Really loved the overall vibe of the album. Some if the folky stuff dragged a bit too long though.
It was.... "historically intereseting" 😂 and actually an okay listen.
But overall too repetitive and the clean voice was annoying (robot voice yessss)
So boring that it would have put me to sleep - if it hadn't annoyed me so much. 😤
Too American? Too much reverb on the damn voice? I don't know but I don't like it.
Nice riffs everywhere. Actually liked it best when the Grunge was turned down and the Doom turned up, like in "Sickman" or "Junkhead". "Rooster" also had a cool vibe.
That said, it runs too long (CD age sickness 😮💨). Also, whole album about suicide, addiction, mental breakdown? You ok guys? 😅 Negative vibes dragging me down and would prevent me from listening to this often.
3,5/5
Was hyped as I saw this coming up because I listened to this a lot when I was a kid. And YES, it lived up to the hype all these years later.
It's crazy and over the top, and that is its strength. Great guitar work, sweet vocal harmonies and top tier songwriting with lots of unexpected turns. Every song presents new flavours but it all adds up to a real treat that just makes me feel good.
Also, that vocal middle part in Prophet's Song? Just wow.
Near perfect 4,5/5
Pleasant enough listen, but none of the tracks really stood out. Quite nice background music.
So boring and uninspired. It feels like their goal is to make music in a way such that least people are annoyed by it... and that's very annoying
Very cool and enjoyable, especially the A-side. Liked the background singers and the occasional wahwah guitar.
Minus one star because musically there wasn't much new on side B.
On the negative side, it's somewhat dumb party rock. (I'm no AC/DC fan either.)
On the plus side, it's somewhat fun party rock.
But still not much there to really catch my attention ("Look at Last Night" and "I Don't Mind" were pretty cool though).
2,5/5
It goes on for too long, it's quite weird and freaky, and I don't love his voice.
That said, it did somehow develop kind of a hypnotizing spell. And so I found myself listening to it again and again over the day, and my liking for it grew step by step. Definitely a grower.
"Will Is My Friend", "Fall", "This Beard Is For Siobhan" were highlights.
3/5, and might grow on me further.
Some of the experimental ambient-like soundscapes are pretty cool, like in "Kid A" or "National Anthem" with its brass instruments.
What I can't get over with is the depressing undertone of the whole thing. No, thanks, I don't love music that makes me feel so lonely, anxious and fundamentally sad.
2/5
Will put on some Colour Haze now to heal my soul :)
First of all: can't unsee Garfunkel's magnificent moustache, and that's a good thing.
The title track and "The Boxer" are so good and quite breathtaking when listened to at proper volume.
The rest of the album was surprisingly diverse musically and also really enjoyable apart from like two boring numbers (and what about that live version near the end? The clapping and cheering was annoying and the song wasn't that good).
All in all: 3,5/5 - strong
Okay, heavily biased here. This album showed 11year old me the way towards music that was heavier and more aggressive than my parents' classic rock and pop stuff. (I remember them being shocked by Chester Benningham shouting from my room SHUT UP WHEM I'M TALKING TO YOU!!!)
There's much to like here, and the parts fit together nicely: Downtuned metal riffs, sweet DJ effects, Mike Shinoda's rapping, Chester's powerful clean and non-clean singing. The songs are short and effectively constructed.
Only the middle stretch of "Crawling" and "Runaway" insn't that strong.
I know mu metal is often frowned upon (by me also), but here, it really comes together and forms a sweet listen. As I said, I'm biased ;)
4/5
Never got into HipHop, and this album certainly won't help.
Many instrumentals are actually quite good, I like the beats and the Jazz samples. Would have enjoyed this more if it WAS only instrumental HipHop, because I hated the rapped verses. I generally don't pay much attention to lyrics, so I get why some of the appeal might be lost to me. But on the other hand, whenever I did listen to the lyrics, it was about why this guy was the coolest and that everyone else can suck it... yawn.
