Deep Purple in Concert with LSO
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 February, 2000)
list price: $15.98 -- our price: $15.98
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Editorial Review

Deep Purple was the first band to note that heavy metal and classical music share a certain deluded grandeur and attempted to combine the two. While what resulted--specifically, their Concerto for Group and Orchestra--was pretty fearful stuff, it did, for better or for worse, pave the way for a generation of classically influenced heavy-rock bands: King Crimson, Yes, and Queen, among others. The concerto on this live CD appears alongside a bunch of the Purple's more genteel songs they played at the Royal Albert Hall, a show that celebrated their 30th anniversary of their first appearance there. Ian Gillan, who can still do a creditable impression of a bomber revving for takeoff, shares vocals with Ronnie James Dio and Sam Brown. --Andrew Mueller ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (26)

untitled
It sounds strange. They play new songs here. Here are only 6 old songs. The best songs are: Via Miami, That's why god is singing the blues, Ted the mechanic, Pictures of home, Smoke on the water. If this live album would be without a orchestra, it wouldn't sound so good. They sound better with the orchestra now. But in the early 70's they didn't. I don't recommend it.

I was VERY disappointed...
The Amazon reviewer was right:the first several songs on CD 1 was very laid back, reminding me of Division-Bell-Era Pink Floyd. (Boring!) Didn't hear drums until the third or fourth track, then it was ANYTHING but rock beats.What made S & M so great is that Metallica didn't write BALLADS or NOVELTY SONGS for their production:they rocked on with what they had on hand.Deep Purple wrote some of the hardest rocking songs in the R&R/Heavy Metal library (Mandrake Root, Space Truckin, Child in Time), and so it's MHO that they should have employed them as orchestra pieces: overall, they should have rocked the whole time.

Of course, Steve Morse was an odd substitute for Richie Blackmore, but stalwarts Ian Gillian and Jon Lord was in good form that night.The record doesn't start consistently rocking until WRING THAT NECK at the end of CD 1.(Kind of thinking about it, I would have liked to wring the necks of those who made the decisions to program and preserve this somewhat idiotic concert...ha, just kidding.)

On CD 2, I thought the concerto was pretty well executed (esp. the first movement) and the last couple songs on the album (esp Ted the Mechanic and Smoke on the Water) were well orchestrated and played.I guess I would give this album 4 stars if they only released CD2 and lowered the price.

no it is not true, this band is great
the reviewers below dont know what would they say,......this cd is a remake of concerto for group orchestra what the band did in 1969. the place took in the royal albert hall london 1999. I saw the performance in germany 2000 with the george enescu orchestra.
The result is amazing,...buy the cd! ... Read more

Asin: B00004I9U6
Subjects:  1. Arena Rock    2. British Invasion    3. British Metal    4. Concerto    5. England    6. Hard Rock    7. Heavy Metal    8. Pop    9. Rock    10. Rock & Roll    11. Rock/Pop    12. Vocal   

S&M
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 November, 1999)
list price: $24.98 -- our price: $22.99
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Editorial Review

At a point in their career when most bands would rest their laurels upon a greatest-hits package or live album, Metallica has done both, but with a decidedly loopy twist. They've recorded a double-live greatest-hits package with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra "sitting in." Rock history and cutout bins are littered with previous attempts at a rock-symphonic fusion, from Emerson, Lake & Palmer to Deep Purple to the Moody Blues and the Siegel-Schwall Blues Band. But while previous efforts at mixing the low-brow with the high-brow have mostly ended up browbeating the intended audience, S&M plays like a precarious joy ride. Set against the shrewd efforts of a team of orchestrators and arrangers (who employ enough taste to keep proceedings from sounding like one long "Live and Let Die" outtake), Metallica plays for their lives, undercutting their general somber tone by ratcheting up their musicianship several notches. The most underrated player here is SFO guest conductor and soundtrack vet Michael Kamen, whose attention to detail and nuance--and intuitive grasp of the Metallica canon--keeps this unlikely meeting of the minds focused and on track. -Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics
• Live

Reviews (818)

I dont understand everybody
How did Metallica sell out when this concert took place. This was one of those shows that was destined to take place. The band never sounded better and with symphony it just added to the songs. I love the intro to Master of Puppets. The only complaint i have about the cd is the fact that Unforgiven, Fade to Black, and Sanitarium are not here. If you are a true Metallica fan or want something brand new that will blow you away, pick up this cd. It is one of my top favorite albums of all time.

Very good, actually...
Sorry, "true" fans. This is one post-Black album release I can't rate any lower than four stars. Yeah, the Loads were nothing incredible, but this one turned out pretty damn good.

Metallica with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra? Surely the most un-metal thing Metallica has ever done (save for Lars' Napster endeavors). But this works because it HAD to work. The best metal knows how to pace itself between the hard riffing and time signatures, which is where Michael Kamen comes in. The so-called voids of Metallica's classic songs are filled in here with varying degrees of melodic brass and string work (loud, soft and everything in between). Kamen's done a beautiful thing here.

The early stuff sounds the best; it's only the Load/Reload songs that don't work as well. It's constant Metallica instrumentals all the way, with no breaks in the songs. It's therefore kind of hard to appreciate what Kamen is doing with them. Still, some of the versions here trump the originals, specifically "The Memory Remains." It's especially during the climax where the song takes on a whole new light.

Now, the cons. I've never heard Hetfield as "sing-songy" as he is here. It's almost as if he's trying too hard. Just stick to what made you great, James! Hammett sounds like it's hard for him to concentrate with all that orchestral stuff going on behind him. But, Jason Newstead is pretty sharp throughout. And Lars sounds like he's beating those drums like his life depended on it.

So, the lead singer and the lead guitarist aren't at their best here, so how does it work? It just does. Listen to it with an open mind and you'll be pleasantly suprised. Highly recommended.

They do it again
Another great CD, if your a Metallica fan you need this in your collection, great great CD ... Read more

Asin: B00002Z88D
Subjects:  1. Hard Rock    2. Heavy Metal    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Speed Metal    6. Strings    7. Thrash    8. United States of America   

Live In Australia With The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $17.98
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Features

• Live

Reviews (32)

TheDefinitive Elton John Collection
This album to me is the definitive Elton John collection. The choice of songs is impeccable. Mostly made up of songs from the early years of the John-Taupin relationship, it is the definitive way Elton should be heard. The older songs such as "Sixty Years On", "The Greatest Discovery", and "The King Must Die" are rare nuggets that reveal a time when the writing styles of the duo was very raw. In my opinion, the version of "Tonight" is a lot richer sounding than the version on "Blue Moves". "Tiny Dancer" and "Burn Down the Mission" are Elton concert staples, but are given added luster with the addition of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. And of course this is the album that brought "Candle In The wind" back to the masses. Released as the single from the album,it brought Elton back to the Top 10 after approximately 4 year absence. True Elton fans know that right after this album was recorded, Elton had nodules removed from his throat. Knowing this adds to the rawness of his vocals and the emotions from the recordings.(Elton did not know the severity of his throat problems at the time.) Given all of this, "Live In Australia" defines Elton John's career and is a cornerstone of his catalog that all fans should have. If I am introducing someone to Elton John, this is the album I would buy them.

I got connections
This is by far my favourite Elton John album, because my Dad's on it!!! He was 1st cellist in the Melbourne Symphony at the time. He doesn't get a mention in the liner notes sadly, but he is on the video many times. And call me liar if you will, but I did meet the man after the concert, I was 8 though (damn). His signed photo is hanging behind me.

But enough about me. As for the album, I just liked how a lot of the less popular songs were performed. Almost in the same ideal as Metallica's S&M, but of course Elton's songs are alot easier to orchestrate. Tiny Dancer, Don't Let the Sun and Tonight were my favourites.

