Sunshine Hit Me

3 stars

Quite unbelievably bland.

Cool name, cool album cover - but I was still prepared to hate this based on the overview. Happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I don't know that I loved it, but it was different and interesting. I'll give it a bump for being something deserving of the list. I think they carved out something unique here.

Seems like it was part of that wave of absurdism with Quiznos' Spongmonkeys, Tom Green, Napoleon Dynamite, and Space Ghost. I still enjoy this kind of freakiness, but certainly identify with it a lot less than I did at the time. Still, surprisingly good for a band that was completely off my radar.

Diddn't know The Bees. Listened to the album and to be honest - I found that I diddn't miss anything at all.

Nice and relaxing. Enjoying it.

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

Super slight, super inessential, not very cohesive. The fact that the big single is a toothless cover of a Brazilian song is points against the album.

I started out thinking I'd really like this album, but it ended up getting very stale very quickly. Which is weird, because I love jazz and ambient/instrumental. So why this one didn't click with me, I'm not sure.

3.5/5

nice walking around music

Not too bad. But nothing great.

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

Un autre album que j'ai l'impression qui a droit à un passe-droit à cause de son origine. Ce n'était pas particulièrement mauvais, mais je ne vois pas comment cet album se démarque plus que bien d'autres artistes indie de l'époque. C'était même un peu ennuyant par moments. 5/10

pretty chill vibes! definitely fun but nothing really special

I liked it, but it’s mostly just nice background music. Didn’t really catch me. I like A Minha Menina.

Better than I thought it’d be. Much better. So many different things in this album. They really span a bunch of genres.

++: Angryman, A Minha Menina, This Town +: Punchbag, Binnel Bay, Sunshine, Sweet Like a Champion, Zia +-: No Trophy, Lying in the Snow, Sky Holds the Sun 7,7/10

Thank god I was too young to experience the neo-psychedelia hipster revival of the early 2000s in full force, because I would’ve lost my goddamn mind walking around the streets of North Brooklyn if this is the shit they played in coffee shops. And I already kind of lose my mind when I’m up in Bushwick today anyways. Completely forgettable, aged like milk. A great example of how bad this book is at “predicting” what modern records will one day be considered timeless, and how those poor decisions are based on strong biases toward British bands and revivalist acts. As minimally passable as an album can be before it becomes horrible, in my opinion, but still a deeply painful listen for me.

Started off making me think they were just another group of Beatle-revival wannabes. But there was enough originality here that actually left me wanting more when the album ended.

3.5: There are a lot of interesting things going on in most of the songs, and the members really seem to know what they are doing with the construction of these songs. Maybe worth another listen one day.

It was fine.

Music you'd hear at a hipster coffee shop in Williamsburg, BKN. Was ok, nothing great. 4/10.

First thought after seconds: British. Otherwise quite forgettable. Musically not bad, but nothing really sticks out...

Pretty groovy, but didn’t fully capture my attention.

1. punch - 1 2. angry - 1 3. trophy - 1.5 4. bay - 1 5. zun - 1.5 6. menina - 1 7. touun - 1 8. champion - 1 9. znouu - 0 10. zia - 1.5 11. zky - 1

Chill beats, listened to twice and without knowing i probably couldnt pin down a tear on when it was released. 3.0

Never heard of these guys and they are recent. These guys are pretty chill, at least the first track. Very cool, chill, loungy music. Was not expecting it.

A pleasant album. I enjoyed it.

There’s a lot to love about this. The songs have a delightfully weird quality. You can tell the two guys that made them are quirky and charming. Track 6 “A Minha Menina” appears to have been featured in lots of commercials, and It’s not hard to see why. The song has an unusual flavor but with an also undeniable commercial appeal. The sort of thing that screams Starbucks and Apple products. This is a home studio album made in the home studio space home studio gear so I have to give it some love. Combine that with the fact that it was made more than 20 years ago and the quality of the songs and the sounds is nothing short of impressive. But I will admit - this was a little like Selling England By the Pound in that I respect the hell out of it without enjoying it very much. Mostly that comes down to a sense of sameness in the vocal. The songs didn’t surprise me and there was never a moment where the vocal grabbed me and said “now sing along!” Later on when track 10 “Zia” arrived as an instrumental things for better for me. Maybe it was just because that made the song different than the rest, but it was my favorite. Overall this is perfectly pleasant background music and I give it a solid 3 out of 5

Got less cliche pop indie rock album as we reached the second half. Second part definitely more interesting with some more dream rock aspects. Liked the piano parts throughout. 3.5

Eclectic. Like if ween married vampire weekend

Different but good. Appreciated the chances they took

Never heard of the Bees before, and I’ll have most likely forgotten about them again come tomorrow.

