Reviews by tape-boy

This is #day362 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… in the words of my wife, who's a big industrial music fan: industrial music has its limits. This band is a case in point. Maybe I'm just not a huge fan of martial/military kind of industrial. I find it hard to fully embrace this kind of aesthetic when it's the band's entire identity. The interpretations of "One Vision" and "Life Is Life" are particularly hilarious. Sure, Laibach are the pioneers of the genre and all that, but I just can't. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day363.

This is #day361 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this week marks a year since I started this project, which is kind of crazy. But I'm hell-bent on continuing the journey, despite stumbling across pebbles like this one. I mean, this is my second Arcade Fire record. As I've said before, I don't get why this band is represented with three albums while other artists aren't on the list at all. This is peak inessential indie-schmindie. "My Body Is a Cage" is the only highlight, and it's far too late in the tracklist. Alright, I can also relate to "Windowsill," I guess. Otherwise, this is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day362.

This is #day360 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about a psychedelic folk rock record from a guy who tripped on LSD just a little bit too much? Well, I'm not really sure. Guess I'm landing on a low 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day361.

This is #day359 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this was a pretty cool-sounding rock'n'soul, if you will. That's a classic record in the category of a 3 out of 5 to me. That is, I appreciate the historical value, and I don't mind listening to it, even though the music itself is quite outside of my wheelhouse. Love the bluesy undertones, though. Looking forward to #day360.

This is #day358 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… it's been 3 or 4 days since I last got a Neil Young & Crazy Horse album. While I rated that one a 2, I thought I couldn't follow suit with this record, at least because there's "My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)," which I like. So be it. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day359.

This is #day357 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my first Rolling Stones album, which also happens to be their debut. While I prefer the Stones over the Beatles (though I enjoy both bands' more experimental records), I've got little to say about this one. There's only one original track by the band, while the rest are covers, a trend that would continue up until their fourth album, Aftermath... The debut, though? Early '60s R&B, not much more. An inessential listen. The best is yet to come. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day358.

This is #day356 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's my second and final Manics record on the list. While EMG is a great album in its own right, I still think THB (which I got way back on #day125) is the one you must hear before you die. In contrast, this record feels more like a good recommendation. That said, "A Design for Life," "Kevin Carter" (probably one of my wife's favorites, love the way she says that title), and "Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky" (a beautiful hidden gem) are some of the better songs they've penned. What's fun about this record is how the band approached the drum sound, drawing inspiration from the acts they grew up listening to (most notably The Associates, whose album I got just yesterday). Another aspect is the vulnerability of the entire project, given that it was the first Manics record as a trio. P.S. Happy birthday to the drummer Sean Moore, who happens to celebrate it today. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day357.

This is #day355 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… "sometimes you sulk, sometimes you burn," right? Wait, that's from a different kind of "Sulk." Anyway, it took me almost a year to get to this album. But, pun un/intended, It's Better This Way. Here's to one of the lowest-rated records on the list, and yet one from one of my favorite bands of the '80s. I think Billy Mackenzie is one of the greatest singers the genre has ever seen, and the darkly peculiar musical palette Alan Rankine creates is something else entirely. What we get here is a quirky, eerie, weird blend of experimental synthpop on the edge of post-punk, leaning into Soft Cell's aesthetics, with a whole lot of Bowie at its heart. My favourites? "No," "Gloomy Sunday," "Skipping," and "Party Fears Two." But really, the entire record is a masterclass in progressive art pop. I only wish more people were open-minded enough to appreciate it. Then again… maybe that's the point? I honestly don't mind having this music all to myself. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day356.

This is #day354 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's one of those records that always shows up on must-hear lists, but you never actually get around to until you do. Well, here we are. What I'm hearing is how this might've influenced Bowie's Aladdin Sane era. Same glam rock feel, touches of jazzy blue-eyed soul, and bluesy elements woven in. The sound is tight and distinctive, and the whole record flows well. What I found particularly interesting is the semi-whispery kind of vocals against the seemingly non-matching sonic backdrop. I've said this before with a few albums, but I'll say it again: I bet this sounds delicious on vinyl. My personal highlights are "Cosmic Dancer" and "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," though there's plenty more to dig into. I'm giving it a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day355.

This is #day353 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… my second Neil Young record on the list, considering Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's Deja Vu a few months back. While I occasionally find myself relating to the music, as the '90s alt-rock is pretty much on display here, I can't say the same about the vocals and delivery (or the lyrics, after all). That kind of whiny style of singing... I just don't know. I also have a feeling he's hitting the wrong notes most of the time. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day354.

This is #day352 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to a classic of British psych rock. While "Sunshine of Your Love" is undeniably a staple of late-'60s hard rock and blues rock, I find the rest of the album isn't that enticing. I can appreciate the pioneering guitar work and drumming, both of which are influential and all that, but I doubt I'll be revisiting this one anytime soon. Initially, I thought I'd land on a 4, but since there's little to hold on to for me here, I'm going to choose the middle ground. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day353.

This is #day351 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… wow, turns out hip-hop records can be of bearable length. This one's just 10 tracks, clocking in at under 40 minutes, which, knowing how sprawling albums in this genre can get, took me by surprise. Anyway, this is the kind of hip-hop I relate to musically for the most part. But then there's a vibe. It just feels real, you know what I'm saying? I remembered that for a brief time in my childhood, around the release of 8 Mile, must've been 2002 or 2003, I had a short-lived nickname: "Nas." Hilarious to think about now. Now, this record? A gold-standard canon of '90s hip-hop. "N.Y. State of Mind" and "Life's a Bitch" are my favorites. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day352.

This is #day350 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about some shopping mall music? Or, hair salon music, as other reviewers aptly pointed out? Anyway, one thing this does perfectly is breed bad taste. There's just no way I'm sitting through an hour and a half of Beyoncé. I barely made it through two and a half tracks. To my ears, it's the definition of disposable plastic pop. You mustn't hear this before you die. This is a 1 out of 5, of course. Looking forward to #day351.

This is #day349 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I had a feeling this one might show up today, following yesterday's news about Ozzy's passing. I'm glad they were able to deliver that Back to the Beginning show in their original lineup just over two weeks ago... what a poignant farewell in hindsight. Now, it must be my very first time listening to this record. I surely know "Changes" (and "Snowblind", I guess?), but the rest is new to me. I've read it's their "cocaine album," and it shows in its psychedelic nature and lyrics. But I'm all for it. It's also my last Black Sabbath on the list, so I'm checking off another band. This is a 4 out of 5. Rest in peace, Prince of Darkness. Looking forward to #day350.

This is #day348 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… nope, this isn't my new favorite band. The "decision to release such a compilation was made with the intention of achieving mainstream success in the UK and other territories," kind of says it all in a way. I'm not sure why anyone would have to hear a compilation before they die. I think if you're picking a band as a must-hear, you should go for a studio album. And if no studio album stands out or is worth checking out, maybe this band isn't that essential? This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day349.

This is #day347 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… compared to some of the other jazz albums I've had so far, this one stands out. I think it has to do with the mix. Everything sounds almost pristine, as if the band's playing in your room. Little audience noise, except for occasional background chitchat, which makes the whole thing sound natural. That said, when it comes to this kind of jazz, I sort of belong to the "it's fine as background/restaurant kind of music" camp. I don't mind free or experimental jazz, which this isn't, but it doesn't mean this isn't good music either. It's just not something I'd return to. I must admit the album's quite long and begins to sound samey in the second half, though. I'm giving it a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day348.

This is #day346 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… unfortunately, despite coming from the golden age of hip-hop, which I enjoy now and then, this one falls flat for me. Right off the bat, the air-raid siren on "Home of the Bodybag" made me freeze. After almost four years of hearing that awful sound non-stop, especially in the dead of night, due to russia's constant terrorist attacks, it's just fucking dreadful. Beyond that, the album didn't grab me. The tracks tend to blend, and the whole affair leaves me indifferent. I'm sorry. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day347.

This is #day345 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… it’s been raining here for the past couple of days. I honestly don't remember so much rain in July, and judging by the forecast, it's going to stay this way until the end of the month. But I don't mind, as long as it's not hurting the planet. Anyway, I've seen this band's name pop up a lot among vinyl collectors, and now I kind of understand why. This record begs to be experienced on vinyl. It's very musical: spacey, textured, jazz-rock, or so they say. Definitely one for audiophiles. But I'm all for it. "A Remark You Made" is especially enjoyable. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day346.

This is #day344 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's a rainy July morning in my hometown, Lviv, and this record makes for a perfect musical backdrop. The sax is nice and warm, and the bossa nova rhythm is gently groovy. I'm enjoying it and look forward to checking out Gitz/Gilberto as well. Also, I bet this album sounds terrific on vinyl. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day345.

This is #day343 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about a post-primal therapy album from John Lennon (though he still screams on a couple of tracks, and I swear I'm hearing Cobain in those screams, particularly In Utero era) that also happens to be his solo debut? I wasn't familiar with this one. The only Lennon solo record I know through and through is Imagine, and I'm looking forward to revisiting when its turn comes on the list. At first, I expected some weird psychedelic noise, but as soon as "Mother" kicked in, I knew this was something different. It's a fine rock/avant-pop album: very introspective... fine, but not great. The highlights are "Mother" and "God." This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day344.