New Wave

aight

Most of the songs were OK, but overall. I didn't really like this; it's not something I see myself going back to again.

This is pretty good but no track really sticks. I can se my self liking this type of style, very Indie rock (kinda sound like another indie band but i can't put my finger on which). But there is no definitive hit. if i had listen to it when i was younger i would probably have som favorites but on a single listen it is just nice background rock.

Eh. Nothing special, don’t know if deserves to be here.

The songs were okay, but the weird breathy singing was off putting

This was fine for background listening, but not much else. It only ever got to an okay-level, never went beyond that.

More generic BritPop and there's nothing special about it. 4/10

Is this a parody record? Am I being punked? Music is reasonably OK, but those lyrics are just awful.

Boring

It's okay, but rather boring. Wouldn't listen again

Whatever. Totally mid Brit rock that I could not care less about. Dudes voice is mildly annoying (par for the course). The lyrics are bleh cause they try to do too much and be too deep with them (naturally). I feel nothing other than mildly annoyed that I had to listen to this.

it's from freaking 1993-not nu-wave at all. why, why, why is it on the list???? oh wait, it's because it's mid brit pop.

I used to know the bass player of the band.

If this were a 60s album I'd probably say it was alright. If it was a 70s album I'd be like 'oooh, nice example of proto-glam.' If it was the 80s I'd be giving it a bit of side-eye. But no. This album is from 1993. Another case of the book's lack of imagination in the later decades.

105/1089 - Wait a minute, this isn't new wave... (It's actually boring proto-britpop nonsense).

Slow, boring rock.

Can't say I'd heard this before. It was interesting, but not compelling. Mid 2s.

I didn’t like this. Forgettable.

This was pretty boring and uninspiring. Didn’t do anything for me. Not offensively bad, just bland

Lackluster. 3/10

This album really started wearing on me the longer it went on. Just middle of the road early 90s British rock/pop. Not needed on this list, 4.25/10 (2.125/5)

"Song title. Song title Song titleee." If this were 1001 perfectly cromulent albums from the 90s it'd belong on the list.

It has been awhile since I got such a blatant Brit bias pick, and boy is it ever a Brit bias pick. The album at times is pretty decent, and at others bland and sometimes downright annoying. A couple songs, the singer just repeats two words over and over, instead of having a true chorus. And even he sounds bored doing it. I should have taken advice from the title of the second track, and just Bailed Out.

Thought I was into it at first because there are a few good songs but vocalist Luke Haines' voice got annoying really quickly. It sounds like something I would enjoy but the vocals just ruin it for me. Maybe someday I'll get over them and really like this album but I doubt that I'll give it another chance anytime soon. Favorite track: Bailed Out 2.5/5

Bad Beatles parody.

I turned it on. I tuned in. I dropped out. Decent sounds. Utterly forgettable.

I turned this on and then didn’t notice it at all. Nothing stood out and not very memorable. 2.25

Ronald Regan was wrong...the most terrifying words in the English language are: I play brit pop and I'm here to rock you. 2.5/5

Just have to bring attention to this first, when I started the album, that first song has a hard cutoff. Like opening riff it just fades out real fast and abrupt. Which comically made me lean over to see the notification/text I must’ve gotten on my phone only for the music to cut back in the second I saw that the music had tricked me. So there’s that, this album can trick phone monkeys into thinking they got a msg which is kinda funny. Outside of that I was super bored with this album to be frank. The vocals are the biggest turnoff cause they feel average/unremarkable but that’s in stark contrast to the guitar playing and overall production. Honestly the music is truly original and interesting, the only thing watering that down is the vocal performance. There’s probably a big following for this album but sadly it’s not for me.

Bland. Nothing I want to come back to. They really feel like Sgt peppers Beatles with less acid and less talent. Why is this one in the list?

He sounds like the singers for the British band at England in the Britain section of Epcot. Nothing against those guys but its not quite best albums of all time calibre. 3/10

I have never heard this album before today. It's alright, nothing really stood out to me though. Might be nice to put on an obscure chill party mix.

This just isn’t good. There’s nothing that stands out, nothing particularly catchy, and it doesn’t leave any lasting impression. It’s a forgettable listen and definitely doesn’t feel like it belongs on this list.

Another mediocre British band that I've never heard of and will immediately forget about. It wasn't awful, just very unmemorable.

Okay, fine -- it's a template for Britpop. But I got tired of the plaintive and wispy vocals. "Idiot Brother" and "Early Years" I liked (nice guitar riff in "Idiot Brother"), but most of the songs seemed lackluster to me.

Snoozer

90s rock, British alternative band. Pleasant but nothing special, more pop than rock. Almost twee, which makes them a bit annoying.

Totally beige and forgettable.

