Reviews (page 2 of 7)
This was true punk 🤘 five stars
Now this is a punk sound. Unpolished in just he right way. It feels like the Ramones in a very good way.
Really good. Felt ahead of its time for a punk sound.
This is incredible! 1978! So timeless. One Chord Wonders and Gary Gilmore's Eyes are great songs but my favourite is Bored Teenagers. I also love the way that the live version of No Time to Be 21 ends. :mic-drop:
cool
This is pretty rad. A lot more distinctive than a lot of the punk bands I've listened to.
This was an excellent album. Front to back great songs. A lot of power.
Fucking great.
The Adverts only made two albums. I usually go for album number two, Cast of Thousands ..always found it hard to understand that that album was not well liked at the time. In contrast to Crossing the Red Sea, it is more new wave and less punk rock. But that is not say that CRS isn't great too.
pretty great punk, honestly - 9/10
Very Ramones in a very good way. SHIT these songs are catchy.
Cool punk sounds from l that era
Awesome! I LOVED this! Such great songs, such great lyrics and melodies. So sophisticated for seemingly simple punk music. Brilliant. How did I ever miss this band?
What a powerhouse of an album. Fast, clean, and cheap is right. Songwriting is thought provoking, sound is clean, while 3 chord music blisters in the background. This is what ALL punk should aspire to. Highlight tracks: ALL (especially 1, 2, 6, 11). Gary Gilmore's Eyes my favorite track of the whole review process so far.
Pure punky, angsty-fun! Hidden gem to find!
I only just started listening to the Adverts this year, although I'd heard a few of their tunes on some punk playlists before. It's really solid, punk vibes with high-level lyrics, instrumentation, and hooks. I've listened twice already and will probably do so again.
i dunno what to say about this one. i love the adverts, and have since i got my copy of burning ambitions, and heard gary gilmore's eyes for the first time. sooo...having it appear twice on this album was awesome, and the whole thing made me happy.
Tough one to judge; is this objectively a 4? Probably not. I just like old school British punk
i like gary gilmore outta 4
much better than I anticipated. Quite a number of good melodic hooks and energy.
Right after I get an album where I say "straight punk doesn't do much for me", I get this and take back what I said. Sure you can make the argument that there's a lot of power pop going into this but it's got punk energy and that's what usually throws me off. This is killer though, slotting right next to Singles Going Steady in terms of proto-pop-punk. I can't believe how much I enjoy this, actually. Another argument for this site having half-star ratings cause this is a solid 9.
Probably the best example of 70s British punk rock there is.
I like British punk
First punk album that really seized me. Made my Sunday gardening a real vibe
Catchy og super fed!
Takes me back to my youth! Adverts were one of the greats.
A pleasant surprise. Middle of the album is the best.
Unheralded early pioneers! Gaye should be more well known. And the songs rip.
I generally don’t enjoy a full punk rock album as it doesn’t give me the musical depth I like , but crossing the redsea was a surprisingly fun listen I could hop my head too all day
eh isso né. punkzim inglês dos anos 70. nada demais. mas eu gosto. eh bem melhor que metade dos folk meia boca que passam por aqui. portanto, é decente demais, bem divertido!
New to me and I loved most of it. The first song is one of the best, the second one should have been cut, and the rest is lots of fun and brought back memories of when punk sounded fresh and new wave threatened to soften us all.
I really enjoyed this. Punk in the style of the Undertones or Buzzcocks, more tuneful and poppy maybe than classic punk. 12 or 13 songs, none of them overstay their welcome clocking in at a maximum 3 and a half minutes or so. John Leckie producer also produced Stone Roses and Radiohead and many others in later years so this is very well produced compared to much of the punk era.
No idea what I’m getting into with the Adverts today. I assume they’re from the United Kingdom because they’re called the Adverts. That’s how Brits refer to ads, I believe. Because they are THE Adverts, I assume they’re a band, and I was going to guess they were an 80s band, probably new wave, but I see the album came out in 1978. Still might be new wave, but maybe they’re more punk. We shall see. The original album had 11 songs and was 31 minutes long. Looks like Wikipedia has them as a punk band, meaning it could be fun or it could be crap. No matter, it’ll be quick. The album I found is, of course, some super duper ultimate expanded edition with 25 songs that’s over an hour long. I will be listening to the original songs that were released. Ultimate editions are for ultimate fans. I don’t even know these guys. Track 1 is One Chord Wonders, and that’s what most punk bands were thought of when the scene popped up in the mid to late 70s. This certainly sounds like a punk/new wave song. I like it. It’s not as sloppy as the Sex Pistols, but a little more raw than the Clash. The singer, T.V. Smith, is singing and not just shouting. He definitely sounds like the time. There are some good sing-along opportunities with this song. It’s a solid opening that hopefully is previewing good rock ahead. Track 2 is Bored Teenagers, which I assume is partly responsible for the punk movement. Oooh, the tempo has picked up a bit. The guitars are a bit jangly on this one. Again, it’s got a good sing-along chorus. That blast beat type snare is just driving the song. Oh, a quieter, slowed-down middle section. That was unexpected. I think if I’d had access to punk at age four or five, I might have been into it. My mom, who doesn’t seem to like any music outside of classical or gospel, seemingly only played pop radio when I was a kid. Any time spent with dad seemed to be country radio. I gravitated to Waylon, Willie, and Hank Jr. quickly. Though the Oak Ridge Boys and Alabama were also big. Track 3 is New Church, and it’s more of the same. A solid, uptempo tune with lots of jangling punk riffs. This song, rhythmically, seems a bit more squirelly, but that’s not a bad thing. Track 4 is On the Roof and it starts at a slower, almost sludgy tempo before ramping up to their usual speed for the chorus. It then slows back down again for the second verse. I really like this song. This album hasn’t been bad, it’s just not blowing me away thus far. But this song is really good. The truth is, this album sounds like something that could have been recorded at the turn of the century. I think that’s the first time I’ve ever used that term to refer to the 2000s. The songs on this album sound like they could’ve been written by the Strokes. Track 5 is Newboys and it’s more of the same. This song has a bit more guitar wizardry, if you’d call it that. There’s a riff in the background that you might easily miss, but once you catch it, you can’t wait to hear it again. I’m seeing now that all the songs were written by T.V. Smith. That’s interesting. I guess he is the mastermind. Track 6 is Bombsite Boy, and it starts off with the bass playing one note over and over, then as it builds, the guitars are squealing, before it bursts into the main song. I like this song. It’s got some layers. That was a great song. Oh, this album was recorded in Abbey Road Studios. That seems odd to me for some reason. The Beatles were many things, but punk? Well, maybe Helter Skelter. That was maybe the weirdest song the Beatles ever recorded. And the Beatles had some weird songs. Track 7 is No Time to be 21 and it’s a banger. It’s got a really sleazy rock and roll vibe to it. Kind of a punk Rolling Stones. This was a single off the album, and it got to 34 on the U.K. Singles Chart. The album reached 38 on the U.K. Albums Chart. The bass on this song is so good, and the guitar solo sounds like it was inspired by Ace Frehley. This one is going into my singles playlist. Just a great song and my favorite on the album. Track 8 is Safety in Numbers and it’s another really good song. It seems the songs get more interesting as the album goes on, or maybe that’s the Monster Energy I had. Again, the bass is really shining on this track. I know it seems like this album isn’t blowing me away, but it’s really good. I don’t know how it didn’t get bigger than it is. It seems it was critically acclaimed, but not enough regular folks got their ears on it. I’ve heard some bad punk bands and albums over my journey through this list, and this album is as good as the best ones I’ve heard. Track 9 is Drowning Men, and this one, like No Time to be 21, has a more old-school rock and roll sound. Like the Stones on speed, or KISS on meth. The guitar work is also really good. The riffs are fantastic. Wow! There is a breakdown in the middle of the song that’s really good. It lasts only about 20 to 30 seconds, but it makes me want to hear it again later in the song. And there it is. Track 10 is Drowning Men, and it has a bit of that 60’s Who-style rock rhythm. It’s not really heavy, but it’s hard. The chorus is awesome. “We’re the drowning men. We’re the drowning men.” It gives me chills. It’s kind of sang/yelled with a voice in a lower register underneath the louder yell. Great song. Track 11 is On Wheels and it starts with a foreboding bass line, then some heavy guitars. Yeah, this song has a mean groove. “What's left in the wheelchair? Who bothers what's in there? Who worries what life's like on wheels?” It’s a dark song, but good. I don’t know what the lyrics are about, but it makes me think it’s about heroin use. I really can’t find anything about it, but there are lyrics about him being a grade A scorer and sailing on the Lucky Dragon. Just seems like a dude who is resigned to the fact he’s end is near and it won’t be pretty. Track 12 is Great British Mistake and it sounds like it could be an Arctic Monkeys song. This song seems to be about how people are into blaming and banning things, rather than dealing with people who are actually causing problems. You know, books, music, social media....Well, social media is terrible, but it's bad for adults more so than kids, I'm starting to think. Great song with a good message. We live in a world where it’s certainly easier to blame problems on things that don’t really affect our lives, rather than look at ourselves or the people actually causing the problems. I digress. I really ended up liking this album. For punk fans and old-school rock fans, I think you’ll dig it too. As for being a must-listen, I don’t think it’s that high yet, but it’s a good time.
