The Hour Of Bewilderbeast

A very soothing listen however a few forgetful tracks Fav tracks: The Shining, Bewilder, Fall in a River

I really liked this album back when it came out. Haven't listened to it much since then, so it's nice to revisit. Mellow, great melodies, emotional feel, heartbreaking lyrics. Never realized how similar to Elliott Smith some of this sounds, which is not a bad thing. Pissing in the Wind in particular is a great song, with the heartbreaking, desperate vocals and lyrics "Just give me something. I'll take nothing." 4 stars.

I should have maybe paid more attention to this band the first time round

Enjoyable and sweet.

I liked this - will listen to again.

Liked the first half a lot, 2nd half was a little more tedious, would probably give a 3.5 If i could but a 4 is fine for now, too

First time listening to this since I was in college. I loved it then and really enjoyed it now. Not just a good nostalgia hit

pleasantly surprised!

I really loved some of the songs on this album. Some of my favorites were The Shining, Another Pearl, This Song and, I think, Bewilderbeest.

Nice 90s indie stuff - pretty imaginative tunes and really cool sounds thrown across the mixes!

My first listen to Badly Drawn Boy and I must admit I was impressed! The Hour of Bewilderbeast is an interesting listen, with a varied range of influences and styles with a lush, full sound that will lead me to seek out more from BDB in the near future.

Great stuff

like it, bolton legend

Slightly embarrassing almost 130 albums in, but I think this is the first one ive ever listened to before. Kinda digging it. Easy 4 during work. Almost a 5 but my college years were too painful. also there are some boring songs.

Much better than I expected. Very clever. Used the album concept very well. Little snippets between songs was very adhesive to the experience.

This was a really nice, creative alternative rock/folk blend. It's very relaxing and enjoyable.

Really quite good. I'm already pretty into this sort of music anyway, as folk/rock/indie tend to be some of my favorite genres. I know this might seem boring to a lot of people, but eh, it worked for me, so that must count for something!

I really enjoyed this, inventive production and really solid songwriting

gimme that sad boi quirky shit any day

3.5 | Debo decir que después de una primera mala impresión en que lo consideré como un disco soso y demasiado uniforme mi opinión fue cambiando bastante; ejemplo perfecto de cómo a veces hay que poner más atención o dar otras oportunidades antes de dar un juicio. En algún momento leí en estos días que le llamaron el nuevo "Beck" y puedo ahora entender el por qué de la comparación (aunque aun considero la comparación como una exageración). El disco es, sorpresivamente un trabajo que se termina sintiendo como un salto de parches, a veces dulces, a veces con un poco de más carácter, a veces casi sin sentido, pero atados de manera que no se pierde cohesión en su totalidad. Se termina sintiendo como si su símil fuera una pintura en collage bien ejecutada. Entonces, ¿cómo es que una combinación casi sin sentido de indie rock, bossa nova, folk y pop logró brillar? Quizás porque su eclecticismo nunca sonó particularmente de su época. Después de todo, esta fue la era en que imperaba la hueva de los grupos de pop deprimido como Travis y Coldplay, un disco "emocional" y de "hombre vulnerable" como este hubiera sido un éxito en teoría. Y creo que es ese flujo y ese eclecticismo lo que es el arma secreta de Bewilderbeast. Las canciones se entretejen entre sí como convergentes, lo que hace que suenen como fragmentos de sueños en lugar de ideas de canciones a medias. Música que quizá nunca fue tan popular como Parachutes, pero que termina siendo muchísimo más profunda tanto técnica como líricamente. Es la versión correcta de ese género.

Este está muy interesante... la música tiene arreglos muy inusuales, y las canciones son bastante diferentes entre sí, pero (casi todas) conservando un mismo estilo. Mi calificación es 3.5 ya que en lo personal, hay algunas canciones que quitaría, que podrían hacer el disco mejor, pero de todas formas no pasaría de 4, así que lo dejaré en 4.

