1972
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 August, 2003)
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Editorial Review

In this song cycle inspired by the year he was born, the wispy-voiced Rouse conjures (or imagines) the era's essential groovy vibe, from the title track's homage to Carole King's "It's Too Late" to the Brady Bunch bounce of "Love Vibration" to the flutes, falsetto, and jazzy guitar licks of so many of the retro arrangements. Yet Rouse's spin on the era transcends simple nostalgia, as the lyrics aren't always as buoyant as the sunny musical interplay, with "1972," the psychedelic soul of "James," and the piano-driven "Slaveship" all suggesting a darker tinge within this world of lollipops and rainbows. The bass pulse of "Comeback (Light Therapy)" has a hypnotic effect beyond the time warp, although a come-on line such as "it's the end of the night and I'm feelin' sexual" (from "Under Your Charms") would have sounded as lame in 1972 as it does three decades later. Apparently, those barely old enough to remember the '70s are doomed to repeat them. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (45)

.
this album sounds kind of stupid a lot.i'm sort of embarassed it is the 3rd most popular item in my hometown right now.but it's not terrible, brief parts of it have their charm.it just sounds dumb most of the time.

Brooklyn Train
From the opening bars of "1972" we know this is going to be a special treat as Rouse opens with a homage, "She was feelin' 1972, groovin' to a Carole King tune, 'Is it too late baby?'""Love Vibration" hosts a flower power message with Rouse's joyful chorus, "Now you people all know what I'm talking about.""Sunshine (Come On Lady)" has Marc Pisapia's bongo rhumba beat upon which Rouse builds a shimmering little ditty."James" is a breezy melody with Jim Hoke's flute giving an airy feel about a loser who abandons his family and embraces a life of alcoholism.James Haggerty's bass sets a nice jazz groove on "Come Back (Light Therapy)" and then Josh layers in a delightfully addictive soulful melody, "I'm gonna stay on this mountain high 'til you come running back.""Flight Attendant" starts with a Latin-flavored soft rhythm and then Josh's hushed Nick Drake-school vocals whisper, "I grew up so scared, the bible belt, redneck lifestyle; one day I'll fly free in the airplane.""Sparrows Over Birmingham"starts off with a gospel flavor and then transforms into a soft shoe, "You grew up an isolated pup, you had some books, you had some love, oh god was watching over you."The CD concludes with "Rise," a stunningly original melody, "I should of caught a ride on Brooklyn train, meet on the corner & I'll entertain.""1972" is a fully realized set that satisfies completely.Bravo!

A-Rouse-ing
Josh Rouse really beefed up his resume with this album.His previous recordings were mostly folksy pop with a southern feel, and each album took small steps forward from its predecessor.By the time "Under Cold Blue Stars" came out, he had seemingly perfected his craft, and built on it with strings and horns and so on.Though "1972" is not better than "...Stars," it is so radically different.Josh's 70's sensibility was not overtly present in his previous recordings, and while he doesn't completely grab the 70's sonically, he seems to have captured the spirit, and that makes for a fun listen. His unusual, yet captivating, storytelling makes the mellow groove of the title track sound even better."Love Vibration" is a bouncy delight and as close to the 70's as he comes on this record, complete with a great sax solo."Sunshine" is a sweet love song full of California influence.A few songs are just average in the middle of the disc, though "Come Back" picks up the slack with its almost-disco romp, complete with prominent strings and even a jazz flute."Under Your Charms" is an atmospheric and gorgeously orchestrated piece, fit for a movie soundtrack.The album's finale ("Rise") is perhaps the best song on the album.It contains a line that befits Rouse's music: "It's an honest thing, and honest things, they last." ... Read more

Asin: B0000AM6K2
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Chamber Pop    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter   

Unearthed
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 November, 2003)
list price: $79.98 -- our price: $71.99
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Editorial Review

Over the course of five mesmerizing CDs, Unearthed shows us just how Johnny Cash's now-legendary handful of recordings for American Records came to be. Four discs feature previously unreleased tracks from the famed Rick Rubin-produced sessions. Through their inconsistencies and quirks (and, more often than not, brilliance), they shed light on how Cash's final records were shaped, edited, and produced. Here we get some creative pairings: Fiona Apple providing guest vocals on Cat Stevens' "Father & Son," and the late Joe Strummer duetting with Cash on Bob Marley's "Redemption Song." Neither are the definitive statements that some of Cash's covers from this period are (his glorious takes on Nick Lowe and Danzig, to name just two), but they're still very much worth hearing. Most riveting are the numerous traditional numbers, the songs that were clearly closest to the Man in Black's heart. "Banks of the Ohio," Billy Joe Shaver's "Old Chunk of Coal," Stephen Foster's "Hard Times," and the entire disc of previously unreleased gospel tunes are powerful statements, tunes where you feel privilegedto hear Cash--despite declining health and failing voice--sing one more time, the way he wanted. The last disc of this monumental set is a "best-of" compilation of tracks that did make it on the American individual discs, a reminder of just how groundbreaking these sessions were. Perhaps the biggest highlight in this awe-inspiring set is its vast liner notes, a loving collection of essays and recollections that highlight the history and stories behind this eclectic array of songs. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (60)

Remedy for "Unearthed"s Shoody Casing
OK, OK, chew out American for screwing up this great boxset with the flimsy CD holders that don't hold; they squeeze. Here's a remedy: 1. Open CD holder/booklet
2. Flip to CD you want
3. Gently holding the case, push against the cardboard so it opens like a mouth.
4. Carefully slip finger inside case, and stick through the CD hole
5. Slowly pull up, remove CD.
I assure you this is better for the CD than placing greasy fingerprints all over it.
***************************************************************

Make sure you see the forest...
This whole collection is amazing.I just can't believe some of thehalf-wit wanna-be music critics on this thread.Anything less than five stars is just plain nuts.

Unbowed, undeterred, unleashed
The American Recordings era of Johnny Cash was particularly fruitful artistically for The Man in Black.Producer Rick Rubin tapped into the creative fire and genius of Cash in a way that unleashed a torrent of brilliant performances from America's most treasured voice.This lovingly compiled collection spans five discs:the first three discs of UNEARTHED are unreleased performances from the recording sessions that produced American I through American IV.The fourth disc here is a moving heretofore unheard collection of hymns, spirituals, and inspirational songs, sung with all the passion and honesty that one would expect.The fifth disc in the set is a "Best Of" collection overview of his four American albums.Among the outstanding cuts on that fifth disc are Johnny's covers of "One" by U2 and "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails, and his superb collaborations with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Over the course of the first three discs in UNEARTHED, the listener gets to hear alternate takes of released songs, and some songs that were unreleased...it's all brilliant and revealing.The packaging is deluxe, including a beautiful hardcover booklet and an old-fashioned vintage cardboard "album" slipcover arrangement. There's not a bum or false note here...it's as pure and honest and bracing as Johnny himself. ... Read more

Asin: B0000TLA9Q
Subjects:  1. Box Sets (Audio Only)    2. Country    3. Country Gospel    4. Country-Pop    5. Cowboy    6. Guitar    7. Old-Timey    8. Pop    9. Rock & Roll    10. Rockabilly    11. Traditional Country    12. Vocals   

Up the Bracket
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (18 March, 2003)
list price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

Can the debut album from London dandies the Libertines live up to the hype? With the Clash's Mick Jones at the production helm, gravelly tracks such as "Horror Show" and "The Boy Looked at Johnny" rattle along like first-gen punk classics. But like the Strokes, the Libertines manage to imbue snotty garage rock with a sort of wistful romanticism that adds genuine soul to their raucous clatter. Although there's no sign of "What a Waster," the single that made their name, there's no shortage of excellent tunes here. "Boys in the Band" is an affectionate ode to a groupie, with frontmen Pete Doherty and Carl Barat hollering: "And they all get 'em out / For the boys in the band." "I Get Along" proves that these boys have a knack for penning tight, nervy songs that evoke the Jam and the Buzzcocks. --Louis Pattison ... Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (71)

Great band
This band is great but they probably wont be around a long time.