Esta graciosón, no es una maravilla ni te deja algo para replantearte la vida pero está bueno
I have never been a big fan of punk rock, but this one is pretty nice - sound not that raw, not that brutal.
I only knew The Adverts for Gary Gilmore's Eyes. This is a very solid punk album; not exceptional, but consistently good
I knew just from the cover what sort of album I was going to get and it delivered. This is one of the first "new" to me albums that I am sad that they're new to me. This is definitely an album I'd have listened to more if I could. In fact I listened to it 3x yesterday. I liked it. Solid 70s punk. Good humour. All gas no brakes.
I'll search for detailed information about this classic punk album to give you a thorough review. # In-Depth Review: *Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts* (1978) ## Overview *Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts* is the debut album by British punk band The Adverts, released in early 1978 on Bright Records. Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, it stands as one of the most potent and underrated documents of the UK first-wave punk explosion. Produced by **John Leckie** (later famous for his work with Radiohead, Stone Roses, and XTC), the album captures a band at the absolute peak of their raw, frantic energy—despite, or perhaps because of, their limited technical proficiency. --- ## Lyrics T.V. Smith's songwriting on *Crossing the Red Sea* is defined by its **hyper-personal, ground-level perspective** . Unlike contemporaries such as The Clash or Sex Pistols, who aimed their ire at systemic targets (the monarchy, capitalism, the establishment), Smith kept his lens tight on the interior lives of disaffected youth. **Key lyrical themes:** - **Boredom and alienation:** The album's emotional centerpiece, "Bored Teenagers," distills the entire punk ethos into a single phrase. Smith writes about being "tied to the railway tracks," searching for "emotional rages" in a life of crushing routine . The lyrics speak to a generation that felt unseen and unmoored—"talking into corners finding ways to fill the vacuum." - **The terror of adulthood:** "No Time To Be 21" confronts the abrupt end of youth with panic and sarcasm, capturing the feeling of being forced into adult responsibilities before you've had a chance to live . - **Dark humor and shock value:** "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" (restored on later reissues) remains one of punk's most notorious songs—a first-person narrative about receiving the eyes of executed murderer Gary Gilmore via transplant. It walks a razor's edge between genuine horror and sardonic comedy . - **Social observation:** "Bombsite Boy" and "The Great British Mistake" offer broader commentary on post-war Britain, decaying urban landscapes, and national decline, but always filtered through personal experience rather than political sloganeering . Smith's lyrics are **economical and direct**—he rarely wastes a syllable. There's a literary quality to his writing that sets him apart from many punk contemporaries; he crafts narratives and characters rather than just shouting slogans . --- ## Music Musically, *Crossing the Red Sea* is **aggressive minimalism pushed to its absolute limit**. - **Guitar:** Howard Pickup's guitar work is all jagged, buzzsaw riffs and downstroke barrages. The band famously embraced their limitations—"One Chord Wonders" isn't just a song title, it's a mission statement . Yet within that simplicity, there's surprising melodic instinct. Songs like "Safety In Numbers" and "No Time To Be 21" feature genuinely catchy hooks. - **Bass:** **Gaye Advert** is the secret weapon of the album. Her bass lines are propulsive and melodic, often carrying the songs more than the guitar. She played with a "rumbling, but sprinting" energy that gave the Adverts their distinctive drive . As one of punk's first visible female musicians, her presence was revolutionary—she "blazed a trail for future generations of grrl rockers from Joan Jett to Bikini Kill" . - **Drums:** Laurie Driver's drumming is frantic and occasionally unhinged, perfectly matching the band's nervous energy. It's not technically accomplished, but it *feels* right—urgent and barely controlled. - **Vocals:** T.V. Smith's vocal delivery is less the theatrical sneer of Johnny Rotten and more a melodic, precise snarl. He sings with conviction and clarity, which makes his lyrics land harder . There's an earnestness to his voice that cuts through the noise. The album's sound is **tighter and more musical than many punk debuts** of the era. Tracks like "On Wheels" even hint at post-punk territory with its snaking bass line and tom-heavy drumming, foreshadowing the genre's evolution . --- ## Production **John Leckie's production** is a critical factor in the album's success. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios (a delicious irony for a punk band), the album achieves something rare for the genre and era: **clarity without sacrificing rawness** . - The mix is clean and crisp—you can hear every instrument distinctly, which wasn't common in punk production at the time. - The guitars have bite and presence without being muddy. - Gaye Advert's bass is given prominent space in the mix, where it serves as the rhythmic and melodic anchor. - Smith's vocals sit right up front, ensuring every word lands. As one reviewer noted, Leckie "brilliantly harnessed their strengths, making the sound clean and crisp" while preserving the band's "primal energy" . This production approach makes *Crossing the Red Sea* more listenable and enduring than many of its lo-fi contemporaries. --- ## Themes The album operates on several interconnected thematic levels: 1. **Youthful disenfranchisement:** The dominant thread. These are songs about kids who feel the future has been stolen from them, who are "drowning" in routine and expectation . 2. **Identity crisis:** "Bored Teenagers" explicitly deals with seeing yourself as a stranger, losing your sense of self in the monotony of daily life . 3. **Dark comedy as survival mechanism:** From the self-deprecating "One Chord Wonders" to the macabre "Gary Gilmore's Eyes," the band uses humor—often black as pitch—to process horror and absurdity. 4. **Post-imperial British malaise:** Songs like "The Great British Mistake" and "Bombsite Boy" reflect a nation in physical and psychological decay, where the optimism of the post-war years has curdled into resentment and boredom. --- ## Influence and Legacy *Crossing the Red Sea* occupies a fascinating place in punk history—**massively influential within the scene, yet largely unknown to the general public**. - **Pioneering female representation:** Gaye Advert's visibility as a bassist in a male-dominated scene was genuinely groundbreaking. She predated and influenced the Riot Grrrl movement by over a decade . - **Shaping punk's musical codification:** The album helped define what punk *sounded like* as a genre. As one critic argued, it was "a major milestone on the path towards the codification of punk as a sound—a musical genre—separate and apart from the attitude, fashion, and politics" . It proved that punk could be reduced to its most essential elements and still remain compelling. - **Influence on later bands:** The Adverts have been cited as an influence by **The Pixies, Devo, and Green Day** . Their combination of pop sensibility and punk aggression prefigured pop-punk by decades. - **Critical standing:** The album is included in the *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die* canon and is frequently cited by punk aficionados as one of the finest albums of the era—"one of the finest albums not only of the punk era, but of the 1970s as a whole" . However, the band's **commercial impact was limited and fleeting**. They never broke through in America, and their follow-up album *Cast of Thousands* (1979) was a critical and commercial disappointment that effectively ended their career . --- ## Pros | Strength | Details | |----------|---------| | **Economical songwriting** | T.V. Smith distills complex emotions into razor-sharp, two-to-three-minute bursts. No fat, no filler . | | **Exceptional production** | John Leckie delivers clarity and punch without sanitizing the band's raw energy. Abbey Road Studios gives it unexpected sonic depth . | | **Gaye Advert's bass playing** | Her driving, melodic bass lines are the band's secret weapon and a landmark moment for women in punk . | | **Melodic accessibility** | For all its aggression, the album is genuinely catchy. Songs like "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" and "Safety In Numbers" have real pop hooks . | | **Lyrical intelligence** | Smith writes with wit, narrative skill, and emotional precision that elevates the material above genre clichés . | | **Historical importance** | A key document in punk's evolution from attitude to genre; influential on countless bands that followed . | | **Brevity** | At ~30 minutes, it says everything it needs to and leaves before wearing out its welcome. | --- ## Cons | Weakness | Details | |----------|---------| | **Limited musical range** | The album's minimalism, while effective, means tracks can blur together. Chord progressions and rhythmic patterns are sometimes recycled . | | **Technical limitations** | The band's instrumental skill is rudimentary by design, but this occasionally results in performances that feel constrained rather than intentionally raw . | | **Second-half dip** | Some listeners find the latter tracks less compelling than the opening salvo, with songs like "Drowning Men" and "On Wheels" feeling like the band is "flagging" . | | **Lack of clear progression** | The album captures lightning in a bottle so effectively that it's difficult to imagine where the band could have gone next. Indeed, they couldn't— their second album abandoned this sound entirely and failed . | | **Omission of "Gary Gilmore's Eyes"** | Bizarrely, the original pressing left off their biggest hit and best-known song. Later reissues corrected this, but it's a baffling decision . | | **Niche appeal** | For listeners not already sympathetic to first-wave UK punk, the album can feel "non-essential" or overly familiar within its genre . | --- ## Verdict *Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts* is a **flawed masterpiece**—or perhaps more accurately, a perfect document of imperfection. It captures a band with limited skills but unlimited conviction, led by a songwriter whose intelligence and emotional honesty elevated them above the punk rabble. The production is exceptional, the bass playing is revolutionary, and the songs—while sometimes samey—are almost universally effective. It suffers from the inherent limitations of its minimalism and the fact that The Adverts essentially had one great album in them. But what an album it is. For anyone interested in the DNA of punk rock, this is essential listening—not because it invented the form, but because it refined it to its sharpest, most essential point. **Essential tracks:** "One Chord Wonders," "Bored Teenagers," "Gary Gilmore's Eyes," "No Time To Be 21," "The Great British Mistake," "Safety In Numbers"
Some cool things happening here
This one from the golden canon of the formative punk dynasty had honestly slipped past me before. Glad this list tipped me to it. I don’t quite (yet?) agree with Trouser Press and AllMusic that it stands on the same level as The Clash or Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols… maybe I just need to spend more time with it. Yes, there are the undeniable bangers such as “Bored Teenagers,” “New Church,” and “Drowning Men.” On the first couple of listens, I’d say it also has a few potential skips that don’t really bring much to the table aside from being “good” punk tunes (“Newboys” and, oddly, the successful single “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes,” which was included on later editions but left off the initial release—which makes total sense to me, because it doesn’t quite fit the flow). But overall, Crossing the Red Sea with The Adverts definitely has the same intense energy and addictive hooks as those debuts by The Clash and the Sex Pistols. What sets it apart is how it occasionally drifts into much eerier territory (such as the early standout “On the Roof,” as well as “New Day Dawns” and “On Wheels”), and that suits the album perfectly. At the apex of punk, already pointing toward the nihilistic post-punk era, but always just as things are about to tip over, The Adverts shift back into high-octane mode and deliver a killer chorus (“Safety in Numbers”). One to behold - essential listening indeed.
I think this stands above some of the other 70s punk for its songwriting and overall complexity. Very solid vocals and the production feels ahead of their time.
short and pretty simple but completely rocks. favorite song is Newboys. very soft 4
458/1089 - Chuck Berry on punk: "These guys remind me of myself when I first started, I only knew three chords too." This is a bit more complex with all the planing minor and major chords and seems like a precursor to goth rock and dark wave but still very much on the simple side.
Low 4 for me.
This was great. I know that I know this band, but didn't have any of their music in my library. Will definitely listen to more
🎧Second side’s not as strong as the first, but yeah, this is a damn good British punk album
Season: True Summer Favorite Song: New Church
Enjoyable jangly guitar 70s punk. Sounds like a lot of jangly guitar 70s punk. Didn’t need to be on the list, but I’m adding to my favourites. 4/5.
Ratings are way too harsh on this one. Easy 4 stars.
This was surprisingly good. One thing that I've learned from this project is thatbI really hate punk, but this was more than bearable but enjoyable, the lyrics weren't too bad as well. I'm pretty sure I've got the deluxe album because it was way too long, but it seems a good album without the extra fillers. And as many people said here, better than many standard punk bands 4/5
This was a hole in my punk knowledge that I’m glad to have finally filled
It's old school punk rock but back when the bass parts were allowed to be interesting and funky. It's cool. It's not something I'd listen to a lot but I like it. 3.5 stars.
Pretty good simple punk album. 4/5
Great discovery good sound! 👌
Raw, passionate, shouty, tinny, but lyrically sharp and very catchy - a vital debut, with a singular charm, full of short, sharp, urgent songs. The guitarist, Howard Pickup gave this timeless piece of advice for guitarists learning their trade - "If you make a mistake in a solo, play it twice - that way nobody knows it was a mistake". 4 stars
This was a fun surprise; not familiar with The Adverts bit I liked this a lot and looking forward to checking out more of their stuff! 4/5
Really good album by a band I've never heard of. I listened through the album twice and was like "huh, why don't I know this really amazing 70s punk band?". Sometimes people don't tell you to check out the right bands. 4/5
I’m torn. Punk isn’t supposed to be this good, this polished. “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” has innovative chord progressions and hit the UK top 20! It could be a little raunchier and amateurish, but I’ll take it.
Proper no-frills punk, definitely more than one chord wonders
1978 was when I woke up and Gary Gilmores Eyes demonstrated music could be more than boy meets girl. Still love this stuff, although filler seems easier to spot these days. 1. Bored Teenagers 2. Gary Gilmore’s Eyes 3. The Bombsite Boys 4. One Chord Wonders
I've loved all of the new (to me) punk bands that I've been exposed to in this project. Especially those that straddle punk and new wave. This album really had a lot of great moments on both sides of that straddle, although I don't think I needed that 3rd version of "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" on the extended edition of the album.
Absolutely bursting with energy, this is all the best things about punk music in one album. Brilliant vocals, tight rhythm, gritty guitar, dark but danceable. Lots of quirky and funny lyrics. Love it! Probably a bit long and repetitive, as an album to listen to straight through, but any song from it stands proudly alone.
A good Punk Album which, although a knew a couple of songs, I hadn’t heard before
Meget godt, og ret lige til. tidelig punk unden for meget skabelon.
Punk. Godt. Det starter ud ret standard. Men bliver lidt mere interessant som man kommer ind i albummet.
I had Gary Gilmore's Eyes as a single (out of a charity shop) when I was a teenager, so yep, liked this.
Late 70s punk rock. Debut. Considered one of the best punk albums. Very full, layered sound, great energy. Very long album, but very catchy and well done punk.
