40 Oz to Freedom
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 July, 1996)
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Editorial Review

Ska music has been deeply ingrained in the punk rock culture since the Clash adopted their rude boy stance near the end of the British punk invasion and the 2-Tone label put ska on the map. Suddenly, punks stopped kicking the crap out of each other long enough to dance. The debut release by Orange County, California's Sublime is a positively infectious record that marries varied styles of dub, reggae, rap, sampling, scratching, and badass dancehall ska with old-school punk overtones. Musicianship on this record is exceptionally tight, featuring Brad Nowell's innovative guitar work and bright, soulful voice.Packed with 40 oz. of rock (21 tracks) including the ultimate pot-smoking anthem "Smoke Two Joints" and the novelty hit "Date Rape." --Gail Worley ... Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (263)

A Must Have
Sublime is one of the few bands that is (was) able to break down the barriers between genres and reach people that less diverse artists will never be able to. If this CD is not in your collection, you are missing out!

an original piece
sublime's debut. all good songs, the only problems isthat a lot of the drums and guitar sound the same. but it's still worth buying.

Appealing Album for most people
This is a good, upbeat album that defines a good genre. This in my opinion, is the band's best album, although the Self-Titled was also very good.

There are great melodies on this CD. Although these melodies are relatively simple and not complex, they are very enjoyable to the ear. Sublime has a really positive feel to it, and this album will leave you satisfied.

There are only a few songs on the album which resemble "Punk-Rock", as the majority are ska-like reggae music. It's easily recognizable that Brad Nowell was a good vocalist with talent. It's pretty easy to play these songs if you can play the guitar, but its not the complexity that makes the CD genius, it's the fact that the band was actually able to come up with the melodies that sound really good.

There's also humour in a lot of the lyrics which adds a good element to the music. It's always funny to hear Brad talking about stuff like encounters with the police, and getting high/drunk. The album flows really well, and you probably won't be dissapointed by any song. The album is appealing overall.
That's what made it a hit and in my opinion, a classic.
... Read more

Asin: B000002P22
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Nico
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 November, 1996)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $16.98
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Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (31)

Breathtaking
I would have to say that this is by all means my best and most used cd ever bought. Shannon was an amazing performer, he and the rest of the band(Rogers,Christopher,Brad,and Glen)were so under-rated that it makes me sick every time i hear them. I have been a die-hard fan for about 5 years now and i just can't get tired of their beautiful and touching music. Its like nothing else, forget "No Rain",listening to Blind Melon makes you close your eyes and it warms you inside. Their talent was unbelievable along with their music. I only wish they Shannon was here now to make some more real music. He is deeply missed by us fans.

Oh yea you have to buy this cd. Trust me you can't help but love it.

Beautiful Music
The first time I heard this album was when a friend lent it to me.I was on my way to work and put it in the cd player.Two weeks later, there it remained.I can't describe how incredible their music is, I'm sure you'll agree.Shannon had a gift, a beautiful gift.I'm just glad he got to share a little bit of that gift with the world.The band made this cd for us, the fans, and for Nico Blue.Maybe, one day, she will be able to use this disc to see a glimpse of who her father was.There are three guarantees in life--you'll live, you'll die, you'll love this cd.
RIP Shannon

One of the best albums eva!!!
We all know how good of a band Blind Melon is/was. They live forever and Shannon's vocals are just angelical and beautiful! A masterpiece, a MUST!
RIP Shannon. You are terribly missed >:D< ... Read more

Asin: B000002U4E
Sales Rank: 11632
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Three Ep's
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 January, 1999)
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Editorial Review

Citing influences ranging from the decidedly serious Martin Sheen to the asinine Chevy Chase to funkmaster Bootsy Collins, the Beta Band is a delight. This aptly titled compilation of three separately released EPs is sure to leave music fans scratching their collective head while trying to define this Scottish band's intricate aural hodgepodge. The Beta Band makes a very distinct and exciting impression. There's the unusual coupling of acoustic guitar, horn, sampled beats, and a catchy refrain on "Dry the Rain"; the hypnotic instrumental "B+A"; and "She's the One," which opens with a chaotic, hippyish drum circle that segues first to an anthemic chorus and then to a highly processed breakdown complete with a Jew's harp. The Three EPs will dominate the CD player, becoming somewhat of an obsession, with each listen revealing some brilliant little nuance, quirk, or lyric. --Kerry Murphy ... Read more

Reviews (77)

enjoyable
I have no idea how I heard of the Beta Band or exactly why I purchased this CD in 2003, but I did and I'm glad.It is enjoyable.I like different - this is different.If you're one of those people who listens to Marilyn Manson one minute and old country the next, and a variety of things in between, then this will have a place in there somewhere, too.

I love you Beta Band
So the Beta Band broke up.This brings me deep sorrow, I tried to just brush it off, "hey, at least they left some great music for me to listen to, right?"Yes.That's correct.But still....I don't know how to explain it, but I thought it would make me feel better to write down how amazing they were in my eyes for a bunch of people I will never meet to read and not care.Or not even care enough to read.
So, High Fidelity.Best movie ever.Bar none.Top 5 Movies: 1) High Fidelity. 2) High Fidelity. 3) High Fidelity. 4) High Fidelity. 5) High Fidelity.That's the list.I said to myself, "that song by that one band was really sweet, yo"(I sometimes refer to myself as yo.)And then I downloaded it, Dry the Rain, I fell in love, downloaded Needles in my Eyes, I fell in love.I was not satisfied with my love triangle, so I purchased the Three EP's hoping for more greatness.I got it.I love it.Top 5 albums: just kidding.But it's definitely on there.Each song makes me feel different but at the same time they all make me feel happy.
-Dry the Rain - happy and all tingly inside.Kicks off the album perfectly.One of the best songs ever written.
-I Know - happy and nice and mellow.Super cool and seemingly effortless.It just flows through me.
-B+A - happy and groovin'.I said groovin'.Instrumental that builds and pleases.
-Dogs Got a Bone - happy and kinda sad.Excellent all the way through.The doo doos at the end are so wonderful I could just eat 'em up.
-Inner Meet Me - happy and spacey.Just a fun, sing-a-long track
-The House Song - happy and weird.Just a plain cool song.The rap makes me crack up each time I hear it.
-Monolith - ok, i lied.This song kinda sucks.Maybe I just don't get it, but it bores me so.15 minutes is too long, especially if nothing happens.Sorry.
-She's the One - happy and ... happy.I love the lyrics.Repitition just makes them better.Brilliant epic song.
-Push It Out - happy and sleepy.People who don't like this album usually cite this song.Those people suck.This song is pretty boring at first but it gets good, just put it on and drift away.
-It's Over - happy and in love.The whole thing makes me melt.The imagery.I am in love with this song and we will be wed one day.
-Dr. Baker - happy and nostalgic.Reminds me of A Day in the Life by ... what was their name again?Oh, the Beatles.Yes.This song is worthy of comparison.
-Needles in my Eyes - happy and relieved.The real reason I bought the album.The chorus is so good, I could die and be satisfied.Excellent closer.
Well, that made me feel better.If my review helps you on your way to buying the album, you will not regret it.If you do, then I give you my condolences.You sadden me.And then I listen to It's Over, which suddenly has new meaning, and i melt.I only wish I could have seen them live.Toodles.

