Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Very cool album
cool and creative but i need more heat
A little odd in places, beautiful in others, and at times problematic. I’m not sure what box to put this in.
I didn't start there, but by the end of this album I realized it had a place on the list. Lounge, jazz, pop, and yes, horror create a very weird and unique atmosphere that was really creepy but left me very interested.
It’s a bit all over the place but some great stuff here. Highlights are the back to back tracks - It’s Business as Usual, Miles, Dirty Barry
Atticus Ross. Cool.
Better than Moss Side Story. Not better than an album not made as a fictional film score. Still not convinced of the merits of this album being on the list.
Is there's one thing this album isn't, it's "cohesive". I'm not sure what I just listened to, or what I think about it. It might take another listen to begin figuring that out.
Interesting ideas
Won’t be running back to this but it was enjoyable enough.
Didn't care for the creepy songs. The rest were not bad. Favorite track: Miles.
Well this is something different Feels like some days I could find this tiresome but today it made for an interesting listen
I don't think I need to listen to it again any time soon, but it was pretty good.
Atmospheric, weird, and even scary at points, this album was a real rollercoaster. I really enjoyed it but clearly won’t be to everyone’s tastes. But I deffo think this deserves to be on the list.
Super 90s vibes!
Track 1 might just be the most 1996 thing I have ever heard. I bet half of this is on the soundtrack to Killing Eve (Big Bamboozle [also John Barry, so that's a twofer], Something Wicked). Then it sounds like Air. I liked listening to this, not sure I would again - someone else said on here they'd much rather listen to its influences, and I very much get that vibe too. Like much of 90s pop culture, it's extremely backwards-looking, which sometimes has the benefit of highlighting lost treasures. But I'm not sure this is a treasure in and of itself.
I didn't enjoy this, but at least it was trying something. That's something given how much meh stuff there is on here.
I like it. Background film noir.
Was decent this. 3.4 maybe
Heck yeah - Something Wicked This Way Comes. I was a avid listener to the Lost Highway soundtrack when it came out. You guys, I listened to that one a lot. I haven't heard this song in a handful of years now. But except for that song, this still did drop into the background for me. C'est al vie.
A couple of cool moments - opener, track I recognised from Lost Highway, track with Nick Cave - but much of this album faded into the background. A little quirky in places, but the gauzy nightclub jazz pieces don't quite land. Feels like this laid the groundwork for bands such as Public Service Broadcasting and Duckworth Lewis Method; artists I'd rather be listening to, even if the latter make albums about cricket, a truly shit sport.
Better than the last one!
80% genius.
That opening track is amazing
It has a roughness about it.... An urban jazz if you will. The edginess adds to it
Weird but kinda interesting.
Liked the instrumental jazz parts, but not much else. As a complete work it's kinda lacking too, but I'll still give it 3 swollen feet out of 5. 🦶🦶🦶
This one is out there! While I did like about half, there were also a lot of moments that had me shaking my head. I was however very pleased to discover the Nick Cave feature! 5,5 out of 10
wayy more experimental than i expected
That was a trippy eclectic experience. As long as he loves his mother...
Sone of this is very interesting and funky. Some doesn't hit very well. Overall, maybe worth one more listen.
Pretty weird, but not unpleasant for the most part (some exceptions). On the other hand, even at it's best, it never really went beyond pleasant background music either.
The concept is intriguing: a soundtrack for an imaginary movie, existing somewhere in the realm between jazz club and psychological horror. This "soundtrack" is cool and smooth in places, but also creepy, atmospheric, weird, and even a bit disturbing in others. For not having actual real cinematic footage to link this to, Adamson and company do a great job of conveying cinematic vibes and projecting the general idea of certain imagined scenes. Given the alluring weirdness, I'm not surprised that David Lynch eventually went on to use a song from this album for an actual movie. Musically, the track "Achieved in the Valley in the Dolls" hit it all for me: it was atmospheric, esoteric, dark, ambient, and sexy. To me, this was the crown gem of the album. "The Sweetest Embrace" had Tom Waits-esque vocal qualities, which were perfect for the atmosphere on display on this album. This album certainly caught my attention and I am glad I got the chance to check it out. Ultimately, I'm not sure what makes it particularly significant as it pertains to this list (I usually try to understand the 'why' when it comes to these albums being included), but that didn't stop me from being fascinated.
p784. 1996. 3 stars. Meandering, vaguely subversive, jazz-based instrumentals. Well done of its kind, but hardly essential.
Pretty solid listen. I didn't realize the connection with the Bad Seeds at first, but overall an interesting sound.
Por lo que leí, parece que el álbum fue hecho como si fuera el soundtrack de una película imaginaria y se nota. La música es bastante buena y se siente la intención, por que cambia muchísimo de canción en canción. Es una montaña Rusa de emociones. A veces es animada, a veces es triste y a veces es hasta terrorífica. Todo el álbum está muy bien logrado, pero, por lo antes mencionado, de cómo fue hecho como si fuera soundtrack, también llega a ser una desventaja, pues puede llegar a sentirse como "música de fondo", una muy buena música de fondo, pero no deja de ser música de fondo. A lo que me refiero con esto es que no se sienten como canciones y no te puedes enganchar mucho con una en especifico por la misma naturaleza que tiene. Por último, creo que, en general, está bien hecho, pero es algo complicado escucharlo como un álbum normal y no como una banda sonora.
Barry Adamson has a great ear for atmospheric melodies and arrangements that are more than droning, noising or loud sounds that dominate a lot of actual soundtracks these days. The problem of the album might be the too different styles. A better track order might've helped. I prefer him as part of the Bad Seeds.
I've tried to listen to this album 3 times and I'm trying so hard to just get through it this time.
Pretty interesting, but goes on too long. And just because Nick Cave is on it doesn't automatically make it cool.
Pretty boring. Did not finish the album
3/13, 23%
Pretty cool! Liked it much more than the dark gangstery Moss Side Story. This is funky, jazzy and has some good guest vocalists. Lots of vibraphone, but not too kitsch. Nothing links this to Adamson’s Magazine days!
