Horses

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 .

Ihan slay!

Kind of reminds me of like a female, Nick Cave. Really solid album all around.

Original, groundbreaking stuff. I'd hope that if I were fifteen years older, I would have recognized it as such when it came out. I'm sorry I've come to this album later in life.

Patti!

I did write a much longer review but forgot to save it so... 3.5/5 pretty good.

This obviously requires multiple listens, but it's honestly not like anything else I've listened to.

Fijn, lekker beetje wilde vrouwenmuziek.

Great to be returning to this Album after 18 years

Ok so I went into this album with admittedly the wrong attitude. I knew this was a big “artsy fartsy” punk album so I felt an immediate disconnect with the album but I listened to it and a couple of the songs I really liked, and I LOVED the live cover of My Generation live at The Agora. And that cover made me want to listen to the album a second and third time before I left a review and I gotta say it’s already starting to grow on me. I like the tone and the instrumentals. There’s a few slower songs that I couldn’t connect to, but the songs that work are some of the all time greatest punk songs. If you are an open minded punk music fan, this should be required material.

Solid album.

Big fan of this album, Patti's voice was really good, and the songs were catchy and enjoyable to listen to. The music was varied and well-crafted, and each song stood alone. The songs also didn't feel particularly dated for a 70s album. Land: Horses etc was a really good song. 4/5 stars.

An album that teaches us to look at that young lady on the cover, who looks more like a lost daughter of Mick Jagger and Joey Ramone, and teaches us not to judge the music based on that. 4 stars is fair hahahaha

Det här blev omedelbart intressant. Har nu lyssnat massor och landar i en fyra. Det är bitvis för bra för att sätta en trea. Det är en bitvis kaotisk skiva, men det klickar för mig. Mer än tvärtom (full förståelse för att man inte riktigt diggar detta). Hon har en grym röst (om än lite "gnällig" ibland". Det är en skön intensitet i musiken. Gillar även de lite längre låtarna, särskilt Land: horses.... Kommer utan problem kunna lyssna mer på Patti Smith. Kul!

Huh. Not at all what I expected from the cover, or from an album from 1975. Some real solid punk here, especially given the release date. Nothing complicated or mind-blowing, but really good for what it is. 4.2

The first two songs are pretty decent, I don’t really like the third one though it’s really long and boring and is kinda whiny. I really liked the entire rest of it though.

There are very few albums outside of what I classify as "canon" that I would deem "important." This is one of those. Patti Smith is widely known to be a punk icon and deserves her place on that stage as such. OK. But this album, to me is extremely important because it shows that Patti Smith is the girl version or alternate side to Iggy Pop, another massive punk cultural icon. They are both WAY beyond musicians and were always saying something through their music. I don't even know what to call the genre of this album but it has such a deep meaning; it shows us what punk IS at it's heart.

The Violent Femmales. 7/10

good jams, not necessarily a live album person, but

This is nearly perfect for me, from the album art to Patti Smith's unique voice and poetry throughout. I adore the intro "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine" and how Patti Smith puts care and emotion into every syllable she sings. "Free Money" is devastating. I can see how she inspired atmospheric and more lyrically complex punk/indie/alt rock musicians that followed her. 4.5 rounded down but really can go either way.

Lexi’s takes: generally positive. Wasn’t paying much attention at breakfast. There was one song that made me think of the movie shark tale specifically the whale wash because don’t you worry about a thing plays in that scene and the background instrumentation was reminiscent of that song. Premise of Shark Tale: main character fish’s dad owns whale wash. They’ve borrowed money from the shark mafia (they are fishes). Puffer fish is the enforcer. Main character fish has a crush on receptionist. He is pretty discontent but likes this girl fish. He finds out about mafia debts and is filled with defiant pride about standing up to the sharks. Meanwhile the son of the leader of the shark mafia feels bad about the family business. But his dads makes him do this job, threatening with cutting him off financially. Then the two sons decide to work together, both getting blackmailed by the sharks all the while. “There’s like this sexy fish” (a lady) voiced by some celebrity who has no business being in this movie. She works for the mafia and she’s sent in to try to get the son pulled into the mafia (weirdly seductive). There’s some big fight (no details remembered) and the head of the mafia gets stuck in the whale wash. And then he’s like “oh my gosh I’m squeaky clean”. Everything turns out fine except the puffer fish has something happen and he inflates and drifts away. And then at the end of the movie the son gets together with the receptionist fish (whose heart had been broken earlier because she saw the son with the sexy fish), and the shark son happily works for the the whale wash. Anyway that one song made me think of don’t you worry about a thing, which played at the start at the whale wash. My takes: good album. Patti Smith has a really nice grit to her voice. In the 70s women vocalists are often put into a pretty singing box and not able to do more interesting stuff and Patti smith really goes for weirder and better vocals than most. Gloria is such an excellent start to the album. Lexi wants to add: “I think the main character fish’s name is Oscar”

This album is a pretty convincing argument that not all punk needs to rock to be punk. It can be quieter and more acoustic and still be great. Fur and a half stars rounded down to four. (I also feel like I better understand the sonic lineage of Regina Spektor, one of my mid-00s faves, having listened to this)

True class. Is this something of a barometer record? Must admit, I used to struggle more to get into the material. Hearing it back now made a lot more sense to me.

Gloria +1, Horses +1, proto punk fun

"Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine" is one of the greatest opening lines on any album ever. Patti Smith is a real trail blazer for all women rockers out there, but for some reason i've never quite fully understood her magic. Poetry and punk however is a solid combination worth of 3 or 4 stars. This time i randomly chose...

An excellent debut that often gets lumped in with (proto-)punk, but sounds closer to the producer's background in the Velvet Underground.

Loved it

Amazing opening

Ear friendly Yoko Ono in a nice way. Glooroooooooooorrriia

Great energy. Loved free money and Redondo Beach. I wish there were more tracks

Genuinely good album that in some places felt a decade or more before its time. Favorite track: Free Money

Jag hade halvt glömt detta albumet men jag gillar det väldigt mycket också A+++ album cover

Expectations were low but this album far exceeded them. Kinda reminds me of a female Iggy pop.

More interesting songs, however still majorly singer/songwriter with vocal focus.

Another good album. Great version of Gloria.

Reminds me of perfect days

A theatrical voice and interpretation. You almost could feel like you are watching the movements of their body.

I listened to it twice, so there was definitely aspects that I liked but it won’t make a regular rotations.

This doesn't really feel like it should be characterized as 'punk rock', but I enjoyed this as someone is ignorant of Patti Smith.

Hell yeah, this felt both modern and of a time. I guess that makes it timeless?

Wide ranging album with a steady river running through it: Patti Smith's no-fucks-needed no fucks given jaunt.

Ah, Patti is so cool. This drags in places just a little bit too much for me to keep this in heavy rotation but it's a phenomenal record.

So cool and still fresh sounding in some ways despite it now being 50! Thought of Kate Bush and Nick Cave. Will be digging deep into Patti’s catalogue soon I think. (4.5 stars)

very fun, smells like fiona apple Would I listen again: i'd let it play on shuffle Deserves to be on this list: yes 3.9

What I found is it could definitely tell that she influenced other artists into the 70s and 80s it’s not exactly something I can listen to in the morning or something, but I did enjoy it

I enjoyed that a lot more than I expected! I understand Pattis voice may not be for everyone, but I thought she delivered a stellar vocal performance. She voice paired with her poetry tells story's that I want to hear and enjoy. The instrumentation is powerful and has good style. Really no complaints even got stuck in my head a little.

Excellent pre-punk album!

gloria and redondo beach are bops

Crazy influential, love the punk/jam mix. Great bass tones

LETS GO LESBIANS LETS GOOOOOO! i rlly don’t listen to a lot of non contemporary music, esp bc the newer artists i listen to are pretty much all queer women. BUT THIS. i didn’t expect this! i quite love it too

Its a beautiful very sentimental album. Amazing songwriting and a mix of poerty and punk which was probably pretty out there when it was released. I had never given Patti a real opportunity just liked a few songs but this is a great album that I regret not listen to before today.

Pretty solid, definitely liked it more on a second listen.

Good solid punk album

Whenever I listen to Bob Dylan and other highly-acclaimed musical artists from the 60's and 70's, I always wonder if it is good music or is it the musical equivalent of the emperor's new clothes? I felt that way before I listened to this album. Not sure this is really punk music. It's simpler, in a good way, and not so frenetic. Her singing is unique at times and her lyrics get pretty deep. No song sticks out to me on my first listen, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I guess in this case I will believe the hype.

Необычный женский вокал

Never heard, could hear the rawness energy spirtit ...see why she is she

I knew the name but maybe had been very listened to her music before. Not sure. I liked it tho. Good cooking dinner album

Energetic and innovative. Love the tying in classic rock and soul with the poetry and avant garde shit. Didn't realize break it up wasn't a television song. Didn't realize the blue oyster cult guy was on this and that he and big Tom Verlaine were kind of feuding. Good stuff.

Upbeat 70’s classic rock.

idk en lyriikoita taas vaan lempeiltiin sointuja... Ihania sointuja...

This is better than it should be considering Patti Smith ripped everyone else off and has very little talent of her own. The reimagined Gloria is interesting and exciting. Redondo Beach is like a frightening dream. Some other songs are decent enough that I can’t completely hate it even though I want to.

7/10 I like it, but not for everything and not all the time, but when I like it...whoo boy

I can see it although likely won’t go into regular rotation for me.

Earnest. Honest. Passionate. Poetry.

This did grow on me, even though it wasn’t quite the level of “punk” I expected or hoped for. I suppose the slower parts have their place, but the effect they have is that the album starts and ends on a bit of a sour note, although it becomes something much better.

Un álbum increíblemente influyente en el punk (femenino) que estaría por venir. Llevaba muchísimo tiempo queriendo escucharlo. Y, visto desde una perspectiva actual, sigue siendo muy bueno. Grupos que hoy en día están entre mis favoritos, como The Organ, no hubieran sido posibles sin Patti Smith. Los temas no llegan a ser punk per se, más bien folk, pero un folk muy crudo, donde prima más la poesía que la música. Solo por su impacto en estilos que me encantan, merece notaza.

Some excellent songs but unfortunately some arty-farty-poems miscasts too for me...

Quite enjoyed this album tbh. It’s not my normal taste so I’m quite happy I liked it tbh. Some tracks were still a bit mid tho unfortunately. I enjoyed Land: Horses quite a bit but then it became story time. Might possibly listen to this album again idk. Think I’ll def listen to some more Patti

Patti Smith is cooler than you

Liked it a lot. Wasnt terribly familiar with Patti Smith until this album.

Very unusual style but there's something that truly captivated me. Her vocals, especially. I'll definitely listen to this again. I might change my rating in the future.

This was an easy listen. Really interesting. Kinda punk, kinda classic rock, kinda folk. Someone should tell her songs don't need to be 9 minutes long but other than that enjoyable. Seems ahead of the times for what it is.

I know of Patti Smith and this album, but I’ve never listened to any of Patti Smith’s work before. I know Horses is supposed to be incredibly influential and groundbreaking, so I’ve been looking forward to the chance to review it. Here’s hoping that it will blow my socks off! Well, my socks are still firmly on my feet, but I did enjoy this album. I think Horses did a great job of pushing against the preconceived notions of what punk rock can be, and it was really interesting to listen to. The two longer songs, “Birdland” and “Land,” were really well written, and it was really cool to see longform storytelling be adapted to punk music in this way. Even though the songs were long, I didn’t find them boring. I think Patti Smith’s usage of creating peaks and valleys in the tempo of the music really helped keep these longer songs interesting and engaging. I really loved how “Gloria” built to a really chaotic crescendo towards its end. The backing vocals and Patti’s chants of ‘G-L-O-R-I-A’ were incredibly energetic and one of my favorite parts of the whole album. Patti’s ability to control the energy and tempo was probably her biggest asset on Horses, and she used it well throughout the course of the album. In my opinion, Horses is one of those albums where the sum of the parts works much better than the individual pieces; it would be hard for me to enjoy a lot of these songs without having the context of the sound of the whole album. While I wasn’t blown away by this, I thought that it was really good from an objective standpoint. I don’t know that I’d be quick to return to this album, but I wouldn’t mind checking out more of Patti Smith’s work.