Live
What I don't understand about this album is the fact he has only played songs from his early career. THis was in 1987, so why not have soemthign from all periods instead of just from his early days. He could have done Nikita, Sad Songs, Little Jeannie, Blue Eyes, I'm still standing, I mean an orchestra would have sounded good doing "Empty Garden" or "Legal Boys" But alas, this is a great album of live material of his early days, recorded in 1987. ... Read more

Asin: B000002O88
Sales Rank: 11706
Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Album Rock    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Rock    6. Singer/Songwriter    7. Soft Rock   

Rainbow Rising/Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (27 April, 1999)
list price: $9.98 -- our price: $9.98
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Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (81)

A Metal Masterpiece! (4.5)
Ritchie Blackmore + Ronnie James Dio + Cozy Powell! I'm sure you already knew that would be a classic! Ritchie Blackmore had just left Deep Purple when he teamed up with Ronnie! Ronnie had yet to go on to join Black Sabbath and later form his own band. The addition of Cozy Powell on drums made this seem like one hell of an idea, and they sure did pull it off well!

Ritchie Blackmore changed up his guitar style a little bit from what he had going on Deep Purple's albums. His guitar work sound a little more smooth (if that makes any sense to you). With the Purples he had pretty much the simple sound, but here he opens it up a little and shows us that he can play a little different. This is Rainbow's second album and is certainly better than "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow". Ronnie James Dio gives a stellar (as usual) performance on vocals, a performance that I only think he beat in his "Holy Diver" album. Hen has that sound wel all love, that Ronnie sound that we can't get enough of! Cozy Powell gives a good (but not his best ever) drum performance. I own the old vinyl copy of this album and on it you can't really hear Jimmy Bain's bass. I don't know what the CD version sounds like or if there is a remaster but the production value of this album is that great! I believe Tony Carey did the keyboard on this album and by god he did it well. Some of his intro riffs are so good, that they make the song seem awesome before it even gets going. This album has an overall mystical, almost spooky sound. Kind of like Black Sabbath with a little twist.

The songs on here are all gems. The highlights being "Stargazer" "Starstruck" and "Run with the Wolf". The weakest song, I found was "Do you Close Your Eyes". It wasn't bad, it just wasn't "Stargazer". This is my favourite Rainbow album. It is much better than their debut and a little better than "Long Live Rock N Roll". I highly reccomned this album to anyone into prog metal, metal in general or rock music in general!

The best Rainbow-album
This definitely is the best album by rainbow. Dio sings fantastic on this album(ofcours he always sings fantastic) and the guitarsolo's and keyboardsolo's are great. The album kicks off with 'Tarot Woman'. That is a really good song. It starts with some mysterious keyboard play, and then you slowly hear the guitar becoming louder and louder, and then it breaks out. Great start of the album. Then 'Run with the Wolf', good song too. And at number three you get to hear 'Starstruck'. Another very good song which had been a great hit. So the first three songs are very good, well, it will only get better.

'Do you close your eyes' is good, but all the other songs on this album are better. After that one you get 'Stargazer'. That is definitely the best song on the whole album. I think it's even the best song of all rainbow-songs. 'Stargazor' is just magical. The song always gives me chills and I think it is THE highlight of this album. This album is THE highlight of all Rainbow's albums. I can't really explane more how I feel about 'Stargazor', it's just such a fantastic song.

The last song is 'Light at the Black'. Good song, and the guitarsolo and keyboardsolo are fantastic. So as you can here, this surely is the best Rainbow-album ever. I wont be the only one who will say that, just look at the other reviews and see.

Highly recommended!

4.5 stars - Rainbow finds their classic sound
Rainbow Rising (1976.) Rainbow's second album.

When Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple following that band's Stormbringer album, it's doubtful that many fans knew that he would rise again, and recapture his former glory. Sure, Rainbow was never as popular as the mighty Deep Purple, but their music was still nothing short of excellent. The band's first album, while a bit uneven, was still excellent. Following its recording, Blackmore ditched all of Ronnie James Dio's former Elf comrades and hired some new musicians, so that he could take the band in a new, more "power rock" oriented sound. With new bandmates Jimmy Bain on bass, Tony Carey on keyboards, and Cozy Powell on drums, the band went into the studio, recorded, and released their second studio album in 1976. How does this one measure up? Read on for my review of Rainbow Rising.

Rainbow's advancing in a new direction was one of the smartest moves of their career. This album is much more of a power/hard rock than the first Rainbow one was. There are a few bluesy elements present, but now that most of Elf was gone, the sound was much more hard rock oriented. Tarot Woman, the track that kicks it off, features awesome keyboard effects, similar to the ones in Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter Group and Fly Like An Eagle by the Steve Miller Band. It eventually becomes a hard and melodic rocker. Track two, Run With The Wolf, is a very memorable mid-tempo melodic hard rocker, symbolic of the rock that Dio would continue to make for years to come. My favorite cut here is Starstruck, in which Dio tells the tale of an obsessive fan he can't get away from. The vocals and instruments here are tough to forget. A Light In The Black, the closing track, is an awesome hard rocker reminiscent of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, even though that wouldn't be unleashed for at least two more years. In the end, this album flat out rocks.

THE TEXT IN THIS PARAGRAPH REFERS EXCLUSIVELY TO THE WARNER BROS. AMERICAN REISSUE OF THE ALBUM. The record company did a decent job remastering and rereleasing the Rainbow catalogue, as did they several other artists. Unfortunately, they didn't really do anything outside of improving the sound quality. You don't get expanded liner notes, interviews, bonus tracks, combined albums, or anything. Oh, well. I guess we can't have it all.

Rainbow's second album is damn fine - enough said. If you're a fan of classic hard power rock, this is a release well worth adding to your collection. It's a shame that Blackmore and Dio's Rainbow days tend to go overlooked in favor of the more popular material they did with other bands, because this is some of their finest work. Check it out - It's unlikely that you'll be disappointed.
... Read more

Asin: B00000IMTF
Sales Rank: 9528
Subjects:  1. Hard Rock    2. Heavy Metal    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Finyl Vinyl
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 May, 1999)
list price: $22.98
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Features

• Original recording remastered
• Live

Reviews (6)

Raid The Archives So We Can Have More From This Line-Up...
As another mentioned, it would be great to have more from Rainbow, especially more of the era spanning 1980-1984.It was a bit of a catch 22 to see Ritchie Blackmore return to Deep Purple late in 1984, even though it produced the exceptional "Perfect Strangers" album.I once had "Finyl Vinyl" on cassette tape, album, and on CD, all at once!I don't really know how that happened but it is truly a great compilation."Spotlight Kid", "I Surrender" and "Street of Dreams" are much better live than their respective studio versions.Perhaps, though, the "Japan Tour 84" CD ought to be re-released to do the Blackmore, Turner, Glover, Burgi, and Rosenthal line-up justice.What really catches the listener is just how good Chuck Burgi is on drums.A fast and furious drummer with remarkable precision.

The final release - or maybe not!
Having listened to the studio version of "Difficult To Cure" and then seeing the live version on the long-deleted "Live Between The Eyes" VHS, I was intrigued by the possibility of the version which exists on this release. It is worth the price just for that track alone. Rainbow with an orchestra.....Incredible. But while this is an exceptionally high high-point, it is not the only one. To finally hear "Since You Been Gone" live with Graham Bonnet (sadly the only live track from this short-lived incarnation of the band) was something of a revelation, although I still prefer the studio version. But this compilation covers almost every line-up of the band, presumably ignoring the line-up which recorded "Onstage", for obvious reasons (see that album and the "Live In Europe/Live In Germany" sets. The only sticking point for this was the inclusion of a couple of non-album b-sides, which had already appeared on the "Best Of Rainbow" album in the UK in the early '80s. A couple of other live tracks might have been better. How about more from that Monsters Of Rock show which produced "Since You Been Gone". If you're expecting a 2CD live album, forget it. This is a compilation, and should be treated as such. But maybe the time has come to release some of the older live material in the full glory of the concert recording format. "Live Between The Eyes" was a good show, but on CD you would certainly lose the full impact of the guitar-smashing - although it does SOUND really good!!! Come on Polygram, raid those archives!!

