Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Disliked
I would have liked a bit more musicality, but it was alright. The lyrics were the most interesting part of the album for me. Standouts American Gothic 3/5
I was unfamiliar with this artist and can’t say this album made me have any regrets about that.
2.5
Historically inaccurate 1/5
This was a bit too folky or artsy (pardon my inability to find my adjective today). Did remind me of other theatrical music/groups but in general I’d rather hear the others than Ackles here… 2.25/5
American Gothic by David Ackles is awful. I genuinely think this might be one of the worst albums I’ve ever heard. The biggest problem for me is that the whole thing sounds like a horrendous musical. Everything is overly theatrical and dramatic, with these grand arrangements and storytelling lyrics that should probably be right up my street, but I found them unbearable. Rather than feeling emotional or moving, it all feels ridiculously overblown. There’s also so much religion running through the album. God, faith and biblical imagery seem to appear constantly, and combined with the theatrical music it made the whole thing feel even more like some strange stage production I desperately wanted to leave! “Montana Song” was the absolute low point. At nearly ten minutes long, it feels endless and takes everything I disliked about the album and turns it up another level. By that point I was just waiting for the whole experience to be over. Favourite track: “Waiting for the Moving Van” was actually quite sweet in a way. It’s probably the only song I came remotely close to enjoying and I think it might also be one of the few that doesn’t mention God! Least favourite tracks: All of them! “Montana Song” is probably the worst offender, though. Nearly ten minutes of everything I hated about the album. Album artwork: I actually quite like the cover. It portrays a lovely, idyllic-looking life. Unfortunately, I’d rather live in that house than ever listen to this album again.
#440 Too theatrical and whimsical for my tastes. The question of whether this is essential listening is tricky to answer when it’s not really my thing, should one listen to something because it is represents a point of difference, if only to know that this sort of music exists? I don’t know. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Listen before you die?❓ Fave track(s): American Gothic Rating: 4/10 ⭐️⭐️
Just an hour or so of nothingness.
Ik ga dit weer theatraal noemen en dat is zelden tot nooit positief. De beste man vertelt dramatische verhalen op theatermuziek. De lokale harmonie mag meedoen, terwijl hij zelf wat piano speelt. Zo stel ik het me in ieder geval voor. Ik heb geen idee waar het over gaat natuurlijk, want ik luister niet al te goed zolang het me toch niet bevalt. Ik kan hier niet zoveel mee, ik wil hier niet zoveel mee. Erg meh. Ik ga even een nachtje twijfelen of dit een 1 of een 2 wordt. Liever dit dan Astrud, dat nog wel.
Meh
Inte nödvändigtvis dåligt, men herregud vad trist.
Even after the second listening, it feels like 'American Gothic' hasn't fully opened up. I believe that this would have the potential to rise to four stars with additional listens. The vocal style occasionally reminds me of Jacques Brel and/or Scott Walker, so to like this album, one must tolerate dramatic spoken-word delivery
By track 3 i was pretty bored. As someone who is a fan of both Scott Walker and Nick Cave, this should sound better to me than it does but i was kind of over it pretty quickly and it then became a “hate to check how many tracks are left” album. God this bored me to tears. There’s nothing special about Ackles’ vocals. They’re not bad per se but as another reviewer said and i have paraphrased: “this isn’t as interesting as he thinks it is” My actual reaction to seeing the last track is 10 minutes: “OH GOD” i’m glad it seemed to go by quicker than i thought. I could not wait for him to shut up. A ten minute track should make me feel the opposite of whatever this is. I think all in all i would highly prefer this record without Ackles. It sounds great without him cutting through, hence the 2 and not a 1. If the rest didn’t sound even a little bit as pretty as it does it would be.
Best Track - "Love's Enough"
American desolate beauty
Oh lordy, here he come, folks, America’s travelin’ troubadour… talk-singing his way pretentiously through the mighty land. Grandiose and overwrought symphonics accompany his journey through broken love, Vietnam (the “ship of state” is America, you see, and the “yellows” are Vietnam), sex with drifters, California And Its Delusions, and moving to a new house because you couldn’t fix shit in the old one. Very epic, very incredibly boring white man’s perspective on What It All Means. The album concludes with a ten-minute elegy to his grandparents who, uh, lived in Montana, grew some vegetables, and died. Utterly fascinating. I’d like to share some lyrics but this has gone on long enough. This is hackwork masquerading as great philosophy. An AllMusic review said, "American Gothic remains one of those great albums that never found its audience.” There’s a very good reason for that.
It's like evil showtunes I'm obsessed
Nice but not really that interesting imo
It's like Bruce Springsteen, Cat Stevens, and Warren Zevon had a child. Don't ask me how, that's just how it is
Ok
It’s alright. Very жизненные songs (lol). ВСЖ.
This is the second time through this album for me doing the multiple projects. One thing I will say: it takes your full attention. I tried having a conversation while it was playing. Impossible. And its theatricality is sometimes spot on. And it is consistent. But do I like it? Do I want more of it? That has to be a no. Hard no. Do I appreciate that it exists in the world? Yes. For someone else to listen to and love. Though I am committed. I will keep listening to it each time it comes up and see if something breaks, me or a blinding insight into David Ackles genius. Until then? I’m going 3 because it has moments. And it’s original. 3 Boolean: True
not the genre I typically gravitate towards but has some nice songs; favorites: Ballad of the ship of State & Another Friday Night
This was kinda fun. Cool production and felt like a show. I am not sure how often I would return to this, but it was really cool. Nothing was bad at all. Strong 3. This felt like a less popular Neil Diamond to me😂 Liked Songs: "American Gothic" , "One Night Stand" , "Oh, California!" , "Family Band" , "Midnight Carousel" , "Waiting for the Moving Van" , "Blues for Billy Whitecloud"
Not my vibe
It's like a combo of Billy Joel, Nick Cave, and Rodgers & Hammerstein. To me, that doesn't sound too appetizing. But I can respect the craft and the earnestness.
low 3.0. Não é ruim, mas me pareceu amador e não tem muita profundidade.
Can't get above a 3 with this guy, despite his apparent influence on Elvis Costello and others. I think it's because I've never really been a show tunes guy, and I've definitely never liked the kind that are basically half-singing dialogue.
Seemed like a good example of a very good thing that's not for me.
Somehow I really did enjoy this album.
Off-off-off-off-Broadway
AllMusic wrote, "American Gothic remains one of those great albums that never found its audience. It waits to be rediscovered." The album was released in 1972. Me thinks if it hasn't found its audience in 50+ years, the proverbial row boat has sailed.
Usually I’m all in on a cult classic, underground, relatively unknown folk album. This is just garbage though
Like if Nick Cave were a theater kid and more traditionally inclined with his music as opposed to his post-punk/punk blues type stuff. Gonna admit, I don't understand the hate for this one. Sub 2.5 seems really low. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not hugely enamored with this either, but yeah, its solid. Definitely occupies a unique spot on the list. Dunno if I'd put it on the list, but at least it seemed to influence Elton John and Elvis Costello.