Brilliantly twisted
Having listened to a great variety of music in the past few years, I think I can safely say that "The 3 EP's" is one of the most endlessly fascinating new finds I've stumbled upon lately.This collection of three separately released EP's (hence the title, heh) showcases a band that revels in eclecticism, adventurousness, and flat-out strangeness.Mutating frequently and unpredictably, these songs are generally built around the traditional rock-band lineup, but the Beta Band go well beyond facile classifications by embracing decidedly irregular song structures and incorporating found sounds ranging from piano to accordions to samples to God knows what else.All throughout, the band's obsession with detail is matched by a strong ear for melody.The opener "Dry The Rain" could actually make a decent single and perfectly exemplifies what this band is about, moving from twangy acoustic folk tune to upbeat horn-fueled anthem about halfway through."I Know" is a hypnotic, repetition-oriented instrumental featuring some mangled beats and snatches of guitar noise.Starting out as a droning piece of acidy pop, "B + A" suddenly shifts into overdrive and morphs into a monstrous rave-up complete with hand claps, crashing percussion, and even an "aaaah, aaaah" chant.Things get even more interesting with "Dog's Got a Bone," a gentle, non-rocking mood piece driven along by little more than quiet acoustic strumming, accordions, and sweet vocal harmonies."Inner Meet Me" actually manages to be catchy in its own unique way, with entrancing near-rapped vocals placed over a head-bobbing rhythm."Monolith" is a fifteen-plus minute epic of almost comical weirdness, seguing from one ambient passage to another with no apparent pattern.A clinic on how to do a lot with a little, "Push It Out" begins as an eerily minimal piece before becoming steadily more expansive as it adds a series of new sounds throughout its running time.In yet another odd move, "She's The One" could almost qualify as a ballad, aside from the fact that it's more than eight minutes long and its soft sound eventually gives way to quasi-psychedelic jamming and some Alvin and the Chipmunks-style chanting.The last three songs, "It's Over," "Dr. Baker," and "Needles In My Eyes," find the band moving in a somewhat more accessible direction, but there's still plenty of gonzo experimentation and and startlingly original craftsmanship to be found.As cohesive as it is diverse, and as fun as it is wacky, "The 3 EP's" is a modern-day classic not to be missed by those seeking something out of the ordinary. ... Read more

Asin: B00000HYSJ
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Bring It On
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 September, 1998)
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Editorial Review

Recorded in the north of England in a cold garage by a batch of 20-year-olds before they'd ever played a lick live, Bring It On displays a remarkable maturity, quoting from a musical source that only folks twice their age are privy to. The insularity of the remote garage removes these lads from the territory of their bombastic Brit-rock peers, freeing them to seek inspiration beyond the shores of their isle. Strains of American groove rock (think Little Feat or Dr. John) run throughout: the opening track, "Get Miles," lopes along on a bourbon-infused jam and Ben Ottewell's deep, gravelly voice, and "78 Stone Wobble" sounds like a long-lost Doobie Brothers hit. But Gomez aren't mere revivalists. Their take on American boogie provides a stale genre with youthful verve. --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (86)

Definitely grows on you
The first time I ever heard this album, I have to say, I was not blown away.Sure, there were some good songs, but it was not a spectacular album in my view.Then, after hearing it a few more times, it started to really grow on me and I realized what a great album it was.Don't give up on it after one listen, because you will be pleasantly surprised.It blends elements of blues, jazz, funk, and rock to make a potpourri of some great music.I think I might just like this album better than Split the Difference, although it is a very close race.I think my favorite tracks on this album are Tijiuana Lady, Rie's Car, Love is Better Than a Warm Trombone, and Get Myself Arrested.Overall, great album.. I hope you enjoy it.

Gomez started a brilliant career with this one
"Bring it on" wasn't recorded in a big studio. Gomez didn't have any celebrity treatment making this album. They were just high school kids making a phenomenal rock album in a garage.
It opens with the keyboard drone of "Get Miles" andgets started with the acoustic, even reggae sounding "Whippin' Picadilly" which explodes in bursts with a sing a long chorus. "78 Stone Wobble" is one of the best songs on the album, with the throaty voice of guitarist Ben Ottewell acing the lead vocal. "Tijuana Lady" is far and away the best song on the disc, it has spanish influences and creative lyrics. "Get myself arrested" is a hilarious story about a kid and his car. It ends with the long "Rie's wagon" and "The Comeback", which top off a terrific album. This first album set Gomez on a road to make great albums like "Liquid Skin" and recently the incredible "Split the Difference" Get this one, it's terrific.

A Potpourri of Style
The dynamics of Gomez's style is amazing, especially for a debut album.The album opens with "Get Miles," a deep, hoarse vocalist (think Tom Waits) accompanied by a mellow rhythm composed of many solid instruments.

To be completely contrasting, the next track "Whippin' Piccadilly" is an upbeat and simple guitar rhythm with a light, well-tuned voice.

The band has successfully integrated blues into modern music.The use of harmonica and steel guitars is common.This album is a bit of Tom Waits, Beck, Beta Band, and The Eagles.

"78 Stone Wobble" is the grooviest of the songs, using different vocalist to create different moods to the song.It goes from dark to light with the switch of a mic.

Their biggest hit "Get Myself Arrested" is easy on the ears, but I wouldn't say it's the best song on the album.See previous references for recommendations.

This album is interesting and you'll have nothing else like it in your collection.Gomez has their distinction in modern music that is worth entering your music tastes. ... Read more

Asin: B00000AETS
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. British Trad Rock    4. Britpop    5. Indie Pop    6. Indie Rock    7. Pop    8. Rock   

Liquid Skin
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (21 September, 1999)
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Editorial Review

Start with Eddie Vedder's wobbly yowl, add a dose of Pink Floyd-era psychedelics and rootsy slide guitar, then top it off with Beck-like aural treatments, and you get England's critically acclaimed Gomez. Liquid Skin is more forward-looking and a bit less bluesy than its 1998 predecessor, with murky electronic textures and filtered drum machines lurking beneath the melodic surface. The group continues to wear their inspirations on their sleeves at times. "We Haven't Turned Around" sounds like Pearl Jam on a trip to the Dark Side of the Moon, while "Bring It On" cops a groove directly from Bob Marley's "Lively Up Yourself." But unlike too many of its British contemporaries, Gomez seems intent on fusing their classic and contemporary influences into an original sound that will wear well over time. --Rick Mitchell ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Average musicians making average music
I first heard the song Rosalita from a friend's mix CD and thought it was a decent little song. I gave the album a listen after reading all the rave reviews here. Maybe my expectations were just too high after reading all the praise, but I found this album unimpressive. The music is trite and uninteresting; not that it's bad, but it just lacks anything really that original. The lyrics are too heavy-handed and recycled at times. There are a few decent tunes on this album, but overall, it's average at best, IMO.

You WILL buy this album.
You will buy Liquid Skin. You will then pop it into your CD player and turn it up too loud because Hangover starts our rather quiet. You will enjoy both Hangover and Revolutionary Kind. Then Bring It On will come on and you will finally start to get it. Next comes Blue Moon Rising that you will underrate at first, along with Las Vegas Dealer. Brace yourself, because We Haven't Turned Around is next, and it will blow you away. It might take until about halfway through the song when it comes back from a beautiful string interlude with slightly distorted guitars. Then comes Fill My Cup, the overdrive on the bass will intrigue you, but it will not really compare to the album version of Rhythm & Blues Alibi. Next comes Rosalita which can only be described as damn beautiful. California is rather long, but you will be too caught up in it to really notice. Last comes Devil Will Ride, which should just bring about a perfect end to one of the best albums in recent history. You will have just spent almost an hour of your life that you will wish you could get back to and relive, because it will never sound as awe-inspiring as that first time. You will eventually get to know the album like the back of your hand. It will play through your mind all the time, but it will never be able to surprise you as it did that first listen. And you will never be the same.