4 really good songs. One chord wonders, Bored teenagers, Gary Gilmores eyes and No time to be 21
I really like the sound of this album, and the A-side is packed with classics. After «No Time to be 21» the standard drops quite a bit, so I can’t go all the way up, but it’s a solid album which I’ll revisit when I get the urge
pretty nice
honestissimo
This was another fun album I didn't know about, and I was very impressed with the sound that wasn't as aggressive as a lot of other punk from the period. It sounds like it was building the post-punk sound that would evolve well into the 90's.
very punk, really enjoyed
Great British punk, and a fun listen overall. My neck hurts from head bobbing so much.
Not gonna lie I was starting to get a bit bored of 70s-80s Britpop on this list - there's just way too many. However I really enjoyed this one. Bit more energy than expected and I appreciate that.
Wow, this is good!
бодрая панкуха!
Never heard of this band so it took my surprise. Wicked rock and roll.
So much of this was familiar but I think I just thought it was The Damned or something. Great fun album. Love the angst of youth.
Супер энергично
I've never heard of The Adverts before, but the description compared them to the Sex Pistols, who I can't stand, so I was somewhat dreading this. Majorly pleasant surprise - quite an enjoyable listening experience. The lyrics weren't too special, but the music was fun. Little bit generic as far as punk goes, but there were moments where it did something different and played around with rhythm and tempos in a cool way. Feels like a really obvious influence of Kaiser Chiefs. Random additional thought... Electric Six - Gay Bar has the clapping from "No Time to Be 21". Low 4.
Zippy and fun
Pretty cool old punk. Never heard of them. Keen to listen again and read the lyrics
One chord wonders amei parecia um pombo a abanar a cabeça New church, vamos criar uma nova religião i guess Gary Gilmores eyes - wtfff Amei a transição entre a gary gilmores eyes e a bombsite boy Eu nos meus 20 a ouvir no time to be 21 🤡 Foi bue vives abanar a cabeça pombo style
Never heard of this or this band. Pleasantly surprised! 4/5
Pretty kick ass Britpunk.
That was a lot of fun. Great early punk.
7/10 Nice driving tracks with some novel melodies that scratch an itch 12-29-2025
I’d never heard of the Adverts before this, but this turned out to be a solid little punk album. It’s fast, sharp, and gets in and out without wasting time, which I always appreciate with punk. The songs have bite, the energy stays high, and it never feels bloated. Nothing flashy, just good, straightforward punk done right. Definitely a cool discovery and an easy album to enjoy front to back. Favorite song: One Chord Wonders
Great punk album. Nothing standing out as particularly memorable but I dig this
I enjoyed this never heard album a lot. Had an edge along with humor. Gary Gilmore's eyes is a great song.
Hmm. I'd never heard of these guys before. Shame! This is quality 70's British punk. I was definitely in the mood to hear this today, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Nothing groundbreaking, but I'll likely listen again.
This is really a 3.5, but I'm being xmas-generous and also trying to give fewer 3's. Pretty good but could use more variety. The guitars reminded me a lot of the more melodic subset of Clash songs (Death or Glory, say). Which is a good thing.
4/5 - Wasn't familiar with these guys at all. Probably dozens of UK punk bands that I could say the same about, I suppose. Production here was better than expected. Overall, good stuff.
I'm probably biased, as a 50-something Brit, but since I had to interrupt my evening listening to Christmas carols for something a bit more frenetic, then I'm very pleased that it was tuneful British punk and that, hooray, there was even a woman in the band. This had a lightness to it, and some proper tunes. It's not my go-to genre these days, but I really enjoyed it. I guess it was, literally, part of the soundtrack of my youth, hearing this sort of thing pop up on Top of the Pops, alongside ABBA, Althea and Donna, Rose Royce and Sweet (I looked it up; that's from a real episode). The seventies really did offer everything, for music. In a world where I generally don't understand genre descriptions, this sound, to me, exactly sums up "punk" and it was great.
Definite solid punk vibe going on here. One Chord Wonders has to be one of the best rock song titles ever. Silly shit, I like it.
Basic British punk rock but I’m a sucker for this stuff. I love how raw the vocals are, feels like something I’d listen to when I was 15 getting into harsher music.
Standouts: New boys Great British Mistake Insane album cover I can't name you a single song but at the same time I was jamming to all of them. Great British Mistake was amazing and showed how much potential these guys have if they experimented more with their sound Guilty Pleasure 4
Rockin’ punk album. Only gave it one listen, will 100% be revisiting. I know it’s technically not on the OG album but man Gary Gilmore’s Eyes is so good.
Gary Gilmore’s Eyes is one of the best songs of all time
Good punk album, but somehow feels a bit less timeless, and more of its time, than some of its peers. 3.6 stars.
Shame the band didn't last longer, it's raw British punk at it's finest.
I had never heard of them and I didn’t read anything about the band before listening so this was a surprise. I actually liked it pretty well! Melodic Brit punk with echoes of the Cure. Good production value.
Very good
Listened Before? N Wow, never heard of these guys before! Great early punk rock with lots of similarities to the Sex Pistols... similar themes and music. Love it. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Gary Gilmore's Eyes
I wasn't sure about this to start with. I thought it sounded a bit samey. But it grew on me. There are enough catching pop melodies and riffs. But despite this it's very punk. And it's nice when a band only has one record you have to listen to and you can cover their discography in one fell swoop.
A surprisingly fun and catchy punk album. Standout tracks were One Chord Wonders, New Church and Safety In Numbers in my opinion. Would revisit, so it gets 4 Stars.
I was 12 when this came out but have no memory of this band at all! It was fun to listen to and I like a lot of the lyrics and the tunes are pretty solid. An all round decent album.
Some great lyrics here, and a lot of spirit. An archetypal punk set of that time. The singles are great but a bit too familiar these days. No Time and Safety are two of the best here. And there is something about the sound of this that is quite shambolic. Not just the band, but the sound seems to change from track to track, making it feel more like a compilation. Polished in the wrong places, and rough at all the wrong edges, somehow. 11/10 for effort, intent and enthusiasm, but slightly less for the actual execution.
Good
I was vaguely aware of this group, but had never listened to them. It's punk, but the production and musicianship are noticeably better than most punk of the time. Compared to contemporaries, the Clash had better and catchier songs, but they are obviously trying a lot harder than a group like the Sex Pistols. Overall it's an excellent album that I enjoyed listening to.
Champions League Sex Pistols Clash Jam Ramones Europa League Stanglers Buzzcocks Siouxsie and the Banshees Conference Damned Stiff Little Fingers Mid-table Safety X-Ray Spex Slits Skids Adverts Sham 69 The Ruts In trouble Uk Subs Relegation Places vibrators Generation X Rezillos Championship: Angelic Upstarts, 999,Chelsea etc etc. This is actually a great album from the first spurt of punk. Three great singles, consistent song-writing and catch sloganeering. Four stars here.
I really like this one.
You have to admire the commitment to brevity, both in form and in career length. Get together in '76, write a dozen or so rippers, tour like mad, break up in '79 when your second album flops and your manager electrocutes himself. Too many punk bands wouldn't have heeded that omen and forged ahead, marring their legacy. Not the Adverts.
This was a lot of fun. Raw young punk played well. Will revisit.
I dont know if its because all the albums have been bad recently, but this is great.
The themes of youthful ennui run deep here, but perhaps what elevates this lot are the many catchy numbers (albeit peppered with filler); they have good melodic instincts amongst the punk guitars. Whilst there are some nice moments towards the tail-end, the final three tracks highlight some latter-album lag. But coming in at just over half an hour it's forgivable (if not a great testament to their longevity). Amongst the punk/post-punk, garage sound The Adverts have a definable character, and they have a run on this album of 6 or 7 crackers. I allow them to creep into the fours by the finest of margins.
