Rings Around the World [UK Bonus Disc]
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 March, 2002)
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Editorial Review

The fifth album from Welsh pop prodigies Super Furry Animals is their most ambitious work to date. Featuring everything from status quo-style boogie-rockers to technofied drill and bass meltdowns, this is an immaculately conceived pop masterpiece that has more in common with the excitable genre-crushing of 1999's Guerrilla than with their previous album, the respectable but defiantly firework-less Welsh-language folk outing Mwng. One of the great joys here is that, though the lyrics are imbued with dippy fun, closer inspection reveals a satisfyingly off-kilter--and frequently inspirational--intelligence. The gorgeous "Presidential Suite"--which, incidentally, features John Cale tickling the ivories--marries the classic SFA psychedelic shimmer to a weary lyric concerning the Monica Lewinsky scandal that rocked the Clinton presidency. Frontman Gruff Rhys questions the event sadly, as if it's the most passé thing he can comprehend. Perhaps that's so: when you're playing with the sort of magic that's scattered liberally over Rings Around the World, even the salacious exploits of world leaders pale into tedium. --Louis Pattison ... Read more

Reviews (37)

This is just flat out awesome music
I have to admit to coming to Super Furry Animals rather late in the game. I am unfamiliar with their earlier albums (though I plan on rectifying that very soon), so I didn't know what to expect except that the album had come highly recommended by my brother. There are so many very good things that I would like to say about this one. First and foremost, it is immensely enjoyable, and by that I mean that a large number of the cuts engender a sense of joy while listening. I hate metaphors that cut across genres, but you know the way that champagne fizzles in the mouth when you drink it? Well, that is almost how I feel when I hear these great songs. Second, although all the songs are great, each one manages to be great in a way that depends in no way on the other songs. For instance, the title cut sounds like the Beach Boys processed through alternative, punk, and power pop. It both sounds like the Beach Boys, and doesn't, but either way does not sound like any other song on the album. Similarly, the boys in the band see fit to raid at random the entire rock and roll songbook. In a couple of spots they actually use the same guitar/voice synthesizer that Peter Frampton popularized. They constantly sound completely original and yet very much like someone else. This willingness to create new syntheses from a huge range of musical influences is one thing that a host of the more creative current bands in rock have in common.

This is also one of those rare albums that completely justifies being issued on two CDs. This is not a function of insufficient discipline in editing: there simply is a lot of great music. From the very first song with the enticing title "Alternate Route to Vulcan Street" through a host of superb songs, this is just great stuff. Some of my favorite include the title track, the stellar "Receptacle for the Respectable," or "Juxtaposed with U" (which uses the Peter Frampton synthesizer, and in other ways sounds as if it warped straight out of some seventies soundtrack), and "Sidewalk Serfer Girl." The bonus disc contains many cuts just as excellent as those on the original disc, making the American version of the album an amazing bargain for the price.

What especially intrigues me about these guys is that several things I have read indicates that many people prefer some of their earlier albums. If they have done stuff better than this, then I can barely wait.

Super Furry Animals Most immediately accessible album.....
Considered to largely be their most accessible album (& the most overproduced), My entry into the world of the Furry animals was via this album.And admittedly other albums have a more abrasive, Experimental sound, but the impact of the songs here are no less worthy than ones found on previous albums.In fact with the lush psych-pop of "Alternate Route To Vulcan Street", or the Warped beach boys melodies of "(Drawing) Rings Around the World", and sensitive ballads "It's not The End of The World"....Its hard for me not to give this album the same critical acclaim that I'd deservedly heap upon its predecessors.Purists will argue that "Fuzzy Logic" & "Radiator" are the bands best work and there are largely right, but if your new to the band, this makes for a fantastic starting point and eases you into their Quirky / Psychedelic sound...before progressing onto their more Experimental albums.But for me...the easiest (& occasionally most enjoyable) starting point is here.

good album, great bonus
This is the first SFA album i ever bought, and it pretty much ruled my summer.The entire album is entertaining, but Sidewalk Surfer Girl is my favorite.A lot of the songs are just silly, but backed by very interesting electronic music.I give the album 3 stars.The bonus disc is another story, though.The best songs, Tradewinds, Edam, All the Sh*t U do, are there.If these songs had replaced some of the weaker tracks on the album, i'd have a hard time not giving it a 5-star-classic status.With all the good tracks broken up, though, the experience is somewhat less enjoyable.But just like their amazing follow up, Phantom Power, only The Flaming Lips can out-do this kind of cool electronic pop. ... Read more

Asin: B000060MMJ
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Britpop    3. Indie Pop    4. Neo-Psychedelia    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Wales   

Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World
Average Customer Review:
DVD (19 March, 2002)
list price: $21.99 -- our price: $19.79
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Features

• Animated
• Color
• Dolby

Reviews (13)

Fascinating take on great songs
This DVD is absolutely amazing. Each song from the album is represented by video done by a commisioned artists. Pete Fowler's "Monsters" pop up in the DVD as well as Ministry of Truth's "Run Christian Run" - perhaps the greatest video of all time. A brave offering of a DVD by a brave band. This DVD goes to show that anything this band releases is one step ahead of its musical peers. Even if you have no idea who this band is, buy this DVD. It's like nothing you have seen before.

The people writing reviews about this are silly.
I've been searching for 'Rings Around the World' for a long time now, in record stores and bookstores. I finally chanced upon a copy today.

The DVD in the front room would not play the songs along with the videos. Being upset, I went to 'Settings', then to 'Audio Settings'. Not only is there a Dolby Digital Surround Sound option, which I chose and found the ENTIRE DISC TO BE FAULTLESS (so the people writing articles about defective audio seem pretty stupid to me) but there is a default setting of DTS, which most players from pre-2000 can't deal with. If you can hear it's default DTS setting, then I imagine you're in for a real treat.

The music videos themselves are all very pretty stylised visual experiments by companies like Broad Snout and that Peter Fowler guy. It's all very neat.

It's an acquired taste however, as the tracks are all very different, and the moods change frequently. The moods are all helped along by the spanky clean animations and videos matching style of the band.

The whole DVD is fun to navigate, I enjoy just flicking through it randomly without any song selections. *grin*

All in all, I'd suggest this DVD be given to adults and SFA fans, the content is, in places, a little naughty; the furries are in touch with all their senses, and the music reflects a sound knowledge of every medium. You can't go wrong here.

Intelligent music, ambient visuals
I'd seen the brilliant mechanical puppetshow video for "It's Not the End of the World" on the 2002 Siggraph reel. After reading rave reviews for this DVD, I picked up a copy. On it, the visuals for "End of the World" consist exclusively of mushroom cloud archive footage - a major letdown. On my first attempt I couldn't hear any music on the disc, which further crushed my expectations, but reading the reviews here, I tinkered with my player's settings and was finally able to hear the entire disc.

The visuals are experimental to say the least.The music is genuinely brilliant, and creates a wonderfully reflective mood.The imagery is best suited to ambient background dressing at a party, though a couple of the videos become surprisingly thought-provoking.The music is first rate, the visuals a bit less so.Though if that other brilliant video by Partizan/Midi Minuit ever turns up, by all means watch it. THAT was absolutely fantastic animation, and was a much more powerful accompaniment to the song than even the best this disc has to offer. ... Read more

Asin: B0000639F5
Sales Rank: 31280
Subjects:  1. Music Video - Pop/Rock   

Trust
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (24 September, 2002)
list price: $14.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Editorial Review

Low just gets better and better. The band's fabulous pop music has always been as open to the possibilities of drone and repetition as to the cotton-candy undertow of classic pop's wall of sound. But the two tendencies have never come together as beautifully as they do on the group's sixth full-length. With Trust, the trio's dreamy molasses pop has a shimmery sheen and added vigor, thanks to producer and mad scientist Tchad Blake. His simple, tasteful, and full Phil Spector arrangements complement and never overwhelm. Industrial noise seeps through on "I Am the Lamb," while the banjo accents on "In the Drugs" are weirdly complementary. Trust is one of the most profoundly beautiful experimental pop albums since Psychic TV's underrated classic, Dreams Less Sweet.--Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (12)

the recording, itself, could be better
No...I'm not a long time Low fan.I had heard of them in 1994 but never heard anything from them until roughtly 3 years ago.The music, itself, is poetic and absorbing.The writing is superb.My only complaint with Trust (the only album of Low's that I've listened to) is the quality of the recording (unless I received a dud of a CD).The recording is recorded too low; when I turn it up (and I have to in order to hear the thing), there's an increase in noise level.So... to wrap up...superb music but disappointing recording/CD quality.

