Reviews (page 3 of 9)
some good, some annoying. pretty OK
A pleasant surprise of an album on the list. Super musical, very listenable, lots of points that just land perfectly in the compositions. Well structured and recorded, worthy of adding to a rotation. "Pleasant" would be a perfect one-word descriptor.
Can't go wrong with a light, simple opening track. Just a boy, an acoustic guitar, and some miscellaneous horns. Ah, this is the life. Everybody's Stalking picks up the energy and shows that Badly Drawn Boy is capable of at least two different subgenres of rock. It really is just two chords – at least, the vast majority of the song is – so when that bridge (chorus?) comes in to break it up, we get an explosion of energy before settling back down to that familiar twangy guitar hook. Once Around the Block continues the energetic feel, but instead opts for a sort of Beatlesque (or maybe ELO-ese, Wings-acian, or Simon & Garfunkel core) approach. It's hard to pin down exactly why, but the lighthearted hastiness and 60s-style backing vocals have something to do with it. The song stands out as quirkier, catchier, than most of the others. The song Disillusion, hidden away near the end of the album, is surprisingly strong. It once again goes to show that adding strings (particularly violins) to any rock song will invariably make it sound better. Some of the songs are "paired", in the sense that one leads directly into another and both have similar textures, tempos, instrumentation, and so on. I love when artists do this. It creates a sense of cohesion that is so often missing from album experiences. Camping Next to Water / Stone on the Water showcase an excellent example of this. The songs themselves are nothing special, but the fact that they're placed back-to-back with a sonic transition is what sells them. This Song / Bewilderbeest kind of does the same thing, though the former song is much worse than the latter. It's very obvious which tracks are intended to be interludes (or semi-interludes), judging solely by their length. Bewilder, Body Rap, This Song, Blistered Heart. There's not enough space for them to breathe, and none of them are particularly strong. And towards the album's later half, we start to get songs that are, for lack of a better word, boring. Uninspired, maybe. Cause a Rockslide and Magic in the Air aren't particularly interesting on paper, and they have no catchy hooks or melodies to their name either. Cause a Rockslide especially wounds the ear. What am I supposed to glean from this mess of poorly-recorded falsetto and blurred acoustic guitar noises? The second half is even worse. Reminds me of parts of Revolution 9 or the "experimental" parts of Pink Floyd's Bike, Saucerful of Secrets (the song), and Jugband Blues. 3/5 Key tracks: The Shining, Around the Block, Disillusion
Would listen to this again. Wasn't quite how I remembered Badly Drawn Boy sounding.
gostei da ousadia no instrumental, sempre muito bom ouvir algo diferente, poderia ser mais ousado até, evitando mais nessa mesmice do folk. mas no geral, me chamou bastante atenção nesse quesito; me remetendo um pouco do alex g, me pergunto se houve inspirações. letras meio fraquinhas, mas dá pro gasto. favs: fall in a river, stone on the water, body rap, another pearl
Loved this. A bit meandering at times (do we really need so many long piano outros?) but some of that adds to the charm. Great album.
Zero familiarity with this artist. He's certainly talented for a badly drawn boy, given that he handled a majority of the instruments throughout this album. I was expecting this to be much more...artsy I guess? Not sure why, but I ended up sort of tolerating this after all. Being largely inoffensive is likely the biggest reason for my feelings, however. This all operates on one wavelength and never really veers strongly towards one direction or the other. As a result, this didn't really strike me as memorable at the end of the day. The comparisons to both Nick Drake and Elliott Smith kind of puzzle me honestly, as both artists were much more interesting and versatile in their respective crafts.
Very folky. I personally really like this album. The British Indie scene is a very underground and underrated scene. The album was very entertaining to listen to. Definitely belongs on here.
Good for him!
7.5/10
This album got a lot of low reviews, but it’s really not that bad of an album. I think its biggest flaw is the length. This could have been 10-12 tracks and that would have made it a really solid album. I’ve definitely heard Once Around the Block many of times and it’s driving me crazy wondering how I know that song. Anyways, 3.25/5
album sounds like nick drake if he didn't kill himself.
Had a hard time getting into this too deeply since my listen-through was so broken up across the day. Rating down the middle 3/5 but will need to revisit again
Endlich mal ein mir noch nicht gehörtes Album, welches nicht beim ersten Anhören negativ beurteilt wird.
The longer I listened, the lower my rating went.
Probably worth another listen. Definitely some things I enjoyed.
The shining - 3 Everybody's stalking - 3 Bewilder - n/a Fall in a river - 2 Camping next to water - 3 Stone on the water - 4 Another pearl - 4 Body wrap - n/a Once around the block - 4 This song - 2 Bewilderbeast - 4 Magic in the air - 3 Cause a rockslide - 2 Pissing in the wind - 4 Blistered heart - 3 Disillusion - 2 Say it again - 3 Epitaph - 2
I was so excited when I heard the horns of the first song and then it was just.... british alt music from 1999. I loved the water noises on Fall in a River though. Really immersive (and yes that's a pun). I liked it, I liked the amount of layers. Really takes singer-songwriter into the 21st century. I think I would relisten to it honestly! I had low expectations after the first song, but there are some stand out songs. In between, there is only boring though.
This album was interesting as I treated it more like an instrumental, background album, but enjoyed it and tuned in more than I typically would with music like that.
decent
It's got aspects of music that I like. But those pieces just don't together very well. it's just boring. There's nothing that grabbed me. I'm wavering between a 2 or 3. The first half was ok. If it were on in someone else's place, I wouldn't notice it good or bad. The latter half though plodded along. And what the hell was with that last track. Everything was out of tune; vocals, guitar, that whistle. Oof.
It was ok, with no stand out track
Some of these song titles ("Fall in a River," "Cause a Rockslide," etc) sound like a series of events in a disastrous camping trip. Was this the source of the melancholy that pervades this record? It's ok sweetie, come inside and we'll get you some dry clothes and a cup of tea. Seriously though, I can't say that this is terrible - there are things in many of these songs that I like, interesting bits of guitar and strings here and there. But I couldn't get interested in the lyrics, so I got tired of it all around song #8 and there were still 10 songs to go. I think this is another one of those albums best heard one song at a time in a radio set. A whole album of it is just too monotonous. 3 stars
First album in a long time on this list to make me be pleasantly surprised by it. I always love albums that push stuff instrumentally, the start of the album having a euphonium was like a “woah finally I needed this” moment. Reminded me of the good Nick Drake album, Bryter Layter.
There is only one word I would give this album, and that it "bittersweet". It really gives the impression of being a movie soundtrack (which he did like two of them). There's definitely good parts to this album, but the whole thing does drag on too much.
Brings back memories… I loved this Album, the melancholy and the quirky little songs between Lo-Fi Songwriting and Brit Pop. Was a pleasure to listen to. Fav: Once around the block
“This Song” almost got it a 3
OK. 3.2
The Shining - 3.5/5 Everybody's Stalking - 4/5 Bewilder - 2.5/5 Fall in a River - 3/5 Camping Next to Water - 4/5 Stone on the Water- 4.5/5 Another Pearl - 4/5 Body Rap - 2.5/5 Once Around the Block - 3/5 This Song - 2/5 Bewilderbeast - 2.5/5 Magic in the Air - 3/5 Cause a Rockslide - 3.5/5 Pissing in the Wind - 3/5 Blistered Heart - 2/5 Disillusion - 3.5/5 Say It Again - 4.5/5 Epitaph - 3.5/5
Interesting. Felt like music that belonged in movies but it wasn't anything I'd seek out to listen to freely. I definitely added a handful to my chill playlist though.
Nothing inherently bad here. Maybe on a different day I would have enjoyed this more, but I found this mostly forgettable.
