Reviews (74)

great great great album, but.....!
first, i love this band and this album is a total classic and takes me back a few years. i would put this album on par with rancid 2000 and life wont wait. it defiantely is not as good as out come the wolves and their debut. i dont think any rancid album could be worse than indestructible.
Let's go-go-go!!!
I am a Clash fanatic who was tired of the lack of punk music from the 70's and early 80's. I saw Let's Go bought it and put it in my car CD player. I listened to it every day for a week and absolutely loved it. At first I was skeptical but man is it catchy. Some great songs and lyrics if you can understand them. But hey its not about clear vocals....The bas lines are awesome and almost rocka billy in some places but it all works. Classic tracks include Harry Bridges, Salvation, Radio and Nihilism but in a way all the songs have merit. I am still playing this CD on the way to work and it gets me ready for anything the day can bring on. I am glad that even an old punk rocker like myself can still be revved up by music.
Rancid's Best, Question about Earlier Post...
to anybody reading this review new to rancid, get this album, along w/ wolves. really if you just think their okay, you could stop collecting their cd's. however if you really like them i suggest getting every album you can from them except maybe Indestructable...i downloaded that one.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Pop    3. Punk    4. Punk Revival    5. Punk-Pop    6. Rock    7. Ska-Punk    8. Third Wave Ska Revival   

Editorial Review

As a sequel to 2004's similarly packaged Rhino box Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (27)

Indulge in your 80s nostalgia
It's obvious from the long list of reviews that purists will quibble over which tracks from which artists represent their quintessential 80ness. But us ordinary folks, who just want a cross-section of the playlist from the alternate radio station we listened to in the 80s, won't care nearly as much. If you like a particular artist from this selection (and there are 82, so you probably do), you probably have several albums by that band or performer. I know I do.
Excellent listening for '80s music junkies
This is a very comprehensive collection of all the "unheard" classics of 80's alternative/underground music scene. I use "unheard" in quotes because many of the songs were heard on college radio, independent music stations, etc. I was surprised by the inclusion of a few songs ("Message of Love" by Pretenders and "Ways To Be Wicked" by Lone Justice) as I wasn't too sure how "underground" they really were. I'm sure some more mainstream stations played them. But anyway it was really good to hear the Lone Justice song again after so many years. And I was REALLY pleased with the inclusions of "Swamp Thing" by The Chameleons and "When Love Breaks Down" by Prefab Sprout.
The music that really matters.
I bought this box set when it first came out and it still holds a prominent place on my shelf and on my iPod.Broad blanket statements are often useless, but in this case, they apply: This box is the best collection of 80s college rock/alternative rock for your money.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. American Punk    4. American Underground    5. British Punk    6. College Rock    7. Dream Pop    8. Goth Rock    9. Hardcore Punk    10. Indie Pop    11. Indie Rock    12. Jangle Pop    13. L.A. Punk    14. Neo-Psychedelia    15. New Romantic    16. New Wave    17. Paisley Underground    18. Pop    19. Pop/Rock    20. Post-Punk   

Editorial Review

If the title track didn't sum up an entire generation, it certainly captured the frazzled swagger of early punk rock. Launched from New York City's famous C.B.G.B. nightclub, the Voidoids released this debut in 1977, around the same time as Television's Read more

Reviews (47)

Punk at its best
I can't think of proper words to describe this album because of its magnitude. The sounds are so perfect I assume it speaks for itself.Minimalist at times, danceable at others -- this should be on your list of original punk "must haves."

Richard Hell & The Voidoids - 'Blank Generation' (Sire) 2 1/2
Originally released in 1977,as this was Richard Hell's first lp.Reason I'm giving this CD reissue a 2 1/2 star rating is because I personally know old school fans of New York punk that may get more out of it that I did.Tunes here that kept this disc in my player ALL the way through were "Love Comes In Spurts","Betrayal Takes Two",their John Fogerty cover "Walking On The Water" and the title cut "Blank Generation",Obviously,this disc didn't do much for me.Just might appeal to select fans of Television,Ramones,Dictators or Lou Reed.

