The Hour Of Bewilderbeast

Relax, intenso de momentos, chill pa carretera

Mindede mig lidt om Elliot Smith. Rart album, umiddelbart. Skal have hørt det igen.

This is very nice. Not throughout, but mostly. Thoughtful use of strings and brass.

This was not what I expected. The best description I can think of is funk/folk hybrid. I had to restart the album several times though because it kept putting me to sleep.

Es ist ein warmes, leicht verschrobenes Indie‑Pop‑Patchwork, das ständig zwischen Melancholie und sonnigem Tagtraum pendelt. Badly Drawn Boy bastelt hier ein charmantes Sammelsurium aus Akustikgitarren, Lo‑Fi‑Beats und kleinen melodischen Überraschungen. Vieles wirkt liebevoll verspielt, manches verliert sich im eigenen Durcheinander.

Didn't know what to expect as I didn't read the description first this time. And in the oughts, you never know what to expect. First track is an indication of that. I really liked the second track though. Camping Next to Water has a nice sound to it as well--melancholic groovy if I had to describe it. Other tracks lean even more into funk, and still others have something like a Simon and Garfunkel sound? I don't know what this is supposed to be, but I enjoyed it. 4/5

Some pretty chill folk tunes going on here. Good background music, I'd be happy seeing them as an opening act, but not really main act material.

I’ve got nothing against the artist. Nor, sadly, do I have anything for them.

Badly Drawn Boy – The Hour of Bewilderbeast (2000) On Day 293, this record delivered a deeply emotional, resonant listening experience that instantly channeled the intimate, fragile spirit of Nick Drake and Elliott Smith. Despite its rambling 18-track scrapbook format, the project manages to feel remarkably lush and warm whenever its full chamber arrangements bloom. "The Shining" stood out as the absolute favorite, blooming from a delicate cello-and-acoustic intro into breathtaking orchestral grandeur. Tracks like the sweeping, piano-driven vulnerability of "Pissing in the Wind," the breezy brass-and-bossa bounce of "Once Around the Block," and the reflective finale "Epitaph" showcased an artist capable of turning melancholic, self-deprecating folk into rich, expansive pop poetry. A moving, heartfelt gem. A strong 4/5.

I'm not sure I recognize this artist or any of these tracks by title, so I'm mostly going into this blind. This just isn't grabbing me. It's strange in a way that doesn't make me want to listen to it again to dig deeper into it.

Eh.

at this point im starting to think half of the albums on here are a waste of my time. not because they're bad. but because they aren't a classic i need to hear before i die. this is music that plays in the melodramatic montages of an episode of Scrubs. im starting to wonder if im better off checking an album's playlist to see if it even has one stand-out hit or if it's all just filler to tally up to 1001.

3.6? revisit somewhere between 3 and 4

Felt like a British Sufjan Stevens and ambled along quite pleasantly with some significant enjoyment of many tracks. Thought I wasn't going to like it and I've ended up giving it a 4.

Fragmented folk-chamber pop that never really gets its hooks into you because the songs are half-written. The hype for this album seems to have been a reaction to the over-baked, self-important grandiosity of British pop in the 90's but this goes too far in the other direction. Feels like a mixtape and I'd probably like it better if it was one. This is an album of ideas, not songs.

Not bad at all. Provided some easy listening while at work. Pleasantly surprised!

IDK, had some good, some bad. It went on too long for me. They could have cut this in half and chosen just the best. I did 'like' one song, but I listened again, and it was a mistake.

An album that would be fun if it weren't so long 2.5/5

a very nice indie pop/folk record, presenting some exceptionally interesting instrumentation and arrangement for the genres. reminiscent of elliott smith in vocal style (and recording quality, sometimes).

Very, very reminiscent of Elliott Smith, but it’s a good thing that I enjoy Elliott Smith. I don’t think I’d ever choose this instead of any of his music, but I still enjoyed the overall experience. He has a knack for great songwriting and the album doesn’t overstay its welcome at all.

As it turns out, Arcade Fire manages to do their own sound worse than literally everyone that does their sound, both before and after them. All of the bands that inspired them and all of the bands that were inspired by them sound so much better, these guys included. There's this persisting softness to the album, almost like a bedtime story in a neat way, and as a whole it's a very pleasant listen. I do think some of the songs towards the middle got a little too similar, but their songs certainly sound less similar than Arcade Fire's and they do just about everything ten times better. Can you tell I really hate Arcade Fire?

Fav: Stone on The Water, Another Pearl, Disillusion L: The Shining, Say it Again 3 Overall I thought the sound was nice, but it was just too simple in a boring way. Especially in the sung melodies the melodies were repetitive and plain. If the melodies were more complex or sung more expressively or had more going on behind them I think this would be a very good album. Also the day I listened to this I was out camping and ended up experiencing pissing in the wind firsthand so it was pretty funny having it come on while I drove home. Cover: 2 Kind of busy in a cluttered, uninteresting way Name: 2 Feels sort of quirk chungus Minecraft Parody: Fall in a Ravine (Fall in a River), Stack of 64 Blocks (Once Around the Block)

Punny, melancholic pop. Not unpleasant, but very mild, and in no way essential listening

This was an odd one. I owned the album when it came out, and listened to it quite a lot - enough that all the songs were familiar on this relisten. But I stopped at some point, and must have barely thought about the album for 20 years or more. There's nothing to dislike about it, but nothing to love either, for me. The vocals are very subdued, none of the lyrics are memorable in any way, and the arrangements are all warm and lovely but with no hard edges or surprises of any kind. I like mellow acoustic music, but this is just a little too bland for me to regard it as a great album.

