Violent Femmes

Не знаю навіть що ставити. Такий собі емоційний, raw альбом. Але не зачепило.

Rather disappointed that I don't like this, after gauging the fairly positive reception for this album.

The rumbling bass work, which sits prominently in the album's mix, was a nice flourish, and the songs themselves are easy enough to get on board with, but the deal-breaker was the vocals, which I absolutely cannot stand. The sort of whiny American nonsense which makes me want to flip a table.

Pretty iconic album. When I think of folk punk, this is the album that comes to mind. It's a little silly or annoying at times, but mostly this is good, entertaining stuff.

5.0/5.0: Iconic

always liked them but never listened to a full album. this was great as expected

Better than Coldplay

Very mild, pleasant, diddling music. 3/5

Favorite track(s): Blister in the Sun, Kiss Off, Add It Up, Prove My Love, To the Kill

Acoustic punk. WOW.... Didn't know such thing even existed. It's awesome. Very punchy.

5/5. This is one of those albums that’s been with me essentially my entire life, it is part of my musical DNA. so I am definitely a bit biased. But still what a great album, it’s insane that it came out in 1983 because everything about this album sounds like the 90’s. from the rougher/unpolished vocals to the “horny in a depressing way” lyrics. Also some of the best bass playing you’ll hear on any rock album.
I got to see the Violent Femmes live in 2021 and getting to hear some of these songs live was great and made me appreciate Gordon as a vocalist even more.

It may be sacrilegious for me to say as a Wisconsinite, but I absolutely despise "Blister in the Sun." It's this twee, commercial-core garbage sung horribly and overplayed to death since its release 40 years ago.

The rest of the album was all new to me, and it was fine, I guess. Like a lot of one-hit wonder bands, the other stuff is better than their one hit. Super lo-fi which is not usually my sound, but overall it reminded me of Neutral Milk Hotel, but not as good. Would not listen again, but defo not in "Incredible String Band" tier.

When it came out this album was just a year or two early for me to access its angsty, nerdy, horny charms. I now feel like it's a party that sounds fun if nervy in a flat two floors up that I would feel ridiculous trying to gate crash.

Stripped-down acoustic folk-punk; I like how the sound of the fret buzz on the bass and the slightly wonky vocal harmonies add to the aesthetic. It's a remarkably strong collection of songs - which may have lost their charm if another band had written and recorded them with more complicated arrangements. Unique vocal style. Strong 4.

So so much fun, exciting and all encompassing. Close to a 5/5, a purely entertaining album

Always found this band and their music so original! Can't think of anyone else doing something like it - and for that alone my 5/5

Also, the humor, the energy, I don't know, I can't explained it; I simply love this :-D

I went to high school with their current sax player! (there's nowhere else I can brag about this)
It was ok, some nice tracks. Veers into the "talking instead of singing" I don't enjoy. 3*
Highlights: blister in the sun (classic), prove my love (60s vibes)
Lowlights: gimme the car (jesus wtf) (this song alone made me debate giving it 2/5)

3.5

Genius sound (the bass is unbelievable) and a few great tracks here including the signature Blister in the Sun. Works quite well as a full record and fascinated by some of the stylistic choices here (the track where they slip into an almost reggae style was out of the blue), but about half of this wasn't for me as much. Still can't believe the year this came out and I do like a lot of folk punk that follows so have to pay my respects here.

Why was the bass so good? Why did I know almost half the album from games and films but not the name of the band? Hooray for the lovely music times :)

Violent Femmes have scored a neurotic proto-folk punk masterpiece here. I think the unlikely ultra-success of Blister In The Sun gives some people the impression that Violent Femmes were something of a one hit wonder, but this whole album captures something pretty special that Violent Femmes could never quite recapture. Not that anyone would know, no one has ever listened to another Violent Femmes album. The punk songwriting and attitude across here combined with the jangly, almost percussive acoustic instrumentation here is a match made in Heaven. This manages to feel as much like folk music as it does punk. On top of this, Gordon Gano fills in the gaps with his amazing performances and distinct lyrics. His writing is direct and bitter, often painting a visceral portrait of a certain archetype of deeply pathetic man. It's like someone starts venting about a breakup and you slowly realize that they were the problem. And even the songs that escape from this kind of character retain the wiry, nervous energy. For example, Kiss Off reads as a rant about suicide by way of angsty, alienated, nervous implosion. Kiss Off, as well as Add It Up come across as downright manic, and I think they are where this album's strengths may be clearest. Like these both may be among my favorite songs ever. The rest of the album achieves the same goals, albeit ratcheted up a little less, and the results are usually great. Confessions, Prove My Love, Promise, To The Kill and, of course Blister In The Sun are my other favorites here. Among what's left, we still don't really have any duds. Gone Daddy Gone is defined by its xylophone playing, which is incredibly strong. Good Feeling isn't a favorite of mine, but ending the album on such a comparatively earnest song does a lot for the project as a whole. If I had to choose a least favorite, it's probably Please Do Not Go, which is basically a reggae song. It's honestly still pretty good, but my biggest complaints are with some line deliveries. Gano is damn near putting on a Jamaican accent for a couple lines. My problem isn't so much that it's problematic, which on some level it probably is, but it really does just sound unnatural and distracting out of his mouth. Regardless of a few gripes, this is a classic that really holds up. The anxiety coursing through this album is palpable and it is leveraged in such a way that it makes the material here incredibly compelling.

I don't always know what to do w/ 'cute' things, especially when the object essentially satisfies both definitions of the adjective: a cunning or shrewd commodity, on the one hand, and something that's immaturely attractive, on the other. That's Violent Femmes's eponymous debut in a nutshell, a record that's simultaneously clever and innocent, sharp-witted and yet wet behind the ears. Some of the tracks here I can get down w/, even enjoy in a real way, especially 'Please Do Not Go,' 'Confessions,' and 'Good Feeling.' +, it impresses me that this came out in the early 80s, foreshadowing a 90s aesthetics embodied by acts like Neutral Milk Hotel. But it also fails to do much for me - they aren't a wannabe VU, but come on, they kinda are, dig?