Rate the first five albums

[happy_loss]

Rate and comment on the first five Bunnymen albums:

1 - Heaven Up Here - I'll admit, this album had to grow on me. But after it did, I was hooked for life. I feel this was their creative peak, and you can feel the energy and spark between the four of them. And as most of you know from my earlier rant, I love the production as well.

2 - Crocodiles - This is the album that initially got me hooked on the Bunnies. I can still listen to it from beginning to end without skipping any songs. This was the beginning of the majestic and mysterious Bunnymen we had for four great albums. Production muddy and tinny? Somewhat, but it adds to the charm of it in a way.

3 - Ocean Rain - As HUH was their creative peak (for me), this was the Bunnies at their most refined but still punchy and powerful. The title track is the most beautiful song they ever wrote, next to Killing Moon of course. I almost wish they would've broke up after OR, because time has shown it never got any better than this album.

4 - Porcupine - A great album, but kind of the black sheep of the family for me. I still enjoy it, but I probably listen to it the least of the first four. You can tell how difficult it must've been for the band at the time because you feel it in the album. It's like their Pornography or Join Hands. The flow of the songs seems the most awkward out of the first four albums.

5 - The Grey Album - The beginning of the end. Bedbugs is the only song on here I truly like. Of all the reissues this is the only one I didn't bother to buy. The only thing it has going for it is that the original four played on it, only in body though, not spirit. Half assed songs with overly glossy shite production. To paraphrase Mac, "you can polish a turd, but it's still going to be a turd".

[In The Margins]

I'd rather talk about Hugh Laurie.

[happy_loss]

I'd rather talk about Hugh Laurie.

I hate that woman!

[JackT]

Rate and comment on the first five Bunnymen albums:

1 - Heaven Up Here - I'll admit, this album had to grow on me. But after it did, I was hooked for life. I feel this was their creative peak, and you can feel the energy and spark between the four of them. And as most of you know from my earlier rant, I love the production as well.

2 - Crocodiles - This is the album that initially got me hooked on the Bunnies. I can still listen to it from beginning to end without skipping any songs. This was the beginning of the majestic and mysterious Bunnymen we had for four great albums. Production muddy and tinny? Somewhat, but it adds to the charm of it in a way.

3 - Ocean Rain - As HUH was their creative peak (for me), this was the Bunnies at their most refined but still punchy and powerful. The title track is the most beautiful song they ever wrote, next to Killing Moon of course. I almost wish they would've broke up after OR, because time has shown it never got any better than this album.

4 - Porcupine - A great album, but kind of the black sheep of the family for me. I still enjoy it, but I probably listen to it the least of the first four. You can tell how difficult it must've been for the band at the time because you feel it in the album. It's like their Pornography or Join Hands. The flow of the songs seems the most awkward out of the first four albums.

5 - The Grey Album - The beginning of the end. Bedbugs is the only song on here I truly like. Of all the reissues this is the only one I didn't bother to buy. The only thing it has going for it is that the original four played on it, only in body though, not spirit. Half assed songs with overly glossy shite production. To paraphrase Mac, "you can polish a turd, but it's still going to be a turd".

-I think Crocodiles is 'unrate-able' it being their debut. Rawer then subsequent efforts, almost every track is a classic. Hell, the pre-Pete versions of those songs are classics.

-HUH & Ocean Rain- These two vie for the title of Bunnymen magnum Opus. I would lean toward HUH, although Ocean Rain gets a lot of credit for being such a creative departure. OR has some of the most popular classics, but some throwaway tracks, too, IMO. HUH may be the least accessible, but is genius from beginning to end.

-Porcupine. Yeah Black Sheep is a good description for this record. I love it, and maybe it's my favorite. The Cutter remains the biggest crowd-pleaser at gigs, but it's not one of my favorites on that record. B Side is awesome, as well as Clay and My White Devil.

-Grey Album. Meh. I checked out at this point.

[tonywojo]

-I think Crocodiles is 'unrate-able' it being their debut. Rawer then subsequent efforts, almost every track is a classic. Hell, the pre-Pete versions of those songs are classics.

-HUH & Ocean Rain- These two vie for the title of Bunnymen magnum Opus. I would lean toward HUH, although Ocean Rain gets a lot of credit for being such a creative departure. OR has some of the most popular classics, but some throwaway tracks, too, IMO. HUH may be the least accessible, but is genius from beginning to end.

-Porcupine. Yeah Black Sheep is a good description for this record. I love it, and maybe it's my favorite. The Cutter remains the biggest crowd-pleaser at gigs, but it's not one of my favorites on that record. B Side is awesome, as well as Clay and My White Devil.

-Grey Album. Meh. I checked out at this point.

Ocean rain for me is the best album ever. An inspired concept if you like. The best concept album ever totally different to everything else but accessible.

Heaven Up Here is big and pounding, tribal even, like the Comsats Sleep No More.

Porcupine is esoteric and crocodiles has to be one of the top three debuts ever.

All in all, no group can really sustain more than four really good albums.

[black francis]

Porcupine and Crocodiles are my two favorite albums start to finish. Edgy, barely controlled fury and still beautful. Songs I could listen to every day, all day are Villiers Terrace, Simple Stuff, Clay and Heads Will Roll.

Ocean while containing my favorite song of all time is my second favorite. Had it been a little more rockin' it would probably take the top spot but its timeless beauty still sounds fresh today and is the greatest orchestrated rock album of all time. The album live at the OR show was damn near transcendental.

HUH is my least favorite of the bunch probably because it relies more on atmospherics and experimentation that song structure. While I like the rock music I do like it in the contest of a catchy melody. Show of Strength and No Dark Things are however two of the best Bunnymen tracks ever. Wouldn't mind hearing NDT live one day soon.

There's your next cover DJM

[tonywojo]

Porcupine and Crocodiles are my two favorite albums start to finish. Edgy, barely controlled fury and still beautful. Songs I could listen to every day, all day are Villiers Terrace, Simple Stuff, Clay and Heads Will Roll.

Ocean while containing my favorite song of all time is my second favorite. Had it been a little more rockin' it would probably take the top spot but its timeless beauty still sounds fresh today and is the greatest orchestrated rock album of all time. The album live at the OR show was damn near transcendental.

@@@ nicely put - or live was magnificent but comsats at shefflied literally changed my life from fantasy and melancholy to hope and realism @@

HUH is my least favorite of the bunch probably because it relies more on atmospherics and experimentation that song structure. While I like the rock music I do like it in the contest of a catchy melody. Show of Strength and No Dark Things are however two of the best Bunnymen tracks ever. Wouldn't mind hearing NDT live one day soon.

@@ the drums are overrated im afraid
do you blieve if bunnys had had a keyboard and mac was a decent guitarist they would have made the first four albums better?

There's your next cover DJM

[guitarplayer on here too]

After only ten odd years of listening to these albums, Porcupine and Ocean Rain have certainly stood the test of time. Crocodiles a little bit as well. I wasn't that much of a fan of Porcupine when I first heard it, but it is the one (along with Ocean Rain) that I still enjoy listening to frequently.

My problem with HUH is that most of the album sounds like it was recorded in the early 1980s. Same with the Grey album sounding late 1980s. HUH I tend to give up listening to after A Promise. As for the Grey album, I can't really get past "Over You" without wanting to listen to something else. At least it's further than Flowers. I can't even get past the opening chords of King of Kings.

[black francis]

I forgot the Grey album.

My review:

Fuck that thing. And I know cause half of it is on that CD stuck in my truck.

[happy_loss]

Show of Strength and No Dark Things are however two of the best Bunnymen tracks ever. Wouldn't mind hearing NDT live one day soon.

Here's your only chance:

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[black francis]

Mac rockin the spaghetti strap again. WORST thing to ever happen to the Bunnymen was mac putting down the guitar.

[guitarplayer on here too]

Totally. Mac playing the guitar would make them look more of a band instead of a couple of bricklayers and session musicians. Didn't he still play guitar on stage with Electrafixion?

[Mr.Sparkle]

What was the reason that Mac doesn't play guitar with the Bunnymen anymore? Because he resents being in the band? I thought that he still played guitar solo on stage. Lame. The rhythm guitarist for the Bunnymen (Gordie?) seems like a nice guy but, man, he can be a little embarrassing to watch up on stage. He doesn't really fit the whole Bunnymen look, as shallow as that is.

Porcupine
Ocean Rain
Crocodiles
HUH
Grey album

[black francis]

Mac played guitar at the last solo gig in L.A. and it made all the difference. A few months later for the Bunnymen gig it wasn't the same dude at all.

[JackT]

Mac played guitar at the last solo gig in L.A. and it made all the difference. A few months later for the Bunnymen gig it wasn't the same dude at all.

PEOPLE HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN PLAY RHYTHM GUITAR AT THE DROP OF A HAT JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT THEM TO. I HAVE SEEN YOU AT GIGS AND YOU LOOK LIKE YOU MAY BE PART MEXICAN. NO WONDER HE WON'T PLAY GUITAR FOR YOU YOU FREAK.