Not very interesting but it was fine
It’s fine
I'd listen to it again!
Somehow missed the whole emo thing, which I think that this is a part of. Kinda middle of the road sounding would be interested in hearing the justification on it's inclusion.
I don't hate this, I don't love it, either. It's just there. It's dull at times, sometimes interesting but those moments are fleeting. Songwriting is alright. Music interesting but not good enough to keep me entertained. 2
Smooth ride throughout with a really rad song near the end, but not enough to go above 3
I've already heard a few albums like "The Hour of Bewilderbeast". Most of the songs are bland at worst. "Fall in the River" has to be the best song on "The Hour of Bewilderbeast", even if it is an interlude. Speaking of interludes, the album has quite a few, like a 2000's rap album. Let's see what the next week brings. 3 stars for "The Hour of Bewilderbeast".
Started off not bad but was just a bit dull. Felt like it went on for far longer than an hour
Wears the influence of Elliott Smith and Nick Drake on its sleeves, with Badly Drawn Boy adding his own rustic grandiosity. A lack of editing holds it back from the greatness of its influences, but the experience is worth having, all the same.
Misleading album title. This was actually an hour and three minutes of Bewilderbeast. There were certainly some good songs here and interesting instrumentals, but it did feel like some filler could have been cut. Occasionally was reminiscent of Elliott Smith. Favorites were The Shining, Stone On The Water, Magic In The Air, and Disillusion.
Some nice moments but badly drawn out and samey
I thought this album was decent. I like the style of contemporary composition, maybe because it's similar to mine, because it's not limited by any particular style. So I appreciated the versatility. In the case of this album in particular, however, it felt a little unfocused and longer than it needed to be, in that versatility manifested in a way that I liked aspects of many songs, but wasn't blown away by any particular song. I think "Once Around the Block was my favorite." strong, five to a light six
Having a bit of trouble thinking of what to say about this, and also how to rate it. Short version: I think I'll go with 4 stars. Quality-wise, I wonder if it might have been better if he'd left off a few tracks? Although deciding which ones to leave off would take a few more listens, lol. Anyway, there's definitely a lot of good stuff here. And yet, I have to say, not that many songs that *really* grabbed me? Maybe would grow on me, if I listened a few more times? Once again, curious to know your thoughts!
hmmmmm. I really like the variety of instrumentation and style. Its a great collection of stuff. Kinda like the Beatles White Album, I think there would be a great album here if not for the extra songs that disappoint me. I tend to like the instrumentals, the parts without vocals, more. There are some really neat bits that give me a sense of wonder and then I'm let down by an average sounding late 90's Alt Rock track. Least favorite track: Disillusion Favorite track: Once Around the Block
De nu-metal plaat weer gehad, en nu de nietszeggende UK indie plaat uit de zeroes, we zitten weer helemaal in de typische flow van deze generator. Maar zonder gekheid, ultrasaai dit met zo nu en dan een moment van creatieve opwelling (Once Around the Block). Kunnen we vanaf nu even een goede reeks inzetten? 5,5/10 Highlights: Everybody's Stalking Once Around the Block
Badly Drawn Boy komt al jaren langs in mijn Spotify algoritme. Dit vind jij mogelijk ook leuk..., fans luisteren ook naar... Maar eigenlijk concludeer ik meestal dat iemand anders het beter doet dan BDB. The Hour of Bewilderbeast is als album als geheel een mooie indie-plaat. Maar op track-niveau piekt het niveau eigenlijk nergens. Belle and Sebastian maakt mooiere intiemere en schuchterige songs (zoals Once Around the Block), Beck de betere rechttoe rechttaan knallers en Eels zou een sterkere versie van bijvoorbeeld Another Pearl kunnen brengen. Badly Drawn Boy is nergens slecht -integendeel- maar steekt tegen zijn mede indie-bands nergens scherp af. In het wielerpeloton zou hij een perfecte knecht zijn. Misschien kan die eens een mooie uitslag neerzetten. Maar de Tour laat je 'm niet rijden. In een voetbalteam is Badly Drawn Boy een prima reserve voor de rechts-mid positie bij een ploeg die vecht voor het linkerrijtje. Maar zeg nou zelf, dat zijn vaak niet de spelers waar je voor naar het stadion komt. Voor Heracles kan het overigens een goede aankoop zijn, het is maar net hoe je het bekijkt... 6,5/10 Highlights Say It Again
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good
Sadly, one of those albums that doesn't leave much of an impression. Note to self: Melodic plodding.
Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood? Nothing here was bad, but I kept checking to see how much more there was so I could listen to something else.
So soft. Easy listening. I love
Pleasant surprise. I’ve found most of the British indie/Britpop pretty underwhelming so far, but I really liked this.
It’s nowhere near About a Boy but it’s still a good time. 3.5
not too shabby
Too melancholy and very strange
not for me
Call me crazy, but that's modern folk. I like it.
Very much Elliot Smith vibes but not as good. Still decent with some good tracks
Interesting album, some nice early 2000s indie moments. A bit long for me, think it would hit a 4 with a few songs trimmed off
I kind of loved this.
first song was good
So fucking boring, AND now I have a headache from the phasing on "The Song". Fuck right off with this bullshit.
muy melanco, banco mucho debe ser como alguno de los singer-songwriter melancolicos e introspectivo de los 70 pero con un poco de rock, me guardé alguna que otra canción
Surprisingly good compared to how I remembered it. Quiet bits are intimate, the lo-fi bits are immersive and there are at least 5 top tier songs which is good going by any stretch. Best: Everybody’s Stalking, Fall in a River, Another Pearl, Once Around the Block, Cause a Rockslide Worst: Pissing in the Wind
This is a good album but I'm not sure by what justification it makes this list. I've known the name since he appeared. I think I assumed it was some emo band or something and avoided. I can now happily tell people I've listened to Badly Drawn Boy's debut album and feel proud that I can step out into the world tomorrow with that power.
There's a really great high 4* 10-song album buried in this 18-song album. Not saying the other 8 songs are bad (well, a couple of them are), but the blandness of those songs made me kind of forget the dynamic moments of the really great songs.
He can write a tune but it's too one paced and one dimensional over a whole album.
There's something really charming about this album. It's not exactly groundbreaking, but there's a nice laid back energy. It's like a warm hug you didn't expect. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Magic in the Air - Pissing in the Wind - Disillusion
Favorite Track: Camping Next to Water
Really enjoyed this, I thought there was a bit of a drag in and around the 3/4 mark of the album, however still good gear.
Had literally never heard of this band or album before but I quite enjoyed it. Pretty diverse, got a little weird at times, but overall would re-listen. Didn't even pay attention to the lyrics.
This is a 3.5, feels too harsh for a 3 but here we are
Not really my thing, but I did enjoy this. Felt like this was pretty accessible alt rock that was fine to listen to. 3.5/5
pretty nice!
Nice, calm music, some of it was experimental. I liked some of it, but some hurt my ears as it was recorded so that the music rapidly changed between one side of my headphones to the other. Perhaps if I were listening in the car it wouldn't have bothered me, or I might not have noticed. 3/5.
Quintessential ‘Mercuryslop’, artsy yet unintimidating pop records the British music press would tout as the ‘next big thing’ for a year or so until you’d never hear about them again, with the exception of Coldplay who managed to escape this fate by binning the ‘artsy’ side. I enjoyed it enough to give it a positive rating but I relate to the people giving this 1 star more than people who give it 5.
A pleasant, meandering listen with a few charming touches, but it never quite sticks. Decent background indie-folk that drifts by without leaving much behind.
