Customer Reviews

Del Amitri

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'll admit that I came about this album by accident. I immediately fell in love with "Roll to Me" and after vaguely remembering that they had a tune a few years earlier that I also liked (Always the Last to Know) I went to the record store with the intention of buying the new CD (I am refering to Twisted which was new at the time). They only had this one in stock. I hesitated but ended up with it mostly because it was only a few bucks. Thank god. Every song kicks ass. Screw Roll to Me. These songs are incredible. One after another. My personal faves are Former Owner and Sticks and Stones, and Ceasefire. I put I Was Here and Keepers in a league with the best the eighties have to offer, period. The only tune I don't care for is the first one (Heard Through a Wall I believe is the title of it). Great stuff. Pick it up if you find it. One word of caution from a person that was subsequently disappointed. This is the only Del album that sounds like...well, like it does. They changed drastically and for the worse save a few one offs in this reviewer's op.

I get a kick out the one review listed: ACK, ACK...HATED IT!!

Everyone else afterwards thinks it flippin' brilliant, and I have to fall into the latter category. The Dels have done NOTHING that comes REMOTELY close to this magnificent work, (for that matter, neither had anyone else...hmmm...maybe Prefab Sprout). The observation that everything afterward was "polished and lubed for commercial airplay" is dead on!! They are truly left to "fly" on this record. The musicianship on this disc is incredible, and contrary to what that other guy says, the lyrics are phenomenal, ("I suppose love lives in a dustbin behind the garden wall....")

I saw them doing an acoustic set at a last-minute, unpublicized show in Detroit - what a thrill.

This is one of the BEST pop albums of all time, in my not-so-humble-opinion, (and don't get me wrong; I KNOW it's just that). I am INFINITELY glad I found it here, my old cassette from the mid-80's has seen better days.

If you are able, pick it up...NOW!!

For those of us who were around in the late 70's, early '80's after the bubblegum was stale and the leisure suits had holes in them, we waited while music was poised on the edge of receiving in a new era -- not knowing what form it would take. The world was an experiment. This album for the dels marked the only time they were quirky and care-free and not trying to become a marketable product without giving up their artistic freedom. Every album after this, though they included many bright spots as "Hatful of Rain" attests (not a single cut of this masterpiece is on there), was a sacrifice of that freedom. The 33 minutes contained here are the sparse, basic and raw talent of the boys to just plain let it fly. And it soars. Owning this with the guitar pick beginning and 28 beat vocal hold in "Heard Through a Wall", the beautiful angst of "Former Owner" to the final jangle of "Breaking Bread" plus the "Hatful of Rain" CD will teach you all there is to the dels and you won't regret either lesson. They never played like this again, and though I enjoyed much of the later stuff, I was sorrier for it.

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. It has a great calming atmosphere to it and I've got to say there isn't one bad song on it. A classic foray into pop.

Del Amitri have changed a lot that's for sure, I didn't even know this was Del Amitri when I heard it for the first time, it's so different from their later works. I've just got to say this is one of the best albums I've got. It's got a great atmosphere to it, every song is just pure pop, it's brilliant. The songs never get boring becuase they are around the 3-4 minute mark which makes the album pretty short but it's just paced right. I'd say it was one of their best definetely. It's a masterpeice even. I love it. Top stuff.

This is easily Del Amitri's best album, and if you had discovered them way back in 1985 when the album was released, you'd agree. Their subsequent albums were more of a sellout to the masses, losing the energy and enthusiasm of a band just starting out. If you're only going to buy one album by Del Amitri, this is the one to buy.

Most peoples introduction to this melodic Scots band will be the gorgeous acoustic lilt of "nothing ever happens" or the ironic pumping, bluesy, folk rock of "Kiss this thing goodbye" (from the Waking Hours LP 1989) or possibly The Faces type stomp of "always the last to know" from Change Everything...maybe even the dark desperation of "Driving with the brakes on". Few, however would associate any of those tunes with the convoluted and almost tune free confection that is their first album. Sounding more like early Genesis on several tracks this album is probably only of interest to completists who want the whole catalogue and will be a severe disappointment to those wanting more of the lush tunefulness and sly ironic lyricism of their subsequent output. Few bands have changed so much between first and second albums and this is certainly the only album that is likely to disappoint. Everything else by these guys can be heartily recommended to people looking for an eclectic mix of originality and sneaky plagiarism....they steal from impeccable sources and can make any song sound like Neil Young rewriting a Stones song so the Faces can sing it in the style the Beatles imitating John Hiatt's latest composition for Thin Lizzy in reflective mood (if that makes any sense at all!) They still always end up sounding like themselves, great lyrics, wonderful harmonies, rocking guitar and a wistful haunting quality to many of their songs. One of the great melodic pop-rocksters of the decade.

Surmise it as such: if you are a fan of Del Amitri, notably the lyrics and Justin Currie's unique, rough, voice, then you will HATE this disc.... It sounds like bad mid-80's British pop, and if I didn't know better, I'd say there was a different lead singer... ( either that or they used the old "trick" of speeding up the vocal tracks ) He sings with an accent, there is no depth to any song on the disc... No riveting lyrics, no noted emotional swelling rhytms.... This completes my Del Amitri collection, and it's the only one I truly regret having dished out money for - hey, at least I got a jewel case...

The lyrics are too thought through, the singing is forced and the musicianship isn't exactly shining through. I wouldn't call this their first album, but more of a prologue to an amazing story which is the Del Amitri back catalogue. You can hate all other Del and love this album, alternatively you love Del and are intrigued by this rather odd piece of musical development in prgress. Just don't expect too much. Certainly worth a listen, but not great.