Hypnotised

Hypnotised is dumb pop-punk fun from a band that seems smart enough to see the value in such a thing. The melodies and riffs are catchy, and while it's far from a unique sound (even the vocalist's almost-bleating style reminded me of Roxy Music on occasion), I figured it was from further on in the 80s than it was. I feel like I'm getting an incomplete picture going into it blind given that there appears to be a theme of avoiding a sophomore slump for this second album, but the band feels genuine in their insecurities, making the irony of a track like "More Songs About Chocolate and Girls" come off less smug than it may be coming from another group. Cutting a track or two would probably make for a more enjoyable complete listen, but if I was thumbing through the soundtrack menu of a late-era Tony Hawk game, where this music sounds like it belongs, I wouldn't toggle any of them off. Key Tracks: Here Comes Norman, Under the Boardwalk, Hard Luck

And this is exactly why I wanted to join this group. Why have I never heard of these guys? And I'm from Canada where we love everything from the UK (apparently). UK music gets plenty of airtime. I've been going through 90's rock recently discovering some of the pioneering UK bands from that era (that are excellent) and I'd put these guys in that mix for 70's-80's punk. Just as good as any Ramones album. Loved it all - and now I've got a band to go listen to more of.

Genre: Pop Punk 2/5 Man, this thing turned into absolute mush towards the end for me. The whiny vocals want to sound like Jello Biafra so bad, the playing is fast but totally boring and uninspired, and this is another example of an album that just shouldn't be in this book. It was 15 songs, and nearly 40 mins worth, of the exact same material over and over again. A few songs slowed it down, and there were a few covers that kept it interesting, but this album faded into the background like a ghost. Really boring, really stale, and really annoying. Will not listen to this one again.

I was underwhelmed by the undertones.

The vocal tone is killer. I'm digging the bass work. There Goes Norman is a bop! Man, I am having a lot of fun listening to this album.

Somewhat dull album. Felt like the songs were very beach boys Esque but without a lot of the pop flair. Felt that they were more of an 80s rebrand of the 60s pop that wasn’t as good. Did not find that interesting. 4.9/10

This one didn’t do much for me. That little vibrating thing he was trying to do with his voice was dumb and stupid. Undertones? More like Underwhelming.

Maybe it’s the crappy music I’ve gotten all week making me biased, but this album IS GREAT. Just some northern Irish blokes having a laugh

The Undertones are one of those bands that really helped lay the groundwork for pop punk. I’ll always have a soft spot for them because back in my late teens, I worked with an old-school punk who introduced me to their music. Since I was deep into new wave at the time, he told me The Undertones were my “beginner punk band” to help bridge the gap between new wave and punk.

“Hypnosis is a human condition involving focused attention …, reduced peripheral awareness, and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion.“ -Wikipedia In response to this sophomore album from The Undertones, I had focused attention on the album and reduced peripheral awareness. I’m not sure I had enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion, unless that suggestion was that Hypnotised is a kick ass album. A great find. Thank you 1001!

Love it! Even moreso than their last album we received. Simple pop punk with dumb (but aware) lyrics. Great fun! Top Tracks : “Hypnotised” “Whats With Terry?” “There Goes Norman”

Fun, bouncy listen Even though it’s 45 years old, this could easily find a home on the radio now. Simple beats and rhythms. Appeals to teenage me and my poppy punky leanings

I had an Undertones greatest hits, which means I knew a few songs on here along with some that came before. I actually like this more than the greatest hits. The first song is amazing. It’s a tongue in cheek reference to their first big hits, which is very silly, but it also references some anxieties regarding being a new big band. Like hey now there’s pressure on us we’re trying our best. All the songs are these catchy poppy punk songs. It’s great.

I wish I had known about this kind of music when I was in high school and it was brand new. Who knows, maybe I would have rejected it because it wasn't the classic rock that I was passionate about, but man I really like it now. I guess I was vaguely aware of bands like the Clash and the Sex Pistols, but punk and post-punk largely escaped my attention. It would have been great to see some of these bands live. In any case, I liked this a lot. I've heard a couple songs by the Undertones, but most of this was new to me. 4 stars.