Patchwork, home-recorded textures built from softly strummed guitars, mellow piano lines, light beats, and gently frayed vocals move this indie-folk album like an old turntable with a worn needle—charming in its crackle and intimacy at first, but at times as repetitious as a broken record, circling the same emotional groove without moving forward.
When I started my journey I believed that any record would deserve a review that is at least two sentences long. So here is another one.
Great
1. zhinning - 1.5 2. ztalking - 1 3. beuuilder - 0 4. River- 1 5. Water -1 6. Stone -1.5 7. Pearl - 1 8. Body - 0 9. Block - 1 10. Song - 1 11. Beast - 1.5 12. Magic- 1.5 13. Cause - 1 14. Wind - 1.5 15. Heart - 1.5 16. illuzion -0 17. again - 1.5 18. epitath - 1.5
Dejligt album
surprisingly nice!
Dimery really loves his late 90s/early 00s British indie huh This was pretty great. II agree it's an odd inclusion but I enjoyed it.
Every now and then I'll have an album that I found profoundly boring on first listen but just kept playing because there was a small something I latched onto. This is one of those albums. I liked The Shining right away, but was generally uninterested in the rest of what I heard but I looped back around to hear The Shining again. Next thing I know, I'm three listens in. It's not perfect--too long by far--but maybe a new favorite band now.
A strong first half but it really went off the rails for me after Stone on the Water. I get the Nick Drake and Elliott Smith comparisons for the first part (though in no way does it approach the greatness of either artist), but after that it's just too all over the place. I think it would have been a stronger album if a number of tracks had been left off. Giving it a 4, but barely. 3.8 maybe.
Occationally got dangerously close to having an atmosphere. The title should be "Badly drawn out boy"
A fitting addition to the list of 1001 Entirely Forgettable British Indie Albums.
Ok. This feels like even the artist didn't know what they wanted to make. Some interesting parts but mostly wierd stuff that didn't work for me. Best song was The Shining
Album 105. The Hour of Bewilderbeast (https://open.spotify.com/album/7qdi1B4jqHEA5NvV34haRP?si=wf8uFykXQCqR3L9SVoe3kA) — Badly Drawn Boy (2000) It was okay to fill time during the commute, but there's nothing, nothing interesting and nothing I can recall. I don't know why it is on the list, but I'm glad the album was removed in the latest editions of the book. 2/5 No liked songs
Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more joyless /ˈdʒɔɪlɪs/ adjective not giving or feeling any pleasure or satisfaction; grim or dismal. "she had to face the thought of a joyless future" "mate, that 1001 album I listened to this morning was such a joyless affair" Synonyms: unhappy, sad, depressing, miserable
hey look, it's a Mercury Prize winner in 34 years of Mercury Prize history, two albums I like well enough to own have been winners, so I daresay my tastes don't overlap with the selection panel much anyway this is. uh. adequate. I'm not impressed.
I really dig this genre — it’s right in my wheelhouse. That said, this album drags quite a bit in the middle and makes the album really long. If they had trimmed some of that fat, it could have been 5 stars.
i feel like i zoned in and out on this one. so meh!
3.5 more like. great songs on here but man is it long for a debut record
There’s some pretty songs on here A unique sound and the composition and songwriting is cool at times but not every song is very interesting
Not what I expected, was okay
Another band that I have never heard of before, so I have zero expectations going into this • Everybody's Stalking was a fun track • Fall in a River, Camping Next to Water and Stone on the Water create an interesting experience to listen to • Around the Block and This Song are both nice songs, and Bewilderbeast, the instrumental following them, is also very good • After a streak of songs that didn't really have much going for them, Disillusion is another fun one Unfortunately, this album as a whole didn't work for me. There were some standout moments, such as Disillusion and Everybody's Stalking, but between those standout songs the album drags quite a bit. There's probably a really good 40ish minute album hidden in these tracks, but as it is it feels overly long, and even the best songs on it can overstay their welcome. One thing I did really enjoy throughout the album was the clean transitions between tracks. There were multiple times where I didn't realise the next song had begun because the previous one had seamlessly transitioned to the next. Overall, I don't think this album was outright bad, but I don't think it was particularly great either, and I definitely think there are albums more deserving of being a must-hear in your lifetime. Favourite song: Everybody's Stalking
I enjoyed that! My favourites were Stone on the Water, Once Around the Block and Disillusion. It was weird sometimes though like Cause a Rockslide and the production on "This Song"
Badly Drawn Boy play... well... poorly composed music. If “The Hour Of Bewilderbeast” had been released in the early 90s, it could have been described as “just another alternative rock band.” But with its release in 2000, it's more like the last gasp of a style that was never meant to last. On top of that, the album has a poorly produced sound that 10 years earlier could have been seen as a protest against the overproduced 80s. This way it's really just a sign of incompetence that the drums don't sound properly integrated because the bass is poorly mixed. It's all a bit sad, because Badly Drawn Boy aren't actually a bad band. Their music is just boring.
Whatever. Not the genre I thought it'd be.
унылый. долгий. абсолютно ничего нового
True neutral opinion on this, dont know if i'd call it essential listening.
This could be a four star album if a good fifteen minutes or so was cut from it. Excellent songwriting and impressive instrumentals, but a bit too bloated.
New to me, and thought it was pretty cool. Interesting mix of sounds and instruments, a little slow at points.
Pretty but too long
Yeah kinda whatever not bad but not sure why it's on the list
O álbum me surpreendeu bastante, gosto muito desse estilo de música mais calmo e relaxante.
It has a cool sound but its about 30 minutes to long. It makes sense at the height of the CD economy, but not in the age of streaming.
Now what is going on here. Violins ok not what I was expecting tbh. What genre is this?? That is a badly drawn boy. This is beautiful. I really like the music. Ok it's picking up. Yeah okay sing it white boy. Aw man over an hour. Ok. That's chill. What is this guy on about. Some very long instrumentals. I like it but is it necessary. Hmmmm who knows. I'm just tired bruh. This is cool I'm just in a hater mode. Wow instrumental track groundbreaking. Fuck you badly drawn boy. I just honestly don't think you have that much to say. I can't make it through the entirety of each song it's just an emotional indie white boy I can't. Why tf is the song not starting till more that halfway. Who tf has time for ts. I do not. I'll give you another chance Mr. Boy. Mid as hell if I'm being honest. I honestly do not care where you're pissing. IDCCCCC Favourite: Cause a Rockslide Least favourite: Bewilder
Not bad - unique, different, pleasant enough - maybe a bit too orchestrated for me.
I liked this a lot when it came out. But this reposted was a bit meh…
eh, not my thing. beautiful ending track though
Veidrad kõlad, halb mix ja vahepeal ka peapööritust tekitav laul (nagu see üks, kus terve lugu pendeldab vasaku ja parema kõrvaklapi vahel). Iga looga lootsin, et läheb paremaks, aga ei läinud. 2/5
2.5
2.5
This was a bit interesting. I might give it another listen some other time.
Badly made music
Wow, what a great independent vibe!
Weinig bijzonders weer vandaag. Enorm melancholisch. Zit muzikaal wel goed in elkaar maar niet in mijn straatje.