1,5/5 weak
Well, it goes on and on and is pleasant enough, but it's getting boring pretty soon. And sometimes there's a little country music mixed in there, and a little country is too much country for me.
Also, I do love me some vocal harmonies, but here these are just over the top.
Would probably not skip but wouldn't actively put on either.
2,5/5 okay-ish
Awesome. Such a warm, cozy, mildly psychedelic album. Instant stress relief.
There are so many beautiful details in the compositions and I'd like to point out all of them, but I'm too lazy and will just mention the first thing and that is how I absolutely love the bass line in the first track.
They manage to start off very strong and maintain the magic throughout the whole 43mins.
"Talisman" is the best track here and can compete with All Them Witches' "Talisman" for "Best Track Called Talisman".
4,5/5 near perfect
Great album, the songs are as tight as the guitar and bass lines.
I like how Franz Ferdinand show that they have a talent for interesting chord progressions and meldodies, which makes it an engaging listen from start to end.
Two or three songs are of lesser quality though, which keeps it from being a real classic.
Highlights: Dark of the Matinee, Darts of Pleasure
4/5 very good
Expert voices, beautiful vocal harmonies, warm and soothing. Reminds me of the vocal parts in The Lion King soundtrack and musical, which I like very much.
However, I felt that after one track, I had heard them all. So, as a whole album, it's not for me.
Add some orchestra and percussion, and I think I would enjoy it much more.
2/5 below average
Very mixed bag here, lacking coherence. Most of the more alternative rock oriented tracks are quite listenable, but not much really stands out. The country stuff on the other hand... nope. Most of the ballads... yawn.
Hotel Arizona was cool.
2.5/5 okay
Well, yes, this one is truly incredible and lives up to its reputation. I love the flowing opening chord of Breathe, the psychedelic intro of Time, the heavenly Gospel voices of The Great Gig In The Sky, the odd measures and saxophone in Money, the powerful climaxes of Us And Them, the great solos of Any Colour You Like, the melodies of Brain Damage and the conclusion in Eclipse. I love how everything fits together so perfectly, but does never get samey. No second wasted anywhere on these tracks, while the songs still take their time if it fits them.
And then.... there's also On the Run, which I don't get as a track (and even less why it's placed near the beginning of the record!?) and which keeps this from being a perfect record.
Still, the rest is pure magic. It's fantastic and I will probably listen to it many many times again.
4,5/5 near perfect
Well, it didn't offend, but it was boring, kind of a snore fest. Some of the choruses are pleasant enough, but nearly every song drags way too long. Why repeat verse-chorus three times when it's so bland and forgettable?
2/5 below average
This album was a masterclass in how tastes differ... the critical acclaim for this is off the charts, on RYM this is rated higher than all of the unbelievable legendary masterpieces by The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, ...
So I really really tried to get into it, although it felt wrong from the beginning.
At the end I can say, I do acknowledge the great production, but that's where my appreciation ends.
Nope, it's not for me.
1/5 very weak
Masterpiece.
I just recently got into the Kinks and have to say this (together with "Village Preservation Society") is pure pop rock gold.
The songwriting is focused but varied enough to keep it intersting at all times. Nearly every song stuck in my head pretty soon. I love the chord progressions and tempo changes. And that jammy stretch in "Australia"!
It's not perfect, because the last three songs don't resonate with me as much as the rest, but it's damn near perfect!
A band that deserves more credit.
4.5/5
Love the album cover.
This may be influential for a lot of genres and whatnot, but if I am to rate the actual music presented here (and that's what I want to do), then... 😮💨
In my ears it ranges from okay (like the opener "Sunday Morning" or "There She Goes Again") to boring (hello, "All Tomorrow's Parties") to annoying as hell (looking at you, "Black Angel's Death Song" and "European Son"). Both vocalists do a bad job and the guitar solos are embarrassing.
All in all, I'm afraid there's barely anything that makes me want to revisit this influential classic.
2/5 below average
I have to give this album credit for going to some weird places and creating unique atmospheres, especially using Björk's special vocal abilities.
