Hypnotised

Old tree bird fishlock is in great voice here. This is a really great album. It evaded me at the time but I would have been all over this on release.

Crazy wild stuff from the 60s. I mean a lobster bib. I like the album cover. Undeniably interesting but not sure.... Sweet boys eh? Make sense. Irish. Oh Fergal....you sound almost like DK I provarocate... I have a head cold.

I never liked The Undertones, mainly because I could not stand Feargal Sharkey’s voice. Sure, Teenage Head is a great track, but it’s about their only track that qualifies, & it ain’t on this album. It’s not a terrible listen, but it does nothing for me. And it could be the worst cover of Under The Boardwalk I’ve ever heard. Two stars.

'Teenage Kicks' is a pretty good single (although maybe not as great as John Peel rated it). But I, in all my years of voraciously consuming all manner of independent and alternative music, have never heard a note or read a word of this album. In the opening songs, Feargal Sharkey sings ""It's never too late to enjoy dumb entertainment", which is an understandable and promising mission statement. I enjoy a fun record of upbeat pop songs as much as anyone, and the essence of rock and roll is the balance of smart and dumb. It's just a shame this album isn't that, try as it might. It is almost completely lacking in entertainment value. The songs are banal and forgettable. The production is flat and lacklustre. I suspect that the Undertones were a pretty good live band, but they seem freaked out to be in the studio, and are desperately trying to play 'well'. The efforts to buff off the rough edges has resulted in a polite and anodyne recording with little character or energy and not a lot of joy. Plus, there is the fact that Feargall Sharkey has one of the most annoying voices in music. Tolerable for maybe 2-3 minutes of a single, an album's worth of his incessant warbling makes me want to scrape out my ears with a rusty fork. Plus, this record has possibly the worst cover art I have ever seen (and that includes 'Alien Lanes' by Guided by Voices). What were they thinking? I am bored and disappointed by this album, and not at all entertained. It fails on its own terms. It's not hateful, but just a boring waste of effort. The only good reason to review this record is to repeat a story I once heard about Feargal Sharkey's 1980s solo career. His record company was trying (with some success) to break him in the USA, and feared that Americans wouldn't know how to pronounce his name. So, they put little pictures to guide pronunciation; a fur coat, a seagull, a shark and a padlock and key. Fur-gull-shark-key. Apparently, however, wags at the record company started to refer to him as "Coatbird Fishlock". And so, forevermore, he shall be Coatbird Fishlock to me.

Con una portada horrorosa se presenta el segundo álbum de los Undertones. Continuación de un debut impresionante plagado de memorables éxitos. Este Hypnotized no está a ese insuperable nivel pero con píldoras como See that girl o My perfect cousin sí que se le acerca. Desde la inicial More songs about chocolate and girls cumple con lo que promete. Lejos de las estridencias de otras bandas coetáneas ofrecen 15 esplendorosas canciones en menos de 40 minutos. Otros discos de ese 1980 fueron (al margen de London Calling que uno no sabe si ponerlo en 1979 o en 1980) los de ACDC, Joy Division, Talking Heads, The B-52´s, The Cramps, Bauhaus, Echo and the Bunnymen, Bruce Springsteen, OMD, The Police, Kurtis Blow, Diana Ross, The Feelies, Peter Gabriel, Prince, Genesis, Adam and the Ants, Van Morrison, David Bowie, Paul McCartney o Siouxise and the Banshees...

Early 1980s British pop-punk rock album, it was good, and quite fun but nothing outstanding.

My perfect cousin está guay

Meh. Some songs were kinda fun but it started to sound the same after a few songs. Not my cup of tea.

Undertones acing the difficult second album effortlessly. A few more sixties influences, an inessential cover and the snap and bite of a top guitar band. The songwriting stands up really well, it is difficult to make songs that sound so simple, yet so complete. 4.25.

Album cover is fantastic. Unfortunately, the music doesn't do much to get me going. It is fine enough pop-punk, but I don't really like pop-punk. It has always seemed to me a disingenuous fusion of genres. There were a few points that stood out, but general feel is that I would have rather spent my time elsewhere. Low 3 for me.

Hilarious album cover. Kinda feels like punk meets beach rock. Kevin = Cuzzo #1. So perfect. So golden.

Zack said of the last Undertones \"Undertones? More like Underwhelmings\" and I have laughed at that every time I see it. That being said this album makes me feel the same way. I look back at my last review and gave it a 2. This album was probably better because I did not hate it but it is a low 3

This album cover is hilarious wtf. A few songs in and this dudes voice is familiar. They had to be in one of the Tony Hawk games. Love the rendition of Under The Boardwalk. I was gonna make a joke about them naming a song after Tim or Allie and then realized it’s me! Thanks Undertones! No thanks to Tim or Allie for not writing a song about me.

Not a pop-punk guy by any means, but this was way better than than 90% of the albums that aren't really something I NEED to hear. Enjoyable.

2.9/5. catchup on 5/16/24.

Es un rock crudo, duro y básico que no deja mucho.

Decent british rock/punk album. nothing to write home about but I like their cover of Under the Boardwalk. The rest kind of sounds like punk flavored Beatles/Elvis Costello. Not the worst but not the best.

