Reviews (page 7 of 11)
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 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.
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.
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.
I'll give Patti Smith props for being a punk pioneer but this album has never resonated with me. Rounding up based on influence. 2.75/5
This album is decent. Not amazing. There are some cool tracks on here, no doubt. I loved Free Money, great song. Admittedly, Birdland was an epic tune, even if I didn’t care for it. Gloria was also good. But a few others were not as great. Land in particular, I found pretty derivative. Still, there’s a cool vibe about this album and Smith’s voice is great. Nothing I’d come back to over and over again though.
I wanted to love this but I didn't connect with it
Decent.
Not bad, not totally my thing.
man new york rocks... shout out john cale
Not terrible but had a decent amount of skips
Not really my jam. I can see why people think it's exceptional, though.
I actually did see Patti Smith at a music festival back in 2010. I think I convinced a friend to go see her with me since she was “a legend.” The concert wasn’t particularly good, and I realized I didn’t actually know any of her songs. My knowledge of Patti Smith hasn’t really increased since then. I mostly know her as the original writer of “Because the Night.” I do recognize this album cover, though. So, how was it? I think it has a lot of confidence and vision, she clearly set out to do something different. The opening line of the album, “Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine,” immediately gets you hooked. The whole first track is by far the best one; the way it builds up, paired with her great vocals, makes it a very memorable listen. The rest of the album doesn’t really keep up, though. I wasn’t particularly a fan of the spoken-word parts, nor of the covers. I’m going to settle on a 3. I get why this album became famous, it certainly isn’t bland, and there are some good tracks here and there. Oh, and the CD version includes a great live cover of “My Generation.”
Really poetic writing.
Not bad but not my favorite
I enjoyed listening to this; it instantly got me thinking how many stars to award. Gloria is a great opener and had me thinking this could easily be a 4 star outing but for the most part, the album didn’t quite grab me in the same way. It wasn’t until the penultimate track that I found the best song on the album, Land, which elevated it towards those 4 stars once more but on reflection, whilst this brings a lot of punk spirit and is clearly influential, I’m giving this the 3 star treatment with a note to return and see how I find it next time.
Quintessential 70’s sound. Not my favorite and wanted to skip the vocals but I can see the appeal.
Kul plate.
Exhausting but pretty interesting. Need to be in a specific mindset to enjoy this though.
interessante
Rating: 2.7 I liked it okay. Probably edgy for the time but just about put me to sleep in this current timeline. Not sure why this album is considered top 10-20 all time in many circles.
Puvv gar nüd speziells gsi oder. Vlt biz zu rockig patti 3 hamburger mit patties grrn
Easy zum lose, als Hintergrundmusig. aber jz nid mi lieblingsmusig / style
Nice proto punk. Love the opening track. But not that many good songs I would want to hear again. Don’t particularly dig her voice.
I wanted to like this more than I did.
Sounded pretty unique for it's time, Gloria was the star by far, the rest wasn't bad, more appreciated it for what it is than liked listening to it.
first listen hm
Fierce, intense, powerful voice as advertised. Wish she had better songs.
Gloria is amazing. Absolute banger. The rest was ok. Nothing I would go back for.
I expected to love this, but found it difficult to really get in to. Took a few tries but warmed up and eventually yearned for more. Likely just getting to it a bit late, but intrigued to listen to the legacy version at some point
Would like to like it more.
Lady Paul Newman punk rock-lite. Interesting (if nothing else) lyrics and talented backing band made this a fun listen, but couldn't help but feel that the whole thing is overrated.
Sure, why not?
It wasn’t bad album overall. There was some good, some not that good songs. Didn’t really have a favourite song from this album. Seemed like an album you would play in a coffee house.
I think the significance of this album are lost on me. I also found my level of enjoyment depended on the environment I was listening in, at work while trying to meet a deadline was not the best way to start listening. Maybe one day I’ll look into this album, for now it’s just a generic three.
not super for me
i liked it! her vocals are super energetic and fun
Important and influential…not all of the music holds up but the power of her work is still there.
Fun interesting album we listen to at home a bunch. A little too quiet for my liking. 6.5/10
It was alright but it didn't really have anything special
I think this is one of those records where it won't connect with everyone but will sink its teeth into a smaller base of fervent fans. Some of the frantic poetry doesn't make for a comfortable experience, but the raw energy and runaway train vibe is arresting. People have locked this into being a proto-punk album, which I am not totally sold on. But it is fascinating - interpolations of two rock and roll songs from the 60s in a totally new style, alongside Patti's original compositions ranging from the slinky dub of Redondo Beach to the piano-led dirge of Elegie. You can see Television, Talking Heads, and more synthesizing when the music is at its best - not to take away from it but quite the opposite.
Seems like this was probably a significant album, but don't know that I need to listen again necessarily.
Yap yap yap blah blah blah
point0.
I'm torn on how to rate this. The album was fine. Like so many other albums, her voice was my least favorite part. She used a lot of techniques that I have been very harsh against in previous albums. It was clearly a stylistic choice as she demonstrated that she can sing well. I respect her use of them more than many others because she used them for sarcasm or emphasis, but I still dislike the nasal or breathy tones. Otherwise, the album was fine. On a side note, apparently what I thought punk was and what others consider it to be are two different things.
