Decade
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $29.98 -- our price: $26.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The first stop for anybody new to Neil Young's music, this 34-song set (originally released in 1977) traces his growth from Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young to Crazy Horse to his Harvest band, the Stray Gators. The album defined Young to rock radio the way Hot Rocks determined which Rolling Stones songs would become classics, but this is more than a quickie greatest-hits collection. Rarities and hits--Springfield's "Mr. Soul," CSNY's "Ohio," and Young's "Cinnamon Girl," "Heart of Gold," and the closing "Long May You Run"--develop in thematic and chronological patterns. --Steve Knopper ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (78)

It stops now !
Neil Young has a good voice and lots of people do not think that.He also talked about stuff you wanted to hear about.I bought this and was pretty pleased with the sound and the price.The next box set should have a whole lot more songs but this is good if you are the average Neil Young fan.35 songs is pretty darn good though.Well this is a Good product and I recomend buying it.Keep on listening to great classic rock and God bless America.

The First Decade Of Neil Young's Career In Two Discs
DECADE encapsulates the first decade of Neil Young's career, starting with the Buffalo Springfield, then moving onto his first solo album and Crosby Stills Nash & Young, and finally onto his albums with Crazy Horse, the Stray Gators, and the Ducks, and back to Crazy Horse. Much of the cautionary material from his three mid-70s albums (TIME FADES AWAY, ON THE BEACH, TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT) is ignored in favor of more upbeat songs like "Cinnamon Girl" and the first appearance of the previously unreleased '75 recording "Like A Hurricane." If you're new to Neil Young, or even if you have some of his albums, this collection is a must.

Save your money!
Unless Reprise has finally gotten around to remastering this,and I don't think they have yet, buy the individual albums, unless you are a Neil Young junkie and will buy anything he releases. ... Read more

Asin: B000002KCS
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Canada    3. Country-Rock    4. Folk-Rock    5. Hard Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Singer/Songwriter   

The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3 : Rare And Unreleased, 1961-1991
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 August, 1997)
list price: $39.98 -- our price: $35.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Bob Dylan has always been incredibly prolific, only releasing a fraction of what he records. Such a policy has made him a prime target for bootleggers over the years, finally prompting this sanctioned 1991 triple-disc dive into the Dylan vaults. It consists of rare tracks, unreleased outtakes, early versions of classics ("Times They Are a-Changin'," "Like a Rolling Stone," "I Shall Be Released"), and alternate versions that sometimes cut the originals ("Idiot Wind"). A measure of Dylan's depth is his list of discarded songs ("She's Your Lover Now," "Blind Willie McTell," "Series of Dreams") that would be the crown jewels of most catalogs. These 58 tracks serve as a shadow history of one of our most important artists. --Ben Edmonds ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (52)

absolutely brilliant
if you're a dylan fan, this isn't a set that you probably want to get; this is a set that you need. no one could have imagined how many BRILLIANT songs dylan had recorded that didn't make his albums. the highlights are too numerous, but i'll try to cover some of them.

disc 1:

'let me die in my footsteps' as much as any of dylan's pre-electric songs shows us why he is a great poet. it would have been a famous anthem if it were released on THE FREEWHEELIN' BOB DYLAN.
'talkin' john birch paranoid blues [live]' is hilarious before the song even starts - "and there ain't nothing wrong with this song". it's in the same vein as 'talkin' ww3 blues' & 'i shall be free no. 10'. i don't know if i'd say it's better than the other two, but i'd say it's equal to them. also, it's great to hear the crowd reaction.
'moonshiner' was not written by bob dylan. it's a traditional folk song [irish - believe - could be wrong]. one of dylan's best vocal and harmonica performances - of his entire career. it's difficult to praise this performance enough.
'last thoughts on woodie guthrie' is the only poem that dylan's ever read in public [to my knowledge]. very good poem, and i'd assume that the positive reaction it recieved led dylan to start putting his poetry in the liner notes of his albums [starting w/ ANOTHER SIDE OF BOB DYLAN]. the recording is priceless.

disc 2:

not surprisingly, his is the best disc of the set. i'll try to only highlight the very best [there's so much to highlight].

'farewell angelina' was of course given to joan baez. dylan's version is special - it's also one of his very first songs that uses surreal imagery. it's obviously nowhere near as accomplished as 'tombstone blues', 'desolation row', or 'stuck inside of mobile . . .', but it's great to see where dylan was w/ his writing.
'i shall be released' is so pained. dylan sounds likehe's crying the words. i prefer this version to the more famous version or any other version that's been recorded.
'sante-fe' is beautiful.
'if not for you' features george harrison. i usually prefer the NEW MORNING version, but it's just great to have a dylan song w/ george playing, extremely well, on it.
'nobody 'cept you' is one of my 1 or 2 favorite songs in this entire collection. it would have been the best song on PLANET WAVES if dylan decided to keep it. it's completely different from any other dylan song you've ever heard.
'call letter blues' was left off of BLOOD ON THE TRACKS. it's similar to 'meet me in the morning'.
'idiot wind' is a great alternate version. more sorrowful than the album version - less angry.

disc 3:

'angelina' is completely tripped out. the writing would fit on BLONDE ON BLONDE. the music wouldn't, but, hey, it's still a good song.
'blind willie mctell' is probably the best song in the collection. it's easily dylan's best song since the 70's. it's probably the best song by anyone since the 70's.
'series of dreams' was recorded for OH MERCY! and it, not surprisingly, has that wonderful OH MERCY! sound to it.

those are SOME of the highlights. get this.

Amazing from start to finish (including the third disc.)
Being presented as a "bootleg", the impression one gets is that this is a collection of esoteric and rejected material aimed at obsessed fans.Well, the fact is, almost everything on this release is simply top quality.I'd even recommend this to Dylan neophytes. (And if you are already a Dylan fan and don't have this yet - what are you waiting for?) Some of these songs would have been highlights on earlier Dylan albums. The most egregious lapse in this regard is the stunning Blind Willie McTell. It is a transcendant Dylan song; the kind that just stops you dead in your tracks and demands that you listen.Why on earth did he leave it off of "Infidels"?In any event, the songs in this release represent a great display of talent that should be heard by anyone who appreciates sincere, honest, heartfelt, incisive, powerful, masterful songwriting.Oh, and don't pay any heed to the reviewer who says the third disc is a waste.You are doing yourself a great disservice if you simply disregard all of Dylan's material after "Desire".(And why put the dividing line at "Desire"? "Street Legal", his next album, is also a masterpiece.)Sure, Dylan has laid some pretty big stinkers in his career, particularly beyond 1980, but rest assured, everything on this album is solid, and the third disc contains some of the best material on it.

2 out of 3 aint Bad
Discs one and two are outstanding, Nearly every song is instantly enjoyable. Disc three is dissapointing, as is Dylans career at this time 76-89(in my opinion he lost it after Hurricane.) Buy this cd if you have any interest in Dylan whatsoever, if you break it down discs one and two are definatly worth $15 a peice. The included book adds tremedous insite to the songs and is a joy to read. Very Nice Release which has earned a place of honor in my Dylan Collection (which coincedently ends at Desire in 1976) ... Read more

Asin: B000002AJG
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (29 June, 1993)
list price: $63.98 -- our price: $57.49
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

From "Surfin'" to "Kokomo," the first four discs of this box chart the Beach Boys' inimitable 30-year course. Here are all the hits and key album tracks, and an assortment of unreleased material that illuminates Brian Wilson and company's immense contribution to the development of pop music. (Especially fascinating are the assembled fragments from Wilson's abandoned 1966 masterwork, Smile.) A fifth disc features demos, radio spots, live tracks, and studio goodies for the hardcore fan. The set confirms Brian's hardworking genius, but also gives each member his due, especially the late Carl Wilson. Rock & roll music grew up with the Beach Boys, and this box is rock's best family album. --Ben Edmonds ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (75)

Good Vibrations:More Than Great Music, its a Philosophy
The Beach Boys - one of the greatest vocal groups of all time - are among the best things to ever happen to American Rock`n'roll. And the proof is on this box set - a FANTASTIC, well-done compilation.

For the die-hard fan, 5 discs isn't enough space to encapsulate all of Brian Wilson's musical brilliance. Nevertheless, whether its the die-hard fan supplementing his or her Beach Boys catalog, or the casual BB's fan (and the die-hard to be?), looking for a REAL introduction to the Beach Boys - this is a GREAT box set.

More than a "greatest hits" package, its a chronological journey into the BB's story (which proves once again, that truth is stranger than fiction), their rise and fall, the shining moments, and irrefutable proof of Beach Boy leader, Brian Wilson's genius.

"Greatest hits" are included of course, but there's also rare unearthed studio material, live stuff - heck, the 30 minutes of never before (officially) released SMiLE material is worth the price of the box set ALONE! If you haven't heard this stuff yet, you've got to - its intense!

Fantastic music, great liner notes, even a cool sticker - from "Surfin'" to "Kokomo," this box opened the door to the world of Beach Boys/Brian Wilson music and transformed me into a HUGE fan - I suspect it will do the same to you. The music is simply too good to deny.

Very very well done overview of the band
Box sets are tricky animals. The label putting them together is trying to satisfy three sets of fans: medium fans (the ones who already have a 'greatest hits' set and have decided they want more), completists (who have a decent amount of the band's stuff) and collectors (who want every single oddity, false start, alternate take or mix, live version, etc etc etc etc).

How does this set fare in making these 3 groups happy?

MEDIUM FANS: Presumably their biggest hope in a box set is getting "all the singles" from a band. While this doesn't have ALL of them (30 years worth is a lot of music), it does have EVERY Top 40 chart hit except 1987's "Wipe Out" remake with rappers The Fat Boys (a #12 hit U.S.). The only good singles that it does not contain of the lower charting/non charting A sides is "Bluebirds over the Mountain" (#61), "Tears in the Morning" (a great cut from Bruce Johnston off the "Sunflower" LP), and "She Believes in Love Again" (another nice Bruce track from their 1985 comeback LP). As far as B sides go, the only significant ones that aren't included are "Girl Don't Tell Me","Let Him Run Wild" (left off because of a promise Capitol made to Brian Wilson), "It's About Time" (a great rocker from Dennis off "Sunflower"),and "Kiss Me Baby". Along the way you get 16 top 10 hits and another 14 that hit the Top 40 (U.S.)

GRADE: A-

COMPLETISTS: These folks want the best album tracks to fill in their collection in better, remastered sound. For the most part, the box set succeeds with the best stuff from the "Today!" era on through the early 70s. One area that is shortchanged a bit is in presenting the band's surf beginnings (meaning actual surf instrumentals). While those aren't their finest tracks, they are part of the story and it's only represented here by "Punchline" a so-so unreleased surf track with raucous laughing from the Boys intermittently. A much better solution would have been to include the live cut of "Let's Go Trippin'" from the 1964 "Concert" album which shows how exciting they could be as an instrumental act. The "golden years" selections (Today! through Holland) fare pretty well.Pre-"Pet Sounds" "Hushabye" uses an inferior live rendition rather than the much better album track)..."Kiss Me,Baby","Girl Don't Tell Me","Let Him Run Wild","Girls on the Beach" and "Hawaii" are missing. Tracks are a bit spottier from 1967-1972: "Marcella" and "Funky Pretty" are only middling songs, but if they had to use them they should have used the more exciting cuts from the 1973 Concert LP. Dennis' "Be With Me" also should have made the list. The late period from 1972-on is where the selections are dicier. Carl's tender "Full Sail" is missing, along with Brian's daddy song "I Wanna Pick You Up", the live "Leaving this Town" (best song brief member Blondie Chaplin contributed), and "Our Sweet Love" could have been sacked to make space for "Tears in the Morning" Or "It's about Time". Carl's "Where I Belong" was an 80s highlight."My Diane" was one of the few decent "M.I.U." cuts but it's not here.

GRADE: B-

COLLECTORS: 27 previously unreleased cuts though some of them are kind of throwaways and it's easy to see why they were in the can. Best ones are a piano demo of Brian writing "Surfin' U.S.A.",a "Party!" outtake of "Ruby Baby" with the Boys oinking like pigs, the wonderful "Smile" material (nothing that isn't on bootlegs but the sound is great), Dennis' edgy anti-war ballad "4th of July", and two inexplicably unreleased Brian ballads "It's Over Now" and "Still I Dream of It" (from the "Love You" period). I would have swapped out "Our Team" and "H.E.L.P." to put on "Brian's Back" (as a leadin to the 1975-1976 material) and "Soulful Old Man Sunshine" (H.E.L.P. is just awful..) personally. That's not counting the 5th disc where you get to examine the Boys vocal blend in detail on vocals only tracks, music only tracks to hear Brother Bri's production, and several tracking sessions to hear his working process. The radio spots aren't really interesting for the long haul but you'll probably listen to 'em once..

GRADE: A-

BOTTOM LINE: While I quibble here and there, if you want to know what makes the Beach Boys tick as a band, this is a pretty darn good picture. About as well-designed as a boxset could be to reach three disparate kinds of consumers.

Essential material-- incredible overview of the Beach Boys.
This boxed set is suffering from mixed reviews, largely I suspect from reviewers who aren't considering the intent of the boxed set-- the set is a career overview, contains the hits as well as the important tracks, this means that much of it is going to drift outside of the listening experience of most listeners.The Beach Boys have a long and varied career and covered quite a bit of ground, and with patience and careful listening, I suspect nearly anyone will come to appreciate this material-- the genius of Brian Wilson and his brothers shines through readily .The tracks are organized chronologically and therefore provide a living history of the band.Track listing can be argued (and I will here), but the set is superb, for either the unitiated, the casual listener looking to dig deeper, or the dedicated fan seeking rarities.

The first CD covers the early days of the band, when surfing and cars ruled their music (although by the end of the CD, they'd started to move on, the period of 1961 to 1965.Opening with a stunning piano-and-vocal demo of "Surfin' USA" (out of order chronologically), this opens with some early demos and the band's first single, "Surfin'".Severak early surf and car hits ("Surfin' Safari", "409", "Surfin USA", "Shut Down", "Little Deuce Coupe", "Catch a Wave", "Fun, Fun, Fun", "I Get Around", "Little Honda" follow, but also present are some of the first introspective ballads by the Beach Boys-- largely featuring Brian Wilson's falsetto leads, songs such as "Surfer Girl", "In My Room", and "The Warmth of the Sun" painted the way for the direction the Beach Boys were heading.The CD wraps up with a handful of tracks from the great album, "The Beach Boys Today!", one of the finest albums the Beach Boys ever did, including the powerful ballad "Please Let Me Wonder".Also along the way are great covers of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" and "Do You Wanna Dance', and great early tracks like "Don't Worry Baby" and "Wendy".Even during the time of this CD, you can see the evolution of the band into the direction they woudl next embark upon.Some songs that are noticably absent (in my assessment), "Keep An Eye on Summer", the Boys' cover of "Hushabye", "Kiss Me Baby" and "Let Him Run Wild" (the latter two from "Today!").


The second disc covers the legendary material of the Beach Boys, 1965 - 1967, picking up with the "Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!!)" album, the last single oriented album, then moving into "Pet Sounds" and bits of the unreleased "Smile" album.Two of the band's big hits, "California Girls" and "Help Me Rhonda" open the album, which moves into important songs in the development of Brian Wilson-- the start/stop motion of "The Little Girl I Once Knew" and the brilliant harmonies and a capella break of "Sloop John B".These paved the way for the stunning "Pet Sounds" album-- no less than 8 selections from that album are included here, including the singles (the aformentioned "Sloop John B", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "God Only Knows", and "Caroline, No".This is the flowering into full bloom of the introspective side of the band, and is absolutey brilliant material.The remainder of the disc is devoted to "Smile"-- while the album was never released, the single, "Good Vibrations" (which of course shot to #1) preceeded it stylistically and is here adjacent to about 30 minutes of unreleased Smile tracks, including the legendary "cantina" version of "Heroes and Villains", the original takes on "Wonderful", "Vegetables", and "Wind Chimes" (vastly superior to the "Smiley Smile" versions), and a stunning piano-and-vocal only demo of "Surf's Up".While some of the sections and chanting may be a bit much for more casual listeners, again, this material-- while challenging, will find its way into you head.Given the recent release of Brian's "Smile" rerecording, this may actually serve to be more interesting to less fanatical listeners as well.

Any number of tracks from "Pet Sounds" or the aborted "Smile" sessions can be argued as being missing from this disc-- all of it is essential and important, but crucial and missing from "Summer Days" is "Let Him Run wild" and one of the late pop songs, "You're So Good to Me".

After the "Smile" disaster, the band was sort of floating, and this is where the third disc picks up, 1967 - 1971.While Brian was collapsing psychologically, he was producing some of the most stunning songs of his career.Scattered throughout this disc are great moments from him that are unrivaled in pop music (although admittedly some are leftover/recycled "Smile" songs)-- "Let the Wind Blow", "Cool Cool Water", "Meant For You", "Busy Doin' Nothin'", "Time to Get Alone", the incomparable "Breakaway", "This Whole World", "Add Some Music", Smile centerpiece "Surf's Up", and the stunning "'Til I Die".All of these are classic pieces deserving of reevaluation.Also during this period, Brian's brothers begin to flower, with some of Dennis' ("Little Bird", "San Miguel", and the nearly unparallelable "Forever") and Carl's (Carl's arrangement of "I can Hear Music" and "Long Promised Road") great early works contributing to this disc.Again, this material is far less commercial than what came before, but is extremely powerful and rewarding.Noticably absent are the beautiful but often overlooked Brian Wilson/Mike Love ballad, "All I Wanna Do" and Carl's great "Feel Flows", but really this disc is a great overview of this period in the Beach Boys' history.

The fourth disc picks up the rest of the Beach Boys' career, 1972 onwards.The 80s onward are lacking, with Brian all but exiting the band, Dennis' death in 1983, and Mike Love turning the touring band into a living jukebox of fun in the sun hits, but the mid-70s maintained a high level of creativity.Again, Brian's genius shine through-- much of the material here is his, and again his genius shines through on cuts like "Sail On, Sailor", "Funky Pretty", "Marcella", "Had to Phone Ya" (with lead vocal split amongst all five Beach Boys), the underappreciated and completely brilliant "The Night Was So Young" and "Good Timin'".Added to this are some great moments from the rest of the band, the swirling "All This is That", Carl's "Trader" and Dennis' stunning "Baby Blue", perhaps his best work.Absent from this one is quite a bit of Dennis Wilson material, its hard to take this period in an overview without "Cuddle Up", "Steamboat" or "Love Surrounds Me", or without Carl's "Angel Come Home", but I suspect theompilers were shooting to show us Brian's great work in the '70s.

The fifth disc is a bonus disc, most the material is really for collectors-- backing tracks, some live material, a couple demos.Not the kind of stuff for the casual fan.

Nonetheless, this compilation is a great introduction to the band's history and has quite a bit of great material, start to finish.Essential and recommended. ... Read more

Asin: B000002UR4
Subjects:  1. Baroque Pop    2. Box Sets (Audio Only)    3. Christmas    4. Frat Rock    5. Hot Rod    6. Nostalgia    7. Novelty    8. Pop    9. Pop/Rock    10. Psychedelic    11. Psychedelic Pop    12. R&B    13. Rock    14. Rock & Roll    15. Sunshine Pop    16. Surf    17. United States of America   

Peel Slowly and See
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 September, 1995)
list price: $59.98 -- our price: $53.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

This comprehensive five-disc retrospective of the Velvet Underground chronicles the band from its earliest demo tapes, recorded in 1965, to Lou Reed's final work with band, in 1970. At their notorious peak, Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Mo Tucker epitomized the sound of intellectual art punks being spontaneously creative in Andy Warhol's Manhattan. Rock & roll has never been the same since Reed's gutter-rock observations and Cale's cool, droning electric viola blanketing the band's mysterious three-chord innovations. It's all here: loads of feedback, classic songwriting, and Reed's transformation from Dylan imitator to sonic-rock auteur. With previously unreleased gems, live performances, and other oddities, this is everything you wanted to know about the Velvets but were afraid to ask. --Mitch Myers ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (39)

We know they're influential, but why?? Good box set.
If you want to get an idea of what they're about, you can't go wrong with "The Best Of" from 1989, or Lou Reed's single disc "Greatest Hits" or the 2 disc "NYC Man" from last year which covers different eras.

What I do like is that it tells a story and shows the band developing in a few years' time, starting off with some demos and ending with Lou's departure (as well as some of the songs that he'd wind up doing solo). I like that you get the full-length "Sweet Jane" in the studio and a couple of solo Nico tracks.

It's far from a definitive box set, "Loaded" and "VU and Nico" both have had deluxe editions that had tracks not included on here... "Live 1969" is nowhere on here, even though some people love the version of "Sweet Jane" on there more than what was on "Loaded". The "Quine Tapes" and "Max's" have also been released since, and some people prefer the 3 disc grey market "What Goes On" over this. "VU" and "Another View" which were the "Great Lost VU Album" of legend have some tracks on here, but not all of them. "Squeeze" (which was without Lou and flopped) is not on here, neither is "Live 2003".

I think for those that like what they've heard so far and want to get all the studio albums will like this one, others may prefer to get them individually.

all the velvet underground cds and a bunch of bonus tracks!!
this is a box with all the velvet underground cds and a bunch of bonus tracks. it has a repeelable banana (the best part)! and it has a huge booklet to look at! it even has a whole disc of tracks that were made before they made any albums! it has ALOT of bonus tracks! if you are any velvet underground or lou reed fan then you should definetly get this!

velvet underground and nico 5/5 stars, very nicely done

white light/white heat 5/5 stars very weird album but still awesome

velvet underground 4/5 not the best thing you've ever heard but still great

loaded4/5 great cd, doesn't sound a whole lot like velvet underground but this still makes a great album

buy this please, you will like it

Good set, but lacking
The Velvet Underground were, without question, one of the greatest pop groups of all time. From their infancy with Andy Warhol as their manager to their later years, they shelled out a number of pop rock masterpieces that rarely failed to please. And now, at long last, the band has compiled a good deal of its material into a box set! How does this set measure up? Read on for my review.

PROS:
-In this set you get the classic Velvet Underground albums - and each one features extra tracks! These extra tracks make the versions of the albums in this set superior to their sold separately counterparts - for the most part.
-In addition to the albums and the bonus tracks that they contain, there is also an entire disc of rare, early demos! Any big time fan of the band is sure to get a kick out of these little rarities.
-The set isn't priced too high.

CONS:
-This set may be a bit too much for a casual fan to digest. If you're new to the band, chances are you'll just want the albums and not all the bonus tracks, so you'll probably be better off buying the classic albums separately.
-A plethora of the band's tracks are missing from this set - it's not a complete box set by any means.
-The bonus tracks in this set aren't really going to impress anyone other than the biggest fans of the band.
-The band was a great live act, so why is the live material in this set so lacking?

OVERALL:
Overall, this is a good set, but it's also severely lacking. My personal recommendation is to buy all of the band's albums separately rather than this set. However, if you really plan on getting into the band, you may want to shell out the extra cash and get this set. The Velvet Underground were pop rock masterminds, and this set demonstrates it well. ... Read more

Asin: B000002GM5
Subjects:  1. Box Sets (Audio Only)    2. Experimental Rock    3. Folk-Rock    4. Pop    5. Proto-Punk    6. Rock    7. Rock & Roll    8. United States of America   

Citizen Steely Dan: 1972-1980
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (14 December, 1993)
list price: $59.98 -- our price: $53.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

As should be expected, Steely Dan's four-disc box set isn't like all the other rectangular pop-music retrospectives/tombstones. Not for Messrs. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen the typically bloated, ego-jacking crate padded out with childhood recordings, suspect cassette demos, and broken-down session takes, annotated by candid snapshots purloined from some distant relative. Nope, this is simply Dan Mach 1's complete oeuvre, from the craft-conscious pop of Can't Buy a Thrill to the jazzy torpor of Gaucho, laid out chronologically and neatly compressed into four discs, with not even a handful of "bonus" cuts (a live recording of "Bodhisattva," a '71 demo of "Everyone's Gone to the Movies" with Flo and Eddie on the side, "Here at the Western World," a Royal Scam outtake, and their obligatory soundtrack cameo, "FM") to color outside the lines. The liner notes are suitably smart, even if they occasionally strain trying to stay astride of B&F's patent sardonicism. For the aspiring Steely Dan completist, a fine place to start. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (58)

An INCREDIBLE Deal!!!
ALL the albums plus a few tasty extras at a STEAL of a price!!! If you're a hardcore fan you'll dig deeper and find a couple/three CDs of rare items and obscure demos, but this set has ALL of their essential recorded works. I just cannot get over the price! What a STEAL! It's like an overwhelming body of evidence laying out the case for what a pair of geniuses (geniuii?) Don and Walter were back in the prehistoric days of the 1970s. Truly impressive. And the music has held up remarkably well. Intelligent rock music that always tells a good story. You can't ask for more. It's one bull's-eye after another, song by song. Unequalled genius. BUY THIS SET WHILE IT'S STILL AVAILABLE!!!

I real hit and a big miss
CITIZEN STEELY DAN is a fabulous collection of songs by Steely Dan, a band that many people for many years have scratched their heads about.Whether it was always changing their style or music, having lyrics that go one way and could be meaning something else, starting out as a rock band with CAN'T BUY A THRILL before settling out on a refined jazz groupe with GAUCHO before completely breaking up and returning years later, and having more then their fair share of critics, many of which are mentioned in the accomponying book.Steely Dan was (is) certainly unique.Their box set can certainly have the same things said about it.All of the songs save their two newest ones have all read ALL of the songs on it.EVERY song from Every album till 1980 is here and at attention.You can get almost all of their songs in one shot save for albums EVERYTHING MUST GO and TWO AGAINST NATURE.Awesome.

Now I said that there is a real miss too and there is.Of the boxed sets that I've seen you can usually get some good obscure stuff on the box sets that you can't get anywhere else.With the sole exception of one song a demo from years ago, there is NOTHING NEW on the set.No foreign only releases, no disc of demo or alternate takes, no live songs from before they stopped touring in the 70's (Botthisattva on disc two is available elsewhere, SD's live disc that came out years ago is nowhere near as explosive sounding.)The novelty of the box sets is usually with the exclusive tidbits and this package is pretty slim.

All in all CSD is still a good buy for the Dan fan I just wish it had more to offer, other then everything.

good box
i just recently bought this box set, and to tell you the truth i was pretty pleased with it, i mean here you have all the seven albums between 1972-1980, what more could you ask for, i knowthey could have added more demos and rare tapes, but the guys from SD explained that the only demo they had (everyones gone to the movies) was the only surviving one, the others for some reason were damaged. they even included the live version of Bodhisattva recorded in 1974 and if thats not enough, you also get Here at the western wolrd and FM, wich we all know were singles, so if you like this group and want to have the whole collection in one box set for a reasonable price, then this is it baby!!!!! you cant go wrong!!!!! SABOR!!!!!!! ... Read more

Asin: B000002ORE
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Box Sets (Audio Only)    3. Hard Rock    4. Jazz-Rock    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Rock    8. Soft Rock   

Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 September, 1993)
list price: $59.98 -- our price: $53.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

"This is it: Everything the Police released," boasts the notesin the 66-page booklet included with this box set. Obsessive fans have alreadywritten to rock magazines indignantly pointing out the omission of this or thatobscurity. But everyone else will find that these four discs include all thePolice they'd ever want to own. The first two discs include all of Outlandosd'Amour, Reggatta de Blanc, and Zenyatta Mondatta in theiroriginal order, interspersed with live rarities and singles B-sides. Discs 3 and4 are more satisfying, including the band's well-crafted studio high points,Ghost in the Machine and Synchronicity, plus more outtakes andlive tunes. The set ends with "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86," adismal remake of the early favorite. By this point, the musician's egos wererunning rampant and they were barely speaking. If anyone wonders why the groupcalled it quits so abruptly, this tune makes it clear that the split was smartand timely. --Jim DeRogatis ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (78)

Man!What could have been.....
A great collection.Goood musicianship and a great look into the functioning of a band - these guys were broken up by success,

This set covers the gamut of music that was the Police. Pop, New Wave, Reggae.It's a bit of everything.Buy it if you are interested in the Police.

GREAT!!
Now if only all box sets were this good! A MUST HAVE for Police fans! Not only does it have their best material but you can hear the evolution of Sting's incredible songwriting and Stewart's unbelievable drumming skills.They basically started off as punkish band ripping off reggae but the band slowly evolved into their own sound! It's a shame when they found their sound they broke up. But as you can tell by Sting's incredible songwriting on Disc 4, it was time for him to leave.
It was time for him to see the Blue Turtles! Just to have the haunting tunes "Burn For You" and "Once Upon A Daydream" is worth the price of the box set alone

Excellent Box Set!
Buying this box set should be automatic for anyone who grew up in the 70's or 80's. There's very few songs on this album that would get a 2 star rating or lower. Few as in I can count on 1 hand.

The Police have so many huge hits, such as Roxanne, Walking On The Moon, Message In A Bottle, etc. Also, many of the other tracks are classics, such as The Bed's Too Big Without You, Bring On The Night, Invisible Sun, etc. You cannot do without having this set. 4 CD's and you have EVERYTHING The Police did. Including b-sides and songs from other sources (such as I Burn For You from the Brimstone & Treacle soundtrack)

Bottom line is this. If you like any of The Police big songs, it's very likely that you will also like all of their other songs. Why not get them all in one bang instead of getting the 4 individual albums and having to deal with trying to find all of the other B-Sides? It's totally worth it. ... Read more

Asin: B000002G23
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Box Sets (Audio Only)    4. New Wave    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Post-Punk    8. Rock   

Storyteller: The Complete Anthology
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 October, 1989)
list price: $49.98 -- our price: $44.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Box set

Reviews (18)

Fans will enjoy it, and yet...
Rod Stewart is an amazingly long-lived chameleon with a proven ability to mine whatever is currently popular and strike gold. He's transformed himself many times over, from blues shouter to rock screamer to pop star to disco diva to jazz crooner.

He's pretty much done it all -- and been lambasted by critics and purists both for "selling out." There's some truth in their accusations, since the quality of his work has varied wildly over the years, as Rod himself will admit.

But Stewart is also a talented musician and writer who can usually get to the heart of melodies and lyrics and epress them vividly. I'm not much enamored of his latest foray into big band jazz, but his early and middle careers, as profiled on this retrospective, were full of fine moments. Don't be put off by the stories of his debauchery or by the song "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" As the title of this compilation reminds us, he's a storyteller, and the song is about a pair of lovers, not him.

Inspired by such soul greats as Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, Stewart started working with Jeff Beck and with The Faces in the 60s, an interesting phase well-covered on Disc 1. Going solo, he charted again and again with the material on Discs 2 and 3, from classic albums like "Atlantic Crossing" and "Every Picture Tells a Story." Disc 4 is lacking, but even here there are bright spots like "Infatuation" and "Downtown Train."

Rod contributes some witty commentary and embarrassing publicity shots in the accompanying booklet, which unfortunately omits details about when or where recordings were made, with whom, or on which albums they were included. Given these omissions, and given that only about two CDs worth of really great stuff is included in this four-CD set, I can't give it more than three stars.

The Complete Rod - Almost!!
Having been listening to this collection again recently I felt compelled to review it, and can't believe no-one else has yet, well here goes!Up to date at the time of its' release it stands as a pretty good testament to Rods' work, starting with the Rod The Mod era, through early classics like "Handbags and Gladrags" and "Gasoline Alley", it moves through his really hot period of the mid to late seventies, on to his fling with the disco era "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" (ouch!!) and finally to a return to form with "Downtown Train".The early material shows his true raw talent, particularly with "I A'int Supersticious" performed with the Jeff Beck Group and "Stay With Me", easily the best thing the Faces ever recorded.Those unfamiliar with his back catalogue can discover gems such as "Cut Across Shorty" and "Every Picture Tells A Story".There are some throw away tracks within the package, (otherwise would be 5 stars), but it includes all his major hits.As a box set it is a very good compilation and definitely shows why Rod Stewart is amongst the most talented performers the UK (sorry Scotland) has ever produced.

Excellent Box Set
I looked around in record stores to find a greatest hits album by Rod Stewart and could never find a one or two disc set that had all the songs I really wanted on it.Finally I jumped on Amazon and found this outstanding four disc set that has everything any casual fan of Rod Stewart fan would want and then some.And unlike many greatest hits CDs I've purchased, the sound quality is outstanding.

This is definitely a product well worth the price. ... Read more

Asin: B000002LIR
Sales Rank: 22506
Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Album Rock    3. Box Sets (Audio Only)    4. Folk-Rock    5. Hard Rock    6. Pop    7. Pop/Rock    8. Rock    9. Rock & Roll    10. Singer/Songwriter    11. Soft Rock   

Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (15 September, 1998)
list price: $59.98 -- our price: $53.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

That the most famous garage-rock record of all time, the Kingsmen's "Louie Louie," is buried on the last CD of this four-disc box is very much in keeping with the spirit of the (often) one-hit wonders that people Nuggets. Here, "Louie Louie" is just another great song. An elaboration on the 1972 double LP, which is included in its original sequence, this set piles on dozens more great moments of inspiration, guts, chutzpah, and sometimes sheer commercial calculation. How else to explain the advice "Look at yourself" from the likes of the Strawberry Alarm Clock, whose idea of mind expansion seems limited to putting together two very vaguely related nouns--"Incense and Peppermints"--so their swinging Farfisa-led track will have something, anything, for verbal content? There's loads of such wisdom on display here, prefab and otherwise, usually delivered as rabidly as possible. (Try the Remains' "Don't Look Back," Mouse and the Traps' "Maid of Sugar--Maid of Spice," or the Music Machine's "Talk Talk," which was actually a hit.) And remember: "The sky is falling / The ocean is calling / The world ... is spinning 'round ... and 'round." For sure. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (94)

Superb
I bought this when it first came out on reputation alone. Each song has its charm. But of all the songs in my record collection perhaps the most unique is 'I live in the springtime' by The Lemon Drops. Totally cosmic man!

The greatest compilation album of all time
This is a testament to the fact that American rock 'n' roll was better than British rock 'n' roll. Obviously, any album with 118 songs is bound to have a little filler, but when viewed as a collective whole, the lesser songs work well along with the best songs on this album. This is further proof they don't make Rock 'n' Roll like they used to (in fact they really don't make Rock 'n' Roll too much anymore). Starting off with "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night" (possibly the greatest Psyche rock song ever), up to "Blues Theme", this is a essential collection. The collection actually contains diverse artists (contrary to some beleifs), including the Sonics, 13th Floor Elevators, Captain Beefheart, the Monks, and Kim Fowley. Definatly essential for anyone with even a passing interest in rock 'n' roll, particulary the rock 'n' roll of the 60s. Definatly an important chapter in the music of that time period.

A GEM of a Diamond in the Rough! R-O-C-K-S, YEAH!
This is the ULTIMATE collection of ROCKIN' Garage Band Classics!You get the full range of musical treats, from ersatz Beatle wannabe bands to folks doing covers, such as Michael & the Messengers covering the Reflections' 1964 "Romeo & Juliet."There is no lack of talent on this entire collection and certainly no lack of enthusiasm and energy.This collection is what 1960s Garage Band afficionados have been praying for!

Listeners will cruise down Cool Memory Lane in a Cool 1965 Dodge Dart 270 Custom Sedan with the dial set to COOL 196.5 (1965 all the time) while enjoying this musical banquet.The list of treats is quite extensive.

Although I didn't care for Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs 1965 hit, "Wooly Bully" or the Strangeloves' 1965 hit, "I Want Candy," I had to smile that the ultimate in Garage Band hits, the Kingsmen's 1963 magnum opus "Louie, Louie" was included.Seriously, I think "Louie, Louie" has become the Garage Band anthem and has been held as the symbol of garage band success for others, such as the much loved, much covered "G-L-O-R-I-A," which I am surprised is not on this collection; the Strawberry Alarm Clock's 1967 "Incense and Peppermint," and the Outsiders' 1966 gem, "Time Won't Let Me."The Kingsmen, whose 1963 smash, recorded in Oregon, helped identify the Pacific Northwestern United States as a musical mecca to be reckoned with.The Sonics of 1965 "Have Love, Will Travel" fame and Paul Revere and the Raiders were among those Pacific Pioneers.

The 13th Floor Elevators, an Austin, Texas band have proved to be a major musical force.They have played the same venues with Janis Joplin and have demonstrated a unique musical flair.

I absolutely LOVE the Rumors' "Hold Me Now," an EXCELLENT Garage Band piece that has been sadly overlooked by the public at large.This is such an excellent song that will make you want to dance.It is at the time of this review included in an exhibit at a local library featuring a Garage Band of the 1960s.This song is a party for the ears and will actually have you dancing!

Many favorite Top 40 stand-bys have been included, such as "Time Won't Let Me," by the Outsiders and "Lies" by the Knickerbockers, two 1966 hits; "Dirty Water" by the Standells and a genuine gem, Music Explosion's 1967 smash, "Little Bit O' Soul."This collection is such a treat and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Treat yourself to this collection.You will be so glad that you did.

... Read more

Asin: B00000AFWZ
Subjects:  1. Acid Rock    2. Album Rock    3. Baroque Pop    4. Blue-Eyed Soul    5. Blues-Rock    6. Box Sets (Audio Only)    7. Bubblegum    8. Country-Rock    9. Detroit Rock    10. Folk-Rock    11. Frat Rock    12. Garage Rock    13. Hard Rock    14. Obscuro    15. Pop    16. Pop/Rock    17. Prog-Rock/Art Rock    18. Progressive Country    19. Psychedelic    20. Psychedelic Pop    21. R&B    22. Rock    23. Rock & Roll    24. Rock & Roll/Roots    25. Roots Rock    26. Singer/Songwriter    27. Soft Rock    28. Soul    29. Sunshine Pop    30. Tex-Mex   

The Stiff Records Box Set
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 August, 1992)
list price: $47.98
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Understand from the get-go that label retrospectives are spotty affairs. Rare is the label that's free of stiffs, and Stiff Records' raison d'état was to serve as a refuge for castoffs, including a fair share of flaccid acts. The off-center likes of Nick Lowe (having recently fleed the misbegotten Brinsley Schwarz), Ian Dury, Wreckless Eric, Larry Wallis, and a very young Elvis Costello found a home with Stiff in the '70s. It wasn't a punk label, though it boasted the Damned; it wasn't a ska imprint, though Madness and Desmond Dekker recorded for the company; it wasn't a power-pop or pub-rock haven, though a number of Stiff's leading lights (Dury, Lowe, Costello, Dr. Feelgood, Dave Edmunds) fell into those categories. And it wasn't terribly long-lived. This imaginatively designed four-disc overview definitely loses momentum toward the end, but there's a humble enchantment to an overwhelming percentage of tracks here from label mainstays, the semiacclaimed (Devo, Graham Parker, Lene Lovich, the Pogues), and uncelebrated (Mickey Jupp, Mick Farren, Jona Lewie). -- Steven Stolder ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (3)

Action Packed
Stiff is one of those wacky labels that always seemed to sneak by just under the pop radar.

I received this set as a gift a few years ago, and couldn't be happier about it.This collection is so full of unknown bits of whimsy and little-known cuts by more popular artist that it starts to become more of a treasure chest than a "best of."

Ian Drury of "Sex and Drugs and Rock & Roll" fame appears as vocals on several other cuts including "Kitchen at Parties."This collection is full of simmilar fun little nuggets.

So much of the "alternative" music scene that was largely contained by British borders seems to be archived here, and it's fun to tap into it.Americans (such as myself) who always thought that the band Madness was largely a one hit wonder will be surprised by the spastic "Baggy Trousers," a song I enjoyed so much I have purchased several Madness CDs since hearing it.

While Elvis Costello originally got his start on Stiff, he has only one song here - probably a god thing, as we all have a good idea what he sounds like - leaving more room for the lesser known artists of Stiff.

There is a charming wackiness to this collection and to the whole Stiff attitude.This is a great collection for exploring what the Brits were doing while we tollerated Dexy's Midnight Runners.

Oh!Special bonus:There is a fabulous (FABULOUS) cut of Desmond Dekker's "Isrealites" on disc three.This along merits purchasing this set.

Instantly enjoyable.
Strange...I remember trying to search for this boxed set earlier in theyear and coming up with nil for my efforts.Then, after accidentallyfinding it in a New York record store and acquiring it right away, I findit on here.Must be my mind playing tricks on me.

In any case, I'm notold enough to have lived through the era from which these songs sprung, butthe appeal of the music easily traverses the generation gap.I haven'teven yet explored all of this set and it's already been some of the mostfun listening experiences I've had while listening to "oldermusic":Elvis Costello, The Belle Stars, Nick Lowe, KirstyMacColl...and personal favourite, spunky popster Rachel Sweet.Vivaciousand highly entertaining.My only complaint is that the liner notes aresomewhat flimsy.Though full of the kind of tongue-in-cheek humour that,apparently, Stiff Records was famous for, the result of thenon-journalistic approach is that there's very little real information onthe music, the history, the label, and the context, hidden by the cheekywriting and witticisms.I for one would've liked some more detached,professional journalism to inform me of the significance of this music suchas in that Amplifier article I had read (which led me to look for thisboxed set in the first place).So on the packaging front, much is left tobe desired.But the music is uniquely appealing, a world of its own.

best of my life
I was in my teenswhen this kind of music was played on the radio , I lived in ex Yugoslavia and I was reading a lot about the new wave and all those stuffi England. I loved those groups but I never actuallyhad achance to listen all those recors ( I Lived in ex Yugoslavia for Gud`s sake) , now I lived in Sweden and have money to buy records but I am not 13 ,14, 15years old anymore and the music doesn`t mean EVERYTHING to me.This box remaind me what music can do with your life and how it is to be 17 again . By this one , no metter how old you are , this is history. ... Read more

Asin: B0000032VR
Subjects:  1. 70's    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Box Sets (Audio Only)    4. British Punk    5. College Rock    6. New Wave    7. Pop    8. Pop/Rock    9. Power Pop    10. Pub Rock    11. Punk    12. Rock    13. Rock & Roll    14. Singer/Songwriter    15. Ska Revival   

Have A Nice Decade: The '70s Pop Culture Box
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (16 June, 1998)
list price: $99.98 -- our price: $89.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

When this material originally resurfaced in an earlier Rhino-celebrates-the-'70s program, many rock scribes contorted themselves into revisionist pretzels: this isn't so bad, they argued--none too convincingly. There'll be none of that here: much of the music on this colossal box set is godawful. The world doesn't miss the likes of Sammy ("Chevy Van") Johns and Sammy ("Candy Man") Davis. Or at least it doesn't miss the records they cut during the decade of disaster flicks and Jonathan Livingston Seagull. That said, this elaborate box is something to behold. The lovingly compiled 92-page booklet provides background on the ridiculous (David Soul, C.W. McCall, Carl Douglas) and the sublime (Parliament, James Brown, the Staple Singers), and the music swings on the same pendulum, with Harry Chapin, Bill Withers, and Cat Stevens sitting amid Wayne Newton, The Captain & Tennille, and Meco's jittery electro-take on the Star Wars theme. Seven discs, 160 selections! To paraphrase a popular ad slogan of the era, you won't believe you listened to the whole thing. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (42)

The ultimate seventies anthology
I was a teen in the seventies, and these were the songs which
were played. I've seen quite a few anthologies, but this mass-
ive compendium is easily the most comprehensive. Wow. I haven't
listened to it before this review...I didn't have to. I remember
all the songs. Currency is an unsatisfactory medium for expressing the value of the worth here. What higher praise can I
bestow other than the tribute "priceless"?

Extremely enjoyable!!
I bought this box set of 70's songs and I have thoroughly enjoyed it over and over again .. my eight year old even likes the songs on it and sings along with me .. i would highly reccommend this to anyone who loves 70's music.

LIGHTEN UP!
I bought this box set when it originally came out and I remember dropping about a hundred beans on it.The box set came with a real green shag rug on the front cover and a ton of music!Definitely worth the price. This collection is a great time capsule of tunes that spanned a decade.As great as some of them are they get just as bad!How can that not be entertaining?!!?Where else can you get in the same setSammy Davis Junior singing "Candyman" and Lynyrd Skynyrds (yes you guessed it-) "Freebird"? Classic 70's nostalgia at it's worst and it's finest!Perhaps those who are offended by this collection need to hang up their A/C D/C concert tee's for a moment and sit back and relax with a nice hot cup of cocoa and enjoythe smooth stylings of the Carpenters orlisten to the Star Wars theme song and pretend your Luke Skywalker battling Darth Vader! You remember that boys don't you?It's not so bad reliving your childhood through memories you get through music.Even if you are saying "I haven't heard this song for years!"or "Oh My God"I Promise this set will warm your nostalgic heart ... Read more

Asin: B000006OIT
Subjects:  1. 70's    2. AM Pop    3. Album Rock    4. Arena Rock    5. Blaxploitation    6. Blue-Eyed Soul    7. Blues-Rock    8. Boogie Rock    9. Box Sets (Audio Only)    10. Bubblegum    11. Club/Dance    12. Country-Pop    13. Country-Rock    14. Dance-Pop    15. Disco    16. Film Music    17. Folk-Rock    18. Funk    19. Glam Rock    20. Hard Rock    21. Jesus Rock    22. Motown    23. Orchestral Pop    24. Philly Soul    25. Pop    26. Pop-Soul    27. Pop/Rock    28. Power Pop    29. Prog-Rock/Art Rock    30. Psychedelic Soul    31. Quiet Storm    32. R&B    33. Rock    34. Show Tunes    35. Singer/Songwriter    36. Smooth Soul    37. Soft Rock    38. Soul    39. Soundtracks    40. Southern Rock    41. TV Soundtrack    42. Teen Idol    43. Television Music    44. Television Soundtracks    45. Traditional Pop    46. Urban