This CD can change lives
This is my first review, as I normally choose to read them, but the impact this CD has had has propelled me to take action otherwise. I think this is one of the best CDs of all time.It has the ability to take you somewhere, its that perfect place. You can play it just hanging out, but you can also play it during any other situation. Usually for me only one song would do in any given album, and the rest I have to skip because it cant keep up with that one song. But this CD is different. Each song is beautiful, unique, and inspiring. This CD is one Ive owned for years, but always Im blown away by. Def. a top 10 CD for me. ... Read more

Asin: B00001IVIU
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock    3. Rock/Pop   

89/93: An Anthology
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 March, 2002)
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Editorial Review

Uncle Tupelo has received far more attention retrospectively than the band ever did while active. Maybe the best thing about this compilation, then, is that it ignores the myth and exalts the music. Issued eight years after the Jay Farrar/Jeff Tweedy split that yielded Son Volt and Wilco--and compiled with the participation of both parties--the anthology gathers its 21 tracks from every stage of the band's brief career. It's all here: lurching rockers like "Graveyard Shift" and "Outdone," ballads both rich ("Still Be Around") and raw ("Gun"), and more polished acoustic tunes, like the stark "Black Eye" and the bouncy "New Madrid," that came as Tweedy found his voice. There's also Farrar's definitive cover of the traditional "Moonshiner," and on "Chickamauga," his most desperate, galvanizing guitar solos. And, of course, there are the "hits" ("Whiskey Bottle," "The Long Cut"). Interspersed throughout are seven formerly hard-to-find songs, including covers of Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Stooges, live versions of the album cuts "Looking for a Way Out" and "We've Been Had," and the non-album originals "I Got Drunk" and "Sauget Wind." To top it off, everything's been remastered, and the sonic upgrade does wonders to brighten up and animate the older material. --Anders Smith Lindall ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Listen up you freaks in Nashville...
When I bought this compilation, I already owned quite a few UT albums.The music contained on it some of the best country music ever created.It is such a shame that Uncle Tupelo isn't played on country radio, because these guys bring a new perspective to how great country music really is...so if you know someone that needs to be educated on some heritage, buy them this album as a gift.
In my opinion the key tracks are Fatal Wound, Gun, Moonshiner, (done Dylan style,) I Wanna Be Your Dog, (Stooges cover,) and Sauget Wind.But make no mistake:THIS ENTIRE COMPILATION WILL BLOW YOUR MIND.The only complaint I have about this thing is that they failed to include the cover of "Truck Drivin' Man," which is on the album Anodyne.

The Birth of Legends
I hearily agree with the reviewer who commented that that this was one of the greatest anthologies he ever bought. To have a collection of twenty one songs written by the modern geniuses Jeff Tweedy and Jay Ferrar is indeed quite a treat. As you probably know, Uncle Tupelo was responsible for starting and stimulating the 'alt-country' genre that is so oftenly mentioned today. Countless bands try to mimic and recreate this sound, but very few have gotten the sound right like Uncle Tupelo did. The formula was a combination of country mountain twang, punk rock energy and an earnest, heartfelt delivery. Uncle Tupelo had this methodology down to a tee, and the resultant songs are proof thereof. On 89/93, eleven of the songs are Jay's, and ten are Jeff's. Although it was implied that this was more Jay's band, I think that Jeff wrote the best songs. 'Black Eye' is one of the most beautiful songs the band ever recorded. The cover of Iggy Pop's 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' is just flat out awesome. Fatal Wound is a great but infinitely sad song that foreshadows Jeff's mastery of melancholy on his Wilco albums Being There and Summerteeth. The last track, 'We've Been Had', is amazing too. Jeff sang with all the passion of a disillusioned twentysome year old with absolutely no where to go, and I think that wandering enthusiasm is what this band showed best. It's probably obvious by now that I prefer Tweedy and Wilco over Ferrar and Son Volt, but Jay was the founder of this band, and he wrote a number of incredible songs too. 'I Got Drunk' is so plain, but it's so good and so true. 'Looking For A Way Out' is a beautiful acoustic number that further illustrated how these guys were ramblin' men. And the wonderful 'Sauget Wind' is as pretty of a song as you'll hear anywhere. These guys made indispensable music, and 89/93 chronicles their greatness wonderfully. I recommend this to all listeners.

the perfect anthology! and a whole new experience
what a one disc anthology should be!
great choice picks made by the founders themselves.
not a bad song in the bag!
this one covers all their true best and then some you might've missed.
I was really taken by the 1989 demo of Outdone. the flow of the song is the best I have ever heard it before!
every song is given a different feel than the albums gave. WHAT! you ask. the different song order I say. this disc as a whole feels really good all the way through. the album releases cut the songs open with a sharp intense blade showing the center meat of UT. 100% pure..........

if you are a new or old fan of UT then this is a great disc to have. it's a whole new experience and a great introduction.



... Read more

Asin: B000063CN9
Subjects:  1. Alternative Country    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Alternative Pop/Rock    4. Americana    5. Pop    6. Rock   

Breathe
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 October, 1999)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Reviews (21)

Incredible music
This album will have you sliding around the room, gliding to the smooth sounds of keller and string cheese.Kang and his gang kick up keller's sound a notch.Its very smooth and actually very ingenious, this is of course my own opinion, so if you want to hear this ear candy test this cd out for its taste.Its very very good.

String Cheese Incident add more to Keller
This cd is preety good. Keller Williams amazing guitar abilities complement String Cheese Incident well- made music. I think Keller's solo stuff is more enjoyable. I like to hear his raw acoustic ability, although String Cheese is a good band to play with for Keller. 'Stupid Questions' is a favorite of mine of Keller's, I also love "Vacate". Enjoy

Good Combo
I'd have to disagree with one of the reviews that stated this album would be better w/o SCI. I love the fuller sound of this CD compared with Keller's more solo albums. It is a very relaxing CD to be played outside on a sunny day. ... Read more

Asin: B00001ZSV2
Sales Rank: 43763
Subjects:  1. Jam Bands    2. Pop    3. Progressive Bluegrass    4. Rock   

Ozomatli
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (16 June, 1998)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

Multiculti Los Angeles-based 10-piece Ozomatli is more than the sum of their parts: hip-hop, salsa, and funk crash head-on in this surprisingly natural collaboration. Their self-titled debut makes Ozomatli sound like one of the world's great live shows--a party band with a brain--and they pull it off deftly. Rapper Chali 2na ("Charlie Tuna," get it?) has an authoritative voice and a way with words, mixing references from Edie Brickell to Ed McMahon; just he and the Cut Chemist (both of Jurassic 5), who lends his turntable skills to the proceedings, would make for an entertaining album. But it's the way that the two--when they're even featured--build on and blend into the grooves of the wah-pedal-and-brass-section-powered ensemble that sets Ozomatli apart. Danceable and engaging, they've made a promising debut. --Randy Silver ... Read more

Reviews (80)

East Coast
My friend from Cali introduced me to this band and I immedately loved them.From start to finish it is a great album, to the point where I bought all of their cds. Definately new and original.

Simply Astounding
This is one of the best Latino cd's I am proud to play in my rotation 6 years after the album was released. I first heard Ozomatli when they opened for Santana in Montreal and I was like woah! I was on my feet dancing throughout their opener. They were so pumped and hyped that no matter what mood you are in they just get you in this partying and dancing mood that you cannot resist. If you are the kind of person who loves those smooth Latino beats blended with a bit of everything for an ultimate summer driving cd be sure to pick this up!!!

Such a refreshing change
As a fan of J-5, the release of this album made sense, in that Jurassic 5 make a point of putting their music first and image last. Ten piece band 'Ozomatli' seem to work perfectly in tandem with Chali 2na an Cut Chemist, blending all of their styles so well that it sounds as if this is how hiphop should be- a fusion of a wide variety of styles. When this album came out, i would listen to it over and over again, and because of the albums' diversity, it never felt tiresome. It is very difficult to put into words how successful this collaboration is, buy it and you will understand. For those who dont want to buy it, download track such as:
cut chemist suite, o le le and cumbia de los muertos ... Read more

Asin: B000007Q93
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

In Our Gun
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 March, 2002)
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Editorial Review

Since their Mercury Prize-winning 1998 debut, Bring It On, this self-produced five-piece have created their own rules. The third album proper from one of the most inventive British bands around, In Our Gun is brilliantly on target and off kilter. What's miraculous about their follow-up to Liquid Skin is that it manages to advance on the manic diversity of its predecessors. Gomez are a unique band--they have three distinctive vocalists in Ben Ottewell, Ian Ball, and Tom Gray, and an ever-fizzling chemistry where every member is made to count. The resulting emotional and musical palette is vast, encompassing epic grandeur and lucid intimacy, tenderness and anger. A quick check of their armory reveals Beefheart-ian blues, a beautifully cantankerous horn section, mariachi melodies, euphoric harmony vocals, blasting hip-hop beats, slide guitar that sounds like it's come up the Mersey via the Mississippi--and that's just for starters.--Gavin Martin ... Read more

Reviews (47)

We're jamming
Every review I read about Gomez goes like this: "Hey, they won the Mercury Prize...." I also know that John Lee Hooker confessed that he liked the music of Bring It On. But who cares in the end? (...) What have you done for me lately? I am lonely! Plus the fact that Gomez was just this obscure band to us in America that sounded as if they were from New Mexico but were not. I mean these guys wrote "Tijuana Lady" right? I saw them play with the glam-outfit Placebo once in a dim hotel in Times Square and Gomez appeared like roadies in comparison. There was nothing exciting about them. They looked like unhappy students who were embarrassed by being on stage. From the American perspective we were wondering why those critics ever liked Gomez and Gay Dad.

The same people in Britain who built Gomez up in 1998, said they were crap by the time of their second album, Liquid Skin. It seemed as whatever the boys did wasn't going to be accepted as well. Gomez then put out a double CD of b-sides that wasn't bad at all. After four years in the thick of things Gomez seemed like a band that will not quit. With their three lead singers and progressive rock style and a tendency for studio trickery, it was difficult to put a name on this monster. You could just sit back and enjoy: if you don't like one song, you're bound to like something coming up.

So we come to In Our Gun with little expectations. "Shot Shot" goes from an acoustic folk guitar to odd English funk. Everything is in the right place, for real. Songs like "Ruff Stuff" and "Detroit Swing 66," are about coming off drugs and crashing. Looking desperate and looking for help. Gomez has a sense of creating narratives and creating personal emotions. The song "Rex Kramer" is apparently a song about a character in the movie "Airplane." This first part of the album introduces their eerie arrangements and superb musicianship. Gomez are as weird, energetic, and funky as ever.

Then in the ballad "In Our Gun" things slow down in a very melodic and political moment. Once things get quiet even this song breaks out in a bass guitar riff that gets the feet moving. "The Sound of Sounds" is probably the best track on the album that shows how nice Gomez can be to the ear. It shows one example how they are getting better as songwriters. This album is not without invention. It never lets up at 50 minutes long which seems like a perfect length for a CD nowadays. Gomez possesses much freedom and optimism. They may not be the most exciting band to look at. No one is going to be blinded by the frontman. We don't have to see the video or see the dance moves to get Gomez. We just have to let them operate on their own level and be in anticipation of a punch. In Our Gun may be the one that they are remembered for.

(...)

music u wont necessary love, but u definately wont hate
Im gonna keep this short and simple, Gomez are a british band whos music is so unlike anyone elses. The best way to describe it is a sort of chillout music. Every gomez track is excellent and impossible to hate, they have catchy tunes and intriguing lyrics. A particularly good time to listen to Gomez is just after a party when everyone is chilling out, or u can listen to them wenever u like cuz they will sound incredible all the time. If u dont believe me then listen to the previews on this website and ENJOY!!!!!!

Off-key, but amazing
When I first listened to the track "Even Song," I knew I was in love.The strong, lyrical quality of his music shines through all of his work.Nearly every track on the album has it's own sound, it's own quality, but it's all unmistakably him.

His music is a bit strange at times, the rhythms seeming a bit off (see "Ruff Stuff"), but it is always right on.And very impressive.

I highly recommend this album to those looking for an off-beat album with a touch of folk and electric guitar all blended well and served up fresh. ... Read more

Asin: B00005V90R
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

March 16-20, 1992
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (03 August, 1992)
list price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

After ripping it up on No Depression and Still Feel Gone, their first two albums of twangy punk rock, Uncle Tupelo unplugged for this remarkable tribute--half originals, half political and religious covers--to the band's old-time influences. While the new songs of frontmen Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy are consistently strong here (especially Farrar's "Grindstone"), it's the album's haunted covers of old folksongs that are the true keepers. Tweedy's apocalyptic version of "Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down" and Farrar's earnest readings of the beat-down "Moonshiner" and the labor song "Coalminers" are as frightening, beautiful, and passionate as anything the band ever recorded. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Solid American Genius
A phenomenon like Uncle Tupelo is at times hard to comprehend. This album solidifies them as one of the best bands of the last twenty years. Moving away from their earlier brilliant albums that meshed rock and country they bring it all home by devoting themselves to daunting and beautiful renditions of traditionals and new material. This is an obvious tribute and demonstration of where they derived their unique sound.
Haunting renditions of songs like Coalminers, Criminals and Lilli Schull do what Tupelo does best: reminds us that music is both a potent tool for protest and catharsis. Farrar's bold lyrics ironically contrast with the fatalistic topics that the songs treat.
This album is very different than their first two but the themes and motivation stay the same. They are a constant lament of loneliness, exploitation and isolation. They are songs about the system manifest in the individual. They reject the morbid romanticism that a lot of the alternative scene seems to attach to the woes of the modern man, which is in a way endorsement of the system that rejects them but gives them identity. This music is not about Tupelo. It is about man, and it is beautiful, haunting and an absolute work of genius...

DOES this cd need reviewing?
...This cd is wonderful. It's all that music should be. The acoustic simplicity, the picking, the grating voices, the poignant themes, all of them blend together to make one [heck] of a satisfying cd. As previously said, if you listen to Uncle Tupelo, you'll form a band.

But it doesn't matter, because no one (not even Wilco or Volt) will EVER be Uncle Tupelo.

On tour with Mould
read the other reviews for all the hoohah.what most of them neglect to tell is that this cd was recorded while uncle tupelo was on tour with Bob Mould, who is absolutely legendary as an acoustic performer.i missed these shows, and i'd give my left noogie to have seen them. ... Read more

Asin: B000003JYH
Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. United States of America    6. Urban Folk   

Anodyne [Bonus Tracks]
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (11 March, 2003)
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Editorial Review

Before Anodyne, Uncle Tupelo already had one masterpiece in 1991's noisy and tense Still Feel Gone, but this album, the band's major-label debut, had even grander ambitions. Replacing the group's grungy guitar with soaring lap and pedal-steel fills, plus fiddle and mandolin breaks both sweet and raucous, Anodyne is overflowing with a spacious grandeur that alludes to, and then makes it own, everything from the Band and the Stones and Neil Young (both as a solo artist and with Crazy Horse) to old Acuff-Rose songs--all of which is just to say that it's among the best roots-rock records ever made. The 2003 remastered and expanded edition offers three unreleased tracks from the original sessions plus a pair of live covers from a 1993 Chicago show. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Features

• Live
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (53)

got to be kidding
I read one user review of this that said " Give me back the keys to my heart" was a good song with good lyrics. HAH! I could throw scrabble tiles on the floor and come up with something better. If you really love Wilco (like I do) there are a few good Tweedy gems buried in this garbage but I would recommend buying downloads of Acuff-Rose etc. Dont waste your money on this cd!

Rocks Maliciously
Rhino's re-release of this classic set is an excellent repackaging of this classic CD.Uncle Tupelo's sound of alternative country sounds amazingly fresh with Rhino's remastering magic.The bonus tracks on the new issue are of interest to long-time band fans."Stay True" is a blast of Jay Farrar's guitar & vocals.Jeff Tweedy takes lead vocals on "Wherever" with a minimalist melody, "Hey what's that mean?Don't make it sound so simple.""Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?" is a strong Waylon Jennings-penned country rocker.The live hoedown version of "Truck Drivin' Man" has great tasty fiddle.My favorite ear candy is UT's blow-out version of the classic rocker "Suzy Q" recorded live at the Vic Theatre in Chicago.The guys rock maliciously on this 7-minute track.Of the original tracks, "The Long Cut" is a delightful rocker with Jeff's ragged vocals fitting the material like a glove."Steal the Crumbs" has a good build and one of those Neil Young-inspired vocals."Anodyne" has long been recognized for its creative brilliance and originality.Rhino's re-issue offers a great booklet with lyrics and commentary on the band and this set.Enjoy!

JDT
Uncle Tupelo is without doubt one of the most under appreciated groups of the 90's.Anodyne, like each of the three albums that came before it, has everything that a remarkable recording requires: great songs, honest lyrics, and artists who really care about the music they are making.Like the best of Dylan and Springsteen, the songs are about real people with real troubles and joys.When you hear them you know they are coming from the heart.The songs contributed by Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy are easily differentiated by the voacls, music, and lyrics.What makes this record interesting is how well these unique sounds compliment each other. The union is seamless. ... Read more

Asin: B00008DCSZ
Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Better Days
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 January, 1999)
list price: $15.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

This reissue of the Boston favorite's 1995 debut clearly highlights her greatest strength: her voice. Susan Tedeschi has been singing since she was 4 years old, and it shows; her voice has the power and control that comes from long experience. If her version of "Hound Dog" doesn't blow the top off of Big Mama Thornton's original, it's still a strong effort, and she's just as good with her own material. The title track--penned by Adrienne Hayes, guitarist for Tedeschi's band--is especially good, as the slow tempo allows Tedeschi to stretch her pipes a bit. Unfortunately, even by the release of Just Won't Burn, Tedeschi's guitar hadn't caught up with her voice, and the discrepancy is even more obvious here--there's a spark, but it doesn't quite catch fire. Still, there's no question that her heart's in the right place, and if her guitar work continues to improve, there'll be no stopping her. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Great music, bad production
I love Susan Tedeschi and was thrilled to get a hold of this "pre-fame" CD. It's a great CD too. Full of powerful blues that are more reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt than of Janis Joplin.

The production on this CD is really pretty spotty. The first track "It's Up to You" has a very muddy quality to it and "It Hurts Me Too" is painful to listen to on headphones with the mixing from left to right channels constantly moving. Most of the tracks however, are adequately mixed.

All in all, this is well worth listening to if you're a Tedeschi fan, but her following CD's are far superior to this one. She just keeps getting better.

A good record
Like most people, I fell in love with Susan Tedeschi after hearing "Just Won't Burn".It became the soundtrack of my senior year in high school...so I immediately bought "Better Days", and at first listen, I was disappointed.Nothing seemed to click.It wasn't bad, just okay.I set it aside for a couple months and just recently started listening to it again.I don't know why I didn't love it before!Some of the songs almost have a country feel, like the first track.Most are mellow blues, but they still rock.I can't wait for the new album!

This gal knows how to play the blues!
I first heard Ms. Tedeschi when she opened for B.B. King in his year 2000 tour.What a night!I happen to be a big fan of the blues, and when I heard those performers, I was more than impressed!But Ms. Tedeschi stood out from the rest, because she expresses such a great amount of talent.You can tell that she loves her work!She can really play the blues, and her voice is just the icing on the cake!
It's hard to say which song on this album is my favorite.It's like trying to decide which one of your children you love more.But I will say that her interpretation of "Hound Dog" is not one to be missed.I would also have to say that the instrumental work on "You're On My Hair" is great!Not to mention, she can play a mean slide guitar!(When you hear "Locomotive" you'll know what I mean).I recommend this album to anyone who has a deep respect for the blues, you won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Asin: B00000GVZ5
Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Contemporary Blues    3. Modern Electric Blues    4. Pop   

Summerteeth
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (09 March, 1999)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $8.99
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Editorial Review

Wilco's de facto frontman, Jeff Tweedy, sports a colorful past, one where he wrote paint-peelers dedicated to late Minutemen founder D. Boon as a member of the feted (and maybe fated) Uncle Tupelo and where he dolefully crooned Woody Guthrie lyrics on 1998's Mermaid Avenue. But Wilco's Summer Teeth shows hardly a tatter of Tweedy's herky-jerky postpunk intensity or the agrarian rootsiness that so often came in the past from him. Instead this layered album spreads its digits far into guitar-heavy Britpop, with full-group backing vocals carrying bouncy choruses and synths whistling over the melodies. The tunes sound like a crosshatch of orchestral plans and an execution drawing on Alex Chilton and Big Star, the Kinks, and, only distantly, Wilco's debut, A.M. "We're Just Friends" and "Via Chicago" stand as harmonized twists on ballad formulas, the latter recalling Mermaid Avenue's "California Stars" with the opening line, "I dreamed about killing you again last night / And it felt all right to me." So it's not always uplifting or cheery, but it's got dozens of surprises in a mere 15 songs. --Andrew Bartlett ... Read more

Reviews (180)

Nice mix of music
My first Wilco CD worked well for me as I walked along the hot, dirty, polluted, crowded streets of Manila, sweating away and dodging traffic. I could almost forget my situation as I listened to the spectrum of music on this CD.On, on, Wilco, from an American expat in Manila!

a "Top 5" Favorite album of All Time!
Summerteeth is on my top 5 favorite albums of all time.It has everything.It holds you by the hand and walks you through a gammet of emotions from whistful to an alpha-state dream to deep a sullen state and back up again.There is an amazing variety of instrumentation and sounds that wash by as you listen.you will hear new things each time you play.

a great album
If Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is Wilco's Sgt. Pepper, Summerteeth is their Revolver.A refreshing change from their past sound, with hints of what's to come.

This album drifts away from their country-ish beginnings, and heads toward alt-pop.The heavy use of synths is a big part of the change.Some fans find this annoying, but I love it.Some of it sounds a little like early Weezer, but more complex.We start to hear some of the ambient noise stuff that is all over their next album.

Jeff Tweedy's lyrics are a blend of optimism and melancholy.He's a true original.His songs can be catchy, thought-provoking, and bittersweet.

All the comments about the album being "derivative" are a bunch of baloney.This is a great album, all compelling tracks, definitely worth the money.
... Read more

Asin: B00000I5JS
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Alternative Pop/Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock   

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 April, 2002)
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Editorial Review

Named in honor of the three-word codes used by short-wave radio operators, Wilco's fourth album sounds like a late-night broadcast of some weirdly wonderful pop station punctuated by static and the sonic bleed of competing signals. Songs that begin with simple, elegiac grace--"Ashes of American Flags" and "Poor Places"--end in a cathartic squall of distortion. The results can be initially jarring, but it's these tracks more than the sturdy jangle pop of "Kamera" or "Heavy Metal Drummer" that demand, and reward, repeated listens. Mixed by studio experimentalist Jim O'Rourke and produced by the band, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot harkens back to a time when the words "pop" and "sonic adventurism" weren't mutually exclusive. The Beatles and Kurt Cobain knew this, and clearly so do Jeff Tweedy and company. --Keith Moerer ... Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (564)

Spend some time with YHF, its worth it
Wilco's critically acclaimed release Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is deep and extremely moving.The music is basically folk with an incredible sonic backdrop.There are few guitar solos and alot of silence, but the band shares space wonderfully and masterfully layer sound over sound.The music is understated, but extremely powerful.I recommend this album to anyone who loves music.It might not come easy, but it is worth taking time to listen to it.People are turned off by the industrial noise that creeps in, but sometime you need to take the pain to feel the pleasure.Amazing, simply amazing.

Somnambulatory Soundstage
So, everyone's favorite somnambulist grunge muswell hills hero tells us now that he has been addicted to painkillers. I, for one, am not surprised! Summerteeth is the one worthwhile record this band has produced, with sounds from eno, lennon, brian wilson and others blended together in an off-kilter formalism of subverted swagger. But this record? Please! If your in love with the idea of loving Wilco than love this too! Otherwise, steer clear of the pretension and the passionless pedantry. Get Spoon fed or borrow Ian Hunter's lead (as in better dead than read).

What's all the fuss about?
How about some decent lyrics...consistantly? Also the melody lines sound like what you would sing when you've got a few chords down and are first making up a verse or chorus, not a final product. A bunch of weird noises + dumb lyrics + singing like your hungover laying in bed = great music for some I guess. There are a few decent moments, but nothing a million garage bands couldn't duplicate in 5 minutes. Maybe my perspective is different than most because I record bands all the time and have done a few albums myself. ... Read more

Asin: B00005YXZH
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Embrace the Chaos
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (11 September, 2001)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

The follow-up to Ozomatli's 1998 eponymous debut, Embrace the Chaos builds on the band's proven strengths: a masterful command of a palette of musical styles, a firm commitment to social activism, and an unending devotion to the power of rhythm. Like the L.A. landscape from which the group emerged, Ozo's music is a polyglot of cultures, whether it's the Puerto Rican salsa of "Dos Cosas Ciertas," the Mardi Gras funk of "1, 2, 3, 4," the Brazilian batucada beat of "Suenos en Realidad," or the Cuban son influence on "Timido." The result is a gorgeously diverse sound that changes from song to song without seeming disjointed or random. Rap fans may be disappointed to note that Jurassic 5's Chali 2na and Cut Chemist are no longer with the group, but the album is hardly suffering from a dearth of hip-hop; in-house rapper Kanetic Source and DJ Spinobi offer their talents, while notable cameos are provided by De La Soul ("1, 2, 3, 4"), Medusa ("Vocal Artillery"), and Common ("Embrace the Chaos"). Even though the album is capped at an efficient 11 songs, it doesn't come up short. With so much different music represented, Embrace the Chaos is like a dozen albums fused into one. --Oliver Wang ... Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (27)

Baltimore Hons rocks to Ozomatli
I have been listening to this CD everyday for a year!Just saw them in concert April 27 04 and they were fantastic.They jumped into the crowd and played right next to us for the last 30 min.Very rarely do you hear a group who's live performance is exactly the quality of the CD.You won't need to understand Spanish to groove to the heated explicit lyrics.Even a gringa can learn rhythm with this CD.Ozomatli played some songs from the new CD being released in June.I was on line today to see if i could pre-order it.

Ozomatli excels! online concert, too...
This album is fantastic. This group is excellent. You know this album rocks, so here is a tip! They recently played a really small, initimate concert at The Expression Center for New Media in the Bay Area and it is online ...
I love Ozo and if you do, too, you'll be stoked on this.
Surfer

Maximum Surprise
Having seen this group on the Latin Grammy awards perform "Dos Cosas Ciertas" and knowing nothing else about them, I bought the CD. I was very surprised to hear two of my favorite hip-hop artists on some tracks, especially the title track performed with Common! I love groups like Ozomatli and Groove Collective for their efforts at fusion. Their melange of latin and hip-hop and jazz reflects the diversity of urban America today. What Ozomatli should do now is carry their social activism further in their music. Play very loud! ... Read more

Asin: B00005NWLD
Subjects:  1. Hip-Hop    2. Latin Pop    3. Middle Eastern Pop    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock en Español    7. Salsa    8. Worldbeat   

Laugh
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 February, 2002)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $16.98
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Editorial Review

By subduing some of his trademark acoustic ferocity, Keller Williams has come up with a markedly more cohesive collection than past efforts. Rather than showcasing the technical wizardry that has earned him acclaim, here Williams melds his formidable skills with Tye North's restrained bass and Dave Watt's unerring drumming to create a more integrated work that backs away from the series of glancing blows and showy displays of instrumental prowess found on some of his earlier works. His stream-of-consciousness lyrics are still intact, but these wry observations and travelogues from the road show a greater depth and insight. The overriding theme here--the importance of honoring one's own eccentricities and remaining psychologically and intellectually free--are best expressed on the rather droll "Alligator Alley," a play on the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil," in which he wades deeply into the shoals of paranoia before proclaiming, "I set Willie free / Yeah, that was me." Indeed, his covers further amplify Laugh's keynote theme: both Ani DiFranco's "Freakshow" and the Michael Hedges's "Spring Buds" applaud the importance of following your own path. Which is exactly what Williams intends to do, laughing all the way. --Jaan Uhelszki ... Read more

Reviews (10)

One of the best studio albums ever
This album overflows with the following:

1) Innovation
2) TALENT
3) Cool tunes
4) FUN!

I think the most important fact to mention is that there are so many different styles of music represented on "Laugh", funk, jazz, bluegrass, and not to mention signature Keller Williamsjust to name a few. If you are a newcomer to Keller, buy this album first, it really gets you into his unique style. Afterwards, in the likely event that you can dig it, your attraction to the music will tell you what to do from there.

If you've never heard Keller before, but are generally a music lover, pick up a used copy for real cheap. It is definitely a must have for anyone who can appreciate music in it's purest form.

I don't know how to say how awesome this CD is.
A friend introduced me to Keller.I bought this CD and there's no going back.My 50 year old Father even enjoys Keller's tunes.If you're trying to decide which Keller CD to buy, Have no fear.Kids, his version of Ani Defranco's FREAK SHOW will keep pounding in your brain for days after hearing this disc.Alligator Alley, Kidney in a Cooler, they're all just too awesome.Do yourself a favor and buy this today.

Keller is the coolest man on the face of this planet. period
The only way to put this CD into words is to throw in a short lyric from "Kidney In A Cooler":
...When up walked the mechanic with the perpendicular teeth
Perpindicular teeth (repeat repeat, etc.)

This is a fun album. The coolness overflows. Like one other reviewer said- it has a way of staying with you for the entire day. Especially the verse on kidney where he is describing his double decker double wide! ... Read more

Asin: B00005YWKP
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Progressive Bluegrass    3. Rock   

Dance
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 February, 2003)
list price: $12.98 -- our price: $12.98
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Reviews (3)

What "Laugh" would sound like in a dream.
This CD is a bit crazy, but still Keller. I find it better to use as background music. However, a close listen will also yield great enjoyment. There are some funny answering machine messages in the background of one of the tracks, as well as infectious vocal loops. Can you say "WOOOOOOOoooooo?" Each song, although bearing a different title from the mother CD, "Laugh," still retains a melody or theme from the original.
At whatever level, Keller Williams continues to amaze me. Even so, there is not a CD recording of KW on this planet that can harness the energy that he communicates on-stage, live.
See Keller Williams! He blows minds for a living.
Yes, Keller...Yes.

What "Laugh" would sound like in a dream.
This CD is a bit crazy, but still Keller. I find it better to use as background music. However, a close listen will also yield great enjoyment. There are some funny answering machine messages in the background of one of the tracks, as well as infectious vocal loops. Can you say "WOOOOOOOoooooo?" Each song, although bearing a different title from the mother CD, "Laugh," still retains a melody or theme from the original.
At whatever level, Keller Williams continues to amaze me. Even so, there is not a CD recording of KW on this planet that can harness the energy that he communicates on-stage, live.
See Keller Williams! He blows minds for a living.
Yes, Keller...Yes.

If I had a dream about listening to "Laugh," this is it.
This CD is a bit crazy, but still Keller.I find it better to use as background music.However, a close listen will also yield great enjoyment.There are some funny answering machine messages in the background of one of the tracks, as well as infectious vocal loops.Can you say"WOOOOOOOoooooo?"Each song, although bearing a different title from the mother CD, "Laugh," still retains a melody or theme from the original.
At whatever level, Keller Williams continues to amaze me. Even so, there is not a CD recording of KW on this planet that can harness the energy that he communicates on-stage, live.
See Keller Williams!He blows minds for a living.
Yes, Keller...Yes. ... Read more

Asin: B000086BC0
Sales Rank: 105022
Subjects:  1. Electronica    2. Jam Bands    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Wait for Me
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 November, 2002)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

This Boston-bred blueswoman's follow-up to Just Won't Burn, which earned her a Best New Artist Grammy nomination in 2000, trades its predecessor's bar-band bluster for a sensual, soulful approach. By slowing the tempos, Tedeschi is able to make the most of the warm, middle range of her voice, pouring honey all over sweet ballads and making the Memphis funker "Alone" jump like a lost Hi Records nugget. Although her guitar-star husband, Derek Trucks, adds fire to two numbers, including Paul Pena's classic "Gonna Move," Tedeschi herself dishes out some fat-toned, terse solos that sting with the style of the late Johnny "Guitar" Watson.

Also here is a haunting take on Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice," which fits perfectly with Tedeschi's own songs about mature romance. And she teams with Handy Award-winning country-blues duo Paul Rishell and Annie Raines for the spare and touching acoustic tune "Blues on a Holiday." Wait for Me may not win Tedeschi the attention her last album drew, but it's far better, and it marks her arrival as a full-grown artist. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Dam girl - you are good!
Ok, i love Susan's music. seen her in person, loved her. i'm an all out fan. her first CD was awesome, and this is good too. (ok, maybe i like the first one better, not sure why) she is blues and rock and jazz, and so very hot. buy it, you'll be glad.

Tedeschi picks up the slack... I want more!
October 23, 2002
Artist; Susan Tedeschi
Title: Wait For Me
Rating: Very Good

In 1989 a six-year sober Bonnie Raitt bedazzled a beleaguered music industry with the multi- platinum, multi-Grammy album, `Nick of Time.' After more than twenty years, Raitt had finally struck gold. The "sound" of Raitt's wagon-load of Grammy album was not new - her refreshed pop sense with a blues base got her on the radio airplay but it was the ballads that struck a nerve with listeners. For the next decade Raitt would be the world's darling lending her bully pulpit to social & environmental causes.

Upon the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan in August 1990, Raitt would add the weight of being the blues only major cross-over artist on her slim shoulders. Thanks to the momentum of Stevie Ray Vaughan, `the blues' art-form was vibrant throughout the `90's. As the impact of downloading and burning began to reverberate, major labels sang the blues over financial losses. As result, labels cut artists and ad budgets. Consequently the blues' popularity has been on the down-swing since the new millennium.

Tone Cool's Susan Tedeschi may provide the thumb in the dike to stem the blues' ebbing popularity. For a blues album to sell 50,000 units is a smashing success. Tedeschi's last album, Just Won't Burn, sold more than ½ million albums. With the release of her newest effort (November 19th), Wait For Me, Tedeschi will surely substantially best her last effort. It's a terrific album jam packed with superb vocal performances, strong songs, and excellent arrangements. Included on the album are two previously released tracks. `In the Garden' appeared on Double Trouble's latest release (along with a cover of Led Zeppelin's, `Rock -n- Roll.' `Baby You're Right' appears on Tedeschi's husband Derek Trucks' latest stellar release, Joyful Noise.' A nephew of Allman Brothers bass player `Butch' Trucks, Derek Trucks played with the Allman Brothers Band for much of last year with Tedeschi's band opening. Consequently, Tedeschi's sound has matured substantially into a more rock oriented sound. Like Raitt's, Nick of Time, Tedeschi has mixed tasty ballads with upbeat rockers. Tedeschi is backed by a smoking guitar and humping organ (players unknown at this time). Also covered on the album is Dylan's, 'Don't Think Twice.' While blues purists continue to embrace Tedeschi, `Wait for Me' is sure to be a cross-over hit that rock fans are going to relate. While today's helter-skelter music world leaves it up to anyone's guess, it will be interesting to see if radio `gets it' and hops on board a sure thing early in the cycle or will it wait?

really sucks
If you really liked JUST WONTBURN then this could be a
major disappointment like it was for me. Susan leaves the Blues
for a smoother sound and leave's the fire and passion behind.
Now there's nothing special about her. Susan please go back to
the Blues. ... Read more

Asin: B00006NSIP
Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Modern Electric Blues    3. Pop    4. R&B    5. Roots Rock   

ThirdShiftGrottoSlack
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (13 August, 2002)
list price: $7.98 -- our price: $7.98
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Editorial Review

Jay Farrar'sSebastopol was easily among the finest rock releases of 2001, an eclectic showcase of the Uncle Tupelo andSon Volt founder's rough and smoky voice, willfully obscure lyrics, slow-churning rhythms, and petulant melodies. Sebastopol is Farrar's most accessible work to date--and his most adventurous, bringing keyboards, loops, and sampled strings into the mix. It sounds a bit likeSteve Earle andCrazy Horse collaborating with folk-blues deconstructionists and studio wizardsCalifone. ThirdShiftGrottoSlack consists of four songs originally slated to appear on Sebastopol, but that were cut for space. From the sparse,Palace-like "GreenwichTime" to the beautiful, elegiac "Station to Station," these cuts perfectlycomplement that splendid, slow-churning album. The fifth tune is the realwinner, a remix by celeb producer Tom Rothrock of one of Sebastopol'sstrongest cuts; it's a slinky, Big Beat-ish version of "Damn Shame" thatsuggests new avenues for Farrar to explore. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Features

Reviews (9)

Should Have Been a Bonus Disc
It should be noted that "ThirdShiftGrottoSlack" contains only five songs and a mere thirteen minutes of music.The songs were all recorded during the sessions for Farrar's "Sebastopol" album (including a remix of "Damn Shame").If you like "Sebastopol," there's no reason to think you won't like what little is included here.

I have one question though: why is Jay Farrar making fans shell out extra coin for such a slight package?Caitlin Cary, Ryan Adams and The Jayhawks, just to name a few, have all released recent albums including bonus CDs that are as long or longer than this EP without tacking on additional costs to their fans.Seems to me that Jay Farrar could have done the same or maybe opened his vaults and thrown in some old demos or something to beef this package up a little bit.

Overall, a way too brief EP, even at the reduced price it lists for.

A [] Post Script
This little catch of songs is for collectors/wool-dyed fans only.It has nice tunes, but those songs (plus one re-mixed song) were cut from Jay Farrar's Sebastopol (sp?).If you absolutely loved last year's cd and you simply have to hear more, dig in your pockets for the few bucks this will cost.However, I would advise searching for other music (Have you heard Caitlin Cary's cd?It's wonderful.) while listening to the wonderful cd Mr. Farrar sent last year.ThirdShiftGrottoSlack is only a post script/post-it note to Sebastopol.

For Jay's move forward
That is why I give this release 5 stars.I have been listening to Jay and Jeff for a long long time, as well as Paul (Westerburg) and Bob (Mould) and Dave (Priner) and all of those midwest rats that stirred things up with a potent mix of punk, folk and country back in the 80s and early 90s.But like the musicians, most of their audiences have grown and expanded...and hopefully that means musically as well as numerically.Jay is an amazing songwriter, I would claim he is one of the best of his generation.But great songwriters don't settle for formula and Jay has proven with Sebastopol and ThirdShift that he is willing to apply what he does best to differant formulas and for that I say Jaylelujah!

This release shows Jay is willing to create great music despite all those fans (and previous reviewers) who would pigeonhole him forever into being that guy from Uncle Tupelo.The fact is that Jay is still writing brilliant songs that fit into his familiar framework, but he is progressing and these "purist"/reactionaries can't seem to handle progression.Well, they can have the "Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack, meanwhile, I will be happy with great songs like "Greenwich Time" and "Dues".

I too loved Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo, but I absolutely love Jay solo.I can only imagine what his present critics here have to say about Wilco...God forbid they ever start listening to Jazz, Stanley Crouch would be put to shame I would imagine. ... Read more

Asin: B00006AAKJ
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Americana    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter   

Sebastopol
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 September, 2001)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $14.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Sometimes a successful solo debut is more about honing an extant stylethan making wholesale changes. Here, Jay Farrar shelves his post-Uncle Tupelo bandSon Volt and theirCrazy Horse-meets-cowpunksound in favor of a tuneful, acoustic approach. Solo or not, it's clear from thedark-hued melodies, obtuse lyrics, and yearning lead vocals on Sebastopolthat this is obviously a Farrar record. No great stylistic leaps here, and, forfans, that's good news. An upbeat, repeat-chorused tune like "Voodoo Candle"would not be out of place on a Son Volt record. The twangy "Barstow" with DavidRawlings on lap steel would have fit on a later Uncle Tupelo disc. And themournful "Drain" is set to the tune Farrar has been writing since he began. Thedetails are where things are different. From the violin-like keyboards of"Damaged Son," the drum machine and sitar intro of "Prelude (Make It Alright),"and the alternative tunings used throughout, it's clear that Farrar is nowwriting songs for himself and not a band. It's a change that casts the bestmoments of his craggy songwriting--the melodic turn of the chorus of "FeedkillChain" and the solid craftsmanship of "Different Eyes"--in an even morebeautiful light. --Robert Baird ... Read more

Features

• Extra tracks

Reviews (79)

Farrar Meets the Beatles?
Nothing in the recorded output of Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo through the 3 Sun Volt albums) prepared me for Sebastopol. And reading these reviews, it looks like a lot of people were equally unprepared. One review here calls it an "acoustic" record, while another complains of "shrill electronic sounds"... one seems to only like "Damn Shame" which is very unlike anything else on the record, another thinks "Barstow" is hackwork. Everybody's got two cents and I'm no exception.
I'm writing this in 2005, after "Terroir Blues" and the live records... and at this juncture, I'd say that Sebastopol is one of my favorite records of all time. As far as Farrar's work goes, I think it is second to "Trace" but just barely. What is very cool to me is just how different it is from his other stuff... what interesting stuff Jay can do when he decides to use the studio. Most of his records go for a more raw, "live band" sound which I love. But on Sebastopol, he had the time and money and desire to really use the studio step away from the formula. What he delivers is something that immediately struck me as a record that might have resulted if the Beatles were making Revolver in the 21st century with Neil Young in the band. I've never noticed a trace of Beatles in Jay, but there are moments here that feel like Rubber Soul, Revolver and even things like "It's all too much" from the Yellow Submarine album. And he does it without completely losing touch with the "cosmic American" sensibility that has been his signature.

Almost every song on this disk holds up well. Many are more tuneful and interesting than his average output, and it makes me wish that some of the Terroir Blues cuts had gotten a similar treatment. If you only like the more country edge of Jay, then you might not hang with Sebastopol. If you only like his hardest edged stuff, it might, I suppose, sound too "Pop" ... but if this is Pop, it's what I wish Pop would become. There is nothing "slick" here, nothing silly, nothing gratuitous. I wish the synth-string backing of "damaged Son" was a little less ponderous but other than that, I love it start to finish. And if you get the ThirdshiftGrottoSlack EP and burn your own disk with that following the Sebastopol cuts... (minus the noise tracks which I really don't like) You have a really fine record (and you REALLY hear the Beatles influence on a couple of those). Very listenable, very interesting. Lyrically fine, and well recorded.

Seriously, Folks....
This album has a certain depth to it that you feel almost immediately - the standout track, for me, is Outside the Door, where Jay sings about the "old" St. Louis. IT'S THAT DAMN GOOD.

Where?s the angst
I love Uncle Tupelo I believe that Jay and Jeff would feed off each other and reel each other in. Maybe it was that they were younger and had more angst. In any case there are a few good cuts on this CD Damn Shame being the strongest. Overall it was a good attempt but maybe they have been leading too much of the good life and needs to find the fire and passion and the angst of years past. ... Read more

Asin: B00005OAI5
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter