Editorial Review

The Wreckers are Grammy-winning songstress Michelle Branch and friend/journeywoman Nashville singer-songwriter Jessica Harp, a team whose solid craftsmanship and soaring, airtight harmonies often lift their hook-smart contemporary country stylings above what's too often mere fizzy, pop-crossover formula. They may have entered the public consciousness via the wide exposure of "Good Kind" on the primetime soap opera Read more

Reviews (74)

Fun Music
This is a great country/pop blend of music.It's 1 of my favorite cd's ever since I bought it.I love their vocal blends.

Michelle Branch goes Country
I am a longtime fan of Michelle Branch and of both her previous albums--Spirit Room and Hotel Paper.When I heard she had joined up with another female singer and started a duo, I was interested, though somewhat dismayed by the delay of their album release.When I finally learned that it came out, I balked to learn that it was classified as Country.After all, I am not a Country fan, and greatly preferred the somewhat pop/rock turning towards alternative feel of Branch's first two CDs.But after listening to samples of songs on Amazon and iTunes, I decided to give the CD a shot anyway--Michelle Branch, to this day, remains the only singer I have enough confidence in my enjoying her music that I would buy one of her albums entirely on blind faith.
Pretty and Talented
It seems like just yesterday that Michelle Branch delivered to us a little bit of this and a little bit of that with Santana.Now, a few hits and a few years later we find her turning her back on the modern/alternative rock radio stations that were rumored to be a thorn in her side.Michelle teams up with Jessica Harp to deliver an Alt-Country cd that, at times, sounds like Sheryl Crow meets the Dixie Chicks. I've been hearing the first single Leave The Pieces streaming out of sound systems in just about every type of retail setting possible.I'd say that "pretty" little Michelle & Jessica will be making a "wreck" out of the charts for quite some time.The bottom line: mirror & ear friendly cd. ;) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Contemporary Country    4. Country    5. Country-Pop    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

The style known as "anti-folk," as realized by practitioners like Ani DiFranco and Billy Bragg, is derived from a punk aesthetic, and thus tends to be spare and confrontational. But while Regina Spektor's music is anti-folk in the way it subverts the traditional coffeehouse vibe, it's less interested in rebellion and more concerned with the joy of eccentricity, melody and surprise. Read more

Reviews (30)

Clever, quirky, touching--- amazing
I think she is just brillant. I've seen her live once now-- and she just sets the room on fire with talents. I have loved her since the moment I fell upon Soviet Kitsch and I am addicted to "Begin To Hope". I simply can't listen to it enough. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. I think I may have "Samson" on repeat for the next century or so.

good second
I saw Regina Spektor play recently in Los Angeles. It was at the El Rey Theater. It was sold out. There was an excitement in the air, which you imagine there was for the Beatles. Regina Spektor has a lot of young female fans. Maybe it was some girls who saw her play a few years ago opening for the Strokes or Kings of Leon? Anyway I have seen her play a few times now, and the audiences are getting bigger and more enthusiastic. This is the sort of audience that you get for Bjork or Joanna Newsom. Everyone is quiet and on the edge of their seats. They hang on to every word. The first album was quirky and sort of fit in with the anti-folk thing. This record is a more planned out thing. It's a better-produced record. There are some really poppy songs like "Better." This sounds like a hit for anyone else. This record has more experience behind it, and Regina has grown up a little bit. She sounds really good. Not a weak moment on here. Even Nick Valensi of the Strokes appears on a song.

I like it but i don't love it
Regina Spector is getting a lot of publicity these days. She is all the rage. She also is definitely not in the mainstream and this is an acquired taste.
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Subjects:  1. Anti-Folk    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop    5. Singer/Songwriter   

Features

• Box set

Reviews (20)