Rainbow game
Cool compilation! If you love Deep purple , you will like this one too. ... Read more

Asin: B00000J2SS
Sales Rank: 84310
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Counterparts
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 October, 1993)
list price: $9.98
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Editorial Review

The production on Counterparts is a bit too smooth, which means that the passion that normally infuses Rush's music (and prevents it from being too coldly intellectual) is weakened. The songs themselves are good, including the singles "Animate","Nobody's Hero", and "Stick It Out". Other standouts are "Cut to the Chase" and "Cold Fire". Though Rush's brand of slick, sophisticated progressive rock isn't exactly trendy, it is what they do best, and they've wisely stuck to it. Therefore, although Counterparts isn't on a par with Moving Pictures or Permanent Waves, it's still a strong effort. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (105)

there are some cheesy parts, but overall it is good
some of my all time favorite rush songs are included on here, such as the incredibly strong instrumental track "leave that thing alone" and the underrated "between sun and moon."but there are corny parts that make me cringe, like parts of "alien shore" and "cold fire."The playing is outstanding on every song, but the lyrics are very occasionally embarassing.However, it is a strong effort and on par with Roll the Bones as another good Rush offering from the 90's.I personally like the cd's they released at this time, but many people do not, so explore this era carefully.Just remember that this cd is a mixed bag, but it has mostly good songs.

An overlooked gem
'Counterparts', released in 1993, smack-dab in the middle of the putrid grunge era, followed 'Roll the Bones' but didn't sell as well. This could stem from the fact that the songs on offer on 'Counterparts' are less radio-friendly than RtB. "Animate" is an excellent song to open up the album with and is over six minutes long (I REAAAALLLLLY wish Rush would go back to writing side-long epics--why did they abandon that?!?!). Some of the other songs, like "Alien Shore" and 'Everyday Glory" need some time to grow on you, but once they do, they refuse to let go. Rush's world-class musical skills by this point have become something of a cliche--they haven't lost any of the chops they had during the Golden 2112-Moving Pictures era. To hear an example of a band properly mapping out new territory musically, buy this album!


THE REPORT CARD:

Animate: A (catchy chorus)
Stick It Out: B+ (when I first heard this song's opening riff, I had to make sure I wasn't listening to Soundgarden)
Cut to the Chase: A (WOW, what a solo!!)
Nobody's Hero: B+ (one of Rush's more melodic songs)
Between Sun & Moon: A (a lost classic)
Alien Shore: A (great use of symbolism--bravo, Neil!)
The Speed of Love: B (that's an awkward title if I ever heard one)
Double Agent: A- (this reminds me of late 80s Rush; contains eerie Queensryche-ish spoken word sections)
Leave That Thing Alone: A (top-shelf musicianship)
Cold Fire: C+ (uh, oh, the token commerical-sounding track; not THAT bad, though)
Everyday Glory: A- (that intro sounds video-gamey..meh, I'm not complaining)

A great album
It seems that we have unknown musical talents here, criticizing this wonderful album with words like "cheesy", "Rush's worst album" and so on... Yes, guys, come on : you are so talented, why don't you write songs ? Rush are sure known as an overrated band with untalented musicians (Alex who ? Geddy who ?) and an awful writer, Neil Peart : you have your chances on the road to success !
Sorry, but these critics really drive me nuts : songs like "the speed of love", "nobody's hero" or "double agent" are fantastic. It's not because this album is different that it is crap ! This album is the work of an amazing band, that explores what music is all about : making people dream...
... Read more

Asin: B000002IWQ
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Arena Rock    3. Canada    4. Hard Rock    5. Pop    6. Prog-Rock/Art Rock    7. Rock   

Retro Active
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 October, 1993)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
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Reviews (35)

A diamond among gems, RETRO stands up and delivers!
Retro Active is a collection of outtakes and leftovers spanning Def Leppard's entire career. But don't get fooled to thinking these are just a collection of filler tracks.The entire album rocks and rolls with some of the greatest songs we never heard from the band!Kicking off the disc, "Desert Song" and "Fractured Love" are two of its most distinctive tracks, harkening back to the band's early (pre-success) days with their rough power chords.

After paying homage to some of their heroes with a set of covers (Sweet's "Action" and Mick Ronson's "Only After Dark"), the band tackles a couple of solid balads -- "Two Steps Behind" and "Miss You in a Heartbeat" -- before continuing with "From the Inside." Taken from the Hysteria sessions, the classy "I Wanna Be Your Hero" is another pleasant surprise, and the band reaches all the way back to the beginning by re-recording their first demo "Ride into the Sun" Which is also a classic song with lots of their signature guitar and drums.

Overall, this is an interesting release which marks the end of a long chapter in the band's history, following the death of guitarist and guiding force Steve Clark. Def Leppard fans will revel in Retro-Active's diversity and informative liner notes.

1. Desert Song
2. Fractured Love
3. Action
4. Two Steps Behind [Acoustic Version]
5. She's Too Tough
6. Miss You in a Heartbeat
7. Only After Dark
8. Ride into the Sun
9. From the Inside
10. Ring of Fire
11. I Wanna Be Your Hero
12. Miss You in a Heartbeat [Electric Version]
13. Two Steps Behind [Electric Version]

Contains Several Unknown Gems
I got this album just 6 years ago on cassette while in South Korea. I then go it on cd because I deemed it worthy! Most of these songs are good enough to be on any Lep album. They are much better than anything after Pyromania, although Euphoria has some good tunes. Ring of Fire and Desert Song (great lead) kick ass! Action (Sweet) and She's Too Tough (covered by Helix) rock too. Miss You In A Heartbeat is a good ballad while From The Inside talks about alcoholism (Steve Clark). After Dark is a catchy song. I'm glad to see this album getting good reviews. It's the best thing they put out after Pyromania!

NOW I remember why I bought "X"
Not too long ago, Def Leppard was one of the most exciting bands in rock; they were popular AND talented, a dynamite combination of one part brain, one part heart, and one part libido, that mixed up one of the best formulas around. Unfortunately, critics started blaming them for just that - "The Formula." Then, in recent years, as they've been trying to fight their way out of "The Formula" label, fewer people have been noticing/caring, and critics that DO notice make sure to slam them for trying to be something they are not. Alas, in the case of Def Leppard, I DO agree with that unfortunate claim.

Regardless of what type of person you are, Leppard Hater, Leppard Lover, Leppard "They [stunk] since Hysteria" -er, Leppard "I stumbled on this page by accident" -er, or other - er -, if you, like me, wish the real Def Leppard would please stand up, buy Retro Active and prepare to get more of your 15 bucks worth than you have in awhile. It's been a decade since this last great Def Leppard Album, but a decade isn't as much as one might think, given it would take another quick decade after this to go back to their Pyromania days. And the bottom line is that, not so long ago, they really were on a role, musically speaking. I can't believe how much I almost forgot how much I loved this band till I threw this on the stereo a few weeks ago - and subsequently haven't been able to stop listening to it. "X" really is a bad album, so bad, it brainwashed me into temporarily losing too much respect for the band. It's hard for me to tell if they really have always been a little too money hungry, but regardless, if you like good music, let's put everything aside and proclaim the wonderful evolutionary direction the band was going in the early 90's, with the wonderful succession of Pyromania to Hysteria to Adrenalize to ironically, a "retro" album.