3.5/5

pleasant and mellow

This was a very sweet listen. Really chill, the dog days of summer feel

Never heard of them before, misread the name of the band and thought it was the Bee Gees. Still, this was amazing. Would buy it.

Lovely album, great surprise

Some nice stuff on here

Not often you find something this original, and I’m really enjoying it

Good!

Very summery and reggae-y, but with an indie twist. Pretty comfy, but nothing earth-shattering. Never really took off I felt.

Quite pleasant. Perhaps too much so. I kept forgetting it was on.

Not for me - but it doesn’t hurt me either. Sweet Like a Champion is actually a good song. It’s unfortunate that many of the newer albums in this book are by bands/artists that few have even heard of - they failed to make a real impact over the years, so I guess we could live without listening to these (obscure) artists.

Not good, not bad

not the BEES I know exactly one song of theirs that I'm very fond of, which I found in a chance LimeWire discovery. I was looking for "Stand" by R.E.M. and I somehow downloaded a 2007 Bees song of the same name. Worth the untimely demise of my parents' Windows XP PC Okay, recognized that riff from Os Mutantes immediately Sometimes I sniff at white (usually British) bands co-opting sounds of the Caribbean, or Brazil, but, ehh *gestures at Paul Simon, The Police, The Clash, this album* clearly there are a lot of examples I enjoy Okay, despite the fact that it got almost too breezy towards the end, Sunshine Hit Me is also exactly what the doctor ordered on a hot, hazy afternoon. HL: "No Trophy", "Bimmel Bay", "Zia", August 1, 2024

It's always a shame when good musicianship churns out such uninteresting songs.

Kuuntelu auton ratissa ja viihdyin.

Joutokamaa

Inoffensive background music. Which is why is all but written it off until Elaine… then went into background again. Dunno why this is a 1001.

A band from the Isle of Wight who had a hit with a cover and that cover wasn’t “Ticket to Ryde”? HUGE missed opportunity.

I never heard of this and it was chill and enjoyable, but also forgettable.

Passable in parts

Undemanding. I get the sense that the musicians had more fun making this album than I had listening to it. (Which isn't to say that it is bad or anything. Just rather unfocused.)

This was another unexpected surprise, just a quirky early aughts record with some compelling layers of personality and soul. I liked it quite a lot. A very ambient and pleasant listen.

It kinda sounds like a travel vlog soundtrack, but it is not that bad. Not good either

3.5

I'd never heard of these guys before - I really liked some of the songs here, especially in the first half of the album. The Os Mutantes cover was a fun surprise, I just listened to that album the other day. Very chill vibes all around.

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

Average production mixed with lazy vocals. Not a recipe that excites me.

Second half is decent relaxing music, Sky Holds the Sun is bloody brilliant. Didn't care about the first half

They should stick to singing in english

This album genuinely just bored me to hatred. I remember every single minute of it because it just felt like it was forever and ever. One song was okay but in my opinion all the songs were mushed together and I didn’t need it. It wasn’t painful to hear however I can’t really say anything good.

If someone were to describe an album as light lofi whimsical indie pop from the beginning of the century I'd almost certainly place 14 beans and a rabbit's foot on my loathing it. But oddly I don't. Hate it, that is. Yeah it's light and just barely not stepping over the wry "aren't we cute" line that would place it in the firmly annoying, but somehow sidesteps it for the most part. At its best, you could assemble 5 or 6 tracks for lounging in a chair with a very light beer, probably with a lime twist. Having said that, I may forget it 2 minutes after I click Save below. Easy listening and nice in headphones. 6/10 3 stars

Listening to the first few songs by The Bees, I hear the influence of two other B’s — The Beach Boys and The Beatles. Mix in some jazzy soft rock, ska and indie it adds up to a pleasant, varied, low-key style. “A Minha Menina” is a catchy one! Wow, “Zia” is gorgeous. I wouldn’t have been mad about one or two more upbeat songs but this was still very enjoyable.

Pretty cool sound right from the start. I like the grooves and production, although sometimes the production has some interesting overlaps that kind of conflict. The vocals left a bit to be desired for me though and kept it from a higher rating for me personally, they just kind of felt "bolted on" to the music and not as much of another voice/instrument in the overall sound. They were also just kind of forgettable. 3/5. Cool album cover, nice sound. Nothing too crazy and that's what kind of keeps it from doing more for me.

Not a bad album but does not belong on this list at all

Really enjoyed this eclectic album. Summery sounds from broad influence 2001

Pretty cool

Apparently much better without the Gees. Quirky but worth another listen, maybe?