Dit album verdient het om aandachtig geluisterd te worden, maar eist het niet op. Zonder klagen kan hij op de achtergrond verdwijnen als generic singer/songwriter indie folk/pop. De zachte, intieme klanken en songwriting zijn onpretentieus. Maar, wie besluit om met volledige aandacht te luisteren, zal meer diepgang ontdekken dan op de oppervlakte zichtbaar was. Het is een album bomvol met parels. Elk nummer is uniek (mede dankzij de indrukwekkende variatie van instrumenten), gelaagd, en evocatief. The Shining geeft de luisteraar een warm welkom met zachte French horns, die klinken alsof ze je uitnodigen om mee te gaan op een muzikale reis door het album. Veel nummers vloeien in elkaar over, wat de algehele luisterervaring nog plesanter maakt. Als je ooit een uurtje helemaal tot rust wil komen, zet dan dit album aan en doe verder niks. Het album heeft een melancholische tint, maar zonder droevigheid. Het is een soort bevredigende nostalgie. Het soort nostalgie van: "don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Tot slot eindigt het album met een positieve message, die de reis afsluit en waarmee het album afscheid neemt van de luisteraar. "I hope you never die, These no need to say why, Just promise that you'll try." Likes songs: The Shining Everybody's Stalking Stone on the Water Another Pearl Once Around The Block Pissing In The Wind Disillusion Say It Again
Ik vond deze echt heel chill om weg te luisteren. Deed me op veel momenten aan andere grote artiesten denken, waaronder een beatles sound, wat uiteinde door de beschrijving van spotify over de artiest en zn inspiratie bevestigd werd. Favoriete nummer: Disillusion De buildup in energie verbaasde me ten opzichte van de rest van het album. Gek genoeg vond ik het meest geluisterde nummer, the shining, niet zo nice. Ik kende de artiest nog niet echt, maar snap wel waarom zoiets in de lijst staat. 4 sterren -1 voor de neverending britse bias
Het album begint eigenlijk vrij interessant. Het had weer wat fantasievol waarmee je je in een vredige middeleeuwse fantasy achtige setting kan wanen. Everybody's Stalking trok me hier weer volledig uit en Bewilder bracht me weer terug gevolgd door Fall in A river met onderwater achtige geluiden welke me wederom in een fantasie wereld waande. Camping Next to Water trok me er weer volledig uit en Stone on the Water bracht me terug. Ik vind het een wat turbulente reis en denk eigenlijk alleen maar waarom staat dit zo op je album. Je gaat het niet menen maar Another Pearl trekt me er weer uit. Broodje wat doe je? Body Rap laat middels de hip hop latin lift muziek geluiden weten dat je reis klaar is en je staat te wachten op het volgende gedeelte van het album. Broodje gebruikt bij Cause a Rockslide ff zn hele soundboard. Alles hierna alleen nog die galmende piano en onzin. Disillusion ineens funky? Ik vermoed ergens ten hoogte van dit nummer zn antidepressiva inkickte en hij ineens weer kleur zag. Herkenbaar gevoel 4/5. Helaas aan het einde toch weer uitgewerkt. Omwille van m'n eigen mentale gezondheid de tweede helft van het album wat vluchtiger geluisterd wat een droevige bedoeling. 2/5 - kut album - vandaag is m'n mening niet gebaseerd op de muziek maar op het album, ik heb geen zin in je 18 nummers poopoo. De gemeenschappelijke deler waarom dit op één album mag is de melancholische sound, maar verder niks. Je krijgt 2 punten omdat ik in het begin nog wel lekker ging.
Well, never heard of this guy before. Like the flow, and variety, so I think it's worth adding to the digital collection for a future listen.
It takes its time. Made me a bit sad, a bit reflective. Mix of folk and electric that I liked. I think I need more than a listen to wrap my head around it. Cause even tho it feels simple sometimes there's a lot going on (in a good way). But it's actually not simple, it's authentic, and raw. I generally love when albums (or songs) feel raw.
Dull
I enjoyed this
Pretty nice, reminds me of Idaho
Some great tunes but why so long? A 35 minutes album would have been perfect.
It's OK
soft indie rock music, mostly about relationships and daily life. it's the kind of album that really talks about ordinary things, but emphasizes the significance on the ordinary, if that makes any sense at all. sometimes jazzy, sometimes ambient, most of the time engaging and pretty damn relaxing. i thought it was pretty nice.
I was worried because on this albums wikipedia page there are comparisons drawn to the album I got yesterday, Figure 8 by Elliott Smith. I found that album very slow and compared it to Atanarjuat, the longest, least interesting movie that I watched as a 7 year old. Was in for Atanarjuat 2: An arctic fox licks an iceberg? As it turns out, no. This album has far more melodies to keep you interested. I still can't say I liked it but I liked some of the songs at least.
A cheeky mix of mellow folk, indie rock, instrumentals and singer-songwriter like confessionals - but there are always plenty of hooks to hang your beany on. It's tweeness does occasionally risk becoming a tad cloying, but this was an album that promised Badly Drawn Boy was going to become massive, and he did... for a bit. Best Tracks: The Shining; Once Around The Block; Pissing In The Wind
I thought we had a solid 3 star album but boy did this one overstay its welcome
Yay 21st century finally! There’s a couple songs in there that I HATE (Body Rap, Cause a Rockslide), and the rest were ok. Not really a huge fan of when tracks just cut out for ambient noise like it does in Fall in a River. The last 5 songs definitely redeemed it a little bit but I think the damage had been done. Pretty confident I’ll never listen to the album in full again, though I might throw on disillusion or maybe skip the ear grating ones next time
this album cover scared me ngl but it was a neat listen i can't articulate it well but a lot of the songs tickled my brain
Released in 2000, this is a really listenable album that raised so many questions before doing an information dive. Was it one guy or a band? American or European? Alt Rock or Alt Alt Rock? And it doesn't hurt that he's like just barely a month younger than me. Old Guys Rock. Good songs, with good melodies and what I thought was really good mixing. The Shining caught my ear, the title for Everybody's Stalking caught my eye, and Stone on the Water caught my imagination. Other good tracks were Bewildebeast and Pissing in the Wind. Unfamiliar with Badly Drawn Boy before this, but I liked it and actually added them to my artists list. On that alone, I'm going 4 stars.
Why does beginning of the first song remind me of Animal Crossing New Horizons? Anyway, this album sounds like they’re trying to be unique with the their music, but it just ends up sounding weird. The type of music changes with every song and I din’t entirely know what I’m listening to. However, this album doesn’t entirely sound bad, so I’m not giving it a super low rating for that. It’s certainly better than Faust IV.
I remember liking the name Badly Drawn Boy when I first heard it, but I had not listened to the music and I am glad I now have. Really good album here. Excellent songwriting and all performed so very well. I can hear various influences in his work but they don't totally take over and dominate the sound. He makes it his own. I'll have to check out his other albums too. Very cool.
Recommended if you like Los Campesinos!, Dismemberment Plan, Bright Eyes... I gave it a 3 because it's a relatively unremarkable, but inoffensive bit of indie rock. It's a well-crafted set of songs, but it's about 20 minutes too long.
This is a beautiful album. "Once Around The Block" was on most mix CD's I made from 2002-2005. I can't believe I've never listened to the rest of this album.
Once around the block holds the attention for a bit but this is all too knowing. Not that interesting at all and has not aged well.
I liked the singles I was already familiar with (didn’t realise he had so many) but the rest was a bit samey filler sounding. 2.75 rounded up
Kinda long and some of the songs were just boring
Not my sort of music. Bit depressing for me. Pissing in the wind is decent.
I had this on CD and l listened to it alot at the time. Listening again now and I dont think its aged well (or maybe I haven't aged well) as its sounds pretty charmless and annoying.