Without giving it all away, here's a quick runthrough of the wonderfully long (did I mention you get your money's worth) and successfully diverse (keyword - SUCCESSFULLY) song roster. "Desert Song" took awhile to grow on me, but once it did, I woke up to the AMAZING guitar solos -- they were showing signs of prog with their choices of scale usages and rhythmic motives! And they STILL managed to be catchy. I wish they would have taken that idea and made all of their subsequent music with that in mind. "Fractured Love" has highly effective percussive elements while still keeping a shoutalong chorus (think the next logical step after "Rocket"). The way they covered "Action" really blows me away, as I wish their own writing was as experimental yet quality filled as those that influenced them. There are the hits "Two Steps Behind" and "Miss You in a Heartbeat", both with acoustic and electric versions. The latter has a piano/vocal version also.

Personally, the electric version of "Two Steps Behind" is one of their best all time moments, it just takes me to another world. Fans of the "Leppard Layering technique" - with guitars upon guitars and vocals upon vocals - will not be disappointed. Joe Elliot plays some cool (albeit inexcusably short) boogie woogie piano as the intro to a revision of one of their earliest songs ("Ride into the Sun"), and REALLY hits the jackpot with the gutwrenchingly highly artistic collaboration with the Hothouse Flowers ("From the Inside"). The marriage of music to lyrics here is supreme. The driving d minor riff to "Ring of Fire" will have you hypnotized into playing it yourself for hours on end, and "I wanna be your hero" and "She's Too Tough" are way too strong to merely exist as B Sides.

I could go on forever, but I believe my point is made. Who REALLY is Def Leppard? It's always controversial to answer a question like that with one particular album, released, years ago, and ESPECIALLY when the answer isn't "Hysteria." And in fact, it's not that it's not "Hysteria". Again, "Retro Active" is a collection of all sorts of various material, much of which was originally given birth along with that landmark album from 1987.

Bottom line: THIS is why today's rock music is inexcusable. It (including Leppard) has only gotten worse since then, and with an album like this, there really is something here for everyone. Why aren't today's bands feeling more of a kick in the [rear]? It's because not even the record companies think that music is in a lot of trouble.

If you feel the same way, email me. ... Read more

Asin: B000001E21
Sales Rank: 20869
Subjects:  1. Hair Metal    2. Hard Rock    3. Heavy Metal    4. Pop    5. Pop-Metal    6. Pop/Rock    7. Rock   

24 Nights
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 October, 1991)
list price: $24.98 -- our price: $22.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Here's something for the Clapton fan who enjoys hearing him play in all manner of contexts. On this two-CD set, recorded over a 24-night stand at London's Albert Hall, Clapton performs with a stripped-down four-piece band; a more lushly arranged nonet, an all-star blues lineup featuring stellar guitarists Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, and Jimmie Vaughan as well as legendary pianist Johnnie Johnson; and a full orchestra conducted by Michael Kamen. Most fans will find the blues segment the most endearing, but the album proves that Clapton is a blues-rock master who can excel in almost any setting. --Daniel Durchholz ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (28)

Good, tear-it-up live stuff
Solid and powerful music. The live recording quality is A+. A reminder that EC still has it. Make it part of your collection.

Almost 3 and half stars but still worth the purchase
I love live Clapton releases.This is a good release but I feel the songs are rushed and bland compared to other "live" versions.I cannot stomach the end of "Wonderful Tonight", especially if you ever seen the video of it, sounds like a cat in heat...but there are highlights including the songs released during this time period "Pretending", "Bad Love", and a nice version of "Bell Bottom Blues"....maybe this was the 24th night, I just feel the energy had left the building.

Another solid outing from a more mature Clapton
This is an excellent compilation taken from 24 night run at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1990.This is a great CD for hardcore Clapton fans or for the unfamiliar music lover.The sound quality is top notch and the whole band is in fine form.

Disc one- Badge is a great opener with a cathcy little piano riff that will bring a smile to your face and get your head boppin.White Room and Sunshine kick as usual although a little more soloing from Clapton and few other insturments would of been appreciated.A fun Watch Yourself and interesting Edge round out an overall solid disc that you will leave in your player for a long while

Disc two- Pretending is my favorite song on the whole album and this song prooves that Clapton hasn't lost contrary to what some of his fans think.He still has the ability and the drive/energy, he just displays less often which is a little unfortuante.Both Bad and Old Love are good follow ups and the rest finish suit nicely.

Bottom Line: a great two disc set.If you are new to Clapton than go with Crossroads 2 instead but if you don't want shell out a 50 than you might want to consider 24 nights although there are decent Clapton offerings for the rookies that might be better. ... Read more

Asin: B000002LN9
Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Album Rock    3. Blues-Rock    4. British Blues    5. British Psychedelia    6. Guitar    7. Hard Rock    8. Pop    9. Pop/Rock    10. Psychedelic    11. Rock    12. Vocals   

Pandora's Box (3 Cds in Double Jewel Case)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (18 March, 1997)
list price: $39.98 -- our price: $39.98
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Editorial Review

Aerosmith were written off by the pop pundits in the early '80s as a drug-ravaged bunch of Rolling Stones clones who would go down in music history as little more than a hard-rock footnote. The band, however, rose from the ashes to become an even mightier hit machine in the '90s, even if they ended up selling their soul to pop über-songstress Diane Warren in the bargain. This three-CD compilation is a marathon tour of their first glorious, casualty-ridden decade and a body of work that proudly wears its influences on its sleeve: Chicago and Delta blues, early R&B, the Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, and, of course, the Stones. Virtually all the early hits and concert crowd pleasers are here, along with nearly two dozen rare, unreleased, and live cuts, thoroughly documented with refreshing doses of self-deprecation as it bravely traces the band's arc from Boston bar-band supreme to stadium superstars to seeming dissipation. If there's a gaping hole in the "A" section of your hard-rock library, this is a fine introduction to the Aerosmith that influenced a generation of musicians, stretching from Van Halen to R.E.M. to Guns N' Roses. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Good, but too much of it is previously released
Pandora's Box. An Aerosmith box set.

When Aerosmith began to regain fame in the late eighties and early nineties, many fans of the group began to forget about the classic hard rock material that the group had recorded in the seventies, prior to their original break-up. This was a shame, because the band's seventies material was really the best stuff they had ever recorded. To try to make the Aerosmith legacy of the past more well-known, the Pandora's Box set was released. Read on for my review of this set.

PROS:
-YOU GET THREE DISCS OF MATERIAL FROM THE BAND'S CLASSIC SEVENTIES MATERIAL. This is the era in which the band was in their prime, and it's great that the record company decided to released a box set of nothing but tracks from this era.
-THERE ARE A TON OF UNDERRATED MASTERPIECES AND RARE TRACKS. This isn't just a hit singles box - there are plenty of underrated album cuts here. Furthermore, the box does one better and gives you a ton of rarities! You get demos, alternate takes, alternate versions, rare tracks, and tons of other cool little rare things. The unreleased stuff is the best part of this set.
-THE LINER NOTES ARE NICE. The notes will give you plenty of seventies Aerosmith info, and let you know about the band before their original break-up in the early eighties.

CONS:
-TOO MUCH OF THIS STUFF IS PREVIOUSLY RELEASED. The band really needs to make the rare stuff in this set available elsewhere, because most fans of the band sure as hell aren't going to be too willing to shell out the big bucks for the sake of a few rare songs - and they'll be getting so many songs they already have.
-FOR WHAT IT IS, THE SET IS OVERPRICED. A set like this should be priced considerably less, unless the band would have been willing to include an extra disc of material. I personally think the band would have been better off releasing a collection of their complete albums from this era, along with an extra disc of material.

OVERALL:
Overall, this is a very good set, I just wish they'd made the unreleased tracks available somewhere else, since most fans don't want to buy the same songs twice. Still, it's an excellent overview of the band in their prime, and is strongly recommended to any fan of the group.