A Minus Menina is a certified banger but the rest is mid

Nice album, very chill for going about in the pissing rain in July

Nice but dim

This is album that has its moments. "A Minha Menina" is a cover of a song by Os Mutantes, an impressive 60's Brazilian experimental psychedelic band (!) whose 1968 album is part of the 1001. Most of the album doesn't sound quite like this but, again, there are moments. I liked the sound and feel of "Angryman" and "Sweet Like a Champion." Mostly I'm intrigued by the story: two friends create an album in the shed of their parents' garden, which sounds like a British version of the tech company started in a parents' garage. I'm told the duo went on to tour with a "real" band, and that real band made some more good albums... curious to check them out! But I can only give 3 stars because I don't picture coming back to this one, promising as it is.

A bit different, very obscure, and eventually, a little bit irritating.

Solid cover. Let's see what happens. I gave up. The songs weren't grabbing me, the big single didn't do it, then I tried to let it settle into the background. I couldn't do it, you guys. That's on me.

Not good. This is a bit like if Ween recorded in someone's garage and had no money. How on earth did this make it onto the list? Feels like one of those that was released shortly before the book came out. Might have seemed cool at the time, but it stinks now.

too all over the place to be great, couple very good songs tho

It was good. Very talented. But still a 1. Not a bad 1. Not a strong 1. Just a 1.

A sunshiny fun album full of harmonies and good grooves. Sort of sounded like ska with the syncopated riffs and horns, but some songs were a little more indie-esque, like an Animal Collective offshoot. Eclectic mix of sounds really, even veering into jazz territory. An interesting and enjoyable listen.

There are some unique, creative bits on here, but mostly its overly sweet and a little insipid - too sunny, all-in-all.

Took me back to 60s and 70s music

Buenísimos temas

I've never heard of The Bees. It's pleasant enough, chill music. Good for 2000s pop music. Favorite track: A Minha Menina

Original but not very interesting. Not grating though, good background music.

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

It's a nice album. It's very old fashioned. Vintage sounds and equipment stuff. Some good tunes, but a bit regressive, I suppose.

Turns out I actually know one of these tracks! I will admit, when I saw an unknown from the early 2000s my heart sank, but actually it's OK. I mean, OK for an early 2000s act, which makes them pretty mundane for actual good music, but hey, I thought it was OK.

This album didn't really feel like it knew what it wanted to be. Finished very smooth though

Had some cool songs here and there, but overall didn't capture my attention and I don't think I'll revisit

Interesting early 2000s alternative soft rock. Not bad but not my thing.

Not bad. Kinda reminds me of air or zero 7. Pretty chill.

A very enjoyable, inconsequential record that I did not “need to hear before I died.” 3.5/5

Somehow missed The Bees despite hearing Chicken Payback almost everyday as a musical bed for the Mark and Lard show. Or was it Radcliffe and Maconie. Given the timeframe probably the latter. That's off the second album though. Summery. As the album title and cover suggests. Plus an Os Mutantes cover (pointless, note for note of the original, but a great song). I suspect had I not completely missed them at the time, this album would have fallen into the "I'm From Barcelona" bucket of records I would have played to death every summer for a few years until I got sick of it eventually and never consider playing ever again. Revised that opinion after the songs finished about half way through in favour of pleasant, if directionless lounge noodlings for the rest. I don't dislike it but I am fairly confused as to why it's here.

Nice

Not in my edition of the book! 2002. 1 star. Redundant bland pop songs from a bland pop group, with one song used for a car advert. Utterly forgettable. WTF is this doing on the list?

A very nice listen, with almost a lo-fi feel. Quirky and melancholy but not overplayed or derivative. Honestly sounds like it could have been released last year; I feel like this will be an album that people recognize as a trailblazer for the modern indie sound. Top tracks: Sunshine, Lying in the Snow, Sky Holds the Sun

Super interesting! A good mix of styles, many of them worked, some fell pretty flat. Surprised I hadn't heard of this before. Definitely in my wheelhouse. 3.5/5

I liked it and will add it to the listen again pile. It could be setbreak music. Will check out more of their records

Didn't know i had heard The Bees before but it turns out I knew chicken payback from the follow up to this Free The Bees which is better than this. This is a decent album but suffers a lot for me with the production although it was recorded in a shed. The Os Mutantes cover was good but not as good as the original, not sure why it's in the book as The Bees were never a big act but if they had to be in the book Free The Bees would have been a better choice.

Decent album with a nice chill vibe.

It's a pleasant laid back listen from a band that wears their influences on their sleeve. If there is once criticism, it feels a bit bitty, like they are pulling in too many directions, but nonetheless, it's an enjoyable listen.

Felt like they were trying too much to be Air but they failed

Cool brezzy chilled out yeah man enjoyed it, bug out brother

Confirmed my recollection of an ok lounge-ish vibe from an IOW band who were briefly catapulted into the spotlight before fading away again. Pleasant enough but nothing exciting

Lovely pleasant songs. Typically, the cover song is the banger that got put in adverts. Not a particularly noteworthy entry, though.

