Reviews by marcusmuck-again

I bought Heaven up Here after hearing them on John Peel's show and played it to death. These guys had a unique sound and vibe.

However, listening back now they went on to repeat the formula several times I feel. It's still fresh here though and a good album.

I still think Heaven up Here is better.

It's pleasant enough but had already been done 20 years before by the Unde
rtone or perhaps the Buzzcocks.

Having said that I like the sentiment and the one big hit packs a punch.

Genuine, raw and energetic.

This is very good- quirky and very well produced.

Rock (not heavy) and psychedelic yes. As some others have said the 2nd half is more of a concept whereas the opening tracks are more rock/pop.

Still, it's well worth repeated listenings to full get into.

Iconic tunes, so familiar and timeless.

A bit samey in places to be honest but it operates under different rules to nowadays.

Listening now to the tracks on this album it strikes me that it was only ever really about Robbie as a performer.

The 2 hits are pretty good and the rest of the album is pretty generic but it's all about him as a personality magnet.

If you don't buy into the persona then I guess this will be pretty blah to you, but boy did Robbie hit the pinnacle of stardom at the time.

Feels like the 90s but they were doing their thing in 88.....

Not my favourite music but they developed a sound I guess.

What is it with these Millenials retro-judging bands they used to rave about but now deem 'untrendy'. "I wouldn't be caught dead listening to them" (see what I did there?)

This is a killer album (and again!) and nothing detracts from the impact it had at the time or the vibrancy of the songs.

Heavily influenced by the late 70's New wave sentiment and almost anthemic in quality the first half is one hit after another. This is truly a great album.

We'll see in another 20 years whether it still stands up as one of the greats?

It's Indie Roll n' roll for me.

I just so want to like this but it brings nothing new to the table.

Good old fashioned rock n' roll really.

Comparing what others were doing at this time he should have done better.

B-

Very strange.

Reading up on this band (that started up as Synth-pop 'Flock-of-Seagulls' wannabes) they veered towards metal and religious iconography which ended up with this Aleister Crowley inspired piece.

It doesn't feel authentic. It's not bad, just neither one thing or another. I ended up listening to them in 1983 'With Sympathy' and just couldn't get my head around the change.

Like the album cover though.

Yesterday I had Linkin Park and today this popped up. A million miles apart.

I have to say I prefer this album- big band and super smooth. Very accomplished musicianship.

Whilst it's not iconic it's really pleasant.

It's iconic enough- but is it any good?

I went straight for the biggie, a hit that's been played a zillion times. Maybe played too much as it left me flat.

Then I played the songs in descending listens and gradually the feel of the album started to seep through. I do like Peter Green, Cream and white-man's blues in general so it wasn't difficult.

So I think this doesn't hit you straight away and you need to soak up the 70's vibe before you judge.

I don't think I've seen an album or a band divide people so much as this but I neither like or hate it. It's just generic.

I listened to a song with 1.5 billion listens in Spotify and marvelled that not only have I not heard it before but that there was nothing distinguishable about it. Indeed as others have said this is carefully constructed to appeal.

And appeal is does, to a huge army of listeners in this genre.

It's Bowie/Ziggy innit?

Strangely enough, this isn't a favourite of mine and I don't know why?

Maybe it's the Glam thing? I tend to just listen to the hits and flickpast the other songs.

It is good, I know it's good but I just don't feel it.

I've always had a soft spot for these guys.

Lyrical groovy rap and laid back tunes followed by manic beats and lightning fast rapping.

Just can't get into this one. I like Nick's voice and swagger but the tunes are generic and uninventive.

He's done better.

Iconic cover and from the first note of the album you're transported to another world. It's a troubled world and not unlike the one we're in now so not much has changed in 52 years.

It's Monday morning and i'm getting ready to go to work for another week. This is what music is supposed to do - affect you. The notes and singing are smooth and groovy but the subject matter is one of strife.

This gets a big fat 5 'cos it's simply one of the greats and what this chart was set up for.

You can tell the Spector touch is there, in fact it's difficult to see where he leaves off and Dion starts.

Not bad for a Mid-70's LP but it's really not special.

Laughably bad. So generic, unoriginal and talentless.

How did they think in 2008 they could churn this out? It's been done before by better bands.

Maybe the braindead teens in their bedrooms don't realise that and think it's novel and cutting edge?

Reading the reviews after writing the above I'm relieved that it's not just me.

I never got this and still don't.

Some of the songs would be pretty good but the live format doesn't do it any favours.

Maybe you need to have been there?

I had entirely the wrong notion of their music and got ready to pan them.

Errrr, couldn't have been more wrong.

How were they making music like this in 1988 with everything else that was going on around them? Still, it's good to listen to and chill.

The level of musicianship is good, as is the production.