Superb
How can they be so good?Low is now the best band in the world.Last summer, they toured with the former best band in the world, Radiohead, and I hit myself everytime I think that I didn't quit my job to see what was quite possibly the greatest concert billing in the history of rock music.Exaggerating, you say?No: music has continued to evolve, despite popular belief.While the majority of major-label acts are pathetically unoriginal and geared towards adolescent tastes, music as great art has been thriving behind the scenes for decades on dozens of independent labels.Low is the cream of the crop and they are at their peak right now.

Unknown Pleasures 2
Confessions of a Northern Englander

1. I've only just discovered Low, on a friend's sister's recommendation. This has prompted a frantic, last-minute dash across England to see them live in Manchester, and relentless scouring of the internet to collect their recorded works (4 albums, 2 EPs so far),all in the space of 9 weeks.

2. I have not been so shock'n'awed (to coin a phrase) by a band since seeing Joy Division (then Warsaw) at the Squat in Manchester in 1979, just down the road from where I saw Low in February 2003. This music has been recorded on ice, transmitted by fire, and reconstituted as ice inside my head, where it is proceeding to drip its droplets all over my being.

3. I am now spreading the word around eastern England - hate Bush, love Low. Why can't your New American Imperial World Order all be like this, yankee-boy?

4. We shall redeem our western pop culture by free, regional networks of expression - can we twin Norwich UK with Duluth, please? ... Read more

Asin: B00006JJ48
Subjects:  1. Bass    2. Dream Pop    3. Drums    4. Guitar (Electric)    5. Indie Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Sadcore    9. Sleigh Bells    10. Slowcore    11. Strings    12. Vocal Harmony    13. Vocals    14. Vocals (Background)   

Blacklisted
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (20 August, 2002)
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Editorial Review

Neko Case's third solo effort is a moody, atmospheric affair that both satisfies and mystifies. Recorded in Tucson with a stellar band that includes Calexico's Joey Burns and John Convertino, Blacklisted charms you with its haunting, reverb-soaked songs, most of which were written by Case herself. The lyrics are impressionistic and, at times, inscrutable. "Fast train, where do your passengers wait?" she sings in the title song. "What's at the heart of your engine's rage?" While it's not always clear what Case is getting at, the overall mood of the album is one of loss and melancholy. Soaring above it all is Case's remarkable Patsy Cline-meets-Judy Garland voice, which she uses to great effect on the album's two torchy cover songs: Sarah Vaughan's "Look for Me (I'll Be Around)" and Aretha Franklin's "Running Out of Fools." --David Hill ... Read more

Reviews (75)

The PJ Harvey of Alt. Country
When I decided to check out this Neko Case person I had been seeing references to so many times in No Depression magazine I wasn't expecting to hear my new favorite female singer.This lady is amazing.I first heard Deep Red Bells and my jaw dropped.I consider myself a music snob and I have never heard anything like this song.I can't say enough good things about her.I wish there was more info and pictures to find on the internet but she is still fairly obscure.Get everything she's done.The only time I've ever had a reaction to a singer even close to this is Lucinda Williams (not that they sound similar).

unique, haunting, alt-country masterpiece
First, the bad news: the recording isn't the best. On my first listen, I thought there was far too much reverb and that both Neko and the band were too 'distant' in the mix, which is why I put this record away. If you can't get past that (I thought I couldn't, at first, and now this is one of my favorites), you won't like it.

Now, the good news: when I pulled it back out (to consider culling it from my changer) and listened again, I got past the unusual sound and the quality of the songwriting and performances turned me around.

I now believe this is likely her 'classic' record and that she will never exceed it. Many great musicians who have long careers produce a classic record that winds up being their strongest and most accessible. I believe Neko has produced that record and that this is it. I'm not predicting that Neko will have a long, successful career, but I am saying that she is unlikely to better this effort.

These songs are so good, so well played and well sung, that her talent shines through in every song. The songs are all 'of a piece,' so to speak. They're musically and thematically related, so much so that they flow like a suite. You might say that this is a concept album, and it's a very successful concept.

The songs are mostly haunting, minor-key "gothic folk" songs (to quote a review of early REM) with strong shades of mid-century country, and they are extremely compelling if you like that sort of thing. The arrangements are not spare, for the most part, but are exactingly 'produced,' which is usually a pejorative. In this case, it works.

Instrumentation is acoustic guitars with electric backing and occasional percussion.

This record is so much better than her previous releases. "Furnace Room Lullaby" shows the power of her voice, but the material is disappointingly weak, the exact opposite of the work on this record. If you like alt country and/or Neko's previous records, this is not to be missed. It's her most accessible record, features her best playing and songwriting, and if you give it a chance, will haunt you for weeks. Highly recommended.

Country and Noir
BLACKLISTED is a superb collection of songs sung to the extreme by alt-county chantreuse Neko Case.She has created a masterpeice that I would describe as Patsy Cline produced by David Lynch.A collection of haunted performances that linger long after the disk is done.On top of that, I WISH I WERE THE MOON is a song of shear poetry and beauty, DEEP RED BELLS close behind. ... Read more

Asin: B00006BTC6
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Americana    4. Contemporary Singer/Songwriter    5. Indie Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock   

White Blood Cells
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (29 January, 2002)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Editorial Review

Rock & roll is constantly splintering into multiple personalities. Big radioplayers layer thick slabs of studio shine on their albums, while back-to-the-basicsrockers keep the sound so raw it rubs calluses on your ears. The White Stripes fallin the latter category. The duo strips down to the fundamentals of Meg White's simpledrumbeat and Jack White's garagy guitar and pleading vocals. While the elements aresparse, the Detroit act create a noisy, hip-grinding batch of punk R&B, displayed againon White Blood Cells, the Stripes' third full-length. While it's hard to pickfavorites from such talent, this band only gets better with time. White's vocals weresounding like a young Robert Plant on De Stijl--definitely not a bad thing--buton Cells, he's developed his own persona. He throws musical fits on "Fell in Lovewith a Girl," gets almost loungy on the piano number "This Protector," and keeps the bluesvibe running on "Now Mary." The album is so rich with basic variations on a simple themeit's hard to believe such soulful energy comes from just two people. White Blood Cellsis an amazing piece of work, a benchmark that ought to inspire new legions of garage rockersfor years to come. --Jennifer Maerz ... Read more

Reviews (362)

THE BEST EVER
Being a completely insane white stripes fan, I love this CD ( i can't wait for get behind me satan btw)Well anyway, this is an amazing CD.everthing about it is.......good.. I LOVE THE WHITE STRIPES I LOVE THE WHITE STRIPES!!!!! THEY ARE MY RELIGION!!!!!!!!how much doi love them? sososososo much!!!
this CD is a perfect accumulation of tracks that are so contradicting.I mean i think i smell a rat? how great was that.and this protector is so good.his voice is so nice in that.and fell in love with a girl is just a classic i can't believe the ppl that don't know that song!!! i mean what!!!

well all in all i love the white stripes

the White Stripes can do no wrong
The White Stripes' third album, White Blood Cells (if you're a little slow), is probably the best punk/garage/underground (if those all aren't the same thing)/blues record ever made.It had me entranced from the blaring opening track "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," to the softer, piano-driven "This Protector."Blood Cells isn't one of those albums you put on for just 2 or 3 good songs, either; you can just put it in and let it play- every song is awesome.It also probably contains the widest range of music than any of their other CD's.It can go from kind-of-almost-country to pure punk rock in just 4 minutes.Wrapping up: buy this CD now...and the White Stripes can do no wrong.

WOW
I bought this CD the day after I saw the music video for "fell in love with a girl." I figured any band that makes a music video out of legos can't be all that bad. I was absolutely blown away after listening to the CD. I hadn't heard this kind of dark creativity from a band in years. I assumed that this band was gonna be a one hit wonder, I was shocked to discover fell in love with a girl wasn't the best song on the album, it was the worst and I love that song. The White Stripes are an amazing band, I can't believe that two people can create such an awesome sound. The new Led Zepplin. ... Read more

Asin: B00005YTFQ
Subjects:  1. Blues-Rock    2. Garage Rock Revival    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock   

A Rush of Blood to the Head
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (27 August, 2002)
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Editorial Review

Coldplay required a lifetime to make their wonderfully assured debut,Parachutes. But it tookless than two years for the moody British quartet to deliver a masterful follow-up. As a band, Coldplay have advanced to a stage where they outshine nearly every oneof their rivals in terms of imagination and emotional pull. A Rush of Bloodto the Head is a soulful, exhilarating journey, moving from the catharticrock of "Politik" to the hushed tones of "Green Eyes" without once breaking itsmesmerizing spell. Singer Chris Martin takes his voice on soaring flights,reaching places only JeffBuckley previously dared to go. And the music is nearly flawless, apersuasive cross between PinkFloyd and the Verve.Even if they haven't come up with another "Yellow," you would be hard-pressed tocare. This is exquisite stuff. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (941)

Almost perfect
This CD is one of my all time favorite's! I wouldn't say it breaks new ground, but it certainly digs a little deeper into its genre. Chris Martin is an fantastic frontman for Coldplay and his vocals are amazing! The entire CD is filled with excellent songs, but here are a few highlights:

"Polotik". Mysecond favorite song on the CD.
It starts out loud with banging drums, but halfway through, it switches to a soft, two minute instumental with heartmoving piano playing by Martin.


"The Scientist". My favorite of the CD.
A haunting ballad of love, loss and forgiveness.
The piano is extraordinary!

Overall, the CD is never boring and I can listen to it all the way through without skipping any tracks.

At times its quiet and refelctive, or loud and incredible.

Chris Martin, Will Champion, John Buckland and Guy Berryman are truely geniuses of our time.

I cannot wait to get their new CD and I am definetly going to atten their concert in September.

Forget the Hype: They're Greater Than That
Hype makes it almost impossible to judge bands because the publicity seeps into one's judgment and becomes the story rather than the actual music. So I took a break from Coldplay for a year and went back to them and I must say their music transcends all the hype. Amsterdam, God Put a Smile on My Face, and my favorite, The Scientist, head the album's charge though you won't find one bad track. Why is Coldplay so successful? Of course, the voice. Of course, the universal themes. Of course, the melodies. But I can't explain why people of all ages love them. It's rare that such a cool band has such mainstream appeal. Many already know that the wonderful band Keane is being, rightly, compared to Coldplay. But for two lesser known bands that have similar melodic"emotional rock" qualities, check out the Swedish bands Ronderlin and Radio Dept.

Phenomenal... I look forward to X & Y
I'll make this short and sweet.This is what not only what rock and roll is about, but also music.In a recent interview I read about Coldplay in Blender Magazine, they acknowledged the fact that they weren't "flashy" in a sense where playing their instruments was concerned because "they couldn't" be.While they may have limitations (very few people don't), they used their attributes as musicians to the very best of their abilities, hence making better albums than some bands with more experienced musicians.I have no doubt that A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD will forever be a part of Rock and Roll History as one of its best albums.After more than 2 years, it is still a much hailed/ talked about album.No offense to Simple Plan (who'm I'm a fan of), but are we going to be talking about it 2 years after its initial release (...Still Not Getting Any).No, simply on the basis that Coldplay's material is more focused and filled with more depth compared to say a punk band like Simple Plan.

With that said, everyone will most likely say that "Clocks" is their very favorite track. My favorite happens to be the haunting opening track "Politik".It is just so well written with an opening crescendo of hard rocking guitars that then grow in dimunition to Chris Martin's solo piano line while he sings in his somber voice.It will give you chills, especially when Martin ascends into his falsetto.

I won't give an individual critique of the rest of the tracks.But I will summarize with this that this is an enjoyable listening and a stellar album.I am a person who listens to more urban stuff probably than say rock and roll, but as an open-eared listener, who could deny the incredible musicianship and sound that Coldplay posess on this rock masterpiece? Well so much for short and sweet!


Track Picks:"Politik", "In My Place", "God Put A Smile On Your Face", "The Scientist", "Clocks" ... Read more

Asin: B000069AUI
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Britpop    3. Dream Pop    4. Indie Rock    5. Pop    6. Post-Grunge    7. Rock   

Arrhythmia
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (02 April, 2002)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $16.98
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Editorial Review

While most rappers prize money, women, and some convoluted version of "street cred" above all, Anti-Pop Consortium's Beans, Sayyid, and Priest immerse themselves entirely in the joys of language, spitting staggeringly complex monologues in a riot of free-association poetry. "I'm now worthy of the grace / My face graces Jupiter's lakes," they stutter on the excellent "Bubblz" as dislocated bongo drums gasp and stammer around them. The production is out there: "Ping-Pong" loops the snap of a bouncing Ping-Pong ball, while the digital static of "Mega" segues an opera singer's heavenly scales into the trumpet of jungle beasts. Arrythmia is occasionally a difficult prospect--you may want to scream out for a simplistic Puffy brag or a funky Neptunes hook to take a breather from this never-ending torrent of ideas. Still, it's a mind-bending success that seeks nothing less than to deconstruct and rebuild the discipline of hip-hop from the ground up. --Louis Pattison ... Read more

Reviews (9)

m sayyid + high priest = airborn audio
M Sayyid and High Priest have been recording under the name airborn audio. Their debut album is coming out on Ninja Tune on Feb 22nd 2005.

Some dope Hip-Hop...........
OK, I am deffintely into underground Hip-Hop and this disc has reinforced my interest into the "funkadelic" unknown.I heard about this trippin triad from a friend with similar interests to my own, and went to this website to check them out.I listened to samples of the first couple tracks and i was hooked.I bought the cd from this website and was totally pshyced to have it.I listened to it and was just as impressed as I had expected.The cd is full of crazy sounds and beats, but has plenty of orginality that gives this disc true uniqueness and style.If you are a fan of groups like Digable Planets, Binary Star, Self-Scientific, and Kool Keith, you should deffinitely check these guys out!

Junkmedia.org Review - Convention-be-damned hip-hop
"We are not reactionary." This quote comes from High Priest, one of the emcees in New York's Anti-Pop Consortium, and it's an important one to keep in mind. The aptly titled Arrhythmia impressively represents the quartet's credo, "Disturb the equilibrium." These songs repeatedly undercut the listener's conceptions of what experimental hip-hop should be all about.

Arrhythmia constantly builds and destroys a sonic and lyrical palette that trains its sight on the future. It avoids the tired and overpopulated territory of 1988 revivalism, where much of underground rap's past promise has gone to seed. The 15 tracks blend the electronic with the organic, and switch genres without regard for convention. Yet they maintain an ethic that doesn't seek to subvert hip-hop, but to exalt and advance the art into another phase. In this respect, Anti-Pop shares in the aspirations of some of rap's more mainstream visionaries, such as Timbaland or Wu-tang's RZA.

But don't get it twisted. No one will ever mistake "We Kill Soap Scum" for your average Wu-banger. Which is perhaps why, at this moment in rap's evolution, the Anti-Pop Consortium succeeds as alt-rap media heroes, while the Wu, once the apex of the hip-hop pyramid, now struggles to remain vital in a world of their own design. Listen to "Human Shield," the last song on Arrhythmia; check the rhymes as they are distorted, stretched and compressed, accelerated and decelerated, throwing the listener off the course of the album's most traditionally hardcore beat. Now, pull out Wu-tang's The W. On "Redbull," RZA intermittently buries his emcees beneath rolling drums, reducing their voices to additional percussive instruments. Sound experimentation is key for both RZA and APC. But these groups exist in different solar systems, and their stars rise and fall not for what they do, but because of location, location, location.

And Anti-Pop, recording on a record label free from the trappings of the rap industry, has located itself perfectly. Arrhythmia is a dense 45-minute slab of convention-be-damned hip-hop. The tracks jump from the electro-funk of "Bubblz" to "Dead in Motion"'s frenetic race to oblivion. From "Ghostlawns'" new-wave bounce to "Open Mausoleum," where synth whines and spare drums peel away to reveal a refrain of Portishead-style atmospherics and minor keys. "Mega" features an opera chorus that is followed by M. Saayid rhyming over the screams of primates. Not quite "Get Ur Freak On," and that's not good or bad. But it certainly isn't reactionary.

The emcee trio of APC, who all contribute to the production as well, show higher reverence to hip-hop in their rhymes, seamlessly interlocking with the beats and each other, and never getting lost inside their own sonic hall of mirrors. Each brings something distinctive to the table: Priest's voice is deep and commanding, Beans' flow floats from relaxed to frenetic and is always smooth, and Saayid's staccato delivery boils over with attitude and confidence. They succeed because they are intelligent and innovative without sounding academic, disturbing the equilibrium without undermining their roots. Rap for a near future, unafraid and unfettered.

Robert Albanese
May 2002
Junkmedia.org Review1 ... Read more

Asin: B000063513
Subjects:  1. Hardcore Rap    2. Pop    3. Rap & Hip-Hop    4. Trip-Hop    5. Underground Rap   

Creatures
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (07 May, 2002)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $11.98
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Editorial Review

Creatures is Elf Power’s fifth full-length and most streamlined release. The Athens, Georgia, quartet has long boasted a depth that seems to elude many of their cohorts in the Elephant Six collective. Earlier releases served notice of their ambitions: nothing less than head-on ‘60s garage rock and psychedelia cross-bred with ‘70s glam and power pop and brought into line with vocalist Andrew Rieger’s lyrical obsessions. On Creatures these ambitions finally congeal into a seamless mesh of pop craft and imaginative flight. Rieger’s Brothers Grimm-type serpents and castles typically serve as both psychedelically inspired dream images as well as archetypal caricatures representing the absurdities of modern life. And here, the lyrics are married to the band’s most visceral music to date. The cellos that underpin "The Unseen Hand" or the unfettered guitars propelling "Everlasting Scream," for example, subtly underscore the substance of the songs (whose themes of foreboding and release interplay more than ever) without ever sounding merely ornamental. --Michael Velez ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Some of Athen's finest
I love this album and so has everyone else I have played it for. The lyrics are dark and trippy (true to Rieger's style), yet the music leaves me feeling upbeat. The only thing better than this album is seeing them live. Buy all of their albums. Go see the shows.

Elf Power Rules!
This album is absolutely amazing i love it.its about the best album to come out in the last million years. Go get it now!

The true masters of rock.
This year, bands like Wilco, The Strokes, and The White Stripes have gained much critical recognition and acclaim for their raw, simplistic approach to rock music. While what those bands do is certainly original to some degree and worthy of acknowledgement, this CD blows everything they've tried to accomplish out of the water. The songs on Creatures are pure rock, untainted by breakbeats or music videos. Each one is a masterpiece, although this album is meant to be played in sequence. I just bought this CD today, but I've already listened to it twice and anticipate a third listen before the end of the day. Trust me, this is most likely the best rock album released since Lp2 by Sunny Day Real Estate. Buy, download, or otherwise obtain this as soon as possible. You will not regret it. And if you don't believe me, I suggest dowloading ANY song from this album, especially "Things That Should Not Be" and "Unseen Hand."

It's criminal that almost no one knows about these guys. ... Read more

Asin: B0000666WX
Subjects:  1. Indie Pop    2. Indie Rock    3. Lo-Fi    4. Pop    5. Rock   

Finally We Are No One
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 May, 2002)
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Editorial Review

It's an enchanted world that Múm inhabit. Conceived in a remote Icelandic lighthouse, Finally We Are No One is an electronica album that conjures up hazy, half-remembered memories of childhood, both magical and eerie. The obvious comparisons are with Boards of Canada and Múm's compatriot, Björk. But as with their superb 2000 debut, Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is OK, Múm make a music that's far too original to be easily compartmentalized. So analog keyboards hum alongside muted digital glitches, and "proper" instruments--accordions, cellos, melodicas--flutter in and out of the mix. The overall effect is of a modern kind of folk music. It's gentle, almost-fey stuff, but the quartet (including twin sisters who appeared on the cover of Belle & Sebastian's Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant) never slips into anything like polite ambience. Instead, the 11 pieces are like extracts from a particularly vivid dream journal, especially when the Valtýsdóttir sisters sing in their peculiar gurgling, infantilized way in the epically unfurling lullaby, "The Land Between Solar Systems." This is an album that leaves you longing for shady childhood experiences you never knew you'd even had. --John Mulvey ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Essential CD for daily life
Yes, this cd is just that good. A while back, before my music conversion, I was starved for cd's that dominated through and through. Superunknown and Leave a Whisper were being played out, and then I was introduced to Four Tet. Upon expanding from there, I came to Mum. This CD, Finally We Are No One is hands down amazing. The melodies are catchy but in no way boring or repetative. I'll put the Tom's Seal of Approval on this baby. Beautiful guitar chords, a soft piano, and random noises which the song couldn't do without make this cd a prince in the CDverse. Get all their other stuff too, as well as Explosions in the Sky, GYBE!, Boards of Canada, Dntel, and Four Tet. I promise you all they will not disappoint. This genre of music has been like a breath of fresh air in my crappy Boston environment.

an awesome chill out CD
my initial introduction to mum was actually reading a review here, and now i guess im returning the favor. this album is full of masterful beats, vocals, and is overall very creative, and has a lullaby type vibe which will put you to sleep on those nights where you just cant do it on your own. like several other reviewers said, the vocals are haunting at parts, which makes the song seem otherworldly. i dont really have much else to say, except if you happen to see this CD anywhere, buy it. youll be doing yourself a huge favor.

Great album
This album grows on you.I'm not the musical expert some of these reviewers are but to me it has a Ray Lynch feel to it. ... Read more

Asin: B000066HH0
Subjects:  1. Dance Music    2. Electronica    3. IDM    4. Iceland    5. Indie Electronic    6. Pop   

Turn On the Bright Lights
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (20 August, 2002)
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Editorial Review

Interpol create literate, atmospheric, moody, trashy post-punk music that recalls '80s faves the Psychedelic Furs. And this is definitely a good thing. While most young bands are content to rhyme "make it" with "fake it," Interpol pens melodramatic tales of tortured and tortuous urban relationships that are truly refreshing. Like their peers the Strokes, they're bright, sophisticated, and meticulous enough to build stirring soundscapes. Turn On the Bright Lights is a must for anyone who missed Echo & the Bunnymen, the Furs, and Joy Division the first time around.--Dominic Wills ... Read more

Reviews (440)

This is an Awesome Debut Effort
I will not beat around the bush, I LOVE Interpol! Both albums are fantastic, but this one is the best. This album is just audio ectasy. This album jives together, listen to it as a whole because each song blends with the next one.

The guitar driven melodies propel this album into perfection. The songs are all excellent. This was one of the greatest bands to hit make a debut splash. I hope to see Interpol around for many, many more albums. Buy this album if you are into this genre of music, because, it will not disappoint. The whole album is just so delightful.

Masterpiece
Come'on people, this solid first album deserves more than a 4-star average.There is not one bad track on this masterwork.You bought this album because JD is dead and Interpol was the next best thing.Give them the credit they deserve.

Great album... seriously
this is a great uptempo album. By uptempo, I mean driving with a solid beat. It helps, perhaps, in order to appreciate this album, to have a bit of an eighties sensibility as it seems to reference this era's music to extent. I am not going to shout "Joy Division" like the rest though. I really find this music to be a classic example of absorbing and moving on when it comes to these 80's references. If you listen to this next to any of the bands to which the sound has been credited by others, you'll find that it is not really anywhere near the same. It much more of an evolutionary leap and it sounds great.

I keep listening to this album (I can't help it). Solid all the way through. Seriously. I am actually a Zappa fan, but have a lingering love for The Smiths, Stone Roses, and I gotta say this kind of music comes off to me as very well composed.

I likey. ... Read more

Asin: B00006BTCA
Subjects:  1. Indie Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop   

Sea Change
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (24 September, 2002)
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Editorial Review

Beck is bummed. Really bummed. And if song titles such as "LostCause," "Lonesome Tears," "Already Dead," and "Nothing I Haven't Seen" don'tmake the point, his achingly sad lyrics and Sea Change's unerringlydowncast sound do. While 1998'sMutations--arguably thesinger-songwriter's masterwork and Sea Change's spiritual cousin--wasfilled with unflinching self-examination, moments of levity were found in songslike "Tropicalia." Not so on Sea Change. Beck's woozy, almost narcolepticdelivery seems to amplify the set's sense of ennui. But sad isn't necessarilybad, and despite the somber tone, there's much to praise, not the least of whichis the return of producer Nigel Goderich (Mutations,Radiohead), who wrapsBeck's gloom in a dreamy, warm blanket of soft strings and floating bleeps andgurgles. LikeDaniel Lanois, Goderichis all about vibe, and even Beck's most bare-bones songs benefit from billowyatmospherics. That's especially true of "Paper Tiger," a restless, slowlybuilding epic improbably propelled by a languid orchestra and Beck'sexpressionless drone. The inky black feel of "Round the Bend"--a glacially slowdirge with muffled vocals--may be the darkest thing Beck's ever written, notcounting the very grim "Already Dead." Whatever's going on in Beck's world, atleast we know he's purging, which, all things considered, may be better for hissoul than ours. --Kim Hughes ... Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (448)

Breakup Beck
This is the Beck "break up" album, recorded after his girlfriend of 9 years left. In "Hollow Log" (from "One Foot in the Grave"), he told us to "get yourself a pistol". Now, it seems like he's thinking about putting one in his mouth.

Every song here is bathed in melancholy, making it very much a "mood album". There's not really anything upbeat...or even uptempo...to break the consistent plod. It's all resignation and no anger..didn't it piss Beck off that he put 9 years into the relationship and it's just over now? Or an "I'll show you..I can get any woman I want" song? It just seems like this is a whole album's worth of a single emotion.

HIGHLIGHTS:
"Guess I'm Doing Fine" is understated and conveys its agony better by not overdoing it. ("It's only lies that I'm living/It's only tears that I'm crying/It's only you that I'm losing/Guess I'm doing fine") Single "Lost Cause" is Beck deciding it's not worth trying again. "Already Dead" proclaims him to be over her ("Love looks away/In the harsh light of the day/On the edge of nothing more") although the music belies the claim. You get the impression he's trying to convince HIMSELF, rather than the ex.

LOW SPOTS:
There aren't any really BAD songs..but outside of the highlights, the album suffers from sameness. It's not easy to tell where one tune ends and the next begins sometimes.

BOTTOM LINE:
There's no denying that the huge production and swamp of strings make it SOUND like Beck's "big statement". But ultimately the songs underneath all the windowdressing can't always carry the weight of the tracks. It's a nice album if you want to just listen to the arrangments and say "Oh, how pretty...", but there's not a whole lot here to make an emotional connection to. It's also difficult to imagine throwing this on CD repeat.

2 1/2 stars

Beck's Best!!!!!!!
This is my favorite and IMO the best Beck album. Im not a huge fan of his goofy techno dabbling that are often hit or miss and an acquired taste. This album is a lot more instrumental in the traditional sense. There is still techno dabbling, but it is kept in the background to Beck's monotone singing and his acoustive guitar. There is even some slide guitar used on the 3rd or 4th song.

The only detraction is the depressing nature of the album and the fact that some of the acoustic pieces sound a little similar.

This is the album that shows Beck is capable of writing a very good song and isnt just a gimmicky artist who hides behind studio controls and effects.

Highlights: Doint Time, Lost Cause, The Golden Age, Lonesome Tears

Epic
There is no other way to describe this album than utterly depressing, but in a beautiful and melodic way. Imagine a despondent acoustic guitar player with subtle atmospheric keyboard and string arrangements in the background. The background does not overwhelm the folk sensibilities and the song writing is superb. I don't care for Beck when he is at his goofiest, combining funk and folk, which, in my humble opinion, mix like oil and water. If you dont care for the prior releases by Beck, listen without prejudice, as I did. This album appears to be a one-shot deal for Beck, as I dont expect his future releases to sound like this. ... Read more

Asin: B00006F7S4
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter   

The Royal Tenenbaums (Collector's Edition)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (02 July, 2002)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

The magical triad behind Rushmore's spunky, starry-eyed soundtrack--music supervisor Randall Poster, composer Mark Mothersbaugh, and director Wes Anderson--leaps forward a decade from that beloved soundtrack's '60s gems, in the process adopting a more pensive feel for The Royal Tenenbaums' musical backdrop. It may lack the euphoric sing-along feel of, say, Creation's "Makin' Time," but the rock and folk tracks here perfectly match the film's crumbling characters and their dilapidated relationships. The Ramones' "Judy Is a Punk" is a burst of nostalgic rebellion but surely causes a sad twinge in light of Joey Ramone's untimely death in 2001; gloom-folker Nick Drake's "Fly" and Elliott Smith's excellently depressing "Needle in the Hay"--which is used to chilling effect during a wrist-slashing scene--further deepen the dark thread running through Tenenbaums. But those who prefer the sunny disposition of Rushmore will be thrilled by the calming concoctions of Mothersbaugh, who heralds the coming of a new scene with graceful woodwind/string parts ("Scrapping and Yelling") and playful sitar pieces ("Pagoda's Theme"). Throw in the Clash's squalling "Police & Thieves" and the Velvet Underground's petal-soft "Stephanie Says" and you've got another winning soundtrack from the film biz's most in-tune music lovers. Tenenbaum or not, you can go home again. --Kristy Martin ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered
• Soundtrack

Reviews (74)

Where's Van Morrison?!
This is a near-perfect collection of 60's and 70's pop and folk.The sad but hopeful vibe of the songs fits the movie's tone perfectly and you can't really agrue with songs like "Stephanie Says."it's also nice to hear the two Nico cuts since Nico's solo work really doesn't get the acclaim it deserves these days.My problem with this album is that it favors symphonic songs from the film instead of pop songs also used in it such as "Ruby Tuesday" and Van Morrison's "Everyone."I'm really bummed about the exclusion of "Everyone" because i thought it closed the movie so well.They should have released the score and the soundtrack separately so all these great songs could be included.

The Royal Tenenbaums Soundtrack
The Collector's Edition Soundtrack leaves out two great Rolling Stones' tunes She Smiled Sweetly & Ruby Tuesday. Also left to the winds is John Lennon's Look at Me, the Clash's Rock the Kazbah. The First Edition leaves a few tunes off too but it is a far better Soundtrack. Puckstar

great soundtrack for a great movie
This soundtrack is packed with all the emotional undercurrents of the movie. Mothersbaugh adds some delightful music (maybe not as cool/jazzy as the Rushmore stuff, but still excellent) and, of course, all the other music that Anderson and Co. have picked out is just tremendous fun. I especially love the Nico and Dylan tracks. You owe it to yourself to get this CD. ... Read more

Asin: B000068TNT
Subjects:  1. Chamber    2. Film    3. Miscellaneous    4. Pop    5. Soundtracks    6. Soundtracks & Film Scores    7. Vocal   

Island Row
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (21 May, 2002)
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Reviews (4)

Breathtakingly Beautiful
His music is so beautiful I could cry at times.Amazing melodies combined with creative sounds & beats.I normally don't like vocals but even the few songs with vocals are great.A must-buy!

My Favorite Album of 2002....so far
Captiol K's 'Island Row' is in constant rotation for me right now.I can't get enough of the intense melodies, glitched out beats, and earnest lyrics.Normally I would not be into an album like this, I tend to like my IDM with out any lyrics what so ever.Honestly, this is the first time I have ever heard it pulled off right.This is what Radiohead (Kid A/Amnesiac) would sound like if they could ever enjoy themselves...they are excellent, but perpetually depressed.The album actually sort of reminds me of Jane's Addiction...although I doubt anyone will notice that.I was in line at the record store buying one of the Orb's two disc albums of remixes, when they staff was playing this. I knew this was what I needed.Hell, even the cover art is great.Buy this album, you will not be disappointed.

Exotic
A primitivist with a penchant for clanky beats, snaky guitars and wayward effects, one-man-band Capitol K (a.k.a. Kristian Craig Robinson) has crafted an album of exotic charms. With its ever-shifting moods and modulating soundscapes, "Island Row" is an unpredictable blend that has no qualms about starting out with the stuttering electronica of "City" and then flowing directly into the squishy pop of "Pillow." "Anon" drives along as if possessed of a head-trip trauma, while the reverberating "Soundwaves" is not unlike Radiohead tuning into a slightly different frequency. "God Ohm" block-rocks along before nearly decompensating, "Monster" cranks up some savage guitar noise and "Heat" is the sound of a desert ant under a magnifying glass. "Island Row" may seem disjointed, but it does cohere in its own peculiar fashion. Much like a Chuck Close painting - you have to stand back a bit to get it. ... Read more

Asin: B00005UNIF
Sales Rank: 113099
Subjects:  1. Dance Music    2. IDM    3. Pop   

High Society
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 June, 2002)
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Editorial Review

John Schmersal (ex-Brainiac) has upped the ante on the punk rock-synthesizer urgency captured on Enon's innovative debut, Believo! Now with Toko Yasuda (ex-Blonde Redhead) on bass and vocals, High Society's a more varied experiment. Sometimes it pays off quite well--"Window Display," "Disposable Parts," and "Old Dominion"--but the difference between the Yasuda-Schmersal songs is jarring at first. Which isn't such a bad thing--Yasuda's light and innocently girly backup vocals are perfect on "Natural Disasters," and on the riot-inciting, unruly "Salty," the two share more, making it likely that by their next release, the rough edges will be smoothed out.

Like Guided by Voices' Pollard, Schmersal's a prolific pop scientist, but more experimental. Enon mix scathing guitar riffs with well-placed distortion, electronic ephemera, and a Beatles-esque sense of melody. Still, through these 15 tracks, you'll also hear Devo via Ray Davies, Television via Thurston Moore , and Cheap Trick as interpreted by Big Black. If High Society were split into two albums, they'd both be more memorable. Still, as the cover art suggests, what could be more defining for our millennial angst than everything-but-the-kitchen-sink, perfectly confected Prozac nation noise-pop, especially when it sounds this good?--Cyndi Elliott ... Read more

Reviews (13)

YES YES YES YES YES
It's fun, infectious, dancable, and everything you could want an album to be while staying away from the mainstream.Enon, please don't become part of the mainstream schlock.Yeah, I really want you to be rich and successful without it getting to your head, but if I hear you on the radio, my whole admiration will change.I know I can't be alone on this one.So if you do release a big radio hit and have a video on MTV (a video for "Carbonation" was made, but as far as I know it's not on MTV), I'm gonna tell those youngsters that the CD they really should get is "High Society"

Near perfect
Well there's not much else to say about this album.It's easily one of the best albums I've heard in the past few years.If you're just somebody who likes generic music like Nickelback, Korn, and the like well this is not your game.If you want to hear a band that manages to create catchy well constructed pop songs that are on the verge of genius then this is the album for you.There's many songs on this album that could easily be huge hits, but are too intelligent for the mass consumption of the music industry today.This is by far one of the rare gems in music that you'll not regret.The people that gave this bad reviews obviously are lame and know nothing about music.Check out everything John Schmersal has done, nothing has let me down so far.

2002's Album of the Year:7.3 on a 5-Star Scale
Enon released the stunning BELIEVO! to little fanfare.Its legend grew slowly, mostly by word of mouth.The revolutionary BELIEVO! was followed by membership shape-shifting, a label switch, and the band's sophomore effort (at issue for purposes of this review).HIGH SOCIETY trumps BELIEVO, which is some measure of an accomplishment.The album is solid from start to finish, and your favorite tracks will change from day to day, and listen to listen.

The album is perfectly organized in terms of track layout, flow, and structure."Old Dominion" is an unforgettably perfect album opener . . . an aggressive and anthemic call to arms."Count Sheep" recalls the electro-weirdness of BELIEVO!, but surprises with melodic twists and turns that bely its creepiness."Window Display" is worthy of hate for its degree of catchiness.The highlight track "Leave It To Rust" is a phenomenal and perfect pop song with a twist.The ultra-hip "Carbonation" sounds like MIDNIGHT VULTURES-era Beck under determined assault by ELECTRO-SHOCK FOR PRESIDENT-era Braniac.The title track is a memorable and well-placed electronified Beatlesesque ditty.

When Enon uses Toko Yasuda's voice as a wonderful complementary change-up to John Schmersel's varied and neurotic delivery, what they get is an album that is pretty much perfect in its own context.Think DOOLITTLE, DAYDREAM NATION, SLANTED AND ENCHANTED, etc.The album is pretty much as good as it could be, and there is nothing that anyone could reasonably suggest changing about it that would make it any better.It's rare to find an album like this one in the mess that is the contemporary indie music landscape, so buy this one without regret.You will be duly rewarded. ... Read more

Asin: B000066SHX
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Rock    3. Noise Pop    4. Pop    5. Rock   

One Beat
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (20 August, 2002)
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Editorial Review

For all the noisy bluster involving plastic barrettes, thrift-store guitars, and caterwauling political catchphrases, Sleater-Kinney have always been pragmatic about their music. The group's self-titled debut got by on ferocity alone. But each successive release has exhibited a dramatic step forward as youthful exuberance gives way to melody and poise. One Beat is the trio's most assured work yet. A jubilant blast of tambourines, theremin, and Corin Tucker's rubber-band vocals usher in the spiky "Oh!," the Strokes' locker-room diffidence mingles with Sonic Youth's angular cool on "Prisstina," and the title track, all urgent wailing and power chords, rumbles with pure excitement. The rest of the album isn't far behind. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (45)

They may actually have topped Dig Me Out
...and I really didn't think that was possible.

This is a spiky, snarky, angry little album, just as punk is supposed to be, but it's also all about the love of life and the refusal to settle for mediocrity in romance or politics or anything else.As always, Corin's voice is not for everyone, though I consider it one of the most spectacular instruments ever to make it onto a CD.And, Oh! -- to steal the title of track 3, which is this album's shamelessly cute, infectious followup to Dig Me Out's "Dance Song '97" -- the melodies, the harmonies, the passion, and that way they have with multiple simultaneous vocal lines to which nobody else out there can quite hold a candle...it's all just plain good.There are a few tracks that I could do without (cough Prisstina cough), but overall, these three women have never been more appealing or less ignorable.

Im speechless!
Lets be honest, no one really likes this band. Its all bandwagon, afraid of appearing stupid and unadventurous nonsense. If tame punk with Geddy Lee(of Rush great band)meets Diamanda Galas(great singer and composer) vocals is your cup of tea then by all means pick this up. But please there is far too much interesting music out there to waste your time with this. Check out Ash Ra Tempel, Robbie Basho, Scratch Acid, Boris, Dalek, and Borbetomagus instead.

THE BEST ALBUM SINCE THE DEATH OF PUNK!
I first heard sleater-kinney on rock angainst bush 2 and what immeadiatly struck me was how impressive the band's skills were. the lyrics are great, and in someways harken back to alanis morrissete's 'jagged little pill.' i LOVE light rail coyote. a definate must have for anyone who considers themselves an indie- or alternative rocker. ... Read more

Asin: B000069DOG
Subjects:  1. Indie Rock    2. Pop    3. Riot Grrrl    4. Rock   

Mali Music
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (06 August, 2002)
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Editorial Review

With Mali Music it's possible at last to see how Damon Albarn's foray into Africa has worked out: most members of what Albarn's friend Michael Nyman has dubbed the "world-music police" would probably be happy to give it a qualified thumbs-up. If some of the "Western" tracks are little more than an undifferentiated blur (no pun intended), the Malian ones are a delight. But it's what lies between that's interesting: what Albarn and his colleagues Afel Bocoum , Toumani Diabate, and Ko Kan Ko Sata Doumbia have achieved is best described as "the music of place." In "Kela Village" you can almost see the celebrations going on amid the chirruping of birds and the croaking of frogs; "Bamako City" comes with bags of local atmosphere. This CD was constructed in layers--after Albarn had edited down his 40 hours of raw material, he created collages with new melodies and beats and then sent his tapes back to Mali, where extra vocals and instrumental work were added. We thus get music that actually feels layered: a typical track will start with a simple groove on kora or ngoni, then it will acquire a voice, then some electronic effects, and will finally be enveloped in a seductive miasma of local atmosphere. Apart from some nifty Malian balafon and string work, there's nothing here of instrumental note (Albarn's instrument is a battered melodica), but that doesn't matter, because in this game the final effect is the thing. Disregard Albarn's pretentious guff about this representing the "Africanization of Western music" (where does the boy imagine jazz came from?) but do regard this CD as a healthy omen. --Michael Church ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Africans did not get ripped off according to the man himself
This record is a fine piece of work and represents a spirit of music that seems to be loss in the hype of manufactured bollocks.It truly defines and explores music as a universal language - appealing to both locals and new listeners.

To be fair, below is a quote to disprove what review djiembefola "a do-it-your-selfer" has to say above in his review 'Africans get Ripped-off Again'.I feel it is only fair that someone stand up to loose slandering.The quote was taken from an interview with Alburn that spoke all about his work with the Malian musicians...

[...]

Africans get Ripped-off Again
I heard this CD at the store - it wasn't traditional enough for me but some of the grooves were pretty good. However, a friend who personally knows some of the master African musicians on this CD related that many of the field recordings were done very casually and put on the CD without the Africans consent - and they didn't get paid. So it seems this isjust one more example of Westerners taking advantage of the Africans. Shame.

Damon Damon Damon...what a boy
This is a beautiful record. Hands down. The musical textures and rhythmic layers are soothing and gorgeous. Listen to it with an open ear, it grows on you after 1 listen. From there on out, its musical bliss! Damon and Co. rule! ... Read more

Asin: B00006EXE0
Subjects:  1. Britpop    2. Int'l & World Music    3. Pop   

Walking with Thee
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 March, 2002)
list price: $15.98 -- our price: $15.98
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Editorial Review

Fans of the Clinic's uniquely eerie take on '60s and '70s U.S. garage rock will be pleased by their second long player, Walking with Thee, which contains the same amount of malevolence lurking within. It also sounds quite marvelous. On their debut album, Internal Wrangler, this British four-piece displayed a ferocious, focused melding of garage, art rock, Krautrock, surf, and any other left-field genre you'd care to mention. Clinic will no doubt tire of the continual Velvet Underground comparisons, but while they have mined rock's cooler record collections, they've nevertheless created disorientating and utterly compelling music. From the bass-driven chug of "Welcome" (a heady collision of the Ronettes and '60s sci-fi soundtrack music) to the sweat-drenched derangement of "Pet Eunoch," Clinic are clearly in thrall to mid-'70s New York, but among the detached, icy vocals and Suicide-like minimalism, the album contains electronic undercurrents and off-kilter pop moments that are the band's own. The pervasive mood is of unease and disquiet; on the unsettling closer, "For the Wars," Ade Blackburn sings, "Now it's safe and warm." And, of course, it's anything but. --Suzannah Brown ... Read more

Reviews (40)

pretty good but....
I like the whiny sound, so this is great and dark and wonderful....but is it just me or are "harmony" and "come into our room" almost the exact same song? They are both great songs--but the SAME great song.

Clinic
I can't address whether "Walking W/Thee" is any better, different, or worse than "Internal Wrangler" or anything else Clinic has done. I just recently heard them on local college radio and immediately rushed out to purchase whatever I could find by them. I wound up with "Walking W/Thee".

What appealed to me about Clinic was that, although it was quite obvious they were not, their sound reminded me of Radiohead, one of my favorite bands. The difference between the two was apparent. Clinic's lyrics are discernable, the vocals are cleaner, the music is more crisp and minimal than the multi-layering of Radiohead.

The more I listen to "Walking W/Thee", though, the less they sound like Radiohead, and the more they sound like a band wholly unto themselves.

The bad news about "Walking W/Thee" is that it all sounds pretty much the same. It's hard to tell one song from the next. The flip side to that, however, is that the sound is really cool. It's eerie, aggressive, soothing, bizarre, and innovative.

I'd suggest a prospective buyer listen to the samples offered or download a couple of tracks. Chances are that if you like what you here from that, you'll end up liking the whole album.

Fill yourself with dreams
Clinic's "Walking With Thee" is that pretty, intimidating kid down the street -- entrancing, yet somehow dangerous to touch. It sounds pretty, until the creepier notes kick in. While they have a few classic rock bands fueling their sound, the eerie electronic pop sound is entirely their own.

It opens with the darkly naive note of "Harmony," a sweet pop tune that is grounded by the occasional deep piano notes. But things take a different note with the rattly "Equaliser" and bassy, plodding "Welcome." A classic rock sound kicks in with "Pet Eunuch," which could've been a lost song from the 1960s.

But that is followed by the wavery keyboard of "Mr. Moonlight," a song that wouldn't seem out of place in a secluded corner of Radiohead's albums. That trend is continued by the blippy, dreamy "Come Into Our Room" and jazzy "Vulture," broken only by the lo-fi rock of "The Bridge." Think of it as Radiohead exorcising their inner Lou Reed.

Clinic seems to have taken every musical influence they enjoyed, thrown them together in a pot, and the result is "Walking With Thee." You can hear hints of Velvet Underground, Joy Division, maybe a dash of Modest Mouse, and some Radiohead -- and that's only a few. Surprising, the songs mesh very well together.

The heart of the album seems to be punk riffs and chilly electronica. It starts off and ends on eerie, cold notes, more computerized than outright musical. That could have had them labelled a Radiohead wannabe. But they kick in almost instantly with the solid rock: The grubbier organic music is mostly guitar and some plodding bass, with hammering percussion taking center stage in the title song.

The vocals are high and thin. Not in a bad way, just merely a bit wispy; they stick to an ominous monotone throughout much of the album, only breaking into some drowned-out yelps in "Pet Eunuch." He's a lot better when he's being miserable: "And I believed in solitude/I believed too little was few/Free for all your happiness/and no ones living on their wits."

Clinic's second album is a bit like an snow-covered beach -- it's gritty and chilly, but still very beautiful. "Walking With Thee" is certainly worth walking with. ... Read more

Asin: B00005YX3X
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Sharpen Your Teeth
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (21 May, 2002)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Editorial Review

It's hard to say what distinguishes this from a de facto Modest Mouse release, other than the fact that the only carryover member is singer-songwriter Isaac Brock. But this is hardly a problem, considering the flannel-clad Northwestern trio is one of the most engaging and inventive avant-garde rock bands America has to offer, right up there with the Flaming Lips and Built to Spill. Sharpen Your Teeth doesn't miss a step, throwing up a familiar mix of lovesick vocals, funeral march rhythms, and terminally discordant song arrangements. "Diamonds on the Face of Evil" floats on a haunting bed of clarinets and rattling chains, while "Things I Don't Remember" charts the unlikely meeting point between psychedelic period Rolling Stones and early Tom Waits. Side projects historically serve as a venue for self-indulgence for disgruntled band members, but for Brock--working with former Red Red Meat members Tim Rutili and Brian Deck, the Black Heart Procession's Pall Jenkins, and friend John Orth--it appears Ugly Casanova is merely a way to keep a foot in the indie world, since Modest Mouse signed with Epic two years ago. As luck (and contractual obligations) would have it, the group's debut album is also its last, so the confusion is only fleeting. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Highly Recommended
I've been a fan of Modest Mouse ever since I heard the Moon and Antartica, but I hadn't heard of this side project until a few months ago.I bought Sharpen Your Teeth, and was shocked by the beauty of it.This album has the familiar sound of Brock and the band, but the emotion behind the singing is strangely different.The lyrics, while always strange and enigmatic, are often quite beautiful, with a sorrowful feeling that I can't quite put my finger on.It's really a shame that the man behind these lyrics wasn't able to write anything further.

I love this cd it is another look at isaac Brock.
This CD is just awesome it has alot of cool things about it. The Percussion on the album is amazing and so is the song writing. If your a fan of Modest Mouse you should love this album. I mean a fan of all of their stuff he explores alot of new territory here. It is a great CD for anyone that loves good writing and catchy tunes.

Awe Shey shaw shey shaw!
A lot of people would disagree with me on this one but I think Sharpen Your Teeth is a better album than any of the Modest Mouse records. It has bizarre, soulful, and sometimes creepy lyrics and the sound of the record is what I like to call organized-insanity. It's apparent that Isaac and co. had a really fun time recording the album because of the feel of spontaneity and looseness it has. The record has lots of jangling bells, tamborines, and clanking noises but they are all used very tastefully and they make for a very original sound. I've listened to this album probably over fifty times and It's still one of my favorite records, every song is good.

The cd comes in a great little cardboard digipack with awesome artwork by Thomas Cambell (He's a great painter and illustrator and He made the surf film "Sprout"). It also comes with a 30 page lyric book filled with His artwork! ... Read more

Asin: B0000666WE
Subjects:  1. Indie Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock   

Club Anthems
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 February, 2002)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $16.98
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Editorial Review

Don't be fooled by the ironic title. Club Anthems isn't a trance collection. This compilation of Ballboy's last three EPs chronicles an outfit poised between the wide-eyed philosophical Looper and the darker, melancholy Arab Strap. Club Anthems is a very Scottish album, but it's frontman Gordon McIntyre's spoken vocals--funny, poignant, heavy with pathos--that help Ballboy rise above simple pastiche. "One Sailor Was Waving" explodes grim Scottish fatalism into a celebratory adrenaline rush, MacIntyre wearing the line "I'm not the brightest hope/ I'm not the shining light/ Of my generation" like a badge of victory. Meanwhile, the stark, expansive, two-chord "I Hate Scotland" scribbles bratty discontent over Ballboy's cultural heritage. "I hate the way we expect to fail," sneers McIntyre, "and then we fail, and we get bitter because we failed." Well, this album proves that's just not true. --Louis Pattison ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Disjointed But Not
This album somehow manages to feel coherent and all over the place at the same time. There is a great deal of wit in the lyrics, and I enjoy the overall "Scottishness." If you're considering buying this after hearing the "I Hate Scotland" single, you should know that much of the CD is quite different from that song. It's a fun listen.

amazing pop
if you want an happy hour without drinking put this cd on!! it's really good also if you're drunk, anyway.

I hate ballboy
I am psyched that I bought this ballboy album.The songs are very clever, catchy, and you don't get sick of them after playing them over and over.Not surprisingly, John Peel (responsible for the Peel Sessions on Radio 1 in the UK) is a huge fan.I can't wait to hear what's next from them! ... Read more

Asin: B00005YMFS
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Pop    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Scotland   

Kill the Moonlight
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (20 August, 2002)
list price: $15.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Editorial Review

Life has gotten so much easier for these guys ever since Pavement broke up. After all, how many flannel-shirt wearing, floppy-haired, Fall sound-alikes can the average person swallow? Oh well, now that the playing field is theirs alone, Spoon do not disappoint. Kill The Moonlight is their most melodically accomplished work to date, shimmying through the primal tambourine shakes of "Small Stakes," breaking a sweat with the spiky lo-fi swagger of "Stay Don't Go," and getting all starry-eyed on the three-and-a-half minute acoustic epic "Don't Let It Get You Down." So good, you'll even forgive them for blatantly Malkmus-derived song titles like "Paper Tiger" and "Vittorio E." --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Latest Inductee Into the Indie Rock HOF...
This album, when I first got it (in Columbus OH, before I had gone to the B&N and cried tears of joy), was good, and I liked a couple of the songs, but then I put it in my car.I was introduced for the second time to a CD of more than just great driving music (other Cds of the type include the Moon & Antarctica and Kid A), I was in the company of an album made my one of the best bands still making music.Small Stakes starts off the album very well, semi-hooky and with a certain fever of anticipation laced between keyboard riffs.The Way We Get By (the only song I'd heard prior to my purchase) rocks its way into Something To Look Foward To, which grows on the listener.Stay Don't Go has some fine beat-boxing and is followed by the rabble-rouser Jonathon Fisk, all within the space of roughly fifteen minutes.Paper Tigers ends the first half of the album on the highest note it reaches, with a song structure that is barely there, consisting of a syncopated drum beat, clapping drum sticks and ethereal keys/synths.Someone Something is one of the weaker songs on the album (the weakest would be You Got To Feel It, which is so short...), but it leads into two of the stronger tracks, Don't Let It Get You Down (which has a bit of the end of 'Meat is Murder' by the Smiths at the end of it if you listen closely) and All the Pretty Girls Go to the City, which sounds a great deal like the Beatles and may even surpass some of the music made by those supposed 'rock gods.'After You Got To Feel It and Back to the Life, the album closes majestically with Vittorio E. and all is right in the world and Spoon is one of my new favorite bands and buy this album - right now, for Christ's sake tarry not!

Very catchy and entertaining.
I want to give it 4 1/2 stars. Not the most moving album ever made but it depends on what you want to accomplish with your listening experience. This is a very solid album. There are some weak songs but there are more good than not so good. No bad songs here. I think girls can tell is much better which can seem discouraging because it implies that they lost something or are regressing. I dont think thats the case, I think they just grew in a direction that I dont prefer to their last album. Maybe the band doesnt like it as much either, who knows. But this album is worth owning so if you can get free shipping buy it.

Sounds Nothing Like Pavement
This is a pretty good album. The Way We Get By and Vittorio E are almost worth the price alone.I'd pick up Girls Can Tell before this one though.

As for the edi