30 Something

Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine

1991

2.93

Rating

Votes

33%

26%

Distribution

Genres: Rock, Electronica Styles: Indie Rock, Madchester, Britpop, Alternative Rock

User Submitted Album

View Submitter's Profile

Album Summary

30 Something is the second album by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, released in 1991 on Rough Trade Records. It was recorded in 20 days on 8-track, costing only £4,000. The album was given a 10/10 review in NME, which described 30 Something as a "brilliant, bold record". It was prefaced with a single "Anytime Anyplace Anywhere", which was a major indie hit and also included on the album. The success of the album coincided with the renewed success of the "Sheriff Fatman" single, which generated more sales. It reached number eight in the UK charts on its original release, and number 21 when re-issued in early 1992. The album was certified Gold (100,000 units sold) by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The other single from the album, "Bloodsport For All", an attack on racism and bullying in the army, was released at the start of the Gulf War and was denied airplay by the BBC.

Reviews

Sort by: Popular Date Random

Rating: All 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1★

Length: All Short Long

Jan 24 2026 Author

I was unenthused when I had to go to YouTube to listen to this, and skeptical about a band called Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine. Fired this up on a couple of long car rides across the city and fortunately the music overcame any of these preconceptions and I fell in love with the punky-electro sound of it all. Great stuff!

Jan 28 2026 Author

30 Something is an energetic pop, punk and rock album by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. It's an album with some good and some mediocre songs (Shopper's Paradise), but the enormous drive and fun makes up for the weaker parts. Maybe not the best album of that year, but lots of fun. Smart (but very British) lyrics.

Jan 25 2026 Author

You had to be there type album, and I wasn’t

Jan 27 2026 Author

Started this the other day and found it a bit annoying. Restarted it today and found it to be a ton of fun and great energy. Music really meets you where you are. I wonder if I should revisit all ~350 albums I only gave 2 stars to.

Jan 27 2026 Author

This was super fun rock and rolling

Jan 31 2026 Author

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Anytime anyplace anywhere, Billy’s smart circus, Sealed with a Glasgow kiss

Feb 04 2026 Author

This was something different. A bit swinging between genres, which I did like a lot

Feb 19 2026 Author

a sardonic thoroughly infectious british dance affair. I love it.

Feb 19 2026 Author

This is another band from my formative years which scared me. Don’t know why, could be the name. I think I thought it was more punk anarchic. It is anarchic but in a more poppy style. I think I will listen again and seek out more.

Jan 24 2026 Author

Another sample of this British bloke rock, which hits like tuning into some kind of alternate reality radio with its language and references that don't quite mesh with my American brain. I didn't mind it, though musically it wasn't really what I'm looking for.

Jan 27 2026 Author

Better than I expected. 3 stars.

Feb 03 2026 Author

Alternative dance, grebo, punk rock. Ni fu ni fa.

Feb 07 2026 Author

Always on the periphery of my music listening - aware of them but never dove into them. Good record. I’ll probably check some more out.

Feb 07 2026 Author

Some name for a band, as you would expect from the name an equally chaotic album. I did enjoy this though.

Feb 13 2026 Author

Like a south London version of Half man Half biscuit, but not quite as good or as funny. The b-sides and live takes on the expanded edition add context, but at no point does this sound like anything other than a full band - they make quite a racket for a duo.

Feb 19 2026 Author

Back in College, Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine opened for EMF, who were riding high on their song "Unbelievable." I was told when they played the UK, they switched and EMF opened for them. I didn't care for the band when I watched them in college, but I feel like I appreciate the music a bit more. Still, there was probably about half of it I dug, the rest was kinda fair. The slower songs just didn't hit as hard as I thought they would, so 3 it is. Top tracks: "Surfin' USM," "Second To Last Will & Testament", "Shopper's Paradise"

Mar 06 2026 Author

Surprisingly good beats.

Mar 08 2026 Author

30 Something is a wild old ride, like a punk show mixed with musical theatre dramatism at times, and it works generally quite well. I really liked Shopper's Paradise and Bloodsport for All, the rest of it was solid to good and rarely left me disappointed. Overall it's not something I'm massively a fan of but I I liked it enough for a solid and fun high 3.

Jan 28 2026 Author

This shit dumb 2

Feb 02 2026 Author

This was not what I thought it would be

Feb 04 2026 Author

Grebo sounds like the name of some Star Wars background character that has a weirdly in-depth backstory. What the hell is this genre. Oh, it's just punk Pet Shop Boys. Quite Bri'ish indeed. Not a big fan, but bonus points for the band name.

Feb 08 2026 Author

This band completely passed by me at the time. It sounds quite dated now I feel. Ironically enough I think they're trying to capture a 'punky' New Wave feel that existed 10 years prior to this record but ends up sounding like an 80s band. There's a lot of studio bells and whistles I remember existed in the early 90s. Very much a museum piece.

Feb 09 2026 Author

Thought this was a satire album of Brit rock at first but then realized that this was serious and was a bit shocked. A peculiar name for a band and overall the album was a bit of a drag. Brit pop rock that felt a bit bland overall Maybe at the time of the release in 1990 this had a better feel but listening to it now feels like this is what college rock in the UK was like. 5.5/10

Feb 19 2026 Author

It was fine

Jan 27 2026 Author

I don’t get the reference for the name of the band and the genre of “soft punk” isn’t something I thought the world needed.

Jan 29 2026 Author

British people will beg to show you one of their top-charting, gold-rated albums and then it sounds exactly like every other tired, uninteresting Britpop LP before it. User list is going to be as exhaustingly British as the main 1001 at this rate.