Suicide (First Album)
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Audio CD (18 January, 2000)
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Editorial Review

This remarkable debut album, released a full seven years after the group had formed, was still way ahead of its time back in 1978. Suicide--Alan Vega on vocals and Martin Rev on keyboards and drum machine--are one of the most original acts in the history of popular music. They're often called the first synthpop act; synth-punk is closer to the truth--their music was far more edgy and menacing than that of any of their followers, with the notable exception of Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle, et al. Suicide drew on the right protopunk influence (Nuggets-type stuff, Velvets, Stooges) and came out of the same Mercer Arts scene that bred the New York Dolls. Their guitar-bass-and-"real"-drummer-deprived setup outraged audiences; on the superb bonus disc you can hear a European crowd rioting in the background while their apocalyptic nursery rhymes sound away. Tough guy Vega croons like an evil Elvis bred on garage rock and performance art; the stoic Rev lays churning, repetitive, and oddly melodic lines down on his beat-up Farfisa, and the ancient drum machine--it actually sounds steam-driven--propels the music toward a ratty, Blade Runner future. "Dream Baby Dream," "Che," "Ghost Rider"--these eerie, sturdy, steam-punk anthems rank among the most visionary, melodic experiments the rock realm has yet produced. This reissue is bright and clear-sounding, and with the full disc of live performances (a 1977 CBGB's soundboard tape plus the legendary "23 Minutes Over Brussels" performance) this is an essential purchase. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (14)

THE GREATEST ROCK N' ROLL ALBUM OF ALL TIME!!!!
Yes, you read correctly - Suicide's first record is more important than any record you have ever heard.Vega\Rev cross pollinate the classic and avant rock traditions (think Elvis and the Velvet Underground mixed in the cauldron of NYC 60s electornics)creating a music that essentially obliterated "rock", a blow from which the beast has never recovered.If the opening pulse of "Ghost Rider" and the end times scream of "Frankie Teardrop" don't change how you hear music - you aren't listening......

BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP
This album paints a picture of a world on edge with the same beautiful hues Lynch used in Eraserhead - a world oscillating wildly, always in motion. War vets, fifties styled crooning, mad mad motorcycle chases - this album will leave no one unsatisfied. GHOST RIDER is quite possibly the most beautiful song ever written by leather clad America.

Fans should also check out the Silver Apples, Cromagnon, Throbbing Gristle, United States of America, Wolf Eyes, and Neu!

Not techno, not "punk", just incredible
It really bothers me to see all these reviews that try to pigeonhole this album into some kind of concept of "punk rock" or "electronica" to make it more palatable to Joe Consumer.Both of these genre titles dumb down what this album really is.It is not untalented three-chord rebellious silliness, and it is not take-designer-drugs-and-dry-hump all night nonsense.It is a couple of very creative folk who were stuck in 1971 and decided to make something very different.There is no "drum machine" -- there is rhythm culled from the rhythm "machine" part of some old, decrepit organ; it has more in common with the madness of Sly and the Family Stone's "Fresh" than some boring New Romantic album.Alan Vega was known for wearing a leather jacket and hitting walls with chains in 1971 and scaring audiences that expected yet more hippie feel-good rock -- years before the Sex Pistols' poseur rehashed 1950's hits -- and Martin Rev -- I won't be arrogant enough to claim to know the model of organ he played -- he didn't by any means play "state of the art" equipment nor a Farfisa, but rather the kind of organ you'd probably find for $20 in a thrift store these days.There are no synthesizers on this record.Synthesizers by definition are instruments which attempt to re-create the sound of other instruments by synthesis;what you hear on this record is not some wanker trying to re-create a lush orchestral arrangement.The lyrics are often parodies of contemporary rock -- to be blind to that is to confine this record to the cut-out bins of history.So please, no more bland "if you love the Sex Pistols, this is great!" or "this is a lot like Joy Division" reviews written by people who bought this because they read a SPIN magazine article citing this as "influential" -- you're all full of something that stinks and comes out of male cattle. Rot. ... Read more

Asin: B000040OBS
Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. Electronic    3. New York Punk    4. Pop    5. Post-Punk    6. Punk    7. Rock    8. Synthesizer   

Marquee Moon
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $11.98
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Editorial Review

A classic bit of punk rock from 1977, that classic year of punk. Whereas most of this New York City group's peers turned up the distortion, revved up the tempo, and stripped their songs down to tight three-chord anthems, Television did something startlingly different. Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd allowed themselves the space to develop clean, powerful, unexpected guitar leads. To top it off, Verlaine's songs were thought-provoking, memorable, danceable, and unlike anything else going. "Prove It" was the hit in England, but independent radio stations wore the grooves down on the title cut, "See No Evil," and the stunningly brilliant "Friction." --Percy Keegan ... Read more

Reviews (105)

Close but no richard hell
This is an ok album but the 'revolutionary' sound is definetly no where close to richard hell and the voidoids. The 'saturated' punk guitar sound is also no comparison to robert quines mastery on blank generation. Infact no single member of television can compare to his voidoid counterpart, especially tom verlaine, whos writing, although good compared to popular artists of his time, is still no match for richard hell.