Nothing remarkable here. Maybe I'm just burned out on all of this Brit-adjacent pop, but I gained nothing from this experience. Just lacks the edge that other alt rock acts may have had from the time.

More like poo wave

I get the importance of the album, being pretty much the start of BritPop, even though the band doesn't really think it is. All the 90s-style stuff is here: the hidden track, the fuzz guitar, the... cello? Saying all that, it just got.... tiresome. Maybe it's just my annoyance with BritPop as a whole, I don't know. NEXT. Top tracks: "Show Girl," "Idiot Brother," "Home Again"

Some music is made with the heart, some with the head. Music from the heart is often superior as it is made from feelings. Music from the head is not necessarily bad, but it is made from thoughts. Head music struggles to make the soul sing or yearn as heart music can. This is head music.

Listen to the Au Pairs instead. Much sexier.

Meh

Quite an interesting collection on this album. Overall quite liked it. Nothing spectacular jumped out at me but it was ok

I can’t place the medley of bands I can hear from this album. Some songs sounded alright musically, but the vocals are just meh. “Don’t Trust The Stars” and “Home Again” were the only listenable tracks. Not for me I don’t think, feels a bit too colourless.

Pass

Three tracks in this is existing in a space of relative indifference. The music itself is enjoyable though the production is super flat and the vocals are kind meh. After a full listen, my views haven't changed. This is inoffensive alt-rock that is occasionally a bit interesting (How Could I Be Wrong). I didn't have any issue getting through the 44 minute playtime, but I don't have any desire to do it again. In an objective space this is a 3, but in the context of this list it falls a bit lower for me.

Pretty lame album. Really just straight up boooooooooring. Last song was weird how it stopped and turned into two songs. 2 stars

Blandest alt rock I've probably ever heard.

The most incredibly mid 90s alternative album I have ever heard. There was not one thing in this album that got me excited. Not bad music at all just so extremely boring. On the verge of giving this a 1 just because of the straight boredom, but it was still music so its a low 2.

This dude must've had a really bad experience parking cars. Classic weird hidden song at the end there. Works much better with CD's than on Apple Music though lol This just didn't really evoke anything in me. Voice was annoying, and I was bored. Meh 2.

Uninteresting pixies wannabes

Eh

Did not enjoy, boring, could never put this on and actually enjoy it

A bit anonymous

another middle of the road british indie album I had never heard of; better than the others of its ilk I’ve heard so far, but I have to ask that question again: did I need to hear this before I die?

The singing was meh. There was some good little moments in there but nothing too spectacular. The highlight for me was “Starstruck” which made it on the playlist. Also, very british and a tad pretentious.

There’s a scene in the 90’s movie, She’s All That, where the main character gets on stage in a dark club and does an impromptu hacky sack routine after and incredibly weird performance of a birth. You know the scene. Anyway, this is the band who goes on next…should have stayed underground.

Kind of generic sounding brit pop with some alt influences. Not bad but ultimately didnt capture my attention.

what if Bowie started out in the 90s and wasn't that good music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Started out strong, but started to become a bit boring after a few songs.

For an album called new Wave I was expecting something new, exciting, edgy but this was just dull and forgettable. No idea why this is on this list?

Probably a friend of the author?

Well, it's music. Nothing really stood out.

OK

This is ok but unremarkable britpop/indie. Lyrics, vocals, guitars all decent but nothing massively stands out. Is all a fairly similar tempo and could do with some bigger moments, more intense singing or something to prevent it all sounding samey. Didn't hate it but won't listen again. The lyrics are probably the best element

2.5

2 generic Brit indie rock with an annoying singer

I seriously thought this was a Lemonheads album as I got lost in it. Only negative in not being the Lemonheads is I guess they're not British enough for the author. This is just another bland UK Britpop album that doesn't even have a definitive Wikipedia page for being such a worthwile listen 2/5

Haines' weedy sounding voice was an irritant to me on what was otherwise reasonably decent sounding music (exemplified in Junk Shop Clothes)

Why the fuck does the guy in the album art look like Timothee Chalamet?

Pretty cool album cover - can't really say the same about the music. I can't differentiate or name any of the instrumentals on this album for the life of me, and the vocal performances are all pretty unpalatable. The lyrics seemed alright, though I didn't care about listening too closely

Het gaat het ene oor in en het andere uit. Wat heb ik nou gehoord? Vergeetbare jarennegentigpop. Anderen hebben dit soort muziek veeeeel beter gedaan.