Hour of Bewliderbeast I listened to this a lot when it came out, but I can’t have heard it in 20-odd years, so I was quite intrigued to revisit it. It's a very pleasant and nostalgic listen, with a gentle strain of self-effacing humorous melancholy running through it. There are some lovely melodies, some great instrumental touches and arrangements, particularly the horn and string lines. It does get off to a great start - I love the cello and horn on The Shining, locating immediately as being very British and quite northern, hitting a great mournful tone, before the lightly grunge toasted feel of Everybody’s Stalking and the great little instrumental, Bewilder. From there is skips lightly across lo-fi folky baroquey pop rock; Camping Next to Water, the bouncy and catchy Once Around the Block, the Tsunami-esque Bewilderbeast, the mildly acerbic Pissing in the Wind, the soft rock and catchy Disillusion and Say it Again all great songs. It is a bit long though, with too many tracks, and although there are great passages and songs throughout, it does feel tonally and thematically very much in one furrow. Knock about 15 minutes off and this would solidly be a 4, but as it is it's right on the edge. It's a very nice, very agreeable listen, and it feels like it's been forgotten about over the last 20 years, so with that in mind and the added dollop of nostalgia I think I’ll go for a low 4. 🧌🧌🧌🧌 Playlist submission: The Shining
This is one of those debut albums which is full of snippets of great melodies to the point where you wonder if he'll be a one-album wonder, having spuffed his entire load early. The combination of lo-fi folk n whimsy is bursting with ideas, and fresh from Odelay (which reminded me of Exile cos I was fresh from that at the time) it reminds me of the collage-composition of that album, and the homemade feel. It is however quite varied in quality, but it feels like an album where you have to go with the sprawl and be generous to the lesser moments.
Not bad. Added to playlist
Rock singer with psychedelic elements. Worth a second listening.
They were good psyche Rock, kind of reminded me of the Beatles at times. It was good. I recommend it.
kinda boring but I like sad acoustic songs so it's ok
1.78
sounds okay, not for me tho
It bored me pretty bad, I didn’t even finish it
Nådde ikke helt opp til 4 stjerner.
A fine album but it didn't grab me in any way.
honestly pretty enjoyable overall, rly liked the 2nd song and once around the block. ending kinda falls off a bit but its a very nice chill indie album
It was a very pleasant and chill listen, I will probably listen to some of these songs again. Indie is a bit of a hit or miss for me, but this was nice
3/5 It was a very chill and nice album to listen to, but nothing really outstanding. The songs melded together quite quickly and it all felt like one big song rather than individual tracks. His voice was very nice and soothing, though.
I don’t think I have ever listened to Badly Drawn Boy, but I should have. This was great!
Revolutionary in '99 derivative in the big '26. Indie alt folk for the pleasure of zoning out and questioning if you heard this song before or not. Beautiful swells and melodies at times. Awfully daft and mundane at other times. No relistenability for me. 2 stars. The 2010's were indie alt folk peak. Proto examples like this are missing something.
Never heard of these guys. Def enjoyed the long album.
Eh. Not great but not horrible. I've already forgotten most of this one.
Interesting album. Music is enjoyable and well done.
Interesting album. I loved the variety of the tracks. Some songs were better than others. Definitely worth another listening to hear things that I missed.
Ohhh, this one had me on a chokehold for the better part of the early 00's.
eh
Idk exactly how to describe this but it’s not bad. Very cohesive sound without getting repetitive, solid production. No huge standouts for me but glad I listened.
Good mix of indie/folkie rock songs. Not sure why but it seemed to be sequenced extremely well. The album flowed smoothly all the way through.
Sounds like this influenced Rhett muller and Sufjan Stevens. There were a few too many instrumental interludes imo but the songs themselves were nice and sincerely performed.
This was pleasant and enjoyable enough
chill
Nothing special about this album.
Very impressive - I thought it was a full band and it's only one guy! Great early 2000s grunge/indie rock. Wikipedia says this album is his defining work - I highly enjoyed it.
I bought this when it came out, but I didnt listen that much to it. I can see why now. Its not bad at all, but except for 2 or 3 songs it doesnt really catch my interest.
Another album I didn't have any real complaints about, but I probably won't remember in a week.
1001 shrugs to give before…idk, doesn’t matter. Didn’t hate it, won’t remember it tomorrow. Don’t even remember now!
More like badly written music huehuehuehueh
Jeg var klar til at finde min "1 edition-core" Rare Insult frem, men jeg synes faktisk det var et helt udmærket album, selvom det er UK indie fra 00'erne! Man kan godt høre, at det her har haft indflydelse på alternative frem i 10'erne. Stadig for lang
For lang, men ellers lækkert! Jeg er en sucker for tidlig-00er indie hvis nogen skulle være i tvivl
Did not like this indie at all. Way too long.
Never heard of this but it was pretty entertaining. A bit mellow for my tastes but not bad.
The Shining - 1/5 (zzzzzzzz) Everybodys Stalking - 4/5 Bewilder - no rating Fall in a River - 4/5 Camping Next to Water - 3/5 Stone on the Water - 3/5 Another Pearl - 4/5 Body Rap - no rating Once Around the Block - 4/5 This Song - 2/5 Bewilderbeast - 1/5 Magic in the Air - 2/5 Cause a Rockslide - 3/5 Pissing in the Wind - 2/5 Blistered Heart - no rating Disillusion - 2/5 Say It Again - 3/5 Epitaph - 2/5 Average score: 2.7/5 ⭐️⭐️ somebody wanted to be Elliott Smith lol this was a pretty boring listen i'm afraid, i fell asleep so many times trying to sit through it. makes total sense why this was left off of future editions
To slow
The first half of this album is spent being an Elliott Smith tribute act, and it ain't all that bad. The second half (for the most part) delves into a lot of songs that were ill-conceived and definitely needed a second opinion. It is over all an awkward mess, but I didn't hate it. I'd rather just listen to an Elliott Smith record tho
Omllll so when he says it’s a combination of nick drake, John Lennon, and more with a more like yes I’m driving in Virginia and it’s foggy or more like Scotland and I am romanticizing everything about it. HELLA LONG but I feel like we need that these days..
sorry didnt like this at all
Indie but too slow💔
3 1/2 Stars: I was introduced to Badly Drawn Boy through the excellent soundtrack and score he did for the Hugh Grant movie 'About a Boy'. '...Bewilderbeast' doesn't quite live up to the tenderness of those tracks but it gets close. He doesn't have the greatest voice, but it's got an earnestness that's charming and there's some really genuine craftsmanship to these songs. My only complaint is at 18 tracks, the entire album never gets out of third gear. The whole thing exists in this 4/4 mid-tempo time signature that it could use a little more oomph breathed into it. Otherwise, a great listen.
some good sounds here, one great guitar bit, but largely forgetable
I always liked this record. It’s clearly an accomplished album by a talented chap, but in no way, shape or form is it essential listening. I just can’t work out what it’s doing on this list. I remember buying it on the strength of the single, Another Pearl, which still sounds good today. It’s an album of nice melodies, nice songwriting, a rich sound and production… it’s just… nice. But that’s about it. Pleasant as it is, none of it has had any particular lasting influence so far as I can tell.
It feels to me like Badly Drawn Boy is a serious case of who you know. It isn't that it is bad, just so... ordinary. Saw him live once too and remember getting bored very quickly. I hoped to revisit the album and be proved wrong. How on earth it is on a list like this I have no idea. A guitar a few melodies and some nice production doesn't make it anything remotely special.
Nice, varied, I'll listen again -
I'm pretty sure there's a lot of French horn in the first song which is pretty cool. This album was so random it was fun. It's funny how much he likes to rhyme.
Alt rock
uninspiring
nice almost folky but not quite. i’d add these songs to my playlists
8.5/10
Interesting mix of genres on here, not a bad early 2000s entry
Not really all that fussed by this one, but it sounds ok
I liked this a whole lot, especially the instrumentation. The songs are themed around the natural world and love. A very pleasant surprise. Added “Disillusion” to playlist after considering title track, “The Shining”, “Pissing in the Wind” and “Say It Again”.