1. chocolate and girlz - 1 2. norman - 1 3. hypnotized - 1 4. that girl - 0 5. kidz - 1 6. boarduualk - 1 7. girlz talk - 1 8. hard luck - 1 9. couzin - 1 10. boyz - 1.5 11. tear proof - 0 12. uuednezday - 1 13. nine timez - 1 14. dont talk - 1.5 15. terry - 1 16 hard luck - 1.5 17. zee you again - 1 18. told you zo - 1.5

Really catchy, I love their sound. A touch pop-punky but without much edge.

“Wednesday Week” was the only song I knew on this album, and it’s not even the best song!

Not for me

This has a great start but kind of couldn't keep me interested.

Decent, but not noteworthy

early 80's

"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.

the lead singer Feargal Sharkey sounds so much like Brian Ferry of Roxy Music, I was tripping. I enjoyed it, although it got a wee bit repetitive. Liked “The Way Girls Talk” although I hope its satirical.

Mindless fun. I liked their other album on this list better but this one wasn't bad either. Definitely don't need two albums here but I'm not sure which one deserves it more.

I was unimpressed by this. Nothing about it stood out. It was just an ok album that I got bored of after two songs.

It was punk but with some of the rough edges sanded off. Was decent enough to listen to.

Enjoyed, but minus points for murdering Under the boardwalk

Enjoyed this a ton, but it was a bit too samey for a 5/5. Easy 4 though

This verges on five territory but never quiet gets there. I reckon you could draw a pretty clean line from them to AMs first album though - very similar energy, lyrical themes etc.

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.

#200. Standard British punk rock fare. 3/5: fine Song added to playlist: More Songs About Chocolate and Girls I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

skemmtilegt tyggjópönk.

I like what I like, and I like stupid but strangely introspective pop-punk bands. I’m more surprised that I like it done by these Mad Lads, because often UK-isms prove to be a barrier for me, but I guess my love for pop punk clearly supersedes everything else. Not like this is flawless, life-changing, or even essential, arguably. But what pop punk album is?

There has to be 1001 better albums than this.

This is a new album for me. It’s great! I love this bold and upbeat sounds. I keep bopping as I listen to it even though I’m in public. Nice cover of The Beach Boys. Also Boys Will Be Boys reminded me of Blur’s song?

Thirty eight minutes of rapid fire poppy punky tuuuuuunes!!! Had a good time with this one for sure!

Nice sounding album

generic tony hawk sounding punk with some clever lyrics.

A vocal quality like Panic at the Disco and some pop beats. I just learned it’s called vocal waver. Just plain fun. The “Under the Boardwalk” cover is cool. Unfortunately, the 2nd half of the album is a little more juvenile in theme and music style.

songs about chocolate and girls isch fuunny. there goes norman mann er gangt afoch. hypnotised au cool. see that girl isch easy tight und s vibrato im gsang isch recht geil. ui akustischi gitarre solo. under the boardwalk isch en riese banger und isch e geils cover findi. sie nemed sich null ernst. perfect cousin hetmer gfalle langsam chumi uf de gschmack. nine times out of ten cooli vibrato gitarre. und B-Teil sehr cool. GIRLS THAT DONT TALK riese banger whats with terry sehr funny. sie funny. hard luck afoch es groovy instrumental. i dint wanna see you again isch huere churz rockabilly time fangt ah und isch gad wieder fertig. hahahah youre such a stupid cow oke fertig. ah das sind eh bonustracks byebye. äh vieri

oke es isch recht punkig oke reltaiv churzi lieder mit vill hooks und mengisch grossem fokus uf rhythmus no cool dass wednesday week mal chli en andere vibe het, also nöd jur chli funny sondern chli seriöser würkt? allgemein chli hüfig "guuuuurls", vlt het de sean paul mitgsunge? d hindergrund gsäng erinneret mich mengisch ad ramones ja mengisch chli sehr silly aber han e huere gueti ziit gha und ich liebs albumcover hahahaha

I like Irish Punk(s) music. I had forgotten this band, glad it popped up today I’m going to enjoy them all over again and hopefully not forget them all over again.

Cool riffs. Quirky punk with catchy vocals. I liked it more than I thought I would

This their second album on the list. It is just kind of there. It's a pu k album Relatively short but no desire to listen to it again.

I like this. It doesn't do anything great, but it's decent quality, poppy punk.

This album is a good example of UK punk with a very obvious rockabilly and surf rock influence. The melodies here are memorable and the bass work particularly stands out. It was interesting to hear moments that lean into pop and predict the rise of pop punk in the 90s. I'm not sure how groundbreaking this album is, but it is a good entry into the history of punk.

the undertones straddled between the pop and punk genres so well. the lyrics could be wry (for the punk genre) or light (for pop). the combination made hypnotized flow extremely well. perhaps a bit forgettable, but i'm not going to forget a song like "my perfect cousin" any time soon. a delightful addition to this album was their "under the boardwalk" cover, which already is a fun song but i love the punch they added to it. as a side note, the album cover and its origin is so amusing.

This might be kind of sacrilege, but I think the addition of pop to punk is a lot of fun! While I am no expert on the pop-punk timeline, I feel like the 1980 Undertones occurrence of pop-punk is a pretty early example that likely had lasting effects for decades to come. I won't say I was completely wowed by this album, but I found it to be a fun listen from start to finish, and from a band I had never heard of!

It's fun music, though pretty derivative of other punk bands in the same era. I don't think much new ground was covered here. Also, 15 tracks is a lot to stomach in under 40 minutes; given the high-energy sound, it would've been good to have a few longer, slower tracks for a better full-album experience. Good instrument playing – well, as good as the punk genre allows. The issue with punk is that it's very difficult to showcase good musicianship when the genre's existence hinges on sticking it to the "music elite" by playing simply (and sometimes haphazardly). It doesn't leave as much room for creativity as other genres. I will give The Undertones credit for having clean, fresh music production, particularly in the lead and bass guitars. The vocals also meshed well with the other instruments. It meant that all the tracks honestly sounded great – at least, in isolation. I'd be tapping my foot along to any of these tracks in the car (especially the key tracks – see below). An entire album full of tracks with very similar energy, though, is harder to stomach. Key tracks: More Songs About Chocolate And Girls, Hypnotised, Whizz Kids, My Perfect Cousin, Wednesday Week

pretty standard old school punk, nothing too flashy or crazy but a lot of solid riffs and fun lyrics. some songs may be a little too basic

It's giving Beach Boys / Monkees in the 80s?

there's better Undertones records

Hypnotised isn't good. It's not so bad as to warrant a 1 but it doesn't do anything special, remarkable, talented or memorable. We've had better examples of punk or pop from adjacent bands from the same era, and there are better left off here. It's so inexorably bland, the lowest of 2s.

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.

Great record and and love the fact that although there are a lot of songs , they are of the perfect length and very precise

# 196 : I don't love it. I don't hate it, it is ok if kind of dull. Fav Track : There Goes Norman

What a mediocre album. Nothing special, nothing outstanding. All kinda samesies.

Not bad for Irish white men rock, but not the most outstanding album. Favourites: more songs about chocolate and girls, there goes norman, hard luck (again) - B-side version, I told you so. 4/5

Pretty funky, not a super standout album but it's enjoyable enough. I liked the instrumentals, pretty creative melodies and solid drum line throughout. The lyrics were quite repetitive in a lot of the songs though, which definitely hindered my enjoyment of the album. Most of the songs also sound like the type of songs you hear at the start of a shitty late-90s/early-2000s movie that's set in mid-80s high school while the main character (blond and does sports) gets ready for school. A little generic to be honest, definitely not something people need to listen to before they die. High 3/5 for listening experience but definitely not a must listen. If they owned a thesaurus definitely could've been a 4. Favourites: Under The Boardwalk, Hard Luck, Wednesday Week

Kind of just a bunch of fun and silly songs and lots of singing about girls on this one. Also My Perfect Cousin is so real. Favourites are There Goes Norman, See That Girl, and Under The Boardwalk. I'm a big fun enjoyer so here's another 4

not bad

I enjoyed this much more than expected. Not too punk, not too hardcore.

Being Irish, I could be biased and rate it high But their music isn't what I'm into, so it's a 2

Not too bad. Definitely some fun guitar riffs throughout the whole album. The band doesn’t take themselves too seriously and it sounds like they just had some fun with it.

Excellent record! Great songs, flows nicely.

My Perfect Cousin is the standout track here. When this came out, I had a perfect cousin a little like Kevin. He didn't have a sheepskin jacket, but this song could be about him anyway. Whenever I hear it, I think of my cousin. The rest of the album isn't great, just plodding along punk/pop that all gets a bit samey. Two stars seems a little mean, but it's not quite a 3.

A kind of surf-punk thing, a little samey but still a good sound.

Underdone.

why yes, I *do* have a perfect cousin

This is fun

Hard Luck was okay. The rest was the rest.

😁cool

Palatable punk. Whats With Terry has a fantastic guitar riff!

Just some songs. Not particularly bad, just not particularly good.

Not a big punk fan, but I liked the singer

Should they be talking about Terry like that?

Minus one star for ripping off Talking Heads

Splendid

There's nothing objectionable here, but it leaves me saying "So what?". Maybe I am ignorant to the historical significance and it pioneered a sound that became common afterwards, but I'm not getting it.

You never know if you're going to get godlike or crap when you see weird album covers like this. But something made my spider sense tingle, and this time it was definitely the latter. There wasn't anything technically wrong with the album really, but more that it was 0% musically interesting to me. I initially thought I had found originators of 'Under the Boardwalk', but nope. This was just a sucky version. After finishing it felt like a 2 star, but the more I thought about it I realized I didn't like anything with it, so 1 star felt more fitting.

Here and there, there are moments of really good hooks. "Wednesday Week" has a really good riff. "Whizz Kids" was also fun. The rest was bordering to annoying. Sure som of the punk songs were ok but the lows were pretty bad (the "Under the boardwalk" cover particularly sticks). Not really my jam.

Positive vibes. Too poppy for my taste.

Not at all interesting.

4+/5

C'était fun.

Having never heard The Undertones I only had this album cover to go off of. Not gonna lie, it pre-disposed me towards them. And yet, on my second time around the record, I continue to be unimpressed overall. It is perfectly fine pub rock with some hints of a punkier approach to songwriting underneath. But it's also kind of unremarkable listening with over 40 years of history between it and me. I does not strike me as a necessary or vital record when trying to craft a list of 1001 albums one must hear before they die.

It was fine.

Love The Undertones. They’re my favorite group in the post punk genre, which I usually can’t stand. This album is fun and catchy. Incredible production, surprisingly original writing, and cheeky vocals that are just so charming. Certainly pleased. 4/5

Fun little british punk album. Not much to write home about but still an enjoyable listen.

Punkyish, Ramonesish, Buzzcockish. It’s not bad but not sure it should be on this list. 5/10

There’s definitely a formula The Undertones follow for every song. Occasionally, a great song comes out of it. More often than not, it’s only good.

rlly fun listen!! reminds me of talking heads. i added a bunch to my playlist 4/5

Punk rock, pop punk.

