Reviews by tape-boy

This is #day542 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to some early '00s R&B by an artist I've never heard before. I thought I wouldn't mind it as a one-off background experience, but I was wrong: this really isn't my kind of music, and I don't get its historical merit either. Halfway through the record, I had no desire to continue. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day543.

This is #day541 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this turned out to be better than I expected. Actually, pretty interesting stuff: warm, melodic, and all over the place stylistically. Very long, though. Loving that album cover. Given the versatility of moods and music, let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day542.

This is #day540 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… yet again, I have no idea why you'd have to hear this before you die. I mean, how the fuck is this more essential than, say, Slowdive's Souvlaki, which isn't on the original list at all? It's like the same song over and over again. Way too carefree indie-schmindie for my liking to boot. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day541.

This is #day539 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to my second Beach Boys album on this list. Revisiting this one after getting The Beach Boys Today! on my #day814, well, today. Probably one of those oldies bands I'll never fully wrap my head around. Compared to "Today," I find this record more interesting, though. I'm not sure if I'd describe it as pensive and somber, but that's what crossed my mind while listening to it. Let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day540.

This is #day538 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this is my favorite Oasis album, and also the first one I ever heard from them, which must have been about 20 years ago. Time flies... Maybe that's part of why it's my favorite. Anyway, it's an all killer, no filler. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day539.

This is #day537 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I didn't realize I had this guy's other album back on #day241. I just checked my review of that one, and it seems I wasn't in the mood for this kind of music at the time. I gave it a 2 and couldn't even finish it. (For the record, I revisited it after Solid Air: still not a huge fan, but at least I made it this time.) That said, halfway through the first song on Solid Air, I was already enjoying what I was hearing. I'm not always sold on the vocals, but musically, I'm very much on board: a weird, jazzy, psychedelic folk-rock odyssey. "Solid Air," "I'd Rather Be the Devil," and "Dreams by the Sea" are definite standouts for me. I guess I'll go a bit wild and give this one a 4. Looking forward to #day538.

This is #day536 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to one of those records you see on lists but never get around to checking out. There's something about post-hardcore... maybe it's the rhythm section, maybe the emotional tension, or both. Or else. This record feels like live jamming. Kind of like if jazz was noise rock or whatever. I should probably check out more of their work. In the meantime, this is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day537.

This is #day535 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I'll admit I've never really been a fan of Courtney Love. Live Through This, however, is a case in point of '90s alternative rock, grunge, and punk, and that's what matters. Knowing that Love was listening to The Breeders, Pixies, the Bunnymen, and Joy Division while making this record kind of says it all. The whole affair is melodic, tight, and agonizing. A cover of Young Marble Giants' song turned out to be a nice surprise. "I Think That I Would Die" is my favorite here. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day536.

This is #day534 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I have no idea why on earth you'd have to hear this before you die. Wait, there's one more album on the list? Why am I not surprised any longer? This is a low 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day535.

This is #day533 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my third Springsteen album on this journey. I honestly don't think I can tell this one apart from the other two I've already heard. There are still two more to go, for reasons I don't quite understand. I don't really mind what I'm hearing, but it's also music I'd most likely never approach on my own. That sax always does its thing, though, and I can't resist it. Let it be a 3 out of 5 once again. Looking forward to #day534.

This is #day532 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my third Who album already, a home to the band's signature eponymous song and the immortal "I hope I die before I get old" line. That alone is reason enough to give it a decent score. This is rock music still in its infancy, but already with something to boast about. I do think three Who albums would've been just fine to hear before you die. Instead, there are two more to go. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day533.

This is #day531 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I mean, those who know, know, right? Nowhere is one of those shoegaze classics. The music has a distinct flavor compared to bands like Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, or Lush, and that's the beauty of it. Alternative psychedelic rock with a dream-pop backbone is probably the best way to describe it. "Vapour Trail" has to be one of my all-time favorite tunes out there. This is a 5 out of 5 without a doubt. Looking forward to #day532.

This is #day530 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… let's face it: Primal Scream is Screamadelica. I got it on my #day79 and rated it a 5, of course. I don't think you need to bother with their other albums, at least as part of this challenge. Vanishing Point is fun, with a signature atmosphere, but it feels inessential. That said, I did like it more than the kind of records this random generator gets to throw at me, so I'm giving it a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day531.

This is #day529 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this is Thriller by MJ. What else is there to say? They don't do it like that anymore. Yes, this is an album you must hear before you die. This is a 5 out of 5, of course. Looking forward to #day530.

This is #day528 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… actually, this is my third and final PSB album represented on the list (not really sure why you must hear that many of their records before you die, though). I would've preferred to see the band's debut, Please, instead, as it feels more essential from a synthpop-history perspective. Still, Actually is packed with mid-'80s classics: "It's a Sin" (which I’ve never been a huge fan of, honestly), "Rent" (probably one of my favorites of theirs), "Hit Music," and others. It's a great synthpop record nonetheless (pun un/intended). This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day529.

This is #day527 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… please excuse me, but as a Ukrainian living in Ukraine, I must point out that Odesa is spelled with a single "s." Musically, I don't really mind what I'm hearing: very harmonious, orchestral, and warm, if you will. Let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day528.

This is #day526 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about another record from the golden age of hip-hop? Well, bring it on. Fear of a Black Planet is just as good as It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, which I gout a couple of week ago: the beats, the scratching, the rapping... all out '90s. Back to the time when music meant innovation and quality. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day527

This is #day525 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here we are with my second and final Rod Stewart album, thank God. As I've mentioned before, his vocals just don't work for me. This is another 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day526.

This is #day524 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… the sheer weirdness of this record is overwhelming. I understand both the intent and the execution, but... I'm fairly certain, though, that it might have been fun for its time. We'll see what else The Mothers have in store down the road. For now, this is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day525.

This is #day523 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… it's time to close out yet another band, as this is my second and final album by Genesis. I don't know how to feel about this prog rock stuff, or rather, I do know: I just don't give a fuck about what's going on. It's like listening to a fairytale you can't focus on, no matter how hard you try, and God knows I've tried. For some reason, I gave their previous record a 3, but I'm not doing that again, sorry. Weirdly enough, during "The Battle of Epping Forest," I heard black midi (must have been the vocal delivery). This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day524.