Yet another ex-1001 album!™ http://1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie.wikidot.com/album-artists-a-z-ex Plenty of good time mellowing lo-fi summertime vibes to be had here. Shame its largely forgettable.

3.75

Dreamy 60s throwbacks, nice but forgettable 3*

I enjoyed

This is like Hipster Indie Rock - the kind of stuff that you talk about to sound cool at parties but really you don't like it or know enough about it that your self-proclaimed expertise on the matter lends you to be. Hipster Indie for the sake of being Hipster Indie is the most Hipster Indie thing a Hipster Indie could do. 2/5

Day155 - i would rather listen to actual bees

Middle Of the road. Think what they did was clever but not something I'd chose to listen to.

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.

Started off cool and groovy then just slowly lost my interest. Not a bad listen, but was kinda ready for it to be over towards the end.

I made the mistake of listening to this while tired and sick WFH. Loved the sound, but I would need to be in a very specific mood for it. Great for background music while cleaning or working.

Was ok, nothing special about it. Not sure why it's on this list

Toothless and weak.

This was one of the more unique albums I've listened to. Some of it was very clever musically but it really wasn't my thing.

Un álbum bastante bueno de "nueva escena inglesa" de los 2000s. Si bien, debió haberse escuchado más "revolucionario" en la época en la que se lanzó, y en el contexto de la creciente escena de la Isla de Wight, retomarlo con más perspectiva hace que quien lo escucha se de cuenta que no es más que una reproducción poco inspirada de bandas y conceptos más originales. De todas formas, le doy un puntaje medio por la gran producción del LP, que solo fue grabado por dos personas con equipos de "home recording".

Not really memorable

Another band I've never heard of. 22 years ago...where was I? This is right up my alley. Really great sounds. Standouts: A Minha Menia, Punchbag, 4/5

Sunshine Hit Me seems to have made absolutely zero impact on music history and on me as a listener. But pleasant enough.

Another great example of the people behind this list finding a Mercury Music Prize nominee and cramming them on here. Sunshine Hit Me is actually rather nice and pleasant - but it’s neither truly innovative or influential. There’s really no good reason for this to have a spot on a list like this.

Never heard of The Bees before today, and I’m at war with what I think of this album. Some of it is pretty forgettable, some of the vocals are subpar, but A Minha Menina was really good, This Town wasn’t bad. It doesn’t seem like it quite knows what it’s supposed to be. Just about a 3, I think.

Track 1 - not Chicken Payback Track 2 - not Chicken Payback Track 3 - not Chicken Payback Track 4 - not Chicken Payback Track 5 - not Chicken Payback Track 6 - A Minha Menina which is good but it's not Chicken Payback Track 7 - not Chicken Payback Track 8 - not Chicken Payback Track 9 - not Chicken Payback Track 10 - not Chicken Payback Track 11 - not Chicken Payback

This one grew on me, started as a 2 and matured to a casual 3, the deluxe version has a few more tracks that aren’t half bad. Nothing to run home bragging about though.

B- Punchbag 5 Angryman 3 No Trophy 3 Binnel Bay 3 Sunshine 3 A Minha Menina 3 This Town 3 Sweet Like A Champion 4 Lying In The Snow 3 Zia 3 Sky Holds The Sun 3 I would give 3.5 to most of these songs if I could.

Mellow, chill, good instrumentals and vocal, great variety of instruments some not heard of in another song great overal but didn’t wow me

2.5

Where does 60 homage end and outsider art begin?

Not for me. Unspectacular.

It did today, sat on the balcony with these tunes in the background

Surprisingly ok. 3.5

When listening to Sunshine Hit Me, I picture myself sitting on a crowded patio as the sun starts to get low, the perfect late afternoon, with a cold pint and The Bees playing live while no one listens. It’s a nice album. That’s it 5.8/10

I didn’t know what to expect since I’d never heard of them. They impressed me by laying down a mood album that I’ll listen to again.

Mellow and enjoyable, though thoroughly unremarkable. I’ve begun to suspect the curator of this list is either very easily impressed or more concerned with the narrative around the work than the actuality of what hits your ears.

A little too slow and indie for me. Felt more like noise than music

Not great.

Indie rock. Ni fu ni fa.

If this was made in a different time or place perhaps I'd score it more favourably, as I thought it was fine; inoffensive easy listening with a few nice quirks. Unfortunately for The Bees, 21st century British indie is very much in my wheelhouse, and I feel more qualified to judge what are exceptional, list-worthy albums within that description, and this is not one of those. A very neutral 2.5 stars

This one is absolutely not for me. It's trying so hard to have chill and happy vibes, but the vocals are just straight up grating. I have no idea what this album is doing on a list like this? What did it influence? Who remembered this band or this album even 5 years later?

Too laid back and wack. These guys must be going through some kind of identity crisis, because their music is all over the place.

