1001 Albums Summary

Right in my wheelhouse really, but after a while I found all the songs were structured the same and I tired of Frank Blacks vocal style. Still a fan of the band but didn't enjoy this as much as I though I would.

Very strong start, first side is exemplary. Tapers off with 'Thug', the almost-risible bass soloing and synths outro is far too long and meandering. Better when it's bluesier, and TV Dinners gets the album back on track. Three and a half, pushing a four, suspect time has dulled the impact it would've had in 1983, but I still think it would have been better as a straight blues rock album, without the sequencers.

2/5 The singles are absolute classics, the last song is good, the rest could be any new-wave band of the late 70s.

The tediously wilful eccentricity is still there but when he tones it down and finds a groove there's some really excellent stuff

A masterpiece really

Very hit and miss, even the singles. Couple of classics but a lack of cohesion and the feeling that every single idea made it into every single song.