I liked a lot about this album. What I don't necessarily like is the mumbling and random noises, but it can work. I appreciate the story elements of all these songs. No standouts, really. Just a fine album with some fine songs
It’s a good record and important socially. Songs are pretty good. I get why - it is documenting a very important period of American music. But it’s overrated.
You can definitely hear the roots of punk rock in here. Feels like we have had a lot of similar albums recently and this on was fine
Alright
Redondo beach from a NY author is such a fun surprise.
Don't really know why, but this didn't strike me as being too interesting. Some highlights, and I'm sure it was important for its time, but hearing it now I was left a bit bored.
I liked the attitude and the meshing of old with the new (mainly thinking of some of the references in the songs). It was interesting, but not something I'd listen to again.
First though 50 seconds in, "Female Nick Cave? No... Iggy Pop? No..." Punk, but art-y. Mix feels strange, a bit harsh, lots of treble, hardly any low end. Not terribly unpleasant though. Gloria 6/10 Redondo Beach 5/10 Birdland skipped Free Money 8/10 Kimberly 7/10 I can stop here I think. This album is everything that I like in concept. On actual listening though, I don't enjoy it, other than for it's craft and tone. I just don't like listening to it.
I have listened to this before I died. I do not feel like it made a big difference to my life having listened to this. 3 stars.
good
Gonna have to revisit this one, seemed very eclectic on a first listen but I see the potential!
I've always felt I should like Patti Smith more than I do. Considering the music I like, all the components are there. But alas. I can appreciate her music on an analytical level, but I just didn't enjoy listening to this album very much.
I’m a big fan of the song Kimberly, and I like most of this album. The song Birdland probably moves this from a 4 to a 3 for me. Too long and too much warbling.
That'll do nicely thank you.
She's an oddball. Kinda sounds like a cross between Pat Benitar and Gwen Stephani. Learned from the Wiki that she had a ton of poetry she had written and felt it needed something, so she got into music. Gloria is a great tune from this album. Outside that, it's not great, but it oddly satisfying. Even the sloggers. She finds a way to hold your attention.
This is a much-mythologized album. I think it’s cool that a female artist broke through in this way at this time. Now, do I like it? I actually had this on CD and I used to listen to it driving. I think it’s a good car album. It makes me feel like I’m on some free-spirited Jack Kerouac road trip instead of driving to a hockey rink in Burnaby or whatever. (have I read On the Road? No.) Gloria in particular is fantastic (I like it better than the original). It really sets a mood. But then the album doesn’t really sustain my interest. The songs are really similar to each other and have a rambling quality. I think the problem is I don’t like spoken word poetry, and this album is heavy on it. When I read the lyrics, I think, this is cool, very atmospheric and epic. But then spoken out loud in a pseudo-spiritual preachery way paired with the proto-punk, garage rock sound? I don’t know, it just gets really repetitive and loses me.
I’m not completely sold on this album, but I’m not unimpressed either. It’s easy to recognize its cultural weight and artistic ambition, even if it doesn’t fully connect with me. Songs like Gloria and Land of a Thousand Dances stand out as strong and engaging, but overall the record leaves me somewhere in the middle. 3/5
Like a lady Bob Dylan, but the lyrics had a little more cohesion.
I know this was a seminal album, but it was just ok to me.
I do like it, but I don’t love it
More lyrically driven than I expected. Have always seen the album, but never listened before. Enjoyed it
It's an eclectic genre bending album before that was the cool thing to do which I appreciate. It starts out a little rough but gets better as it goes on in my opinion.
It’s ok, but not quite the missing link or bridge to punk but maybe new wave. Draws heavily from the first Velvets album without pushing the envelope.
Yep, a pretty good album. Great to hear a female voice, there haven’t been enough
Good punk. Not my genre but informative and edifying to listen to.
More enjoyable album than I expected it to be. "Gloria: In Excelsis Deo" is a banger and very fun to listen to, and the rest of the album is pretty unique and enjoyable. Just a solid album.
Ładny rock, ale dosyć angażujące. Trochę brzmi jak The Beathles, pewnie to herezja, ale tak mi sie kojarzy. Czasem za dużo gadania, za dużo przeciągania w kółko tego samego.
I've heard of Patti Smith, but never listened to her. I liked this. It reminds me of like a mix of the Velvet Underground and the Ramones. It's a bit more chill than some of the other punk at the time and the spoken word parts make it into its own thing.
Best Song: Gloria: In Excelsis Deo This album is odd. While I can respect it artistically, this is another scenario that I would never really listen to this whole album again (or at least not often enough to give it a 4/5). Gloria is a banger, but for every good song there is a 9+ minute song that goes on for 8+ minutes too long. This album is beloved by critics and the music equivalent of The Simpsons Comic Book Guy, but perhaps my palate isn't refined enough for it. 3/5.
An interesting and timeless album. However, I found it difficult to listen to as her voice really doesn’t work on some of the songs. Others worked perfectly and I liked the variety, but probably never listen again.
She has a really distinct delivery and style which brings flashes of more contemporary artists to mind, PJ Harvey, and oddly, Julian Cope (Jehovahkill era) spring to mind immediately. Her influence in that regard is clearly strong. Musically it feels like the band is just fitting in around her delivery in a mix of styles, I prefer the more blues rocky numbers, but that’s not the focus really. I have listened to this before and while it’s interesting I’m never really drawn back in. I did see her recently at a festival in 23. She’s still got the pipes.