Noise Pollution at its Worst
Although this is punk music, it is horrendous in every and any way imagineagble. Rap music sounds marvelous compared to this ear-savaging noise. Nevertheless, after enduring this bilge for what seemed to be an eternity, I reached for The Who's "Who's Next" CD and gave it a listen, and oh, what a marvelously musical uplift it gave my soul, indeed. The "godfathers of punk" had by 1971 evolved into musical icons for certain. In conclusion, I certainly prefer watching "Television" than "listening" to it.

post-punk? no way. this is pre-punk.
maybe the most guitar-saturated album i own, definitely one of the few i really, really like. when you consider what most of the CBGB crowd was up to in the mid-to-late 70s where television got their start, their sound is just amazing. how in the hell did they end up sounding like this?! it's unfortunate they didn't have a longer career...they could have gone fantastic places had they allowed this sound to mature and evolve. doubtful that they would ever have topped this meandering masterpiece, but all the same, i'd have liked to hear it... ... Read more

Asin: B000005IRG
Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. Bass    3. Drums    4. Guitar    5. New York Punk    6. Pop    7. Proto-Punk    8. Punk    9. Rock    10. United States of America    11. Vocals   

Safe As Milk
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 June, 1999)
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Editorial Review

"I may be hungry, but I sure ain't weird," Don Van Vliet, a.k.a. Captain Beefheart, famously intones on this bright-sounding remastered version of the 1967 debut by Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. Safe as Milk is a bold, tough-ass distillation of Delta blues stomp and '60s garage-punk swagger, fused with a radically polyrhythmic and tempo-shifting style that one might term "art rock."Listening to the delightfully playful, absurdist "Abba Zabba," it's easy to see why Lester Bangs called Beefheart "the only true dadaist in rock"; the song is a good indication of the intricate, rule-breaking music the Magic Band would continue to hone. But there are also formidable ballads (the psychedelic "Autumn's Child," the lachrymose "I'm Glad"), midtempo pop-soul tunes (the Otis Redding-ish "Call on Me"), and straight-ahead blues-rock workouts ("Plastic Factory"), all of which showcase the fretwork of a young Ry Cooder.Much has been made of Beefheart's multiple-octave vocal range; he sings menacingly on "Dropout Boogie" and allegedly broke a very expensive microphone on the eerie "Electricity." The last seven tracks on this reissue (for the most part fascinating, unfinished instrumentals) were recorded with a different lineup; they are outtakes from Mirror Man Sessions. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (33)

Major Disappointment
I know, I know, it was stupid of me to expect "Troutmask" out of this.

I much prefer "Toutmask Replica" and "Lick My Decals Off, Baby" to this disc.Lots of people ranted and raved about what a great album "Safe as Milk" was.It totally lacked the experimental element of the Captain's later work.The only thing it doesn't lack is unoriginal blues music that has been stolen and repeated non stop ever since the days of Chuck Berry and B.B. King.

I hate being this harsh about the Captain, but I love his later music for its originality and its venture into the unknown.I don't have time to listen to boring blues music.

Incredible early Beef and great bonus tracks...
"Safe As Milk" remains one of the neglected classics of late 1960s rock. It sounds like a 1960s album (production-wise) but points to the future in many ways. Psychedelia pokes its melting fish head in every now and then in the form of thick reverb and spacey, far out arrangements. But something totally new also appears next to the trends of 1967: catchy staccato unsyncopated rhythms, wild slide guitar, heady lyrics, blaring harmonica, thick choppy gutars, and a totally new take on the blues. The seeds of what would become "Trout Mask Replica" some three years later begin to sprout from the tracks of this album.

The Magic Band recorded tracks for A&M a year or so before recording "Safe As Milk". These yielded no hits, and the label and the band soon parted ways. On the strength of those sessions, however, the nascent Buddha records sought out Van Vliet for a full-length album. "Safe As Milk" was Buddha's first release. Following some personnel changes, which included adding a brilliant and very young Ry Cooder, the band hit the studio in the spring of 1967.

The album begins autobiographically with Van Vliet almost humming "I was born in the desert..." The desert remained a vital part of and a central metaphor for the rest of Van Vliet's career. The album continues with short pop song length songs. Most run between two and three minutes. The embryonic Buddha Records were likely looking for a hit from their first recorded band.

Though Buddha didn't get a hit (sales were not stellar), they did get a great album with some great songs. "Electricity" remains one of Van Vliet's best songs. Its straining shrieking vocal opener, boppy rhythm, cryptic lyrics and theremin-infused melody make for an unforgettable mix. The song remained a concert favorite for years. "Dropout Boogie" tells listeners not to drop out (in defiance of Timothy Leary's dictum of the day). Lines such as "You told you love her so bring her the butter" and "Support her support her / She says she's no boarder / get a job get a job" provide a direct contrast to rock music's typical anti status quo lyrics. Van Vliet seems to be rebelling against the rebellion of rock. "Yellow Brick Road" has a happy skippy rhythm that inspires foot movement. "Autumn's Child" also uses theramin to a great haunting effect. The song even feels a little creepy in places. The album also includes some rather standard-sounding numbers: "Call on Me" and the supremely heartfelt "I'm Glad". Doubtless these were meant to be the hits. They don't detract from the album, but they do sound a little anomalous.

Overall, "Safe As Milk" represents an incredible effort for a first album. Van Vliet and the band get captured in top form. Unfortunately, the recording technology available to Buddha at the time left the album sounding a little muddled. Even Ry Cooder gave a thumbs down to the production. That remains the album's only stain.

The bonus tracks will be of interest to Beefheart fanatics. Included are non-flanged alternate versions from the band's next project (that would eventually morph into 1968's "Strictly Personal"). These include "Safe As Milk", "Trust Us" and the eerie drunken "Korn Ring Finger". Some of the melodies will also sound familiar. "Big Black Baby Shoes" reappeared as "Ice Rose" on "Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)" in 1978. And "Dirty Blue Jean" is not a version of the song from 1980's "Doc At The Radar Station" but an early non-vocal version of "The Witch Doctor Life" from 1982's "Ice Cream For Crow". One wonders what else Van Vliet's vaults contain, and how far back some of his songs actually date.

"Safe As Milk" (the title supposedly is a reference to the contamination of mother's milk with modern chemicals, according to a Beefheart interview) stands as the starting point for what was to become one of the most interesting and critically acclaimed acts in rock history. Beefheart continues to influence musicians. And, given that "Safe As Milk" was his starting point, it's not hard to see why.

Got milk?
This is a band that developed FAST during the 60's. To think that this album was recorded the year after their 1966 single "Diddy Wah Diddy" - a Bo Diddley cover performed in a manner that made the group sound like any mediocre pop group of early/mid 60's, and 2 years before the revolutionary 1969 Frank Zappa production "Trout Mask Replica" (for which Van Vliet was given 100% artistic freedom)...
Blues elements have always been apparent in Beefheart's singing as well as in his music, and it's probably the strongest element on "Safe as Milk;" the album starts off with a slide-guitar dominated tune, played over a commonly used blues structure used by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, among others.
"Grown So Ugly," though not a 12 bar structure completely in 4/4, is also a blues tune and cover of blues singer/guitarist Robert Pete Williams. The guitars on the other tracks are also very bluesy, with perhaps the exception of the 3/4 R&B/doo-wop tune "I'm Glad," which--Beefheart's voice aside--musically sounds unlike the rest of the album.
Another bluesy element is Beefheart's distorted tremolo harmonica (introduced on "Plastic Factory") which, just like his emotional singing on "Where There's Woman," is performed from his heart in a skillful, personal way.

The overall sound has been digitally improved. It's not only clearer than on the original LP record, but also compared to earlier CD releases of the album. This has made the audio picture wider and the listening experience "easier" if you will. Some might disagree and call this kind of "updating" rape of art. While I can appreciate such a point of view, I must say that I prefer the digitally re-mastered version (of THIS album) for a number of reasons:
- The Captain's singing in the left channel on "Sure 'Nuff 'N Yes I do" doesn't suffer from being too low in volume anymore.
- The balance between the instruments is more accurate to how it was intended from the start (though no BIG changes have been made - it's not re-MIXED). The reason some tracks originally suffered from "bad balance" is that the music was recorded on 4 tracks, but due to a low production budget, had to be mixed on 2.
- Though improvements have been made by shifting certain frequencies it still sounds dirty and "old" like it should.
There is, in my opinion, a downside to this, though: the guitar sound on "Call On Me" is a bit brighter than earlier - the pogo stick/fast feather sounding kind of tremolo/vibrato effect is much more obvious now than before (I had barely noticed it earlier.) It makes the guitar sound a bit out-of-tune, and the whole mix of the song seems a bit thicker because of this, but it's no BIG problem, though I could have lived without the uplifting of that element.

With the 7 bonus tracks the CD runs over 71 minutes, but the original "Safe as Milk," i.e. the 12 first tracks, is a bit under 34 minutes long.
Several of the bonus tracks are quite interesting; take 5 of the song "Safe as Milk," which originally appeared on the 1968 "Strictly Personal" album, is featured here, with--in comparison to the "Strictly Personal" version--a much sharper mix.
This also goes for take 9 of "Trust Us," - a song that also originally appeared on "Strictly Personal."
The takes are quite similar to their "true form" though the bonus track "Safe as Milk" runs a bit shorter - it lacks the minute of hectic drumming at the end.
The instrumental "Big Black Baby Shoes" is an early version of "Ice Rose" (which wasn't further developed and re-recorded until 12 years later.) "Ice Rose" is included on the 1979 album "Shiny Beast/Bat Chain Puller," where the main melody is played on trombone by Bruce Fowler. "Big Black Baby Shoes" isn't as organized or skillfully played as "Ice Rose," but it's an interesting listen for comparison.
"Dirty Blue Gene" is an early version of "The Witch Doctor Life," which wasn't re-recorded until the making of "Ice Cream for Crown," where no original Magic Band members were featured, and lyrics had been added. Again, the version played 15 years earlier wasn't played as skillfully, but it's still candy for your ears.
On "Korn Ring Finger" Van Vliet introduces the "manual tremolo" effect by turning the mic on and off while singing a long note - this effect was to be used a lot during the "Mirror Man" session.

"Safe as Milk" was, upon its release, John Lennon's favorite album. With the original LP release of this album, a "Safe as Milk" sticker was featured, and there's a famous picture (famous to Beefheart fans anyway) of Lennon laying in his apartment on a couch and reading a magazine, with two "Safe as Milk" stickers on the doors of a cupboard in the background.

Aside from the orginal Magic Band--which consisted of John "Drumbo" French, Alex St. Clair Snouffer, Ry Cooper and Jerry Handley--Doug Moon, Russ Titelman, Milt Holland, Taj Mahal, Sam Hoffman and Richard Perry participate on various instruments here and there throughout the album.
Don't expect it to be another "Trout Mask Replica" if that's all you've heard by Captain Beefheart, but don't think that you're unable to like this music just because you like "Trout Mask" - I like both. This album has perhaps more commercial potential than any other Magic Band release, and should appeal especially to fans of slide guitar/harmonica dominated 60's rock with a raw, bluesy sound.
Just like the sticker on the CD-case reads, this is "one of the most extraordinary debut albums in history." ... Read more

Asin: B00000J7A2
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Entertainment! [EMI UK Expanded]
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (24 April, 2001)
list price: $18.99 -- our price: $18.99
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Features

• Import
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (57)

Moderately entertaining . . .
(note: this is an honest, objective review guaranteed to tee off die hard fans)

A warning to young rockers who dig new bands like Franz Ferdinand (I've only heard a few of their songs, truthfully) and want to check out Gang of Four because they've heard about their influence: This stuff is really different. You may not like it. Personally, I like a lot of the bands Gang of Four influenced (from U2 to Rage Against the Machine, R.E.M. to the Chiles) much more than GoF itself.

This album is pumped up, fairly rudementary, angular, punky, kinda funky, not extremely musical and often repetitive. The main drawback for me is Jon King's flat voice. It can get pretty tiresome. But this may not be a problem for you since there are plenty of not-so-great voices in rock (Bernard Sumner anyone?) that people don't seem to mind. Andy Gill's guitar is sharp, skratchy and cutting, but it sounds virtually the same throughout the whole album. And way too much has been made of the "neo-psychedelia" of the last track "Anthrax." The "psychedelia" is mainly just a bunch of guitar feedback. Maybe it was a big deal to 15-yr-old punk clubbers in 1979 London who hadn't heard PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN. Oh, and the "politics?" They kick around a few interesting ideas about society, but in truth nothing too revelatory, politically speaking. Lyrics like "guerilla war struggle is the new entertainment" probably had more resonance in 1980. Watching war on T.V. = guilty (or not guilty) pleasure for some is a common, much discussed topic, but it's cool they addressed issues like this. There is also some interesting commentary about interpersonal relationships.

For me, ENTERTAINMENT! is still a pretty cool little diversion once in a while. The Yellow EP is basically more of the same, but the original EP had 4 songs (and I can't comment on the other extra stuffthat appears on some re-releases as I haven't heard it). I'm sure I could have a blast at one of their shows - obviously a whole different monkey than hanging out and listening to the album.

Still, if you're looking for "energy" you could do a lot better. If you REALLY want to get blown away, go check out a Death album. That stuff will tear your head off. Looking for some good punk/post-punk/what-have-you from the same general time-frame? The Sex Pistols, The Clash and the early Talking Heads are much better musically (the new re-release of the live THE NAME OF THIS BAND IS TALKING HEADS with almost twice the original tracks is fantastic). Want funky rock? BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIC from the Red Hot Chili Peppers is pretty hard to beat. Actually you could probably beat it with some live James Brown circa "Sex Machine." Or, if you can appreciate a totally wacked-out sense of humor, the ultimate funk rock has gotta be HIGHPERSPICE by the notorious Weapon of Choice. Party on!

Where Funk and Punk Met
Entertainment is one of the most innovative and exciting albums ever. Gang of Four melded punks attitude funks rhythms and politics together so well that it seems like they should never have not been together. I still can't believe this came out twenty five years ago. Still sounds fresher than 95% of the stuff out there today. The key, most accessible cut is definently "I Found That Essence Rare" but "Anthrax" may be the best thing on the album. If you are a fan of Rage Against the Machine, Franz Ferdinand, Red Hot Chili Peppers or The Rapture you need this album to see where they got a good majority of their ideas and sound from. The only downside is that the album is out of print in the US, but the rumor is it's being re-released in May. Still, this CD is worth every penny.

Please Send Me Evenings And Weekends
Gang Of Four is one of the most intelligent and articulate bands I have ever listened to.The lyrics to each song present a unique and analytical view of modern society with a very dour British sense of humor.Some people have criticized the band for their "excessive negativity" and Marxist leanings, but as I stated before, the lyrics are actually very clever and funny and the music is anything but dirge-like.As for the Marxist thing, the lyrics are Marxist in more of an intellectual sense than a poltical one.There's no empty sloganeering or "smash the state!" type rhetoric here, just a plea for sanity amidst the absurdities of consumer capitalism and imperialist aggression.As for the music, lots of new bands are attempting a Gang Of Four-type style but end up sounding more disco than anything."Entertainment" IS funky but it's also very hard-edged and even menacing and the band never forsakes tight songwriting in search of a groove.There's also great variety.From the almost heavy metal opener "Ether" to the angular funk of "At Home He's A Tourist" and the almost avant garde "Anthrax,"every song is exciting and interesting.And those lyrics.... ... Read more

Asin: B00003WG0M
Sales Rank: 7906
Subjects:  1. College Rock    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Post-Punk    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Tago Mago (Reis)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 May, 1998)
list price: $15.98
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Reviews (43)

Psychedelic Krautrock Milestone
This is one of the most psychedelic albums I've ever heard. These Germans knew how to mess with your head, they recorded this masterpiece in their own makeshift studio(an old abandoned movie theater)and with almost complete creative control and came up with one of the weirdest and most delightful progressive/psychedelic recordings ever. The songs vary from primal funky beat oriented cuts to long and creepy synth and guitar workouts that seem to frighten as much as amaze. Damo Suzuki's vocals are terrific, they range from soft cooing to raw chantings and evil ravings. The drumming is also nothing short of phenomenal, for once a psychedelic record totally utilizes the use of the drums, most albums of this genre opt for long soloing of the guitar and organ but Can also put theirmagnificent drummer Jaki Liebezeit to work and the drums flow evenly with the rest of the instruments, sometimes over taking them enitrely and becoming the centerpiece of the song. Can are seeminly more influenced by classical composers than they are the Chuck Berry rock and roll pop song format. All manner of studio effects are heard, from guitar reverb to eerie synth lines that skitter and echo all around. "Aumgn" could easily be the score to a horror film. Anyways, if you want a great krautrock/psychedelic rock album than this is definitley it.

Some just don't get it...
In answer to the echobats review and to anyone else who thinks this album is self-indulgence, I respond that it is pure creativity and you just don't get it.My boyfriend put this CD on his Christmas wish list online along with several others.By only listening to the samples I could tell that the CD would be great and different and yes, not like Radiohead.But...let's be honest, Radiohead is good but there are many other bands out there that are so much better...maybe people looking for Radiohead should open up their minds and try something different instead of being spoon fed all the bad music on the radio.I look foward to getting this CD, and if it wasn't for my live-in boyfriend I would buy two so I could have one also.

The best
Can's legendary Tago Mago is beyond comparison.The songs are otherwordly, dense, and impossibly groovy, and the musicians are uniformly spectacular.The rhythms pound away with tribal intensity, the keyboards shimmer and bubble and warble, the raw guitars belt out ingenious solos, and the vocals are just about indescribable.Don't try to decipher the lyrics, just enjoy Damo Suzuki's voice mumbling and groaning and yelling insanely, and enjoy the totally unique and addictive sound of Can.Tago Mago is guaranteed to be one of the most played albums in any collection.

This is an album that should be bought by any enthusiast of experimental music.If you already have it, buy it anyways and give it to a friend.It isn't just important as a forerunner of such modern genres as trance, ambient, industrial, rap, and techno, it's one of the pinnacles of 20th century music, as essential as any other modern composition.Rock music has been an important part of our culture for fifty years and the fact that 'Tago Mago' is its pinnacle entitles it to be regarded as significant. ... Read more

Asin: B0000067X1
Sales Rank: 76119
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Trans-Europe Express
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 September, 1995)
list price: $11.98
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Editorial Review

It's ironic that electronica's forefathers include two German bands whom, at least on the surface, were polar opposites. On the one hand, there was Can--shaggy, Stockhausen-trained advocates of trance improvisation--and on the other, Kraftwerk: clean-cut control freaks and masters of the pristine machine groove. Yet, even at their most robotic, Kraftwerk manages to locate the soul of the machine, as they demonstrate throughout this 1977 outing. Hell, the mannequin manifesto "Showroom Dummies" alone is worth the price of admission. For a band so closely tied to technology, it's a testament to Ralf and Florain that their music continues to sound fresh more than two decades down the autobahn. --Bill Forman ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (31)

I dident think...
...I whuld like this album as much as i now do. first time i lisened to it it sounded very boring. But now when i have lisened to the album some time i love it, its truly amazing work and to think its done in 78 it does not sound any dated at all the sound is crystal clear. All the tracks are great but the best ones are with no doubt Europe endles & The title track thos 2 songs are yust fantastic, I yust love this CD.
I strongly recomend it if you like the sound of Synthesizers.

robo-pop, ya'll
It works.It's an entry point for many of us Anglophiles into the more beat-driven pop music of late.Once you lose that inhibition about liking some type of music simply because it gets you to nod your damn head, it's hard to return.

Inconsistent
If the whole album was written in the vein of the brilliant "Europe Endless", then perhaps it would be the classic it's widely acclaimed as. The opening track is a triumph of minimalist electronica with some lovely melodies romping around while the rhythm does the heavy lifting. "Hall of Mirrors", on the other hand, is bad. Apparently Kraftwerk feels the need to say the line "Even the greatest stars discover themselves in the looking glass" again and again for 7 minutes to enlighten us, over a minimal backing that quickly gets old. "Showroom Dummies" works a lot better, with an interesting skittering, robotic beat. "Trans-Europe Express" and "Metal on Metal" are basically two halves to a whole. That whole is pretty intriguing but drags at points. "Franz Schubert" is the best song on the album after the opening piece, being more lovely electronica with a fuller sound. The ending track works decently as a closer- its only 58 seconds long, anyway.

Classic status? To my ears, no. Perhaps influential, although I'm not so sure about that either. Still, worth it if only for "Europe Endless", a 9-minute gem. ... Read more

Asin: B00000DQSZ
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Fun House
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Editorial Review

Of course the Stooges were stupid, that was the whole point. Three chords were okay, two were even better, one or none (the cacophonous "L.A. Blues") was best of all. Drunk on their own testosterone, Iggy Pop and Co. kept things simple, loud, and brutal--and he's been coasting on the band's rep ever since. Slow and thuddy as it sounds now, almost nobody had ever made rock as primal as this second album. Iggy howled like a psycho, the band sounded like they could barely play the elementary riffs, and occasionally a moment of bone-headed poetry made it through the glorious muck. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (120)

Possibility to commit date rape, or just show your darkside
This is the parental advisory I'd stick on this album, and yet there doesn't sound to be any explicit language on this album, but it's chockfull of a sound that will bring out the darker side of you. Depending on how much you allow yourself to be raptured up into this sound will determine if you will actually commit date rape, or not. I know from my personal standpoint I will say that I would've had I listened to a particular song on this album with all of it's aggression on here. "L.A. Blues" would've been the song where I would scare a woman enough into commiting date rape where it's nothing but a collage of violent drum solos, and smashing of amps, and Iggy just wailing his heart out. However, I stayed on the lunatic fringe of things, and listened to "Out In The Street", and "Dirt". It gave me a numbness to keep me tough for when a girl, or a woman rejected me, and this wasn't just for sex either. The hard crunching guitars were almost like taking a good dose of heroin. Let's face it guitars themselves aren't the heroin, but anyone with an axe to grind can turn the sound from thier guitar into a drug that can be almost as wicked as heroin. In this day and age, and come to think of it probably back in 1970 as well we all have to repress our feelings, and not cry, but to be stoic and tough. I myself can't do that, so I shoot up with "Funhouse", and now I can deal with that. Don't let that fool you guys; the minute you hear that first laugh from a girl, or a woman you'll get angry and aggressive thoughts to where you fantasize about doing that girl some good clean harm in your eyes. This is one of the most dangerous albums to possess along with the first album from "Body Count", and for that matter anything from Marilyn Manson. If you have tendencies to want to commit date rape, or you feel that your ego has been raked over the hot coals by a girl, or a woman make sure you call someone who you can trust that will help you through the rejection, and not turn to this album. Don't do what I did, and tried to shoulder it alone. I've been rejected many a time, and I just turned on to this album, and others like it, and hardened my heart, and filled my mind to where everything revolved around sex, and just gave a dark report about everything in the world. It wasn't the high that I thought would snap me out of my doldrums it just numbed them for awhile. Otherwise it's a rather interesting work of anger.

Do you Have the Balls?Yeeeahh Fun House!
I dont know what you wanna call it ....sludge...raw power.. punk prototype...garage classic.... I Dont Know dudes, but the beginning of TV Eye (3rd track) makes me wanna bang a chick and smash a car at the same time.Do you feel the power? Do you feel the intensity of the guitars and the pounding of the drums? Basic ..and sweet.Bands nowadays just dont get it, maybe they never will. I just cant emphasize how damn good this album is. Grab a beer ,crank it and enjoy!

If you don't own this. . .
What the hell is wrong with you?The greatest rock record of all time bar none.Warts and all this has bigger balls than anything else, so get off your ass and pick up a copy right now! Move sucka! ... Read more

Asin: B000005IU2
Subjects:  1. Detroit Rock    2. Glam Rock    3. Hard Rock    4. Pop    5. Proto-Punk    6. Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock & Roll    9. United States of America   

Electric Warrior [Expanded]
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 February, 2003)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

Electric Warrior, T. Rex's best album, distills elements of Marc Bolan's earlier acoustic period with a dynamic rock rhythm section--drummer Bill Legend and bassist Steve Currie--and lush arrangements by producer Tony Visconti. Featuring the classics "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," "Jeepster," and "Mambo Sun," Warrior ranges from the space blues of "Lean Woman Blues" to the punk jazz of "Rip Off," with a sound fleshed out by chamber strings and the falsetto harmonies of ex-Turtles and Mothers of Invention members Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. (Zappa sideman Ian McDonald plays sax as well.) Touches such as the arcing cellos of "Cosmic Dancer" and the sexy rhythms of "Planet Queen" perfectly bring to life Bolan's imaginative world of "diamond star halos" and "shadowless horses." A must for any serious collector of British rock classics. This remastered reissue is fleshed out with a half-dozen bonus tracks and a band interview. --James Rotondi ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (29)

Unique Results From An Old Formula
On this classic, breakthrough record, Marc Bolan miraculously manages to pull something fresh and durable out of a Pandora's box of rock clichés: Nearly every song is a gritty variation of standard twelve-bar blues; the lyrics are about sex; the rhythms are beaten out with bongos and hand claps; the strings and sax are prog holdovers; and the raspy, elfin vocals-though distinctive-are delivered in a fey manner that shamelessly rips-off David Bowie. But the total effect is spellbinding. There is so much fun, attitude, and magic in this album that it continues to surprise and stimulate musicians and fans alike.

How T. Rex conjure their glamorous originality is a secret Bolan took to an early grave. But who really wants to know how a trick is done? Better to just sit back and marvel!