Klinkt als een soort Pet Shop Boys die Britpop maken. Het is typisch jaren 90, door de gitaarstiltes die regelmatig vallen, waarbij bas en drums doorgaan, ook wel bekend geworden door Pixies en Nirvana. Of zoals wiki zegt, heeft het iets van een glamrock revival in zich en ook Suede. Die theatrale quasi-verveelde stem, daar kan ik zeker in komen. Het blijft mij soms storen dat er van dit soort bandjes in staan, waar ik nog nooit van heb gehoord. En dat er dan albums niet in staan (ik drop deze keer maar weer eens een Weezer), die er zeker wel in hadden moeten of kunnen staan. De snobkeuzes kunnen af en toe verschrikkelijk ergerniswekkend zijn. Maar goed, daardoor blijft het juist ook interessant om deze lijst te beluisteren. En als ik dit bandje toevallig wel een keer op een festival had gezien in een achteraf tentje voor 10 betalende bezoekers, dan had ik het waarschijnlijk geweldig gevonden dat het onze snoblijst had behaald. Zo eerlijk moeten we dan ook weer zijn. Niets menselijks is ons vreemd tenslotte. Op een andere dag zou ik hier waarschijnlijk wel een 3 voor kunnen geven. Want er zitten best aardige nummers tussen. Maar ook hele matige. En ik heb er nu niet zo'n zin in merk ik, ik ben blij als het klaar is en ik gewoon even K!NK aan kan zetten. Het is een energievretend album. Dus daarom rond ik het af naar 2 sterren vandaag.

firmly in the meh column for me. forgettable 90s britpop

I've had enough

No máximo legalzinho

A new look at New Wave, but boring. 2/5

b0r1ng

Did nothing for me

This was not very interesting but also not that bad. But not for me!

The most mediocre of all British alt-rock. Not sure how it made its way onto this list.

Groupe inconnu. Rien de bien original, mais pas désagréable. =>2/5

I heard a few bands being inspired in there. Thought it was okay.

nothing really hit. could i write poetry to this? n

Meh

Like Stone Temple Pilots but not as catchy

Not a bad sound, but I find the singer’s voice to be quite grating.

This list is way to heavy handed with British influence. While there are absolute genre defining British musicians this is not one of those groups. The song "American Guitars" irrationally makes me annoyed. What a terrible album.

The beginning of the first song was definitely a hook. His voice- sounds very nasally and monotone. I caught this vibe early on and it continued throughout the entire album and it was just not great at all. I was hopeful at the beginning but dreading it at the end.

After taking a THC gummy I'll end up saying something and very literally forget what I was talking about even 2 sentences later - you take the gummy for a specific effect but so if you're actually trying to concentrate on saying anything worthwhile at all it's annoying and even off-putting , which of course why would you... TL;DR: this album is that gummy. At any point during these <checks notes> 43 minutes I couldn't / can't remember a thing from 2 minutes ago. The singer is like a less-engaged George Harrison, who was a bland singer to begin with. It's fine. Terribly boring. Inoffensive. Rubber-stamped new-early-90s-Britpop. I think...? 4/10 2 stars

it's a shame because this sounds like music i would otherwise like. but i really felt like the songs were not very strong and the vocals were pretty bad. at times it sounds like the vocalist's voice is cracking. reminiscent of 90s slacker vocals, but without the coolness. it mostly makes it sound very limp. not a vibe i enjoy from music.

Tepid.

It was okay, but also completely unmemorable. Generic almost. I don't actively dislike it, but don't see the point being in this list.

I like the second half better than the first.

I can see where later Britpop bands get their inspiration from here, but this one just doesn't have the same appeal (or hit songs) that those others have going for them.

It had a death cab vibe

Britpop, fint nok, men heller ikke vildt spændende

This has elements from things that are cool and interesting but fails to be either cool or interesting itself.

30 days in the dungeon for making Bailed Out. The rest was ok enough to get a 2. Will I listen to again: 0%

A very mundane sounding album. I didn't dislike it but it wasn't noteworthy either.

The band's Spotify bio describes their work as "unromantic." I think that's an understatement. A lot of these songs are unsettling and grim, on top of being musically uninteresting. It wasn't *hard* to listen to, but maybe I've been desensitized by so much Britpop on this list...

Bland, forgettable, in fact I have no recollection of this band even existing. Are we sure this wasn't some weird A.I. Mandela effect / Baader–Meinhof phenomenon (pause for irony) where they take the sonic signature of a dozen bands and try to make the most pleasing sound out of it in a lab but instead this heap of boredom lurched out instead.

I enjoyed how the album started but it's honestly mostly generic Brit rock from the era. I was pretty done with it by the end and none of it really pulled my attention to really focus on it. How Could I Be Wrong or Show Girl got to be my favorites here.

ok, his voice was nice at first but never really changes. oof.... Steve Albini did a great job recording and producing it...but he's limited which means the album/songs are limited. Pass.

Nothing special and some strange songs.

