The Album Review Club - Week #128 - (page 1587) - Pretty Vicious - The Struts

Another decent choice. I'd never heard these before so apart from reading Foginblahblah's preview, I'd no idea what i was gonna hear.
How did I not hear these back in the early 80s? Anyway...right from the opening song, I knew this was going to be a good listen. Rockbilly, punk, jangly guitars (the guitar on the opening track reminds me of Marr on What Difference Does it Make.)...the lot! Funny and bittersweet lyrics with all that teen angst. We can all identify with these lyrics to some degree. Boners, answering machines, no girlfriends, and maniac golfing surgeons! hehe. The only crap song is Black Diamond. Didn't like that one.
This was released in 1984 and the only negative I can say about it is that it's a few years too late. If this was released around 79, we'd probably all know it.
7.5 or an 8 from me. Not sure which, yet. Maybe a 7.9. Fuck it...8.
...nah... 7.5 I'll give a score tomorrow.
If there's one thing I'm learning, it's get your review in early, as people seem to be able to read my mind...
Great review
 
If there's one thing I'm learning, it's get your review in early, as people seem to be able to read my mind...
Great review
Yeah...we've probably both approached it from the same angle. If you get me. What score you gonna give?
 
I had never heard of them before and don’t recall having heard any of the tracks on this album before so it was to be a new experience for me.

My first impression was that of a punk band on the road to somewhere new but hadn't quite reached there yet. Very messy and chaotic but with a certain undeniable charm.

I particularly liked Androgynous, Unsatisfied and Sixteen Blue. I didn’t think much to I Will Dare, despite it seemingly being one of the more popular tracks on the album. I’m glad I didn’t listen to that one first. There were a couple of other songs that didn’t really do it for me too. Overall though, it kept me engaged enough to go past the original 11 tracks and give the extra ones a listen as well.

Not an album that I’m ever likely to buy but it was an interesting and enjoyable listen that took me back to a simpler time in life and how can you not like an album with a track named Gary’s Got a Boner?

7/10 for me.
Fantastic review — “a punk band on the road to somewhere new” — perfect description. Exactly what they were.
 
Another decent choice. I'd never heard these before so apart from reading Foginblahblah's preview, I'd no idea what i was gonna hear.
How did I not hear these back in the early 80s? Anyway...right from the opening song, I knew this was going to be a good listen. Rockbilly, punk, jangly guitars (the guitar on the opening track reminds me of Marr on What Difference Does it Make.)...the lot! Funny and bittersweet lyrics with all that teen angst. We can all identify with these lyrics to some degree. Boners, answering machines, no girlfriends, and maniac golfing surgeons! hehe. The only crap song is Black Diamond. Didn't like that one.
This was released in 1984 and the only negative I can say about it is that it's a few years too late. If this was released around 79, we'd probably all know it.
7.5 or an 8 from me. Not sure which, yet. Maybe a 7.9. Fuck it...8.
...nah... 7.5 I'll give a score tomorrow.
Ha ha blame Kiss for the bad song! Glad you enjoyed it mate.
 
Got to hand it to foggy here, he's picked a record that won't be to many people's taste and chucked it straight into the mixer with some confidence.
And rightly so, It's a bloody good album.
I've never heard of them, let alone listened to them, but after a bit of a shaky start, we're getting along just fine.
It's not a recording one can judge after a couple of listens, it fucking creeps up on you and before you know it, well welcome to foggys world. Infectious is the word I'm looking for.
Need a couple of more hours with it, but it's gonna score high. It's one of those records where there's something to say about every track, and unfortunately for you lot, I might just do that. :-)
Glad you’re enjoying it — to some degree it’s a “something for everyone” record which is one of the reasons I picked it (again, I’ll only be picking records not in our top 1,100). And I agree — it did sneak up on me over the years. I remember thinking “2/3rds of this is amazing, and 1/3rd kind of okay” when I first heard it on the rec of a friend. But then I realized how the songs worked together and I stopped skipping over the “okay” ones. The biggest sneakers are Androgynous and Sixteen Blue — I think they’re they’re really brilliant but it took me a while to figure that out.
 
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Got to hand it to foggy here, he's picked a record that won't be to many people's taste and chucked it straight into the mixer with some confidence.
And rightly so, It's a bloody good album.
I've never heard of them, let alone listened to them, but after a bit of a shaky start, we're getting along just fine.
It's not a recording one can judge after a couple of listens, it fucking creeps up on you and before you know it, well welcome to foggys world. Infectious is the word I'm looking for.
Need a couple of more hours with it, but it's gonna score high. It's one of those records where there's something to say about every track, and unfortunately for you lot, I might just do that. :-)
I had heard of them through my brother a huge CCR and Ramones fan but outside the Saints and the Blue Oyster Cult we had little in common and these two bands we had little in common musically at the time but I loved this album from the outset.

I hadn't even heard of them before I heard Bastards of Young ( what a track it has everything ) but better late than never as they say.

I thought CCR and The Replacements in the same breath he must be on his gunja again but the more I played it the more I could see the influence and this band is from Minneapolis FFS.

I can see where they get the vibe created by bands like Badfinger and the New York Dolls ( sensational band ).

Great selection Fog , inspired selection I must say, they are not appreciated here in Oz as is a lot of alternative rock which if I was forced to pick a genre is where I would put it in however for me it covers a significant spectrum so for me I don't box it , its just a great album solid tracks that link well to tell meaningful stories.

This is an album that every music lover should play on rotation.
 
I had heard of them through my brother a huge CCR and Ramones fan but outside the Saints and the Blue Oyster Cult we had little in common and these two bands we had little in common musically at the time but I loved this album from the outset.

I hadn't even heard of them before I heard Bastards of Young ( what a track it has everything ) but better late than never as they say.

I thought CCR and The Replacements in the same breath he must be on his gunja again but the more I played it the more I could see the influence and this band is from Minneapolis FFS.

I can see where they get the vibe created by bands like Badfinger and the New York Dolls ( sensational band ).

Great selection Fog , inspired selection I must say, they are not appreciated here in Oz as is a lot of alternative rock which if I was forced to pick a genre is where I would put it in however for me it covers a significant spectrum so for me I don't box it , its just a great album solid tracks that link well to tell meaningful stories.

This is an album that every music lover should play on rotation.
As noted previously I love Bastards of Young and I’m glad you enjoyed it MC1. I’m sure @RobMCFC will ask you score it (an integer out of 10).

Also as noted I would have been happy if just one person was introduced to something new that they liked a lot so it’s great to see folks finding songs or enjoying the whole thing. No one’s truly trashed it yet but I suspect that’s coming :) It’s easier to trash a randomly selected record but trust me my wife has screamed at me about how much she hates Superchunk and Archers of Loaf — two of my favo(u)rite 90s bands — and my whole family calls Husker Du “Husker Don’t” (formerly “Husker Poo”) so I have NO issues with criticism!
 

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