Ups and downs
The Libertines are a band that would have fitted in perfectly in the golden days of rock'n'roll, and it's only a shame that they have yet to really reform. In their debut album, "Up The Bracket," this London band churns out catchy, gritty rock'n'roll with a Britpop twist.

The album starts on a strong note with "Vertigo," a catchy garage-rocker that alternates between Pete Doherty's slightly slurred singing, and combustive short basslicks. "The rapture of vertigo/And letting go/Me myself I was never sure/Was it the liquor/Or was it my soul?" Doherty asks. His irreverent edge takes away any softer sentiments.

That style carries over to the yowling "Horror Show" and and sizzling "Boys in the Band," and drapes itself over the entire album like a worn leather jacket. There are a handful of lower-key guitar rockers, like the simmering "Begging" and the smooth "Tell the King," as well as the strummy and slightly surreal "Radio America."

The Libertines have only made two albums, but their kinetic sound has made them a musical presence on both sides of the pond. What's more, it's just fun to listen to -- their music has the rare quality of being genuinely catchy, energetic, rough and well-written. It's difficult enough to find one of those qualities, so finding one with all of the above is a rarity.

Pete Doherty, now out of the band, does pretty good service as a frontman. His vocals are strong if a bit slurred; he can raise his voice to a scream, or lower it to a seductive little chant. But surprisingly, the more you listen to this, the more it becomes obvious that the other Libertines are just as important to their sound.

Doherty and Carl Barat do exceptional double-duty as guitarists, all punk riffs and deliberately sloppy edges. And it's all wrapped around strong, lyrics about drinking, groupies and being bad-boy rockers is some good music. If Doherty doesn't shoot himself up into the grave, he will undoubtedly be regarded as a masterful rock writer.

In places, they sound like a band about to disintegrate, but that only adds to the punky-laddish flavour of "Up The Bracket." Whatever happens to the Libertines next, their debut is a must-have.

There's Better But There's A Lot Worse
They say there's nothing new under the sun.And, true enough, the Libertines are another in a rich and endless tradition of Rock and Roll bands.So what, if anything, makes Up The Bracket worth a listen?
For starters, it lacks the super polished Strokes syncro-mesh pop melody of two happy guitars, replacing it with toned down Chuck Berry/Link Wray funk.Their sound is the type just off by a hesitation, post-Weezer garage band punk that makes you fall to your knees as thank god it's not Jane's Addiction's Strays!Not a cheesy eighties riff in sight, how marvellous!Now they ain't the saviours of rock, nothing short of the resurrection of Jesus and Jimi Hendrix could do that, don't get ahead of me, but, in light of the oncoming Linkin Park/limpbizkit nu-rap-metal backlash and the fantastic s**teness of the Darkness, this is the type of drunken, pub singing fun that by all means should take over the world.They are the band you really wanted to play your high school prom if the principle would let it happen.As catchy as the Strokes are [a bold statement approaches], the Libertines have their act down and Up The Bracket will stand the test of time while Room On Fire will slowly fade.Rock may be dead but, if we're lucky, the Libertines will play the funeral. ... Read more

Asin: B000089RVY
Subjects:  1. Britpop    2. Garage Rock Revival    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Punk Revival    6. Rock   

2
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (22 April, 2003)
list price: $14.98 -- our price: $14.98
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Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (5)

Marginally Better
The amorous AGSFB ladies articulate the intriguing idealistic girl love well over this sophomore album. Marginally better than the full length debut, the expedited, punkish instrumentals of Down South Ten Hours blend well with their meticulous crtique of youthful love. Understanding why a band as bubbly as this hasn't garnered fame in an industry that is geared toward the tween girl demographic is a mystery, albeit a solid release.

happy tunes
These are some catchy songs, with lots of cute, fun little lyrics.My favorite moment is when she says I wanna be a puppy dog.One of my favorite cds right now.They rock live too, and are really nice.

exactly what i want..
holy cats! this cd definetly rocked my socks...i can't get enough it. agsfb should be all cool girls' soundtrack for summer...well summer, winter, fall and spring...! when i'm not listening to 2, i'm humming all the songs in my head...during one of my final exams "samantha secret agent" was stuck in my head for 3 hours. i hope i did okay. i also love the song "jason lee", because i love jason lee...i also love every song on here. get this cd...play it all the time...and have a wonderful life!
love always and forever,
kate ... Read more

Asin: B00008RH1P
Sales Rank: 52600
Subjects:  1. Indie Pop    2. Pop    3. Punk-Pop    4. Rock   

Kish Kash
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (21 October, 2003)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

A squiggly, delirious house-pop classic that’s easily among the best albums of 2003, this British production duo’s third album is an interesting parallel to Outkast’s Speakerboxxx, as both albums make their funk the P-Funk, Parliament and Prince looming large throughout, but always in innovative ways. No album (and it is an album, a satisfyingly cohesive and narrative whole) of any genre in recent memory has done the guest vocalist thing as perfectly or as eclectically. Meshell Ndegeocello delivers two of her finest and sexiest performances yet; Lisa Kekaula from garage-soul rockers the BellRays revs up her delicious, Tina Turner -y vocals to near bursting point on "Good Luck." Meanwhile, ‘N Sync's JC Chasez remakes himself as a sort of electro-punk Michael Jackson on "Plug It In"; and speaking of electro-punk, on the anthemic "Cish Cash," Siouxsie Soux herself returns to show all the Liquid Sky’d-out denizens of Williamsburg and Berlin what a postpunk diva really sounds like. This is joyous music as innovative as it is bootylicious. With all its genre-defying tricks, Kish clearly owes a debt to the millenarian bootleg craze, but these songs are more than novelty mash-ups, they’re songs, and this is an album you’ll play years from now. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Atleast there was a good song or two on it
A disappoint to only find two good songs on here.The best being #4 Luck Star Feat. Dizzee Rascal.At first it was weird, but after the 3rd time listening I was hooked.CooL song and if you like it, check out the video which is realli crazy.Another good song which caught me off gaurd was #7 with JC Chasez, if starts off slow, but it has an up-beat to it unlike the rest of the album.Also #10 isnt the best, but its got UP-beat to it.Well, I got a GREAT song from the album, starring Dizzee Rascal, so it wasn'ttt a complete waste.Check out more of Dizzee Rascal if your into that song.

PEACEEE

Kish Kash I was Takin' a Bath
One of the most vibrant and creative forces in pop music (subgenre funky house), the Basement Jaxx manage to sound a little different on every album:Brazilian and summery on the smooth but energetic "Remedy," brassy and sassy on the cartoonish "Rooty," and now funky, punky, and latin on "Kish Kash."

Not every song works.Good 1-2 punch at the start though.The neo-disco kiss-off song "Good Luck" thumps along with synth swell majesty and leather-lung female vocals; the electrofunk and androgynous hiphop of "Right Here's the Spot" may make it the album's stand-out.At least it's the one I play for my friends when I want them to give this album and group a chance.The reaction is usually good to this high energy funk workout that references Prince's "Delirious."

Whether the remaining songs work or not is a matter of opinion.Title track "Kish Kash" with vocals by punk legend Siouxshie doesn't quite catch fire and "Plug It In," with vocals from musical pariah J C Chavez (N Sync) builds into a dense production number that sounds modern, catchy, and exciting.

Overall, Basement Jaxx are making house music interesting.If you hate house music, well, it won't convert you; if you like it a little, you may like it a lot after so many spices and influences are thrown into the pot.This is a party record with amazing production values--from clean and tweety electronic sounds that are the group's signature to deep 'n' dirty synthesized bass.

Outrageous
One reviewer referred to this album as the "most outrageous party album of the year".Yeah.That's about right.But it fails to completely explain the excitement and sheer joy of this effort - an excitment that suggests the party was in fact, in the studio, and not in your filthy one-bedroom apartment.