I like even the weird cover

Fun; sounds just like the album cover

Just a solid punk album. I really enjoyed it. There wasn't much that stood out but it was fun. The lyrics didn't take themselves seriously, the tracks were full of energy, and the production was solid but not polished (which is proper for punk). I liked it.

Not a fan of the album art. Not a great cover of Under the Boardwalk. I like the rhythm on The Way Girls Talk What's with Terry, a solid track to go out on. This is fine.

decent punk sound - okay to me, didn't blow me away.

Another underwhelming album. Doesn't even have the Undertones song that people actually know on it, the rest lacks the edge to be pop, lacks the energy to be proper rock, and lacks the tunefulness to be decently poppy. A straight down the middle 2, it's fine but it all feels like filler.

Ah, more UK punk/new wave crap, this time with a Jello Biafra impression as well. Whatever. Boring amateur shit. 2/5.

One-hit wonders and their one hit isn't even on this album. Seriously why are there 2 Undertone albums on this list? You don't even need 2 songs. A few good songs but in general mediocre, uninspired indie punk.

Die 2. Platte der Undertones in dieser Liste. Leute: die Undertones sind gar nicht mal so gut! 0 Platten der Undertones wäre angebrachter. Kann ich nicht durchhören.

Oh piss off and grow up

I've listened to this before and didn't get much out of it but now I have no idea how that was possible. So many fun catchy songs. I will definitely be coming back to this one for some good harmless fun. Rating: 4.8

i like the vibe this album brings to the table, tongue-in-cheek and angsty punk songs make me very entertained. songs of girls, songs of simple desires and pleasures... it's my first time hearing these guys and it's a very promising sample of what they're going for. out of all the punk music i've heard, especially those recorded in the late 70s, this one takes the cake when it comes to being ahead of its time; really sounds like the kind of music that would come out a decade later. i love an earnest, no-nonsense and very animated punk rock album. makes me wanna just thrash my body around my room and do whatever moves my instincts make me do.

I've never heard of this band. It's a nice combo of punk and new wave. I like the more frenetic songs. Listened through a few times and enjoyed it more each play. The shortness of the tracks gives it an early rock and roll feel. Solid album and really enjoyable listen.

Loved this, more please

I really liked this album! The warble in the voice was grating on a couple songs but made it more unique. Also likes how they didn’t take themselves to seriously and had fun lyrics/subjects. Nice hooks as well. 4.5/5

Juvenile (teen love) lyrics aside, this is a fun album. Basically '60s bubblegum teen rock meets punk/new wave, with a splash of Beatles and Clash/Buzzcocks here and there. A very easy and enjoyable listen.

Brilliant - I bought it and I still love it.

10/10 album art Feargal Sharkey's voice somehow conveys the desperation of a lovesick teenager more than even Buddy Holly.

It's funny that thing people do where they believe that the order they have discovered music is the order that it was released and that because they've heard two thing with some similarities they believe one is automatically ripping off the other. Look at a couple of the other reviews. The idea that Feargal Sharkey was in any way influenced by Jello Biafra. Hahaha. Listen to the lyrics, read some Wikipedia, ask yourself if Dead Kennedy's records were available in Derry a year earlier than anywhere else in the world, if at all.

Album itself was probably four stars, but the corner of Spotify that I got into after the album was over, was absolutely amazing!

This was great! There wasn't any track on her that I didn't enjoy. I would definitely listen to more by the Undertones. This is a 4.5 star album, but I'm in a good mood, so I'm rounding up.

5/5

Super fun! Would listen to again. Great beats.

Didn’t know this band outside of Teenage Kicks, this album was glorious. How to do churn out this many catchy songs?