Didn’t get much out of this album, except this guy really hates his job parking cars.

kinda mediocre

Forgettable

I've never heard of the Auteurs, or this album before, but I've enjoyed a majority of the Britpop albums on this list, so I feel confident that I'll like this album. Well, I wouldn't say I particularly liked this album, but I didn't hate it either. I think it's a good album, especially the songwriting, but the music itself is like cloud on a summer day afternoon, in that it disappears from your mind quickly. The arrangements are nice, especially the piano playing on "Bailed Out," and there were some other nice little moments, like the harmonica on "Housebreaker" and the xylophone on "Valet Parking." But overall, musically, this album just wasn't doing anything that sets it apart or pushes things in a new direction. The songwriting was really solid from start to finish though, and I really liked "Junk Shop Clothes" and "Don't Trust the Stars." Overall though, this album just kind of plodded along, and I don't really see a lot of value in it, outside of the songwriting.

Ich habe bisher Interpret und Album nicht gekannt, was im Nachhinein nicht schlimm ist. Für mich plätscherte das Album so vor sich hin. Aber zwei Nummern haben mich sehr überzeugt: "Boiled out" und "Junk Shop clothes"

Nothing interesting or new

Ah, we've found "The Shitty Beatles" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPIpeW581rE

Day213 - whiny nasally brit pop that i hope im about done with

Rubbich

Hey, if you’re into completely forgettable 90s Brit rock, have I got the album for you. But don’t worry if you don’t like it, there are plenty more of the exact same kinds of albums on this list!

Aucune idée pourquoi c'est là. Rien de mémorable, rien d'unique, clairement un gros biais UK. Ce n'est pas mauvais, mais il y a absoluement rien dans cet ablum qui m'a accroché et qui m'y fera retourner. 4/10

As all have said, this is just ok. I do hear a bit of modern indie influence being offered, but meh

Mijn god, wat is dit weer een ontzettend saai en nietszeggend album. Het speelt een beetje op de achtergrond en ik kan je geen enkel nummer hiervan vertellen. Was het goed? Geen idee. Was het slecht? Eigenlijk ook niet echt een idee Was het saai? Ja absoluut. Ik verveel me kapot, wat een slechte weekstart. Gelukkig is het niet een lang album! Maar dit is wel weer een album in de hoek van: "Serieus? Dit moest ik voor mijn dood horen? Waarom?" Super saai album, verdoe je tijd er niet mee. Dit is even spannend als de kleur grijs. FAVO: Bailed Out

generic forgettable whiny 90s brit rock. first song was the only memorable one, but still not particularly good. i could die happy if this website never assigned me another one of these again, alas, i know better.

The impact of a great debut album can spawn a whole original genre. The introduction of lesser first albums lay no claim to even a stylistic revival. New "New Wave" waves, waives new new wave wave.

After the first song, I thought I might have finally found an unknown brit pop album on this list that I like, but that was easily the high point of the album. Just derivative stuff after that. Every time I thought I liked a song after that I realized it was because it sounded exactly like another song that I already knew and liked, mostly Al Stewart.

2.5

Completely meh, might feel different on a second listen

this just didnt click with me. There is an underlying depression throughout, and the music doesnt do anything to keep me engaged. maybe I'm just not an English rock guy. its like a really sad Blur album.

Nothing about this album's particularly offensive except maybe the vocal delivery. At times it sounds like a bad Lou reed impression. Regardless it’s uninspiring. I find it repetitive and emotionless. Some of the playing is good and there’s a couple catchy licks here and there but nothing really broke through and tunneled into my brain. 2.3

Just ok. Nothing exciting

Plodding and unremarkable. So what are we doing here? Did I hate this? No. Its listenable and my ratings are based on how much I liked it. But this is a list of albums you should hear although we aren't rating them on whether we think you should hear them. We just listened to NWA. I hated it and gave it a 1. But I know that it belongs on the list simply because it was important for pointing "music" in a new direction. This album is like several others we have reviewed, ie White Denim. Clean production without any real emotion, innovation, tension, or musicianship. And the songwriting is uninteresting: "Parking Cars?" The more I see this list supposedly made by a panel of "experts," the more it seems to me to be made by a bunch of provincial Brits.

Neither new wave nor auteurs

1.5/5

Indie rock? Sounds kinda like Beatles I guess. I don’t have much to say about this one. Didn’t really stand out for me.

Its a band you hear in the background of a coffee shop that thinks its cool, but hasn't been cool since 1998

Big bowl of early 90s meh. Very background music nothing stands out

Nicht wirklich schlecht, aber jetzt auch nicht der Brüller.

whatever man. some people should not be singers

I really like the 2nd track, “bailed out”. This was a good album. I would not seek it out for a second listen.

Good start with show girl and bailed out. But then the album went down from there. Shame really, i love brit pop, but this album was very plain and below average as it went on. Shame really. Maybe ill come back to it. But for now its a 2/5.

