Pretty good. Slightly repetitive. Some hits and some misses. Could be a classic if it were 8 songs instead of 21.
I liked it. Bill and Shannah didn't hate it. Short and sweet. Classic rock 'n' roll guitar licks. Knew a lot of the songs somehow already.
Opinion differs. Not coherent enough to sink your teeth into. Hard to get into. Rhythm section and piano often more enjoyable than melody.
Great voice, melodies, harmonies. Conor thinks band is a bit boring. Very nostalgic for Bill. Shannah wasn't really paying attention but like the background noise. 3.5/5.
Bill reckons a bit long, but more tolerable that anticipated. Shannah likes his piratey voice. Story-telling on Shore Leave and Frank's Wild Years generally appreciated. 3/5.
Conor and Shannah like all the hits 3.5+ star. Bill hated it - 1 star (would've been 2 if Mad World was on).
Some good sampling and thematic stitching together of album with interview excerpts, etc. Little bit monotonous. Long.
2.75/5
Meh. Has all the right elements but somehow doesn't add up to much. His Mum should be proud of him but no-one else needs be. 2.5/5.
No-one disliked it. No strong feelings either way. One or two 90s memories for Conor. The slightly oddity of the music was appreciated. 3.2/5
One for the Deep Purple aficionados. Cool organ/guitar stuff. But loooong and drawn out. 2/5.
Not a wordsmith. Harmless and unmemorable. Couple decent pop songs (Angels and Let Me Entertain You), but the rest is nothing. 2.5/5.
Muchly enjoyment made was the twisty turny razzle dazz of goodly phras-ed musics.
3.6/5
Tricky one. Some absolutely great tunes but not one to listen to too often. Long. Some tunes just rambled, as they do.
Pretty good. Mostly enjoyed, especially first half. Would listen again.
Exactly the kind of music that Bill hates. Shannah surprisingly pleased (and excited at recognising a song). Conor liked guitars and keys. Jane heard very little of it - probably not her cup of tea. 2.25/5
Pretty good. Nice sounding album, cool drums, decent band. Inoffensive, middling.
Good. Some occasionally dodgy voices but good music. Points added and deducted for reminding us of England. 3.7/5.
Great! Brings back memories for all, including a blue Mercedes, trips to the beach, Fatima Mansions, and David Gray's big bobbly head. Very coherent album, even if that means it's a little samey. Some fantastic individual songs like 'Please Forgive Me' and 'Sail Away'. 4/5.
Blah. Some cool riffs but a bit repetitive.
Pretty ok. Bit repetitive and not much in the way of memorable tune. But a good portfolio of cool music experiments.
What a goddamn wallower. Quite boring and monotonous, despite good music. 2.5/5.
Shannah DID NOT like (0.5/5). Bill also did not like (1.3/5). Conor liked (3.5/5).
(1.7/5)
A little melancholy for Shannah’s taste but nice in the background. Bill finds it nice and melancholy, good for the background. Conor found the background to be nicely melancholy. (2.7/5)
Shannah enjoyed, good classics (2.5)
Conor likes. Some of rock’s finest riffs. (4/5)
Bill absolutely LOVED each and every moment. Each note a drop of pure electric joy. (0.3/5)
(2.3/5)
Sounds like a school kid that just started their first garage band. A shit garage band.
Shannah (0.5)
Bill (0.5)
Conor (2)
Doesn't disappoint on any level - Bill (5/5)
Reminds me of the UK, makes me happy - Shannah (5/5)
Better than anticipated, more measured and musical than expected - Conor (4/5)
(4.7/5)
Reminds Shannah of Christmas. (2/5)
Bill felt it was a little samey. Felt like B-sides. (2.5/5)
Jane didn't hear it.
Conor thought there were some great melodies, though not a lot of variety throughout. (3/5)
2.5/5
Good. Great noises. Solid 3. Not an iffy 3 but a solid 3.
Shannah like - 2.5
Bill expected better from a band with such a good reputation - 2
Conor like - 4
Not as engaging as we would have liked. Some good songs here and there but his vocal delivery became tedious. Nice bass though.
Shannah 1.5/5
Conor 2.5/5
Bill 2/5
(2/5)
Visionaries with no talent.
Bill - 1/5
Shannah - 0.75/5
Conor - 1/5
(1/5)
Good cover of Norwegian Wood. Fun.
(3.7)
Can't remember everyone's opinion but I think we rated about a 2.
Fucking great. Fuck everyone else's opinion.
Good band, woeful singer. Jane was excessively negative. Shannah thought it was lackluster. Bill liked what she heard but left partway through.
(2/5)
'Ooftah' - Shannah (1.75)
'Flip-flops between being really awesome to really tedious' - Conor (2.8)
'I was pleasantly surprised it wasn't Boston' - Bill (2)
Barely listened. Shit to do. Didn't catch our attention.
Good example of the genre and obviously good musicians. But a bit self indulgent and somewhat rambling. Not massively engaging.
(2.3/5)
Amazing voice. Classic tunes. Great band and backing singers.
(3.7/5)
Shannah unexpectedly liked. 3/5
Jane expectedly liked. 3/5
Bill liked but felt it was a bit generic. 2.5/5
Conor agrees with Bill. 2.5/5
2.75/5
Maybe his voice would grow on me - but I doubt it. Bill (2/5)
Little heavy sometimes. Like their sound. Shannah (3/5)
Brilliantly balanced album with some of the best riffs going. Almost perfect.(4.5/5)
Made Shannah sad. (2/5)
Bill says she got better. (2.5/5)
Conor thought it was ok. (2.5/5)
(2.3/5)
Was better than Shannah expected. Could "bobble" along to it. (2.5/5)
Nails on a chalkboard to Bill. (2/5)
Conor impressed by the quality of music but not always grabbed by the songs. (2.75/5)
Everyone liked the instrumental.
(2.4/5)
Shannah thought it was ok. (2/5)
Bill surprised she hadn't heard of them, feels like the book will say they were influential. (2.5/5)
Conor thought it was fine. (2.5/5)
Bill was glad when it ended. (2/5)
"Bit shit" - Jane. (1.5)
2 out of 5 for Shannah because her Mum liked it. (2/5)
Conor liked/knew two songs. Rest was milk-bland and forgettable. (2/5)
(1.75/5)
Jane (3/5)
Shannah (2/5)
Conor (3/5)
Bill (3.5/5)
(2.875/5)
Shannah missed most but didn't particularly enjoy what she heard. (1.5/5)
Jane thought it was very 80s and a bit schizophrenic. (A generous 2/5)
Bill commends them for writing a bunch of songs that weren't just love songs. (2/5)
Few songs that Conor'd come back to. (2.5/5)
2/5
Shannah finds off key singing annoying. But some redeeming qualities and decent songs. (2/5)
Jane thinks he's a bit whinging. Morrisey should stop being so negative, there's enough misery in the world without him adding to it. (2/5)
Morrisey makes the music samey even when it's not. (2/5)
Bill realises she's photographed all the objects with the wrong labels. (1.5/5)
(1.875/5)
So, as Jane was saying...
"The music is so bland that it drowns out the monotony of itself. In addition, how pretentious of a band to think anyone would want to listen to something so dull". (0.5/5)
Kind of reminded Shannah of Smashing Pumpkins. Enjoyed aspects though probably wouldn't listen to again. (1/5)
Self-indulgent and boysy. (1.5/5)
Conor thought it was ok... (2.25/5)
(1.05/5)
Felt more backgroundy than expected. Waiting for something to jump out. Great bass lines and backing-singers though.
Shannah (2.25/5)
Bill (2.5/5)
Conor (2.5/5)
(2.4/5)
Not something Bill would usually listen to but she enjoyed it. (3/5)
Reminded Shannah of driving in Oregon. (3.5/5)
Perfectly adequate for boring music - Jane. (2.5/5)
Some great tunes. Love the fuzziness - (3.7/5)
(3.2/5)
'It was grand. Not the worst shite.' - Jane (3)
'Didn't hear much but liked what I heard' - Bill (3.5)
'Great album. Good memories.' - Shannah (3.5/5)
'Class.' - Conor (4.3/5)
(3.575/5)
Occasional cool, coherent moments amid the mess. Sounded like two completely different albums. An experience, but maybe not an experience worth having.
