Violent Femmes

Confessions got that sweet guitar riff at the beginning.

You often hear that this album sounds like it came out of the 90's moreso than it did the 80's, and it really does sound that way for me as well. I really enjoyed this one, catchy and varied throughout. Not too long, too alternative but still in that sort of mainstream scope of alternative. Probably should listen to more Violent Femmes, is the main take away.

Very good album. It has a pretty unique sound. I particularly like the bass playing. The lyrics are also pretty solid.

Solid 4 star album based solely on my personal taste. May even reach 5 star if we take influence and distinctiveness into account.

Some tracks I particularly enjoyed: "Blister In The Sun", "Please Do Not Go" (great prominent bass), "Add It Up", "Confessions" (nice "dark" departure from the rest of the album), "To The Kill", "Gone Daddy Gone" (of course, you have to love that xylophone), or "Good Feeling" (very nice closer for the first vinyl/cassette release). I also like "Gimme The Car" (in the CD release).

I didn't know this kind of alt-rock even existed in the 80s.

The characters in Worthikids' "Xylophone" animation were right when they said xylophones/marimbas are underutilized in rock music, because it is an interesting sound to accompany guitars and drums. It was interesting enough that I gave 'Gone Daddy Gone' another listen after finishing the album (and 'Kiss Off' because it started playing automatically). I wouldn't choose to listen to any of these songs again, but I wouldn't be bothered enough to stand up to turn off the radio if one of them came on (I don't have a radio, but if I did this would be the case).

Acoustic punk is kind of a fun genre that is really good when it's good, but I'm sure there is a lot of bad versions that I'm glad I've never heard. This record is much more the former, even though the vocals feel like they're often in a different key.

Yeah it was good, I liked it!

When I first put this on, I had to double check that I was listening to the right album. It sounds way ahead of its time, more 90s alternative than early 80s music. I knew the first song immediately, "Blister In The Sun". It's a catchy pop-infused song, like several other ones on the album. The Wikipedia article says folk punk, but maybe that's just what 90s alternative can be sometimes. The lyrics are engaging and funny at times. I liked how unlike other 80s music this album sounded (those synths can be tiring).

Who doesn't love Blister In The Sun? This is one of those albums where the parts don't really work with each other very well but that's why they all work together. The vocals are strange and semi-off key a lot of the time but it makes the music that much better for some reason. Kind of like how Neil Young is always a little flat. Or sharp. But it works. And you don't hear an acoustic bass guitar that often so that's kind of cool. And name another rock song with a xylophone solo. I feel like this album was ahead of its time by about ten years. It's got a lot of punk in it, a lot of early alt, a lot of what would become grunge. It's a good album and certainly deserves its spot on the list. I can hear any number of bands from the 90s in this record. 3.75/5

I won’t forget thinking VF were a girl band the first time I heard Add It Up, especially given the band name. Would’ve been cooler if they were, but alas, they still rock.

So ahead of its time. Love the energy, sound and lyrics.

4.25

Top tracks: Please Do Not Go, Add It Up, Good Feeling,

I found a voice that I hate more than Tom yorke's. Couldn't make it passed the fifth song. Can't comprehend the overall note.

It's very obvious how influential this album is just by hearing it. There's some really good tracks on here, and I love me some folk punk. However, this album's popularity also proves that incel behavior is way too normalized in society. I hope this list has other folk punk albums. I understand why this one was included, but in order to truly appreciate the genre people need at least one other example where the lyrics aren't awful.

P.S. I'm mad that the "Violent Femmes" is the name of a group fronted by questionable men instead of a group fronted by lesbians.

So I’ve never listened to this record in its entirety because I’ve been irritated by the song “Blister in the Sun” since the very first time I heard it 40-whatever years ago. I made it through the whole song this morning, though, so be impressed with me. No, that didn’t improve my opinion.

The Violent Femmes have a slight resemblance to the Modern Lovers, except that the singer doesn’t have Jonathan Richman’s sincerity and quirky sense of humor. So it all just ends up being annoying.

Wait though, “Gone Daddy Gone” is fun. I was going to smack a 2 onto this record until that came on.

I had never heard this full record but had a best of as a kid that included several of these tracks. Gano’s voice has an incomparable pathos and I love the jangly guitars. There’s nothing else put there that sounds remotely like this band.

Sadly I'm folk punks biggest supporter and its nice to hear where it started. Wild this isn't from the 90s

The Violent Femmes are a good band and this is a good record. I bought and loved this record my first year of college, which is exactly when you should find and love this band. I don't feel the need to dig through their discography -- this album feels like enough for me. Had lots of fun listening to it again, and I look forward to listening to it again in another 15 years.

Pretty sure I’ve heard the first track before

Another one where I think I could really get into this after a few more listens

3.5

I’m at a 5. Just a bit higher, really.

I just love how this album feels. A more experienced songwriter would overthink their teenage experience; they’d try to use metaphors for thoughts they never truly had & they’d try to ideate a past with more pain than they’re willing to admit. A more experienced composer would try to evoke those feelings with a bit more panache; one that elevates their younger hormones as something beautiful to be honored despite the flaws, and probably do a little too much in trying to capture that false mythos. This album’s got none of that experience & polish behind it, and its ability to capture the raw attitudes of a teenager (in part from writing these as teenagers) is so remarkably unique for this era. I’m amazed this is 1983, because it feels like a natural precursor to the angstier tones of the ‘90s, especially with how much they just kinda attack the guitar on a lot of these tracks.

Obviously, there’s a lot of cynicism here, and that might shatter the album for some people. I think it’s a fair criticism, but you can’t deny that it makes for decently compelling storytelling, even if it’s a bit edgy / defeatist by modern standards. It’s also a horny album; most of these tracks are practically puberty-centered depression about not being able to keep his girl or not getting sex. Once again: a fair criticism, but this album is self-deprecating enough that it’s clear it’s a bit exaggerated, as most teenage complaints truly are. High school feels big until it doesn’t & life seen solely through that scope feels like it’s a universe wide until you expand it out further. These tracks carry a gravitas that simultaneously know how ridiculous it all seems in hindsight & yet feels as important as it did back then, and that’s something that very few albums can capture with the same sincerity as this one.

The only reason I’m not at a 10 is because I think the back half gets just a little repetitive – specifically, “To the Kill” & “Gone Daddy Gone”. They’re still both good tracks, but they do feel different enough that it shakes the flow of the album in a way that doesn’t feel quite as airtight as the first 7 tracks did. “Good Feeling” is a great closer though. Hence, I’m a bit higher than a 5. I feel like a moron for having heard of Violent Femmes before now but never actually choosing to listen to them (and discovering that they are in fact, not femmes). It’s a great album, it more than deserves to be on the list, and I think I need to run back those first 7 tracks a few more times. You should definitely hear this before you die.

Wasn't aware of the Violent Femmes before, but I digged the album.

I loved this album when I was a freshman in college. Today, I learned that I have matured quite a bit since freshman year…

Weer iemand die niet kan en niet wil zingen. Vanaf de eerste woorden, wordt alle energie uit mij getrokken. Triest, heel triest, dat dit in deze lijst staat. Meer woorden wil ik hier niet aan vuil maken.