*Definitely hear the show tune influence *Some parts are absolutely stunning but at other times it gets very drab
This started fine but then got a bit too much for me, like he was trying too hard
Listened before?: never American Gothic - 3/5 Love's Enough - 4/5 Ballad of the Ship of State - 3/5 One Night Stand - 4/5 Oh, California! - 3/5 Another Friday Night - 3/5 Family Band - 3/5 Midnight Carousel - 4/5 Waiting for the Moving Van - 3/5 Blues for Billy Whitecloud - 3/5 Montana Song - 3/5 Average score: 3.3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
desastroso musical? realmente como decia uno de los comentarios de las reviews INCREDIBLY FLAT entre otras cosas alguna que otra melodia interesante en casi 45 minutos de album muuuuy NORTEAMERICANO como su nombre nos quiere indicar una demostracion de que el creador de esta lista fue es y sera en primer instancia un yankeee blanco racista una lista llena atisborrada de musica anglosajona que deja afuera realmente albumes buenos no sabia cuanto iba a tardar en encontrar un album realmente malo, ni siquiera me habia molestado hasta el anteultimo tema que realmente vi que no iba a pasar nada no pasa nada e intente realmente buscarle un punto rescatable, quizas a produccion, se escucha bien pero ya para esa epoca no supone una gran revolucion tecnica, asi que ni eso le puedo dar algo de atencion le preste a las letras, pero no despiertan nada realmente un desastre este album.
This was a delight to hear. The arrangements were very playful. When I saw the album I thought to myself it was going to be a folk album (because I sometimes sense a genre from a cover) - but no it was more closer to Frank Sinatra-esque music than let' Bob Dylan or Neil Young. The album instrumentally was very theatrical/musical-like, the arrangements were playful. Not sure if I would return to this, but I enjoyed this for what it is. I believe it's worthy enough and manages to stand on it's two legs, so it deserves a place on the list. Highlight Song/s: "Love's Enough", "One Night Stand" and "Blues For Billy Whitecloud"
Kinda sad and poetry ish
Interesting. Like a mix of Tim Buckley and Tom Waits. With an extra little bit of theatre thrown in too maybe. I can imagine learning to really love it with a few more listens or maybe finding it a bit too much
Back in the day my uncle asked me if I wanted to visit him in his woodland lodge - he'd just finished work on his latest project; 40 minutes of slam poetry performed over the soundtrack to Walt Disney's 1941 animated film Dumbo. 11 year old me thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. I enjoyed it so much I asked him to perform it twice, and I laughed so hard I puked, so my mum collected me and took me home. It's only now, 30 years later that I've realised I narrowly avoided getting groomed. That uncles name? David Ackles.
Som en blandning av Nick Drake och Scott Walker med Piano. Några riktigt bra låtar. Familiy Band och titellåtten bl.a. 3,5 av 5.
Had I heard this before I heard snarky lunge singers I may have liked it. The music is great. What puts me off is his voice and his delivery like he’s a super genius and so much above everyone else. I will never listen to this again and I don’t want to finish listening now. The tone of voice that songs were delivered just really rubbed me the wrong way. I finished this. Towards the end there were a couple songs that I sort of enjoyed. But not enough to ever remember this artist or album.
70s folk rock. Very theatrical. Like a piano led musical in some cabaret.
A classic. Great voice, great storytelling, nice through line in musical style whilst being duitably varied.
This is theatre! Not sure I’ll ever listen to it again but it’s a 4 star. I want to watch this not just listen to it.
Clearly, he’s talented. It felt like listening to a musical, and the songs are beautifully composed and played. It’s far more dramatic than what I want to actually listen to, but it was a pleasure to discover
This album sounds like rejected musical songs, with Randy Newman music and Neil Diamond singing. I kinda love it, minus a few very racist lyrics
Сара 2 Марко 2
The titular opening track immediately disappointed me, as I expected something more subdued and moody. Despite this, it wasn't awful, although a bit muddled with some of it's erratic piano sections offset from it's storytelling vocals. It ended on a rather flat note too, though this could be intentional due to the problematic marriage mentioned in the lyrics. "Love's Enough" was, I think, more what I was looking for in the opening track, though it's clear why it wasn't used to open an album. The soft strings and bass supporting Ackle's piano chords and vocals was beautiful, as were the lyrics. Even more muddled than the opening track, "Ballad of the Ship of State" was definitely interesting, but difficult to enjoy due to it's various vocal styles and sharp instrumental switches. I enjoyed the near nursery rhyme verses nearer the end of the track, but the rest didn't work for me. "One Night Stand" returns to that something more subdued that I think is better suited to Ackles; something about his vocals this track made me seem him as a sort of modern day Marty Robbins, despite the lyrical subject matter being completely the opposite. There seems to be a bit of a theme here that's happened many times before with albums in this journey; the hit and miss nature one track after another. Despite tracks like "Oh, California!" inviting much needed variety, the upbeat tracks that get Ackles belting and the horns blowing just don't suit him as much as the ballad style of something like "Another Friday Night". Other tracks enjoyed: "Midnight Carousel". Everything else after this was like a set of self-indulgent show tunes. One again, nothing terribly unlistenable, but nothing to really want to revisit any time soon.
With his melodramatic singing, David Ackles sounds like a poor man's Billy Joel. Scott Walker without the dark charisma or Randy Newman without the humour would also make for apt comparisons. I struggled to take the somber lyrics seriously due to how grandiose the music gets. I was ready to throw in the towel when I got to choir-backed "Family Band". This track is followed by "Midnight Carousel", which features orchestral flourishes that try so hard to sound dramatic that you could throw the track on the soundtrack to Jaws! The album's closer is 10 minutes long and I was absolutely done with this record by this point.
A real shame that this seems to have become lost to time somewhat – only 5k monthly Spotify listeners, and I can't say that I was familiar with the artist in any way. I thought this was excellent, wide-ranging and ambitious. It's a cinematic, sweeping orchestral album with darkness at its core, whilst managing not to err too much on the over-dramatic side, and Ackles' vocals are an enjoyable, slightly unhinged rich baritone, bringing the likes of Scott Walker and Nick Cave to mind. Lyrically, it's a poetic combination of dysfunction and tender, sentimental relief, finely balanced on a knife edge at all times. Yeah, a definite revisit for me and a likely purchase if I can get a hold of a copy.
Super boring. But I did read his bio, and you can definitely detect the theater/cinema tones in the music. About the only interesting thing.
Basically musical theater. It’s not my taste. If this was actually a musical theater show, that’d be one thing, but it kind of doesn’t work as a pop album. I want to accept it and like it…but I don’t actually like it. It’s kind of lyrically simple - in a bad way. Again the lyrics are like musical theater as well. Unfortunately, 1 star for me.
I think this must be the guy Billy Joel was singing about in "Piano Man." Not compelling.
Fucking hell. Musical tunes. Dramatic vocals. Terrible, terrible music.
There's some cool moments on some songs, but every time the bit gets more theatrical I kinda tap out. White Country, Old Road.