A minor classic. Still rocks !

Love this album - definitely a good collection of songs :) Gloria being a stand out

I like this album, eventhough it took 2 listens for me to really get it, and 1 more for me to vaguely enjoy Land. Patti Smith's voice is unique and very punky. Starting your career with "Jesus died for somebody' sin but not mine" is crazy tho. Fun story is that I had to look up if she's into women after that first song, and I was very disappointed to find out she isn't. But dear God, this album cover changed my brain chemistry forever. Fav track: Gloria (I love this one so much), Redondo Beach, Birdland, Break It Up 4/5

Classic

Il y a des disques qui sont des photographies. Pas celles qu'on prend avec un appareil, mais celles qui capturent l'âme d'une époque, l'énergie d'une ville, la naissance d'un mouvement. "Horses", le premier album de Patti Smith, est l'une de ces photographies. C'est le cliché en noir et blanc, granuleux et sublime, du New York de 1975 : fauché, crasseux, dangereux, mais vibrant d'une créativité électrique qui allait bientôt mettre le feu au monde sous le nom de "punk rock". Avant "Horses", le rock était encore largement une affaire d'hommes, de guitar heroes et de chanteurs à la virilité plus ou moins affirmée. Et puis Patti est arrivée, ce n'était pas une chanteuse, mais une poétesse. Une artiste chétive à la dégaine androgyne, qui a pris le rock'n'roll par le col et l'a forcé à écouter de la poésie, à lire du Rimbaud. Elle n'a pas demandé la permission, elle a défoncé la porte. Et quelle entrée en matière ! L'album s'ouvre sur les quelques notes de piano de "Gloria", et la voix de Smith, tranchante comme un rasoir, qui déclame : "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine". "Jésus est mort pour les péchés de quelqu'un, mais pas les miens". La messe est dite. En une phrase, elle balaye des décennies de conventions rock et religieuses. Le morceau explose ensuite en une reprise sauvage du standard de Them, transformé en un hymne à la libération sexuelle et spirituelle. C'est ça, la magie de "Horses". C'est un mélange de poésie, de spoken word et d'énergie musicale brute. Produit par le grand John Cale du Velvet Underground – et ce n'est pas un hasard, car on sent ici l'héritage direct du chaos arty du Velvet –, l'album a un son primitif, urgent. C'est le son d'un groupe de garage qui aurait répété dans une bibliothèque. Les thèmes abordés sont crus : le sexe, la religion, la mort, l'aliénation. Patti Smith ne chante pas, elle prêche, elle crache, elle incante. L'album est un voyage et on passe du reggae funèbre de "Redondo Beach", qui raconte une histoire de suicide, à la transe épique de "Land", un morceau en trois parties qui monte, qui monte, jusqu'à une explosion quasi hendrixienne. C'est un disque qui prend des risques, qui n'a pas peur d'être déroutant ou même un peu bancal par moments. Et c'est peut-être là que se situe la petite réserve qui justifie le 4 sur 5. "Horses" est un album d'une importance capitale, un marqueur dans l'histoire du rock. Mais est-ce un album parfait ? Pas tout à fait. Son côté brut et sa structure parfois très libre, où le poème prend le pas sur la chanson, peuvent le rendre un peu ardu. C'est un disque plus cérébral que physique. On l'écoute avec une admiration intellectuelle pour son audace et son intelligence, mais il n'a pas toujours l'efficacité mélodique immédiate d'autres classiques. C'est un album que je respecte plus qu'un album que j'écoute en boucle pour le plaisir. Quand je l'ai découvert, adolescent, bien après sa sortie, il m'a fasciné. C'était la clé pour comprendre d'où venait tout ce que j'aimais dans le post-punk. C'était le chaînon manquant entre le Velvet Underground et Television. Mais je dois avouer qu'il m'a fallu du temps pour l'apprivoiser complètement. Un beau 4 sur 5, c'est la note d'un album majeur, un disque qui a changé les règles du jeu et a ouvert la voie à d'innombrables artistes. C'est le son d'une révolution, capturé à l'état brut. Il n'est peut-être pas parfait sur la forme, mais son esprit, lui, est d'une pureté absolue. Un disque essentiel pour comprendre que le rock'n'roll peut aussi être de la grande littérature.

This album had great feeling. Patti Smith knew how to evoke emotion with her music.

Patti’s class mind, enjoyed returning to this record after a long time away.

Wow I actually really like this, why have I never listened to Patti Smith before?? Land is my favourite.

A stable effort

I like the live version better. Not sure I totally get it but I see how it kickstarted the alt rock of the rest of the 70s

I've listened through this album probably 4 times now and I respect it more than I enjoy it. It's basically spoken word poetry with musical backing. It gets an extra star for historical importance and the cover.

Maan i love the 70s

Such a sensational album, can't believe I'd never heard of it before!

the name of the game is attitude. by no musical standpoint would i really consider Horses to be an actual punk record -- the guitars are pretty conventional for their time, the vocals aren't harsh, and the closest thing i'd say it has to a contemporary is Television, who had one song out at the time, and neither Television nor Smith sound like they're inventing what we know to be punk. really, what i think people find punk about Patti Smith is her combining of surrealist, rebellious poetry with an evolution of frat rock -- you can't imagine Them breaking into rants about girls humping parking meters or anyone who covers "Land of a Thousand Dances" slipping into imagery of slitting your own throat, and its this juxtaposition that makes the record such a pioneer in its genre. what is punk if not making the rock of the past utterly hideous? i don't think i'd play any track from "Horses" in the car with my family. good. it's not for the car. it's not for anyone, except maybe animated helium ravens.

I think it's kind of overrated but I still like it. It's got it's time and it's place.

A really good album, so many good songs My favorites were Birdland and Elegie.

Interesting combo of lyrics and sound. Not just an artist with a shit backing band. Thoroughly enjoyed, by not sure what situation would warrant a relisten.

Although I’d heard of Patti Smith, I’d never listened to one of her albums and didn’t know what to expect. I’m having a hard time summarizing my thoughts on the album, but it was very interesting and I enjoyed it overall. One to revisit. Favorite: Land

Impactful. Not my favorite overall, but you can hear influences back in time and how she has influenced others.

Overall I thought this was really good, I'm a fan of Lou Reed and I feel like she was similar to him. I'll go find more Patti Smith to listen to, apparently Because the Night is popular of hers, but not on this album. I liked: Gloria Birdland Free Money Land: Horses/Land of a Thousand Dancse/La Merde Pretty solid 4 star album for me.

"Young Parisians are so French They love Patti Smith ..." And so do I. Thank goodness for the Patti spirit: feedom; expression; poetry. Where would we be without the souls that decide to do their own thing? An album that actually doesn't fit a time, place or thing. So just listen and enjoy the shape of things it moves. A kaleidoscope. I will listen to this more an more.

Literate, original, impassioned, imaginative, intelligent, compelling, beautiful, challenging, brave, rambling, fluid, spontaneous, unabashed, unique, influential. What a great album. Who else was doing anything like this in 1975? I knew I loved 'Because The Night'. I knew I liked 'Gloria' and 'Dancing Barefoot', I knew lots of the artists I love were influenced by her but somehow I'd never heard this before. I had to play it twice, read the lyrics, read about their meaning. In 1975 (for context) punk hadn't kicked off, the most popular poet, and one of the most popular 'entertainers' in England was Pam Ayres. Thankfully people like Patti Smith provide an alternative to all the shite.

Groundbreaking

I know it’s influential and stuff, but I don’t really enjoy it as much as others. I’ll still give it an extra star, though, because of its influence and uniqueness.

Powerful singing / vocals, I really liked it

A super diverse album reflecting that music is more than just one style and can be more than the usual stuff you hear in the radio. Like a musical rebellion reflected in Patty's unique and distinctive voice and the lyrics of each song. Definitely not an album you listen to whilst doing the dishes (it's a concept album)but an album you will listen to for a specific emotion. Great and refreshing, and so different towards a lot of music!!!

I generally like Patti’s voice. Her lyrics lost me at times because she is more poet than traditional songwriter. It gives her music a different quality more like Bob Dylan. Thankfully she is a better singer than Dylan. I prefer the songs where she doesn’t drone on stanza after stanza for what feels like forever before hitting a musical break or chorus. Gloria is a little tiring to me for that reason and Horses definitely hits me that way. Great playing by the band. I just wish some of the songs were a little shorter or more sparse lyrically.

Yeah was aight. Cool poetic punk. I bet she got some nice armpit hair

Teatral pocas canciones pero largas como piropo de tartamudo

This I defintiely need to listen to again. Not what I was expecting.

76/100

4.5

In my opinion, New York has never thrived more from a music point of view than when it was knee deep into the punk era of the 70s. And its underground scene was led by the momentum from the incredible CBGB music club. Patti Smith was one of the glowing stars from that club who ushered in a new level of creativity to rock that hadn’t really been seen yet. It’s unfortunately rare to see such an electric female figure in a scene like punk. But when they hit it right, you get someone as cool as Patti. What an interesting person. It really feels like you learn a lot about who she is just from these 8 songs. Her lyrics are personal, but also incredibly cryptic. So it may not be immediately apparent what she is speaking on. But so much of her personality just emanates from the lyrical content and delivery. I’ll admit, I do find it a little hard to speak on the actual music here. I was listening to it and thinking “What the fuck am I going to write for this?” I can’t really pinpoint what I like and dislike. It was difficult for me to wrap my mind around. But I know that I liked what I heard. Punk has never been my absolute favorite thing. And the roots of it don’t do much for me. Like for example, I think The Stooges are cool. But proto-punk really is just a devolution of something I’m already not big on. What I can get behind is what I’m hearing here. It’s the proto to the kind of punk I actually like. This isn’t at all a conventional punk album. In the same way that Marquee Moon very much wasn’t. Birdland isn’t my favorite song on this record. But it is undoubtedly a stunning performance from all parties involved. That combination of the uncompromising energy of punk with the avant-garde side of rock is what makes this a noteworthy album. Maybe not my favorite record ever, but I can’t take away what all of these beautiful people gave us in that city all those years ago, and everything that it led to. Rating: 7/10

Great album. Uncomplicated, simple, but also complex and deep. Enjoyed this a lot.

Enjoyed this will listen to more.

This was just really good. I love how many female artists I’ve discovered doing this who are bloody brilliant.

Aressting, singular and powerful. Not my thing.

Unbelievably first time listening to this 49 year old album. Good sound.

As a Brit, I always have to remember that the American definition of "punk" is far, far different from what I would consider to be punk. We had an anti-intellectual/ anti-establishment, far younger (late teens), rawer approach to this genre. The American scene was made up of older (late 20s) people who made music that was more "edgy" than "raw", often about subject matter that British punks would openly sneer at. Putting that aside, if I just consider this to be "garage rock", then it makes that slight annoyance easier to bear. It's a great album for sure, interesting to listen to, musically diverse, maybe even seminal. I hadn't heard anything from this album before, which is quite a disgrace I suppose. My one reservation here was that I was constantly being reminded of Nick Cave. But where Mr Cave's albums are often overwrought and lack any form of subtlety, this album was far more measured. I don't think I can quite see my way to rate this 5 stars, but it's an extremely strong 4 star album. I will probably grow to regret this decision on future listens, but my opinion today is 4 stars.

A diferencia de otros discos de esta lista, aquí sí puedes escuchar la influencia que repartió hacia el futuro.

I liked it quite much, especially her raspy voice. It must have sounded so bold and different in the mid-1970s.