So much nostalgia for this one

Lovely acoustic indie that just hit the right notes for me

Enjoyed

Good album with plenty of dynamic movement. It does give the vibe of rich kid frolicking in the studio. Many CD era albums exhaust the ears.

great album

I guess they called themselves Badly Drawn Boy because “Boringly Performed Music” would have been too on the nose.

Pretty good album. It reminds me of the albums that my friend made (he goes by Lorenzi if you’d like to check them out)

3/6

I really liked It. Somehow It didn't reach the core of my heart, maybe because it feels too long or because it's too different from song to song (but this is also a good thing). I've listened to it multiple times, loving the experience but couldn't tell you a single title or sing a single song...so here it is

didn’t listen to it fully, was alright hate the blokes voice good instrumentation will give it another listen soon

Pop-no Rock-no Singer Songwriter-no New and fresh from year 2000 point of view - no. Just boaring.

This is top notch album

Some nice instrumentation here and there, but man it just plods along, doesn't it? An entire hour is way too much time to be spent with the bewilderbeast.

Mid

Okay ish poo

I liked this more than I expected to, though I still found it kinda bland overall. In fairness, this is the kind of music you have to spend some time with. Props to him though for pushing back against the dominance of 90s Britpop. 3.5

I like elements of it, but overall, not my thing. More like 2.5

Sorry Badly Drawn Boy, we already have Elliot Smith at home. Jokes aside, it's a decent indie album with clear inspiration from Smith, although it never reaches the heights of those albums. It's okay. I'd listen to it again without protest.

#461 I’m a bit torn on this one, at times it’s very good and can understand the critical acclaim it received but then it’s a bit bloated and loses focus at other times. The 2 main singles from this album are what drew me to this album and are still my favourites from this. By all accounts, Damien Goth is a bit of a prick, and my father in law, who has met him, shares in that view. Heard before? ✅ Would I revisit?❓ Listen before you die?❓ Fave track(s): Once Around the Block; Disillusion Rating: 6/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I used to own this album in 1999 Not played it since 27 years later, happy to find the three songs I liked then, still sound pretty good So many albums on this list can't pass that basic test!

This album starts off strong but then nosedives into sad monotony.

Light 4.0. Poderia cortar algumas faixas, mas ainda é bem diversificado e agradável, um bom som indie.

This album has quite a nice, folksy vibe to it that at times manages to really capture the essence of the album. It does not, however, maintain this the whole way through and the length of the whole thing actively works against it. Pleasant enough, but not something I'd likely return to.

This was ok. Not outstanding, not bad, just ok.

When I saw the final 1,089th album was a 2000 British artist with middling reviews, I thought it was perfect. The most consistent thing on the list is how we end. And in the most beautiful way, my skepticism was unfounded. Maybe that was the whole point of listening to three years of albums. Making sure to give things a chance and seeing what you can find. The instrumentals aren't masterful but the complexity on instrument type does add a lot. On a first listen I missed it but there's so many nuances and touches throughout this all. There's genuine mood shaping in the songs. Stone on the Water, I can't believe it, but is winning me over. That cover is awful and it being of the time is only a half excuse. The stereo elements on This Song are one of the worst sound engineering calls I've ever heard. There aren't roses without thorns and I'm likely getting too sentimental on this one reflecting on the entire project, but this was a nice listen and I'm glad I was here for it. Glad there was a trumpet on the album.

Great start with some brass. There is a certain Magic in the Air with this being the final album. The relaxing mellow nature of the songs is enhanced knowing that tomorrow there is no album of the day. There's a lot of variety and a nice balance of melancholy and a pleasant jauntiness. Solid song construction. Some songs could grow with time, a few hit instantly.

This is far more introspectional than I had anticipated. Some nice pieces, but more that I did not like.

enjoyable

A surprising album. The first song I found terrible. But after that I quite liked the album. Not everything but in total a very nice discovery.

Such a nothingburger that I hadn't realised it had ended and I was listening to the album through again. Some ok moments but most of the time the noises of the central line were more interesting. Between a 1 and a 2

Bewildering that this made the list

Very boring and random

What did I just listen to? Why did I let Spotify keep playing a que off of this album the rest of the day? This boy may be badly drawn, but ... that was an experience. An appropriately named album indeed.