At first I thought I would really dig this one, it has a very 90's sound which I typically like. But it really drug and didn't really go anywhere. I wasn't 100% sure what he was whining about most of the time, maybe being too famous and how hard that is (not sure where he was famous...).

This kinda sucked. Pretty unremarkable.

Um, is he dissing thrift shopping? Blasphemy! That aside, I couldn’t really get into this. It felt kind of bland and boring and I’m not surprised I haven’t heard of this group.

pretentious and annoying

Beetje saai

New Wave is unremarkable, not notably bad, not memorable, holds a tune but not much variety, singing fits their desired style but doesn't excite me, not worthy of a place on the list. 2.

Fairly insipid indie. Not bad, but nothing special.

Boring and totally unremarkable.

Here’s another album I’m not sure why it’s on the list. Could blend in with another few hundred albums from this era. Was it bad? Not really. Did anything stand out as great? Also not really. 2.75

The production is tight, but the vocals on some of the songs are very difficult to understand.

ei ole klikkien takoamis albumi ainakaan.. heti saa tietää mitä on luvassa... new wave ... perkele.. klikkien väistämistö enemmänkin heh.. ei voi sius liikaa valitella.. en hallunnut nirhata, vilppiä tässä ei ollut. ei mitään vilunkia ollut tässä mukana.. ketunpeliä ei pelattu kaikilla palloilla tänään.. se tässä oli selvää. valet parking

some parts more listenable than others

Not really finding much to get excited about this album. Pretty repetitive choruses. The overall sound is kind of bland. Feels like there are so many rock albums on this list, this one is relatively forgettable by comparison.

At this point there are too many British albums on here. This was not needed. I don’t care if people think this is what shaped Britpop.

Bit dull. Indie. Meh...

2.5 because it apes everything before it but brings nothing new to the table.

meh

Typical angsty alt-rock stuff. Not terrible but not interesting to me.

2 much brit pop

I’m struggling with how to review some of these middling albums. There was nothing wrong with this one, per se, but nothing particularly stood out to me either. I’m left again wondering why I MUST listen before I die.

It was ok, kind of underwhelming but very listenable. I can’t think of one song I’d have to play again. Lead singers voice kind of irritated me.

What am I supposed to get from this? The lyrics are inane. The vocals annoy even me, which is difficult given my affinity for emo in all of its forms. There are one or two jams on here, but maybe not something I needed to hear. Call it a 1.5, and I'm feeling very generous. Favorite track: "How Could I Be Wrong"

Pretty big Britpop fan but just didn’t gel with this album

Listened to this while playing Nusfjord solo. I achieved a personal high score! I had never heard of this band before, but the album cover was intriguing. Meh. Not bad...but certainly not one of the best 1001 (or 1086 or whatever it is.) I really really want to hear Idiot Brother covered by Destroyer. It would be the perfect match. Sorry...only a 2. Not because it was bad, but because it was just not essential enough. Wait...is the lead singer Destroyer? It sounds like him dialed down to a 4.

Some quality but overall too much of the same with nothing really standing out.

Good I guess? But kind of forgettable.

There’s so much great music of all genres and decades, but so far my list of albums from the 90s have been dominated by Britpop schlock. It’s fine, but “fine” isn’t a word that I would use to describe one of the 1001 most essential albums of all time.

I listened to it but I cannot recall anything outstanding.

Yeah, starts off similar to Suede - I never really liked Suede. Picks up a little pace and interest on the home stretch but too little too late. Maybe it was slightly ahead of its time but it generally a bit forgettable.

Genre: Rock Instruments: 1/5 Modern Translation: 2/5 Dance Potential: 1/5 Listening Location: Driving from Lara Heard it before: No Favourite Song: Home Again Made me feel: This was relatively easy to listen to but little variety in the album. Wouldn't turn it off if it was playing in the background, but also wouldn't choose to put it on.

Album starts with a bang with "Show Girl." I really enjoyed the sound. For me, it kind of slowed way down, with "Junk Shop Clothes" making me want to just turn the record off. I enjoyed the guitar in "Idiot Brother"

Definitely a early solo Morrissey vibe here. Not sure if that is good or bad. Even had a secret song at the end to lock in the 90s feeling. Not bad. Not great.

Boring. 2.

Nasally 90s Brit rock that was mostly lame. Not much else to add.

just why. no need to listen to that. 4.5/10

Voice lacks range. Guitar are crisp. Too crisp ? 2 stars

meh

Neo-Glam gone wrong, not fit to lace Bolans shoes 2.5 at best

Couple of highlights but overall nothing special. 2/5

Largely forgettable last track was good

Some alright tracks but a pretty generic Brit pop album that doesn’t do much to stand out.

Best Songs: N/A Listen Again: No

I was really not into this at all. Each song was a bit of a struggle. Nothing that I hated about it necessarily, but I was very glad when it was over.

Typical pop from 90's. Meh

1.5/5. Not very good. In fact, quite unenjoyable.

Maybe the mehiest album so far. There’s nothing wrong with it but literally nothing stands out. I’m guessing the guys in the band are brothers with the people who made the list.

Ganz nett. Kannte ich nicht. Zwei Sterne.

Ummm, in theory I should like this more than I do. O but here we are!

The first time I listened to The Auteurs’ “New Wave,” I let it fade into the background. That was the right move. I was not rewarded by a closer listen. Some of the guitars found a nice balance between clarity and fuzz, but the issue was Luke Haines’ vocals, especially when they were plaintively whispered. Haines was the driving force behind the band, who played guitar and piano in addition to the strained whispers. He also may have been the driving force behind the rise of Britpop. We shouldn’t thank him for that, and he wouldn’t want the thanks either. As Blur and Oasis far surpassed The Auteurs, Haines’ career stalled and it sounds like he became a bit bitter and rebellious. Britpop had some major ups and downs for me, but The Auteurs isn’t an up or one I want to return to. At the end of the day, it’s really the vocals that get in the way of everything else, which just wasn’t spectacular enough to make up for it. Like many British bands with barely-earned places on the list. The Guardian nailed it in a review of an Auteurs concert 10 years after “New Wave.” “This is all the more impressive because he can't sing. Twenty songs' worth of malevolence is conveyed in a baby's whisper, which has the perverse effect of emphasizing his disgust.”

It's got a sound that you would think checks all my boxes - a relatively uncomplicated mix, decent production quality, interesting lyrics, jangly guitar sound.... but it doesn't spark me. Maybe it's the lead singer double tracking and his kind of nasally voice. I dunno. It appears this appears to be the first Britpop album to come out - but I'm kind of confused - I guess someone like XTC doesn't count? Show Girl and Subculture (the hidden track at the end of Home Again) are probably my favorites, but I'm going to award this one my first 2 star review.

Not so bad that I had to turn it off, but close

AJ: Musically pretty cool. Vox are not for me. Show Girl was cool. But dude’s voice lasted 5 minutes for me.

Eh, it was ok. Nothing special.

Someone else called this Blur on Clonazepam and they're pretty accurate. The backing band is good, almost great. It could use a few more riffs here and there that are memorable. But the singer, Jesus. No thank you. There isn't anything lyrically or vocally interesting going on here.

Not sure this has stood the test of time. Very bland.

Likely a mixing issue but the entire record sounded very flat and drab. Sucked the life out of the album for me.

Słabe nie lubię

This album doesnt do anything for me. Its not bad enough to rate a 1-star, but its so dull and british that I wont ever listen to it willingly again. 2/5

I liked the first song, the rest was just ok.

It's not terrible but it's not really good it's just more brit-pop this time with some "indie" flavor or something. Never would have encountered this without the list, so there's that.

I was hopeful for this album: a literate rock-group setting itself up against the conventions of the time sounds like my speed. But this did nothing for me. I found the lead singers voice to be half-baked, the music not exactly memorable or melodic, and the lyrics mostly bland. The cover is cool though. Disappointing.

Enjoyed track: How Could I Be Wrong Not a fan of the rest, just not my genre.

I'd never heard of this band. They seem a bit average to be on this list?

Uneventful 90s rock. I’m imagining David Brent was in this band before he got into the paper industry, he played guitar and co-wrote some of the songs. The lyrics were noticeably bad. I’m imagining whoever chose this for the list was around 16-19 when this came out, and they have some nostalgia for it that the majority of people who listen now don’t have. Get this off the list and restore some credibility to it.

Boring ass brit pop alt rock that sounds like a thousand other bands. Very influential zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Nicely put together, but the songs were very repetitive and chorus wasn't too intriguing.

Decent grunge sound but nothing about the album was memorable.

I'm not sure why this is one of a 1,001 albums I need to hear before I die. Didn't really anything unique or inventive. This one goes into the bucket of maybe I missed something.

Another Britpop/alt rock act. These are becoming a dime a dozen on this project, I gotta say. I've said it before, I'll say it again: a lot were influential in establishing the genre, but that doesn't mean they're prime examples of the genre. A lot of bands did the sound better. More room should be made for those artists and albums, rather than so many of these B and C listers.

Instrumentation is promising, good guitar lines, but spoiled by poor vocals and vocal melody lines.

2 This is R.E.M and you can't change my mind

Pleasant enough Britpop with a strong Kinks influence. Sometimes the lead singer has a John Lennon-esque rasp. Sometimes he sings in a high-pitched warble. Neither mode particularly worked for me. The songwriting is decent but once the chorus came around on any given song, I felt like I knew everything that was going to happen musically. These are short songs but I still felt restless. Anytime the lyrics stood out to me, it was usually because there was a line I didn't like.

Ah it must be time for our weekly British Alt Rock album on this list. I'd wager we're up to between 50 and 75 in our (specific to our group) 450 or so albums generated so far. Ok enough bellyaching. It's an alright record. Not blowing me away. The vocals are just alright and in many songs the lead vocal is mixed so much louder than the rest of the band. Just Ok. 2/5.

It's ok.

Sounds like every other band in 2023: that Cali white girl shit

i’m really just so sick of british post-punk. this felt like eating air.

Not too impressed, kinda dull.

Блять че за хуйня где синты, басовые линии джой дивижн и бирн пердящий в микрофон нахуй 5/10

Fairly mediocre

Started ok, but didn’t ever seem to get going

Rather dreadful tbh. Maybe one or two decent songs, mostly a slog.

It was okay I think? I don't remember much of it. Why is it called New wave but it doesn't seem to be new wave?

This isn't great.

bland, forgettable, and dull.

Not a big fan of this one, enjoyed the instrumentals across the album though so upgrades it to a 2/5 for me.

It's fine I guess, but the thing that really breaks it for me is when he does those weird little drum sounds with his mouth.

Tää albumi sai mut kuvittelemaan, että mun nettiyhteys pätkäisi ainaki viis kertaa tätä kuunnellessa

Tää oli haasteen eka levy, jolta en ollut kuullut ainuttakaan biisiä. Levy oli aika mitäänsanomaton, joku muu on tehnyt tämän paremmin ja kiinnostavammin.

Show Girl was all right, but then it began to go downhill from there. Did not hate, did not like.

I would classify this as "just another mainstream album of its time". I fail to detect the special about it.

Maybe I would’ve found this album more interesting if I’d heard it when it came out in the 90s. Sort of a Spin Doctors/James vibe, but not as catchy.

I like second rate Britpop as much as the next person. Unfortunately this is third rate Britpop. It passes my test of being not completely unlistenable, so saves itself from the indignity of 1 star to sit, comfortably, in the cold soup of 2 stars with all the other mediocre lift music.

Perfectly inoffensive. Nothing much memorable about this at all. Like elevator music from the 90s.

Annoyingly average album. I read somewhere, that New Wave inspired many artists in years after releasing it, but how could they be inspired by something so normal, or maybe even bland? Not one song stood out, I didn't like the music, and I really didn't like the vocal. Let's just forget about that album and quickly move on.

a very middling album with not much substance, which given it is britpop that makes sense

Whoever the Britpop-loving motherfucker is on the board who decides these albums, I hope they get drawn and quartered when England completes its backsliding into mediæval feudalism once again. It tries its best to be quirky and satirical but it's just... it ain't got no legs. It's pleasant for a bit, runs out of steam early and it just turns into nothingness. Maybe he stole some bread. Pin him for that. 2.5/5.

I struggles to find a diamond in the rough here. Sometimes it is what it is, sometimes it’s just rough.

2.5 really

Ah. Another British alt band. How original. The list is overstuffed with dozens of bands that sound exactly like this one. Pass.

Snoozefest

Not terrible, but nothing special. Favorite song: bailed out

Fine, generic alt-rock - why this over something more unique? The music is fine, but it doesn’t stack up to Oasis, Blur and the like. Actually, I’m struggling to find words for this because it’s so unmemorable. In conclusion, New Wave? More like OLD WAVE! *canned laughter and applause* *sitcom theme plays*

Idk it wasn’t bad but all kinda sounded the same. I just slogged thru it

inoffensive British noises

Something about the mix of the music and the lead vocals did not fit well for me. At first I thought it was just okay, but as it played on it really started to irritate me. I appreciated the last track mostly because it marked the end.

I did not connect with this at all. They get a 2 instead of a 1 because of the cello and glockenspiel.

I was hoping for more from this album, but it rarely strayed from competent. The peaks weren't very high and there is considerable filler.

Ok, I guess, but nothing exceptional.

This album was pleasant, and had a strong sense of melody, but was rather bland. It sounded like a more watered down new wave trending towards a Britpop like sensibility. The Beatles are obviously a huge influence on this band, and they have almost a twee folk like aspect to them, but they don’t have the charm to pull it off.

Tylsää protoindietä. Vampire weekend tekee tän paremmin 2000-luvulla. Odotin myös kannen ja nimen perusteella enemmän goottia. Pettymys vaikuttaa kuuntelukokemukseen, mut varmaan silti haukotuttais. Viimeinen biisi yllätti positiivisesti, siitä toka tähti

Kunnioitettavasta pyrkimyksestä iskevyyteen huolimatta tämä jää paikoin hyvin yksitoikkoiseksi. Tai ehkä on olemassa vain yksi tempo, sointulaji ja tunne.