4☆/5 08.11.2024

I'm a little familiar with Patti Smith from her contributions to the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Blue Öyster Cult. She's a singer/songwriter/poet who's considered an influential underground artist, with Horses being her debut album. Listening to this album, Patti's style is more "art punk" than "punk rock" with the added poetry and improvisation. For example, songs like "Gloria" and "Land" are medleys with covers interlaced between free-form compositions and spoken word. They still generally rock but take a more off-the-cuff approach to how they're presented. Other songs tend to experiment with style shifts such as reggae with "Redondo Beach", proto-punk with "Free Money" and "Break it Up", jazz with "Birdland", and the somber requiem closer of "Elegie". Patti's lyrics range from past experiences with family members to dedications to deceased musicians she knew like Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix, all well penned. The only aspect of this album holding it back is how bizarre and esoteric it can get at times. It's probably a bit over-ambitious for a debut album. Also, the spoken word could have been integrated better in some tracks. Still, I enjoyed Horses overall and give it a solid recommendation for those curious. Update 1/28/2025: I ended up listening to Horses again after over 200 albums into my journey to see if this album has grown on me. I will say my issues with this album were not well-articulated for the time. To say a debut album was "over-ambitious" does admittedly come off as a backhanded compliment. I was thinking about the song "Birdland" at the time when I was trying to figure out why this album wasn't immediately clicking for me, and now I realize that the challenge is kind of the point. Patti Smith's lyrics are meant to be a challenging listen, where her integration of poetry and musings on sexuality, death, and emotional connections are written in such a mostly abstract manner that still leaves enough breadcrumbs for the listener to follow along if they're paying attention. This sort of close listening is not a habit I usually do when I'm working in the office. If anything, my problem now with Horses is how the instrumentals sound basic for some songs. Again, Patti's words are more the focus without being overwhelming in the mix, but it would be nice for moments such as "Birdland" and "Break It Up" if the rest of the group could match the energy and intensity of her words. Still, this is rather impressive for a debut album from such a prolific singer-songwriter and I'm glad to have revisited it.

BL: completely blind listen, aware of one track from the Patti Smith Group but never listened to any of her solo work. AL: I liked this. This is absolutely an album experience, I don’t think I’d see myself coming back to many of these tracks on their own, but I will certainly be coming back to this album and dissecting it further. I think it did start to drag a bit by the end, there is only so much spoken word drone rock I can muster. But the overarching story provided compelling and the overall experience would totally be spiritual to hear it blasted out of a venue PA with rising instrumentals. FT: “Gloria”, “Land” 4/5

Thought this was good, but not great until Horses/Land of a thousand dances / Le Mer (de) I love what she's done with it.

I really liked this one but probably wouldn’t revisit very often if ever

I enjoyed this and it was deep and interesting. It seemed more poetry written to music, and not necessarily songs. I would like to listen a few more times and really pull apart the lyrics to get more of the deeper meaning.

I know that Patti Smith is a legend but I've never sunk my ears into her until this project. Glad I did! Expressive, original, creative and poetic songwriting. Especially liked Gloria and Free Money.

This album was pretty great. I love her voice and her energy and the music is cool and creative.

New album for me. Really really enjoyed and saved to favorites.

i don't fully get it but i'm open to listening again. it was a nice experience!

A classic

Goated

This is the moment in time when we start to see punk morph into something more serious. Though aligning with the CBGB movement, Smith is really in the same vein as Bruce Springsteen or Jim Morrison - a rock and roll poet. Lyrically, she is like the new wave artists (think Television and Talking Heads) who were artists first and, hence, whose lyrics were about more than cars, girls, and not giving a damn. Musically, however, she has all the rough edges and sonic boom of the punks. Her next two albums, Radio Ethiopia and Easter are more accessible and, arguably, better. Horses, however, is the first time punk dared take itself seriously.

I love Patti and I respect her art so much. I truly admire her, to the point that Just Kids is one of my very favourite books of all-time. But to be honest, I think I'm more drawn to what Patti represents as a cultural figure than what she has done musically. Sometimes it's great, other times not so much. All of her albums are worth it for a few good songs and Horses even has some iconic ones, but all in all I am more inclined to read her than to listen to her.

"Anyone see the old hippie banging on a tambourine last night? Horses, horses ... horseshit" Johnny Rotten

Hell yeah dude, this goes hard. It's so raw and punchy yet also feels like there is so much musical depth to it, I love when punk music does that.

Love her bad voice

The storytelling on this album was excellent, which is probably one of the main reasons people love Patti Smith. The style reminds me of Bob Dylan but more punk inspired. I thought the vocals were mixed loud at times and some parts I found annoying. I do think that she definitely brings the passion and the energy that sells her storytelling. The fact that this is her debut album is crazy to me. Great record, but not for me.

She’s so cool, this album rocks

Listen, I get it. She's a punk icon and a poet, changed the world for so many young people. Doesn't mean I need to like her songs though.

mun betra en mig grunaði.

Had a great time with this! I’ve known of Patti Smith for years but have never listened to her before. I’ll need to remedy that as this is mostly my jam. Two or three songs go on for too long. But half of this album is a complete banger. 4/5

Surprised. Celeste would love it

It’s simple: you mention horses, I’m IN

A pretty stunning mix of rock n roll, punk and new wave. It’s a blend that doesn’t sound quite like anyone else. Patti Smith is a bold, wild performer. The production captures a raw, live feel. Looking at the credits, John Cale from The Velvet Underground produced the album. I can hear their influence on the music. Patti Smith’s style of rock is untamed and experimental in a way that reminds me of The Velvet Underground.

Honestly, this album started off pretty bland, but Free Money onward was a revelation. Patti Smith channeled the Velvet Underground on songs like Kimberly and then amped up the ante with her own style on Land... and Elegie. While it starts slow, it ends hot. Best Songs: Free Money, Land..., Elegie Worst Songs: Redondo Beach

Shes so cool

4.5

Yo, this goes way hard. I've been sleeping on Patti. 4 boys sipping tea in the hallway out of 5 ☕☕☕☕

Those who say this isn’t punk have a very narrow view of punk. Part poetry part coffee shop part shouting in the street. Patti’s pretty cool. Songs added to Spotify: 2

Loves it. Raw and didn’t seem to have a lot of production. Gloria was a great intro to set the mood

Great listen but i've never really come back to this album over the years. can't imagine this changing any time soon either

Pretty good.

It's definitely an important album. Its influence and place in history earn it at least 3 stars. Overall, even though the music is "simple" (intentionally), it has an infectious energy and movement. There are some great tracks to revisit.

Powerful. That's pretty much it. And it's enough.

Never listened to Patti Smith before but knew of her and her influence in the punk scene. Really enjoyed this and would go back for another listen.

Horses is cool. Horses is unique. Horses is groundbreaking.

vocals so good. i can feel the GAE ANGST (ok she maybe she isnt queer but she is queer nawmsayn) SO CREATIVE WITH THE SPOKEN WORD ESQUE PARTS. songs are threaded well together; theres coherence but at the same time always interesting. chefs kiss

Patti Smiths debut album, pretty cool and original but somewhat overrated

Haven’t heard anything from her and I’m very drawn in

I mean, how can you not think this is what she didn't serve here???

The album is a really enjoyable experience. Every song is different, all of them are fun to listen to. Sometimes she's speaking, sometimes she's talking or just making noises.

This is some early girl-punk and I'm absolutely here for it. Super fun album.

This is one of those albums that burns itself into your consciousness and is hard to shake after you've heard it. Raw, confident and jarring, with vivid lyrics that are worth reading on their own as poetry. Patti Smith is an acidic, authoritative vocalist, who can wring all the ugly emotion out of a lyric like few can. Fave Songs: Free Money, Gloria, Elegie, Redondo Beach, Kimberly

Удивительно странный альбом. С одной стороны я бы не стал переслушивать этот издевающийся низкий слабый голос, который еще и пытается не всегда удачно экспериментировать со своим звучанием. Но с другой стороны иногда эти издевки заходили, да и музыка рок-гитар драйвовая. Под такие песни можно, наверно, пойти гулять с друзьями по городу или поехать на пикник. Думаю, что альбом попал в этот список не случайно.

A unique and uncompromising voice in rock music. Enjoy this classic.

Sublime album.

Really solid stuff, Patti Smith is legendary for a reason, I don't think she's ever been overhyped

4+/5

what an opener

I had zero expectations going into this one as I'm not familiar with Patti Smith. I took a chance of throwing this one on during a workout and it surprisingly worked out. The poetic, emotion-packed sing-talk lyrics paired with the rock melodies really drew me in. There were parts that gave me strong Pink Floyd vibes. I thought this album was great and I immediately put it back on when I finished to give the lyrics another listened. Highlights include Gloria, Free Money, Kimberly, Land: Horses.

Patti is an icon and an amazing writer and poet. It’s crazy that she made this album with little previous musical experience. I don’t fully connect with all of her music but admire her confidence and artistry. 3.8

Great album. Every song is a groove

Patti help gloria in excelsis deo- I love her voice. 6 or 7 Redondo beach- I like how the guitar makes it feel beachy. I also like how she talks about suicide. 6 or 7. Birdland- this piano better not be the whole 9 minutes. um 6 I wasn't paying attention to be honest free money- 6 kimberly- 6 ish ummm. yeah ♥ break it up- sounds like let it go 💀 yeah 6 ummm I don't have a lot to say 😭 land: horses- you can tell im on my phone rather than computer because of the all the emojis 👽. 9 minutes again. wait hold up 💃. Johnny. 7 or 8. I love how she layers things. elegie- it's interesting to end on. 6 favorite track is gloria or horses maybe

Das hörte sich damals mal ganz neu an.

Influential, important, and essential, "Horses" broke new ground in myriad ways. Lacking any hit songs, this album should be consumed whole. Four and one-half stars.

Probably 3.5 really

I will come back to give this album more time. I really like Patti's voice and her general vibe. I've always liked 'Gloria' and a couple of the more obvious tracks ... but the more subtle, poetry led track deserve more of my attention.

very amazing punk album. omg this is so amazing. gloria is an amazing song. uhhh 8.5/10

Tykkäsin 70s tunnelmasta

This bitch FUCKS

Bold and almost underground-esque, with Jagger-like vocal inflections used by somebody who definitely isn't Jagger. But Patti pulls it off convincingly, and with some really inspiring compositions to go with it. I had to do some reading on Wikipedia, and it seems this album was hugely influential on the rock, punk, and female musicians' scenes. I can definitely see that in Patti's music. Gloria is an excellent, exciting opening track, making heavy use of a three-chord power harmony. Free Money, Redondo Beach, and the title-ish track are also strong. It's not exactly punk, but that's fine. It's better than most punk anyway. There's just something a bit unpolished about the album that's hard to pin down. It's missing something that really creates relistenable, coverable classics. 4/5

Break it up Gloria

Listened Before: N Absolutely killer. I knew she was a big deal in the punk world and now I see why. Poetry, spoken word, punk rock, stream of consciousness... so great. I loved every second of this one. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Gloria

Never really heard Patti Smith before, but I'm feeling this.

Voice reminds me of Debbie Harry.

I didn't fully appreciate Patti Smith until I saw her live about 10 years ago. Her passion is electric. One of the all-time great performers. This is her Mona Lisa, but not always easy on the ears if you're coming in cold.

Fine album

The sound of this record is particularly amazing for the mid 70's - it sounds to me what would become indie rock of the subsequent decades, though its influence has been wider than one subgenre.

Proto punk poetry. Would have been amazing to see her and Television during their residency at CBGB"s.

Sounds way more forward thinking than an album from the 70s. You can definitely hear John Cale's production styles on this album, and I think it adds to it... although in some parts I wish the abrasive punk-ness was a bit more forward. I had actually never heard this album, but I can see why people would call it the "first art-rock album". Awesome album cover as well.

Good solid rocker

En muistanut että tää on näin hyvä?! Lähinnä avausraita on wowww joten fiilis on heti hyvä. Taitavaa muutenkin, välillä tosin menee vähän liikaa TAITEEN puolelle. Hienoa laulua, roso kantaa.

I think I understand whats the big fuss about her

7/10

Amazing emotion Pretty cool the majority of the time

Never heard this before. Liked it!

Strong

Really Good Start. Never really been into Patti Smith unless its Bruce Springsteen related. Thought the Opener was the stand out then the album settled into a nie groove.

It kept getting better

Sometimes it really feels like punishment followed by reward with this list. Patti Smith's debut, produced by John Cale. I had never actually heard it! It opens with a great cover of Gloria I almost didn't recognize til it got going. To call this punk feels reductive. Marry incisive lyrics with the three chord structure plus some slower spoken word contemplative pieces, free form jazz and even reggae influences? I'm in. Free Money and Break it Up were my favorites. If I'm honest I doubt I'll be in the mood to revisit this sort of thing too often but an absolutely worthwhile listen. Solid 4.

My second time hearing this and I should probably listen again. As of now I think this is really solid but I don’t quite understand all of the acclaim. I guess it was pretty different at the time and the style has been copied which is why it doesn’t sound like anything that special now. Still, I liked it. The Gloria rendition and Kimberly were my favorites but I think the album is strongest in its entirety

I'm not really sure why people often refer to this as the "first punk album". Maybe because they player at CBGB's so frequently? It is a different sound than other albums of the time like the Eagles and other Laurel Canyon sounding records. There is very good Rock and Roll guitar and some top notch lyrics and vocal performances. I guess it's a good transition piece as genre's evolved.

Lovely enthusiasm from the singer. The poetry is a little off putting at times, but overall the sounds flow well through the album. The first track is an absolute banger as well.

Really cool, unique sounding album. Definitely has a weird energy but would be fun to listen to again someday. The songs are long and change a bit but I particularly liked Gloria and the first half of Land.

Pretty good.

Very raw album that is very lyrics focused. You can tell from listening how much influence poetry has on her lyricism. Very fun to hear these songs build on themselves as they progress. Enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. Essential tracks: Break It Up (Playlist) Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)

Absolutely magnificent. I kept saying "well she sounds like Morrissey or David Byrne" only problem is she predates these bands as this album came out in 75. Truly revolutionary.

increible

first time listening, really enjoyed and will be coming back to it!

Ace record that I never listened to. I liked it so much, I listened 5 times throughout the day! She's almost like the female counterpart of Iggy Pop. There's some punky vibes, a lot of rock, but the songs also take a jazzier approach. It's a great album to discover what her style is like. And I am eager to discover more of her works. 8 out of 10

Great punk album, I agree that this is a worthy member of the list. This is a perfect representation of the East Coast punk sound of the 70. 4/5

I had heard _of_ Patti Smith, but never really took the time to time to hear Patti Smith herself. I just did, and I certainly do not regret it. While I'm not sure I would caracterize "Horses" as "punk", although I can see how it would influence the genre later on, it's still a solid album, one I wouldn't mind returning to.

Patti Smith is a punk legend! Great album!

I know this is deemed a classic, but I've never heard it before. Patti Smith has a pretty distinct style, it's hard to even pin a genre on this, I guess that's why "alternative" works. Some are straight rock songs, others are long piano ballads. I thought she was adjacent to punk, and I guess she has a punk voice, but this seems elevated emotionally. Some really great songs on here. I'm not sure what I was expecting--maybe an album full of songs about horses?--but I really dig this one. I could definitely see this becoming a familiar classic if I listened to it more. Favorite tracks: Gloria, Birdland, Kimberly, Land. Album art: This one I think is iconic, maybe just because of how durable the album is. But I've seen this hundreds of times, it's hard to get out of your head. A very simple portrait shot, but the pose and the fit and the contrast make it very memorable. 4/5

Patti Smith's words paint evocative images and emotions across each track. Whether she's exploring themes of love, rebellion, or self-discovery, every word feels carefully chosen, allowing listeners to dive deep into the stories she weaves. The album seamlessly blends elements of rock, punk, and poetry, creating a sound that is both raw and refined. The interplay between guitars, bass, and drums is nothing short of mesmerizing, capturing the energy and essence of Patti Smith's live performances. The balance between the stripped-down moments and the grand sweeping sonic landscapes is expertly executed, showcasing the nuances of each instrument without overpowering the vocals/lyrics. One of the album's standout qualities is how well it flows as a complete work of art. Each track transitions seamlessly into the next, creating a cohesive journey that keeps the listener engaged from start to finish. The way the songs are arranged makes "Horses" feel like a tapestry, with each track contributing to the larger narrative. Though there is some variety, I believe each track flowed into the other seamlessly. This album demands to be experienced in its entirety. 8/10

I’m really enjoying this album. Probably my favorite from this collection so far.

Echt bijzonder erg onder de indruk van het album, ging er in compleet zonder verwachtingen behalve dat ik weet dat m’n pa fan is van haar. Gloria, Free Money, Kimberly zijn m’n favs. Hele bijzondere vibe brengt dit album met zich mee, echt niet een standaard album. Dit doet me ook weer bedenken hoe relatief weinig vrouwen er in de lijst staan, terwijl er genoeg out there is dat kans maakt op deze lijst. 4.

This was great. Gonna give it another listen.

This album is partly a fairwell to lost rock icons of the 60s (Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, etc). It also helped established punk rock while simultaneously moving it into a more avant garde space, with the help of producer John Cale. It's a great document of what was happening in the underground rock scene of the mid-70s in New York. Massively influential.

Really liked this one

Pretty good. I liked elements within songs. Birdland and free money were standouts.

4.25

Gloria: In Excelsis Deo, Free Money, Kimberly, Break It Up 4/5

Not at all what I expected from the Wiki article. It is so much more delicate and thoughtful than so much punk rock that I loathe so much.. Great imagery in the lyrics just add to the dark and heavy vibe of the album. Very excited to have found this one! 8/10

This was on my "to listen" list for like 20 years. I'm glad I finally got around to it.

I wouldn’t listen to this all the time, but that doesn’t stop it from being awesome. Not for everyone what with her yowling voice and a few long rambling songs, but to me this album is core essential rock n roll, poetic yet passionate. I’m gonna make her mine make her mine GEELOHARAYAYE Best song: Gloria

Listened to this twice through and enjoyed it both times. I didn't pick it apart song by song, but I really enjoyed the variety. Some of the songs, e.g. Elegie, are really pretty. Others, like Gloria are sort of punky. Overall, I found Patti Smith to be pretty damned cool. A high 4 / 5.

Patti is a well respected writer from the mid 70’s.

This album was so good that I don't even care that 2 songs are over 9 minutes. I very much enjoyed it and couldn't even tell that they were that long

Very good

Rockin’ poetry

like if television and a more urban sylvia plath made an album together

Patti Smith was unlike anyone else at the time. Still is unlike anyone, in many ways. Her songs flowed and rocked , but largely lacked direction. Perhaps she was too forward-thinking, even to this day, but it occasionally feels like the band is jamming around her poetry.

pretty happy about this record actually. Def heard Hole/Courtney Love/Liz Phair (even Sleater-Kinney) in here so it's neat to draw a line back to the 'origin' of that. Would def put this back on some time. I didn't LOVE this - it wasn't 100% my 'jam' - her vocal delivery is not super beautiful/moving to me, but I see why it would be to some. 4 stars but barely

"Jesus died for somebody sins but not mine" What a way to open.. Gloria is just unreal.. Great album.. Birdland gets a bit long is all. I mean 1975, post punk before punk.

I really liked the raw vocals of Smith and enjoyed listening to this album.

Very haunting for a punk album particularly with Elegie closing it out. I enjoyed her voice and would like to follow up on more from her.

I Don't like Patti Smith but this is the best album from discography her.

um dos albuns de punk mais livres que eu ja ouvi. ja conhecia mas nunca tinha escutado de verdade. a maneira como as letras evoluem pra ficarem mais fortes conforme a musica avança é muito inteligente. a rebeldia do instrumental é algo que não se vê tanto nos outros albuns de 1975.

It’s not my first listen and I don’t know if my mood was just exactly right or if I get it now when I didn’t before but I loved it this time. Loved it.

Enjoyed this, first ever listen, will be returning to it.

Discazo el de hoy.una grande del rock (LNB) No conocía esa versión del Gloria y me ha gustado, y todo lo demás también (PSP) Muy buen disco (LNM)

Importante conhecer o começo da história de quem marcou fortemente o som do punk.

There were parts that were really cool. I really appreciate the rawness of this. Love a lot of the lines. Break it up was my favorite.

I've listened to this album so many times and it somehow just never hits for me. like i know it's good, and i want to like it more than i do, it just doesn't hit my brain in the right way or something. sorry patti!

Fav track: Gloria, Redondo beach, Land

It took me awhile to appreciate Patti’s work. Too histrionic to be consumed without the adequate preparation. This is her opus prime; however, my favorite songs are not here. It is a solid work regardless!

This is good stuff! It's like punk meets spoken word with hella style. I'll be listening to this again.

Though I'm totally familiar with the contributions Patty Smith has made to rock and roll history, I've never really sat down and given her a listen. I'm sorry for that now. This was great.

Would say this is more on the folk rock side, maybe even teasing at some early Ska. A very interesting take on punk music for sure. Patti Smith is joining the National on their upcoming tour which is very curious indeed

The only people I ever heard praise her to the heavens were rock critics and media friendly musicians, so I was always somewhat skeptical. I was only familiar with her version of a song Springsteen gave her, and a song she collaborated on with R.E.M. on their last album with drummer Bill Berry. Turns out I should have jumped in sooner. This has one of the all-time greatest album opening lines (on a debut, no less. It tells you everything you need to know about the artist and album you're about to listen to), two incredible covers, and a style to that builds in unexpected ways. Patti Smith may always be a bit overrated in my book (she doesn't exactly have a vast body of work, just this album and a handful of follow ups). As great as this album is, I'm not ready to rank it as one of the 100 greatest rock albums, a hill Rolling Stone is apparently willing to die on. But Patti Smith gave us this album, and inspired PJ Harvey and Michael Stipe. So I'm fine with any accolades she receives.

Pat my cock. The whispering seduction makes me leap out of my leather trousers and into the paddling pool. She can touch my neck hair with her vulva.

Never listened a full album, it´s however like i expected, solid, raw, passion. And indeed... like a renowned reviewer already mentioned, it´s a bit like PJ :)

The raw sound reminds me of PJ Harvey.

I love this record. In particular I love the version of it that I have which includes the live recording of My Generation with John Cale. I've listened to this album numerous times and the thing that struck me this time around is that, while I truly enjoy this record I never went beyond it with Patti Smith. Sure, I've heard a few other tracks of her's here and there—things that would just be in the culture by her. But while this album is compelling, it did not elicit a curiosity or desire to hear more, different records from her. Was it complete enough in its own right? Does one just need a single Patti Smith record for life and this was mine? Did she draw me into her world in such a satisfying way I needed no more or did she not draw me into her world enough? It seems that I have more questions than answers with Horses.

Great album, Patti Smith really on top of her game

3.5/5

This. This is the Album where the first track caught me off guard, Confused something there. But now its gonna get a better rating than before and thats just as i wanted it.

Damn. Patti Smith is the male version of Bob Dylan. Forget all this first punk stuff. Yeah, I hear a bit of that, or a bit of precursor to Elvis Costello's sound, but even more I hear the indie sound of Velvet Underground (thanks John Cale?) and wicked lyrics combined with solid but subtle instrumental harmony (i.e., Bob Dylan). I hear PJ Harvey and Courtney Love and countless others that probably owe part of their style and success to Smith's trailblazing. The instrumentation could use some more depth or quality, but her lyrics are second to none. And her delivery is so raw and electric. The album has holes, but Patti Smith is badass.

Another classic

Enjoyed. Have forgotten already.

I listened to a good bit of punk when it was happening and current but somehow I never got to this album. It's a small regret in a lifetime of them but this one's a keeper. Adding it to the collection.

Not a single horse

Quite interesting