Yesterday Rebecca Stevenson, a friend and blogger I admire, contacted me to see if I wanted to be a part of a music blogging project. The details were vague but I like her and I like projects. Plus it would get me blogging more, so why not?

Then the details were revealed. Review Rolling Stone’s Top 40 albums (from their Top 100 albums of all time) over the course of a year. Wha!? Commitment?! My heart started to beat audibly and sweat beaded at my temples. But as my name was already on the list of participants I realized there was no way out. It was time to listen to albums I’d never heard before, write about them every Thursday and join a group of brave bloggers in solidarity. Even if I hated most of the albums on this list. 

This project is called The Rewind Button. Without further ado, here is my first review.

#1 Album on Rolling Stones Top 100

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles

Since I have zero experience as a music reviewer and much more experience improvising, writing and being a jerk. I thought I would write a running monologue while listening to this album.

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band: This song is okay. I think I’d like it more if I was a 16 year old boy. Is it even a song? It’s a set up for the album. Perhaps I should do some research.  Too late, the next song is on.

A Little Help From My Friends: This song reminds me of my mother. Did she used to sing it? Or is it just because the song is from the late 60s?

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds: Hey Sara, remember that time you rocked this song doing Rock Band? That was fun. You should do this song at Karaoke some time. Or invite yourself over to play Rock Band again.

Getting Better: I need a coffee… This is a toe tapping song. Why hasn’t it been used in a big musical song and dance number? As I look out to the trying to snow sky of Vancouver I think this city could use this song. Except for that part about how he used to beat his wife, that’s a bit of a downer. Ah, coffee is ready!

Fixing A Hole: 30 seconds in – meh. 1 minute in – meh. They really like that harpsichord. 1:30 – still meh. 2:00 – I don’t think I’d put this album on my top 40 albums of all time. Goodness, everyone is going to hate me for disliking this album. Oh well. My coffee mug is empty.

She’s Leaving Home: Meh. More coffee?

Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite: How many drugs were they on when they wrote this song?

Within You Without You: Ugh, more drugs. Wait, maybe I need to do some drugs to enjoy this album. I bet that’s how Rolling Stone picked their list. Or perhaps I’ve been doing Dance Dance Party Party so long that I’ve damaged the way I can enjoy music. I think that’s it. 

When I’m Sixty-Four: What a change in tone from the last song. Or did my coffee finally kick in? I wonder how many times this song has been played at birthday parties?

Lovely Rita: zzzzzzz

Good Morning, Good Morning: Ugh, dogs barking, horses neighing. Just end the song with a cha-cha-cha like I used to when I played Mario Paint in 1993.

Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (reprise): I like this much better than the first. Perhaps because it signals the end of the album. 

Call Me Maybe: Oops! That’s a song by Carly Rae Jepsen that I played last week at Dance Dance Party Party. How did that get in there? It’s pure bubble gum pop and … I love it. That should explain my experience of Sgt. Pepper to you. 

While this album was released to much critical acclaim and is adored by millions, I fall into the same camp as  Richard Goldstein, a critic forThe New York Times. he reviewed the album in 1967; “Like an over-attended child, Sergeant Pepper is spoiled. It reeks of horns and harps, harmonica quartets, assorted animal noises, and a 41-piece orchestra.”

Let’s just say, it’s not my cup of tea. But Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is a song might karaoke one day. 

The next album in the list is The Beach Boys. I hate The Beach Boys. Male harmony makes me cringe. It’s the same reason I can’t stand the Barenaked Ladies. Looks like the Rewind Button is going to be an interesting challenge for me. 

The Rewind Button Bloggers include (in no particular order):

Renée Sylvestre-Williams
Betty Livin
MusicQwest
Life Doesn’t Have to Suck

 

Music Review Rolling Stone Top 100 Albums running monologue The Beatles The Rewind Button