and to a large effect it works. But just like cramps that immediately grab your attention, you quickly resort to mitigation and restoration. Ok, my metaphor doesn't totally work because these guys do a good job musically... they just don't hold my attention.
well yes
Interesting. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. Liked the song about zombie dancing. Like a husband-wife combo in a band (because I am too).
I love the down and dirty feel of this album. The unapologetic punk aspects allow the rockabilly to shine more. It’s got great energy and the perfect amount of reckless abandon.
It doesn't have human fly on it.
weird as fuck! i liked it a lot. it's like if david byrne hallucinated that he was elvis
Feels like something that could really grow on me the more I listen to it! Best Song: I Was a Teenage Werewolf Rating: 6/10 Stars: 3
I liked it more than I thought I would very surprising
This was not an enjoyable listen
Punk rock?
Decent enough - nothing massively grabbed me - might need to revisit
Punk rock with rockabilly - still not quite my taste but I get why so many people like it
Spooky. There were songs I did enjoy when I wasn't scared
This is some gothy rockabilly. Quite awesome. In small doses.
Not really my thing, but I still recognize it as good music.
3.5/10
Edge lord rock Fave Track: Fever
Bullshit hillbilly vampire nonsense. 1.5/5
Yeah alright. I might dig into some more.
Tickled to learn "psychobilly" is a genre – didn't mind the spooks
listened to half of this walking on a dock in a foggy oregon town and felt like I was in a jim jarmusch movie