Breaking boundaries and challenging those who consider "House" a dirty word, the London Duo cobble an impressive selection of guest artists into a rollicking, soulful run through current music.They've tweaked a former N'Sync member into a mesmerizing, hyperkinetic performance and managed to pull Me'Shell N'DegeOcello out of her booty-music insomnia and back to her funk roots.And, need we applaud the idea of dropping Siouxsie into a frenetic, swirling, psychedlic tornado of a song?It works.Like you wouldn't believe, it works.

There are a few dips that don't quite measure up to the work's intense hum, but overall, this can be considered one of the very best albums of the year.It roars and soars.Pick it up.

... Read more

Asin: B0000DD56E
Subjects:  1. Club/Dance    2. House    3. Left-Field House    4. Pop    5. Progressive House    6. Rock   

World Without Tears
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 April, 2003)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $12.99
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Editorial Review

Most artists who appeal to adult listeners tend to settle into a comfortable niche, but Lucinda Williams refuses to play it safe. Instead, her music stings like an open wound, as she continues to strip away the protective layers from her art's emotional core. Though Williams has long been prized for the naked honesty of her music, this collection is even rawer than its predecessors. From the down-and-dirty bar-band blues of "Atonement" to the Rolling Stones-style swagger of "Bleeding Fingers" to the tricky balance of debasement and transcendence in "Ventura," Williams leaves the nerve endings of her music exposed. With the band opting for first-take immediacy rather than polish, some of the most powerful material is also the neediest, as the singer addresses lovers who have disrespected her ("Righteously") or abandoned her ("Those Three Days," "Minneapolis"). Though her attempts at rap on "Sweet Side" and "American Dream" might cause diehard fans to wince, her willingness to take creative chances reaffirms her position at the vanguard of a rootsy progressivism that transcends musical category. Simply put, there's more Patti Smith in her than there is Patsy Cline. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (133)

lacks cohesion or vision
Unfortunately Lucinda Williams does not live up to her 1998,"Car Wheels on a Gravel Road".Meandering, scattered, and often self-indulgent, some very good songs get lost in that mix...Moreover, her voice gets irritatingly grating at times (or is it the studio mixing?).However, fans will enjoy it, being still well above average for the singer-songwriter genre.

Scratches and Burns
World Without Tears is either most cynically named or just plain wrong: It is about a world with tears. Williams writes lyrics that scratch the furniture and stab the heart over and over again. The music is very melodic alt-country or folk, I guess, and always outpaces the lyrics, almost as if the happy music and the sad lyrics compliment each other in some way. Springsteen has some songs to that effect (think of born to run). In fact this album reminds me of the boss. That is, if the boss were a woman who'd been around the blocks of love three or four times. He certainly could have wrote a song like "Those Three Days", and that's a huge compliment.
Think of what Sheryl Crow would sound like with some more edge and a few more scars. That's Lucinda Williams, as much as can be described in words.

Probably Lucinda's best yet
If you're not familiar with Lucinda Williams, it may take a few listenings to get used to her style, but once you "discover" her, she's pure Alt-Country as it comes.
She's an excellent songwriter and I like the way her CDs are recorded: the first take from her band is the final take--that's why at times it seems a little rough here and there, but that's what I like and it fits her style. This album features nice ballads and yes, Lucinda is even raping on a couple of songs. And the edgy "Real Live bleeding fingers and broken guitar strings" gets you going after the beautiful "Ventura." "Those three days" is a thoughtful song, but I didn't like the use of a four-letter word twice which was unnecessary and the only incident in this regard throughout the CD. Also the "American Dream" is an interesting take. To some degree there's a negative undertone on this CD, which cannot be taken that serious, and which is balanced by the soulful ballads. It's an artsy CD and it is quite interesting. ... Read more

Asin: B000089RV5
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Americana    4. Folk-Pop    5. Folk-Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Roots Rock    9. Singer/Songwriter    10. Urban Folk   

These Are the Vistas
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (11 February, 2003)
list price: $10.98 -- our price: $10.98
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Editorial Review

Here's a major label debut that doesn't disappoint. For starters, Midwestern piano trio the Bad Plus--in the same vein as Dave Douglas or Brad Mehldau--clearly know a thing or two about how to mix pop music with forward-thinking jazz. The group covers Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Blondie's "Heart of Glass," and Aphex Twin's "Flim" with wit, virtuosity, and respect to the originals--these interpretations never sound in the least bit cliched or overwrought. But even the new material on These Are the Vistas is loaded with infectious hooks. Ethan Iverson uses the entire range of his piano with speed and dexterity; David King's drum fills are deftly placed, at times harkening more to electronica music's lightening fast percussion flourishes than anything on the jazz scene; and bassist Reid Anderson somehow keeps up with the madness and maintains a steady beat. Amidst all the fun is a dynamic record that holds your attention. A wonderful effort. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Interesting but overrated
Come on, this is not like listening to a true piano TRIO - there is very little group interaction here.Most of the time it sounds like Ethan Iverson (p) is playing by himself and Reid Anderson and Dave King are just trying to play along with him.(For King this generally means simply flailing at his drums as loud as possible.)The Nirvana cover is a prime example of this:Iverson doing exactly what he wants and the bass and drums just along for the ride.The songs don't really develop in any particular direction with any kind of cooperation.The production and engineering also isn't my favorite - Tchad Blake approached this with much more of his Soul Coughing vibe.The bass sound is horrible.And it does sound like they're in a huge room with metal walls.Iverson uses too much pedal, which doesn't help.
It's interesting music in its own right, so come at it with an open mind.Iverson and Anderson (particularly Anderson) are clearly good musicians, but they just don't listen to each other enough.Dave King doesn't belong in this world at all.For a real jazz piano trio where the musicians are interested in listening to each other and improvising off each other, listen of course to Brad Mehldau, Jason Moran, Jarrett/Peacock/DeJohnette, Lynne Arrialle, and so forth.

Complex, accessible, fresh - one of the best CDs in years!
The instrumentation of The Bad Plus is quite traditional:a trio with piano, acoustic bass, and drums.The music is anything but traditional.These cats push the boundaries and achieve something magical with their energy, enthusiasm, and talent.

This CD, the first major US release for The Bad Plus, contains mostly originals, plus a couple covers of rock tunes that are done very well.All arrangements are fresh & original, and each member of the trio is showcased on a few different tracks.Here are some of the highlights:

The CD opens with "Big Eater," an exciting piece with changing time signatures (7/8 to 3/4 to 4/4), lots of open fifths on the piano and bass, an amazing piano solo that starts out great and builds to an awesome climax.The pianist, Ethan Iverson, can - better than anyone else I can think of - play completely different things rhythmically with both hands, even over (what to other players would be) awkward time signatures.Actually, each member of The Bad Plus has a miraculous sense of time and the ability to anchor to any time signature.More importantly, they make these odd time signatures actually work for the listener, rather than being novelties meant to "show off" their talent.

The second track, "Keep the Bugs Off Your Glass and the Bears Off Your Ass" reminds me a bit of Mingus, with the bass playing the laid-back melody at times (even acappella in some spots), a great acappella bass solo by Reid Anderson, and an absolutely brilliant and exciting piano solo that is one of the few relatively straight-ahead swinging jazz solos on the album.

"Boo-Wah" reminds me a bit of Ornette Coleman and Thelonius Monk.High energy, playing fast & loose with the tempo, and some brilliant playing by all three cats.

"Flim" is a showcase for the drummer David King.I'd describe the tune as almost a lullaby, with a funky drum track on top.Sounds weird, huh?But it works brilliantly.You will be playing this track over and over.

The Nirvana cover "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is maybe the last thing you'd expect a jazz piano trio to cover.But The Bad Plus does a wonderful arrangement of it, and will likely bring some young rock fans into the jazz fold with this one.

On all tracks, The Bad Plus deliver performances that have the energy and intensity usually heard only live.Somehow, they capture that energy in the studio and it burns through your speakers and into your gut.Hearing this CD really is an emotionally engaging experience.

More recently, The Bad Plus have released a newer CD entitled "Give."If you're more into the jazz-rock sound, you may like "Give" better.If you're more into straight-ahead jazz (but are not too conservative in your tastes), you may like "These Are The Vistas" better.I think both are amazing, though I prefer "These Are The Vistas" because it seems to have more jazz improvisation and more tunes that come close to resembling what I think of as jazz.