My first impressions of this. Take the worst bits of Sondheim. The worst bits of Dylan. The worst bits of Brian Wilson. Give it to a musical theatre kid with no experience to arrange. Throw in the velvet underground featuring Neil young. Mix it badly. Just because a critic has heard of it and you haven’t doesn’t automatically make it good. Maybe this could grow on me. But I doubt it.
This album - so subtle soulful sentimental and Sonorously sung, is Sneaky too, the way it grows from sparse solos and gentle ballad to orchestral sweeping Show Tunes - especially that sustained, Sweeping Finale. (So special, some specific sibilant alliteration seemed so specifically suitable, despite my dissonance at not quite accomplishing assonance.) Idiosyncratically Intimate: disarms by sharing stories intimately to create a supremely soothing solace, masterfully sung and arranged instrumentation that never intrudes. And what a find. Do hang in there for the final track. Once you've been cajoled into his style and universe - that final track will get you ! It does take a moment to settle down to his pace, but once the warm feeling hits, you’re in. An album we’d never know if not for this list. Listening to this was like finding another Sugarman - but a better voice. Thank you List gods! A very, very obscure artist - what a gentle album. It goes from wistful bar songs to rousing Show Tunes (the sparse desolation of Kurt Weil meets hard baked Chicago but not as you know it), then shifts back to the story telling of early Springsteen and I got definite reminders of the Billy Joel style too at times. Is this the soundtrack to a life? Ranging from bucolic, pastoral, and reflective to a dramatic moving climax in the final song. The final track, Montana Song. I am surprised even more - this is huge (with a HORNS section and strngs yes STRINGS!). I wasn't going to say this until I got to that final track. Yes. "A heartbreaking work of staggering genius". There! I pressed the Golden Buzzer for the first time in 500 or so albums. A must listen. So, I read up. I see he remained obscure despite his obvious talent and influence. Elvis Costello said so, it must be true. Now diverting a bit - I can almost imagine this final song sung by Robert Underdunk Terwilliger Jr., more commonly recognized by his stage name, Sideshow Bob, of the SIMPSONS. I smiled a bit thinking of this beautiful album parodied. Yet sad at the talent so many missed out on, maybe corrected here in small measure via this list. Some Superb Listening. Also check his first album, sparse and interesting too. This deserves more than 5 I'm curious what my posse rated it, but there's a moving van pulling up....
Sometimes I'll be listening to a Nick Cave record and think "Jesus, Nick, get your hand off it!". This is a whole album of that.
This was alright. Different than the rest on the list, upbeat and sombre at times
Boring
Listened to this over breakfast looking out over the mountains drinking baileys and coffee and I still didn’t really like it.
Nope. Sounded like a backstreet musical in London's West End. Made it through 5 tracks, couldn't stomach anymore than that.
It sounds like I'm at a funeral.
Actual lyrics from this unlistenable piece of shit: "Born Jamеs McKennon, 1862 Married Leantha, 1884 Two sons born in Montana Praisе the Lord!" This is like listening to an insufferable guy reading aloud from the most boring novel ever written.
a teensy bit fun, i do like stories
Pretty bad, but not as bad as I expected it be. I made it through most of the album before doom scrolling on Insta. 1.5 / 5
Strong voice.
So I really liked the start of this album and was like ok this is new and I'm into it. It then took a sharp religious preachy turn that became infuriating
It’s not for me. I don’t think it deserves hate…. But it really dosnt belong on this list does it?
Lovely lyrics, big band sound, but I wasn't a huge fan of the singing - kind of like Tom Waits (or rather, Tom Waits is kind of like David Ackles).
Immediate five stars for the opening song and that banger ending line: 'they suffer least who suffer what they choose'. One of the albums that make this whole project worthwhile: something I might never have listened to or even heard of otherwise, but whose influence you instantly hear in better-known artists.
Ok
Neat album, reminds me a lot of Nick Cave, with the storytelling and sort of gloomy, deep crooning performances. Also similar to Bill Callahan in some of its spoken-work-esque singing. The album sort of jumps between these nice, slow love ballads and these pretty insane and theatrical horn-backed monsters. I preferred the former personally, especially early on with the songs 'Love's Enough' and 'One Night Stand', which had this really gorgeous flute hovering over it. 'Another Friday Night' was pretty great too; it jumps between this album's two "extremes" musically (piano ballad and a huge horn-backed outro), and is one of the more relatably sad songs here; the writing feels especially poignant and personal for something released in 1972. 'Family Band' I also liked because of the ginormous backing opera-type vocals. The album can get waaaaay over-the-top for my liking and too theater-y as well, especially with 'Midnight Carousel' and 'Oh, California!'. But I did ultimately enjoy it lyrically, and there are some great production and vocal moments throughout.
"American Gothic" by David Ackles is not that good album for me. I found this album to be boring and outdated. This album was produced by Elton John's producer but he couldn't bring justice to this album. This album is like around 40 minutes with more than 10 tracks but it was not interesting to listen. The album pacing is very bad and too long to listen. Good sides from this album are song writing that is good and instrumentation above par and piano/baroque pop sound . I love few tracks like "Love's Enough" and "Another Friday Night". Besides this all other tracks are not that good and fill up with filler songs. Within 3-4 minutes I lose the interest from this album. Overall one of the worst album I've listened from this list. Instead of this album the author should have included other classic albums that are excluded.
Kind of like the worst musical you’ve ever been forced to listen to
2.5 - ok
kinda giving way, waytoo mild kurt weill or tom waits, theater but gumless. made me think about all the times ive put on dreichopfer opera or blood money on for other people, maybe this is what it was like for them. i asmire the ambition in this, the lyrics lost me a bit. i have a peeve for when artists try to write about ordinary people and it's too removed and comes off as a little contemptuous. it's worse when its men doing stories about "sad" women, the first track being the worst offender. and the music really didnt win me over. fave track oh california
Weird shit and not my jam. Way too show tunes and jazzy for me.
Bloated, unmemorable sentimentality
I kinda liked this one, it's very reminiscent of Oscar's and Hammerstein.
Kind of a mess - It's probably good but I don't think I'll hear it again
Ehh
238. ok
The acoustic sound is the soul of the music. Too melancholic. Midnight Carousel is pretty dramatic. The orchestra on the final was gorgeous.
Get lost nick cave! Get lost Randy Newman! Get lost vaudeville! Jk but it’s crazy to hear such beautiful music from a guy with 5k monthly on Spotify
First off, I don't see why this is classified as a country album. It's more like baroque pop if anything. I do appreciate the theatrics of it though. If this is country then I'd consider it a "country opera" in the same way we have "rock operas". It that way it's pretty interesting to me. Favorite track: Oh, California! 3.5/5
Not sure what I expected from this but it was an oddity. Seemed to start off vaguely normal singer songwriter stuff, bit bland then suddenly we’re talking mid 19th century California and ahoy matey we’re out at sea. Gave theatrical vibes, not awful but I didn’t gel with it.
