Heart and Soul
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 August, 2001)
list price: $64.98 -- our price: $58.49
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Though Joy Division's anxious, angular songs echoed time-honored art-school obsessions from the Doors through Eno, they never stooped to cheap nostalgia or pretentious condescension. Neither bridge nor battering ram, the band's music--haunting and hypnotic, with an emotionally naked core as bleak as it was compelling--has transcended disposable pop culture past and present; leader-vocalist Ian Curtis's 1980 suicide only underscored the notion that Joy Division was a band out of time, figuratively as well as literally. In just over two years, the Manchester, U.K., group constructed a legacy whose influences have surfaced with the surviving members' New Order through macabre, psychically-damaged Curtis/Cobain parallels to the sonic atmospherics of Radiohead. And if their recorded output was limited, it has long been ill served by the record industry's worst Cuisinart instincts. Thus, this artfully designed four-disc, 81-track box should reign as the band's definitive recorded history. Journalist Jon Savage collaborated with band members Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook to assemble Joy Division's legacy into four subtly different chapters. Discs one and two center around the band's albums, Unknown Pleasures and Closer respectively, culling singles, demos, and outtakes. Disc three gathers BBC and Peel sessions and more than a dozen previously unreleased outtakes. The final chapter may be the most artistically revealing: 17 live tracks that represent not only the best of the band's darkly compelling songs, but show their riveting stage presence during a performance peak that spanned but seven months. The accompanying booklet presents an almost Rashomon-like take on the band, from its spare, impressionistic imagery through its multiple essays and, crucially, the lyrics of Ian Curtis, starkly presented as the candid, disquieting poetry that was the essence of Joy Division's murmuring heart and troubled soul. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Features

• Box set
• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (67)

BUY NOW!!!!!
i wanted this box set for awhile and put it off for too long. if i'd have known how good it was...if you even like joy division a little bit it will make you a huge fan.i started out listening to new order and worked my way back...i love new order,i really do...but hats off to them for even trying to carry on after making music this good.no wonder they get bad reviews ... before anyone ever says one bad word about new order ever again, ask yourself "could anyone follow joy division?" most of the bands you'll ever hear can't do in decades (with loads of cash and promotion)what joy division did in under 4...10 stars!!!!!!!

Holy music
I do not often term much music that way. Sure, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Springsteen, Beach Boys, Pink Floyd all made spectacular and beautiful music, but the melodies would soon become redundant and/or the music would be essential UP TO A POINT. Sorry if that makes no sense. Joy Division is really the only band I can think of whose music I would consider holy. I revere above all music the songs of Joy Division. I happen to be a nonbeliever, and this music is the closest thing to a belief I have. To immerse yourself in the songs of Joy Division is to be taken to the depths of the human soul, in a way few other modern artists have done, in any art form.I could go on for days, so I'll focus more on the set itself. This is really the only Joy Division release you need. This has pretty much everything ever recorded by the guys. My only complaint is Disc 4. Most of these live songs have already been heard and traded amongst JD fans for years, and it would have been nice to hear less played songs from rarer bootlegs than The Factory 7-13-79 show. Again this is a minor quibble and to hear any JD live is a gift. Save up and buy this album. One thing I hate about many box sets is that they just seem to be greatest hits collections with a few b-sides and rarities thrown on for loose change. A box set should include everything by a group I feel, and this set achieves that. Along with the beautiful packaging and amazing booklet included, this is nothing short of essential. Save up and get it.

Five Stars. (period)
Have you heard a Joy Division song and are curious to hear more?If you are drawn to one song, or to the mystery of this band alone, don't waste your time buying individual Joy Division cds.Buy this set.Listen to it, you will like it.Listen to it again, you will love it.Listen again... and get lost in Ian's world... a world frightfully like your own. This band has influenced so much in so short of a career it is astonishing.Strip away the glam, the fluff, and the glitter and you are left with Joy Division - a menacing, powerhouse band that can level you with a note and kill you with a word.There is no faking this kind of music.This band is not a group of guys trying to be like something else, this is gut honest, intense music - a glimpse into the "heart and soul" of a man that approached the edge and didnt just take a peek - he walked right off.R.I.P., Ian Curtis ... Read more

Asin: B00005MKHQ
Subjects:  1. Box Sets (Audio Only)    2. Pop    3. Post-Punk    4. Rock   

Family Tree
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 November, 2002)
list price: $59.98 -- our price: $59.98
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Family Tree explores Björk's artistic progression in part by sifting through older material and experiments with musical tangents. Just a month removed from the release of her Greatest Hits collection, which was compiled entirely from fans' votes, this multi-disc set highlights the artist's selections. In addition, the box contains five 3-inch discs of rare and previously unreleased material. Two of them focus on her fascination with classical arrangements and include songs she performed live with the Brodsky Quartet in 2000. Two more are given over to her earliest work, including a few Sugarcubes tracks, as well as "Sídasta Eg," a song Björk composed on her flute when she was 15. The last of the five minidiscs, Beats, contains her first post-Sugarcubes club-oriented experiments with 808 State's Graham Massey and Mark Bell that eventually yielded her startling Debut. While it feels scatterbrained at times, Family Tree successfully strips down Björk's creative output into a fascinating history lesson, providing a glimpse at the forces behind Björk's ornate, iconoclastic style. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (32)