I liked this about as much as one could like an album they never plan to listen to again! For real though, this is good, there’s just plenty of it out there.
This was a decent album. Nothing too amazing, and nothing too terrible. I'd put this on as some background noise. Favorite song: Bombsite Boy
This is a great find, just wish I would’ve found it 27 years sooner…
Pretty good punk sounding album.
British punk
Imma give this a 4 because I think it deserves it with the way it was made and its quality, not because I loved it. I was kinda ambivalent about it which is weird cause I like punk. I think I'm just tired of British people. They got solid lyrics, nice variety, not super screamo, overall solid (the album not the British).
Excellent for roadtrips
Pretty good early punk rock album. Probably woulda blown my mind if i hadnt already heard most of what it inspired. Bass guitar is great. Fav tracks- "Safety in Numbers" and "On Wheels"
I am really getting into this. 1978? Really inventive and compressed at the same time, great to add to the Sex Pistols and Clash of the day. While I quickly caught up to The Clash and Sex Pistols, couldn't have told you one Adverts song beyond Gary Gilmore's Eyes. Wish I hadn't neglected this.
Off kilter punk is definitely my sort of thing so enjoyed this. It felt like most songs were in a narrow band of tempos and sounds, could do with being a bit more varied. It was their debut mind so imagine they were more interested in doing one thing well. Last song was the best, can't recall specifics about the others but it was only half an hour long. 3.5
Never heard of the adverts. Gave this 2 listens now. It's pretty good, really like the sound, especially given it's release date. My only criticism would be that it gets a bit samey. My favorites were "no time to be 21", "bored teenagers" and "Gary Gilmore's eyes". 3.5
Un punk divertente. Un po' ripetitivo, ma non così tanto da rovinare l'album
Immediately sounds more intense than any punk projects that I have listened to in the past. Having only really been familiar with the Clash (whom i love) and the sex pistols before I'm glad that I was able to deepen my knowledge and engagement with the genre.
There are a lot of punk albums on this list, but this one is one of the better ones. It's textbook punk rock.
What do you do if you’re a bored teenager in the 1970s, living in a small village in the arse end of nowhere (or Devon as it’s properly known)? You grab a guitar, learn one chord and start a punk band! The Adverts certainly nail the Ramones sound, and they’re a lot more talented than their one chord reputation might suggest. Front man TV Smith has an authentic punk sneer and his songs are spiky and literate, and he’s well supported by Gaye Advert’s amazing bass playing that underpins some enthusiastic guitar and drums to complete the lineup. The highlight is the (controversial at the time) Gary Gilmore’s Eyes that picks up a macabre death row request from the titular spree killer to donate his corneas to medical science before facing a firing squad. Probably the catchiest song about a murderous eye transplant to hit the top 20! Eye-tastic!
Good punk album, but with bits of post-punk (some bass lines could be from a Joy Division record) and nice variations -- not just basic upfront punk. Am I the only one to hear Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun riff at some point? Anyways, that was good.
Some more pretty sold early punk stuff. Honestly reminds me a lot of the damned album we just had
pretty nice, a 7/10 for me. it's classic british punk rock but still feels unique.
Never heard of them, absolutely love it! Punky, leaning towards wave, good lyrics, very British, great!
High 3/low 4 I think, nice solid punk rock
Really fun stuff here. Gary Gilmore's Eyes is a straight banger and there are so many good quick tunes to dine on. Certainly can recommend.
Okay, this may very well be the best punk album I've ever heard. There's a bit more going on here musically than with Never Mind the Bollocks, for example, as great as an album that is. I love the droning guitar on some of the songs, like Safety in Numbers. Like most of the best punk acts, the Adverts are secretly capable players. The album keeps a breakneck pace, stuffing 11 tracks into just over a half an hour: you're left wanting more, but not feeling short changed by the time it's over. But, I have to fault this album for personal reasons. The band frequently reminds the listener of their youth ("Bored Teenagers", "No Time to be 21"), and that makes this aging 22-year old feel inadequate and unaccomplished. So, I'm docking a star. Just kidding. The album doesn't quite reach the heights of 5 stars, but not many do. What holds this back are just the failings (in my opinion) that are generally inherent to punk (not amazingly strong lyrically, not particularly complex musically). The recording quality is a bit uneven, but to be honest I don't really care about that. This album is a delight. My favourite song was Bombsite Boy. One Chord Wonders, New Church and Safety in Numbers were some other highlights. And Gary Gilmore's Eyes is too catchy. It's all going in the playlist though.
Good stuff, manages to stand out from the crowd of early punk album with memorable tunes and a sound that was their own.
Really enjoyed this, nice tight punk that didn’t get too muddy. Songs blended together a bit, which isn’t necessarily bad, just shows cohesion.. however it did tend to get pushed into the background fairly often (which may be my busy day rather than the albums fault)). 4/5 for now but will need to revisit
raw punk sound definitely felt like a forthcoming of what was to come
Cool! I’d never heard this band before.
That was really fun! Also tighter than most punk bands of the era. I was expecting something a lot more chaotic, and was surprised - there were some really good hooks there.
Brit punk is okay!
High energy punk is always fun. Bit long, but I wasn't sad about it.
Pretty cool!
I was pleasantly surprised by this! Always enjoy hearing the older punk bands that pioneered the genre. I think I liked this more than the Sex Pistols.
Lovely British punk. Great to work to!
Excellent.
I really like this album. I know it is technically punk, but it’s more fun and less angry than some earlier punk bands. It’s a good album and there is more going on than it at first seems. It takes a swipe at some other punk tropes. Pretty varied and inventive for punk, and more produced than most punk albums. Enjoy this, own the original of this without Gary Gilmour’s Eyes. Cracking album.
Good listen 🎶
British punk strikes again! Maybe it's the bottle of wine I just downed, or the Stilton cheese, but this is some grade A bougie punk that I can get down with!
one chord wonders I like this song because it is a good song borde teenagers I like this song because i can hear the gutire new church i like this song because it is a really good song
Decent. Nothing overly special.
I've literally never heard of them before, but this was pretty good. 7/10
Яростный и кайфовый альбом.
3.5
This is new to me, but I liked it quite a bit. "One Chord Wonders" is a great song, but the whole album is quite good. They remind me a bit of the Buzzcocks. It's punk, but with there's almost a power pop element underneath it. It's very catchy. 4 stars,
This was pretty tight. I thought I was in for some classic 70s punk at the beginning but there was some surprising range in here. There were big fat chugging riffs, moments that felt pretty prog-rock, etc. This was a lot more variety than I expected from a genre that I don't really expect to get much out of. I enjoyed this one a lot more than the standard issue 70's era UK punk album
70's British punk, great energy and great sound. What else can you say.
Appropriately manic paced Brit punk.
The version i listened to had Gary Gilmore's Eyes, which is a favorite of mine. Good 70s punk. High energy. Couple of low points but overall a good listen.
Pretty good 70s British punk. I knew a few of the songs from before but liked listening to the whole album.
Defining punk rock With catchy “one chord wonders” And odd ball spirit
I actually found that really fun and not as one-note (or one-chord…ha ha…) as I normally do with punk. Maybe punk is growing on me… Fav tracks: Gary Gilmore’s Eyes; One Chord Wonders
Fun and punky
New wavey and kind of goth at times. Punky, rocky
I will not include "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" and "New Day Dawns" in this review, as they were bonus tracks added in subsequent reissues of this album. I'm also not including the live tracks and radio edits tacked on at the end. I listened to The Adverts from their single "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" earlier this year. They were a short-lived UK punk group founded by frontman T.V. Smith and bassist Gaye Advert. They were one of the first to achieve mainstream success, and Gaye was one of the first female punk stars. I'd say on the historical significance, they're worth a mention on this list. As for their debut album itself, Crossing the Red Sea is an enjoyable, frenetic affair where the whole band played with tenacity for these youthful rebellion anthems. From tackling blind faith on "New Faith" to staying defiant with certainty on "Bombsite Boy" and control of thought on "Great British Mistake", T.V. Smith snarled with such conviction as Howard Pickup laid down fast guitar hooks and Gaye and Laurie Driver matched with their tight rhythm section. Probably my favorite song was "No Time to Be 21" with the most prominent guitar lines, as the lyrics embodied pure defiance of societal norms. I know there are plenty of UK punk acts that this list pulls from, so it may be hard to justify another one of them for inclusion. Also, I probably would have appreciated more visceral detail and varied subject matter, as most of this album can be boiled down to general angst against perceived authoritative figures. But as one of the first genuine punk albums from the country that broke out in a short time with an album this good, I'd say they're worth digging up.
