Horses

konji

This is an album I respect more than I enjoy. I'm terrible at understanding lyrics, and that's the major appeal of this album, so a lot of it went over my head, but what I did understand I enjoyed. Something that will probably grow on me with another listen or two.

A great energetic and varied album. Patti is really emotive with the raw vocals, and the instrumentals are really solid throughout. “Gloria” is a great opener, I love the way it builds and explodes into the chorus. I’m not so much of a fan of the next track, “Redondo Beach”, the reggae style doesn’t do much for me and I think Patti can stray into sounding a bit grating here. “Birdland” is absolutely phenomenal, a 9 minute epic that starts with some soft smooth instrumentals with Patti almost whispering over the top. It builds slightly as Patti breaks into song. It’s over quickly though and we’re back to spoken word with the guitar dancing around in the background. From here it gradually builds, Patti and the piano picking up energy towards the climax and then fading again. Excellent. “Free Money” is probably my favourite track. The instrumentals just sound great on here, and Patti as well. I love Patti’s spoken word on “Land” with the furious guitar underneath. The sort of repurposing of Wilson Pickett’s “Land of 1000 dances” works surprisingly well. “Elegie” works really well as a haunting closer, the dark bass with the intermittent distorted guitar chords give it a lot of atmosphere.

Excellent album. Need to spend more time with it to digest it all, but I really dug it.

vibes, no creo que lo vuelva a escuchar

(87/100)

requires a certain mood

I’ve only known Gloria for years so good to finally do this one!

I had heard a lot about this album but never actually heard it. As a big REM fan I knew her from E-Bow the Letter and later on Blue. This was good but I was probably hoping for more from hype.

unexpected Banger - erinnert mich lowkey an bcnr und dire straits. Kann nur vom sound reden und free money ist crazy song wirklich, ziemlich antikapitalistisch, auch für diese Zeit sehr beeindruckend.

Oh this was a good one. Loved every minute! You can tell how influential she was as well as who was influencing her.

solid 70s rock album, started off strong and kept me engaged through the whole thing

Very poetic, would listen again

Hell yeah, Patti Smith. Such a solid album.

Love horses in art.

A beautiful album i barely even understand as its true narrative is hidden deep in its lyrics and spoken word passages, pretty sure it’s about personal freedom though, could be wrong. My standouts would be Break it up for being a clear banger and also Birdland and Land: Horses for being more spoken word.

4. Good and unique

Красивый альбом

JESUS DIED FOR SOMEBODY’S SINS BUT NOT MINE!!!! 🗣️ raw, poetic and so so influential. Patti is one of the OG cool girls chanson préférée : Free Money P.S. ça fait trois albums déjà (Physical Graffiti, Neon Bible et celui-là) qui ont une toune « plage » pis je tiens juste à souligner à quel point j’haïs ça. why is this a thing

Always a good listen. So many styles, timeless.

Pretty fun, the opening track is energetic as anything. 'Free Money' is a banger. The rest of the album unfolds rather nicely. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