The song angryman was on a sample CD that I received in high school from a aquaintance, it didn't have a sleeve on it or anything. For years, I didn't know who made that awesome song, especially since I lost the cd. But wow! Here it is, on the 1001 album generator. Finally, all my questions are answered.

Very nice. Pleasantly relaxing.

Laid-back sleazy slowcore with post-Britpop song structures, some unusual instrumentations (electronic-focused with some 60s buzz), some McCartney charisma. The first half features genre fusions, including tropicalia, jazz, reggae, and funk. Offers creative memorable ideas but is uncomfortably inconsistent. The second half slows things down with hypnotic dreamy melodies, optimistic and whimsical mood, and folk-pop vocals. Reminds me of Low or Spiritualized, but not nearly as memorable or interesting. The lead single "A Minha Medina" is so strange in the middle between two very slow and quiet tracks, and I find it disappointing compared to the original. Nothing special, but it's inoffensive and pleasant. Favorites: Sunshine, Zia

We are going to listen so many English albums. Is this really 1001 good

The opening track is kinda promising and then the second track hits you with that horrible blindingly white kid indie falsetto in a shit attempt to grab some sort of "I listened to my parents cocaine music and now I'm cool" cred. It's the audio manifestation of the mustache on 40 year old guy riding a fixie and wearing a flat cap. It goes extremely predictably on from there. Given this came out in 2002, this is music for ipod commercials. Maybe that's why it's on the list given the amount of stuff that sounded like this that came out in the following decade. “A minha menina” is not a butchering of the original mostly because they abandon most of the Portuguese in favor of new English lyrics. After that everything is fairly boring, though I wouldn’t be terribly irritated if I heard the beginning of “lying in the snow” if I was five beers in on a sunny Friday. I’m mad about how bad this is.

I didn't really like this and don't think it's old enough to be influential. Low fi beats to send emails to?

Pretty groovy. 4 stars.

chill album

A pretty chill primarily instrumental rock record with some sprinkles of psychedelica and jazz thrown in. The kind of record perfect to fall asleep to or to relax to in the background.

A new band to me, quite pleasant, a great mix of sounds, 60's pop, reggae with interesting incidental sounds. I may have to do a deeper dive. The Bees buzz brah. 4*

3.5 - Smooth and sunny indie rock that sounds typical of the early-aughts — a balanced, composed blend of moods, equally effusive and introspective, with old-timey sounding acoustic instruments that vaguely harken back to American parlor music. It’s telling that the most memorable song on here is their cover Os Mutantes’ “A Minha Menina.”

Lekker mellow goed album

Didn't get it at all

I'm not familiar with this artist, but the album cover does look pretty familiar for some reason. I thought this album was fine. I wasn't a fan of the songs that relied more heavily on reggae influences, like "No Trophy" or "Binnel Bay," but the other songs on the album were okay. I like the percussion and drumming throughout the album, especially on the first two songs. On "Punchbag," the percussion went really well with the keyboard/organ and horn parts, and combined with the bass, it gave the song a really nice groove. On "Angryman," I liked how the maracas sounded with the main guitar part, and the organ parts were good too. "Angryman" probably had my favorite vocals on the album as well. Conversely, the vocals prevented me from enjoying "A Minha Menina" as much. I thought that "Lying In The Snow" was the best song on the album. The arrangements were beautiful, and it felt like there was a lot of emotion in the overall sound of the song. I was especially fond of the piano playing on that song as well. "Zia" was nice as well, and a really well-placed follow up to "Lying In the Snow." This album was nice to listen to, but it's not the sort of thing that I gravitate towards.

Didn’t really enjoy it. This went nowhere fast

I enjoyed this album. It has a really chill sound and makes good background sound for work. I would listen again. It’s a 4.

Wow this is a real mixture of genres and sounds- kinda low-key but easy to listen to. Reminds me of early 10cc in their ability to inject styles and mould it together.

Jazzy. I liked it a lot.

I like it, its nice and chill

Didn’t know what to expect but really liked it

Dreamy background music

Pleasant enough background

I'm impressed! I hadn't heard of this band or album before, but it's great. Nice mix of pop, soul, jazz, rock. Atmospheric. Soothing. In fact, it made me go listen to their follow-up album, "Free the Bees". The only reason I'm giving this 4/5 is that "Free the Bees" is even better. More soul, more rock. Nice find — thanks, 1001 albums!

What a cool album. Chaotic and lighthearted and still musically interesting; this sounds like the best parts of the aughts indie hipster boom.

Ok. I actually listened to this one 1.5 times and i enjoyed it!

After two listens, I’ve concluded that this is a relatively chill album. How often I’d come back to it, I’m unsure, but it was worth the two listens. It really is an album of different genre influences. Psychedelic, reggae, electronic. 3/5

I liked the vibe but nothing really stood out to me.

Nette Hintergrundmusik, ruhig und beruhigend, zum chillen.

Punchbag 3.4 Angryman 3.5 No Trophy 3.3 Binnel Bay 3 Sunshine 3.2 A Minha Menina 3.4 This Town 3.1 Sweet Like a Champion 3.3 Lying in the Snow 3.2 Zia 3.2 Sky Holds the Sun 3.4 Score: 3.272727273

Good!!

This started out kinda promising and then just went south from there. Pretty unmemorable. I'm sure this has since been removed from the book, I mean surely it has. Right?!

Never heard of the band or album before today. An eclectic mix of music influences. Not bad, but not great either. One of those albums you put on, on a lazy day reading a book as background noise

This record displays the band's influences openly, to the point the whole record comes over as a selection of pastiches. It ends up sounding a bit bland.

It's... alright? Kinda vanilla. Not offensive but also not exciting on any level. Not sure why this rates inclusion, honestly.

Background music

Kind of meh.

Just cuz it’s British doesn’t mean it has to be on this list. Someone should’ve told the author that. This was a fun album. The first song was solid, the second song was decent and then it started to fall flatter and flatter. By the end of the album it felt totally different and like an electronic album of vibes. Could’ve been significantly better but it seems the artistic creativity fell apart. 5.3/10

900 albums in, I'm getting a little triggered by the UK flag next to an album on this list. But not this one, this was a pleasant surprise! Really mellow, catchy, and I felt like the songs had lots of variety. Punchbag and A Minha Menina were my favourite tracks.

Spotify’s auto-playlist afterwards was better than the actual album ;)

Really easy listen. Never heard of them before. I think after I get to know it I'd rate it higher, but for now 3.5

Beautiful, pop album

This one was a surprise! Some really chill Indie with a splash of psych and reggae. Right up my alley. Kinda reminded me of Radiohead in some parts.

Interesting. Never heard of them before. It's not a very well composed album. There are a bit too many places where there's an abrupt transition that doesn't need it. Like at the 24 second mark of Punchbag.

A quirky alt-rock/pop album that has a bit of variety though the engagement level is a bit up and down. Particuarly as the latter half of the album seems to slow down quite a bit and be a mix of instrumentals and low tempo tracks. The highlight is the more energetic track, A Minha Menina, which is catchy and fun. No Trophy is also strong.

se il vibe dell'album è come la prima canzone allora mi piace, molto chill. Tutto l'album mi piace per il vibe e il tipo di musica e strumenti usati, non c'è una canzone che è spiccata troppo. Piacevole

Punchbag // This Town // Sweet Like a Champion // Sky Holds the Sun //

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

Modern British Invasion-sounding Rock/Pop. Really inoffensive and easy listening. Surprised that this album made a "1001 albums to listen to before you die" list. Not sure what was interesting/groundbreaking/outstanding about this album. A lot of very good albums were passed up to let this thing in.

Really enjoyed this! 3.5 ⭐️

so painfully average it hurts

I'm not sure if I liked it, but I think they have a precise album name. Listening to the album, I really felt that the sunshine hit me, and then he called the night to hit me again in the last songs. extra points for the Mutantes/Jorge Ben song.

Psychedelic rock that felt stale immediately. It won me over a little more towards the end but not enough to make me want to listen again

Punchbag 5. Rest 3+

whopper

Very slow almost like a jazz, some of the calmest music I’ve ever heard. Album art and title summarized this pretty well Favorite: this town Least favorite : sky holds the sun 3.3/5

бля не знаю я чувствую идею, чувствую что ребята ПОДУМАЛИ но оно не работает как музыка только одна песня (This town) заставила меня слушать и не отрываться

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

"Sunshine Hit Me" by The Bees is like a splash of cold lemonade on a hot day—refreshing at first sip but lacking a bit in flavor as you get to the bottom of the glass. The album starts off with a promising zest, delivering tracks that bask in their own light and eclectic charm. Yet, as it progresses, it seems to lose its initial spark, meandering through various styles without fully committing to any. The vibe is undeniably sunny and carries an air of nostalgia, reminiscent of a well-curated soundtrack for an indie summer road trip movie that never made it to the big screen. It's eclectic, yes, but in a way that feels more like flipping through radio stations than a cohesive journey. Awarding "Sunshine Hit Me" has an ability to momentarily lift spirits and inject a dose of auditory vitamin D. It's worth adding to your playlist for those moments when you need a light, background soundscape, but it might not be the album you reach for when you're in need of a profound musical experience.

It’s cute. Eclectic, different and well performed. Don’t hate it. It’s easy listening and inoffensive. Not essential, but nice. Good for background sound.

I gave it a listen, and it's okay. I'm not a big fan of reggae (broadly speaking, that is; there are some songs in that genre I love, but I can't listen to that style for too long...don't know why, but it grates on me), so the reggae-influenced songs don't do anything for me, but a few of the other songs were alright.