Pandora's Rocks!!
well this is of course must have for any Aero-fans out there.
this is not just another compilation,It's more than that...
With songs and jams that never released before,A different versions for some 70's classics,and a great covers first time release like-"All your love" and the over-the-top amazing version of the band for-"Rattlesnake Shake" by Fleetwood mac.
It's full of all the classics & best songs of the band from the 70's.
If you read the book-Walk this way and after that listen to Paondora's box you will see that Pandora is not a compilation but more like a road-trip with the band through the early 70's to the end of this fantastic decade.
Long live Aerosmith and let the music do the talkin'...

A good collection of their "comeback" hits
In 1975, I purchased the single `Walk This Way."It along with the radio play of `Dream On' and `Sweet Emotion' is the only exposure I had to Aerosmith for the next 15 years.Having caught them live with KISS last month, I was most impressed with their stage presence and collectively how tight they were as a band.(Unfortunately, I can not make the same positive comment about KISS.)Regardless, I wanted to get a hold of some of their music while eagerly awaiting their new "blues" album.I decided to purchase a "greatest hits" cd of their comeback music rather than purchase all their studio recordings since 1985.Young lust has provided me with all the aerosmith songs I've heard on the radio for the past 15 years.Plus, I have a couple of live oldies that remind me of what a good performance I witnessed.Now, I need to get pandora's box and then (for the casual Aerosmith fan), I'll be sitting pretty. ... Read more

Asin: B000002BVE
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Fish out of Water
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (22 September, 1998)
list price: $23.99 -- our price: $23.99
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Features

• Import

Reviews (63)

A Must-Have!
I'd seen this solo album sitting in the bins & was always curious to hear it, but put it off until very recently. I was left wondering what in the hell took me so long! What struck me right away was hearing Chris' voice on it's own without Jon Anderson & the others backing him up & I'd say he's quite good for what he does.

The album's opener, "Hold Out Your Hand" greets you with majestic pipe organs- a familiar sound to Yes fans, yet after the vocals begin, you know it isn't Yes. It's a fine blend of prog elements & easy to swallow pop sense. Squire has an orchestra backing him on this track without overpowering him. As expected, Chris' trademark potent, flowery playing on his Rickenbacker bass is to the fore on this & the rest of the album. Fans of his thick, chunky tones will not be disappointed.

"...Hand" flows directly into "You By My Side". I couldn't help but think the Beach Boys during some of the harmonic vocals here at roughly the 1:50 minute mark. This is a pretty & subtle love song with a slower waltz feel, but it slowly builds in grandeur with the orchestra & brass then gently descends back to earth like a feather. Almost sounding like the end of a church hymn. Beautiful.

It again flows straight into what is to me, the album's center piece- "Silently Falling". The flutes & wind instruments play like a soundtrack to a prog rock opera. If you'd heard the opening to this song on its own, you wouldn't guess in a thousand years it was off an album by the same guy who came up w/ the rocking bassline to "Roundabout". But as soon as that familiar Rick' bass cautiously walks its way into the scene, you know you'll be in for a ride! Chris takes us on a hopeful, positive journey on this track which begins as soon as you hear that buzzing Rick' & the band kicks in. He & Bill Bruford work perfectly on it. This song is one you're bound to play again & again. The colorfully melodic 1st half comes to a sudden end when the tempo picks up & we're soaring through the air on a Bruford/Squire-led, wild, swirling, jazzy flight to anywhere. It gradually swells with intensity & then as suddenly as it began, you're softly awakened from it all w/ another sung verse & a return to the original musical theme. This song could've easily been divided into 3 'suites' as Yes were so prone to doing. The final section is a slow motion goodbye to the listener w/ the strings & band melding together perfectly.

"Lucky Seven" reminded me somehow of the 70s jazz albums I'd heard as a kid. Maybe Bob James? I think Bruford's influence is strong on this album & it would've had a completely different atmosphere had Alan White taken drumming duty. Squire's playing sounding almost funky in a 70s way with the hammer-ons etc. You get the impression he had fun with this one & it almost sounds like he improvised it. The sax occasionally reminding you of its presence & then soloing on it's own in the fade-out accompanied nicely again by Bruford.

We seamlessly glide into the album closer, "Safe (Canon Song)". Lyrically, it's a song of reassurance. That things will be fine. A perfect way to leave the listener. Chris once again getting some unique tones from his Rick'. This time more on the trebly, "ringing" end. Almost like an 8-string bass at some points. (though I suspect it's Chris on an electric 12-string guitar) It culminates dramatically & melodically along w/ the orchestra without forgetting the rock'n'roll side of this outfit. Reminiscent of what ELP was doing on almost all of their albums. The bass synth fading it out & then what sounds like Chris' bass(?) quietly giving the finishing touch to a great album.

This album was written & recorded in a surprisingly short amount of time; in roughly 2 months following Yes' Relayer tour. And the fact that it turned out to be such a quality project from The Prog Bassist only further proves Chris Squire's songwriting prowess & importance to Yes.

I've heard this album described as "the lost Yes album", but y'know, I'd have to disagree. There certainly are parts of it that'll no doubt remind you of Yes, but to my ears, the finished product is "un-Yes". It sounds precisely like what it is- solo Chris Squire.

Prog bass at its best
Chris Squire's solo shot FISH OUT OF WATER is a wonderful opportunity to enjoybass playing at its finest. Squire's playing is impeccable on the 5 songs here, with able support from such Patrick Moraz and Bill Bruford. The CD captures the majestic sound of progressive rock well with its ethereal lyrics and soaring, classically influenced themes. Squire does a nice job on the vocals as well, there really is no hesitation at all; just pure confidence in his ability to make the song work. Solo recordings by members of well-known bands are often painful experiences, self- indulgent and pointless; Squire has made one that stands with the best that Yes has to offer.

Progressive Genius! Buy it Now, before it's too late!
What can I say that has not already been said here? I can't say enough good things about this LP. I have it on vinyl. The CD can only bring out the best in an already fantastic performance. Progressive Rock with a hint of Jazz. Moving and inspiring. Techincal Perfection. Songs for the mind, written from the heart. This is a long forgotten gem. A must have for not only YES fans, but for all progressive rock lovers. One of the top 20 progressive records of all time. Squire's Solo Masterpiece. Buy it now. They don't make records like this anymore.I reccommend this LP. And if you are interested in other Progressive Gems from Yes solo artists. I also suggest you check out these LP's on CD: "Steve Howe:Beginnings", "Jon Anderson: Olias of Sunhillow" and "Rick Wakeman: No Earthly Connection"With the attitude of the major record labels, and the passing of so much time, the fact that any of these LP's exist on CD is remarkable. This may be your last chance to remember what good non-commercial music really sounds like. Don't pass this up! ... Read more

Asin: B000005S6Z
Sales Rank: 22628
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Prog-Rock/Art Rock    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop   

My Favorite Headache
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (14 November, 2000)
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Editorial Review

It's ironic that someone associated with Ayn Rand's cult of the individual would record 22 Rush albums before getting around to doing one of his own. Of course, Geddy Lee hasn't lacked self-expression as the Canadian trio's lead singer and bassist, but this first solo album does highlight interesting aspects of the esoteric rocker's talent. Recording and cowriting with Ben Mink (formerly of fellow Canadian bandF.M., but better known for his exceptional collaborations with k.d. lang), Lee's distinctive vocals sit nicely amid Beatle-esque strings on "Working @ Perfekt" and "The Angel's Share." Elsewhere, the piano-driven "Slipping" and "Still" evoke an air of personal reflection that can get lost in Rush's sonic onslaught. Yes, there's still plenty of quick riffing ("Home on the Strange" makes Yes sound restrained), overly ambitious lyrics (the title track rhymes "nihilistic" with "realistic"), and that patented, helium-tinged voice. But listening to this record could surprise many of the band's detractors, while serving as an enjoyable head-rush for fans awaiting album 23. --Bill Forman ... Read more

Reviews (179)

Geddy Lee's solo debut
My Favorite Headache (2000.) Geddy Lee's first solo album.