This is once again just a bit outside of my tastes, but you can definitely see the bones of what I like! I'm most fond of Free Money here, but definitely like other parts too here and there. It's good.
Horses
Not for me. The whole time I wished I was listening to “The Dutchess” by Fergie
Gloria is great, prefer her style of singing on the faster/harder rock songs, do not like her style on slower stuff
3.5
2.5
A classic, the titular track is a behemoth.
3.5
Невероятно потрясающие текста ,удивившие меня своей поэтичностью текста,и перечеркивающие своей унылостью и безликостью инструменталы
I appreciate it as a piece of art... that doesn't particularly resonate with me. Free Money was my favorite track. There's a lot going on below the surface here. Would be interesting to do a deep dive into Patti's life and the context in which she was writing? and performing these songs.
Ehh, it's fine but not really for me. I bet Alanis Morissette listened to a lot of Patti Smith.
Nice voice, found the songs a bit dresry
Interesting, but meh
Uummmm
I really appreciate the story’s her songs tell.
Fav: Free Money
Some iconic tracks and some that left me cold. Might change my opinion, but the opening track set a high bar that wasnt met by the following tracks
Started great! Got a bit same-same. Not bad, not amazing.
Overrated imo
I liked the start, it got lower as it went along
Not bad, nut not exciting
I fear this is one that I like but I don’t necessarily get ALL the hype for.
Before it's time, pretty good. Not my favorite listen but I respect it
No es un estilo de música que me guste mucho. Pero sí cabe destacar la expresividad musical, vocal y poética del álbum. Por momentos me recordó un poco a Kate Bush, pero en una versión menos experimental. Considero que es un buen álbum, a pesar de que no haya generado una gran impresión en mí.
fucked with it, i love her honestly and her voice is so satisfying to listen to
Have not really listened to too much of Patti Smith. Some of the cuts I liked. Seemed like at lot of raw emotion, but not as much of what I would label as punk. Would listen to a few more times as sometimes albums grow on you. Listened to it twice and liked it better the 2nd time around.
This was a pretty good album. As usual, it took me a few listens through to really appreciate what it's going for, but when it clicked, I grew to appreciate the weirdness. This is proto-punk, and is very unique for what it is. Patti has a very good voice, and while the only song that I think stood out to a notable extent was the opener, "Gloria: In Excelsis Deo", this was a very unique listening experience as a whole, one that I'm glad I partook in. It might have been a cover, but I have to say, I really liked that song, especially when she finally gets to the part where she's singing the titular name. The more weird albums I roll, the more I grow to appreciate music in general. So thank you, Patti, for opening up my mind to this strange but great album. This is another artist and genre I've grown to appreciate a lot thanks to this site, so thank you to the site owner as well, for putting this cool site together.
Favorites: Horses, Elegie Weird. I loved it.
I was already aware of this album but maybe had not heard it before. I can see the appeal of this album and why it is (rightly) highly regarded. She has a pretty unique voice and the songs are good. The tracks blending Gloria and Land of a Thousand Dances with her original lyrics are pretty special. Definitely the two highlights of the album for me. That said, her voice starts to cause some ear fatigue by the end of the album. Her voice reminds me of Stevie Nicks in that regard, but at least in her band, she shares vocal duties with other singers. I would listen again, but maybe not right away.
A little monotone
I know I’m supposed to like this…I just don’t. 3 stars.
A very unique album, but not my vibe, even though I understand it's influential. I liked: Gloria and Land Might need to look further at its lyrics and influence.
Decent, as I've got older I've learnt to appreciate Patti more. Patti Smith on the other hand... 🤣
01) Gloria: In Excelsis Deo - 8,0 02) Redondo Beach - 7,5 03) Birdland - 6,5 04) Free Money - 7,0 05) Kimberly - 7,5 06) Break It Up - 7,5 07) Land: Horses/Land Of A Thousand Dances - 7,0 08) Elegie - 6,0 TOTAL: 7,13 (71/100)
3.5 Stars
Ok ok
not for me
patti the poet is a genius, patti live is electric, patti's albums...just don’t quite do it for me
Not a bad listen, but one I haven’t chosen to listen to for about 20 years.
3’5
a little out there at times, but really hits some excellent songs and really fun to listen to
The Good: Horses!!! The Bad: We didn’t get to ride them… The Ugly: Having to shovel up behind those imaginary horses… I don’t recall that I’ve listened to Patti Smith before, at least, not consciously. I get it that she’s a great poet, and a key figure in NYC punk scene during the CBGB thingy-ma-hoogie… hurrah. Me, I’d rather listen to some Ramones, or even Blondie, if I am going to invoke that era in my mind. Shoot me for not understanding the genius that she seems to be. 3 1/2* downgraded… wish we could score on 10 though, I would give that 7...
Like the vibe, didn't love the repetition and by the end I was pretty dang tired of the sound.
I found half really good, and half uninteresting. The history of the album is excellent and I enjoyed the story of the place in the album within history. Is it an album id listen to again? Unsure. Really unsure. Maybe? So, a star for th find, a star for the history, a star for musicality and interest, a bonus star for the good tracks, and a negative star for the meh tracks. That takes me to 3 stars, which seems about right.