They want to be Radiohead sooooo bad

Another one over an hour… I actually quite liked it. 3/5 ⭐️ 265/1081

Badly Drawn Boy - The Hour of Bewilderbeast (1999) This was a prime example of not judging a book by its cover. Based on the title of the album and the artist, I thought it was going to be another example of a heavy metal band. Instead, it turned out to be a more folk like album that gave cottage in the woods vibes. I really enjoyed it! I think it had a strong start, a good to mediocre middle, and a strong end. Like an inverse Oreo! Album Rank: 7 Favorite Song: The Shining

A nice debut from Badly Drawn Boy, mellow Brit folk music. (That’s just plain ol’ boring nice, not Niiiiice.) Good coffee house music, nice twofer with Camping Next to Water and Stone on the Water. No skippers, all songs are good. (2.86*s) Congrats on winning the Mercury with your debut!

Not a Badly Drawn album. A crafty concoction of snazzy songs. With a little help from the Doves, Damon put together a full run of kooky tunes. Much like the cover art, got a lot going on. I always appreciate a multi-talented instrumentalist so more credit given to this mostly solo debut. I enjoyed it all, front to back with "Camping Next to Water" landing top spot. Not left completely bewildered but nice throw in by the list. I will look for this vinyl beast in the wild for a nice pick-up at good price. 3.83 stars.

Nice to get an indie entry from another previously unknown artist from the 2000's. The Hour Of Bewilderbeast is a pretty good debut album that brings something different to the table from what we've seen elsewhere on 700+ prior albums. It feels like a passion project for an artist trying to break through. Despite the use of quite a few instruments and song stylings the whole thing is smoothly edited and arranged. I wouldn't quite say Damon Gough struck gold, but I did enjoy a good portion of this album. Maybe slash a couple of songs to trim down the playtime and remove a bit of the monotony and I would have knocked it up a couple ticks. Still, BDB successfully executed his vision on this album and I'd be curious to see if he was able to follow it up on his next project. Bewilderbeast deserves positive marks even if there are a few nuances that keep it away from greatness. 3.18 stars

Yes.

pretty easy to listen to, pretty meh

vibes tbh

It’s not offensive to my ears

sometimes interesting, sometimes not. a little long

Good music and a very decent voice. Many nice arrangements.

Was not expecting to like this but was surprised. Not something I would rush out and buy but an interesting sound that kept me engaged for the whole album. Post research suggests this is the best from this band.

this had an air of comfort in it and i liked the whole thing, felt like a little escape in some way

I could listen to this again. A bit rambly, but some nice folk-rock-y ideas.

It threatens to get interesting, towards the end, when he's playing studio-rat. But those moments are too little, too late. Most of it is consistently amateurish, uninteresting, and emotionally tepid.

This album grew on me, no particular song stood out but as a body of work, I found it relaxing to listen to. Possibly one to revisit in future so a 3.5 rounded up to 4!

3.5

Sprawling, messy, brilliant in streaks but overall as an album it ends up too long w too many instances of self-indulgence

A pleasure to hear this album again. Very underrated.

Maso

Mixed bag.

Opening track was beautiful. The rest was fine, but it really started to drag on. Would have been four stars if it was like 1/3 shorter.

This album isn’t groundbreaking or genre-defining, but it’s a solid addition to my list of chamber pop albums. It has great vocals, melodies, and instrumentation, with a subtle quirky edge. Overall, it blends classic singer-songwriter elements with modern production in a way that works really well.

Decidedly meh

In a previous review for Ryan Adams' Heartbreaker album, I wrote about listening to the college radio station and hearing a song in the car on the way to school and loving it, and when I got to school running to the computer lab to search the snippets of lyrics I could remember to try to find out who it was. I had the exact same experience with this album and hearing "Camping Next to Water" on the college station. I adore this album. It used to be on a short list of albums I would ALWAYS listen to on road trips, about 20 years ago. Brings back fond memories.

A good indie rock album with good singing and some interesting instrument choices in some songs. Nothing that really pulled me in or stuck with me after it was over though.

What even is this it's super great!

Just potters along

I remember Damon Gough's emergence, not through this album (I don't recall the artwork) but it's critical and mildly commercial success obviously led to his 'About a boy' soundtrack commission. There are a lot of pleasing extended chords used and some melodic songs with nice arrangements and a variety of styles and approaches. It's all very post britpop in its lyrics and members of Doves are playing on it. I don't find it intensely inspiring and the tag 'Baroque pop' doesn't match my understanding of what I would understand by it. I heard a track that suggested Field Music had heard this album and I quite liked that. It's ok for a Mercury prize winner.

Liked this a lot more than expected. Was it an album I needed to listen to … no … but overall really solid throughout 4

Beautiful soft folk with gentle pleasures. 4/5

To be honest the album art made me groan, and worry the album would suck. But the music was actually pretty good. I'd need to listen to it again but it was perfect for a morning bus ride into the office

Low key gave me a headache for some reason

3.5 Nice folksy vibe

Lovely

Thought I was gonna hate this based on the band name but turns out it’s mostly not bad, if a bit unremarkable, with only a smattering of cool moments throughout.

Vähän kokeellista musiikkia, sisältää paljon isnstrumentaaleja kohtia ja biisejä, mutta pääosin kuitenkin laulupainotteista. Vika biisi paras. Ihan jees musaa ylipäätänsä.

Fine

Fine

altern. Rock, 2000 -> 3

Alright, but forgettable.

this is the type of music i like