Queen - Greatest Video Hits 1
Average Customer Review:
DVD (15 October, 2002)
list price: $24.98 -- our price: $22.48
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Editorial Review

You haven't heard Queen's greatest hits until you've experienced them in surround sound on Greatest Video Hits 1. Disc 1 includes 16 of Queen's most popular singles, restored and remixed in 5.1-channel Dolby Digital and DTS, and the results are nothing less than spectacular. Reformatted for widescreen TVs, Queen's early videos are visually basic (typically combining lip-synched band footage with concert performance clips), but they effectively chronicle the group's musical and stylistic evolution, and "Bicycle Race" includes previously unseen footage of an all-nude female bicycle race! (Optional commentary is provided for all videos by guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, with archival quotes from the late Freddie Mercury and bassist John Deacon.)

Disc 2, while not remixed, features six excellent videos (including the previously unseen "Liar"), and a hidden, alternate-edit video of "Bohemian Rhapsody" originally seen on Britain's Top of the Pops (and accessible by entering "Title 10, Chapter 1" on your DVD remote). "Bohemian Rhapsody" is the obvious highlight of both discs, and its history (both audio and video) is thoroughly explored, including May's fascinating deconstruction of the song's original studio recording tracks. Mandatory viewing for Queen fans, Video Hits 1 will leave you begging for Video Hits 2. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Dolby
• DTS Surround Sound

Reviews (40)

Almost Live!
This Queen DVD dosn't offer same kind of good videos as Greatest Video Hits II. There's some videos that are very good, like "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Bicycle Race", "Save Me", and "Flash". All the others are that just the band is playing, sometimes in the winter landscape and sometimes just on stage. Anyway I like the Queen and it is always great to see them playing the old classics.

Disc 1:
Bohemian Rhapsody
Another One Bites the Dust
Killer Queen
Fat Bottomed Girls
Bicycle Race
You're My Best Friend
Don't Stop Me Now
Save Me
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Somebody to Love
Spread Your Wings
Play the Game
Flash
Tie Your Mother Down
We Are the Champions

Disc 2: Now I'm here (live)
Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy
Keep Yourself Alive
Liar
Love of My Life (live)
We Will Rock You (Fast Live Version)

Great For A Queen Fan (4.5 stars)
The first of 2 Greatest Video Hits DVDs released by Queen features seemingly all of their biggest hits captured through their 70s and very early 80s music videos, as well as video by video commentary from the crew and a look inside the making of their most famous and epic song, Bohemian Rhapsody.

This is a wonderful purchase for any die hard Queen fan as it captures their early work very nicely and is highlighted by the superb sound quality of the DVD. However, the picture quality is weak in a few of the tracks, despite each of them being digitally remastered.
The reason to avoid this DVD would be that you would be getting hit songs that you may already have on a CD, shown through a TV screen with far from perfect picture quality. The reason to buy it would be the interesting commentary of the crew, the inside look on Bohemian Rhapsody, the live versions of the songs We Will Rock You(Fast Version), Now I'm Here, and Love of My Life, and some impressive music videos that you've most likely never seen before. Therefore, I'll let you decide. I quite enjoy this DVD, and all the commentary from Queen, particularly Brian May and Roger Taylor is effective.

Music Video Highlights include: Bohemian Rhapsody, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Flash, and Save Me.

Worst Video: Fat Bottomed Girls. A very pathetic video probably kept this song from being an even bigger hit then it could have been. Brian May and Roger Taylor both commentate on how weak a music video it is. It's still nice to hear the great song though.

Overall, I'll leave it up to you, the reader, to decide whether or not it's worth purchasing this 2 Disc DVD collection from Queen. If you're interested in a Live DVD, your best choice would probably be Queen On Fire Live at the Bowl. Live at Wembley Stadium is most likely a good selection from what I've heard, but I don't own it myself.

Incredible!
Having seen most of the videos in this collection many times over, I was still compelled to get the DVD just for the sound quality.And boy did it ever deliver! However, that's not even the real reason I'm so crazy over this set.The real reason is the audio commentary with Brian and Roger, and the Bo Rhap sections.Honestly, just watching Brian go through each track of the song, analyzing, explaining, even showing us Freddie's doodlings...was almost too much for me.Honestly, you can hear what a fantastic song it is just by listening to it on the radio.But you will never fully appreciate it until you hear it played and explained from the master by...well, The Master himself! Buy this and drown in drool, Queen fans! ... Read more

Asin: B00006LPAH
Subjects:  1. Music Video - Pop/Rock   

Live Shit: Binge & Purge (CD & DVD)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 November, 2002)
list price: $59.98 -- our price: $53.99
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Features

• Box set
• Live

Reviews (59)

Purged this into Tampa Bay...
Noting Metallica's recent radio and MTV-friendly format, I purchased a copy of this box set in order to dramatically illustrate the nosedive that has become of Metallica's career. Driving to the top of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge here in Tampa, I flung 'Live $hit, Binge & Purge' into the shipping channel...a 200 foot drop. Longtime fans can rest assured that one of 'sell-out' Metallica's new box sets is now 'sleeping with the fishes'.

WORTH EVERY CENT
Hey there. i payed $120NZD (New Zealand Dollars) to have this delivered to me in NZ. Whoever said it sounds like you're at the back of the arena buying a hotdog, that's absolute rubbish. Every word and chord is heard fine and is good. I rate the sound quality maybe 3.5stars in todays standards but seeing this much quality metallica from their older days is invaluable. MUST BUY!

One Box Set That Is Worth Every Cent It Cost!!
There is SO MUCH included on the DVDs and CDs that I've had the set for a couple days and still haven't gotten through it all!!
One more DVD to watch!The (all LIVE) music includes songs from KILL 'EM ALL through METALLICA, and it rocks thunderously hard!!!
The DVD quality is excellent.The CDs sound great!A MUST for all Metallica fans!
... Read more

Asin: B00006YXCH
Sales Rank: 3085
Subjects:  1. Box Sets (Audio Only)    2. Hard Rock    3. Heavy Metal    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Speed Metal    7. Thrash    8. United States of America   

Audioslave
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 November, 2002)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $9.99
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Editorial Review

The debut of thundering supergroup Audioslave--featuring members of Rage Against the Machine post-Zack de la Rocha with ex-Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell--is as much curio as fascinating blend of visions. Cornell might be outnumbered, but his unmistakable holler and nihilistic imagery ensure that Audioslave, the album, recalls early Soundgarden. That's especially true since de la Rocha took Rage's signature rap and politicking with him. Still, if this is Soundgarden, it's Soundgarden set to stun. Rage guitarist Tom Morello is more of a mauler than Kim Thayil ever was--witness "Shadow on the Sun," which moves from bruising thud to psychedelic freak-out and back again--while the Rage rhythm section of Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk anchor the bottom end with pure instrumental cement. Intentionally or not, "Gasoline" bears passing resemblance to "Rusty Cage," while the sweeping "I Am the Highway" and slow-burning "The Last Remaining Light" best showcase Cornell's surprisingly New Age-y lyrical bent. Cover art by Storm Thorgerson, who gave Pink Floyd records their distinctive stamp, underscores the set's inherent celebrity. Fans of Rage and Soundgarden can raise clenched fists in unison, for Audioslave is win-win. --Kim Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (919)

Great Debut Album
This album is simply one of the best to come out in 2000's. The singles on this are "Cochise", "Like A Stone" and "I am the Highway." The first 8 tracks of this are great and amazing with everyone one of them having ther own unique sound. After track 8 it just seems to become so mediocre. It is so much better to have Chris Cornell singing with Tom Morello's guitar's then having RATM's lead singer. SG and RATM are a great combination and even there second album is great. With Chris they easily surpass RATM's music.

One of the better modern rock bands out there
Audioslave (2002.) Audioslave's first album.

Just as the twenty-first century arrived, music was going downhill severely. The pop music of the day was nothing short of terrible, for the most part, and the once awesome alternative/grunge rock genre had spawned far too many clones, resulting in the very disappointing nu-metal genre. Many of the alternative rock giants that had made the nineties such an awesome time from rock and roll were gone. And then, something completely unexpected happened. Chris Cornell, former vocalist for Soundgarden, one of the greatest bands of the nineties, joined forces with Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk - former Rage Against The Machine members. The collaboration of these artists took the name Audioslave. The group's self-titled first album was released in 2002. Interestingly enough, the cover art for the album was created by none other than Storm Thorgueson, the guy who had gained fame in the seventies for creating Pink Floyd's album covers! Read on for my review of the album.

I went into listening to this album with somewhat mixed emotions. Though I was a big-time Soundgarden fan, I was never that big of a Rage Against The Machine fan - and this band was one quarter Soundgarden and three quarters Rage. My doubts were shattered with one listen to the album, though. Admittingly, the stylings here are more Rage-like than Soundgarden-like, but it's like the band takes all the best elements of Rage's sound. Fuse those with Chris Cornell's awesome vocal abilities, and this makes for a cool record. Most modern rock bands are pathetic clones of one another whose sound is godawful, but not Audioslave. Their ability to combine the sounds of Soundgarden and Rage Against The Machine makes for one of the more interesting rock releases of the era. Many of these songs became fairly popular radio hits, including the instant classic Cochise. That's not to say the non-hits aren't excellent, though. Through and through, the group delivers a plethora of excellent modern rock tunes. While many of the songs do sound alike, they manage to maintain just enough of a sense of individuality to keep things interesting. Admittingly, when the band recorded this album, they hadn't toured together or even played together much at all, so the album does seem a bit rushed in places, and the production could have been better. Still, this doesn't make me dislike the release. In an era when pretty much all the rock music of the day sucked, this album was the light in a world of shadows. If you're a fan of either Soundgarden, Rage Against The Machine, or just someone who wants to hear the best of what modern-style rock has to offer, Audioslave's debut is a worthwhile purchase.

Since this was a fairly recent release, it is still readily available in stores. And more likely than not, its popularity will be rekindled by the release of the band's second album in 2005, Out Of Exile. It's not likely that this record will become scarce anytime soon, being that Audioslave is fairly popular, and unquestionably one of the better modern rock bands.

In the end, Audioslave's debut album stands as one of the best rock releases in what I ultimately consider to be a dark time for rock music in general. While other bands were failing left and right, creating a sound that failed to please on many levels, Audioslave knew how to please listeners. If you're a fan of either of the bands that the members came from, or you just want to hear the best of what modern rock can give you musically, Audioslave's self-titled first is an album worth picking up.

Audioslave is a breath of fresh air
In this day of music, where everyone wants to tune their guitars down low and all sound the same, Audioslave is a breath of fresh air to the music industry.They are looked at as being a supergroup, but they completely stand on their own, independent of their "original" sounds.Audioslave has managed to take my favorite part of Soundgarden, Chris Cornell, and of Rage Against the Machine, Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk, and put them together.Cornell's vocals blend well with the music put up by the rest of Audioslave.Morello gets a lot of credit for his guitar playing, but Commerford and Wilk are no slouches either.Both are tremendous musicians and excel greatly in what they do. This album rocks right from the opening chords of "Cochise" on to the end.These 4 brilliant musicians definitely excel better together than they did with their former acts.Anyone out there looking for a good rock cd with some catchy guitar riffs, this is your cd. ... Read more

Asin: B00006RU5B
Subjects:  1. Alternative Metal    2. Hard Rock    3. Heavy Metal    4. Pop    5. Post-Grunge    6. Rock   

Steal This Album!
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 November, 2002)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Editorial Review

With Rage Against the Machine disbanded, System of a Down ascend to the political aggro-rock throne, and with Steal This Album, the Los Angeles-based quartet prove themselves worthy to wear the crown. A play on the late activist Abbie Hoffman’s Steal This Book, the album consists of 16 System songs from the mid-1990s through 2001. The band stresses the songs are not "B-sides or outtakes"; in fact, they clearly show System at their apex. These smart, varied songs feature Serj's frenetic, staccato, Jello Biafra-like phrasing atop the band's edgy, commanding, metal-meets-punk base. From the funny, frantic "Chic 'N' Stu," to "F**k the System," "A.D.D. (American Dream Disorder)," and "Boom!" System keep listeners guessing with discomfiting time changes that match up with Serj's incendiary lyrics. In keeping with their creative, fan-oriented approach, System are releasing four limited runs of the CD, each version featuring artwork from a different band member. This is not escapist rock. It's an intense and eye-opening aural history lesson you can mosh to. --Katherine Turman ... Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (375)

To much anti-war junk
I will say SOAD has a few good songs, but so does every other band. The problem is the anti-war, anti-american lyrics. I really don't know where they are from, but if they are from the USA they should know that war gives them the freedom to spout that garbage. If they are not then SHUT YOUR F**KING MOUTH. I would never buy their albums, but they must have a few like minded people to support their lacking efforts.

Best album except for the new one
This is System's best album before Mezmerize. Very sad that it was commercially overlooked. All the songs are brilliant. Buy it (steal it) now!

Don't feel like b-side material to me
There's this old adage in music where the demo/b-side stuff is sometimes better than the official album songs. In this case, they're not really b-sides since they never really appeared anywhere besides one or 2 things. This is more like the leftover album and it contains some of their better songs too.

Chic N' Stu: Quite funny song with lyrics about pizza and advertising? Very bouncy(best word I can describe it as) beat and a solid opener. 8/10

Innervision: Officially the first single although Boom is the only one with a video. The verses have a great beat but it's the chorus that shines to me. A highlight. 9/10

Bubbles: This song just sounds fun. 8 guitar parts in an under 2 minute song. Wow. It's extremely short but then again it works that way. 9/10

Boom!: Only video released and the chorus I like but the verses are just pretty much Serj being the government bashing spokesman in a spoken word verse. The guitar parts though make it better. 8/10

Nuguns: Very fun to play on guitar and has a odd mandolin or something solo. The verses didn't catch me but the chorus did. 8/10

A.D.D(American Dream Disorder): To be honest I don't really like this song. The lyrics I like but the rest of it is just rather meh. 7/10

Mr. Jack: A very Spiders-like bass intro before the drums come in with some ascending guitar chords giving it a more midtempo feel. Then you go into another heavy riff. It's not really a favorite but when I put it on, I like it. Quite odd. 8/10

I-E-A-I-A-I-O: Fast guitar lick before yet another heavy riff. I like when they sing the title. Like a rock version of E-I-E-I-O. The verses have incredibly strange tongue twister lyrics. 8/10

36: It's 46 seconds long yet it's oddly compelling. Has that bouncy and staccato feel from Chic N' Stu. Nothing much else to say. 7.5/10

Pictures: Ah, a good song. That verses have a great beat and how could you not like the chorus with the octaves and that chicken ba ba ba ba!. Over too soon for me. 9/10

Highway Song: As usual a heavy riff with some harmonics to give it a different sound. Nice guitar sound during the verses but it's not really a favorite for me. Bridge is good though 7.5/10

F*** the System: Good title. Rather noisy intro but the verses are very good, especially that falsetto "ah ah ah ah!". Chorus is not terribly interesting. The bridge sounds good, probably only bright spot. 7.5/10

Ego Brain: Very nice clean intro with kind Outer Limits/X-Files-esque keyboard in the background. The guitar during the chorus is oddly catchy and the verses sound nice although a bit too similar to later song Streamline. 8/10

Thetawaves: Very interesting guitar work with harmonics mixed with big guitar parts. Serj's hyper/melodic vocals sound great as always. Sure nice to hear him sing so much after listening to Mezmerize. 8/10

Roulette: Before the un-System like Old School Hollywood from recent Mezmerize there was this. Probably the only song that's very different from other songs from other albums. Guitar solo is quite a highlight. Sounds Zelda-esque to me. 9/10

Streamline: Probably their best closer, to me it's even better than Aerials. Great verses, strong chorus, awesome chorus and I love that final scream by Serj. 10/10

I always found their music interesting and great to listen to rather than being big sing-alongs like we do with other bands. Even if the song isn't appealing, there's something oddly compelling about the song and on this album, it's always interesting. ... Read more

Asin: B00007E8V4
Subjects:  1. Alternative Metal    2. Heavy Metal    3. Pop    4. Rock   

How The West Was Won
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (27 May, 2003)
list price: $26.98 -- our price: $24.49
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Editorial Review

For a band with such an overarching legacy, the official record of Led Zeppelin's legendary--and unpredictable--live act has heretofore been poorly represented by the disappointing, scattershot soundtrack to The Song Remains the Same. But this triple-disc live set (culled from 1972 Long Beach/LA shows in advance of Houses of the Holy) addresses history with a vengeance, if a few decades late. These shows have rightfully assumed cult status in the bootleg market, showcasing a band at the peak of its creative and performing powers. Zep faithful will welcome the belated release as evidence for enduring loyalty, but younger fans may find its diversity and dynamics even more enlightening--indeed, whole careers have since been built on the musical ideas Jimmy Page and company toss off here as decorative filler. Crucially rooted in the amped-and-hammered American blues of the guitarist's former band, the Yardbirds, the marathon workouts of"Dazed and Confused" and "Whole Lotta Love" (which consume nearly an hour all by themselves) somehow encompass Ricky Nelson, Morocco, James Brown, Holst,Elvis Presley, and Muddy Waters amidst their trademark sturm und drang, while the acoustic set that closes out disc one showcases the band's--and particularly Robert Plant's--good-natured, crypto-Celtic folk appeal with energetic aplomb. Bigger and brasher than just about any rock act that followed in its historic wake, yet ever fan-loyal to its myriad influences, Led Zeppelin's live juggernaut finally gets the monument it deserves. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (354)

one of the greatest live albums ever
how the west was won was one of the greatest live rock albums along with live at fillmore east from the allman brothers.this fantastic live album contains brilliant versions of classics like dazed and confused,whole lotta love,rock and roll,black dog and more.an absolute must have.very very highly recommended.five stars.

one of the greatest live albums ever
I cant get enough words to describe how good this superb album is.this awesome double live album contains all their hits like rock and roll,black dog,whole lotta love,dazed and confused and the classic.stairway to heaven.hugely recommended with black sabbath's reunion and blue oyster cult's extraterrestrial live.

THIS CD ROCKS!!
Whoever wrote this cd sucks and should listen to creed should get sucker punched in the balls. Creed SUCKS Zeppelin RULZ!!!!!!!!THis cd is amazing get it NOW!!! ... Read more

Asin: B00008OWZC
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Blues-Rock    4. British Blues    5. British Folk-Rock    6. British Metal    7. Hard Rock    8. Heavy Metal    9. Pop    10. Rock    11. Rock & Roll   

Led Zeppelin
Director: Jimmy Page
Average Customer Review:
DVD (27 May, 2003)
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $22.49
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Editorial Review

Exclamations of religious awe are in order. Legendary and long sought-after, this live Led Zeppelin collection is nothing less than the rock music equivalent of the Holy Grail. Quite simply, this is what all the fuss was about.

Given that they were the biggest band in the world, Zeppelin were notoriously camera-shy in their heyday. Their official filmic legacy until now has been just the fascinating but flawed The Song Remains the Same. While this new set presents some previously unseen footage from the same 1973 Madison Square Garden gigs, its real wonders lie in the earlier (1970) Royal Albert Hall footage and the later Earls Court (1975) and Knebworth (1979) concerts. Everything here looks and sounds new-minted, thanks to painstaking restoration and remastering of both audio and visual sources, a Herculean labor of love on the part of co-producer Dick Carruthers working hand-in-glove with Jimmy Page. Trawling through thousands of yards of previously unseen film and unheard tape recordings--some with missing visuals, some with missing audio--Page and Carruthers have chosen only the best possible footage available. They were also at pains to make the segments segue seamlessly so that the viewer is treated to what feels like a continuous concert--just sample the transition from a grainy Super 8 "Immigrant Song" (Sydney, 1972) to "Black Dog" at MSG.

Highlights? It's not hyperbole to say that every powerhouse minute of this collection (some 230 minutes of concert footage plus another hour and a half of extra DVD material) is a rare musical and visual treat. But hearing Page's violin bow work on "Dazed and Confused" in DTS or Dolby 5.1 is an experience not soon forgotten. --Mark Walker ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Box set

Reviews (508)

Inspiration, No Fluff
Other positive reviewers have already laid the foundation for how excellent this DVD set is. I will only add that it makes one pine for the days when bands inspired audiences with talent, not elaborate hip girations, flashing lights and smoke. These guys simply played good original music and carried on. The song remains the same, as it were.
I will also add, as a guitar player, that Jimmy Paige's solo of "White Summer/Black Morning" is reason enough to own this DVD set. After watching that, I felt a new inspiration to improve my own playing.

My First And Best DVD
This was the very first DVD I bought. I think that this is my best live DVD I have. Led Zeppelin was maybe the best live band in 70's. This DVD gives a good picture what kind of it was in Led Zeppelin's concerts. Both discs are full of great live prformances. The first DVD has an excellent gig in Royal Albert Hall. The vocalist Robert Plant, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, and especially the guitarist Jimmy Page are great in the gigs. Jimmy Page is one of the best guitarists in the world and it is shown in this DVD. They were just starting the carriere but already now they were better than most of the legendary bands. The instrumental "White Summer" as well as the rare tracks "Something Else" and "C'mon Everybody" are real treats. The second disc has "Immigrant Song" and three great gigs in their later years. I like most the 1973's Madison Square Garden gig...although there is only four songs but their are very energic in that gig. Also Earls Court in 1975 is somethin' worth mentioning...it is an acoustic gig mainly...it's always great to hear "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp" and "Stairway to Heaven". But also the last gig Knebworth 1979 gig is great. The songs "Sick Again" and "In My Time of Dying" are the highlights.
Tracklist:

DVD 1 - Live at the Royal Albert Hall - 1970
We're Gonna Groove
I Can't Quit You Baby
Dazed And Confused
White Summer
What Is And What Should Never Be
How Many More Times
Moby Dick
Whole Lotta Love
Communication Breakdown
C'mon Everybody
Something Else
Bring It on Home

Extras:
Communication Breakdown (promo)
Danmark Radio
Supershow
Tous En Scéne

DVD 2
Immigrant Song - 1972

Madison Square Garden - 1973:
Black Dog
Misty Mountain Hop
Since I've Been Loving You
The Ocean

Earls Court - 1975:
Going to California
That's the Way
Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp
In My Time of Dying
Trampled Underfoot
Stairway to Heaven

Knebworth - 1979:
Rock And Roll
Nobody's Fault But Mine
Sick Again
Achilles Last Stand
In the Evening
Kashmir
Whole Lotta Love

Extras:
NYC Press Conference
Down Under
The Old Grey Whistle Test
Promos:
- Over the Hills And Far Away
- Travelling Riverside Blues

Powerful beyond belief
Its not that all of todays music sucks, its that all of todays popular music sucks!IT wasn't always that way.

I've always loved Zep and placed them somewhere in the highest of the high of the real rock gods from the decade known as the 1970's(music has been going steadily downhill since and mostly the fault of the business itself that insists on shooting itself in the foot)I've always felt they were right in there with the Stones, BEatles, Floyd, Hendrix as the best of the best.After seeing this though my feelings have changed.Led Zepplin is on another level.Rock music just does not get better than this.One look and listen to the "Ocean" and I was floored.There has never been a cooler song performance than this and thats just the start.Page and Plant are Gods but I want to also sing the praises of Jones and Bonham who are just as great and essential to whats going on.Musically its just 3 guys and it is powerful beyond compare.If you love real Rock then this is the place to start. ... Read more

Asin: B00008PX8P
Subjects:  1. Music Video - Pop/Rock    2. Musikvideo   

St. Anger (with Bonus DVD)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 June, 2003)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Editorial Review

Never underestimate the regenerative powers of Metallica. Following the stripped-down Load and Re-Load, they've returned to the raw, vitriolic savagery of their earlier canon, using 1984's Ride the Lightning as a template for St. Anger. The title track provides the psychic lynchpin of the album by combining the bombast and defiance of the band's earliest high-water marks with more deliberate lyrics and emotional nakedness. Equally cathartic is "Some Kind of Monster," a lumbering beast of a song that declares, "This is the voice of silence no more." Despite that claim, there's an economy to these lyrics; James Hetfield's raw-toothed growl only occasionally punctuates the menacing soundscapes. In fact, "Dirty Windows," the standout track here, is a shimmering five-minute instrumental that's free of the baroque trappings that sometimes clutter the Metallica landscape. --Jaan Uhelszki ... Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (3791)

THIS IS SO UNDERRATED
1 thing this album isnt that bad.Its not the best but its ok.2nd thing every1 says its the end of metallica because thier new album isnt a masterpiece!GOD!Every1 shood no that metallica will bounce back!if your wondering yes im the 1 hoo called jay z a coppier.

Metallica will rule the world F*** rap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Take OnThe Extremist Views.
Now I have already written one review for this album and since then done some thinking. Metallica is without a doubt the best band in the world. I have enjoyed every-single one of their albums from the Underground days of Kill 'Em All to the well...whatever it was days of Load. But that's the thing, I enjoyed it ALL.

I thought about this and found it increasingly strange...Metallica has endured much criticism over the years, for various reasons and I have always remained steadfast in my views. But why was it that I was able to remain to unmoved while it seemed that all fan foundations were slowly but surely rotting beneath the thrash throne Metallica has long enjoyed?

At first I thought that maybe it was that I didn't really liked it; I just liked Metallica. But after several listens over all their albums(including St. Anger)I realized this was not the case; so what was it.

The answer is simple really, I enjoy Rock in general. Not just Metal or Alternative. This I find allows for a much broader range of appreciation, in fact it lets you enjoy lot's of good music. For instance I own a mixed cd with Creed's One Last Breath immediately followed by All Within My Hands. Now as we move from the lighter tones of the defidently more melodic Creed into the nerve racking anger conveyed in Metallica's desperate chant of "Kill,Kill,Kill,Kill,Kill" I thought it was strange how I enjoyed both ends of the spectrum and immediately found this not to be a hinderance but a huge help to a music devotee such as I.

The people who review this cd really as far as I can tell break down into groups:

Newbies-Those who are not really that into music or rock in general but find the emotion in St. Anger to be all in all appealing. This then leads to them listening to other Metallica albums and sometimes liking both but at others just sticking with the new stuff.

Thrash Fans-There are those that enjoy bands such as Slipknot; which in reality is really a close reference to what this album is, just one long venting of 3 years of frustration. I happen to own all of Slipknot's albums, so hey what do you know the all around rocker thing kicks in again?

Narrow Minded Thrash Fans- There are those who have an image of what they like or what Metallica is and know what they like about metallica, but that's just it Metallica is made up of living breathing beings, and over the years people evolve, you cannot expect the music to remain the same and then call someone "Over The Hill" just because there views have broadened, it is denying a natural born creative right that we all have and use. Excellent example is from Kill 'Em All to the Black Album BIG change, but not nesscarilly for the worse.

So in general there are people who like one segment of Metallica's career and are otherwise unable to cope with change, which in Metallica's case has been a good thing. The House That Jack Built is one of their best songs, on the supposab horrible Load album. And there is no denying heaviness with a title(let along the song) like Aint' My Bitc_. Then there are people who are just overly stimulated and blinded by the Mad as Hell goodness of St. Anger and can't accept other attempts.

And then there are those like me(which I by no means am trying to say is nesscarilly better) who enjoy all forms of Metallica and recognize a much needed venting. For within St. Anger a story is told, Frantic is like the opening describing their lives maybe. And Ending with All Within My Hands which to me represents a bitter resolve to never lose control of what was so viciously gained in My World. And the lyrics are really quite good in my oppinnion. But albeit Bob Rock is no bassist. So an easy remedy is watch the DVD. Rob is a superb bassist and cooler then shi_ to watch. Lars drums I think...I don't know add to the mayhem I guess. James's voice is gruffer then ever and I'll be dam_ed if I don't enjoy his vocals. But in good conscience I cannot give this album a 5 compared to far more eximplary works(Master of Puppets, Justice). So open your minds Metallica is changing always and they don't care what you have to say so why don't you listen to what they do have to say? It is good. And if you can't then you still have old Metallica, and hey there's always the prospects for the future. Simply Put: This album is Brilliant, Bloody Brilliant.

Metallica's best...
This is without a doubt metallica's best album but that's not saying much. Although lyrics like "you flush it out, you flush it out" and "tick-tick-tock" are the best Hetfield has written in his career they show that he is an amateur writer. Oh and the drum technician was sick the week when they recorded the drums so Lars had to set up the drums by himself. Btw Kirks guitar technician had the flu the day they were supposed to record Kirks solos so he could not tune Kirks guitar, and Kirk couldn't tune the guitar himself, so no solos on this one baby! as Jaymz would put it. Make sure you add this or any metallica album to your collection of kid rock and limp bizkit! ... Read more

Asin: B00008OWZG
Subjects:  1. Hard Rock    2. Heavy Metal    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Speed Metal    6. Thrash    7. United States of America   

Strays
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (22 July, 2003)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

Jane's Addiction helped put the word "alternative" on the middle-American map with a scarlet A, but their straight-up rock was always front and center. On Strays, the first Jane's Addiction studio album in 13 years, there's no mistaking Perry Farrell's trademark vocal sound (a nasal goose? a banshee in flight?) and Dave Navarro's ever-adaptable guitar style. But the band--only bassist Eric Avery is absent from their classic lineup, replaced by Chris Chaney--hasn't come to party like it's 1991. Sure, the balance of hedonism and earnestness, environmentalism and decadence, remains, but the quartet's approach is that of a unit ready to flex a few new muscles. Listeners will notice roof-raisers like "True Nature" and "Hypersonic" first, but some of the quieter tracks ("Price I Pay," with the classic Farrell rationalization "I always do the wrong thing, but I got a good reason," "To Match the Sun") are among the most effective Jane's mood pieces ever. Strays is certainly a much more apt return than 1997’s odds-and-sods compilation Kettle Whistle.--Rickey Wright ... Read more

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Reviews (161)

HORRIBLE!
It's just sad when how you love a band for years and in the millenium the suddenly suck! I'm sorry but this was just sad!

Much better than I expected
Generally I don't like bands doing comebacks or people over 40 trying to be rock'n'rollers - usually there is none of the original energy left and the results just sound boring and pathetic. Therefore, when I got hold of this album I wasn't sure if I even wanted to listen to it. But luckily my worries proved wrong this time - Strays is an excellent rock album! The melodies are good and I love the sounds, sometimes raunchy, sometimes a bit oriental and soft. Once more Perry won me over with his charisma, lyrics and energy!

Addictive
This is my first Jane's album and this thing just rocks. I know a lot of hardcore fans complained this is nothing like their previous works but who cares when it's so good?? And this thing this is blissfully angst-free, unlike Velvet Revolver. My friend burned me a copy of that and it's way overrated and full of angst-ridden cliches, musically and lyrically.

The whole of Strays is just damn catchy, yes catchy! The only ponderous dud is Suffer Some, I guess they had to make a concession to the moshpit brigade, but the rest is excellent. Buy this now, it's the best rock album I've heard in ages. And so happy you can almost see Farrell grinning all the way through! ... Read more

Asin: B00009XBZ8
Subjects:  1. Alternative Metal    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Hard Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock   

Little Worlds
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 August, 2003)
list price: $29.98 -- our price: $26.99
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Editorial Review

The compositions on Béla Fleck and the Flecktones' three-CD set Little Worlds are ambitious, audacious, and, at times, a bit absurd. The musicianship of Fleck and his compatriots bassist Victor Wooten, saxophonist/flautist Jeff Coffin, and electro-percussionist Future Man is as accomplished as ever. Even when they are engaging in a slice of silliness like their version of "The Ballad of Jed Clampett," which they re-imagine as a sort of a rap rhapsody, the intelligence and sheer inventiveness of the performers keeps the music from descending to a trivial level. The 27 tracks are practically swarming with guest artists from a wide range of traditions, including Bobby McFerrin, Branford Marsalis, Nickel Creek, the Chieftains, Fleck’s former New Grass Revival band mate Sam Bush, and the Tuvan throat singer Congar Ol Ondar. Perhaps the most intriguing visitors are Pamelia Kurstin, who plays Theremin on a number of tracks, and Jake Shimabukuro, a remarkable young ukulele player from Hawaii. The music on Little Words combines experimental sonic textures, complex harmonies, intricate rhythms, and charming melodies with impressive instrumental chops. Béla Fleck and the Flecktones are serious musicians, but their music, which is infused with joy, is never somber. --Michael Simmons ... Read more

Reviews (36)

If you can't do it well then don't do it.
Bela Fleck seems to want to be a jack of all trades.I think a great artist can spend a lifetime in one sub genre and still never have the depth of understanding that satisfies him/her. Either way if Bela wants to unite the world of music without any understanding of most of it...well who am I to stop her, all I can do is not buy the album and write a bad review !

P.S:To Dennis who claims that this is the greatest CD ever made.What planet are you from, and what drugs do you take ?

One more in a continuous stream of great works
Is anyone besides me amazed at how Bela Fleck & the Flectones can produce one fine work after another year after year?I keep expecting an album that will be a rehash of previous work, and it doesn't happen!

"Little Worlds", at 3 CDs in the set, could have been too long, but is isn't.The various guests add their spices to the pot, and the result is a tasty, eclectic brew.What a joy to listen to!

fantastic
this 3 disc album is simply the best thing I've ever heard.
these guys are the only band that I can truly say that everytime they come out with an album it is always awesome.
they never disappoint. ... Read more

Asin: B0000AKCLF
Subjects:  1. Crossover Jazz    2. Fusion    3. Jazz    4. Jazz-Pop    5. New Acoustic    6. Pop    7. Progressive Bluegrass   

Greendale (Bonus DVD)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 August, 2003)
list price: $19.98 -- our price: $16.99
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Editorial Review

Neil Young has long been one of rock's great romantics, mourning the utopian ideals of the "hippie" '60s and his vision of what America was…or at least should have been. In some ways, Greendale--which could be described as a "rock novel"--adds a mourning for humanity itself to the mix, as Young presents his vision of America 2003 via the story of a fictional family in a small California town. There's drama galore--a cop is killed by a drug dealer; Grandpa has a fatal heart attack while pointing a gun at a TV reporter--but most of these songs also work individually as terrific rock tunes. It's a more subdued Crazy Horse this time out, with only Neil on lead guitar and little of the distorted rage found on albums like Ragged Glory. But "Grandpa's Interview" has a gorgeous riff that recalls Zuma's "Don't Cry No Tears"; "Be the Rain" is a genuine Neil Young anthem about love, peace, saving the planet, and doing the right thing. A few pieces sound a tad meandering at first, which could lead one to conclude that Greendale is only a good Neil Young album. Repeated listening, however, should confirm that Greendale is a great Neil Young album. --Bill Holdship ... Read more

Reviews (242)

Refreshing - straight - no nonsense
Neil Young's Greendale is a refreshing, straight, no nonsense rock & roll album. Having grown-up in the 60s this type of music appeals to me because it is unpretencious and without gimmicks or non stop promotion.Crazy Horse and Neil Young sell their product on merit. Although this band is only better than average as far as talent goes (their own words not mine), there exists a magical chemistry between Young and Crazy Horse when they work together.Yeah, this is a very good piece of work.Long may you live Neil.

Could also be a NYT best-selling novel
The story flows so well that it's amazing that this is also just fantastic music to chill-out the evening with.

and now, the winner for Most Longevity...
You gotta give Neil respect.How many 1960's rockers, nearing their 60th birthday, are churning out concept albums with bonus DVD's and taking a full-fledged rock concert/drama theatre on the road?It's pretty incredible.And while the stuff of 'Greendale' isn't in the same class as some of Neil's finer works, it finds its own niche and makes its own unique contribution to an amazing catalog.

I know Neil is telling a story in 'Greendale', but I really don't find the story all that intriguing.What I do find intriguing is how individual snippits relate to Neil's life, pursuits, and philosophies.Neil has at times been vocal in attempting to distance himself from his 'hippie origins', yet like much of his work 'Greendale' only finds him more deeply wedded to those persistant roots.Verses from songs like the opener, 'falling from above' ("A little love and affection will make the world a better place"), the second track, 'double e' ("Grandma's okay... she's livin' in the summer of love"), the third track, 'devil's sidewalk' ("one thing I can tell you is you got to be free, John Lennon said that"), the sixth track, 'bandit' ("you're invisible, you got too many secrets, Bob Dylan said that"), and the closer, 'be the rain' ("save the planet for another day"), only crispen our notion of where Neil's head is at, and has always been: the 1960's.

I also love those references seemingly drawn from Neil's own life, such as "change comes slow in the country, when you're new there's lots of distrust" recalling Young's years establishing a life in California, and California adjusting to Neil."Dusty white El Dorado cruisin' through the trees" harkens to Young's lifelong love for cars, especially tanks like Hearst's and Caddy's.Then there's all those verses that just ring true with Neil's wry sense of wit, such as "Grandpa said to cousin Jed... "I won't retire but I might retread", or "Hey, Mr. Clean, you're dirty now, too", and "Grandpa died like a hero, fighting for freedom of silence".Young reels off one great line after another in what may be one of his most lyrically accomplished works, even if the overall storyline spins its tires too frequently.

The music on 'Greendale' is less exploratory and varied than previous Neil albums, relying heavily on bass-laden guitar riffs.His guitar work has a 'big' sound, as many tracks from his previous release 'Are You Passionate?' delivered.Despite the presence of Crazy Horse as his backing band, nearly every song is a mid-tempo affair with little of the hard-driving, squelching feedback characteristic of Neil's typical work with Crazy Horse.Several of the lead guitar riffs are, however,quite catchy and serve as sturdy foundations for the band to build upon, but it also renders some songs, such as 'carmichael' and 'bringing down dinner' less distinguishable.That fate won't befall 'bandit', which is the only acoustic track in the set.'falling from above', 'devil's sidewalk', and 'be the rain' possess memorable melodies that will stand out among Neil's best work.Other mysteries remain, such as why Neil seems to have a recurring aversion to capital letters (a trait that also reared it's head on the 're.ac.tor' album in the early 1980's), and the curious 'weed-like' aroma tinging the off-color (recycled?) paper the booklet is printed on.

There are extensive liner notes written by Neil, composed in a 'stream-of-consciousness' mode which give us further insights into the storyline blending together the 'Greendale' songs, and offering even deeper revelations into Neil's own psyche between the lines.There is a great deal to like about Greendale, and Neil clearly held nothing back in his efforts to make this project stand out in his already imposing legacy.Kinda' makes you wonder what he'll be doing for his next encore. ... Read more

Asin: B0000AI44Q
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Country-Rock    3. Folk-Rock    4. Hard Rock    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Singer/Songwriter   

Sparse, underproduced, and at times downright dour, On the Beach was Neil Young's first studio album after Harvest had transformed him into a mainstream superstar two years before. It was a career move akin to "pissin' in the wind," as the artist himself describes life on one of the album's most famous lines. Young had already recorded the harrowing Tonight's the Night, his indictment of '60s drug culture and the damage done, but his label rejected it as too abrasive. So the artist gave them this instead. Less mournful but still haunting, the album is basically Young's rejection of rock stardom and what had become of the counterculture, covering a range of subjects, including Richard Nixon and Patty Hearst (the epic "Ambulance Blues"), his affair with actress Carrie Snodgrass ("Motion Pictures"), and, most famously, years before it became "chic" to do so, Charles Manson (the rocking "Revolution Blues"). "Vampire Blues," meanwhile, seemed to be about all those topics, as well as Young himself. Full of despair and little hope, On the Beach would nevertheless eventually come to be reappraised as a rock culture masterpiece. --Bill Holdship ... Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Original recording remastered

Asin: B00009P1O0
Subjects:  1. Country-Rock    2. Folk-Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter   

Bigger-than-life and proud of it, Queen's tongue-in-cheek pomposity was ironically one of its most endearing charms. This double-disc live album recorded at the band's typically massive 1986 Wembley Stadium stand in support of its A Kind of Magic album is a perfect distillation of the band's overarching intentions--and virtually every '70s/'80s rock cliché punk rebelled against. The tracks may reverberate with the boominess of the punter's paradise they were recorded in, but it's an ambience that underscores the shows' propulsive, populist intent. Latter day hits like "Under Pressure" and "Another One Bites the Dust" may have their nascent club-beat savvy hammered into conformity with thumping rockers like "We Will Rock You" and "Tie Your Mother Down," but then this is as unapologetic as stadium rock gets. Mercury, May, Deacon, and Taylor are in top form throughout, shrewdly building the show into what, given its relatively late recording date in their career, might as well be an emblematic greatest hits live (especially on its brisk-paced second disc) experience. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Features

• Live
• Original recording remastered

Asin: B0000AOV6I
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. British Metal    4. Glam Rock    5. Hard Rock    6. Pop    7. Pop/Rock    8. Prog-Rock/Art Rock    9. Rock   

Re-recorded, remixed, overdubbed and repackaged--all before its 1970 American release, mind you--Let It Be has long been the most second-guessed album in the Beatles otherwise sterling catalog. This curious, three-decade-late, stripped-down rethink offers up yet another spin on what started as a back-to-the-roots album/documentary project called Get Back in January, 1969, but ended up as the band's de facto swan song 18 months later. Paul McCartney in particular has long been irked by producer Phil Spector's grandiose orchestra and choir overdubs to the title track and "The Long and Winding Road," and indeed the "bare" versions here have a distinct, plaintive charm lacking in Spector's typical pomp. All the various snippets of studio and live chatter that seasoned the original have been removed, leaving the recordings to be judged on their essentially live-in-the-studio merits. If the intent was to "de-Spectorize" the album, the inclusion of John Lennon's 1968 benefit track "Across the Universe" and George Harrison's "I Me Mine" (which marked the last-ever Beatles session in January, 1970) in their original versions seems equally odd, the legendary producer having appended them to the album's original track listing in the first place. The rambling "bonus disc" of conversation and song snippets culled from hundreds of hours of session and film tapes may fascinate diehard fans, but it also underscores the murky, often unfocused state of affairs the Fabs found themselves in during the last year of their remarkable career. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Asin: B0000DJZA5
Subjects:  1. British Invasion    2. Pop    3. Pop/Rock    4. Rock    5. Rock & Roll