I very recently finished "Just Kids" which was one of the best books I've ever read. Certainly makes the music more personal. The album is good, that's maybe the most I can say
Surprisingly really enjoyed this album, opening track Gloria instantly set the tone and is probably best song on the album added to my playlist, will definitely revisit and possibly check out more Patti smith. Can see why my dad's such a big fan
6/10 Me gustan los cambios de beat pero no creo que lo escuche in a daily basis
The first three-or-so songs are a major letdown, but the album finds its groove in its second half. I'm still not a fan of Patti Smith, but this one is quite OK. 3/5
I can respect Horses for its influence, but it just doesn’t connect with me. I don’t dislike any of it, but nothing really sticks either. It may be an important album, just not one I'll ever listen to again.
Insanely beautiful voice, the album is just as good. This lady has done EVERYTHING she is an artist in so many ways, her story is very interesting.
joah ging schon klar, aber kein Album was ich mir kaufen würde
1. Gloria - 7.8/10 2. Redondo Beach - 7.5/10 3. Birdland - 8.2/10 4. Free Money - 8/10 5. Kimberly - 8.2/10 6. Break It Up - 8/10 7. Land of a Thousand Dances - 7.5/10 8. Elegie - 7.2/10 7.6/10
Enjoyed it. Found it good to work to.
Has some good songs and others are just an assault on the ears, like bird song.
Fine.
I can appreciate the influence this album had and the influences it drew from (Joan Baez, Janice Joplin), BUT it was okay for me. I appreciated the songs that were more autobiographical to her life. Couldn’t handle Birdland about William Reich. No, thank you. It was no All Too Well the 10 minute version.
There's a particular riff that she really likes hitting but it gets old after a while. I did like it, and the version i listened to had a live recording of her doing The Who's "My Generation" which was SO FUN
Strange, and off putting half the time, good the other half.
I used to like this better in my 20s.
3/5
Mycket bra i början. Sämre och sämre efter det. Lite blandat.
Mein fünftes Album von der Liste, das ich vorher schon kannte, und das erste, das keine vier Sterne bekommt. Es kann mich nicht wirklich von sich überzeugen, so leid es mir tut. Ein paar der Songs gehen aber klar, 2 1/2, aber ich runde auf.
Y'know, I gotta agree with a fellow group member of mine. I would not exactly call this a punk album — at least not by how I would typically define one. Oh, sure, the energy is largely there, and I'm not saying punk music **has** to be "three chords and the truth" like The Clash or the Ramones... But if there's anything I'd feel like I'd define this album as, it's a 70's singer-songwriter album that certainly rocks way harder than most other albums in that lane. And as a 70's singer-songwriter album, it comes with my usual issue: I'm a big dummy who can't understand the lyrics. Whatever Patti Smith's saying here, I can't even begin to parse it out, nor do I really have the interest to sit down and comb through and analyze the lyrics one-by-one. Obviously, this is just a "me" problem and doesn't necessarily reflect back on how well the album is written. I'm just saying, in terms of discussing it from a lyrical standpoint, I'm among the last people you'd wanna ask. I think I'm only slightly above people who just can't read, period. So, I'm left to take this pretty much entirely from a musical perspective, and this is where I'll give it some points above most 70's singer-songwriter albums. Unlike a lot of albums of that ilk, there's actually stuff going on. It's not some acoustic guitar folk plonk-along whatever-the-shit, and it doesn't just go in circles like even the best of Dylan's electric stuff can end up. There's parts, and they move. Once more and again, there's an energy to them. But all the same... I'unno, I just found it a little hard to really gel with these. Maybe it's 'coz I woke up wrong, or 'coz I just spent most of my mental energy writing a different album review before tackling this one... But for most of the album, I just wasn't with it. For "Gloria"? Sure, I'll rock that at least half the day. But something like "Land"? Oh, especially when you have no idea what's supposed to be going on in the lyrics, it just never ends. Like, are we **sure** that was only nine minutes and not **twenty**? Maybe if this was full-on punk instead of this artsier, garage rock thing I'd be more engaged with it... And, tff, I'unno. This is one of those big, heavily influential albums where I feel like I should be more into it, and I'm slightly disappointed that I'm not, but... Eh, wha'cha gonna do? Just wasn't my vibe. I'll give it the benefit that if I **was** more interested in understanding the lyrics I'd probably like it better, but as it stands... Yeah. It's not bad, but these ain't horses I'd wanna run with too often.
Horses was a rollercoaster. Will listen to it again but in general I liked it. I really liked the storytelling part of the album. I can see why “Horses” is an important album for rock music history. This album definitely impressed me, I didn’t get distracted while listening to it and each song had something particular for me to notice, I didn’t find it “stale” in any part.
Good quite liked it.
Love her voice, love the energy.
I liked it. Not as punk as people make out, I get more post punk vibes. It's a three.
3.25
I can see her influence of punk rock and poetry style lyricism. A very interesting listen. I'd never heard of her before now, but I recognized a few of the songs off this album.
patti smith is one of the coolest. her music not so much. 3/5
Good, but not something I would listen too. 3/5
Patty Smith(aka, Patti Sm-eye-th) always seemed like the female version of Lou Reed, though maybe not as much heroin and narcissism. Her swashbuckling voice never really appealed to me, though I do respect her music. You can hear a resurgence of his influence in ‘90s bands like Hole and Alanis Morrisette. Key places where you hear the Reed comparison are songs like Birdland, where you could interchange the two singers without changing the feel of the song. Speaking of both, one of my first exposures to Patti and Lou was in Billy Idol’s song Heroin where he lyrically blended Reed’s VU song Heroin and Smith’s Gloria: In Excelsis Dio, which she took from Van Morrison’s Them album. Speaking of which, Free Money lyrically reminded me of Janis Joplin’s Mercedes Benz. Jim Carey once quipped, “imitation is the purest form of plagiarism!” Hmmm…. Overall, this album is highly influential and listenable, but I probably won’t to be honest.