(1.6/5)
Leans into all the interesting idiosyncracies of Fiona Apple's music, maybe up to a point where it might be off-putting. Not great variation of theme but very inventive rhythms, lyrics, harmonies, and vocal delivery. Not everyone's cup of tea but definitely worth a few sips just to see.
Shannah - 3
Bill - 3
Jane - 1
conor - 4.5
(2.875/5)
Pretty shitty. The backing music was kind of great but wasted on these songs - the whole package was not convincing.
Shannah - 0.25/5
Bill - 0.5/5
Conor - 1.75/5
0.83/5
Better than expected. Thought it would be political from a gay rights point of view but it had more expansive political themes. Might have been better off if a few tracks were culled. Overall, we liked it more than we expected to.
Hilarious name also.
Shannah - 2.5
Conor - 3
Bill - 3.5
(3/5)
Has stood the test of time.
Bill - 3.8
Shannah - 3
Conor - 3
(3.27/5)
A surprising 2.5 from Bill. She quite liked the songs but does not like his voice.
Shannah convinced he has a pirate alter-ego. Really enjoyed it. 3.5.
Great album reckons Conor. Possibly his best. 3.9/5
3.3/5
Very pleasant and competent but not very memorable. Not bad, not great.
Conor - 2.5
Jane - 3
Bill - 2.5
Shannah - 3
(2.75/5)
Went down well. Very strong opening and closing. Good.
Bill - 3.5
Conor - 3.75
Shannah - 4
(3.75/5)
Pretty enjoyable. Conor was pleased.
Conor - 3.5
Shannah - 2
Bill - 2
(2.5/5)
Got a lot better as it went. Nice songs or parts of songs. One particularly horrible bit.
Conor - 3
Bill - 2
Jane - 2
Shannah - 1.75
(2.2/5)
Noisy. Unpleasant. Incoherent. Not your best, Nick.
Conor - 1
Shannah - 0.5
Bill - 1
(0.83/5)
Pretty good. Would listen again.
Shannah - 4/5
Conor - 3.5/5
Bill - 4/5
(3.8/5)
Enjoyable. Mostly killer, very little filler.
Jane - 3
Bill - 3.5
Conor - 3.75
Shannah - 3.5
(3.45/5)
Melodic and melancholic. Cohesive. The best of Radiohead's analog and digital sides.
Conor - 4.2
Bill - 4
Shannah - 4
(4.06/5)
Got better as it went. Sounded like a bunch of young lads just having fun. Contains some monotony. But pretty damned good at it's high points.
Conor - 3
Bill - 2
Shannah - 3
(2.7/5)
Shannah loves. Very happy. - 4/5
Conor quite likes. Pretty happy. 3.5/5
Bill likes. Moderately happy - 3/5
(3.5/5)
"Laddish" mentioned as both a positive and a negative.
Bill - 1
Shannah - 2
Conor - 3.75
(2.25/5)
Not their best. Not bad, but pretty blah.
2/5
Bit disappointing, considering Surfer Rosa...
Just a blur in the background.
Shannah - 1
Bill - 2
Conor - 2
(1.67/5)
Seemed fine. Chill, man, chill.
Conor - 2
Bill - 2
Shannah - 2
(2/5)
Some fantastic tunes but some screechy, morbid, depressing stuff. Committed to the concept - for good or for bad.
Conor - 3.75
Jane -2.5
Shannah - 2
Bill - 2
(2.6/5)
Pretty good. Excellent musicians, some great tunes. Not sure I could listen to the whole thing very often.
Shannah - 3
Bill - 4
Conor - 3.2
(3.4/5)
Juvenile, sexist, barely managing mediocre... but Christ, 'Paint it Black' is a great song.
Shannah - 1.75
Conor - 2.5
Bill - 0.5
(1.6/5)
A bit on the 'raw emotion' side. Some class songs.
Shannah - 2.5
Jane - 3.5
Bill - 3
Conor - 3.5
(3.125/5)