Original But...
I feel like I have been cheated. I mean, sure I read these reviews before purchase and knew that the packaging was...odd and that the price was...not worth it. Oddly enough, the box is better than many people have said. Sure, the box is going to bend and the discs are going to look squished, but come on, if you saw this in the store, you should have realized that the six discs were not going to have much room. If you feel like you have been cheated because of the packaging, than you should have realized what you were buying, but if you feel cheated because of the price, I can relate. I can see how this box is this expensive (how much do you think all the artwork, papers, mini-disc containers, and pink n' white embossed box cost the company?) but it seems like they could've compiled it all in 2 or 3 CDs for a cheaper amount. Am I happy? Yes. Do I feel like this could've been done better? Yes and No. I think the box really adds character and I found no problem getting everything back in, but I do miss the cash I shelled out for this. And the mini-discs really were cool and hi-tech looking which added to the flair but I keep wondering about something...The second section (Beats) had only one disc, so instead of having a cardboard-like container for two, it was only in a plastic sleeve. So, my question is, why couldn't they have put each of the five mini's in seperate, single sleeves marked, "Roots Part One", then "Roots Part Two", etc. Then the box wouldn't be under so much weight. And if they combined the "Words" booklet and the map of "Family tree" in one slightly larger booklet, it could make up space too. So, yes the originality is neat but they could have made it with the same materials, just in smaller packages. I'm sure you're wondering if all this is really worth it but for me I think I'm quite happy on the whole. Plus, when I was reading past reviews of the box the suspense was killing me to see what it really looked like, so maybe this review will not only help you to decide to buy it but make you crazy with anxeity over what you will find when you tear away the shrink wrap...

A Must Have For All Bjork Fans
This is a great collection to start with if you are just getting into Bjork's music, or if you have everything else she has done.I had this collection in the middle of collectingher music, I would have bought the Family Tree anyway, because I love all of Bjork's music.I highly recommend this set to everyone because it has lots of great selections.From Icelandic to English she is great.Buy this collection and you'll be listening to Bjork for a while, you will not be disappointed.

interesting, but overpriced with a few sprinkled gems
So i finally bought this box set a few weeks ago. It took me this long because I was always skeptical about the price. Now that I have it, i can say that, yes, it IS too much money for what it contains. It's a great item, but should have been at least twenty bucks less!

CD 1 is the first "roots" cd. it contains 2 previously released b-sides from the "Big Time Sensuality" single, "Sidasta Eg" and "Glora". I think "Sidasta Eg is a great song, it is sung in Icelandic, however. "Glora" is a short instrumental track in which Bjork plays the flute, there's not really much to it. The other 3 tracks are from Bjork's participation in the bands Kukl and The Sugarcubes. The only one that really stood out to me was "Ammaeli" (track 4) which I thought was a cute song, even though I have no idea what it is about!

CD2 is the second "roots" CD. The first track is an alternate version of "Immature" that I think might have been a demo version before it was produced by Howie B. for the HOMOGENIC album, since this version is sometimes credited as 'Bjork's Version'. This is a great, stripped-down version of the song which really emphasizes the vocals and piano. It was previously only available on the UK "Joga" CD Singles. Track 2 is a previously unreleasedalternate version of "Cover Me", which might also be a demo. It didn't really blow me away, but it's nice to hear a difference.
Track 3 is a great live version of the "Hidden Place" b-side, "Generous Palmstroke", track 4 is a Strings and Vocal version of "Joga" (previously available on the single), and track 5 is the previously released b-side "Mother Heroic", which I think is one of the best Bjork B-sides and I'm really glad of it's inclusion here.

CD3 is the "beats" CD. Tracks 2-5 are previously released B-sides "Karvel" (from the "I Miss You" single), "I Go Humble" (from the "Isobel" single), and "Nature Is Ancient" (from the "Bachelorette" single, although it was actually called "My Snare" on that disc, and not "Nature Is Ancient", but it's still the exact same song.) The REAL gem on this disc, and dare I say it, the ENTIRE box set, is track 1 on this disc, the demo version of "The Modern Things" (previously UN-released). I've always liked this song, and this version from 1991 is SO much better! It just has this whole other dimension than the version which appeared on the POST album. The discovery of this track was worth the whole box set for me. If you don't end up getting this box, at least try to hunt down this track. I'm surprised for a disc titled "beats" they didn't include any dance remixes, like "Violently Happy" or "Big Time Sensuality". Or even "Army of Me!"

cd4 and 5 are the "strings" cd's featuring 9 songs (total) performed with the Brodski Quartet, all of these previously unreleased on audio CD. The strings do MIRACLES to "The Anchor Song", which, before I heard the version included here, was one of my least favorite Bjork songs ever. But this version is so damn beautiful, the strings and bjork's new vocals make it sound like such a sad song. I love this track. "Hunter" also sounds AMAZING with a full-lenght strings accompaniment. pure gorgeousness. The other tracks are "Unravel" (also great), "Possibly Maybe", "Cover Me" (Interesting), "All Neon Like", "Bachelorette", "I've Seem It All" and "Play Dead" (Great).

Disc 6 is the "Greatest Hits" as chosen by Bjork, which I never listen to because all of the songs are on the other albums. It's interesting to see what Bjork chose, but i think this disc was unecessary and maybe could have been replaced by something else. All the trakcs here are album versions except "All is full of love" which is the video version. FYI-Did you know that the video version is ACTUALLY the original version and the version on the HOMOGENIC album is the remix?! I did not know this until I read an interview that Bjork did. Apparently she wanted a different version for the album as she described: "the mood after a thunderstorm". Interesting indeed.

The Packaging: Great Idea, but yeah, it's difficult to re-close properly. I love the 3" mini CD's, and the artwork is interesting as well

So...
should you get it? If you're a hardcore fan who likes to hear rarities and alterante versions, YES. If you're a casual fan, mmm, maybe not. Just stick with the regular Greatest Hits (which, in my opinion, SHOULD have included "Violently Happy"!)
Check out the VOLUMEN DVD too ... Read more

Asin: B00006LUM6
Subjects:  1. Box Sets (Audio Only)    2. Pop    3. Rock   

Chrome Box
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 July, 1996)
list price: $27.98
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Box set

Reviews (10)

All the best of Chrome
I've owned this for years now and still play it all the time.Chrome were one of those kinds of bands that covered a great deal of stylistic territory; Rock, Psych, early Industrial, Experimental, Gothiness; and managed to mesh it all seemlesly together into one shuddering, bloody mess that still sounds fresh and interesting 25 years later.Alien Soundtracks and Half MAchine Lip Moves are classics.Personally my favorites are the material from disc 2 albums like Red Exposure and Blood on the Moon.But actually its all good.And dont beleive the guy who says there is a lot missing, there really isn't.Only a few tracks were left out (for reasons of disc space i would presume).All in all this is one of my favorite bands of all time and I would recomend that anyone interested in any sort of artsy obscure rock track it down.

Beautiful re-issue, superior sound
From an international perspective, Chrome remains one of the most important and seminal West coast band of the late 1970s / early 1980s. This box contains everything you need to know about the band, and almost all their tracks.

I would like to add two comments to the previous reviews:

1) the sound quality of this re-issue is much better than the vinyl version. I have checked the differences in sound stage and dynamics and this version is much better, it has a very good "studio" sound on a number of tracks (some early tracks have a poor sound quality, but this is probably due to the original material)

2 - the selection is slightly different from the original Chrome Box : there are additional tacks (including live tracks in Italy), and some tracks have been ommitted or shortened, in particular tracks from the rare "Chronicles" series. It strikes me that this selection is perhaps better than the original box.

Conclusion : a "must have" box, with superior sound and excellent track selection. However, if you are looking for some rare tracks such as "Wings are born in the night" in the full-length version, youshould also buy the original vinyl edition (for a lot more money, these days)

Industrial Garage Rock from HELL
As a big fan of garage rock from the likes of the Stooges and countless other sixties and seventies bands, as well as early electro pop ala Kraftwerk and Numan, I must say you cant get much better than Chrome. Think of The Stooges and Cabaret Voltaire's early Mute stuff thrown into the blender and pureed, then add a dash of Throbbing Gristle and THX-1138 noises, and you get the gist. Truly sublime. Do yourself a favor and buy this so you can educate all your dorky newbie Bolt-Head friends who think VNV Nation and Apoptygma Berzerk are industrial bands. ... Read more

Asin: B000001JV9
Sales Rank: 221270
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Box Sets (Audio Only)    3. Experimental    4. Experimental Rock    5. Industrial    6. Noise    7. Pop    8. Rock   

Music Bank
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 October, 1999)
list price: $47.98 -- our price: $42.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Box set
• Enhanced