Reminds me of rainy car journeys when I was a child. Actually, I remember stealing this CD from my dad when I was like 12 and listening to it on a constant loop for a little while...

Pretty cool album, seems like it’d be fun to listen to while doing stuff (ha i don’t do stuff) Favorite track:Fall in a river

This album would have gotten a lot of hours of my time in a previous life. I got some Beck influencing in there.

yes, we like

Erg gaaf album. Verrassing! Gave combinatie van dromerige indie(pop?) en lo-fi. Lekker ongepolijst. Luistert heerlijk weg in het halfdonker.

I really enjoyed this. Their music reminds me of Chandler.

Nice chill album, to listen on rainy days

Like Nick Drake, if Rivers Cuomo sang vocals. Hippie bullshit, but I kinda like it. It’s lush and full and melodic and dreamy. Worth another listen or three, even if the songs are pretty repetitive.

Great melodies. But probably wouldn’t listen again

Lovely, textured atmospheric album. It's fun how the tracks journey through multiple genres, all while maintaining the Badly Drawn Boy sound.

Like and early Fun. album. Lots of cool horns and strings with light pop

Easy listen, played on a rainy Sunday and it was very peaceful. Could easily throw in the background anytime.

I've seen Badly Drawn Boy in concert and I know several of the tracks off of this album. I don't think I've listened to the album as a whole before. With 18 tracks, perhaps it's a little tough to get the album above a 4. I would listen to this album again. "Once Around the Block" is probably my favorite track.

Soft britpop. Might take a few more listens but my first impression is that I like it. Seems to have a lot of texture.

pretty good chill rock sound, enjoyed it overall.

Interesting, strange, at times intriguing, at times serene. A nice background album that sometimes captivates the mind and sometimes lets it wander.

Great.

A little overly long but very enjoyable. The songs are well written and I enjoy the chamber pop sound, even if it's been overdone in recent years

I liked it a lot. Mellow vibe. Good stuff.

This was the perfect music for spending the day in the kitchen!

I know the band sounded familiar, but I couldn't place where. It was the first song The Shining, that I remembered! Rest of the album is really good, great background working music.

Great album. So much good musicality and transitions between tracks

Love this album. Mellow lovelyness

Inspiring and interesting. Songwriting

Um 2 poppige Säulen („Once Around the Block“/„Disillusion“) herum schlafwandelndes Meisterwerk. Mit jedem Durchlauf tritt ein anderes Detail in den Vordergrund, konzeptueller Mosaik-Indie mit knappen Hang zur Unheimlichkeit ehe sich doch Heimeligkeit sanft durchboxt. Und dabei auf eine selbstbewusste Art Englisch; genuine Eigenständigkeit, erkennbare Handschrift, kauzige Haltung. In den instrumentalen Passagen nah an Filmmusik. Kein Wunder, dass sich der der schlecht gezeichnete Boy direkt für den Soundtrack zu „About A Boy“ - einer weiteren Verschränkung von UK Herrlichkeit aus Literatur und Film - qualifiziert hat. Morgen stoß‘ ich mit einer Dose Baked Beans an auf flirrend stabile 4.4

Zeitkapsel in eine auch ziemlich weirde Ära. Schön, das wieder zu entdecken, schön auch, sich mit 20 Jahren Abstand bisschen in die Umstände der Entstehung reinzulesen (Manchester abseits von New Order, Oasis und Take That, etc.) 3,7 dafür.

I like English singers that sound English.

I really liked this. Great background music for beer drinking. It was a mix of Wilco and Radiohead to me. I will be listening to this again.

really catchy, pleasing, indie music. Hard to guess when it was produced. Could have come out this year for all I know.

bah

Quite uneven but good overall

The Shining has hints of Neutral Milk Hotel. Everybody's Stalking has that seedy 90s discomfort. I was ready not to like this, but there's a bright acoustic melancholy here that's resonating with me on a Monday. I like the ebb and flow. The occasional instrumental track - Bewilderbeast and Blistered Heart reminded me of the Life Aquatic soundtrack. Not every track was a winner but this is the unexpected kind of discovery that drew me to this album project in the first place.

