Dummy
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (17 October, 1994)
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Editorial Review

The collaboration of studio whiz Geoff Barrow and singer Beth Gibbons, Dummy was made at the same time as a short film noir called "To Kill a Dead Man," and the same approach--gloomy, tormented, and wildly melodramatic--permeates the album. "Sour Times" (the hit in which Gibbons cries, again and again, "Nobody loves me, it's true") and the more cryptic "Glory Box" are the linchpins of the album, defining its sound: dark flashes of old soul and film music, dehumanized electronic bleeps, Gibbons emoting like she's consumed by shame, and a bass-and-beat pulse derived from the slow bump and grind of the Bristol scene that spawned Barrow's old collaborators, Massive Attack. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (233)

More then 10 years old and still as fresh as ever..
Dummy is a ground-breaking album that influenced alot of bands. They are one of the best bands that came out of the '90s together with fellow-triphoppers Massive Attack and (surprise, surprise) Radiohead. How many bands can build up a legendary name with only 2 albums (+ a live-album)? Not many indeed..
Every Triphop-fanatic should own this, it's one of the essential trip-hop albums.
Besides the well-known excellent singles 'Numb', 'Sour Times' and 'Glory Box' (wich are all 3 nearly perfect) this CD contains many others high-lights. The opener 'Mysterons' is smooth and relaxing, while the heavy bass of 'Strangers' gives me shivers in my spine. The mellow, and ever beautiful 'Roads', the favourite of many fans, always works with me. Many fans would want it to have been a single, but being not a single makes it even more special in my opinion. 'Pedestal' is another one of my favourites, and so very underrated. This track chills you the most, it's so damn relaxing. The quite agressive, and quite up-beat 'Wandering Star' is another high-light. 'Biscuit', 'It's A Fire' and 'It Could Be Sweet' are the lesser tracks (Biscuit being the better one between those 3) and can't reache the perfect level of the CD, but good nonetheless. Highly recommended!

a milestone without any doubt!
Portishead not only made it in the whirling genres of the nineties with this album, but Dummy is a unique contribution to how we can define musicality today, needless to say each song defies the logic of how a performance may sound. Discontinous but absorbing, the songs preserve a distance,that is only theirs. The rich melange of scratches,Beth's innovative voice,and the dramatism accompanying this audition of not more than fifty minutes, exceeds the categories of electronic minimalism,note that instruments like guitar and violin are present. The songs preserve their prelude without any of threat of repetition, a state of trance and unawareness that probably the sirenes on "strangers" or "numb" express so well. This aural state in which beth's monologues take place, grasps the fragile corridors of a consciousness full of doubt and trembling, as the the girlie, sometimes violent voice transcends the instrumentals. Thanks to the experimental freedom inspiring this record Portishead managed to be as pictoresque as trip-hop can rarely be,of course preserving some major elements of this genre...

Portishead Dummy inspired Waterlog Brained Off Drugs!!
This is a GREAT album that I found out by listening to a bandI love called Waterlog. Waterlog s "Brained Off Drugs" album credits said Portishead was one of the albums inspiration, so I had to pick it up and Waterlog was right! Dummy is unbelievable and Brained Off Drugs is the same excellent music vibe of unique, well-done genuine music. Not that Waterlog and Portishead sound the same, Waterlog creativity and perfection and sincerity remind me of Portishead albums. I LOVE THEM BOTH! THANK YOU WATERLOG! THANK YOU PORTISHEAD! ... Read more

Asin: B000001FI7
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Music for the Jilted Generation
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 February, 1995)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Reviews (89)

More than classic...
This album is without a doubt Prodigy's best.Anyone who cannot enjoy this album needs to open thier ears and thier mind, because I personally felt Fat of the Land was crap compared to this.

Pure sc***!
This is awful...there's only one good song and that is No Good start to Dance.,.and that is probably the only good song they have ever made...I HATE THIS BAND!

The Ultimate Torturing Album Of The 90s!
First, long time ago I was Podigy fan who liked Fat of the Land really much. Firestarter and Breathe were my favourite songs!
My sister bought Music for the Jilted Generation and I was really hopeful to hear classic songs. I had allready heard No Good which sounded good and Voodoo People that sounded listenable. My world almost crashed down when I heard entire album. I was so terrible, horrible, disguisting, torturing and stupid music! It was almost hell experince! I felt burning fires on my skin and I almost lost my faith in electronic music.
Listen this first or you will repent your buying!
... Read more

Asin: B000003Z3W
Sales Rank: 10263
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Play
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 June, 1999)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $11.99
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Editorial Review

Those who have followed Moby's career are familiar by now with his deep convictions and spiritual connection. On his 1999 release, Play, he celebrates his faith in a masterful, unobtrusive way, channeling gospel and other inspirational samples through beats so earthy they could grow grass on a cement dance floor. It's impossible to separate the joy of the message from the joy of the grooves. --Beth Massa ... Read more

Reviews (643)

There really is little to say...
...about Moby that stretches beyond remarking on his understated musical genius, wry humour and exquisite creativity.
This album was a classic from it's first pressing and will live on and on tirelessly. Thank the lord for intelligent, creative souls like Moby, the weightiness of his album sales speaks volumes about how starved of this kind of musical genre people are today. LONG LIVE MOBY!

What is it with you Moby haters?
First of all, I've noticed in a lot of these reviews that you all think the song Honey goes "gunna gunny gum bag" or whatever. You must be deaf, the lyrics are obviously "When my Honey comes back"

I loved this album, It never fails to make me smile.

Honey- Great beat, fun to dance to, and sing to if you aren't deaf and can understand the lyrics...

Find My Baby- It wasn't my favorite, but I definitely liked it

Porcelain- One of the first Moby songs I ever heard, I was in love immediately

South Side- I loved this song, It's my favorite one to sing to other than Honey

BodyRock- This one just made me want to stand up and dance immediately

Natural Blues- Loved this song, love the beat to it

Run On- My favorite one to sing to, after Honey and South Side

The other ones I liked, but I didn't find anything exceptional about them, but the songs I listed above made up for that...

No Point In Being Long
Might be my favorite album of all time... so much so that I went out to hunt for the original pressing that had Southside w/o Gwen. Finally got it. The album is amazing. ... Read more

Asin: B00000J6AG
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Ambient Techno    3. Club/Dance    4. Electronica    5. House    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Techno   

Slip, Stitch & Pass
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 October, 1997)
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Editorial Review

For those who eschew the swinging teenage elbows of an actual Phish concert, this 1997 Hamburg date offers a comprehensive account of the quartet's breadth. Talking Heads' "Cities" is a perfect match for their brand of quirky funk. ZZ Top's "Jesus Just Left Chicago" receives a gritty 13-minute reading with ample room for Page McConnell's blues-heavy piano. Guitarist Trey Anastasio alternates between quiet, emotive passages and searing power licks. There's also an a cappella version of the ragtime chestnut "Hello My Baby." Their patented blend of nonsensical lyrics and intense jams is represented by "Weigh" ("I'd like to cut your head off, so I can weigh it... Five pounds? Six pounds?") and by unrecorded fan favorites including "Mike's Song" and "Weekapaug Groove." --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (44)

listen to it man
song by song overview because it sounds lame to tell someone hey this sucks or i love this
cities - funny, groovy and has a cool wah rythym to it good song to chill to and 'get some thinking done'
wolfman - awesome version of the song possibly the best because unlike hoist its a little more flowing and when it goes 'broth-er' with the guitar riff after it, i get goose bumps
jesus/chicago - and after a long slow paced jam with distintive bass and wah guitar we find our selves at a beat-slow slow-beat blues cover of jesus left chicago witha sweet solo in the midst of it
weigh - an alright song not my favorite but,give it credit for being mike's highlight on the album, not to much improv here but it does give a nice interlude to mikes' song and this song is really, i guess you could say, overall, phishy
mike's song - wow best part of the cd maybe, take mike's song and adda out of control sweet tension build up,' the end theme ', 'careful with that axe screams' and finish with a factory jam until we get to a 'and he walked down the hall'(morrison) to the next ...
lawn boy - good song with some nice page vocals and a smoothe bass riff by mike, also some nice feed back
weekapog groove - cool main riff with more 'the end' referencing, it's a groove, a monster groove, so don't think to hard just appreciate it all at once as a whole flowing enima, can you dig?
hello my baby - it's cute and funny but also quiet and that ticks me off just a wee bit, i have to turn up my stereo to hear the individual words, this track closes the album in a sense and prepares the listeners for a climax on taste
taste - great closer, if it weren't for this song i wouldn't probably be writing this review and screaming to all to buy it and listen your ears off and don't be to quick to judge

overall awesome, only four stars because of hello my baby is quiet and weigh is not the greatest song inmy opinion, but hey who am i, if you like phish and want to know what live phish is all about or just like jam bands or just like music get it and embrace it
'express yourself but listen to others' - fishman

Give it up for the covers...
Phish is an amazing band, no question. This release is one I keep coming back to for "Taste," the final track on the disc, and the two covers, "Cities" and "Jesus Left Chicago". The latter is one of my favorite tracks on any album, period. It shows Phish tackling a genre they usually don't approach so directly- the blues- with a style and grace that almost convinces me they are a blues-rock band masquerading as a prog-funk outfit. I am amazed that Trey can nail that sound so well, when he seems to practice it so rarely. It speaks volumes for the versatility of Trey and the band as a whole. The rest- good- but "A Live One" is better overall as it is "edgier" and sounds more fresh. Still, you can't go wrong here.

It's good but prehaps a bit overated.
I have been a phish head for about 3 years now, and I finally bought this one used a few weeks ago. My two friends told me it was their favorite Phish cd. I love Phish's live stuff, don't get me wrong, but while this is a nice one to have, it doesn't feel like the best live Phish I'd ever heard. Honestly, it seems a little weak, and I can't figure out why. I really like Mikes groove, and it is a good Mike's groove but it feels like it needs more. I just can't put a finger on it. This is a good CD to have and I do listen to it offten but I never am quite satisfied with it. It just needs more. It feels like the band was playing well but didn't have a ton of energy. ... Read more

Asin: B000002HR8
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. American Trad Rock    3. Jam Bands    4. Pop    5. Rock   

Mind: Perpetual Intercourse
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (30 December, 1996)
list price: $15.98
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Reviews (25)

Mind: Perpetual Intercourse~ Skinny Puppy
Mind: Perpetual Intercourse being Skinny Puppys 1988 release showed how ahead of their time they truly were. Their use of samples, mixing guitar riffs and electronic muisc was basically unheard of back in 1988 and Nivek Ogre mixes theatre, music and art and has managed to create something quite unique. The use of vocal treatments is also ahead its time and there are so many awesome tracks on it like one time one place, stairs and flowers and many others. I love their use of the vocoder, explosive keyboard sounds and Ogres angry and venom filled vocals.

Definetly Ahead Of Its Time
Its hard to believe, almost incomprehensible that this came out when I was a 15 year old sophomore in high school. An old friend of mine lost a couple cds of mine in 1991, and he 'made up for it' by giving me this disc. It took some time for it to grow on me, and I realized that this cd sounds a million times better when you play it very very loud. Im sure you will concur if youre an industrial fan. I dont know what I would have called this in 1986. Not Goth. Goth was like Bauhaus and the Cocteau Twins (whom I love dearly). I dont even think 'industrial' was a category then. So this is the Grandaddy of all that stuff. Clearly mercurial and original. My favorite songs are Addiction, Stairs and Flowers, 200 Years and Dig It. But they are all pretty cool. Im rating it 4 stars because I am not a true fan of the genre. If I were, I would give it 5 stars easilly. In addition to this, I would recommend Revolting Cocks. Not so much Ministry, though Stigmata is one of my favorite songs regardless of genre. Especially the live version with the 'f*ck chant' at the end. I just think that RevCo is a little more dynamic sonically and catchier than Ministry. But thats just my opinion. Aas for this cd, 'Groundbreaking' is an adjective I have no problem in handing out. Plus the names Cevin Key and Nivek Ogre are great.

At Their Best
This was actually the first CD (by any artist) I ever bought, and after twelve years of listening, it never gets old.It's the transition album between their early-eighties sound, sparse and unlovely, unmusical but driven, and the later sound which was more lush and profound."Addiction" is the best song the Pups ever did, in my opinion; "Antagonism" is brilliantly disturbing; "God's Gift Maggot" is great for scaring your parents."Love" and "Stairs and Flowers" break up the emotional tension a bit, before it becomes too unbearable.And "Deep Down Trauma Hounds" is inexpressibly superior to the version on "Cleanse Fold and Manipulate," in part because of the wonderful way they make a classic Bugs Bunny cartoon so terribly sinister.This is the best work the Pups ever did.If you're getting into them, this is the one you MUST have. ... Read more

Asin: B000005DAR
Sales Rank: 49623
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Pretty Hate Machine
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (09 November, 1989)
list price: $25.99 -- our price: $25.99
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Editorial Review

Considered the breakthrough album that delivered a more palatable version of industrial music to the commercial audience, Pretty Hate Machine left its dingy mark on pop culture. The abrasive "sonarchy" of the album was first churned by despondent club-goers who roiled with the rhythms and aligned with the angst-ridden convictions. Since its release, the album's tempered deviations came to signify an aesthetic reverie for machine-driven martyrdom. Permeated by hissing engines and dissonant strains, the tracks cascade outside channels of modern complacency. Hits like "Head Like a Hole" and "Down in It" are recognized by the acidic beats, piercing riffs, and lyrical hostilities which snare the listener with disparaging rhapsody. Not for the light-headed, Pretty Hate Machine afflicts the inner sanctum and strikes a nerve. --Lucas Hilbert ... Read more

Features

• Import

Reviews (318)

Groundbreaking.
Hailed as the album that brought pop sensibilities into industrial music, "Pretty Hate Machine" is a real breakthrough in its genre.Nine Inch Nails (aka Trent Reznor) constructed an album of pain and anguish, of a mood of loss and anger, or mourning.The arrangements are sparse, far moreso than Reznor's later work, and its a much more pop record than any of his other material, and its got its own unique charm to it.

The album succeeds best when Reznor keeps the backgrounds simple enough to really allow his voice to carry the work-- blessed with the ability to really invest passion into his singer, he excels at the morbid ballad "Something I Can Never Have", prodded gently by the mournful piano line and the fantastic "Sin"-- full of anger and rage over a straightahead beat, Reznor really cuts right into it and the results are nothing short of stunning.The infectious rhythms and the great delivery together with an irresistable chorus hook sink the song right in your head.Add to that a couple really great angry tunes to open the record up (the anthemic "Head Like a Hole" and "Terrible Lie"), a great wacky piece with a funky bass line that threatens ballad form even as it rejects it ("Sanctified"), and a couple pieces with confessional lyrics and great delivery ("Kinda I Want To", "The Only Time") and you've got a great record.In fact, the only thing on here that doesn't really work for me is closer "Ringfinger"-- it always seemed a bit lifeless.

One other thing Reznor excels at is a sense of unity in his works-- "Pretty Hate Machine" is successful not just as a collection of songs, but as an album with a unified feel.It does drag a bit on the second half (although "Sin" is there to shake it up), but overall its a fantastic debut.Recommended.

I don't see what the craze about this album is...
Maybe I have a different preference of my music than this album. There are a few good songs on here, but what kind of music is it? I couldn't help but to feel it was a mixture of pop and metal. I will say that is an interesting blend, but it came out all mixed up.

I listened to this album and it sounds to me the man is angry and heading into a hole he can't get out of. Behind his lyrics is the twisted sound of his guitar and crazy sounding electric funk beats.

On the other hand, some songs like "Sanctified" and "Head Like a Hole" are pretty good. They have a cool groove to them. These songs sound like they actually tried to make something meaningful.

I'm not going to be rude, but this album was not as good as everyone says. You could grab someone off the street who has had a tough life and they could probably write lyrics to the same extent as well as music like Trent Reznor. I can't really "feel" his pain because his lyrics are whack and confusing. I just had to listen to the instruments rather than his voice.

However, this is just my opinion. It did start a cult following and many other artists cop this style of music. Millions of fans can't be wrong about this album if they all enjoyed it.

If you're like me, you'll probably be more interested in artists like Screaming Trees, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana.

Trent's beginnings
It's common knowledge that Trent Reznor *is* Nine Inch Nails, and "Pretty Hate Machine" is his first effort, going way back to the late 80's! At the time, Trent Reznor wasn't a rock icon; rather, a skinny young man with a keyboard and a love for synthesized/industrial music (which he'd bring into the mainstream a few years later).

Thus, "Pretty Hate Machine" is like Skinny Puppy meets The Cure meets Prince, with a heavy dose of angst.

"Head Like a Hole" is the most popular song on here, still getting airplay today. It's the most intense thing on here, containing angry lyrics and a killer hook. "Terrible Lie" also mixes pop beats with angry vocals, and received modest airplay.

"Down In It" has a hip-hop influence, and is the most dated sounding thing on here. It was the first single, I believe. Very 80's sounding.

"Sanctified" has a lot of synth effects, again, pretty dated sounding, but it's a strong song. "Something I Can Never Have" is a tortured, beautiful piano ballad in which Trent throws out his emotions on the table in a stripped down environment.

Other highlights include the dance pop-ish "Kinda I Want To", the dirty, sexual grind of "Sin", the funky "The Only Time", and the brooding closer "Ringfinger".

The main problem with "Pretty Hate Machine" is the sound. This is 1989, and Trent's production methods sound very primitive 15 years later. Any album from that era based on synthesizers like this is bound to sound dated. That applies to albums from Trent's influences as well: The Cure, Prince, etc. all have their share of dated 80's albums. BUT, when the songwriting is so strong, it's easy to forgive.

So, let it be known: this is not the intense, harrowingly loud Nine Inch Nails of "The Downward Spiral" (although "Head Like a Hole" hints at it); rather, an early, more dance/pop sounding NIN. But Trent has crafted a bunch of infectious numbers on here, and it's interesting to see how he started off. ... Read more

Asin: B000000GPY
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Industrial    3. Industrial Metal    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. United States of America   

The Crow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (29 March, 1994)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Editorial Review

Based on the hit comic book about a man who returns from the dead to avenge his killers, the film adaptation of The Crow suffered a cruel irony when star Brandon Lee (son of martial arts superstar Bruce Lee) died during production after a bizarre onset accident. That event only deepened the film's aura of death and gothic unease, moods that are brilliantly underscored by this well-chosen collection of stark alt rock, dark metal, and industrial dirges.

The opener, the Cure's typically angst-ridden "Burn," is about as sentimental as this album gets, bookended by Jane Siberry's wistful "It Can't Rain All the Time." Sandwiched in between is a virtual primer on powerful mid-1990s alt and industrial rock, from Nine Inch Nails hammering Joy Division's "Dead Souls" into its own image to the blistering snarl of Helmet, Pantera, and the Rollins Band. So-called pop-song scores often have a cheap afterthought feel to them; this one, a refreshingly integral part of the film itself, stands as a great album in its own right. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (47)

The suitable soundtrack
The Crow is my favorite movie of all time, hands down.The moving love/death/life/revenge plot coupled with Brandon Lee's exceptional performance and very talented supporting cast is more than enough than for The Crow to stand the test of time.However, probably the strongest point of the movie lies in its truly awesome soundtrack that captures the mood of the movie perfectly.

As great as the movie is, the soundtrack almost matches its caliber just by itself.A great compilation of independent, some unreleased, alt-rock tracks that add another dimension to the movie.Tracks like "Burn" from The Cure, "Big Empty" from the Stone Temple Pilots, "Color Me Once" from the Violent Femmes, the sentimental "It Can't Rain All the Time" from Jane Siberry, and my favorite, "Slip Slide Melting" performed by For Love Not Lisa.

Truly, a great movie will have a great soundtrack, and The Crow's amazing collection of songs make it one of the best of all time.

i cant speak!
words cannot describe how this movie and music has touched my life. when i first heard about lees death i was shocked but coming to the realization that i might not see him in any more films came to this one. the soundtrack is purified to the brink of being probably the greatest soundtrack ever its has to intertwine with the movie and this does. raw voltage of energy and hard metal is the reason why this is a success. the cure , henry rollins rage and stp have made this album feel like your in the movie a great array of music combining with melody at the end.
everyone should own this album a great tribute to brandon lee and the movie thats spawn it a cult classic.

one of the best
this collaboration set the mood for the crow perfectly. each and every one of the crow soundtracks are good in their own, but this one takes the lead. i love nine inch nails and dead souls (track 4) is one of their best. golatha tenement blues was a great song from a band i have never heard of called machines of loving grace (track 2). ghost rider is a decent song from the rollins band (track 7). after the flesh from my life with the thrill kill kult (track 11) sounds like something ministry did. over all great soundtrack. ... Read more

Asin: B000002IWH
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Soundtracks & Film Scores   

I Heard You Twice the First Time
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 September, 1992)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $11.98
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Reviews (2)

A guided tour of the blues
This is one of the buried treasures of jazz recordings. Branford Marsalis leads his top-flight group (Kenny Kirkland - piano, Robert Hurst - bass, Jeff 'Tain' Watts - Drums) through a century of blues history. They dig deep into every style from call-and-response field chants (Berta, Berta - from August Wilson's transcendant play "The Piano Lesson") through the blues-n'-boogie of John Lee Hooker, all they way up to postbop free-jazz. The lineup of guest stars and featured soloists is amazing, including BB King, John Lee Hooker, Russell Malone, Wynton Marsalis and Linda Hopkins. Branford is in control of it all throughout, and really displays some spectacular chops as well as brilliant taste. The way his quote of Charlie Parker's "Parker's Mood" blends seamlessly into BB Kings quintessential blues stylings is pure heaven. If you want to introduce a friend to the amazing scope and breadth of jazz, this might be the perfect album for such a task. 5-stars, and then some. As an added bonus, the liner notes by Delfeayo Marsalis are some of the best I have ever encountered.

Versatile jazz
The album seems to be a blueprint for Branford's Buckshot LeFonque-project, because it covers many different aspect of jazz. The album features blues (with help from B.B.King and John Lee Hooker), 'Danceof the Hei Gui' is a Thelonious Monk-tribute, 'Brother Trying to Catch aCab (On the East Side) Blues' is a Marsalis-jazz-track and 'Berta, Berta'features the chanting and moaning of railroadworkers (slaves) taking youright to the core of American music history. The versatility of this albumcan only be found on both Buckshot LeFonque albums, so if you like this(and you don't really, really hate hip-hop music) be sure to check themout. ... Read more

Asin: B00000272Y
Sales Rank: 55362
Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Pop    3. Post-Bop