Paranoid
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
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Editorial Review

Though most of Black Sabbath's classic material from this album ("War Pigs," "Iron Man," "Fairies Wear Boots," and the title track) can also be found on the collection We Sold Our Soul for Rock & Roll, Paranoid is essential for the completist. One of the best albums from one of the bands to define heavy metal, this album is chock-full of the best stuff from Sabbath's Osbourne years. (Where else will you be able to hear "Rat Salad?") The music isn't exactly complex, but it doesn't need to be; its importance lies in its evocative power, with which any teenager will be able to identify. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (228)

AWESOME!!!!!
THIS IS AN AWESOME ALBUM. OF THE THREE METAL BANDS OF THE '60'S AND EARLY 70'S (LED ZEPPELIN, DEEP PURPLE & BLACK SABBATH) I THINK BLACK SABBATH IS THE BEST. THERE ARE FOUR HITS ON THIS ALBUM, THEY ARE "WAR PIGS", "PARANOID", "IRON MAN" & "FAIRIES WEAR BOOTS". BUT ALL THE OTHER SONGS ARE AWESOME TOO. HERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF THE TRACKS:

WAR PIGS-THIS IS AN AWESOME ANTI-WAR PIECE WITH A VERY LONG AND AWESOME INSTRUMENTAL PART AT THE END. A+

PARANOID-ANOTHER CLASSIC, THIS SONG WAS (FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD) ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO BE FILLER BUT IT'S AWESOME, AND IT'S SORTA NICE SINCE "WAR PIGS" WAS SO LONG AND THIS IS SHORTER. A+

PLANET CARAVAN-THOUGH THIS SONG IS VERY SLOW AND OZZY'S VOICE IS TOTALLY WEIRD THIS SONG IS GREAT. THERE'S A NICE JAZZY SOLO TOWARDS THE END. A+

IRON MAN-YET ANOTHER MIND-BLOWING SONG. IF YOU DON'T KNOW THIS ONE YOU'RE SERIOUSLY BRAIN-DAMAGED. A+

ELECTRIC FUNERAL-HOLY HECK IS THIS GREAT!!!!!!! THE RIFFS ARE SO DISTORTED THAT YOU CAN BARELY HEAR THEM. IT'S A VERY DARK, OMINOUS SONG ABOUT DEATH. A+

HAND OF DOOM-FITS VERY WELL WITH "ELECTRIC FUNERAL" 'CAUSE THIS IS ANOTHER SONG ABOUT DEATH. NOT QUITE SO GOOD THOUGH. A

RAT SALAD-THIS SONG IS A VERY NICE, SHORT INSTRUMENTAL PIECE. I LOVE HOW IT STARTS WITH VIOLIN AND THEN A GUITAR RIFF, VIOLIN AND THEN THE SAME GUITAR RIFF. A-

FAIRIES WEAR BOOTS-THIS IS A GREAT, FUNNY AND ALTOGETHER AWESOME SONG. THIS SONG IS SO COOL. A+

FROM THE BEGINNING OF "WAR PIGS" TO THE ENDING OF "FAIRIES WEAR BOOTS" THIS IS AN AWESOME ALBUM.

One of the greatest albums ever
Without a doubt, this album can lay claim to the 'Granddaddy of all Metal' albums. While their debut 'Black Sabbath' was excellent, it was much more blues oriented. 'Paranoid' however is darker, heavier, and has riffs that are a must to learn for all rock guitarists. Can anyone imagine the metal world without the songs 'War Pigs', 'Paranoid' or 'Iron Man'? This is where metal began folks. Tony Iommi is a true master when it comes to writing heavy riffs. Considering the fact that the man has no fingertips and cannot feel the strings is even more amazing. For those who do not know, Tony suffered an accident while working in a factory, resulting in the loss of his fingertips. He plays with plastic coverings. That's why in most photos, he usually hides his hand.

Anyway, 'Hand of Doom', 'Electric Funeral', and the infamous 'Fairies wear Boots' (what were they smoking when they wrote that one?), even the album out to make it a listening pleasure. I never understood what the heck 'Luke's Wall' was though. There is nothing between War Pigs and Paranoid. And to this day I still have no idea what Ozzy is singing about in Planet Caravan. I could find the lyrics, but that would take away from the mystery of the song. Geezer's bass playing is top notch on this disc. His is probably the most under-rated bass player on the planet. Ozzy's vocals are haunting and lurk behind the music just enough to make the patented Black Sabbath sound.

I still remember being broke and living on my own for the first time. Without a TV, I would just play 'Paranoid' over and over again playing solitare on the floor. I would eat cold cuts without bread and wait for my girlfriend to come over, she rarely did. Those were some great times though. This is one of Black Sabbath's and Heavy metal's best albums. It's the Holy Grail for guitar players and will be a jewel in your CD collection.

awesome
Try as I might, I don't think I'll ever be a metalhead. I may be pi$$ed about certain things that frustrate me in my life, but I don't think I'll ever be that angry (in fact, I can turn happy-go-lucky insanely fast when five seconds ago I was in a violent rage), but it can't stop me from enjoying some metal music. I like all sorts of music, and metal is one of my favorite genres, and Paranoid, one of the first metal albums ever, is awesome in my book, and it starts out with one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, song of all-time.....

1. War Pigs 100/10 How people could consider the title track a classic over this monster boggles my mind (even though the title track is great). From the slow, vast intro, to the hi-hat tapping and Ozzy's opening operatic vocals, to the ass-kicking riffage and soloing, to the mindblowing outro, you can wait and wait for this song to get boring and it never will, and I'm not even a hardcore metal fan. Speaking of the outro, as if the rest of the song isn't amazing, the outro is incredibly powerful, and gives me goosebumps every time I hear it, beginning with a simple arpeggiated chord progression, coming to four climatic riffs, and a crushingly beatiful haunting, dark, but faintly hopeful riff to finish it off, topped by what has to be Iommi's best solo. I'm not sure if it will stay this way, but for now this is definately my vote for the best rock song EVER

2. Paranoid 7/10 A good song, but I think it's a bit overrated, especially after the religious experience of the previous track. But its lyrics I can definiately relate to when I'm frustrated and bored and just out of it.

3. Planet Caravan 10/10 Many people don't like this track, but it's dark, vast, slow, and haunting (i like stuff like that). Iommi also has a phenomenal jazzy solo for an outro, coupled with piano chords. All I can say is this must sound amazing stoned....

4. Iron Man 8/10 When I first heard this track, I was an Ozzy novice. Seeing him all out of it on MTV and hearing the computerized "I am IRON MAN!", I just thought it was kind of corny, but listening to it it's one awesome track, but not as good as WP. The speeding up for the solo was a great twist, something which Sab does often and makes them great. The outro soloing is amazing as well.

5. Electric Funeral 8/10 Wowwowwowewohhhhhh! The deep rumble of the opening notes definately sounds like the thunder of Armaggedon, which is basically what this song is about. I personally think it sounds scarier live, the song gets scarier as it progress to an almost jig-like beat with Ozzy's Cold-War era nuclear war lyrics slamming you in the face.

6. Hand of Doom 10/10 Sabbath epic #3 on this album, dealing with the mad drug addiction of a crazed Vietnam veteran, starts with a slow bass riff, which progresses into the album's first actual chorus, before kinda randomly going into a totally new jam with Ozzy's anti-drug rants, "But you, you know you must be blind...", it keeps progressing and surpising you, until the fantastic solo, and finishing out with slow dark lyrics of the painful death of the addict. Best song on the album except for War Pigs.

7. Rat Salad 5/10 I don't really like instrumentals, but if I do listen to them, I'll listen to Metallica's, and not this. It does feature an awesome drum solo that just goes to show you what a phenomenal drummer Bill Ward is, as if you couldn't pick that up with his primal pounding on the previous tracks. It also features what sounds like a jazzier improvization on Hand of Doom's solo.

8. Fairies Wear Boots 9/10 What a weird song. I don't like the lyrics because they really are CORNY, but I guess if you're doing drugs, you will write crazy stuff like that. The power of the track is in the awesome riffage and soloing on the part of Iommi, and bassist Geezer Butler and Bill Ward continue to pound out awesome rhythms. It kind of ends with an anticlimax which is dissappointing: they should of finished with something epic and powerful like the way Metallica's "Creeping Death" finished, something that stays with you a long time, but its still great.

All in all, I'm not a nut about this album like metalheads are, but this is awesome, and even if you hate tracks 2 through 8, buy it for War Pigs, you won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Asin: B000002KHH

Van Halen
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 September, 2000)
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Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (176)

The Best Van Halen Ever. At Least Six Stars!
This is the only Van Halen album I have, but it's so awesome, I don't care. Amost every song is kickass, and Eddie is amazing.

Runnin' With the Devil - Although the solo is a little weak for Eddie's standards, it is made up for with thae awesome intro that this song holds. Pure Hard Rock. 10/10

Eruption - Eddie Van Halen is a true god. Hopefully, with all the hip hop garbage today, he won't be forgotten. Best on the album. 11/10

You Really Got Me - A milkion times better than the Kinks' original version. Great solo, great vocals. Very Cool. 10/10

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love - cool riff, cool guitar lead. Alex Van Halen's shining moment. 9/10

I'm the One - It has two solos. Enough said. 10/10

Jamie's Cryin' - I used to hate it, but now I love it. Killer riff. 9/10

Atomic Punk - Eddie is so incredicle here. My second favorite song on the album. 10/10

Feel Your Love Tonight - Not really too fond of this song, as in I don't listen to it that often. It's still good, though. 8/10

Little Dreamer - Again, not too familiar. 8/10

Ice Cream Man - I LOVE this song! It is simply awesome! 10/10

On Fire - Michael Anthony really shines here. Good stuff. 10/10

Average - 9.5/10. If that doesn't answer your question as to whether you should buy this album, then you might as well just take a chance and buy it. Long live Van Halen.

Peace everybody, and keep rocking.

An Electrifying Debut (4.5 stars)
Van Halen's 1978 eponymous debut is one of the best guitar albums in the history of rock, and has a collection of some of the most energetic songs in their career. In fact, many of the songs on this album are regularly played on rock radio, like "Runnin With The Devil," "Jamie's Cryin," and their version of the Kinks' "You Really Got Me."

Eddie Van Halen's blistering riffs are the highlight on the album, definitely, even when David Lee Roth's vocals border on annoying (like in the liast 2 songs), and he is credited for introducing the finger-tapping technique to the mainstream (though Genesis' Steve Hackett also used it in the early 1970s). His solos on "Eruption" are almost impossible to duplicate, and his solos on songs like "Ain't Talking About Love" only add to the adrenaline rush produced by the band's music. It only gets 4.5 stars because the last 2 songs are sub-par, but it's one of the most essential hard rock albums ever, and a good album to getif you're into excellent guitar playing. Also kudos to Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony for supplying an adequate rhythm section.

Hey, Avril Lavigne #1 Fan!
Hey, Avril Lavigne Fan, do you wanna know why Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Steve Vai aren't on MTV? Two reasons-1. MTV sucks and everyone who plays on there sucks! 2. Van Halen, Malmsteen, and Vai are so great at the guitar, they're too good for sucky MTV!!!! Blink 182, Avril, and Good Charlotte suck!!!!!!!!
EVERYONE WHO IS ON THIS PAGE...........BUY THIS ALBUM!!!!It is phenomenal!! ... Read more

Asin: B00004Y6O9
Sales Rank: 2843

Led Zeppelin IV (aka ZOSO)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 July, 1994)
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Editorial Review

Also known as the "rune" album or Zoso because of the medieval symbols adorning the inner sleeve, Led Zeppelin's fourth album, released in 1971, turned them from mere superstars into giant behemoths of the rock world. On tracks like "Black Dog," "Misty Mountain Hop," and "Rock and Roll," the combination of Robert Plant's banshee wails and Jimmy Page's frenetic guitar playing forever altered the stylistic bent of hard rock music. And the foreboding "When the Levee Breaks" demonstrated that Zeppelin could indeed play the blues fairly straight if they so desired. Still, everything here ultimately took a back seat to the album's (and, ultimately, the band's) magnum opus--the expertly constructed and deftly executed classic, "Stairway to Heaven." --Billy Altman ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (634)

Arguably Zeppelin's finest hour
After the critical hammering and somewhat commercial sales of Led Zeppelin III, English hard rock legends Led Zeppelin struck back with their classic untitled fourth album. The album kicks off with the Top 20 charting classic Black Dog which was a great opener with Robert Plant's vocals kicking ass. Also, Jimmy Page's guitar work, John Paul Jones' bass playing and drummer John Bonham just kicked ass on the track. The rocking Rock and Roll follows and is a superb track. The Battle of Evermore follows and is a great folk song with Robert and the late Sandy Denny singing lead vocals. Next is the album's classic Stairway to Heaven, always voted greatest rock song ever. At eight minutes, this song has held up well, even today. The heavy Misty Mountain Hop follows and is a killer song. The track Four Sticks follows and is so-named that Bonham used two drumsticks per hand whilst recording this track. The folk-tinged Going to California follows and is another great song. The album closes with the bluesy When the Levee Breaks which is a kick ass rocker with killer harmonica work from Plant and slide work from Page. This album has sold over 21 million in the US alone because of the material within and not because of the name. It may have peaked at #2 in 1971 but is consistently voted greatest hard rock album ever and Zeppelin proved that the band was about SUBSTANCE and not style(unlike other acts that permiate music today). Highly recommended!

A DEFINING MOMENT IN ROCK 'N ROLL HISTORY
By 1971 Led Zeppelin were no longer strangers to the music industry. They were one of the leading bands during that time and it was a big year for rock 'n roll. Led Zeppelin's fourth album is arguably one of their greatest. It only had eight tracks but these songs defined rock 'n roll music.

Although truly Led Zeppelin IV is not a huge change from the group's previous albums it is none the less one of the band's best albums. It has more variety than their earlier albums. Whether it be hard rockers like Led Zeppelin I or II or beauitful acoustics similar to Led Zeppelin III this album has both styles.

The opening track BLACK DOG is a huge rock classic that has been considered by many one of Zeppelin's best tunes.
ROCK 'N ROLL basically defines the genre of music as wild raw and raunchy. BATTLE OF EVERMORE is amazing check out the mandolin! Of course everyone knows STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Led Zeppelin's most popular song and it was never released as a single! MISTY MOUNTAIN HOP is a fun tune. I find FOUR STICKS is kind of repetitive and the weakest song here but it is still listenable. GOING TO CALIFORNIA is a beautiful acoustic ballad with a touch of mandolin. And finally WHEN THE LEVEE BREAKS is an awesome hard rock closer.

In conclusion Led Zeppelin IV is perhaps the band's best album although it is not my personal favourite (Led Zeppelin II is for me) it is definelty one of the group's finest works.
The bottom line is if you don't have this album you are not a true Led Zeppelin fan because this is truly a Rock 'n roll monument! Highly recommended!

One of the definitive rock albums of all time!
Alright, to kick off this review I would like to assure everyone that the Avril Lavigne#1 fan was obviously a joke account satirizing modern pop culture (being 13 I can see right through this)I'm going to give a step by step review of what I think of this album:

Black Dog (9/10) What a great way to kick off an album! rocking riffs from Page and screaming vocals from plant define this track, a great way to get motivated.

Rock n' Roll (8/10) Another great track with wailing vocals from Robert Plant, the only flaw is that it can be repetitive at times, but otherwise this song is great.

The Battle of Evermore (9/10) A bit laidback compared to the previous two tracks but beautiful nevertheless. The lyrics with Sandy Denny's vocals add a great presence to this Zep track.

Stairway to Heaven (10/10)I'm going to be different in saying that this is definitely not the greatest song of all time, but it's a classic, an epic. And a song with such variety packed into less than 10 minutes has yet to be duplicated. (Especially by Slipknot)

Misty Mountain Hop (8/10) You cant go wrong with this one, Very interesting vocals throughout the whole of it. A bit too poppy for my tastes.

Four Sticks (6/10) A decent track, great drumming from Bonham throughout, but it doesn't have much else going for it.

Going To California (9/10) Pretty folksy for Zep. The first time I heard this on the radio i fell asleep, I know that doesn't sound complimenting but it also happened with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by The Beatles, and it's a good thing.

When The Levee Breaks (8/10) A very strange sounding track that's a trip and nothing less. Heavy Blues is what I would call it. ... Read more

Asin: B000002J09

2112
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (06 May, 1997)
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Editorial Review

Only Rush could have pulled this off, and only in the '70s. 2112--the title suite of the band's 1976 breakthrough album--is a comically pretentious, futuristic rock opera written by a nerdy drummer and sung by a whiny-voiced geek. It also happens to be a great piece of rock & roll that lifts the listener through a variety of moods and textures from genteel acoustic ("Oracle") to thrilling metal ("The Temples of Syrinx"). Perhaps realizing that they had taken conceptualism about as far as it could go, even these guys backed off on the epic hero stuff for later releases. 2112 still stands as one of the great signposts of the prog-rock era. --Michael Ruby ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (194)

AWESOME
Though Rush had 3 albums before 2112, this is the one where their true sound and what would make the band in the coming years comes together. It is raw Rock & Roll refined. Rush experiments with new sounds and ideas. Buy it! The album may take a three or four times it to get used to it, but after that, you won't put it down.
The Rush fan community believes Rush's best albums are 2112 through power windows. They are all good but those are the ones fans believe everyone should have. For your info, the album orders are as follows: Rush, Fly by night, carress of steel, 2112, All The Worlds A Stage(live), A farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Permenant Waves, Moving Pictures, Exist Stage Left (live), signals, grace under pressure, power windows, hold your fire, A Show of Hands (live), Presto,(chronicals released)Counter parts, Roll the Bones, Test For Echo, a final (3) disc live album. And a new Studio disc set for release in May 2002

A warning, if you buy this and enjoy it, Rush is addicting and as you can see. . . they have alot of albums.

"and the meek shal inherit the earth." N.P. 2112

Back When The World Listened More Than Once
These days, 3 seconds seem like an eternity for the gullible masses who don't even bother if there's no simple hook to get perpetually drilled into their heads right from the get-go. I always knew there was a lot of substance to Rush. I just had the problem that many tend to have, that being with Geddy Lee's voice. Given that I am simply enamoured of Axl Roses's whinings and shriekings, that hardly seems fair, especially for such an intricate band such as Rush. Nonetheless, things are the way they are. For anyone who "respects" but can't "get into" Rush, make sure you understand that ESPECIALLY by today's standards, they may be somewhat of an acquired taste. And it's easy to look the other way...

But I've always WANTED to love Rush. They represent everything that is to be hailed about music; brains, talent, hard work, complex arrangements, and they ROCK. I knew I had to just buy an album, lock myself in a room, and listen to it over and over and over, and not come out until the epiphany.

It took forever, but allow me to gear myself towards prog/rock fans with similar issues: it's worth it.

2112 is a good starting point, as it is like listening to a symphony, a musical journey, more than just a collection of songs ready for radio. Thus, your mindset in the first place is much more open for a work like this. 2112 was made like some early Pink Floyd albums - one epic and a few songs to fill out the time. However, I don't call them "filler" - indeed, such tag-along-songs are more often than not, golden nuggets in and of themselves. Allow me to highlight the wonderful gem, "Tears." A wonderful, creative, and haunting melody floats over a very uniquely atmosphered soundscape. Tender, yet dark. For the most part, the other non-epic tunes here are general classic rock songs (not a bad thing).

But epics have a way of outdoing "general classic rock" - and so let us return to the nucleus of the review (and the album!). 2112 is a brilliant composition. The band really gels as musicians, with Alex Lifeson's thoughtful guitar playing being a perfect compliment to Neil Peart's unbridled sense of storytelling (oh and btw he plays drums PERFECTLY and may frustrate you to want to quit-fortunately I'm not a drummer). And what's scarier, the thematic events of "we have no need for ancient ways" /... "it doesn't fit the plan" have come into dangerous fruition with regards to the music industry's recent suppression of substance.

The most important concept in this review (which is one of the most important concepts about music, if I may be so bold), is that sometimes, patience is rewarded. I wanted in, so I listened over and over. If you give it a chance, you'll get lost in its world of greatness. If you dismiss this after a few spins, you never gave it a chance to stick in the first place.

So to end where I began, I'll skip the in-depth analysis of the music, simply because that's been done elsewhere many many times. What I can offer is the perspective of someone who didn't "live through" the 70's and had to get into prog backwards (Dream Theater and Queensryche are my roots). 2112 is a can't-fail album for anyone - the ["controversial"] singing doesn't even begin until a full length instrumental overture has revealed the piece's many themes. It's plenty of time to absorb the music and become involved. Once the vocals hit, they seem more like any other contributing instrument to a well-blended band, as opposed to a dominant force you just wish would "get out of the way" so you can appreciate the rest of it.

Regardless, there's much to appreciate. It's an understatement to say that without Rush/this album, much greatness would not have been able to draw influence from said entity. And although commercially, prog has seen better days, right here is why there's any hope at all.

The big breakthrough for Rush
In March of 1976, Canadian rockers Rush released their fourth album entitled 2112. This album was seen as their make or break disc after the disappointing results of its predecessor Caress of Steel. When initially released, it was the first Rush album to crack the Top 100 but would not go Gold until the success of its successor A Farewell to Kings a year later as would the live disc released in 1976 All The World's a Stage. The epic 20 minute plus title suite kicks off the album. It tells the Brave New Worldish story of one man's quest to find change. One day, he discovers a guitar and shows it to the evil priests but they destroy the guys creation and then the guy takes his own life at the conclusion of the track over dejection and despair. Bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee's work on this track is amazing. Guitarist Alex Lifeson wails on this track and drummer Neil Peart is on fire. Also of note, this was the first Rush track to feature synthesizers on the intro. The second half features two more Rush composed tracks A Passage to Bangkok(a live staple for the next few years) and The Twilight Zone. Alex Lifeson's Lessons follows and is a great tune. Geddy's ballad Tears is beautiful and poignant with Hugh Syme on keyboards. The concluding Something for Nothing is a great track and reminds us that we have to work for success and don't get things handed on a silver platter. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Asin: B000001ESF

Dark Side of the Moon
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $9.99
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Editorial Review

Dark Side of the Moon, originally released in 1973, is one of those albums that is discovered anew by each generation of rock listeners. This complex, often psychedelic music works very well because Pink Floyd doesn't rush anything; the songs are mainly slow to mid-tempo, with attention paid throughout to musical texture and mood. The sound effects on songs like "On the Run," "Time" and especially "Money" (with sampled sounds of clinking coins and cash registers turned into rhythmic accompaniment) are impressive, especially when we remember that 1973 was before the advent of digital recording techniques. This is probably Pink Floyd's best-known work, and it's an excellent place to start if you're new to the band. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (900)

Their Break-through
By condensing the sonic explorations of Meddle to actual songs and adding a lush, immaculate production to their trippiest instrumental sections, Pink Floyd inadvertently designed their commercial breakthrough with Dark Side of the Moon. The primary revelation of Dark Side of the Moon is what a little focus does for the band. Roger Waters wrote a series of songs about mundane, everyday details which aren't that impressive by themselves, but when given the sonic backdrop of Floyd's slow, atmospheric soundscapes and carefully placed sound effects, they achieve an emotional resonance. But what gives the album true power is the subtly textured music, which evolves from ponderous, neo-psychedelic art rock to jazz fusion and blues-rock before turning back to psychedelia. It's dense with detail, but leisurely paced, creating its own dark, haunting world. no other record defines them as well as this one.the album set the all time record for longevity on the billboard charts.....stayed on the top 200 until the late 1980's (over 700 weeks), if you doubt it, look it up.

Blew my mind
This album is it for me and has been for three years. After I made the insecure decision to add it to my CD collection, when it consisted of only one disc of older material, Bob Marley's Legend, for a mere $13, it melted all of my other CDs and made me never want to waste time on any more juvenile punk rock, frivolous jam bands or trivial modern rock and search the entire spectrum of psychedelic colors, scorching hard rock, experimental ambiances, lyrical soul searching and far beyond for an equally orgasmic musical experience, a search which helped turn one callow youth, subject to agony and doubt at the words and opinions of his snotty peers into a young adult with a rock & roll heart.

Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon is not the kind of album to which you listen; it is experienced, submerged into. The rich, clear, crisp, innovative sound tingles and ripples with the perfectly sync sound effects as well as Roger Waters' surrealist lyrics and well chosen archetypes which resound in perfect poetic form (Time), perfect cryptic message (Brian Damage/Eclipse) or perfect, traditional rock and roll (Money). It is an album that searches the psyche as much as the soul. Was the creative brilliance, credited to authors and painters ever meant for that rebel force called rock and roll? If it was, I believe that gift was delivered to Pink Floyd during the recording of Dark Side of the Moon.

simply amazing
this cd is not only a cd that everyone should own, but it's one that everyone should tell their children about. pink floyd is not my favorite band, and dark side is not my favorite cd, but it is the one i could listen to the most. after numerous listenings it will never get old, you only appreciate it on deeper and deeper levels. ... Read more

Asin: B000002U82

Toys in the Attic
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (07 September, 1993)
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Editorial Review

Originally released in 1975, this was Aerosmith's breakout recording. Listeners only familiar with their more recent, post-comeback material may be surprised; like their other albums from the 1970s, Toys has a strong blues inflection, as indicated by their cover of "Big Ten Inch Record," which also shows that Aerosmith has never lacked raunchiness or innuendo. There's also the original (pre-Run-D.M.C.) version of "Walk This Way," and the classic "Sweet Emotion." This is classic Aerosmith at its gritty, streetwise best; they may have been derivative, but it really doesn't matter, then or now: it's all in good fun. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (74)

Aerosmith At Their Best
Toys In The Attic (1975) finds Aerosmith at their creative zenith. Slightly distancing themselves from the more bluesly material on their first two releases, Aerosmith (1973) and Get Your Wings (1974), Toys is filled with a pure rock sound which even the most casual Aerosmith fan will enjoy. For the first time rythem guitarist Brad Whitford takes co-writing credits with Steven Tyler on "Round and Round" and bassist Tom Hamilton co-writes with Tyler on "Uncle Salty" and "Sweet Emotion". Toys In The Attic was the album that broke Aerosmith through and made them superstars. More poppy and radio applealing than Rocks (1976), Toys made Aerosmith a household name with its catchy hooks, clever lyrics, and humable basslines. The hits "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion" included on this album are largely responsible for Toys In The Attic being Aerosmith's first commercial success.

Classic
Aerosmith came into their own on this album, both creatively and commercially. While 1974's 'Get your wings' was a superb effort by anyones standards, the combination of fairly derivative hard rock, funk, pop and lashings of innuendo showcased on this album set the scene for a prolific, constantly remarkable career.
While not as gritty and raw as its equally wonderful follow up 'Rocks' it was this recording which saw Aersomith discover their signature sound, as well as inaugurating the strategy of pop sensibilities grafted to a hard rocking base which made them so compelling and eventually a household name.
Housing the mega hits 'Walk this way' (15 years before the crossover re-issue which heralded their comeback) and 'Sweet emotion' as it does, this album could hardly fail to be massive. Yet it is the other, lesser known songs included which propel it to greatness: the speedy romp of the opening title track, a live favourite to this day or the thoughtful 'Uncle Salty', which tackles issues more recently and famously brought to the fore on 'Janies got a gun'. Add to these the fantastic bluesy number 'Adams Apple' in which Tyler muses in typically comic fashion upon the origins of mankind, the beautifully dreamy 'No More No More', the sinister, spiralling 'Round and Round' and the emotive, powerful 'You see me crying' a kind of prototype for the power ballads of the 80's although with a far more mature delivery, and the strength of this recording becomes apparent.
To conclude: Aerosmith may not have been the most original band recording in 1974, but the sheer quality of this album would present a tough obstacle for anyone arguing they were not the best. Their amalgamation of Stones-esque rock, Zeppelin style ryhthms and bluesy swagger is hardly in fashion today, yet any rock fan or student of music as a whole should be ashamed not to own this recording.
Buy it and wonder how you ever lived without it.

SALTY DOGS
Critics of this album would do well to note that with the exception of "Physical Graffiti" and "Who By Numbers" there wasn't one significant entre from a major AOR group all year; and this one thrashes both with room to spare. Even if Steven Tyler is, at best, a poor man's Mick Jagger, Joe Perry holds his own against Keith Richards. The band rocks without stooping to the usual hooks of a genre that hasn't done anything relevent since '71. Sexist, sleazy, yes, but VERY good. And "Big Ten Inch Record" is my most favorite song in a long time. ... Read more

Asin: B0000029AP

Who's Next
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (07 November, 1995)
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Editorial Review

A mix of old favorites and buried treasures makes this edition of Who's Next a definite must. One of the defining albums of 70s hard rock from one of the 60s most successful bands, the original album includes some of The Who's best-known work, such as the anthemic "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again", the by turns sorrowful and angry "Behind Blue Eyes", and perennial favorite "My Wife". The new tracks on this album are equally worth hearing, including "Pure and Easy" (an alternate edition of which is available on Odds & Sods) and the original version of "Behind Blue Eyes". A hard rock classic, Who's Next is required listening for rock fans of all ages. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered
• Extra tracks

Reviews (270)

This Song Will Never Be Over
The original layout of this LP contained the first nine songs. There are all-time rock and roll classics like "Won't Get Fooled Again" and the softer "Behind Blue Eyes," as well as the riveting, highly-synthesized and galloping "Baba O'Riley." But "Song Is Over" is beautiful, and "My Wife," with Keith Moon's truly brilliant, signature rolls is perhaps my favorite of the bunch. And "Bargain" (now heard every few minutes in an automobile campaign), "Going Mobile" and "Getting In Tune" are all excellent. In short, arguably a perfect rock record.

So I was mighty skeptical when the remastered version included seven previously unreleased tracks (one of them is an alternate version of "Behind Blue Eyes"). So skeptical, in fact, that I didn't listen to the additional tunes for the first six months I had the CD. But on a long stretch of interstate with a good opportunity to crank the music and really take it in, I did just that. And I'm very pleased.

"Naked Eye" and "Water" are scorchers, every bit as good as what's on the original LP. "Pure And Easy" is softer and somewhat more pop-oriented. "Baby Don't You Do It" reminds me in a way of Jan and Dean styled surf music from the early 1960's. "Too Much of Anything" also makes a lasting impression.
Only the alternate "Behind Blue Eyes" is unnecessary, and there's nothing wrong with it--it's just that since the original is so powerful, it's anti-climactic to hear this one. But that's a small complaint. The sound quality is improved, and these great songs still blast out of the speakers. Enjoy.

Gettin' In Tune With The Straight & Narrow
I think The Who were at their peak at this point. Although Tommy is a great album, The Who had progressed a lot in 2 years with Who's Next. Perhaps this is due to the inclusion of synthesizers on 2 of the most popular tracks "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" (Remember: this was 1971 and synthesizers weren't used as often as they soon would be in rock music). Originally, Who's Next was to be a rock opera like Tommy and Quadrophenia were (and the title was to be Lifehouse), but somehow Pete Townshend couldn't get everything to fall into place (simmilar to the Beach Boys' Smile concept). What came out, however, is one record's worth of the Who's finest material. Pete's lyrics portray angst, despair, identity crises, cynicism, and rebellion against the system.

"Behind Blue Eyes" is about the villain in the Lifehouse project. "Goin' Mobile" features some of Keith Moon's fastiest and most frenzied drumming. Session pianist Nicky Hopkins (who also guested on Jeff Beck and Rolling Stones records) helps out the Who on "Gettin' In Tune" and "Song Is Over". Roger Daltrey's vocals are fierce, especially the scream at the end of "Won't Get Fooled Again". Bass player John Entwistle composes 1 song here- "My Wife" (on which he features brass). Pete takes care of virtually everything else (save the violin on "Baba O'Riley") from guitar to synthesizer to lead vocals on "Goin' Mobile" and dueting with Roger on "Song is Over".

Other songs included with the rerelease are "Water", "I Don't Even Know Myself" (which wound up as a B-side on "...Fooled Again"), "Pure and Easy" (whose theme can be heard at the end of "Song..."), "Naked Eye", "Baby Don't Do It" and an alternate take of "Behind Blue Eyes" (featuring Al Kooper on organ).

Also, the Lifehouse sessions box set is due out sometime this year! I look forward to its release.

WHO'S BEST Is More Like It
WHO'S NEXT should have been titled WHO'S BEST. This album was released in between the overly weird TOMMY and the later Who and Pete Townshend solo albums, all of which forced me to confront uncomfortable things. This album, however, has none of that, even if the music and lyrics are quite trenchant. "The Song Is Over" is one of those songs that encapsulates my reasons for skipping food-related reunions at my old school, and "Won't Get Fooled Again" sounds like a rebel anthem, but actually serves as a reminder to hang on to your roots, musical or otherwise. These are just two highlights of an album that's full of them. ... Read more

Asin: B000002OX7

Destroyer
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 August, 1997)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Editorial Review

With their 1976 album Destroyer, the band's fifth release in two years, Kiss began to expand their fan base by shedding a bit of their edge, taking on a more melodic sound and a less menacing image. The Peter Criss ballad "Beth," written for his wife, is the most sentimental love ballad the group ever recorded, and songs like "Detroit Rock City" and "Shout It Out Loud" had the kind of arena-rock punch that kept subscriptions to the Kiss Army at an all-time high. Despite, or because of, the blatantly commercial direction the band seemed to be heading in, 1976 was the most creatively rewarding period in its lengthy career. In addition to releasing Destroyer, the band pumped out the equally touted album Rock and Roll Over, which included the pounding "Take Me" and the groovin' "Calling Dr. Love." The only finer year was 1978, when the band starred in the classic B-grade flick Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park. --Jon Wiederhorn ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (101)

THEIR BEST STUDIO ALBUM.
This album was what got me into hard rock... Almost every song on
this is fab!!!! It contains some of the greatest songs KISS ever
did, tho' producer BOB EZRIN had a hand in writing 7 of the al-
bum's 9 songs. The orchestral arrangements, the choir and the
keyboards add to the group's sound instead of detract from it.
( I didn't realize BOB EZRIN borrowed the main guitar riff from
GREAT EXPECTATIONS from BEETHOVEN until I watched the
movie THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE!)This album also featured PAUL
STANLEY'S best singing up to that point, especially on FLAMING
YOUTH and KING OF THE NIGHTTIME WORLD, where his voice had never
sounded so strong and powerful. It also features some nifty gui-
tar playing, particularly on DETROIT ROCK CITY. The guitar solo
for that song is phenomenal, in ACE's and PAUL's selection of
notes. PETER CRISS, too, does some of his best drumming on this
song. GOD OF THUNDER was probably the scariest thing KISS ever
wrote up to that point, with it's heavy guitar riff, pounding drums,SIMMON's MONSTER VOCALS and the eerie sound effects,
( and BOB EZRIN's kids running around in space helmets, sounding
like little munchkins!)In some ways, it's kind of funny, also!GREAT EXPECTATIONS is a great song, with
the orchestral arrangements, choir and SIMMON's almost sweet
sounding vocals being in complete contrast with his naughty ly-
rics! FLAMING YOUTH is a hard rock classic, as is SWEET PAIN and
the very catchy SHOUT IT OUT LOUD. And, of course, we can't for-
get about BETH, which was CRISS's first song contribution to the
band(tho' he had alot of help writing it!) It became a HUGE HIT
for KISS and deservedly so, for it really IS a great little
ballad.
DESTROYER is one of the best hard rock( or dare I say and I do
dare), PROGRESSIVE hard rock albums of the 70's and one of the best
KISS albums ever!

A Distinct Piece of Kiss History
A glossy collaboration with producer Bob Ezrin, Kiss came into the prime of their popularity with "Destroyer." A stylishly produced collection of 70's hard rock, the album is often praised by critics and fans alike. In truth, while the production value is one of the highest of the band's career, about half of the songs on the album are really of special distinction. The album opener, "Detroit Rock City", is one of the finest songs written by Paul Stanley featuring a fairly complex arrangement and a "cinematic" intro filled with the sounds of a driver taking the road. The song's climax includes the sound effects of a massive auto collision before segueing into the less interesting "King of The Nighttime World." Another Stanley composition, "God of Thunder" is performed by Gene Simmons and has actually become a Simmons staple in live shows. The studio track, with it's slow serpentine rythym and the filtered voices of children at play, evokes images of Disney's "Night on Bald Mountain." On "Great Expectations", Simmons' vocal doesn't really fit the blandness of the music and the inclusion of a boys choir just seems silly and odd. "Flaming Youth", on the other hand - a rare collaboration between Simmons, Stanley and guitarist Ace Frehley - is a great 70's rock song and deserved to be featured prominently in live performance but, to my knowledge, never has been. Simmons' "Sweet Pain", an homage to sadism, is pretty uninteresting. "Shout it out Loud", however, with it's call-and-response vocals and fist-in-the-air chorus, probably sounds a lot better than it has a right to. The mega-hit from "Destroyer", Peter Criss' tender "Beth" is just beautiful. The song is a classic ballad and there's just no getting around the potency of it's union of words and melody. Stanley's "Do You Love Me" probably best represents the overall tone of the album - It's very simple, probably over-produced, but there's enough there to keep you interested. No Kiss fan would be without "Destroyer" in his or her collection, as the album represents an important turning point in the band's direction. But based on the strength of the music alone, "Destroyer" gets a good, solid C-plus.

KISS' arguable finest triumph
KISS' fifth album Destroyer was released in March of 1976. The album was the band's long-awaited followup to the monstrously successful live album, 1975's Alive!. Alive was the album that made KISS a household name but its followup immortalized KISS forever. The band entered The Record Plant in early 1976 with legendary producer Bob Ezrin to create their classic contribution to rock history. I first got this tape by mistake in July of 1988 and the chance paid off, KISS' best studio release from the make-up years(I now have the remastered CD). On this album, rhythm guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley, bassist Gene Simmons, lead guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss peaked as a band. From the opening Detroit Rock City to the rocking God of Thunder to the grand sounding Great Expectations to the ballad Beth, Destroyer is a roller coaster of songs. Sweet Pain featured Dick Wagner on lead as Ace didn't play on the track and was irked to find out after the fact that he wasn't on the song. Destroyer went to #11 and Gold thanks to Shout it Out Loud hitting the Top 40 but the next single Flaming Youth(co-written by Paul, Gene, Ace and Bob Ezrin) tanked and this album was almost a flop with Detroit Rock City not faring well. However, DJ's flipped the single over and played its B-side Beth, which was written and sung by Peter, and the song hit #7 on the charts. Beth brought the album back on the charts and pushed the sales past Platinum(and eventually Triple Platinum according to the band). The closing Do you Love me is great as well but the album ends with the collage of sound effects a/k/a Rock and Roll Party and was on the original LP, CD and CD remaster of Destroyer. Sales figures aside, Destroyer remains KISS' greatest triumph. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Asin: B000001EL3

Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $7.99
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Editorial Review

Recognizing that there's no such thing as bad publicity, manager-Svengali Malcolm McLaren molded the Pistols into the most confrontational, nihilistic band rock & roll had ever seen. Propelled by Johnny Rotten's maniacal vocals, Steve Jones's buzz-saw guitar, and (most importantly) bass player Glen Matlock's hook-filled compositional skills, the Pistols' early singles "Anarchy in the U.K." and "God Save the Queen" defined the raging style of British punk. By the time they recorded their lone 1977 album, Matlock had been bounced, replaced by the image-correct but utterly untalented (and ultimately group-dooming) Sid Vicious. Not a 10th as good as the singles, the album nontheless remains a bile-filled emblem of the times. --Billy Altman ... Read more

Reviews (279)

Nevermind the Bollocks? What rocks harder than that?
"Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols" has the kind of non-stop, punishing energy that few albums can boast. The album pushes forth with dynamic Who-style power-chords, understated pentationic leads, melodic bass and pounding drums. Lead singer Johnny Rotten once proclamed "This is the real deal. There are no ballads here.", and his words ring so very true. The album's love song ("No Feeling") is dedicated to "myself, my beautiful self". With this kind of attitude, would you expect any less? What is important is the statement, the politics, and the outrage are what make the album tick. Whether the anger be directed towards a former record label "EMI", the monarcy "God Save the Queen", or another band "New York". The politics are important, but essentially in the background. "Anarchy in the U.K." is less a statement about actual anarchy as a system of government, but more to incite controversy, as "anarchist" had the connotation in England that "communist" had in the States during the height of 'McCarthyism". Politics are better emphasized on "Holidays in the Sun", which contains the lyrics "I was waiting for the Communist call. All I want is sunshine, and I got WWIII". These are not the words of an "anarchist" or even an "antichrist". Besides, Rotten's statement on his post-Pistols band Public Image Ltd. seems to echo the fact that he is, or at least was a socialist. On PiL's "This is not a Love Song" he says "I'm crossing over... Big buisness is very wise, I'm crossing over into enterprise", clearly denoting the switch from left-wing socialism to capitalism. This album is, regardless of the conflicting idiological suggestions, very entertaining and strong throughout, with one exception. I cannot stand listening to "Bodies" and can only assume it was written without Glen Matlock's tact and with Sid Vicious's innocent stupidity and thuggish mentality, representing Rotten's love of shock seen throughout. This song, however, single handedly keeps this album from a 'five'. My reasoning stems from political reasons, and this often doesn't affect the enjoyment of the album. In short, it is a classic, a loud, crass, crazy classic.

Classic punk at its best
Never Mind The Bollocks - Here's The Sex Pistols (1977.) The Sex Pistols first and only true studio album.

In the late seventies, a musical revolution was sweeping across Great Britain. Through this revolution, a subgenre of rock and roll known as punk rock was created. Leading this revolution were bands like The Ramones, The Clash, Generation X, and of course, the Sex Pistols. The former three bands were all excellent, no questions asked, but I have always felt the Pistols to be superior to them all. Perhaps it was because they had more a of a hard rock influence than the others. Either way, in 1977, the band released its only true studio album (most of their releases were just singles/eps/etc.) Read on for my review of Never Mind The Bollocks.

Holidays in the Sun - An excellent opening track. The guitar playing here is unrealistically good.

Bodies - This one features strange lyrics, but it's still cool. The opening instrumental sequence is killer.

No Feelings - The vocals, especially in the chorus, are the main attraction of this track.

Liar - THIS IS NOT THE MEGADETH SONG. An interesting track in that it fuses power rock and punk rock.

Problems - My favorite song from this band. This is the perfect fusion of heavy metal and punk rock. Megadeth covered this one, solid proof that the Pistols were a highly influential band.

God Save the Queen - One of the band's biggest hits. It's more of the power/punk rock that makes so many other tracks on here so good. This track recently got a huge revival due to Motorhead covering it.

Seventeen - THIS IS NOT THE WINGER SONG. This isn't a bad song, but it seems almost like a filler compared to the others.

Anarchy in the U.K. - Arguably the band's biggest hit. The lyrics here are great, and they prove to be the song's true attraction. Megadeth also covered this one.

Submission - This one's slower than the other tracks but no less heavy. Once again, Johnny Rotten serves up killer vocals.

Pretty Vacant - This is classic punk at its best. The guitar and lyrics couldn't be any better.

New York - Straight-up hard rock. This track has a very good beat to it, making it highly memorable.

E.M.I. - More power/punk rock. An excellent album closer.

Overall, this is a great album, no questions asked. It's just a shame that the Ramones and the Clash get more credit than these guys do, because in my opinion, these guys are by far the superior band. The only reason I gave this album four stars instead of five is because a few too many songs sound too much like the others, and this makes some of them seem like fillers. Still, this is a great album. If you're a fan of punk rock, be it the new stuff or the classic kind, or you just want to hear the original versions of songs that Megadeth and Motorhead covered, this album is highly recommended. I doubt any fan of punk rock will be disappointed with this album.

THE BEST
It is very hard to believe that this came out in 1977. This cd sound harder and more angry than today's punk. But anyway, this is a loud, fast album from the most outrageous band ever, the Sex Pistols. The standout songs are Holiday in the Sun, God Save the Queen, and Anarchy in the U.K. Get it if you like punk. ... Read more

Asin: B000002KIE

Live at Budokan
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $11.98
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Editorial Review

Within months of the U.S. release of Budokan, originally intended only for the Japanese fans who'd made them superstars half a world away, tongue-in-cheek rockers Cheap Trick went from opening American arena shows to headlining them. Rather than remaining eternal could-haves, metallic pop nuggets such as "I Want You to Want Me" and "Surrender" instead became radio mainstays in these versions.--Rickey Wright ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (8)

I Want You To.....
....throw this out! Another overrated band of the past. It's no wonder this came from Japan. They thougtht he was saying, "do you want free sushi?". Buy some Bee Gees for real talent.

The Original and the Best
So, call me a purist, but I prefer this one to the re-release "Complete Concert" edition Epic released of Budokan. Back in 1979, when this record was originally released, double-live albums were all the rage, and for good reason: Kiss, Aerosmith, Peter Frampton, Ted Nugent and Parliament all cut some unforgetable wax of their own in the double-live genre.

But then, Cheap Trick came along with their own live album on a single disc that blew all those others out of the water, for its intensity and musical chops. I'll put Robin Zander up against any of the vocalists, Rick Nielsen up against Ace Frehley, Nugent, Michael Hampton or Joe Perry and Bun E. Carlos up against Peter Criss anyday.

Like Kiss, Cheap Trick was one of those bands that sounded better live. The song lineup is a perfect distillation of their unique hard-rock-cum-bugglegum sound: The set opens with "Hello There," a rousing crowd pleaser.

"Come On Come On" and "Lookout" really let the listener know how BIG the boys from Rockford, Ill., were in Japan. These are great songs for their mostly teenage female audience, and the screaming of their fans behind the tracks sounds like it could have been recorded at the Beatles' 1965 concert at Shea Stadium.

The best on this set are in the middle: "Big Eyes," "Need Your Love" -- which have been woven together to give Rick Nielsen a nice long guitar riff, and Robin Zander some reverberating vocals to woo the Japanese girls with -- and their remake of the Fats Domino tune, "Ain't That A Shame."

"I Want You To Want Me" has a harder edge than in the studio version, thankfully played without that tinkling piano.

But, the best in the set is "Surrender," which was recorded before the studio version was released. This is the version radio stations still play, and is full of double-entendre worthy of AC/DC.

Appropriately, it closes with "Goodnight," a reworking of "Hello There" -- nice bookend effect.

"Clock Strikes Ten" is a great last cut on this album, not quite the rock anthem "Rock and Roll All Nite" is, but a signature Cheap Trick track just the same.

Live albums just don't get any better than this. Sure, I have "Cheap Trick at Budokan II," but I prefer listening to the albums separately. Why mess with something this great?

Classic 70s American Rock
Cheap Trick were one of those deserving American bands with a unique, straight ahead rock sound, a distinctive look (2 good-looking rock guys and 2 weirdos- one, a geeky Angus Young-type who repeatedly flicked his guitar pick onto his tongue and an accountant-type behind the drums) and good songs. They always sounded better live than in the studio (which tended to sound overly processed and anemic- missing the edge they had in concert).

Its no suprise then that it was their live album that paved the way for their breakout in the US. Recorded in Japan, where they (and a score of 'B' level American bands) held Beatle-like status, "Live at Budokan" features their 2 signature songs - "I Want You to Want Me" and "Surrender", both sounding totally revitalized live. The rest of the album is good, but not spectacular, bolstered by the omnipresent screaming of maniacal fans in the backround. Starting with "Come On, Come On", including a Fats Domino cover and ending with "Goodnight" and "Clock Strikes Ten", the album has a psuedo-mythic feel.

With the excpetion of a freak, late 80s power ballad (The Flame), "Live at Budokan" was Cheap Trick's finest recording.
Highly recommeded! ... Read more

Asin: B0000025FN