Last song made it all worth it

Above my expectations

I really like this so far. It reminds me a little bit of Lior, who is one of my very favorite artists. So there were some songs I really liked and others not as much. I think in general I would look for more of this artist.

Never heard of this band but really digging their album would listen to again. Sounds chill af, about it :)

Relaxing, good for a Monday morning.

i'll let Luke do the in depth review. This was alright.

Solid would relisten probably a 4, tracks 1,2,5 pretty lit felt like it dropped off over time another pearl and magic in the air cool also

Worth revisiting! This album was totally in line with stuff I listened to ten years later. I’m assuming this influenced everyone from Wilco to... umm all those indie peeps later.

Chill, nice, good

Nice and melodic

Dreamy magical fantasy PS Meant to rate Joy Division 3/5

This is what Zach Braff dreams he sounds like.

Cool indie album. Fave songs: The Shining, Epitaph

Some great songs, some ok songs, but definitely gonna check out other albums

An often good, occasionally great cross section of where indie rock was coming from and going at the turn of the millennium, featuring one of the best songs ever, "Once Around The Block," right smack dab in the middle.

This Song literally tickles my ears when using headphones! Mostly pleasant album- some of it gets creepy.

Uma das melhores surpresas até agora. Mistura de Surfjan com Elliott Smith. Nada absurdamente original ou empolgante, mas muito agradável e interessante

à ça d'être plutôt pas mal

This album felt like a potpourri of different indie styles.

I didn't know what to expect from this, but I really enjoyed it.

I will have to go with another Elliott Smith comparison/reference with this record due to the musical arrangements, introspection and release date. Too bad for Badly Drawn Boy’s finances that I heard about Smith back in the CD purchasing days, since I would have plunked down money for this album. Smith had a genius for composing bleak, catchy songs. Neither as bleak or as catchy, Badly Drawn Boy still shines in the songwriting department. He/they (I am deliberately not looking up if Badly Drawn Boy is one guy or a band) features more rhythm to his/their writing. This element plus going beyond Smith’s piano and guitar based music, made the album an enjoyable experience. “Another Pearl” best showed this quality as he/they employed a bevy of instruments, including string to create a lively song with a bit of a groove. I found these songs to be a necessary addition after the somber intro music and first few tunes, which bordered on maudlin. Later songs on the album, such as “Pissing in the Wind” and the brief instrumental “Blistered Heart”, retreat to this approach. The near disco “Disillusion” livens up the mood, although I did not care for this one. Overall, I will add Badly Drawn Boy to my listening list. Perhaps like other artists here, this one is not his best effort. Regardless, a strong introduction to this artist.

Haven’t gotten to this yet. I now remember he was definitely a thing who I somehow never heard and now I haven’t heard nor thought of the band BDB in two decades or whatever. So I’ll listen to it. But first I must continue to scratch this Itch that is the second great quintet’s first electric recordings.

Begåvat och välgjort men blev inte superintresserad. En trea

big 3

3.1 3x

I had never heard of this artist, now I have liked a couple of songs.

Pretty decent, liked a few songs

Achei genérico, nada me marcou. Sem sal.

maybe a 4. liked this.

No está mal, me gusta lo tranquilo que es. Aun así siento que es muy mitad de los 90 y en realidad es de comienzos del 2000. No me da vibra 2000, como que no encaja, no es algo malo pero si algo curioso.

This is a toughie. I like bits and pieces, but overall it's too mellow. The use of different unique instrumental compositions throughout was interesting, and well done. Vocals are ok ..but just too mellow.