(Almost) all things Tori you'd ever want
After years of whispers, promises and delays, finally here comes the Tori Amos box set, and what a delight it is for Tori fans.
Great overview of Tori, but
it's overwhelming.I'm not going to summarize the set in general, because the other reviewers have already done so.I'm going to say that Tori has maybe three emotions she expresses through music:sadness, anger, and wistfulness.The result is a relentlessly downbeat CD collection.Even when the beat is more uptempo, the lyrics are depressing, so it's semi-cheerful as long as you don't know what the songs are about.
AMAZING BOX SET - now stop complaining about omissions!
This box set is sooooooooo great & well worth the wait.We get a glimpse of the struggle she must have went through picking the right grrrls at the time her albums were released.How daunting must have it been to choose between China and Flying Dutchman or Upside Down...between Datura and Zero Point...to add just one more song that was sooooooo good it deserved it's own single, let alone be left off the album entirely (Take To The Sky, Sugar)? Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Box Sets (Audio Only)    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. Singer/Songwriter    8. United States of America   

Editorial Review

With a majority of the songs on Read more

Reviews (915)

6.5/10
Reviewgium - Volume I, issue V
dr.gonzo
tool is weird because it takes all the sounds I was alredy hearing in my head and is able to make it into a song. when I am coming down,(thanx hofman) that whole whine changing pitch is alredy in my head before I even herd this song. so Its getting a chance to reveb in my head. You dont just listine to it. there is an interaction there. it also amazes me how they get that sound. you can challange every band to make new material and you still wont be able to get that sound and it just wont happen. I also like when they try to put tool in a genre. tool should be its own classifacation until further justifacation on this revelation and plausible hesitation w/o retaliation or condemnation............tion

Not the best from Tool, but still leagues ahead of anyone else...
Tool are, of course, one of the greatest bands on the planet, and are therefore held to a higher standard than other ordinary 'rock groups'. I think its safe to say they've achieved cult status in the course of their career, and each new release is examined by the legions of Tool freaks like some mysterious artefact discovered on a distant planet. 10,000 days was highly anticipated (to put it mildly), and took its own sweet time getting here. Like many other Tool fans, I bought it immediately upon its release, and... was not disppointed. It doesn't cut as mercilessly as Lateralus, but after repeated listenings, I feel I am only beginning to penetrate its mysteries. A measure of its brilliance when most rock albums these days grow tired within a week or two. The band are incredible on this thing, particularly the guitarist, Adam Jones, who we can now consider as the leading master of the instrument. Maynard is Maynard, and does his thing like only he can. The songs are long, yes, but so what? A band this great needs room to explore and that's exactly what they do, taking us along for a wild ride in the process. Although it doesn't quite reach the heights of Lateralus (what does?) 10,000 Days is a fantastic album (in a really cool package) and no Tool fan will be disappointed. The only niggle I have is that there is a bit of filler on the album which shouldn't be there. Not after five years of navel-gazing and rumination (or were they actually working on their tans on the beaches of Majorca?). If there were two more great songs here instead of the noodling bits, this album would get 5 stars, no problemo. Let's just pray the next one comes a bit quicker... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Metal    2. Experimental Rock    3. Heavy Metal    4. Pop    5. Progressive Metal    6. Rock   

Reviews (17)

ONLY 1 CD
This is only 1 CD.If you want both CD's don't buy this.I thought I was getting 2 CD's.I feel ripped off.

Not the 2 CD collection
This is the best of the 2 CD collection. One of the better compliations out there.

not too satisfied
I misunderstood when I bought this album I thought I was getting both discs. What a bummer! Anyway, the disc I got wasn't too bad. It is fun to go back a few years and remember special moments from high school. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Post-Grunge    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop Collections    7. V/a Compilations   

Editorial Review

If the voice sounds familiar, that may be because a couple of tracks have been featured on Read more

Features

• Content/Copy-Protected CD

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Electronic    3. Indie Pop    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Enhanced
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Reviews (158)

its ok, but its not the best
its not bad but its not the best.i used to love 30 seconds to mars when their second cd came out, but by the time i had listened to it a couple of times i was awfully tired of jared leto being so loud on the songs' choruses.he just gets so monotonous.
Absent the space odessy this album still rocks.
When 30stm released their debut album I immediately fell in love with it. Call me a dork but I loved all the crazy lyrics about the life on Mars and being on Jupiter.
best band out there today!
i listened to the first album n thought that it was a good sound coming from a band who has a movie star for a lead singer.... but this album changed my entire perspective on 30 seconds to mars..... THEY R F'N SICK ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Neo-Prog    2. Pop    3. Post-Grunge    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

When an indie-rock band as intimately and fiercely loved as Death Cab for Cutie makes the inevitable major-label jump, it often telegraphs a painful death. Witness Husker Du, the Replacements, Nirvana--hell, even R.E.M. After a successful four-album run on tiny Seattle imprint Barsuk, however, Death Cab for Cutie just might buck the trend on its Atlantic premiere. Yes, you can grumble about the production (a little too slick), the proportion of ballads (a little too many) and the overall feeling of restraint (a little too much), but ultimately the album delivers everything the group does best in emotional, experimental songs such as "What Sarah Said" and "I Will Follow You into the Dark," which both blend stark lyrical details with acoustic guitars and soft-focus electronics. In "Soul Meets Body," meanwhile, songwriter Ben Gibbard has come up with the kind of blissful, beatific pop song that's capable of disarming even the harshest skeptic. "A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere," he sings. Read more

Reviews (250)

Remarkable
"Plans" is a subtle but crucial development for Death Cab For Cutie. While the songwriting approach is recognisable from their previous albums, their production has opened up - the music sounds wider, richer, and their palette of sound is far wider.
A heart-breaking disappointment...
I'm not going to say I'm a long-time Death Cab fan, but my fondness for the band has led me through their entire catalogue, from Transatlanticism all the way back to You Can Play These Songs With Chords, my personal favorite being We Have The Facts... I tend to prefer lo-fi indie rock, though the sheer strength of Death Cab's songwriting kept me a fan up through Trans.
Transatlanticism wasn't as good as this...
DCFC has really peaked with this one.A solid performance through and through, this one is more enjoyable from start to finish than their last album was.They received a lot of radio airplay for a couple of the songs off of this one and it was well-deserved as they finally received national attention. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Dream Pop    3. Indie Pop    4. Indie Rock    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Twee Pop   

Reviews (58)

But.....I Like It
In 25 words or less...interesting music by great musicians..they continue to break the mold....and challenge our ears...bravo MV...

Amputate some songs...
If someone were to ask me the answer to today's Pink Floyd, my response might be The Mars Volta. With 2003's Deloused in the Comatorium, the galactic battlefield that is Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez's guitar work ripped apart the common man while the saucy vocals of one Cedric Bixler Zavala put it all back together again. Their music was weird, trippy and, for the most part, frighteningly original.
Humans as ornaments
This is the first disc I've heard by The Mars Volta (TMV) and I can understand why this could be a negative experience for some. Piercing dissonant guitar tones that could shatter glass, odd time signatures and weird changes during a song usually turn most people off. Adding creepy shrieking sax playing and falsetto vocals that can warp your eardrums and sound Chipmunkish at times, and you have a difficult listen indeed. For me, TMV sound like a combination of Faith No More, King Crimson, and Santana. All songs on this disc, less the beginning and final track, are intriguing and the simple groove of "Meccamputechture" is infectious. The production suffers at times from audible distortion and the drums are buried in the mix, but these are only minor issues to an otherwise solid release. Definitely makes me want to check out more of their discs. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Post-Hardcore    3. Post-Rock/Experimental    4. Progressive Metal    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Those dismissing the self-titled Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (203)

Everything old is new again
A friend introduced me to two songs from this group and I got hooked and ordered a few CDs.I've listened to this one over and over again and while I like some songs more than others it was definitely money well spent.
Oldtimer likes it too
I've been a fan of Pink Floyd since the 70's.I never much cared for the whole disco movement in the 80's, so why do I like this album so much?Maybe it's just that good.

Good stuff.
Don't pay attention to people leaving one star reviews, all they have to say about the album is that they can't believe that anyone has the nerve to cover Comfortably Numb this way.
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Subjects:  1. Club/Dance    2. Pop    3. Pop/Rock    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Despite its title title, this is not a soundtrack for the Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (69)

One ingredient missing in an otherwise perfect stew
Where do you go after Aquemini, an album that had it all. Witty Lyricism, Social commentary, rich music and an undeniable chemistry between two clearly different personalities. For most artist, nowhere, but these cats were able to take it one step further with Stankonia which added pop appeal to the mix while continuing to push further musically (B.O.B). Surely they couldn't take it further than Stankonia but with Speakerboxx/Love Below they did just that. This time they highlighting the multiple personalities that the group has. Allowing Andre 3000 to really do his thing.
[3.5]--Nope I'm not bored Big Boi...............I'm not Bored.
I've been listening to this album on and off for the past week and a half and in my opinion, this album is really good. I've always admired Outkast's originality: their music never sounds like anything anyone else has made or is making. "Idlewild", the musical companion to their movie of the same name, is no different but not as good as Speakerboxx/The Love Below. But it is still a very good album due to its style and funk. Dre and Big Boi only share about 3 songs in the whole album, and those 3 songs are amazing.
Innovative
Outkast is the best. This is what rap needs more of. They don't talk about what they got and brag about their struggles feeling sorry for themselves, they just rap, and rap good. I like how they modernize the old blues style beats and make them good... it's like a new style of music kinda and it's tight. Outkast better win some awards for this. I definately recomend this to anyone who appriciates real rappers and rap as a form of art. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Rap    2. Dirty South    3. Hip-Hop    4. Pop    5. Rap    6. Rap & Hip-Hop    7. Southern Rap    8. United States of America   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (234)

His best record
One song in particular, JOHN WAYNE GACY JR, is startling.The first few times I played the CD, without really listening to the lyrics, I heard it as a love song, due to the gorgeous minor-key melody, then only realized later what it was about. The song is eerily beautiful, and at the same time, stunningly creepy, about the love a serial killer feels for his victims."He dressed up like a clown for them."I wasn't aware that pop music could do something as complex as this, until Stevens did so.

Recycled goods
Having listened to Steven's previous albums, Greetings from Michigan and Seven Swans countless times, I cannot help but to notice the amount of regurgitation on this album.Stevens blatantly rips off his own music.I consider Michigan to be Sufjan's masterpiece.Do yourself a favor and start there.

Rewards with time and patience.
Ok where to begin. I am some what astonished by the few reviews I have read for this album that have been negative (i.e. 2 stars or lower). Not because "oh these people are idiots, or this music is just to much for them" but precisely the opposite reason. There were a few reviews that were 2 stars or lower from people who wrote somewhat intelligent and thoughtful comments. My advice to these people is to just give this some time to sink in. I know that it is not above these people, and If they give it a few extra listens it will eventually catch them.
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Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Indie Pop    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Progressive Folk    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

All hail the riff king! The Black Keys' guitarist/singer Dan Auerbach has the meanest way with a hook since Jimmy Page. He adds to his arsenal on the band's fourth full-length release, on which each track pounds its way into your skull with fuzzy, swampy fury. Less is very definitely more in Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney's world as the stripped-down guitar/drums attack smolders, burns, and then ignites without shifting into heavy-metal overdrive. But even with the occasional ballad such as "You're the One" slowing the momentum, this is an intoxicating blast of raw, thudding blues power. The duo impressively control the dynamics, raising and lowering the tension in a yin-yang struggle of ominous, greasy, heavy blues-rock that never sounds forced. With the exception of a few subtle but effective overdubs, this is the sound Auerbach and Carney heard in the drummer's basement studio where the music was recorded. Like the best rock and roll, the disc exudes a dark, cramped claustrophobia and foreboding sense of danger, just like wandering through a haunted house, unaware of what is behind the next corner. It's the main ingredient in the band's deceptively simple yet potent formula that creates this addictive, compelling, and often intense album. Read more

Reviews (9)

Unadorned rock and roll
The Black Keys are one of my favorite rock and roll bands with their garage band minimalism tempered by touches of blues and psychedelia. But I was a little surprised when the band signed to the eclectic Nonesuch label and wondered how this would affect their sound. Well, I needn't wonder at all as this album was literally recorded in a band member's basement and keeps the same raw and exciting sound as the bands previous work. Most of the songs are kept short and sweet with blistering blues based guitar and basic drumming giving way to melodic hooks like in "Your Touch" which is very catchy and has elements of pop without compromising their rough and tumble sound.
Magic Potion
Focus: that's the element that seems to be missing from The Black Keys' latest long-player, their fourth album in all. The blues-rockin' riffs, courtesy of Dan Auerbach, are present and correct, and Patrick Carney's drums are rarely less than suitably bombastic, but Magic Potion suffers, rather, from alarming dips in concentration. For every romper-stomper of a four-minute fuzz-soaked foot-stamper, there's a meandering exercise in mediocrity just around the metaphysical bend.
Magic indeed...
Unlike many of the other reviewers here, this is the first Black Keys album I have heard, and I was extremely impressed.The vocals remind me of a mix between Bob Dylan, Led Zeplin, and Jimmi Hendrix and the guitar work is absolutely amazing.Many of the reviewers here stated that this album may not be as good as their previous releases; if that statement is remotely true I will be buying every one of their cds.After hearing the first 3 tracks I knew instantly that this band will be one of my all-time favorites.Do yourself a favor and check this out.I highly recommend this album. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues-Rock    2. Garage Punk    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Punk Blues    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. United States of America   

Editorial Review

When the Be Good Tanyas released their heralded debut disc, Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautifully Rendered
What a treat it is to find a band like this.I'm the type of guy who will search for good bands on the internet, through reading reviews and such and I do believe I have found a great band here.
Gorgeously Atmospheric Mature Alchemy
I've had the new album "Hello Love" on repeat since I got it in the mail a few days ago. It's wonderfully atmospheric, lonesome and gorgeous.I think it stands up well to the previous albums, lending a bit more mature aspect to the alchemy. The only thing I am disappointed about is that their website hasn't been updated yet! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Canada    3. Contemporary Folk    4. Country    5. Folk    6. Neo-Traditional Folk    7. Pop   

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Reviews (103)

Phobia
One of the best rock albums that I own. Just as good as We Are Not Alone and Saturate... probably even better.
Fear Phobia...
As a big fan of BB's first two albums, I found this one to be a little dissapointing.All of the songs sort of blend together in an un-exciting way.There are about 3 songs that I really enjoy on the album, and that is only because they had to grow on me after repetitive play.I think perhaps they have matured in the wrong direction, or not at all.

BB's PHOBIA : Should You Buy?
Breaking Benjamin in definately one of my top 10 bands of all times but I will never give a band bias for any reason .... With that being said.... Phobia to me seems like Breaking Benjamin tried too hard to compete with themselves.Songs like "So Cold", "Follow Me", "Break My Fall", and "Polyamorous" (from a different CD) gave Breaking Benjamin the flare that is oh so good. Little can be done to match their past music ... and yet they tried. They tried to completely change the guitar solos, vocals, beats, harmonics, and feel of each song so that their music would be as new and original as ever. I personally think they tried to hard but some people enjoy it. "Evil Angel"? nothing special...thats all I can say. "Had Enough"? Edgy and Upbeat, uses Ben's vocals at their best. In all its a descent song, I like it. "You Fight Me"? That exact point I was talking about earlier ... Tried desperately to be original and its just not Breaking Benjamin ...Also has some girly sounding vocals ... DOnt like it. Now, best for last."Diary of Jane"? Excellent song .. In my honest opinion, this is the only song on the entire CD that can compete with their old music. Different beat that works, edgy music and vocals that arent over the edge. Lyrics really dont do anything for me but I adore this song's feel and Diary of Jane is in my top 4 BB songs.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Metal    2. Pop    3. Post-Grunge    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Essentially a live showcase for their mega-selling breakthrough Read more

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Reviews (112)

Only buy it if you want the videos
Look, I loved Fallen.If I want to hear these songs then I'll listen to that.Frankly they are not the greatest band when playing live.I love the band, but I say stick to the studio albums.I only bought this to have the videos from