Jazz album of the year.
I first learned of this title as a bridge between solid traditional jazz and avant garde experimentation, recommended to patrons of Brad Mehldau, Dave Douglas, and Bill Frisell.
This album is so infectious, and truly substantiates the following revelation: that a pop music staple (Blondie, Aphex Twin, and Nirvana selections) interpreted, deconstructed, and recreated into dynamic jazz madness amounts to some friggin sweet aural goods.
Overall, there's no doubt these cats can play (speed, dexterity, rhythm, range, chops, composition, et al) but it is the refreshing, foreward-thinking, and accessible quality that I treasure so much! The material on this ingenious CD effort could make even the staunchiest jazz apathetic give up the love. Natch.
... Read more

Asin: B000087N0V
Subjects:  1. Free Jazz    2. Jazz    3. Modern Creative    4. Pop    5. Post-Bop   

D-D-Don't Don't Stop the Beat
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 August, 2003)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

Described rather astutely as "The Laurel and Hardy of Danish electro pop," Junior Senior's "D-D-Don't Stop the Beat" is the coolest thing to come out of Denmark since Lego. Already huge in Scandinavia, the JS sound (think the Cramps, the B-52's, and Wham! in some gloriously incongruous pile-up) can't fail to paint a smile on the hardest of cynic's face. Fittingly their debut is full of perversely mad pop songs, referenced to the hilt and none too complex in production; for sheer goofy charm and jump-around madness, it's hard to beat. "Chicks and Dicks," an ode to misguided sexual attention, rocks along to 60s beach guitar and surfin' harmonies, while "Move Your Feet" is the sound of Fatboy Slim body-popping to "Club Tropicana." At turns clever, irreverent, and maddeningly catchy, this is a record from Denmark that other countries will want to listen to. --Paul Tierney ... Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (43)

General Disappointment
"Move Your Feet" is such an infectious track, I wouldn't be surprised if most people bought the album because of it. Sounds pretty normal to me. The problem I have with this particular album is that there isn't another song that matches the colorful, catchiness AS "Move Your Feet."

Its trippy electro-funk beat and fun vocals are a dance floor necessity, but the rest of "D-D-Don't Stop the Beat" are relative filler. Campy 60's beach music revisited, ridiculously boring dance-pop and all-around less interesting tracks stand behind "Move Your Feet's" irresistible hook and memorable feel.

Do not buy this album expecting retreads and/or similar songs to "Move Your Feet." It's obvious Junior Senior have been riding the coattails of said hit and is no wonder that they've virtually slipped from popularity since its appeal has died down.

What to expect next? Probably another clumsy dance album with one true hit and a bunch...I mean a BUNCH...of filler.

Shake Your Boogie
The Swedish duo named Junior Senior has come up with the most irrelevant CD of our time, but incidentally, at under 40 minutes, D-D-Don't Stop The Beat also ranks as one of 2003's best.

With a knack for silly lyrics and strong danceable beats, the duo has created a solid album which mixes rock, dance, retro pop and electro beatsinto a sublime concoction with even a faint tinge of western.

But any way they sing, dance or rave, this CD is just full of fun and makes you wanna get on your feet.

It's like totally awesome!!!
The first time I heard this was actually on MTV (they play videos a few hours each week), and I was immediately hooked. The video was really great, but this album is even better. It's dance-pop perfection, and as musically colorful as the album cover. "Move Your Feet" is the huge smash, and the coolest track since Daft Punk's "One More Time". But I found that the rest was just as great, especially the first five songs. All are incredibly catchy. Overall it doesn't really matter that one of these guys is straight and thin, and the other is gay and fat, it's the music that counts, and it's absolutely "Dynamite"! ... Read more

Asin: B0000A4G4Y
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Passionoia
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (02 September, 2003)
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Reviews (1)

Where are the lyrics?
Like REM, Black Box Recorder seem to have a tradition of not having the lyrics in their album inlays. I had to print the lyrics for their two previous albums off of the Internet, but I can't seem to find the full lyrics for this new album which is really a shame because lyrics are essential with this band. This is the only complaint I have, though. Passionoia is pretty similar to Black Box Recorder's previous album, The Facts Of Life, so if you enjoyed it you'll love this. As usual, the sharp writing team of Haines & Moore keep exploring the beauty of the United Kingdom with an ever-present edge of irony & observation. Here they focus on the country's obsession with the royal family, the death of Princess Diana & rich celebrities. "These Are The Things" was a clever choice for a first single & it's entirely our loss that it didn't get any exposure. "Andrew Ridgley" evokes sweet memories from the 1980's (even if you didn't like Wham!). Basically all of the songs are equally good so I don't wanna do a song by song review as the album is really short & sweet & I want my review to reflect that. Buy this if you like The Facts Of Life, Britpop or Britain in general. ... Read more

Asin: B0000AYL46
Sales Rank: 121460
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Tiny Voices
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 September, 2003)
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Reviews (10)

Chameleon of Musical Genre's......
This is Joe Henry's 9th album, much different from his first 2, which are different then his 3rd and 4th. In other words, this is an artist who's reinterpretation of his previous efforts is assimultated, digested with excogitation and reinforced with new ideas and musical concepts. Henry is one of the most prolific artist working in music today. The mainstream will never understand where he's been, what he's heard or what he's presenting inside embellished rainbows of jazz inflected folk that simply is miles ahead of most artist recording today.
Amazingly originative narrations guide the listener through germinal thoughts and abstractions.
One heck of an accomplishment by any standards and most assuredly transcending, setting it firmly amoungst the true recordedmasterpieces of this century.

It completes the trilogy
This record is not the place to start if you're new to Joe Henry. It seems so long ago that I first heard "Fuse." What a fantastic journey Joe has taken us on beginning with "Fuse," and then "Scar," and "Tiny Voices." "Fuse" is the pop record, and it is brilliant. "Scar" is the masterpiece. It will be very tough to top that record. It combines the pop sensibilities with the jazz influences in a perfect way. "Tiny Voices" is the after-the-masterpiece record. It's more jazzy than ever, and some of the improvisational work by the instrumentalists occasionally strays over the line into dissonance. However, the lyrics are fantastic and it is a great record in it's own right, but I think it's more likely to be appreciated by listeners who've heard both "Fuse" and "Scar" first. After three great records in a row, which is a rare achievement, one can only hope that the next record is as interesting and wonderful as these three. All three records deserve five stars.

Another Triumph For An Artist Who Defies Categorization...
"Tiny Voices" is yet another beautifully discordant "jazzy"triumph for a vastly under appreciated artist. In the tradition of "Scar," his previous masterpiece, Mr. Henry continues to explore the themes that have dominated his work from the beginning: love, loss, betrayal, transcendence and shatterd expectations. Defying the temptation of critics who would like nothing more than to pidgeonhole him - he's been compared to everyone from Tom Waites to Elvis Costello - Mr. Henry continues to chart his own course. His musical palette, as wide as the Mississippi is long, ranges from folk to to jazz to Tin Pan Alley. And it's all so seamless, you wonder how he does it. "Tiny Voices" is dominated by the lush, tastefully discordant jazzy background music that was used so effectively on "Scar," although on "Tiny Voiices" it's more restrained. He's altogether eshewed the pop elements of his 1999 release "Fuse," which brought him a smattering of the attention he deserves. Apart from his masterly musical explorations, Mr. Henry shows he can write a song with the best of them, including Waites and Costello. Mr. Henry's "Flesh and Blood," performed so powerfully by Solomon Burke on the Henry-produced record "Don't Give Up On Me," is one of my favorites:

"Come see the golden light,
Because I've turned the gold light on.
Sometimes, God knows, you've got to
Learn to shine on your own.

I step out of the darkness
And for a moment I'm onlyy living by your kiss,
And just for now our flesh and blood
Is no more real than this."