"Hypnotised" is the second album by Northern Irish punk rock band the Undertones. Lyrically, the songs focus on teenage angst, boisterousness and heartbreak. Critics found this album more sophisticated than their debut. I'd agree with that. Commercially, the album hit #6 in the UK. The album starts with "More Songs About Chocolate and Girls," an obvious poke at the Talking Heads' album with a similar name. A guitar start which carries the melody. There's layered guitars and a poppy beat. The lyrics are funny and meaningless from what I can make out. "Hypnotised" has a more driving guitar sound. It actually sounded very similar to the guitar sound in today's emo and pop alternative songs. He's in a trance when she dances. They do a decent cover of "Under the Boardwalk." I think this might been some sort of tribute to the 50's/60's pop songs which you can hear in their music. The albums' second side has their two singles. "My Perfect Cousin" has slashing guitar notes, a poppy, bouncey beat and is very, very catchy. People are comparing him to his perfect cousin Kevin and he's not too pleased about it. "Wednesday Week" is lighter with a Spanish sounding acoustic guitar and melodic electric guitar. Lead singer Feargal Sharkey is singing in a higher tone. This is a pleasant song. This album has music that is catchy, melodic, poppy, punk, garage and drving. At times, I really got a 60's pop vibe, particularly the Kinks and Zombies. Sharkey really stretches and strains his vocals. I actually went back and listen to their debut album again. This second album is similar but is more complex with better musicianship, layered guitars and better hooks. Both albums are worth a listen and are highly recommended.

SECOND NORTHERN IRISH ALBUM As a Northern Irish person, I was going to give this 5 anyway (😳) because I want to increase my country’s ratings on this site. However, the melodies are interesting, the songs are catchy and the lyricism is great! I recommend this for anyone of any nationality 😉 I need to listen to lots more punk and post-punk. 10/10.

Excellent record! Great songs, flows nicely.

😁cool

Loved it

This is what punk should be. Fun, breezy, and DGAF.

Fantastic stuff, jaunty, fun and very easy to listen to

Really ended up liking this one and then YouTube took me to more bands of the genre and I really enjoy it :)

Another banger today. I loved this! It's been fun rediscovering my taste for punk thanks to this list. New wave punk? Hell yeah.

chuli, chulito

Sure why not, 5stars

Classic punk, without the legacy of the two biggest bands perhaps. A few all time tracks, but even the surprising covers and less famous songs are great.

9/10 lots of fun, and certainly holds up from their previous album

I’ve enjoyed poppy-punk since the 90’s… so it is pretty fun to go back to the late 70’s and early 80’s to hear some older takes on that genre. I loved The Undertones’ debut album and I love this album. Fun!

So happy to get this. Absolutely love it. Played it a million times at the time. It really reminds me of being a geeky teen (still am geeky!) Listening back it has an authenticity that can't be bought. This is New Wave at it's best. Guitars, drums, bass and Feargal Sharkey. And I did have that Perfect Cousin that is now a millionaire.....it's enough to make you cry.

How have I've only just discovered the Undertones' Hypnotised album? I can't remember having this much fun listening to an album in a long time. And only 40 years too late! Is this the best album ever made? Absolutely not. But this proto poppunk makes me want to move and makes an bop my head. 4,5*

Loved this

Really good. Unmistakably The Undertones. Not as snarky as Sharkey often is. Wednesday Week is the clear stand out track from this album.

Sweet and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I did not expect to like this album as much as I did. I'm surprised I haven't heard of them before. I'm a sucker for happy punk.

I love The Undertones' self titled, but I don't return to this one as much. Still, it's a great album. Maybe closer to 4.5, but I always round up and I've had so many bad albums recently.

The first four Undertones albums are all great (same goes for Skids - not sure if their albums are also on the list but they should). I probably have listened to Hypnotized the most, nonstop catchy pop punk songs.

A great album that reminds me of a better time in music when things were not afraid to be original

Really liked this. Funny songs with good instrumentals.

Excellent punk album.

I love punk, by which I mean the 70s' variant, not Green Day and their ilk. In fact, the music I was weaned on was punk; my brother is 15 years older than me, so I got all his old punk LPs in the 90s. Anyway, depite that, I have never liked the song Teenage Kicks; I found it mawkish and overplayed. It still never really appealed even after I realised it was about wanking. Nevertheless, I lsitened to listen without prejudice and I loved it! The Undertones were really a great adolescent band, and this album showed a slight addition of postpunk jerkiness. Above all, this album is fun, unalloyed joy. What else do you want?

Absolute classic

Big DEVO energy. Good album.

Banger

Love this one.

Very fun album, very catchy songs and grooves. First song kinda lies, lots of songs about girls, not enough chocolate, overall pretty good.

It's a bit Clash-like, and the vocals are a watered down Dead Kennedys. I kinda liked it though. The lyrics are interesting stories. I don't know if there is a deeper meaning with them or not. I liked the cover of Under the Boardwalk.

À la fois new wave et punk; j’ai été surprise que ça date de 1980, j’aurais cru que ça datait de plus tard dans la décennie

I do like University Challenge though.

A little pop punk 80’s garage band-y

I've listened to a few Undertones songs before, but never a full album. This was exactly what I expected, a tight collection of fun pop-punk jams.

Favorite Track: My Favorite Cousin

Good, simple.

I know I’ve heard a few Undertones albums at this point. I think I’ve generally enjoyed the ones I’ve heard, but today’s seemed a cut above the others. I really enjoyed this from front to back, with the main highlights being There Goes Norman and My Perfect Cousin. I like how they write good catchy songs, but also don’t mind getting a bit silly with things at times (who’d have thought that, with them having such a serious album cover?). I’m glad to have expanded my Undertones palette today.

This record feels like it was way ahead of its time. This feels like relatively modern pop punk and emo, which is shocking for a record that came out in 1980. I'd never heard of this band before but it's encouraging me to keep going with the 1001 albums. This is exactly the kind of record I was hoping to find.

I thought I’d never heard of this band, but their sound was familiar. I then realized they’re the ones that did Teenage Kicks and it all made sense. I like this album a lot. There’s a cheekiness to some of the songs (like My Perfect Cousin) and a sweet melancholy in others (Wednesday Week). Each song is distinct but still has their signature sounds, which makes it an enjoyable and dynamic listen. Some great guitar riffs make it fun and danceable. The vibe is almost “I’d be rebellious if I could be bothered”. I’m sure I’ll be listening to this again.

I enjoyed it. A lot of the songs sounded the same to me, but that didn't hold it back. Fun laid-back 80's pop/rock

4 - captures the whimsy of 80s rock. Kinda surface level and easy to listen to, but hardly anything to hate

It’s alright! Again punk is not my thing,

Fun!

Inaspettatamente bello

Never heard of this band before, but they had a fun, distinct sound that was a mix of garage band and pop band that made the album an enjoyable listening experience.

Here’s another UK group I never heard of. This album was a pleasant surprise for me. The lyrics are pretty basic, but I thought the variety of music was good. Under the Boardwalk is a cover of the Drifters song.

More Songs About Chocolate and Girls 3.6 There Goes Norman 3.7 Hypnotised 3.7 See That Girl 3.4 Whizz Kids 3.5 Under the Boardwalk 3.8 The Way Girls Talk 3.7 Hard Luck 3.5 My Perfect Cousin 3.4 Boys Will Be Boys 3.6 Tearproof 3.4 Wednesday Week 3.6 Nine Times Out of Ten 3.3 Girls That Don't Talk 3.6 What's With Terry? 3.5 Score: 3.553333333

Get your teenage kicks here! Fun and rockin'!

new to me and I liked it

Absolutely loved this album from start to finish. Great intro to the band and palatable punk-rock album for those just getting into it .

I kinda wanted to like this better, it's a lot of fun, I'd lands as kind link between Glam and Glam metal... Glam punk if you will. But it still didn't 100 bowl me over. 7.8 ★★★½

Sounds like The Beach Boys playing punk - which I'm not mad about. There's a lot of variety to the songs, including insertions of accoustic guitars and organ. Also, nice bass sound.

New band new music for me. Really enjoyed the energy.

I enjoyed it, I always saw them as a punk band but this is more poppy and varied.

Nice. Better than expected with this bad cover.

I'm always down for a good time, and this is short, sweet, and fucks.

Fun album, good guitar riffs and punchy songs that don't faff about. Like Fergal's vocals on this too, some very catchy hooks which give it quite a pop-punk feel. A bit short of a 5* album for me because it's not super deep or ground breaking really, but definitely worth a spin

I listened a few days ago I think I liked it I really like the album cover so 5

This didn’t feel like the other punk albums on this list. There was a little more to it and it felt like more effort went into it. A nice listen, though they were all very clearly about the same thing.

Weird ass album cover. But honestly the songs so far aren’t bad If anything, pretty good. Not the best but this album took me by surprise