I really liked some of these songs and detested a couple others. A lot were just meh, but all in all nothing ever really blew me away. Definitely original and I enjoyed those bits. 3/5
There were some really beautiful and well-produced tracks here ('In A Moment of Clarity' and 'The Big Bamboozle') and then there were others that were incomprehensibly horrid and put me in a depressive episode. I'm torn, because this wasn't a good album. Their attempt to be creatively groundbreaking and attune to the dichotomy of the human condition felt forced at times and incohesive. But there were certainly highlights I would like to return to. Also, brownie points for album title itself. Sounds like something I have said and I appreciate that.
Cool music and instrumental pieces. The story? Not so much.
The Nick Cave sound is almost immediately apparent, but the album has such a rich blend if sounds and elements of music together. More of an ambience album if anything.
This was pretty trippy. I liked the jazz and atmospheric numbers and then skits were pretty weird but also pretty well done. I was really creeped out by the first one.
Hilarious name for one! Sounds like a child thought of it. I don't even know where to start with this I feel like I need to understand something about it more. It was totally unexpected and I liked that. Weird mixed with quite easy listening jazz. Definitely an experience
This was mad but very imaginative and different, a wild ride.
This is okay but if you're gonna do something loungy then do something loungy don't be tongue in cheek. Funky instrumentals are cool let your funk flag fly. I get that it was the nineties and we were all about being ironic about literally everything back then but in hindsight it's annoying. This is good enough background music but it's also pretty forgettable.
Did we really need a second album for an imaginary film on this list? At least this one goes a little harder than the first one.
This one was interesting. Strangely the concept of the album is both its force and its weakness. While most of the music here is fine, I found the "movie soundtrack" concept with the spoken words pretty distracting overall, even if the concept is well executed. This concept is also what makes this album stand out in this genre I think. There are better albums in this style in the 90's. "Something Wicked This Way Comes" is a very cool song, even if it clearly samples the song "Spooky". 6,7/10
This album is weird as hell. Just a total mishmash of random styles and crazy guest features. I can definitely see what David Lynch was saying about how cinematic it is. Lots of trip hop and jazz influence. I think I need more listens to really decide my feelings but as of now I think I'm a fan.
Upon first listen, I thought it was fine. Then it started really growing on me. After the day is over, I think I can honestly say that THIS is something I am grateful that was on the list of 1001 albums. I would have NEVER heard this otherwise. Is it weird? Yes. It is interesting? Yes. Is it something I would listen to again. Hell yeah! Yes, it is more 'mood music" or background music for much of it, but when you really just sit down and listen to it. It really makes me feel a certain way with each song. The Miles Davis remake is a really great fit for the album. I think it is situated right between the two different halves of the album. The first half being more melodic and the second half being more mood and feel.... hard to explain. I love the song "Something Wicked This Way Comes" and it took me a while to figure out that the melody was 'sampled' from Gary Walker's "Spooky". The two songs fit well together... :) I really enjoyed this one, and I think with time it will continue to score higher with me. For now, I'm putting it at 3.5 / 5 but "with a bullet" (Meaning it will only go up in my book). [Note: I listen to each album in at least three sessions (days). First listen/first impression scores are usually lower. The 2nd and 3rd will show progression for albums that I enjoy.]
Kinda weird, occasionally disengaged and boring, but sometimes really atmospheric and evocative - in the end, I really liked the moods
Interesting music. Nothing I've heard before. I kind of like it. 3/5
Contrairement à ce que suggère son allure sinistre, cet album va finalement jazzer un max, et ce ne sera pas pour nous déplaire.
Barry échappe de justesse au 2/5, grâce à quelques morceaux très bien sentis, qui nous font oublier entre autres l'horrible interlude ou encore les multiples expériences sonores complétement ratées.
If the Dust Brothers composed a Tarantino score with vocals by Leonard Cohen, you’d get this. Interesting.
some of it a little bit too "out there" for my tastes
Smooth - loved the vocal numbers with nick cave and Jarvis cocker most. Interestingly complex jazz at the end considering how chill the rest is.
The opener on this album doesn't sound very sound-tracky and this sets the town for the album, which seems more listenable on it's own than the last one did.
This was so unexpectedly good that I had to listen to it twice. I also learned that Adamson is ex Magazine, which explains his chops. I prefer the more experimental and jazzier numbers here, in particular his Miles which is a wonderful homage to Milestones. Miles Davis his royal self would approve I’m sure. Adamson’s soundtracks are so good that they should make movies based on his records instead of the other way around.
Certainly an interesting compilation that was put together
Very much an incoherent album. The jazz-influenced songs were very good but the atmospheric/soundscape stuff missed the mark.
Interesting mix and experimentation. A good listen throughout.
Super busy at parts, but I overall enjoyed the experience. Don't think I'd revisit as a project however.
Too complicated. Starts off well.
Interesting
Interesting listen, ranged between spoken word, some great tracks, and some that could have been IRD hold music.
The concept of soundtracking a nonexistent film is an interesting one, though it’s difficult to fathom what kind of film this might be. Some wild experimentation here, incorporating jazz, funk, and spoken word-it doesn’t always work, but when it does it’s an ear worm.
Mixture of uplifting and truly creepy
That was quite a ride. Melodic, jazzy, creepy as fuck, cool, weird.
This was leagues ahead of Moss Side story. There were a couple of great tracks, but it still veered into fair trade cocaine coffee table music a bit too regularly for me to love it.
Dark, jazzy, occasionally dissonant and strange. If you imagine this album as Adamson did, like a soundtrack, some of these songs work really well, like "Dirty Barry" or "State of Contraction." The effort to sound dark and seedy is occasionally overwrought, but I appreciate the creativity overall. Fave Songs: In a Moment of Clarity, State of Contraction, The Sweetest Embrace, Miles, The Vibes Ain't Nothin' but the Vibes
It was good, not great just good.