Reviews (42)

a definitive collection for die-hards
Alice in Chains' boxed set seemingly came a little early, but when it came, it was pretty much a common generalization that the group would never record anymore albums. Looking back, it is hard, even downright scary to think of what heavy music would be like if it weren't for AIC. Before them, every band in metal/hard rock was vying to see who could shred the fastest. Everyone wanted to be Yngwie, Jason Becker or Steve Vai. When AIC came into prominence, with its slow, moody, sludgy grooves and eerie harmonies, many a metal fan or musician was probably left to wonder "WTF?" after hearing the grinding "Man in the Box."But AIC came to expand beyond just popularity in the metal world, having achieved a masterpiece with its "Dirt" album in 1992. The "Music Bank" boxed set is a beautifully packaged collection with an awesome book that explains the history of the band and includes guitarist/singer/songwriter Jerry Cantrell's comments on almost every track included. The band's growth is a cool thing to witness, aurally, through the early demos to the last recordings ("Get Born Again" and "Died") and the growth of frontman Layne Staley and Cantrell as songwriters is also a sight to behold. This boxed set isn't for everyone, as casual fans would do well procuring one of the best of collections (e.g. "Greatest Hits," "Best of the Box.")

Very Amazing
As stated many times, AIC was indeed the best out of all grunge acts. Nirvana couldn't begin to touch what AIC represented.. AS SUCH, order this item today, it is sure to be a great addition to any AIC or curious listener's cd collection.

No words...
Exceptional. Simply brilliant. This is the only band (AIC) that makes me just stop and listen. I cannot multitask while listening to AIC, I am too captivated and engaged. This music bank is pure genious. You must hear it to truley appreciate the greatness that is grunge, the greatness that is AIC ... Read more

Asin: B0000296JW
Sales Rank: 42155
Subjects:  1. Alternative Metal    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Box Sets (Audio Only)    4. Grunge    5. Hard Rock    6. Heavy Metal    7. Pop    8. Rock   

Zaireeka
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 October, 1997)
list price: $24.98 -- our price: $24.98
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Box set
• Limited Edition

Reviews (51)

Great songs, but sometimes not worth the trouble.
It's worth getting if you have a program on your computer with multi track... or have four arms. But a lot of people have get togethers with friends, where everybody brings a CD player and tries to play it together, and if you do that, you'll be disappointed with all the work you went through. This is also an experiment, because all CD players play a little bit differently, and it starts to catch up, each cd will start playing differently, and if there is a scratch on a cd, it'll skip and make it uneven also. But, the music is good, and if it was one CD, I would think it's too short, but anyway, buy it. (I'm bad at writing reviews, sorry)

A Gift.
Zaireeka wasn't just released as an exercise in polyphonic sound and polymorphic experimentalism.

It was a gift. It's an album that the listener can actively participate in. It's an album that will never sound the same twice.

Not only is it the most unique and aurally striking album i've ever heard, but it also manages to retain a strong pop sensibility, containing some of the lips strongest tunes.

The word genius frequently has its real meaning beaten out it purely because of its ridiculous over use.

So it may not mean that much to you when say it now.
But i believe it.
Wayne Coyne is a genius.

4 speakers doesn't equal 4-D
But it's still a good album anyway. Everybody makes a big deal about how hard it is to set up and how it's impossible to start the CDs at the same time blah blah blah. I've got 4 speakers for my computer so I used winamp and this KB 1.5 plugin and it was really simple to set it up so each CD played out of a different speaker. The point is it's really quite doable all by yourself so don't listen to people who whine about setup. Other than that I'd say it's a 4 star album but the 4 speaker effect is pretty novel and fun so that makes it 5. ... Read more

Asin: B000002NIQ
Sales Rank: 6035
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Art-Rock/Experimental    3. Experimental    4. Experimental Rock    5. Neo-Psychedelia    6. Noise Pop    7. Pop    8. Rock   

Peel Slowly and See
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 September, 1995)
list price: $59.98 -- our price: $53.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

This comprehensive five-disc retrospective of the Velvet Underground chronicles the band from its earliest demo tapes, recorded in 1965, to Lou Reed's final work with band, in 1970. At their notorious peak, Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Mo Tucker epitomized the sound of intellectual art punks being spontaneously creative in Andy Warhol's Manhattan. Rock & roll has never been the same since Reed's gutter-rock observations and Cale's cool, droning electric viola blanketing the band's mysterious three-chord innovations. It's all here: loads of feedback, classic songwriting, and Reed's transformation from Dylan imitator to sonic-rock auteur. With previously unreleased gems, live performances, and other oddities, this is everything you wanted to know about the Velvets but were afraid to ask. --Mitch Myers ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (39)

We know they're influential, but why?? Good box set.
If you want to get an idea of what they're about, you can't go wrong with "The Best Of" from 1989, or Lou Reed's single disc "Greatest Hits" or the 2 disc "NYC Man" from last year which covers different eras.

What I do like is that it tells a story and shows the band developing in a few years' time, starting off with some demos and ending with Lou's departure (as well as some of the songs that he'd wind up doing solo). I like that you get the full-length "Sweet Jane" in the studio and a couple of solo Nico tracks.

It's far from a definitive box set, "Loaded" and "VU and Nico" both have had deluxe editions that had tracks not included on here... "Live 1969" is nowhere on here, even though some people love the version of "Sweet Jane" on there more than what was on "Loaded". The "Quine Tapes" and "Max's" have also been released since, and some people prefer the 3 disc grey market "What Goes On" over this. "VU" and "Another View" which were the "Great Lost VU Album" of legend have some tracks on here, but not all of them. "Squeeze" (which was without Lou and flopped) is not on here, neither is "Live 2003".

I think for those that like what they've heard so far and want to get all the studio albums will like this one, others may prefer to get them individually.

all the velvet underground cds and a bunch of bonus tracks!!
this is a box with all the velvet underground cds and a bunch of bonus tracks. it has a repeelable banana (the best part)! and it has a huge booklet to look at! it even has a whole disc of tracks that were made before they made any albums! it has ALOT of bonus tracks! if you are any velvet underground or lou reed fan then you should definetly get this!

velvet underground and nico 5/5 stars, very nicely done

white light/white heat 5/5 stars very weird album but still awesome

velvet underground 4/5 not the best thing you've ever heard but still great

loaded4/5 great cd, doesn't sound a whole lot like velvet underground but this still makes a great album

buy this please, you will like it

Good set, but lacking
The Velvet Underground were, without question, one of the greatest pop groups of all time. From their infancy with Andy Warhol as their manager to their later years, they shelled out a number of pop rock masterpieces that rarely failed to please. And now, at long last, the band has compiled a good deal of its material into a box set! How does this set measure up? Read on for my review.

PROS:
-In this set you get the classic Velvet Underground albums - and each one features extra tracks! These extra tracks make the versions of the albums in this set superior to their sold separately counterparts - for the most part.
-In addition to the albums and the bonus tracks that they contain, there is also an entire disc of rare, early demos! Any big time fan of the band is sure to get a kick out of these little rarities.
-The set isn't priced too high.

CONS:
-This set may be a bit too much for a casual fan to digest. If you're new to the band, chances are you'll just want the albums and not all the bonus tracks, so you'll probably be better off buying the classic albums separately.
-A plethora of the band's tracks are missing from this set - it's not a complete box set by any means.
-The bonus tracks in this set aren't really going to impress anyone other than the biggest fans of the band.
-The band was a great live act, so why is the live material in this set so lacking?

OVERALL:
Overall, this is a good set, but it's also severely lacking. My personal recommendation is to buy all of the band's albums separately rather than this set. However, if you really plan on getting into the band, you may want to shell out the extra cash and get this set. The Velvet Underground were pop rock masterminds, and this set demonstrates it well. ... Read more

Asin: B000002GM5
Subjects:  1. Box Sets (Audio Only)    2. Experimental Rock    3. Folk-Rock    4. Pop    5. Proto-Punk    6. Rock    7. Rock & Roll    8. United States of America   

The Singles 81-85
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (10 June, 2003)
list price: $46.98 -- our price: $42.49
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The arrival of The Singles demonstrates perfect timing. With the impulse to treat 1980s pop with irony finally dying and cutting-edge American bands such as the Rapture and the Faint directly sourcing Brit synth-pop, this lavish box set now sounds like a key dance-rock primer. Unlike the other major players in the early 1980s British Invasion of America, Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor, and Nick Rhodes weren't afraid to rock. They rocked hardest on their early singles, as the glossy black box of the first 13 singles, lovingly recreated for CD, proves. The first eight--from the turbo-powered disco of "Planet Earth" to the synthetic Beatles-influenced pop of "Is There Something I Should Know?"--work on the tension between the band's mega-pop ambitions and their rudimentary instrumental skills, creating an eerie, erotic desperation. The full compliment of B-sides--particularly a hysterical, uber-youth club stab at David Bowie's "Fame"--charm with their gung-ho ridiculousness. "A View to a Kill" may be slick Bond theme, but this set is so evocative of strange pop times that you'll end up with "Rio" and "The Wild Boys" on a permanent mind-loop. --Garry Mulholland ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (68)

First rate collection for the originators of New Wave!
For those that only recall "Hungry Like the Wolf" and all the countless songs Duran Duran had on the radio, one can easily forget how different, unique and innovative a band like Duran really was in the early 1980s.Duran Duran were no doubt the first "new romantic" or "new wave" outfit that bands today like the Killers, Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes, The Bravery, Interpol and the like are influenced by/imitating with a great degree of success.(Who said the '80s were never cool?The joke is on them now!)

This box set showcases that early dark, brooding and eerie "new romantic" sound combined with the masterful pop/rock music Duran was so famous for, the sound that the aforementioned bands are serving up on their albums some 25 years later.The relevance of the Duran sound has been vindicated by the current rush of today's top acts to say Duran Duran was an influence.