I like the usage of instruments that are not often used in bands like the strings and the brass instruments. It's nothing too special tho
That first hour was as beautiful as the first unlikely and then messianic encounter of an umbrella and a sewing machine on a surgeon's table. Nick Drake passed away (1974) 6 years before Stanley Kubrick's film The Shinning was released (1980) based on Stephen King's novel of the same name which was released (1977) just three years after Nick Drake's death. It's about the descent into insanity of a recovering alcoholic and aspiring novelist who takes a job as winter caretaker for a mountain resort hotel with his wife and clairvoyant son. What kind of fool tries to murder ghosts? Did daddy dislocate your shoulder, boy? Daddy is a bad man, oh boy. No other conclusion can be drawn. Why is everyone so loud? New Year's Eve again? So, we should all scream like assholes to welcome in a new year? Tears and laughter, a lowly pence ... You broke my train of thought nothing to say hence! One of my hobbies will be silence when I retire.
Lite för okarismatisk röst för att bära upp detta lite för långa och lite för tråkiga album. När det väl lattjar lite så är det rätt behagligt men som helhet rätt trist. Stark tvåa
3.5* Definitely a mix of influences, of which quite obviously and most notably Nick Drake (and a bit of Arthur Russel?). Lots of esoteric, interesting tracks, which makes for a varied and enjoyable listen. Can't say I am a huge fan of his voice, but it sort of works once you get used to it. I particularly love the nostalgic, melancholic, longing yet somehow uplifting and comforting vibes. Perfect for a foggy yet slightly sunny late Autumn day. Shout out to Everybody's Stalking, made it to the yearly playlist. Quite an impressive debut album of an artist I had somehow never heard of but will certainly listen to again. Pleasant surprise!
Backgrounding music or Muzak. Not really interesting but also not stressful.
This was pretty great! I was already familiar with his next record, the About A Boy soundtrack, but this has some really fantastic songs that definitely got a lot of plays on my iTunes library haha. Everybody's Stalking and Once Around The Block are really killer tunes and the whole thing is pretty listenable with a some really fun moments. I was a little worn out by the end but overall a great listen.
nothing stand out
Enjoyed a few songs, but a lot of it blended together. Standout songs: Everybody's stalking Another Pearl Disillusion
one of those experience type albums and I was not really into the experience
Some motherfuckers on here aren’t real yearners and it shows
12/3/25. Want to revisit this more but a bit of a hidden gem for me! Encapsulates the alternative sound of the time very well, and great diversity in songwriting and arrangements.
This is very of its time, and it’s perfectly pleasant, but I think the fact that nobody has even thought about Badly Drawn Boy in 10 to 15 years says all you need to know. Also, god damn, the stereo panning on This Song makes me want to throw up.
Boring. Not great.
6.8
Title was accurate, music was good.
Nothing special to me.
i liked some songs on here, but others were so blah and meandering. kind of a bewildering (heh) experience. at the end of the day it's: fine. it's simply fine. alright.
some of these songs felt like pleasant, BIRP-approved indie tracks, most of them were unnecessary filler, and This Song was actively annoying to listen to because of the godawful left-right panning effect throughout the ENTIRE SONG over an hour of this mediocrity is not what i want in any album, let alone one of the top 1001. favorites: the shining, once around the block, magic in the air, disillusion
Dull
This was very middle of the road for me and it fine
Meh
MÅSTE vi verkligen höra det här albumet innan vi dör? Peak svår kille. Helt okej som bakgrundsmusik, kommer inte återvända, tror jag.
Very bored after the first few tracks, but then the record surprisingly takes off. Overall, I liked it. Probably I'll have to give it another listen.
There's a solid EP buried in this album. Way too long with too many songs that are either uninteresting or just downright bad. A few solid bright spots that are very relaxing and/or pleasant, but absolutely needed more song selection editing. Especially for a debut album. Top tracks: The Shining, Once Around the Block, Epitaph
Never heard any music from this guy, yes, it seems it's a guy who wrote, produced and played most of the instruments on The Hour of the Bewilderbeast, his debut album. It’s pretty amazing. It’s kind of really over-the-top indie rock. I think it would be more at home in the 70s, as it has a mix of folk and rock and a bit of Kinks-like pop. The album won the Mercury Prize in 2000, which is the best album prize in the United Kingdom. It’s perfect Fall weather listening. It’s not the happiest music, but it won’t have you drowning in your tears. And you know me, I like instrumentation, and this album has orchestras, different kinds of keys and percussion. It’s just a well-constructed album of poppy indie rock. It reminded me of some of the songs on Sufjan Stevens' Illinois album that I loved earlier this year. Why am I not over the moon about The Hour of the Bewilderbeast? I don’t know. It could be I’m just not feeling it. Lately I’ve found myself listening more to podcasts than music. The whole reason I started this journey was to listen to more music, especially stuff I’ve never experienced before. I love music, so it’s a mystery even to me why I don’t listen to more of it. But I digress. This album was released to critical acclaim, and there weren’t really any knocks against it. I vaguely remember hearing something about it, but in 2000, I was too busy stealing….I mean, downloading music legally, to mess with it. I don’t know that Badly Drawn Boy will make my usual playlist, but I’m glad to have experienced one man’s outpouring of emotion and creativity.
Warm, quirky, whimsical indie folk. This album surprised me in that i thought I would hate but it was not bad at all. Definitely too long and a few tracks were substantially weaker than others. I loved the orchestral moments. The jazzy touches. Some tunes had lovely reverb laden guitar. Others more acoustic focused. Lots of different ideas melded together to make something unique and interesting. Favourite track - Another Pearl. 7.5/10
I have to admit I had low expectations, judging this by its cover. I also had never heard of this artist before. But I was in for a pleasant surprise. This album is rough around the edges in an endearing way, and sounds a bit like the music I make in my living room, trying out every sound effect in GarageBand (granted it was made well before bedroom pop was a common genre). Even with that homemade feel, it is a pretty ambitious effort combining a lot of styles and musical influences. My favorites were the sparse folkiness of “The Shining” and the hand-clapping anthem “Bewilderbeast.”
This album was something I’d probably rate higher 15 years ago during a different time of life. I really enjoyed it for what it was. Some points seemed to far-reaching and left this album without any real cohesive feeling. I liked the creativity and the intimate relationship the artist creates with the listner. Several standout tracks, but the lack of fluidity takes away from the experience. 3.6 stars rounded up to 4
I don't care if it's too long, inessential for the list... on such a gray, rainy day this softness works for me. I'd say it sounds pretty modern for 2000 too.
Good folk rock album with a surprising amount of variety. Maybe a bit too long
3.5
Några bra låtar, några tråkiga låtar och alldeles för lång. Svag 3a
I had this album in my sprawling iTunes list back in the aughts. So, even though I’ve never listened to this straight through, I do remember some tracks from when they’d come on in the shuffle-play. It really took me back! Strange that I remember these quiet little lo-fi songs so well! It looks like this got the boot from the 1001 list when a new edition came out. I’m sad to hear that. I actually liked this quite a bit.
Fine
Never judge an album by its cover, or its title for that matter. This was very good and I enjoyed it, contrary to my expectation when I got it. 4/5
Charming. Looks a bit long but just plenty of really good, heartfelt songwriting
Oh I used to listen to the About A Boy soundtrack all the time !!! And haven't heard any other Badly Drawn Boy. I'm looking forward to this Listened to this while getting ready for a party and it wasn't quite the going out vibe, but that's not Badly Drawn Boy's fault I like this a lot. Not to jinx it but there's been a run of good albums recently Songs added to playlist: - The Shining - Everybody's Stalking - Camping Next to Water - Disillusion
Very relaxing to leave on in the background, especially as it's a very long album.