4/5

4.5 (43:10, 8 tracks, debut, 1975) Punk (Art Punk) Should this album be part of this list - 1000%, one of the most influential albums of all time. Do I love this album, not really, I love punk but it's a bit too artsy and not enough 'punk'; however I respect the hell out of this album. It's like a non-Christian reading the bible just because of how many cultural references and literary allusions point to bible passages. Not listening to this album before you die would be a shame for any audiophile. This album, more so than any other (this is #202) is the most important to have 'listened to before I died.' Still I give it a 4. It's just not a classic. If I was given 100 albums to take to the deserted island and which I'd never get off . . . this wouldn't be one (though if I did take it, I bet I would learn to love it more.) RESPECT! The album cover features a black-and-white photograph of Patti Smith slinging a jacket over her shoulder. Singles from Horses "Gloria" Smith, supported by her regular backing band, recorded the album at Electric Lady Studios in September 1975, choosing former Velvet Underground member John Cale as the album's producer. The music on Horses was part of the minimalist punk rock aesthetic of the time. Smith and her band composed the album's songs using simple chord progressions, but also breaking from punk tradition in their propensity for improvisation and embrace of ideas from avant-garde and other musical styles. With Horses, Smith drew upon her backgrounds in rock music and poetry, aiming to create an album combining both forms. Her lyrics were alternately rooted in her own personal experiences, particularly with her family, and in more fantastical imagery. Horses was additionally inspired by Smith's reflections on the previous era of rock music—with two of its songs being adapted in part from 1960s rock standards, and others containing lyrical allusions and tributes to past rock performers—and her hopes for the music's future. Horses experienced modest commercial success and reached the top 50 of the Billboard album chart, while being widely acclaimed by music critics. Recognized as a seminal recording in the history of punk and later rock movements, Horses has appeared in numerous lists of the greatest albums of all time. In 2009, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation into the National Recording Registry as a "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" work. By 1974 Patti Smith and her backing band frequently performance live in NYC; a popular act in the underground rock music scene. Their highly attended two-month residency at the New York City club CBGB with the band Television created hype. Clive Davis, scouting for artists for his label Arista Records was impressed by her live performance. Davis offered Smith a seven-album recording deal with Arista. Smith had written poetry for several years before becoming a musician, and entered the music industry because she thought "the presentation of poetry wasn't vibrant enough". For her debut album, her primary aim was to merge poetry and rock music, which then developed into a "larger mission" to "pump blood back into the heart of rock'n'roll". The title Horses reflected Smith's desire for a rejuvenation of rock music, which she found had grown "calm" in reaction to the social turmoil of the 1960s and the deaths of numerous prominent rock musicians of that era. "Psychologically, somewhere in our hearts," she stated shortly after the album's release, "we were all screwed up because those people died ... We all had to pull ourselves together. To me, that's why our record's called Horses. We had to pull the reins on ourselves to recharge ourselves ... We've gotten ourselves back together. It's time to let the horses loose again. We're ready to start moving again." Smith later reflected that she had envisioned Horses as a record bridging the "great artists that we had just lost" and the next generation of rockers, who she hoped would "be less materialistic, more bonded with the people and not so glamorous", and that from a more humanistic perspective, she had also aimed "to reach out to other disenfranchised people" like herself. Smith said, "I was consciously trying to make a record that would make a certain type of person not feel alone. People who were like me, different ... I wasn't targeting the whole world. I wasn't trying to make a hit record." At Smith's suggestion, the label planned to book with producer Tom Dowd at Criteria in Miami, but Dowd's close association with rival label Atlantic Records stalled these plans. Smith had a change of heart and instead set out to enlist Welsh musician John Cale, formerly of the New York City rock band the Velvet Underground, to produce Horses after she was impressed by the raw sound of his solo albums. Horses was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, with Smith retaining the same backing band with whom she performed live at the time. They recorded several songs that were already fixtures of their live sets, including "Gloria", "Redondo Beach", "Birdland", and "Land". Allen Lanier of Blue Öyster Cult and Tom Verlaine of Television participated in the recording sessions as guest musicians, performing on the songs "Elegie" and "Break It Up", respectively. Cale recalled the band initially "sounded awful" and played out of tune due to their use of damaged instruments, compelling him to procure the band new instruments. Cale wished to augment the band's approach on certain songs with string instruments, but Smith vehemently opposed this idea. For several years after the album's release, Smith often downplayed Cale's contributions to Horses and suggested that she and her band had ignored his suggestions entirely. My picking John was arbitrary, I looked at the cover of Fear and I said, 'Now there's a set of cheekbones.' In my mind I picked him because his records sounded good. But I hired the wrong guy. All I was really looking for was a technical person. Instead, I got a total maniac artist. I went to pick out an expensive watercolor painting and instead I got a mirror. It was really like A Season in Hell, for both of us. But inspiration doesn't always have to be someone sending me half a dozen American Beauty roses. There's a lotta inspiration going on between the murderer and the victim. And he had me so nuts I wound up doing this nine-minute cut that transcended anything I ever did before. Cale said in 1996 that Smith initially struck him as "someone with an incredibly volatile mouth who could handle any situation", and that as producer on Horses he wanted to capture the energy of her live performances, noting that there "was a lot of power in Patti's use of language, in the way images collided with one another." He likened their working relationship during recording to "an immutable force meeting an immovable object." Smith would later attribute much of the tension between herself and Cale to her inexperience with formal studio recording, recalling that she was "very, very suspicious, very guarded and hard to work with" and "made it difficult for him to do some of the things he had to do." She expressed gratitude for Cale's persistence in working with her and her band, and found that his production made the most out of their "adolescent and honest flaws". 1. "Gloria" 15:15. "Gloria" relies on a simple progression of three chords (E major, D major, and A major). Smith characterized Horses as "three-chord rock merged with the power of the word". Consequence's Lior Phillips noted that the minimalist quality of the album's music "matched the tone of" the nascent punk rock genre, which had emerged in NYC in the mid-1970s, and counted Smith, Television, and fellow CBGB regulars such as the Ramones as practitioners. William Ruhlmann of AllMusic cited Lenny Kaye's rudimentary guitar playing and the "anarchic spirit" of Smith's vocals as being representative of punk. Tarr wrote that the band "proudly flaunted a garage rock aesthetic" on Horses, while Smith "sang with the delirious release of an inspired amateur", emphasizing "honest passion" over technical proficiency. Smith's vocals on the album alternate between being sung and spoken, an approach that, according to Peter Murphy of Hot Press, "challenged the very notion of a demarcation" between the two forms. AllMusic critic Steve Huey observed that Horses borrowed ideas from the avant-garde, with the music showcasing the band's free jazz-inspired interplay and improvisation, while still remaining "firmly rooted in primal three-chord rock & roll. . . essentially the first art punk album." Smith and her band's musical improvisation differentiated them from most of their punk contemporaries, whose songs rarely diverged from straightforward three-chord structures. Throughout Horses, they also tempered their punk sound with elements of other musical styles, balancing more conventional rock songs with excursions into reggae ("Redondo Beach") and jazz ("Birdland"). Fiona Sturges of The Guardian described Smith's lyrics on Horses as being steeped in "intricate phrasing and imagery" that "deliberately blurred the lines between punk and poetry", while CMJ writer Steve Klinge found they recalled the energy of Beat poetry and the "revolutionary spirit" of French poet Arthur Rimbaud, one of Smith's primary influences. She left the genders of the songs' protagonists ambiguous, a stylistic choice she said was "learnt from Joan Baez, who often sang songs that had a male point of view", while also serving as a declaration "that as an artist, I can take any position, any voice, that I want." Smith's experiences with her family inspired specific songs on Horses. "Redondo Beach", whose lyrics concern a woman who commits suicide following a quarrel with the song's narrator, was written by Smith after an incident involving her and her sister Linda. The two had gotten into a heated argument, prompting Linda to leave their shared apartment and not return until the next day. "Kimberly" is a dedication to its namesake, Smith's younger sister, and finds the singer recounting a childhood memory of holding Kimberly in her arms during a lightning storm. In "Free Money", Smith describes growing up in poverty in New Jersey and recalls her mother fantasizing about winning the lottery. Other songs were penned by Smith about notable public figures. "Birdland" was inspired by A Book of Dreams, a 1973 memoir of Austrian psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich by his son Peter, and revolves around a narrative in which Peter, at his father's funeral, imagines leaving on a UFO piloted by his father's spirit. "Break It Up" was written about Jim Morrison based on Smith's recollection of her visit to Morrison's grave in Père Lachaise Cemetery, as well as a dream in which she witnessed a winged Morrison stuck to a marble slab, trying and eventually succeeding in breaking free from the stone. "Elegie" is a requiem for rock musician Jimi Hendrix and quotes a line from his 1968 song "1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)". It was recorded, at Smith's request, on the fifth anniversary of Hendrix's death, which fell on September 18, the final day of recording. Smith said that the song was also intended to pay tribute to other deceased rock artists such as Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, and Janis Joplin. Two songs on Horses are partial adaptations of rock standards: "Gloria", a radical reimagining of the 1964 Them song incorporating verses from Smith's own poem "Oath", and "Land", which features the first verse of Chris Kenner's 1962 song "Land of a Thousand Dances". In "Land", Smith weaves the imagery of the Kenner song into an elaborate narrative about a character named Johnny—an allusion to the similarly named homoerotic protagonist of the 1971 William S. Burroughs novel The Wild Boys—while additionally referencing Arthur Rimbaud and, indirectly, Jimi Hendrix, whom Smith imagined to be the song's protagonist, "dreaming a simple rock-and-roll song, and it takes him into all these other realms." The characterization of Johnny in "Land" was also inspired by photographer Robert Mapplethorpe—who was a close friend of Smith and shot the picture of her used for the Horses album cover—and his experiences in the New York S&M scene; in her memoir Just Kids (2010), Smith refers to Mapplethorpe and Burroughs, sitting together in CBGB, as "Johnny and the horse". The cover photograph for Horses was taken by Robert Mapplethorpe at the Greenwich Village penthouse apartment of his partner Sam Wagstaff. Smith, shrouded in natural light, is seen wearing a plain white shirt, which she had purchased at a Salvation Army shop on the Bowery, and slinging a black jacket over her shoulder and her favorite black ribbon around her collar. Embedded on the jacket is a horse pin that Allen Lanier had given her. Smith described her appearance as recalling those of French poet Charles Baudelaire and, in the slinging of the jacket, American singer and actor Frank Sinatra. She recounted that Mapplethorpe "took, like, twelve pictures, and at about the eighth one, he said, 'I have it.' I said, 'How do you know?' and he said, 'I just know,' and I said, 'Okay.' And that was it." The black-and-white treatment and androgynous pose were a departure from the typical promotional images of female singers of the time. Arista executives wanted to make various changes to the photograph, but Smith overruled their suggestions. Clive Davis wrote in 2013 that he was initially conflicted about the image, recognizing its "power" but feeling that it would confuse audiences unfamiliar with Smith and her style of music. He put aside his reservations and approved the cover after realizing that he needed "to trust her artistic instincts thoroughly". Feminist writer Camille Paglia later referred to the Horses cover photograph as "one of the greatest pictures ever taken of a woman." In 2017, World Cafe presenter Talia Schlanger wrote that "Smith's unapologetic androgyny predates a time when that was an en vogue or even available option for women, and represents a seminal moment in the reversal of the female gaze. Smith is looking at you, and could care less what you think about looking at her. That was radical for a woman in 1975. It is still radical today." Smith herself stated that she had not intended to make a "big statement" with the cover, which she said simply reflected the way she dressed. "I wasn't thinking that I was going to break any boundaries. I just like dressing like Baudelaire," she remarked in 1996. On September 18, 1975, the same day that they finished recording Horses, Smith and her band performed a promotional live concert at an Arista convention held at the New York City Center, where they were personally introduced by Clive Davis. They previewed five songs from the album: "Birdland", "Redondo Beach", "Break It Up", "Land", and, as their encore, "Free Money". Lisa Robinson reported afterward in NME that the "stupendous, truly exciting" performance was met with a highly ecstatic response from the Arista executives in attendance. Smith had originally requested for the album to be issued on October 20, the birthday of Arthur Rimbaud, but due to a shortage of vinyl, the release date was postponed, in what Smith described as a "magical" coincidence, to November 10, the anniversary of Rimbaud's death. Commercially, it performed respectably for a debut album, despite receiving little radio airplay. In the United States, Horses peaked at number 47 on the Billboard 200 album chart, remaining on the chart for 17 weeks. The album also managed chart placings in Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands, where it reached number 18. To promote Horses, Smith and her band toured the US and made their network television debut performing on the NBC variety show Saturday Night Live, then traveled to Europe for an appearance on the BBC Two music show The Old Grey Whistle Test and a short tour. "Gloria" was released as a single in April 1976. Smith's cover of the Who's "My Generation", performed live in Cleveland, served as the single's B-side. Horses was met with near-universal acclaim from critics. Music journalist Mary Anne Cassata said that it was roundly hailed as "one of the most original first albums ever recorded." Reviewing the album for Rolling Stone, John Rockwell wrote that Horses is "wonderful in large measure because it recognizes the overwhelming importance of words" in Smith's work, covering a range of themes "far beyond what most rock records even dream of." Rockwell highlighted Smith's adaptations of "Gloria" and "Land of a Thousand Dances" as the most striking moments on the record, finding that she had rendered the songs "far more expansive than their original creators could have dreamed." Jonh Ingham of Sounds penned a five-star review of Horses, naming it "the record of the year" and "one of the most stunning, commanding, engrossing platters to come down the turnpike since John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band". NME critic Charles Shaar Murray called it "an album in a thousand" and "an important album in terms of what rock can encompass without losing its identity as a musical form, in that it introduces an artist of greater vision than has been seen in rock for far too long." At the end of 1975, Horses was voted the second-best album of the year, behind Bob Dylan and the Band's The Basement Tapes, in the Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of American critics published in The Village Voice. Horses cemented Smith's reputation as a central figure of the New York City punk rock scene. It has frequently been cited as the first punk rock album, as well as one of the key recordings of the punk movement, appearing in professional lists of the best punk albums of all time. "Pipping the Ramones' first album to the post by five months," Simon Reynolds wrote in The Observer, "Horses is generally considered not just one of the most startling debuts in rock history but the spark that ignited the punk explosion." Horses has been described as a landmark for both punk and its offshoot genre new wave, inspiring "a raw, almost amateurish energy for the former and critical, engaging reflexivity for the latter." "intelligent and self-conscious, yet visceral and exciting" sensibility, identifying its influence on the alternative rock, indie rock, and grunge movements that followed the punk era. “I still feel the chill of Patti Smith's suspicious gaze when I look at the cover of Horses, but now I feel like I can explain it a little better." Various musicians have credited Horses as an influence. Viv Albertine of the Slits said that the album "absolutely and completely changed" her life, adding: "Us girls never stood in front of a mirror posing as if we had a guitar because we had no role models. So, when Patti Smith came along, it was huge. She was groundbreakingly different." Siouxsie and the Banshees frontwoman Siouxsie Sioux, naming "Land" as a recording she considered particularly influential on her, remarked that "apart from Nico, Patti was the first real female writer in rock." R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe bought a copy of Horses as a high school student and later stated that the album "tore [his] limbs off and put them back on in a whole different order", citing Smith as his primary inspiration for becoming a musician. Similarly, his R.E.M. bandmate Peter Buck cited attending the four Atlanta shows Smith played on her first US tour as the moment he started to seriously consider forming a group. Morrissey and Johnny Marr shared an appreciation for the record, and one of their early compositions for the Smiths, "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle", uses a melody based on that of "Kimberly".[97] Courtney Love of Hole recounted that listening to Horses as a teenager helped encourage her to pursue a career in rock music, while PJ Harvey recalled hearing the album and finding it "brilliant—not so much her music but her delivery, words, and her articulation. Her honesty." KT Tunstall wrote her hit single "Suddenly I See" (2004) about how she felt inspired to embrace her musical ambitions after seeing Smith on the cover of Horses. Horses has often been named by music critics as one of the all-time greatest albums. Lars Brandle of Billboard wrote that the album had come to be regarded as "one of the finest in recorded music history." In 2003 and 2012, Horses was ranked at number 44 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, later #26 in 2020. NME named it the 12th-greatest album of all time in a similar list published in 2013. In 2006, Time named Horses as one of the "All-Time 100 Albums", and The Observer listed it as one of 50 albums that changed music history. 1 "Gloria" is a radical reimagining of the original 1964 song by Van Morrison. It retains the iconic "G-L-O-R-I-A" chorus, Smith transforms it into a fierce anthem of artistic independence, religious defiance, and sexual fluidity. The song famously opens with the line, "Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine," adapted from Smith's 1970 poem "Oath". This serves as a bold dismissal of her Jehovah’s Witness upbringing and a claim of personal responsibility for her own "sins". Smith described the track as a "declaration of existence," using it to both acknowledge and disclaim her musical and spiritual heritage. For her, the song represents the "right to create without apology" from a stance that transcends social or gender definitions. Though often interpreted as a lesbian anthem due to its female muse, Smith has stated she chose to keep the feminine pronouns to sing from a male perspective, a technique she learned from Joan Baez. This approach highlights her goal of being an artist "beyond gender". The lyrics describe a raw, almost feverish encounter with a woman named Gloria. This imagery subverts the male-dominated garage rock of the 1960s, reclaiming the narrative for a new, more explicit and self-empowered era. "Gloria" is widely considered a foundational moment for punk rock, influencing future icons like Michael Stipe and Bono. 2 "Redondo Beach" is a tragic narrative about a woman who dies by suicide by drowning following an argument with the song's narrator. While the upbeat reggae-inspired rhythm feels jaunty, the meaning is deeply rooted in grief and remorse. Smith wrote the lyrics in 1971 as a poem after a rare, intense argument with her sister, Linda. After Linda left their shared apartment near the Chelsea Hotel and didn't return by nightfall, a worried Smith spent the night at Coney Island. The song is a "morbid fantasy" born from that fear; in the song's version of events, the sister (or lover) never returns and is instead found "washed up" on the shore. Smith often introduced the song live by saying, "Redondo Beach is a beach where women love other women". This led many to interpret it as a lament for a lost female lover, an interpretation Smith encouraged even though the literal inspiration was her sister. True to her overarching artistic philosophy, Smith stated she was singing from a voice that was "beyond gender," allowing her to take any perspective regardless of her own identity. Redondo Beach itself—a city in Los Angeles County whose name is Spanish for "round"—was chosen as a symbolic, distant location for this emotional tragedy. 3 "Birdland" a nine-minute improvisational piece based on the 1973 memoir A Book of Dreams by Peter Reich. The song explores a child's grief and the surreal ways the mind processes loss. Peter Reich was the son of Wilhelm Reich, a controversial Austrian psychoanalyst who believed he could control the weather and harness "orgone energy". The song follows a young boy (Peter) at his father's funeral. In his grief, he imagines his father isn't truly dead but is instead returning in a UFO to rescue him. The title "Birdland" refers to a specific moment in the memoir where the boy sees a flock of blackbirds and, in a hallucinatory state, believes they are the approaching spaceships of his father. Smith and her band improvised the entire track at Electric Lady Studios. She has noted that she felt the spirit of Jimi Hendrix watching her during the recording. Smith connected deeply with the story because she felt like an "alien" herself as a child—tall, skinny, and disconnected from her family. Smith described the song as her message to a new generation of "prophets" who would "dream in animation" rather than just material success. Interestingly, the same book inspired Kate Bush's "Cloudbusting". 4 "Free Money" is a song about the longing to escape poverty through dreams of sudden wealth. While it is often mistaken for a traditional love song due to its "Oh baby" lyrics, its true meaning is deeply personal and rooted in Patti Smith's childhood. Smith wrote the song for her mother, Beverly Smith, who grew up in scarcity and frequently fantasized about winning the lottery. Her mother would make lists of things she would buy for her children, such as a "house by the sea," even though she rarely actually bought a lottery ticket. The lyrics reflect the anxiety of being broke, such as the memory of her mother closing the blinds to hide from debt collectors. The "free money" represents a miraculous salvation from the "burdens of reality". Some interpretations also link the song to her time in New York City with artist Robert Mapplethorpe. During their early years, Smith supported Mapplethorpe with her meager bookstore wages, and the song captures that shared dream of financial freedom. The track begins as a vulnerable piano ballad before exploding into a fast-paced punk anthem, mirroring the frantic, desperate energy of someone trying to "will a fortune into existence". "Every night before I rest my head / See those dollar bills swirling 'round my bed" – Illustrates the nightly fixation on wealth as a form of escape. "I'll buy you a jet plane, baby" – Symbolizes the desire to transcend their circumstances and reach a "higher plane". 5 "Kimberly" is a song dedicated to Patti Smith’s youngest sister (4th child). It blends a memory of a real-life event with intense, apocalyptic imagery. The song captures a moment from Smith's youth in New Jersey. During a massive electrical storm, Smith stood in the doorway of a barn holding her baby sister, Kimberly, while watching the sky. As the lightning struck, Smith felt a deep, protective connection to her sister. She described the experience as feeling like they were the only two people left in a world that was "ending" or being reborn. Unlike "Redondo Beach," which explores a fictionalized tragedy involving a sister, "Kimberly" is a pure, exultant tribute to family bonds. True to Smith’s style, the lyrics move from a simple memory into a hallucinatory space. She uses metaphors of "bats," "skulls," and "the wall of fire" to describe the raw power of nature and the intensity of the moment. The song's rhythm is driving and propulsive, mirroring the "shaking" and "breaking" of the world described in the lyrics—symbolizing the transition from childhood to adulthood. "The stars were like holes in the sky" – A classic Smith image representing a porous reality where the divine or the cosmic can leak through. "Kimberly, the world is moving" – This repeated line highlights the unavoidable passage of time and the shifting landscape of their lives . 6 The final three tracks of Smith’s Horses all explore rock'n'roll mythology in various ways. In her memoir “Just Kids” Smith says: “In ‘Break It Up’ Tom Verlaine and I wrote of a dream in which Jim Morrison, bound like Prometeus, suddenly broke free”. I had this dream. I came in on a clearing. There were natives in a circle bending and gesturing. I saw a man stretched across a marble slab. Jim Morrison. He was alive with wings that merged with the marble. Like Prometheus, he struggled, but freedom was beyond him. I stood over him chanting, break it up break it up break it up…The stone dissolved and he moved away. I brushed the feathers from my hair, adjusted my pillow, and returned to sleep. Tom Verlaine and I composed these words. Break It Up" is a visceral, collaborative track about the desire to liberate a trapped spirit. It is most famous for its connection to Jim Morrison and its co-authorship with Tom Verlaine (of the band Television). The lyrics were inspired by a dream Patti Smith had while visiting Jim Morrison’s grave at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. She began screaming, "Break it up! Break it up!" to set him free. The song serves as an incantation to release the "Gilded Bird" (the artist's soul) from the confines of death and physical form. Verlaine wrote the music and played the distinctive, spiraling guitar solo. Smith’s vocal performance starts as a low moan and builds into a frantic, ritualistic shout, mirroring the physical act of trying to break through a barrier. The song isn't just about Morrison; it’s about the struggle of any artist to remain "unbound." It deals with the tension between the physical body and the transcendent spirit. The imagery of being "chained to a rock" evokes the Greek myth of Prometheus, who was punished for bringing fire (knowledge/art) to humanity—a fitting metaphor for the tragic rock stars Smith admired. "I was dreaming I was dreaming / And I saw you there" – Establishes the surreal, subconscious landscape of the song. "Ice, it was ice / But it was melting" – Represents the thawing of death or the breaking of a frozen, stagnant state. 7 "Land" a 9+ minute epic, is a surreal, poetic journey detailing the "dream, life, death, and resurrection" of a character named Johnny. It explores themes of violence, sexual awakening, and spiritual transcendence, with references to William Burroughs and autobiographical elements. The song opens with a brutal, cinematic scene of a boy named Johnny being attacked in a school hallway. This imagery is often interpreted as a reference to a, possibly homosexual, experience, which links the character to a young Robert Mapplethorpe. As noted in this Dig Interpretations post, the song portrays a journey from a "beaten down" state to spiritual liberation, using the "coiled snakes" of Hermes as a guide, suggesting a transformation through suffering. The song breaks into a raw, cover-like version of the 1960s R&B hit, highlighting a sense of raw energy and rock-and-roll. It is a complex, three-part suite—Horses, Land of a Thousand Dances, and La Mer(de)—that blends surrealist poetry with raw rock and roll. The song's meaning is multi-layered, involving both literary allusions and personal tributes: The narrative centers on a character named Johnny who is physically attacked and raped in a school hallway. This triggers a surreal, metaphysical journey—what Smith called the "dream, life, death, resurrection and soap opera of Johnny". Johnny is a reference to the protagonist of William S. Burroughs' novel The Wild Boys. The imagery of "Johnny and the horse" also connects to Smith's close friend, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, and his experiences in the New York S&M scene. The song serves as an elegy for fallen rock icons, specifically Jimi Hendrix, whom Smith imagined as the protagonist dreaming a simple rock song that spirals into other realms. It also honors Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Brian Jones. By weaving in the 1960s R&B hit "Land of a Thousand Dances" by Chris Kenner, Smith bridges the gap between classic garage rock and avant-garde poetry, name-checking figures like the 19th-century poet Arthur Rimbaud along the way. Interpretations often see the song's "sea of possibility" and "black mare" as symbols of transcendence from the pain and pressures of society, though the journey ends in a disintegrating, "dreaming drowned man" state. 8 Usually spelled “elegy,” the song’s title refers to a poem of mourning or memorialization. In The Poetry of Mourning, Jahan Ramazani notes that elegy is “among the oldest and richest of poetic genres.” The alternative spelling in the song’s title is indicative of Smith’s general challenge to established poetic and artistic norms and her general penchant for putting a distinctive stamp on those norms in her work. Elegy and mourning are consistent themes in Smith’s work. Many songs throughout her career are dedicated to particular individuals (“Grateful” to Jerry Garcia; “About a Boy” to Kurt Cobain) and her album Gone Again is a long-form elegy to her husband, Fred “Sonic” Smith and her brother Todd Smith. An elegy is a poem or song of serious reflection, typically written as a lament for the dead. Derived from the Greek word elegeia (meaning "song of mourning"), the form has evolved over centuries but generally follows a specific emotional arc: In classical literature, elegies often moved through three distinct stages of grief: Lament: A direct expression of sorrow and grief for the loss. Praise: Admiration and idealization of the deceased person's life and character. Solace: A final shift toward acceptance, consolation, or the idea of an afterlife. Unlike a eulogy (a speech of praise given at a funeral), an elegy is a poetic or musical work focused on mourning and melancholy. They are usually deeply personal, reflecting the writer’s own struggle with loss. In Patti Smith's work, an "Elegie" (her specific spelling) is the final track on her 1975 debut album, Horses. It serves as a haunting memorial for rock icons who died young, specifically Jimi Hendrix. Smith even borrows lyrics from Hendrix's song "1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)" for the final lines: "I think it's sad, just too bad, that all our friends can't be with us today". Beyond Hendrix, the song honors other fallen rock legends including Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Brian Jones. The song was co-written by Smith and her then-boyfriend Allen Lanier of the band Blue Öyster Cult. Smith used this alternative spelling as a way to put her own distinctive stamp on a classic poetic form, challenging traditional norms. The lyrics use metaphors like "trumpets and violins in the distance" to represent memories and longing for absent friends, creating an atmosphere of melancholy and nostalgia. The theme of the elegy remained central to Smith's later work as well; for instance, her 1996 album Gone Again is considered a long-form elegy to her husband, Fred "Sonic" Smith, and her brother Todd Track Listing: Favorite Songs: Gloria and Land 1. "Gloria" (part one: "In Excelsis Deo" / part two: "Gloria (Version)") Patti Smith (part one)/Van Morrison (part two) 5:54 2. "Redondo Beach" 3:24 3. "Birdland" 9:16 4. "Free Money" 3:47 5. "Kimberly" 4:26 6. "Break It Up" 4:05 7. "Land" (part one: "Horses" / part two: "Land of a Thousand Dances" / part three: "La Mer(de)") Smith (parts one and three) Chris Kenner (part two) Antoine Domino (part two) 9:36 8. "Elegie" 2:42 Band Patti Smith – vocals Jay Dee Daugherty – drums Lenny Kaye – lead guitar Ivan Král – guitar, bass Richard Sohl – piano John Cale – production Robert Mapplethorpe – photography Tom Verlaine – guitar on "Break It Up"