довольно много слушала, но сосредоточиться не удалось и осталось впечатление что много эклектичного но что-то в этом есть)

A nice surprise very chill very swag

Nice of the album cover to give away exactly what to expect from this album. Which, hey, points for lowering expectations I guess. That's something.

That was fantastic and shall be added to the rotation

An interesting and delightful change of pace here - this is a more recent addition to the project, and it’s great to see some out-there indie that I had never heard of before. Enjoyed the mellow, lo-fi vibes on this one and found myself having a nice relaxing listen with some witty lyricism here and there. Perhaps a touch too mellow to make a distinctive mark, but a great listen nevertheless.

Really enjoyed this one, wish I had got it in summer. Chill vibes, will revisit it as an album

This is as advertised. Good listen, chill, morning vibes. But like so many others it's probably.better suited for the 2501 albums to hear before you die

Un album très doux de la part de notre ami Rey Misterio qui vient prendre à contre-pied son image de bagarreur. Vous pouvez d'ailleurs me donner votre avis sur le jeu WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 sur Xbox 360 par courriel à l'adresse robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com

Un nouvel album qu'absolument personne n'avait entendu avant, et absolument personne ne s'en portait mal. Si vous voulez partager avec nous quels groupes des 1001 vous ont bien baisé la gueule, n'hésitez pas à nous contacter à l'adresse mail robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com

mint

At first, I was like, "Oh, no! Not the bees! Oh, they're in my eyes!" But this was actually really solid. The album is pure vibes, and really represents why I wanted to start using this generator. Find out more about the less well-known bands that have their niche little brand of musical magic.

Nice pop album; an easy listen. Nothing more, nothing less. 3/5

Seltsamer Mix mit guten Instrumenten, der einem aber irgendiwe nix gibt. 2-3

First listen. Very good. 3.5/5

lots of different kinds of music in this one but it still somehow blends together.

It's cool! I think i kind of like it. Just a plus star 'cause i liked de art cover.

This was a cool album, loads of stuff going on that you probably wouldn't notice unless you tune your ear into it. I'd never heard of The Bees, but am pleased to have changed that

Eclectic bunch. You can feel they are having fun. A mix of a bunch of genres, unfortunately they are not very good at a bunch of them. Still enjoyable. 3 stars.

coffee shop music

Gentle and harmless.

Seichter, sphärischer Indie Rock.

Guess it has its moments, but it’s very uneven and quite tiring.

Never heard of this. Interesting find. Liked it.

Soft, a little boring, a tad tired and mostly just background music. Not very engaging at all. Maybe I wasn't in the right headspace to listen to this today but I'm not impressed.

Never heard of them, but will definitely listen to more.

Nice chill music with some innovation, I liked it!

This was a lot of fun. I absolutely loved it. Smooth and easygoing vibe, with rich arrangements and solid musicianship. Fave Songs: Sweet Like a Champion, Zia, Sunshine, Angryman, Binnel Bay, Lying in the Snow, A Minha Menina

It started so well with two jazzy pop grooves then became a bit boring really. Disappointing, but not terrible. A very low three.

Although not bad felt a bit flat and nondescript

I really wanted to dislike this so I could pithily post this, but alas, it was actually ok. Still, I’ll post it anyway. https://youtu.be/UatQsjjOIAc?si=0fNbPRJQLt9QWEXQ

I didn't like this at all. Recorded in a cupboard and sounded like it. Music for hotel receptions

I enjoyed this quite a bit, especially the second time, even if I didn't find it especially remarkable. I sometimes thought of Jack Johnson and wondered why we haven't heard from him in this project.

I spent much of the first half of the album thinking that it was okay, but that was about it. Then I suddenly warmed to it. Not sure why, but because it ended on a warm note…

A little underwhelming but not unpleasant.

I wanted to like this more than I did… sort of left me with a ho-hum reaction. Nothing I hated but kept feeling like something was missing and hoping for more.

Nice, a few of these I remember from back in the day. It's not so good I am going to rush to listen to it again though.

Pleasant enough but not that interesting. 2*

Quite dull.

This album was decent, but not spectacular.

Another indie band I should like but was just fine.

Pleasant advert music, zero bite but completely inoffensive

Fun retro vibes, generally very jammy and groovy. Probably more of a summer album, come back when you're in the mood for beatles x bob marley x beach boys x indie

This album was very breezy summer indie rock. It was pleasant with some reggae influences and I enjoyed listening to it. However, nothing from it really stuck with me and while listening to it, nothing struck me as notable. It was still a nice listen through.

Nice! Could really see this be hyped like hell if the mainstream starts would align. Lacks some edge to make it perfect

Sunshine Hit Me but didn't make me feel warm. It's an easy background music style listen, could be playing in any bar or lounge or poolside in nice weather and you'd not be offended but also not nearly interested enough to Shazam it and find out who's made it. Most famous track is a cover that got some traction because it was in an advert, and it's not an especially good cover either, just fine. Fuck all people have listened to it on Spotify and it's more than 20 years old, I don't get why it's on the list. A solid old 2, not terrible, not great, not remotely memorable or interesting.

Nice, pleasant, unremarkable psychedelic easy listening. Nothing to write home about, there are a lot better albums in the same slot. 2/5.

Relaxing chill out vibes here. This one was fun with its sound and lyricism. It isn’t really anything that special, but it had highlights and was fun to listen to. Cool!

Rounding up for nostalgia, I still love this

Fun, mellow, indie rock album.

Light and airy.

I can see why this might appeal to quite a lot of people, but on a personal level, I kind of hated it. It was simultaneously boring and annoying.

I had no clue what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised. A beautiful, calm, short and sweet album blending an array of different genres. There are som jazzy brass, soul-esque chord playing on the rhodes, indie-style vocals and an overall aesthetic from electronic music.

Really enjoyed this one

Sunshine Hit Me Cold.

Weird album. Definite indie vibes, but with some notes of funk, a little 70s organ rock, and No Trophy has that straight up classic reggae flavor. It's almost experimental? It reminds me loosely of The Flaming Lips, but more accessible. Every song sounds different, which is interesting. The first half was kind of interesting, the second half kind of reminds me of The Polyphonic Spree, which is to say it tries to be this grand cornucopia of sound but it's actually a bit boring. Kind of a 2.5 album. This is where I complain again about the 5 star review limitations because this is nowhere near as bad as some other albums Ive rated 2 stars, but nowhere near as good as some that ive rated 3 stars.

Boh, banalotto.

💤😉

Not sure about this album. Maybe another listen needed.

Well. It was ok, but nothing remarkable. Not sure I why it makes the list.

Mellow and tropicália infused psychedelic indie pop. I appreciate this a lot more now than when I first heard it honestly, it's a nice album. Not like OMG THIS IS THE SHIT, but definitely easy on the ears. I'll need to check out their other stuff.

Relaxing. I dont get summer vibes from it. but that is becuase I am from a place where summer feels very different to what it would be like in Europe. I really did enjoy A Minha Menina a lot and wont be upset if it comes around again

Jesus, what a drag

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

Plus

Various genres done in a basic pop sound. Was a decent listen, not sure about it's inclusion on this list per se.

Interesting and enjoyable listen. I love it when this list introduces me to something unique sounding. I may not love it but I don’t feel it’s a waste of my time to explore something new.

Disjointed. Not a bad listen, but the songs are all over the place.

Strange album. It's not bad, but not sure why it's on the list either. Other than it may have been popular in the UK for 3 months and the author(s) of the book seem to love that. I would've preferred to listen to this outside in the late spring or summer with a breeze. In the cold of winter at my work desk wasn't the best environment. It's sort of all over the place, and grabs different styles from different places. I think I'll listen to this one again. But not soon.

some good tunes

Lovely eclectic album - and excellent addition of A Minha Menina cover - all in all fun and colourful.

Cool esoteric album.

Unique, but maybe most bands don’t want to do low quality loungey stuff with no real effect on the listener.

nice rustig!

I didn't know anything about this album and had never even heard of the band, but it was delightful.

An eclectic but inessential tribute to good music. Still good music though. Especially enjoyed the slower, jazzy beats at the end of the record.

3.5/5. Chill, kind of lo-fi. This was nice to listen to. I would not mind coming back to this.

This was fun something different… i liked punch bag… binal bay… and sunshine

Indi Stuff, not too bad, but nothing remarkable.

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

Not for me

You can at least listen to this. Quite okay.

Boring and painful portuguese pronunciation.

Indie rock. Ni fu ni fa.

Indie rock, tranquilo. Un poco rollo.

Its indie music. It was not great. I tolerated it but thankfully it was a short album. I did need to listen to any of it. Certainly there are worst albums to listen to but no need to consider this one. I will round down.

I prefer Octopus to this album. This one is quirky but unsatisfying.

I found it muddled. Starts out somewhere between pavement, beck, and the beta band, without being as good as any of those. Then gets bossa nova and jazz on the go. Weirdly forgettable for all that.

Yawn

Offensively unremarkable.

Good good 4/5 so far

Behagelig indierock, har en lille smule 60’er rock og lidt psykedelisk over sig

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

Ok but strong whiff of hipster

Perfectly fine, but doesn't belong on the best albums of all time list. Best albums produced in sheds on the Isle of Wight, ok, worth a mention...

Good sounding album, took a couple songs for the playlist but nothing super memorable

Contemporary elevator music.