At the end of the nineties, Rush was on an indefinite hiatus. Drummer Neil Peart had suffered a double tragedy - within a period of just a few months, his wife died of cancer and his daughter was killed in a car accident. The group didn't know if they'd ever record again (they did, fortunately.) But while the band was on this hiatus, singer/bassist Geddy Lee did something completely unexpected - he released a solo album. My Favorite Headache was released in 2000. How would his first solo effort measure up? Read on for my review of the album.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this album - would it be a continuation of the classic Rush sound, or something new altogether? The latter answer ended up being the correct one. With this album, Geddy Lee does his own thing, his own way. The lack of Neil Peart is the major reason for the change in sound - We're used to hearing Lee sing lyrics that Peart wrote, and we don't hear those here. Geddy's vocals are much more "direct" than the clever type we expect from Peart's writing, but that doesn't mean this isn't an excellent album. The sound on here fuses elements of progressive rock and modern pop rock, and the end result is quite entertaining. Unfortunately, some people go it expecting this to sound like Rush, and when they find that it doesn't they reject and bash it without giving it a chance. That's a shame, since this really is good music. However, it most certainly isn't for everyone. I give it four out of five stars.

Sadly, this album has faded from the store shelves. It was a commercial failure despite the music being very good. Because of this, it's likely that you're going to have to search a number of stores before you finally come across a copy - or you could just order it online and save yourself the trouble of searching.

In the end, I'm very satisfied with Geddy Lee's solo album, even if it did poorly from a commercial standpoint. This is NOT a Rush album, or anything like one - Geddy Lee's vocals are the only remote similarity. If you're a fan of Rush and you want to see a side of Geddy Lee you won't on any of their albums, pick up his solo album. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Sometimes the End Product isn't the Sum of the Parts
Over the years, when I think of the Canadian Progressive Rock Band, the word that immediately comes to mind is stability.When drummer Neil Peart joined Rush in 1975, it would start one of the most consistent Rock productions in music history. For the most part, from 1975 through 1996, Rush would average an new album about every one to two years.Throughout this period of time, the lineup remained a constant - Neil Peart on Drums, Alex Lifeson on Guitar, and Geddy Lee on Vocals, Bass, and Keyboards.After their 1996 release, "Test for Echo", things would change. The band would embark on what would be their longest hiatus due to the tragic and separate deaths of Neil Peart's wife and daughter. As a result of these tragedies, Rush went on hold.While it was completely understandable to give Neil time to put his life back together, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson began to keep busy.It was during this time that Geddy Lee embarked on his first solo project outside of Rush. The result is the release of "My Favorite Headache".Because this was a release by Geddy Lee, it was immediately an attractive collection to me. However, while this isn't a bad album - overall the album did not meet the high expectations I had set for it.

For starters, although this is a "solo" album by Geddy Lee - this is a team effort by those musicians that were involved.Joining Geddy on this effort are musicians Ben Mink and Matt Cameron. The lineup for "My Favorite Headache" has a similar feel to that of Rush - in terms of the lineup being a trio with distinct responsibilities. Of course, Geddy is the vocalist - and plays Bass and Keyboards.He also adds some Piano and Percussion to this lineup. Ben Mink plays Guitars and also contributes Violins and Violas.Those who are familiar with Matt Cameron will remember his days as drummer for Pearl Jam.Cameron is going to do a solid job on drums, but this particular effort isn't going to require the thundering drumming style of Neil Peart.While Rush was always a band that created almost every sound on the album, Geddy will employ more outsiders (after all - this is a "solo" project). What is also different is the use of such string instruments such as Steel Guitars, Violins, Violas, and Cellos. This gives the album a very different feel.

As for the songwriting responsibilities, things have changed a bit from Rush. In Rush, the responsibilities were always clear. Neil Peart was always a man of few spoken words, but when it came to written words - Peart was the lyricist for Rush. Peart established himself as one of the premier lyricists in Rock history. The writing of the music fell to Alex and Geddy. Obviously, for Geddy's solo project - there was going to be no Neil or Alex to work this effort. On this collection, it is Geddy who actually takes on the role of the lyricist. Geddy continues to be the writing of the music - this time in collaboration with Ben Mink.Working with Neil Peart for so many years must have really rubbed off on Geddy. On "My Favorite Headache", Geddy writes some very intelligent and intricate lyrics.The writing of the lyrics isn't what is wrong with this album.

With talented musicians, a wide variety of instrumentation, and very good lyrics - this seems to have the formula for a home run collection. However, I am very surprised - but this album just doesn't "grab" me. Overall the project seems more like an "experiment" by Geddy Lee.It isn't that Geddy has "filler" songs or garbage songs on this album. The biggest problem I have with this album is there is little that keeps my attention span going. There isn't that one great song that stands out.In fact, there it is hard to find places where there is a great series of chords that stand out.Sometimes you can pull out all of the stops for an effort - but sometimes when you do this, things don't quiet work out the way you intended. I think this is what has happened to Geddy Lee on "My Favorite Headache".

The second-half of "My Favorite Headache" contains the better songs. The song, "The Angels Share" is interesting - and one of the better tracks.We hear an acoustic-sounding guitar to in the song.This is probably a new direction Geddy wanted to take - this is actually something that Geddy brought back to Rush. My favorite track is probably "Moving to Bohemia". This song is the closest track on the album to being the "standout" track.This song also contains some good use of the String instruments.The song "Slipping" opens up with some Piano Work - definitely something not heard on a Rush album before.It then goes into some more acoustic-styled guitar.This song also puts a bit of a "romantic" spin - something not seen much on a Rush song. Other good songs are "Still" and "Grace to Grace".

The packaging of the CD is in the "Digipak" format. As someone who also "collects" CDs, I still prefer the Jewel Case. I find the Jewel Cases more durable than the Digipaks with tend to wear around the edges. Plus, even if a Jewel Case cracks - you can easily replace. I was also disappointed by this CD that it didn't have much in the way of liner notes. There were no lyrics included in the packaging. Overall, while Geddy's solo effort has all of the ingredients to be a quality release - it really doesn't hit the mark. I do think that if Geddy were to release another "solo" project, it does have the potential to be a great release.Unfortunately this one is going to only please the serious Rush or Geddy fan.

Superb solo debut from Rush frontman.
Geddy Lee's solo album is, in many ways, what you would expect-- Rush with a twist.Lee had evidentally been working on material with guitarist/violinist Ben Mink for quite a while and this album is the result.Honestly, with a vocalist and bassist as distinct and recognizable as Lee, it'd be hard to imagine this album would NOT sound quite a bit like Rush, and on first listening, it really does.Digging further though, there's quite a bit on here that Lee never did with Rush, nor likely that he would.

Musically, its quite similar, although arrangements are staggeringly different at many times-- Lee embraces sounds that Rush has not explored, pianos, strings, acoustic interplay, and a far more texture oriented approach.One thing he did NOT do is make this into a sort of "bass" album-- speaking as a bassist myself, it'd almost be nice to hear this, but I've always felt that Geddy Lee has for the past several Rush albums, stood as strongly as a vocalist as a bassist, and you get the impression that he's not one to write music that pulls the bass into a forefront role.Lyrically, Lee hasn't written anything on a Rush album in ages, and remarkably, the material on here stands up ok-- yeah, sometimes it reaches a bit far, but for the most part its quite nice.Lee's lyrics in many ways lack the refinement of Rush lyric writer Neil Peart, but this works out ok, it results in a much more direct message.