BLESSED. One of my faves of ALL TIME.
This album sends chills down my spine. It's perfect for all occasions, Hell's lyricism is like an acid trip and Quine and Julian are such good guitarists it hurts. Having Marky Ramone in your band ain't bad, either. Once, I met Ivan Julian and professed my love for him before he covered Blank Generation, and I tell ya, my life's never been the same. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. New York Punk    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Proto-Punk    6. Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (43)

Faster Than A Speeding Bullet
The first time I saw the Ramones was at a rehearsal studio in NYC, opening for the Fast. Nobody had ever heard of them. They stepped on stage and started playing. Faster than any band I'd ever heard. Johnny was ripping at his guitar so viciously he sliced his thumb and sprayed everyone in the first row with blood. He never stopped. Or even winced. Joey wrapped himself around the mic (not in a sexy Jim Morrison kind of way, but like a catepillar.) Dee Dee counted off every song 1,2,3,4! It was the lyrics more than the speedy riffs - "I don't wanna walk around with you, why do you wanna walk around with me?" "Beat on the brat with a baseball bat." "Carbona! Not glue!" Jaws dropped. Are they kidding? Is this a joke? Who ARE these guys? The club scene was new in NYC in the mid-70's. You couldn't NOT see the Ramones play live. They just got better & better, faster & louder. The songs stick in your head like glue. 30+ years later, they remain one of a kind. The smartest dumb band ever. RIP Joey, Dee Dee, Johnny!

This is a great compilation/intro to Joey and the gang
First of all, let me clear up something.This is by not by any means a perfect Greatest Hits CD.As one reviewer said, about half this CD is incredible and the 2nd half is mediocore.But this is only a byproduct of Johnny's attempt to make the CD broader in musical scope and a more career-spaning effort, and I think this is an important thing for any GH CD to try and do.Even though I don't really like any songs past "The KKK Took My Baby Away," I appreciate what Johnny tried to do here.
RAMONES PLAY HEAVY METAL
The Ramones aren't a punk band. They are a hard rock heavy metal band. And all the songs on this album are heavy metal style. Joey
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Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. College Rock    3. New York Punk    4. Pop    5. Punk    6. Rock   

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (18)

Great music from an odd film
I bought it because I couldn't find a few of these songs anywhere else (coup d'etat in particular).

In my top five soundtracks
This is one of those movies where I can't really remember where the first time I saw it was but I get the feeling I was some where having a good time... The background music fits the vibe of the movie flawlessly and I went in search of the soundtrack the next day.
Punk Cinema Soundtrack 101
This movie was flat-out punk cinema. After nearly a decade after its release its soundtrack was released on CD and immediately was I immersed into the music of my childhood. I used to have the soundtrack on audio tape while my brother erased the video tape (!) that I had of the flick. Thank goodness for the free market and digital technology to bring back these lost classics.
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Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. Hardcore Punk    3. L.A. Punk    4. Pop    5. Soundtrack    6. Soundtracks & Film Scores   

Editorial Review

Track for track and album after album, the Dead Kennedys were the most relentlessly political and controversial stateside punk rock band to gain much public notoriety. Originally released in 1987, Read more

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (59)

Almost worth it for one song
Maybe there are some gems I haven't discovered, but the versions of "Holiday In Cambodia" and "California Uber Alles" are honestly inferior to the originals on "Fresh Fruit."
Insight
Sure, Jello's voice takes some getting used to, but honestly; what punk fan isn't sick of the same ol' raspy voice mumbling unintelligibly?Jello's insight as well as his voice provide interest in a genre where the message is often lost in translation.
fresh fruit for rotting vegetables is all you really need by DK
maybe frankencrist if you really enjoy fresh fruit....this is a very annoying and bad b-sides album...california uber alles and holiday in cambodia are over-produced and watered down...and where is the killer intro to holiday in cambodia?
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Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. American Underground    3. Anarchist Punk    4. Hardcore Punk    5. L.A. Punk    6. Pop    7. Punk    8. Rock   

Editorial Review

This disc represents the bridge between Talking Heads' first two herky-jerkier albums and the next two funky ones. Read more

Reviews (63)

Nothing to Fear
First off....What an amazing title for a record. "Fear Of Music"....I find that hilarious. But coming from the mind of David Byrne I guess it should not come as such a huge surprise. What IS surprising about this record is how FUNKY it is. That's right's....funky. Who knew that David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz had it in them? "More Songs About Buildings and Food" (another hilarious title) may have hinted at this direction slighty but I don't know how to catergorize this band and that may be the reason they fascinate me so much. Along with "Remain In Light" this record showed the Talking Heads maturing and at the same time we get to see what their souls look like.
Those Were The Days
It's 1979-80, I'm 15-16 years old and I am TOTALLY into Fear Of Music. Than I go to see The Talking Heads in Central Park (I was living in New York then), and they are doing Remain in the Light. You want to talk about a freaking shock to the system, that was a great learning experience. Of course Remain in the Light kinda grew on me but at that concert I was not a happy camper. They didn't play one thing off of Fear Of Music, and I consider it a masterpiece. Get the first three Talking Heads releases and than a best of to fill in the gaps and your doing good fellow Amazon friend.

The HEADS are TALKING to people who have no FEAR OF MUSIC
"I Zimbra" opens FEAR OF MUSIC kind of famously for its wordless or "nonsense" lyric, merely vocal utterances, musical syllables coupled with complex rhythmic styling and an irresistible groove.This is followed by the equally rhythmic yet persecuted "Mind," the HEADS at their most minimalist, "I need something to change your mind..."We're then freed by "Paper" and its translucent and resonant homage to guitar rock."Cities" perhaps defines this record and its era ("...Some good points!Some bad points!Find a city, find myself a city to live in!")It's absurd minimalism at its most ironic.We're then necessarily treated to the woeful "Life During Wartime" which also happens to be one of the great party grooves of that era ("This ain't no party!This ain't no disco!This ain't no foolin' around!"This ain't the Mud Club or CBGB's...I ain't got time for that now!")
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. American Punk    3. College Rock    4. New Wave    5. New York Punk    6. Pop    7. Pop/Rock    8. Popular Music    9. Post-Punk    10. Rock    11. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Every generation of high schoolers needs a band to express the angst and agony specific to 14-to-18-year-olds. At present, that band is the Offspring. Their songs are aimed squarely at a younger crowd, from "The Meaning of Life" to "Leave It Behind" to "I Choose," and especially "All I Want" and "Change the World". Their occasionally insightful lyrics are anything but obscure, which is actually refreshing; there's real pain behind "Gone Away," and "Way Down the Line" taps into the common fear among the younger crowd of turning out just like our parents. Musically, the Offspring are hardly complex, but then complexity isn't a requirement. This is music to play at full volume, bang your head to, and annoy your neighbors. Cool. Read more

Reviews (213)

Great Release, Similar to Smash's style.
Each Offspring album is a bit different in its own small way. Although, this is the one probably most like their breakthrough masterpiece Smash. If you enjoyed Smash a lot, like I did, then this should be the next in line for you to try out. Not saying that their newer stuff is somehow not as good, they just have a slightly different sounds that the earlier two. This follow up just shows how The Offspring are keeping their punk rock style sound strong with each release. It's also a really good follow up album. My favorite tracks are probably "Gone Away", "I Choose", "Amazed", and "Me & My Old Lady". Here's everything else rated...
average...large decline gets started.
ignition, smash, and self-titled are amazing albums!...but what about this? the follow-up to smash....not nearly as bad as the dreck that came after this album, but nowhere near as good as anything before.
awesome offspring album!
this has got to one of the offspring's best CDs, next to smash, and ignition! some of the songs like: "me & my old lady", "mota", "cool to hate", and "don't pick it up", are kind of wierd, but the other songs are awesome! some of the best include: "the meaning of life", "gone away", "i choose", "amazed", "all i want", "change the world", and just all the other songs that i didn't say was weird. the intro song is awesome, because it's spoken by jello biafra - and dead kennedys are like one of my favorite bands - so that's a huge plus! i think this is like more of an expiremental re-make of smash, and i'm just glad they didn't over do it, they just did it right. so anyways, if you're new to the offspring, you might wanna start with smash, or ignition, so you can get a better taste of their true sound. but if you already know who the offspring is - get this now! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Hard Rock    3. Pop    4. Post-Grunge    5. Punk    6. Punk Revival    7. Punk-Pop    8. Rock   

Reviews (46)

Still whoops me today almost 30 years later.
I've always considered the Nervous Breakdown 7" to be the finest 7" ever made, which is saying a lot and, actually, virtually impossible to say considering there's so many amazing ones out there.But this one is something special.And when you hear it with the other 3 records here it shows you that BLACK FLAG created some of the finest hardcore punk rock ever.In fact, after their first album, Damaged, they stormed off the charts themselves, into some sorta experimental punk yuk, excluding, of course, the wonderful 2xLP, Everything Went Black of these same songs done by a variety of their earlier singers.
Kick Ass
Black Flag this CD kicks, makes me feel like jumping into a mosh pit at the age of 45 yrs old.It takes off where punk rock left off in the late 70s, makes me feel alive.If you like punk this one is a must have.

If you're going to own one hardcore record this would be it!!
This is one of the best collections of any band ever compiled! Comes with the classics by Keith and Gregg Ginn that put, black flag on the map!You just can't go wrong with the quick yet catchy songs that just stay in your head all day long. Fix Me and Wasted are a quick blur and that's how punk songs should be. Not some sort of Opera rock that goes on for nine and a half minutes long... Six Pack was always a funny song to sing along."What are we gonna do!?! the t.v. is broken!!! OH NO we're gonna miss our favorite shows!!""my girlfriend asked me which i liked better i hope she doesn't leave me"It's kinda of a two for one album when you listen to it because both vocalist brought their own style to the band.Find out what the fuss is over this band and pick up a classic comp! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. American Underground    3. Hardcore Punk    4. L.A. Punk    5. Pop    6. Punk    7. Rock   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (32)

Founder of Wendy's makes rock'n'roll!
Few people are aware that Dave Thomas, in addition to being the founder and spokesman of the Wendy's hamburger chain, was also the leader of Pere Ubu. Clearly Mr. Thomas wasn't in it for the money, since he made his fortune selling good old-fashioned hamburgers, and so he was free to pursue his own musical muse. The results are sometimes splendid, sometimes things go awry, but it's always the unique stylings of Dave Thomas that characterize this raw, passionate music. Kinda makes you wonder what would have happened if Carl Karcher, founder of Carl's Junior, had also pursued music with such abandon and freedom from financial considerations!

Your twisted mind will thank you
The first two minutes of "Laughing" are like a laid-back version of the Stooges' "L.A. Blues," with a saxophone going quietly crazy while a guitar chimes in with chords here and there. The very first sound you here on the album is feedback, which continues even as the guitar begins to come in for the very, very postromantic love song "Nonalignment Pact." This is music with a screw loose, but in a good way.
pagan apocalypse
The guiding theme of Modern Dance (Blank, 1978) is that of alienation and anxiety in the industrial society. Mutatis mutandis, Pere Ubu take the fear of the nuclear holocaust and transplant it into a different scenario, in which death is not physical but spiritual, not due to bombardment but to economic and social mechanisms.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. American Punk    3. American Underground    4. Experimental Rock    5. Pop    6. Post-Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Import

Reviews (2)

Sin of omission
A valiant try at a worthy "best of" collection. With 22 tracks, there's no excuse for omitting "Heaven Stood Still." But any effort to get these other 22 great songs into people's ears is an effort worth commending. If you don't know Willie DeVille, begin with this one, then quickly buy the recent re-issue of Le Chat Bleu.

A Real Soul Singer
This is an outstanding collection of songs ranging from gritty rockers to lovely ballads by a terrific singer. Fans of (early) Springsteen and Southside Johnny will love this stuff. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. New York Punk    2. Pop    3. Pop/Rock    4. Rock & Roll    5. Rock/Pop    6. United States of America   

Editorial Review

One of the true characters of L.A.'s first hardcore wave, Social D's frontman Mike Ness seemingly fancied himself a boot-boy Johnny Cash at the time of this 1983 release. The tales he spun--many of which were later borne out by stints in jail and drug treatment--blurred the line between American anti-hero and punk no-goodnik, between Cash and the Clash.And, unlike a lot of their Angeleno brethren, Ness and axeman Dennis Danell really knew how to write a song. Admittedly, this incarnation of the band is decidedly less accessible than the current edition. And while they may not be as anthemically inspiring as the more earnest work found on, say, Read more

Reviews (22)

A Classic Punk Record!
I grew up on this album as well as Social D's "Mainliner:wreckage from the past" and let me tell you that after 10+ years of listening they have lost absolutely none of their power! I am not a fan of much social D after the early punk years. When mike ness lost the ability to sing reasonably and they became a weird rockabilly/country from the heart type band I said goodbye. If you enjoy bands like Black Flag,Circle Jerks,T.S.O.L. and others from that time period and cali location than you will certainly dig every second of this. The only problem I really ever had with Mommy's Little Monster was that it's only 9 songs long and that the album versions of All The Answers and Moral Threat don't live up to the Earlier ones (which appear on "mainliner"). Do yourself a favor and pick both up right now!

best punk rock album ever
I fell in love w/ Mike Ness and Social D in the 80s.They toured constantly, it seemed like they came to the Cameo Theatre in Miami Beach (and when that shut down, 1235) at least 2X a year.Best energy at those shows, everyone screaming our lungs out to songs that told our stories.If you don't get amped listening to this album, you should really stick to emo-core fluffy music, and quit calling yourself a punk rocker.
Social D at their best
Mommy's little monster is in my opinion, Social Distortion's greatest sound. I'm in high school and really enjoy punk music, So this CD's raw enerfy and blaring guitars is a good sound. Don't let this discourage you not to buy other CD's by them though, Because later Social Distortion isalso great, just a different, more mature sound. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. American Underground    3. Hard Rock    4. L.A. Punk    5. Pop    6. Popular Music    7. Punk    8. Rock    9. Rock & Roll   

Reviews (33)

All the songs you remember.. with a twist
Great CD with songs you remember as a kid. I really got it because of the "Tra La La" Song from the Banana Splits, but all the others are great re-makes; Hong Kong Phooey, Scooby Doo, Stop the Pigeon, Fat Albert's Theme, Spiderman.. and others.

JUNK
If you're looking for soundtrack recordings, DO NOT GET THIS!! It's nothing but sick, annoying, noisy, GARBAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great for the young and the old!
I've had this CD since it's release! LOVED it then, still love it! I think the covers are GREAT! Better than the originals, makes for much more fun reliving the cartoons I grew up on! I had recently purchased a copy for my friends son, who LOVES it, and since has been learning to play guitar! I would like to see more CD's like this quality and caliber of bands to attract the young ones who are our future rockstars! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 90's    2. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Alternative Pop/Rock    4. College Rock    5. Indie Rock    6. Jangle Pop    7. New York Punk    8. Pop    9. Pop Underground    10. Popular Music    11. Post-Grunge    12. Power Pop    13. Punk Revival    14. Rock    15. Rock/Pop Collections    16. Singer/Songwriter   

Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (13)

Bang bang you're dead
A true classic; Deborah Harry has never been better, sliding into "Fan Mail" like liquid mercury, she blasts out of it like a siren; breezy pop "Denis," "Love at the Pier" and "I'm On E" presages later work; PL showcases the most clever and inventive group of the last 30 years -- e.g., the beguiling "Cautious Lip," downright scary "Detroit 442" and "Bermuda Triangle Blues," and best of all, Jimmy Destri's amazing, pulsing and enigmatic "Contact In Red Square," Destri's magnificent keyboard, amazing back-up vocals, and Clem Burke's phenomenal rat-a-tat drumming rushes you along this little thriller only to leave you stranded in a dark alley.More mature than their debut, and not quite the uptempo, chrome-polished pop of "Parallel Lines," "Eat to the Beat," or "Autoamerican," "Plastic Letters" highlights Burke's percussion and Destri's keyboards like no other Blondie project."Plastic Letters" is Blondie's best.A top-ten must have from the 70s that leaves you yearning for more Destri, Destri's solo "Heart on a Wall" on CD.

PLASTIC LETTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Plastic Letters is great! Fan Mail is i good pop song,Denis is a wonderful french/pop song, Kiddnapper is a Elvis type song but this is better becuase its by Blondie!!!(Blondie is and always will be better than Elvis!!)I Didn't Have the Nerve to Say No this is my favorite song on this album (though all the songs are great!!!)I love this alum!

Sooooo good
I think this album was the beginning of Blondie's three finest moments. There isn't a single moment on Plastic Letters that lets me down. It's edgy, rocking and energetic throughout, with a more raw sound than the Mike Chapman records that followed. Blondie was always a very tight band, with an amazingly skillful team in Chris, Jimmy and especially Clem, the most underrated drummer in rock and roll.
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Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. New Wave    3. New York Punk    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Punk    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (137)

Great MusicFor Those Who Usually Hate Hardcore
First of all, let me admit that I am a 35 year old man who rarely likes fast or loud music anymore. I usually spend my time listening to groups like Belle and Sabastian, Stone Roses, Van Morrison, Nick Drake, The Smiths, etc. It's not that I haven't tried listening to certain hardcore punk or modern heavy metal bands. It's just that I find their lack of melody and lack of originality terribly frustrating and boring. It's not simply that my ears can't take "loud" music anymore. The heavy metal groups are usually fronted by a singer who wants to either sound like the Cookie Monster or Rob Halford. A normal sounding voice is simply too much to ask from these guys. Most hardcore groups are rarely original and just try to play as fast as they can and usually have a singer who likes to sing with a whiny voice or a gruff voice.
Excellent
Great album people, thanks to the guys from BR for returning to form. All songs deserve 5 stars. Well except for epiphany, id give that a 4. Epiphany has two meanings, im sure of it. One is to do with God and the other is to do with a realization of something profound. Since im religous i tend to think that this song is singing about the latter even though i dont think it is.
Bad Religion
The cd was in great shape and arrived within a good period of time.I love the cd, to boot. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Hardcore Punk    2. L.A. Punk    3. Pop    4. Punk    5. Punk-Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

MDC's terse 1982 debut was a blazing dose of funky, politically charged hardcore. Dave Dictor and company attacked issues like Phil Ochs on crack and backed up their high-speed manifestos (including "John Wayne Was a Nazi" and "Corporate Deathburger") with music that hit harder than Mike Tyson.They couldn't keep it up though, and Read more

Reviews (16)

Funky Hardcore
This is a pretty good hardcore album.It hits extremely hard, it's political, it's funny, and it's intelligent.The only reason I think that people knocked it down, today and back in the day, is that it doesn't bring a whole not new to the table.That said, if you enjoy hardcore music comparable to the Bad Brains and Agnostic Front, this is where you want to go.Only, it