Random Thoughts: * Listened to this one several times and was enjoyable enough to keep it on repeat but it didn't reveal anything deep or meaningful to me. * I definitely enjoyed Patti's take on "Gloria". That was a fun listen. * It's only been about a week and a half since I listened to this and I realize nothing else jumped out at me. Can't recall a single track besides "Gloria". * She is soulful, a little raw, and kinda punk. I can see why people would have got into Patti Smith.
Singular stuff even all of these years later when we have bands with stream of consciousness spoken word vocalists like Life Without Buildings and Dry Cleaning coming out of our ears. She was brave AF, but I find this to be a lot less snarling and visceral than everyone always tells me it is, backed with soft sounding instruments where it needs to be noisy chaos. But if you turn the volume up, close the door and stand outside you could sort of imagine you’re arriving at CBGBs or Max’s Kansas City in the mid-70s.
Pleasantly surprised by this album but some songs were a bit long.
Litt ujevn, men vemdig bra når det er bra
Ok but not totaly my type
Superclassic in some people's book. Not in mine. I acknowledge it's status and of course have a copy, but it does not move me.
Had heard a lot about Patti Smith, never listened before. Feels like there is a gem in there somewhere but it'll take more listens to find it. Note to self, I suppose.
shes incredible
A little too 70s New York to me. I can see the influence and the reverence she has earned but I probably won’t seek it out again
Typ lagom lyssningsbart, nån låt som stack ut positivt och kul att testa lyssna på nytt som jag vet är klassiskt, men i övrigt inget minnesvärt.
Pretty middling in my opinion. Im sure if I cared about lyrics this would make sense but I don't. She sings well but not well enough to keep my attention. She did do this cool thing where as she sings she pounds on her chest giving it this kinda sinchopated thing going on. Its creative and I like it alot. But at the end of the days it's just soo subtle for my tastes. Maybe if I get a few more years under my belt it would hit harder but right now it's right in the middle
What Patti needed was a strong producer to say "Enough!" "Stop" "It's done" "Move on". Too many tracks outstay their welcome. But looking at the sleeve notes this album was produced by someone from the Velvet Underground so there's your reason. 2½
Even today sounds like a fresh voice. I would listen to this again.
I can sort of see the appeal but some tracks were a little to out there for me.
Interesting, but very lyric focussed, so not good as work music
Love the punk sensibility of the music, less enthusiastic about the poetic songwriting.
Fun to hear more of a rock n roll version of punk, but often closer to spoken-word poetry than music, so more likely to end up on my attention-required slow-burn playlist than regular rotation. I was familiar with Gloria and Land (although not aware that the former is a cover, or that Van Morrison was in a band), so the funkier Redondo Beach was my favorite discovery, which would fit in really well on a Clash album.
Well this is certainly a different take on punk than the Ramones. Land: Horses / Land of a Thousand Dances / La Mer(de)
Was not super familiar with Patti… Kinda dug it
pretty solid punk album even though i didnt really get what she was on about.
This album was pretty enjoyable for the most part, but also had some rather mediocre moments that didn't really stick out, especially "Birdland" like damn that song is boring, I think the more punky moments on the record definitely work the best, when it's relying on these simple 70s riffs & such, amplified by Patti's very dominant voice, the more experimental elements just feel kind of whatever & boring, they don't really leave a lasting impression or feel very memorable, there's some good moments, but it's a little hit or miss.
Never been a fan, but this is OK
Pfff... I think the singing on this album is rather unbearable. Problem: it's all about the singing. It's way up front in the mix. Musically - as far as anyone can tell - it's not really exciting. One exception: Break it up, thanks to a guest appearance by Television's Tom Verlaine. Nah. Not for me. Not extremely bad either. Just meh.
This album is weird, sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a bad way. One of the songs was a 4.5/5, a few were 3/5 and one or two were 2/5. So I will average it to a 3/5. That feels marginally optimistic, and if I did another listen it could be a 2.
groovy? und in ordnung, coole stimme
Well, this is fine. You can see the punk elements in it, and it does have a bit of the Dylanesque about it, but neither of them are strong enough to carry the album. Not bad, but not the amazing album people hold it up to be.
An upbeat blend of post-punk pop. Artsy and entertaining.
While I've heard of Patti Smith a bunch of time, I've never sat down to listen to her music. I don't mind the vocals or lyrics, but I don't like most of the music itself. Tho I'd listen to another album before I could say if I like Patti Smith for sure or not. Maybe it's just the Legacy Edition I found on YouTube Music, but I don't like having all the live versions of songs. Welp I LOVE My Generation...first song on the album that I actually know.
Pleasant enough, but it didn't especially thrill me. I don't think I'd switch away from most of the songs (maybe 1 or 2 I would?), but I've no desire to relisten.
I really enjoyed the opening tune "Gloria." Patti's voice is so expressive and really fits in with the raw sound of this album. However, I'm not a huge fan of the mixed spoken word/singing, like on "Birdland," "Kimberly," and "Land." I understand why Patti, as a poet, included it, but I just couldn't enjoy those parts as much. Highlight of the album was the fantastic energy in the instrumental part on "Free Money," that made it my favorite track on Horses.