This is music for people, adults, who think and feel. Buy it. ... Read more

Asin: B0000C0FA0
Sales Rank: 37323
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Pop    3. Pop/Rock    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Singer/Songwriter   

Wildwood Flower
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (09 September, 2003)
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Editorial Review

June Carter Cash's final album (she died in May, 2003) is a microcosm of a magnificent seven-decade legacy that began in the 1930s when she and her two sisters joined their mother in the Original Carter Family. After years recording with them, alone, and with husband Johnny Cash , her solo career found new life on her 1999 masterpiece Press On.As straightforward as ever, she revisits many Carter Family standards and a few of her lesser-known originals. Yet even on the deeper, darker numbers, her tone is anything but funereal. Her feisty performance of Red Ingle's 1947 novelty "Temptation" ("Tim-Tay-Shun") with Johnny revives the playfulness at the heart of their duets.Her family members, including daughter Carlene Carter, singing backup and the elegant accompaniment from a tiny acoustic band including Norman and Nancy Blake bolster and enhance her weathered voice. In bringing down the curtain herself, as she does on the Carter Family's timeless ballads "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone" and "Wildwood Flower," she demonstrates the grace, class and courage befitting both a Carter—and a Cash. -- Rich Kienzle ... Read more

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• Enhanced

Reviews (16)

Perhaps the Greatest Tradtional Folk album Ever!
Granted June couldn't sing as well as Anita, she is still one hell'uva vocalist. Anita had a pretty voice, pretty music, but June had a lot of soul, & was/is bursting with attitude.A first rate comedienne, singer, actress, and all around entertainer was what June Carter Cash was.Wild Wood Flower is a stunning masterpeice, and a wonderful touching fare-the-well from a true national treasure."Keep on the Sunny side"(an old country favorite) is given a new treatment, with Carters and Cashs supplying a wonderful back up, testifying that Junes belief that music & family were almost the same thing. Listening to it makes the listener happier,& shows that there is almost a bright side to everything. It's no wonder why she won the 2003 Grammy for Best Female Country vocal, June & "Keep on the sunny side" represent country in its original form."Road to Kaintuck"also a light tune is a ho-down of great hill billy fun. Johnny Cash makes a guest appearance, narrating the song as though he were in a movie.
"Kneeling Drunkards Plea" is preceaded by a short radio clipping from the early 40's, June, Helen and Anita, singing their little hearts out. Kneeling Drunkards plea was written by The Carter sisters and Mother Maybelle, (a rare event) & the song is a sad sounding masterpeice. "Storms are on the Ocean" is another Carter done ballad, sang tenderly, soulfully by an ailing June.Complete with Cello & Violins.The hilarious "Temptation" brings the listener back to the "Carryin'on with Johnny and June" days. A fun up beat track features June & Johnny giving it their all.A fast almost Blue-grassy song."Big Yellow Peaches" is explained by June, it chronicles the life of Lee Marvin;June gives the listener one her essential stories & bursts into song."Alcatraz" has a dark comedic thing going about it.A changing, tempo & a growling vocal performance by June show the Listener that June Carter could rock with the best of them. "Sinking on the lonesome Sea" is trully beautiful, sang by the family, also by sister Anita, June revives this song with a Gusto."Church in Wildwood" is explained by June, the listener can tell that this song meant a a lot to her,she is Joined by cousins Lorrie & Joe Carter,with Joe (died March 2/05)providing the group with a powerful bass vocal.It conjurs up immages of a rustic old mountin Church,in the woods of Junes Child Hood. The next essential track for me & mabe the most heart wrenchingly soulful tune on the record, was the Sad & tender "Will you miss me when I'm gone?" This song can touch home for anyone who has lost someone close to them, I can only immagine how it must feel for the Carters to listen to this beautiful song.Abosolutly stunning.
"Anchored in Love" featured musical Contributions by Joe & Janette(the only survivng memeber of Generation #2 of the Carters) features Janettes weathered soulful vocal.
Last but not least come Junes revival of Wild Wood Flower.She stays true the original, and brings a wonderful close to a magnificent album.

June On this Album you asked "Will you miss me when I'm gone?" the answer is yes, very much. On May 15th/2003 we lost a true Entertainment treasure.I wish I could have Known you.
Thank you so much June for this album,be assured you have affirmed you and your families contribution to music is undeniable.Mission Complete, Rest In Peace.

An Up-Close Evening With June
Listening to this CD is like spending an evening with the spirit of this wonderful woman. She chats and plays with a voice of deep love and wisdom. This is a remarkable CD that is difficult to describe in words. An absolute MUST have for lovers of American music...and for those who'd simply like a little food for the soul. (As a special treat, Johnny joins in on several numbers.)

Stunning!!!
A remarkable cd by a remarkable woman! You can HEAR the history in her voice when she sings! ... Read more

Asin: B0000C05MO
Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country-Folk    3. Pop    4. Traditional Country   

Hail To The Thief
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (10 June, 2003)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Editorial Review

Filling the gulf between OK Computer's epicprogressive rock and KidA's skittering electronic theatrics, Hail to the Thief borrows equally from each.Its title implies that this will be a collection filled with songs of anger and dissent, but Radiohead no longer howl at the moon like they did on 1995's The Bends. Instead, theyuse eloquent metaphors and complicated arrangements to express the uncertainty, fear and anger arising from the 2000 U.S. presidential election and a post-9/11 world. There’s no doubt about where Thom Yorke and company stand; the prog-rock break on "2 + 2 = 5" and Yorke's terror at the thought of being "put in a dock" make that immediately clear. But there's a prevailing sense of powerlessness here. The tinkling piano behind the cold sonic surface of "Backdrifts" and the brief, swooping melody in the middle of "Sail to the Moon" are islands in a sea of confusion. Like the band's best work, Thief requires more than a few listens to fully appreciate, but those who stick around will be richly rewarded. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (949)

An Artistic Oddity
I find this to be an interesting album. It is like Thom Yorke took 'Ok Computer', 'Kid A' and 'Amnesiac' and blended them together to form 'Hail To The Thief'. I can agree with the other reviewers that this album does lack some flow. But, Radiohead has never been able to fit into some sort of formula.

This album takes longer to "get into", so to speak. I had to listen to it a few times to truly appreciate it. I remember feeling the same way with 'Kid A', and I like that album a lot now.I really like the title of this album and how it corelates with the 2000 election. I find Radiohead's tongue and cheek response funny.

I think this album does fit into any Radiohead fan's collection. Its a good album, but maybe not as brilliant as Kid A, The Bends, or Ok Computer. It is still good stuff. If you are new to Radiohead, this may not be the best album to start off with. Try 'The Bends' or 'Ok Computer.'

Pure rubbish!
Keep on whining little one...waah! yhyy! This music is just whining...listen to great rock like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath!

It's too bad Radiohead had to be the band to release this..
Why the title? Because had any other band released this album, it would have been lauded as complete genious, a breakthrough in popular music. But instead, Radiohead released it, and as such it draws comparison to the titans OK Computer, Kid A, and even to an extent, The Bends and Amnesiac. Is Hail to the Thief as good as these albums? In some ways, yes. In other ways, no. I will go in to as much detail as I can comfortably muster...

First, a major complaint is the album's cohesiveness. Or more like its lack thereof. It is true that the album stalls and restarts in spots. For instance, while "2+2=5" is like a punch to the face from one fist and "Sit Down. Stand Up" a follow up from the other hand, leaving you dazed and half-conscious during the beautiful, astral scenery of "Sail to the Moon", "Backdrifts" sort of stutters. "Backdrifts" itself is a pretty good song, and fits just fine after "Sail to the Moon." However, it doesn't seem to provide an adequete enough bridge between the first portion of the record and "Go to Sleep." In fact, the problem here may not be "Backdrifts," but "Go to Sleep." It just doesn't fit on the album that well. I love the song but it divides the record up.

"Where I End and You Begin" and "We Suck Young Blood" pick up the album again after "Go to Sleep" drops it, indulging in creepy lyricism and emotionally-over-the-top music. "The Gloaming" is conceptually a high point of the album but musically a weak point. Still, it serves the album just fine where it is, and even manages to segway into "There There" effectively. There's a sort of "gloaming" in the album, everything before this track being the dusk and everything after it the night. This fits with the oftentimes political preoccupation of the album fairly nicely.