I quite liked this tbh - I think I'm generally a fan of british music
good stuff
Great album overall, really enjoyed the lyrics. I rarely get exposure to Punk music. I personally feel this is a great album/band to recommend to people who want to get to know the genre. I added 6 songs from the album to my '1001 albums favorite songs' list.
Solid punk. Bobbed my head a few times!
This album is pretty decent. Not something I'll likely ever listen to again, but I enjoyed it.
way too much British punk but this still fucks
Sounds like most early punk music but it was better composed in my opinion. Not usually a punk fan but I enjoyed this one.
This was good, reminded me of the Sex Pistols and Gang of Four albums I’ve had before, but not quite as unique. Will listen again.
These guys could and should be in the conversation with Sex Pistols, The Clash, and any number of more recognized staples of the punk scene in the late 70s. While not as bombastic, their work is every bit as sophisticated and pointed. And it is even a bit more accessible. This is a really fun album and again makes me wish I had been more aware of these artists in the late 70s and early 80s. It would have also helped if I had been flush with cash to buy these albums as well.
This is probably my all time favourite Punk album. I bought it on vinyl at the time (my copy is a rarity and worth a bob or two) I liked the album not only because of the bassist Gaye Advert was hot but this collection of songs were a lot more melodic than the standard punk stuff around. Not all shouting or violently strumming or banging their instruments. These are good standard toe tapping pop songs and if they had been presented as cleaned up versions of themselves with nice suits and haircuts, I dare say they would have been a lot more popular. The album title has also struck me as well thought out and memorable. Even now when the Red Sea is ever mentioned I think of Gaye. 4/5 14/3/25
I'd never heard of them...which is a shame because I would have LOVED them back in the day. More interesting than any other punk band I can think of...much more variation in sound. Some definite shades of Adam Ant...who's one of my favorites. I'll be adding this to my permanent playlist and looking for it on vinyl.
There's a lot more going on here than straight-up 1978 punk--a little power pop, a little glam, maybe even a little prog noodling. Whether they were hugely influential or just riding a bunch of waves I don't know, but I'm ok with it.
I wasn't expecting to like this album but was surprisingly enjoyable. Always considered this band to be a one hit wonder with their big hit, gary gimores eyes. But was quite impressed by the raw energy of the band and reminded me of early Love/Arthur Lee, 7x7 is etc... a definite 4 stars from me.
Molto bello! Carico, rock, cool.
Pretty good punk. Much more melodic than some more famous albums and bands. A lot of songs though. I can do a few but rhe whole album was a slog
That's some top tier 70s punk right there. Really enjoyed it. Can't believe I've never really listened to The Adverts before, apart from Gary Gilmore's Eyes.
The very epitome of seventies British punk - and clearly this caught me on a good day because I really liked it. Will probably go back to a few of these later
70's punk - what's not to like
Never heard this before, and I liked it a lot. Reminds me maybe a bit of early Pretenders. I don't know. I just liked it.
There’s a serious case of the Seinfeld Effect™️ going on with this record, and it took me a while to get over that. ‘70s punk isn’t really my thing; sure, I respect the classics– Ramones, Buzzcocks, Bollocks as an album, and I’ll even give it to London Calling despite my gripes with it– but when it comes to pre-hardcore punk rock, especially out of the UK, it just feels a bit same-y to my ears, and I don’t really seek it out during my daily normal listening. And once you get to the second-tier bands, I have a hard time seeing the validity. I’ll take “Kiss Me Deadly,” but a whole Generation X album isn’t happening. So Crossing the Red Sea With The Adverts was already a test before I pressed play. On first listen, it really felt a bit bland, and I’ll admit, it fell flat. I could see how they were a bit different, how they blended post-punk and classic punk into their sound, and there were a good number of stand-outs. But I knew my brain just wasn’t able to absorb it properly. The thing that made this click was reading about The Adverts and their influence. If you’re like me and grew up on US punk, bands like The Adverts can get lost in translation, literally, and I feel like the oral history nature of early punk left this band under-emphasized on this side of the pond. But their impact on punk overall is hard to deny. Whether it was as one of the main bands to play The Roxy, or Gaye Advert basically setting the style template for every female punk bassist to follow (including myself, unbeknownst to me), or opening for every band I had heard of, it was hard to claim that The Adverts weren’t a key piece of connective tissue. Plus, unlike the other B-tier bands I was lumping them in with, The Adverts had songs that actually were punk and actually did piss people off, like “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes,” a song I skipped over because it technically wasn’t on the original release of this record. Now, you could argue all this history isn’t important, and I should be judging the music on face value, but for me, it’s a two-fold, mutually exclusive issue. Punk sometimes *is* a genre where context matters more than content, and often, that context makes the content sound better. That is the exact situation that happened to me. When I returned to Crossing the Red Sea after educating myself, I realized I was misinformed. What felt basic now sounded like source material. The ironic “One Chord Wonder,” the pop-punk seedlings “Bored Teenagers” and “No Time to Be 21,” the politically charged “Great British Mistake” and “Newsboys,” and again, the post-punk approach of “On the Roof” and “Safety in Numbers.” It certainly helped that a lot of these tunes got stuck in my head during the interim, sure. Still, knowing that these were the originators, not the imitators, it all worked now that I could see it in a different light. I also think that the two songs I skipped for not being on the original release– “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” and “New Day Dawns”– add something to make this feel more flesh-out as a whole record. While I’m not the biggest fan of the more trad style or even the more post-punk style, this record really grew on me. I can see the value of this both as stand-alone music and as a representative icon on the UK punk scene toward the end of its first run. It’s not the brightest new find, but it’s one of the ones that has grown on me the most, and that’s almost more valuable. So hell yeah to The Adverts, an undeniably important band who made a very good punk album that still can be rewarding, as long as you take the time to peel back the layers.
21
hmm some more punk type stuff. Diggin it! 4 stars
Never knew them. This music had some 70s vibes going in to the 80s and beyond. Good job.
A pleasant surprise!
Angsty punk that feels similar to Ramones. A few of the songs were catchy in their vibe
This was pretty nice - I think worth another listen…
I like punk, and this is definitely punk, but it’s punk with surprisingly high production values. Good album.
Never heard this before. This wasn't really on my radar, but I'm glad it's on the list. Great early punk rock. Well-played, listenable, and with a good amount of variety. Should be better recognized as a great early punk album.
Gran graan punk
An excellent early punk album that needs more love. My only wish is that it would've been recorded a bit more crisply. The Great British Mistake was not featuring this band more at the time.
As an apprehensive to the genre, I did enjoy this. It’s not overly noisy. The music is controlled and creative. The chorus’ are often fun. If I were to approach the genre with open arms, I would allow this to guide me. It gets a 4 considering my view on others in the brit punk scene.
didnt have the highestttt expectations tbh but this is rly vibrant and creative actually! prob the closest 70s uk punk comes to being candy-flavored, lots of great and shiny anthemic and melodic ideas while still feeling nice and handmade. the production is just rly rly good tbh, almost lush but with no sterility whatsoever, was delighted to find out it was the work of john leckie who was also behind the stone roses (and the bends funnily enough). kind of a hidden gem as far as records famous enough to be on this list, very fun and memorable, will have to make a note to come back to it sometime cuz i can imagine v occasionally being in the mood Specifically For this weird v specific little thing
Thought this was another trash British punk album that this list is rife with. It kinda was... but a little better than the others.
Creative and artfully executed. At times I was reminded of Queen. Delightful guitar shredding
8/10
Fast, tuneful, streamlined rock from a band that you could point to if someone asked you to recommend a straight-ahead punk record. I’d like more strangeness and ambush, but that’s me looking forward to post-punk. Cute to see this is one of the first albums with John Leckie in the producer’s chair. I misheard “Bored Teenagers” as “Faulty Agents”, which ought to be used.
7/10
Some more pretty solid punk I never heard of.
Never heard these guys before and it was a ripper of a good time.
Pleasantly surprised with this album. It sounds remarkably fresh and like proto-pop-punk without being obnoxious or corny. The production is raw, which can be endearing but jarring to hear drum fills that are just out of time. It feels like an album made by young people, for young people. And has the fun and energy to match. Top tracks: Newboys, Drowning Men, On Wheels
Punk-y vibe-y goodness
Beautiful punk record
Although I was familiar with Looking Through Gary Gilmore's Eyes, I had never listened to this full album. A nice peak into the early days of punk. A bit more polished than the UK punk that preceded it, the album is a fun time.
Прикольно, хорошие лайв версии
Another punk band I've never heard of. Another punk album I've enjoyed. The vocals have sort of a Queen-like quality to them. Several songs had a familiar sound, especially "One Chord Wonders." What does it sound like? "Wild World" by Cat Stevens? Favorite track: New Day Dawns
Nice! Zal het nog wel eens opzetten, lekkere oude amerikaanse punk rock
Good punk sound. Would listen more
Yeah, it's punk I guess. It's good?? Not TOO fake.
Kovaa alkuvaiheen brittipunk-ajoa!
This a fantastic debut punk record. Everything you'd want from late 70s punk.
This was a real jam, with solid tracks throughout, good grooves, melodies and solid production. 3.5 rounded up.
I'd never heard of this band, but they are a great early punk band.
This rocks
Great album. I like these 70's sort of underground punk-ish albums. There's something raw and exciting about it knowing they were so fringe and creating a new sound.
4/5
WOW PUNK AF AND HITS AT THE PERFECT TIME. This is my next obcession. I love the vocals and the riffs it drags towards the middle but thats okay it is short and iconic
This was edging up to 3.5 for me, but the last track pushed it to a 4. So cool, love hearing good albums I had no idea about!
nawet spoko 4-
Great punk album. Listened to it several times through and would happily listen to it again.
Probably the least annoying British punk rock album I've had to listen to. It falls short of bring an officially great album because just about every song sounds the same, and there's not a whole lot of substance, but they're decent musicians. They can actually play instruments really well and create musical harmony, which I realize sounds like a bare minimum for music, but most punk rockers don't even get this far. The average punk band is too concerned with rebellion that they don't even bother to make something that resembles music, but the Adverts are able to balance their rebellious spirit with actual music. It's fun to listen to, and it's not something I have to force myself to find positives with.
3.8 goes pretty hard, a better recording would do justice to the quality of the compositions
Some old school british punk i'd never even heard of. It's exactly what you'd expect it to be, which is perfectly fine with me.
Sorpresón, muy buen disco! Casi le doy cinco por inadvertido.
great
I love punk, but man this is exceptionally mid.
It was pretty good. Kinda sounded like garage rock in a good way. Will I listen to again: 60%
Not bad, will listen again
Fun punk that I didn't know existed. Gay Advert seemed to a bad ass bassist.
Pleasantly surprised by this one. I had never heard of the band and am not always a fan of the genre, but the music was pretty good!
I heard it once or twice before. I remembered some of the songs. Good sign. Or very bad. Good in this case. I don't like all of them, but the best ones are really good despite the mediocre singer. Favorite song: safety in numbers.
Insanely good classic brit punk
I was excited to hear this album, as I had heard positive things about the Adverts and thought this was an album I would want to hear. It didn't let me down even though I am not sure I would keep this record in my collection. I think a third or fourth listen may change my mind. Really good strong punk rock and it's not really that far below the more mainstream and accepted punk bands who arrived in the mid-to-late 70's. Gary Gilmore's Eyes is a pretty clever track and also a little disturbing to think about. I'm glad I found this album overall.
If I half-points were possible, I feel like this is the first one (that I can remember right now, anyway) I'd give a 3.5 to. See, on the one hand, I like this quite a bit—this kind of snotty 70's British punk does it for me. I mean, heck, I still like the Sex Pistols' album despite a lot of their... Y'know, problems. (I don't need to hear "Bodies" ever again, and we'll never forgive them for necessitating the Dead Kennedys to record "Nazi Punks Fuck Off" years later.) The sound of the guitars, the shout-singing, the pace, the energy... That's what I come here for. On the other end of things, however, there was the problem that I've run into with a lot of albums on this list from more obscure artists: what makes this thing so special, anyway? 'Cuz as much as I like it's British punk-ness... Yeah, it's sure British punk. What exactly sets it apart from all of the other British punk that I presume is on this list? 'Cuz it doesn't have the prestige of the Clash's debut, nor the historical impact and infamy of NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS. It's just... A good punk album? That's it? That's all it takes to get on this list, over innumerable albums that're just as, if not more worth? And I don't wanna turn this into another one of the endless million screeds on this website about the fact that MADVILLANY or whatever isn't on here. Again, I wanna stress: I **like** this album. Enough to tip that 3.5 over into a 4, even. Jus', I'unno. Maybe if I had the book in front of me to explain what makes this album so important to listen to before I die, I'd get it. But in the absence of it... I enjoyed my time with it, yeah, and I might revisit it in the future. It's not like I'm gona to my grave, though, feeling like I missed some important part of music history because I never heard The Adverts.
I just love me some good Ol' British Punk, even if it's a bit simple on this record. 4.5 down to 4.
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4. I don’t think this album does anything super special, but it certainly doesn’t do anything wrong; this is a pretty quick 31 minutes that’s full of pretty quality tracks, but as an album experience, I feel like there’s not much of a sense of direction for the band to firmly plant itself on as a debut album. Individually, I don’t think there’s a bad track here – a few mediocre ones, sure, but nothing ever reaches outright bad. The instrumentation is pretty entertaining, and the vocals know when to switch between calm, angry, and forceful. The lyrics are sort of where this album falls flat; not that they’re bad, but there’s never really a super catchy hook here to really hang your hat on as a signature song. However, in terms of the album, it just sort of felt like going track to track without a direction, and while Odessey & Oracle was sort of the same way, it worked because of the consistency in the stylings of each track – this album can’t really decide if it wants to be super heavy, a little light, or somewhere right in the middle. It jumps between each tone, and it makes the album experience feel just a little bit too dissonant at times. Regardless, what’s here is super fun, and most of the little nitpicks I had don’t take away from the overall quality of each track or the album; it’s got a lot of great energy, and when everything is clicking, it feels a little unstoppable in a charismatic way. It just doesn’t click as often as I’d like, but it clicks often enough to bump this up to a 4.
Hell yeah, I could listen to 1001 British Punk albums and still be satisfied. Keep ‘em coming!
Reminds me of the Buzzcocks. Amazingly good British punk in the old school sense.
Yeah, well. I knew what this was going to be like before I played it. Oh shit! No didn't this is really good. I knew I'd heard of them but couldn't think of anything they'd done. But as I listened it became apparent that they could actually play their instruments, and when 'Gary Gilmore's Eyes' came on I realised who they were. This is not an album I will go out looking for, but if I see it I will definitely get it. A solid 4.
Excellent original UK punk. Really enjoyed it.
Great punk album
Oh, good. Over its runtime, not quite up there with my other cool Punk discovery on here, X-Ray Specs' "Germfree Andolescents", but "One Chord Wonders" and a few other songs are simply great. With stuff like this around, how and why were The Ramones a thing? Seriously?
punk rock banger 🗣️
Didn't really like it much on first listen, but subsequent lists were ace. Favourite tracks: Bored Teenagers, New Church, Newboys, Gary Gilmore's Eyes, Bombsite Boy, Safety In Numbers.
Really liked it, one of the best punk albums we've had on here I think
Enjoyed this. Nice and punky
A delightful 70's UK Punk album, that captures the period so well, I would have people listen to this as their introduction to the style.
3.5
pure punk goodness
I liked this one
Never heard this. interesting stuff. This is in my wheelhouse!
Not a bad UK punk record. I don’t know if I’ve knowingly heard the Adverts before. Better than the Sex Pistols not as interesting as the Clash.
Yes!!!
Old school punk, classic.
I like 70s punk I guess. This album hits all the way through. Simple songs but very clever and on point. For a debut from some young brit punkers, I'm impressed. Fave songs are New Church and Gary Gilmores Eyes. Surprised this wasnt played by Uncle Rick at a party. Will be listening to again and looking to pick up the vinyl...3.8.
Fun basic punk. One chord and the truth!
Punk with a slightly experimental edge.
4/5. A pretty good punk album with a more upbeat energy and poppy sound. Each song is short and sweet but there is not much substance here, as it was playing, I lost track of which song I was on in the album. I did enjoy it but not sure I would consider it great. (Listened to it again, scratch that, these songs rock, it's going up to a 4). Best Song: Bored Teenagers, No Time To Be 21, New Day Dawns
riktigt bra. stökigt och otajt emellanåt men på ett charmigt sätt. gillar gitarrsoundet mycket.
4-5
This project has squeezed almost all of my enjoyment of early 70s punk out of me, and every time I see one of these British punk albums by some obscure "The ___s" band, I just roll my eyes and get ready for a 2/5 experience.. So I'm happy to report, that this is a hidden gem. More artsy than I expected and a really fun listen. Some songs on here reminded me of Joy Division, but this is a whole year before Unknown Pleasures. Damn impressive.
Punktastic. A blaze of glory sweeping through kick after kick.
Perfectly enjoyable English punk that I probably won't be returning to, personally.
Cool, and new to me
It's really good. Never twigged that they'd done both One Chord Wonders and Gary Gilmore's Eyes. It's raw in that best of punk ways - it feels underproduced in all the right ways. It's caught all the vitality and messiness and I really enjoyed it!
like it. nice spunky-punky- garage-y band..
This was pretty top-notch Brit punk. I'll save the extra star for Clash or Sex Pistols, but it was an enjoyable time.
Not bad at all, very enjoyable punk record. There's some great catchy tunes and some that are eh but overall I really liked this
Today's album is some late 70's British punk similar to The Clash, The Damned, or The Buzzcocks. Overall, pretty solid. Favourite songs: Newboys, Safety in Numbers, On the Roof, Gary Gilmore's Eyes, No Time to Be 21, One Chord Wonders, New Church, Bored Teenagers, Great British Mistake Least favourite songs: Bombsite Boy 4/5
Absolutely and fully on board with this
Energy, passion, simplicity, yet surprising rhythms and great lyrics. This is why I love the 1001 album generator...unearthing gems like this....albums that I would never have listened to otherwise and my library is so much better for it.
This album rocked. Definitely riding those waves of first wave British punk although their command of melody seemed almost reminiscent of late 60s british psych rock as well. Perhaps not as notable or iconic as some other punk acts of the time, it brought me back to hear this style again.
British punk. It's not my thing, but this was a lot more catchy than I expected it to be. Tons of energy, even if it's not going to be one of my favorites.
Old classic!
Enjoyed this! Never heard of them but they are great
Contemporary to the Sex Pistols, these guys were part of the first wave of punk and embody everything you'd expect from the original movement. Simple chords, short repetitive song structures, rebellious teen subject matter, and a whole lot of energy. They have catchy pop elements too, so you could the transition from glam or the Ramones. Production is nice too. Not the best, but for an early punk record, it's surprisingly clean. Also surprised how versatile it is. "Bombsite Boy" sounds like Joy Division, and "Safety in Numbers" sounds like the Cure, despite being released before either of them. Hell, "No Time to Be 21" almost has a mini black metal solo! If not for Wire's Pink Flag, I don't think I could name a more innovative punk album this early. There are all sorts of killer guitar solos in here. And keeping in punk fashion, they last for merely seconds before moving on to the next trick. There are a few hits on here. Much of it doesn't make a big impression but they all have creative, memorable elements, and none of it felt like filler. It's not one of the best punk records out there, but I am really impressed, especially for how early it is, and it does deserve a listen by everybody from start to finish.
I really enjoyued this one
Interesting And fresh
An early punk album. Clearly very influential. Really enjoyed parts of this. Not everything really hit with me but there’s some great tracks here. Raw energy. Loud angst and attitude. Truly a pure punk album. Good stuff. 4 stars. Standout tracks: One Chord Wonders, Newboys, Gary Gilmore’s Eyes, Drowning Men, Great British Mistake
- honestly loved the punky vibes and speed of the songs - sounds very classic, has good energy - solid 3.5 but I’ll round up
- this is really enjoyable 70s punk - British -3.5
Liked this.
Punk history made with this album…and I had never heard of it. Early New Wave…” New Wave” is actually part of the lyrics in a few of the songs. I like it for the history. It’s a bit repetitive but so was a lot of early Punk. Punk could only got better after this album. And I mean that in a good way. Gaye Advert should be more well known. There’s a couple of good bangers on this albums. And like most albums, the more I listen, the more I like..
This is not really something I would normally listen to but I mean it kinda rocks.
Interesting band; they captured the UK punk rock sound of the moment on this album and somehow made it listenable.
Crossing the Red Sea is good… very very good. I dare say, it’s probably the best British punk album I’ve got in this project, and I’ve got London Calling already. It’s much deeper than the Clash’s famous album. One Chord Wonder is a perfectly self deprecating opener. Boredom Teenagers reminds me of the 90s California punk I grew up listening. Gary Gilmore’s Eyes is a punk version of 60s pop. Great British Mistake is a great closer to a great album 8.2/10
Decent catchy punk album
cool Punk vibe
I liked this one, very listenable
Catchy punk. I'm glad this was a selection, I had not heard of them before.
Why does the guy on the cover look like Little Steven from the E Street Band? Anyway, it's punk, and the production is subpar. But it's still entertaining. But it does get repetitive "Gary Gilmore's Eyes," for example, was tiresome. I dug how "Bored Teenagers" shifted in the song a bit. "One Chord Wonders" is pretty much a punk anthem, but it's damn good. I liked the album, although I wish the production and sound was better. Top songs: "One Chord Wonders," "No Time To Be 21"
I noticed I had two punk albums to rate back to back (Black Flag debut being the other) so I listened to both a few times before rating either. On first listen of the Adverts, I thought decent punk album, reminds of other early UK punk albums/bands. Reading up on them I was surprised they had a rep of one chord or base musicianship. Yes, they don't do a ton but I thought they had a good sound for a punk band. After listening to Black Flag, I was ready to come back to them - hardcore punk is too hardcore for me. I prefer the more melodic punk of bands like The Adverts, combined with their sly lyrics. Whether the Black Flag contrast or not, this album really grew on me. I already liked the opener and closer One Chord Wonders and Great British Mistake a fair bit. But songs in between like Bored Teenagers, New Church, Gary Gilmore's Eyes, Safety in Numbers, and On Wheels started to stick in my head in a good way. So after all my listens, I'd say at least a 3.5 and I'll round up since they were punk pioneers.