Saturday, October 03, 2020

RE:SCORE - Guided By Voices: Sandbox (1987)

 

TOTAL SCORE: 27, AVG: 2.25

I was fairly negative in my original review for Sandbox, prefering Devil Between My Toes since it had some quirkiness that I felt Sandbox was missing at the time. Going through them both 15 years later, and Sandbox is easily the better album. Looking at the comments, posters at the time were surprised I missed the greatness of Trap Soul Door and Adverse Wind, or how I didn't get the greatness of Sandbox altogether...

    Overall, Sandbox is a fairly cohesive album, and a pretty decent one to listen to all at one go. For me, it is still missing that special something that was coming in the next album (Self-Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia) that truly began the sound that I recognize as Guided By Voices. Yes, Adverse Wind probably should have made the playlist the first time around, and Trap Soul Door is a beautiful song (that is somewhat ruined by the production), but overall I would not consider Sandbox essential. Here is the updated ranking:

    Among Bob's Best
    -- none

    Gems
    -- none

    Almost Gems
    08 Trap Soul Door

    They're Good
    01 Lips of Steel
    02 A Visit to the Creep Doctor
    10 Long Distance Man
    12 Adverse Wind

    They're OK
    04 Barricade
    05 Get to Know the Ropes
    06 Can't Stop
    07 The Drinking Jim Crow

    Could Live Without
    03 Everyday
    09 Common Rebels
    11 I Certainly Hope Not

    Toss-Offs & Throwaways
    -- none

    Given the scoring above, the album would get 27 points total (and an average of 2.25). 

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