It’s fine. Next.
A strange mix of poetry and rock. Punk in spirit, but not sound.
Wow I thought I used to love this album so much but I don't recognise a lot of the tracks in the middle. I think I must have just hammered Gloria and Redondo beach, which really are standout tracks for me. The long buildup on Gloria makes the surge forward in speed at the drop so electric. But some of the tracks miss the mark: Kimberly was a real lull for me.
A name I've been familiar with but haven't delved into. This is definitely early punk, though, as much as Iggy / the Stooges.
Very interesting listen. Had a lot of powerful and engaging moments, and definitely not something I'd usually gravitate towards. But I really appreciated the artistry blended into the album, and there is definite passion behind the songs. Top tracks: Redondo Beach, Free Money, Land
Dug it, those around me, not so much.
I know she’s an icon and everything but I just can’t connect on that level.
Influential but not something I return to often.
That's not my taste in music - But ok
Good subtle listen, made me sleepy
I own this album and I saw PS in concert many years ago. However, this record has not held up well for me in hindsight. I respect Patti as an artist, but I don't find her overwrought vocal style particularly interesting anymore. I'll respectfully give this one a 3. 3/5 Album 22/1001
Voice is an acquired taste, but definitely passionate. Musical accompaniment is competent with a few interesting passages (the guitar on "Gloria", the piano work at the beginning of "Free Money", the bass on "Kimberly"). Highlight: "Gloria" (starts bluesy, but gains a punkish energy as it goes on. Gender bending Van Morrison cover), "Free Money" (another piano-based song, starts slow and builds steam. Seems like the precursor to "Because the Night")
Favorite Track: Free Money
Interesting take on punk, musically like that but there are some profound lyrics throughout the album which is an cool combination. Overall enjoyed but may not come back to a ton
Cool stuff.
I had expected to not like this, at all. But to my surprise it was tolerable. I like her voice at times. I have not cared for her writings, and previous exposure to her music was not promising. So this 3 rating is kind of a rave from me.
Gute Album gute sobgs
Very artsy. And likely still in with the 1970’s hipster set. It seems to me like Patti’s popularity comes from people that are trying a little too hard to be cool. She was strange back in the 70s, fifty years have passed and this album still is strange. I think the original album ended at Eleigie, live cuts added to the legacy version. (They came across as Broadway numbers to me.) Free Money is the song that I enjoyed the most. Glad I got to experience Horses. (2.9*s)
Pretty mid, Birdland is trash. It's more like a 2.5.
Lesbian Bob Dylan
Bien. No tan mi onda pero se deja escuchar y le mete buenos momentos hard y prendedores.
Id give it 3.5 if I could
Never much keen on this or Patti Smith
I get the cultural subsidence, but Patti has just never been my style.
Enjoyable but other than one or two songs not particularly memorable.
I'm glad Patti Smith didn't give up and went on to record "Because the Night". Sorry, the album was okay, and I expected much more from a big name like Patti Smith, but it seemed she hadn't quite figured it out in '75 yet. It was a bit more tolerable after a second listen, yet I only somewhat enjoyed "Break It Up".
I know this album was influential on many in the 80s and 90s… but it just doesn’t do anything for me.
There were many precursors to punk, and this is certainly not the most important of them. Half these songs feel like Bob Dylan blues hell holes and the other half are grandiose leviathans of uncertain vision. Almost every song is way too long. Nothing is terrible here, but there’s also not a damn thing my life will suffer for to never hear again. Yes, yes, the first line is great and then you either can’t understand or don’t care to try for the next 40 or so minutes. A good line every now and then isn’t enough to make an album matter. Intent and cultural influence aren’t enough to make an album worth listening to.
i didn’t really like it but it was undeniably cool so you gotta give it credit
p348. 1975. 3 stars. Hugely influential album for punk and a whole generation of female singer/songwriters - but it's not aged well, and there is a LOT of filler. No-one needs multiple 9+ minute tracks.
I liked some elements: her voice and the lyrics are good. The music isn't massively complicated but builds with some nice intensity in places and apparently massively influenced the formative punk genre. Gloria is a really strong opener Don't like other things: in particular lack of hooks, a lot of tracks just happen without me remembering much. Her typical structure seems to build to a big outro which I don't find too appealing. Also Birdland is annoying 3* for a mixed bag seems fair
This album was solid overall. Her voice annoyed me at parts but the songs I like, she’s incredible on them.
Not what I'd call punk, but perhaps for the attitude. I did not pay attention to the lyrics, which might hide something. Musically, it just fine. 6/10
I get it, but then again, I don’t
Not quite my sort of sound, but it's interesting.
Couldn’t do it. Sorry.
This is like a random museum piece for me—cool to see it once and know it exists, but not an exhibit I need to return to.
Pretty cool
A cool record that does tend to overstay it's welcome
She has cool imagery but not my cup of tea sonically
It was fine.
2,5
278/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Album - Horses Artist - Patti Smith Release - 1975 Genre - Punk Rock/Art Punk/Garage Rock Heard it before? - N Heard OF it before? - Y The poetry was a lot better integrated than I expected, but I just cannot encode what she's saying. Lyrics have never been my strong suit to be honest. I don't know. Like I love Television, but I love them for the guitar interplay and jazzy atmosphere they create, despite still being simple. The lyrics about doing drugs in Manhattan are just a bonus to me. Television has hooks. The Velvet Underground have hooks. Patti doesn't. [Horses] has it's moments of almost-punk-but-not-like-proto-punk-and-there's-a-piano for sure, but unless you really like the poetry you probably won't get that much out of this one. 6/10
A very mediocrely alright album. There weren’t really any stand out songs for me, I just had it on in the background and it wizzed by.
I wanted to like this more than I actually did - pretty good but I found her voice a bit grating at times
Good poetry but not good music. I get why it's on here, but I didn't enjoy it.
Not quite what I thought. Good, a less soft voice, but got boring after a while
1/16/24. First time diving into Patti Smith, I like her sound. Very interesing lyrics too, poetry driven!
Bra, fiilis album. Kräver vidare lyssning
Gloria definitely the stand out. Rest is ok.
Nice
Cool, un peu gossant sur les bords, mais correctement punk tout de même
Wat een raar album weer... Het begint echt lekker, Gloria is vol met energie en een stevige rockplaat, maar Birdland klinkt alsof Patti in paniek raakt, met de muziek er achteraan. Altijd fijn een paniekaanval die is opgenomen en op een album terecht komt! Gelukkig herpakt Patt zich weer met Free Money dat gewoon een lekker nummer is , beetje Blondie achtig? Zelfs een klein beetje Fleetwood Mac dat je er in hoort! FAVO: Gloria, Free Money, Land Horses
Still love the opener, plenty of intriguing tracks but never been an album Inreturn to regularly
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Must have been pretty forgettable. Here we are 20 hours after listening to it and I don't remember much.
medium debut
Vanguard music for it’s time
second best album with a black and white cover that came out in 1975 (may end up regretting this and decide it's third best lol)
I think I had preconceived ideas about the talent of Patti Smith as all I knew was the name. But I’m not sure. I quite enjoyed
By all metrics i should love this album. It ticks so many boxes as punky, poetic and honest. The opening track is a classic and i found the rest of the album seemed to be perfectly respectable, but i did a foothold to go from mild appreciation into the heart of the album. Ill be coming back to it when i can to see what ive missed.
Strong opener
Quite Nice, good guitar lines, made me travel but I wont listen to that everydays
I’ve tried to like Patty Smith…I know she’s really influential in the punk scene and all that stuff. She just doesn’t do it for me. Some of this was ok, some definitely not.
2.5
I would give this 3.5 if I could, slightly better than average but not up with some of the 4 stars
This was unique and interesting, I’d give it a 3.5 probably. Different is cool
This is yet another artist that I’d certainly heard of, but hadn’t actually listened to before. If nothing else, I’m thankful to this project because it exposes me to a lot of artists that I should’ve listened to, but have not yet. In any event, I did enjoy this album somewhat, But at times, I’m not crazy about Patti Smith’s vocals. Sometimes they are just a bit too out there for me. But all in all, I found this album to be an enjoyable experience. I’ll give it three stars.
It's alright. Maybe in the right mood I would want to listen to it. But just was never the biggest Patti Smith fan, but that's just my opinion!
There’s a bit of smoke and mirrors at work here. But you can’t deny the energy at work here.
Hit or miss throughout. Sometimes it was really annoying.
Classic album and it influenced a lot of artists that came after her. A lot like Velvet Underground it hits fairly empty for me. I enjoyed quite a few songs on here but I don't know if I would listen to this one again. Some of the songs are just too long and may have felt more revolutionary at the time. I would give it five stars based just on influence, but I'm not sure I can do that since it was mostly just "good" for me. This is another album I think those who were directly influenced by it are going to say they liked just because they are supposed to like it.
Started out strong but got a little too artsy for me. She seems cool af though
This was a decent album, but nothing to get excited about.
“You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith. This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’re modern idiots”
A little raw in terms of production but ten track debut albums should all be this good.
Good fun, and lively. I liked it..
Gloria (part one: In Excelsis Deo / part two: Gloria (Version) 4 Redondo Beach 3.8 Birdland 3.3 Free Money 3.4 Kimberly 3.2 Break It Up 3.5 Land (part one: Horses / part two: Land of a Thousand Dances / part three: La Mer (de) 3.5 Elegie 3 Score: 3.4625
Very experimental
3.4
Not a great background listen. I feel like I couldn't really appreciate this in detail. I will have to revisit while looking at lyrics another time. I can see there's a lot going on underneath the surface and the experimental nature of it makes it difficult to judge based on aesthetics. 3 for now as I wasn't captivated, but I will need to come back to it.
Was about to form the opinion that the 70s were a pretty bland decade musically, but this is actually pretty neat.
Didn’t think I was a fan of Patti Smith’s voice but I actually quite enjoyed this. An easy listener, and a cool sounding record for its time.
I listened to this once years ago. None of it sounded familiar when I heard it today. I know critics love it, but I found it just OK. Sort of punk, but not quite energetic enough for my taste. Favorite track: Gloria
Nice enough
Jim Morrison would probably really dig this The arrangements were quite nice and her voice is very pretty, but American prayer already has my heart.
I'm a few steps behind Andy on this one. Admire it for sure. Not quite with it yet.
I appreciate elements of this album, but can't get past Smith's anguished bleat of a voice. The lyrics are superior, the garage rock backing is energising and there are some genuine moments of sublimity here. But when it doesn't click, Horses has the potential to harrow.
This was pretty good overall, but a little uneven. Will probably try to listen to more of her work.
Spoken word over mildly interesting guitar and piano.
I first listened to Horses about two years ago. Patti had once worked at the Strand Bookstore in New York, and so had I about twenty years after, so I felt some sort of arbitrary necessity to become familiar with her music based on that tenuous connection alone. I remember being really enthralled by the album, with the raw power and poetry, the transcendence of Birdland, the mashup of her own poetry with rock classics, like in Gloria. So, I was excited when this came up as my album of the day. Today, though, I must not have been in a receptive mood. What I’d interpreted as transcendence two years ago felt like forced transcendence this time around. Her voice which I’d found interesting last time, grated on me this time. I still enjoyed getting caught up in the surrealistic sweep of Horses (the song), and I understand this album’s place in punk history, but it’s certainly not an album for all occasions. Must the greatest albums be for every mood? No, of course not. But this one involves a patient mind who’s also ready to rock, and I was neither today. Maybe next listen this will be a five? Right now, it’s a three in my book.
Bueno
Patti Smith’s Horses is a compelling testament to raw emotion and musical authenticity. Despite Patti Smith’s unconventional vocal style, which might not be technically perfect, her expressiveness and engaging lyrics command attention. The band’s performance shines throughout and the walls and signal flows of Electric Lady Studios treat them well. The track “Redondo Beach” stands out with its ska/reggae rhythm, adding a dynamic layer to the album. “Birdland” offers a droning, meditative exploration of a simple idea, emerging as a personal highlight with its introspective storytelling. “Free Money” impresses with its Velvet Underground-meets-Neil Young vibe, driven by a chugging three-chord progression that builds to a crescendo. “Kimberly” showcases a more intricate chord structure and benefits from the subtle addition of organ, giving it a thoughtful, well-crafted feel. Richard Sohl’s piano work on “Elegie” is another album highlight, demonstrating impressive skill and emotional depth. Overall, Horses remains a significant and influential work. While it may not be an album I frequently revisit, it continues to offer a profound listening experience and a valuable place in musical history.
This one was alright, but I did get annoyed with the vocals after a few songs. I liked it better when she straight up sang. Birdland and Elegie were favorites.
Well this was sort of challenging. I know I'm supposed to appreciate this, but did I really enjoy it? There were some songs that I enjoyed more than others, like Free Money. When I followed along to the lyrics, I could appreciate the poetry of them. She's an evocative writer. The band was good. Her energy and spirit was punk, kind of wild and feverish, even if the music didn't have a lot in the way of established punk conventions. I suppose in 1975, punk conventions hadn't been well established yet. I didn't enjoy a lot of her singing, although there were times where I didn't mind it. I've heard other songs from her's that I also didn't mind the singing, so I feel like when she pulls back a bit on the vamping and just sings it straight, it's better for me. All in all, I'm glad I made the time to listen to it, because I know this was groundbreaking for its time, and highly influential, so now I have it as a reference point.
I wanted to like this one more
Reminds me of some of the stuff from PJ Harvey. Overall I would say 2.5.
Another overrated NY Art Punk act that was far less about punk… or music, or art. Just yuck. I mean, in the 70’s, New York was such a shit hole, inhabited by overmedicated, self-indulgent brats. Give me California hippies any day of the week over these filthy fakes. Otherwise, not a bad effort.
I can only imagine what it was like to listen to this album back in the mid-’70s when it first came out. It was truly one of a kind. I like this album because it has a laid-back feel overall. Despite being laid back, it has a stripped-down, raw energy that gives it a punk aesthetic. I also love the piano, which definitely adds depth to the music.
It's an okay album. I didn't hate it, but I wish there was more nuance and diversity of sounds. It felt like she was following a similar formula with most of the songs here. The instrumentation was good, and the lyrical content was vast. Although her voice is a bit wild, it adds uniqueness and personality to the album. Best - Gloria: In Excelsis Deo, Redondo Beach, and Land: Horses / Land of a Thousand Dances / La Mer(de) Worst - Kimberly and Break It Up 3.00-3.25/5
I don’t get the appeal
70’s rock
Enjoyed this but not huge.
I had a good time, but I already forgot most of the songs. Good stuff nonetheless.
That's undoubtedly a classic that deserves its place on this list. However, I have a hard time getting into Patti Smith's music. I love her attitude and delivery, but the music isn't doing anything to me.
Interesting, but not amazing. Reminiscent of Siouxsie and the Banshees - she must have been a big influence on them.
She is pretty badass, but her music really isn’t for me.
This will be a lame review because I heard the album 2-3 days ago so I don't remember it that well. On the whole it was fine but didn't grab me especially.
Glad I listened to this, even though it felt too spoken word to really be my thing. And I appreciate the through line to other artists I appreciate, like PJ Harvey.
interesting minimalistic album. Enjoyed the edginess of it.
i like her energy and her style is certainly unique but unfortunately i think her songwriting is mediocre. 6/10
Went much harder than I had anticipated.
A bit country but not bad.
She's so cool. Her band is amazing. I really appreciate this, but I'm probably not going to grab it for a casual listen. I don't have much of a penchant for the dark, goth-y punk sound.
It's clever and controversial and raw. All the things I usually love. But I've always intellectually loved this album, but been emotionally cool on it
Because the Night!
Fine