Holy.... this album was so long that I could barely go through the whole thing, it took 45 minutes to go through the whole thing (well, I took break, so it took me a few hours). It's not bad but the whole thing sounded like a very generic album, which could've been fine for its time but it was too much for me. It started off alright but by the end, I had already understood their whole thing. The most exciting feeling that I felt today was when I realised that the album had ended.

Pure 80’s punk. Sweet. Listenable.

better than expected, why were none of these bangers more popular than teenage kicks?

Still completely fine pop punk. I liked this one better than their debut. Opening your second album with a track about how you had way less time to write songs than you did with your first album is fun.

i wish i hadnt heard this album. this album does indeed make me go do you have the fucking maturity of a 5 yr old. they seem kinda misogynist. i cannot BELIEVE the last song on the album is that. idk maybe im just a bitch who doesnt have fun but like bro. uhhh anything good at all the last notes of wednesday week (yes ik its generally in the song) and the opening of tearproof. uhh the bit at like 1:54 of 9/10 (and by extension the bit immediately before). opening of girls that don't talk ig. this makes me think that if they had a darker sound and were less fucking annoying i could enjoy it. i think i dont like some of the things they do musically which unfortunately means i should relisten and pull up the stupid fucking sheet music+/ tabs to jot down what they are so special fuck u to the undertones for making me do that 2 bc im sure its crafted perfectly well i just hate it

I'm going to make a point in saying that a 1 on this website in particular is not bad every time, but sometimes its just me saying "This album is just alright and I don't think it belongs in the 1001". Hypnotised is a good listen for someone who follows the history of The Undertones sonic development but anyone looking for a cultural touchstone may find it more difficult to latch onto than their self-titled. Songs are less poppy, lyrics are sardonic but still a bit cutesy. The melodies don't land as well here.

Quand même une belle découverte! Plusieurs chansons courtes. C'est rythmé, la guitare et la basse sont bonnes. À réécouter for sure. Proche du 4.

Fun 80’s Brit rock, reminiscent of groups like Swueeze and The Kinks

Early 80’s British rock.

I've never enjoyed this type of music.

Loved it

Solid 4

Favorites: none Not my thing

This isn't hitting me quite as hard as their debut, but it's still really good IMHO. A solid 4 with room to grow perhaps.

This was a nice surprise. There was another undertones record on here that I liked enough but this one really grabbed me. Great sound throughout.

Upbeat but repetitive

Originally from Northern Ireland, the Undertones are a fairly unknown group in the United States. Their upbeat rhythm and spunky songwriting gives them the sound of a British punk rock band. This whole album is fun and energetic.

Less immature Dead Milkmen?

Solid stuff! I enjoyed this

Pretty good, solid, sounds like The Undertones all the way through, not much more to add

Bass work is pretty good. Otherwise underwhelming. Solid 2.

Well-written pop punk before pop punk was really a genre. Massively well known in the UK for Teenage Kicks, but they are offering something a little different here, and I'm here for it.

First listen Saved 8/15: Hypnotised; See That Girl; Hard Luck; Boys Will Be Boys; Tearproof; Wednesday Week; Girls That Don't Talk; What's with Terry

Songs about girls, pervs, weirdos, and dweeby cousins. Solid pop punk that is a product of its time but I think has aged very well and even feels modern in some ways. I dig the guitar work which I thought was creative and fun (a little more surfy, which is to be expected), and a lot of the cuts are nice standouts. I found I enjoyed this album more as it progressed and fits nicely between and alongside Camper Van Beethoven and the Descendents.

Interesting listen for 1980. Somewhere between punk and devo.

Ja, ist ok. War für 1980 schon gut. Kann man sich mal anhören aber nichts für die Ewigkeit.

Cool upbeat record with a lot ofd memorable hooks! I need to listen to this band more. Standout tracks: There Goes Norman, Hypnotised, Whizz Kids, The Way Girls Talk, My Perfect Cousin, Tearproof, Nine Times Out Of Ten, Girls That Don’t Talk, 7,5 out of 10

Good listen worth another.

Kinda fun. Can see why they toured with The Clash. Very period-correct mild punk.

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.

Late 70's British Pop, no thanks.

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.

ton sous ton

4/5 Pretty great

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

Eine gute 3: kann man durchhören, bleibt aber auch nicht hängen. Na gut, das kurze "Boys will be boys" nehme ich mal mit.

Not my jam. Not bad, just nothing grabbed me.

Some more playful pop punk tracks by the early punk sensations The Undertones. Just like the Ramones, they're catchy and melodic simple dance tunes singing about teenage angst and girls. Some songs like "Hard Luck" and "Wednesday Week" have something off about them that make them intriguing and stand out. Lots of great tracks, and lots of ok ones. It started off great with the first 4. Most of the ones on the second half are forgettable, or maybe I just got tired of it all. I could pick out things I liked, like the beat in "Nine Times Out of Ten", the dark groovy bass on "Tearproof", the anxious fast instrumental and ghastly back vocals on "Boys Will Be Boys", or the playful acoustic at the end of "What's With Terry". But they felt like little quirks that still involved the same high-pitched lead vocals and chorus sound. Perhaps they felt incomplete. "Wednesday Week" is my favorite and is a track that does feel thought-out and complete, even though the ending intentionally ends on an off-note. Finally, I'm sure it was intentional, but the "live" effect of "Under the Boardwalk" sticks out poorly, but it does feel alive and warm. Favorites: There Goes Norman, Hypnotised, Under the Boardwalk, Wednesday Week

Born and Bred Derry wan here. Undertones are part of the dna. Feargals vibrato however can do one and get in the Foyle

Doesn’t do anything that really makes me stand up and pay attention. ‘Hypnotised’ is a pleasant enough pop punk record, and it’s fine when it’s on, but it’s just not something I ever see myself seeking out to listen to again.

