8/10 Have I even heard this before all the way through?
Dear god this is awful. He can't keep an idea in his head for more than 20 seconds.
You've got to really like the whole operatic thing to get this.
I don't like the voice. I don't like the rhythms - always meant to disrupt rather than groove. I don't like the guitar - squealy or grungy. Just dull. Satisfied people's idea of what dissatisfied people want.
It's not a coincidence that I avoid REM (whereas WAR was a total surprise out of nowhere). One of them was alright to begin with but just turned into the usual REM dirge. It might be Stipe's earnest droning voice. It might be the instrumentation (but no - the band are perfectly good. It's definitely Stipe. He's whining.
Lots of familiar hits and songs that sounds exactly like the hits. It's the falsetto harmony that's grating.
Churns along "Hey we've got John Lennon's mellotron" "Hey we can do harmonies" "Hey, we can start a new bit of the song every 20 seconds" Two standout tracks - "I Want Her She Wants Me" sounds like Belle & Sebastian and "Time of the Season" sounds like it's another band and another album altogether.
One of my favourite albums ever. Grasps your attention. Never lets you rest but changes from song to song rather than within songs. Don't understand why Sunday Morning has three times as many pays as all the other songs. Waiting For The Man is awesome. All Tomorrows Parties and Venus In Furs sound like no other songs before or since.
Acceptable pop
Lovely. A couple of bangers. Strong, confident and wavy. Really liked it. Don't need t hear it again.
I'm angry that I've been forced to listen to this. American Effing Pie FFS.
I preferred the instrumentals. didn't touch the sides.
Perfect. It's a filthy hot summer day and this slid through my evening like a balm. Only ever heard it in in compilations before but as a single piece it's excellent.
Astonishing contrast between the Hit (with the greatest tambourine ever) and the rest. Couldn't wait for it to end.
This was lovely. Really admire those great voices. Poor songs and three part harmonies less so.
Like a lot of these albums, I find it interesting because it's important rather than because it's engaging. Heaven 17's best tracks are on The Luxury Gap. On this, they've clearly got a soft political message to make and they're very experimental with the electronics.
Curiously muddy. Lacking dynamics. Backing singer doesn't lift it. Loads of great rhythms and grooves. Didn't feel the samba so much. Even Taj Mahal isn't as good as that brilliant live version. Nevertheless, four-to-the-floor Brazilliance!
Absolutely banging! Young confident relentless soul. Superb! If a little showbiz in the bits between.
Maybe someone else find this grating voice and flabby songs entertaining but not me.