Reviews by tape-boy

This is #day642 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my fourth record by The Stones, aka the culmination of the band's run of critically acclaimed late-'60s/early-'70s albums, or so they say. This is solid stuff through and through, the kind you can just put on and let roll with it, even if there aren't any hits sticking out. Rooted in rock'n'roll and blues rock, the record has an experimental edge. What else is there to say? It's not the shortest album out there. But then again, it is the Stones' first double album, so... Anyway, this is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day643.

This is #day641 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to closing out another artist on the list, as this is my second and final record by Common. Honestly, I've no idea why this list needed two albums from him. It also just happens that this kind of soulful hip-hop isn't really my jam. Much like the previous time, this gets a 2 out of 5 for me. Looking forward to #day642.

This is #day640 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… the fact that the record takes its title from a poem by Mayakovsky doesn't help my perception of it, to put it mildly. As a Ukrainian, whose country is in its fifth year of full-scale invasion, I don't give a flying fuck about the "great" Russian culture, to put it bluntly. As for the record itself... lame folk protest songs with a mediocre implementation. What do you mean there's another album of his I must hear before I die? This is a 1 out of 5. Looking forward to #day641.

This is #day639 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this isn't the kind of music to expose yourself to on a Saturday afternoon, right? I acknowledge this record as a cornerstone of grindcore, but this just isn't my lane. I can tolerate certain forms of thrash metal and, say, hardcore punk, but this… is too extreme/angry/evil for me. I didn't feel like finishing it. I'm landing on a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day640.

This is #day638 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I'm not a big fan of the '60s garage rock, but I quite like the late '60s psychedelic rock, and this record strikes a great balance between the two. Also, this is my very first time listening to it, as it happens to be with many albums on the list. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day639.

This is #day637 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… somehow I'd never listened to Culture Club before, even though I was aware of them, so this was another first-timer for me. This record fits well into the patchwork of '80s new wave, though it obviously leans toward the poppier side of things, somewhere near, say, Erasure. What stops me from giving this a 5, though, is the vocals. I'm just not a big fan of soul/R&B-style singing. Otherwise, this is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day638.

This is #day636 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I got into The Replacements relatively late, only about ten years ago, but that didn't stop me from appreciating their place in the American '80s alternative/indie rock scene, alongside R.E.M., Pixies, Sonic Youth, Hüsker Dü, and others. Let It Be is a great record, dripping with a kind of weary youthfulness. It's got punk, melody, rage, boredom, and all that jazz. "I Will Dare" is my favorite cut. And, of course, you can't help but mention "Androgynous." This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day637.

This is #day635 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about some afro-blues on a Tuesday morning? I don't quite mind it. Some of the guitar work is genuinely enjoyable, even if I can't quite say the same about the vocals. I did like the sax on "Beto." Give me that sax any day. On the flipside, though, the album's length is where it starts to drag. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day636.

This is #day634 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… we're still talking about albums you must hear before you die, right? I kind of understand the band's debut being on the list, as it was in the spotlight in the late '00s indie/electronic scene. Still, I find its inclusion questionable. But having to hear another one? I mean… The formula isn't holding up here. It all just blends into one characterless nothing. This is a 1 out of 5. Looking forward to #day635.

This is #day633 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… while there are obvious radio hits, there's also a ton of soapy filler I'd never choose to sit through if not for this list. That said, I have to admit, I kind of liked "Someone Like You," back when the video was on music TV. I was also surprised (?) to hear Linkin Park cover "Rolling in the Deep" at the time. Otherwise, this is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day634.

This is #day632 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I've heard the name Adam and the Ants before, being a fan of late '70s-early '80s stuff, but never felt the urge to explore them. Maybe it's the look that didn't quite pull me in. Listening to this record for the first time, I realize this isn't exactly my kind of new wave. It's a bit too much of everything. At the same time, it's fun and clear evidence of a band beating its own drum. Burundi drum, if you will. Personal highlights: "Ants Invasion" and "The Human Beings." Let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day633.

This is #day631 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… time to cross out another band from the list, as this is my third and final record by The White Stripes. I really do think Elephant alone would've been just enough. Instead, you get two more records you supposedly must hear before you die. Well, I don't think so. This isn't a bad album by any means. It's quite experimental, which is fun, but… Not for me. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day632.

This is #day630 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… let's dance this mess around, shall we? I've seen this record cover many times before, but I never got around to actually listening to it. As frustrating as it is, it's not available on Spotify or YouTube Music, so I had to dig it up on YouTube as a one-track upload. Anyway, late-'70s punk/new wave must've been a fun time: bands were part of the same movement, yet all doing their own thing. Think American new wave, in particular: Blondie, Devo, Talking Heads, the B-52's... Everyone had something to say, and these guys are no exception. "Rock Lobster" is, of course, a signature tune. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day631.

This is #day629 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… when I got my first TVOR record, which was like a forever ago, I was genuinely impressed by how much I liked it. Maybe because I'd never heard of the band before, and I liked that experimental edge. It turns out that the album eventually got dropped from the list. Sometimes I just don't get the logic of this list. Anyway, with Dear Science, I can kind of see where it's coming from, with its blend of art rock, post-punk, and touches of funk and soul, but… I just don't know. The music is fun, but is it something you have to hear before you die? Let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day630.

This is #day628 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… what is there to say about this stone-cold classic that hasn't already been said? I guess I'll share a memory instead. A couple of years back, when I worked at a local record store here in Lviv, my wife and her mom once came by, and I showed them around the store's basement. One room was an exhibition space, with turntables and gramophones, ranging from Thomas Edison's phonograph, tracing the evolution of recorded sound; the other was a listening room, a dimly lit space with a huge collection of records and a vintage, tank-like setup. Among the records was, of course, The Dark Side Of The Moon. I put it on, I think it was "Time" that I was showcasing. The way it sounded… felt otherworldly, almost like hearing all the clocks in the world at once. Pink Floyd were playing for the three of us alone that day. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day629.

This is #day627 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about another live album? As I've mentioned before, I'm generally all for them, but I'm afraid not in this case. I mean, the music is… fine, mid-'70s blues rock and all that, but it feels oh so underwhelming. This isn't the best start to the week. Let it be a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day628.

This is #day626 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's my second and last record from Hole. Honestly, I think Live Through This alone would've been enough. I get that Celebrity Skin is their most commercial record and all that, but somehow, nothing here really stands out to me. Polished radio rock, if you will. "Petals" is probably the most memorable song. Otherwise, let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day627.

This is #day625 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to the second country record in a row. This one does have its moments, though. I kind of don't mind the jazz-leaning touches (at least compared to some of the more straight-ahead country on this list), and there's a nice Saturday night feel to it. Still, it's country. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day626.

This is #day624 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… honestly, I've got no idea why you must hear this before you die. This record is nothing more than a pre-'00s alt-country/folk rock with little value. I get it, it's an album composed of unused lyrics by..., but it's still country anyway. Need I say more, given the list of my worst genres on this journey? This is a low 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day625.

This is #day623 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's my third record from The Kinks already. I've rated the previous two a 2 out of 5, and I feel like I should revisit them. What makes Village Green work is that late-'60s pop/folk-rock sound with psychedelic elements, which I don't mind on this Thursday night. After all, they say this is the record that influenced Blur and Oasis, so that has to count for something. Still, I prefer The Beatles. Actually, The Stones. Let it be a strong 3 out of 5 this time around. Looking forward to #day624.