Sounds like a fusion of downtempo, rock, and jazz, mostly the Madchester variety that was popular in the raves. There's also hint influences from other genres like gospel and disco in the first and soul in the second, then pulls a Tom Waits in the third. At this point you might be convinced its just one of the million electronic fusion albums of the decade until the fourth track hits you with a horror movie scene. Enjoyed the psychedelic elements, my favorite being the acid jazz "Big Bamboozle", but silly fairytales like "Vermillion Kisses" just gets kinda dumb. I was always critical of Nick Cave but he sounds quite ethereal in both his vocals the light mystical arrangements. Overall, has more than to like, but too long with several complete duds. Favorites: Set the Controls, Something Wicked, Big Bamboozle, Sweetest Embrace
Hard one to judge. First couple of tracks didn't really do it for me despite the presence of Jarvis Cocker and Atticus Ross, but I was sort-of won over by the madness that followed. It reminded me of the David Holmes album that came up, but weirder. I may not return to it but the whole 'soundtrack to an imaginary film' schtick does appeal to me in some way and I think I have to respect the ambition... 2.5 / 3
Interesting album. I really liked the Jarvis Cocker track and the third track. Interest waned a couple of times, which seems inevitable with a soundtrack album, even if it's an imaginary soundtrack. But there was always a decent tune lined up to bring me back around 3.5 stars
Best Song: Something Wicked This Way Comes. The right amount of chill while still being energetic. Pretty major deviation from the sex-obsessed nature of the first track. Good music for working. Worst Song: It's Business As Usual. I actually somewhat like this song as a bit of art. It certainly made me uncomfortable, and I think both vocalists/actors did a good job of conveying their respective emotions, but would I ever want to listen to this track again? Did it fit within the context of the album? Nah. Overall: It's weird. And it doesn't feel like a single album. From a starting track that is unspeakably horny, through muted jazzy rhythmic songs in the middle, plus the occasional spoken word theatre, I don't really understand what the artist was going for here. Some of the individual songs sound nice in isolation, but listening to the album front-to-back just gives you whiplash from the tonal changes.
Pretty cool. Sometimes I play an album from this list and I'm like, yeah it's alright, but then I let Spotify keep playing the radio station for that album and I'm like, man I could listen to this all day. This is one of those albums. 3 stars.
It had me and lost me a few times. I like it when the album gets darker and a bit experimental, kind of reminds me of what Burial or Four Tet would be doing a decade later. Otherwise, it's occasionally pleasing-enough background music. It just never really feels cohesive, bouncing from sound palette to sound palette. Favorite tracks: "Something Wicked This Way Comes", "It's Business As Usual", "Dirty Barry"
Its "songs" have replaced most of the "cinematic", noir quality with loud and frantic body movement. (6/10) FT: State of Contraction, Miles
Very strange really enjoyed the firs two songs then the rest was borderline unlistenable. Generous 3
This was a weird vibe, it jumped around from fun to bizarre to downright creepy, great names tho. At parts I was thinking 4, others a 2, so averaging it out to a 3. The vibes ain't nothing but the vibes
I listened to this at work and was on edge all fucking day
Admirable more than enjoyable. Creating a soundtrack for an album that doesn’t exist, Adamson’s music certainly fits that style of soundscape but if the music serves a film which is not there you feel an archness and hollowness to the project. That isn’t to say some of the tracks aren’t enjoyable - Something Wicked This Way Comes has a groovy vibe and Achieved in the Valley of the Dolls has some nice vocals. Dirty Barry is a horrible track though. Overall, if you’re pastiching Morricone and John Barry, it reaches a point where the listener might as well go listen to them instead. Or watch the movie in context with the music. Can’t do that here.
Experimental y agobiante a ratos, no creo que sea un disco imprescindible para mucha gente. No es malo, pero entiendo que a mucha gente pueda no gustarle. Los momentos más jazz son los mejores para mi gusto: "Something Wicked This Way Comes", "Miles", el cuento de "Vermillion Kisses" y "The Big Bamboozle".
Some of the pure jazz/blues/prog tracks are good, but most of the album feels half-baked, like a collection of unfinished song ideas.
That was interesting. All new to me -- artist, album, songs, etc. -- so I had no idea what the style or genre might be. Some superb beats and rhythms going on here, engaging harmonies and melodies, quite a mix of instruments, styles, and samplings...all added up to an album I enjoyed hearing for the first time. Some of the tracks at times get a bit chaotic and over-stimulating for my ear, but that's my own personal sensitivity and also I have a feeling it's on purpose. Same with the ones that are meant to invoke anxiety. Overall, though, some great grooves and catchy lines. Nicely done.
Rating: 6/10
This was an interesting combo. Big band meets psychedelic rock? It wasn't terrible, but I wasn't in love with it.
I can respect the artistry behind this album/artist, but I was listening to it in the wrong setting (work)
Originalitat, savoir faire, paisatgístic, evidentment molt cinematogràfic. L'ex Bad Seeds sap el que es fa i la seva barreja de soundtrack music, amb jazz, electrònica i rock alternatiu és d'un nivell força alt. Tothom es queda amb el tema de 'Lost Highway' 'Something Wicked This Way Comes', però a mi em sembla que 'The Sweetest Embrace', amb Nick Cave, destaca per sobre de la resta
Enjoyable, hugely varied. Standout tracks featuring Jarvis and Nick Cave. Need to listen to a couple more times really.
Never heard of him before, but then I read some and found out that I at least had heard him before - in the Bad Seeds. This record was very uneven, som songs are great other not so much. But I will listen to other records by Adamson, might find some gold.
Super weird - light jazz followed by groovy beats followed by straight up random.
Intéressant mais bordélique. Pochette incroyable. Prefs: Set the Controls for the Heart of the Pelvis, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Miles, Achieved in the Valley of Dolls, The Big Bamboozle, The Sweetest Embrace Moins pref: Dirty Barry
Loucura.
Soundtrack-agtigt, cinematisk, svingende
Idek how to tate this. It's just fucking weird. I didn't hate it but I also didn't like it.
Same basic issue for me as with the Bad Seeds Murder Ballads thing: I just find the drama and attitude kind of contrived and overly theatrical. Which I grasp is it working as intended, I’m just not personally into it.
Interesting and enjoyable.
As I was listening I was imagining what this fake film is about, letting the music run my imagination. It was quite fun.
Didnt know what to expect when this came up but I was excited to see Atticus Ross as a contributor! Upon playing I realized I was familiar w some of Barry's work from the Lost Highway soundtrack. Had a good time listening to this - will revisit!