All of the hits are here and their "night versions" are as well.Duran were the masters of the remix in the early 1980s, and they would often re-record large portions of each song for their remixes, highlighted by the stellar "Planet Earth" and "Wild Boys" remixes, otherwise known as "night versions" which were played in the clubs.

The big prize on this album are the long lost Duran b-sides, songs that are just as good as the songs that were released on the original Duran albums."Late Bar", "Fame", "Like An Angel", "Khanada", "Faster Than Light" and "Secret Oktober" are excellent tracks worthy of appreciation today.(All singles come in their own sleeves, complete with original artwork.)

Some often forget Duran Duran was indeed a talented and instrumentally gifted outfit. The rhythm section of Roger Taylor (drums) and John Taylor (bass) are at long last getting their dues for the true talent they possess.Andy Taylor is an underrated guitarist who shines with both his delicate, atmospheric tones and what quickly became more urgent and rocking sounds, and Nick Rhodes does just the same thing, only with keyboards.Finally, Simon LeBon is perhaps the most brash and over the top front man since Mick Jagger, and that fit perfectly into the Duran style that ruled the airwaves and MTV.

You like the Killers?You like the rush of "new wave" influenced music currently underway?This is a great place to start to see where it all began.

Highly recommended.

Also recommended by Duran Duranfor modern day "new wave" fans: albums like "Rio", "Seven and the Ragged Tiger", "Astronaut" (their excellent 2004 comeback) and "Duran Duran" (their debut album).

Must have for any true Duranie
Truly a great box set! This is the only way to get some of the rare early tracks of Duran, such as Khanada, Faster than Light, and Late bar. The main reason to get this is for the Ian Little mix of Tiger Tiger - much different than the album version, and much better. Not to mention all the night versions of their classic hits

Well Worth the money.

Finally found what I was looking for
In 1982, I bought Rio on cassette, and became a huge Duran fan.I had worn out the tape, and had to replace it in the early 90's.I was so disappointed that some of the songs sounded different (My Own Way, Hungry Like the Wolf, and Hold Back the Rain).A few years later, I bought Rio on CD, and was disappointed to find it didn't have the original songs either.A few years ago, Duran Duran released a remastered Rio CD, which I bought, and also didn't have the songs I grew up listening to.They recently released yet another Rio CD, this time with the "original" songs, but it also didn't have the versions I was used to.I wrote a review on here about one of the CDs, explaining how they lacked the versions I was hoping they'd have.

So now I have 3 copies of Rio on CD, and still don't have the versions that were on that 1982 cassette.I got this boxed set for Christmas, and figured this was my last hope.It has so many versions of each song, it had to have the versions I remembered.And sure enough, it did!This is it!I'm so glad I finally found what I was looking for.Not to mention all the versions of the other songs as well.This is Duran Duran at their peak (I wasn't a fan after A View To A Kill).I can't wait to burn a copy of Rio to CD that is just like I remember it from 20+ years ago. ... Read more

Asin: B00008NEGG
Subjects:  1. Box Sets (Audio Only)    2. Dance-Pop    3. New Romantic    4. New Wave    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Synth Pop   

Lazy Line Painter Jane
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (07 March, 2000)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $18.98
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The three four-song EPs that Belle and Sebastian released on their own Jeepster label in 1997 are regarded by many fans to be their most enjoyable artifacts, and it's hard to argue. Like a Peel session, there is a looser feel to these recordings; they're less perfectionist than the proper albums they bookend (Tigermilk and Sinister). And this is their charm: Stuart Murdoch and friends augment their preciously fey, orchestral pop with cross-genre elements and two great songs with spoken word on top that remind one of similar experiments conducted by the Mekons in the mid-'80s. The first EP includes an early, pre-Tigermilk demo of "Dog on Wheels," a delicious ditty that sounds like Nick Drake and Burt Bacharach working out a song in a practice space somewhere in Edinburgh. The choice to issue the music in facsimile editions--the only thing new is a piece of cardboard--rather than the single disc onto which they would easily fit seems a tad suspect. But these EPs do capture an unsteady group with great influences and good ideas in the act of transcending that to become one of the 1990s' smartest, most enjoyably decadent pop acts. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (28)

Many breathtaking moments
Unabashed pop music, but richly so in a melancholy vein. Like a slow gin fizz. When the band's emotions get pumping, as on the track "Lazy Line Painter Jane", you can expect a shattering climax. Belle & Sebastian's early EP's are gathered together here impeccably, with great sound and artwork(but with teeny-tiny liner notes). It's the band performing at almost their peak(which eventually came with the "Arab Strap" album). Be sure to listen for the hidden track on the third disc. The lack of a female lead vocal(except on the title track)may be disappointing, but the melodies surely make up for this. Quite beautifully felt, surprisingly not redundant or repetitive(as the band became on "Waitress").

Amazing and brilliant pop
Was there every a point in Stuart Murdoch's life when he wasn't crafting wonderful, wonderful songs? I heard this after already knowing Sinister, Tigermilk, Arab Strap, and Waitress like the back of my hand. I expected that a release of early stuff would be subpar. I couldn't have been more wrong. These early cuts stand out as much as their best work on later albums. If you like B&S, you will love this. If you have no idea who they are, you probably will too.

In theory I should love this
I can't figure out exactly why I don't care all that much for this disk. Most of the music that becomes my favourites have several key components in common:

Strong melody (Phil Spector,Beatles, Oasis, Raspberries, Semisonic)-B&S have this

Lyrics that require some delving to get all the meaning out of them (Paul Simon,The Choir,John Hiatt,Elvis Costello)-B&S have this

Lyrics with great wordplay (Moxy Fruvous, Barenaked Ladies, Graham Parker,Steely Dan)-B&S frequently have this

Emphasis on harmony (Beach Boys, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac)-Maybe this is where it starts to break down. B&S don't do a lot of harmony singing.

An emotional connection to the lyric...something that makes me say "I get it!"-This is the biggest fault for me..I can't relate to the art school pretensions that continually inform the tunes here. The overwhelming, relentless tone is that of a slightly melancholy, precious, introversion that I simply can't relate to. I'm far from the "life of the party" but it seems as if B&S spends all their time reading books in semi-dark rooms, glancing up occasionally out the windows to imagine what the people they see might be doing and thinking...rather than leaving the house and actually finding out. B&S apparently lives only vicariously.

There are some tracks that do it for me on here: A stripped back rendition of "The State I Am In" (from 'Tigermilk') is better than the more produced version in my opinion. The loose feel benefits the song. "Lazy Line-Painter Jane" has that bassy mid 60 guitar sound for much of it, sounding almost like a lost Kinks or Herman's Hermits track at times, though it edges closer to the Animals with its frenetic guitar-organ orgy at the coda. Likewise, "Le Pastie de la Bourgeoisie" sounds like a lost 60s relic, though it's got more akin to late 60s sounds with its fuzz guitar and organ.

Bottom Line: Did you like "Tigermilk"? If so, you'll probably enjoy this. But if you really loved "Dear Catastrophe Waitress", listen to the sound samples first and see if it's to your taste. It wasn't really to mine.

2 1/2 stars ... Read more

Asin: B00004I9UT
Subjects:  1. Box Sets (Audio Only)    2. Chamber Pop    3. Folk-Rock    4. Indie Pop    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Twee Pop   

Vespertine Dazed & Confused Box Set
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (18 December, 2001)
list price: $46.49 -- our price: $46.49
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Box set
• Import

Reviews (1)

Just to let you know what this is....
It is a box... with 12 CDs inside.Each has 1 track from Vespertine on it.So the whole box = Vespertine.
They are CD singles in the sense that they have 1 track each.
No bonus material. No remixes.

Great for a collector - but not practical. ... Read more

Asin: B0000648PK
Sales Rank: 248699
Subjects:  1. Pop   

Box
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 February, 1995)
list price: $45.98 -- our price: $45.98
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Box set

Reviews (7)

Ready to take the plunge?
This is a big investment, and not one to be taken lightly. There is just not a ton of music in this package. The first four albums, each on a separate CD, average about 30 minutes a piece. The outtakes album is a little longer, but nowhere near the possible 80 minutes. Overall, we are talking well under three hours of music.

The first album, Devil Between My Toes, starts off really well, surprisingly well. Bob knew what he was doing from the beginning. The songs are quirky and charming at the same time. The second half gets a little dull however.

The second album, Sandbox, is typical sophomore fare, with fewer memorable songs but nothing particularly distasteful either.

The third album, Self Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia, gets more interesting. The band starts to take advantage of the studio with tape effects, noise, etc. Things start getting more experimental. When you first hear it, you will probably have a quizzical look on your face from time to time, but this one will grow on you just like any of the other best GBV albums.

I don't care for the fourth album, Same Place The Fly Got Smashed, at all. It is a concept album about drinking. Yippee. While it is the antithesis of everyone's favorite whipping boy, the Do The Collapse album, it is just as bad. I find it sloppy, rambling, and unfocused. For this reason, I suppose it is a good thing the CDs were kept separate instead of being combined together.

The fifth CD is a bunch of rarities from 1988, 1991, and 1993. The two 1988 songs compare favorably with anything on Sandbox and are as good as the best songs on Devil. The five 1991 songs are okay but I wouldn't go as far as to call them essential. The Bee Thousand outtakes from 1993 are really interesting. Some of the songs are good but might have sounded repetitive on the album. Some of them you will recognize as being cropped and spliced into other BT tracks. This is usually for the better. The songs do not quite hold up as well on their own. It was really a masterstroke by Bob to do it that way on the final version.

At the price being charged here, I would hardly consider this to be a gift to fans. It is just too expensive. However, if you have and like Propeller and Vampire on Titus, and are ready to take the plunge, go right ahead. Even if you are not getting your money's worth, you will still find some really good music that isn't available anywhere else.

the origin of the species
gbv rules.bob pollard is one of the greatest songwriters in the history of rock and roll, and probably THE most prolific.this is where it all started.although bob has gone on to bigger and better things, there is an abundance of heart in these albums that makes this set compelling.the current band puts any of the earlier incarnations of gbv to shame as a live act, but the albums from propeller through under the bushes are the prime recordings, and these records have a lot more in common with those.people who like bee thousand and alien lanes but find the lo-fi sonic manipulations irritating may even like this set more than those albums, though the quality of the songs are not quite at that level yet.my favorites here are propeller, same place the fly got smashed, and king s**t and the golden boys, but they're all interesting and show the development of bob's songwriting from its crude but promising beginnings through its budding greatness.i think isolation drills and universal cycles are both strong albums, but i spin this set much more often.

Searching for a heart of gold? Look here...
This is simply a must have set,GBV fan or not. It gives you 6 albums of great music AND points the way to even more GBV triumphs yet to come. This collection contains the band's independantly released albums right up to Vampire On Titus plus it adds a disc of cuts that you can only get with this set. There are more valuable gems that exist here than in all of the diamond mines in the world. I choose this vinyl version,which has been like a best friend to me since 1995, only because you get Propeller as a bonus. 6 lp's of the finest music you will ever hear...yes Virginia there is a God!

Devil Between My Toes is Gbv's first full length release. Dropped in 1987 (!),this is the sound of a band searching for it's voice. Still, "A Portrait Destroyed By Fire","Dog's Out","Hank's Little Fingers" and "Captain's Dead" point to the ground the band would mine in the future. Listening to the band create their sound out of scratch is something any fan should hear yet it's a compelling listen in it's own right.

Sandbox was also released in 1987. "Every Day" and "I Certainly Hope Not" are the cream here but "Lips Of Steal","Drinking Jim Crow","Trap Soul Door","Long Distance Man" and "Adverse Wind" are among the other solid tunes. A fine lead into....

Self Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia is among the 5 best GBV album's yet released. "Paper Girl" and "Liar's Tale" never fail to find the express way to my heart. There are too many other good songs to list here but the band got it good here. I would have loved to hear this album in 1989 but I was a mid-teen convinced that Motley Crue and Aerosmith spoke to me. I doubt I could have found a copy had I tried but I sucked so much during this time that it's a moot point. Classic GBV.

Released in 1990, The Same Place The Fly Got Smashed is a concept album about drinking. Anybody who's seen GBV in concert knows that Bob likes his beer. As concept album's go, this is one of the best. It's a drunken Tommy. The down side of alchohol (and the craziness it can produce) run wild here: "Airshow '88","The Hard Way","Drinker's Peace","Mammoth Cave",When She Turns 50","Pendulum"(one of my faves from this set),"Blatant Doom Trip" and "How Loft Am I?" are the strongest tracks on a very solid album. It's not trying to tell you what to do, it's just telling a very good story. Listen and learn and just like Bob grab a beer and rock.Great stuff...

Propeller is included on this vinyl version but not on the cd set. It's jam packed with outstanding tracks but "Weedking","Particular Damaged","Exit Flagger","14 Cheerleader Coldfront" and "On The Tundra" stand out. If you get the cd version you HAVE to get Propeller on cd as well. You must...

How good was GBV during this period (1987-93) that lead up to it's 2 best albums (Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes, the best in my humble opinion only-mind you)? Check out King S*it And the Golden Boys, a record of previously unreleased tracks from 1988,1991 and 1993. This record of "table scraps" is better than most group's greatest hits collections. "We've Got Airplanes","Crutch Came Slinking"(a great song),"Sopor Joe","Crunch Pillow","Indian Was An Angel","Don't Stop Now","Greenface","Death Trot and Warlock Riding A Rooster","2nd Moves To Twin","Scissors"(which makes a serious claim as being the best Tobin Sprout song of his GBV stint),"Postal Blowfish" and "Crocker's Favorite Song" are all songs that would have fit well on regular GBV albums. This is not an album of toss away's-it's an album of stuff they had no room for.

If you are building a collection of this band's work, then get this excellent box set to see the whole picture. Any fan will tell you that this is good,good stuff. This early GBV stuff paved the way to bigger exposure and a bigger sound (Do The Collapse and Isolation Drills) and as such it's a crucial document in the career of arguably the best rock and roll band that America has produced in the last 20 years. Steal it,harm people to claim it or prostitute yourself to own it.....just get it. Most (if not all) of your record collection will cower in it's shadow. ... Read more

Asin: B00000236B
Sales Rank: 12775
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Box Sets (Audio Only)    3. Indie Rock    4. Lo-Fi    5. Pop    6. Rock