I got Oasis before this, so that's the pound shop Beatles followed by cut price Donovan

I liked the opening song. After that a lot of it all felt quite soft, generic indie that didn't really grab me. He's got quite a weak singing style that doesn't work for me. Maybe it'd be improved with a more dynamic or interesting singing style? 2.5/5 rounded down.

nou niet speciaal, valet parking wel tof

Disappointingly dull.

yet another thoroughly unremarkable album. Is the author of the book friends with these guys or something? This album wasn't bad. It just wasn't even close to "you must listen to it before you die".

A tasteful collection of so many British sounds is a pleasant companion, but the Auteurs run out of time to make an original mark. My own biases make me guilty putting this on either side of the centerline. It was fun enough to pick out the voices I could.

Nothing bad about it, but not particularly special-sounding to my ears. I bet my mom would like it though. It's like Pet Shop Boys plus Oasis but sadder

This is wholly umremarkable.

Zeikerige stem, liedjes wel okee

Meh... not remarkable brit pop, except for the downerness of it all.

2.9 - A safe, middling rock album that's completely eclipsed by other music coming out in 1993 (e.g. "In Utero", "Siamese Dream", "Rid of Me", "Enter the Wu Tang"...).

2.5 stars. Pretty boring, uninspired alt rock. Singer fairly monotone, drum beats really simplistic. Standout is the more lively "Early Years" and the hidden track at the end was pretty good.

ehhhhhh

kinda a nothing brit rock album

Just another 90s band.

Like most British things, I didn’t like it

Heyrðu, þetta var bara frekar dull. Fyrsta lagið ágætt, en restin algjört meh.

forgettable british alt rock.

2/12, 17%

This sounds nothing like Suede or Richey era Manic Street Preachers. The other reviews and Spotify description got me excited for nothing. It's just some completely unremarkable and boring britpop record with the most unenthusiastic singer I've ever heard. Doesn't hold a candle to Brett Anderson's vocals.

Shouldn't be on this list, felt like a knock off smashing pumpkins but less catchy if that can be a thing.

started as a strong background album, then shifted to lower-quality and improperly tuned whining.

The vocals make it sound like someone was selling the Beatles with 99% off but unlike a really good price for the Beatles you get music that lacks nice hooks and overall inventiveness.

Decent but forgettable.

tiresome I mean, great until the vocals start

La verdad nunca había oído sobre esta banda, que no está para nada mal, aunque es una gran copia de cositas del pasado.

It was passable. Perhaps would usually get a three but recency bias knocks that down to a 2.

Hmm it was okay

Just found them a bit boring at the time. 29 (!) years later, still the same.

Didn't spike my interest; okay background music but nothing too special. Sounds a bit samey. Show Girls, idiot brother and early years are a tad bit better/more special and mayne worth revisiting.

I liked Show Girl and American Guitars but otherwise this didn’t do it for me. The British punk Smiths-esque vocal sound has never been my thing. Probably missed out on some lyrics that would improve the rating as there were a few I really enjoyed.

Dollar store Beatles

So, I listened to the entire album and YouTube took me straight into their next album. I was completely unaware of the transition. It sounded exactly the same. Couldn't really tell you where one song ended and the next began let alone when the album changed. Really seemed as though there was only one thing on the menu.

Tråk!! VGDPL

I've listened to this once before and didn't really get the hype then and don't get the hype now either. It's solid but completely unremarkable and there are so many better releases by similar '90s bands

Dull

Dull but inofffensive

Fairly meh pre-britpop, without any real standout track to make it worthwhile

Again, sometimes almost everything is there to make it work, but in the end, you end up with a quickly forgettable product.

Boring

Tepid.

Best Song: American Guitars. Droning, but the most likeable of this relatively boring bunch. Worst Song: Junk Shop Clothes. Intentionally and unintentionally sleepy. Overall: Nothing of note here. Really just dull, milquetoast offerings. I[d forgotten most of the album by the next day. I'll probably lose recognition memory within a month.

Some good songs at the end of the album, but overall did not do much. Just sort of there. D+

Prototype britpop. Pleaseant enough, but this album must be included on the list due to its influence on what was to follow rather than for being interesting or excellent in its own right. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Show Girl Date listened: 28/04/22

Nada especial

Mid. 5/10.

Hmm. Not all that great but OK in parts I suppose.

Whiny singing style: quite contrived. I feel like the musician is more into the guitar playing than the singing. The lyrics don't connect with me personally, so I find it hard to give a shit. Maybe you can't win with me though, the lyrics are VERY easy to understand (well enunciated and not jumbled in strange rhythms). If they were less hard to understand would I like them more?

Sure, okay, but is it Britpop?

Como este disco hay mil

Okay.