Think Tank
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Audio CD (06 May, 2003)
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Editorial Review

Compared to the brash pop of Damon Albarn's Gorillaz side project and 1999's overtly emotional 13, Think Tank is a soulful and subtle affair—its tone possibly traceable to the departure of founding member Graham Coxon midway through its recording. There are classic Blur rock moments here, notably "Crazy Beat," which is cut from the same cloth as the classic "Song 2," and the painfully short but brilliant "We've Got a File On You," which sounds like agitprop punks Crass mixed up with a Moroccan snake charmer. But while Albarn still has an ear for a melody, without Coxon's guitars to subvert them, most of these songs sound like the work of a new band. "Caravan"'s sleepy rhythm plods at a camel's pace, while "Gene by Gene" employs cross rhythms to evoke desert images. Blur is now more about textures rather than standard rock rhythms. Some will find their evolution off-putting, but for fans who appreciate a band that refuses to sit still, Think Tank is a rewarding listen. --Caroline Butler ... Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (125)

I'm Addicted !
Before this I thought that people admirer Damon just because his good looking, but after I listen to this album, boy I was wrong. This is beautiful. I cant stop playing this. I hope 13 is as good as this.

This suppose to be one of the best album in 2004, right?

Most beautiful Blur album
Since I like all allbums of Blur very much, I can not say that this is their 'best'. Every album has a specific sound and feeling to it, and there's one for every mood. Having said this, Think Tank is probably Blur's most beautiful album. Those melodies!! Of course there are a few 'mistakes' on the album ("We've got a file on you" for example), but in general this album is one of the most sophisticated and musical albums I have ever heard.

A Haunting Calm Of Music
This is a phenomenon in the Blur catalog. Very different than their previous albums and minus lead guitarist Graham Coxon Think Tank is ethereal and beautiful.

Very reminiscent in spirit to the experimental phase of David Bowie (Low/"Heroes") Think Tank has a very loose and adventurous style to it. I'm not saying that he is imitating those albums just that there is a real sense of exploration in it. Not only does the album feel more adventuresome but the music feels more honest and bare than from previous efforts.

Personal favorites include the epic Ambulance, Good Song and Battery In The Leg.The latter includes Coxon before he left the band.The only song I can do without is generic punkish "We've Got A File On You" which fortunately runs in at barely over a minute.

Albarn said in an interview that he felt like this was Blur's first true album. I can see why. His adoration of Ray Davies (Kinks) was always very clear in his song writing. Although it never felt like a total parody it always seemed like he took too much from that kitchen. Blur was definitely showing signs of breaking away with the menacing 13; Think Tank comes off like its stranger cousin. Although it doesn't have as sharp of a hit single like Tender (Crazy Beat was the single, which is catchy) Think Tank has kept my attention more than their previous beloved records because it seems like there is more substance in it because of its personal nature.

(The five stars are primarily based on the music that was released when Think Tank came out.On the grand scale of things I would give it 4 star rating.)
... Read more

Asin: B0000931OG
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Systems: Layers
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (07 October, 2003)
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Reviews (11)

A Step-by-Step Guide in loving Rachel's
1. You must expect unexpected beauty in the music. There is a melody that soars above inaudible tones and sporadic audible words.

2. You must expect to be entranced by the composition.

3. You must check out their other works as well as Systems/Layers . . . I recommend "The Sea and The Bells" (based on Pablo Neruda's book of poetry with the same title).

I was interested in this album initially because of the collaboration between Rachel's and the SITI Company. I have been interested in Anne Bogart's work for a while now as well as the work of Rachel's. I can't think of two groups that compliment each other better. The music itself is lush and rich and I think would lend itself to a live performance situation. In fact, if I close my eyes and think about this music in relation to live performance, the music allows the listener to imagine a stage of actors moving through time and space. It has this quality where the listener gets the chance to create their own environment... meaning regardless of where the listener is in time and space the environment has the ability to morph to whatever the music is doing.
This album marks another interesting collaboration with Shannon Wright. She as a solo performer is amazing and full of this spirit and energy on stage and in her recordings that have that innate ability to touch a listener. "Last Things Last" was my introduction to this album and it continues to be one of my favorite tracks. It slowly builds into this lament of hope and to me is one of the best songs I have heard in 2004.
The beauty of Rachel's is that regardless of your musical tastes it has the ability to cross genre. They may be perceived as "classical" by the unaware eye . . . but they bring a fresh perspective that reverses the stoic stance of classical music and makes it something that is part of our existence in our day-to-day experiences.

Very Original
This is an awesome CD.The mood tends to be very melancholy.Even/odd, #6 is probably my favorite instrumental song on the CD.Also at various points throughout the album there are things like sounds on a street, people talking to each other, etc. that just add to the mood.No. 13, the vocal song on the CD, Last Things Last is a very beautiful song filled with emotion.I would highly recommend this CD to people who like indie music thats a bit more on the classical side.A very original album!

Like a breeze of cold air from the sea
I was a little bit worried that I wouldn't like this album so I put off buying it for a long time. Now that I finally did, i cant stop listening to it! Rachel's never fail to amaze me and I'm always left totally floored. They are probably one of the most talented, innovative groups to date. Honestly, there is not another band like them! This album has some resemblence to The Sea And The Bells (incredible album), but it's still very different from the stuff they've done before. It's much more ambient. My favorite song is "Water From The Same Source"...it almost drives me to tears everytime I hear it. That's how beautiful it is. ... Read more

Asin: B0000D1FED
Sales Rank: 40054
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

She Has No Strings Apollo
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (18 February, 2003)
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Editorial Review

The esoteric wistfulness of Australian instrumentalists Dirty Three once again shines on She Has No Strings Apollo, though something's changed for the trio. Here their melancholic sensibilities aren't subjected to chaotic outbursts, as in the past. Anchored by drummer Jim White's jazzy shuffles, violinist Warren Ellis plays sad melodies while Mick Turner's rootless guitar splashes color the edges. Though less dynamically extreme and of a folksier disposition than Slint or Mogwai, D3 have a similar ability to accelerate from 0 to 11 in the course of a song. Selections like "She Has No Strings" exhibit a deliberate minimalism akin to Low (with whom they collaborated on 1999's excellent In the Fishtank), only to dissolve into a bramble of string-driven noise. Still, the grand cacophony of Ocean Songs isn't as prominent, with a few exceptions--notably White's explosion at the end of "Sister Let Them Try and Follow." Few bands, however, make slowing down sound this risky. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Slight Slip
There are a couple of wonderful tracks on this one. She Has No Strings is a whirling and tremendously powerful piece and the aptly titled Long Way To GO With No Punch is a truly beautiful piece that could roll and roll for hours without tiring the listener. But somehow the magic of Whatever You Love You Are and Ocean Songs, and even their rawer early effort Horse Stories, has deserted this record. Perhaps there is too much reliance on minimalist techniques of repetition - the music never seems to find those secret and entirely unexpected places that make the aforementioned records unique. They performed a big tour on the back of this one so perhaps there was a tendency to find music that would sound big on stage, thus the subtlety and complexity of arrangements on, say, Whatever You Love You Are has necessarily gone missing. I don't know. I only know that the Dirty Three are one of the very few makers of music in this world who matter and we who love them cannot help but expect much.

Swirling, lovely
I'm having a hard time getting this out of my cd rotation."She Has No Strings" is about the most compelling violin music I've ever heard.The sound violinist Warren Ellis produces is so, so sad.Aching, sorrowful.Guitarist Mick Turner's guitar companion piece, which near the end overtakes the violin, cries for release.At the end, both violin and guitar are weeping.Jim White's drumming on this is almost militaristic, but perfect for keeping everything tightly together.

This was my first exposure to Dirty Three and I have to say, I like what I hear.Rich, emotive storytelling music without the words.Try it.

OK, but not their best
This album started off strong with the first song, but then it started to drag and drag for a bit, I'm usually very patient with bands like the Dirty Three and their albums, but this one seemed a bit mediocre, atleast for their standards.Go buy 'Horse Stories' or 'Ocean Songs' instead of this and see them live if you can, they are great. ... Read more

Asin: B000088NS7
Subjects:  1. Experimental Rock    2. Instrumental Rock    3. Pop    4. Post-Punk    5. Rock   

Summer Sun
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 April, 2003)
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Editorial Review

Any album with Summer Sun as its title and "Beach Party Tonight" as the opening track has to be the soundtrack of tanned flesh, cold beer, and killer waves, right? Not if it’s the product of three New Jersey bohos who know, from personal experience or their record collections, that summer is also the place to find surfers afraid of the water and sun-poisoned girls afraid of going home alone, again.Although not quite as cohesive or instantly captivating as the band’s 2000 breakthrough, AndThen Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, Summer Sun is crafted from a similar hushed and hypnotic mold. Most of the 13 songs are built on a simple foundation of lo-fi guitar, bass, and brushed drums, then finished off with swirling horns, insistent piano figures, or organ. Especially good are the Pet Sounds-like pocket symphony "Tiny Birds," the beat-groove-powered "Moonrock Mambo," and the album-closing cover of Big Star’s "Take Care." This last song is re-imagined as a country lament with pleading pedal-steel guitar and singer Georgia Hubley sounding like Nico fronting a lounge band on the boardwalk of a beach town headed toward post-Labor Day oblivion. Ah, summer. --Keith Moerer ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Finally - A Summer Album You can kill Yourself To
It's the album I've spent my whole life waiting for - a summer soundtrack the O.C. wouldn't touch with a barge pole (that's a large stick for the nautically uninitiated) and that you can slash your wrists to. No, I kid you people.But the cdnow.com precis was spot on - this is the summer album for goths, nerds, geeks, tweakers, stoners, sniffy-sniffers, mods, teddy-boys, grungers, yokels, techno-bots and anyone else who is genuinely disturbed by the beach and its associated rituals. Lock yourself in your room, ignore the glorious sunshine outside and prepare for the end of days (it's revelations people!)

Mediocre?
I really didn't understand the scathing reviews this album got. It's no I Can Hear The Heart..., Painful, or And Then Nothing Turned Itself..., but it's still a strong record. Really, point out one terrible thing about this record. I can't see it. It's beautiful. It may be like And Then Nothing... minus a "Cherry Chapstick," but I honestly enjoyed the record. Like Low and bands of that ilk, it's soothing music that's perfect for drifting off into slumber to. "Today Is The Day," "Little Eyes," and "Season Of The Shark" are excellent. Hell, even the instrumental opener "Beach Party Tonight" is stunning. Yes, it's no classic, but I guess when you're in Yo La Tengo's position, putting out a record that isn't a classic but still very strong is just as bad as putting out a pile of crap. Summer Sun is good, trust me.

solid, but not their best
"Summer Sun" seems to the ears of this long-term Yo La Tengo listener to be a distillation of the mellower side of the past two albums; "I Can Hear the Heart" and "...And Then Nothing." What's tricky about the current release is that its best moments are hard to notice if you're not paying close attention to it. While it's a great album to put on as background music, it also has many more rewards if you listen closer.

Many listeners seem to think that it's time for Yo La Tengo to rock again and release another feedback-laced guitar freakout a-la "May I Sing With Me", but I think with "Summer Sun" the band had to pursue the promise of such earlier songs as "Shadows" and "Green Arrow" to their logical end, and this new album does complete that task; the songs "Today Is the Day" and "Tiny Birds" are two of the best songs they've ever written, in my opinion, although they are enveloped in a lot of decent, but not spectacular, ergo lesser, material. The 10-minute "Let's Be Still" is a mistake; out-of-tune trumpet puntuating an angular, repetitive riff and detached vocals that just becomes a mess. An experiment from a previous album, "Spec Bebop", had much better results.

Ira Kaplan has discovered many more subtle ways around a guitar other than just blasting out atonal sheets-of-sound solos, and that's well on display here; he's probably one of the most underrated guitarists in rock today. But oddly enough, the dominant sound on this album seems to be keyboards and percussion loops. Maybe it *is* time for them to return to a harder rock sound, but knowing Yo La Tengo, they are due for a real curve ball for their next release. Be patient. ... Read more

Asin: B00008GEKS
Subjects:  1. Dream Pop    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Post-Rock/Experimental    5. 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   

Show Me Your Tears
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (09 September, 2003)
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Reviews (26)

seriously good song writing
Ive really hated most of Frank Black's solo stuff. I sold my first Frank Black album, I don't get the excitement over "Teenager of the Year" which just sounded like bad, generic college-radio music to me, though perhaps I'll give it another listen
That said, this is the only Frank Black solo album that I've liked well enough to play and replay. Here and there it reminds me of the Cramps and the songs sound influenced by Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Neil Young, and Lou Reed (The Snake), while hanging on to some of Frank Black's signature elements (like the little "ahh ahh" chorus in "This Old Heartache" and the spacey guitars) This is much more serious song-writing than a lot of stuff that he's been putting out.

Shine on you Crazy Pill
I think there is something to be said for Frank on his journey vs. Frank having reached his destination.I love the earliest Frank Black albums because he is searching high and low and the range shown on those albums is amazing.In subject, form and instrumentation they're a wild ride.Now we've settled in with Frank for a drink and a smoke and I think it's true...this bar, although well loved, can seem a bit overly familiar.I like it, but sometimes I really miss Speedy Marie.

David, perhaps you ARE on crazy pills.
This review is only so I can respond to David J. Miller. David, you've got it all wrong (except the part about Black being the man).

You said: "If his name wasn't printed on the cover of the album and if frank black was never in the pixies people would not like this." This is not true. While I enjoy the pixies, I find their albums sophomoric, and a bit silly. Well produced? Yes, but still silly. This is one of the things I like about them, that they had the musical hubris of youth. But highly-produced does not equal well-rounded or well-thought out. And Teenager? I love Black as much as anyone, and there are many gems on teenager, but well thought out is not an adjective I'd use. Even he admits that. Can you listen to that album straight through without checking your watch?

The fact is, everything these days is well-produced. The fact that Black can come up with something that sounds so good without post-production is nothing short of incredible. THAT is why I listen.

Do I also listen because his name is on it? Yes, of course. Millions of singers have sung the same phrases like 'I love you' over the years. But some do it with more sincerity, or uniqueness, or something else that makes you choose them over someone else. I buy his records because I want to hear what he has to say. I don't agree with everything he does, but because of his integrity, I know that he is doing it because that's what he wants to do, not because that's what he thinks I want to hear.

That's why I'll buy any album he puts his name on. And even if I don't love it, I'll appreciate it.

I hope you reconsider. And BTW, I do love this album. :) ... Read more

Asin: B0000AKY64
Sales Rank: 79483
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Three-Four
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (18 February, 2003)
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Reviews (2)

intelligent and exciting music
This is intelligent and exciting music from one of rock's great bands from the Louisville vanguard. The solo efforts work together surprisingly well, and make a wonderful follow up to their magnificent last CD, "Very soon and In Pleasant Company". In all, this experimental, yet accessible album is so far one of the best of 2003.

Junkmedia Review - Three limited EPs compiled here
Shipping News have always been, in my mind, somewhat low on the totem pole of the Louisville/Chicago post-Slint crew, not so much for a lack of quality, but just for their status as "side project" for all three members of the band. Jeff Mueller (June of 44), Jason Noble (Rachel's), and Kyle Crabtree (Metroschifter, etc.) all had their main bands that were far more visible when Shipping News' first LP, Save Everything, came out in 1997. But then June of 44 dissolved in '99, Metroschifter faded in and out of focus, and Rachel's haven't released anything since '99 either. Now that Shipping News have released three-four, their second album since then, it isn't very fair to call the band a side project.

Seeing As three-four is a compilation of sorts, made up mostly of three limited EPs that were released over the past year in which each of the three members contributed "solo" songs, it's a bit more scattered than their previous two releases. Jeff Mueller and Kyle Crabtree contribute four songs each, while Jason Noble dominates with six songs. It can be broken down like this: Mueller brings the quiet solo songs. Crabtree rocks it out the most like June of 44 or a younger, wilder Shipping News might have. Noble goes for the biggest adventure, though, bringing six very different and relatively unusual songs to the mix.

"Paper Lanterns" and "We Start To Drift" both drone on hypnotically, with incredible restraint for a band known for building up to cathartic crashes. "You Can't Hide The Mark Inside" would do great as a sountrack to a nightmare involving bees, while "Variegated" soothes like something he might have written for the Rachel's, without the orchestra. Not to say the other two don't have their moments ("Haymaker," Crabtree's second contribution is a favorite on the CD, Mueller's "Everglade" work fantastically as an album-closer), but Jason Noble is King of the Mountain here. He's the one who really commands the listener's attention, throwing out surprises and keeping everyone engaged.

The one thing that holds the whole record together stylistically, though, is that Shipping News play Very Serious Rock Music, much like Rachel's (sans "Rock") and June of 44 do/did. The music isn't dour or sad or angst-ridden, just Very Serious. No time for fun here, kids. These guys rock like painters poring over a canvas; somewhat transcendent, but mostly intense and overwrought.

The packaging of three-four takes a step back with muted sepia tone photos of letterpress blocks, photos of scrawled notes on pieces of paper sewn together. It brings with it a feeling of "this is important, we used a dying craft to package our art, because its so precious and, did we mention, important?" that comes through very much in the music. Sonically, though, this record represents the most adventure I've heard yet from the Shipping News (well, Jason Noble), so as long as they (he) keep expanding like this, then I guess they can be as glum and arty as they want, if they really must.

Martin Pavlinic
Junkmedia Review ... Read more

Asin: B000089CMQ
Sales Rank: 87313
Subjects:  1. Indie Rock    2. Pop    3. Post-Rock/Experimental    4. Rock   

New Folk Implosion
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 March, 2003)
list price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

Sebadoh might have been one of the defining bands of the indie-rock revolution, but it seems Lou Barlow's side project the Folk Implosion was built to last. The New Folk Implosion, despite its name, provides a fine example of what Barlow has always done best: soulful rock music that captures the poetic shyness and sense of inadequacy of its maker. Barlow's lo-fi edge mellowed into a loose sonic adventurousness long ago. Here, ex-Sebadoh drummer Russell Pollard's rhythms are occasionally augmented by fluid loops. There's nothing as immediately hooky as "Natural One," the group's unlikely hit from Larry Clark's controversial teen movie Kids. But those still mourning the passing of Sebadoh ought to find what they're looking for in the windswept "Releast," "Creature of Salt," and "Pearl." --Louis Pattison ... Read more

Reviews (9)

real music lives
its a great album listen to it with no preconceptions of what it should be

One of our best
I am so confused as to why fans of a band or artist balk at any sigh of growth, especially when they are supposed to be "indie" fans.Indie fans aren't supposed to want to pigeon hole an artist.Lou continues to show his expansion of his themes in both Sebadoh and IF and that should be a good thing not something everyone runs from.

This CD is one of the most cohesive works Loobie has done.The song writing is impeccable. The tunes get deep inside you. They are haunting, beautiful and dark.

Please expand your horizon along with Lou and stick by everything he does. He is one of our best!!!!

Classic Lou Barlow
Another classic album by Lou Barlow. I have been a Sebadoh and Folk Implosion fan for a number of years and what draws me to the music is that you do not expect a consistent sound from one album to the next. There is always a degree of experimentation and the result is always fresh.

Stand out tracks are Fuse, Releast and Easy. I found it hard at first to listen to this version of Easy after listening to the loobiecore version, but this song rates up there with Sorry and Nightmare which is worth the price of the CD alone. ... Read more

Asin: B00008BXI8
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

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 (951)

an awesome culmination
I have recently been introduced to this terrific band by a friend who wisely had me listen to their albums in chronological order. I liked Pablo Honey. I loved The Bends and every subsequent effort. This band is a rarity--each album gets not only better but progressively complex and meaningful. This album is a work of art, a masterpiece, the culmination so far of some great work!

tasty radiohead
I like this album, but I do begrudge is lack of momentum.Its a very good album if you're already in the mood of it, but when I just want to listen to music for the sake of music, rather than mood, this is not the album.However, if you are in the dreary, hopeless mood and just want to soak it up, its great, and comes with plenty of neat sounds and ideas as well, even if I don't feel they're integrated in the most careful or refined manner.Personally, I think I prefer Amnesiac for dreary though, and find that album, potentially because of its thinner textures, more regularly listenable.

2+2 = 4 in this case
Gold here! 2+2=5, Backdrifts, There There and Punch up at a Wedding are highlights. But this is a great collection. Best Radiohead since Ok Computer and that is saying something!! ... Read more

Asin: B000092ZYX
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

O Cracker, Where Art Thou?
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (06 May, 2003)
list price: $11.98
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Editorial Review

The idea of taking rock or pop songs and spinning them into bluegrass rave-ups isn’t a new one. Traditionalists such as Del McCoury have been doing it for years, and more recently jokesters Hayseed Dixie have turned it into a quickly predictable career, covering AC/DC , Kiss, and Aerosmith. Despite the title, O Cracker, Where Art Thou? is not simply a well-worn gag. Dave Lowery and Johnny Hickman have teamed with the Colorado jam band Leftover Salmon to re-imagine 10 Cracker songs, and the results are surprisingly effective. Clearly, the guys in Leftover Salmon are great musicians, and any temptation toward improvisational excess is held in check by a respect for the songs, which span Cracker’s career. Wisely, this includes a four-song cluster from the band's best album, Kerosene Hat, including a sexy "Sweet Potato," which effortlessly melds bluegrass pickin’ with New Orleans rhythm, and a version of "Low" haunted by creepy banjo, pedal steel-guitar, and a Hammond organ solo. Lowery's former band, Camper Van Beethoven, experimented with this sort of musical hybrid, too, with greater abandon but less instrumental expertise. There's no way that CVB could have pulled off the double-time banjo and mandolin fretwork required in a satisfyingly traditional run-through of "Teen Angst,"" or even made it through a simple country lament like "Mr. Wrong" without smirking a little too broadly. Fans of Camper Van will probably miss that band's punky attitude--which only surfaces once, on the smashed country waltz of "Eurotrash Girl"--but these 10 songs are good enough to be twisted into new shapes without betraying the old ones. --Keith Moerer ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Categorizing the impact
Some people are just lucky.If you're a fan of both Leftover Salmon AND Cracker (like me), you can count yourself among the lucky ones.In "O Cracker, Where Art Thou?" you are getting an amazing melding of each band's strengths.The glories of Cracker lyrics combined with the instrumental musicality of Leftover Salmon will astound you.Although "Get Off This" provides a somewhat dismal context (Cracker at a county fair... on quaaludes), by the time "Sweet Potato" comes around the LoS stringers are in full sound."Mr Wrong" exploits a twangy-country sound with excellent, syncopated keyboards courtesy of Bill McKay."Teen Agnst" is also awesome with its newly-upbeat rhythms (think bango guy gone wild!).

But how will the respective fans of Leftover Salmon or Cracker like this CD?I think back to the old Reese's commercials:"Your chocolate is in my peanut butter!""No, your peanut butter is in my chocolate!"Will fans of each taste enjoy finding them together?Here's what I think...

Fans who love Cracker especially for their lyrics will enjoy hearing the songs in a new context.But fans who love Cracker for their harddriving rock would best avoid this CD.It won't be your bag.

Similarly, Leftover Salmon fans who enjoy the purity and experimentation of traditional bluegrass could avoid this CD.But syncretists who enjoy the smashing success of melding musical styles will be well served.

Truly, like Reese's peanut butter cups, we've got "two great tastes that taste great together."I love it, and if you're open to Cracker music in this bluegrass context, you're in for quite a sweet treat!

Even better than the originals
I have no idea where the concept for this CD came from, but it's inspired. I'm a Lowery fan from way back, and I can't even imagine how many times I must have listened to Kerosene Hat. And I haven't heard a lot of Leftover Salmon, but I've really liked what I've heard. Put them together, and you get this classic album. Yeah, it could be longer, but so what? The point is that what's here is terrific. The version of "Mr. Wrong" is far better than the original -- Lowery renders it more as wry this time, instead of as a wisecrack -- and hearing "Eurotrash Girl" turned into a country waltz is priceless. "Sweet Potato" and "Lonesome Johnny Blues" are so perfect for this arrangement that the instrumentation sounds more natural for the songs than the originals. The instrumental work totally reinvents "Teen Angst." Overall, if you're not familiar with Cracker, the strong songwriting and the brilliant instrumental work by Leftover Salmon should convert you. If you are a Cracker fan, this album has to be a must-have.

Second time around...it gets better with every listen
I wrote an earlier review in which I gave this CD five stars, based primarily on the brevity (49:45) of this CD. Yeah, 30 minutes of "dead air." Oh, well, now that I've gotten over that frustrating feeling of being ripped off, I've just let the 10 songs on this CD play over and over again. And despite the brevity of the material, what's on this CD just sounds better and better. I've loved David Lowery's music back since Camper Van Beethoven, and I've seen Leftover Salmon probably more than another other band (except, of course, The Dead...). What strikes me is the smooth balance this CD finds between Lowery's somewhat flat delivery (not flat as in "bad," but as in limited vocal range) and LoS's subdued backing. Combined, the two produce a very listenable album. LoS can push the envelope at times, which is fun, but with Cracker's repertoire, they stay within the confines of Lowery's scope and the band never overtakes the vocalist. The one weak spot (for me) on this CD is their cover of Cracker's first "hit" off their debut, Teenage Angst..."What the world needs now is another folks singer, like I need a hole in the head..." The original was harsh, sharp and crisp and this version is just kind of flat. As I said in my previous review, I would have preferred something more along the lines of the overlooked classic, "Another Song About the Rain."That aside, and the fact that 3 or 4 more songs would have expanded the scope of this CD, I highly recommend it. The music is restrained, Lowery is in fine, fine shape, and let's hope these guys get back together and do it again sometime. So, disregard my previous 3 star rating and accept my new 5 stars. After playing this CD a good dozen times over the weekend, I've realized what a jewel it is! Now, if LoS would just do a CD of original music... ... Read more

Asin: B00008ZZ8B
Subjects:  1. American Trad Rock    2. Jam Bands    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Countrysides
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (07 October, 2003)
list price: $17.98 -- our price: $17.98
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Sounds exactly the way you think it would
For those of you who have followed Cracker from the moment Camper Van Beethoven first broke up, you will realize that Cracker recording an album of country covers isn't the artistic curveball that others would believe it to be. In fact, it's entirely within the band's character to play a string of country bars under the monkier Ironic Mullet, record an album of said material, and be dropped by Virgin. It all just seems, very...Cracker.

For all of its faults, Countrysides is a pretty fun album. It's not meant to be taken very seriously. If you do, you will find yourself disappointed by the fact that David Lowery sings the Hank Williams Jr.-penned Family Tradition with the California valley/surfer accent that he's had all of these years. You will also be disappointed by the fact that Johnny Hickman, for once, can't play lead guitar worth a darn. You'll also be disappointed by the fact that the album is so short.

But who cares? It's a country album that Cracker made after they rolled out of bed one day (or so it sounds). And depending on your mood, this can be very enjoyable or very irritating. Most of the time I find it enjoyable. But this is not Cracker at face value, not in a million years. Just turn off your brain, drink your Pabst, and listen.

Kick Ass!
Folks, I love Cracker.And I love alt-country music, like the recently disappeared Americana channel on DirecTV.Damn them!Why does all the good stuff disappear, while Rap and Easy Listening lives on forever?I dunno.

Nevertheless, while Cracker is being seriously ironic, the music still kicks ass.Especially after four or five drinks.The only reason they don't get five stars for this disk is that they don't have "Okie From Muskogee" on the CD itself, only on the video, and then only part of it.Sorry, guys.It takes "Okie From Muskogee" to get five stars."Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down" and "Up Against The Wall Redneck Mothers" is only worth four stars.

But I loved "It Ain't Gonna Suck Itself" which is probably worth an extra 1/2 star, so we'll give you 4-1/2.

A touch disappointed
I LOVE Cracker, their country sounding stuff most of all.Some of these songs are good, but this lacks a bit of the cleverness of past albums.Don't expect "Lonesome Johnny Blues" quality.I think something happened to these guys before "Forever."Anyway, I would borrow this one first before you buy it.You may love it, but I was a bit sad. ... Read more

Asin: B0000CDL6W
Sales Rank: 22258
Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Americana    3. Country-Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock   

Nocturne
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Audio CD (06 May, 2003)
list price: $11.98
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Reviews (1)

Another amazing solo record for Victor
Victor seems to only release records when his music has matured to the point of warranting it. If you listen to them in order of release, you can hear the song and lyrics maturing beautifully. Nocturne continues this natural progression. The songs are full, but never forced. Think along the lines of Neil Young, Wilco, Chris Isaak with a bit of Nick Cave. ... Read more

Asin: B00008ZZ8F
Sales Rank: 294048
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Country-Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. United States of America   

Rivers and Tides: Working With Time
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Audio CD (05 August, 2003)
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sonic~textural~evokative
Stunning minimalism with sonorous spice. With the first handful of notes played in the beginning of the sound score for this film, I knew straight away that I must have this music in my collection. The film is wonderful enough as is, however, adding Frith's magical composing makes the film and Andy Goldsworthy's work all the more intriguing. I am familiar with Frith's work along side John Zorn, but this is another level. Thanks to Amazon we're able to have this at lower price! One last thing, the packaging of this CD is also quite unique, very inventive. ... Read more

Asin: B0000953PX
Sales Rank: 108273
Subjects:  1. Bass (Acoustic)    2. Berimbau    3. Film    4. Film Music    5. Modern Composition    6. Percussion    7. Piano    8. Pop    9. Sax (Soprano)    10. Soundtracks & Film Scores    11. Violin   

Hardcore UFOs Box Set: Revelations, Epiphanies and Fast Food in the Western Hemisphere
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 November, 2003)
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More frustrating greatness
Okay, 6 disks here so there is a lot to cover.

Human Amusements At Hourly rates is the greatest hits CD. It has 32 songs, many of which are GBV's best songs. Of the 32 songs, there is only one I can't stand, "Drinker's Peace" from the wretched concept album "Same Place the Fly Got Smashed." Everything else on there is top notch. There are certainly dozens of other songs that could go on here, but a CD is only 80 minutes long. This is the CD you lend to your friends.

Demons & Painkillers is the B-sides and rarities CD. There are a lot of really good songs here as well as some truly awful ones. I can make a strong case for several of these songs belonging on the greatest hits CD (more on that later).

Delicious Pie & Thank You For Calling is the demos and outtakes CD. Eh. It is a mixed bag for me. I'd put it in the bottom 25% of the GBV releases I've come across. With so much else to choose from, I can't imagine listening to this all that often.

Live at the Wheelchair Races is the live CD. The setlist is very strong. I can even tolerate Drinker's Peace in this setting (even more reason not to have it on the greatest hits CD). The flow gets broken up a bit by changing time periods, but it really is not that bad. I will probably listen to this quite a lot.

Forever Since Breakfast is their first EP. It harks back to a time long ago when GBV were more interested in sounding like REM than The Who. There are good songs and bad songs here which shouldn't surprise anyone. If you liked Devil Between My Toes you will probably like this, and vice versa. Personally, I put half of the songs from the two releases onto my humongous GBV playlist on my MP3 player.

The DVD is great. I'm not much of a video watcher, but it is nice to have all of that stuff together on one disk (hint, hint).

The book has a lot of old pictures and a few fun anecdotes. Oh, and a description of where all of the tracks come from.

So, why 4 stars?
- I am very happy with the live CD and the DVD. Those two are 5*. The early EP gets 4 stars and I'm glad Bob decided to release it.

- The Greatest Hits CD covers too much ground. Their sound changed quite a lot in 17 years. I just don't think it sounds right to listen to all of it on one CD. Perhaps the single-CD issue sounds better with its non-chronological order. I was trying to think of a good stopping point and decided Mag Earwhig would be better.

- There are not enough alternative versions on the greatest hits CD. The two are nice, but why not have the alternate versions of Motor Away, My Valuable Hunting Knife, and Game of Pricks from the rarities CD on there as well? This would give me more reason to listen to it.

- I think it is a travesty not to have Postal Blowfish on the greatest hits CD. With the extra room on the greatest hits CD, I'd throw in a few more tracks from the rarities CD such as Unleashed! The Large Hearted Boy and Dodging Invisible Rays.

- I'd pick the best of the outtakes and add them to the rarities CD. We know there are other outtakes and demos lying around. Since the outtakes and demos CD is mostly filler anyway, I don't think it really matters to me what else goes on there.

So, in summary, there is a lot to like about this box set, but there are enough frustrations for me to keep my rating at 4*. If you are a big GBV fan, you either have gotten this already or are wondering why you haven't gotten it yet. If not, there are plenty of other CDs for you to choose from as you continue your journey towards becoming a big GBV fan.

It's Not Too Late
It is somewhat embarrassing to admit that for years I completely missed the boat when it comes to Guided by Voices-even though I've always interested in finding some of the most obscure bands out there.For reasons I'll never be able to explain, Guided by Voices has always flown just under my radar though I always knew that they were out there.Finding this box set for me is like finding one of the sources of the Nile because I can hear influences of their work on many of my other favorites.So while this johnny-come-lately kicks himself for missing out on this band for so long, I can give you one good piece of advice:go out and get the Hardcore UFOs box set and see for yourself.It is like everything, and nothing that you've heard before.My Christmas wish of receiving this box set has been fulfilled.Now I only wish that I'd been a fan all along.

Hardcore UFOs delivers the goods
It's hard not to love this boxed set. It's got a ton of great music and video for the cash, and it's a nice balance of GBVs more noteworthy pop moments as well as some really cool obscure stuff. There's something in here for every fan, from acolytes to veterans.

There are five CDs and one DVD in the box. The CDs include the greatest hits disc (also available separately), a CD of outtakes and obscurities available for the first time (these aren't even on Suitcase), a live CD, and GBV's first EP available for the very first time--it'd been out of print for years. There's an excellent photo and essay book as well, which gives colorful insight into the history, personnel, and personality of the band.

Rumor has it that Robert Pollard hand-picked the songs for the greatest hits disc. I can't quibble with his selections, for the most part, though I bet just about every hardcore fan wishes his or her favorite song made it (I was a little surprised to not find "Gold Star For Robot Boy" from Bee Thousand, "Red Men and Their Wives" from Under the Bushes, "Stabbing a Star" from Sunfish Holy Breakfast, "The Brides Have Hit Glass" from Isolation Drills, and "Useless Inventions" from Earthquake Glue in there somewhere). With so many great songs, it must have been torturous to pare the catalog down to the final 32.

I was super stoked to see "Back From Saturn X" on the B-sides disc.

The strongest offering by far is the live disc. This pastiche of songs--also hand-picked by Bob with some help--pulls together songs that flat-out rocked live along with a mix of mellow or more obscure songs. The sound quality of these is pretty phenomenal considering they were all yanked from amateur DATs and the like. I'd buy the whole box set again for this disc alone.

If you're new to GBV and you want to immediately take a deep dive, I recommend starting here or with the greatest hits CD by itself. If you like this band but have doubts about the box, nix them now and lay your money down: Hardcore UFOs does not disappoint. ... Read more

Asin: B0000DIZSV
Sales Rank: 49588
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Bass (Electric)    3. Box Sets (Audio Only)    4. Drums    5. Guitar (Electric)    6. Guitar (Rhythm)    7. Indie Rock    8. Lo-Fi    9. Pop    10. Rock    11. United States of America    12. Vocals    13. Vocals (Background)   

The Best of Morphine: 1992-1995
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (18 February, 2003)
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Worthy on all counts
I'm not going to pretend I'm objective - Morphine was the greatest band in the world. They were the epitome of cool, in every sense of the word. By fusing elements of jazz with a rock n' roll sensibility and bombast, Morphine made some of the best music of the 90's. The tragic death of frontman Mark Sandman in 1999 brought an end to the band, but thankfully not to the music, at least not yet.
If I were to judge this album strictly as a "Best of" compilation, it would be slightly less than 5 stars. Dana Colley and Billy Conway, two of the three surviving members of the band (former drummer Jerome Deupree is the third) selected the tracks, all of which are excellent.
What hurts is not what is included, but what was omitted. The last two Morphine albums were released on Dreamworks Records which were not included in this release. This is strictly a Rykodisc release and Rykodisc would not purchase the rights to the Dreamworks albums. Colley & Conway were asked to do the best they could in selecting tracks from the first three albums and the B-Sides compilation or leave the project to Rykodisc entirely. They did the best they could. But what about "In Spite of Me", the song that brought more attention to the band than any other after being included in the film Spanking the Monkey? "Sheila"? "Bo's Veranda"?
What makes this album indispensable are the two unreleased tracks - "Jack and Tina" and "Pretty Face". These are two of the best unreleased tracks I ever heard from Morphine, lovingly prepared by Colley & Conway. These tracks make this album indispensable, even if you already own the entire Morphine catalogue.
The band used to say "Love is the drug, Morphine is a band". Now, Morphine is the past, but Colley & Conway (Twinemen), and Deupree (Bourbon Princess) are still here in the present, making great music. Check them out today!

pitchforkmedia review. 6.7 out of 10.0
In the spirit of allowing sleeping dogs to, you know, get some ... rest, and only out of a preponderance of love and admiration for Mr. Mark Sandman's legacy as the leader of Morphine, this disc never should've been pressed. I'm not gonna harp on the fact that Ryko are profiteering off the demise of another human being (there's no two ways about it), or dwell longer than necessary on the fact that Morphine themselves quickly fell into a...rut, musically speaking, a fact that this compilation only serves to make brutally clear. 1992-1995 isn't exactly an arbitrary span is the band's career, either, neatly encompassing the Morphine recordings Ryko owns: their first three full-lengths and some b-sides. It's hardly a comprehensive retrospective of this very original band, but there's profit to be had.

Let's back-up though, and talk about this band, as perspective is required to understand the disc's failings. Back in 1992, the sheer iconoclasm of Sandman's famously simple, two-string slide bass, in tandem with nothing more than drums and saxophones, was a triumphant calling card and almost claim-to-fame on their debut, Good. It would soon become an unendurable obstacle; even after emerging from the sultry, seductive haze of their finest hour-- the sophomore effort Cure for Pain-- one couldn't help but wonder, �Is their next album gonna be just like the first two?� Yes, it was. There are only so many ways to write the same three songs-- up-tempo debauchery, slow, slinky atmospherics and beat-poetry readings-- and when you have such a narrow range of instrumentation, you can pretty much exhaust them on one record. A few exceptions, like the bittersweet acoustics of �Gone For Good� spring instantly to mind, but, they're not on this album.

What you do get, aside from a pretty liberal definition of �best�-- given the wide swath this disc cuts through their albums-- are three unreleased tracks only begging to stay down. The recorded cuts, sure to bring smiles to the faces of the familiar-- �Honey White�, �I'm Free Now�, �You Look Like Rain�-- are more than sufficient to maintain a fairly high standard, as well as an adequate spectrum of the band's assorted powers. But when you come down to it, a lot of Morphine's most impressive songs are remembered for nothing more than standing out on a samey album. The shame or sheer hell-- depending on your outlook and/or relation to the band-- is that, when all these songs are brought together, they blend together like any other Morphine recording: the liquid-smooth-to-frantic-and-back, smoky and solid playing is, for its novelty, monotonous. As for the newly released material, it's nothing but filler, sounding like watered-down versions of every other song on this collection-- and the last thing Morphine's well-oiled machinery needs is another fifteen minutes of sand.

This is far, far less than representative of Morphine's greatness; although many of these songs are their best works, it's more of a Morphine intro course than a respectful farewell. Five of these songs-- a full third of the album-- come from the incredible Cure for Pain; anyone interested in this album as a short road to their best tunes could do a lot worse, but you'd better be served just picking up Cure for Pain itself. If you already own that, well, you didn't even need to read this review, did you? Spanning a measly four years and barely half the band's recorded output, it trades excellence in a heartbeat, for mediocrity and around fifteen bucks.

-Eric Carr...

Sandman haunts us still with "Pretty Face"
The weekend after the death of Morphine frontman Mark Sandman I had the pleasure of hearing some tapes that included songs that had never been released and works in progress. I had met the Morphine guys a few years prior and was determined to learn a thing or two from them since I also do a "guitarless" bass-driven thing with my band.
While driving with my friend (who I guess was doing some mixing with Mark before they left for Italy)he popped-in a cdr with Mark's scribbles on it and said "Here...check this out. I know you've never heard this song and I really think you should. I don't know if they'll ever release it." It was a warm, windy afternoon. We were almost to the shore. I was numb from the loss of my hero. I wept quietly in the back seat while the smell of the ocean blew through the car, heavy and salty. A gray day. It was as if the song were meant to be played at that very moment. It was perfect.
The song was "Pretty Face"; by far the most haunting thing I've heard come off of the tape machine at Hi-N-Dry. His voice coming through his good ol Green Bullet (which he prefered to call "the Taxi mic")and a 2-string bassline that only strays from 2 chords maybe once or twice in the entire song. And Dana Colley's sax singing what feels like the world's saddest lullaby, cradling you in a moment of despair. The words seemed slurred and painful..."don't remember the place, but it's not so easy to erase a pretty face." "not too slow and not too fast". You listen to this tune, maybe get a bit teary-eyed and say "yeah...I know this feeling." It literally makes my heart ache.
I currently play with the drummer that is on that recording, Jerome Deupree, and recently had a conversation about the song. I told him that it was one of the most beautiful and tragic tunes I have ever heard. He said that anytime Sandman asked the guys if they liked a tune and they said "yes" Sandman would decide against putting it on the record. So it wasn't long before Dana, Billy and Jerome figured out that if one of Mark's tunes was a gem they better down-play it as much as possible if it were to make the final cut.
That moment in the car listening to "Pretty Face" is one of many that always seem to happen when listening to the music of Morphine. It is indeed cinematic. No matter who you are, there is a Morphine song that becomes the soundtrack of that 4 or so minutes of your life. Few people could write words and sing them with such potency as Mark Sandman.
I was absolutely tickled that they did release it after all. And there are other tracks on the "Best Of..." that were previously unreleased. However, "Pretty Face" alone is worth the price of the whole cd and more. ... Read more

Asin: B00007FPHP
Sales Rank: 14941
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock   

Fake Songs (Bonus DVD)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 April, 2003)
list price: $17.98 -- our price: $17.98
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Editorial Review

Precocious Liam Lynch is the twisted mind behind MTV's Sifl and Olly sock-puppet show and has also worked on various film and music projects. Indeed, a wacky, well-worth-watching full-length DVD is part of this package. On this 20-song masterwork, Lynch serves up a selection of sound-alike-tribute "fake songs," as well as a few "originals." And thanks to the summer-perfect "United States of Whatever," he has registered his first hit single. Songs like "S.O.S." and "Cuz You Do" are groovy in a loose White Stripes way, while Lynch does a dead-on parody in "Fake Bjork Song." He moves easily from the country-drunk looseness of "Still Wasted" to the hip-hop of "Rapbot." Lynch's David Bowie accent and lyrics on "Fake Bowie Song" are picture perfect, ditto his Black Francis on "Fake Pixies Song." "Rock 'N' Roll Whore," Lynch's duet with Jack Black of Tenacious D, is pure Spinal Tap. Always clever, sometimes hysterical, and sometimes cloying, Lynch is a way hipper Weird Al for the post-millennium MTV generation. --Katherine Turman ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Uneven, but overall not that great
The standout is, of course, "United States of Whatever" which is pretty good, but the rest of the album falls flat. His fake Bjork, Depeche Mode, etc... songs are better than the rest, but they don't make this album worth buying.

Snot-gobbing Tongue Chewing
Simply put, the United States of Whatever, the 'big hit' of this album is nothing more and nothing less than a snot-gobbing, tongue-chewing masterpiece with the breath of a diseased dog, the darting eyeballs of a zombie and a jockstrap of barbed wire.It's a cross between early Beck and Frank Zappa with a killer Eddie Cochran meets punk metal riff.

Featuring Jack Black and Ringo Starr, this album does four things at once.1)Provide an amazing, while hilarious, homage to each artist Lynch targets for the fake songs on the CD 2) Dishes out two back-to-the-basics, pretty much on the level, rock and roll songs 3) Kick out a few clever, original joke songs.4) Adds in a wealth of material on the bonus DVD.Some artists would feel the need to charge customers for the honor to take in his unique and utterly profound vision in video form.Not Lynch.There's nothing profound about his vision, but the point Lynch makes in his DVD labor of love is 'if I can do it, so can you.' His down-to-earth attitude holds up even while in the presence of a former Beatle.Of course, if you read up on Lynch, you'll find that without Ringo Starr this album most likely would have not been made.Although, in the end, it's Lynch's tenacious dedication to his craft, however unserious it may seem, that brings the goods in pure, old-fasioned enjoyment.

All this for a guy who's color-blind and dyslexic.Cat lovers take note.He has a theme song for his cat.Meow.

Hillarious? Yes! - Frequently Listenable? Not exactly...
The songs on this album are nothing short of brilliant parody.Liam Lynch does a magnificent job of mocking (or honoring) such artists as Depeche Mode, David Bowie and the Pixies.The Bowie imitation is spot on, and totally hillarious.Other songs are great, as well, such as the hit single "United States of Whatever".On a whole, the album just isn't solid, or something I'm able to put in the stereo and listen to.It's great for a conversation piece, or to entertain guests, but as a good listen, it just doesn't work.

The bonus DVD, with hillarious videos, and footage of Ringo Starr drumming with Lynch is worth the admission alone.This, my friends, is a DVD which offers more than the CD.I'm keeping this album for it. ... Read more

Asin: B00008RUYF
Subjects:  1. Indie Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Song Parody   

Dirty (Deluxe Edition)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 April, 2003)
list price: $29.98 -- our price: $29.98
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Editorial Review

A fresh listen to the original 15 tracks on Dirty reminds one just how great this 1992 album in its original form. Remember the pop-sludge of "Sugar Cane"? The polit-grit of "Youth Against Fascism"? The sexy grind of "Drunken Butterfly"? How about SY’s version of wistfulness on "Wish Fulfillment" or their brilliant, nonsensical cover of the hardcore number "Nic Fit?" Plus, you had "Chapel Hill, "JC," "Purr, and "100%" to rock you into froth. Now, take all that and add a dozen (mostly) instrumental rehearsal recordings of those songs taking shape ("Barracuda" emerged as "Drunken Butterfly," while "Guido" and "Little Jammy Thing" gave birth to "Wish Fulfillment"). These rehearsal tracks follow two previously released instrumental B-sides--"The End of the End of the Ugly" and "Tamra"--creating a blissfully long wash of sound, veering from hypnotic, pastoral soundscapes to kinetic experiments held together by dark, probing rhythms. The second disc alone is priceless given that it may be the closest thing to a true instrumental Sonic Youth release that will ever appear. A handful of other B-sides and goodies round a collection that's worth every penny it costs. --Lorry Fleming ... Read more

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• Original recording remastered

Reviews (10)

This might be a great record...
But I won't be buying it. I'm a huge Sonic Youth fan, but I find it absurd that they want to charge me $30 for a CD that I've already bought. I'm not blaming the band here, though I'm sure that they deserve some of the credit. This is an RIAA problem. They didn't make enough money off me the first time, so why not try to get just a little bit more. And they wonder why people pirate music. This "deluxe reissue" thing seems to be all the rage right now. Sony has done the same thing with the Clash's London Calling, and Matador has done it with Pavement's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. But only Matador has reissued the CD at a reasonable price. Yet more evidence that the only CD's you should buy come from Indie labels.

What do I do with the original recording?
This release is really great.Sort of irks me that the original release (that I owned) is such a bad mix compared.But unlike many other re-release remixes, this one gives you more than 1-cd worth of bonus tracks (some of the extra tracks are on disk 1). Anyway, I checked it out from the public library and figured I'd just listen to the extras.But the remixes of the old songs are really compelling.It's almost like the original is FM radio and this one is CD. Whatever.I don't know if you "aint alternative if you don't own this album" but I can definitely say it's the best release I've heard in several years--and it's an "oldie".

You ain't alternative unless you own this album!
Regrettably, Sonic Youth haven't gotten as much credit as they deserve as some of the original purveyors of what has since come to be labelled alternative rock, but "Dirty" provides convincing proof that they just may have done it better than anyone else.Many of the rock bands that gained prominence around this time brought somewhat of an unschooled ethic to their sound, but "Dirty" is a unique, diverse, and immensely enjoyable listen that may well have seen the Youth at the height of their powers.Many of the rock bands that gained prominence around this time brought somewhat of an unschooled ethic to their sound, but these guys (and girl) somehow managed to combine that rawness with their brilliant musicianship to give listeners the best of both worlds.This is yet another one of those albums I wish I had gotten years ago, but I guess I wouldn't have appreciated it that much back then.

Some of the extended, intricate instrumental passages that characterized earlier albums are still present, but for the most part the songs here are shorter, sharper, and more efficient than their predecessors, continuing the process that was begun right around "Goo."Yes, by this point the band had embraced a more traditional rock songwriting format, but these songs rock so hard and so well I can't imagine anyone objecting.Witness the hard-driving metallic riffage and swirling feedback of "100%," the supremely catchy hooks of "Sugar Kane," the thumping rhythms of "Youth Against Fascism," and the primal force of "Purr," which combine with Thurston Moore's swaggering vocals to create significantly more fun and interesting listens than anything Nirvana and Pearl Jam were putting out at the time, let alone today's horrible faux-grunge knockoffs like Nickelback and Puddle of Mudd.Elsewhere, Kim Gordon contributes her trademark punkish aggression on "Swimsuit Issue" and "Drunken Butterfly" and some eerily atmospheric vocals on the edgy "Shoot" and the haunting "The Strip."Another classic, "Theresa's Sound-World," starts out slow and subdued before steadily building to a series of crescendos and some great instrumental segments where Thurston and Lee Ranaldo get to demonstrate their grasp of subtle tonalities.

And just in case all that's not enough, "Dirty" has now been repackaged with enough bonus material to make collectors salivate all over themselves.Tacked on to the end of the original album are four B-sides of varying quality, and even better, there's a whole bonus disc constisting almost entirely of instrumental tracks, many of which eventually found their way onto the album in altered forms.Much as I like the vocals on the finished products, listening to the all-instrumental rehearsal takes provides a whole new perspective enabling the listener to focus in on the intricacies of the music with nothing getting in the way.Great stuff this "Dirty" is, and with all the bonus material this reissue is more than worth its price tag. ... Read more

Asin: B000083LQB
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. College Rock    3. Experimental    4. Experimental Rock    5. Grunge    6. Indie Rock    7. Pop    8. Rock    9. United States of America