If Gene Belcher was a real person, he would be Holger Czukay
I'm 6 tracks in and I already know I'm going to rate this 5*. I've never even heard of this band, but right off the rip, all I can hear is Mr. Bungle. Except that no one from Mr. Bungle was ever in this band, and this album came out nearly 10 years prior to the first Mr. Bungle studio release. I'm also surprised to learn that one of its founding members is Nick Cave—whom I'm not even very fond of to begin with.
Not really my cup of tea. Sounds like a rock opera... very Meatloaf-ish. I did enjoy the VERY last song
Interesting mix of Classic Rock, Country, Punk, and Irish/Scottish Folk
How have I never heard of this? I swear I've listened to Mudhoney before, but if I did, IDK why I never listened again. This is right up my alley with a HUGE post-punk/early grunge kinda vibe. Very reminiscent of Johnny Thunders and I'm sure was some sort of inspiration to Kurt Cobain.
I also think this album is underrated. Maybe not 5* like some others are rating it. But I think it deserves some credit. It's got a Leonard Cohen meets Lou Reed meets Bright Eyes meets Butthole Surfers meets The Pixies with a touch of Country and Shoegazing. I don't know how that's possible, but it's definitely a weird vibe and has a strong garage quality to it. I fee like only the TRUE lovers-of-all-genres will appreciate this. But the music is good, vocals are nice, and whoever the bass player is... I hope he or she has become famous, because for me that is the best, most consistent trait across the whole album.
Anyone that knows me knows I'm a connoisseur of depressing, melancholic music... and I've never felt so disappointed by it than I did with this album. The back-up vocals being the worst quality of it all, but I found the choice of effects and arrangements to be very amateur. If you liked this album, or even kind of liked it, check out Tweaker (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3-fOTTKFr4) and Starsailor (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nigN8bSP9_4) instead. The Tweaker song I shared is sung by "Will Oldham" (aka Bonnie Prince Billy). I feel like that song is how this whole album SHOULD sound.
Some of these other reviews are calling everyone out as misogynists and sexist. But as a white female who was a teen in the 90s and grew up in a wealthy family, I'm gonna call this shit out for what it truly is: Rich, white girl, 90s-teen-tv-show background music. It's AWFUL!! The cover was more promising than the first 10 seconds of this album. All black clothes, Doc Martens, "whatever".... I thought for sure I was in for some good Grunge or Alternative. NOPE! If you like the Friends theme song, you might love this album. Track 10: I Could Hurt You Now is the only redeemable song of the album. If you want GOOD 90s teen white girl music, please check out Mazzy Star, Jewel, The Cranberries, Natalie Imbruglia, etc.
I usually don't let other people's opinions of things weigh on mine. But after reading some of these reviews, I almost didn't want to listen to this at all (ie: I did't want to give him the "plays"). But I did skim through about 30 seconds of the first 5 tracks before I decided that I wouldn't continue because my heart just wasn't in it at all. I can't overlook racial appropriation to this degree. As someone who is a fan of the punk scene and British second wave ska... It's sickening to see someone try to monopolize in this way. It's very much the opposite of what those two scenes as well as Hip Hop stands for. The very least I can do as a white person to help end traditions such as this is a hard "pass". Eff this dude.
I just really can't stand this kind of music. I rate most everything on here 3* because, even if I may not like the music, I can still somewhat enjoy everything I've heard. It's the first album in my, almost, 200 albums that I couldn't finish..... and I even made it all the way through Backstreet Boys and Justin Timberlake. Bonus star in recognition of vocal talent.