Painful

I had not heard of the Undertones. Creative lyrics, interesting subject matter, but not 'my lane' of music. I skipped thru most and stopped at "Hard Luck".

I know this is from 1980 (when I was a teenager), but I get strong Scott Pilgrim soundtrack vibes from this. As an American, The Undertones music never hit my airwaves, and that's a shame.

Had a few solid moments, just had trouble really getting into the album as a whole.

Feo feo

That late 70s punky pop punk sound. I am glad it happened, because it led to great things, but I don't really enjoy it

This album is fun. I didn't know the Undertones before this, but it's pretty good early 80's pop punk. Definitely something I'd listen to again.

Decent little album. I wasn't super impressed with it, but I liked it. Anything punkish is probably gonna get decent marks from me though. I don't see myself turning this on again intentionally, but I'd bob along to it on the radio. 3.25/5

This is one thing I like about this project, discovering gems I haven’t got around to. Pretty fine rootsy punk, I can’t believe I missed this! B

Lean, tight, and featuring a healthy sense of humor. A gem most Americans have probably never heard of.

This could have been my favorite album if it was foundational. As it is it's a good time but not much more. Fun and easily digestible.

no favorites to report>_<

This felt very "just fine" to me at first, not anything I'd put on again, but it's really picking up in the second half. Starting with "Wednesday Week", which was great. Probably a 2 for me overall. I wouldnt go out of my way to turn it off, and there were a few good songs, but nothing that really grabbed me.

This feels like a small step forward for punk rock from the Dictators. Similarly poppy and also covers a super old pop song. Better, but still not amazing.

This may be one of those situations where since this has been released, there’s been so many albums of the same genre released since that are much better. I found this to be generic, boring and uninspired. The humour they were going for, well I just didn’t find it funny. They didn’t lean into the punk or the pop enough and seemed to just play it safe and boring. I’m gonna listen to a Jeff Rosenstock album to wash taste of the Undertones away. 2 stars

Ok

I don't normally like the genre of The Undertones (et al.) but I found the album fun and an overall enjoyable listening experience. If I was into that genre, several of those songs would be on my regular rotation.

Has some great moments

Not for me. The voice is too warbly and the music doesnt excite me. Sorry

I listened a while ago and while I remember enjoying it, I don't remember much about it. Will I listen to again: 30%

Pretty good

Fun simple

Eh, not my jam.

A short while ago I thought the undertones were a bit of a one hit wonder band - what a total moron! Bangers everywhere! 4.1

First time hearing of the Undertones. Enjoyed their pop, almost surf sound

Lots of early punk/ indie vibes 3 1st listen

The last song on this album contains an ultra-high frequency that channels the Men in Black memory wipe device and makes you immediately forget everything about this album once it is over. I don't remember anything about this, and I just finished listening. The singer could have been a Bulgarian 80-year old woman for all I know.

Yeah you can't go wrong with The Undertones. Possibly enjoy this more than the debut overall although I would say it's peaks are higher. Some I don't know, some I've known and loved all my life My Perfect Cousin the most obvious. Pop punk geniuses and noone sounds like Fergal Shearkey. This did well on Xmas day!

This is very fun music.

Ok now this is actually cute. Never heard of them. First song wasn’t it. But as the album played, I got hooked. This band is tight. The production is clean. The lead’s voice isn’t my favorite, but this really comes together as quality, classic punk. Fun songs, good beats, sweet riffs. They nailed some blues guitar. Even rearranged a cover song. There’s a real range here. This was a nice surprise. Will definitely revisit. I was going to say the lead sounds like guy who sings Teenage Kicks. Turns out it’s the guy who sings Teenage Kicks.

Very... happy for a punk album.

Fun times

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

I do not like this album. Let me explain why. The sound of the album is just kind of okay. It is passable early 80s punk rock. The bass is good at times. The singing is fine. It does nothing for me, but it's not inherently bad. Those are the positives. I don't like anything else. This might just be the most repetitive album I've ever listened to. Why does there need to be 15 songs if they all sound the same? All of these songs are practically the same thing, both in terms of sound and lyrics. Three of songs (20%) have the phrase "Boys will be boys", including a song of the name "Boys Will Be Boys". That should tell you what this album is like. Most of the songs are just about girls. That's it. I couldn't discern anything else! This album has absolutely no lasting impression; not just on me, but on culture as a whole. This album does not deserve to be on this list. I. Don't. Like. It. 1/5.

Another average album. Better than I expected but nothing too special. 7/10 Top 3: 1. Under the Boardwalk 2. There Goes Norman 3. Hypnotized

Loved it. Just good fun and energy, not taking itself too serious. Just my kind of jam.

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

I could see how some of these songs might be considered catchy and likable - if they weren’t all on an album together. It’s just repetitive track after repetitive track, and I was over it about a quarter of the way into the album.

This was fun. Who knew Feargal Sharkey came from this? Solid new wave, slightly punk-ish

3.75

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

3.7

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

Pop punk. Tiene la original de una que luego versionó (cogió la melodía) la Polla. Un 4.

Fun and cheeky, like the first record, only lighter-hearted and maybe slightly more diverse in feel. Though effective musically, "Under the Boardwalk" maybe feels like a piss-taking too far. Vocal harmonies are strong throughout, tones and moods make sense, and in the content and attitude, there's real authenticitiy, a genuine-article feel around this band, an early template of what first-gen, immeditately post-punk, indie pop/rock could and should be. "Wednesday Week" is a winner. "Chocolate & Girls" is just another way of saying sex and drugs and rock and roll, right?

Not really a big fan of punk. It was alright.

Fun early punk pop. Not blowing me away musically, but fun nonetheless.

Reckon I'd have been into this when I was a teenager but it just wasn't really doing anything for me as a grown ass 35 year old woman. I found the vocals a bit grating and some of the songs felt a bit repetitive and lazy (in my opinion). Or maybe I'm just a philistine+

Listen to the first song and you've heard the whole album

2.5

Uh

fun album, would listen to it again

Pop punk. Tiene la original de una que luego versionó (cogió la melodía) la Polla. Un 4.

Punk rock, pop punk

It was decent.

Punks from Derry Northern Ireland. As I remember it was fun to listen to it.

Not my fave, I can tell that it’s creative but honestly it just sounds like a couple of high school boys coming up with noise in the basement for me

18 lyhyttä ja iskevää kappaletta, jotka osoittavat huumorintajun lievää hallintaa, taitoa kasata tarttuvia melodioita ja brittivittuilua joka erottuu rockin tasapaksusta valtavirtatarjonnasta

ok

I'm actually surprised, but I liked this album! Fun and lighthearted melodies, mostly with positive vibes (not looking into lyrics though), just overall pleasantly looking record. In my uneducated opinion this type of music is so much better than other 80s post punk pretenders.

Mid

Meh.

Enjoyable 80s Brit-pop. New to me and a few nice catchy tunes. I'd give it another listen and see what grows on me.

Didn’t really pay much attention. I did like some songs but overall a 2

…What are we even doing here, man. I'm on an educational journey here when it comes to punk and punk-adjacent, but you can't show me groups up to actually interesting stuff (X-ray Spex, for example) and then expect me to be interested in something that's this tepid.

very cool album. early punk sounds. not a huge fan of punk music, but this album was worth checking out.

Brilliant concise pop music - I love the LP's that come in under 40 minutes! As good and exciting as their first album - a neat and clever follow up. Easy four stars.

Sympa, j’aime bien les chansons rythmées et rock, par contre je ne pense pas les écouter régulièrement.

Bon album pour commencer la journée du bon pied mais un peu répétitif. Je verrais bien cet album en BO d'un jeu Tony Hawk.

Fun listen. Much preferred to more prominent punk bands from the era.

I had not heard of this band or heard any of their music before, and it's an enjoyable fun album for the most part. At times, it gets a little gimmicky to my ears but overall it's good rock/pop stuff.

Quite sexist, outated lyrics

- punky, I like - 3/5

Better than a 3 but not quite a 4. I will listen to at least some of it again.

What fun! Vibrato sneer is friendly and fun. Crunchy punky little pop songs and takes itself not at all seriously. Nothing not to like!

Hah! Not many 80's punk/ska fun jammin albums made it on to this list. A nice combination of catchy songs and a cover or two. I dug it.

Just some generic punk. But its vocals are not that annoying so I guess that's a plus.

Dead Kennedys x Devo crossover in a good way.

Good fun all around, and notably tight and crisp playing and "Wednesday Week" is the best of the lot. "On the Boardwalk" musta seemed funny at the time. Though it set a template for much that was to come, it's not exactly life-changingly memorable.

Lost track

Bastante fresco aunque nada reseñable al final. La primera impresión fue mejor que el resto. 2.5-3/5

🤷‍♂️

It's beginning to sound a bit dated now. Contains their hit "My Perfect Cousin".

Walked in completely cold. Until it occurred to me the band's early single 'Teenage Kicks' featured in the film Good Vibrations (tl;dr: want to open a record store and foster the underground punk movement in 70s 'The Troubles' era Ireland? Challenge accepted). Think 80's pop-punk, reminiscent of Madness and DEVO. Maybe The Specials? Can hear influences of early Beatles, Ramones and the Buzzcocks. Not a repeat listen for me, but I'm thankful to have listened to it. Overall: 5/10

chuli, chulito

nondescript with no lasting impression. half the songs are about girls or boys. very weird.

Why do you do this to me 1001 albums

Very indicative of what the '80s would become, but not particularly memorable.

good energy but boring compositions for the most part, some good choruses but the music ends up being mid, but the lyrics are so simple that you pay attention and I kinda like that One of the first time the UK-ness of an artist has put them off, their diction and attitude and all that ends up being repulsive lmao. I normally like anything that seems low-brow like that, but with those lyrics about boys will be boys and girls all the time, its just a bad combo. Maybe I just would not like Irish (punk?)

After this being my second Undertones album, I just was able to piece together that I know them from a compilation of Irish hits that my family had back in the day. Love making these connections! Solid album and up the Irish, of course.

Never heard of this band, and this is not what I expected to hear when I saw this labeled as punk. It's fine. I did really like the cover of Under the Boardwalk. 3/5

Better then the previous Undertones album from a few weeks ago. On that one I said they were pretty much copying The Ramones and Clash and that influence is here but they have their own sound now. While not my favorite it's a decent listen with improved songs and playing gets moved from 2 to 3 stars!

Was expecting another Teenage Kicks-like romp but this was a fun, unexpected detour that showed some great range. Did start to wear thin by the end, but luckily the short tracks meant any melodic missteps were relatively minor and most were pretty fun

Fun album with pretty unique sounding vocals and heavy instrumentals. Favorite track: Under the Boardwalk

It was just music? I don’t know how this made the list because it was nothing special, just generic garage music with misogynistic lyrics. I give it 2 stars because it’s listenable, I just don’t want to listen to it.

It's just ok, kinda dull and really lacks any energy. Sounds as if they recorded this at 6am on Sunday after drinking all night.

Late 70’s pseudo-punk/power pop with the quavering vocals of Feargal Sharkey. Solid music, but… that voice kind of gets to me.

A straight forward 70s punk album. Less energy from their first one.

I didn't like this as much as their S/T, but I still liked it quite a bit. Will listen again.

3.6 - Bright, uncluttered punk with some terrific hooks and solid production. “See That Girl” is a standout, especially with its unexpected acoustic guitar solo. Some of the adolescent themes sound a little cringey as delivered by a fully adult-sounding singer - reminds me a lot of Violent Femmes in this way. Also songs like “Whizz Kids” feature some dated lingo but somehow I find the corniness here endearing.

Pretty generic new wave pop punk. Kind of forgettable to be honest. Not bad but..

Fun listen

Fun album that isn't serious at all. I guess you could get that impression from the lobster bibbed lads on the cover.

This sounds like a million other post punk, clash, buzzcock clones

Algumas doses de diversão via punk.

LOVE IT! FEEL GOOD MUSIC FOR THE MASSES!

first listen underwhelming

This wasn’t too bad of an album. I let it play in the background while doing housework and wasn’t inclined to turn it off, so it was alright. Typical 80s radio music, but there were a couple songs that reminded me a lot of Billy Talent! Listen again: probably not Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song: none stick out to me

Immediately forgot 100% of this album. I don't think it was bad, just had not memorability. Going back for a second listen the next morning. It's kinda fun, like groovy Irish punk?

I like it, but their debut was better. Favorite song: Hypnotised

5/10. I'd like to challenge these guys to write a song without the words "girl" or "boy" in it.

If you told me you had an album that was new wave with punk influences made by a group from Derry, I think I would have imagined this exact album. 6/10

This album is just fine. Personally, i think that there isn't anything interesting happening here. Maybe If I had listened to this album the year it originally came out I would think it was more unique, but at this point it was just a whatever album. I do like their lobster shirts

Will need a second listen on another day, but it’s good straightforward pop punk. Enjoyed the listen!

In true punk rock fashion, 15 songs 38 minutes. love it. Except for the first song. That was just weird.

I enjoyed the quirky punk pop. The Undertones have a little Jello Biafra/Dead Kennedys sound with a bit cleaner poppier tone. Though Allmusic calls Under the Boardwalk a misstep, I really enjoyed this cover. Definitely a different fun energy. Overall enjoyable listen.

possibly my favourite album cover of all time. just some guys being dudes.

Punk pop at its finest. Almost a perfect album. docked a 1/2 star for the out of place cover of Down on the Boardwalk. 4.5 stars

Just not a fan

Pop punk isn’t usually my thing but I found this to be pretty decent and entertaining throughout Cover art is awesome too Favourite tracks: There Goes Norman, Hypnotised, My Perfect Cousin

Surprised I had never heard of them since they are what I listened to in college. Part punk and part New Wave

I like their sound and feels quite cohesive.

Didn’t expect to enjoy it so much. Early pop punk which stands in contrast to the politics of the Sex Pistols or the diversity of The Clash, but very catchy songs. Far better than The Ramones following essentially the same formula.

It was fine. 2.5/5

Entertaining, catchy tunes, unique vocal tonality. I enjoyed it overall. Would listen to again.

Who’d have thought The Undertones had more songs than Teenage Kicks?! This kinda sounded exactly like I expected really. Punk rock that doesn’t ever sound too angry or serious. It’s alright, but I’ve got little else to say about this which sounds quite similar to its contemporaries

Think I've only ever heard teenage kicks from the undertones but this was pretty good. Sounded like the precursor to a lot of pop punk in parts which I preferred but then it was a bit all over the place. First half definitely better than the second, hope the teenage kicks album comes up and that it kicks on from this.

Wasn't really for me this. It took me a while to get through, didn't find it very interesting. On the one hand, that the songs were in general a bit daft I liked, but on the other, it didn't offer anything musically. My favourite song was the cover of Under The Boardwalk. Just a really meh listen.

Had not really listened to The Undertones before but I thought this was great. I love a bit of Pop-Punk and didn't realise these guys were one of the first bands in this genre. Highlights: More Songs about Chocolate and Girls Hypnotised Tearproof I Told You So

Know a few undertones songs but never listened to an album. This sounded pretty much as I would've expected and I really enjoyed it. Doesn't take itself too seriously, fun and energetic Not sure it needed an under the boardwalk cover, but I'll let it off Bonus points for mentioning subbuteo in the lyrics for "my perfect cousin". Can't be many songs that do that. Highlights: Hypnotised Whizz kids My perfect cousin Wednesday week I told you so

Back in the day!

Good post punk fun

Good wholesome punky fun

Good fun. Banging tunes and killer tracks alongside some standard punk rock. Very enjoyable though.

Upbeat, pop-punk, good fun!

Una gran colección de pistas de power pop, inspirados por el punk y también las tendencias new wave. Lo más destacable del trabajo, es el año en que fue lanzado, precediendo a algunos de los álbumes más destacados del mismo género. Bastante interesante.

Catchy and more enjoyable than I was expecting.

Great fun and upbeat album, not the biggest fan of the vocalist's wobbly vibrato but still q good listen

I am getting sleepy. Very sleepy

Brit pop-rock, nothing too notable

Too fun for any less than a 3.

Always liked the undertones nice to hear songs other than Teenage Kicks

Sure why not, 5stars

I can accept this is good but I don't really like his voice at all. That warbly thing just doesn't do it for me. But the actual songs are cool.

Polite punk? Never really gets hard but consistently good. Enjoyed it

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.

I had never even heard of this band before. I liked this album fine, but it bored me at the same time, possibly because most of the albums I’ve been getting so far have been European punk and I’m craving variety. There were some good, catchy songs. I particularly liked “There Goes Norman,” “Wednesday Week,” and “What’s With Terry.” Overall this is getting a 3 because I’m glad I experienced this album, as I likely wouldn’t have found it on my own.

Genres: Punk rock, pop punk Formed: Derry, Northern Ireland in 1974 Run time: 18 songs, 45 min, 15 sec The second of four albums released by the band. The songs are short, most are between two and three minutes long. I became aware of Feargal Sharkey in the late 80’s when he had a number of solo hits. It wasn’t until many years later I discovered he’d already been famous with The Undertones. Spotify: Least popular song: >77.5k Most popular song: >6.5M plays. The only track I recognised is “My Perfect Cousin”, which I’ve known since I was a kid. Despite that, it only has just over 6.5M plays on Spotify, which astonished me. "More Songs About Chocolate and Girls" - the simple pleasures of youth. “There Goes Norman” - a song about a man who seems creepy and mysterious. The men think he’s to be feared, but the woman laughed about him”. “Hypnotised” - is about being hypnotised (besotted) whilst watching a woman dance. “See That Girl” - is another song about being besotted, but they are unable to do anything about it, presumably because of anxiety talking to girls. “Whizz Kids” - is about the yuppies of the 80’s, and the cost to personal relationships if following the route of money. “Under The Boardwalk” is a cover of the 1964 song made famous by the Drifters. I prefer the original, but they do it justice and make it their own, high energy version. “The Way Girls Talk” - reflecting on the difficulty of approaching a girl. The song highlights the difficulty in talking to and understanding the opposite sex. “Hard Luck” - seems to be about feeling resentful towards someone's success, despite the fact they’ve worked hard for it. “My Perfect Cousin” - is about someone being held up as an example of a perfect person. In reality he’s been given all the breaks and as a result is somewhat vain and self-obsessed. “Boys Will Be Boys” - is another song about life for a teenager. It’s about relationships and friends moving away and generally how life moves on despite wanting things to remain constant and unchanged. “Tearproof” - is about the objectification of women in the media and their strength to deal with this. “Wednesday Week” - is about the heartache and yearning after losing ‘the one’. “Nine Times Out of Ten” - is about the difficulties faced for those in love who also occasionally need their own space. “Girls That Don’t Talk” - is about the challenges teenage girls face. There may be many reasons why they are quiet, and to the rest of the world, those reasons are unknown. “What’s With Terry” - is about a boy not fitting in, in this case because he needed glasses. “Hard Luck” - see above “I Don’t Wanna See (You Again)” - is about dumping a girlfriend at the end of the relationship. “I Told You So” - is about the frustration caused by someone who ignores numerous warnings about their behaviour. The songs are short and all tell a tale. They are well written, to convey as much as they do in such a short space of time. They play well and Feargal Sharkey has a good voice that is easy to recognise. The naivety of the subject matter reflects the age of the band members and makes them easy to relate to by record buying teenagers. Listen Again?: No My Rating: ***

It reminds me a lot of the pop-punk/alternative stuff that would come later on, so extra points for being early/influential.

What the f@&$ is this?

Great licks, pitch perfect singer, bad lyrics

Biisi silloin tällöin voisi toimia, mutta levyllinen putkeen alkaa puuduttamaan. 2,49*

Ei kolahda erityisesti, vaikka ihan vekkulia settiä.

Good album, but I prefer the undertones other one

The most memorable thing about this album is by far the album cover like lmao. Otherwise it’s just another punk album with lame vocals about teenager stuff. This one had a couple redeeming qualities like the song hard luck and good instrumentation but nothing to bring it even close to a 4.

Not very interesting

not bad. kinda early pop-punk. I know their big hits, which aren't on this album, so I'm curious why this album made the list.

Skipped through the last few songs. I didn't hate it but only one song I like

Duger väl!

It's good basic R&R

Good record. Fun and immature. Side B got interesting. Worst cover song ever in 'under the boardwalk' 3.28stars

The energy is infectious and fun. The songs themselves are, er, how shall we say, unsophisticated? It's a fine listen, I guess. Faves: My Perfect Cousin, Wednesday Week. But why is this album on this list? 2.5

Not my thing

Nothing stood out to me, but it wasn't bad. I guess you could say it was a bit Under-whelming. Best track: What's With Terry