Classic New York style punk, put me in a better mood listening to it

Strong album - Gloria is great. Enjoyed the journey of Land. Can see why and how this was so influential.

Старушка не брила подмышки, но мы ей это простим

parece ser algo mas melodico/pop, onda alanis morrisette, no le tengo mucha expectativa muy buen album la verdad, es como si adele cantara las canciones de pink floyd pero patti tiene una voz también con la rudeza de la vocalista de heart, me gustó mucho

I think this is incredibly cool, and that Patti Smith is incredibly cool. But I think I definitely need to spend more time with it. Let's get the easy stuff out of the way. Patti Smith is an incredibly cool woman with an incredibly cool aesthetic who was making like New York proto art-punk with the noise cellist (John Cale) from The Velvet Underground. This is a list of attributes that gets you pretty far with me. She was early enough to the game that she was still piecing punk together from constituent components. There's a focus on poetry and intricate songcraft and avant-garde influence that couples with more conventional punk touchstones here to create something that feels just as singular as the stuff from bands like The Stooges and The Velvets that came out a little earlier. I will admit, I haven't gotten fully to the bottom of it, but Patti Smith does end up somewhere a little different than those two bands. The least punk stuff on Horses ends up in a bunch of strange, occasionally sad little nooks. Redondo Beach is a *really* early incorporation of dub into punk, and Birdland is lengthy and fascinating. But my initial favorites are songs like Gloria: In Excelsis Deo, Free Money, Break It Up, Land, and Elegie. There are moments when these songs just *are* punk, but in a way I'm not sure anyone else has really duplicated. Horses kind of became a stepping stone on the way to the more generally accepted punk sound, so it feels more like a moment where it's components are in transcience than a settled sound. And so it never really got *fully* emulated. I will also say, that even on a first listen, these songs are *so* good. It really is the moment to moment simplicity combined with the intricate full pictures. It's also Patti Smith's lyrics (which I have *absolutely* underdiscussed) as well as her performances. It's also a very particular tension that runs through this album. Like the seasick intro on Elegie (my favorite of the less punk cuts). I can already tell that this is gonna grow on me like Dylan does. I *will* be back. It's undigested, and there are a couple songs I haven't figured out. But most of this is still just fantastic.

Before: Patti Smith, Yay! She was a little ahead of my time. In 1975, I only knew about bands they played on the radio and they definately didn't play anything by her in the smallish southern US town I grew up in. In my late years I've tried to develop an appreciation of her music but have not been successful to date. Maybe this time around I will. As of this moment I have only one track from this album on my favorites of 1975 playlist. During: Gloria: In Excelsis Deo is pretty good. I did not add that to my 1975 list because part of it is a cover but on my second listen today I decided to add as I think her version is quite different and much better than Van Morrison's. Birdland is, um, interesting. During my second listen I decided to add that to my 1975 list as well. By the time we get half way through Free Money I'm getting kind of annoyed. Kimberly is just as annoying. For some reason I "liked" it in my app at some point, only god knows why. Still, I'm determined not to skip through anything. I mean it is the punk rock goddess herself, I am blessed to be listening to today. Break It Up continues to annoy me further but I'm a gonna stick with it. Next up is the one track from this album that I added to my best of 1975 list prior to today, Land: Horses / Land, Of A Thousand Dances / La Mer(de). As an aside, I usually listen my album of the day in the morning and I have a lot of stuff going on in the mornings so there are often frequent interruptions during my initial listen. So during one of these interruptions, a song by The New Eves pops into my head and I'm thinking about how similar that song is to what I've just been listening to and wondering, would we have The New Eves today if it weren't for Patti Smith? They are clearly influence by her work, which they themselves have confirmed. So back to Land: Horses / Land, Of A Thousand Dances / La Mer(de), this definately my favorite of the album. I'll rate it a 4, I think it's my favorite so far. 4 Gloria: In Excelsis Deo 3 Redondo Beach 4 Birdland 2 Free Money 2 Kimberly 2 Break It Up 4 Land: Horses / Land, Of A Thousand Dances / La Mer(de) 2 Elegie -------------------------------------------------------------- 2.9 AVERAGE After: 3 - my personal rating 5 - suitability for this list 5 - relevance ------------------------------ 4 - composite rating

I know this one is touted as one of the first (maybe the first) punk rock albums and has a stellar reputation. I can see why, great energy and songs throughout.

Heard it before. Patti is completely feral and I mean it as a compliment. And "Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine" has to be one of the best album opening lines ever 4/5

Amazing! I'm a massive pj harvey fan but I've never checked out Patti Smith. Who knew they were so similar. Also some great Dylan vibes here. Loved it

He Saw Horses 1001 Albums Generator 237 (2/27/2026) Here's an album I was excited to finally listen to. As a big fan of other bands from this New York punk scene (like Talking Heads and Television), Patti Smith's Horses is an album I've been aware of, but somehow, it has escaped me. I was surprised how prominent the piano is. I mean, is the epic Birdland even a punk song? It's more like a psychedelic piano rock song, and it's awesome. The other epic is the medley Land: Horses / Land of a Thousand Dances / La Mer(de), which starts out with an ambient soundscape with Patti losing her mind before it breaks into a cool punk song. Tom Verlaine does great guitar work on Break It Up. Also, Patti's voice is really interesting. I feel like later women in punk like Siouxsie and PJ Harvey owe a lot to her performance here. I think it generally works, although it was grating at points. Redondo Beach is a little bit silly. I know that reggae and punk have always had this surprising relationship, but I don't think this is the best example of it. Elegie is also a bit of a limp way to end the album. Besides that, Horses is a cool album. 4/5 probably. Favs: Gloria: In Excelsis Deo Birdland Break It Up Least Fav: Elegie

на вигляд схожа на шарлотту генсбур. нє, ну прикольно

that’s absolutely right ms. smith. I love this shit

she really shmeared her pussy on this album

muy buen album desde lo vocal en especial, eso me gusto mucho y me parecio muy interesante para la epoca, todo es genial pero destaco la voz de patti, dos o tres temas no resonaron mucho conmigo pero el resto si lo hicieron. 8/10.

This is good. One to play again.

This album is a great example of why albums are great. None of these songs individually stand out to me, but as a whole, it’s pretty great. Can see why it’s so influential.

239/1001 :: Patti Smith - Horses Heard before? ✅ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: 8 Listen before you die: Yes A true poet and artist Patti Smith and this album is prefect for this list. Because people should listen to this before they die. This album is not the best album I’ve ever heard but it’s always interesting and a lot of these songs are not only challenging but very good. Gloria & Free Money specifically are both awesome. The only issue here is the spoken word songs are too long for an uninvested listener. They’re trapped on an album almost 50 years after their inception. I say trapped because they weren’t created to be experienced this way and I think that works against them. They were supposed to performed live in a shitty New York City bar where the drinks are flowing, the cigarettes burn and Patti is dipping in and out free form poetic passages. It takes a special someone to pull this off and that’s Patti’s magnetism. Lastly, everyone should also read Just Kids. Masterpiece.

I went into this album with a pessimistic attitude. Some years ago I had read her memoir “Just Kids” and found it annoying. Or at least it didn’t inspire me to really give her music a listen. But I ended up really liking this album and it’s proto punk vibe.

I think this is a classic and what is more punk than female rebellion if we are being honest. Every song sounds like it had defined an era. I literally hear so much the strokes, blondie, Pink Floyd, the Ramones,I even hear sultans of swing. I can just feel the oozing of artist who heard this record and its effect back then and made changes. I think for that alone and presentation it’s a 9 for sure The 3 song run from Gloria to Birdland wow Redondo beach is obviously so reggae but it’s also so strokes. Also also birdland singing is so artistic and really showcases the range even from the droning guitar I will revisit this one again

A bit embarrassed that I’ve never listened to this before. Some great songs, some ok ones but overall worth the hype and I should’ve listened much much sooner.

I love this record! I'd been listening to it just a couple of weeks before while reading Bread of Angels. Is it perfect? Of course not.

I really like this and it has clearly been so influential (I hear PJ Harvey, I hear Nick Cave and others) but something stops me giving this a 5. I think it’s that it veers into the self indulgent at times. Would have been great to see this live though

This was pretty good. Patti sometimes loses me when she goes full on beat-poet, but maybe that's just because I wasn't paying much attention to the lyrics. I could definitely see this one getting better with more listens. 3.5/5

Somehow never listened to this. I really liked it. It seems that Nick Cave really borrowed a lot of these sounds / singing style. Good job Patti 4/5

Слушал и думал о Джиме Моррисоне и всяком (всяких) прочем (прочих).

What can you say? Patti Smith is pretty good.

A record so original I feel most are afraid to take inspiration from it for fear that they might seem tone deaf in the attempt. Great lyrics and overall melody.

I love this slightly controlled chaos! 4/5

I love this album! It feels like a revelation and one I will definitely be listening to again and exploring more of. Patti Smith has such an awesome voice and such a wonderful way of playing with it. This album feels years ahead of its’ time.

A classic

This album is outstanding and has had a significant impact on both the punk movement and literature as a whole.

High concept and evocative lyrics. The instrumentation is more of a backdrop for the poetry, though.

8/10 I have to admit I probably missed a lot of details and I need another listen, but the songwriting is consistently great and I loved that opener a lot.

It had been a while since I last listened to Horses, but damn this album still hits hard. Gloria is a fantastic opener and it really doesn't dip after that. On this listen I found myself enjoying some of the longer cuts (especially Birdland) a lot more.

Pretty good! I've heard "Because the Night" before but not this album. I liked it, grungy and powerful.

I have to say, I was a little let down. I hyped it up too much in my head. Patti isn't much of a singer, but that's ok. The musicianship is very punky/new wavey and leaves something to be desired. The songwriting itself I find a little uninspired, but overall, it's ok. The only overwhelmingly positive thing I can say is the lyricism, because Patti is a true poet and you can feel every single of her words. All in all, a 3.5/5

Personal and defiant!

Never heard of album or singer. Starts off so good. Gloria is a great song all around. It’s a roc track with very unique vocals. I enjoyed it a lot. Rendondo beach is good not great. Good songwriting. Not as much of a fan of bird land but I appreciate the change of pace. Patti has a great voice. Good piano on this one. It just keeps going. And keeps getting better. Piano is so good on free money again. Love how it starts slow and turns into a real rock banger. Really like this song. Kimberly is a little goofy but not horrible. I like the organ and bass. Break it up is fine. A lot of the same good elements from the rest of the album, this one just doesn’t hit as hard for some reason. I will say I think it has the best guitar on any song. Land is a banger. What a background track. Vocals work so well over it. Élégie is ok. Good change of pace from land for sure but not my fave. It’s a good album overall and blew away my expectations. 3.9 stars.

Bra

Incredible voice

Great 70s album

This cover is what I aspire to look like. The album itself is pretty good: I am not 100% how I feel about it. Sometimes I love it and sometimes I think it's, ya know, all right. But Patti Smith is rad.

A great cross between art rock and the then nascent punk rock movement. "Gloria" is probably one of the strongest cover songs and album openers of 1970s rock. 8.5/10

Highlights: Gloria: In Excelsis Deo, Free Money, Break It Up Lowlights: Birdland It's just slam poetry set to music. Birdland definitely made me think I was going to hate everything going forward but most of the album was enjoyable. I kept thinking this is something you could hear in like a low budget movie in the 80s or 90s because they didn't have money to license a major artist.

Il y a beaucoup de Patti en musique des fois je me perds. Je pense c'est la première fois j'écoute cette Patti. La 2e écoute a été plus fructueuse, j'aime l'énergie un peu free et la voix écorchée. 3e auteure compositrice interprète cette semaine, et dans des styles pas mal différents, mais toutes très talentueuses, ça rock!

C’est bon mais pas complètement convaincu! La première chanson etait incroyable avec un bon crescendo. Ensuite c’est beaucoup de la chanson a texte, il faudra que j’y revienne et porte plus attention

Remarkably famous album that I've never listened to before, and I'm so glad this project got me to do so. Not a perfect album, but I see why it is so loved and so important. Lots of reviews decrying this as "not punk", but there are obviously shared aesthetics and values to the more "traditional" punk music - this album is very obviously a key block in the foundation of the DIY movement of the 70s that had such a profound impact on music and well beyond.

Never really paid much attention to Patti Smith but knew she was considered a lauded songwriter. So far it's much more upbeat than I expected. Good stuff, glad to finally hear one of her albums. I'm guessing in 1975 this must have blown people's minds, very intricate and visual lyrics.

I don't love the vocals but I love the mood it sets and the accompanying instrumentation. I've never heard anything quite like this. I don't know if that is a good thing or not.. but I did put it on for another listen. Birdland sounds like a Grateful Dead jam set to some snazzy poetry. OK on that second listen I've come to appreciate the vocals.

1: Kimberly 2: Land: Horses/ Land of a Thousand Dances/ La Mer(de) 3: Gloria: In Exelsis Deo

Yeah, early punk! Not a fan of the poems but the music is cool.

Nice

Really sexy and dark. She's like if Joni Mitchell had a hot evil twin. I'm a sugar not spice girlie so it wasnt PERFECT for me, but I had a lot of fun listening.

Guns blazing

This album makes me nostalgic for a time and place that I wasn't a part of. Outside of a few singles I'd never really listened to Patti Smith until I moved to NYC nearly two decades ago. It was reading Just Kids that turned me onto her use of words, clashing poetry and prose, to really paint a picture. This album feels a bit like that as well. Poetry and Punk smashing into each other and mixing and finding a balance. It reminds me of the art my friends and I make in dingy basements around the city. It's about finding yourself and community by sharing whatever is inside. Gloria: In Excelsis Deo

Really liked this. never listened to the full album before. Obviously had heard Gloria. I liked the beachy vibe of Redondo Beach, unexpected. Also interesting how it sounds like spoken word in some songs. I want to read her book soon.

Somewhere between rock and punk, you'll find the easily identifiable sounds of Patti Smith.

Good stuff

Charming and timeless. I just love her voice and her poetry.

Pretty enjoyable, sounds like she is hurting her voice sometimes. I can see this being influential.

Knowing everything I know about my personal music tastes, it feels like I *should* hate this album. And I admit that there are moments here where this album is a tough listen (particularly with Patti's vocals). But there's just something about it that keeps drawing me in. I think this will grow on me a lot in the future. 4/5.

This album is a force of nature and I know it deserves a 5, but I’m not a huge fan of the “singing” the entire time. Patti Smith is a total rockstar and she deserves better than this (my rating)

Because the Night was a major part of my five years at Uni. This isn't quite as good.

She is the godmother of punk for a reason. This is a complete MUST of a record. 9/10 [KEEP]

I had already heard this album in passing 20 years ago, but I barely remembered anything about it, so it was nice to give it a refresh. I was skeptical at first, the instrumentation seemed a bit basic in some of the tracks (for some reason, I misremembered this record as much more punk than it actually is). It’s also not easy to get right away into the very particular mood of the album and the poetry of the lyrics. I gave it a second listen in the evening and it did the trick – I was entranced. It’s a beautiful, moody album with a wide range of emotions and atmospheres, and vibes ranging from a more punkish version of the Velvet Underground to Joplin-style blues and spoken word poetry. Grace and Elegy are gorgeous pieces. It’s not a perfect album, some tracks are less inspired than others (Kimberly was not very interesting, sounding almost like 80s pop, and Break It Up felt very conventional). But overall, it’s extremely creative, and it really allows Patti Smith’s charismatic personality to shine. It's a pity she's such a hit-and-miss artist - some of her later albums are awesome, but others are really terrible in my opinion. But early Patti Smith definitely kicked ass ! Will certainly listen again. 7/10

G-L-O-R-I-A Always cool to hear the origin of an Easter egg you heard first in a different song as a nod. This was a pretty solid post punk album, favorite song was Free Money.

Really quite enjoyed this, knew a fair number of the tracks, not sure where from. Couple of stand outs, added it to my interesting albums to listen to again list. Despite my daughter playing me Phoebe Buffay and saying they have the same style.

Pretty chill album 👌

My favourite thing she's ever done is the book Just Kids, but this is a close second, and a perfect example of the ole "abrasive singer + beautiful arrangements" formula

The queen of cool, poet warrior, legend. This is someone taking basic rock and roll and pop music, shredding it into pieces, and trying to find something new in between. Naturally, it’s a bit of a mess, but it’s on purpose and while it’s not perfection it’s still rightfully a classic that grows in each listen.

Very good

4.0

A lot of nay sayers on here but weirdly I thought the opposite and this album is much better than I remember! You can hear all the artists she influenced in all of the songs, good stuff.

81/100. A strong, influential record with a calm yet cool and dark demeanor. It blends poetry and punk with a raw edge, and her vocal delivery adds a unique intensity.

Ah Patti…original worthy of praise. Just what we needed in 1975. Her version of “Gloria” has been a big part of my playlist this past year so was psyched for this album to pop up.

I read Patti Smith’s book, but I hadn’t listened to much of her work, so I’m excited. Holy angst. Very groovy, yet also very punky. The second song has a reggae vibe? I don’t like the spoken word song so much. Fav song is ‘Redondo Beach’.

Clásico. Indiscutido. Poeta y punk. 8/10

I have to be in the mood for this, but I’ve never been sure what mood that is. The first time I heard this I thought it was incredible. Other times it has passed me by. I dont think I’ve ever owned a record that does this to me. I think I prefer the lyrical aspect of it more than the music at times. Perhaps thats it. Totally get why it is seen as one of the most influential punk records of all time, wouldve been incredible to see her live back in the 70s. Those shows sounded insanely good

I've listened to this before. Think it starts better than it ends. It does feel pretty punk to me and I like spoken word so should be right up my street. She makes Gloria her own, I do like the original version too though. Redondo beach is great too. 3.5

I especially liked the opening and the closing song, with some detours in the middle of the tracklist not being my cup of tea. But overall I enjoyed it.

12/23/25 I enjoy the weird things she does with her voice. 7/10

Really enjoyed this. Heard a few of the songs before and the album works well together.

What a fascinating blend of lyricism, musicianship, and attitude. I think she'd scare me if I met her in real life, and maybe some of her music kinda scares me, but in a good way.

Cool album. Love that early New York punk sound, mixed in with the avant garde of the times. Definitely unique voice, has a bit of a Blondie timbre to it.

I appreciated this record more than loved it. I like the creativity and commitment to really try something new. I don’t really know if I would listen consistently or even again, but I liked what she was going for. 3.75/5.

"Gloria", "Birdland" y "Break It Up" are great. Much better than expected.

When Gloria and Redondo Beach come on, I wonder why I don’t listen to this album more, but as the album goes on the spoken word begins to grate a little. I think this deserves a closer listen to me, then maybe it’d be a 5.

A very dramatic album. Loud and atmospheric.

An album I've always heard I should listen to, but never have. I did not expect it to be so punk rock coded (I think I expected more Bob Dylan-esque singer songwriter). Nitpick: I did find her voice get a little nasal/whiny for my tastes a couple times. I suppose it shouldn't surprise me that I enjoyed this album, I mean, it's on this list for a reason. It was just different than I expected in a good way. Solid 4 for me.

The album gets better as it goes

Lush

Reminds me a lot of Jeff Buckley and Stevie nicks really like it

energetic

Wasn't quite my cup of tea but well made. Glora: In Excelsis Deo is a good song.

Nicely done. Love the edge on it.

Hope I get reincarnated as Patti Smith. Still hate Bird land, but the rest is wonderful.

4+

God, she was so damn cool. 4/5

4.5

Це цікаво, хоч я більше слухала музику, але до лірики варто повернутися

An album of its time , when women in rock were few and far between. This was one of the albums you were supposed to like. I bought it in my 20s and hated it! But over the years it’s grown on me and have begun to understand Patti’s place in music. A woman doing her own thing who didn’t care if you like it or not

Never listened before but really enjoyed it. Some cool New York rock that reminded me of television.

such a strong and beautiful album!!!!!!

Punk rock poetry.

It just sounds like a classic albums Opener is superb The instrumentation is great

I love Patti Smith so much. Totally biased over here. But really, this is so, so good. There's nothing here as monumental for me as Pissing in a River, but the whole album is just a delight.

At ground breaking and challenging album from Patti Smith 1977 definitely feel the punk and the poetry in this piece has opened up a lot of pathways in my brain about how poetry can be presented in a musical context.

better than I thought it would be

I mean, its goddamn Patti Smith, playfully covering "Gloria" and "Land Of A Thousand Dances", but raw as all hell. She comes swinging out the gates and doesn't let up for the duration.

I like this album quite a bit. Didn't actually think I would like it so much. 4 stars.

Kinda scares me, but I like the songs

I'm sure i would've been blown away as a contemporary, but it feels like all those early punkers were really working to hit that "wretching" sound.

Have this album, big fan.

134 Pucha Patti, yo creo que en otro momento de mi vida te habría amado. Ahora como que no nos encontramos muy bien, igual me gustaron varias canciones, pero a ratos me desconcentraba y no la escuchaba mucho.

I like this. Cool dude

oh da bin ich mal gespannt, kenne glaube keinen Song von ihr...mhh schon gut, toller opener aber Punk? ok. c

Still sounds as vital today as it did 40+ years ago. It was fun to hear it again as a full album.

I've been a fan of Patti Smith ever since Easter — the first album of hers in my vinyl collection and my favorite of her catalog. This album never beguiled me the same way Easter does, but today's listen landed. I always thought PJ Harvey was something of a sister artist to Smith, and much like Harvey's raw debut is not my fave in her collection, the rawness and immediacy of this record is undeniable, and is a bold introduction. For me, it's a 3.5, but absolutely gets the bump as it's the only Smith release on this list and is such a pure distillation of who she is as an artist.

Got a song about myself and horses so almost an instant classic

this ain't the Chelsea hotel, we're modern idiots

Contender for best bookends ever, also all the poetry in the middle

Wow this was great I wonder what some of her other song-WHAT IS THAT ONE CALLED????

4 Stars I have been familiar with the fact that Patti Smith exists for many years, since reading the oral history of punk rock "Please Kill Me" which described her influence on punk rock music. A few years later in high school I heard an excerpt of "Gloria: In Excelsis Deo" and though it was interesting but never pursued it more. Then when I started collecting vinyl I came across Horses one day and bought it. I may have listened to it all the way through but I don't remember it. I thought of it more as a relic than an album. So when I got this album, I thought it would be another case of an album that has value as a part of musical history but isn't so much an enjoyable record in itself. But when I put it on, I quickly realized I was wrong. The influence on punk music is clear, but the freshness of the music and the raw emotion is still enjoyable. Some of the spoken word stuff is a little harder to get through, but honestly it is not too over indulgent in that regard. The record is solid all the way through and I now finally view it as a genuine classic. This is good stuff and deserves the acclaim.

First Listen. 4.5 Not sure how I never listened to this before. I really enjoyed it and is one I will listen to again. I liked the proto-punk, stripped down sound.

Day 91. Loved this, will be checking out the rest of her discography 9/10 Highlights Gloria Free Money Break it Up

Glad this list got me to listen to the album, sounds more timeless than I expected ver god songs.

This album caught me off guard completely. I was not expecting poetic and punk, so the first couple of tracks were a bit of a shock. Once I settled in, Patti took me for a wonderful ride. Great lyrics, solid (but sometimes too punk) vocals, and great guitar and song structure give this album a great feel.

album was damn good, chill vibes

I enjoyed this.

I wish I liked the album better, but it's clearly not bad, Patti has a lot of fun in it, and I've liked her other songs.

when poetry and punk collide... you'll find this album somewhere in the middle.

The first album on here that Ive reviewed that I’ve listened to. Patti smith, th punk rock poet laureate. Her debut album is phenomenal Gloria is so devistating right off the rip (Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine). And while I do love some of the more traditional songs, redondo beach and free money, the long standing songs is what makes it special May not be peoples bags, and not something I listen to it too often, but it’s the Patti smith experience that I enjoy .

This album was raw proto-punk poetry; I spiraled through attraction and revulsion but could not turn away. Some of this was too avant-garde (to put it nicely) to enjoy—looking at you, "Birdland"—but there's still something compelling about music that can be this fucking weird. Patti Smith's voice, both sonically and lyrically, is strong and strange, taking me to places I didn't expect, and while I don't think this album is an every day listen, after this, I do want to seek out more of her work! Best: "Kimberly" Worst: "Birdland"

I really really like this one. Gloria in excelsis Deo is an instant grab and it didn’t let me go (10/10); Redondo Beach was like a comforting hug (8/10); Free Money is a fun song and honestly kind of motivating (8/10); Break it up had a mixed vibe, where the music was saying one thing but the lyrics another, and really the most thought provoking song in the album (7.5/10). The rest were good, sometimes sad, but otherwise not that remarkable. Overall, a solid 8/10, would listen again.

Cover 5 My favorite Patti Smith album. Granted, I haven't listened to her whole discography.

Really enjoyed this entire album. I will need to revisit this later to digest the lyrics.

Great album, can’t believe it was a debut

vokser på meg. kjenner at det er noe jeg kan like å høre på

Smith is one of the original punks. This albums fall pretty much as the crossroads between the garage rock music of bands like The Stooges and New York Dolls and the proper punk that would follow. The difference is the strong singer-songwriter leanings of these songs. They aren't folk per se, but the poetry of the lyrics is written in such a way that makes them feel like that. Key tracks: Gloria

Patti Smith is definitely one of the most influential artists of the 1970s. She took the beat poetry of the 60s and married it to the New York punk sensibilities of the early 70s with a distinctive voice. You can trace a direct line from her to Blondie, Chrissie Hynde and others, and further out to artists like Nick Cave. The power of this album is found in the quiet moments that purr with menace and then explode into full on freak outs. Essential listening.

Decent

Good tunes, like the vibe. Probably not something I'd really come back to. 3.75

7/10

Brilliant record, has a punk attitude but more expansive. Lyrically intriguing.

I think this belongs on the list, I think Patti Smith was influential for a lot of other groups that came after. I didn't have the patience for it when I was younger. I listened to it again and found things to enjoy about it. I probably won't listen to it end-to-end often but I enjoy the Gloria-based track the most.

Enjoyed this more than I expected.

Wow this album is so unique. Patti has a "voice" that is quite different and might annoy some with her whining and exploring her vocals but I quite like it. The songs that shine on this album really shine. The songs that don't are still interesting to listen to. I'm compelled to listen to this one again, but next time in a better setting so I can really focus on the lyrics.

Very great Art Rock and Proto-Punk album. Every song here is very good I just don't find much replay value.

Funny, I was familiar with "Jesus died for his own sins, but not mine" from "Asylum" on the Crass album "The Feeding of the 5,000", but never knew it was actually inspired by Patti Smith's opening song on "Horses". That said, I actually never listened to nor had this album in my collection. I had (of course) heard of this album, but somehow, never came to listen to it. Although I would classify it rather proto-punk than punk proper, it absolutely helped create the blueprint for what punk could be, beyond just fast/loud/aggressive. Also, I can see how this album influenced later New Wave, such as Siouxie and The Banshees and other female punk acts like Nina Hagen or The Slits. It's undeniably arty, with its (spoken word) poetic lyrics, but also have some raw edges, primarily due to Lenny Kaye's rudimentary guitar work, which I quite liked. 4/5

I can't recognise a (proto-) punk. For years, I underestimated Patti Smith and tended to ignore her. She makes great music. This album is also fantastic. I think I'll listen to it again. 4/5

Very good, reminds me of Lou Reed. 4.49 stars.

I was suprised by Patti. Very intense songs, but some worked very well. Favorites are Gloria: and Horses:

yessssssssss

This album was already in my library so I heard it before I died and this list. It rocks.

First time listener. It was good.

thrilling, infuriating, baffling - all of the above, but you will definitely have a sonic reaction to Horses. No 3-stars sitting on the fence here. I'm not quite all in but can imagine seeing her live around this time would be a total five, but it's a pretty wild ride, as much MC5 as Pistols (not really Pistols at all). One of the great debuts.

This is possibly the first time I've ever listened to this album, despite knowing for many years that it's high up in the pantheon of greatest albums of all time. "Gloria" starts it all with quite a bang, and probably ranks up there as one of the great cover songs (if it even qualifies as such); "Free money" continues the assault quite well. In some ways, though, it feels like "Birdland" and "Land" best represent Smith's vision of marrying poetry and (rock) music, and while I'm not sure I could say I particularly enjoyed either track as much as many people have, they feel pretty unique and challenging, especially for their time. I'm sure I approached this album in a more reverent way than I would have if I had never heard of it, but I can see why it's pretty seminal in the annals of rock/punk/music.

Nice

Quite cool

Another album that continues to grow on me. Patti is like the grandmother of punk 🤘 Favorite track: Gloria

Stupendous album with some beautiful songs on it.

Oh yessss Patrizia Schmid! S best album vo ihre, het mi richtig zum wiehere bracht! Im Galopp zu dene 4 geile Hengst!

The vibe is impeccable. Patti Smith is one of the coolest people alive, and the highlights are brilliant. It does get a little samey, and her lyrics don't have the verbosity of a Dylan or Bowie. She's more like Cohen - takes some simplistic ideas and explores them as far as she can. I was feeling like a strong 3, just because I was craving for something a bit different, and then Elegie provided that, so a 4.

Loved it!

Легенда. И альбом отличный. Лучшая песня - Gloria: In Excelsis Deo.

Good stuff

An excellent album in many ways, also I imagine quite polarising. She can’t be everyone’s cup of tea that’s for sure. However, I bloody loved this!

This was way more fun and playful than I remembered. Always loved the first track but maybe now I'm not a Christian I can appreciate it way more XD. Enjoyable throughout, inspiring in places but a tad long. Would give it 4.5 if possible

So I had never heard a Patti Smith song before, and was expecting something more traditionally folky (don't know why). This album was cool though! Did not think there'd be some reggae in there. Patti Smith has a great voice (it's the first voice that I've really enjoyed so far). Very charismatic and soulful. Some of the songs were a bit rambling but I did generally enjoy it. More of a 3.5 for me, but it's better than the other 3s, so I'm giving it a 4!

This album's great. Idk what more to say given realistically I know nothing about Patti Smith or her influence. I had listened to the album a couple times before the challenge. Still don't have a strong opinion Fav Track: Birdland 8.5/10 (likely to change)

Close to a 5. I really liked this album. I love her voice, it reminds me of Gwen Stefani a little bit. Especially on Redondo Beach and Birdland. I love a good piano in songs too. I wish it was a little longer actually. The poetry parts I usually find annoying or jarring but she worked them in flawlessly. Great album

I've always been ambivalent toward Patti Smith's songs, respecting her work and influence more than enjoying her music. I should have dug into her earlier stuff more.

thoroughly enjoyed this one

Never gave Patti Smith a listen although I’ve heard of her. She sounds like a badass.

This is Patti Smith's Horses A very good album And I really like Horses They gallop around and around It's time I sling the baskets off this overburdened horse Sink my toes into the ground and set a different course Cause if I were here and you were there I'd meet you in between And not until my dying day, confess what I have seen

8, työmatka, koss, qobuz en oo varmaan aiemmin kuunnellu, ainakaa kokonaa

Stark, leider passen mir die längeren Vorträge nicht so für eine 5

Interesting and unique album. Different from what I was expecting & seemed like a great live performer. Gave me Bowie & Elvis Costello vibes. Must be much better live than on album. Not really memorable songs but would be fun to sing if you learned them.

Such a distinctive sound and feel to her music.

I loved Birdland, and the scratchy guitar sound on Land is great. Definitely see the lineage here to later singers I like, like Kristin Hersh and PJ Harvey. Strong stuff, a very high four.

Equestrian as an album

This record IS a product of it's time. But it's more than that. It's a true expression of poetry over music. It has been frequently cited as the first punk rock album, or at lest a key recording of punk rock.

Sounds like the predecessor of PJ Harvey. Currently the favorite new discovery from the 1001 albums.

Biggest surprise of the list so far. Really liked this one, and not sure why I hadn’t heard of it before. Will check out more of Patti smiths music for sure!

There’s a terrifying energy and mania to this

For an album so massively influential in genres I like, I'd never listened to this all the way through somehow but I think it's pretty amazingly original, and would probably go 4.5 stars if I could. The opener is just awesome with the opening lines, starting slowly and then just taking off into punk (before punk was really even a thing) fury. Her vocals are so versatile, ranging from like a Joni Mitchell-esque beauty to the snarling punk with those little yelpy inflections that would be copied by so many to come. The lyrics are beautiful in a surreally weird way and just so atypical for the genre this spawned that eventually would lean very no-nonsense and often political - she definitely thought of herself as a poet first and foremost and you can totally see why. Nothing sounded like this in 1975 and to me Patti Smith is rightly lauded as a patron saint of punk.

I enjoyed this so much more than I expected.

a debut studio album from Patty Smith that draws from a garage punk/DIY punk aesthetic but also incorporates elements of art rock and improvisation. Incorporation of longer song lengths with extended improv sections creates almost an anthemic, epic feeling to the album without feeling too polished. Lots of repeated tags throughout the song that allows for building and billowing walls of sound that barely hang on to structure but still feel wild and free.

Had my eye on this one for a while. This is probably THE gateway album to Punk, it was good.

225/1089 - I really like the way the songs evolve over time, and how they stick to only 2 or 3 chords at most. Goes to show you that chords and harmony is just one part of the equation of what makes a good song. Her voice is very strange though.

Genial. Ya conocía a la artista y sabia lo mítica que era pero simplemente me ha sorprendido. Bastante guay

I never thought of this as a punk album, but there are parts that I love. Worth listening to.

Patti Smith is and remains one of my favorite artists. Yes, and it sounds like art. Hey, and that's exactly how it's supposed to be. Is that pretentious? I think so. Not everyone has to sing "Anarchy" or "Heart of Glass." This is a great album!

2nd favourite Patti Smith slbum

sick stuff and more experimental than i remember or think of when i think of patti smith, pretty cool

mocne 4*

Excellent

Powerful record, though not as evenly balanced on song quality as I had expected.

The was a fun album. Interesting to hear some proto-punk from way back.

A name I’ve known forever with absolutely no idea what she’s about. It’s much better than I was expecting, I was ready to be snoozed

Strange and exciting. A couple of crackers. Interesting voice.

Good but not great.

Patti Smith, showing it how it's done. Edgy poetry wailing punk.

Highlights the difference between an artist and an entertainer, and Patti is definitely the former. Lots of interesting and experimental stuff here. Not always something you'd enjoy listening to a lot, but that would be entertainment and not art.

I've heard of Patti Smith before, but this might have been my first time actually listening to her music. And I liked it a lot! She's got a great voice and the music was cool too. I can definitely hear her influence in a lot of other stuff I like.

quwria dar 3,5

Loved it. 4/5

Superbement audacieux, original, senti et maîtrisé

Strong vocals and great songs. Really enjoyed listening. The album is as old as us , but worn a lot better !!

One that I was aware of but never listened to. Really liked a lot of it so annoyed that I haven’t taken the time to listen to it before.

La voz amiga la voz

Surprisingly rich and mellow for a punk album. I knew I'd like this one soon after I put it on and went "wait, I should return to this when I can listen to it more actively". I still haven't fully digested it I feel. Very cool stuff here.

Wild stuff. At turns gorgeous with that piano and rowdy with its intense guitar, and anchored throughout by Patti's stunningly abrasive voice. A true classic of proto-punk - sorry, New York Dolls, this is the real deal.

Great album. This ages like fine wine for me. I like it more with each listen. I don't usually tap my foot to this type of music but I found myself GROOVING. Never knew what she'd do next. What a gifted artist.

Pretty good

Day 28 I have listened to it already maybe 3 times before. It's a classic album and for a reason. No one does it like Patti! (4/5)

Rating: 8.5/10

It's that kind of rock and roll i am very much a fan off, and want to learn to play on both guitar and piano. Can't be beaten. Very impressive singing. 1 - the ending with the drum fill? and the guitar solo is amazing. 3- mix of poetry, music? Quite an impressive performance. 6- nice backing guitar. again vocal performance is very impresive, all fits very well together. quite the fan actually. 7- just reinforces what i've said before. interesting lyrics, good performance. Surprisingly really enjoyed this. Not the usual kind of thing I'd put on it but it was very lyrically interesting, and is of course my kind of basic rock and roll, with a little added complexity. Becoming quite a fan of spoken music at the moment.

This is a good album. It has a lot of really nice experimentation with vocals from percussive sounds, talking, and shoving a million words into a phrase that probably only typically has 10. Some of that is really good and others fall short of what I think she was trying to accomplish but that’s the price of experimentation. I want to listen to this album like 4 more times and focus on a different part of it each time, there’s really a lot going on that I need more time to soak in. I’m sitting at a strong 4 on this but it could make its way up to 5. Track 7 (long name one) is so packed with ideas and cool things but I don’t know if it all works.

I love getting albums that I already own! Listened to the vinyl for the full, raw experience. I like Patti Smith quite a bit, but I admit this one isn't my favorite of her albums. "Gloria: In Excelces Deo" absolutely slaps and is a powerhouse start to the album, but none of the songs after it really reach that same peak. Nevertheless, it's clearly influencial and is building on previous rock trends in an interesting (to me) way. Smith's lyrics are always fantastic, she really is a poet and rocker, not the other way around.

"Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine" Not only is that a hell of a line to open up an album but to also open up an entire career, WOW! Is there such thing as proto-postpunk? I must say, wish I had heard this album earlier in my life. I really only knew Patti Smith from "Gloria" and "Because The Night". Though a lot of the things I was reading about her as precursor to the American Punk scene, I see most of her influence more on the backside of punk as it morphed into post Punk, specifically some of the more punkier sides of Blondie. But I can also see her influence on the likes of PJ Harvey and later on Liz Phair. I've always thought that her voice was not something I would really get into , but as I went through this album the Darkness the haunting this really grabbed me and appreciate her approach. Honestly the only song I really had noted is not really liking that much was the closer but it works really well as a closer so I'm starting this off with a strong 4¼★ but I think it could go higher up on further lessons 9.53 ★★★★½

The highlights here, "Gloria" and the title track, are great, hut the rest is a bit uneven, still 4 stars

This album isn't perfect, but I do think it's a super cool, influential album. Patti does something similar to other bands of the CBGB scene in that she takes her idea of what rock 'n roll sounds like, but takes it in a new futuristic direction. So the end result is an album that doesn't really sound like what was happening in rock at the time, but if you listen to a lot of the alternative/college rock albums of the '80s, this is sort of the genesis of that. Highlights for me are "Gloria", "Free Money", and "Break it Up". 4 stars.

4.5

I always knew about Patti Smith being a kind of punkish folk character, but never actually listened to her for whatever reason. This album starts off pretty strong with a good rendition of Gloria, which manages to be unique and good despite all the various superstars like Hendrix who have also given it a go. The songs stay pretty consistent--it's almost like Patti Smith sounds like Lou Reed at his best without all the dumb songs the latter indulges in during heroine binges. In any case, this album has a kind of slow burning energy. It's a solid find, and I'll definitely come back to this one. 4/5

3.5

Few songs hit as hard as "Gloria," genuinely the baddest, punkest shit you'll ever hear. Pure tear-the-roof-off energy. It's sort of impossible for the rest of the album to not feel like a let down after such a high high, but even in its more drawn-out and uneven stretches it's captivating. Other highlights include "Birdland" and "Free Money", and the "Land" medley. Just a massive, powerful talent.

MI MADROTA, PATTI, QUIEN ASPIRO A SER, POR TI VIVO, TE AMO

Liked it a lot. Her confident voice fits into the music nicely. Can't say much more. Some calm songs I enjoyed and some more energetic that I also liked. Clearly rock of the time while still being original.

Think I’d really really like it after a few listens.

nice

Poetic verses, great lyrics.

Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine

This album is fantastic. Not sure what you would call, psychedelic, experimental perhaps. No matter what you call, there was very little of this music happening at this time, especially by woman artists. Abstract lyrics and loud squealing guitars gave me a Herion by The Velvet Underground. Free Money is fairly straight forward and it rips showing she is not just a weirdo making loud music. I was doubtful this album would live up to the hype, but it actually exceeded it.

I’ve never really given this record a thorough listen. I fall pretty squarely on the Ramones side of the first wave punk sonic divide. So let’s go. Gloria - My first touch point for PS’s music. A classic build. I never realized how much she sounds like Gordon from Violent Femmes. Strike that; reverse it. Redondo Beach - White reggae elegy for a dead friend. Birdland - Big props to punk poetry like this. Evocative saga of funereal New England domestic madness. Probably worthy of serious study. Free Money - Galloping excoriation/exaltation of the “fables of opulence”. Punk af. Just seeing how she art-birthed Nick Cave. Kimberly- Radio bop with dancey kick drum and chiming keys that escorts a shaggy dog story about burning barns (and another dead child?) The hand claps… Break it Up - Another New England horror story, this one of ripping through your skin to achieve transcendence? Verlaine on display, his guitar co-narrating in a desperate squeal. Another exquisite build. Land - More October imagery suggesting Romeo & Juliet that gets swallowed by the beat and becomes a jagged cover of Land of 1,000 Dances that in turn gets python-squeezed by high art spoken word surreality into a thrilling acceleration of Patti’s word paintings and Tom’s highest of high end Fugazi-esque fret scratches. The culmination of all the ideas on the album in one chugging sparking engine of punky rock. “A simple rock song”. Elegie - Broadway lives in every NYer, I reckon. Pink Floydy wails of guitar echoing behind the curtain. Torchy and sweet to wrap it up. It’s no surprise people write whole books about her. She’s been vital to Punk in every way. Viva Patti.

Badass! Her er der noget som klart kan vokse ved mig. Fik lidt Iggy fornemmelser et par gange, kun fordi musikken ikke er lige så "grim" som vokalen at jeg ender på 4 idag.

Et album jeg kun kendte af omdømme, og som jeg troede var noget helt andet end det viste sig det var. Vokalen er rå og fængende. Sonic Youth har lyttet det her album da de lavede Washing Machine.

Linda voz, linda actitud, no muy largo el disco. Dudo escuchar de nuevo pero aprueba por lejos. Nota: 3.7

13/05/2025 I haven't heard of her before and it wasn't too bad. Not sure id listen again though.

Proto Punk. Es un gran album

I know a lot of people don’t think this is a punk album however regardless of where in the genre are you think it is it’s an excellent album. I definitely have a newfound app appreciation for Patti Smith.

HORSES HORSES HORSES HORSES

9/10 honse

great album...never listened to Patti Smith before but what a collection of interesting songs

A hellbent rush of storytelling steeped in attitude and atmosphere. Brilliant.

She so cool

Fantastic album

Wild uncompromising music, incredible lyrics

I spent a good chunk of my listening time with this album deciding if I liked or not. I was a bit mixed on Patti’s voice and couldn’t tell if it was annoying or not. It did eventually grow on me, as I thought it sounded like a punk-fused Fleetwood Mac. Lyrically, the songs were hit-or-miss. While I enjoyed something like Kimberly, Birdland was a little esoteric. Honestly, most of the album was esoteric. But most of the songs were enjoyable, despite not fully understanding the songs. It’s also easy to see the influence this album had on other artists. This list gave me two PJ Harvey albums that I very much enjoyed and I can tell this album was a heavy influence on her. I think I’d rate this on the influence more than the content. Either way, I ended up enjoying this album. I’m not sure I’d consider itself an all-timer, but it’s still good. Favorite track: Redondo Beach Other hits: Gloria: In Excelsis Deo, Free Money, Kimberly, Elegie

Off the cuff remark: I think I want to like this more than I do, perhaps it's jus taht the first song is, well, glorious, and everything else struggles to be quite as good afterwards. Although that doesn't mean it's not great! Standout track: Gloria: In Excelsis Deo Revisit?: Yep. In the collection and gets an occasional listen.

Raw and wired from the jump. Feels like proto-punk crossed with beat poetry and a mad saxophone ghost. Her voice is part battle cry, part sermon, part "I don’t give a shit." Totally cool, totally chaotic. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - Gloria: In Excelsis Deo - Redondo Beach - Free Money - Land: Horses/Land of a Thousand Dances/La Mer(de)

good

I wish I totally loved it. I'll keep listening. I know people rave. I just think its really good.

Excellent songwriting and vibe. Can really feel the Velvet Underground influence, so it makes sense that John Cale produced this

Un disco con mucha energía y creatividad al momento de expresar sus ideas. Música que nace del corazón en donde Patti hace uso de variados recursos para que las canciones nos tomen por sorpresa y hagan de este disco una experiencia memorable. Me encanta

Horses absolutely rages. Punk meets Dylan. The anxiety, the franticness is palpable. Gloria, Free Money, Break It Up are absolute bangers. I’m Sleater-Kinney was obsessed with this album. 8.8/10

I've always wanted to really listen to this album but never took the opportunity, and that's why this project is so great. Patti Smith is a legend and this album is part of why.

Absolutely

Som poet är hon världsklass. Musiken är inte lika spännande. Lite som Dylan om man får svära i kyrkan... Fyra

Highlight Song/s: Gloria, Redondo Beach This album is a nice mix of punk and poetry. The singing by Patti leaves me completely awestruck. That yelp-styled singing definitely helps make the music more unhinged.

This is just an objectively cool record. It’s far more punk in attitude than it is in sound, but I don’t know if that’s a bad thing. There’s a slew of different genres going on here, from dark bluesy guitars to beautiful piano ballads, it’s got a bit of everything, but it’s almost a minimalist record, with very simple chords, drum patterns, and root note-tied basslines. The one thing that ties it together is the vocals of Patti Smith, which are incredible. Her spoken word sections are deep and powerful, her singing voice is a wonderful combination of grit and softness, it just works so well on so many levels. This album feels very far ahead of its time and it’s clearly been quite influential. I had a lot of fun listening to this one, and I’d probably listen to it again pretty happily. 4*

Listening to this record, it was a bit surprising to me that it ever got made, at least at the time that it did, in 1975. At a time when having a record deal and support from a record label was so important, at the height of disco and Queen, I was surprised that a record would throw their weight behind this album. This is an album starkly different from most anything I’ve heard before and especially for pre, say, 1995-2000. It toes a line between rock and spoken word poetry that feels as much like performance art and music. While it’s not something that immediately struck me as delicious upon first listen, it’s definitely substantive and interesting and definitely an album worth hearing. I’d put this somewhere between 3 and 4 ⭐️, but I feel the need listen to again and look forward to thinking more about it so I have to round up on that basis.

First and foremost a collection of poetry that wears it's musical influences (Mick Jagger's white bluesman vocals, Jim Morrison and Bob Dylan's mystical rock poet persona, the Velvet Underground's dark psychadelic chaos, Television's spidery guitars) brazenly. An interesting pivot between the hippie late 60s and the punk mid 70s, lots of this is like New York Dolls and Richard Hell's version of bluesy old fashioned rock sped up, glammed up, made thematically darker, more personal and raunchier (though she definitely didn't take on their taste for short sharp songs). Other parts have a more polished kind of new-wave sound with herky jerky rhythms and guitars that sound almost like synths. Some of it is more stripped back and nearly folksy, but piano based, and leaning towards an arena friendly Fleetwood Mac sound. Ecclectic, but coheres around a) her voice, which definitely takes the punk approach of not needing to be very good technically to be charismatic and to deliver the lyrics, which are definitely her real emphasis, and b) her persona, the ultimate scenster, an act of self-crafting and projection which is the album's main accomplishment. I've tried with this album a few times over the years and never really cared about it either way, but like it a lot more this time around. Maybe it's from randomly being in the middle of reading Please Kill Me, where she plays a staring role (but comes of pretty badly - just an ludicrous hipster making insufferable pronouncements about the future of poetry being the tired Rolling Stones) and having more context for it.

Great to be introduced to new artists like this. Gloria is a wonderful listen. Birdland is a beautiful piece about coming to terms with loss.

Absolutely stunning album. Many different styles of music with punk and ska being at the forefront. We really makes the album, though, is her song writing. Beautiful stories and excellent poetry. This has been one of my bigger surprises on this list.

Liked a few, no idea what the lyrics are about half the time.

"Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine" hell yeah, what an opener! i think treating it like an experimental poem reading than a normal album does it justice. an icon!!

With these daily albums, I've been excited to experience the great artists I've been hearing about my whole life, but have never actually listened to. Patti Smith is a perfect example: I know she's huge in the culture, I know she wrote a great book called Just Kids, but that's all I know. This album is punk incarnate (and it might be the very first punk album??). It's not just the music; it's Patti herself. She's like Dylan in her poetry and rough-around-the-edges singing voice, but her style is all her own. On Birdland, she asks "am I all alone in this generation?" and begs for someone to "please take me up, don't leave me here". That lyric touched me in its raw sincerity. This is not an album I'm going to spin regularly. But it is an album I'm going to rate highly for its courage and clarity.

At first listen I didn’t realize it was poetry. Reframing my brain to that I thought it was beautiful. Punky, punchy, what rock should be

Great writing and vocals, enjoyed a lot of the album though didn’t love when it veered too spoken word and less lyrical. She’s of course an icon.

Basically invented both punk rock and new wave. Inspiration to many. Hadn't listened to this before, but will be coming back to this more.

Starts off strong but dwindles near the end

This one took a few listens for me to warm up to it. Originally I thought her voice was jarring and I really didn't like the song Birdsong, but after a few listens her voice was unique and I appreciated every song (except birdsong). 3.5/5 - > 4/5

One of the early progenitors of punk has some damn good stuff. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

Rising above the squalor of mid-70s New York, this album is a gleaming and brilliant piece of pure expression. Noisy, clever, uncompromising, insightful and a unique artistic voice. At its best when moving the furthest possible distance away from convention and descending into a flow of noise off-the-cuff! Favourite tracks: Gloria, Birdland, Free Money, Land

Raw and personal. Her voice is just hypnotic. Lyrically it's super strong too.

Patti smith is a legend and this is an example of her words being put to music in a powerful way .