Minus the theatre what am I left with. Slightly dramatic spoken word suited to a stage and of no use to me. Absolutely nothing infectious about this and hence it doesn't compare favorably to anything in my opinion. Having a hugely dramatic and deep orchestra as a backdrop only achieves a musical water boarding. Could it be a good historical account of America maybe, is it a good piece of music in isolation no I don't think it is. It's not a talent issue; it's a miss used package. It's just so tiring to get through with this isolation.
Well that was annoying... I guess everything was well played and recorded and he can certainly sing. But the whole thing sounded like an amateur dramatic society does Broadway musical. I looked at the description and was amused by the "A great album that has yet to find it's audience". Sounds like a classic music critic code for "Nobody likes this". What makes art good, then? Can it's value be entirely separate from it's popularity? If everyone generally agrees something isn't very good, how is it critically acclaimed? And why did I have to listen to it?
There were a couple of good tracks on here. I didn't really like the show tune sound it was going for though. Favourite Track(s): Love's Enough Least Favourite Track(s): Midnight Carousel, Waiting for the Moving Van
I enjoyed this when it started but that feeling waned as it went on.
Old-style story-telling by folk music that my dad would have loved. I had it on in the background so couldn’t pay attention to the stories.
Did not care for this. Pretentious and overly theatrical. Maybe it’s just not for me, but I would have rather not heard. Last track was alright though. 1/5
boring
Beautiful music. I think there was a linear story here? Kind of showtune crap I can't stand.
Meah
Billy Joel writes a critical panned off broadway musical “No I won’t get maudlin” brother what are you talking about
Very theatrical, felt like the album for a musical I hadn’t heard before that didn’t have a connected storyline 2
Starts off strong with an incredible atmosphere, but takes too long to complete. Sometimes felt like listening to a long winding novel with the bible and jesus as foundation…
If Harry Chapin wrote a Broadway musical and cast Neil Diamond as the lead.
3/5 Love's Enough is so sweet. This album is artsy sad self-indulgent.
Хороший альбом, жалко не заценили во время
Well, this is really interesting, a 1970s songwriter that I have never come across until today. Great piano player and a deep, melodic voice. It seems he toured opening for Elton John, resulting in Bernie Taupin producing the album. Great songwriting with folk, gospel and musical theatre influences mixed in.
This was weird and kinda fun
David Ackles – American Gothic (1972) On Day 208, I experienced a record that brought a surprisingly unique sound compared to what I initially expected for a country/folk album. During the session, it actually blew me away at certain points with its scale. However, on the other hand, the project would go on to lose momentum pretty quickly. The main issue I had was that the overall sound design simply wasn't consistent across the tracklist. Some songs were absolute peak, while others felt mid, and a few were just plain bad. I did manage to really like a couple of standout tracks, specifically "Montana Song," "Another Friday Night," and "Love's Enough." I respect the grand attempt and the unique direction it tried to take, but the inconsistency makes it mid regardless. A flat 3/5.
Meh
jesus demais. não gostei. mas o começo foi peak. a música é realmente muito boa, mas as letras são conservadoras demais, achei meio traumático de ouvir. poxa, tem tanto potencial pqqqqqqqqqqqq + uma red flag nessa música, "hey billy, don't be sad, for an indian you're not so bad". Mas o álbum tem músicas muito bem arranjadas, a voz do David é incrível, mas tem algumas coisas que me incomodam particularmente. A primeira coisa que me incomodou foi uma música falando sobre Deus, que me lembrou de If I shall fall from grace with god e, assim como eu pensei com esse àlbum anterior, eu achei que fosse ser uma música propaganda enganosa, só com o nome god, mas sem se relacionar diretamente. Mas eu me enganei, o álbum é bem crente e isso me irrita profundamente. Pareço um pouco intolerante religiosa? talvez, mas esse álbum (principalmente a música midnight carousel) me trazem memórias de traumas de infância as quais eu me esforço pra não lembrar. Também, ouvir esse álbum enquanto leio O conto da aia pode não ter sido a melhor ideia. A conclusão pra esse álbum é que eu estava esperando muito mais gothic, mas ganhei só muito american, e nem foi o lado bom dela.
its not bad
It's not bad but nit my cup.of joe
too sad for me
Bad musical theater
Na
Vibe entre Rufus Wainwright et The Divine Comedy, j'ai beaucoup aimé !
Très Randy Newman
J'ai vraiment adoré l'album et les sonorités, c'est hyper moderne pour un album sorti en 1972
I was really excited because of the name... but...
Forgettable
In a comparison of what I experienced against what I expected this rates quite highly. Virtually no Spotify listens. A voice like Frank Sinatra but lyrics much more dark. The title American Gothic is apt. I quite liked the piano based and some orchestral arrangements. Wikipedia tells me it was produced by Bernie Taupin, which makes sense. Probably would have given it a 3 but trying not to rate 3's so this gets a 4 on achieving above expectations. Glad to have listened to it but would not search it out to hear it again.
Very untypical country. More like musical-singer/songwriting style. Some harmonies feel very off, particularly the horn arrangements.
Somehow spotify reverted back to "play suggested songs" at the end of albums, so now I don't even know when this ended or how much extra David Ackles I accidentally suffered through.
At first i really liked it but then it kinda grew old, high 3. I think i may have liked the first track the best
Not for me. 1/5
This is a nice album with nice songs. I can’t say that I knew much about this album before, but I’m glad I’m introduced to it. It really appeals to the charms of yesteryear, and is just a nice series of songs to put on in the background. 4/5
Twaddle. It's like if somebody tried and failed to do a one-man show as a musical. None of it is fun to listen to, the lyrics are nonsensical, and I barely made it through the bloody thing. They say that this album struggled to find an audience upon release, and I'd say that fact is still true today.
Really confused as to why this album is on here - it's neither well-known, influential, or good at what it's trying to achieve. The lyrics are basic, and most of the album sounds like sub-par nursery rhymes.
Good songwriting
Well this was unexpected. Kind of sounds like Neil Diamond's younger, more serious and literate brother. Which is not a bad thing. I didn't really take time to focus in on the lyrics and not sure I will ever make that time. Perhaps that is to detriment. I did like Waiting for the Moving Van to Come.
I was getting ready to settle into some folky, man-and-his-guitar type stuff. This turned out to be surprisingly...loungey and....show-tuney? Can't say I'm really into it, though I do kind of appreciate the moody, dark vibe. I'd be interested to hear these lyrics in a different style. UPDATE: Waiting for the Moving Van nearly brought me to tears. If Johnny Cash sang this song, I would be absolutely fetal and bawling. Bumping up to three stars just for this song.
This sounds like the original cast recording of a Broadway one-man show, not the "American Sgt. Pepper's" description lavished upon it at the time. Apparently the string arrangements are very complicated, but I think critics were being overly generous. I found American Gothic to be kind of a chore—and I much preferred Judee Sill's "Jesus Was a Cross Maker," which Spotify automatically started playing at the end of the album. I may go back to that, but not American Gothic.
