Broken English

Strange, not terrible, but not really my vibe.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

There are a lot of really good albums like this one. There are a lot of really bad albums like this one. There are a lot of really interesting albums like this one. There are a lot of really boring albums like this one. There are a lot of albums that I’ve heard like this one. There are a lot of albums that I haven’t heard like this one. What I can conclude is that this is definitely an album and that’s what it will always be.

I get that this album has a good backstory, but for the most part, it sounds like older music dressed up in new wave clothes.

The production is very 80s even though it came out in 1979, so that's quite an innovative feat. But more like bad overproduced 80s mainstream rock music than minimal synth or jagged post-punk.

The last track was a jump scare - I can't tell if that is in a good or bad way.

Eh. 1.75

The is an interesting collection of genres here …. too bad they all had to be interpreted by Mary Ann Faithful.

𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 has a dark, worn-down atmosphere that suits the material well, but Marianne Faithfull’s voice never quite works for me. I understand why its roughness is such a defining part of the album, yet her delivery often feels too flat and limited to keep me engaged.

The production is much more interesting, with its cold new-wave edge and electronic touches giving the songs some tension. Unfortunately, I keep wishing the vocals had the same range and movement.

A distinctive record, but one where the voice at the centre is also the main reason I struggle with it.

capa lindíssima e bem produzido, btw. tem um aspecto de sujo, sei lá. eh bem um retrato duma viciada em heroína de meia-idade mesmo. doideira a história dela.
achei bem bom, na real. bons synths, boas guitarrinhas e a voz eh bem boa. pedradaça demais, boa surpresa esse!!

Annoying voice and I don't like the music

I don't believe I recognize any of these tracks by title, and I've never listened to this album before. I know enough about Marianne Faithfull to anticipate that this may not be a particularly pleasant listen.

I stand corrected, I recognize "Working Class Hero" but not this version of it. That being said, this was better than I anticipated, but still strongly meh.

'I feel bad, so bad / Tho I ain't done nothing wrong, I feel bad.' A gorgeous comeback in every sense of the word, Broken English is damn near perfect, tho I'm not sure there's a single perfect track ('The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan' comes closest). In short, strong & believable, the album is essentially the darkest, heaviest, grittiest easy-listening experience you'll ever undergo, & that's why it's simultaneously so odd & yet so sensible. Hardly e'er altering her tune & tone, Faithfull is all 'bout that no-nonsense realism - 'Why'd Ya Do It' is harder than just 'bout anything Patti Smith e'er released (not better - just stating a fact) - but Marianne's a visionary at heart. She's just gone thru the fire & knows there's no coming back from that. Just a comeback.

Wow, did not expect to see this name, which I recognise, on this list, as I wasn't even aware she made music! Well well well, this is not too bad at all, but also nothing to write to home about, just a bit well above average, probably right in the middle with 3 stars.

When this album started I thought I was going to like it a lot more than I did. I didn't dislike it, but it just didn't capture my attention.

As I get ever closer to my 1,000th album, this project has become more about the albums and bands that *aren't* on the list. Not a single Primus album, but there are 265 albums from the 1970s so far, the vast majority of them I could have died happy -- happier, even -- having not listened to.

This is one of the albums that I would have been happier had I died not listening to it. Goddamn you, Robert Dimery, you took that from me.

Good album. I like her broken voice and the overall message of the album. Interesting sound with nice combination of post-punk, blues, rock. Some of the tracks I enjoyed: "Broken English", "Guilt", "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" (probably my favourite), or "Why'd Ya Do It". Not a big fan of the regae influence, but still pretty good. This is between 3 and 4 stars for me. Not a big fan of the "Working Class Hero" cover though.

We hebben met The XX en MJ Cole net wat meer digitale muziek gekregen, waarvoor de basis duidelijk voor de eeuwwisseling was gelegd. Bijvoorbeeld door mevrouw Faithfull is. Want ook zij mixt haar ziel met de digitale muziek van haar tijd. Dat was ook wel nodig. Want die stem zelf kost me wat moeite. Maar met het keyboard gaat het wonderwel samen. Ik was zelfs verrast dat het album al weer klaar was.

3,5 ster.

Muy buen disquito de rock setetentero, me ha recordado un poco a Patti Smith, igual no es un disco al que vaya a volver un montón pero eso no quita que esté estupendamente hecho.

Lahm, wohl eher wegen der Hintergrundgeschichte relevant

This lady is a weird singer and yet I am so fucking compelled by this album. I'd bet this would be great road trip music if I didn't have a seven-year-old currently. That closer track is some filth in the best way plausible. It's just a really interesting record.

Broken English is the first album by Marianne Faithfull I’ve come across in this challenge, which surprised me. I’ve always loved her voice, so I was really looking forward to listening to this one.

I really enjoyed this album. Marianne’s voice is the star of the show — raw, distinctive and full of character. There’s a lived-in quality to her singing that gives every song real weight and emotion. She sounds completely believable, no matter what she’s singing.

The songs themselves are excellent too, with a darker, edgier feel running throughout the album that suits her perfectly. There’s an intensity and honesty here that makes the whole record feel compelling from start to finish. This is definitely an album I can see myself coming back to.

Favourite tracks: I enjoyed a lot of this album, but the opening track “Broken English” and her cover of Working Class Hero were particular highlights
Least favourite tracks: Everything on the album was worth listening to
Album artwork: Cool album cover, Marianne was a very cool lady!