Pop Perfection
T. Rex was, more than anything, a singles band.Unfortunately, there isn't a perfect singles collection.They all seem to lean to heavily on the hippie days or ignore them completely.As it stands, Electric Warrior is the best place to start if you want to get into T. Rex.It has three of their biggest hits, "Jeepster," "Cosmic Dancer," and the immediately recognizable "Bang A Gong," and it is probably the only T Rex album where the album cuts match the hits in terms of quality.Starting with "Mambo Sun," this is a perfect collection of slinky, sleezy glam.The artwsork and album title are a little misleading.This doesn't even resemble heavy rock.Instead it's a highly sensual, easy going pop/rock album, probably T. Rex's smoothest and downright coolest.Marc Bolan's sublimely silly lyrics are perfect, sexed-up pulp poetry and the lack of heavy guitars makes the albums' hip shaking grooves shine beautifully from start to finish.If you're interested in high quality glam rock besides David Bowie or you're just looking for an almost impossibly fun rock/pop album, you need T. Rex, and "Electric Warrior" is the best place to start.

are you kidding me!!
Im not an angry person bashing any old music. Im a musician bashing this bullfunk. Seriously, with all the good reviews on this page, they must be hopped up on cocaine. Im a huge 1970's fan myself and this is out of control. Please spare your self the $40.00 or 17.00 and buy something else. Like good blues if your into blues. Cause this is irritating. Peace out you crack fiends ... Read more

Asin: B00008A7QK
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Glam Rock    3. Hard Rock    4. Pop    5. Proto-Punk    6. Rock    7. Rock & Roll   

Unknown Pleasures
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Reviews (79)

I'm going out to get Substance
I'm listening, for the first time in a couple of years, to my vinyl copy of Unknown Pleasures as I write this.I still like this record, but the production is getting in my way.She's Lost Control is too gimicky; Shadowplay too slow and neat.The versions on Substance are more dynamic and compelling.

It's a heck of record to be sure, but, as the uninitiated should already have guessed from some of the reviews, there isn't a whole lot of light in here to compliment the inky blackness.

I'd recommend Substance as better value; I'd also recommend the complete BBC John Peel Sessions CD for a better overall view of what Joy Division were.

i would have given it ten stars if i could have!
what can i say about joy division that has not been said before? best album of 1979 by far, i'm sure some would say different. this album sounds like a soundtrack to a life of disorder(pun intended), filled with blood sport and pain(one more pun). a must have for anyone who loves post-punk.(hell, it pretty much starts with this record, goth to for that matter.)

Joy Division in a Hard Rock/Heavy Metal context (4.5 stars)
Something gets lost in Joy Division's reputation as the archetypal goth rockers: While they truly were the ultimate masters of melancholy and mechanism during their brief career, they still had a proclivity towards drum fills and huge guitar riffs like many other 1970's bands. This album illustrates that point quite well.Consequently, Steven Morris' drumming and Bernard Sumner's guitar work are the hallmarks of this record, however subtle emotion, spacey production, and the occasional cold and distant synthesizers still dominate.Sumner plays in a very arty and moody way, yet still manages to channel such '60s and '70s rock icons as Black Sabbath, The Kinks and the Who. Morris drums in his typically robotic style, yet he punctuates the roboticism with brief, fraction of a second flashes of Keith Moon/John Bonham style exuberence.This contrast perfectly captures and accents the confusion andbarely restrained anger of Ian Curtis' lyrics and delivery.Later on "Closer" and Joy Division's latterday singles, Morris would intergrate his automation with his adroit drumming abilities (Check "Atmosphere," "Atrocity Expidition," and "Komikano".

As for the rest of the band, Ian Curtis is in typical gloomy form, although he and the other three musicians perfectly articulate his emotional state here more than any other point elsewhere during their history, including "Closer,"which sometimes gives way to excess darkness, making that album less accessible. And of course, without Peter Hook's melodic, simple, and cooly sinister bass playing which provide the underpinning for all of these songs, none of these songs would have been possible.

The particular highlights for this album include the fan favorite "She's Lost Control,"a delisciously evil and icily futuristic take on the Kinks of "You Really Got Me" and "All Day and All Night," the punky, high speed and frantic yet deeply moving opener "Disorder," and the doomy dirge of "New Dawn Fades,"which revolves around a guitar line similar to Tony Iommi's dramatic close to his band's "War Pigs."Because of this unique approach to atmospheric post-punk, as well as the band's usual emotion, this album is a classic for the ages. ... Read more

Asin: B000002LGL
Sales Rank: 2257
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Post-Punk    3. Punk/New Wave    4. Rock