But unfortunately, for me it's not all hit, but some miss too.
Surely a grower album, as on the first listening, I liked much less of it.
"Human Behavior" is really cool.
All in all, 3/5 - solid
Listenable, well crafted folk music and piano ballads.
For my taste there's happening too little in most of the tracks, which makes it a pleasant background listen, but lacking immersion.
"Southern Man" was an exception to this and pretty cool.
3/5 - solid
I miss real instruments :'( The synths sound so shitty and outdated.
Some of the orchestral touches are quite nice, as are some chord progressions. "Enjoy the Silence" is great.
But in the end it all feels too artificial, cold, dead. This isn't for me.
2/5 - weak
Can't say much about this. This is okay, as far as Electronic Dance music goes. Unfortunately, this kind of music doesn't go very far for me...
It started okay with the first two tracks in more Downtempo like style but switched quickly to a boring House party which felt quite uninspired most of the time.
Give me some Rock'n'Roll instead...
2/5 - below average
Hard to rate this.
On the one, all of the songs were really "okay" as they passed by.
On the other hand, not one was good enough to make me wish to revisit.
I felt the song parts often didn't fit together, so a good instrumental interlude or nice chorus in there was quickly followed by something that brought the song down again.
In my ears, (they may have been one of the first to create this kind of melodic alternative rock sound, but) many others did it much better.
2/5 below average
So. Relaxing.
Soothing music that can be consumated as background listening but contains enough details and twists in the arrangements that active listening doesn't bore either. Also, lovely voice in a language I barely hear.
Not all of the tracks work the charm in the same way though.
All in all: 3/5 - good
Most important question here: love or hate the coconut song? For me, love! Looking forward to countless hours of earworm.
Apart from that, strong album which covers lots of styles. Incredible voice also.
Side note: For many years I thought pop music is mostly shitty and not for me. But recently I realized that there was a time when pop music was pretty good. This album serves to prove the case.
3.5/5 - strong
It's good. Far on the "pop" side of pop rock. "The Chain" is a really great song.
Most of the other songs however just pass by without leaving a mark with me. Perhaps it's too polished, too clean for me.
3/5 - good
Liked the rocking tracks "Alabama" and "Words". If the album built more on that style, it would be great.
The other stuff is okay, but a little boring in my ears with the exception of "Heart of Gold", which is a beautiful song.
All in all, 3/5 - solid
I guess it takes balls to start the debut album of your new punk band with a 9min noise jam, followed by a spoken word piece.
I actually liked the jammy opener (really has a Heavy Psych vibe going, and also, give the bass technician a cookie, the bass sound is delicious) and the riff in "Annalisa". Problem is, the voice ruins these good moments for me. And the other problem is, the other pieces are worse, or in the case of "Fodderstompf" much much worse (what the hell?).
2/5 - below average
My thoughts exactly when I listened to this:
*Roots Bloody Roots starts*
Man, this is awesome! The riffs, the aggression! Why don't I listen to metal more often!
*10 minutes later*
Huh, well, this sounds all the same. Starting to get on my nerves already.
*10 minutes later*
Give... me... melodies and harmonies...
*puts on Beatles*
To be fair, I returned later, and the mixing of metal riffs and growls with Brazilian tribal percussion was awesome. But the point stands.
2.5/5 - okay-ish
They sure found "their" sound, and this sound is quite cool. Problem is, they exploit it over 15 tracks with only little variation from more rocking to more soulful. So, while I really dig some standouts like "Everlasting Light", "Tighten Up", "Unknown Brother" or the one where they reverse-rickrolled us, the album as a whole drags and doesn't make me want to check out their other stuff.
3/5 - good
Wow, first real surprise of this project! My first time listening to Talking Heads. Will surely come back.
Unique mix of danceable funk/rock, elements of world music and weird electronic noises. Also, how the songs were arranged, I had the feeling to be taken on a real journey.
4/5 - excellent
