Reviews by tape-boy

This is #day202 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's hard to wrap your head around, but this year marks the 50th anniversary of this masterpiece. Experiencing A Night At The Opera now as part of this challenge, you can't help but appreciate the fact that Queen went into the studio with one goal: to create the best album they possibly could. They may have even surpassed themselves. The recording technologies, the wide array of instruments, and the way the musical and vocal styles blend together all contribute to the essence of this incredible record. It simply begs to be listened to on vinyl. I've always loved Queen and firmly believe Freddie Mercury is one of the greatest singers, artists, and showmen of all time... no one stands close to him. A Night At The Opera is arguably Queen's finest work, or at least their most iconic. This album feels like what happens when a band is faced with everything to gain or lose. Because what they achieved here is truly timeless. I'd go as far as to say this is the album you'd want an extraterrestrial to hear. It's a 5 out of 5, no question. Looking forward to #day203.

This is #day201 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie, and... it's time for my first Michael Jackson album, a breakthrough that catapulted MJ to stardom and laid the groundwork for Thriller, the record that must have introduced me to MJ, with songs like "Billie Jean" and "Beat It." Now, listening to Off The Wall and much of the 70's disco, it's fun to hear how dance music used to be so much more than just a beat, it was live music. The guitar and bass here are super funky, and the groove runs through the entire album, not to mention those exuberant synths... But, something holds me back from rating this one a 4. Maybe it’s the excess of funkiness with the vocals that sometimes sound too soulful? Anyway, this is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day202.

This is #day200 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie, and... here we are with the second Van Morrison album on this list—and also an album with one of the most ridiculous album covers out there. I wouldn’t mind hearing this one if it came on the radio while driving or in the background while working around the house in the countryside. It gives off that distinct 70’s mood—folky bluesy soul with a hint of jazz sprinkled in. But it's far far away from my wheelhouse. I’d rate it a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day201.

This is #day199 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... let’s go rrriot, right? Some electro-dance punk here with influences from '60s pop, '80s new wave, '90s indie, and occasionally annoying vocals. I think it’s an important record in the context of the riot grrrl movement, even if that movement was criticized for not being inclusive enough. But whatever... I’m giving this a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day200—can’t believe it!

This is #day198 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... as someone who's not a huge fan of reggae (honestly, this challenge is probably the only reason I’d listen to so much of it), this album was a pretty enjoyable listen. Funny enough, I’m just now getting to know the members of the Wailers—I hadn’t heard of this guy before. I also realize how controversial and revolutionary this record must’ve been for its time. I mean, it’s 1976 and it’s called Legalize It. This is a well-deserved 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day199.

This is #day197 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... I can't believe this is the third consecutive 5 out of 5 album this week. My first conscious exposure to U2 came in 2004 when I was 14. The Vertigo video aired on the M1 channel here in Ukraine, and suddenly, there was this "new" band to pay attention to. I asked my mother to buy me a CD of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (though I didn’t quite remember the album’s name and wrote "How to Explain an Atomic Bomb" on the paper—“Dismantle” was a word I didn’t know back then). Over time, though, I was a bit disappointed, as I expected more songs of Vertigo caliber. That said, Miracle Drug, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, and especially City of Blinding Lights are still some of my favorites. Eventually, I gave the CD to my cousin, which I now regret. As time passed and I grew older, I rediscovered U2. I remember anticipating No Line on the Horizon, which I also own on CD. As for How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, I recently bought the 20th-anniversary vinyl reissue, which is gorgeous and a way to make up for my earlier mistake (Yes, having a physical copy of an album is essential to me). But let’s focus on Achtung Baby... This is U2's experimental album. It's an album where they reinvented themselves. While still stadium rock at its core, it mixes alternative rock, industrial, and electronic dance music, giving it that quintessentially 90s feel. The Zoo TV tour was spectacular, and Anton Corbijn’s photography from this era is iconic. With Love Is Blindness on this record, how could anyone rate it a 1? There are so many great songs here, Acrobat being a hidden gem. Don't let the bastards grind you down. Looking forward to #day198.

This is #day196 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's a sunny February afternoon here in my hometown Lviv, the world is crashing down, but at least there's good music out there. Now, give me '90s American indie rock any day. Pavement... they must be one of the most entertaining bands in the genre: unconventional guitar play, offbeat melodies, and totally bizarre lyrics and songwriting all around. I’ve been aware of Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain since when I ran an indie music blog with a friend (which I mentioned in my Orange Juice review), but I’d never actually listened to it until today. Having done so, I can only say: yes, it's absolutely enjoyable. Guess I'll go crazy and give this a 5 out of 5. Can’t wait to revisit Slanted and Enchanted next (because I’m familiar with that one and know it's on the list). Looking forward to #day197.

This is #day195 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… yippee-ippee-ey-ey-ay-yey-yey! Here we are with another seminal album of the Madchester era. As I mentioned in my review of Bummed a couple of months ago, the 2020 UK & EU vinyl reissue of this album slams hard. One of the juiciest-sounding records in my modest vinyl collection. As for the album itself, it’s fantastic, setting you in the mood right from the very first chord. Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches perfectly captures the vibe of the 24-hour rave parties on the cusp of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. It's hard to find that kind of atmosphere anywhere else, maybe only rivaled by Screamadelica... Tracks like "Kinky Afro", "Loose Fit", and "Step On" are real gems among others—this is the record to lose yourself to, vibe out, and let go. I'm giving it a 5 out of 5, of course. Looking forward to #day196.

This is #day194 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... give me 00s hip-hop and R'n'B crossover any day. Toss in Timbaland’s production, and you’ve got me hooked, all wrapped up in nostalgia. Growing up in the ‘90s-early ‘00s, this music instantly takes me back to when things felt good—or at least, I thought they were. Whatever went down, there was always music to lean on. When I think of 2002, I can’t help but think of Britney Spears, Eminem, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Jay-Z, Backstreet Boys, and more. And, oh yeah, Lady Marmalade with that unforgettable Missy Elliott cameo at the end of the video released a year prior... Ah, memories. As for this album, sure, the lyrics are often goofy and nonsensical, but the beats and vibes make up for it. I didn't think I'd enjoy this that much. Must be the dopest female hip-hop record I've heard, actually. This is a 4 out of 5 because, and, as it goes in "Back In The Day", I wanna go back in time... Looking forward to #day195.

This is #day193 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... that's a cool way to start the week. I've only listened to Kind of Blue a few times and Bitches Brew maybe once or twice, so I'm not too versed in Miles Davis's catalog, and neither I'm a jazz connoisseur. Sure, I've heard terms like bebop, hard bop, free jazz, and so on, but I can't use them properly. So, for me, jazz boils down to whether I like it or not, sparking some personal associations. Like, with Birth of the Cool, it's fun to observe its accessibility. The songs are all pretty short, usually under 3.5 minutes, giving them a pop-song vibe. There's a nice balance of uptempo and slower tracks. When I think of jazz like this, I'm reminded of the Dzyga Art Center and the Jazz Bez festival in my hometown of Lviv, which I used to attend around 2010-2011. It was a very fragile time in my life, but somehow those memories have stuck with me. The album’s release year, 1957, also makes me think of the Beat Generation... On the Road by Jack Kerouac was published that same year, and I think there might be a connection here. With more of Davis's albums down the road, I'm giving this one a 3. Looking forward to #day194.

This is #day192 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here we are with the second Bob Dylan album on the list. This one felt different compared to when I got Blonde On Blonde a couple of months ago, which, looking back, is wild because I gave that a 4. I found Blood On The Tracks... annoying, and honestly, sometimes pretty boring. Maybe it's just the mood? The harmonica's almost screeching, and Dylan's nasally, miserable delivery had me turning the volume down a few times. Maybe it's just too much of Dylan that you "must" hear before you die... This is a 3 out of 5, I guess. Looking forward to #day193.

This is #day191 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... I'm kinda fine with the funky nature of this album (even though I find the whole "love-jesus-people-are-good" soul vibe to be rather annoying), but when those falsetto vocals hit... fuck, man. This is a 2 out of 5. I was really close to a 1, though. Looking forward to #day192.

This is #day190 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... after a couple of months since I got At Folsom Prison, here’s another album from Johnny Cash. Astonishingly, this is his sixty-seventh (and final non-posthumous) studio album. I was initially skeptical when I saw it pop on the list this morning, but then I realized it includes his covers of Hurt and Personal Jesus, which are some interesting takes. It’s fascinating to think about Trent Reznor's reaction when he heard Cash's rendition of Hurt, saying the song no longer feels like his. Not sure Martin Gore has ever said the same about Personal Jesus, but I guess Dave was more approachable about the whole affair. Anyway, although country is among my worst genres now, Cash will be Cash, and he deserves credit. After all, he is the genre. This is a solid 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day191.

This is #day189 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... to be honest, I had this album playing in the background while working, so I didn’t really dive into it. It had a funky feel, and the rhythm section was tight, reminding me of Faith No More and RHCP from around the same time. But for some reason, the record didn’t grab me or inspire a second listen. I’m giving it a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day190.

This is #day188 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... let’s go to the movies. Or rather, let’s imagine movies that are meant to be heard, not seen, movies without pictures, where sound tells the narrative. However, the narrative is rather loose, which is no surprise because Holger Czukay is a member of Can. I'm fine with some Can now and then (in fact, I rated Tago Mago a 5 a couple of months ago), but I’ve never explored their solo works. As a one-off listen, this album is okayish—definitely fun, but not much more. I’d give it a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day189.

This is #day187 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... how on earth did this end up here? I could only make it through about 3.5 songs from the tracklist. The delivery didn’t sit right with me, especially since I can’t stand this kind of vocals. And then there was the music. Or was it? I was shocked to learn Michael Gira of Swans produced it, but that’s no saving grace. Hilariously, there are no Swans on this list. Is this an album I must hear before I die? Absolutely fucking not. This is a 1 out of 5. Looking forward to #day188.

This is #day186 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... believe it or not, I’ve never heard either Wu-Tang Clan or this album before, though I've certainly seen it regarded as seminal. That said, the instrumentals on "Shame on a Nigga" ring a bell! This is the kind of hip-hop I'm after: the beats, the samples, the productions. It's menacing, gritty, lean… All out '90s. The experimental edge stands out, and it's not just due to the raw sound but also the cinematic quality, part of which is delivered through the martial clips. Listening to this album feels like being in the middle of a rap battle. It sounds live. Reading through the negative reviews here reminded me of that Eminem line from Renaissance: "You nerdy pricks would find somethin' wrong with 36 Chambers." Well, I didn't. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day187.

This is #day185 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... monkee see, monkee do? Why make a Beatles parody band when you can just listen to The Beatles? I don’t get it. It’s been a while since I rated an album a 1, so here we are. Back to square one. Looking forward to #day186.

This is #day184 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here’s another first-time listen. I’ve seen this guy around before—his hairstyle is unmistakable, right? Like in vinyl communities on Facebook (that Blondes Have More Fun cover with the iconic woman’s butt), but I’d never heard a single song, let alone the entire album. That pretty much sums it up—the music feels dated. And those raspy vocals… just so uninviting. It’s too far from my wheelhouse. I’m giving it a 2 out of 5. I was close to a 1, but I’m being kind today. Looking forward to #day185.

It's #day183 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... I think this is the first time I'm listening to a ZZ Top album all the way through. I've heard a song or two on the radio, but that’s about it. So, what do we get here? Well, good ol' dusty blues... What else would you expect from ZZ Top? This is a 3 out of 5. It was okayish, but that’s about it. Chances are slim I'm reaching for this anytime soon, if ever. Looking forward to #day184.