Songs The Lord Taught Us

I actually like this way more than I was expecting to. It reminds me of a John Waters movie. Rockabilly punk (punkabilly?) that doesn't take itself too seriously. I like how high-energy it all is!

Bizarre, weird and fantastical. Horror movie music in the oddest sense, theres not really a way to describe this album beyond rocky horror picture show and honestly thats a great thing. Im giving this album such a strong score partly because theres nothing quite like it ive listened to so far, its fun its original and its bold.

Sort of punky, I enjoyed this a decent amount, not 100% sure I'd ever listen to again but it was fun

Taught by the Lord of Trash, but damn if it ain't a treasure for all.

i had heard some of these songs before and I love them. I was lucky to get to see The Cramps live in 1994 in SLC and it was such a fun night. One of the all time great live experiences I've had.

Ganske ait hørte ikke alle remixene tho

Honestly, I really quite liked it, band seems very very cool

Rockabilly undead beach party! Love it. Absolutely deserves a spot on this list.

I loved this. I was aware of The Cramps from the Bad Music For Bad People album cover that you see on t-shirts everywhere. But for some reason, I'd never been exposed to the music. But this is the kind of garage punk that I can sink my teeth into. Songs The Lord Taught Us is deeply indebted to 1950s rock, 1960s garage rock, r&b and surf, 1970s punk, and classic Universal Monster movies. I love the lo-fi sound. I love the energy. I love the obvious influence of Link Wray. I want to hear more.

I like the Cramps… but the vocals are so buried… and it was way too long. Why the repeated tracks?

Until this day I had never heard The Cramps and it is now one of my chief regrets. 4 out of 5.

Really solid garage-y rock with plenty of offbeat subject matter and creative lyrics! Loved this one.

This album is really fun. It's just goth, rockabilly all the way through. Every song puts me into the mind of vintage monster movies in the best way. It's a cool vibe that I enjoyed a lot.

I've always wanted to like the Cramps a lot more than I do, they really do nail few songs so well but they also have some really just dull songs, at least in the studio. As a live yes there great, they would put on a killer show. Musically for the whole album a 3 but originality get's them to a 4. Curious if a Meteors album will pop up, same sound. same era but British.

Great re-listen

Pretty much a one-trick pony of an album, but I greatly enjoy that one trick. Sort of like an audio version of a music history chart going from 1950 to 1980. I'm guessing this one's going to have a lower average/global rating on here, but for me it's an easy 3.75 (rounding up to a 4) Favorites: TV Set, Mystery Plane, Fever

love the Cramps and this age of punk music

The cramps have a “je ne sais quoi” about them. They shouldn’t really work. But they do. And their musical influence is clear if you like rock & roll or indie or grunge. They just don’t seem to be trying very hard and that’s what makes it so effortlessly cool.

Garage Punk, chulo.

#214. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that. One of the reviews said they were like the B52s meets the Addams Family, and I think that sounds about right. This was weirdly fantastic. 4/5: yes

I was already at university when a mate told me about this band; the bloke was really into the rockabilly scene, which seemed a bit of a paradox at the time and already a bit outdated (1989 - 1990). But I found their songs quite funny. With this project, I’m finding myself with an increasingly strong punk side! My problem is that I can’t listen to this sort of music for very long at a stretch - that is, an album or two, fine, I have a right good laugh and it gives me energy! A whole week of this and I find myself throwing up my guts… Anyway, a 4 for the good bits and -1 for the rest

Love me some goth punk

Some over the top rockabilly by a deranged sexually disordered bunch of freaks. It's a delight!

This is a great debut from the inimitable Cramps, led by the sadly departed Lux Interior and the vampish Poison Ivy. The concert I attended at Hammersmith Palais in 1985 still stands out as the greatest gig I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing! Some might say that their music is purely derivative, one dimensional rehashed rock 'n' Roll, but it's so much more than that! The humour and wordplay evident in so many of their songs is as big a feature as the raucous performances and Lux's manic screams. Standouts here are 'I was a teenage werewolf' and the riff-tastic 'Sunglasses after dark'. There's a fine portrait of the band in Kid Congo Power's excellent recent memoir, and for those who want to delve further into the band's oeuvre, I would recommend the follow up album, 'Psychedelic jungle' and the live set 'Smell of female'. The band weren't pc or subtle but were so entertaining and powerful. Check it out! After all, any band who can release an album called 'Look mom no head' surely deserves half an hour of anyone's attention!chance

Psychobilly!! 1950s rock n roll / rockabilly meets..whatever awesome pushover shit this is

Cool bands, cool songs, I dig The Cramps goth rockabilly punk vibes.

i like the cramps but man 40 minutes of them is a bit much and nothing on here is as good as whats on gravest hits. still good though. 7/10

4/5. Angry punk and rockabilly. I have no idea what he is saying ever but I did enjoy the energy for sure. It's almost scary at times with the ambience, like the Crickets mixed with Tom Waits. It's a little aggressive at times and although I do dig it at times, the vibe can throw me off a little. No doubt, I do really like this, especially Fever, Teenage Werewolf, and Garbageman, just gotta be in the mood for sure.

Songs the Lord Taught Us The Cramps, a band I’m aware of as being very influential and much loved, but I’m not sure I could name one of their songs. I must have heard at least one of them but not that I can recall. Pretty interested to hear this though. I thought it might be a bit thrashy in a Germs kind of way, but actually it’s a great garage rock n roll rockabilly Carl Perkins surf punk thing. I really liked its immediacy, where the enthusiasm and attitude are more important than the musical proficiency. The Alex Chilton production is great - exactly what the songs and band need. I really love the buzzy tone of the lead guitars and the whole echoey sound, all with the drums bashing away at the back. The cover of Fever is excellent, the riff picked out in the guitar with loads of echo and the sharp lead parts. You can hear how influential it was on that 2000s kind of garage revival. I bet the Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Hives, Raveonettes, Black Keys, White Stripes, Kills etc would all name it as an influence. I can also hear a bit of Nick Cave, particularly on Fever. Maybe not the best from a pure musical/technical point of view, but that’s not really the point. I thought this was great - rough, loose, direct, dynamic. Just what you want from this kind of album from this kind of band. ⭐⭐⭐⭐️

Raw, rockabilly 80's punk. Love, love, love it.

One of my favorite bands as a kid. I still think Bad Music For Bad People is superior overall, but then it's essentially a greatest "hits" album so wouldn't make it onto this list. The debut is still fun, maybe a bit repetitive. 3.5.

A bit one note, but it's an enjoyable note. A nice dose of psychobilly which was, overall, a lot of fun.

I liked this but I like some terrible stuff. You'd need to be in the right mood, but this took me right back to a specific time and place. It feels strongly genetically linked to my genre horcrux, Horror Country.

Elvis wäre stolz gewesen 😊

If you like punk, you'll probably like this. If you don't like punk, it won't be for you. This is unashamedly punk through and through. Personally I quite like this, but I will say I think I'd get pretty tired of it if I tried to listen more than once every few weeks or so.

This is THE psychobilly album. These guys combined punk and rockabilly and make it seem like the perfect marriage. It has the spirit and energy of both, and is recognizable as either. You can't deny what these guys tried to do, and how successful they were. The lyrics are silly and childish full of teenage rebelliousness, covering 1950s horror and sci-fi subject matter like werewolves, zombies, and UFOs. The song structure is minimalist with simple repeating beats and surf rock riffs, built on abrasive, gritty recording, high distortion, and an out-of-control vocalist that evokes both Iggy Pop and Jerry Lee Lewis. It's quite an outstanding creative record, and I enjoyed all the tracks. There were some consequences for the poor recording that it made it a bit of a hard listen, including inaudible lyrics in some tracks, and repetitive directionless riffs. It's clustered and messy, which is part of the charm, but nevertheless makes the songs a bit repetitive and inaudible at times.

Even if “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” was the only good song on the album, this would still be excellent. But this awesome song is surrounded by other similarly great goth-punk/psychobilly songs. It’s like The Cramps committed to a weird novelty aesthetic but then really stuck the landing and came out with some awesome tracks that were ahead of their time while still relevant for the shifting music scene of the early 1980s. Their covers of classic rock and roll artists are just as at home as their original tracks, and they really make the covers their own. Particularly “Sunglasses After Dark” with the fun “Ace of Spades” interpolation thrown in the middle.

To me. It’s a mixture of white stripes, queen and Halloween music. Fun listen and will add a couple of songs to my Playlist.

Perfect from start to finish!

I like punk rock, cheesy science fiction, and slasher movies. As a result, I am legally required to enjoy The Cramps. It cannot be helped. This is just some punkabilly fun. Highlights - TV Set, I Was a Teenage Werewolf, Mystery Plane, Strychnine, Tear it Up, Fever

FUCK YEAH top 3: strychnine, garbagemen, I was a teenage werewolf honorable mention: TV set

I throw this record on and am immediately transported to an eerie, edgy Halloween party where everyone’s costume incorporates leather and lung darts are passed out in lieu of candy.

crampy goodness. 4 stars.

The Cramps don't play by anyone's rules. They create their own reality. It's a reality where surf rock , rockabilly, punk rock, and goth sensibilities are perfectly harmonious neighbors and it's a reality I'll gladly often revisit. There's nothing less goth than surf rock, and look how they pull off sonically referencing Link Wray's "Rumble" in "I Was A Teenage Werewolf".. it's as if there was something dark and brooding about the prior genre that only they noticed.

Now I know what Psychobilly means

Genre: Garage rock, garage punk, psychobilly, neo-rockabilly 1980 5/5: I Was a Teenage Werewolf, Garbageman, Fever 4/5: TV Set, Sunglasses After Dark, What's Behind the Mask, I'm Cramped, Rating: 3.5

This is well worth the listen. I've heard the Cramps before, they're cool. But I never explored further than what crossed my path. A lot of fun, not all great, but certainly felt like an album. I can appreciate this.

Pois gustoume bastante a verdade, non estivo nada mal

An odd but unique mixture between disco and punk. The Cramps definitely paved the way for musical blends that came after them.

This album is pretty cool. Not mind-blowing, but it has some good songs.

Fun!

Good album!

Really enjoyed much more than I thought I may, given that I haven't heard this before.

I think this hit me at the right time. I got into what i felt was halloween themed rockabilly. Its raw and punky and delivers a high energy payload. Enjoyed!

I really liked the sound. Enjoyable at most times. As always, additional star for being an 80’s album without those silly hideous synths.

Spooky rockabilly. What a fun album! Sure The Cramps are kitschy, but I bet their live shows were wild & raucous. This band makes me wanna dance every time I hear them (which I did in my kitchen during a work break). Thoroughly enjoyable.

This was a great, super-fun listen. I love The Cramps, so it was fun to revisit this one.

I liked this! Anyone ever argues with you that all rock n roll, even this second-wave punk/psychobilly stuff, isn't just faster blues with a backbeat, play them Teenage Werewolf. Basically a BB King son--minus the angsty ass lyrics, "NO ONE UNDERSTOOD ME!!!!" lol There was a time--brief, but real--when Kristy/Poison Ivy was a wet-dream staple baby yowzah.

This one was quite cool, though pretty weird at the same time. But I liked the punky feel to the songs. The lyrics seem pretty silly, but it's part of the charm. Nice hybrid type of Punk, Rock and Psychobilly! 7,5 out of 10

Love the mix of genres they have. Fever I knew from the hangover movies. But this song is just a cover from elvis I guess. Should more listen to music like that! personal top3 in no order: Rock On The Moon Sunglasses After Dark What‘s Behind The Mask

Love The Cramps!

The Cramps are nuts - great records that I have in rotation around Halloween time

A bunch jerks goofing and riffing, making punky surf music. Yes please.

I liked this album a lot more than I expected having gone into it with some trepidation. The only thing I knew going in was that it fell into the punk category, not a genre that I would typically seek out or particularly enjoy. Their raw take on rockabilly quickly won me over with their fun energy and humor. A surprising, fun discovery that deserves more listens.

3.6

Punk-rockabilly-gótico. Un 4.

Garage Punk, chulo.

Pank nice

I really enjoyed this. It's camp but so much fun

Une énergie punk frénétique et des thèmes empruntant à l’horreur qui me les rendent sympathiques.

Messy, sloppy, noisy proto-punk, a clear influence on a bunch of bands I love. The germ of an idea, yet to be fully realised, but interesting and important.

I’m a sucker for surf rock/punk so I’m down for this one. Fun dumb themes on here, zombies, teenage werewolves, mystery planes. Several tracks would fit right in on a Halloween playlist and I’m a sucker for Halloween too. 4 stars

Not what I expected at all from the title and album cover, fun rockabilly/punk mix.

Very cool very swäg i like it

Good albums, I liked Garbageman, I Was A Teenage Werewolf, Mystery Plane and Fever

Gotta give it up. I mean, they gave us some great songs for Halloween playlists to come. In all seriousness, though, solid album from an iconic band.

Interesting

- IMMACULATE VIBES - Love the guitar and the weird vocals - Mildly surfy which is kinda cool - Feels like a Disney channel halloween movie in a good way

Goth psychobilly is apparently my jam

Slightly camp tve horror show punk. Love it

rock n roll baby!!!

The ur-text of psychobilly, and absolutely massive in goth clubs throughout the 80s. Still very enjoyable, though by the end their one trick is somewhat exposed by repetition. Their next would take it all to another level.

3.5+/5

At first I was really averse to this - it sounded cold and distant, too much reverb on the guitars, whatever. But halfway through the album, something switched in my brain, and by the end of the album I was a fan. The hooky little rockabilly licks and the raw, emotional vocals spoke to me.

Very fun punk, almost like a less heavy Misfits. I loved the aesthetic here.

A fun cheesy sort of punk, I think it maybe missed a little of something to flip it over the edge.

Banger album, whole thing sounds like it was recorded in an echoey alleyway at night. Catchy, danceable, dark, and campy.

If there was ever a band's image that matches the sound of the group, it would be The Cramps. With the band name written in a "Tales From The Crypt"-like typeset, The Cramps primitive, lo-fi sound wouldn't be out of place as a band on the Flintstones, as they keep the beats simple and ghoulish. They are an acquired taste and not for everyone, but their sound is accessible and not unlike similar sounding goth bands that followed. I bought this on vinyl when I was a teen and glad I did, it still gets some plays even now and is a classic in it's own right.

4.5 - A joyfully whacked out punk reimagining reminiscent of the B-52's debut record, with a similarly campy-queer frontman-quasi-gameshow-host, Lux Interior. They've twisted a lot of "traditional" punk elements, adding horror-inspired flair to lyrics (see "TV Set") and over-amped buzzsaw guitar(see "Mystery Plane"). The thumping, urgent drums help keep things tethered.

Knasigt och härligt! Tycker mycket om!

8/10 lots of fun! what’s not to love?

Great googley moogley!

I really liked this album! I've only heard a song or two by The Cramps so it was nice to listen to a full one that doesn't have their most popular song on it.

Great, not an everyday listen, but great

This album was some solid Rockabilly/psychobilly tunes

"Songs The Lord Taught Us" is the debut album by America rock band The Cramps. Their genre styles are described as being garage rock, garage punk, pyschobilly and neo-rockabillly. Yep, it's all that. Some great descriptions of the band: "Campy, exaggerated and lewd" and "Pyschobilly way beyond the kitshiest moments of The Ramones and Blondie into a whole realm of garbage -trash novelty." The album was produced by Alex Chilton and recorded at Phillips Recording in Memphis. Some of the coolest band member names too: Lux Interior ( vocals), Poison Ivy Rorschach (guitar), Bryan Gregory (guitar) and Nick Knox drums). Loud guitar riffs and pounding drums open "TV Set." We get a fair bit of distorted guitar. Lux Interior's demented 50's style vocals stating "I see you on my tv set. I use your eyeballs for dials on my tv set." Their only single "Garbageman" has a grinding guitar and, oh my, a solid almost danceable beat. The guitar turns into more of a 50's rockabilly style. I think this about getting speed. As if this band needs more drugs. Lux whispers and howls on "I was a Teenage Werewolf." It's slower with a creepy guitar. The songs morphs into more a bluesy number. Jack White has to be a fan. "Zombie Dance" has a frantic pace with pounding drums and a sped up rockabilly guitar. Lux's vocals are muddled as he compares normal people in the world to zombies. The Cramps are known for doing interesting and campy cover versions. There's too really good ones here. They cover The Sonics' "Strychnine." Besides the rockabilly, you hear a lot of 60's garage rock in their music and no better song and band of that genre than this. This song was made for The zcramps and, yes, Lux would like the taste of "Strychnine." The album ends with the Little Willie John cover of "Fever." A slow, plodding, evil version. Lux talks, stumbles, whispers his way through deliriously. This album has a great pounding, driving sound. It's a mixture of 50's rockabilly, 60's garage rock and punk. Some creepy, oblique and unique guitar noises and solos. Not many albums cover topics of zombies, werewolves, eyeballs and poison. The production and lyrics are muddled; Alex Chilton wanted to re-record this but the band said no. Yeah, the last thing you want to do is over-produce something like this. The swampiness adds to its mystique.

when i saw the description i was worried about more bad 80s punk but this was quite good! very pleasantly surprised

Slack-stringed, lethargic guitars + slurred, warbly vocals + post production mixing chunkier than Campbell's = a very strange rockabilly album indeed. Would be a perfect soundtrack to True Detective or similar shows. Certainly grew on me the more I listened.

The lord did not teach you any of those you clearly made them up

Haha, The Cramps!

Great album cover. This album’s vibe in one word? Camp. I enjoyed it but it is certainly weird, I can imagine that it would be a favourite of the vamps in What We Do In The Shadows. Many of the songs sounded very similar. Fav tracks: I Was A Teenage Werewolf, The Mad Daddy, Fever (great cover) Least fav tracks: Rock on the Moon 3.5 rounded up.

This album gets better as it goes on.

Psychobilly is fun, but it’s not an every day listen

"they're like the evil B-52's" -some guy on the internet. The Cramps certainly invoke the surf-rock guitar tones and eccentric vocals of the B-52's, but it's their frankly bizarre songwriting that separates them (as if Rock Lobster wasn't weird enough). It's noisy and daring. Songs The Lord Taught Us is devilishly cool, in a way that only possessed freaks could love. It struts and strums to the beat in a way that few bands could. The production is flat and the pacing is disjointed, but that all adds to the ambience of this frankly cursed album.

Perfectly fun psychobilly shock punk, nothing that's still super noteworthy for me but a pretty big bombshell for its time and if I had found it at 14 it would probably have been formative to the point of me being real fucking cringe about it

I really enjoyed this album. Never heard of this band, and I don't think I've heard any of their songs prior to this listen, but this record was totally my speed. Dirty nasty punk rock infused with the energy of The Stooges and the catchy rockabilly structure of The B-52's. Really solid, will have to listen to this again soon

Stephen Stills and Dave Mustaine should be tied to chairs and made to listen to this record to understand that rock and roll is fun. Kick arse fun, hard fun, weird fun, but fun! I've not listened to The Cramps in years and I'd completely forgotten that I went to see them circa 85/86, pissed out of my head, at Selinas Coogee. It blew me away to such an extent that I forgot about it, well there you go. I love a great three piece with a singer. The Who, Rage Against (not U2..) ,three pieces with a great guitarist who creates the whole vibe. Poison Ivy is the star of this band, her sound, the way she creates those 50's riffs around those Gretsch chords, rock and roll heaven. This record rolls, Lux does his thing and the whole things swings. I love Garbageman, the way Poison builds up Sunglasses After Dark, Strychnine is a brilliant Sonics tribute and of course their take on Fever is simply the greatest. Final comment, Tear It Up is the soundtrack to what would have played in Elvis's worst nightmare, and I love it. And I love knowing how much Stephen Stills would hate this record, schadenfreude.

I discovered The Cramps in 1982, courtesy of dear friend & inner-city raconteur Stephen Niblett. It was when I first heard the term “psychobilly”. The Cramps were a lot about attitude. They were a blessed relief in the 80’s from the serious young insect bands. The concert I saw them give at Selinas at the Coogee Bay Hotel in 1986 was extraordinary. It was the only time I’ve ever been caught in a crowd surge where I had absolutely no control over what was happening. I think Lux ended up in his jocks, climbing a speaker stack. There are some classics on this record, produced by the legendary Alex Chilton - I Was A Teenage Werewolf is great and all of the covers - Strychnine, Tear It Up, Fever & Sunglasses After Dark - are really terrific. Nobody sounded like them.

Weird but good

I have always liked The Cramps but probably not for the right reasons, Their artwork, weirdness and sense of humour...music comes fourth which is probably not the greatest compliment. But I enjoyed this album, Loved I Was a Teenage Werewolf and the cover of Fever both of which made my playlist and the rest of the album was a pretty solid listen through if just running a tad too long, a few less tracks could have made this a pretty stand out album...but 3.5 stars!

What's not to like? and psychobilly is such a good name for a genre.

Gave me period pains

Loved this, campy fun horror rock

CD

High energy, fun album. Good rock and roll music. A little roackabillty, a little punk, garage rock. Enjoyed this quite a bit.

Speciaal. Wel een goede plaat

Listened while working. Fun to have on in the background.

A rockin' party album. The Cramps best, I think, with classics like Garbage man, Strychnin and of course their classi rendition of Fever. My affection for this album is romanticized because I was lucky enough to see them and was mesmorized by Lux Interior as well as Poison Ivy. Top 5 shows I ever saw. 4 🌟

I mean, I've nothing to say against it.

One of those albums Iv never heard of, looked at the album cover and read the bio and was expecting to give this a 2. Couldn’t be more wrong such a fun garage rock/ punk album really enjoyed this. One I’ll list to again.

It's growing on me. I know this is an influence for a lot of music I do love.

What a wonderful piece of weirdness.

Pure trash in all the right ways.

Oh, these twisted, wonderful weirdos. Rockabilly always had a dark and dangerous side, but by the 1970s, it was fast headed into the territory of "oldies but goodies." Along come Lux/Ivy and the Cramps, who had a vision. They took the music of the 1950s (with a strong assist from 60s surf and garage rock) and flipped it over so you could see all the little nasties and creepy crawlies hiding underneath. The result was the genesis of psychobilly, punk meets rockabilly and pulp horror. It's dark, grinding, noisy, kitschy, trashy, hilarious. Above all, Songs The Lord Taught Us totally rocks. Great noisy guitars, pounding drums, high energy, attitude for miles. What a blast. Fave Songs: I Was a Teenage Werewolf, I'm Cramped, Mystery Plane, Sunglasses After Dark, TV Set, The Mad Daddy, Fever, Strychnine

Cool! Good balance of noise rock and prog rock, IMHO. Some cool songs with great beats and instrumentals

4/13/22

This album is what would happen if the fifties were resurrected as zombies and given instruments. This mix of rockabilly, surf, goth rock, and punk is really fascinating though it doesn’t particularly appeal to me personally. Fifties rock and punk don’t seem at first glance like they would compliment each other, but due to the simplistic chord structures, they are natural compliments.

Very 70s feel - Didn't think I'd like it but it grew on me. quirky.

A sign of things to come in Crampsville. Love this album!

A very similar sound to the Stray Cats, rooted in blues and bluegrass riffs and chord progressions, with the punk attitude and rhythms of the late 70s. A fun live experience I imagine for sure.

Fun early horror punk

Good, hard driving punk sound, with the rockabilly influence too.

3.5/5. This is very different from most things I've heard. It's kind of punky and also kind of garage rocky. It's alright, not really my taste tho. Objectively, I think it is a good album, subjectively, not so much.

If the Munsters were a punk rock band they would be the Cramps. The Cramps are the answer to the question you didn't know you wanted to ask: can a four-person band have two guitars, a singer, a drummer and no bass? Yes. Does this album belong on a list of albums you must hear? If you listen to this album and think for a moment you heard the newest Jack White vault release from when the White Stripes opened a Burger King, then you have your answer.

4/5

Such a great album that brings me back thirty five years to one of the best shows I ever saw. Lux Interior is one of the best front men that ever was...in the mold of Iggy Pop and the band rocks. Poison Ivy is a very u derrated guitarist. A fun album. With more than a touch of the macabre. 4 🌟

Listening to this album brought to mind the "Eerie" and "Creepy" magazines that my older brother used to read and my mother hated. The old-timey rock vibe makes sure the horror-themed lyrics are taken humorously. I'm not sure why this one doesn't come out more on Halloween. It's perfect for that. I won't listen to it much otherwise, but it was fun while it lasted!

old punk, a little rockabilly for me but not bad!

Fun early punk album. Very raw.

Punk-rockabilly-gótico.

I liked it proper punk/rock and roll

Oh this is so joyful.

Some rock-a-billy, some punk. It's listenable, in a good way. They get 4 stars because they are playing what they want to play rather than trying to conform to what punk "should" be.

The band that gave me the second largest amount of bruises live or on the dance floor. Only The Birthday Party gave me more.

I've been meaning to listen to the Cramps for a while after I was introduced to them by the No Dogs In Space podcast. I thought this was cool overall. They seem like a band that would be really fun live, though this album didn't particularly grab me at many points. It was consistently pretty good, but never really great 4/5, but on the low end of 4

I was hovering around 3 stars for this, but some additional listens have bumped it up to 4 stars. It's a lot of fun! B-52s meets the Addams family! Fave track - "What's Behind the Mask?", maybe? "Garbageman" and "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" are both great too....

Punk, pschobilly, really like it. Weird, fast, good

That's some good shit. That wonderful dirty dirty rock.

Very good album. I really liked the airy, hollow sound of the guitar.

Good album, recognized "fever" from the Hangover. Late '70s, early '80s rock

Cramps er jo et feiende flott band man (av en eller annen grunn) glemmer å høre på. Må innrømme at jeg har hørt mest på Off the Bone-albumet før, men dette albumet var jo også feiende flott i god Cramps-ånd. Sterk 4'er, på grensa til 5.

Fun, crazy, naughty. Not my personal preference, but cool to listen to. Nice version of fever.

Is it rock a billy? Is it punk? Is it blues? Kinda all three. Laughs and energy. Good fun

Dope

Kul och läbbigt

Punkabilliy from the CBGB era. Maybe gothabilly. Okay, not great, but needs to be heard.

вайб cramps чувствуется, но другие их альбомы и отдельные песни мне нравятся больше, тут максимум 3 готов проставить

Unexpectedly enjoyable Standout songs: Sunglasses after dark Whats behind the mask

If there's ever going to be a jackass-style montage of me getting terribly hurt doing something stupid, any song on this album could be the backing track to it. Just throw a dart at the playlist. And then visit me in the hospital and laugh at me.

Ens alkuun mietin, että onkohan liian larppia. Mutta kyl tää ihan hauskaa ilmettä tarjos omallekin pärställe. Pändi toki tuttu, mutta kuuntelu vähästä. Tän perusteella vois heikolla hetkellä kuunnella lisääkin, mutta ei kyl kuitenkaan mullista mittee.

Not the type of punk that I'm all that into, but will give it props for adding in rockabilly and surf. It's slightly verging on a post-punk sound I don't like, but it's punk enough to not bother me. The vocals are kinda throwing me off though, which is where that post-punk sound is coming from. Decent album though.

This is #day763 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I've heard the band's name before, but never paid them a visit, so this is another first-timer. There's something about rockabilly/psychobilly that sort of draws me in. The gothic element? Hello, Dead Neighbours, a former rockabilly band led by Craig Lawrenson of the Scottish post-punk/dream-pop band Lowlife, if you know what I mean. The fact that it grew out of '70s punk? I don't know, but it surely is an important facet of alternative rock music. I'm landing on a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day764.

Solid. Will return to some of these songs when the vibe is right.

Accidentally put the wrong songs on but I kinda enjoyed them but in a “if it was Halloween” way. Novelty music.

Judging by the cover art and logo, one might assume The Cramps were simply a second version of the Misfits (never mind that the Misfits actually released their debut album later). However, it’s not quite that simple. The band’s lyrics consist almost entirely of dark humor and tales about werewolves, zombies, and other B-movie horror staples — themes that immediately led the public to label them a punk band. In reality, though, there is very little punk rock here; the album sounds like a blend of rock 'n' roll and country — essentially pure rockabilly, albeit with a somewhat funereal vibe. In fact, The Cramps actually pioneered the psychobilly genre. So, the sound is far closer to Elvis than to the Ramones. You might feel the urge to turn the record off after the first few tracks, as they sound rather flat. But if you stick with it, you’ll soon be treated to a dose of wild — albeit somewhat dark — dance music that feels straight out of the 1950s.

Rockabilly made dangerous again by injecting the rebellious sensibilities of 70s punk. This makes me think of the Fallout TV series.

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.

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?)

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.

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

Fun punk vibes

Not too bad, I'll say 2.5 - round up. Fun album.

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.

Guitars are fun. Classic rock sound. To me, nothing super special stood out

idk I guess im not a fan

Favorite Track: I Was A Teenage Werewolf

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?

Kinda of a bridge between the Ramones and the b52s. Mostly works, but gets a little repetitive

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.

A weird album that sounds like the bastard child of punk and Elvis.

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

Thanks for the serving of noise punk, I'm full

Some cool some bad

A bit samey but OK. Sounds like something from a Tarantino soundtrack.

3 stars

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

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

“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.

Had a fun time, but not something I’m likely to revisit

Correcto

Now this is camp. Just wish they switched it up more.

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

Not bad, but not my taste

Some fun songs in here but not much substance

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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...

part of this were fun but don't really see myself going back to it, except maybe on halloween 3 stars

My rating 2.8. Ok hillbilly garage rock.

Great raw sound

Decent album.

I can hear the influence in their music. A whole album of this kind of music might get tiresome though

⭐⭐⭐ 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?

я не умею писать разнообразные отзывы, но что-то как-то опять скучно хотя ванну под это может и веселее мыть, чем под вчерашнее

yeah it's fine

Unfortunately although I was intrigued to see this pop up, it didn’t do much for me Playlist add: "Strychnine"

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Je m'attendais pas à du rock/punk mais c'était sympa sans plus quoi

Sympa mais ça ne m’a pas transcendé

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

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.

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).

It doesn't have human fly on it.

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

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

This is some gothy rockabilly. Quite awesome. In small doses.

Not really my thing, but I still recognize it as good music.

Yeah alright. I might dig into some more.

Good fun

3/17/26 - Listened at the computer. It sounded exactly like 80s punk rock. I liked some of it but some of it sounded like noise. As it is exactly what it said it was going to deliver, I rate it middle of the road. Top Song - Garbageman

not a bad time

I like some good rockabilly music and this disappoint. My biggest complaint here is that the songs were all pretty same-y and didn't quite grab me as an album as I hoped it would.

I get how people could find this really annoying, I’m annoyed with this at times, but there is something kinda fun about how over the top they are and how little they care about what you think about them. Weird weird album but I’m more into than I thought I would be.

Imagine hearing this in 1979. must’ve been like hot aliens landing in your backyard. absolutely terrifying.

There was something in that Great Lakes water in the 60s and 70s. Northeast Ohio was full of weirdos and freaks. I should probably like this much more than I do. Spooky surf guitar garage rock with freaky lyrics.

Не ужасно, но мне не понравилось. Fever звучит интересно. В целом, панк-рок и психобилли - это не мое. Вычитал, что у них не было бас гитариста. Интересно, я даже не сразу заметил. 3/5 за инженерию.

Really surprised me. Could definitely see myself bumping this up. Good stuff.

Broadly enjoyable as a tone if a little one-note

sounds fantastic. love the energy.

Great early 80s punk

I'm not really sure what to say about this. I didn't mu d it, but definitely have to be in a certain mood to listen to it. I don't like it enough to ien it, do it's a 3 from me

Spooky sexy fun

Fun time but wont revisit after this.

It’s fun and I love the dancability but can be a little repetitive. I thought I would like this more, but it’s not at all bad. It sounds like it would be really fun live

I kinda like the weird vibe they have, but also it was kinda just obnoxious sometimes

Zombie music by Alex Chilton

Dance beach rock for prom of Ghouls, zombies, rapscallions, and rascals... a Monster Mash, perhaps

half Elvis parody, half horror-movie ghoul. Fun and unique. Made sense when “fever” came in because it fits the vibe

Solid record. I'd bet Jack White has listened to this. Sounds like unhinged punk band in the 50's.

Nice garage rock that provides the link between Link Wray, the Shadows, and the Ventures with later acts like the Gories and Billy Childish. Also nice to see what Alex Chilton’s been up to since Big Star.

Didn’t listen to the whole thing but kinda just sound like a worse B-52’s

This album has enormous wasted potential thanks to its poor production. But it does have some good songs. 3 stars.

Sonaaaaaaaaa! Hahaha

Intense singing

Very ooky spooky vampire vibes- the way he sings reminds me of Frank-n-Furter

Definitely influenced Jack White

An interesting listen for sure. There were moments where I found myself nodding along to the groovy beats, but other times it felt a bit like trying to dance in a blender set to frizz. Some of those tracks really captured that lively bop feel. But overall, this album was kind of all over the place. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Garbageman - I Was A Teenage Werewolf - Fever

It is what it is and it’s not bad but I’ve never been able to get excited by them.

This is like an anachronistic vision of what '50s music would be like if they'd had punk rock back then, along with hammer-horror-esque lyrics. This music is intentionally abrasive so I can see why it's not popular, but I respect how eccentric this is.

Fun. But still only a 3.

Mix of punk and surf rock. Surprisingly didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. It's a better idea on paper than on execution.

Good

хз

I thought I'd dislike it. I wanted to dislike it. I didn't love it, but I also didn't dislike it.

A nice listen but nothing too memorable.

The cramps definitely got the memo that rock and roll is meant to be primal and visceral. This album rattles, roars and lurches wildly. I imagine live it’s transcendental. Sat in a mediocre hotel room though it feels a bit one note

Very fun album, like the soundtrack to a cool halloween party I never went to

Not really my thing but enjoyable.

duel me in ahh album

Fun