Reviews by tape-boy

This is #day282 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… from 1963 yesterday to 2005 today. I'm not sure why this album made the list. The music's okayish, a kind of hip-hop that sounds very much of its time, though I'm not hyped on the soul foundation. Then I learned it was produced by Kanye West and released on his label. I rated both his albums a 1... and don't tell me he used to be a different person. People never change. Let this one be a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day283.

This is #day281 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… as much as I have pretty generic knowledge of jazz and mostly just go by what I like or don't, but with this challenge, I'm starting to get a better sense of the styles I relate to. Like today's pick: sheer avant-garde, wild, free kind of shit. Yes, please. This is a strong 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day282.

This is #day280 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… as much as I'm not a fan of prog rock a la Yes or Rush (I find this music too showy technically), I do, however, like Pink Floyd. But, I'm not sure I've ever actually "been" In the Court of the Crimson King before. Maybe it's the gloomy, rainy weather in my hometown today, or it's simply that this album is crafted with such intricate attention to detail… The way it weaves jazz, folk, classical, and symphonic elements into late '60s rock is mesmerizing. It's like reading good literature. Also, the lyrics complement the music so poetically. I'm in awe. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day281.

This is #day279 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I only knew "Dirge," and was approaching this record with that in mind. Actually, I wasn't approaching it at all... this is more of an attempt to leave a comment. I've had a bad day. Dark thoughts. And I've been feeling like shit right up to the moment I started writing this. My demons from the past keep chasing me, and I can't handle them. I guess I just don't want to... The music is okay... dark, trip-hoppy electronics with a good dose of psychedelia, best listened to before night falls. But probably not before you die. Unless it's the same. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day280.

This is #day278 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to my second Beasties album. I got Ill Communication back on my #day151, and I gave it a 4. Now, Paul's Boutique... I know it's regarded as seminal, but somehow it feels less focused. I like the instrumentation and that this album belongs to the golden age of hip-hop (even regarded as its landmark), but it just didn't quite live up to my expectations. The samples are fun, or at least they should be. But maybe it's because I'm listening to this record later into the night that it's starting to feel a bit tiring too soon. Or, it's just too experimental? Anyway, this is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day279.

This is #day277 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... no surprise this one's called Deja Vu, since the first time I got Crosby, Stills & Nash was way back on #day11, and I gave that a 2. Today it's Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, though, so not exactly déjà vu, right? Neil Young is hard to mistake. I like his "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)," but that came later. Still, I'm not sure I can go higher than a 3 here. This is a 2 out of 5. That is a lovely doggo on the cover, though. Looking forward to #day278.

This is #day276 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... just yesterday I was crate-digging through vintage records at a local Craft Beer & Vinyl festival here in Lviv when I came across this very album. No, I didn't buy it; that wasn't my true aim. However, buying music and building a connection with it is something that brings me genuine happiness. The first time I got an Elvis Costello album (or rather Elvis Costello & The Attractions), I was mostly indifferent... Now, this one? It's kind of fine, but nothing outstanding that makes me want to come back to it. I'm giving this a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day277.

This is #day275 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I'd never heard of Jeru The Damaja or The Sun Rises in the East, but given it's straight from the early '90s, and I like the golden age hip-hop, it feels relatable. Highlights like "Da Bichez?" and others. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day276.

This is #day274 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this must be the first band whose albums I get in the order they were released. I got Talking Heads: 77 a while ago (on #day26), and now here's the sophomore follow-up. I don't think I've ever listened to this one all the way through, so I have to admit that this challenge is a great way to catch up on music that's been postponed or overlooked. The album is a celebration of quirky guitars, funky rhythms, and the omnipresent David Byrne's charisma. It's also the first one produced by Brian Eno. Some of my favorites are "Found a Job," "Not in Love," and "Take Me to the River." This is a strong 4 out of 5. I'm sparing 5s for Fear of Music and Remain in Light. By the way, this list could've made room for the Stop Making Sense live album. Sadly, it doesn't. Looking forward to #day275.

This is #day273 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I've seen the album artwork many times, but this was my first time listening to it front to back. I like to think of Elastica as a kind of black sheep within Britpop, but also as a band that coalesced into the scene with one of the fastest-selling UK debuts, holding the record for over a decade. I'm saying "black sheep" because, unlike other Britpop bands' influences, it's fun to observe Elastica's diversity: punk and post-punk abrasiveness, along with that arty, angular new wave energy. No wonder they were dubbed the "New Wave of New Wave." Also, I didn't know that Justine Frischmann dated Brett Anderson, played the guitar for Suede, and then dated Damon Albarn... Or, maybe I just haven't been paying attention. Yeah, definitely maybe. Anyway, this is a fun record, and it still sounds great 30 years on. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day274.

This is #day272 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to some old school garage rock and rock'n'roll, baby. I imagine this as something Iggy Pop would spin on his Confidential show on BBC Radio 6 Music. Have you heard the show? I like to tune in now and then. So yeah, that's the kind of setting where I wouldn't mind hearing this. Outside of that, I'd pass, I guess. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day273.

This is #day271 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... well, it had to happen eventually: my first Beatles album. Ironically, I haven't hit a single Stones record yet, and I've always been more of a Stones guy. As for The Beatles, I like the Revolver kind of Beatles, aka experimental, and some of the later-in-their-career kind of Beatles. Not a fan of early pop/rock standard cover Beatles, really. That said, "It Won't Be Long" and "All My Loving" are sweet. The rest sounds pretty corny. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day272.

This is #day270 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to my first Pixies record on the list. That album cover alone makes me want to stare at it forever, or better yet, have it on vinyl and do both. The music? I kept thinking I was hearing In Utero-style drumming throughout. No surprise there: Kurt Cobain was a huge Pixies fan, and their influence on Nirvana is unmistakable. That raw, roomy sound? Classic Steve Albini. What a signature to recognize. If you're diving into the history of '90s alternative rock, this is your first stop. Also, "Where Is My Mind?" is such a classic... This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day271.

This is #day269 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to my second AC/DC album on this list. If I gave this a 5, that would put AC/DC among my favorite artists, and I'm not sure that's the case. I'm fine with hearing this band on classic rock radio, but I rarely put it on by myself if ever. That said, this record is fun. Forty minutes of sheer hard rock classics. There's something darkly ironic about calling an album Highway to Hell and then losing your frontman right after, though... What came next, of course, is one of the greatest comeback albums in rock history, and I've always preferred it. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day270.

This is #day268 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... this one started out pretty promising (those radio channel flips in "Burn It Down" were a cool touch), but then the trombone kicked in, and didn't leave for the rest of the album. I'm fine with sax, though... well, for the most part. The vocals reminded me a bit of Bryan Ferry, though not in the best way. It's way too rowdy a kind of new wave for me, if you can even call it new wave. On a positive note, I like the album artwork. "I Couldn't Help It If I Tried" is the closest I can nominate as the album highlight. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day269.

This is #day267 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... this is my first time ever listening to Kendrick Lamar. Now, I should clarify: I do love some hip-hop now and then, especially the golden age stuff. I'm also a huge Eminem fan (well, early Eminem, to be more precise, the kind I listened to up until I was about 15). Lately, I've been digging into his newer work, and I absolutely love The Death of Slim Shady (even have it on a UK limited edition cassette), but that's another story. Aside from Em, I've listened to some 50 Cent, some Dre, some Jay-Z... those guys, you know. But that was back in the early '00s. I've never really stepped into the more modern hip-hop territory, especially the 2010s or 2020s. I was into different music back then. So listening to good kid, m.A.A.d city felt... disorienting. It's just too contemporary for my ear, I guess. The production, the flow... all feels distant from the style I connect with. I'm not sure I get the hype. Closer to the middle of Money Trees, I didn't feel like continuing, so I quit. This is a 1 out of 5 for me. Looking forward to #day268.

This is #day266 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here we are now, entertain us! What more is there to say about Nevermind that hasn't already been said? It's the epitome of '90s alternative rock. Maybe the trick is to keep acknowledging this record's revolutionary nature and impact? Nearly 35 years after its release, it still rips hard. It's not my favorite grunge album, though (that title belongs to Alice In Chains' Dirt), and I'm not even sure it's my favorite Nirvana album (In Utero got a 5 from me a couple of months ago, and I think it's their magnum opus). But rating Nevermind lower than a 4 or 5 feels criminal. Aside from "Teen Spirit," it's got some of my all-time favorites of theirs, like "Come As You Are" and "Something In The Way." This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day267.

This is #day265 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... as it often happens with the lower-rated albums on the list (especially from the late 70s-early 80s), I find them very much in my wheelhouse. Today's no exception. I'd heard the title "Another Girl, Another Planet" before, but I'm not sure I'd ever actually listened to it, let alone the full album. It's clearly a standout song (possibly their best one), but there's more fun here than just that. As for Peter Perrett's vocals and delivery, my first (and only) strong association was with Lou Reed, which, turns out, is a common comparison. I also hear a lot of Television here, which couldn't make me happier. This record is another great find. I'm giving it a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day266.

This is #day264 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this is my third and final The Smiths album. I thought I'd go the same route and give this a perfect score. But something about this record doesn't flow as well as The Queen Is Dead and Strangeways, Here We Come. I appreciate the instrumentation (extended intro/outros and funk influences) and the lyricism (especially the themes), but as an album, Meat Is Murder is somewhat uneven. I don't get the decision to leave "How Soon Is Now?" off the tracklist. This is one of the band's most defining moments, and it's just not there. Still, my highlights are "The Headmaster Ritual," "Well I Wonder" (probably a top-10 Smiths song for me), "Barbarism Begins At Home," and, of course, the title track. This is a 4 out of 5. Here's to Morrissey's solo albums. Looking forward to #day265.

This is #day263 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my third Miles album on the list already. Like I might have said before, I kind of feel obliged to give his albums a high score, but then again, Davis is one of the few jazz musicians I can listen to. Maybe I'm biased because he's such a household name in jazz, but I do like Kind of Blue. I've also listened to Bitches Brew back in the day, mostly because it's one of the albums Radiohead supposedly took inspiration from for OK Computer, but I'm not sure that's a bad reason. I liked that one as well. As for In a Silent Way, I can even tell it's from a different Miles era, with the electric guitars and fusion influences creeping in. I'm not sure, though, I get the same amount of pleasure from it as from the others I mentioned. My new controversial artist on the list? Because honestly, I feel like giving this a 3 out of 5. And so I am. Looking forward to #day264.