"I Will" is a beautiful song, but the start of a scattered, unorganized part of the album. My biggest problems with the consistancy of this album mostly take place in this part. "Punchup at a Wedding" is a groovey, but under-written, song that fits poorly among the other songs. Perhaps if they had given it more time to age, it would have turned out a little better. Not a bad song by any means, but a low point in the album. "Myxomatosis" is a fantastic, adrenaline-driven thrill ride on the wave of surging distorted bass synth and Phil's mind-boggling swung drum beat. As good as this song is, it still doesn't feel as though it contributes to the flow of the album as much as it should.

"Scatterbrain" brings the album back on track, with a crooning melody and guitars that hint back to the beginning of the record. It then flows seemlessly into "Wolf at the Door" which is one of my personal favorites on the album and a brilliant, unique album closer.

The other common complaint is the "straightforward," more live-production style. Radiohead fans have grown accustomed to studio-trickery and songs that are almost identical to their live versions (both in instrumentation and just general sound) was an alien idea to many. While I miss the spaced out, rich production of OK Computer, I have come to appreciate Hail to the Thief as a different album and a different bag of tricks altogether.

While initially I was disappointed in some ways, I have grown to love this album. It contains many of my favorite individual Radiohead songs (2+2=5, Sail to the Moon, Where I End and You Begin, We Suck Young Blood, There There, Wolf at the Door.) It may not work as a full album quite as well as Kid A or OK Computer, but once you stop expecting Radiohead to keep topping themselves, you may realize that Hail to the Thief is a fantastic album. It's a "low point" in Radiohead's discography because it's not genre-redefining, but in the greater scheme of popular music, it is flat out amazing. Its diversity, while breaking up the flow of the album, is also part of what makes the album so charming.

Overall, as a Radiohead album it gets four stars. But held up against the rest of the music world, it gets a five, easily. ... Read more

Asin: B000092ZYX
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Master and Everyone
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 January, 2003)
list price: $15.98 -- our price: $15.98
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Editorial Review

Bonnie "Prince" Billy, a.k.a. Will Oldham, is no ordinary bard. His writing, which can call to mind 19th-century American poets like Walt Whitman, has won him a cult of fans that include Marianne Faithfull, Björk, and Beck. Master's painfully fragile intensity is disconcerting and challenging, yet its purity and tenderness is soothing all the same. Dark, intimate, and sparsely arranged, it's a loose, meditative concept record that explores issues of gender, self, and love. Here Oldham trades in his familiar warble for a hushed, clear high tenor and a rock band for his acoustic guitar; ever-so-soft strings and keyboards warm up the arrangements while he is backed by Marty Slayton's sweet, feminine harmonies. Lyrically less dense than previous releases, Master does retain Oldham's typically quaint phrasings, as in "Ain't You Wealthy, Ain't You Wise?" and "Joy and Jubilee." With a few listens, these 10 oddly gentle songs will endear themselves, and perhaps prove Master to be Oldham's best and most personal work to date. --Jillian Steinberger ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Keeps getting better
I tend to approach slower, folkier albums with a bit of hesitance, having cut my teeth on Nirvana and Hendrix and going from there into punk rock, but I never have to think twice or "be in the mood" before putting in "Master And Everyone."For such a spare, lilting record, there are a whole lot of subtle flourishes just beneath the surface that make for a truly engaging, involving listening experience.Oldham's melodies ride the line between folk and rock, and every single one of them on this record is unforgettable.And you want great lyrics?Check.

If you're new to Oldham, I'd suggest starting with Palace Music's "Lost Blues and Other Songs," but by the same token, you really can't go wrong here -- this is actually my favorite BPB effort, and it stands as the most pastoral piece in Oldham's catalog.Great stuff.

bonnie prince billy is king
This album, like most great albums doesn't jump out at you right away saying, "I'm a Great Album."Instead it sort of weasels it's way into your mind until you realize that you haven't taken it out of your cd player in about two weeks.Then you leave it in for another two weeks, because you finally realize how great it really is.

The pace of this album is very slow, and the instrumentation is minimal.It's the type of thing you'd play to just wind down and relax.But honestly, it's hard to relax when you're hanging off of every word this guy is singing.

Bonnie Prince Billy, in my opinion, is this generation's Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen as far as lyrics go.His lyrics on this album are the type that you may not get right away, but when you do understand what he's talking about, you love the album even more.Every song on this album is fantastic.At first listen, a few tracks seem to stand out more than others (not that any of them are bad), but as this album gets into your heart, you realize that every track is essential to the one behind it and before, therefore creating what I call a great album.

So Will Oldham, if you are reading this, please never stop making music.

so simple, yet so nice
this is one of those amazing albums that is just a few chords and a few pluckings, but the recording quality is so intimate and clean and personal you can't help but love it. fat and away his best effort in my eyes. ... Read more

Asin: B000083ME8
Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter   

A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 August, 2003)
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Editorial Review

On Dashboard Confession's fourth album, Christopher Carraba welcomes listeners back into his emotionally claustrophobic world, where relationships are minefields, women are brittle and self-absorbed, and every cloud has a pewter lining. But all this is only fodder for his runaway id, as he deconstructs every encounter, giving us evidence of the pain and betrayal that lurks behind every corner. Finding a home somewhere between the positive punk of Green Day, circa "Time of Your Life," and the stream-of-consciousness poetry of the early Counting Crows, this collection is more musically coherent than Dashboard Confessional's earlier albums. Gil Norton's production has taken the band to new heights, allowing the music to have as much grit, substance, and dynamics as the lyrics. The anxious expectorated sputum of "Am I Missing," is an existential assault on your very sanity, with its fretful drumming and spectral chorus, butthis album doesn't sound just that one apprehensive note; Carraba is equally at home with the sparse, acoustic ballad "Ghost of a Good Thing" and the folksy rocker "Carve Your Heart Out Yourself," which could have been lifted from a Buffalo Springfield album. By giving voice to the thoughts that go bump in the night, Carraba gives vulnerability and sincerity a good name again. --Jaan Uhelszki ... Read more

Reviews (342)

IS THIS ON REPEAT?!?
This is the worst display of musical abilities i have ever heard in my entire life!The first three songs are exactly the same, and upon close inspection, ALL SUCK!!I thought my cd player was on repeat, but it turned out it was three "different" songs (the only noticeable difference was the titles).I would rather watch moss grow on a large tree than ever listen to this album ever again!PLEASE DONT BUY THIS CRAP!

I have become a Dashboard fan!!
I love this album and Dashboard. Chris's voice is kind of strange, but it is good. It gives Dashboard a unique sound that no one else can quite match! : )

the best tracks on this album are Hands Down, Rapid Hope Loss, As Lovers Go, Bend And Not Break, Ghost Of A Good Thing, Morning Calls, and Several Ways To Die Trying

wow..half the album is on my best tracks list. i guess that is a testament to how good it is!!

the only bad track is Carry This Picture. i would skip over it..because it gets boring after about the second verse.

anyway, i would definetly advise you to buy this album, even if u have never listened to "emo" before. i hadn't listened to emo before either and now i love it!!

asoifhusdghsdg.
For all you smart-asses who keep saying Carrabba should stop writing and whining about his high-school relationships..

stfu.

How do you know hes not writing about his engagement that didnt work out? Or the girlfriends hes had in the past year, or so?