Before listening took a look at the albums track list. The Prog Rock gene in me was immediately attracted to the 10 minute plus song about Montana so I started there. Fortunately this was also the last song on the album so I didn’t have to listen to the rest. 1/5 13/7/26
Sounds like pretty standard British folk to me even though he's not a Brit. It was ok 2.5 stars
Extremely bad and extremely good at the same time, somehow. This is the kind of unpolished gem (or...something) you get when you explore the world of lesser-known music. Really baffling to experience.
e nada de novo sob o sol
FELIZMENTE, nao eh o que eu tava esperando. eu gostei desse aqui. uma pegada elton john e billy joel, com uns arranjos bonitos, quase um musical mesmo. eu achei massa demais, muito chique!!
This is a really weird album. Yeah. Not expected. Took me a moment to allow it to be its theatrical self. Impressive for what it is, really. Honestly, it does make me want to… run away? To hide under my bed? To dress in drag and let it all hang out? Idk. This rating system is far, far too linear. I need a z axis on which to rate this album. But lacking that, I guess I will give it a 4 and call it good. 4 Boolean: true. Yeah. True. For sure true
I mean it's okay, a piano album I'll probably never return to.
Eh, sounds like a less interesting Scott Walker. DNF
quite enjoyed it, as discussed, feels very of its time
Is this Neil Diamond No but this is so good, never heard of it before. Gorgeous lyrics
At the suggestion of another review I went and listened to another album that should've been on this list instead. Go check out Nina Simone's Little Blue Girl
Olipas kamalaa. Onneksi sitä ei tarvitse enää kuunnella.
Ääähhhhhh. Kai tääki on jotain kansantaidetta ja historiaa ja lyriikkaa, mutta ei kyllä meinannu jaksaa päätyyn asti kuunnella. Puhelaulanta ja tän tyyppinen musiikki ei oikein jaksa itseä viihdyttää.
I don't know what to make of this. My first impression that it was way too theatrical, and I am a huge Tom Waits fan for christ's sake. The music isn't interesting enough to balance out the dinner theatre matinee vibe. Then in the second half I started to warm up to it. Yeah the last track was overblown and overlong but there was a lot of stuff leading up to it that felt different... so I started it again expecting to hear something in the opening tracks that I had missed on the first play. I found no such thing. I think this is just not for me really.
This is a roller coaster ride, but not in the way that leaves you excited and happy. It’s more of the ups and downs that leave you feeling indifferent overall, but also wishing that it was so much better. And honestly, a little sad at the wasted potential. Lyrically this listens like a book of Charles Bukowski poems. It’s beautiful, introspective, haunting, relatable, and provoking. But the delivery leaves a lot to be desired. There are times when his voice makes me wonder how this guy ever got a record deal. Other times it’s tolerable and even fitting. Musically, it’s a little all over the place, with some tracks being better than others. Some songs sound like a cheesy carnival, others are quite beautiful. The lasting impression is of a guy who couldn’t really sing that well, but had a lot to say, and didn’t quite know how to deliver it. Maybe he should have been a writer instead, because after this I know that I would much rather read Bukowski than listen to him.
***A good easy listening album, beautiful vocals
This is #day697 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I mean, at least the piano is beautiful. Also, I loved the sax on "Blues for Billy Whitecloud," which is probably my biggest highlight on the record. Otherwise, this all feels a bit too theatrical and pompous for my taste. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day698.
I never heard of David Ackles prior to this project - and I’m not sure it was such an influential album as to be required listening. But there is something about this kind of early 70s singer-songwriter album that I really dig. It’s really proto-Billy Joel, and has some great piano lines and compelling melodies. I feel like I’m obligated to revisit.
Really don’t like this old timey American music
There's moments when it comes together, but it otherwise sounds like a West End version of Neil Diamond. We already have Neil Diamond, we don't need a worse version of that.
Spoken word theater tunes with a generic musical bed. While the stories and images are compelling at times, in the end, I just felt the execution wasn't interesting enough (or I don't have the taste or patience) to engage with the music or the artist.
Disliked very strongly. Not for me and I'm not sure what the audience would be. 1.5
tedious
Mix the worst of Billy Joel and Barry Minilow and you end up with this.
530/1089 - Reminds me of Scott 2 but more music theatre-y and not as interesting vocally. High-tier 3
Muy americano, como todo el proyecto este de 1001 albums
Tried it. Did not care for any of it. Reminded me of Broadway show tunes from one that I'd never heard of.
Bad musical vibes 1/10
an interesting one, a bit of poetry, theatre and nice arrangements
Snoozer. I don’t want to be too hard on this because the lyricism is at least intriguing, but when the singer himself doesn’t sound interested in what’s being discussed it is difficult for me to care. Won't remember this in a couple of days.
3.5 stars I enjoyed it. Unique and theatrical. I’ll return to it.
Boring
Bro this was so buns
Perhaps it is my age, but I was brought up listening to Hollywood musicals, 1940s and 50s jazz vocalists, British music hall, right alongside the pop and rock of the late 60s, 70s, and 80s. Because of that background, none of the diverse sounds on this record jar with me. Instead, "American Gothic" feels like a grand statement - an eclectic listen that, while structurally a bit schizophrenic in terms of style, is certainly never dull or uninteresting. Throughout the album, I can hear distinct echoes, and in some instances clear foreshadowing, of many artists I genuinely admire. There is a strong musical theatre and mini-opera influence running through the tracks, alongside the dry, observational style of Randy Newman, the dramatic gravity of Nick Cave, and the grand, isolated chamber-pop of Scott Walker. There is also a touch of Neil Diamond to the vocal delivery; I could easily imagine him tackling some of these songs, particularly the melancholic 'Another Friday Night'. Going even further, I would argue that Robert Smith of The Cure was influenced by Ackles. The album’s use of sinister, fairground-esque waltz structures and brooding, lower-register emotional weight sets a clear blueprint for the darker, more whimsical side of some of Smith's work. The record culminates in the magnificent 'Montana Song'. As a closing track, it functions as an epic ten-minute composition that takes in all of the preceding theatrical, classical, and singer-songwriter elements, bringing them together fabulously into a single, cohesive piece. "American Gothic" is a challenging listen, but a listen that I greatly enjoyed. Four Stars. 1 "American Gothic" (4/5) 2 "Love's Enough" (3/5) 3 "Ballad of the Ship of State" (4/5) 4 "One Night Stand" (4/5) 5 "Oh, California!" (4/5) 6 "Another Friday Night" (4/5) 7 "Family Band" (3/5) 8 "Midnight Carousel" (4/5) 9 "Waiting for the Moving Van" (3/5) 10 "Blues for Billy Whitecloud" (4/5) 11 "Montana Song" (5/5) Total - 42 Average - 3.82 363/1001 193/363 albums reviewed were new to me.
Aburridísimo
good album
Didn't mind the compositions but it felt a bit self-important lyrically
This Neil Diamond album SUCKS
Christ, this is shit. It sounds like a High School self-written musical being performed by a Neil Diamond impersonator. There are moments where it is a bit Scott-Walker-doesJacques-Brel, but without any of the charm (plus those are the crappest Scott Walker songs too, generally). Bad, boring, and not worth my time.
Really seemed like a bunch of songs in search of a musical.
Literally what was this - album art so misleading I was expecting normal Americana folk but it’s like Americana the musical? Playlist add: "Ballad of the Ship of State"
Will never listen again, but some of the wackiest lyrics and heartfelt singing I've ever heard
Never heard of album or band. Very European off the bat. I like the horns and piano. Very choppy. I don’t like the changes of pace. Very show tuney but the songwriting is good. Loves enough is well written again not the type of music I’m looking for but it’s a well composed track. Ship of the state is very show tuney again. Cool build up into the chorus. Really good piano. This is a cool song. One night stand is good story telling/song writing. Pretty good song. California is a banger. Have heard this song. Super catchy and good production. I like the strings a lot. Another Friday night is nothing special. Too slow for me. Not bad but not great either. Family band is cool. Very well written. Really cool harmonies. Good piano too. Carousel is a bit of a let down after that ballad. Good piano again on moving van. This is a a nice slow song. Blues for Billy is very 70s but catchy chorus and fun piano. Back to showtimes with Montana song. Not my fave but it definitely builds up as it goes and it didn’t feel like 9 mins which I did like. Good closer. Has all elements of a good song. Overall slightly above average e album. No bad songs, but no all timers either. Easy listen tho. 3.2/5 stars.
Seemingly odd selection, but that's the fun part of this. I liked a few of the songs, a few of the songs seemed obnoxiously grandiose that would arguably be better suited for a tight concept album. There's themes for sure, but it's a little loose. Some good, some bad, but overall interesting and I saved a couple songs for later use.
makes me wanna listen to black country new road - interesting and good story telling just not as gripping as i'd like it to be
This is a shitier version of Niel diamond
Reminiscent of Paul Williams. First track good then a bit samey.
MKAYYYY, three songs in and so far I'm not hating what I'm listening ONE NIGHT STAND? 💔 Uh Family Band.... Okay... it started w the right foot but then it went downhills. Idk I think I liked the first three and maybe Midnight Carousel bc it gave me musical vibes
Aunque la escucha sea placentera, como bso de fondo… antes pondría cualquier disco de Plastic Bertrand
very dramatic another friday night is a great song also midnight carousel's instrumental would fit perfectly in a horror movie almost every song sounds like "my way" is about to start but then it never does too
I was trying to get into this album but just can’t. DNF
Terrible. Maybe if he got someone else to sing it would be tolerable but this is pure earnest schlock.
A little too show tunesy for my liking. I cn see how this would be someone’s jam but its not mine.
A genuinely unusual album - could fit in with Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Scott Walker, Johnny Cash, Jacques Brel, and yet still none of the above. Relatively short. I was glad I listened but not sure i'd listen again. The atmosphere is intriguing but the stories it was telling didn't grab me much. A high 3.
gem! not for everyday.
I was excited to hear something new by an artist I'd never heard of. But this ain't it. Frank Zappa said once that we were better off with record execs who didn't know shit about popular music and I can see that this is the consequence of that lol. Not that Zappa was wrong!
It's hard for me to rate this so low because I know the dude put a lot of time and effort into putting this mostly unlistenable piece of "art" together. I'll be nice and give it a 2.
A good album, I liked Love's Enough and Midnight Carousel the most.
Hell no. 1.9
1/5
Reading the description I was SO hopeful this was going to be a new discovery for me that I’d fall in love with. It was awful.
Pretty good album, I like the real orchestral parts. He reminds me a bit of Tom Lehrer. One Night Stand and Oh, California was my favorite. 5.3/10
This one was a surprise from an artist I'd never heard before. Good stuff drawing inspiration from the Great American Songbook.
Very large production throughout the album. Pulls from all sorts of Americana in snatches. Montana song sounds very Copelandy
Not really for me. I appreciate learning about how Ackles was super influential to artists like Elton John and Phil Collins, and that after "American Gothic" came out he felt he couldn't top it and just kind of... stopped. Very melancholy. Bittersweet. Would probably make a great biopic. Musically, though, not for me. Album makes for a better story than listen.
What a cool record!
2,5
The fuck is this?
A ‘nice’ album. Reminded me a lot of Neil Diamond
Not what I expected based on the album art.
Meilleur que ce que je croyais.
5 - AVERAGE
It earned an extra star just for the lovely nap it gave me. 2 stars
Not my bag tbh
American Gothic is a little too showtune-y for my liking. I generally hate showtunes and this is edging right up to that. Ackles's voice is not bad, and that's pretty much the only good thing I have to say. It's all just so boring and uninspiring to me. It's not completely irredeemable, but I don't really want to listen to it ever again. Nah, you know what? 1 star. I was excited when the album was done, and that's never a good sign. I think I'm learning to really despise the "singer songwriter" genre. God help the next one that comes up.
Me sonó a un mix de soundtrack para pelis de aventuras mágicas fantásticas y/o princesas
Whoever said "A bit like a Billy Joel composed Broadway musical." is spot on. I couldn't take this seriously at all. 2/5.
An album of good ballads. I could imagine Mr Ackles writing some decent musical theatre... If that's your kind of thing. Which it isn't mine, unfortunately
рил прикольный Vibe, необычный длч меня альбом
I don't like bargin bin Billy Joel
Is it just me or is there a melody in Oh, California! sound a lot like Pink Floyd's "Craaaaaazy, toys in the attic, I am crazy, truly gone fishing" in The Trial? This came first, so I wonder if this was in Pink Floyd's heads when they recorded The Wall. Overall this album is a pleasant, gentle listen. Nothing spectacular, but the songwriting is interesting and the songs are decent enough.
American Gothic 3 Love's Enough 3 Ballad of the Ship of State 3.2 One Night Stand 3 Oh, California 2.8 Another Friday Night 2.7 Family Band 2.5 Midnight Carousel 2.4 Waiting for the Moving Van 3 Blues for Billy Whitecloud 3.1 Montana Song 2.4 Score: 2.827272727
Who starts an album like this? I just sat down. It opens with a song about a woman prostituting herself for some new shoes and her wino husband looking at porn and how their marriage is rough. It largely doesn’t improve from there. The album feels like a musical that would’ve closed in the first week. The music is well performed, that’s really the only positive. It’s just bizarre all around and I don’t know how this made the list.
Bien.
This album has a cover that completely suits the content inside. A man in a rowboat outside a house and a woman sitting on the veranda. Sounds like a good idea but it's a terrible photo and looks completely random. And that is my summary of the music as well.
A strange album I guess he worked with Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys so maybe that's why Listen to it you may find it appealing
huh
I quite enjoy musicals, but I really don't enjoy music that sounds like it belongs in a musical.
Mediocre to nice, some good stuff on the piano and brass. 3* feels accurate. 3/5
Not good but hard to look away from. Captivating. 2.8/5
mano eu sla eu tenho ctz q alguns álbuns foram pagos ou n sei não dá pra explicar
Not really my thing, but it was okay
Terrible. Stupid.
A very captivating start; I'm listening to it digitally. I'd love to enjoy it on vinyl; I think that voice would be incredibly captivating with the ambience and spaciousness that analog provides. It's not my usual musical taste, but I admire how epic it makes each song, the atmosphere it creates with every word.
I enjoyed this
I wanted to like this with like the Bernie taupin influences and stuff, but honestly it was just too like Broadway, vaudevillian for me. 5/30/26
2.5.
Nope. Just nope. How is it possible that this album made this list? Was it chosen by someone that is completely deaf? Well I think so. No, i'm 100% sure about it. Just for David Ackles his effort: 1/5
Such a bore. Desperately needs some excitement. Musically it's fine, but it's the most vanilla experience you could have listening to an album from 1972. Each track sounds like it was written specifically for a different stage show.
Nah
This was terrible in an amusing kind of way. It was all over the place musically and the lyrics were something. It’s like he was making them up on the spot as he thought of what to say next. It was a good chuckle listening to though.
This album is in English and I comprehended every word that was said, but i have no idea what he was talking about. …like pretty much on any song. Pirates, artists, a funny girl from a one night stand, and countless other references that don’t seem to connect. This was lounge singing from a dive bar that you wouldn’t expect lounge singing to be happening. Not a winning combo for me.
The classic painting American Gothic features two farmer folk in front of a colonial house. It became famous because people thought it was a satire of traditional Americana. Turns out it was painted in earnest and completely misunderstood. This album has the same sense of disingenuous sincerity. The songs are so ironically campy, they must be a joke - but it would appear they are intended to be very much sincere. This is the original cast album to a musical I hope will never be made. It is powerful bad.
Singer songwriter meets broadway. Ridiculous, but entertaining.
Moody album that requires the right time and place to really hit you. At best this was 3/5 but generally it was 2/5 material. As a final verdict I'll give it a 3. It was pleasant experience and might see myself listening to this again.
5.5/10
Genuinely hated this.
'It's much too dark to see the stranger / So she thinks of shoes instead.' An odd one, Ackles is an ok, agreeable alloy of Tom Waits, Randy Newman, & Billy Joel w/ some of the show-tune antics of Scott Walker &, unusually, the vocal inflections of Grace Slick. While I don't enjoy the parodistic flavors of many of these tracks, particularly 'Ballad of the Ship of State' or the numb 'Oh, California!,' the Sinatra in him (wee-small-hours-Sinatra) works the rare miracle w/ songs like 'One Night Stand.' At only 36 mins of action tho, the record feels too long b/c it's rather unmotivated & Ackles is not a very durable talent. 'Never stayed in one place long 'less I was doin' time.' +, I don't know what's particularly gothic about it. More like a portrait of meh.
It was good, however seemed a bit theatrical
What the hell is this? In its retrospective review, AllMusic wrote "American Gothic remains one of those great albums that never found its audience. It waits to be rediscovered." It’ll have to keep looking.
‘British music critic Derek Jewell of The Sunday Times described it as "the Sgt. Pepper of folk." ‘ British music critic Derek Jewell needs hearing aids.
Unremarkable
decent record
Not my thing.
hate
i like literally nothing about this album. it’s Neil Diamond but with zero pizazz and no passion. just No. Sorry David.
This album is very unique in the song arrangement. It is oftentimes sweeping and quirky at the same time. The singer has a wonderful singing voice. All and all, this album makes me think this is what it would sound like of Tom Lehrer wrote a serious album of songs.
Pretty, lots of different instruments involved. A bit too theatrical for me, feels like it has an attached play that I'm not seeing. And musicals aren't usually high on my music-listening list.
Not really my thing
Not bad, very musical theater esque.
An odd little artifact and a favorite of Elton John, apparently. Critically acclaimed and commercially forgettable, and I may have to agree with the commercial reception. It’s got nice moments and his voice is great, but I’m not clamoring for another round.
Funny, this album was introduced to me by the original book. Listening to it all these years later is an interesting experience. I'll always attest to the quality of the music here
Right off the bat, did not like the first song at all. Gave it a few more tracks and started to grow on me, really liked the third song. I likely won't go back to this but I didn't hate it
Dramatic
Good but not my cup of tea
Another record that justifies the existence of this list - never heard of this chap, but this was good stuff. Wonderfully theatrical. Favourite tracks: American Gothic, Ballad of the Ship of State, One Night Stand, Oh, California!, Family Band, Midnight Carousel.
Track 3 - Ballad of the ship state: Picks up a bit more, more excitement and passion, like this song a lot. Currently dreading the final track that is 10 minutes long. Might feel different once I listen to more. Track 5 - Oh, California!: Feels comical but I like the beat to this one, I love the slight grit to his voice in areas. Track 8 & 9 - Midnight Carousel & Waiting for the Moving Van: These two together feel either like a musical or music for a darker scene in a family movie. Track 10 - Blues for Billy Whitecloud: I like the upbeat feel to this, his voice sounds familiar to other artist after him. Track 11 - Montana Song: I'm finally at the 10 minute song. Feeling hopeful, starting off smooth and I'm now looking forward to this. It does feel very musical/movie music. Upbeat and emotional, storytelling feeling. Soft finish, very enjoyable, the odd one or two tracks I would listen to again. Not sure I would suggest people to listen to the full album, maybe someone of a slightly older generation than me. 4/10
Not *quite* as sucky as Kanye West.
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: None Listen, this guy, David Ackles, might have been inspiration for the likes of Elvis Costello, Elton John and Phil Collins, but that doesn't make him or the music good. I'm sorry, but show tunes is just not high on my list of music I seek out and want to listen to, and judging by the catalog and the low volume of listens on popular music platforms, most people probably agree with that assessment. Did I hate this? Not exactly, but hate is a strong word I try not to throw around too much. This was not fun to listen to. I took no pleasure in it. I found it to have very little in redeeming qualities. I don't loathe it the same way I loathe country music or 2000s top-100 music, but its not too far behind either.
this album is nice to listen to for the majority of the run but lacks any depth or real value to the purpose of this list. i didn't like the last track one bit.
Not particularly my album, it really comes across as a musical but it really doesn’t have much depth throughout. The one thing that I’m glad about leaving high school is that I don’t have to watch any more plays and this is evident of it.
Throughout this album, I was unsure on my feelings... I still, now after finishing it, can't tell whether I loved it or couldn't stand it. Maybe it's a mix of both? This album had good parts and bad parts, but for the most I have to admit, I got pretty bored. But then every now and again, there were parts of some of the songs that made me sit up and think 'wow'. This is a very mixed review, but also a very short one because I really have no solidified opinion on whether I enjoyed it or not. Stand-outs: One Night Stand Oh, California! Another Friday Night
01) American Gothic - 5,5 02) Love's Enough - 6,5 03) Ballad of the Ship of State - 5,0 04) One Night Stand - 6,0 05) Oh, California! - 5,0 06) Another Friday Night - 6,0 07) Family Band - 5,5 08) Midnight Carousel - 5,0 09) Waiting for the Moving Van - 5,5 10) Blues for Billy Whitecloud - 5,0 11) Montana Song - 5,0 TOTAL: 5,45 (55/100)
I imagine Bob Ross listened to this while painting
Thought I’d like this way more than I did
This felt too much like an over earnest Broadway singer. I cannot imagine listening to these songs a second time.
I'd never heard of David Ackles, or this album before! Unfortunately, as far as I could tell, this was just another early 70s singer-songwriter album, albeit one that never made waves at the time. I suspect its un-noticed nature is what attracts it to the music magazine critics! Inoffensive.
Not a fan
Yet another terrible singer-songwriter album, another miss for me. Sounded like Burt Bacharach doing songs in the style of Peter’s Dracula puppet musical in ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’. I did not enjoy a single song, the lyrical structure was disjointed and almost silly at times, it made it impossible to connect with the music or any themes he was trying to convey. I hate to do it two days in a row, but rules are rules, I hated just about everything on here: David Ackles will enter the Hall of Shame as my 12th 1/5
I think this will have to wait a while longer to be rediscovered.
The third album from child actor and USC alumnus David Ackles, this one has an Elton John vibe, and actually the two knew each other. Some of the music has a Broadway show feel. I wondered why I never heard of Ackles since I listened to a lot of music in 1972, but hearing this album it’s evident this is not radio-friendly music. The themes sometimes are dark, but overall it’s a quirky album and better than expected.
Any relation to Jensen Ackles of Supernatural fame? No. But, some relation to Elton John (being produced by Bernie Taupin). Also, Dackles is a 2-time USC alum! Unfortunately American Gothic is already used as a title for a more famous thing. A clear voice and pleasant instrumentation, but the songs weren't super memorable for me. Some parts felt almost musical theater-y! (Assassins meets Les Mis, maybe.) Highlight: 'Oh, California'
ich chume erst jetz bim dritte song richtig drii. aber ich finds chli sehr goofy mit de posuune die ganz ziit. sehr randy newman i guess? okay one night stand isch suuuper schön wow ok nüt gseit ok cool fuesball. es isch würklich decent dings öhm singer songwriter. sehr musical mässig. family band het cools chörli. mega jesus time. okay weeeeirds album. glaub isch scho es 3 aber finds etz au nöd allzuu geil. sehr en stil mit de blöser und er cha songs schribe aber het mi etz au nöd eso abgholt irgendwie.
hmm nach wikipedia verstahni nöd ganz s spezielle am album aber jo ohh american gothic isch en coole ahfang, s klavier wo im hindergrund am umegumpe isch! aber auchli es zielloses lied? love is not enouuuugh schöni ballade ballad of the ship of state fangt cool mit energie und blöser ah und verlürt sich für mich denn auchli? halt iwie au cool, wills nöd linear isch aber BÖ ohh chli jazzyy sini stimm stört mich amigs chli? wie wenner de sinatra würd welle nahmache aber chli e z dünni stimm defür het au wenner jz kei schlechti stimm het findi family band isch ma herzig au wenn chli vill jesus hahaha de hindergrundgsang isch seehr cool midnight carousel isch na kreativ aber macht nüt mit mier mengisch erinnerets mich auchli ane chli langwiligeri version vom randy newman weiss nöd montana song isch eig herzig und mit lyrics würds sicher meh sinn mache aber es isch halt lang für "singe-rede mit chli striicher-untermalig" eig no es cools und viilsitigs album wo amigs au no schön gsi isch aber halt au villes wo ich scho wieder vergesse han
Fine enough folk/singer-songwriter album. Some pleasant songs to listen to with varying degrees of quality. Nothing I think I'd ever come back to, but certainly fine enough on a first listen. Top tracks: Love's Enough, One Night Stand, Another Friday Night
A diverse album of songs of American life and times of the past present and future. The Montana song is epic and one I can relate to. Some really beautiful lyricism with full orchestra support. Musically excellent.
70’s Country
I like the musical theater-iness of this album.
Best Songs: Ballad of the Ship of State Midnight Carousel
not my bag
I wasn't expecting to like this one, but I ended up really enjoying this album. It was really pleasant to listen to. Feels like a musical. I really enjoyed his voice. Even though I don't know if I'll listen to this one again, I'm glad I got to experience this album.
stabile 5/5, gefällt mir soo gut. vor allem waiting for the moving van hat mir richtig gut gefallen. aber lowkey alle super gut. zum zuhören oder zum wegschweifen.
The themes in other reviews that I agree with: - like a bad Billy Joel attempt at a high school theater musical - over the top Neil Diamond - comparison to Jacques Brel (for style, but not favorably) My favorite was the one that took the time to list 75 albums better than this that are not on the list. I’ve had that same reaction many a time, but rarely actually wrote out those albums. That is a white-hot disdain for David Ackles American Gothic. Anyway, I agree with the above, and the review that says if it’s from 1972 and never “found its audience” then it’s not a hidden gem, it’s just not good. 1.5⭐️
Wat zijk muziek
Not a fan of this one. Felt more like a musical, not a country album
I can appreciate it for what it is, however it’s not my type of music. What it was trying to do it did well!
Like a worse Neil Diamond, and I say that as someone who can't stand Neil Diamond.
orchestral, free-flowing, Joanna Newsom, lounge singer vibes
Not my thing.
This is definitely musical theater type music. I believe he went on to cinema music. Very talented composer. I felt like I went to a play/musical listening to this, a pleasant surprise.
Mezcla de Neil Diamond y Elton john pero menos comercial. Tira demasiado al musical, pero es un descubrimiento para mi.
This one is definitely weird - it's like Neil Diamond bailed from the Brill Building and went deep into chamber pop, somehow channeling Scott Walker and Tim Buckley without either's mysticism. And all of that doesn't really capture what Ackles is after here - it's a distinct sound, almost Copland-like in how it wants to dredge Americana in its purer forms. It's incredibly earnest, sometimes to a massive fault, but its originality stands out. An interesting hidden gem with some really cool tracks and some really annoying songs.
The opening title track barely rhymes and is barely sung, and I couldn't remember the tune immediately after it finished, and this was an experience which repeated itself throughout the album. Having finished it, my memory is hazy, of ballads like showtunes and overlong narrative songs about sad Americans. I suppose I have heard worse and it wasn't an endurance test like one-star albums are for me, so a generous two stars. I don't think that this is a metric which necessarily should be applied to all artists, even ones in this list, but with 6,645 monthly listeners on Spotify how influential and important can this guy be? And 1001 albums has thousands of monthly users driving that number up. Yeesh, this list badly needs some revisions.
Theatrical and dramatic, there were a couple interesting tracks and others that didn't do much for me. Overall this was fine, but not something I'd return to anytime soon.
Decent 8
Very average music - I really do not catch what it is on the list...
not the sound for me i found his voice grating