Lee also did a good job picking collaborators, having spent his career with two superb talents in guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer Neil Peart, picking musicians whose styles were highly derived from them would have likely resulted in unhappy comparisons to Lifeson and Peart (no doubt its happening anyway).Instead, Ben Mink and Matt Cameron bring their own voices and both are extraordinarily talented and perform well here.More importantly, both are allowed to express themselves as individuals rather than as sidemen.

The songs themselves are pretty varied in style-- its pretty obvious most of this material wouldn't've ended up on a Rush album-- again, Lee's distinct character does make one thing of Rush, but its really quite far from there-- highlights from my perspective include the title track (a great rocking tune with acoustic piano-driven choruses), the texturized "Working at Perfekt", with its churning guitar lines, unique chorus string arrangements, and expressive vocal, the magnificent "The Angels' Share", probably the best track on the album, and the stunning closer, "Grace to Grace".

I don't think there's anything that's really bad per se, a couple of the songs are definitely weaker moments (I really dispise the chorus to "The Present Tense", though the verses are superb, with a great rolling rhythm, "Runaway Train" doesn't really work for me musically, and "Home of the Strange" I can't get into), but really its a great album, I'd give it 4 1/2 if that were possible.

Whats kind of unfortunate is that this likely won't be heard by anyone but Rush fans, I suspect this could raw a different audience, but the second Lee opens his mouth, its unlikely anyone else will listen. ... Read more

Asin: B00004Z3F0
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Hard Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Eye in the Sky
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

Alan Parsons Project's Eye in the Sky was almost guaranteed at least moderate success due to the hits that preceded it ("Games People Play" and "Time" from Turn of a Friendly Card.)With Eye, Parsons returned in some ways to his more progressive, art-rock past and the album only had one major hit, the lush title track. Parsons's approach was a synthesis of studio wizardry with a symphonic, spacey interplay between keyboards, synthesizerss and basic rock instrumentation. Though never a hit, "Psychobabble" remains a favorite of fans."Children of the Moon," "Sirius," and "Gemini" all have Parsons's love of the esoteric. "Mammagamma" also allowed Parsons to fully indulge his fondness for orchestration with its instrumental structure. --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Reviews (31)

DONT PLAY ANY INSTRUMENTS? THEN DONT TALK TRASH!!
I heard Eye in the Sky on the radio a few days ago and i HAD to get this album. Alan Parson has such a great voice. The songs are beautiful and melodies are nothing short of genius. And when i read bad reviews about albums that are put on sale to support the artists, it gets me really pissed. If you dont know how to make a melody out of thin air, then dont talk trash about other people's music!! Believe me, it's HARD to make new melodies and write songs! If you dont like the music, then listen to something else. Or else, then the listeners decided for themselves!!

ONE OF MY FAVORITE MUSICIANS
Alan Parsons is a musical genius.I own nearly all of his albums and love them all but this disk is my favorite.I appreciate and thank him for his wonderful music and wish he would tour more often.BRAVO.

When Parsons "Hits it big"
Parsons was already successful in his own right before Eye in the Sky.But this album would be the climax to his mainstream career.While he has released wonderful and excelling music since Eye in the Sky, nothing has compared to how well he charted with this album.

The album itself, is really good.Its got a great sound and the first songs are tremendous from Sirus (a classic arena rocker) molding right into Eye in the Sky (a radio classic), followed by a trio of somber but at times upbeat songs: Children of the Moon, Gemini, and Silence and I (perhaps one of the best songs by Parsons).These songs are the highlights and make the album worth buying outright. Sadly, I feel the album does go down hill with a couple mainstream songs: Step by Step and You're Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned.However, Psychobabble and Mammagamma make up for them. The album finishes off with a reflectful Old and Wise.

If you're a Parsons' fan, then you already have this album.However, if you are looking for a more mainstream progressive pop rock, then you might do yourself some good by trying out this album. ... Read more

Asin: B000002VC3
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $13.49
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Editorial Review

Before Sgt. Pepper, no one seriously thought of rock music as actual art. That all changed in 1967, though, when John, Paul, George and Ringo (with "A Little Help" from their friend, producer George Martin) created an undeniable work of art which remains, after 30-plus years, one of the most influential albums of all time. From Lennon's evocative word/sound pictures (the trippy "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," the carnival-like "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite") and McCartney's music hall-styled "When I'm 64," to Harrison's Eastern-leaning "Within You Without You," and the avant-garde mini-suite, "A Day in the Life," Sgt.Pepper was a milestone for both '60s music and popular culture.--Billy Altman ... Read more

Features

• Deluxe Edition

Reviews (917)

Great Album by a great Band.
I love this album but...i think Abbey Road,White album and Revolver is even better.

The guitarr solo on the first song...is made by Mccartney. He are also doing the guitar solo on Good Morning Good Morning and Fixing a Hole.

A True Work Of Art
This album really does sound overrated. I thought that before I heard it. I am a 15 year old male that has discovered old music. It is WAY better. There are two bands that have stuck out for me as the best bands of all time. The first is Led Zeppelin. The second is.....

THE BEATLES!

This is their first concept album and MAYBE the first concept album. (I can't remember). Either way it's a true work of art. It's also the first Beatles album I got. (I got the compilation "1" first). I am going to "grade",if you may, each song out of ten. It will mainly be based of relativity to the rest of the album. Most of the songs would get tens otherwise.

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
7/10 This song is very cool. Especially the solo at the beginning. That George is a VERY careful, gentle soloer and it makes him amazing.

"With A Little Help From My Friends"
9/10 This song is very pretty. Ringo's voice makes it softer.

"Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"
10/10 Very pretty and poetic. Then a rockin anthem....

"Getting Better"
8/10 Very pretty chorus. The rest isnt so pretty. Paul song. (Most of Paul's are pretty, like Blackbird)

"Fixing A Hole"
6/10 This song is very cool and fun to sing along with.

"She's Leaving Home"
8/10 This song is like a ballad. It is very pretty. It makes you feel out of this world. Quite distant. I think the harp causes that.

"Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite"
9/10 This is like a fun circus song. Very experimental.

"Within You Without You"
5/10 George's only song on the album. It's Indian. My only complaint is it's to long for only one chord (you heard me, one chord).

"When I'm Sixty-Four"
8/10 The sing-along song of the album.

"Lovely Rita"
9/10 It's a really cool song. I can't describe it. Your just gonna have to listen.

"Good Morning Good Morning"
4/10 The least memorable song on the album features Pet Sounds! (haha a rock music pun).

"Sgt. Pepper's... (Reprise)"
9/10 Better thanb the first version. More upbeat. Gets you singing.

"A Day In The Life"
10/10 Not only the best song on the album, possibly the Beatles' best song.

All in all, quite an amazing album. I think everyone should buy this, but not before RUBBER SOUL and REVOLVER, because they lead from beatlemania to this.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
This 1967 release is a monumental rock album. Prior to this release rock was considered low brow and not an art form.However all this changed when The Beatles released this amazing album. With songs like a day in the life, lucy in the sky with diamonds, and I could basically count numerous more. The cover art is a modern day classic and many copied it for several reasons, i.e., the simspons and it is one of the best covers ever created. The beatles also have an awesome collection of muisicians and vocalists. It is not all about Lenon and McCartney. ... Read more

Asin: B000002UAU
Subjects:  1. British Invasion    2. British Psychedelia    3. England    4. Hard Rock    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Psychedelic    8. Rock    9. Rock & Roll    10. Rock/Pop   

Brave [Bonus CD 1998]
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (07 March, 2000)
list price: $21.98
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Reviews (23)

Quite good considering...
Of all the post-Fish Marillion cd's I've heard, this is one that is the most interesting and one that I can actually tolerate those god-awful vocals of Steve Hogarth. True the man can write great songs, but that voice takes some getting used to when compared to Fish, jeez...that's not a fair comparison. There is some great signature Marillion playing here unlike later releases and some memorable tracks- 'Living with the big lie', 'Alone again in the lap of luxury', 'Runaway' are a few. It may take a few spins before it grows on you(for me it took many spins)but if you listen primarily to the music, you'll dig it.

It doesn't just grow on you...
this album pounces on you like a Lion. I first heard of Marillion on the Dream Theater "Once in a Livetime" video. I liked "Easter", so I went to my local CD store. This was the only Marillion CD they had, so I bought it. Upon first listen, I was bored to tears by it. I decided to keep it and give it another chance. I listened to it about ten more times, and each time I was as bored as the first. Then, one night I wanted to find some music to fall asleep by, so I put this one on. All of a sudden, I loved every song and I couldn't fall asleep until the entire album was over. I think that my early dislike of this album was due to the fact that at the time, I was really in to Dream Theater and I expected heavy-riffing, prog-metal, distorted-fast-paced-guitar solos and all that and was taken aback by this album's quietness. When I finally caught the beauty of this album, I listened to it religiously. My favorite tracks are "Living With the Big Lie", "Alone Again...", "Brave", "The Great Escape" (notably the Fallen from the Moon section of it), and "Made Again". But every song is beautiful in their own way. My suggestions for you if you haven't heard Marillion yet, don't start with this album, like I did. Get Season's End or Afraid of Sunlight (two other amazing albums). This one is my favorite from Marillion, though. Also, to add to the Fish vs. Hogarth controversy... in my opinion, both eras are so musically different, it seems unfair to even compare them. I personally prefer the more emotional approach of Hogarth, but Clutching at Straws is a fine album (even though I didn't care for Misplaced Childhood too much). This album will always hold a special place with me.

Must have...
All these reviews point to many aspects of this album...good or bad.Plain and simple, this album is a triumph.Musically, it is deeply textured and diverse, creating an atmosphere of sound that paints a vivid backdrop for the theme.Vocally, Hogarth hits home.He delivers the lyrical content with a true balance of emotion and power.There are some parts that could be removed without missing them...but not enough to detract from the over all strenght of the album.If you didn't see it in the initial Marillion albums with Hogarth, then this album, by far, punctuates the fact that this band is capable of so much more, leaving Fish behind. ... Read more

Asin: B00004NRUM
Sales Rank: 270044
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Hard Rock    3. Neo-Prog    4. Pop    5. Prog-Rock/Art Rock    6. Rock   

The Wall (Deluxe Packaging Digitally Remastered)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 April, 2000)
list price: $34.98 -- our price: $27.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

The Wall is less a collection of songs than a single work, which is sometimes frustrating; the plot lacks enough coherence to hold the snippets of music together. However, there are occasional flashes of brilliance on what ranks as Pink Floyd's most ambitious project. Most of these come from the fully developed songs, which have become classics in their own right. "Hey You," "Mother," and especially "Comfortably Numb" are subtle, incredible pieces of music. Though complex, they move at a relaxed pace, allowing the listener to absorb them slowly; this kind of pacing was something Pink Floyd excelled at. Also worth noting is the "Another Brick in the Wall/The Happiest Days of Our Lives" medley, which has become a staple of rock radio. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (790)

Genius that is weighed down by pretentiousness
"The Wall" should have been a better album.

Before you click angrily on the "Disagree" button, let me explain my logic.Despite "The Wall"'s depth, unity of vision and interesting plot and Freudian subtext, there is something missing in the majority of the songs.That something is musicality.

Much of Disc 1 (Side 1 and 2 for the original record) is tough to listen to.The melodies are sparse, the atmosphere thick, and much of it frequently grating.Try listening to "Don't Leave Me Now" more than once in a row without going ballistic.It's as if, when the teacher in "Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2" is shouting "How can you have your pudding if you don't eat your meat?!" Roger Waters is yelling at us to choke down the meat of these tough songs to get to the pudding later to be had.Waters even had something of a captive audience when the album was originally released, as there was no 'Skip' button on record players.Listeners were forced to wade through the discordance to find the melodies.

Those melodies have a tendency to show up much more frequently in the second disc, when we get songs like "Comfortably Numb", with its soaring guitar solos and vibrant chorus.The album becomes much more interesting in general after Pink's Wall has been built, if not because of the greater musicality shown in the song I just mentioned, as well as "Hey You", "Nobody Home", and "Run Like Hell", then in terms of story.

It is worthwhile to note here that "The Wall" is an extraordinarily depressing and pessimistic work.Even on songs that sound somewhat upbeat ("Comfortably Numb", "Mother"), the schizophrenia of the lyrics ensures that this is not the case.The "Pink Floyd" that is the main character of this rock opera suffers long and hard at the hands of - well, everyone in his life, especially himself.The paranoia, anger and insanity that makes up this album's core is strong and pronounced in every piece of the album, which accounts for another reason it is so difficult to listen to.

The last reason is the sheer cheesiness of some of the songs.There's pretentiousness bleeding out of the album's climax, "The Trial", which isn't helped by the fact that it has the pomposity of real (not rock) opera.Some of this music is some of the most pretentious this side of heavy metal, and you can practically hear "Spinal Tap" knocking.

What saves this is the story, the same story that I previously mentioned as being depressing and pessimistic.It is, but it's also well-thought out and very interesting, albeit unclear without additional information (such as liner notes, or the movie adaptation).

Overall, the "Wall" is a stunning work, but not quite the magnum opus "Dark Side of the Moon" was.It's still worth listening to for those with patience and an ability to see past musical shortcomings to the lyrics and meaning underneath.

Overrated
Seriously overrated. Nowhere near as good as other Floyd albums. The tracks mentioned most often include the played-to-death "Another Brick in the Wall 2" and the classic "Comfortably Numb".

"Another Brick..." isn't that great. I hate to break it to you...but it's a ridiculously overplayed tune that hurts this conceptual album when played alone.

"Comfortably Numb" is, however, one of Pink Floyd's greatest achievements. The guitar solo alone is absolutely amazing.

"The Wall" is not a bad album. However, like many Pink Floyd albums, it should be viewed as a single conceptual piece. When this is taken into consideration, the lackluster tracks (basically all of them besides "Comfortably Numb") make this album sketchy at best.

Check out "Wish You Were Here," "Animals," and "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" for some classic Floyd.

For all of Pink Floyds great works...
I feel that this is the most overrated. The Wall certainly has a lot of fans; many who like to think of the album as a work of art. It certainly wasn't helped by the animated movie "the Wall" which has had drug crazed teenagers obsessed spannning over the generations since the time of its release. I'll say this much first; to me, the Wall does not sound like Pink Floyd. Floyd reached their pinnacle with Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon, and Wish you were Here. Animals was a great release, but it showed a slight deviation from the typical Floyd sound in favor of a heavier rock oriented album. Still, it was very solid, the Wall however, reminds me more of a Roger Waters' solo album. The band as a whole lacks the cohesiveness that was present during such masterpieces as Dark side of the Moon, and Waters is pushed to the forefront, limiting the talents of Gilmour, Mason and Wright to being little more than simply a backing band. Yes, I know that Gilmour contributes vocals and some song writing, but the bands overall chemistry is lacking.

As far as the songs go, there is far too much filler on this album. The Wall is a perfect example of Roger Waters' ego expanding and culminating in an overproduced, self indulgent "magnum opus". Outside of a few gems, the Wall is very ordinary, and the songs are bland. Comfortably Numb is a great song, and Run like Hell, Young Lust are definately standouts. But a couple of songs do not make an album, much less when its a double album, there is just too much fluff that is not only unnecesary but completely absurd. I'd prefer not to spend 30 bucks listening to Roger Waters rant and complain about the isolation faced being an nihilist rock star. Maybe I am not smart enough to comprehend the "art" behind this album. It certainly lacks the subtlety of DSOTM or WYWH, I'd give it 3.5 stars at best. ... Read more

Asin: B000006TRV
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock