Reviews by tape-boy

This is #day182 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... I guess orange juice must be my favorite. Sicilian red orange juice or grapefruit come close too—I like it when it has a hint of bitterness. I’ve known Orange Juice since the days when I ran an indie music blog with a friend who's now serving in the Ukrainian Marine Corps. We’d write short reviews and share links to artists and albums. I think we featured this one—maybe a compilation? I can’t quite remember. Either way, the name’s familiar, and it fits with the post-punk/new wave we covered a lot, alongside synthpop. There’s something about the sax, like in “I Can’t Help Myself”, that I enjoy—when it bursts through the song and floats around like a caught bee. It’s a pleasurable listen all in all. I'd rate this album a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day183.

This is #day181 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's my first time listening to Tim Buckley. I'm quite familiar with (and really love) the work of his son Jeff Buckley, but that’s a story for another day. I'm not always a fan of Tim's vocals, but instrumentally, this is a very late '60s record drenched in psychedelia, and that's something I don't mind. "Hallucinations" is my favorite song here, I guess. But then, I can't separate the artist from the person, even though I know I probably should. The story behind his personal life, like when he left his pregnant wife about a month before their son, Jeff, was born, is pretty shitty. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day182.

This is #day180 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to electronica from the mid-90s. I'm not sure why this album ended up on this list... was it really that groundbreaking? I've always been more on The Chemical Brothers' side, maybe a little Fatboy Slim... OK, features with Toni Halliday from Curve and John Lydon from Public Image Ltd. ring the bell. But aside from that? That said, I did learn that the term "progressive house" was coined to describe the band's style, a mix of house with dub and reggae. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day181.

This is #day179 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... in your head, in your head, Zombie, Zombie, right? It was interesting to discover where Afrobeat comes from, the story behind the album, and its fatal consequences. It appears to be an important record not only in world music but also in Nigerian history. This is when music becomes a weapon of resistance. On the other hand, I felt uneasy learning that the guy had a mass wedding ceremony where he married 27 women at once. It's kind of strange considering his mother was a women's rights fighter. I doubt I'll be coming back to this record anytime soon. As a one-off acquaintance, though, I don't mind it. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day180.

This is #day178 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's a bleak Sunday morning in Lviv, 0°C outside, February 2nd. I'm watching my wife read a book, and what better soundtrack for this moment than Play? It’s wild to think this was meant to be his last album, yet it ended up becoming his breakthrough. Play is the epitome of Moby's style, an intricate mix of electronica and downtempo, layered with blues and roots music samples. Those raindrop-like house/dream trance keys are pure aural bliss... If I had to pick highlights, I'd say "Porcelain," "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?," and "Natural Blues." I'm also a fan of the follow-ups, 18 and Hotel... that's classic Moby for me. Of his more recent work, Everything Was Beautiful And Nothing Hurt stands out, where he revisits his musical roots again. This album is a solid 5 out of 5 for me. Lucky to own it on an original UK cassette. Looking forward to #day179.

This is #day177 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... among my wife’s favorite genres, industrial (and its offshoots like electro-industrial, industrial metal, etc.) takes center stage. I’ve come to appreciate this side of her musical taste—after all, how many men get a wife who loves this kind of music? I’m fine with some industrial too now and then—Neubauten, Skinny Puppy, and Coil (thanks to her). But, this... is a bit too left-field (?) for me. I find those growling vocals particularly oppressing. At the same time, I get why Trent Reznor cites this band as an influence. I'm giving it a 2 out of 5 anyway. Sorry, wife. Looking forward to #day178.

This is #day176 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to my first R.E.M. album on the list. I'm wondering what makes this record experimental, as they say. Is it the shift in the genre, or maybe it's the incorporation of new instruments, like the mandolin, which would become central to their next album? I think it's both, and more. Either way, R.E.M. is one of my favorite bands, and Michael Stipe's voice gives me the same kind of comfort as Neil Tennant's. Green is enjoyable from start to finish; there's not much to say when the music is this good. It's a great rock record, and I'm giving it a 5 out of 5. "I Remember California" is a gem I haven't paid attention to before. Wow! Looking forward to #day177.

This is #day175 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's another album from the '60s. Dusty is definitely an icon of the era, and the album is lovely, and all that, but I can't think of a moment I'd want to put it on again. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day176.

This is #day174 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it seems I've gotten stuck in the late '60s over the past couple of days. Another record from that era, and wow... that was bizarre. At first, I thought it was Tom Waits on vocals... those buzzing-barking vocals, you know. It turned out to be one of the weirdest combinations I've heard: blues, psychedelia, gospel, jazz, funk, and whatnot. I guess I'll go with a 2, as it wasn't entirely terrible. Plus, I like the late '60s. Looking forward to #day175.

This is #day173 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about Janis Joplin's swansong? Her vocal power is undeniable, as is her stage presence. There's truly no one like her. The backing band blueses their hearts out with hooky melodies and rhythms, while Janis' soul shines bright, breaking through… to the other side? This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day174.

This is #day172 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to the second Simon & Garfunkel album on the list, which turned 55 years old recently. Now, folk rock has never been my go-to genre... it's something I don't mind listening to very (very) seldom, if ever. I did enjoy the duo's first album that popped up a couple of months ago, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. Something was charming about it that made it impossible for me to rate it lower than a 3. Or, I might have been in a more appropriate mood. This one may still be an occasionally lovely listen, but it doesn’t quite hit the same mark. The title track and a few others are nice, but overall, I'm feeling less captivated. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day173.

