Yegor i Opizdenevshie - Сто лет одиночества (1993), 4/10

Letov can be both charismatic and surprisingly irritating here. The same goes for the aesthetic and creative choices for the entire record. It varies but mostly swings back and forth between interesting post-punk experimentation and boring, lackluster songwriting with uninspired delivery. As an album grounded by its lyrical ambitions rather than musical complexity or bravery, it already loses some appeal for foreign listeners, but things are made even worse by a melodramatic and self-indulgent approach to songwriting. There is artistic merit in Letov’s political statements and ideological adventurism, but it did not create a great album, especially from a thematic perspective. There are moments with interesting sonic qualities like the centering duo of “Зря вы это все” and “Офелия” but the rest blend together quickly and rarely diverts from the grander formula. That said, the style and lo-fi production quality blend quite well with Letov’s delivery in some moments, making a range of tracks strikingly effective compared to the rest. Generally, for foreign listeners, if you have come for a particularly enjoyable listening experience, you are in the wrong place. Either listen for Letov’s lyrics or move on to the countless other instances of thought-provoking post-punk.