Reviews by tape-boy

This is #day722 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to some '60s rock 'n' roll, right? It's been a while. I haven't heard of this band before, but I don't really mind what I'm hearing. The sax on "Melody for an Unknown Girl," though. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day723.

This is #day721 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to another record from Brian Eno. I haven't heard this one before. What can I say, though? Brian Eno is what Brian Eno does: glam, artsy, experimental avant pop/rock kind of thing. Every song here is like a world on its own, yet together it is a sonic universe. I need to revisit some of his records on the list as I feel I rated them a little too low. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day722.

This is #day720 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… after three White Stripes records, you also have to hear Jack White's solo effort, right? Well, I'm not so sure. I do remember when this record came out and listening to a couple of its singles. He's great at what he does, there's no doubt. I'm just not that into this kind of music these days. The rockier numbers, like "Sixteen Saltines," still appeal to me, though. Straight-up blues and gospel numbers, not so much. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day721.

This is #day719 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my second and final Slipknot record. I don't think I've ever listened to this one front to back before. It's definitely a product of its time. Nu metal in full swing. As someone who grew up around that era, my 15-year-old self was all about Linkin Park, though. Then came some Limp Bizkit, Korn, SOAD, and a dash of Deftones along the way, but little Slipknot. The nine came into my life later, when I was 18, after All Hope Is Gone was released. By then, my nu-metal phase was somewhat winding down. Still, I love that record. This one gets a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day720.

This is #day718 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this is my first time listening to Kid Rock, even though I've heard the name before. The fact that this record is on the list while, say, Deftones' White Pony isn't is beyond me. A wannabe hip-hop/nu metal isn't essential to hear before you die. Eminem's cameo didn't save the day. This is a 1 out of 5. Looking forward to #day719.

This is #day717 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about some female R&B with a dash of hip-hop from the mid-'90s? I've never really heard of TLC before. It's a pretty chill late-Sunday-afternoon listen. And at this very moment, they're singing "Sunday afternoon" on "Diggin' on You." Too R&B for my liking, though. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day718.

This is #day716 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… just two days ago I got Ziggy Stardust, which, of course, I rated a 5, and now another Bowie record. I don't really mind. Except this doesn't quite rank among my favorite works of his. Yes, I know, this is Bowie becoming Bowie, and there are "Changes," "Oh! You Pretty Things," and "Life On Mars?", but... there's also more to come down the road. I'm giving it a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day717.

This is #day715 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to some prog rock again, aka my third and final Yes record. Finally, I must confess. As with their previous two albums, I appreciate the skills and all that, but this kind of prog rock leaves me freezing cold. Same goes for Rush. This a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day716.

This is #day714 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… the crazy run of albums Bowie released in the '70s has always amazed me. Think about it: eleven fucking albums from 1970 to 1979... And then, remember what those albums actually are. This particular one perhaps captures the zeitgeist of the whole decade better than any other and is undoubtedly one of Bowie's signature works. It's just a real pleasure to listen to. "Five Years," "Moonage Daydream," "Starman," and "Ziggy Stardust" are timeless. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day715.

This is #day713 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to checking another band off the list, as this is my third and final Doors record, and what a record it is, right? I like my Doors in the summertime. Their music has always felt connected to this time of year for me. And even though I may prefer Strange Days or Waiting for the Sun (possibly my favorite Doors albums), for that particular setting, the debut matches the mood perfectly. "Waiting for the summer rain, yeah." Iconic from start to, pun intended, "The End." Just put it on and sail away on "The Crystal Ship," one of my favorite Doors songs, somewhere toward, another pun intended, "End of the Night". This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day714.

This is #day712 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my second record by The Specials. Now, this is clearly a band that knew what they were doing. I can't say I'm enjoying what I'm hearing, but I definitely acknowledge the band's place in music history. "Do Nothing" is my favorite cut here. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day713.

This is #day711 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I find the story behind the concert rather fascinating. I can't say I'm a fan of the piano jazz, though, but I like the improvisation aspect. It was fun, albeit too long. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day712.

This is #day710 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about some pedestrian late '90s electronica? Honestly, this feels more like a joke than a serious entry on the list. No, thanks. This is a 1 out of 5. Looking forward to #day711.

This is #day709 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… at least I learned that Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian were the precursors of the so-called grime. Otherwise, this is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day710.

This is #day708 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… it's hard to believe this record turns a crazy 40 years old in just a month. As a kid who grew up in the late '90s and early '00s, Bon Jovi was one of those bands that was always on the radio. "It's My Life"... what a song. I think the early '00s era up to Have a Nice Day is "my kind" of Bon Jovi. Around that same time, I also dubbed the Crossroad compilation and wore the tape down. "Livin' on a Prayer" is monumental. It's a time machine to a place you were never really there for, yet it somehow feels nostalgic. Do you have to hear some '80s hair metal before you die? Up to you. I like Bon Jovi, and I do think this kind of rock is fun and essential in its own right. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day709.

This is #day707 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… yeah, this is a great evening jazz record to let a Thursday evening drift by. It's crazy to think this recording is 69 years old. The light tape hiss is particularly charming. I like the album cover as well. This is a strong 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day708.

This is #day706 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this is my first Madonna record represented on the list. A little bit of a time machine this one is. In the early '00s, the title track used to be a radio jingle on Gala Radio, one of the local FM stations here in my hometown, Lviv. It was the station my brother and I would call to say hello on air and request a song during a program called Gala Lunch. And then our parents would discover the phone bill. Anyway, on Music Madonna is doing what Madonna always does: exploring new sounds and reinventing herself. That said, I don't think this is an essential record of hers. It's good, but, you know... Let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day707.

This is #day705 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… another artist gets checked off the list today, as this is my third and final Michael Jackson record. While Thriller is an all-timer and an undeniable classic, I can confidently say I like Bad more than Off the Wall, the other record represented on the list. To me, Bad captures MJ's fully formed persona, the one that exploded into worldwide superstardom after Thriller. "Smooth Criminal" is, of course, pure gold and one of his defining songs. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day706.

This is #day704 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to crossing another band off the list, as this is my third and final Beastie Boys record. Now, this is a game-changing record. What is there to add, really? As one of the songs says: "The New Style." That's all you need to know. Blast it out loud. This is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to #day705.

This is #day703 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… lately I've been feeling like I'm on a streak of inessential albums. Like, help me understand what makes this particular entry so significant that I'd somehow be missing out without it. Haven't we heard this all before? I'm getting weary of selections like this. Oh well, at least I learned the singer was a member of Pulp and Longpigs. Otherwise, this is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day704.