*2000. English soft alt rock. *Pleasant background music that’s up my alley in terms of alt rock, but just nothing memorable here. RATING - 6.5/10
Good variety of songs with different flavors. Favorite track: once around the block other picks: another pearl, disillusion, magic in the air, shining
Double meh. There are some good ideas here and even some interesting songs. But it’s aimless and needs editing. A 2.
Its ok
A good album to just play in the background while chilling.
Fun mellow album
- I am surprised how many songs I knew on this thinking I didn’t know anything about this band. - I really like it - the melodies are nice, and there is some interesting instrumental stuff (tuba, strings, more experimental sounds, water) going on with simple guitar/drums (but the occasional guitar solo, too). - Songs are short and sweet. - It feels like hanging out on the grass on a warm spring day wistfully staring at the sky. There’s definitely a melancholy to it (kind of gets into Elliott Smith territory, but with happier instrumental). - Singer’s voice is kind of pitchy - he can’t really hold notes without going out of tune, but his tone is pretty inoffensive, so it’s not so jarring that it ruins the experience for me (but, ngl, it’s pretty bad on Pissing in the Wind, which is a good tune and very Wilco-vibes). - Could do without Body Rap and all the doo be doo stuff on Once Around the Block.
2/5
Big time late 90s indie folk vibes. Not horrible, not great. But very much of its time.
Better than I remember. Should have got into this more at the time
Interesting album; kinda chill and relaxing. Lots of brass and strings. Once Around the Block was familiar and I had that in my library, but I don't know why.
This would only just make a list of 1001 albums from Manchester. It has no place here
A very fantastic album, with great musicians. No woner it won best new album in the Mercury Prize. Too bad here in the US is was not as wildly listened to or played on the radio.
Ehh, decent. Bit up its own arse, though.
It is a cold october day. Work is going slowly and painkillers are supposed to keep me going until my aches disappear. And then this album comes along like a warm blanket that is frayed on the edges. It is experimental and whimsical but is confident enough to pull off long instrumental bits. The occasional driven guitar riff accentuates the high cathartic moments in an otherwise folksy atmosphere. Has elements of lo-fi here and there. Perhaps the best vertical slice is "cause a rockslide". Great timing by the generator. Precisely what I needed.
2.5 - decent at best
Vet inte riktigt vad detta är, indie? Vad jag vet är att det går rakt in i den diffusa kategorin 'Ebis-musik'. Mycket lättsamt och stabilt album som trots sin längd på hela 18 spår inte gör att undertecknad tappar intresset. Som alltid vid en första lyssning är det svårt att veta vilka låtar som kommer dyka upp som en kallskänka i det undermedvetna och pocka på ens uppmärksamhet. Det jag vet är att The Hour of Bewilderbeast innehåller många potentiella kandidater. Om man ska ta på sig de kritiska glasögonen, eller brybågarna som det kallas i folkmun, tenderar låtarna att flyta ihop lite. Detta behöver inte vara ett problem. Detta kan vara ett perfekt album att dra på vid en middagsbjudning t.ex. Med det sagt vill jag påstå att albumet inte har några dåliga låtar. Bästa låt: Disillution Motivering: Mycket svängig framåtlunk driven av ett, vågar jag säga sexigt?, gurspel toppat med ett fantastiskt jamigt outro. 4/5 dankare Ebstar out.
Fint att dra en fet lusekofta med 90-tals känsla över flinten. Som att titta på Oz med grynig bild på fel bildformat. En ögonblicksbild från när historien precis tagit slut. Men fan vad bjäring ändå. Men jag tror ändå 3 är rättvist för jag hade det kanske trevligt under den dryga timmen albumet snurrar.
Interesting to very good. Varied. Dug it.
Didn't get what the fuzz was about when he was big in indie circles around the turn of the century/millennium. Still don't. It's very nondescript, not really offending, but not really offering that much besides maybe being a good soundtrack to an afternoon in the English meadows, sipping red wine, falling asleep, waking up and wondering if that record is still playing, or playing on repeat, and if it's actually still the same song.
Listened in the car so my notes on specific songs are sparse. First half felt very much in the vein of Neutral Milk Hotel, that late 90's early 00's rough around the edges indie/rock/acoustic guitar thing. Some Elliot Smith moments. Some Wilco too! Second half felt different to me, more rambling, less focused (or maybe that was just me).. idk Unfortunately I wasn't grabbed by much of this - I found my thoughts drifting elsewhere for pretty much the entirety of the album so maybe this isn't a fair shot but giving it a 2 for that reason. Lots of dope french horn though! I think that's one of my fave instruments
Lovely string and muted horn intro to the record. Track 2 really not my jam. Really like the slow entrance intro situation on track 4, 'Fall in a River'. Hit track 6 and it started to feel Elliot Smith-y but with songwriting nowhere near as captivating. This record does feel super 1999 which I usually quite like. The weird time-stretched drums on 'Another Pearl'. The weird sample delays and reverb swells on 'Blistered Heart'. It doesn't have enough of that 1999 quality to keep me around unfortunately. 'Magic in the Air' is beautiful. I was praying for full band not to enter the picture. They didn't thank god. The moments were few and far between for me. Favs: Bewilder, Fall in a River, Magic in the Air
Never even heard of this one, artist or album Nice intro cello/horn arrangement if not a little bland/Pachelbel A little worried because I absolutely hate the artwork Baroque pop folk Charming production Songwriting isn’t standing out to me initially For me this feels like a less exciting + emotionally resonant Sufjan Very ‘INDIE’ Honestly barely got through this one. It has all the dressing of something I would have really liked ten years ago, I think had our paths crossed earlier I might have a better relationship to it. Listening now it feels unremarkable. There were some cool production moments. The songwriting didn’t stick with me at all.
Dragged a bit towards the end, but generally a nice vibe
Think I listened to this. Simpsons: No
I listened to this and can't remember it at all, so it can't have been good, but obviously it wasn't awful.
Really rated this. Maybe I’m being generous but I reckon after a few more listened this’ll be a solid 5.
British rock but most instruments played by one guy. Somewhat experimental, but not far on that spectrum. I enjoyed it and will listen to it again. 4/5
This album low key slaps
Abstract church.
Pleasantly surprised with this album.
nice but nothing special
I enjoyed it but I can't tell why
This is an album that I bought at some point around when it came out that faded and I had forgotten about and not thought about in at least a decade if not more. For whatever reason it just didn't stick with me. I think I appreciated it a bit more listening to it again now, but my impression didn't really change - it's just "fine" - a couple of songs or parts of songs that are fun in the moment but are then somewhat forgettable, too many long largely unchanging instrumental parts (that were nice enough to listen to but not enough to sustain longer term interest), and most of the songs sound a bit too much the same. Enjoyable to listen to but not something that will keep me coming back...
Very mellow, not very complex musically.
A little weird.
Prettty good
Very eclectic kind of English indie. Felt it dragged a bit in length and the number of songs, some good transitions out of short tracks.
Pretty solid stuff here.