I think this album is great, though I think the Places is his best one. I think hes a lyrical genius, and I love his voice.
I'm anxiously waiting for the new album.. due to be out October 12th. My birthday. Woot.
... Read more

Asin: B0000AKADQ
Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Indestructible
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 August, 2003)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

Where Rancid's eponymous 2000 album saw the band attempting to re-seize the moral high ground by aping the hardcore sound of the early 1980s, Indestructible is a return to the eclectic mix of their own breakthrough album And Out Come the Wolves. Thus "Red Hot Moon" and "Memphis" are melancholy, Clash-inspired grooves, "Arrested in Shanghai" and "Back Up Against the Wall" are melodic pop rock, while "Out of Control" and "Born Frustrated" are screaming punk assaults. Their politics, naturally, remain sound, as evinced by "Ivory Coast" and the anti-violence anthem "Spirit of '87". --Dominic Wills ... Read more

Reviews (215)

Stop Crying
On a lot of forums, you see people complaining and crying that "Rancid lost thier edege..." That's B.S. All Rancid did with this album was re-emerge with thier classically eclectic sound. On "Life Won't Wait..." the band went totally ska/reggae, while "2000" was hardcore punk. This is a retreat to the mixed punk/ska style Rancid is famous for, and I applaud the effort. Songs like "Spirit of '87" and "stay out of control" kick the door down with punk energy, "Red Hot Moon" is a sad and telling story of the life of a doomed street kid, and "The other Side" is a touching tribute to Lars' deceased brother. The record on the whole is like a punch in the teeth you just want more of, keep on playing boys!

Worst yet...
Before I get judged, I'd like to say that I've been listening to Rancid for over 10 years.I've loved all thier albums but this one leaves me cold.I'm not saying they 'sold out'. That would be impossible as how they're all already filthy rich and have changed thier styles on almost every album.(Like Green Day, I'd say they simply went in a different direction.If you change you're style for the sake of change it's not selling out.You might as well say they sold out with Life Won't Wait then, because it had such heavy ska tones.)

Anyway, back to this album.At first I thought it was a new Transplants album.Where is Lars?Remember how they used to -share- lyrics and Lars sang lead on about half the songs?Remember when his vocals weren't reduced to back up choruses and "whoa whoa whoas"?The musical style is just like the Transplants.The lyrics are, frankly, pathetic.They sound like Cat in The Hat rhymes.it's that same, let's-string-words-together-cause-they-rhyme Transplants rapping style.Barf.What happened to writing songs about things that -meant- something to you?Why, on the album right before this one, didn't Tim sing "I hate your band / you understand / you got no passion / it's all fashion"?Way to go Tim.Hope you're having fun hanging with the biggest all-fashion-no-passion "punks" (and I use the term loosely as possible) of the decade, Good Charlotte.he's lost it somewhere and it makes me sad.

Had this cd been released by some newbie punk band I would have said it sucked.Just because I'm a fan of Rancid's doesn't mean I have to declare everything they put out as 'the greatest'.I'm not averse to different kinds of music, or bands who change their style.I rock out to Rainer Maria and Oxymoron and Bacilos.My musical taste runs across the board.Hell, I even liked The Transplant CD (well, about half of it).And if Tim wants to make another, go ahead.Just don't label it as a Rancid CD this time.

Indestructible: 0 out of 5
Rancid (2004): 5 out of 5
The Transplants: 3 out of 5
Lars & The Bastards: 5 out of 5

I'm still a rancid fan by all rights, in fact I was lsitening to "Let's Go" as I wrote this.But this album, well, it can go straight to the dump for all I care.

I guess I never realized that what I liked most about Rancid wasn't Tim the frontman.It was what Lars brought, that surge of street punk, which sadly is absent from this album.

class
I created an account here so i could rate this cd which has been getting so much stick because rancid 'sold-out'. SO what?
They are best at creating musical masterpieces and this is what they have done..
Whilst this is not their best cd it is still brilliant.

(CD's in order of amazingness)
1. ...And Out Come The wolves
2. Let's Go
3. Rancid 2000
4. THis one
5. Life wont wait & Rancid 1993
6. (none deserves to come last) so 5 is tied between those 2, which still both happen to be 5 star affairs

This cd combines some of the rancid 2000, with some of the punk from lets go, steals a healthy dose of ska from ...AOCT wolves and some of the experimentation from their first cd, rancid 1993.
THere are no poor songs although a couple suffer in comparison to other classic rancid songs..

Track By Track (best ones in capitals)

1. INDESTRUCTIBLE - 5/5 -
2. Fall Back Down - 3.5/5 - (too poppish for a 4, but still a good song by all rights)
3. Red Hot Moon - 4/5 -
4. David Coutney - 4/5 -
5. Start Now - 3.5/5 - (not as infectuous as others)
6. Control - 3.5/5 - ( a little directionless)
7. DJANGO
8. Arrested in Shanghai - 4/5 -
9. Travis Bickle - 4/5 -
10. Memphis - 4/5 -
11. SPIRIT OF '87 - 5/5 -
12. Ghost Band - 4/5 -
13. Tropical London - 3.5/5 (well written but a little light compared with the next song)
14. ROADBLOCK - 5/5 -
15. Born Fustrated - 4/5 -
16. BACK UP AGAINST THE WALL - 5/5 -
17. IVORY COAST - 5/5 -
18. Stand your ground - 4/5 -
19. OTHERSIDE - 5/5 -

Although there are probably more 4/5's than 5/5's this cd still deserves the full rating because of its brilliant moments and the fact that all the other songs are not filler but very good and better than 90% of stuff that gets released also counts in its favour.

Sell outs or not, they are doing the thing which they do best..
... Read more

Asin: B0000AI44R
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Folklore
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 November, 2003)
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Editorial Review

On her second album, Nelly Furtado takes a hard left turn. The colorful but incomplete fusion of her debut, Whoa, Nelly!, gives way on the tellingly titled Folklore to an approach that lets in some acoustic sounds that take the music in an entirely different, richer direction. At times sounding like a dead ringer for singer-writer Sam Phillips (whose work colors each episode of the TV series "Gilmore Girls"), Furtado aims for more rock-oriented ground without losing the Brazilian influences that are so much a part of her identity. Her voice and tunes are strong, andboth words and music paint a young woman still very much in movement, change, flux. It’s an intriguing sound, and one that thoughtful listeners will cherish. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

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Reviews (172)

A couple of stinkers, but an excellent album nonetheless
Now, here's an artist who hardly anyone pays attention to nowadays who put out a phenomenally well done sophomore album.I had heard one of the tracks from this CD on my friend's computer, and decided to buy the album (knowing that most likely there was going to be 1 or 2 additional songs that I would dig).

Besides "Fresh Off The Boat" (mediocre at best), and the filler combination of tracks 7 and 8...the rest of the album really shines.The standout tracks are "The Grass Is Green", "Try"---and surprisingly...two tracks which grew on me over time in a very subtle way..."Build You Up" & "Island of Wonder".I really think these 4 tracks are the standout tracks (although "Powerless" has to be one of the catchiest and most political tracks I've ever heard...a rare feat).

Overall...an album worth getting.

Banjos are a sign of class!!
Unlike others, I was not familiar with Nelly's debut album, only the couple of songs I had heard on the radio.Thus, I was able to come to this recording without unreasonable expectations.After listening to this a few times over the months, I can safely say that Nelly has created a masterpiece.Not too long, unlike many albums in the CD age, the level of quality here is impressive.Every single song has grown on me, which is the sign of good music.Of course, it's sad to see that this hasn't done nearly as well commercially as her debut, despite probably being a much better album.Perhaps simpleton radio programmers didn't know what to consider this music, as it combines many genres (often with slamming banjo) to staggering effect.Songs like "Explode," "Fresh Off the Boat," and "Forca" should be played at your next party, where you'll have people asking you, "Who is this?"Kudos to Nelly for taking some risks on this record, and I hope to hear more great innovative music on future albums.

Just you and the universe judgin each other....
Nelly indeed takes a hard turn and to be honest, quite a risk with this album.
Folklore explores both Furtado's canadian upbringing (Explode) and her Azorean heritage (Fresh off the boat, Island of Wonder)
Tracks 1 through 6 and track 12 stand out. The others will take a while to grow on you.
This is a class album. They don't make much pop music like this anymore! ... Read more

Asin: B0000DFZZA
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter   

War All the Time
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Audio CD (16 September, 2003)
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Reviews (207)

Power rock with intelligence
One of my many complaints about modern day rock is that often the only kind of bands you can find is the sickeningly soft and intelligent or the inanely loud and mindnumbing. Of course there are exceptions, and both of those types can be good. But I was very much looking for something new, something better. Thursday caught my interest with Full Collapse, a seemingly intelligent record overrun by screams in all the wrong places. Still, it was a better than average album, so i kept my eye on them. Then they put out War All the Time. To listen to the music itself, it is loud, fast, uplifting, with breakdowns and yells and anthemic beats all over the place. It is nice to listen to. Then i took out the lyric book one night and read through it, joyed to see that none of the intelligence had been lost and in fact, it was so coherent and mind-shattering, that i fell in love with it immediately. Then the next night, i put the cd in, took out the lyric book, and settled myself in for an experience. It has become one of my favorite albums by any in the emo/screamo/light metal genre. It is both hard and intelligent. This album, if given the due that it deserves, will transcend the decades and become one of the great albums for the future

Thursday Shock Me...
The title track is just outstanding and it seems the tracks before that build up the momentum. I wouldnt recommend this disc to anyone while driving because it can make you go really fast.

my favourite song on the album however would be something that is emotionally superior to anything on the disc.It's called "this song was brought to you by a falling bomb" and it's an absolute anarchy of sorts.After around 50 listens I still feel like listening to it.It demands my attention more than anything.

"Marches and Maneuvers" , "Asleep In The Chapel" , "Steps Ascending" , "War All The Time" are other well thought out songs on the disc.Buy this disc if you liked their Thursday's "Waiting" On first listen three listens I thought "War All The Time" wasn't as good as Waiting but later I realised that I hadn't given the whole disc an earnest listen.

I'll remember this album for the title track and my favourite track. I'll definitely take Thursday as a more serious solid band now than a band that represents a certain season of vivid momentarly lapse of stillness in us.

With some due respect,

K

5 Stories Falling But Not Thursday
Amidst all the standard brainless emo/alternative music in today's world, Thursday is the standout and the epitome of bands.Although this album has been released a year and a half ago, it still is just as impacting as the first time I listenened.The standouts:Asleep in Chapel, War All The Time, Steps Ascending, Division St.This is my all time favorite record...ever.Do not hesitate, buy this immediately, worth everything you have for this lyrically depth and artisitic masterpiece. ... Read more

Asin: B0000C5ROW
Sales Rank: 8553
Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Pop    3. Post-Hardcore    4. Rock   

Pig Lib
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (18 March, 2003)
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Editorial Review

As an indie paragon since the early '90s, it's inevitable that Stephen Malkmus would want to make music that falls closer to traditional rock. His second solo album is the logical extension of those moments when Pavement cautiously approached the classic-rock canon, albeit from an oblique angle. Initially, it's hard-going for listeners. Where Malkmus's self-titled debut accentuated his flirtatious, pop-friendly inclinations, Pig Lib is gnarlier and more expansive. At times, it's uncharacteristically earnest, as if Malkmus was trying to defuse those usual jibes of archness with a sustained bout of jamming. Persevere, though, and Pig Lib's excellence is revealed. The two most obvious influences on spindly, febrile epics like "1% of One" and "Witch Mountain Bridge" are Television and Fairport Convention; Malkmus is particularly proficient at highlighting the affinities between New York art punk and British folk-rock through his notably improved guitar playing. Less rock-oriented souls, meanwhile, will be heartened by evidence of his continuing Ray Davies fetish on "Vanessa from Queens" and, especially, the "Waterloo Sunset"-styled "Craw Song." This is an album that, if lived with and nurtured, amply repays the kindness. --John Mulvey ... Read more

Reviews (55)

very good cd
You forgot to list Jason Pierce (aka j.spaceman?)and the mars volta as musical genius's.Well anyways I saw Stephen Malkmus & the jicks live when they opened up for radiohead and they were amazingyou can really get into their music and it's really catchy. Pig lib is a great cd you should buy it.

fandom reaffirmed
if i'd had the option, this would have gotten 4 1/2 stars, not five, because the first half of the record is noticeably less inspired than the second, which i would give 13 stars if i could...while the first 5 songs would only receive around 3 1/2. that would average out to about 8 stars, which is damned respectable given that the scale only reaches to 5. seriously, though, this is malkmus' most exciting and giddy musical product in many years, and his growth as a guitar soloist is truly astounding. while it is true that there isn't anything as emotionally affecting on pig lib as, say, "fillmore jive," "we dance," or even "church on white"...there certainly isn't anything less interesting than "black book," (maybe the worst song malkmus has ever released on an LP), "discretion grove," "vague space," or "deado". from "animal midnight" on, i'm enthralled. just try to tear me away. it's really difficult to pick a favorite. i don't get lost in the meanderings of the ten minute opus "one percent of one"--indeed, following the epic threads of the separate and distinct solos is delightful--and i dearly appreciate the brief gut-punch of "dark wave." of the first half, "vanessa from queens" is pleasant, and "do not feed the oyster" is a wonderful romp, but the first and second tracks would have been better b-sides. "sheets", while sporting a memorable chorus that does remind me of better days in pavement, is disposable. perhaps the most pleasant surprise of all is the bonus disc (aka the "dark wave" EP): "dynamic calories" was the first song i really loved after listening to both the LP and the EP, and "ol' jerry" is currently my favorite of all sixteen songs (perhaps my favorite malkmus tune since "type slowly"). the dilemma here is consistency. i like the second half of this offering much more than anything on the previous record, but that record is much more solid, unwavering. the solution is simple: replace the first five songs on the album with the full EP, and you've got a perfect record.

In Retrospect
No, this album is nowhere near as good as his first solo album. The first one was fun, free and loose. This album is dangerously close to sounding too-thought-out and claustrophobic. It's not as fun, not as spontaneous. In fact, I like the more throwaway type songs on the bonus EP more than the ones on this LP.

Hopefully SM will lighten up for his third. ... Read more

Asin: B00008AY6B
Subjects:  1. Indie Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock   

Comfort Woman
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Audio CD (14 October, 2003)
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Editorial Review

Just as Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On was about much more than the sex that it celebrated, so does Meshell Ndegeocello’s putative love album Comfort Woman have more than seduction on its mind. Lust and romance frame the record’s concerns, but as with Gaye’s work, they’re seen as a liberating force: "I wanna get free with you," sings Ndegeocello near the disc’s beginning; she later quotes an anti-pie-in-the-sky verse from Bob Marley’s "Get Up Stand Up" to hammer home the theme of salvation on Earth. Similarly, Comfort Woman is more musically ambitious than the bulk of recent neo-soul sets with which it shares an audience. A number of dubwise excursions and rock guitar solos ensure that a debt to the ’70s is paid, but this is hardly a slavish Gaye/Curtis Mayfield tribute. Comfort Woman finds Ndegeocello in an inspired frame of mind and at a peak of invention.--Rickey Wright ... Read more

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Reviews (57)

Mesmerizing
I have been a fan of MeShell's since I first heard "Outside your Door" from the Plantation Lullabies cd.Let me tell you if you don't already know.She is the all-time master lyricist, reflective of her songs.I have every CD she's recorded and am currently collecting the soundtracks and collaborations in which she appears.

My goodness, she is definitely the industry's best kept secret.I can go on for days writing about her, but damn, she is tight.I can't wait for her tour this summer.If you need to find out additional information about her, go to "freemyheart.com"the website is very well put together, and you can follow her every move and even get the lyrics for most of her songs.

I love her words, I love her spirit, I love her passion.She is definitely the female "Prince", just able to put words together from religion to love and everything in between and capture your soul with the sweet, seductive, alluring sounds of her voice and music.....

I am a true fan....

This is love, This is how I love you
This cd is beautiful. She is such a great writer and performer. If love was music, then this would be it!

Tanya - NYC
Beautiful!You can listen straight through and be moved with every song.This is a great piece of work. ... Read more

Asin: B0000CDL9Z
Subjects:  1. Club/Dance    2. Contemporary R&B    3. Contemporary Reggae    4. Funk    5. Hip-Hop    6. Pop    7. R&B    8. Singer/Songwriter    9. Soul    10. Urban