This is #day171 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... this turned out to be better than I expected, though still not something I'd put on again soon. A fine Sunday afternoon listen. It was interesting to learn that Paul McCartney did lo-fi, especially considering it was 1970. One particular highlight for me was "Momma Miss America"—maybe one or two others. I'm giving this album a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day172.

This is #day170 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to some funky disco shit with a touch of soul, right? Very much a signature album for the late '70s. I'd never heard of the band before... my exposure to '70s disco was mostly limited to Boney M. and ABBA (which I think go beyond just disco), so this is another fun discovery. I'm not sure I'm that much into this kind of music to return to it anytime soon, though. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #171.

This is #day169 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's crazy to think about, but in just one month, this album is turning 40. Songs From The Big Chair isn’t just a quintessential example of mid-'80s progressive pop and new wave; it's also a case in point of a band evolving. Think about some of the greatest sophomore albums out there. This is where Tears For Fears spread their wings and went big with their sound. It's more than just big, though; there's something monumental, almost stadium-like about it. Then, the actuality... songs like "Shout", "The Working Hour", and especially "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" feel just as relevant today, if not more so. Finally, the melodies, the moods... it's the epitome of the era. At the same time, this album is out of time. How about another 5 out of 5 in a row? You bet. Looking forward to #day170.

This is #day168 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… listening to Loveless feels like drowning in layers of fuzzy noise. Or, like having your ears stroked against sonic flames. Kaleidoscopic chaos, if you will. But it’s not just random noise; this chaos is crafted with such control and precision that it radiates a surreal kind of harmony. The album is unlike anything you’ll hear in shoegaze. Tracks like "Only Shallow", "When You Sleep", "I Only Said", and "Sometimes" are pure dream/noise-pop bliss. It's a classic record through and through, and it's a 5 out of 5, no doubt. That said, I do wonder why My Bloody Valentine gets 3 (three!) spots on the list, especially with mbv from 2013, while other key albums in the genre, like Slowdive’s Souvlaki, are nowhere to be found. There's no Slowdive at all. That's not right. Anyway, looking forward to #day169.

This is #day167 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to some serious class music. Aretha Franklin has a voice, and the backing band is top-notch. However, I've noticed that the lyrics from this era often lean toward overly idealized, "fall-in-love-man-worshipping" themes. If that makes sense. Take the title alone, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You... the sentiment feels a bit out of step with how times have changed. It's not just a '60s thing either; similar themes show up in pop music from the '90s and early '00s. In a way, though, perhaps these themes are necessary to look back and appreciate how far things have come. This is a 3 out of 5. It's a great album, and I bet it sounds amazing on vinyl, but it's not something I'd put on consciously. Looking forward to #day168.

This is #day166 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… well, modern indie. I've heard "Time to Pretend," "Youth," and "Kids" at some point. Listening to this record begs the question: does this music have such lasting power to deserve a spot on the list? Yeah, it's kind of well put together, blending genres and styles from various decades, but there's nothing memorable aside from the three cuts I've mentioned. I was going to give this a 2, but let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day167.

This is #day165 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… sometimes I just don't get the logic behind this list. Take The Doors, for example. The recently added Album Explorer feature lists their debut, Morrison Hotel, and L.A. Woman. I agree with the inclusion of the debut and am fine with L.A. Woman (well, there's Riders on the Storm). What about Strange Days or Waiting for the Sun (the band's black sheep of an album)? Those are my personal favorites, especially Waiting for the Sun... I love this band at their most psychedelic and experimental. That said, Morrison Hotel is a solid blues rock album (have you heard that the historic building featured on its cover was destroyed by fire recently?). But, the album lacks The Doors' signature edge. It feels more like a precursor to L.A. Woman. Some highlights for me, though, are Waiting for the Sun and Indian Summer. These are the kinds of Doors I'm after, and always will be. I'll give it a 4 out of 5 anyway. Looking forward to #day166.

This is #day164 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... how do you come back after a period of heroin addiction? Well, you record an album, 80% of which consists of covers. For reasons unknown, this album ends up on the list of albums you must hear before you die. Must you, though? I doubt it. They say you should separate the person from the artist, but honestly, fuck that, Mr. Clapton. I've said that under the Derek and the Dominos review, and I'll say that again. Your love for russia, putin, and everything tied to the imperialist nation of terrorists is hideous. This album gets a 2 out of 5 from me. I didn't feel like continuing to listen to it after the second song, so... I didn't. Looking forward to #day165.

This is #day163 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it feels so strange to listen to this album on Spotify. Back in December 2019, I received a vinyl copy of this record on St. Nicholas Day. It came in a gorgeous gatefold sleeve with a glossy finish, a 2-LP set housed in printed polyline inner sleeves with lyrics. It's a splendid edition that only adds to an already astounding album. I truly believe Ghosteen is The Bad Seeds' best record. Even though it was largely created by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis alone. Still, it's my personal favorite, and I can't listen to any other album in their catalog with the same repeated awe and trepidation. Wait, no, Skeleton Tree, the predecessor from 2016, also comes very close. But Ghosteen is something else entirely. A masterclass in Nick Cave's somber approach to grief. Listening to this album feels like staring into an artist's heart, cut wide open, with no possibility of turning away. It's poignant, gut-wrenching, yet beautiful. I can't find the right words to fully express what this album means to me. Six years on, it still gives me goosebumps. This is a 5 out of 5, without a doubt. P.S. Here's to another potential controversial artist, as I gave Abbatoir Blues a 3 some months ago. But let's face it, the Bad Seeds are no strangers to controversy. Looking forward to #day164.