Interesting, mad, all over the place
A breath of fresh air, as far as versatility is concerned. However, despite some brilliance throughout, a lot of the stuff is also way too much "out there" for me to conclude this is a truly excellent piece of art. No doubt manny would disagree with me in that.
This didn’t really do anything for me
A few memorable tracks, but a lot of it just felt like background music
Some interesting, excellent tracks. A couple of tracks unlistenable
Cinematic, quite Portishead. I bet they took notes.
Yes, but is it art?
Not sure why the list compiler's fascination with this guy
Cool.
Meh.
A fever dream of an album - more than a few listens are necessary to fully explore the nooks and crannies here
gee wonder why David Lynch hired this guy
interesting vibes hmm
Pretty good, must revisit.
weird
Mmh...
Some white noise, which was good Rest was less
better than others but some songs really take away from the album as a whole. I appreciate the milestones cover. cool and lounge-y overall.
A new artist and new music for me. Most of the tracks got an "okay" rating from me (3 stars). "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Pelvis" would get a second listen from me (4 stars), but "It's Business as Usual" and "Vermillion Kisses" were oddities that got a firm "I don't like this" (1 star). I'm not sure if the two bad tracks can sink the whole album. I guess I'll give the album an "okay" (3 stars).
This is interesting. Parts of it remind me of instrumental versions of some of the stuff U2 was doing in the 90s, or some of Bowie’s weirder stuff. Parts of it remind of music from David Lynch shit, which makes sense since he did some music for Lost Highway. I don’t hate it, and appreciate it for the influence it most likely had on some stuff I like, but I’m not sure I’d listen again.
Need to listen again but there were some interesting songs but also just some oddballs
An amazing mix of good and horrible songs.
A really different and interesting album. I feel like I would get a lot from from this album with more listens. Would definitely revisit
Quasi-cinematic music for a film that doesn't exist. Interesting, diverse and noir-ish sounds. Nick Cave guests on "The Sweetest Embrace".
Production: 13/20 Songwriting: 11/20 Innovation: 16/20 Bangers: 5/20 Emotional response: 8/20 =53 Cheeky Jarvis appearance! But but boring
Música un tanto instrumental, con voz cálida, ritmos muy tranquilos. Buena música para escuchar en un entorno acogedor. Sin grandes aspiraciones, pero un tanto agradable de escuchar. Aun así, le falta algo
This one looks interesting
I’ve never heard of the guy and googled him. Someone described his solo music as “soundtracks for movies that don't exist” and I think that sums it up perfectly. Barry Adamson has a wide range of tools he’s showcasing for us and I had a lot of fun creating movies in my mind as I listened along. It’s a unique album but none of the songs feel as if they belong next to each other. I think a 2.5 would more accurately portray my feelings for this album. My favorites are The Big Bamboozle and Something Wicked This Way Comes.
Meh
There were parts of this that I really, really hated, but some of it was actually solid. A very up-and-down album. Somebody should have gotten ahold of this guy and told him to cool it with the spoken word. Best track: Something Wicked This Way Comes
Oh yeah, this guy again. Moss Side Story was fine to include. Why is this guy getting two albums? Parts of this are straight up cringe.
i dont know if this is really my jam. it's interesting and a bit out there - very appropriate to have a connection to david lynch
If you name your album a joke, it is a joke.
Not quite sure how I would characterise this, but I found it quite boring.
6/10 - It just didn't really stick with me. Loved some parts of it, but not something I'll find myself coming back to Fav Tracks: Something Wicked This Way Comes, Miles, The Big Bamboozle, The Sweetest Embrace Heard before? ---–- ❌ Saved a Song? ----- ✅ Saved Album? --–-- ❌ Will Listen Again? -- ❌ Album Cover -------??? I can't tell what she's holding. Not a fan
I liked the few jazzy lounge songs between whatever those skits were...
This album is possessed and cursed. I put it on and my car died. The music itself sounds the part too. The soundtrack to a horror movie that doesn't even exist is a novel concept. A lot of good soundtrack albums overshadow the movie they feature in, so having an album in the same lieu but completely decoupled from a real movie isn't even all that weird of an idea to me. The music is a bit boring though. It sets an atmosphere but doesn't do much for me besides that. Just random spooky excerpts that may or may not bring bad voodoo energy.
Not even nick cave can save this one for me. All felt deliberately edgy in a cringy way.
Well…uh…it’s certainly unique I guess. I wouldn’t say good though.
It started out sounding good but quickly went off the rails.
635/1001 2026.06.12 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
Argh, I wanted to like this more than I did, truly. I loved the weird jazz stuff that was going on but as an album I felt like this was a trainwreck. I didn't think it knew what it wanted to be or where it wanted to go and it was really a slog.
It's all just quite un-interesting. The concept of a soundtrack for a non-existent movie is an odd concept but most of it felt like filler.
this was nice and smooth but blends into background for me and doesn't stick out. Will revisit on workdays
This started out fabulous and then got waaay to offbeat for my taste
This album was scary and weird
I recognize the skill that goes into making something like this, but there was a lot I didn't like. This had a lot of the electronic, heard-in-the-matrix type sounds that I don't like. The voice overs/skits were not my thing. There were points where this was alright to have on in the background, put there were a lot of times I found myself looking to see how much was left until the album was done - not a good sign.
So I was kinda intrigued for the first two songs, then I forgot multiple times I was listening to it until some weird vocals or instrumentals creeped in. I read some reviews that described this as a Lynch soundtrack and that would be pretty cool, but I won’t be listening to this again for my enjoyment.
Prolly great but I'm not into instrumental music. Also iTunes has this listed as "Alternative". I disagree... "Instrumental".
Dette høres veldig ut som filmmusikk fra 90-tallet, til tider Playstation-musikk (ikke Crash Bandicoot). Syns ofte filmmusikken på 90-tallet trekker filmene ned, så 50 minutter med 90-tallsfilmmusikk uten noe som helst Al Pacino eller Kevin Costner blir litt for meget. "The Sweetest Embrace" kan godt migreres over til et Bad Seeds-album, feks som bonusspor på B-sides and Rarities.
A weird, horny, and inconsistent motherfuckin album. Like: Something Wicked This Way Comes; Miles
I was about to shit on their version of Milestones but it’s kind of cool. There’s a few cool tunes on here but otherwise wouldn’t listen to again.
Well this was a real up and down of hate it/actually alright. That being said I’ll probably never listen to it again.
Didn't enjoy this as much as his other one on this list. And two albums from this guy is pushing it somewhat 😐
Fine but too long. Drags a bit
Underligt nok så var jeg underholdt. Det var ikke godt, og ikke radsomt, men jeg kan ikke huske noget anden end fornemmelsen en dag efter.
Highlights: Something Wicked This Way, Miles 2.5
Bad Seeds Typ macht triphoppiges Soundtrackalbum zu einem imaginären David Lynch SexCrimeHorrorfilm. Klingt auch exakt so. Meh.
Verkopfter Mucker-Trip. Dazu dark af stellenweise. Ist nichts für eine Fahrt mit dem verspäteten RE2 am frühen Morgen. Nervt nur. Aber auch so brauchts das für mich nicht. Viel Konzept, viel Klang- und Melodieteppiche die da gewebt werden. Ey und komplett Spoken Word Stücke, geht's noch? Mag wirklich an der Höruhrzeit liegen, aber das strengt mich eher an als dass ich es genießen kann.
I really don’t know what to make of this jumbled mess. Supposedly it was written as a score to a movie that didn’t exist but there is no movie that would be able to follow these musical themes and still make a lick of sense. The first two tracks are repetitive samples to the point of insanity. Then it is all over the place from there. I used to wonder why a good band didn’t put out an album with each song in a different musical style to broaden their appeal. Well now I know why. The two tracks I actually liked were In a Moment of Clarity and The Big Bamboozle, both of which were heavily jazz influenced. The rest is just a mess.
I’m running out of things to say about these albums. This one has potential but not something I want to listen to for very long.
DNF. Boring
The sort of odd album I would think I would enjoy from the description but if you enjoy this than Tom Waits is going to blow you away. 2.5*
Sometimes cool.
some ambient sounds, some muzak, and a couple with a laid back but still inetresting beat
Pretty - I was in the wrong headspace while listening
2/5 Interessant aber nicht mein Fall
Art Rock conceived as a soundtrack to an imaginary film. A bit pretentious, and a bit boring in places, but not too bad,
This was pretty uninteresting. Didn’t keep my ear.
Spoopy but interesting through its concept
Started off strong with a pulp feature but went downhill quick after that
Music really shouldn't be hard work to listen to should it now?
Not great, kinda get what he's trying to do but it's more a piss take to an imaginary film soundtrack then a homage. You wouldn't ordinarily listen to this. Felt the same about the penguin cafe album.
Oedipus Schmoedipus, I don't want to fuck my mom -A guy suspiciously bringing up that he doesn't want to fuck his mom
Nick cave the highlight with sweetest embrace but even he couldn’t save this
Think they are putting the music I like least at the start of the challange. First 6 albums 3 jazz with little or no lyrics. This is like elevator music. It tinkles about in the back ground without grabbing you.
Nah
I’m just gonna say it: this guy does NOT take Oedipus as seriously as I do
And how many John Williams soundtracks were included? 2.
Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
Long and weird and forgettable
Album is a trainwreck. Not an entertaining one either. It's the kind of wreck where you are stuck on the train for hours wishing to get off, but you can't because you are now a witness and must explain what you have seen. Never again.
The seed of the Bad Seeds.
Sara - 2.5 Marko - 2.5
Strange album with a kind of lounge, noir aesthetic with some weird and haunting sounds. The Big Bamboozle and The Sweetest Embrace were the highlights for me, with the latter being essentially a Bad Seeds song. Probably not something I'll return to though.
Nah.. High 2 maybe idk
The album is too erratic, disparate and unorderly as well as being unredeemngly dark for my taste. I appreciate Barry Adamson for trying to consistently break the mold with his music, which he did to an at least decently enjoyable degree in his album Moss Side Story, but there's little content that's even appreciable in this album as it's pretty much entirely either shock value or aimless drone noises.
2.4 I would be more impressed if someone made a movie about the album
Kind of interested in the vibe more than the music. Didn't find much in my first listen to tempt me back
Boring AF. I guess they're technically competent and able to play their instruments but that ain't saying much.
I couldn’t make it all the way through the first track. It was like a major creep trying to be Jemaine Clement. There were some okay points in this album but mostly it gave stalker vibes.
Pretty wank
Was alright to have on in the background. Wasnt what I expected from someone called Barry. Think its maybe a bit tryhard to be cool and cultured. Borderline irritating? 2.5
Started out alright but tailed off during the middle. Apparently written as a soundtrack to a fictional film, I think he changed his mind on what the film was 2 or 3 times during recording this. Probably a 2.5.
Background music, scary at times
nah
glad i listened even if i found it middling. it certainly has some weird moments and despite the fairly lounge-based sound acid jazz tends to have, this goes in experimental and challenging directions. not all very successful, but i respect this a lot more than i was expecting to. deserves to be one of the 1001? acid jazz is important, especially from a UK perspective, but i don't know if i would consider this a particularly important example. seems like it was included because of the Nick Cave connection. meh. probably not.
eh
Very bad. I could barely finish it. I really didn't like it but not as bad as RATM and Le tigre.
4/10
Did not like this. Felt fake - all surface and no depth. Reminded me a lot of the David Holmes album on this list which is of similar vintage and similarly the songs sound dated and shallow. The slower jazzier piano numbers felt faux and lacking the warmth of some of the jazz classics on this list and felt jarring against the upbeat tracks. Not for me.
This was a bit strange. It sounded like a weird/horror movie sound track.
Had no idea what to expect. I still don't know what to think... but the colorfully titled opener has some cool parts - I like what sounds like glockenspiel. The whole thing sounds a bit like a film score and there's an odd mix of spoken vocals and a gospel choir. Confused is the word I would use. Something Wicked This Way Comes is good though, deep and sultry and electronic, almost dub-like but with loads of orchestral backing. Cinematic again and mostly instrumental (phew). The problem is, most of the rest ISN'T instrumental and the bizarre spoken word vocals and other offputting effects are no bueno. There are some good bits, jazzy instrumentals and other atmospheric stuff, but it's super inconsistent. There's probably a good album here if I could pick and choose tracks, and get rid of most of the vocals. As it stands, I'm not really sure who this appeals to and why I would spend another hour listening to it. One of the more bizarre inclusions on the list. Still, I'll give it ** because there were parts I like.
This album by former Magazine bass player Adamson is conceived as soundtrack to an imaginary film, but the diversity of styles on this record makes it seem like more a showcase of "look at all of the things I can do". Unlike an actual film score, there are no motifs or musical threads holding all of this together, to the album's detriment. It's all competent, but absent any real hooks, it's not memorable.
JFC….
I am sure this album is actually genius, but it was a rollercoaster I was not ready for.
nawwww, this was so so so freaky. the stalking song? no thanks. Was gonna give it a 1 but I will say that I liked the big baboozle haha. Ridiculous album that reminds me of Tom Waits’ Swordfishtrombones without the fun.
Too stressful for a Tuesday morning
Very weird. Then jazzy, then immediately back to weird again. 2.5/5
The instrumental parts of this album are actually pretty enjoyable, but seriously – get the hell out of my ear Barry Adamson. Take your whistling nose-breathing somewhere else and stop calling women "girls" and Black men "boys". This is supposed to be a soundtrack to an imaginary movie, but it feels more like a soundtrack to Little Saint James between 1998 and 2019 whenever that whispering creep starts going again. "Miles" was an interesting version of Miles Davis' "Milestones" with a backbeat, but Davis still did it better. Interesting that Adamson copies the first part of Cannonball Adderley's solo from the original recording, but then goes on to make it the most square thing I've heard in a while. I'm serious, listen to the original and tell me it's not about 1000x better. Maybe if I didn't already dislike other parts of this album, I would be more forgiving of this sad masquerade of an attempt at jazz improvisation. To be clear, I don't have a problem with Adamson adding a cover of a pre-existing jazz tune to this album, it just feels like he's appropriating the song more than appreciating it by not even trying to make it sound like jazz anymore. The atmosphere created throughout this album is truly impressive. Seems like when Adamson sticks to what he does best he really can make a moving piece of art. "It's Business As Usual" and "Dirty Barry" genuinely creeped me out. "Achieved In The Valley Of Dolls" has a slick bass groove accompanied by some really tasteful "Rebel-Rouser" style guitar and record scratches. Couldn't help but think of Hannah Pilkes' "wise beyond her years" narrator Disney audition bit when listening to "Vermillion Kisses". "Petunia Tabernacle emerged from the castle with a young frog..." type of fairy tale hahaha
This album was the most all over the place album I think I have ever listened to... Was like funk, then electro lounge then scary ambient music? Apparently they were writing this music for a movie soundtrack that didn't exist, but if the movie did exist, I am not sure it would be very good. Some of the songs had me grooving! Such as: Set the Controls For the Heart of the Pelvis (interesting song name lol), and Achieved in the Valley in the Dolls (Also weird song name). But as an album, there was no cohesion, no glue or transitions from song to song. Nothing to hold it all together, and I'm all for variation within an album, but the songs should flow into one another and make sense within their position in the album. Felt like you were trudging through a field of cacti when going from song to song, just harsh and kinda painful. As an album this kinda sucked, as individual songs, some were pretty decent, (except for the scary ambient shit lmfao). Idk... Interesting I guess, but will likely never listen to the album front to back again. 5/10
No tällasta ajoittaista hyvää mieltä mutta jazzahtavaa sellaista
I dunno, man. I guess I don’t hate it like I hate other acid jazz/ trip hop/ edm nonsense. But why is this here? 4/10
Nah not for me.
Tedious, not even jarvis can save this
This feels like it should be on a late night compilation album commercial.
Lite gung, men mer för klubb?
Some good compositions musically. Didn’t care for the vocals much. Overall kind of a downer. It’s meant as a soundtrack to an imaginary movie. From the sound of it a pretty depressing European art movie.
This switches genres and vibes so quickly that I have no idea what the artist intended. It's unusual and absurd. Not garbage, but not great either
creepy schreepy
es het nomel eis vo dem uf dere liste?? eigentli sött das es protest-1 geh. aber die erste zwei songs findi zimli geil leider. de song miles findi reeecht ass. smooth jazz aber komischs geplänkel als chords? weird. nai. cringe. dirty barry het wenigstens wieder mood und isch schräg und grusig, da chaner besser. scho nöd sol geil, aber mengmol halt so film noir ästhetik wo super passt. glaub mues es 2 sii.
poah ener weniger bock mmmmhh the vibes isch tatsächlich en vibe chan nöd behaupte, dass ichs würkli gnosse han aber SCHLECHT isches au nöd
Boy, this sure was a collection of music and sounds one might call an "album." Some of the music was decent enough to save this from being a 1, but this was overall a strange experience and not one I see myself returning to
Quite a strange record. Which may be explained by it being a soundtrack to a fictional movie. Overall I had a very hard time placing this album and understanding what space it restricted itself to. It really feels like it's all over the place. 'Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Pelvis' with some Pink Floyd reference had me expecting something along the lines of that song, but it totally is not. 'It's Business As Usual' is just a strange segway that doesn't really do much to me. Then you have some nice instrumental tracks like 'The Vibes Ain't Nothing But The Vibes, and 'Miles'. Then some more modern sounding electronic tracks like 'Achieved in the Valley in the Dolls'. And a small story in 'Vermillion Kisses'. I don't know... it was a journey for sure, but what is there to take away here really? Some musical pieces that are nice. But most of the runtime feel like filler material. Typical soundtrack pieces I suppose. But I want to listen to music, not sound effects and such. Weak 2.
Haven’t we already had an album that was composed to an imaginary film? I don’t know, like why would I listen to it? There are nice pieces here and there – I even enjoyed the spoken word on “The Vibes Ain’t Nothin’ but the Vibes”. I just don’t get why I would listen to it. It felt bloated and above all not that interesting. 2 star.
Here we go again, another record from this guy who can't get hired to make movie scores, so he makes his own for movies that don't exist. Just as in the other record of his on the list, it's fine with some good moments, but I don't even like real soundtracks, let alone imaginary ones
2,4 - Klingt wie ein Soundtrack zu einem nie erschienenen Film. Dabei wechseln sich starke Songs mit Totalausfällen ab, die bei mir nur Stress auslösen. Highlights: Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Sweetest Embrace
Hmmm
It’s great that people without rock star names can make records but maybe they shouldn’t.
Great album name, and great track names, sadly the substance isn’t really there. A killer opening track is not backed up by the rest of the album which is a real odd mix of elevator music and easy listening jazz! A few bright spots that could have made a great album, but alas, no.
Well starting an album off with Jarvis Cocker ‘having it off’ is very brave, possibly foolhardy and definitely ‘ick’. And it’s all downhill in terms of music and interest from there. Why on earth have we got two pretend soundtracks from this chap on the list. Waste of my time. Next….
This was a bit of a roller coaster ride. I hated it in the beginning and almost turned it off. I’m glad I didn’t, because there was some cool stuff going on later. I got hints of The The at times and some Leonard Cohen.
didn’t finish it… not my vibe at all. Apart from a loud beginning which doesn’t seem to really fit with the rest of the songs so far that i’ve heard. it kind of just noise, sounds like a score for a detective show. Overall 3.5-4/10
Zweiter fiktiver Soundtrack, kann damit irgendwie nicht viel anfangen. Finde es jetzt aber auch nicht total kacke. Ich hoffe doch, dass dann hier mindestens noch 10 extrem gute Soundtracks von echten Filmen kommen..
Ich fühlte mich beim Hören negativ an den letzten fiktiven Soundtrack erinnert und die Recherche ergab: Das war der Mann hier auch schon. Mit dem Unterschied, dass das hier noch mehr langweilt. Schade aber immerhin wenige Lichtblicke
Not great, Bob! Set the Controls for the Heart of the Pelvis ★★☆☆☆ Something Wicked This Way Comes ★★☆☆☆ The Vibes Ain’t Nothin’ but the Vibes ★★☆☆☆ It’s Business As Usual ★☆☆☆☆ Miles ★★★☆☆ Dirty Barry ★★☆☆☆ In a Moment of Clarity ★★★☆☆ Achieved in the Valley of the Dolls ★★☆☆☆ Vermillion Kisses ★☆☆☆☆ The Big Bamboozle ★★☆☆☆ State of Contraction ★★☆☆☆ The Sweetest Embrace ★☆☆☆☆ Set the Controls Again ★★★☆☆ Average Album Rating: 2.0/5.0 ★★☆☆☆
Couple parts I enjoyed but they were few and far between. Overall not that good, 1.5/5
Most enjoyable backgrounds... please...
Occasionally sounds like it is going to be good, and then turns to cheese.
This album started out pretty strong, but eventually for me lost steam. The instrumentals were very well made and the production for the first half kept me engaged, however towards the middle it began to lose me. It did however pick up a little towards the tail end The atmosphere of the album is probably my favourite aspect as it creates this very uneasy feeling, however this isn’t enough to sustain a 55 minute runtime. Somewhat enjoyable but will probably never return.
Jarvis Cocker and/or Nick Cave could fart near an album and Robert Dimery would put it on this list
i think i appreciate the concept of this album more than the album itself. i didn’t mind this at all, but i found it made for a pretty disjointed listening experience. tons of cool ideas here, but this music would be much more powerful if it was paired with a film, instead of being a standalone album.
Det var noe bra der. Virker som en blanding av klipp og lim hvor det er lagt på ekte instrumenter med egen komposisjon. Så var det noe merkelig vokal greier de smørte på.
A little weird
Interesting but not very good
Pretty sure I’ve heard more than one of these songs while on hold with the bank. Some of the jazzier stuff is ok
This started high for me but plummeted as the album went on. Just kinda weird honestly
1,9/5
The music isn't horrible at times (but mostly is), but then there's the voice over and the laugh track and ugh. Way more moaning than is needed or wanted. We have this included, but not Neutral Milk Hotel. 2/5 because there's a track or two that are ok.
Must not have been in the right mood for this.
A weird blend of jazz and dark ambiance. The whole album is paced weirdly. Listening to a soundtrack for a movie that doesn’t exist doesn’t feel right
Temu modern-age James Bond soundtrack. I'd rather listen to 55 mins of the Goldeneye 007 pause music.
It got better near the end
1001 greatest albums of all time? It's an interesting score for a film that doesn't exist - will likely forget all about it when it finished.
Well, well, well. Let's say that I was glad when the music finally stopped. Weird and boring at the same time.
Too Big Band/Bond/Jazz for me.
Jazzy Recognized one song James bondy
Pretty cool collection of songs, but a bit weird and creepy for me right now. Not very coherent and consistent. Creepy jazz trip hop?
задумка интересная... но в плане музыки не впечатлен особо.
Nenhuma música com números gigantes no Spotify, vamos ver o que vem. A música mais famosa é instrumental praticamente... qual a pira desse álbum... A vibe da (fui pesquisar o nome e é Vibes Ain't Nothing But Vibes kkk) é boa. Parece cena de filme. É uma parada bem experimental, quero pesquisar o que é depois. Eita bicho, sexo kkkk. Fui pesquisar, é isso mesmo, era pra ser tipo uma trilha sonora pra um filme que não existe. Vou dar 2 estrelas pela ideia e por que é bem feito, mas eu não curti muito.
Que doideira é essa mano? Álbum esquisito da porra. Cada faixa é uma loucura diferente. Uma dúvida que ficou pairando na minha cabeça é "pra que que serve esse álbum?". Porque ninguém vai pegar o vinyl, colocar na vitrola, sentar e ficar ouvindo isso. Bagulho mó aleatório. Pra não dizer que foi de todo ruim, tiveram umas 2 ou 3 músicas com uma vibe bem bacaninha, admito. Meio jazzinho e tals. A primeira tem uma vibe legal também, mas é estragada pelas vozes estranhas e aleatórios ao longo dela. Com certeza 2 estrelas. Não chega a merecer 1 que nem aquele lixo lá, mas 3 já é demais também.
It's fine. I read that it was written as the soundtrack for a movie, and it sounds like it. The tracks aren't that enjoyable independently, but it's fun to imagine how they might be used as background in a movie (or just used as background while you go about your day). too much moaning
I find soundtracks generally aren't good to listen to, so I had low expectations for a soundtrack for a movie that doesn't exist. I was not disappointed. I am vaguely glad I listened, because it was some kind of an experience, and it had some minor highlights here and there.
Lejm, dosta lejm. 2/5, 3/10
See my notes for "Moss Side Story". I found this album to be a similar experience, but with a more meandering feel, making it less convincing to me even as an imaginary movie soundtrack.
"Jack of all trades; Master of none" feels apt here, not least because the album starts with this freak jacking it like an animal. Pick a fuckin lane Barry, jesus christ.
Nice
Ścieżka dźwiękowa do filmu, którego nigdy nie będę chciała obejrzeć. Chaotyczna, ciągnąca się w nieskończoność. Przeplatana jakimiś dziwnymi monologami. Zbyt eksperymentalna dla kogoś takiego jak ja. 3/10
Sorry but that was wank
I found this pretty boring.
least favorite of the three I listened to today, it was okay but then had some random spoken word moments
I love Magazine - and I sure as shit hope they end up on this list if this record is here - so I was intrigued to see what this is all about. After listening to it twice, I'm still not sure. It's not really all that coherent as an album, incorporating different elements from trip-hop to lounge-y jazz. The conceit is that its a soundtrack to a fake film, and there are definitely some tracks that pull that off such as the extremely creepy "It's Business As Usual" or the opening "Set The Controls For the Heart of The Pelvis." But on the whole its not really a connected album, and too many of the tracks don't really work.
Never ever heard of this. Great title for an album but this wasn’t for me. Don’t get it.
--
Some good tracks, but not cohesive and a bit annoying to boot
I think I liked this more than Moss Side Story. The Nick Cave song was pretty good and it was at least interesting the whole way through. I just don’t think I will revisit it. Favorite songs were Something Wicked This Way Comes and The Sweetest Embrace.
This album was trying something and I think it absolutely went way over my head. No idea what theme or feel it was going for. It was creepy at times, jazzy at times, then there was a fairytale? I had such whiplash I didn't actually listen to the tale. I think this may just really not be for me. I tried looking up this album to see what warranted its presence on this list, but wasn't able to find any influence it may have had on any genre or people. Overall, I did enjoy the occasional noire feel it had and it being near Halloween may have done it favours for me, other than that, though this was an odd one for sure. Oh! and I absolutely did not enjoy the suggestive sounds that were in the first track, I did not need that in my ears while at the office.
I think this is an interesting concept album, and I like the way it was written. I wish I liked listening to it.
Mostly jazz with a little bit of the gruesomeness.
Favorite Track: Miles
This was an odd one for me. I thought I would hate it but I never did. I thought I would get tired of it, but I never did. I was never into it, but I liked some songs more than others. All in all, nice background music, would listen again.
"Oedipus Schmoedipus" presents more like a collage than a true album -- some good, theatrical moments mixed with less inspiring muzak meant a somewhat disappointing listen.
Tough to grade. The trip-hop type tracks are pretty enjoyable and engaging. The other artsy-fartsy high brow stuff is very much not enjoyable. A 3 is most fair, but it didn’t garner a relisten, which means a 2 on my scale.
This is such an interesting album; it has great influences and instrumentation in Something Wicked This Way Comes and Miles. However, the rest of the album kind of falls short. I'm not too much of a fan of the Leonard Cohen influence or the experimental vocal elements like in Vermillion Kisses. Not really my thing.
Cool concept, impossible to listen to. Liked some of the trumpet songs tho.
Not spooky enough. Too 90s. Barry Schmarry.
This was an odd one. I get that this was supposed to be a movie soundtrack but it felt like at least 3 different movies. "Something Wicked This Way Comes" was about the only song I somewhat enjoyed here. Great album title though.
Weird. Blase background music. Not sure what needed to be heard on this.
This felt more like an OST than a regular album with instrumental songs and slow songs with a voice just talking. After listening I went back here and looked and according to Wikipedia that is what the artist had in mind when he made it. Some really nice songs with great feeling to them but not something to listen to every day. Like most OST albums to me.
All over the place sylistically. Jazzy, rock, experimental, pop, and more. A lot of talking over the music. Sometimes upbeat, sometimes dark and disturbing, all the things in between. A fair amount of strange and/or random sounding noises here and there. This is definitely an unusual and unique album. It's the kind of thing I don't think I'd put onto listen to, but it's an interesting experience to go through it. Maybe I'm all wrong and it gets better with more listens?
I didn’t know “fake movie soundtracks” was even a thing until I started this project. Now I’ve had a few. Strange.
I really feel like I did not *get* this. It was ok, but if it’s supposed to be a soundtrack for a movie (that doesn’t exist, which is rather pretentious), I could not make any mental image of this film. It didn’t deliver in the regards for me
Interesting
Does this guy only create soundtracks to imaginary films? I vaguely remember "Moss Side Story" earlier in this list. Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting concept, but usually falls flat if you are missing context (which is the case here as well). There are some neat jazz moments, but the rest comes off as cheesy. I'm not sure who's willingly listening to this thing from start to finish.
01) Set the Controls for the Heart of the Pelvis - 7,5 02) Something Wicked This Way Comes - 8,0 03) The Vibes Ain't Nothin' but the Vibes - 7,0 04) It's Business as Usual - 4,0 05) Miles - 6,0 06) Dirty Barry - 4,5 07) In a Moment of Clarity - 5,0 08) Achieved in the Valley of Dolls - 7,0 09) Vermillion Kisses - 1,0 10) The Big Bamboozle - 7,0 11) State of Contraction - 6,0 12) The Sweetest Embrace - 7,5 13) Set the Controls Again - 6,0 TOTAL: 5,88 (59/100) Current ranking: 540/663