It’s okay, I wouldn’t go out my way to listen to the album again though

En del bra låter, men alt for lang. Siste halvdelen ville jeg bare at det skulle blir ferdig. Måtte sjekke på wikipedia og jeg hørte på en extended version, men neida.

This was fine, not amazing, but totally ok. The offense came when apple music autoplay (which I can't figure out how to turn off) which usually play a 'similar' band once the album has finished, played Radiohead. Excuse me. Rude. These two bands do not exist in the same category.

7/10. Un verdadero descubrimiento. No es la gran cosa musicalmente hablando, pero aún así me transmitió más que muchos de los discos que había ya rateado. Es muy tranquilito y tiene sonidos que evocan a la melancolía y la nostalgía que es muy bueno. Tardé mucho en ratearlo porque quedó en un pozo al lado de Greetings From La que no me gustó para nada y que aún no escuché entero y me desmotivó.

I was not familiar with this artist at all and based on the artwork I expected this to be heavier/grungier than it is. Some beautiful moments but overall a little dull.

I loved "The Shining" when I was in high school. never really checked out the rest of this album until now. to give him props, this 1999 album feels like it could have easily come out 5 years later, so I guess it was a bit ahead of its time? but it's too long without enough variety or strong hooks to justify it. a lot of the songs start to feel the same, and the combination of these particular instruments just wears out its welcome by the end.

Really feels portentous of a lot of indie stuff that would be in vogue half a decade later. It feels weird to say “ahead of its time” when we’re talking like five years, but here we are. I heard a bit of ‘Seven Swans’ era Sufjan, then up to Alex G at parts, and back to a lot of Saddle Creek stuff: The insular orchestral bedroom indie rock that feels like taking a walk in a specific guy’s mind. I feel like he really got a stew going on “Cause a Rockslide” and “Pissing in the Wind.” Wish there was more of that. If I had heard this album in 2004-2006 it woulda been game over.

Quite generic and forgettable. Not to say it's bad, just bland.

This was nice listening and weird. Good background for work and I feel like a forerunner for the indie music of the 2010s

It's alright. It's longer than anticipated and so it starts to blur together - I do generally like this artist but it's never been something that's grabbed me intently. Clearly talented, there are lots of different instruments that aren't typically utilized in bog standard indie, however it doesn't stand out in the way that say Sufjan does. Vocals are nothing to write home about, musically it's fairly mid-tempo throughout, and while it's something I certainly wouldn't mind having on I can't say I"ll seek it out much.

I've never heard of this one but given that it came out in 2000 and has that cover, it does not bode well for my enjoyment. And I'm sure it's overlong given the year it came out. But who knows, it could be amazing. Well it's not really what I thought. At least I was right about the overlong part. I think this would have been a lot better at about 45 minutes instead of an hour and ten. I feel like he heard Elliot Smith and Nick Drake and thought he could do the same. He sort of succeeded I guess but this album is not close to approaching anything by either of them. Some interesting parts here and there, some great guitar work for sure. Great lyrically and he delivers it well. A tough one to rate since I can't give partial stars. This would be like 7/10 but it's not 4/5. So 3/5 it is.

It's nice and all, but I suspect there's a reason that, despite the massive hype around this one a quarter-century ago, I never heard from him again. Still, I enjoyed revisiting this.

Unfortunately one of those albums where I just don't have the bandwidth to really focus on it. But what I did listen to was fine. Kinda Beatles. Kinda Nick Drake. Kinda 90's alt. Feels very much like a pick a Brit would make, don't think I'd put it on a list of 1001 albums you should listen to. Also, terrible band name, haha.

Ok

Hm. I will admit I had a look at the cover art/list of genres on this one and hit play with the firm intention of ultimately writing a review clowning on the Mercury Prize for handing out nominations and even wins to any old whackjob, but this turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I will probably never listen to any of it again tbh but I didn’t dislike any of it either. Though I will say that if you consistently can’t hit the highest note in your song even in the studio under optimum conditions you should maybe just consider transposing it down a whole step or two, like, come on, even/especially from an indie whinerboy this kind of vocal delivery isn’t actually endearing when it’s literally every time, it’s just cringe

Siento que influenció a muchos de los artistas alternativos/índices de finales de los 2000/principios de los 2010, y lo digo porque en varios momentos de distintas canciones podía escuchar pinceladas de ritmos. Ojalá eso hubiera hecho que me gustara más.

No private session used for Spotify. I like Badly Drawn Boy, mellow music that is complicated, filled with a variety of instruments, and over all enjoyable. This album is no exception.

Stuck between 3 and 4. I didnt end up adding a lot of songs from this, but I still think its very good

nice enough

Сара није слушала од узбуђења због полагања структура Марко 3,5

I really enjoyed the opening track. The rest of the album was pretty underwhelming after that, but it was still decent.

Earthy indie

Okay

I don’t think this guy really made it over here in Canada. At least I can’t say any of this sounds familiar to me. It does kind of remind me of Sufjan Stevens, but less americana influence, more britpop influence. I did enjoy it, it was a pleasant bit of indie rock/folk, but nothing really blew me away apart from maybe Cause a Rockslide.

Interesting. I liked the variety of song styles.

Celkom príjemne sa to počúvalo, ale nezanechalo to vo mne nič, prečo by som sa k tomu vracal...

When to listen: Eclectic bohemian coffee shop. The music sounded interesting but interesting but familiar.

This ain't bad but its long.

Дуже нерівний альбом. Є просто діаманти як Everybody's Stalking, Magic in the Air та Once Around the Block, а є відверті філери, скетчі та просто середні пісні. Що, з урахуванням тривалості альбому не грає йому на руку. Варто відзначити, що через цей розкид по пісням, це один з небагатьох релізів, який мені треба було переслухати щоб хоч якусь думку сформувати про альбом. Поставлю 3.5.

Альбом сильно затягнутий, але тут достатньо цікавих моментів. Втім, порівняння з Ніком Дрейком і Елліоттом Смітом мені здаються недоречними. Цікаве знайомство загалом, я б ще повернувся до цього релізу. Поки 3.5 (ближче до 3)

A real attempt has been made to write songs here. They sound like they've been written by a teenager who happened to step into a studio and persuaded the sound engineer to beef them up a bit. Pleasant enough.

2.5 Samey

2.5

Pretty nice.

Enjoyed more than I thought I would just by reading into the album beforehand. However, I fail to see why this is present in any edition of the book. 7/10.

This is a perfectly serviceable Baroque album, but I don't think it's a must-listen at all.

Enjoyable enough for indie pop.

Chamber pop / indie rock that's easy to listen to but didn't really blow me away. Several songs reminded me a lot of Nick Drake. It was an enjoyable listen but there aren't any tracks I want to add to my playlist.

Its a nice listen

While it wasn't anything special, it had a calming sound to it.

Honestly I’m surprised this one missed me, because I think I would’ve been into it back in the day. A little like Elliott Smith fronting an Elephant Six band. Just not quite as good as that description promises.

Listening to this following on from The Triffids, the songwriting sounded like a masterpiece! I enjoyed this fine but it probably leaned a little too folky for me and it didn't stand out from the crowd. Rating: A high 3.

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Not sure. Never heard of Badly Drawn Boy before. Went in not knowing what to expect and came away with "sure, this is fine, maybe even a bit more than fine." I have no qualms with this style or genre of music. Reminds me of a variety of other British rock bands from the same era: Oasis, Radiohead, Elbow, etc.

I feel like I remember not liking this band. This is a bit better than I thought it was going to be but I'm not super into it. Another one of those albums that are fine and I can see why people like it but it's just not for me.

The best thing about Badly Drawn Boy - and I remember thinking this back in the early 2000's too - is that he literally looks like some bloke on the high street, maybe sitting in a bus stop smoking a roll-up cigarette in the rain, wearing scruffy Adidas sambas, a soggy knitted beanie hat on his hat, plastic carrier bag from Iceland at his feet. Pretty inoffensive folk-pop. The music and vocals are warm and pleasant. It's good, very good at times. But not groundbreaking or life-changing. The most 2.5 album imaginable.

Load of shit. But I'm giving three stars because the voting system is fucked. Wankers

This album is pleasant enough, but not all that exciting.

2000. Debut studio album The cover art is a collage loosely based on Leonardo da Vinci's drawing Vitruvian Man.

this actually didn't end up sounding like what i expected but i liked it! i really dig the mood and the instrumentation is soooo good. i dont really like this kind of vocal tone though. and i dont think the album as a whole is too long but some of the songs are. the instrumental interludes were actually kinda more interesting than the vocal tracks interesting little gem. this is what i would imagine an ispy image would sound like if you turned it into music. particularly the one with all the wooden blocks and little cars. yall know the one fave track: another pearl

This sure seems like a bridge album between 90s alt rock and what would be come 2000’s indie. The songs are very much from the latter, but the instruments and singing are the former. 2000s indie is one of my least favorite subgenres of rock music, but this wasn’t as bad as it could have been. It’s a bit long, though a lot of that has to do with the short instrumental interludes. As an album it’s fine really. None of the songs were really exceptional but I did notice that the voice tended to follow the lead guitar almost to the note in nearly every song. It made it so one or the other was unnecessary, and I found it detrimental to the whole thing. By “Disillusioned”, which is this really out of place almost disco song, I was pretty sick of it. This wasn’t bad, it was just kinda boring.

Not bad for folk pop

Hmm, not sure how to rate this. I didn't dislike it, some of it caused toe-tapping and head-bobbing along. I think I liked the instrumental bits scattered throughout more than than anything with a vocal though. It's quite a calming, relaxing album overall.

I liked that it's varied at first, but it's all over-the-place varied. I like some moments, but I don't know what it's all about

I got this one on a rainy and unseasonably chilly May morning, and put it on in the car for my commute to work and the patter of raindrops on my roof and windshield works well with this cozy, folky, orchestral indie rock. I don’t think there’s anything remotely essential about this album or artist, and it seems like his inclusion in the book has everything to do with him having a moment in the UK around the time the book was written. With that said, the music is appealing despite it being not much more than a curiosity from the turn of the millennium. Badly Drawn Boy takes a magpie’s approach to music, and throughout the album you can hear bits that he’s pinched from Elliot Smith, The Beatles, Neutral Milk Hotel, a rap song that bizarrely falls in the middle of the album, Simon and Garfunkel. It all kind of coheres though, and there’s enough variation between songs that it avoids becoming samey. There’s the earnestness of the turn of the millennium in here, a sense of the pastoral that seems to come from someone who mostly knows cities. I expected to not like this but I was pleasantly surprised.

This was a pleasant listen! Not bad overall, but didn’t blow me away. Very Elliot Smith but not quite as interesting. Top Songs: The Shining, Once Around the Block

Nice singer-songwriter album with elaborate arrangements and strong production choices. Every song has its own style and flavor. There are some lovely instrumentals too. Nice music all around, even if none of it stood out too much or left a major impression. But I’d be down to hear more Badly Drawn Boy sometime. He’s clearly very talented.

I've heard of this band many times but never really listened to them much. I'm definitely surprised to see this is from 2000 when the sound to me is much more like 2010 and on. I really enjoy the experience of this album. It goes places and moves around from droning experimental sections, to pretty poppy moments, and everything in between. "Cause a Rockslide" might be one of the better examples. It starts with a distorted guitar and indie rock kick-drum thump that ushers you past a few minutes of music and then into a cinematic scifi section. Before you know it you're pulled from the dissonance and get to hear a beautiful multi-acoustic guitar section with really nice dry vocals that is a soothing remedy for the dissonance before. They really wanted to take you for a ride. "Disillusioned" is another track that goes places. Really catchy melody that bounces back and forth between vocals and guitar, and a solid performance by the drummer to keep the grooving beat going throughout. "Once Around the Block" is the most listened-to track on the album, and it's lovely. A great dancing indie pop rock tune with really nice clean vocal layers and guitar playing throughout. The ending vibraphone / acoustic guitar / shaker / brass section is gorgeous. I think this is my final 1001 album to complete the list. I started this project / challenge with my friend Steve about 4 years ago, and along the way we had my wife Gab and our friend Jake join us for a few weeks / months. It's been a really great journey. Music is inherently connected to just about all facets of my life, and I am so happy to be completing this challenge when it first seemed really daunting. I'm thankful for it's existence, and I'm thankful for my friend Steve for tackling it with me (and with aplomb I might add!). I discovered so many great bands, albums, & songs from it, and it will forever be a really important talking point in my life. I've already shared it with so many people, and I don't think I'll ever stop recommending it to others. At the end of the day I went on my deck with my wife and amongst other topics we chatted about I mentioned that this was the last 1001 album. She immediately knew the band, album, and the song "Once Around the Block". She said she choreographed a modern ballet to it when she was in high school and loved the song. That's been one of my favorite things about this project; here I am listening to this song and really hearing it for probably the first or second time in my life, and then I learn shortly after that my wife has a great vivid recollection of the song, and overall a nice connection for her in a moment of her life.

3.5

Half-hour of the Bewilderbeast would have been better. There are some proper ace singles on here - principally the chill wispy funky wah wah strains of Once Around The Block and also the charged, bittersweet disco break-up anthem Disillusioned. It is a nice eclectic package overall and a good snapshot of the state or early 00s British indie singer/songwriters but it does trundle on for a bit too long with a few lo-fi missteps and unnecessary instrumental detours. Doesn’t deserve to be an ex-1001. Maybe at the lower end of the 1001 spectrum next door to the likes of David Gray White Ladder and Damien Rice O.

i spent a whole lot of time listening to this album in the early 2000s but i don't think i ever thought it was *good*, it was a cd that someone copied for me. but i sang along with every word on this listen and i still really like some of these songs.

bewilderbeast?? mooie instrumenten.. stem ok sommige liedje wel leuk eigenlijk maar het is ook wel beetje mid “THIS SONG” GEEFT ME HOOFDPIJN guys als je interesting dingen wil horen met panning van de muziek die je oren kietelen moet je naar ear’s “real life” luisteren

eerlijk? radiohead x coldplay vibes dit s opgeslagen in me bibliotheek 👍

Some interesting mix of genres some Oasis some other bands recongised , stylish and arsty though

eh

Album grew on me as it passed, pretty impressive work for one guy to do so much. Favorite track: Bewilderbeast

Folk emo not really my thing but I didnt hate it.

Umm...OK. Musically more interesting than I expected, and it does mark a change in the zeitgeist from the tail-end of Britpop, but I struggle to maintain any real enthusiasm. 3.5 stars

Not earth-shattering, nothing stood out as something I would come back and listen to again.

soft sound, generally a smooth listen.

An interesting, if choppy in quality, album. There are some nice moments of lively indie folk on the album, headlined by Everybody’s Stalking and Another Pearl. Elliot Smith’s Figure 8 is a good comparison. However, I think the album goes on too long so that the quality declines. There’s also the random short interlude tracks, which add nothing. A strong 3 but too inconsistent for anything higher.

Pas mauvais mais ça manque d’un petit quelque chose

Sympa mais sans plus

Good in the background music

Decent listen

Pleasant enough, and occasionally quite good. But only occasionally. I always appreciate quirky vocals, and we have that here for sure. The songs don’t do a lot for me.

Lo escuché mientras me bañaba

I like his voice and there are plenty of decent melodies cropping up here and there. There are obvious big production things happening in parts, but generally there’s a likeable feeling of under-production (lo-fi seems a bit unfair but the album certainly flirts with it). It’s an aesthetic I can easily be seduced by. Sadly, being the hour(+) as claimed by the title, it’s a bit of a stretch to remain gripped when faced with so many less than vital moments. Perhaps it might be a grower, but I’ve never found myself compelled to keep it in rotation long enough to find out. Weirdly, if I really disliked it, I might feel more determined to figure out what the fuss is meant to be about. Instead it’s just nice but not nice enough for me.

Better than expected given the album description

An interesting melange of instruments and styles. Worth a listen.

I was honestly expecting worse. It ended up being fine.

Always loved You Were Right, only song of his I knew, so was looking forward to this. But it left me a bit, well, bewildered.

Chill.

I want to like this, truly I do. It just dragggs.

This is a fine album, but there’s nothing here that really excites me. It leans heavily into that singer-songwriter style without doing much to stand out. The second track kicks off with a surprisingly up-tempo, almost Alice in Chains-like riff, which caught my attention, but not much else sticks. I don’t see myself coming back to this one.

Good album, experimental at times and cozy at others. I liked this one.

I don't understand a lot of people giving this a 1. Sure, not every song stood out to me here but it felt lyrically unique and I know I'll return to a few of these. The Shining is my favourite. 7/10

🎧Idk this is fine, solid, pretty good, some nice tunes, nothing that great, nothing terrible, too long, pleasant background music while I rearranged my records

Decent Songwriter Guy.

Like if you mixed Elliot smith, Radiohead and something that kinda sucked.

The songs on this album flip flop between drippy melancholy folk that I hate, and pretty good alternative rock that I really enjoyed, so I'm conflicted. Sounds like a 3/5 to me!

18 tracks makes this a long boy. I like the vibe, but it's not what gets me going, especially not in this particular chapter of my life. So yeah.

Not sure what to think of this one. It kind of sounds like Elliot Smith mixed with the shins. I like the shins alright, not huge on Smith. I thought it was a pretty good album, not sure if I’d listen again but not writing it off.

Never listened to this before. I’m down.

Interesting mix of folk/indie tracks with some fresh ideas and melodies. Ultimately not that memorable but worth a listen.

some good, some annoying. pretty OK

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

Good for him!

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

Not very interesting but it was 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.

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".

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

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

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’s nowhere near About a Boy but it’s still a good time. 3.5

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

first song was good

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

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.

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

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

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.

Great

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

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.

Pretty but too long

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.

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…

2.5

This was a bit interesting. I might give it another listen some other time.

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

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.

It's OK

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.

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

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.

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.

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 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

sounds okay, not for me tho

Nådde ikke helt opp til 4 stjerner.

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!

Eh. Not great but not horrible. I've already forgotten most of this one.

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

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.

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

Never heard of this but it was pretty entertaining. A bit mellow for my tastes but not bad.

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

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.

Nice, varied, I'll listen again -

Alt rock

Interesting mix of genres on here, not a bad early 2000s entry

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

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.

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

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.

6.8

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.

This was very middle of the road for me and it fine

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.

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.

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

*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

Its ok

A good album to just play in the background while chilling.

Big time late 90s indie folk vibes. Not horrible, not great. But very much of its 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.

Ehh, decent. Bit up its own arse, though.

Interesting to very good. Varied. Dug it.

Dragged a bit towards the end, but generally a nice vibe

Think I listened to this. Simpsons: No

Abstract church.

nice but nothing special

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.

Prettty good

Everything is good, nothing is great, it’s too long and the About A Boy soundtrack is better

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.

Was alright. I fell asleep the first time around - that to me means it's not something terrible and annoying.