Sunshine Hit Me

Hey buddy, you could have just releases "200 albums you must hear before you die" if you knew you were incapable of finding more essential albums than that.

I expected nothing. I got a sun-drenched palette of lazy days lounging by a pool with a margarita and a good book. Refreshing. Possibly not life-changing but the best vacations usually aren’t.

Sweet little record, too gentle for this world, baffling to see on this list though.

Have you ever seen those shows where Gordon Ramsay or Jamie Oliver or whoever go to some distant country and try all the food, then cook their own version and claim it's better - basically because it was done by brits? This album is the musical version - a bunch of technically proficient facsimiles of styles and genres that these chumps presumably love, but can't stop themselves from trying to "improve". They presumably hope this makes them seem cultured and worldly, but to me it just reeks of entitlement and privilege. Not the worst album, but one of the most irritating. Car adverts have a lot to answer for - why didn't they use the original Brazilian song? (read the wiki!) These lot would have been better setting up a label or becoming radio presenters, if they actually wanted to promote and celebrate the music they are instead ripping off. Good luck to them i guess, but very much not for me.

Remember The Bees? No, of course you don’t. They were a flash in the pan and unless you were reading Mojo or Uncut in 2002, you’d have no fucking clue who they are. It’s cool they covered Os Mutantes, that’s about it.

Album art suggests hipster garbage. It has fuck all plays on Spotify; unless it was only added yesterday, there's no way it's important or influential in any way whatsoever. It has to be from the UK - nothing so unknown would ever make this list from any other country - but a wrestler on the cover? That's not so British. Maybe that's the gag and it's just the ultimate UK hipster statement? Yep, UK and wussy annoying hipster pop. I could FEEL the cynicism coming through the speakers. It felt like it wanted to be clever, but it was just painful. I outright hated it. Music hard to describe, like an art school kid with no talent trying to do things like reggae and jazz? Singing was horrendous. Absolutely no reason for this to exist. 1/5.

Every good band begins with a B. The Beatles. The Beach Boys. The beastie boys. The Bees also begins with a B but don’t let that fool you

Fantastic songwriting and arranging. Would’ve given an extra star if the album had the production quality and musicianship it deserved.

Thank you 1001 for introducing me to do many new albums. Except for all the crap ones like the one after this.... Music is meant to be fun. To press a musical pleasure button. Bring about a wanted emotion or distract from an unwanted one. This one is a very, very out there version that. This is at the DEADPOOL end of the spectrum. Soothing quirky irony is track one. I gird myself for the 2nd. Oooh, funky. I like the kettle. Oh shit I might be hooked on a new album. And wildly new genre that feels created all for me. I'm in a good mood with this. Immediately added this to my "grooving mornings" playlist.

I like it. It’s a little weird, a little silly, and an eclectic mishmash of styles. I also like the album cover. It made me want to listen to more of their music—which is a compliment to the album as it is. I’ve started listening to their second album and I think it’s clearly superior—I’m finding that the 1001 Albums seem to overvalue debuts. I must also admit that I’m surprised that this album made the cut and I’d be curious to know the reasoning. In any case, this is a solid album that was fun and surprising and left me wanting more. That earns a solid 4 stars.

Chill vibe. Enjoyable, though actually disliked the Minha Menina one that was so popular

Short and sweet, interesting arrangements. Got a little tired of it towards the end, but happy I listened to this cause I ain't heard of em before. Light 3.5 Fav track: sunshine

Smooooooooooooooooth… garden shed energy.

This is absolutely my favorite McCartney album of the 21st century.

After 20+ albums into this journey this is the first album and artist that is completely new to me. Eclectic, easy listening, and fun. It's a list of 1,001 albums to listen to, not 1,001 groundbreaking, genre-defining, launched-a-thousand-band albums. Thanks for the introduction. I needed something new and enjoyable today.

Our second noughties latte-lounge album of the week, a reggae-fan’s one this time, playing in the corner, staring at its feet; go get me an espresso, and grab yourself a 2 while you're at it! I imagine this is the LP that the “pretty annoying” guy in Limmy’s sketch would have on vinyl. This record has some sharp glints, Sunshine followed by A Minha Menina making my ears wiggle before the dozy vibes returned and did their somnolent magic. The instrument sounds are frequently divine. Yet most of it doesn’t so much waste my time as evade it.

completely unassuming and instantly forgettable.

Very chill but also lacked some identity. Some reggae influences in "No Trohpy". "Punchbag" felt like some 2010s hipster music a la Vampire Weekend. It is a bit all over the place which makes it hard to judge. Mostly it was just very chill. The more rock-oriented "A Minha Menina" is actually quite catchy and the only song that really stood out to me. As an album to have on in the background on a chill day I think it works quite well. I have hard time giving it more praise than that. Weak 3.

They didn't invent the wheel with this one, but it was pretty nice to listen to

Entirely underwhelming. No envelopes pushed, no emotions triggered, absolutely zero excitement, other than the oddly terrifying cover art. One exception was "Lying in the Snow" which was decent.

Drifted past aimlessly, the only moment of note being a half-arsed version of A Minha Menina. Hopefully "Os Mutantes" appears later on; The Bees certainly do not deserve distinction being on here instead. 1* for wasting my time

I listened to this album in a grey November but I can't wait to listen on a sunny June!

Great album and new find for me thx !

Very chill album. Nice to listen to while doing something else. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

Honestly, I’m at a 5. You look at the top reviews for this thing on the site, and there’s a whole lot of disdain vitriol for what essentially boils down to… lo-fi music. This is just modern lo-fi music, but from 2002, recorded by 2 guys in a little shed for a recording studio, in a quaint garden, somewhere on the Isle of Wight. Treating this thing like self-pretentious indie pop when it’s literally just 2 dudes making songs in a shed is wild to me. You can hear the makeshift nature of this album through most of its tracks, and it’s kind of a miracle it comes out as cleanly & as well-produced as it does. The vocals are solid, but really hypnotizing whenever they hit a harmony. The lyricism is super abstract, presumably related to little slices of life on the album. The production / instrumental work is where this thing shines. It really is about as chill as it could possibly be, with the piano & guitar providing sort of a summer-y vibe to it throughout, with clear influences from 1960s psychedelic rock, a little bit of reggae, and mild hints of trip-hop & electronica. You know, lo-fi music. This is a very mellow album, and while it doesn’t necessarily do anything that special, it just creates a sort of vibe that feels really nice to sit in. It might be the slight dichotomy of getting such a boldly produced cinematic album yesterday written by a cavalcade of artists, followed by possibly the most casual album on the list so far, coming from 2 dudes in a shed, striking my ears in just the right way, but I happened to really enjoy this. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the low scores & the claims that this doesn’t really deserve a place on the list over some other, well-deserving albums – believe me, I’d probably trade this for “Demon Days”, “Yourself Or Someone Like You”, “Ten Summoner’s Tales” or a number of other albums in a heartbeat, but I’m not necessarily mad that it’s here. If anything, I’m glad it is, because I never would’ve stumbled upon it otherwise. It is one of the most relaxing albums we’ve hit upon on the list, and it just caught me on a good day for it. The floor is definitely a 3, but I just think it’s my type of vibe, hence a 5. To be clear, not all 5s are created equal; it’s not like this is as good as Van Halen’s “1984” or anything. It’s just a vote of confidence, really.

Phenomenal album. The UK has a way of promoting these unique bands that end up on the radio or with a Mercury prize.

Chill. Nick says 10/10 will form my own opinion a day late lol

Gotta love that happy sound

Such a great album, gives me warm fuzzies....

Great

ja top, zou t zelf ook wel willen spelen

Didn't know the album besides their most famous song. Quite a surprise

I wish I had discovered this album back in the early 2000s, because I would have absolutely loved it, since this was exactly the kind of style I was seeking out at the time. It’s a really well-balanced mix of indie pop and neo-psychedelia, with clear influences from the Beatles and the Beach Boys, and even a cover of Os Mutantes. There were also moments that reminded me a lot of Moon Safari by Air, or the kind of sounds being released by Ninja Tune Records around that era. It’s laid-back, breezy, and definitely a gem I’m glad to have finally come across.

Genre bending and eclectic while also being tuneful and approachable. This is the reason you do this list, for when you find an album you’ve never heard of that blows you away

Love this one and I’m gonna save it. Good sounds all around and I think Collin would like it too! Would listen again

This album is so great. My only exposure to The Bees before this was Chicken Payback so this was an absolute treat. Also wen A Minha Menina is such a great track I can see why it's been used in advertising. I'll definitely be digging in.

A personal favorite - loved it at the time and love it still. Saw The Bees at a tiny music festival not too long after this came out and it was a perfectly halcyon moment. This is just lovely summery vibes in album form. Pretty gutting to see all the negative reviews - a real "look how they massacred my boy" moment. I guess it's understandable, and entirely Dimery's fault for giving his list such a ridiculous title but not really making any attempt to live up to it. "The top 1001 albums of a British Boomer" probably wouldn't sell as well, heh. Fave tracks - "Punchbag", "No Trophy", "A Minha Menina", "Zia"

New to me, and...excellent. I guess this is easy listening? Works!

This website every now and again gives some absolute gems and this is for sure one of them. Not sure how to word it, or put it into a genre. I just know I like it, and that imma listen to it again

Amazingly colourful, a tour through different genres. No satire like Ween. All glorious songs that never were topped by anything afterwards

I was about to shit on this because “yet another UK album that is by no means influential,” but I actually really enjoyed this. Good vibes all around. The back half is stuff I love working to, and I mean that in a good way. I enjoyed all the different genres blending in. Highlights: punchbag, a minha menina, sunshine, Zia

“oh this is just gonna be one of those albums that i’ll listen to once and never think about again” *listens to it* “what the fuck

sunshine hit me as well

What a unique genre bending experience. Starts out funk, melts into reggae, slows down to mellow indie all while keeping a thematic sound that is complete throughout. Feel like this one will need a couple relistens to fully appreciate it. 9/10

Very chill album

5/5 Low-key, chill, funky tunes, with surreal, simple vocals. I love it. The whole experience is fantastic, creating a unique sound of pop whilst retaining a sense of weirdness about it almost like a slower, more laid-back SMiLE. Angryman in particular is a special kind of song that is full of soul, and Sweet Like a Champion is such a sinisterly beautiful track. The A Minha Menina cover deserves a shoutout too for its great take on a classic, and a timeless feel. Punchbag 4.5/5 (LEAST FAV) Angryman 5/5 (FAV) No Trophy 5/5 Binnel Bay 5/5 Sunshine 5/5 A Minha Menina 5/5 This Town 5/5 Sweet Like a Champion 5/5 Lying in the Snow 5/5 Zia 5/5 Sky Holds the Sun 5/5

A sweet sweet combination of lofi indie, modern psych rock, and classic funk.

Never heard of this band but I loved this style, awesome debut and feels ahead of it's time for 2002.

Good!

Dreamy, soft, and fun. "Hard to be in a bad mood if this is on" type of shit.

I couldn't decide if I liked this album as a four or a five, but the fact that I have listened to it three times already, I think means that I have to give it a five. I love the unique Lofi sound. Angry man was probably my favorite track.

Very nice. Pleasantly relaxing.

super band, would have like more records from them as i proper rinsed this one in the early zeroes

whopper

трек zia - это нечто посланное ангелами с неба или что-то пришедшее к нам из космома весь альбома звучит как что-то настолько легкое, воздушное и хрупкое что ты хочешь зафиксироваться там надолго и уйти от бренности мира алкоальбом: детское шампанское

mint

Rounding up for nostalgia, I still love this

These guys are great and I don't just say that because I keep bees.

nice rustig!

hasta el momento uno de los mejores discos que he escuchado, con una variedad de ritmos que transportan en viajes en el tiempo.

Sehr geiles souliges Album. Klingt sehr gut im 3. Zimmer.

what a wonderful album, endlessly original and full of diversity I loved this so much, I gave it a relisten two more times after it ended- 10/10

Fun, funky, smooth, pretty, jut a great time

Mellow. Lo-fi. Spans many decades.

Great album. Chill consistent indie rock. Interesting and enjoyable.

Chill ass album. This reminded me of Tyler, the Creator’s Flower Boy to Call Me If You Get Lost run, laid back and summery, big focus on production over vocals.

Good

Fun, sunny and chill indie pop from 2002. I caught on to the accents quite quick but didn't initially expect this to be a British band - It has a very west-coast US feel to it in my opinion. Certainly doesn't suit the shitty weather the UK has once again blessed us with on this cold November morning but I needed something like this to raise my spirits. I loved this album a lot, it may not be the most exciting but I just appreciated getting to vibe with it. Another great introduction to something right up my alley! Also I went and listened to the original Os Mutantes version of A Minha Menina after this. I can't decide which one I prefer more, but The Bees certainly did it justice in their cover. Either way, Jorge Ben wrote it so of course it was good. Favourite: A Minha Menina

Really enjoyed this listening experience. A good flow to the album, with instrumental tracks between the main tracks.

This FUCKED

Not my type of music going into it but man was I pleasantly surprised. A minha menina is great, I had to listen to that one twice, it was so good. The album is really great. I'm probably going to have to get more restrictive with the 5 star ratings pretty soon. It's been like 3 in a row. Well, anyway. Albums dope, will definitely put it on again as background while studying or working.

Super eclectic and a super enjoyable listen

I like this album, interesting sounds. The beginning is strong, in the middle I was lost a bit. I felt like there were tracks mixing styles, ideas. The end smoothened out again and brought the same vibes as the first tracks of the album. Maybe its intentional, maybe its not, idk. But the 1to penultimate track is my fav.

Awesome lo fi indy rock. Very cool.

listening when: all day basically thoughts: i knew from song one i would love this. ironically, the first song ended up being my fave. i wish i had listened to them in their prime ugh. will be adding them to my life rating: 8/10

I liked :) 4

Fine

"UK and wussy annoying hipster pop. I could FEEL the cynicism coming through the speakers. It felt like it wanted to be clever, but it was just painful. I outright hated it." I don't like to respond to other reviews. I feel like it's a waste of time, since it's always one-sided, and I doubt anyone comes here to read responses anyway. But taking a glance down through these reviews after having read this album myself ... come on now, people. What are **actually** getting mad at here? Believe me, I understand knocking this book for its love of British albums (all Big Important Critics™ **love** the UK), and I understand getting on its case for including yet another boring indie album. But I feel like getting mad at this album of all albums would be a waste of energy. It doesn't deserve it — 'coz it's really not bad at all. Like, I mean, come on: this is just lo-fi music. It's the sound of relaxing on a late summer evening, curled up with a good book in the last viable natural reading light. You wanna tell me that this is **cynical**? It's a delight! I mean, sure, maybe if you look too hard at the lyrics you can spot some of that "wannabe cleverness" — but I didn't. In fact, I **did** actually curl up with a book as I was reading this. And I had myself a darn fine time. Even with my mind largely taken up by my book, I could pick up on all of this album's influences: reggae, 60's psychedelia, trip hop ... believe me, under the right circumstances I could see myself being **mighty annoyed** by this album. But I wasn't; it really is a nice blend of influences in a lo-fi setting. As long as you don't ask too much from this album (and as long as you're not immediately predisposed to hating all British music thanks to this book), you'll find a nice little vibe to settle into. Seriously, read a book while it's on, like I did; you might find yourself really appreciating it. And that's really all I have to say about it. For sure, it's absolutely not one of **the** albums you have to listen to before you die. If we're reviewing albums on that front, I can absolutely understand rating this a 1. But I wanna think (or hope) we're all talking about the music strictly. And while I know, it takes diff'rent strokes to move the world and all such, I just really cannot agree with this thing being a 1. It's a 3, at bare minimum. Honestly, this thing makes me wish it really **was** summer when my group got this, instead of mid-November. I can only imagine how it'd sound on an actual summer evening. But even with the temperature growing colder and snow on the way (I hope), it brought me some sunshine. I can't be mad at it for that. And I don't think you should either.

Hice sounds, cute moods

This seems like a really solid release. It was kind of complicated music and I think I would need more listens to really love it, but I think that's a possibility.

Really enjoyed discovering this band by listening to this album. Chill music that hits and fits a lot of musical tastes. Listened to this twice and more of their catalog.

This album has really nice vibes and I could totally see myself listening to it again and keeping it in my back pocket for the right situation. Nice consistent sound with still a nice amount of variation throughout the album. It feels like a high three to me, but I'll give it a four because I've given some far worse albums threes recently.

Nothing really jumping out at me. Liked Lying In the Snow.

8/10

Nice vibe

Fun! I knew A Minha Menina and expected Gomez-esque dusty grooves, but Punchbag was a beautiful opener, and there were several nice, dubby vibes. It maybe lacked a couple more memorable tunes, but definitely a strong 4.

Really good album

A lot of different genre.

fun little album

15.10.25 klo 10.48, hima, varvas, spotify hyvä on! letkiää. lopulta kaikki käy hyvin

This was a big surprise. It's such a warm album and within it's warmth it's actually a versatile effort. I never knew which song would come next. This is an album I will definitely return back too. It felt quite unique for a rock album released in 2002.

This was Sweet Like a Champion.

I’ve always loved The Bees—they have such a distinctive sound—so I was really looking forward to giving Sunshine Hit Me another listen today. As their debut album, it’s a real burst of joy. The music instantly brings to mind summer and festivals, with a style that feels both nostalgic and fresh. What makes it stand out is how eclectic it is: a mix of psychedelia, Jamaican dub, reggae, indie, 1960s rock, and even a touch of modern Mod. It’s playful, inventive, and brilliantly put together. I’ve seen The Bees live many times, and this album captures the spirit that makes them so good. That said, I’d actually recommend exploring their next two albums—Free the Bees and Octopus—which, in my opinion, take things up another notch. Favourite track: Still undecided—there are plenty of highlights. Least favourite track: None that I’d skip, though the more instrumental tracks like Zia can drag a little. Album artwork: A cool, very 60s-inspired cover with definite Yellow Submarine vibes.

3.8

Quite good

I don’t know what I expected, but this wasn’t it. I really like the music. The vocals remind me of 60s vocal group harmonies. Which are great, but there needs to be a single voice to stand out too. This album is weird but good. It’s almost at times like listening to pop start trek album. The sounds feel very 60s sci-fi. This album feels less like listening to an album and more like listening to a great radio station. The fuzz guitar on “A minha menina” is great. This song just radiates fun. While still having the singers sound depressed. 😂.

Oddly enough, stylistically felt like a blend between Radiohead & Procul Harum…? Some of the beginning/intro wasn’t doing it for me, but then the compositional stand-outs came—Sunshine, A Minha Menina, Sweet Like a Champion, Zia—& that really grabbed me.

I really liked this album and group. This is great chill music. Reminded me of my time in the PNW.

Thanks for introducing me to The Bees. Really enjoyed the vibe of this album.

I might forget about it, but I enjoyed it while it was there.