Well, this brings back memories of riding the bus to the record shop and spending my wages from my first job on random CDs I'd never heard just in case they were amazing. I also had a discman with me so I could try the new stuff out on the bus home. I actually remember picking this up and listening to it a lot in a short space of time. I remember flicking through the booklet while enjoying its simple, sweet melodies and straightforward but thoughtful arrangements. And then I remember not listening to it again for about 25 years, so I'm not sure it really had the staying power required to really consider it a classic or must-listen. It has some great moments; Once Around The Block was an excellent lead single, and opener The Shining evoked a warm smile and spent the rest of the day stuck in my head. Listening to the instrumental sort-of-title track, Bewilderbeast, though, reminded me of why I generally found it a little twee and irksome in places (and probably why it then gathered 25 years of dust). A sweet glockenspiel line comes in towards the end of the track, and it's out of tune with the rest of the instruments. I'm not sure of the solution to an out-of-tune glockenspiel. You can't tweak its knobs or stretch it out a touch. I think you have to physically shave the metal bars, or you just have to go with it, and tune the rest of the instruments 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵. So I understand why, if it was a musical afterthought, that it was left in and its tuning ignored. But I also wish someone had pointed it out and got him a different one. I often feel this way about lo-fi records though, and while I appreciate it's a part of their charm and it definitely works in moderation, there's a reason most artists work to a more polished finish. In fact, listening to the swaggering Disillusion towards the end of the record demonstrates that when he does give his work that extra bit of polish, it's quite fantastic. I feel bad wanting to take off more than a single star, since being truly objective, it's a really nice, complete and clever album and the real reason I haven't listened to it for so long is my own shifting music taste. And that's hardly his fault, now is it?
Everything is good, nothing is great, it’s too long and the About A Boy soundtrack is better
Unfortunately, this album isn't for me.
I actually had no expectations but it was a ver beautiful album
I vaguely remember music like this now. I’m not sure it wasn’t the sort of thing that stopped me listening to most new music at the time. Probably stuff like this anyway, although I have no recollection of having heard this album before. Overlong and a bit tedious are my takeaways now. At times it reminded me of a much less catchy Mull Historical Society album. But whereas those have wit and style, this just bored me a bit.
An album that doesn't seem to want to sit still, always moving onto new sounds and ideas. An indie folk base is layered with horns, strings, banjos, and more, creating something that feels extravagant but yet still ramshackle. As interesting as the sounds are, that unpredictable nature takes a toll on the songwriting, which lacks engaging moments. A song like "Once Around the Block" attempts to have two melodies at once and kind of ends up having none. "Cause a Rockslide" seems to have what other songs are missing with its galloping rhythm, but the way the song falls apart (maybe as it turns into a rock slide?) makes you wish it had gone on a bit longer. If the vocals were better or the lyrics more interesting they could maybe make up for these things, but as it is this gets a 4 for ideas but a 3 for execution.
I’ve seen Badly Drawn Boy live a couple of times, and he doesn’t try to hide the fact that his career hasn’t panned out the way he’d hoped. In retrospect, maybe this album had all his big ideas and that’s why it proved hard to top (and why it’s a shade too long) but it is a great debut.
I didnt know what to expect. Very pleasantly surprised, enjoyed it a lot. First track was crap, rest was fine.
Was alright. I fell asleep the first time around - that to me means it's not something terrible and annoying.
spotify:album:7qdi1B4jqHEA5NvV34haRP
Harder and heavier than on first hearing
Pretty long and diverse, don’t know how I feel about it, even though I listened to it twice.
Not bad, just kinda boring
I know very little about Badly Drawn Boy, but somewhere around when this album came out, it was imprinted on me that he was "the British Elliott Smith," and that has stuck in my mind in the decades since. Listening to this album, I can see it (especially "Say It Again"). This sticks around a little too long, but it's solid.
I had a copy of this CD when it came out as a result of working in a record store and reading the music press. Couldn't get through it then. Obviously talented but a little too mumbly and morose for me in 2025. The underlying instrumentation is the best part.
3.8 - It was nice, some okay songs.
At first this was very meh, but in the second half there were some tracks that were a bit more interesting. 2.9/5
65.7/100 It's an interesting start. The highlights are definitely the folk-oriented parts, especially the ones with the more desperate sounding vocals/lyrics, such as "Epitaph", or the ones with good instrumentation, like "The Shining". The almost alt-rock sounding tracks are so terrible, both in a vaccum and in cohesive theming. Why follow up a mellow, guitar-dominated track like "Stone in the Water" with rubbish like "Another Pearl"? And also, this changeup completely ruined "Cause a Rockslide" for me. Honestly upset me. Not to mention, some of the tracks overstay their welcome, namely "Another Pearl", "Cause a Rockslide", and "Say It Again". I understand why you make long tracks, but the whole point of long tracks is that they're supposed to stay interesting throughout. Overall, some solid highlights, but theres just too many issues. The Shining: 78/100 - the intro is great, unfortunately the rest doesn't live up to it but is still good, the chord progression is lovely though Everybody's Stalking: 73/100 - amazing chorus, but like "the shining" the rest doesn't live up to it Bewilder: 50/100 - just a filler track, could be worse Fall in a River: 42/100 - felt like it was trying to sound like it has meaning without actually having one; not a fan Camping Next to Water: 77/100 - Love the melody honestly, I think the obnoxiously loud guitar around 2:00 actually fits if it was a little quieter, also like the lyrics, not really sure what he means by them (lol) but its pretty so idc Stone on the Water: 64/100 - Gets better in the second half, but most of the first half feels like im listening to the obnoxious guy from work who always brings his guitar to social events unprompted and unwanted Another Pearl: 49/100 - I really don't like this changeup from the more folk-oriented sound, i didn't come to this album to listen to indie rock, but rather deep, critically acclaimed music, and this just isn't it Body Rap: 45/100 - Another filler track, but this doesn't fit the folk sound of the first 6 tracks so I'm rating it lower than Bewilder Once Around the Block: 57/100 - Once again, don't like the change from the folk sound, i was looking for some chill stuff with a pretty voice, but overall this is significantly better than "Another Pearl" This Song: 63/100 - I like the distorted vocals, considering the lyrics it makes me feel like the meaning is distorted because we don't understand it, which i like honestly, too short though Bewilderbeast: 62/100 - Just an alright sound, not much to say Magic in the Air: 87/100 - Return to form of the first 6 tracks, with this being the best one yet. Love the piano, it works so well with his soft vocals. The progression is great too. Cause a Rockslide: 67/100 - The first half of track feels like trying to hold in desperation and anguish and I love that. The vocals mostly being in falsetto and with several repetitions adds to that in a great way. I just wish you could actually tell what he was saying. The second half though, just why? Three minutes of buildup, for absolutely fucking nothing. It's a shitty transition into the next track. The soft vocals at the end which I've been constantly praising make it even worse, because of how little it fits the beginning. This track would've been great if it just cut off after the loud crashing. The first half is 86/100, the second is 38/100. Pissing in the Wind: 69/100 - Definitely better than the last one overall, and this is a small gripe, but in the lines "Now the drought is crippled by the rain//That hammers on my pain//We lose ourselves again" he should've pronounced "again" so that it rhymed with rain and pain. idk why but this bothered me a lot. the progression works well too. Blistered Heart: 70/100 - It's a nice instrumental with a nice title. Disillusion: 71/100 - It's alright. not much to say Say It Again: 59/100 - By this point, the album has gone on too long, and this track in isolation does too. It just doesn't need to be 5 minutes. Epitaph: 82/100 - There's a lot of good here. The layered vocals, the simple instrumentation combined with the desperate lyrics, etc. doesn't overstay its welcome, good way to wrap things up. overall track ratings - 64.7/100 (bonus points for semi-cohesive theming).
Contains one of my favourite songs of all time
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 is a beautifully odd debut — messy, warm, and full of heart. Badly Drawn Boy blends indie-folk, lo-fi production, and playful experimentation into something that feels deeply personal yet instantly inviting. It’s an album that shouldn’t work on paper, but somehow it all clicks — a little masterpiece of organized chaos.
Nej, det här var inte min grej. Det är inte direkt dåligt, men så mellanmjölkigt och intetsägande, för att inte tala om på tok för långt. Det var först vid Disillusion, 16 låtar in, som något hände med mig (hyfsat bra låt). Då var det dock redan för sent. Hade nog kunnat bli en trea om den varit kortare, men nu blir det en stark tvåa.