Reviews (page 5 of 12)
Her voice properly gets on my nerves. Actually, not her voice, that has a really nice tone, but her singing style is incredibly grating. I struggled to get through this.
Lyrically very strong, musically kinda boring. I think I'd have to re-listen to this. For a debut album, not an easy feat.
I never gave Patti Smith a chance, but I’ve realized her music doesn’t quite speak to me. However, I can see how her sound influenced a lot of music.
Okay!
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.
i kinda liked it, fineee nothing special
She is not a good rock singer. Her pop album is much better.
Didn’t really find much to appreciate here. Indie rock with vocals that were trying too hard and not enough at the same time.
this is how I discovered I don´t like punk... some good songs tho
Pretty chill album 👌
не зашло особо...
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
I liked this fine but it did not speak to me. My favorite poet/singer is Miss Polly Jean and always will be.
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.
Ikke alt på 70-tallet var bra
Very good
WOW - what an amazing look into what I imagine is a major influence of the 80s/90s punk scene. You can feel the emotion and anger throughout, backed up by a beautiful instrumental mix. The only comment I have is on Smith's shrill vocals, however it should not take away from what is an amazing album
4.0
An all time classic. My intro to Patti Smith years back, who has now become one of my all time favorite artists and greatest inspirations. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her live multiple times, including this year performing the album in full.
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.
Conflicted. The mother of punk rock and cultural influencer before everyone pretended to do that. I don’t like it though…it’s prototypical and not for everyone.
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.
Okej album men mycket som är rätt tråkigt? 70-talsviben är där, men låtarna är för repetitiva och hennes sätt att sjunga är ibland de sämre delarna av Janis Joplin. Några låtar/texter var bra dock och mycket känsla overall!
4/10 - не слушал
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
Reading that this was meant to be 'poetry punk' makes a lot more sense, as the music did seem to just be background for extended raving lyrics for large chunks of this. Quite liked a lot of the music in there but punk music is rarely improved by sticking around longer than it needs to so I think you'd have to half the runtime to make some of these songs land properly. Okay for one listen but the poetry side of things didn't appeal to me. 2.5.
It was alright. Quite liked Elegie, but otherwise a bit meandering. Wasn't stirred, nor roused. Perhaps I didn't pay close enough attention to the lyrics. I relistened to Gloria on the basis of other reviews. I didn't get it.
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.
Vaya coñazo esta señora. Ignoro de dónde viene su prestigio. A duras penas habla con ritmo. De cantar ni hablamos. Y las canciones son realmente malas. Sin embargo, queda bien decir que uno ama a Patti Smith. Seamos serios: no aporta absolutamente nada a la historia de la música. Nunca nadie quiso ser Patti Smith. Creo que no lo voy a escuchar. Ya lo sufrí una vez. Esto es para gente sorda que quiere ir de intelectual y moderna.
It could survive on attitude alone.
Classic
Not really a fan of her sound/voice, can’t really get past it. Need to have a proper to songs individually and read the lyrics.
Don’t love her voice
This is one of the classic albums I've liked less the more I've listened to it over the years. The first time I listened to it several years ago, the transgressive lyrics and energetic crescendos clearly demarcated it as an important rock classic. It is clearly ahead of its time and is very novel for 1975, since it generates its emotive power from Patti Smith's charisma and songwriting skill as opposed to any kind of technical experimentation, virtuosity or progressiveness that typifies that era in my view. The issue is that its also one of the more inconsistent classic albums. Gloria, Land and especially Free Money are really amazing songs but the other songs are too monotonous and plain, to the extent that they become kind of aggravating. I personally think that lyrics are the least important part of music and good lyrics can only amplify a great song. But no matter how much of a "poet" Patti Smith might be, it doesn't matter if the majority of the songs are too limited to make her poetry shine through. I think it's telling that one of the oft quoted lyrics from the album is literally the first line, because whatever else of genius she says is buried behind a wave of identical droning chords that they are missed by the casual listener. It's very reasonable for someone to adore this album if the magic sauce of Horses' acclaimed songs applies to the rest of the album in their view. Equally I can clearly see how some people see this as trash - most of the album is quite annoying if you are not in the right headspace for it. I think it's fair that this album is critically and culturally preserved and I lean towards it being on the positive side. But it is still very unrefined and probably salvaged somewhat thanks to John Cale's production. Given it was Patti Smith's first album, released when she was only 29, those flaws are completely acceptable, and clearly, ameliorate the album for many people.
