The Album Review Club - Week #142 - (page 1874) - Strange Times - The Chameleons

[mancity2012_eamo]

I can’t help but feel disappointed. I was really hoping for a revelation with this week’s pick, but I just consistently got bored. I tried their first album as some have said it is better.
And in fairness it wasn’t bad, but halfway through after having played Strange Times first, I just lost interest again.

I don’t really know why. I think they were of their time and if I was scoring them back in the early 80’s I would have appreciated them better. Maybe a 7. But having hindsight and realising there were a number of innovative bands around doing similar but better, I can’t see past a 5 this week.

They just don’t muster up any enthusiasm in me. Bland seems unfair, but it’s the overriding feeling I get everytime I put this on.
I also think it’s too long and the second disc is pointless.

 

[GornikDaze]

I can’t help but feel disappointed. I was really hoping for a revelation with this week’s pick, but I just consistently got bored. I tried there first album as some have said it is better.
And in fairness it wasn’t bad, but halfway through after having played Strange Times first, I just lost interest again.

I don’t really know why. I think they were of their time and if I was scoring them back in the early 80’s I would have appreciated them better. Maybe a 7. But having hindsight and realising there were a number of innovative bands around doing similar but better, I can’t see past a 5 this week.

They just don’t muster up any enthusiasm in me. Bland seems unfair, but it’s the overriding feeling I get everytime I put this on.
I also think it’s too long and the second disc is pointless.

Similar feelings for me too. Can’t help thinking it’s one of those albums that’s of its time. If you ‘grew up’ listening to it it would probably have more personal meaning and still retain its original edge. Hearing it fresh it just seems to lack and real originality and sounds rather familiar. I’ll persevere…

 

[PinkFinal]

As a Chameleons fan (and 99% of us are absolute fanatics I must admit) of almost forty years l would recommend the second album What Does Anything Mean Basically it's much more immediate than their first and third albums
The EP Tony Fletcher Walked On Water is also well worth a listen