Sunshine Hit Me

Ok if rather bland may listen again but nothing essential

It’s not bad but just sounds like typical brewery music.

Just fine

P liked this a lot more than K. Music was decent for him. K hated it on every level.

It was fine, there were points where I was like “this, I like this” but it was so unfocused that execution became an issue and some songs just didn’t work or, worse, inspire. As with quite a few albums in the list - I struggle with why I would listen to this again.

It's better than I thought it would be, but not something wild

I enjoyed this listen, it had some cool concepts worked in and made for a decent listen. It didn’t necessarily grab me in any significant way but was good for a background sort of album. I did really enjoy A Minha Menina quite a bit, it had some fun flair to it. I did find that their blend of psychedelic indie rock and jazz components worked well and I liked this but don’t think I’ll return to it. 3 stars

wack

Perfectly pleasant album with some nice tunes but a bit underwhelming. Worth a listen though. Doesn’t quite get a 4.

Sunny and cute Indie Pop. I'm not sure how big and/or acclaimed it was back in 2002, but by the end of the decade no one ever mentioned this album or band. Given they're British, my guess is that they were the NME flavor of the week at some point. I do like it, though. It has thay lazy summer afternoon atmosphere that I adore, although other albums do it better, like the Beach House one I got a few weeks back. Terrible Portuguese accent on "A Minha Menina". Key tracks: Punchbag

This is fine but doesn't do much to me past Punchbag. Low 3

definitely an album.

Super tranquil, like it a lot. A minha menina is excellent

Love their cover of “A Minha Menina” so it was nice to hear the rest of the vibey album.

After listening to this album twice, I still don’t know which genre it is, because every single song sounds different from the next. Some might say it’s a good thing, I say it’s confusing. At least when most of the songs are’nt any good. The end of the album is much better than the beginning, but then it is too little too late. The Os Mutantes cover is ok, at least

Enjoyed it, but has no place in this list. Can imagine discovering it at the time and considering it a hidden gem. Hearing it now amongst these classics, it’s forgettable

This album is pretty original. At some points, it's really good, but, at others, it's not that nice. Although, I've liked it more than I've disliked listening to it. And I'm glad to say so as, at the beginning, I didn't think I would like it. There is some experimentation in here, but with an indie sound I've not gotten to love. But there is some jazz in here, and some really nice musical influences. And, once you get immersed in this project, it is in some way a very warm and nice one. So, I've not loved this, but it is surely something I've liked and enjoyed listening to.

It slowly dragged and it randomly picked up in the middle with A Minha Menina. I would've preferred more songs like that to be honest.

A very mellow, enjoyable album.

I didn't really enjoy it. Not bad, just not for me.

Kerrassaan hieno albumi! Upeaa soittoa ja upea tunnelma. Juuri niitä asioita joita musassa arvostan. Täydellinen levy leppoisaan tunnelmaan. Illanviettolevy. 5/5

This was a strange one.

Great album. Listened to it twice through. Very unique and eclectic. Some nice McCartneyesque vocals and a really nice vibe overall. Even enjoyed the instrumentals!

chill, ambient,

Meh

Music for hipsters that weren't that hip.

Its been a couple weeks and I don't really remember what happened here. Speaks to something I guess.

lobbymuziek

this album was meant to be listened to on a lazy, sunny august day by the garden shed. instead i listened to this at the office on a cold, rainy day in march that still feels like winter. this is not the album‘s fault, but mine neither.

Mellow summer tunes.

I was worried bc i didnt really enjoy the first dong but i was very pleasantly surprised! Crazy things happening with a keyboard here! It really does scrstch that alternative itch for me. it doesnt quite sound lkke a lot of things ive listened to before. I really liked Angryman, No Trophy, Binnel Bay-- I think this is actually going on my study list immediately. Oh apparently they have an album called Octopus. I may need to listen to that. For Science.

An original debut from a man on the scene with a blend of psychedelics.

Kind of odd indi electronic rock. Didn't do much for me, wasn't sure why it was on the list

Solid album. Pretty fun as well

Meh

Perfectly fine but missable indie rock album

Punchbag - 7/10. I like it. Angryman - 6/10. Pretty cool. No Trophy - 7/10. Nice. Binnel Bay - 6/10. Fun. Sunshine - 6/10. Solid. A Minha Menina - 7/10. Lots of fun. This Town - 6/10. Fun. Sweet Like a Champion - 6/10. Weird, but not bad. Lying in the Snow - 6/10. Nice. Zia - 7/10. Very nice. Sky Holds the Sun - 6/10. Good. Overall Rating - 3.18/5 (6.36/10). Fun, but musical chewing gum.

The only song I even remotely enjoyed was Minha Menina. The rest was just pointless.

I started this album and wasn’t watching the lyrics. I swore the opening line to Punch Bag was “Youuuuuuu look like a f**k bagggg!” I had to start the song over to verify the words and was quite disappointed when it wasn’t. I’m thinking the vision for this album was to play slow, soothing music that is appealing to the ears, while softly disrupting the game with slightly jarring lyrics. If so, it worked. Not one of my favorite albums for sure but I’ll give the credit for the approach.

You’re the plus one at her cousin’s wedding, in one of those woodsy New England towns that only Noah Kahan knows about. At the reception, the band was instructed to play only originals because the couple want to ‘support local artists’. While the idea was thoughtful, you’re now suffering through the third hour of ‘creative’ offerings from “The Bees”, who have been very faithful to the happy couples’ request for authenticity (although I’m pretty sure a stripped down version of 311’s Come Original was thrown in there at some point). It sounds like there’s not much left in them, but the Shelburne Lounge and Ballroom at the Ramada Inn North only rents in 4 hour blocks, so this party’s gonna keep rolling. Now, if you put your iPhone on the table, cue up a voice recording and let it run, the result would be this album.

A new level of dull.

Made me laugh out loud but not sure it held my interest long enough to make me remember to check them out again.

Today's album was an unexpected--and very welcome--surprise. I feel like I own a number of albums with a similar vibe, from G. Love's "Philadelphonic" to Action Figure Party's eponymous album to various early Beck productions, but the Isle of Wight's Bees have definitely carved out their own fun little corner (and apparently managed to get a lot of fellow Island musicians to play on stage with them). I enjoyed all of the tracks on this impressively solid album (probably a bit more the first half than the slower second half), and it was fun reading that their cover of Jorge Bem's "A minha menina" helped get them attention when it appeared in a Citroen ad (a bit weird that the "1001 Albums" entry seems to think that they were covering Os Mutante's cover of "A minha menina"). Also very cool to read that they made such a strong impression that they become the backing band for Gorillaz. Also quite a call out to the Isle of Wight: first The Bees, then Wet Leg, and I'm sure many others in between, all quite impressive.

pretty-sounding and it was fun to get a cover of an Os Mutantes track just days after I first listened to Os Mutantes, from this project. They're a little too drifty and dreamy for me, or at least this album is, but I like their lyrics and style.

Utterly forgettable.

This is my kind of album. I actually am very familiar with the two Bees albums following this one, Free the Bees and Octopus, but somehow never knew about this one (the joys of the pre-streaming era). This album feels a little more experimental, a little more ambient in places, but with the same jazzy-funk-reggae-indie core sounds at its heart. This album is definitely coming back out on a lazy summer day, it's made for stoned daydreaming, colorful imagery, and open spaces. 4.5/5 from me.

I didn't expect anything great here, but this album IS really great. A mellow, psychedelic album with many influences that has some great atmosphere, especially on the later tracks. Only the "A Minha Menina" track seems to be unnecessary, but I take it as a nod to the similarly eclectic tropical genre.

Another great recommendation on the list. Really interesting stuff here, lovely, warm production. It gets a thumbs up from me. For some reason I get faint echos of Doves in there too. Favourite tracks: Punchbag, Angryman, Sunshine, This Town, Sweet Like a Champion, Lying in the Snow

It's cute. It's chill. idk. The cover was the best one.

Lo fi shite.

- Interesting blend of jazz fusion, a bit of reggae, and some afro jazz

The classic, fine enough while its on but not that crazy about it. Its for sure not my main lane type music which is fine. Its just not all that memorable for me. I did like a minha menina. For sure my favorite song and worth a save but I wouldn't say its my favorite thing in the world. Just off the record. Good enough time but ive heard better as well as much worse

I've never heard of these guys. I was inclined to give up after the second song, but persevered. In the end, I thought this album was pretty enjoyable, if not really my kind of jam. I probably won't listen to it again, but I'm glad I did this once.

How did we make it to the 2010s without a band of note being called The Bees? I liked the combo of jazz, reggae, psych/garage.

It's a bit above 2. I quite liked A Minha Menina. On the other hand, I skipped multiple songs after 10 seconds to a minute. Kept thinking, why is this here and what great album is it displacing?

3/5 - At times I forgot this was playing, but I was never annoyed. No idea The Bees existed before. I mostly got along with their relaxing vibe.

Très très sympa

This is pretty sweet. I only knew The Bees as the Chicken Payback guys so this was a nice surprise, perfect for a sunny day. Some bits reminded me of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. And an Os Mutantes cover! Been getting into their stuff recently.

i loved this? it felt short and i kinda need to relisten

Refreshing little surprise, this one. Beautifully written and performed. Interesting and a pleasant listen throughout.

Pleasant but didn't blow me away

New to me and interesting sound. I liked it but it never really got going for me. Liked Sunshine. Would listen again

Not essential listening but breezy enough for a sunny morning

I hadn’t listened to this in a while, and it was more disappointing than I recalled, all a bit sub Beta Band/Gomez, “A Minha Menina” remains a great tune though. Solid two stars.

Hadn't heard of this album or group before. Thoroughly enjoyable listen - maybe deserving of a 5 after a few re-listens

light cheerful and utterly boring

Writing process for every song: start with lo-fi beats, add Hammond organ, send it. This album fucking blows.

Nice vibes. Easy listening.

Pleasant surprise, this album feels like summer. It's warm and has a very laid back and nice groove with a lot of different influences. It got a little bland at times, the strongest half is definitely the first. Best song: Punchbag Worst song: Binney Bay Cover check: He looks like a happy wrestler ready to wrassle in the sun

Bedre end forventet. Meget tilbagelænet.

3,1/5

2.5

Bit of a strange one again. Not a bad album, but doesn't really go anywhere. Didn't mind up, just nothing that stands out.

3/5

Didn't hate it but didn't love it either.

Retro reggae soul indie vibe. Summery sweet not sacchrin. Will listen again.

See honestly I just find this so dull. Good elevator music I guess. Fuck knows why it's an album I should listen to before I die. Dont necessarily dislike it as much as some other albums but I truly find it just...meh

Music ok...,lyrics and vocals not so much

Boppy and fun. A throwback to early Brit Pop.

Perfectly pleasant but didn’t stay with me.

неплохо, определенно вернусь еще послушать

Inoffensive but also unmemorable. The music itself was fine, but left little to no impression on me.

Es ist Grooving Time,

I enjoyed that. It reminded me of architecture in Helsinki.

Siento que esto es de lo más indie que podés encontrar urgando en la música indie, casi como la banda sonora de una película clase B (lo digo en forma positiva). Respecto al contenido, encuentro canciones muy interesantes y otras tantas olvidables.

This one kind of felt all over the place. It wasn't bad per se, but everytime it felt good enough to warrant listening again it would just get kind of blah after.

This is fun! Not sure everyone needs to listen to it, maybe just Jared Hess and a few other indie film directors.

2.5

Listened Before? N Man, this is super lame. This list has WAY too many British one-hit-wonders on it. Nobody needs to hear this before they die. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Punchbag

I’d never heard of this album or band and really enjoyed it. Thanks for introducing me to it.

A bit shoegazey, a lot lo-fi and just the right amount of indie. This album was great! I can see why it's not everyone's cup of tea, and I don't know that it's really worthy of a "must hear before you die" designation... but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

5.5/10

2/26/26. Definitely has that 2000s indie vibe, but on the chill side. Lot of cool tunes to kick back to, while playing with various genres throughout. The first track is my favorite.

Be right back, adding this to my summertime play list

Yeah no thanks.

very calming in the beginning, somehow sounds exactly like the cover looks, very past summer, movie soundtrack

Listening session: february 24th, while sitting in the train Listened to before: no Thoughts: expected a bit of hipster 00s music and I was correct, but I was pleasantly surprised by the intro of the first track and the piano stuff. I could see myself listening to it on a sunny day Favourite tracks: Punchbag, Zia & Sky Holds the Sun

No clue about this artist, haven't read the wiki yet but I kinda dig the album, it's a good weird. I love lo-fi vibes when I'm sketching or at work. I'm going to have to check out their other stuff.

It's pretty pleasant. It was a nice thing to play on a day where Spring was finally threatening to arrive and there was a bit of sunshine in the sky. I like the cover.

This is not influential... or good...

fun, pleasant, melodious. had never heard of them before.

juz wiem skad sunshine w tytule i czemu uderzenie

nice and chill fav song: A Minha Menina

It’s fitting that most of the Wikipedia page for this band and album are taken up by adverts that it’s featured in, since this is that kind of generic, inoffensive music. It’s pretty symptomatic of the dire state of British indie music in the first years of the 2000s that this is apparently one of the best in those years. I assume they added elements of reggae and doo-wop to try and escape from Britpop, but the end result is a bland mush that is far worse.

Another baffling inclusion on this list, being neither influential, innovative, interesting nor even particularly good. It’s perfectly fine lo-fi chill indie pop music as you might hear playing at any overpriced coffee shop or whilst on hold to a utility company. This makes sense as it’s serviceable as background/elevator music, but that’s all. It gets 2 stars because it wasn’t actually offensive to my ears, but Jesus was it boring. I listened to it twice today to write this review, and even so I still can’t remember a single moment from it. The cover really annoys me as well.

Favorite track(s): Sunshine, A Minha Menina Of the best tracks, one required an extra songwriter on top of the other two. The other is a cover. I think that says a lot.

Fine but forgettable (I feel like I’m using that phrase a lot lately). The Spanish song is cool. The rest has some sweet melodies but I can in no way see how this would be considered essential.

I liked this! Like a slightly more upbeat Eels. The repetitive lyrics sometimes got a bit old though.

A perfectly pleasant but, ultimately, forgettable album. I'm not sure why it's on the list.

Had some good tracks but too many snoozers. If you made it an 8-9 track album that clocked in around 30-35 minutes, it could be solid. Enjoyed the last 2 songs to close it out

It didn't offend me

So another band I’ve never previously known about, but there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s a kind of hypnotic vibe over the first couple of songs, namely Angryman. I hear some indie vibes in the guitar parts but some trippy/psychedelic elements almost. “A Minha Menina” is such a weird song but I kinda love it. That chromatic sounding guitar riff is so contrasting to how the rest of the song sounds, but man it’s catchy I’ll give them that. So I’ve just seen this is a cover but still, I enjoyed it though I don’t know the original. There’s some nice songwriting here, I will say at times it’s maybe not engaging enough. Some songs I do find a bit boring and feel left wanting a bit more. But they know how to create an atmosphere when they want to and the back end of the album shows this. Overall I’m mixed – it’s sort of unique enough in it’s own way, I just feel they could maybe deviate more and offer a bit more.

Great!

Pleasant, but maybe best as background music.

Highlights: Sunshine

Honestly kind of like this a little bit parts of it reminded me of mcCartney from 71 through 73 and that it was playful and didn't mind just kind of hopping a little bit in genres just to stab at something new. But he obviously doesn't have the same catchy earworm melodism as McCartney. "A Minah Menina" and the instrumental "Sunshine" were my personal favorite tracks. But I think all in all there wasn't really anything that stuck out to me is bad. All in all are really fun listen. (7.5) ★★★½

Fun genreblending, but feels to lightweight.3 stars

I thought this album was alright. It started off pretty well and kind of felt like proto-Vampire Weekend or something, but kind of dragged a bit as time went on. 3 stars.

3.5

Like Nicolas Cage I have to say “Not the Bees” because as chill n groovy as they are they are they don’t really deserve to be on this list. They’re a bit like the “Beeta” Band in that they’re cool but they haven’t really made a consistently great album that is truly 1001 worthy. The main claim to fame of this one is Brazilian cover A Minha Meinina which was used in an advert once. Other tracks here cop a real true soulful, jazzy, carribean blend but in the second half it does gets a bit too dusky and also especially middling. Such a shame but songwise it is a case of 1001-Worthy Not Hit Me.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would! Definitely will be back

Pretty mediocre. Didn't really like the style of singing.

Indie rock.

Surprised again by one I’d never heard of. Summery and gentle - great for a sunny chill day outside.

Невыразительный, скучный альбом. Явно не то, на что действительно стоит потратить время, я уверен, найдется 1000 и 1 альбом куда интереснее.

Interesting indie music, simple and creative. Relaxing. But I don't like the dreamy vocals. Its sounds like two singers chanting or a main singer with annoying backing vocals. This could have been a good instrumental band. Thanks to this album, which contains a cover of "A Minha Menina", after many years I listened again to Os Mutantes. Best tracks for me are "Sunshine" and "Zia".

2.5

*2001. British indie rock. *This is odd. Every song sounds wildly different, with no coherent theme or cohesiveness that I could detect. *Some songs are okay. *Probably takes a couple of listens to grow on you, but one try is enough for me. Or maybe you need to be on psychedelics of some sort? RATING - 5/10

Chill Cover Interesting Pleasant Vibe Fun Background Vibes Cool Reggae Eclectic Boring Fine British Mutantes Decent Influences Mellow Genres Guys Summer Styles Forgettable Instrumental Production these are the tags for the album. I'll take: - Forgettable - Boring

Is never heard of this album or band. I was in a bad state when I listened to this. It hit the damn spot. Not a banger on the album, but enjoyed it so much.

It's good but not exactly my style. I really like A Minha Menina.

J'ai passé un bon moment

If not for some Jamaican rhythms I'd have gone with a 2. Generally dull, but still unique.

The Bees – Sunshine Hit Me (2002) On Day 51, Sunshine Hit Me felt like an album built for lounging and nothing more. Considering the production was done in a garden shed, it sounds remarkably good and serves as a nice soundtrack for chilling by the pool with a drink, but that’s where the appeal ends. I struggle to see why this is considered a "classic" worthy of the list; it feels like hipster music that likely just caught the attention of the book's UK-based authors. It’s a 2/5—decent for a specific mood, but lacks the substance to be anything more.

Maso

Cool and creative. Some of it works and some doesn't.

I enjoy this one very much. The tone is relaxing and balanced. Has a good combination of acoustic and electronic elements. A sweet little listen. But I guess you should be in the right mood for. The first half or so contains more content, from there it gets more atmospheric. For me today it still worked. Maybe I needed this kind of album. Anyway, I think a solid 3 will give it justice.

an all over the place album that actually seems to work.

Fascinating album inclusion

An absolute vibe

Nice.

In college there was only really one place to get coffee in town, a Starbucks. This album sounds like one of the CDs they would be selling at the counter. There is nothing wrong with this album. There also doesn't appear to be anything outright special about it either.

meh

Very nice for writing.

I hadn't listened to this album before, but it is the exact type of dreamy, softly psychedelic, indie music nostalgia that I would have lapped up as a teen when I was big into The Shins, Grizzly Bear and the like. It's very that, and I mean that as a compliment. It's sunny day music without feeling too bland, and ultimately it is music from the before times that I do not feel could be made now. We can't feel that laid back about anything anymore, but I am glad in 2002, even in a post 9/11 world, we kinda could.

When I was at uni I went to one social for the band society where they put on a gig. They were all really nice people and very talented at their instruments but also extremely naff and annoying (which I admit was a me problem, not a them problem). This is the sort of music they were making, milky tea music. Pleasant to listen to, but lacking oomph.

Overall, a very mild and dreamlike experience but I couldn't connect with any one song in particular.

It was ok

This was an album. I definitely remember music playing when I clicked play. That’s about it.

I feel like this is another album that I would have adored in my adolescent years. I think this is still a good album, a unique blend of relaxed pop with some reggae and other influences. I might try giving it another listen down the road, but it certainly wasn’t offensive or felt like a waste of my time. I just don’t remember much specifically about it either.

Took a second for me to vibe with this but I ended up enjoying it! Chill, lofi, Ram-era McCartney style. Thankfully short so rewarded relistening as I got on its level. Still not really sure if it’s special enough to make it on this list but it was pleasant.

I had never heard of this group before. Overall an enjoyable album and I'll be listening to some of their other albums in the near future. Finding new groups like this is my favorite part of this random album challenge.

Is this the British bias everyone complains about??? Album is fine, nothing super standout. I don’t see myself coming back to this one.

sloppy

Almost 4 stars

Not bad

au début j’étais pas sûre. mais à la fin j’étais vraiment sûre. mais à la deuxième écoute je suis revenue pas sûre. je sais pas ♡: Sunshine, Zia

An interesting selection of musical styles, but yeah, nothing really stood out for me.

Man after those first two songs I REALLY wanted to like it, but I must say that the rest isn't exactly up to par. I did like the overall chill energy of the album, the hints of funk and upbeat. But by the end it felt bland until I replayed it for Punchbag and Angryman. Nice listen overall. Personal favorites: Punchbag, Angryman, Sunshine

God, I forgot about this. Used to play this on college radio, along with Beta Band and other Astralwerks stuff. Went by The Band of Bees here. Great chill out music. 4/5

Never heard of these guys, not sure how this album ended up on this list. Different. Hipster vibes, not sure how I’d describe it otherwise. Music and vocals were droning and annoying at times and I had to skip quite a few songs, especially towards the end, but there were several songs that were decent. I’d give it a 2.5, but I’ll round up because they seem to have some talent. (3)

Sunshine

Very nice, indeed. And a new band to me, ta!

Feels somewhat ahead of its time on the first track, reminds me of the chillwave indie that dominated after Mac Demarco broke. Overall very cool and chilled out psychedelic pop album. 8/10

Don’t like it

I was vibing for the most part. Really liked instrumentals on the jazzier songs. Some of the hokeyier songs brought it down.

fun

Sunshine Hit Me was a surprisingly very enjoyable album. This is one of those albums i absolutely think belongs on this list due to just how influential it is, it does feel like a precursor to the lo-fi girl with the incredibly smooth jazzy sound with a hint of electronic rhythms to it. I think it meshes together very well and creates a super relaxing, sort of coffee shop vibe which is just really enjoyable to listen to while you are doing homework (like i was when i listened to this). Granted, due to the nature of this album, it does get pretty repetitive which is a shame but it is understandable since it's tough to not make repetitive lo-fi music. I still really liked this album for what it was. Best Song: Punchbag Worst Song: Binnel Bay

I love The Bees. It’s weird this is the album on this list cuz it is definitely their worst and least dynamic. Still has decent moments though

Hmm a band I had never heard, was pleasantly surprised😊

Too many long instrumentals where little seems to happen. Very tame, tepid music.

Not bad

Largely unmemorable - it doesn’t strike me as anything exceptional but serves as an example of early 2000s UK-Indie.

Just ok

It's not the worst, but why is it here? 2.

Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 1/5

A bit of this and a bit of that done by a couple of brits, equals mercury prize nominee. And I don’t have a good experience on here so far with mercury prize. And this is not going to change the run. Noticed was used for tv ads what a surprise, totally unassuming and drifted by. Not offensive in any way but neither did I care one iota. 2 Star

Fancy elevator music.

me ha gustado pero tampoco me ha cambiado la vida...muy para estudiar de fondo

I don’t know how to feel about this one. Medium-ighs and medium-lows all over the place. I appreciated the whole album certainly creates a single vibe and works as a single thing, but I’m not sure what that vibe really is. I love the ridiculous album cover, especially the bespoke puffy little white cloud around the mouth hole. Also the album ended so out of the blue I had to double check, so certainly didn’t feel too long. But I didn’t end with a nice satisfied feeling either. I’m going to have to settle in the middle on the one; perhaps I’d like it better with another listen. But do I even want to give it another listen? I don’t even know.

I have a soft spot for this album for two reasons: 1) I physically owned the thing in CD which seems like a completely antiquated concept now, and 2) it introduced me to Os Mutantes via their cover of A Minha Menina

4.5

Cringe: The Album. It's tasteless early-2000s commercialised indie boy stuff. "You smell like a punching bag" is one of the highlights of the humourless songwriting. They do a bizarre pastiche of rub-a-dub reggae that honestly makes me want to cry. They have a go at downtempo. They've absorbed some 1960s psych-rock whimsy. Their mummies told them they could be everything all at once. I'm sure there's lots of talent here, but I don't care - this is irredeemable, unabashed mediocrity. 1*

best album so far. reminded me of early easy life

I wanted to enjoy this album. After all it was categorized as Pop, and I love me some Pop albums over the year, but unfortunately this is not Pop, it is some hipsters trying to pull a fast one with an indie album that is quirky, but doesn't bring any of the hooks or optimism that I look for in a Pop album. Feels like funereal music for clowns. This is not remotely an album that is essential hearing. Please include quality and not bands that you want to give free streams to because they happen to be fellow Brits and you, well gee, met them in London once. This list batting a pretty high percentage for feeding me music that I strongly dislike or outright hate.

These guys are good, and I liked the album, but I didn’t hear anything that warrants them getting on the 1,001 list.

I needed something to fall asleep to

What a weird one. It’s not terrible but 24 hours later I don’t really remember anything about it.

this record is nice and calm, pretty much what I need for now! However its pretty much between 3 and 4 Im gonna let it be at 3!

Not my type of music

Great! Never heard of them, had no idea what to expect. Just a nice varied indie album with some catchy chill tunes.

A really good album, I liked No Trophy and A Minha Menia rhe most.

Biggest surprise so far on this album list. I am a big fan of this album, as it has this relaxed psychedelic sunset 60s feel (my favorite type of music) with modern day influences. At the same time with this sunset, you get this feeling that their are some clouds in the background, that you don't know if they are going to go away or turn into something darker. 4/5- will listen again :)

Very mellow, not overly exciting, couple of interesting tracks here and there, ⭐⭐⭐

Had never heard of this band before this listen. Really enjoyed this album. The Os Mutantes cover of A Minha Menina is nice.

91/1001 First listen. Another unremarkable album. I kept playing it but it’s still just okay to me. Movin’ on. 4/10

Chill if a bit samey.

Some good songs here and there. Not a great album.

Gear: SIMGOT EA1000 Fermat Artwork: 🤼🎭🖍️ Production: 😌👂🧈 Music: 🏖️🌞😎 Rating: 🐝🐝🐝(🐝)/5

Dope

This dreamlike chords are nothing like I´ve heard before. Not life changing, but still very nostalgic.

Unremarkable.

some good songs for background beach weather, like a sunset viewing but nothing much else.

A nice cohesive album. I did very much enjoy the experience. It was nice that the album ended with more instrumental songs. A welcome change in pace. The album's sound didn't really hit me in the "right way" just because of the mood I'm in right now. But I will most cerntainly listen to it more in the future! Favourite song(s): Punchbag, Zia and Sky Holds the Sun

Jazzy pop that wouldn’t sound out of place at an open air cafe.

I really enjoyed this. Vibes hit strong for me

Did not care for this so much.

How is this a 2001 album?? And recorded by only two dudes in a shed? This thing spans funk, dub, beach boys inspired indie, and more. A surprise 5.

Mid

Saw this was another early-00s album by a British band described as being "indie rock" and thought it'd be more absolute dreck. However, like a lot of other listeners, I was pleasantly surprised! Not sure what happened to them as a band, but this release is well worth a listen!

Lazily pleasant. This record is totally fine, but it's also yet another lukewarm new millennium selection. What's behind this? Is it the fragmentation of the listening experience that has led to a dissolution of the canon of classic albums? Is it the desire to champion personal favorites that the authors/editors are more connected to, and are therefore unable to evaluate the landscape as critically? All selections are subjective, but more recent ones seem more subjective than most. Each pick for this list ought to move the listener in one way or another, and yet there's been a great run of 00s-and-onward records that feel just slightly better than mid, and the only emotion they can muster is "meh." Now I guess I have to turn the lens around as well and ask if it's just me? Do I want something from this list that it simply cannot deliver? Have I lost the ability to hear what's good from this era? Or, was it just a down decade in popular music? And, of course, it can be more than just one of these things.

czill bomba

Well produced and easy to listen to.

I had never heard of the bees, but this is a very good album. Lots of variety.

rock indie não é algo que eu costumo consumir muito (por não gostar), mas esse álbum é legalzinho de escutar. é uma escuta bem tranquila e relaxante. é um álbum ok, não tem nada de muito extraordinário.

Dafuq izzis? For all its genre-hopping, this album struck me as soulless and pandering. It's musically competent, and is ready-made for selling out. Oh, look at that... one of these song was used in not one, but THREE television commercials. That tracks. I'm sure the advertising execs were thrilled to have a band that could appeal to fans of Indie, Reggae, Motown, Folk, Jazz, Pop, and any other genre needed to attract the largest possible group of consumers. Selling earballs to advertisers is the name of the game, I suppose.

I feel like I would've liked this more when it first came out, but this style has been done much better by others in the years since its release.

3.5

3.5 i really enjoy this one w a spliff at golden hour

I was really only familiar with what I assume was a single. It is a crunchy 60s garage vibe and I dug it a lot. This was my first time properly hearing the whole album and I was impressed. Overall more mellow than that one song would have suggested, but that’s not a problem. Quality songs, just the right amount of quirkiness, nicely recorded with a retro feel throughout. Right up my street actually. I’ll be returning to this one.

Litt døllare enn forventa

The Bees - Sunshine Hit Me Day 22 Before listening I figured it was going to be pretty good if inoffensive lofi indie pop that I wasn't sure why it's on the list, probably 3.5 rounded down to a 3. After listening I realised it was very uninspired and quite boring inoffensive indie pop that I have absolutely no idea why is on the list. Like a 1.75 rounded down for the sheer gall of thinking this has any place on a list of albums to listen to, let alone the ones you must listen to. I'm starting to build a theory here: they (the publishers) wanted to get a proper reason to re-release the book every few years and they can't just put the same list of songs in it...so off Dimery goes and grabs anything he's vaguely heard of that got nominated for the Who Cares Award for Best Indie Folk Album Released On A Tuesday and dumps them in to say "look! new albums!". Only explanation I've got for some of these. Again, this isn't actively bad music to listen to. It's just really boring and kinda crap (a 2/5) and its existence on the list insults me, when my streaming service list of bands and albums that aren't even hinted at are nowhere to be seen.

Oh, great. Scattered nonsense.

An enjoyable listen. I hear some Metronomy, some Arcade Fire, some 60s do-wop. Not sure how or where I would listen on the regular. 3/5

This is a weird one. It’s certainly interesting, and initially I really didn’t care for it. But as I listened it grew on me a little.

Sounds a bit like later day Beatles or early 70s psychedelia done by a singer-songwriter. Some elements of Chicago as well. The problem is that there is nothing new or exciting here. This makes me wonder why it’s on this list. I am instantly wary of albums on this list from the 2000s because so many are forgettable. I think the author was just hearing these albums while writing the first edition of the book and thought, “ I should include this as a future classic”. The problem is that most of these were forgettable when released and over 20 years later, they are still not classic. It would be fine to fall asleep to or to have it on in the background as you give the dog a bath or do your taxes.

Listened to this album yesterday and now I can't remember anything about the music.. And I think that says it all about this album. I do remember thinking it was not bad as a lot of people in the review section think it is, I actually had one of the band songs on my Spotify favorites! But I was also thinking it's not top 1001 material. I will be playing this album for myself again though! Wanted to give it 3/5 stars, but since I already forgot all about this album I will give is 2(.5)/5.

This one caught me by surprise in the best possible way. Quite the kaleidoscope of genres and arrangements for a (checks notes) 2 piece! Reminds me of Plants and Animals in their understated happy ways. Standout tracks were: “A Minha Melina”, “Punchbag”, “No Trophy” and closet “Sky holds the sun”. Fun stuff!

I listened to this at 7:30 in the morning on 22nd December, having just returned from Southern Italy to England for Christmas. It was still dark out! Decent album, I'm going to listen to Os Mutantes now.

More interesting than the usual UK stuff, but not innovative

Not a fan

Like a nice vacation Refreshing. Possibly not life-changing but the best vacations usually aren’t. Warm and chilly but nothing groundbreaking . Plenty of Nuggets ( or songs that could be on that classic collection) Nice 2.5 Not sure to round up or down My personal scale of 1 - god awful 2 - dull or bad with at least 1 redeeming factor 3 . Good - will consider adding the vinyl to my collection

In the early 2000s, there were so many 'The' rock and indie bands that this fact alone led to the downfall of rock music itself. That and the fact that 80% of those bands were balls. I have never heard of this one though. The Bees. In fact, I have no idea if they are even a rock band. Soon find out... But first, here are some actual, important, good 'The' bands who do not feature on this list, it should - The Gathering, The Music, The Delays. Also, why are there no albums by Sia or Lady Gaga? U mad bro? Alas, this album is a far cry from those by the artists I mentioned, and therefore I am obliged to question its inclusion here. In order to be considered one of 'must hear albums before you die', an album must meet certain criteria. Let us walk through them. Historical Significance and Innovation: This album barely charted, same for its singles, and has received no significant airplay. Very few people have ever heard of it or the band. It appears to have zero historical significance. In terms of innovation - how innovative can you buy with yet more white boy reggae and plinky plonky bollocks? Internal Cohesion and Journey: I'll allow this one. I mean, when every song is filler, it's still coherent. Timelessness and Endurance: It doesn't sound dated but it also doesn't sound like it was recorded at any point in the last 20 years. It feels like a lost album from the 60s that was only recorded because the singer was the dealer for a bigger band. Emotional and Social Impact: Zero. It seems to have influenced no-one and held no emotional impact for me. So, an album which didn't sell by a band no-one has heard of which influenced nobody, had no wide impact, and sounds like any number of artists from decades before. Plus the album artwork is a hate crime. Some people who don't like music will probably like this. It's well made. The best thing I can say about it are that the first ten seconds of roughly a third of the songs are 'nice'.

This is about as wholesome as I would expect a band called The Bees to sound. Almost even to the point where it's so wholesome that it's not daring enough, and lacks the depth and unpredictability that I like to hear in an album. But it's still a fun little project, it's one that if I listen to it in the right mood I can definitely see myself absolutely loving this.

Really nice album to listen to and just close your eyes and drift away

Influential? No idea. Though, if the only thing noteworthy in that wiki section is that a few songs were used in commercials, I wouldn't say that's an accomplishment that will define your legacy. This sounds soooo boring, so bland, even elevator music is more interesting sometimes, it's basically royalty-free music you hear in low buget short films on yt. Strictly from a musical point of view, this is simply boring. I don't know. I'm no expert on Portuguese, but A Minha Menina doesn't sound right at all. If you HAVE TO use parts of songs in other languages, at least try to pronounce things correctly.

This is undoubtedly a summer album. I say this as I listen during a snowy day in mid-December in Michigan. That is, this album may have hit harder in June, and I will probably check it out again once the sunlight returns. That said, this does transport you to tropical environs. It's colorful, warm, psychedelic. It has those flowery 60s vibes and is totally groovy. I really like the vintage sounds and the homemade feel, almost like solo Paul McCartney vibes. There is a strong influence of reggae and dub and Caribbean and Latin American music but still has that millennial indie backbone. You can tell these guys are pretty chill and to cover Os Mutantes ("A Minha Menina") means they're cool enough in my book. I don't know if there is anything incredibly profound here, but just an enjoyable listen. An eclectic ensemble of instruments with good grooves makes for a fun time. It will probably bump up when I listen to this in better weather and with a pina colada in hand.

I was completely unaware of this artist. I don't really understand why this album is on this list. It's not bad, but there is absolutely nothing special about it.

Feelings I got from previous bossa nova records also apply here. On a cold December morning at 5:30AM I’m sent to somewhere much warmer, but just as sleepy. “A Minha Menina” is worth the praise and attention it gets. It’s got TV ad or network sitcom montage written all over it. “Zia” felt strangely similar to “Us & Them” by Pink Floyd if it was a bit more sun-soaked. I really enjoyed “This Town” as well, that might be my pick from the album. Not at all culturally significant therefore I am questioning its place on the list. Nonetheless, it was a very easy, enjoyable listen. 3/5

I'm worried by the idea of an 'essential' album that came out after 2000 but this really should be more popular! Really unique blend of sounds and well produced, and a nice surprise when the cover looks like a whack 00's indie rock album.

This was fine - pleasant enough to listen to at the time but coming back to review this a few days later, I can't remember too much about it. Probably not something I would ever listen to or really think about again.

not bad, hat aber iwie ka klare linie

Hmmm... I'm sure someone like this.

Boring

Pleasant, good creativity and changes in style, but essential for the 1001…?

All very pleasant, but not inspiring or heading in any direction

Quite good and interesting

Awesome album

Sounds a little like Jack Johnson

Variation of vibes on this album with some songs I would defo go back to (those on the chiller side). Not quite mind-blowing, but a fun listen

This was cool and surprised I've not heard of it given The Bees are a British band. a real mixture of styles, we have some funk, psychedelic rock, reggae and trip-hop all going on and I think it comes together quite nicely for music that washes over you. It's a very nice chill-out vibe that they create. Not sure there's any obvious hits or memorable tracks but pleasant music nonetheless I now realise, having looked up some of their other work, that I have heard of them before, because of Chicken Payback from their second album. Which is a tune!

Another new to me band and album. Really nice, lo-fi and laid back. I enjoyed this quite a bit. Nice and short, I must've listened through a half dozen times. Lots of these albums are growers. This one included. Take it for what it is. Extra stars for the luchador.

Surprisingly fine for a band I don't really know a lot about

World music for people who don't want to interact with the world.

Pleasant enough

The Bees is a new band for me. All a bit vanilla

Felt like this album lost its way. Tried to be all things to all people and ended up being none

Pleasant. But didnt grab me by the short and curlies.

I was pretty excited by the first 30 seconds of track 1. That may have been the high point. I couldn't believe this was from 2001 because it sounded like it could have been from the 60's. I thought it was unfocused and I didn't enjoy it.

Missed out on these guys in noughties… Despite all the comparisons with history, I think they sound like their contemporaries Gomez, especially with a top Spanish track. Which is high praise. 1. Punchbag 2. A Minha Menina 3. Sweet Like A Champion

"1,001 albums you must hear before you die but like half of the list are albums that contain songs I heard once at a party when a girl winked at me so I felt cool" Not awful music but no way is this mandatory.

This is fine. It's nice enough. Some moments sound like the Beatles, some like the Beach Boys. Not essential to listen to before your hearing goes.

Ok - another I’ve never heard before! Instantly reminds me of being in a trendy coffee shop 20 years ago! Kind of like it. Almost feels like it’s trying too hard to be cool though. Not particularly original, but decent for background listening. Surprised it’s on this list tbh. 2

Mej

Very chill home recording. Just some nice songs to relax to. Must have done a number on indie kids in the UK when it came out

Yeah - this was trash. First track I'm like...its really irritating that its called Punchbag and not Punching bag...but maybe thats a British thing so I'll forgive it...second track sounded like what happens when white people play funk...its fine but theres something missing haha if that had been the whole album Id probably give this a 3...but the vast majority of the album is some weird amalgamation of funk, folk, and uh piano bar...no one asked for that.

Kinda fun, kinda background music. Don't know how it was groundbreaking or considered such an achievement.

Awful.

Not sure about the "need to hear" quality of this, but I'm glad that I did! One of those random weird picks that's actually quite nice. 3.5/5

hmmm

Annoying when it isn't in the book and you can't really see the reason it came to be.

Spun it twice. A couple of pleasant songs. Nothing special. Don’t hate it, but won’t be going back for more.

It's alright, definitely enjoyed it whenever they were doing their Beach Boys harmony thing because, y'know, how could I not, but even with that, the whole thing felt fatiguingly derivative and one-note. The run from 'No Trophy' to 'A Minha Menina' was maybe the most I enjoyed this group's brand of Gorillaz-esque Neo-Psychadelic the most. But I find when it comes to this sort of sound, for me at least, if you're not constantly evolving it and varying the moods and emotions being put on display, you run the risk of drying out the well really quickly. Which is what this album did for me.

"Get your hockey bag out of my face, Sebastian".

Not my thing

Almost feels like a joke, but slightly too good for that.

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.

Pleasant, inoffensive, i.e. fairly dull.

Blind album and artist. Too low fi chill beat for me honestly. Not my thing.

I found the band's sound very polished. The arrangements fit together very well. Everything sounds very clear. It doesn't sound as pretentious as other bands of this generation that want to be those strange indie bands. Being Brazilian, I even found the cover of "Minha Menina" by Os Mutantes funny.

This is #day470 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… oh well, how about yet another album that will make you think something like what the hell is it doing on the list of albums you must hear before you die? Not entirely terrible, but infuckingessential. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day471.

jeez this one was boring as hell. there's not really much going on here. there were a couple of songs on here i enjoyed individually, but this whole record dragged hard. some of the choices for albums on this site are insane. standout tracks: no trophy, sunshine

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

There is nothing on this album would make me want to listen to it again, although there are some nice chilled out tracks towards the end. Credit to them for recording this at home. But I think they were/are destined to be a support band forever. I'd rather listen to The Hives.

3.5

An oddball collection of songs, but there are some likable moments here. I'm sure there are audiophiles out there who will love some of the more interesting instrumental backings. But altogether, the album doesn't cohere into any clear musical statement, and too many tracks would make a good fit for a Youtube lo-fi study video. It's a mostly enjoyable listen, but nothing all that noteworthy.

Awesome lo fi indy rock. Very cool.

I liked the album cover. Sounded fine but nothing memorable.

Boring

The first half of this is the type of music that will have you walking down the street whistling like Steamboat Willie! The second half is the type of music you listen to at a cafe watching the rain roll down the window. I love the duality of it and that’s why I’m rating it highly.

отличный альбом для спокойного настроения, прям в точку попал он

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

Kinda like whiny(er) Beatles?

Elevator maxxing

I liked :) 4

Zero cultural footprint, not that that means anything but its funny that albums that I should know about because they are contemporary to me are absolutely nowhere to be found in anything resembling pop culture. I get that there are albums made in the 70s or even the 80s that I have no way of knowing about, but 90s and 00s? Pop culture in the millennium is a very different beast than just two decades earlier. What I'm getting at (lousily, I reckon) is that The Bees could be a fictitious band for all I know. The music was ok, but it failed to justify its place in this list.

Fine

Utter failure. Cover looks no better than a 10 year painting. I mean, who picks this shit.

Great album and new find for me thx !

Amazing little indie album.