12/23/25 I enjoy the weird things she does with her voice. 7/10
I can hear later albums in this one so I can sense it's influence. However just didn't really enjoy this one
Really enjoyed this. Heard a few of the songs before and the album works well together.
Is soothing punk a thing?
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.
A couple months ago I put this on to remedy one of the biggest blind spots of my entire music-listening life. It was absolutely incredible. I don't know what I was expecting. Somewhere along the line, I got the impression that this was in a class with Joni Mitchell, Janis Joplin, and Stevie Nicks (all artists I admire, but maybe don’t love). It appears the only thing that connects all those artists is the lack of a Y chromosome and a truckload of talent. Patti’s sound is so unique and ferocious. Why did I put this off for so long?
Fuck this album and Fuck Birdland
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.
birdland sold me a bit
Not for me. Too pretentious for my taste.
It's nice. I've always had such a hard time connecting to it though. I like the energy of the band, and Patti's vocals are always very theatrical. The album just sits weird in my head though, like so what just happened actually? Stars: Birdland and Kimberly
Really solid. Very truthful and biogrpahical, glad i found it beyond redondo beach
Gehört in die sammlung
"Gloria", "Birdland" y "Break It Up" are great. Much better than expected.
don’t piss me off no…just no you absolutely do not need to listen to this before you die and i’m so happy i don’t have to listen to it again
Ok
It's a shame that the couple actual songs were short lived because the rest was just slam poetry yelled over uninteresting instrumentals
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.
Great album with very strong personality
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
I think if I wasn't on a bus journey I probably wouldn't have finished it. Very experimental and the tracks are very long. Not really my vibe
Lush
Look, I'm all for powerful, opinionated, musically talented women who had to be scrappy and fight their way onto the male-dominated music scene, but this... well, it ain't it for me."Birdland" is nine minutes of gorgeous piano and Patti Smith whine-talk-singing all over it. For several measures in the middle she sings the same damn note for what seems like an eternity. "Free Money" seriously reminds me of a Tori Amos song- that may be the only redeeming quality this album has. PH WAIT - now that we've reached the middle of the song, Smith is back to the whine-talk-singing on the same note again. Nope. I just don't get it. Vocally, she just isn't strong. Poetically more so, but not enough to save this for me. "Kimberly " features more one-note singing. Is this Smith's schtick?
New to me. Not my fave, but I appreciate her art.
I was expecting 70's singer songwriter. This is not that. It was interesting. It felt a bit like Björk in the delivery. Not the pixie dreamgirl, but how the music takes turns you didn't expect.
Reminds me a lot of Jeff Buckley and Stevie nicks really like it
I got to see Patti Smith perform Horses in its entirety a few years ago. She played some extra songs too, including a cover of Purple Rain (this was in Minneapolis shortly after Prince died). She also recorded the entire audience singing Happy Birthday to send to John Cale. This is a great album to listen to and one of my favorites (Gloria is also a contender for my favorite song of all time), but the experience will always pale in comparison to hearing it live
energetic
A good album. Very raw. Very Patti Smith. But not her best work.
Wasn't quite my cup of tea but well made. Glora: In Excelsis Deo is a good song.
On one hand I get it, on the other, I don't.
Not really my thing but she is obviously VERY talented
I understand this album’s importance and Patti Smith’s importance, but I just didn’t like the music.
Nicely done. Love the edge on it.
Awesome. Birdland is my song.
I understand why I should like this album more than I actually like it.
Hope I get reincarnated as Patti Smith. Still hate Bird land, but the rest is wonderful.
Didnt end up listening to the whole album. Not my fave
Not for me.
4+
Wtf is this shit? Why would she sing like that? This album is irredeemably bad, and "Birdland" has gotta be one of the worst "songs" I've ever heard.
11th album with group. I wanted to relisten and rerate this. I’ve been thinking I might’ve been too harsh. After listening to it again though my opinions are pretty much the same except I’ll swap Elegie for Kimberly. Good Songs - Gloria: In Excelsis Deo, Redondo Beach, and Kimberly. Bad Songs - Birdland, Free Money, Break It Up, Land: Horses/Land of a Thousand Dances/La Mer, and Elegie.
Iconic voice, messing with pacing enough to make us uncomfortable. I enjoy how it seems to thumb its nose at the rock band trope. It sounds like (at the time) it should be like a Mick Jagger at the front…
2/10
Not a dan
God, she was so damn cool. 4/5
An all-time classic: if this list was 21 albums…rather than 1001, Horses should still be on it. The Van Morrison/Them cover to open the album, plus the title track Land:Horses, are highlights but it’s strong all the way through.
I must have heard Patti Smith before but obviously not tracks from this album. The album seemed punk-ish in places, which seems about right from the year it was released. I'm not normally a fan of punk, but this seemed to be a softer version of it, less out to offend than some of the later bands. She has a distinctive and strong voice which came over well and fitted with the music. I set out thinking i wouldn't like the album but in the end it turned out OK.
I love her voice, I can sense the power and dedication she puts into her songs Fav song - Kimberly 3/5
1 song in...i dont think im going to get this album. im sure it was crazy 50 years ago, but it's missing me. Hits me like an Always Sunny song break, The Gang (Charlie and Dee) goes art punk. I guess "Free Money" is alright.
Snarling fierceness from the opening to the beginning. One of the all time great debuts.
Weird in a good way. Something about Birdland reminds me of St. Vincent, also loving the shreds on that one. Kinda punk I like it, never heard of Patti Smith before. I love love love the intro to Elgie. Favorite Track (this listen): Elgie - Wishing the song was longer; beautiful vocals and spoken word, and the guitar is singing too :P
3.69
Це цікаво, хоч я більше слухала музику, але до лірики варто повернутися
2.6
Favorite Song: Free Money Least Favorite Song: Kimberly Fun listen, but not my cup of tea unfortunately. Patti Smith's powerful voice and the iconic opening line might be the only memorable things about this.
Pretty interesting and different compared to other punk albums I've had to listen to. Usually they sound the same, but this one was like electric Leonard Cohen. Is it great? No, but anything named 'Horses' deserves some respect.
Not gonna claim to get this one eh. Redondo beach…? Like….huh?
Love It. Own It.
I already I know I love this album! What a feat. So raw.
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!!!!!!
Masterpiece
reminds me of kate bush, very whimsical
First time hearing this iconic album. It was exactly what I expected from it and also nothing like it. Years ago my now-husband and I went to a Patti Smith art exhibition at a big gallery. The art was carried by attitude and determination, but not much raw talent. There was a hush surrounded the exhibition, though. A sense of "I cannot believe Patti Smith herself will be here later today." And so this record carries that too. Attitude, determination, some but not much raw talent, and a cult of personality. I liked some songs: Elegie and Free Money. But overall, Smith as an artist doesn't work for me.
good...trippy
CLASSIC
I like some songs but its okay
I like the aesthetic of this album probably more than the album itself...but I digress. Redondo Beach is a fave and Patti is the ultimate cool girl. Why would I give this less than 5?
I was surprised how her voice seems like other singer after her. I see some of Blondie and Siouxsie in here. Dramatic and poetic songs, some of them longer than the usual punk songs, but this make more interesting. Just two songs got me more actually.
Punk rock poetry.
It just sounds like a classic albums Opener is superb The instrumentation is great
This was my first Patti Smith album I have listened to. Might even be the first songs I knowingly listened to. I listened twice and a lot of it didn't resonate. Maybe if I get to know her, Patti Smith, this album will feel different. It's like high school and right now, Patti is one of the girls I didn't know or found annoying because of how cool she was. Then I see her a number of years after high school and realize we have more in common than we realized just on the surface in high school. Maybe it's like that? I dunno. I am sure I will go back and revisit this at some point.
Yeah, this is very much my thing. Really getting into this 70s pop rock
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.
best one so far, never listened to punk before
This was pretty good. Sounds like a raw, angry, rock and roll version of Joni Mitchell. This is an example of bad background music, but when you stop to listen, it really rocks. This is active listening music.
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.
Opening with “Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine” goes so hard.
I expected more from this. Didn’t gel with her voice either tbh
Just an absolute racket
Several great songs, although some of them are similar to each other. Magnetic voice, makes her a singer eady to recognize. Some of her songs I would listen to it again.
better than I thought it would be
Album is not something I typically listen to, however I’m glad I did because I know it’s considered a classic.
A bit shouty. Still enjoyed it. Like a punk Joni Mitchell.
I of course knew who Patti Smith was, and have heard plenty of her songs and know of her importance in music history. But yeah, honestly never sat down and listened to one of her albums. This is a masterpiece. I get it.
(CENSORED) The only solid song on here is Gloria and I’d prefer Van Morrisson’s ___ in my ___ over Patti Smith‘s whining voice in my ears any day 🍑 Top candidate for most overhyped album of all times
Cracking opening, but suffers from the same problems Patti Smith always exhibits. Dull music, bad mix, lyrics veer wildly from evocative to overwrought.
This is one of those discoveries. What a revelation. Fucking amazing, I just love this album. And it belongs on a short list of fantastic debuts.
It started interesting, but went downhill quickly from there 1,5/5
Great voice but not really my cup of tea. Very repetitive sounding. Album gets quite boring quite early to be honest.
Loved the production and the boldness of the lyrics. Lots to love in here in general and lots to get your teeth into. However, there wasn't any song that screamed "listen to me" again but I'm kinda glad I got to listen to it at all.
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.
What a debut. What a time. What a woman.
Yeah it was ok. Heard a lot of things I liked.
Rad.
Good
Totally captivating. Words don’t do this experience any justice. Patti Smith is so emphatic and animated in delivering some of the most unique lyricism you’ll ever hear in anything rock/pop adjacent. The vocal inflections are unreal. Usually, with an artists you kinda sacrifice unique lyrics for catchy delivery or appealing instrumentals. Not here, she has it all. I’m just floored. “Gloria: In Excelsis Deo” and “Birdland” are my picks from the record, but really this is just front to back amazing. Easy 5/5, no need for a long write up just go listen to this masterpiece
Not my music, but dayum there's a lot of power buildup here. Some nice solos though. Will rate better later.
Kinda scares me, but I like the songs
Mixed bag. Liked some tracks, not sure about others
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.
Gloria kicked ass
Easily one of the best album openers we've gotten so far, at least if you're asking me. Any cover of Gloria feels like a guaranteed banger, but Patti Smith's might be my favorite. Land is a transcendent trip that I'm always happy to take. Indulgent, however, is a perfect way to describe some of the other songs on the album. It can feel like a little much at times. Big ups to Lenny Kaye and his guitar work on Horses. 3.75/5 Favorite Tracks: Gloria, Redondo Beach, Break it Up, Land
Patti Smith alternates high & low with some high highs and low lows. Part of it is that you really need to indulge yourself in the scene, right, like her whole mileiu. And that stuff can be really annoying when it runs too long or feels too indulgent. That's definitely the case on Birdland. But Land? That's the best song here! The shorter stuff is roundly good, taking its cues from the VU with some dashes from the 70s singer-songwriter school. Favorite Tracks: Gloria, Redondo Beach, Kimberly, Land
A few of these kind of sounded Sleater-Kinney-ish, which I wasn’t expecting.
Äe jag hade svårt för detta. Inte dåligt men inte min smak.
Ugh.
Not so bad but not so good
Although it is highly rated, I still don't hear any compelling vocals here. Influential and talented lady. But not something I would want to listen often.
I couldn’t finish it
And a half. Very good
A bit much for a Sunday night when you’re slightly hanging but still powerful
I like this. Cool dude
Not my thang, she had a great voice but some of her songs were pretty wack
Not going to lie, this one made me sleepy, it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t engaging for me, probably bc I don’t really like this slow, relaxing type of music.
Big fan of Patti Smith's books but never could fully get behind her music
It's ok. Her vocals grate on me after a while though and not enough of the songs hit the mark.
Good
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 recognize the historical significance, but don't quite fit in with the adulation. I am afraid I thought Horses pretentious or maybe just not all that much. It's okay. Maybe I'm just reacting to the deification.
This has always been in my top 10 albums. I love everything about it and can sing along to almost all of it. Free money is the most phenomenal song. Patti is an amazing writer and talent!
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.
I've tried with this one before. Today I was able to appreciate how much she's influenced a generation of musicians, so there's that. But it's never done anything for me. I guess I like the idea of Pattie Smith more than the reality. Cool cover, though.
I've long connected with Patti Smith's words, sounds, ethos, and nature. Even before I started reading her books and learned the shared similarities of growing up in a small New Jersey town. Is this her best album? Not in my mind (that might be Gone Again or Banga). But Horses is a perfect introduction to her style of rock-n-roll feminist poetry with a nod to punk and avant garde artists who helped her bloom. I'm extremely grateful to live at the same time as Patti Smith and I urge you to read any of the books she's published. Her words...thoughtful and real.
not all music can be poetry and not all poetry can be music. i would say this album fits within the latter statement 2 stars
I can't get into her and I've tried
Patti was great! that Smith guy though, ugh
Got a song about myself and horses so almost an instant classic
respect the vibes but this ain’t for me
this ain't the Chelsea hotel, we're modern idiots
she sounds like a goat
The album was angsty and slow with early country/bluegrass roots. Had some good moments, but other parts made me cringe a bit.
It's very reminiscent of Neil Young to me. It's fine, and I appreciate it was groundbreaking at its time. But it doesn't grab me like other music does.
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????
The sound of bitching put to tape
Who thinks this is good music . . . ?
Meh
This album was an impressive Venn diagram of things I don’t like
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.
Alright album, I didn’t like the opening track but the rest was pretty good
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
Patti Smith is one hell of a wordsmith.
Pure class
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.
Didn't like this as much as I thought I would.
She does an absolutely brilliant cover of The Who's My Generation (on the Legacy Edition CD, it was originally a B side on the 7" of Gloria) that had me replaying the second it ended-loved it! The album proper is pretty good but not sure how likely I'm to ever hear it again nothing wrong with it, but I found it a little boring. Some say it's the first punk album, but it doesn't sound punk to me when I think of punk I think of Ramones, Sex Pistols, UK Subs, Black Flag, etc. this to me sounds like singer/song writer stuff just a bit angrier. I get why it's such a highly regarded album, but I prefer listening to Cradle of Filth's cover of Allison Hell off a fairly recent COF album that is a complete return to form & is up there with all the early albums- if you ever liked COF check out stuff like Cryptoriana to this year's The Screaming of Valkyries- what a late career (mid career? Isn't Dani like 50?) delight! John Cale (of The Velvet Underground) produced Horses I guess he & Patti Smith butted heads a lot and a member of her group almost got in a fist fight with. Also, one man from Blue Oyster Cult (Lanier) and one man from Television (Verlaine) appear on the album.
I don’t get it, probably never will. There’s good elements of this, though. Opening line of “Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine” raised my expectations a lot. She just keeps chewing on her words so the delivery is annoying. Best songs were Redondo Beach, Kimberly, and Gloria. Calm 5-6/10
This fucking sucked
Gloria started out strong. The rest of the album didn't really make me tune in.
I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would
Wasn't very good
Birdland
This feels like a good album to clean the house to. Like, just turn up the volume and mindlessly work around the house with this on. Also kinda feels like movie montage music for such a scene. Generally, I like it. Not really adding it to my regular listening list. But I can see why people would.
This artist seemed to me like a knock off stevie nicks. I’m not even sure what genre this belongs to? Punk n roll? Apparently this album is not only one of the 1001 greatest albums but is also a top 100 album all time. It wasn’t for me. I do appreciate the artist’s sentiment, though: “it doesn’t ask to be understood, only felt.”
Started out alright but seemed to be a train off its tracks and was a mess by the end.
Few interesting songs, especially her version of Gloria as the opener, but otherwise not something id pick up again.
I can understand how it was ahead of its time, some songs have good energy, didn’t roll my eyes as hard at it as i did in the past. Still not for me…2.5 with a round down
+++
album was damn good, chill vibes
The first few tracks were bops but I didn’t really jive with the rest. It’s really clear where Geese is getting their sound frlm
good evening music
I respect Patti Smith. She's got great lyrics. I liked a recent podcast interview I listened to where she was the guest (with Ezra Klein), but I'm just not really into this punk/folk stuff. It's alright, but a lot of these songs just don't hit for me. I need my punk to be a bit less folk and my folk to be a bit less punk.
There’s nothing here that I’d ever want to hear again.
This is not an easy listen. She seems to be trying to sing poorly, widely varying her pitch in odd places, slurring words. When I could understand the lyrics, they didn't make sense. Much of the album is spoken word over background music, and it all seems like a dark, twisted poetry slam. I suppose that was her intent, to rebel against standards of music.
Yeah, it wasn’t too bad, but some of the songs had that whisper singing that I hate.
I enjoyed this.
I was lucky enough to see Patti Smith live just last year, and let me tell you at 77 she still can command a stage. An all time classic. 5/5
Jarring vocals.
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.
good
It was really hard for me to form an opinion of this album as I just found the way Patti Smith's sang, irritating. Most of the time, I just couldn't wait for the songs to end, and I thought she dragged on the ending of many of the songs way too long. I liked the different instruments which added to the music, but I was biased as I just couldn't get past my dislike of the way she sang. All that said, my favorite song on the album was "Elegie" which was surprising as it was basically just her singing with a piano. Worst song, in my opinion, was "My Generation". I just felt like she was trying too hard to be a "hard-rocker". The second half of the album were live versions of the songs, and I've never really been a fan of live versions as I really don't want to hear all the clapping, hooting and hollering from the audience. The more than 17 minutes of the combination of the songs "Land: Horses Land of a Thousand Dances etc" was entirely too long.
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"
No thank you, 1/5. I'm a big defender that an "album" doesn't just have to be pure music, and I am absolutely willing to rate an album well if the experience was thought provoking or enjoyable in some creative alternative way. So I feel I was open minded when I realized this album was more aligned with poetry than traditional music. However, I imagine the song "Birdland" would be similar to the result of putting an 8 year old on a stage and telling them to make up a song on the spot, and telling a very competent pianist to try and keep up with the made up songs direction.
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.
Not my thing
Trailblazer. Iconic. I loved listening to this intently and all the way through.
Enjoyable but didn't love. Very clear paving of the way for other acts. Will try again
If Lou Reed were a woman she'd make this album. Good thing she did because this amazing album is better than what the Velvets have done. 5/5
its alright i guess
Cover 5 My favorite Patti Smith album. Granted, I haven't listened to her whole discography.
I don't even get how this is considered punk rock, let alone one of the greatest albums of all time. Like, it's not bad at all but whenever I listen to this I'm like "So, that's it, huh?"
Not my thing
Really enjoyed this entire album. I will need to revisit this later to digest the lyrics.
This is phenomenal. Of the Television, Lou Reed, Velvet Underground, New York Dolls, et al bands coming out of that scene in New York this is the true master work. Smith manages to be sexy, poetic, and also a real rock and roll act. I only wish I had heard this a long time ago.
Great album, can’t believe it was a debut
vokser på meg. kjenner at det er noe jeg kan like å høre på
3,1/5
the good songs are very good and the bad ones hurt lol. overall i like it
It was great! Party rock similar to Janis Joplin.
Utrolig alternativt opplegg fra 70 tallet, helt ok, trenger ikke å høre igjen.
It was good. I prefer her more pop and rock songs, but this was a fine morning album.
Freaking brilliant rock and roll. The best album I've never heard before, and it will probably soon be my favorite album of the year
Just ok
I just wasn't in the mood for this. On another day maybe I would have appreciated it's heart and commitment - but today it just wasn't melodious enough for me.
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
Butt
Forerunner for a lot of angst ridden grunge in the 90s. Not an easy listen and certainly not an album to return to. One for the chin strokers only.
FFS i had a whole write up for this that has just disappeared. Anyway it was basically, I wamted to like this. I didnt like this. Her overuse of inflection annoys me.
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
This was pretty good. Never heard any of these songs before. I'm only familiar with Patti Smith from the singles that got lots of airplay over time.
Good album, enjoyed it but did not love it. A few good songs but not anything I felt a strong connection to or emotional reaction to.
I get it but not really my vibe
I liked Free Money but that’s about it. Too many spoken word type elements for my liking.
I wanted to love this, trailblazing punk (really?) that I understood it to be, but couldn't get into it 😕
Great opener, a bit downhill from there, but enjoyed overall!
Reminds me of Yoko Ono ( not a compliment). Perhaps that was the sound for the time and it got pressed on vinyl. I do admire Simone who followed a dream to make music.
My dear old friend. No idea what I can say about it that hasn’t been said. It’s been with me about half my life. Long enough ago that I got it at a used CD shop, college I think. Its meaning has only expanded for me over the year. I have fantasies about doing a karaoke version of “Free Money” but doubt I could ever keep up. But I’ve certainly said every word many times. Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine…
Despedimos la semana con una bestia como Patti Smith y con Horses, su espectacular debut musical. Imposible no escucharla y no verla como una adelantada a toda la movida alternativa/indie de muchos años después con su forma de cantar, su estética y sus letras. Lo anterior me hace pensar inevitablemente en la actualidad porque, ¿a quién tenemos de referente que tenga estas búsquedas, éste compromiso a reconvertir sus vivencias en arte? ¿Alguien tomará la posta o es algo extinto y ya no existirán músicxs así? Dejo estas reflexiones y me retiro hasta el lunes. Gracias miles por un álbum cinco estrellas.
Good tunes, like the vibe. Probably not something I'd really come back to. 3.75
7/10
Absolutely essential—and always a pleasure to listen to. Smith’s vocals are strong and gritty/rough (yes, that’s a compliment).
I guess I'm supposed to like this because everyone and their brother who is a music critic absolutely loves this album. I did not. Sorry! 2 / 5 stars because it's not god awful like Krautrock.
in between the Velvet Underground and Television, with a woman poet carving out space for the future if you don't think that rocks I am sad for the things you have missed in life. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)
One of the greats, obviously. Gotta be a geek to not see that. A real dweeb
Mehhh
Idk about this one. Not my style.
patti smith walked so SOPHIE could run.
Brilliant record, has a punk attitude but more expansive. Lyrically intriguing.
Quite good, rather cool, very influential, but not something I’ll voluntarily revisit in the future.
I've really struggled to rate this because it was fine. I thought Patti Smith would be a bit grittier.
Easily one of the best albums ever. Gloria is a hell of an opener. I don't know what the fuck Patti is singing about for most of the album but she makes it sound cool. The band is great. Slinky and quiet and rockin. A classic. Great Cover Art.
Very pleasantly surprised. Can see her influences to the later generations. Early for her to be doing her style and singing. Loved it.
Respect it, don't really love it. 3.4/5
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.
Entiendo que este álbum haya ido ganando adeptos con los años y que al principio la irrupción de Patty Smith no fuera de la mano de un éxito inmediato. Demasiado vanguardista para la época, y eso que la sombra de Warhol estaba detrás. No obstante, creo que si esto lo hubiera lanzado un hombre en lugar de una mujer de aspecto andrógino le habrían ido las cosas mucho mejor. Dicho esto, a mí el disco me atrapa desde el minuto uno por su carácter urbano, mundano y lírico a partes iguales. Y porque Patty es una intérprete de diez. Fuera de lo obvio, no he podido evitar recordar “Miserable Lie” de The Smiths mientras escuchaba “Free Money” y “The Hand That Rocks The Cradle” del mismo álbum del cuarteto de Mánchester al escuchar “Kimberly”. ¿A alguien le pasa algo parecido?
Enjoyed this more than I expected.
I feel like I should care about this album, but I just can't. Fair play to the lass, but it just doesn't tickle any of my bones
Dette var ikke noe for meg. Fikk litt hippie-vibes.
This is one of those albums that you're SUPPOSED to love, but I don't. It's just not enjoyable to listen to. I appreciate Patti Smith and her lyrics and voice and that she was groundbreaking in the punk scene, so I feel like I must give it a 3, but all I really want to hear from her is Because the Night and Dancing Barefoot. 3⭐️
I kinda hated this like singing word vomit
damn i sure hate her voice
5.7/10 - instrumentals were good. Some songs had nice rolling beats. The piano was nice on others. The squawky style of singing just wasn’t for me unfortunately. Land (7.5) and Redondo Beach (7.2) were the best, while Birdland (4) was my least favorite…
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.
“Jesus died for somebody’s sins BUT NOT MINE!” What a bold way to start an album, and what an album this is. This album is dark, angry, and sensual all at the same time. If I had to boil it down, Patti takes everything that came before her in the Rock scene (namely Bob Dylan, the Doors, Hendrix, and to a lesser extent the Rolling Stones) and splices it with her unique experiences and poetic skills to create something psychedelic and absolutely RAW. Best Tracks: - Gloria: In Excelsis Deo - Birdland - Land: Horses/Thousand Dances/La Mer (^This track especially is fantastic, first time in a while a song has had me in a trance trying to understand it, it’s INTENSE!) Worst track: - Redondo Beach
Patti Smith is legendary, and not without reason, but I think this album is a classic example of “appreciate the impact but don’t love the music” that sometimes happens with these mainstay records. Heretically, I feel the same way about Sgt. Pepper’s from The Beatles (I’m a white album kinda boy). There are some songs here that I like, but nothing here that I love. To be fair, there’s nothing I actively dislike either, but still, I find myself somewhat unmoved by what some call music’s first punk statement. Also, she said some weird shit about Mick Jagger and wrote a crazy song using the n word a lot, which feels bizarre as fuck. Her book, Just Kids, is pretty good though
I wanted to enjoy this album. I really did. I did not enjoy this album. I think Patti Smith's voice is just not for me. I couldn't get past it no matter how hard I tried. My favorite song on the album was Break It Up. My least favorite was Land.
I was driving through horse country while listening to this album, which is most likely not the best setting to consume it in. Very manic, very strange, very cool. I'm between a 2.5 or a 3 here. There were a few songs I really enjoyed, but it didn't quite land for me with the limited time I had with it. These are the flaws with one album a day; I think I could've gotten a lot more out of this with more time, and I probably will in the future.
I enjoyed this well enough, although the production on some songs left a lot to be desired -- "Redondo Beach" sounds like some of the kid's music I play for Mason. I really loved the first track, but was left wanting more over the album. I plan on relistening since there is such an emphasis on the lyrics and it deserves more attention. I'm always fascinated by the intersection of music and literature and have thought a lot about poetry in a musical space. I always think of Gilbert Scott-Heron, but Smith brings something unique to that conversation.
“Horses tore my limbs off and put them back on in a whole different order. I was like: "Shit, yeah, oh my god!" then I threw up."” -Michael Stipe I’ve been listening to this album since I was like 14 and read Please Kill Me for the first time. Every time I hear it, I appreciate more and more just how special it really is. This time I listened with the lyrics pulled up, following along with every single line and, again, it hit me like never before. This album is like the big bang. You don't have to like it, but you can't deny it. This is one of the most truly perfect pieces of recorded media ever created. Horses was, I believe, the first album released by one of the resident CBGB artists and, for that reason, has a claim to being the first punk album. By blending "intellectual" influences and contemporaries like Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Television (Tom Verlaine is here!), and Talking Heads with the raw, simple, instrumentation of the Stooges, Ramones, and garage bands like the Kingsmen and Troggs, Patti Smith made a case for the NYC underground scene as something that demanded attention as it came to liberate us from the tyranny of masturbatory prog rock bullshit. There’s a reason she has been cited as an inspiration by everyone from Springsteen to Madonna (I'd argue there's a very direct line from the juxtaposition of sacred and profane in the version of "Gloria" on this record to that same trope being on display in "Like a Prayer") to Sonic Youth to Dua Lipa. Taylor Swift saying "I'm not Patti Smith" in the title track to TTPD was the closest she’s come to humility in the last 5 years. "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine" sounds like some edge-lord shit today but in 1975 it was a genuinely stunning mission statement. Such a simple declaration of autonomy and rejection of tradition. The storytelling here is visceral. You've got suicide, alien abductions, sex, drugs, rock and roll, religion. The lyrics to every song are like 10 pages long and sound borderline improvised and driven purely by emotion at points. It's like she's speaking in tongues.
Appreciated some of the energetic and spitfire moments of this one, but overall struggled to enjoy the artsy punk direction. Every 70s punk album gets me closer to getting it, but it's still challenging for me to really dig.
fav: free money 🖤
Bleh. Nothing about this is interesting.
Very famous album that I must admit to have never listened to before! I was a little disappointed given all the history and hype though. I can see where Polly Harvey drew inspiration from. Really enjoyed Free Money and Kimberly but not so much the rock and roll songs. Will probably come back to it though.
Meh, not for me.
Grew on me and understand where Nick Cave got a lot of his influence now.
Props for a version of “Gloria” that I have not heard before, and her obvious influence on other artists. With two 9 minute tracks this album plays longer than it is and is not one I’ll go back to. 2.5/5
I’ve listened to this album at various life time points over the years, but it still never really lands for me. I can appreciate her place in the story of punk rock given the attitude and delivery here, but I’ll always be a bigger fan of her fellow NYC/CBGB contemporaries like Television and The Ramones. The album and her sound is definitely unique for that period with the combination of rock music and poetic lyrics, but at times she seems to be in a poetry slam competing with herself. Still, with so many bands citing this album as a major influence (REM, Siouxsie, Johnny Merr, etc.) it’s hard to discount her influence.